Which one among the following is not an important factor of climate of an area ?

The climate of a region is determined by several key factors, primarily latitude, altitude, and distance from the sea. Latitude is the most significant factor as it dictates the angle of solar radiation and temperature zones like tropical or polar [1]. Altitude influences climate through the normal lapse rate, where temperature decreases by approximately 6.5°C per 1,000 meters [4]. Distance from the sea, or continentality, affects climate because water bodies have a moderating effect; coastal areas experience equable climates while inland areas face extreme temperatures [3]. In contrast, longitude is primarily a measure of time and position relative to the Prime Meridian and does not inherently determine climatic characteristics like temperature or precipitation patterns. While some specific longitudinal positions might correlate with climate due to land-sea distribution, it is not considered a fundamental climatic control factor like the others [2].

Sources

1. [1] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 1: Ecology > g) Latitude and altitude > p. 6
2. [4] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature > Factors Controlling Temperature Distribution > p. 70
3. [3] CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Climate > CLIMATIC CONTROLS > p. 27
4. [2] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 14: Climate > Elements of Climate and Factors Affecting Them > p. 131