In this geography analogy, “Maharashtra is to India as Texas is to ______”. Choose the country to which Texas belongs, mirroring the state to country relationship in the first pair.

Introduction / Context:
This analogy is based on political geography and administrative divisions. Maharashtra is a state within the country India. We must identify the country to which Texas belongs in order to maintain the same “state : country” relationship. Such questions test general knowledge about world geography and basic political units.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• First pair: Maharashtra → India. • Second pair: Texas → ? • Options: Canada, Mexico, Brazil, USA. • Maharashtra is well known as a state of India, with Mumbai as its capital.

Concept / Approach:
The first term in each pair is a subnational division (a state), and the second term is the sovereign country in which that state lies. Maharashtra is one of the constituent states of the Republic of India. We must recall the country that contains Texas. Texas is one of the states in the United States of America (USA). Therefore, the correct pair is Texas : USA.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the relationship in the first pair. Maharashtra is not a country; it is a state within India. Step 2: Recognise that the pattern is “state : country”. Step 3: Determine the status of Texas. It is a state in North America, famous for cities like Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Step 4: Recall Texas’s country. Texas is one of the 50 states of the United States of America. Step 5: Match this with the options. Only USA correctly names the country that contains Texas.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify by checking each distractor. Canada is a separate country to the north of the USA; Texas is not part of Canada. Mexico lies to the south of Texas but Texas is not a Mexican state. Brazil is a large country in South America and has no relation to Texas. Only the USA matches the political map where Texas is a constituent state.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• Canada: A neighbouring country of the USA, but Texas lies to the south of the USA and shares a border with Mexico, not with Canada. • Mexico: Shares a border with Texas, but Texas is not within Mexico; rather, it is a state of the USA. • Brazil: Located in South America, with no administrative connection to Texas.

Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes candidates confuse geographic neighbours with political membership, thinking that because Texas borders Mexico, it might be associated with Mexico. However, analogy questions require the same type of relationship: state belongs to country. Keeping clear the distinction between adjacency and jurisdiction helps avoid this error.

Final Answer:
The country that correctly completes the analogy is USA.