NDA Geography · Indian Geography — Physical Features

Indian States and Islands

India's states differ in size, borders and economy, and its island groups — the Andaman & Nicobar in the Bay of Bengal and Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea — carry their own distinct geography and coral reefs.

All Indian Geography — Physical Features notes NDA Geography strategy

Why this matters

4 PYQs, all MODERATE 'which statement is NOT correct' items. The marks come from precise state facts (Assam's borders, state-size and GDP claims) and island facts (the Andaman & Nicobar climate, the Ten Degree Channel, coral-reef areas). Recall the exact figures — the trap is always one wrong number in an otherwise-true list.

Concept 1 of 2: State borders, size and economy facts

These come as multi-statement 'which is NOT correct' questions, so you need the exact figures. Assam borders 2 countries (Bhutan and Bangladesh) and 7 Indian states. Watch the size ranking: Rajasthan is the LARGEST state by area and Madhya Pradesh the SECOND — the claim 'MP is the fourth largest' is a common false statement. The Hornbill festival is in Nagaland; Telangana sits on the Deccan Plateau.

Definition

Assam — shares international borders with 2 countries (Bhutan and Bangladesh) and adjoins 7 Indian states (Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, West Bengal). Assam does NOT touch China — that is Arunachal Pradesh.
State size — Rajasthan is the largest state by area, followed by Madhya Pradesh (second); the claim 'Madhya Pradesh is the FOURTH largest' is FALSE.
Festivals & regions — Hornbill festival → Nagaland; Telangana sits in the Deccan Plateau in the central peninsula.

Fact	Value
Assam's borders	2 countries (Bhutan, Bangladesh), 7 Indian statesQ NDA 2025 NDA-2 keyed this as '3 countries, 7 states' (option C). Geographically Assam borders only 2 countries — it does NOT touch China (that is Arunachal). Treat the official answer as a paper quirk; the correct count is 2.
FALSE statement trap	'MP is the 4th largest state' is wrongQ NDA 2023 — Madhya Pradesh is NOT the fourth largest by area (it is the second).
Hornbill festival	Nagaland

Practice this conceptself-check · 3 quick reps

The same idea in a real exam question:

NDA · Sep 2023 · Q102Moderate

Example 1 · Indian Geography — Physical Features · Indian States and Islands

Which one of the following statements is NOT correct?

Madhya Pradesh is SECOND, not fourth, largest

A 'which statement is NOT correct' question slips in 'area-wise Madhya Pradesh is the fourth largest state'. That is FALSE — Rajasthan is first and Madhya Pradesh is second by area.

Assam borders 2 countries, not 3

Assam shares international borders with Bhutan and Bangladesh only (2 countries) plus 7 Indian states. A 2025 paper keyed the answer as '3 countries', apparently miscounting China — but China borders Arunachal Pradesh, not Assam. Know the correct count is 2.

Drill 2 more on state borders, size and economy facts

Concept 2 of 2: Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep and coral reefs

Two island groups. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal) have a humid tropical coastal climate, are split by the 10° Channel, and are home to Negrito tribes — but their maximum rainfall is in the south-west monsoon (May–November), NOT March–April. Coral reefs fringe the Gulf of Kachchh, Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Definition

Andaman & Nicobar Islands — humid tropical coastal climate; Negrito tribes; the 10° Channel (~150 km wide) separates the Andaman group from the Nicobar group. Their maximum rainfall is NOT in March–April (it comes with the monsoon, roughly May–November) — that is the false statement the bank tests.
Coral-reef areas of India — Gulf of Kachchh, Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (all four are major reef areas).

Fact	Detail
Major coral-reef areas	Gulf of Kachchh, Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep, A&N IslandsQ NDA 2017 — all four (1, 2, 3 and 4) are major coral-reef areas.
A&N false-statement trap	'Max rainfall March–April' is WRONGQ NDA 2024 — A&N rainfall is monsoon-driven, NOT March–April.
10° Channel	Separates Andaman from Nicobar (~150 km)

Practice this conceptself-check · 3 quick reps

The same idea in a real exam question:

NDA · Apr 2017 · Q116Moderate

Example 2 · Indian Geography — Physical Features · Indian States and Islands

Which of the following are the major coral reef areas of India ? 1. Gulf of Kachchh 2. Gulf of Mannar 3. Lakshadweep 4. Andaman and Nicobar Islands Select the correct answer using the code given below :

A&N rainfall is monsoon-driven, not March–April

The false statement in the Andaman & Nicobar question is 'maximum rainfall occurs between March and April'. The islands get their heaviest rain from the south-west monsoon (roughly May–November). The climate, the 10° Channel and the Negrito-tribe facts are all true.

Drill 1 more on andaman & nicobar, lakshadweep and coral reefs

Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance

A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.

Reference tables (2)

State borders, size and economy facts3 rows

Fact	Value
Assam's borders	2 countries (Bhutan, Bangladesh), 7 Indian statesQ NDA 2025 NDA-2 keyed this as '3 countries, 7 states' (option C). Geographically Assam borders only 2 countries — it does NOT touch China (that is Arunachal). Treat the official answer as a paper quirk; the correct count is 2.
FALSE statement trap	'MP is the 4th largest state' is wrongQ NDA 2023 — Madhya Pradesh is NOT the fourth largest by area (it is the second).
Hornbill festival	Nagaland

Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep and coral reefs3 rows

Fact	Detail
Major coral-reef areas	Gulf of Kachchh, Gulf of Mannar, Lakshadweep, A&N IslandsQ NDA 2017 — all four (1, 2, 3 and 4) are major coral-reef areas.
A&N false-statement trap	'Max rainfall March–April' is WRONGQ NDA 2024 — A&N rainfall is monsoon-driven, NOT March–April.
10° Channel	Separates Andaman from Nicobar (~150 km)

Watch out for (3)

Madhya Pradesh is SECOND, not fourth, largest
→ State borders, size and economy facts
Assam borders 2 countries, not 3
→ State borders, size and economy facts
A&N rainfall is monsoon-driven, not March–April
→ Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep and coral reefs

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