Consider the following pairs:
| Country | Important reason for being in the news recently | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chad | Setting up of permanent military base by China |
| 2. | Guinea | Suspension of Constitution and Government by military |
| 3. | Lebanon | Severe and prolonged economic depression |
| 4. | Tunisia | Suspension of Parliament by President |
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) Only three pairs
Pairs 2, 3 and 4 are correct and pair 1 is wrong, so three pairs match. Guinea's army seized power in September 2021, Lebanon is in its worst economic collapse, and Tunisia's President suspended Parliament in July 2021. China's overseas base is in Djibouti, not Chad.
- ✗ 1. China's overseas military base is in Djibouti. A 2021 US Defense Department report says China was only pursuing further facilities and does not name Chad among the countries it likely considered.
- ✓ 2. After the army's takeover of 5 September 2021, the junta suspended Guinea's constitution and dissolved the institutions of government.
- ✓ 3. Since 2019 Lebanon has faced the most severe economic and financial collapse in its history, with a banking system left insolvent.
- ✓ 4. The UN human rights office records that on 25 July 2021 the Tunisian President suspended Parliament and assumed all executive functions, so the pair matches.
Remember · 2021 in the news: Guinea military coup (Sept), Tunisia's President suspends Parliament (July), Lebanon's economic collapse. China's overseas military base: Djibouti.
Sources
- World Bank, Lebanon Overview ↗ “Since 2019, Lebanon has been facing an unprecedented crisis stemming from the most severe economic and financial collapse in the country’s history.”
- US Department of Defense, Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2021 ↗ “Beyond its base in Djibouti, the PRC is pursuing additional military facilities to support naval, air, ground, cyber, and space power projection.”
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Mamady Doumbouya ↗ · reference work “The junta suspended the constitution and dissolved the institutions of government and promised to form a transitional government of national unity.”
- UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR): Dissolution of Tunisia's High Judicial Council (Bachelet), 5 Feb 2022 ↗ · reference work “On 25 July 2021, the President suspended Parliament and assumed all executive functions.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·