Answers to GEOGRAPHY

OK. Next time I do Geography, I'm going to stick to the US. This was hard!!!! I made the questions and I still think I would have gotten a lot wrong just a week later. Here are the answers:

1. The Galapagos Islands are a territory of what country?
b. Ecuador
Galapagos means tortoise in Spanish. It was named this because of the giant tortoises inhabiting the islands.


2. With an economy that is totally dependent on tourism, this wee European nation is known for its elegant casino, spectacular scenery, princes and princesses.
a. Monaco
It is located by the France/Italy border. The whole country is two square km, which is less than one square mile!


3. Which two countries share the longest border?
b. USA and Canada
The border between the United States and Canada is the longest shared between any two countries in the world.


4. What is the largest city in the Caribbean?
c. Havana
Havana is the capital of Cuba, the only communist nation in the Caribbean. This is crazy: a couple of weeks ago, Cubans were finally allowed to have cell phones. Prior to that, only government officials could have cell phones.


5. Which has the longest coastline?
c. Japan
Japan's coastline is 29,751 km (18,486 m), that of the US is 19,924 km (11,999 m), New Zealand's is 15,134 km (9,404 m) and that of the British Isles (the UK plus the Republic of Ireland) is 13,877 km (8,623 m).


6. What lake is located on the border of Bolivia and Peru?
b. Lake Titicaca
I had to put this in here because it’s a funny name. Say it out loud. Fun.


7. What is the only Central American country not to have Spanish as its official language?
a. Belize
Belize was a British territory formerly known as British Honduras


8. What is the largest state in the United States?
Alaska, which was a former Russian territory.


9. What island nation has Nassau as its capital?
c. Bahamas
I heard it’s better there.


10. The world's smallest country is also the world's only country where Latin is the official language. Which country is it?
c. Vatican City (Holy See)
Located in the heart of Rome, Vatican City (Holy See) is the spiritual and administrative capital of the Roman Catholic Church. With an area of just 108.7 acres (about 0.4 sq. km), and a population of under 1000, Vatican City is easily the world's smallest autonomous state.


11. Sri Lanka lies just off the tip of the Indian subcontinent, but to which side?
a. East


12. What is the only country to speak Dutch in South America?
c. Suriname
Suriname was a former Dutch colony.

13. This city is often referred to as "The Gateway of India"
a. Mumbai
The Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit of King George V to Bombay in December 1911. There is an "India Gate" in New Delhi.

14. What is the largest city in South America (population)?
b. Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo is the third largest city in the world(population) after first being Tokyo and second being Mexico City.


15. What is common to the capital cities of Washington DC (USA), Wellington (New Zealand), Canberra (Australia), New Delhi (India), Beijing (China) and Brasilia (Brazil)?
b. None of them are the largest cities in their respective countries
The largest cities are respectively New York, Auckland, Sydney, Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Shanghai and Sao Paulo.

16. What is the northernmost city of these four?
c. Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik is the northernmost, followed by Anchorage, Helsinki and Vladivostok.

17. The countries of the Middle East are often in the news today. Which direction is Tehran, Iran from Kabul, Afghanistan?
c. West
Afghanistan is land-locked, bordered by Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south and east, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China to the east.

18. Greenland is still a territory of what country?
a. Denmark

19. Which of the following three-letter combinations begins the name of the most countries?
a. Mal
The countries whose names begin with 'mal': Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali and Malta. Coming in second are those countries whose names begin with 'bel', namely: Belarus, Belau, Belgium and Belize.

20. Zacatecas is a state located in which country?
b. Mexico
Zacatecas is famous for its silver mines.

Mary S. said last week that she had the "I just failed a high school midterm" feeling. Mary, you kicked butt with 11 out of 20. Maria and Joe both got 7 out 20 and TT got 6 out of 20.

I promise this week's will be much easier!!!!!!