Quiz: How Quickly Can You Name Every Country That Matches Its Continent’s First Letter?

Coming up with the only country in Europe that starts with the letter E sounds easy as can be until you actually sit down to do it. Your mind most likely jumped to England (a constituent country, but not a sovereign nation) or España (right place, wrong language).

Before you know it, you're cycling through European capitals in sheer panic. That mental backflip is the main trap of this country-continent challenge. Of the nearly 200 independent countries across six inhabited continents, only eight share a first letter with the continent they call home. Some continents hand you a few freebies, but for most, there's only one match on the whole map.

See if you can bypass the brain fog and name all eight before the timer hits zero!

Did you manage to chart the whole map before time ran out, or did a few of those solo-letter continents throw you off course? Whether you aced it or got lost along the way, keep reading to see the full breakdown for every region. Then, check out our Mental Floss Quiz Around the World Competition for more fun geography challenges!

The Countries That Match Their Continent's First Letter

Algeria

Algeria spans 919,595 square miles across North Africa, making it not only the largest country on its continent, but also one of just two African nations that start with the letter A. Home to over 48 million residents, a majority of whom are Muslim, Algeria covers a lot of ground, stretching from the Mediterranean coast deep into the Sahara Desert.

More than 80% of Algeria is covered by the golden sands of the Sahara, where some of the world’s highest temperatures have been recorded—including a scorching 124.3 degrees Fahrenheit (51.3 degrees Celsius) in Ouargla in 2018.

Angola

Across the way from Algeria sits Angola, Africa’s second A nation. Spanning roughly 481,400 square miles, it’s home to over 40 million people. After nearly five centuries under Portuguese rule, the nation finally gained independence in 1975, which is why Portuguese remains its official language today.

Angola sits on Africa’s southwestern coast, running from the arid Namib Desert to Kalandula Falls, one of Africa’s largest waterfalls and a rare horseshoe-shaped cascade.

Afghanistan

Landlocked at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, Afghanistan is the largest of Asia’s three A entries. Afghanistan covers 251,823 square miles with a population of 34,940,837. Its dramatic landscape is dominated by the Hindu Kush mountains, the high-elevation habitat of the elusive snow leopard, often called the "ghost of the mountains."

The nation is also world-famous for another natural treasure: lapis lazuli, the brilliant blue stone that adorned King Tutankhamun's tomb.

Armenia

Tucked away in the South Caucasus region, Armenia is a mountainous country covering about 11,500 square miles. Despite its compact size, Armenia’s history runs deep. It became the first country in the world to officially adopt Christianity back in 301 CE, a heritage evident today in ancient stone monasteries dotting the landscape.

Azerbaijan

Bordering the Caspian Sea just east of Armenia, Azerbaijan rounds out the trio of Asian countries that start with the letter A. Spanning about 33,400 square miles, it sits right at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Beyond its bustling capital of Baku, the country is known for its unusual geological features. Azerbaijan is home to hundreds of bubbling mud volcanoes and natural subterranean gas fires that have burned for centuries, earning it its nickname, the "Land of Fire."

Estonia

Perched on the eastern edge of the Baltic Sea, Estonia claims the title of Europe's only country starting with the letter E (at least in English). Covering around 17,500 square miles, it’s a unique place known just as well for its dense pine forests as its digital infrastructure. Estonia even became the first nation to pioneer online voting back in 2005.

Nicaragua

Connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Nicaragua is North America’s only N nation. The roughly 50,000-square-mile country is nicknamed the "Land of Lakes and Volcanoes," thanks in large part to Lake Nicaragua. It’s not only the largest lake in Central America, but also the unlikely home of ocean-dwelling bull sharks.

Suriname

Suriname may be South America’s smallest sovereign state (and its only country starting with S), but it’s a big deal when it comes to trees. Covering about 63,000 square miles—slightly larger than the state of Georgia—more than 90% of the nation is covered by untouched Amazon rainforest.

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