South American Countries and Their Animal Icons Trivia Game | Geography

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This South American nation, nearly the size of the state of Nevada in the United States, has quite an interesting terrain. Fittingly, the national animal is the Andean condor, for part of the Andes Mountains occupies this country. However, this nation also has a coastal terrain bordering the Pacific Ocean as well as a jungle environment as part of the western reaches of the Amazon rain forest. What country is this that boasts the highest active volcano in the world, Cotopaxi?

Answer: Ecuador

While Cotopaxi is the highest active volcano in the world, it is not Ecuador's most active one. That would be Sangay, which erupted in 2010. Because of a combination of Ecuador's position at the Equator (where the earth bulges farthest from its center) and the prominence of the Andes mountains, Ecuador can boast the highest point from the center of the earth, Mount Chimborazo. Asia's Mount Everest is the highest point above sea level.

2. This South American country's national animal is the jaguar, an appropriate representative, for the nation is well known for its tropical forests and climate. Its northern area is largely flat with rolling lowlands containing one of the world's largest fresh water drainage river basins. The south consists of plains, hills, and mountains. What is this nation that can not only boast being the largest country in South America but also in the entire Southern Hemisphere?

Answer: Brazil

Brazil is nearly as large as the entire United States and covers 8,514,877 square kilometers with over 7,400 kilometers of coast bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Because of its size and location, it shares borders with every other nation in South America except Chile and Ecuador.

The Amazon Basin, most of which is in Brazil, is home to over 1400 species of mammals and around 1500 species of birds. Many species of both animal and plant life are continuously being discovered as much of the Amazon Basin remains unexplored.

3. The national animal of this South American country is the pampas fox or Azara's zorro. While the creature is named for South America's fertile lowland region found in another country, it also thrives in the semi-arid sparse forests, shrublands, and marshy plains of this country's Gran Chaco region of the Rio de la Plata basin. In fact, the chaco covers all of the northern half of the land that falls within this nation's borders. What is the name of this landlocked country?

Answer: Paraguay

Paraguay is one of only two landlocked nations of South America. Most of Paraguay's human population can be found in the southern part of the country, leaving the Gran Chaco of the northern half of the nation sparsely occupied, comparatively speaking. Paraguay is normally a rather windy place to live as there is no natural barrier to create an obstacle to the winds coming from the Andes in the winter and those coming from the Amazon basin in the summer.

Some winds blowing across Paraguay have been recorded at 161 km/h or 100 miles per hour.

4. The versatility of the llama as well as its fortitude makes it a perfect representation of this nation, for this landlocked country consists of a variety of landscapes with different functions. There is the Andean region in the southwest, the sub-Andean region (ideal for farming) to the center and south, the Chiquitania (tropical savanna) in the east, and the llanos (flat land with rainforest) to the northeast. What is the name of this country, which lays claim to part of Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America?

Answer: Bolivia

Because of its many geographical regions and subregions, Bolivia has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. The country also has three drainage basins: the Amazon Basin, the Rio de la Plata Basin, and the Central Basin. Lake Titicaca, besides being the highest lake in South America, is the highest navigable lake on Earth.

5. This South American country's national bird is the troupial, a species of the New World orioles which thrives in the llanos (vast tropical grasslands) that widely cover this nation's center from west to east. What is this nation, known for Pico Bolivar, the Orinoco River and Lake Maracaibo?

Answer: Venezuela

Pico Bolivar is Venezuela's highest point, a mountain that rests in the northeastern extremes of the Andes Mountains. Angel Falls in Venezuela is, of course, the highest waterfall in the world; it is located in the Guiana Highlands close to the nation's eastern border and flows from the top of Auyan-tepui, a mesa or table-top mountain.

The Orinoco River and its distributaries create a large fan-shaped delta with many permanently remaining weltands. Lake Maracaibo, though it is now more a brackish bay, is one of the oldest lakes in the world, perhaps even 36 million years old.

6. The vicuna or vicugna is this South American country's national animal and lives in the high alpine regions of the Andes. The Andes, along with the narrow Pacific Ocean costa, make up this nation's western border. What is this nation which shares Lake Titicaca with a neighboring country to the south, contains the Nevado Mismi peak, and is usually accepted as the ultimate source of the Amazon River?

Answer: Peru

While much attention is often given to Peru's section of the Andes and the costa (the narrow plains between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean), the majority of Peru, around 60 %, is actually the selva region, a grand expanse of flatland covered by Amazonian jungles. Lima, the capital, is itself located along the coast.

As do many of South America's countries, Peru has one of the greatest amounts of biodiversity of any nation of the world because of its varied geography and climate. In fact, over 21,400 species have been found in Peru, and over a quarter of those species are unique to Peru.

7. This South American country considers its national animal to be the rufous hornero or red ovenbird. The rufous hornero prefers the pampas, the massive expanse of this country's highly fertile alluvial plain. This nation is known for its extremes. Very hot temperatures are recorded in its Yungas jungles while Antarctic temperatures are recorded in the southern reaches of Patagonia. Furthermore, both the highest and lowest points in the Western and Southern Hemispheres are found here: Mount Aconcagua and Laguna del Carbon. What is this country?

Answer: Argentina

Argentina, the second-largest nation in South America, is characterized by tropical climates in the north and tundra in the south. It consists of seven geographical regions: the Northwest (high plains and mountainous jungles), Mesopotamia (a slice of land between the Parana and Uruguay Rivers), the Gran Chaco (a subtropical and tropical alluvial plain), the Sierras Pampeanas (a series of average-sized mountain chains), the Cuyo (a basin in the foothills of the Andes), the Pampas, and Patagonia. Argentina also lays claim to a part of Antarctica, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and to the Falkland Islands also claimed by the United Kingdom.

8. The huemul or South Andean deer is this South American nation's animal icon. The country runs along the greatest extent of the Andes and is the longest north-to-south nation on Earth. What is the name of this country, home to the Atacama Desert, the driest desert on the planet?

Answer: Chile

The nation of Chile rests along the eastern border of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Thus, it frequently suffers from severe earthquakes and significant volcanic activity; in fact, there are more than three dozen active volcanos within its boundaries. Chile also lays claim to a section of Antarctica as well as to Easter Island, Sala y Gomez Island, and Robinson Crusoe Island.

9. The southern lapwing is partial to low-lying, grassy flatlands, which make up the majority of this South American nation's landscape and make the country ideal for cattle and sheep. This country, the second smallest in South America by area, consists of the Rio de la Plata Basin to its southwest and rolling plains and hills to its northeast. What is the name of this country whose national bird is the southern lapwing?

Answer: Uruguay

Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, is the third southernmost national capital in the world after Wellington, New Zealand, and Canberra, Australia. Uruguay's entirety fits within a temperate zone; thus, its temperatures are mild and mostly uniform. Furthermore, temperatures rarely drop to freezing or below. Usual temperatures range between 54 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, the absence of mountains makes the country susceptible to high winds blowing from Argentina's Pampas region. Uruguay is the second smallest nation in South America; Suriname is the smallest.

While French Guiana is smaller than both of these, it is still considered an overseas territory of France and not a sovereign nation.

10. This South American country's national bird is the hoatzin or Canje pheasant, which thrives in the swamps, forests, and mangroves, of which this country has plenty. In fact, 80% of the country is covered by forests, including one of the most pristine rainforests in the world, some of which is practically inaccessible by human beings. What is the name of this country, which is also home to Kaieteur Falls, most likely the largest single drop waterfall, by volume, in the world?

Answer: Guyana

Ninety percent of the population of Guyana live along the country's coastal plains, which consist of fertile alluvial mud and marshes. Further inland is an interesting white sand belt, and beyond that lie dense rainforests and desert savanna. The overall climate is a tropical one that consists of two rainy seasons that often lead to flash floods. European settlement was originally established by the Dutch, who later surrendered their colony to the British. Since Guyana established its independence in 1824, Venezuela has claimed some of the western lands belonging to it while Suriname has claimed some of the eastern lands belonging to it.

The Jonestown site, home to the Peoples Temple cult whose members died under the manipulations of Jim Jones, was also located in Guyana.

Source: Author alaspooryoric

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Tizzabelle before going online.
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South American Countries and Their Animal Icons Quiz

While each question asked will be a geographical one about a South American nation, the accompanying photo will depict that country's national animal.

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