The 48th World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting was held in which country?

Introduction / Context:
The World Economic Forum holds its well known annual meeting in Davos, attracting global leaders from business, politics, and civil society. Exams often ask about the location of specific editions of this meeting. This question focuses on the country where the 48th annual meeting took place.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The event is the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.
• The options list Australia, China, Switzerland, and France.
• Davos is the usual host city for WEF annual meetings.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is to recall that Davos, the long standing venue for WEF annual meetings, is a town in Switzerland. Therefore, even if one does not remember the exact year, knowing the standard location of WEF annual gatherings allows you to identify the correct country as Switzerland. The other options do host many global events but are not the usual site for this particular annual meeting.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the WEF annual meeting known as Davos takes place in a town called Davos in Europe.Step 2: Identify that Davos is in Switzerland, not in Australia, China, or France.Step 3: Note that the 48th annual meeting continued the tradition of being held in Davos.Step 4: Therefore, select Switzerland as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Official WEF announcements and news reports describe the 48th annual meeting as taking place in Davos, Switzerland. While the WEF may host regional meetings in other countries, the main annual Davos meeting is closely associated with Switzerland. This confirms that among the given options, Switzerland is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Australia: Hosts conferences and summits, but it is not the regular location for WEF annual Davos meetings.
China: Has hosted WEF regional and summer meetings, but the main 48th annual Davos meeting did not occur in China.
France: Hosts international organisations and summits, but Davos is not in France; it is in Switzerland.

Common Pitfalls:
Aspirants may confuse WEF annual meetings with other economic or political summits that move between countries, leading them to guess any option. Some may also think of WEF regional events in Asian countries like China. To avoid confusion, it is helpful to fix in memory that the main WEF annual meeting known as Davos is held in Switzerland, making it the correct answer whenever the standard annual venue is being referred to.

Final Answer:
The 48th World Economic Forum annual meeting was held in Switzerland.