2008 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2008 · General Studies

Question 61: Geography

Which of the following countries share borders with Moldova?

  1. 1.Ukraine
  2. 2.Romania
  3. 3.Belarus

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a1 and 2 only
b2 and 3 only
c1 and 3 only
d1, 2 and 3

AnswerThe answer is (a).

Moldova is a small landlocked country in eastern Europe, bordered by Romania to the west and by Ukraine to the north, east and south. It does not border Belarus, which lies further north beyond Ukraine. Moldova was part of the Soviet Union until 1991, and Transnistria, a breakaway strip along the Ukrainian border, remains unresolved.

  • 1. Ukraine borders Moldova to the north, east and south.
  • 2. Romania borders Moldova to the west.
  • 3. Belarus lies beyond Ukraine and does not border Moldova.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 3 is not correct, (b), (c) and (d) go: each of them includes 3.

    What you needed to know: Belarus lies beyond Ukraine and does not border Moldova.

Only (a) is left. You didn’t need statements 1 or 2.

This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Romania and Ukraine are Moldova's only neighbours.
  • (b) Includes Belarus, which does not border Moldova, and leaves out Ukraine, which does.
  • (c) Includes Belarus and leaves out Romania, which does border Moldova.
  • (d) Includes Belarus, which lies beyond Ukraine and does not border Moldova.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2008, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.