Which river basin is the largest in India?
a) Indus Basin
b) Ganga Basin
c) Godavari Basin
d) Brahmaputra Basin
Answer: b) Ganga Basin
Explanation
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Ganga Basin: The Ganga River Basin is the largest river basin in India, covering an area of over 861,000 square kilometers (roughly 26% of India’s total geographical area).
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Reach & Population: It spans across 11 states (Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Delhi). Due to its fertile alluvial soil and abundant water resources, it is the most densely populated river basin in the world.
Overview of Other Options
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a) Indus Basin: A major international river basin shared primarily between Pakistan and India (Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, etc.); its total area is massive, but the portion within India is smaller than the Ganga basin.
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c) Godavari Basin: The largest river basin in Peninsular India (often called Dakshin Ganga), covering about 313,000 square kilometers across Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
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d) Brahmaputra Basin: Covers about 194,000 square kilometers in India (primarily in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam), known for having a very high water discharge relative to its catchment area.
