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World Geography: Some Glimpses – Class 8 Social Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 8 Social Science, chapter 8. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

The world has a great variety of landscapes and climates: high mountains, vast deserts, dense rainforests, great rivers and frozen polar lands. Latitude, altitude, distance from the sea and winds shape climates, which in turn influence vegetation, wildlife and human life in different regions.

Major physical features

Highest peak: Mount Everest (Himalayas); longest mountain range: the Andes (South America).
Longest river: the Nile (Africa); the Amazon carries the largest volume of water.
Largest hot desert: the Sahara (Africa); Antarctica is the coldest continent and is a cold desert.
The Amazon basin has the world's largest tropical rainforest.

Climate zones

Tropical regions near the Equator are hot and often wet; temperate regions have four seasons; polar regions are cold for most of the year.
Temperature falls with increasing latitude and altitude; coastal places have milder climates than inland places.
Ocean currents and winds, such as the monsoons, also affect climate.

Life in different regions

Rainforest peoples practise hunting, gathering and shifting cultivation; desert peoples are often herders and live near oases.
In polar regions, the Inuit traditionally lived by hunting and fishing; grasslands such as the prairies and steppes are major wheat-growing areas.

Key terms

Latitude: the distance of a place north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees
Altitude: the height of a place above sea level
Rainforest: a dense forest in a region of heavy rainfall, especially near the Equator
Grassland: a large area covered mainly with grasses, such as prairies and steppes

Important questions with answers

Name the factors that affect the climate of a place.2 marks

The climate of a place depends on its latitude (distance from the Equator), altitude (height above sea level), distance from the sea, prevailing winds such as monsoons, and ocean currents.

Why are tropical rainforests important?3 marks

Tropical rainforests, such as those in the Amazon basin, have the richest variety of plants and animals. They produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, help control climate and rainfall, provide medicines and food, and are home to many indigenous communities.

Describe the major climate zones of the world and how they influence human life.5 marks

Tropical zones near the Equator are hot throughout the year; areas such as the Amazon and Congo basins receive heavy rain and have dense rainforests, where people practise hunting, gathering and shifting cultivation. Tropical deserts such as the Sahara are very hot and dry; people live near oases, rear camels and goats, and move in search of water and pasture. Temperate zones have four seasons; grasslands such as the prairies and steppes support large-scale wheat farming and cattle rearing, and many big cities have grown in these regions. Polar zones near the poles are cold for most of the year; the Inuit traditionally hunted seals and fished, and today oil and mineral exploration has begun. Mountains such as the Himalayas and Andes are cold at high altitudes; people practise terrace farming and herding. Thus climate shapes vegetation, wildlife, food, clothing, houses and occupations.

Quick revision

Everest highest; Andes longest range.
Nile longest; Amazon largest volume.
Sahara largest hot desert; Antarctica coldest.
Latitude, altitude and the sea shape climate.

Exam tips

Prepare a list of 'world's largest/longest/highest' with the continent for each.
Explain climate using three factors: latitude, altitude and distance from the sea.

Practice MCQs

The highest mountain peak in the world is
1. K2
2. Mount Everest
3. Kangchenjunga
4. Kilimanjaro
Show answer
Answer: (b) Mount Everest. It is in the Himalayas.
The largest hot desert is the
1. Thar
2. Kalahari
3. Gobi
4. Sahara
Show answer
Answer: (d) Sahara. It is in northern Africa.
The longest river in the world is the
1. Amazon
2. Ganga
3. Nile
4. Mississippi
Show answer
Answer: (c) Nile. It flows through north-east Africa.
The longest mountain range in the world is the
1. Andes
2. Himalayas
3. Alps
4. Rockies
Show answer
Answer: (a) Andes. It runs along western South America.
The largest tropical rainforest is in the basin of the
1. Nile
2. Ganga
3. Amazon
4. Congo only
Show answer
Answer: (c) Amazon. It is in South America.
Prairies and steppes are examples of
1. deserts
2. tundra
3. rainforests
4. grasslands
Show answer
Answer: (d) grasslands. They are major wheat-growing areas.
Why is Antarctica called a cold desert
1. it has hot sand
2. it is near the Equator
3. it has many rivers
4. it receives very little precipitation and is extremely cold
Show answer
Answer: (d) it receives very little precipitation and is extremely cold. Deserts are defined by low precipitation.
Two places on the same latitude have different temperatures. The most likely reason is
1. the same altitude
2. same time zone
3. equal rainfall
4. different altitude or distance from the sea
Show answer
Answer: (d) different altitude or distance from the sea. Altitude and the sea affect temperature.

All chapters of Class 8 Social Science

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.