Introduction / Context:
This question tests your ability to identify the founding members of a key African regional institution, the Bank of Central African States. Knowing which countries joined together to create this shared central bank helps you understand patterns of regional integration, common currency arrangements, and the political geography of Central Africa.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The institution is the Bank of Central African States, a regional central bank.
- The options list different combinations of Central African states: Cameroon and Central African Republic, Chad and Republic of the Congo, and Gabon.
- Option d states that all the countries listed in the other options were original members.
- Reference knowledge indicates that the founding members included Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, and Gabon.
Concept / Approach:
The concept here is to recall or deduce which Central African countries came together as founders of this joint central bank. Once you know the list of founding countries, you can see that each of the names in options a, b, and c appears among those founding states. Therefore, the correct choice is the one that includes all of these as original members. Many exam questions follow this pattern: individual items are listed separately and then combined in an all of the above option, which becomes the correct answer when all listed items are true.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Bank of Central African States was established by several Central African countries as a shared central bank.
Step 2: Bring to mind the founding member list: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, and Gabon.
Step 3: Compare this list with option a, which includes Cameroon and Central African Republic. Both appear in the founding list.
Step 4: Compare the founding list with option b, which includes Chad and the Republic of the Congo. Both are also founding members.
Step 5: Check option c, which names Gabon, and confirm that Gabon is likewise an original member of the bank.
Step 6: Since all of the countries named in options a, b, and c are part of the founding group, select option d, which states All the above.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, remember that another Central African country, Equatorial Guinea, joined later and is not listed among these options. The presence of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, and Gabon closely matches standard descriptions of the original membership composition. This cross check confirms that all countries named in the first three options were indeed original members.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Cameroon and Central African Republic: This pair is correct but incomplete because it excludes other founding members.
Chad and Republic of the Congo: Also correct but incomplete, omitting Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Gabon.
Gabon: Again, Gabon is an original member but not the only one, so this option alone is insufficient.
Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to think the question is asking for a single pair and to forget that institutions like a regional central bank almost always involve more than two countries. Another pitfall is assuming that only the countries in one of the first options played key roles, ignoring the fact that multiple Central African states participated from the beginning. Recognizing the pattern of these multiple choice questions and noting that all the provided names are correct helps you choose All the above with confidence.
Final Answer:
All of the listed countries were original members of the Bank of Central African States, so the correct answer is
All the above.
Discussion & Comments