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Geography fun facts and oddities: Difference between revisions
restructuring outline to disinguish bretween political and phyiscl geog
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* just a collection of facts and oddities for how | * just a collection of facts and oddities for how | ||
== | == Physical geography fun facts == | ||
* Pitcaren Islands in Polynesia, are the least populated political entity in the world (67 residents) | * Pitcaren Islands in Polynesia, are the least populated political entity in the world (67 residents) | ||
** Vatican City, for example, has 825 residents | ** Vatican City, for example, has 825 residents | ||
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See: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(District_of_Columbia) Three Sisters (wiki)]] | See: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(District_of_Columbia) Three Sisters (wiki)]] | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
* '''Independence Rock''' | * '''Independence Rock''' | ||
* click EXPAND for details on Independence Rock | * click EXPAND for details on Independence Rock | ||
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* See | * See | ||
** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole Sinkhole (wiki)]] | ** [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole Sinkhole (wiki)]] | ||
== Political geography fun facts == | |||
== Political geography oddities == | == Political geography oddities == | ||
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* click on EXPAND to see list of nation state enclaves: | * click on EXPAND to see list of nation state enclaves: | ||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"> | <div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"> | ||
* '''Vatican City''' (within Italy) | |||
* '''San Marino''' (within Italy) | |||
* '''Losotho''' (within South Africa) | |||
** note: these nations are not exclaves since they are not separated from a mainland territory | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
* click EXPAND for a list of semi-exclaves: | * click EXPAND for a list of semi-exclaves: | ||
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** Kaliningrad was allocated to the Soviet Union at the Potsdam Conference in 1945, which divided Europe between the allied powers at the end of World War II | ** Kaliningrad was allocated to the Soviet Union at the Potsdam Conference in 1945, which divided Europe between the allied powers at the end of World War II | ||
* Crimea: "de jure" (legally) Ukraine territory that is occupied by Russia and is therefore a de facto (in fact) Russian semi-exclave surrounded by Ukraine and the Black Sea. | * Crimea: "de jure" (legally) Ukraine territory that is occupied by Russia and is therefore a de facto (in fact) Russian semi-exclave surrounded by Ukraine and the Black Sea. | ||
* Alaska & Hawaii, U.S. states, are semi-exclaves in that they are separated from the main country and surrounded by water (Hawaii) and another country and water (Alaska) | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
* some places that are both enclaves and exclaves | * some places that are both enclaves and exclaves | ||
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** For full list see: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_enclaves_and_exclaves#Enclaves_that_are_also_exclaves Enclaves that are also exclaves (wiki)]] | ** For full list see: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_enclaves_and_exclaves#Enclaves_that_are_also_exclaves Enclaves that are also exclaves (wiki)]] | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
== | |||
== Physical geography extremes == | |||
=== Highest, lowest extremes === | |||
* the deepest spot on earth is 7,169.3 ft lower than Mt. Everest is high | |||
* Lowest spot on surface of the earth | |||
** underwater: | |||
*** Mariana Trench | |||
[[File:Marianatrenchmap.png|right|200px|thumb|Location of the Mariana Trench (wiki)]] | |||
**** located in the South Pacific Ocean, deepest landform on earth | |||
**** 1,580 mi long, 43 mi wide, max. depth 36,201 ft | |||
* click EXPAND for more on the Mariana Trench and other trenches | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"> | |||
**** the lowest point is called "Challenger Deep" | |||
**** it has been reached by humans six times | |||
*** the 2nd deepest trench is the Tonga Trench in the Pacific with has max. depth of 35702 ft | |||
*** other trenches in the Pacific Ocean are nearly as deep, including the Philippine Trench and the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench | |||
[[File:Atlantic-trench.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Atlantic-trench (wiki)]] | |||
*** the deepest trench in the Atlantic Ocean is the Puerto Rico Trench, which is 28,900 ft at its max. deep point | |||
</div> | |||
* on the land surface: | |||
** the Dead Sea (Israel, Palestine & Jordan), 1419 ft below sea level | |||
** 2nd lowest point on earth: Turfan Depression (China), 505 ft. below sea level | |||
*** this 2nd lowest point excludes other areas in the Dead Sea | |||
** 3rd lowest point on earth: Lake Assal (Djibouti, part of the Afar Depression), 502 ft below sea level | |||
** lowest point in US: Death Valley, 282 ft below sea level | |||
** 2nd lowest point in US: Bombay Beach (California, along the Salton Sea, 226 ft below sea level | |||
* click EXPAND for more on the Salton Sea | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"> | |||
*** the Salton Sea is a salt-water lake in Southern California at the Mexico border | |||
**** the Salton Sea has been fed by the Colorado River, which currently flows to the east of the lake, but in its modern form was created by diverter water from the river in 1900, which created the lake on dry lake bed. | |||
**** The Salton Sea is known as the fastest water for speedboat racing water in the world (see [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salton_Sea#Powerboat_racing Salton Sea#Powerboat racing (wiki)]] | |||
</div> | |||
** Continent with the highest lowest point is Europe | |||
*** the Caspian Depression, location of the Caspian Sea is 92 ft below sea level | |||
*** the lowest point in the Netherlands is the coastal area, Zuidplaspolder, at 23 ft below sea level | |||
* cave: | |||
** Krubera Cave (Georgia - the nation): 7,188 ft deep | |||
* highest mountain on earth: Mt Everest: 29,031.7 ft | |||
* highest mountain outside of the Himalaya-Karakoram range: Mt. Tirich Mir (Pakistan), in the Hindu Kush | |||
* highest mountain outside of Asia: Mt. Aconcagua (Argentina) 22,835 ft | |||
* highest volcano: Mt. Ojos del Salado (Argentina & Chile), 22,615 ft | |||
* tallest mountain from its base: Mt. Mauna Kea, Hawaii, has combined elevation of 33,480 from its base on the ocean floor | |||
* lake | |||
** highest lake: a water-filled crater on Mt. Ojos del Salado (Argentina & Chile), 22,615 ft | |||
** highest "navigable" lake: Lake Titicaca (Bolivia & Peru), 12,507 ft | |||
== Political geography extremes == | |||
=== Largest & smallest nations, Highest & lowest populations === | === Largest & smallest nations, Highest & lowest populations === | ||
* click EXPAND for the answers | * click EXPAND for the answers | ||
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* '''Australia''' is the largest and the smallest country in Australia | * '''Australia''' is the largest and the smallest country in Australia | ||
** Australia is the only country to entirely occupy a continent | ** Australia is the only country to entirely occupy a continent | ||
=== Directional extremes (north, south, east, west) === | === Directional extremes (north, south, east, west) === | ||
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** see: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Angle Northwest Angle (wiki)] | ** see: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Angle Northwest Angle (wiki)] | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
=== Economic Extremes === | === Economic Extremes === | ||