MapRounds
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MapRounds

How our quizzes, maps and sources work

See how MapRounds chooses places, handles alternative names and capital roles, calculates scores, and credits its map and flag sources.

Which places are included?

Each quiz uses a named list of places. Country quizzes draw from 193 UN member states, with the regional groupings explained on each page. The Holy See and the State of Palestine are discussed in the guides as non-member observer states and are not included in that set. A quiz list is a learning choice, not a decision on disputed status.

Maps and small-place markers

The maps use public-domain Natural Earth data, simplified and projected for the page. Small places may use a clearly marked dot when their outlines would be difficult to show. A dot marks a location, not a boundary or a place’s full size. Mountain systems are shown as broad areas rather than individual summits.

World and Oceania maps handle the 180° meridian so island groups remain recognizable. US state maps show Alaska and Hawaii in repositioned insets. Administrative quizzes state their limits, including metropolitan France, Spain’s autonomous communities, and Australia’s six states plus the ACT and Northern Territory.

Names, aliases and capital roles

Each place has a name and a checked list of alternatives. Similar spelling alone does not make an answer correct. Ontario the province and Lake Ontario are different places. Capital questions specify the role to answer, including cases with more than one capital. Country facts use GeoNames as a starting point, with separately sourced notes for exceptions and changes.

Scoring and review

The first-round score is correct answers divided by all questions, rounded to a whole percentage. Incorrect and skipped answers are counted separately. Timed rounds keep a fixed deadline: if you return after it has passed, unanswered questions become skipped. Review lets you practice missed questions without changing the original result.

Source credits and licenses

  • Natural Earth map data: public domain. The source version and map-building scripts are recorded with the project.
  • GeoNames country information: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Used as a starting point, with separately sourced corrections.
  • flag-icons 7.6.0: MIT-licensed SVG artwork, served locally. The display frames are not official flag-construction specifications.
  • Manrope Variable: SIL Open Font License 1.1, served locally.
  • Original MapRounds text and diagrams: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0, except where third-party material is credited separately.

Corrections and updates

Quiz pages show their included places, accepted names, sources and review dates. A factual change needs an update to the data and its notes, followed by the relevant checks. If you spot an issue, send the quiz URL and a source that explains the correction. The contact page lists useful details to include.

Sources and map notes