Past Championships Qualifying Exams used in Europe and Answer Keys
2019-2020 International Geography Bee Europe – Alpha Exam
2019-2020 International Geography Bee Europe – Alpha Exam – ANSWER KEY
2019-2020 International Geography Bee Europe – Beta Exam
2019-2020 International Geography Bee Europe – Beta Exam – ANSWER KEY
2018-2019 International Geography Bee Europe – Alpha Exam
2018-2019 International Geography Bee Europe – Alpha Exam – ANSWER KEY
2018-2019 International Geography Bee Europe – Beta Exam
2018-2019 International Geography Bee Europe – Beta Exam – ANSWER KEY
2017-2018 International Geography Bee Europe – Alpha Exam
2017-2018 International Geography Bee Europe – Alpha Exam – ANSWER KEY
2017-2018 International Geography Bee Europe – Beta Exam
2017-2018 International Geography Bee Europe – Beta Exam – ANSWER KEY
2016-2017 International Geography Bee Europe – Alpha Exam
2016-2017 International Geography Bee Europe – Alpha Exam – ANSWER KEY
2016-2017 International Geography Bee Europe – Beta Exam
2016-2017 International Geography Bee Europe – Beta Exam – ANSWER KEY
Past IGB European Championships Questions
2019 International Geography Bee European Championships – Round 1
2019 International Geography Bee European Championships – Round 2
2019 International Geography Bee European Championships – Round 3
2019 International Geography Bee European Championships – Finals
2019 International Geography Bee European Championships Backups and Tiebreakers
Note that in 2019, the questions used at the European Championships were the same as the IGB Regional Question Set used in the USA and Asia
2018 International Geography Bee European Championships – Round 1
2018 International Geography Bee European Championships – Round 2
2018 International Geography Bee European Championships – Round 3
2018 International Geography Bee European Championships – Finals
2017 International Geography Bee European Championships – Round 1
2017 International Geography Bee European Championships – Round 2
2017 International Geography Bee European Championships – Round 3
2017 International Geography Bee European Championships – Finals
Aside from the above Exams and Answer Keys, the best resource for preparing for the European Championships Qualifying Exam is the Sample Championships Qualifying Exam, which is available here together with its answer key. Additionally helpful in preparing are the past Qualifying Exams for the US Geography Championships, which date back to 2012-2013, as the USA version of the IGB Qualifying Exam is now the same exam for both the IGB’s USA Division, and the US Geography Championships. Past versions of the Qualifying Exam for the US Geography Championships, along with their answer keys, can be found here on the US Geography Championships website.
The best resources for preparing for the European Championships are the past questions linked above as well as the past questions used in the Geography Bee of Europe which are available through the links to the 2015 and 2016 IHBB European Championships questions accessible here. Also, see the Quiz Bowl Tournament portion of the US Geography Championships’ Varsity and Junior Varsity National Championships from 2013-2016, as well as the Middle School and Elementary Division USGC Quiz Bowl Tournament National Championships from 2015. These can be found on the USGC website here.
Likewise, if at all possible, we strongly recommend students get advance practice and experience with buzzer-based academic competition through participation in International History Bee and Bowl events (click here for the IHBB Europe website). Many students (especially those with experience in other non-buzzer based geography competitions, but lacking buzzer-based academic competition experience) may find buzzer-based play takes some getting used to in order to excel at, and it is beneficial for students to get some buzzer-based competition experience (even if not on mostly geography questions) prior to the European Championships.
Links to additional buzzer-style quiz questions can be found on the National History Bee and Bowl’s website here (many of these questions have a historical geography focus). You can also view all-subject quiz questions at www.quizbowlpackets.com including a much narrower selection of all-geography events (in particular, any event labeled “Geography Monstrosity” in the Collegiate section of the website though those questions are considerably harder on average than the European Championships questions for IGB. Still, there is certainly some overlap).
Additionally, we recommend that students keep up to date with current events, as a fair number of the questions have a focus on what is currently happening in the world, and how geography applies to national and international affairs. The Economist and The New York Times are worth reading in particular for this purpose (paywalls apply).
Motivated students might also consider becoming an AFS Exchange Student (or hosting one from another country) for a particularly unique chance to learn about foreign cultures and languages while studying overseas and living with a host family. Upon graduation, students can also further their geographic, international relations, and intercultural knowledge through participation in the International Youth Leadership Conference. Contact IGB founder, AFS alumnus (USA Semester Program to Vienna, Austria in 1998-1999), and IYLC past participant (Prague, 2003) David Madden if you have any further questions about either of these adventures at david@iacompetitions.com.