NewsTracker Answers for week of Oct. 21, 2013

Q: Moldovan prison guards captured a small grey and white cat being used to smuggle bags of marijuana tied around its neck. Where is Moldova -- a small country sandwiched between two much larger neighbors -- on this map?

Circle the area on this map


Q: Moldova is the poorest nation in . . .

A. Asia

B. Europe

C. Eurasia

D. All of the above


B. With a Gross Domestic Product of $3,500 per person, Moldova is the poorest European nation. Eurasia is the combined landmass of Europe and Asia, and there are several nations in Asia which are poorer than Moldova.


Q: The Moldovan language is the same as the language of Moldova's western neighbor . . .

A. Hungary

B. Poland

C. Romania

D. Ukraine


C. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and the Ukraine to the north, east and south. Moldova's Declaration of Independence names the official language as Romanian, while its Constitution says it is Moldovan. Many consider Moldovans to be part of the Romanian ethnic group.


Q: Moldova has been repeatedly invaded, but it was NOT part of which empire?

A. British

B. Roman

C. Russian

D. Ottoman


A. While the British Empire was the world's largest, it never included Moldova. Here's just a few of the groups that have invaded the area now known as Moldova: Romans, Russians, Ottoman Turks, Goths, Huns, Bulgarians, Mongols and Tartars.


Q: What does Moldova get its name from?

A. Ancient tribe

B. Mountains

C. Ancient ruler

D. River


D. The Moldova River in Romania gave its name to the Principality of Moldavia, which was created in the 14th century and covered an area which includes what is now Moldova and eastern Romania. There is a legend that the Moldavia's first prince, Dragos, named the river Moldova after his hunting dog Molda drowned in it.