World in focus: 2004-2005 skills manual.

The World in Focus is a valuable data bank of easy-to-find facts about the world's 193 independent countries. For example, can you name the major language spoken in South America's largest country and, by contrast, the major language in most of the other countries? And this:

Among the countries of the Middle East, which is the smallest (only 266 square miles) and which is the largest (almost 830,000 square miles)? To find out, consult the World in Focus tables. To use the data expertly, first study the sample entry at the top of the opening two pages.

1. (A) Compare these countries of northern Africa in terms of area and
population:

         Area (in sq mi)   Population

Egypt:         --             --
Algeria:       --             --
Libya:         --             --
(B) Rank these countries by land size, beginning with the largest: --
(C) Now rank these countries by population size, beginning with the
 largest: --
To answer questions D and E, consult the map of Africa in the Atlas and
 draw your own conclusions:
(D) What major geographical feature do all three countries have in
 common, and how does this impact the size of their population? --
(E) Why do you think Egypt's population is so much larger than that of
 the other two? --
2. The major language spoken in a country and the year of its
 independence can provide clues to a country's history.
(A) In what year did each of these African countries gain independence?
Central African Republic: -- Niger: -- Mali: -- Chad: --
(B) What major European language is spoken in all of these
 countries? --
(C) What conclusions can you draw about the history of these four
 countries? --
3. North Korea and South Korea, separate countries since 1945, have
 developed in very different ways since that time.
(A) Compare the two in terms of form of government: North Korea: --
South Korea: --
(B) Compare them by:   Life Expectancy   HDI   Per Capita GDP
North Korea:                 --           --        --
South Korea:                 --           --        --
(C) From the above information, what conclusions can you draw about the
 poverty or prosperity of these countries? --
(D) What factors can contribute to a country's prosperity?
(E) What factors can contribute to a country's poverty? --
(F) What reason would you suggest as to why HDI information about North
 Korea is not available? --
4. (A) What is the form of government and the title of the leader in
 each of the following countries:

Cuba:            --/ --
Chad:            --/ --
Saudi Arabia:    --/ --
United States:   --/ --
(B) In which country is the leader's position inherited? --
(C) Name the three countries where the leaders maintain strict control
 and have the backing of the military, and where it is dangerous for
 citizens to openly criticize the leader: --
(D) Which country is a democracy in which citizens elect both the head
 of government and members of the legislature? --
5. (A) Compare Niger and Bangladesh in terms of these factors:

               Percentage of    Literacy   Life Expectancy   Percentage
             Urban Population                                    of
                                                            Population
                                                              Under 15

Niger:             --               --            --             --
Bangladesh:        --               --            --             --
(B) Using the above information, discuss the problems these countries
 face: --
6. (A) Compare India and China in terms of these factors:

         Population   Literacy   Life Expectancy   Per Capita GDP
India:       --          --             --               --
China:       --          --             --               --
(B) What difficulties does such a huge population create for both
 countries? --
(C) Despite their huge population, both China and India are making
 significant progress toward greater prosperity
and a higher standard of living for their people. What proof of
 progress can you offer? --
7. (A) Find two Middle Eastern countries where the percentage of the
 population under age 15 is 40 percent or more: --
(B) Why is this situation a problem for the governments of these
 countries? --
8. Europe has many prosperous countries. Name three with a per capita
 GDP that exceeds $30,000: --

World in Focus

1. (A) Egypt: 386,660 sq mi/ 73,400,000; Algeria: 919,591 sq mi/32,300,000; Libya: 679,359 sq mi/5,600,000

(B) Algeria, Libya, Egypt

(C) Egypt, Algeria, Libya

(D) All three share the immense Sahara Desert. The Sahara is shifting sand dunes, bare rocky plains, and little vegetation; few people live there. (E) Egypt can support a larger population because it has the Nile River and the fertile Nile River valley.

2. (A) 1960 for all four countries. (B) French

(C) Prior to 1960, these four countries were territories of France.

3. (A) North Korea: Communist one-party state; South Korea: presidential-parliamentary democracy

(B) N. Korea: 61/66; NA; $1,000. S. Korea: 73/80; 0.888; $17,700

(C) N. Korea's economy is very poor, and the people have a low standard of living; S. Korea has a very prosperous economy and a high standard of living.

(D) Stable government, good use of natural resources, high technology, much manufacturing and many exports, good education and health care, modern transportation and communication.

(E) A corrupt or ineffective government, a lack or poor use of natural resources, not enough jobs, drought, floods, crop failure and famine, poor health care, lack of schools.

(F) Perhaps the government is unwilling to disclose necessary information.

4. (A) Cuba: Communist one-party state/President; Chad: presidential-parliamentary (military-dominated)/President; Saudi Arabia: monarchy/King and Prime Minister; U.S.: presidential-legislative democracy/President.

(B) Saudi Arabia

(C) Cuba, Chad, Saudi Arabia

(D) U.S.

5. (A) Niger: 17; 26/10; 45/46; 800. Bangladesh: 23; 54/32; 60/60; $1 ,900

(B) Subsistence living; inadequate housing, roads, schools, health care, jobs. 6. (A) India: 1,086,600,000; 70/48; 61/63; $2,900. China: 1,300,100,000; 95/87; 70/73; $5,000.

(B) Enormous burden on their governments to provide education, jobs, housing, and health care.

(C) Per capita GDP indicates government efforts to improve the economy; good life expectancy, literacy rates. 7. (A) Two of these: Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen

(B) Youth become restless and frustrated with lack of jobs and poor prospects for the future; they may turn to Muslim fundamentalism, and that could be a threat to the government's stability.

8. Three of these: Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland