GK for IB ACIO 2021, GK Notes for ACIO Exam on World Geography (Part 2)

The topics which will be covered in this article are:

• Grasslands of the world
• Winds across the world
• Mountain Ranges of the world
• Major Oceans of the world
• Major Straits of the world
• Active Volcanoes 
• Deserts of the World
• Marginal Seas 

Major Grasslands of the World

• Dawns – Australia
• Pampas– South America
• Prairies– North America
• Savana– Africa and Australia
• Selvas– South America
• Steppes– Europe and Northern Asia
• Taiga– Europe and Asia
• Velds– South Africa
• Lianos– Venezuela (South America)

Different Winds and their names

Local Winds which blows in the various regions of the world are given below:

Hot Winds

• Sirocco – Sahara Desert         
• Leveche -Spain
• Khamsin -Egypt
• Harmattan -Sahara Desert
• Santa Ana – USA
• Zonda –  Argentina
• Brickfielder –Australia

Cold Winds

• Mistral – Spain and France
• Bora – Adriatic coast
• Pampero – Argentina
• Buran –  Siberia

Descending Winds

• Chinook – USA
• Fohn – Switzerland
• Berg – Germany
• Norwester – New Zealand
• Samun – Persia (Iran)
• Nevados – Ecuador

Important Mountain ranges found in Continents

• Antarctica– Antarctic Peninsula, Trans -Antarctic Mountains
• Africa– Atlas, Eastern African Highlands, Ethiopian Highlands
• Asia– Hindu Kush, Himalayas, Taurus, Elbrus, Japanese Mountains
• Australia– MacDonnell Mountains
• Europe– Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines, Urals, Balkan, Carpathians
• North America– Rockies, Appalachians, Sierra Nevada
• South America– Andes, Brazilian Highlands

Major Surface Ocean Currents

Warm Ocean Currents

• Agulhas Current– Indian Ocean
• Alaska Current– North Pacific Ocean
• Benguela Current– South Atlantic Ocean
• Brazil Current– South Atlantic Ocean
• East Australian Current– South Pacific Ocean
• Equitorial Current– Pacific Ocean
• Gulf Stream– North Altantic Ocean
• Kuroshio (Japan) Current– North Pacific Ocean
• North Atlantic Drift– North Atlantic Ocean
• North Pacific Drift– North Pacific Ocean

Cold Ocean Currents

• California Current– North Pacific Ocean
• Canaries Current– North Atlantic Ocean
• Humboldt (Peru) Current– South Pacific Ocean
• Labrador Current– North Atlantic Ocean
• Benguela Current-South Atlantic Ocean (Warm/Cool)

Important straits in the world

• Strait of Dover– It separates England and France
• Cook Strait– It separates northern and southern New Zealand
• Sauda Strait– It separates java and Sumatra island of Indonesia
• Palk strait– It separates India from Sri Lanka
• Strait of Gibraltar– It separates Europe from Africa
• Strait of Bonifacio– It separates Sardinia island in Italy with Corsica island in France
• Strait of Messina– It separates Italy and Sicily
• Malacca Strait– It separates Malaysia and Indonesia
• Davis Strait– It separates Greenland and Canada
• Bass Strait– It separates Australia and Tasmania
• Bering Strait– It separates Russia and America
• Strait of Hormuz– It separates Oman and Iran
• Taurus Strait– It separates Papua Guiana and Australia
• Yucatan Strait– It separates Mexico and Cuba
• Formosa Strait– It separates China and Taiwan

World’s Most Active Volcanoes

• Etna– Italy
• Stromboli– Italy
• Yas ur– Vanuatu
• Ambrym– Vanuatu
• Tinakula– Solomon Islands
• Erta Ale– Ethiopia
• Manam– Papua New Guinea
• Langila– Papua New Guinea
• Bagana– Papua New Guinea
• Semeru– Indonesia
• Merapi– Indonesia
• Dukono– Indonesia
• Agung– Indonesia
• Sakura-jima– Japan
• Suwanose-jima– Japan
• Santa Maria– Guatemala
• Pacaya– Guatemala
• Sangay– Ecuador
• Erebus– Antarctica
• Piton de la Fournaise- Reunion
• Kilauea– Hawaii

Ojos del Salado (Andes, Ecuador)- Highest Volcano in the word

Important Deserts of the World

Antarctica 

• Antarctic– Polar desert- Largest Desert and Cold Desert in the World

Asia  

• KaraKum– Cold desert- Central Asia
• Kyzyl Kum– Cold desert- Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
• Gobi– Cold desert- Mongolia
• Taklamakan– Cold desert- China
• Thar-Cholistan-Subtropical- India and Pakistan
• Arabian– Subtropical- Arabian Peninsula
• Dasht-e Kavir– Subtropical- Central Iran
• Dasht-e Lut-Subtropical- Southeastern Iran

Africa            

• Kalahari– Subtropical- Southern Africa
• Namib-Cool Coastal- Southern Africa
• Sahara– Subtropical- Northern Africa- Largest Hot Desert in the World

Australia      

• Gibson– Subtropical- Central Australia
• Great Sandy– Subtropical- North-Western Australia
• Great Victoria-Subtropical- Central Australia
• Simpson– Subtropical- Central Australia
• Tanami– Subtropical- Northern Australia

North America

• Chihuahuan– Subtropical-North America
• Great Basin– Cold Winter-US
• Mojave– Subtropical-US
• Sonoran– Subtropical- North America

South America   

• Atacama– Cool Coastal-Chile- The Driest Desert on the Earth
• Patagonian-Cold Winter-Southern Part of South America

Important Marginal Seas of the World Ocean

Marginal sea : It is a division of an ocean, partially enclosed by islands, or peninsulas and/or bounded by submarine ridges on the sea floor.

 Indian Ocean

• Andaman Sea
• Arabian Sea
• Bay of Bengal
• Java Sea
• Persian Gulf
• Red Sea

Pacific Ocean

• Bering Sea
• Celebes Sea
• Coral Sea
• East China Sea
• Philippine Sea
• Sea of Japan
• South China Sea (important conflict zone)
• Tasman Sea (between Australia and New Zealand)
• Yellow Sea ( Korean Peninsula)

Atlantic Ocean

• Argentine Sea
• Caribbean Sea (Important tourist zone)
• English Channel (Between France and U.K)
• Gulf of Mexico
• Hudson Bay
• Irish Sea
• Labrador Sea
• Mediterranean Sea (Largest Sea)
• North Sea
• Norwegian Sea
• Scotia Sea