"T"errific Places of the World Quiz

Answer: islands

One of the Lesser Sunda Islands, Timor ("east" in Malay) is the world's 44th-largest island, located south of the Equator; it is separated from Australia by the Timor Sea. It is also one of a number of islands that are divided between two countries: West Timor is part of Indonesia, while East Timor (also known as Timor-Leste) is a sovereign nation that became independent in 2002.

As the island is part of the Wallacea area, Timor's flora and fauna include species of both Asian and Australasian origin.

Answer: islands

The very embodiment of a tropical paradise, Tahiti is the largest of the Society Islands, an archipelago that is part of French Polynesia. Located in the central Pacific Ocean, Tahiti is a volcanic island with a rugged, mountainous territory, surrounded by coral reefs.

The capital of French Polynesia, Papeete, lies on the northwestern coast of the island. Famed Post-Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin resided in Tahiti for many years in the late 19th century.

Answer: islands

Tenerife is the largest and most populous of the Canary Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. The island lies almost at the centre of the archipelago, which is located off the coast of Morocco, in the region of the North Atlantic Ocean known as Macaronesia.

A popular tourist destination, Tenerife is home to Spain's highest mountain, the active volcano Teide, also one of the 16 Decade Volcanoes.

Answer: islands

Named for the Trinity by Christopher Columbus, Trinidad is the largest of the islands that make up the sovereign country of Trinidad and Tobago. Located at the southern end of the Caribbean Sea, the island lies 11 km (6.8 mi) off the coast of Venezuela.

The country's capital, Port of Spain, is situated on Trinidad's northwestern coast. The island is known for its rich biodiversity, which includes a number of endemic species.

Answer: lakes

Lake Tahoe is he largest alpine lake in the US, and also the country's second-deepest lake after Crater Lake. It is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, straddling the border between California and Nevada. With its clear waters, forested shores and stunning mountain scenery, Lake Tahoe is a renowned tourist attraction both in summer and winter; the lakeside casino resorts on the Nevada side also attract their share of visitors.

Answer: lakes

One of Africa's Great Lakes, Lake Tanganyika is the world's second-largest freshwater lake by volume and the second-deepest lake - in both cases after Lake Baikal, which is also a rift lake. Located in the Albertine Rift (a branch of the larger East African Rift), this long, narrow lake is shared by Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Zambia. Lake Tanganyika is home to a large number of endemic species of fish (in particular cichlids), as well as other aquatic or semi-aquatic animals.

Answer: lakes

Located in the central region of Umbria, on the border with Tuscany, Lake Trasimeno is Italy's fourth-largest lake. Unlike most other lakes in Central Italy, which are of volcanic origin, it is a shallow tectonic lake whose waters are rich in fish species. Surrounded by beautiful, hilly countryside with extensive olive groves, Lake Trasimeno also has three islands located within it, and a number of historic towns and castles on its shores.

Answer: lakes

Tonlé Sap ("fresh river" in Khmer) is located in northwestern Cambodia, not far from Siem Reap, the country's second-largest city, and the majestic ruins of Angkor. It is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, connected to the Mekong River by the Tonlé Sap River. Surrounded by tropical forests and farmland, Tonlé Sap is known for its biodiversity, being home to nearly 150 species of fish and various endangered bird and reptile species.

Answer: mountains

Formerly known as Mount Egmont, Mount Taranaki (Taranaki Maunga in Maori) is a dormant stratovolcano located on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island. Though it is only the country's 65th-highest mountain, it is one of the most prominent, with a drop of 2,300 m (7,572 ft) - as noted by Captain James Cook (who first named it) in 1770. Mount Taranaki's last major eruption occurred in 1665.

Answer: mountains

Located on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, Mount Tambora is a contender for the title of most notorious volcano on Earth. Its explosive eruption of April 1815 was the largest and most destructive in recorded history, causing over 70,000 deaths and dramatic changes in global climate.

The explosion reduced the mountain's original height of 4,300 m (14,110 ft) to the current 2,722 m (8,930 ft). As Mount Tambora is still very much active, it is strictly monitored for seismic and tectonic activity.

Answer: mountains

Known as Terglau in German and Tricorno in Italian, Triglav ("three-headed", also the name of a Slavic deity) is the highest mountain in Slovenia, as well as the highest peak of the Julian Alps. Its name refers to its distinctive three peaks, whose stylized silhouette appears on the Slovene coat of arms (also part of the country's national flag). Located in northwest Slovenia, near the borders with Italy and Austria, Triglav stands at the centre of Slovenia's only national park.

Answer: mountains

Located in southwestern Morocco, in the eponymous National Park, Toubkal is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, which separate the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of the Maghreb from the Sahara Desert. It is also the highest mountain in Morocco, North Africa, and the whole Arab world, and the world's 36th-most prominent peak. Unlike most of the Atlas range, which consists of sedimentary rocks, Toubkal is of volcanic origin. Due to its elevation (4,167 m/13,671 ft), Toubkal gets a lot of snow in winter, and is a popular destination for trekkers and mountaineers.

Answer: rivers

The second-longest river in the UK, and the longest entirely located in England, the Thames is also one of the world's most famous rivers, as it flows through the country's capital of London. It rises in Gloucestershire and flows eastward through southern England, forming a large estuary as it empties into the North Sea.

The Thames has had a major role in the history of Britain at least since Roman times, in particular as the location of the Port of London - at one time the largest and busiest port in the world.

Answer: rivers

The Italian-speaking Canton Ticino, the southernmost canton of Switzerland, is named after the Ticino River (Tessin in French and German), whose upper portion flows through it. Rising in the Gotthard region of the Swiss Alps, the Ticino is the most important left-bank tributary of the Po, Italy's largest river.

It flows southwards through Lake Maggiore, on the border between Italy and Switzerland, then joins the Po near Pavia, south of Milan. This latter stretch of the river is a nature reserve protected by UNESCO.

Answer: rivers

Along with the Euphrates, the Tigris is one of the two great rivers that enclosed the historical region of Western Asia known as Mesopotamia, the land between the rivers. Rising in the Armenian highlands, it flows through southern Turkey and Iraq before merging with the Euphrates to form the Shatt-el-Arab, a 200-km (120-mile) river that empties into the Persian Gulf.

The Tigris passes through the cities of Samarra, Tikrit, Mosul and Baghdad, Iraq's capital.

Answer: rivers

The Tennessee River is one of the major rivers of the southeastern United States. Formed by the confluence of the Holston and French Broad rivers, it flows southeast from the city of Knoxville through the states of Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky before draining into the Ohio River at Paducah, Kentucky.

A number of significant cities are located along the river and its branches: the largest of them is Huntsville, Alabama, home to the US Space and Rocket Centre. The name Tennessee comes from a Cherokee village called Tanasi: the state was named after the river.