How Good Is Your Geography?? [3]

[edv]

The shiny new forum needs a new Geography Thread!

As usual, the rules are simple: Answer the question correctly and then you are rewarded by posing the next question.
'Googling' typically not allowed, unless the poser says so.

OK Let's start.

Who invented Geography? It is the same guy who figured out the circumference of the Earth to within 100 miles by simply comparing the length of shadows in Greece versus Egypt (knowing the distance) at the same time on the same day. In 240AD, I believe.

[lilmelvschilton]

i never did like geography lol

[viper_man]

Bugger, I remember it was called 'writing about the earth' or something but have no idea who it was. Should have paid more attention!

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Was it Esratothenes? Or someone simalar. I should be reasonably good at this seen as i'm a A-level Geography student. :p :

[Lousada]

Archimedes? :s

[edv]

Was it Esratothenes? Or someone simalar. I should be reasonably good at this seen as i'm a A-level Geography student. :p :

...but F-level speller, Jon. LOL

Give me the correct spelling and it's yours.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

...but F-level speller, Jon. LOL

Give me the correct spelling and it's yours.

:( I don't do English

How about Erastothenes :s

[edv]

:( I don't do English

How about Erastothenes :s

Well, you do not have to 'do English' since the answer is Greek!

You have the correct answer (Eratosthenes) even if spelled wrong.

Go ahead Jon!

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Well, you do not have to 'do English' since the answer is Greek!

You have the correct answer (Eratosthenes) even if spelled wrong.

Go ahead Jon!

Ok then I have zero common sense!!

Name the Atmospheric circulatory Cells?

[edv]

Cumulus
Cirrus
Nimbus
Stratus
?

[Daniel]

Ok then I have zero common sense!!

Name the Atmospheric circulatory Cells?
Do you mean cells like the Hadley cell or the Roaring Forties? That's all I can think of??

[oily oaf]

I was in an atmospheric cell once
The desk seargeant put a lovely vase of carnations in the corner and piped a nice bit of Mantovani through the PA.
Which was nice :mad:

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Do you mean cells like the Hadley cell or the Roaring Forties? That's all I can think of??

Hadley cell is one of them.

[Daniel]

Hadley cell is one of them.
Tropical cell? Polar cell? Running out of ideas

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Polar cell, Hadley cell, and one more ;)

[Storm]

Don't think I have heard of this cell business :s

[schmenke]

Prison cell?

[Azumanga Davo]

Mega Cell... :p :

[edv]

Soft Cell ? (crap now I have that Tainted Love song in my head. arggh)

[EuroTroll]

Is this in some way related to geography? :p :

[Brown, Jon Brow]

It's the Ferrel Cell!!!!

[Storm]

err whatever...go on and ask another question or let Daniel do it.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Which 3 Towns make the Italian industrial triangle?

[Lousada]

Milan, Turin and Genua?

[Storm]

Torino, Bologna & Modena ?

[CarlMetro]

Lousada has it correct, even if the spelling isn't ;) (Genoa)

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Yep! :)

New question?

[Storm]

bump! we need a question Lousada :)

[Lousada]

Where does the flattened musk turtle live?

[Breeze]

Ponds and lakes

[Lousada]

Wrong. But I mean which area.

[Tomski]

The U S of A

[schmenke]

Beneath an ox?

[Lousada]

The U S of A

Yes, but which state.

[cal]

Yes, but which state.


Maine

[schmenke]

Florida?

[donKey jote]

Beneath an ox?

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[CarlMetro]

California?

[Lousada]

No the turtle likes to mess around in the mud (who doesn't) and lives in a river. Hint: it's habitat is polluted by coal mining.

[Schultz]

Mississipi?

[Tomski]

Kentucky

[TexasRaceLady]

The Black Warrior river system of Alabama.

[CarlMetro]

Alabama?

[TexasRaceLady]

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/i/c/sac2t.html

RANGE AND POPULATION LEVEL: The flattened musk turtle occurs in the upper Black Warrior River system of Alabama. Present populations are believed to exist upstream from Bankhead Dam in Blount, Cullman, Etowah, Jefferson, Lawrence, Marshall, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston Counties. Only 15 percent of the Black Warrior system (142 out of 947 stream miles, including impoundments) is thought to support viable populations (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 199O). Historically, the flattened musk turtle was reported as occurring in this river system from the fall line northward. Exact population numbers are unknown. Within the current range, only about 15 percent of the habitat seems to contain healthy reproducing populations. Rangewide the species appears to be declining (Mount 1981; Ernst et al., 1983).

[Schultz]

It would be a little bit too easy if we all just googled the answer.

[TexasRaceLady]

Actually, I used the US Fish and Wildlife site --- since the question concerned wildlife.

[555-04Q2]

Actually, I used the US Fish and Wildlife site --- since the question concerned wildlife.

You're supposed to use your head only. Not Google, not any other form of search, just your head :(

[555-04Q2]

Who got the correct answer besides you know who :?:

[TexasRaceLady]

Apologies all around. I did not read closely enough.

Someone please ask the next question. I do not wish to cause conflict.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

A-level Geography at college is sh!t!!!! It's got nothing to do with geography. People can still get 'A's in pieces of work were thay say Africa is country. :rolleyes:

Anyway, here is a 1500 word report i'm currently doing. (failing)

'Discuss the view that fair trade is the most effective way to reduce the North/South development gap in the world.'

[Daniel]

Define Geography. It's the age old debate of arts v science. And someone somewhere will feel that a subject just isn't geographical enough.

As for geography in the UK National Curriculum - well it is a bit of a joke. It doesn't address key geographical skills. That's my opinion anyway. Teaching it is a bit depressing really.

Anyway, next Q please :)

PS - Caroline here not Daniel.

[Schultz]

Well Carl guessed, albeit after the answer was given lol. But I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt.

[AndySpeed]

Define Geography. It's the age old debate of arts v science. And someone somewhere will feel that a subject just isn't geographical enough.

As for geography in the UK National Curriculum - well it is a bit of a joke. It doesn't address key geographical skills. That's my opinion anyway. Teaching it is a bit depressing really.

Anyway, next Q please :)

PS - Caroline here not Daniel.

I'll step in here (doing a Geography degree).
I would say there are two types of Geography:
Physical, which is definitely more of a science
Human, which involves aspects of sociology and economics.

And as for the curriculum aspect, there are many ways in which it could be improved. GCSE Geography especially.

I'm embarassed to say that even I don't know where many places are, due to my lack of decent traching of this very basic element of Geography through primary and secondary schools. Luckily i'm quite good at the techniques bit!

Anyway, interlude over, on with the quiz...

[555-04Q2]

Hey Carl. Give us another one of your famous questions mate ;)

[schmenke]

I believe Carl is away on a business trip for the next few days, so perhaps someone else would like to have a go...

[Caroline]

Ok - I shall ask one as I am supposed to be sitting here doing some work and it just ain't happening :s

3 facts. Guess the country...

1. Former French Colony
2. Average annual humidity 87%
3. Former member of Comecon but became WTO's 150th member this year.

Happy guessing!

[quicksilver]

Cambodia? think it was a French colony anyway, and can't think off hand of any other colonies that might have been in Comecon? :erm:

[Caroline]

Sorry quicksilver, incorrect.

[jso1985]

Vietnam?

[Caroline]

Yes indeed. Bit of an easy question, but it has been a looong day and my brain is tired :) Over to you jso1985.

[jso1985]

ok. identify the country that no longer uses this flag

[Caroline]

I am rubbish at identifying flags. Total guess - Belize?

[schmenke]

Macedonia?

Edit: Just re-read the Q, and misunderstood :mark:

[jso1985]

nope

[CarlMetro]

Libya?

[Mark]

Libya?

But only used that particular one for 3 years.

[edv]

Crikey, just logged on after a few days, and here it's a question about the Libyan Flag! (see my flag)

[CarlMetro]

I could wait until Javier gets back online to tell me I'm right, but I know I'm right so I'll post another Q now.

Name the top five in the list of countries who suffered from the most car thefts per capita in the year 2000? As a little clue USA isn't one of them ;)

[schmenke]

Total guesses...

Canada
U.K.
Brazil
RSA
er...um...Venezeula :?:

[CarlMetro]

1.
2.
3. Uk
4.
5.

[edv]

Holland
Chile
Greece
Italy

?

[Caroline]

1. Colombia
2. Germany
3. Uk
4. Mexico
5. Portugal?

[CarlMetro]

Nope

1.
2.
3. Uk
4.
5.

[schmenke]

Russia
Spain
France
Australia
:?:

[Daniel]

South Africa?

[CarlMetro]

1. Australia
2.
3. Uk
4.
5.

[Daniel]

Ah Schmenke already posted that :p

[Tomski]

Netherlands
France
Potugal
Germany

[schmenke]

You wanna try again Tomski? :p :

[Tomski]

Iraq?

[schmenke]

Um, perhaps take a peek at some of the previous posts ;)

[jso1985]

The flag from the previous question was actually from Germany. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Flag_of_the_German_Empire.svg
Didn't know at all that Lybia used also the same flag.

about the current Q:
Argentina
Bolivia
Albania
Lybia
?

[schmenke]

Um, jso, see post #81 ;)

[edv]

New Zealand?

[schmenke]

I'm going Nordic...

Denmark
Finland
Sweden
:?:

[CarlMetro]

1. Australia
2. Denmark
3. Uk
4. New Zealand
5.

Edv got New Zealand but schmenke was right to go Nordic as number 5 is Norway, with Finland just outside the top ten at number 12. Strangely, Sweden don't figure at all in the top 50, must be all them Volvo's :p :

Schmenke got 3 of the 5 correct so I feel it's only right he should post the next Q...............

[Daniel]

I object! If only for the fact that Schmenke likes Hillmans :p

[edv]

< reputation added to Schmenke >

[schmenke]

< reputation added to Schmenke >

Thanks, although my responses were pure guesses :erm:

Q to follow shortly, unless someone else has one ready...

[schmenke]

Ah, what's up doc?...

Name the top 5 carrot producing countries (stats as of 2003).

[edv]

China
USA
Iran
France
Spain
(and Easter Islands....they have to feed the Bunny, you know)

[schmenke]

1. China
2. USA
3.
4.
5. France

[Brown, Jon Brow]

1. China
2. USA
3. Mexico
4. Russia
5. France

[schmenke]

1. China
2. USA
3. Russia
4.
5. France

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Brazil
Germany

[schmenke]

Nope
Nope (closer though...)

[fandango]

Poland?

(Incidently, did you know that the guy who did the voice for Bugs Bunny was allergic to carrots?)

[schmenke]

Poland? ...

:up:

edv had the most correct, although fandango got the last one. I'll let you two duel it out...

[Caroline]

So....who won the duel ?

:)

[schmenke]

Who cares :p : . Someone post a Q :D

[Storm]

c'mon folks?

[555-04Q2]

Ask a question Stormy. We'll die of old age at this rate :(

[CarlMetro]

With the way things are going, we'll have another server change before someone asks a new Q :rolleyes:

[Storm]

ok a quickie....If I was watching a football match at Salt Lake Stadium where would I be ?

[Daniel]

Utah?

[CarlMetro]

BUMP

Halfway down page 5 :s hock:

[walrus81]

ok a quickie....If I was watching a football match at Salt Lake Stadium where would I be ?
Kolkata

[Storm]

I am sorry I wasn't around but walrus you are spot on!
It indeed is football mad Kolkata, India.
Daniel..I knew someone would fall for Utah :p :

[Brown, Jon Brow]

If you were watching a football match at Brunton Park where would you be?

[imull]

Brunton Park ;) which is in Carlisle if my memory serves me right

[CarlMetro]

Yes it does, but has no significance because the next question is Walrus81' s because he answered the last question correctly ;)

[walrus81]

Which 2 cities would I be travelling between if I was to drive from 1 end of the Ruta José E. Díaz to the other?

[jso1985]

Mexico City and Acapulco?

[walrus81]

Mexico City and Acapulco?
incorrect

[CarlMetro]

Jose Diaz was a Paraguayan general but the only two places I know in Paraguay are Asucion{sp?} and Concepcion ?

[Gannex]

Macclesfield to Liverpool?

[jso1985]

Asuncion to Ciudad del Este?

[walrus81]

Asuncion to Ciudad del Este?
still not right, but you've got the right country

[fly_ac]

I think Ruta José Díaz is also known as Route 4 in Paragauy, and Route 1 meets Route 4 at San Ignacio Guazo.
Route 4 runs from there to Argentina I think.

Don't know if that is all correct, I guess I'll have to give it some more thought.

[walrus81]

I think Ruta José Díaz is also known as Route 4 in Paragauy, and Route 1 meets Route 4 at San Ignacio Guazo.
Route 4 runs from there to Argentina I think.

Don't know if that is all correct, I guess I'll have to give it some more thought.
very close

[fly_ac]

very close

I know Pilar is in Buenos Aires and think that is where Route 4 ends.
But not sure 100%.

At the other side all names that come to mind is San Ignacio Guazo (which is a jesuit mission I am told) and San Ignacio del las Missiones (which I believe must also be a jesuit mission), and I can't think of the city name.

So i'll have to leave it at that.

[walrus81]

I know Pilar is in Buenos Aires and think that is where Route 4 ends.
But not sure 100%.

At the other side all names that come to mind is San Ignacio Guazo (which is a jesuit mission I am told) and San Ignacio del las Missiones (which I believe must also be a jesuit mission), and I can't think of the city name.

So i'll have to leave it at that.
You have gotten 2 cities confused. There is a Pilar which is near Buenos Aires, but also a Pilar (in Paraguay) on the eastern side of the Rio Paraguay, and at the western end of the Ruta José E. Díaz.

At the eastern end is the city of San Ignacio in the department of Misiones.

your question fly_ac

[fly_ac]

That was a difficult one.
But in any case here goes...

The top 5 wine producing countries (2005) are France,Italy,Spain,USA and Argentina.
Name the next 5 in the top 10 as it were in 2005?

[CarlMetro]

Germany
UK
Chile
Portugal
South Africa

[Storm]

Chile , Australia, South Africa, Greece & Germany?

[fly_ac]

1. ?
2. Australia
3. South Africa
4. Germany
5. Chile

[fly_ac]

Should actualy be...

6. ????
7. Australia
8. South Africa
9. Germany
10. Chile

[fly_ac]

Portugal is at no.11
and
Greece is at no.15

[CarlMetro]

Austria?

[fly_ac]

Austria - no. 17

[schmenke]

Canada?

[fly_ac]

Canada - no. 32

[Tomski]

Bulgaria?

[schmenke]

New Zealand?

[CarlMetro]

Romania?

[fly_ac]

Bulgaria - 22
New Zeeland - 23
Romania - 12

[fly_ac]

6. C???? - produced 1,300,000 tonnes
7. Australia - 1,274,000
8. South Africa - 1,157,895
9. Germany - 1,014,700
10. Chile - 788,551

[Brown, Jon Brow]

China?????

[fly_ac]

Correct
I think since CarlMetro and Storm tie at 4 answers each and you got the deciding answer,
It's YOURS.

[schmenke]

Sorry, but I've lived in China and I can honestly say that the "grape juice" produced there does not qualify as wine :s

[fly_ac]

Sorry, but I've lived in China and I can honestly say that the "grape juice" produced there does not qualify as wine :s

I guess someone/some organisation thought it is save for human consumption. :D

[schmenke]

Believe me, there's much consumed in China that is not necessarily fit for human consumption :laugh:

[Brown, Jon Brow]

What was the population of Greater London in 2001, 1951 and 1901 (County of London) ?

[schmenke]

I hope you will allow for some leeway in the degree of accuracy... :p :

2001: 6,000,000
1951: 3,000,000
1901: 1,000,000

I have no clue :dozey:

[Brown, Jon Brow]

I hope you will allow for some leeway in the degree of accuracy... :p :

2001: 6,000,000
1951: 3,000,000
1901: 1,000,000

I have no clue :dozey:

Wrong
Wrong
and Wrong

:p

[quicksilver]

2001 7,000,000
1951 5,000,000
1901 3,000,000

[fly_ac]

2001: 4,000,789
1951: 100,789
1901: 21,789

:d

[fly_ac]

:D

[CarlMetro]

8,000,000
6,500,000
3,800,000

[Brown, Jon Brow]

make sure you put the year next to your number ;)

I'll accept to the nearest 500,000

[CarlMetro]

2001 - 7,000,000
1951 - 8,000,000
1901 - 6,000,000

[Brown, Jon Brow]

2001- 7,000,000
1951- 8,000,000
1901-?

[schmenke]

1901 - 2,000,000

:?:

[Brown, Jon Brow]

1901 - 2,000,000

:?:

Nope ;)

A bit more.

[Storm]

China produces so much wine ?? :|

[fly_ac]

1901 - 3,500,000 ?

[CarlMetro]

1901 - 3,600,000 :p :

[Brown, Jon Brow]

1901 - 3,600,000 :p :

Little more ;)

[akv89]

1901: 3,800,000
1951: 5,000,000
2001: 8,000,000

[Brown, Jon Brow]

2001- 7,000,000
1951- 8,000,000
1901- :?:

The closest to 1901 we have had so far is 3,800,000

[schmenke]

...I'll accept to the nearest 500,000

:confused:

[CarlMetro]

1901 -4,000,000

[Caroline]

Didn't think this Q was still rumbling on :s

Hope you got it right Carl ;)

[fly_ac]

1901 - 4,100,000

:)

[Brown, Jon Brow]

1901 -4,000,000

It was about 4,500,00 so you are correct :)

[schmenke]

Bumped up from page 3...

[CarlMetro]

Eh? What? Me? Oh OK..................

Name the top five countries for highest beer consumption per capita?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

[jso1985]

1.- Ireland
2.- Finland
3.- Czech Republic
4.- Iceland
5.- Belgium

[walrus81]

just a guess, in no particular order

Ireland
Germany
Denmark
Paraguay
Belgium

[Mark in Oshawa]

Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Belgium
Ireland

[Schultz]

Czech Republic
Romania
Australia
Germany
Netherlands

[fly_ac]

Australia
Germany
USA
Belgium
Austria

[CarlMetro]

1. Ireland
2. Germany
3. Austria
4. Belgium
5. Denmark

7. Australia
8. USA
9. Netherlands
10. Finland

Not in the top 20 :

Czech Republic
Iceland
Paraguay
Romania

Both walrus81 and Mark in Oshawa guessed four correct, fly_ac was the only one to guess Austria correctly so fight it out amoungst yourselves as to who sets the next Q ;)

[Mark in Oshawa]

Since I am new to this, let me give it a go......

A little bit of trivia that I will toss out there. In all the nations, and their parts ( provinces and states), there is only ONE flag (state or province or national flag) that has a Union Jack on it that is part/or is NOT a nation of the British Commonwealth.

So a flag of an area with a Union Jack that has no connection AT all to the British Commonwealth.

[Mark in Oshawa]

PS I am shocked the Czechs were not in the top 5, my god they have good beer!!!! As for Canada not being there, well we have to choose, Crown Royal or Canadian beer? mmmmm I will have a Guinness while I think about it!!!

[schmenke]

Since I am new to this, let me give it a go......

A little bit of trivia that I will toss out there. In all the nations, and their parts ( provinces and states), there is only ONE flag (state or province or national flag) that has a Union Jack on it that is part/or is NOT a nation of the British Commonwealth.

So a flag of an area with a Union Jack that has no connection AT all to the British Commonwealth.

Hawaii?

[McLeagle]

Yup.

http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/flags/images/hi_fi.gif


The eight alternating white, red and blue stripes represent the eight islands of Hawaii. The British Union Jack represents Hawaii's historical relationship with Great Britian as its protectorate. It also represents a stylized puela (a triangular standard laying across two crossed spears called an alia) which is the symbol of the Hawaiian ali'i.

linkage (http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/flags/hi_flag.htm)

Good show!

(Good question, too, Mark!)

[Mark in Oshawa]

Schmeke you nailed it. Hawaii never was part of Britain in any way, but it was "discovered" by Capt. Cook. I guess the Royal family of Hawaii adopted the Union Jack, and for whatever reason, they kept it after the Americans took over....figures a Canadian would get that question!!! You Yanks should know these things!!!

[schmenke]

Thanks Mark. Don't be so hard on the Yanks... I vaguely remember a similar question here recently... ;) .

O.k., I think this may also have been previously asked but I can't think up of a decent Q right now... :mark: ...

Although the U.S. is the world's largest importer of coffee, it is not even close to being one of the top 5 per-capita coffee consuming nations. Name them (data as of 2001).

[jso1985]

1.- Sweden
2.- Luxembourg
3.- Colombia
4.- Belgium
5.- Netherlands

total guessing

[schmenke]

1.
2.
3.
4. Sweden
5.

--------------

6.
7.
8. Netherlands
9. Belgium
10.

[CarlMetro]

Italy
Germany
France
Brazil
Canada

[schmenke]

1.
2.
3.
4. Sweden
5.

--------------

6. Germany
7.
8. Netherlands
9. Belgium
10. Italy

Psst, it's the top 5 that I'm looking for ;) :p :

[quicksilver]

Norway
Mexico
Brazil

[CarlMetro]

UK
Greece
Czech Republic
Poland
Mexico

[jso1985]

Norway
Ireland
Denmark
Sweden
Estonia

[schmenke]

1.
2. Denmark
3. Norway
4. Sweden
5.

--------------

6. Germany
7.
8. Netherlands
9. Belgium
10. Italy

[Gannex]

Number one: Austria?
Egypt, maybe, at 5?

[edv]

Yes, I would guess Austria, too.
How about Yemen or Brazil?

[schmenke]

1.
2. Denmark
3. Norway
4. Sweden
5. Austria

--------------

6. Germany
7.
8. Netherlands
9. Belgium
10. Italy

[Mark in Oshawa]

Ok since we need all 5, lets try this

1. Czech Rep.
2. Denmark
3. Norway
4. Sweden
5. Austria

IT doesn't amaze me that most of the nations are all northern nations, what gets me is why Canada isn't in that top 10....god knows we have enough chances with coffee shops in every commercial district.

[Rollo]

I was in IKEA the other day looking for a lamp and came back with a coffee grinder and a plunger type thing. I think it's called a Polm or a Plom or some such but anyway - the point is that one the label it says:

"The Five Scandanavian Countries Together Make up the Biggest Coffee Drinkers In the World"
So in order they appear on the plunger:
Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland

I'm thinking Lebanon for some reason as well. They seem to run all of the best coffee houses around Sydney, and that only comes about with practice.

[schmenke]

Rollo, you can thank that Polm/Plom :D

1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Norway
4. Sweden
5. Austria

--------------

6. Germany
7. Switzerland
8. Netherlands
9. Belgium
10. Italy

I think jso got two of the five correct, but I really can't be bothered to check, so someone have a go :D

[Gannex]

Finland is number one! Now I know why Eki is so excited about Bush all the time. Too much coffee!

[Mark in Oshawa]

Gannex....I think it is what he puts in the coffee that makes him hyper...

[Rollo]

How many "states" are there in the United States of America?

[Gannex]

This must be a trick question, but I don't see the trick so I'll say the obvious: 50.

[Rollo]

There is a trick to this and the obvious is wrong. Not 50.

[akv89]

49, I guess you're not including District of Columbia.

[Rollo]

You can't include District of Columbia in the first place. It's not a state; neither is it part of one. District of Columbia is the Federal district as defined by the US Constitution.
It's not 49.

[McLeagle]

Well let's see... there is upstate (and downstate), state of shock and state of benign neglect, out-of-state and in-state, the state of the weather and the state of your health, and a jillion other states.......... + 50. :s mokin:

[McLeagle]

How many "states" are there in the United States of America?

Ah... I got it...
you were looking for 1.

United States of America;

But you asked for "states" (no capital), therefore zero.

:s mokin:

[edv]

Well, there are 4 commonwealths, so I would guess 46 states.

[Mark in Oshawa]

4 Commonwealths?? I can think of Mass and Virginia.....what would be the other two?

[Rollo]

Well, there are 4 commonwealths, so I would guess 46 states.

Bingo - Correct! We have a winner.

Virginia was never a state as had itself formally ceeded from Britain on Jun 29, 1776
Kentucky county pertitioned the Commonwealth of Virginia to be known as "free and independent, to be known by the name of the Commonwealth of Kentucky." it got this in 1792
The Official Seal of Pennsylvania does not use the term, but legal processes are in the name of the Commonwealth and it is a traditional official designation used in referring to Pennsylvania.

According to the constitution of 1780 Massachusetts is officially named "The Commonwealth of Massachusetts" before this time it was referred to as the Province of Massachusetts Bay and as one of the 13 orginal colonies, it never needed to establish itself as a separate entity with the Continental Congress.

The United 46 States, 4 Commonwealths and 1 Not Really Anything of America just doesn't really have the same ring as the USA, does it?

[Mark in Oshawa]

For all intensive purposes, they are all States...but I forgot about PA and Kentucky.

At least us Canadians just have plain ole Provinces or Territories....keeps it simple...

[edv]

4 Commonwealths?? I can think of Mass and Virginia.....what would be the other two?

Mark, I posed a similar question in the old thread, naming the 4 commonwealths. I couldn't remember now the names of them, but I remembered the number of them. :)

Lemme go map-hunting and I'll be back shortly with a Q.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I haven't done the Geog. thread that much....and once I get working again, likely not a whole lot in the future....

[edv]

OK.
Here is a pic of a remnant of a temple. The red columns are pretty distinct.
It's from one of my favorite ancient civilisations. (They were the original hippies)
Where is the temple? (Bonus: Name the civilisation)

[Gannex]

Central America? Inca?

[schmenke]

Um, total guess... Syria? The Babylonians?

[edv]

Gannex...wrong continent
Schmenke..getting warmer

[sxis]

crete the Minoans

[Mark in Oshawa]

Original Hippies?that is some sort of clue.... The Philostines and the temple is in the Middle east?

[sxis]

crete the Minoans

sorry forgot to add knossos

[edv]

crete the Minoans

Correct sxis! It is Knossos in Crete. The Minoans basically lived by a motto akin to Make Love Not War. Lots of drinking and topless women. It was the earthquakes that did them in.

Your Q sxis

[schmenke]

Correct sxis! It is Knossos in Crete. The Minoans basically lived by a motto akin to Make Love Not War. Lots of drinking and topless women. It was the earthquakes that did them in...

So they felt the earth move...?

:dozey:

[sxis]

Not much good on this computer thingy but here go's How many lakes are there in the English Lake District [there is a catch in the question ! ]

[Mark in Oshawa]

Gotta love those minoans, making love and drinking all the time!!

For the Lakes, lets say 14

[CarlMetro]

0?

[sxis]

nope & nope

[walrus81]

1?

[CarlMetro]

2?

[Rollo]

If you look at the OS road map, only Bassenthwaite Lake is a lake. The rest are all Waters, Tarns or Meres, there's also a few Resevior as well. In total there's 81 bodies of water though.

[Gannex]

Clever, Rollo, and I bet you're right according to sxis. But I'd say that Windermere, Ullswater and the rest are also lakes. They don't have "Lake" in their names, granted, but not all towns have "Town" in their name either; doesn't stop them from being towns. Now if sxis had asked how many Lakes, with a capital L, he'd have a better argument that there's only one. But I maintain there are nearly as many lakes in the Lake District as there are bodies of water.

[Rollo]

Clever, Rollo, and I bet you're right according to sxis.

I'll also bet that I'm probably the only one anoraky enough to have bothered to count them all as well :D
As an aside, it takes 4000 holes to fill the Albert Hall which co-incidentally is the same number of holes as Blackburn, Lancs.

[edv]

Well, now they how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall....

I guess 10 Lakes

[Mark in Oshawa]

9 lakes...

[sxis]

Walrus 81 & Rollo Correct

[Mark in Oshawa]

A lake is a lake is a lake...silly English...getting hung up on WORDs.

Lets see ya count the number of lakes in Ontario....(hell I have no idea on the answer myself, so don't take this as a question)

[sxis]

Silly canadians getting hung up on quize's

[Rollo]

If I wanted to surf on a single wave for the longest possible time, apart from artificial machines, where would I go to do this?

[walrus81]

the mouth of the Thames?

[edv]

Yeah I think I saw this on TV once...in England somewhere they showed a guy standing on a board with a tidal bore about 18inches high...he coulda been sipping a cup of tea while surfing. Went for miles and miles.
I'll guess the Severn River?

[malscar]

The Amazon River

[Mark in Oshawa]

St. John River in the Bay of Fundy? Somewhere in the Bay of Fundy, home of the world's highest tides.

[Rollo]

Yeah I think I saw this on TV once...in England somewhere they showed a guy standing on a board with a tidal bore about 18inches high...he coulda been sipping a cup of tea while surfing. Went for miles and miles.
I'll guess the Severn River?

You guessed right.

There are reports of people being on the Severn Bore for as much as 2 hours. By the time the wave hits Gloucester it's barely rideable but people have been known to get there.

[edv]

This castle has been cited as one of the greatest in the world.
Where can it be found?

[CarlMetro]

Scotland?

[GruppoB]

I only know this because Im a huge history buff

The castle is called Krak des Chevalier, located on the eastern slope of the Djebel Ansariya Mountains.

It was an Arab castle but crusaders captured it and made countless additions to it, so its the way it looks today. It overlooked the Homs Pass which was a strategic point on the way to Egypt. It was granted to the venerable Knights Hospitalers.

[edv]

You got it GruppoB.

[GruppoB]

I want to go there one day. Funny thing is, almost a thousand years later and the whole region is dealing with almost exactly the same problems. No thanks to the geniuses in control of my country right now.

[edv]

I've spent a lot of time in Syria, and I can attest that it is home to some of the best architectural antiquities on the planet...and not a lot of people know about them. Like many arab countries, they could make a killing on tourism if they could only get their act together.

[fly_ac]

I'll have a go and step away when GruppoB post.

Saddam took US$1 billion a day before the war from banks in Irak which is considered as the biggest bank robbery in history, although it is not in the sence of a "normal" bank robbery.

So...

In which country were the biggest "normal" bank robbery to date, and approcimately how much were taken, in US$.

[quicksilver]

Bit of a long shot but its the only big one I can think of ........ Was it the bank robbery in London in 1987? think it was about £50million pound sterling or so at the time but I've no idea what that would be worth nowadays!

[fly_ac]

Bit of a long shot but its the only big one I can think of ........ Was it the bank robbery in London in 1987? think it was about £50million pound sterling or so at the time but I've no idea what that would be worth nowadays!

They took £40 million (equivalent to roughly US$66 million at the 1987 exchange rate) at the time, If you were using the 2005 exchange rate you would be correct (£63.6 million --$111 million-- as of 2005), but then again they "only" took £40 million at the time of the crime.

The country is correct but not the amount at the time of the crime.

[fly_ac]

Since you got the country right I'll give it to you, but it was actually the robbery at Securitas Cash Management Ltd depot in Vale Road, Tonbridge, Kent they took £53,116,760 (about US$92.5 million or €78 million) in bank notes on 22 February 2006.
After all this is the How Good Is Your Geography? Thread. :D

[Mark in Oshawa]

THat is more History than Geography!!!

[quicksilver]

The longest fence in the world is 3,437 miles long. Where is it?

[schmenke]

Australia?