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Q77 (IAS/2025) Geography › World Physical Geography › Earth rotation and time Answer Verified

Consider the following statements : I. Anadyr in Siberia and Nome in Alaska are a few kilometers from each other, but when people are waking up and getting set for breakfast in these cities, it would be different days. II. When it is Monday in Anadyr, it is Tuesday in Nome. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

**Explanation:**

Statement I is correct. Anadyr, Russia is 21 hours ahead of Nome, Alaska.[2] This means that during morning hours when people are having breakfast in both cities, they are indeed on different calendar days. For example, when it is 1:24 AM Wednesday in Anadyr, it is 4:24 AM Tuesday in Nome.[4] However, it's important to note that while they are "a few kilometers" apart geographically (separated by the Bering Strait), they are separated by the International Date Line, which creates this time difference.

Statement II is incorrect. The statement reverses the time relationship. Since Anadyr is 21 hours ahead of Nome[2], when it is Monday in Anadyr, it would be Sunday (not Tuesday) in Nome. The 21-hour time difference means Anadyr is almost a full day ahead, so Nome is actually behind by one calendar day.

Therefore, only Statement I is correct, making option A the right answer.

Sources
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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 : I. Anadyr in Siberia and Nome in Alaska are a few kilometers from each other, but when people are wa…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 6.7/10

This is a classic 'Concept applied to Map' trap. While the International Date Line (IDL) logic is standard static geography (GC Leong Ch 2), the specific city pairing (Anadyr vs Nome) acts as a distractor. The examiner tests if you can distinguish between the general proximity of landmasses (Bering Strait) and the precise logic of time travel across the 180° meridian.

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
What is the distance in kilometers between Anadyr (Chukotka, Siberia, Russia) and Nome (Alaska, USA)?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 9. Taiga (Boreal) Biome or Coniferous Forest Biome > p. 15
Strength: 4/5
“Te taiga biome stretches from Alaska to the eastern coast Canada, Scandinavian countries and the entire extent of Eurasia from the Europian Russia to Siberia. It is confned mainly to the northern Hemisphere. Te high altitudes of Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alps, etc. are also covered with the trees of this biome. However, montane forests of needle-leaf trees exist worldwide at high elevation. Tis biome is characterised by extreme continentality. Te highest annual range of temperature in the northern Hemisphere is recorded in this biome. Verkhoya-nsk of Siberia records the lowest temperature of –69o C in the northern Hemisphere. Tere is permafrost of soil from 5 to 7 months.”
Why relevant

Says the taiga/tundra biome stretches from Alaska across Eurasia to Siberia, implying geographic continuity and relative proximity of far-eastern Siberia and western Alaska.

How to extend

A student could look at a map to locate Anadyr in Chukotka and Nome on the Seward Peninsula and infer they are relatively close across the Bering region, suggesting a cross-Bering distance rather than a transcontinental one.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 25: The Arctic or Polar Climate > The Importance and Recent Development of the Arctic Region > p. 236
Strength: 3/5
“The Arctic region, once regarded as completely useless, is now of some economic importance. Apart from the efforts of the various governments in assisting the advancement of the Arctic inhabitants, the Eskimos, Lapps, Samoyeds, etc., new settlements have sprung up because of the discovery of minerals. Gold is mined in Alaska, nickel near Petsamo, U.S.S.R., petroleum in the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska; and copper at the Rankin Inlet, Canada. With the establishment of ports on the Arctic seaboard of Eurasia, it is now possible to ship timber and fur from Siberia. Though the ports, such as Igarka at the mouth of the Yenisey, are not ice-free, modern ice-breakers keep the passage open most of the time.”
Why relevant

Mentions shipping/ports on the Arctic seaboard of Eurasia and ability to ship timber and fur from Siberia, implying maritime connections between Arctic Siberia and North America.

How to extend

Using a world map, a student could note the short sea-crossing distances in the Bering/Arctic areas (e.g., between Siberian and Alaskan ports) to judge that Anadyr–Nome is likely on the order of hundreds — not thousands — of kilometers.

INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: India — Location > INDIA – LOCATION > p. 2
Strength: 5/5
“Let us try to analyse the implications of having such a vast longitudinal and latitudinal extent. If you work out the latitudinal and longitudinal extent of India, they are roughly about 30 degrees, whereas the actual distance measured from north to south extremity is 3,214 km, and that from east to west is only 2,933 km. What is the reason for this difference? Consult Chapter 3 on the topic Latitude, Longitude and Time in the book Practical Work in Geography – Part I (NCERT, 2006) to find out. This difference is based on the fact that the distance between two longitudes decreases towards the poles whereas the distance between two latitudes remains the same everywhere.”
Why relevant

Explains that distance between longitudes decreases toward the poles, a geographic rule relevant when estimating east–west distances at high latitudes like Anadyr/Nome.

How to extend

A student can combine the rule with the approximate longitudes of Anadyr and Nome (from a map) and compute the smaller km-per-degree longitude at their high latitudes to estimate the great-circle distance.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 3: Terrestrial Ecosystems > 3.1. TUNDRA > p. 24
Strength: 4/5
“5I{ANKAR IAsACADEMY Tundra means a "barren land" since they are found where environmental conditions are very severe. There are two types of tundra- arctic and alpine. Distribution: Arctic tundra extends as a continuous belt below the polar ice cap and above the tree iine in the northern hemisphere. It occupies the northern fringe of Canada, Alaska, European Russia, Siberia and island group of Arctic Ocean. On the south poie, tundra is very small since most ofit is covered by ocean . Alpine tundra occurs at high mountains above the Arctic. With respect to Arctic, mountains are found at all latitudes.”
Why relevant

Describes Arctic tundra distribution occupying northern fringes of Alaska and Siberia, reinforcing that both locations lie in the high-latitude near-Arctic zone.

How to extend

Knowing both are high-latitude points, a student could use their latitudes on a globe and apply great-circle reasoning (shorter surface distances near the pole for given longitude differences) to estimate separation.

Statement 2
Are Anadyr (Chukotka, Russia) and Nome (Alaska, USA) on different calendar dates during local morning/breakfast hours?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Current time **[Anadyr, Russia]** 1:24 AM on Wednesday, Dec 24, 2025 **[Nome, Alaska]** 4:24 AM on Tuesday, Dec 23, 2025"
Why this source?
  • Shows the current local times for both places with different calendar dates.
  • Both listed times are in the early-morning hours yet Anadyr's date is the next day compared with Nome.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"**[Nome, Alaska]** 4:24 AM on Tuesday, Dec 23, 2025 **[Anadyr, Russia]** 1:24 AM on Wednesday, Dec 24, 2025"
Why this source?
  • Repeats the same timestamp pairing showing Anadyr on the next calendar day while both locations are in early-morning hours.
  • Provides the same direct example of different dates during local morning times.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Anadyr, Russia is 21 hours ahead of Nome, Alaska."
Why this source?
  • States the explicit time offset between the two cities (Anadyr is 21 hours ahead of Nome).
  • A 21-hour difference explains why local morning/breakfast hours in one place can fall on a different calendar date in the other.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: Locating Places on the Earth > DON'T MISS OUT > p. 22
Strength: 4/5
“From the above explanation, it may seem as if every country has one standard time. That is not always the case. Some countries, like Russia, Canada or the USA, are too large to have a single time zone. The USA has six time zones and Russia has 11 — which means that travelling across Russia from east to west, you will need to readjust your watch 10 times to align with the local time! Similarly, the globe in Fig. 1.9, centred on India, shows standard times with respect to GMT for a few countries. Finally, while the Prime Meridian was fixed at Greenwich, the opposite line — at approximately 180° longitude — is called the International Date Line.”
Why relevant

Explains that very large countries (Russia, USA) span many time zones and names the International Date Line as the opposite of the Prime Meridian.

How to extend

A student could use the fact that Russia and the USA span many time zones and the location of the International Date Line to check whether Anadyr and Nome lie on opposite sides of the date line/time zones.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 18: Latitudes and Longitudes > Standard Time and Time Zones > p. 243
Strength: 4/5
“• Standard Time is the time corresponding to a certain longitude or longitude chosen by a country. Most countries adopt their standard time from the central meridian of their countries. E.g. IST corresponds to the time at 82.5° E longitude.• In countries with a large longitudinal extent (large east-west span), such as Canada, the USA, and Russia, it would be inconvenient to have a single time zone. So, such countries have multiple time zones. For example, Russia has eleven time zones, and Canada and USA have six time zones each.”
Why relevant

States that Russia has eleven time zones and the USA has multiple time zones — implying large east–west clock and possibly date differences within/between these countries.

How to extend

One can combine the multiple time-zone fact with the longitudes of Anadyr and Nome to assess possible clock/date offsets during morning hours.

Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 18: Latitudes and Longitudes > UPSC Prelims 2008] Which of the following straits is nearest to the International Date Line? > p. 250
Strength: 5/5
“• The International Date Line curves from the normal 180° meridian at the Bering Strait, and at the island groups of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia. If the dateline was straight, then two regions of the same Island Country or Island group would fall under different date zones. Thus, to avoid any confusion, this line is drawn in a zig-zag manner. Some of the regions along the dateline keep Asiatic, or New Zealand standard time, others follow the American date and time.• Samoa, Christmas Island (Kiribati) and Tonga are the first places that welcome a New Year.• Baker Island (USA) and Howland Island (USA) are the last to celebrate a new year.”
Why relevant

Describes the International Date Line’s path (curving at the Bering Strait) and notes some regions near it follow Asiatic or American date/time.

How to extend

A student could locate Anadyr and Nome relative to the Date Line’s bend at the Bering Strait to see if they lie on different date sides of the line.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 2: The Earth's Crust > The International Date Line > p. 14
Strength: 5/5
“Some of them keep Asiatic or New Zealand standard time, others follow the American date and time. The International Date Line is shown in Fig. 1.21.”
Why relevant

Explicitly discusses that places near the International Date Line may keep Asiatic or American date/time, indicating neighboring locales across the line can have different dates.

How to extend

Using this rule, one could check whether Anadyr follows an Asiatic date and Nome an American date when local morning times are compared.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 2: The Earth's Crust > Standard Time and Time Zones > p. 13
Strength: 3/5
“When it is 10.00 p.m. on a Monday night in Leningrad, it will be almost 7.00 a.m. the following Tuesday morning in Vladivostok. Travellers along the Trans-Siberian Railway have to adjust their watches almost a dozen times before they reach their destination. Both Canada and the U.S.A. have five time zones-the Atlantic, Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific Time Zones. The difference between the local time of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts is nearly five hours (Fig. 1.20). Fig. 1.20 The five time zones of Canada and the four time zones of the U.S.A.”
Why relevant

Gives an example where a time in one Russian city corresponds to an early-morning time 'the following' day in another far-eastern city, illustrating that traveling east across time zones can move you into the next calendar day.

How to extend

A student can apply the same east–west time-zone progression to see if Anadyr vs Nome morning hours straddle different calendar dates.

Statement 3
If it is Monday in Anadyr (Chukotka, Russia), what day is it in Nome (Alaska, USA)?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Anadyr, Russia is 21 hours ahead of Nome, Alaska."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states the time offset: Anadyr is 21 hours ahead of Nome.
  • A 21-hour lead means Anadyr is typically on the next calendar day relative to Nome (so when it's Monday in Anadyr, Nome is the previous day).
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"**[Anadyr, Russia]** 1:24 AM on Wednesday, Dec 24, 2025 **[Nome, Alaska]** 4:24 AM on Tuesday, Dec 23, 2025"
Why this source?
  • Shows concrete timestamps with Anadyr on Dec 24 (Wednesday) while Nome is Dec 23 (Tuesday), illustrating a one-day difference.
  • Demonstrates that Anadyr's local date is one day later than Nome's local date at the same moment.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: Locating Places on the Earth > DON'T MISS OUT > p. 23
Strength: 5/5
“travelling eastward, you subtract a day (say, from Monday to Sunday); if you cross it travelling westward, you add a day (from Sunday to Monday). We said that the International Date Line is 'approximately' at 180° longitude, as it deviates in places to avoid dividing some countries into two different days!”
Why relevant

Gives the rule for the International Date Line: travelling eastward across it you subtract a day, travelling westward you add a day.

How to extend

A student could check a world map to see whether Anadyr and Nome lie on opposite sides of the Date Line and then apply this day-change rule to infer the day difference.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: Locating Places on the Earth > DON'T MISS OUT > p. 22
Strength: 4/5
“From the above explanation, it may seem as if every country has one standard time. That is not always the case. Some countries, like Russia, Canada or the USA, are too large to have a single time zone. The USA has six time zones and Russia has 11 — which means that travelling across Russia from east to west, you will need to readjust your watch 10 times to align with the local time! Similarly, the globe in Fig. 1.9, centred on India, shows standard times with respect to GMT for a few countries. Finally, while the Prime Meridian was fixed at Greenwich, the opposite line — at approximately 180° longitude — is called the International Date Line.”
Why relevant

Explains that the International Date Line is approximately at 180° longitude and notes large countries (Russia, USA) span many time zones.

How to extend

Use the 180°/Date Line location on a map plus the fact both countries span many zones to judge whether these two towns might be separated by the Date Line and therefore have different calendar days.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 2: The Earth's Crust > Standard Time and Time Zones > p. 13
Strength: 4/5
“When it is 10.00 p.m. on a Monday night in Leningrad, it will be almost 7.00 a.m. the following Tuesday morning in Vladivostok. Travellers along the Trans-Siberian Railway have to adjust their watches almost a dozen times before they reach their destination. Both Canada and the U.S.A. have five time zones-the Atlantic, Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific Time Zones. The difference between the local time of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts is nearly five hours (Fig. 1.20). Fig. 1.20 The five time zones of Canada and the four time zones of the U.S.A.”
Why relevant

Illustrates that Russia and the USA cover multiple time zones and travellers must repeatedly adjust clocks when crossing them.

How to extend

A student could combine this pattern with the Date Line rule to consider that a town in far-eastern Russia and one in western Alaska could be on different days despite being geographically close.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 25: The Arctic or Polar Climate > The Importance and Recent Development of the Arctic Region > p. 236
Strength: 3/5
“The Arctic region, once regarded as completely useless, is now of some economic importance. Apart from the efforts of the various governments in assisting the advancement of the Arctic inhabitants, the Eskimos, Lapps, Samoyeds, etc., new settlements have sprung up because of the discovery of minerals. Gold is mined in Alaska, nickel near Petsamo, U.S.S.R., petroleum in the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska; and copper at the Rankin Inlet, Canada. With the establishment of ports on the Arctic seaboard of Eurasia, it is now possible to ship timber and fur from Siberia. Though the ports, such as Igarka at the mouth of the Yenisey, are not ice-free, modern ice-breakers keep the passage open most of the time.”
Why relevant

Describes Arctic links between Siberia (Eurasia) and Alaska, implying geographic proximity across the polar/Arctic region.

How to extend

A student could use this geographic closeness to motivate checking precise longitudes of Anadyr and Nome on a map to see if the Date Line lies between them.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > 1. Te Changes in Plant and Animal Life > p. 74
Strength: 2/5
“It has been observed that in Alaska, the melting of permanently frozen ground is changing the migratory patterns of the caribou (reindeer). In the National Park (USA), there is an unusual growth of spruce trees. Moreover, millions of birds have migrated towards north from the western coast of USA because of warmer water. Rates of natural migration and adaptation of species and plant communities, however, appear to be much slower than the rate at which climate is changing.”
Why relevant

Mentions Alaska specifically, reinforcing that Alaska is part of the US landmass near Siberia discussed elsewhere.

How to extend

Supports using a map to compare locations in eastern Russia and western Alaska to apply the Date Line/day-change rule.

Pattern takeaway: UPSC is moving from asking 'Where is the IDL?' to 'What happens if you cross it at specific points?'. They mix precise map knowledge (Distance) with conceptual logic (Time). If a statement combines a vague fact ('few km') with a complex concept, verify the vague fact rigorously.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Trap / Conceptual Application. The distance claim in Statement I ('few kilometers') is a factual trap (they are ~700km apart; the Diomede Islands are the ones 'a few km' apart). Statement II reverses the time logic.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Physical Geography > The Earth's Crust > Longitude and Time > The International Date Line (GC Leong, Ch 2; NCERT Class VI/XI).
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: 1. Diomede Islands (Big vs Little Diomede: 3.8km apart, 21hr time difference). 2. IDL Deviations (Aleutian Islands, Kiribati/Line Islands, Samoa). 3. UTC+14 (Line Islands are the first to see the new day). 4. Bering Strait geography (Chukchi Sea to Bering Sea).
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not memorize city-to-city times. Memorize the 'Global Day Reset' mechanism: West of IDL (Asia/Russia) is 'Tomorrow'; East of IDL (America) is 'Yesterday'. Always visualize the map from the North Pole down to determine who wakes up first.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Continuity of Arctic biomes between Siberia and Alaska
💡 The insight

Taiga and Arctic tundra extend across both Alaska and Siberia, reflecting geographic continuity and close high-latitude proximity between places like Anadyr and Nome.

High-yield for UPSC because it explains why Siberia–Alaska comparisons are meaningful in physical geography and environmental questions. Connects biome distribution to climate, human settlement and transboundary ecological issues; useful for questions on Arctic physical linkages and cross-border environmental policy.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 9. Taiga (Boreal) Biome or Coniferous Forest Biome > p. 15
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 3: Terrestrial Ecosystems > 3.1. TUNDRA > p. 24
🔗 Anchor: "What is the distance in kilometers between Anadyr (Chukotka, Siberia, Russia) an..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Longitude convergence near the poles (distance between meridians decreases)
💡 The insight

The east–west distance between two meridians becomes smaller toward the poles, which affects how far apart two high-latitude locations are in kilometers.

Essential for estimating distances and interpreting maps at high latitudes; applicable to questions on great-circle distances, time zones, and mapping errors. Helps convert degree differences into realistic ground distances for polar and subpolar regions.

📚 Reading List :
  • INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: India — Location > INDIA – LOCATION > p. 2
🔗 Anchor: "What is the distance in kilometers between Anadyr (Chukotka, Siberia, Russia) an..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Arctic transport and trans‑regional links
💡 The insight

Maritime and transport developments on the Arctic seaboard create links between Eurasian Arctic coasts and broader northern networks, highlighting functional proximity despite international borders.

Useful for UPSC topics on Arctic geopolitics, resource transport and northern connectivity. Connects physical geography to economic geography and strategic studies, enabling answers on shipping routes, ports, and regional access.

📚 Reading List :
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 25: The Arctic or Polar Climate > The Importance and Recent Development of the Arctic Region > p. 236
  • FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 7: Transport and Communication > Trans–Siberian Railway > p. 58
🔗 Anchor: "What is the distance in kilometers between Anadyr (Chukotka, Siberia, Russia) an..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 International Date Line deviation at the Bering Strait
💡 The insight

The International Date Line curves at the Bering Strait, producing adjacent localities on opposite calendar dates.

High-yield for questions on cross-border date differences and time/date anomalies; links to physical geography of longitudes and geopolitics of border regions. Mastering this helps answer questions about why neighbouring settlements can have different calendar days.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 18: Latitudes and Longitudes > UPSC Prelims 2008] Which of the following straits is nearest to the International Date Line? > p. 250
🔗 Anchor: "Are Anadyr (Chukotka, Russia) and Nome (Alaska, USA) on different calendar dates..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Large countries span many time zones
💡 The insight

Russia and the USA each cover multiple time zones, so local times (and sometimes dates) vary widely within each country.

Frequently tested in prelims and mains when reasoning about time, transport, communications, and administrative coordination; connects to longitude, standard time, and global time-difference calculations.

📚 Reading List :
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 18: Latitudes and Longitudes > Standard Time and Time Zones > p. 243
  • Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: Locating Places on the Earth > DON'T MISS OUT > p. 22
🔗 Anchor: "Are Anadyr (Chukotka, Russia) and Nome (Alaska, USA) on different calendar dates..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Different date conventions on either side of the Date Line
💡 The insight

Some regions near the Date Line adopt Asiatic or American date/time conventions, causing neighbouring areas to follow different calendar dates.

Useful for answering case-based questions on international timekeeping, island/state policy choices, and examples of human adjustments to geographic meridians; enables explanation of why two nearby places can have different official dates.

📚 Reading List :
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 2: The Earth's Crust > The International Date Line > p. 14
  • Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 18: Latitudes and Longitudes > UPSC Prelims 2008] Which of the following straits is nearest to the International Date Line? > p. 250
🔗 Anchor: "Are Anadyr (Chukotka, Russia) and Nome (Alaska, USA) on different calendar dates..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S3
👉 International Date Line & calendar day changes
💡 The insight

The International Date Line near 180° longitude is the global meridian where the calendar day changes, so places on opposite sides can have different dates.

High-yield for questions on global timekeeping and cross-border temporal differences; links longitude, time zones and international relations (e.g., border timing issues). Enables solving day/date questions when two places are near 180° longitude.

📚 Reading List :
  • Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: Locating Places on the Earth > DON'T MISS OUT > p. 23
  • Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: Locating Places on the Earth > DON'T MISS OUT > p. 22
🔗 Anchor: "If it is Monday in Anadyr (Chukotka, Russia), what day is it in Nome (Alaska, US..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

The 'Kiribati Twist': The Line Islands (part of Kiribati) are in UTC+14, the farthest forward time zone on Earth. They celebrate New Year a full day before nearby islands like Baker Island (USA), despite being at similar longitudes, due to the IDL's massive eastward hammerhead shape there.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Use the 'Land of the Rising Sun' Heuristic. The sun rises in the East (Japan/Russia). They start the week first. The US (Alaska) is the 'West' (end of the day). Therefore, Russia must be Monday when Alaska is Sunday. Statement II claims Russia is Monday and Nome is Tuesday (Future). This violates the rotation of the Earth. Eliminate II immediately.

🔗 Mains Connection

Geopolitics of the Arctic (Mains GS2/GS3): The proximity of Anadyr and Nome highlights the 'Ice Curtain'. As the polar ice melts, the Bering Strait becomes a critical choke point for the Northern Sea Route, reviving Cold War-style proximity tensions between Russia and the US.

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

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Consider the following statements 1. A rubber ball bounces higher at the equator than at the poles. 2. When two persons walk on the moon, they hear each other with lower frequency. Which of the statements given above is/ are correct ?

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Consider the following statements : Statement-I : There is instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region. Statement-II : There have been military takeovers/coups d'état in several countries of the Sahel region in the recent past. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?