Section 1
Which country has the highest point in the Caribbean South America region, and is larger than California and Texas combined?
Colombia
Some of the Guiana Highlands' steep-sided plateaus are capped by erosion-resistant sandstone layers. These strange flat-topped structures are known as what?
Tepuís
Which area receives year-round rain, feeding the forest's massive trees and generating a canopy so dense that sunlight hardly penetrates to the jungle floor?
Amazon Basin
What is the name of the colonial city that served as a key naval and commercial port for the Spanish Empire?
Cartagena
Which nation has the most population in Caribbean South America?
Colombia
Venezuela was once home to many minor tribes of South American Indians; however, who conquered them in the early 1500s?
Spanish
The majority of Venezuelans are Spanish-speaking Roman Catholics, while the country's Indians speak a diversity of dialects and practice ancient religions. How many languages are spoken by the Indian population?
25
Venezuela is the sole South American member of the group that aims to manage global oil output and prevent oil prices from going too low. What is the name of that group?
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
What is the name given to a group of workers who stop working until their demands are met?
Strike
Guyana is derived from a South American Indian word that signifies what?
Land of Waters
Which location within western Colombia has an elevation of 18,000 feet (5,490 meters)?
Andes
Venzuela's elevation drops between the highlands and the Andes. This area of plains is largely grassland with a few trees. These plains are prone to flooding due to their low elevation and lack of vegetation. What is this area known as?
Llanos
What are the principal crops grown in the Caribbean and South America?
rice, coffee, bananas, and sugarcane
People in Central and South America began fighting for independence from Spain in the late 18th century. What resulted after achieving independence?
The Republic of Gran Colombia
What is the name of the capital of Colombia, which is perched high in the eastern Andes?
Bogotá
What is the name of the plant used to generate deep blue dye?
Indigo
What is a lively foot-stomping couples' dance identified as as?
Joropo
What is the name of the southeast region that is rich in other minerals, such as iron ore for steel production; gold is mined in isolated places; and dams on Orinoco River tributaries generate hydroelectric power?
Guiana Highlands
What is a direct public vote known as?
Referendum
What is the name of Guyana's capital?
Georgetown
What is the name for a mountain system composed of generally parallel ranges?
Cordillera
What is the name of the region's longest river, which flows roughly 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers)?
Orinoco River
What are the names of the valuable resources of the Caribbean South America?
oil, iron ore, and coal
Which nations were part of Gran Colombia?
Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela
What is the name of a traditional Chibcha ring-toss game?
Tejo
Who played a key role in the fight against Spanish domination and is revered as a hero in several South American countries for leading regional independence campaigns?
Simon Bolívar
Many Venezuelans make a living by farming and ranching; yet, the majority of affluent Venezuelans have made their money in what industry?
Oil
What is the name of Venezuela's capital city, as well as its economic and cultural hub?
Caracas
Hugo Chavez died on what date?
March 5, 2013
What is the name of the country with resources and economies similar to Guyana's?
Suriname
Which country on the Caribbean coast is located in the midst of the South American region?
Venezuela
The Orinoco and its tributaries drain the Andean plains and highlands. What are the names of those tributaries?
The Cauca and the Magdalena
What other title did El Dorado's mythology go by?
Golden One
What resulted with the dissolution of the Republic of Gran Colombia in 1830?
New Granada
What do members of an irregular military unit go by?
Guerrillas
What year did Venezuela officially declare its independence?
1830
What are Venezuelan cowboys known as?
Llaneros
In what year did Venezuelans elect their first president?
1959
What is the combined name for Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana?
Guianas
What is the name of Suriname's capital?
Paramaribo
Where is Venezuela's highest elevation located, which extends into Guyana and Suriname?
Guiana Highlands
What's the name of a landscape that thrives in southern Colombia's humid tropical climate?
Rain forests
The legend of El Dorado revolved around a gold-rich land. What culture in Colombia originated this myth?
Chibcha
Which nations were part of New Granada?
Colombia and Panama
The majority of guerrillas cultivate illegal crops. What is the name of the plant that produces the hazardous narcotic cocaine?
Coca plant
Which country has inhabitants descended from native Indians, Europeans, and Africans, with the majority having mixed Indian and European ancestry?
Venezuela
The Orinoco River basin in Venezuela is abundant in oil. Where is another oil-rich area in Venezuela?
Lake Maracaibo
Who became Venezuela's president in 2002 and began distributing the country's oil income evenly among all Venezuelans?
Hugo Chavez
What term is derived from a South American Indian word meaning "land of waters"?
Guyana
What is the name of a French territory that sends delegates to the government in Paris and has around 200,000 residents, the most of whom live along the coast?
French Guiana