X Marks The Spot Trivia Quiz

Answer: Vietnam

Vietnam hugs the eastern shore of the Malay peninsula like a python. This beautiful country, home to two World Natural Heritage Sites, has much unique biodiversity. The 'vulnerable' sun bear and the 'critically endangered' saolo (aka the Asian Unicorn), live here, though the latter has rarely been seen and the few that have been captured have died. Vietnam has had probably the greatest rate of economic development of any country since the late 1980s.

It joined the WTO (World Trade Organisation)in 2007.

Answer: Belgium

Missionary Theodore Ryken (1797-1871) established the CFX, Congregation of St. Francis Xavier, in Bruges, Belgium in the 1830s. He envisioned it as a dedicated group of laymen working with Roman Catholic priests to spread the gospel and to educate people.

The movement has grown and spread throughout northern Europe, the U.K. and the U.S. and established schools in New England, NJ, NY, PA and KY. The original Rosary Makers Guild set up in 1949 has grown to over 17,000 members who distribute free rosaries all over the world. Ryken himself gladly served the last eleven years of his life as a subject, as his administrative skills were poor.

Answer: Tibet

Tibet nestles in the Earth's highest habitable plateau, and is a land of spectacular scenery. The name comes from Sanskrit and is a derivation of the word for Heaven. The Chinese, in their zeal to free Tibet from the 'promotion of violent separatism' instilled by the exiled Dalai Lama, have created the TAR (Tibet Autonomous Region) instead. There have been many peaceful protests against Chinese rule, primarily in the form of voluntary immolations since 2009. The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, had fled the country in 1959.
Tibet is also known as having the world's largest reserve of Uranium.

Answer: Mexico

Xochimilco is named for the lake that used to be there, and the name derives from an incarnation of the god Xolotl, brother of Quetzalcoatl. This area is a suburban part of the Mexican Federal District which includes Mexico City. The original water system has been dug up and converted into canals.

These are used for tourist boats and in 1987 the area became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Throughout the 110 miles of canals are many artificial islands called 'chinampas' which are used for agriculture and preservation of local culture and species. Unfortunately the water has become polluted and the islands inhabited by many illegal dwellers.

The introduction of non-native fish and plants threaten the fragile ecosystem and some rare species such as the axolotl, which by 2003 had only 600 known members alive worldwide.

In the early 21st century the human population was over 400,000. This 48 square mile delegacion is also home to many types of migratory birds who use it as a nesting site.

Answer: Brazil

The Xingu refers to about 15 closely related tribes in the Amazon basin. Their languages, rituals and apparel are similar and they are generally on a friendly basis with one another. The name Xingu comes from the 1200 mile long tributary of the Amazon River. Archaeologists have uncovered many well-planned villages in the area dating back to 1200-1600; there were also roads and bridges. The native populations were decimated by European diseases and slavery from the 18th century onward, and their numbers declined from tens of thousands to around 500 members in 1950. With protected status, they had risen to about 3,000 by 2012, although population counts are difficult to ascertain exactly.
In the Xingu 'Quarup' ceremony of the dead, tree logs are decorated with feathers and paint, the larger and more elaborate representing deceased chiefs and shamans. There is a Huka-Huka wrestling competition between men at the end; the Xingu men tend to be muscular and heavy-bodied, so are well adapted to wrestling.
The tribes and area are at risk from development and deforesting, proposed hydro-electric dams being the major threat as it would cut off these people from most of their source of food, water and transportation.

Answer: A Red Ink

Xanthus was the offspring of the West Wind and a Harpy. He and Balius were the chariot horses of Achilles.
Xanthus, son of Ptolemy, was the last king of Thebes, killed by Melanthus of Attica.
Xanthus was a Greek geographer in Lycia.
Xanthus in ancient Greek meant yellow, golden or blonde.
Xanthus is the name of one or more moths, as well as a fish.
Xanthus is the name of a U.S. navy repair ship.
Xanthus Pagninius was a 5th century BC Biblical scholar.
Xanthus was the name of the protagonist in the musical "People Are Wrong".
Frankly, it was harder to find things that were not classified as 'Xanthus' than those that were!

Answer: Ohio

Xenia was founded in 1803 and Ohio joined the union that year. Xenia was given the Greek name to indicate hospitality, and has grown from a solid small town to a city of about 25,000 in 2012. Its basis for growth is simplicity and good sound management. Xenia is the seat of Greene County, Ohio, which was named for the Revolutionary War patriot, Nathaniel Greene. Family values and civic pride are very important to Xenians, and their program 'Mow to Own' has been well received: within certain restrictions and bylaws, a person maintaining a piece of ground adjacent to or nearby his own can make application to eventually own that ground by keeping it attractive and free of weeds. Local ordinance states that 12 inches is the highest grass may grow before being cut. Xenia is also the Bicycle Capital of the Midwest.

Answer: Xerxes I

Xerxes I (c.519-465 BC) had a dream in which he conquered the Greeks. After amassing a large army and fleet he crossed the Hellespont on a bridge made of boats to reach Athens. After the Battle of Salamis he was forced to retreat.

Xenophon (c.430-355 BC) was an Athenian writer who dethroned his brother, Artaxerxes, with the help of mercenary Greeks.
Xenion is a two line satirical poem, usually an epigram.
Xenon is one of the noble gases.

Answer: Elea, Mediterranean

Xenophanes established the Eleatic school of philosophy in what was then Elea, a part of 'Magna Graecia' and a cradle of Greco-Roman culture. The area is now Campania, Italy.
Xenophanes was writing poetry well into his nineties. He believed that each creature would make images of its gods in its own image if it were able - for example, if dogs had hands they would sculpt and paint dog figures as their gods. He rejected the popular belief in multiple gods in favor of only one god who had no earthly form.
Campania is on the southwestern coast of Italy and is a popular tourist destination with the Amalfi Coast, Mt Vesuvius and the Isle of Capri, among other attractions.
Gaul was roughly the area that is now France. Britannia was the British Isles, and Carthage was in north Africa.

Answer: South

Xhosa is one of the eleven recognized languages of South Africa, and is also the most widely dispersed. Zulu, a distant relative, is most widely spoken in the same area. Xhosa is a 'click' language, and is quite complex in structure; it features 18 different clicks, whereas Zulu has only 15, and Ixoo, in Botswana, has 83! Almost eight million people speak Xhosa, among whom are Nelson Mandela and Miriam Makeba who has also recorded some 'click songs'.
If you have seen the film "The Gods Must Be Crazy" you have perhaps heard the click being used.