Officiallement, Yo Atahadath Trivia Quiz

Answer: English

Brunei Darussalam is a small country on the island of Borneo. This island is shared with Malaysia and Indonesia and there are cultural similarities between the three countries. The capital city of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan and it also happens to be the largest city.

The official national languages are Malay and English. However, there are many other languages that are spoken by a significant minority portion of the population, like Chinese (in several of its forms), Tutong, Belait, Kedayan, and others. The English is due to the extensive British influence over the years over the island, also evidenced by the fact that, in Brunei, one drives on the left side of the road.

Answer: English

The Federated States of Micronesia is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean which consists of over 600 islands. Their territorial waters cover over 2.6 million square kilometers, but, of that 702 square kilometers is the land area of the islands. Palikir is the capital city of the Federated States of Micronesia, though not its biggest settlement, which happens to be the town of Weno.

The national language of the Federated States of Micronesia is English. The islands themselves have had many European conquerors, from the Portuguese to the Spanish to the Germans. The Japanese made Truk a central location for their navy in WWII. After the war, the islands were given to the United States to administer; however, the people of Micronesia gained their independence in 1979. They maintain a strong relationship with the United States.

Answer: English

The island nation of Grenada is located in the southern West Indies. Its capital city and largest city is St. George's, named for the patron saint of England. It is one of the smallest countries in the world, having reached 100,000 inhabitants in the 1980s, and the total land area is slightly less than 350 square kilometers.

The official language of the island is English. However, two versions of Creole exist that are widely spoken and are unique to the island, one a derivative of English and the other a derivative of French. The island itself was originally inhabited by indigenous people from South America, but colonists from France started arriving in the 17th century and pushed them out. The French ceded control of the island in the 1763 Treaty of Paris, and the island gained full independence in 1974.

Answer: English

The Republic of Sierra Leone is a tropical country in western Africa. The largest city, Freetown, is also its capital, and though the country is predominantly Muslim, religious tolerance has always been the norm in Salome, as it is popularly called. Many freed slaves coming back to Africa ended up in Sierra Leone; however, the Temne and Mende peoples make up the majority of the population.

The official language in Sierra Leone is English. However, a significant part of the population speaks Krio, a local creole that is derived from English but is unique to the country. Some estimated state that over three-quarters of the population speak Krio. The country was originally administered by the United Kingdom; however, it was granted independence in 1961. Since then, it's had a tumultuous existence.

Answer: French

A landlocked country in West Africa, Burkina Faso has long been an underdeveloped country. The capital city is Ouagadougou and is located centrally in the country. The largest ethnic population is that of the Mossi, the original inhabitants of the Volta River valley and speakers of the Mòoré language.

Nevertheless, the official language for the country is French. This is due to the French colonization that happened in the late 19th century and lasted up until 1958 when the country gained its independence. It was originally called Upper Volta, however, after a coup in 1984, President Sankara renamed the country Burkina Faso which means "land of the upstanding men".

Answer: French

Part of the Benelux trio, Belgium has been around in some form since (at least) the times of Julius Caesar. Though there were many countries who claimed the land, Belgium managed to gain independence in 1830 and maintained it since. Brussels is the main city and the capital.

The official languages of Belgium are Dutch, French, and German. A local dialect of Dutch (known as Flemish) is spoken due to the Dutch influence and control over the region. Germany and France also greatly influenced the development of the region and this is why those languages are also spoken officially.

Answer: French

Haiti occupies the western half of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic (one of only two divided islands in the entire Caribbean). Though by land area Haiti is the third-largest Caribbean nation, in 2020 it was the most populous. Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city in the country.

The two national languages are Haitian Creole and French, the former being a derivative of the latter. It has had a tumultuous history, having been discovered by Christopher Columbus on his first journey to the New World, a couple of centuries of Spanish rule to follow. French pirates took over the western third of the island and effectively creating Haiti in the process during the 17th century. Haiti itself was declared independent in 1804 and aligned itself with French interests, for the most part.

Since its independence, Haiti has experienced a lot of unrest, occupation, warfare, natural disasters, as well as poverty, but the Haitian people are resilient and they keep pushing forward for a better future for their country.

Answer: French

The Principality of Monaco is the second-smallest country in the world, and definitely one of the richest, per capita. It is located in the French Riviera in the southeast coast of France, and it is at the foothills of the Pyrenees. It is considered to be the most densely populated independent country in the world; considering the entire country is one city, it's not hard to believe.

The national language of Monaco is French; however, Monégasque, Italian, English, and Occitan are all spoken in this tiny micro-state. The ruling family, the Grimaldis, has been in power since the late 13th century. The country is known for the Monaco Grand Prix, the powerful football team AS Monaco, and, of course, the world-famous Le Grand Casino de Monte Carlo.

Answer: Arabic

As a small island nation in the Persian Gulf, you wouldn't expect Bahrain to have a lot of clout. However, with rich oil right off of its coast, and over 80 islands to its name (and counting, as it continues to reclaim land), it defies expectations. Manama, the largest city and capital has been inhabited since the Bronze Age and has always been important to trade in the region.

The only official language in the country is Arabic; however, English is recognized as a language of business and international relations. Balochi is also a widely spoken language in Bahrain. Farsi and Urdu are also widely spoken. Traditionally it is held that Bahrain was one of the first regions to be influenced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad and many of its people converted.

Answer: Arabic

On the opposite side of the Mediterranean Sea from the Iberian Peninsula, the Kingdom of Morocco can be found. Humans have essentially lived in Morocco for around 100,000 years and while the current kingdom may seem relatively new, the region has seen many of these over the years. The largest city of the country is Casablanca while the capital is Rabat.

There are only two official languages in Morocco: Berber and Arabic. Because of its proximity to Europe, many people speak French or Spanish, but these were not made official. Both France and Spain have, at times, had a protectorate over the country.

Answer: Arabic

Located in western Africa and dominated by the Sahara Desert, Mauritania is a poor country with a terrible reputation for human rights (being the last country in the world to abolish slavery). Nouakchott, the capital and largest city, is an old Berber city located on the Atlantic Ocean coast.

The only official language of Mauritania is Arabic; however, the country recognizes Pulaar, Soninke, and Wolof as nationally spoken languages. They also acknowledge French as the language of business, perhaps because of the 19th-century French colonial era in the country.

Answer: Spanish

On the eastern side of Hispaniola you can find the country of the Dominican Republic. Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 on his first voyage, but inhabited before, this is a bustling country that is second in size to Cuba of all the Caribbean nations. Santo Domingo is the largest city and capital, a vibrant city spearheading a growing economy.

Spanish is the official language of the Dominican Republic. The country was under Spanish rule for around three hundred years before declaring independence in 1821. Despite several conflicts with its neighbour, Haiti, Dominican Republic has managed to retain its identity over the years. It relies heavily on the tourism industry for its economy.

Answer: Spanish

Paraguay is one of only two landlocked countries in South America. The capital of Asunción is by far the largest city, and the country is developing economically. Originally inhabited by the natives to the region, today, due to colonization, most of the population is of a mixed ethnic background, in the local language - mestizo.

The official languages are both Spanish and Guarani. The latter is because the Guarani culture is so deeply tied to the Paraguayan identity and heritage. Spanish is because of the colonialism that was rampant all over South America since the early 16th century. Despite its poor economy and unstable political history, a 2017 worldwide survey determined that Paraguay was the world's happiest place!

Answer: Spanish

The Republic of Peru is located on the northwestern side of South America. Located primarily in the northern reaches of the Andes mountains, the country has a wide range of climates and environments. Lima, the largest city and the capital, is the heart of Peru, economically and culturally.

The official language of Peru is Spanish, but other native languages, like Quechua
and Aymara, are considered co-official. Nearly two-thirds of the population of Peru consider themselves to be mestizo, or of a mixed racial background, but, the Spanish colonial influence is felt everywhere.

Answer: Spanish

Once at the heart of the Mayan Empire, Honduras is now an independent country in Central America. Tegucigalpa, the capital and largest city, was actually a twin city with Comayagüela, both only separated by the Choluteca River. Today, the two have been amalgamated into a capital district.

Christopher Columbus actually reached Honduran land on his fourth voyage to the New World. Claiming it for Spain, they later colonized the entire subcontinent. This is why Spanish is the official language of Honduras. By a 2016 census, over 90% of the population is of mestizo lineage, meaning that there is mixed heritage with the native Hondurans and the colonists. This lends itself to a very rich culture.