UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : International Relations MCQs on Nord Stream, Tower of Hercules and more (Week 72)

1. Sweden

2. Russia

3. Netherlands

4. Germany

5. Norway

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only

(b) 3, 4 and 5 only

(c) 2, 3, 4 and 5 only

(d) 1, 2 and 4 only

Explanation

— Almost two years after the September 2022 bombing of the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea, it is still unknown who damaged the pipes. The devastation of pipelines carrying natural gas from Russia to Germany aggravated Europe’s energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

— The Nord Stream twin pipeline system spans the Baltic Sea, connecting Vyborg, Russia, to Lubmin near Greifswald, Germany.

— The Nord Stream route crosses Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany’s Exclusive Economic Zones, as well as the territorial waters of Russia, Denmark, and Germany.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

The Tower of Hercules has recently been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. It is situated in:

(a) Austria

(b) Germany

(c) Spain

(d) France

Explanation

— During the 46th session, the World Heritage Committee (WHC) decided to add the Tower of Hercules to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

— The Tower of Hercules (Spain) has been a lighthouse and landmark at the entrance of La Coruña harbour in north-western Spain since the late 1st century A.D.

— It is divided into three smaller levels, with the first corresponding to the lighthouse’s Roman structure. A modest rectangular Roman structure stands just adjacent to the Tower’s base. The property also includes a sculpture park, Iron Age rock engravings called Monte dos Bicos, and a Muslim cemetery.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Source: whc.unesco.org)

QUESTION 3

Consider the following pairs:

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) All three pairs

(d) None of the above pairs

Explanation

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Rakhine State was in the news due to civil war among various religious groups. It is located in:

(a) Bangladesh

(b) Thailand

(c) Myanmar

(d) Sri Lanka

Explanation

— Many religious groups in Myanmar are caught between opposing forces who want to use ethnic tensions for their own purposes as the country’s civil war becomes increasingly complicated.

— This is the case in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, where fighting has been ongoing for months, centred on the townships of Maungdaw and Buthidaung. The majority of the population in the townships is Muslim, primarily Rohingya, however Buddhist Rakhine also dwell there.

— The Arakan Army (AA) is a rebel army that opposes Myanmar’s ruling military junta. It is the military wing of the United League of Arakan (ULA), the political organisation of the Buddhist Rakhine people.

— Human Rights Watch has published a comprehensive analysis detailing how Rohingya networks forcefully recruited up to 1,800 Rohingya in Bangladesh refugee camps and transported them into Myanmar to fight for the State Administrative Council (SAC) against the Arakan Army.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Which of the following countries are part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)?

1. Malawi

2. Mozambique

3. Niger

4. Mali

5. Seychelles

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2, 4 and 5 only

(d) 1, 2 and 5 only

Explanation

— African leaders met in Zimbabwe for a scheduled meeting of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community to examine the continent’s escalating mpox outbreaks, but it is unlikely that it would address international worries about its host’s human rights record.

— The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a Regional Economic Community made up of 16 member countries: Angola, Botswana, the Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

— SADC’s mission is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socioeconomic development through efficient, productive systems, deeper cooperation and integration, good governance, and long-term peace and security, thereby positioning the region as a competitive and effective player in international relations and the global economy.

— Congo accounts for more than 90% of all mpox cases in the SADC area.

— Only a few cases have been reported in South Africa and other southern African countries, but the Democratic Alliance said Congo’s massive outbreak “shows just how fast the situation can change”.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.sadc.int)

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 72)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 72)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 72)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 72)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 71)

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