Question

Difficulty: MediumLocation, Size, and Political Divisions of Africa

Match each African political division in Column A with its corresponding political-geographical characteristic in Column B.

  • Equatorial GuineaA sovereign nation whose national capital is situated on an offshore island separate from its mainland territory
  • CabindaA political exclave physically separated from the main territory of Angola by a corridor belonging to another nation
  • EswatiniA landlocked sovereign kingdom enclosed almost entirely by South Africa and bordering Mozambique to the east
  • SeychellesAn island archipelago in the Indian Ocean that constitutes Africa's smallest sovereign state by land area

Answer

Equatorial Guinea matches with having its capital on an offshore island separate from its mainland; Cabinda matches with being a political exclave of Angola separated by the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Eswatini matches with being a landlocked kingdom enclosed by South Africa and Mozambique; Seychelles matches with being an Indian Ocean island archipelago that is Africa's smallest sovereign country.
Each item in Column A correctly matches its distinct political-geographical status in Column B: Equatorial Guinea has its capital Malabo on Bioko Island separate from mainland Río Muni; Cabinda is an Angolan exclave separated by the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Eswatini is a landlocked kingdom enclosed by South Africa and Mozambique; and Seychelles is an Indian Ocean archipelago holding the distinction of being Africa's smallest sovereign nation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the territorial configuration of Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea consists of Bioko Island (where the capital Malabo is located) and the mainland region of Río Muni.
This makes it a unique political division where the national capital resides on an offshore island.
2
Examine the political status of Cabinda
Cabinda is an oil-rich province of Angola separated physically from Angola's main landmass by the Democratic Republic of the Congo's sea corridor.
A territory belonging to one country but geographically separated from it by another is defined as an exclave.
3
Identify the geographical position of Eswatini
Eswatini is a small landlocked country in Southern Africa surrounded by South Africa on three sides and Mozambique on its eastern border.
This establishes its exact political boundaries and landlocked nature.
4
Determine the territorial extent of Seychelles
Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean covering a total land area of approximately 459 square kilometers.
It is recognized as Africa's smallest sovereign nation by both land size and population.

Key Concept

Spatial Layout, Boundaries, and Unique Political Divisions of African Nations
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