South American Miscellany Trivia Quiz

Answer: silver

Cerro Rico, "rich mountain", is fabled to be "made of silver". The city of Potosi was founded by the Spanish in 1545 in order to exploit the silver found in the area. At over 13,000 feet, it is one of the highest cities in the world. It is estimated that over three quarters of the silver the Spanish extracted from the Andes was from this single mountain, and they established their silver mint at Potosi.

The diagram shows the chemical composition of silver nitride.

Answer: Colombia

Colombia has the fourth largest area of the South American countries. In addition to the five neighbouring countries, it has a coastline on both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The name "Colombia", derived from the surname of Christopher Columbus, was originally applied to a larger area of the so-called New World, but came to be used just for the country that now bears the name.

The image shows a USA commemorative half dollar featuring Christopher Columbus.

Answer: Galapagos Islands

Part of the Galapagos Islands, that belong to Ecuador, Isabela Island was named after Queen Isabella I of Castile, who, with her husband King Ferdinand II of Aragon, ruled over a united Spain and were sponsors of the Spanish voyages of discovery. It was previously named Albemarle Island by Ambrose Cowley, the English sailor who mapped the Galapagos Islands in the 17th century. Isabela Island is relatively young, at around one million years old, and was formed from volcanic activity. It is famed for its diverse and unique wildlife.

The picture is of a Galapagos tortoise.

Answer: São Paulo

São Paulo is a mega-city - for many years the largest city in the Western and Southern hemispheres and the largest in the Americas. It is capital of the state of the same name, based in the Southeast Region of Brazil. Located on a plateau in the Brazilian Highlands, at an elevation of over 2,500 feet, São Paulo is a cosmopolitan city that is very important economically to Brazil, which hosts its own stock exchange. São Paulo has very serious issues with air and water pollution. The Latin America Memorial is a cultural centre that celebrates the cultural and social integration of Latin American countries. The Museu do Ipiranga is a history museum built near to where Brazilian independence was declared in 1822 by Pedro I of Brazil.

The picture of St Paul's cathedral with a statue of St Paul, in London. São Paulo is Portuguese for St Paul.

Answer: Easter Island

Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, is around 2,200 miles east of the Chilean mainland, in the Pacific Ocean. Its nearest neighbours are the Juan Fernández Islands, which also belong to Chile, the main three of which are the incorrect options. Easter Island is famed for its massive stone heads and the mystery around the people who made them. Most recent research suggests the inhabitants arrived around 1200 AD from other Polynesian islands. The heads were thought to commemorate named ancestors. The population peaked at around 15,000 at one stage, but had fallen to a couple of thousand by the time Europeans arrived in the 18th century.

The picture is of painted Easter eggs.

Answer: Lima

Lima, the largest city and capital of Peru, is situated in a desert coastal plain near the Pacific Ocean. It was founded in 1535 by Pizarro. Its historic centre has been designated a World Heritage Centre by UNESCO. It includes the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, with a notable sacristy and extensive catacombs, plus a unique wooden dome in the Mudéjar style. The National University of San Marcos was founded in 1551, the second oldest in the Americas, and the longest in continual operation.

The picture is of butter beans, also known as lima beans. They derived their name from the Peruvian capital. The name Lima appears to have come from the name of an oracle known as Limaq.

Answer: Salvador

Salvador, (English: saviour), is the capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia. It is one of the oldest cities founded by Europeans in the Americas, being founded in the mid 16th century by Portuguese colonists. It became the capital of the Portuguese territory of Brazil, and an important slaving and sugar port. Nowadays Salvador is important as a centre for industry including oil refining and tourism.

The picture shows a sculpture called "Profile of Time" by Salvador Dalí.

Answer: Trinidad and Tobago

The nation of Trinidad and Tobago consists of the two main islands, plus numerous smaller ones. It became independent of the UK in 1962. The most southerly of the Caribbean island nations, Trinidad and Tobago is the largest Caribbean producer of oil and natural gas. Because of its unique position on the South American continental shelf, Trinidad and Tobago has a remarkable selection of flora and fauna and considerable biodiversity. It is particularly renowned for the variety of its birds, such as cocrico, oilbirds, and hummingbirds.

The picture shows the Holy Trinity Column in the Czech Republic city of Olomouc.

Answer: Argentina

The highest point in South America is Aconcagua, in the Andes in Argentina, near to the border with Chile. It rises to around 22,000 feet, making it higher than any point outside of Asia. The lowest South American point is also in Argentina, the Laguna del Carbón, a salt lake that is over 300 feet below sea level. Argentina is the second largest country in South America, and one of the most biodiverse in the world.

The picture is a map of Argentina.

Answer: guano

The Chincha Islands are a group of three small islands around 13 miles off the cost of Peru. They are predominantly granite, with cliffs that are home to thousands of seabirds. The guano, bird excrement, they produced, particularly that from the Guanay Cormorant, was highly prized as fertiliser, and revolutionised nineteenth century agriculture. In 1840, Peru started to extract and export the guano. Spain had not recognised Peruvian's 1821 declaration of independence, and started a war to claim the islands and their resources. The Chincha Islands War, also known as the Spanish-South American War, also involved Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador, and lasted from 1865 to 1879, with Spain ultimately unsuccessful, by which time the supply on the Chinchas was exhausted.

The picture shows a car covered with "guano".