Let's Get Physical...Geography Quiz

Answer: Mojave Desert

No time to stop at a Vegas buffet! Instead, you can work up a sweat around the Mojave Desert, home of Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and Death Valley, the hottest location in North America. The Mojave Desert is home to sparsely populated desert areas, though it's home to many native plantlife including the Joshua Tree, the California Fan Palm, and the Barrel Cactus. Numerous movies and music videos have been shot with this landscape as a backdrop.

The Desert is also home to the nearby Hoover Dam and Zion National Park. Unsurprisingly, the Desert houses many diverse animals from Gila Monsters to Diamondback Rattlesnakes to rodents of all shapes and sizes.

The highest temperature on the continent was recorded in Death Valley National Park which, reportedly, has the clearest night skies of all the national parks of the United States. Heck, think of all the muscles you'll tone pulling the slots at a Vegas casino, let alone jogging through the desert!

Answer: A glacier

Why not move like a glacier to take off those pesky pounds, eh?
When people tend to think of fjords, their mind wanders to Norway and Scandinavia, home to the most prominent fjords on the planet. These inlets tend to be narrow, and due to the fact that they're created by glaciers, erosion has worn away the bedrock of the surrounding walls to form the actual landscape. These are usually quite deep, and some have been known to contain coral. Fjords can be found in Europe, Canada, the tip of South America, Antarctica, and New Zealand. Due to the prominence of arctic ice, the Arctic Archipelago tends to get a fair bit of attention in the way of fjords as well. The world's longest fjord is in Greenland while the deepest is in Antarctica.
I assure you that we'll move faster than glaciers though; erosion isn't the greatest way to work out.

Answer: Aconcagua

Aconcagua, located in the Mendoza province of Argentina, is the tallest peak in South America, and is officially a member of the Seven Summits, which are comprised of the tallest mountains on all seven continents. It's the second highest in terms of elevation, at 6,962 metres, and thus receives second place in terms of prominence.
Ojos del Salado, on the other hand, is an active volcano. Situated on the border between Chile and Argentina (in Catamarca province, Argentina and Atacama province, Chile) is the tallest volcano in the world. It is also notable for having the lake with the highest elevation in the world, located on its eastern face.
Just because Ojos del Salado is an active volcano doesn't mean you can be inactive though! Stretching is the first step to fitness!

Answer: No

Although they can reach far to extend their bodies for a perfect workout, the Rockies don't reach out towards Nebraska, and that may force them to stay longer in the gym. The Rockies begin in the north, snaking down British Columbia and Alberta. As they reach the United States border, they head through a small bit of Montana and Idaho, a very small bit of Utah, and most of Colorado and Wyoming before coming to a halt in New Mexico.

These don't quite run parallel to the Appalachians on the other side of the continent though.

They run in a diagonal from Quebec and New Brunswick to Alabama. Their physical differences are obvious too. While the Rockies are quite rocky, the Appalachians are worn down; clear signs of erosion over time, and they're often covered in diverse trees and plantlife.

The Rockies are home to Banff National Park in Canada and Yellowstone National Park in the United States. As demonstrated though, the Appalachians, over time, have reached for their goals and taken off some of the rocky outcrops through years of fine-tuning their natural bodies. I think we can all learn from them as well!

Answer: Columbia River

The Columbia River runs against the wind I take it, as it's the only one of the four to flow into the Pacific Ocean to its west. Though it's the fifty-first longest river, it is by no means being sluggish in terms of its personal fitness. It's the largest river flowing into the Pacific from North America, snaking its way through British Columbia and Washington in the Pacific Northwest.

The river, caused by years of horrible events (hey, we all know how tragedy can put on the pounds), has taken a beating.

Originally, it formed through volcanic activity, but during the last ice age, floods were the cause of much of its reshaping, once again due to erosion. The eruption of the nearby Mount St. Helens also had an adverse effect on the river. The Amazon, the world's second-longest river, makes its way through the rainforest to the sea via Brazil, the Congo River goes through numerous countries to the Atlantic on the opposite side, and the Orange River deposits its waters into the Atlantic Ocean from South Africa.

The Orange River is shorter than the Columbia.

Answer: Yes

The Dead Sea covers the border between Israel and Jordan and its waters are fueled by the Jordan River, which then connects to the north at the Sea of Galilee. Oddly enough, the Dead Sea is hypersaline and it's the lowest lake in the world, while the Sea of Galilee is the second-lowest lake in the world despite the fact that it's freshwater. As well, due to the diversion of water, the Dead Sea tends to continue to get saltier. The salinity of the lake remains a popular feature as many people find increased buoyancy while in the waters. Being nine times saltier than the ocean has its benefits though- the climate is affected, resulting in sunny weather and warm temperatures regardless of the season, and many people find the waters to be therapeutic and calming on the body.
Coincidentally, the shores of the Dead Sea are the world's lowest dry point. The world's highest saltwater lake is Namtso in Tibet.

As long as you don't ingest the seawater, you'll end up fine during this fitness routine. In fact, after the workout, I'll suggest easing your muscles here, but until then, let's kick it up a notch!

Answer: Cliffs of Dover

The Cliffs of Dover are on the southeastern coast of England facing out to mainland Europe, France, and the Strait of Dover. The Cliffs are particularly known for their chalky, whitish colour overlooking the sea and the natural barrier has withstood time, the sea, and threats of invasion in history. Although the sea does erode the cliffs, the damage hasn't been extremely significant so as to lose this natural wonder.
The Cliffs of Moher are made of sandstone and shale. This cliffside is found on Ireland overlooking the Atlantic. The Calvert Cliffs are at Chesapeake Bay, Maryland and they're part of their own state park. Cape Point is at the southern tip of South Africa, located near Cape Town. This point is also near the Cape of Good Hope.

Just think! Knocking off all that excess weight is proving to be tough, but we're nearing the end of our global workout!

Answer: Pacific Ocean

At eleven kilometers below sea level, Mariana Trench marks the planet's lowest point. This trench, formed by the collision of two tectonic plates (the folding of the Pacific plate below the Philippine plate) is near Guam and the Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Two men made the first descent into the lowest part of the trench, the Challenger Deep, in a bathyscape in 1960, marking the lowest descent in world history.
The lowest point of the Atlantic Ocean, the Milwaukee Deep, is near Puerto Rico. It's more shallow by two kilometers. Diamantina Deep is the lowest point in the Indian Ocean, located closest to Australia. Similar to the Milwaukee Deep, it reaches about eight kilometers in depth. The Eurasian Basin in the Arctic Ocean is around five kilometers and the Southern/Antarctic Ocean reaches a low of seven kilometers at the South Sandwich Trench.

See, stretching is great in moderation, and it's a great way to keep yourself fit for globetrotting!

Answer: Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas is at the southern tip of the African Continent, only a small distance away from Cape Town, South Africa and the Cape of Good Hope. Also known as 'The Cape of Needles', since it's home to many natural hazards for ships passing through, the location boasts a lighthouse and is known for rather large waves and storms. The Cape of Good Hope, located nearby around Falsche Bay, is also quite popular and is also viewed as the dividing line in many cases. This is not quite true though; Cape Agulhas was designated as the dividing line in terms of hydrography. Cape Horn is nowhere near either of these places; it's at the tip of South America. Until the Panama Canal was opened, this cape was quite popular in terms of sailing and navigation. Cape Horn makes up the southernmost portion of the Chilean piece of Tierra del Fuego. Once again, 'The Horn' is quite dangerous due to the windy and wavy waters (much like Agulhas). Cape Town is in South Africa. It's also its second-largest city.

Heck, you could use a cape yourself, completing this superhero workout! Almost there! Just a few more reps and you'll be done!

Answer: Machu Picchu

Higher altitude means lower oxygen, and in this case, Machu Picchu, at an altitude of 2.4 kilometers, is the highest location of the selection. In the Andes Mountains, at Urubamba Valley, Machu Picchu stands high on a cliffside, and because of its historical significance it is both a UNESCO Heritage Site and one of the Modern Wonders of the World.
Berne is the capital city of Switzerland, located in the European Alps, is only 542 meters above sea level, and therefore would have higher oxygen levels than Machu Picchu. The highest city in Europe is also in Switzerland, but at 2.1 kilometers, it falls short of the winning altitude.
Colorado gets closer than Berne though. At an average of 2 kilometers, its elevation is a kilometer higher, and the state is known for its altitude, boasting the Rocky Mountains and numerous ski sites (which are excellent if you're going to partake a physical workout for crosstraining during the winter). The Statue of Liberty overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, which is at 0 meters. It reaches about 100 meters in total. As much as I wouldn't like to say it, New York's air is probably the best for your breather.