World Facts and Geography

Indonesia is nicknamed 'Emerald of the Equator' due to its lush green tropical rainforests and its position straddling the equator. The country has thousands of islands covered in dense emerald-green vegetation. Brazil, Nigeria, and Mauritius are not known by this nickname, though all have tropical regions.

Switzerland is not a member of the European Union and has not applied for membership, maintaining its neutrality and independence. Ireland and Sweden are EU members, while Iceland has applied for EU membership (though its application is currently on hold). Switzerland has repeatedly voted against joining the EU in referendums.

The Ligurian Sea separates Corsica (a French island) from mainland Italy. Corsica lies in the Ligurian Sea, which is the portion of the Mediterranean Sea between the Italian Riviera and the islands of Corsica and Elba. Sicily is separated by the Tyrrhenian Sea, while Malta and Crete are much further south and east.

The Tropic of Capricorn passes through Namibia (northern border), Brazil (southern states), and Mozambique (southern portion). Zimbabwe is the only option among these where the Tropic of Capricorn does NOT pass through - Zimbabwe's northern border (around 15.5°S) is well south of the Tropic's 23.5°S position. This makes the question wording and claimed answer correct.

The Mosquito Coast is located along the eastern Caribbean coast of Honduras, extending into Nicaragua. It was historically a British protectorate and gets its name from the Miskito people who inhabit the region. The other options - El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama - are all Central American countries but do not contain the Mosquito Coast region.

Greenland celebrates its National Day (Ullortuneq) on June 21, which is the summer solstice - the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This date is significant because of Greenland's high latitude where the sun may not set at all during summer. Ghana, Iceland, and Ecuador have their national holidays on different dates not related to solstices.

Gabon is intersected by the equator, with its capital Libreville located just north of it. The country straddles the equator with significant territory both north and south. Peru and Venezuela are entirely in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres respectively, while Rwanda, though close, is entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Pitcairn Islands is a British Overseas Territory with approximately 50 inhabitants, making it one of the least populated jurisdictions on Earth. It was settled by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. Christmas Island (Australia), Niue, and Svalbard all have populations in the hundreds or thousands.

The Galápagos Islands are an Ecuadorian province located about 1,000 kilometers west of mainland Ecuador. The islands are famous for their unique wildlife and Charles Darwin's observations there. While Chile, Peru, and Colombia are all South American countries on the Pacific coast, none of them administer the Galápagos.

The Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland is the only salt mine listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, recognized for its historical importance and underground chapels carved from salt. Operating for over 700 years, it's a major tourist attraction near Kraków. Russia, Ukraine, and Latvia have salt mines but none with World Heritage status.

The Kara-Kum (Black Sand) Desert is a large desert located in Turkmenistan, covering about 70% of the country's territory. It's east of the Caspian Sea and is known for its petroleum and natural gas deposits. Iran, Azerbaijan, and Georgia are all near the Caspian region but the Kara-Kum is entirely within Turkmenistan.

Al Jazirah (meaning 'the island' in Arabic) refers to the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq, also known as Mesopotamia. This fertile region is considered part of the 'Cradle of Civilization.' Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Iran are all regional powers but the term Al Jazirah specifically refers to the Iraqi region between the two rivers.

The Snowy Mountains are located in Australia, specifically in the southeastern part of New South Wales. They are part of the Great Dividing Range and contain the highest peaks in mainland Australia.

Brazil is the country that lies on both the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn. The equator runs through northern Brazil, while the Tropic of Capricorn passes through southern Brazil near Sao Paulo.