| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| This region is often covered in dense fogs locally known as cassimbo. Historical names for this region include the Portuguese title "The Gates of Hell" and the local Bushmen name "The Land God Made in Anger." Prior to the invention of the motor boat, ships landing in this region were unable to launch back to sea, forcing sailors to trek across the Namib Desert to escape. For the point, name this shipwreck-heavy area of the Atlantic Coast, located primarily in Namibia. | Skeleton Coast (prompt on "Namibia"; prompt on "Angola"; prompt on "Namib Desert") |
| This location’s namesake INA Trials led to various soldiers being disgraced for collaborating with Japan during World War Two. The ceiling of this location's Hall of Private Audiences was melted down to fund its defense by a Maratha army. Invaders took treasures such as the Koh-i-Noor Diamond and the Peacock Throne from this historic fort during Nadir Shah's 1739 invasion. For the point, name this Mughal fort in Delhi named for its sandstone walls. | Red Fort (accept Lal Qila) |
| The Khawr al Udayd [[KAHR al-oo-DADE]] is a major tourist destination and nature reserve in this country. A small town in this country was the subject of a dispute between its ruling Al Thani family and the neighboring Saud family. The Souq Waqif [[sook WAH-keef]] is a marketplace in this country's capital, which is home to the Corniche [[kor-NEESH]] promenade and the man-made Pearl Island. For the point, name this small Middle Eastern country that will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. | State of Qatar (or Dawlat Qatar) |
| In this state, the tiny island of Divar within the Mandovi river hosts a Bonderam celebration. The Bom Jesus Basilica in this state hosts the body of Jesuit founder St. Francis Xavier. South of this one-time colony is a township named for Vasco de Gama. This state borders the larger states Maharashtra and Karnataka. For the point, name this one-time Portuguese holding in South Asia seized by India during Operation Vijay. | Goa |
| The third phase of this project was divided into the Cushing MarketLink and Houston Lateral. This Koch [[KOHK]] Brothers-funded project links Hardisty, Alberta to Port Arthur, Texas. This project sparked mass protests due to environmental concerns in indigenous lands and the Nebraska Sandhills. This project's XL phase was terminated by a January 20th Biden executive order. For the point, name this TC Energy project, whose "phase four" was canceled in June 2021. | Keystone Pipeline (accept Keystone XL) |
| This state contains the U.S.'s first federally protected national forest, which is named for the local Shoshone [[shuh-SHOH-nee]] tribes. This state's Bear Lodge Mountains contain a large rock column known as Devils Tower. One geyser in this state erupts every forty-four minutes to two hours, earning it the nickname "Old Faithful." Along with Idaho and Montana, this state contains Yellowstone National Park. For the point, name this least populated state in the U.S. | Wyoming |
| This county contains the Bayshore Blufflands, an outcropping of the Niagara Escarpment. This county includes the protected Shivering Sands area and Whitefish Dunes State Park on Lake Michigan. Separated from Escanaba, Michigan by the Rock Island Passage, this county makes up most of the eastern shore of Green Bay. For the point, name this Wisconsin county whose name is part of the original Spanish name for the region, "Porte des Morts." | Door County |
| This mountain's "crown jewel" is a namesake critically endangered silversword plant. This place is home to stacked stone altars dedicated to the snow goddess Poliʻahu [[poh-lee-AH-hoo]]. Observatories at this place include the Thirty Meter Telescope and the W. M. Keck Observatory. Although it is mostly submerged, this mountain is the tallest on Earth when measured from it's base and is 125 feet taller than the nearby Mauna Loa. For the point, name this highest point in Hawaii. | Mauna Kea (or Mauna a Wākea) |
| Participants often weep during this nation's "Dance of Strength," Kaimatoa, which is often done to test one's endurance. This country has one raised coral island named Banaba, while its Christmas Island was used by the United Kingdom to test hydrogen bombs. This country, which includes the Phoenix Islands, the Gilbert Islands, and the Line Islands, has its capital on Tarawa atoll. For the point, name this island nation straddling the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean. | Republic of Kiribati [[kee-ree-BAHS]] |
| In this nation, the tiny island of Tiwai within the Moa River was bisected territorially between the feuding clans of the Barri and Koya. The first African golf course was constructed by 18th century British traders off the coast of this nation at Bunce Island. This nation’s lingua franca of Krio originated from the free slaves who settled here from Jamaica. For the point, name this nation, whose name translates to “Lion Mountain." | Republic of Sierra Leone |
| A group of short, black, limestone formations in this territory is known simply as "Hell." This territory’s West Bay District is home to a turtle farm and conservation area. This territory’s most popular scuba tourist center is Stingray City. This territory, which was originally named Las Tortugas, contains the tourist attraction called Seven Mile Beach. For the point, name this British Caribbean territory governed from George Town, which is named for a group of crocodilians. | Cayman Islands (accept Caymans; prompt on "Tortuga" or "Dry Tortugas" before "Tortugas") |
| The towns of Le Haut-Richelieu [[luh-HOHT-reesh-LOO]] and Brome-Missisquoi [[MIH-sis-kwoy]] lie along the northern shore of this body of water. In 1998, this body of water briefly became the sixth official Great Lake. Plattsburgh and Burlington are the most populous cities along this body of water, whose southern shore includes the historic Fort Ticonderoga. For the point, name this large lake on the border of Vermont and New York. | Lake Champlain |
| This state's "listening ears pass," or Nathu La, was traversed by the Ancient Tea Horse Road. This state, which has a unilateral ban on styrofoam, is the chief producer of cardamom in Asia. This state's traditional monarch was known as "chogyal" and lived the city of Gangtok. This Indian state, in which a majority speak Nepali, contains part of Kangchen-junga, the world's third highest mountain. For the point, name this state in Northeast India between Bhutan and Nepal. | Sikkim |
| This river's mouth is home to Kunta Kinteh Island, which is the site of the former colonial base Fort James. This river's only permanent crossing links the towns of Farafenni and Soma. Former slave trading hubs along this river include Albreda and Juffureh [[joo- foo-REH]]. This river runs from the Fouta Djallon [[jah-LAHN]] in northern Guinea to the Atlantic Ocean near Banjul. For the point, name this West African river which shares its name with a small country surrounded by Senegal. | Gambia River (or River Gambra) |
| India has a joint military base on this country's Assumption Island, which together with the Amirante [[ah-mee-RAHN-teh]] and Aldabra [[ahl-DAH-brah]] groups, constitute some of its Outer Islands. This country contains islands including Praslin, while its largest island of Mahé [[mah-HAY]] contains its capital city. This archipelago has the smallest population of any sovereign country in Africa. For the point, name this island country in the Indian Ocean on the eastern edge of the Somali Sea. | Republic of Seychelles (accept Repiblik Sesel) |
| This country's Kotayk [[koh-tah-YEEK]] province is home to the Geghard [[GEHR- hard]] monastery, which is carved into a cliffside. According to local tradition, Christianity first spread in this country from the Khor Virap Monastery near the village of Lusarat. Although it is located in modern-day Turkey, Mount Ararat is a national symbol in this country, which also contains Lake Sevan. For the point, name this former Soviet Republic in the Caucasus. | Republic of Armenia (accept Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun) |
| This archipelago's Navarino [[nah-vah-REE-noh]] Island is home to middens created by its native Yaghan [[YAH-gen]] people. This archipelago is split into northern and southern portions by the Beagle Channel and is separated from the Antarctic Peninsula by the Drake Passage. The Straits of Magellan, an alternate route to traveling around Cape Horn, separate this archipelago from the mainland. For the point, name this archipelago at the southern tip of Patagonia. | Tierra del Fuego (accept Land of Fire) |
| This feature used to be home to the ancient Lake Minchin. Incahuasi [[in-kah- HWAH-see]] Island lies in the middle of this feature in Daniel Campos province. Just 15 miles north of this feature lies Lake Coipasa, which lends its name to another desert which serves as this feature's smaller counterpart. This feature is located in its country's region of Potosí [[poh-toh-SEE]] near the Andes Mountains. For the point, name this flattest place on Earth, a large salt flat in Bolivia. | Salar de Uyuni (accept Salar de Tunupa) |
| Neolithic sites of the Dalma people filled with early ceramic were found in this mountain range. The Akkadian underworld of Ersetu [[ear-SEH-too]] is supposedly located in a dark cavern in these mountains, where the historic region of Luristan is nestled. The Al- Hajar Mountains of the Arabian Peninsula are a continuation of this Middle Eastern mountain range, whose highest peak is Mount Dena. For the point, name this mountain range in Iran, Turkey, and Iraq and which terminates at the Strait of Hormuz. | Zagros Mountains (accept Kuhehai-ye Zagres; accept Koyal Zagros; accept Çiyayên Zagros) |
| An annual winter sports festival takes place near this peninsula's Lake Kildinskoye. The Pomor people were early settlers on this peninsula, which is most populated near the Tersky Coast. On this peninsula, one country launched a 24-year process leading to the creation of the deepest hole in the earth’s crust, known as this peninsula’s namesake “Superdeep Borehole.” This peninsula, which juts out into both the Barents Sea and White Sea, contains the city of Murmansk. For the point, name this northern Russian peninsula. | Kola Peninsula (accept Kolsky poluostrov) |
| The oldest building in this island's largest settlement faces the Forodhani Gardens and is called the House of Wonders. Residents of this island primarily speak a variety of Swahili known as kiunguja [[keh-oon-GOO-jah]]. This island's town of Stone Town was once the capital of the Omani Sultanate. This island lies across a namesake straight from Dar Es Salaam. For the point, name this island that was united with Tanganyika to form an East African country. | Zanzibar (accept Ungunja) |
| Up to 75 cats live on the grounds of this museum as a result of Empress Elizabeth bringing them in to eat mice. A section of this museum contains the Malachite [[MAL-ah- kite]] Room designed by Alexander Brullov [[BROO-loff]]. The Menshikov [[MEN-shih-koff]] and Winter Palaces form part of this museum, which was founded when Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky gave paintings to Catherine the Great. For the point, name this art museum in St. Petersburg. | The State Hermitage Museum (accept Gosudárstvennyj Ermitáž; prompt on "Winter Palace" before mentioned) |
| This river originates from Atlin Lake on the Llewellyn [[loo-EH-lin]] Glacier and discharges near the town of Kusilvak [[KOO-sih-lah-vak]]. Known as "Kuigpak" [[KWEEG- pahk]] in Yu'pik, the former gold boomtown of Dawson City lies along this river whose major tributaries include the Tanana and the Klondike Rivers. For the point, name this longest river in Alaska, which shares its name with a northwestern Canadian territory governed from Whitehorse. | Yukon River |
| Some forms of this biome are home to riverbank sand dunes called Tukulan. This biome contains ashy, grey soil known as podzol, which promotes the growth of plants tolerant of low pH environments. This biome can contain uneven, waterlogged terrain known as thermokarst. This biome's northern end is located near the Arctic Circle at the tree line. For the point, name this cold biome south of the tundra, which is characterized by dense coniferous forests. | Taiga (accept Boreal Forest; accept Snow forest; prompt on "forest" alone) |
| This region’s namesake river, whose source is Lop Nur, had its course mapped by Swedish geographer Sven Hedin. This area, contrasted with Dzungaria [[zoon-GAHR-ree- ah]], had its 8th-century oasis states conquered by Emperor Tang Taizong in a series of wars that established the Anxi [[AHN-SHE]] Protectorate. It’s not a state of China, but this Uyghur-dominated geographical area makes up the southern portion of Xinjiang. For the point, name this basin in Central Asia covered largely by the Taklamakan Desert. | Tarim Basin |
| This region lies directly to the northwest of the Shortland Islands. This region's most widely spoken indigenous language is Halia. Notable reefs in this region include the Marqueen Island and Nukumanu Islands. This region's capital is Buka, and its largest city is Arawa. In 2019, this region voted to become independent by a 96% margin. This semi- autonomous region was preceded by the short-lived Republic of the North Solomons. For the point, name this breakaway region of Papua New Guinea, named for a French explorer. | Bougainville (Accept Bogenvil) |
| This river's namesake "Cut" was constructed in the late 19th century to link its branch called the Leniwka to the hamlet of Swibno. The last major Soviet Offensive prior to their capture of Berlin is named for both Oder River and this waterway, and the Augustów Canal once connected it to Dnieper [[NEE-per]] River. Both Krakow and Warsaw sit on, for the point, what Polish river which empties into the Gulf of Gdansk? | Vistula River |
| This mountain’s "Tianchi Eruption" in May 946 caused the surrounding area to be as cold as winter, according to the Old History of the Five Dynasties. Heaven Lake is a crater lake in a caldera atop this mountain. To the southeast of this mountain is Sobaek [[SOH-BEK]] Mountain, which is the official birthplace of Kim Il-Sung. For the point, name this mythologically important mountain shared by China and North Korea. | Mount Baekdu (accept Mount Paektu or Changbai Mountain) |
| The critically endangered Orok people on this island take part in a rite of passage known as the sturgeon hunt. This island's Cape Crillon was used in the 19th century by American Whale hunters. This island's city of Korsakov was rebuilt as Ōtomari after it was divided by the Treaty of Portsmouth. The 50th parallel was once used to split this island, which is across the Strait of Tartary from Hokkaido. For the point, name this largest island of Russia, which is just north of Japan. | Sakhalin (accept Karafuto) |
| This country, which contains the eastern end of Lake Skadar [[SKAH-DAHR]], features historic ruins in its city of Shkodër [[SHKOH-dur]]. This country's national language is divided into northern and southern dialects called Gheg and Tosk. With Macedonia, this country contains Lake Ohrid [[OCH-rid]]. Members of this country's namesake ethnicity make up the vast majority of the population of neighboring Kosovo. For the point, name this Balkan state. | Republic of Albania (or Republika e Shqiperise) |
| The Kotri Barrage is a major dam along this river, whose banks include the cities of Swabi and Hyderabad [[hee-"dare"-AH-bahd). This river forms after the Gar Tsangpo flows into the Sengge Zangbo. In the Rig Veda, this is the only river personified with a masculine deity. Ancient sites along this river's banks include Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. For the point, name this Pakistani river, whose valley names an ancient Indian civilization. | Indus River |
| In front of one nation’s oldest school of law sits this city's Hungry Tree which has been devouring an iron bench for almost a century. This city names a subrange of the Wicklow Mountains that creates the Vartry Reservoir and the Poulaphouca [[poo-lah-FOO- kah]] Reservoir. This capital city on the River Liffey houses a Garden of Remembrance that represents the struggles of the Easter Rising and the IRA War of Independence. For the point, name this capital city of Ireland. | Dublin |