Indian Geography for UPSC Flashcards

Mountain passes, national parks and tiger reserves of India.

Zoji La

Connects Srinagar (Kashmir) with Leh (Ladakh).

Khardung La

Ladakh – connects Leh with the Nubra Valley.

Nathu La

Sikkim – India–Tibet (China) border; border trade reopened in 2006.

Jelep La

Sikkim – India–Tibet route through the Chumbi Valley.

Shipki La

Himachal Pradesh – the Sutlej river enters India near this pass.

Rohtang Pass

Himachal Pradesh – connects Kullu with Lahaul-Spiti; Atal Tunnel runs beneath it.

Lipulekh Pass

Uttarakhand – India–Nepal–China trijunction; route to Kailash Mansarovar.

Bomdi La

Arunachal Pradesh – on the route to Tawang.

Banihal Pass

Pir Panjal range – connects Jammu with Srinagar (Jawahar Tunnel).

Palghat (Palakkad) Gap

Connects Kerala and Tamil Nadu – between the Nilgiri and Anaimalai hills.

Bhor Ghat

Western Ghats, Maharashtra – connects Mumbai and Pune.

Thal Ghat

Western Ghats, Maharashtra – connects Mumbai and Nashik.

First national park of India

Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand (1936, as Hailey National Park).
Project Tiger launched here in 1973.

Kaziranga National Park

Assam – one-horned rhinoceros; UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gir National Park

Gujarat – the only natural home of the Asiatic lion.

Sundarbans National Park

West Bengal – largest mangrove forest; Royal Bengal Tiger; UNESCO site.

Keoladeo National Park

Bharatpur, Rajasthan – bird sanctuary; UNESCO site.

Hemis National Park

Ladakh – snow leopard; largest national park in India.

Kanha National Park

Madhya Pradesh – hard-ground barasingha (swamp deer).

Kuno National Park

Madhya Pradesh – cheetahs reintroduced from Namibia in 2022.

Keibul Lamjao National Park

Manipur – only floating national park, on Loktak Lake; home of the Sangai deer.

Dachigam National Park

Jammu & Kashmir – Hangul (Kashmir stag).

Silent Valley National Park

Kerala – lion-tailed macaque.

Periyar Tiger Reserve

Kerala – elephants and tigers around Periyar Lake.