1. For each of the 3 countries, give the following information:

1. capital
2. location/the countries that share its borders
3. the religious breakdown of the population
4. the type of government
5. the chief of state (and head of government if different) If monarch or dictator, since what date has he/she ruled? – include name of heir apparent for monarch
6. the population

Find the answers at the CIA World FactBook website. For each country, answers can be found under the “Geography” “People” and “Government” headings.

NOTE to students: Before answering the questions below, read the information under “Background.”

2. For SPAIN:
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) What is the purpose of the Spanish siesta? (Why was it established?)
c) This report implies that Prime Minister Rajoy’s motive for eliminating the siesta is only self-serving - as a way to gain votes in the upcoming election. But others have been calling for the elimination of the siesta for a while. Regardless of the prime minister’s motive, a Spanish parliamentary commission said in a 2013 report that Spanish workers’ average productivity is much lower than in places such as Germany. Do you think this fact should affect the decision to eliminate the traditional siesta? Explain your answer.

3. For UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) - Dubai is one of the United Arab Emirates (see "Background" below for more info)
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) What is the benefit of using drones for these purposes?
c) How will the municipality use the drone footage?
d) Do you think U.S. towns, cities and/or states should begin a similar program? Why or why not? - consider the pros and cons. Explain your answer.

4. For JAPAN:
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) What is the purpose of the fingerprint system?
c) When does the government aim to have the system fully operational?
d) How will the system work?
e) Do you think we should have a nationwide fingerprint system in the U.S. similar to Japan’s? Why or why not - consider the pros and cons. Explain your answer.