{"id":337173,"date":"2025-05-18T09:00:40","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T03:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=337173"},"modified":"2025-05-17T20:27:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T14:57:15","slug":"day-10-prelims-20-places-in-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/day-10-prelims-20-places-in-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 10 Prelims 20+: Places in News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In today\u2019s <em>Prelims 20+<\/em>, we focus on Places in News \u2014 a high-frequency theme in UPSC Prelims, often linked to current events, international affairs, environmental developments, and strategic geopolitics. Questions on this topic test not just map-based awareness but also your ability to connect locations with context \u2014 whether it&#8217;s a natural disaster, infrastructure project, military exercise, or diplomatic summit.<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;border-collapse: collapse;border-style: solid;height: 120px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 30px\">\n<td style=\"width: 100%;text-align: center;height: 30px\"><strong>Table of Content<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 30px\">\n<td style=\"width: 100%;height: 30px;text-align: left\"><strong>World (Region wise)<br \/>\n<\/strong><a href=\"#h1\">AFRICA<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h2\">MID-WEST ASIA\/ CENTRAL ASIA<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h3\">ISRAEL-PALESTINE-LEBANON CONFLICT<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h4\">NORTH AMERICA\/CARIBBIANS<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h5\">SOUTH AMERICA<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h6\">EUROPE<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h7\">RUSSIA-UKRAINE CONFLICT<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h8\">REST OF ASIA AND OCEANIA<\/a><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 30px\">\n<td style=\"width: 100%;height: 30px;text-align: left\"><strong>India<br \/>\n<\/strong><a href=\"#h9\">Z-Morh tunnel<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h10\">Pangsau Pass<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h11\">Ana Sagar Lake<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h12\">Asan Wetland<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h13\">Bungus Valley<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h14\">Musi River<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h15\">Pangong Tso Lake<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h16\">Shyok River<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h17\">Kalapani and Limpiyadhura<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"#h18\">Vadhavan port<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 30px\">\n<td style=\"width: 100%;height: 30px\"><a href=\"#h19\">Click here to download pdf of Places in news<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>World<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"h1\"><\/a>AFRICA<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The DRC is 2nd largest country in Africa and the 11th largest in the world<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Capital<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, is situated on the Congo River, which is the only river in Africa that crosses the equator twice.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Boundaries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: DRC is bounded by <\/span><b>nine countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> &#8211; Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola and Congo. To the west is the country\u2019s short <\/span><b>Atlantic coastline<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (about 40 km).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Provinces in news<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 <\/span><b>North Kivu and South Kivu<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, provinces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, were involved in the Kivu armed conflict over natural resources.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The <\/span><b>Katanga Plateau<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is a rich mining region that supplies cobalt, copper, tin, radium, uranium, and diamonds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Ituri Province: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The region has been affected by armed conflicts and inter-communal violence<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>BULENGO CAMP<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Persistent socio-political insecurity in the DRC\u2019s<\/span><b> North Kivu province<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> has led to the creation of many internally displaced camps (IDCs).<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One such camp is <\/span><b>Bulengo camp<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, located at the far western edge of Goma city.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Mass Kidnappings in Nigeria<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Capital<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 Abuja<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Bordering countries:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Benin, Niger, Chad, Cameroon<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Water bodies:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Atlantic Ocean<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nigeria is Africa\u2019s most populous country (second most populous is Ghana).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The largest city in Nigeria is Lagos<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nigeria is named after the Niger River, which is its principal river. Niger drains into the Gulf of Guinea.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nigeria has a tropical climate with variable rainy and dry seasons.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Active Militant Group<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 Boko Haram<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Rwanda<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>About<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Rwanda is a small, landlocked country in east-central Africa, just south of the equator.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is part of the Great Rift Valley region.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Borders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Burundi (south), Tanzania (east), Uganda (north), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (west).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Relevance: Rwanda, the primary backer of the <\/span><b>M23 armed group<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, is supporting its offensive in eastern DRC.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Important Place:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Lake Kivu:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It is one of Africa&#8217;s Great Lakes, it forms part of<\/span><b> Rwanda&#8217;s western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Sudan<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>About<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Sudan is located in northeastern Africa.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Borders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Red Sea.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Relevance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Sudan is seeing violence and fighting among groups amid an attempt to transition its polity from an autocracy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Important Places<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Capital Khartoum, Omdurman (largest city), Darfur, Kordofan, Port Sudan, Zamzam Camp, Abiey Region, El Fashaga Region etc.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Omdurman<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: One of the conflict zones that experienced spread of violence beyond the initial fighting in Khartoum.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>El Fasher<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Located in Darfur, heavily impacted by clashes and a critical area in the ongoing humanitarian crisis.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Darfur and Kordofan States<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Regions facing severe humanitarian issues, including famine and ethnic-targeted violence due to the conflict.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Zamzam Camp, North Darfur<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Declared as having famine conditions, hosting nearly 500,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Abiey Region<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Disputed land between Sudan and South Sudan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Jazeera State<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Facing food insecurity crisis similar to conditions in Zamzam camp due to the ongoing conflict.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>El Fashaga Region:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Border area with Ethiopia, witnessing frequent clashes over agricultural land amid the ongoing instability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Kordofan region<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> constitutes the central and southern area of Sudan. It lies between Darfur on the west and the valley of the White Nile River on the east.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>South Sudan<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>About<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: It is a landlocked country in East Africa.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Borders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Sudan, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, Kenya, Central African Republic (CAR)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Important Places:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Jonglei State, Upper Nile State, Abyei Region (yet to be determined between Sudan and South Sudan)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Somalia<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>About<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: It is a country located in the Horn of Africa.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Borders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Bordering water bodies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.\u00a0 Its coast touches the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, a gateway to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Important Places<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Puntland region, Jubaland, Ogaden Region and Somaliland<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Puntland region (autonomous):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Las Anod city (&#8220;homeland&#8221; for the Harti community), a site of contention between Puntland &amp; Somali Govt.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Jubaland <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(autonomous): Some regions under conflict between Kenya and Somalia.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Ogaden Region<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Ethiopia &amp; Somalia dispute<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Somaliland <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(capital &#8211; Hargeisa): Self-governing region but not recognised.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Cabo Verde (Capital: Praia)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: It is a small archipelago (volcanic origin) situated in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of <\/span><b>West Africa<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Island Groups<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Divided into two groups\u2014Barlavento (Windward) in the north and Sotavento (Leeward) in the south.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Largest Port: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mindelo, located on the island of S\u00e3o Vicente.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Lake Naivasha<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a shallow freshwater lake situated in <\/span><b>Kenya\u2019s southern Rift Valley<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is designated as the <\/span><b>Ramsar site<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is of relatively recent geological origin and is surrounded by extinct or dormant volcanoes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The lake is fed by the perennial <\/span><b>Malewa and Gilgil Rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which drain the Aberdare Mountains of central Kenya.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The lake is famous for its <\/span><b>high populations of hippos<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><b>flamingos.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Lake Victoria<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is <\/span><b>situated in East Africa<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and is bordered by three countries: Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is the<\/span><b> world\u2019s largest tropical lake<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and the <\/span><b>second-largest freshwater lake by surface area<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> after Lake Superior.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is the largest lake in the African Great Lakes region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It serves as the <\/span><b>source of the White Nile<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which flows northward and merges with the Blue Nile in Sudan to form the Nile River.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Mount Kenya<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Central Kenya, just south of the Equator.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Elevation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: 5,199 meters (17,058 feet) at its highest peak, Batian.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Peaks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Batian (5,199m), Nelion (5,188m), and Point Lenana (4,985m)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Geology<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: An extinct <\/span><b>stratovolcano <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">that has undergone significant erosion over time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Glaciers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Hosts Lewis Glacier and Tyndall Glacier, among Africa\u2019s few remaining tropical glaciers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>UNESCO Status<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1997 for its ecological and cultural importance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Sacred Mountain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Considered sacred by the Kikuyu people, who believe it is the home of their god, Ngai.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Port of Tubruk (Libya)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Port of Tobruk is a port located at <\/span><b>Tobruk, Libya<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Opened in 1986, it is located in Eastern Libya near the Egyptian border.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Lake Kariba<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is the <\/span><b>world\u2019s largest artificial lake<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and reservoir by volume.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Located in Central Africa, within the <\/span><b>Zambezi River<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> basin.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u25aa It lies on the border between <\/span><b>Zambia and Zimbabwe<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h2\"><\/a>MID-WEST ASIA\/ CENTRAL ASIA<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Caspian Sea<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is the world\u2019s largest water body that is enclosed or bordered by land on all sides.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This massive lake is located between Asia and Europe.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is an <\/span><b>endorheic basin<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (drainage basin without an outflow)..\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Bordering countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: It is bordered by Russia and Azerbaijan on the west, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan on the north and east, and Iran on the south<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Three major rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2014the Volga, the Ural, and the Terek\u2014empty into the Caspian from the north.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Kurdistan Region<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a broadly defined geographic region traditionally inhabited mainly by Kurds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It consists of an extensive plateau and mountain area, spread over large parts of what are now eastern <\/span><b>Turkey, northern Iraq, and western Iran and smaller parts of northern Syria and Armenia.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Governorates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Dohuk, Halabja.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Capital<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Erbil<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Geographical features:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Mountains<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: It includes the mountain systems of the <\/span><b>Zagros<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and the eastern extension of the <\/span><b>Taurus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: <\/span><b>Tigris<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><b>Greater Zab Rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> flow through this region and support agriculture and settlements.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">India established a consulate in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, in August 2016 to enhance economic and commercial ties with Iraq.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Nagorno Karabakh<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 Nagorno-Karabakh, called Artsakh by Armenians, is a landlocked mountainous region in the South Caucasus.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The territory is internationally recognised as part of oil-rich Azerbaijan, but its inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Armenians.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>South Caucasus<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The South Caucasus, also known as the <\/span><b>Transcaucasus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, is a geographical region on the <\/span><b>border of Eastern Europe and West Asia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, straddling the <\/span><b>southern Caucasus Mountains.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to <\/span><b>modern Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> which are sometimes collectively known as the <\/span><b>Caucasian States<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Baalbek, Tyre and Anjar Sites<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Context<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Several Israeli strikes on Baalbek in the east and Tyre in the south hit close to ancient Roman ruins designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Baalbek<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Baalbek is a city located east of the <\/span><b>Litani River in Lebanon&#8217;s Beqaa Valley<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, about 67 km northeast of Beirut.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is home to the UNESCO-listed Baalbek <\/span><b>Roman temples<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, including the Temples of Bacchus, Jupiter, and Venus, showcasing intricate architecture.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in <\/span><b>1984<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Tyre<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tyre, a city in southern <\/span><b>Lebanon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, is one of the <\/span><b>oldest continually inhabited cities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the world.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in <\/span><b>1984<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Anjar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anjar is an ancient city in the <\/span><b>Beqaa Valley of Lebanon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (designated in <\/span><b>1984<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Palmyra, Syria<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Israeli air strikes on residential buildings and an industrial area in the central Syrian town of Palmyra, Syrian.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Located in the <\/span><b>north-east of Damascus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Palmyra contains the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A <\/span><b>UNESCO <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">World Heritage today.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Tartous province (Syria)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The violence in Tartous province of Syria has marked the deadliest challenge to the Sunni Islamist-led authorities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tartous is a <\/span><b>major port city on the Mediterranean coast of Syria.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is the second largest port city in Syria (after <\/span><b>Latakia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>City of Kobani\/Kobane (Syria)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a <\/span><b>Kurdish-majority city in northern Syria<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, lying immediately <\/span><b>south of the Syria\u2013Turkey border.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Turkish-backed Syrian rebels attacked near the strategic northern border town of Kobani, which is under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>HODEIDAH AND AL-SALIF REGIONS (YEMEN)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: U.S. strikes the Hodeida and Al-Salif regions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Hodeidah<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hodeidah is located in western Yemen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Al Hodeidah city is situated on the Tihamah coastal plain that borders the Red Sea.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Al-Salif region:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Al-Salif is located in western Yemen.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is situated in the southern coast of Kamaran Bay of the Red Sea.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>BAB-EL-MANDEB<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The Red Sea and surrounding region has been in news due to attacks launched by the US on Houthi rebels in Yemen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean, situated between the Arabian Peninsula (Asia) and the Horn of Africa (Africa).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Connecting:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The Red Sea connects to the Indian Ocean via the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Al-Jawf Region, Saudi Arabia<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Al-Jawf is located in the northern part of Saudi Arabia, bordering Jordan and Iraq, and is part of the Arabian Desert.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Climate:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The region is typically arid, with hot summers and mild winters, characterized by vast stretches of sandy terrain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Cultural Significance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Al-Jawf has historical and archaeological importance, with ancient sites such as Al-Rajajil and ruins from past civilizations, highlighting its long history of human settlement.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h3\"><\/a>ISRAEL-PALESTINE-LEBANON CONFLICT<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Netzarim Corridor<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This strategic military zone was established by the Israel Defense Forces during the Gaza War, stretching from the Gaza-Israel border to the Mediterranean Sea and effectively dividing the Gaza Strip.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>\u2018BLUE LINE\u2019 boundary<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Blue Line is a demarcation line <\/span><b>between Israel and Lebanon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, established by the United Nations in 2000.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The 120-km Blue Line is an UN-recognised demarcation line to indicate that Israel had withdrawn its military from southern Lebanon.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It <\/span><b>separates Lebanon from Israel and the Golan Heights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, but it is not an official international border.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Nuseirat Camp<\/span>:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Context<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Israel-Hamas conflict<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nuseirat is a <\/span><b>Palestinian refugee camp<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> located in the middle of the Gaza Strip, five kilometers north-east of Deir al-Balah.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP (Palestine)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A raid by the Israeli security forces in West Bank\u2019s refugee camps.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nur Shams is a <\/span><b>Palestinian refugee camp<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the Tulkarm Governorate in the north-western West Bank, located three kilometers east of Tulkarm.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Note<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The camp is <\/span><b>not located in GAZA.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Golan Heights<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It is a strategically significant plateau located in southwestern Syria, near the borders of Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The region overlooks the upper Jordan River valley to the west and is named after the biblical city of refuge, Golan in Bashan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>It is bounded by:<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u25aa Jordan River and Sea of Galilee to the west<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u25aa Mount Hermon to the north<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u25aa Wadi Al-Ruqq\u0101d River to the east<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u25aa Yarm\u016bk River to the south.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Philadelphi Corridor<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> A narrow strip of land, approximately 14 km long and 100 meters wide, along Gaza\u2019s border with Egypt, including the Rafah crossing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Demilitarized Zone:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Designated as a demilitarized border zone after Israel withdrew its settlements and troops from Gaza in 2005.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Geography:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>NEGEV DESERT (ISRAEL)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Houthi militants launched a volley of drones and missiles into Israel, mostly landing in the Negev Desert.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a <\/span><b>desert and semi-desert region of southern Israel.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Located <\/span><b>west of the Jordan River<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is bounded by the S<\/span><b>inai Peninsula (west) and the Jordan Valley (east).<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The region&#8217;s largest city and administrative capital is <\/span><b>Beersheba <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in the north.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At its southern end is the <\/span><b>Gulf of Aqaba and the resort city and port of Eilat.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h4\"><\/a>NORTH AMERICA\/CARIBBIANS<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Gulf of Mexico<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Gulf of Mexico is a large body of water bordered by the southeastern United States, Mexico, and Cuba.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Connections<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Connected to the <\/span><b>Atlantic Ocean<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> via the <\/span><b>Straits of Florida<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Connected to the <\/span><b>Caribbean Sea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> through the<\/span><b> Yucat\u00e1n Channel<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Size<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: It is the <\/span><b>largest gulf in the world<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Climate<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Type<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Ranges from tropical to subtropical.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Severe Weather<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The region is known for hurricanes, tornadoes, and thunderstorms.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2013 The Mississippi River and the Rio Grande are the two major rivers that drain into the Gulf.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Tampa Bay, Yucatan Peninsula<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Context<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Florida faced Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 Storm- one of five most intense storms in Atlantic history.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tampa Bay Area<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Tampa Bay area is a major metropolitan area surrounding Tampa Bay on the Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Yucatan Peninsula<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Yucatan Peninsula is a large <\/span><b>peninsula in Mexico and Central America<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that is significant for its role in the Maya civilization:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Yucatan Peninsula is located in <\/span><b>southeast Mexico and extends into parts of Belize and Guatemala.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It&#8217;s bordered by the <\/span><b>Gulf of Mexico<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to the north and west, and the <\/span><b>Caribbean Sea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to the east.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Baltimore<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a shipping port located along the tidal basins of the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland, near the upper northwest shore of the Chesapeake Bay.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Baltimore was the 17th biggest port in the United States in 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It&#8217;s the largest vehicle-handling port in the US.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Potomac River (USA)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Context<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Passenger plane collides with U.S. military helicopter mid-air before crashing into Potomac river in Washington.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Potomac River is a <\/span><b>major river in the eastern United States<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, flowing through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It <\/span><b>originates from Fairfax Stone<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, West Virginia, and extends approximately 652 km before emptying into the <\/span><b>Chesapeake Bay<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The <\/span><b>Chesapeake Bay<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the <\/span><b>largest estuary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the United States, located on the <\/span><b>East Coast<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, primarily between the states of Maryland and Virginia.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is an <\/span><b>inlet of the Atlantic Ocean<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and plays a crucial role in the region\u2019s ecology, economy, and history.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Mount Adams<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Situated in Washington State, United States.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Type:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Stratovolcano.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Size:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Washington\u2019s largest volcano by volume, surpassing Mount Rainier, which is the state\u2019s highest peak.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Trinidad and Tobago<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Following a deadly weekend of violence in the dual-island nation in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago declared a state of emergency.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Trinidad and Tobago is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is located 11 kilometres northeast off the coast of Venezuela, 130 kilometres south of Grenada, and west of Barbados.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Its capital city is <\/span><b>Port of Spain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Despite its proximity to South America, Trinidad and Tobago is generally considered to be <\/span><b>part of the West Indies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h5\"><\/a>SOUTH AMERICA<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Chancay Port (Peru)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Context<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The $3.6 billion Chinese-funded Chancay port project in Peru, US concerns around it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also called a &#8220;ne<\/span><b>w land-sea corridor between China and Latin America<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Located about 78 km north of the Peruvian capital of Lima, Chancay is a small fishing town with a population of around 60,000.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a <\/span><b>natural deep-water port<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, however, previous feasibility studies on building up infrastructure pointed out heavy construction costs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Essequibo region (Guyana)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The <\/span><b>Guyana\u2013Venezuela territorial dispute<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is an ongoing territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over the Essequibo region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a 159,500 square km area west of the Essequibo River.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Essequibo region accounts for almost <\/span><b>two-thirds of Guyana&#8217;s territory<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and its boundaries were set by a ruling of the international tribunal in 1,899, as a British colony.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is also claimed by Venezuela as the Guayana Esequiba State.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>DARIEN GAP<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The illegal journey into the US often involves dangerous crossings through multiple countries, including the treacherous Darien Gap &#8211; a vast, roadless jungle that connects Colombia and Panama.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Darien gap is a geographic region in the <\/span><b>Isthmus of Panama connecting the American continents within Central America.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It consists of a large <\/span><b>watershed, forest, and mountains<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in <\/span><b>Panama&#8217;s <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dari\u00e9n Province and the northern portion of <\/span><b>Colombia&#8217;s <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Choc\u00f3 Department.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Panama canal<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a man-made waterway that <\/span><b>connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is built across the<\/span><b> Isthmus of Panama<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the country of Panama.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Constructed by the United States, the canal was officially opened in 1914.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Recognized as one of the world\u2019s key maritime choke points, it facilitates around 6% of global maritime trade.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The canal was controlled by the U.S. until 1999 when it was transferred to Panama under the <\/span><b>Torrijos-Carter Treaties (1977).<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Honduras<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is located in Central America.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Honduras Bordered by:<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Guatemala to the west<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">; by <\/span><b>El Salvador to the southwest<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">; and by <\/span><b>Nicaragua to the southeast.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is also bounded by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca to the south and by the Caribbean Sea at the Gulf of Honduras to the north.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is the world\u2019s largest salt flat, located in southwest <\/span><b>Bolivia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Salar de Uyuni is a critical source of lithium, a key element in the global energy transition, particularly for electric vehicle batteries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Lithium Triangle:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It lies in the \u2018Lithium Triangle\u2019, an area that includes parts of Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia, which holds some of the largest lithium reserves globally.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Geographical Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The salt flat is situated near the crest of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h6\"><\/a>EUROPE<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Santorini Island<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> = Greek islands located in <\/span><b>Aegean Sea<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Southernmost islands in Cyclades island group.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a volcanic crater island i.e. it is the remaining portion of an exploded volcano.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Greenland<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Greenland is the world\u2019s largest island, located in the North Atlantic Ocean.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is geographically part of North America but politically an autonomous territory of Denmark.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Capital and Highest Point:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The capital is Nuuk, and the highest point is Gunnbj\u00f8rn\u2019s Fjeld.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Borders and Maritime Connections:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean, Greenland Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Baffin Bay and shares maritime borders with Canada, Iceland, and Norway.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Northeast Greenland National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the world\u2019s largest national park.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Baltic Sea<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Chinese registered ship held in Baltic Sea sabotage investigation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North and Central European Plain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a <\/span><b>shelf sea and marginal sea of the Atlantic<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> with limited water exchange between the two, making it an inland sea.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It drains through the <\/span><b>Danish straits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> into the <\/span><b>Kattegat <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">by way of the <\/span><b>Oresund, Great Belt and Little Belt.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It includes the <\/span><b>Gulf of Bothnia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (divided into the Bothnian Bay and the Bothnian Sea), the <\/span><b>Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of Riga and the Bay of Gda\u0144sk.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is <\/span><b>connected <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">by artificial waterways to the <\/span><b>White Sea <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">via the <\/span><b>White Sea\u2013Baltic Canal <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and to the German Bight of the North Sea via the <\/span><b>Kiel Canal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Albania<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Context<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Italian PM calls plan to send migrants to Albania courageous, unprecedented.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Albania is a country in <\/span><b>Southeast Europe.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is in the <\/span><b>Balkans<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, on the <\/span><b>Adriatic and Ionian Seas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> within the Mediterranean Sea and shares land borders with <\/span><b>Montenegro <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to the northwest, <\/span><b>Serbia <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to the northeast, and <\/span><b>North Macedonia <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to the east and <\/span><b>Greece <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to the south.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Moldova<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Capital:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Chisinau<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Moldova is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Borders:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Geography:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Moldova is situated in the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula, east of the Carpathian Mountains.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Rivers:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Most of the country lies between the Prut River, which forms the border with Romania to the west, and the Dniester River, a major waterway running through the east.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Notable Landscapes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The B\u0103l\u021bi Steppe and Codru Hills are known for their scenic beauty and fertile lands.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>EU Status:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Moldova is not a member of the European Union, but it was granted EU candidate status in 2022.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Frozen Conflict:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Transnistria region is the frozen conflict region in Moldova.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Romania<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Far-right pro-Russian populist surprises in Romanian presidential election; set to enter runoff against PM.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Romania is located in the geographic centre of Europe.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Borders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Its neighbours are Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, the <\/span><b>Black Sea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Europe&#8217;s second-longest river, the <\/span><b>Danube<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, empties into the Danube Delta in the southeast of the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>ISLAND OF CRETE (GREECE)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>In News<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: These places are often seen in news related to migration of people from the Port of Tubruk in Libya to the Island of Crete in Greece.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Crete is the largest and most populous of the <\/span><b>Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Se<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Little Prespa Lake<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Little Prespa Lake is situated on the border between <\/span><b>Albania and Greece<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in southeastern Europe, with the majority of the lake lying in Greek territory.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Size:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It is smaller than its northern counterpart, Great Prespa Lake.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Protection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The lake is part of the larger Prespa National Park, which is a protected area.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h7\"><\/a>RUSSIA-UKRAINE CONFLICT<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Black Sea<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2013 It is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Bordering countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">North: Russia and Ukraine.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">South: Turkey.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">West: Bulgaria.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">East: Georgia.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Romania also has access to the Black Sea.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Other Geographical features<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Black Sea connects to the Aegean Sea (Mediterranean) through the Bosporus Strait, Sea of Marmara, and Dardanelles Strait.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The <\/span><b>Kerch Strait links it to the Sea of Azov<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Russia has the longest coastline<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> (2,300 km), followed by Turkey (1,329 km) and Ukraine (1,282 km).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Crimean Peninsula extends into the Black Sea from the north.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Major rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> flowing into it include the Danube, Dnieper, Southern Bug, Rioni, and Dniester.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Kara Sea<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: A marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, situated north of <\/span><b>Siberia, Russia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Geographical Boundaries:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Northwest<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Franz Josef Land<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>West<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Novaya Zemlya archipelago (separates it from the Barents Sea)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>East<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Severnaya Zemlya archipelago (separates it from the Laptev Sea)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>North:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Connected to the Arctic Basin<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Climate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Among the <\/span><b>world\u2019s coldest seas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, it remains ice-covered from September to May.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Major Rivers Draining into Kara Sea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Kara, Ob, Pyasina, and Yenisei.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Kerch Strait<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It is a strait in Eastern Europe.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It separates the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea in the west from the Taman Peninsula of Russia\u2019s Krasnodar Krai in the east.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Kursk Region<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is in the western part of Russia, bordering Ukraine to the southwest.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The basins of the Dnieper (Seim, Psel) and Don rivers are located on its territory.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The main type of soil is chernozem or black soil.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The region has prospected deposits of iron ore, phosphorites, peat, and building materials.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Other regions of Conflicts<\/span>:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lipetsk region (Russia)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nizhny Novgorod region<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(Russia)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bryansk region (Russia)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Astrakhan region (Russia)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline (Russian)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Russian gas supplies sent to Europe via Ukraine for more than 40 years came to a stop after Kyiv refused to renegotiate a five-year-old transit deal amid war with Moscow.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also known as the <\/span><b>Bratstvo pipeline, Brotherhood pipeline, West-Siberian Pipeline, or Trans-Siberian Pipeline.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is one of Rus<\/span><b>sia&#8217;s main natural gas export pipelines<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, partially owned and operated by Ukraine.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It carried gas fro<\/span><b>m Siberia via the town of Sudzha \u2014 currently, under the control of Ukrainian military forces \u2014 in Russia\u2019s Kursk region.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The pipeline flows through Ukraine to <\/span><b>Slovakia <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">where the pipeline splits into branches going to the <\/span><b>Czech Republic and Austria.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The biggest brunt will be borne by Eastern European countries \u2014 primarily <\/span><b>Austria, Slovakia, and Moldova.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>ODESA REGION (UKRAINE)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>In News: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The region is in news again due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Location: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the far Southwest of Ukraine<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Neighbouring countries: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Moldova and Romania.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h8\"><\/a>REST OF ASIA AND OCEANIA<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Mount Taranaki (Also known as Mount Egmont)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Volcanic mountain in New Zealand which is known by its Maori name <\/span><b>Taranaki Maunga.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a dormant stratovolcano (also known as composite cone volcano) &amp; is made up of alternative layers of lava &amp; ash.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is now the 3<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">rd<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> natural feature in New Zealand to receive this status after <\/span><b>Te Urewera National Park<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> &amp; <\/span><b>Whanganui River<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Mount Dukono (INDONESIA)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Height<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Stands at 1,087 meters above sea level and is among Indonesia\u2019s 127 active volcanoes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Situated on Halmahera Island.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Other Recent Volcanic Eruptions in Indonesia<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Mount Merapi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Located near Yogyakarta.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Mount Ruang<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: A stratovolcano in the Sulawesi Islands.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Located on Flores Island.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Triton Island<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Triton Island is part of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Control:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It is effectively controlled by China but also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Geography:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Triton is the southernmost island in the Paracel group.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Chagos Island<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Chagos Archipelago is situated in the central Indian Ocean, about 500 km south of the Maldives.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Colonial History:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Originally uninhabited, the archipelago was colonized by the French and then ceded to the British in 1814.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Strategic Importance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago, houses a significant U.S. military base.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Scarborough Shoal<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Scarborough Shoal is situated in the eastern part of the South China Sea, and it is the largest oceanic coral atoll that developed on top of a seamount.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Shape and Size:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It has a triangular shape and is a significant feature in the contested region, with its reefs and islands submerged during high tide but visible during low tide.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Disputed Territory:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The shoal is claimed by China, the Philippines, and Taiwan, leading to ongoing geopolitical tensions over sovereignty.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Mount Fuji<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Highest Mountain in Japan:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Mount Fuji, also known as Fuji-san, is Japan\u2019s tallest mountain, standing at 3,776 meters (12,389 feet).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It is located on the island of Honshu, near the Pacific coast, roughly 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mount Fuji is a stratovolcano.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Dormant but Active:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Though it has been dormant since its last eruption in 1707, Mount Fuji is still classified as an active volcano by geologists due to its potential for future eruptions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Luzon Island and Strait<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Luzon is the <\/span><b>largest and most populous island<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the <\/span><b>Philippines<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: In the northern portion of the Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country&#8217;s capital city, Manila, as well as Quezon City, the country&#8217;s most populous city.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is the 15th largest island in the world by land area.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Luzon Strait<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Luzon Strait is the strait <\/span><b>between Luzon and Taiwan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The strait thereby <\/span><b>connects the Philippine Sea to the South China Sea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the western Pacific Ocean.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Saint Martin\u2019s Island<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is situated in the northeastern region of the Bay of Bengal, near the border between <\/span><b>Bangladesh and Myanmar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is Bangladesh\u2019s only coral island.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is located 9 kms from the southern tip of Bangladesh\u2019s Cox\u2019s Bazar-Teknaf peninsula.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the 18th century, Arab merchants settled on the island, initially naming it \u201cJazira\u201d and later changing it to \u201cNarikel Jinjira\u201d or \u201cCoconut Island.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In 1900, British India annexed the island during a land survey, naming it St Martin\u2019s Island after the Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong, Martin.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Sittwe Port (Myanmar)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a deep-water port located in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State in Myanmar.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is located at the mouth of the Kaladan River, which flows into the Bay of Bengal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">India constructed the port as part of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Agalega Islands<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Agalega Islands are located about 650 nautical miles (1,050 km) north of <\/span><b>Mauritius<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This group consists of two islands with a total area of 26 sq km and a native population of around 300 people.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Significance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Developing the Agalega Islands serves the socio-economic and national security interests of Mauritius and aligns with India&#8217;s maritime vision.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Chabahar Port<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a deep-water port, located on the Makran Coast of Iran\u2019s Sistan-Baluchistan province.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is next to the Gulf of Oman and at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is the only Iranian port with direct access to the Indian Ocean and consists of two separate ports named Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Dukki Coal Mines (Pakistan)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Located in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the news due to frequent attacks on miners and security forces.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Baghlan Province (Afghanistan)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>In News:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Many were killed when a gunman opened fire on a Sufi shrine in Afghanistan\u2019s northern Baghlan province<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is located north of <\/span><b>Kabul <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and surrounded by Bamian, Parwan, Takhar, Kunduz and Samangan provinces.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It lies on the main route to the north and Northeastern regions of Afghanistan.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>TORKHAM CROSSING AND CHAMAN BORDER (AFGHANISTAN)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Context<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Afghan and Pakistani forces trade fire at the border as key crossing remains closed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>About Torkham Crossing:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Torkham Crossing, a critical border point <\/span><b>connecting Pakistan and Afghanistan.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Its strategic location makes it a vital entry point for trade and connectivity between the two nations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>About Chaman Border:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is one of the major international border crossings <\/span><b>between Afghanistan and Pakistan.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It links the two provincial capitals: Quetta and Kandahar.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>South-China Sea<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is an arm of the western Pacific Ocean that borders the Southeast Asian mainland.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is connected by Taiwan Strait with the East China Sea and by Luzon Strait with the Philippine Sea.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It contains numerous shoals, reefs, atolls and disputed islands. For example \u2013 The Paracel Islands, the Spratly Islands (between China, Vietnam and Philippines) and the Scarborough Shoal (China and Philippines)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>Wadge Bank<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a 10,000 square kilometers area, located approximately 50 kilometers south of <\/span><b>Kanyakumari<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It features shallow waters, a nearly flat bottom topography, and a continental shelf.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This area is rich in biodiversity and is considered India\u2019s most valuable fishery resource.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><b>India<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"h9\"><\/a>Z-Morh tunnel<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is located between Gagangir and Sonamarg in the Union Territory of Jammu &amp; Kashmir.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stretching over 6.5 km, it offers a reliable, all-weather route, serving as an alternative to the <\/span><b>Zojila Pass<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2014 a crucial link between Srinagar and Leh.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Strategic Importance: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Alongside the upcoming Zoji-La Tunnel, the Z-Morh Tunnel forms a vital part of the<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Srinagar-Leh National Highway. It ensures year-round connectivity to key locations like Baltal (gateway to the Amarnath Cave), Kargil, and other parts of Ladakh, significantly boosting the region\u2019s strategic and economic landscape.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h10\"><\/a>Pangsau Pass<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Situated at 3,727 feet (1,136 m) in the Patkai Hills along the India-Myanmar border.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Origin of<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Name: Named after the nearest Burmese village, Pangsau.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Historical Significance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Believed to be the route of the 13th-century Ahom invasion of Assam by the Shan tribe.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Connectivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The historic Stilwell Road (Ledo Road) passes through Nampong and Pangsau Pass into Myanmar.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h11\"><\/a>Ana Sagar Lake<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u2013 It is an<\/span><b> artificial lake (man-made lake)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> located in the<\/span><b> Ajmer district of Rajasthan.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Constructed by\u2013<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0 <\/span><b>King Arnoraja<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> , the grandfather of Prithviraj Chauhan, between 1135-1150 AD.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Historical significance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Mughal Emperor Jahangir<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> established the renowned <\/span><b>Daulat Bagh garden<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> next to the lake.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Later,<\/span><b> Shah Jahan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> enhanced the site by adding <\/span><b>five marble pavilions (Baradaris)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> along the lake, transforming it into a prominent tourist and heritage attraction.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h12\"><\/a>Asan Wetland<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is situated near the borders of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in <\/span><b>Dehradun district<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, it lies at the confluence of the Asan River and the Eastern Yamuna Canal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was declared as <\/span><b>Uttarakhand\u2019s first Ramsar site in 2020..<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Birds like the <\/span><b>Brahminy duck, red-crested pochard, gadwall<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and mallard migrate here from Central Asia<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h13\"><\/a>Bungus Valley<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bungus Valley is situated in the Kupwara district of Jammu &amp; Kashmir.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It lies within the Handwara sub-district, located in the Trans-Himalayan region of northern India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Bungus Valley is an ecologically rich area with a unique mountain biome.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It<\/span><b> features a grassland biome<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at lower altitudes and is home to dense Coniferous forests (Budloo), which resemble a Taiga ecosystem.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h14\"><\/a>Musi River<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Origin<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Ananthagiri Hills, Rangareddy district, Telangana.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tributary of: Krishna River<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. It flows into the Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Rivulets<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Formed by the convergence of two rivulets\u2014Esi (8 km) and Musa (13 km).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Significance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: A vital water source for Hyderabad<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h15\"><\/a>Pangong Tso Lake<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is an endorheic lake (landlocked) located in eastern Ladakh.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The lake is located partly in India\u2019s Ladakh region and partly in Tibet (China).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is the world\u2019s highest saltwater lake.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Karakoram Mountain Range, which spans Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, and India, ends at the northern bank of Pangong Tso.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pangong Tso is known for its color-changing waters, which can appear blue, green, or red at different times of the day.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h16\"><\/a>Shyok River<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Source<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u2013 Originates from the Rimo Glaciers in the Karakoram Range.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a tributary of the Indus River.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Course:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It flows through northern Ladakh and Gilgit-Baltistan and joins the Indus River near Skardu.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Its major right bank tributary is the Nubra River.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h17\"><\/a>Kalapani and Limpiyadhura<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Location<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, and Lipulekh areas are located in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, India.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Dispute<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: Nepal claims that these areas are part of its Dharchula district and belong to it historically and evidently. India has administered the land for a long time.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>The Kali River<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is said to originate from a stream at Limpiyadhura, northwest of Lipu Lekh.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The united stream of Kalapani flows southwest and joins the Kuthi Yankti river, which arises from the Limpiyadhura Pass. The combined river is called the &#8220;Kali River&#8221;.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"h18\"><\/a>Vadhavan port<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vadhavan Port is a <\/span><b>greenfield deep sea port<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> at Vadhavan in Palghar district of <\/span><b>Maharashtra<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The port will be built on the coast of the <\/span><b>Arabian Sea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is responsible for the construction of the port.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It will be the country&#8217;s first Offshore Port in which the port will be built on an artificial island.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After the construction of the port, it will be the <\/span><b>2nd Mother Port in India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> after Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a id=\"h19\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Places-in-News.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here<\/a> to download pdf of Places in news<\/p>\n<p><em>To Read more about Prelims 20+ initiative<\/em>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/prelims20-a-free-initative-for-cse-prelims-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In today\u2019s Prelims 20+, we focus on Places in News \u2014 a high-frequency theme in UPSC Prelims, often linked to current events, international affairs, environmental developments, and strategic geopolitics. Questions on this topic test not just map-based awareness but also your ability to connect locations with context \u2014 whether it&#8217;s a natural disaster, infrastructure project,&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/day-10-prelims-20-places-in-news\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Day 10 Prelims 20+: Places in News<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10367,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12123],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-337173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prelims-20","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10367"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=337173"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337173\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=337173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=337173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=337173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}