One of the best things you can do to prepare for the National Geographic Bee is to study various types of maps. Use an up-to-date world atlas, plus maps and geography reference books to learn to location of countries, cities, and major geographic features, such as mountain ranges, rivers, lakes and deserts. Use different types of maps as well, such as maps indicating religious populations, climate, trade routes and historical maps. Break down your study time into regions, and focus on all of the aspects of a particular region before moving to the next area. Use blank maps to practice filling in information about countries.
Understanding geographic terminology is an important part successfully answering National Geographic Bee questions. Study reference books to learn this vocabulary; for example, study the difference between a bay and a gulf. Know how to read a map and understand the terminology that mapmakers use, so you can understand and correctly answer map-based questions.
Many times during the National Geographic Bee, the questions themselves contain hints about the correct answer. The National Geographic Bee website has a daily quiz with sample questions similar to those in the actual competition (see Resources). Try those questions each day. Analyze the questions to determine exactly what is being asked and whether the question contains any clues. In some cases, the questions will require you to draw conclusions based on your knowledge of history, science or language in addition to geography knowledge. Practice answering questions with a timer to replicate the environment of the bee.
National Geographic notes that bee contestants can expect questions about current events, so follow the news. The National Geographic news site is a good source for news stories, but read the international news section of your newspaper or a news magazine. If you have trouble understanding some of the issues, ask your parents and teachers for help.