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#COUNTRY 📍 UZBEKISTAN 🖍️ In News: At least 18 children died in Samarkand Uzbekistan allegedly after consuming India-manufactured syrup due to ethylene glycol. 🖍️ It is surrounded by five landlocked countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan. 🖍️ Along with Liechtenstein, it is one of only two doubly landlocked countries. 🖍️ It is a doubly landlocked country, i.e. it is surrounded by countries that are themselves landlocked.

Regions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: The Gaza Strip is a narrow piece of land along the Mediterranean coast in Western Asia. » It is bordered by Israel to the east and north and by Egypt to the south. » It is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. » It is home to a predominantly Palestinian population. The West Bank is a landlocked territory located in the Middle East, bordered by Israel to the west and north, Jordan to the east, and a short border with the Dead Sea to the southwest.

#Strait 📍 Malacca Strait 🖍️ A Strait is a narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water. 🖍️ This strait joins Andaman Sea & South China Sea. #Trick- MAS 🖍️ M - Malacca Strait 🖍️ A - Andaman Sea 🖍️ S - South China Sea

#Strait 📍 Formosa Strait (Taiwan Strait) 🖍️ Joins: South China Sea & East China Sea 🖍️ Location: Between China-Taiwan

#CA ‼️Gaza Strip‼️ 🔸Location – eastern Mediterranean basin 🔸Borders – Egypt, Israel and Mediterranean Sea. ❓Related Border Areas – 🔸Rafah crossing – Southernmost post of exit from the Gaza Strip (Palestine) and borders with Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. 🔸Erez Crossing – A crossing for people with Israel in northern Gaza. 🔸Kerem Shalom Crossing – A solely commercial goods junction with Israel in southern Gaza. Rafah crossing is now the only crossing point for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

#CA 📍Agalega Islands Why in News? Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the inauguration ceremony of several India-assisted development projects at the Agalega Island in Mauritius, via a video conference. Agalega Islands: 🔸A two-island dependency of Mauritius 🔸Location – western Indian Ocean. 🔸Consists of North Island and South Island. Geographical importance 🔸Located latitudinally between Maldives and Mauritius. 🔸Located in the southern hemisphere to the north of Mauritius and east to the Madagascar. 🔸Located south to Seychelles Latitudinally.

#CA 📍Lake Retba Lake Retba, which is nearly lifeless, is at risk of vanishing due to the impacts of pollution and mining. 🔸Location – Senegal 🔸Also known as Lac Rose (Pink Lake). 🔸Reason for Pink Colour of the lake – 🔹Due to the proliferation of halophilic green algae (living in a salty environment) 🔹Caused by the Dunaliella salina bacteria 🔸Separated by narrow dunes from the Atlantic Ocean Senegal: Bordered by – Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Atlantic Ocean @upsc_mapping_geography

#Soils 📍 BLACK SOILS 🖍️ Found in the Deccan Plateau , Kathiawar Peninsula , Malwa Plateauand in Rajmahal Hills 🖍️ Formed due the basaltic lava of the Deccan Trap 🖍️ Also called as ‘the black cotton soil ‘ or ‘Regur’ 🖍️ Rich in titaniferous oxide 🖍️ High clay content and moisture retentive 🖍️ During the wet season difficult to plough @upsc_mapping_geography

#IR 📍 Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 🖍️ Established: 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand 🖍️ Secretariat: Indonesia, Jakarta 🖍️ It is an intergovernmental organization aimed primarily at promoting economic growth and regional stability. 🖍️ Founding Members: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. 🖍️ Later Members: Brunei Darussalam (1984), Vietnam (1995), Lao PDR and Myanmar (1997), and Cambodia (1999) @upsc_mapping_geography

#Strait 📍 Sunda Strait 🖍️ The Sunda Strait is the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. 🖍️ It connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean. @upsc_mapping_geography

#COUNTRY 📍 Myanmar (Capital: Naypyidaw) 🖍️ India/Myanmar discussed border issues, connectivity projects in virtual meet. 🖍️ Myanmar is located in the western portion of mainland Southeast Asia and runs south along the Malay Peninsula. ♦️ Political Boundaries: 🖍️ Shares border with China, Laos, Thailand, Bangladesh, India. 🖍️ Patkai Range, Naga Hills, and Chin Hills form the border between India and Myanmar. @upsc_mapping_geography

#Hills 📍 NAGA HILLS 🖍️ Part of the Purvanchal, located between the Patkai Bum and the Manipur Hills in Nagaland 🖍️ Highest peak- Saramati (3826m) 🖍️ Forms boundary between India and Myanmar @upsc_mapping_geography

#Soils 📍 TERAI SOILS 🖍️ Part of the alluvial soils found along the Himalayas south of the Shiwalik 🖍️ Develops in the waterlogging conditions when the streams emerges after the Bhabar 🖍️ Example of the depositional soils 🖍️ One of the most fertile soils of the world 🖍️ Rich in N but deficient in P&K 🖍️ Ideally suited for rice cultivation @upsc_mapping_geography

#CA 📍Lake Retba Lake Retba, which is nearly lifeless, is at risk of vanishing due to the impacts of pollution and mining. 🔸Location – Senegal 🔸Also known as Lac Rose (Pink Lake). 🔸Reason for Pink Colour of the lake – 🔹Due to the proliferation of halophilic green algae (living in a salty environment) 🔹Caused by the Dunaliella salina bacteria 🔸Separated by narrow dunes from the Atlantic Ocean Senegal: Bordered by – Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Atlantic Ocean @upsc_mapping_geography

#River 📍 GANGA RIVER 🖍️ Origin - Gangotri Glacier, Eastern Himalayas, Uttarakhand 🖍️ Right Bank - Yamuna River Chambal River Banas River Sind River Betwa River Ken River Son River 🖍️ Left Bank- Ramganga River Ghaghra River Kali River Gandak River Burhi Gandak Kosi River 🖍️ States - Uttrakhand>>> UP>>> Bihar>>> Jharkhand>> West Bengal 🖍️ Basin: above 5 + HP + RJ + HR + MP + CH + Delhi (Total 11) @upsc_mapping_geography

#Strait 📍 Malacca Strait 🖍️ A Strait is a narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water. 🖍️ This strait joins Andaman Sea & South China Sea. #Trick- MAS 🖍️ M - Malacca Strait 🖍️ A - Andaman Sea 🖍️ S - South China Sea @upsc_mapping_geography

#River 📍 NARMADA RIVER. 🖍️ Largest river of Penisular. 🖍️ 5th Largest of India. 🖍️ Rises from Maikala range near Amarkantak in MP. 🖍️ Bounded by Vindhyas on North, Maikala range on East, Satpura on south and by Arabian sea on West. 🖍️ Important Tributaries :- Hathni river, Orsang, Barna and Kolar jawa. 🖍️ Major Hydro power Project in the Basin are Indira sagar, Sardar sarovar, Omkareshwar, Bargi and Maheshwar. @upsc_mapping_geography

#Strait 📍 Malacca Strait 🖍️ A Strait is a narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water. 🖍️ This strait joins Andaman Sea & South China Sea. #Trick- MAS 🖍️ M - Malacca Strait 🖍️ A - Andaman Sea 🖍️ S - South China Sea @upsc_mapping_geography

📍Line of Actual Control (LAC) & Line of Control (LOC) The army is strategizing to equip troops with insulated ‘Pup Tents’ on the frosty heights of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where temperatures can plummet to -50°C. 📍📍Line of Actual Control (LAC): Border that divides the territories of India and Aksai Chin (China occupied Indian Territory). 🔸Not clearly demarcated between India and China. 🔸Divided into 3 sectors – 🔹Eastern sector (Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim) 🔹Middle sector (Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh) 🔹Western sector (Ladakh) 📍📍Line of Control (LOC): Border separating parts of India and Pakistan-controlled Jammu Kashmir 🔸A demarcated, military-marked frontier @upsc_mapping_geography

#Strait 📍 Malacca Strait 🖍️ A Strait is a narrow channel of the sea joining two larger bodies of water. 🖍️ This strait joins Andaman Sea & South China Sea. #Trick- MAS 🖍️ M - Malacca Strait 🖍️ A - Andaman Sea 🖍️ S - South China Sea @upsc_mapping_geography