Category: Geography

[206]

X is the South Eastern tip of Luxembourg, and is adjacent to Germany & France. The area mostly comprises of small wine-making villages.
In 1985, an agreement was signed here which made the word X globally famous, and is today considered a symbol of unity of Europe.
Can you identify X?

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Schengen, the place after which EU's Schengen visa is named.
Read More about the original agreement, & how it transformed the landscape of Europe.

[189]

ENSO is a weather phenomenon which was originally named after Jesus Christ and is caused by the variation in winds blowing over the Pacific Ocean. It typically occurs every 2 to 7 years and is responsible for heavy rainfall on one of the Pacific, to droughts on the other.
Can you identify this weather phenomenon?

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El Nino Southern Oscillation, or just El Nino in short. The weather pattern was discovered by sailors around Christmas time, related it to Christ himself. Its effects are not only restricted to the Pacific, but have the capability to affect global climate in general.
Watch a great explainer video by Khan Academy.

[170]

Below are five pairs of global cities. What do the sets have in common?
Madrid, Spain / Wellington, New Zealand
Buenos Aires, Argentina / Shanghai, China
Hanoi, Vietnam / La Paz, Bolivia
Johannesburg, South Africa / Honolulu, Hawaii

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These cities are Antipodes, i.e. on the diametrically opposite sides of the Earth.
Interestingly only 15% of the Earth's land surface has a land antipode. 
See the Antipodal Map of Earth to see what is opposite what.

[130]

Lake Priyadarshini an important freshwater source for Indians working at this location.
Where is this lake located?
Hint: Think cold
shivling

Show Answer
Antarctica.
Lake Priyadarshini is part of Maitri, India's second permanent base in Antarctica after Dakshin Gangotri. It was named after the then Prime Minister of India Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi.
Read More about the Indian Antarctic Programme.