Dahomey abandoned its colonial name in 1975, renaming itself after an ancient kingdom. What is that country called today?

Geography

In what year did a Marxist coup lead Dahomey to rename itself Benin, rejecting its colonial-era name?

Bénin abandoned its colonial name Dahomey in 1975 after a Marxist coup, choosing the name of an ancient kingdom to reject its colonial past entirely.

Geography

Which country's government was among those refusing for decades to officially recognize Myanmar's 1989 name change from Burma?

Myanmar's name change in 1989 was so controversial that Western countries refused to recognize it officially for decades, still calling it Burma.

Geography

Which country became the last in Africa to officially rename itself, switching from Swaziland to a new name in 2018?

Eswatini changed its name from Swaziland in 2018—the last African country to rename itself—specifically to avoid confusion with Switzerland in international dealings.

Geography

Which three East African nations border Lake Victoria, whose center lacks an internationally agreed maritime boundary?

Lake Victoria's three bordering nations (Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya) have no agreed maritime boundary lines in the lake, making ownership of its center legally undefined.

Geography

What natural behavior of the Rio Grande made it necessary for the US and Mexico to legally fix its historical channel as their shared border?

The Río Grande between USA and Mexico shifts constantly. A 1963 treaty requires both nations to maintain its exact historical channel, even as the river moves.

Geography

By roughly what proportion had the Great Barrier Reef's coral cover declined between 1995 and the mid-2020s?

Australia's Great Barrier Reef stretches 1,400 miles but has lost half its coral cover since 1995, largely unseen by distant observers.