An Eco-Trip through Latvia Trivia Quiz

Answer: Gulf of Riga

At its deepest point, the Gulf of Riga is nearly 220 ft (67 m). It is also known as the Gulf of Livonia, after an historic region that spans the eastern shoreline of the Baltic Sea. Numerous Baltic and Finnic peoples once inhabited the region. In fact, the indigenous people of Latvia are comprised not only of the Latvians but also of the Finnic Livs (or Livonians). As we sail into the Gulf of Riga, we may pass by island of Saaremaa, which belongs to Estonia.

The Gulf of Aden, near the Arabian sea, lies between Yemen and Somalia. The Gulf of Bothnia is an arm of the Baltic Sea, sandwiched between Finland and Sweden. The Gulf of Tonkin is off the coast of Vietnam, connected to the South China Sea.

Answer: Disney Latvia

From atop St. Peter's Church tower, you can get an excellent view of the Old Town, or Vecriga, once surrounded by walls and named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Latvian Ethnographic Open Air Museum, established in 1924, sits on Jugla Lake on the outskirts of Riga. Exhibits include traditional arts and crafts, and visitors can participate in folk dances and sample traditional food.

The Riga Zoo, operating since 1944 on the banks of Kisezers Lake, participates in many conservation efforts: it monitors owl migration in the fall; breeds vultures, barn owls, and peregrine falcons in hopes of reintroducing them into the wild; and repopulates the European tree frog, which had become extinct in Latvia.

By the late 1990s, more than 4000 frogs were released.

There is no Disney Latvia.

Answer: Daugava

The Daugava River, also known as the Western Dvina, is the longest and most important river in Latvia. It runs for 624 miles (1,005 km) through the country. The river originates in the Valdai Hills of Russia and flows through Belarus into Latvia, eventually draining into the Gulf of Riga.

Answer: Daugavpils Hydro Power Plant Riga

All of these dams were built (or in the case of Daugavpils, proposed) along the Daugava, the major river of Latvia. Hundreds of thousands of Latvians protested against the Riga dam's construction in 1986 and 1987. Unfortunately, the prior dams -- Riga, Kegums, and Plavinas -- had caused environmental damage and loss of unique geographic features.

For example, the plant in Plavinas flooded many historic sites, not to mention a picturesque gorge that contained rare plants and such unique features as the staburags, scenic cliffs not unlike the Lorelei in Germany.

Answer: Gaizinkalns

At 1,022 ft (311.6 m) above sea level, Gaizinkalns is not actually much of a mountain climb, but it has a few ski slopes and lodges. It sits near the picturesque town of Madona, named for the nearby lake. Feeling especially competitive, the Latvians built a tower atop Gaizinkalns so as to ensure the peak would surpass nearby Suur Munamagi in Estonia in height. Alas, the tower was never finished, and it was closed to tourists for safety reasons.

Denali is the Inuit name for Mt. McKinley in Alaska, USA. Uluru is the aboriginal name for Ayers Rock in the Northern Territory, Australia. Qomolangma (or Chomolungma) is another name for Mt. Everest, in the Himalayas of Nepal.

Answer: Gauja National Park

In the valley of the Gauja River, one of Latvia's cleanest, sits the Gauja National Park, established officially in 1973 but visited by hikers and nature-lovers since the 19th century. Melting glaciers shappd the terrain and deposited clay and fieldstone in the terraces. The park boasts the largest exposures of sandstone from the Devonian period and the biologically unique Sudas marsh reserve. In the park is Gütmans Cave, the highest cave in the Baltic countries. And there are all sorts of watermills, windmills, stone castles, and other monuments decorating the landscape. Keep your eyes peeled for wild animals on the hiking trails!

Masai Mara National Reserve is in Kenya. Kruger National Park is in South Africa. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is in Australia.

Answer: Lowland plains

Most of Latvia consists of fertile, rolling plains, which were formed during the Ice Age. Another sizable portion of Latvia is covered in forest, two-thirds of which consist of Scots Pine or Norway Spruce. Consequently, timber and wood products are important exports. Unlike North American forests, Latvian forests lack underbrush, but cranberries, bilberries, and mushrooms grow along the forest floor. Bogs, swamps, and marshes comprise about ten percent of the land.

There aren't any true deserts; there is just too much rainfall year-round.

Answer: Drought

In fact, Latvia suffers from the opposite of drought. It rains or snows more than 180 days per year, necessitating the drainage of farmland. Indeed public works projects regarding drainage have been a significant source of employment! The precipitation is especially heavy during harvest time, which can cause problems for mechanical equipment.

The other environmental problems stem from the large-scale industrialization that began during the Soviet occupation and have continued to some extent thereafter.

Answer: True

Latvia's earliest laws regulating the environment were passed in the sixteenth century. Hunting was periodically restricted. A major public works project in the 19th century was to strengthen sand dunes along the Baltic Sea. In 1912, Latvia established the first nature preserve on an island in Lake Usmas.

The environmental problems caused by industrialization galvanized Latvians in the 1980s to seek independence from the USSR. Environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were among the earliest pro-democracy groups in Latvia. By the beginning of the third millennium, there were four national parks, 260 nature reserves, 355 natural monuments, and many other kinds of protected areas - roughly twenty percent of the Latvia's surface area!

Answer: The abandonment of private farms

Many of these farms were neglected for decades, and without human interference rare species of flora and fauna reclaimed the land. Other returnees include the European wolf and European lynx, not to mention plants like the lady's slipper and assorted rare mosses and lichens. Latvia's biodiversity is renowned!