Consider the following statements:The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indi

Q: What is UPSC Prelims?

UPSC Prelims is a competitive examination conducted in India. This question is from the 2018 UPSC Prelims Geography paper.

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This UPSC Prelims 2018 Geography question has a medium difficulty level and is marked as an important question.

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Question

Consider the following statements:The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: A — 1 onlyStep-by-step Solution:Statement 1 — Barren Island is an active volcano in Indian territory: This is correct. Barren Island is India's only active volcano and is located in the Andaman Sea, approximately 135-140 km northeast of Port Blair (the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands). It is part of the Andaman Islands group and falls within Indian territorial jurisdiction. It is part of the volcanic arc that extends from the Andaman Islands to Myanmar and is connected to the subduction of the Indian tectonic plate beneath the Eurasian/Burmese plate. ✓Statement 2 — Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar: This is incorrect. Barren Island lies approximately 140 km northeast of Port Blair (South Andaman) — not east of Great Nicobar. Great Nicobar is the southernmost island of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, located much further south. Barren Island is in the Andaman Sea, north of the Nicobar Islands, not to the east of Great Nicobar. ✗Statement 3 — Last eruption was in 1991 and has remained inactive since: This is incorrect. The Barren Island volcano had been dormant for about 150 years before erupting in 1991. However, it has not remained inactive since 1991. It has shown intermittent activity with eruptions in 1995, 2005, and most notably in January 2017 (just before this exam was conducted) — making it clearly active and not dormant since 1991. ✗Why other options are incorrect:Option B (2 and 3): Both statements 2 and 3 are factually wrong.Option C (3 only): Statement 3 is wrong — the volcano erupted multiple times after 1991.Option D (1 and 3): Statement 3 is incorrect.Key Concept: Barren Island: India's only confirmed active volcano; located in the Andaman Sea, ~135 km NE of Port Blair; stratovolcano (composite volcano); eruption history — long dormancy before 1991, then intermittent activity (1991, 1995, 2005, 2017); part of the Sunda volcanic arc; the island is uninhabited. Narcondam Island (also in Andaman Sea) is a dormant/extinct volcano — often confused with Barren Island. The Pacific 'Ring of Fire' is where most of the world's active volcanoes are located; Barren Island is part of the Andaman subduction zone volcanism.

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More Questions from Volcanoes – Types, Distribution & Ring of Fire

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More Questions from Volcanoes – Types, Distribution & Ring of Fire

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