PPSC General Knowledge Past Paper 2019 Solved MCQs with Answers
Solved General Knowledge MCQs from the PPSC 2019 past paper, each with the correct answer and a clear explanation. Ideal practice for PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS and PMS. All questions are extracted from the actual 2019 paper and verified before publication.
When is International Mother Language Day celebrated?
International Mother Language Day is observed on 21 February, marking the 1952 Bengali language movement deaths in Dhaka.
When did Indian Railways start operations?
Indian Railways began operations in 1853, with the first train running from Bombay to Thane.
What is the capital of Kazakhstan?
Astana is the capital of Kazakhstan. It was called Nur-Sultan between 2019 and 2022 before the original name was restored.
When is World Polio Day celebrated?
World Polio Day is observed on 24 October, marking the birth of Jonas Salk, who developed the first polio vaccine.
When was the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) established?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was established in 2001. Pakistan and India became full members in 2017.
In which continent are the Atlas Mountains located?
The Atlas Mountains run across north western Africa, through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
Asabiyya, a concept of social solidarity with an emphasis on unity, was given by?
Ibn Khaldun developed the concept of asabiyya, the social solidarity and group feeling that he held to drive the rise and fall of dynasties.
In which year did the largest famine hit Ethiopia?
The great Ethiopian famine struck in 1983, lasting until 1985 and killing hundreds of thousands.
The Poet of Beauty is known as?
John Keats is known as the Poet of Beauty, for his conviction that beauty and truth are one.
When was the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the RIO Summit, held?
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the Earth Summit, was held at Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
When was Amnesty International, an international non-governmental organization for human rights, founded?
Amnesty International was founded in 1961 by the British lawyer Peter Benenson.
For what period was the Kerry-Lugar Bill passed for Pakistan?
The Kerry-Lugar Bill authorised United States non-military aid to Pakistan for the period 2010 to 2014.
At whose behest was the World Food Program, an organization of the United Nations, created?
The World Food Programme was created at the initiative of United States President Dwight Eisenhower, beginning operations in 1961.
Jamaica's capital is?
Kingston is the capital of Jamaica.
What is the circumference of the Earth approximately?
The circumference of the earth is about 40,075 km measured around the equator.
What is the capital of Chechnya?
Grozny is the capital of Chechnya, a republic within the Russian Federation.
Kurt Waldheim was an Austrian diplomat and statesman who served two terms as which Secretary-General of the United Nations?
Kurt Waldheim of Austria was the fourth Secretary-General of the United Nations, serving from 1972 to 1981.
The Industrial Revolution started with the invention of?
The Industrial Revolution was set in motion by the steam engine, improved by James Watt, which freed industry from water and animal power.
Which president of the United States was Thomas Jefferson?
Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States.
From which country did Taekwondo, a popular form of martial arts, originate?
Taekwondo originated in Korea.
A team of maritime archaeologists discovered the world's oldest known intact shipwreck under which sea?
The world's oldest known intact shipwreck, a Greek trading vessel about 2,400 years old, was found in the Black Sea in 2018.
Serving as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres belongs to which country?
Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, is from Portugal.
The first Nobel Prize awarded to a South Asian was given to whom?
Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, the first Nobel awarded to anyone from South Asia.
Al-Azhar University is situated where?
Al-Azhar University is in Cairo, Egypt, founded in 970 AD.
How are human rights primarily protected and enforced at the national level?
At national level, human rights are primarily protected by the courts, through their interpretation of legislation and the common law.
Before Tokyo, what was the historical capital of Japan?
Kyoto was the historical capital of Japan for over a thousand years, until the court moved to Tokyo in 1868.
In interstate relations, what does C.B.M. stand for?
CBM stands for Confidence Building Measures, steps taken between states to reduce tension and the risk of conflict.
Which was the first country to give women the right to vote?
New Zealand was the first country to give women the right to vote, in 1893.
In which Indian state was the Babri Mosque, demolished in 1992, situated?
The Babri Mosque, demolished in 1992, stood at Ayodhya in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
By what old name was the game of table tennis known?
Table tennis was formerly known as ping pong.
Adolf Hitler's autobiography is known by what name?
Adolf Hitler's autobiography is 'Mein Kampf', meaning My Struggle, written while he was imprisoned in 1924.
What is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque of Istanbul commonly called?
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul is commonly called the Blue Mosque, for the blue Iznik tiles of its interior.
What does CNG stand for?
CNG stands for Compressed Natural Gas.
Bathsheba Beach is situated where?
Bathsheba Beach is on the east coast of Barbados.
The Union Jack is the name of which country's flag?
The Union Jack is the flag of the United Kingdom.
Julian Assange was the founder of WikiLeaks, and he belonged to which country?
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is Australian.
In which country is Antalya Airport situated?
Antalya Airport is in Turkey, serving the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya.
Dar-es-Salaam is the major city of which country?
Dar es Salaam is the largest city and commercial centre of Tanzania.
"Bootlegging" is a form of?
Bootlegging is the illegal manufacture, transport or sale of goods, above all alcohol, and is therefore a form of smuggling.
Where was Albert Einstein born?
Albert Einstein was born at Ulm in Germany in 1879.
Which country did Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the UNO, belong to?
Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, was from Ghana.
Where is Big Ben located?
Big Ben is the great bell of the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster in London.
When was Nelson Mandela of South Africa released from prison?
Nelson Mandela was released from prison in February 1990, after 27 years.
"Fidel Castro" was the leader of which country?
Fidel Castro led Cuba from the revolution of 1959 until 2008.
Black gold is oil; what is black diamond?
Coal is called black diamond, as oil is called black gold.
Which Indian city was renamed "Chennai"?
Madras was renamed Chennai in 1996.
When did the Lenin Prize start?
The Lenin Prize was established in 1925 as the Soviet Union's highest award for achievement in science, literature and the arts.
Where is the headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) located?
The International Civil Aviation Organization has its headquarters at Montreal, Canada.
The term "Jockeying" is related to?
Jockeying refers to riding horses in races, from the word jockey.
"History of God" was written by?
Karen Armstrong wrote 'A History of God', tracing the idea of God across Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
The term "cue ball in hand" is used in which game?
'Cue ball in hand' is a term used in pool, allowing a player to place the cue ball anywhere on the table after a foul.
What is the capital of the Czech Republic?
Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic.
Which country was Ferdinand Marcos the leader of?
Ferdinand Marcos ruled the Philippines from 1965 until he was overthrown in 1986.
Which country created the post of "Ombudsman" for the first time?
Sweden created the office of Ombudsman in 1809, the first country to do so.
Who are the five permanent members of the Security Council of the UNO?
The five permanent members of the UN Security Council are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
In which country was Adolf Hitler born?
Adolf Hitler was born at Braunau am Inn in Austria in 1889.
How many emirates does the United Arab Emirates comprise?
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
When was the Suez Canal built?
The Suez Canal was completed and opened in 1869.
After how many years are the Summer Olympics held?
The Summer Olympics are held every four years.
What is the width of a badminton court for a single game?
A badminton court is 5.18 metres wide for singles play, and 6.10 metres for doubles.
Where is the H.Q. of UNESCO?
UNESCO has its headquarters in Paris, France.
In which country is the famous city "Fez" located?
Fez, famous for its ancient walled medina and the Qarawiyyin University, is in Morocco.
Which hardware company is generally considered the largest by market value?
Apple is generally the largest hardware company in the world by market value.
After 9/11, what was the World Trade Center site commonly referred to as?
The site of the destroyed World Trade Center in New York became known as Ground Zero after the attacks of 11 September 2001.
What is the capital of Thailand?
Bangkok is the capital of Thailand.
Heritage and culture are primary focus areas of which international organization?
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, focuses on heritage, culture and education.
What standard distance do athletes have to cover in a marathon race?
A marathon covers 26 miles and 385 yards, that is 42.195 kilometres.
Where is the administrative headquarters of the OIC located?
The administrative headquarters of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Who was the primary leader of the Iranian Revolution of 1979?
Imam Ruhollah Khomeini led the Iranian Revolution of 1979 that overthrew the Shah.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was established in 1946 by?
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was established in 1946 under King Abdullah I.
Amnesty International is an organization primarily focused on?
Amnesty International focuses on human rights, campaigning against torture, the death penalty and unjust imprisonment.
The House of Lords is the Upper House of the Parliament of which country?
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
'Alexandria' is a major city of which country?
Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great, is a major port city of Egypt.
What is the capital of the West African country Liberia?
Monrovia is the capital of Liberia, named after the American President James Monroe.
Which animal is depicted on the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) flag/logo?
The giant panda appears on the logo of the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Milan, often considered a Fashion Capital of the World, is a city of which country?
Milan, one of the fashion capitals of the world, is in Italy.
Which country is famously called the "Land of a Thousand Lakes"?
Finland is called the Land of a Thousand Lakes, though it actually has over 180,000.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), established in 1945, has its headquarters in?
The Food and Agriculture Organization, established in 1945, has its headquarters at Rome, Italy.
Temple Trees is the official residence of the Prime Minister of?
Temple Trees in Colombo is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
The OIC was founded in 1969 in?
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation was founded in 1969 at Rabat, Morocco, after the arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque.
In 1968, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was signed; what is its purpose?
The Non-Proliferation Treaty of 1968 aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote disarmament and allow peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The presidency of the United Nations Security Council is held by each member for one calendar month, in the English?
The presidency of the UN Security Council rotates monthly, following the English alphabetical order of member states' names.
How many non-permanent members does the United Nations Security Council have?
The Security Council has ten non-permanent members, elected for two-year terms, alongside the five permanent members.
How many holes does a standard golf course consist of?
A standard golf course has 18 holes.
The Richter scale measures the?
The Richter scale measures the magnitude of earthquakes.
"Buckingham Palace" is the residence of?
Buckingham Palace in London is the official residence of the British monarch.
The Soviet Union officially ended on 26 December of which year?
The Soviet Union officially ceased to exist on 26 December 1991.
Syria was suspended from the Arab League in 2011 and readmitted in?
Syria was suspended from the Arab League in 2011 over its crackdown on protests, and readmitted in 2023.
Before becoming U.S. President, Joe Biden also served as?
Joe Biden served as Vice President under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017 before becoming President.
Which one of the following is not a regularly featured modern Olympic sport?
Cricket has not been a regularly featured Olympic sport, appearing only once in 1900. It is scheduled to return in 2028.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the?
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, and is the world's most important oil transit chokepoint.
The Mona Lisa was painted by?
Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.
Heidelberg University is located in?
Heidelberg University is at Heidelberg in Germany, founded in 1386 and the oldest university in the country.
Jeff Bezos is the founder of?
Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994.
The American Civil Rights Movement was significantly led by?
Martin Luther King Jr. was the foremost leader of the American civil rights movement.
About the PPSC General Knowledge Past Paper 2019
Every MCQ above is taken from the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) General Knowledge papers held in 2019, with the correct answer and a written explanation for each. Past-paper practice is the most dependable way to prepare for PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS and PMS, because these papers repeat their themes, and often the questions themselves, from one year to the next.
Questions were checked against reliable sources before publication. Where a circulating source sheet carried a factual or wording error, we corrected it rather than reproducing the mistake. For chapter-wise preparation, work through our General Knowledge MCQs hub, which also lists every other year’s paper. Further reading: Pakistan Movement and the PPSC official website.
How to Use This Paper
Attempt the full quiz before looking at any answer, then read the explanation for every question you got wrong, including those you guessed correctly. A past paper is only useful if you close the gaps it exposes. Pro members can download the complete paper as a PDF with all answers and explanations for offline revision.