WorldAtlas Latest Articles

Places

America's First Planned City

America's First Planned City is Savannah, Georgia, founded in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe, where 22 of its original 24 squares still survive today.

Forests

The Most Dangerous Trees In American Forests

The Most Dangerous Trees In American Forests include the toxic manchineel, poison sumac, thorny locusts, and beetle-killed pines that fall without warning.

Lakes

The Lakes Where Crappie Grow Biggest

Home of the 3-pound crappie, a world record from 1957, and a lake born in an earthquake: the US waters where crappie grow into absolute slabs.

Oceans

The Ocean Currents That Control The Weather

The Ocean Currents That Control The Weather include the Gulf Stream, the Loop Current, the California Current, and El Nino, shaping US storms, fog, and heat.

Travel

7 Overlooked Towns In England Worth Visiting

Smugglers' tunnels, a wizard's well, and England's largest lake. These are seven overlooked English towns, each well worth the trip.

Forests

The Oldest Forests On Earth

Explore Earth's fossilized forests, along with the oldest living rainforest, and the oldest living temperate (deciduous) forest.

Cities

11 Most Hospitable Towns In Sweden

Marstrand bans cars, Vadstena guards a Renaissance castle, and nine more Swedish towns where a warm welcome is the local specialty.

Society

Life Expectancy in Asia

Japan has the highest average life expectancy in Asia, as well as the world.

Oceans

The Ocean Sounds Scientists Still Can't Explain

The Ocean Sounds Scientists Still Can't Explain include the Whistle, the Upsweep, and an eerie Arctic Ping that no investigation has ever traced.

Animals

Which Animals Have The Strongest Sense Of Smell?

Among the most interesting abilities developed by some animals is a superb sense of smell. These super sniffers can smell a meal from far away or sense danger.

Space

What Is The Coldest Place In The Solar System?

What is the coldest place in the solar system? Not the farthest world from the Sun, but a permanently shadowed lunar crater. Explore why cold hides in shadow.

Animals

The World’s Largest Eagles

Determining which eagles are the biggest in the world requires an examination of mass, length, and wingspan.

Animals

Sea Krait

The highly venomous sea krait, found in tropical and subtropical coastal regions, is an evolutionary link to the past, living half in and half out of water.

Animals

What Animals Live In The Nile River?

The Nile crocodiles, known for their aggressive nature, are apex predators in the Nile River.

Lakes

What Happens To A Town When Its Lake Disappears

From Owens Lake's toxic dust to the Aral Sea's stranded ships, here's what really happens to a town when its lake dries up, and how a few fought back.

Ancient World

How Big Was The Ottoman Empire At Its Peak?

How big was the Ottoman Empire? Discover its peak size, territorial expansion, and the key events that shaped one of history's greatest empires.

Ancient World

Why The Persian Immortals Were The Ancient World's Elite Force

Learn why the Persian Immortals earned the ancient world's elite status through careful selection, constant reinforcement, varied weapons, and royal trust.

Geography

What Continent Is Hawaii In?

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

Lakes

How Tulare Lake Came Back From The Dead In 2023

How Tulare Lake Came Back From The Dead In 2023, when heavy rain and Sierra Nevada snowmelt refilled a California lakebed dry for a quarter century.

Ancient World

Did Atlantis Really Exist?

Was Atlantis fact, fiction, or a blend of the two? Plato's account of this advanced civilization has captivated minds for millennia.

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.

Space

Which Planet Is The Most Tilted?

Uranus leans at 97.77 degrees, far more than any other planet. See why the seventh world spins on its side and what that does to its seasons.

Ancient World

The Dark Truth About Rome’s Greatest Emperors

From mass murder to religious persecution, even the best Roman emperors did things that would likely make them irredeemable in the eyes of many.

Geography

What Are The Contiguous United States?

Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia share a boundary with at least one other state and jointly make up the contiguous United States.

Stories

Traversing Michigan’s Pictured Rocks By Land & Water

Traversing Michigan's Pictured Rocks By Land & Water, one traveler runs a marathon on Grand Island, kayaks the sandstone cliffs, and hikes the dunes.

Travel

6 Overlooked Towns In The UK Worth Visiting

No matter what you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it at any of these overlooked towns in the United Kingdom worth visiting.

Mountains

The Longest Mountain Ranges in Asia

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

Travel

9 Overlooked Towns In Northern Ireland Worth Visiting

Nine overlooked towns in Northern Ireland with Norman castles, working distilleries, rare oak woods, and porcelain well worth seeing.

Geography

Which Countries Border Italy?

Italy borders France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia, plus the two microstates it completely encloses: San Marino and Vatican City.

Sports

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.

Space

Does Space Ever Truly End?

See why the observable universe has a horizon and how space may be infinite or finite without ever reaching a physical edge.

Stories

Experiencing Michigan’s Bavarian Enclave

Experiencing Michigan's Bavarian Enclave means a day in Frankenmuth, with a riverboat cruise, glockenspiel bells, and the world's largest Christmas store.

Space

Why JWST Keeps Finding Galaxies That Shouldn't Exist

The construction of the James Webb Space Telescope has led to continuous revelations about the universe, including findings of galaxies that shouldn't exist.

Geography

East Germany

Founded in 1949 and gone by 1990, East Germany built the Berlin Wall and a vast police state. Explore the geography and history of the GDR.

Society

Deepest Metro Stations in the World

Some metro stations plunge over a hundred meters underground, driven by challenging terrain, leading to engineering marvels with grand designs.

Society

Most Ethnically Diverse Countries In The World

Most of the world's most culturally heterogeneous countries are found in Sub-Saharan Africa. Learn more about the world's most ethnically diverse countries.

Economics

Which US States Trade The Most With China?

California dominates China trade, but state-by-state data reveal tariffs create uneven winners and losers across logistics, manufacturing, and energy.

Landforms

10 Famous Landforms In The U.S.

There are not many countries in the world that contain the same amount of beautiful landforms as the U.S. does. Their beauty is unmatched and will leave you breathless!

GDP

US States That Produce the Most Wheat

Kansas is the top wheat producing state in the US.

Volcanoes

When Did The Last Major Volcanic Eruption In The US Happen?

The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 was the last major volcanic eruption in the United States. Learn more about the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.