The structure of our planet, the location of countries and continents on it, has attracted the attention of people since ancient times. And today, a science such as geography is popular not only among adults, but also among schoolchildren.
There are many interesting geographical puzzles designed to instill in children an interest in geography and develop logical thinking. By the way, many of them will be interesting to an adult inquisitive person.
Earth Poles
These mysterious cold lands are still not well understood. But there is a certain amount of knowledge about them. In addition to natural and climatic problems, many geographical puzzles were invented about the most snow-white parts of our planet. Perhaps to answer these simple questions, you will need not only school knowledge, but also wit and wit.
- In what place on earth does the south wind always blow? Of course, at the North Pole.
- What continent are the four poles on? The South Pole, the Pole of Cold, the Pole of Inaccessibility and the Magnetic Pole pass through Antarctica. It turns out just four.
- Where can I walk during the day with the moon and stars? In winter, when the polar night is in the Arctic and Antarctic, even the sun is not visible during the day, the light comes only from the moon and stars.
- Eskimos were always considered successful hunters, but they never hunted penguins. Why? The thing is that penguins live at the South Pole, and the Eskimos live at the North.
- How can you be as close to the center of the earth? Our planet is not an ideal ball, it is a little flattened from the poles. In addition, the South Pole is 3 km above sea level, and the North Pole is almost at its level. Therefore, when you hit the North Pole, you get as close to the center of the planet as possible.
Continents and countries
Since childhood, we all know the names of continents located on our planet. We are also familiar with the names of most countries, even those that have appeared on the map quite recently. However, how many geographical puzzles based on the high school curriculum can you immediately find the answer?
- On which continent was not a single earthquake recorded? There are no tectonic faults throughout Australia, and volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur just along the fault line.
- Where do locals build their houses underground? Aborigines living on the edge of the Sahara are forced to settle underground, because only there are sources of fresh water and you can find shelter from the scorching sun and sandstorms.
- In which country do people build coral roads? On the territory of the island state of Guam, located in the Pacific Ocean, there is no natural sand at all. It is economically unprofitable to import it, therefore all roads on the island are made of coral chips.
- In which country is the maximum amount of oxygen produced? About 1/4 of the world's forests grow on the territory of Siberia, which is why it is in Russia that forests most process carbon dioxide into the oxygen necessary for life.
- Which country has the most time zones? Surprisingly, this is not Russia with its vast territory, but a small France, which is located in twelve time zones. True, this is taking into account the territories of the former French colonies.
Oceans, seas and rivers
Two-thirds of the surface of our planet are covered with water - oceans, seas, lakes and rivers. The whole history of mankind is directly connected with water flows, and life on the planet without water would be impossible.
Therefore, experts in the field of geography devote so much time to studying the numerous reservoirs of the planet, both large and modest. And for children, a huge number of geographical puzzles were invented about the seas and rivers. Here are some of them:
- Which river channel crosses the equator twice? This applies to Congo, the deepest river in Africa.
- Which strait connects two seas and two oceans, but separates two peninsulas, two countries and even two continents? The Bering Strait separates Asia and North America, two peninsulas - Chukotsky and Seward, two countries - Russia and the USA. And it unites the Chukchi and Bering Seas, as well as the Arctic and Pacific Oceans.
- Which two seas on the territory of Russia are absolutely opposite in geographical location, water temperature and even name? Of course, we are talking about the warm Black Sea and covered with ice White.
- We often pronounce the phrase "boundless sea." But is there really a sea without coasts? Surprisingly, there is one. This is the Sargas Sea, the water area of which is not limited by land, as usual, but by large ocean currents. The currents act as watersheds and do not allow the waters of the Sargasov Sea to mix with the cold water of the Atlantic Ocean.
- There is a unique lake on our planet, in one half of which there is fresh water, and in the other, salt water. This is Balkhash in the east of Kazakhstan. Thanks to its narrow strait and the Saryesik peninsula, water in its western part always remains fresh, and in the eastern - salty.
What do we know about city names
To know the names of all the cities on our planet is simply unrealistic, there are too many of them. But any educated person should remember the names of capitals and other large cities in different countries. And sometimes you can show off erudition in a conversation, remembering an unusual or funny toponym. And there are a lot of such strange names ...
- In which city of the world is the largest medieval fortress located? The riddle is absolutely simple, we are talking about the Moscow Kremlin.
- Which city calls itself twice? This is a small city of Yaya, located in the Kemerovo region.
- In which city does blood flow? The riddle deals with the capital of Austria, Vienna.
- If you rearrange the letters in the name of one of the planets of the Solar System, you get the capital of one of the CIS countries. Here, you don’t have to think too long: the planet is Venus, and the city is Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.
- What city is in the compote? This is Raisins in the Kharkov region.
A bit about the discoverers
Nowadays, all the white spots on the globe have long been investigated. It used to be wrong when brave travelers of the past found new lands, they gave them names. From the point of view of modern man, they often seem illogical. In this regard, there are interesting puzzles about geographical discoveries, which will be useful for both children and adults to solve. For example, this ...
Greenland is the largest island on Earth, more than 80% of its territory is covered by glaciers. Why did the man who discovered this island give it the name Greenland (Green Earth)? This happened in 982. The Scandinavian jarl Eric Raudi sought to convince people to settle on the island, and therefore called it the Green Land.
However, there is a version that in the X century the climatic conditions in Greenland were milder, so the Viking crew could really see the green lands of the southwestern part of the island. Probably, the exact answer to this riddle will never be received.
Jigsaw puzzles
The study of geography requires knowledge of a large number of specific terms. The easiest way to introduce these concepts to children is to make funny geographical puzzles to them. For 7-graders and older students there are several interesting options:
- What key cannot open the door? Often a spring spouting from underground is called a key.
- Which funnel cannot be picked up? On the surface of the earth, in places where limestones form, the soil often forms deep dips, tapering downward. They are called funnels.
- In what place on Earth can you cook hot food without making a fire? In Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands, there are places where jets of boiling water and hot steam burst from the ground.
- Is it possible to fish in the grass? Sometimes lakes, overgrown, turn into meadows. It seems that the whole surface is covered with grass, but if there are still "windows" of water, fish can live in them.
A bit of logical thinking
Often, to solve seemingly simple geographical puzzles, children need not only to have certain knowledge about the structure of the planet, but also be able to think logically. However, that children ... Sometimes simple questions can confuse even an adult educated person.
- What mountain was the highest on Earth until people found out about the height of Everest? The knowledge or ignorance of mankind about Everest does not prevent it from being the highest mountain on the planet.
- Rivers without water, cities without people, forests without animals - where is it? Surprisingly, the answer is simple: on a geographical map.
Funny riddles in verses
Sometimes it is difficult to interest schoolchildren with dry scientific data from textbooks. But the information transmitted in a fun way will be learned much faster. Here is a small selection of poetic geographical riddles with answers, thanks to which children can better remember new information.
"On the globe you’ll find the address -
On the waist of the planet’s belt. "
If you imagine the "waist" of the globe, it is easy to guess that it surrounds its equator.
"Standing on one leg,
Twists and turns his head.
It shows us the countries
Rivers, mountains, oceans. "
This is a very simple geographical puzzle for grade 5. Answer: we are talking about the layout of our planet - the globe.
"This is such a miracle! This is so wonderful!
How he got off the cliff
So what year already
Everything will never fall. "
It's about a waterfall.
Geographic Charades
Talking about geographical riddles, it is difficult to ignore the charades, which not only help to remember new names and terms, but also train logical thinking. Here are some simple puzzle puzzles:
"The first can be made of snow,
A piece of mud can also be it.
Well, the second - the transfer of the ball,
This is an important task in football.
People take the whole hiking,
After all, without him they will not find a way. "
Answer: Com-pass.
"I belong to carbohydrates,
Sweets always need me.
But I will turn into a waste
You can hardly add "A" to me.
Of course, we are talking about the greatest desert in the world - the Sahara.