FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about Crossing the Darin Gap
Quiz about Crossing the Darin Gap

Crossing the Darién Gap Trivia Quiz


In this Author Challenge / Challenge Categories 3, we explore the Darién Gap which is is a little known anomaly in the modern geography of Central and South America.

A multiple-choice quiz by 1nn1. Estimated time: 4 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Geography Trivia
  6. »
  7. Central America

Author
1nn1
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
393,517
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
262
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Guest 195 (5/10), Raven361 (3/10), Guest 174 (4/10).
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. The world's longest "motorable road" stretches from the northern coast of Alaska to the Tierra del Fuego National Park in Argentina. What is the collective name of this series of roads and highways? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. There is a noticeable break in the highway called the Darién Gap. Between which two counties does the gap traverse? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Given the "non-connectedness" of the highway system, how wide is the Darién Gap? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. The unhelpful terrain has made travelling through the gap difficult. What type of vehicle made the first crossing of the Darién Gap in 1960? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Given the distance of the Darién Gap is not too large, which is a factor why the gap has *NOT* been traversed by road? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Besides the 'natural' reasons for not traversing the Gap with a road, there are some political considerations as well. Which is the MOST important reason from those listed, why the Gap has never had a road to cross it? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. There are a couple of small communities within the gap and they grow crops for food. What sort of crops are grown? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Whilst there is a diverse fauna in the Darién Gap, one of the reasons not many cross it is that there is also an abundance of dangerous wildlife. Which one of the following animals are you *NOT* likely to see in the Gap? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In the 1690s, a small country not known for its colonial capacity decided to establish a "world trading" nation on the Darién Gap. Which wee nation was this? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. There are many people who want to travel the entire length of the Pan-American Highway but there are no plans to build a road crossing the Darién Gap. What is the most popular method for completing this journey? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Most Recent Scores
Oct 29 2024 : Guest 195: 5/10
Oct 17 2024 : Raven361: 3/10
Sep 25 2024 : Guest 174: 4/10

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The world's longest "motorable road" stretches from the northern coast of Alaska to the Tierra del Fuego National Park in Argentina. What is the collective name of this series of roads and highways?

Answer: The Pan-American Highway

The Pan-American Highway is a series of roads and highways measuring approximately 19 000 mi or 30 000 km. It is not a single road but a series of roads and highways with some parallel sections and some spurs.

It was first proposed at the First Pan-American Conference in 1889 but as a railroad. This proposal was never realised. The concept of a highway was discussed at the Fifth International Conference of American States in 1923. This led to a specific conference in 1925 on the construction of such a highway but it took a further twelve years for Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Canada, and the United States to sign the Convention on the Pan-American Highway. Each country agreed to pay for the highway within their own boundaries. Mexico completed their section first in 1950. In 1966, the US Federal Highway Administration designated the entire Interstate Highway System to be an integral part of the Pan-American Highway System. There are spurs from the South American Pacific countries into Brazil and Uruguay.
2. There is a noticeable break in the highway called the Darién Gap. Between which two counties does the gap traverse?

Answer: Colombia and Panama

The Darién Gap consists of undeveloped mountains, swamp land and jungle forest in Panama's Darién Province in Central America, and the northern portion of Colombia's Chocó Department in South America. The highway from the north stops abruptly on the northern side at Yaviza in Panama and then the highway commences again in Turbo in Colombia.
3. Given the "non-connectedness" of the highway system, how wide is the Darién Gap?

Answer: 66 miles or 106km

On the Colombian side the Gap is dominated mainly by the Atrato river delta which creates a flat 50 mile wide marshland most of which is swamp. On the Panama side the terrain is the opposite with a mountainous rainforest. The terrain varies between 60 m (197 ft) in the valley floor to 1,845 m (6,053 ft) Cerro Tacarcuna which is the tallest peak in the Panamanian jungle, in the middle of the Gap.
4. The unhelpful terrain has made travelling through the gap difficult. What type of vehicle made the first crossing of the Darién Gap in 1960?

Answer: Land Rover/Jeep

The first crossing of the Darién Gap was by 4WD. A Jeep and a Land Rover made the crossing in 1959-60. The expedition took 136 days and averaged 201 meters per day. In December 1960 a motorcycle journey was attempted. The motorbike had to be abandoned but the expedition was completed on foot. Also in 1961, three Chevrolet Corsairs (ie 2WD) attempted the journey. Two of the three cars completed the journey.

The first totally overland crossing (boats were used previously for some sections) of the Gap was by British cyclist Ian Hibell, who rode from Cape Horn to Alaska between 1971 and 1973 including the entire Darién Gap.
5. Given the distance of the Darién Gap is not too large, which is a factor why the gap has *NOT* been traversed by road?

Answer: A United Nations ban

The land is difficult as it alternates between high mountains on the Panama side to swampy land on the Colombian side. The area is also home to a wide variety of diverse fauna and flora which rivals the Amazon basin in terms of diversity. Creation of a road would destroy the habitats of some of these species.

The community of Yaviza at the southern terminus of the North American component of the Pan-American Highway was created to accommodate the construction of the highway. The destruction of the road though the rainforest to reach Yaviza is proof positive road construction destroyed natural habitats in the area.
6. Besides the 'natural' reasons for not traversing the Gap with a road, there are some political considerations as well. Which is the MOST important reason from those listed, why the Gap has never had a road to cross it?

Answer: To stop foot and mouth disease reaching North America

Foot and Mouth Disease exists in South America but not North America. Introduction of the disease into North America would be an ecological and economic disaster. The Gap serves as a natural barrier to stop the disease from entering North America. The Americans have funded Panama to make the entire northern end of the Gap a national park from Pacific to Atlantic Coast. This means no cattle can graze in the park and this adds another physical barrier to prevent the disease travelling north.

The Gap does restrict drugs being moved overland from south America to North America, but alternative transportation is consequently used.

Colombia is known for its kidnapping 'trade'. The Gap's inaccessibility assists the kidnapping activity as it provides hiding places inaccessible to the authorities.

Limited tourism occurs in the region. There are small tour groups that traverse the Darien Gap.
7. There are a couple of small communities within the gap and they grow crops for food. What sort of crops are grown?

Answer: Corn, cassava, plantains, and bananas

Mestizo population of the Gap include the the Embera-Wounaan and Kuna people. They grow corn, cassava, plantains, and bananas with the protein coming from freshwater fish from the plentiful water courses. Cassava, native to South America, is the main source of carbohydrates. Cassava, when dried to powder or pearls is called tapioca; when it is fried in granular form, it is called garri.
8. Whilst there is a diverse fauna in the Darién Gap, one of the reasons not many cross it is that there is also an abundance of dangerous wildlife. Which one of the following animals are you *NOT* likely to see in the Gap?

Answer: Box jellyfish

The box jellyfish with its lethal stinging tentacles is largely restricted to the tropical Indo-Pacific region but it is always found in salt-water.

The Jaguar, scorpion and American crocodile are found in the Darién Gap. The most common fauna include macaw, parrots, and tapirs. The area also harbours some species that are on the IUCN Red List. These species include the spotted paca, Mantled howler, night monkey, black-headed spider monkey, ocelot, Central American agouti, and the capybara. The jaguar and American crocodile are also on this list.
9. In the 1690s, a small country not known for its colonial capacity decided to establish a "world trading" nation on the Darién Gap. Which wee nation was this?

Answer: Scotland

Scotland in the 1690s wanted to establish a new nation called "Caledonia" on the Isthmus of Panama at the Gulf of Darién. Its aim was for the colony to establish overland routes connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It was thought control of this area would create an important trade route.

The plan was never realised: poor planning, inept leadership, an English trade blockade, epidemics of disease particularly malaria, and a blockade of the harbour by the Spanish all caused the idea to be abandoned by 1700. Even if these obstacles were overcome, the harsh terrain would have made such routes impossible to traverse commercially.
10. There are many people who want to travel the entire length of the Pan-American Highway but there are no plans to build a road crossing the Darién Gap. What is the most popular method for completing this journey?

Answer: Ship vehicle and passengers from Colon, Panama to Cartegena, Colombia

The number of people walking through the Darién Gap are very small. There is no airport at Yaviza. There are shipping agents who can arrange for vehicles to be shipped in containers on cargo ships from Colon (near Panama City) to Cartegena. The journey is about 400 kilometres and takes 18 hours. The vehicle can then be driven south on a good road from Cartegena to Turbo (288 km) where you can rejoin the Pan -American Highway.

Crossing the Darién Gap is possible but it is not easy. Few have completed the journey and not many more will complete it in the future.
Source: Author 1nn1

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
10/31/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us