Change set

Pick exam & year, then Go.

Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect Bookmarked
Loading…
Q110 (CDS-II/2009) Geography › World Physical Geography › World physical mapping Answer Verified

Which continent of the world does not have a desert?

Result
Your answer:  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

Europe is the only continent in the world that does not have a large or true desert [t2][t4]. While other continents feature vast arid regions—such as the Sahara in Africa, the Great Australian Desert in Australia [c1], the Arabian and Thar deserts in Asia [c2], and the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in North America [t2]—Europe lacks these extensive arid zones. The absence of deserts in Europe is primarily attributed to its relatively moderate and temperate climate, which is heavily influenced by the surrounding Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea [t4][t6]. These bodies of water, along with prevailing westerly winds, provide consistent moisture and moderate temperatures, preventing the extreme aridity required for desert formation [t2][t4]. Although some areas in southern Spain or Russia exhibit semi-arid characteristics, they do not meet the geographical criteria to be classified as true deserts [t4][t6].

Sources

  1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Hot Desert Climate (BWh: B – Dry, W – Desert, h – low latitude) > p. 441
  2. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 32: Ocean Movements Ocean Currents And Tides > Desert Formation > p. 496
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
88%
got it right
✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

5 Cross-Linked PYQs

UPSC repeats concepts across years. Login to see how this question connects to 5 others.

Login with Google