The headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is located in which of the following cities?

Introduction / Context:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Matching each UN specialised agency to its correct headquarter city is a frequent topic in general knowledge exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The organisation in question is FAO.
• The options are Paris, Rome, Madrid and Washington, D.C.
• The question asks for the city where FAO's main headquarters is located.
• We assume current, widely accepted information.

Concept / Approach:
FAO was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Rome, Italy. Rome is well known as the hub of UN agencies working on food, agriculture and related issues. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) also have their headquarters in Rome, reinforcing the association between the city and global food security institutions.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that FAO is a major UN agency dealing with food and agriculture.Step 2: Match FAO with its headquarter city, Rome, which is a widely memorised GK fact.Step 3: Examine the options and identify “Rome” among them.Step 4: Confirm that Paris is associated with UNESCO, while Washington, D.C. is more closely linked with institutions like the World Bank and IMF.Step 5: Therefore, choose Rome as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative check is to recall the grouping “Rome based food agencies”: FAO, WFP and IFAD. This phrase commonly appears in development studies. Because these agencies are known collectively as Rome based agencies, the link between FAO and Rome is strongly reinforced.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Paris: Headquarters of UNESCO, not FAO.

Madrid: Capital of Spain, but not known as the headquarters for FAO or any major UN food agency.

Washington, D.C.: Headquarters of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, rather than FAO.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates mix up Paris and Rome when matching organisations, especially between FAO and UNESCO. Others may think of Washington, D.C. because of its association with large financial institutions. Memorising small clusters such as “Rome – FAO, WFP, IFAD” and “Paris – UNESCO, OECD” can greatly reduce confusion.

Final Answer:
The headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization is in Rome, Italy.