World in Focus.The World in Focus provides a wealth of easy-to-find facts about the world's 192 independent countries. For example, do you know which two countries of Asia each have more than 1 billion people? In which country of the Middle East do kids under the age of 15 make up 41 per cent of the population? To find out, consult the World in Focus tables. To use the data expertly, first study the sample entry on the first page of the World in Focus. 1. The languages spoken in a country can often provide clues to a country's history. (A) What major language is spoken in all of these Asian countries Noun 1. Asian country - any one of the nations occupying the Asian continent Asian nation country, land, state - the territory occupied by a nation; "he returned to the land of his birth"; "he visited several European countries" : Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos? __________ (B) Using this information, what can you infer about the history of these countries? __________ 2. (A) What is the title of the person who heads the government in each of the following countries? Gambia: __________ Australia: __________ Mexico: __________ Austria: __________ Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia (sä  `dē ərā`bēə, sou`–, sô–), officially Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, kingdom (2005 est. pop. : _________ Iran:__________ (B) In which of these countries did the leader inherit To receive property according to the state laws of intestate succession from a decedent who has failed to execute a valid will, or, where the term is applied in a more general sense, to receive the property of a decedent by will. inherit v. his position? __________ (C) Name the country ruled by a president who is backed by the army: __________ (D) In Iran, what may limit Khatami's ability to govern the country effectively and carry out reforms? __________ 3.(A) What kind of government do China, North Korea, and Cuba have? __________ (B) Using this information, plus what you already know, what can you tell about government control and freedom of speech in these countries? __________ 4. (A) Gather data from the tables to compare the following two countries: Population Pop. Annual Rise (%) Urban Pop. (%) Life Expectancy Life Expectancy 1. The age until which a person is expected to live. 2. The remaining number of years an individual is expected to live, based on IRS issued life expectancy tables. Per-Capita GDP GDP (guanosine diphosphate): see guanine. Haiti: __________ Uganda: __________ (B) Based on this data, what problems do these countries face? __________ 5. (A) Now compare India and China using the following information: Population Pop.Annual Rise (%) Urban Pop. (%) Life Expectancy Per-Capita GDP India: ___________ China: ___________ (B) Both countries are trying hard to improve their standard of living. Based on this data, and what you already know about these countries, which country is likely to pull ahead of the other in the foreseeable fore·see tr.v. fore·saw , fore·seen , fore·see·ing, fore·sees To see or know beforehand: foresaw the rapid increase in unemployment. future, and why? __________ 6. Compare the area and population of these North African North Africa A region of northern Africa generally considered to include the modern-day countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. North African adj. & n. Adj. 1. neighbors: Libya, Egypt, and Algeria. (A) List these countries in order, from largest to smallest, by land size: __________ (B) List these countries in order, from largest to smallest, by population: __________ (C) What is unusual about the size of Egypt's population compared to the others? __________ (D) What might account for this? __________ 7. (A) Find the Per-Capita GDP for these four countries, then circle the two that are the most prosperous: Japan: __________ North Korea: __________ U.S.: __________ Honduras: __________ (B) What factors can contribute to a country's prosperity? __________ (C) What factors can contribute to a country's poverty? __________ 8. Compare the languages spoken in South America South America, fourth largest continent (1991 est. pop. 299,150,000), c.6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. . (A) What language is spoken in most of South America? __________ (B) What is the only country where most of the people speak Portuguese? __________ (C) How would you explain this language difference in South America? __________ RELATED ARTICLE: Answers 1. (A) French (B) For many years France ruled these countries. 2. (A) Gambia: President Austria: Chancellor Australia: Prime Minister Saudi Arabia: King and Prime Minister Mexico: President Iran: President (B) Saudi Arabia (C) Gambia (D) Iran's top Islamic religious leaders Islamic religious leaders have traditionally been persons who, as part of the clerisy, mosque, or government, performed a prominent role within their community or nation. However, in the modern contexts of Muslims minorities in non-Muslim countries as well as secular Muslim states because they oppose many of the changes Khatami wants to make. 3. (A) Communist (B) Under Communist rule, the government controls the economy and people's lives; criticizing the government is risky. 4. (A) Haiti: 7,000,000; 1.7% rise; 35% urban; 47/51; $1,800. Uganda: 24,000,000; 2.9% rise; 15% urban; 42/43; $1,100. (B) Suggested answers: poverty, lack of jobs, not enough schools or medical facilities, a population that grows larger each year, most people live in rural areas where education and transportation are lacking, AIDS. 5. (A) India: 1,033,000,000; 1.7% rise; 28% urban; 60/61; $2,200. China: 1,273,300,000; 0.9% rise; 36% urban; 69/73; $3,600. (B) Probably China because of its faster-growing economy and slower rate of population growth due to government limits on the size of families. People are better educated; longer life expectancy; much more international trade, higher per capita [Latin, By the heads or polls.] A term used in the Descent and Distribution of the estate of one who dies without a will. It means to share and share alike according to the number of individuals. GDP. 6. (A) Algeria, Libya, Egypt (B) Egypt, Algeria, Libya (C) Egypt's population is so much larger. (D) The Sahara Desert occupies a large part of all three countries. But Egypt has the Nile River Nile River Arabic Bahr al-Nil River, eastern and northeastern Africa. The longest river in the world, it is about 4,132 mi (6,650 km) long from its remotest headstream (which flows into Lake Victoria) to the Mediterranean Sea. that provides water for people, farming, power, industry, and enables Egypt to grow more food and support a larger population. 7. (A) Japan: $24,900; North Korea: $1,000; U.S.: $36,200; Honduras: $2,700. (B) Suggested answers: abundant natural resources, technology and manufacturing, good jobs, emphasis on education, good health care, good transportation and communication. (C) Suggested answers: Unstable unstable, adj 1. not firm or fixed in one place; likely to move. 2. capable of undergoing spontaneous change. A nuclide in an unstable state is called radioactive. An atom in an unstable state is called excited. government, civil war and resulting damage, famine famine Extreme and protracted shortage of food, resulting in widespread hunger and a substantial increase in the death rate. General famines affect all classes or groups in the region of food shortage; class famines affect some classes or groups much more severely than due to crop failure or natural disasters, lack of natural resources or poor use of them, poor education and health care, lack of industry and technology, large percentage of population living in rural areas. 8. (A) Spanish Spanish, river, c.150 mi (240 km) long, issuing from Spanish Lake, S Ont., Canada, NW of Sudbury, and flowing generally S through Biskotasi and Agnew lakes to Lake Huron opposite Manitoulin island. There are several hydroelectric stations on the river. (B) Brazil (C) Prior to independence, Brazil was a colony of Portugal, while most of the other countries belonged to Spain. |
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