| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| This peninsula is home to the incomplete Diamond Tower, which will be the first building to twist 360 degrees. Another under construction tower on this peninsula is a 3,300 foot neo-futurist project designed by Adrian Smith. This peninsula is also home the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa. For ten points, name this peninsula whose skyscrapers are centered in cities such as Jeddah, Dubai, and Mecca. | Arabian Peninsula (or Arabia; accept Saudi Arabia before “Burj Khalifa” is read) |
| One of these systems in Glasgow consists of two concentric circles and is operated by the Strathclyde Partnership. One of these systems found in Paris has several cast iron entrances designed by Hector Guimard. Portions of one of these systems in London include Euston and Paddington. For ten points, name these systems of trains that run underground, which are often called rapid transit systems. | subway systems [or metro systems; accept rapid transit systems before mentioned) |
| ThevillageofZermattisoverlookedbythismountainandisthebaseformostclimbsofthismountain. This mountains first ascent included Lord Francis Douglas and ended with four of the seven climbers deaths. This nearly pyramidal mountain lies in the canton of Valais. For ten points, name this last major mountain in the Alps to be climbed, which sits on the Swiss-Italian border. | Matterhorn (or Monte Cervino; or Mont Cervin) |
| The first one of these locations was founded by C.E. Borchgrevink on Ridley Beach. The southernmost Chinese operated one of these locations is known as Kunlun. The largest one of these places is named for being located on McMurdo Sound. One of these locations named for Amundsen-Scott is located at the south pole. For ten points, name these scientific facilities located on the southernmost continent. | Research stations in Antarctica (accept bases in Antarctica; accept any answer that indicates settlements on Antarctica) |
| This mountain was formerly home to the Drygalski Glacier. This mountain’s current glaciers include the Furtwangler and Rebmann glaciers. This mountain’s peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo are separated by the Saddle Plateau. This mountain is known as Uharu in the Swahili language. For ten points, name this extinct stratovolcano in Tanzania, the tallest mountain in Africa. | Mount Kilimanjaro (accept Uharu before mentioned) |
| The British Overseas Territories of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are located on this island. This island is divided by the Green Line, with its northern half being an unrecognized independent country. This island is home to the Kyrenia and Troodos mountains. This island is shared by Turkish and Greek inhabitants and has its capital at Nicosia. For ten points, name this large Mediterranean island found south of Turkey. | Cyprus |
| The only non-American alligator species in the world is endemic to this river, which also names a species of finless porpoise. This river was formerly home to the baiji river dolphin, which was harmed by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. This river flows into the East China Sea near Shanghai. For ten points, name this Chinese river, the longest river in Asia. | Yangtze River (accept Changjiang; prompt on Long River) |
| This location is home to a set of multicolored springs called the Artist’s Paintpots which are located in the Gibbon Geyser Basin. The Morning Glory Pool, a yellow and blue spring, is located in this park. This park is home to a geyser named due to erupting at regular intervals. Old Faithful is located in, for ten points, what National Park found mostly in Wyoming, the oldest in the United States? | Yellowstone National Park |
| The mouth of the Catatumbo River in this country is home to a perpetual lightning storm. That river empties into this country’s lake Maracaibo. This country is also home to where the Orinoco River empties into the Caribbean Sea. This country is home to the highest uninterrupted waterfall in the world, Angel Falls. For ten points, name this South American country east of Colombia with capital Caracas. | Venezuela |
| Lago Alajuela’s flooding caused the closure of this structure. This structure was created following the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty. This structure is crossed by the Bridge of the Americas. This structure Gatun Lake and the Gaillard Cut lie along this structure. For ten points, name this structure that connects the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, a waterway through its namesake Central American country. | Panama Canal |
| The Nastapoka Arc lies along this body of water and was previously thought to be the remnants of an enormous impact crater. This body of water is home to the Belcher Islands, which include Flaherty Island and Kugong Island. James Bay is a southern extension of this body of water. For ten points, name this large bay in Canada, which is named for an explorer of the northwest passage. | Hudson Bay |
| The world’s largest gold mine, Grasberg Mine, is located on this island’s mountain of Puncak Jaya. This island’s eastern end is covered by the Owen Stanley Range. This island’s resemblance to a bird of paradise gave rise the names of the Bird’s Head and Bird’s Tail peninsula. Port Moresby is located on, for ten points, what island shared between Indonesia’s province of Papua and a similarly named country? | New Guinea (do not accept Papua New Guinea) |
| PopularattractionsinthiscountrysuchastheSkogafossWaterfallsandJokulsarlon[yoke-ool-are-lon] lie along this country’s Ring Road. This country was formerly governed from Thingvellir, which hosted this country’s Althing, the oldest existing parliament in the world. This country sits between the Faroe Islands and Greenland. For ten points, name this country settled by the Vikings, an island nation with capital Reykjavik. | Iceland |
| Two members of this group are linked by the Straits of Mackinac. Manitoulin and Isle Royale are the largest islands found in this group. The largest member of this group is the largest freshwater lake in the world. Large cities along the shores of this group of lakes include Toronto and Chicago. For ten points, name this group of five lakes on the U.S.-Canada border which include Erie, and Michigan. | Great Lakes |
| This island’s largest mammalian predator is the catlike fossa. This island is also home to a nocturnal primate with an enlarged middle finger known as the aye-aye. This island is home to the majority of the world’s baobab tree species. This island is the only place on Earth where lemurs can be found in the wild. For ten points, name this 4th largest island in the world, which lies off the coast of East Africa. | Madagascar |
| This region’s Avenue of Stars is home to a 2.5 meter bronze statue of Bruce Lee. This region is home to the Big Buddha statue. This region has a name that means “fragrant harbor.” Macau is separated from this region by the Pearl River Delta. The “one country, two systems policy” governs, for ten points, what special administration region in southern China that was previously ruled by the U.K? | Hong Kong (accept Xiang Gang) |
| This city is the origin of a type of sandwich where the bread is replaced with flattened green plantains called the Jibarito. Italian immigrants in this city created the Italian beef sandwich. This city’s style of hot dog is known for having several toppings, including a pickle spear. This city is home to chains like Gino’s East and Uno’s which serve a namesake style of deep dish pizza. For ten points, name this largest city in Illinois. | Chicago |
| This river flows through the plains of Wallachia after it passes a series of gorges including Golubac Gorge and Gospodjin Vir. Those gorges are part of this river’s Iron Gates. This river formerly split the city of Budapest into the cities Buda and Pest. Other capitals on this river include Belgrade and Vienna. For ten points, name this second longest European river that empties into the Black Sea. | Danube River |
| One island in this country is home to the former communist training camp called Isle of Youth. Its not Puerto Rico, but this country is home to two different Morro Castles. The Windward Passage separates this country from Hispaniola. For ten points, name this large Carribean island nation whose capital is Havana. | Cuba |
| Historically, this river has been known by the name of its chief tributary, the Maranon River. This river received its name when conquistadors were attacked by a group of women. This river’s confluence with the Rio Negro is known as the Meeting of Waters. This river shares its name with the largest rainforest on earth. For ten points, name this river that ends in Brazil, the largest river in South America. | Amazon |
| This region is home to Vajrayana Buddhist sects named Red Hat and Yellow Hat after the color of their monks’ headgear. This region’s capital is home to the Jokhang Temple and Potala Palace, where Tenzin Gyatso lived before going into exile. This autonomous region is located in southwest China and has its capital at Lhasa. For ten points, name this region home to a namesake kind of Buddhism led by the Dalai Lama. | Tibet |
| This country’s Kalagarh Dam was built in the southwest of the Jim Corbett National Park. The majority of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceros live in this country’s Kaziranga National Park, which lies in this country’s state of Assam. This country disputes the Kashmir region with it’s western neighbor, Pakistan. For ten points, name this south Asian country with capital New Delhi. | India |
| This city is home to Belvedere Castle which was partially designed by Calvert Vaux. Frederick Law Olmsed co-designed a massive park in this city which now contains the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A bronze plaque engraved with the words “Give me your tired, your poor” is located in a Frederic Bartholdi statue in this city. Central Park and the Statue of Liberty are located in, for ten points, what largest city in the United States? | New York City (accept NYC) |
| This country is home to the majority of the Sistan Basin, which forms massive dust storms. This country is home to the cities of Kandahar and Herat and lies northwest of the Khyber Pass. The Hindu Kush mountains start in the center of this country before heading east into Pakistan. The Taliban formerly controlled this country which produces most of the world’s opium. For ten points, name this country with capital Kabul. | Afghanistan |
| This process is tracked by the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite process. This process is currently driven primarily by Greenland, although East Antarctica may eventually be the primary source of this process. Countries such as Maldives and Kiribati [key-ree-baas] may disappear due to this process. For ten points, name this consequence of climate change which caused by melting glaciers and ice sheets. | sea level rise (accept any answer indicating the sea/ocean is getting higher; prompt on global warming; prompt on climate change before mentioned) |
| This country contains the lowest point in Africa, the Qattara Depression. This country’s highest point is Mount Catherine, which is named for a saint martyred in this country. This country was home to the Pharos, a lighthouse that was a wonder of the ancient world. This country’s Mediterranean coast is home to the city of Alexandria. Cairo is the capital of, for ten points, what country home to the Pyramids of Giza? | Egypt |
| One island in this body of water is home to the town of East Howes, where Queen Victoria built the Osborne House. In addition to the Isle of Wight, this body of water is home to a namesake archipelago that includes Guernsey and Jersey. Cities on this body of water include Le Havre and Southampton. The Chunnel passes under, for ten points, what body of water that separates the U.K. from France? | English Channel (prompt on the Channel) |
| The Bengali dish pilaf is traditionally based on this food. When mixed with curry, this food is the main ingredient in the Muslim Indian dish of biryani. When cooked with broth and wine this food is used for the Italian dish risotto. In Japan, this food is used to wrap sushi. Basmati is an Indian aromatic form of this food. For ten points, name this grain, which with millet forms the basis of many East Asian diets. | rice |
| When climbing this mountain, the first solid rock that most climbers cross is the Yellow Band formation. This mountain is separated from Lhotse by the South Col, which is home to the Khumbu Icefall. This Himalayan mountain was first climbed by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary. For ten points, name this mountain on the Nepal-China border, the highest mountain above sea level in the world. | Mount Everest ( or Sagarmatha; or Chomolungma; or Zhumulangma) |
| The Western Wind Drift is the largest example of these entities, whose size is measured in Sverdrups. The Labrador example of these entities causes New England’s winters to be colder than north Africa. Circular ones of these entities are called gyres. Another of these entities carries warm water from North America to Europe. For ten points, name these directed flows of Ocean water, exemplified by the Gulf Stream. | ocean currents Tiebreaker |
| This country is home to the Masurian Canal, which links its namesake Lake District to the Baltic Sea. After extensive deforestation in this country during the Middle Ages, the Bledow Desert was formed. Cities in this country include Katowice and Krakow. This country is also home to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. For ten points, name this eastern European country with capital Warsaw. | Poland |