Can You Answer the 2016 Geography Bee's Winning Question? | National Geographic

[Applause] We started with 2.6 million students across the country. 54 made it to Washington DC, and now just 12-year-old Rishi Nir and 14-year-old Saketh Janna Lagata remain.

Is it a trophy or a medal? Is it a trophy or metal? Uh, judges? A medal. It's a metal. Okay, it's a metal, and you can melt it down and sell it. Nice! No, you can't. No, you cannot. It's something to really be proud of. I just need an opportunity to try this out, and maybe you can add to it.

Um, so listen, I was, um, I was hungry, so I reached for a can of chili, but I slipped on grease and broke China. Should I use turkey? You're right. I thought you would just go grab a turkey. It was right there, and I didn't do it. All right, I lost two points. This could be it to tie it up, so I must get the next one right, and Rishi cannot.

Which East African lake that drains into the Rusizi River contains large quantities of dissolved methane gas that could generate electricity for millions of people? I repeat: Which East African lake that drains into the Rusizi River contains large quantities of dissolved methane gas that could generate electricity for millions of people? Rishi? Lake K? Yes, Lake K! That means Rishi is our winner because Lake K is the [Applause] answer. Good job, man! Great job to both of you, and congratulations!

Mom and Dad, I’d like to thank my mom for everything that she did ever since I was born. She's a really great lady. I love you, Mom! Put the camera on her. We have, uh, now he's a director; the camera's on her.

And the winner of a $50,000 scholarship, a lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society, and a trip for two on a Lindblad expedition to Southeast Alaska in Glacier Bay National Park aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion from the Sunshine State of Florida, the 2016 National Geographic Champion is Rishi Nir!

Now, where are you going to go after this? You going to go like, uh, you know, go have a milkshake, maybe like some interviews after this?

Well, I'll go through your publicist for that! My parents, uh, if I won, my parents promised me, um, an iPhone SE, a trip to Zurich and Paris, ain't that right, Dad? And, um, a puppy—a golden retriever puppy. You're getting a puppy? Yeah, so you're feeling like, if you had one adjective to describe how you're feeling right now?

Um, proud. Proud? Very nice, and that's great. That's a great thing. And we are proud of you, really, we are proud of you. Congratulations, all of you!

So we are at the final question, and with K one point ahead, if he gets this right, he will become our champion. Are you ready?