Which of the following pairs of neighbouring countries are landlocked and share only land borders with India?
Identifying India's Landlocked Neighbours
The question asks us to identify a pair of India's neighbouring countries that satisfy two main conditions:
- They must be landlocked, meaning they have no direct access to the sea or ocean.
- They must share land borders with India.
Let's analyze the options provided:
Neighbouring Countries Analysis
We need to evaluate each pair based on the criteria:
Option 1: Bangladesh and Myanmar
- Bangladesh: Shares a land border with India. However, it is not landlocked; it has a coastline along the Bay of Bengal.
- Myanmar: Also shares a land border with India. Like Bangladesh, Myanmar is not landlocked and has a coastline on the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.
Since both Bangladesh and Myanmar have coastlines, this pair does not meet the landlocked criterion.
Option 2: Nepal and Bhutan
- Nepal: Shares a significant land border with India. Nepal is entirely surrounded by land (India to the south, east, and west; China to the north), making it a landlocked country.
- Bhutan: Also shares a land border with India. Bhutan is situated in the Himalayas and is surrounded by land (India to the south, east, and west; China to the north), making it landlocked.
Both Nepal and Bhutan are landlocked and share land borders with India. This pair fits the criteria.
Option 3: Pakistan and China
- Pakistan: Shares a land border with India. However, Pakistan is not landlocked as it has a coastline along the Arabian Sea.
- China: Shares a land border with India. China is not landlocked; it has extensive coastlines along the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea.
Neither Pakistan nor China meets the landlocked criterion.
Option 4: Sri Lanka and Maldives
- Sri Lanka: An island nation located south of India. It is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and does not share any land border with India. It is not landlocked.
- Maldives: An archipelagic nation southwest of India. It is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and does not share any land border with India. It is not landlocked.
Neither Sri Lanka nor Maldives meets the criteria of being landlocked neighbours sharing land borders with India.
Conclusion
Based on the analysis, Nepal and Bhutan are the only pair of neighbouring countries that are both landlocked and share land borders with India.
| Country | Neighbour of India? | Landlocked? | Shares Land Border with India? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | Yes | No (Bay of Bengal) | Yes |
| Myanmar | Yes | No (Bay of Bengal/Andaman Sea) | Yes |
| Nepal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bhutan | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pakistan | Yes | No (Arabian Sea) | Yes |
| China | Yes | No (Various Seas) | Yes |
| Sri Lanka | Yes (Maritime) | No (Indian Ocean) | No |
| Maldives | Yes (Maritime) | No (Indian Ocean) | No |
Important Questions from Indian Geography
- As per the 'India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023), which Indian state has the largest forest cover (area-wise) in the country?
- Which of the following represents the longitudinal extent of India?
- Which Indian state shares its border with China, Nepal and Bhutan?
- Which of the following factors most influences the uneven distribution of population in India?
- One of the major natural lakes in India, the Sambhar Lake of Rajasthan, is located in which of the following districts of the state?
