World Geography & Current Affairs

🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)

Major Continents & Oceans

Continents (7):

• Asia: Largest (44.58 million km²); population 4.7 billion; highest point Everest (8,849m); includes Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, SE Asia
• Africa: Second largest (30.37 million km²); Sahara Desert (largest hot desert); Nile (longest river — 6,650 km); Congo rainforest
• North America: Third (24.71 million km²); Grand Canyon; Mississippi-Missouri river system; Great Lakes
• South America: Fourth (17.84 million km²); Amazon rainforest (largest); Andes (longest mountain range); Atacama Desert
• Antarctica: Fifth (14.2 million km²); covered in ice; no permanent population; research stations
• Europe: Sixth (10.18 million km²); Russia (largest by area); Mediterranean climate; many peninsulas
• Australia: Smallest continent (8.53 million km²); Great Barrier Reef; Outback; driest inhabited continent

Oceans (5):

• Pacific: Largest (165.25 million km²); Mariana Trench (deepest — 10,984m); “Ring of Fire”
• Atlantic: Second (106.46 million km²); Mid-Atlantic Ridge; busiest shipping lane
• Indian: Third (70.56 million km²); bounded by Africa, Asia, Australia; monsoon influence
• Southern/Antarctic: Fourth (20.33 million km²); surrounds Antarctica
• Arctic: Smallest (14.06 million km²); covered in ice; Arctic Ocean

Major Mountains & Rivers

• Mountains: Himalayas (Everest), Karakoram (K2), Andes (Aconcagua), Alps (Mont Blanc), Rockies (Elbert), Ural (Narodnaya)
• Rivers: Nile (Africa), Amazon (South America), Yangtze (Asia), Mississippi (North America), Yenisei (Asia), Yellow (Asia)

Important International Organisations

1. United Nations (UN): 193 member states; founded 1945 (after WWII); headquarters New York; six principal organs (GA, SC, ECOSOC, Trusteeship, ICJ, Secretariat)
2. G20: 19 countries + EU; accounts for 85% world GDP; rotating presidency; India 2023 presidency
3. WHO (World Health Organisation): 1948; headquartered Geneva; monitors global health; COVID-19 response
4. World Bank: 189 members; IBRD + IDA; development financing
5. IMF: 190 members; international monetary cooperation; SDR; balance of payments support
6. WTO: 164 members; trade liberalisation; dispute settlement
7. NATO: 31 members (as of 2024); collective defence (Article 5); founded 1949; headquartered Brussels
8. EU (European Union): 27 members; single market; Euro (20 countries); parliament; commission
9. ASEAN: 10 members; founded 1967; regional integration; Southeast Asia
10. BIMSTEC: 7 members (India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar); Bay of Bengal cooperation

Recent Summits & Agreements (2022-2024)

• G20 New Delhi Summit (September 2023): India presidency; theme “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”; Delhi Declaration; African Union as G20 member
• COP28 UAE (2023): Dubai; first Global Stocktake; fossil fuel “transition away”; Loss and Damage Fund
• QUAD Summit (2023-2024): Maritime cooperation; Hiroshima Principles; infrastructure, technology
• SCO Summit (2023): New Delhi (virtual); expansion; security cooperation
• RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership): 15 Asia-Pacific countries; effective 2022; India exited in 2019
• India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC): Announced G20 2023; connectivity project
• ASEAN-India Summit (2023): 30 years of dialogue partnership; trade, connectivity

⚡ Exam Tip: AILET GK asks about international organisations, recent summits, and agreements India is part of. Focus on G20 (India’s presidency), UN bodies, and regional groupings SAARC, ASEAN, BIMSTEC.

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🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)

World Geography — Detailed

Major Deserts:

• Sahara (Africa — 9.2 million km²); Arabian (Middle East); Gobi (Central Asia); Kalahari (Southern Africa); Atacama (South America — driest); Thar (India-Pakistan)
• Antarctica (coldest, largest); Arctic (coldest ocean)

Major Islands:

• Greenland (largest island — not continent); New Guinea (2nd); Borneo (3rd — shared Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei); Madagascar (4th — endemic species); Sumatra (6th)
• Iceland; Japan; Philippines; Indonesia (largest archipelago — 17,000 islands)

Strait & Bays:

• Strait of Hormuz (Middle East — oil shipments); Malacca Strait (SE Asia — busiest shipping lane); Gibraltar (Mediterranean-Atlantic); Bosphorus (connects Black Sea-Marmara)
• Bay of Bengal; Gulf of Mexico; Persian Gulf; Adriatic Sea

Important Countries & Capitals:

• USA: Washington D.C.; China: Beijing; Russia: Moscow; UK: London; France: Paris; Germany: Berlin; Japan: Tokyo; Brazil: Brasília; Australia: Canberra; Canada: Ottawa; South Africa: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)
• India neighbouring countries: Pakistan (Islamabad), China (Beijing), Nepal (Kathmandu), Bhutan (Thimphu), Bangladesh (Dhaka), Myanmar (Naypyidaw), Afghanistan (Kabul), Sri Lanka (Colombo), Maldives (Malé)

UN System — Detailed

Principal Organs:

1. General Assembly (GA): All 193 members; 1 vote each; budget; resolutions; elects non-permanent SC members
2. Security Council (SC): 15 members — 5 permanent (USA, UK, France, Russia, China — veto power) + 10 non-permanent (2-year terms, 5 rotating each year); peace and security; sanctions; peacekeeping
3. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): 54 members; coordinates economic and social work; 9 specialised agencies
4. International Court of Justice (ICJ): 15 judges (9-year terms); settles disputes between states; advisory opinions; headquarters The Hague
5. Secretariat: Administrative; Secretary-General (António Guterres, 2017-2021; re-elected 2021); chief administrative officer

Specialised Agencies:

• UNESCO (education, science, culture); UNICEF (children); UNDP (development); UNHCR (refugees); WHO (health); ILO (labour); FAO (agriculture); World Bank (development finance); IMF (monetary); ICAO (aviation); IMO (shipping); WMO (weather); ITU (telecom)

Regional Organisations

SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation):

• Founded 1985; 8 members (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan); headquarters Kathmandu
• Objectives: Regional cooperation; trade; connectivity; climate
• Deadlocked due to India-Pakistan tensions; Afghanistan joined 2007

BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation):

• Founded 1997 (BIST-EC); 7 members; headquarters Dhaka
• Priority sectors: Trade, investment, transport, energy, tourism, fisheries, agriculture
• India focuses on “Neighbourhood First” through BIMSTEC

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations):

• Founded August 8, 1967; 10 members; ASEAN Charter (2008); ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
• ASEAN-India: Dialogue partner (1992); ASEAN-India Free Trade Area (2010); goods, services, investment
• Indo-Pacific: ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP); centrality of ASEAN

G20 — Detailed

• Membership: 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK, USA) + EU + African Union (joined 2023)
• India’s 2023 Presidency: “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (One Earth, One Family, One Future); New Delhi Summit September 9-10, 2023; outcomes:
  • Delhi Declaration
  • G20 Action Plan on Agenda 2030
  • IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor)
  • Global Biofuels Alliance
  • Climate finance goals (transition from fossil fuels)
  • WHO pandemic treaty discussions

Current Geopolitical Developments

Russia-Ukraine Conflict (since 2022):

• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (February 2022); ongoing war
• International response: Western sanctions on Russia; military aid to Ukraine; UNGA resolutions (141 for territorial integrity, 7 against, 32 abstained)
• Impact: Global food security (wheat exports blocked); energy crisis; inflation; refugee crisis (millions displaced)

US-China Relations:

• Trade war; technology restrictions (Huawei, semiconductor bans); South China Sea tensions; Taiwan Strait; tariffs
• US “Indo-Pacific” strategy; QUAD; AUKUS (Australia-UK-US nuclear submarine deal — 2021)
• Balloon incident (2023); de-escalation talks ongoing

Israel-Gaza Conflict (since October 2023):

• Hamas attack on Israel (October 7, 2023); Israeli response
• Humanitarian crisis; UN Security Council resolutions; ceasefire attempts
• Regional implications; Iran involvement; Red Sea security

India-China Relations:

• Doklam standoff (2017); Galwan clash (June 2020 — 20 Indian soldiers killed); de-escalation talks
• Line of Actual Control (LAC); disengagement processes (Pangong Tso, Gogra, Depsang)
• Trade deficit; border management; diplomatic engagement

South China Sea:

• Competing claims: China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan
• China’s “Nine-Dash Line” claim; UNCLOS ruling (2016) rejected by China
• Militarisation; freedom of navigation; US patrols
• ASEAN negotiations for Code of Conduct

Afghanistan:

• Taliban takeover (August 2021); US withdrawal
• Humanitarian crisis; women’s rights restrictions; terrorism concerns
• India’s engagement; humanitarian assistance; development projects completed pre-2021

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🔴 Extended — Deep Study (3mo+)

World Capitals — Complete List

Country	Capital	Country	Capital
USA	Washington D.C.	China	Beijing
UK	London	Japan	Tokyo
France	Paris	South Korea	Seoul
Germany	Berlin	Brazil	Brasília
Russia	Moscow	Australia	Canberra
Italy	Rome	Canada	Ottawa
Spain	Madrid	Mexico	Mexico City
Saudi Arabia	Riyadh	Argentina	Buenos Aires
South Africa	Pretoria*	Turkey	Ankara
Indonesia	Jakarta	Thailand	Bangkok
Vietnam	Hanoi	Poland	Warsaw
Egypt	Cairo	Israel	Jerusalem
UAE	Abu Dhabi	Qatar	Doha
Pakistan	Islamabad	Nepal	Kathmandu
Bangladesh	Dhaka	Myanmar	Naypyidaw

*South Africa has three capitals: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), Bloemfontein (judicial)

Important Latitude & Longitude Lines

• Equator: 0°; passes through 13 countries (Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Sao Tome, Gabon, Congo, DRC, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Indonesia, Kiribati, Ecuador)
• Tropic of Cancer: 23.5°N; passes through Mexico, Bahamas, Western Sahara, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, India (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jharkis, West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram), Bangladesh, China, Taiwan
• Tropic of Capricorn: 23.5°S; passes through Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Madagascar, Australia
• Arctic Circle: 66.5°N; Antarctic Circle: 66.5°S
• Prime Meridian: 0° (Greenwich, UK); passes through UK, France, Spain, Algeria, Mali, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo

Major Climate Zones

• Tropical (0-23.5°): Hot, wet year-round (Amazon, Congo); monsoon (India); savanna (grassland with trees)
• Subtropical (23.5-40°): Humid (SE US, China); Mediterranean (California, Mediterranean Basin); desert (Sahara, Arabian)
• Temperate (40-60°): Oceanic (W Europe); Continental (E Europe, Central Asia)
• Subarctic (60-70°): Taiga (boreal forest — conifers; Canada, Russia)
• Tundra (70-90°): Permafrost; lichens, mosses; Antarctica, Arctic Canada
• Highland: Varies with altitude (Himalayas, Andes)

Global Issues & Agreements

Climate Change:

• Paris Agreement (2015): 195 signatories; limit warming to 1.5-2°C above pre-industrial; NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions); ratcheting mechanism
• UNFCCC (1992): Framework Convention on Climate Change; annual COPs (Conference of Parties)
• IPCC (1988): Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; assessment reports (AR1-AR6); AR6 (2021-2023)
• Carbon markets: Paris Agreement Article 6; voluntary carbon markets; net zero targets

Sustainable Development:

• SDGs (2030 Agenda): 17 goals adopted 2015; 169 targets; No Poverty (1), Zero Hunger (2), Good Health (3), Quality Education (4), Gender Equality (5), Clean Water (6), etc.
• HLPF (High-Level Political Forum): Annual review of SDGs

Terrorism & Security:

• UN Security Council Resolutions: 1267 (Taliban/al-Qaeda sanctions); 1373 (counter-terrorism); 1540 (WMD non-proliferation)
• FATF (Financial Action Task Force): Money laundering, terror financing; grey list (Pakistan, etc.); black list (Iran, North Korea)
• Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (proposed; not adopted)

Refugees & Migration:

• UNHCR (1950): Refugee protection; 110 million forced displaced worldwide (2023); largest refugee crises (Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan)
• Global Compact on Refugees (2018); Marrakech Compact on Migration (2018 — non-binding)

Major Treaties & Conventions

Treaty	Year	Purpose
Geneva Conventions	1949	Humanitarian treatment in war
Nuclear Non-Proliferation (NPT)	1968	Prevent spread of nuclear weapons
Chemical Weapons Convention	1993	Ban chemical weapons
Biological Weapons Convention	1972	Ban biological weapons
Ottawa Landmine Treaty	1997	Ban antipersonnel mines
Rome Statute	1998	International Criminal Court
UNCLOS	1982	Law of the Sea (UN Convention)
Montreal Protocol	1987	Ozone layer protection
Basel Convention	1989	Hazardous waste disposal
Kyoto Protocol	1997	Greenhouse gas reduction
Paris Agreement	2015	Climate change

India’s Foreign Policy — Key Initiatives

• Neighbourhood First: Strengthen ties with immediate neighbours; Bangladesh (1971 liberation support); Sri Lanka (ethnic issue); Nepal, Bhutan (hydropower); Maldives
• Look East/Act East: ASEAN centrality; connectivity (Kaladan, Trilateral Highway); Bay of Bengal cooperation; Indo-Pacific
• International Solar Alliance (ISA): 2015 with France; headquartered Gurugram; promote solar energy in tropical countries
• Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI): 2019; reduce infrastructure damage from disasters
• Global Biofuels Alliance: Announced G20 2023; promote biofuels; India, USA, Brazil + others
• India-Iceland Maritime Cooperation: Blue economy

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Confusing G20 members with G7 (older, Western, no India)
2. Thinking NATO is a UN body — independent
3. Mixing up SAARC and BIMSTEC members
4. Forgetting that South Africa has three capitals
5. Confusing World Bank with World Bank Group (IBRD + IDA + IFC + MIGA + ICSID)
6. Not knowing India’s neighbourhood first policy countries

Practice Tips

• Map work: Locate countries, capitals, mountain ranges, rivers, seas, straits
• Create flashcards for international organisations (members, headquarters, founding year)
• Practice current affairs questions on recent summits
• Solve AILET GK on World Geography and Current Affairs
• Focus on India’s bilateral relationships and regional groupings