WorldAtlas Latest Articles

National Parks

The National Parks With The Best Fall Color

These national parks have stunning fall foliage, from golden aspens in the Rockies to vibrant maples found in the eastern US.

Places

The US Airports With The Shortest Runways

Busy urban areas, dense tree cover or ocean water create impediments in runway expansion in these shortest runways in the US.

Places

Best Natural Wonders To Visit On The Atlantic Coast This Year

Atlantic coast natural wonders, from Jockey's Ridge and Cadillac Mountain to the Aquinnah Cliffs, Assateague ponies and the reef off Key Largo.

Cities

6 of the Oldest Incorporated Towns in Georgia

6 of the Oldest Incorporated Towns in Georgia. Walk Darien's 1721 fort, hunt Confederate gold lore in Washington, and see the Rock Eagle effigy near Eatonton.

County

The County Larger Than Nine US States

Coconino County covers more ground than nine states, with the Grand Canyon, volcanic peaks, tribal lands, and vast desert all inside one border.

Lakes

How Long A Great Lakes Freighter Lasts Before It Is Scrapped

Great Lakes freighters can haul cargo for 50 years or more, and some lakers are rebuilt into their eighties before a final repair sends them to scrap.

Rivers

Why The Ohio River Carries More Water Than The Mississippi Where They Meet

At Cairo, Illinois, the Ohio River brings more water than the Mississippi, since its rainy Appalachian and Tennessee watersheds beat the drier Great Plains.

Wildlife By Place

How Far South Moose Live In The United States

Wild moose live at the latitude of San Francisco, Seoul and Athens. How far south moose get in the US, and the trick that makes 37 degrees north possible.

Animals

Olive Python

Olive Python is Australia's third-largest snake, and it hunts by lying submerged at a waterhole and striking upward at animals that come down to drink.

Space

Which World Has The Most Extreme Temperature Swing?

There are practically infinite planets in the universe. Needless to say, many of them have conditions that humans would consider extreme.

Ancient World

How Diocletian Rebuilt The Roman Army

Few figures in the history of Ancient Rome made more sweeping and lasting changes than Diocletian after the Crisis of the Third Century.

Ancient World

The Greatest Roman Cities In Africa

The Roman Republic and Empire were home to some of the most amazing cities of the ancient world and many of these urban centers were in North Africa.

Oceans

Where The Pacific Meets The Arctic

The Bering Strait links the Pacific and Arctic oceans between Russia and Alaska. It was once a land bridge that carried people and animals into North America.

Travel

6 Underrated Oregon Towns Worth the Drive in 2026

Six underrated Oregon towns worth a trip in 2026, from Warrenton's shipwreck beach and Manzanita's surf to Newberg wineries, The Dalles, Sisters, and Ashland.

Lakes

The Oldest Lake In The United States

The oldest lake in the US is a two-way fight: Clear Lake long held the title, but 2024 research says Lake Tahoe, at 2.3 million years, is older. Which one wins?

GDP

The Richest Countries In Africa 2025

Africa’s richest countries fall into three types: island economies, hydrocarbon exporters, and diversified markets, shaped by resources and policies

Animals

Nose-Horned Viper

Nose-Horned Viper facts, from the soft snout horn and long fangs of a snake often called Europe's most dangerous to its rocky Balkan habitat and live births.

Animals

Night Adder

Night Adder is the misleading name for African vipers that are active by day, lay eggs, have round pupils, and carry venom glands that reach into the neck.

Space

Why Lucy Is Visiting Eight Asteroids Instead Of One

NASA's Lucy spacecraft is the first mission to explore Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, ancient bodies that may reveal how the solar system's giant planets formed.

Ancient World

Which Roman Generals Lost Battles They Should Have Won?

Several Roman generals lost battles that they should have won and exploring such defeats helps us gain a more holistic understanding of Ancient Rome.

Mountains

The Mountains That Are Still Growing

Some mountains are still rising today, pushed upward by tectonic forces even as erosion and melting ice reshape their peaks.

Space

What's the Farthest We've Ever Seen?

What's the Farthest We've Ever Seen? The James Webb Space Telescope confirmed a galaxy shining just after the Big Bang, near a wall no telescope can see past.

Ancient World

The Most Advanced Ancient Medical Practices

Ancient medical practices, including civilizations such as Mesopotamia and Imperial China, reveal early advances in surgery, wound care, dentistry, and more.

Mountains

How The Himalayas Compare To The Rockies

How the Himalayas and Rockies compare in height, length, age, glacier ice, earthquakes, and the rivers they feed, from Everest to the Continental Divide.

Travel

7 Small Towns in Pennsylvania with the Best Downtowns

In Pennsylvania, downtown Wellsboro glows under gas lamps, Lititz twists pretzels by hand, and Hershey lines Chocolate Avenue with Kisses, 7 towns in all.

Space

Why Evidence Suggests Dark Energy Is Weakening

Although our leading minds have barely more than a theoretical grasp on what dark energy is, it appears to be weakening.

Mountains

The American Power Plants Built Inside A Mountain

From Tennessee's Raccoon Mountain to Washington's Boundary Dam, several U.S. power plants run their turbines deep inside excavated mountain rock.

Mountains

Why Denali Is Harder To Climb Than Everest

Lower summit, harder climb. Thin polar air, 100-pound loads, and rescue that can be days away make Denali a tougher test than Everest for most climbers.

Travel

7 Underrated California Towns Worth the Drive in 2026

Seven California towns worth the detour, from Pioneertown and Solvang to Ojai, Tiburon, Sonoma, Solana Beach and Ramona in the San Diego back country.

Stories

The Island That Changed My Mind About Toronto

A ten-minute ferry from downtown Toronto reaches Center Island, with sandy Great Lakes beaches, a pier, rental bikes and the oldest lighthouse.

Travel

11 Underrated Ohio Towns Worth the Drive in 2026

11 Underrated Ohio Towns Worth the Drive in 2026. Ride a horse-drawn canal boat in Coshocton, see Sugarcreek's cuckoo clock, and find Christmas in Medina.

Mountains

The Most Climbed Mountain In America

Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire draws around 125,000 climbers a year, with a 3,165-foot summit most hikers reach in a few hours and views across six states.

GDP

The Richest Countries in North America 2026

In 2025, the U.S., Canada, and Panama lead North America in GDP per capita, reflecting diverse economic strengths and strategies.

Industries

The States With More Farmland Than People

Eight US states have more farmland than people, with farm operations covering over half their land and fewer than 100 residents per square mile.

Geography

How Much of America Drains Into the Mississippi River?

The Mississippi-Atchafalaya basin drains about 41% of the contiguous US, over 1.245 million square miles, and the Missouri subbasin alone supplies 43% of it.

Geography

How Much Of The World's Fresh Water Sits In North America?

North America holds roughly one-quarter of the world’s fresh surface water, with the Great Lakes alone accounting for about 21% of the global supply.

GDP

The Richest Countries In The World 2026

The richest country in the world is Luxembourg, followed by Singapore and Ireland, ranked by GDP per capita in PPP values, provided by the IMF for 2025.

Geography

How Big Lake Superior Is Compared To Entire States

Lake Superior spans 31,700 square miles, larger than 10 US states by total area and nearly the size of South Carolina, plus a 2,726-mile shoreline.

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.

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.