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GENERAL KNOWLEDGE-04
“Know the Matter of Facts about the World”
 What You will Learn from this GK Lecture Sheet:
• First in the world
• First in the world- Women
• First in the world- Women Prime Ministers and Presidents
• List of countries and father of nation
• Nickname of famous persons
• Important days of the year
• Important years in the history
• Important Revolutions of the World
• Important Wars of History
• World’s famous political parties
• News agencies of some countries
• List of world’s famous newspapers
• Important Intelligence agencies
• Signs and symbols
• International Organizations
• UN
• ASEAN
• EU
• SAARC
• Other important organizations
• List of International organizations in Geneva
• International Treaties and Agreements
• Central Banks of some important countries
• Major Stock Exchange
• Major Financial Crises
• List of Highest Military Honors by countries
• List of Highest Civilian Honors by countries
• List of Religions, Holy Books and Worship-place
• Famous Monuments
• Prizes
• Nobel Prize
• The Man Booker Prize
• Roman Magsaysay Prize
• Academy Award
• List of Oscars 2017
• Major Sports Events
• Olympic
• Solar System: Some Important Facts
• Famous Quotes
• Books & Authors

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 FIRST IN THE WORLD

Event Person
The first Person in Space Yuri Gagarin
The first Person to set foot on the Moon Nell Armstrong (U.S.A)
The first Person to reach North Pole Robert Peary
The first Person to reach South Pole Ronald Amundsen
The first men to climb Mt. Everest Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary
(29th May ,1953)
First person to sail around the world Ferdinand Magellan
First person to swim across the English Channel Matthew Webb (1875)
First men to fly an aero-plane Wright Brothers
First man to win Nobel Prize for Peace Jin F. Dunant (Switzerland) and Frederic Peiry
(France)
The first European to visit China Marco Polo
The first Chinese Traveller to India Fahein
The first secretary general of United Nations Trigve Li (Norway)
The first President of U.S.A. George Washington
The first Prime Minister of Britain Robert Walpole
The first Prime Minister of India Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru.
The First woman President of a country Maria Estela Peron (Argentina)
The first country to make a constitution U.S.A.
The first country to print books China
The first country to issue paper currency China
First country to win the world cup Football Uruguay (1930)
First country to launch satellite into space Russia (former USSR)
First city to be attacked with Atom bomb Hiroshima (Japan)
First talkie movie in the world The Jazz Singer (1927)
First Atom Bomb dropped Little Boy
First human heart transplant recipient Louis Washkansky
First antibiotic drug Penicillin

First in the World - Women

First woman in space Valentina Tereshkova USSR

First woman to cross the Atlantic in a solo flight Amelia Earhart USA
First woman to scale Mt Everest Junko Tabei Japan
First woman to win an Olympic gold Charlotte Cooper England
First woman Prime Minister in the world Sirimavo Bandaranaike Sri Lanka
First American woman in space Sally Ride USA

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 First Woman Prime Ministers/Presidents in the World

Name Country Post

Srimavo Bandaranaike Sri Lanka Prime Minister
Golda Meir Israel Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi India Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher United Kingdom Prime Minister
Benazir Bhutto Pakistan Prime Minister
Khaleda Zia Bangladesh Prime Minister
Edith Cresson France Prime Minister
Kim Campbell Canada Prime Minister
Julia Gillard Australia Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra Thailand Prime Minister
Angela Merkel Germany Chancellor
Corazon Aquino Philippines President
Chandrika Kumaratunga Sri Lanka President
Megawati Sukarnoputri Indonesia President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Liberia President
Pratibha Patil India President
Dilma Rousseff Brazil President
Park Geun-hye South Korea President
AmeenahGurib-Fakim Mauritius President
Bidhya Devi Bhandari Nepal President

List of Countries and Father of Nation:

Country Founder/Father
Afghanistan Ahmad Shah Durrani
Argentina Don Jose de San Martín
Australia Sir Henry Parkes
Bahamas Sir Lynden Pindling
Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Bolivia Simón Bolívar
Brazil Dom Pedro I andJose Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva
Burma (Myanmar) Aung San
Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk
Chile Bernardo O'Higgins
Republic of China Sun Yat-sen
Colombia Simón Bolívar
Sweden Gustav I of Sweden
Croatia Ante Starcevic
Cuba Carlos Manuel de Cespedes
Dominican Republic Juan Pablo Duarte
Ecuador Simon Bolivar
Ghana Kwame Nkrumah
Guyana CheddiJagan

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Haiti Jean-Jacques Dessalines
India Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi
Indonesia Sukarno
Iran Cyrus the Great
Israel Theodor Herzl
Italy Victor Emmanuel II
Kenya Jomo Kenyatta
Kosovo Ibrahim Rugova
Lithuania Jonas Basanavicius
Macedonia KrsteMisirkov
Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman
Mauritius Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam
Mexico Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
Mongolia Genghis Khan
Namibia Sam Nujoma
Netherlands William the Silent
Norway Einar Gerhardsen
Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah
Panama Simón Bolivar
Peru Don Jose de San Martin
Portugal Dom Afonso Henriques

Republic of Korea Kim Gu

Russia Peter I of Russia
Saudi Arabia Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia
Scotland Donald Dewar
Serbia DobricaCosic
Singapore Lee Kuan Yew
Slovenia PrimozTrubar
South Africa Nelson Mandela
Spain Fernando el Catolico
Sri Lanka Don Stephen Senanayake
Suriname Johan Ferrier
Tanzania Julius Nyerere
Turkey Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
United Arab Emirates Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
United States of America George Washington
Uruguay Jose Gervasio Artigas
Venezuela Simon Bolívar
Vietnam Ho Chi Minh

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 Nicknames of famous persons
Sobriquets/Nicknames Name of the Person
Frontier Gandhi Abdul Ghaffar Khan Badshah Khan
Fuehrer Adolf Hitler
Tota-e-Hind Amir Khushro
II Duce Benito Mussolini
Sahid-e-Azam Bhagat Singh
Deenabandhu C. F. Andrews
Deshbandhu C. R. Das
Iron Duke Duke of Wellington
Ike Dwight David Eisenhower
King Maker Earl of Warwick
Lady with the Lamp Florence Nightingale
El Caudillo Francisco France
Desert Fox Gen Ervin Rommel
Father of English Poetry Geoffery Chaucer
G.B.S George Bernard Shaw
Uncle Ho Ho Chi Minh
Maid of Orleans Joan of Arc
Shakespeare of India MahakaviKalidas
Quaid-i-Azam Md. Ali Jinnah
Mother Mother Teresa
Little Corporal Napoleon Bonaparte
Man of Destiny Napoleon Bonaparte
Man of Blood and Iron Otto Van Bismark
Li-Kwan Pearl Buck
Maiden Queen Queen Elizabeth I
Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore
Vishwa Kavi Rabindranath Tagore
Kaviguru Rabindranath Tagore
Nightingale of India Sarojini Naidu
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibut Rahman
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
Bard of Avon William Shakespeare
Grand Old man of Britain Willium E. Gladstone

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 Important Days of the Year

Date Day Remarks

Mar 8 International Women's Day -
Apr 7 World Health Day WHO was formed on this day in 1948, but the first
World Health Day was observed in 1950.
May 1 International Worker's Day -
May 8 International Red Cross Day JH Dunant, the man behind Red Cross was born on
this day in 1828.
Jun 5 World Environment Day -
Jul 11 World Population Day Inspired by 5 billion Day in 1987
Aug 6 Hiroshima Day Bombing of Hiroshima on 6 Aug, 1945
Aug 19 World Humanitarian Day Commemorates the day when 22 aid workers were
killed in a bombing at the UN headquarters in
Baghdad in 2003
Sep 8 International Literacy Day -
Sep 27 World Tourism Day Statutes of United Nations World Tourism
Organisation adopted on this day in 1980.
Oct 2 International Non-violence Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi (1869)
Day
Oct 16 World Food Day Food and Agricultural Organisation was founded on
this day in 1945.
Oct 24 United Nations Day Charter of the United Nations came into force on this
day in 1945.
Dec 1 World AIDS Day -
Dec 10 Human Rights' Day Universal Declaration of Human Rights was
proclaimed and adopted on this day in 1948.
Dec 18 Minorities Rights Day United Nations adopted and promulgated the
Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to
National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities
on this day in 1992.

Important Years in World History

Event Year
Birth of Jesus Christ 4 B.C.
Death of Jesus Christ 29 A.D.
Birth of Prophet Mohammed 570
Emigration of Mohammed to Madina, Beginning of Hijri era 622
Death of Prophet Mohammed 632
Magna Carta, first document limiting the powers of King of England was 1215
signed
Black Death, most devastating pandemic in Europe killed over 100 million people 1348-50
100 years war between England and France 1337-1453
Christopher Columbus discovers the New World 1492
Vasco da Gama discovers the sea route from Europe to India 1497-98

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Defeat of Spanish Armada also known as Invincible Fleet by England 1588
Great Plague of London which killed about 1 million people in the city 1665-66
Great fire of London which destroyed about 70000 homes in the city 1666 (2 - 5 Sep)
7 years war involving the great powers of the time 1757-1763
Declaration of independence of United States of America 1776
Beginning of the French Revolution 1789
Battle of Waterloo in which Napolean was defeated 1815
The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published 1848
On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin published 1859
Slavery is abolished by the 13th Amendment in the United States of America 1865
First modern Olympic Games held at Athens 1896
Robert Peary reached the North Pole 1909
Roald Amundsen reached the South Pole 1911
Republic of China is established, Titanic sinks 1912
1st World War 1914-1918
Russian Revolution ending the Tsarist autocracy 1917
USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) came into existence 1922
Beginning of the Great Depression 1929
2nd World War 1939-1945
Dropping of Atom Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki 1945
Launch of Sputnik 1, marking the beginning of space age 1957
Landing of Apollo 11 with Neil Armstrong on the surface of moon 1969
Chernobyl disaster 1986
World Wide Web invented 1990
Dissolution of USSR 1991
End of apartheid in South Africa 1994
9/11 attack on World Trade Center 2001
Tsunami in Indian Ocean 2004
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster 2011

Important Revolution of the World

Name and Explanation
The Renaissance:
During the rule of the Roman Empire, manuscripts containing the wisdom of the ancient Greeks
were all heaped in Constantinople. The scholars of Europe studied them there. But in the year
1453, the Turks occupied Constantinople. All the scholars fled away and settled in the cities of Italy
with ancient manuscripts. With the help of the printing press these books were reprinted to bring
back to life the Greeks discoveries in Astronomy, Geography and other Sciences, which were
largely forgotten by the Western Europe. A Greek copy of the New Testament was found. That
book revolutionised the religious reforms of Europe. The Renaissance has been aptly called the
Revival of Learning that swept all over Europe
The Great Charter 1215 (The Magna Carta):
King John II, of England, was the worst of the English Kings. The barons and the clergy were
annoyed with him. They forced the King to sign the charter in 1215. It was the foundation stone of
the rights and liberties of the English people.

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The Glorious Revolution or Revolution of 1688
This revolution brought permanent changes in England. This ended in 1688 the despotic rule of
the Stuart Kings. This was a bloodless revolution and so it is called Glorious Revolution.
This revolution ended the reign of James II in England and established the reign of William III and
Mary II. It also ensured the Parliamentary supremacy over the (British) monarchy.
The Industrial Revolution (1760-1820) :
The invention of power- driven machines such as Flying Shuttle, Spinning Jenny, Water Frame,
Power Loom, Cotton Jin and Steam Engine etc. was a land mark in the economic prosperity of
the world. This revolution helped Britain and France to build up political supremacy in the world
affairs.
The American Revolution (1765 to 1783)
It was American Independence War against the British Rule. The American Revolution was a
political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century, in which thirteen colonies in North
America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United
States of America. They first rejected the authority of the Parliament of Great Britain to govern
them from overseas without representation, and then expelled all royal officials.
The French Revolution (1790s)
It was the modern revolution in France that had taken place (roughly) between 1789 and 1799..
The autocratic monarch, nobles, clergy and privileged classes brought the socio-economic order
to a point of collapse. The medieval feudal society oppressing the serf-peasants led the country to
financial bankruptcy. It was the period of Voltaire and Montesque.
This class of intellectuals, was inspired to change the face of the social life of France. They gave
a call for 'Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.' The King and Queen were executed. The product of the
French Revolution was Napolean Bonaparte who emerged as a great warrior bringing glory to
France, and breaking down feudalism in Europe.
Important Characters: Third Estate, King Louis XVI, Robespierre Napoleon Bonaparte,
Rossue, Voltaire and Montesque.
Important Place: the Bastille Fort
Important Innovation:guillotine
The Russian Revolution (1917) (Also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution)
It was revolution that dismantled the Tsarist autocracy and founded the Soviet Union (in 1917).
this was a political revolution and part of the Russian Revolution of 1917. It took place with an
armed insurrection in Petrograd on 25th October, 1917 (Julian calendar), which corresponds with
7th November, 1917 (Gregorian calendar). It was the second phase of the Russian Revolution,
after the February Revolution of the same year. The October Revolution in Petrograd overthrew
the Russian Provisional Government and gave the power to the local soviets, dominated by
Bolsheviks. The revolution was not universally recognized outside of Petrograd, and further
struggles followed. This resulted in the Russian Civil War (1917–1922) and the creation of the
Soviet Union in 1922.
The revolution was led by the Bolsheviks, who used their influence in the Petrograd Soviet to
organize the armed forces. Bolshevik Red Guard forces under the Military Revolutionary
Committee began to take over government buildings on 24th October, 1917 (Julian calendar)).
The following day, the Winter Palace (the seat of the Provisional government located in Petrograd,
then capital of Russia), was captured.
Important Characters: Lenin, Karl Marx

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Human Rights Charter:
In 1948, the General Assembly of United Nations accepted the Declaration of Human Rights
which recognizes the inherent dignity, equality and inalienable rights of all members of human
family.
The Cuban Revolution (1953-59)
It was an armed revolt under the leadership of Fidel Castro against the Cuban President Fulgencio
Batista (basically, the US backed authoritarian government).
On March 10th, 1952, General Fulgencio Batista overthrew the president of Cuba, Carlos
PrìoSocarrás, and canceled all elections. This angered a young lawyer, Fidel Castro, and for the
next seven years he led attempts to overthrow Batista’s government. On July 26th, 1953, Castro
led an attack against the military barracks in Santiago, but he was defeated and arrested.
Although Castro was sentenced to 15 years in prison, Batista released him in 1955 in a show of
supreme power. Castro did not back down and gathered a new group of rebels in Mexico. On
December 2nd, 1956, he was again defeated by Batista’s army and fled to the Sierra Maestra.
He began using guerrilla tactics to fight Batista’s armed forces, and, with the aid of other rebellions
throughout Cuba, he forced Batista to resign and flee the country on January 1st, 1959. Castro
became the Prime Minister of Cuba in February
Important Characters: Batista, Fidel Castro, Che Guevara.

The Hungarian Revolution (of 1956)

It was basically Hungarian Uprising (nationwide) against the government of the Hungarian
People's Republic and the Soviet-imposed policies.
China's Cultural Revolution (1966)
The revolution enforced the communism in the country by removing the capitalist, traditional, and
cultural elements.
The Chinese revolution was a series of great political upheavals in China between 1911 and 1949,
which eventually led to Communist Party rule and the establishment of the People’s Republic of
China. In 1912, a nationalist revolt overthrew the imperial Manchu dynasty. Under the leaders
Sun Yat-sen and Chiang Kai-shek, the Nationalists, or Kuomintang, were increasingly challenged
by the growing communist movement. The 10,000-km Long March to the northwest, undertaken
by the communists from 1934 to 1935, to escape Kuomintang harassment, resulted in the
emergence of Mao Zedong as a communist leader. During World War II the various Chinese
political groups pooled military resources against the Japanese invaders, but, in 1946, the conflict
reignited into open civil war. Mao’s troops formed the basis of the Red Army that renewed the civil
war against the nationalists and emerged victorious after defeating them at Huai-Hai and Nanjing
in 1949. In 1949, the Kuomintang were defeated at Nanjing and forced to flee to Taiwan.
Communist rule was established in the People’s Republic of China under the leadership of Mao
Zedong
Important Characters: Mao Zedong
Iranian Revolution of 1978–79, (also known as Islamic Revolution)
The revolution removed the monarchy system and founded the Islamic republic.
The Islamic Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran’s monarchy (Pahlavi
dynasty) under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and its replacement with an Islamic republic under
Ayatollah Khomeini, the leader of the revolution. The first major demonstrations against the Shah
began in January, 1978. Between August and December of 1978, strikes and demonstrations
paralyzed the country. The Shah left Iran for exile in mid-January of 1979, and the resulting power
vacuum was filled two weeks later when Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran to a greeting by

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 several million Iranians. The royal regime collapsed shortly after that, on February 11, when
guerrillas and rebel troops took to armed street fighting and overwhelmed any troops still loyal to
the Shah.
Iran voted, by national referendum, to become an Islamic Republic on April 1st, 1979, and later
approved a new theocratic constitution whereby Khomeini became Supreme Leader of the country
in December, 1979.
The revolution was unusual and it created a lot of surprise throughout the world: it lacked many of
the customary causes of revolution (defeat at war, a financial crisis, peasant rebellion, or
disgruntled military); produced profound change at great speed; was massively popular; overthrew
a regime heavily protected by a lavishly financed army and security service; and replaced a
modernizing monarchy with a theocracy based on the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists. Its
outcome—an Islamic Republic “under the guidance of an 80-year-old exiled religious scholar from
Qom”—was, as one scholar put it, “clearly an occurrence that had to be explained.”
Important Character: Ayatollah Khomeini

Important Wars:
English Civil War: The English Civil War was fought from 1642 through 1651. It was a conflict of
power grabbing between King Charles I and Parliament.
This struggle would shape the future of the country. It led to an early form of the balance between
parliamentary government and the monarchy that remains in place today.
Yet, this was not a single civil war. In total, three separate wars were declared during the nine-year
period. Charles II ultimately returned to the thrown with parliament's consent, of course
The Battle of Waterloo: 1815
The final battle of Napoleon Bonaparte, which ended his rule as the Emperor of France, occurred on
June 18, 1815 in Brussels, Waterloo (today’s Belgium) against the Seventh Coalition. This also marks
the end of his “Hundred Days” return from exile. After the battle, Napoleon was exiled once again this
time to St. Helena until his death in 1821. “Waterloo” also became an idiom, which means “crushing
defeat.”
Opium Wars
the Opium Wars were two wars in the mid-19th century involving Anglo-Chinese disputes over British
trade in China and China's sovereignty. The disputes included the First Opium War (1839–1842) and
the Second Opium War (1856–1860). The wars and events between them weakened the Qing
dynasty and forced China to trade with the rest of the world
American Civil War
the turning point of the American Civil War happened on July 1, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania,
which incurred the highest number of casualties. During the four-year war, America was divided
between the Northern Union states and Southern Confederate states over the abolition of slavery. The
Union army led by General George Gordon Meade had defeated the southern forces of General
Robert E. Lee, who was a military legend in the south. The three-day battle, which had a death toll of
50,000 Americans, was the inspiration for the famous speech of then President Abraham Lincoln, The
Gettysburg Address.

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World War I:
While the previous century had a good deal of conflict, no one could predict what the 20th century had
in store. This became an era of global conflict and it started in 1914 with the outbreak of World War I.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria led to this war that lasted through 1918. In
the beginning, it was two alliances of three countries each pitted against one another. The Triple
Entente included Britain, France, and Russia while the Central Powers included Germany, the Austro-
Hungarian Empire, and the Ottoman Empire.
By war's end, more countries, including the U.S., became involved. The fighting spanned and
devastated most of Europe, and over 15 million people were killed.
Yet, this was only the beginning. World War I set the stage for further tensions and one of the most
devastating wars in history.
World War II:
As in the previous war, countries took sides and were divided into two groups. The Axis powers
included Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Japan. On the other side were the Allies, made up of Great
Britain, France, Russia, China, and the United States.
This war started due to numerous factors. A weakened global economy and the Great Depression and
Hitler and Mussolini's rise to power were chief among them. The catalyst was Germany's invasion of
Poland.
World War II was truly a global war, touching every continent and country in some way. Most of the fighting
occurred in Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia, with all of Europe taking the most devastating hits.
Tragedies and atrocities were documented all over. Notably, the Holocaust alone resulted in over 11
million people killed, 6 million of which were Jewish. Somewhere between 22 and 26 million men died
in battle during the war. In the final act of the war, between 70,000 and 80,000 Japanese were killed
when the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Korean War:
From 1950 through 1953, the Korean peninsula was gripped in the Korean War. It involved the United
States and South Korea backed by the United Nations against Communist North Korea.
The Korean War is seen by many as one of the numerous conflicts of the Cold War. It was during this
time that the U.S. was attempting to halt the spread of Communism and the division in Korea was a
hot bed after the Russia-U.S. split of the country following World War II.
Vietnam War
The French had fought in the Southeast Asia country of Vietnam during the 1950s. This left the country
split in two with a communist government taking over the north. The stage is very similar to that of
Korea just a decade earlier.
When leader Ho Chi Minh invaded the democratic South Vietnam in 1959, the U.S. sent aid to train
the southern army. It was not long before the mission changed.
By 1964, the U.S. forces were under attack by the North Vietnamese. This caused what is known as
the "Americanization" of the war. President Lyndon Johnson sent the first troops in 1965 and it
escalated from there.
The war ended with U.S. withdrawal in 1974 and the signing of a peace accord. By April 1975, the
lone South Vietnamese army could not stop the "Fall of Saigon" and the North Vietnamese prevailed

The first Indo-Pakistani war of 1947

At the time of independence, there were around 560 independent states and kingdoms. These states
were given the option of choosing between being part of India or Pakistan.
Kashmir's population were 70 per cent Muslim, with the remaining 30 per cent made up of Hindus,
Sikhs and Buddhists. However, its ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, was a Hindu and he decided to remain

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independent from both India and Pakistan. India recognised Kashmir as an independent nation, but
Pakistan refused.
On October 22, 1947, Pakistan sent armed tribesmen and army troops across the border into Kashmir,
in the hope that this would bolster the morale of the Muslim masses and cause a revolt against their
Hindu king.
The Maharaja fled to India and sought help from the Indian Army. A few days later he decided to
integrate Kashmir into India and this was accepted by the Governor General of India, Lord
Mountbatten.
On October 27, Indian forces landed in Kashmir and pushed the tribesmen back towards the border.
Fearing that the war might spill into Pakistan, Pakistani Army reinforcements moved in and occupied
Kashmiri territory.
India declared a unilateral ceasefire under article 35 of the UN charter and filed a complaint with the
UN over Pakistani aggression. The UN established the United Nations Commission for India and
Pakistan (UNCIP) in January 1948.
The Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru advocated a referendum for Kashmir so that the people
could decide "the question of accession of the state of Jammu and Kashmir... through the democratic
method of free and impartial plebiscite".
UN intervention brings the war to a close on January 1, 1949, by which time, nearly 1,500 soldiers
have died on each side.
The referendum could not be held because Pakistan refused to withdraw its troops from the areas it
had annexed during the war ( nearly 30 per cent of Kashmiri territory).
India held elections in the state in 1950 and created a constituent assembly, which ratified the
integration of Kashmir into India. The country also granted special concessions to the Kashmiris,
granting them limited sovereignty.

The Indo-Chinese war of 1962

China attacked Indian border posts at a time when India did not have adequate troops on its border.
The Chinese were equipped with machine guns, while the Indians defended with .303 rifles.
In Ladakh, near the Aksai Chin Plateau, and in the eastern state of Assam, the Indians were
overpowered and forced to withdraw. But in other border regions, particularly near the key Kashmiri
town of Leh, the Chinese were met by fierce Indian resistance.
The Chinese offered to enter into negotiations on October 24, but this was rejected by the Indian
government.
During the lull in the fighting, the Indian Army attempted to regroup and strengthen their positions in
the North-East Frontier Agency (now called Arunachal Pradesh) and Ladakh. The Indian Army also
decided to prepare against possible Chinese attacks in Sikkim and Bhutan and reinforcements moved
into West Bengal and Assam.
The reinforcements and redeployments proved partially successful as the Indian Army was able to
repel Chinese attacks in some areas.
On November 21, the Chinese declared a unilateral ceasefire. Further advances in Assam would have
stretched their logistical capabilities and lines of communication. By the time the war was over, each
side had lost 500 troops and the Chinese took over nearly 43,000 square kilometres of Indian territory.
The Indo-Chinese war prompted the Indians to form mountain divisions which could operate at heights
of up to 6,000 metres and strengthened their border posts.
In the eighties, the India Army began to patrol the Chinese border actively and recaptured certain
ridges which it had vacated 25 years previously. The North-East Frontier Agency was incorporated
into India as a new state and was called Arunachal Pradesh. This move was strongly opposed by
China.

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The 1965 Indo-Pakistani War
Pakistan hoped to stir up a rebellion, but the troops did not find support among the Kashmiri masses.
By mid-August heavy fighting was taking place between the armies during which the Indians captured
key mountain positions inside Pakistan.
Pakistan launched a counter-attack in Punjab which caught the Indians by surprise and inflicted heavy
casualties. Both sides used air support and the war entered into a stalemate, prompting the UN
security council to unanimously pass a resolution for a ceasefire on September 20. India agreed to the
resolution a day later, while Pakistan accepted it on September 22.
During the war, the Indians lost 3,000 men while the Pakistanis lost 3,800.
India and Pakistan signed the Tashkent Declaration in 1966, under which both the sides had to
withdraw to positions held before the war.

WORLD'S FAMOUS POLITICAL PARTIES

Australia Liberal Party, Labour Party
Bangladesh Bangladesh National Party, Awami League, Jatiya Party.
China Chinese Communist Party.
France Socialist Party, National Front, Union for French Democracy
India Indian National Congress, Bhartiya Janta Party
Israel Labour Party, Likud Party, Hadash Party.
Iraq Bath Party.
Nepal Nepali Congress, Nepali Communist Party
Pakistan Muslim League, Pakistan People's Party.
Russia Liberal Democratic Party, Communist Party.
South Africa African National Congress, National Party.
Sri Lanka Freedom Party, United National Party.
UK Labour Party, Conservative Party, Liberal Democratic Party.
USA Democratic Party, Republican Party.

NEWS AGENCIES OF SOME COUNTRIES

Country Agency
USA Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UP)
Reuters
Russia Telegraph Agency of the Sovereign States (TASS), Novosti
Malaysia Malaysian National News Agency (MNNA)
Italy Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associate (ANSA)
Israel Associated Israel Press (AIP)
France Agence France Presse (AFP)
India Press Trust of India (PTI), United News of India (UNI), Samachar Bharti
China Hin Hua
Japan Kyodo
Indonesia Antara
Iran Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA)
Germany Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA)

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 Palestine WAFA
Australia Australian Associated Press
Pakistan Pakistan Press International (PPI), Associated
Press of Pakistan (APP)
Egypt Middle East News Agency (MENA)

List of World’s Famous News Papers-

NAME COUNTRY
Daily News U.S.A.
The Sun U.K.
Daily Mirror U.K.
Reference News China
People’s Daily China
Dawn Pakistan
Bild Germany
Asahi Shimbun Japan
Yomiuri Shimbun Japan
The Wall Street Journal U.S.A.
The New York Times U.S.A.
Zaman Turkey
Quest France
La Repubblica Italy
Al-Ahram Egypt
Daily Mail U.K.
The Guardian U.K.
Washington Post U.S.A.
The Times Of India India
El Mundo Spain

Important Intelligence Agencies

Intelligence Agencies Country
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Pakistan

Central Intelligence Agencies (CIA) and

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) United States of America

Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti

(KGB)/ Glavnoje Razvedyvatel'noje
Upravlenije (GRU) Russia
MOSSAD Israel
Militärischer Nachrichtendienst Switzerland
Australian Security and Intelligence Organization Australia
Centro Intelligence Interforze (CII) Italy
Royal Intelligence Corps Malaysia
Mukhbarat Egypt
Central External Liaison Department China
Military Counterintelligence Service Germany

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 Sazamane EtelaatvaAmniate Kechvar (SAVAK) Iran
Etterretningstjenesten Norway
Naicho Japan
Bureau of State Security (BOSS) South Africa
Canadian Security Intelligence Service Canada
Al Mukbharat Iraq
Direction General de Securite Exterieur (DGSE) France
Secret Intelligence Service United Kingdom
General Intelligence Presidency Saudi Arabia
Security and Intelligence Division Singapore

Signs and Symbols

Signs and Symbols Meaning
Pen Symbol of Culture and Civilization
Red Cross Medical Aid and Hospital
Red Flag Revolution and also a sign of Danger
Black Flag Symbol of Protest
Yellow Flag Flown on Ships or Vehicles carrying patients
suffering from infectious diseases
Flag flown upside down Symbol of distress
Flag flown at half mast Symbol of National Mourning
White Flag Symbol of Truce
Red Triangle Sign of Family Planning
Pegion or Dove Symbol of Peace
Red Light Stop or Danger or Emergency
Wheel Symbol of Progress
Olive Branch Symbol of Peace
Union Jack National Flag of UK
Stars and Stripes National Flag of the USA
International Organisations
• United Nation
UN had its origin in August, 1944 at Dumbarton Oaks Conference where the representatives of USA,
UK, USSR and China met to form an association for the maintenance of international peace and
security. Finally, on June 26, 1945, the charter of the United Nations was signed in a conference called
at “San Fransisco”, which included the representatives of 51 states. The charter then came into force
on 24 Octobar, 1945; thus, 24 October has been celebrated as the UN day.

Headquarters, Flag, Languages: United Nation’s Headquarter is situated in Manhattan Island of New
York and the European office at Geneva.The Flag of the UNO was adopted in Octobar 1947. The flag
includes white UN emblem (two bent olive branches, open at the top and between them is the world
map) on a light blue background. the flag was adopted by the UNO in Octobar, 1947. Official Language
of UNO are French, Chinese, English, Russian, Arabic and Spanish. While the working languages are
only French and English.
Aims and Objectives of UNO: The main objectives of UNO are:
To maintain international peace and security.
To develop spirit of co-operation and friendly relations among the nations.
To promote respect for human rights, dignity and freedom.

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To solve international problems of social, economic, agricultural and humanitarian character.
To employ international machinery for the promotion of economic and social advancement of all
people.
Organs of the UN:
There are six main organs of UN:
1. General Assembly: It is the main body of UN and consists of the representatives of all the states.
Each state may send 5 representatives in the general assembly but has only 1 vote. It meets regularly
once a year; special and emergency sessions can also be sumoned at the request of security council.
Decision of an important matters are taken by the 2/3rd majority,
while in simple matters, only simple majority is enough. The assembly may discuss any matter within
the scope of charter except those already referred to the Security Council. The assembly generally
discusses ways of preserving peace, economic development and social progress, well-being of
people, peaceful use of atomic energy, human right etc. It elects its own President & Vice-President
every year.
Functional of General Assembly:
• The membership of new states is done by the general assembly on the recommendation of
Security Council.
• The Judges of the International Court of Justice are elected by general assembly.
• It elects the non-permanent members of security council, members of Economic and Social
Council, and certain members of Trusteeship Council.
• It passes entire budget of UNO.

Security Council: It is the executive body of UN which is responsible for maintaining international
peace in the world. Its session can be summoned at 24 hour notice and if functions almost
continuously. the council consists of 15 members–5 permanent (USA, UK; Russia, France and China)
and 10 non- ermanent members which are elected for a term of 2 years by the General Assembly. the
distribution of the numbers of non-permanent members are (1) Five members from Asian and African
countries (2) two from latin American countries (3) two from western Europes and other (which implies
commonwealth countries) (4) and one from east European countries. Each member of the Security
Council has one vote. The approval of all permanent members is necessary. If any permanent member
casts a “Veto” to show its disagreement, then no decision can be taken. The number of affirmative
votes needed for a decision are at least nine which includes the vote of 5 permanent members. In the
event of a threat to peace or occurrence of war between two or more countries, the security council
has the power to take appropriate measures to restore peace and security.
Economic and Social Council: The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is the welfare council
which coordinates the economic and social activities of the United Nations and its specialized agencies
and other organisations. This council meets at least thrice a year. It is composed of 54 members.
General Assembly elects one-third members of ECOSOC every year for a period of 3 years. ECOSOC
takes decision by a majority of those members present and voting. ECOSOC seeks to build a world
of greater prosperity, stability and justice.
The Trusteeship Council: The Prime responsibility of this council is to supervise the administration
of those territories which were placed under the International Trusteeship System. This council of UNO
is also known as ‘Protector of Dependent People’ who are not yet able to Govern themselves. It
consists of member of states administering trust territories and permanent members of the security
council nto administering territories. Under the charter, the member states have to accept certain

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obligations to promote their development and to protect their interest and security so long as the
trustee territories are not able to govern themselves.
At present, USA is the only administering trust territory. So, the Trusteeship Council consists of only
permanent members. This council meets at least once in a year.
Secretariat: All day to day functions of the UN are performed by the Secretariat. the Secretariat is
headed by the Secretary-General who is the chief Administrative Officer, and he is appointed by the
General Assembly upon the recommendation of Security Council for a five-year term, which is
renewable. It is his duty to implement all resolutions passed by the Security Council or the General
Assembly. He makes the annual report of General Assembly and also bring to the notice of security
council about any matter threatening the maintenance of international peace and Security.
Secretary General: António Guterres (Portugal) the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations,
took office on 1st January 2017.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) : HQ – Washington, D.C.
The IMF came into existence in December 1945, as one among the Bretton Wood twins when the
first 29 countries signed its Articles of Agreement. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an
international organisation that oversees the global financial system by observing exchange rates and
balance of payments. An unwritten rule establishes that the IMF’s managing director must be non-
Italian European and that the president of the World Bank must be from the United States. IMF
describes itself as “an organisation of 185 countries, Montenegro being the 185th as of January 18th,
2007.
World Bank Group: HQ–Washington, D.C.
The World Bank Group is a group of five international organisations responsible for providing finance
and advice to countries for the purposes of economic development and eliminating poverty. The Bank
came into formal existence on 27 December, 1945 following international ratification of the Bretton
Woods agreements, it approved its first loan to France for postwar reconstruction. The World Bank
Group consists of:
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), established in 1945, which
provides debt financing on the basis of sovereign guarantees;
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), established in 1956, which provides various forms of
financing without sovereign guarantees, primarily to the private sector;
The International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, which provides concessional
financing (interest-free loans or grants), usually with sovereign guarantees;
The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), established in 1988, which provides insurance
against certain types of risk, including political risk, primarily to the private sector; and
The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), established in 1966, which
works with governments to reduce investment risk.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO): HQ–Rome, Italy.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads
international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO was founded on 16 October 1945, in Quebec City, Canada.
In 1951 its hadquarters were moved from Washington, D.C., United States, to Rome, Italy. As of 17
November 2007, it had 191 members (plus one member organisation, the European Community and
one associate member, the Faroe Islands).
International LabourOrganisation (ILO): HQ-Geneva, Switzerland.
The International LabourOrganisation (ILO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals
with labour issues. Founded in 1919, it was formed through the negotiations of the Treaty of Versailles,

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and was initially an agency of the League of Nations. The ILO hosts the International Labour
Conference in Geneva every year in June. The organisation received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969.
Its secretariat is known as the International Labour Office. Its a tripartite intergovernmental body of
governments, employers and workers.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO): HQ-Paris, France.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) is a specialized agency
of the United Nations established in 1945. Its stated purpose is to contribute to peace and security by
promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture in order to further
universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and the human rights and fundamental freedoms
proclaimed in the UN Charter. As of October 2007, UNESCO had 193 member states and 6 associate
members.
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO): HQ–Montreal, Canada.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations set up in 1944,
codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and
development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. The ICAO defines the
protocols for air accident investigation, followed by transport safety authorities in countries signatory
to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, commonly known as the Chicago Convention.

World Health Organisation (WHO): HQ-Geneva, Switzerland.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a
coordianting authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, the agency inherited
the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health Organization, which had been an agency
of the League of Nations. WHO complies the widely followed International Classification of Diseases
(ICD).
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) : HQ-Vienna, Austria.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was established as an autonomous organisation on
July 29, 1957. It seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for military
purposes. United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower envisioned, in his “Atoms for Peace” speech
before the UN General Assembly in 1953, the creation of this international body to control and develop
the use of atomic energy.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) : HQ–Paris, France.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is an international organisation established to
standardise and regulate international radio and telecommunications. It was founded as the
International Telegraph Union in Paris in May 17, 1865, and is today the World’s oldest international
organisation. Its main tasks include standardization, allocation of the radio spectrum, and organising
interconnection arrangements between different countries to allow international phone calls.
International Maritime Organisation (IMO) : HQ–London, U.K
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime
Consultative Organization (IMCO), was established in 1948, through the United Nations to coordinate
international maritime safety and related practices. However the IMO did not enter into full force until
1958. The IMO promotes cooperation among government and the shipping industry to improve
maritime safety and to prevent marine pollution.
World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) :HQ–Geneva, Switzerland.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is the
UN system’s authoritative voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction
with the oceans, and the climate produces or the resulting distribution of water resources. It originated

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from the International Meteorological Organisation (IMO), which was founded in 1873. Established in
1950, WMO became the specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and
climate), operational hydrology and related geophysical sciences. The WMO helped create the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It is also directly responsible for the creation of
the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW).
Interpol (International Criminal Police Organisation) : HQ–Lyon, France
Established as International Criminal Police Commission in 1923 to assist international criminal police
co-operation. Its work focuses primarily on public safety, terrorism, organised crime etc. It is the world’s
third largest international organisation after UN and FIFA.
International Court of Justice (ICJ) : HQ-The Hague,
The Netherlands The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ) is
the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. Established in 1945 by the Charter of the United
Nations, the Court began work in 1946 as the successor to the Permanent Court of International
Justice. The ICJ is composed of 15 judges elected to nine year terms by the UN General Assembly
and the UN Security Council from a list of persons, nominated by the national groups in the Permanent
Court of Arbitration. All 192 UN members are automatically parties to the Court’s statute. Article 94
establishes the duty of all UN members to comply with decisions of the Court involving them. If parties
do not comply, the issue may be taken before the Security Council for enforcement action. It conducts
its business in English and French.
International Criminal Court (ICC) : HQ–The Hague,
The Netherlands. It is a court created under the Rome Statute of 2002 as an independent, permanent
court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide,
crimes against humanity and war crimes. The ICC is based on a treaty, joined by 104 countries. The
ICC s a court of last resort. It will not act if a case is investigated or prosecuted by a national judicial
system unless the national proceedings are not genuine. In addition, the ICC only tries those accused
of the gravest crimes.
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) : HQ–The Hague,
The Netherlands. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is an
international agency. Its mission is to promote membership of the Chemical Weapons Convention
treaty which entered into force in 1997 and mandated the elimination of “the scourge of chemical
weapons forever and to verify the destruction of the declared chemical weapons stockpiles within
stipulated deadlines”.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) : HQ–New York City, USA
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) was created on December 11, 1946. In 1953, its name
was shortened from United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. UNICEF provides long-
term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries.
UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) : HQ–Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya.
It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1973. The
World Meteorological Organisation and the UNEP established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) in 1988. UNEP is also one of several implementing agencies for the Global
Environment Facility (GEF). The year 2007 has been declared as International Year of the Dolphin by
the United Nations and UNEP.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) : HQ–New York City, USA.

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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations’ global development
network, is the largest multilateral source of development assistance in the world. The UNDP is an
executive board within the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The UNDP Administrator is
the third highest ranking member of the United Nations after the United Nations Secretary-General
and Deputy Secretary-General. UNDP publishes an annual Human Development Report to measure
and analyze developmental progress.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) : HQ–Geneva, Switzerland.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (established December 14, 1950)
protects and supports refugees at the request of a government or the United Nations and assists in
their return or resettlement. It succeeded the earlier International Refugee Organisation and the even
earlier United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. UNHCR was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize in 1954 and 1981. UNHCR presently has major missions in Lebanon, South Sudan, Chad/Darfur,
Iraq, Afghanistan as well as Kenya to assist and provide services to IDPs and refugees.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) :HQ–Nairobi, Kenya.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) is the United Nations agency for
human settlements. It was established in 1978. It is mandated by the United Nations General
Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of
providing adequate shelter for all.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) : HQ–New York, USA.
The United Nations Fund for Population Activities was started in 1969 and renamed the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA) in 1987. The United Nations Population Fund is the world’s largest
international source of funding for population and reproductive health programs.
World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) : HQ–Geneva, Switzerland.
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) is one of the specialized agencies of the United
Nations. WIPO was created in 1967 with the stated purpose of encouraging creative activity and
promoting the protection of intellectual property throughout the world. WIPO currently has 184 member
states and administers 23 international treaties. Vatican City and almost all UN members are member
of the WIPO. The predecessor to WIPIO was the BIRPI (French acronym for United International
Bureau for the Protection of Intellectual Property), which had been set up in 1893 to administer the
Berne Convention for the Protection of Library and Artistic Works and the Paris Convention for the
Protection of Industrial Property. WIPO was formally created by the Convention Establishing the World
Intellectual Property Organisation (signed at Stockholm on July 14, 1967 and as amended on
September 28, 1979).
World Trade Organisation (WTO) : HQ–Geneva, Switzerland.
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is an international organisation that establishes rules for
international trade through consensus among its member states. It also resolves disputes between
the members, which are all signatories to its set of trade agreements. Uruguay Round of General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), negotiations culminating in the Marrakesh Agreement that
established the WTO. There are 151 member states in the organisation, the latest to join being Tonga
on July 27, 2007. Since its inception in 1995, the WTO has been a major focus for protests by civil
society groups in many countries.
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement : HQ–Geneva, Switzerland.
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement
founded in 1863, whose stated mission is to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for the
human being, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering, without any discrimination based on

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nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. It adopted a new symbol a hollowed out
red crystal on a white background in addition to the present symbols of red cross (1863) and red
cresent (1876). Red star of David was used by Israel till now. Awarded the Nobel Peace prize in three
times –1917, 1944 and 1963.
World Social Forum (WSF)
The World Social (WSF) is an annual meeting held by members of the anti-globalisation movement to
coordiante world campaigns, share and refine organizing strategies, and inform each other about
movements from around the world and their issues. It tends to meet in January when its “great
capitalist rival”, the World Economic Forum is meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
World Economic Forum (WEF)
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Geneva-based foundation whose annual meeting of top
business leaders, national political leaders (presidents, prime ministers and others), and selected
intellectuals and journalists is usually held in Davos, Switzerland. There are also regional meetings
throughout the year. It was founded in 1971 by Klaws M. Schwab, a business professor in Switzerland.
Global Water Partnership (GWP)
It is a network created by stakeholders including Sweden, The UNDP, World Bank and committee of
Economic development of Australia. It has been established to ensure optimum use of scrace water
resources in an integrated manner to benefit the world community.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) : HQ–Manila, Philippines.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established in 1966 to promote
economic and social development in Asian and Pacific countries through loans and technical
assistance. It is a multilateral development financial institution owned by 66 members, 47 from the
region and 19 from other parts of the globe. ADB’s vision is a region free of poverty. Its mission is to
help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their citizens.
The highest policy-making body of the bank is the Board of Governors composed of one representative
from each member state. The Board of Governors also elect the bank’s President who is the
chairperson of the Board of Directors and manages ADB. Traditionally, and because Japan is one of
the largest shareholders of the bank, the President has always been Japanese.
UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF)
The UN Democracy Fund will be a voluntary fund housed in the UN Fund for International Partnerships
(UNFIP), but with its own Executive Head who will report to an Advisory Board of Member States on
substantive matters. In order to ensure transparency and accountability, a dedicated support office will
arrange for monitoring, evaluation and auditing of the program. The idea for the Fund was first
articulated by President Bush in a speech before the UN General Assembly last fall and has been
embraced by the 141 nations that attended the third ministerial meeting of the Community of
Democracies in Santiago, Chile in April 2005.
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) : HQ–Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a geopolitial and economic organisation of
10 countries, located in Southeast Asia. ASEAN was established on 8 August, 1967 in Bangkok by
the five original Member Countries namely–Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillippines, Singapore, and
Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined on 8 January 1984, Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and
Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999.
• European Union (EU)
The European Union (EU) is a supranational and intergovernmental union of 27 democratic member
states in Europe. It was established under that name by the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht

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Treaty) signed on February 7, 1992 in Maastricht, Netherlands. The Union has a single market
consisting of a customs union, a currency called the euro (adopted by 13 member states), a Common
Agricultural Policy, a common trade policy and a Common Fisheries Policy. The Schengen Agreement
abolished passport control and customs checks for most member states within EU’s internal borders,
creating, to some extent, a single area of free movement for EU citizens to live, travel, work and invest.
A Common Foreign and Security Policy, and the Police and Judicial Co-operation in criminal matters
have been initiated. Important EU institutions and bodies include the European Commission, the
Council of the European Union, the European Council, the European Central Bank, the European
Court of Justice, and the European Parliament which is directly elected by EU citizens once every five
years.
Location of European Union Institutions
Brussels seat of the European Commission and the
Council of Ministers.
Strasbourg Seat of the European Parliament.
Luxembourg Seat of the European Court of Justice,
the European Court of Auditors, the
Secretariat of the European Parliament and the
European Investment Bank.
Frankfurt Seat of the European Central Bank.

Council of European Union

Main EU decision making body.
Also known as Council of Ministers.
Represents interests of individual member states.
Each member states represented by its own ministers.
Presidency rotates between member states on six-monthly basis.
European Commission
Proposes legislation to Council and Parliament.
Manages implementation of EU legislation.
Commissioners appointed on five-yearly basis by Council in agreement with member states.
Appointments confirmed by parliament to which commission is answerable.

European Parliament
Votes on and oversees implementation of EU budget.
Considers Commission proposals on legislation.
Works with Council on legislative decisions.
• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) : HQ–Kathmandu, Nepal.
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the largest regional organisation in
the world by population, covering approximately 1.5 billion people. SAARC is an economic and
political organisation of eight countries in Southern Asia. The organisation was established on
December 8, 1985 by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan.
Afghanistan became a member (eighth) on April 3, 2007. It declared 2006–2015 as the’SAARC
decade of poverty alleviation’. It was agreed in principle to the desire of China and Japan to
become SAARC obsevers. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the only country in Southern Asia that
is not a part of SAARC. In April 2006, the United States of America and South Korea made formal
requests to be granted observer status. The European Union has also indicated interest in being
given observer status, and made a formal request for the same to the SAARC Council of Ministers
meeting in July 2006. On August 2nd, 2006 Foreign ministers of SAARC countries agreed in
principle to grant observer status to the US, South Korea and the European Union.

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• Group of 77 (G-77) : HQ–New York, USA
The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to
promote its members’ collectives, economic and interest to create an enhanced joint negotiating
capacity in the United Nations. There were 77 founding members of the organisation, but the
organisation has since expanded to 130 member countries. It is modelled on the Group of 7, which
now contains 8 countries. The group was founded on June 15, 1964 by the “Joint Declaration of
the Seventy Seven Countries” issued at the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD).
• Intergovernmental Group of Twenty Four (G-24) : HQ–Washington D.C., USA
The Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four on International Monetary Affairs and Development
(G-24) was established in 1971. Its main objective is to concert the position of developing countries
on monetary and development of finance issues. It consists of countries from three regions of
Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Asia.
• North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA)
The Noth American Free Trade Area is the trade bloc created by the North American free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) and its two supplements, the North American Agreement on Environmental
Cooperation (NAAEC) and the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC) whose
members are Canada, Mexico and the United States. It came into effect on 1 January 1994. It is
the world’s largest free trade area.
• Developing 8 (D-8) : HQ-Istanbul, Turkey.
The Developing 8 (D-8) is a group of developing countries that have formed an economic
development alliance. It consists of Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria,
Pakistan and Turkey.
• Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Co-operation (BIMSTEC)
The organisation was formed in Bangkok, Thailand, on 6 June 1997. Initially, its name was BIST-
EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand Economic Cooperation). At that time, Myanmar was
an observer, but later joined the organisation as a full member at a special ministerial meeting,
held in Bangkok on 22 December 1997. Consequently, the name of the organisation was changed
to BIMST-EC. Nepal was granted observer status by the second ministerial meeting in Dhaka,
Bangladesh in December 1998. Later, full membership has been granted to Nepal and Bhutan in
2003. During the first summit in Bangkok on 31 July 2004, the organisation’s name was changed
to its current name.
• Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) : HQ–Vienna, Austria.
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent, intergovernmental
Organisation, created at the Baghdad Conference on September 10-14, 1960, by Iran, Iraq,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The five Founding Members were later joined by nine other
Members Indonesia’s membership currently under review as Indonesia is no longer considered by
OPEC as a net oil exporter. Former Members are Gabon (full member from 1975 to 1995) and
Ecuador (full member from 1963 to 1993). However Ecuador has expressed interest in rejoining.
OPEC’s official language is English, although the official language of a majority of OPEC member-
states is Arabic, as seven current members are Arab states. Only one member nation (Nigeria)
has English as an official language. From 1976-2006 OPEC gained on new member nations. In
November 2006, the Angolan Government announced its intention to apply for membership and
subsequently joined on 1st January 2007. Sudan has also expressed intent for joining. Russia,
though a net exporter of oil, has failed to gain membership into the grouping.
• Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) : HQ–Singapore.

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 The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an economic forum for a group of Pacific Rim
countries to discuss matters on regional economy, cooperation, trade and investment. The current
membership of APEC consists of 21 members, which includes most countries with a coasting on
the Pacific Ocean. the last countries to have joined APEC, during its sixth leader’s summit in
Kualalumpur, November 1998 were Peru, Russia and Vietnam.
• Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) : HQ–Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
OIC is an inter-governmental organisation with a Permanent Delegation to the United Nations. It
groups 57 mostly Islamic nations in the Middle East, North, West and Southern AFrica, Central
Asia, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and South America.
• African Union (AU) : HQ-Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The African Union (AU) is an organisation consisting of fifty-three African States. Established in
2001, the AU was formed as a successor to the amalgamated African Economic Community (AEC)
and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The African Union was launched in Durban on July
9, 2002, by its first president, South African Thabo Mbeki, at the first session of the Assembly of
the African Union. Eventually, the AU aims to have a single currency and a signle integrated
defence force, as well as other institutions of state, including a cabinet for the AU Head of State.
The AU covers the entire continent except for Morocco, which opposes the membership of
Western Sahara/Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. However, Morocco has a special status
within the AU and benefits from the services available to all AU states from the institutions of the
AU.
• League of Arab States: HQ-Cairo, Egypt.
The League of Arab States, or Arab League, is a voluntary association of countries whose peoples
are mainly Arabic speaking. It aims to strengthen ties among member states, coordiante their
policies and direct them towards the common good. The idea of the Arab League was mooted in
1942 by the British, who wanted to rally Arab countries against the Axis powers. However, idea
did not take off until seven states formed the Arab League on March 22, 1945. It has 22 members,
including Palestine, which the league regards as an independent state. In January 2003, Eritrea
joined the Arab League as an observer.
• North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) : HQ–Brussels, Belgium.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic
Alliance, the Western Alliance, is a military alliance established by the signing of the North Atlantic
Treaty on 4 April 1949. The organisation establishes a system of collective security whereby its
member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. The Treaty
of Brussels, signed on 17 March 1948 by Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and the
United Kingdom is considered the precursor to the NATO agreement. The 2006 NATO summit
was held in Riga, Latvia, which had joined the Atlantic Alliance two years earlier. It is the first NATO
summit in a former COMECON country. Membership went on expanding with the accession of
seven more European countries to NATO–Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and also Slovenia,
Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania thereby taking the membership to 26. These 7 countries joined
NATO on 29 march 2004.
• Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) : HQ–Minsk, Belarus.
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is the international organization, or alliance,
consisting of 11 former Soviet Republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan and one associate member.
Turkmenistan discontinued permanent membership as of August 26, 2005 and is now an associate
member. The CIS is not a confederation. On December 21, 1991, the leaders of 11 of the 15
constituent republics of the Soviet Union met in Almata, Kazakhstan, and signed the charter, thus
de facto ratifying the initial CIS treaty and launching the organisation.

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• Mercosur : HQ–Montevideo, Uruguay.
Mercosur or Mercosul is a Regional Trade Agreement (RTA) between Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay,
Venezuela and Paraguay, founded in 1991 by the Treaty of Asuncion, which was later amended
and updated by the 1994 Treaty of Ouro Preto. It is known as the Common Market of the South.
Its purpose is to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, peoples, and currency.
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru currently have associate member status.

List of International Organizations in Geneva

Aga Khan Foundation
Airports Council International
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
International AIDS Society
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
International Labour Organization (ILO)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
International Road Transport Union (IRU)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
International Union Against Cancer (UICC)
UN Watch
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
World Economic Forum (WEF)
World Health Organization (WHO)
World Heart Federation (WHF)
World Trade Organization (WTO)

International Treaties and Agreements

1. The Shimla Agreement: Signed by the P.M. of India and the President of Pakistan in 1971, the
2. Antarctic Treaty: It is an agreement signed on December 1, 1959 between 12 nations with an
interest in Antarctic. These countries are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New
Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the erstwhile USSR (CIS), the U.K. and the US.
3. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT): Signed in 1968, NPT came into force in 1970. Its main
points are as follows :
• nuclear powers will not transfer nuclear weapons or control over them to any recipient.
• non-nuclear countries agree neither to receive the weapons nor to manufacture them.
• Nuclear know-how will be made available to the non-nuclear states for peaceful purposes.
Originally, for a period of 25 years, NPI was extended indefinitely in 1995. India, Israel and Pakistan
have not signed the NPI citing various reasons.
4. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): This treaty was approved by UN General Assembly in
1996.
India, Iran and Libya voted against it. India is under constant pressure to sign it.
5. Chemical Weapons Convention: The Chemical Weapons Convention came into force on April 29,
1997.

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The signatory states have undertaken to destroy existing stock of chemical weapons by 2007. 164
countries have signed the convention which was first opened to signature in Paris on January 13,
1993.
About 75 countries have ratified it.
6. Human Cloning Agreement: On January, 12, 1998, Nineteen European nations signed an
agreement banning human cloning. On January 17, 186 member states of UNESCO adopted a
declaration denouncing human cloning.

Environmental Agreements:
Kyoto Protocol
• The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC)
• It is an international environmental treaty with the goal of achieving “stabilization of greenhouse
gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic
interference with the climate system.
• The Kyoto Protocol establishes legally binding commitment for the reduction of four greenhouse
gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride), and two groups of gases
(hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons).
• It was initially adopted for use on 11 December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan and entered into force on 16
February 2005.
• Kyoto includes defined “flexible mechanisms” such as Emissions Trading, Clean Development
Mechanism, Joint Implementation
Montreal Protocol:
• The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer is a protocol to the
Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.
• It is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production
of a number of substances believed to be responsible for ozone depletion.
• The treaty was opened for signature on September 16, 1987 and entered into force on January
1, 1989 followed by a first meeting in Helsinki, May 1989.
• It is believed that if the international agreement is adhered to, the ozone layer is expected to
recover by 2050.
• Due to its widespread adoption and implementation, it has been hailed as an example of
exceptional international co-operation with Kofi Annan quoted as saying that “perhaps the
single most successful international agreement to date has been the Montreal Protocol”
Paris Agreement:
The Paris Agreement (French: Accord de Paris), Paris climate accord or Paris climate
agreement, is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance
starting in the year 2020. The language of the agreement was negotiated by representatives of 196
parties at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC in Paris and adopted by consensus on
12 December 2015. As of August 2017, 195 UNFCCC members have signed the agreement, 160 of
which have ratified it.
In the Paris Agreement, each country determines, plans and regularly reports its own contribution it
should make in order to mitigate global warming.There is no mechanism to force[6] a country to set a
specific target by a specific date, but each target should go beyond previously set targets.

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In 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the
agreement, causing widespread condemnation in the European Union and many sectors in the United
States. Under the agreement, the earliest effective date of withdrawal for the U.S. is November 2020.
In July 2017, France’s environment minister Nicolas Hulot announced France’s five-year plan to ban
all petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 as part of the Paris Agreement. Hulot also stated that France
would no longer use coal to produce electricity after 2022 and that up to €4bn will be invested in
boosting energy efficiency.
Central Banks of some Important Countries
Country Name of Central Bank Head Office
Australia Reserve Bank of Australia Sydney
Bangladesh Bangladesh Bank Dhaka
China People's Bank of China Beijing
Eurozone European Central Bank Frankfurt
United Kingdom Bank of England London
Japan Bank of Japan Tokyo
Nepal Nepal Rashtra Bank Kathmandu
Pakistan State Bank of Pakistan Karachi
Russia Central Bank of Russian Federation Moscow
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency Riyadh
South Africa South African Reserve Bank Pretoria
Sri Lanka Central Bank of Sri Lanka Colombo
Switzerland Swiss National Bank Zurich
United States of America Federal Reserve System Washington D.C.
France Banque de France Paris

Major Stock Exchange

Exchange Economy Headquarters
New York Stock Exchange United States New York
NASDAQ United States New York
London Stock Exchange Group United Kingdom London

Japan Exchange Group Japan Tokyo

Shanghai Exchange Group China Shanghai
Hong Kong Stock Exchange Hong Kong Hong Kong
Euronext European Union Amsterdam
Brussels
Lisbon
Paris
Shenzhen Stock Exchange China Shenzhen
TMX Group Canada Toronto
Deutsche Borse Germany Frankfurt
Bombay Stock Exchange India Mumbai
National Stock Exchange of India India Mumbai
Australian Securities Australia Sydney
Exchange
Korea Exchange South Korea Seoul

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 OMX Nordic Exchange Northern Europe Stockholm
JSE Limited South Africa Johannesburg
BME Spanish Exchanges Spain Madrid
Taiwan Stock Exchange Taiwan Taipei
BM&F Bovespa Brazil Sao Paulo

Major Financial Crises of the World

Black Monday
In the finance world, The Black Monday refers to the time of October 19, 1987. During that day, there
was a widespread stock market crash all around the world. The beginning of this crash originated in
Honk Kong and eventually spread to Europe. Ultimately, the United States was affected as well.
Dot-Com Bubble
This speculative bubble related to internet-based companies saw massive rises in equity stock values
of industrialized nations from 1997-2000. This bubble began because of easy credit availability in
1997-1998. by 2001, most of the dot-com companies crashed after finishing off their venture capital.
These failed companies called “dot-bombs” never actually made any profit.
OPEC Oil Price Shock (1973)
This crisis began in 1973 when the member countries of the OPEC (Oil and Petroleum Exporting
Countries) declared an oil embargo (prevention of trade). This was done specifically in retaliation to
USA’s unflagging supply of arms to Israel which was retaliating against Arab warfare on its holiest day
that day. This lasted till March 1974.
1998 Russian Crises
This crisis, also known as the “rubble crises” saw a wide ranging effect on countries of the world such
as the Baltic States, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, USA, Belarus, Uzbekistan etc.
1997 Asian Crises
The Asian Crises originated in a rather small economy called Thailand.
Wall Street Crash
This was the most shocking crash of the United States Stock Market. It began in October 1929. Also known
as black Monday, it came as a blow to the market which was riding on the highs of early 1920s.
The Great Depression
It was the worst economic disaster of the 20th century and started in 1930s. Many countries of the
world, especially the heavily industrialized ones were badly affected by contraction in output growth,
high unemployment, severe deflation and fall in trade. This lasted till 1933 in USA, but many countries
were affected even till World War II period. Many explanations operate to explain why this crises
happened in the first place. The major trigger is said to be the Wall Street Crash of 1929 which caused
many USA citizens to lose a chunk of their incomes. one aftermath of this event was the
implementation of social democracy in European countries after World War II.
Eurozone Crises
This is an ongoing crisis that began in 2009 in the European region. It occurred due to growing fears
of defaults by sovereigns of the European Union, particularly Greece, Portugal,Ireland, Spain and Italy.
It exposed the fiscal inefficiencies of many countries. Previously in 1992, the members of the EU had
signed the Maastricht Treaty which designated the levels of necessary levels of fiscal performance.
However, countries like Greece spent heavily on public sector wages and social payments. The means
to achieve the funds was done by securing future payments. This meant that they borrowed today on
the basis of revenue expected to be generated later. Unfortunately, the economic slowdown in 2008

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had trimmed these future revenues. Practices had been undertaken to evade international
agreements. They were now exposed. The banking crashes, bursting of property bubbles in the
countries prompted bailout programs to generate liquidity for these cash-strapped nations. However,
much remains to be seen before relatively bigger economies such as Spain and Italy can be helped
entirely. The main problem that exists even today is the nature of the common euro currency that
makes monetary policy inflexible while fiscal policy was greatly undermined already.
Financial crises of 2008
This crisis was considered the worst one since the Great Depression itself. This easy availability of
credit propelled greater demand for housing and a bubble started. However, once this ended, there
was a big crash in housing prices. Mortgage values now exceeded the values of houses bought. A
great level of lending to less credit worthy borrowers had also prevailed, called sub-prime lending. The
existence of financial instruments like Collateralized Mortgage obligations (CMOs) allowed the effect
to spread to the entire financial market. Financial innovations led to far greater risk taking
appetite. However, the eventual collapse of trust in the market froze lending activity. The real economy
had already begun to be affected since 2006. In 2008, this decline in investment spread further even
to consumer goods. Over time, in the summer when spending on consumption fell massively, the
economy began to decline. Big banking organizations like the Lehman Brothers collapsed and massive
bailouts started. The USA also began to import less from the other countries and their exports
languished. Thus, their GDPs too began getting affected through this route and the various financial
instruments that bound the world economy together. Credit became scarce, confidence fell and
unemployment continues to be a problem even now in the USA

List of Highest Military Decorations/Honors by Countries:

Country Name
Argentina Cross to the Heroic Valour in Combat
Australia The Victoria Cross for Australia
Bangladesh Bir Sreshtho
Burma Aung San Thiriya
Canada The Victoria Cross of Canada
China The Hero's Medal
France The Legion of Honour
Germany The Cross of Honour for Valour
India Param Vir Chakra
Israel The Medal of Valor
Italy Gold Medal of Military Valour
Netherlands Military William Order
New Zealand The Victoria Cross for New Zealand
Norway The War Cross with Sword
Pakistan Nishan-e-Haider (Left) Hilal-e-Kashmir (Right)
Russia The Gold Star
Spain Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand
United Kingdom The Victoria Cross
United States The Medal of Honor

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 List of Highest Civilian Honour of Different Countries:
Country Name of Honour
America Presidential Medal of Freedom
Argentina The Order of Sona Martin
Brazil Order of Southern Cross
Britain Member of British Empire, Victoria Cross
Canada Order of Canada
Denmark Order of Diana Brog
France Legend of Honour
Germany Pore Lee Merit Iron Cross
Hungary The Order of Banner
India Bharat Ratna
Japan Order of the Rising Sun
Kuwait Mubarak-Al-kabir Medal
Netherlands Netherlands Lion
Pakistan Nishan-e-Pakistan
Russia Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle
Saudi Arabia King Abdul Aziz Medal
Turkey Order of Democracy
Vietnam The order of the Golden Star

List of Religions their Founders, Holy Books and Place of Worship:

BUDDHISM
Founder Gautam Buddha
Sacred Texts The Tripitaka
Place Of Worship Vihar (Temple) and Monastery (Where Monks Resides)
Sects Mahayana and Hinayana
CHRISTIANITY
Founder Jesus Christ (P.B.U.H)
Sacred Texts Bible
Place of Worship Church
Sects Catholics and Protestants
HINDUISM
Founder Ancient Sages
Sacred Texts The Vedas, The Upanishads, The Bhagavad Gita And Epics Of
Ramayana and Mahabharata
Place of Worship Temple
ISLAM
Last Messenger Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.M)
Sacred Texts Quran (Words Of Gods), Hadis (Collection Of Prophet’s Saying)
Sacred Places Makkah (Mecca)
Place Of Worship Masjid (Mosque)
Important Sects Sunnis and Shias
JAINISM
Founder Vardhamana Mahavira

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Sacred Texts Agama, Tattvartha Sutra
Place of Worship Jain Temple
Important Sects Shwetambara&Degambara

JUDAISM
Founder Moses (P.B.U.H.), Born In Egypt
Sacred Texts Talmads
Sacred Places Jerusalem
Place of Worship Synagogue
SIKHISM
Founder Guru Nanak
Sacred Texts Guru Granth Saheb
Sacred Places The Golden Temple of Amritsar
Place of Worship Gurudwar

Famous Monuments of the World

Name of the Monument Country
Statue of Liberty New York, USA
The Eiffel Tower Paris, France
St Basil’s Cathedral Moscow, Russia
Blue Domed Church Santorini, Greece
The Great Sphinx Giza, Egypt
Machu Pichu Peru
Big Ben London
Burj al Arab Hotel Dubai
Tower of Pisa Italy
Christ the Redeemer Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Lascaux Cave Paintings France
Loch Ness Scotland
Mont St Michel France
Bran Castle Transylvania, Romania
Agia Sophia Istanbul, Turkey
Branderburg Gate Berlin, Germany
Acropolis Athens, Greece
Sagrada Familia Barcelona, Spain
Uluru Sandstone Australia
Mount Fuji Japan
Mount Eden Crater New Zealand
Al Aqsa Mosque Jerusalem
Angkor Wat Cambodia
St Peter’s Cathedral Vatican City
Mount Rushmore South Dakota
Victoria Falls Between Zambia and Zimbabwe
The Great Canyon Arizona
Petra Rock cut Architecture Jordan
Cape of Good Hope South Africa

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 Chichen Itza Mexico
Inukshuk Canada
Table Mountain Cape Town, South Africa
Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco, California
Kilimanjaro Tanzania
Forbidden City Beijing
Iguazu Falls On the border of Brazil and Argentina
The Colosseum Rome, Italy
Twyfelfontein – Ancient Rock Engravings Namibia
The Blue Mosque Istanbul
Millau Bridge France
Luxor Temple Egypt
Faisal Mosque Islamabad, Pakistan
The Empire State Building New York
Newgrange Tomb Ireland
Tilcho Lake Nepal
Pompeii Italy
The Wailing Wall Jerusalem
Abu Simbel Egypt
Middle of the Earth or The Ciudad Mitad del Mundo Ecuador
Potala Palace Llasa, Tibet
Angel Falls Venezuela
Ephesus Turkey
Twelve Apostles Australia
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall China
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque Turkey

NOBEL PRIZE

The Nobel Prize is a set of annual international awards bestowed in a

number of categories by Swedish and Norwegian committees in recognition of cultural and/or scientific
advances. It was instituted by the inventor of dynamite Alfred Bernard Nobel and this award is given
every year on Dec. 10 which is the death anniversary of its founder .This prize is given to those who
has made pioneering achievements in the field of Physics,Chemistry,Medicine, Peace, Literature
Economics .
This award was established in 1900 and then was given only in 5 fields(Economics was not included
then.). Economics Nobel Prize was instituted in 1967 and was first given in 1969.

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 First Nobel Prize Laureates-1901
Year Physics Chemistry Physiology or Literature Peace
Medicine
1901 Wilhelm Jacobus Henricus Emil Adolf von Sully Henry Dunant;
Röntgen van 't Hoff Behring Prudhomme Frédéric Passy
First Economics Nobel Prize Recipient: 1969 Ragnar Frisch; Jan Tinbergen

Facts about Noble Prize

The Nobel Prizes were founded by Swedish industrialist and scientist Alfred Nobel who invented
dynamite in 1866. Alfred Nobel was many talents rolled in one as he worked as chemist, engineer and
industrialist. Also, he could speak 5 languages fluently at the age of 17. He left 31 million Swedish
kroner (today about 265 million dollar) to fund the Nobel Prizes.
The Nobel Prizes for Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Economics are awarded at a
ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden, while the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded at a different ceremony in
Oslo, Norway.

The prize consists of a medal, personal diploma and cash worth 8 million Swedish kroner
The Nobel medal features the image of Alfred Nobel on the face. The image on the reverse varies
according to the institution awarding the prize.
The main inscription on one side of the medal for Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, and Literature Nobel
Prizes reads: "Inventasvitamjuvatexcoluisse per artes," which in loose translation means - "And they
who bettered life on earth by new found mastery."
The verbatim translation is - "inventions enhance life which is beautified through art."
The inscription on the Nobel Peace medal is- "Pro pace et fraternitategentium," which means - "For
the peace and brotherhood of men."
So far, 615 Nobel Prizes have been awarded between 1901 and 2022 to 989 Nobel Laureates (954
individuals and 27 organisations.)
More than three people can't share a Nobel Prize.
Till now, two have voluntarily declined to accept Nobel - Jean Paul Sartre for Literature in 1964 and
Le Duc Tho for Peace in 1937. Le Duc Tho rejected the award given to him for Paris Peace Accords
saying here was no actual peace in Vietnam.
Malala Yousufzai, a Pakistani child education activist, is the youngest person to achieve the Nobel at
the age of 17.
The Curies (Marie and Pierre Curie) comprised a very successful 'Nobel Prize family'. Marie Curie
herself was awarded two Nobel Prizes - In 1903, she along with Pierre Curie was awarded half the
Nobel Prize in Physics. In 1911 she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Their Daughter & son-
in-law was also awarded.

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 PULITZER AWARDS
The Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature, and
musical composition in the United States. It was instituted in 1917 and named after US publisher
Joseph Pulitzer.

This prize is administered by Columbia University in New York City. Prizes are awarded yearly in
twenty-one categories. Each winner receives a certificate and a US$10,000 cash award.

THE MAN BOOKER PRIZES

The prize was originally known as the Booker-McConnell Prize, after the company Booker-
McConnell began sponsoring the event in 1968, it became commonly known as the "Booker Prize" or
simply "the Booker."
When administration of the prize was transferred to the Booker Prize Foundation in 2002, the title
sponsor became the investment company Man Group, which opted to retain "Booker" as part of the
official title of the prize.
The foundation is an independent registered charity funded by the entire profits of Booker Prize
Trading Ltd, of which it is the sole shareholder.
The prize money awarded with the Booker Prize was originally £21,000, and was subsequently raised
to £50,000 in 2002 under the sponsorship of the Man Group, making it one of the world's richest
literary prizes.
It is the highest literary award given to the authors of British, Irish and Commonwealth Countries.
First Winner :
Year Author Title Genre(s) Nationality
1969 P. H. Newby Something to Answer For Novel United Kingdom

Latest Winner:
Year Author Title Genre(s) Nationality
2022 Shehan The Seven Moons of Maali Fiction Sri Lankan
Karunatilaka Almeida
2021 Damon Galgut The promise Fiction South Africa
2020 Douglas Stuart Shuggie Bain Fiction Scottish-American

ROMAN MAGSAYSAY AWARD

Magsaysay awards were instituted in 1957 and named after Roman Magsaysay, the late President of
Philippines, who died in an air plane crash. Every year the Roman Magsaysay Award Foundation
gives the prize to Asian individuals achieving excellence in their respective fields.

ACADEMY AWARDS/OSCARS
The Academy Awards or The Oscars is an annual American awards ceremony honoring cinematic
achievements in the film industry. It was instituted in 1929.
Satyajit Ray was the first Bangali who was awarded with Oscar Award for Lifetime Achievements in
cinema in 1992.
Mahershala Ali becomes first Muslim actor to win an Oscar for role in Moonlight. Mahershala Ali won
the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his portrayal of a drug dealer in Moonlight.

95th Academy Award (to be published at March 12)

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 Major Sports Events
Games - First, Last and Next
Games First held (Year & Last held Next at
Host) (Year & Host) (Year & Host)
Olympic Games 1896 2016 2020
Athens Rio de Janeiro Tokyo
Greece Brazil Japan
Commonwealth Games 1930 2014 2018
Hamilton Glasgow Queensland
Canada Scotland Australia
Asian Games 1951 2014 2018
New Delhi Incheon Jakarta
India South Korea Indonesia
Winter Olympics 1924 2014 2018
Chamonix Sochi Pyeongchang
France Russia South Korea
Cricket World Cup 1975 2015 2019
England Australia, New England
Zealand
Cricket World Cup 1973 2017 2021
(Women's) England England New Zealand
Football World Cup (Men's) 1930 2014 2018
Uruguay Brazil Russia
Football World Cup 1991 2015 2019
(Women's) China Canada France
Hockey World Cup 1971 2014 2018
Barcelona, Spain The Hague, The Bhubaneshwar, India
Netherlands
UEFA European Football 1960 2016 2020
Championship (Euro Cup) France France 13 cities of Europe
South Asian Games 1984 2016 2019
Kathmandu (Nepal) Guwahati and Kathmandu (Nepal)
Shillong (India)
ICC Champions Trophy 1998 2017 2021
Bangladesh England and Wales India
IAAF World Championship 1983 2015 2017
in Athletics Helsinki, Finland Beijing, China London, U.K.
Asian Athletics 1973 2017 2019
Championship Marikina, Bhubaneshwar, Doha, Qatar
Philippines India

Facts about Olympic Games

First ancient Olympic Games were held in 776 B.C. in honour of Greek God Zeus.
First modern Olympic Games were held in 1896 in Athens, Greece.
Olympic Games are so called because they were held in the city of Olympia.
The person known as the father of modern Olympic Games is Pierre de Coubertin.
The International Olympic Committee which was formed by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894 has its
headquarters at Lausanne, Switzerland.
Olympic Motto is "Citius-Altius-Fortius"(swifter, higher, stronger).
The colours of the five rings on the Olympic symbol representing five continents (The Americas
are treated as one continent) are Red, blue, green, yellow, and black.

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The Olympic flag was first flown during the 1920 Olympic Games at Antwerp, Belgium. The
Olympic symbol appears on the Olympic flag which has a white background.
The Olympic oath was written by Pierre de Coubertin. One athlete recites the oath on behalf of all
the athletes at the opening ceremony. The Olympic oath was first taken during the 1920 Olympic
Games by Belgian fencer Victor Boin.
The first opening ceremonies were held during the 1908 Olympic Games in London.
The Greek team always leads the procession of athletes in the opening ceremony followed by all
the other teams in alphabetical order in the language of the hosting country. The last team is always
the team of the hosting country.
Olympic games were not held in the following years due to the two world wars 1916, 1940 and
1944.
Women participated for the first time at the Paris Olympic Games of 1900.
The country which won the most medals at the first Olympic Summer Games in 1896 - Greece
(47)
The Olympic flame made its first appearance at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympic Games.
The cities which have the held the summer Olympics twice are Athens (1896 & 2004), Paris (1900
& 1924), and Los Angeles (1932 & 1984)
The city which has the hosted the summer Olympics thrice is London (1908, 1948 and 2012)
The country which has hosted the summer Olympics the maximum number of times is the United
States - Los Angeles (1932 & 1984), St. Louis (1904) and Atlanta (1996)
To qualify as an Olympic sport, that sport must be widely played by men in at least 75 countries
and on four continents, and by women in at least 40 countries and on three continents.

Solar System: Some important Facts

Biggest Planet Jupiter

Smallest Planet Mercury
Nearest Planet to Sun Mercury
Farthest Planet to Sun Neptune
Brightest Planet Venus
Nearest Planet to Earth Venus
Hottest Planet Venus
Coldest Planet Neptune
Red Planet Mars
Biggest Satellite Ganymede
Smallest Satellite Deimos
Blue Planet Earth
Morning Star Venus
Evening Star Venus
Planet with a Red Spot Jupiter
Brightest planet outside Solar System Sirius (Dog Star)
Closet Star of Solar System Proxima Centauri
Fastest rotation in Solar System Jupiter
Slowtest rotation in Solar System Venus
Fatest revolution in Solar System Mercury
Slowtest revolution in Solar System Neptune

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 Latest Books in News
Name of the Book Author Remarks
Edge of Time Jean Piere Biography of Kalpana Chawla
Harrison
The Emperor of All Siddhartha Winner of 2011 Pulitzer Prize in general non-
Maladies: A Biography of Mukherjee fiction category.
Cancer
Saraswati Park Anjali Joseph Winner of Betty Trask Award and the
Desmond Elliot Prize
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Amy Chua Controversial book on parenting
Mother
Beyond the Lines Kuldip Nayar Ban on the book demanded by some Sikh
outfits.
The Cuckoo's Calling Robert Galbraith Robert Galbraith is the pseudonym of J.K.
Rowling of the Harry Potter series.
The Accidental Prime SanjayaBaru Controversial book by the media advisor of
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
The Sense of an Ending Julian Barnes 2011 Man Booker Prize winning book
Bring Up the Bodies Hillary Mantel 2012 Man Booker Prize winning book.
The Luminaries Elaneor Catton 2013 Man Booker Prize winning book.
The Narrow Road to the Richard Flanagan 2014 Man Booker Prize winning book.
Deep North
A Brief History of Seven Marlon James 2015 Man Booker Prize winning book.
Killings
The Sellout The Paul Beatty 2016 Man Booker Prize winning book.
Trying to Say Goodbye Adil Jussawalla Winner of SahityaAkademi Award for 2014
Chronicler of a Corpse Cyrus Mistry Winner of DSC Prize for South Asian
Bearer literature 2014, Winner of SahityaAkademi
Award for 2015
The Lowland Jhumpa Lahiri Winner of DSC Prize for South Asian
literature 2015.
Sleeping on Jupiter Anuradha Roy Winner of DSC Prize for South Asian
literature 2016.
The Underground Railroad Colson Whitehead Winner of Pulitzer Prize in the fiction category.
The Mystery of Utmost Arundhati Roy In the long list of books for 2017 Man Booker
Happiness Prize.

Important Books:
The Mad Tibetan: Stories from then and now Deepti Naval
Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World Dalai Lama
The Art of Living - A Guide to Contentment, Joy and Fulfilment Dalai Lama
Kashmir: The Unwritten History Christopher Snedden
The Shadow Of The Crescent Moon Fatima Bhutto
The Great Gatsby F Scott Fitzgerald
Go Set a Watchman Harper Lee
Lone Fox Dancing Ruskin Bond

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 Famous books of the last century (20th Century)
Name of the Book Author
Animal Farm George Orwell
Catch-22 Joseph Heller
The Catcher in the Rye JD Salinger
Gone with the Wind Margaret Mitchell
Lolita Vladimir Nobokov
1984 George Orwell
A Passage to India EM Forester
To Kill a Mocking Bird Harper Lee
The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway
A Farewell to Arms Ernest Hemingway
Waiting for Godot Samuel Beckett
Ulysses James Joyce
The Hound of Baskerville's Arthur Conan Doyle
The War of the Worlds HG Wells
The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien
Midnight's Children Salman Rushdie
Lady Chatterley's Lover D.H. Lawrence
Murder on the Orient Express Agatha Christie
Dr. Zhivago Boris Pasternak
Brave New World Aldous Huxley
The Blind Assassin Margaret Atwood
All Quiet on Western Front Erich Maria Remarque

Books by Famous Economists

Name of the Book Author
The Wealth of Nations Adam Smith
The Invisible Hand Adam Smith
The Theory of Moral Sentiments Adam Smith
The Money Game Adam Smith
The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money J.M. Keynes
The Economic Consequences of the Peace J.M. Keynes
Essays in Persuasion J.M. Keynes
A Treatise on Money J.M. Keynes
Indian Currency and Finance J.M. Keynes
Capitalism and Freedom Milton Friedman
Money Mischief Milton Friedman
Why Government is the Problem Milton Friedman
There is no such thing as a Free Lunch Milton Friedman
Price Theory Milton Friedman
The Road to Serfdom F.A. Hayek
The Pure Theory of Capital F.A. Hayek
The Fatal Conceit: The Errors of Socialism F.A. Hayek
The Constitution of Liberty F.A. Hayek
Das Kapital Karl Marx
Wage, Labour and Capital Karl Marx
The Poverty of Philosophy Karl Marx
Principles of Economics Alfred Marshall
Money, Credit and Commerce Alfred Marshall

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 Books by Prominent Leaders
Name of the Book Author
My Experiments with Truth Mahatma Gandhi
Hind Swaraj Mahatma Gandhi
Key to Health Mahatma Gandhi
Discovery of India Jawaharlal Nehru
Glimpses of World History Jawaharlal Nehru
The Indian Struggle 1920-1942 Subhash Chandra Bose
My Truth Indira Gandhi
Golden Threshold Sarojini Naidu
The Broken Wing, Songs of Life, Death & the Spring Sarojini Naidu
The Birds of Time, Songs of Life, Death & the Spring Sarojini Naidu
The Sceptred Flute: Songs of India Sarojini Naidu
The Feather of the Dawn Sarojini Naidu
Wings of Fire APJ Abdul Kalam
Ignited Minds APJ Abdul Kalam
You Are Unique APJ Abdul Kalam
India 2020 APJ Abdul Kalam
Indomitable Spirit APJ Abdul Kalam
Turning Points - A Journey through Challenges APJ Abdul Kalam
Target 3 Billion APJ Abdul Kalam and Srijan Pal
Singh
My Journey - Transforming Dreams into Actions APJ Abdul Kalam
Governance for Growth in India APJ Abdul Kalam
Mein Kampf Adolf Hitler
Without Fear or Favour Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy
Midnight Diaries Boris Yelstin
The Audacity of Hope Barrack Obama
Dreams From My Father Barrack Obama
Back to Work Bill Clinton
Hard Choices Hillary Clinton
Long Walk to Freedom Nelson Mandela
Beyond Survival: Emerging Dimensions of Indian Shri Pranab Mukherjee
Economy
Saga of Struggle and Sacrifice Shri Pranab Mukherjee
Challenges before the Nation Shri Pranab Mukherjee
The Dramatic Decade: The Days of Indira Gandhi Shri Pranab Mukherjee
My Unforgettable Memories Mamata Banerjee
Citizen and Society Hamid Ansari

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