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Geography · 2026 All years Show answers Download PDF PDF with answers
Roll No.
Q.P. Code 64/1/1

Geography (Theory)

CBSE Class XII Board Examination 2026

Time allowed: 3 hoursMaximum Marks: 70

General Instructions:

  1. The paper has 30 questions in five sections (A–E); all questions are compulsory.
  2. Section A: Q1–17 are multiple-choice questions of 1 mark each.
  3. Section B: Q18 and Q19 are source-based questions of 3 marks each.
  4. Section C: Q20–23 are short-answer questions of 3 marks each; answer in about 80–100 words.
  5. Section D: Q24–28 are long-answer questions of 5 marks each; answer in about 120–150 words.
  6. Section E: Q29 and Q30 are map-based questions of 5 marks each; attach the maps to the answer book.
  7. There is no overall choice, but some questions have an internal choice; attempt only one alternative.

SECTION A

Multiple choice type questions. Q1–17 carry 1 mark each.
1.
Read these statements about the concept of 'development' and pick the option that lists the correct ones.
I. Development is a positive change in life.
II. Whenever there is positive growth, there is development.
III. Development means having a greater quantity.
IV. Development is always relative to value.
  1. (A) Only I, II and III
  2. (B) Only I, II and IV
  3. (C) Only I, III and IV
  4. (D) Only II, III and IV
1
2.
Match the approaches to human development (Column I) with their features (Column II) and choose the correct option.
Column I: a. Income approach, b. Welfare approach, c. Basic needs approach, d. Capability approach
Column II: i. Put forward by the International Labour Organisation; ii. Health, education and access to resources are the key factors; iii. One of the oldest approaches; iv. Human beings are seen as the targeted beneficiaries
  1. (A) a-ii, b-i, c-iv, d-iii
  2. (B) a-ii, b-i, c-iii, d-iv
  3. (C) a-iii, b-iv, c-ii, d-i
  4. (D) a-iii, b-iv, c-i, d-ii
1
3.
Which of the following is the low-latitude zone where subsistence gathering is practised in the world?
  1. (A) Northern Canada
  2. (B) Northern Eurasia
  3. (C) Southeast Asia
  4. (D) Southeast Chile
1
4.
Which option lists only oil ports (ports that mainly handle oil tankers) of the world?
  1. (A) Maracaibo, Tripoli, Singapore
  2. (B) Esskhira, Singapore, Manchester
  3. (C) Maracaibo, Esskhira, Tripoli
  4. (D) Manchester, Esskhira, Marmagao
1
5.
Assertion (A): Every developed country has opened its markets to goods from developing countries.
Reason (R): The World Trade Organisation handles the global rules of trade between nations.
  1. (A) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
  2. (B) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
  3. (C) (A) is true but (R) is false.
  4. (D) (A) is false but (R) is true.
1
6.
Read these statements about tertiary activities and choose the correct option.
I. They include the production as well as the exchange of services.
II. They involve commercial output of services.
III. They are directly involved in processing raw materials.
IV. Plumbers, doctors and publishers are examples of tertiary activity.
  1. (A) Only I, II and III
  2. (B) Only I, II and IV
  3. (C) Only I, III and IV
  4. (D) Only II, III and IV
1
7.
Which pair is correctly matched?
  1. (A) Red collar worker – practising lawyers
  2. (B) Gold collar worker – senior business executive
  3. (C) Pink collar worker – environmental scientist
  4. (D) White collar worker – mining worker
1
8.
Which statement correctly describes 'medical tourism' in India?
  1. (A) Tourists travel specially to use cheaper medical facilities.
  2. (B) Doctors travel to developed countries to perform surgery.
  3. (C) Doctors travel to treat patients.
  4. (D) Tourists get treatment if they happen to fall ill on a trip.
1
9.
Choose the group of states where Dravidian languages are mainly spoken.
  1. (A) Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra
  2. (B) Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh
  3. (C) Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka
  4. (D) Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh
1
10.
In which phase of India's population growth was a negative growth rate recorded in one decade?
  1. (A) Phase I
  2. (B) Phase II
  3. (C) Phase III
  4. (D) Phase IV
1
11.
Which option gives the Golden Quadrilateral cities in clockwise order starting from Delhi?
  1. (A) Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai
  2. (B) Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai
  3. (C) Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata
  4. (D) Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai
1
12.
Which one of these cities is the headquarters of two railway zones?
  1. (A) Kolkata
  2. (B) Chennai
  3. (C) Jaipur
  4. (D) Bilaspur
1
13.
Which of the following is a natural process of land degradation?
  1. (A) Mining activities
  2. (B) Gully erosion
  3. (C) Industrial waste
  4. (D) Shifting cultivation
1
14.
In which unit is the loudness (intensity) of sound measured?
  1. (A) Millimetre
  2. (B) Centimetre
  3. (C) Decimal
  4. (D) Decibel
1
15.
A table lists the nine most populous countries with their population and share of world population: India 1,425,775,850 (17.4%), China 1,409,670,000 (17.2%), USA 337,975,234 (4.13%), Indonesia 278,696,200 (3.41%), Pakistan 229,488,994 (2.80%), Nigeria 216,746,934 (2.65%), Brazil 219,277,799 (2.68%), Bangladesh 168,220,000 (2.06%), Mexico 128,271,248 (1.57%).
How many of these countries are in Asia?
  1. (A) 3
  2. (B) 4
  3. (C) 5
  4. (D) 6
1
16.
Using the same table of the nine most populous countries (India, China, USA, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Bangladesh, Mexico), which pair of continents has no country in the table?
  1. (A) Australia and Africa
  2. (B) Africa and South America
  3. (C) Europe and South America
  4. (D) Australia and Europe
1
17.
From the same table (China 17.2% and Brazil 2.68% of world population), what share of the world's population do China and Brazil have together?
  1. (A) 17.88
  2. (B) 17.58
  3. (C) 19.88
  4. (D) 19.58
1

SECTION B

Source based questions. Q18 and Q19 carry 3 marks each.
18.
A world map shows the areas of extensive commercial grain farming (shaded). Area A is the shaded belt in the interior of North America (around 40°–55°N, in Canada and the USA); area B is the shaded belt in the interior of Eurasia, east of the Caspian Sea / Black Sea region.
(18.1) Give the geographical name of area A. (1)
(18.2) Name any two main crops grown in area A. (½ + ½)
(18.3) Explain the agricultural importance of area B. (1)
3
19.
A short passage on water pollution says that industries release many harmful by-products – waste water, poisonous gases, chemical residues, heavy metals, dust and smoke – and most of the waste is dumped into rivers and lakes. These toxins reach reservoirs and rivers and destroy aquatic life. Leather, paper and pulp, textile and chemical industries are named as the main polluters.
(19.1) Explain how industries are a major cause of water pollution in India. (1)
(19.2) Suggest one way to reduce water pollution. (1)
(19.3) Name two highly polluted rivers of India. (½ + ½)
3

SECTION C

Short answer type questions. Q20–23 carry 3 marks each.
20.
Examine the relationship between the 'unresting man' and the 'unstable earth'.
3
21.
Examine why 'sustainability' is an important pillar of human development.
3
22.
Explain the main features of urban settlements in India.
OR
Explain how towns evolved in India.
3
23.
A table shows India's workforce by sector (Census 2011): Primary – 26,30,22,473 persons (54.6% of workers; males 16,54,47,075, females 9,75,75,398); Secondary – 1,83,36,307 (3.8%; males 97,75,635, females 85,60,672); Tertiary – 20,03,84,531 (41.6%; males 15,66,43,220, females 4,37,41,311).
(23.1) Why is there a large gap between the number of female workers in the primary and tertiary sectors? (1)
(23.2) Give a reason for the small difference between male workers in the primary and tertiary sectors. (1)
(23.3) Why does the secondary sector contribute so little to India's workforce? (1)
3

SECTION D

Long answer type questions. Q24–28 carry 5 marks each.
24.
"Industries should be set up where production costs are lowest." Examine this statement with suitable arguments.
5
25.
"Railways carry bulky goods and passengers over long distances on land." Keeping this in mind, explain the importance of railways in the world.
OR
"For short distances, road transport is cheaper than railways." Keeping this in mind, explain the importance of road transport in the world.
5
26.
"The land use of a region usually depends on the type of economic activities there." Support this statement with suitable examples.
OR
"Indian agriculture faces both physical constraints and institutional hurdles." Support the statement with suitable examples.
5
27.
Explain why petroleum is an important source of energy and describe where it is found in India. (3 + 2)
OR
Explain why iron ore is an important industrial raw material and describe its distribution in India. (3 + 2)
5
28.
Analyse the role of India's sea ports in developing international trade.
OR
Analyse how the pattern of India's international trade has changed.
5

SECTION E

Map based questions. Q29 and Q30 carry 5 marks each.
29.
On a political outline map of the world, seven features are marked A–G. Identify any five:
A. A terminal station of the Trans-Siberian Railway (marked at its western end, near the Gulf of Finland in Russia)
B. A major sea port (marked on the Pacific coast of South America, in Chile)
C. A major airport (marked in East Africa, in Kenya)
D. An international shipping canal (marked on the narrow land link between North and South America)
E. An area of subsistence gathering (shaded region in central Africa)
F. An area of commercial livestock rearing (shaded region in the western USA)
G. An area of dairy farming (shaded region in the south-east of Australia)
5
30.
On a political outline map of India, locate and label any five of the following with suitable symbols:
1. The state with the highest population density (2011)
2. The leading tea-producing state
3. An iron-ore mining area in southern Chhattisgarh
4. A major bauxite mining area in Odisha
5. An oil refinery in Uttar Pradesh
6. A major sea port at the head of the Gulf of Kachchh
7. An international airport in Punjab
5
— END —
Questions restated from the CBSE Class XII Board Examination 2026 (set 64/1/1) for practice. Reading passages and map items are described, not reproduced.