about the quiz
Countries by shape
The purest recognition test: only a country’s outline, with no borders, neighbours or labels. 166 silhouettes and 10 minutes. Type the name — a correct answer fills the country on the map and shows the next outline. Shapes are normalised by size, so a tiny country and a huge one appear equally large: you recognise the form, not the scale.
Start with the distinctive ones: Italy’s boot, Chile’s chilli shape, Norway’s fjords, India’s triangle. Over time shapes stick better than flags or capitals because they use visual memory.
How to play
- You see a silhouette — type the country and press Enter.
- The timer starts with the first keystroke; 10 minutes total.
- English and Russian names both work.
- “Show answer” reveals the country and moves on.
- The map shows your progress and the countries you have found.
Frequently asked
Why 166 and not 195?
At 1:110m, 29 small states have no polygon — they are shown as dots on the map. That does not work for silhouettes, so they are excluded. All 195 are in the “All countries” quiz.
Does a silhouette include islands?
Yes, the outline covers the whole territory, including islands where present. That is why Greece, the Philippines and Indonesia show their archipelagos.
Can I play without a timer?
Yes, the page has a practice mode with no time limit. Classic mode gives you 10 minutes.