Geography
407 key terms for this subject — each defined in plain language, with where it helps in the exam and a link to the study note it comes from.
- 6th Mass Extinction
Current biodiversity crisis; 100–1,000× natural extinction rate due to human activity
Where it helps Biodiversity crisis
Read the study note →- Aconcagua
6,961 m — highest peak in Western/Southern Hemispheres; Andes, Argentina
Read the study note →- Aeolian Deposit
Material transported and deposited by wind; sand dunes are primary aeolian deposits in Thar
Where it helps Thar Desert soil genesis
Read the study note →- Aeolian Geomorphology
Study of wind-formed landforms; Thar Desert's relict dunes and interdune playas have geopark potential
Where it helps Thar geo-tourism opportunity
Read the study note →- Aeolian
Formed by wind action; e.g., sand dunes in Thar Desert
Where it helps Thar Desert landforms
Read the study note →- Agro-climatic Zone
Region with uniform climate and agricultural suitability; 15 zones (Planning Commission)
Where it helps Agricultural geography
Read the study note →- Albedo
Fraction of incoming solar radiation reflected by a surface (fresh snow 80–90%)
Read the study note →- Alluvial Plain
Flat plain formed by river sediment deposition
Where it helps Indo-Gangetic Plain
Read the study note →- Alluvial Soil
Deposited by rivers (new = Khadar; old = Bangar); most fertile; Chambal, Banas, Ganganagar
Where it helps Most productive farming zone
Read the study note →- Alpide Belt
Mediterranean-Himalayan seismic belt; 15% world earthquakes
Read the study note →- Ammonite
Extinct cephalopod mollusc; spiral shell fossil; abundant in Jaisalmer Jurassic marine rocks
Where it helps Key fossil type in Jaisalmer Basin
Read the study note →- Anamudi
Highest peak south of Himalayas (2,695 m); Kerala; Anaimalai Hills
Where it helps PYQ-relevant peak
Read the study note →- Antecedent Drainage
River older than mountains it crosses; cuts through rising terrain
Where it helps Himalayan rivers 5-mark
Read the study note →- Aravalli Rain Shadow
SW monsoon is parallel to Aravalli range (not perpendicular), so the range gives minimal orographic lift; western Rajasthan remains arid
Where it helps Core physical geography concept
Read the study note →- Aravalli Range
World's oldest fold mountain range (~3,500 Ma); geological heritage benchmark; exposes Precambrian basement rocks of Rajasthan
Where it helps Oldest geological asset in Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Arid Zone Research
CAZRI (Central Arid Zone Research Institute) in Jodhpur — research on desertification, drought-resistant crops
Where it helps Policy institution for Thar Desert
Read the study note →- Aridisols
ICAR/USDA soil order characteristic of arid zones; very low organic matter; dominant in Thar Desert
Where it helps Desert soil classification
Read the study note →- ASHA
Accredited Social Health Activist — community health worker under NHM; 10+ lakh nationwide
Read the study note →- Asthenosphere
Partially molten mantle zone (100–350 km); enables plate movement
Where it helps Plate tectonics 5-mark
Read the study note →- Atacama Desert
World's driest non-polar desert (Chile); Humboldt Current coastal desert
Where it helps Coastal desert example
Read the study note →- Badlands / Ravines
Deeply eroded gully landscape along Chambal
Where it helps Chambal ravines; Kota-Dholpur belt
Read the study note →- Bajra (Pearl Millet)
Pennisetum glaucum; arid-zone staple; Rajasthan #1 in India (~44.66%); Barmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur
Where it helps Key PYQ answer for major kharif crop
Read the study note →- Bangar
Older, elevated alluvial terrace with calcareous Kankar nodules
Where it helps PYQ 2013 — 5 marks
Read the study note →- Barchan
Crescent-shaped sand dune formed in desert by constant wind direction
Read the study note →- Barmer Oil Field
Mangala, Bhagyam, Saraswati fields; Cairn India/Vedanta operated; 4.39 MMTPA; ~15% of India's crude
Where it helps Current affairs + geography
Read the study note →- Barmer-Sanchore Basin
Rajasthan's petroleum basin; Cairn India/Vedanta; ~20% of India's crude
Where it helps Rajasthan resources
Read the study note →- Barrage
Low dam across a river that raises water level for diversion into canals; no storage reservoir; e.g., Bisalpur Barrage (Banas), Jawahar Sagar (Chambal)
Where it helps Differentiates barrage vs. dam; irrigation PYQs
Read the study note →- Barren Island
India's only active volcano — Andaman Sea
Read the study note →- Bauxite
Ore of aluminium; India 5th globally; Odisha's Panchpat Mali is largest deposit
Where it helps PYQ 2023 — 5 marks
Read the study note →- BCM
Billion Cubic Metres — unit for measuring annual water availability
Read the study note →- Beneficiation
Process of concentrating ore by removing gangue (waste rock) through crushing, screening, flotation; done at mine-site before smelting
Where it helps Value addition before processing
Read the study note →- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
2015 scheme for improving child sex ratio in poor-performing districts
Where it helps Sex ratio policy
Read the study note →- Bhabar
Porous gravel belt at Himalayan foothills; rivers disappear underground
Where it helps Indo-Gangetic zones
Read the study note →- Bhadla Solar Park
World's largest solar park (2,245 MW); Rajasthan; operational
Where it helps Renewable energy
Read the study note →- Bharat-VISTAAR
AI-based voice advisory platform for farmers; helpline 155261; launched Jaipur Feb 18, 2026
Where it helps Current affairs tech in agriculture
Read the study note →- Bhil Tribe
Second largest (39.7% of ST); Banswara, Dungarpur; Bhagoria festival; expert archers
Where it helps Culture + geography linkage
Read the study note →- Biodiversity Corridor
Habitat linkage between protected areas allowing wildlife movement; Aravalli: Sariska–Ranthambhore (800+ km)
Where it helps Analytical questions on corridors
Read the study note →- Biodiversity Hotspot
Region with exceptional concentration of endemic species AND severe habitat loss (≥70% original lost); defined by Conservation International; Aravalli range falls within Indo-Burma / Western Ghats influence zone
Where it helps Why Aravalli matters for conservation
Read the study note →- Biodiversity
Variety of life at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels
Read the study note →- Block Mountain / Horst
Uplifted crustal block between parallel faults
Where it helps Vosges, Satpura examples
Read the study note →- Bombay High
Offshore oil field (Arabian Sea); discovered 1974; ~40% of domestic crude; ONGC
Where it helps Petroleum geography
Read the study note →- Braided River
Multiple shallow intertwining channels separated by small islands
Where it helps Brahmaputra in Assam
Read the study note →- Break Monsoon
Dry spell mid-monsoon when ITCZ shifts north to Himalayas
Where it helps Monsoon variability
Read the study note →- BSh
Hot steppe (semi-arid); 25–50 cm; transitional between desert and humid
Where it helps Jodhpur, Nagaur, Churu belt
Read the study note →- Buffer Zone
Area surrounding a core protected zone where limited human activity is permitted; part of biosphere reserve model (core–buffer–transition)
Where it helps Protected area management questions
Read the study note →- BWhw
Hot desert climate; annual rainfall <25 cm; extreme temp range
Where it helps Jaisalmer, Barmer — driest zone
Read the study note →- Caldera
Large depression from volcanic summit collapse
Where it helps Yellowstone, Crater Lake
Read the study note →- Carbon Credit (Agriculture)
Tradable unit for carbon sequestration by farmers; Rajasthan pilot (March 2026) in Alwar, Dausa, Tonk
Where it helps Current affairs 2026; climate-agriculture nexus
Read the study note →- Carboniferous
Period 359–299 Ma; coal-forming swamp forests; first reptiles
Where it helps PYQ 2023 — 5 marks
Read the study note →- Carrying Capacity
Maximum number of tourists a site can absorb without degrading its cultural, ecological, or social integrity; Amber Fort faces overcrowding issues
Where it helps Analytical concept; overtourism debates
Read the study note →- Cauvery Dispute
Karnataka-Tamil Nadu water dispute; SC final order February 2018
Read the study note →- CAZRI
Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur (ICAR); research on arid zone soils, dryland farming
Where it helps Institution for Thar soil research
Read the study note →- CBD
Convention on Biological Diversity (1992); three objectives: conservation, sustainable use, ABS
Where it helps Biodiversity treaty
Read the study note →- Cenozoic Era
66 Ma–present; Age of Mammals; includes Quaternary Ice Ages and Holocene
Where it helps Background context
Read the study note →- Census 2011
Decennial population count; primary demographic reference for RPSC (Census 2021 delayed)
Where it helps All demographic data source
Read the study note →- Census
Systematic counting of population at 10-year intervals; India's Census 2011 is latest completed
Read the study note →- CFCs
Main ODS; from refrigerants/aerosols; 1 Cl destroys 100,000 O₃ molecules
Read the study note →- Chambal Valley Project
Multi-purpose project: Gandhi Sagar + Rana Pratap Sagar + Jawahar Sagar dams; 386 MW total
Where it helps Dam-related questions
Read the study note →- Check Dam
Small dam across a stream/gully to slow water and recharge groundwater; reduce gully erosion
Where it helps Aravalli foothills conservation
Read the study note →- Chhappaniya Akal
Great Famine of 1899–1900 (VS 1956); worst recorded drought-famine in Rajputana
Where it helps Historical context for climate vulnerability
Read the study note →- Child Sex Ratio
Females per 1,000 males in age group 0–6; India (2011): 919 — declining
Read the study note →- Chilika Lake
Asia's largest brackish water lagoon (1,100 sq km); Odisha; Mahanadi coast
Where it helps Coastal geography
Read the study note →- Climate Change
Long-term shifts in global temperature and weather patterns, primarily due to human GHG emissions
Where it helps Highest PYQ topic
Read the study note →- Coefficient of Variation (CV)
Statistical measure of rainfall variability; >40% in Thar (extremely unreliable); ~20% India average
Where it helps Quantifies drought risk scientifically
Read the study note →- Command Area
Area of agricultural land that can be irrigated from a canal system; IGNP command area is largest in India (~19.6 lakh ha)
Where it helps IGNP scope questions
Read the study note →- Composite Volcano
Steep-sided, explosive volcano with andesitic lava
Where it helps Mt. Fuji, Krakatoa
Read the study note →- Composite/Strato Volcano
Steep, explosive andesitic/rhyolitic volcano; most dangerous
Where it helps Volcano type — Fuji, Pinatubo
Read the study note →- Consequent Drainage
River following original land slope
Where it helps Peninsular rivers
Read the study note →- Continental Climate
Extreme temp range (hot summer, cold winter); low humidity; inland from moderating sea
Where it helps Explains Churu paradox
Read the study note →- Continental Divide
Ridge dividing drainage toward different oceans
Where it helps Rocky Mountains feature
Read the study note →- Continentality
Climatic effect of large land masses far from the sea; large diurnal and seasonal temperature range; highest in Churu (~47°C day, near-freezing nights)
Where it helps Explains temperature extremes in Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Contour Bunding
Earthen bunds along contour lines to slow runoff and reduce water erosion on slopes
Where it helps SE Rajasthan conservation technique
Read the study note →- Convectional Rain
Rain from surface heating → rising moist air → condensation; intense, localised
Where it helps Precipitation type Q
Read the study note →- Coral Bleaching
Coral expelling zooxanthellae due to thermal stress; 2024 4th global mass bleaching
Where it helps Climate impact Q
Read the study note →- Coriolis Effect
Earth's rotation deflects winds right (NH) and left (SH)
Where it helps Wind direction Q
Read the study note →- CO₂ Equivalent
Common unit expressing warming potential of different GHGs in CO₂ terms
Read the study note →- CRESEP
Conservation and Restoration of Ecosystems for Sustainable Ecosystems in Protected Areas; JICA-funded; ₹1,774.30 crore; 19 districts
Where it helps Current affairs finance + scope
Read the study note →- Cretaceous Period
66–145 Ma; end-of-dinosaurs; Barmer Basin dinosaur remains
Where it helps Barmer Basin geological context
Read the study note →- Crop Intensity
Ratio of total cropped area to net sown area × 100; higher value indicates multiple cropping; Rajasthan ~127% vs national ~142%
Where it helps Indicator of agricultural land use efficiency
Read the study note →- Cwg
Humid subtropical with monsoon; hottest month before rainy season (g=Ganges type)
Where it helps Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur — agricultural heartland
Read the study note →- Dakshin Ganga
"Ganga of the South" — epithet for Godavari river
Where it helps Peninsular rivers
Read the study note →- Dark Tourism
Visitation to sites associated with tragedy, death, or historical atrocity; Rajasthan examples: battlefield of Haldighati, Nahargarh fort ghost legends
Where it helps Emerging niche; analytical PYQ potential
Read the study note →- Decadal Growth Rate
Percentage increase in population in a 10-year period
Where it helps PYQ 2023 — 5 marks
Read the study note →- Deccan Trap
Vast basaltic lava formation (~5 lakh sq km); formed 65–60 Ma; yields black cotton soil
Where it helps Peninsular geology
Read the study note →- Deforestation
Permanent removal of forests; 4.7M ha/year net global loss
Where it helps Biodiversity + climate
Read the study note →- Delta
Sediment deposit at river mouth forming a fan shape
Where it helps Godavari, Kaveri deltas
Read the study note →- Demographic Dividend
Economic growth potential from large working-age population relative to dependents
Read the study note →- Demographic Momentum
Population continues growing even after TFR falls due to large young cohort
Where it helps Growth phase explanation
Read the study note →- Demographic Transition
Sequential shift from high BR/DR to low BR/DR as a country develops
Read the study note →- Dendritic Pattern
Tree-branch river pattern on uniform substrate
Where it helps Most common in India
Read the study note →- Dependency Ratio
Ratio of dependents (<15 + >65) to working-age population (15–64)
Where it helps Demographic analysis
Read the study note →- Desert National Park
3,162 sq km, Jaisalmer-Barmer; India's largest NP in mainland India (Hemis NP, Ladakh UT ~4,400 sq km is larger); GIB habitat; eco-tourism anchor
Where it helps Eco-tourism geography
Read the study note →- Desertification
Degradation of dryland due to overuse and climate change; affects 40% of land
Read the study note →- Dew Point
Temperature at which air becomes saturated (100% RH)
Read the study note →- Dhuandhar Falls
Narmada waterfall through marble gorge at Bhedaghat, Jabalpur
Read the study note →- Digboi
Assam; Asia's oldest oil field (1889); first oil well in India
Where it helps Petroleum geography
Read the study note →- DMFT
District Mineral Foundation Trust; created by MMDR Amendment 2015; welfare of mining-affected communities
Where it helps ₹7,952.74 crore sanctioned in Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Doab
Land between two rivers (e.g., Ganga-Yamuna Doab) in Indo-Gangetic Plain
Where it helps Regional geography
Read the study note →- Drip Irrigation
Micro-irrigation delivering water drop-by-drop near roots; 90%+ water-use efficiency; Rajasthan has highest drip-irrigated area in India
Where it helps Water conservation priority in arid state
Read the study note →- Drip/Micro-Irrigation
Water-efficient irrigation delivering water near plant roots; Rajasthan target: 11 lakh additional ha by 2027
Where it helps Rajasthan Agriculture Policy 2023
Read the study note →- Drought
Rainfall deficiency causing water scarcity; Rajasthan experiences in 3/10 years on average
Where it helps Tier 1 climate concern; SDRF link
Read the study note →- Dun
Longitudinal valley between Shiwaliks and Himachal; e.g., Dehra Dun
Where it helps Geography 2-mark
Read the study note →- Earthquake
Sudden energy release in Earth's crust along a fault; generates seismic waves
Read the study note →- Ecotourism
Responsible travel to natural areas conserving the environment and improving local community well-being; Jawai Leopard Camp (Pali) is Rajasthan's leading model
Where it helps Sustainable tourism PYQ
Read the study note →- Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS)
Residential school for ST students in tribal blocks; 48 in Rajasthan; funded by MoTA; aims to bridge ST literacy gap
Where it helps ST education policy; PYQ
Read the study note →- El Niño
Anomalous warming of eastern Pacific; weakens Indian monsoon
Where it helps PYQ 2016 — 5 marks
Read the study note →- Endemic Species
Species found naturally only in a specific geographic area and nowhere else; e.g., Desert Fox (Vulpes vulpes pusilla) in Thar, certain Aravalli flora
Where it helps Biodiversity uniqueness of Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Endorheic Basin
Closed drainage basin with no outlet to the sea; water accumulates in lakes or evaporates; covers ~60% of Rajasthan (Luni exception: exorheic to Rann of Kutch)
Where it helps Explains why western rivers have saline lakes
Read the study note →- ENSO
El Niño-Southern Oscillation — coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon driving climate variability
Read the study note →- Ephemeral River
Flows only during/after rainfall
Where it helps Most western Rajasthan rivers
Read the study note →- Epicentre
Surface point directly above the earthquake focus
Where it helps Basic earthquake terminology
Read the study note →- ERCP
Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project; ₹37,247 crore; National Project 2023; links Chambal-Kalisindh surplus to north Rajasthan
Where it helps Current affairs 2023
Read the study note →- Erg
Sandy desert landscape (sand dunes); ~25% of Sahara
Where it helps Desert landform type
Read the study note →- Escarpment
Steep face of a plateau; Western Ghats have steep western escarpment
Read the study note →- Estuary
Funnel-shaped river mouth where tidal water intrudes (no delta)
Where it helps Narmada, Tapi mouths
Read the study note →- Ex-situ Conservation
Conservation outside natural habitat (captive breeding, botanical gardens)
Where it helps GIB captive breeding at Sudasari
Read the study note →- Ferrel Cell
Mid-latitude indirect circulation cell (30°–60°); surface westerlies
Read the study note →- Fifth Schedule Area
Constitutional provision for tribal areas governance; Rajasthan's tribal districts under Schedule V
Where it helps Constitutional context
Read the study note →- Film Tourism Policy 2022
25–30% subsidy for approved film productions in Rajasthan; single-window; 500+ productions 2022-24
Where it helps Current affairs; screen tourism effect
Read the study note →- Focus/Hypocenter
Underground point of energy release in an earthquake
Where it helps Basic earthquake terminology
Read the study note →- Fold Mountain
Mountain formed by compression of tectonic plates crumpling sedimentary strata
Where it helps Most common mountain type
Read the study note →- Fossil
Preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms in rock; Rajasthan's fossils span Precambrian (stromatolites) to Jurassic (wood, ammonites)
Where it helps Foundation concept for all geo-heritage PYQs
Read the study note →- Frontal Rain
Rain from warm and cold air mass meeting; widespread, prolonged
Where it helps Temperate climate Q
Read the study note →- Frost
Near-freezing temperatures in Dec–Jan damaging winter crops; most severe in northern and eastern Rajasthan
Where it helps Agricultural meteorology; rabi crop risk
Read the study note →- FSI
Forest Survey of India — publishes biennial State of Forest Report
Where it helps Forest statistics
Read the study note →- Garasia
Tribe in Sirohi-Pali; semi-nomadic; Pher marriage custom (walking around without formal rites)
Where it helps Custom-based PYQ answer
Read the study note →- Gaumukh
Glacial snout of Gangotri — Ganga's source point at 3,892 m
Read the study note →- Geo-heritage
Geological features of outstanding scientific, educational, or aesthetic value; includes fossils, landforms, rock exposures
Where it helps Topic's primary subject matter
Read the study note →- Geo-tourism
Tourism based on geological features and landscapes; alternative livelihood for desert/Chambal communities
Where it helps Economic angle for geo-heritage topic
Read the study note →- Geodynamo
Liquid outer core circulation generating Earth's magnetic field
Read the study note →- Geoheritage
Conservation of geologically significant sites for scientific, educational, and cultural value; distinct from ecological heritage
Where it helps Core policy concept for geoparks
Read the study note →- Geological Time Scale
Standardised chronological framework dividing Earth's history into eons, eras, periods
Where it helps Direct exam topic
Read the study note →- Geopark Nomination Dossier
Technical document submitted to UNESCO for Geopark status evaluation; requires geological inventory, management plan, and community involvement evidence
Where it helps Procedural context; India's pending status
Read the study note →- Geothermal Energy
Energy from Earth's internal heat; Iceland gets 66% electricity from this
Where it helps Positive volcano impact
Read the study note →- Gobi Desert
Asia's largest cold desert (1.3 million km²); Mongolia-China
Where it helps Cold continental desert
Read the study note →- Golden Triangle
Delhi–Agra–Jaipur tourism circuit; India's most visited foreign tourist corridor; Jaipur = Rajasthan's gateway
Where it helps Tourist flow context
Read the study note →- Gondwana Coal
Bituminous coal from Gondwana geological formations (Carboniferous–Jurassic); India's main coal type
Where it helps Mineral resources
Read the study note →- Gondwana
Southern supercontinent including India, Africa, Australia, Antarctica
Where it helps India's geological history
Read the study note →- Graben
Sunken crustal block between parallel faults (rift valley)
Where it helps Rhine Graben; Narmada valley
Read the study note →- Great Indian Bustard (GIB)
Ardeotis nigriceps; Rajasthan's state bird; critically endangered; <150 globally; primary habitat Desert NP
Where it helps PYQ staple; SC order on power lines
Read the study note →- Great Plains
Structural plain of N. America between Rockies and Mississippi
Where it helps Breadbasket of North America
Read the study note →- Great Victoria Desert
Australia's largest desert (424,400 km²); WA/SA
Where it helps PYQ 2023 — 2 marks
Read the study note →- Green Revolution
Technology package (HYV seeds, fertilizers, irrigation) transforming Indian agriculture from 1960s; benefited wheat in eastern Rajasthan
Where it helps Historical turning point in Indian agriculture
Read the study note →- Greenhouse Effect
Trapping of outgoing infrared radiation by atmospheric GHGs; without it Earth = -18°C
Where it helps Climate change basis
Read the study note →- GSI (Geological Survey of India)
India's primary geological agency; declared 34 National Geological Monuments; founded 1851
Where it helps Protective institution for geo-heritage
Read the study note →- Guar (Cluster Bean)
Cyamopsis tetragonoloba; drought-resistant; ~90% of India's production from Rajasthan; guar gum used in oil drilling, food
Where it helps India's #1; ~80% of global supply
Read the study note →- Gully Erosion
Advanced erosion forming deep channels (gullies) in soil; Chambal ravines are India's largest gully-eroded landscape (~3,600 km²)
Where it helps Chambal ravines → specific Rajasthan context
Read the study note →- Guru Shikhar
Highest peak of Aravalli (1,722 m); Mount Abu (Sirohi)
Where it helps Highest peak PYQ
Read the study note →- Gutenberg Discontinuity
Mantle-outer core boundary at 2,900 km
Where it helps Interior structure 5-mark
Read the study note →- Hadley Cell
Tropical atmospheric circulation cell; descending limb creates subtropical deserts
Where it helps Desert formation mechanism
Read the study note →- Harike Barrage
Confluence of Beas and Sutlej; headworks of IGNP
Where it helps IGNP origin question
Read the study note →- Heritage Hotel
Hotel in a converted historic property (palace, fort, haveli, hunting lodge); Rajasthan has 100+; India's largest cluster
Where it helps Heritage tourism infrastructure
Read the study note →- Heritage Walk
Guided walking tour through historic urban precincts; Jaipur Walled City and Shekhawati havelies are key Rajasthan examples
Where it helps Urban tourism + WHS linkage
Read the study note →- Himachal
Middle Himalayan range; 3,700–4,500 m; hill stations, coniferous forests
Where it helps Himalayan divisions
Read the study note →- Himadri
Highest, innermost Himalayan range; avg 6,000 m; perpetually snow-covered
Where it helps Himalayan divisions
Read the study note →- Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL)
Vedanta subsidiary; operates Zawar, Rajpura-Dariba, Sindesar Khurd; world's second-largest integrated zinc producer
Where it helps Industrial operator for key minerals
Read the study note →- Holocene
Current geological epoch (12,000 BP–present); warm interglacial; human civilisation
Read the study note →- Homestay
Tourist accommodation in a local family's home; promoted under Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020 with grants; disperses income to rural communities
Where it helps Community-based tourism policy
Read the study note →- Hotspot
Stationary mantle plume creating volcanic chains as plate moves over it
Where it helps Hawaii; not Ring of Fire
Read the study note →- Igneous Rock
Rock formed by cooling of magma/lava (granite, basalt)
Read the study note →- IGNP (Indira Gandhi Canal)
649 km canal from Harike; transformed Thar Desert agriculture; ~7.9 lakh ha; green revolution for Bikaner-Jaisalmer
Where it helps Agriculture geography transformation story
Read the study note →- IGNP Secondary Salinization
Rising water table from canal seepage causing salt accumulation; 1.54 lakh ha affected
Where it helps PYQ potential linkage
Read the study note →- IMR
Infant Mortality Rate — deaths per 1,000 live births before age 1; India (2020): 35
Where it helps Health demographics
Read the study note →- In-situ Conservation
Protection in natural habitat (NPs, WLSs, corridors)
Where it helps Vs. ex-situ (zoos, seed banks)
Read the study note →- Indian Ocean Dipole
Temp. difference between western and eastern Indian Ocean; affects monsoon
Where it helps Monsoon variability
Read the study note →- Indira Point
India's southernmost point (6°45'N); Great Nicobar; submerged in 2004 Tsunami
Read the study note →- Indus Waters Treaty
1960 World Bank-brokered treaty; eastern rivers to India, western to Pakistan
Read the study note →- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)
Deaths per 1,000 live births under age 1; Rajasthan IMR 38 (SRS 2020); tribal districts show higher IMR than state average
Where it helps Demographic health indicator
Read the study note →- Inland Drainage
Rivers that do not reach the sea; water lost inland
Where it helps ~60% of Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Inselberg
Isolated rocky hill rising from pediplain; residual erosional feature
Where it helps Arid geomorphology
Read the study note →- Insolation
Incoming solar radiation received at Earth's surface
Where it helps Core atmospheric Q
Read the study note →- Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
Low-pressure belt where NE and SE trade winds converge; controls monsoon position
Where it helps Break monsoon explained by ITCZ shifting north
Read the study note →- Intermontane Plateau
Plateau surrounded by mountain ranges
Where it helps Tibet, Bolivian Altiplano
Read the study note →- Inundation Canal
Canal fed only by floodwater during high-river season; no headwork storage; older form of irrigation (e.g., early Gang Canal)
Where it helps Historical irrigation comparison
Read the study note →- Invasive Species
Non-native species causing ecological harm; Prosopis juliflora, Lantana camara in Rajasthan
Where it helps GIB habitat loss; Sevan grass replacement
Read the study note →- ISA
International Solar Alliance; India-France initiative (Paris 2015); 121 nations
Read the study note →- ISFR
India State of Forest Report; published biennially by Forest Survey of India (FSI); measures actual canopy cover
Where it helps Rajasthan 4.84% figure
Read the study note →- Isohyet
Line on a map connecting points of equal rainfall; used to demarcate arid/semi-arid zones in Rajasthan
Where it helps Map-based questions on rainfall distribution
Read the study note →- Isostasy
Gravitational equilibrium of crust "floating" on denser mantle
Where it helps Mountains have deep roots
Read the study note →- ITCZ
Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone — belt where NE and SE trade winds meet; migrates seasonally
Where it helps Monsoon mechanism
Read the study note →- IUCN Red List
World's most comprehensive species conservation status database
Where it helps 2024: 44,016 threatened
Read the study note →- Jaipur Walled City
UNESCO WHS 2019; India's first planned city on WHS list; built by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1727)
Where it helps Exam: year + "first planned city"
Read the study note →- Jantar Mantar
Astronomical observatory, Jaipur; UNESCO WHS 2010; built by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1727); 19 instruments
Where it helps Separate WHS from forts
Read the study note →- Jawai Leopard Camp
Community-based eco-tourism in Bera (Pali); highest leopard density outside protected areas; global eco-tourism model
Where it helps Emerging sustainable tourism example
Read the study note →- Jet Stream
Fast narrow upper-air currents (9–16 km altitude; 120–400 km/h)
Read the study note →- Jhamarkotra
Udaipur; India's largest rock phosphate mine; ~200 million tonne reserves; RSMML operated
Where it helps PYQ factual; fertilizer linkage
Read the study note →- Jharia Coalfield
India's richest coalfield (Jharkhand); best coking coal; burning fires for decades
Where it helps PYQ-relevant mineral
Read the study note →- Jharkhand Mica Belt
Hazaribagh-Koderma area; world's finest muscovite mica; ~60% global sheet mica
Where it helps Mineral resources
Read the study note →- Jhील / Jhil
Natural or artificial body of water; lake
Read the study note →- Jurassic Period
Geological period 145–200 Ma; dinosaur dominance; Jaisalmer marine fossils; Akal wood fossils
Where it helps Time period for Jaisalmer geo-heritage
Read the study note →- K-Pg Extinction
66 Ma; Chicxulub asteroid; 75% species extinct; end of dinosaurs
Where it helps Mass extinction 5-mark
Read the study note →- Kalbaisakhi
Pre-monsoon nor'west thunderstorms in Bengal/Assam (April–May)
Read the study note →- Kangchenjunga
India's highest peak (8,586 m); Sikkim-Nepal border; 3rd highest globally
Where it helps 2-mark geography
Read the study note →- Kankar
Calcareous (calcium carbonate) nodules found in Bangar soil
Read the study note →- Karst
Limestone erosion landscape; sinkholes, caves, dolines
Where it helps Erosional plain type
Read the study note →- Kayal
Backwater lagoon of Kerala's Malabar Coast; Vembanad Lake is largest
Where it helps Coastal geography
Read the study note →- Ken-Betwa Link
First approved river interlinking project (2021; ₹44,605 crore); MP-UP
Read the study note →- Keystone Species
Species with disproportionately large effect on ecosystem; tiger is keystone in Ranthambhore — controls prey population, maintains forest structure
Where it helps Tiger conservation justification
Read the study note →- Khadar
Fresh alluvial floodplain renewed annually; most fertile agricultural land
Where it helps PYQ 2013 — 5 marks
Read the study note →- Kharif Crops
Sown at monsoon onset (June-July); harvested Oct-Nov; Bajra, Guar, Jowar, Cotton, Groundnut
Where it helps Most Rajasthan farmers depend on kharif
Read the study note →- Kharif Season
Monsoon crop season (June–November); crops sown at rain onset; includes Bajra, Guar, Jowar, Cotton, Groundnut; dependent on SW Monsoon
Where it helps Seasonal framework for Rajasthan agriculture
Read the study note →- Khejri
Rajasthan's state tree (Prosopis cineraria); survives arid conditions; Bishnoi community protects it
Read the study note →- Khetri Copper Complex
Jhunjhunu; operated by Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL); India's largest copper-producing complex
Where it helps Copper geography in Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Khetri
Rajasthan (Jhunjhunu); India's largest copper mine; "Copper City"
Where it helps Mineral Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Kinnow Orange
Mandarin variety; Sri Ganganagar belt; Punjab Kinnow heartland extends into IGNP command area
Where it helps Horticultural geography question
Read the study note →- Koppen Am
Tropical Monsoon climate — high rainfall, brief dry month
Where it helps Climate classification
Read the study note →- Koppen BWh
Hot desert climate — <250 mm rainfall, extreme heat
Where it helps Thar Desert climate
Read the study note →- Koppen Cwa
Humid subtropical with dry winter; Ganga plains
Where it helps North India climate
Read the study note →- Kosi
"Sorrow of Bihar" — Himalayan river; frequent floods; braided course changes
Read the study note →- Kunming-Montreal GBF
Global Biodiversity Framework (COP15, 2022); "30×30" protect 30% land+ocean by 2030
Read the study note →- Köppen Classification
Empirical climate classification using temp/rainfall thresholds; 5 major zones (A–E); devised by Wladimir Köppen
Where it helps Rajasthan has 4 zones: BWhw, BSh, Cwg, Aw
Read the study note →- Köppen System
Most used climate classification: 5 groups (A–E) based on temperature and precipitation
Read the study note →- La Niña
Cooling of eastern Pacific; opposite of El Niño; strengthens Indian monsoon
Read the study note →- Lahar
Volcanic mudflow; volcanic material + water
Read the study note →- Lamheta Ghat
MP (Jabalpur); India's first UNESCO Geopark nomination (2022); still under evaluation 2024
Where it helps Comparative context; India's pending status
Read the study note →- Laramide Orogeny
Mountain-building event 85–55 Ma that created Rocky Mountains
Where it helps PYQ 2021 — Rocky Mountains
Read the study note →- Laterisation
Leaching of silica from soil under intense rainfall leaving iron/aluminium oxides; produces laterite; occurs in Udaipur-Sirohi humid zones
Where it helps Explains laterite formation in hilly Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Laterite Soil
Red soil formed by intense leaching in high-rainfall areas; low fertility
Read the study note →- Lava Plateau
Plateau formed by successive basaltic lava flows
Where it helps Deccan Plateau, Columbia Plateau
Read the study note →- Lava
Magma that has reached the surface; 700–1,200°C
Where it helps Volcanic products
Read the study note →- Lehmann Discontinuity
Outer core–inner core boundary at 5,100 km
Where it helps Interior structure 5-mark
Read the study note →- Lignite
Brown coal; low-carbon content; Bikaner (Gurha, Barri) deposits; RRVUNL power generation
Where it helps Energy mineral of Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Liquefaction
Water-saturated soil behaves like liquid during shaking; causes building collapse
Where it helps Earthquake impact
Read the study note →- Literacy Rate
% of population aged 7+ who can read and write; India (2011): 74.04%
Read the study note →- Lithosphere
Rigid crust + uppermost solid mantle (~100 km); forms tectonic plates
Where it helps Plate tectonics 5-mark
Read the study note →- Loo
Hot, dry dusty wind over NW India; April–June; temperatures 45–50°C
Read the study note →- Loss and Damage
Climate finance mechanism (established COP27, 2022) compensating vulnerable nations for unavoidable climate impacts
Where it helps Paris Agreement extension
Read the study note →- Magma
Molten rock below Earth's surface
Where it helps Basic terminology
Read the study note →- Majuli
World's largest river island (880 sq km), Assam; UNESCO Tentative List
Where it helps Brahmaputra feature
Read the study note →- Makrana Marble
Dolomitic marble from Makrana (Nagaur); Taj Mahal stone; India's finest white marble
Where it helps Cultural + economic geography overlap
Read the study note →- Mango Showers
Pre-monsoon rains in Kerala/Karnataka (May); benefits mango, coffee crops
Where it helps Pre-monsoon events
Read the study note →- Mangrove
Tidal forests in coastal deltas; pneumatophores for anaerobic soil; cyclone buffers
Read the study note →- Mathania Chilli
Famous dark red chilli from Mathania (Jodhpur); GI tag; aromatic; lower pungency than Rajasthani average
Where it helps Horticultural specialty
Read the study note →- Mawat / Mahawat
Winter rainfall from Western Disturbances; critical for rabi crops in northern Rajasthan
Where it helps PYQ 2023; rabi crop connection
Read the study note →- Mawsynram
World's wettest place — 11,871 mm/year; Meghalaya (Khasi Hills)
Where it helps Rainfall extremes
Read the study note →- Median Age
Age at which half the population is younger and half older; India (2011): 28.4 years
Where it helps Demographic dividend
Read the study note →- Mediterranean Climate
Dry hot summer + wet mild winter; 5 global regions
Read the study note →- Meena Tribe
Largest tribe in Rajasthan (51% of ST population); found in Jaipur, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, Udaipur
Where it helps Numerical dominance question
Read the study note →- Megathrust
Largest type of fault at subduction zones; source of Mw 9+ earthquakes
Where it helps 2004 Tsunami source
Read the study note →- Mesozoic Era
252–66 Ma; Age of Reptiles/Dinosaurs
Where it helps PYQ 2021 — 2 marks
Read the study note →- Metallic Minerals
Minerals from which metals are extracted by smelting; Zinc, Lead, Copper, Silver, Iron, Manganese
Where it helps Core classification for RPSC
Read the study note →- Metallogenic Belt
Zone of geological concentration of ore deposits; Aravalli Range = Rajasthan's primary metallogenic belt
Where it helps Explains why Udaipur-Rajsamand cluster has zinc-silver-copper
Read the study note →- Metamorphic Rock
Rock transformed by heat/pressure (marble, quartzite, slate)
Where it helps Rajasthan marble
Read the study note →- Microplastics
Plastic fragments <5 mm; found in Mariana Trench, human blood, Arctic snow
Where it helps Plastic pollution Q
Read the study note →- Million-Plus City
Urban area with population over 1 million; India had 53 in 2011
Where it helps Urbanisation data
Read the study note →- Mineral Concession
Collective term for Reconnaissance Permit, Prospecting Licence, and Mining Lease under MMDR Act; gateway to mineral extraction rights
Where it helps MMDR Act framework; legal classification
Read the study note →- Mining Lease
Legal authorisation granted by state government for mining major or minor minerals on a specified area for a fixed term; governed by MMDR Act
Where it helps Regulatory framework; governance question
Read the study note →- MJO
Madden-Julian Oscillation — 30–60 day atmospheric wave affecting monsoon variability
Where it helps Advanced monsoon
Read the study note →- MMDR Act 1957
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act; divides minerals into major (central) and minor (state)
Where it helps Legal basis for mineral classification
Read the study note →- MMR
Maternal Mortality Rate — deaths per 1,00,000 live births; India (2018–20): 97
Where it helps Health demographics
Read the study note →- Mohorovičić Discontinuity
Crust-mantle boundary at ~35 km; P-wave velocity increase
Where it helps Interior structure 5-mark
Read the study note →- Moment Magnitude (Mw)
Current scientific standard for measuring large earthquake energy
Where it helps Measurement 5-mark
Read the study note →- Monsoon Trough
Low-pressure axis extending from Pakistan to the Bay of Bengal; its northward shift weakens SW monsoon over Rajasthan (break monsoon)
Where it helps Mechanism behind monsoon breaks
Read the study note →- Monsoon
Seasonal reversal of wind direction causing wet/dry seasons
Read the study note →- Montreal Protocol
1987 universal treaty phasing out ODS; 99% success; most effective env treaty
Where it helps PYQ 2023 solution
Read the study note →- MSP (Minimum Support Price)
Government-guaranteed floor price for notified crops; CACI/CACP recommendation
Where it helps Agricultural policy; Swaminathan formula link
Read the study note →- Mustard (Rapeseed)
Brassica juncea; Rajasthan #1 (~46.13% of India); Alwar, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Sikar, Churu
Where it helps Largest rabi cash crop
Read the study note →- NALCO
National Aluminium Company; Angul (Odisha); processes Odisha's bauxite
Where it helps Aluminium industry
Read the study note →- Namami Gange
₹20,000 crore programme (2014) for Ganga river cleanup and rejuvenation
Read the study note →- Namib Desert
World's oldest desert (~55 Ma); Benguela Current, SW Africa
Where it helps Coastal desert example
Read the study note →- NAPCC
National Action Plan on Climate Change, India, 2008; 8 missions including Solar Mission
Where it helps India climate action
Read the study note →- Nathu La
Himalayan pass in Sikkim (4,310 m); India-Tibet trade route reopened 2006
Read the study note →- National Geological Monument
GSI-declared sites of geological importance; 34 in India; Rajasthan: Akal Fossil Park, Barr (Pali)
Where it helps Limited protection — no statutory backing
Read the study note →- NDC
Nationally Determined Contribution — each country's Paris Agreement climate pledge
Read the study note →- NE Monsoon
Oct–Dec; land-to-sea wind; brings rain to Tamil Nadu (60% of annual)
Read the study note →- Net Zero
State where GHG emitted = GHG removed from atmosphere (India target: 2070)
Read the study note →- Neyveli
Tamil Nadu; India's major lignite coal field (3.5 BT); Neyveli Lignite Corporation
Read the study note →- NFHS
National Family Health Survey; provides updated demographic/health indicators between censuses
Read the study note →- NFP 1988
National Forest Policy 1988 — targets 33% of India's land under forest cover
Read the study note →- NIPUN Bharat
National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (2021) — foundational literacy for class 1–3
Where it helps Education policy
Read the study note →- Non-Metallic Minerals
Minerals used as raw material without metal extraction; Limestone, Marble, Gypsum, Rock Phosphate, Mica
Where it helps Building materials; fertilizer inputs
Read the study note →- NPP 2000
National Population Policy 2000 — voluntary family welfare approach; TFR target 2.1
Where it helps Population policy
Read the study note →- NTCA
National Tiger Conservation Authority; oversees Project Tiger; publishes All-India Tiger Census
Where it helps Tiger census 2022: 3,682 India; 88 Ranthambhore
Read the study note →- NTPC
National Thermal Power Corporation; India's largest power generator
Read the study note →- NWDA
National Water Development Agency — prepares river interlinking plans
Read the study note →- Ocean Acidification
pH drop (8.2→8.1, 26% more acidic) as oceans absorb 30% of CO₂; threatens coral
Where it helps Marine ecosystem Q
Read the study note →- Open-Cast Mining
Surface mining method where overlying rock/soil (overburden) is stripped to reach ore; used for Lignite at Gurha, Marble at Makrana
Where it helps Most common mining method in Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Oran
Sacred grove; community-protected forest patch in W. Rajasthan (Bishnoi, Rabari communities); 25,000+ patches
Where it helps Community conservation; CRESEP conservation
Read the study note →- Ore Grade
Concentration of useful mineral in ore (% or g/tonne); higher grade = more economically viable; Rajasthan's zinc ores average 6–8% Zn
Where it helps Economic viability of mineral extraction
Read the study note →- Orographic Rain
Rain from moist air forced upward by mountains; windward heavy; leeward rain shadow
Where it helps Cherrapunji example
Read the study note →- Orographic Rainfall
Rain forced when moist air rises against a mountain; cools and condenses
Read the study note →- Ozone Layer
High-ozone stratospheric zone (15–35 km) absorbing UV-B/C radiation
Where it helps PYQ 2023 — 10 marks
Read the study note →- P-wave
Primary/compressional seismic wave; travels through solids, liquids, gases
Read the study note →- P-waves
Primary/compressional seismic waves; travel through all media
Where it helps Interior study method
Read the study note →- Padharo Mhare Des
Traditional Rajasthani welcome phrase; used as tourism campaign tagline by RTDC
Where it helps Cultural context
Read the study note →- Pal Ghat
Lowest gap (150 m) in Western Ghats; Kerala; NH 544; railway link
Read the study note →- Palace on Wheels
India's first luxury tourist train; launched 1982; RTDC + Indian Railways; 7 nights, 8 destinations
Where it helps PYQ answer: "First luxury tourist train in India"
Read the study note →- Palaeontology
Science of ancient life through fossils; Rajasthan has rich Jurassic and Precambrian records
Where it helps Scientific discipline for geo-heritage
Read the study note →- Palaeozoic Era
541–252 Ma; Ancient Life; 6 periods; Cambrian explosion to P-T extinction
Where it helps Background context
Read the study note →- Pangaea
Single supercontinent ~270 Ma; broke into Laurasia (north) + Gondwana (south)
Read the study note →- Paryatan Mitra
Scheme training local youth as certified tourist guides; employment + visitor experience improvement
Where it helps Government scheme for tourism
Read the study note →- PCPNDT Act
Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (1994); prohibits sex determination
Where it helps Sex ratio policy
Read the study note →- Pediplain
Eroded rock surface of low relief in arid zones; characteristic landform of shield areas in western Rajasthan
Where it helps Arid geomorphology
Read the study note →- Pedogenesis
Soil formation process from parent material through climate, organisms, topography, and time
Where it helps Foundational concept for Sec 2
Read the study note →- Peneplain
Gently rolling erosional surface reduced from ancient mountains
Read the study note →- Perennial River
Flows throughout the year; fed by snow/groundwater
Where it helps Chambal — only perennial river in Rajasthan
Read the study note →- PESA Act 1996
Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act; extends Gram Sabha powers to tribal areas; community control over land, forest, water
Where it helps Tribal self-governance law
Read the study note →- Petrified Wood
Fossilised wood where organic material replaced by minerals (silicification); Akal Fossil Park, Jaisalmer
Where it helps PYQ — Akal Fossil Park question
Read the study note →- Physiography
Study of natural features and landforms of a region
Where it helps Foundational concept for Section 2
Read the study note →- Playa
Flat-bottomed depression (lake bed) in arid inland area; salt-encrusted
Where it helps Sambhar, Didwana, Pachpadra
Read the study note →- PM JANMAN Yojana
PM Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Development Mission (Nov 2023); ₹24,000 crore; covers Saharia in Rajasthan
Where it helps Current affairs tribal policy
Read the study note →- PMFBY
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana; crop insurance; crucial buffer for Rajasthan's drought-prone agriculture
Where it helps Risk mitigation for farmers
Read the study note →- Polar Front
Boundary between cold polar and warm mid-latitude air masses; subpolar low
Read the study note →- Population Density
Number of persons per unit area (sq km); India: 382 (2011)
Read the study note →- Precambrian
Geological eon before 541 Ma; Aravalli Range (3,500 Ma) and Bundi stromatolites (1,600–1,800 Ma)
Where it helps Age of Rajasthan's oldest geological assets
Read the study note →- Precipitation
Any form of water falling from clouds: rain, snow, sleet, hail, drizzle
Read the study note →- Project Cheetah
Government of India initiative to reintroduce African cheetah in India; Kuno NP (MP) primary site; Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan under consideration as secondary site
Where it helps Current affairs 2022–2024
Read the study note →- Proterozoic Eon
Geological eon from 2,500–541 Ma; part of Precambrian; Bundi stromatolites (~1,600 Ma) formed during this era; earliest complex life
Where it helps Precise age reference for Bundi stromatolites
Read the study note →- Psychrometer
Instrument with wet and dry bulb to measure relative humidity
Where it helps Humidity measurement
Read the study note →- PVTG
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group; Saharia is Rajasthan's only PVTG (Baran district)
Where it helps T089 connection; tribal welfare
Read the study note →- Pyroclastic Flow
Superheated (800°C) ash-gas-rock mixture moving at 700 km/h; deadliest volcanic hazard
Read the study note →- Rabi Crops
Sown Oct-Nov; harvested March-April; Wheat, Mustard, Gram, Barley; need Western Disturbances
Where it helps Dominant in irrigated eastern Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Rabi Season
Winter crop season (October–March); relies on soil moisture and Western Disturbances; Wheat, Mustard, Gram are key crops
Where it helps Dominant season in irrigated eastern Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Radial Pattern
Rivers radiating outward from a central high point
Where it helps Amarkantak plateau
Read the study note →- Rain Shadow Desert
Desert formed on leeward side of mountains blocking moisture
Where it helps Gobi (Himalayas), Ladakh, Patagonia
Read the study note →- Rain Shadow
Dry area on leeward side of mountains; opposite of orographic rainfall zone
Where it helps Desert formation
Read the study note →- Rajasthan Mineral Policy 2024
Targets 70 minerals mined by 2047; 1 crore employment; e-auctions; critical mineral focus; GPS monitoring
Where it helps Policy framework; 2024 current affairs
Read the study note →- Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020
10-year policy (2020–2030); heritage hotel conversion, homestay grants, adventure tourism, medical tourism
Where it helps Policy framework; Film Tourism Policy 2022 sub-component
Read the study note →- Rajput Hill Forts (2013)
6 forts: Amber, Chittorgarh, Gagron, Jaisalmer, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambhore; UNESCO WHS 2013
Where it helps PYQ: "Name UNESCO World Heritage forts of Rajasthan"
Read the study note →- Ramsar Convention
International treaty (1971) for conservation of wetlands; Sambhar Lake (1990) and Keoladeo Ghana (1981) are Rajasthan's two Ramsar sites
Where it helps Wetland conservation PYQs
Read the study note →- Ramsar Site
Wetland of international importance under Ramsar Convention (1971)
Where it helps Sambhar Lake, Keoladeo
Read the study note →- REDD+
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation — UN mechanism paying nations to protect forests
Where it helps Forest conservation
Read the study note →- Reg/Hamada
Rocky/gravel desert landscape; ~70% of Sahara
Where it helps Desert landform type
Read the study note →- Regur / Black Cotton Soil
Basalt-derived black soil; high moisture retention; self-mulching; suited for cotton and soybean
Where it helps Regional name vs. technical name
Read the study note →- Regur
Black cotton soil from Deccan basalt weathering; self-ploughing capacity
Read the study note →- Relative Humidity
Actual vapour as % of saturation vapour at same temperature; measured by psychrometer
Read the study note →- Replacement Level
TFR of 2.1 — where population exactly replaces itself generationally
Where it helps Demographic target
Read the study note →- Responsible Tourism
Tourism that minimises negative impacts on environment and local culture while maximising benefits to host communities; aligns with UNWTO sustainable goals
Where it helps Essay-level concept; Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020
Read the study note →- Richter Scale
Logarithmic scale (1935) measuring earthquake magnitude; 1 unit = 10× ground motion
Where it helps Measurement 5-mark
Read the study note →- Ring of Fire
Circum-Pacific Belt; 40,000 km horseshoe; 80% earthquakes, 75% volcanoes
Where it helps PYQ 2021 — 5 marks
Read the study note →- Roaring Forties
Strong westerly winds at 40°S in Southern Hemisphere; historically used by sailing ships
Read the study note →- RSMML
Rajasthan State Mines & Minerals Ltd; 4 SBUs — Rock Phosphate (Jhamarkotra), Gypsum (Bikaner), Limestone (Jodhpur), Lignite (Barmer)
Where it helps State PSE for minerals
Read the study note →- RTDC
Rajasthan State Tourism Development Corporation; est. 1979; operates 53 hotels, Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels
Where it helps State tourism enterprise; PYQ stable fact
Read the study note →- S-wave
Secondary/shear seismic wave; travels only through solids
Read the study note →- S-waves
Secondary/shear seismic waves; travel only through solids
Where it helps Proves outer core is liquid
Read the study note →- Sahara Desert
World's largest hot desert (9.2 million km²) in North Africa
Where it helps Desert type reference
Read the study note →- Saharia
PVTG in Rajasthan; Baran district (Kishanganj, Shahabad); forest-dependent; PM JANMAN scheme
Where it helps Only PVTG; highest vulnerability
Read the study note →- Sal (Shorea robusta)
Dominant tree in eastern India's moist deciduous forests; hard timber
Read the study note →- Scheduled Tribe (ST)
Constitutional category for indigenous/tribal communities with social/educational disadvantages
Where it helps 13.48% of Rajasthan; 92.38 lakh
Read the study note →- Sea Level Rise
20 cm since 1900; 3.7 mm/year current; threatens Maldives, Tuvalu, coastal cities
Where it helps Climate impact Q
Read the study note →- Seasonality Problem
70% of tourist footfall in Oct–Mar; summer months severely underperform; key challenge for RTDC
Where it helps Analytical PYQ component
Read the study note →- Secondary Salinization
Salt accumulation from over-irrigation raising water table; ~1.54 lakh ha in IGNP area
Where it helps IGNP impact; soil-water nexus
Read the study note →- Sedimentary Rock
Rock formed by compaction of sediments; contains fossils and fossil fuels
Where it helps Coal, petroleum source
Read the study note →- Sevan Grass
Lasiurus sindicus; native desert grass of Jaisalmer-Barmer; GIB primary habitat; threatened by Prosopis juliflora invasion and solar projects
Where it helps GIB conservation context
Read the study note →- Sex Ratio at Birth
Females born per 1,000 males; reflects son-preference and female foeticide; Rajasthan undertook Beti Bachao Beti Padhao drive (2015)
Where it helps Gender discrimination indicator
Read the study note →- Sex Ratio
Number of females per 1,000 males; India (2011): 943
Read the study note →- Shadow Zone
Zone 103°–143° from earthquake where P-waves are absent
Where it helps Earth interior evidence
Read the study note →- Sheet Erosion
Uniform removal of thin soil layers across a slope by rainfall runoff; early stage of erosion; common on gentle slopes of eastern Rajasthan
Where it helps Erosion type classification
Read the study note →- Shield Volcano
Broad, low-slope volcanic mountain with basaltic lava
Where it helps Mauna Loa (Hawaii)
Read the study note →- Shiwalik
Outermost, youngest Himalayan range; 600–1,500 m; formed from eroded debris
Where it helps PYQ 2021 formation
Read the study note →- Sial
Continental crust layer — Silica + Aluminium, density 2.7 g/cm³
Where it helps PYQ 2021 — 2 marks
Read the study note →- Sima
Oceanic crust + crust base — Silica + Magnesium, density 3.0 g/cm³
Where it helps PYQ 2021 — 2 marks
Read the study note →- Slum
Dense informal urban settlement with poor infrastructure; e.g., Dharavi (Mumbai)
Where it helps Urbanisation issues
Read the study note →- Smelting
Pyrometallurgical process of extracting metal from ore using heat and reducing agents; Hindustan Zinc's smelters at Debari (Udaipur) and Chanderiya (Chittorgarh)
Where it helps Links ore to finished metal; industrial geography
Read the study note →- SOI
Southern Oscillation Index; Tahiti minus Darwin pressure; negative = El Niño
Where it helps ENSO measurement
Read the study note →- Soil Health Card
Government card for farmers showing 12 soil nutrient parameters; launched Feb 2015 at Suratgarh
Where it helps Launched FROM Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Soil Horizon
Distinct horizontal layers (O, A, B, C) in a soil profile; each with different colour, texture, and composition; reflects pedogenesis stages
Where it helps Soil profile basics; pedogenesis understanding
Read the study note →- Soil pH
Measure of soil acidity/alkalinity on 0–14 scale; neutral at 7; Rajasthan's desert soils are alkaline (pH 8–9); affects nutrient availability
Where it helps Soil chemistry basics; reclamation context
Read the study note →- Soil Testing Laboratory
Government labs (27 in Rajasthan, serving all 50 districts) that test soil samples for nutrient status
Where it helps Policy implementation detail
Read the study note →- Somali Jet
Low-level jet stream that drives Arabian Sea branch of SW monsoon
Where it helps Monsoon mechanism
Read the study note →- Stratigraphy
Branch of geology studying rock layers (strata) to interpret Earth's history; Jaisalmer's marine strata reveal Jurassic sea history
Where it helps Scientific basis for geological age-dating
Read the study note →- Stromatolite
Layered biosedimentary structures formed by cyanobacterial mats; Bundi stromatolites are 1,600–1,800 Ma — oldest life evidence in Rajasthan
Where it helps PYQ site identification
Read the study note →- Subtropical High
Descending Hadley Cell air at 25°–35°; source of subtropical deserts
Read the study note →- Sundarbans
World's largest mangrove delta (~10,200 sq km); Ganga-Brahmaputra delta
Where it helps Ganga delta 5-mark
Read the study note →- SW Monsoon
June–September; brings 70–90% of India's annual rain
Read the study note →- Teak (Tectona grandis)
Dominant in central-western moist deciduous forests; valuable commercial timber
Read the study note →- Tectonic Plate
Large segment of Earth's lithosphere; Indian Plate's northward drift formed Aravalli orogeny and left Tethyan marine sediments in Rajasthan
Where it helps Explains Rajasthan's diverse geo-heritage
Read the study note →- Terai
Swampy belt south of Bhabar; rivers re-emerge; dense forests; tiger reserves
Where it helps Indo-Gangetic zones
Read the study note →- Tethys Sea
Ancient ocean between Gondwana and Laurasia; closed as India collided with Asia, forming Himalayas
Where it helps Himalayan origin
Read the study note →- Tharparkar Cow
Dual-purpose (milk + draught) cattle breed; originates from Thar Desert; heat-tolerant
Where it helps Livestock geography — state animal link
Read the study note →- Thermal Low
Low-pressure zone formed over land due to intense surface heating in summer; drives pre-monsoon dust storms (andhi) in Rajasthan
Where it helps Pre-monsoon weather system
Read the study note →- Tibetan High
Upper tropospheric anticyclone over heated Tibetan Plateau; drives monsoon
Where it helps PYQ 2023 — 10 marks
Read the study note →- Tibetan Plateau
World's highest plateau (4,500 m avg); "Roof of World"
Where it helps Intermontane plateau key example
Read the study note →- Tiger Reserve
Protected area under Project Tiger (NTCA); Rajasthan has 3: Ranthambhore, Sariska, Mukundra Hills
Where it helps PYQ + tiger census data
Read the study note →- Tipping Point
Threshold beyond which climate/ecosystem change becomes self-sustaining and irreversible
Where it helps Amazon, ice sheets
Read the study note →- Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
Avg number of children a woman would bear in her lifetime; India TFR (NFHS-5): 2.0
Where it helps Population policy
Read the study note →- Tourist Circuit
Planned multi-destination route connecting nearby attractions; examples — Hadoti Circuit, Shekhawati Circuit; ₹450 crore in Budget 2025-26
Where it helps Policy + geography integration
Read the study note →- Trade Winds
Reliable winds from subtropical highs to equatorial low; NE in NH, SE in SH
Read the study note →- Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP)
Special earmarked allocation for tribal areas; covers 5 districts, 32 tehsils in Rajasthan
Where it helps Administrative tribal framework
Read the study note →- Tributary
Smaller river joining a larger one
Where it helps Krishna tributaries PYQ
Read the study note →- Tropical Evergreen Forest
Dense multi-layered forest receiving >200 cm rain; trees never shed leaves fully
Where it helps PYQ 2021 — 5 marks
Read the study note →- Tsangpo
Brahmaputra's Tibetan name meaning "purifier"
Where it helps Brahmaputra geography
Read the study note →- Tsunami
Ocean waves (wavelength 100–500 km) from seafloor disturbance; travel at 700–900 km/h
Read the study note →- UNCCD
UN Convention to Combat Desertification (1994); addresses land degradation in drylands
Where it helps Desertification Q
Read the study note →- UNESCO Global Geopark
Protected area with internationally significant geological sites; managed for protection, education, and sustainable development; 213 globally (2024)
Where it helps Core concept; India has ZERO yet
Read the study note →- UNESCO WHS
World Heritage Site; Keoladeo Ghana NP is Rajasthan's only natural WHS (1985)
Where it helps Keoladeo dual designation
Read the study note →- UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS)
UNESCO-inscribed site of Outstanding Universal Value; Rajasthan: 6 Rajput Hill Forts (2013), Jantar Mantar (2010), Jaipur Walled City (2019)
Where it helps 8 WHS listings anchor foreign tourism
Read the study note →- UNFCCC
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992, Rio); foundation of climate law; 197 parties
Where it helps Climate action basis
Read the study note →- Urbanisation
Increase in proportion of population living in urban areas; India 2011: 31.16%
Read the study note →- Van Dhan Vikas Kendra
Tribal enterprise centres for minor forest produce value-addition; 34 in Rajasthan; part of TRIFED network; livelihood for Bhil and Saharia
Where it helps Government scheme; tribal economy
Read the study note →- VEI
Volcanic Explosivity Index (0–8 scale); Pinatubo = VEI 6; Tambora = VEI 7
Where it helps Volcano measurement
Read the study note →- Vertisols
Shrink-swell clay soils (black/regur); expand when wet, crack when dry; Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar
Where it helps PYQ soil of Hadoti region
Read the study note →- Volcanic Winter
Global cooling from SO₂ aerosols in stratosphere after large eruptions
Where it helps Pinatubo 1991, Tambora 1815
Read the study note →- Volcano
Vent in Earth's surface through which magma, gases, and ash erupt
Read the study note →- Walker Circulation
East-west atmospheric circulation in tropical Pacific; disrupted by El Niño
Read the study note →- Watershed / Drainage Divide
Ridge separating two drainage basins
Where it helps Aravalli's watershed role
Read the study note →- Watershed Management
Integrated treatment of a catchment area to conserve soil and water; check dams, bunding, vegetation; central scheme with ₹1.5 lakh/ha
Where it helps Soil-water-agriculture convergence topic
Read the study note →- Watershed
Ridge line dividing adjacent drainage basins
Where it helps Drainage terminology
Read the study note →- Westerlies
Winds from subtropical to subpolar regions (30°–60°); SW in NH, NW in SH
Read the study note →- Western Disturbance
Mid-latitude cyclone from Mediterranean travelling east; brings winter rain to NW India
Where it helps PYQ 2023 — 10 marks
Read the study note →- Wildlife Corridor
Strip of habitat connecting isolated protected areas; enables safe animal movement and gene flow; Sariska–Ranthambhore Aravalli corridor (800+ km)
Where it helps Analytical conservation PYQs
Read the study note →- Wind Erosion
Removal of topsoil by wind; 60–100 t/ha/yr in active Thar; shelter belts reduce by 40–60%
Where it helps Desert soil conservation
Read the study note →- Wollastonite
Calcium silicate mineral; Rajasthan = India's ONLY producer (Sirohi, Ajmer); used in ceramics, plastics, paint
Where it helps Sole producer fact — high PYQ probability
Read the study note →- Wular Lake
India's largest natural freshwater lake; Kashmir; fed by Jhelum
Read the study note →- Year of Great Divide
1921 — year when India's population growth turned consistently positive
Where it helps Population history
Read the study note →- Zaid Season
Short summer season between Rabi harvest and Kharif sowing (March–June); watermelon, cucumber, green vegetables; limited in arid Rajasthan
Where it helps Third cropping season; irrigated belt only
Read the study note →- Zawar Mines
Udaipur; India's only primary Lead-Zinc mines; operated by Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL/Vedanta)
Where it helps India's sole Zn-Pb producer — PYQ fact
Read the study note →