Level 1
Political Geography MCQs set 2 for OTS Tourism & Culture Dept Geography — 20 solved questions.
Q1. Which two countries in the world are "doubly landlocked" (surrounded entirely by landlocked countries)?
Answer: Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan
Explanation: Liechtenstein is surrounded by Switzerland and Austria, and Uzbekistan is surrounded by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan - all landlocked - making both countries "doubly landlocked," the only two such nations in the world.
Q2. The Black Sea is bordered by Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and which other country?
Answer: Georgia
Explanation: Georgia, with its Black Sea coastline along its western border, is the sixth country bordering the Black Sea alongside Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Russia.
Q3. Which city serves as both the capital and the largest city of Germany?
Answer: Berlin
Explanation: Berlin, with a population of about 3.6 million, has been the capital and largest city of Germany since reunification in 1990, serving as the seat of the federal government and the Bundestag.
Q4. Madrid is the capital of Spain. Which Spanish city is the second largest and capital of Catalonia?
Answer: Barcelona
Explanation: Barcelona, the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia, is Spain's second-largest city after Madrid and serves as a major Mediterranean port and cultural centre.
Q5. A significant rare earth mineral deposit is discovered in a region experiencing active armed conflict. A mining corporation seeks to develop it. Which combination of political geography challenges is most directly applicable?
Answer: Resource curse dynamics, conflict financing risk, UN sanctions exposure, and lack of rule of law for contract enforcement
Explanation: Mining in active conflict zones triggers resource curse dynamics, risk of armed groups using revenues to finance conflict, potential UN sanctions, and absence of rule-of-law frameworks needed to enforce contracts or protect workers.
Q6. Which river famously bisects Hungary's capital Budapest on its voyage to the Black Sea?
Answer: Danube River
Explanation: The Danube River, Europe's second longest, flows through or along the borders of ten countries and divides Budapest into the historic hilly Buda on the west bank and the flat commercial Pest on the east bank.
Q7. What is the currency of the United Kingdom?
Answer: Pound Sterling
Explanation: The United Kingdom uses Pound Sterling (£, GBP) as its official currency; the UK chose not to adopt the euro when it was introduced and maintained the pound after leaving the European Union.
Q8. What is the currency of India?
Answer: Rupee
Explanation: The official currency of India is the Indian Rupee (INR), issued by the Reserve Bank of India. The Taka is the currency of Bangladesh, the Rupiah belongs to Indonesia, and the Dinar is used in several Arab countries.
Q9. Which country uses the Euro as its official currency?
Answer: Germany
Explanation: Germany is a member of the Eurozone and uses the Euro (€) as its official currency, having adopted it in 2002 when physical euro notes and coins replaced the Deutsche Mark.
Q10. What is the capital of New Zealand?
Answer: Wellington
Explanation: Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand, located at the southern tip of the North Island. Although Auckland is the largest city and most populous urban area, Wellington has served as the nation's capital since 1865.
Q11. What is the currency of Japan?
Answer: Yen
Explanation: Japan's official currency is the yen (¥, JPY), one of the world's most traded currencies and a traditional safe-haven asset in global financial markets.
Q12. What is the currency of the United Arab Emirates?
Answer: Dirham
Explanation: The official currency of the United Arab Emirates is the UAE Dirham (AED), pegged to the US dollar since 1997. The Riyal is used in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, while the Dinar is the currency of countries such as Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
Q13. What is the currency of Kuwait?
Answer: Dinar
Explanation: Kuwait's official currency is the Kuwaiti dinar (KWD), which is consistently ranked as the world's highest-valued currency unit against the US dollar, reflecting Kuwait's substantial oil wealth and small population.
Q14. Which of the following is a landlocked country in Central Asia?
Answer: Uzbekistan
Explanation: Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia, surrounded entirely by other landlocked countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan).
Q15. What is the currency of Saudi Arabia?
Answer: Riyal
Explanation: The official currency of Saudi Arabia is the Saudi Riyal (SAR), which has been pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate of 3.75 riyals per dollar since 1986.
Q16. What is the currency of Nepal?
Answer: Rupee
Explanation: The currency of Nepal is the Nepalese Rupee (NPR), which is pegged to the Indian Rupee at a fixed rate of 1.6 NPR per INR. The Taka is Bangladesh's currency, the Rupiah is Indonesia's, and the Ngultrum is Bhutan's - though Bhutan also accepts Indian Rupees as legal tender.
Q17. What is the capital of Turkey (Turkiye)?
Answer: Ankara
Explanation: Ankara, located in the central Anatolian plateau, has been Turkey's capital since 1923 when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk moved the seat of government there from Istanbul as part of his modernizing reforms and to establish a capital more central and defensible than the former Ottoman imperial city on the.
Q18. What is the currency of Bangladesh?
Answer: Taka
Explanation: The Taka (BDT) is the official currency of Bangladesh, introduced after independence in 1972 and subdivided into 100 poisha. The Rupee is used in several South Asian countries including India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, while the Rupiah is Indonesia's currency and the Kyat is Myanmar's.
Q19. What is the currency of Qatar?
Answer: Riyal
Explanation: Qatar's official currency is the Qatari Riyal, pegged to the US dollar since 2001. The Dinar is used in countries like Kuwait and Jordan, while the Dirham is the currency of the UAE and Morocco.
Q20. Which SAARC member country has Thimphu as its capital?
Answer: Bhutan
Explanation: Thimphu is the capital and largest city of Bhutan, a small Himalayan kingdom and SAARC member state sandwiched between India and China. Nepal's capital is Kathmandu, the Maldives' capital is Malé, and Sri Lanka's legislative capital is Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (with Colombo as the commercial capital).