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UPSC Prelims World General Knowledge Questions
Practise world general knowledge (general awareness) for the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination: 10 multiple-choice questions, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. Click an option to check it, or “New questions” for another set.
World General Knowledge practice
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Q1.The Sahara Desert is located in:
Show answer & explanation
Answer: C — Africa
The Sahara covers much of North Africa.
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Q2.The Amazon rainforest is mostly located in:
Show answer & explanation
Answer: B — Brazil
About 60% of the Amazon rainforest is in Brazil.
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Q3.The Berlin Wall fell in:
Show answer & explanation
Answer: A — 1989
It fell on 9 November 1989.
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Q4.The Renaissance began in:
Show answer & explanation
Answer: C — Italy
It began in Italy (notably Florence) in the 14th century.
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Q5.The Cold War was mainly between the USA and:
Show answer & explanation
Answer: A — The Soviet Union
The rivalry was between the USA and the USSR (1947–1991).
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Q6.Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: B — Mars
Iron oxide on its surface gives Mars its reddish colour.
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Q7.Which country has the largest land area?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: D — Russia
Russia is the largest country by area (about 17 million km²).
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Q8.Which is the most widely spoken language by number of native speakers?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: D — Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin Chinese has the most native speakers.
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Q9.The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of:
Show answer & explanation
Answer: B — Australia
It lies off Queensland, Australia.
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Q10.The longest river in the world (by most measurements) is the:
Show answer & explanation
Answer: B — Nile
The Nile (~6,650 km) is usually listed as the longest; some measurements favour the Amazon.
How to approach world general knowledge questions
Group facts by theme — organisations and headquarters, rivers and deserts, treaties and dates — and revise them as tables. Avoid memorising volatile rankings; focus on stable facts.
About UPSC Prelims
UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination — conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The first stage of India’s civil services recruitment, with a General Studies paper and the qualifying CSAT aptitude paper.
Original practice questions written for this site in the style and difficulty of each exam’s syllabus. They are not past papers and the site is not affiliated with any exam body. Exam patterns, marking schemes and syllabi change — always check the latest official notification.
UPSC Prelims practice topics
| Topic | Section | Question source |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Polity, History & Geography | General awareness | Question bank |
| Economy & Banking Awareness | General awareness | Question bank |
| World General Knowledge | General awareness | Question bank |
| Biology | Science | Question bank |
| Logical Reasoning | Reasoning | Calculated (new numbers every set) |
| Percentages | Quantitative aptitude | Calculated (new numbers every set) |