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 Recently Celebrated in Gabon

People all across GABON celebrated their country's Independence Day on Monday, August 17th. Gabon achieved independence from France in 1960. Happy belated Independence Day!

Gabon is Known for...

●    Biodiversity and rainforests
●    Bushmeat
●    Former president Omar Bongo
●    Gorillas
●    Hallucinogenic plants
●    Lopé-Okanda natural region
●    Petroleum

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 —

Gabon Exports

The following items are major exports of GABON: cement, chemicals, cocoa, coffee, diamonds, gold (small amounts), iron ore, manganese, natural gas, niobium, palm oil, petroleum, processed food, rubber, seafood, sugar, textiles, uranium, and wood. 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, Italy, Ireland, Malaysia, Russia, Australia, France, South Korea, Sweden, Spain, India, Republic of the Congo, Japan, Benin, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Guinea, and Equatorial Guinea.

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.

Gabon Endangered Species

As of July 31st, 2015, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for GABON in west-central Africa lists 12 critically endangered species and 48 endangered species. Fortunately, Gabon does not have any extinct species on the IUCN Red List. Critically endangered species include the Autranella congolensis plant, Largetooth Sawfish and Smalltooth Sawfish, Sawback Angel Shark and Smoothback Angel Shark, Slender-snouted Crocodile, and Western Gorilla. The aforementioned crocodile species may be extinct in some nearby regions, including the neighboring country Equatorial Guinea. Endangered species include the African Wild Dog, Blackchin Guitarfish and Lubbert's Guitarfish, Blue Whale and Fin Whale, Chimpanzee, and Gabon Ebony tree.

Gabon post - link opens in a new tab or window

Efforts to Save Elephants in Gabon

Christina Russo of National Geographic's A Voice for Elephants website (newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/02/24/gabon-ground-zero-for-forest-elephants/ link now defunct) wrote about how people and the government of GABON (West Central Africa) are trying to save the African Forest Elephants that live within and outside the borders of the country. There are a total of 40,000-45,000 forest elephants in Gabon, which is a larger population than in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a larger country that experienced a steep decline in elephant populations because of elephant poaching. Minkébé National Park in Northern Gabon is a place where elephant protection activities had mixed success. Several years ago, poaching in the park was rampant because the Gabonese government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) did not have a strong partnership to combat this problem. Nowadays, the government, NGOs, and other organizations have strengthened a partnership and is more effective at combating poaching. Gabon even destroyed a stockpile of ivory to send a message to poachers that the killing of elephants for ivory is unacceptable. Also, stricter laws have been implemented in the country.

Click to view National Geographic's Africa elephant poaching map (ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/10/ivory/elephant-ivory-poaching-graphic link now defunct) that shows African elephants' range, data about elephant poaching, and information about seizures of smuggled ivory between 1989 and 2011.

What in the World? Country #7

Valentine's Day Edition
I am a country located in West-Central Africa, having a coastline besides the Atlantic Ocean. My official language is French and my people also speak the languages of Fang and Myene. Libreville, with a population of almost 600,000 as of this post, is my capital. The city is located along the Atlantic coast and somewhat close to my smaller neighbor Equatorial Guinea, which is north of the capital. I am actually one of the wealthiest countries to Africa thanks to my crude oil exports, which make up around 75% of my total exports. I mainly export to the United States of America, China, and France. The Crystal Mountains vertically run through the central part of me and extend southward into the Republic of the Congo. Can you guess who I am? Scroll down for the answer below!

















Answer: GABON!

Gabon

GABON is a country along the equator in West Central Africa, below the Bight of Biafra. There are 3 bordering countries: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Republic of the Congo. The capital is Libreville. The currency is the Central African Franc, and its ISO 4217 currency code is XAF.