National Geographic World Championship

2009 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

Teams of winning geography students from around the world participated in the 2009 National Geographic World Championship, July 11-16 in Mexico City, Mexico. Each team consisted of three young students who finished in the finals of their region's own annual geography competition. The biennial event, organized by the National Geographic Society, was sponsored by Telmex Foundation with supporting sponsorship by the Mexican Academy of Sciences, CONACYT, JW Marriott Mexico City and the Televisa Foundation.

In addition to participating in the competition while in Mexico City, teams had the opportunity to explore the ruins of Teotihuacan, Mexico City's downtown historic area, Chapultepec Park, the Museum of Anthropology and many other sites.

The 2009 National Geographic World Championship participating teams were Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Czech Republic, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Canada Wins National Geographic World Championship

Students Compete in Mexico City

2009 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

After arriving in Mexico City, teams competed in a two-part preliminary competition which consisted of a written test and a mapping exercise in which they attempted to assemble and correctly position the Earth's landmasses on a base map containing only major gridlines. The three teams with the highest total scores—Canada, Poland, and the United States—then advanced to the final competition held at Mexico City's Museum of Anthropology and moderated by Alex Trebek, host of the U.S. television quiz show Jeopardy! All three teams showed their geographic skill answering challenging questions regarding physical and cultural geography, interpreting statistics, and examining maps. The Canadian team maintained a strong lead throughout resulting in a gold medal finish, with silver awarded to the United States, and bronze awarded to Poland.

2007 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

“What historic site was carved from sandstone in about 1200 B.C.? This site includes two huge temples and statues of an ancient ruler.” Answer: Abu Simbel.

Knowing the answer to this question allowed Mexico to triumph and unseat five-time champion, the United States, at the eighth National Geographic World Championship held August 5-10, 2007 at SeaWorld San Diego. The U.S. team came in second, and Canada was third. Organized by the National Geographic Society, the competition was sponsored by SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Adventure Parks.

Eighteen teams of the brightest geography students from around the globe met in San Diego, California, to take part in the competition. Each team was comprised of three students, chosen for their excellence in their own national geography competitions. The teams answered questions on physical, cultural and economic geography in two levels of competition consisting of a written test in their own language and an outdoor activity. The three teams with the highest scores—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—then met at Shamu Stadium in SeaWorld San Diego for the final round. They answered questions in a game-show format, moderated by Alex Trebek, host of the U.S. television quiz show Jeopardy!

In addition to the top three teams of Mexico, the United States and Canada, teams from Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Chinese Taipei, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom also competed.

Watch the final round.

2005 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by Mark Thiessen

Eighteen teams of outstanding geography students from around the globe met in Budapest, Hungary, from July 10-July 15, 2005, for the seventh National Geographic World Championship. Each team consisted of three young people, 16 years or younger, who finished in the finals of their region's own annual geography competition. The biennial event, organized by the National Geographic Society, was sponsored by the Hungarian National Tourist Office.

After arriving in Budapest, the teams matched wits on a written test and then a map-reading activity at the Budapest Zoo. Competing in their native languages, these exemplary students answered questions about physical, cultural, and economic geography. The scores from the preliminary round were combined to determine which three teams would compete in the final round at Budapest's new Palace of the Arts on July 14. In the finals, moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, the United States triumphed over Russia and Canada in a close contest.

In their free time, the contestants and their team coordinators were treated to a world-class week of sightseeing activities organized by the Hungarian National Tourist Office. The students enjoyed a boat cruise on Lake Balaton, a visit to the famous Herend china factory, and an equestrian show at Domony. They also had the opportunity to ride an historic train to the site of the farewell dinner, held at a railway museum near Budapest.

The 2005 competition included two teams competing for the first time, Chinese Taipei and Spain, in addition to returning teams Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

2003 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

In July 2003, students from 18 teams competed in the sixth National Geographic World Championship in Tampa, Florida. The teams met to answer questions on physical, cultural, and economic geography in two levels of competition. Teams were comprised of three students who excelled in geography contests in Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, United Kingdom, and the United States. The preliminary competition consisted of a written test and a team map-reading activity. The three teams with the highest scores advanced to the finals at the Moroccan Palace at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.

Beating 17 other teams, the United States captured the gold medal at the sixth National Geographic World Championship. The German team took the silver medals, and the French took the bronze medals. Alex Trebek, host of the U.S. television quiz show Jeopardy! moderated the finals.

2001 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

Some of the brightest young geography brains in the world faced off at the fifth International Geographic Olympiad in Vancouver, British Columbia, in early August. Students from 12 teams met at the University of British Columbia to answer questions in two levels of competition. Teams were comprised of students who excelled in geography contests in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

2001 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

The preliminary competition consisted of a written test and a series of team activities that tested geographic skills. The three teams with the highest scores advanced to the finals at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia.

1999 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph courtesy National Geographic Studio

From Berlin, Buenos Aires and Bryansk, Russia, to Paris, Perth and Pembroke, Ontario, national geography champions came together in Toronto to compete in the 1999 International Geography Olympiad August 10 and 11. First-time competitors Germany and Singapore joined Argentina, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, France, New Zealand, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States to vie for the world geography title. The Olympiad took place at the Ontario Science Centre and included a two-part preliminary competition that consisted of a challenging outdoor map-reading exercise and a written test. The final round was moderated by Alex Trebek, host of the U.S. television quiz show Jeopardy!

1999 National Geographic World Championship Winners

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

Beating 10 other teams, students from the United States captured the gold at the fourth International Geography Olympiad.  The Canadian team came in second, with Russia a close third.  The three teams had the highest combined scores in Tuesdayís two-part preliminary rounds. Gilbert M. Grosvenor, Chairman of the Board of the National Geographic Society, sponsor of the Olympiad, honored all three teams with an Olympic-style awards ceremony, complete with gold, silver, and bronze medals.

1997 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

The love of geography brought nine teams of students from around the world to Washington, D.C., to compete in the 1997 National Geographic World Championship on August 5 and 6. Australia, Canada, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States were joined by first-time competitors Argentina, Costa Rica, France, and New Zealand.

Most visitors to Washington, D.C.’s National Zoo come for a leisurely stroll amid the animals, but teams competing in the International Geography Olympiad were on a mission. Armed with only a map and their geographical wits, teams set out to find 20 locations in the zoo within 45 minutes. The activity tested the students’ abilities to use the most basic geographic tool—a map. Teams earned 40 points if they found all the locations and lost points if they did not find a location or finish within the allotted time. Since teams had to plan an efficient route, strategy and teamwork were vital. The three teams with the highest combined scores on the map-reading exercise and a written test advanced to the final round competition.

The teams took a written test worth a total of 60 points during the second part of the preliminary competition. Students used their geography know-how to answer questions on a variety of topics, including physical, cultural, and economic geography. They also used their geography skills to interpret graphs that showed climate data. Teams had 45 minutes to discuss and answer the 60 questions. The three teams with the highest combined scores on a map-reading exercise and the written test advanced to the final round.

1997 National Geographic World Championship Winners

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

The  National Geographic World Championship, sponsored by MasterCard International, and First USA, was divided into preliminary and final rounds. The preliminary competition consisted of a challenging outdoor map-reading exercise and a written test.

They represented three continents and four hemispheres. They spoke four languages. They were all geography whizzes. The teams from Argentina, Canada, and Russia advanced to the finals by scoring highest in the preliminary competition. Alex Trebek of the TV show Jeopardy! posed questions to the teams as they battled for the championship. Only two points separated the three teams after the seventh round. During the eighth and final round, Canada took the lead, with a score of 37 out of 50 points, and won the gold medals. Argentina, with 35 points, won the silver; and Russia, with 32 points, won the bronze.

1995 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

Students participating in the National Geographic World Championship take part in a preliminary mapping exercise that leads to team points.

1995 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

Competing for the first time in the 1995 National Geographic World Championship, the three-member Australian team captured first place by defeating teams from the United Kingdom and Canada in the final competition. The Russian and U.S. teams had been eliminated in earlier rounds.

In a seesawing eight-round competition, the Australians scored 33 points out of a possible 50; the U.K. students, 31; and the Canadians, 27. All three teams were honored in an Olympic-style awards ceremony, receiving gold, silver, and bronze medals.

1993 National Geographic World Championship

Photograph by National Geographic Studio

Geography Champions from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia met in London to compete in the first International Geography Olympiad, now called the National Geographic World Championship.  Sponsored by National Geographic and Citibank MasterCard and Visa, the competition marked the first opportunity for students to compete against contenders from other nations in geography. In a suspenseful, come-from-behind victory, three student geographers from the United States captured the title at the event held at the Royal Geographical Society.

Pictured: The US Team at the 1993 Championship along with the General Manager of Citibank MasterCard and Visa, William Graves, then editor of National Geographic Magazine, and Gilbert S. Grosvenor, then President of National Geographic.