Railway
Which is regarded as the world's first intergovernmental organisation?
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Answer: Option B — Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine
Detailed Solution
The Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR) is regarded as the world's oldest (first) intergovernmental organisation that still exists. It was established in 1815 by the Final Act of the Congress of Vienna, which redrew the map of Europe after the defeat of Napoleon.
About the CCNR:
Its aim is to ensure free and safe navigation on the Rhine river, one of the most important waterways of Europe, which flows through Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands to the North Sea.
It first met in 1816 in Mainz, Germany.
Its headquarters is in Strasbourg, France (since 1920), in the Palais du Rhin.
Its member states today are Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
The Mannheim Convention (Revised Convention for Rhine Navigation), signed in 1868, is still the basis of its work. It guarantees freedom of navigation on the Rhine for vessels of all nations.
It makes rules on safety, crew, technical standards for ships and environmental protection on the Rhine.
Other early international organisations:
International Telecommunication Union (ITU): founded in 1865 in Paris as the International Telegraph Union; it is the oldest specialised agency of the United Nations. Its headquarters is in Geneva.
Universal Postal Union (UPU): founded in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland; the second-oldest international organisation within the UN system. World Post Day (9 October) marks its founding.
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): founded in 1863 in Geneva, but it is a private humanitarian organisation, not an intergovernmental one.
League of Nations: set up in 1920 after the First World War; replaced by the United Nations in 1945-46.
Why not the other options?
- ✗The League of Nations (1920) was the first global organisation for peace.
- ✗Good to know
- ✗ITU (1865) is the oldest UN specialised agency.
- ✗UPU (1874) is the second-oldest within the UN system.
Quick tip
Remember: First intergovernmental organisation = Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine (1815, Congress of Vienna, HQ Strasbourg); oldest UN agency = ITU (1865); UPU = 1874.
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Firsts in India & World — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Firsts in India & World, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the first persons and events in India and the world: the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize, the first woman to hold major offices, the first to climb Everest or reach space, and India's first institutions, newspapers, railways and satellites. It also covers the largest, longest, highest and smallest records in India and the world. These are pure memory questions, so revise them as short lists by theme: first women, first in sports, first in science and space, and first in governance. Be careful with the exact wording, such as 'first Indian' versus 'first person of Indian origin', or 'first woman President' versus 'first woman Prime Minister', since options are often designed to exploit this. Practise the firsts in India and the world questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.