Background
Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia are on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a property of Turkiye.
The site lies on a volcanic plateau in central Anatolia, where erosion has shaped valleys, ridges and 'fairy chimney' rock pillars.
It was inscribed in 1985 under criteria (i), (iii), (v) and (vii), which makes it a mixed cultural and natural property.
The Goreme valley holds rock-hewn churches and monasteries with Byzantine painting of the post-iconoclastic period.
Troglodyte villages and underground cities such as Kaymakli and Derinkuyu served as refuges.
Monastic communities began settling in rock-cut cells from about the fourth century.
Location:
Central Anatolia
Inscribed:
1985
Criteria:
(i), (iii), (v), (vii)
Underground cities:
Kaymakli and Derinkuyu
Why it matters for exams: Cappadocia is the Turkish site most often asked about in geography and tourism questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Fairy chimney Eroded rock pillar — A tapering pillar left standing when softer volcanic rock around it erodes away.
Background
The Montreux Convention has been implemented since 1936 and governs passage through the Turkish Straits.
Merchant vessels have freedom of passage through the Straits.
Aircraft carriers cannot pass through the Turkish Straits, whether or not they belong to a Black Sea littoral state.
Only submarines of littoral states may pass, and only to reach their Black Sea base for the first time after construction or purchase, or for repairs in dockyards outside the Black Sea.
Foreign naval forces in transit are limited to 9 vessels with an aggregate tonnage of 15,000 tons.
Non-littoral states may keep warships of up to 45,000 tons in total in the Black Sea, with no more than 30,000 tons from any one state, and such warships may stay no more than 21 days.
Warship passage must be notified to Turkiye through diplomatic channels 8 days in advance for littoral states and 15 days in advance for non-littoral states.
The Turkish Straits Vessel Traffic Services Centre manages merchant vessel passages under the 1998 Maritime Traffic Regulations.
In force since:
1936
Warships in transit:
9 vessels, 15,000 tons
Non-littoral tonnage in the Black Sea:
45,000 tons, up to 30,000 tons from one state
Maximum stay:
21 days
Why it matters for exams: The Straits regime is a standing question in geography and international relations, and is raised whenever the Black Sea is in the news.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Turkish Straits The Bosphorus and the Dardanelles with the Sea of Marmara — The waterway linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean through Turkiye.
Littoral state A state with a coast on a given sea — Under the Convention, Black Sea littoral states enjoy wider passage rights than others.
14 October 2026
The Swiss air quality monitor IQAir ranked Singapore and Kuala Lumpur as the world's two most polluted cities on Tuesday, with air quality index readings of 199 and 183.
The haze comes from fires on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo, the most intense in 11 years, which have been spurred by a strengthening El Nino.
Indonesia has deployed about 60,000 personnel, but thick smoke has grounded 34 aircraft, including planes and helicopters, and cloud seeding is not possible without suitable rain clouds.
Firefly, a low-cost subsidiary of Malaysia Aviation Group, first cancelled flights between Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport near Kuala Lumpur and Seletar Airport in Singapore on 10 October and has extended the suspension.
Singapore has activated subsidised treatment for haze-related illnesses, something last done in 2015.
Schools reopened in most Malaysian states on Tuesday but remain closed in three states, one federal territory and several districts.
Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said he would press for stronger regional mechanisms at the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting next month, noting that haze is not classified as a natural disaster under the existing ASEAN disaster mechanism.
Singapore air quality index:
199
Kuala Lumpur air quality index:
183
Indonesian personnel deployed:
about 60,000
Aircraft grounded:
34
Why it matters for exams: Transboundary haze links El Nino, forest fires, air quality indices and ASEAN cooperation in one question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
AQI Air Quality Index — A single number summarising air pollution; readings above 150 are generally treated as unhealthy and above 300 as hazardous.
ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations — A regional grouping of ten Southeast Asian states; the Philippines chairs it in 2026 and the 49th summit is due in Manila.
14 October 2026
Wildlife Week 2026 in Uttarakhand was inaugurated on 1 October 2026 at the ICFRE Auditorium, Dehradun, and concluded at Lok Bhawan on 8 October 2026.
The theme was 'Connected Habitats, Thriving Wildlife', which places wildlife corridors and natural habitats alongside protected areas.
The Uttarakhand Forest Department observes Wildlife Week in the first week of October every year.
At the closing ceremony Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) unveiled the logo of the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary in Almora and felicitated forest and wildlife personnel.
The release records that the State government has declared human-wildlife conflict a disaster and has constituted district-level mitigation and management committees.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) Kapil Lal, PCCF (Wildlife) Neena Grewal, Secretary C. Ravishankar and Member of Parliament Naresh Bansal took part.
Theme:
Connected Habitats, Thriving Wildlife
Sanctuary whose logo was unveiled:
Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Almora
Why it matters for exams: Wildlife Week themes, the corridor idea and the treatment of human-wildlife conflict as a disaster are standard environment questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
PCCF Principal Chief Conservator of Forests — The senior-most forest service post in a State forest department.
ICFRE Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education — A forestry research body headquartered at Dehradun.
14 October 2026
The World Meteorological Organization said sea-surface temperatures show that El Nino is strengthening and is forecast to peak around December 2026.
Its Global Seasonal Climate Update for October to December 2026 draws on a consensus of 13 national and international centres.
Forecasts give a near-100 per cent likelihood that El Nino will persist through February 2027, and it could be one of the strongest events since at least 1950.
The Nino 3.4 sea-surface temperature anomaly was about +1.6 degrees Celsius in June 2026 and +2.5 degrees Celsius in August 2026.
For October to December 2026 the seasonal average is forecast at about +3.7 degrees Celsius, the highest since observations began. The previous record was +2.6 degrees Celsius from November 2015 to January 2016.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said El Nino is firmly established and strengthening rapidly.
The Indian Ocean Dipole is positive and is expected to peak in October, with an October to December anomaly of about +0.5 degrees Celsius.
Forecast Nino 3.4 anomaly (Oct-Dec 2026):
about +3.7 degrees Celsius
Previous record:
+2.6 degrees Celsius (November 2015 to January 2016)
Forecasting centres:
13
Expected peak:
around December 2026
Why it matters for exams: El Nino drives monsoon, drought and flood risk worldwide and is a recurring question in geography and environment papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
WMO World Meteorological Organization — The UN specialised agency for weather, climate and water, based in Geneva.
Nino 3.4 Nino 3.4 region — A box in the central equatorial Pacific whose sea-surface temperature anomaly is the standard measure of El Nino strength.
IOD Indian Ocean Dipole — The difference in sea-surface temperature between the western and eastern tropical Indian Ocean.
14 October 2026
The India Meteorological Department dedicated its Cyclone Warning and Marine Weather Services Decision Support System to the nation on 12 October 2026.
The system is a WebGIS based platform that brings cyclone and marine weather information together.
It shows observed and forecast cyclone tracks and intensity with a cone of uncertainty, wind distribution, storm surge warnings and district-wise rainfall warnings.
It also gives rainfall forecasts for river catchments on interactive maps.
The platform is available at dss.imd.gov.in and through the IMD and RSMC New Delhi websites.
It was launched at the bi-annual Pre-Cyclone Exercise Meeting for the October to December post-monsoon season, chaired by IMD Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.
About 230 participants from more than 30 organisations, including NDMA, NDRF, the Indian Navy, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard, took part.
System:
Cyclone Warning and Marine Weather Services Decision Support System
Dedicated on:
12 October 2026
Chaired by:
Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General, IMD
Participants:
About 230 from more than 30 organisations
Why it matters for exams: Disaster management institutions and IMD's cyclone warning role are frequently asked, and Kerala's coast depends on these marine warnings.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IMD India Meteorological Department — The national weather service, which functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
RSMC Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre — A centre designated by the World Meteorological Organization; RSMC New Delhi tracks and names cyclones in the north Indian Ocean.
14 October 2026
The water level of the Sabarigiri Hydroelectric Project has dropped to 61 per cent, with the Thulam rains bringing no substantial inflow for a week.
The Pampa dam stands at 970.75 metres against a full capacity of 986.332 metres, and the Kakki-Anathode dam at 970.425 metres against 981.450 metres. Total inflow into the reservoirs was 2.616 million cubic metres.
Generation is being confined largely to peak load hours, with only one or two generators running at very low loads during the day; the downstream Kakakad project, which runs on water released from Sabarigiri, is also operating at reduced load.
In talks with NTPC in New Delhi, the State sought up to 300 MW from NTPC's Sinnar project in Maharashtra at Rs 5.18 per unit and faster completion of a 27 MW NTPC solar project at Kayamkulam.
A memorandum of understanding is expected between KSEB, NTPC and NTPC Green Energy Ltd for a proposed 2,000 MWh Battery Energy Storage System at Kayamkulam, with two 80 MWh units at Pothencode and Sreekandapuram expected by March 2027.
Sabarigiri storage:
61%
Pampa dam level:
970.75 metres (full 986.332 m)
Sought from NTPC Sinnar:
Up to 300 MW at Rs 5.18 per unit
Proposed BESS at Kayamkulam:
2,000 MWh
Why it matters for exams: Reservoir levels, hydel generation and inter-State power purchase are standard Kerala economy and geography questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
BESS Battery Energy Storage System — Large battery installations that store electricity for release when demand peaks.
KSEB Kerala State Electricity Board — The State utility that generates, transmits and distributes electricity in Kerala.
Background
The Farakka Barrage Project (FBP) was commissioned in 1975 for preservation & maintenance of the Kolkata Port and for increasing the navigational depth of the Bhagirathi - Hooghly waterway.
The Farakka barrage in West Bengal regulates the flow of the Ganga, diverting some of the water into a feeder canal linking Hooghly to keep it relatively silt-free.
Downstream of the barrage the Ganga splits into two: the Bhagirathi (Hooghly) on the right and the Padma on the left, which enters Bangladesh.
The project has a total of 123 gates, and phase wise replacement of the gates of the main barrage and of the Head Regulator has been undertaken by the project authority.
Farakka is the last control structure on river Ganga in India, and the flow in the Ganga/Padma river and in the Farakka canal is regulated as per the India-Bangladesh Treaty-1996.
Under that Treaty the Ganga/Ganges waters are shared at Farakka during the lean period, from 1st January to 31st May every year, on a 10-day period basis as per the formula provided in the Treaty.
River:
Ganga
State:
West Bengal
Commissioned:
1975
Purpose:
preservation & maintenance of the Kolkata Port
Waterway kept navigable:
Bhagirathi - Hooghly waterway
Total gates:
123
Water sharing with Bangladesh:
India-Bangladesh Treaty-1996
Lean-season sharing period:
from 1st January to 31st May every year
Why it matters for exams: Farakka joins three favourite topics in one answer — a Ganga engineering work, the survival of Kolkata port, and India's water sharing with Bangladesh.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Barrage — A low gated structure across a river that raises and regulates the water level without storing a large reservoir.
Feeder canal — A canal that takes water from a barrage and carries it to another channel; at Farakka it links the Ganga to the Hooghly.
Head regulator — The gated structure at the mouth of a canal that controls how much water enters it.
Background
Sundarbans National Park is in West Bengal, India.
UNESCO inscribed it on the World Heritage List in 1987 under the natural criteria (ix) and (x).
The inscribed property covers 133,010 ha.
The Sundarbans as a whole covers 10,000 km2 of land and water in the Ganges delta, divided between India and Bangladesh; UNESCO's brief synthesis estimates that about 66% of the whole mangrove forest area lies in Bangladesh and the remaining 34% in India.
It contains the world's largest area of mangrove forests.
Rare and endangered species living there include the tiger, aquatic mammals, birds and reptiles.
Area of property:
133,010 ha
Date of inscription:
1987
Criteria:
(ix)(x)
State:
West Bengal
Coordinates:
N21 56 42 E88 53 45
Why it matters for exams: The Indian natural World Heritage sites, the year each was inscribed and the area of each property are asked as one-mark questions again and again.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
World Heritage List — The list of cultural and natural places that UNESCO has recognised as having outstanding universal value.
Mangrove — A salt-tolerant forest that grows in the tidal mud of coasts and river deltas.
Background
The Historic Areas of Istanbul, in Turkiye, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985 under criteria (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv), with a minor boundary modification in 2017. The property covers 765.5 ha. It is strategically located on the Bosphorus peninsula between the Balkans and Anatolia, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, on a peninsula surrounded by the Golden Horn, or Halic, a natural harbour on the north, the Bosphorus on the east and the Marmara Sea on the south. Its architectural masterpieces reflect the meeting of Europe and Asia over many centuries. The four areas of the property are the Archaeological Park at the tip of the historic peninsula, the Suleymaniye quarter, the Zeyrek area and the area along both sides of the Theodosian land walls. Among the monuments are the Hagia Sophia, the 15th century Topkapi Palace and the Suleymaniye Mosque complex designed by architect Sinan.
Year of inscription:
1985
Criteria:
(i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
Minor boundary modification:
2017
Area of the property:
765.5 ha
Number of areas in the property:
four
Waters bordering the peninsula:
Golden Horn (north), Bosphorus (east), Marmara Sea (south)
Why it matters for exams: This single property carries the geography of the Turkish straits and the two continents together with the country's best known monuments, so one item answers both a heritage question and a map question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Golden Horn Halic — The natural harbour on the north of Istanbul's historic peninsula, named on the World Heritage listing as the Golden Horn or Halic.
Theodosian land walls — The landward fortifications of the old city; the land on both sides of them forms one of the four areas of the property.
Minor boundary modification — A small change to the mapped limits of a World Heritage property, approved without a fresh inscription; this property had one in 2017.
Background
Devprayag is a town in Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, situated at the confluence of the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi.
The Tehri Garhwal district administration states that the birth of the Ganga starts from here after the merging of the two rivers named Bhagirathi and Alaknanda.
The town lies at an altitude of 472 m.
It is one of the five sacred prayags, or confluences, of the Alaknanda.
The ancient temple of Raghunathji stands here; it was damaged in an earthquake in 1803 and repairs were funded by Daulat Rao Sindhia.
The town is about 87 km from Narendra Nagar, and the nearest railway station is Rishikesh, 71 km away.
District:
Tehri Garhwal
Rivers that meet:
Alaknanda and Bhagirathi
Altitude:
472 m
Temple:
Raghunathji
Nearest railway station:
Rishikesh, 71 km
Why it matters for exams: Questions on where the Ganga is said to begin, and on which rivers meet at each of the five prayags, are a standing favourite in both geography and general knowledge papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Prayag — A river confluence treated as a sacred site; five such confluences on the Alaknanda are counted together as the Panch Prayag.
Background
Corbett National Park, in Uttarakhand, is described by the Nainital district administration as the first national park of India.
It was established in 1936 under the name Hailey National Park.
It was renamed Corbett National Park in 1957, in memory of Jim Corbett.
The park covers an area of 521 sq km.
Of this, about 312.86 sq km lies in Pauri Garhwal district and 208.14 sq km in Nainital district.
The Ramganga river meanders through the park, with deep pools and foaming rapids, and is its main source of water.
Established:
1936
Original name:
Hailey National Park
Renamed Corbett National Park:
1957
Area:
521 sq km
Area in Pauri Garhwal district:
312.86 sq km
Area in Nainital district:
208.14 sq km
Why it matters for exams: The first national park in the country, its old name and the river running through it are among the most repeated wildlife questions in both state and central examinations.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
National park — A strictly protected area where no grazing or private landholding is allowed, notified for the protection of wildlife and its habitat.
Background
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, in Uttarakhand, are together inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a single serial property.
The date of inscription is 1988, with significant modifications to the boundaries in 2005.
The property is listed under criteria (vii) and (x).
The property area is 71,210 ha and the buffer zone covers 514,857 ha.
The landscape is dominated by the 7,817 m peak of Nanda Devi, which is approached through the Rishi Ganga gorge, one of the deepest in the world.
Both the parks form the core zones of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.
The property is representative of the West Himalaya biogeographic zone and is a transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya.
Its wildlife includes the snow leopard, the Himalayan musk deer and a large population of bharal, or blue sheep.
Date of inscription:
1988
Significant modifications to the boundaries:
2005
Criteria:
(vii) (x)
Property area:
71,210 ha
Buffer zone:
514,857 ha
Nanda Devi peak:
7,817 m
Why it matters for exams: India's natural World Heritage properties, their criteria and their areas are standard one-mark material, and this is the property that links Uttarakhand's best known peak, park and biosphere reserve in one answer.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Buffer zone — An area surrounding a World Heritage property that is given added protection to shield the property itself.
Bharal — A wild Himalayan sheep, also called the blue sheep, that grazes the high slopes.
13 October 2026
The 13th All India Sustainable Mountain Development Summit was held from October 12 to 14 at the Shalimar Convention Centre of SKUAST-Kashmir in Srinagar.
Its theme was "Contouring Sustainable Himalayan Landscapes for Inclusive Viksit Bharat", and it was jointly organised by SKUAST-K and the Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI).
Deliberations centred on the draft Jammu & Kashmir Sustainable Mountain Development Policy 2026.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said preserving the Himalayas is a national responsibility.
He said DST has identified three centres for Himalayan climate research, at the University of Kashmir, Sikkim University and Tezpur University, under the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem.
He added that India's weather radar network has grown from 16 radars in 2014 to 50, with another 50 planned under Mission Mausam.
Summit dates:
October 12-14, 2026
Venue:
Shalimar Convention Centre, SKUAST-K
Policy under discussion:
Draft J&K Sustainable Mountain Development Policy 2026
Weather radars:
16 (2014) to 50
Why it matters for exams: Himalayan ecology, NAPCC missions and state-level mountain policy are linked environment topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SKUAST-K Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir — The agricultural university of the Kashmir division, with its campus at Shalimar, Srinagar.
NMSHE National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem — One of the missions under India's National Action Plan on Climate Change, handled by the Department of Science and Technology.
Mission Mausam — The Union government's mission to upgrade weather observation and forecasting.
13 October 2026
Marking the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, the UN said communities face $228 billion every year to rebuild housing after disasters.
The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) said damage to housing accounts for 43 per cent of the direct cost of cyclones, floods, tsunamis and earthquakes.
Citing the Lloyd's Register Foundation World Risk Poll 2026, UNDRR said only 27 per cent of warned people with no household plan or confidence could act on a warning, against 83 per cent of those with both.
Secretary-General António Guterres called safer dwellings the shared responsibility of governments, developers, engineers and communities.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it helped 1.4 million people in 2025 across 39 countries with disaster risk reduction programmes.
Annual housing losses from disasters:
$228 billion
Housing share of direct disaster cost:
43 per cent
People helped by IOM in 2025:
1.4 million in 39 countries
Why it matters for exams: International days, UNDRR and disaster-loss figures feed both disaster-management and environment papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UNDRR United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction — The UN office that coordinates global work to reduce disaster risk.
IOM International Organization for Migration — The UN migration agency, which also runs disaster preparedness and recovery work.
13 October 2026
The Ministry of Mines issued a Notice Inviting Tender dated 1 October 2026 for two offshore blocks in the Andaman Sea, Sewell Rise-01 and West Sewell Ridge-01.
Sewell Rise-01 covers 632 square kilometres and West Sewell Ridge-01 covers 1,000 square kilometres, a total of 1,632 square kilometres.
Both blocks contain polymetallic nodules and crusts, which hold minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese.
The blocks are offered for a Composite Licence under the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, as amended in 2023.
The pre-bid conference is on 4 November 2026 and the last date for submission of bids is 28 December 2026.
The Ministry briefed prospective bidders at an outreach programme in New Delhi on 13 October 2026.
Total area offered:
1,632 square kilometres
Sewell Rise-01:
632 square kilometres
West Sewell Ridge-01:
1,000 square kilometres
Pre-bid conference:
4 November 2026
Last date for bids:
28 December 2026
Why it matters for exams: Offshore and critical minerals link resources, the blue economy and the energy transition, a recurring exam theme.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Polymetallic nodules Lumps of metal-rich rock lying on the seabed — Nodules formed from several metals such as nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese, found on the seabed.
Composite Licence Single licence covering exploration and production — A licence under which a bidder can explore a block and then mine it if minerals are found.
NIT Notice Inviting Tender — The official notice that opens a tender and sets its conditions.
Background
The National Tiger Conservation Authority has been constituted under section 38L(1) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, created through the enabling provisions added when the Act was amended in 2006. Under section 38L the Authority consists of the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests as Chairperson, the Minister of State in that Ministry as Vice-Chairperson, three members of Parliament of whom two are elected by the House of the People and one by the Council of States, eight experts or professionals in wildlife conservation and the welfare of people living in tiger reserves of whom at least two must be from the field of tribal development, the Secretary and the Director General of Forests of the Ministry, the Director of Wild Life Preservation, six Chief Wild Life Wardens from tiger reserve States in rotation for three years, officials of the Ministries of Law and Justice, Tribal Affairs, Social Justice and Empowerment and Panchayati Raj, the Chairpersons of the National Commissions for the Scheduled Tribes and the Scheduled Castes, and an Inspector-General of Forests rank officer as Member-Secretary. The Authority draws its powers from section 38O(1) of the Act. These include approving the tiger conservation plan prepared by a State Government, disallowing ecologically unsustainable land use such as mining and industry inside tiger reserves, and laying down normative standards for tourism in core and buffer areas. Under section 38O(2) the Authority may issue directions in writing to any person, officer or authority for the protection of tigers or tiger reserves, and the direction is binding. Project Tiger itself is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry that funds tiger range States for in-situ conservation in designated tiger reserves. The Authority also conducts the country-level assessment of the status of tigers, co-predators, prey and habitat once in four years.
Enabling provision:
Section 38L(1), Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
Chairperson:
Minister in charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests
Members of Parliament:
Three (two from the House of the People, one from the Council of States)
Experts or professionals:
Eight, at least two from tribal development
Why it matters for exams: The statutory basis of the tiger authority, the section numbers behind it and its composition are standard questions in polity and environment sections alike.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
NTCA National Tiger Conservation Authority — The statutory authority for tiger conservation under the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
Centrally Sponsored Scheme Centrally Sponsored Scheme — A scheme run by States with funding support from the Union Government.
Core and buffer area Core and buffer area — The critical tiger habitat and the surrounding zone of a tiger reserve.
Background
Malappuram, whose name means the land atop the hills, is bounded by the Nilgiris on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west.
The district was formed on 16 June 1969, with Kozhikode and Wayanad districts to its north and Palakkad and Thrissur districts to its south.
Its geographical area is 3550 sq km, which is 9.13 per cent of the total area of the State, and it ranks third in Kerala.
The district has three natural divisions: lowland along the coast, midland in the centre and highland towards the east and north-east.
Four important rivers of Kerala flow through it: the Chaliyar, the Kadalundippuzha, the Bharathapuzha and the Tirurpuzha.
The Chaliyar is 169 km long, originates from the Illambaleri hills in Tamil Nadu and flows into the sea at Beypore in Kozhikode district.
Of these rivers only the Chaliyar is perennial, and the district is therefore prone to drought.
The Bharathapuzha, the second longest river in Kerala, runs along the district's southern border and drains into the sea at Ponnani.
Malappuram was the military headquarters of the Zamorins of Kozhikode and was the home of the Khilafat movement in Kerala.
The district's total forest area is 758.8684 sq km, of which 325.3261 sq km is reserve forest.
Formed on:
16 June 1969
Geographical area:
3550 sq km
Share of State's area:
9.13%
Only perennial river:
Chaliyar, 169 km
Why it matters for exams: District formation dates, area shares and river courses are staple objective questions, and Malappuram's single perennial river is a favourite linking question.
Kerala PSCSSC
In plain words
Zamorin Samoothiri of Kozhikode — The ruling house of Kozhikode, whose military headquarters the district administration places at Malappuram.
Background
Bounded by the Nilgiris hills on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west, Malappuram literally means the land atop the hills.
Malappuram District was formed on 16th of June 1969, with Kozhikode and Wayanad districts to its north and Palakkad and Thrissur districts to its south.
The district has a geographical area of 3550 sq. kms, which is 9.13% of total area of the state and ranks 3rd in the state.
Malappuram consists of three natural divisions: lowland along the sea coast, midland in the centre and highland towards the east and north-east.
Four important rivers of Kerala flow through the district: the Chaliyar, the Kadalundippuzha, the Bharathapuzha and the Tirurpuzha.
The Chaliyar has a length of 169 KMs and originates from Illambaleri hills in Tamil Nadu, flowing into the sea at Beypore in Kozhikode district; the Kadalundippuzha has a course of 130 Kms and the Tirurpuzha is 48 Kms long.
Of these rivers only the Chaliyar is perennial and all the others get dried up in summer, which is why the district is prone to drought.
The district has a total forest area of 758.8684 Square km, of which 325.3261 Square km is reserve forests and 433.5423 Square Km is vested forests, protected by the Nilambur north and Nilambur South forest divisions.
Formed on:
16th of June 1969
Geographical area:
3550 sq. kms
Share of State area:
9.13%
Rank in the State by area:
3rd
Only perennial river:
Chaliyar
Total forest area:
758.8684 Square km
Why it matters for exams: Date of formation, area, rank and river systems of each Kerala district are repeatedly asked in Kerala PSC preliminary papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Perennial river A river that flows through the year — Among Malappuram's four rivers only the Chaliyar keeps flowing through the summer.
Vested forest Private forest vested in the State — Forest land that passed to the State from private hands and is now managed by the Forest Department.
Kayal Backwater — The brackish lagoons of the Tirur and Ponnani taluks that give fishing and navigation facilities.
Background
The average depth of the ocean is about 3,682 metres (12,080 feet).
The deepest part of the ocean is called the Challenger Deep.
It lies beneath the western Pacific Ocean, in the southern end of the Mariana Trench.
The Mariana Trench runs several hundred kilometres southwest of the US territorial island of Guam.
Challenger Deep is approximately 10,935 metres (35,876 feet) deep.
It is named after HMS Challenger, whose crew first sounded the depths of the trench in 1875.
Deepest point:
Challenger Deep, approx. 10,935 metres
Location:
Southern end of the Mariana Trench, western Pacific Ocean
Average ocean depth:
About 3,682 metres
Named after:
HMS Challenger
Why it matters for exams: Ocean depths, trenches and their locations are standard world-geography questions in UPSC and Kerala PSC papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Ocean trench Deep narrow seafloor depression — A long, deep depression in the seafloor; the Mariana Trench is one.
Sounding Measuring water depth — HMS Challenger's crew first sounded the depths of the trench.