✅ Answer: A) About 20% of world’s oil passes through itThe Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most important oil transit chokepoint. About 20% of the world’s oil (and 30% of LNG) passes through it daily. It is located between Iran and Oman, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. Any disruption here would cause a global oil crisis. The Strait of Malacca is the busiest shipping lane. The Palk Strait separates India from Sri Lanka.

✅ Answer: A) Pakistan and AfghanistanThe Durand Line is the 2,640 km international boundary between Pakistan and Afghanistan. It was drawn in 1893 by Sir Mortimer Durand during British India. Afghanistan has never officially recognised this line. The Taliban also does not recognise it. The Radcliffe Line is the India-Pakistan/Bangladesh boundary (1947). The McMahon Line is the India-China boundary in Arunachal Pradesh (1914).

✅ Answer: B) Kathmandu, NepalThe headquarters of SAARC is located in Kathmandu, Nepal. SAARC was established in 1985 and has 8 member countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Afghanistan. SAARC aims to promote economic and social development in South Asia. India-Pakistan tensions have hampered SAARC’s effectiveness. The last SAARC summit was held in 2014 in Kathmandu.

✅ Answer: B) ChinaThe McMahon Line is the disputed boundary between India and China in the eastern sector (Arunachal Pradesh). It was drawn in 1914 by Sir Henry McMahon at the Simla Convention. China does not recognise this line and claims Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet.” The 1962 Sino-Indian War was fought partly over this boundary. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the de facto boundary between India and China.

✅ Answer: A) Pakistan (Peshawar) and Afghanistan (Kabul)The Khyber Pass connects Peshawar (Pakistan) to Kabul (Afghanistan) through the Hindu Kush mountains. It is the most famous mountain pass in the world and has been a major invasion route into the Indian subcontinent for centuries. Alexander the Great, Mahmud of Ghazni, Babur, and Nadir Shah all used this pass. It is about 53 km long and reaches an altitude of 1,070 metres.

✅ Answer: B) 1945The United Nations (UN) was established on October 24, 1945, after World War II. It replaced the League of Nations. The UN Charter was signed in San Francisco on June 26, 1945. The UN has 193 member states. Its headquarters is in New York, USA. The UN has 6 principal organs: General Assembly, Security Council, Secretariat, ICJ, ECOSOC, and Trusteeship Council. The current Secretary-General is António Guterres (Portugal).

✅ Answer: A) North Korea and South KoreaThe 38th Parallel (38°N latitude) divides North Korea and South Korea. It was established after World War II in 1945 when the Korean Peninsula was divided between Soviet (North) and US (South) zones. The Korean War (1950-53) ended with an armistice, and the DMZ (Demilitarised Zone) was established near the 38th Parallel. The 17th Parallel divided North and South Vietnam (reunified in 1975).

✅ Answer: A) New DelhiIndia hosted the G20 Summit in September 2023 in New Delhi (Bharat Mandapam). India held the G20 Presidency from December 2022 to November 2023. The theme was “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (One Earth, One Family, One Future). The African Union was admitted as a permanent G20 member during India’s presidency. G20 has 19 countries + EU, representing 85% of world GDP and 75% of global trade.

✅ Answer: C) China (Tibet)Nathu La pass in Sikkim connects India with China (Tibet). It was closed after the 1962 Sino-Indian War and reopened for trade in 2006. It is at an altitude of 4,310 metres. It is also a route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The Zoji La pass connects Kashmir Valley to Ladakh. The Shipki La pass in Himachal Pradesh is where the Sutlej river enters India from Tibet.

✅ Answer: A) Indian Ocean and South China Sea (Pacific)The Strait of Malacca connects the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean). It is located between Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. It is the busiest shipping lane in the world — about 80,000 ships pass through annually, carrying 25% of world trade. Singapore is located at its eastern end and is one of the world’s busiest ports. Piracy has been a concern in this strait historically.