GK · Chapter 07

Facts Related to Major Countries of the World

Parliaments · Intelligence Agencies · Residences · Landmarks · Wonders · Travellers

Names of Parliaments of Major Countries
Name of ParliamentCountry
Parliament (Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha)India
Jatiya SansadBangladesh
ParliamentBritain, Ireland, South Africa, Malaysia, Canada, France
Federal ParliamentAustralia, Nepal
Federal AssemblySwitzerland
House of RepresentativesEgypt
National AssemblyKuwait
National CongressArgentina, Brazil
National People's CongressChina
Congress (Senate + House of Representatives)America
MajlisIran, Maldives
Shura / National AssemblyAfghanistan
RiksdagSweden
KnessetIsrael
YuanTaiwan
BundestagGermany
DietJapan
Duma (Lower) / Federation Council (Upper)Russia
TshogduBhutan
⚡ QUICK RECALL Bicameral names to remember: India (Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha), USA (Senate + House), Russia (Duma + Federation Council). One house name per country is a favourite one-mark question.
Major Intelligence Agencies of the World
CountryIntelligence Agency / Agencies
IndiaRAW, CBI, IB
PakistanISI (Inter Services Intelligence)
ChinaInternational Liaison Department; MSS
AmericaCIA, NSA, FBI
AustraliaASIO
RussiaGRU; KGB
CanadaCSIS
JapanNaicho
GermanyBND
IraqINIS
FranceDGSE
South AfricaSSA
IranVAJA; MOIS
IsraelMossad
BritainMI5, MI6, GCHQ
⚠ EXAM TRAP KGB was the SOVIET-era agency; modern Russia's external intelligence is the GRU/SVR. KGB no longer formally exists but is still listed historically — check exam context before answering.
Official Documents and Reports
Document NameCountry
Blue BookBritain
White BookGermany, China, Portugal
Green BookItaly, Iran
Orange BookNetherlands
Grey BookJapan, Belgium
White PaperIndia (on a particular subject), Britain, China
Yellow BookFrance (Livre Jaune)
Beige BookUSA
⚡ QUICK RECALL Colour-code trick: Blue = Britain, White = Germany/China/Portugal, Yellow = France, Beige = USA. Group by colour, not by country, for faster recall.
Major Political Parties in Different Countries
CountryMajor Political Parties
IndiaBJP, INC, AAP, NPP, BSP, CPI-M
BangladeshBNP, Awami League, Jatiya Party
Sri LankaUnited National Party, Freedom Party, SLPP
PakistanPPP, PTI, Pakistan Muslim League
United KingdomLiberal Democratic Party, Labour, Conservative
South AfricaANC, Inkatha Freedom Party
IsraelLabour, Shas, Hadash, Likud
RussiaLDPR, United Russia, Communist Party
NepalNepali Congress, Nepali Communist Party
FranceSocialist Party, National Rally (formerly National Front)
AustraliaLiberal Party, Labour Party
United StatesRepublican Party, Democratic Party
ChinaCommunist Party of China (CPC)
Official Residences of Heads of State / Government
Head of State / GovernmentOfficial ResidenceCity
President of IndiaRashtrapati BhavanNew Delhi
PM of India7, Lok Kalyan MargNew Delhi
PM of NepalSingha Durbar / BaluwatarKathmandu
PM of Sri LankaTemple TreesColombo
President of PakistanAiwan-e-SadrIslamabad
President of BangladeshBangabhavanDhaka
PM of Britain10, Downing StreetLondon
The Monarch (Britain)Buckingham PalaceLondon
Chancellor of GermanyFederal ChancelleryBerlin
President of PortugalPalácio de BelémLisbon
PM of AustraliaThe LodgeCanberra
President of IndonesiaMerdeka PalaceJakarta
President of ChinaZhongnanhaiBeijing
President of South KoreaYongsan Presidential OfficeSeoul
President of North KoreaRyongsong ResidencePyongyang
President of USAWhite HouseWashington DC
President of FranceÉlysée PalaceParis
President of RussiaKremlinMoscow
PM of Canada24, Sussex Drive / Rideau CottageOttawa
President of ItalyQuirinal PalaceRome
⚠ EXAM TRAP India's President stays at Rashtrapati Bhavan, but the PM's official residence is 7, Lok Kalyan Marg (not Rashtrapati Bhavan) — commonly mixed up by beginners.
Famous Places — Americas
LandmarkLocationKey Facts
White Sands Missile RangeNew Mexico, USASite of America's first nuclear explosion (16 July 1945)
DisneylandCalifornia, USAAmusement park; built by Walt Disney in 1955
Mount RushmoreSouth Dakota, USAFaces of Washington, Jefferson, T. Roosevelt, Lincoln
The PentagonVirginia, USAHQ of US Dept. of Defense; world's largest office building
Empire State BuildingNew York, USAOne of the tallest buildings historically; Height: 1,250 feet
DetroitMichigan, USAAutomobile manufacturing hub; HQ of Ford, GM, Chrysler
Statue of LibertyNew York, USASymbol of American Independence; gift from France; designed by Bartholdi; unveiled 28 Oct 1886
Brooklyn BridgeNew York, USACable-based suspension bridge
Famous Places — Europe
LandmarkLocationKey Facts
Eiffel TowerParis, FranceSymbol of French culture; Height: 1,083 feet; built by Gustave Eiffel (1887–89)
CannesFranceHosts the Cannes Film Festival annually
Élysée PalaceFranceOfficial residence of the President
Big BenLondon, EnglandGiant clock at the Palace of Westminster
Humber BridgeEnglandWorld's longest suspension bridge at construction; built 1973–81
DavosSwitzerlandHosts World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meetings
ElbaItalyIsland in the Mediterranean; site of Napoleon's exile, 1814
Red SquareMoscow, RussiaIconic square; Lenin's Mausoleum
St. PetersburgRussiaCultural-historical city; Northern Capital of Russia
Monte CarloMonacoWorld-famous gambling centre
Famous Places — Asia
LandmarkLocationKey Facts
Grand CanalChinaWorld's longest man-made canal
Temple of HeavenBeijing, China'Heavenly Temple' complex; built 1406–1420 AD
OsakaJapanMajor industrial city; known as the 'Kitchen of Japan'
Angkor WatCambodiaLargest religious monument; UNESCO site; originally a Hindu (Vishnu) temple, later Buddhist
Al-Aqsa MosqueJerusalem, IsraelThird holiest mosque after Mecca and Medina
Famous Places — Africa & Oceania
LandmarkLocationKey Facts
Abu Simbel TemplesEgyptAncient monument dedicated to Nubia
KalgoorlieAustraliaFamous for gold mines
Opera HouseSydney, AustraliaWorld-famous tourist attraction and cultural centre
AmsterdamNetherlandsFamous for its diamond cutting industry
DusseldorfGermanyFamous for iron machinery
⚡ QUICK RECALL Angkor Wat began as a HINDU temple dedicated to Vishnu and was later converted to a Buddhist site — a frequently tested transition.
Seven Wonders of the World (New/Latest List)
WonderLocationKey Facts
Great Wall of ChinaChina, Asia7th century BC; Length: 21,196 km; Height: 20 m
PetraJordan, Asia106 AD; 'Rose City' — built of red sandstone
Machu PicchuPeru, South America1430 AD; discovered by Hiram Bingham (1911); Inca civilization site at 2,450 m
Christ the RedeemerRio de Janeiro, Brazil1926–31 AD; 38 m statue; largest Art Deco sculpture in the world
Roman ColosseumRome, Italy70 AD; oval amphitheatre built under Roman emperors
Chichén ItzáYucatan, Mexico600 AD; city of the Mayan civilization
Taj MahalAgra, India1632 AD; built by Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal
⚠ EXAM TRAP Angkor Wat is often called the "8th Wonder" but is NOT part of the official New Seven Wonders list — a favourite trick question. Built by King Suryavarman II, originally a Hindu temple.
World Famous Travellers and Their Achievements
TravellerCountryAchievements
James CookBritainCircumnavigated globe 3 times; discovered New Zealand (1769–70), New South Wales (1770), Hawaii (1778)
John DavisBritainDiscovered Falkland Islands (1592); invented 'Backstaff' navigation tool
Amerigo VespucciItalyAmerica named after him; discovered South American coast (1501) and Amazon mouth (1499); gave 'New World' concept
Christopher ColumbusSpain (sponsored voyage)Discovery of America, Cuba, West Indies — 1492
Roald AmundsenNorwayReached South Pole (1911) and North Pole (1926)
Sir Francis DrakeBritainCircumnavigated the world in a single voyage (1577–80)
Vasco Núñez de BalboaSpainFirst European to see the Pacific Ocean from the 'New World' (1513)
Vasco da GamaPortugalFirst European to reach India by sea (1498)
⚠ EXAM TRAP Amerigo Vespucci was Italian but his voyages were sponsored by Spain/Portugal — America is named after him, NOT Columbus, even though Columbus is more commonly linked to "discovering America."
Quick Reference Summary
India's ParliamentLok Sabha + Rajya Sabha
China's ParliamentNational People's Congress
USA's ParliamentCongress — Senate + House of Representatives
Japan's ParliamentDiet
Germany's ParliamentBundestag
Russia's ParliamentDuma + Federation Council
Israel's ParliamentKnesset
India's Intelligence AgenciesRAW, CBI, IB
USA's Intelligence AgenciesCIA, NSA, FBI
Pakistan's IntelligenceISI
Israel's IntelligenceMossad
Russia's IntelligenceGRU, KGB
Blue BookBritain
White PaperIndia, Britain, China
Yellow BookFrance (Livre Jaune)
India's PM Residence7, Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi
India's President ResidenceRashtrapati Bhavan
USA President ResidenceWhite House, Washington DC
UK PM Residence10, Downing Street, London
France President ResidenceÉlysée Palace, Paris
Russia President ResidenceKremlin, Moscow
Statue of LibertyNew York — unveiled 28 Oct 1886
Eiffel TowerParis — Height 1,083 ft, built 1887–89
Taj MahalAgra — 1632 AD, Shah Jahan
Great Wall of China7th century BC; Length: 21,196 km
Angkor WatCambodia — built by Suryavarman II; called '8th Wonder'
Chichén ItzáYucatan, Mexico — 600 AD; Mayan civilization
Machu PicchuPeru — 1430 AD; Inca civilization
Christ the RedeemerRio de Janeiro — 1926–31 AD
Roman ColosseumRome — 70 AD
PetraJordan — 106 AD; Rose City
Vasco da GamaFirst European to reach India by sea (1498)
Christopher ColumbusDiscovery of America, Cuba, West Indies (1492)
Amerigo VespucciAmerica named after him; discovered S. America coast (1501)
James CookCircumnavigated globe 3 times; discovered NZ, NSW, Hawaii
Al-Aqsa MosqueJerusalem — 3rd holiest mosque after Mecca and Medina