Places featuring important development

Question 1

Israel (Capital: Jerusalem)

Answer 1

Context: Israel approved reopening the Erez crossing for humanitarian aid.
Boundaries: Lebanon (north), Syria (northeast), Jordan (east), and Egypt (southwest).
Water Bodies: Sea of Galilee; Red Sea (Gulf of Aqaba); Dead Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.
Includes East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights (territorial dispute).

Question 2

Blue Line (between Lebanon and Israel)

Answer 2

Context: UN warns of escalating tensions on Lebanon-Israel frontier.
Definition: Set by the UN in 2000, it is not an official border, but a line of blue barrels from the Mediterranean to the Golan Heights.

Question 3

Jordan (Capital: Amman)

Answer 3

Context: WHO declared Jordan the first country to eliminate leprosy.
Borders: Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Palestine (West Bank).
Water Bodies: Jordan River, Dead Sea, and Gulf of Aqaba.

Question 4

Armenia (Capital: Yerevan)

Answer 4

Context: Armenia has officially recognized Palestine as a state.
Location: Landlocked country in Transcaucasia.
Borders: Azerbaijan, Turkey, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Georgia, and Iran.
Nagorno-Karabakh: Disputed territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Question 5

Iraq (Capital: Baghdad)

Answer 5

Context: UNSC voted to end the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI).
Territorial Boundaries: Türkiye (north), Iran (east), Syria and Jordan (west), Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait (south).
Maritime Boundaries: Persian Gulf.

Question 6

Iran (Capital: Tehrān)

Answer 6

Context: Iran’s President dies in a helicopter crash.
Land Boundaries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan (north); Afghanistan and Pakistan (east); Iraq (west); Turkey (northwest).
Maritime Borders: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
Surrounding Water Bodies: Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

Question 7

Uzbekistan (Capital: Tashkent)

Answer 7

Context: The Chief of the Army Staff inaugurated a high-tech IT laboratory at the Academy of Armed Forces.
Location: A double landlocked country in Central Asia.
Bordering Countries: Kazakhstan (North), Kyrgyzstan (East), Tajikistan (South-east), Afghanistan (South), Turkmenistan (South-west).

Question 8

United Arab Emirates (Capital: Abu Dhabi)

Answer 8

Context: The UAE successfully completed the Arab world’s first nuclear power plant.
Neighbors: Saudi Arabia (west and south), Oman (east and northeast).
Maritime Borders: Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf.

Question 9

Thailand (Capital: Bangkok)

Answer 9

Context: Thailand’s senate has approved a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.
Land Borders: Myanmar (northwest), Cambodia (east), Laos (northeast), and Malaysia (south).
Water Bodies: Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand.

Question 10

Lao PDR (Capital: Vientiane)

Answer 10

Context: Prime Ministers of India and Lao PDR held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit.
Location: Landlocked country in Southeast Asia.
Borders: China (north), Vietnam (east), Cambodia (southeast), Thailand (west), and Myanmar (northwest).

Question 11

Philippines (Capital: Manila)

Answer 11

Context: The Philippines Ambassador stated that BrahMos missiles offer a “credible defense”.
Water bodies: Philippine Sea (east), Celebes Sea (south), Sulu Sea (southwest), and South China Sea (west and north).

Question 12

Mauritius (Capital: Port Louis)

Answer 12

Context: India’s first overseas Jan Aushadhi Kendra (JAK) inaugurated.
Location: Island nation in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar.
Neighbouring Islands: Reunion Island (France) to the west & Seychelles in the northwest.

Question 13

Chagos Islands

Answer 13

Context: U.K. to restore sovereignty to Mauritius.
Location: Island group in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), south of Maldives.

Question 14

Rwanda (Capital: Kigali)

Answer 14

Context: UK Parliament passed the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.
Location: Landlocked country in Central Africa.
Border: Uganda (north), Tanzania (east), Burundi (south), and Democratic Republic of the Congo (west).

Question 15

Togo (Capital: Lomé)

Answer 15

Context: India and Togo have recently reviewed their bilateral relations.
Location: Western Africa.
Borders: Ghana (west), Benin (east), and Burkina Faso (north).
Water Bodies: Gulf of Guinea (south).

Question 16

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (Capital: Kinshasa)

Answer 16

Context: The first secretary-level meeting between the defence ministries of India and the DRC was held.
Location: Largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Borders: Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola.
Maritime Boundary: Access to the Atlantic Ocean.

Question 17

Ghana (Capital: Accra)

Answer 17

Context: India and Ghana agreed to strengthen trade ties at the 4th Joint Trade Committee meeting.
Location: West Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea.
Land Borders: Burkina Faso (north), Togo (east), Côte d’Ivoire (west).
Maritime Border: Atlantic Ocean (south).

Question 18

Mali (Capital: Bamako)

Answer 18

Context: Mali has banned media from reporting on activities of political parties and associations.
Location: Landlocked country in western Africa.
Borders: Algeria (north), Niger and Burkina Faso (east), Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea (south), Senegal and Mauritania (west).
Geographic Zone: Mostly lies in the Sahel region.

Question 19

Zambia (Capital: Lusaka)

Answer 19

Context: India-Zambia hold 6th Session of Joint Permanent Commission.
A landlocked country in south-central Africa.
Bordering Countries: Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania (north), Malawi and Mozambique (east), Zimbabwe and Botswana (south), and Namibia and Angola (west).

Question 20

Mexico (Capital: Mexico City)

Answer 20

Context: Mexico became the first country to approve the popular election of judges and Claudia Sheinbaum elected as the first woman president.
Territorial Boundaries: USA (north), Guatemala and Belize (southeast).
Maritime Boundaries: Pacific Ocean (west/south), Gulf of Mexico (east), and Caribbean Sea (southeast).

Question 21

Bolivia (Capitals: La Paz [administrative], Sucre [constitutional])

Answer 21

Context: Bolivia is experiencing economic turmoil due to dependence on the U.S. dollar, depleting reserves, and rising debts.
Borders: Brazil (north and east), Paraguay (southeast), Argentina (south), Chile (southwest and west), and Peru (northwest).

Question 22

Panama (Capital: Panama City)

Answer 22

Context: Panama becomes the first nation to evacuate the island community of Gardi Sugdub Island due to climate change impact.
Location: Country of Central America, located on the Isthmus of Panama.
Borders: Costa Rica (west) and Colombia (east).
Maritime Boundaries: Caribbean Sea (north) and Pacific Ocean (south).

Question 23

Trinidad & Tobago (Capital: Port of Spain)

Answer 23

Context: Trinidad & Tobago has become the first country in the Caribbean region to adopt India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform.
Location: Island country in the southeastern West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean.
Proximity: Lies close to South America, northeast of Venezuela, and northwest of Guyana.

Question 24

New Zealand (Capital: Wellington)

Answer 24

Context: New Zealand has recognized India as the ‘Country of Honour’ for the year 2024.
Location: Island country in the South Pacific Ocean.
Components: Comprises two main islands, North Island and South Island, separated by Cook Strait.

Question 25

Croatia (Capital: Zagreb)

Answer 25

Context: The incumbent Croatian Prime Minister secured office for the third consecutive time. Location: Southeast Europe, part of the Balkan Peninsula. Boundaries: Hungary and Slovenia (north), Serbia (east), Bosnia and Herzegovina (south and east), and Adriatic Sea (west).

Question 26

Republic of Ireland (Capital: Dublin)

Answer 26

Context: The Ireland Parliament elects a new Prime Minister. Location: Occupies most of an island west of Great Britain. Borders: Northern Ireland (north, part of the United Kingdom). Surrounding Water Bodies: Atlantic Ocean (west), Celtic Sea (south), Irish Sea (east).

Question 27

Greece (Capital: Athens)

Answer 27

Context: A recent report warns that Greece is facing an alarming population decline. Location: Southernmost country of the Balkan Peninsula. Borders: Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Surrounding Water Bodies: Aegean Sea (east), Mediterranean Sea (south), Ionian Sea (west).

Question 28

Netherlands (Capital: Amsterdam)

Answer 28

Context: The 12th India-Netherlands Foreign Office Consultations were held in The Hague, Netherlands. Location: Northwestern Europe, also known as Holland. Land Boundaries: Belgium (south) and Germany (east). Water Bodies: North Sea (north and west).

Question 29

Latvia (Capital: Riga)

Answer 29

Context: India has operationalized the new resident mission. Member of the European Union (EU) and NATO. Located in northeastern Europe. Land Boundaries: Estonia (North), Russia (East), Belarus (Southeast), and Lithuania (South). Maritime Boundaries: Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga.

Question 30

Sittwe Port, Myanmar

Answer 30

Context: India has secured the right to operate its second overseas port. About: A deep-water port located at the estuary of the Kaladan River in Rakhine State, Myanmar. Significance: It will enhance trade and transit opportunities for India’s Northeast and improve commerce between India and Myanmar.

Question 31

Saint Martin’s Island

Answer 31

Context: Reports have claimed that the US wanted to establish a military base on Saint Martin’s Island of Bangladesh. Location: A small coral island in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal. Sovereignty Agreement: In 1974, Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed that the island would belong to Bangladesh.

Question 32

Guam Island

Answer 32

Context: India’s INS Shivalik had visited Guam, an island territory of the United States. Location: The largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands chain, situated in the North Pacific Ocean.

Question 33

The Seine River

Answer 33

Context: Paris mayor took a pre-Olympics dip to prove the Seine is clean ahead of the 2024 Games. Length: France's second-longest river (after the Loire). Flow: Flows in a northwesterly direction through Paris before emptying into the English Channel at Le Havre. Origin: Near Dijon, France.

Question 34

Lake Turkana

Answer 34

Context: A comprehensive survey reveals high fish potential. Location: Situated in northwestern Kenya and southwestern Ethiopia. Significance: Africa’s 4th largest lake and the largest permanent desert and alkaline lake in the world. Water Source: Omo River, located in Ethiopia.

Question 35

Mount Kilimanjaro

Answer 35

Context: An expedition team unfurled the Indian national flag atop Uhuru Summit. Location: Tanzania, Africa. Height: The highest peak of Africa. Significance: The largest free-standing mountain rise in the world. Type: Stratovolcano, made of ash, lava, and rock.

Question 36

Lipulekh Pass

Answer 36

Context: Indian traders are demanding resumption of border trade with China through Lipulekh pass. Location: Located close to the tri-junction of India, China (Tibet) and Nepal and is situated in Uttarakhand (Pithorgarh district). It is a major pass of Kumaun region situated in Kali Valley. Lipulekh Pass significantly reduces travel time for Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage.

Question 37

Suez Canal Route

Answer 37

Context: India's Fuel Exports to Europe Shifted from Suez Canal to Cape of Good Hope. Location: Egypt. Suez Canal connects Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea. It’s the shortest maritime route between Asia and Europe.