It Takes Two Trivia Quiz

Answer: Saint Lucia

Saint Lucia is an island country in the Caribbean. The French were the first Europeans to settle the island in 1660, but over the course of the next two centuries, it changed control between the French and the English 14 times! According to legend, the island was named after Saint Lucy of Syracuse by French sailors who were shipwrecked there on her feast day, the 13th of December.

The only other country named after a woman is Ireland which is named after Eire, the Celtic goddess of fertility.

Answer: Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste is a small country in Southeast Asia. The area was first colonized by the Portuguese. In 1975, neighbouring Indonesia invaded and annexed the land. It was only on 20 May 2002 that it finally became an independent country. Timor-Leste is also known as East Timor, a name which actually translates to East East, as Timor is derived from the Malay word for "east".

Answer: Burkina Faso

Ouagadougou is the capital and largest city of Burkina Faso. Earlier known as Upper Volta, Burkina Faso is a landlocked country located in Western Africa. The country achieved independence from France in 1960, but has since endured continuous turmoil through corruption and military coups. The instability is further exacerbated by natural calamities like drought and famine.

Answer: Dominican Republic

The island of Hispaniola is located within the Caribbean Sea. It is occupied by two countries, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, with the former covering 5/8th of the area. The Dominican Republic was named after Saint Dominic who is the patron saint of astronomers.

Answer: Cape Verde

Cape Verde consists of ten volcanic islands within the Atlantic Ocean. Its name reflects its history as a Portuguese colony, with Cape Verde having been derived from the Portuguese name Cabo Verde, meaning "green cape". Despite its small size, this is considered one of the stable economies of the African continent.

Answer: Czech Republic

In 1918, Czechoslovakia proclaimed independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and declared itself as an independent country. However, in 1989, the country faced protests from its citizens against the ruling Communist Party. These protests were largely peaceful and free from violence. Ultimately, they led to the split of Czechoslovakia into two independent countries - Czech Republic and Slovakia. Since this split was devoid of any bloodshed, unlike revolutions in Yugoslavia and Romania during the same period, it was known as the Velvet Divorce.

Answer: Vatican City

Vatican City is a small country wholly contained within the Italian capital of Rome. It is the seat of the Pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church. The entire population consists of various members of the Roman Catholic church and their staff.

Answer: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean, off the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. It was known as Ceylon when it was colonized by the British Empire in the 19th century. The country was formally renamed as Sri Lanka in 1972.

Answer: Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone was named after the Lion Mountains located near the capital, Freetown. It achieved independence from the British in 1961, but was beset by political instability in the ensuing years. The country also underwent a tumultuous civil war from 1996 to 2002.

Answer: South Africa

As can be inferred from its name, South Africa is located in the southern part of the African continent. It is bounded by the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Reflecting its diverse population, the country has eleven official languages - Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu, Afrikaans, and English. Each of these has equal legal status. South Africa is also the only country to have three separate capital cities to ensure power is spread across the region.