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Today’s Geo Quiz is about a sinking economy. The global economic downturn is being felt in countries around the world. But the economy may be quite literally sinking in the country we’re looking for today.

One of South Asia’s most exotic tourist destinations is an island nation in the Indian Ocean. It’s 26 atolls are made up of more than a thousand islets, of which about 200 are inhabited. It holds the record for being the lowest lying country on the planet … on average about 5 feet above sea level.

Scientists say rising sea levels due to climate change may threaten the island’s very existence. Eventually, it could SINK below sea level. Now its tourism economy is sputtering.

Last week the nation’s president said he couldn’t even afford to travel to Copenhagen for the UN Climate Summit in December.

So he’s proposing a green tax on tourists to help pay for environmental protection…and to finance public spending.

So what’s the name of this low lying island nation with a sinking economy?

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The answer to our Geo Quiz is an island nation in the Indian Ocean. This country’s facing two big challenges. Its economy is in a slump, so the government short is considering a green tax on tourists. It’s also facing a more existential challenge — rising sea levels due to climate change. The answer is the Maldives Islands.