1.

Should Central America or Middle America be treated as a separate

continent? Why?
 Central America or Middle America is a 1,140-mile-long isthmus that
connects Mexico to South America. It is bounded on the east by the
Caribbean Sea and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Central America
is a part of North America, but is often referred to as its own
region. In my own opinion, there is no need for Central America to be
treated as a separate continent. This is because continents usually
refer to “big bodies of land separate from others”, and I have stated
above that Central America is only an isthmus, or a narrow strip of
land which means that it does not qualify to be treated as a
continent. Additionally, Central America is entirely connected to
North America, which further proves my stand that Central America
should not be considered as a separate continent.

2. Explain why Catholicism is a minority religion in North America

 Catholicism is not a minority religion in North America, since the
Catholic Church is larger than any other single religious institution in
the United States, with over 17,000 parishes that serve a large and
diverse population. Catholicism has grown during the country’s history.
It started slowly in the early 19th century through immigration and
acquisition of territories with predominately Catholic populations. In
the mid-19th century, a rapid influx of Irish and German immigrants
made Catholicism the largest religion in the U.S.

3. Explain why the majority of South Americans are Catholics.

 In numerous South American countries, Catholicism is the most
practiced religion. According to survey data from Pew Research
Center 2014, 69% of the Latin American population is Catholic. This is
highly because Catholicism was the sole religion allowed during the
colonial era. Various indigenous groups were forced to abandon their
own beliefs and convert to Catholicism, which is still known as the
dominant religion in South America today.

4.  Discuss the role of Panama canal in the socioeconomic life of

South Americans
 The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean
via the Caribbean Ocean, and it allows ships to avoid sailing another
5,000 miles around the southern tip of South America. The Panama
Canal has been significantly useful throughout history for it provides
solutions for varying sea levels by sending ships through a series of
three locks. Moreover, the Panama Canal has helped make the
transportation of goods by sea faster and more efficient. Due to
 quicker shipments, major commercial centers are serviced quicker,
allowing ships to be used for extra sailings per year. This provides
opportunities for more frequent shipping schedules, with the
capability of more goods being traded on a global scale.

5.  Explain why South American countries are also known as Latin

American countries.
 South American countries are also known as Latin American countries
because of the term coined in the 1860s by French emperor Napoleon
III. The emperor and his ministers used the term “Latin America” to
try to suggest at least some degree of cultural similarity between the
region and France. The region consists of people who speak Spanish,
Portuguese, French, Italian, and Romanian. These European languages
developed from Latin during the days of the Roman Empire, hence the
term “Latin America” was also used to refer to South America.

6. Identify the different unique geographical features of Australia and

state why you consider them unique. 
 The five geographical features that make Australia unique are the
following: Uluru (Australia’s Big Rock), The Great Barrier Reef, The
Twelve Apostles, The Great Dividing Range, and The Great Australian
Bight. The first feature, Uluru, is Australia's most iconic geographic
feature and is the largest monolith (single rock formation) in the
world. The second feature, The Great Barrier Reef, is the world's
largest coral reef system and is listed of the Seven Natural Wonders
of the World on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The third
feature, The Twelve Apostles, is a massive collection of limestone
stacks in the southern-eastern part of Australia and they are one of
Australia's best-known geological landmarks. The fourth feature, The
Great Dividing Range, consists of the New England Plateau, the
Australian Alps, the Snowy Mountains, the Blue Mountains, the
Grampian Mountains and Australia's tallest mountain: Mount. This
range is the home to several living species that do not exist anywhere
else on earth. The fifth and final feature, The Great Australian Bight,
is a large oceanic bight and is the largest indentation on the
Australian coast. It has the longest line of sea cliffs in the world. All
five of these features makes Australia an extremely unique continent.

7. Explain why Africa is called the black continent. What are the terms
given to this continent by non - Africans?
 Africa was known as the “Black Continent” because it remained
unexplored for a fairly long period of time. Up until the 19th century,
Europeans had little direct knowledge of Africa beyond the coast.
 Some European explorers who went to Africa were credited with
(newly) discovering the mountains, rivers, and kingdoms to which
African people guided them. The maps these explorers created did
add to what was known, but they also helped create the myth of the
Black or Dark Continent. Africans have been through a lot due to non-
Africans, such as becoming suppliers of slaves to Europe and America.
Other continents have also heavily exploited Africa’s forests, plains,
and natural resources such as gold, platinum, diamonds, chromium, and
ivory.

8. Discuss the major reasons for Africa's backwardness.

 Ignorance is the major root cause of the various challenges
confronting African nations; other problems like poor leadership,
corruption, unemployment, diseases, and violence are products of
ignorance. Another reason for Africa’s backwardness is the education
and knowledge gap. Inadequate skills and knowledge cripples the
economy as there is no skilled labor to drive the nation. Lastly, issues
like unfair trade policies and being geographically disadvantaged are
to be blamed for Africa’s backwardness.

9. How does Africa's location affect the lives of the people of this
continent? Explain your answer.
 Africa’s location shaped the history and development of the culture
and people of Ancient Africa. Its location highly impacted numerous
factors such as where Africans could reside in, important trade
resources, and trade routes. However, in present day, geographical
characteristics affect economic outcomes directly – making life more
difficult for landlocked countries. Disadvantaged African countries
experience many difficulties such as high expenses for transporting
goods to port, raised costs of irrigating and farming land, and in
general making it expensive for businesses.

10.Who owns Antarctica? Explain your answer.

 The continent of Antarctica is not owned by any nation. Antarctica is
governed internationally through the Antarctic Treaty system. The
Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by 12 countries who had
scientists in and around Antarctica at the time. The original
signatories of the Antarctic Treaty included seven countries with
territorial claims. These are Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New
Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom. The Antarctic Treaty
entered into force in 1961. It has since been agreed to by many other
nations.