Map Based GK
Geography · मानचित्र आधारित GK
📋Quick Overview
Map-based questions are among the most frequently asked in competitive exams. They test knowledge of India's states, borders, coastlines, landlocked states, extreme points, and neighbouring countries. Key facts about which state touches the most states, largest/smallest states, coastal states, and states sharing international borders are repeated regularly. Telangana (2014) is the newest state of India (29th state).
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India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories. Uttar Pradesh touches the MOST states (9). Rajasthan is the largest state by area. Goa is the smallest state.
📖States Touching Maximum States
| Rank | State | Touches | Neighbouring States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 9 states | Uttarakhand, HP, Haryana, Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Delhi (NCT) |
| 2 | Rajasthan | 5 states | Punjab, Haryana, UP, MP, Gujarat |
| 2 | Madhya Pradesh | 5 states | Rajasthan, UP, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat |
📖Largest & Smallest States/UTs
| Category | Name | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Largest state (area) | Rajasthan | 3,42,239 km² — bigger than many countries |
| Smallest state (area) | Goa | 3,702 km² |
| Largest state (population) | Uttar Pradesh | ~24 crore (Census 2011), most populous |
| Smallest state (population) | Sikkim | ~6.1 lakh (Census 2011) |
| Largest UT (area) | Ladakh | 59,146 km² (formed in 2019 from J&K) |
| Smallest UT (area) | Lakshadweep | 32 km² — smallest UT |
| Newest state | Telangana | Formed 2 June 2014, carved out of Andhra Pradesh, 29th state |
📝Coastal & Landlocked States
- •9 Coastal States: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal
- •Gujarat has the LONGEST coastline (~1,600 km). Andhra Pradesh has the second longest.
- •India's total coastline = ~7,516 km (mainland: ~6,100 km + islands)
- •Landlocked states (no sea coast): MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, UP, Uttarakhand, HP, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh
- •4 UTs have coastline: Puducherry, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar
📖India's Extreme Points
| Direction | Point | Location | Key Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northernmost | Indira Col | Siachen Glacier, Ladakh | On the border with China (Aksai Chin area) |
| Southernmost (mainland) | Kanyakumari | Tamil Nadu | Where 3 seas meet: Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal |
| Southernmost (overall) | Indira Point | Great Nicobar Island | Also called Pygmalion Point, submerged during 2004 Tsunami |
| Easternmost | Kibithu | Arunachal Pradesh | Near China border, sunrise first here in India |
| Westernmost | Guhar Moti (Sir Creek) | Gujarat | Near Pakistan border, disputed Sir Creek area |
📝States Sharing International Borders
- •Pakistan border (5): Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, J&K, Ladakh
- •China border (5): Ladakh, HP, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh
- •Nepal border (5): Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim
- •Bhutan border (4): Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh
- •Bangladesh border (5): West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram
- •Myanmar border (4): Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram
- •Afghanistan border: Ladakh (via PoK — disputed, tiny border)
📝Important Tricky Facts for Exams
- •Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N) passes through 8 states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram
- •Standard Meridian of India = 82.5°E passes through Mirzapur (UP) — IST is 5.5 hours ahead of GMT
- •India spans 68°7'E to 97°25'E longitude and 8°4'N to 37°6'N latitude
- •Sikkim is the ONLY state touching 4 countries' borders region (Nepal, China, Bhutan + near Bangladesh via Siliguri Corridor)
- •West Bengal touches maximum countries (3): Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan