Bing Quiz › All quizzes › California Quiz
California Quiz: 15 Questions on the Golden State
California is the most populous U.S. state and one of the most photographed, from Big Sur to Yosemite. This quiz has 15 questions on its cities, landscapes, history and records.
Each answer comes with a short explanation.
Play the quiz
Pick A, B or C for each question. The right answer turns green and a short fact explains it.
All 15 questions and answers
Every question with its answer and explanation. Open “Show answer” after you guess.
1 Which is California's most populous city?
- A San Diego
- B Los Angeles
- C San Jose
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Los Angeles
Did you know? About 3.8 million people live in the city of Los Angeles, the second-largest U.S. city after New York.
2 What is California's official nickname?
- A The Golden State
- B The Pacific State
- C The Sunshine State
Show answer
✓ Answer: A. The Golden State
Did you know? The name recalls the Gold Rush and the golden poppy, the state flower.
3 In which year did California become a state?
- A 1850
- B 1912
- C 1776
Show answer
✓ Answer: A. 1850
Did you know? It joined the Union two years after gold was found at Sutter's Mill.
4 Which area south of San Francisco is famous for technology companies?
- A Napa Valley
- B Silicon Valley
- C Death Valley
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Silicon Valley
Did you know? The name comes from the silicon used to make computer chips.
5 The San Andreas Fault is the boundary between which two tectonic plates?
- A Cocos and Caribbean
- B Nazca and South American
- C Pacific and North American
Show answer
✓ Answer: C. Pacific and North American
Did you know? The plates slide past each other at a few centimeters a year.
6 Which island in San Francisco Bay was a federal prison from 1934 to 1963?
- A Treasure Island
- B Angel Island
- C Alcatraz
Show answer
✓ Answer: C. Alcatraz
Did you know? It is now a popular museum run by the National Park Service.
7 Which California lake straddles the border with Nevada?
- A Lake Tahoe
- B Mono Lake
- C Clear Lake
Show answer
✓ Answer: A. Lake Tahoe
Did you know? Lake Tahoe is over 490 m deep and famous for its clear water.
8 Which scenic coastal area lies between Carmel and San Simeon?
- A Big Sur
- B Malibu
- C Mendocino
Show answer
✓ Answer: A. Big Sur
Did you know? Highway 1 winds along its cliffs, including the Bixby Creek Bridge.
9 Which city hosted the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1984, and will host again in 2028?
- A San Diego
- B Los Angeles
- C San Francisco
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Los Angeles
Did you know? Los Angeles will be only the third city, after London and Paris, to host the Summer Games three times.
10 What is the state animal of California, shown on its flag?
- A The mountain lion
- B The grizzly bear
- C The California condor
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. The grizzly bear
Did you know? The flag shows a grizzly, although grizzlies disappeared from California in the 1920s.
11 Which national park contains Half Dome and El Capitan?
- A Joshua Tree
- B Yosemite
- C Redwood
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Yosemite
Did you know? Naturalist John Muir campaigned to protect Yosemite.
12 Which city is home to the world-famous zoo in Balboa Park?
- A Fresno
- B San Diego
- C Sacramento
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. San Diego
Did you know? The San Diego Zoo opened in 1916.
13 What is the name of the region in Northern California famous for wine?
- A Imperial Valley
- B Napa Valley
- C Central Valley
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Napa Valley
Did you know? Napa wines gained world fame after the 1976 'Judgment of Paris' tasting.
14 Which Spanish missionary founded the first California missions in the 1760s–1780s?
- A Junípero Serra
- B Hernán Cortés
- C Juan Cabrillo
Show answer
✓ Answer: A. Junípero Serra
Did you know? The chain of 21 missions stretches from San Diego to Sonoma.
15 Which famous road runs along much of the California coast?
- A Highway 1
- B Route 66
- C Interstate 5
Show answer
✓ Answer: A. Highway 1
Did you know? Pacific Coast Highway is the name of parts of Highway 1.
California's records
California has the largest population of any state, the highest point in the lower 48 states (Mount Whitney) and the lowest point in North America (Badwater Basin in Death Valley), less than 140 km apart. It is also home to the tallest trees on Earth, the coast redwoods, and the largest by volume, the giant sequoias.
California Quiz FAQ
Is this quiz free?
Yes. It is free, needs no sign-up and works on phones and computers.
Can I play against the clock?
Yes. Tick 'Timed mode' before you start to get 15 seconds per question.
Is this the official Bing quiz?
No. BingQuiz.net is independent and not affiliated with Microsoft. This is our own quiz on California. For the official daily quiz, see today's Bing Homepage Quiz answers.