Official UPSC Format

Consider the following pairs:
Region – Country
I. Mallorca : Italy
II. Normandy : Spain
III. Sardinia : France
In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?

1. I. Mallorca : Italy

2. II. Normandy : Spain

3. III. Sardinia : France

⚡ Quick Recall Snippet

European geography features distinct regional administrations. Mallorca functions as a territory of Spain, Normandy operates as a region within France, and Sardinia belongs to the nation of Italy.

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Detailed Solution & Authority Citations

Correct Answer is Option D
Based on standard geographic charting found in the Oxford Atlas, every single pair provided in the prompt is deliberately mismatched to test regional spatial awareness.
  • Pair I is Incorrect: Mallorca (or Majorca) is the largest island in the Balearic Islands archipelago, which is an autonomous community of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea, not Italy.
  • Pair II is Incorrect: Normandy is a historic and globally famous geographic region located in northern France, bordered by the English Channel. It has no territorial connection to Spain.
  • Pair III is Incorrect: Sardinia is a large island in the Mediterranean Sea that belongs to Italy, not France. (Its neighboring island to the north, Corsica, belongs to France).
    • Since all pairings are factually inverted, none of the rows are correctly matched.

    🚨 The Examiner's Trap

    The pairings deliberately mix Mediterranean neighbors. Sardinia (Italy) is geographically close to Corsica (France). Normandy is famously French, but placed with Spain to test confident recall over mere recognition.

    Active Recall Flashcard

    Tap to Flip

    Which European countries do the regions of Mallorca, Normandy, and Sardinia belong to, respectively?

    Spain, France, and Italy.

    Concept Flow Mapping

    Mallorca
    Located In
    Spain
    Normandy
    Located In
    France
    Sardinia
    Located In
    Italy

    Logic Quest

    "Why are islands like Sardinia and Mallorca frequently tested?"

    Not analyzing core concepts like European Geopolitical Mapping through the lens of Previous Year Questions is a serious miss-out. This PYQ engine is specifically designed to help you decode the examiner's mindset and master highly probable World Geography questions for your upcoming Prelims.