UPSC CORE · NCERT GEOGRAPHY
Biosphere Reserves 🌿
NCERT-aligned UPSC Core Geography topic from NCERT Class 11/12 + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar). Every item is anchored to a real location on India's map — built for boards (CBSE, ICSE, state) and UPSC aspirants.
📚 NCERT TEXTBOOK ALIGNMENT
Class UPSC Geography — NCERT Class 11/12 + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar).
18LOCATIONS
327QUESTIONS
UPSC CORENCERT LEVEL
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Key locations covered (18)
- Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve — Tamil Nadu / Karnataka / Kerala
- Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve — Uttarakhand
- Nokrek Biosphere Reserve — Meghalaya
- Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve — Andaman & Nicobar
- Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve — Tamil Nadu
- Manas Biosphere Reserve — Assam
- Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve — West Bengal
- Simlipal Biosphere Reserve — Odisha
- Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere Reserve — Assam
- Dehang-Dibang Biosphere Reserve — Arunachal Pradesh
- Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve — Madhya Pradesh
- Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve — Sikkim
- Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve — Kerala / Tamil Nadu
- Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve — Chhattisgarh / Madhya Pradesh
- Kachchh Biosphere Reserve — Gujarat
- Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve — Himachal Pradesh
- Seshachalam Hills Biosphere Reserve — Andhra Pradesh
- Panna Biosphere Reserve — Madhya Pradesh
Sample questions (12 of 327)
In what year was Nilgiri designated India's first Biosphere Reserve?
1986 — India's FIRST Biosphere Reserve under the National Biosphere Reserve Programme
In what year was Nilgiri added to UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves?
2000 — India's first BR to receive UNESCO MAB recognition
Across how many states does Nilgiri BR span?
Three — Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala — in the Western Ghats
What does the name 'Nilgiri' (Blue Mountain) refer to?
The purplish-blue blossoms of Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana), which bloom every 12 years
Which National Parks/Sanctuaries fall within Nilgiri BR?
Mudumalai, Mukurthi, Nagarhole, Bandipur, Silent Valley NPs; Aralam, Wayanad, Sathyamangalam WLS
Is Nilgiri BR also a UNESCO World Heritage Site or Tiger Reserve?
The Nilgiri sub-cluster is part of UNESCO Western Ghats World Heritage Site (2012). Contains 5 Tiger Reserves including Bandipur, Mudumalai, Nagarhole.
When was Nilgiri BR designated?
1986 – India's first biosphere reserve.
Area of Nilgiri BR?
5,520 km².
When was it added to UNESCO MAB network?
2000.
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve declaration year?
1986 (India's first BR)
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve UNESCO MAB inscription year?
2000
Approximate area of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve?
About 5,520 sq km
All 327 questions are available in the interactive map quiz.
About this topic
This topic is part of the NCERT UPSC Core Geography syllabus, specifically the textbook NCERT Class 11/12 + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar). Content is cross-referenced against the latest NCERT textbook editions + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar, Satish Chandra for history; G.C. Leong, Savindra Singh for geography; the UPSC Civil Services prelims + mains syllabus).
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