Ginseng debt

In the Geo Quiz, we’re looking for two former Soviet allies that are trying to settle an old debt. One country is in Asia, the other in Central Europe. The Asian country is broke, and is offering the European nation a down payment. But not a cash but ginseng root. So can you name the two countries that are trying to resolve this decades-old debt?

Northern exposure

We meet a linguistic anthropologist on his way to a remote northern Inuit community on the shore of a huge island that’s almost completely covered in ice.

China Girls Math Olympiad

Today we’re looking for a big industrial city in North China. It’s the capital of Hebei Province, about 170 miles south of Beijing. It’s where an international meet called the “China Girls Math Olympiad” is taking place. Sounds like fun right? So where in China are we?

Buddhist festival

Today’s Geo Quiz celebrates the Perahara: It’s a 10-day Buddhist festival with elephant parades and fire-dancing all rolled into one. It gets underway this week in city in central Sri Lanka. That’s the city we want you to name.

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Havana neighborhood

The Geo Quiz is upscale this time: We’re looking for a glamorous neighborhood. At least it had that reputation before the revolution. We’re talking about the Cuban revolution. And the neighborhood in question is in Havana. Today, there are several posh hotels, overlooking some beautiful beaches. And there’s a surfer’s club, too. (Photo courtesy Havana Surf Club)

Military base close to the front

The Geo Quiz takes us close to the front lines of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan face incredible challenges. There’s the military aspect of their job – battling insurgents, protecting civilians, dealing with the grim realities of war. Then there’s the logistics. We want you to give us one of the names used by the military to describe a base very close to the front lines. (Photo: Ben Gilbert)

European inland sea

For our Geo Quiz today…imagine you’re looking down from space . Now, imagine you see a blueish-green swirl spreading over 150,000 square miles. It’s not the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Actually it’s floating on the surface of a shallow sea in northern Europe – the one we’d like you to name.

Finding Qibla

For today’s Geo Quiz we’re searching for Qibla. If you’re not a practising Muslim, you may not be familiar with Kibla. Basically it’s the geographic direction that Muslims must face to pray. The idea is to pray in the direction of what Muslims consider the house of God. So that’s the holy place we want you to name. (flickr image: Elias Pirasteh)

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French mountain pass

We take the high road for today’s Geo Quiz. There was a lot of huffing and puffing going on earlier today along the mountain road we want you to name. It’s 7,000 feet up in the central Pyrenees. And for the cyclists competing in the Tour de France it was one very tough day of cycling.

Ireland’s Fair City

Today’s Geo Quiz is about Molly Malone. You’ve probably heard the popular Irish folksong about a young woman named Molly Malone. It’s set in the Irish city we’d like you to name…

Fountain of Youth

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Today’s Geo Quiz might help you stay looking young. It’s not entirely clear who first came up with the story of the Fountain of Youth. Fictional pirate Jack Sparrow searches for it in the next “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie. He follows the footsteps of Ponce de León. The Spanish explorer thought the Fountain was in Florida. He never found it but there is a place in Florida that is closely associated with the Fountain’s legend. Can you name it? Download MP3

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What do these five countries have in common?

There are 5 countries in the spotlight for today’s Geo Quiz: Here’s the list: New Zealand – Iceland – Japan – Austria – and Norway. So our question for you is simply: what do these countries have in common?

Mideastern Metropolis

In the Geo Quiz, we’re searching for the home of the Arabian Nights this time. This Arab city was once the capital of the Muslim world, now it has seen a surge in cosmetic surgery.

Home of the smallest water lily

The world’s smallest water lily is the centerpiece of today’s Geo Quiz. It’s not easy to find one these tiny yellow flowered waterlillies. They’ve disappeared from the wild. They use to thrive in the Great Lakes Region of Africa…especially in the landlocked country we want you to name.

Final resting place of Copernicus

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Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus is famous for figuring out that the Earth revolves around the sun and not the other way around. For nearly five centuries the location of Copernicus’ earthly remains was a mystery. Now the case is cracked: Poland will officially honor the Renaissance astronomer with a reburial ceremony. We’re wondering if you know where… Download MP3

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