UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Each day, we cover one new subject. Attempt today’s subject quiz on International Relations to check your progress. Come back tomorrow to solve the MCQs on Weekly Current Affairs. Don’t miss checking the answers and explanations at the end of the quiz.

Which of the following countries is not a part of Bucharest Nine?

(a) Romania

(b) Bulgaria

(c) Slovakia

(d) France

Consider the following statements about United Nations Statistical Commission:

1. It is the highest decision-making body for international statistical activities.

2. It is not responsible for setting statistical standards and developing concepts and methods.

2. India has been elected to the UN statistical body for a 5-year term which started on January 1, 2023.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Which of the following countries is not included in territorial disputes in the South China Sea?

(a) Brunei

(b) Vietnam

(c) Philippines

(d) Thailand

Consider the following pairs:

   (Place)                       (Location)

1. Zahedan                     Syria

2. Sistan                          Iraq

3. Rafah                          Gaza

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Which of the following lakes is shared by three riparian countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, with Rwanda and Burundi being part of the upper watershed draining into the lake?

(a) Lake Victoria

(b) Lake Tanganyika

(c) Lake Kivu

(d) Lake Malavi

FYI:

— The “Bucharest Nine” is a group of nine NATO countries in Eastern Europe that became part of the US-led military alliance after the end of the Cold War.

— The Bucharest Nine or Bucharest Format, often abbreviated as the B9, was founded on November 4, 2015, and takes its name from Bucharest, the capital of Romania.

— The Bucharest Format (B-9) offers a platform for deepening the dialogue and consultation among the participant allied states, in order to articulate their specific contribution to the ongoing processes across the North-Atlantic Alliance, in total compliance with the principles of solidarity and indivisibility of the security of the NATO Member States.

— The countries in the B-9 grouping are Romania and Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the three Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

— All members of the B9 are part of the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— The United Nations Statistical Commission, established in 1947, is the highest body of the global statistical system bringing together the Chief Statisticians from member states from around the world.

— It is the highest decision-making body for international statistical activities, responsible for setting statistical standards and developing concepts and methods, including their implementation at the national and international levels. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

— The Statistical Commission oversees the work of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council.

— India has been elected to the UN Statistical Commission for a four-year term beginning on January 1, 2024. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: unstats.un.org)

FYI:

— China and the Philippines said they have agreed to work on lowering tensions after a year of public and tense confrontations in the South China Sea between their ships that have raised concerns of armed engagement in the region.

— The territorial disputes in the South China Sea are widely seen as a potential flashpoint for armed conflict. Multiple countries have claimed waters in the South China Sea, including Brunei, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and China.

— The Spratly Islands are largely uninhabited, there is a possibility that they may have large reserves of untapped natural resources.

— The Paracel Islands dispute is slightly more complex. This archipelago is a collection of 130 islands and coral reefs and is located in the South China Sea, almost equidistant from China and Vietnam.

— Scarborough Shoal is a rock in the South China Sea, approximately 120 nautical miles west of the Philippine island of Luzon.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

FYI:

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Lake Victoria is shared by three riparian countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with Rwanda and Burundi being part of the upper watershed draining into the lake.

— This body of water has the potential to be an economic powerhouse, capable of supporting subsistence and market economies and safeguarding the future of significant population.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: worldbank.org)

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