Beyond the answers - interesting background to this quiz

A city where the official language is not the one you hear most

Arabic is the official language of Dubai and of the United Arab Emirates as a whole, used in government, law and official documents. In everyday life, however, the city runs largely on English, which serves as the common language between residents who come from dozens of different countries. That gap between official status and daily practice is typical of the Gulf, where large expatriate communities shape the linguistic reality of the streets.

The river that ends where Europe's trade begins

The Rhine rises in the Swiss Alps and travels through or along Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands before reaching the North Sea. For centuries it has been one of Europe's busiest waterways, carrying goods between the industrial heartland of Germany and the port of Rotterdam. Along its banks sit historic cities such as Cologne, Strasbourg and Basel, and its valley is famous for terraced vineyards.

A mountain range shared by seven countries

The Andes stretch along the western edge of South America, running through Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. They form the longest continental mountain range in the world and include Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest peak outside Asia. The range also shapes the climate and agriculture of the region, from high-altitude potato farming to the vineyards of Argentine Malbec.

Goethe's Faust and the bargain that became a legend

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe worked on Faust for most of his life, publishing the first part in 1808 and the second shortly before his death in 1832. The story of a scholar who makes a pact with a demonic figure draws on an older German legend that had already inspired Christopher Marlowe and, later, composers such as Gounod. Goethe's version turned a cautionary tale into a vast meditation on ambition, knowledge and redemption.