Consider the following pairs : Country Resource-rich in I. Botswana : Diamond II. Chile : Lithium III. Indonesia : Nickel In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?

1. A. Only one
2. B. Only two
3. C. All the three
4. D. None

Answer: C

Explanation

I. Botswana: Botswana is indeed one of the world’s leading producers of diamonds. Diamond mining is a cornerstone of its economy. This pair is correctly matched. II. Chile: Chile is a major global producer of lithium, particularly from its vast salt flats (salars) in the Atacama Desert. It is a key part of the ‘Lithium Triangle’ in South America. This pair is correctly matched. III. Indonesia: Indonesia holds the world’s largest nickel reserves and is the largest producer of nickel globally. Nickel is crucial for electric vehicle batteries. This pair is correctly matched. Therefore, all three pairs are correctly matched. Knowledge of global distribution of critical minerals and resource-rich countries is important for UPSC Geography and Economy, especially in the context of energy transition and supply chain security.