Amazing 'A's Trivia Quiz

Answer: Adelaide

Named after the wife of King William IV of the United Kingdom, Adelaide sits on the coast of South Australia, on the Gulf St Vincent, an inlet close to the border between South Australia and Victoria. Its nickname, the 'City of Churches', stems from the number of religious buildings that dot the city, due to the number of religious refugees who settled there in the nineteenth century.

Answer: Athens

Athens, the capital of Greece, is one of the world's oldest cities, with a beautiful blend of ancient and modern Greek architecture gracing the landscape. Located in the Attica region, Athens is named for the Greek goddess Athena, and is cited by many to be the place where the political concept of democracy was created. Athens is also where the Olympic Games were revived in 1896 by Pierre de Coubertin.

Answer: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Santa Fe may be the capital of New Mexico, but Albuquerque is a pretty amazing place. Home of Kirtland Air Force base and many high-tech companies, such as Sandia National Laboratories, the city was rated the best city for business and careers in 2006 by 'Forbes' magazine.

It's not just a place for work, however. The lovely Sandia Mountains overlooking Albuquerque offer plenty of recreation including skiing, and there's an annual balloon festival when hundreds of balloons float above the city. Incidentally, the city was nicknamed the 'Duke City' in honor of its founder, the Duke of Alburquerque (originally spelled with a second 'r').

Answer: Antananarivo

Though it may be a bit of a mouthful to say, Antananarivo was founded in the early seventeenth century, and established itself as one of Africa's major cities. When France took control of the city, and indeed the country, in the late-eighteenth, early-nineteenth century, the population began to increase quite quickly, and even more so after Madagascar became independent in 1960. Typically, the Malagasy people of Antananarivo enjoy a more temperate climate than that of their African cousins on the mainland.

Answer: Agra

Agra is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, one of which is the aforementioned Taj Mahal, a huge mausoleum constructed in the mid-seventeenth century by emperor Shah Jahan. Agra itself counts tourism and agriculture as its main economic industries, due to its abundance of Indian architecture and fertile land.

Answer: Anchorage, Alaska

The lights in its nickname refer to the thousands of lights on the city buildings during the winter and the flowers refer to the summer blooms. Anchorage is also known as the 'Air Crossroads of the World' because of its location near the meeting point of North America and Asia. Anchorage's location makes it a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and it is subject to earthquakes, including a massive 9.2 earthquake which occurred in 1964.

However, when the ground isn't shaking, there is a lot to see: many parks and recreation areas, a lovely botanical garden and the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race.

Answer: Aberdeen

Located in northern Scotland, Aberdeen has been dubbed the 'Granite City' (thanks to its local abundance of mica) and the 'Oil Capital of Europe', due to the oil found just offshore in the 1970s. Aberdeen Castle, which at the time was a large fortification occupied by the English, was destroyed in 1308 during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Some notable Aberdonians include the poet Lord Byron, the musician Annie Lennox, and the man responsible for creating the 'Forbes' magazine, B. C. Forbes.

Answer: Abu Dhabi

Reportedly, there were once a lot of deer in the area, hence the name. The capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi is a cosmopolitan metropolis built on oil, but the city also has cultural and natural appeal. Located on the Persian Gulf, the city has beaches and parks and has some stunning architecture including the Sheikh Zayed Mosque which opened in 2007. For the more adventurous, there are annual air races and Formula 1 racing.

Answer: Antwerp

Antwerp lies on the navigable Schelde River in Belgium, and the Port of Antwerp is one of the main world ports for petrochemicals and diamonds. Besides ships, the medieval city of Antwerp also has many beautiful sites including the Cathedral of Our Lady which features works by Peter Paul Rubens and St. James Church where Rubens' tomb is located.

There is even a restored medieval fortress, Het Steen.

Answer: Alexandria

The great Pharos of Alexandria, one of the seven Ancient Wonders of the World, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (formerly the Ancient Library of Alexandria) are two of many notable landmarks in this Egyptian city. Ancient remains from Roman times can still be seen today, and attract a high number of tourists annually. Actor Omar Sharif hails from Alexandria, as well as Demis Roussos, a Greek singer who grew up in Egypt.