Static GK
🔒 Log in to trackOrganisations, Capitals, Currencies & Parliaments
🔒 Log in to trackInternational organisation → headquarters
| Organisation | HQ |
|---|---|
| UN, UNICEF, UNDP | New York |
| UNESCO | Paris |
| WHO, WTO, ILO, UNHCR, Red Cross (ICRC), WMO | Geneva |
| IMF, World Bank | Washington, D.C. |
| FAO, WFP, IFAD | Rome |
| UNEP, UN-Habitat | Nairobi |
| IAEA, OPEC, UNIDO | Vienna |
| International Court of Justice | The Hague |
| Interpol | Lyon |
| ASEAN | Jakarta |
| SAARC | Kathmandu |
| Asian Development Bank | Manila |
| New Development Bank (BRICS) | Shanghai |
| AIIB | Beijing |
| International Olympic Committee | Lausanne |
| FIFA | Zurich |
| ICC (cricket) | Dubai |
| WWF | Gland, Switzerland |
| Amnesty International | London |
Currencies
| Country | Currency | Country | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | Taka | Japan | Yen |
| Bhutan | Ngultrum | China | Renminbi (yuan) |
| Myanmar | Kyat | South Korea | Won |
| Afghanistan | Afghani | Thailand | Baht |
| Malaysia | Ringgit | Indonesia | Rupiah |
| Vietnam | Dong | UAE | Dirham |
| Saudi Arabia | Riyal | Iran | Rial |
| South Africa | Rand | Brazil | Real |
| Russia | Rouble | Mexico | Peso |
Capitals often asked: Australia – Canberra · Canada – Ottawa · Brazil – Brasília · New Zealand – Wellington · Nigeria – Abuja · Turkey – Ankara · Myanmar – Nay Pyi Taw · Kazakhstan – Astana · Sri Lanka – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (administrative).
Parliaments
| Country | Parliament | Country | Parliament |
|---|---|---|---|
| Israel | Knesset | Japan | Diet |
| Russia | (State) Duma / Federal Assembly | Iran | Majlis |
| Norway | Storting | Sweden | Riksdag |
| Denmark | Folketing | Germany | Bundestag |
| Bangladesh | Jatiya Sangsad | Iceland | Althing (among the oldest) |
| USA | Congress | Poland | Sejm |
United Nations and its family (UN founded 24 October 1945, HQ New York)
| Body | HQ | Founded |
|---|---|---|
| UNICEF | New York | 1946 |
| UNDP | New York | 1965 |
| UNESCO | Paris | 1945 |
| WHO | Geneva | 1948 |
| ILO | Geneva | 1919 |
| WTO | Geneva | 1995 |
| ICRC | Geneva | 1863 |
| FAO | Rome | 1945 |
| WFP | Rome | 1961 |
| UNEP | Nairobi | 1972 |
| IAEA | Vienna | 1957 |
| OPEC | Vienna | 1960 |
| ICJ | The Hague | 1945 |
| OPCW | The Hague | 1997 |
| IMF and World Bank | Washington DC | 1944 (Bretton Woods) |
Other international bodies and their HQs
| Body | HQ | Founded |
|---|---|---|
| NATO | Brussels | 1949 |
| ASEAN | Jakarta | 1967 |
| SAARC | Kathmandu | 1985 |
| BIMSTEC | Dhaka | 1997 |
| ADB | Manila | 1966 |
| AIIB | Beijing | 2016 |
| NDB (BRICS bank) | Shanghai | 2015 |
| International Solar Alliance | Gurugram (India) | 2015 |
| FIFA | Zurich | 1904 |
| IOC | Lausanne | 1894 |
| INTERPOL | Lyon (France) | 1923 |
| ICAO | Montreal | 1944 |
| IMO | London | 1948 |
| ICC (cricket) | Dubai | 1909 |
Currencies
South Asia: India/Pakistan/Nepal/Sri Lanka - rupee; Bangladesh - taka; Bhutan - ngultrum (at par with the Indian rupee); Maldives - rufiyaa; Afghanistan - afghani. East and South-East Asia: China - yuan (renminbi); Japan - yen; South Korea - won; Thailand - baht; Malaysia - ringgit; Indonesia - rupiah; Vietnam - dong; Philippines - peso; Myanmar - kyat; Mongolia - tugrik. West Asia: Russia - rouble; Turkey - lira; Saudi Arabia - riyal; UAE - dirham; Israel - shekel. The West: UK - pound sterling; USA/Canada/Australia - dollar; Eurozone - euro; Switzerland - franc. Africa: South Africa - rand; Nigeria - naira; Kenya - shilling; Egypt - pound. Latin America: Brazil - real; Argentina/Mexico - peso.
Parliaments of the world
| Country | Parliament |
|---|---|
| India | Sansad (Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha) |
| Israel | Knesset |
| Japan | Diet |
| China | National People's Congress |
| Iran | Majlis |
| Germany | Bundestag |
| Russia | Federal Assembly (lower house: Duma) |
| Bangladesh | Jatiya Sangsad |
| Pakistan | Majlis-e-Shoora |
| France | National Assembly |
| South Korea | National Assembly |
| Denmark | Folketing |
| Norway | Storting |
| Sweden | Riksdag |
| Turkey | Grand National Assembly |
| USA | Congress |
| UK | Parliament (Commons + Lords) |
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
UN bodies ↔ headquarters
'Where is UNESCO/WHO/FAO/UNICEF headquartered', match-the-column on UN agencies.
New York: UN, UNICEF, UNDP. Geneva: WHO, ILO, WTO, ICRC. Paris: UNESCO. Rome: FAO, WFP.
Nairobi: UNEP. Vienna: IAEA, OPEC. The Hague: ICJ, OPCW. Washington DC: IMF, World Bank.
Founding years asked together: UN 1945, UNICEF 1946, WHO 1948, WTO 1995, ILO 1919.
The International Court of Justice sits at —
Show solutionHide solution
The Hague (Netherlands), in the Peace Palace; the UN itself is headquartered in New York.
International bodies ↔ headquarters and founding years
'NATO/ASEAN/SAARC headquarters', 'ADB/AIIB/NDB', 'FIFA/IOC/ICC', HQ-plus-year questions.
Brussels-NATO (1949); Jakarta-ASEAN (1967); Kathmandu-SAARC (1985); Dhaka-BIMSTEC (1997).
Banks: ADB-Manila (1966), AIIB-Beijing (2016), NDB-Shanghai (2015); solar: International Solar Alliance-Gurugram.
Sport: FIFA-Zurich (1904), IOC-Lausanne (1894), ICC-Dubai; police/travel: INTERPOL-Lyon (1923), ICAO-Montreal, IMO-London.
The International Solar Alliance, founded at India's initiative, is headquartered at —
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Gurugram (India) - the first treaty-based international organisation headquartered in India.
Currency ↔ country
'Currency of Bangladesh/Thailand/Indonesia/South Africa', currency matching, unusual currencies.
South Asia: taka-Bangladesh, ngultrum-Bhutan, rufiyaa-Maldives, afghani-Afghanistan; rupee elsewhere.
East Asia: yuan-China, yen-Japan, won-South Korea, baht-Thailand, ringgit-Malaysia, rupiah-Indonesia, dong-Vietnam, kyat-Myanmar.
West/Africa/Americas: rouble-Russia, riyal-Saudi, dirham-UAE, shekel-Israel, rand-South Africa, naira-Nigeria, real-Brazil, peso-Argentina/Mexico.
The currency of Indonesia is the —
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Rupiah. Malaysia uses the ringgit; Vietnam the dong; Thailand the baht.
Parliament ↔ country
'Knesset/Diet/Majlis/Bundestag is the parliament of', 'Duma is the lower house of', legislature matching.
Israel-Knesset, Japan-Diet, Iran-Majlis, Germany-Bundestag, Bangladesh-Jatiya Sangsad, Pakistan-Majlis-e-Shoora.
Russia-Federal Assembly (lower house Duma), China-National People's Congress, France-National Assembly, Turkey-Grand National Assembly.
Nordic set: Denmark-Folketing, Norway-Storting, Sweden-Riksdag.
The Bundestag is the lower house of the parliament of —
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Germany. The Diet belongs to Japan; the Knesset to Israel; the Riksdag to Sweden.
Organisation ↔ founding year / founder context
'When was WHO/ASEAN/NATO established', Bretton Woods twins, UN Charter dates.
1945: UN (24 Oct), FAO (16 Oct), UNESCO adopted. 1944: IMF and World Bank at Bretton Woods.
1948 WHO; 1949 NATO; 1957 IAEA; 1960 OPEC; 1967 ASEAN; 1985 SAARC; 1995 WTO.
Older bodies: ILO 1919, ICRC 1863, FIFA 1904, IOC 1894.
The IMF and the World Bank were conceived at which 1944 conference?
Show solutionHide solution
Bretton Woods (New Hampshire, USA) - hence their nickname, the Bretton Woods twins.
Shortcuts that save time
Geneva = health, trade, labour (WHO, WTO, ILO). Rome = food (FAO, WFP, IFAD). Nairobi = environment (UNEP) — the only major UN HQ in Africa/Global South.
The headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is in —
Show solutionHide solution
Rome.
East side of India: Bangladesh Taka, Bhutan Ngultrum, Myanmar Kyat. Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan use the rupee.
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
UNESCO is in Paris, not Geneva.
Japan's parliament is the Diet; Israel's is the Knesset.
Australia's capital is Canberra, not Sydney; Canada's is Ottawa, not Toronto.
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
New York: UN, UNICEF, UNDP; Geneva: WHO, ILO, WTO, ICRC; Paris: UNESCO; Rome: FAO, WFP.
Nairobi = UNEP; Vienna = IAEA, OPEC; The Hague = ICJ, OPCW; DC = IMF, World Bank.
Brussels-NATO, Jakarta-ASEAN, Kathmandu-SAARC, Manila-ADB, Dubai-ICC, Lausanne-IOC, Lyon-INTERPOL.
Taka-Bangladesh, ngultrum-Bhutan, kyat-Myanmar, baht-Thailand, rand-South Africa, real-Brazil.
Knesset-Israel, Diet-Japan, Majlis-Iran, Bundestag-Germany, Duma-Russia, Folketing-Denmark, Storting-Norway.
Practice: 21 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 10 questions
Suggested time 3 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.