Geography: 45 trivia questions with sources
The bank balances capitals and countries with oceans, rivers, deserts, mountains, islands, borders, map lines, landforms, and geographic edge cases.
45 questions · 13 easy, 19 medium, 13 hard · 45 with a source link
Suggested round splits
5 ways to break this category into rounds. The printed sheet keeps the whole list in one run, so split it while you plan rather than while you host.
Capitals and countries
National capitals, well-known cities, flags, and country identification.
Oceans, rivers, and seas
Ocean boundaries, river routes, lakes, straits, current-bounded seas, and waterways.
Mountains, deserts, and islands
Elevation, dry regions, continents, islands, atolls, fjords, and polar geography.
Lines, distance, and global position
Hemispheres, meridians, longitude, the date line, poles, and distance from Earth's center.
Borders and geographic exceptions
Landlocked countries, enclaves, exclaves, surrounding states, gauges, and continental divides.
All 45 questions with answers
45 carry a pinned source revision
What is the largest ocean on Earth?
The Pacific OceanChecked against:
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth 's five oceanic divisions.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ocean?oldid=1365892953Which continent contains the Sahara Desert?
AfricaChecked against:
The Sahara (/ s ə ˈ h ɑːr ə /, / s ə ˈ h ɛ r ə /) is a desert spanning North Africa.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahara?oldid=1362700122Which South American river’s status as the world’s longest river system is disputed with the Nile?
The Amazon RiverChecked against:
The Amazon River (UK: / ˈ æ m ə z ən /, US: / ˈ æ m ə ˌ z ɒ n /; Portuguese: rio Amazonas, Spanish: río Amazonas) in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world, and the second-longest or longest river system in the world, a title which is disputed with the Nile.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_River?oldid=1365841520How many regions constitute Italy?
20 regionsChecked against:
Italy is constituted of 20 regions (regioni), five of which have special autonomous status which enables them to enact legislation on additional matters.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy?oldid=1365858575#Administrative_divisionsWhat imaginary line divides Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
The EquatorChecked against:
The equator is the circle of latitude that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equator?oldid=1364542125Which continent is also a country?
AustraliaChecked against:
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia?oldid=1365983641How is the Indian Ocean bounded to the north, west, and east?
Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the eastChecked against:
It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Ocean?oldid=1366030736Which mountain is the highest above sea level?
Mount EverestChecked against:
Mount Everest (known locally as Sagarmāthā in Nepal and Qomolangma in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China) is the highest mountain on Earth above sea level.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest?oldid=1365907460True or false: the Nile flows generally north.
The Nile flows northChecked against:
From there, the Nile flows north through the Nubian Desert to Egypt's capital, Cairo, and finally empties into the Mediterranean Sea near Alexandria, where it has formed a large river delta.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile?oldid=1366006663Which country contains the city of Barcelona?
SpainChecked against:
Barcelona is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona?oldid=1364706680Which city had about 200,000 inhabitants in 1328 and was already France's capital?
ParisChecked against:
With 200,000 inhabitants in 1328, Paris, then already the capital of France, was the most populous city of Europe.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris?oldid=1365435157#High_and_Late_Middle_Ages_to_Louis_XIVWhich European country contains the city of Rome?
ItalyChecked against:
In 2019, Rome was the 14th most visited city in the world with 8.6 million tourists, the third most visited city in the European Union, and the most popular tourist destination in Italy.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome?oldid=1365079961Which Japanese city is officially called the Tokyo Metropolis?
TokyoChecked against:
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital and most populous city of Japan.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo?oldid=1365982412Which nation has a maple leaf on its flag?
CanadaChecked against:
The national flag of Canada, popularly referred to as the Maple Leaf, consists of a red field with a white square at its centre in the horizontal ratio of 1∶2∶1, in which is featured one stylized, red, 11-pointed maple leaf charged in the centre.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Canada?oldid=1360679590Which Australian capital city was formally named in 1913?
CanberraChecked against:
The capital city was founded and formally named as Canberra in 1913.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canberra?oldid=1365086707Which UK meridian served as a country-specific prime meridian in the 18th century?
The Greenwich meridianChecked against:
In the 18th century most countries in Europe adapted their own prime meridian, usually through their capital, hence in France the Paris meridian was prime, in Prussia it was the Berlin meridian, in Denmark the Copenhagen meridian, and in United Kingdom the Greenwich meridian.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_meridian?oldid=1361215580#HistoryWhich city is both Egypt's largest city and the capital of Cairo Governorate?
CairoChecked against:
Cairo is the capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo?oldid=1364866999Which river runs through London?
The River ThamesChecked against:
The River Thames (/ t ɛ m z / ⓘ TEMZ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Thames?oldid=1365965350What is the capital of Brazil?
BrasíliaChecked against:
Brasília (/ b r ə ˈ z ɪ l i ə / brə- ZIL -ee-ə, Brazilian Portuguese: [ bɾaˈziliɐ, bɾaˈziljɐ ] ⓘ) is the capital city of Brazil and the Federal District.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bras%C3%ADlia?oldid=1365616413How does the length of a degree of longitude change toward the poles?
The length of a degree of longitude decreasesChecked against:
cos φ decreases from 1 at the equator to 0 at the poles, which measures how circles of latitude shrink from the equator to a point at the pole, so the length of a degree of longitude decreases likewise.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude?oldid=1365130151#Length_of_a_degree_of_longitudeWhich country has coastlines on the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans?
CanadaChecked against:
Canada stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west; to the north lies the Arctic Ocean.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Canada?oldid=1365163186Which Pacific quadrant lies off South America?
The Southeast PacificChecked against:
The Pacific Ocean can also be informally divided by the International Date Line into the East Pacific and the West Pacific, which allows it to be further divided into four quadrants, namely the Northeast Pacific off the coasts of North America, the Southeast Pacific off South America, the Northwest Pacific off Far Eastern / Pacific Asia, and the Southwest Pacific around Oceania.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ocean?oldid=1365892953What is the capital of Kenya?
NairobiChecked against:
After independence in 1963, Nairobi became the capital of the Republic of Kenya.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nairobi?oldid=1365483999How many countries does the Danube flow through or border?
TenChecked against:
In the 21st century, it connects ten European countries, running through their territories or marking a border.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danube?oldid=1364618141Which sea has no land coastline and is bounded by ocean currents?
The Sargasso SeaChecked against:
The Sargasso Sea (/ s ɑːr ˈ ɡ æ s oʊ /) is a region of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by four currents forming an ocean gyre.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sargasso_Sea?oldid=1357999290What is the capital of Thailand?
BangkokChecked against:
As the capital of Thailand, Bangkok is the seat of all branches of the national government.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok?oldid=1366053999#GovernmentWhich two countries have traditionally used the 1,668 mm Iberian railway gauge?
Spain and PortugalChecked against:
Both Spain and Portugal have traditionally used a non-standard rail gauge (the 1,668 mm Iberian gauge) since the construction of the first railroads in the 19th century.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iberian_Peninsula?oldid=1364035765#TransportationWhat is the capital of Canada?
OttawaChecked against:
The selection of Ottawa as a capital city predates the Confederation of Canada.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa?oldid=1366046499#Selection_as_capitalWhich country is home to the ancient city of Petra?
JordanChecked against:
Ancient Greek: Πέτρα, lit. ' Rock '), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu (Nabataean Aramaic: 𐢛𐢚𐢒 or 𐢛𐢚𐢓𐢈 , *Raqēmō), is an ancient city and archaeological site in southern Jordan.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra?oldid=1365738883Why does the International Date Line zigzag?
To pass around some territories and island groupsChecked against:
It passes through the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180.0° line of longitude and deviating to pass around some territories and island groups.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Date_Line?oldid=1365900798Which strait separates Asia from North America?
The Bering StraitChecked against:
The Bering Strait is about 82 kilometers (51 mi) wide at its narrowest point, between Cape Dezhnev, Chukchi Peninsula, Russia, the easternmost point (169° 39' W) of the Asian continent and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, United States, the westernmost point (168° 05' W) of the North American continent.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bering_Strait?oldid=1365907769#Geography_and_scienceWhat is the capital of Argentina?
Buenos AiresChecked against:
Buenos Aires, officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the capital and largest city of Argentina.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buenos_Aires?oldid=1365309606What geographic point does Antarctica contain?
The geographic South PoleChecked against:
Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctica?oldid=1365279816Which African lake is the source region of the White Nile?
Lake VictoriaChecked against:
The White Nile in Uganda goes under the name of "Victoria Nile" from Lake Victoria via Lake Kyoga to Lake Albert, and then as the "Albert Nile" from there to the border with South Sudan.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Nile?oldid=1360314011#In_UgandaWhat is the capital of New Zealand?
WellingtonChecked against:
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington?oldid=1362596677How does a fjord form?
A glacier cuts a U-shaped valleyChecked against:
A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by ice segregation and abrasion of the surrounding bedrock.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fjord?oldid=1364094600#FormationWhich country completely surrounds Lesotho?
South AfricaChecked against:
Surrounded by South Africa, it is the largest of the only three sovereign enclaves.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesotho?oldid=1362575173What is the largest island that is not considered a continent?
GreenlandChecked against:
Greenland is the world's largest non-continental island and the third largest area in North America after Canada and the United States.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland?oldid=1364838849#GeographyWhich river passes through Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade?
The DanubeChecked against:
The Danube then flows southeast for about 2,730 km (1,700 mi), passing through four capital cities (Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade) before emptying into the Black Sea via the Danube Delta in Romania and Ukraine.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danube?oldid=1364618141#GeographyWhat is an exclave?
A portion of a state or district geographically separated from the main partChecked against:
An exclave is a portion of a state or district geographically separated from the main part, by some surrounding alien territory.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enclave_and_exclave?oldid=1361617927Which point on Earth is farthest from its center because of the equatorial bulge?
The summit of ChimborazoChecked against:
The summit of Mount Everest is higher above sea level, but the summit of Chimborazo is widely reported to be the farthest point on the surface from Earth's center, with Huascarán in Peru a very close second.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimborazo?oldid=1363739878#Farthest_point_from_Earth's_centerHow many countries are landlocked by a single country?
Three countriesChecked against:
Three countries are landlocked by a single country (enclaved countries):
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landlocked_country?oldid=1365690789#Landlocked_by_a_single_countryWhich desert is the driest non-polar desert on Earth?
The AtacamaChecked against:
The Atacama is the driest non-polar desert in the world and the largest fog desert on Earth.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama_Desert?oldid=1366052548How is an atoll typically formed?
The sinking of a volcanic island around which a coral fringing reef has formedChecked against:
According to Charles Darwin 's subsidence model, the formation of an atoll is explained by the sinking of a volcanic island around which a coral fringing reef has formed.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atoll?oldid=1359424551Together, how do the Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, and Dardanelles function?
International passages that connect the Aegean and Mediterranean seas to the Black SeaChecked against:
The Straits create a series of international passages that connect the Aegean and Mediterranean seas to the Black Sea.
Source: Wikipedia, pinned revisionPrint source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Straits?oldid=1364644043