World Panorama (UPSC) Part-III

Total Questions: 50

1. Consider the following pairs: [2009]

OrganizationLocation of Headquarters
1. Asian Development BankTokyo
2. Asia-Pacific Economic CooperationSingapore
3. Association of South East Asian NationsBangkok

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Correct Answer: (b) 2 only
Solution:The headquarters of Asia pacific economic cooperation is in Singapore. The headquarters of Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) is in Jakarta, Indonesia. The headquarters of Asian Development Bank is in the city of Philippines.

2. With reference to the United Nations, consider the following statements: [2009]

1. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of UN consists of 24 member States.

2. It is elected by a 2/3rd majority of the General Assembly for a 3-year term.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: (b) 2 only
Solution:

• The Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC), under the overall authority of the General Assembly, coordinates the economic and social work of the United Nations and the UN family of organizations.

• ECOSOC brings people and issues together to promote collective action for a sustainable world.
• The Council has 54 members elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms.
• It meets throughout the year and holds a major session in July, during which a high-level meeting of Ministers discusses major economic, social and humanitarian issues.

Objectives of ECOSOC: Under the UN Charter, ECOSOC is responsible for
• Promoting higher standards of living, full employment, and economic and social progress.
• Identifying solutions to international economic, social and health problems;
• Facilitating international cultural and educational cooperation; and
• Encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Functions of ECOSOC:
• ECOSOC is responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields of the organization, specifically in regards to the 15 specialized agencies, the eight functional commissions, and the five regional commissions under its jurisdiction.
• ECOSOC serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues, and formulating policy recommendations addressed to member states and the United Nations System.
• ECOSOC holds an annual meeting in April with finance ministers heading key committees of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
• The specialized agencies of the United Nations report their activities to the Economic and Social Council.

3. Which one of the following pairs of countries fought wars overa region called Ogaden? [2009]

Correct Answer: (b) Ethiopia and Somalia
Solution:Ethiopia and Somalia fought wars for Ogaden.

The Ogaden is a vast, arid plateau in southeastern Ethiopia, historically inhabited by ethnic Somalis and known for nomadic pastoralism, rich oil/gas potential, and frequent conflict, especially the 1977-78 Ogaden War with Somalia, stemming from Somali irredentist claims and the presence of the Ogaden clan, a major Somali sub-clan. It’s also called the Somali Region and is a source of tension due to resource control, ethnic identity, and historical disputes, with ongoing struggles for self-determination by groups like the ONLF.
• The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a separatist rebel group, fought for independence for decades until a peace agreement was reached in 2018 under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
• The region has historically faced severe food insecurity, malnutrition, and limited access for international aid due to internal conflict.
• The Ogaden is known to hold significant oil and gas reserves, which adds to its geopolitical importance within Ethiopia.

4. Consider the following countries: [2009]

1. Brunei Darussalam

2. East Timor

3. Laos

Which of the above is/are member/members of ASEAN?

Correct Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only
Solution:The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

5. Other than Venezuela, which one among the following from South America is a member of OPEC? [2009]

Correct Answer: (c) Ecuador
Solution:The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a cartel of twelve developing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.

6. Consider the following pairs: [2009]

Large BankCountry of Origin
1. ABN Amro BankUSA
2. Barclays BankUK
3. Kookmin BankJapan

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Correct Answer: (b) 2 only
Solution:ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is a Dutch bank with headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Barclays PLC is a global financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Kookmin Bank is the largest bank by both asset value and market capitalization in South Korea.

7. Consider the following pairs: [2009]

Automobile ManufacturerHeadquarters
1. BMW AGUSA
2. Daimler AGSweden
3. Renault S.A.France
4. Volkswagen AGGermany

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Correct Answer: (b) 3 and 4
Solution:BMW AG and Daimler AG are Head quartered in Germany.

Automobile Industry in India

• The automobile is made up of two-word auto(self) + Mobile( movable). Automobile refers to self movable vehicles without the help of man or animal force. The automobile vehicle is used for transportation of goods and passenger by various means Road, track, water, or airway.
• Automobile industry did not exist in India in the real sense before Independence. Only assembly work was done from the imported parts. General Motors (India) Ltd. started assembling trucks and cars in 1928 in their factory at Mumbai.
• Ford Motor Co. (India) Ltd. started assembling of cars and trucks at Chennai in 1930 and at Mumbai in 1931.
• The real development of the industry began with the establishment of the Premier Automobiles Ltd. at Kurla (Mumbai) in 1947 and Hindustan Motors Ltd. at Uttarpara (Kolkata) in 1948.
• Automobile industry in India has made considerable progress during the last three decades. Today, it is one of the most vibrant sectors of the economy.
• With the gradual liberalization of the automobile industry since 1991, more and more players have set up manufacturing facilities in India. At present, there are 15 manufacturers of passenger cars and multiutility vehicles, 9 manufacturers of commercial vehicles, 14 of two/three-wheelers, and 14 of tractors besides 5 manufacturers of engines. The industry has an investment of more than Rs. 50,000 crore.
• During the year 2003-04 the turnover of the automobile sector exceeded Rs. 1, 00,000 crores. The industry also offers substantial employment potential. Currently, it provides 4.5 lakh direct employment and about one crore indirect employment. The contribution of the Auto Industry to GDP has risen from 2.77 percent in 1992-93 to 4.7 percent in 2002-03.

8. The Security Council of UN consists of 5 permanent members, and the remaining 10 members are elected by the General Assembly for a term of [2010]

Correct Answer: (b) 2 years
Solution:• The UNSC was established on January 17, 1946, and includes five permanent members which hold veto power and also ten elected non-permanent members.
• The first time the UN Security Council deployed a peacekeeping force was during the Korean War in 1950.
• The role of the president of the Security Council involves setting the agenda, presiding at its meetings and overseeing any crisis.
• The presidency of the council is held by each of the members in turn for one month, following the English alphabetical order of the member states’ names.
• It has 15 members, including 5 permanent (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and 10 non-permanent members who are elected for two-year terms.
• Binding on members: Under the UN Charter, all the member states of the UN are obligated to comply with UNSC decisions. It means that the UNSC is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions on member states.
• It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement.
• In some cases, the UNSC can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorising the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.
• It authorized military interventions in the Korean War and the Congo Crisis and peacekeeping missions in Cyprus, West New Guinea, and the Sinai Peninsula.
• Permanent members can veto any substantive resolution, including those on the admission of new member states to the United Nations or nominees for the office of Secretary-General.
• The ten non-permanent members are elected on a regional basis by the United Nations General Assembly for two-year terms starting on 1 January, with five replaced each year.

9. Consider the following countries: [2010]

1. Brazil

2. Mexico

3. South Africa According to UNCTAD,

which of the above is/are categorized as "Emerging Economies"?

Correct Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Solution:Newly industrialized countries are emerging markets whose economies have not yet reached first world status but have, in a macroeconomic sense, outpaced their developing counterparts. The Big Emerging Market (BEM) economies are: Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey.

10. Which one of the following is not related to United Nations? [2010]

Correct Answer: (d) Bank for International Settlements
Solution:The World Bank (established in 1944, HQ - Washington, D.C.) is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. It is not a bank in the common sense; we are made up of two unique development institutions owned by 187 member countries: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).