More Interesting Facts About A Few Countries Quiz

Answer: To prevent women from competing

Wrestling is the most popular and revered sport in Mongolia and is said to have been played there for more than 7,000 years. In national competitions, winners are given titles of honour the further they advance up the rounds, such as nachin (falcon) for the fifth round winner, zaan (elephant) for the eighth round winner, and arslan (lion) for the eleventh round winner.

The grand winner overall is given the title avarga (titan). The traditional outfit worn for these competitions came into use quite some years ago.

Its purpose is to prevent women entering the competition because, so the story goes, at the time the decision was taken to enforce the costume, a woman had entered one of the national competitions and, before her gender was revealed, taken out the grand title. So funny! That particular Mongolian was a Missgolian.

Answer: One of his teeth

Esala Perahera is the grandest festival held in Sri Lanka and takes place in July or August each year. This Buddhist festival has become a symbol representing the beautiful country of Sri Lanka itself. It consists of many varied dances, music and delicious foods, and ends with a ceremony during which a vividly and beautifully adorned elephant parades around the central city of Kandy bearing a sacred tooth of Buddha. For the rest of the year, the tooth is housed in the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in the royal palace.

A belief associated with this sacred relic is that whoever has the relic will govern the country of Sri Lanka itself. The temple where the sacred tooth is housed for most of the year rests under a golden canopy and is encircled by a golden fence, and the sacred tooth rests within several golden caskets adorned with jewels.

Answer: Jellyfish Tree

The jellyfish tree is only found in a few locations in the Seychelles, and for some time was thought to be completely extinct, until a few precious plants were found growing in the islands in the 1970s. It is called after the jellyfish because of the unique shape of its flowers which resemble the tentacles of that marine creature. Refusing all attempts by man to harvest and grow more of the species in a controlled environment, the tree's seeds are dispersed by the wind instead and where they eventually land dictates whether or not they will spring to new life.

Answer: Slapping insects which have landed on one's body

Slapping insects on the body is indeed believed to be the origin behind this dance. The slap dance is traditionally performed by men only and the sounds of the slaps on the body create a rhythmic sound which guides the dancers in intricate movements. The art of dance, both modern and traditional, is an art form for which the gentle people of this beautiful country are noted.

Answer: Aquaculture

Nauru is the smallest island nation in the world and was settled by Micronesian and Polynesian peoples some 3,000 years ago. It has very limited natural water supplies and only a very small fertile area near the coast in which to grow crops. Yet, all that time ago, the peoples of this country managed to catch juvenile fish from the ocean, and train them to become acclimatised to fresh water in a small brackish tasting, fresh water lagoon - from where they could then continue to breed them for food. Just so incredible.

Answer: Christianity

The tradition of decorating eggs in the Ukraine dates back over thousands of years and is linked to a pagan festival in that country when a sun god known as Dazhboh was worshiped. Worship of the sun, with its life-giving properties was an important part of many ancient cultures and the Ukraine was no exception to this.

The egg came to represent the sun's source of life and was honoured in early spring festivals when all forms of new life - trees budding, animals birthing etc - were re-commencing their annual round.

When Christianity reached the Ukraine in the year 988, the pagan festivals which included these beautifully decorated eggs were simply adapted and merged with the new Christian traditions of Easter which occurred at the same time.

Answer: Central African Republic

The Central African Republic couldn't be more land-locked if it tried. It's surrounded by Chad in the north, on its east by Sudan, both the Congo countries border it on the south, and over the west it's blocked in by Cameroon. It's one of the poorest countries in the world and for a long period of its history, underwent terrible times with colonisation and for the following thirty years after independence.

The National Geographic is one of the world's largest scientific and educational institutions and has found CAR to have the least light pollution on the planet.

This form of pollution - artificial and man-made, as opposed to natural forms of lighting - impacts negatively on any country's energy waste, on the health of the inhabitants and can interfere drastically with the astronomical observations and eco-systems of countries.

Answer: Taiwan

Also known as the Asian Dragons, these four nations have highly developed industries and are noted for the maintenance of rapid growth, with advanced, high income economies. Their work forces are highly skilled and educated and tend to specialise in the areas in which they work.

For example, Hong Kong and Singapore are world leaders in international finance, while Taiwan and South Korea are world leaders in the information technology area. And all within half a century, an achievement which is truly impressive.

Answer: Austria

Following the occupation by the USSR, USA, UK and France for ten years following World War II, this Declaration of Neutrality, although looked upon as voluntary by Austrians, was more or less originally forced upon them by the USSR. The Soviet Union, in effect, refused to agree to Austria's State Treaty in 1955 if this declaration was not part of it. Since then, the concept of neutrality has become part of the Austrian psyche itself.

However, it will be interesting, if, at some time in the future, this stance could be challenged in time of war.

Answer: Queen of Jamaica

Queen Elizabeth is head of state of Jamaica because of the long historical connection for several centuries between the two countries when Jamaica was once a British possession. It achieved independence in its own right in August 1962, but still remains a member of the British Commonwealth.