Global Issues (not so) Trivia
Questions
1
What is the current human population of the
world?
a) 3.5 billion
b) 7 billion
c) 10.5 billion
d) 18.5 billion
2
• What was the world’s human population in
1960?
a) 0.5 billion
b) 1 billion
c) 3 billion
d) 5 billion
3
What is the world population projected to be in
2050?
a) 8 billion
b) 9 billion
c) 11 billion
d) 14 billion
4
Q: What are the first, second, third and fourth most
populous countries in the world?
A:
1. China,
2. India,
3. United States,
4. Indonesia
Then…
Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Russia, Japan
5
By about how many people per year is world
population growing?
a) 25 million
b) 55 million
c) 80 million
d) 95 million
6
• What percentage of the world’s people today
live in cities?
a) 10%
b) 25%
c) 50%
d) 80%
7
What city in the world has the largest population?
a) Tokyo
b) Mexico City
c) Cairo
d) New York City
e) Los Angeles
A:
Tokyo, with 37 million!
Then
Largest cities
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2. Jakarta, Indonesia (26,063,000)
3. Seoul, South Korea (22,547,000)
4. Delhi, India (22,242,000)
5. Shanghai, China (20,860,000)
6. Manila, Philippines (20,767,000)
7. Karachi, Pakistan (20,711,000)
8. New York, USA (20,464,000)
9. Sao Paulo, Brazil (20,186,000)
10. Mexico City, Mexico (19,463,000)
11. Cairo, Egypt (17,816,000)
12. Beijing, China (17,311,000)
13. Osaka, Japan (17,011,000)
14. Mumbai (Bombay), India (16,910,000)
15. Guangzhou, China (16,827,000)
16. Moscow, Russia (15,512,000)
17. Los Angeles, USA (14,900,000)
8
Because of urban sprawl in the United States, an area
the size of which state is paved over each year?
a) Texas
b) Delaware
c) Rhode Island
d) Kansas
A:
Delaware
9
In 1950, average life expectancy worldwide was:
a) 36
b) 49
c) 56
d) 66
A:
49
10
In 2000, the average life expectancy worldwide
was:
a) 46
b) 56
c) 65
d) 76
A:
65
11
What is the measurement tool called that is
used to describe the area of the earth’s surface
necessary to support a given human lifestyle?
A:
Ecological Footprint
12
What country has the largest Ecological Footprint
per person?
a) United States
b) China
c) Japan
d) Afghanistan
A:
USA
13
What is the single greatest cause of species
extinction?
a) Poaching
b) Hunting for food
c) Capture for exotic pet trade
d) Habitat destruction
A:
Habitat destruction
14
The rapid loss of species we are seeing today is estimated
by experts to be between _____ and _______ times
higher than the natural extinction rate.* (The rate that
would exist if humans weren’t around)
a) 5 and 10
b) 10 and 100
c) 100 and 1,000
d) 1,000 and 10,000
A:
1,000 and 10,000 (source wwf)
15
What percentage of global coral reefs are
estimated to have been lost in the last century?
a) 12%
b) 27%
c) 50%
d) 58%
A:
27%
16
• Roughly what percentage of the world’s
people live on $2/day or less?
a) 15%
b) 30%
c) 40%
d) 65%
A:
40% !
17
What is the most widely spoken language on the
earth?
A:
Mandarin Chinese
18
Roughly how many people in the world today
are chronically hungry?
a) 1 million
b) 58 million
c) 870 million
d) 2 billion
A:
870 million (about 12.5% or 1 in 8!)
19
Roughly what percentage of the world’s people
lack access to safe water supply?
a) 10%
b) 15%
c) 20%
d) 50%
A:
20% (1 out of every 5 people!)
20
Approximately what percentage of global energy
do hydrocarbon fuels (fossil fuels) generate?
a) 20%
b) 40%
c) 60%
d) 80%
A:
80%
21
• What activity accounts for the highest water
use world wide – agriculture, industry or
domestic (household)? (rank them)
A:
Agriculture: 65-70% of water
Industry: 20-25%
Household/domestic: 13%
22
How much has the sea level risen over the last 100
years, according to NOAA?
a) About 1 inch
b) about 3 inches
c) about 7.5 inches
d) About 12 inches
A:
About 7.5 inches
23
How much is sea level predicted to rise by 2100?
a) Up to 10 inches
b) Up to 15 inches
c) Up to 20 inches
d) Up to 27 inches
A:
Up to 27 inches
24
What element (from the periodic table) do many
scientists believe can provide an unlimited
source of clean energy?
A:
hydrogen