States of the World: AFRICA 2019 FREE

(1 customer review)




Country names, spatial relationships, capitals, languages, nationalities, and physical, demographic and economic data

Geographic and economic vocabulary, comparatives, Q&A practice, reading and comparing large numbers and ordinals

LEVEL: beginner to advanced; mixed levels OK
AGES: 10 and up
GAME TIME: WAR 5-10 minutes, HOLIDAY 10-20 minutes, LINK 20-30 minutes
GAME ENDS: When all the cards have been played
INCLUDED IN THE DOWNLOAD: (all PDF) game board (46 by 46 cm), nation cards (54 countries), flag cards, rules, question cards, name key.
A PNG file of the game board is also included (5400 by 5400 px at 300 dpi)



States of the World is a collection of board and card games designed to improve number reading, to provide conversation practice using comparatives, and to develop geographical knowledge of several types including country names and locations, capital cities, and relative sizes of land masses, populations and economies. There is some element of luck (cards are drawn) but it is essentially a strategy game as players make decisions each round in their attempt to fulfill the winning criteria. The games can be tailored to suit any level of geographical knowledge and can also be enjoyed by groups of mixed geographic and English abilities.

Presently available: Africa (this download), Japan, Asia, Europe, USA.
Coming soon: Oceana, The Americas, The Caribbean
The games will be updated every 2 years to reflect changing data.

Each round consists of 2 players drawing 1 card each and playing a mini-war (as in the card game War). Both players say the name of their country but keep their card hidden from view. Player 1 asks either a comparative question where players compare information on the cards they are holding; (eg What’s the population?), or an information type question based on the card she is holding (eg. What’s the capital of (my card) Angola?) A player wins the round by having the higher number (or better rank) in the category chosen by the questioner; or by answering the question correctly (The capital of Angola is Luanda.). The winner can either keep the card they are holding, change cards with the losing player, or change cards with the deck of remaining (unused) cards. Then both players place a piece on the map board. Play now continues with player 2 and player 3. The game ends when all the country cards have been used. Points are scored for linked countries (1 point for each contiguous country, minimum 3).

Three or more contiguous countries: 1 point for each country
Three islands: 5 points

Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe, Cape Verde.

LEVEL 1: COMPARATIVE QUESTIONS (Larger number or higher rank wins. )
Based on both players’ cards (hidden from view). Players must say the numbers correctly.
How big is it? (land area, world rank)
What is the population? (2016 or latest available data)
What is the highest point? (meters above sea level)
What is the GDP per person? (in International dollars at purchasing power parity, 2016 or latest available data, from IMF)

LEVEL 2: INFORMATION QUESTIONS (Correct answer wins.)
From the questioner’s card (hidden from view).
What’s the capital of questioner’s country?
Point to questioner’s country on the map.
What language is spoken in questioner’s country?
What is the national animal?

LEVEL 3: INFORMATION QUESTIONS (Correct answer wins.)
From the questioner’s card (hidden from view).
What is one important agricultural or industrial product?
Name two neighboring countries.
Point to the national flag. (Flag cards should be cut out and randomized.)
What are citizens called in questioner’s country?

Before play begins, players decide which level or levels to use.

1 Questions must be asked in order.
2 Once a question is asked, it can’t be used again until all other questions have been asked. (A marker can be placed on the question card indicating which questions have been asked.)
3 Questions are asked randomly (dice throw).
4 Weaker students can only be asked level 1 questions.
5 The same question can’t be asked twice in a row.
6 Country names are not announced (unless necessary to answer the question).
7 Instead of asking a question, player 1 gives 2 or 3 pieces of information and player 2 guesses the country.

The player with the longest chain of states wins.

GAME 2: WAR (cards only)
A War-type card game can be played if you only have 5-10 minutes to spare. Follow the same routine as above, except winner keeps both cards. The player with the most cards at the end wins. Alternatively, the player who can link the most countries wins. A single deck can be divided among several pairs.

All players start at and return to the Western Sahara (gray area on map: as of 2016 its status has not been determined). All players draw a destination card. Players roll a single die and move that many spaces (countries) in an effort to reach their holiday destination and come home again. Every country traversed must be named correctly. If a mistake is made, the player ends their turn on the last correctly identified country. When the roundtrip is completed, the next destination card is drawn.
The game ends after a fixed number of turns (for example 10).
When a player reaches their destination, the remainder of their movement is forfeited and they must wait until their next turn to start the journey home.
A player may not pass through an occupied country.
A player may not visit the same country twice on the same turn.
The other players can look at the country key to ensure the countries are named correctly.
Islands can be reached from the nearest mainland country only if a 3 or higher is rolled; in other words it takes 3 movement points to cross the ocean.
Permitted crossings are:
Cape Verde — Senegal
Sao Tome — Gabon
Madagascar — Mozambique
Mauritius — Madagascar
Comoros — Mozambique
Seychelles — Tanzania

1 review for States of the World: AFRICA 2019 FREE

  1. mike mackay (verified owner)

    I like it. But then again, I made it. For anyone who downloads this free resource please leave some feedback here to help me improve the games.

