World Trivia 2

Answer E. Mesopotamia Civilization

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The oldest recorded civilization in the world is the Mesopotamia Civilization. Overall, the 5 oldest civilizations of the world are:

1. Mesopotamia Civilization (modern day Iraq) - 3500 B.C. - 500 B.C.
2. Egyptian Civilization - 3100 B.C. - 332 B.C.
3. Indus Valley Civilization (India 7 Pakistan) - 3300 B.C. - 1300 B.C.
4. Chinese Civilization - 2070 B.C. - present
5. The Maya Civilization (The Americas) - 2000 B.C. - 1500 A.D.

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Source: historyhippo.com

Answer: A. Luxembourg

143,000 (GDP per capita, constant prices)

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Many of the world’s richest countries are also the world’s smallest. The pandemic and the global economic slowdown barely made a dent in their huge wealth. Some very small and very rich countries—like San Marino, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Singapore—benefit from having sophisticated financial sectors and tax regimes that attract foreign investment, professional talent and large bank deposits. Others like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have large reserves of hydrocarbons or other lucrative natural resources. Shimmering casinos and hordes of tourists are good for business too: Asia’s gambling haven Macao remains one of the most affluent states in the world despite having endured almost three years of intermittent lockdowns and pandemic-related travel restrictions.

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Source: International Monetary Fund

Answer: E. South Sudan

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1. South Sudan - $492.72
2. Burundi - $936.42
3. Central African Republic - $1,140.00
4. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) - $1,570.00
5. Haiti - $1,730.00

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South Sudan has the highest poverty rate at 82.3%, indicating severe economic challenges and a need for significant humanitarian and developmental aid. The United States, with a significant wealth inequality gap, has varying poverty rates, up to 17.8%, pointing to challenges even in the world's largest economy.

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Poverty in Haiti
The poorest Gross National Income per capita (at Purchase Power Parity) is Haiti at $1730.

• The average for Caribbean/Latin American developing countries is $14,098. (World Bank)
• 59% of the population lives on less than US$2 per day (World Bank)
• 24.7% lives in extreme poverty on less than US$1.25 per day. (UNDP )
• Poverty is mainly rural, at 75.2%, vs. 40.8% in urban areas. (MDG rpt)
• Over two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs.
  (CIA Factbook Education& Literacy
• 50 percent of children do not attend school. (World Bank)
• Almost 80 percent of teachers have not received any pre-service training. (World Bank)
• Haiti’s literacy rate is 61% – 64% for males and 57% for females. (CIA Factbook)
• The average literacy rate for Latin American and Caribbean developing countries is 92%. (World Bank 2015)

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  Health & Nutrition
• Life expectancy is 63 years. (World Bank)
• 30% of the population is considered food insecure. (World Food Programme)
• Infant mortality: 55 per 1000 births (UNICEF)
• 59 per 1,000 born in Haiti die before reaching their first birthday (Ministry of Health )
• Under five mortality rate: 88 per 1000 live births (Ministry of Health )
• “An estimated 1 in 285 births will result in a woman’s death, a ratio about 16 times higher than in the United States.” (Partners in Health)
• Prevalence of stunting (moderate to severe) is 22%. (UNICEF)

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  But why is it Haiti?
• Pregnant women and young children, many stripped of their Dominican citizenship before being pushed across the border into Haiti, are living in deplorable conditions. They are among thousands of Dominicans of Haitian descent who, since mid-2015, have been forced to leave the country of their birth, including through abusive summary deportations by the Dominican government. (Human Rights Watch)

Answer: C. Mississippi

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the national poverty rate was 12.4% in 2022, up from 11.2% in 2021. These states have the highest percentages of poverty in the country:

• Mississippi
• Louisiana
• West Virginia
• New Mexico
• Arkansas
• Kentucky
• Alabama
• Oklahoma
• Texas
• and New York.
The United States, with a significant wealth inequality gap, has varying poverty rates, up to 17.8%, pointing to challenges even in the world's largest economy. (US News)

Answer: E. West Virginia

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These Are the 5 Most Obese States in the U.S.:

• West Virginia – 41.3% of the population
• Oklahoma – 40.3%
• Louisiana – 40%
• Mississippi – 39.7%
• Tennessee – 39.1%

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(US News.com)