Republic Act 7836

WORLD GEOGRAPHY (From Encarta Kids – Continental Quiz) PART I - Physical Features 1. What is the tallest mountain in North America? a. Mount Everest b. Mount McKinley c. Mount Rainier d. Pico de Orizaba

5. How tall is Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in Asia (and the world)? a. 24,599 ft. (7,498 meters) b. 29,035 ft. (8,850 meters) c. 26,810 ft. (8,172 meters) d. 31,611 ft. (9,635 meters)

CA – B. Mount McKinley. - Located in Alaska, Mount McKinley is 20,320 feet (6,194 meters) tall. The mountain is also called Denali.

CA – B. 29,035 feet (8,850 meters). - That’s five and a half miles tall!

2. At the southern end of South America is… a. Cabo San Lucas b. Cape Horn c. Cape Hattaras d. Cape of Good Hope CA – B. Cape Horn. - Old nautical sayings and songs refer to “sailing around the Horn,” meaning Cape Horn. 3. What is the largest lake in Europe? a. Lake Balaton, Hungary b. Lake Geneva, Switzerland c. Lake Como, Italy d. Lake Ladoga, Russia CA – D. Lake Ladoga (Russia). - Lake Ladoga, near Saint Petersburg in northwestern Russia, is the largest lake in Europe. It covers 7,100 square miles (18,390 square kilometers). 4. What is the largest lake in Africa? a. Lake Chad b. Lake Tanganyika c. Lake Nasser d. Lake Victoria CA – D. Lake Victoria (several countries). - Lake Victoria, in east central Africa, is the second largest freshwater lake in the world.

6. True or False: The largest freshwater lakes in Australia are artificial. CA – TRUE - There are several saltwater lakes in the Australian outback. However, the largest freshwater lakes, such as Lake Argyle in northern Australia, are reservoirs created by damming rivers. 7. What large body of water is almost completely surrounded by Canada? a. Barents Sea b. Hudson Bay c. Gulf of Mexico d. Lake Michigan CA – B - Hudson Bay - This huge bay in northeastern Canada borders the provinces of Ontario, Québec, and Manitoba and the territory of Nunavut. 8. What isolated group of islands off the coast of Ecuador were made famous by 19th-century British naturalist Charles Darwin? a. Hawaii b. Galapagos c. Tahiti d. Bali CA – B – Galápagos - The unique animal species found on the Galápagos Islands helped Darwin formulate his theory of natural selection, described in his famous book On

the Origin of Species (1859). Named for the Spanish word for turtle, the Galápagos Islands are home to the Galápagos giant tortoise, which is believed to be one of the longest-living animals. 9. What is the tallest mountain in Africa? a. Mt. Kenya b. Mt. Meru c. Mt. Kilimanjaro d. Mt. Fuji CA – C -Kilimanjaro - Located in Tanzania in East Africa, Kilimanjaro is 19,341 feet (5,895 meters) tall.

d. Vinson Massif CA – D - Vinson Massif - Vinson Massif is 16,066 feet (4,897 meters) tall. It was first climbed in 1966. 13. The largest desert in the world is located in Africa. What is its name? a. Gobi b. Namib c. Kalahari d. Sahara CA – D – Sahara - The desert extends across most of North Africa, covering parts of ten countries.

10. Norway, in northern Europe, is known for its dramatic coastline, with many narrow inlets of the sea located between steep cliffs. What are these formations called? a. Fabios b. Fjords c. Feebles d. Fnords

14. A narrow waterway separates Europe and Africa at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. What is the name of this waterway? a. English Channel b. Strait of Juan de Fuca c. Strait of Gibraltar d. Suez Canal

CA – B – Fjords - A fjord (also spelled fiord) is a narrow inlet of the sea situated between cliffs or steep slopes.

CA – C - Strait of Gibraltar - The Strait of Gibraltar separates Spain (in Europe) from Morocco (in Africa).

11. What organism is both one of the largest and oldest living things on Earth? a. Great Barrier Reef b. Blue whale c. Sequoia Tree d. Ostrich

15. What is the saltiest body of water on Earth, in which few organisms can survive? a. Great Salt Lake b. Mediterranean Sea c. Dead Sea d. Caspian Sea

CA – C - Sequoia tree - Named for the Cherokee leader Sequoyah, Sequoia trees can weigh up to 2,150 tons (1,950 metric tons) and can have a girth of over 98 feet (30 meters). The oldest living sequoias are between 2,500 and 4,000 years old.

CA – C - Dead Sea - The water in the Dead Sea is seven times saltier than the ocean. Its shoreline is 1,340 feet (408 meters) below sea level, making it the body of water with the lowest water surface on Earth.

12. What is the tallest mountain in Antarctica? a. Mt. Erebus b. Mt. Rainier c. Mt. Fuji

16. What is the only living structure that can be seen from the Moon? a. Amazon Rain Forest b. Great Barrier Reef c. Redwood National Park d. The Great Wall of China

CA – B - Great Barrier Reef - The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, extending about 1,250 miles (2,010 kilometers) off the northeastern coast of Australia. The Great Barrier Reef supports 1,500 species of fish, including the fearsome tiger shark and the giant clam, which can grow to a width of 4.25 feet (1.3 meters). 17. This canyon, carved over millions of years by the Colorado River, is considered sacred by the Hopi people. What canyon is it? a. Copper Canyon b. Fish River Canyon c. Grand Canyon d. Valles Marines CA – C – Grand Canyon - The Grand Canyon, in northwestern Arizona in North America, is 277 miles (446 kilometers) long, up to 18 miles (29 kilometers) wide, and more than 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) deep. Colorful layers of rock store evidence of 2 billion years of life on Earth, including dinosaur tracks and prehistoric civilizations, such as the Anasazi, ancestors of the Hopi.

18. The highest lake in the world is located in South America. What is its name? a. Lake Maracaibo b. Lake Nahuel Huapi c. Lake Titicaca d. Lake Buenos Aires CA – C - Lake Titicaca - This lake, shared by Peru and Bolivia, lies high in the Andes Mountains. It is located 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) above sea level. 19. The frigid, far northern region of Asia is called what? a. Anatolia b. Caucasus c. Kamchatka d. Siberia

CA – D – Siberia - This wide, cold region is the northern part of Russia. 20. What European mountain range stretches from southeastern France, across Switzerland and northern Italy, to western Austria? a. Cumbrian Mountains b. Alps c. Caucasus Mountains d. Pyrenees CA – B – Alps - The word alpine, meaning “relating to high mountains,” comes from the name of this mountain range. 21. What mountain range crosses the continent of Antarctica? a. Interantarctic mountains b. Pseudoantarctic mountains c. Postantarctic mountains d. Transantarctic mountais CA – D - Transantarctic Mountains - The Transantarctic Mountains separate eastern and western Antarctica.

22. What is the longest river in Africa? a. Congo b. Niger c. Nile d. Zambezi CA – C- Nile - The Nile is the longest river in the world, at 4,160 miles (6,695 kilometers) in length. 23. True or False: Antarctica is bigger than Europe. CA – True - Antarctica has an area of 5.4 million square miles (14 million square kilometers), compared to Europe’s 4 million square miles (10.4 million square kilometers).

24. This mountain range in South America is the longest mountain range on Earth. What is it?

a. b. c. d.

Andes Black Hills Rockies Alphs

CA – A – Andes - The Andes Mountains in South America extend for more than 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) from the coast of the Caribbean Sea in the north to the islands of Tierra del Fuego in the south. 25. What Asian body of water is the largest inland sea in the world? a. Aral Sea b. Lake Baikal c. Caspian Sea d. Persian Gulf CA – C - Caspian Sea - The Caspian Sea is a huge saltwater lake in west central Asia. 26. A North African mountain range is named for a legendary figure who held Earth on his back. What is the name of this range? a. Zeus Mountains b. Atlas Mountains c. Mountains of Mars d. Achilles Range CA – B - Atlas Mountains - The Atlas Mountains lie in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, in northwestern Africa. 27. What is the world’s largest volcano? a. Mauna Loa b. Montserrat c. Mount Saint Helens d. Pinatubo CA – A - Mauna Loa - Simmering like a giant cauldron above Hawaii's lush landscape, Mauna Loa measures 10.5 miles (17 kilometers) from the ocean floor to its summit crater. It has a base circumference of 60 miles (100 kilometers). Mauna Loa's gently sloping dome is formed by the spreading and cooling of liquid lava.

28. Nine of the ten tallest mountains in the world are found in what Asian mountain range? a. Alai Mountains b. Hindu Kush c. Himalayas d. Pamirs CA – C – Himalayas - The tallest mountains in the Himalayas (and the world) are Mount Everest, K2, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat, and Annapurna. 29. What is the tallest mountain in South America? a. Aconcagua b. Ojos del Salado c. Cotopaxi d. Mount Fuji CA – A - Aconcagua - Located in western Argentina, in the Andes Mountains, Aconcagua is 22,834 feet (6,960 meters) tall. 30. What is the longest river in Europe? a. Danube b. Rhine c. Meuse d. Volga CA – D – Volga - The Volga, of western Russia, is the longest river in Europe. It is 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) long. 31. What place is famous for its annual migrations of huge herds of grazing animals? a. Sahara b. Amazon Rain Forest c. Serengeti d. Columbus Zoo CA – C – Serengeti - The Serengeti is a tropical grassland with a scattering of trees and shrubs. As water and grass become scarce during the dry season, thousands of animals set off on a 500-mile (800-kilometer) journey to water holes in the northwest, returning to their starting point as the rainy season begins.

32. What is the largest lake in Antarctica? a. Lake Ellsworth b. Lake Wilkes c. Lake Ross d. There are no lakes in Antarctica CA – D – There are no lakes in Antarctica. 33. What is the longest river in Australia? a. Fitzroy b. Burdekin c. Darling d. Amazon CA – C – Darling - The Darling River of southeastern Australia is the longest river on the continent. It is 1,702 miles (2,739 kilometers) in length. 34. What is the deepest lake on Earth, holding about 20 percent of the world’s fresh water supply? a. Lake Balqash b. Lake Urmia c. Caspian Sea d. Lake Baikal CA – D - Lake Baikal - Reaching depths of 5,371 feet (1,637 meters), Lake Baikal in Siberian Russia is one of the oldest lakes in the world. The lake is a unique ecosystem supporting more than 1,500 plant and animal species. 35. According to legend, Giant’s Causeway is a rocky formation constructed to help giants cross between what two European regions? a. Scotland and Ireland b. Italy and Greece c. France and Poland d. England and France CA – A - Scotland and Ireland - Giant’s Causeway is a group of 40,000 rocky columns located on the northern coast of Northern Ireland. Formed when an ancient lava flow cooled and solidified, these spectacular pillars are about 15 to 20 inches

(40 to 50 centimeters) in diameter and more than 20 feet (6 meters) high.

PART II – Countries 1. What is the southernmost North American country? a. Costa Rica b. Nicaragua c. Honduras d. Panama CA – D – Panama - Panama serves as a land bridge connecting North America to South America.

2. Which of the following European countries does not border Russia? a. Finland b. Norway c. Germany d. Ukraine CA – C – Germany - Germany is more than 200 miles (300 kilometers) away from Russian territory. 3. What African country is connected to Asia? a. Egypt b. Morocco c. Libya d. Sudan CA – A – Egypt - Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula serves as a land bridge between Africa and Asia. 4. Which of the following Asian countries is on an archipelago? a. Japan b. South Korea c. Mongolia d. Thailand CA – A – Japan - An archipelago is a chain of islands 5. What country is closest to Antarctica? a. Argentina b. Chile c. Australia d. South Africa

CA – B – Chile - Chile is the southernmost South American country and the closest country to Antarctica. 6. What country has the largest population in South America? a. Peru b. Brazil c. Colombia d. Argentina CA – B – Brazil - Brazil’s population is more than four times larger than that of the second-place country, Colombia. 7. Australia used to be a colony of what country? a. France b. Spain c. Great Britain d. United States CA – C – Great Britain - Britain claimed and colonized Australia in the late 18th century. Australia became independent in 1901.

8. What country has the largest population in North America? a. Canada b. Mexico c. United States d. Guatemala CA – C - United States - The United States population is more than twice that of Canada and Mexico combined. 9. Which of these Southeast Asian countries is landlocked, meaning that it does not touch an ocean? a. Cambodia b. Thailand c. Laos d. Vietnam CA – C – Laos - Laos is the only landlocked Southeast Asian country.

10. Which of these European countries does not touch the Mediterranean Sea? a. France b. Portugal c. Italy d. Spain CA – B – Portugal - Portugal’s coastline is on the Atlantic Ocean. 11. What is the smallest country in South America (by land area)? a. Ecuador b. Paraguay c. Guyana d. Suriname CA – D - Suriname - Neighboring French Guiana is smaller than Suriname, but French Guiana is not an independent country.

12. Near Antarctica are the South Shetland Islands. These are named after the original Shetland Islands, which are where? a. Britain b. Russia c. France d. United States

CA – A - Cuba - Cuba is also the westernmost island of the Caribbean, and one of the closest to the United States. 15. What is the smallest country in Europe (by land area)? a. Monaco b. San Marino c. Liechtenstein d. Vatican City CA – D - Vatican City - Vatican City is the smallest country in the world (by land area). It’s just a little bigger than the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. 16. Only two South American countries are landlocked, meaning that they do not touch an ocean. They are Bolivia and… a. Guyana b. Peru c. Paraguay d. Uruguay CA – C – Paraguay - Bolivia and Paraguay are the only landlocked South American countries.

CA – A – Britain - The original Shetland Islands are an island group in far northern Britain.

17. Which of the following is not a Pacific Island nation? a. Tonga b. Bahamas c. Kiribati d. Vanuatu

13. Which lies farthest south: Australia or New Zealand?

CA – B - Bahamas. The Bahamas are in the Atlantic Ocean, not the Pacific Ocean.

CA - New Zealand - The southern end of New Zealand’s South Island stretches farther south than Australia. 14. Which of these countries is on the largest island of the Caribbean? a. Cuba b. Haiti c. Dominican Republic d. Jamaica

18. What is Australia’s neighboring country? a. East Timor b. New Zealand c. Indonesia d. Papua New Guinea

closest

CA – D - Papua New Guinea - Papua New Guinea, is less than 100 miles (160 kilometers) off the northern tip of Queensland, in northeastern Australia.

19. The desert region of Patagonia lies in what South American country? a. Argentina b. Chile c. Brazil d. Uruguay CA – A – Argentina - Patagonia is a vast region of desert plateaus in southern Argentina. 20. Most of the islands in the Aegean Sea belong to which European country? a. Denmark b. Italy c. Greece d. Sweden CA- C - Greece - The Aegean Sea lies between Greece and Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. 21. Which of these North American countries does not touch the Gulf of Mexico? a. Cuba b. Mexico c. Guatemala d. United States CA – C – Guatemala - Guatemala lies south of Mexico on the Pacific Ocean. 22. What is the biggest country in South America (by land area)? a. Argentina b. Colombia c. Brazil d. Peru CA – C – Brazil - Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world (by land area). It takes up more than half of the total area of South America. 23. Which of the following Asian countries does not border Russia? a. Azerbaijan b. Kazakhstan c. China d. Uzbekistan

CA – D – Uzbekistan - Uzbekistan is separated from Russia by Kazakhstan. 24. Which of the following is not an independent Pacific Island nation? a. Fiji Islands b. Guam c. Samoa d. Tuvalu CA – B – Guam - Guam is a Pacific Ocean territory of the United States. The Fiji Islands, Samoa, and Tuvalu are all independent Pacific Island nations.

25. True or False: No one is a citizen of Antarctica. CA – True - Antarctica is not a country, nor does it belong to any country. Some scientists and workers live in Antarctica yearround, but they are not citizens of Antarctica. 26. The large island nation off the southeast coast of Africa is named what? a. Madagascar b. Mayotte c. Malawi d. Mozambique CA – A – Madagascar - Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world. 27. The first person to reach the South Pole was from what country? a. Australia b. Norway c. Britain d. United States CA – B – Norway - Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first person to reach the South Pole, in 1911. 28. True or False: The country of Australia is the only country on the continent of Australia.

CA – True - The country of Australia occupies the entire continent of Australia. 29. What European country possesses the North American island of Greenland? a. Britain b. Iceland c. Denmark d. Norway CA – C - Denmark - It could be argued that Denmark’s possession of Greenland makes Denmark the second biggest European country in terms of land area (after Russia). 30. What is the largest country in the Asian region of Arabia (by land area)? a. Oman b. United Arab Emirates c. Saudi Arabia d. Yemen CA – C - Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula. 31. Which of the following Pacific Island nations is located north of the equator? a. Palau b. Tonga c. Samoa d. Tuvalu CA – A – Palau - Palau is in the island chain called Micronesia, which is largely north of the equator. Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu are all in the island grouping called Polynesia, which lies mostly south of the equator. 32. What country has population in Africa? a. Egypt b. Nigeria c. Ethiopia d. South Africa

the

largest

CA – B – Nigeria - Nigeria’s population is growing very rapidly.

33. Which of the following is not an independent Caribbean nation? a. Bahamas b. Jamaica c. Grenada d. Puerto Rico CA – C - Puerto Rico - Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. 34. What country has population in Asia? a. China b. Indonesia c. India d. Pakistan

the

largest

CA – A – China - China has the largest population in the world (but India is gaining fast). More than one out of every five people on Earth lives in China. 35. The equator does not pass through which of the following South American countries? a. Brazil b. Ecuador c. Colombia d. Venezuela CA – D – Venezuela - In South America, the equator passes through Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil. It misses Peru by less than a mile.

PART III – Cities and People 1. What is the capital of Nicaragua? a. Puerto Cabezas b. San Juan c. Managua d. Tegucigalpa CA – C – Managua - Managua is located on Lake Managua, in western Nicaragua. 2. What is the capital of Colombia? a. Bogota b. Medellin c. Caracas d. Quito CA – A – Bogotá - Bogotá is located high in the northern Andes Mountains in central Colombia.

3. Many of the early explorers of the Antarctic were people looking for what? a. Atlantis b. Whales c. Gold d. Northwest Passage CA – B – Whales - Whaling was a big industry in the 18th and 19th centuries. 4. About how many different languages are spoken in the African country of Tanzania? a. 15 b. 65 c. 40 d. 100 CA – D – 100 - Tanzania is a very diverse nation. 5. Persian is the official language of what Asian country? a. Afghanistan b. Iraq c. Iran d. Pakistan

CA - C – Iran - What is now Iran was historically known as Persia. 6. The native inhabitants Zealand are called what? a. Inuit b. Rapa Nui c. Maori d. Samoan

of

New

CA – C – Maori - A Maori storyteller dressed in a traditional costume performs the traditional haka dance. 7. In what North American city would you find the Liberty Bell? a. Boston b. Philadelphia c. New York d. Richmond CA – B – Philadelphia - Philadelphia is in Pennsylvania, United States. The Liberty Bell was rung in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776, after the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. 8. Machu Picchu was an ancient Incan city. What country is it in? a. Colombia b. Peru c. Ecuador d. Venezuela CA – B – Peru - Hidden high in the mountains, Machu Picchu’s history is mysterious. No one knows when it was occupied. 9. What explorer lost the race to the South Pole and died trying to get back? a. Roald Amundsen b. Robert Falcon Scott c. Douglas Mawson d. Ernest Shackleton CA – B - Robert Falcon Scott - Scott’s team reached the South Pole in 1912, only to find that Roald Amundsen had beaten them by a

few weeks. Scott and his whole team succumbed to starvation and exposure on the hike out. 10. Most people in North Africa follow what religion? a. Christianity b. Judaism c. Islam d. Hinduism CA – C – Islam - Arab Muslims spread across North Africa starting in the 7th century. The religion of Islam has dominated the region ever since. 11. Where is the headquarters of the European Union? a. Brussels, Belgium b. Geneva, Switzerland c. Copenhagen, Denmark d. Maastricht, Netherlands CA – A - Brussels, Belgium - Belgium was one of the 12 founding countries of the European Union in 1991. 12. What religion was born in Japan? a. Buddhism b. Hinduism c. Confucianism d. Shinto CA – D – Shinto - Shinto originated in prehistoric Japan. It remains an important religion in the country. 13. What is the capital of New Zealand? a. Auckland b. Queenstown c. Christchurch d. Wellington CA – D – Wellington - Wellington is located at the southern end of New Zealand’s North Island. 14. What is the most widely spoken language in Central America? a. English b. Portuguese

c. French d. Spanish CA – D – Spanish - Spanish is the official language of all of the Central American countries but one. 15. True or False: People live at the South Pole year-round. CA – True - Amundsen-Scott Station is located at the South Pole, and a small number of people work there all year. 16. What is the capital of South Africa? a. Bloemfontein b. Pretoria c. Cape Town d. All of the above CA – D - All of the above - South Africa has three capitals, one for each of the three branches of the government. Bloemfontein is the judicial capital, Cape Town is the legislative capital, and Pretoria is the executive capital. 17. What European country’s three official languages are French, German, and Italian? a. Austria b. Luxembourg c. Belgium d. Switzerland CA – D – Switzerland - Switzerland is located right in the middle of France, Germany, and Italy. 18. The native peoples of the islands of the South Pacific are collectively called what? a. Politburos b. Polynesians c. Polonius d. Polynomials CA – B – Polynesians - The native peoples of the South Pacific are all descended from early Polynesians. These seafaring people

explored and settled the islands hundreds of years ago. 19. Who is revered throughout South America as The Liberator? a. Francisco Pizarro b. Juan Peron c. Simon Bolivar d. Diego Maradona CA – C - Simón Bolívar - Bolívar helped win independence from Spain for Bolivia (named after him), Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. 20. Who was the captain of the first ship to cross the Antarctic Circle? a. Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen b. Robert Falcon Scott c. James Cook d. Ernest Shackleton CA – C - James Cook - In 1773 Captain Cook’s second major voyage of exploration took him farther south than any person had ever been before. 21. This Asian city is an independent country. What city is it? a. Hongkong b. Macao c. Jakarta d. Singapore CA – D – Singapore - Singapore is a citystate on the very tip of the Malay Peninsula of Southeast Asia. 22. In Central Africa, two capital cities lie across the Congo River from one another. They are Brazzaville and what other capital city? a. Khartoum b. Luanda c. Kinshasa d. Lusaka CA – C – Kinshasa - Kinshasa is the capital