NewsTracker Answers for week of July 07, 2014

Q: Costa Rica's newly elected president has passed a decree banning his name being put on plaques at public works or his portrait hung in public offices, which was until now a common practice. Where is the Central American nation of Costa Rica?

Circle the area on this map

Q: "The worship of the image of the president is over, at least under my government," said Solis, the first third-party candidate to govern the nation in more than 50 years. Costa Rica has a long history as a stable democracy, unlike its northern neighbor . . .

A. El Salvador

B. Guatemala

C. Nicaragua

D. Panama

C. Costa Rica is bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the southeast. Those nations along with El Salvador and Guatemala suffered through long years of dictatorships, military juntas and coups while Costa Rica became one of the most stable, prosperous and progressive nations in Latin America.

Q: Costa Rica peaceful democratic history was interrupted by a two-year military takeover in 1917 and a 44-day civil war in 1948. But it later became the first sovereign nation to . . .

A. Abolish its army

B. Balance its budget

C. Create a civil rights commission

D. Destroy all its weapons

A. After the civil war, Costa Rica established a constitution that permanently abolished its army. Instead of military spending, the nation spends about 20 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) to provide social security programs and universal access to education, health care, clean water, sanitation and electricity.

Q: Which nation in the Western Hemisphere spends the largest share of its GDP on health care?

A. Costa Rica

B. Cuba

C. Canada

D. United States

D. The United States spends 17.9% of its GDP on heath care compared with 11.2% for Canada, 10.9% for Costa Rica and 10% for Cuba.

Q: Costa Rica means "rich coast" in Spanish. The country lies between the Caribbean Sea and the . . .

A. Atlantic Ocean

B. Pacific Ocean

C. Gulf of Mexico

D. Gulf of California

B. The Pacific Ocean is west of Costa Rica and the Caribbean Sea – part of the Atlantic – is on the east. Despite its name, a Spanish governor in 1719 described Costa Rica as "the poorest and most miserable Spanish colony in all America" because it lacked gold, silver or enough native Americans to enslave for agriculture.