World Trivia Questions & Answers

  

World Trivia

What French city was home to Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, the famous gastronome?
A: Belley.

In Persia, what is the color associated with mourning?
A: Pale brown, the color of withered leaves.

What is the diameter of the earth at the equator?
A: 7,926 miles. (the circumference is 24,902 miles.)

What did Ludwig I, King of Bavaria from 1825 to 1848, have stuffed inside his velvet-covered matteress?
A: The beards and mustaches of soldiers from his father's old Alsatian regiment.

There are 12 locks on the Panama Canal. How many are there on the Suez Canal, which is twice as long?
A: None.

Who was the only English king to be honored with the epithet "the great" after his name?
A: Alfred the Great, who ruled form 871 to 899.

What is the largest island in the South Pacific archipelago known as the Society Islands?
A: Tahiti. The French-controlled islands are named for the group of scientists form the Royal Society brought to visit some of the islands in 1769 by Lt. (later captain) James Cook.

Where in the world are there geological features known as ergs, regs and hamadas?
A: In the Sahara--where ergs are sandy expanses, regs are gravelly plains and hamadas are stony upland plateaus.

How many countries joined the United Nations when it was formed in 1945?
A: 51.

:The United States is the 0ldest independent country in the Americas. What country is the second oldest?
A: Haiti, which gained its independence from France in 1804.

The name of what East African country means "land of sunburned faces" in Greek?
A: Ethiopia.

What river divides the Dutch capital of Amsterdam in two?
A: The Amstel. The city's name is derived from a dam built between dikes bordering the river.

Where is the 1,300 mile-long Orange River?
A: In South Africa.

In what country are the natives known as Malagasy?
A: Madagascar. They're also called Madagascans.

What is the sacred animal of Thailand?
A: The white elephant.

What is Canada's highest city?
A: Kimberley, British Columbia.

What was Casablanca called when it was first built by the Portuguese in 1515?
A: Casa Branca. Both names mean "white house"--for the city's many white houses.

How much does the jewel-studded Crown of England--worn only at coronations--weigh?
A: The crown, also known as St. Edward's Crown, weighs just under seven pounds.

What is the largest river delta in the world?
A: The Ganges Delta, or Ganges-Brahmapurtra Delta, in India and Bangladesh. It extends for about 250 miles north to south, and rages from 80 to 200 miles west to east.

In the African version of the Hansel and Gretel story, what is the house of the wicked witch made of instead of gingerbread?
A: Salt, which is highly prized south of the Sahara.

Where is the iron key to the Bastelle--the notorious French prison--kept today?
A: At George Washington's home, Mount Vernon, where it is on display in the central hallway. The key was sent to Washington by the Marquis de Lafayette, "as a missionary of liberty to its patriarch."

What country's flag consists of a single solid color?
A: Libya's. Its flag is green.

In an ancient Roman amphitheater or stadium, what was a vomitory?
A: A large opening that served as an entrance to or exit from a tier of seats.

The Romans had three words for kissing--basium, osculum and suavium. What were the distinctions among them?
A: Basium was the kiss exchanged by acquaintances; osculum, the kiss between close friends; and suavium, the kiss between lovers.