Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on the structure of a major African regional institution, the Bank of Central African States. Specifically, it asks how many original member states came together to create this common central bank. Such questions test your knowledge of regional integration in Africa and highlight how several smaller economies sometimes pool resources and monetary policy through shared institutions.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The institution is the Bank of Central African States.
- The question asks for the number of original member states that formed the bank.
- The answer choices are 5, 4, 3, and 2.
- Standard references list five founding countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, and Gabon.
Concept / Approach:
The core concept here is remembering that regional monetary unions often begin with a specific group of founding members. For the Bank of Central African States, you should recall either the names of the founding countries or at least the count of those countries. If you remember the list Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, and Gabon, it is easy to count to five. Even if you cannot recall every name, knowing that the group was larger than two or three helps you eliminate smaller numbers and focus on the correct count of five founding members.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the bank serves multiple Central African countries within a monetary union.
Step 2: Recall or deduce that the original members were Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, and Gabon.
Step 3: Count these original member states: Cameroon (1), Central African Republic (2), Chad (3), Congo (4), and Gabon (5).
Step 4: Compare this total of 5 with the options 5, 4, 3, and 2.
Step 5: Select 5 as the correct number of original member states that formed the Bank of Central African States.
Verification / Alternative check:
As a quick check, you can remember that Equatorial Guinea joined later and is not counted among the original member states. This reinforces that the initial group was not just two or three countries but a somewhat larger coalition of five. Many exam guides on African regional organizations also highlight that the Bank of Central African States began with five members and expanded later.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
4: This underestimates the number of founding states and ignores at least one of the original members.
3: This is far too small and does not reflect the actual regional scope of the bank when it was formed.
2: A two country arrangement would be more characteristic of a bilateral monetary agreement rather than a full regional central bank.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes miscount the member states by confusing original members with later entrants or by mixing this organization with other African monetary and economic communities. Another error is to guess a smaller number because remembering five separate country names feels difficult. Associating the bank with its central African context and listing the five founding members can help avoid these mistakes.
Final Answer:
The Bank of Central African States was formed by
5 original member states.
Discussion & Comments