Where in the world? The big Boxing Day travel quiz

The year in travel (1)

1. Which airline had to suspend a policy allowing staff to wear gender-neutral uniforms on a flight taking the England football team to the World Cup in Qatar?

2. Which holiday destination did Boris Johnson return home from in late October to not run in the Tory party leadership race?

3. Which English county reintroduced bison this year?

4. Which country hosted COP27 in November?

5. In 2022, Thailand’s Maya Bay, where the 2000 film The Beach was shot, reopened to tourists after environmental rehabilitation work was carried out. On which island is it?

Flags of the world

6 to 10 These are the flags of five of the world’s youngest countries: South Sudan, Montenegro, East Timor, Palau and Kosovo. Match the flags with their country.

Film and television

11. On which island is the new series of The White Lotus set?

12. Which seaside town was new film Empire of Light, written and directed by Sam Mendes, shot in?

13. Name one of the two islands where The Banshees of Inisherin was filmed?

14. Which city did the sisters flee in Netflix film The Swimmers?

15. And which city’s Olympics did they compete in?

Cities

16. Many of us watched the football there, but what is the capital of Qatar?

17. Everyone knows New York used to be New Amsterdam, but which Canadian city used to be called York?

18. Boryspil is the international airport of which capital city?

19. A chocolatey caffè mocha (or a mochaccino) is named after the city of Mokha, an early centre of the coffee trade, but which country is it in?

20. What colour are all the taxis in Mexico City – by order of the mayor?

Countries

21. What is the smallest county in Ireland?

22. What do Bolivia, Colombia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Mauritius have in common?

23. Through how many countries does the equator pass: 9, 11, 13 or 15?

24. Which country recently became the only one in the world to have a female president and prime minister?

25. Which country has the most islands?

Where was I born?

26 to 30 These famous people were all born outside the UK. Name them and their countries of birth.

Christmas

31. The carol Good King Wenceslas tells of a monarch going on a journey in harsh winter weather. In which present-day country was his realm?

32. In which present-day state is Bethlehem?

33. In which abbey was William the Conqueror crowned on Christmas Day 1066?

34. According to legend, in which German city were candy canes invented?

35. In which city were Christmas crackers invented?

The year in travel (2)

36. The world’s largest active volcano erupted for the first time in nearly 40 years last month. Where is it?

37. The annual Which? survey of UK hotel chains revealed that one group has managed to retain its position at the bottom of the table for a decade. Which chain?

38. Which mountainous Asian country reopened a trekking route across its whole length in 2022, after 60 years?

39. Which UK national park celebrated its 70th anniversary this year?

40. Which country finally opened its borders to visitors in October after Covid closures?

Name the country

41 to 45 Can you name these countries from their outlines?

The year ahead

46. Which city will host the 2023 Eurovision song contest?

47. 2023 will mark the 50th anniversary of Pablo Picasso’s death, in Mougins, France, but in which city was he born?

48. Which famous steam engine will celebrate its centenary in 2023?

49. Where will the UK’s first Rewilding Centre open next year?

50. Which two countries will jointly host the Fifa Women’s World Cup in July/August 2023?

ANSWERS

1 Virgin 2 Dominican Republic 3 Kent 4 Egypt 5 Ko Phi Phi Leh 6 South Sudan 7 East Timor 8 Kosovo 9 Palau 10 Montenegro 11 Sicily 12 Margate 13 Inishmore (one of the Aran Islands) and Achill, off County Mayo 14 Damascus 15 Rio de Janeiro 16 Doha 17 Toronto 18 Kyiv 19 Yemen 20 Pink 21 Louth 22 They are all named after people 23 13 24 Estonia 25 Sweden, with 221,800 26 to 30 Emma Watson, France; Eddie Izzard, Yemen; Ben Stokes, New Zealand; Rita Ora, Kosovo (then Yugoslavia); Louis Theroux, Singapore 31 Czech Republic 32 The West Bank, Palestine 33 Westminster Abbey 34 Cologne 35 London, by confectioner and baker Tom Smith in the 1840s 36 Hawaii 37 Britannia 38 Bhutan 39 The North York Moors 40 Japan 41 Turkey 42 Poland 43 Pakistan 44 Jamaica 45 Egypt 46 Liverpool 47 Málaga, Spain 48 The Flying Scotsman 49 The Scottish Highlands (on the Dundreggan estate) 50 Australia and New Zealand