Geography related articles in News

News: The territorial army has launched a new task force called Ganga Task Force (GTF) Battalion for rejuvenation and protection of the Gomti River.

About Gomti River

• The Gomti river rises at Gomath Taal, also called Fulnar Jheel, near the Madho Tanda in the Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh. 
• It is a tributary of Ganga River and joins Ganga in the Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh. 
• It has a length of about 960 km. 
• The popular Markandey Mahadev Temple is located at the confluence (Sangam) of the rivers Ganga and Gomti. 
• Major tributaries of the Gomti river include the Sai River, Saryu River, Chowka River etc. 
• Cities located on the bank of the Gomti river include Lucknow, Sultanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Jaunpur. 
• The river is polluted at several points due to discharge of industrial waste, sewage, and residential wastewater into the river. 

News: The Indian Army has installed a statue of the Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the banks of Pangong Tso Lake.

About Pangong Tso lake

• It is an endorheic lake (landlocked) located in eastern Ladakh.
• It derives its name from the Tibetan word, “Pangong Tso”, which means “high grassland lake”.
• It lies partly in India’s Ladakh region and partly in Tibet.
• It is the world’s highest saltwater lake.
• The Karakoram Mountain range which crosses Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and India ends at the north bank of Pangong Tso.
• Pangong Tso is also known to change colors, appearing blue, green and red at different times of a day.

Importance of the lake

• The importance of the lake is due to the fact that it lies in the path of the Chushul approach of China.
  • China uses Chushul valley for performing offensive activities into Indian-held territory.
• The legendary 19th century Dogra general Zorawar Singh is said to have trained his soldiers and horses on the frozen Pangong lake before invading Tibet.
• LAC(Line of Actual Control) mostly passes on the land, but Pangong Tso is a unique case where it passes through the water as well.

News: China has approved the construction of world’s largest dam, costing US$ 137 billion, on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet close to the Indian border. 

About Brahmaputra River 

• It is a transboundary river in India, originating from the Chemayungdung glacier of the Kailash range near the Mansarovar lake. 
• Course 
  • From its source, it travels eastwards longitudinally for nearly 1200 kms in southern Tibet, where it is known as the Tsangpo. 
  • The river enters India west of Sadiya town in Arunachal Pradesh. It receives its main left bank tributaries (Dibang and Lohit) to be known as Brahmaputra. 
  • In Bangladesh it merges with the Ganga to form the Sunderbans delta. 
• Tributaries 
  • Major Left Bank Tributaries: Burhi Dihing, Dhansari, Lohit, Dibang, Kopili 
  • Major Right Bank Tributaries: Subansiri, Kameng, Manas, Sankosh 
• Significance of Brahmaputra River 
  • Economic Importance: The fertile plains formed by the river support the cultivation of rice, tea, jute, contributing to the economy of Assam and surrounding areas. The river also facilitates trade and inland water transportation. 
  • Ecological Importance: It supports rich biodiversity of flora and fauna, such as the Gangetic dolphin, Indian rhinoceros and various migratory birds.  
  • Hydropower Potential: It holds significant potential for hydroelectric power generation, given its massive flow of water. 

News: Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, started erupting again. 

About Kilauea Volcano 

• Location: Situated on the southeastern part of the Hawaii’s Big Island, as a part of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 
• Volcano Type: It is an active shield volcano, formed by the eruption of highly fluid lava. 
• Features: 
  • Kilauea has covered around 90% of its surface in lava flows within the last 1,000 years. 
  • It is an elongated dome built of lava eruptions from the central crater and features long, shallow slopes. 
  • It has two rift zones stretching to the east and southwest. 
• Eruption History: It has been erupting regularly since there have been written records, with the exception of the quiet period between 1924 and 1952. 

News: US President-elect Donald Trump sparked controversy by proposing that the United States buy Greenland, calling it an “absolute necessity” for national security. Key Facts about Greenland

About Greenland

• Capital: Nuuk
• Highest Point: Gunnbjorn’s Fjeld
• Greenland is the world’s largest island, lying in the North Atlantic Ocean.
• It is geographically part of the North American continent but politically associated with Europe as an autonomous territory of Denmark.
• Borders:
  • It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Greenland Sea to the east, the North Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, the Davis Strait to the southwest, Baffin Bay to the west, and the Nares Strait and Lincoln Sea to the northwest.
  • Greenland shares its maritime borders with Canada, Iceland and Norway.
• National Park: Northeast Greenland National Park is the world’s largest national park.
• Climate:
  • Two-thirds of Greenland lies above the Arctic Circle, creating frigid climate year-round.
  • It experiences extreme weather, including months of continuous daylight (midnight sun) and darkness (polar night) due to its high latitude.
• Strategic Importance: During the Cold War, the United States established Thule Air Base, which remains operational.

News: Indian oceanographers have reached a significant milestone by capturing an image of an active hydrothermal vent situated 4,500 meters beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean.

About Hydrothermal Vent

• Hydrothermal vents are underwater springs that form in tectonically active areas where seawater interacts with magma below the ocean floor.
• Location– Ridges, For ex. Central and Southern Ridge of the Indian Ocean, Convergent plate boundaries, Volcanic hotspots, Ocean trenches
• Formation:
  • Cold Water Entry: Seawater at about 2°C seeps into cracks in the ocean crust caused by tectonic activity.
  • Heating by Magma: The water is heated to extreme temperatures (up to 370°C) upon contact with magma.
  • Chimney Formation: As the hot water meets cold seawater, minerals solidify, forming chimney-like structures around the vents.
• Significance:
  • Mineral deposits: The deposits from hydrothermal venting are generally rich in copper, zinc, gold, silver, platinum, iron, cobalt, nickel and other economically-beneficial minerals and metals.
  • Ecological insights: Hydrothermal vents host unique ecosystems relying on chemosynthesis rather than photosynthesis. These ecosystems support a variety of organisms, such as giant tube worms, vent crabs, clams, and shrimp, many of which are found nowhere else.
  • Scientific Research: Provides insights into deep-sea geological processes and the potential for resources, supporting strategic initiatives like India’s Deep Ocean Mission.

News: The Republic of Moldova, a country in Eastern Europe, recently opened its embassy in New Delhi.

About Key Facts about Moldova

• Capital– Chisinau
• It is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe.
• It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south.
• It is situated in the northeastern corner of the Balkan Peninsula.
• The country lies to the east of the Carpathian Mountains.
• Rivers: Most of Moldova is located between the Prut River, which borders Romania to the west, and the Dniester River, a major waterway in the east.
• Notable landscapes: Bălți Steppe and Codru Hills, known for their scenic beauty and fertile lands.
• EU Status: Moldova is not a member of the European Union but was granted EU candidate status in 2022.
• Transnistria Region:
  • It is a breakaway territory located east of the Dniester River.
  • It is controlled by pro-Russian separatists and permanently hosts Russian troops as well as a large arms depot.

News: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido in Mayotte, France. Cyclone Chido Explanation

About Cyclone Chido

• Cyclone Chido was a powerful tropical cyclone that struck Mayotte, a French overseas territory in the Indian Ocean, in December 2024.
• With sustained wind speeds exceeding 200 km/h (124 mph) and gusts surpassing 225 km/h (140 mph), it was the strongest storm to hit Mayotte in at least 90 years.

Cyclone Classification:

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) categorizes cyclones based on wind speeds

• Depression: Wind speeds of 31–49 km/h
• Deep Depression: 50–61 km/h
• Cyclonic Storm: 62–88 km/h
• Severe Cyclonic Storm: 89–117 km/h
• Very Severe Cyclonic Storm: 118–166 km/h
• Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm: 167–221 km/h
• Super Cyclonic Storm: Above 222 km/h

News: Santa Ana winds-driven wildfires have burned over 4,000 acres and impacted approximately 22,000 people in the coastal town of Malibu, California.

About Santa Ana Winds

• Definition– Santa Ana winds are dry and warm (often hot) winds in the Southern California area that blow in from the desert — which includes the Great Basin of the western United States, incorporating Nevada and part of Utah.
• Seasonal Occurrence– Santa Ana conditions can occur whenever the Great Basin is cooler than Southern California, usually between September and May. However, they are most notable in October, as Southern California’s climate during autumn increases the risk of wildfires.
• Formation and effect:
  • Santa Ana winds occur when high pressure forms over the Great Basin, located between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, while low pressure develops along California’s coast.
  • This pressure difference drives strong winds from the inland deserts of the Basin, east and north of Southern California, over the mountains toward the Pacific Ocean.
  • As the winds move down the mountains, they compress and heat up, causing their humidity to drop, often below 20% and sometimes even below 10%.
  • The resulting dry conditions turn vegetation into highly flammable material, which contributed to fueling the flames in Malibu.

News: A study conducted by Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, Bihar has found that manganese contamination of water is leading to cancer in the Gangetic plains of Bihar. 

About Manganese 

• It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal that is usually found in combination with iron, not as a free element in nature. 
• The two common types of manganese ore are Pyrolusite and Psilomelane. 
• India is the fifth largest producer of manganese in the world after China, Gabon, South Africa, and Australia. 
• Manganese deposits occur in almost all geological formations, though they are mainly associated with Dharwar System. 
• Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha are the leading manganese producing states. 
• States with highest reserves of manganese are Odisha (44%), Karnataka (22%), Madhya Pradesh (12%).
• Uses: It is an important raw material for smelting iron ore. 
  • It is also used for manufacturing ferro alloys, bleaching powder, insecticides and paints.