General Knowledge
Survive a Coup Quiz
Tanks in the streets, internet cuts — staying alive when the government changes overnight
Tanks in the streets, internet cuts — staying alive when the government changes overnight
When governments fall, internet shutdowns happen within hours — Myanmar's military cut Facebook within 24 hours of the 2021 coup, then Twitter and Instagram. Coups follow recognizable patterns, and historical examples from Chile to Turkey to West Africa give us a remarkably consistent playbook for survival.
Each round presents 10 randomized questions from a pool of 50, with four multiple-choice options and instant feedback after every answer. Your final score comes with a performance tier and shareable results.
You'll learn the difference between a coup, a putsch, an autogolpe, and a revolution; how to prepare for internet shutdowns, capital controls, and curfews; lessons from major historical coups — Chile 1973, Turkey 2016, Myanmar 2021, the Sahel "coup belt"; how embassies and travel insurance handle these crises; and the practical safety steps for both citizens and foreign nationals caught in political instability.
A coup d'état (French for "stroke of state") is the sudden, often violent, illegal seizure of a government — typically by the military or a small ruling faction. Unlike a revolution, it is generally elite-driven rather than mass-driven.
The basics: stay home and away from government buildings, military bases, and crowds; stockpile water, food, cash, and ID; expect internet and phone shutdowns and have a transistor radio; avoid filming soldiers; and if you are a foreign national, register with your embassy and have an evacuation plan.
Recent successful coups include Myanmar (2021), Mali (2020 and 2021), Guinea (2021), Burkina Faso (2022), Niger (2023), and Gabon (2023). Together the Sahel states have been called a "coup belt" because of the cluster.
Last updated: May 2026