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Q89 (IAS/2024) Geography › World Physical Geography › World physical mapping Official Key

Consider the following statements : 1. The Red Sea receives very little precipitation in any form. 2. No water enters the Red Sea from rivers. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is option C because both statements are accurate.

**Statement 1 is correct:** The Red Sea region receives minimal precipitation, with annual rainfall varying between 100-200 mm in the north and dropping below 100 mm further[1] south except near the coast. This confirms that the Red Sea receives very little precipitation.

**Statement 2 is correct:** Perennial watercourses are absent in the Red Sea region, while surface drainage consists of ephemeral [2]streams and wadis. This means no permanent rivers discharge into the Red Sea. While there are major catchments like Khor Baraka, Arab, Arbaat–Odrus, Gowb and Diib[3], these are seasonal drainage systems, not permanent rivers that continuously flow into the Red Sea.

The Red Sea is therefore characterized by extremely low freshwater input, both from precipitation and river discharge, making it one of the world's most saline water bodies. Both statements accurately describe this hydrological characteristic.

Sources
  1. [1] https://www.fao.org/4/i0936e/i0936e00.pdf
  2. [2] https://www.fao.org/4/ae917e/ae917e00.pdf
  3. [3] https://www.fao.org/4/ae917e/ae917e00.pdf
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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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. Consider the following statements : 1. The Red Sea receives very little precipitation in any form. 2. No water enters the Red Sea from …
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 5/10

This question masquerades as a specific fact-check but is actually a fundamental test of Oceanography (Salinity Budget). It penalizes students who rely solely on 'extreme statement' elimination tricks (e.g., 'No water' is usually false) without applying geographic common sense about the arid region surrounding the Red Sea.

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
Average annual precipitation over the Red Sea (in millimeters per year).
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 24: Hydrological Cycle (Water Cycle) > World Distribution of Rainfall > p. 341
Strength: 5/5
“Rainfall along the Western Ghats.• On the basis of the total amount of annual precipitation, major precipitation regimes of the world are identified as follows: • The equatorial belt, the windward slopes of the mountains along the western coasts in the cool temperate zone and the coastal areas of the monsoon land receive heavy rainfall of over 200 cm per annum.• Interior continental areas receive moderate rainfall varying from 100-200 cm per annum.• The coastal areas of the continents receive a moderate amount of rainfall.• The central parts of the tropical land and the eastern and interior parts of the temperate lands receive rainfall varying between 50-100 cm per annum.• Areas lying in the rain shadow zone of the interior of the continents and high latitudes receive very low rainfall ― less than 50 cm per annum.• In some regions rainfall is distributed evenly throughout the year such as in the equatorial belt and in the western parts of cool temperate regions.”
Why relevant

Gives a global classification of precipitation regimes (e.g., equatorial belt and coastal monsoon lands >200 cm; rain‑shadow and high latitudes <50 cm).

How to extend

A student can locate the Red Sea on a world map, determine which of these precipitation regimes it lies in (coastal/monsoon/equatorial or arid/rain‑shadow), and therefore judge whether its mean annual precipitation is likely high (>200 cm), moderate, or very low (<50 cm).

FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 10: Water in the Atmosphere > World Distribution of Rainfall > p. 89
Strength: 4/5
“But, between 450 and 650 N and S of equator, due to the westerlies, the rainfall is first received on the western margins of the continents and it goes on decreasing towards the east. Wherever mountains run parallel to the coast, the rain is greater on the coastal plain, on the windward side and it decreases towards the leeward side. On the basis of the total amount of annual precipitation, major precipitation regimes of the world are identified as follows. The equatorial belt, the windward slopes of the mountains along the western coasts in the cool temperate zone and the coastal areas of the monsoon land receive heavy rainfall of over 200 cm per annum.”
Why relevant

Explains latitudinal patterns: between 45° and 65° N/S western continental margins get more rain; windward mountain coasts get greater rainfall—showing how latitude, winds and coastal mountains control coastal precipitation.

How to extend

By placing the Red Sea in latitude and checking for prevailing wind patterns and nearby orography, a student can infer whether coastal rainfall there should be comparatively high or low.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Precipitation > p. 425
Strength: 3/5
“• Heavy thunderstorms (cumulonimbus clouds) occur almost every afternoon. Precipitation is heavy and well distributed throughout the year with an annual average always above 150 cm. In some regions, the annual average may be as high as 250-300 cm.• There is no month without rain (a distinct dry season is absent) and the monthly average is above 6 cm most of the time.• There are two periods of maximum rainfall, April and October (shortly after the equinox due to the passing of ITCZ). The least rainfall occurs in June and December (solstice: the sun and the ITCZ are farthest from the equator).• The double rainfall peaks coinciding with the equinoxes are typical to equatorial climates (not found in any other type of climate).”
Why relevant

Describes how equinox/ITCZ positions produce rainfall peaks in equatorial climates and that equatorial regions have annual averages always above 150 cm.

How to extend

A student can check whether the Red Sea is influenced seasonally by the ITCZ/equatorial dynamics; if not, that suggests it would not share the high annual rainfall (>150 cm) typical of equatorial climates.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Precipitation > p. 431
Strength: 3/5
“• Annual mean rainfall ranges from 200-250 cm. In some regions, it is around 350 cm.• Places like Cherrapunji and Mawsynram receive an annual rainfall of about 1000 cm.• Cherrapunji and Mawsynram (wettest places on earth by annual rainfall ― a little over 1150 cm per year) lie on the windward side of the Meghalaya hills, so the resulting orographic lift (orographic rainfall) enhances precipitation. Also, they are located between mountains which enhances cloud concentration due to the funnelling effect.”
Why relevant

Gives examples of extreme orographic enhancement of precipitation (e.g., Mawsynram/Cherrapunji >1000 cm) showing that mountains near coasts can drastically increase local precipitation.

How to extend

A student can examine whether the Red Sea coasts have comparable windward mountain topography; absence of such orographic features would make extreme high precipitation unlikely.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 23: India and Climate Change > Impacts > p. 310
Strength: 2/5
“• Warmer seasons: Avg. temp rise: 1.0 to 4.0 deg C predicted. 1.0 to 4.0 deg C at extreme ranges • Increased annual precipitation with lower frequency of rainy days; increased intensity • Reduced frequency of cyclonic disturbances; increased intensity and increased risk of storm surges • Sea-level rise: 3 mm/year on average”
Why relevant

Notes that climate change projections include increased annual precipitation (but with fewer rainy days and higher intensity) and mentions sea‑level change—showing that regional precipitation can change over time.

How to extend

A student considering modern versus historical averages could use this to ask whether recent trends might raise or alter reported Red Sea precipitation figures, prompting checking of time periods for any given average.

Statement 2
Which rivers (if any) discharge into the Red Sea; list rivers that flow into the Red Sea.
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Based on these hydrological and morphological features, five major catchments can be identified in the region, namely; Khor Baraka, Arab, Arbaat–Odrus, Gowb and Diib catchments."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly identifies the named catchments/khors in the Red Sea region, i.e. named watercourses that drain toward the Red Sea.
  • Provides the actual names that can be listed as watercourses discharging to the Red Sea (Khor Baraka, Arab, Arbaat–Odrus, Gowb, Diib).
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"perennial watercourses are absent, while surface drainage of ephemeral streams and wades are numerous."
Why this source?
  • States there are no perennial rivers in the project area but numerous ephemeral streams and wadis that provide surface drainage toward the Red Sea.
  • Explains the hydrological context (ephemeral streams/wadis and the Red Sea Hills as a water divide) that indicates what discharges into the Red Sea in that region.
Web source
Presence: 2/5
"the fossil riverbed that flows across it had its origins in the mountains bordering the eastern side of the present day Red Sea, south of Israel."
Why this source?
  • Describes a fossil riverbed that had its origins in mountains bordering the eastern side of the present-day Red Sea, indicating historical river flow into the Red Sea region.
  • Supports the idea that river channels (fossil/ancient) have drained toward the Red Sea area.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 9: Lakes > LAKES FORMED BY EARTH MOVEMENT > p. 81
Strength: 5/5
“Water collects in these troughs and their floors are often below sea-level. The best known example is the East African Rift Valley which runs through Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia, and extends along the Red Sea to Israel and Jordan over a total distance of 4800 km (3000 miles)”
Why relevant

Mentions the East African Rift Valley extending along the Red Sea, giving a geographic feature that frames the Red Sea coast and its drainage context.

How to extend

A student could use this to focus on rivers and drainage systems of countries along that rift/Red Sea margin (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen) to check for rivers that reach the Red Sea.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 26: Tropical Cyclones > More Freshwater Flow Into The Northern Hemisphere > p. 369
Strength: 4/5
“• More land surface means more rivers and more freshwater in the tropics and subtropics of the northern hemisphere. The Bay of Bengal Ganges; the Gulf of Mexico The Mississippi and Amazon Rivers; South China Sea Pearl (Zhu) River, Mekong River, etc. The freshwaters of the Yellow River (which flows into the Bohai Sea) and Yangtze (which flows into the East China Sea) also contribute.”
Why relevant

Gives examples of how specific rivers are associated with the particular seas they flow into (e.g., Yellow → Bohai Sea; Yangtze → East China Sea), illustrating the general principle of identifying a river's outlet by its coastal sea.

How to extend

Apply the same principle: identify major rivers in Red Sea–bordering countries and check if their outlets lie on the Red Sea coast.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 5: Landforms made by Running Water > THE LOWER OR PLAIN COURSE > p. 53
Strength: 4/5
“The river then flows straight. The ox-bow lake will later degenerate into a swamp through subsequent floods that may silt up the lake. It becomes marshy, and eventually dries up (Fig. 5.1a). 3. Delta. When a river reaches the sea, the fine materials it has not yet dropped are deposited at its mouth, forming a fan-shaped alluvial area called a delta, a word which originated from the Greek letter A, which closely resembled the triangular delta of the Nile (Fig. 5.15). This alluvial tract is, in fact, a seaward extension of the flood plain. Due to the obstruction caused by the deposited alluvium, the river may discharge its water through several channels called distributaries. (b) section through the lower course of a river, flood plain and delta showing”
Why relevant

Defines what happens when a river reaches the sea (delta, distributaries), establishing physical signs to look for at a river mouth on any given sea coast.

How to extend

Look along the Red Sea coast for deltas/estuaries or distributaries in maps or satellite images to spot rivers discharging there.

INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > Important Drainage Patterns > p. 19
Strength: 4/5
“If you look at the Figure 3.1 you can see that many rivers have their sources in the Himalayas and discharge their waters either in the Bay of Bengal or in the Arabian Sea. Identify these rivers of North India. Large rivers flowing on the Peninsular plateau have their origin in the Western Ghats and discharge their waters in the Bay of Bengal. Identify these rivers of the South India. The Narmada and Tapi are two large rivers which are exceptions. They along with many small rivers discharge their waters in the Arabian Sea. Name these rivers of the western coastal region from the Konkan to the Malabar coast.”
Why relevant

Explains that rivers generally discharge into the nearest ocean/sea (Bay of Bengal or Arabian Sea for Indian rivers), showing the useful rule of matching river flow direction and coastal adjacency to determine their outlet.

How to extend

Use the adjacency rule: examine which rivers lie on coasts adjacent to the Red Sea and trace their downstream course to see if they reach the Red Sea.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > 9. Parallel Drainage > p. 3
Strength: 3/5
“The drainage pattern in which the rivers flow almost parallel to each other is known as parallel drainage. The small and swift rivers originating in the Western Ghats and discharging their water into the Arabian Sea provide a good example of parallel drainage pattern in India. The important rivers which are the examples of parallel drainage are Surya, Kalu and Savitri (Maharashtra), Zuvari, Sal and Talpona (Goa), Kalinadi and Sharavati (Karnataka) and Porrani, Periyar and Pemba in Kerala. (Fig. 3.3-C).”
Why relevant

Gives concrete examples of small coastal rivers discharging into a named sea (Arabian Sea), reinforcing that many short coastal rivers empty directly into the neighboring sea.

How to extend

Similarly investigate short coastal streams/rivers on the Red Sea shoreline (by country) — many small rivers could directly discharge into the Red Sea and be identified on maps.

Pattern takeaway: UPSC is shifting from 'Location-based' geography (Where is X?) to 'Process-based' geography (Why is X like this?). Questions now demand you link a feature (Red Sea) to its environmental drivers (Aridity/Hydrology) rather than just identifying bordering countries.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Conceptual Sitter / Trap. While 'No water enters' sounds like an extreme statement (usually false), it is the defining geographic characteristic of the Red Sea found in standard Oceanography chapters (Factors affecting Salinity).
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Oceanography > Salinity & Temperature. Why is the Red Sea the most saline open sea in the world? Answer: High Evaporation + Very Low Precipitation + NO River Inflow.
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Contrast the Red Sea's hydrology with other major basins: 1. Baltic Sea: Low salinity due to low evaporation + high river inflow/meltwater. 2. Black Sea: Positive water balance due to Danube/Dnieper inflow. 3. Mediterranean: Negative water balance (Evaporation > Precipitation/Runoff). 4. Persian Gulf: Receives the Shatt al-Arab (Tigris/Euphrates), unlike the Red Sea. 5. Caspian Sea: North is fresh (Volga inflow), South is saline.
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not study maps in isolation. Overlay Climatology on Physical Geography. When looking at a sea, ask the 'Water Budget' questions: What flows in (Rivers)? What falls down (Rain)? What evaporates? This logic solves the question without needing to memorize specific river lists.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Global precipitation regimes (annual totals classification)
💡 The insight

Annual precipitation is commonly categorized (e.g., >200 cm, 100–200 cm, 50–100 cm, <50 cm), which is the basic framework to estimate or compare rainfall over any region including seas.

High-yield for UPSC because classification lets you rapidly narrow plausible rainfall ranges by latitude and coastal context; links to world climate types, hydrology and biomes; enables questions that ask for comparative rainfall amounts or identification of climate regimes.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 24: Hydrological Cycle (Water Cycle) > World Distribution of Rainfall > p. 341
  • FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 10: Water in the Atmosphere > World Distribution of Rainfall > p. 89
🔗 Anchor: "Average annual precipitation over the Red Sea (in millimeters per year)."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Orographic lift and windward–leeward rainfall contrast
💡 The insight

Topography forces air to rise, producing heavy precipitation on windward slopes and much reduced rainfall in leeward rain-shadow areas, a key process governing local annual totals.

Useful for explaining extreme local rainfall and contrasting nearby regions (coast vs interior); connects to monsoon dynamics, mountain geomorphology and regional climate questions; helps answer why adjacent locations can have very different annual precipitation.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Precipitation > p. 431
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 24: Hydrological Cycle (Water Cycle) > World Distribution of Rainfall > p. 341
🔗 Anchor: "Average annual precipitation over the Red Sea (in millimeters per year)."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Monsoon-controlled seasonal concentration of rainfall
💡 The insight

Monsoon systems can deliver the majority of a region's annual rainfall in a single season (sometimes >90%), strongly affecting annual totals and interannual variability.

Important for UPSC as many Indian and adjacent-region climate questions focus on monsoon distribution, seasonal impacts and variability; aids in solving questions on rainfall seasonality, agricultural implications and hydrological planning.

📚 Reading List :
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 4: Climate of India > RAINFALL DISTRIBUTION > p. 30
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 4: Climate of India > 1. Region of Very Heavy Rainfall > p. 37
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 4: Climate of India > VARIABILITY OF RAINFALL > p. 31
🔗 Anchor: "Average annual precipitation over the Red Sea (in millimeters per year)."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Major drainage outlets of the Indian subcontinent
💡 The insight

Indian rivers predominantly drain either into the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea, defining regional drainage basins.

High-yield for UPSC geography: knowing which rivers flow to which oceanic outlets helps answer map and basin questions, compare climatic and sedimentary impacts, and link to regional economy and ports. This concept connects to river origins, course, and basin management questions.

📚 Reading List :
  • INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > Important Drainage Patterns > p. 19
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > 1.1 Consequent Rivers > p. 1
🔗 Anchor: "Which rivers (if any) discharge into the Red Sea; list rivers that flow into the..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 West‑flowing short rivers and parallel drainage of the Western Ghats
💡 The insight

Rivers originating on the western slopes of the Western Ghats are short, swift and form a parallel drainage pattern discharging into the Arabian Sea.

Important for questions on drainage patterns, coastal geomorphology and river behavior in peninsular India; aids elimination of incorrect drainage destinations (e.g., distinguishing Arabian Sea from other seas).

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 16: Fluvial Landforms and Cycle of Erosion > Parallel Drainage Pattern > p. 215
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > 9. Parallel Drainage > p. 3
  • Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > Mahi River > p. 19
🔗 Anchor: "Which rivers (if any) discharge into the Red Sea; list rivers that flow into the..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 East African Rift continuity to the Red Sea
💡 The insight

The East African Rift extends along the Red Sea corridor up to Israel and Jordan, linking tectonics to regional drainage geometry.

Useful for continental-scale physical geography questions: ties tectonic structure to river courses and basin formation in East Africa and the Red Sea region; helps frame which rivers might plausibly drain into the Red Sea vs other basins.

📚 Reading List :
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 9: Lakes > LAKES FORMED BY EARTH MOVEMENT > p. 81
🔗 Anchor: "Which rivers (if any) discharge into the Red Sea; list rivers that flow into the..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

The 'Suez Canal' connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, but biologically, the 'Lessepsian Migration' is the invasion of Red Sea marine species into the Mediterranean. The reverse rarely happens because the Red Sea is too salty and nutrient-poor for Atlantic/Mediterranean species.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Use the 'Nile Parallel' Logic. Visualize the map: The Nile River flows parallel to the Red Sea for thousands of kilometers but never enters it. Why? The 'Red Sea Hills' act as a massive drainage divide. If the longest river in the world, right next door, cannot breach the coast, it is logically consistent that no other significant rivers enter from that arid coastline.

🔗 Mains Connection

Link to Economy & Environment (Mains GS-3): The absence of river water makes the Red Sea region the global hub for 'Desalination'. This connects to the 'Water-Energy Nexus' and the environmental challenge of 'Brine Disposal' affecting coral reefs in Saudi Arabia's NEOM project.

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

NDA-I · 2016 · Q1 Relevance score: 0.97

Statement I: There is high salinity in Red Sea. Statement II: Rate of evaporation is high in Red Sea.

CAPF · 2016 · Q18 Relevance score: 0.37

Consider the following statements relating to Sea Salinity: 1. The ocean salinity depends on evaporation and precipitation 2. Any change in the temperature or density influences the salinity 3. Major source of sea salinity is terrestrial discharge by rivers Which of the statements given above are correct?

IAS · 2021 · Q72 Relevance score: -1.13

With reference to the water on the planet Earth, consider the following statements : 1. The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is more than the amount of groundwater. 2. The amount of water in polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

CAPF · 2008 · Q125 Relevance score: -1.80

Consider the following statements : 1. Rainfall in the doldrums is of convectional nature. 2. Convectional rainfall is highly localized and is associated with minimum cloudiness. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?