Geography · General Awareness

Indian Rivers and Waterways

2,831 Questions

This topic covers major Indian rivers, their basins, hydroelectric projects, and historical water management systems. Questions on river geography are essential for SSC, banking, railways, UPSC, and state exams. Solving these questions builds mapping and factual accuracy for test takers.

River hydroelectric projectsMajor river basinsAncient water managementInterlinking of riversMythological Indian rivers

Indian Rivers and Waterways Questions

Multiple choice

Why is the delta of the Ganga bigger than the delta of the Indus?

  1. The Ganga is broader than the Indus.

  2. The Ganga traverses a longer distance than the Indus.

  3. The path of the Indus is through arid area, while the Ganga collects more water along its path to the sea.

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The delta of the Ganga is bigger than the delta of the Indus because the path of the Indus is through arid area, while the Ganga collects more water along its path to the sea.

Multiple choice

The Indian rivers of the Indus Basin are

  1. Ganga, Yamuna and Sutlej

  2. Krishna, Cauvery and Sabarmati

  3. Godavari, Kosi and Gandak

  4. Sutlej, Beas and Ravi
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Indian rivers of the Indus Basin are Sutlej, Beas and Ravi. In the plains, its left bank tributary is Chenab, which itself has four major tributaries, namely Jhelum, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. Its principal right bank tributaries are Shyok, Gilgit, Kabul, Gomal and Kurram.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is not true?

  1. Ghaggar's water is utilised in the Indira Gandhi canal.

  2. Nirmala rises from Amarkantak region.

  3. Nizam Sagar is situated on the Manjra river.

  4. Penganga is a tributary of the Godavari.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Indira Gandhi acnal originated from Harike barrage at Sultanpur on Sutlej.

Multiple choice

Assertion A: Ganga plain is the most densely populated part of India. Reason R: Ganga is the most harnessed river of India.

  1. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

  2. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

  3. A is true, but R is false.

  4. A is false, but R is true.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Ganga plain is the most important plain of India. The Gangetic plain covers more than a fourth of the country’s total surface.

Multiple choice

The correct sequence of the eastward flowing rivers of the peninsular India from north to south is

  1. Subarnarekha, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennar, Cauvery and Vagai

  2. Subarnarekha, Mahanadi, Krishna, Godavari, Cauvery and Vagai

  3. Mahanadi, Subarnarekha, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Pennar and Vagai

  4. Mahanadi, Subarnarekha, Krishna, Godavari, Cauvery, Vagai and Pennar
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The correct sequence of eastward flowing rivers of peninsular India from north to south is Subarnarekha, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Pennar, Cauvery and Vagai.

Multiple choice

Consider the map given below:

The river shown on the map is

  1. Irrawaddy

  2. Mekong

  3. Chao Phraya

  4. Salween
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Salween river is located in the eastern part of Myanmar. This river is situated in Shari Plateau of Myanmar. Its basin covers 320,000 sq. km. This river forms the border between Burma and Thailand.

Multiple choice

Consider the following rivers:

  1. Kishenganga
  2. Ganga
  3. Wainganga
  4. Penganga

The correct sequence of these rivers, when arranged from north to south direction, is

  1. 1, 2, 3, 4

  2. 2, 1, 3, 4

  3. 2, 1, 4, 3

  4. 1, 2, 4, 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Kishenganga river is called Neelam river in Jammu and Kashmir. Ganga river originates from Gangotri Glacier in Uttarakhand. Wainganga originates about 12 km from Mundara village of Seoni district in southern slopes of Satpura range of Madhya Pradesh. Penganga is a river found in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra.

Multiple choice

The Indus River is located in modern day?

  1. Pakistan

  2. Iraq

  3. Afghanistan

  4. Nepal
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Indus River flows primarily through modern-day Pakistan, which is where the majority of the Indus Valley Civilization sites are located.

Multiple choice

India has two fertile river valleys created by the?

  1. Tigris and Euphrates

  2. Nile and Jordan

  3. Huang He and Yellow River

  4. Indus and Ganges
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Indus and Ganges rivers provide the fertile plains that have supported large populations and civilizations in northern India for millennia.

Multiple choice

What is the most famous river in India?

  1. The Themes

  2. The Ganges

  3. The Indra

  4. The Brahmaputra
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Ganges (Ganga) is the most sacred river to Hindus and is considered the lifeline of millions of people in India.