Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

The planet's surprisingly small share of drinkable water

Although water covers roughly 71 percent of Earth's surface, the vast majority of it is salty or locked away in ice. Fresh water makes up less than 2.5 percent of the global supply, and much of that is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps. Only a tiny fraction is readily accessible in rivers, lakes and groundwater, which is why water conservation matters so much.

Voltaire, the satirist who mocked the establishment

Candide, published in 1759, is the most famous work by the French writer and philosopher Voltaire. The novella follows a young man who endures war, disaster and betrayal while clinging to the teachings of an overly optimistic tutor. Through biting satire, Voltaire attacked religious intolerance, blind optimism and the abuses of power. His wit made him both celebrated and frequently exiled.

A capital that is not the country's largest city

Banjul is the capital of Gambia, a narrow country wrapped around the Gambia River in West Africa. Interestingly, Banjul is far smaller than Serekunda, the nation's largest urban area. Gambia itself is mainland Africa's smallest country, surrounded by Senegal on three sides and the Atlantic Ocean on the fourth.

Three islands, three continents, three histories

Fiji is an archipelago of roughly 300 islands in the South Pacific, though only about a hundred are permanently inhabited. Viti Levu and Vanua Levu are the two largest and together home most of the population. The capital, Suva, sits on Viti Levu and is one of the Pacific's more cosmopolitan cities, shaped by Melanesian, Polynesian and Indian influences.

When the Czech Republic lost its coastline

Czechia is one of Europe's landlocked nations, meaning it has no direct access to the sea. Along with countries like Austria, Hungary and Switzerland, it relies on neighbours and international agreements for maritime trade. Its position in the heart of Central Europe has long made it a crossroads of trade routes, culture and, at times, conflict.