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UPSC Prelims 1993 · Indian Geography · Monsoon and Climate
Which among the following pairs of places have most marked difference in total rainfall per annum even though located approximately along the same latitude?
- (a) Bangalore and Madras
- (b) Bombay and Visakhapatnam
- (c) Ajmer and Shillong
- (d) Nagpur and Calcutta
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (c) Ajmer and Shillong
Ajmer (~50 cm) and Shillong (~220 cm) are near 26°N — the biggest contrast.
The idea
Similar latitude means similar solar geometry, not equal rainfall. Rain also depends on moisture-bearing winds and how hills lift them. A dry inland setting can therefore contrast sharply with a hill region exposed to the Bay of Bengal branch.
Why the others are wrong
(a) Bengaluru and Chennai differ, but not hugely.
(b) Mumbai (~240 cm) and Visakhapatnam (~100 cm) differ, but less.
(d) Nagpur and Kolkata both get monsoon rain.
Also know
Shillong lies in the Khasi hills, but the southern escarpment around Sohra and Mawsynram receives much heavier rain than Shillong itself. Ajmer lies near the Aravallis in Rajasthan. The orientation of a range relative to the wind matters as much as its height.
🔒 Latitude doesn’t decide rain in India — distance from sea and relief do.
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