Consider the following countries : 1. Bulgaria 2. Czech Republic 3. Hungary 4. Latvia 5. Lithuania 6. Romania How many of the above-mentioned countries share a land border with Ukraine?
- (a) Only two ✓ UPSC's answer
- (b) Only three
- (c) Only four
- (d) Only five
Why the answer is (a)
• Ukraine borders seven countries: Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova.
• Of the listed countries, Hungary (in the Transcarpathian west) and Romania (along the south-west and the Danube delta) share land borders with Ukraine — items 3 and 6.
• Bulgaria lies south of Romania and does not touch Ukraine; the Czech Republic is separated by Slovakia and Poland.
• Latvia and Lithuania are Baltic states bordering Belarus and Russia, not Ukraine.
• Hence only two, option (a).
Why the other options are wrong
- (b) Only three
- Only Hungary and Romania border Ukraine; the count is two.
- (c) Only four
- Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Latvia and Lithuania do not border Ukraine.
- (d) Only five
- Only two listed countries touch Ukraine.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2023, held on 28 May 2023. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.