SSC
Meghalaya, Bhutan and Bangladesh are crossed by which meridian of longitude?
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Answer: Option A — 90 degrees East
Detailed Solution
The 90 degree East meridian of longitude passes through the north-eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, including Bhutan, the Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya, and Bangladesh.
Path of the 90 degree East meridian (north to south):
- It passes through Tibet (China) and Bhutan in the Himalayas.
- It enters India and passes through the western part of Assam (near Dhubri and the Bongaigaon area) and the western part of Meghalaya (the Garo Hills).
- It then passes through Bangladesh, close to Dhaka.
- Further south, it runs through the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.
The Ninety East Ridge:
- In the Indian Ocean, there is a long, straight underwater mountain chain called the Ninety East Ridge, which runs roughly along this meridian for about 5,000 km.
- It is believed to have formed as the Indian Plate moved north over a volcanic hotspot.
Meridians of longitude:
- Meridians are imaginary half-circles running from the North Pole to the South Pole.
- They are numbered from 0 degrees (the Prime Meridian at Greenwich) to 180 degrees east and west.
- All points on the same meridian have the same local time.
India's longitudinal extent:
- The Indian mainland extends roughly from 68 degrees 7 minutes East (in Gujarat) to 97 degrees 25 minutes East (in Arunachal Pradesh), a spread of nearly 30 degrees.
- So, the 90 degree East meridian passes through the eastern part of the country.
Other important meridians crossing India:
- 80 degrees East passes through Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
- 85 degrees East passes through Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha.
About Meghalaya:
- Meghalaya, meaning "abode of clouds", became a full state on 21 January 1972.
- It includes the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
- Mawsynram and Cherrapunji (Sohra) in Meghalaya are among the wettest places on Earth.
Why not the other options?
- ✗80 degrees East and 85 degrees East pass through other parts of India, not through Meghalaya, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
- ✗95 degrees East passes through the easternmost parts of north-eastern India and Myanmar.
Quick tip
Remember: 90 degrees East meridian = Bhutan, western Assam, Meghalaya (Garo Hills) and Bangladesh; Ninety East Ridge lies in the Indian Ocean.
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Physical Features of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Physical Features of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's location and extent, its neighbours and boundary lines, and its physiographic divisions: the Himalayas, the Northern Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian Desert, the coastal plains and the islands, along with important mountain passes, peaks and hill ranges. Questions often ask which states the Tropic of Cancer passes through, the southernmost point of India (Indira Point), the highest peak in India (Kangchenjunga), and which pass connects which regions. India shares its longest land border with Bangladesh. Learning the Himalayan ranges from north to south (Himadri, Himachal and Shiwaliks) is also useful. Practise the physical features of India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.