True or False: Geography

Explication : 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.

Explication : FALSE! Asia is the largest continent at 44.6 million km². Africa is second with 30.4 million km², followed by North America.

Explication : TRUE! Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia, separated by the Bosphorus Strait. The European and Asian sides are connected by several bridges.

Explication : FALSE! The Nile (6,650 km) is traditionally considered the longest. The Amazon (6,400 km) disputes this depending on measurement methods, but the Nile holds the official title.

Explication : 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!

Explication : 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.

Explication : 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.

Explication : 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!

Explication : 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.

Explication : 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!

Explication : 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!

Explication : 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.

Explication : TRUE! Thanks to its overseas territories (Polynesia, Martinique, Réunion, etc.), France covers 12 time zones. It surpasses Russia (11) and the United States (11).

Explication : FALSE! Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark. While it has its own government for internal affairs, foreign policy and defense remain Danish.

Explication : 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.

Explication : FALSE! The Antarctic Treaty (1959) freezes all territorial claims. The continent belongs to no country and is dedicated to scientific research and peace.

Explication : 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!

Explication : 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.

Explication : 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!

Explication : 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!