Since the days of Peter the Great — Russia’s great Westernizer of the 18th century — Russia has struggled to define itself as a European or an Eastern nation. We wonder: What percentage of Russia lies within the European continent?
A. 3%
B. 25%
C. 65%
D. 78%
On September 18, Scotland voted against seceding from the United Kingdom and becoming a small independent nation. Scotland’s vote against independence, however, may not dampen the separatist wishes of other regions. We wonder: Of the 193 countries in the United Nations, how many have a smaller population than Scotland’s 5.2 million?
A. 23
B. 40
C. 78
D. 106
Women make up 50% of the world’s population. But when it comes to their representation in government, the percentages are often significantly — and shamefully — much lower. We wonder: Which major government currently has the highest percentage of women in its cabinet?
A. China
B. United States
C. Japan
D. European Union
Widespread corruption greatly disadvantages the country’s poor. A lesser known, but equally troubling problem is the lack of sanitation. India’s new prime minister has vowed to tackle the severe lack of toilets around the country. We wonder: Which of the following statements is true?
A. 60% of all households without toilets in the world are in India.
B. India’s Muslims are less affected by the sanitation problem than Hindus.
C. India’s lack of toilets is worse than China’s.
D. Lack of toilets in India puts women at especially high risk.