Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q33 (IAS/2015) Geography › Maps & Locations › Conflict and strategic regions Official Key

The area known as 'Golan Heights' sometimes appears in the news in the context of the events related to

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The Golan Heights is a rocky plateau in south-western Syria, about 60km (40 miles) south-west of Damascus and covers about 1,000 sq km.[1] At the end of the Six Day War, Israel occupied the remaining parts of Palestine, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, plus the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai.[2] In 1981, Israel formally declared its annexation of the Golan Heights.[3]

The Golan Heights is strategically significant because it provides or controls a substantial portion of the water in the Jordan River watershed, which in turn provides a portion of Israel's water supply.[4] The region frequently appears in news due to the ongoing dispute between Israel and Syria over its control, making it a critical issue in Middle Eastern geopolitics. In 1974, the UN got involved, deploying peacekeeping forces in the area after Israel and Syria signed an armistice.[3]

Sources
  1. [1] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14724842
  2. [2] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Arab-Israeli War > p. 255
  3. [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golan_Heights
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.
63%
got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full view
Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. The area known as 'Golan Heights' sometimes appears in the news in the context of the events related to [A] Central Asia [B] Middle Eas…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 2.5/10 · 7.5/10

This is a classic 'Places in News' question, specifically targeting the West Asian conflict theater. While technically 'Current Affairs', the Golan Heights has been a static geopolitical flashpoint since 1967. If you are doing map work for the Middle East, this is unmissable.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Is the Golan Heights located in the Middle East?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Arab-Israeli War > p. 255
Presence: 5/5
“At the end of the Six Day War, Israel occupied the remaining parts of Palestine, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, plus the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai. Two hundred fifty thousand more Palestinians were forced into exile, and a million more remain under Israeli military occupation even now. For years following the 1967 war, the UN voted repeatedly in favour of an international peace conference, under its own auspices, with all parties to the conflict (including the Palestine Liberation Organisation led by Yasser Arafat) to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict once and for all. But the U.S. always vetoed it.”
Why this source?
  • Snippet explicitly refers to the 'Syrian Golan Heights' as territory occupied after the Six Day War.
  • Placement in an Arab–Israeli War chapter ties the Golan Heights to the regional Middle East conflict context.
History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) > p. 249
Presence: 4/5
“In February 1955, Iraq and Turkey signed a "pact of mutual cooperation" at Baghdad. The membership was open to all countries in the region. In April, Great Britain joined the Pact, followed by Pakistan and Iran. The aim was to check communist influence. A series of events took place in Middle East in 1958 which threatened regional stability: the Egypt–Syria union, revolution in Iraq and civil unrest in Lebanon. In response to these developments, the United States intervened in Lebanon.”
Why this source?
  • Discusses events involving Syria (e.g., Egypt–Syria union) within a section on the Middle East.
  • Links Syria to the set of countries and events described as 'Middle East', supporting Syria—and thereby Syrian places—as being in that region.
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 9: Divergent Boundary > 9.2. The Great Rift Valley > p. 129
Presence: 3/5
“• The Great Rift Valley runs north to south for around 6,400 kilometres from northern Syria to central Mozambique in East Africa.• The northernmost part of the rift forms the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon. Farther south, the valley is the home of the Jordan River which continues south through the Jordan Valley into the Dead Sea on the Israeli-Jordanian border. From the Dead Sea southward, the Rift is occupied by the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea.• The Afar Triangle of Ethiopia and Eritrea is the location of a triple junction. The Gulf of Aden is an eastward continuation of the rift, and from this point, the rift extends south-eastward as part of the midoceanic Aden Ridge.• In a southwest direction, the fault continues as the East African Rift, which split the older Ethiopian highlands into two halves.”
Why this source?
  • Places northern Syria in a regional physical-geography narrative (Great Rift Valley), situating Syria geographically in the West Asian/Middle Eastern landmass.
  • Provides geographic evidence connecting Syrian territory to well-known Middle Eastern physiographic features.
Statement 2
Is the Golan Heights located in Central Asia?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"In 1974, the UN got involved, deploying peacekeeping forces in the area after Israel and Syria signed an armistice. In 1981, Israel formally declared its annexation of the Golan Heights."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly links the Golan Heights to Israel and Syria, placing it in the Middle East rather than Central Asia.
  • Describes UN involvement between Israel and Syria, indicating the Golan Heights is a Levant/Middle Eastern territory.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The occupied sector of the Golan Heights provides or controls a substantial portion of the water in the Jordan River watershed, which in turn provides a portion of Israel's water supply."
Why this source?
  • States the Golan Heights supplies water to Israel and references the Jordan River watershed, locating it in the Levant region.
  • Mentions nearby geographic features (Mount Hermon, Hula Valley) that are in the Middle East, not Central Asia.

History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Arab-Israeli War > p. 255
Strength: 5/5
“At the end of the Six Day War, Israel occupied the remaining parts of Palestine, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, plus the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai. Two hundred fifty thousand more Palestinians were forced into exile, and a million more remain under Israeli military occupation even now. For years following the 1967 war, the UN voted repeatedly in favour of an international peace conference, under its own auspices, with all parties to the conflict (including the Palestine Liberation Organisation led by Yasser Arafat) to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict once and for all. But the U.S. always vetoed it.”
Why relevant

Explicitly refers to the 'Syrian Golan Heights' in the context of the Arab–Israeli wars, linking the Golan Heights to Syria/West Asia rather than to Central Asia.

How to extend

A student can check a political map to see Syria/Israel lie in the Levant/Middle East (West Asia), not within the Central Asian states.

Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: The End of Bipolarity > Tensions and Conflicts > p. 10
Strength: 4/5
“In Georgia, the demand for independence has come from two provinces, resulting in a civil war. There are movements against the existing regimes in Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia. Countries and provinces are fighting over river waters. All this has led to instability, making life difficult for the ordinary citizen. The Central Asian Republics are areas with vast hydrocarbon resources, which have brought them economic benefit. Central Asia has also become a zone of competition between outside powers and oil companies. The region is next to Russia, China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and”
Why relevant

Describes which countries border Central Asia (Russia, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan), giving a sense of the region's geographic neighborhood.

How to extend

Compare that list of neighbors with the location of Syria/Israel—since Syria is not among them, this suggests the Golan (linked to Syria) is outside Central Asia.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > europe and central Asia > p. 7
Strength: 3/5
“Mountains of Central Asia Te Plateau of Pamir, Tien Shan, Kun-Lun and Hindukush mountains region has great diversity of the species of fauna and fora.”
Why relevant

Names major Central Asian mountain systems (Pamir, Tien Shan, Kun-Lun, Hindukush), outlining characteristic geography of Central Asia.

How to extend

A student can note that the Golan Heights are not part of these mountain systems and instead lie near the Levant, implying a different regional placement.

CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Climate > Altitude > p. 27
Strength: 3/5
“India has mountains to the north, which have an average height of about 6,000 metres. India also has a vast coastal area where the maximum elevation is about 30 metres. The Himalayas prevent the cold winds from Central Asia from entering the subcontinent. It is because of these mountains that this subcontinent experiences comparatively milder winters as compared to central Asia.”
Why relevant

States that cold winds from Central Asia affect the Indian subcontinent, indicating Central Asia lies to the north/northwest of India.

How to extend

Using a map, a student can place Central Asia north of South Asia and thus separate it from the Levant/Middle East location of the Golan Heights.

Statement 3
Is the Golan Heights located in South-East Asia?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The Golan Heights is a rocky plateau in south-western Syria, about 60km (40 miles) south-west of Damascus and covers about 1,000 sq km."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states the Golan Heights' location as in south-western Syria.
  • Places it near Damascus in the Middle East, which directly refutes a South-East Asia location.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The occupied sector of the Golan Heights provides or controls a substantial portion of the water in the Jordan River watershed, which in turn provides a portion of Israel's water supply."
Why this source?
  • Describes the Golan Heights' role in the Jordan River watershed and Israel's water supply.
  • References to the Jordan River and Israel place the Golan Heights in the Levant/Middle East, not South-East Asia.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"Russia After its withdrawal of forces in 2018, Russia reestablished air patrols (in 2024) and multiple observation posts in the Syria border region near the Golan Heights"
Why this source?
  • Refers to the Golan Heights in the context of the Syria border region.
  • Association with Syria and regional actors (Russia, Israel) indicates a Middle Eastern location, not South-East Asia.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 9: Divergent Boundary > 9.2. The Great Rift Valley > p. 129
Strength: 5/5
“• The Great Rift Valley runs north to south for around 6,400 kilometres from northern Syria to central Mozambique in East Africa.• The northernmost part of the rift forms the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon. Farther south, the valley is the home of the Jordan River which continues south through the Jordan Valley into the Dead Sea on the Israeli-Jordanian border. From the Dead Sea southward, the Rift is occupied by the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea.• The Afar Triangle of Ethiopia and Eritrea is the location of a triple junction. The Gulf of Aden is an eastward continuation of the rift, and from this point, the rift extends south-eastward as part of the midoceanic Aden Ridge.• In a southwest direction, the fault continues as the East African Rift, which split the older Ethiopian highlands into two halves.”
Why relevant

Describes the Great Rift Valley running from northern Syria south through the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea on the Israeli–Jordan border, locating key features in Western/West Asia (the Middle East).

How to extend

A student could check a world map to see that the Golan Heights lie in the same Syria/Israel/Jordan area (Western Asia), not in Southeast Asia.

Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Contemporary South Asia > Overview > p. 30
Strength: 4/5
“The mighty Himalayas in the north and the vast Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal in the south, west and east respectively provide a natural insularity to the region, which is largely responsible for the linguistic, social and cultural distinctiveness of the subcontinent. The boundaries of the region are not as clear in the east and the west, as they are in the north and the south. Afghanistan and Myanmar are often included in discussions of the region as a whole. China is an important player but is not considered to be a part of the region.”
Why relevant

Explains the geographic definition and boundaries of South Asia and notes that eastern/western boundaries are less clear—helpful for distinguishing South Asia (and by extension Southeast Asia) from other Asian subregions.

How to extend

Using a map and this boundary idea, a student can locate the Golan Heights relative to the South Asian and Southeast Asian regions to judge if it falls in Southeast Asia.

Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Contemporary Centres of Power > Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) > p. 19
Strength: 3/5
“Take a look at the political map of the world. Which countries would you say fall in the southeastern region of Asia? Before and during the Second World War, this region of Asia suffered the economic and political consequences of repeated colonialisms, both European and Japanese. At the end of the war, it confronted problems of nationbuilding, the ravages of poverty and economic backwardness and the pressure to align with one great power or another during the Cold War. This was a recipe for conflict, which the countries of Southeast Asia could ill afford. Efforts at Asian and Third World unity, such as the Bandung Conference and the Non-Aligned Movement, were ineffective in establishing the conventions for informal cooperation and interaction.”
Why relevant

Directs the reader to consult a political map to identify which countries belong to Southeast Asia, implying region identification depends on map location.

How to extend

A student can follow this guidance: look at a political map, identify Southeast Asian countries, and compare their locations to where the Golan Heights (near Syria/Israel) appears.

CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: India Size and Location > INDIA AND THE WORLD > p. 2
Strength: 3/5
“The Indian landmass has a central location between the East and the West Asia. India is a southward extension of the Asian continent. The trans Indian Ocean routes, which connect the countries of Europe in the West and the countries of East Asia, provide a strategic central location to India. Note that the Deccan Peninsula protrudes into the Indian Ocean, thus helping India to establish close contact with West Asia, Africa and Europe from the western coast and with Southeast and East Asia from the eastern coast. No other country has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean as India has and indeed, it is India's eminent position in the Indian Ocean, which justifies the naming of an Ocean after it.”
Why relevant

Distinguishes West Asia and East/Southeast Asia as separate directional parts of Asia, showing that countries/regions are classified by relative location within Asia.

How to extend

Apply this directional classification with a map to see whether the Golan Heights (associated with West Asia/Middle East in [8]) would be in Southeast Asia (it would not).

INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: India — Location > INDIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURS > p. 5
Strength: 2/5
“Examine the location map of India (Figure 1.2). You will notice that India is located in the south-central part of the continent of Asia, bordering the Indian ocean and its two arms extending in the form of Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. This maritime location of Peninsular India has provided links to its neighbouring regions through the sea and air routes. Prepare a list of India's neighbouring countries by consulting the map. Sri Lanka and Maldives are the two island countries located in the Indian Ocean, which are our neighbours. Sri Lanka is separated from India by the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait.”
Why relevant

States India occupies the south-central part of Asia and mentions maritime links to neighbouring regions, reinforcing that Asia has distinct subregions (south, southeast, west).

How to extend

A student can use this notion of distinct Asian subregions plus a world map to place the Golan Heights relative to Southeast Asia.

Statement 4
Is the Golan Heights located in Central Africa?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"seized by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states the Golan Heights was seized by Israel from Syria, placing it in the Israel–Syria region (Middle East).
  • Describes it as a strategically vital plateau tied to the 1967 Six-Day War between Israel and Syria — not a Central African location.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"In 1974, the UN got involved, deploying peacekeeping forces in the area after Israel and Syria signed an armistice."
Why this source?
  • Discusses UN peacekeepers deployed after Israel and Syria signed an armistice, directly linking the Golan Heights to Israel and Syria.
  • Mentions Israel's 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights, confirming its location in the Middle Eastern Israel–Syria context.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The occupied sector of the Golan Heights provides or controls a substantial portion of the water in the Jordan River watershed, which in turn provides a portion of Israel's water supply."
Why this source?
  • Notes the Golan Heights controls water in the Jordan River watershed and supplies a portion of Israel's water, tying it geographically to Israel/Jordan region.
  • Reference to Israel's water supply situates the Golan Heights in the Levant/Middle East rather than Central Africa.

History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Arab-Israeli War > p. 255
Strength: 5/5
“At the end of the Six Day War, Israel occupied the remaining parts of Palestine, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, plus the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai. Two hundred fifty thousand more Palestinians were forced into exile, and a million more remain under Israeli military occupation even now. For years following the 1967 war, the UN voted repeatedly in favour of an international peace conference, under its own auspices, with all parties to the conflict (including the Palestine Liberation Organisation led by Yasser Arafat) to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict once and for all. But the U.S. always vetoed it.”
Why relevant

States the Golan Heights as 'Syrian Golan Heights' in the context of the Arab–Israeli conflict, placing it in the Syria/Israel region rather than Africa.

How to extend

A student could combine this with a basic map to note Syria and Israel lie in the Middle East, far from Central Africa, and so judge the statement unlikely.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 9: Divergent Boundary > 9.2. The Great Rift Valley > p. 129
Strength: 4/5
“• The Great Rift Valley runs north to south for around 6,400 kilometres from northern Syria to central Mozambique in East Africa.• The northernmost part of the rift forms the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon. Farther south, the valley is the home of the Jordan River which continues south through the Jordan Valley into the Dead Sea on the Israeli-Jordanian border. From the Dead Sea southward, the Rift is occupied by the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea.• The Afar Triangle of Ethiopia and Eritrea is the location of a triple junction. The Gulf of Aden is an eastward continuation of the rift, and from this point, the rift extends south-eastward as part of the midoceanic Aden Ridge.• In a southwest direction, the fault continues as the East African Rift, which split the older Ethiopian highlands into two halves.”
Why relevant

Describes the Great Rift Valley running from northern Syria south to central Mozambique, and mentions the Jordan River and Dead Sea on the Syrian/Israeli/Jordanian border region.

How to extend

Using a map, a student can locate the northern Rift and Dead Sea region in the Middle East (near Syria/Israel) and compare its distance from Central Africa to assess the Golan Heights' regional placement.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management > Geographical Distribution of Earthquakes > p. 19
Strength: 4/5
“Te mountains of Central Asia (Tien Shan, Altai, etc.) also have a high frequency of earthquakes. Te Great Rift Valley of Eastern Africa, passing from south towards the Red Sea and Dead Sea is also known for more number of earthquakes (Fig. 8.5).”
Why relevant

Notes the Great Rift Valley passes toward the Red Sea and Dead Sea, linking the East African rift system with the Dead Sea region.

How to extend

A student can use this to see the Dead Sea area (near Israel/Syria/Jordan) is part of a Middle Eastern geographical system rather than Central Africa, helping eliminate Central Africa as the Golan's location.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 11: Volcanism > Great Rift Region > p. 156
Strength: 3/5
“• In Africa, some volcanoes are found along the East African Rift Valley, e.g. Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya.”
Why relevant

Gives examples of African volcanoes along the East African Rift (Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya), reinforcing that the Rift extends through East Africa but names African features distinct from Middle Eastern ones.

How to extend

A student can contrast named African volcanic landmarks (in East Africa) with the Syrian/Dead Sea landmarks to infer the Golan Heights is not among those Central/East African features.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > Africa > p. 8
Strength: 2/5
“• 14. South Africa's Cape Floristic Hotspot Essentially, it is a shrub-land along the southern parts of South Africa. It has great diversity in endemic plants and animals. Many of these plants and animals are not found anywhere in the world.• 15. Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa Tis is a small tract along the eastern coast of Africa. It is rich in endemic plants.• 16. Eastern Afro-Montane Te Eastern African-montane hotspot is scattered along the eastern mountains of Africa. It extends from Saudi Arabia and Yemen in the north to Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe in the south. Te climatic and altitudinal diversity has resulted into a number of species of plants and animals (Fig.”
Why relevant

Describes the Eastern Afro-Montane hotspot extending from Saudi Arabia and Yemen to Ethiopia and beyond, showing biogeographic continuity across the Red Sea but distinguishing Arabian/adjacent regions from central parts of Africa.

How to extend

A student could use this to recognize the Middle East/Arabian proximity to parts of East Africa while still treating Central Africa as a separate region, supporting skepticism of a Central African location for the Golan.

Pattern takeaway: UPSC has a distinct bias for West Asia (Middle East) in map-based questions due to its geopolitical volatility. The pattern is consistent: match the 'Place in News' to its 'Region'. They rarely ask for the specific country in the options, just the broader region, making elimination easier.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. This is basic World History (Arab-Israeli wars) and standard Map Work. Covered in NCERT Class XII History (The World After WWII) and every major newspaper.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: West Asian Geopolitics & Disputed Territories. The syllabus keyword is 'Events of International Importance'.
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize these parallel disputed/conflict zones: West Bank (Jordan/Israel), Gaza Strip (Egypt/Israel border), Shebaa Farms (Lebanon/Syria/Israel), Nagorno-Karabakh (Armenia/Azerbaijan), Crimea/Donbas (Ukraine/Russia), and the Kuril Islands (Russia/Japan).
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When a location appears in conflict news, perform a '3-Point Check': 1) Which countries claim it? 2) What physical feature defines it (River/Mountain/Plateau)? 3) Which sea/water body is closest?
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Golan Heights — Syrian territory and 1967 occupation
💡 The insight

Reference [1] names the 'Syrian Golan Heights' and describes Israeli occupation after the Six-Day War, directly tying the Golan Heights to Syria and regional conflict.

Understanding territorial changes from the 1967 war is high-yield for UPSC modern history and international relations questions. It links to topics on West Asian geopolitics, refugee/occupation issues, and UN diplomacy. Learn key territorial outcomes (West Bank, Gaza, Sinai, Golan) and their contemporary diplomatic implications.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Arab-Israeli War > p. 255
🔗 Anchor: "Is the Golan Heights located in the Middle East?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Definition of 'Middle East' through state-centric events
💡 The insight

Reference [4] frames events (e.g., Egypt–Syria union, revolutions) as 'in the Middle East', showing how states like Syria are categorized regionally.

Mastering which countries/events are classed as Middle East is useful for questions on regional politics, alliances (e.g., CENTO), and external interventions. Relates to polity, foreign policy, and modern history. Prepare by mapping states to regional blocs and studying major regional episodes that define the term.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) > p. 249
🔗 Anchor: "Is the Golan Heights located in the Middle East?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Physical geography anchoring political regions (e.g., Syria in West Asia)
💡 The insight

Reference [5] situates northern Syria in a continuous physiographic feature (Great Rift Valley), supporting geographic placement of Syria within the broader West Asian/Middle Eastern landscape.

Physical geography often underpins strategic and political questions (routes, resources, borders). UPSC asks about physiographic-socio-political linkages; master major features (rift, rivers, seas) and their state-level extents to answer integrated geography-policy questions.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 9: Divergent Boundary > 9.2. The Great Rift Valley > p. 129
🔗 Anchor: "Is the Golan Heights located in the Middle East?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Asia regional divisions: Central Asia vs West (Middle) Asia
💡 The insight

The question hinges on correct regional classification — references identify Central Asia's neighbours and also place the Golan Heights in the Syrian/Arab-Israeli context, implying different subregions of Asia.

UPSC often tests knowledge of subregional definitions and mapping (e.g., Central Asia, West Asia). Mastering these divisions helps answer questions on geopolitics, conflicts, and neighbour relations; practice with political and physical maps and note country/territory placement.

📚 Reading List :
  • Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: The End of Bipolarity > Tensions and Conflicts > p. 10
  • Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: The End of Bipolarity > Tensions and Conflicts > p. 11
  • History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Arab-Israeli War > p. 255
🔗 Anchor: "Is the Golan Heights located in Central Asia?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Golan Heights as part of the Syria / Arab-Israeli conflict
💡 The insight

One reference explicitly links the Golan Heights to Syria and the 1967 Arab–Israeli War, anchoring its location to the Levant/West Asia rather than Central Asia.

Knowing the territorial actors in major conflicts (e.g., Israel–Syria) is high-yield for GS II/II and modern history. This enables correctly locating contested areas and understanding regional dynamics; reinforce by correlating conflict narratives with maps.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Arab-Israeli War > p. 255
🔗 Anchor: "Is the Golan Heights located in Central Asia?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Central Asia — neighbours and geopolitical context
💡 The insight

References describe Central Asia's neighbours (Russia, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan) and strategic role, clarifying the region's geographic scope and distinguishing it from the Levant where the Golan Heights lies.

Central Asia’s geopolitical profile is frequently tested in questions on energy, great-power rivalry, and defence; learn by mapping resource locations, borders, and major mountain ranges to distinguish it from West Asia.

📚 Reading List :
  • Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: The End of Bipolarity > Tensions and Conflicts > p. 10
  • Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: The End of Bipolarity > Tensions and Conflicts > p. 11
  • CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Climate > Altitude > p. 27
🔗 Anchor: "Is the Golan Heights located in Central Asia?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S3
👉 Distinguishing South Asia vs Southeast Asia
💡 The insight

The claim confuses regional placement within Asia; several references define South Asia and describe Southeast Asia as a separate subregion.

High-yield for UPSC geography and polity: questions often require clear regional classification (e.g., South Asia vs Southeast Asia). Mastering boundaries, typical member states and geopolitical linkages helps in map-based, static and contemporary affairs questions. Practice with political maps and compare lists of countries to eliminate misplacements.

📚 Reading List :
  • Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Contemporary South Asia > Overview > p. 30
  • Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Contemporary Centres of Power > Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) > p. 19
  • Politics in India since Independence, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Regional Aspirations > The North-East > p. 126
🔗 Anchor: "Is the Golan Heights located in South-East Asia?"
🌑 The Hidden Trap

The 'Shebaa Farms' (Chebaa Farms). It is a small strip of land at the intersection of the Lebanese-Syrian border and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. If Golan is asked, Shebaa is the next logical micro-territory in the same theater.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Use the 'Conflict-Name Association' heuristic. 'Golan' is a Semitic name structure common to the Levant. Central Asia uses suffixes like '-stan' or Russian/Turkic names. South-East Asia has distinct Austronesian/Sinitic naming conventions. Central Africa usually features French/Bantu names. Even without knowing the map, 'Golan' linguistically fits the Middle East best.

🔗 Mains Connection

Mains GS-2 (International Relations): Connect the geography of Golan Heights to 'Water Security'. The Golan controls the main tributaries of the Jordan River and overlooks the Sea of Galilee (Israel's main freshwater reservoir). This explains why the territory is non-negotiable for Israel's survival strategy.

✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS · 2016 · Q72 Relevance score: -2.50

'Belt and Road Initiative' is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of

CDS-II · 2022 · Q113 Relevance score: -2.99

The regions known as Donetsk and Luhansk are sometimes mentioned in the news. They are the separatist regions of

CAPF · 2022 · Q74 Relevance score: -3.12

Mariupol city, frequently mentioned in news in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, is situated on the coast of

IAS · 2018 · Q24 Relevance score: -3.25

The term "two-state solution" is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of

IAS · 2022 · Q76 Relevance score: -6.11

The term "Levant" often heard in the news roughly corresponds to which of the following regions ?