Denmark Exports

The following items are major exports of DENMARK: barley, chalk, dairy products, furniture, limestone, machinery, meat and meat products, medical equipment, natural gas, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, potatoes, processed food, seafood, ships, steel, sugar beets, tools, wheat, and windmills/wind turbines. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include Germany (top importer), Sweden, the United States, Norway, the United Kingdom, China, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Japan, Australia, Czech Republic, South Korea, Turkey, Russia, and Switzerland.

Czech Republic Exports

The following items are major exports of the CZECH REPUBLIC: automobiles, chemicals, coal, fruit, fuel, glass, graphite, hops, kaolin, machinery, metal, potatoes, processed food, raw materials, sugar beets, transportation equipment, and wheat. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include Germany (top importer), Slovakia, Poland, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Italy, Spain, Hungary, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United States, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, China, Turkey, Denmark, and Israel.

Cyprus Exports

The following items are major exports of CYPRUS: barley, cement and related construction materials, citrus fruit, clothing and textiles, dairy products, grapes, gypsum, marble, olives, pharmaceuticals, pyrites ("fool's gold"), salt, and various vegetables (especially potatoes). According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include the United Kingdom (top importer), Greece, Libya, the United States, Israel, Panama, Germany, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Sweden, Jordan, Bulgaria, Russia, Lebanon, Slovakia, Italy, and Switzerland.

Cuba Exports

The following items are major exports of CUBA: agricultural machinery, beans, chromium, cigars and tobacco, citrus fruit, cobalt, coffee, construction materials, medical products and pharmaceuticals, nickel, petroleum, potatoes, rice, salt, seafood, silica, and sugarcane. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include Spain (top importer), Venezuela, Russia, Hong Kong, Bolivia, Germany, Lebanon, Cyprus, Belarus, France, Taiwan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Dominican Republic, Turkey, Mexico, Belgium, Italy, Panama, and Canada.

Croatia Exports

The following items are major exports of CROATIA: apples, beverages (particularly wine) and processed food, cabbage, calcium, chemicals and plastic, clay, construction materials, dairy products, fabricated metal, grain, grapes, gypsum, machinery and tools, mica, natural asphalt, olives, onions, paper, peppers, plums, silica, sugar beets, sunflowers, textiles, tomatoes, and transportation equipment. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include Italy (top importer), Germany, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Serbia, the United States, Hungary, Cyprus, the Netherlands, France, Czech Republic, Poland, Spain, Slovakia, Japan, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia, and the United Kingdom.

Côte d'Ivoire Exports

The following items are major exports of CÔTE D'IVOIRE (Ivory Coast): bananas, beverages and processed food, cassava, clothing and textiles, cocoa, coffee, construction materials, cotton, diamonds, gold, iron ore, kola nuts, natural gas, nickel, palm kernels and oil, petroleum, pineapples, rice, rubber, seafood, sugar, and timber. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include the Netherlands (top importer), the United States, France, Belgium, Germany, India, Burkina Faso, Mali, Switzerland, Ghana, Nigeria, Vietnam, South Africa, Spain, Malaysia, Italy, the United Kingdom, Togo, Turkey, and Estonia.

Costa Rica Exports

The following items are major exports of COSTA RICA: bananas, beans, coffee, electronic components, medical equipment, melons, ornamental plants, pineapples, potatoes, seafood, and sugarcane. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include the United States (top importer), the Netherlands, Belgium, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, Honduras, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Spain, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Canada, Germany, Finland, the United Kingdom, Colombia, Mexico, and France.

Republic of the Congo Exports

The following items are major exports of CONGO (the Republic): cassava, cocoa, coffee, copper, corn (maize), diamonds, gold, lumber and timber, magnesium, natural gas, palm oil, peanuts, petroleum, phosphates, potash, rice, sugar, and zinc. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include China (top importer), Angola, Gabon, Singapore, Italy, Cameroon, Namibia, the Netherlands, South Africa, India, Canada, France, Belgium, Norway, Vanuatu, the United States, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan.

Languages of Gabon and the Congos

According to Ethnologue (↗), a total of 315 living languages are currently used for communication in GABON, the DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO ("Kinshasa Congo"), and the REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO ("Brazzaville Congo"). A relic of France's controversial African colonization, the official language for all three countries is French. You will find that some languages listed below are present in all three Central African nations. Figures in parentheses are estimates of the number of communicators within each country.

● ● ● ● ●  Gabon's 43 prominently communicated languages include Baka, Bekwel, Benga, Bubi, Duma, Fang (350,000 communicators), French (over 1 million), Kota, Lumbu, Mahongwe, Mbangwe, Mbere, Myene, Ndumu, Ngom, Njebi, Punu (160,000), Sake, Sangu, Sira, Tchitchege, Teke-Tege (95,000), Tsaangi, Tsogo, Vili, Vumbu, Wandji, Wumbvu, and Yasa.

● ● ● ● ●  The DR Congo's 210 languages include Aloro (Alur; 750,000 communicators), Asoa, Aushi, Avokaya, Bali, Baloi, Banda (Togbo-Vara), Bangala (3,500,000), Bangba, Bangi, Bangubangu, Barambu, Bemba (300,000), Bembe (255,000), Bendi, Bera, Bhele, Bila, Binji, Boko, Bolia, Boma, Bomboma, Budu, Budza (230,000), Bushoong, Buyu, Bwa (Kibua; 200,000), Bwile, Chokwe (505,000), Congo (Koongo; over 8,000,000), Congo Swahili (over 9,000,000), Ding, Dongo, Efe, Enya, Foma, French (6,100,000), Fuliiru (400,000), Furu, Gilima, Gobu, Hamba, Havu (510,000), Hema, Hemba, Holoholo, Hunde (200,000), Kakwa, Kanyok (200,000), Kaonde, Kela, Kélé, Kinyarwanda (250,000), Kituba (Kikongo; 5,000,000), Komo (400,000), Kusu, Kwese, Lalia, Lega-Mwenga, Lega-Shabunda (400,000), Lele, Lendu (750,000), Lengola, Lese, Libinza, Ligenza, Lika, Lingala (2,050,000), Lobala, Logo (225,000), Lombi, Lombo, Luba-Kasi (Tshiluba; 7,000,000), Luba-Katanga (Kiluba; 1,500,000), Lugbara (850,000), Luna, Lusengo, Lwalu, Mabaale, Mamvu, Mangbetu (620,000), Mayekyeka, Mayogo, Mba, Mbala (230,000), Mbandja (355,000), Mbo, Mbole, Mituku, Mongo-Nkundu (400,000), Mono, Mpuono, Nande (910,000), Ndaka, Ndo, Ndobo, Ngando (220,000), Ngbaka (over 1,000,000), Ngbaka Ma’bo (Bouaka), Northern Ngbandi (250,000), Southern Ngbandi, Ngbundu, Ngelima, Ngiti, Ngombe, Ntomba, Nyali, Nyanga, Nyanga-li (Linyanga-le), Nzakara, Omi, Pagibete, Pambia, Phende (420,000), Poke, Ruunde, Sakata, Salampasu, Sanga (435,000), San Salvador Kongo (540,000), Seba, Sengele, Shi (655,000), Sonde, Songe (1,000,000), Songo, Songomeno, Suku, Taabwa (270,000), Tagbu, Talinga-Bwisi, Teke-Ibali, Tembo, Tetela (750,000), Tiene, Wongo, Yaka (700,000), Yakoma, Yamongeri, Yansi, Yela, Yombe (670,000), Zande (730,000), and Zimba.

● ● ● ● ●  Finally, the Republic of the Congo's 62 languages include Aka, Akwa, Beembe (100,000 communicators), Bekwel, Bobangi, Bomitaba, Bomwali, Bongili, Doondo, Fang, French (over 2,500,000), Kako, Kituba (1,490,000), Koongo, Kota, Kunyi (117,000), Laari (135,000), Likuba, Likwala, Lingala (182,000), Mbaka (Ngbaka Ma'bo; 135,000), Mbandja, Mbere (90,000), Mboko, Monzombo, Mpyemo (Bimu), Ngungwel, Njebi, Ombamba, Pomo (Pol), Soundi (Suundi; 185,000), Teke-Eboo, Teke-Fuumu, Teke-Ibali, Teke-Kukuya, Teke-Tege, Teke-Tsaayi (100,000), Teke-Tyee, Tsaangi, Vili, Wumbvu, Yaka, and Yombe.

CANCELLED: AL, AR, LA, and MS Tornado Watch (June 22nd)

For the U.S. states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, there is a Tornado Watch until 10 PM Central Time today (June 22nd). There are currently a couple of Tornado Warnings issued in Georgia, so I recommend that the National Weather Service's Tornado Watch boundary is extended into northwestern Georgia and to the northern state lines of Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.

Ethanol Could Increase Net Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Ethanol and similar biofuels are known for their efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels. However, could these benefits be outweighed by greenhouse-gas effects associated with necessary land-use changes? Thousands of acres of farms in the UNITED STATES were initially used for food production but are now used to harvest crops for ethanol; what effect does this have on the environment? According to Searchinger et al. (2008), diverting harvested crops to ethanol production means that additional land (including forests, grasslands, etc.) has to be converted into farmland to maintain the capacity of crops-for-food production. This results in increased greenhouse gas emissions at rates which may not justify the environmental benefits of ethanol.

"[Most major studies] have found that substituting biofuels for gasoline will reduce greenhouse gases because biofuels sequester carbon through the growth of the feedstock. These analyses have failed to count the carbon emissions that occur as farmers worldwide respond to higher prices and convert forest and grassland to new cropland to replace the grain (or cropland) diverted to biofuels. By using a worldwide agricultural model to estimate emissions from land-use change, we found that corn-based ethanol, instead of producing a 20% savings, nearly doubles greenhouse emissions over 30 years and increases greenhouse gases for 167 years. Biofuels from switchgrass, if grown on U.S. corn lands, increase emissions by 50%. This result raises concerns about large biofuel mandates and highlights the value of using waste products" (Searchinger et al. 2008, 1238).

Searchinger et al.'s report was published in the Science magazine, published by the non-profit American Association for the Advancement of Science. The full research paper is embedded in the Microsoft OneDrive frame below.

● ● ● ● ●  Citing this Work (MLA Formatting)  ● ● ● ● ●
Searchinger, Timothy, Ralph Heimlich, R. A. Houghton, Fengxia Dong, Amani Elobeid, Jacinto Fabiosa, Simla Tokgoz, Dermot Hayes, and Tun-Hsiang Yu. "Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change." Science 319.5867 (2008): 1238-240. Web.

DR Congo Exports

The following items are major exports of the DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: bananas and plantains (and other tropical fruit), cassava, cement, clothing and textiles, cobalt, cocoa, coffee, coltan (niobium and tantalum), corn (maize), diamonds and other gemstones, footwear, gold, lumber and timber, palm oil, peanuts, petroleum, plastic, processed foods and beverages, quinine, root crops, rubber, silver, sugarcane, tea, and zinc. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include China (top importer), Zambia, South Korea, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Namibia, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, India, Finland, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Vietnam, Taiwan, Morocco, and the United States.

Comoros Exports

The following items are major exports of COMOROS in the Indian Ocean: bananas, cassava, cloves, coconuts and coconut oil, copra, seafood, vanilla, and ylang-ylang perfume essences. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include France (top importer), Germany, India, Switzerland, Pakistan, Madagascar, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United States, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Taiwan, Myanmar, Egypt, Lebanon, Gambia, Nigeria, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Colombia Exports

The following items are major exports of COLOMBIA: bananas, chemicals, clothing and textiles, coal, cocoa beans, coffee, copper, corn (maize), cut flowers, emeralds and other gemstones, footwear, gold, natural gas, nickel, petroleum, processed food, seafood (particularly shrimp), and sugarcane. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include the United States (top importer), Panama, the Netherlands, Spain, Ecuador, China, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Chile, Venezuela, South Korea, Germany, Belgium, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Switzerland.

China Exports

The following items are major exports of CHINA: apples, antimony, automobiles, cheap consumer goods, chemicals, citrus fruit (clementines, lemons, limes, tangerines, and mandarin oranges), clothing and textiles, cotton, data processing equipment, electronics, fertilizer, footwear, grain, iron ore, lead, machinery, magnetite, meat, mercury, natural gas, oilseeds, petroleum, potatoes, processed food, rare earth elements, rice, steel, seafood, tchotchkes and trinkets, tea, telephones, toys, and zinc. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include the United States (top importer), Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Germany, Vietnam, India, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia, Italy, the Philippines, and Canada.

Chile Exports

The following items are major exports of CHILE: apples, avocados, bananas, blueberries, chemicals, copper, cranberries, fertilizer, fish, fruit juice, garlic, gold, grapes and raisins, iron and steel, kiwifruit, lithium, lumber, onions, oranges, paper and wood pulp, peaches, pears, plums, potatoes, processed food, textiles, transportation equipment, and wine. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include China (top importer), the United States, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, India, Peru, Bolivia, the Netherlands, Taiwan, Canada, Spain, Mexico, Germany, Argentina, Bulgaria, Italy, Colombia, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland.

Chad Exports

The following items are major exports of CHAD: cattle, cotton, gold, gravel and sand, gum arabic, kaolin, limestone, millet, natron, peanuts, petroleum, potatoes, rice, and sorghum. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include China (top importer), India, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Turkey, Vietnam, Pakistan, Portugal, Italy, France, Indonesia, Germany, Ireland, Central African Republic, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Egypt, and Palestine.

Central African Republic Exports

The following items are major exports of the CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: bananas, cassava, coffee, corn (maize), cotton, diamonds, millet, small amount of gold, small amounts of oil, timber, and yams. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include Germany (top importer), France, Chile, Chad, Cameroon, China, Vietnam, Finland, Iceland, Gabon, Italy, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and Burundi.

Canada Exports

The following items are major exports of CANADA: aircraft, aluminum, automobiles and parts, chemicals, electricity to the United States, fertilizer, fish, grain, industrial machinery, lumber and timber, minerals, natural gas, oilseeds (particularly canola and sunflower), petroleum, plastic, telecommunications equipment, wood pulp. Cranberries, apples, cherries, grapes, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, and onions are prominent fruits and vegetables exported abroad — particularly to the United States. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include the United States (top importer), China, the United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico, France, Germany, South Korea, India, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Taiwan, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Hong Kong, Australia, Spain, and Sweden.

Cameroon Exports

The following items are major exports of CAMEROON: aluminum, bauxite, iron ore, lumber, cassava, cocoa beans, coffee, cotton, crude oil and petroleum products, grain, oilseeds, okra, rubber, and textiles. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include Portugal (top importer), South Africa, Spain, Italy, France, Chad, China, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Belgium, Bangladesh, Malaysia, the United States, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Kingdom, Netherlands Antilles, and Equatorial Guinea.

Cambodia Exports

The following items are major exports of CAMBODIA: clothing and textiles, footwear, fish, gemstones, iron ore, petroleum (at an increasing rate compared to previous years), rice, rubber, timber and wood products, and tobacco. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include the United States (top importer), Japan, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Belgium, France, Spain, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Italy, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, Denmark, the United Arab Emirates, and Poland.

Cabo Verde Exports

The following items are major exports of CABO VERDE (Cape Verde): bananas, basalt, beans, clay, coffee, corn (maize), fish, footwear, fuel, gypsum, industrial products, kaolin, limestone, peanuts, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, textiles, and transportation equipment. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include Portugal (top importer), Spain, Morocco, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Togo, El Salvador, Turkey, the United States, Malaysia, Moldova, Sierra Leone, Gibraltar, Guinea, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Panama, and Guyana.

National Geographic Bee Quiz — June 20th, 2017

GeoFact of the Day's GeoBee Quiz posts are essentially archived and therefore always available (↗), even if National Geographic removed questions from the website. Some questions may be fairly easy, especially for adults — but you never know when you'll encounter a toughie! Try this latest geography quiz; correctly answering at least seven out of ten questions means you surely are a geography whiz! Many more quiz questions are found on the National Geographic Geo Bee Quiz (↗) website.

1)      The Potala was the home of the Dalai Lama until he fled into exile in 1959. The Potala overlooks what Himalayan city?
A — Lhasa
B — Thimphu
C — Kathmandu

2)      In July 1998, RUSSIA planned to bury the remains of Nicholas II (the last czar/tsar) and his family in the former imperial capital city. What city of over 4.6 million people is this?
A — Vladivostok
B — Saint Petersburg
C — Moscow

3)      Which of these South American countries shares a border with more countries than the other two choices?
A — URUGUAY
B — BOLIVIA
C — CHILE

4)      Which European country has a larger population?
A — SERBIA
B — MOLDOVA
C — SLOVENIA
D — GERMANY

5)      On which continent would you find the longest mountain system above sea level and the southernmost city in the world?
A — South America
B — Africa
C — Asia

6)      Which country has a smaller population today than it had in the 1840s?
A — SWITZERLAND
B — MEXICO
C — IRELAND

7)      The Sea of Azov — which borders RUSSIA and UKRAINE — is an inlet of which larger inland sea?
A — Red Sea
B — Black Sea
C — Aral Sea

8)      In April 1998, MALAYSIA deported illegal-immigrant workers from INDONESIA, forcing them to leave from a port on the Malay Peninsula's western coast. This port straddles what strait?
A — Strait of Malacca
B — Singapore Strait
C — Makassar Strait

9)      Meteorology: What term is used to describe the powerful downdrafts in thunderstorms?
A — anticyclones
B — isobars
C — microbursts

10)      The development of dictionaries in official languages such as Ndebele, Xhosa, and Tswana is taking place in which country?
A — MALAWI
B — SOUTH AFRICA
C — MOROCCO


















ANSWERS

Question 1:
A . . . . . Lhasa

Question 2:
B . . . . . St. Petersburg

Question 3:
B . . . . . Bolivia

Question 4:
D . . . . . Germany

Question 5:
A . . . . . South America

Question 6:
C . . . . . Ireland

Question 7:
B . . . . . Black Sea

Question 8:
A . . . . . Strait of Malacca

Question 9:
C . . . . . microbursts

Question 10:
B . . . . . South Africa

CANCELLED: Harrisburg, PA Tornado Warning

1:50 PM Eastern Time — June 19th, 2017

There is a TORNADO WARNING for Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties in southeastern Pennsylvania because the National Weather Service detected rotation within the storm. This does not necessarily mean there is a tornado, however. The warning area includes the southeastern sections of Harrisburg. Eastward cities in the path of this storm and warning include Elizabethtown, Hershey, and Lebanon. This warning may or may not end at 2:15 PM Eastern Time.

Map of Zambia Published

Another new map of another African country is now posted on GeoFact of the Day. Located approximately 4,000 kilometers southeast of BURKINA FASO, the Republic of ZAMBIA is the topic of a comprehensively updated post, which now includes a map identifying neighboring countries as well as featuring major communities, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls. See the map on my Zambia post (↗)!

Map of Burkina Faso Published

GeoFact of the Day's latest map depicts cities/communities, neighboring countries, and two major rivers of BURKINA FASO. This map and a plethora of information can be found in my updated Burkina Faso post (↗). If you have not already, please consider liking the GeoFact of the Day Facebook page for fun facts, beautiful photos taken around the world, flag(s) of the day, posts about independence days, and more. Thank you so much for visiting GeoFact of the Day today and always!

Burundi Exports

The following items are major exports of BURUNDI: animal hides, bananas, blankets and textiles, cassava, coffee, cotton, kaolin, limestone, nickel, niobium, peat, platinum, rare earth oxides, sugar, tantalum, tea, vanadium, and various assembled products. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include the Democratic Republic of the Congo (top importer), the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Rwanda, Belgium, Oman, China, Tanzania, Singapore, Uganda, Germany, India, the United States, Finland, China, Italy, the United Kingdom, South Korea, France, and Japan.

Burkina Faso Exports

The following items are major exports of BURKINA FASO: cotton, grain (millet, sesame, sorghum, and wheat), limestone, livestock, manganese, marble, okra, peanuts, phosphates, pumice, salt, small deposits of gold, and textiles. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include Switzerland (top importer), India, South Africa, Singapore, Côte d'Ivoire, France, Ghana, Togo, Mali, Niger, Germany, the Netherlands, China, Canada, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Benin, Bulgaria, and Japan.

Bulgaria Exports

The following items are major exports of BULGARIA: barley, clothing, coal, cut flowers, equipment and machinery, footwear, fuel, iron, steel, sugar beets, sunflowers, timber, tobacco, wheat, and wine. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include Germany (top importer), Italy, Romania, Turkey, Greece, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Poland, Austria, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia, Russia, the United States, and Egypt.

Brunei Exports

The following items are major exports of BRUNEI: clothing, construction materials, fish, natural gas, petroleum, rice, timber, and various fruit and vegetables. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include Japan (top importer), South Korea, Thailand, India, Malaysia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Singapore, Kuwait, Vietnam, the United States, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Germany, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, and Spain.

Brazil Exports

The following produce and materials are major exports of BRAZIL: appliances, automobiles, bauxite, biofuel (particularly ethanol), citrus fruit, coffee, corn, footwear, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, petroleum, phosphate, platinum, rare earth elements, soybeans, sugarcane, textiles, timber, tin, transportation equipment, and wheat. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include China (top importer), the United States, Argentina, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Chile, Mexico, Italy, Belgium, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Singapore, India, Uruguay, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Canada, France, and Russia.

Botswana Exports

The following produce and materials are major exports of BOTSWANA: beans, copper, diamonds, grain (millet and sorghum), groundnuts, meat, nickel, soda ash, sunflowers and their seeds, and textiles. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include Belgium (top importer), India, South Africa, Namibia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Singapore, Canada, Switzerland, Hong Kong, the United States, Norway, the United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, China, Zambia, Vietnam, Finland, Thailand, and the Netherlands.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Exports

The following produce and materials are major exports of BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA: aluminum, appliances, chromite, clothing and textiles, coal, cobalt, copper, corn and wheat, furniture and other wood products, gypsum, iron ore, manganese, nickel, timber, and various fruit and vegetables. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include Germany (top importer), Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Austria, Turkey, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Hungary, Switzerland, France, Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Poland, and Sweden.

2 People Contract West Nile Virus — Indiana 2017

Two people from different parts of the state recently contracted the West Nile Virus on Friday, June 9th. These infections were discovered at hospitals in Hamilton and Lake counties. So far, no mosquitoes have been confirmed to have WNV in lab-test results in these counties. Therefore, these individuals may have been infected in other areas where WNV-infected mosquitoes are present for this year, or locally despite the lack of confirmed mosquito infections in Hamilton and Lake counties. To track WNV infections among Hoosier mosquitoes and people throughout the rest of spring, summer, and fall seasons, access the Indiana St. Department of Health's Arboviral Disease Map. For a nationwide outlook on arboviral viruses and diseases such as Chikungunya, Dengue, Saint Louis Encephalitis, and West Nile Virus, access the CDC/USGS interactive disease map (diseasemaps.usgs.gov/mapviewer link now defunct).

First Mosquitoes to Contract West Nile Virus — Indiana 2017

It's another season of mosquitoes "out for blood" in the United States and elsewhere, and health officials are testing for West Nile Virus in those bloodsuckers. In Indiana, the first lab-tested batch of mosquitoes with the WNV have been confirmed in a neighboring county southwest of Indianapolis — Morgan County, to be exact. Therefore, residents of rural areas and communities including Martinsville, Mooresville, Bethany, Brooklyn, Centerton, Chetwynd, Cope, Eminence, Exchange, Five Points, Landersdale, Little Point, Mahalasville, Monrovia, Morgantown, Paragon, Wakeland, Whitaker, and Wilbur should be particularly wary of mosquitoes.

The good news: only a very small percentage of local mosquitoes (likely less than 1%) carry the West Nile Virus, and many WNV-infected people do not experience fever or other symptoms. Regardless, it's still a good idea to take precautions to prevent being bit — especially with the use of insect repellent (should include DEET) and protective clothing to cover skin. To track WNV infections among Hoosier mosquitoes and people throughout the rest of spring, summer, and fall seasons, access the Indiana St. Department of Health's Arboviral Disease Map.

Bolivia Exports

The following produce and materials are major exports of BOLIVIA: antimony, Brazil nuts, coffee, gemstones (especially ametrine, a.k.a. bolivianite), gold, handicrafts and jewelry, iron, natural gas, petroleum, silver, soybeans and soy products, timber, tin, tungsten, and zinc ore. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include Brazil (top importer), the United States, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, Japan, China, Peru, South Korea, Australia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Chile, Germany, Italy, India, and Spain.

Bhutan Exports

The following produce and materials are major exports of BHUTAN: calcium carbide, cement, copper and copper wire, electricity to India, ferrosilicon, manganese, processed fruit, rice, root crops, and vegetable oil. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include India (top importer), Bangladesh, Nepal, the Netherlands, the United States, Japan, Germany, China, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, Italy, Zambia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan, Cabo Verde, and Colombia.

Benin Exports

The following produce and materials are major exports of BENIN: cashews, construction materials, cotton, limestone, marble, okra, palm oil and other palm products, shea butter, small offshore oil reserves, textiles, and seafood. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include India (top importer), Malaysia, Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Nigeria, Niger, Togo, Egypt, Vietnam, Côte d'Ivoire, Albania, France, Denmark, Pakistan, the United States, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Ghana, and Burkina Faso.

Belize Exports

The following produce and materials are major exports of BELIZE: bananas, cacao, citrus fruits, clothing and other textiles, fish and fish products, molasses, petroleum, and timber. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports in 2016 include the United States (top importer), the United Kingdom, Jamaica, the Netherlands, Ireland, Trinidad and Tobago, Namibia, Spain, Guatemala, Panama, Honduras, Barbados, Germany, Mexico, Switzerland, Paraguay, China, Japan, Hong Kong, and Guyana.

National Geographic Bee Quiz — June 2nd, 2017

GeoFact of the Day's GeoBee Quiz posts are essentially archived and therefore always available (↗), even if National Geographic removed questions from the website. Some questions may be fairly easy, especially for adults — but you never know when you'll encounter a toughie! Try this latest geography quiz; correctly answering at least seven out of ten questions means you surely are a geography whiz! Many more quiz questions are found on the National Geographic Geo Bee Quiz (↗) website.

1)      Located on the Port Jackson inlet, which major city in AUSTRALIA was threatened by fires in January 2002?
A — Canberra
B — Sydney
C — Perth

2)      The Indian mongoose was imported to a state in the UNITED STATES to help control rats in sugarcane plantations. As a negative consequence, however, the mongoose also killed countless ground-nesting birds. Which state is still dealing with bird-killing mongooses?
A — Florida
B — Hawaii
C — California

3)      Known for its cliff dwellings, Canyon de Chelly National Monument is found near the community of Chinle in which U.S. state?
A — Arizona
B — Colorado
C — Kentucky

4)      High birthrates and falling death rates would cause which demographic trend?
A — slow decrease in population
B — population stabilization
C — rapid population growth

5)      Which group of commercial timber trees can be found in the tropical rain forest?
A — oak, teak, and maple
B — mahogany, balsa, and teak
C — oak, maple, and pine

6)      An emir is the head of state in which country?
A — KUWAIT
B — ERITREA
C — INDONESIA
D — CHINA

7)      Indigenous to California, which softwood has become an important source of timber in AUSTRALIA?
A — redwood
B — Monterey pine
C — giant sequoia

8)      Name the country bordered by the Mediterranean, Black, and Aegean Seas.
A — ROMANIA
B — ITALY
C — LITHUANIA
D — TURKEY

9)      Most gerbils sold as pets in the UNITED STATES are offspring of animals imported from a particular desert, covering much of MONGOLIA and part of CHINA. What is this desert?
A — Taklimakan
B — Kyzylkum
C — Gobi

10)      Which South American capital city is not located on the Rio de la Plata riverbanks?
A — Montevideo
B — Asunción
C — Buenos Aires














ANSWERS

Question 1:
B . . . . . Sydney

Question 2:
B . . . . . Hawaii

Question 3:
A . . . . . Arizona

Question 4:
C . . . . . rapid population growth

Question 5:
B . . . . . mahogany, balsa, and teak

Question 6:
A . . . . . Kuwait

Question 7:
B . . . . . Monterey pine

Question 8:
D . . . . . Turkey

Question 9:
C . . . . . Gobi

Question 10:
B . . . . . Asunción

China Post is Updated

Good afternoon, evening, or night wherever you are! My China post (↗) — link opens in a new tab or window — is updated with much more information. Thanks for visiting GeoFact of the Day...today and always!