Herald Features Editor

In what country would you find the Tungurahua volcano?

If you answered Ecuador, without reading or accidentally glancing at this sentence, then perhaps someday you, too, could win the National Geographic Bee.

That was the question that seventh-grader Tine Valencic of Colleyville, Texas, answered correctly to separate himself from the field and win the May 25 bee at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C.

There are other requirements you’ll need to meet. You’ll have to convince officials that you’re in the fourth through eighth grade, and you’ll need to win your state competition.

If you want to set your sights a little lower, it’s possible you could win the GeoQuiz Bee. We take all ages and sizes and sexes and occupations. Of course, there is no official GeoQuiz Bee, so you would have to call every GeoQuiz taker, both in print and online, and compare your results. Please let us know how that goes.

Anyway, here are some really, really good questions that you can try to answer. And here’s an added bonus that only GeoQuiz can deliver: If you get more than half right, then consider yourself not only smart, but good-looking and brave.

(Answers on Page 5F.)

1. Phnom Penh is the capital city of what Asian country?

2. Which city is closer to Chicago: Indianapolis, Detroit or Des Moines?

3a. If you’re in Los Angeles, is it a quicker flight to Paris, Auckland or Tokyo?

3b. Is the answer different if you’re reversing the trip? (Note: Do not confuse yourself with the International Date Line.)

4. What’s farther south: Everglades National Park or Brownsville, Texas?

5. Vicksburg has been in the news a lot lately. What state is it in, and what war is it most closely associated with?

6. List these Nebraska cities, all located on the Interstate 80 corridor, from west to east: Lincoln, Grand Island, Omaha, North Platte.

7. Name the two tropics that circle the globe at latitude 23 degrees, 26 minutes, 16 seconds. Which one’s north and which one’s south?

8. Name the states that border Nevada.

9a. In what country is Mount Ararat? For extra credit, name its elevation within 1,000 feet.

9b. What two countries, other than the answer to 9a, are closest to Mount Ararat?

10. Name the two provinces that border Maine by land.

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Can you handle the truth? Here it is

By John Peel
Herald Features Editor
Answers to the GeoQuiz from Page 6F:
1. Cambodia.
2. Indianapolis, 181 road miles away according to Rand McNally. Detroit is 280 miles away, and Des Moines 332.
3a. Paris. Research on a well-known travel website shows that from Los Angeles International it’s about 10½ hours to Paris, 11½ hours to Tokyo and 13 hours to Auckland. Times vary 15 to 20 minutes depending on the type of aircraft and airline.
3b. Yes. If you’re going to L.A., then it’s actually an hour quicker from Tokyo due to the prevailing jetstream. So it’s 10½ from Tokyo, 11½ from Paris and 12 from Auckland.
4. Everglades National Park, but not by much. The park’s Shark Valley Visitor Center is at 25 degrees 45 minutes latitude while Brownsville is 25 degrees 93 minutes.
5. Vicksburg is in Mississippi on the Mississippi River, and parts of it have been badly flooded in the last month. A major Civil War campaign occurred there, with Union forces laying siege to the city for 40 days before it surrendered on July 4, 1863.
6. North Platte, Grand Island, Lincoln, Omaha.
7. The Tropic of Cancer is in the Northern Hemisphere, and Capricorn is in the Southern.
8. Five states border Nevada. They are California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Arizona.
9a. Turkey. Ararat’s elevation is 16,854 feet.
9b. Armenia and Iran. Azerbaijan is a close third.
10. Quebec and New Brunswick.