Incredible Geography Facts That Changed Our Perspective Of The World
The world is a wondrous place, full of amazing natural phenomena, breathtaking scenery, and fascinating cultures. But while we can confidently say that planet Earth is remarkably beautiful and interesting, it’s also downright weird — and this list proves it! Here we take a look at some weird and wonderful facts about our home that are just so hard to wrap our heads around.
1. The entire world population could fit inside Texas
The human population of Earth is big, and it keeps getting bigger! As things stand in 2023 there are more than 8 billion of us wandering around. That number is just mind-blowing, and it makes this next fact really hard to take in.
If everyone alive today moved to Texas at the same time, we’d technically all fit in. And not only that, but the population density would be comparable to what New York City’s is today!
2. There’s a town in the U.S. with only one resident
The town of Monowi in Nebraska has a notable inhabitant, and her name is Elsie Eiler. But why is she so notable? Well, she works a lot of jobs there: she’s a librarian, clerk, secretary, treasurer, and the mayor.
How did Eiler come to hold all these positions in Monowi? Well, it might have something to do with the fact nobody else is around to do them. That’s because Monowi is a town of one: she’s the only resident!
3. Alaska is the United States’ most westerly state — and the most easterly
If you look at a map of the U.S., you can see pretty easily that Alaska represents the country’s most westerly point on Earth. But what’s weird is that it’s also the most easterly. How’s that?
Well, it’s down to the Aleutian Islands, most of which fall within the boundaries of Alaska. This archipelago straddles the line of 180th Meridian, the extension of the Prime Meridian passing through Greenwich, England, and the imaginary line by which we define east and west on Earth.
4. You can walk from the United States to Russia
Given the historical tensions between the two countries, we might be inclined to think of the United States and Russia as almost being on different planets. But they are, of course, both places on Earth, and they’re closer together than you might think. As in, it’s literally possible to walk from the U.S. to Russia — but only in winter.
This is down to two islands: Russia-controlled Big Diomede and Alaska-controlled Little Diomede. These two isles are so close that, when winter hits, the water between them can freeze, and a person could technically walk the 2.4-mile distance between them! It’s pretty dangerous, though.
5. 90 percent of the world’s population lives in the northern hemisphere
Without ever interrogating the idea, you might just assume the world’s population is split pretty evenly across the northern and southern hemispheres. That’s actually far from the truth, though, and if you look at a map it’s easy to see why.
The majority of the world’s landmass is situated north of the equator, so consequently that’s where most of its population is, too. Literally nine-tenths of humankind lives in the north.
6. Bangkok’s full name has 168 letters
Do you know what the capital of Thailand is? If you said “Bangkok,” you’re absolutely correct. But if you can reel off the city’s full official name, then you deserve bonus points. Because, at 168 letters long, it’s a real mouthful.
For anyone who doesn’t know it, get ready. It’s Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratcha-thani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.
7. Egypt isn’t the country with the most pyramids
Egypt isn’t the only country in the world that contains ancient pyramids, but it’s probably the place most famous for them. You might think that’s because there are more of the structures within its borders than in other countries, but that’s not the case.
Sudan actually has almost double the number of pyramids of Egypt. Built by the ancient Nubian inhabitants of the Kingdom of Kush, the pyramids throughout Sudan today number around 225, while Egypt “only” has 118.
8. Continents move at the same rate as your toenails grow
Anyone who’s ever taken a geography class at school will be aware that the Earth’s lithosphere is made up of tectonic plates, and that these plates are always moving. What you might not know, though, is the rate at which these things move.
Broadly speaking, we can say plates move at a rate of just over half an inch per year. That’s about as much as human toenails grow during the same time period! Topography changes on a planetary scale, then, are pretty slow.
9. In the Philippines, there’s an island in a lake, on an island that’s in a lake, on an island
Taal Volcano is quite the sight, and anyone who happens to be around the Manila area in the Philippines — which sits on Luzon island — would be advised to go. The landform and the general area are stunning, which in no small part is helped by Taal Lake. But aside from being pretty, this lake has a unique feature.
In the middle of Taal Lake sits Volcano Island, which consists of numerous cones and craters. One such crater is filled by a lake, which itself is home to an island called Vulcan Point. In other words, there’s an island in a lake, on an island that’s in a lake — on an island.
10.The world’s largest desert is Antarctica
The word “desert” evokes some pretty specific images: intense, glaring sunshine, red-hot sands, and no moisture to speak of. Given those widely-held associations, it’s pretty weird to think about the fact that snowy Antarctica is actually the biggest desert on Earth.
A desert is technically defined as a place where only 10 inches or less of rainfall falls in a single year. Well, that being the case, Antarctica very much fits the bill.
11. The city that’s been lived in for the longest time is Jericho
The question as to which city on Earth can claim to be the oldest urban center with a continuous population is a tricky one to answer. There are a bunch of factors that need to be considered, which isn’t always easy. But with that in mind, we can take a look at a strong candidate: the city of Jericho.
A Palestinian settlement in the West Bank, Jericho’s history stretches back some 11,000 years. It’s difficult to imagine how different the planet would have been back in those days. It’s worth noting, though, that other sources cite Damascus in Syria as being the oldest city. As we said, these questions aren’t easy to answer.
12. If you leave Stamford and travel north, south, west, or east, you’ll always hit New York
The Earth is full of quirks of geography, and this is an especially fun one. If you’re ever in Stamford, Connecticut, and you want to make it to New York State, you have lots of options. You can set off in any of the cardinal directions.
Given the specific location of Stamford and the irregular shape of New York, you can travel in a straight line and move north, south, east, or west and always end up hitting the state!
13. There’s a “triply landlocked” state in America: Nebraska
We know what a landlocked country or state is, right? It’s when that territory doesn’t touch the sea at all. You’d have to pass through another territory to get there. So, if we have a doubly landlocked country or state, that means you have to pass through two other countries or states before you hit the coast. The triply landlocked territory, then, would mean passing through three other states or countries before making it to the ocean.
But surely no such place exists? Well, there’s one state in America that’s defined this way. To get to the coast in Nebraska, you’ll have to pass through at least three other states or Canadian provinces before you’d feel a coastal breeze.
14. Africa straddles all four hemispheres
If you draw an imaginary circle around the planet that splits it evenly, you’ll create two hemispheres. Generally speaking, we tend to divide the Earth into four: the northern and southern hemispheres, and the eastern and western hemispheres.
The dividing lines by which we judge these things are arbitrary, but they’re important to how we view the world all the same. And given where these imaginary lines on the globe have been placed, we can say Africa is the only continent that partly sits inside all four hemispheres.
15. Point Nemo is the furthest spot on Earth from land
Point Nemo can probably be called the most isolated place on Earth without much argument. It’s a spot in the Pacific Ocean which is further away from a piece of land than any other place. The closest tract of solid ground sits something like 1,450 nautical miles away, in the form of Ducie Island.
There is, though, technically a settlement with human inhabitants living in it which is closer to Point Nemo than Ducie Island. The thing is, it’s not actually on Earth. The International Space Station comes within 258 miles of Point Nemo several times each day.
16. A chunk of Africa sits beneath the U.S.
Millions and millions of years ago, the landmasses of the Earth were unified as one single supercontinent we call Pangaea. Over time, this supercontinent broke up and the world as we know it began to take shape.
We now generally recognize seven main continents: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. But here’s something wild: beneath North America, geologists have literally discovered a little piece of Africa! It’s not far from Alabama.
17. The Appalachian mountains are getting smaller, but the Himalayas are growing
The forces of erosion are always wearing down the world’s mountains, which means, when you think about it, a lot of them are literally getting smaller all the time. That’s true of the Appalachian mountains, for instance. But the thing is, it’s not always true. The Himalayas, for example, are actually getting taller!
So, how’s that? Are the Himalayas not subject to erosion like any other mountain range? Well, they are, but they’re also positioned along a tectonically active boundary. That means the mountains there are still being pushed higher than sea level year on year.
18. The Pacific Ocean is getting smaller
Tectonic activity is always working to alter the face of our planet, it’s just too slow a process for us to notice in real time. But big things are most certainly happening: like, for example, the fact that the Pacific Ocean is incrementally getting smaller and smaller. About an inch is shaved off each year.
This is because the tectonic plates of the Americas are moving inexorably towards Asia. Eventually, simulations suggest, the Americas and Asia will merge to form a new supercontinent called Amasia.
19. Britain still owns a tiny part of America
You would’ve thought that, following the American Revolution, the British would have no control over a single inch of land contained within the United States’ borders today. Well, they do. But it’s not as contentious a situation as you might first think. During World War II, you see, the Brits dispatched some naval forces to go help out the Americans. The vessel HMT Bedfordshire was among those sent, but it was sunk by a German torpedo in May 1942.
All the crew on board died, with some of the bodies washing ashore close to a town called Ocracoke in North Carolina. The people there decided to honor the deceased, creating a cemetery for them. They initially looked after the place themselves, but eventually the British came to lease the land in an official capacity. It technically remains British soil to this day.
20. Both China and Russia share a border with 14 countries
China and Russia are both enormous countries with extremely lengthy borders. And, coincidentally, they both share their borders with 14 other countries, including each other. So, if we take China first, we can say that, aside from Russia, it neighbors Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar — also known as Burma — Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Vietnam.
Meanwhile, the vast nation that is modern-day Russia shares a land border with China, obviously, as well as Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, North Korea, Norway, Poland, and Ukraine.
21. The planet’s biggest cave system is in Kentucky
Kentucky has a claim to fame that goes far beyond its finger-lickin’ chicken. People who aren’t hugely familiar with the state might be surprised to learn that it’s actually home to the biggest cave system on Earth! It’s called Mammoth Cave, and it consists of an insane 400 miles or so of subterranean passageways.
Mammoth Cave is pretty much double the size of Mexico’s Sistema Sac Actun, which sits in second place. And the crazy thing is that more sections are being discovered all the time, so it might even be way bigger than we presently realize!
22. Istanbul is the only city that sits on two continents
Istanbul is a major city in Asia — or is it Europe? Well, it’s actually both! The Turkish metropolis is widely considered to be the only city in the world that straddles two different continents. Both Europe and Asia would claim it as their own.
While the definition of where one continent ends and another begins is an arbitrary, manmade construct, the case of Istanbul is interesting all the same. The city really is a melting pot of different cultures, where both European and Asian influences are apparent.
23. Three landlocked countries on Earth are entirely bordered by a single country
We understand what a landlocked country is, but the idea of such a place being bordered on all sides by a single country is pretty odd. But it does happen: there are three countries that are defined by this situation. They are Lesotho, San Marino, and Vatican City.
Lesotho is surrounded on all sides by South Africa, while both San Marino and Vatican City are hemmed in by Italy. In the case of the Vatican, we can go one further and say it’s surrounded entirely by the city of Rome.
24. Russia has 11 different time zones
At 6.6 million square miles, Russia is by a comfortable margin the very biggest country on the planet. It’s almost double the size of Canada, which holds the title of second-biggest.
Given Russia’s immense size, it’s probably not surprising to learn it’s split into several different time zones. What is surprising, perhaps, is just how many different time zones there are across Russia: 11 in total!
25. 12 percent of the world’s languages are spoken in Papua New Guinea
This is a fascinating fact in its own right: there are said to be over 7,100 languages spoken on Earth today. That’s so many! But to expand on this remarkable tidbit, we can say that around 12 percent of these languages are spoken in Papua New Guinea!
Seriously, the state of Papua New Guinea recognizes 852 languages, although 12 of those are no longer spoken by anyone alive. Still, though, that leaves 840 distinct languages that can be heard today!
26. Australia is wider than the Moon
If you were to measure Australia from its most easterly point in a straight line to its west, you’d find it was about 2,485 miles wide. Now, if you were then to measure the equator of the Moon, you’d find it came in at 2,159 miles. Australia, then, is wider than the Moon! But beware: that fact might give us the wrong impression about the true scales of the country and the natural satellite.
While Australia may be wider in broad terms, it’s certainly not bigger. If we measure their respective surface areas, we find the Moon is close to 14.65 million square miles, while Australia is less than 3 million square miles. The Moon, most certainly, has more open ground.
27. The Sargasso Sea doesn’t have a coastline
When we think of a sea, we might be inclined to think of it washing over a coastline. We are, after all, land-based creatures. Besides, every sea comes into contact with a coast, right?
Well, no. Oddly enough, the Sargasso Sea doesn’t share a single boundary with any tract of land whatsoever. Its wholly aquatic enviirons make it the only sea of its kind.
28. More people live in California than all of Canada
The fact that Canada is actually the world’s second-biggest country by landmass can sometimes catch people off guard. We don’t tend to think of the place as such a behemoth, in spite of the fact it so clearly is. But that, to be fair, probably has something to do with its population being really quite low.
Canada is an extremely sparsely populated country, with close to 39 million people estimated to live there today. Compare that to the state of California, and we can see just how low that is. California, which covers far less space, is home to marginally more.
29. There’s enough gold within the Earth to cover all of its land
Even today, gold is coveted by humankind. We consider it a precious metal, which makes it seem like a really rare thing. In truth, though, the Earth has a lot of gold. The problem is that most of it is way, way too deep for any miner to ever reach!
But let’s just imagine we could get to it somehow. If we managed to extract all the gold from the Earth’s core, there would literally be enough of it to lay down a 20-inch veneer of the stuff across every bit of land on the planet!
30. The country that France shares its longest border with is Brazil
Off the top of your head, you might assume the biggest land border that France shares with another country would be the one separating it from Spain. No? Well, if not Spain, then maybe Germany? No? Well, it surely couldn’t be Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, or Luxembourg? No, no, no, and no. The real answer isn’t what you might expect: it’s Brazil.
Yes, that Brazil — the fifth-biggest country that sits on the other side of the world from Europe in South America. How’s that, then? Well, France still administers a very sizable overseas region called French Guiana. It’s officially French soil, and is therefore even in the European Union. It’s right beside Brazil, and the border between them is technically France’s longest!