130 Hard Trivia Questions and Answers that are Pure Fun

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Are you looking for your next challenge? Then, look no further.

We have curated a list of hard trivia questions for you to challenge yourself and see how much you know about the world and its surroundings.

The questions are balanced with a general knowledge orientation and cover topics ranging from geography, space, science, animals, history, and the ancient world.

So, if you know the exact location of Pangea, where Casablanca is and the names of all the six wives of Henry VIII, perhaps these hard trivia questions are not HARD enough for you. You might consider the easy trivia questions instead! (smile!)

Planets in the Solar System

Trivia Questions: How many planets are there in our galaxy?

Answer: 100 billion planets.

According to NASA, there are more than 100 billion planets in the milky way galaxy.

The Milky Way Galaxy

Trivia Questions: What is the name of our galaxy?

Answer: The Milky Way.

The Milky Way is the name of the galaxy where our planet earth is found. It has billions of other planets apart from the earth.

Smallest Country in the World

Trivia Questions: What is the smallest country in the world today?

Answer: The Vatican City.

The Vatican City is the smallest country recognized under the United Nations charter. It is 128 acres in size.

Gas Giants

Trivia Questions: Which planet(s) are entirely made of gaseous material?

Answer: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

These planets are called gas giants. They are made of a small solid core surrounded by hydrogen and helium.

Metals in Liquid State

Trivia Questions: What is the only metal to exist in a liquid state?

Answer: Mercury metal.

Mercury is the only metal to exist in a liquid state at room temperature.

Gases in the Atmosphere

Trivia Questions: What is the most abundant gas in our atmosphere?

Answer: Nitrogen.

Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere. It is 78 percent of the atmospheric gases.

Isaac Newton Theory

Trivia Questions: What nationality was the legendary scientist Isaac Newton?

Answer: British.

The legendary genius Isaac Newton was born in Woolsthorpe, England. He is best known for the theory of universal gravity.

Hard General Trivia Questions

Trivia Questions: What is the de facto capital of the world – Geneva, New York, or London?

Answer: London.

London is the de-facto capital of the world. The city has the highest diversity in terms of races, ethnicity, and branches of almost all multinationals.

Person with the Highest IQ

Trivia Questions: Who holds the record for the highest IQ ever recorded?

Answer: Marilyn vos Savant.

Marilyn vos Savant (1946) had an IQ of 228; the highest ever recorded to this day. Compared to Bill Gates’  IQ Test score of 160 and Albert Einstein’s 180, Marilyn is the most intelligent person to have ever lived.

Fashion Industry Icons

Trivia Questions: Who is the greatest fashion icon of all time?  

Answer: Audrey Hepburn.

Audrey Hepburn is best known for the Little Black Dress.

Beautiful Pacific Islands

Trivia Questions: Which country has no capital city?

Answer: Nauru.

It is a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean and the only country to have no town or capital city.

Fashion house Channel

Trivia Questions: Karl Lagerfeld was signed up as a director of which French fashion house?

Answer: The Fashion house Channel.

Best Music Bands

Trivia Questions: Who are the members of the 1990s music group Destiny Child?

Answer: Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams.

These three are the Destiny Child. They began as Girl’s Tyme and they took the world by storm back in the days.

The Beetles

Trivia Questions: Who are the Fab Four?

Answer: Gavin Pring (Harrison), Sarraf, Joe Bologna (Starr) and Adam Hastings (Lennon).

As of 2021, the Fab Four consisted of Gavin Pring, Sarraf, Joe Bologna, and Adam Hastings as Lennon.

British History

Trivia Questions: Name the six wives of King Henry VIII?

Answer: Catherine of Aragon, Catherine Parr, Catherine Howard, Anne of Cleves, Jane Seymour, and Anne Boleyn.

Catherine of Aragon, the daughter of Spanish queen Isabella I, is best known for sparking Henry’s ex-communication from the Catholic church and the resulting reformation movement.

The Game of Chess

Trivia Questions: Which chessboard piece cannot move in a straight line?

Answer: The Knight.

The knight is the only piece that must make a right-angle turn.

The Game of Pool

Trivia Questions: How many pool table balls are colored yellow?

Answer: Seven balls.

A standard pool table has seven yellow balls, eight black balls, seven red balls, and one white ball.

Books of the Bible

Trivia Questions: What is the last book in the New Testament?

Answer: The Book of Revelation.

The Book of Revelation or Revelation of John is the last book in the new testament and the last book in the bible.

Planets in the Solar System

Trivia Questions: Which is the hottest planet in our solar system?

Answer: Venus.

Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system. This is partly due to its dense atmosphere and close proximity to the sun.

Harry Potter Books

Trivia Questions: What is the title of the first book by JK Rowling?

Answer: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

It was published in June 1997.

Nuclei of an Atom

Trivia Questions: What is the center of the nuclei of an atom composed of?

Answer: Positively charged protons.

The nuclei of an atom consist of protons, at the center surrounded by electrons, and neutrons.

Women Writers

Trivia Questions: How many books in the bible were written by women?

Answer: Esther and Ruth.

Esther and Ruth are the only books in the bible written by and having women and their title bearers.

Oceans of the World

Trivia Questions: Name all the five oceans in the world today?

Answer: Atlantic ocean, India Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean and, Southern Ocean.

These are the main five oceans of the world.

Part of the Human Body

Trivia Questions: Which part of the human body grows throughout one’s life?

Answer: The noses, earlobes, and ear muscles.

As the rest of the body shrinks with age; noses, earlobes, and ear muscles continue growing until death.

Art History and Painting

Trivia Questions: What is the most expensive painting in the world today – Mona Lisa or Salvator Mundi?

Answer: Mona Lisa.

As of 2021, Mona Lisa is the most expensive paint in the world going for $850 million. Salvator Mundi was sold to a Saudi Prince for $450 million according to the Washington Post.

The Most Romantic Country

Trivia Questions: What is the most romantic country in the world – Italy or France?

Answer: France.

France takes the top spot for the most romantic country in the world with its capital Paris. Paris is the most visited city in the world during Valentine’s Day. It is also the most preferred city for honeymoons.

Beautiful Cities

Trivia Questions: Which country is Asuncion its capital city?

Answer: Paraguay.

Asuncion is the capital city of Paraguay.

Goddess of Love

Trivia Questions: Who was the goddess of love in ancient Greece – Venus or Aphrodite?

Answer: Aphrodite.

Venus and Aphrodite are the same deity. Venus is the Roman name while the Greek called her Aphrodite.

Shakespeare Plays

Trivia Questions: What is the shortest Shakespearean play?

Answer: The Comedy of Errors.

The Comedy of Errors has 1,898 lines making it the shortest of all Shakespeare’s plays.

Social Media Influencers

Trivia Questions: Who has the highest Instagram followers as of 2020?

Answer: Cristiano Ronaldo.

The footballer Christiano Ronaldo is the most followed person on Instagram. He has over 250 million active followers.

The City of Cambridge

Trivia Questions: Which English city was once known by the name Durolipons?

Answer: The city of Cambridge.

Duroliponte was a town in the Roman province of Britannia. It is called Cambridge today.

European Cities

Trivia Questions: What is Europe’s oldest capital city?

Answer: Athens.

Athens is more than 5,000 years old making it the oldest capital city in Europe.

United States of America President

Trivia Questions: Who is the US’s youngest elected president?

Answer: John F. Kennedy.

John F. Kennedy is the youngest elected US president. He was inaugurated at the age of 43. However, the youngest president ever is Theodore Roosevelt (42) who assumed the presidency after the assassination of William McKinley.

Shortest-serving US President

Trivia Questions: Who is the shortest-serving US president?

Answer: William Henry Harrison.

William Henry Harrison is the shortest-serving US president. He died in office after serving for 31 days back in 1841!

Most Populous Continent

Trivia Questions: Is Africa the most populous continent in the world?

Answer: No.

Asia is the most populous continent in the world with both China and India having a population bigger than the whole of continental Africa; despite having a relatively smaller landmass.

Loudest Animal in the World

Trivia Questions: What is the loudest animal in the world?

Answer: The Blue Whale.

The Blue Whale is the loudest animal in the world. Its whistle can be heard 800 kilometers away.

Laziest Animal

Trivia Questions: Name the laziest animal in the world?

Answer: Sloth.

Sloths are the slowest and the laziest animals in the world. They are in no hurry at all and are slower than tortoises.

Measuring Temperature

Trivia Questions: Who invented the thermometer?

Answer: Santorio Santorio.

Santorio Santorio in 1612 invented the first equipment that was used to measure temperature accurately. It is from it that we get the modern-day thermometer.

Hard Trivia Questions

Trivia Questions: Which country has the bible drawn on its flag – Vatican City?

Answer: No.

It is the Dominican Republic. Only the Dominican Republic has a Bible on its flag.

Sports Personality

Trivia Questions: Who was the fastest person on earth before Usain Bolt came into the limelight?

Answer: Tayson Gay and Yohan Blake.

Tayson Gay and Yohan Blake was the fastest person on earth before the arrival of Usain Bolt.

Black People History

Trivia Questions: Which modern-day king was worshiped as a god, thousands of miles away from his kingdom?

Answer: Emperor Haile Selassie (born Ras Tafari Mokonnen).

He is the inspiration behind Rastafarianism as a religion in the Caribbean.

Oldest City in the World

Trivia Questions: What is the oldest capital city?

Answer: The city of Damascus.

Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited capital city in the world. It is the capital city of Syria.

Space Exploration

Trivia Questions: Who is the first person to go to space?

Answer: The cosmonaut Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin.

Aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1, Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was the first person to travel to space. It was on April 12, 1961.

Drinks and Beverages

Trivia Questions: What is the most popular beverage in the world today?

Answer: Tea.

Contrary to the popular belief among coffee enthusiasts, tea remains the most popular non-alcoholic drink in the world.

Color Blindness

Trivia Questions: Which colors do colorblind persons have difficulty seeing?

Answer: Red, green and blue.

Colorblind people see like every other person. They however have difficulty seeing red, green, and blue lights accurately.

The Milk Teeth

Trivia Questions: What name is given to teeth that shed off in children aged 10?

Answer: Milk teeth.

Milk teeth are a set of the first teeth in a baby. They shed off between the age of 9 and 12.

History of the Soviet Union

Trivia Questions: Which country confirmed the death of Hitler?

Answer: The Soviet Union.

It is Joseph Stalin who confirmed the death of Adolf Hitler. He was the president of the Soviet Union.

The Kangaroo

Trivia Questions: How many vaginas do Kangaroos have?

Answer: Three vaginas.

A Kangaroo like most marsupials has three vaginas.

The Richest People

Trivia Questions: Who is the richest man to have ever lived?

Answer: Mansa Musa I of Mali.

Mansa Musa I of Mali is the richest man to have ever lived. It is recorded that on his Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Mansa Musa gave out gold and gifts enough to cause economic depression for years across kingdoms on his pilgrimage route.

The City of Istanbul

Trivia Questions: Which city is considered the central point for all continents?

Answer: Istanbul, Turkey.

Half of Istanbul is in Europe and the other half is in Asia with close proximity to Africa.

City with the Longest Name

Trivia Questions: Which town or city has the longest name?

Answer: Bangkok, Thailand.

Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit

Champagne Brands

Trivia Questions: Who invented champagne?

Answer: A Christian monk, Dom Perignon.

Champagne was invented by a Christina monk by the name Dom Perignon in the wine-producing Champagne region of France.

Natural Resources Rich Country

Trivia Questions: What is the richest country in terms of natural resources?

Answer: DRC.

DRC is the richest country in the world in terms of natural resources. It has the widest variety of mineral deposits, the largest forest cover in Africa, the biggest river in Africa, and the best arable land for farming.

Hard Trivia Questions for Adults

Trivia Questions: How many penises does a snake have?

Answer: Two penises.

Snakes and most lizards have two penises.

Oldest University in the World

Trivia Questions: What is the oldest University and center of higher learning in the world?

Answer: The University of Karueein.

The University of Karueein is the oldest continually operating university in the world. It was founded in 859D in Fez, Morocco.

British Royal Family

Answer: George VI.

He ruled the United Kingdom as a king before Queen Elizabeth.

Trivia Questions: Who was the head of the royal family in the UK before Queen Elizabeth?

A Leap Year

Trivia Questions: How many days are there in a leap year – 364, 365, or 366?

Answer: 366 days.

A leap year has 366 days.

Shooting Stars

Trivia Questions: What is a shooting star?

Answer: Shooting stars are comets. They burn across the sky as they fall from where they get their name.

Color of the Sun

Trivia Questions: What is the real color of the sun?

Answer: White.

The sun is white in color. It produces a spectrum of colors which when combined is seen as a white color by the human eye.

Good Music

Trivia Questions: Which Ed Sheeran’s song became popular after Kygo’s remix?

Answer: I See Fire.

The song was not a top hit for months until Kygo’s remix.

History of Germany

Trivia Questions: Which country has its name as Deutschland?

Answer: Germany.

Germany is called Deutschland by the Germans.

The Mercedes Benz

Trivia Questions: Mercedes is one of the owners of the brand Mercedes-Benz. True or false?

Answer: False.

The name of Mercedes was of the daughter of one of the early retailers of the car brand Benz.

Biblical Abyssinia

Trivia Questions: Which country has been called Abyssinia throughout its history including in the bible?

Answer: Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has been Abyssinia throughout its history. The name was derived from Habesha.

Switzerland or Swaziland?

Trivia Questions: Which country is often confused with Switzerland?

Answer: Swaziland.

Swaziland is a tiny self-governing kingdom in South Africa. The monarch changed its name to Eswatini, differentiating it from Switzerland.

Figure Skating

Trivia Questions: Which Olympic sport incorporates beauty and dance as part of the criteria to determine its winner?

Answer: Figure skating.

Karl Max Ideas

Trivia Questions: Which German author gave birth to both capitalism and communism as we know it today?

Answer: Karl Max.

His work, Das Kapital is the foundation of both capitalism and communism as we know it today. It is from the critique of Das Kapital that we get The Wealth of Nations from Adam Smith.

UAE Architecture

Trivia Questions: In which country do we find the tallest building in the world?

Answer: U.A.E.

The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa. It is found in Dubai, U.A.E.

Trivia Questions: Which historical event made polka dot dresses famous worldwide in 1968?

Answer: The polka dance.

Germany Politics

Trivia Questions: Which European country has changed its name the most especially during and after the World Wars?

Answer: Germany.

Germany changed its name the most during and after the world war. They started as the Weimar Republic to Prussia, East and West Germany to Germany it is now.

Greek Mythology

Trivia Questions: Who are the Titans according to Greek mythology?

Answer: Titans are the children of the primordial deities Uranus (heaven) and Gaea (earth). They preceded the Olympians. They are Oceanus, Cronus, Rhea, Crius, Tethys, Theia, Coeus, Phoebe, Mnemosyne, and Themis.

Christian Books and Stories

Trivia Questions: Who are the Nephilim in Christian books and stories?

Answer: Nephilims are the children of the sons of God and daughters of Men. They are believed to have done terrible things in the eyes of God until God had to send the Great Flood to sweep the world clean.

The Only English Pope

Trivia Questions: Who is the only English Pope?

Answer: Pope Adrian IV.

Pope Adrian IV, born Nicholas Breakspear is the only English pope to have ever led the Catholic church.

Geothermal Power Generation

Trivia Questions: Which country generates the most geothermal power?

Answer: The United States of America.

According to NS Energy, the US is the world leader in geothermal energy production with over 3,639MW. The US is followed by Indonesia, the Philippines, and Turkey.

Start of the First World War

Trivia Questions: Which event sparked the first world war?

Answer: The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand Franz and his wife Sofia by separatist Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914.

States General of the Netherlands

Trivia Questions: What is the name of the Netherlands ’ parliament?

Answer: States-General of the Netherlands.

It is a bi-cameral parliament made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Settlers Came to America

Trivia Questions: What is the main reason early European settlers came to America?

Answer: Greater freedom and create wealth.

Best-selling Smartphone Brand

Trivia Questions: What is the best-selling smartphone brand?

Answer: Samsung.

Samsung is still the market leader when it comes to the smartphone world. They sold more phones this year than any of their competitors.

How Pizza Culture Started

Trivia Questions: The pizza was first used as a delicacy for royal families in Italy. True or false?

Answer: False.

Pizza was invented as a cheaper means to feed the poor and the homeless in the streets. It was a form of a balanced diet containing proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates in a single slice.

Feng Shui

Trivia Questions: What is the name of the Chinese concept of designing architecture and living spaces in harmony with the surrounding environment for the benefit of those living in it?

Answer: Feng shui.

Post-coital dysphoria

Trivia Questions: What name is given to the psychological state where one cries or feels sad, anxious, with some level of agitation or aggression after getting intimate?

Answer: Post-coital dysphoria (PCD).

It is also called postcoital tristesse.

Meaning of a Title

Trivia Questions: What is the name of the dot in ! ? j i?

Answer: A tittle.

A title is a tiny dot above letters differentiating them from capital letters or above punctuation marks.

Letters in the German Alphabet

Trivia Questions: How many letters are there in the German alphabet?

Answer: 26 letters.

The standard German alphabet has 26 letters. However, there are additional four special letters making them 30 letters. They are ä ö ü ß.

Zero as a Number

Trivia Questions: Is zero a number or do numbers start from 1 which carries a value?

Answer: When counting physical items, start from 1. But when counting intervals, start from zero.

Fiat Currency Value

Trivia Questions: What is the largest currency note in terms of size to have ever been printed?

Answer: 100,000 Philippines peso note.

The 1998’s 100,000 Philippines peso note is the largest note size to have ever been printed. It was an A4-sized note.

Fiat Currency

Trivia Questions: What is the highest valued single bill in existence today?

Answer: The $100,000 bill.

The $100,000 Bill

Trivia Questions: What is the biggest bill to have ever been printed in US history?

The bill is however not readily available and most of these rare high-value bills are at the hands of collectors. The $100,000 bill has the face of Woodrow Wilson.

Answer: The $100,000 bill.

Like most high-value bills, the $100,000 was printed during World War II. It features the face of Woodrow Wilson.

In as much it was discontinued, it still is a legal bill that you can transact with.

The Pig Leader in, Animals Farm

Trivia Questions: In the book, “Animals Farm”, what is the name of the pig leader?

Answer: Napoleon.

In George Orwell’s book, the pigs’ leader is called Napoleon.

Meaning if “i” in the iPhone

Trivia Questions: What does the “i” in the iPhone, iOS, iMAC, iPad stand for?

Answer: The i in iPhone, iOS, and iMac stands for internet.

History of Finland

Trivia Questions: Finland was previously a colony of which country?

Answer: Sweden and Russia.

Finland was a colony of Sweden until it was taken over by the Russian Grand Duchy in 1809.

Asia Colonial History

Trivia Questions: Which tiny Asian country colonized most of Asia in the past?

Answer: Japan.

The paradox of Japan is that, despite being a relatively tiny country, it colonized most of Asia including China, defeated the Russians, and took on the US successfully until the US opted for the atomic bomb.

Richard Nixon Speech

Trivia Questions: Where did Richard Nixon deliver “I am not a crook” speech?

Answer: Disney World.

It was a speech to try to calm down the outrage resulting from Watergate Scandal where he was involved.

Meaning of LGBTQ

Trivia Questions: What does the letter Q stand for in the LGBTQ?

Answer: Questioning.

Questioning is when one is still exploring their sexual orientation and they are not sure yet.

“Live Free or Die”

Trivia Questions: Which state has its motto as “Live Free or Die”, on their license plates?

Answer: The U.S. state of New Hampshire.

It was officially adopted in 1945.

Zebras Natural Habitat

Trivia Questions: Zebras are native to which continent?

Answer: Africa.

Zebras are native to East Africa’s Savannah grassland along the Maasai Mara – Serengeti corridor.

The Lions

Trivia Questions: Lions are native to which continent?

Answer: Africa.

Lions are native to Africa’s grasslands. They are spread across countries in the East and Southern part of Africa.

Visible Galaxies

Trivia Questions: Name any other galaxy you know apart from our own Milky Way?

Answer: Andromeda galaxy, Messier 81 galaxy, Whirlpool galaxy, Large Magellanic Cloud

There are millions of galaxies in space, a home for billions of stars and planets.

Meaning of Palindromes

Trivia Questions: What name is given to words that can be spelled the same way forward and backward?

Answer: Palindromes.

Palindromes are words that bear the same meaning and are read the same way whether you read them moving forward or backward.

Meaning of Light-years

Trivia Questions: What is a light-year?

Answer: A light-year is the distance light travels in one earth year.

It is estimated at 9.46 trillion kilometers.

Do you like these hard trivia questions?

There you have our complete list of hard trivia questions. I hope you found them challenging enough.

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