RAS question
The 'Siachen Glacier', often in news, is located in which mountain range?
Correct answer: (B) Karakoram.
The Siachen Glacier is located in the Karakoram Range, specifically on the eastern Karakoram Range.
Explanation
Siachen Glacier belongs to the Karakoram Range, and the official Leh district tourism page places it on the eastern Karakoram Range. Karakoram is therefore the only defensible range for Siachen among Ladakh Range, Karakoram, Zanskar, and Pir Panjal. The exam-relevant scale is also important: Siachen is 76 km long, making it the longest glacier in the Karakoram and the second-longest glacier in the world's non-polar areas. The official Leh district tourism page also describes it as one of the most inhospitable terrains on Earth and links it with Nubra Valley, but Siachen's range location is direct: eastern Karakoram Range.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Ladakh Range is not Siachen's range; District Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh places Siachen in the Karakoram Range.
- (C) Zanskar is a different mountain range from the eastern Karakoram Range, where Siachen is located.
- (D) Pir Panjal is not the glacier's range; Siachen is located in the Karakoram.
Concept
RAS physical geography regularly covers the Himalaya-Karakoram region, especially the mapping of major glaciers to mountain ranges. Siachen recurs in RAS because it is both a prominent high-altitude geographic feature and a frequent news reference.