It’s been a running joke for decades that Americans are bad at geography. Anyone who’s seen people try to name a country on Jimmy Kimmel Live! knows how few average people can identify countries on a map, but we’re not much better at naming states, either.
We’ll make it easier here and ask you to name the country by a famous landmark. Give yourself one point for each country you can name. At the end, we’ll tell you if you’re a geography whiz or… an average American.
Eiffel Tower
We’ll go easy on you here with this famous monument from an 1889 exhibition fair.
Paris, France
You knew this one. It’s the tallest structure in the City of Lights.
Leaning Tower of ____
We can’t give it away, but where can you photograph yourself holding up this building?
Pisa, Italy
The tower is in northwest Italy and has been leaning for 840 years! Hurry to get your photo—it could topple any day.
Colosseum
Don’t go etching your name in this landmark unless you want to join other tourists in prison.
Rome, Italy
Built in 80 AD, the Colosseum is the largest ancient amphitheater ever built. Most men probably think about it several times a day.
Great Wall of _____
Here’s a clue: despite the rumors, it’s not actually visible from space.
China
The Great Wall of China spans more than 13,000 miles!
Taj Mahal
Where can you find this opulent tribute to love?
Agra, India
The Taj Mahal was built as a tribute to Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s wife, Arjumand Banu Begum.
Grand Palace
This palace is the official residence for the kings of what country?
Bangkok, Thailand
Since Thailand was known as Siam, the Grand Palace has been the home of kings.
Stonehenge
This rocking landmark may have had a role in burial rituals.
England / United Kingdom
Stonehenge is a prehistoric site with mysterious origins.
______ Opera House
Designed by a Dane and opened by a British queen, this performing arts center isn’t in Denmark or the UK.
Sydney, Australia
The modern expressionist building opened in 1973.
Big Ben
Tick tock, I bet you know where to find this tower and clock!
London, England
Of course! Big Ben tells time in London, where it overlooks Buckingham Palace.
The Great Pyramid of ____
There are a whopping 118 pyramids in this country, but this one’s the star.
Giza, Egypt
The Great Pyramid is the last remaining of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
Christ the Redeemer
This 98-foot statue has overlooked its home city since 1931.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Enjoy exceptional views when you visit this monument on Mount Corcovado.
Acropolis of ______
In the local language, it means “the highest point of the city.”
Athens, Greece
Home to the Parthenon, the Acropolis of Greece was built in the 5th century BC.
Ha Long Bay
The name, which means descending dragon, refers to a legend about a family of dragons that protected local residents.
Ha Long, Vietnam
The bay is filled with 1,600 limestone islands.
Petra
The “Rose City” is one of the Seven Wonders of the world.
Jordan
The historic city cut out of stone is in Jordan.
La Sagrada Familia
However you feel about this massive temple, don’t call it gaudy!
Barcelona, Spain
The Gaudi-designed cathedral is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Under construction since 1882, the church was set to be completed in 2026, but the pandemic created delays.
Angkor Wat
This lush complex is the largest religious structure on Earth.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
The Hindu temple was built in the 12th century and soon converted to a Buddhist temple.
Brandenburg Gate
This neoclassical monument marks the last remaining named gate in this country’s capital.
Berlin, Germany
The gate has played numerous political roles since it opened in 1791.
Machu Picchu
This citadel’s name is usually interpreted to mean “old mountain.”
Peru
More than a million people visit the Incan city each year.
Burj Khalifa
Where can you visit the tallest building in the world?
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
You can travel up 160 stories to the observation deck to see Dubai and the Persian Gulf below.
Rapa Nui Moai
There are 1,000 moai statues here created by early Polynesian inhabitants.
Easter Island, Chile
Easter Island is a Chilean territory 2,200 miles off the country’s coast.
Victoria Falls
The largest waterfall in the world spans two countries.
Zimbabwe & Zambia
Give yourself an extra point if you knew them both!
Blue Mosque
It’s across the street from another stunning mosque. Who built these, Starbucks?
Istanbul, Turkey
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque opened in 1617 and is called the Blue Mosque because of its interior tiles.
Wailing Wall
It’s also called the Western Wall or Buraq Wall.
Jerusalem, Israel
The limestone wall is an important Jewish relic outside the Temple Mount.
Mount Fuji
Although it’s an active volcano, it hasn’t erupted since 1707. In that case, I’m active too.
Honshu, Japan
It’s the tallest mountain in Japan, located about 60 miles from Tokyo.
CN Tower
You won’t get mixed signals from this communications tower that enjoyed a stint as the world’s tallest free-standing structure.
Toronto, Canada
It’s fallen to the 10th-tallest, but may always be tops in Canada.
Chichen Itza
The indigenous culture that build this pyramid may have had a population of 10 million people at its peak.
Mexico
The Mayans built cities across what is now Mexico, many concentrated on the Yucatan Peninsula.
St. Basil’s Cathedral
This is its common name, but it has several others.
Moscow, Russia
Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, also known as Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, or Pokrovsky Cathedral, is now a museum.
Petronas Towers
These are the world’s tallest twin skyscrapers.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
They’re designed to evoke designs from Islamic art.
Mount Kilimanjaro
This is the tallest mountain on its continent.
Tanzania
Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano with three distinct volcanic cones.
Besakih Temple
The Mother Temple is the largest and most holy temple on this island.
Bali, Indonesia
The temple is located on a volcano that’s the highest point in Bali.
What’s Your Score?
Give yourself a point for each country you got correct.
23 or more: Are you even American?
16-22: American exceptionalism
9-15: Average American
8 or less: ‘Murica!
