| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| This city is served by Kingsford Smith Airport and a bay in this city was originally called Stingrays Harbour when sighted by the HMS Endeavor. This city hosted its country’s second Olympic Games in (+) 2000 which were also the second to be held in the Southern Hemisphere. This city was the site of a British (*) penal colony, and its landmarks include a performing arts venue designed by Jørn Utzon and the Harbour Bridge. For the points, name this city, the most populous in New South Wales and Australia. | Sydney |
| Nuclear weapons were once used to expel methane gas from this region’s Young Communard mine in Yenakiieve. This region’s rivers include the Kalchik and Kalmius, which flow through (+) Mariupol on their way to the Sea of Azov. This region’s name is derived from a portmanteau of a local coal region and (*) Donets Ridge. For the point, name this region of eastern Ukraine made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2022 | Donbas (accept Donets Basin before read; prompt on “Donetsk” or “Luhansk” before read; prompt on “Ukraine” or “eastern Ukraine” before read) |
| This manmade system's expansion submerged the "Lost Villages" near modern-day Cornwall, where the Mohawk tribe controls an island in it. After its construction, this system was promoted as "Highway H2O" (+) and it legally includes the Welland Canal. This system’s Iroquois Locks are crossed by the Thousand Islands Bridge, which runs from Montreal to (*) Lake Ontario. For the points, name this network of locks and canals connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean via Canada. | St. Lawrence Seaway (or la Voie Maritime du Saint-Laurent; do not accept "St. Lawrence River") |
| This mountain system's Palakkad Gap is located between the Nilgiri Hills and Anaimalai Hills, sometimes called the Elephant Mountains. This mountain system's highest peak of Anamudi (+) is accessible from the hill station of Munnar. This mountain system has its southern terminus at Cape Comorin, and the two portions of this mountain system enclose the (*) Deccan Plateau. For the points, name this mountain system that extends on either side of India's coast. | Ghats (accept Western Ghats or Eastern Ghats) |
| The Cisterns of Tawila, constructed by the Jewish Himyarite Kingdom, prevent flooding in this port city. This city names a gulf whose other ports include Bosaso and it was declared its county's temporary capital (+) by President Mansur Hadi in 2015 following the Houthi occupation of (*) Sana'a. For the points, name this Yemeni port city. | Aden |
| A protected area named for this specific plant protects the Rincon Mountains, and this plant's scientific name, Carnegiea gigantea, is named for Andrew Carnegie. This specific plant's red fruits are harvested by the Oʼodham (+) and Pima people, and this plant is grown in Papago Park. This plant that hosts nests of the Gila woodpecker grows in cities such as (*) Tucson. For the points, name this type of giant cactus that names an Arizona National Park. | Saguaro Cactus (accept Carnegiea gigantea until mentioned) |
| Industrial pollution from this country’s city of Koper has polluted the Sava River, whose headwaters lie near its town of Kranjska Gora [[KRAH-nees-kah GOH-rah]]. This country contains the eastern end of the Karst Plateau, (+) which is bounded in the west by its Vipava Valley. This country’s sole national park is centered around and named for its highest peak, (*) Mount Triglav. For the points, name this first former Yugoslav country to enter the EU which shares the Julian Alps with Italy. | Slovenia |
| This island showcases its tradition of female divers at the Haenyeo Museum. Mangjanggul is a lava tube on this island, which is part of the larger Geomunoreum (+) Lava Tube System. The island of Wando is located to the north of this island, which contains the parasitic volcano Mt. Songak. The Gotjawal Forest was naturally formed on this island, which also contains a major shield volcano called (*) Hallasan. For the points, name this island, the largest and most populous of South Korea. | Jeju Island |
| This archipelago's community of Barentsburg is almost entirely Slavic-speaking, and people traveling on snowmobiles outside built-up areas in this archipelago are required to be armed. Jan [[YAHN]] Mayen (+) is often grouped with this archipelago which is home to aggressive polar bears. Spitsbergen is the largest island of this archipelago that contains a global seed vault and has its capital at (*) Longyearbyen. For the points, name this Arctic archipelago controlled by Norway. | Svalbard (accept Spitsbergen until mentioned) |
| This polity controls the city of Taleh, home to the Dervish Dalyare fort used by Mohammed Abdullah Hassan. This polity's largest port is Berbera, (+) and it merged with an Italian colony upon independence from the British. This polity is the world's largest that controls its territory to not be recognized by a single UN member state, and its capital is (*) Hargeisa. For the points, name this breakaway state on the Horn of Africa, which is claimed by a country governed from Mogadishu. | Republic of Somaliland (accept Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliland; prompt on “Somalia” until "Italian colony” but do not accept or prompt afterward) |
| The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force occupies this area's Purple Line, which includes a permanently-manned UN mission, nicknamed "Hermon Hotel." This area's disputed Shebaa (+) Farms was supposedly the site of the Covenant of Pieces and this region’s largest city is Katzrin. Bordering the Sea of (*) Galilee is, for the points, what disputed area between Israel and Syria captured in the Six Day War? | Golan Heights (or Haḍbatu l-Jawlān; prompt on Syria or Israel; do not accept Palestine or the West Bank) |
| An arch on this port city's Moi Avenue called Mapemba ya Ndovu resembles two elephant tusks. This city is situated due north of Pemba Island, (+) and it is located on Kilindini Harbor, the largest natural harbor in East Africa. (*) For the points, name this port located 50 miles north of the Tanzanian border, the second-most populous city in Kenya. | Mombasa |
| This mountain, thirteen kilometers from Mount Tyree, is situated on the Nimitz, Gildea, and Branscomb Glaciers, and the closest human settlement to it was the Teniente Arturo (+) Parodi Alister Base. This mountain, which overlooks Berkner Island on the Ronne Iceshelf, is the tallest of the Sentinel Range, a subrange of the Ellsworth Mountains, and is claimed as part of the Magallanes (*) Region of Chile. For the points, name this highest mountain of Antarctica. | Vinson Massif (accept Mount Vinson) |
| This peninsula, home to cities such as Kalamata, contains the "Lion Gate," the main entrance to the ruins of (+) Mycenae. This peninsula's largest city is Patras, and it was technically made an island through the construction of the (*) Corinth Canal. For the points, name this Greek Peninsula home to Sparta and southwest of Athens, which names an ancient war fought between those two cities. | Peloponnese Peninsula (accept Peloponnesia; or Peloponnesian) |
| This neighborhood's "Striver's Row" section adjoins the St. Nicholas Park, and a large north- south road in this neighborhood is called (+) Malcolm X Boulevard. This neighborhood's eastern counterpart is nicknamed "El Barrio" for its high Puerto Rican population, and this neighborhood north of (*) Central Park is separated from the Bronx by a namesake river. For the points, name this neighborhood, known for its namesake "Renaissance" of African-American culture in Upper Manhattan. | Harlem (accept Harlem River; accept Harlem Renaissance) |
| This mountain's namesake glacier is the source of the Chitina River, which flows into the Copper River. This mountain is also the source of the Hubbard Glacier, (+) which the Norwegian Sun collided with on a 2022 journey. This mountain is the world's most voluminous non-volcanic mountain, and it is situated within (*) Kluane National Park. The highest peak of the Saint Elias Range, this is, for the points, what highest point of Canada? | Mount Logan |
| Islands west of this peninsula include Romo, Sylt, and Amrum. The Limfjord borders the northernmost part of this peninsula, passing through Aalborg. This peninsula’s southern end is made up by the region of (+) Schleswig-Holstein. This peninsula, hemmed in by the Little Belt and the Kattegat, contains Billund, the headquarters of the (*) Lego Group. For the points, name this peninsula between the North and Baltic seas that forms the continental portion of Denmark. | Jutland (accept Jylland) |
| This city contains the reconstructed SunWatch Indian Village, which was modelled on the culture that built the Great Serpent Mound. This city's Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (+) is located along the banks of the Mad River, which flows into the Great Miami River in this city. This city is where a namesake agreement that ended the (*) Bosnian War was signed. For the points, name this second- largest city of southwestern Ohio where the Wright Brothers had their bike shop. | Dayton |
| This country’s ruins of Palenque [[pah-LEN-kay]] contain the Temple of the Inscriptions in the montane Lacandon Jungle. One mountain range located mostly in this country begins at the Sierra del Burro in (+) Coahuila and this country's Pico de Orizaba is its highest point. This country’s (*) Popocatepetl volcano disrupted airport traffic to its capital in May 2023, and it is home to both the Occidental and Oriental ranges of the Sierra Madre. For the point, name this country whose mountainous states include Durango and Chihuahua. | Mexico |
| This city was named based on a misunderstanding between French colonists and its Tchaman people on this city’s actual pronunciation. This city’s traditional language is Ebrié, (+) which also names a nearby lagoon. This city is the second-largest African Francophone city and was the capital of its country until 1983, when it was replaced by (*) Yamoussoukro. For the points, name this city, the largest in Ivory Coast. | Abidjan |
| This river's mouth receives a tidal channel called the Elizabeth River, which connects to Albemarle Sound. This river is bounded by Old Point Comfort, (+) and this river itself bounds a peninsula with the York River, which ends at the city of Hampton, where this river enters Chesapeake Bay. The longest river completely within the state of (*) Virginia, this is, for the points, what river that shares its name with the first part of the name of the first permanent English settlement in the U.S.? | James River |
| This body of water's Barra del Indio is the world's longest shoal, and is home of a river dolphin called the franciscana, the only river dolphin to inhabit a saltwater estuary. (+) This estuary that extends east to the resort of Punta del Este can be considered the world's widest river, and its name literally translates to (*) "Silver River." For the points, name this estuary that receives the Paraná River, between Uruguay and Argentina. | Río de la Plata (accept La Plata River or River Plate; do not accept or prompt on “Paraná River”) |
| This city's tallest building is the RSA Battle House Tower, and its namesake bay receives the Tensaw River. That bay in this city is hemmed in by Dauphin Island, which is home to Fort (+) Gaines. It's not in Louisiana, but the oldest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States is hosted in this city that is located about halfway between Biloxi (*) and Pensacola. For the points, name this largest port of Alabama. | Mobile |
| This lake contains the only freshwater sharks in the world, which travel upstream to it via the San Juan River. (+) This lake, home to the port of Granada and the volcano of Ometepe [[oh-meh-TAY- pay]] is separated by the Rivas Isthmus from the Pacific, which the U.S. gained rights to build a canal across via the (*) Bryan–Chamorro Treaty. For the points, name this largest lake of Central America that shares its name with a country whose capital is Managua. | Lake Nicaragua (accept Lago de Granada until mentioned; accept Mar Dulce or Gran Lago Dulce) |
| This city's Stari Grad neighborhood overlooks Great War Island, which lies at the confluence of the Danube with its longest tributary. This city's Chinese Embassy was mistakenly targeted in 1999 (+) by NATO bombers along with its Avala Tower, which now displays a cement print of Novak Djokovic [[JOH-kah-vich]]. Located at the end of the Sava River (*) is, for the points, what former capital of Yugoslavia and current capital of Serbia? | Belgrade [[BEL-grad]] |
| This country's Marcahuasi plateau is known for its abundance of granite rocks shaped like faces and animals. This country’s Manu National Park has some of the world’s highest rates of biodiversity, and tourists take trains up the (+) Urubamba Valley in this country to visit a site that was popularized by explorer Hiram Bingham. Home to the (*) Nazca Lines and Machu Picchu, this is, for the points, what Andean country bordering Bolivia and Colombia? | Republic of Peru (accept Republica del Peru) |
| This province contains a replica of the Austrian village of Hallstatt near its city of Huizhou. This province, which is known for its rolling hills at Mount Danxia, (+) includes the southern Leizhou Peninsula. The Hakka dialect is spoken in this province, which contains cities such as Foshan and Dongguan, and this province is the most (*) populous in China. For the points, name this southern Chinese province, with a capital at Guangzhou. | Guangdong (accept Kwangtung; accept Canton before mentioned) |
| A proposed end to this route is known as the “Carretera Australis,” [[cah-REH-teh-RAH ah- strah-LISS]] ending on the island of Quellon [[kway-YAWN]]. A 130 km strip of rainforest known as the (+) Darien Gap breaks this route up, thus preventing it from being the longest continuous road in the (*) world. For the points, name this “Highway” that crosses the namesake continents, going from Alaska to Argentina. | Pan-American Highway |
| This country's Morisien creole includes the Agalega and Rodriguan dialects. This country, which lies within the Mascarene Archipelago, has a red, yellow, green, and (+) blue flag, nicknamed Les Quatre Bandes. This country, which has the highest Human Development Index in Africa, is also the only country in Africa where a plurality of its inhabitants practice (*) Hinduism. For the points, name this country which claims the Chagos Islands and was once home to the dodo. | Republic of Mauritius |
| A ranch that shares this island's name in Death Valley recorded the world's highest temperature. This island left the European Community in 1985, due to disputes over fishing, (+) and its Cape Morris Jesup is part of Peary Land. This island includes the world's largest national park and Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule [[TOO-lee]] Air Force Base, the northernmost (*) American base. For the points, name this island governed from Nuuk and controlled by Denmark. | Greenland (accept Grønland or Kalaallit Nunaat) |
| This city, which is home to Hermosa Village and the Platinum Triangle, is cut off from its namesake "Hills" by the Santa Ana River. This city's convention center hosted a game that was originally meant to be played in Exposition (+) Park due to rioting. Stadiums in this most populous city of Orange County include the Honda (*) Center and Angel Stadium. For the points, name this California city that is home to Disneyland. | Anaheim |
| This city's tallest structures include Epic Center and a statue known as the "Keeper of the Plains." This city's role on the Chisholm Trail gave it the nickname "Cowtown," (+) and this city is served by Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport. This city is known as the "Air Capital of the World" because it contains the headquarters of Learjet and (*) Cessna. For the points, name this city halfway on the drive between Kansas City and Oklahoma City, the largest city of Kansas. | Wichita |