WorldAtlas Latest Articles
The State Parks Where Flash Floods Are A Real Risk
Clear skies mean nothing if rain is falling miles upstream. Seven state parks where flash floods turn dry washes and gorges dangerous fast.
9 Unforgettable Small Towns to Visit in the Finger Lakes Region
Nestled in New York is the picturesque Finger Lakes Region, encompassing eleven lakes, 1.28 people, and unforgettable small towns you'll want to visit.
9 Of The Most Captivating Small Towns In The Ozarks
The Ozarks are more than just mountain scenery. They are also home to eight of the United States' most fun and fascinating small towns.
This Is The Most Welcoming Town In Idaho
Moscow, Idaho, fills its calendar with jazz festivals and comedy, while Palouse parks, plus local markets and dining, round out a visit.
How Lake Tanganyika Holds Almost As Much Water As All Five Great Lakes
See how Lake Tanganyika holds nearly as much water as all five Great Lakes in North America while learning about its geology, wildlife, and role in Africa.
The Lakes Where Whitefish Grow Largest
The largest whitefish in the world is a 53-pound Arctic predator called the inconnu, French for unknown. Where whitefish grow largest, and why it is not Michigan.
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.
What Animals Live In The Taiga?
The harsh environment of the taiga regions of the world limit the biodiversity in such places to species that can successfully adapt to the extreme environment.
Pallas Cat
Pallas Cat, or manul, wears the thickest fur of any wild cat, a house-cat-sized ambush hunter of Central Asia's frigid, wind-scoured high steppes.
The Coldest Ocean On Earth
The Coldest Ocean On Earth is the Southern Ocean, where surface waters hover near freezing and the world's strongest current circles all of Antarctica.
Striped Hyena
Striped Hyena is the only hyena found outside sub-Saharan Africa, a shaggy, bone-cracking scavenger of dry country now thinning toward Near Threatened.
What Happens If GPS Goes Down
Pretty much everything we do with a phone today incorporates GPS at some point. If we were to suddenly lose our skyward helper, it would cause many issues.
Battles That Destroyed Entire Ancient Civilizations
From the Achaemenid Persian Empire to Ptolemaic Egypt, several ancient civilizations fought in battles that precipitated their collapse.
The Largest Lakes On Every Continent
Under Antarctic ice, inside a supervolcano crater, holding a fifth of Earth's fresh water: meet the biggest freshwater lake on each continent.
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.
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.
The English Port City That Built Ocean Liners and Concordes
The English Port City That Built Ocean Liners and Concordes is Bristol, where Brunel's first ocean liner and the last Concorde sit a few miles apart.
The Fastest Birds In The World
The White-throated Needletail is the fastest in horizontal flight at 170 km/h, while the Peregrine Falcon reaches 389 km/h in dives.
Why Uranus Spins Sideways
Uranus is the butt of countless childish jokes, but there are truly interesting qualities to it. Here's why Uranus spins sideways.
What Were The Roman Army’s Most Unlikely Victories?
Despite being outnumbered or unprepared for a particular type of warfare, the Romans often prevailed due to adaptability, cunning, and/or sheer willpower.
Which Planet Is The Smallest?
Although the context can change the answer to this question, Mercury is the smallest planet, circling closest to the Sun.
The Bloodiest Battles In Ancient History
Gaugamela, Cannae, Carthage, and the Catalaunian Plains: four ancient battles that killed tens of thousands and rewrote the map.
Island Hopping Across Lake Erie
Island Hopping Across Lake Erie means ferry-hopping between Pelee, Kelleys, and the Bass Islands, a bi-national run of wineries and glacial grooves.
11 Small Towns on the Atlantic Coast with the Best Downtowns
From foggy Maine fishing harbors to a Florida reef town, these 11 Atlantic Coast small towns pair a walkable main street with a working waterfront.
How Long Would It Take To Travel To Each Planet?
Moving at a speed of 50,000-miles per hour, it would take 32-days to reach Venus, the closest planet, and 2,250-days to reach Neptune, the furthest planet.
Where Did The Romans Come From And The Origins Of Rome
A wolf, a murder, and muddy huts on a hilltop: trace where the Romans really came from, from the villages above the Tiber to an empire of 70 million.
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.
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.
11 Small Towns in The Northern United States with the Best Downtowns
Some downtowns are worth the whole trip. Meet 11 northern US towns with brick storefronts, lakeside Main Streets, and walkable historic districts.
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.
African Countries With Islam As The Religion Of The Majority
In 19 African countries, Islam serves as the religion of the majority.
Country Names With 10 Letters
18 countries have names that contain 10 letters, from Azerbaijan to Uzbekistan. Discover what other countries make the list!
Life Expectancy in Asia
Japan has the highest average life expectancy in Asia, as well as the world.
What Continent Is Hawaii In?
Although politically Hawaii is considered part of North America, geographically Hawaii is not part of any continent.
Landlocked Countries In Asia
Twelve countries in Asia are considered landlocked, although some of them, like Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, are along the Caspian Sea.
The Longest Mountain Ranges in Asia
The Kunlun Mountains, in China, is the longest mountain range in Asia.
The Largest Stadiums In Asia
The biggest stadium on Earth isn't in America or Europe. It's in Asia, alongside 14 more giants. See the largest stadiums in Asia, ranked by capacity.
What Is A Cloud Forest?
How cloud forests drink from the clouds, and why Kilimanjaro, Monteverde, Yakushima and the Appalachians all depend on the mist.
The Driest States In The United States
The driest states in the US aren't all deserts. Some are famous for snow. Ranked by NOAA precipitation data, with the geography that keeps each one dry.
Countries That Use Their Own Calendar
In Ethiopia, it's not the year you think, and there are 13 months. Discover the countries that still run on their own calendars instead of the Gregorian one.