Worldwise Challenge: Advanced Geography Trivia for Curious Teens

Test your global knowledge with tricky maps, capitals, and geography facts—perfect for curious teens ready to level up their world smarts.

  1. Which ocean is the Mariana Trench located in?
    1. Atlantic Ocean
    2. Pacific Ocean
    3. Indian Ocean
    4. Arctic Ocean
  2. Which country spans both Europe and Asia but is mostly in Asia?
    1. Greece
    2. Russia
    3. Kazakhstan
    4. Turkey
  3. What process causes coastal erosion and reshapes shorelines?
    1. Glacial deposition
    2. Tectonic uplift
    3. Wave action
    4. Volcanic lava flow
  4. Which river is the longest in the world by standard measurement?
    1. Amazon
    2. Nile
    3. Yangtze
    4. Mississippi-Missouri
  5. Which country built the ancient city of Machu Picchu?
    1. Spanish Empire
    2. Inca Empire
    3. Aztec Empire
    4. Mayan civilization
  6. What term describes a dry region in a rain shadow of mountains?
    1. Orographic plain
    2. Coastal desert
    3. Rainforest basin
    4. Rain shadow desert
  7. Which island nation has Tokyo as its capital?
    1. Japan
    2. South Korea
    3. Taiwan
    4. Philippines
  8. Which mountain range forms the border between France and Spain?
    1. Pyrenees
    2. Alps
    3. Apennines
    4. Cantabrian Mountains

Answers and explanations

  1. Question: Which ocean is the Mariana Trench located in?
    Answer: Pacific Ocean
    Explanation: The Mariana Trench lies in the western Pacific Ocean and contains the Challenger Deep, the deepest known point in Earth's seabed. It's important for studying extreme marine environments and plate tectonics because it marks a subduction zone where one tectonic plate slides beneath another.
  2. Question: Which country spans both Europe and Asia but is mostly in Asia?
    Answer: Turkey
    Explanation: Turkey is a transcontinental country with a small portion (about 3%) in southeastern Europe (Thrace) and the majority of its landmass in Anatolian Asia; its largest city, Istanbul, also famously straddles two continents across the Bosporus Strait.
  3. Question: What process causes coastal erosion and reshapes shorelines?
    Answer: Wave action
    Explanation: Waves constantly pound, abrade, and transport sediment along coastlines, gradually wearing away cliffs and redistributing beaches; this makes wave action a primary driver of coastal erosion and shoreline change. Interesting fact: longshore drift, driven by angled wave approach, can move sand miles a
  4. Question: Which river is the longest in the world by standard measurement?
    Answer: Nile
    Explanation: The Nile is traditionally measured as the longest river in the world at about 6,650 km (4,130 miles), flowing north through northeastern Africa into the Mediterranean. Its basin supported ancient Egyptian civilization and remains crucial for agriculture and water supply across multiple countries.
  5. Question: Which country built the ancient city of Machu Picchu?
    Answer: Inca Empire
    Explanation: Machu Picchu was built by the Inca Empire in the 15th century as a royal estate or religious site high in the Andes; it's a key example of Inca engineering, with precisely cut stonework and advanced terracing. Interesting fact: Machu Picchu remained largely unknown to the outside world until Hiram B
  6. Question: What term describes a dry region in a rain shadow of mountains?
    Answer: Rain shadow desert
    Explanation: A rain shadow desert is a dry area that forms on the leeward side of mountain ranges where prevailing winds lose moisture as they rise and cool over the peaks. These deserts illustrate how topography shapes climate — for example, the Great Basin and Patagonian deserts lie in rain shadows of nearby山s
  7. Question: Which island nation has Tokyo as its capital?
    Answer: Japan
    Explanation: Japan is an island nation in East Asia consisting of four main islands (Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku) and thousands of smaller ones; Tokyo, on Honshu, is its political and economic center and one of the world’s largest metropolitan areas.
  8. Question: Which mountain range forms the border between France and Spain?
    Answer: Pyrenees
    Explanation: The Pyrenees form a natural barrier stretching about 490 miles (800 km) from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean, marking much of the France–Spain border. They're geologically young mountains known for dramatic peaks, deep valleys, and important biodiversity hotspots like the Pyrenean ibex and be