How Much Do You Know About Geography of the Southern Hemisphere?



By: J.P. Naomi

6 Min Quiz

Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? Usually, she's traveling the entire world, but today, she's traveling to the southern hemisphere with us! Just how well do you know the geography of the southern hemisphere?

When it comes to world geography and the hemispheres, the world is often regarded through the prime meridian. This line splits the world in half, separating it into western and eastern hemispheres. Today, we're splitting the world another way! The equator runs horizontally across the middle of the globe, separating it into the northern and southern hemisphere.

While you'll find all six habitable continents within the northern hemisphere, you'll only find four of them in the southern hemisphere. Both North America and Europe have no land beyond the equator. With South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia/Oceania falling beneath the equator, just how much do you know about the southern hemisphere? 

Can you name the huge island off the coast of Africa? Do you know the capital of Argentina? Can you name the three oceans that fall within the southern hemisphere? What about the name of the inhabitable continent found at the bottom of the world? If you can answer these questions, you're ready for this quiz!

Today we're hopping between the continents and oceans for this quiz. Can you make it south of the equator or will you be exiled to the north? There's only one way to find out!

Let's go!

Which of the following continents is NOT located in the Southern Hemisphere?

Europe is located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and also mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere! It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.


When it is winter in the northern hemisphere, which season is it in the southern hemisphere?

The Southern Hemisphere contains all or parts of five continents! Its summer season lasts from December to March.


Head to this town if you want to visit the southern tip of Africa...

Cape Town is a port city located at the southern tip of Africa. It is home to about 433,000 people and bears views of Robben Island, the prison that once held Nelson Mandela.


Which country in South America contains the female name Olivia?

Bolivia is located in central South America and has a varied terrain spanning the Andes Mountains, the Atacama Desert, and Amazon Basin rainforest! There are approximately 10.8 million residents.


What is the name of the ocean in between South America and Africa?

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's oceans, with a total area of about 106,460,000 square kilometers. It covers approximately 20 percent of the Earth's surface!


The Great Barrier Reef is a popular scuba diving destination off the coast of this country...

The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia. It is a 2,300 kilometer-long ecosystem, and is even visible from outer space.


The 2016 Summer Olympic Games was held in this city of the Southern Hemisphere...

El Município do Rio de Janeiro, the City of Rio de Janeiro is the 2nd largest city in Brazil. It is home to the famous Christ the Redeemer statue, standing 125 feet tall above the city.


Located in South America, this is the longest continental mountain range in the world...

The Andes are also known as the Andean Mountains. They are the longest continental mountain range in the world, and form a continuous highland along the western edge of South America for approximately 7,000 kilometers!


________ is an island state off the southern coast of Australia.

Tasmania is the 26th-largest island in the world and it is surrounded by 334 smaller islands! Its population is about 519,000 residents who are known as Tasmanians!


_________ is a huge island off the southeast coast of Africa.

The capital and largest city of Madagascar is Antananarivo. The official languages of the island is Malagasy and French.


The ________ Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands off the coast of Ecuador.

The Galápagos Islands are known as Archipiélago de Colón in Spanish. There are a total of 21 islands, 18 of them classified as major islands. The highest point is Volcán Wolf.


What is the capital of Argentina?

Buenos Aires is translated into good air! It is home to approximately 2.8 million residents and sits 82 feet above sea-level.


What is the capital of Uruguay?

Montevideo was founded in 1724 and has a current population of about 1.3 million residents. It is located along the Montevideo Bay.


Christmas Island is located off the coast of ________.

Despite its proximity to Indonesia, Christmas Island is actually an Australian territory! Located in the Indian Ocean, the island is covered mostly by a national park, including rainforests, waterfalls, and wetlands.


Which country borders Argentina to the west?

Chile is a long, narrow country stretching along South America's western coast. It contains more than 6,000 kilometers of Pacific Ocean coastline!


Though the country is split between the northern and southern hemisphere's, Kenya's capital city of ______ is located in the southern hemisphere...

Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi, which translates to "cool water." This references the Nairobi River which flows through the city.


What is the name of the ocean to the east of Africa?

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions. It covers 70,560,000 square-kilometers and is surrounded by Asia on the north, on the west by Africa, and on the east by Australia.


What is the name of the ocean to the west of South America?

The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's oceanic divisions. It spans approximately 165,250,000 square kilometers across Earth.


What is the capital of Paraguay?

Asunción is bordered by the Paraguay River and has a population of 525,000 people. It is known for its grand López Palace, the seat of government housing the president’s offices.


______, Brazil is the largest city south of the equator.

São Paulo was founded on January 25, 1554. It is home to about 12 million people, making it not only the most populous city in Brazil and the Americas, but the entire Southern Hemisphere as well!


What is the capital of Peru?

Lima is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central coastal part of Peru, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It is known as La Ciudad de los Reyes (The City of the Kings).


What is the name of the island off the coast of Tanzania?



Sydney, Australia is located in the state of New South _______.

New South Wales is a state on the east coast of Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west, and its capital city is Sydney!


What is the capital of Zimbabwe?

Harare was actually called Salisbury until 1982! It is the capital and most populous city in Zimbabwe. It is located in the north-east of the country, in the heart of historic Mashonaland.


This is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa...

The Seychelles, whose capital is Victoria, lies 1,500 kilometers east of mainland East Africa. It was the honeymoon destination for Prince William and Kate Middleton back in 2011.


Port Moresby is the capital of ___________.

Port Moresby is also known as Pom City. It was established in 1873 and is home to about 410,000 people who speak Motu, Tok Pisin and English.


Which country in the Southern Hemisphere is also a continent?

Australia is the world's 6th largest country by total area. It is about 7,692,024 square kilometers large!


If you are in Angola, and start driving south, which country will you end up in?

Namibia, as they say in their national anthem, is the "Land of the Brave". Its capital and largest city is Windhoek, and its current president is Hage Geingob.


What is the capital of Indonesia?

Jakarta is located on the northwest coast of the world's most populous island of Java. The city has grown more rapidly in recent years than Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Beijing!


The Southern Hemisphere has more _________ mass than the Northern Hemisphere.

The southern hemisphere's surface is 80.9% water! This compares to the 60.7% water of the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere contains 32.7% of Earth's land.


Easter Island is located in the Valparaiso region of _______.



What is the capital of New Zealand?

Wellington is the capital city and second most populous urban area of New Zealand with 412,500 residents. The city nickname is Windy Wellington!


If you are in Ecuador and start driving south, which country will you end up in?

Peru is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the west by the Pacific Ocean. Its official language is Spanish.


What is the name of the African country bordered by Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia?

The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, an old name of the Nyanja people that inhabit the area.


The Antarctic Ocean which encircles Antarctica is also known as the _____ Ocean.

The southern ocean is regarded as the fourth-largest of the five oceanic divisions. It is smaller than the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, but larger than the Arctic Ocean.


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