Geography for grades 5–6: questions with answers
The Geography questions for grades 5–6 from the game, with the correct answers and an explanation for each.
What is the capital of Turkey?
- Ankara
- Antalya
- Istanbul
- Izmir
Correct answer: Ankara — Atatürk made Ankara the capital in 1923 when the republic was founded; Istanbul had been the Ottoman capital.
What is the capital of Switzerland?
- Geneva
- Zurich
- Bern
- Basel
Correct answer: Bern — Bern was chosen as the federal city in 1848 as a compromise; Zurich and Geneva are both larger.
Which strait joins the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean?
- Strait of Hormuz
- Strait of Gibraltar
- Dardanelles
- Bosporus
Correct answer: Strait of Gibraltar — At its narrowest the strait is only about 14 km wide, separating Spain from Morocco.
Which canal links the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea?
- Corinth Canal
- Panama Canal
- Kiel Canal
- Suez Canal
Correct answer: Suez Canal — Opened in 1869, the Suez Canal is about 190 km long and lets ships avoid sailing around Africa.
Which river flows through Paris?
- Rhône
- Rhine
- Loire
- Seine
Correct answer: Seine — The Seine rises in Burgundy and flows through Paris to the English Channel at Le Havre.
Which river flows through London?
- Mersey
- Trent
- Thames
- Severn
Correct answer: Thames — The Thames is 346 km long — the longest river entirely in England; the Severn is longer but shared with Wales.
Which is the largest island in the Mediterranean?
- Sicily
- Crete
- Cyprus
- Sardinia
Correct answer: Sicily — Sicily is about 25,700 square kilometres and home to Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe.
Which South American country is named after the Equator?
- Peru
- Argentina
- Chile
- Ecuador
Correct answer: Ecuador — The Equator crosses Ecuador just north of the capital Quito, where a monument marks "the middle of the world".
Which continent has the most countries?
- Europe
- Africa
- Asia
- South America
Correct answer: Africa — Africa has 54 UN member states; Asia is larger in area but has fewer countries.
What is the capital of Kenya?
- Addis Ababa
- Nairobi
- Mombasa
- Kampala
Correct answer: Nairobi — Nairobi began in 1899 as a depot on the railway from Mombasa to Uganda; its name comes from a Maasai phrase meaning "cool water".
Which is the highest peak in the Alps?
- Mont Blanc
- Jungfrau
- Monte Rosa
- Matterhorn
Correct answer: Mont Blanc — Mont Blanc is 4,808 m high and stands on the border between France and Italy.
Which desert covers southern Mongolia and northern China?
- Gobi
- Atacama
- Sahara
- Kalahari
Correct answer: Gobi — The Gobi is a cold desert where winter temperatures fall far below freezing; it is a rich source of dinosaur fossils.
Which river flows through both Vienna and Budapest?
- Danube
- Vistula
- Rhine
- Elbe
Correct answer: Danube — The Danube passes through four capitals — Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade — more than any other river.
What is the capital of Thailand?
- Phnom Penh
- Manila
- Bangkok
- Hanoi
Correct answer: Bangkok — Bangkok's full ceremonial Thai name is among the longest place names in the world; locals call the city Krung Thep.
Which is the smallest country in the world?
- San Marino
- Vatican City
- Liechtenstein
- Monaco
Correct answer: Vatican City — Vatican City covers about 0.44 square kilometres inside Rome and has been an independent state since 1929.
Which is the largest lake in Africa?
- Lake Tanganyika
- Lake Malawi
- Lake Chad
- Lake Victoria
Correct answer: Lake Victoria — Lake Victoria is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya and is the main source of the White Nile.
Which strait separates Asia from North America?
- Strait of Malacca
- Strait of Gibraltar
- Bosporus
- Bering Strait
Correct answer: Bering Strait — The Bering Strait is about 82 km wide; during the last ice age it was dry land, the bridge by which people reached the Americas.
What is the capital of Poland?
- Gdańsk
- Prague
- Warsaw
- Kraków
Correct answer: Warsaw — Warsaw replaced Kraków as the Polish capital in 1596; after World War II its old town was rebuilt from ruins.
What is the capital of Vietnam?
- Phnom Penh
- Ho Chi Minh City
- Hanoi
- Vientiane
Correct answer: Hanoi — Hanoi lies on the Red River; Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, is the larger city in the south.
The Panama Canal connects which two oceans?
- Atlantic and Arctic
- Atlantic and Pacific
- Atlantic and Indian
- Pacific and Indian
Correct answer: Atlantic and Pacific — The canal opened in 1914; locks raise ships about 26 m to Gatun Lake to cross the isthmus.