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Graduate Level intermediate Superlatives India Records Longest Largest General Knowledge PSC Facts
Superlatives of India — Longest, Largest, Highest, First, Oldest — 100+ Facts
Comprehensive list of 100+ superlatives of India covering geography, history, infrastructure, and records for Kerala PSC competitive exams.
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— Comprehensive list of 100+ superlatives of India covering geography, history, infrastructure, and records for Kerala PSC competitive exams.
#Superlatives
#India Records
#Longest Largest
#General Knowledge
#PSC Facts
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Superlative facts about India are among the most frequently asked questions in Kerala PSC exams. This note covers 100+ facts across geography, infrastructure, history, and more.
Rivers
| Superlative | Answer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Longest river in India | Ganga | 2,525 km |
| Longest river of Peninsular India | Godavari | 1,465 km (“Dakshin ki Ganga”) |
| Longest tributary of Ganga | Yamuna | 1,376 km |
| Widest river in India | Brahmaputra | At Dibrugarh, Assam |
| River with largest basin area | Ganga | 8.6 lakh sq km |
| Longest river of South India | Godavari | 1,465 km |
| Longest west-flowing river of Peninsular India | Narmada | 1,312 km |
| Largest river island | Majuli | In Brahmaputra, Assam |
| Longest river of Kerala | Periyar | 244 km |
| Shortest river of Kerala | Manjeswaram | ~16 km |
Mountains and Peaks
| Superlative | Answer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Highest peak in India | K2 (Godwin-Austen) | 8,611 m (in PoK) |
| Highest peak entirely in India | Kangchenjunga | 8,586 m (Sikkim) |
| Highest peak in South India | Anamudi | 2,695 m (Idukki, Kerala) |
| Longest mountain range in India | Himalayas | ~2,400 km in India |
| Highest plateau | Ladakh Plateau | ~5,000 m |
| Highest lake | Pangong Tso | 4,350 m (Ladakh) |
| Largest glacier | Siachen | 76 km (Karakoram) |
| Highest battlefield | Siachen Glacier | ~6,700 m |
| Highest motorable pass | Umling La | 19,024 ft (Ladakh) |
| Highest airport | Kushok Bakula Rimpochee (Leh) | 3,256 m |
States and Territories
| Superlative | Answer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Largest state by area | Rajasthan | 3,42,239 sq km |
| Smallest state by area | Goa | 3,702 sq km |
| Most populous state | Uttar Pradesh | ~24 crore (est.) |
| Least populous state | Sikkim | ~6.1 lakh (2011) |
| Largest UT by area | Ladakh | ~59,146 sq km |
| Smallest UT by area | Lakshadweep | 32 sq km |
| Most literate state | Kerala | 96.2% |
| Least literate state | Bihar | 63.8% (2011) |
| Highest population density | Bihar | 1,106 per sq km |
| Lowest population density (state) | Arunachal Pradesh | 17 per sq km |
| State with most districts | Uttar Pradesh | 75 |
| Highest sex ratio | Kerala | 1,084 |
Cities and Places
| Superlative | Answer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Largest city by population | Mumbai | ~2.1 crore (metro) |
| Oldest continuously inhabited city | Varanasi | Over 3,000 years old |
| Wettest place in India | Mawsynram | Meghalaya (~11,871 mm rainfall) |
| Driest place | Leh | ~91 mm annual rainfall |
| Hottest place (recorded) | Sri Ganganagar | Rajasthan (50+ deg C) |
| Coldest inhabited place | Dras | Ladakh (-60 deg C recorded) |
| Largest city by area | Hyderabad Municipal Corp area | ~650 sq km (varies by definition) |
| Cleanest city (Swachh) | Indore | Won multiple times |
Lakes and Water Bodies
| Superlative | Answer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Largest lake (overall) | Chilika Lake | Odisha (brackish, 1,100 sq km) |
| Largest freshwater lake | Wular Lake | J and K |
| Largest artificial lake | Govind Ballabh Pant Sagar | (Rihand Dam, UP) |
| Highest lake | Pangong Tso | Ladakh |
| Largest lagoon | Vembanad Lake | Kerala (longest lake in India too, ~96 km) |
| Largest brackish water lake | Chilika | Odisha |
Transport and Infrastructure
| Superlative | Answer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Longest railway platform | Hubballi (Hubli) | 1,505 m (Karnataka) |
| Longest rail route | Dibrugarh to Kanyakumari (Vivek Express) | 4,189 km |
| Busiest railway station | Howrah | Kolkata |
| First railway line | Mumbai (Borivali) to Thane | 1853, 34 km |
| Longest national highway | NH-44 | Srinagar to Kanyakumari (3,745 km) |
| Longest expressway | Mumbai-Nagpur (Samruddhi Mahamarg) | 701 km |
| Longest road bridge | Bhupen Hazarika Setu (Dhola-Sadiya) | 9.15 km (Assam) |
| Longest rail bridge | Bogibeel Bridge | 4.94 km (Assam) |
| Longest sea bridge | Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu) | 21.8 km (2024) |
| Highest rail bridge | Chenab Bridge | 359 m (J and K, world’s highest) |
| Longest tunnel | Atal Tunnel (Rohtang) | 9.02 km (Himachal Pradesh) |
| Largest port | Deendayal Port (Kandla) | Gujarat (by cargo volume) |
| Busiest airport | Indira Gandhi International | Delhi |
Dams and Power
| Superlative | Answer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Highest dam | Tehri Dam | 260.5 m (Uttarakhand) |
| Longest dam | Hirakud Dam | 25.8 km (Odisha, on Mahanadi) |
| Oldest dam | Kallanai (Grand Anicut) | Tamil Nadu (2nd century, Chola era) |
| Largest hydroelectric plant | Tehri | Uttarakhand |
| Largest solar park | Bhadla Solar Park | Rajasthan (2,245 MW) |
| First nuclear power plant | Tarapur | Maharashtra (1969) |
| Largest thermal power plant | Vindhyachal STPS | Madhya Pradesh |
Forests and Wildlife
| Superlative | Answer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Largest forest area (state) | Madhya Pradesh | ~77,482 sq km |
| Highest forest cover (% of area) | Mizoram | ~84.5% |
| Largest national park | Hemis | Ladakh (4,400 sq km) |
| Smallest national park | South Button Island | Andaman (0.03 sq km) |
| First national park | Jim Corbett (Hailey) | 1936, Uttarakhand |
| Largest wildlife sanctuary | Kachchh Desert WS | Gujarat |
| Largest tiger reserve | Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam | Andhra Pradesh/Telangana |
| First biosphere reserve | Nilgiri | 1986 |
Historical and Cultural
| Superlative | Answer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Oldest civilisation site in India | Bhirrana / Rakhigarhi | Haryana (Indus Valley, ~7000 BCE) |
| Largest mosque | Jama Masjid | Delhi (Shah Jahan, 1656) |
| Tallest statue | Statue of Unity | 182 m (Gujarat, Sardar Patel) |
| Largest museum | Indian Museum | Kolkata (1814, oldest too) |
| Largest library | National Library | Kolkata |
| Largest zoo | Arignar Anna Zoological Park | Chennai |
| Longest cave | Krem Liat Prah | Meghalaya (31+ km) |
| Largest desert | Thar Desert | Rajasthan |
| Largest delta | Sundarbans | West Bengal (world’s largest mangrove) |
Miscellaneous
| Superlative | Answer | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Largest state by coastline | Gujarat | 1,600 km |
| Longest coastline (including islands) | Andaman and Nicobar | 1,962 km |
| Largest island | Middle Andaman | 1,536 sq km |
| Most rivers | Madhya Pradesh | Has origin of Narmada, Chambal, Betwa, etc. |
| Largest stadium (by capacity) | Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad (1,32,000) |
| Largest cinema hall | Raj Mandir | Jaipur |
| First university | Nalanda | 5th century CE (ancient) |
| First modern university | University of Calcutta | 1857 |
| Largest election constituency | Ladakh | By area |
| Smallest election constituency | Chandni Chowk | By area (Delhi) |
Frequently Asked PSC Questions
Q1. Which is the longest river in India? Ans: Ganga (2,525 km)
Q2. Which is the smallest state in India by area? Ans: Goa
Q3. Which was the first railway line in India? Ans: Mumbai (Borivali) to Thane (1853)
Q4. Which is the highest dam in India? Ans: Tehri Dam (260.5 m, Uttarakhand)
Q5. Which is the tallest statue in India? Ans: Statue of Unity (182 m, Gujarat)
Q6. Which is the wettest place in India? Ans: Mawsynram (Meghalaya)
Q7. Which is the first national park in India? Ans: Jim Corbett National Park (1936, Uttarakhand)
Q8. Which is the longest lake in India? Ans: Vembanad Lake (Kerala, ~96 km)
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