China, India and the United States currently are the world’s three most populous nations. By 2060, they will rank in second, first and fourth place, respectively. We wonder: Which country will have taken the current place of the United States to have the world’s third-largest population in 2060?
A. Indonesia
B. Pakistan
C. Bangladesh
D. Nigeria
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Bangladesh was the smallest of the four countries to emerge out of British colonial rule in the Indian subcontinent. Formerly known as East Pakistan, it has more people than either Russia or Japan. We wonder: Which of the following statements about today’s Bangladesh are true?
A. Its fertility rate is below the global average.
B. It is an integral part of global supply chains.
C. Media freedom is a big challenge.
D. It faces an imminent existential threat from climate change.
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Women are making progress in the leadership ranks of many countries. We wonder: Among the world’s 20 most populous nations, how many have so far had a woman as head of government or state in modern times?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 5
D. 9
Polio was a global scourge as recently as three decades ago. Since then, it has been on the decline worldwide. Polio has now been eradicated in the wild from all but two countries. We wonder: Which countries still have not halted transmission of polio from the wild?
A. Afghanistan
B. Pakistan
C. Iraq
D. Nigeria Continue reading
Modern Iran traces its roots to ancient Persia. However, the country is home to many languages and ethnicities. We wonder: What percentage of Iran’s population today is not ethnically Persian?
A. 2%
B. 10%
C. 16%
D. 39%
The group of the world’s 20 largest economies is not static. Over time, some countries are bound to move into this elite club, while others may drop out. We wonder: Which countries are projected to make the greatest upward move among the world’s top 20 economies?
A. Indonesia
B. Brazil
C. Pakistan
D. Nigeria