Only Geniuses Can Correctly Answer All of These World Geography Questions!

By: Annette
Estimated Completion Time
2 min
Only Geniuses Can Correctly Answer All of These World Geography Questions!
Image: NASA

About This Quiz

Do you know where to spin your globe to find the Channel Islands? If you had a blank map, could you tell the difference between Thailand and Vietnam, or Oklahoma and Idaho? Know whether Guatemala is located in Central or South America? Prove your knowledge of the planet with our world geography quiz!

The world is a busy place, with nearly 200 countries on seven different continents, ranging from massive places like Canada and Russia to tiny map dots like Vatican City or Monaco. Flowing in and between these borders are five oceans, plus hundreds of seas, rivers, and lakes. 

With such a big and beautiful world out there to explore, you might be surprised just how little the average person knows about geography. When National Geographic did a survey in 2006, only about half of all adults questioned could find New York State on a map, and fewer than half could locate the country of India. Despite the fact that wars in the Middle East were dominating headlines at that time, 63 percent couldn't find Iraq or a map, and 90 percent couldn't locate Afghanistan. 

OK, but surely people are smarter today, right? Nope. A 2017 article in "The Washington Post" revealed that only 36 percent of adults could locate North Korea on a map. 

Think you've got better than average map reading skills? Know where most major countries are located on a map? Take our quiz to test your world geography IQ!

Which is the deepest ocean or sea?
Pacific Ocean
Japan Sea
Arctic Ocean
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Pacific Ocean is the deepest body of water in the world. It goes down almost 11,000 m.

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The Sahara desert is located in _____ .
North Africa
North America
Europe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Sahara desert is located in North Africa. It's the largest desert in the world, measuring 3,552,140 sq mi.

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How many oceans are there?
5
12
16
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are five main oceans on earth. They include, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Southern Ocean.

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How many continents are on planet earth?
3
7
10
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are seven recognized continents on earth. Australia is its own continent.

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Which is the largest river in the world?
Lena
Huang
Amazon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Amazon river is the largest in the world. It runs for 836,330 sq mi in South America

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What do you call a grouping of islands?
Islet
Skerry
Archipelago
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A grouping of islands is known as an archipelago. Small islands are called islets, and rocky islands are called skerrys.

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Which is the world's largest island?
Greenland
Newfoundland
New Zealand
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Greenland is the largest island in the world. It measures 836,330 sq mi. New Guinea is the second largest island.

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What is the smallest country in the world?
France
Vatican City
New Guinea
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. It’s only 0.17 sq mi. The second smallest country in the world is Monaco.

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Where is the Gobi Desert located?
Europe
Mongolia
South America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Gobi Desert is located in Mongolia. It measures 500,002 sq mi and it’s the largest cold winter desert.

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What is the largest country in the world?
United States
Germany
Russia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Russia is the largest country in the world. It measures 6,592,846 sq mi. The second largest country is Canada.

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What is the largest continent on earth?
Europe
North America
Asia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Asia is the largest continent on earth. It measures 17,212,200 sq mi.

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Mountains are formed by _____ .
Hurricanes
Climate change
Volcanoes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mountains are formed by erupting volcanoes. Volcanoes are formed by the movement of tectonic plates. Not all mountains are volcanic.

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What is the oldest country in the world?
Egypt
France
Germany
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Egypt is the oldest country in the world. King Menes started this country from 3150-3500 B.C.

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Where is the Mohave Desert?
Africa
US
Asia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mohave Desert is located in the American southwest. It measures 47,877 sq mi.

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Where is the coldest place on earth?
Scotland
Antartica
Alaska
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Antartica is the coldest place on earth. The average daily temperature is -56.7°F.

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13,170,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 lbs is the weight of:
California
The entire United States
The entire Earth
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

13,170,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 lbs is roughly the weight of the earth. Our planet is 4.6 billion years old.

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Most of the tallest mountains in the world are located in _______ .
Nepal
Pakistan
USA
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Most of the tallest mountains in the world are located in Nepal. These include Mt. Everest, Kangchenjunga, and Lhotse.

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Vatican City is surrounded by ______ .
Germany
Italy
France
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Vatican City is surrounded by Italy. It has a population of only 800!

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The earth is the _____ planet from the sun.
2nd
3rd
4th
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The earth is the third planet from the sun. Let's start with the basics here!

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The USA is the ____ largest country in the world.
4th
6th
10th
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The US is 4th largest country in the world. China is the third largest country in the world.

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What is the largest fresh water body in the world?
Aral Sea
Lake Erie
Caspian Sea
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Caspian Sea is the largest fresh water body of water in the world. The second largest is Lake Superior.

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Which continent has the greatest population?
Europe
Africa
Asia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Asia has the greatest population of any continent. The total in 2016 was 4,436,224,000, with Africa coming in second.

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Where is Mount Kilimanjaro?
Asia
Africa
Europe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mt. Kilimanjaro is located in Africa. It measures 19,563 ft.

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Where is the most populous city in the world?
Pakistan
China
USA
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Shanghai, China is the most populous city in the world. The second on the list is Karachi, Pakistan.

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Where is the hottest country in the world?
Libya
Chile
South Korea
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Libya is the hottest country on average on earth. It might have something to do with all that desert!

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China's population is roughly close to _____ population.
India's
Russia's
Brazil's
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

China's population is roughly close to that of India. They both have well over 1 billion people.

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What is the second richest country in the world?
Spain
Britain
Luxembourg
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Luxembourg is the second richest country in the world, after the United States. It has a GNP of $45,360.

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Which continent has the most countries?
Europe
Africa
South America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are a whopping 54 countries in Africa. Second up is Europe, which has 46 countries.

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How many countries are in South America?
12
20
34
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are 12 countries in South America. It is the continent with the fewest countries.

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Which is the largest sea?
The Black Sea
The Red Sea
The Philippine Sea
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Philippine Sea is the largest sea in the world. It measures 2.199 million sq mi.

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What is the smallest continent on earth?
Australia
Antartica
Europe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Australia/Oceana is the smallest continent on earth. It measures 2,969,907 sq mi.

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Which country has the most land borders?
China
Russia
Both
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

China and Russia are the countries with the most land borders in the world. Both have a total of 14 countries bordering them.

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Where is the driest inhabited place on earth?
Egypt
Iran
America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Aswan, Egypt, is the driest inhabited place on earth. It only gets 0.2 inches of rainfall each year. Luxor, Egypt, is the second driest inhabited place in earth.

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What is the wettest country on earth?
Britain
India
Russia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mawsynram, Assam, India, is the wettest place on earth. The average annual rainfall is 467.4 inches.

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Where is Mount Everest?
China
Nepal
On the border between China and Nepal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, reaching 29,035 ft. The border between China and Nepal falls on the summit of the mountain, so it is technically located in both countries.

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You Got:
/35
NASA