Geographical Malaprops Trivia Quiz

Answer: Kalamari Desert

There is no such place in Africa as the Kalamari Desert (which might be where you'd find a nice hot meal of battered squid), but there is a Kalahari Desert. The Kalahari Desert covers some 900,000 square kilometres of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, and is home to numerous animals, including the meerkat, African wild dog, hyena and jackal. Bushmen have lived a hunter-gatherer existence in this region for thousands of years, and the word Kalahari is thought to be derived from the Tswana "Khalagari", meaning "a waterless place".

Despite the name, certain parts of the Kalahari receive more than 250 millimetres of rain per year, and some areas are well vegetated.

Answer: Yosemite-Sam National Park

Our muddled tourist must have been watching too many old Warner Bros. cartoons and thought that Bugs Bunny's adversary once lived in the wilderness here. The place that he was thinking of is simply called Yosemite National Park. Located in east central California, and covering an area of 3,080 square kilometres (761,268 acres), Yosemite National Park was established in 1890, and was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1984.

It is famous for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, sequoia forests, wildlife and general wilderness value.

A host to over 3.5 million visitors a year, the park also contains 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) of hiking trails, and is popular with rock climbers.

Answer: Mount Aconjaguar

There is no Mount Aconjaguar (which sounds like it might be home to some large South American cats), but there is a Mount Aconcagua. Located in the Andes mountain range in the Argentine province of Mendoza, Mount Aconcagua is the highest mountain in South America, at 6,962 metres (22,841 feet), and is also the highest mountain outside Asia.

The first recorded climb to the summit was on January 14, 1897 by the Swiss guide Matthias Zurbriggen, who was part of a British expedition led by Edward FitzGerald. Mountaineers consider the northern approach to be the highest non-technical climb in the world, since ropes and pins are not absolutely necessary for the ascent.

Answer: Nascar Desert

The correct name is the Nazca Desert. Situated on a high plateau in southern Peru, the Nazca Desert was home to an early civilisation (circa 400-650 CE) which created a series of straight lines and animal shapes on an enormous scale by simply clearing rocks from the surface of the plain.

The animal figures include hummingbirds, monkeys, spiders, lizards, fish, and many others. The Nazca Lines and their purpose have long been the subject of numerous theories. Some say they were astronomical measuring devices, others say they were simple images for the gods to look at, and more creative individuals (e.g., author Erich von Daniken) suggest they were runways for extraterrestrial vehicles. Perhaps our muddled tourist thought they were racing strips for ancient NASCAR drivers.

Answer: Brahmaputrid River

This might be one of those Indian rivers that you'd be apprehensive about taking a dip in, except that it doesn't exist. There is, however, a Brahmaputra River. Stretching 2,900 kilometres (1,800 miles) from its source in southwestern Tibet, the Brahmaputra River flows through the Assam Valley in NE India, then south through Bangladesh as the Jamuna, before merging with other rivers in the Ganges Delta. Fed by the Himalayas, the river is very large, with an average depth of 38 metres (124 feet), and a width up to 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).

It is important for irrigation and transport, and is prone to massive flooding. The Brahmaputra is one of the few Indian rivers with a masculine name (literally meaning "son of Brahma").

Answer: The Seashells

Mal Aprop meant to say Seychelles, but "Seashells" probably made more sense. Comprising around 115 islands, the beautiful Indian Ocean archipelago of the Seychelles forms the major part of the Republic of Seychelles (established 1976). The country lies around 1,500 kilometres east of mainland Africa, but it is considered to be part of that continent, and its population is the smallest of any African nation (estimated to be 84,000 in 2009).

The first people to permanently settle there were the French in the latter half of the 18th century, and the islands came under British rule in 1810.

The Seychelles are famous for the coco de mer palm, which produces the largest seed in the plant kingdom. Also within the Republic of Seychelles is the island of Aldabra, which is the second largest coral atoll in the world, and is home to the Aldabra giant tortoise.

Answer: The Great Driving Range

Unfortunately for golfers, there is no Great Driving Range in Australia (apart from the usual golf courses), but there is a Great Dividing Range. Stretching for more than 3,500 kilometres (2,175 miles) along Australia's east and southeast coasts, the Great Dividing Range is the third longest mountain range in the world (after the Andes and Rockies).

It was first crossed from east to west in 1813 by Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson, whose expedition enabled the growing colony to eventually make use of the abundant grazing lands of the interior.

The range incorporates some spectacular and diverse wilderness regions, including the Daintree Rainforest, the Blue Mountains, and the Australian Alps.

Answer: The Capsicum Sea

There is no such place as the Capsicum Sea, but there is a Caspian Sea. Bounded by Russia in the north, Azerbaijan in the west, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in the east, and Iran in the south, the Caspian Sea is the world's largest enclosed body of water, at 371,000 square kilometres (143,200 square miles).

Whilst it receives fresh water from Europe's largest river, the Volga, the Caspian has a salt content about one third that of seawater. It is home to the Caspian Seal and large numbers of sturgeon and other fish.

In 2007, Kazakhstan's President proposed the building of a canal between the Caspian and the Black sea, in order to bring maritime trade to his nation and others of Central Asia.

Answer: Sasquatchewan River

Canada does not have a Sasquatchewan River (which might be a place where Bigfoot takes a swim), but there is a Saskatchewan River. Formed by the confluence of the North Saskatchewan and South Saskatchewan rivers which begin in the Canadian Rockies, the Saskatchewan River flows 550 kilometres (340 miles) across the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, before emptying into Lake Winnipeg.

Its name comes from the Cree "Kisiskatchewani Sipi", meaning "swift-flowing river". The first European to see the river was Henry Kelsey of the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1690s, and it became an important transportation route for fur traders and early settlers.

The Saskatchewan is home to numerous fish species, including rainbow trout and lake sturgeon.

Answer: Mount Edna

What was meant here was Mount Etna, not Mount Edna. Located on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Mount Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe, rising to approximately 3,329 metres (10,922 feet), although its true height varies due to its ongoing activity. Notable major eruptions of this volcano have occurred in c.6000 BCE, when a catastrophic tsunami is thought to have been generated; in 996 BCE, when a Carthaginian advance on Syracuse was prevented by the eruption; in 122 BCE when the Roman town of Catania was badly damaged; and in 1669, when 10 villages to the south were destroyed.

In 1928, the village of Mascali was obliterated by a lava flow from the volcano. The name Etna is thought to have originated from the Phoenician word "attuna", meaning "furnace".