UPSC Prelims 2014 Q36: Current Affairs – International Conflicts & Security
Consider the following pairs: Region often in news - Country
1. Chechnya : Russian Federation
2. Darfur : Mali
3. Swat Valley : Iraq
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 only
Explanation
Regions in the news and their countries
| Pair | Verdict | Actual country |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Chechnya : Russian Federation | Correct | A republic in the North Caucasus of Russia; capital Grozny |
| 2. Darfur : Mali | Incorrect | Western region of Sudan |
| 3. Swat Valley : Iraq | Incorrect | In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan |
Why each was in the news:
| Region | Issue |
|---|---|
| Chechnya | Separatist wars against Russia in the 1990s and 2000s |
| Darfur | Conflict and humanitarian crisis from 2003 |
| Swat Valley | Taliban control; Malala Yousafzai was shot there in 2012 |
Mali was in the news for the conflict in its north (Timbuktu, Azawad).
Answer: (a) 1 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Only Chechnya - Russian Federation is correctly matched.
- (b) Incorrect. Darfur is in Sudan and Swat Valley is in Pakistan.
- (c) Incorrect. Swat Valley is in Pakistan, not Iraq.
- (d) Incorrect. Pairs 2 and 3 are wrongly matched.
Key point
Chechnya - Russia; Darfur - Sudan; Swat Valley - Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).
Remember
Chechnya = Russia; Darfur = Sudan; Swat = Pakistan.
Common mistakes
- Placing Darfur in Mali because both had conflicts in the Sahel belt.
- Placing Swat in Iraq or Afghanistan.
- Forgetting that Chechnya is inside Russia, not a separate country.
Exam tip
Link each region to one name: Chechnya - Grozny, Darfur - Sudan, Swat - Malala.
Sources
- Ministry of External Affairs — Country briefs: Russia, Sudan, Pakistan
- United Nations — African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID)