RAS question
Mangrove forests in India are most extensively found in:
Correct answer: (B) Sundarbans, West Bengal.
Mangrove forests in India are most extensively found in the Sundarbans of West Bengal, part of the world's largest mangrove forest.
Explanation
The answer is Sundarbans, West Bengal, because the Sundarbans delta contains India's largest mangrove forest and forms part of the world's largest mangrove ecosystem. The verified NCSCM annual report states that Indian mangroves cover about 4,956 sq km and that the Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world, located in India and Bangladesh. It also explains why India's eastern deltaic coast is especially favourable for mangroves: nutrient-rich alluvial soils and perennial freshwater from major river systems support extensive growth. In exam terms, this makes Sundarbans the clear choice over smaller regional mangrove pockets such as Kutch, Bhitarkanika or the Kerala backwaters.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Gujarat, including Kutch, is an important mangrove area, but it is not the most extensive mangrove forest in India.
- (C) Kerala backwaters have only limited mangrove presence and do not match the scale of the Sundarbans delta.
- (D) Odisha's Bhitarkanika has notable mangroves, but it is smaller than the Sundarbans and therefore cannot be the most extensive Indian location.
Concept
This tests the distribution of Indian natural vegetation, especially littoral and swamp forests. RAS repeats it because mangroves connect physical geography with coastal protection, biodiversity and disaster-risk themes.