Contemporary Events: World: UPSC Previous Year Questions (General Knowledge)
99 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on contemporary world events appear here, from 1996 to 2010. They concern summits and conferences, treaties and military exercises, countries in the news and awards. Each explanation describes the event as it was reported at the time, so treat the facts as dated.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 71–80 of 99 questions
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UPSC 2002General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: World
Q71. The main reason for unrest and violence in Zimbabwe in recent years is due to:
Explanation
The primary reason for unrest and violence in Zimbabwe in recent years, especially in the late 1990s and early 2000s, was the land reform program initiated by Robert Mugabe’s government. This involved the forced seizure of white-owned commercial farms, which caused significant political and economic instability. The land reforms were aimed at redistributing land to black Zimbabweans, but they were carried out with violence, poor planning, and corruption. This led to widespread violence, economic collapse, and international sanctions, exacerbating tensions in the country.
UPSC 2001General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: World
Q72. The theme of the World Development Report 2001 is:
Explanation
The World Development Report 2001 focused on "Attacking Poverty". It emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to poverty reduction, stressing the importance of economic growth, human development, and access to essential services such as education and healthcare. The report also highlighted how institutions, policies, and social inclusiveness are key factors in addressing poverty globally.
UPSC 2001General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: World
Q73. A great landslide caused by an earthquake killed hundreds of people in January 2001 near:
Explanation
In January 2001, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck El Salvador, causing a massive landslide in the town of Las Colinas, near San Salvador. The landslide buried hundreds of homes and killed more than 800 people.
UPSC 2001General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: World
Q74. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List-I (Country)
List-II (President)
A. Columbia
1. Vicente Fox
B. Philippines
2. Hugo Chavez
C. Mexico
3. Gloria Macapagal Arroya
D. Venezuela
4. Andres Pastrana
Explanation
A-4: Andres Pastrana was the President of Colombia (1998-2002), known for his efforts to negotiate peace with guerrilla groups. B-3: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo became the President of the Philippines in 2001, succeeding Joseph Estrada. C-1: Vicente Fox was elected President of Mexico in 2000, representing the National Action Party (PAN). D-2: Hugo Chavez was the President of Venezuela (1999-2013) and was known for his socialist policies and opposition to U.S. influence.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: World
Q75. The best performance in terms of Human Development among Asian countries is by:
Explanation
Among the given options, South Korea had the best performance in terms of Human Development Index (HDI) in the year 2000. South Korea consistently ranked higher than China, Malaysia, and the Philippines due to its strong education system, healthcare, high life expectancy, and economic development.
Additional insight:
HDI is a composite index developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure and compare human development across countries. It assesses three key dimensions:
Health - Measured by life expectancy at birth.
Education - Measured by mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling. Standard of Living - Measured by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita (PPP in USD). The HDI ranges from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating better human development. While HDI provides a broad measure of well-being, it does not account for inequality, gender disparity, or environmental sustainability. The 2023-24 Human Development Report (HDR), titled "Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarised World," ranks India 134th on the Human Development Index (HDI), while Switzerland tops the list.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: World
Q76. Which one of the following countries occupies the first place in the "Global Competitive Report" of World Economic Forum?
Explanation
In the Global Competitiveness Report 2000 published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the United States ranked first in terms of global competitiveness. The United States secured the top position due to its strong technological advancement, business dynamism, and innovation-driven economy.
UPSC 2000General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: World
Q77. Resurgent Indian Bonds were issued in US dollar, Pound Sterling and:
Explanation
Resurgent India Bonds (RIBs) were issued in US Dollar (USD), Pound Sterling (GBP), and Deutsche Mark (DEM) in 1998.
UPSC 1999General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: World
Q78. The economic crisis in the later half of 1990s most seriously affected Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and South Korea. The cause of the crisis was:
Explanation
The Asian Financial Crisis of 1997-1998 profoundly impacted countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and South Korea. The primary catalyst for this crisis was the mismanagement of financial resources and weaknesses within the financial sector. This mismanagement led to excessive borrowing, over-leveraging, and speculative investments, creating vulnerabilities within these economies. While factors like currency overvaluation and global economic conditions played contributory roles, the fundamental cause was the structural weaknesses in financial management and governance within these nations.
UPSC 1999General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: World
Q79. Which one of the countries labelled as 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the given may was granted membership of G-15 in its VII Summit at Kuala Lumpur?
Explanation
At its 7th Summit in Kuala Lumpur in 1997, Kenya was granted membership, becoming the 16th member of the group.
Additional insight:
The Group of 15 (G-15) was originally established at the 9th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Belgrade in 1989 as a forum for cooperation among developing countries. The organization focuses on economic and development-related issues and aims to promote South-South cooperation.
UPSC 1998General Knowledge · Contemporary Events: World
Q80. The meeting of G-15 countries held in Malaysia in 1997 was attended by:
Explanation
The Group of 15 (G-15) held its Seventh Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from October 28 to November 5, 1997. During this summit, Kenya was admitted as the 16th member of the group. Therefore, the summit was attended by 16 member countries.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
71
2002
(b) prolonged crisis over land reforms
72
2001
(c) attacking poverty
73
2001
(a) San Salvador
74
2001
(c) A-4; B-3; C-1; D-2
75
2000
(c) Korea
76
2000
(a) USA
77
2000
(b) Deutsche Mark
78
1999
(a) mismanagement of the financial resources and financial sector, in general
79
1999
(d) 4
80
1998
(c) 16 member countries
What UPSC has tested in Contemporary Events: World
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10) was held at Johannesburg.
The United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference of 1944 is known as the Bretton Woods Conference.
Hand-in-Hand 2007 was a joint anti-terrorism military training between India and China.
Nicaragua was planning a canal to rival the Panama Canal.
Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth near the end of 2006.
Bangkok has been the venue of the Asian Games the maximum number of times.
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Contemporary Events: World?
This page covers 99 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Contemporary Events: World (General Knowledge), asked from 1996 to 2010. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
What was the Bretton Woods Conference?
The 1944 United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, which created the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. It set up the post-war system of fixed exchange rates.
Which exercise was Hand-in-Hand 2007?
A joint anti-terrorism military training between India and China, held in 2007 in China. It was the first such exercise between the two armies and marked a step in their defence cooperation.
Where was the Rio+10 summit held?
At Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002, ten years after the Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro. It reviewed progress on sustainable development and is formally called the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
