Say You'll "B" There Trivia Quiz

Answer: Berkeley

Located on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, the city of Berkeley in California's Alameda County is home to the oldest campus of the University of California, established in the 1870s. Politician and businessman Frederick Billings, one of the founders of the university (then called College of California) suggested naming the town after Anglo-Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. In the 1960s, Berkeley became the centre of the student protests known as the Free Speech Movement; even to this day the city is a hotbed of social, political, and environmental activism.

Besides the university, by far the city's largest employer, Berkeley is home to another prestigious academic institution, the Graduate Theological Union. The city's name also appears in the periodical table of elements, as the radioactive element berkelium was synthetized at UC Berkeley in 1949.

Answer: Birmingham

Founded in 1871, in the years that followed the end of the American Civil War, Birmingham (Alabama) was named after the UK's second-largest city, Birmingham in the West Midlands, which at the time was a thriving industrial hub. It lies in Jones Valley, in the north-central part of Alabama, surrounded by the hills known as the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians. After its foundation, the city quickly grew in importance due to its iron and steel industry - which earned it the nickname of "Pittsburgh of the South": the ridge known as Red Mountain, south of the city, was rich in iron ore, and situated close to coal and limestone deposits. Birmingham also specialized in the construction of rails and railroad cars.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Birmingham became one of the main centres of the Civil Rights movement; Martin Luther King, Jr wrote a famous open letter against segregation while imprisoned in Birmingham Jail in the spring of 1963. Present-day Birmingham is one of Alabama's largest cities, and one of the foremost business, financial, and educational centres in the southeastern US.

Answer: Belém

Belém (Portuguese for "Bethlehem") is the capital of the state of Pará in northern Brazil, and one of the country's 15 largest cities; its metropolitan region is home to over 2 million people. The city lies on the Pará River, a distributary channel of the Amazon, about 100 km (62 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean. The first European colony in the Amazon region, Belém was founded in 1616 as a fort, gradually growing in size and importance until it reached its zenith during the rubber boom of the late 19th century.

Now the city is still a major trading port and commercial centre for the vast Amazon region and the whole of northern Brazil. Notable for its colonial architecture, Belem is also home to a large, state-of-the-art convention and fair centre.

Answer: Bloemfontein

The seventh-largest city in South Africa, Bloemfontein ("fountain of flowers" in Afrikaans), is the country's judicial capital, as well as the capital of the Free State Province; its Sesotho name is Mangaung, meaning "place of cheetahs". Located at an elevation of 1,400 m (4,593 ft), on the edge of the Highveld (inland plateau), the city was officially founded in 1846 as a British outpost, and later became the capital of the Orange Free State (1854-1902). During those years, Bloemfontein steadily grew, and many new buildings were constructed. In 1900, it was captured by the British; when South Africa became a union in 1910, Bloemfontein was chosen as the country's judicial capital. A famous Rose Festival is celebrated every year in October, attracting horticulturalists from all over the world.

British fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein in 1892, where he lived for the first three years of his life; his father was the manager of the local branch of the Bank of Africa.

Answer: Brazzaville

Located on the north side of the Congo River, on a widening of the river known as Pool Malebo, Brazzaville is the capital of the Republic of the Congo, a former French colony in Central Africa. On the other side of the river lies Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of Africa's largest cities. Though considerably smaller, with under 2 million inhabitants to Kinshasa's almost 15 million, Brazzaville is an important river port, connected by rail with the seaport of Pointe-Noire on the Atlantic Ocean, and by ferry with Kinshasa.

Founded in 1880 by Italian-born French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza (after whom it is named), the city became an important centre for the French resistance during World War II. In recent times, Brazzaville has experienced unrest, often caused by conflict between the Republic of the Congo and its turbulent (and much larger) neighbour, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Answer: Benghazi

Benghazi ("son of Ghazi" in Arabic) is Libya's second-largest city after the capital, Tripoli. The area where the city now lies, on the Gulf of Sidra (known in ancient times as Great Syrtis) in the southeastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, has been inhabited at least since the 7th century BC. Berenice, founded by the Ptolemaic dynasty in the 3rd century BC, was the capital of the Roman province of Cyrenaica. Conquered by the Arabs and then by the Ottomans, Benghazi became an Italian colony in 1911. Heavily bombed during WWII, the city was lavishly rebuilt when Libya became a major oil-producing country.

In recent times, the name of Benghazi has been linked to the attacks that, in September 2012, claimed the lives of four US citizens, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Though plagued by strife for most of the 2010s, the city is still a major economic and cultural centre.

Answer: Bilbao

Bilbao ("Bilbo" in Basque) is the largest city in the province of Biscay in northern Spain, and in the whole Basque Country. Surrounded by the Basque Mountains (a section of the Cantabrian Range), the city lies on a large estuary formed by the rivers Nervión and Ibaizabal, about 16 km (10 m) from the Bay of Biscay on the Atlantic Ocean. Founded in the early 14th century, Bilbao has been a thriving port and commercial centre for many centuries; in the 19th century it also became an important centre for shipbuilding and the iron and steel industry. After the decline of the latter, Bilbao has expanded and strengthened the service sector, investing heavily in infrastructure.

The metal-clad Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, and inaugurated in 1997, has become one of the city's symbols, and a magnet that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Another of Bilbao's internationally renowned institutions is its soccer team, Athletic Bilbao, one of Spain's most successful teams, and a powerful symbol of Basque identity, as it only signs players born or trained in the Basque Country.

Answer: Bonn

Located on both banks of the river Rhine, in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Bonn was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990. After having lost its status as the country's capital, in 1994 it was awarded the unique title of "Bundesstadt" (Federal City). In fact, a substantial number of offices of the German federal government are still located there, and the city is the secondary seat of the President, the Chancellor, and the Bundesrat (Federal Council) of Germany.

One of Germany's oldest cities, Bonn was founded by the Romans in the late 1st century BC with the name of Bonna; it was the capital of the Electorate of Cologne from 1597 to 1794. Bonn is also home to the prestigious Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University. Composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn at the end of 1770; his house is now a museum.

Answer: Bologna

Founded by the Etruscans in the 6th century BC with the name of Felsina, then named Bononia by the Romans, Bologna is the regional capital of Emilia-Romagna, in Northern Italy. It lies on the southern edge of the Po Plain, with the Apennines at its back. In the Middle Ages, Bologna was one of the largest and most prosperous cities in Europe: the first university of the Western world - still a prestigious institution, attended by thousands of students - was established there in 1088 AD. The city's nickname of "La Rossa" ("The Red") stems from the warm brick-red colour of the buildings in its compact, well-preserved city centre - as well as its tradition as a hub for left-wing politics. The famed porticoes that run for almost 40 km (25 mi) in the city centre were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021.

Bologna is also internationally renowned for its cuisine, which includes beloved dishes such as the rich, meat-based Bolognese ragout (usually served with fresh egg noodles, or as an ingredient of lasagne), and the tasty sausage (called "mortadella" in Italian) named after the city itself.

Answer: Baku

Located 28 m (92 ft) below sea level, on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan, and the largest city in the Caucasus region. Home to over 2 million people, the city stands in an area that was already inhabited during the Stone Age; however, the present city was probably founded between the 5th and 8th centuries AD. At the time of its foundation, Baku was famous for its constantly burning fires, fed by the massive petroleum deposits beneath the city, and held sacred by the Zoroastrian religion.

Petroleum is still Baku's most important industry, though its oil fields are no longer the largest in the world as they were in the early 20th century. The city is also a popular tourist and shopping destination, and enjoys a temperate climate: it is, however, prone to strong winds throughout the year, as reflected by its name - probably derived from the Persian "Badkube" ("pounding wind") - and its nickname of "City of Winds".

Answer: Basra

Located on the Shatt al-Arab, the river formed by the confluence of the Tigris and the Euphrates that empties into the Persian Gulf, Basra is Iraq's second-largest city, and the country's main port. Its name - meaning "the overwatcher" in Arabic - is a likely reference to its origin as an Arab military outpost against the Sassanid Empire; in fact, the city was founded in the 7th century AD, at the very beginning of the Islamic era. Throughout its long history, Basra has seen a great deal of strife, but also experienced great prosperity - as noted by famed 14th-century Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta.

Present-day Basra's economy is largely dependent on oil and the petrochemical industry. In the last few decades, because of its location, the city has sadly found itself involved in political turmoil and violent military action. With its desert climate, Basra receives very little precipitation during the year, and constantly records daytime summer temperatures in excess of 50 ºC (122 ºF).

Answer: Bangalore

Officially known by its original Kannada name of Bengaluru (probably meaning "city of guards"), Bangalore is the capital of the state of Karnataka (formerly Mysore) in southern India. Located in the Deccan Plateau, at an average elevation of 900 m (2,953 ft) above sea level, the city enjoys a somewhat more temperate climate than other cities at the same latitude, and the summer heat is mitigated by frequent thunderstorms. Though much older settlements have been found in the area, the city was founded in the late 9th century AD, during the reign of the Western Ganga dynasty.

One of India's fastest-growing urban areas, Bangalore is a thriving, modern metropolis home to almost 10 million people, with a global reputation as the "Silicon Valley" of India. Many international IT companies are headquartered there, supported by the presence of institutions of higher education and research such as the University of Bangalore and the Indian Institute of Science. Bangalore also boasts a vibrant cultural scene, especially as regards film, theatre, and classical Indian music and dance.

Answer: Busan

With a population of over three million, Busan Metropolitan City lies at the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula, on the Korea Strait, which separates South Korea from Japan. It is located in a deep, well-sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Nakdong, facing the Japanese island of Tsushima. Though various settlements existed in the area since at least the 2nd century AD, the city got its current name (meaning "Cauldron Mountain") in the 15th century, when it was also designated as a trading port with Japan. During the Korean War of 1950-1953, Busan remained under the control of South Korea, hosting a constant flow of refugees from the North.

Modern-day Busan is under the direct control of the central government, its status equivalent to that of a province. Busan Harbour is one of the world's busiest container ports, and one of Northeast Asia's premier maritime logistics hubs. The city is also home to a number of prestigious marine science institutions, and hosts a wide variety of international festivals and conventions.

Answer: Bandung

The capital of the province of West Java, Bandung is one of Indonesia's largest cities, its metropolitan area home to over 10 million people. Sitting at an elevation of 786 m (2,520 ft) above sea level in the basin of the River Citarum, and surrounded by volcanic mountains, the city enjoys a cooler climate than most other Indonesian cities due to the altitude. Evidence of human settlements dating to the prehistoric era, as well as ruins of 7th-century AD temples, have been found in the area; however, Bandung began its life as a series of tea plantations established by the Dutch East India Company during the 17th and 18th centuries. The city later grew around the road built in the early 19th century to join the west and east coasts of Java. Thanks to the fertile volcanic soil, the plantations thrived, and by the late 19th century Bandung had developed into a sophisticated, European-style resort - nicknamed "the Paris of Java".

Modern Bandung has considerably expanded beyond its original boundaries, and is now an important business, technology, and cultural centre. Notorious for its chaotic traffic, in the past few decades the city has experienced environmental issues related to flooding and waste management, though recent improvements have earned Bandung an award for the cleanest air in Indonesia.

Answer: Brisbane

With a population of over 2.5 million, Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, is the third-largest city in Australia. Located in the southeastern corner of the state, the city lies in the floodplain of the Brisbane River, about 15 km (9 mi) from Moreton Bay, where the river empties into the Coral Sea. Brisbane was established in 1825, and named after the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane, who had visited the site the year before the city's foundation. In just a few decades, the settlement grew into a city with imposing Victorian buildings and beautiful jacaranda trees - still one of its distinctive features.

Present-day Brisbane is a thriving, modern city that boasts Australia's largest airport, and one of the country's busiest container ports. Immigration from various parts of the world has contributed to the ethnic diversity of the city's population. Besides IT, financial services, higher education, and manufacturing, tourism is one of Brisbane's most important industries, as its location makes it an ideal starting point for exploring Queensland. The city also offers a wide range of cultural pursuits (including a lively music scene), and excellent restaurants.