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World
Government Response Tracker
Many governments and political leaders have taken different measures in dealing with the current COVID-19 pandemic. In order to track and compare policy responses of governments tackling the pandemic, the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford has created the Coronavirus Government Response Tracker. The tool releases systematic information on government measures. This map shows the government response stringency index of countries around the world on a scale of 0 to 100, with lower numbers having more lenient responses and higher numbers imposing stricter measures. Data is collected from public sources by a team of over one hundred students and staff at the university that base the index on nine response indicators including school closures, workplace closures, and travel bans.
This map depicts the government response stringency index of countries around the world. All COVID-19 updates will be displayed in a red box.
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South China Sea
U.S. Denounces Chinese Claims
The U.S. has publicly defended Southeast Asian nations against Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea. China has claimed nearly 90% of the sea in what is known as the “nine-dash line,” a territorial line of demarcation which includes the uninhabited islands of Paracels and Spratlys. China claims its rights to these territories dates back centuries, and in recent years has built artificial islands and sent patrols to the area. As tensions have recently risen in the region, the U.S. Secretary of State, Mark Pompeo, released a statement on Monday saying that China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea are unlawful. After years of taking no position, this is the first public statement the U.S. has released that sides with Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other nations against China on the territorial dispute.
This map depicts the territorial claims in the South China Sea by China, marked by the “nine-dash line”. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: BBC News
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Armenia and Azerbaijan
Violent Clash on Border
Today marks the third day of fighting along the border of Azerbaijan’s Tavuz district (Tavush in Armenia). The conflict stems from a 30-year-old dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region; internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but controlled by ethnic Armenians. In the 1990s, a war over the region led to the deaths of 30,000 people. Both nations accuse the other of shelling border towns, and fights along the border have resulted in casualties on both sides. The European Union released a statement asking for both sides to end the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has communicated with both sides, attempting to de-escalate the situation.
This map depicts the Armenia-Azerbaijan border where violent conflicts have broken out in the Tavush province. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: First traversed in 1616 by a Flemish expedition led by Willem Schouten, which body of water is considered to have the world’s roughest waters?
A: Drake Passage
At about 600 miles (1,000 km) wide and with an average depth of about 11,000 feet, the Drake Passage connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans between Cape Horn, Chile, and the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The passage named after the English seaman and global circumnavigator Sir Francis Drake, played an important part in the trade before the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. The stormy seas and icy conditions made sailing through the passage a rigorous test for ships and crews alike.
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Q: The Dinaric Alps, covers a distance of 401 miles and stretches through how many countries?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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