Top 100 General Knowledge Trivia Questions Everyone Should Know

There’s a special moment in every trivia game when someone confidently shouts the wrong answer with such conviction that the entire room erupts in laughter. But here’s what’s even better: that moment when someone who’s been quiet all night suddenly knows the one obscure fact nobody else does, and you realize that general knowledge isn’t about being the smartest person in the room, it’s about everyone having their moment to shine.

General knowledge trivia is the great equalizer. Your teenage nephew might dominate pop culture questions while your grandmother sweeps history. The engineer in your friend group knows science cold, but the English teacher catches all the literature references. That’s the beauty of well-rounded trivia, it celebrates diverse knowledge rather than punishing specialization.

Whether you’re hosting a family game night, organizing a pub quiz, planning team-building activities, or just want to test your own knowledge base, these general knowledge questions represent the kind of information that makes conversations richer, helps you understand the world better, and occasionally wins you bar bets.

And when you’re facilitating trivia for groups, especially with varying knowledge levels and ages, using an interactive quiz platform makes everything smoother. No arguments about pronunciation, no disputes over spelling, no manual scorekeeping chaos. Just pure knowledge celebration where everyone participates equally and technology handles the logistics.

Let’s dive into 100 questions that every educated person should know (or at least have fun guessing).

Top 100 General Knowledge Trivia Questions

Geography & Places

Q1: What’s the capital of Australia?

A: Canberra

Q2: Which is the largest ocean on Earth?

A: Pacific Ocean

Q3: How many continents are there?

A: Seven

Q4: What’s the longest river in the world?

A: Nile River

Q5: Which country has the most time zones?

A: France (12, including territories)

Q6: What’s the smallest country in the world?

A: Vatican City

Q7: Which desert is the largest?

A: Antarctic Desert (Sahara is largest hot desert)

Q8: What mountain is the tallest on Earth?

A: Mount Everest

Q9: How many states are in the USA?

A: 50

Q10: What’s the capital of Canada?

A: Ottawa

Q11: Which river runs through Egypt?

A: Nile River

Q12: What ocean is on the east coast of the United States?

A: Atlantic Ocean

Q13: Which country is home to the Great Barrier Reef?

A: Australia

Q14: What’s the largest country by land area?

A: Russia

Q15: Which US state is the largest by area?

A: Alaska

Q16: What city is the Eiffel Tower in?

A: Paris, France

Q17: How many oceans are there?

A: Five (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, Southern)

Q18: What’s the capital of Japan?

A: Tokyo

Q19: Which continent is the Sahara Desert on?

A: Africa

Q20: What’s the most populated country?

A: India (surpassed China recently)

If geography and travel trivia excite you, you can explore more geography quiz questions for travel lovers to continue testing your world knowledge.

Science & Nature

Q21: How many planets are in our solar system?

A: Eight

Q22: What gas do plants absorb from the atmosphere?

A: Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Q23: What’s the chemical symbol for water?

A: H2O

Q24: How many bones are in the adult human body?

A: 206

Q25: What’s the speed of light?

A: 186,282 miles per second (or 299,792 km/s)

Q26: What planet is known as the Red Planet?

A: Mars

Q27: What’s the largest organ in the human body?

A: Skin

Q28: How many hearts does an octopus have?

A: Three

Q29: What element does ‘O’ represent on the periodic table?

A: Oxygen

Q30: What’s the hardest natural substance?

A: Diamond

Q31: How long does it take Earth to orbit the Sun?

A: 365.25 days (one year)

Q32: What causes tides in the ocean?

A: The Moon’s gravitational pull

Q33: What’s the closest star to Earth?

A: The Sun

Q34: How many teeth does an adult human have?

A: 32

Q35: What type of animal is a dolphin?

A: Mammal

Q36: What’s the smallest bone in the human body?

A: Stapes (in the ear)

Q37: What gas makes up most of Earth’s atmosphere?

A: Nitrogen (78%)

Q38: How many chambers does the human heart have?

A: Four

Q39: What’s the boiling point of water?

A: 100°C or 212°F

Q40: What animal is known as the “ship of the desert”?

A: Camel

History

Q41: In what year did World War II end?

A: 1945

Q42: Who was the first president of the United States?

A: George Washington

Q43: What year did the Titanic sink?

A: 1912

Q44: Who painted the Mona Lisa?

A: Leonardo da Vinci

Q45: What ancient wonder is the only one still standing?

A: Great Pyramid of Giza

Q46: In what year did Christopher Columbus reach the Americas?

A: 1492

Q47: Who was the first person to walk on the moon?

A: Neil Armstrong

Q48: What year did World War I begin?

A: 1914

Q49: Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

A: Thomas Jefferson

Q50: What year did the Berlin Wall fall?

A: 1989

Q51: Who was the longest-reigning British monarch?

A: Elizabeth II

Q52: What empire did Julius Caesar rule?

A: Roman Empire

Q53: In what year did the American Civil War end?

A: 1865

Q54: Who invented the telephone?

A: Alexander Graham Bell

Q55: What year did the United States declare independence?

A: 1776

Q56: Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize?

A: Marie Curie

Q57: What ship brought the Pilgrims to America?

A: The Mayflower

Q58: How long did the Hundred Years’ War last?

A: 116 years (1337-1453)

Q59: Who built the Great Wall of China?

A: Various Chinese dynasties over centuries

Q60: What year did humans first land on the moon?

A: 1969

If you enjoyed testing your knowledge with these history questions, you can also explore more fun world history trivia questions to keep the challenge going and discover fascinating moments from around the globe.

Arts & Literature

Q61: Who wrote “Romeo and Juliet”?

A: William Shakespeare

Q62: Who painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling?

A: Michelangelo

Q63: Who wrote “Pride and Prejudice”?

A: Jane Austen

Q64: What’s the best-selling book of all time?

A: The Bible

Q65: Who composed “The Four Seasons”?

A: Antonio Vivaldi

Q66: Who wrote “1984”?

A: George Orwell

Q67: How many strings does a standard guitar have?

A: Six

Q68: Who painted “The Starry Night”?

A: Vincent van Gogh

Q69: Who wrote the Harry Potter series?

A: J.K. Rowling

Q70: What instrument has 88 keys?

A: Piano

Q71: Who wrote “The Great Gatsby”?

A: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Q72: Who sculpted “David”?

A: Michelangelo

Q73: Who wrote “To Kill a Mockingbird”?

A: Harper Lee

Q74: What’s the highest female singing voice?

A: Soprano

Q75: Who painted “The Last Supper”?

A: Leonardo da Vinci

Q76: Who wrote “The Odyssey”?

A: Homer

Q77: How many symphonies did Beethoven compose?

A: Nine

Q78: Who wrote “The Catcher in the Rye”?

A: J.D. Salinger

Q79: What’s the lowest male singing voice?

A: Bass

Q80: Who wrote “Moby-Dick”?

A: Herman Melville

General Culture & Sports

Q81: How many players are on a soccer team?

A: 11

Q82: What sport is known as “the beautiful game”?

A: Soccer/Football

Q83: How many rings are on the Olympic flag?

A: Five

Q84: What’s the most popular sport in the world?

A: Soccer/Football

Q85: How many squares are on a chessboard?

A: 64

Q86: What colors are the Olympic rings?

A: Blue, yellow, black, green, red

Q87: How long is a marathon?

A: 26.2 miles (42.195 kilometers)

Q88: What sport is played at Wimbledon?

A: Tennis

Q89: How many points is a touchdown worth?

A: Six points

Q90: What’s the national sport of Canada?

A: Lacrosse (summer) and Ice Hockey (winter)

Q91: How many players are on a basketball team on the court?

A: Five

Q92: What do you call a score of zero in tennis?

A: Love

Q93: How many holes are on a standard golf course?

A: 18

Q94: What color belt is the highest in karate?

A: Black belt

Q95: How many strikes equal an out in baseball?

A: Three

Q96: What’s the diameter of a basketball hoop?

A: 18 inches

Q97: How many players are on a baseball field?

A: Nine

Q98: What sport uses a puck?

A: Ice hockey

Q99: How many Grand Slam tennis tournaments are there?

A: Four (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open)

Q100: What’s the only sport played on the moon?

A: Golf

If sports trivia is your favorite category, you can also check out more sports quiz questions on cricket, football, and more to keep the competition going with fresh challenges.

Run Your Ultimate Trivia Night with Slidea

You already have 100 strong general knowledge trivia questions. Slidea helps you turn those questions into a smooth, professional, and highly engaging trivia experience without stress, manual work, or technical confusion.

As an interactive quiz maker, Slidea is built to manage presentation, pacing, scoring, and audience participation all in one place.

Why Slidea Works Perfectly for Trivia Nights

Clear, Professional Question Display

With Slidea, each trivia question is displayed cleanly on the main screen using clear typography and optional visuals. You can organize questions by category, Geography, Science, History, Entertainment, so participants always know what’s coming next. Everyone sees the same question at the same time, creating a fair and focused experience.

Multiple Quiz Slide Types for Variety

Trivia stays exciting when the format changes. Slidea offers different quiz slide types to match the nature of each question:

• Select Answer – Ideal for classic multiple-choice trivia with four options
• Type Answer – Perfect for testing true knowledge where spelling and recall matter
• Pick the Number – Great for numerical questions like years, quantities, or records
• Lineup – Best for ordering-based questions, such as timelines or rankings

Automatic Scoring and Live Leaderboards

Slidea automatically calculate scores as participants answer. There’s no need for manual tracking or spreadsheets. After each question, the live leaderboard updates instantly, showing rankings and score changes. This real-time feedback adds excitement and keeps competition alive throughout the game.

Category-Based Trivia Rounds

You can run trivia in structured sections, such as 20 questions per category which helps with pacing and gives players mental reset points between rounds. It also makes trivia nights feel more professional and well-planned.

Real-Time Competition and Engagement

As answers come in, Slidea processes them instantly. Participants see how they rank after every question, which creates momentum and friendly rivalry. Big comebacks, close races, and surprise leaders keep everyone emotionally invested.

Easy Access for Every Participant

Participants join by scanning a QR code or using a simple link on their phones. No apps to download and no accounts required. This makes trivia accessible for all ages and tech comfort levels, whether it’s a family game night or a large public event.

Built for Any Group Size or Format

Slidea works just as well for small groups as it does for large audiences. Whether you’re hosting:

• A living-room trivia night
• A classroom quiz
• A corporate team-building session
• A virtual meeting
• Or a hybrid event with in-person and remote players

Final Thoughts

General knowledge trivia isn’t about proving who knows the most, it’s about sparking curiosity, starting conversations, and creating shared moments people remember. The best trivia games balance challenge with fun, making space for laughter, surprise, and those unexpected wins that keep everyone engaged.

Whether you’re playing casually at home, hosting a quiz night, or running a larger group activity, the right mix of questions brings people together across ages, backgrounds, and interests. And when those questions are delivered through an interactive format, the experience feels fair, fast-paced, and inclusive, letting knowledge take center stage while the logistics fade into the background.

FAQs

Q1. What are general knowledge trivia questions?

General knowledge trivia questions cover a wide range of topics such as history, geography, science, culture, sports, and current events that most people are expected to know at a basic level.

Q2. Why are general knowledge questions popular for trivia games?

They appeal to mixed audiences because they don’t focus on a single subject, giving everyone a fair chance to participate and contribute based on their strengths.

Q3. How many general knowledge questions should a trivia game include?

For most events, 20–30 questions work well. Longer sessions, like quiz nights or competitions, often use 50–100 questions split into themed rounds.

Q4. Are general knowledge trivia games suitable for all age groups?

Yes. With clear wording and varied difficulty levels, general knowledge trivia can be enjoyed by kids, adults, and seniors alike.

Q5. How can I make a general knowledge quiz more engaging?

Using interactive formats like live quizzes, timed questions, leaderboards, and mixed question types helps keep players involved and makes the experience more dynamic.