Asian and ASEAN Geographically Speaking Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Home of thousands of islands: Indonesia is the largest of the ASEAN nations and it is made up entirely of islands, over 13,600 of them. The two largest islands in Southeast Asia are New Guinea and Borneo. In addition to Indonesia what other two ASEAN nations are on the island of Borneo?

Answer: Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam

New Guinea is the second largest island in the world with an area of 303,381 square miles. The nations of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are on this island, but Papua New Guinea is not considered part of Southeast Asia. Borneo is the third largest island in the world.

The area of this island is 288,869 square miles. This additional information regarding island sizes is based on data that did not count Australia as an island.

2. Home of rich rivers: The longest river in the region of Southeast Asia is the Mekong River. It flows through or forms an international border for five ASEAN nations. From which nation does the Mekong River flow into the sea?

Answer: Vietnam

Beginning in Tibet, the Mekong River is 2700 miles long and flows into the South China Sea from Vietnam. It is the 7th longest river in Asia and an important river system in the region.(Encyclopedia Britannica on-line referenced.) Navigation of the river is difficult due to variations in the flow throughout the year and numerous rapids and waterfalls.

In addition to the incorrect answers the Mekong borders Myanmar.

3. Home of food for millions: The third largest ASEAN nation, whose name means "land of the free", is the largest exporter of rice in the world. Which country is this?

Answer: Thailand

Rice is the staple food of over half the world's population and there are other countries in the world that produce more rice than Thailand, but Thailand leads in exporting this product. Vietnam is second, followed by the United States. Five of the top ten rice producing nations in the world are ASEAN nations - Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines. Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia are in the top 25 rice producing nations.

4. Home of beautiful mountains: Although not among the highest peaks in the world there are many mountains in the geographic region of Southeast Asia. Which ASEAN nation boasts the highest peak?

Answer: Myanmar

Kakaborazi Mountain in Myanmar is over 19295 feet and is the highest peak in Southeast Asia. Indonesia has claim to seven of the ten highest mountains in the region; Puncak Jaya is second at 16503 feet in height. Malaysia and Vietnam also have mountains in the top ten.

5. Home of bountiful lakes: The largest inland freshwater lake in Southeast Asia is located in Cambodia and is actually a lake and river system called Tonle Sap. What is unique about the Tonle Sap River?

Answer: The flow of water changes direction twice a year.

The Tonle Sap River meets the Mekong River and during the rainy season the volume of water in the Mekong is so great that it forces the water of the river to flow in the opposite direction, filling up the "Great Lake" as the Tonle Sap lake is often called. During the dry season (November to May) the river drains from the lake into the Mekong River.

The area of the lake increases from about 2700 sq km to over 16000 sq km during this time. This lake/river system was designated a UNESCO biosphere in 1997.

6. Challenge of insufficient resources: One of the ASEAN nations lacks any natural freshwater lakes or rivers and must rely on rainfall to supply freshwater. This source of water is not sufficient so water must be imported. Which ASEAN nation faces this problem?

Answer: Singapore

The demand for water in Singapore is twice what is supplied by rainfall and in addition to importing water other measures are being taken to deal with this problem. Reservoirs have been built to catch rainfall as well as facilities to recycle water. A desalination plant has also been built on the western coast of the country in an effort to reduce the need to import water.

7. Challenge of powerful storms: Two ASEAN nations are considered in the "typhoon belt" and they are frequently affected seriously by these strong cyclonic storms. Which are these two nations?

Answer: Philippines and Vietnam

The Philippine islands lie right on the typhoon belt with the areas of northern Luzon and eastern Visayas being hit the most frequently. Parts of the coastal area of Vietnam are also considered in the belt. Other countries, such as Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, are impacted by typhoons, but these cyclones have generally been downgraded to tropical storms or depressions by the time they reach these countries.

8. Home of endangered species: This mountainous, landlocked ASEAN nation is home to over 150 species of endangered plants and animals, including a population of the Irrawaddy dolphin which lives in the Mekong River. What is this country?

Answer: Laos

The ASEAN nations have the highest density of endangered species in the world and one of the purposes of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is to encourage and support the conservation of the natural flora and fauna of the member nations. The ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network works to protect species in all of the member nations.

9. Challenge of destructive earthquakes: Much of Southeast Asia is in the geographic region known as the "Ring of Fire" which is named such because of the large numbers of volcanoes and earthquakes that occur in the region. What is the name of the tectonic plate on which most of the ASEAN nations sit?

Answer: Sunda Plate

A devastating earthquake, followed by an equally destructive tsunami, took place off the coast of Indonesia in December of 2004 with a confirmed death toll of almost 200,000. The Sunda megathrust, which is a 3300 mile long fault running from Myanmar, along Sumatra and almost to Australia ruptured.

This quake has been named the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and had a recorded magnitude of between 9.1 and 9.3. The Sunda Plate was formally thought to be part of the Eurasian Plate.

10. Home of abundant natural resources: Brunei Darussalam is one of the smallest of the ASEAN nations, but it has abundant resources that fuel its economy. What is the primary natural resource upon which Brunei depends?

Answer: crude oil and natural gas products

Brunei is the third largest producer of oil in Southeast Asia, with Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia also being top producers of crude oil and gas products among ASEAN nations. Over half of Brunei's gross domestic product is generated by the export of crude oil and natural gas. Other natural resources abound throughout the region.

Source: Author SP44000

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Exit10 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Divided by seas, straits, rivers, and mountains the countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are home to many beautiful and beneficial features. They are also the site of many challenges. This quiz covers some of both.

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