Q 01/05

How many sovereign countries are there in South America?

A) 10

B) 12

C) 14

D) 16

Answer · why

B) 12

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. French Guiana is part of France, not a ...

Q 02/05

The Amazon River carries roughly what share of all the river water flowing into the world's oceans?

A) One-twentieth

B) One-fifth

C) One-tenth

D) One-third

Answer · why

B) One-fifth

Its average discharge is about 223,700 cubic metres per second, more than the next seven largest rivers combined.

Q 03/05

The Amazon rainforest gets its name from Francisco de Orellana, who borrowed it from what?

A) A river in his native Spain

B) The female warriors of Greek myth

C) An Inca word for 'great water'

D) The Portuguese for 'wilderness'

Answer · why

B) The female warriors of Greek myth

His expedition reported being attacked by women warriors on the river in 1542. Whether they were women or long-haired men is still argued.

Q 04/05

What percentage of the Amazon rainforest lies within Brazil?

A) About 40%

B) About 60%

C) About 75%

D) About 90%

Answer · why

B) About 60%

The forest spans nine nations in all. Peru has the next biggest share, followed by Colombia.

Q 05/05

The Amazon rainforest spans the territory of how many nations?

A) Five

B) Seven

C) Twelve

D) Nine

Answer · why

D) Nine

Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It represents over half of all the rainforest left on Earth.