The combined catchment area of the Brahmaputra River in India and equals km².

Appeared in: DSSSB 13 August 2024

Explanation

The Brahmaputra river basin is shared by four countries: China, India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
India's catchment area for the Brahmaputra is approximately 194,413 km².
Bhutan's catchment area is approximately 45,000 km².
The sum of India's and Bhutan's catchment areas is 194,413 + 45,000 = 239,413 km², which is rounded to 240,000 km².

Option A: Nepal is not part of the Brahmaputra river basin. Its major rivers, like the Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali, are tributaries of the Ganges River.
Option C: While Bangladesh is part of the Brahmaputra basin, the combined catchment area with India (approx. 194,413 km² + 47,000 km² = 241,413 km²) does not match the figure of 240,000 km² as closely as the combination with Bhutan does.
Option D: China has the largest portion of the Brahmaputra catchment area (approx. 293,000 km²). Combining this with India's share would result in a total area of over 480,000 km², which is significantly different from 245,000 km².

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Geographical knowledge of river basins, specifically the Brahmaputra River as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This is a general knowledge question, not a clinical one. Understanding major geographical features is important for general awareness, which is often a component of competitive examinations.
Knowledge of trans-boundary rivers like the Brahmaputra is also crucial for understanding regional geopolitics, water-sharing agreements, and environmental issues.
What if the question asked for the country with the largest catchment area? The answer would be China, which holds about 50% of the total basin area.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core subject of the question, which is the geography of the Brahmaputra River.
Recall or identify the countries that share the Brahmaputra river basin. This allows for the elimination of incorrect options.
In this case, knowing that Nepal is not part of the Brahmaputra basin immediately invalidates the first option.
Next, analyze the remaining options by considering the relative sizes of the catchment areas for each country.
Calculate the combined area for the plausible options. The sum of India's (194,000 km²) and Bhutan's (45,000 km²) catchment areas is approximately 240,000 km², matching the given option.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Geographical knowledge of river basins, specifically the Brahmaputra River.
Stem keywords: Brahmaputra River, catchment area, combined
Lead-in keywords: equals

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Practise the full DSSSB 13 August 2024

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.