Geography facts that will blow your mind
Geography is an essential scientific field dedicated to the inhabitants, phenomena of planets and earth, inhabitants, and features of the land. It is a necessary discipline to understand natural and human complexities on the earth.
Did you know?
- Continents shift at about the same rate as your fingernails grow.
- Mt. Thor on Baffin Island, Canada, has Earth’s greatest sheer vertical drop (1,250 meters). You can take one step off the peak and fall nearly a mile before you hit anything.
- Ninety percent of Earth’s population lives in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Australia is wider than the moon.
- The Dead Sea is currently 429 meters below sea level and sinking about 1 meter a year.
- At certain times of the year, you could walk from the United States to Russia because of two islands known as Big (Russian) and Little (U.S.) Diomede. Russia and the United States, at their closest points, are about 2.4 miles apart.
- Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, can fit inside the Marianas Trench, the deepest part of the ocean.
- Russia spans 11 time zones. At one end of Russia, it could be 7 in the morning and at the other, it’s 6 in the evening.
Interesting fun facts about geography
The world is a mind-boggling place. With so many places to visit and things to discover, it’s no wonder that the world always has a way to surprise you just with simple, scientific facts.
Here are some real but crazy and astonishing things you really want to know. These will help you to increase your knowledge.
The Amazing Location of Africa
Africa is situated in all four hemispheres, such as the southern, the northern, the eastern, and the western. You will not find any other country in all the hemispheres. It is in a central location; therefore, it is the only mainland on the equator and prime meridian.
Landlocked Countries
In the world, three countries are entirely surrounded by countrysides like San Marino, The Vatican, and Lesotho. South African border landlocked Lesotho and Italy surrounds Vatican City and San Marino.
Alaska is the Easternmost and Westernmost State
Alaska is geographically placed as the northernmost and westernmost state in the USA, making sense if you check the map. Surprisingly, the state successfully manages its position in the easternmost state also. Some zones of Alaska are west, and the state stretches in the eastern hemisphere. At the bottom and top of the world, longitude lines congregate. Alaska, Pochoni Point, has the easternmost longitude in a country.
No Rivers in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia does not have lakes, rivers, and areas abundant with natural vegetation because of no rainfall. People of Saudi Arabia use desalination plants and oases to get sufficient water. Surprisingly, Saudi Arabia is surviving without any significant and natural source of water.
National efforts brought changes to the deserts of Saudi Arabia and create more demands for resources of water. The best example is the intense greenery in different regions. This greenery is not created by nature.
Å is a Short Name of a Place
It is the shortest name of a place around the globe. You can find villages of this name in both Sweden and Norway. In Scandinavian languages, the meaning of “Å” is a river. Any Municipality (Nordland County) has a village known as “Å.” The village is on the Andoya East Coast Island.
Los Angeles West
Nevada and Reno are Los Angeles west. You may not find this fact even while looking at your map. Reno is in Nevada, almost 300 miles away from the ocean. It is almost 86 miles beyond the west as compared to Los Angeles coastal city.
Vatican: Smallest Area
The Vatican has the smallest area, such as 5 square kilometers or 2 square miles. The large city area is 263,953 square kilometers or 101,912 square miles. It is Hulunbuir in Inner Mongolia, northeastern China. Want to learn more on the Vatican and other historic places and events? Read the top 50 history fun facts!
Maine is Not Too Far
Maine, Estcourt Station, is New England’s northernmost community. It is the highest municipality of the beautiful Great Lakes. The town is linked to frigid winters. Surprisingly, it is farther south as compared to other cities through the Atlantic.
London is an almost 300 miles small Maine north community. Estcourt station is farther than Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam in the south.
Plenty of Lakes in Canada
Canada is the second country on the globe with numerous lakes. It can be shocking for you that Canada has over half of the beautiful natural lakes worldwide. Almost 9 percent of the land of this country has fresh water.
Surprising Truths Regarding Texas
As compared to the dense population of New York City, the population would cover only 250,404 square miles. It means the world could adjust to the whole world in Texas. For comparison, if population density is similar to Houston, Texas, it might cover only 1,769,085 square miles. Hypothetically, it would fit more than 7 billion individuals in a regional half in the size of the USA. Undoubtedly, this fact is impressive.
Water Around Australia
Australia is bordered by water, but it does not have the longest coastline in the world. It is its own continent and surrounded entirely by water. For this reason, it will be surprised that it does not have the longest coastline in the world.
Canada’s Coastline Is Huge
As compared to 16,000 miles of Australia, the coastline of Canada is 152,100 miles. It is one of the weird fun facts that Australia has the seventh number on the ranking list. Australia is behind Japan, the Philippines, Russia, Greenland, and Indonesia in the list of longest coastlines worldwide.
Mount Everest Is Not Closer To Space
Mount Everest is mostly known as the tallest mountain in this world. Thus, it has the highest point on this earth, and it is easy to think that this mountain is closer to space. At the same time, the earth has a slightly oval shape.
Planet earth is inflated slightly around the equator. For this reason, Kenya and Ecuador have an edge. The additional elevation of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador is 20,564 feet tall, and it is nearby to stars.
Fresh Water is Available in Antarctica
You will find fresh water in Antarctica because it is home to the freshwater of the earth. At 5,400,00 square miles (14 million square kilometers), the Antarctic ice sheet is the solid mass of ice on this planet. The enormous frozen structure has almost 90% of fresh water on this earth.
Russia and China Bordered By 14 Different Countries
China is over half of Russia, the biggest country on the earth; they have a similar number of neighboring land. It will be interesting to know that China has a border of 14 countries. These countries are Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
New York Drifts Away
It is an exciting fact that New York drifts away almost 2.5 cm or 1 inch every year from London. The country is drifting because of tectonic plates. Remember, tectonic plates are the uppermost mantle and crust of the earth. These are almost 62 mi or100 km thick and have two principal materials, such as continental crust and oceanic crust.
African Dust Can Reach Florida
African dust can reach Florida because it is moving toward Panhandle, Florida. In half a century, skies on the Caribbean have filled with a layer of dust, such as thick SAL (Saharan Air Layer). It is marching consistently in West Africa from massive dust storms.
Height of Himalayas are Increasing
The height of the Himalayas is increasing each year to 1.5 cm or 0.6 inches. It is easy to understand its reason with continental drift theory. Remember, height is changing because of the movement in tectonic plates. Undoubtedly, countervailing earth forces are bringing stability.
Beautiful Coral Reef In Australia
Other than Kangaroos, Australia is famous for its heart-shaped coral reef. The heart reef is a popular site of the Great Barrier Reef. Due to its protected status, people are not allowed to drive or snorkel there. It is near the romantic Whitsunday islands.
Single Caribbean Country with a Railway
Cuba is a single Caribbean country with one railway. It is the only country with an active railway. This railway is used for both passengers and freight. The name of this railway is The Ferrocarriles Nacionales. It operates a 4,226 kilometers network across Cuban Island.
Mexico Has the Biggest Pyramid
Egypt is famous for its beautiful pyramids, but you will be surprised to know that Mexico has the most giant pyramid. This pyramid is known as Cholula and is covered in green grass. The pyramid has another name Tlachihualtepetl. It is the largest pyramid in terms of volume and archaeological site.
Black Gondolas of Venice, Italy
In Venice, every gondola should be black until it is an official and high-ranked property. Black is a traditional color. Therefore, each gondola must be black. This color is prolonged to the whole craft.
St. Lawrence Iroquoian Word for Canada (Kanata)
It is one of the strange but facts that Canada (name) comes from St. Lawrence Iroquoian words, such as Canada or Kanata, which means settlement or village. The name refers to a topographical area where inhabitants share cultural traits, such as language.
Trans-Siberian Railway Is Something You Want To Know
In Russian, the Trans-Siberian railway crosses almost 3901 bridges throughout its way. This Russian road is one of the longest routes in the world, passing over 16 huge rivers, eighty cities, and numerous small towns.
Philippines Archipelago
The archipelago has almost 7,500 islands and 175 languages. It is the second-largest archipelago in the world. Remember, 2000 of these islands are inhabited, and 5,000 are unnamed. The country is famous for exporting and producing maximum coconuts.
Northern Hemisphere Has 90% Of The World’s Population
The northern hemisphere has a 90% population of the earth. It is one of the mind-blowing fun facts. This hemisphere has extra pollution and land. Water is less than in the Southern Hemisphere.
Agreement Between France and Monaco
You will be very surprised to learn that there was an agreement between France and Monaco to lose their independence if the territory does not have any male heir. They were following this agreement until 2002.
Do not Fly Over the Taj Mahal
It is completely forbidden to fly over the Taj Mahal. There is no official no-fly region on this ivory mausoleum. Planes cannot fly over the Taj Mahal for security reasons and risks to white marble. Pollution of the aircraft can affect the white marble of this building.
Mexico City is Sinking
Mexico City is sinking almost 4 to 6 inches per year because of its construction over one lake. During the last 60 years, the city has sunk almost 10 m or 32 feet. The population of this city is exploding, and the water demand is increasing quickly. The aquifer under the city is increasing the danger of collapse.
First City with 1 Million Inhabitants
Rome was the first city to reach one million inhabitants in 133 BC. London and New York had reached this line in 1810 and 1875, respectively. Nowadays, there are over 300 cities around the world with over a million inhabitants.
Amman and Philadelphia
Jordan capital, “Amman,” is famous with the name Philadelphia. During the Iron age, the city was named Ammon (home kingdom of Ammonites). During the Roman and Greek periods, it was named Philadelphia. It was known as Amman during the Islamic period.
An Island That Change Ownership Every 6 Months
Pheasant Island changes countries every six months. The island is situated in the Bidassoa River, and France and Spain own it. It remains under Spanish rule for six months of a year, and for the remaining six months, it is under French regulation.
Bhutan Had No Phones
In Bhutan, there was no phone until the finale of the 80s. Nowadays, you can find karaoke bars and smartphones in the capital.
Snowing in the Sahara Desert
The Sahara desert is known as the largest hot desert on the earth around the world in Africa. On 18 February 1979, the desert was snowing. It is an extraordinary fact that the low latitude zones of this desert recorded the first snowfall. Snow fell for almost half-hour in Southern Algeria. There was a snowstorm to stop traffic.
A Dead Sea Version in Canada
In the list of mind-blowing funny facts, it is essential to mention a Dead Sea version of Canada. The Dead Sea means water where you cannot sink. The concentration of salt makes this sea dense as compared to freshwater.
If you are in Canada, you can see a dead sea, such as Saskatchewan Little Manitou Lake. Remember, underground springs feed this lake, and its mineral salt content is 180,000 mg/liter. For this reason, this Dead Sea is extremely buoyant.
Canada is a Fresh Water Sources
Canada is famous for its freshwater sources because it has millions of rivers and lakes. Gulf and Estuary of St. Lawrence is the deepest and largest estuary. The water comes from Laurentian Lakes. These are interconnected lakes of fresh water in the North American region.
Zip Codes for the Building of New York
More than 40 buildings in New York City have their specific zip codes. Manhattan is a densely populated area among five boroughs, and it has more than 200 zip codes. A few skyscrapers are large enough for their zip code. Some famous examples are MetLife, Chrysler, and Empire State buildings.
Longest USA Coastline for California or Florida
People are confused between California and Florida for the longest coastlines. In fact, Alaska is famous as a national coastline champ. The coast spans almost 10,686 km or 6,640 miles in total.
Taller Mountain than Mount Everest
At 8,848 meters or 29,028 feet, Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world above sea level. It is one of the weird, interesting facts that the tallest mountains in the U.S. Mauna Kea of Hawaii are more than 32,000 feet, and it is measured from the seafloor. It reaches 13,798 feet above the level of the sea. The remaining base is under sea level. This mountain does not get similar hype to the Himalayas.
Walking Distance Between the U.S. to Russia
If you are hunting for weird but true facts, this one’s for you. During a particular time, it is possible to travel from the U.S. to Russia on foot. The credit goes to two islands, Little and Big Diomede. In the Russian Federation, Big Diomede is the easternmost area. Moreover, Little Diomede is in Alaskan territory.
Brave travelers can walk over frozen water in winter and cross a distance of 2.4 miles between these islands. You can travel at your own risk because this journey is possible theoretically. It is not recommended and is dangerous for everyone.
No Shared Border with other USA State
Alaska and Hawaii are two states of the United States without any shared border with other states of the U.S. Moreover, two different states share their borders with eight states. Missouri is bordered by Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Moreover, Tennessee shares borders with Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky.
The U.S. Has a Segment of Africa
Pangaea is a supercontinent that was broken apart long ago from seven other continents. It is one of the bizarre facts that geologists discovered an African chunk stuck in North America. The segment is located nearby Alabama.
Coffee Grows in Only One U.S. State
Most of the beans come from overseas. Coffee beans grow only in Hawaii. It is one of the hilarious facts that Hawaii is famous for pineapples. These fruits come from Florida and South America. It is the primary pineapple state of the U.S.
Do You Know The Original Name of Los Angeles?
Nowadays, L.A. is commonly used for Los Angeles, but actually, it was called El Pueblo de la Reyna de Los Ángeles. The name was shortened eventually.
Triply Landlocked
Remember, there is only one state that is triply landlocked, and it is Nebraska. A state will be Triply landlocked if there are 3 states that keep her apart from the gulf, bay, and ocean. It will be doubly landlocked if you can travel through two different states to get water bodies.
No McDonald in one of U.S. States – Vermont
It is not possible to expect a Mac in Montpelier, Vermont. You have to travel to another town. In the small capital of the U.S., you will not find Golden Arches.
An Island in a Lake.. In an Island… In a Lake
Vulcan Point of the Philippines is an island in primary Crater Lake. The lake is situated on Volcano Island, such as Lake Taal. Remember, Lake Taal is located on Luzon Island. It is the most populous and largest island in the Philippines.
Football Teams May Play as Opposite Teams in Dissimilar Hemispheres
Zerao is a famous stadium in Brazil, Estadio Milton Correa. Remember, Zerao is a Portuguese word that means “Big Zero.” It is situated on the right equator. Both teams can play a game in two different hemispheres. This stadium is famous for numerous football matches.
Touch the Four States at Once
You can touch four different states at once, such as New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, meet in a religion. It is possible to be in these states at once.
Bonus fun fact
As a bonus, you will get one of the best fun facts. Glaciers store the maximum freshwater of the earth. Almost 10% of the land area is covered with soil. The glaciers cover more than 5.8 million square miles.
These are actually storing 75% of the freshwater. If you want access to fresh water (unfrozen), it will be Russian Lake Baikal. It has 20% of the freshwater in the world.
People recognize deserts with sand and hot weather. No doubt, deserts are dry regions without snow, rain; plants, trees, rain, and water, but cold areas can be deserts. For example, the Antarctic desert is a cold desert with 5,400,000 sq mi.