WorldAtlas Latest Articles

National Parks

The National Parks With Petrified Forests

The US national parks with petrified forests, where ancient trees turned to stone, from Arizona and Wyoming to North Dakota and Texas.

Cities

11 Southern California Small Towns With Unmatched Friendliness

A Navy island town, a Danish village, and a Route 66 desert stop. Eleven Southern California small towns where the welcome is the main attraction.

Cities

10 Atlantic Coast Small Towns With Unmatched Friendliness

Discover ten of the friendliest small towns along the East Coast, from historic seaside resorts and boardwalk beaches to quiet bayfront villages.

Places

The World's Largest Fast Food Restaurant Chains

With 42,998 branches, Subway, an American-owned fast-food restaurant franchisee is the largest of its kind in the world.

Society

Which Country Has The Longest National Anthem?

Greece's Hymn to Liberty runs 158 stanzas, while Uruguay's anthem takes nearly five minutes to sing. Discover which country has the longest national anthem.

Oceans

The Ocean Creatures That Can Live Without Sunlight

Sunlight diminishes quickly underwater, leading to perpetual darkness below 3,300 feet, where animals utilize unique methods to survive.

Lakes

The Largest Glacial Lakes In The United States

Ice carved America’s largest glacial lakes into immense basins, leaving behind deep water, rugged shores, and a record of the last Ice Age.

Lakes

The Largest Alpine Lakes In North America

The Largest Alpine Lakes In North America include Lake Tahoe, Yellowstone Lake, and Crater Lake, ranked by surface area high in the western mountains.

Forests

European Countries With The Most Forest Cover

Sweden has the most forest cover of any European country.

Space

Could Life Exist Beneath Europa's Ice?

Jupiter's moon Europa hides an ocean with twice Earth's water beneath miles of ice. Could anything live in it? NASA's Europa Clipper aims to find out.

Animals

Tasmanian Devil

The Tasmanian devil is the world's largest carnivorous marsupial, found only in Tasmania. A look at its size, diet, behavior, and endangered status.

Ancient World

The Difference Between The Early And Late Roman Empire

How Rome changed between Augustus and Diocletian: emperor power, army, economy, and the rise of Christianity from persecuted faith to state religion.

Oceans

The Deepest Point In American Waters

The Deepest Point In American Waters is Sirena Deep, a hadal trench about 90 miles south of Guam that plunges roughly 35,151 feet below the Pacific.

Stories

Sudbury, Ontario, Looked Like a Moonscape, Then It Planted 10 Million Trees

Sudbury, Ontario, Looked Like a Moonscape, Then It Planted 10 Million Trees. Now it's a green city of lakeside parks, science museums, and craft beer.

Space

Why Is the Sun Yellow?

We call the sun yellow, but it is really white, thanks to how Earth's atmosphere scatters its light and a misleading yellow dwarf-star label.

Ancient World

The Most Important Figures In Ancient Greece

Meet the giants of Ancient Greece: Alexander the Great, Socrates, Pericles, and Leonidas, and the empires, ideas, and battles they left behind.

Stories

The American Revolution Was Won in Virginia, and These 5 Sites Tell the Story

The American Revolution Was Won in Virginia, and These 5 Sites Tell the Story of Washington, Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Patrick Henry's Richmond.

Stories

Charles Dickens Is Still Everywhere in England, From His Birthplace to His Grave

Following Charles Dickens Across England, a first-person trail through his birthplace, island retreat, London homes, and the seaside towns he loved.

Space

Which Planet Has the Shortest Year?

Small, robust, and named for the fastest Roman god, the planet with the shortest year happens to be one of the most scientifically interesting.

History

Nagorno-Karabakh and the Conflict That Never Ended

Few regions in the world have seen such sustained conflict as Nagorno-Karabakh, long disputed between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Ancient World

Ancient Industries That Made Empires Rich

Grain, silk, gold, and metalworking filled ancient treasuries, supplied armies, and helped powerful empires build lasting wealth before 500 AD.

Climate

The 10 Most Hurricane-Prone States in the US

A look at the 10 U.S. states most often hit by hurricanes, with context on storm history, coastal risk, and conditions behind landfall today.

Stories

Bournemouth, Home to the UK’s Best Beach, Is a Classic Seaside Getaway

Bournemouth, home to the UK's best beach, is a classic seaside getaway, with seven miles of sand, a Victorian pier, and Jurassic Coast cruises from Poole.

Space

Could Saturn's Rings Eventually Disappear?

Discover why Saturn’s iconic rings may eventually disappear, how ring rain works, and what scientists think could happen next.

Animals

Yellow Anaconda

Meet the yellow anaconda, the green anaconda's smaller golden cousin. A guide to this South American water boa's size, habitat, diet, and behavior.

Ancient World

Who Were The Sea Peoples And Why Did They Terrify The Ancient World?

The Sea Peoples struck terror in the Bronze Age Mediterranean because they orchestrated relentless attacks on port cities, toppling empires.

Stories

Offbeat Ways to See Florida by Boat

Skip the packed party boats and see Florida by water, from an electric cruise off Amelia Island to a sunset schooner and a drive-in Amphicar in Orlando.

Space

Could a Planet Exist Without a Star?

Rogue planets drift through space without stars, raising questions about darkness, hidden heat, liquid water, and life beyond solar systems.

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.

Sports

Top 10 Most Dangerous Sports In The World

Competition in different types of sports, even if you are not directly facing your opponents, is always accompanied by a risk of injury - sport can be a dangerous thing.

Nature

The 10 Most Poisonous Fruits In The World

While some of these fruits are safe to consume, overconsumption can lead to some serious health risks. It's important to inform yourself about the food you're eating.

Geography

Eastern European Countries

The 10 countries considered to be Eastern Europe were all once part of the eastern, communist bloc of countries led by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Industries

10 US States With The Highest Number Of Farms

Texas has more than twice as many farms as any other state. Discover the 10 US states with the most farms and the regions feeding the nation.

Society

How Much Waste Does US Produce Compared To The Rest Of The World?

The US makes up about 4% of the world’s population but produces 12% of its trash. The average American throws away 4.4 pounds of trash each day.

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.

Society

Countries With the Highest Public Transit Use

Hong Kong has the highest use of public transport with 80% of the population preferring the mode. However, Kenya and Russia are the countries that rely the most on public transit.

Mountains

The 10 Highest Mountains In The United States

The 10 Highest Mountains in the United States are all located in Alaska and are noted for their glacial settings and icy summits.

GDP

The World's Top Tea-Producing Countries

Tea originated in Southeast Asia and is a major player in social life and economic value. Many countries are known for their distinctive teas and high production.

Canyons

How Are Canyons Formed?

A canyon is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs, often formed by rivers, weathering, erosion or tectonic activity.