TouchéGet the appGeography trivia questions
Ten questions to try. Pick an answer to see why.
01Which waterway separates southern England from France?Try itHide
Answer: English Channel
WhyThe French call it La Manche, usually said to mean the sleeve, after the shape on a map. In 1909 Louis Blériot became the first person to fly across it in an airplane, from Calais to Dover.
02What is the capital of Greece?Try itHide
Answer: Athens
WhyWhen Athens was made the capital in 1834, about 4,000 people lived there, in houses scattered below the Acropolis. It got the job because of its past. The first capital of independent Greece was Nafplio.
03How many stars are on the flag of the United States?Try itHide
Answer: 50
WhyOne star for each state, so the count has changed 27 times since 1777. The current 50-star version arrived in 1960, after Hawaii joined. The 13 stripes never change, one for each original colony.
04Niagara Falls is on the US border with which country?Try itHide
Answer: Canada
WhyNiagara Falls is three waterfalls, and the biggest one, Horseshoe Falls, is mostly on the Canadian side. The falls move a few inches upstream every year from erosion. The best views are generally from Canada.
05Which strait separates Alaska from Russia?Try itHide
Answer: Bering Strait
WhyVitus Bering was a Dane in the Russian navy, and he sailed into the strait in 1728. Scientists think that in the last ice age lower seas made it a land bridge, Beringia, and the first Americans crossed on it.
06What is the capital of Texas?Try itHide
Answer: Austin
WhyTexas built its capitol taller than the one in Washington. The Texas State Capitol in Austin stands about 300 feet tall and is faced with pink granite, which the owners of a nearby quarry donated.
07The Grand Canyon was carved by which river?Try itHide
Answer: Colorado River
WhyThe Colorado River has been cutting through the rock for around six million years. It now runs about a mile below the rim. Rafting the canyon takes about two weeks.
08What bird appears on the flag of Mexico?Try itHide
Answer: Eagle
WhyA golden eagle stands on a cactus with a snake in its beak. Aztec legend says the gods told the people to build their city where they saw that exact scene. Guatemala's flag has a bird too, the quetzal.
09Which is the largest landlocked country?Try itHide
Answer: Kazakhstan
WhyKazakhstan is about the size of Western Europe and has no ocean coast. It does border the Caspian Sea, but that is really a giant lake. Mongolia is the second-largest landlocked country.
10Which US state holds most of Yellowstone National Park?Try itHide
Answer: Wyoming
WhyAbout 96 percent of Yellowstone is in Wyoming, with slivers in Montana and Idaho. It was the first national park in the world, created in 1872. The whole park sits on top of a supervolcano.
That was 10 of 333.
The rest are in the app, each with the story behind the answer.