WorldAtlas Latest Articles
The Counties With No Traffic Lights At All
Sublette, Loving, Kalawao and more: the US counties that have never had a single traffic signal, and the ones about to lose the title.
How Many State Parks Have Beaches?
How Many State Parks Have Beaches? Thousands, divided between ocean shorelines in the 23 coastal states and lake beaches on the Great Lakes and Finger Lakes.
9 Most Walkable Town Centers on the Pacific Coast
Coupeville's wharf, Cambria's two villages, Mendocino's bluff trails: nine Pacific Coast town centers built to be explored entirely on foot.
6 Best Iowa Towns For A Weekend Trip
Where to spend a weekend in Iowa: the Field of Dreams at Dyersville, Tulip Time in Pella, Snake Alley in Burlington, and bluff trails above McGregor.
The Year America Promised Away More Colorado River Water Than Exists
In 1922, the Colorado River Compact divided up more water than the river carries, based on its wettest years. A century later, we're all paying the bill.
The Last Free-Flowing River Left In America
The Yellowstone runs 692 miles with no reservoir on it, the last major undammed river in the Lower 48. It survived because Montana fought a dam and then rewrote its water law.
The Lakes Where Tiger Muskies Grow Largest
Only two tiger muskies over 50 pounds exist on record, and both came from the same lake. Where the hybrids grow largest, and why sterility is the whole reason.
How Stocked Salmon Kept Lake Michigan From Collapsing
Stocked salmon helped revive Lake Michigan by controlling invasive alewives and rebuilding a valuable recreational fishery.
Which Animals Can Live Without Water For Years?
Learn about the special adaptations of six unique animals that can live for years at a time, some their whole lives, without drinking any water.
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.
The Strongest Ancient Navies Ever Assembled
Discover seven of the ancient world’s most powerful navies, from Athenian triremes and Roman fleets to Carthaginian warships and Han tower ships.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.