E MICA DECEMBER

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INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF)

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND IS AN ORGANISATION OF 188 COUNTRIES WORKING TO FOSTER GLOBAL MONETARY COOPERATION, SECURE FINANCIAL STABILITY , FACILITATE INTERNATIONAL TRADE, PROMOTE HIGH EMPLOYMENT ,  SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND REDUCE POVERTY AROUND THE WORLD.

                                  

IMF WAS CREATED IN 1945.

THE 44 COUNTRIES IN 1944 AT THE CONFERENCE SOUGHT TO BUILD  A FRAME WORK  FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION TO AVOID REPETITION OF THE  COMPETITIVE DEVALUATION  THAT HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE GREAT DEPRESSION  OF THE 1930s.

HEADQUATERS IN WASHINGTON DC.
TOTAL QUOTAS --  US$327 BILLION.

AIMS OF IMF ---

• PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY COOPERATION.
• FACILITATE  THE EXPANSION AND BALANCED GROWTH OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE.
• PROMOTE EXCHANGE STABILITY.
• ASSIST IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MULTILATERAL SYSTEM OF PAYMENTS.

A CORE RESPONSIBILITY OF IMF IS TO PROVIDE LOANS TO MEMBER COUNTRIES EXPERIENCING ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL BALANCE OF PAYMENTS PROBLEMS.

UNLIKE DEVELOPMENT BANKS IMF DOES NOT LEND FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

GOLD REMAINS AN IMPORTANT ASSET IN THE RESERVE HOLDINGS OF SEVERAL COUNTRIES,AND THE IMF IS STILL THE WORLD LARGEST OFFICIAL HOLDER OF GOLD.



                                    

THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND ADMITTED CHINA'S YUAN INTO ITS BENCHMARK CURRENCY BASKET , AS EXPECTED, IN A VICTORY FOR BEIJING'S CAMPAIGN FOR RECOGNITION AS A GLOBAL ECONOMIC POWER.

THE DECISION TO ADD THE YUAN, ALSO KNOWN AS THE RENMINBI, TO THE SPECIAL DRAWING RIGHTS (SDR) BASKET ALONGSIDE THE DOLLAR, EURO, POUND STERLING AND YEN, IS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN CHINA'S INTEGRATION INTO GLOBAL FINANCES AND A NOD TO THE PROGRESS IT HAS MADE WITH REFORMS. 

THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND SHOULD WEAR THE HAT OF A REGULATOR OF GLOBAL CENTRAL BANKS TO HALT THE MONETARY AUTHORITIES OF THE WESTERN WORLD FROM DESTABILISING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY WITH PROLONGED IMPRUDENT POLICIES TO LIFT THEIR SAGGING ECONOMIES, SAID RESERVE BANK OF INDIA GOVERNOR RAGHURAM RAJAN.

SUFFERING RICH NATIONS WHICH HAVE DISPROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATIONS IN MULTILATERAL INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE WORLD BANK AND THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK SHOULD NOT BE A STUMBLING BLOCK IN ENHANCING THE FUNDING OF THESE INSTITUTIONS WHICH COULD PROVIDE LONG-TERM CAPITAL TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE IN EMERGING MARKETS INSTEAD OF HOT MONEY FLOWS FROM CHEAP MONETARY POLICIES OF THE WEST, HE SAID. 

IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION.

THE UNITED NATIONS IS AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOUNDED IN 1945.

THE MISSION AND WORK OF THE UNITED NATIONS IS GUIDED BY THE PURPOSES 

AND PRINCIPLES CONTAINED IN  THE CHARTER.

THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS WAS SIGNED ON 26 JUNE,1945.

THE UNITED NATIONS CAN TAKE ACTION ON THE ISSUES CONFRONTING HUMANITY IN 21 CENTURY,SUCH AS PEACE , SECURITY, CLIMATE CHANGE , SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH EMERGENCIES, GENDER EQUALITY,TERRORISM , FOOD PRODUCTION, HUMAN RIGHTS ETC.

THE YEAR 2015 MARKS 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF UN.

THE UNITED NATIONS HAS TOTAL 193 MEMBERS(COUNTRIES) IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

THE UN COUNCIL IS COMPOSED OF 15 MEMBERS IN WHICH 5 MEMBERS ARE PERMANENT AND 10 MEMBERS ARE NON-PERMANENT,THEY GET CHANGE AFTER EVERY TWO YEARS.

FIVE PERMANENT MEMBERS(COUNTRIES) ARE----

1. US

2. UK

3. CHINA

4. FRANCE

5. RUSSIA

THE TEN NON PERMANENT MEMBERS(COUNTRIES) ARE---

1.   ANGOLA

2.   CHAD

3.   CHILE

4.   JORDAN

5.   LITHUANIA 

6.   MALAYSIA

7.   NEW ZEALAND

8.   NIGERIA

9.   SPAIN

10. VENEZUELA

THE HEAD OF THE UN IS THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF UNITED NATIONS.

                

BAN KI MOON  IS THE SOUTH KOREAN POLITICIAN WHO IS THE 8TH UN SECRETARY GENERAL.

THE MAIN ORGANS OF UN ARE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THE SECURITY COUNCIL, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL, THE TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL, THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE AND THE UN SECRETARIAT.

VARIOUS FUNDS , AGENCIES , PROGRAMMES OF UN ARE---

UNDP (UNITED NATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME )

UNICEF(UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND)

WORLD BANK.

IMF

WHO

UNESCO

WTO

GEOGRAPHY IMPORTANT KEY NOTES 3.

Ø  NATURAL RESOURCES ARE THOSE WHICH ARE DRAWN FROM NATURE AND USED WITHOUT MUCH MODIFICATION.

Ø  ACTUAL RESOURCES ARE THOSE WHOSE QUANTITY IS KNOWN TO US.EXAMPLE—RICH COAL DEPOSITS OF COAL IN RUHR REGION OF GERMANY.

Ø  POTENTIAL RESOURCES ARE THOSE WHOSE PRESENT QUANTITY IS NOT KNOWN TO US AND THEY ARE NOT BEING USED PRESENT DAY.EXAMPLE—URANIUM FOUND IN LADAKH.

Ø  ABIOTIC RESOURCES ARE NON-LIVING RESOURCES.  EXAMPLES— SOILS, ROCKS & MINERALS

.

Ø  BIOTIC RESOURCES ARE THOSE RESOURCES WHICH ARE LIVING.FOR EXAMPLE—PLANTS & ANIMALS.

Ø  RENEWABLE RESOURCES ARE THOSE WHICH GETS REPLENISH OR RENEWED QUICKLY LIKE SOLAR ENERGY AND WIND ENERGY.

Ø  NON-RENEWABLE ARE THOSE WHICH ARE LIMITED STOCK LIKE COAL , PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS.

Ø  HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT MEANS IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SKILL OF PEOPLE SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO CREATE MORE RESOURCES.

Ø  SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MEANS CAREFULLY UTILISING THE RESOURCES SUCH THAT BESIDES MEETING THE NEED OF PRESENT,ALSO TAKE CARE OF FUTURE GENERATION.

Ø  90% OF WORLD POPULATION OCCUPIES ONLY 30% OF LAND AREA.

Ø  MULCHING IS THE PROCESS OF COVERING THE BARE GROUND BETWEEN PLANTS WITH ORGANIC MATTERS SUCH AS STRAW WHICH HELPS TO RETAIN SOIL MOISTURE.

Ø  IN INTERCROPPING DIFFERENT CROPS ARE GROWN IN DIFFERENT ROWS AND AT ALTERNATE TIME TO PROTECT SOIL FROM RAIN WASH.

Ø  MINING IS THE PROCESS OF TAKING OUT MINERALS FROM THE ROCKS BURIED UNDER THE EARTH SURFACE.

Ø  OPEN CAST MINING—MINERALS THAT LIE AT SHALLOW DEPTH  THAT ARE TAKEN OUT BY REMOVING THE SURFACE LAYER.

Ø  SHAFT MINING--- DEEP BORES, CALLED AS SHAFT ARE MADE TO REACH THE MINERALS DEPOSITS THAT LIE AT GREAT DEPTHS.

Ø   DRILLING--- PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GASES LIES DEEP BELOW THE EARTH’S SURFACE. DEEP WELLS ARE BORED TO TAKE THEM OUT.

Ø  QUARRYING—MINERALS THAT LIE NEAR TO THE EARTH’S SURFACE ARE EASILY DUGGED OUT.

Ø  A GREEN DIAMOND IS THE RAREST DIAMOND.

Ø  THE OLDEST ROCKS IN THE WORLD ARE OF WESTERN 

Ø  CHILE AND PERU ARE THE LEADING PRODUCER OF COPPER.

Ø  AUSTRALIA IS THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF BAUXITE IN THE WORLD.

Ø  INDIA IS THE LARGEST PRODUCER AND EXPORTER OF MICA IN THE WORLD.

Ø  KOLAR IN KARNATAKA HAS GOLD DEPOSITS IN INDIA.

E MICA NOVEMBER

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MOST IMPORTANT GEOGRAPHY NOTES 2

·         DEEPEST MINE IN THE WORLD IS IN SOUTH AFRICA WHICH IS 6 KM                 DEEP.

·         UPPER MOST LAYER OF EARTH’S SURFACE IS CALLED AS CRUST.IT IS ABOUT 35 KM IN CONTINENTAL MASSES AND 5 KM ON OCEAN FLOORS.

·         MINERALS CONSTITUENTS OF CONTINENTAL MASSES SIAL(SILICA &           ALUMINIA) AND OF OCEANS CONSISTS OF SIMA (SILICA & MAGNESIUM) .

·         BENEATH CRUST IT IS MANTLE WHICH EXTENDS UPTO 2900KM.

·         INNERMOST LAYER IS CORE WHICH HAS RADIUS OF 3500 KM AND                 MAINLY CONSISTS OF NIFE(NICKEL & IRON i.e FERROUS).

·         RADIUS OF  THE EARTH IS 6371 KM.

·         ROCKS ARE OF THREE TYPES—1àIGNEOUS ROCKS—IGNIS MEANS FIRE    

           2àSEDIMENTARY ROCKS – SETTLE DOWN.

           3à METAMORPHICS ROCKS- CHANGE OF FORM.

·         IGNEOUS ROCKS ARE OF TWO TYPES ---  1àEXTRUSIVE IGNEOUS 

           ROCKS.  

           2àINTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS.

·         EXTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS---WHEN MAGMA COMES OUT OF THE    EARTH’S SURFACE AND COOLS DOWN TO FORM ROCKS THEN THESE ARE CALLED AS EXTRUSIVE ROCKS. EXAMPLE—BASALT .DECCAN PLATEAU ARE FORMED OF BASALT ROCKS.

·         INTRUSIVE ROCKS—WHEN MAGMA  COOLS DOWN BENEATH THE EARTH’S CRUST THEN THESE TYPES OF ROCKS ARE CALLED AS INTRUSIVE ROCKS.EXAMPLE--- GRANITE.

·         EXAMPLE OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS IS SANDSTONES.

·         ENDOGENIC FORCES—FORCES WHICH ACTS IN THE INTERIOR OF THE EARTH.

·         EXOGENIC FORCES—FORCES THAT WORKS ON THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH.

·         EARTHQUAKE IS MEASURED FROM THE MACHINE CALLED AS                          SEISMOGRAGH.               

         THE MAGNITUDE OF THE EARTHQUAKE IS MEASURED ON THE RICHTER SCALE.

·         THE PLACE IN THE EARTH CRUST WHERE MOVEMENT STARTS IS CALLED AS FOCUS.

·         THE PLACE ON THE PLANE ABOVE THE FOCUS IS CALLED AS EPICENTER.

·         HIGHEST WATER FALLS IN THE WORLD IS ANGEL FALLS AT VENEZUELA IN SOUTH AMERICA.

·         NIGARA FALLS IS LOCATED AT THE BORDER OF CANADA AND USA IN NORTH AMERICA.

·         VICTORIA FALLS ON THE BORDER OF ZIMBAWE AND ZAMBIA IN AFRICA.

·         SALINITY IS THE AMOUNT OF SALT IN GRAM PRESENT IN 1000 GRAMS OF WATER.AVERAGE SALINITY OF OCEANS IS 35 PARTS PER THOUSAND.

·         DEAD SEA IN ISRAEL HAS SALINITY OF 45 PARTS PER THOUSAND. SWIMMERS FLOAT ON IT.

·         THE INDIRA POINT IN ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR GOT SUBMERGED AFTER THE TSUNAMI.

·         THE  RYTHMIC RISE AND FALL IN THE OCEAN WATER TWICE A DAY IS CALLED AS TIDES.

·         DURING THE FULL MOON AND NEW MOON. THE SUN, THE EARTH AND THE MOON THEY ARE IN THE SAME LINE WHICH CAUSES HIGH TIDES.THESE TIDES ARE CALLED AS SPRING TIDES.

·         WHEN MOON IS IN FIRST AND LAST QUARTER THIS RESULT IN LOW TIDES , WHICH IS ALSO CALLED AS NEAP TIDES.

·         THE AREAS WHERE THE COLD AND HOT CURRENTS MEETS TOGETHER THEY PROVIDE BEST  PLACE FOR FISHING GROUND.EXAMPLES ARE SEAS OF JAPAN AND NORTH AMERICA.

·         TROPICAL EVERGREEN FOREST IN BRAZIL IS CALLED AS LUNGS OF THE EARTH.

·         ANACONDA ONE OF THE WORLD LARGEST SNAKE IS FOUND IN TROPICAL  RAIN FOREST.

·         TYPES OF FORESTS-----

·      TROPICAL EVERGREEN FOREST—THEY RECEIVE HEAVY RAINFALL.EXAMPLES ARE—ROSEWOOD ,EBONY,MAHOGONY.

·      TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FOREST—AVERAGE RAINFALL,TREES SHED THEIR LEAVES.EXAMPLES ARE SAL, TEAK ,NEEM.

·      TEMPERATE EVERGREEN FORESTS—FOUND IN MID LATITUDNAL COASTAL REGIONS.EXAMPLES—SOUTH EAST BRAZIL AND SOTH CHINA.OAK PINE AND EUCALYPTUS.

·           SAHARA DESERT IS THE WORLD LARGEST DESERT .

·           AL AZIZIA IN SAHARA DESERT RECORDED HIHGEST TEMPERATURE OF 57.7 DEGREE CELCIUS.

·           DEPRESSION ARE FORMED WHEN THE WINDS BLOWS AWAY THE SAND. IN THESE DEPRESSIONS UNDERGROUND  WATER REACHES THE SURFACE, AND OASIS IS FORMED.

•       TAFILATET OASIS IN MOROCCO IS A LARGE OASIS ABOUT 13000 SQUARE KM.

·         MANALI - LEH HIGHWAY CROSSES FOUR PASSES ROHTANG LA, BARALACHA LA, LUNGALACHA LA, TANGLANG LA. THE HIGHWAY OPEN ONLY BETWEEN JULY AND SEPTEMBER.

·         LEH THE CAPITAL OF LADAKH. NATIONAL HIGHWAY 1A CONNECTS LEH TO KASHMIR VALLEY THROUGH JOZI LA PASS.

·         FINEST CRICKET BATS ARE MADE FROM THE WOOD OF WILLOW TREE.

·         CHIRU OR THE TIBETAN ANTELOPE  IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES IS HUNTED FOR ITS WOOL KNOWN AS SHAHTOOSH WHICH IS LIGHT AND EXTREMELY WARM.

·         LADAKH IS ALSO KNOWN AS KHAPA CHAN WHICH MEANS SNOW LAND.

·         LADAKH IN J&K IS ENCLOSED BY KARAKORAM RANGE IN THE NORTH AND ZANSKAR MOUTAINS IN THE SOUTH.

·            MANALI - LEH  HIGHWAY ON THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS IS ONE OF THE WORLD HIGHEST HIGHWAY.

·           THE TRANS SIBERIAN RAILWAY IS THE WORLD LONGEST SYSTEM CONNECTING ST. PETERBURG IN WESTERN RUSSIA TO VLADIVOSTOK ON THE PACIFIC COAST.

·           AMAZON BASIN IS THE LARGEST RIVER BASIN IN THE WORLD.

MOST IMPORTANT GEOGRAPHY NOTES

·         URSA MAJOR OR BIG  BEAR IS ONE SUCH CONSTELLATION.

·         SAPTA RISHI IS A PART OF URSA MAJOR CONSTELLATION.

·        

       NORTH STAR IS ALSO CALLED AS POLE STAR.IT ALWAYS REMAINS IN NORTH DIRECTION.

·         

       NEAREST STAR IS SUN TO THE EARTH.

·         JUS(JUPITER ,URANUS ,SATURN)HAS RING AROUND THEM.

·         MERCURY IS THE NEAREST TO THE SUN AND IT TAKES 88 DAYS TO COMPLETE ONE REVOLUTION AROUND THE SUN.

·         VENUS IS SAID TO BE EARTH TWINS.

·         EARTH IS 5^TH LARGEST PLANET.

·         MOON REVOLVES AROUND THE EARTH IN 27 DAYS.

·         THE MOON EXACTLY TAKES SAME TIME TO COMPLETE ONE SPIN.

·         REVOLUTION TIME =ROTATION TIME OF MOON.

·         SUNLIGHT TAKES 8 MINS TO REACH THE EARTH.

·         NEIL ARMSTRONG WAS THE FIRST ONE TO STEP ON MOON IN 29 JULY 1969.

·         PRIME MERIDIAN IS LOCATED AT GREENWICH i.e  ZERO DEGREE LONGITUDE.

·         IST(INDIAN STANDARD TIME ) WHICH IS 82^.30’ E WHICH PASSES THROUGH MIRZAPUR.

·         HIGHEST MOUNTAIN PEAK IS 8848 METERS, THE HIMALAYA MOUNTAIN.

·          DEEPEST DEPTH IS RECORDED IS 11022m. AT MARIANA TRENCH IN PACIFIC OCEANS.

·         EDMUND HILLARY (NEW ZEALAND) AND TENZING NORWAY SHERPA (INDIA) WAS THE FIRST MEN TO CLIMB HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS IN 1953.

·         JUNKO TABEI (JAPAN) WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO CLIMB MT EVEREST IN 1975.

·         BACHENDARI PAL WAS THE FIRST INDIAN WOMAN  TO CLIMB MT. EVEREST IN 1984.

·         ASIA IS THE LARGEST CONTINENT.

·         ASIA IS SEPARATED FROM EUROPE BY THE URAL MOUNTAINS.

·         AFRICA IS THE ONLY CONTINENT THROUGH WHICH ALL THE THREE LINES EQUATOR,TROPIC OF CANCER AND TROPIC OF CAPRICON PASSES.

·         NORTH AMERICA IS LINKED TO SOUTH AMERICA BY VERY NARROW LAND STRIP CALLED AS ISTHUMUS OF PANAMA.

·         THE ANDES IS THE WORLD LONGEST MOUNTAIN RANGE.

·         THE AMAZON IS THE WORLD LARGEST RIVER WHICH IS IN SOUTH AMERICA.

·         MAITRI AND DAKSHIN GANGOTRI IS THE INDIAN RESEARCH STATION IN ANTARTICA.

·         FOUR MAJOR OCEANS ARE PACIFIC OCEAN>ATLANTIC OCEAN>INDIAN OCEAN>ARCTIC OCEAN.

·         ATLANTIC OCEAN IS THE BUSIEST OCEAN IN RESPECT WITH THE PURPOSE OF TRADE.

·         ARCTIC OCEAN IS CONNECTED WITH PACIFIC OCEAN BY THE NARROW STRECH CALLED AS BERRING STRAIT.

·         MOUNTAINS ARE OF THREE TYPES – 1à   FOLD MOUNTAIN.               2àBLOCK MOUNTAIN.

                                                                   3àVOLCANIC MOUNTAIN.

·         HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS AND ALPS MOUNTAIN ARE YOUNG FOLD MOUNTAINS.

·         ARAVALI RANGE IN INDIA IS THE OLDEST FOLD MOUNTAINS.

·  RHINE VALLEY AND VOSGES MOUNTAIN IS EXAMPLE OF BLOCK MOUNTAINS IN EUROPE.

·         MT. KILIMANJARO IN AFRICA AND MT. FUJIYAMA JAPAN IS EXAMPLE OF VOLCANIC.

·         DECCAN PLATEAU IS THE OLDEST IN INDIA.

·         TIBET PLATEAU IS THE HIGHEST PLATEAU IN THE WORLD HEIGHT 4000-6000 METERS.

·         HINDRU FALL IS IN CHHOTA NAGPUR PLATEAU ON RIVER SUBARNAREKHA AND JOGS FALL IN KARNATAKA.

·         INDIA LIES BETWEEN SOUTH TO NORTH IN  8.4 ^. N TO 37.6^. N LATITUDE.

·         INDIA LIES BETWEEN WEST TO EAST IN  68°7'E TO 97°25'E LONGITUDES.

·         RAJASTHAN IS THE LARGEST STATE AND GOA IS THE SMALLEST STATE IN TERM OF AREA.

·         THE HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS ARE DIVIDED INTO THREE RANGES ---

·  THE HIMADRI.

·  THE HIMANCHAL.

·  THE SHIWALIK.

·      NARMADA AND TAPI RIVER ARE WEST FLOWING RIVER AND DRAINS INTO ARABIAN SEA.

·      GODAVARI , MAHANADI , KRISHNA ,KAVERI THESE ARE EAST FLOWING RIVER AND DRAIN INTO BAY OF BENGAL

.

·      THE GANGA AND BRAHMAPUTRA RIVERS FORMS THE WORLD LARGEST DELTA i.e SUNDERBANS DELTA.

·      TWO GROUP OF ISLAND IS THE PART OF INDIA WHICH IS LAKSHADWEEP ISLAND IN ARABIAN SEA AND ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLAND IN BAY OF BENGAL.

·      HIGHEST RAINFALL OCCURS IN MAWSYNRAM IN INDIA.