World GK brings together world history, world geography and international organizations in one combined guide for SSC, UPSC, railway and state PSC preparation.
World GK
World history, geography and international organizations — structured for SSC, UPSC, railway and state PSC revision.
World History
Explore civilizations, conflicts, and turning points—organized for quick GK revision.
How to use this guide
World history questions often link person → event → date → consequence. Read each block for who fought whom, what changed after, and which treaty or institution followed. Pair this sheet with important days and your newspaper notes for UPSC, SSC CGL, CHSL, and state PSC papers.
Ancient & classical foundations
High-frequency themes: earliest writing, law codes, empires, and ideas that survived into modern civics.
River civilizations
- Mesopotamia (Tigris–Euphrates): city-states, cuneiform writing, Code of Hammurabi.
- Egypt (Nile): pharaohs, pyramids, hieroglyphs; unified kingdom early antiquity.
- Indus Valley: planned cities (e.g. drainage), trade links; script still undeciphered for full texts.
Greece, Rome & Persia
- Classical Greece: city-states, democracy at Athens, philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle).
- Persian Empire: large multi-ethnic state; clashes with Greek city-states (e.g. Persian Wars).
- Roman Republic → Empire: republican institutions, Roman law, roads; 476 CE commonly marks fall of Western Roman Empire.
Byzantine Empire continued Roman traditions in the East (capital Constantinople); Islamic caliphates spread religion, trade, and preserved Greek learning—both bridge “ancient” and “medieval” world history.
World wars & global conflict
World War I (1914–1918)
Allied Powers vs Central Powers; trench warfare; empires exhausted.
- Spark: assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (1914, Sarajevo).
- USA entered: 1917; Russia exited after 1917 revolution.
- End: Armistice 1918; Treaty of Versailles (1919) blamed Germany, redrew borders, League idea.
World War II (1939–1945)
Axis vs Allies; total war, Holocaust, atomic bombs.
- Start (Europe): Germany’s invasion of Poland (Sept 1939).
- Turning points: Stalingrad, Midway, D-Day (1944).
- End: Germany surrendered May 1945; Japan after Hiroshima & Nagasaki (Aug 1945).
- Outcome: United Nations (1945); start of decolonization & Cold War.
Cold War (1947–1991)
US-led capitalism vs Soviet communism; proxy wars, arms race, space race.
- Containment, NATO (1949); Warsaw Pact (1955).
- Crisis landmarks: Berlin Wall (1961–1989), Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).
- End: USSR dissolution 1991; bipolar era closes.
Revolutions & political transformations
American Revolution
Colonies vs Britain; ideas of representation and rights.
- Declaration of Independence — 1776.
- Inspired Latin American & European liberty movements.
French Revolution
1789 onwards; monarchy challenged; radical & Napoleonic phases.
- Slogan: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.
- Spread of nationalism & citizen armies across Europe.
Industrial Revolution
Britain → Europe & US; factories, steam power, railways.
- Urbanization, new labour systems, global trade boom.
- Fuel for imperial competition & later socialist ideas.
Russian Revolution
1917: February ends tsar; Bolsheviks take power (October/November).
- Led to USSR; withdrew from WWI; shaped 20th-century ideology.
Latin American independence
Early 1800s wave vs Spanish & Portuguese rule.
- Figures often cited: Bolívar, San Martín, O’Higgins (names vary by syllabus).
- New republics; colonial economic structures partly persist.
Exploration, trade & empire
Age of Discovery (15th–17th c.)
- Portuguese route to India (da Gama, 1498); spice trade.
- Columbus 1492 — Americas open to sustained European contact.
- Magellan expedition — first circumnavigation (1519–1522).
Colonial competition
- Slave trade across Atlantic; plantation economies.
- Industrial powers seek markets & raw materials → scramble for Africa (late 19th c.).
- Decolonization after WWII: Asian & African independence waves (1940s–1970s).
Treaties & conferences (exam anchors)
| Year | Name | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1648 | Peace of Westphalia | Ended major Thirty Years’ War; ideas on sovereignty & state system in Europe. |
| 1815 | Congress of Vienna | Redrew Europe after Napoleon; conservative order; balance of power. |
| 1919 | Treaty of Versailles | WWI settlement; war guilt clause; League of Nations mandate. |
| 1945 | Yalta & Potsdam | Allied plans for post-war Germany & Europe; shapes Cold War lines. |
| 1945 | UN Charter | San Francisco; collective security & international law framework. |
Ideas, science & modern milestones
Renaissance
14th–17th c. Europe: humanism, art (Italy), printing press spreads ideas.
Reformation
16th c. split in Western Christianity; Protestant churches; wars of religion.
Enlightenment
Reason, rights, separation of powers; influenced US & French revolutions.
Apollo 11 Moon landing
1969 — Armstrong & Aldrin; US–USSR space race peak moment.
Fall of Berlin Wall
1989 — symbol of end of Eastern Bloc divide; prelude to German reunification.
Post-1945 order & globalization
- Bretton Woods (1944): IMF & World Bank; later GATT/WTO trade framework.
- Non-Aligned Movement (Bandung 1955 spirit): newly independent states avoid bloc alignment.
- EU project: integration after WWII (Treaty of Rome 1957 → today’s Union).
- 1990s onward: internet, climate diplomacy, regional trade blocs—typical “current + static” overlap in exams.
Quick revision timeline
| Period | Remember |
|---|---|
| Ancient | River civilizations → classical Greece/Rome → spread of major religions. |
| Medieval–early modern | Feudal Europe, Islamic golden age, Mongol connections, Renaissance & Reformation. |
| 1750–1914 | Atlantic revolutions, industrialization, nationalism, imperial rivalry → WWI. |
| 1914–1945 | WWI → interwar instability → WWII → UN birth. |
| 1945–today | Decolonization, Cold War, globalization, regional conflicts & institutions. |
Peace and Diplomacy
Learning from history strengthens efforts toward peace and global harmony.
Wisdom from the Past
History teaches the value of cooperation, resilience, and progress through knowledge.
World Geography
Explore continents, oceans, and countries of our amazing planet
Earth at a Glance
7 Continents
Large land masses that make up Earth's surface
5 Oceans
Vast bodies of saltwater covering 71% of Earth
195 Countries
Sovereign states recognized by the United Nations
Continents of the World
Asia
Largest continent by area and population
Area: 44.58 million km²
Population: ~4.6 billion
Countries: 48
Highest Point: Mount Everest (8,848 m)
Africa
Second largest continent
Area: 30.37 million km²
Population: ~1.3 billion
Countries: 54
Largest Desert: Sahara Desert
North America
Third largest continent
Area: 24.71 million km²
Population: ~579 million
Countries: 23
Largest Country: Canada
South America
Fourth largest continent
Area: 17.84 million km²
Population: ~423 million
Countries: 12
Largest River: Amazon River
Europe
Second smallest continent
Area: 10.18 million km²
Population: ~746 million
Countries: 44
Smallest Country: Vatican City
Australia/Oceania
Smallest continent
Area: 8.56 million km²
Population: ~42 million
Countries: 14
Largest Island: Australia
Oceans of the World
Pacific Ocean
Area: 165.25 million km²
Deepest Point: Mariana Trench (10,984 m)
The largest and deepest ocean, covering about 46% of Earth's water surface.
Atlantic Ocean
Area: 106.46 million km²
Deepest Point: Puerto Rico Trench (8,376 m)
Second largest ocean, separating the Americas from Europe and Africa.
Indian Ocean
Area: 70.56 million km²
Deepest Point: Java Trench (7,258 m)
Third largest ocean, bounded by Asia, Africa, and Australia.
Southern Ocean
Area: 20.33 million km²
Deepest Point: South Sandwich Trench (7,235 m)
Encircles Antarctica and is the fourth largest ocean.
Arctic Ocean
Area: 14.06 million km²
Deepest Point: Molloy Deep (5,550 m)
Smallest and shallowest ocean, located around the North Pole.
Countries by Continent
Asia - Selected Countries
China
Capital: Beijing | Population: ~1.4 billion
India
Capital: New Delhi | Population: ~1.3 billion
Japan
Capital: Tokyo | Population: ~126 million
Europe - Selected Countries
Germany
Capital: Berlin | Population: ~83 million
France
Capital: Paris | Population: ~67 million
United Kingdom
Capital: London | Population: ~67 million
Africa - Selected Countries
Nigeria
Capital: Abuja | Population: ~206 million
Egypt
Capital: Cairo | Population: ~102 million
South Africa
Capitals: Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein | Population: ~59 million
Americas - Selected Countries
United States
Capital: Washington D.C. | Population: ~331 million
Brazil
Capital: Brasília | Population: ~213 million
Canada
Capital: Ottawa | Population: ~38 million
Interesting Geography Facts
Highest Point on Earth
Mount Everest in the Himalayas - 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) above sea level
Lowest Point on Land
Dead Sea shore - 430 meters (1,411 feet) below sea level
Largest Country by Area
Russia - 17.1 million km² (6.6 million square miles)
Most Populous Country
China - over 1.4 billion people
Longest River
Nile River (Africa) - 6,650 km (4,130 miles)
Largest Desert
Antarctic Desert - 14 million km² (5.4 million square miles)
International Organizations
Essential knowledge for competitive exams - UN, WHO, IMF, World Bank & more
Key Facts at a Glance
United Nations
Founded: 1945
Member States: 193
Headquarters: New York, USA
World Health Organization
Founded: 1948
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Member States: 194
International Monetary Fund
Founded: 1944
Member Countries: 190
Headquarters: Washington D.C., USA
Major International Organizations
United Nations (UN)
International organization for maintaining peace and security
Key Details:
- Established: 24 October 1945
- Headquarters: New York, USA
- Secretary-General: António Guterres
- Official Languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
Principal Organs:
- General Assembly
- Security Council
- Economic and Social Council
- International Court of Justice
- Secretariat
Specialized Agencies:
WHO, UNESCO, UNICEF, FAO, ILO, IMF, World Bank, and many more
World Health Organization (WHO)
Specialized agency for international public health
Key Details:
- Established: 7 April 1948
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Director-General: Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
- World Health Day: 7 April
Major Initiatives:
- Smallpox Eradication (1980)
- Global Polio Eradication Initiative
- Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
- International Health Regulations
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Promotes international monetary cooperation and financial stability
Key Details:
- Established: July 1944 (Bretton Woods Conference)
- Headquarters: Washington D.C., USA
- Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva
- Special Drawing Rights (SDR): International reserve asset
Main Functions:
- Surveillance of global economy
- Financial assistance to member countries
- Technical assistance and training
- Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation
World Bank Group
Provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries
Key Details:
- Established: July 1944
- Headquarters: Washington D.C., USA
- President: Ajay Banga
- Five Institutions: IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, ICSID
Main Goals:
- End extreme poverty
- Promote shared prosperity
- Support sustainable development
- Provide loans and grants for development projects
Comparison of Major Organizations
| Organization | Established | Headquarters | Head/Leader | Main Objective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Nations (UN) | 1945 | New York, USA | Secretary-General | Maintain international peace and security |
| World Health Organization (WHO) | 1948 | Geneva, Switzerland | Director-General | Attain highest possible level of health for all |
| International Monetary Fund (IMF) | 1944 | Washington D.C., USA | Managing Director | Promote international monetary cooperation |
| World Bank | 1944 | Washington D.C., USA | President | Reduce poverty and support development |
| World Trade Organization (WTO) | 1995 | Geneva, Switzerland | Director-General | Regulate international trade |
Exam Preparation Tips
Focus Areas
- Establishment years and founding documents
- Headquarters locations
- Current heads/leaders
- Main objectives and functions
- Important initiatives and achievements
Memory Techniques
- Create acronyms for organization names
- Associate headquarters with country flags
- Use mnemonic devices for establishment years
- Make comparative tables for quick revision
- Practice with previous year question papers
30 competitive exam questions
Use this accordion for quick revision across world history, geography and international organizations.