In a Far-Off Land Trivia Quiz

Answer: Timbuktu

Timbuktu likely had intermittent settlements as much as 3,000 years ago and became permanently settled in the 12th century. As part of the Mali Empire it accrued great wealth and became a center of higher learning in the 13th and 14th centuries. Shifting power structures and changes in trade routes took away some of its wealth and prestige. After a Moroccan invasion in 1591 the city went into serious decline.

Even so, it achieved a reputation as a place of riches and mystery. In 1824, the Geographical Society of Paris offered a reward of 7,000 francs and a gold medal worth 2,000 francs to the first European to visit Timbuktu and report back. No one ever collected the reward because the natives had a tendency to kill outsiders.

Alfred Tennyson added to its mystique with his 1829 poem "Timbuctoo", comparing it to El Dorado and Atlantis. Over time, though, with trade and resources declining, Timbuktu has become a poverty-stricken place.

Answer: Easter Island

Also known as Rapa Nui, the Pacific Ocean island is a special territory of Chile, even though it is 2,180 mi./3,510 km. west of mainland South America. Its nearest inhabited neighbor is Pitcairn Island, 1,200 mi./1,931 km. to the west. It is a volcanic island and, perhaps surprisingly, has a population of over 7,500 people.

Its claim to fame is the large-headed, stone statues, called moai, which were made by the Rapa Nui people, the early settlers of the island. They came to the island between 800 AD and 1200 AD. The island has been deforested because of land-clearing for cultivation, and the introduction of vermin.

The moai are representations of deified ancestors of the Rapa Nui people. About 500 of them can be found near where they were quarried but almost another 500 have been moved around the island, even though they each weigh about 13 tons. As of 2023 statues were still being found around the island.

Answer: Tahiti

Perhaps the most thought-of island when people daydream about going to a tropical paradise, Tahiti has a lot going for it: near-perfect temperatures, aquamarine and turquoise waters, beautiful beaches and being away from the cares of the outside world. The volcanic island is the largest of the Society Islands; the nearest large landmass is Australia, at 2734 mi./4,400 km. distance. Most of the settlements are at the ocean edge because of the steep mountainous terrain. It's not easy to get around on the island, either; parts of the island have limited access.

The first inhabitants came from Western Polynesia and their ancestors likely came from Southeast Asia. They probably arrived in outrigger canoes 20 to 30 meters long which could transport families and domestic animals. The first Europeans showed up in the 1570s, Captain Cook being one of them. Captain William Bligh sailed to Tahiti in 1788 aboard the HMS Bounty to gather breadfruit plants with the intent of taking them to Jamaica to feed slaves. As we know, things didn't end up well for Bligh.

Answer: Angkor Wat

Guinness World Records lists Angkor Wat as the largest religious structure in the world, situated on 402 acres/162.6 hectares. It was built in the 12th century at the behest of Khmer king Suryavarman II as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu. After Suryavarman's death around 1150 AD work on the temple appears to have stopped. Over time it changed from being a Hindu temple to a Buddhist temple.

One of the first Europeans to see it was Antonio da Madalena, a Portuguese friar, in 1586. He described it as being like no other building in the world and impossible to describe in writing. Over the centuries, though the temple was well-kept on the inside, the jungle encroached on it until it was difficult to see. In the 20th century a major restoration was started and the jungle pushed back, revealing the whole of the temple and its grounds.

Answer: Rio de Janeiro

Lent is a solemn Christian religious observance lasting for 46 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, so some people like to party hearty before it starts. And no group parties heartier than Brazilians. Their Carnival lasts for five days; more than two-million people partake daily.

The idea for it began in 1723 and has continued almost every year since. Because of the size of it a certain amount of structure has been instituted over the years. Extravagant floats are part of the celebration and are constructed by groups called Samba Schools (in the U.S. Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, the groups are called krewes). Elaborate costumes (or in the case of some women - extremely minimal ones) are part of the celebration. Smaller parades and balls take place all over the area during Carnival time.

Answer: Hong Kong

Hong Kong was originally the name of an island in the south of China, first settled over 35,000 years ago. Its fortunes waxed and waned under various Chinese dynasties until it was ceded to Great Britain in 1841. The British added Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and in 1898 negotiated a 99-year lease on the New Territories, which now make up 86% of Hong Kong's total area.

Adjectives such as mysterious, inscrutable, furtive and impenetrable are often applied to Asian cities, possibly because of surreptitious motives and possibly because of cultural differences. Hong Kong, besides being a special administrative district of China has been influenced by Western culture and has developed its own identity. The majority of the population now sees themselves as "Hongkongers" rather than "Chinese". While wealth is considered favorably (Hong Kong is the fourth-ranked global finance center) traditional Chinese family values are also important.

Answer: Prague

Not only is Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, one of those old cities - founded over 3,000 years ago - but its location in a climate with cold winters means some of the old stuff is still around. Prague Castle overlooks the whole region and Old Town Square and Mala Strana district share space with the Pankrac district of skyscrapers and modern hotels.

Prague escaped much of the damage caused by the two world wars in Europe in the 20th century. It is possible to see architectural styles going back to the middle of the first millennium. It was once home to several Holy Roman Emperors as well as being the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia. Yes, Good King Wenceslas was a real person who did look out for his subjects.

Among the ancient treasures is the Prague Astronomical Clock, a two-story tall clock mounted on the south wall of Old Town Hall, displaying information about the cosmos. It was installed in 1410 and is the oldest such clock still in working order.

Answer: Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was an Inca citadel in Peru, established around 1450 AD, 7,970 ft./2,430 m. above sea level in the eastern part of the Andes Mountains, 50 mi./80 km. northwest of Cusco. It was possibly a retreat ordered built by Inca ruler Pachacuti. After being used by him and his successor Topa Inca Yupanqui it was apparently abandoned; diseases spread by European explorers may have contributed to that.

The site covers 80,535 acres/32,592 hectares, had three large temples, terraces for growing crops and living quarters for about 750 people. Stone was used for all the construction except roofs. The hundreds of terraces for gardening covered 12 acres; they consisted of low stone walls back-filled with topsoil, which was apparently brought up from the bottom of the valley 1,450 ft./442 m. below. It must have been grueling work.

After being abandoned around 1530 vegetation grew back until the city was almost completely hidden. In the 20 century it was decided to clear the vegetation - which took four months. In 1981, Peru declared the area around Machu Picchu a historic sanctuary.

Answer: Nepal

Officially, it's Kathmandu Metropolitan City and it's located in the Kathmandu Valley and is the capital of Nepal. Though we think of Nepal as being of high elevation, since it's home to Mt. Everest, the city itself sits at a modest 4,600 feet/1,499 meters above sea level. Founded in the second century AD it is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

It is located in a basin which was originally a lake and thus has fertile land suitable for farming. It was also a trading center that was on a side route of the Silk Road. Tourism, both of people heading for Mt. Everest or religious pilgrimages, has become an important industry.

Answer: Dubrovnik

There are some beautiful places along the Adriatic Sea and Dubrovnik, Croatia is certainly one of them. Its history goes back to the 7th century when it was founded as Ragusa by refugees from the Greek colony Epidaurum. Over the centuries it was a protectorate of the Byzantine and Venetian Empires and ruled itself.

Its prominence as a port on the sea brought several wars to its location right up until the start of the 21st century. Despite the violence the city has retained much of its medieval architecture; the original part of the city, called Old Town, is a walled town jutting into the Adriatic. In light of its history Dubrovnik was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.