UPSC Prelims 1998·GS1·polity-and-governance·social justice and international relations

What are the official languages of the U.N.O.?

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  1. AEnglish, French and Russian
  2. BEnglish, French, German and Russian
  3. CEnglish, French, Russian, Chinese and Hindi
  4. DEnglish, French, Chinese, Russian, Arabian and SpanishCorrect

Explanation

The United Nations has six official languages established to ensure clear and precise communication between member states. These are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. These languages were chosen based on their global reach and historical significance at the time of the UNs founding, with Arabic being added later in 1973. While English and French are the primary working languages for the daily administration of the Secretariat, all six are used for official documents and meetings. Option D is correct because it lists all six official languages. Other options are incorrect because they either omit specific languages or include ones that are not official UN languages, such as Hindi or German.
polity-and-governance: What are the official languages of the U.N.O.?

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