Question

Which of the following formally quit from UNESCO recently?

• A. U.S.A
• B. China
• C. Sweden
• D. India

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The correct option is (A): U.S.A.

Answer 2

The question asks which country formally withdrew its membership from UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) around this period. Let's consider each option:

1. U.S.A: The United States formally exited UNESCO, with its withdrawal taking effect from January 1, 2019, after the U.S. government cited concerns including anti-Israel bias within the organisation and the need for fundamental reform, along with financial considerations linked to unpaid dues.
2. China: China has remained an active member of UNESCO and has, in fact, expanded its engagement with the organisation, so it does not fit the description of a country quitting.
3. Sweden: Sweden has continued its membership and cooperation with UNESCO without any withdrawal.
4. India: India remains a member state of UNESCO and continues to have several World Heritage Sites and programmes recognised by it, so it clearly did not quit.

Of the four countries, only the United States formally withdrew its membership from UNESCO in this period.

Therefore, the correct answer is U.S.A.

Answer 3

This question turns on a specific date, since the country in question formally exited UNESCO on a stated effective date. Working through each option using the actual timeline of each country's UNESCO membership settles the answer.

1. U.S.A: The United States announced its decision to leave UNESCO in October 2017 and the withdrawal took formal effect from January 1, 2019, exactly the kind of clean exit date the question is pointing to.
2. China: There is no exit date on record for China with respect to UNESCO; it has continued as a member throughout this period, so no such timeline applies to it.
3. Sweden: Sweden similarly has no withdrawal date associated with UNESCO membership, having remained continuously engaged with the organisation.
4. India: India, too, has no exit timeline from UNESCO, remaining a member state with ongoing World Heritage recognitions throughout.

Only the United States has an actual documented withdrawal date from UNESCO, which is what the question is testing.

Therefore, the correct answer is U.S.A.