Q 01/05

What is the world's largest island?

A) Great Britain

B) Greenland

C) Iceland

D) New Guinea

Answer · why

B) Greenland

Greenland is the largest island because Australia, more than three times bigger, is classed as a continent.

Q 02/05

According to the sagas, why did Erik the Red give the land he explored its pleasant-sounding name?

A) It was green in summer

B) To lure settlers there

C) After his wife Groa

D) From an Inuit word

Answer · why

B) To lure settlers there

Erik the Red, banished from Iceland after a deadly feud, chose the pleasant name to lure settlers there.

Q 03/05

About 80% of the world's largest island lies under ice; which country's kingdom is it part of?

A) Denmark

B) Norway

C) Iceland

D) Canada

Answer · why

A) Denmark

Denmark still runs the island's defence and foreign affairs, though the island has had self-rule since 2009.

Q 04/05

What is the world's second-largest island?

A) Borneo

B) Baffin Island

C) Madagascar

D) New Guinea

Answer · why

D) New Guinea

New Guinea is split between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia and has more plant species than any other island.

Q 05/05

Borneo, the third-largest island, is shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and which small sultanate?

A) Brunei

B) Bhutan

C) Oman

D) Bahrain

Answer · why

A) Brunei

Brunei is the only country lying entirely on Borneo, and it covers only about 1% of the island.