UPSC MAP

🔆 Places in News: Oman 📍 Why in News ✅ Oman ports Sohar and Salalah are emerging as key lifelines for Indian exporters and GCC countries ✅ They help bypass disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz 🔆 Political Features 📍 Location ✅ Located on the southeastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula 📍 Bordering Countries ✅ Yemen — Southwest ✅ United Arab Emirates — Northwest ✅ Saudi Arabia — West 📍 Maritime Boundaries ✅ Arabian Sea — South & East ✅ Gulf of Oman — North 🔆 Geographical Features 📍 Mountain Ranges ✅ Hajar Mountains ✅ Dhofar Mountains 📍 Highest Peak ✅ Jebel Shams (“Mountain of the Sun”) 📍 Natural Resources ✅ Petroleum & Natural Gas ✅ Copper, Marble, Chromium, Gypsum & Limestone ✅ Rich fish resources 📍 Climate ✅ Hot & dry interior ✅ Hot & humid coastal regions 📍 Landscape ✅ About 82% desert land ✅ Contains Rub’ al Khali — world’s largest continuous sand desert along Saudi border

🔆 Climate Terms Dominating India’s Summer: Western Disturbances to El Niño 📍 Why in Focus? ✅ India is witnessing extreme summer conditions marked by heatwaves, humidity, unseasonal rainfall, and weak monsoon concerns, bringing climate terms like Western Disturbances, El Niño, La Niña, Wet Bulb Temperature into focus. 📍 Key Highlights: ✅ Western Disturbances are extra-tropical storms originating near the Mediterranean region, bringing winter rainfall and snowfall to north India and the Himalayas. ✅ ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) is a Pacific Ocean climate phenomenon with three phases: • El Niño – warming of eastern Pacific waters • La Niña – cooling of eastern Pacific waters • Neutral phase ✅ El Niño weakens Indian monsoon winds and is linked to droughts, reduced rainfall, and increased heatwaves in India. ✅ La Niña generally strengthens monsoon conditions in India and can increase rainfall and flood risks. ✅ Wet Bulb Temperature measures heat combined with humidity; sustained levels above 35°C can become dangerous for human survival due to reduced body cooling capacity. 📍 Challenges / Issues / Implications: ✅ Rising frequency and intensity of heatwaves due to climate change. ✅ High humidity increases physiological stress and heat-related mortality risks. ✅ Erratic monsoon and extreme weather events threaten agriculture, water security, and public health. ✅ Mains Question: Discuss the role of climate phenomena such as ENSO and Western Disturbances in shaping India’s weather patterns. How is climate change intensifying extreme weather events in India? (250 words)

🔆 Musi River 📍 Why in News ✅ Telangana Government released comprehensive guidelines for Phase-I of Musi Riverfront Development Project 🔆 About Musi River 📍 Origin ✅ Originates from Ananthagiri Hills in Rangareddy district, Telangana 📍 River System ✅ Major tributary of the Krishna River 📍 Reservoirs Connected ✅ Flows into: • Osmansagar Reservoir • Himayatsagar Reservoir 📍 Formation ✅ Formed by convergence of two rivulets: • Esi • Musa 🔆 Importance ✅ Important water source for Hyderabad ✅ Supports urban water supply and regional ecology ✅ Central to riverfront development and urban rejuvenation initiatives

🔆 How Does Kerala Plan to Tackle Oil Spill Hazards? 📍 Context ✅ Kerala is preparing an Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP) after recent shipwrecks off its coast raised concerns over marine pollution and coastal ecosystem damage. 🔆 Why is the Plan Needed? ✅ Kerala witnessed two major shipwreck incidents in 2025. ✅ Hazards included: ✅ Oil spills ✅ Hazardous cargo leakage ✅ Plastic nurdles washing ashore ✅ Kerala’s: ✅ 590 km coastline ✅ Busy international shipping routes increase vulnerability to marine disasters. 🔆 What is the Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP)? 📍 Prepared By ✅ Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) 📍 Objective ✅ Strengthen preparedness and response to marine oil spill emergencies. 🔆 Major Features of OSCP ✅ Mapping environmentally sensitive coastal zones. ✅ Identification of vulnerable marine ecosystems. ✅ Emergency response protocols and chain of command. ✅ Wildlife protection and shoreline clean-up measures. ✅ Database of equipment and resources for rapid response. ✅ Coordination with Indian Coast Guard and other agencies. 🔆 Coverage of the Plan ✅ Marine areas within 12 nautical miles of Kerala coast. ✅ Riverine systems extending inland up to 40 km or tidal influence zones. 🔆 Importance 📍 Environmental ✅ Protects: ✅ Marine biodiversity ✅ Fisheries ✅ Mangroves and coastal habitats 📍 Economic ✅ Safeguards tourism and fishing livelihoods. 📍 Disaster Management ✅ Improves coastal resilience and emergency preparedness. 🔆 Challenges ✅ High cost of clean-up operations. ✅ Coordination among multiple agencies. ✅ Monitoring offshore shipping activities. ✅ Long-term ecological restoration after spills. 🔆 Key Takeaway ✅ Kerala’s OSCP reflects a shift from reactive clean-up to proactive coastal disaster preparedness and marine ecosystem protection. 🔆 Mains Practice Question 📍 “Coastal States require integrated marine disaster preparedness frameworks to tackle emerging environmental risks.” Discuss in the context of oil spill hazards in India. (250 words)

🔆 Places in News: Suriname 📍 Why in News ✅ India and Suriname reviewed bilateral ties during the 9th Joint Commission Meeting ✅ Focus areas: • Defence cooperation • Development partnership • Trade & tourism • India’s digital & AI expertise • People-to-people ties 🔆 About Suriname 📍 Capital ✅ Paramaribo 📍 Location ✅ Situated on the northern coast of South America 📍 Boundaries ✅ Atlantic Ocean → North ✅ French Guiana → East ✅ Brazil → South ✅ Guyana → West 🔆 Geographical Features 📍 Major Rivers ✅ Courantyne River ✅ Suriname River ✅ Maroni River 📍 Climate ✅ Tropical climate 📍 Highest Peak ✅ Juliana Top ➡️ Located in Wilhelmina Mountains 📍 Importance for India ✅ Strong cultural links due to Indian-origin diaspora ✅ Cooperation in: • Development projects • Digital technology • Capacity building

🔆 Red Sea 📍 Overview ✅ The Red Sea is a fjord-type marginal sea located between northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. ✅ A fjord is a long, deep and narrow body of water extending inland. 📍 Connectivity ✅ Connected to the Gulf of Aden through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. ✅ Linked to the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. 📍 Bordering Countries ✅ Western side: ➡️ Egypt ➡️ Sudan ➡️ Eritrea ✅ Northeastern side through the Gulf of Aqaba: ➡️ Israel ➡️ Jordan ✅ Eastern side: ➡️ Saudi Arabia ➡️ Yemen 📍 Geographical Features ✅ Receives very little rainfall. ✅ No major rivers flow into the Red Sea, leading to high salinity. ✅ It is one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes, especially for oil and container shipping between Europe and Asia.

🔆 Musi River 📍 Why in News ✅ Telangana Government released comprehensive guidelines for Phase-I of Musi Riverfront Development Project 🔆 About Musi River 📍 Origin ✅ Originates from Ananthagiri Hills in Rangareddy district, Telangana 📍 River System ✅ Major tributary of the Krishna River 📍 Reservoirs Connected ✅ Flows into: • Osmansagar Reservoir • Himayatsagar Reservoir 📍 Formation ✅ Formed by convergence of two rivulets: • Esi • Musa 🔆 Importance ✅ Important water source for Hyderabad ✅ Supports urban water supply and regional ecology ✅ Central to riverfront development and urban rejuvenation initiatives

🔆 Lakes of Jammu & Kashmir 📍 Context ✅ The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has highlighted serious ecological degradation of lakes in Jammu & Kashmir over the past decade. ✅ Out of 697 lakes: ➡️ 315 lakes have disappeared ➡️ 203 lakes have shrunk ➡️ Total 518 lakes have been degraded 📍 Major Lakes of Jammu & Kashmir ✅ Dal Lake ➡️ Urban lake located in Srinagar. ➡️ Famous for its floating gardens called “Raad”. ➡️ Also known for houseboats and shikara tourism. ✅ Wular Lake ➡️ Located in Jammu and Kashmir. ➡️ Second-largest freshwater lake in Asia. ➡️ Main source is the Jhelum River. ➡️ Situated at the foothills of the Haramukh Mountain. ✅ Hokersar Lake ➡️ Known as the “Queen of Wetlands”. ➡️ It is an important sanctuary for migratory birds. ➡️ Recognised as Hokersar Wetland. ✅ Manasbal Lake ➡️ Considered one of the deepest lakes in Jammu & Kashmir. ➡️ The Mughal garden “Jaroka”, built by Nur Jahan, overlooks the lake. ➡️ Located near Srinagar.

🔆 Jhelum River (River in News) 📍 Why in News ✅ Kashmir Valley is witnessing an unusual early spring. ✅ Jhelum River dropped below zero-gauge level amid record high temperatures. 📍 Location ✅ River of north-western India and northern & eastern Pakistan. ✅ A major tributary of the Indus River system. 📍 Ancient Names ✅ Vitasta (Rigveda – Sanskrit) ✅ Vyeth (Kashmiri) ✅ Hydaspes (Greek) 📍 Origin ✅ Originates from Verinag Spring (Anantnag) at the foot of the Pir Panjal Range in Kashmir Valley. 📍 Course ✅ Flows north-westward through Kashmir Valley. ✅ Passes through Wular Lake near Srinagar, regulating flow. ✅ Enters Pakistan through a deep narrow gorge. ✅ Joins Chenab River near Trimmu (Pakistan). ✅ Total Length: ~725 km 📍 Major Tributary ✅ Kishanganga (Neelum) River — joins at Muzaffarabad. 📍 Other Tributaries ✅ Right bank: Lidder, Sind, Kunhar, Pohru ✅ Left bank: Veshaw, Rambiara, Doodh Ganga, Sukhnag 📍 Fluvial Feature ✅ Example of meandering river in youthful stage in Kashmir Valley. 📍 Indus Waters Treaty (1960) ✅ Waters of Jhelum (with Indus & Chenab) allocated largely to Pakistan. 📍 Historical Significance ✅ Battle of Hydaspes (326 BCE): Alexander defeated King Porus on its banks.

🔆 Indonesia 📍 Capital: Jakarta 📍 Context ✅ A magnitude 7.4 earthquake recently struck off the coast of Indonesia, causing casualties. 📍 Political Features ✅ Indonesia is an island country located between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, off mainland Southeast Asia. ✅ It consists of thousands of islands, with the major islands being Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua. ✅ It shares land borders with East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia. ✅ Indonesia was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement along with India. 📍 Geographical Features ✅ Indonesia lies at the convergence of major tectonic plates and forms part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”. ✅ Therefore, it is highly prone to earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. ✅ It has more than 100 active volcanoes. Important volcanoes include Mount Merapi and Krakatoa. ✅ Indonesia experiences a tropical climate because it lies close to the Equator. 📍 Why Indonesia is Disaster-Prone ✅ Indonesia is situated at the meeting point of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian and Pacific tectonic plates. ✅ Continuous movement of these plates frequently triggers powerful earthquakes and volcanic activity. ✅ The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was also caused by an undersea earthquake near Indonesia.

🔆 Canary Islands 📍 Why in News? ✅ INS Sudarshini made its maiden visit to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands during its transoceanic deployment under Lokayan 26. 📍 About Canary Islands ▪️ Political Status: ✅ An autonomous region of Spain ▪️ Location: ✅ Situated in the Atlantic Ocean, about 100 km off the northwest coast of Africa 📍 Geographical Features ▪️ Volcanic Archipelago ✅ Formed by volcanic activity ▪️ Major Islands: ▪️ Tenerife ▪️ Gran Canaria ▪️ Highest Peak: ✅ Mount Teide (active volcano on Tenerife) 📍 Strategic Importance ▪️ Key stopover in trans-Atlantic maritime routes ▪️ Important for naval logistics and international maritime cooperation ▪️ Acts as a bridge between Europe, Africa and the Americas

🔆 Yamuna River 📍 Why in News? ✅ The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued notices over pollution in the Yamuna River at Mathura–Vrindavan, with water quality falling to “very poor” Category D. 📍 About Yamuna River ▪️ Naming ✅ Derived from Sanskrit word “Yama” meaning ‘twin’ ▪️ Origin ✅ Yamunotri Glacier near Bandarpunch peaks ▪️ Length ✅ ~1,376 km ▪️ River System ✅ Second-largest tributary of the Ganga River ✅ Part of Ganga drainage system 📍 Course & States Covered ▪️ Flows through: ▪️ Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh ▪️ Forms boundary between Haryana and Uttar Pradesh 📍 Confluence ▪️ Meets Ganga at Triveni Sangam ✅ Major site of Kumbh Mela 📍 Tributaries ▪️ Right bank: ✅ Tons River, Chambal, Betwa, Ken ▪️ Left bank: ✅ Hindan, Rind, Sengar, Varuna 📍 Major Cities on Banks ▪️ Yamunotri, Paonta Sahib, Delhi, Noida, Mathura, Agra, Etawah, Prayagraj 📍 Major Projects ▪️ Canals: Western Yamuna Canal (Haryana), Eastern Yamuna Canal (UP), Agra Canal ▪️ Key Infrastructure: Hathnikund Barrage ▪️ Upcoming Projects: Renukaji Dam, Lakhwar Project, Kishau Dam 📍 Concerns ▪️ Severe pollution in urban stretches (Delhi–Mathura) ▪️ Industrial discharge, sewage and low flow ▪️ Ecological degradation 📍 Conclusion The Yamuna is vital for northern India’s ecology and economy, but requires urgent conservation measures to restore its health.

🔆 Mali (Capital: Bamako) 📍 Why in News? ✅ India advised nationals in Mali to exercise caution due to rising security threats and attacks by separatist groups. 📍 Political Features ▪️ Location ✅ Landlocked country in Saharan & Sahelian region of West Africa ✅ Sahel ▪️ Neighbouring Countries ✅ North: Algeria ✅ East: Niger, Burkina Faso ✅ South: Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea ✅ West: Senegal, Mauritania 📍 Geographical Features ▪️ Major Rivers ✅ Niger River ✅ Sénégal River ▪️ Highest Peak ✅ Hombori Tondo ▪️ Climate & Winds ✅ Influenced by Alizé (trade winds) and Harmattan (dry, dusty wind from Sahara) ▪️ Natural Resources ✅ Gold (major export) ✅ Iron, bauxite, manganese, lithium 📍 Strategic Significance ▪️ Located in volatile Sahel belt prone to insurgency and terrorism ▪️ Important for regional security dynamics in West Africa 📍 Conclusion Mali’s strategic location in the Sahel and ongoing instability make it crucial from a geopolitical and security perspective.