Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A peninsula with a complicated story

Kosovo sits in the central Balkans, a region whose mountainous terrain has long made it a crossroads between the Adriatic, the Aegean and the Danube basin. The Balkan Peninsula takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run across Bulgaria, and the exact northern boundary of the peninsula is still debated by geographers. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and its status remains recognised by some countries and disputed by others.

The Roman habit of renaming the world

When Rome absorbed the Iberian Peninsula, it divided the territory into provinces and called the whole region Hispania. The name survived for centuries and evolved into the modern word Espana. Roman provincial names often outlasted the empire itself, which is why so much of Europe's map still carries Latin fingerprints.

Following the Danube

The Danube is one of Europe's great waterways, rising in Germany's Black Forest and eventually emptying into the Black Sea. Along the way it passes through or borders ten countries, and Hungary's capital, Budapest, is built on its banks. The river has served as a trade route, a border and a source of inspiration for composers and poets for centuries.

Why the London Marathon matters

The London Marathon is one of the world's biggest annual running events, first held in 1981. It follows a course through the city, passing landmarks such as Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament. Beyond the elite race, it is famous for its charity fundraising, with runners raising millions of pounds for good causes every year.

A capital that is not the biggest city

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, even though Dubai is the country's most populous city and its best-known destination internationally. The UAE is a federation of seven emirates, each with its own ruler, and Abu Dhabi is both the capital of the federation and the largest emirate by area.