NDA (II) 2024 General Ability Test · Question 81 of 141

Correct — D, Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea is the world's largest completely enclosed (landlocked) body of water — surrounded on all sides by land (Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan) with no natural outlet to any ocean. Because it has no sea route to the open ocean, it is the only landlocked water body among the four options.

• (a)Mediterranean Sea — The Mediterranean is NOT landlocked — it opens to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar (and to the Red Sea via the man-made Suez Canal), so ships can sail from it out to the ocean.
• (b)Black Sea — The Black Sea connects to the Mediterranean (and thence the Atlantic) through the Bosphorus Strait, the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles, so it is not fully enclosed.
• (c)Red Sea — The Red Sea is an open arm of the Indian Ocean, joined to it through the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb in the south (and to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal in the north).

A 'landlocked' or enclosed water body has no natural connection to the world ocean. The Caspian, though called a 'sea' because of its size and salt water, is technically the largest lake on Earth; it is endorheic (internally drained) and loses water only by evaporation.

Test each option by asking 'is there a natural sea route out to the ocean?' Gibraltar links the Mediterranean, the Bosphorus links the Black Sea, and Bab-el-Mandeb links the Red Sea — all three have ocean gateways. Only the Caspian has none, so it is the landlocked one.

• Caspian Sea — largest inland/landlocked water body on Earth (area ~371,000 km²); bordered by Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan.
• It is endorheic (no outflow); the Volga is its largest feeder river; its surface lies about 28 m below sea level.
• Mediterranean Sea to Atlantic Ocean via the Strait of Gibraltar; Black Sea to Mediterranean via the Bosphorus and Dardanelles.
• Red Sea to Indian Ocean via the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb; to the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal.

• Assuming anything named 'Sea' must connect to the ocean — the Caspian, Aral and Dead 'Seas' are actually lakes.
• Forgetting the Black Sea's Bosphorus/Dardanelles outlet and wrongly calling it landlocked.

NDA/UPSC ask this as 'which is landlocked/enclosed' or by matching seas to their bordering countries and connecting straits.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which strait connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean?

  • (a)Bosphorus
  • (b)Strait of Gibraltar
  • (c)Bab-el-Mandeb
  • (d)Strait of Hormuz

  Answer(b) Strait of Gibraltar — it links the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Caspian Sea is bordered by all of the following countries EXCEPT:

  • (a)Iran
  • (b)Azerbaijan
  • (c)Armenia
  • (d)Kazakhstan

  Answer(c) Armenia — the Caspian is bordered by Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan; Armenia has no Caspian coast.