UPSC Prelims 2008 Q61: Geography – World Political Geography & Borders

UPSC Prelims 2008, General Studies Paper I · Geography

Which of the following countries share borders with Moldova? 1. Ukraine 2. Romania 3. Belarus Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Explanation

Checking which countries share borders with Moldova

Moldova, a small Eastern European nation, has a specific, limited set of bordering countries.

Country	Verdict	Reason
1. Ukraine	Correct	Ukraine indeed shares a border with Moldova
2. Romania	Correct	Romania also shares a border with Moldova
3. Belarus	Incorrect	Belarus does NOT share a border with Moldova; it is located further north, separated by Ukraine

Moldova's actual borders:

Point	Detail
Bordering countries	Ukraine and Romania only
Not bordering	Belarus

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only.

(a) CORRECT. Moldova borders only Ukraine and Romania; Belarus does not share a border with it.
(b) Incorrect. Country 3 (Belarus) does not border Moldova, so '2 and 3 only' is wrong.
(c) Incorrect. Country 3 (Belarus) is not a Moldova border country, so '1 and 3 only' is wrong.
(d) Incorrect. Country 3's Belarus claim is false, so 'all three' cannot be correct.

Moldova shares borders only with Ukraine and Romania — Belarus does NOT border Moldova; it lies further north, separated by Ukraine.

Moldova shares borders with Ukraine and Romania only — not Belarus.

Assuming Belarus, as another nearby Eastern European country, must also border Moldova.
Not knowing Moldova's actual, limited two-country border list.
Confusing the broader Eastern European region's geography with specific bordering relationships.

Moldova borders only Ukraine and Romania. Belarus, despite being in the same broader region, does NOT share a border with it.

Central Intelligence Agency — The World Factbook: Moldova (Geography: land boundaries)
Encyclopaedia Britannica — Moldova