Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A capital that changed its name more than once

Astana has not always been called Astana. In the late 1990s it replaced Almaty as the capital of Kazakhstan, and for a period it was known as Nur-Sultan before returning to the name Astana. The city was built up rapidly on the steppe and is known for its futuristic architecture and extreme continental climate, with very cold winters and warm summers.

The river that carries more water than any other

The Amazon River flows through several South American countries, with Brazil containing the largest portion of its basin. It is generally considered the largest river on Earth by discharge volume, and its surrounding rainforest is one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. The river itself is also a vital transport route for many communities living far from paved roads.

A fictional antihero with a long shelf life

Tom Ripley first appeared in Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, published in the 1950s. The character is an unusual protagonist: charming, intelligent and deeply amoral. Highsmith returned to him in several later novels, and the character has been portrayed on screen by different actors over the decades, which has helped keep Ripley in the public imagination.

The element named after a mythic figure

Promethium is a rare earth element with the symbol Pm. Its name comes from Prometheus, the figure from Greek mythology who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity. The element is radioactive and does not occur in large quantities in nature, which makes it less familiar than many other elements on the periodic table.

Quito’s place among high-altitude capitals

Quito is one of the highest capital cities in the world, located in the Andes at an elevation of roughly 2,850 metres. The city sits close to the equator, yet its altitude gives it a mild climate despite its tropical latitude. Its well-preserved historic centre was among the first places to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.