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January 2 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

On This Day /
  • 366 – The Alemanni cross the frozen Rhine in large numbers, invading the Roman Empire.
  • 533 – Mercurius becomes Pope John II, the first pope to adopt a new name upon elevation to the papacy.
  • 1492 – Reconquista: The Emirate of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spain, surrenders.
  • 1680 – Trunajaya rebellion: Amangkurat II of Mataram and his bodyguards execute the rebel leader Trunajaya. a month after the rebel leader was captured by the Dutch East India Company.
  • 1777 – American Revolutionary War: American forces under the command of George Washington repulsed a British attack at the Battle of the Assunpink Creek near Trenton, New Jersey.
  • 1788 – Georgia becomes the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution.
  • 1791 – Big Bottom massacre in the Ohio Country, North America, marking the beginning of the Northwest Indian War.
  • 1818 – The British Institution of Civil Engineers is founded by a group of six engineers; Thomas Telford would later become its first president.
  • 1833 – Captain James Onslow, in the Clio, arrives at Port Egmont to reassert British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
  • 1865 – Uruguayan War: The Siege of Paysandú ends as the Brazilians and Coloradans capture Paysandú, Uruguay.
  • 1900 – American statesman and diplomat John Hay announces the Open Door Policy to promote trade with China.
  • 1920 – The second Palmer Raid, ordered by the US Department of Justice, results in 6,000 suspected communists and anarchists being arrested and held without trial.
  • 1941 – World War II: German bombing severely damages the Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.
  • 1942 – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) obtains the conviction of 33 members of a German spy ring headed by Fritz Joubert Duquesne in the largest espionage case in United States history—the Duquesne Spy Ring.
  • 1942 – World War II: Manila is captured by Japanese forces, enabling them to control the Philippines.
  • 1949 – Luis Muñoz Marín is inaugurated as the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico.
  • 1954 – India establishes its highest civilian awards, the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan.
  • 1955 – Following the assassination of the Panamanian president José Antonio Remón Cantera, his deputy, José Ramón Guizado, takes power, but is quickly deposed after his involvement in Cantera’s death is discovered.
  • 1959 – Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon and to orbit the Sun, is launched by the Soviet Union.
  • 1963 – Vietnam War: The Viet Cong wins its first major victory, at the Battle of Ap Bac.
  • 1967 – Ronald Reagan, past movie actor and future President of the United States, is sworn in as Governor of California.
  • 1971 – The second Ibrox disaster kills 66 fans at a Rangers-Celtic association football (soccer) match.
  • 1974 – United States President Richard Nixon signs a bill lowering the maximum U.S. speed limit to 55 MPH in order to conserve gasoline during an OPEC embargo.
  • 1975 – At the opening of a new railway line, a bomb blast at Samastipur, Bihar, India, fatally wounds Lalit Narayan Mishra, Minister of Railways.
  • 1975 – The Federal Rules of Evidence are approved by the United States Congress.
  • 1976 – The Gale of January 1976 begins, resulting in coastal flooding around the southern North Sea coasts, affecting countries from Ireland to Yugoslavia and causing at least 82 deaths and US$1.3 billion in damage.
  • 1978 – On the orders of the President of Pakistan, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, paramilitary forces opened fire on peaceful protesting workers in Multan, Pakistan; it is known as 1978 massacre at Multan Colony Textile Mills.
  • 1981 – One of the largest investigations by a British police force ends when serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, the “Yorkshire Ripper”, is arrested in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
  • 1991 – Sharon Pratt Kelly becomes the first African American woman mayor of a major city and first woman Mayor of the District of Columbia.
  • 1993 – Sri Lankan Civil War: The Sri Lanka Navy kill 35–100 civilians on the Jaffna Lagoon.
  • 2004 – Stardust successfully flies past Comet Wild 2, collecting samples that are returned to Earth.

Births on January 2

  • 869 – Yōzei, Japanese emperor (d. 949)
  • 1462 – Piero di Cosimo, Italian painter (d. 1522)
  • 1509 – Henry of Stolberg, German nobleman (d. 1572)
  • 1642 – Mehmed IV, Ottoman sultan (d. 1693)
  • 1647 – Nathaniel Bacon, English-American rebel leader (d. 1676)
  • 1699 – Osman III, Ottoman sultan (d. 1757)
  • 1713 – Marie Dumesnil, French actress (d. 1803)
  • 1727 – James Wolfe, English general (d. 1759)
  • 1732 – František Brixi, Czech organist and composer (d. 1771)
  • 1777 – Christian Daniel Rauch, German sculptor and educator (d. 1857)
  • 1803 – Guglielmo Libri Carucci dalla Sommaja, Italian mathematician and academic (d. 1869)
  • 1822 – Rudolf Clausius, Polish-German physicist and mathematician (d. 1888)
  • 1827 – Pyotr Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky, Russian geographer and statistician (d. 1914)
  • 1833 – Frederick A. Johnson, American banker and politician (d. 1893)
  • 1836 – Mendele Mocher Sforim, Russian author (d. 1917)
  • 1836 – Queen Emma of Hawaii (d. 1885)
  • 1837 – Mily Balakirev, Russian pianist and composer (d. 1910)
  • 1857 – M. Carey Thomas, American educator and activist (d. 1935)
  • 1860 – Dugald Campbell Patterson, Canadian engineer (d. 1931)
  • 1860 – William Corless Mills, American historian and curator (d. 1928)
  • 1866 – Gilbert Murray, Australian-English playwright and scholar (d. 1957)
  • 1870 – Ernst Barlach, German sculptor and playwright (d. 1938)
  • 1870 – Tex Rickard, American boxing promoter and businessman (d. 1929)
  • 1873 – Antonie Pannekoek, Dutch astronomer and theorist (d. 1960)
  • 1873 – Thérèse of Lisieux, French nun and saint (d. 1897)
  • 1878 – Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai, Indian activist, founded the Nair Service Society (d. 1970)
  • 1884 – Ben-Zion Dinur, Russian-Israeli historian and politician, 4th Israeli Minister of Education (d. 1973)
  • 1885 – Gordon Flowerdew, Canadian lieutenant, Victoria Cross recipient (d. 1918)
  • 1886 – Apsley Cherry-Garrard, English explorer and author (d. 1959)
  • 1889 – Bertram Stevens, Australian accountant and politician, 25th Premier of New South Wales (d. 1973)
  • 1891 – Giovanni Michelucci, Italian architect and urban planner, designed the Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station (d. 1990)
  • 1892 – Seiichiro Kashio, Japanese tennis player (d. 1962)
  • 1892 – Artur Rodziński, Polish-American conductor (d. 1958)
  • 1895 – Folke Bernadotte, Swedish diplomat (d. 1948)
  • 1896 – Dziga Vertov, Polish-Russian director and screenwriter (d. 1954)
  • 1896 – Lawrence Wackett, Australian commander and engineer (d. 1982)
  • 1897 – Theodore Plucknett, English legal historian (d. 1965)
  • 1900 – Una Ledingham, British physician, known for research on diabetes in pregnancy (d. 1965)
  • 1901 – Bob Marshall, American activist, co-founded The Wilderness Society (d. 1939)
  • 1902 – Dan Keating, Irish Republican Army volunteer (d. 2007)
  • 1903 – Kane Tanaka, Japanese supercentenarian, oldest verified living person
  • 1904 – Walter Heitler, German physicist and chemist (d. 1981)
  • 1905 – Luigi Zampa, Italian director and screenwriter (d. 1991)
  • 1905 – Michael Tippett, English composer and conductor (d. 1998)
  • 1909 – Barry Goldwater, American politician, businessman, and author (d. 1998)
  • 1909 – Riccardo Cassin, Italian mountaineer and author (d. 2009)[
  • 1913 – Anna Lee, English-American actress (d. 2004)[79]
  • 1913 – Juanita Jackson Mitchell, American lawyer and activist (d. 1992)
  • 1917 – Vera Zorina, German-Norwegian actress and dancer (d. 2003)
  • 1918 – Willi Graf, German physician and activist (d. 1943)
  • 1919 – Beatrice Hicks, American engineer (d. 1979)
  • 1920(probable) – Isaac Asimov, American writer and professor of biochemistry (d. 1992)
  • 1921 – Glen Harmon, Canadian ice hockey player (d. 2007)
  • 1926 – Gino Marchetti, American football player (d. 2019)
  • 1928 – Dan Rostenkowski, American politician (d. 2010)
  • 1929 – Tellervo Koivisto, Finnish politician, former First Lady of Finland
  • 1931 – Toshiki Kaifu, Japanese lawyer and politician, 76th Prime Minister of Japan
  • 1934 – John Hollowbread, English footballer, goalkeeper (d. 2007)
  • 1936 – Roger Miller, American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor (d. 1992)
  • 1938 – David Bailey, English photographer and painter
  • 1938 – Lynn Conway, American computer scientist and electrical engineer
  • 1938 – Robert Smithson, American sculptor and photographer (d. 1973)
  • 1940 – Jim Bakker, American televangelist
  • 1940 – Saud bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabian economist and politician, Saudi Arabian Minister of Foreign Affairs (d. 2015)
  • 1942 – Dennis Hastert, American educator and politician, 59th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
  • 1942 – Thomas Hammarberg, Swedish lawyer and diplomat
  • 1943 – Janet Akyüz Mattei, Turkish-American astronomer (d. 2004)
  • 1944 – Charlie Davis, Trinidadian cricketer
  • 1944 – Norodom Ranariddh, Cambodian field marshal and politician, 1st Prime Minister of Cambodia
  • 1944 – Péter Eötvös, Hungarian composer and conductor
  • 1947 – Calvin Hill, American football player
  • 1947 – David Shapiro, American poet, historian, and critic
  • 1947 – Jack Hanna, American zoologist and author
  • 1949 – Christopher Durang, American playwright and screenwriter
  • 1949 – Iris Marion Young, American political scientist and academic (d. 2006)
  • 1952 – Indulis Emsis, Latvian biologist and politician, 9th Prime Minister of Latvia
  • 1954 – Henry Bonilla, American broadcaster and politician
  • 1954 – Évelyne Trouillot, Haitian playwright and author
  • 1959 – Kirti Azad, Indian cricketer and politician
  • 1961 – Craig James, American football player and sportscaster
  • 1961 – Gabrielle Carteris, American actress
  • 1961 – Paula Hamilton, English model
  • 1961 – Robert Wexler, American lawyer and politician
  • 1963 – David Cone, American baseball player and sportscaster
  • 1963 – Edgar Martínez, American baseball player
  • 1964 – Pernell Whitaker, American boxer (d. 2019)
  • 1965 – Francois Pienaar, South African rugby player
  • 1967 – Jón Gnarr, Icelandic actor and politician; 20th Mayor of Reykjavik City
  • 1967 – Tia Carrere, American actress
  • 1968 – Anky van Grunsven, Dutch dressage champion
  • 1968 – Cuba Gooding, Jr., American actor and producer
  • 1969 – Christy Turlington, American model
  • 1969 – István Bagyula, Hungarian pole vaulter
  • 1969 – William Fox-Pitt, English horse rider and journalist
  • 1970 – Eric Whitacre, American composer and conductor
  • 1971 – Renée Elise Goldsberry, American actress
  • 1971 – Taye Diggs, American actor and singer
  • 1972 – Mattias Norström, Swedish ice hockey player and manager
  • 1972 – Rodney MacDonald, Canadian educator and politician, 26th Premier of Nova Scotia
  • 1972 – Shiraz Minwalla, Indian theoretical physicist and string theorist
  • 1974 – Ludmila Formanová, Czech runner
  • 1974 – Tomáš Řepka, Czech footballer
  • 1975 – Reuben Thorne, New Zealand rugby player
  • 1977 – Brian Boucher, American ice hockey player and sportscaster
  • 1977 – Stefan Koubek, Austrian tennis player
  • 1979 – Jonathan Greening English footballer
  • 1981 – Maxi Rodríguez, Argentinian footballer
  • 1983 – Kate Bosworth, American actress
  • 1987 – Robert Milsom, English footballe
  • 1988 – Damien Tussac, French-German rugby player
  • 1992 – Korbin Sims, Australian-Fijian rugby league player
  • 1992 – Paulo Gazzaniga, Argentinian footballer, goalkeeper
  • 1998 – Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Dutch footballer

Deaths on January 2

  • 951 – Liu Chengyou, Emperor Yin of the Later Han
  • 951 – Su Fengji, Chinese official and chancellor
  • 1096 – William de St-Calais, Bishop of Durham and chief counsellor of William II of England[
  • 1169 – Bertrand de Blanchefort, sixth Grand Master of the Knights Templar (b. c. 1109)1184 – Theodora Komnene, Duchess of Austria, daughter of Andronikos Komnenos
  • 1298 – Lodomer, Hungarian prelate, Archbishop of Esztergom
  • 1470 – Heinrich Reuß von Plauen, Grand Master of the Teutonic Order
  • 1512 – Svante Nilsson, Sweden politician (b. 1460)
  • 1514 – William Smyth, English bishop and academic (b. 1460)
  • 1543 – Francesco Canova da Milano, Italian composer (b. 1497)
  • 1557 – Pontormo, Italian painter and educator (b. 1494)
  • 1613 – Salima Sultan Begum, Empress of the Mughal Empire (b. 1539)
  • 1614 – Luisa Carvajal y Mendoza, Spanish mystical poet and Catholic martyr (b. 1566)
  • 1726 – Domenico Zipoli, Italian organist and composer (b. 1688)
  • 1763 – John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville, English statesman (b. 1690)
  • 1850 – Manuel de la Peña y Peña, Mexican lawyer and 20th President (1847) (b. 1789)
  • 1861 – Frederick William IV of Prussia (b. 1795)
  • 1892 – George Biddell Airy, English mathematician and astronomer (b. 1801)
  • 1904 – James Longstreet, American general and diplomat (b. 1821)
  • 1913 – Léon Teisserenc de Bort, French meteorologist (b. 1855)
  • 1915 – Karl Goldmark, Hungarian violinist and composer (b. 1830)
  • 1917 – Léon Flameng, French cyclist (b. 1877)
  • 1920 – Paul Adam, French author (b. 1862)
  • 1924 – Sabine Baring-Gould, English author and scholar (b. 1834)
  • 1939 – Roman Dmowski, Polish politician, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1864)
  • 1941 – Mischa Levitzki, Russian-American pianist and composer (b. 1898)
  • 1946 – Joe Darling, Australian cricketer and politician (b. 1870)
  • 1950 – James Dooley, Irish-Australian politician, 21st Premier of New South Wales (b. 1877)
  • 1951 – William Campion, English colonel and politician, 21st Governor of Western Australia (b. 1870)
  • 1953 – Guccio Gucci, Italian businessman and fashion designer, founder of Gucci (b. 1881)
  • 1960 – Paul Sauvé, Canadian lawyer and politician, 17th Premier of Quebec (b. 1907)
  • 1963 – Dick Powell, American actor, singer, and director (b. 1904)
  • 1963 – Jack Carson, Canadian-American actor (b. 1910)
  • 1974 – Tex Ritter, American actor (b. 1905)
  • 1975 – Siraj Sikder, Bangladesh revolutionary leader (b. 1944)
  • 1977 – Erroll Garner, American pianist and composer (b. 1921)
  • 1986 – Una Merkel, American actress (b. 1903)
  • 1987 – Harekrushna Mahatab, Indian journalist and politician, 1st Chief Minister of Odisha (b. 1899)
  • 1989 – Safdar Hashmi, Indian actor, director, and playwright (b. 1954)
  • 1990 – Alan Hale Jr., American film and television actor (b. 1921)
  • 1990 – Evangelos Averoff, Greek historian and politician, Greek Minister for National Defence (b. 1910)
  • 1994 – Dixy Lee Ray, American biologist and politician; 17th Governor of Washington (b. 1914)
  • 1994 – Pierre-Paul Schweitzer, French lawyer and businessman (b. 1915)
  • 1995 – Nancy Kelly, American actress (b. 1921)
  • 1995 – Siad Barre, Somalian general and politician; 3rd President of Somalia (b. 1919)
  • 1999 – Rolf Liebermann, Swiss-French composer and manager (b. 1910)
  • 1999 – Sebastian Haffner, German journalist and author (b. 1907)[
  • 2000 – Elmo Zumwalt, American admiral (b. 1920)
  • 2000 – Patrick O’Brian, English author and translator (b. 1914)
  • 2001 – William P. Rogers, American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 55th United States Secretary of State (b. 1913)
  • 2005 – Maclyn McCarty, American geneticist and physician (b. 1911)
  • 2006 – Cecilia Muñoz-Palma, Filipino lawyer and jurist (b. 1913)
  • 2006 – Osa Massen, Danish-American actress (b. 1914)
  • 2007 – A. Richard Newton, Australian-American engineer and academic (b. 1951)
  • 2007 – Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, American historian and author (b. 1941)
  • 2007 – Teddy Kollek, Hungarian-Israeli politician, Mayor of Jerusalem (b. 1911)
  • 2008 – George MacDonald Fraser, Scottish journalist and author (b. 1925)
  • 2008 – Lee S. Dreyfus, American sailor, academic, and politician, 40th Governor of Wisconsin (b. 1926)
  • 2009 – Inger Christensen, Danish poet and author (b. 1935)
  • 2009 – Dnyaneshwar Agashe, Indian businessman and cricketer (b. 1942)
  • 2010 – David R. Ross, Scottish historian and author (b. 1958)
  • 2011 – Anne Francis, American actress (b. 1930)
  • 2011 – Bali Ram Bhagat, Indian politician; 16th Governor of Rajasthan (b. 1922)
  • 2011 – Pete Postlethwaite, English actor (b. 1946)
  • 2012 – Gordon Hirabayashi, American-Canadian sociologist and academic (b. 1918)
  • 2012 – Silvana Gallardo, American actress and producer (b. 1953)
  • 2012 – William P. Carey, American businessman and philanthropist, founded W. P. Carey (b. 1930)
  • 2013 – Gerda Lerner, Austrian-American historian, author, and academic (b. 1920)
  • 2013 – Teresa Torańska, Polish journalist and author (b. 1944)
  • 2014 – Bernard Glasser, American director and producer (b. 1924)
  • 2014 – Elizabeth Jane Howard, English author and screenwriter (b. 1923)
  • 2015 – Tihomir Novakov, Serbian-American physicist and academic (b. 1929)
  • 2016 – Ardhendu Bhushan Bardhan, Indian lawyer and politician (b. 1924)
  • 2016 – Frances Cress Welsing, American psychiatrist and author (b. 1935)
  • 2016 – Nimr al-Nimr, Saudi Arabian religious leader (b. 1959)
  • 2016 – Gisela Mota Ocampo, mayor of Temixco, Morelos, Mexico, assassinated (b. 1982)
  • 2017 – Jean Vuarnet, French ski racer (b. 1933)
  • 2017 – John Berger, English art critic, novelist and painter (b. 1926)
  • 2018 – Guida Maria, Portuguese actress (b. 1950)
  • 2018 – Thomas S. Monson, American religious leader, 16th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (b. 1927)
  • 2019 – Daryl Dragon, American musician (b. 1942)
  • 2019 – Bob Einstein, American actor and comedian (b. 1942)
  • 2019 – Gene Okerlund, American wrestling announcer (b. 1942)

Holidays and observances on January 2

  • Ancestry Day (Haiti)
  • Berchtold’s Day (Switzerland and Liechtenstein)
  • Carnival Day (Saint Kitts and Nevis)
  • Christian feast day:
    • Basil the Great (Catholic Church and Church of England)
    • Defendens of Thebes
    • Earliest day on which the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is observed, while January 5 is the latest; celebrated on Sunday between January 2 and 5. (Roman Catholic Church, 1960 calendar)
    • Gregory of Nazianzus (Catholic Church)
    • Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe (Lutheran Church)
    • Macarius of Alexandria
    • Seraphim of Sarov (repose) (Eastern Orthodox Church)
    • Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah (Episcopal Church)
    • January 2 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Nyinlong (Bhutan)
  • The first day of Blacks and Whites’ Carnival, celebrated until January 7. (southern Colombia)
  • The first day of the Carnival of Riosucio, celebrated until January 8 every 2 years. (Riosucio)
  • The ninth of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity)
  • The second day of New Year (a holiday in Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, Mauritius, Montenegro, New Zealand, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine):
    • New Year Holiday (Scotland), if it is a Sunday, the day moves to January 3
    • Kaapse Klopse (Cape Town, South Africa)
  • The victory of Armed Forces Day (Cuba)

January 2 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

January 1 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day

On This Day /

During the Middle Ages under the influence of the Catholic Church, many countries in western Europe decided to move the start of the year to one of several important Christian festivals – December 25 (the Nativity of Jesus), March 1, March 25 (the Annunciation), or even Easter. The Byzantine Empire began its numbered year on September 1.

In England, January 1 was celebrated as the New Year festival, but from the 12th century to 1752 the year in England began on March 25 (Lady Day). So, for example, the Parliamentary record notes the execution of Charles I as occurring on January 30, 1648, (as the year did not end until March 24), although modern histories adjust the start of the year to January 1 and record the execution as occurring in 1649.

Most western European countries changed the start of the year to January 1 before they adopted the Gregorian calendar. For example, Scotland changed the start of the Scottish New Year to January 1 in 1600. England, Ireland and the British colonies changed the start of the year to January 1 in 1752. Later that year in September, the Gregorian calendar was introduced throughout Britain and the British colonies. These two reforms were implemented by the Calendar (New Style) Act 1750.

January 1 became the official start of the year as follows:

Julian calendar:

  • 1544 Holy Roman Empire (Germany)
  • 1556 Spain, Portugal
  • 1559 Prussia, Sweden
  • 1564 France
  • 1576 Southern Netherlands
  • 1579 Duchy of Lorraine
  • 1583 Northern Netherlands
  • 1600 Scotland
  • 1700 Russia
  • 1752 Great Britain (excluding Scotland) and its colonies
  • 1804 Serbia

Gregorian calendar:

  • 1750 Tuscany
  • 1797 Republic of Venice
  • 1918 Ottoman Empire
  • 1941 Thailand

Events on January 1

Pre-Julian Roman calendar

  • 153 BC – For the first time, Roman consuls begin their year in office on January 1.

Early Julian calendar (before Augustus’ leap year correction)

  • 45 BC – The Julian calendar takes effect as the civil calendar of the Roman Empire, establishing January 1 as the new date of the new year.
  • 42 BC – The Roman Senate posthumously deifies Julius Caesar.

Julian calendar

  • 193 – The Senate chooses Pertinax against his will to succeed Commodus as Roman emper]or.
  • 404 – Saint Telemachus tries to stop a gladiatorial fight in a Roman amphitheatre, and is stoned to death by the crowd. This act impresses the Christian Emperor Honorius, who issues a historic ban on gladiatorial fights.
  • 417 – Emperor Honorius forces Galla Placidia into marriage to Constantius, his famous general (magister militum) (probable).
  • 1001 – Grand Prince Stephen I of Hungary is named the first King of Hungary by Pope Sylvester II (probable).
  • 1068 – Romanos IV Diogenes marries Eudokia Makrembolitissa and is crowned Byzantine Emperor.
  • 1259 – Michael VIII Palaiologos is proclaimed co-emperor of the Empire of Nicaea with his ward John IV Laskaris.
  • 1438 – Albert II of Habsburg is crowned King of Hungary.
  • 1502 – The present-day location of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is first explored by the Portuguese.
  • 1515 – Twenty-year-old Francis, Duke of Brittany, succeeds to the French throne following the death of his father-in-law, Louis XII.
  • 1527 – Croatian nobles elect Ferdinand I of Austria as King of Croatia in the Parliament on Cetin.
  • 1583 to 1700 – see January 11
  • 1600 – Scotland recognises January 1 as the start of the year, instead of March 25.
  • 1651 – Charles II is crowned King of Scotland.
  • 1700 – Russia begins using the Anno Domini era instead of the Anno Mundi era of the Byzantine Empire.
  • 1701 to 1800 – see January 12
  • 1801 to 1900 – see January 13
  • 1901 to 2100 – see January 14

Gregorian calendar

  • 1707 – John V is proclaimed King of Portugal and the Algarves in Lisbon.
  • 1739 – Bouvet Island, the world’s remotest island is discovered by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier.
  • 1772 – The first traveler’s cheques, which could be used in 90 European cities, were issued by the London Credit Exchange Company.
  • 1773 – The hymn that became known as “Amazing Grace”, then titled “1 Chronicles 17:16–17” is first used to accompany a sermon led by John Newton in the town of Olney, Buckinghamshire, England.
  • 1776 – American Revolutionary War: Norfolk, Virginia is burned by combined Royal Navy and Continental Army action.
  • 1776 – General George Washington hoists the first United States flag; the Grand Union Flag at Prospect Hill.
  • 1781 – American Revolutionary War: One thousand five hundred soldiers of the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment under General Anthony Wayne’s command rebel against the Continental Army’s winter camp in Morristown, New Jersey in the Pennsylvania Line Mutiny of 1781.
  • 1788 – First edition of The Times of London, previously The Daily Universal Register, is published.
  • 1801 – The legislative union of Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Ireland is completed, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is proclaimed.
  • 1801 – Ceres, the largest and first known object in the Asteroid belt, is discovered by Giuseppe Piazzi.
  • 1803 – Emperor Gia Long orders all bronze wares of the Tây Sơn dynasty to be collected and melted into nine cannons for the Royal Citadel in Huế, Vietnam.
  • 1804 – French rule ends in Haiti. Haiti becomes the first black-majority republic and second independent country in North America after the United States.
  • 1806 – The French Republican Calendar is abolished.
  • 1808 – The United States bans the importation of slaves.
  • 1810 – Major-General Lachlan Macquarie officially becomes Governor of New South Wales.
  • 1822 – The Greek Constitution of 1822 is adopted by the First National Assembly at Epidaurus.
  • 1847 – The world’s first “Mercy” Hospital is founded in Pittsburgh, United States, by a group of Sisters of Mercy from Ireland; the name will go on to grace over 30 major hospitals throughout the world.
  • 1860 – The first Polish stamp is issued, replacing the Russian stamps previously in use.
  • 1861 – Liberal forces supporting Benito Juárez enter Mexico City.
  • 1863 – American Civil War: The Emancipation Proclamation takes effect in Confederate territory.
  • 1877 – Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom is proclaimed Empress of India.
  • 1885 – Twenty-five nations adopt Sandford Fleming’s proposal for standard time (and also, time zones).
  • 1890 – Eritrea is consolidated into a colony by the Italian government
  • 1892 – Ellis Island begins processing immigrants into the United States.
  • 1898 – New York, New York annexes land from surrounding counties, creating the City of Greater New York. The four initial boroughs, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx, are joined on January 25 by Staten Island to create the modern city of five boroughs.
  • 1899 – Spanish rule ends in Cuba.
  • 1901 – Nigeria becomes a British protectorate
  • 1901 – The British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia federate as the Commonwealth of Australia; Edmund Barton is appointed the first Prime Minister
  • 1902 – The first American college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl between Michigan and Stanford, is held in Pasadena, California.
  • 1910 – Captain David Beatty is promoted to Rear admiral, and becomes the youngest admiral in the Royal Navy (except for Royal family members) since Horatio Nelson.
  • 1912 – The Republic of China is established.
  • 1914 – The SPT Airboat Line becomes the world’s first scheduled airline to use a winged aircraft.
  • 1923 – Britain’s Railways are grouped into the Big Four: LNER, GWR, SR, and LMS.
  • 1927 – New Mexican oil legislation goes into effect, leading to the formal outbreak of the Cristero War.
  • 1928 – Boris Bazhanov defects through Iran. He is the only assistant of Joseph Stalin’s secretariat to have defected from the Eastern Bloc.
  • 1929 – The former municipalities of Point Grey, British Columbia and South Vancouver, British Columbia are amalgamated into Vancouver.
  • 1932 – The United States Post Office Department issues a set of 12 stamps commemorating the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth.
  • 1934 – Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay becomes a United States federal prison.
  • 1934 – A “Law for the Prevention of Genetically Diseased Offspring” comes into effect in Nazi Germany.
  • 1942 – The Declaration by United Nations is signed by twenty-six nations.
  • 1945 – World War II: In retaliation for the Malmedy massacre, U.S. troops kill 60 German POWs at Chenogne.
  • 1945 – World War II: The German Luftwaffe launches Operation Bodenplatte, a massive, but failed attempt to knock out Allied air power in northern Europe in a single blow.
  • 1947 – Cold War: The American and British occupation zones in Allied-occupied Germany, after World War II, merge to form the Bizone, which later (with the French zone) became part of West Germany.
  • 1947 – The Canadian Citizenship Act 1946 comes into effect, converting British subjects into Canadian citizens.Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King becomes the first Canadian citizen.
  • 1948 – The British railway network is nationalized to form British Railways.
  • 1949 – United Nations cease-fire takes effect in Kashmir from one minute before midnight. War between India and Pakistan stops accordingly.
  • 1956 – Sudan achieves independence from Egypt and the United Kingdom.
  • 1957 – George Town, Penang, is made a city by a royal charter of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
  • 1958 – European Economic Community is established.
  • 1959 – Cuban Revolution: Fulgencio Batista, dictator of Cuba, is overthrown by Fidel Castro’s forces.
  • 1960 – Cameroon achieves independence from France and the United Kingdom.
  • 1962 – Western Samoa achieves independence from New Zealand; its name is changed to the Independent State of Western Samoa.
  • 1964 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is divided into the independent republics of Zambia and Malawi, and the British-controlled Rhodesia.
  • 1965 – The People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan is founded in Kabul, Afghanistan.
  • 1970 – The defined beginning of Unix time, at 00:00:00.
  • 1971 – Cigarette advertisements are banned on American television.
  • 1973 – Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom are admitted into the European Economic Community.
  • 1976 – A bomb explodes on board Middle East Airlines Flight 438 over Qaisumah, Saudi Arabia, killing all 81 people on board.
  • 1978 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747, crashes into the Arabian Sea, due to instrument failure, spatial disorientation, and pilot error, off the coast of Bombay, India, killing all 213 people on board.
  • 1979 – Normal diplomatic relations are established between the People’s Republic of China and the United States.
  • 1981 – Greece is admitted into the European Community.
  • 1982 – Peruvian Javier Pérez de Cuéllar becomes the first Latin American to hold the title of Secretary-General of the United Nations.
  • 1983 – The ARPANET officially changes to using TCP/IP, the Internet Protocol, effectively creating the Internet.
  • 1984 – The original American Telephone & Telegraph Company is divested of its 22 Bell System companies as a result of the settlement of the 1974 United States Department of Justice antitrust suit against AT&T.
  • 1984 – Brunei becomes independent of the United Kingdom.
  • 1985 – The first British mobile phone call is made by Michael Harrison to his father Sir Ernest Harrison, chairman of Vodafone.
  • 1987 – The Isleta Pueblo tribe elect Verna Williamson to be their first female governor.
  • 1988 – The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America comes into existence, creating the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States.
  • 1989 – The Montreal Protocol comes into force, stopping the use of chemicals contributing to ozone depletion.
  • 1990 – David Dinkins is sworn in as New York City’s first black mayor.
  • 1993 – Dissolution of Czechoslovakia: Czechoslovakia is divided into the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic.
  • 1994 – The Zapatista Army of National Liberation initiates twelve days of armed conflict in the Mexican state of Chiapas.
  • 1994 – The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) comes into effect.
  • 1995 – The World Trade Organization comes into being.
  • 1995 – The Draupner wave in the North Sea in Norway is detected, confirming the existence of freak waves.
  • 1995 – Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU.
  • 1998 – Following a currency reform, Russia begins to circulate new rubles to stem inflation and promote confidence.
  • 1999 – Euro currency is introduced in 11 member nations of the European Union (with the exception of the United Kingdom, Denmark, Greece and Sweden; Greece later adopts the euro).
  • 2004 – In a vote of confidence, General Pervez Musharraf wins 658 out of 1,170 votes in the Electoral College of Pakistan, and according to Article 41(8) of the Constitution of Pakistan, is “deemed to be elected” to the office of President until October 2007.
  • 2007 – Bulgaria and Romania join the EU.
  • 2007 – Adam Air Flight 574 breaks apart in mid-air and crashes near the Makassar Strait, Indonesia killing all 102 people on board.
  • 2009 – Sixty-six people die in a nightclub fire in Bangkok, Thailand.
  • 2010 – A suicide car bomber detonates at a volleyball tournament in Lakki Marwat, Pakistan, killing 105 and injuring 100 more.
  • 2011 – A bomb explodes as Coptic Christians in Alexandria, Egypt, leave a new year service, killing 23 people.
  • 2011 – Estonia officially adopts the Euro currency and becomes the 17th Eurozone country.
  • 2013 – At least 60 people are killed and 200 injured in a stampede after celebrations at Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
  • 2015 – The Eurasian Economic Union comes into effect, creating a political and economic union between Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
  • 2017 – An attack on a nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey, during New Year’s celebrations, kills at least 39 people and injures more than 60 others

Births on January 1

  • 766 – Ali al-Ridha (d. 818) 8th Imam of Twelver Shia Islam
  • 1431 – Pope Alexander VI (d. 1503)
  • 1449 – Lorenzo de’ Medici, Italian politician (d. 1492)
  • 1467 – Sigismund I the Old, Polish king (d. 1548)
  • 1484 – Huldrych Zwingli, Swiss pastor and theologian (d. 1531)
  • 1511 – Henry, Duke of Cornwall, first-born child of Henry VIII of England (d. 1511)
  • 1557 – Stephen Bocskay, Prince of Transylvania (d. 1606)
  • 1600 – Friedrich Spanheim, Dutch theologian and academic (d. 1649)
  • 1628 – Christoph Bernhard, German composer and theorist (d. 1692)
  • 1655 – Christian Thomasius, German jurist and philosopher (d. 1728)
  • 1684 – Arnold Drakenborch, Dutch scholar and author (d. 1748)
  • 1704 – Soame Jenyns, English author, poet, and politician (d. 1787)
  • 1711 – Baron Franz von der Trenck, Austrian soldier (d. 1749)
  • 1714 – Giovanni Battista Mancini, Italian soprano and author (d. 1800)
  • 1714 – Kristijonas Donelaitis, Lithuanian pastor and poet (d. 1780)
  • 1735 – Paul Revere, American silversmith and engraver (d. 1818)
  • 1745 – Anthony Wayne, American general and politician (d. 1796)
  • 1752 – Betsy Ross, American seamstress, credited with designing the Flag of the United States (d. 1836)
  • 1768 – Maria Edgeworth, Anglo-Irish author (d. 1849)
  • 1769 – Marie-Louise Lachapelle, French obstetrician (d. 1821)
  • 1774 – André Marie Constant Duméril, French zoologist and academic (d. 1860)
  • 1779 – William Clowes, English publisher (d. 1847)
  • 1803 – Edward Dickinson, American politician and father of poet Emily Dickinson (d. 1874)
  • 1806 – Lionel Kieseritzky, Estonian-French chess player (d. 1853)
  • 1809 – Achille Guenée, French lawyer and entomologist (d. 1880)
  • 1813 – George Bliss, American politician (d. 1868)
  • 1814 – Hong Xiuquan, Chinese rebellion leader and king (d. 1864)
  • 1818 – William Gamble, Irish-born American general (d. 1866)
  • 1819 – Arthur Hugh Clough, English-Italian poet and academic (d. 1861)
  • 1819 – George Foster Shepley, American general (d. 1878)
  • 1823 – Sándor Petőfi, Hungarian poet and activist (d. 1849)
  • 1833 – Robert Lawson, Scottish-New Zealand architect, designed the Otago Boys’ High School and Knox Church (d. 1902)
  • 1834 – Ludovic Halévy, French author and playwright (d. 1908)
  • 1839 – Ouida, English-Italian author and activist (d. 1908)
  • 1848 – John W. Goff, Irish-American lawyer and politician (d. 1924)
  • 1852 – Eugène-Anatole Demarçay, French chemist and academic (d. 1904)
  • 1854 – James George Frazer, Scottish anthropologist and academic (d. 1941)
  • 1854 – Thomas Waddell, Irish-Australian politician, 15th Premier of New South Wales (d. 1940)
  • 1857 – Tim Keefe, American baseball player (d. 1933)
  • 1859 – Michael Joseph Owens, American inventor (d. 1923)
  • 1859 – Thibaw Min, Burmese king (d. 1916)
  • 1860 – Michele Lega, Italian cardinal (d. 1935)
  • 1863 – Pierre de Coubertin, French historian, and educator, founded the International Olympic Committee (d. 1937)
  • 1864 – Alfred Stieglitz, American photographer, and curator (d. 1946)
  • 1864 – Qi Baishi, Chinese painter (d. 1957)
  • 1867 – Mary Ackworth Evershed, English astronomer and scholar (d. 1949)
  • 1874 – Frank Knox, American publisher, and politician, 46th United States Secretary of the Navy (d. 1944)
  • 1874 – Gustave Whitehead, German-American pilot and engineer (d. 1927)
  • 1877 – Alexander von Staël-Holstein, German sinologist and orientalist (d. 1937)
  • 1878 – Agner Krarup Erlang, Danish mathematician, statistician, and engineer (d. 1929)
  • 1879 – E. M. Forster, English author and playwright (d. 1970)
  • 1879 – William Fox, Hungarian-American screenwriter and producer, founded the Fox Film Corporation and Fox Theatres (d. 1952)
  • 1883 – William J. Donovan, American general, lawyer, and politician (d. 1959)
  • 1884 – Chikuhei Nakajima, Japanese lieutenant, engineer, and politician, founded Nakajima Aircraft Company (d. 1949)
  • 1887 – Wilhelm Canaris, German admiral (d. 1945)
  • 1888 – Georgios Stanotas, Greek general (d. 1965)
  • 1888 – John Garand, Canadian-American engineer, designed the M1 Garand rifle (d. 1974)
  • 1889 – Charles Bickford, American actor (d. 1967)
  • 1890 – Anton Melik, Slovenian geographer and academic (d. 1966)
  • 1891 – Sampurnanand, Indian educator and politician, 3rd Governor of Rajasthan (d. 1969)
  • 1892 – Mahadev Desai, Indian author and activist (d. 1942)
  • 1892 – Manuel Roxas, Filipino lawyer and politician, 5th President of the Philippines (d. 1948)
  • 1893 – Mordechai Frizis, Greek colonel (d. 1940)
  • 1894 – Satyendra Nath Bose, Indian physicist, and mathematician (d. 1974)
  • 1894 – Edward Joseph Hunkeler, American clergyman (d. 1970)
  • 1895 – J. Edgar Hoover, American law enforcement official; 1st Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (d. 1972)
  • 1900 – Chiune Sugihara, Japanese soldier and diplomat (d. 1986)
  • 1900 – Xavier Cugat, Spanish-American singer-songwriter and actor (d. 1990)
  • 1902 – Buster Nupen, Norwegian-South African cricketer and lawyer (d. 1977)
  • 1902 – Hans von Dohnányi, German jurist and political dissident (d. 1945)
  • 1904 – Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry, Pakistani lawyer and politician, 5th President of Pakistan (d. 1982)
  • 1905 – Stanisław Mazur, Ukrainian-Polish mathematician and theorist (d. 1981)
  • 1906 – Manuel Silos, Filipino filmmaker, and actor (d. 1988)
  • 1907 – Kinue Hitomi, Japanese sprinter and long jumper (d. 1931)
  • 1909 – Dana Andrews, American actor (d. 1992)
  • 1909 – Stepan Bandera, Ukrainian soldier and politician (d. 1959)
  • 1911 – Audrey Wurdemann, American poet and author (d. 1960)
  • 1911 – Basil Dearden, English director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1971)
  • 1911 – Hank Greenberg, American baseball player (d. 1986)
  • 1911 – Roman Totenberg, Polish-American violinist and educator (d. 2012)
  • 1912 – Boris Vladimirovich Gnedenko, Russian mathematician and historian (d. 1995)
  • 1912 – Kim Philby, British spy (d. 1988)
  • 1912 – Nikiforos Vrettakos, Greek poet and academic (d. 1991)
  • 1914 – Noor Inayat Khan, British SOE agent (d. 1944)
  • 1917 – Shannon Bolin, American actress and singer (d. 2016)
  • 1918 – Patrick Anthony Porteous, Scottish colonel, Victoria Cross recipient (d. 2000)
  • 1918 – Willy den Ouden, Dutch swimmer (d. 1997)
  • 1919 – Carole Landis, American actress (d. 1948)
  • 1919 – J. D. Salinger, American soldier and author (d. 2010)
  • 1919 – Rocky Graziano, American boxer and actor (d. 1990)
  • 1920 – Osvaldo Cavandoli, Italian cartoonist (d. 2007)
  • 1921 – César Baldaccini, French sculptor and academic (d. 1998)
  • 1921 – Ismail al-Faruqi, Palestinian-American philosopher and academic (d. 1986)
  • 1921 – Regina Bianchi, Italian actress (d. 2013)
  • 1922 – Ernest Hollings, American soldier, and politician, 106th Governor of South Carolina (d. 2019)
  • 1923 – Valentina Cortese, Italian actress (d. 2019)
  • 1923 – Milt Jackson, American jazz vibraphonist and composer (d. 1999)
  • 1924 – Francisco Macías Nguema, Equatorial Guinean politician, 1st President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea (d. 1979)
  • 1925 – Matthew Beard, American child actor (d. 1981)
  • 1925 – Paul Bomani, Tanzanian politician and diplomat, 1st Tanzanian Minister of Finance (d. 2005)
  • 1926 – Kazys Petkevičius, Lithuanian basketball player and coach (d. 2008)
  • 1927 – Doak Walker, American football player and businessman (d. 1998)
  • 1927 – James Reeb, American clergyman and political activist (d. 1965)
  • 1927 – Maurice Béjart, French-Swiss dancer, choreographer, and director (d. 2007)
  • 1927 – Vernon L. Smith, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1928 – Ernest Tidyman, American author and screenwriter (d. 1984)
  • 1928 – Gerhard Weinberg, German-American historian, author, and academic
  • 1929 – Larry L. King, American journalist, author, and playwright (d. 2012)
  • 1930 – Frederick Wiseman, American director and producer
  • 1930 – Gaafar Nimeiry, Egyptian-Sudanese politician, 4th President of the Sudan (d. 2009)
  • 1932 – Giuseppe Patanè, Italian conductor (d. 1989)
  • 1933 – James Hormel, American philanthropist and diplomat.
  • 1933 – Joe Orton, English dramatist (d. 1967)
  • 1934 – Alan Berg, American lawyer and radio host (d. 1984
  • 1934 – Lakhdar Brahimi, Algerian politician, Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs
  • 1935 – Om Prakash Chautala, Indian politician
  • 1936 – James Sinegal, American businessman, co-founded Costco
  • 1939 – Michèle Mercier, French actress
  • 1939 – Phil Read, English motorcycle racer and businessman
  • 1939 – Senfronia Thompson, American politician
  • 1941 – Younoussi Touré, Malian politician, Prime Minister of Mali
  • 1942 – Alassane Ouattara, Ivorian economist and politician, President of the Ivory Coast (doubtful)
  • 1942 – Anthony Hamilton-Smith, 3rd Baron Colwyn, English dentist and politician
  • 1942 – Country Joe McDonald, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • 1942 – Dennis Archer, American lawyer and politician, 67th Mayor of Detroit
  • 1942 – Gennadi Sarafanov, Russian pilot and cosmonaut (d. 2005)
  • 1943 – Don Novello, American comedian, screenwriter and producer.
  • 1943 – Tony Knowles, American soldier and politician, 7th Governor of Alaska.
  • 1943 – Vladimir Šeks, Croatian lawyer and politician, 16th Speaker of the Croatian Parliament
  • 1944 – Mati Unt, Estonian author, playwright, and director (d. 2005)
  • 1944 – Omar al-Bashir, Sudanese field marshal and politician, 7th President of Sudan
  • 1944 – Teresa Torańska, Polish journalist and author (d. 2013)
  • 1944 – Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Pakistani field hockey player and politician, 13th Prime Minister of Pakistan
  • 1945 – Jacky Ickx, Belgian racing driver
  • 1945 – Victor Ashe, American politician and former United States Ambassador to Poland
  • 1946 – Claude Steele, American social psychologist and academic
  • 1946 – Rivellino, Brazilian footballer and manager
  • 1947 – Jon Corzine, American sergeant and politician, 54th Governor of New Jersey
  • 1948 – Devlet Bahçeli, Turkish economist, academic, and politician, 57th Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey
  • 1948 – Dick Quax, New Zealand runner and politician (d. 2018)
  • 1948 – Pavel Grachev, Russian general and politician, 1st Russian Minister of Defence (d. 2012)
  • 1949 – Borys Tarasyuk, Ukrainian politician and diplomat
  • 1952 – Shaji N. Karun, Indian director and cinematographer
  • 1953 – Gary Johnson, American businessman and politician, 29th Governor of New Mexico
  • 1954 – Bob Menendez, American lawyer and politician
  • 1954 – Dennis O’Driscoll, Irish poet and critic (d. 2012)
  • 1954 – Yannis Papathanasiou, Greek engineer and politician, Greek Minister of Finance
  • 1955 – LaMarr Hoyt, American baseball player
  • 1955 – Mary Beard, English classicist, academic and presenter
  • 1956 – Sergei Avdeyev, Russian engineer and astronaut
  • 1956 – Christine Lagarde, French lawyer and politician; Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
  • 1957 – Evangelos Venizelos, Greek lawyer and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of Greece
  • 1958 – Grandmaster Flash, Barbadian rapper and DJ
  • 1959 – Abdul Ahad Mohmand, Afghan colonel, pilot, and astronaut
  • 1959 – Azali Assoumani, Comorian colonel and politician, President of the Comoros
  • 1959 – Panagiotis Giannakis, Greek basketball player and coach
  • 1962 – Anton Muscatelli, Italian-Scottish economist and academic
  • 1963 – Jean-Marc Gounon, French racing driver
  • 1964 – Dedee Pfeiffer, American actress
  • 1966 – Anna Burke, Australian businesswoman and politician, 28th Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
  • 1966 – Ivica Dačić, Serbian journalist and politician, 95th Prime Minister of Serbia
  • 1966 – Tihomir Orešković, Croatian–Canadian businessman, 11th Prime Minister of Croatia
  • 1968 – Davor Šuker, Croatian footballer
  • 1971 – Bobby Holík, Czech-American ice hockey player and coach
  • 1971 – Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, Indian politician
  • 1971 – Sammie Henson, American wrestler and coach
  • 1972 – Lilian Thuram, French footballer
  • 1974 – Christian Paradis, Canadian lawyer and politician, 9th Canadian Minister of Industry
  • 1975 – Becky Kellar-Duke, Canadian ice hockey player
  • 1975 – Chris Anstey, Australian basketball player and coach
  • 1975 – Fernando Tatís, Dominican baseball player
  • 1975 – Joe Cannon, American soccer player and sportscaster
  • 1979 – Vidya Balan, Indian actress
  • 1981 – Zsolt Baumgartner, Hungarian racing driver
  • 1981 – Mladen Petrić, Croatian footballer
  • 1982 – David Nalbandian, Argentinian tennis player
  • 1982 – Egidio Arévalo Ríos, Uruguayan footballer
  • 1983 – Melaine Walker, Jamaican hurdler
  • 1983 – Park Sung-hyun, South Korean archer
  • 1983 – Calum Davenport, English footballer
  • 1984 – Paolo Guerrero, Peruvian footballer
  • 1985 – Steven Davis, Northern Irish footballer
  • 1985 – Tiago Splitter, Brazilian basketball player
  • 1986 – Pablo Cuevas, Uruguayan tennis player
  • 1986 – Ramses Barden, American football player
  • 1987 – Meryl Davis, American ice dancer1987 – Patric Hörnqvist, Swedish ice hockey player
  • 1988 – Marcel Gecov, Czech footballer
  • 1989 – Jason Pierre-Paul, American football player
  • 1991 – Darius Slay, American football player

Deaths on January 1

  • 138 – Lucius Aelius, adopted son and intended successor of Hadrian (b. 101)
  • 404 – Telemachus, Christian monk and martyr
  • 466 – Qianfei, Chinese emperor of the Liu Song Dynasty (b. 449)
  • 898 – Odo I, Frankish king (b. 860)
  • 951 – Ramiro II, king of León and Galicia1031 – William of Volpiano, Italian abbot (b. 962)
  • 1189 – Henry of Marcy, Cistercian abbot (b. c. 1136)
  • 1204 – Haakon III, king of Norway (b. 1182)
  • 1387 – Charles II, king of Navarre (b. 1332)
  • 1496 – Charles d’Orléans, count of Angoulême (b. 1459)
  • 1515 – Louis XII, king of France (b. 1462)
  • 1559 – Christian III, king of Denmark (b. 1503)
  • 1560 – Joachim du Bellay, French poet and critic (b. 1522)
  • 1617 – Hendrik Goltzius, Dutch painter and illustrator (b. 1558)
  • 1697 – Filippo Baldinucci, Florentine historian and author (b. 1625)
  • 1716 – William Wycherley, English playwright and poet (b. 1641)
  • 1748 – Johann Bernoulli, Swiss mathematician and academic (b. 1667)
  • 1780 – Johann Ludwig Krebs, German organist and composer (b. 1713)
  • 1782 – Johann Christian Bach, German composer (b. 1735)
  • 1789 – Fletcher Norton, 1st Baron Grantley, English lawyer and politician, British Speaker of the House of Commons (b. 1716)
  • 1793 – Francesco Guardi, Italian painter and educator (b. 1712)
  • 1817 – Martin Heinrich Klaproth, German chemist and academic (b. 1743)
  • 1846 – John Torrington, English sailor and explorer (b. 1825)
  • 1853 – Gregory Blaxland, Australian farmer and explorer (b. 1778)
  • 1862 – Mikhail Ostrogradsky, Ukrainian mathematician and physicist (b. 1801)
  • 1881 – Louis Auguste Blanqui, French activist (b. 1805)
  • 1892 – Roswell B. Mason, American lawyer and politician, 25th Mayor of Chicago (b. 1805)
  • 1894 – Heinrich Hertz, German physicist and academic (b. 1857)
  • 1896 – Alfred Ely Beach, American publisher and lawyer, created the Beach Pneumatic Transit (b. 1826)
  • 1906 – Hugh Nelson, Scottish-Australian farmer and politician, 11th Premier of Queensland (b. 1833)
  • 1918 – William Wilfred Campbell, Canadian poet and author (b. 1858)
  • 1921 – Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, German lawyer and politician, 5th Chancellor of Germany (b. 1856)
  • 1929 – Mustafa Necati, Turkish civil servant and politician, Turkish Minister of Environment and Urban Planning (b. 1894)
  • 1931 – Martinus Beijerinck, Dutch microbiologist and botanist (b. 1851)
  • 1937 – Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Indian religious leader, founded the Gaudiya Math (b. 1874)
  • 1940 – Panuganti Lakshminarasimha Rao, Indian author and educator (b. 1865)
  • 1944 – Edwin Lutyens, English architect, designed the Castle Drogo and Thiepval Memorial (b. 1869)
  • 1944 – Charles Turner, Australian cricketer (b. 1862)
  • 1953 – Hank Williams, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1923)
  • 1954 – Duff Cooper, English politician and diplomat, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (b. 1890)
  • 1954 – Leonard Bacon, American poet and critic (b. 1887)
  • 1955 – Arthur C. Parker, American archaeologist and historian (b. 1881)
  • 1960 – Margaret Sullavan, American actress (b. 1909)
  • 1966 – Vincent Auriol, French journalist and politician, 16th President of the French Republic (b. 1884)
  • 1969 – Barton MacLane, American actor, playwright and screenwriter (b. 1902)
  • 1971 – Amphilochius of Pochayiv, Ukrainian saint (b. 1894)
  • 1972 – Maurice Chevalier, French actor and singer (b. 1888)
  • 1978 – Carle Hessay, German-Canadian painter (b. 1911)
  • 1980 – Pietro Nenni, Italian journalist and politician, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs (b. 1891)
  • 1981 – Hephzibah Menuhin, American-Australian pianist (b. 1920)
  • 1982 – Victor Buono, American actor (b. 1938)
  • 1984 – Alexis Korner, French-English singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1928)
  • 1992 – Grace Hopper, American computer scientist and admiral, co-developed COBOL (b. 1906)
  • 1994 – Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt, New Zealand physician and politician, 11th Governor-General of New Zealand (b. 1900)
  • 1994 – Cesar Romero, American actor (b. 1907)
  • 1994 – Edward Arthur Thompson, Irish historian and academic (b. 1914)
  • 1995 – Eugene Wigner, Hungarian-American physicist and mathematician, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1902)
  • 1996 – Arleigh Burke, American admiral (b. 1901)
  • 1996 – Arthur Rudolph, German-American engineer (b. 1906)
  • 1997 – Townes Van Zandt, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (b. 1944)
  • 1998 – Helen Wills, American tennis player and coach (b. 1905)
  • 2000 – Betty Archdale, English-Australian cricketer and educator (b. 1907)
  • 2001 – Ray Walston, American actor (b. 1914)
  • 2002 – Julia Phillips, American film producer and author (b. 1944)
  • 2003 – Joe Foss, American soldier, pilot, and politician, 20th Governor of South Dakota (b. 1915)
  • 2005 – Shirley Chisholm, American educator and politician (b. 1924)
  • 2006 – Harry Magdoff, American economist and journalist (b. 1913)
  • 2007 – Roland Levinsky, South African-English biochemist and academic (b. 1943)
  • 2007 – Tillie Olsen, American short story writer (b. 1912)
  • 2008 – Pratap Chandra Chunder, Indian educator and politician (b. 1919)
  • 2009 – Claiborne Pell, American politician (b. 1918)
  • 2010 – Lhasa de Sela, American-Mexican singer-songwriter (b. 1972)
  • 2012 – Kiro Gligorov, Bulgarian-Macedonian lawyer and politician, 1st President of the Republic of Macedonia (b. 1917)
  • 2012 – Nay Win Maung, Burmese physician, businessman, and activist (b. 1962)
  • 2012 – Tommy Mont, American football player and coach (b. 1922)
  • 2013 – Christopher Martin-Jenkins, English journalist (b. 1945)
  • 2013 – Patti Page, American singer and actress (b. 1927)
  • 2014 – Higashifushimi Kunihide, Japanese monk and educator (b. 1910)
  • 2014 – Juanita Moore, American actress (b. 1914)
  • 2014 – William Mgimwa, Tanzanian banker and politician, 13th Tanzanian Minister of Finance (b. 1950)
  • 2015 – Boris Morukov, Russian physician and astronaut (b. 1950)
  • 2015 – Donna Douglas, American actress (b. 1932)
  • 2015 – Mario Cuomo, American lawyer and politician, 52nd Governor of New York (b. 1932)
  • 2015 – Omar Karami, Lebanese lawyer and politician, 58th Prime Minister of Lebanon (b. 1934)
  • 2016 – Dale Bumpers, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 38th Governor of Arkansas (b. 1925)
  • 2016 – Fazu Aliyeva, Russian poet and journalist (b. 1932)
  • 2016 – Vilmos Zsigmond, Hungarian-American cinematographer and producer (b. 1930)
  • 2017 – Derek Parfit, British philosopher (b. 1942)
  • 2017 – Tony Atkinson, British economist (b. 1944)
  • 2017 – Yvon Dupuis, Canadian politician (b. 1926)
  • 2018 – Robert Mann, American violinist (b. 1920)
  • 2019 – Pegi Young, American singer, songwriter, environmentalist, educator and philanthropist (b. 1952)
  • 2019 – Paul Neville, Australian politician (b. 1940)
  • 2020 – David Stern, American lawyer and businessman (b. 1942)
  • 2020 – Alexander Frater, British travel writer and journalist (b. 1937)
  • 2020 – Barry McDonald, Australian rugby union player (b. 1940)

Holidays and observances on January 1

  • Christian feast day:
    • Adalard of Corbie
    • Basil the Great (Eastern Orthodox Church)
    • Feast of the Circumcision of Christ
      • Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (Anglican Communion, Lutheran Church)
      • Feast of Fools (Medieval Europe)
    • Fulgentius of Ruspe
    • Giuseppe Maria Tomasi
    • Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Octave Day of Christmas, considered a holy day of obligation in some countries (Catholic Church); and its related observances:
      • World Day of Peace
    • Telemachus
    • Zygmunt Gorazdowski
    • January 1 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • Earliest day on which Handsel Monday can fall, while January 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday of the year (Scotland)
  • The second day of Hogmanay (Scotland) December 31-January 1, in some cases until January 2.
  • The last day of Kwanzaa (African-Americans)
  • The eighth of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity)
  • Constitution Day (Italy)
  • Dissolution of Czechoslovakia-related observances:
    • Day of the Establishment of the Slovak Republic (Slovakia)
    • Restoration Day of the Independent Czech State (Czech Republic)
  • Emancipation Day (United States)
  • Euro Day (European Union)
  • Flag Day (Lithuania) commemorates raising of the Lithuanian flag on Gediminas’ Tower in 1919
  • Founding Day (Taiwan) commemorates the establishment of the Provisional Government in Nanjing
  • Global Family Day
  • Independence Day (Brunei, Cameroon, Haiti, Sudan)
  • International Nepali Dhoti and Nepali Topi Day
  • Jump-up Day (Montserrat)
  • Kalpataru Day (Ramakrishna Movement)
  • Kamakura Ebisu, January 1–3 (Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan)
  • National Bloody Mary Day (United States)
  • National Tree Planting Day (Tanzania)
  • New Year’s Day (Gregorian calendar)
    • Japanese New Year
    • Novy God Day (Russia)
    • Sjoogwachi (Okinawa Islands)
  • Polar Bear Swim Day (Canada and United States)
  • Public Domain Day (multiple countries)
  • Triumph of the Revolution (Cuba)

January 1 – History, Events, Births, Deaths, Holidays and Observances On This Day Read More »

On This Day

List of APEC Member Countries – Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

General Knowledge /
APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) has 21 members. The word ‘economies’ is used to describe APEC members because the APEC cooperative process is predominantly concerned with trade and economic issues, with members engaging with one another as economic entities.

1 Australia

2 Brunei

3 Canada

4 Chile

5 China

6 Hong Kong*

7 Indonesia

8 Japan

9 South Korea

10 Malaysia

11 Mexico

12 New Zealand

13 Papua New Guinea

14 Peru

15 Philippines

16 Russia

17 Singapore

18 Taiwan

19 Thailand

20 United States of America

21 Vietnam

* Not a country, part of China.

List of APEC Member Countries – Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Read More »

General Knowledge

General Science & Ability MCQs (Natural Hazards and Disasters, Set-II)

General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A /

Click HERE for previous questions.

An example of a shield volcano is
(a) Mount Fuji
(b) Mount Pinatubo
(c) Puy de Dome
(d) Mauna Loa
Answer: (d)
Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean.Mauna Loa is a shield volcano that has erupted some three dozen times since its first well-documented eruption in 1843

Volcanoes that have erupted in historic times and are still likely to erupt, are known as
(a) Active volcanoes
(b) Dormant volcanoes
(c) Extinct volcanoes
(d) Instinct volcanoes
Answer: (b)

Top of magma is forced onto Earth’s surface is known as
(a) Vent
(b) Cone
(c) Pipe
(d) Crater
Answer: (d)
A volcanic crater is a roughly circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity. It is typically a bowl-shaped feature within which occurs a vent or vents

Volcano that forms from column of magma is called a/an
(a) underwater volcano
(b) convergent volcano
(c) divergent volcano
(d) hot spot volcano
Answer: (d)

Reference to how thick a liquid is known as
(a) density
(b) conductivity
(c) viscosity
(d) volatility
Answer: (c)

Fluidity of lava is determined by amount of
(a) copper
(b) iron
(c) nickel
(d) silica
Answer: (d)

A flash flood is a flood that:
(a) is caused by heavy rain rather than from the flooding of a river
(b) occurs in urban areas
(c) occurs suddenly and unexpectedly and for a short duration
(d) is caused by the blocking of drains.
Answer: (c)
Flash floods are defined by the speed of flooding, not the source or location of flooding. While flash floods are often caused by heavy rainfall, they can also result from other events, such as drain blockages and bursts or the flooding of a river.

Monsoon is caused by: (CSS-2009)
(a) Seasonal reversal of winds
(b) Revolution of earth
(c) Movement of clouds
(d) Rise in temperature
(e) Rain forests
Answer: (a)
The monsoon, which is essentially the seasonal reversal in wind direction, causes most of the rainfall received in Pakistan and some other parts of the world. The primary cause of monsoons is the difference between annual temperature trends over land and sea. The apparent position of the Sun with reference to the Earth oscillates from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn. Thus the low pressure region created by solar heating also changes latitude. The northeast and southeast trade winds converge in this low pressure zone, which is also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone or ITCZ. This low pressure regions sees continuous rise of moist wind from the sea surface to the upper layers of the atmosphere, where the cooling means the air can no longer hold so much moisture resulting in precipitation. The rainy seasons of East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Australia and the southern parts of North America coincide with the shift of ITCZ towards these regions.

A flood can vary in:
(a) size
(b) speed of water flow
(c) duration
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
The size, duration and water flow speed of floods can vary. The volume, rate of rise and areal extent (i.e. the total area under flood waters) of flooding can also vary.

When a river’s water level reaches 10 meters, this means that:
(a) the water level is 10 meters above an arbitrary ‘zero’ level
(b) the water level is 10 meters above mean sea level
(c) the water level is 10 meters above mean sea level or an arbitrary ‘zero’ level
(d) it will flood.
Answer: (c)
River height is the level of water in a river as measured by a river gauging station and is expressed in meters above either the Australian Height Datum (i.e. mean sea level) or an alternative arbitrary ‘zero’ level, depending on the location.

The size of a flood is measured by:
(a) the rate of flow of water in a waterway or river
(b) the level of water in a waterway or river
(c) a river gauging station
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
The size of a flood can be measured by the highest level that water in a waterway reaches, referred to as the ‘peak water level’ or ‘flood peak’. It can also be measured by the maximum water flow rate in a waterway, referred to as the ‘peak flow rate’ or ‘peak water flow’. Each of these variables can be measured using a river gauging station.

Which of the following is associated with a La Niña event?
(a) The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) is strongly negative.
(b) The ocean surface off the coast of South America is warmer than usual.
(c) There is an increased chance of above average rainfall in eastern Australia.
(d) All of the above.
Answer: (c)
In a La Niña event, the equatorial ocean surface off the coast of South America is abnormally cool, and the SOI is strongly positive. Trade winds blow strongly across the warm Pacific, picking up plenty of moisture and increasing the likelihood of above average rainfall in eastern Australia.

Which of the following potentially affects the size of a flood?
(a) bridges and other structures in waterways
(b) the size and windiness of a river
(c) vegetation in and around a river
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
Many factors can affect the size of a flood, including rainfall intensity, weather conditions prior to a rainfall event, tidal and storm surges, dams and other man-made and natural water storages, catchment size and shape, soil types in a catchment, vegetation in and around a waterway, the size and windiness of a waterway, levees, bridges and other structures in waterways and catchments, and urbanization.

Seasons are generated by (CSS-2012)
(a) The movement of sun around the Milky Way
(b) The movement of the earth around the sun
(c) Relativistic Quantum
(d) None of these
Answer: (b)

The 2010 floods had cost the Pakistan’s economy around
(a) $17b
(b) $11b
(c) $10b
(d) $13b
Answer: (c)
It estimates that just a little less than 1pc of Pakistan’s GDP is exposed to river floods every year. It is ranked 16th by the WRI on the list of the top 20 countries with the highest GDP exposure to river floods.
The World Resources Institute (WRI) says Pakistan falls 5th on the list of top 15 countries that account for 80pc of the population exposed to river-flood risk worldwide.

In Pakistan, the most expensive natural disaster is:
(a) Drought
(b) Floods
(c) Bushfires
(d) Cyclones.
Answer: (b)
Pakistan faces a major financing challenge arising from natural catastrophes, with flooding causing an estimated annual economic impact of between three and four per cent of the federal budget,” adds the report. It estimates the annual economic impact of flooding at between $1.2bn and $1.8bn, or 0.5-0.8pc of GDP.

Which of the following is an environmental consequence of floods?
(a) dispersal of weed species
(b) erosion of soil
(c) release of pollutants into waterways
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
Floods can have negative environmental consequences, such as soil erosion, release of pollutants and excess sediments and nutrients into waterways and the ocean, dispersal of weed species, and negative impacts on fish and other aquatic life. Floods can also have positive environmental consequences, such as recharging groundwater systems, filling wetlands, moving useful nutrients around the landscape, and triggering breeding events (for example, of water birds).

Which of the following is used to estimate which areas will be inundated during a flood, based on river height information?
(a) satellite and radar images
(b) flood maps / floodplain hydraulic models
(c) river gauging stations
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (b)
Floodplain hydraulic models and flood maps are used to estimate which areas will be inundated based on river height information. Satellite and radar images, rain gauges and river gauging stations are used to estimate river heights.

Which of the following statements is false?
(a) Weather forecasts for a small region are more accurate than those for a large region.
(b) Weather forecasts are more accurate in Melbourne than in Darwin.
(c) Forecasts of temperature are more accurate than forecasts of rainfall.
(d) All of the above.
Answer: (a)
The accuracy of weather forecasts varies depending on lead time, the size of the region of interest, the weather variable being forecast, and the latitude of the region. Generally, temperature forecasts are more accurate than rainfall forecasts; the mid-latitudes are easier to forecast than the tropics; and it is generally easier to forecast rainfall over a large area (for example, a large catchment) than local rainfall (for example, a reservoir).

Which of the following is true? Flood warnings:
(a) should not be released until the information is certain
(b) should indicate what the threat is, what
(c) action should be taken, by whom and when
(d) are best if they come from a single source
(e) all of the above.
Answer: (b)
Flood warnings should provide information on what the threat is, what action should be taken, by whom and when. While it is desirable for flood warnings to be accurate, warnings are predictions about the future, so there is inevitably some uncertainty. Accuracy needs to be balanced with timeliness, to allow enough time for appropriate action. Warnings are most likely to reach different audiences and to be heeded if they come from multiple trusted sources.

Flood risk refers to:
(a) the chance of a flood occurring
(b) the number of people and properties exposed to floodwaters if a flood occurs
(c) the vulnerability of people and properties that are exposed to floodwaters
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
Flood risk includes both the chance (or probability) of a flood occurring, and the consequences if a flood occurs. The consequences of a flood are in turn affected by the number of people and properties exposed to floodwaters for a flood of a particular size, and the vulnerability of those people and properties. For example, a river might burst its banks regularly, but if this flooding occurs in an isolated area where there are no people or infrastructure, then the risk is low. Similarly, a river might flood very rarely, but if many people and properties are located near this river and they live in dwellings that are vulnerable to water damage, then the flood risk will be greater.

Which of the following can reduce the risk of flooding?
(a) zonings and building regulations for new developments
(b) dams, detention basins and levees
(c) flood awareness and education programs
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
Flood risk in new developments can be reduced by restricting the location of development (zonings) and placing controls (regulations) on development. In existing developed areas, risk can be reduced by modifying flood behaviour (for example, through dams, detention basins, levees, waterway modifications), property modification measures (for example, land filling, flood proofing, house raising, removing developments), and response modification measures (for example, upgrading flood evacuation routes, flood warnings, flood evacuation planning, flood education programs).

The Probable Maximum Flood is:
(a) an estimation of the largest possible flood that could occur at a particular location
(b) the maximum flood experienced in the last 100 years
(c) the maximum flood experienced in the last 200 years
(d) the maximum flood experienced since flood records have existed.
Answer: (d)
The Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) is an estimate of the largest possible flood that could occur at a particular location, under the most severe meteorological and hydrological conditions as they are currently understood.

In the future, which of the following is expected to increase the risk of flooding?
(a) population growth
(b) urbanization
(c) climate change
(d) all of the above.
Answer: (d)
In the future, climate change is likely to result in an increased chance of flash floods and coastal inundation. Australia’s growing population and urbanization are likely to place increased pressure on our waterways and to increase the chance of flooding in cities and the number of properties and people exposed to floodwaters.

In the future, which of the following is unlikely?
(a) There will be an increased chance of flash flooding and coastal inundation.
(b) Flood risk will increase due to population growth and urbanization.
(c) Improvements in flood forecasting and warning technologies will reduce the impacts of floods.
(d) We will be able to eliminate the risk of flooding.
Answer: (d)
It is not possible to eliminate the risk of flooding. Indeed, it is likely that flood risk will increase in the future due to climate change, population growth and urbanization. However, we can better manage flood risk through improvements in flood forecasting and warning technologies, as well as improved land use planning, floodplain management and integrated water management.

Higher level of floods and droughts are led by
(a) sand storms
(b) lower precipitation
(c) higher precipitation
(d) none of the above
Answer: (c)

Approximately how fast do tsunami waves travel in the open ocean?
(a) 100 km/hour
(b) 1600 km/hour
(c) 200 km/hour
(d) 400 km/hour
(e) 800 km/hour
Answer: (e)

Tsunami waves travel between 500 and 950 km/hour.
What can cause a tsunami?
(a) Landslide
(b) Underwater earthquake
(c) Volcanic eruption
(d) All of the above
Tsunamis are usually generated by undersea earthquakes at tectonic plate boundaries, but they can also be triggered by underwater landslides, volcanic eruptions, or even a giant meteor impact with the ocean.

Do all undersea earthquakes trigger a tsunami?
(a) Yes
(b) No
Answer: (b)
An undersea earthquake creates a tsunami only if it is of sufficient force and there is a violent enough movement of the seafloor to displace a massive amount of water.

What does the word “tsunami” mean in Japanese?
(a) Tidal wave
(b) Harbor wave
(c) Killer wave
(d) Century wave
Answer: (b)
English word “tsunami” comes from the Japanese term for “harbor wave.” Tsunamis are not the same things as tidal waves and actually consist of a series of waves.

Witnesses have said that an approaching tsunami sounds like what?
(a) Firecrackers exploding
(b) A freight train
(c) Ice cracking
(d) Nothing—there is absolute silence
Answer: (b)
Many witnesses have described the sound of an approaching tsunami as being similar to a freight train’s.

What is the most active tsunami area?
(a) Pacific Ocean
(b) Caribbean Sea
(c) Indian Ocean
(d) North Atlantic Ocean
Answer: (a)
Most tsunamis, about 80 percent, happen within the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, a geologically active area where tectonic shifts make volcanoes and earthquakes common.

What is the deadliest tsunami ever recorded?
(a) The 1782 South China Sea tsunami
(b) The 1868 northern Chile tsunami
(c) The 1883 South Java Sea tsunami
(d) The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
Answer: (d)
In 2004 more than 200,000 people—the most ever recorded—died in an Indian Ocean tsunami that was triggered by an earthquake off Sumatra, Indonesia.

How fast can a tsunami travel?
(a) Up to 100 miles an hour (160 kilometers an hour)
(b) Up to 200 miles an hour (320 kilometers an hour)
(c) Up to 500 miles an hour (800 kilometers an hour
(d.) Up to 1,000 miles an hour (1,600 kilometers an hour)
Answer: (c)
Tsunamis race across the sea at up to 500 miles (805 kilometers) an hour—about as fast as a jet airplane. At that pace they can cross the entire expanse of the Pacific Ocean in less than a day.

Can you detect a tsunami in the open ocean?
(a) Yes
(b) No
Answer: (b)
No. In the open ocean, the wave length of a tsunami is hundreds of miles long and only a few feet high. Boaters are safer out at sea during a tsunami than close to shore or tied up at port.

Where was the largest tsunami in history recorded?
(a) India
(b) Philippines
(c) Chile
(d) Japan
Answer: (d)
In 1971 a wall of water 278 feet (84.7 meters) high surged past Ishigaki Island, Japan. It moved a 750-block of coral 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) closer to shore but did little other damage.

What is frequently a warning sign of an impending tsunami?
(a) Winds suddenly change direction
(b) The sky suddenly clears
(c) Seawater suddenly retreats from the shore
(d) All of the above
Answer: (c)
If the tsunami’s trough reaches shore first, it sucks the water seaward, exposing the seafloor suddenly. The wave’s crest usually hits shore about five minutes later. Recognizing this phenomenon—and getting to higher ground immediately—can save lives.

Which one of the following is an example of non-renewable resources?
(a) Wind
(b) Water
(c) Vegetation
(d) Coal and minerals
Answer: (d)

Which of the following is a renewable resource?
(a) Soil
(b) Water
(c) Flora and fauna
(d) All the above
Answer: (d)

_____ of stratosphere provides protection to our life.
(a) Nitrogen
(b) Hydrogen
(c) Ozone
(d) Argon
Answer: 3

The life supporting gases such as O2, CO2 and N2 are chiefly concentrated in the_______.
(a) Troposphere
(b) Exosphere
(c) Homosphere
(d) Stratosphere
Answer: (a)

Which of the following soil is the best for plant growth?
(a) Sandy soil
(b) Clay
(c) Gravel
(d) Loamy soil
Answer: (d)

Both power and manure are provided by _______.
(a) Thermal plants
(b) Nuclear plants
(c) Biogas plants
(d) Hydroelectric plants
Answer: (c)

In the atmosphere, the layer above the troposphere is _____.
(a) Stratosphere
(b) Exosphere
(c) Mesosphere
(d) Thermosphere
Answer: (a)

______ is the major raw material for biogas.
(a) Plant leaves
(b) Cow dung
(c) Mud
(d) Grass
Answer: (b)

A biosphere reserve conserves and preserves_______.
(a) Wild animals
(b) Wild land
(c) Natural vegetation
(d) All the above
Answer: (d)

Atomic energy is obtained by using ores of_______.
(a) Copper
(b) Uranium
Answer: (b)

Sanctuaries are established to_______.
(a) Rear animals for milk
(b) Entrap animals
(c) Protect animals
(d) None of the above
Answer: (c)
An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. Unlike animal shelters, sanctuaries do not seek to place animals with individuals or groups, instead maintaining each animal until his or her natural death. At present there are 99 Wildlife Sanctuaries in Pakistan

The death of the last individual of a species is called_______.
(a) Extinction
(b) Clad
(c) Neither (a) nor (b)
(d) Species diversity
Answer: (a)
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms (taxon), normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point.

Which one of the following is not a fossil fuel?
(a) Natural gas
(b) Petrol
(c) Coal
(d) Uranium
Answer: (d)
Fossil fuels are sources of energy that have developed within the earth over millions of years. Because fossil fuels – oil, natural gas, and coal – take so long to form, they are considered nonrenewable

Biogas generation is mainly based on the principle of_______.
(a) Fermentation
(b) Degradation
(c) Putrification
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Answer: (a)
The biogas plant operating on the principle of a wet anaerobic fermentation process was selected for the determination of the composition of in-put raw material which is determinative for the final biogas quality. The biogas plant is designed as an accumulation through-flow device. The biogas production takes place during the wet fermentation process in the mesophile operation (average temperature 40°C). The produced biogas is used in a cogeneration unit. The biogas plant operates in automatic mode.

Floods can be prevented by_______.
(a) Afforestation
(b) Cutting the forests
(c) Tilling the land
(d) Removing the top soil
Answer: (a)
Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no forest. Reforestation is the reestablishment of forest cover, either naturally (by natural seeding, coppice, or root suckers) or artificially (by direct seeding or planting).
Afforestation Trees are planted near to the river. This means greater interception of rainwater and lower river discharge. This is a relatively low cost option, which enhances the environmental quality of the drainage basin.

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General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A

World General Knowledge MCQs (Solved) Geographical Epithets (Countries and Cities)

General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A, World /

Geographical MCQs (Countries)

1. Which country is called the ‘Buffer state of Asia’?
(a) Afghanistan
(b) Pakistan
(c) India
(d) China
Answer: a

2. Which country is called ‘Land of fertile fields’?
(a) Algeria
(b) Sri Lanka
(c) Pakistan
(d) England
Answer: a

3. Which country is called ‘Island continent’?
(a) Austria
(b) Australia
(c) US
(d) England
Answer: b

4. Which country is called ‘Land of golden fleece’?
(a) US
(b) England
(c) Australia
(d) Germany
Answer: c

5. Which country is called ‘Remnant of a mighty empire’?
(a) Australia
(b) Austria
(c) India
(d) Iraq
Answer: b

6. Which country is called ‘Isle of June’?
(a) Bahamas
(b) Bahrain
(c) Belgium
(d) Cuba
Answer: a

7. Which country is called ‘Isle of pearls’?
(a) Egypt
(b) Iraq
(c) Iran
(d) Bahrain
Answer: d

8. Which country is called the ‘Land of Golden Fibre’?
(a) Sri Lanka
(b) Bangladesh
(c) Iran
(d) Pakistan
Answer: b

9. Which country is called ‘Cockpit of Europe’?
(a) Belgium
(b) Canada
(c) Colombia
(d) England
Answer: a

10. Which country is called ‘Crossroads of Europe’?
(a) Belgium
(b) Canada
(c) France
(d) Egypt
Answer: a

11. Which country is called ‘Land of lilies’?
(a) Canada
(b) Belgium
(c) Norway
(d) Sweden
Answer: a

12. Which country is called ‘Land of contrasts’?
(a) Canada
(b) Cuba
(c) Colombia
(d) England
Answer:. c

13. Which country is called ‘Pearl of Antilles’?
(a) England
(b) Cuba
(c) Egypt
(d) Denmark
Answer: b

14. Which country is called ‘Homeland of the Viking Empire’?
(a) Cuba
(b) England
(c) Denmark
(d) US
Answer: c

15. Which country is called ‘Gift of the Nile’?
(a) Iran
(b) Egypt
(c) Finland
(d) Iraq
Answer: b

16. Which country is called ‘Land of the Queen of Sheba’?
(a) Egypt
(b) Yemen
(c) Ghana
(d) Austria
Answer: b

17. Which country is called ‘Land of thousand lakes’?
(a) France
(b) Finland
(c) China
(d) Iraq
Answer: b

18. Which country is called ‘Key to the Mediterranean?
(a) Gibraltar
(b) Egypt
(c) Indonesia
(d) Iraq
Answer: a

19. Which country is called ‘Pillars of Hercules’?
(a) Gibraltar
(b) China
(c) Egypt
(d) Afghanistan
Answer: a

20. Which country is called ‘Whiteman’s grave’?
(a) Guinea
(b) Haiti
(c) Iraq
(d) Afghanistan
Answer: a

21. Which country is called ‘Island of Hispaniola?
(a) Hong Kong
(b) Haiti
(c) Iceland
(d) Malta
Answer: b

22. Which is called ‘The sorrow of China’?
(a) Hwang Hoo
(b) Beijing
(c) Peking
(d) Shangai
Answer: a

23. Which country is called ‘Land of thousand islands’?
(a) China
(b) Nepal
(c) Indonesia
(d) Cyprus
Answer: c

24. Which country is called ‘Site of ancient civilisations’?
(a) Iraq
(b) Iran
(c) Egypt
(d) India
Answer: a

25. Which country is called ‘Emerald Island’?
(a) Japan
(b) Ireland
(c) Iraq
(d) Iran
Answer: b

26. Which country is called ‘Great Britain of the Pacific’?
(a) Ireland
(b) Japan
(c) Korea
(d) China
Answer: b

27. Which country is called the ‘Land of rising sun’?
(a) Japan
(b) China
(c) Norway
(d) Sweden
Answer:. a

28. Which country is called the ‘Land of morning calm’?
(a) China
(b) South Korea
(c) Pakistan
(d) Nepal
Answer: b

29. Which country is called the ‘Land of milk and honey’?
(a) Iran
(b) Iraq
(c) Lebanon
(d) Nepal
Answer: c

30. Which country is called the ‘Land of amber’?
(a) Korea
(b) Lithuania
(c) Lebanon
(d) Nepal
Answer: b

31. Which country is called ‘George Cross Island’?
(a) Korea
(b) Malta
(c) China
(d) Nepal
Answer: b

32. Which country is called ‘Land of rice and teak’?
(a) Myanmar
(b) Korea
(c) China
(d) Nepal
Answer: a

33. Which country is called the ‘Land of mountains’?
(a) US
(b) Nepal
(c) China
(d) Korea
Answer: b

34. Which country is called ‘Land of Druk-yul’?
(a) Korea
(b) China
(c) Bhutan
(d) Malta
Answer: c

35. Which country is called the ‘Flower garden of Europe’?
(a) Netherlands
(b) Switzerland
(c) US
(d) England
Answer: a

36. Which country is called the ‘Britain of the South’?
(a) Norway
(b) New Zealand
(c) Canada
(d) Austria
Answer: b

37. Which country is called the ‘Land of Cakes’?
(a) Scotland
(b) England
(c) Netherlands
(d) None of these
Answer: a

38. Which country is called ‘Land of the midnight sun’?
(a) Sweden
(b) Norway
(c) Denmark
(d) Canada
Answer: b

39. Which country is called the ‘Land of pure people’?
(a) Norway
(b) Pakistan
(c) China
(d) Korea
Answer: b

40. Which country is called ‘Horn of Africa’?
(a) Norway
(b) China
(c) Ghana
(d) Somalia
Answer: d

41. Which country is called ‘Switzerland of Africa’?
(a) Swaziland
(b) Mozambique
(c) South Africa
(d) Somalia
Answer: a

42. Which country is called the ‘Playground of Europe’?
(a) Switzerland
(b) Thailand
(c) Egypt
(d) China
Answer: a

43. Which country is called the ‘Land of white elephants’?
(a) Korea
(b) Thailand
(c) US
(d) Russia
Answer: b

44. Which country is called the ‘Land of free people’?
(a) Thailand
(b) Korea
(c) China
(d) Japan
Answer: a

45. Which country is called the ‘Land of Smiles’?
(a) Thailand
(b) US
(c) India
(d) South Africa
Answer: a

Geographical MCQs (Cities)

46. Which city is called the ‘Granite city’?
(a) Aberdeen (Scotland)
(b) London
(c) Tehran
(d) Baghdad
Answer: a

47. Which city is called the ‘City of Eagles’?
(a) Sialkot
(b) Lahore
(c) Karachi
(d) None of these
Answer: a

48. Which city is called the ‘City of Golden Temple’?
(a) Amritsar
(b) Lahore
(c) Delhi
(d) Hassanabdal
Answer: a

49. Which city is called the ‘City of Water’?
(a) Venice
(b) Tehran
(c) Cairo
(d) Dhaka
Answer: a

50. Which city is called the ‘City of Angels’?
(a) Los Angeles
(b) London
(c) Delhi
(d) Baghdad
Answer: a

51. Which city is called the ‘Gateway to the East’?
(a) Beirut
(b) Bangkok
(c) Amritsar
(d) Cairo
Answer: a

52. Which city is called the ‘Little Pakistan’?
(a) Jeddah
(b) Bradford
(c) Chicago
(d) Dhaka
Answer: b

53. Which city is called the ‘City of bazaars’?
(a) Cairo
(b) Chicago
(c) Dhaka
(d) Amritsar
Answer: a

54. Which city is called the ‘Pyramid city’?
(a) Chicago
(b) Cairo
(c) London
(d) New York
Answer: b

55. Which city is called ‘City of space flights’?
(a) Cairo
(b) Lahore
(c) Cape Kennedy
(d) London
Answer: c

56. Which city is called the ‘Manchester of Pakistan’?
(a) Lahore
(b) Karachi
(c) Faisalabad
(d) Peshawar
Answer: c

57. Which city is called the ‘City of Conferences’?
(a) Mumbai
(b) Geneva
(c) Moscow
(d) London
Answer: b

58. Which city is called ‘City of Rams’?
(a) Guangzhou
(b) Multan
(c) Amritsar
(d) Colombo
Answer: a

59. Which city is called ‘Brasilia of Pakistan’?
(a) Karachi
(b) Islamabad
(c) Faisalabad
(d) Quetta
Answer: b

60. Which city is called the ‘Gateway of Pakistan’?
(a) Islamabad
(b) Karachi
(c) Multan
(d) Lahore
Answer: b

61. Which city is called the ‘City of Canals’?
(a) Venice
(b) Paris
(c) London
(d) None of these
Answer: a

62. Which city is called the ‘City of Palaces’?
(a) Lahore
(b) Mexico City
(c) Kiev
(d) Paris
Answer: b

63. Which city is called ‘Forbidden city’?
(a) Lhasa
(b) Moscow
(c) Rome
(d) Beruit
Answer: a

64. Which city is called the ‘Gateway of India’?
(a) Mumbai
(b) Agra
(c) Kolkata
(d) Hyderabad
64. a

65. Which city is called the ‘City of Cosmonauts’?
(a) New York
(b) Moscow
(c) Lahore
(d) Karachi
Answer: b

66. Which city is called the ‘City of skyscrapers’?
(a) Washington
(b) New York
(c) London
(d) Rome
Answer: b

67. Which city is called the ‘City of eternal spring’?
(a) New York
(b) Quito
(c) Rome
(d) Paris
Answer: b

68. Which city is called the ‘City of Popes’?
(a) Rome
(b) Vatican City
(c) London
(d) Cairo
Answer: b

69. Which city is called the ‘Land of seven hills’?
(a) Rome
(b) Venice
(c) Shiraz
(d) Baghdad
Answer: a

70. Which city is called the ‘The Golden Gate City’?
(a) San Francisco
(b) New York
(c) London
(d) Venice
Answer: a

71. Which city is called the ‘City of roses and nightingales’?
(a) Shiraz
(b) Rome
(c) Mumbai
(d) New York
Answer: a

72. Which city is called the ‘Queen of the Baltic’?
(a) Rome
(b) Stockholm
(c) Paris
(d) Karachi
Answer: b

73. Which city is called the ‘City of Gondolas’?
(a) Venice
(b) Rome
(c) Shiraz
(d) Lahore
Answer: A

 

World General Knowledge MCQs (Solved) Geographical Epithets (Countries and Cities) Read More »

General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A, World

General Science & Ability MCQs (Natural Hazards and Disasters, Set-I)

General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A /

1) What is the point of origin of an earthquake?
(a) Epicenter
(b) Focus
(c) Foreshock
(d) Scarp
(e) Seismograph
Answer: (b)
The exact point where the earthquake actually starts deep inside the earth’s crust (the point of origin) is called the focus, or hypocenter.

2) What is the point on the surface nearest the earthquake?
(a) Epicenter
(b) Focus
(c) Foreshock
(d) Scarp
(e) Seismograph
Answer: (a)
The epicenter is the point on the earth’s surface vertically above the hypocenter (or focus), point in the crust where a seismic rupture begins

3) Places experiencing equal impact of an earthquake are called (CSS-2012)
(a) Snowlines
(b) seismic belts
(c) Seismic lines
(d) None of these
Answer: (c)

4) Where do most earthquakes occur?
(a) Along dikes
(b) Along faults
(c) Along folds
(d) Along joints
(e) Along unconformities
Answer: (b)
Earthquakes can also occur far from the edges of plates, along faults. Faults are cracks in the earth where sections of a plate (or two plates) are moving in different directions. Faults are caused by all that bumping and sliding the plates do. They are more common near the edges of the plates.

5) What is the standardized distance from an earthquake epicenter for measuring Richter magnitudes?
(a) 0 km
(b) 10 km
(c) 100 km
(d) 500 km
(e) 1000 km
Answer: (c)
Richter established 100 km as the standard distance from an earthquake epicenter to measure Richter magnitude with a Wood-Anderson seismograph.

6) What was the magnitude of the Earthquake that shook Northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir on October, 8, 2005? (CSS-2006)
(a) 5.7
(b) 7.5
(c) 7.6
(d) None of these.
Answer: (d)
A major earthquake shook Pakistan on Saturday, October 8, 2005, at 8:50 a.m. The epicenter of this magnitude 7.6 quake was about 65 miles north-northeast of Islamabad, the country’s capital. At least 86,000 people were killed, more than 69,000 were injured, and extensive damage resulted in northern Pakistan. The heaviest damage occurred in the Muzaffarabad area of Kashmir.

7) In what country did the highest magnitude earthquake ever measured take place?
(a) Chile
(b) Pakistan
(c) Japan
(d) Afghanistan
(e) United States
Answer: (a)
The Chilean earthquake of 1960 is the most powerful ever recorded at 8.6 on the Richter scale or 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale.

8) What is the immediate energy source for earthquakes?
(a) Stored elastic energy in bent rock
(b) Stored elastic energy in compressed rock
(c) Stored heat energy from the earth’s interior
(d) Stored heat energy from the sun
Answer: (a)
Sudden elastic rebound of bent rock that has reached the breaking point is what causes nearly all earthquakes

9) What is the strongest magnitude earthquake ever measured on the Richter scale?
(a) 5.5
(b) 6.3
(c) 6.8
(d) 7.5
(e) 8.6
Answer: (e)
Several earthquakes have been measured with a magnitude close to 8.6 on the Richter scale, but none higher.

10) Which region of the earth has the most frequent earthquakes?
(a) Antarctic region
(b) Arctic region
(c) Atlantic region
(d) Indian region
(e) Pacific region
Answer: (e)
The Pacific region has the greatest number of earthquakes because this is where most of the earth’s convergent plate boundaries lie.

11) Japan is called: (CSS-2008)
(a) Land of earthquakes
(b) Land of rising sun
(c) Land of rivers
(d) None of these
Answer: (b)

12) How does shaking ground cause soft sediment to liquify?
(a) It breaks the sediment particles into smaller pieces
(b) It evaporates water in the pores of the sediment
(c) It makes sediment particles fit more tightly together
(d) It melts the sediment
(e) It melts water in the pores of the sediment
Answer: (c)
Shaking ground helps particles to settle more tightly together, thus reducing interstitial space and releasing pore water.

13) Which of the following is not associated with earthquake destruction?
(a) Fires
(b) High winds
(c) Mass wasting
(d) Trembling earth
(e) Tsunamis
Answer: (b)
Earthquakes do not generate high winds.

14) Pakistan/Kashmir earthquake of October, 2005 was result of: (CSS-2006)
(a) Volcanic activity
(b) Tectonic dislocation
(c) Severe flooding
(d) None of these
Answer: (b)

15) Which waves are called shear waves because of the shear forces that they subject the rock to?
(a) P-waves
(b) S-waves
(c) Surface waves
(d) All of the above
Answer: (b)
S-waves are also called shear waves because they subject the medium to shear forces, and they only pass through solids because only solids have elastic rebound to shear forces.

16) Which waves are called compression waves because they compress and extend the material they pass through?
(a) P-waves
(b) S-waves
(c) Surface waves
(d) All of the above
Answer: (a)
P-waves are also called compression waves because they compress and extend the medium.

17) In what order do earthquake waves arrive at seismic stations?
(a) P-waves, then S-waves, then surface waves
(a) S-waves, then P-waves, then surface waves
(b) S-waves, then surface waves, then P-waves
(c) Surface waves, then P-waves, then S-waves
(d) Surface waves, then S-waves, then P-waves
Answer: (a)
Primary and secondary waves are named after their arrival sequence.

18) Which of the following earthquake waves is first recorded on the Seismograph?
(a) P-waves
(b) Rayleigh waves
(c) S-waves
(d) Love waves
Answer: (a)

19) The Intensity scale of the earthquake is called?
(a) Mercalli scale
(b) Ritcher scale
(c) Number scale
(d) None of the above
Answer: (a)

20) The point where the energy is released during the earthquake is called?
(a) Epicentre
(b) Hypocentre
(c) Circumcentre
(d) None of the above
Answer: (b)

21) The type of plate- boundary interaction along the Himalayas is known as?
(a) Continent-continent convergence
(b) Divergent boundary
(c) Transform boundary
(d) Ocean-continent convergence
Answer: (a)

22) Which of the following describes the build up and release of stress during an earthquake?
(a) the Modified Mercalli Scale
(b) the elastic rebound theory
(c) the principle of superposition
(d) the travel time difference
Answer: (b)

23) Approximately what percentage of earthquakes occur at plate boundaries?
(a) 25%
(b) 50%
(c) 75%
(d) 90%
Answer: (d)

24) Where is the focus with respect to the epicenter?
(a) directly below the epicenter
(b) directly above the epicenter
(c) in the P wave shadow zone
(d) in the S wave shadow zone
Answer: (b)

25) Point A, where slip initiated during the earthquake, is called the ________.
(a) dip
(b) epicenter
(c) focus
(d) scarp
Answer: (c)

26) Point B is called the earthquake ________.
(a) dip
(b) epicenter
(c) focus
(d) scarp
Answer: (b)

27) Point C is called the _________
(a) epicenter
(b) fault scarp
(c) Seismic wave
(d) Dip of the earthquake
Answer: (b)
A fault scarp is a small step or offset on the ground surface where one side of a fault has moved vertically with respect to the other. It is the topographic expression of faulting attributed to the displacement of the land surface by movement along faults.

28) What type of faulting is illustrated in this diagram?
(a) normal (b) Reverse
(c) Thrust (d) Abnormal
Answer: (a)

29) Which one of the following earthquake waves is more destructive?
(a) P-waves
(b) Surface waves
(c) S-waves
(d) Body waves
Answer: (b)
Earthquake waves can be divided into two types – body waves and surface waves. There are two types of body waves – P-wave and S-wave. The surface waves are more destructive as they displace rocks, and hence results in collapse of structures.

30) When a volcano ejects acid lava, eruption is usually
(a) Light and less violent
(b) Soft and less violent
(c) Loud but less violent
(d) Loud and more violent
Answer: (d)

31) In some eruptions, mudflows are forced over the
(a) Earth’s mantle
(b) Ocean bed
(c) Earth’s surface
(d) Earth’s core
Answer: (c)

32) Magma which is forced onto Earth’s surface is known as
(a) Vent
(b) Cone
(c) Lava
(d) Magma Chamber
Answer: (c)

33) An example of composite volcanoes is
(a) Mount Everest
(b) Puy de Dôme
(c) Mauna Loa
(d) Mount Merapi
Answer: (d)

34) ‘Flash-floods’ are associated with
(a) Thunderstorms
(b) Cyclonic storms
(c) Tsunami
(d) Tornado
Answer: (a)
A flash flood is a sudden flood event caused by a hydrologic response of the drainage basin. Flash floods are normally strongly localized and associated with extreme showers or thunderstorm activity, when high rates of precipitation occur in a short period of time.

35) During eruption, volcanic material is
(a) Blown to some meters
(b) Blown to many kilometers
(c) Blown to some inches
(d) Blown to some feet
Answer: (b)

36) When volcanos ejects basic lava, eruption is mainly
(a) Loud
(b) Violent
(c) Quite
(d) Hard
Answer: (c)

37) A reference to process by which materials such as magma and gases from inside Earth are forced onto Earth’s surface is
(a) Eruption
(b) Lava
(c) Volcanism
(d) Earthquake
Answer: (c)

38) Movement of crustal plates result in formation of
(a) a huge island
(b) Small volcanic islands
(c) a small island
(d) Huge volcanic islands
Answer: (b)

39) Ice can be changed to water by: (CSS-2011)
(a) Adding more water molecules
(b) Changing the motion of the water molecules
(c) Rearranging the atoms in water molecules
(d) Destroying the atoms in water molecules
(e) None of these
Answer: (b)

40) Composite volcanoes are made up of alternate layers of
(a) Ash and cinder only
(b) Dense lava and ash
(c) Viscous lava, ash and cinder
(d) pyroclastic lava, ash and cinder
Answer: (c)

41) Lava that contains high amounts of iron and magnesium, but low amount of silica is known as
(a) Acid Lava
(b) Basic Lava
(c) Composite Lava
(d) Component Lava
Answer: (b)

42) Number of classifications of volcanoes is
(a) three
(b) Six
(c) nine
(d) twelve
Answer: (a)

43) Acid lava is sticky or ‘viscous’ because it contains high amounts of
(a) Copper
(b) Iron
(c) nickel
(d) Silica
Answer: (d)

44) Eruptions from composite volcanoes are usually
(a) Light and less violent
(b) Soft and less violent
(c) Loud but less violent
(d) Loud and more violent
Answer: (d)

45) As volcano is carried along by plate, a new volcano is formed over the
(a) Ocean bed
(b) River bed
(c) Original hot spot
(d) Virtual hot spot
Answer: (c)

46) Cavity in Earth’s crust below vent that holds magma is known as
(a) Vent
(b) Cone
(c) Lava
(d) Magma Chamber
Answer: (d)

47) Most common type of volcano is the
(a) Acid Lava Volcano
(b) Basic Lava Volcano
(c) Composite Lava Volcano
(d) Component Volcano
Answer: (c)

48) Composite Lava Volcano is also known as
(a) Cinder volcano
(b) Ash volcano
(c) Pyroclastic volcano
(d) Stratovolcanoes
Answer: (d)
Composite volcanoes (also called stratovolcanoes) are much more explosive than shield volcanoes, the other important type of volcano.

49) Mid-Atlantic ridge is so tall that it actually rises above sea in many places forming
(a) Icy islands
(b) Ice lands
(c) Volcanic islands
(d) Rocky islands
Answer: (c)

50) Basic lava erupts out of volcano, throwing out mainly
(a) Ash
(b) Dust
(c) CO
(d) CO2
Answer: (a)

General Science & Ability MCQs (Natural Hazards and Disasters, Set-I) Read More »

General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A

Major Airlines of the World – Top 100 Airlines with Numbers of Flights Per DAy

General Knowledge, Uncategorized, World /
  • Lufthansa German Airlines Germany
  • Aero-flot Airline – Russia
  • Pan American World Airways System – S.A.
  • Trans-world Airways – S.A.
  • Delta Airlines – S.A.
  • Thai Airways International – Thailand
  • Swissair – Switzerland
  • Emirates – A.E
  • Air-Ceylon – Sri Lanka
  • Iberia – Spain
  • Pakistan International Airlines – Pakistan
  • Braathens – Norway
  • Scandinavian Airlines System – Norway
  • KLM Royal Dutch – Netherlands
  • Royal Nepal Airlines – Nepal
  • Japan Airlines – Japan
  • All Nippon Airways – Japan
  • Alitalia – Italy
  • Ryanair – Ireland
  • Garuda Airways – Indonesia
  • Air-India – India
  • Cathay Pacific – Hong Kong
  • Air France – France
  • Finnair – Finland
  • Easy Jet – England
  • O.A.C. – England
  • Sabena – Belgium Qantas
  • Empire Airways – Australia
  • Araina Afghan Airlines – Afghanistan

 

Here is a list (as on 2020-04-03) of the 100 biggest airlines based on the number of departures (and not the number of passengers). The number of flights is the daily average for one week.

1 – American Airlines – 5961 flights every day
2 – Delta Air Lines – 4290 flights every day
3 – United Airlines – 4048 flights every day
4 – Southwest Airlines – 3795 flights every day
5 – Ryanair – 2151 flights every day
6 – easyJet – 1785 flights every day
7 – China Southern Airlines – 1781 flights every day
8 – China Eastern Airlines – 1716 flights every day
9 – IndiGo – 1665 flights every day
10 – Turkish Airlines – 1379 flights every day
11 – Air Canada – 1325 flights every day
12 – Air China – 1244 flights every day
13 – ANA – 1224 flights every day
14 – Alaska Airlines – 1119 flights every day
15 – LATAM Airlines – 1111 flights every day
16 – Air France – 1010 flights every day
17 – Aeroflot – 938 flights every day
18 – JetBlue Airways – 921 flights every day
19 – JAL – 825 flights every day
20 – British Airways – 782 flights every day
21 – Lufthansa – 720 flights every day
22 – KLM – 675 flights every day
23 – Qantas – 668 flights every day
24 – Shenzhen Airlines – 664 flights every day
25 – Gol – 660 flights every day
26 – Spirit Airlines – 646 flights every day
27 – Lion Air – 639 flights every day
28 – Wizz Air – 636 flights every day
29 – Vueling – 627 flights every day
30 – Azul – 620 flights every day
31 – Xiamen Airlines – 589 flights every day
32 – SpiceJet – 583 flights every day
33 – AirAsia – 583 flights every day
34 – WestJet – 575 flights every day
35 – AVIANCA – 575 flights every day
36 – Hainan Airlines – 568 flights every day
37 – Sichuan Airlines – 523 flights every day
38 – Shandong Airlines – 485 flights every day
39 – Saudia – 478 flights every day
40 – Emirates – 463 flights every day
41 – Air India – 457 flights every day
42 – Pegasus – 446 flights every day
43 – Garuda Indonesia – 439 flights every day
44 – Qatar Airways – 429 flights every day
45 – Wings Air – 426 flights every day
46 – Volaris – 398 flights every day
47 – Alitalia – 393 flights every day
48 – Aeromexico – 390 flights every day
49 – S7 Airlines – 389 flights every day
50 – Air New Zealand – 383 flights every day
51 – Thai AirAsia – 370 flights every day
52 – Frontier Airlines – 362 flights every day
53 – Malaysia Airlines – 361 flights every day
54 – Iberia – 356 flights every day
55 – Virgin Australia – 355 flights every day
56 – Vietnam Airlines – 353 flights every day
57 – Batik Air – 352 flights every day
58 – Ethiopian Airlines – 350 flights every day
59 – Jetstar – 350 flights every day
60 – Spring Airlines – 348 flights every day
61 – VietJet Air – 347 flights every day
62 – Philippine Airlines – 343 flights every day
63 – SAS – 335 flights every day
64 – Ravn Alaska – 334 flights every day
65 – Juneyao Airlines – 323 flights every day
66 – TAP Portugal – 313 flights every day
67 – Cebu Pacific Air – 310 flights every day
68 – Gestair – 307 flights every day
69 – Eurowings – 305 flights every day
70 – Shanghai Airlines – 302 flights every day
71 – Aer Lingus – 299 flights every day
72 – GoAir – 295 flights every day
73 – Citilink – 293 flights every day
74 – LOT – Polish Airlines – 281 flights every day
75 – Beijing Capital Airlines – 276 flights every day
76 – Interjet – 274 flights every day
77 – Aerolineas Argentinas – 273 flights every day
78 – Cape Air – 259 flights every day
79 – South African Airways – 255 flights every day
80 – Lucky Air – 253 flights every day
81 – Sriwijaya Air – 252 flights every day
82 – Copa Airlines – 251 flights every day
83 – Tianjin Airlines – 251 flights every day
84 – Norwegian Air Shuttle – 243 flights every day
85 – Hawaiian Airlines – 241 flights every day
86 – SWISS – 240 flights every day
87 – Allegiant Air – 236 flights every day
88 – Etihad Airways – 232 flights every day
89 – Austrian – 229 flights every day
90 – Tropic Air – 226 flights every day
91 – Air Europa – 224 flights every day
92 – Finnair – 220 flights every day
93 – AirAsia India – 220 flights every day
94 – Cathay Pacific – 218 flights every day
95 – Jet2 – 216 flights every day
96 -Singapore Airlines – 211 flights every day
97 – Maya Island Air – 209 flights every day
98 -Vistara – 204 flights every day
99 -Jeju Air – 203 flights every day
100 – EgyptAir – 199 flights every day

Click HERE to see the Largest airlines in the world page on Wikipedia

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General Knowledge, Uncategorized, World

World General Knowledge Important MCQs (Set-I) for Competitive Exams

English, General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A, World /

1. Which is the saltiest water lake of the world?
(a) The Caspian Sea
(b) The Red Sea
(c) The Baltic Sea
(d) Assal Lake (Correct)

2. World’s longest river is:
(a) River Nile (Correct)
(b) River Amazon
(c) River Mississippi
(d) River Indus

3. Which of the following country has longest coast line?
(a) China
(b) USA
(c) Russia
(d) Canada (Correct)

4. Which is the largest peninsula?
(a) Gulf of Eden
(b) Africa
(c) Arabia (Correct)
(d) Sahara

5. Biggest country in population is:
(a) China (Correct)
(b) Russia
(c) India
(d) USA

6. Which is the largest gulf?
(a) Arabian Gulf
(b) Gulf of Mexico (Correct)
(c) Gulf of Oman
(d) None of them

7. The largest bay is located in
(a) USA
(b) Canada (Correct)
(c) Congo
(d) Russia

8. Name the largest railway station in the world is
(a) Grand Central Terminal – New York (Correct)
(b) Condor Station Bolivia
(c) Kharagpur railway station – India
(d) Frankfort International USA

9. Name the biggest sea of the world is
(a) Caribbean Sea
(b) South China Sea (Correct)
(c) Mediterranean Sea
(d) Baltic Sea

10. Name the biggest desert of the world is
(a) Gobi Desert
(b) Kalahari Desert
(c) Sahara Desert (Correct)
(d) None of these

11. The highest capital in the world is
(a) Belize
(b) La Paz (Correct)
(c) Quito
(d) Paris

12. In which country was the first oil-well drilled in 1859
(a) Saudi Arabia
(b) USA (Correct)
(c) Russia
(d) Venezuela

13. Which is the oldest written language in the world?
(a) Sanskrit
(b) Chinese (Correct)
(c) Japanese
(d) English

14. Which metal has the highest electrical conductivity
(a) Silver
(b) Tungsten (Correct)
(c) Copper
(d) Iron

15. Name the largest populous country of the Islamic World?
(a) Indonesia (Correct)
(b) Pakistan
(c) Bangladesh
(d) Turkey

16. Name the largest Hockey Stadium with capacity of 50,000 people:
(a) Most Beautiful Stadium
(b) Highest Hockey Stadium
(c) National hockey Stadium Lahore (Correct)
(d) Newest Hockey Stadium

17. Name the largest Cricket Stadium:
(a) Melbourne Cricket Club (Correct)
(b) Sharjah Cricket Ground
(c) The Oval. London
(d) Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

18. World’s highest waterfall “Angel” is in:
(a) Zimbabwe
(b) Canada
(c) Venezuela (Correct)
(d) Norway

19. Where Niagara Waterfalls are located
(a) USA
(b) Canada
(c) Both of them (Correct)
(d) Pakistan

20. Which of the following ‘Desert’ is largest by area?
(a) Gobi
(b) Takla Makan
(c) Sahara (Correct)
(d) Thar

21. The Caspian Sea’ is known as largest lake. Which of the following countries share its water?
(a) Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan
(b) Turkmenistan
(c) Russia and Iran
(d) All of these (Correct)

22. The biggest Square ‘Tiananmen’ is situated in:
(a) Beijing (Correct)
(b) Tibet
(c) xinjiang
(d) Chu in

23. Which country is famous for publications of most newspapers?
(a) USA
(b) Canada
(c) India (Correct)
(d) China

24. The largest animal in the world is
(a) Elephant
(b) Rhinoceros
(c) Hippopotamus
(d) Blue Whale (Correct)

25. Who has the record of highest individuals score in limited over (ODI) match?
(a) Saeed Anwar
(b) Jayasuriya
(c) Sachin Tendulkar (Correct)
(d) De Silva

26. Which is the tallest building of the world?
(a) Tapai Center 101 (Taiwan)
(b) Daubi Burj (UAE) (Correct)
(c) Patronas Tower (Malaysia)
(d) Sears Tower (USA)

27. Which country has the longest coast line?
(a) China
(b) Russia
(c) Canada (Correct)
(d) USA

28. Largest Muslim country area-wise is
(a) Algeria
(b) Kazakhstan (Correct)
(c) Sudan
(d) Libya

29. Which of the following country is largest by area?
(a) India
(b) Russia (Correct)
(c) China
(d) America

30. Name the longest land mountain range:
(a) Alps
(b) Karakoram
(c) Andes of S. America (Correct)
(d) Pamirs

31. Which day is considered as the longest day of each year?
(a) 13th March
(b) 21st May
(c) 21st June (Correct)
(d) 17th August

32. Which day is considered as the shortest day of each year?
(a) 22nd December (Correct)
(b) 5th January
(c) 21st November
(d) 15th December

33. Which is the largest mountain range in the world?
(a) Alps
(b) Himalayas (Correct)
(c) Andes
(d) Tibet

34. Which of the following is the largest producer of copper in the world?
(a) Ghana
(b) Malaysia
(c) Australia
(d) Chile (Correct)

35. Which country is the largest oil producer?
(a) Iraq
(b) U.S.A.
(c) Russia
(d) Saudi Arabia (Correct)

36. Which was the first country to give women a right to vote?
(a) United Stated
(b) Denmark
(c) UK
(d) New Zealand (Correct)

37. In which country the largest oil field “Ghawar field” is located?
(a) Saudi Arabia (Correct)
(b) Kuwait
(c) Russia
(d) USA

38. Which country is the largest oil consumer in the world?
(a) USA (Correct)
(b) Russia
(c) Pakistan
(d) China

39. In land size which is the largest country?
(a) India
(b) Russia (Correct)
(c) China
(d) America

40. Where is the longest glacier “Lambert Glacier” located?
(a) China
(b) Canada
(c) Antarctica (Correct)
(d) Siberia

41. The most spoken language is:
(a) English
(b) Chinese (Correct)
(c) French
(d) Japanese

42. Identify the world’s largest library:
(a) The United States Library of Washington
(b) The United States Library of Congress (Correct)
(c) Washington Library
(d) None of them

43. Name the first President of Chinese Republic is
(a) Junko Tabar
(b) Dr. Sun Yat San (Correct)
(c) Mao Tse-Tung
(d) None of these.

44. Which is the largest continent (population wise) of the world?
(a) America
(b) Asia (Correct)
(c) Europe
(d) Australia

45. Which is the largest continent (area wise) of the world?
(a) America
(b) Asia (Correct)
(c) Europe
(d) Australia

46. Nile is the longest river of the world. Which one of the following is the largest river of the world?
(a) Amazon (Correct)
(b) Indus
(c) Hawang Ho
(d) None

47. Which countries share longest frontier 16416 km?
(a) China and India
(b) Australia and Japan
(c) Canada and USA (Correct)
(d) None of these

48. Which country has longest coastal line?
(a) China
(b) Australia
(c) Canada (Correct)
(d) USA

49. Who was the first Chief Justice of Pakistan?
(a) Munir Ahmad
(b) A.R. Cornelius
(c) Sardar Abdul Rashid (Correct)
(d) None of them

50. Name the country shares 16 borders with other states:
(a) China (Correct)
(b) Russia
(c) India
(d) Pakistan

51. Largest gold producer country:
(a) South Korea
(b) China (Correct)
(c) South Africa
(d) Russia

52. Largest silver producer:
(a) Pakistan
(b) China
(c) Mexico (Correct)
(d) Germany

53. Largest coal producer:
(a) China (Correct)
(b) UK
(c) Russia
(d) Germany

54. Identify the biggest bird:
(a) Ostrich (Correct)
(b) Indian Sparrow
(c) Eagle
(d) Indian parrot

55. Identify the smallest bird:
(a) Ostrich
(b) Indian Sparrow
(c) Hemming bird (Correct)
(d) Indian parrot

56. Name the oldest Monarchy?
(a) France
(b) UK
(c) Japan (Correct)
(d) None of these

57. Name the first lady Prime minister of the world?
(a) Benazir Bhutto
(b) Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike (Correct)
(c) Korino Akino
(d) Margrate Thatcher

58. Name the first woman president of the UN General Assembly?
(a) Mrs. Kumara Tunga of Sri Lanka
(b) Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan
(c) Pandit Vijaya Lakshmi of India (Correct)
(d) Pandit Vijay Lakshmi Nepal

59. Name the first UN Secretary-General
(a) Mr. Trygre Lie of Norway (Correct)
(b) Mr. William of USA
(c) Mr. Jorge Lie of Italy
(d) Mr. David of USA

60. Name the first animal to be sent in space:
(a) Laika, the dog (Russians) (Correct)
(b) Laika, the sheep
(c) Dolly, the dog
(d) Dolly, the sheep

61. Which of the following countries is the largest in area in the world?
(a) Australia
(b) Canada
(c) U.S.A.
(d) Russia (Correct)

62. Who was the first woman to travel into space?
(a) Sally Ride
(b) Valentina Tereshkova (Correct)
(c) Svetlana Savitskaya
(d) Eileen Collins

63. Which of the following countries has largest number of Islands?
(a) Malaysia
(b) Indonesia (Correct)
(c) Cuba
(d) Canada

64. Name the largest oil company of the world.
(a) Exxon (Correct)
(b) Caltex
(c) Shell
(d) PSO

65. Which is the largest lake of the world?
(a) Caspian sea (Correct)
(b) Superior lake
(c) Huron lake
(d) Aral sea

66. Name the largest hotel:
(a) Hotel USA
(b) Avari Hotel
(c) President Hotel
(d) MGM Grand Hotel (Correct)

67. The world’s largest fresh water lake is:
(a) Panch
(b) Lake Superior (US-Canada) (Correct)
(c) Baikal (Russia)
(d) Volta Lake (Ghana)

68. Which is the largest salt water lake of the world?
(a) The Caspian Sea (Correct)
(b) The Red Sea
(c) The Baltic Sea
(d) None

79. Which is the second highest mountain peak in the world?
(a) Mt Everest
(b) K-2 (Correct)
(c) Trich Mir
(d) Nanga Parbat

70. The second highest mountain peak Goodwin Austen in the world is located in
(a) Nepal
(b) India
(c) Pakistan (Correct)
(d) China

71. Which is the largest producer of coffee in the world?
(a) Brazil (Correct)
(b) Sri Lanka
(c) Pakistan
(d) Myanmar

72. Which is the oldest Stock Exchange Market in the world?
(a) New York
(b) Amsterdam
(c) Hamburg (Correct)
(d) London

73. The fastest flying bird is:
(a) Indian Falcon
(b) African Falcon
(c) The Peragrine falcon (Correct)
(d) Australian Falcon

74. The world biggest oil refinery is situated in
(a) Saudi Arabia
(b) Iran (Correct)
(c) Kuwait
(d) Iraq

75. Largest continent among the followings?
(a) Europe
(b) Africa
(c) America
(d) Asia (Correct)

76. The Shortest River is:
(a) Amazon River
(b) Niger River
(c) Roe River (Correct)
(d) Lena River

77. The coldest place in the world is:
(a) Cherranpungi in India
(b) Al-Azizayah in Africa
(c) Vostok in Antarctica (Correct)
(d) None of these

78. Which country possesses the largest foreign exchange reserves in the world?
(a) Japan (Correct)
(b) Canada
(c) Germany
(d) USA

79. Name the first man to sail round the world is
(a) Ferdinand Magellan (Correct)
(b) John Maynard
(c) Milton Friedman
(d) None of these

80. Neil Alden Armstrong was the first man to set foot on the moon in the year
(a) 1969 (Correct)
(b) 1965
(c) 1967
(d) 1966

81. Which is the driest place of the world?
(a) Tripoli (Libya)
(b) Death Valley (California) (Correct)
(c) Jacobabad (Pakistan)
(d) Azizia (Libya)

82. The largest artificial lake is:
(a) Lake Baikal (Russia)
(b) Lake Superior (North America)
(c) Lake Great beer (Canada)
(d) Lake Mead (USA) (Correct)

83. The oldest university is “University of Karueein” located in:
(a) Morocco (Correct)
(b) Egypt
(c) Iran
(d) USA

84. The first Soccer World Cup was played in
(a) Paraguay
(b) Uruguay (Correct)
(c) Portugal
(d) Germany

85. Name the hottest place of the world
(a) Death Valley (USA)
(b) Jacobabad (Pakistan)
(c) Azizia (Libya) (Correct)
(d) None of them

86. Identify the largest ocean:
(a) Pacific (Correct)
(b) Arctic
(c) Indian
(d) southern

87. Name the smallest ocean?
(a) Arctic Ocean (Correct)
(b) Indian Ocean
(c) Pacific Ocean
(d) Southern Ocean

88. The world’s highest mountain peak is:
(a) K-2
(b) Nanga Parbat
(c) Mount Jabal
(d) Mount Everest (Correct)

89. The height of the Mount Everest is:
(a) 3348 m.
(b) 8850 m (Correct)
(c) 4448 m.
(d) 6648 m

90. Smallest Republic in the world is
(a) Balkan
(b) Nepal
(c) Nauru (Correct)
(d) Haiti

91. Largest Concrete Dam of the world is located in USA is
(a) Grand Coulee Dam (Correct)
(b) Tarbela Dam
(c) Rohunsky Dam
(d) None of these

92. Which one of the following is the largest university building in the world?
(a) Cambridge University U.K
(b) University of Riyadh (Correct)
(c) Al. Azhar University
(d) None of these

93. Which one of the following is the largest Peninsula of the world?
(a) Arabian Peninsula (Correct)
(b) Kalahari Peninsula
(c) Sahara Peninsula
(d) None of these

94. The world’s largest active volcano “Mauna Lao” is located in:
(a) Central Andes (Chile)
(b) Hawaii (USA) (Correct)
(c) Mount Mayon (Philippines)
(d) Java (Indonesia)

95. Kalaallit Nunaat (formerly Greenland) is
(a) Smallest Island
(b) Most inhabitant Island
(c) Largest Island (Correct)
(d) Last inhabitant Island

96. Name the country which is the largest producer of Natural gas in the world is
(a) Iran
(b) Tanzania
(c) Norway
(d) Russia (Correct)

97. Name the first president of India is:
(a) Dr. Ambedkar
(b) Dr. Rajendra Parsad (Correct)
(c) Sadder Patel
(d) Nehru

98. The First Woman Bank established in Pakistan in
(a) Dec 1, 1988
(b) Dec 1, 1989 (Correct)
(c) Dec 1, 1973
(d) August 14, 1948

99. First telegraph signal was transmitted in which year?
(a) 1951
(b) 1891
(c) 1901 (Correct)
(d) 1711

100. Which country has the largest foreign debts?
(a) Russia
(b) China
(c) Mexico
(d) USA (Correct)

World General Knowledge Important MCQs (Set-I) for Competitive Exams Read More »

English, General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A, World

100 Questions & Answers About Asia

General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A, World /

100 Questions & Answers About Asia

1. Highest mountain of world ‘Mount Everest’ is located in continent – Asia

2. Out of seven continents, continent Asia shares its East border with – Ural Mountains

3. Longest river in Asia Continent is – Yangtze of China

4. Country in Asia continent which is known as ‘Land of golden fiber’ is – Bangladesh

5. Out of seven continents, continent Asia shares its West border with – Pacific Ocean

6. What is the capital of the Republic of the Philippines? – Manila

7. Where can you find Mayon Volcano? – Albay

8. What is the main religion in Malaysia? – Islam

9. What is the national sport in Thailand? – Thai Boxing

10. What country is in south of Malaysia? – Singapore

11. In a country of over 1,900 islands, but with a land area of only one percent of its total
territory, which of these is one of the Maldives’ most important industries? – Tourism

12. The wildlife of Iran used to include an animal which is now extinct. Which of these used to
roam the northern regions of Iran? – Caspian tiger

13. The city of Rajshahi is an important center in the production of a natural fiber that comes
from a certain worm. What is the nickname of the city that comes from this association? – Silk City

14. India is bound on the north by a range of snow-capped mountains, which boast some of the
world’s highest peaks. What is the name of this mountain range, also considered to be the
world’s youngest? – The Himalayas

15. Which of these cities is in Vietnam? Pyonggang, Nam Dinh, Battambang or Alor Setar? – Nam Dinh

16. Which Asian city was awarded the honour of holding the 2014 winter Olympic games? – Sochi, Russia

17. Which of these IS an Asian city? Dushanbe, Moscow, Bucharest or Cairo? – Dushanbe

18. Which of these cities is in Sri Lanka? Thimpu, Islambad, Kabul or Colombo? – Colombo

19. Which city is just across the Bering Strait from Alaska, U.S.A.? – Uelen

20. Which Asian city is in a country that is in both Europe and Asia? – Novosibirsk

21. Mary (Mur-ree) is a city in – Turkmenistan

22. Which is the only city that is also a country in Asia? –

23. ________ city is the largest city (and former capital) of Kazakhstan – Almaty

24. Which city is capital of West Java province in Indonesia? – Bandung

25. _____________ city is principal port of Bangladesh, and is the country´s second largest city – Chittagong

26. Which city is the capital of Syria? – Damascus

27. Which city was capital of Persia 1598-1722? – Esfahan

28. ___________ city was known before 1980 as Lyallpur – Faisalabad

29. The city which is capital of Guangdong province, China – Guangzhou

30. Whart is the capital of Vietnam? – Hanoi

31. ________________is third largest city of Turkey and was formerly known as Smyrna – Izmir

32. What is the capital of Indonesia? – Jakarta

33. What is the capital of Afghanistan? – Kabul

34. Which city is capital of Punjab province in Pakistan? – Lahore

35. This city is capital of Khorasan province, Iran – Mashhad

36. Russian city which was formerly known as Novonikolaevsk – Novosibirsk

37. This Japanese city was formerly known as Naniwa. It is the center the Hanshin area, which is the most important industrial area in Japan – Osaka

38. _______ city is capital of North Korea – Pyongyang

39. The former name of Bishkek – Frunze

40. The former name of Gyumri – Leninakan

41. The city which is part of Kiaochow territory occupied by Germany in 1897 and leased to Germany for 99 years in 1898 – Qingdao

42. The capital of Saudi Arabia is – Riyadh

43. _____________city is capital of East Java province, Indonesia – Surabaya

44. What is the capital of Uzbekistan – Tashkent

45. Which city is also known as Benares? – Varanasi

46. Which Chinese city was formed in 1950 by the consolidation of Hankow, Hanyang and Wuchang – Wuhan

47. ___________ is the capital of Shaanxi province, China – Xian

48. The city which contains Japan´s major port and the country´s second largest is – Yokohama

49. What is the capital of Henan province, China – Zhengzhou

50. The people in this capital city in South Asia live in houses made of coral. The city is
located on an island – Male

51. The former name of the city Yangon is – Rangoon

52. Which Indian city is the capital of two Indian states but it itself is under the rule of the
Central Government – Chandigarh

53. What city was the capital of Pakistan from 1947 to 1959? – Karachi

54. In what city were 1000 British troops and their families killed by freedom fighters during the Indian revolt of 1857? – Kanpur

55. The former name of Banda Aceh – Kutaraja

56. The former name of Yekaterinburg – Sverdlovsk

57. Which was the second largest city in Sri Lanka? – Kotte

58. The name of the city which is also means ‘Canopy of Wood’ – Kathmandu

59. The headquarters of the fifth largest army in the world is in which of these cities? New
Delhi, Bangalore or Rawalpindi? – Rawalpindi

60. What is the only City in South-Asia which has French as an official language – Pondicherry

61. When King Charles II of Great Britain married a Portuguese princess, she brought this city
with her as dowry – Mumbai (Bombay)

62. The former name of the city Dalian is – Dairen

63. The former name of Xiamen – Amoy

64. The former name of Makassar – Ujung Pandang

65. The largest island in Iran? – Qeshm

66. The largest island in Oman? – Masirah

67. The former name of Jayapura – Hollandia

68. The former name of Kota Kinabalu – Jesselton

69. The former name of Jakarta – Batavia

70. The former name of Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei Town

71. Which is the name of a city in both India and Pakistan? – Hyderabad

72. The former name of Astana – Tselinograd

73. Name the biggest island in Japan? – Honshu

74. The biggest island in India? – Middle Andaman

75. The former name of Bandar Khomeyni is – Bandar Shahpur

76. The former name of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is – Toyohara

77. What is the name of the former principality that was located between Nepal and Bhutan? – Sikkim

78. The mouth of the Ganges river can be found within what country? – Bangladesh

79. What is the largest island in Asia? – Borneo

80. How many of the top ten most populated countries of the world are located, at least partly,
in Asia? – 7

81. Which country shares the longest continuous border with China? – Mongolia

82. Which central Asian country, with the cities of Tashkent and Namangan, is one of the two
doubly landlocked countries in the world? – Uzbekistan

83. Which eastern/central Asian country, bordering China, is one of the least densely populated
countries in the world? – Mongolia

84. Which country, spanning two continents, has identified the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or
PKK, as a terrorist group? – Turkey

85. Which country, which has the city of Surabaya, also has land on the 2nd largest island on
the planet? – Indonesia

86. The former name of Shenyang is – Mukden

87. The former name of Guangzhou – Canton

88. What island country, south of Taiwan, has a major religion of Roman Catholicism, and is
prone to typhoons because of its location? – Philippines

89. What teardrop shaped island country has maritime borders with the Maldives, and another
country to its north? – Sri Lanka

90. What southeast Asian country is home to the Tonle Sap lake, a lake which floods to over
five times its size during the monsoon season? – Cambodia

91. Which extremely populated country has constituted a one-child policy in order to control
its population? – China
92. The former name of Vladikavkaz – Ordzhonikidze

93. The former name of Ganca, or Gandzha is – Kirovabad

94. Which very densely populated country separated from Pakistan in 1971? – Bangladesh

95. Which industrialized country has the largest metropolitan area in the world, and has more
than 6,000 islands? – Japan

96. Biggest island in China? (excluding Taiwan which is claimed by China) – Hainan

97. What is the largest island in South Korea? – Cheju

98. Which is the largest island in Philippines? – Luzon

99. The former name of Khudzhand – Leninabad

100. Name the largest island in Thailand – Phuket

100 Questions & Answers About Asia Read More »

General Knowledge, MCQs / Q&A, World

Eisaku Sato Quiz

MCQs / Q&A, Personalities /

Eisaku Sato Quiz Questions

1. When was Eisaku Sato Prime Minister of Japan?
a) 1943-1948
b) 1964-1972
c) 1974-1977
d) 1969-1973

2. When was Eisaku Sato born?
a) 27 March 1901
b) 1 April 1900
c) 9 August 1902
d) 12 December 1903

3. Where was Eisaku Sato born?
a) Osaka
b) Kyoto
c) Fukuoka
d) Tabuse

4. From which university did Eisaku Sato graduate?
a) Okinawa University
b) Tokyo Imperial University
c) Nara University
d) Kobe University

5. What was Eisaku Sato’s portfolio in 1952?
a) Home
b) Finance
c) Construction
d) Defence

6. Which party did Eisaku Sato join in 1948?
a) Conservative
b) Liberal
c) Progressive
d) Republican

7. Which islands were returned by USA to Japan in 1972?
a) Hawaii
b) Ryukyu
c) Christmas
d) Paracel

8. When did Eisaku Sato get Nobel Prize for Peace?
a) 1986
b) 1977
c) 1974
d) 1994

9. When did Eisaku Sato die?
a) 23 February 1984
b) 3 June 1975
c) 5 July 1979
d) 6 November 1995

10. Where did Eisaku Sato die?
a) Tokyo
b) Akita
c) Kochi
d) Nagasaki

Eisaku Sato Quiz Questions with Answers

1. When was Eisaku Sato Prime Minister of Japan?
b) 1964-1972

2. When was Eisaku Sato born?
a) 27 March 1901

3. Where was Eisaku Sato born?
d) Tabuse

4. From which university did Eisaku Sato graduate?
b) Tokyo Imperial University

5. What was Eisaku Sato’s portfolio in 1952?
c) Construction

6. Which party did Eisaku Sato join in 1948?
b) Liberal

7. Which islands were returned by USA to Japan in 1972?
b) Ryukyu

8. When did Eisaku Sato get Nobel Prize for Peace?
c) 1974

9. When did Eisaku Sato die?
b) 3 June 1975

10. Where did Eisaku Sato die?
a) Tokyo

 

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MCQs / Q&A, Personalities