DO NOT WRITE ON THIS HANDOUT 2013-2014 Preliminary Round of the Geography Bee

Directions: Choose the best answer to the following questions.

1. Buddhism is practiced by the majority of the population in over half a dozen countries on which
continent?
a. Africa c. Europe
b. Asia d. North America
2. The Gulf Stream is an ocean current that flows north along the eastern coast of which
continent?
a. Africa c. North America
b. Europe d. South America
3. The Tropic of Cancer crosses through large deserts and Lake Nasser in the northern part of
which continent?
a. Africa c. North America
b. Asia d. South America
4. The potato and the tomato both originated in the Andean highlands of which continent?
a. Africa c. North America
b. Europe d. South America
5. The Yellow Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk border the eastern shore of which continent?
a. Asia c. Europe
b. Australia d. South America
6. Lemurs are primates whose natural habitat includes islands located in the Indian Ocean off the
southeast coast of which continent?
a. Africa c. Asia
b. Antarctica d. Australia
7. The Caspian Sea, the world’s largest lake by area, borders which country?
a. Azerbaijan c. India
b. China d. Romania
8. Chernobyl, site of the world’s worst nuclear power plant accident, is found in which present-day
country?
a. Belarus c. Russia
b. Moldova d. Ukraine
9. The Kalahari, one of the world’s largest deserts, covers much of which of these countries?
a. Angola c. Niger
b. Namibia d. South Africa
10. Which of the following countries has one of the longest life expectancies in the world?
a. Bolivia c. Japan
b. India d. Saudi Arabia
11. Which of the following countries is the least densely populated?
a. Bangladesh c. Malaysia
b. Indonesia d. Mongolia
12. Qeshm, the largest island in the Persian Gulf, is part of which country?
a. Iran c. Kuwait
b. Iraq d. Qatar
13. The Danube River, which passes through or borders more countries than any other river in the
world, has its headwaters in which of the following countries?
a. Austria c. Germany
b. Czech Republic d. Switzerland
14. Mont Cenis Tunnel, the first railroad tunnel built through the Alps, connects France to which
other country?
a. Austria c. Spain
b. Italy d. Switzerland
15. Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, is found on the island of Tierra del Fuego in which
country?
a. Argentina c. Chile
b. Australia d. South Africa
16. What is the largest island by area in the Caribbean Sea?
a. Barbados c. Hispaniola
b. Cuba d. Jamaica
17. Tugela, the highest waterfall in Africa, is found near the boundary with Lesotho in which
country?
a. Eritrea c. South Africa
b. Malawi d. Zimbabwe
18. Which is Africa’s most populous country?
a. Egypt c. South Africa
b. Nigeria d. Sudan
19. Dalol, the city with the world’s highest average annual temperature at 94°, is found in which
country?
a. Chad c. Ethiopia
b. Croatia d. Saudi Arabia
20. Mount Logan, the second highest peak in North America, is found in which country?
a. Canada c. Mexico
b. Guatemala d. United States
21. Java, the world’s most populous island, is part of which country?
a. China c. Japan
b. Indonesia d. Philippines
22. Which country has the highest population density in Asia?
a. China c. Japan
b. India d. Singapore
23. Murmansk, the most populous city north of the Arctic Circle, is found in which country?
a. Finland c. Russia
b. Norway d. Sweden
24. Which African country, one of the continent’s largest by land area, has the shortest coastline?
a. Algeria c. Libya
b. Democratic Republic of the Congo d. Sudan
25. Which European country is one of the smallest in the world in land area?
a. Bulgaria c. San Marino
b. Moldova d. Slovenia
26. Which country has the largest Spanish-speaking population in the world?
a. Brazil c. Mexico
b. Colombia d. Spain
27. Only two of the world’s landlocked countries are surrounded by other landlocked countries.
One is Uzbekistan, and the other is which of the following countries?
a. Armenia c. Kazakhstan
b. Bolivia d. Liechtenstein
28. One of the longest causeways in the world, approximately 15 miles long, connects Saudi Arabia
to which Persian Gulf country?
a. Bahrain c. Qatar
b. Kuwait d. United Arab Emirates
29. Which European country has the greatest number of active volcanoes?
a. Greece c. Italy
b. Iceland d. Malta
30. Virginia City, settled in 1859 after the discovery of silver in nearby mountains, is located in which
present-day state?
a. California c. Nevada
b. Colorado d. Rhode Island
 2013-2014 Preliminary Round of the Geography Bee: Answer Key

1. B
2. C
3. A
4. D
5. A
6. A
7. A
8. D
9. B
10. C
11. D
12. A
13. C
14. B
15. A
16. B
17. C
18. B
19. C
20. A
21. B
22. D
23. C
24. B
25. C
26. C
27. D
28. A
29. B
30. C