World Panorama (UPSC) Part-I

Total Questions: 50

1. Which of the following constitute the World Bank? [1995]

1. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
2. International Finance Corporation
3. International Development Association
4. International Monetary Fund

Correct Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3
Solution:
  • The term “World Bank” actually refers to two of the five institutions under the World Bank Group. These institutions work together in a
    complementary way- IBRD and IDA as the “public development” arm, and IFC, MIGA (and sometimes ICSID) reinforcing private sector
    development.
    The core institutions are:
    IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development):
  • Provides loans to middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries.
  • Raises capital from global financial markets to finance development projects.
  • IDA (International Development Association):
  • Gives concessional loans (credits) and grants to the world’s poorest countries.
  •  Financed by contributions from donor countries rather than capital markets.
  • Supporting institutions within the World Bank Group:
    IFC (International Finance Corporation):
  • Focuses on private sector development in emerging economies.
  •  Provides investments, equity, and advisory services.
    MIGA (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency):
  • Offers political risk insurance to foreign investors.
  • Encourages foreign direct investment in risky or less developed environments.
    ICSID (International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes):
  • Provides a legal framework for resolving investment disputes between governments and foreign investors through arbitration..

2. Which of the following are correctly matched? [1995]

1. Hamas: Palestinian extremist group
2. Sinn Fein: I.R. A's political wing
3. True Path Party A major constituent of the ruling coalition in Turkey

Correct Answer: (c) 1, 2 and 3
Solution:

All the pairs, 1, 2, 3 are correctly matched.

• Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamist militant organization that is designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the UK, and several other countries. It has a social services wing and a military wing (Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades) and has been the de facto governing authority in the Gaza Strip since ousting the rival Fatah faction in 2007.

• Sinn Féin is widely regarded as having been the political wing of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the Troubles, and many observers still view them as having deep historical links. However, Sinn Féin officially states they are separate entities and the Provisional IRA announced it had decommissioned its weapons and disbanded after the Good Friday Agreement was signed. Sinn Féin is now a major democratic socialist political party and is the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

• The True Path Party (DYP) was a major political force in the 1990s, with leaders like Süleyman Demirel and Tansu Çiller serving as Prime Minister. However, the party was wiped out of parliament in the 2002 general election after failing to pass the 10% electoral threshold.

3. Which one of the following had legalised Euthanasia? [1996]

Correct Answer: (a) Texas in the USA
Solution:The Texas state in U.S.A. has legalised Euthanasia. Euthanasia is the process in which if a person who I willing to die, he is given peaceful death by the doctor through an injection.

Active Euthanasia
• Active euthanasia refers to the physician deliberate act, usually the administration of lethal drugs, to end an incurably or terminally ill patient’s life. There are three types of active euthanasia, in relation to giving consent for euthanasia, namely:

  • Voluntary euthanasia – patient requesting.

  • Nonvoluntary – without patient consent.

  • Involuntary euthanasia – patient is not in a position to give consent.

Passive Euthanasia
• Passive euthanasia refers to the intentional withholding or withdrawal of medical treatments or life-sustaining interventions, allowing a person to die naturally from their underlying condition.
• This can include stopping treatments like ventilators, feeding tubes, or medications that keep the patient alive.
• Decisions for passive euthanasia are typically made based on the patient’s wishes, advance directives, or through family members and healthcare proxies when the patient cannot make decisions themselves.

4. Which of the following were the aims behind the setting up of the World Trade Organization (WTO)? [1996]

1. Promotion of free trade and resource flows across countries
2. Protection of intellectual property rights
3. Managing balanced trade between different countries
4. Promotion of trade between the former East Bloc countries and the western world

Select the correct answer by using the codes given below:

Correct Answer: (b) 1 and 2
Solution:World Trade Organization (WTO) is a body making global trade rules with binding effects on its members. It is not only an institution, but also a set of agreements. The WTO regime is known as the rules-based multilateral trading system.

The history of the Organization dates back to 1947, when the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was set up to reduce tariffs barriers, remove trade barriers and facilitate international trade in goods and services. Over the years, GATT held eight rounds of multilateral trade negotiations, the last and most extensive being the Uruguay Round (1986-1994).

The WTO came into being at Marrakesh in 1995, following the conclusion of the Uruguay Round. Ater this GATT ceased to exist, and its legal texts were incorporated into the WTO as GATT- 1994. The eastern bloc nations have no special status as a member of WTO.

5. The emerging trading blocs in the world, such as NAFTA, ASEAN and the like, are expected to: [1996]

Correct Answer: (b) promote free trade on the lines laid down by the WTO
Solution:These are local trading blocks which will enable free trade between member nations.
NAFTA
• NAFTA came into effect in 1994.
• It is a successor to the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement.
• NAFTA is a trilateral arrangement that includes Mexico.
• It led to lower tariffs on most goods and services traded among the countries.
• It encouraged big business to reorganise supply chains around the North American continent.
• This eventually made industries such as automobiles globally more competitive.
• Overall, regional trade has expanded more than three times since NAFTA came into effect.
• The agreement has also led to a range of rules on food safety, intellectual property rights and the settlement of disputes.
• It has generally deepened the political relationship among the three signatories.
ASEAN
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional group that promotes economic, political, and security cooperation.
• It was established in 1967 in Bangkok with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration). Its secretariat is in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• 11 member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste (a newly joined member).
  ○ India is not a member of ASEAN.
• ASEAN led the creation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), now the world’s largest free trade agreement.
• ASEAN is one of India’s largest trading partners and collectively accounts for approximately 11% of India’s global trade.

6. "They are fantastically diverse. They speak hundred of language and dialects. They comprise scores of ethnic groups. They include highly industrialised economics and up and coming economies. They span half the surface of the earth and are home to two-fifths of the world's population." The group of countries referred to here belongs to : [1996]

Correct Answer: (b) APEC
Solution:

• The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is a regional economic forum and was formed in 1989.
• Aim of the grouping – “leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific and create greater prosperity for the people of the region through regional economic integration”.
• The focus of APEC has been on trade and economic issues and hence, it terms the countries as “economies”.
• It has been operating on the basis of non-binding commitments with decisions taken through commitments and consensus undertaken on a voluntary basis.
• Currently, APEC has 21 members.
• The criterion for membership, however, is that each member must be an independent economic entity, rather than a sovereign state.
• The grouping’s current members are Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan.

7. What are the official languages of the U.N.O.? [1998]

Correct Answer: (d) English, French, Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Spanish
Solution:English, French, Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Spanish are the official language of U.N.O..

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded in 1945. It is currently made up of 193 Member States.

Its mission and work guided by the purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter and implemented by its various organs and specialised agencies.

Its activities include maintaining international peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable development and upholding international law.
The main organs of the UN are

  1. the General Assembly,
  2. the Security Council,
  3. the Economic and Social Council,
  4. the Trusteeship Council,
  5. the International Court of Justice,
  6. and the UN Secretariat.

8. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists: [1998]

List-I (Currency)List-II (Country)
A. Ringgit1. Indonesia
B. Baht2. South Korea
C. Rupiah3. Thailand
D. Won4. Malaysia
Codes:
ABCD
(a)1342
(b)4312
(c)1243
(d)4213
Correct Answer: (b)
Solution:Ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. A baht is also a unit of weight for gold and is commonly used in jewellers and goldsmiths in Thailand. The currency was originally known as the tical and this name was used in the English language text on banknotes until 1925. The rupiah (Rp) is the official currency of Indonesia. The Won is the official currency of South Korea.

9. The satellites of which one of the following countries have helped in the preparation of a detailed and complete map of Antarctica? [1998]

Correct Answer: (a) Canada
Solution:The satellite launched by Canada has helped in the prepration of a complete and high resolution map of Antartica

10. According to Meadows (1972), if the present trends in world population, industrialisation, pollution, food production and resource depletion continue unchanged, the "Limits to Growth" on our planet will be reached in the next: [1998]

Correct Answer: (b) 100 years
Solution:According to Meadows, if the present trend of world population, industrialization, pollution remained unchanged then "limits of growth" on our planet will be reached is 100 years. The most probable result will be a rather sudden and uncontrollable decline in both population and industrial capacity.