The 20 quiz questions
Question 1 : Russia spans 11 time zones.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Russia is the largest country in the world and covers 11 time zones, from Kaliningrad in the west to Kamchatka in the east. When it's noon in Moscow, it's 9 PM in Vladivostok.
Question 2 : Africa is the largest continent in the world by area.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Asia is the largest continent at 44.6 million km². Africa is second with 30.4 million km², followed by North America.
Question 3 : Istanbul is the only major city in the world located on two continents.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia, separated by the Bosphorus Strait. The European and Asian sides are connected by several bridges.
Question 4 : According to traditional rankings, the Nile is considered the longest river in the world.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! The Nile (~6,650 km) is traditionally recognized as the longest river. However, Brazilian studies (2007) measured the Amazon at ~6,992 km, which would place it ahead. The debate is unresolved and depends on the source point chosen.
Question 5 : Monaco is smaller than Central Park in New York.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Monaco is 2.02 km² while Central Park is 3.41 km². The second smallest country in the world fits entirely within the New York park!
Question 6 : Canada has more lakes than all other countries in the world combined.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Canada has about 60% of the world's lakes, more than 2 million lakes. It's the country with the most freshwater in the world.
Question 7 : Mount Everest is the point farthest from the center of the Earth.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! It's Chimborazo in Ecuador! Due to Earth's equatorial bulge, its summit (6,263 m) is 2 km farther from Earth's center than Everest's summit.
Question 8 : Australia is wider than the Moon.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Australia measures about 4,000 km from east to west, while the Moon's diameter is 3,474 km. The Australian continent is wider than our satellite!
Question 9 : The Sahara is the largest desert in the world.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Antarctica is the largest desert (14 million km²), followed by the Arctic. The Sahara (9 million km²) is the largest hot desert, but a desert = area with less than 250mm of rain/year.
Question 10 : The Mariana Trench could swallow Mount Everest with 2 km to spare.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! The Mariana Trench reaches 10,994 m deep, while Everest peaks at 8,849 m. There would be more than 2 km of water above the summit!
Question 11 : China uses a single time zone despite its immense size.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Although China spans 5 geographic time zones, the entire country uses Beijing Time (UTC+8). In Xinjiang in the west, the sun sometimes sets at midnight!
Question 12 : The Vatican is the smallest country in the world by population.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! The Vatican is the smallest by area (0.44 km²), but not by population (~800 inhabitants). The Pitcairn Islands (British territory) have only ~50 inhabitants.
Question 13 : France has the most time zones in the world.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Thanks to its overseas territories (Polynesia, Martinique, Réunion, etc.), France covers 12 time zones. It surpasses Russia (11) and the United States (11).
Question 14 : Greenland is an independent country.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark. While it has its own government for internal affairs, foreign policy and defense remain Danish.
Question 15 : Lesotho is entirely landlocked within a single country: South Africa.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Lesotho and San Marino (in Italy) are the only countries in the world entirely surrounded by a single other country. The Vatican too, but it's a city-state.
Question 16 : Antarctica belongs to several countries that share it.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! The Antarctic Treaty (1959) freezes all territorial claims. The continent belongs to no country and is dedicated to scientific research and peace.
Question 17 : Some parts of the Atacama Desert in Chile have never received rain.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! The Atacama is the driest desert in the world. Some weather stations there have never recorded any precipitation. NASA tests its Mars rovers there!
Question 18 : The Dead Sea is the saltiest body of water in the world.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Lake Assal in Djibouti (34.8% salt) and Don Juan Pond in Antarctica (44%!) are saltier than the Dead Sea (33.7%). The latter remains the most famous.
Question 19 : The northernmost point of Africa is further north than the southernmost point of Europe.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: TRUE! Cape Angela in Tunisia (37°21'N) is further north than Tarifa in Spain (36°00'N) or Crete. Africa and Europe overlap in latitude!
Question 20 : Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Europe.
Possible answers:
- True
- False
Explanation: FALSE! Mount Elbrus (5,642 m) in the Russian Caucasus is higher than Mont Blanc (4,808 m). It depends on whether you consider the Caucasus to be in Europe or Asia!
