The question asks to identify the country located immediately to the west of the International Date Line (IDL). This requires knowledge of the geographical location of the IDL and the island nations in the Pacific Ocean relative to it.
A) Tonga is located just west of the International Date Line. It is renowned for being one of the first places on Earth to welcome the new day.
The question asks for the specific year when Samoa shifted its position relative to the International Date Line. This is a factual question related to geography and time zones, often tested in general knowledge sections of competitive exams.
The historical event of Samoa changing its position relative to the International Date Line occurred in 2011. On December 29, 2011, Samoa skipped December 30th and moved directly to December 31st, effectively jumping to the western side of the International Date Line.
C) 2011 — Samoa moved its position across the International Date Line at the end of 2011, specifically skipping December 30th, 2011, to align its time zone with its main trading partners.
The question asks to identify the line of longitude that is diametrically opposite to the International Date Line. Understanding the geographical coordinates and their relationship is key to answering this question.
Correct Option: B) Prime Meridian
The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line on the Earth's surface that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and demarcates the change of one calendar day to the next. When crossing the IDL, the date changes by one day. Specifically, if you cross the IDL going westward, you advance the calendar by one day. If you cross it going eastward, you set the calendar back by one day.
Correct Option: D) Tuesday
The question asks for an alternative name for the International Date Line. This requires knowledge of geographical lines and their definitions.
A) Anti-Meridian — The International Date Line is located roughly at 180° longitude, which is directly opposite the Prime Meridian (0° longitude). Therefore, it is also known as the Anti-Meridian of the Prime Meridian.
The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line on the Earth's surface that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and demarcates the change of one calendar day to the next. It largely follows the 180° longitude but deviates in several places to avoid cutting through landmasses or island groups, which would cause confusion regarding dates within the same country or island group. The question asks which island group causes the IDL to deviate eastward.
A) Aleutian Islands (Alaska) — The International Date Line deviates eastward around the Aleutian Islands to keep the entire state of Alaska on the same calendar day as the rest of the United States, placing these islands to the west of the IDL.