Hard Marriage and Divorce #1 Quiz / Test | Global Trivia

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which country divided into two parts in the "Velvet Divorce" of 1993?

Answer: Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia was carved out of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by the Treaty of St Germain in 1919 (Czechoslovakia had declared independence from Austria in 1918 and this independence was recognised by this treaty). The Velvet Revolution of 1989 saw a peaceful end to communist rule in Czechoslovakia. However, pressure from Slovakian politicans led to the peaceful division of the country on the 1st of January 1993 into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The division of Yugoslavia from 1991 onwards was anything but velvet.

2. What name did East Pakistan take on its divorce from the rest of Pakistan in 1971?

Answer: Bangladesh

East Bengal was partitioned from India (reflecting an earlier, British division of Bengal) and became part of the new state of Pakistan in 1947. However, East Pakistan, as it was then known, felt neglected and dominated by West Pakistan. In 1971 the Pakistani president refused to recognise an election result which would have given an East Pakistani political party a majority in the parliament of the whole of Pakistan. Rising tensions and a war between Pakistan and India led to the creation of a new state, Bangladesh.

Bangladesh translates as "the country of Bengal".

3. This country was originally part of Malaysia when it was formed in 1963 but broke away in 1965.

Answer: Singapore

Singapore was expelled from the Federation of Malaysia amid mounting racial tension. As with many divorced couples, relations between Singapore and Malaysia have been strained ever since.

4. The United Arab Republic lasted from 1958-1961 and was a union between Egypt and which other country?

Answer: Syria

The UAR was formed when Syrian political and military elites invited the Egyptian president, Gamal Abdal Nasser, to rule their country in an attempt to stave off a feared Communist takeover. It was hoped that this would be the first stage in a larger Arabic union. However, by 1961 the Syrians had grown tired of being ruled from Cairo and the union was dissolved.

A looser confederation, the United Arab States, was formed between the UAR and North Yemen and also lasted from 1958-61.

5. Which two countries were officially reunited in 1990 after over 40 years apart?

Answer: East and West Germany

Until the middle of the 19th century Germany didn't exist as a single political entity but was a collection of kingdoms, duchies and city states which were brought together by Prussia in 1871. However, after the Second World War Germany was occupied by France, Britain, the USA and the Soviet Union. A permanent division was not initially envisaged, but by 1949 the French, British and American zones, together with West Berlin, had become the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the Soviet sector had become the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War the two parts of Germany were reunited on the 3rd of October, 1990.

North and South Vietnam were forcibly reunited in 1975. Korea and Cyprus remain divided.

6. What was the name of the region which attempted to divorce itself from Nigeria in 1967?

Answer: Biafra

Biafra's declaration of independence led to a three year long civil war which ended when the secessionists were defeated.

The other options are present day states of Nigeria.

7. The marriage of the queen of Castile and Leon and the king of Aragon led to the creation of which European kingdom?

Answer: Spain

Princess Isabella of Castile and Leon married King Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1469, with Isabella succeeding to the Castilian crown in 1474. Technically, the two kingdoms remained separate during the marriage of their rulers and it was not until the accession of Ferdinand and Isabella's grandson, Charles I (Holy Roman Emperor Charles V), in 1516 that Spain acquired lasting unity.

8. In which year did North and South Yemen unite?

Answer: 1990

After years of friction the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen)and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) united in 1990. The union hasn't always been an easy one but has persisted since then.

9. Which Central American country seceded from Colombia in 1903?

Answer: Panama

Panama was part of Gran Colombia, a country which included the present day countries of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Gran Colombia was dissolved in 1830 and one of the sucessor states, New Granada, renamed itself Colombia in 1863. Panama remained part of Colombia until it was able to successfully secede in 1903 with the aid of the USA - just a few weeks before the new Panamanian government granted the USA the right to build and administer the Panama Canal.

10. In 1982 which two African countries formed a loose confederation which lasted for seven years until one nation dissolved the partnership because the other refused to move towards a closer union?

Answer: Senegal and Gambia

Known as Senegambia, this seven year engagement was ended by Senegal when Gambia refused to move towards a full union.

Source: Author alan03

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Marriage and Divorce #1 Trivia Quiz

Many countries have been created by the union of two or more smaller nations. Others have been created when larger nations split apart. How many can you identify?

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