WorldAtlas Latest Articles

Space

What Is The Most Volcanic World In The Solar System?

Io has at least 400 active volcanoes, throwing lava fountains dozens of miles high. The cause is not tectonics but Jupiter's gravity.

Ancient World

The Longest Reigning Ancient Pharaohs

Ancient Egypt's longest reigns, from Pepi II and Ramesses II to Thutmose III and Psamtik I, and what decades on the throne meant for the kingdom they ruled.

Ancient World

The Greatest Roman Generals In History

Ancient Rome was renowned for its military strength. Many factors contributed to its formidable reputation, including was the quality of its generals.

Places

9 Best Natural Wonders To Visit In Queensland This Year

9 Best Natural Wonders To Visit In Queensland This Year start with the Great Barrier Reef and take in the world's largest sand island and longest lava tubes.

Bodies of Water

The US Dams That Have Never Used Their Spillway

Garrison Dam went 56 years without opening its spillway. Oroville went 49. Both first uses caused damage, which is the problem with an untested spillway.

Places

9 Great Road Trips to Take in The Rockies

Icefields Parkway, Beartooth Highway, Trail Ridge Road, and six more Rocky Mountain drives, with mileage, passes, and seasonal windows.

Lakes

Which State Has Lost The Most Lakes?

California stands out for losing major lakes to farming and urban water diversions, including Tulare Lake and Owens Lake.

Cities

8 Of The Most Adorable Small Towns In Washington

From the ferry docks of Anacortes to the brick storefronts of Walla Walla, they show just how much variety exists across Washington’s small towns.

Places

This Oregon Scenic Byway Is The Road Trip Of A Lifetime

Oregon’s King of Roads threads past thundering waterfalls and cliffside overlooks on a gorge drive built to astonish from start to finish.

Canyons

The Deepest Canyons In The United States

Cowboys, stampeding herds, and a beauty so immense that it drives some spectators to religion: canyons are an emblem of the grand American expanse.

Lakes

How Lake Superior Holds More Water Than The Other Four Great Lakes Combined

Lake Superior holds about 2,900 cubic miles of water, more than Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario combined, because its basin runs so deep.

Animals

10 of the Fastest Snakes in the World

These ten snakes are some of the fastest in the world, using unique slithering and movement methods to hunt prey and get away from predators.

Rivers

The American Rivers That No Longer Reach The Ocean

The Colorado has not reached the sea naturally since 1998. The Gila, Santa Cruz, San Joaquin and Owens all stop short too. The American rivers that no longer finish.

Stories

Britain’s Own Bayeux Tapestry Is in Reading, and It’s Free

Britain's Own Bayeux Tapestry Is in Reading, and It's Free. A full-size Victorian replica of the famous embroidery, with no ticket or queue.

Animals

Javan Rhino

Javan Rhino is widely regarded as the rarest large mammal on Earth. About 50 survive, all inside one Indonesian national park and none in captivity.

Animals

Sumatran Rhino

Sumatran Rhino, the smallest living rhinoceros and the only Asian species with two horns, is a critically endangered relative of the woolly rhino.

Space

What Is The Largest Object In The Solar System After The Sun?

Jupiter isn't just the biggest planet; it's the largest object in our Solar System after the Sun, 11 times wider than Earth.

Ancient World

The Military Mistakes That Destroyed Great Empires

While they often occurred due to larger systemic problems within their respective societies, these errors frequently led to catastrophic consequences.

Travel

11 Small Towns in The Great Lakes with the Best Downtowns

Steps from the water, these Great Lakes small towns hide wine trails, lift bridges, and speakeasies in their compact, walkable downtowns.

Travel

8 Overlooked Towns In Tennessee Worth Visiting

Discover Tennessee’s hidden gems—from historic Jonesborough to scenic Sparta—offering unique attractions beyond the usual tourist spots

Geography

What Is The Thailand-Cambodia Border Dispute

A border drawn more than a century ago still divides Thailand and Cambodia, with disputed temples and territory keeping tensions alive today.

Animals

Olive Sea Snake

The olive sea snake's "attacks" on divers aren't attacks at all. Discover the venomous Great Barrier Reef serpent and the surprising truth behind its behavior

Animals

Platypus

Platypus is an egg-laying, venomous mammal of eastern Australia that hunts underwater by electric sense, one of the strangest animals on Earth today.

Ancient World

The Greatest Generals Of The Ancient World

How Philip II, Alexander the Great, Hannibal Barca, and Julius Caesar won the battles that decided the fate of states across the ancient world.

Travel

10 Small Towns in Queensland with the Best Downtowns

Discover 10 of Queensland's best small-town downtowns, where distinctive streetscapes reveal a different side of the Sunshine State.

Mountains

The Most Isolated Mountain In The Lower 48

The most isolated mountain in the Lower 48 is Mount Whitney, 1,646 miles from any higher ground. Why the tallest peak wins, and how it differs from Mt. Rainier.

Space

Which Planet Is The Least Dense?

Lighter than water despite its size, Saturn measures a mere 0.69 g/cm3. Here is why the solar system heavyweight is really its lowest-density world.

Ancient World

The Bloodiest Sieges Of The Ancient World

The sieges of Lachish, Tyre, Carthage, and Alesia ended in mass killing, enslavement, and the deliberate erasure of entire cities.

Space

What if Earth Stopped Spinning?

See what would happen if Earth stopped spinning, from catastrophic winds and ocean surges to year-long days and a transformed climate.

Mountains

How The Alps Compare To The Rockies

The Rockies are 4x longer, but the Alps are taller and steeper, with a café at the summit. The Rockies counter with grizzlies. How the two ranges really compare.

Mountains

The Tallest Mountain East Of The Mississippi

The tallest mountain east of the Mississippi is North Carolina's Mount Mitchell (6,684 ft), named for a scientist who died proving it. Yes, you can drive up.

Stories

A Summer's Day In Sandusky

A Summer's Day In Sandusky, where a Canadian visitor conquers Cedar Point, finds a downtown speakeasy, and rediscovers an underrated Lake Erie town.

Geography

How Big Alaska Is Compared To The Lower 48

Alaska is one fifth the size of the Lower 48 and bigger than Texas, California and Montana combined. Why the maps you grew up with got it wrong twice.

Climate

The 10 US Cities With the Longest Summers

Some US cities barely see winter at all. Ranked by NOAA normals, here are the ten with the longest thermal summers, from Honolulu to Fort Lauderdale.

Industries

10 Countries with the Largest Uranium Reserves

Australia holds 1.67 million tonnes of recoverable uranium, but Kazakhstan mines the most. How the ten largest resource holders compare.

Religion

African Countries With Islam As The Religion Of The Majority

In 19 African countries, Islam serves as the religion of the majority.

Geography

Country Names With 10 Letters

18 countries have names that contain 10 letters, from Azerbaijan to Uzbekistan. Discover what other countries make the list!

Geography

What Continent Is Hawaii In?

Although politically Hawaii is considered part of North America, geographically Hawaii is not part of any continent.

Geography

Landlocked Countries In Asia

Twelve countries in Asia are considered landlocked, although some of them, like Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, are along the Caspian Sea.

Mountains

The Longest Mountain Ranges in Asia

The Kunlun Mountains, in China, is the longest mountain range in Asia.