World Geography and Politics

Diwali is known as Tihar in Nepal, where it's celebrated with similar significance. Option A is correct. Bhutan has its own festivals, while China and Korea celebrate different light festivals (Lantern Festival).

Lam Kriyong (also spelled Loy Krathong) is Thailand's Festival of Lights, celebrated with floating baskets. Option B is correct. Korea has Chuseok, Bhutan has different festivals, and Nepal has Tihar (for Diwali).

The United States and Canada share the longest international boundary in the world, spanning approximately 8,891 kilometers (5,525 miles). This border includes both land borders and maritime boundaries along the Great Lakes.

India was the first Asian nation to receive a World Bank loan in 1949, shortly after gaining independence. The loan was for railway development projects. This marked the beginning of World Bank's engagement with developing nations in Asia.

Switzerland and Vatican City are the only two sovereign nations with square (or near-square) national flags. The Swiss flag is a square white cross on a red background, while Vatican City's flag also has square proportions. All other countries listed (Ghana, Bangladesh, Thailand, Bhutan) have rectangular flags.

Nepal's Maoists won the first free elections in 2008 after the end of the monarchy. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) emerged as the largest party, marking a significant moment in the country's political history.

The Khyber Pass connects Afghanistan and Pakistan through the Spin Ghar mountains. The Durand Line is indeed the international border between these two countries, established in 1893. The pass has historically been a crucial trade and invasion route between South and Central Asia.

Pakistan blocked the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project that would have allowed India to receive natural gas from Iran at reduced rates. The pipeline was proposed to transport Iranian gas to India through Pakistan, but Pakistan withdrew from the agreement under pressure from other countries and due to geopolitical tensions. Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya were not directly involved in blocking this specific pipeline.

In the movie 'Dil Chahta Hai', the character Christine (played by an Australian actress) was shown as being from Switzerland. This is explicitly mentioned in the film when Akshaye Khanna's character meets her during his trip to Europe.

The Durand Line is the 2,640 km international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, established in 1893 through an agreement between British diplomat Mortimer Durhan and Afghan Emir Abdur Rahman Khan. It remains a disputed boundary with significant geopolitical implications in the region.

The McMahon Line is the demarcation line between India and China, established by the 1914 Simla Convention between British India and Tibet. It forms the de facto boundary between Arunachal Pradesh (India) and Tibet (China). India accepts this line as the legal border, while China rejects it, claiming Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet. Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar are not part of this boundary.

The Tropic of Cancer passes through Bangladesh, China, and Myanmar, but completely misses Nepal, which lies entirely to its north. Nepal's mountainous terrain places it above this latitude line.

China officially recognized Arunachal Pradesh as part of India in the 1950s, though border disputes continue. Bhutan is an independent kingdom, Sikkim was a protectorate until 1975, and Nagaland became a state in 1963.

India gained independence from the British Empire on August 15, 1947, making it the first major Asian country to achieve independence in the post-WWII decolonization period. While Hong Kong was a British territory, it wasn't a colonized country that 'won independence' in the same sense - it was transferred to China in 1997. Myanmar (Burma) gained independence in 1948, and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1948, both after India.