Can you solve these real 'Jeopardy!' clues about world history?
Can you solve these real 'Jeopardy!' clues about world history?
Although it's quite difficult to travel right now given the restrictions on various countries, we'll try to cure your wanderlust with a quiz that takes you on a virtual trip around the globe. Questions related to geography and countries of the world are some of the most regularly used categories on "Jeopardy!" so we took advantage of that library of information to bring you the ins and outs of places like small European countries and recently independent African nations.
Stacker dug into years of past "Jeopardy!" questions, which are memorialized in the Jeopardy! Archive and constantly updated (through June 2020, when the most recent season concluded), to compile the following list of 25 "Jeopardy!" questions about countries around the world. Each question includes the clue, category, value, and date the episode aired, followed by the answer in standard "Jeopardy!" format.
A good grasp of flags, borders, and history will help you throughout this quiz. For example, do you know which country doesn't have a rectangular flag—and what its shape represents? What about the African country in the Sahara Desert that is neighbors with Chad and Mali? Or the country President John F. Kennedy visited on the same day a huge volcano erupted? Stacker has included those clues and more in this comprehensive quiz to get you ready for the 37th season of "Jeopardy!"
Click through to see if you're as worldly as you think. You'll have to know more than just the basics of big countries like the U.S., Germany, and Japan (none of which are included within this quiz). That means an understanding of New Zealand prime ministers, Norwegian tunnels, and the richness of Jamaica's Blue Mountains are more apropos for this test of countries.
Clue #1
- Clue: Chad to its east, Mali to its west
- Category: ESTABLISHING SOME BORDERS
- Value: $1600
- Date episode aired: Feb. 20, 2020
Answer #1: What is Niger?
More than two-thirds of Niger lies within the Sahara Desert, making it one of the hottest countries in the world. The Niger River is a primary source of freshwater for much of Niger, a country known for uranium production.
Clue #2
- Clue: Citizens of this country can request retired flags flown at the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill—the wait list exceeds 100 years
- Category: CAPTURE THE FLAG
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: March 23, 2020
Answer #2: What is Canada?
Up until the 1960s, Canada still used the Union Jack on its national flag. The current "Maple Leaf" flag was made official by Queen Elizabeth II on Jan. 28, 1965. Many Canadians consider the maple leaf a "symbol of pride, courage, and loyalty."
Clue #3
- Clue: The Patagonian cavy is usually found in this country
- Category: 4 LEGS, 1 CLUE
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: Jan. 11, 2016
Answer #3: What is Argentina?
Patagonian cavies are rodents that somewhat resemble rabbits. Found in central and southern Argentina, these animals average about 28 inches in height and are herbivores. In human care, Patagonian cavies live for about 14 years.
Clue #4
- Clue: In the 2013 winner "The Orphan Master's Son," young Pak Jun Do comes of age in this totalitarian nation
- Category: THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION
- Value: $400
- Date episode aired: May 23, 2016
Answer #4: What is North Korea?
Pak Jun Do is a soldier, then a kidnapper, then a surveillance officer in this 2013 thriller by Adam Johnson. Former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was a noted cinephile, and the protagonist in "The Orphan Master's Son" is inspired by "Casablanca."
Clue #5
- Clue: Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary's funeral oration was given by Helen Clark, the prime minister of this nation
- Category: A FUNERAL ORATION
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: July 22, 2019
Answer #5: What is New Zealand?
Helen Clark was the first woman elected prime minister in New Zealand (although not the first woman to serve in the role). After serving as prime minister for nine years, Clark went on to work for the United Nations. She now runs her own foundation, a public policy think tank.
Clue #6
- Clue: Lahore, this country's second-largest city, is the capital of the Punjab province
- Category: GEOGRAPHY
- Value: $400
- Date episode aired: May 6, 2019
Answer #6: What is Pakistan?
Upwards of 200 million people live in Pakistan, the majority being Punjabis. Lahore is home to beautiful sights like the Badshahi Mosque. However, some in Lahore have recently come under scrutiny for acts of reprehensible violence against women.
Clue #7
- Clue: With the help of the U.S., it broke away from Colombia and declared independence on Nov. 3, 1903
- Category: INDEPENDENCE DAYS
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: Oct. 3, 2013
Answer #7: What is Panama?
Secretary of State John Hay helped facilitate relations with the new nation of Panama. Over the next 11 years, the U.S. would help build the Panama Canal, which became a boon for American trade.
Clue #8
- Clue: The blue triangle on the flag of this relatively new nation represents the Nile
- Category: FLAGS
- Value: $2000
- Date episode aired: May 16, 2018
Answer #8: What is South Sudan?
The Nile River flows for 4,100 miles before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. South Sudan gained independence in 2011. Opposition forces and a weakened economy have been constant threats during its first decade of existence.
Clue #9
- Clue: On Nov. 27, 2000 this country's King Harald opened Laerdal tunnel, the world's longest road tunnel at 15.2 miles
- Category: TUNNELS
- Value: $1600
- Date episode aired: Jan. 2, 2014
Answer #9: What is Norway?
Norwegian parliament agreed to build the Laerdal tunnel in 1992, to connect Oslo and Bergen. During construction, workers had to dispose of 2.5 million cubic metres of rock. King Harald ascended to the throne in 1991, after the death of his father, King Olav V.
Clue #10
- Clue: Many of the tourists flocking to this country northwest of Panama visit the national park named for Irazu volcano
- Category: VOLCANOES
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: Oct. 31, 2017
Answer #10: What is Costa Rica?
Irazu means "thunder and earthquake mountain." The volcano, which is 11,260 feet tall, erupted in 1963, during a visit by U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The surrounding national park features rabbits, porcupines, owls, and coyotes.
Clue #11
- Clue: The 2017 Nonfiction winner was Masha Gessen's "The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed" this superpower
- Category: THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: Nov. 1, 2019
Answer #11: What is Russia?
The 2017 book is told from the perspective of seven Russians representing different generations. Gessen, an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin, is a staff writer at The New Yorker. They have also written "The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin."
Clue #12
- Clue: Bratislava is the capital of this nation that Czeched out of a union with a neighbor
- Category: TOUGH EUROPEAN CAPITALS
- Value: $400
- Date episode aired: April 25, 2014
Answer #12: What is Slovakia?
Hlavné námestie is the main square in Bratislava and dates back to the 13th century. Another notable sight in the capital of Slovakia is Bratislava Castle, which was first inhabited by the Celtcs. Bratislava is a short train ride from Vienna.
Clue #13
- Clue: In 2011 a museum dedicated to Arnold's life opened in Thal, his childhood home in this country
- Category: SCHWARZENEGGER
- Value: $200
- Date episode aired: April 21, 2017
Answer #13: What is Austria
The museum in Thal is about 15 minutes outside of Graz. It even houses objects from Schwarzenegger's childhood and his time serving in the Austrian army.
Clue #14
- Clue: 1932-35: the Chaco War, between Paraguay and this northern neighbor
- Category: WAR!
- Value: $1600
- Date episode aired: Dec. 1, 2016
Answer #14: What is Bolivia?
Bolivia, named after Simon Bolivar, declared independence from Spain in 1825. In the Chaco War, Bolivia was supported by Czechoslovakian weapons, while Paraguay received backing from Argentina.
Clue #15
- Clue: Montenegro is on this country's northern border and Greece is on its southern one
- Category: EUROP"A"
- Value: $400
- Date episode aired: Jan. 25, 2012
Answer #15: What is Albania?
Albania earned independence early in the 20th century, but soon fell under German control during World War II. Over 3 million people live in this European country, with more than half of the population identifying as Muslim. Pollution is a growing problem in Albania.
Clue #16
- Clue: Who are the Houthis? They're Shiite rebels who've booted the president of this Arabian Peninsula country
- Category: POTPOURRI
- Value: $1600
- Date episode aired: July 22, 2015
Answer #16: What is Yemen?
Recently, the Houthis have faced opposition from Saudi Arabia, which has support from the U.S. According to the Brookings Institute, Houthis are Zaydi Shiites, or Zaydiyyah, named after Zayd ibn Ali. Zaydis took power in North Yemen soon after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
Clue #17
- Clue: Formerly Upper Volta, still two words
- Category: COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: July 28, 2017
Answer #17: What is Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso gained independence from France in 1960. The country has great reserves of gold, manganese, and zinc but has been subject to terrorist violence in recent years. Malnutrition is another problem among many children, but the government is devoting more resources to creating better health systems nationwide.
Clue #18
- Clue: Of the 15 now independent former Soviet republics, this non-"stan" is the smallest in area
- Category: GEOGRAPHIC EXTREMES
- Value: $2000
- Date episode aired: Dec. 26, 2016
Answer #18: What is Armenia?
According to the CIA Factbook, in the 300s, Armenia became the first nation to formally adopt Christianity. In the early 20th century, the Armenian Genocide carried out by Turkey led to the deaths of at least 1 million people.
Clue #19
- Clue: From 1346 to 1561, the Teutonic Knights ruled Latvia and this northern neighbor as the Medieval state of Livonia
- Category: EUROPEAN HISTORY
- Value: $400
- Date episode aired: July 17, 2008
Answer #19: What is Estonia?
As the Iron Curtain began to fall, Estonia inched towards independence with the Singing Revolution, named after mass demonstrations that included singing. Nobel Prize winner Jaan Kross is one of Estonia's most famous writers, and Estonians perform notably well in international wrestling competitions.
Clue #20
- Clue: Famous for the coffee grown there, the Blue Mountains are the highest range on this Caribbean island
- Category: THE RED, WHITE & BLUE
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: July 4, 2017
Answer #20: What is Jamaica?
Jamaica's Blue Mountains have become a tourist haven for their coffee plantations, beaches, and luxury resorts. Sugarcane, bananas, and poultry are other key exports of Jamaica. The island's population is nearing 3 million.
Clue #21
- Clue: Check out one of the last great 19th-century hotels, the colonial-style Raffles Hotel in this Asian island country
- Category: TRAVEL
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: March 1, 2019
Answer #21: What is Singapore?
The Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 and was recently restored. Rudyard Kipling and Elizabeth Taylor are some of the luminaries to have stayed there. Lately, tech and finance companies from China have flocked to Singapore to grow their businesses.
Clue #22
- Clue: Yaounde, capital of this former French territory in Africa, was founded by Germans involved in the ivory trade
- Category: WORLD CAPITALS
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: March 4, 2014
Answer #22: What is Cameroon?
Cameroon gained independence in 1960. Petroleum, iron ore, and bauxite are some of Cameroon's natural resources, while cotton, timber, and coffee are major exports.
Clue #23
- Clue: China shares the Gobi Desert with this country that's 1/70 as densely populated as China
- Category: COUNTRY FACTS
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: Feb. 7, 2019
Answer #23: What is Mongolia?
Despite Mongolia's small geographical size compared to China, it is twice the size of Texas. For over 150 years, the Mongol Empire, inspired by Genghis Khan, ruled much of Asia. Lately, Mongolians are becoming more vocal against Chinese oppression.
Clue #24
- Clue: Home to Europe's largest glacier by volume
- Category: AN "I" LAND
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: Jan. 31, 2017
Answer #24: What is Iceland?
The Vatnajökull glacier is Iceland's largest glacier. Some scholars argue that the Severny Island ice cap in northern Russia is actually bigger than Vatnajökull.
Clue #25
- Clue: The only country without a rectangular flag is this Himalayan nation
- Category: FLAGS
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: Nov. 19, 2018
Answer #25: What is Nepal?
Nepal's flag contains two pennant-shaped objects, which are said to represent its mountainous geography. Much of Mount Everest is on Nepalese land. In addition to mountain climbing, cricket is a popular recreational activity in Nepal.
