WorldAtlas Latest Articles

Cities

7 of the Friendliest Towns To Retire In England

7 of the Friendliest Towns To Retire In England offer heritage railways, volunteer-run museums, festivals, and welcoming communities perfect for retirees.

Animals

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.

Animals

South China Tiger

South China Tiger is the only tiger subspecies extinct in the wild yet still alive in captivity, with no confirmed sighting in about half a century.

Wildlife By Place

What Animals Live in the Atlantic Ocean?

The Atlantic Ocean makes up about 29% of the total world ocean waters. It is home to a wide variety of aquatic plant life and marine animals.

Animals

Dingo

Dingo is Australia's largest land predator, a sandy wild canid that howls instead of barks and keeps feral cats, foxes, and rabbits in check nationwide.

Space

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.

Ancient World

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.

Ancient World

How Romans Trained Their Legions

The Roman military was known for strict discipline and training of its soldiers, who were considered among the most formidable fighters of the ancient world.

Cities

9 Main Streets Where New Zealand Comes Alive

Nine New Zealand main streets, from gold rush Otago to the Coromandel coast, where heritage buildings still hold working shops and museums.

National Parks

The National Park With The Tallest Mountain

The National Park With The Tallest Mountain is Denali in Alaska, home to Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America at 20,310 feet.

Forests

The Deadliest Wildlife In America's Forests

Bears get the headlines, but the deadliest wildlife in America's forests is often small enough to overlook, from ticks to mosquitoes

Oceans

The Pacific Coast Where Sea Otters Have Come Back

Sea otters were hunted nearly to extinction. See where they've come back on the Pacific coast, from Big Sur to Alaska and BC, and the 840-mile Oregon gap.

State Parks

The Wildlife Most Likely To Ruin Your State Park Trip

The Wildlife Most Likely To Ruin Your State Park Trip is not the bear or the rattlesnake. It is the tick you find behind your knee after driving home.

Lakes

The Lakes Where Invasive Plants Have Choked Out Boaters

Invasive weeds have choked the ramps and boat lanes on lakes across the US, from Texas salvinia to Adirondack milfoil, and crews fight to keep them open.

Oceans

What Happens To Plastic Once It Reaches The Ocean

Plastic can drift for years after reaching the ocean, breaking into invisible fragments, entering marine life, and sinking into places humans can barely reach

Lakes

The Great Lakes Fish That Live Longest

Meet the Great Lakes fish that live longest, including century-old lake sturgeon and long-lived trout, carp, and freshwater drum.

Oceans

The Deepest Point In The Gulf Of Mexico

The deepest point in the Gulf of Mexico is the Sigsbee Deep, nearly 3 miles down. Underwater cliffs, salt domes, and brine pools that pickle whatever swims in.

Animals

Animals With More Than One Heart

Various animals have different heart structures; some, like octopuses and earthworms, have multiple hearts, while others use alternative systems.

Space

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.

Ancient World

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.

Stories

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.

Travel

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.

Space

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.

Space

Speed Of Sound VS Speed Of Light

Light is about 880,000 times faster than sound, but the real differences are stranger: what each needs to travel through, and what slows them down.

Ancient World

Similarities And Differences Between The Roman Republic And Empire

The Roman Republic and Empire looked alike in territory and culture but differed completely in who held power and how the army was used.

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.

Travel

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.

Space

Which Planet Has The Longest Year?

As the rhyme goes, Mercury is the one, closest to the shining sun. But which planet is furthest, and which has the longest year?

Travel

10 Small Towns on the Pacific Coast with the Best Downtowns

Skip the famous coastal cities. These Pacific Coast small towns keep their best shops, theaters, and beaches within one walkable downtown.

Stories

Britain’s National Archives Mark 250 Years of American Independence

Britain's National Archives Mark 250 Years of American Independence with the war seen from the losing side, drawn from the paperwork Britain filed and kept.

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!

Society

Life Expectancy in Asia

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

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.

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.

Mountains

The Longest Mountain Ranges in Asia

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

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.

Nature

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.