| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Fossils from Gcwihaba [[chwee-HAH-bah]] cave in this region reveal that it used to be significantly wetter and cooler. Omuraba [[oh-moo-RAH-bah]] are ancient river beds found in this region. The San people speak a click language in this desert, which is home to the world's largest underground lake at Dragon's Breath Cave. Bordering the Namib Desert to its west, for the point, what semi-arid sandy savannah covers parts of Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa? | Kalahari Desert (or Kgalagadi) |
| Many temples in this nation were constructed by the Newar [[neh-WAHR]] people. The Annapurna Mountains and Sagarmatha National Park are located in this country. After a namesake war, the British started recruiting this nation’s soldiers known as Gurkhas into their ranks. The Sherpa people of this nation have earned a reputation for their mountaineering skills. For the point, name this nation which is home to Mount Everest. | Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal |
| This river rises in the Valdai Hills, and its northernmost point is in the Rybinsk [[REH-binsk]] Reservoir. This river discharges near Astrakhan [[AH-strah-kahn]] after flowing through Yaroslavl [[yah-roh-SLAH-vul]] and Nizhny Novgorod [[NEEZH-nee NOHF- goh-rohd]]. A canal connects this river to the Sea of Azov [[ah-ZOHF]] via the River Don, while its mouth is in the Caspian Sea. A city formerly known as Stalingrad is now named for this river. For the point, name this Russian river, the longest in Europe. | Volga River |
| Khongoryn [[kohn-goh-REEN]] Els, or the "singing sands," is part of this geographical feature, which contains the Gurvansaikhan [[goor-VAHN-"sigh"-kahn]] National Park. This feature is divided into eco-regions such as the Alashan Plateau and Tian Shan. Roy Chapman Andrews discovered dinosaur eggs in this desert, which is bounded by the Altai Mountains to its north and the Taklamakan [[tahk-lah-MAH-kahn]] Desert to its west. For the point, name this desert covering parts of Southern Mongolia and northern China. | Gobi Desert |
| This province's Duck Mountain Park contains its highest point, Baldy Mountain. Most of this province was covered by the prehistoric Lake Agassiz [[ag-GUH-see]]. This province's largest lake contains the mouth of the Red River of the North. This province's coast on the Hudson Bay contains the town of Churchill, the "Polar Bear Capital of the World." With Ontario, this province shares the Lake of the Woods with Minnesota. For the point, name this Canadian province, the easternmost of the Prairie Provinces. | Manitoba |
| The Aiguille [[ai-GWEE]] du Midi is part of a massif named after this mountain, which also contains the Mer de Glace [[glahs]]. The Vallot Hut is located near this mountain's peak and is part of the Gouter [[goo-TAY]] Route, the most popular route to climb this mountain. The town of Chamonix [[shah-moe-NEE]] is found near this mountain, whose namesake massif is notable for skiing and snowboarding. For the point, name this peak whose name means "white mountain," the highest peak in the Alps. | Mont Blanc (or Monte Bianco) |
| Overfishing in this body of water has nearly driven the endemic kampango catfish to extinction. This body of water is linked to the nearby Lake Malombe by the Shire River. This lake's largest islands are the popular ecotourist destinations of Chizumulu and Likoma. This body of water is the southernmost of the African Great Lakes. For the point, name this African lake, formerly known as Lake Nyasa, which is now named for a country whose capital is Lilongwe. | Lake Malawi (accept Lake Nyasa before mentioned) |
| One country on this island controls the coastal exclave of Oecusse-Ambeno [[oh- CYOO-seh ahm-BEH-noh]], which was the base of European colonization. This island is separated from Sumba and Flores by the Savu Sea. This island's name is derived from the Malay word for "east," referencing its position at the eastern extreme of the Lesser Sundas. For the point, name this southeast Asian island split by Indonesia and a former Portuguese colony governed from Dili. | Timor (accept Timor-Leste or East Timor) |
| A set of ceremonies hosted in this city used the slogan "Moving Forward" in reference to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Prior to the start of that ceremony in this city, a complaint was filed for depicting the Liancourt Rocks and Kuril Islands as part of a certain country. One sporting event hosted in this city was the first of its kind to include climbing and skateboarding. For the point, name this Japanese city, the host of the summer Olympic Games in 2021. | Tokyo |
| This physical feature’s Verlaten [[vehr-LAH-ten]] Island once grew by three times due to pumice [[PUM-iss]] discharge. In one event, deadly hot ash from this chain of volcanoes, now in Ujung Kulon National Park, killed all the inhabitants of the island of Sebesi [[seh-BEE-zee]]. An 1883 eruption of this caldera tinted night skies around the world with a reddish hue. For the point, name this caldera in the Sunda Strait, a chain of Indonesian volcanoes. | Krakatoa (or Krakatau) |
| Afriski is the only ski resort in this country and is located in its Maloti Mountains. A diamond known as this country's "promise" was unearthed in its Letseng mine. This country relies on hydroelectric power produced at its Katse and Mohale Dams. Besides San Marino and Vatican City, this country is one of only three nations enclaved within a larger country. For the point, name this small country with capital Maseru, located completely within South Africa. | Kingdom of Lesotho [[leh-SOO-too]] |
| Sealand is an unrecognized micronation within this body of water which sits atop a region known as Doggerland during the most recent ice age. This body of water includes the Heligoland [[HEH-lee-goh-land]] Bight, which is the location of the mouth of the Rhine River. This sea's northern boundary is formed by the Shetland and Orkney Islands. For the point, name this European sea, which separates the United Kingdom from Scandinavia. | North Sea (accept common translations such as Mer du Nord; Nordsee; or Vesterhavet; or Weestsiie) |
| This country's northern border is marked by the Nahr al-Kabir [[NAR al-KAH-beer]], or Great River, which separates it from the Al-Ansariyah [[an-SAR-ee-uh]] mountains. This country's Christian monastic community has historically taken shelter in the Holy Kadisha Valley. Major cities in this country include Zahlé [[ZAH-lay]], the capital of its Beqaa [[beh- KAH]] Governate, and a non-African Tripoli. This country's flag prominently features a pine tree known as its namesake Cedar. For the point, name this Middle Eastern country located north of Israel. | Lebanon (or Lubnan; or Liban; accept Lebanese Republic; or République Libanaise; accept al-Jumhuriyah al-Loubnaniyah) |
| The Polish [[POE-lish]] Glacier of this mountain was named following a 1934 expedition led by Konstanty Jodko-Narkiewicz [[YOD-koe nar-KAY-vitz]]. A mummy named for this mountain is a seven-year-old boy who was used as a capacocha, or a child sacrifice to this mountain. This peak in between the Valley of the Cows and the Valley of the Pitchforks derives its name from the Quechua for "Sentinel of Stone" and is the highest mountain in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. For the point, name this peak in the Andes, the highest in South America. | Mount Aconcagua (accept Cerro Aconcagua) |
| This city's namesake Miracle Garden is the world's largest flower garden. This city is home to the world's largest shopping mall and the Palm Jumeirah [[joo-MEH-rah]] artificial islands, and joined with smaller cities such as Sharjah [[SHAR-jah]] and Ajman [[AHJ- mahn]] to form one united country. This city's luxury Burj Al Arab hotel is shaped like a sail, while a flower inspired the Y-shaped base of a 163-story building in this city. For the point, name this most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, home to the Burj Khalifa. | Dubai (accept Dubai Miracle Garden) |
| The Osawa Collapse forms a crevice along the western portion of this feature. Woodblock prints such as Fine Wind, Clear Morning are part of a Hokusai [[HOH-koo- "sigh"]] series titled Thirty-Six Views of [this feature]. This mountain overlooks the haunted Aokigahara [[ay-OH-kee-gah-HAH-rah]] Forest, which is the focus of a suicide prevention effort. Along with Mount Tate [[TAH-tay]] and Mount Haku [[HAH-koo]], this mountain is one of the Three Holy Mountains. For the point, name this tallest peak in Japan. | Mount Fuji (accept Fujisan) |
| This island is co-extensive with the Qikiqtaaluk [[kee-KEEK-tah-look]] Region and has its largest city on Frobisher Bay. This island's Cumberland Peninsula contains Auyuittuq [[AY-oh-wee-TOOK]] National Park, the home of Mount Odin and Mount Asgard. This island is separated from Greenland by the Davis Strait and from Quebec by the Hudson Strait. This island is home to Iqaluit [[ee-KAL-oo-it]], the capital of Nunavut. For the point, name this fifth largest island in the world and the largest island in Canada. | Baffin Island |
| According to legend, this city's St. Mungo's Cathedral was built by a race of underground men. Historic houses in this city include Provand's Lordship and Provan Hall. This city's major shopping district stretches from Argyle Street to Buchanan Street and is known as Style Mile. This city's suburbs include Baillieston [[BAY-lee-stun]] and Carmyle. This city, which is home to the University of Strathclyde, is the largest city along the River Clyde. For the point, name this most populous city in Scotland. | Glasgow (or Glesga) |
| This island's highest point is The Cabox [[KAY-box]], which rises near the town of Stephenville. This island is home to Gros Morne [[GROSS-MORN]] National Park, its country's second largest. This island's easternmost point is Cape Spear, while to the west it is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Belle Isle. The largest city and center of government on this island is St. John's. For the point, name this North American island which forms a Canadian province with the region of Labrador. | Newfoundland (do not accept "Newfoundland and Labrador") |
| This river originates at the confluence of the Brigach [[BREE-gakh]] and Breg Rivers. The Szechenyi [[seh-CHEN-yee]] Chain Bridge passes over this river, linking two parts of a major city that contains Heroes Square. A section of this river that passes near Visegrád [[vee-zeh-GRAHD]] is called its "bend." The second-longest river in Europe, for the point, what is this river which is located in Central and Eastern Europe and drains into the Black Sea. | Danube River (or Donau) |
| This region contains the historic fishing area of Tai O [["TIE"-OH]], on the western side of Lantau [[LAHN-TAO]] Island. This region's Aberdeen Island is home to a notable Hung Shing Temple. This region includes the Kowloon Peninsula and a namesake island whose name means "fragrant harbor" in Cantonese. For the point, name this special administrative region east of Macau in southern China, which was once a colony of the British Empire. | Hong Kong (accept Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China; accept HKSAR; accept Xiang Gang) |
| This country and its northern neighbor dispute the sovereignty of Perejil [[peh-reh- HEEL]] Island. This country claims a region governed by the Polisario [[poh-lih-SAH-ree- oh]] Front as the Sahrawi [[sah-RAH-wee]] Arab Democratic Republic as its own territory. Major cities in this country include Marrakesh and Fez, and this country's highest point is Mount Toubkal [[TOOB-kahl]], the highest point in the Atlas Mountains. This country is separated from Europe by the Strait of Gibraltar. For the point, name this North African country governed from Rabat. | Kingdom of Morocco (accept Al Mamlaka al-Maghribiya) |
| The town of Newmarket is home to one of these facilities where the 2000 Guinea takes place. The first one of these facilities to use electronic timers is Sana Anita Park in Arcadia, California. One of these facilities located in Elmont, New York is named for August Belmont. One of these facilities that hosts "The Run for the Roses" is located in Louisville, Kentucky and is called Churchill Downs. For the point, name these facilities that host events such as Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Derby. | Thoroughbred Horse Race Courses (accept Horse Race Tracks; accept descriptive answers involving the locations at which horses race; prompt on partial answers) |
| Structures including the Church of the Company of Jesus, which took 160 years for the Jesuits to complete, form this city’s legendary Road of the Seven Crosses. One can visit the slopes of Mt. Pichincha [[pee-CHEEN-chah]] by taking the Teleferico [[teh-leh-feh-REE- koh]] Gondolas in this city. Outside this capital, one can visit the “Mitad [[mee-TAHD]] del Mundo,” which contains the Monument to the Equator. The second-highest capital city in the world is, for the point, what capital of Ecuador? | Quito |
| A 500-year old Shiva temple is found in a Tamil Nadu city with this name. A U.S. state capital with this name in the Willamette Valley takes its name from the Hebrew word for “peace.” Arthur Miller fictionalized events in a town with this name in his play The Crucible, which includes the character Tituba [[TIH-tyoo-bah]], who is accused of making deals with the devil. For the point, give this name of an Oregon capital and Massachusetts town that names a series of Witch Trials. | Salem |
| This country's northwest is occupied by the autonomous republic of Karakal- pakstan, which is governed from Nukus [[NOH-koos]]. This country's east is dominated by the Fergana Valley, which is famed for its "Heavenly Horses." Along with Liechtenstein, this is the world's only doubly-landlocked country. This country, which lies directly south of Kazakhstan, is home to the historic city of Samarkand. For the point, name this Central Asian republic whose capital is Tashkent. | Republic of Uzbekistan |
| This region's main structures were built by workers living in the town of Deir [[DEHR]] el-Medina. This region is overlooked by al-Qurn, the highest point of the Theban Hills. John Wilkinson created a timeline of this region using partially-deciphered hieroglyphics. One well-known site in this region was uncovered by a team led by Howard Carter. For the point, name this region which is home to many rock-cut tombs of New Kingdom pharaohs, including that of Tutankhamun. | Valley of the Kings (accept Valley of the Gates of the Kings; or Royal Necropolis, accept Wādī Abwāb al-Mulūk, accept Wādī al-Mulūk; prompt on "Egypt" or answers mentioning the "Nile") |
| The Free State of Fiume [[fee-YOO-meh]] was established on this peninsula. In the 1800s, this peninsula was known by the Ottoman name of Rumelia. This peninsula's namesake mountain range includes the mountains of Vrashka Chuka and Boltev Peak. An eastern offshoot of this peninsula includes the European portion of Istanbul. For the point, name this southern European peninsula which names a group of countries including Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. | Balkan Peninsula (accept Balkans; accept Istrian Peninsula before "Rumelia" is mentioned) |
| Oversized badminton shuttlecocks sit on the lawns of this city's Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Prior to an April 2021 vote, this city was the only major city in the U.S. to not have a road named for Martin Luther King, Jr. This city's namesake style of BBQ is characterized by its use of thick, sweet tomato-based sauces. This city's major suburbs include Olathe [[oh-LAY-thuh]], Independence, and Overland Park. For the point, name this largest city in Missouri. | Kansas City, Missouri (do not accept or prompt on just "Kansas") |
| This nation contains the southern end of Highway 80, which gained the nickname "Highway of Death" after thousands of invading military tanks were abandoned there. The highest valued currency in the world is this nation’s dinar, largely due to oil exports. In 1993, this nation renamed a telecommunication tower in its capital to Liberation Tower in commemoration of its freedom from Iraq. For the point, name this Persian Gulf state between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. | State of Kuwait (or Dawlat al Kuwayt) |
| A controversy in local academia concerns whether this range's Mount Le Conte is named for a geologist or his physicist younger brother. The Cherokee believed that White Bear, the leader of all black bears, lived in this range’s Clingmans Dome. Exhalation from vegetation creates the fog for which this range is named. For the point, name this subrange of the Appalachian Mountains. | Great Smoky Mountains (accept Blue Ridge Mountains before "fog" is mentioned; prompt on "Appalachians" or "Appalachian Mountains") |
| The Lane Cove National Park in this city extends to Pennant Hills and Wahroonga. This city surrounds the leisure area of Darling Harbor. This city's namesake harbor bridge across Port Jackson is the tallest steel arch bridge in the world. This city's Jorn [[YORN]] Utzon-designed opera house consists of several concentric, white concrete shells which resemble a ship's sails. For the point, name this capital of New South Wales, the largest city in Australia. | Sydney |
| This state's western half is covered by its namesake Sand Hills, which are drained by the Loup and Niobrara [[nee-oh-BRAH-rah]] Rivers. This state's largest city is home to the Henry Doorly Zoo, which contains the world's largest geodesic dome. This state's quarter honors its pioneer heritage by depicting a covered wagon passing Chimney Rock. The Platte River was once named after this state, whose legislature is unicameral and meets in the city of Lincoln. For the point, name this Great Plains state whose most populous city is Omaha. | Nebraska |
| To fund the protection of these animals, the Woodland Park Zoo partly funds the Tarangire [[tehr-an-GEE-ree]] Project in their second largest habitat, which is near Arusha, Tanzania. Though their population in India may be increasing, the Asian species of this animal was classified as endangered in 2020. The Igbo [[EE-boh]] people of Nigeria buried their leaders with the tusks of this animal. The name Cote d’Ivoire refers to a resource primarily derived from, for the point, what pachyderm? | Elephants |
| This state's Pottery Highway includes the tourist town of Seagrove. This state is the origin of a style of barbeque centered on roasted pork and vinegar-based sauces. This state's live bluegrass music scene is centered around the city of Asheville. This state's Research Triangle Park is anchored on two sides by the cities of Durham and Chapel Hill. For the point, name this southern U.S. state, whose major cities include Greensboro, Charlotte, and Raleigh. | North Carolina (or NC) |
| In this city, the "Day of Music" on November 21 is celebrated in the Plaza Garibaldi along the Eje [[EH-heh]] Central. Ferdinand von Rosenzweig [[ROH-zen-svige]] designed the Paseo de la Reforma in this city, which was first built after the overthrow of Benito Juarez. The only North American palace to house royals is this city’s Chapultepec [[cha-POOL-teh- pek]] Castle, which was home to Carlota and Maximilian I of House Habsburg. For the point, name this capital of Mexico. | Mexico City (accept Distrito Federal de Mexico; accept DF) |
| This city is surrounded by a ring road called the MKAD. A tragedy occurred in this city's Khodynka field during a monarch's coronation. The pedestrian-only Arbat Street ends at this city's Smolenskaya Square. This city is home to parks such as Gorky Park and Sokolniki Park. This city's GUM department store faces its historic Red Square, which contains St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin. For the point, name this capital and largest city of Russia. | Moscow (accept Moskva) |