Image: Thomas Roche/Moment/Getty Images
About This Quiz
There are so many places in the world, admittedly this quiz skipped over a few big G places. So let's confess which ones were left off.
One big G place was the Great Wall of China, which was built along the northern border of China. These sets of walls are over a millennia old and were built starting in 7th century B.C. Altogether, these walls are close to 14,000 miles long.
And then there's where the pyramids are located in Egypt--Giza. These architectural marvels were called one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Another G geography location--the Ganges (or Ganga) river which flows through India and China. It is 1,569 miles long and one of the most sacred places for Hindus. Unfortunately, this river is very polluted, threatening humans and other animals alike.
For you Americans--there's no state of Georgia in this quiz, either. And that was actually on purpose--it's the only G state! But there are other American places that begin with the letter G.
What we hope is that this quiz will take you to some more far-flung places that aren't too obscure but are just under your nose. So get your compass, gather your growing sense of adventure and start this globe-trotting quiz.
Good luck!
What European country is officially called the Hellenic Republic?
Greece
Greece's unofficial name comes from the Latin word "Graecia," which means "home of the Greeks." Greece is considered to be the cradle of Western civilization, the Olympic games, democracy and many other scientific and humanities disciplines that still we use today.
Germany
Gibraltar
Genoa
Advertisement
The prime meridian passes through which area of southeast London, England?
Greenwich
The prime meridian is where the longitude is at 0 degrees, dividing Earth into two hemispheres, Eastern and Western. It was established at the Royal Observatory in the late 19th century. This is also where we get Greenwich Mean Time, so time zones are added or subtracted from it (e.g., Eastern Standard Time in the U.S. is GMT-5, meaning five hours behind).
Gatwick
Goole
Grantham
Advertisement
What West African country is a former French colony?
Equatorial Guinea
Ghana
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Conakry
Also known as Guinea, Guinea-Conakry gained independence from France in 1958, choosing not to be a part of the French Community--a loose association of former French colonies. Since gaining independence, Guinea-Conakry has struggled with political unrest, poverty and disease outbreaks with HIV/AIDS and the Ebola virus.
Advertisement
What tony district in Seoul, South Korea was in the title of a 2012 viral K-pop song?
Gyeonggi
Gangnam
The affluent Gangnam District in Seoul is considered to be comparable to Beverly Hills, California. It was also the name of the 2012 song, "Gangnam Style" by K-pop star Psy, which has over 3 billion views.
Gyeongju
Goguryeo
Advertisement
Which island is located in the English Channel and off the coast of the Normandy region of France?
Greenock
Guernsey
Guernsey is a part of the chain of islands called the Channel Islands. Guernsey is not a part of the European Union (although it does have a trading relationship with the EU) nor is it a part of the United Kingdom, but it does defer to the British government for international issues.
Greytown
Greenfield
Advertisement
What small island is part of Manhattan, New York City?
Gabriola Island
Galt Island
Governors Island
Governors Island used to be a U.S. Coast Guard outpost and historically was used in the American Revolutionary War as a defensive outpost. Now part of the island has a national park and is a tourist destination, with recreational spaces open during the months of May through September.
Garden Island
Advertisement
Which mountain peak in Wyoming is a popular climbing and skiing destination?
Grizzly Peak
Grouse Mountain
Gaviota Peak
Grand Teton
The Grand Teton is a part of Grand Teton National Park in Northwest Wyoming. It's the highest peak in the Teton Range and the second-highest peak in Wyoming.
Advertisement
What Central American country has the largest population of the region?
Genoa
Guatemala
Before Guatemala was a country, it was the core of the ancient Mayan civilization. Guatemala has mountains, deserts and a Pacific coastline. The country also has rich biodiversity, with wetlands, mangrove forests and unique fauna.
Guyana
Grenada
Advertisement
Which island is the largest country to not be a continent?
Greenland
Although Greenland ethnically and geographically has more connections to the Arctic region, it is considered to be a Nordic nation. Greenland is an independent, self-governing country and a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The population is just about 56,000 people on 836,330 square miles of land.
Galiano
Grande Comore
Gruney
Advertisement
Which African country is a former Portuguese colony, gaining independence in 1974?
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau has experienced a lot of political instability since its declaration of independence, which preceded the overthrowing of the Estado Novo fascist regime of Portugal in the following year. Portuguese is the official language, but less than 16 percent of the population speaks it. A large of portion of the population speaks a Portuguese creole.
Equatorial Guinea
Guinea-Conakry
Gabon
Advertisement
What Eurasian country shares the name with a U.S. state?
Great Britain
Germany
Georgia
The country of Georgia was formerly a part of the U.S.S.R. until 1991, although Russia has claim to two Georgian territories which have declared independence, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It's been an ongoing issue of strife since the ceasefire in 2008.
Guatemala
Advertisement
What is the name of a small western state of India?
Ghaziabad
Goa
The state of Goa is home to about 1.5 million residents. This tiny state is known for its places of worship and beaches, and is a destination for those who want to party on a budget. Goa was a part of Portuguese India until it was annexed by India in 1961, so it has an intriguing mix of Western and Eastern cultural influences.
Guwahati
Guntur
Advertisement
What West African nation's name means "Warrior King"?
Guinea-Bissau
Gabon
Guyana
Ghana
Formerly called Gold Coast and a former British colony, Ghana was the first African nation to gain independence in 1957. Ghana's name hearkens back to the Empire of Ghana in now parts of Senegal, Mali and Mauritania. The empire ruled those regions from the 8th to 13th centuries.
Advertisement
What Caribbean island nation was a former French and British colony?
Guyana
Grenada
Grenada consists of one main island and six smaller islands situated north of the main island. It was first spotted by Christopher Columbus in 1498. Grenada has the nickname of "Island of Spice" because it is a large exporter of the spices nutmeg and mace.
Guam
Goa
Advertisement
This Micronesian island is a territory of the United States.
Genoa
Govan
Guam
The Chamorro people were the first inhabitants of the island. Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to visit the island in 1521. Now, Guam has several U.S. military outposts on the island.
Graveley
Advertisement
Part of the Lesser Antilles and the Leeward Islands, which region is a part of France?
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe has two main islands: Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre. This overseas region of France is also a territory of the European Union, so the Euro is the official currency.
Guatemala
Galgate
Guadalupe Island
Advertisement
What African nation's name comes from the Portuguese word for "cloak"?
Guinea-Bissau
Guadeloupe
Ghana
Gabon
The Gabonese Republic, better known as Gabon, was formerly a French colony and declared independence in 1960. Sitting on the west coast of Central Africa, Gabon has three geographical regions--the western coastal plains, the northern mountains and the eastern savannas.
Advertisement
What is the most populous city in Scotland and the third most populous city in the United Kingdom?
Gosforth
Gaddesby
Glasgow
Historically, around the time of the Industrial Revolution, Glasgow, Scotland was known for its innovations in manufacturing and shipbuilding. The River Clyde runs through this city of over 600,000 people. Glasgow is the largest shipping port of Scotland.
Glastonbury
Advertisement
Which of the following is a city on the western coast of Ireland?
Glasthule
Glenageary
Greystones
Galway
Galway is considered to be the cultural heart of Ireland. If you want to hear and see people playing and dancing to traditional Irish music, Galway is the place to be.
Advertisement
What South American country was formerly called British Guiana?
Ghana
French Guiana
Guyana
Guyana may be a part of the continent of South America, but because it's located on the northern part of the continent, it's culturally considered to be a part of the Caribbean. This country gained its independence from Britain in 1966 and has a diverse culture influenced by West Indian, Indian and African cultures.
Goa
Advertisement
Which European country was reunified in 1990 after 45 years of being divided?
Greece
Gibraltar
Germany
After World War II in 1945, Germany was divided into two parts through the city of Berlin, with East Germany as part of the Eastern Bloc of communist countries, and West Germany being a part of the Western Bloc. Reunification happened after a series of events and protests, culminating with the tearing down of the Berlin Wall in late 1989.
Great Britain
Advertisement
Which of the following is the island that is a part of a larger UK territory in the Caribbean?
Gulf Islands
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is a part of the Cayman Islands, which are a part of the Greater Antilles. George Town is the capital of the Cayman Islands and is located on Grand Cayman. This territory is popular for parking one's money and business revenue offshore.
Grand-Terre
Green Island
Advertisement
Which territory on the Iberian Peninsula has a been contested space between Spain and the United Kingdom?
Gibraltar
Since the 18th century, this tip of the Iberian Peninsula has been a part of the United Kingdom, but in 2006, although it is still a British overseas territory, Gibraltar became a self-governing entity. Spain still wants the UK to give the territory back, but Gibraltarians have voted against this in twice, with the latest referendum in 2002. The Strait of Gibraltar is only about eight miles wide, and half of the world's trade by sea passes through there.
Grenada
Guyana
Ghana
Advertisement
Which West African country is situated on either side of a river with the same name?
Gabon
Guinea-Conakry
Ghana
The Gambia
The Gambia, also known as The Republic of the Gambia, is the smallest country on the continent of Africa, mainly surrounded by the country of Senegal except for the Atlantic Ocean. The Gambia River was integral to the transatlantic slave trade, and this country was first a colony of Portugal and then the United Kingdom for those reasons. The Gambia gained independence from the UK in 1965.
Advertisement
Which British town shares the name with a large music festival?
Gloucester
Grays
Gatwick
Glastonbury
The Glastonbury Festival has been around off and on since the early 20th century, but has become a destination music festival for people and musical artists from around the world. Glastonbury is also known to draw people with New Age beliefs. The town is also the source of many myths and legends including ones around King Arthur and the Holy Grail.
Advertisement
Which group of islands are located between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia, Canada?
Greater Antilles
Guernsey
Gulf Islands
The Gulf Islands are situated in the Strait of Georgia (which is also known as the Gulf of Georgia or the Salish Sea). There are two sets of islands, the Northern Gulf Islands and the Southern Gulf Islands. Some of the islands have more of a Mediterranean climate, so olive trees and the rare Garry oak tree can grow on a few of the islands.
Gunnison
Advertisement
Which of these lakes is NOT one of the Great Lakes?
Superior
Huron
Ontario
St. Clair
The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater lakes in the world. Here's a great mnemonic device to remember the five Great Lakes, located in northern U.S. and southern Canada--HOMES: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. And technically, Huron and Michigan are one lake.
Advertisement
Which European city holds the headquarters of the Red Cross and many United Nations agencies?
Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland has a lot of international importance. It headquarters many international organizations, including the birthplace of the Red Cross. Geneva is the place where the Geneva Conventions were signed and is an important global financial center.
Glasgow
Genoa
Gdansk
Advertisement
What western India state's name also includes the name of the main language spoken there?
Gujarat
Derived from Sanskrit, Gujarati is the main language of the state of Gujarat. Gujarat is also the state that Indian activist Mahatma Gandhi is from. Where this state is situated, jutting out into the Arabian Sea, Gujarat has been known for centuries to trade and travel to neighboring regions such as the Middle East, Persian Gulf and Indonesia.
Goa
Gangtok
Guwahati
Advertisement
This large area in North America extends from southern Canada all the way down to Texas in the U.S.
Great Lakes
Grand Teton
Great Plains
Technically, the Great Plains is more of an American term than a Canadian one. In Canada, this section of the country is called the Prairies. A lot of this area has been converted to pastureland, agriculture and for harnessing wind power.
Grand Canyon
Advertisement
What northern Italian city's flag is the same flag that England uses?
Giugliano
Grosseto
Gela
Genoa
Regarding Genoa's flag, England (and the city of London) used to pay Genoa to use its flag (known to the English as St. George's Cross) in the 12th century as protection for their ships in the Mediterranean. Today, Genoa is Italy's busiest port and home to 1.5 million people in its metropolitan area. Genoa is also the birthplace of many famous Italians, including explorer Christopher Columbus.
Advertisement
Which of the following is NOT true about the Grand Canyon?
It is 277 miles long.
The first known European to have seen it was García López de Cárdenas in 1540.
It is the deepest canyon in the world.
Although the Grand Canyon, located in Arizona, is pretty deep at 6,093 feet (over a mile!), the deepest gorge in the world measures a depth of 17,567 feet, Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Tibet. And there are people who live in the Grand Canyon--Supai Village, which is located in the Havasupai Indian Reservation. As you can imagine, that is a pretty remote town, and it's actually the most remote town in the lower 48.
It is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world.
Advertisement
What Texan city also has a barrier island by the same name?
Grand Prairie
Galveston
Galveston Island is a part of Galveston, Texas, which faces the Gulf of Mexico. Because Galveston is a touristy town, there's a distinction between tourists and non-tourists. You're either born on the island (BOI) or an islander by choice (IBC).
Grandview
Grapeland
Advertisement
Which group of islands did naturalist Charles Darwin visit and study its unique species, helping to develop his theory of evolution via natural selection?
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands is made up of 18 main islands (including one named after Darwin) and are a part of the country of Ecuador. Close to 98 percent of the islands have become a national park. There are more introduced species than there are native ones on the islands, and development along with tourism continue to threaten the islands' wildlife.
Gulf Islands
Grand Cayman
Islands of Gdansk
Advertisement
Which country considered to be a part of the UK is NOT on the isle of Great Britain?
England
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Great Britain is often used interchangeably for the United Kingdom. But geographically, Great Britain refers to the island. It's the ninth largest island and it's the third most populous island with about 61 million residents.
Wales
Advertisement
You Got:
/35
