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Countries – Their Capital & Currency

The table given below gives the list of countries along with their capital, currency and the continent to
which it belongs:

[Link]. Country Capital Currency Continent

Name
1. Afghanistan Kabul Afghani Asia
2 Albania Tirane Lek Europe
3 Algeria Algiers Dinar Africa
4 Andorra Andorra la Vella Euro Europe
5 Angola Luanda New Kwanza Africa
6 Antigua and Saint John’s East Caribbean North
Barbuda dollar America
7 Argentina Buenos Aires Peso South
America
8 Armenia Yerevan Dram Asia
9 Australia Canberra Australian dollar Oceania
10 Austria Vienna Euro (formerly Europe
schilling)
11 Azerbaijan Baku Manat Asia
12 The Bahamas Nassau Bahamian dollar North
America
13 Bahrain Manama Bahrain dinar Asia
14 Bangladesh Dhaka Taka Asia
15 Barbados Bridgetown Barbados dollar North
America
16 Belarus Minsk Belorussian ruble Europe
17 Belgium Brussels Euro (formerly Europe
Belgian franc)
18 Belize Belmopan Belize dollar North
America
19 Benin Porto-Novo CFA Franc Africa
20 Bhutan Thimphu Ngultrum Asia
21 Bolivia La Paz (administrative); Sucre Boliviano South
(judicial) America
22 Bosnia and Sarajevo Convertible Mark Europe
Herzegovina
23 Botswana Gaborone Pula Africa
24 Brazil Brasilia Real South
America
25 Brunei Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei dollar Asia
26 Bulgaria Sofia Lev Europe
27 Burkina Faso Ouagadougou CFA Franc Africa
28 Burundi Gitega Burundi franc Africa
29 Cambodia Phnom Penh Riel Asia
30 Cameroon Yaounde CFA Franc Africa
31 Canada Ottawa Canadian dollar North
America
32 Cape Verde Praia Cape Verdean Africa

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escudo
33 Central African Bangui CFA Franc Africa
Republic
34 Chad N’Djamena CFA Franc Africa
35 Chile Santiago Chilean Peso South
America
36 China Beijing Chinese Yuan Asia
37 Colombia Bogota Colombian Peso South
America
38 Comoros Moroni Franc Africa
39 Republic of the Brazzaville CFA Franc Africa
Congo
40 Zimbabwe Harare United States dollar Africa
41 Costa Rica San Jose Colón North
America
42 Cote d’Ivoire Yamoussoukro (official); Abidjan CFA Franc Africa
(de facto)
43 Croatia Zagreb Croatian Europe
44 Cuba Havana Cuban Peso North
America
45 Cyprus Nicosia Euro Europe
46 Czech Republic Prague Koruna Europe
47 Denmark Copenhagen Danish Krone Europe
48 Djibouti Djibouti Djiboutian franc Africa
49 Dominica Roseau East Caribbean North
dollar America
50 Dominican Santo Domingo Dominican Peso North
Republic America
51 East Timor (Timor- Dili U.S. dollar Asia
Leste)
52 Ecuador Quito U.S. dollar South
America
53 Egypt Cairo Egyptian pound Africa/ Asia
54 El Salvador San Salvador Colón; U.S. dollar North
America
55 Equatorial Guinea Malabo CFA Franc Africa
56 Eritrea Asmara Nakfa Africa
57 Estonia Tallinn Estonia Kroon; Euro Europe
58 Ethiopia Addis Ababa Birr Africa
59 Fiji Suva Fiji dollar Oceania
60 Finland Helsinki Euro (formerly Europe
markka)
61 France Paris Euro (formerly Europe
French franc)
62 Gabon Libreville CFA Franc Africa
63 The Gambia Banjul Dalasi Africa
64 Georgia Tbilisi Lari Asia
65 Germany Berlin Euro (formerly Europe
Deutsche mark)
66 Ghana Accra Cedi Africa
67 Greece Athens Euro (formerly Europe

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drachma)
68 Grenada Saint George’s East Caribbean North
dollar America
69 Guatemala Guatemala City Quetzal North
America
70 Guinea Conakry Guinean franc Oceania
71 Guinea-Bissau Bissau CFA Franc Africa
72 Guyana Georgetown Guyanese dollar South
America
73 Haiti Port-au-Prince Gourde North
America
74 Honduras Tegucigalpa Lempira North
America
75 Hungary Budapest Forint Europe
76 Iceland Reykjavik Icelandic króna Europe
77 India New Delhi Indian Rupee Asia
78 Indonesia Jakarta Rupiah Asia
79 Iran Tehran Rial Asia
80 Iraq Baghdad Iraqi Dinar Asia
81 Ireland Dublin Euro (formerly Irish Europe
pound [punt])
82 Israel Jerusalem* Shekel Asia
83 Italy Rome Euro (formerly lira) Europe
84 Jamaica Kingston Jamaican dollar North
America
85 Japan Tokyo Yen Asia
86 Jordan Amman Jordanian dinar Asia
87 Kazakhstan Nur Sultan Tenge Asia/ Europe
88 Kenya Nairobi Kenya shilling Africa
89 Kiribati Tarawa Atoll Kiribati dollar Oceania
90 North Korea Pyongyang Won Asia
91 South Korea Seoul Won Asia
93 Kuwait Kuwait City Kuwaiti Dinar Asia
94 Kyrgyzstan Bishkek Som Asia
95 Laos Vientiane New Kip Asia
96 Latvia Riga Lats Europe
97 Lebanon Beirut Lebanese pound Asia
98 Lesotho Maseru Maluti Africa
99 Liberia Monrovia Liberian dollar Africa
100 Libya Tripoli Libyan dinar Africa
101 Liechtenstein Vaduz Swiss franc Europe
102 Lithuania Vilnius Litas Europe
103 Luxembourg Luxembourg Euro (formerly Europe
Luxembourg franc)
104 Macedonia Skopje Denar Europe
105 Madagascar Antananarivo Malagasy Ariary Africa
106 Malawi Lilongwe Kwacha Africa
107 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Ringgit Asia
108 Maldives Male Rufiyaa Asia
109 Mali Bamako CFA Franc Africa
110 Malta Valletta Euro Europe

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111 Marshall Islands Majuro U.S. Dollar Oceania

112 Mauritania Nouakchott Ouguiya Africa
113 Mauritius Port Louis Mauritian rupee African
114 Mexico Mexico City Mexican peso North
America
115 Federated States of Palikir U.S. Dollar Oceania
Micronesia
116 Moldova Chisinau Leu Europe
117 Monaco Monte Carlo Euro Europe
118 Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Togrog Asia
119 Montenegro Podgorica Euro Europe
120 Morocco Rabat Dirham Africa
121 Mozambique Maputo Metical Africa
122 Myanmar (Burma) Nay Pyi Taw Kyat Asia
123 Namibia Windhoek Namibian dollar Africa
124 Nauru no official capital; government Australian dollar Oceania
offices in Yaren District
125 Nepal Kathmandu Nepalese rupee Asia
126 Netherlands Amsterdam; The Hague (seat of Euro (formerly Europe
government) guilder)
127 New Zealand Wellington New Zealand dollar Oceania
128 Nicaragua Managua Gold cordoba North
America
129 Niger Niamey CFA Franc Africa
130 Nigeria Abuja Naira Africa
131 Norway Oslo Norwegian krone Europe
132 Oman Muscat Omani rial Asia
133 Pakistan Islamabad Pakistani rupee Asia
134 Palau Melekeok U.S. dollar Oceania
135 Palestine Ramallah, East Jerusalem Palestine Pound Asia
136 Panama Panama City Balboa; U.S. dollar North
America
137 Papua New Guinea Port Moresby Kina Oceania
138 Paraguay Asuncion Guaraní South
America
139 Peru Lima Nuevo sol (1991) South
America
140 Philippines Manila Peso Asia
141 Poland Warsaw Zloty Europe
142 Portugal Lisbon Euro (formerly Europe/ Asia
escudo)
143 Qatar Doha Qatari riyal Asia
144 Romania Bucharest Romanian Rupee Europe
145 Russia Moscow Ruble Europe/ Asia
146 Rwanda Kigali Rwandan franc Africa
147 Saint Kitts and Basseterre East Caribbean North
Nevis dollar America
148 Saint Lucia Castries East Caribbean North
dollar America
149 Saint Vincent and Kingstown East Caribbean North
the Grenadines dollar America

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150 Samoa Apia Tala Oceania

151 San Marino San Marino Euro Europe
152 Sao Tome and Sao Tome Dobra Africa
Principe
153 Saudi Arabia Riyadh Riyal Asia
154 Senegal Dakar CFA Franc Africa
155 Serbia Belgrade Serbian Dinar Europe
156 Seychelles Victoria Seychelles rupee Africa
157 Sierra Leone Freetown Leone Africa
158 Singapore Singapore Singapore dollar Asia
159 Slovakia Bratislava Euro Europe
160 Slovenia Ljubljana Slovenian tolar; Europe
euro (as of 1/1/07)
161 Solomon Islands Honiara Solomon Islands Oceania
dollar
162 Somalia Mogadishu Somali shilling Africa
163 South Africa Pretoria (administrative); Cape Rand Africa
Town (legislative); Bloemfontein
(judiciary)
164 South Sudan Juba Sudanese Pound Africa
165 Spain Madrid Euro (formerly Europe/
peseta) Africa
166 Sri Lanka Colombo; Sri Jayewardenepura Sri Lankan rupee Asia
Kotte (legislative)
167 Sudan Khartoum Sudanese Pound Africa
168 Suriname Paramaribo Surinamese dollar South
America
169 Swaziland Mbabane Lilangeni Africa
170 Sweden Stockholm Krona Europe
171 Switzerland Berne Swiss franc Europe
172 Syria Damascus Syrian pound Asia
173 Taiwan Taipei Taiwan dollar Asia
174 Tajikistan Dushanbe somoni Asia
175 Tanzania Dar es Salaam; Dodoma Tanzanian shilling Africa
(legislative)
176 Thailand Bangkok Baht Asia
177 Togo Lome CFA Franc Africa
178 Tonga Nuku’alofa Pa’anga Oceania
179 Trinidad and Port-of-Spain Trinidad and South
Tobago Tobago dollar America
180 Tunisia Tunis Tunisian dinar Africa
181 Turkey Ankara Turkish lira (YTL) Europe/ Asia
182 Turkmenistan Ashgabat Manat Asia
183 Tuvalu Vaiaku village, Funafuti province Tuvaluan Dollar Oceania
184 Uganda Kampala Ugandan new Africa
shilling
185 Ukraine Kiev Hryvnia Europe
186 United Arab Abu Dhabi U.A.E. Dirham Asia
Emirates
187 United Kingdom London Pound sterling Europe
188 United States of Washington D.C. Dollar North

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America America
189 Uruguay Montevideo Uruguay peso South
America
190 Uzbekistan Tashkent Uzbekistani sum Asia
191 Vanuatu Port-Vila Vatu Oceania
192 Vatican City (Holy Vatican City Euro Europe
See)
193 Venezuela Caracas Bolivar South
America
194 Vietnam Hanoi Dong Asia
195 Yemen Sanaa Rial Asia
196 Zambia Lusaka Kwacha Africa

Important International Borders

The following table lists the important international boundary lines for IAS Exam:

Name of Between Features/ Description

Lines/Boundaries
17th Parallel South The 17th latitude from the equator divided erstwhile North and
Vietnam and South Vietnam.
North It was demarcated based on the 1954 Geneva Accords.
Vietnam The 17th parallel became irrelevant after the unification of
Vietnam in 1976.
20th Parallel Libya and It is located at the 20th northern latitude which is used as the
Sudan border between Sudan and Libya.
22nd Parallel Egypt and The 22nd latitude north of the equator marks a major portion of
Sudan the Sudan-Egypt border.
25th Parallel Mauritania The northernmost section of the Mali-Mauritania border is
and Mali marked using this line.
31st Parallel Iran and Iraq The 31st northern latitude marks the border between Iraq and
Iran.
It also demarcates the border between the US states of Louisiana
and Mississippi.
38th Parallel South Korea The 38th parallel is used to demarcate the central part of the
and North Demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.
Korea
49th Parallel The USA and It is located 49 degrees north of the equator.
Canada Demarcated after the Anglo-American Convention of 1818 and
the Oregon Treaty of 1846, it forms the international border
between the northern USA (Excluding Alaska) and Canada.
Durand Line Pakistan and Delimited by Sir Mortimer Durand with the agreement of the
Afghanistan erstwhile Amir of Afghanistan in 1893.
Present-day Afghanistan does not recognize the Durand line.
Hindenburg Line Poland and It was a German Defensive line in French territory during World
Germany War I
It was rendered irrelevant by the treaty of Versailles in 1919.
McMahon Line China and It was drawn by Sir Henry McMahon in consultation with
India Tibetan representatives in 1914.

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China disputes the legal status of this line but it is the de facto
border between India and China.
Maginot Line Germany and It was a defensive line at the French border towards Germany
France before World War II. The Maginot line was rendered obsolete
following the successful invasion of France by Germany
following the outbreak of World War II
Mannerheim Line Russia and Finland built this as a defensive line against the Soviet Union for
Finland the Winter War during World War II.
Oder-Neisse Line Poland and It runs along the rivers Oder and Lusatian Neisse rivers.
Germany It demarcates the Polish-German border according to the
Potsdam Conference. It was recognized by a unified Germany in
1990.
Radcliffe Line India and It was demarcated by Sir Cyril Radcliffe for the Partition of India
Pakistan and the formation of East and West Pakistan.
It includes present-day India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Siegfried Line France and It was built as an extension of the Hindenburg defensive line on
Germany the western front of World War I by the Weimar Republic and
later the Third Reich of Germany in the 1930s.
Blue Line Lebanon and A border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel published by
Israel the United Nations on 7 June 2000 for the purposes of
determining whether Israel had fully withdrawn from Lebanon.
Green Line / Attila The Republic A demilitarized zone, patrolled by the United Nations
Line / UN Buffer of Cyprus and Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), that was established
Zone Turkish in 1964 and extended in 1974 after the ceasefire of 16 August
Cyprus 1974

India’s Neighbouring Countries – Capital & State Borders

The table given below gives the list of neighbouring countries of India and their capitals along with
the Indian states that they share the border with:

Neighbouring Capital The Indian State/UTs which

Country share Border
Afghanistan Kabul Ladakh (PoK)
Bangladesh Dhaka West Bengal, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura
and Assam
Bhutan Thimphu West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh &
Assam
China Beijing Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh
Myanmar Yangon Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and
Manipur
Nepal Kathmandu Bihar, Uttarakhand, UP, Sikkim and West
Bengal
Pakistan Islamabad Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab,
Rajasthan and Gujarat
Sri Lanka Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte It is separated from India by the Gulf of
(Legislative Capital) Mannar

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Columbo (Executive Capital)

Maldives Male It lies in the south-west part of India Ocean
below the Lakshadweep Island.

Dams in India
Types of Dams
 Arch Dam: An arch dam is a concrete dam that is curved upstream in the plan. It is designed so that the
hydrostatic pressure (force of the water against it) presses against the arch, causing the arch to straighten
slightly and strengthening the structure as it pushes into its foundation or abutments. An arch dam is most
suitable for narrow canyons or gorges with steep walls of stable rock to support the structure and stresses.
 Gravity Dam: Dams constructed from concrete or stone masonry are Gravity dams. They are designed to
hold back water by using only the weight of the material and its resistance against the foundation to oppose
the horizontal pressure of water pushing against it. These are designed in such a way that each section of the
dam is stable and independent of other section.
 Arch-Gravity Dam: This dam has the characteristics of both an arch dam and a gravity dam. It is a dam
that curves upstream in a narrowing curve that directs most of the water pressure against the canyon rock
walls. The inward compression of the dam by the water reduces the lateral (horizontal) force acting on the
dam.
 Barrages: A barrage is a type of low-head, diversion dam which consists of a number of large gates that
can be opened or closed to control the amount of water passing through. This allows the structure to regulate
and stabilize river water elevation upstream for use in irrigation and other systems.
 Embankment Dams: An embankment dam is a large artificial dam. It is typically created by the
placement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil, sand, clay, or
rock. It has a semi-pervious waterproof natural covering for its surface and a dense, impervious core.
 Rock-Fills Dams: Rock-fill dams are embankments of compacted free-draining granular earth with an
impervious zone. The earth utilized often contains a high percentage of large particles, hence the term “rock-
fill”.
 Concrete-face rock-fill dams: A concrete-face rock-fill dam (CFRD) is a rock-fill dam with concrete
slabs on its upstream face. This design provides the concrete slab as an impervious wall to prevent leakage
and also a structure without concern for uplift pressure.
 Earth-fill dams: Earth-fill dams, also called earthen dams, rolled-earth dams or simply earth dams, are
constructed as a simple embankment of well-compacted earth. A homogeneous rolled-earth dam is entirely
constructed of one type of material but may contain a drain layer to collect seep water

Major Dams in India

Dams in India
Highest Dam in India Tehri Dam(Uttarakhand) Height: 260.5 meters

Length: 575 meters

River: Bhagirathi River

Location: Uttarakhand

Year of completion:2006 (1st phase)

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Longest Dam in India Hirakud Dam (Odisha) Total Length: 25.79 km (16.03 mi)

Length of Main Dam:4.8 km (3.0 mi)

River: Mahanadi

Location: Odisha

Year of completion:1953
Oldest Dam in India Kallanai Dam(Tamil Nadu) River: Kaveri

Location: Tamil Nadu

Year of completion: 100 BC –100 AD

Name of Dam State Name River Name
Nizam Sagar Dam Telangana Manjira River
Somasila Dam Andhra Pradesh Pennar River
Srisailam Dam Andhra Pradesh Krishna River
Singur dam Telangana Manjira River
Ukai Dam Gujarat Tapti River
Dharoi Dam Gujarat Sabarmati River
Kadana dam Gujarat Mahi River
Dantiwada Dam Gujarat Banas River
Pandoh Dam Himachal Pradesh Beas River
Bhakra Nangal Dam Himachal Pradesh and Punjab Sutlej River
Border
Nathpa Jhakri Dam Himachal Pradesh Satluj River
Chamera Dam Himachal Pradesh Ravi River
Baglihar Dam Jammu and Kashmir Chenab River
Dumkhar Hydroelectric Dam Jammu and Kashmir Indus River
Uri Hydroelectric Dam Jammu and Kashmir Jhelum River
Maithon Dam Jharkhand Barakar River
Chandil Dam Jharkhand Swarnarekha River
Panchet Dam Jharkhand Damodar River
Tunga Bhadra Dam Karnataka Tungabhadra River
Linganamakki dam Karnataka Sharavathi River
Kadra Dam Karnataka Kalinadi River
Alamatti Dam Karnataka Krishna River
Supa Dam Karnataka Kalinadi or Kali river
Krishna Raja Sagara Dam Karnataka Kaveri River
Harangi Dam Karnataka Harangi River
Narayanpur Dam Karnataka Krishna River
Kodasalli Dam Karnataka Kali River
Malampuzha Dam Kerala Malampuzha River
Peechi Dam Kerala Manali River
Idukki Dam Kerala Periyar River
Kundala Dam Kerala Kundala Lake
Parambikulam Dam Kerala Parambikulam River
Walayar Dam Kerala Walayar River
Mullaperiyar Dam Kerala Periyar River
Neyyar Dam Kerala Neyyar River

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Rajghat Dam Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Betwa River

Pradesh Border
Barna Dam Madhya Pradesh Barna River
Bargi Dam Madhya Pradesh Narmada River
Bansagar Dam Madhya Pradesh Sone River
Gandhi Sagar Dam Madhya Pradesh Chambal River
Yeldari Dam Maharashtra Purna river
Ujani Dam Maharashtra Bhima River
Pawna Dam Maharashtra Maval River
Mulshi Dam Maharashtra Mula River
Koyna Dam Maharashtra Koyna River
Jayakwadi Dam Maharashtra Godavari River
Bhatsa Dam Maharashtra Bhatsa river
Wilson Dam Maharashtra Pravara River
Tansa Dam Maharashtra Tansa river
Panshet Dam Maharashtra Ambi River
Mula Dam Maharashtra Mula river
Kolkewadi Dam Maharashtra Vashishti River
Girna Dam Maharashtra Girana river
Vaitarna Dam Maharashtra Vaitarna river
Radhanagari Dam Telangana Bhogawati River
Lower Manair Dam Telangana Manair River
Mid Manair Dam Telangana Manair River and SRSP Flood
Flow Canal
Upper Manair Dam Telangana Manair River and Kudlair River
Khadakwasla Dam Maharashtra Mutha River
Gangapur Dam Maharashtra Godavari river
Jalaput Dam Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Machkund River
Border
Indravati Dam Odisha Indravati River
Hirakud Dam Odisha Mahanadi River
Vaigai Dam Tamil Nadu Vaigai River
Perunchani Dam Tamil Nadu Paralayar River
Mettur Dam Tamil Nadu Kaveri River
Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar Dam / Uttar Pradesh Rihand River
Rihand dam
Tehri Dam Uttarakhand Bhagirathi River
Dhauli Ganga Dam Uttarakhand Dhauli Ganga River

Reservoirs in India
List of Major Reservoirs of India
Reservoir State River
Dindi Reservoir Telangana Krishna River
Lower Manair Reservoir Telangana Manair River
Tatipudi Reservoir Project Andhra Pradesh Gosthani River
Gandipalem Reservoir Andhra Pradesh Manneru River

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Himayat Sagar Reservoir Telangana Osman Sagar

Shriram Sagar Reservoir Telangana Godavari River
Gobind Sagar Reservoir Himachal Pradesh Sutlej River
Maharana Pratap Sagar Reservoir Himachal Pradesh Pong Dam Lake
Ghataprabha Reservoir Karnataka Ghataprabha River
Hemavathi Reservoir Karnataka Hemavati River
Tawa Reservoir Madhya Pradesh Tawa River
Balimela Reservoir Odisha Sileru River
Aliyar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Aliyar River
Chittar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Chittar River
Krishnagiri Reservoir Tamil Nadu Thenpennai River
Manimuthar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Tamirabarani River
Pechiparai Reservoir Tamil Nadu Kodayar River
Shoolagiri Chinnar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Chinnar River
Thunakadavu Reservoir Tamil Nadu Thunacadavu River
Varattu Pallam Reservoir Tamil Nadu Kaveri River
Vidur Reservoir Tamil Nadu Sankaraparani River
Amaravathi Reservoir Tamil Nadu Amaravathi River
Gundar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Berijam Lake
Kullursandai Reservoir Tamil Nadu Arjuna Nadi
Pambar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Pambar River
Periyar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Periyar River
Stanley Reservoir Tamil Nadu Kaveri River
Uppar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Uppar River
Vattamalaikarai Odai Reservoir Tamil Nadu Odai River
Willingdon Reservoir Tamil Nadu Periya Odai River
Bhavanisagar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Bhavani River
Kodaganar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Kodagananar River
Manimukthanadhi Reservoir Tamil Nadu Krishna River
Parambikulam Reservoir Tamil Nadu Parambikulam River
Sholayar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Chalakkud River
Thirumurthi Reservoir Tamil Nadu Parmabikulam and Aliyar River

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Varadamanadhi Reservoir Tamil Nadu Aliyar River

Vembakottai Reservoir Tamil Nadu Vaippar River
Manjalar Reservoir Tamil Nadu Manjalar River
Salal Project Jammu and Kashmir Chenab River
Chutak Hydroelectric Project Jammu and Kashmir Suru River
Indirasagar Project Madhya Pradesh Narmada River
Narmada Dam Project Madhya Pradesh Narmada River
Rihand Project Uttar Pradesh Rihand River and Son River

Lakes in India
 Lake is a surface water body that is surrounded by land. Rivers will be outlet or inlet to the lakes i.e. lakes
take the water from rivers or act as a source of water.
 Lakes are found in various landscapes like Hilly areas, plains, plateaus, rift zones, etc.
 There are various types of lakes that can be classified based on different criteria – They are
o Fresh Water Lakes,
o Salt Water lakes,
o Natural Lakes,
o Artificial Lakes,
o Oxbow lake, (Formed by river deposits)
o Crater Lake, etc. (formed due to volcanic activity)
 Lakes have various applications like drinking water, irrigation, navigation, water storage, livelihood
(fishing, etc.), impact on microclimate, etc.

Subglacial Lake

 A subglacial lake is a body of liquid water located in between an ice sheet and the continental landmass.
 The water remains liquid because the ice sheet above the water acts as an insulator and traps geothermal
heat from the Earth’s crust.
o Lake Vostok is the largest of Antarctica’s almost 400 known subglacial lakes. Lake Vostok is located
at the southern Pole of Cold, beneath Russia’s Vostok Station under the surface of the central East
Antarctic Ice Sheet, which is at 3,488 m above mean sea level

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Important Facts related to Lakes of India

 Largest freshwater lake in India – Wular Lake, Jammu and Kashmir

 Largest Saline water lake in India – Chilka Lake, Orissa
 Highest lake in India (Altitude) – Cholamu lake, Sikkim
 Longest Lake in India – Vembanad lake, Kerala
 Largest Artificial Lake in India – Govind Vallabh Pant Sagar (Rihand Dam)
 Dhebar Lake is India’s second-largest artificial lake, after Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar. It is located in the
Udaipur District of Rajasthan.

Note:

 Black Sea is not a lake since Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits connect it to the Mediterranean Sea. Many big
rivers fall into the Black Sea, making the salinity of its surface water half that of the ocean: 17‰.
 Caspian Sea and the Dead Sea are lakes. The surface and shores of the Dead Sea are 423 meters below sea
level, making it Earth’s lowest elevation on land.
 While writing facts about lakes, people ignore the Caspian Sea because for them it is too big to be considered a
lake. But it is still a lake.
 Just like everybody else, even I have ignored the Caspian Sea while stating the below facts.

Lake Baikal – Deepest Lake

 Lake Baikal is a rift lake located in southern Siberia, Russia.

 It is the largest freshwater lake by volume in the world, containing 22 to 23% of the world’s fresh surface
water.
 It is the seventh-largest lake in the world by surface area.
 Maximum depth: 1,642 m (5,387 ft)
 It is the world’s oldest (25–30 million years) and deepest lake.
 It has a long, crescent shape.
 The region to the east of Lake Baikal is referred to as Transbaikalia or as the Trans baikal.
 The loosely defined region around the lake itself is sometimes known as Baikalia.
 UNESCO declared Lake Baikal a World Heritage Site in 1996.
 Baikal-GVD (Gigaton Volume Detector)
o Russian scientists launched one of the world’s biggest underwater neutrino telescopes called the
Baikal-GVD (Gigaton Volume Detector) in the waters of Lake Baikal.

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o It is one of the three largest neutrino detectors in the world along with the IceCube at the South
Pole and ANTARES in the Mediterranean Sea.
o It seeks to study in detail the elusive fundamental particles called neutrinos and to possibly
determine their sources.

Lake Tanganyika – Longest Lake

 The longest lake in the world. [660 kilometres long]

 It is also the second largest by volume.
 It is the second deepest lake in the world, after lake Baikal.

World’s Highest and Lowest Lakes

 The world’s highest lake, if size is not a criterion, may be the crater lake of Ojos del Salado, at 6,390 metres.
It is in Andes.
 The highest large lake in the world is the Pumoyong Tso (Pumuoyong Tso), in the Tibet Autonomous Region
of China. [5,018 metres above sea level]
 The world’s highest commercially navigable lake is Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia border at 3,812 m. It is
also the largest lake in South America.
 The world’s lowest lake is the Dead Sea, bordering Israel and Jordan at 418 metres below sea level. It is also
one of the lakes with highest salt concentration.

The Largest Lakes (surface area) by Continent

 Australia – Lake Eyre (salt lake)

 Africa – Lake Victoria, also the third-largest freshwater lake on Earth. It is one of the Great Lakes of Africa.
 Antarctica – Lake Vostok (subglacial)
 Asia – Lake Baikal (if the Caspian Sea is considered a lake, it is the largest in Eurasia, but is divided between
the two geographic continents)
 Europe – Lake Ladoga, followed by Lake Onega, both located in northwestern Russia.
 North America – Lake Superior.
 South America – Lake Titicaca, which is also the highest navigable body of water on Earth at 3,812 metres
above sea level. The much larger Lake Maracaibo is a contiguous body of water with the sea, so it is ignored.

Dead Sea

 Also called the Salt Sea.

 Lake bordering Jordan to the east, and Palestine and Israel to the west.
 It Earth’s lowest elevation on land.

Largest Lakes by Surface Area

[Caspian Sea Excluded in all facts] 2. Tanganyika – Africa

3. Superior – North America
1. Lake Superior – North America
2. Lake Victoria – Africa
Deepest Lakes in the World
3. Lake Huron – North America
4. Lake Michigan – North America
1. Lake Baikal – Asia
2. Lake Tanganyika
Largest Lakes by Volume

1. Baikal – Asia

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Name State District Type of Facts/Description

Lakes
Pulicat Lake Andhra Sullurpet Brackish It encompasses Pulicat
Pradesh Water Lake Bird Sanctuary;
Satish Dhawan Space
Centre located here
Kolleru Lake Andhra Vijayawada Freshwater Home to migratory birds
Pradesh
Nagarjuna Sagar Andhra Nalgonda Freshwater Artificially constructed;
Pradesh Krishna river
Cumbum Lake Andhra — — —
Pradesh
Haflong Lake Assam Silchar Freshwater High altitude lake
DeeporBeel Assam Kamrup Freshwater Under Ramsar
Convention
Son Beel Assam Karimganj Freshwater Largest wetland in
(Tectonically Assam
formed)
Chandubi lake Assam Kamrup Freshwater Migratory Birds
(winter);
formed by 1897
earthquake
Sala Lake Arunachal —- —- —–
Pradesh
Sangestar Tso Arunachal Tawang —- —-
(Madhuri Lake) Pradesh
Ganga Lake (Geker Arunachal Itanagar —- —-
Sinying) Pradesh
Kanwar Lake Bihar Begusarai Oxbow Asia’s largest freshwater
(freshwater) oxbow lake;
Nal Sarovar Gujarat
Hamirsar lake Gujarat Kutch Artificial Situated in centre of
Bhuj
Kankaria lake Gujarat Ahmedabad Artificial During 14th century by
Muhammed Shah II
Narayan Sarovar Gujarat Kutch Artificial Pilgrimage site for
freshwater Hindus
Thol Lake Gujarat Mehsana Lentic lake Constructed for
irrigation purpose
Vastrapur Gujarat Ahmedabad Freshwater Narmada River;
Picnic spot
Sursagar Lake Gujarat
Lakhota Lake Gujarat
Badkhal Lake Haryana Faridabad Freshwater Man made
Blue Bird Lake Haryana Hisar Freshwater Migratory Birds,

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Wetland Habitat
Brahma Sarovar Haryana Thaneswar Freshwater Ancient water pool
sacred to Hinduism
Damdama Lake Haryana Sohna Freshwater Constructed by British
government for
Rainwater Harvesting
Karna Haryana Karnal Freshwater Connected to great epic
Mahabharata
Tilyar Haryana Rohtak Freshwater Located inside Tilyar Zoo
(canal inflow)
Surajkund Lake Haryana Faridabad
Chandra Taal Himachal Lahul and Spiti Sweetwater Ramsar wetland site
Pradesh lake
Suraj Taal Himachal Lahul and Spiti Freshwater Bhaga River inflow
Pradesh (High
Altitude)
MaharanaPratapSagar Himachal Kangra Freshwater Ramsar site
Pradesh
Prashar lake Himachal Mandi Holomitic It has a floating Island
Pradesh (Freshwater)
Renuka lake Himachal Sirmaur Freshwater It is designated as the
Pradesh Ramsar site
Nako Lake Himachal Kinnaur
Pradesh
Dal lake J &K Srinagar Warm Remnants of past
monomitic glacial period
Pangong Tso J &K Ladakh Endorheic Indo-China Border
Lake (saline
water)
Wular lake J &K Bandipora Tectonic lake Largest freshwater lake
(fresh water) in India
TsoMoriri J &K Ladakh Saltwater High altitude lake
Anchar Lake J &K
Manasbal Lake J &K
Gadsar Lake J &K
Gangabal Lake J &K
Vishansar Lake J &K
Mansar Lake J &K
Marsar Lake J &K
Tarsar Lake J &K
Sheshnag J &K
Tulian lake J &K
Agata lake Karnataka Bangalore Freshwater Located in the
southwest part of the
city
Bellandur Lake Karnataka Bangalore Freshwater –
Karachi lake Karnataka Mysore – Butterfly park

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Ulsoor lake Karnataka Bangalore Stale water It has several islands

Kukarahalli lake Karnataka Mysore Freshwater Recreational
Honnamana Karnataka Kodagu Freshwater Holy lake, place for
various festivals
Pampa Sarovar Karnataka Hampi Freshwater Tungabhadra river
Hebbal Lake Karnataka — — —
Ashtamudi Kayal Kerala Kollam Brackish Ramsar wetland site
water
Kuttanad Kerala Alappuzha, Backwater paddy
Kottayam cultivation
Vembanad Kerala – Brackish Ramsar wetland; boat
water race
Shashtamkotta Kerala Kollam Freshwater Ramsar wetland
Vellayani Lake Kerala Thiruvananthapuram
Bhojtal Madhya. Bhopal Freshwater Ramsar site; largest
Pradesh artificial lake in India
Salim Ali Lake Maharashtra Aurangabad Freshwater Birdwatching
Shivsagar Maharashtra Satara Freshwater Koyna dam
Lonar lake Maharashtra Buldhana Crater lake National Geo-Heritage
monument
Gorewada Lake Maharashtra
Pashan Lake Maharashtra
Powai Lake Maharashtra
Rankala Lake Maharashtra
Venna Lake Maharashtra
Tulsi Lake Maharashtra
Vihar Lake Maharashtra
Loktak lake Manipur – Lenticular Ramsar wetland;
freshwater Phumdis (Floating
Islands); Multipurpose
project
Umiam Meghalaya Shillong Freshwater Famous for cycling and
boating
Tam Dil Mizoram Saitual Freshwater –
Chilika lake Orissa Puri Brackish India’s largest brackish
water water lake; lagoon
Kanjia lake Orissa Bhubaneswar Freshwater Wetland of national
importance
Anshupa Lake Orissa Cuttack Freshwater On the left bank of the
Mahanadi river
Harike Punjab Ferozepur Freshwater Ramsar wetland site
Rupar Punjab Rupnagar Freshwater Manmade riverine lake
Kanjli Punjab Kapurthala Freshwater Ramsar wetland site
Sambhar lake Rajasthan Sambhar Lake-town Saltwater Ramsar wetland; largest
inland saltwater lake in
India
Rajsamand Rajasthan Rajsamand Freshwater –

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Dhebar Lake Rajasthan

Kaylana Lake Rajasthan
Nakki Lake Rajasthan
Pachpadra Lake Rajasthan
Man Sagar Lake Rajasthan
Didwana Lake Rajasthan
Lunkaransar Salt Lake Rajasthan
Anasagar Lake Rajasthan
Talwara Lake Rajasthan
Tsomgo lake Sikkim East Sikkim Freshwater Winter frozen
Khecheoplari Sikkim West Sikkim Freshwater Sacred lake for Hindus
and Buddhists
Gurudongmar Lake Sikkim — — north of the
Kanchendzonga range
Ooty lake Tamilnadu Nilgiris Freshwater Boat House
Chembarambakkam Tamilnadu Chennai Artificial lake –
Kodaikanal Lake Tamilnadu Dindigul Artificial lake Boat club, boathouse,
and boat service
Kaliveli Lake Tamil Nadu Viluppuram Coastal lake —
and lagoon
Kolavai Tamil Nadu — — —
Puzhal lake (Red Hills Tamil Nadu — — —
Lake)
Sholavaram lake Tamil Nadu
Berijam Lake Tamil Nadu
Veeranam Lake Tamil Nadu
Hussain Sagar Telangana Hyderabad Artificial lake Artificial Gibraltar rock-
island
Badrakali lake Telangana Warangal Freshwater Artificial lake
Osman Sagar Telangana — — —
Himayat Sagar Telangana — — Artificial lake
Pakhal Lake Telangana — — Artificial lake
Shamirpet Lake Telangana — — Artificial lake
Saroornagar Lake Telangana — — Artificial lake
Durgam Cheruvu Telangana Rangareddy
Govind Ballabh Pant Uttar Sonbhadra Man-made Rihand dam
Sagar Pradesh lake
Belasagar Uttar Kulpahar Freshwater Irrigation lake
Pradesh
Bhimtal Uttarakhand Nainital Freshwater Medium altitude lake
East Calcutta wetlands West Bengal Calcutta Brackish Ramsar wetland
water

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The List of Biosphere Reserves in India

Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal or marine ecosystems or its amalgamation. The biosphere
reserve network was launched in 1971 by UNESCO, two years after the initiation of MAB- Man and the biosphere
program. The Government of India established 18 biospheres in the country (categories generally relating to IUCN
Category V Protected areas).
The first biosphere reserve of the world was established in 1979. According to UNESCO, as of July 2021, there are
714 Biosphere reserves across 129 countries in the world which also include 21 transboundary sites.

Functions of a Biosphere Reserve

Each biosphere reserve is supposed to fulfill three harmonizing functions:

1. Conservation function: to conserve genetic resources, species, ecosystems, and landscapes

2. Development function: to promote sustainable human and economic development.
3. Logistic support function: to provide support for research and analysing the issues of conservation and
sustainable development.

Three zones of the Biosphere

Biosphere reserves have three unified zones that aim to fulfill three harmonizing and mutually
reinforcing functions:

1. The core area: It involves an entirely secured and protected ecosystem that contributes to the
preservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation.
2. The buffer zone: It encompasses or adjoins the core areas. It is utilized for activities compatible with sound
ecological practices that can fortify scientific research, monitoring, training, and education.
3. The transition area: It is the part of the reserve where the greatest activity is permitted to promote
economic and human development that is sustainable.

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Biosphere reserves are announced by the state or central governments by notification. The
Governments can nominate them under the UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme after its
establishment as a biosphere reserve. There are 18 biosphere reserves in India.

No. Name of Biosphere Year of Location (States)

Reserve Notification
1 Nilgiri 1986 Part of Wayanad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and
Madumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley, and Siruvani hills
(Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka).
2 Nanda Devi 1988 Part of Chamoli, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar districts
(Uttarakhand).
3 Nokrek 1988 Part of Garo Hills (Meghalaya).
4 Great Nicobar 1989 Southernmost islands of Andaman And Nicobar (A&N
Islands).
5 Gulf of Mannar 1989 The Indian part of the Gulf of Mannar between India
and Sri Lanka (Tamil Nadu).
6 Manas 1989 Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari,
Kamprup, and Darang districts (Assam).
7 Sunderbans 1989 Part of the delta of Ganges and Brahmaputra river
system (West Bengal).
8 Simlipal 1994 Part of the Mayurbhanj district (Orissa).
9 Dibru-Saikhowa 1997 Part of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia Districts (Assam).
10 Dehang-Dibang 1998 Part of Siang and Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh.
11 Pachmarhi 1999 Parts of Betul, Hoshangabad, and Chindwara districts
of Madhya Pradesh.
12 Khangchendzonga 2000 Parts of Khangchendzonga hills and Sikkim.
13 Agasthyamalai 2001 Neyyar, Peppara, and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries
and their adjoining areas in Kerala.
14 Achanakamar – 2005 Covers parts of Anupur and Dindori districts of M.P.
Amarkantak and parts of Bilaspur districts of Chhattishgarh State.
15 Kachchh 2008 Part of Kachchh, Rajkot, Surendra Nagar, and Patan
Civil Districts of Gujarat State.
16 Cold Desert 2009 Pin Valley National Park and surroundings;
Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary
in Himachal Pradesh.
17 Seshachalam Hills 2010 Seshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of Chittoor
and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh.
18 Panna 2011 Part of Panna and Chhattarpur districts in Madhya
Pradesh.

Recently, Panna Biosphere Reserve was also given the International status of UNESCO Protected Biosphere
Reserve. The status was given in the year 2020, and prior to that, the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve
from India was also included in this list in 2018.

With the addition of the two Biosphere Reserves, 12 of the 18 biosphere reserves in the country have become
part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves which is based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere
(MAB) Programme list.

The UNESCO Protected Biosphere Reserves list in India are given below:

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YEAR NAME STATES

2000 Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu
2001 Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu
2001 Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve West Bengal
2004 Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve Uttarakhand
2009 Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve Madhya Pradesh
2009 Nokrek Biosphere Reserve Meghalaya
2009 Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Odisha
2012 Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve Chhattisgarh
2013 Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve Great Nicobar
2016 Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve Kerala and Tamil Nadu
2018 Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve Part of North and West Sikkim districts
2020 Panna Biosphere Reserve Madhya Pradesh

Ramsar Sites in India

As mentioned above, there are a total of 42 wetlands that are listed under the Ramsar Convention. Hence, they
are called Ramsar sites in India. We’ve tabulated these sites along with their location. Five of the wetlands are
recently added to the Ramsar sites. These include:

 Asan Conservation Reserve, Dehradun, Uttarakhand

 Kabartal Wetland, Begusarai, Bihar
 Lonar Lake, Buldhana, Maharashtra
 Tso Kar Wetland, Leh-Ladakh
 Sur Sarovar, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh

State Ramsar Sites

Andhra Pradesh Kolleru Lake
Assam Deepor Beel
Bihar Kabartal Wetland
Gujarat Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary
Chandertal Wetland

Himachal Pradesh Pong Dam Lake

Renuka Wetland
Hokera Wetland

Surinsar-Mansar Lakes
Jammu & Kashmir
Tsomoriri

Wular Lake
Ashtamudi Wetland

Kerala Sasthamkotta Lake

Vembanad-Kol Wetland

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Leh-Ladakh Tso Kar Wetland

Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Wetland
Nandur Madhameshwar
Maharashtra
Lonar Lake
Manipur Loktak Lake
Bhitarkanika Mangroves
Orissa
Chilika Lake
Harike Lake

Kanjli

Ropar
Punjab
Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve

Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary

Beas Conservation Reserve

Sambhar Lake
Rajasthan
Keoladeo National Park
Tamil Nadu Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
Tripura Rudrasagar Lake
Upper Ganga River (Brijghat to Narora Stretch)

Saman Bird Sanctuary

Samaspur Bird Sanctuary

Sandi Bird Sanctuary

Uttar Pradesh
Sarsai Nawar Jheel

Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary

Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary

Sur Sarovar
Uttarakhand Asan Conservation Reserve
Sundarban Wetland
West Bengal
East Calcutta Wetlands

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National Parks of India

 India has a network of 868 Protected Areas covering a total of 1,65,088 km2 of geographical area of the country
which is approximately 5.02%.

 BR: Biosphere Reserve. A BR may consist of a few NPs, wildlife sanctuaries, protected and reserve forests.
In terms of protection, National Parks > Wildlife Sanctuary > Reserved forests > Protected forests

Name Location Area (sq. Year of

km) Establishment
Jim Corbett National Park Uttarakhand 1318.5 1936
Mudumalai National Park Tamil Nadu 321.5 1940
Hazaribagh National Park Jharkhand 184 1954
Kanha National Park Madhya Pradesh 940 1955
Tadoba National Park Chandrapur 625 1955
(Maharashtra)
Madhav National Park Madhya Pradesh 375 1959
Gir National Park Gujarat 1412 1965
Bandhavgarh National Park Madhya Pradesh 446 1968
Sanjay Gandhi National Park Maharashtra 104 1969
Bandipur National Park Karnataka 874 1974
Kaziranga National Park Assam 859 1974
Namdapha National Park Arunachal Pradesh 1985 1974
Navegaon National Park Maharashtra 134 1975
Blackbuck National Park, Velavadar Gujarat 34 1976
Guindy National Park Tamil Nadu 3 1976
Valmiki National Park Bihar 898 1976
Dudhwa National Park Uttar Pradesh 490 1977
Keibul Lamjao National Park Manipur 40 1977
Khangchendzonga National Park Sikkim 1784 1977
Pench National Park Madhya Pradesh 758 1977
Eravikulam National Park Kerala 97 1978
Mollem National Park Goa 107 1978
Nameri National Park Assam 137 1978
North Button Island National Park Andaman and Nicobar 0.44 1979
Islands
Saddle Peak National Park Andaman and Nicobar 32.5 1979
Islands
Vansda National Park Gujarat 23.99 1979
Desert National Park Rajasthan 3162 1980
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Tamil Nadu 6.23 1980
Park
Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch Gujarat 163 1980
Silent Valley National Park Kerala 237 1980
Simlipal National Park Odisha 845 1980
Dachigam National Park Jammu & Kashmir 141 1981
Guru Ghasidas (Sanjay) National Chhattisgarh 1440 1981
Park
Keoladeo Ghana National Park Bharatpur (Rajasthan) 29 1981

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Hemis National Park Jammu & Kashmir 4400 1981

Indravati National Park Chhattisgarh 1258 1981
Kishtwar National Park Jammu & Kashmir 400 1981
Panna National Park Madhya Pradesh 542 1981
Ranthambore National Park Rajasthan 392 1981
Sanjay National Park Madhya Pradesh 466 1981
Satpura National Park Madhya Pradesh 524 1981
Kanger Ghati National Park Chhattisgarh 200 1982
Nanda Devi National Park Uttarakhand 630 1982
Periyar National Park Kerala 305 1982
Sirohi National Park Manipur 41 1982
Valley of Flowers National Park Uttarakhand 87.5 1982
Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Andaman and Nicobar 281.5 1983
Park Islands
Mandla Plant Fossils National Park Madhya Pradesh 0.27 1983
Rajaji National Park Uttarakhand 820 1983
Van Vihar National Park Madhya Pradesh 4.45 1983
Great Himalayan National Park Himachal Pradesh 754 1984
Sundarbans National Park West Bengal 1330 1984
Bannerghatta National Park Karnataka 104 1986
Mouling National Park Arunachal Pradesh 483 1986
Neora Valley National Park West Bengal 88 1986
Nokrek National Park Meghalaya Meghalaya 1986
Singalila National Park West Bengal 78.6 1986
Anshi National Park Karnataka 417 1987
Gugamal National Park Maharashtra 361 1987
Kudremukh National Park Karnataka 600 1987
Middle Button Island National Park Andaman and Nicobar 0.44 1987
Islands
Mount Harriet National Park Andaman and Nicobar 46.6 1987
Islands
Pin Valley National Park Himachal Pradesh 807 1987
South Button Island National Park Andaman and Nicobar 0.03 1987
Islands
Bhitarkanika National Park Odisha 145 1988
Nagarhole National Park Karnataka 643 1988
Gangotri National Park Uttarakhand 2390 1989
Indra Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and Tamil Nadu 117 1989
National Park
Sri Venkateswara National Park Andhra Pradesh 353 1989
Sultanpur National Park Haryana 1.43 1989
Govind Pashu Vihar Wildlife Uttarakhand 472 1990
Sanctuary
Manas National Park Assam 500 1990
Murlen National Park Mizoram 100 1991
Campbell Bay National Park Andaman and Nicobar 426 1992
Islands
Galathea National Park Andaman and Nicobar 110 1992
Islands

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Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Mizoram 50 1992

Park
Salim Ali National Park Jammu & Kashmir 9 1992
Ntangki National Park Nagaland 202 1993
Gorumara National Park West Bengal 79 1994
Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Telangana 1.42 1994
Park
Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Telangana 14.5 1994
Park
Mrugavani National Park Telangana 3.6 1994
Rani Jhansi Marine National Park Andaman and Nicobar 256 1996
Islands
Dibru-Saikhowa National Park Assam 340 1999
Orang National Park Assam 78.8 1999
Mukurthi National Park Tamil Nadu 78 2001
Anamudi Shola National Park Kerala 7.5 2003
Clouded Leopard National Park Tripura 5 2003
Kalesar National Park Haryana 100 2003
Mathikettan Shola National Park Kerala 12.8 2003
Pambadum Shola National Park Kerala 1.3 2003
Chandoli National Park Maharashtra 317.6 2004
Omkareshwar National Park Madhya Pradesh 293.5 2004
Rajiv Gandhi (Rameswaram) Karnataka 2.4 2005
National Park
Mukundra Hills National Park Rajasthan 200.5 2006
Bison (Rajbari) National Park Tripura 31.6 2007
Papikonda National Park Andhra Pradesh 1012.8 2008
Inderkilla National Park Himachal Pradesh 104 2010
Khirganga National Park Himachal Pradesh 710 2010
Simbalbara National Park Himachal Pradesh 27.8 2010
Jaldapara National Park West Bengal 216 2012
Balphakram National Park Meghalaya 220 2013

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The list of all major Wildlife Sanctuaries (of India):

Name Location
Chandraprabha Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary Karnataka
Dachigam Sanctuary Jammu & Kashmir
Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary Rann of Kutch (Gujarat)
Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary Jammu & Kashmir
Periyar Sanctuary Kerala

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Tadwai Sanctuary Warangal (Andhra Pradesh)

Tungabhadra Sanctuary Bellary (Karnataka)
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary Rajasthan
Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary Puri (Odisha)
Ghatprabha Bird Sanctuary Karnataka
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary (also Vembanad Bird Sanctuary) Kerala
Kaundinya Bird Sanctuary Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh)
Mayani Bird Sanctuary Satara (Maharashtra)
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary Nellore (Andhra Pradesh)
Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu & Andhra Pradesh
Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary Karnataka
Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary Gurgaon (Haryana)
Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary Chorao Island (Goa)
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary Rajasthan
Buxa Tiger Reserve West Bengal
Sariska Tiger Reserve Rajasthan
Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve Madhya Pradesh
Sunderban Tiger Reserve West Bengal

Difference Between Wildlife Sanctuary And National Park

Wildlife Sanctuary National Park
Human activities are allowed. No human activities are allowed.
The main aim is to protect a particular flora or Can include flora, fauna or any other objects of
fauna. historical/geographic significance.
There are no fixed boundaries. Boundaries are fixed and defined.
It is open to the general public Not usually open to the public.
Sanctuaries are usually formed by the order of National Parks are formed by the State or central
Central or the State Government Legislature.
A sanctuary can be upgraded to a national park A national park cannot be downgraded to a sanctuary.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization as of distinctive cultural or physical importance which is considered of
outstanding value to humanity. UNESCO strives to encourage the conservation, identification, and
maintenance of natural and cultural heritage around the world. This is exemplified by the Convention
regarding the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, accepted by UNESCO in 1972.

Latest Update about UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India:

 27th July 2021 – Dholavira, Harappan City in the Rann of Kutchh, becomes India’s 40th UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
 25th July 2021 – UNESCO has inscribed the Rudreswara Temple (Ramappa Temple) at Palampet, Warangal,
Telangana on the List of World Heritage Sites.

Note: There are 46 sites of India on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

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UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites -

UNESCO Natural World Heritage sites are those sites with distinctive cultural facets such as geological
formations, physical, biological, and cultural landscapes.

Natural World Heritage Site State Year of

Notification
Kaziranga National Park Assam 1985
Keoladeo Ghana National Park Rajasthan 1985
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary Assam 1985
Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers Uttarakhand 1988, 2005
Sundarbans National Park West Bengal 1987
Western Ghats Maharashtra, Goa, 2012
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
and Kerala
Great Himalayan National Park Himachal Pradesh 2014

UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites -

UNESCO Cultural World Heritage sites are those sites with unique cultural facets such as Paintings,
monuments, architecture, etc.

Cultural World Heritage Site State Year of

Notification
Dholavira Gujarat 2021
Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple Telangana 2021
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Chandigarh 2016
Outstanding Contribution to the Modern
Movement
Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai Maharashtra 2018
Historic City of Ahmedabad Gujarat 2017
Jaipur City Rajasthan 2020
Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara Bihar 2016
(Nalanda University)
Rani-Ki-Van Gujarat 2014
Hill Forts of Rajasthan Rajasthan 2013
The Jantar Mantar Rajasthan 2010
Red Fort Complex Delhi 2007
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park Gujarat 2004
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Maharashtra 2004
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka Madhya Pradesh 2003
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya Bihar 2002
Mountain Railways of India Tamil Nadu 1999
Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi Delhi 1993
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi Delhi 1993
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi Madhya Pradesh 1989
Elephanta Caves Maharashtra 1987
Great Living Chola Temples Tamil Nadu 1987

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Group of Monuments at Pattadakal Karnataka 1987

Churches and Convents of Goa Goa 1986
Fatehpur Sikri Uttar Pradesh 1986
Group of Monuments at Hampi Karnataka 1986
Khajuraho Group of Monuments Madhya Pradesh 1986
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram Tamil Nadu 1984
Sun Temple, Konarak Orissa 1984
Agra Fort Uttar Pradesh 1983
Ajanta Caves Maharashtra 1983
Ellora Caves Maharashtra 1983
Taj Mahal Uttar Pradesh 1983

UNESCO Mixed World Heritage Sites -

A mixed site comprises components of both natural and cultural importance:

Mixed World Heritage Site State Year of Notification

Khangchendzonga National Park Sikkim 2016

Important Facts about UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

1. Agra Fort
o It is the 16th Century Mughal Monument called the Red Fort of Agra.
o Jahangir Palace and the Khas Mahal built by Shah Jahan are part of Agra Fort.
2. Ajanta Caves
o These are rock-cut caves.
o There are a total of 29 caves.
3. Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda
o Nalanda is the most ancient university in India.
o The archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution dating from the 3rd
century BCE to the 13th century CE are found here.
4. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
o Monolithic pillars, palaces, temples and monasteries are part of it.
o It is considered the oldest Buddhist Sanctuary in existence.
5. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
o Unexcavated archaeological, historic and living cultural heritage properties are a part of it.
o Structures built between the 8th and 14th centuries like fortifications, palaces, religious
buildings, residential precincts, agricultural structures and water installations; are found
here.
6. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
o The former name of CST was Victoria Terminus.
o It represents the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India.
o British architect F. W. Stevens built and designed it.
7. Churches and Convents of Goa
o The churches of the city which was the Portuguese capital signifies the evangelization of
Asia.
8. Elephanta Caves

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o Gharapuri Caves is the local name of Elephanta Caves.

o There are seven caves.
9. Ellora Caves
o There are 34 monasteries and temples.
10. Fatehpur Sikri
o Mughal Emperor Akbar built it.
o It had been a Mughal capital for 10 years.
o Jama Masjid is a part of it.
11. Great Living Chola Temples
o It includes temples like the theBrihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara Temple
at Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram.
12. Group of Monuments at Hampi
o Hampi has served as the last capital of the Vijayanagar Empire.
13. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram
o The group is best known for Rathas, Mandapas, Giant open-air reliefs, etc.
14. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal
o The monuments represent the Chalukyan art.
o Hindu temples and Jain sanctuary are a part of it.
15. Hill Forts of Rajasthan
o Chittorgarh fort; Kumbhalgarh fort; Sawai Madhopur fort; Jhalawar fort; Jaipur fort, and
Jaisalmer fort are part of these hill forts.
16. Historic City of Ahmadabad
o Sultan Ahmad Shah founded the walled city in the 15th Century.
17. Humayun’s Tomb
o It was built in 1570.
o It stands as the first garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent.
18. Jaipur City
1. Sawai Jai Singh-II founded the city in 1727.
Khajuraho Group of Monuments
o It contains Chandely Dynasty-built temples.
o Hinduism and Jainism are two religions to which temples are dedicated.
Mahabodhi Temple Complex
o It is one of the four holy sites related to the Buddha’s life.
Mountain Railways of India
o Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and Kalka Shimla Railway are
three railways included in this site.
Qutb Minar and its Monuments
o Qutb Minar was built in the 13th century.
o It is the highest tower in India.
Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell)
o It stands on the banks of Saraswati River.
o It is built in Maru-Gurjara architectural style.
Red Fort Complex
o It was built as the palace fort of the Shah Jahan’s capital Shah Jahanabad.
o Salimgarh Fort is a part of this complex.
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka
o Dr V. S. Wakankar had discvoered the Bhimbetka Caves in 1958.
Sun Temple
o King Narasimhadeva I built this in the 13th Century.

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o It represents the Kalinga architecture.

Taj Mahal
o Mughal Emperor built Taj Mahal.
o It stands on the Yamuna river banks.
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
o There are 17 sites on three continents.
o Complexe du Capitole in Chandigarh, India is a part of this.
The Jantar Mantar
o Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II built the astronomical observation site.
Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
o Victorian Neo-Gothic public buildings and Art Deco in Mumbai buildings are part of this
collection.
Great Himalayan National Park-Conservation Area
o High alpine peaks, alpine meadows and riverine forests in this conservation area in
Himachal Pradesh.
Kaziranga National Park
o It is located in Golaghat and Nagaon, in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam in northeast
India.
o Read more about the Kaziranga National Park in the linked article.
Keoladeo National Park
o Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary was the former name of this National Park.
o Siberian Crane is one of those aquatic birds that make this park a wintering area.
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
o It is the first reserve included in the network of tiger reserves under Project Tiger in 1973.
o It is also a biosphere reserve.
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
o Nanda Devi West is the second-highest mountain in India.
Sundarbans National Park
o It forms the part of the Gangetic Delta.
Western Ghats
o These are one of the biodiversity hotspots.
o Get comprehensive notes on Western Ghats in the linked article.
Khangchendzonga National Park
o Mount Khangchendzonga is the world’s third-highest peak.
Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple
o Built in the 13th century CE, the temple is a Kakatiyan marvel made of sandstone.
o The structure has decorated beams and pillars of carved granite and dolerite with a
distinctive and pyramidal Vimana made of lightweight porous bricks, so-called ‘floating
bricks’, which reduced the weight of the roof structures.
Dholavira
o Discovered by archaeologist Jagat Pati Joshi in 1968, Dholavira gets its name from the
village in Kutch district of Gujarat.
o In ancient India, it has remained a commercial and manufacturing hub for about 1,500
years till its decline by 1500 BC.
o It was Indus Valley Civilization’s fifth-largest metropolis after Mohen-jo-Daro,
Ganweriwala, Harappa and Rakhigarhi.

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The important passes in India with their details:

Name of the Pass Description

It is located in the state of Sikkim. This famous pass is located in the India- China
Nathu La Pass border and was reopened in 2006. It forms a part of an offshoot of the ancient silk
route. It is one of the trading border posts between India and China.
It is located through Sutlej Gorge. It connects Himachal Pradesh with Tibet. It is
Shipki La Pass
India’s third border post for trade with China after Lipu Lekh and Nathula Pass.
This pass passes through the Chumbi valley. It connects Sikkim with Lhasa, the
Jelep La Pass
capital of Tibet.
It is located in the Karakoram Mountains. It was a subsidiary of the ancient silk
Qara Tagh Pass
route.
Mountain Passes in Leh & Ladakh
It is the highest motorable pass in the country. It connects Leh to the Pangong Lake
Umling La
and was inaugurated in August 2021.
It is the second-highest motorable pass in the country. It connects Leh and Siachen
Khardung La
glaciers. This pass remains closed during the winter.
Thang La / Taglang
It is located in Ladakh. It is the second-highest motorable mountain pass in India.
La
It is situated to the North of Mount Godwin-Austen in the Karakoram. It connects
Aghil Pass Ladakh with the Xinjiang province of China. It remains closed during the winter
season from November to May.
Chang-La It is a high mountain pass in the Greater Himalayas. It connects Ladakh with Tibet.
This is located in the Aksai Chin in the Ladakh region. It connects Ladakh and
Lanak La
Lhasa. The Chinese authority has built a road to join Xinjiang with Tibet.
The pass has a difficult geographical terrain and steep slopes. This pass remains
Imis La
closed during the winter season. It connects Ladakh and Tibet.
Bara-La/ Bara- Lacha It is situated on the National Highway in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It
La connects Manali and Leh.
Mountain Passes in Uttarakhand
It is located in Uttarakhand. It is situated at the end of the Pindari glacier and
Traill’s Pass
connects the Pindari valley to Milam valley. This pass is very steep and rugged.
It is located in Uttarakhand. It connects Uttarakhand with Tibet. This pass is an
Lipu Lekh:
important border post for trade with China. The pilgrims for Manasarovar travel
Uttarakhand-Tibet
through this pass.
Mana Pass: It is located in the Greater Himalayas and connects Tibet with Uttarakhand. It
Uttarakhand-Tibet remains under snow for six months during winter.
Mangsha Dhura Pass: The pass which connects Uttarakhand-Tibet is known for landslides. The pilgrims
Uttarakhand-Tibet for Manasarovar cross this route. It’s located in the Kuthi Valley.
It is situated in the north of Gangotri, at an elevation of 5669 m in the Great
Muling La:
Himalayas. This seasonal pass that connects Uttarakhand with Tibet remains snow-
Uttarakhand-Tibet
covered during the winter season.
This pass joins Uttarakhand with Tibet. This also remains snow-covered during the
Niti Pass
winter season.
Debsa Pass: Spiti It joins Spiti Valley and Parvati Valley. It is a high mountain pass in between the
Valley and Parvati Kullu and Spiti of Himachal Pradesh. It is a bypass route of Pin-Parvati Pass.

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Valley
Rohtang Pass: Kullu- This is located in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It has excellent road
Lahul-Spiti transportation. This pass connects Kullu, Spiti and Lahul.
Mountain Passes in the Northeastern States
Bomdi-La: Arunachal The Bomdi-La pass connects Arunachal Pradesh with Lhasa, the capital city of
Pradesh-Lhasa Tibet. It is located in the east of Bhutan.
Dihang pass: It is located in the Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh. This pass connects
Arunachal Pradesh- Arunachal Pradesh with Myanmar (Mandalay). At an elevation of more than 4000
Mandalay m, it provides passage.
Diphu Pass is a mountain pass around the area of the disputed tripoint borders of
India, China, and Myanmar. Diphu Pass is also a strategic approach to eastern
Arunachal Pradesh. It lies on the McMahon Line.
Diphu pass:
Arunachal Pradesh- In October 1960 China and Burma demarcated their border to Diphu Pass, which is
Mandalay 5 miles south of the watershed of the mountain ranges. However, this caused a
diplomatic row with India, which expected the tri-point to be at the watershed. The
dispute has become part of the ongoing border disagreement between China and
India regarding Arunachal Pradesh
It is located in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. This pass connects Arunachal
Pradesh and Myanmar.

Pangsau Pass Pangsau Pass or Pan Saung Pass, 3,727 feet (1,136 m) in altitude, lies on the crest
of the Patkai Hills on the India-Burma (Myanmar) border. The pass offers one of
the easiest routes into Burma from the Assam plains. It is named after the closest
Burmese village, Pangsau, that lies 2 km beyond the pass to the east.
Mountain Passes in Kashmir
Banihal Pass (Jawahar
Banihal pass is a popular pass in Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in the Pir-
Tunnel): Banihal with
Panjal Range. It connects Banihal with Qazigund.
Qazigund
It connects Srinagar with Kargil and Leh. Beacon Force of Border Road
Zoji La: Srinagar-
Organization is responsible for clearing and maintaining the road, especially during
Kargil & Leh
the winter.
Burzail pass:
Srinagar- Kishan This pass joins the Astore Valley of Kashmir with the Deosai Plains of Ladakh.
Ganga Valley
The Pensi La connects the Kashmir valley with Kargil. It is situated in the Greater
Pensi La
Himalayas.
It is a traditional pass from Jammu to Srinagar. This pass was closed after the
Pir-Panjal Pass
partition. It provides the shortest roadway access to Kashmir valley from Jammu.
Mountain Passes in Southern India
It is located in the Western Ghats. It joins the Madurai city in Tamil Nadu with the
Kottayam district in Kerala.
Shencottah Gap:
Madurai-Kottayam The second-largest gap in the Western Ghats which is situated five kilometers from
town is known by its name that is Shencottah Gap road-rail lines pass through this
gap which connects Shencottah with Punalur.
Bhor Ghat or Bor Ghat or Bhore Ghaut is a mountain passage located between
Bhor Ghat
Palasdari and Khandala for railway and between Khopoliand Khandala on the road

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route in Maharashtra, India situated on the crest of the Western Ghats. It is located
at an elevation of four hundred and forty-one meters’ elevation above sea level.

The ghat has a bit of historical evidence. The ghat was the ancient route developed
by Satavahana to connect the ports of Choul, Revdanda Panvel, etc. on the Konkan
coast and the surrounding areas on the Deccan plateau. Today the ghat plays a
massive part of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway laid from Mumbai to Pune.
Thal Ghat (also called Thul Ghat or Kasara Ghat) is a ghat section (mountain
incline or slope) in the Western Ghats near the town of Kasara in Maharashtra. The
Thal Ghat Thal Ghat is located on the busy Mumbai–Nashik route, and is one of the four
major routes, rail, and road routes, leading into Mumbai. The railway line, which
passes through the ghat is the steepest in India with a gradient of 1 in 37
The Palakkad Gap is located in the Western Ghats between the states of Tamil
Nadu and Kerala. India at an elevation of about 140 m. The mountain pass is
located between Nilgiri Hills in the north and Anaimalai Hills towards the south
Pal Ghat
and connects Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu with Palakkad in Kerala. The mountain
pass was an important instrument for human migration across India’s southern tip
throughout settled history.

Interesting facts about the Passes in India

1. The Dungri la pass or Mana Pass is the high altitude mountain pass and the highest motorable road with an
elevation of 18,399 ft.
2. Jawahar tunnel was constructed under the Banihal pass.
3. Shipki La is a Himalayan pass that connects India and China.
4. Zoji La pass connects the Ladakh and Kashmir valley.

Important Ports in India

The list of important ports in India is given below:

Zone State Port Features

Eastern Coast Tamil Nadu Chennai Artificial Port

Second busiest port

Western Coast Kerala Kochi Sited in the Vembanad
lake
Exports of spices and salts
Eastern Coast Tamil Nadu Ennore India’s First corporatized
port
Eastern Coast West Bengal Kolkata India’s only major
Riverine port

Situated on Hugli river

Known as Diamond
Harbour
Western Coast Gujarat Kandla Known as Tidal Port
Acknowledged as Trade
Free Zone

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Largest port by volume of

cargo handled.
Western Coast Karnataka Mangalore Deals with the iron ore
exports
Western Coast Goa Mormugao Situated on the estuary of
the river Zuari
Western Coast Maharashtra Mumbai Port Trust Largest Natural Port and
harbour In India

The busiest port in India

Western Coast Maharashtra Jawaharlal Nehru Port Largest Artificial Port
Trust (JNPT) also known as
Nhava Sheva, Navi Mumbai It is the Largest Container
Port in India.
Eastern Coast Odisha Paradip Natural Harbor
deals with the export of
iron and aluminium
Eastern Coast Tamil Nadu Tuticorin A major port in south
India
deals with the fertilizers
and petrochemical
products
Eastern Coast Andhra Pradesh Visakhapatnam Deepest port of India
deals with the export of
iron ore to Japan.
Amenities for building and
fixing of ships are available
Bay of Bengal Andaman & Nicobar Port Blair The port connected to the
Islands mainland of India through
ship and flight. This port is
situated in between two
international shipping lines
namely Saudi Arabia & US
Singapore.

Sports Cups and Trophies – National & International

List of International Sports Cups And Trophies

Cups And Trophies Related Sports Founded in the Year
American Cup Yacht Racing 1851
The Ashes Test Crickets (England & Australia) 1882
Colombo Cup Football (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka And 1952
Myanmar )
Corbillon Cup World Table Tennis (Women) 1933
Davis Cup Tennis (Men) 1900
Lord Derby Cup Rugby 1934
Billi Jean King Cup Tennis (Women) 1963
Holker Trophy Bridge 1936
Jules Rimet Trophy World Football (Soccer) 1930 – 1970

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Merdeka Cup Football (Asian Cup) 1957

Ryder Cup Golf (Men) 1927
Solheim Cup Golf (Women) 1990
Sudirman Cup Badminton 1989
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Field Hockey (Men) 1983
Swaythling Cup World Table Tennis (Men) 1926
Thomas Cup Badminton (Men) 1949
Tunku Abdul Rahman Asian Badminton –
Cup
U. Thant Cup Lawn Tennis –
Uber Cup Badminton (Women) 1957
Yonex Cup Badminton 1946 (incorporated
1958)
Walker Cup Golf 1922
Wightman Cup Tennis (Women) 1923
William Jones Cup Basketball 1975
Wimbledon Trophy Tennis 1877
Prudential World Cup Cricket 1975-1983

List of National Sports Cups And Trophies

Sports Cup And Trophies Related Sports Founded in the Year
Beighton Cup Hockey 1895
Ezra Cup Polo 1880
Deodhar Trophy Cricket 1973
Dhyan Chand Award Lifetime Achievement Sporting Honour in 2002
India
B. C Roy Trophy Football (National Junior) 1962
Duleep Trophy First Class Cricket 1961
Durand Cup Football 1888
Guru Nanak Dev Gold Cup Hockey 1979
Z. R. Irani Cup Cricket 1959
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Gold Hockey 1978
Cup
Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey 1901
Nehru Trophy Boat Race 1952
Nizam Gold Cup Horse Racing 1886
Rangaswami Cup Hockey (National Championship) 1928
Ranji Trophy Cricket (National Championship) 1934
Rovers Cup Football 1890

Abolished – 2001
Santosh Trophy Football 1941
Sheesh Mahal Trophy Cricket 1951
Subroto Mukherjee Cup Football 1960
Vittal Trophy Football –
Vijay Hazare Trophy Cricket 2002-03
Vizzy Trophy Cricket 1970s

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Yadavindra Cup Hockey –

Indian Classical Dances

Bharat Muni’s book Natya Shastra is the first famous source to mention dance. India has various forms of dances
including classical dances and folk dances.

Indian Classical Dances

[Link] Name of Classical Dance Place of Classical Dance
1 Bharatanatyam Tamil Nadu
2 Kathak Northern India
3 Kathakali Kerala
4 Kuchipudi Andhra Pradesh
5 Manipuri Manipur
6 Mohiniyattam Kerala
7 Odissi Odisha
8 Sattriya Assam

Indian Classical Dance – Chhau

Sangeet Natak Academy (India’s National Academy) recognizes only eight classical dances of India,
however, the Ministry of Culture also considers Chhau Dance as a classical dance of India, making the
total number of classical dances in India as nine.

A few important points on Chhau Dance are as mentioned:

1. The word ‘Chaya’ gives meaning to Chhau Dance. Chaya means shadow.
2. As a mask dance, Chhau dance is denoted.
3. Energetic martial art movements are basic feature of Chhau Dance
4. Serpent Dance, Peacock Dance are a few narrations used in Chhau Dance
5. There are three kinds of Chhau Dance:
o Saraikella – This Chhau Dance is famous in Jharkhand
o Mayurbhanj – This Chhau Dance is famous in Odisha
o Purulia – This Chhau Dance is famous in West Bengal
6. Mayurbhanj Chhau Dance does not use masks.
7. Chhau Dance was inscribed in the UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity

Folk Dances in India

Folk dances in India represent the culture and tradition of the community from where it originated.
Folk dances are usually performed during the respective community’s celebration- childbirth, festivals,
weddings, etc.
There are different types of Folk dances in India.
The list of Folk Dances in India is given below:
State of Origin List of Folk Dances in India
Andhra Pradesh Vilasini Natyam, Bhamakalpam, Veeranatyam, Dappu, Tappeta Gullu, Lambadi, Dhimsa,
Kolattam.
Arunachal Buiya, Chalo, Wancho, Pasi Kongki, Ponung, Popir
Pradesh
Assam Bihu, Bichhua, Natpuja, Maharas, Kaligopal, Bagurumba, Naga dance, Khel Gopal.
Bihar Jata-Jatin, Bakho-Bakhain, Panwariya

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Chhattisgarh Gaur Maria, Panthi, Raut Nacha, Pandwani, Vedamati, Kapalik

Gujarat Garba, Dandiya Raas, Tippani Juriun, Bhavai
Goa Tarangamel, Koli, Dekhni, Fugdi, Shigmo, Ghode, Modni, Samayi nrutya, Jagar, Ranmale
Haryana Jhumar, Phag, Daph, Dhamal, Loor, Gugga, Khor.
Himachal Pradesh Jhora, Jhali, Chharhi, Dhaman, Chhapeli, Mahasu
Jammu & Kashmir Rauf, Hikat, Mandjas, Kud Dandi Nach
Jharkhand Alkap, Karma Munda, Agni, Jhumar, Janani Jhumar, Mardana Jhumar, Paika, Phagua
Karnataka Yakshagana, Huttari, Suggi, Kunitha, Karga
Kerala Ottam Thullal, Kaikottikali
Maharashtra Lavani, Nakata, Koli, Lezim, Gafa, Dahikala Dasavtar
Madhya Pradesh Jawara, Matki, Aada, Khada Nach, Phulpati, Grida Dance, Selalarki, Selabhadoni
Manipur Dol Cholam, Thang Ta, Lai Haraoba, Pung Cholom
Meghalaya Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem, Nongkrem, Laho
Mizoram Cheraw Dance, Khuallam, Chailam, Sawlakin, Chawnglaizawn, Zangtalam
Nagaland Rangma, Zeliang, Nsuirolians, Gethinglim
Odisha Savari, Ghumara, Painka, Munari
Punjab Bhangra, Giddha, Daff, Dhaman, Bhand
Rajasthan Ghumar, Chakri, Ganagor, Jhulan Leela, Jhuma, Suisini, Ghapal
Sikkim Chu Faat, Sikmari, Singhi Chaam or the Snow Lion, Yak Chaam, Denzong Gnenha, Tashi Yangku
Tamil Nadu Kumi, Kolattam, Kavadi
Tripura Hojagiri
Uttar Pradesh Nautanki, Raslila, Kajri, Jhora, Chappeli
Uttarakhand Garhwali, Kumayuni, Kajari, Jhora, Raslila

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