April 2024 Geography Bee Quiz

Learn more about the wonderful world with the help of a GeoFact of the Day Geography Bee Quiz (↗) like this one! I hope you enjoy these tasty morsels of knowledge. The answers to this quiz are listed below — enjoy and good luck!

1)      To aid in the dispersal of dandelion seeds by wind (or when people blow on the dandelion), a feature known as the _______ acts like a “parachute” to keep the seeds afloat.
A — pappus
B — petal
C — stamen
D — husk

2)      True or false: EQUATORIAL GUINEA is situated directly on the Equator Line.

3)      Once known as Belgian Congo and later as Zaire, this vast country lies east of the smaller REPUBLIC of the CONGO.
A — ANGOLA
B — BENIN
C — DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of the CONGO (D.R. Congo)
D — DJIBOUTI





















ANSWERS

Question 1:
A . . . . . pappus

Question 2:
False . . . . . slightly north of the Equator by about 1 to 2 degrees

Question 3:
C . . . . . Democratic Republic of the Congo

January 2023 Africa Trivia Quiz

Happy New Year! January 2023’s continental quiz is a continuation of the Africa GeoQuiz in December of last year. After testing your African trivia prowess, you can further test your geographic knowledge (↗) with other geography quizzes from GeoFact of the Day. The answers are listed below; enjoy and good luck!

1)      Fill in the blank: _________ from desert land in present-day MALI was once so highly prized that an ounce of this resource carried the same value as an ounce of gold!
A — sand
B — salt
C — pepper

2)      True or false: the Olduvai Gorge, Serengeti grassland region, and Mount Kilimanjaro are all notable landscape features of northern UGANDA.

3)      The naming (etymology) of BURKINA FASO translates in English to “land of the honest men” as well as “land of the _________.”
A — liars
B — incorruptible
C — brazen

4)      Fill in the blank: tucked in the northeast corner of EQUATORIAL GUINEA, Ebebiyín is a “corner city” of about 36,000 residents near _________ as well as GABON.
A — CAMEROON
B — DJIBOUTI
C — LESOTHO
D — MADAGASCAR

5)      MAURITIUS is one of the first countries around the globe to convert a relatively unconventional material to generate electricity. Steam turbines powered by this crop produce up to one fifth (1/5) of the island’s electricity during the annual harvest season! Which crop is especially used in Mauritius for energy needs?
A — broccoli
B — sugarcane
C — plantains
D — guava, mangoes, and papaya

6)      True or false: Lake Togo gave the country of TOGO its name. Togo is derived from the Ewe word togodo, meaning “behind the lake.”

7)      One provincial name in SOUTH AFRICA translates from the Sotho language into English as the “place of gold.” Which is the correct province?
A — Gauteng
B — Kwazulu-Natal
C — Western Cape



















ANSWERS

Question 1:
B . . . . . salt

Question 2:
False . . . . . northern Tanzania

Question 3:
B . . . . . incorruptible

Question 4:
A . . . . . Cameroon

Question 5:
B . . . . . sugarcane

Question 6:
True

Question 7:
A . . . . . Gauteng

Independence Day in Equatorial Guinea

People all across EQUATORIAL GUINEA recently celebrated their country's Independence Day on Monday, October 12th. Equatorial Guinea achieved independence from Spain in 1968. Happy belated Independence Day!

Equatorial Guinea is Known for...

●    Petroleum
●    High GDP (gross domestic product) per capita
(37th according to International Monetary Fund statistics in 2017)
●    Being a relatively small country
●    Corrupt officials, unfortunately
●    Virgin rainforests
●    Bioko Island
●    Gulf of Guinea
●    Biodiversity

Most were listed in The Africa Book; the MLA citation is below. What are other "trademarks" of this African country? Feel free to share your thoughts with a comment!

Phillips et al. The Africa Book: A Journey through Every
          Country in the Continent. Lonely Planet, 2007.

— #AfricaWeek —

Equatorial Guinea Exports

The following items are major exports of EQUATORIAL GUINEA: bananas, bauxite, cassava, clay, cocoa, coffee, diamonds, natural gas, palm oil and nuts, petroleum and refined products, rice, sand and gravel, tantalum, wood, 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 Austria and Belgium (top importers), France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, Bangladesh, China, French Polynesia, India, and New Caledonia.

GDP of Equatorial Guinea

Relatively recent oil extraction and refining activities are helping to raise EQUATORIAL GUINEA's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP), currently at $30,041 (U.S. Dollars) according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (↗). This statistic is higher, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. Many citizens, however, are still struggling despite the growing economy — not yet benefiting from the economy. A dichotomous situation like this is why economic statistics should be studied with a "big picture" mindset, acknowledging that many people still struggle to support themselves despite a stronger economy.

Equatorial Guinea Endangered Species

As of June 30th, 2015, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for EQUATORIAL GUINEA in west-central Africa lists 13 critically endangered species and 35 endangered species. Fortunately, Equatorial Guinea does not have any extinct species on the IUCN Red List. Some critically endangered species include the Annobon Scops Owl, Atlantic Goliath Grouper, Eisentraut's Mouse Shrew, Pennant's Red Colobus monkey, Slender-snouted Crocodile, Smalltooth Sawfish, and Western Gorilla. The Annobon Scops Owl lives only on the tiny island of Annobón, located about 380 miles or 610 kilometers southwest of Equatorial Guinea's mainland (Río Muni) in the Atlantic Ocean. Some of the 35 endangered species in Equatorial Guinea include the Bioko Forest Shrew, Blue Whale, Cameroon Praomys mouse, Common Guitarfish, Dusky Grouper, Giant Slippery Frog, and Preuss' Monkey.

Equatorial Guinea post (links opens in new tab or window)

Capital of Equatorial Guinea

The capital of EQUATORIAL GUINEA, a small country located in west-central Africa, is Malabo. Malabo, with a population of almost 160,000, is on the northern shore of Equatorial Guinea's largest island - Isla de Bioco (Bioko).

Equatorial Guinea

EQUATORIAL GUINEA is located in West Africa; it is located barely above the Equator, hence its name. This country is also east of the Atlantic Ocean. There are 2 bordering countries: Cameroon to the north and Gabon to the south and east. The capital is Malabo, which lies on Bioko island. The currency is the Central African Franc, and its ISO 4217 currency code is XAF.