Frigid Islands Quiz | Geography

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which island is the largest in the Svalbard archipelago and the home of a doomsday seed bank?

Answer: Spitzbergen

This archipelago was discovered by the famous Dutch explorer Willem Barents in 1596. The Norwegian government administers Spitzbergen and set up the seed bank to store as many seeds of the world's plant species as possible. Spitzbergen is so far north that from November to January it is in complete darkness and must use artificial light 24 hours a day.

2. This is the most northerly point in Canada, and with the Arctic Cordillera range occupying most of its land area, is that country's most mountainous island as well. What is the name of this island, the world's tenth largest?

Answer: Ellesmere

Ellesmere is part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands in Nunavut territory. The Arctic Willow is the only woody plant that will grow here.

3. Part of the Ross Dependency, which island was the location of the first landing south of the Antarctic Circle?

Answer: Balleny

Thomas Freeman made the first landing south of the Antarctic Circle in 1839. Balleny is a volcanic island claimed by New Zealand.

4. Which island was the site of the first Soviet gulag as well as the home of a monastery?

Answer: Solovetsky

The Russian Orthodox monastery dates from the 15th century, and it also became one of the wealthiest landowners in Russia. The Soviet prison camp opened in 1921.

5. On which island, located in Prince Gustav Channel, were the first dinosaur fossils found in Antarctica?

Answer: James Ross

It should be no surprise that this island was discovered in 1842 by Sir James Ross of Great Britain. The frozen remains of an ankylosaur were discovered there in 1986 and in 2003 the bones of a theropod were uncovered.

6. This island is the largest of the South Shetland Islands and is the home of one of the southernmost churches in the world. It hosts a yearly marathon race and has been entertained by a rock concert. Which island is it?

Answer: King George

King George island was originally claimed by Great Britain but is now part of Argentine Antarctica and known to them as Isla Veinicinco de Mayo. The Russian Orthodox Church was erected for a nearby Russian research station and the Antarctic Marathon is held every year. Fall Out Boy gave a concert here and became the first rock band to play all 7 continents in the same 9 month period.

7. Which Russian island in the Kara Sea was the site of the first Russian arctic radio station in 1915 and was bombarded by the German navy in 1942?

Answer: Dikson

Named for the Swedish explorer Oscar Dikson, this island lies at the mouth of the Yenisei River. Dikson is also a place where the sun never rises for two months of the year.

8. Which island was the site of nuclear testing in 1954 and the place where famed arctic explorer Willem Barentz died?

Answer: Novaya Zemlya

Novaya Zemlya was discovered by Englishman Hugh Willoughby in 1553. Willem Barentz, a Dutch explorer who led some of the first surveys of arctic regions, died on a 1596 expedition off the north east coast and may be buried here. Henry Hudson was another explorer who encountered this island. In July 1954, the Soviet Union began nuclear testing here, detonating some 224 bombs.

9. Though located in the far north on the Vestmannaeyjar island cluster near Iceland, which island was attacked in 1627 by Turkish pirates?

Answer: Heimaey

Heimaey is the only populated island in the Vestmannaeyjar chain. The legend says that Guoriour Simondardottir was a young woman captured by the Turkish pirates who sold her in an Algerian slave market. She managed to escape and make her way back to Iceland where she married the poet Hallgrimur Petursson.

The inhabitants of Heimaey were evacuated in 1973 when the nearby volcano Eldfell erupted.

10. Which Icelandic island is situated on the Arctic Circle, but has such a mild climate that it hosts many diverse plant and animal species?

Answer: Grimsey

From its location, Grimsey should be a frigid island but instead, it benefits from the warm Atlantic current which makes its temperate climate possible. The amazing flora and fauna that inhabit the island make it a very popular tourist destination, so it does have a travel brochure. The old church on the island was built in 1867 from driftwood.

11. These islands, designated Big and Little, are split by the International Date Line and one is owned by Russia and the other by the United States. Which islands are these?

Answer: Diomedes

Big Diomedes is Russia's easternmost point, but the western of the two Diomedes. If there were no Daylight Savings Time, Big Diomedes would be the first land mass to see daylight each new year. Little Diomedes is the most western point in the United States but is the eastern of the two islands. Only 2.4 miles/4 km separates Big and Little Diomedes.

12. Which island is the largest in Antarctica, and although its named for a Russian Tsar, is part of British Antarctic Territory?

Answer: Alexander

Alexander Island was discovered 28 January 1821, by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen who named it for his patron Tsar Alexander I. It is now a refueling base and meteorological research station.

13. Which island became famous as the site where a shipwrecked Ernest Shackleton and his crew sheltered in 1916?

Answer: Elephant

After the "Endurance" wrecked, Shackelton and his crew made their way to Elephant Island. Shackleton and five others left in an open boat to find help, and 800 miles and two weeks later, they arrived at South Georgia. When the rescuers returned to Elephant Island, they found that the remainder of the crew had survived, in large part due to the leadership of the second-in-command, John "Frank" Wild.

14. This Russian island has a severely cold climate but also a history of ancient human habitation. On which island were stone and ivory tools of humans from around 1700 B.C. discovered?

Answer: Wrangell

This island was first sighted by Andrejew who named it Tikegen Land. In 1820, Baron Ferdinand von Wrangell journeyed there using Andrejew's coordinates with the intent of discovering it. Even though he did not succeed, the islands were named after him.

In 1921, a small group attempting to claim the island for Canada perished with only one survivor. The discovery of the prehistoric artifacts occurred in 1975 at Chertov Ovrag.

15. This island is the most remote island in the world and the site of the mysterious Vela Incident in 1979. Can you name this island which has an Internet code, even though it is uninhabited?

Answer: Bouvet

With the nearest land mass, Queen Maud Land, being over 1000 miles/1600 km distant, Bouvet is very remote. Despite its southern location, it is a dependency of Norway and was discovered by a French explorer in 1739. The Vela Incident occurred in September 1979, when a satellite recorded a bright flash of light there.

Theories include a meteor strike and a bomb detonation, but the actual cause has never been determined. Bouvet's internet code is .bv.

Source: Author pshelton

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor zh1322 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Frigid Islands Trivia Quiz

These islands are rarely the subject of travel brochures due to their cold, harsh climate and remote locations. Perhaps you may warm up to them after taking this quiz.

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