Regional Groupings and Alliances

Attempt the quiz above first, then review every question with its correct answer and a short explanation below.

1. Q1.The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established in which year?

   • A.1945
   • B.1948
   • C.1952
   • D.1949✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, D.C. on 4 April 1949.

2. Q2.The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded in which year?

   • A.1961
   • B.1971
   • C.1967✓ Correct Answer
   • D.1975

   Explanation: ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration.

3. Q3.The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in which year?

   • A.1980
   • B.1988
   • C.1985✓ Correct Answer
   • D.1990

   Explanation: SAARC was established in Dhaka in December 1985, and its secretariat is in Kathmandu.

4. Q4.The African Union (AU), launched in 2002, replaced which earlier organisation?

   • A.League of African States
   • B.Pan-African Congress
   • C.African Economic Community
   • D.Organization of African Unity✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: The African Union succeeded the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which had been founded in 1963.

5. Q5.How many countries founded ASEAN in 1967?

   • A.5✓ Correct Answer
   • B.4
   • C.6
   • D.10

   Explanation: ASEAN was founded by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

6. Q6.BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) was founded in which year?

   • A.1992
   • B.2000
   • C.1997✓ Correct Answer
   • D.2004

   Explanation: BIMSTEC was formed through the Bangkok Declaration of June 1997, and its secretariat is in Dhaka.

7. Q7.The European Union was formally created by which treaty, signed in 1992?

   • A.Treaty of Rome
   • B.Maastricht Treaty✓ Correct Answer
   • C.Treaty of Lisbon
   • D.Treaty of Paris

   Explanation: The Maastricht Treaty, signed in 1992 and in force from 1993, created the European Union.

8. Q8.Which of these countries is NOT a founding full member of MERCOSUR?

   • A.Argentina
   • B.Brazil
   • C.Paraguay
   • D.Chile✓ Correct Answer

   Explanation: MERCOSUR was founded in 1991 by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Chile is an associate state.

9. Q9.The headquarters of the African Union is in which city?

   • A.Addis Ababa✓ Correct Answer
   • B.Cairo
   • C.Nairobi
   • D.Johannesburg

   Explanation: The African Union Commission is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

10. Q10.The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was established in which year?

    • A.1963
    • B.1975✓ Correct Answer
    • C.1980
    • D.1991

    Explanation: ECOWAS was established by the Treaty of Lagos on 28 May 1975.

11. Q11.India became a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in which year?

    • A.2001
    • B.2009
    • C.2013
    • D.2017✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: India and Pakistan became full SCO members at the Astana summit in June 2017.

12. Q12.The League of Arab States (Arab League) was established in which year?

    • A.1945✓ Correct Answer
    • B.1935
    • C.1950
    • D.1955

    Explanation: The Arab League was founded in Cairo on 22 March 1945.

13. Q13.The Pacific Islands Forum, originally called the South Pacific Forum, was established in which year?

    • A.1965
    • B.1971✓ Correct Answer
    • C.1980
    • D.1985

    Explanation: The Forum was founded in 1971 and its secretariat is in Suva, Fiji.

14. Q14.The Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) comprises India, Japan, Australia and which other country?

    • A.United Kingdom
    • B.France
    • C.United States✓ Correct Answer
    • D.Canada

    Explanation: The Quad consists of India, Japan, Australia and the United States and focuses on a free and open Indo-Pacific.

15. Q15.India is a member of which pair of South and South-East Asian regional groupings?

    • A.ASEAN and SAARC
    • B.Arab League and BIMSTEC
    • C.SAARC and BIMSTEC✓ Correct Answer
    • D.MERCOSUR and SAARC

    Explanation: India is a member of both SAARC and BIMSTEC, but not of ASEAN, which has India only as a dialogue partner.

16. Q16.The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) was established in which year?

    • A.1994✓ Correct Answer
    • B.1975
    • C.1985
    • D.2002

    Explanation: COMESA was established in 1994, replacing the earlier Preferential Trade Area, and is headquartered in Lusaka, Zambia.

17. Q17.How many member states does the African Union have?

    • A.50
    • B.54
    • C.57
    • D.55✓ Correct Answer

    Explanation: The African Union has 55 member states, including the Sahrawi Republic.

18. Q18.NATO has 32 member countries after which two states joined in 2023 and 2024?

    • A.Ukraine and Georgia
    • B.Finland and Sweden✓ Correct Answer
    • C.Austria and Switzerland
    • D.Serbia and Bosnia

    Explanation: Finland joined NATO in April 2023 and Sweden in March 2024, bringing membership to 32.

19. Q19.The ASEAN Secretariat is located in which city?

    • A.Jakarta✓ Correct Answer
    • B.Bangkok
    • C.Manila
    • D.Singapore

    Explanation: The ASEAN Secretariat is based in Jakarta, Indonesia.

20. Q20.The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) was established in which year?

    • A.1985
    • B.1997✓ Correct Answer
    • C.1992
    • D.2004

    Explanation: IORA was launched in 1997 to promote cooperation among countries bordering the Indian Ocean; its secretariat is in Ebene, Mauritius.