The Caucasus Region Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Black and Caspian Seas

Both of these seas are interesting in their own right. The Black Sea is an extension of the Atlantic Ocean gaining its supply of water through the Mediterranean Sea and the Bosporus Strait. The Caspian Sea on the other hand is the largest lake in the world by area.

The lake offers more fresh water in the north of the sea, as opposed to the higher salinity found in the south on the Iranian border.

Answer: Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus, measuring in at 5,642 meters/18,510 feet, is seen as the highest peak for all of Europe if the determining point between Europe and Asia is at the watershed divide of the Caucasus, or anywhere south of this point.

Answer: False

Located some six hundred miles further North East none of the Ural Mountains enter the region. Oddly, by some regards the Ural Mountains form the border between Asia and Europe and not the Caucasus Mountains as seen listed elsewhere in geographical works of scholarship.

Answer: Baku

Baku, located in Azerbaijan, is the largest city. Knowing where Baku is on a map is a very good reference point for the whole region as it sticks out on a peninsula into the Caspian Sea. If you can make this identification it becomes much easier to put surrounding areas into place.

As for the wrong answers: Tbilisi is the capital of Georgia, Yerevan is the capital of Armenia and Grozny is the capital of Chechnya.

Answer: Nagorno-Karabakh

The problem between these two countries happened when they each gained their independence from the splintering Soviet Union. When borders were constructed, the ethnic make up of each portion was not greatly considered. Hence, there were many Armenians living in the new Azerbaijan and they did not want to be ruled by this predominantly Muslim government.

Another thing to consider in this same line of thought is that there are more Azeri's [Azerbaijan] living in Iran than there are in Azerbaijan. Perhaps this will have consequences in the years to come.

Answer: two

Armenia and Azerbaijan both share borders with Iran.

Answer: Asia and Europe

During my preparation for this trip, I came across conflicting references as to to which continent this region belonged. I learned a new word along the way- "Eurasia", which is defined by Columbia dictionary as " a land mass comprising the continents of Europe and Asia, in which Europe is geographically a western peninsula of Asia, rather than a separate continent". So now we all are better informed.

Answer: Oil

Azerbaijan is the oldest oil producing region in the world. It's figured that there are 1.2 billion barrels for certain and a great potential for more in the Caspian Sea.

Answer: Terek River

While doing this quiz, I learned that in the city of Terek there resides the largest child in the world, weighing in at 200 pounds at age six!

Answer: Mt. Ararat

Genesis 8:3-5 " 3 The water receded steadily from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the water had gone down, 4 and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters continued to recede until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains became visible." Quoted from the NIV version.

Mount Ararat has changed hands of ownership over the past few thousand years and is currently within the borders of Turkey. Until recently, you could not approach the mountain because it was a military occupied zone. But now you can climb it with Turkish guides, for a hefty price.