NewsTracker Answers for week of Nov. 16, 2020

Q: Fighting between Ethiopia’s central government and the rebellious Tigray region has spilled over the nation’s border last week when rebel forces fired missiles at a city in Eritrea. Where is Ethiopia on the Horn of Africa?

Circle the area on this map


Q: Ethiopia and Eritrea only recently ended 20 years of war and established normal diplomatic relations. Where is Eritrea?

A. North of Ethiopia

B. East of Ethiopia

C. South of Ethiopia

D. West of Ethiopia


A. Ethiopia shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the west and Sudan to the northwest. Ethiopia’s Tigray region borders Eritrea and Sudan. Tigray’s leaders accused Eritrea of sending troops into the region.


Q: Tigray politicians dominated Ethiopia’s ruling coalition before reformer Abiy Ahmed became prime minister in 2018. Tigrayans are one of Ethiopia’s more than 80 . . .

A. Ethnic groups

B. Militias

C. Political parties

D. Religious sects


A. Ethiopia has more than 80 different ethnic groups speaking 90 individual languages. With 7.3 percent of the population Tigrayans are the third largest ethnic group. But, they gained national political power after leading a rebellion against a hated Marxist dictatorship and establishing a republic in 1991


Q: Prime Minister Aiby won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for making peace with Eritrea, but early this month he attacked the Tigray region amid growing ethnic tensions. Thousands of refugees fled to which country?

A. Eritrea

B. Somalia

C. South Sudan

D. Sudan


D. The United Nations and others have warned of a looming humanitarian disaster in the growing conflict as some 25,000 refugees, hungry and scared, have fled the Tigray region into Sudan.


Q: The influx of refugees is a new concern for Sudan which also is worried about what big project in Ethiopia?

A. Field for U.S. Air Force

B. Dam on the Blue Nile

C. Nuclear power plant


B. Ethiopia hopes that the colossal dam nearing completion on the Blue Nile will set the country on a path to industrialization that could lift tens of millions out of poverty. But, Sudan and Egypt fear the dam could be used as a barrier to hold back the source of nearly all the countries’ water.