Quick Geography Lesson
Alaska
More than half of the coastline of the entire United States is in Alaska.
Amazon
The Amazon rainforest produces more than 20% the
world's oxygen supply. The Amazon River pushes so
much water into the Atlantic Ocean that, more than
one hundred miles at sea off the mouth of the river,
one can dip fresh water out of the ocean. The volume
of water in the Amazon river is greater than the next
eight largest rivers in the world combined and three
times the flow of all rivers in the United States.
Antarctica
Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not
owned by any country. Ninety percent of the world's
ice covers Antarctica. This ice also represents
seventy percent of all the fresh water in the world.
As strange as it sounds, however, Antarctica is
essentially a desert. The average yearly total
precipitation is about two inches. Although covered
with ice (all but 04% of it, i.e.), Antarctica is
the driest place on the planet, with an absolute
humidity lower than the Gobi desert.
Brazil
Brazil got its name from the nut, not the other way
around.
Canada
Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world
combined. Canada is an Indian word meaning
"Big Village."
Chicago
Next to Warsaw, Chicago has the largest Polish
population in the world.
Detroit
Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan carries the
designation M-1, named so because it was the first
paved road anywhere.
Damascus, Syria
Damascus, Syria, was flourishing a couple of thousand
years before Rome was founded in 753 BC, making it
the oldest continuously inhabited city in existence.
Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul, Turkey is the only city in the world located
on two continents.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles's full name is El Pueblo de Nuestra
Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula --and
can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size: L.A.
New York City
The term "The Big Apple" was coined by touring jazz
musicians of the 1930's who used the slang expression
"apple" for any town or city. Therefore, to play New York City is to
play the big time - The Big Apple.
There are more Irish in New York City than in Dublin,
Ireland; more Italians in New York City than in Rome,
Italy; and more Jews in New York City than in Tel
Aviv, Israel.
Ohio
There are no natural lakes in the state of Ohio, every
one is manmade.
Pitcairn Island
The smallest island with country status is Pitcairn
in Polynesia, at just 1.75 sq. miles/4,53 sq. km.
Rome
The first city to reach a population of 1 million
people was Rome, Italy in 133 B.C. There is a city
called Rome on every continent.
Siberia
Siberia contains more than 25% of the world's forests.
S.M.O.M.
The actual smallest sovereign entity in the world is
the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (S.M.O.M.). It
is located in the city of Rome, Italy, has an area of
two tennis courts, and as of 2001 has a population of
80, 20 less people than the Vatican. It is a
sovereign entity under international law, just as the
Vatican is.
Sahara Desert
In the Sahara Desert, there is a town named Tidikelt,
which did not receive a drop of rain for ten
years. Technically though, the driest place on Earth
is in the valleys of the Antarctic near Ross Island.
There has been no rainfall there for two million years.
Spain
Spain literally means 'the land of rabbits.'
St. Paul Minnesota
St. Paul, Minnesota was originally called Pigs Eye after
a man named Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant who set up the
first business there.
Roads
Chances that a road is unpaved in the U.S.A.: 1%, in
Canada: 75%.
Texas
The deepest hole ever made in the world is in Texas. It
is as deep as 20 empire state buildings but only 3
inches wide. (There may be one deeper that was drilled recently on the
Eastern Shore) United States
Interstate System
The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one-mile
in every five must be straight. These straight sections
are usable as airstrips in times of war or other
emergencies.
Waterfalls
The water of Angel Falls (the World's highest) in
Venezuela drops 3,212 feet (979 meters). They are
15 times higher than Niagara Falls There ..... now I hope you learned something interesting!
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