UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Africa (Part 1) Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Flamingos, pelicans and terns are some of the migratory birds seen in Banc d'Arguin National Park, located on the west coast of this country facing the Atlantic Ocean. Name the country.

Answer: Mauritania

The Banc d'Arguin National Park is located between the cities of Nouakchott, the capital city, and Nouadhibou. Small offshore islands such as Tidra, Nair and Kijji are noted for being breeding grounds. Other birds found in this are include the ringed plover, the grey plover and the broad-billed sandpiper.

2. In which country can we find the ancient archaeological sites of Leptis Magna, Cyrene, and Sabratha?

Answer: Libya

Leptis Magna is located in Khoms, Libya and was part of the Carthaginian Empire and Roman Libya. The arch of Septimius Severus is a notable feature. Cyrene is located near the city of Shahhat, and is famous for the Necropolis of Cyrene. Sabratha, in the Zawiya district, was an ancient Phoenician trading port.

3. In which country would you find the World Heritage Site of Wadi El Hitan, famous for hundreds of fossils of ancient forms of whales?

Answer: Egypt

Wadi El Hitan is located in the Faiyum Governorate in Egypt. It contains numerous fossils of whales, as well as sharks, crocodiles, turtles and other aquatic animals. Whales, although being aquatic organisms, are mammals, and - based on the fossils of archaeoceti (extinct sub-order of whales) - scientists have discovered crucial evidence of how the species evolved.

4. In which country is the city of Djenne located? The Old Town of this city was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1988 because of its over 2000 traditional houses.

Answer: Mali

The city of Djenne has been inhabited since at least 250 AD. It was a major city from the viewpoint of the Trans-Saharan gold trade. The nearby city of Timbuktu was part of the Mali Empire, and goods travelling through Timbuktu used to pass through Djenne as well. Djenne is noted for its buildings made of adobe, such as the Great Mosque of Djenne.

5. Aldabra is the world's second largest coral atoll, famous for the Aldabra giant tortoise. In which country, not part of mainland Africa, is it found?

Answer: Seychelles Islands

Aldabra is a part of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles, and is situated southwest of the capital city, Mahe. The island was a dependency of the French colony of Reunion. Other turtles such as the hawksbill sea turtle and the green sea turtle can also be found there, as can the coconut crab, the world's largest terrestrial arthropod.

6. The Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove is a sacred forest, the last surviving one of the Yoruba culture. In which country can we find it?

Answer: Nigeria

The Yoruba people are an ethnic group mostly speaking the Yoruba language, which is the Niger-Congo language with the most speakers. All other "sacred groves" have been destroyed due to urbanisation. The Osun-Osogbo festival is celebrated in August every month. The lighting of a sixteen-point lamp called 'Ina Olojumerindinlogun' is a major focus of the festival.

7. In which country can we find the Chongoni Rock Art Area, in the Dedza district, famous for its rock art paintings of the Late Stone Age and the Iron Age?

Answer: Malawi

Malawi was formerly known as Nyasaland. The rock paintings were mainly made by the BaTwa people, a group of African pygmy hunter-gatherers. The Chongoni Rock Art Area is located south-east of the capital Lilongwe. While the Twa people used red paint to paint on the granite, other tribes such as the Chewa used white clay.

8. With more than 80 mosques and more than 100 shrines, the city of Harar Jugol is often called the fourth holiest city in Islamic culture. Which country is it located in?

Answer: Ethiopia

Harar was the capital of the Adal Sultanate under the Somali Sultan Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad. The entire city is walled, whence the name 'jugol', meaning 'wall' derives. The city was earlier under the Makhzumi dynasty. Kundudo, a flat-topped mountain (also called an amba), is situated nearby.

9. The Vredefort Crater is the largest verified impact crater on the Earth, with the crater being more than 2 billion years old. Which country is it located in?

Answer: South Africa

The Vredefort Crater was over 300 kilometres across when first formed, however, a lot of it has been eroded away. It is located in Free State province in South Africa. It is the second oldest known crater on the Earth, and is part of the Paleoproterozoic Era. The nearby town of Parys is a tourist site, as a result.

10. Fort Jesus was a fort built under King Philip I of Portugal, in order to control and influence the trade via the Indian Ocean. In which country was it constructed?

Answer: Kenya

Fort Jesus is located on Mombasa Island. The fort was built between 1593 and 1596. It was the only fort maintained by the Portuguese on the Swahili coast. Although the fort incorporated Renaissance architecture to a large extent, the local Swahili people contributed masonry techniques. Giovanni Battista Cairati, a Milanese architect was the principal architect, of the fort.

Source: Author angikar

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stedman before going online.
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The continent of Africa is home to numerous magnificent World Heritage Sites, which, although less explored, have their unique beauty. Let's explore some of them!

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