Archipelago stretching from Aceh to Torres Strait — UPSC Prelims PYQ 1997

“From Aceh in the far north-west to Torres Strait in the east is 5000 miles, almost as far as from London to Baghdad. The Archipelago has 14,000 islands…” This description best fits

West Indies
Japan
Philippines
Indonesia

Explanation

Option (d) is correct

Indonesia consists of about 14,000+ islands stretching between Aceh and Torres Strait. Aceh is the westernmost province of Indonesia. It is located on the northern end of the island of Sumatra. The Torres Strait is a 150-km-wide body of water between Australia’s Cape York Peninsula and Papua New Guinea.

Map showing maritime Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Palau, and surrounding seas such as Java Sea, Celebes Sea, and Timor Sea. Key features include labeled islands, straits, and sea arcs with color-coded landmasses and blue ocean areas, highlighting geographic and political boundaries.