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Static GKEasyAsked in: UPSC CAPF · CAPF 2018, Paper I

Which one of the following pairs of countries with new names and old names is correctly matched? New name : Old name

  1. A.Kingdom of eSwatini : Swaziland
  2. B.Malawi : Rhodesia
  3. C.Botswana : Nyasaland
  4. D.Zimbabwe : Ceylon

Correct answer

A. Kingdom of eSwatini : Swaziland

Explanation

The correct answer is A, Kingdom of eSwatini : Swaziland. In April 2018 King Mswati III renamed Swaziland as the Kingdom of eSwatini, meaning land of the Swazis.

eSwatini is a small landlocked kingdom in southern Africa, bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. It became independent from Britain in 1968, and the king announced the new name on the fiftieth anniversary of independence, using the name of the country in the Swazi language. It is one of the last absolute monarchies in the world, with Mbabane as its administrative capital and Lobamba as its legislative and royal capital. The other pairs mix up the colonial names of several African countries and of Sri Lanka.

B is wrong because Malawi was formerly Nyasaland, while Rhodesia is the old name of Zimbabwe. C is wrong because Botswana was formerly Bechuanaland, not Nyasaland. D is wrong because Ceylon is the old name of Sri Lanka, not Zimbabwe.

Exam tip: Swaziland to eSwatini (2018), Nyasaland to Malawi, Bechuanaland to Botswana, Rhodesia to Zimbabwe, Ceylon to Sri Lanka.

Practice Questions

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Q1.Static GKAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2026, GS Paper IHard

Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

(Indian Army Corps : Headquarters)

  1. A.3 Corps : Dimapur
  2. B.4 Corps : Tezpur
  3. C.14 Corps : Leh
  4. D.33 Corps : Srinagar
Show answer
Correct answer: D. 33 Corps : Srinagar

33 Corps has its headquarters at Sukna near Siliguri in West Bengal, not at Srinagar. 33 Corps, under the Eastern Command, guards Sikkim and the narrow Siliguri Corridor that links the North-East with the rest of India, which is why it sits at Sukna.

Q2.Static GKAsked in: UPSC Civil Services · CSE Prelims 2026, GS Paper IHard

Consider the following statements about platforms for multilateral co-operation:

1. The 'Colombo Process' is a regional consultative process in which member states take binding decisions by consensus.

2. The 'Abu Dhabi Dialogue' is a voluntary non-binding consultative process among Asian countries of labour origin and destination to facilitate regional cooperation on contractual labour mobility.

3. The 'Global Forum for Migration and Development', created upon the proposal of a former UN Secretary General, is a voluntary forum whose decisions are non-binding in nature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A.1, 2 and 3
  2. B.1 and 3 only
  3. C.2 and 3 only
  4. D.2 only
Show answer
Correct answer: C. 2 and 3 only

All three are voluntary migration forums whose outcomes are non-binding, so statement 1 is wrong in calling the Colombo Process's decisions binding.

Q3.Static GKHard

Which of the following statements about birthplaces is correct?

  1. A.Lal Bahadur Shastri was born at Mughalsarai in Uttar Pradesh
  2. B.Lala Lajpat Rai was born at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra
  3. C.Sarojini Naidu was born at Chennai
  4. D.Maharana Pratap was born at Chittorgarh
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Lal Bahadur Shastri was born at Mughalsarai in Uttar Pradesh

Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on 2 October 1904 at Mughalsarai in the Varanasi region of Uttar Pradesh, a town now named Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Nagar; he shares his birthday with Mahatma Gandhi, which is why both are remembered on 2 October.