As soon as someone says "Venice", most people think of canals. Venice's Grand Canal follows a natural channel through the city. As the city's main waterway it's just over 3 km long and is often bustling with gondolas, water buses, and taxis. At the end of the 16th century, the impressive Rialto Bridge was constructed to connect both sides of the waterway. Made of stone, it is the oldest surviving bridge over the canal.
2. Loch Ness
Answer: Scotland
In the north of the Scottish mainland, a legendary creature lurks in the depths of a lake. Stories of the Loch Ness monster date back to ancient times with Pict stone carvings of a beast with flippers. By 1980, interest in the myth had resurfaced (no pun intended) and The Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition was opened at a hotel near the lake shore.
The loch is long and narrow, stretching for roughly 36 km. It is Britain's largest volume of fresh water - plenty of room for a solitary sea monster.
3. Nile River
Answer: Egypt
The lifeblood of Ancient Egypt, the Nile riverbank is one of the places where humans first began to utilise agriculture. The source of the river is located near the equator and it either flows through or borders a number of countries: Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
Despite being a vital waterway in lots of other countries, the Nile conjures up images of reed fishing boats against the backdrop of Ancient Egyptian monuments.
4. Panama Canal
Answer: Panama
Before 1914, if you wanted to take a boat from the eastern side of the American continents to the western side, you would probably have to sail around Cape Horn, the southern tip of South America. When the Panama Canal opened, it provided a shorter route from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic.
The canal utilises existing bodies of water like Gatun Lake to provide a link between the northern and southern coasts. The new waterway has saved much time and money for sailors travelling around the world. Ships going from one side of the USA to the other, for example, can save up to 15,000 km by using the Panama Canal.
5. Victoria Falls
Answer: Zambia and Zimbabwe
The Zambezi River flows along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and at one point, the water plummets 108 metres and crashes into a chasm below. The falls were named after Queen Victoria in the 19th century, but the local Kalolo-Lozi name suits the landmark much better; they called it Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means "The Smoke That Thunders".
The roaring sound of the waterfall can be heard from quite a distance. Victoria Falls and the parkland around it were designated a World Heritage site in 1989.
6. Ganges River
Answer: India
As the holy river of Hinduism, the Ganges is an important religious landmark in India. The source of the Ganges River is in the Himalayas and it flows southeast into the Bay of Bengal. One of the main sources of the Ganges is the Gangotri Glacier. The glacier is a site of pilgrimage for Hindus; people travel there to bathe in the icy water.
7. Niagara Falls
Answer: Canada and USA
The Niagara River flows along the border between Canada and the USA. At one point, the river curves and drops over 50 metres, creating Niagara Falls. Goat Island splits the river's course in two. The Canadian section of the waterfall is called Horseshoe Falls after its 900 metre-long curve. On the other side of Goat Island, the American Falls stretches 320 metres.
The North American landmark is an icon of the continent's natural beauty.
8. Kerepakupai-Meru
Answer: Venezuela
Venezuela is home to the highest waterfall in the world. Angel Falls was named after an American man who almost flew into the 979 metre drop in the 1930s. Part of a tributary that flows into the Orinoco River, the waterfall surges over the top of Devil's Mountain on the eastern side of Venezuela.
In 2009, the Venezuelan president renamed the waterfall with an indigenous Pemon title: Kerepakupai-Merú, which translates to "waterfall of the deepest place".
9. Great Barrier Reef
Answer: Australia
Off the coast of Australia, the largest reef complex in the world has formed over millions of years. The Great Barrier Reef has been created by the skeletal remains of marine life bound together by algae and bryozoans. It's home to 4000 species of mollusc, 1500 types of fish, and 400 different types of coral.
It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 for its outstanding natural beauty and scientific importance.
10. Dead Sea
Answer: Israel and Jordan
Between Jordan and Israel (and the contentious Palestinian West Bank) lies the Dead Sea. Technically a saltwater lake rather than a sea, the inland body of water has the lowest elevation of any body of water on the Earth's surface. The size of the Dead Sea has been reducing gradually since the 20th century, mostly due to human factors.
It is surrounded by desert with a low average annual rainfall.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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