Categorise the Geographical Feature Quiz

Answer: River

This is India's second longest river, with only the Ganges being longer. It rises in the west of the country, flowing eastwards before reaching the Bay of Bengal on the east coast. Like the Ganges, it is considered a holy river in Hinduism. The delta splits into seven different parts which are named after rishis, enlightened people to the Hindus.

This river is Asia's contribution to the quiz.

Answer: River

The Cuyahoga River runs through Cleveland in the American state of Ohio. It flows only through Ohio, running for about a hundred miles (160 kilometres) in total, before emptying into Lake Erie. Because of the extensive industry along the river's course, it became highly polluted - so much so that oil in the river regularly caught fire. In 1969, another fire caught public attention and brought environmental issues into the limelight. The condition of the river has been much improved since those days.

The Cuyahoga represents the Americas in the river category.

Answer: River

The Volta River rises in Burkina Faso, which used to be called Upper Volta after the river, before flowing through Ghana. It reaches the ocean at the Gulf of Guinea, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean. In its southern region, it is dammed by the Akosombo Dam to form Lake Volta, one of the world's largest man made reservoirs. The native name for the river is Firaw with the Volta name coming from Portuguese explorers.

The Volta provides the African river for this category in the mystery sort.

Answer: River

The Garonne is a river which rises in northern Spain before flowing across the border into south western France. It reaches the Atlantic Ocean at Bordeaux on the west coast of France. The final part of the river is called the Gironde Estuary as it is formed by two rivers, the Garonne and Dordogne, converging. The estuary the rivers form is the largest found in the western part of Europe.

The Garonne is Europe's contribution to the rivers category.

Answer: Desert

Europe is not known for deserts, but Spain does have the Monegros Desert located in the areas of Zaragoza and Huesca in the north east. It is classed as a semi-desert, meaning it is a dry area which receives much lower than average rainfall. The plants that grow there have to cope with saline soil and, of course, a lack of water. The desert hosts an annual festival of electronic music which began in 1992.

This rare desert provides Europe's contribution to this category.

Answer: Desert

This is a desert located in South America, in Colombia and Venezuela. It is situated on the peninsula with which it shares its name, the region which is the northernmost in the continent. Port Gallinas, in Colombia, is the most northerly point, bordering the Caribbean Sea. In the middle of the desert is a mountain range, with forests, and the Macuira National Nature Park, home to numerous species of birds.

The Americas is the region providing this desert for the category.

Answer: Desert

The Thar is a desert located mainly in India and extending over the border in to Pakistan - it is also known as the Great Indian Desert. Most of the Indian part lies in the state of Rajasthan in the north of the country. Despite the dryness of the region, it is home to wildlife including the blackbuck, a species of antelope, and the wild ass.

This is Asia's contribution to the desert category.

Answer: Desert

The Namib is an African desert which borders the Atlantic Ocean and covers parts of South Africa, Angola and Namibia, which derives its name from the desert. The desert is described as being the world's oldest and has a name which translates as 'vast place' or 'nothingness'. The region bordering the ocean, especially in Namibia, was historically called the skeleton coast, due to the bones of sea creatures which were washed up on the shores.

Africa has several deserts, including the Kalahari and Sahara, but Namib was chosen to represent the continent for this category.

Answer: Mountain

Annapurna is one of the fourteen mountains of the world which are over 8,000 metres (26,000 feet) high, rating at number ten on the list. It is located in Nepal. The name is that of a goddess in Hindu mythology, with the name said to refer to nourishment. Waters from the mountain irrigate the farmland lower down. At one time, it was considered to be one of the most difficult mountains to climb, with the first ascent not taking place until 1950. It was the first of the world's highest mountains to be conquered - Everest was climbed three years later.

Asia has many mountains, particularly in the Himalayas, but Annapurna is the one I chose for the mountains category.

Answer: Mountain

Triglav is located in the Julian Alps and is Slovenia's highest mountain. The country uses it as a symbol with it appearing on both the flag and coat of arms. It is just under 2,900 metres high (about 9,400 feet), and was climbed for the first time in 1778. The mountain has three distinctive peaks, as the name implies.

Triglav represents Europe in the mountain category.

Answer: Mountain

Ras Dashen is Ethiopia's tallest mountain, situated in the Simien Mountains National Park, which is the largest in the country. The park, and mountains, are home to several rare animal species such as the Ethiopian wolf and gelada baboon. The lammergeier, also known as the bearded vulture, is also found in this region. Ras Dashen was first climbed by Europeans in 1841 when two Frenchmen reached the summit - it is probable that many locals had ascended it before them. The mountain frequently has snowfall, even in summer, during the nights.

Ras Dashen is the African mountain in this group.

Answer: Mountain

Mount Saint Elias gives its name to the Saint Elias Mountain range, covering parts of Canada and Alaska. The range is home to Mount Logan, Canada's highest mountain and Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park is also situated here. Vitus Bering named Mount Saint Elias during his explorations of the early eighteenth century, according to some sources. It is the second highest mountain of both Canada and the USA.

The Americas have contributed Saint Elias to the mountain category of this quiz.