Click here for a full-size version of this week’s map.

This map is a dot map of the world. (Do you need a refresher on what a dot map is? Visit our “Basics” page for a quick primer.) On this map, each dot represents something special. Since there aren’t that many dots, we have made them fairly large. There are three places where they overlap, so we have tried to spread those out a bit. As always, your job is to figure out what this dot map represents.

Stumped? Check back Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for hints about where to focus your investigation. The answer will be posted on Monday, October 9. Good luck!

Tuesday’s hint: More dots are being added to this map from time to time—and there are many more dots now than there would have been a few decades ago. It is most likely that the next dot to be added will be in Calgary, Canada.

Wednesday’s hint: The newest dot on this map is the one on the island of Java in Indonesia. This dot is just south of Jakarta in the city of Bogor.

Thursday”s hint: The country with the most dots on this map is China—by quite a big margin! In just the province of Sichuan alone, there are three dots. Those three dots are all in or near the city of Chengdu. Can you figure out why somebody might want to visit Chengdu?

Friday’s hint: In April 1972, the number of dots in the U.S. on this map would have increased from zero to one. That was the year that Richard Nixon visited Beijing, jumpstarting relations between China and the U.S. after more than two decades of enmity. The thaw in relations was accompanied by a variety of schemes for cultural exchange, including a famous visit by the American ping pong team to China in 1971. Imagine, for a moment, that you were in charge of China’s foreign affairs in the 1970s. What special gift, entirely unique to China and certain to cause excitement, might you have given to the U.S. at that time?

Answer: Click here to see an explanation of the answer to this week’s map question.

Next map: Click here to try out our newest map question.