Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Pyongyang
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on the capital city of North Korea, a country that is often in the news due to its political system and nuclear program. North Korea is located in East Asia on the Korean Peninsula. Knowing that Pyongyang is the capital city is an important part of world affairs and geography, as many diplomatic discussions, military parades, and major announcements are reported from Pyongyang.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The concept tested is your ability to match North Korea with its capital, Pyongyang. Pyongyang is the political and administrative center of North Korea and is known for its monumental architecture and large public squares. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, Bissau is the capital of Guinea-Bissau in West Africa, and None of these is a generic distractor. A careful review of East Asian capitals makes it clear that Pyongyang is correct for North Korea.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the question refers to North Korea, not South Korea or Japan.Step 2: Recall that the capital of North Korea is Pyongyang, located on the Taedong River.Step 3: Check the options and confirm that Tokyo is associated with Japan and Bissau with Guinea-Bissau.Step 4: Since Pyongyang correctly matches North Korea, eliminate the other city options.Step 5: Because a correct capital is present, there is no reason to choose None of these, so select Pyongyang as the answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Maps of East Asia display the Korean Peninsula with two countries: North Korea and South Korea. North Korea is marked with Pyongyang as its capital, while South Korea is marked with Seoul. News coverage of North Korean events consistently refers to Pyongyang as the center of government activities, military parades, and official statements. Tokyo appears in the context of Japan, and Bissau appears in West African news, confirming that they are not capitals of North Korea. This consistent geographical and political information verifies that Pyongyang is the correct answer.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Tokyo is the capital city of Japan, an island nation to the east of the Korean Peninsula. It has no role as the capital of North Korea. Bissau is the capital of Guinea-Bissau, a small West African country, and is unrelated geographically and politically to North Korea. None of these is incorrect because Pyongyang, the true capital of North Korea, is explicitly listed among the options. Therefore, Pyongyang is the only choice that satisfies the question.
Common Pitfalls:
A frequent confusion arises between East Asian capitals such as Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul, and Pyongyang because they all appear regularly in international news. Some learners may also mix up North Korea and South Korea and mistakenly think of Seoul, which is South Korea's capital. To avoid this, remember that Pyongyang corresponds to North Korea, while Seoul corresponds to South Korea, and Tokyo corresponds to Japan. Drawing a small mental or written map of the region with labels can help you fix these associations clearly for exam purposes.
Final Answer:
The capital city of North Korea is Pyongyang.
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