UPSC Prelims 2022 Q88: Geography – World Political Geography & Borders
Consider the following pairs: Region often mentioned in the news - Country
1. Anatolia - Turkey
2. Amhara - Ethiopia
3. Cabo Delgado - Spain
4. Catalonia - Italy How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
- (a) Only one pair
- (b) Only two pairs
- (c) Only three pairs
- (d) All four pairs
Answer: (b) Only two pairs
Explanation
Regions and their countries
| Region | Given country | Actual country | Matched? | In the news for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anatolia | Turkey | Turkey | Yes | The Asian heartland of Turkey; 2023 earthquakes |
| Amhara | Ethiopia | Ethiopia | Yes | Spillover of the Tigray war (2021) |
| Cabo Delgado | Spain | Mozambique | No | Islamist insurgency and gas projects |
| Catalonia | Italy | Spain | No | Independence referendum (2017) |
Two pairs are correctly matched.
Answer: (b) Only two pairs.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Both Anatolia (Turkey) and Amhara (Ethiopia) are correct.
- (b) CORRECT. Anatolia and Amhara match; Cabo Delgado and Catalonia do not.
- (c) Incorrect. Cabo Delgado is in Mozambique and Catalonia in Spain, so two pairs fail.
- (d) Incorrect. Catalonia is in Spain, not Italy.
Key point
Anatolia = Turkey; Amhara = Ethiopia; Cabo Delgado = Mozambique (insurgency); Catalonia = Spain (independence movement).
Remember
Cabo Delgado = Mozambique; Catalonia = Spain.
Common mistakes
- Placing Cabo Delgado in Spain or Portugal because of its Portuguese-sounding name; it is in Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony.
- Swapping Catalonia into Italy; Barcelona is its capital.
- Not linking Amhara to the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia.
Exam tip
Portuguese place names often point to former colonies (Mozambique, Angola, Brazil), not to Iberia itself.
Sources
- UNHCR — Mozambique: Cabo Delgado crisis
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Catalonia