Geography Books for UPSC | Best Books of Geography for UPSC

Here Geography Books for UPSC are suggested by IAS toppers and mentors. By reading them, you may ace the UPSC pre & mains with ease | Books of Geography for UPSC

Geography Books for UPSC

Every level of the IAS test selection process involves a geography topic, hence the Geography UPSC books are utilized throughout. Both the CSE Prelims and IAS Mains GS Paper-I have a significant amount of geography questions. Many candidates choose it as an optional topic. Choosing the best geography books for UPSC is crucial since it will help you improve your preparation.

This is the most scoring optional that also aids in general studies papers, provided the subject is approached correctly. By choosing geography as an optional subject, several applicants have succeeded in the UPSC Mains test.

This article lists the Top Geography Optional Books for UPSC as Recommended by Toppers (such as Pratham Kaushik, Saumya Pandey, Ira Singhal, and Junaid Ahmed).

UPSC Books Geography for Prelims

Below is a selection of books that you should consider reading if you’re seeking the greatest geography resource for your UPSC prelims preparation. You should read the newspaper each day and use the atlas to link your learning with the information in these books, in addition to these. In order to have a solid foundation and mental clarity when studying geography for the UPSC prelims, the NCERTs are your closest friend.

NCERT Geography Books for UPSC

• Class 6 – The Earth Our Habitat
• Class 7 – Our Environment
• Class 8 – Resource and Development
• Class 9 – Contemporary India – I
• Class 10 – Contemporary India – II
• Class 11 – Fundamentals of Physical Geography
• Class 11 – India – Physical Environment
• Class 12 – Fundamentals of Human Geography
• Class 12 – India – People and Economy

Apart from the NCERTs, you must go through the below-mentioned Geography Books for UPSC. 

• Go Cheng Leong – Certificate Physical & Human Geography Indian geography.
• School Atlas – Orient Black Swan.
• Oxford Student Atlas.

Best Geography books for UPSC Mains

UPSC Geography Books for Mains (GS Paper-I)

Due to the importance of geography in UPSC Mains GS paper-I, it is crucial for candidates to select the Geography Books for UPSC. The UPSC Prelims Geography Books, as well as a few additional additions that we have included below, must be finished by candidates for the Mains round.

• Geography of India by Surender Singh (alternative to Majid Husain).
• India: A Comprehensive Geography by D.R Khuller (alternative to Majid Husain)
• Physical Geography by Savindra Singh (alternative to Goh Ching Leong)

The distribution of major natural resources in India and the rest of the globe are vital topics that can be readily prepared with the help of the aforementioned books, therefore it is crucial to make full use of both the atlas and the geography textbooks.

UPSC Geography Optional Books

All of the UPSC Geography Books must be read by those who have chosen geography as an optional. Paper 1 and Paper 2 are two optional papers with a combined total of 250 points each. The geography optional carry a maximum of 500 points, thus students must best their preparation.

Geography Book for UPSC Optional – Paper 1 

• Human Geography by Majid Husain
• A Geography of Population by R.C. Chandna
• Go Cheng Leong – Certificate Physical & Human Geography Indian geography.
• Oceanography by Sharma &Vatal
• Physical Geography – Made Simple, Rupa Publisher
• Physical Geography by Savindra Singh
• Economic and Social Geography – Made Simple by Rupa Publisher
• Environmental Geography by Savindra Singh
• Environmental Geography by Saxena
• Environmental Awareness by R.C.Chandna
• Agricultural Geography by Masjid Husain
• Political Geography by R.D.Dixit
• General Climatology by Critchfield
• Physical Geography in Diagrams by Bunnett
• Economic Geography by Hertshorn& Alexander
• Principles of Geomorphology by W.D. Thornbury
• Geomorphology by Savindra Singh
• Urbanization & Urban Systems in India by Ramachandran
• Perspectives in Human Geography: Evolution of Geographic Thought by Majid Husain
• Regional Planning: Regional Planning – by Chand &Puri
• Settlement Geography by K Siddhartha
• Climatology by D.S.Lal
• Physical Geography by Strahler & Strahler

Geography Book for UPSC Optional – Paper-II

The following list includes some of the top UPSC Books for optional paper 2 in geography. Paper-II requires frequent use of the atlas and current events.

• Economic and Commercial Geography of India by Sharma & Coutinho
• Economical and Commercial Geography of India by C.B. Mamoria
• Geography of India – Majid Husain
• Transport, Communication, and Trade
• Regional Development and Planning
• Agriculture Geography by Majid Husain
• Urbanization and Urban Systems in India by Ramachandran
• Human Geography by Majid Husain
• Economical and Commercial Geography of India by Sharma & Coutinho
• Economic and Commercial Geography of India by C.B. Mamoria
• India Year Book published by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
• Certificate Physical and Human Geography – Goh Cheng Leong
• Political Aspects: Modern Political Geography of India by B.L. Sukhwal.
• Geography of Population by R.C.Chandna
• A Geography of India by Gopal Singh
• Regional Planning and Development by Chand and Puri
• Indian Geography by D R Khullar

World Geography Books for UPSC

The population, urbanization, agriculture, culture, economy, and political systems in various parts of the world are covered in the world geography textbook for the UPSC. The Geography Books for UPSC listed below will undoubtedly aid hopefuls in developing solid geographic foundations.

• Economic and Social Geography – Made Simple – R.Knowles & J.Wareing
• Evolution of Geographic Thought-Majid Husain
• Physical Geography – Made Simple – Richard H Bryant
• Oxford School Atlas – Oxford

Indian Geography Book for UPSC

To fully comprehend India’s geography, including its physical, economic, and social geography, the Indian geography book is a vital resource. The UPSC test will include several questions regarding Indian geography, therefore applicants must improve their studies. A list of some of the best geography books for UPSC is here.

With the aid of Atlas, the majority of the UPSC’s Indian geography curriculum may be covered by utilizing the NCERTs for classes six through twelve. You can study the remaining topics from the following books in addition to the NCERTs. You don’t have to read the book through to the finish.

• Physical Geography by Savindra Singh
• Geomorphology by Savindra Singh
• Physical Geography – Made Simple, Rupa Publisher
• Geography of India By Majid Husain
• Human Geography by Majid Husain
• Economic and Social Geography – Made Simple, Rupa Publishers
• A Geography by Population by R.C. Chandna
• Agriculture Geography by Majid Husain
• India Year Book, published by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

The subject of geography is incredibly broad but fascinating. You can’t finish it in one day. Studying geography covers a wide range of topics, each of which is further broken down into numerous other areas. In order to prepare for the topic, you must thus consult a book that just aids in the development of your geographic knowledge at the foundational level.