In State PSC exams, Geography carries 25–35 marks in GS Paper I — and state-specific geography is the key differentiator. While national facts are common, 10–15 questions come directly from your state’s geography.

Master these 25 must-know geography facts — a mix of **India-wide** and **state-specific** essentials.

🌍 National Geography (India)

1 India shares its longest land boundary with Bangladesh (4,096 km).

2 The Tropic of Cancer passes through 8 Indian states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, WB, Tripura, Mizoram.

3 Andaman & Nicobar Islands are separated from Sumatra (Indonesia) by the Ten Degree Channel.

4 The Indus Water Treaty (1960) allocates Beas, Ravi, Sutlej to India and Indus, Chenab, Jhelum to Pakistan.

5 Western Ghats (Sahyadri) are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and biodiversity hotspot.

6 Himalayas are divided into 3 parallel ranges: Himadri (Greater), Himachal (Lesser), Shiwaliks (Outer).

7 India’s largest desert is the Thar Desert (Rajasthan), while the Rann of Kutch (Gujarat) is a salt marsh.

8 The Deccan Plateau is made of basaltic lava (from volcanic eruptions 66 million years ago).

9 Cherrapunji (Meghalaya) holds the record for highest rainfall in a calendar month (July 1861: 9,300 mm).

10 India’s standard meridian is 82½°E (passes through Mirzapur, UP).

🏛️ State-Specific Geography (Must-Know by State)

11 Uttar Pradesh: - Largest producer of sugarcane and potatoes.
- Yamuna and Ganga meet at Prayagraj (Triveni Sangam).
- Dudhwa National Park is home to swamp deer. UPPSC

12 Madhya Pradesh: - Known as “Heart of India”.
- Has the largest forest cover in India.
- Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna are tiger reserves. MPPSC

13 Tamil Nadu: - Kaveri River is called “Dakshin Ganga”.
- Nilgiri Hills are a meeting point of Western & Eastern Ghats.
- Largest producer of bananas and coconut. TNPSC

14 Bihar: - Ganga divides Bihar into north and south.
- Chhotanagpur Plateau extends into Bihar.
- Valmiki National Park is the only tiger reserve. BPSC

15 Karnataka: - Sharavati River forms Jog Falls (highest in India).
- Mysuru is known as the “City of Palaces”.
- Deccan Plateau covers most of the state. KPSC

16 Rajasthan: - Thar Desert covers 60% of the state.
- Luni River is the only significant river (ends in Rann of Kutch).
- Ranthambore National Park is famous for tigers. RPSC

17 West Bengal: - Sunderbans (UNESCO site) is the world’s largest mangrove forest.
- Darjeeling Hills are part of the Eastern Himalayas.
- Hooghly River is a distributary of the Ganga. WBPSC

18 Maharashtra: - Western Ghats (Sahyadri) run north-south.
- Godavari and Krishna are major rivers.
- Lonar Lake is a meteorite impact crater. MPSC

19 Gujarat: - Has the longest coastline in India (1,600 km).
- Rann of Kutch is a seasonal salt marsh.
- Sabarmati River flows through Ahmedabad. GPSC

20 Odisha: - Chilika Lake is India’s largest brackish water lagoon.
- Mahanadi River forms a delta near Cuttack.
- Sambhar Lake is NOT in Odisha (common trap!). OPSC

🧭 Map-Based & Conceptual Facts

21 Soil Types:
- Black soil (Regur): Maharashtra, MP, Gujarat → cotton.
- Alluvial soil: Indo-Gangetic plains → wheat, rice.
- Laterite soil: Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha → cashew, tea.

22 National Parks by State:
- Kaziranga: Assam (One-horned rhino)
- Periyar: Kerala (Elephant)
- Gir: Gujarat (Asiatic lion)

23 River Systems:
- Himalayan Rivers: Perennial (Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra)
- Peninsular Rivers: Seasonal (Godavari, Krishna, Narmada)

24 Mineral Belt:
- Chota Nagpur Plateau (Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh) → coal, iron, bauxite.
- Khetri (Rajasthan) → copper.
- Bailadila (Chhattisgarh) → iron ore.

25 Climate Zones:
- Tropical Wet: Western Ghats, NE India
- Arid: Rajasthan
- Humid Subtropical: Indo-Gangetic Plain

🎯 Preparation Tips

Test your geography knowledge with daily PSC MCQs — including state-specific facts!

→ Practice PSC Geography MCQs

Note: This list covers high-frequency topics from UPPSC, MPPSC, TNPSC, BPSC, KPSC, RPSC, GPSC, and OPSC papers (2020–2025).