Cochabamba is the third largest conurbation in what country?

Know the answer?

Akshay Rajagopal, a Lux Middle School sixth-grader, did.

With his answer — Bolivia — the 11-year-old won the National Geographic Bee in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

“It’s been a pretty good day,” Akshay said by phone Wednesday. “I’m feeling very good.”

The last two questions leading up to the winning question were the capital of earthquake-ravaged Sichuan province in China (Chengdu) and the westernmost Asian national capital (Ankara in Turkey).

“Jeopardy!’s” Alex Trebek hosted the bee, which will be re-broadcast on NET Television next week.

Akshay, the youngest of the final 10 contestants, won a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society.

He didn’t miss a single question in preliminary rounds Tuesday or in Wednesday’s final rounds.

His father attributed Akshay’s win to his “phenomenal” ability to memorize names and capitals of countries, and to the six months of work his wife, Suchitra Srinivas, did to prepare him.

“It was very nice to watch, very gratifying with the results,” Vijay Rajagopal said. “He looked very confident, today and yesterday.”

His son’s interest in geography facts started at age 5 when he was living in Malaysia with his family, Vijay Rajagopal said.

Akshay won first place at the state National Geographic Bee on April 4 at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, which earned him a trip to compete at the nationals.

It was his first time competing in the National Geographic Bee, open to students in grades 4-8.

Akshay said he prepared by watching geography DVDs and reading “Lands and Peoples,” a series of geography books by Grolier Educational.

Akshay, who is considering a career involving geography, said he plans to continue competing in quiz bowls.

“I might do the science bowl,” he said.

Lux Principal Bill Bucher said students cheered when they got the news Wednesday morning that Akshay had won.

“All of his classmates and schoolmates and teachers and principal are very proud of him,” he said.

Vijay Rajagopal said he and his family planned to fly to New York City Wednesday night to be interviewed Thursday morning by “Good Morning America” and CNN. He said he was not surprised by his son’s success.

“I think about two months back I told him I had a dream that he won, and it was true actually,” he said.

(In case you were wondering, a conurbation is a very large, densely populated urban area.)

Reach Kevin Abourezk at 473-7225 or kabourezk@journalstar.com.

Reporter Lori Pilger contributed to this report.