Oy! I got lost in South America! Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. My first stop was a connection flight that landed me in Argentina. Somehow I wandered outside the airport into this giant city. Many people are speaking a dialect known as Rioplatense Spanish, which is very hard to understand. Many of the monuments would remind a United States tourist of Washington D.C. Around me are the attractions Casa Rosada, Argentine Congress, Puerto Madero, and the Obelisco. Where am I?

Answer: Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is the capital city of Argentina. Casa Rosada is also known as the Pink House to many United States tourists, because of its color and its similarity to the White House. The Obelisco de Buenos Aires is a towering national monument that was built to honor the fourth centenary of the city's founding.

The Argentine Congress is usually in session during the time of March 1 to November 30, and is the legislative branch of the Argentine government. Puerto Madero represents many of the city's contemporary architecture and is located close to the R�o de la Plata riverbanks.

It attracts many tourists at night with lights and artwork. People are starting to honk at me, so I better get going! They don't stop traffic for lost pedestrians.

2. Whew! Thanks to that kind taxi driver I finally got back to the airport! Now I am headed to a land locked country that is located in between Brazil and Argentina. It is sometimes referred to as "Coraz�n de America", or "the heart of South America". It is one of the few countries in the world that has a double sided flag. Where am I going?

Answer: Paraguay

Paraguay is one of the poorest countries in South America because it is a landlocked country and they are not near the ocean for trading. The Paraguay River runs through the country from north to south, dividing it in two. It is referred to as the "heart of South America" because of its location in the South American continent.

The Paraguay flag has two sides, one showing the red white and blue with a lion in the center of the flag, and the other side showing the star of the Republic of Paraguay.

3. When I got off the plane, I was offered a traditional drink that is similar to mate, a very strong tea in South America. This version of it is cold and is served in a taller cup. It has a metal straw that keeps tea leaves from being drunk. It is extended as a sign of welcome or friendship and multiple people drink from the same cup. The countries that are most familiar with it are Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. What type of tea am I drinking?

Answer: Terer�

Terer� is an ice tea version of mate. It is served very similar, except instead of the large round pot that is used for mate, terer� is served in a long horned cup with a longer straw. The straw is usually metal and has holes which filter the leaves. When a guest is welcomed using this tea, sometimes ten or more people will drink out of the same cup.

The cup is usually passed around multiple times. It's an interesting way of learning the value of sharing! Well come along friends! Let's go explore the rest of this unique country!

4. It is very easy to get confused with all these streets named after different places. I am in the center of downtown in the largest city of Paraguay. Because it is one of the oldest cities in South America it is nicknamed the "Mother of Cities". Where am I?

Answer: Asuncion

Asuncion is Paraguay's capital city. It was one of the most central cities of Spanish rule during the colonial period of South America. Today Asuncion is a very multicultural city and many of the downtown streets have been named in honor of other countries such as France, Estados Unidos (United States), and Peru. If you are a tourist, Asuncion has many places where you can pick up souvenirs.

Many of the souvenirs are handmade, colorful, carved or woven, because Paraguayans pride themselves on many crafts involving weaving and woodwork.

5. I have to hurry to catch another plane! This time I am going to Brazil to meet some friends that live in one of the largest rainforests in the world. This rainforest covers a territory that includes nine nations, but the majority of it is located in Brazil. Which rainforest am I talking about?

Answer: The Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest covers parts of Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. There are an estimated 40,000 plant species that grow in this jungle. Many of the rainforest's plants have been used in medicine to treat illnesses and diseases.

In this jungle you may also see endangered species such as the jaguar, colorful poison dart frogs, macaw parrots, and anacondas that are rare in other parts of the world. There are many other endangered species that live here and the number of endangered species is growing as the rainforest continues to shrink.

6. My connection flight has dropped me off in one of Brazil's most famous cities. It is located on a strip of Brazil's Atlantic coast and is beside Guanabara Bay. This city has many attractions including a large statue of Jesus that is 130 feet tall and is located at the top of a mountain. Which city am I in?

Answer: Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro has many natural attractions because of its location to the coast and the many mountains that surround it. It also has many art attractions because it is one of the oldest cities in Brazil that was colonized by the Portuguese. One of the major art attractions in the city is the large statue of Christ, Cristo Redentor.

It is a symbol of peace and is made out of concrete and soapstone. It is located on top of Corcovado mountain where it overlooks the city with its open arms.

7. I finally made it to my destination, and there are my friends! We are in a city that is located just outside of the Amazon and is also known by the nickname the "Paris of the Tropics". This city draws many tourists and boating industries because it is located beside the Negro and Amazon Rivers. Which city am I in?

Answer: Manaus

Manaus draws many tourists because of its location outside of the Negro River, the Amazon River and the Amazon Rainforest. It also attracts many boating industries because of the easy access the rivers provide. In the past the rubber industry made Manaus an extremely popular city. During the rubber boom, Manaus brought European art and architecture into their culture which earned it the nickname of the "Paris of the Tropics". One significant building is the Amazonas Opera house which was built in 1884 with bricks imported from France, steel walls from England, and marble from Italy.

It has hosted many performing arts, theatrical performances, musical productions, and cultural festivities from around the world. While the rubber business has gradually become less important, Manaus still has a significant number of export industries including Brazil nuts, refining of petroleum, and making of soap.

8. The Negro and Amazon Rivers are known for the meeting of their two waters because they do not mix in color or in temperature. The Negro River is slightly hotter because of its black color, and the light brown water of the Amazon is colder.

Answer: True

Many tourists come out on boat tours to see the natural wonder of the meeting of these two rivers. The Negro River is a dark clear black, while the Amazon River has a light brown color caused by the sand it carries. The rivers do not mix because they have different temperatures and flow at different speeds.

The Negro River flows at two kilometers per hour and Amazon flows slightly faster at four to six kilometers per hour. The rivers flow side by side without mixing for about six kilometers (four miles.)

9. Now I am headed up to a country famous for landmarks that were built by the Inca Indians. It's landscape has many breath taking sceneries that range from the Pacific coast to the Andes mountains. The country's flag is red and white and their coat of arms features a tree, a vicu�a, and a bag of gold coins. Which country am I going to?

Answer: Peru

Peru's coat of arms describes a lot about their country. The vicu�a, represents Peru's fauna. Peru has many unique animals including the llama, which has fur they use for making rugs, blankets, and clothes. The tree on their national coat of arms is a cinchona tree which contains an anti-malaria drug.

Many of Peru's flora has been used in medicines, especially some that have come from their section of the Amazon rainforest. The bag of gold represents Peru's natural resources. The country's main industries are mining, fishing, and agriculture. Peru also draws many tourists to their Incan landmarks. One of the landmarks is the Incan city Machu Picchu, which is believed to have been built for their emperor around the 15th century.

Many of the sites of this city have been restored to give tourists an idea of what life may have actually been like.

10. Ah, I have reached the last of my journey and I am on my way home. There are several countries I did not get to visit. Some of these countries have had some of the largest oil reserves in the world and also export items such as coffee, gems, and coal. Due to the lack of airline time, I can only focus on only a few that have passed by outside my plane window during the trip. Which of these countries is NOT in South America?

Answer: Nigeria

The other countries that are inside the mainland of South America include Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, French Guiana, and Guyana. Venezuela is known for oil and has had some of the world's largest oil reserves. Colombia has been known for a variety of industries including mining emeralds, coffee, coal and oil. Chile is a country on the western and southern shores of South America that I crossed over going to Argentina.

It is a beautiful country known for its mountains, volcanoes, and grazing lands for cattle.

Source: Author exceller

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Tizzabelle before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

True story, I really did! See if you can help me find where I am at! Along the way I will try to guide you to some facts about these cities, countries, and customs!

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>