1. Contrary to Popular Belief, Maine is not the Easternmost State in the United States

If you want to see the first sunlight in the United States, you have to head to Maine, right? Well, not quite. While Maine is certainly easy and convenient to get to, it’s doesn’t see the day’s first sunrise in the United States. For that, you paradoxically have to go west. So far west, in fact, that you actually go east.

So where is the United States’ first sunrise? Believe it or not, it’s actually in Alaska. And it’s not in the main part of Alaska, either. You have to venture to the westernmost parts of the Aleutian Islands. Because those islands stretch so far west, they actually stretch into the Eastern Hemisphere. Excluding territories, the Aleutian Islands are the only part of the United States located in the Eastern Hemisphere. That means you’ll see not just the first sunrise in the United States, but one of the first sunrises in the entire world.

And Alaska’s claims don’t stop there.

2. Alaska is the Easternmost, Westernmost, and Northernmost State in the United States

At the eastern end of Semisopochnoi Island in the Aleutians, you’ll find the easternmost point in the United States (179.777°E). Interestingly, Semisopochnoi Island is actually closer to Russia than the main part of Alaska. But it’s far from the closest point to Russia. That belongs to Little Diomede Island in the Bering Strait. Little Diomede sits just 2.5 miles (4 km) from Big Diomede, it’s Russian counterpart, despite a 21-hour time difference between the two islands.

Only 65 miles (105 km) to the southeast of Semisopochnoi Island, you’ll find the westernmost point in the United States in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (179.143°W). Consisting of several uninhabited islands, the refuge is one of the most remote outposts on America’s northern frontier. But you can go further. The furthest, westernmost, and remotest post in the Aleutian Islands is Attu Station. At 172°E, Attu Station sits just 475 miles (770 km) from Ust’-Kamchatsk (Усть-Камчатск) on the Russian mainland. That’s a stark difference from the 1,500 miles (2,400 km) you’d have to travel to return to Anchorage.

Thankfully, things are much less complicated if you look north and south. It’s pretty clear that Alaska is the northernmost state in the United States. The town of Utqiagvik, which was formerly called Barrow, is the northernmost town in the United States. At 71.18 °N, it’s also one of the northernmost towns in the world. Only Canada, Russia, Norway, and Greenland have population centers further north.

And for the southernmost state…

3. Key West is not the Southernmost Point in the United States

While it’s true that Key West is the southernmost point in the Lower 48, it’s not even close to being the southernmost point in the United States. For that, you’ll need to look six degrees of latitude further south and a long way west. At the southern tip of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you’ll find Ka Lae, the actual southernmost point in the United States.

Additionally, if you include territories, you can go a lot further south. The southernmost point in a US territory is located at the Rose Atoll in American Samoa. The tiny island covers just 0.21 square kilometers and reaches latitudes of 14.6°S.

4. Los Angeles County Has a Larger Population than 41 States

It’s hard to believe, but Los Angeles County does actually have a larger population than 41 states. With a population of 10.04 million as of 2019, LA County is by far the most populous county in the United States.

And what are those 9 states that have a larger population? Here they are, ranked by population.

5. You Can Get on a Plane in Anchorage, Alaska and Be Anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere in Less Than 10 Hours

Amazingly, Anchorage is the only city in the world that can lay claim to this fact, even if you include the equivalent in the Southern Hemisphere. So what makes Anchorage so special? First, it has a major international airport that processes most cargo and many passengers bound for the United States from east Asia.

Not only does Anchorage have a major international airport, but it’s also the closest major international airport to either pole. Anchorage’s proximity to the North Pole makes it very quick and easy to fly over the pole to reach the other side of the world.

Consider an “over-the-pole” flight from New York City to Tokyo or Beijing. At the very minimum, you’re looking at 13 to 14 hours of total flight time. That’s because half of that time is spent getting from New York up to the pole.

When you start in Anchorage, you’re already most of the way to the pole. As a result, a direct flight from Anchorage to Frankfurt, Germany covers basically the same distance as a flight from Boston to Los Angeles.

6. Maine is a Particular Geographic Oddity

The state of Maine is best-known for its rugged outdoors, diverse wildlife, and world-famous seafood. However, being wedged between New Hampshire, Québec, and New Brunswick means that it’s got its fair share of geographic oddities.

• Maine is the closest US State to Africa. Quoddy Head, Maine sits just 3,154 miles from El Beddouzza, Morocco. For comparison, Florida is more than 4,000 miles from its nearest point on the African continent.
• If you take a road trip through the Lower 48, passing through each state only once, you always end in Maine. That’s because Maine is the only state in the continental United States that borders only one other state.
• More French is spoken in Maine than any state in the United States. When French explorers landed in eastern Canada back in the 1600’s, many of them settled in what is present-day Maine. Their descendants are still there today. It doesn’t hurt bordering two French-speaking Canadian provinces, either.
• Maine is the single largest producer of blueberries in the United States.
• Nobody knows how Maine got its name. All they know is that the name first appeared in writing in 1622.
• Despite the mystery behind its name, Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1819.
• Maine is larger than the other 5 New England States combined.
• If you visited one island per day, it would take you more than 9 years to visit every island in Maine
• At 3,478 miles, Maine’s coastline is longer than California’s (3,427 miles)
• Maine is home to the only desert in New England (40 acres outside Freeport). It formed 11,000 years ago, when a glacier deposited large amounts of sand on the site.
• Portland, Oregon is named after Portland, Maine. The Oregon city’s name was decided on a coin toss between Portland and Boston.

7. The United States is Home to the Shortest River in the World

The Roe River in Montana is only 200 feet long. That’s a stark contrast to the Missouri (2,341 miles) and Mississippi (2,202 miles), the United States’ two longest rivers.

8. Nebraska is the Only Triply Landlocked State in the United States

A triply landlocked state means that you have to pass through at least three other states (and/or Canadian Provinces) to reach the ocean. Nebraska is the only state in the United States that can make the claim of being triply landlocked. Don’t believe me? Have a look at some of its neighbors. Do note that in the table below, there may be more than one way to reach the ocean. The table lists the fewest states you need to pass through to reach the ocean.

9. Hawaii’s Mauna Kea is Taller Than Mt. Everest

The summit of Mauna Kea is only 13,796 feet above sea level, less than half the elevation of Everest’s summit (29,032 feet). However, Mauna Kea extends deep into the depths of the Pacific Ocean, while Everest is completely landlocked. The Pacific Ocean has a mean depth of over 14,000 feet, and the Hawaiian Trough reaches an average depth of over 18,000 feet.

As a result, when you account for the underwater part of Mauna Kea, it’s much taller than what you see on the Big Island in Hawaii. Mauna Kea is actually 32,808 feet tall, surpassing the height of Mt. Everest, despite the stark difference in elevation at each respective summits.

10. The Statue of Liberty Should Be in New Jersey, not New York

When you think of New York City, the Statue of Liberty is probably one of the first things that comes to mind. Lady Liberty is so quintessentially New York. But did you know that she should actually be in New Jersey, not New York?

When France gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States in 1885, the US Geological Survey placed Liberty Island in New York’s 8th Congressional District. However, when you look at a map, you’ll see the Statue of Liberty is actually in New Jersey Waters. Regardless of what the state line says, the statue remains part of both the State and the City of New York.

Bonus: America’s Four Most Sprawling Cities Are All in Alaska

Alaska’s large size and small population means that its cities and towns have plenty of room to spread out. Indeed, Alaska has one of the lowest population densities in the United States. What surprises most people is that Alaska is home to the country’s four most sprawling cities.

From a strictly surface area to population ratio, the Alaskan Cities sprawl far more than Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, and every other major city in the Lower 48. For example, the City of Juneau is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. And the winner, Yakutat, is larger than eight other states.

Bonus #2: You Can Get a Taste for Driving on the Left Side of the Road Without Leaving the United States. Just Head to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

It’s incredibly rare for a state or territory to drive on the opposite side of the road from its parent country. But the United States has one. The other country that boasts a few of them is the United Kingdom.

The US Virgin Islands is the only jurisdiction in the United States where you drive on the left. But unlike other locations that drive on the left, most cars in the USVI are imported from the mainland US, and still have the steering wheel on the left side of the car.

The United States purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917. At the time, traffic in Denmark drove on the left. To keep the islands’ residents happy and prevent animosity towards the US, the federal government kept traffic in the Virgin Islands on the left side of the road.

While Denmark switched to driving on the right in 1967, along with much of the rest of Europe, the Virgin Islands never did. To this day, the US Virgin Islands continues to drive on the left. For what it’s worth, so do the British Virgin Islands.

Conclusion

Whether you’re trying to figure out how to drive on the left in the Virgin Islands or trying to catch the day’s first sunrise at its easternmost point in Alaska, the United States has plenty of geographic quirks and oddities to explore. But we’re just scratching the surface here. The US is a big country, and I could easily write another whole post or two about its weird geography. Have you been experienced any of the United States’ weird geography in your travels? Let us know in the comments below.

Top Photo: Afternoon Sun Illuminates a Beautiful Canyon Landscape
Canyonlands National Park, Utah – December, 2021

The post Weird Geography: 10 Bizarre and Unusual Facts About the United States appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

1. China Borders 14 Countries, and Has Territorial Disputes with All of Them

Amazingly, the territorial disputes don’t end there. China has numerous additional territorial disputes with countries it doesn’t even border. Most of these disputes are maritime, and include countries such as Indonesia, South Korea, and Singapore.

Back on the mainland, China shares a border with 14 other countries. The only other country in the world that borders that many countries is Russia, which also borders 14 other countries. In alphabetical order, those 14 countries that border China are:

2. China’s Longest Border is with Mongolia, not Russia

Because Mongolia sits wedged between China and Russia, it comprises China’s longest land border. At 4,630 km (2,877 mi), the China-Mongolia border is the fourth longest land border in the world. Only the Argentina-Chile, Russia-Kazakhstan, and US-Canada borders are longer. On the other hand, China’s shortest border is its disputed border with Pakistan. That border is only 320 km (200 mi) long.

3. Both the Highest Point, Highest Plateau, and Highest Border Crossing in the World are Located in China

The Himalayas form China’s southwest frontier with Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Bhutan. Home to all fourteen 8,000 meter peaks, the Himalayas are the tallest mountain range in the world. At 8,893 meters (29,032 feet) above sea level, the summit of Mount Everest is the highest point in the world. And that summit forms part of the border between Nepal and China.

The Top of the World

Unlike Nepal’s multi-day trek, you can actually drive directly to Everest base camp on the Tibet side on a well-maintained paved road. However, it’s a much easier climb to the summit on the Nepal side, which is why most climbers start their journey up Everest in Kathmandu, and not in Lhasa.

The Roof of the World

North of Everest, you’ll find the Tibetan Plateau covers much of southwest China, and even stretches into several neighboring countries. Stretching roughly 2.5 million square kilometers (970,000 square miles), the Tibetan Plateau is both the largest and highest plateau in the world.

At an average elevation of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet), it has earned its nickname “The Roof of the World”. Sitting in the shadow of Everest, the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, is the highest capital city in the world. Lhasa checks in at a whopping 3,658 meters (12,000 feet) above sea level. For comparison, that’s roughly the same elevation of the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass (US-6) in Colorado, and about 300 meters (1,000 feet) higher than the highest point on Interstate 70.

While much of the plateau is arid desert and tundra, you will find several lakes dotted amongst the rugged landscape. Interestingly, these lakes are far from the highest lakes in the world. You’ll find most of the world’s highest lakes in the Andes mountains in South America.

The Highest Border Crossing in the World

Completed in 1982, the highway across Khunjerab Pass marks the highest paved border crossing in the world. Connecting Hunza, Pakistan and Xinjiang, China, Khunjerab Pass sits at 4,693 meters (15,397 feet) above sea level. Interestingly, the pass is long and relatively flat, making it both one of the most scenic drives in the world and a popular choice for trucks to cross between Pakistan and China. However, heavy snow can close the pass any time of year, making it a potentially treacherous journey for even the most seasoned adventurers.

4. China Has Only One Time Zone

One of the most fascinating oddities about China is the fact that despite it being roughly the same size as the United States, it only has one time zone. Not surprisingly, that one time zone is optimized for China’s capital, Beijing. If the United States did this, cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle would be observing Eastern Time instead of Pacific Time.

As a result, in the City of Urumqi in far western China, sunrises and sunsets are at unusual times. Near the summer solstice, the sun rises at 8:30 AM and sets at 11:45 PM. Likewise, in the winter, daylight runs As a result, Urumqi unofficially sets their clocks 2 hours behind Beijing, but the time zone can still be confusing to visitors.

If that’s enough, China having one time zone causes some unusual time changes when you cross its western borders. For example, if you cross from China into Afghanistan at Wakhjir Pass, the Afghani side will be three and half hours behind the Chinese side. That is actually the largest official time difference between two sides of any land border in the world.

However, that’s far from the most drastic time change across international borders. You may recall that the Diomede Islands sit just 4 km (2.5 mi) apart, but have a 21-hour time difference thanks to the maritime border between the United States and Russia running between them.

5. 28% of China is Desert…and that Figure is Growing

The Gobi Desert, which covers southern Mongolia and northern China, is responsible for the vast majority of China’s desert. The Gobi is best known for its sand dunes, rare wildlife, and cold temperatures. However, the Gobi Desert’s dunes are migrating south at roughly 2 miles (4.5 km) per year. Like the Indiana Dunes, they swallow everything in their path, including towns. And they’re training their crosshairs on a much bigger target. The nearest dunes are now only about 44 miles (71 km) from Beijing.

To combat the rapid desertification, China is attempting to build a 2,800 mile long “Great Green Wall” of trees to halt the Gobi Desert’s southward creep. While the Great Green Wall has slowed the dunes progress in some areas since the first trees were planted in 1978, the Gobi continues to march south unimpeded across much of the landscape.

Additionally, much of the Tibetan Plateau is classified as a desert. A rain shadow from the Himalayas is the reason that both the Tibetan Plateau desert and the Gobi Desert exist. Interestingly, China’s deserts are among the largest cold weather deserts in the world outside of the polar regions. Winter temperatures in the Gobi routinely drop to -40°C (-40°F). But don’t let the cold weather part fool you. Average high temperatures in the Gobi summer can reach 45°C (113°F).

6. The Great Wall of China Does not Actually Mark any of China’s Current Borders

Originally built to protect ancient Chinese states and Imperial China from nomadic tribes in present-day Mongolia, the Great Wall of China is the largest man-made structure on earth. It stretches endlessly for 21,196 km (13,171 mi) across much of northern China. If you stretched that out in a straight line, it would go half way around the world. Construction of the wall took nearly 3,000 years.

The Great Wall of China did once mark China’s northern border. The Ming Dynasty built over 8,000 km (5,000 mi) on its northern border, which at the time ran just north of Beijing, between 1368 and 1644. Once the Ming Dynasty fell, the Qing Dynasty rose to power. By 1912, they had expanded China’s territory to include all of what’s present-day China and Mongolia. Today, the Great Wall marks an incredible piece of history and engineering, but has no significance to China’s current borders.

7. Despite Having the World’s Largest Population, Over 60% of China is Uninhabited

Much of that 60% is uninhabitable due to extreme climate. For example, the Tibetan Plateau is an empty, arid, and rugged landscape. Its high altitude and extreme temperatures make it incredibly difficult for all but the heartiest of creatures to survive. Most of the rest of western China is cold desert. Because China’s economy is so heavily reliant on agricultural exports, cold temperatures and the lack of precipitation renders much of the west useless for farming and agriculture. You simply cannot generate sufficient economic output from the western lands.

The Heihe-Tengchong Line marks several stark divides between eastern and western China. Most notably, 94% of China’s 1.4 billion people – the largest population in the world – lives in the 40% of China east of the Heihe-Tengchong Line.

The Heihe-Tengchong Line also starkly divides other demographics, climatology, and geographies.

8. General Tso was a Real Person

Zuo Zongtang was a highly respected Chinese statesman from Hunan province. He was also one of the top military men of the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China from 1644 to 1912. His greatest accomplishment was helping the Qing Dyansty beat back the Taiping Rebellion, a bloody civil war that raged across China in the mid-1800’s. He is said to be to China what General Sherman was to the United States.

But unlike General Sherman, Zuo Zongtang is not known for his military accomplishments. In fact, most people couldn’t tell you when he was alive, or even which wars he fought in. That’s because in the modern era, Zuo Zongtang is most associated with something he had no connection to when he was alive. Zuo Zongtang is much better known as General Tso.

When General Tso died in 1885, it would still be 70 years before the tasty chicken dish that’s associated with his name came into being. In the 1950’s Chef Peng Chang-kuei served the first General Tso’s Chicken dish to Chinese Nationals who had fled to Taiwan after China fell to Mao Zedong. Chef Peng was born and raised in the same town as Zuo Zongtang, and decided to name the chicken dish after him. Peng eventually immigrated to New York City in 1973. He brought the General Tso’s Chicken recipe with him. Once the dish hit the United States, it took off, and the rest is history. Today, there are more Chinese restaurants in the United States than all of the McDonald’s, KFCs, Pizza Huts, Taco Bells and Wendy’s combined.

9. China’s Train System is so Extensive its Railways Could Wrap Around the Earth…Nearly Four Times

There are over 150,000 kilometers (91,000 miles) of operational railways in China. Today, over 40,000 km (25,000 mi) of those railways are for high-speed trains. Unlike the United States, most of China’s freight moves by train, which is why China’s rail network is so extensive. A long term plan expands the rail network to 274,000 km (170,000 mi) by 2050.

So let’s dive into the math. The earth’s circumference is 40,000 kilometers, or 25,000 miles.

150,000 km / 40,000 km = 3.75 times around the Earth

10. China has Two “Flipper Bridges”, Where You Switch From Driving on the Right to Driving on the Left

Have you ever crossed an international border where traffic switches from driving on the right to driving on the left, or vice versa? Sure, it’s easy to handle at some of the hole-in-the-wall border crossings in rural Africa where so few cars pass through.

In instances where there are more cars, you can use a traffic light to cross the traffic over to the other side of the road. That’s exactly what they do at the Thai-Lao Friendship bridge. Inbound traffic into Vientaine, the Lao Capital, must cross from driving on the left in Thailand to driving on the right in Laos. A traffic light controls the crossover right before you reach the Lao port of entry. In the map below, the crossover is right above the “ST Vegas” icon in the center of the map.

But what if you’re trying to link two major cities in a heavy traffic area? China has exactly this problem, not once, but twice. While mainland China drives on the right side of the road, both Hong Kong and Macau drive on the left. The bridges from China to both Hong Kong and Macau are called “flipper bridges” because they flip which side of the road the traffic drives on. The older bridges use a series of loop-de-loops to switch sides, while the newer bridges simply bring one side of the road underneath the other.

A New Multi-Flipper Bridge

In October, 2018, the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge opened. Spanning 55 km (34 mi) over the ocean, it’s the longest oversea bridge in the world. Furthermore, the bridge doesn’t just link two points. It links three: Mainland China, Macau, and Hong Kong. If you were designing this bridge, how would you handle the traffic and which side of the road it drives on?

To stay in line with mainland China, traffic on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge drives on the right. Just before traffic enters Macau and Hong Kong, the inbound traffic is brought underneath the outbound traffic. That way, traffic is driving on the left as it enters Macau and Hong Kong.

Conclusion

China is one of the most fascinating, yet misunderstood countries out there. From switching what side of the road you drive on to only having one time zone to the roof of the world, there’s a geographic oddity for everyone. While China rightfully gets a lot of criticism for its censorship and repression today, I think we could all use a lesson in its lengthy, rich, and captivating history. It tells an incredible story of how China got to where it is today. Have you ever traveled to China and experienced one of these oddities? Let us know in the comments below.

Top Photo: Snow-Capped Sierra Nevada
South Lake Tahoe, California – February, 2020

The post Weird Geography: 10 Bizarre and Unusual Facts About China appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

1. Chile Stretches from 17°S to 56°S Latitude, a Distance of 4,270 km (2,653 mi).

That may not sound like a whole lot, but think about it this way. If you were to put the southern tip of Chile over Los Angeles, its northern tip would be out in the Arctic Ocean north of Canada and Alaska.

For a little perspective of just how big Chile is from north to south, let’s look at what cities and landmarks sit at its latitudinal extremes in the Northern Hemisphere.

As the crow flies, if you were to travel from the northern tip of Chile to the southern tip, you will have covered the same distance as if you had traveled from Darwin, Australia to Bangkok, Thailand. Closer to home, if you fly from Juneau, Alaska to Houston, Texas, that’s also the equivalent of flying the length of Chile.

2. At Its Widest Point, Chile is 350 km (217 mi) Wide

From a geographical standpoint, Chile is the skinniest country in the world. At its widest, it’s only 350 km (217 mi) wide. Most U.S. States west of the Mississippi River are wider than that. That’s roughly the distance from

• New York City to Washington, DC
• Toronto to Ottawa
• Los Angeles to Las Vegas
• Dallas to Houston
• Cleveland to Cincinnati
• London to Paris
• Copenhagen to Berlin

Despite Being So Skinny, Chile Actually Has Three Time Zones

For comparison, the continental United States has four time zones. However, Chile’s three time zones are a bit misleading, because one of them belongs to Easter Island, which sits out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It’s the equivalent of Hawaii having its own time zone in the US.

Now, it takes an even more bizarre twist. The time zone line in mainland Chile is parallel to lines of latitude, meaning it separates north from south instead of east and west. But when you put it on a map, it does actually make some sense. It’s only the Magallanes Province in the very southern tip Chile that’s in a different time zone from the rest of the country. That’s where Chile actually bends to the east, under Argentina.

3. Chile is the 36th Largest Country in the World by Surface Area

Despite its notable lack of width, Chile gets its surface area from its vast north-south reach. Perhaps one the most surprising facts about Chile is that it’s actually smaller than its neighbor, Bolivia. Have a look at the map. I’d bet you wouldn’t guess that at first glance.

Interestingly, Chile is also smaller than Nigeria. If you pan the above map to the northeast slightly, you’ll see Nigeria on the west coast of Africa. You can make the comparison for yourself. It’s also slightly larger than the State of Texas.

4. Excluding Antarctica, Chile is Home to the Southernmost Point in the Southern Hemisphere.

You can find that point at Águila Islet, in the Diego Ramírez Islands. At 56°32’16″S, it’s notably further south than the southernmost points in Africa or Oceania. In fact, the Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego region advertises itself as the Southernmost Point in the world.

5. The Southern Tip of Chile and Argentina is the Snowiest Region in the Southern Hemisphere

While the Southern Hemisphere doesn’t get anywhere near the amount of snow that the Northern Hemisphere does in the winter, it has its fair share of snowy hotspots. Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego are well-known for being one the premier outdoor winter destinations in the world. The City of Ushuaia, Argentina, which sits on the border with Chile, averages over 118 cm (46 inches) of snow per year.

While Patagonia has recorded snowfall in every month of the year, June is typically the snowiest month in southern Chile and Argentina. Ushuaia averages 16 days of snowfall in June, with 23 cm (9 inches) of snow accumulation.

6. Chile is also Home to the Driest Desert in the World

It comes as a surprise to many people, but for a country that hugs the coast of South America, the majority of Chile is covered in desert. And it’s not just any desert. It’s the driest desert in the world. Beating out Death Valley, the Sahara, and the Arabian desert, the Atacama Desert surrounds the abandoned town of Yungay. The desert as a whole averages only 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain per year. That makes it 50 times drier than Death Valley. And the Atacama Desert’s driest locations? They’re lucky if they get 1 to 3 mm (0.04 to 0.12 inches) of rain per year.

Interestingly, Chile’s deserts are not particularly known for their heat, unlike the deserts in the Northern Hemisphere, or the Australian Outback. And it’s not due to elevation, either. Yungay sits at only 268 m (897 ft) above sea level, which is lower than Phoenix, Arizona. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Chile was 37.7°C (99.9°F) at Santiago on 20 January, 2017. That’s a stark contrast to the Northern Hemisphere deserts that routinely hit 45 to 50°C (115 to 120°F) in the summer!

7. Chile is the Driest Country in the World

If I asked you to name the driest country in the world, what would your first guess be? Probably a country in the Sahara or the Middle East. Saudi Arabia would be a good guess. It’s the only country in the world without rivers. As would some of the colder landlocked desert countries in Central Asia. I’m talking about countries like Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan. Nope, those are all wrong.

Chile is actually the driest country in the world, despite its 6,400 km of coastline and its proximity to the ocean. What’s even more, cloud cover is a fairly frequent sight in Chile. The rain just doesn’t make it to the ground. Why is that?

In Chile, the unique combination of tall mountains and dry deserts work together to both prevent rain and to reinforce each other. As moist air from the Pacific Ocean passes over the mountains, the mountains ring rain out of the air like you ring out a sponge. By the time the air gets to the other side, there’s no more moisture in it. This phenomenon is exactly why the deserts in the western United States exist.

Furthermore, Chile’s deserts are large enough and dry enough that they can actually block rain from reaching the ground. When rain falls through a dry layer, it starts to evaporate. When that dry layer is dry enough and thick enough, the rain simply evaporates before it reaches the ground. The combination of a powerful rain shadow and the mountains blocking moisture from reaching these locations in the first place is why Chile is the driest country in the world. Some parts of Chile haven’t seen rain in over 500 years.

8. Chile is the Coldest Country in the Southern Hemisphere

Interestingly, it’s only the 32nd coldest country in the world. Countries in the Southern Hemisphere are usually warmer then their Northern Hemisphere Counterparts for two reasons. First, the land mass in the northern hemisphere stretches much more poleward. The southernmost point in the Southern Hemisphere is at 56°S. The entire State of Alaska sits above 56°N. Additionally, parts of Canada and Russia reach latitudes of 80°N. Second, the peninsula is surrounded by water, which helps keep temperature extremes at bay.

Chile sees an average temperature of 8.45°C (47.2°F) per year. It saw its coldest temperature ever recorded on 21 June, 2002, when the mercury at Puesto Viejo dropped to -40°C (-40°F).

How Do Other Countries Compare?

For comparison, here are the average temperatures of comparable countries.

9. At Its Closest Point, Chile is Less Than 1,000 km (620 mi) from Antarctica

It’s no surprise that if you want to get to Antarctica, you have to go through either Chile or Argentina. The two most popular departure points are Punta Arenas, Chile and Ushuaia, Argentina. During the very short summer season (December to early February), ships routinely depart from both ports, and can reach Antarctica in about 48 hours. You can also fly to Antarctica. However, there are no commercial flights, and weather can be unpredictable, making it one of the most expensive flights around.

The shortest gap between Chile and Antarctica is the Drake Passage. Separating the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, it’s about 985 km (610 mi) from Chile to Antarctica. The Drake Passage has a fierce reputation for being one of the most treacherous voyages for ships to make. However, everyone who has successfully crossed it to Antarctica said it was well worth it and that a trip to Antarctica should be on your bucket list. It’s certainly on mine.

10. The border between Argentina and Chile is one of the Most Stunning Natural Borders in the World

Stretching 5,308 km (3,298 mi) across the spine of the Andes mountains, the Chile-Argentina border is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful natural frontiers in the world. It’s also the third longest international land border in the world. Only the borders between the United States and Canada and between Russia and Kazakhstan are longer. Because the terrain is so rugged, much of the land remains uninhabited, untouched, and pure natural beauty.

Ruta Nacional 40 on the Argentina Side of the Border is one of the Most Scenic Drives in the World.

Looking into Argentina from Chile in Tierra del Fuego

Heading East Towards the Paso de Jama Port of Entry in Northern Chile’s Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos

Conclusion

Chile is one of the most beautiful, unique, and fascinating countries in the world. With so much to offer, it’s no wonder Chile is one of the premier locations in the world for outdoor adventures, nature enthusiasts, and much more. It’s certainly an experience that’s on my bucket list. Is it on yours?

Top Photo: Stunning Snow-Capped Mountains Surrounding Lake Tahoe
Incline Village, Nevada – February, 2020

The post Weird Geography: 10 Bizarre and Unusual Facts About Chile appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

1. Algeria is the Largest African Nation and the 10th Largest Nation in the World

Covering a massive 2.38 million square kilometers, Algeria just barely edges out the Democratic Republic of Congo (2.34 million square kilometers) as the largest country in Africa. The difference in size between the two nations is roughly the size of the US State of Indiana.

One aspect of African history that makes it particularly fascinating is that geographies are constantly changing. Algeria has only been the largest country in Africa since 2011. Any guesses as to which country held the title prior to Algeria? I’ll give you a hint: it’s a country that still exists today.

Prior to 2011, Sudan was the largest country in Africa, checking in at 2.51 million square kilometers. On 9 July, 2011, South Sudan broke off from Sudan and became its own country. As a result, the ensuing reduction in size dropped Sudan from the ninth to the sixteenth largest country in the world. But that’s a story for another day.

So just how big is Algeria? If you overlay it on a map of the United States, it covers the middle third of America almost perfectly.

Now, despite it being the largest country in Africa…

2. Only 12% of the Country’s Land Mass is Inhabited

The Sahara Desert covers the vast majority of Algeria. It’s one of the most extreme environments on the planet. Temperatures in the Sahara can reach 55°C (131°F), and going three or four years between rainfalls is quite common.

Nonetheless, Algerians haven’t let that fact stand in their way. Only 3% of Algeria’s land mass is cultivated, but that’s enough to feed their population self-sufficiently. Less than 1% of Algeria is forest.

So just how inhospitable and uninhabitable is the Sahara? We can explain it with simple math. The Sahara covers 88% of Algeria. What’s 100% minus 88%? 12%. And how much of Algeria’s land mass is inhabited? Yes, that Sahara really is that extreme and inhospitable.

3. Algeria is Home to Some of the World’s Largest Sand Dunes

Aptly named the Isaouane-n-Tifernine Sand Sea, the dunes in eastern Algeria are the largest in Africa. The dunes cover an area roughly the size of Kentucky and stretch into neighboring Libya. They tower up to 465 meters (1,525 feet) above the desert floor, reaching elevations of 2,000 meters (6,000 feet) above sea level. If you thought tromping through soft sand was tough, try doing it at elevation.

As for the tallest sand dunes in the world? It surprises a lot of people, but the top 3 tallest sand dunes are all in South America. Reaching elevations of nearly 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) above sea level, you can find them in Argentina, Peru, and Chile respectively.

4. Algeria was Once Part of France and Remains Rich with French Culture to this Day

Like much of West Africa, Algeria fell to French colonization efforts in the 19th century. The French occupation of Algeria began when they landed in Algiers in 1830. The French conquest of Algeria was bloody and brutal, killing untold members of Algeria’s indigenous population.

“[The French] had been for over a hundred years in Algeria and were determined that it was part of France, and they damn well were going to stay there. Of course, there was a very strong school of thought in the rest of Africa that they damn well weren’t.”

Joseph C. Satterthwaite, US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, in 1961

While their relations were never great, the relationship between France and Algeria improved in the early 20th century. In 1961, the Algerian people voted overwhelmingly (about 80%) for independence from France. Following several failed coup attempts, French leader Charles de Gaulle formally recognized Algeria’s independence in 1962. Algeria’s relationship with France has remained close since then, but there have been difficult times.

130 Years of French Occupation Leaves Its Mark on Algerian Culture

Walk through any city or town in northern Algeria and you’ll find a melting pot of cultural influences dating back over 2,000 years. However, you’ll find French influences to be the strongest simply because they have been the most recent power to occupy Algeria. You’ll find plenty of French food, art, literature, and more. Over the years, Algeria has also been a part of Spain, Italy, and Turkey, so be sure to keep a look out for those influences as well.

While not one of Algeria’s official languages, French is widely spoken throughout the country. The French language is used in Algeria much in the same manner that Spanish is used in the United States. Road signs are all bilingual in both Arabic and French. The same goes for billboards, newspapers, menus, and pretty much anything else that’s in written form.

Why is French Not One of Algeria’s Official Languages?

If you travel south across West Africa, from Sénégal down to the Congo, you’ll find that many of France’s former colonies still not only speak French, but use it as their official language. Algeria is one notable exception. Its neighbor Tunisia is the other.

So why did these two neighbors not adopt French as their official language? It boils down to two reasons.

First, the Arabs first colonized Algeria in the 8th Century as they sought fertile lands on the Mediterranean shores to grow their crops. When the Arabs came, they brought Islam with them. As a result, Algeria has been an Islamic Nation for over 1,200 years.

The Arabic language is critically important to Islam. Muslims believe that Arabic was chosen by Allah, and that the holy scripture (the Quran) shall be written entirely in, and only in Arabic. Therefore, in order to fully understand the word of Allah, all Muslims must learn to read and speak Arabic. Modern linguistic scholars have revealed that the Quran is written is such precise Arabic, that it is nearly impossible to translate it into other languages without losing any meaning.

Most Islamic nations have carried this belief into their system of government. Indeed, have a look around the nations of the Muslim world. You’ll notice they all have one thing in common. They all use only one official language: Arabic.

Second, the French occupation of Algeria was such a dark period in its history. Untold numbers of Algerians died as a result of French colonization. You really can’t fault them for wanting to distance themselves from that.

5. Algeria is a Land of Temperature Extremes…But It’s Got Nothing on Russia and Canada

It’s no secret that desert environments can be extreme, especially when it comes to wild temperature swings. Just have a look at Algeria’s all-time temperature records.

The concept of temperature records in Algeria is actually hotly contested. If you do a quick Google search for Algeria’s all-time record high temperature, you’ll find a surprising range of claims. It turns out that weather data has not always been reliably measured or recorded, so records are broken into two categories: the hottest temperature ever reliably measured and the hottest temperature ever recorded. You’ll find numerous claims of air temperatures between 60°C and 65°C (140°F to 150°F) in Algeria. However, meteorologists have debunked those claims time and time again.

Russia and Canada put Algeria’s Temperature Range to Shame

For being in such a temperate climate, Algeria has an impressive temperature range. There’s no doubt about it. But unfortunately, Algeria doesn’t get cold enough to compete with the true champions of the temperature range. For that, you’ll need to turn to two countries that are well-known for their brutal, bone-chilling winters: Russia and Canada.

6. The Rarest and Most Elusive Carnivore in the World Lives in Algeria

The Northwest African Cheetah, also known as the Saharan Cheetah, is a critically endangered species native to the Sahara Desert. As of 2008, there were estimated to only be at most 250 of them left on Earth. In March, 2020, the Office National du Parc Culturel de l’Ahaggar captured footage of the first Saharan Cheetah to be seen in over 10 years. A game camera recorded the cheetah inside of Parc Culturel de l’Ahaggar (Ahaggar Cultural Park) in southern Algeria.

7. The World’s Most Dangerous and Deadly Road Runs Across Algeria

Algeria is widely regarded as one of the safest and most stable countries in the Arab world. So how did it wind up with the world’s most dangerous and deadly road? Your mind is probably drawn to the images of extremist insurgent groups traversing war-torn countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, or Yemen. But those groups are non-existent in Algeria.

The road’s danger and deadliness is not attributed to the people on it. On the contrary, it’s the lack of people on it. The Trans-Sahara Highway stretches for 4,500 km (2,800 mi) from Algiers, Algeria to Lagos, Nigeria. For reference, if you flew from Boston, Massachusetts to Bogotá, Colombia, you would have traveled 4,200 km. Running through the guts of the Sahara desert, it’s one of the truest and most extreme adventures in Africa that attracts only the bravest and most foolhardy.

Successfully completing the journey requires a lot of skill, and a little luck. The Trans-Sahara Highway is one of the most difficult passages on the planet. You’ll need a specially outfitted 4×4 and plenty of desert experience to survive the extreme and harsh environment. Even though 85% of the route is paved, much of the pavement is littered with potholes and in disrepair. In addition, daytime temperatures often hit 50°C (122°F) and sandstorms bury the highway under massive drifts of sand on a regular basis. There are no services or supplies along the route. If you break down or have a medical emergency, you’re on your own. You better know how to fix it or treat it. And then there’s all of the bureaucracy you have to deal with if you want to cross any of the international borders along the route.

So what attracts so many adventurers to the Trans-Sahara Highway? The opportunity to experience the Sahara at its most mesmerizing. You’ll get to see something that very few others have, in its rawest and most pristine form.

8. Despite Being Almost Entirely Desert, Algeria is Full of Marine Fossils

From a climatological standpoint, the Sahara is absolutely fascinating. In some of its most uninhabitable locations, archaeologists have found fossils of tropical jungle plants, mangroves, fish, and even whales. Furthermore, they have uncovered evidence of ponds, lakes, and oceans in the middle of the Sahara.

How does all of this marine evidence wind up in the middle of the world’s largest desert? If we look at what archaeologists have uncovered in the Sahara, it’s clear that it hasn’t always been a vast desert.

Every 20,000 years, there is a wobble in the Earth’s orbit that causes a dramatic shift in the tropical monsoon over Central Africa. Depending on the direction of the orbit, the monsoon either shifts north, over the Sahara, or shifts south, over equatorial Africa. As a result, the Sahara cycles back and forth between a “Desert Sahara” and a “Green Sahara”.

Uncovering Evidence of a Green Sahara

The first step to confirming the existence of a Green Sahara is to look at the deposits of Saharan dust in core samples taken in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa, as well as in both North and South America. In those core samples, there is a significant reduction in dust deposits every 20,000 years. During the Green Sahara, trees, vegetation, and water hold the soil in place, preventing the massive sand storms that are common during the Desert Sahara.

Furthermore, archaeologists have also found paintings and sculptures depicting the Green Sahara in places no civilization would survive today. Coupled with the marine fossils found in the Sahara, we can paint a pretty clear mental picture of what the Green Sahara looked like.

What Does the Green Sahara Look Like?

Because the Sahara covers such a vast area, the Green Sahara is diverse. You’ll find swamps that resemble the Florida Everglades, and dense jungles like you’d find in South America or Southeast Asia. There will also be lush savannah and grasslands that closely resemble the ones you find in Kenya or Tanzania.

But most important for the survival of civilizations is the presence of water. The Green Sahara was covered in ponds and lakes. Some lakes were likely the size of the Great Lakes, if not bigger. There was more than enough water in the Green Sahara to support human, plant, and animal life.

When Is the Next Transition to the Green Sahara?

The most recent transition from the Green Sahara to the current Desert Sahara occurred about 5,500 years ago. The drying of the Sahara as it underwent that transition forced people living in what is currently Egypt to abandon their homes and re-settle along the Nile River. This migration gave rise to cities that eventually became the Ancient Egyptian Civilization.

The next transition back to the Green Sahara is still about 15,000 years away. Once the African monsoon shifts, it takes between 100 and 200 years to complete the transition. To put that into perspective, if the transition had started during the American Civil War in the 1860’s, it would be just barely complete today.

9. Algerian Cherries and Dates are Widely Renowned as the Best in the World

Thanks to its moderate, but diverse climates along its northern Mediterranean coast, Algeria is world-famous for its cherries and dates. And they’re not just great. They’re widely considered to be the best in the world. Don’t forget that at its closest point, Algeria is only about 220 km (135 mi) from Italy and 150 km (90 mi) from Spain, and we all know how good the fruits and veggies from both of those countries are.

10. Algerian Vexillology Tells a Fascinating Story of the Country’s History

The Algerian flag is very simple, but tells a fascinating story of the country’s history, going back at least 1,200 years. Designed when Algeria gained its independence from France in 1962, the flag is nothing more than a red star and crescent on a field that’s half green and half white. But its symbolism stretches far deeper than that.

• The green field is a symbol of Islam. The flags of most Middle Eastern and Islamic Nations nations have green on them.
• White symbolizes peace and purity.
• The star and crescent emblem can be traced back when the Ottoman Empire ruled Algeria prior to the French colonization. It’s also a symbol of Islam. You can find a very similar symbol of the flag of Turkey, which is where the Ottoman Empire originated.
• The red color actually has two meanings. It symbolizes the blood that the Algerian people shed during the war of independence from France. It’s also another link to the Ottoman Empire, which used the same flag Turkey does today. The Turkish flag is red with a white star and crescent on it.

And on a side note, a big shout out to The Big Bang Theory for introducing me to the term “vexillology” back in the day.

Bonus: A Few Extra Facts

Because Algeria is such a fascinating country, here are a few bonus bizarre facts.

• Algeria was called Numidia in ancient times. The name comes from a people who were well known for their horse-drawn army. Numidians later came to be known as Berbers. Today, Berber is one of the national languages of Algeria.
• It’s the largest oat market in Africa, and one of the largest producers of artichokes and watermelons in the world.
• Despite the fact that French is not an official language, Algeria is currently the second-largest French-speaking community in the world. Over 2/3 of the population can speak French, mostly as a second language. In 2016, 68% of Algerians that used Facebook posted in French.
• The furthest capital from Algiers (as the crow flies) is Wellington, New Zealand, which sits a whopping 19,141 km (11,894 mi) away

Conclusion

We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Algeria’s history and culture. One of the aspects I love about writing this Weird Geography series is just how much I learn about these countries as I research them. This was especially true for Algeria because my studies of French culture did not cover Algeria at all. As a result, the whole melting pot of cultures along the north coast of Africa has been giving me that “tug” for quite a while now. Whether you’re interested in Algeria’s history, culture, or climate, it offers something for everyone. Where will your next adventure take you?

Top Photo: Hikers Cross Seemingly Endless Sand Dunes
Death Valley National Park, California – February, 2020

The post Weird Geography: 10 Bizarre and Unusual Facts About Algeria appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

As wild as Australia’s frontiers can be, its also has its fair share of crazy geographic oddities. Unfortunately, Australia remains closed to the rest of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so you’ll have to settle for a virtual trip there. Let’s look at some of the more, well, let’s just call it odd side of Australian geography. You may find yourself doing a double-take with some of these, but rest assured, they are all true.

1. Australia is Roughly the Same Size as the United States.

At 2.97 million square miles, Australia would be the world’s largest island. However, it’s hotly debated whether Australia should be considered an island. The mainland United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) is slightly larger, at 3.1 million square miles. Here they are overlaid on each other.

2. Australia Only Has 6 States (Plus 3 Internal Territories)

Australia’s states are huge. They’re bigger than most US States and Canadian Provinces. Even Tasmania, Australia’s smallest state, is larger than 12 US States. At 92,000 square kilometers, Tasmania is roughly the same size as Indiana.

Consider Australia’s largest state. At 2.6 million square kilometers, Western Australia takes up the western third of Australia. Just how big is it?

• 1 million square kilometers larger than Alaska
• 4 times the size of Texas
• Half a million square kilometers larger than Nunavut (Canada)
• Over 1 million square kilometers larger than Québec

Fun Fact: Queensland shares the same nickname as Florida. Both states are called The Sunshine State.

3. Contrary to Popular Belief, Sydney is not the Capital of Australia

Sydney is the capital of the State of New South Wales, but it’s not the capital of Australia. Canberra is the capital of Australia. Founded in 1913, Canberra is Australia’s largest inland city and eighth largest city overall.

After the Federation of Australian Colonies was established in 1901, a great debate ensued. Should the capital be established in Sydney or in Melbourne? As a compromise, the capital would be built in New South Wales, as long as it was at least 100 miles (160 km) from Sydney. As a result, Canberra was founded and established as Australia’s capital in 1913.

Fun Fact: In the native Aborigine language, Canberra means “woman’s breasts”. It got its name because the city is cradled between two mountains.

4. Australia is the Only Continent in the World Without an Active Volcano

Of all the things in Australia that can kill you, volcanoes are not one of them. In fact, Australia is surprisingly immune to natural disasters. Other than its infamous bush fires and the occasional cyclone (hurricane), you don’t have to worry about much from Mother Nature. As for the the snakes, spiders, crocodiles, and other poisonous critters running around Australia? That’s a whole different story.

5. Australia has the world’s longest golf course. It measures more than 1,365 km (850 mi) long.

Nope, that’s not a type-o. The Nullarbor Links Golf Course is unlike any in the world. Stretching from Kalgoorlie, Western Australia to Ceduna, South Australia, each participating town or roadhouse along the Eyre highway has its own hole. Each hole features a tee, a green, and a “fairway” made up of natural, rugged Outback terrain.

When you add it all up, the 18-hole par 72 course stretches 1,365 kilometers, or 850 miles.

6. 90% of Australia’s Population Lives Within an Hour of the Coast

In fact, 4 out of every 5 Australians live within 50 km (30 mi) of the coast. The reason? Much of interior Australia is comprised of The Outback, which is a relentless, uninhabitable, and massive desert.

It is not uncommon for Outback temperatures to reach 50°C (122°F) in the summer. Driving across the Outback is not for the faint of heart, but is one of the most satisfying adventures in which you can partake in Australia.

7. The largest cattle station in the world is located in Australia and it’s bigger than Israel

Located in the state of South Australia about 700 km northwest of Adelaide, The Anna Creek Cattle Station is the largest working cattle station in the world. It covers an area of 23,677 km² (5.85 million acres), or roughly the size of Israel. For comparison, the largest ranch in the United States – the King Ranch in Texas – covers just 3,340 km² (830,000 acres).

So just how many countries is the Anna Creek Cattle Station larger than? It’s larger than about 45 countries. Here are some of the more notable ones.

8. You can fly from Perth to Melbourne faster than you can fly from one end of Western Australia to the other.

This boils down to distance, with a little assist from the weather. As the crow flies, it’s 2,700 km from Perth to Melbourne. And the distance across Western Australia? Basically the same: 2,650 km.

So why does it take less time to fly the longer distance? Much like the United States, you are much more likely to have westerly tailwinds as you fly eastbound across Australia.

9. If You Visit One New Beach in Australia Every Day, It Would Take Over 32 Years to See Them All

Australia has over 12,000 beaches along its renowned 60,000 km coastline. Visiting 365 beaches a year, it would take 32.8 years to get to 12,000.

10. At 5,614 km (3,488 mi), Australia is Home to the World’s Longest Fence

Stretching across three states through the heart of the Strzelecki desert, it’s an Australian landmark. Since the fence was first built in the early 20th century, it had one job: keep dingoes out of fertile land.

Interestingly, the fence has had a major impact on the environment. Because dingoes eat kangaroos and kangaroos eat grass, there is much less grass on the dingo-less side of the fence. The effect is so stark you can actually see it from space, though it’s not obvious on the satellite images. A recent study showed that after five years, kangaroo-free plots on the dingo-free side of the fence looked like islands of grass in an otherwise barren desert.

To give you an idea of just how long the Australian dingo fence is, my 2019 road trip across Mexico, the US, and Canada, was 5,500 km. As the crow flies, the dingo fence would cover some eye-opening distances.

• Anchorage, Alaska to Guadalajara, Mexico
• Paris, France to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
• Cape Town, South Africa to Khartoum, Sudan
• Bangkok, Thailand to Chelyabinsk, Russia

Bonus: The Australian Alps Get More Snow Than the Alps in Europe

I know, you didn’t know the Alps were in Australia, did you? They sit on the border between Victoria and New South Wales in the southeastern corner of Australia. Reaching a maximum elevation of 2,228 meters (7,310 feet), the Alps’ Mt. Kosciuszko mark the highest point in Australia.

The Australian Alps are a mecca for skiing and one of the most underrated spots in the world for winter sports. Because of Australia’s location in the Southern Hemisphere, its peak ski season runs from June to September. Ski buffs routinely make the pilgrimage to take advantage of being able to ski during the Northern Hemisphere summer.

What surprises most people, however, is not so much the fact that it snows in Australia, but rather that the Australian Alps actually get more snow that the Alps in Europe during their respective winters. The reason is simple. The Australian Alps are very close to the coast, while the Swiss and Italian Alps sit quite a ways inland. The ocean is one of the best sources of moisture to dump lots of snow, particularly at high elevations, in the wintertime.

Conclusion

Australia is well known for its rugged terrain, wild frontiers, and extraordinary adventures. From is beautiful beaches to its searing deserts to its Alps, Australia offers something for everyone. Once the world fully reopens from Covid, Australia is certainly on my bucket list. What’s on yours?

Top Photo: Overlook along Scenic Highway 12
Boulder, Utah – June, 2012

The post Weird Geography: 10 Bizarre and Unusual Facts About Australia appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

Since the world has still yet to fully reopen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, let’s take a virtual trip. We’ll learn about just what makes the DRC so alluring to so many travelers. It’s a culturally rich country that offers as raw and wild of an African experience as you can get. Like the challenge of climbing Mt. Everest, the Democratic Republic of Congo draws seasoned travelers looking for the ultimate adventure.

In addition to learning about the Congo’s incredibly diverse geography, we’ll explore some history, culture, and other items that are uniquely Congolese.

1. The DRC capital, Kinshasa, sits across the river from Brazzaville. They are the closest capital cities in the world.

Just 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) separates downtown Kinshasa, the DRC capital, from downtown Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. Despite that, it’s surprisingly difficult to cross between the two capitals. There are no bridges, so the only option is to take a ferry across. If you’re tempted to drive between the two cities, the fastest route is a six-hour drive. There is a plan to build a bridge between Brazzaville and Kinshasa, but it’s unclear if or when construction will get underway.

Another fun fact: believe it or not, you can also fly from Brazzaville to Kinshasa. It’s the shortest international flight in the world.

2. In 2015, Kinshasa passed Paris to become the largest French-speaking city in the world by population.

Logic would dictate that the world’s largest French-speaking city would be in France. And if it weren’t wouldn’t you think it would be a city like Montréal? Nope. That designation goes to Kinshasa, the Congolese capital. In addition to being the world’s largest French-speaking city, Kinshasa is also the most populous city on the African continent.

In addition, Kinshasa is now one of the world’s fastest growing megacities. The total population of the Kinshasa-Brazzaville binational metroplex now approaches 20 million. Furthermore, 44% of the world’s 300 million French speakers currently live in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Francophone Africa is growing so rapidly that by 2050, 85% of the world’s French speakers may be on the African continent. When combined with influences of West Africa’s native languages, French culture in Africa is truly a melting pot. It teases even the most seasoned adventurers with tantalizing new surprises in each new country and city you step foot in.

3. The Democratic Republic of Congo is Much Bigger than Most People Realize.

The DRC covers an area of 2,345,409 km² or 905,400 mi². That’s about two and a half times the size of Texas and 1.35 times the size of Alaska. If you overlay the DRC onto a map of the United States, its diagonals stretch from Miami to Minneapolis and from Dallas to Hartford.

If you overlay it over a map of Europe, it covers most of mainland Europe.

And for one final comparison, here’s how it sizes up compared to Alaska.

4. It Takes Months to Drive Across the DRC…If You Can Even Make It.

Driving in the Congo is not for the faint of heart. In fact, you have a far higher chance of successfully summiting Mt. Everest than you do of successfully driving across the DRC.

So why is it so difficult to drive across the Congo? It’s actually pretty simple.

• There are no roads in the DRC. The ones that do exist are dirt tracks hacked through the jungle that are barely passable in a four wheel drive at the best of times.
• Much of the DRC is thick, dense jungle and tropical rainforest. As a result, any roads hacked through this terrain are deep bogs and washed out mud holes.
• There are no mechanics or services outside of Congolese cities. You need to carry everything you need for your journey when you set off. If something breaks, you better have a replacement part or know how to fix it yourself.

And that’s before you consider all of the dangers from corruption, disease, and political instability in certain parts of the country.

Deadliest Roads: A Firsthand Look at the Insanity of Driving in the Congo

If you want a firsthand look into the wild insanity of Congolese trucking, watch the documentary below. The series highlights deadliest roads from all over the world, and I highly encourage you to check out episodes for other countries beyond the DRC.

In 2010, a Belgian couple became the first known people to successfully drive across the DRC in 20 years. It took them 2 months to cover the 2,500 km (1,500 mi) journey from Lubumbashi to Kinshasa in an old Toyota Land Cruiser.

When I read their blog, the event that stood out to me most occurred after one of their breakdowns. They walked to the nearest village to find a mechanic, and the first person they met said without hesitating, “Il n’y a pas de voitures ici” – there are no cars here. You can read about their adventure at Jalopnik (which includes a link to their blog). A quick Google Search will also reveal crazy and incredible stories of people’s attempts to cross the DRC by car.

5. French is the DRC’s Official Language, but Less Than Half the Population Speaks It.

However, this fact is powering an explosive growth of the French language across all of Francophone West Africa. Interestingly, the French language has only been in Africa for a little over 100 years. Belgium colonized what is currently the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1885, introducing both French and Dutch to the area.

The DRC was granted independence from Belgium on 30 June, 1960. Because French was so widely spoken in the surrounding countries, the new Congolese government voted to make French the country’s sole official language. Dutch is no longer present on the African continent.

While French is widely spoken in Congolese cities, it’s hard to find in rural areas. Residents of those rural areas have preferred to speak their native language. There are many native African tongues in the DRC, but the most common language you’ll find is Lingala.

Nowadays, most children are being educated in French instead of their native language. The new generation of French speakers is driving the growth of cities across Francophone Africa. Kinshasa is reaping the greatest benefits of that growth and rapidly becoming a modern, cosmopolitan city.

Keeping Your Congos Straight

Don’t confuse the French Language in Belgian Congo (the DRC) with the French Congo. That’s what is now the Republic of Congo. There was also a Portuguese Congo, which is what is now the Cabinda Province. Cabinda is a small coastal Angolan enclave wedged between the Republic of Congo and the DRC.

6. Names in the DRC Change All the Time

From 1971 to 1997, the DRC was called Zaire. Joseph Mobutu came to power following a coup in 1965, and he renamed the country in 1971. That marked the fourth time in eleven years that the name of the country had changed.

Amazingly, this is not the first time the DRC has been called the Democratic Republic of Congo, either. Mobutu coined that name following the 1965 coup, and the country used the DRC name until 1971. Prior to that, it had been known as the Congo Free State, the Belgian Congo, and Congo-Kinshasa.

After gaining independence in 1960, both Belgian Congo and French Congo claimed the name République du Congo (Republic of Congo). Both nations operated under the République du Congo name until Mobutu added “Democratic” to the DRC name in 1965. The former French Congo is still called République du Congo to this day. The official name of the DRC is République Démocratique du Congo.

And if you have trouble keeping up with the names of the country, try some of its cities. Here’s a short list of some of the DRC cities’ former names.

Oh, and did I mention that in 2015, the DRC’s 11 provinces were split into 26 provinces, including the city-province of Kinshasa, and renamed?

7. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the Most Mineral-Rich Nation in the World.

If you’re looking for a little context about the Anthony Bourdain quotes mentioned above, here you go. The DRC is widely considered to be the richest country in the world…at least on a natural resource level. Its land is rich in many minerals that are widely coveted for use in modern technology, including cars, computers, and mobile phones. It’s also one of the world’s largest producers of cobalt, copper, and diamonds. Untapped deposits of raw minerals in the DRC are estimated to be worth US $24 trillion. Yes, that says trillion, with a T.

Lubumbashi is the Mining Capital of the DRC and the Capital of the former Katanga Province.

So why is the DRC among the poorest countries in the world from a GDP perspective? Decades of political corruption is the culprit. Going back to the DRC’s independence from Belgium in 1960, instability and corruption have been rampant in Congolese politics. In addition, first world countries have repeatedly exploited the DRC for its natural resources throughout its history. Put it all together, and you can understand the Anthony Bourdain quote.

8. The Ebola Virus is Named After a River in the DRC.

In 1976, an outbreak on a mysterious disease killed nearly 300 people in the northern Congolese village of Yambuku. Epidemiologists initially thought the Marburg Virus was responsible for the outbreak. However, when microbiologist Peter Piot analyzed specimen samples at his lab in Belgium, he identified a new virus related to the Marburg Virus. In order to keep the village from being associated with the disease’s stigma, Piot named the virus after the nearby Ebola River.

The Ebola River’s name is actually derived from the French language. The correct term is legbala, which means “white water” in the local Ngbandi language. Because the “gb” sound in legbala does not exist in French, francophones simply called the river l’ébola. You pronounce that “lay-boh-lah”.

The Belgians tried to call the river Eau Blanche (which means “white water” in French) during their colonization of the DRC. However, l’ébola rolls off the tongue much better, so that was the name that ultimately stuck.

By the end of the initial Ebola outbreak in 1976, the disease had an astonishing 88% fatality rate. West Africa has suffered numerous ebola outbreaks since then. The most notable outbreak killed 11,323 people across Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia in 2014.

Today, there are 6 known ebolaviruses, though only 4 cause disease in humans. The Zaire ebolavirus, which was the initial strain identified in the DRC in 1976, is particularly notorious. It has been responsible for the vast majority of ebola outbreaks in Africa, including the 2014 epidemic. Most sinister, it has been known to have a fatality rate as high as 90%. That means that if you contract the virus, there’s a 90% chance you’ll die from it.

Thankfully, there is now a vaccine against Ebola. A 2016 study found the VSV-ESOB vaccine to be 70 to 100% effective against ebolaviruses. The US Food and Drug administration approved the vaccine in 2019, making it the first ebola vaccine to be available to the general public.

9. Virunga National Park is Home to One Third of the World’s Mountain Gorillas.

Virunga National Park is one of the most biodiverse protected places on the African Continent and the world’s only facility for orphaned mountain gorillas. It’s a critical and vital resource for wildlife conservation in the region. Besides the gorillas, it’s home to colorful flowers, flourishing fruits, and some of the rarest animals on Earth.

Unfortunately, it also sits in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most unstable and violent regions on the African continent. Sitting near the point where four countries (Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the DRC) come together, rebels have controlled the region for years. In recent years, park rangers, employees, and even tourists have become targets.

The conflict, which involves over 130 armed groups, defies any kind of reasonable logic. In addition to the struggle for land, resources, and power between the rebels, residents, and authorities, political power has been militarized. Put that near any international border, much less where four countries come together, and it doesn’t take much of a spark to set things off.

Despite the threats, Virunga National Park remains a popular tourism destination. The magical park is the only place in the world to see mountain gorillas in the wild. It remains a peaceful sanctuary in a region that has been torn by instability, chaos, and violence.

10. If that’s not enough adventure, hike to the summit of Mt. Nyiragongo and camp on the rim of an active volcano.

Yes, this is the same Mt. Nyiragongo that erupted just a month ago. Housing the world’s largest lava lake, Mt. Nyiragongo towers 3,470 m (11,385 ft) above the city of Goma. At night, the bubbling lava lake emits an eerie orange glow from the top of the volcano.

Nyiragongo’s most well-known eruption occurred on 17 January, 2002. A 13 km fissure opened south side of the volcano. The entire City of Goma was evacuated, with over 400,000 people taking shelter across the border in Gisenyi, Rwanda. The 1 km wide and 2 meter high lava flow plowed right though the center of Goma, effectively bifurcating the city. Lava covered the northern part of the runway at Goma International Airport before oozing into Lake Kivu.

Mt. Nyiragongo attracts the most adventurous hikers looking conquer the best of the DRC’s top-notch hiking. After hiking through dense tropical rainforest, you’re plunged into the mist at the top. You can camp in small huts at the summit. Amazingly, after last month’s eruption, those cabins are still standing.

They say you can hear waves of lava crashing over each other in the lava lake as you nod off to sleep. Having climbed to the summit of the La Soufrière Volcano in Guadeloupe, I can only imagine the awe you’d be in staring into the fiery belly of the earth on the rim of Mt. Nyiragongo.

Bonus: The Democratic Republic of Congo is World-Famous for Its Music

You may not have heard of many Congolese singers and musicians, but their influence can be felt all over the world. You just have to know where to look for it.

Stretching far beyond the borders of the DRC, you can find Congolese influences across French West Africa, the Caribbean, North America, and even France. One of my favorite aspects of Congolese music is how singers so flawlessly switch languages, from French to English to Swahili to indigenous languages such as Lingala and Kikongo. If you’re not paying attention, you probably won’t even notice. Check them out for yourself below.

Conclusion

There’s something magical and alluring about the Democratic Republic of Congo. The exotic plants, lush rainforests, and rare wildlife beckons even the most seasoned adventurer. Its French culture and influences forever teases the francophone in me.

But one must never forget the DRC’s troubled past. The current threats must be treated seriously. We must respect the Congolese people’s relentless perseverance and pride. Like Bourdain, I hope to be able to visit the Congo one day. Not so much for the adventure, but for its potential to be a truly life-changing experience. Especially with my affection for and knowledge of French culture and the French language.

I’ll end the same way I began: with an Anthony Bourdain quote. “The Congo is a place where everything is fine – until it isn’t.”

Top Photo: Clouds Crest a Ridge Line in the White Mountains
Mt. Washington Summit, New Hampshire – October, 2015

The post Weird Geography: 10 Bizarre and Unusual Facts about the Democratic Republic of Congo appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

Countries are constantly reshaping international borders around the world using everything from treaties to natural forces. Over the years, odd quirks, mystical clauses, and even human error have resulted in some, well, let’s just say, creative international borders.

The border between Baarle-Nassau, Netherlands and Baarle-Hertog, Belgium just boggles the mind. And what about Dahala Khagrabari? Until the signing of a 2015 treaty, it was a piece of India inside of a piece of Bangladesh inside a piece of India inside a piece of Bangladesh. If that gives you an ice cream headache, let me put it another way. Dahala Khagrabari is the only third-level enclave in world history.

Today, we’re going to take it a step further. Instead of looking at strange borders, let’s instead look at some countries that pop up in some rather unusual and unexpected places. You’ll learn about their history and explore some new places. Who knows, maybe you’ll even get some inspiration for your next adventure.

1. Ceuta and Melilla: Visit Spain and Africa at the Same Time

Spain is best-known for its rich culture, beautiful beaches, and temperate climate. In the 1500’s and 1600’s, it spread its influence around the world. Spanish conquistadors colonized everywhere from what is modern-day Latin America to the Philippines. In fact, did you know that in the 1800’s, Spain designated Mexico City as the administrative capital of the Philippines?

While Spain no longer holds any overseas colonies or territories, it still holds 2 exclaves outside of Europe. You’ll find both Spanish cities on the northern coast of Africa, embedded in Morocco. Ceuta has been part of Spain since 1668. A treaty with Morocco fixed the current city limits of Melilla in 1859.

Despite being part of Spain, you won’t find the traditional Spanish culture like you’d experience in the main body of Spain. Both cities are also rich in Arab culture with Jewish and Portuguese influences. Many of these influences stem from when Portugal occupied parts of Morocco from the middle ages to the 19th century.

Fun Fact

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump frequently cited fencing around both Ceuta and Melilla as arguments for building a wall along the US-Mexico Border.

Interestingly, this is not the only time you’ll find Spain in an unexpected place. However, you will have to get very close to Spain to do so.

2. Llívia: Visit Spain Without Actually Going to Spain

Thanks to a bizarre history and the European Union’s laws that allow you to freely move between countries, you can visit Spain without actually going to Spain.

The town of Llívia sits about 2 km north of the border crossing between Bourg-Madame, France and Puigcerdà, Spain. Over the years, both countries have laid claim to it, while at other times, neither country has claimed it.

Llívia’s long and strange history began in 1659, when the Treaty of the Pyrenees ceded the enclave to France. However, due to a quirk in the wording of the treaty that stipulated that all villages would become part of France, Llívia was considered a town instead of a village, despite France’s claim to it. Over the years, both countries have laid claim to Llívia numerous times before finally ending their squabbling upon the formation of the European Union.

Today, Llívia remains steeped in history and rich in Spanish architecture, culture, and cuisine. Because both France and Spain are in the European Union’s Schengen Area, you can easily pass through town and not realize you are in another country. Despite France’s numerous claims to the territory, Llívia retains Spanish dialing codes, postal codes, and emergency services. Ironically, French is not spoken at all in Llívia. Its two primary languages are Spanish and Catalan.

Which is a perfect segue into our next oddity.

3. Campione d’Italia: The Italian Village That’s Part of Switzerland

Up until 1 January, 2020, the village of Campione d’Italia was one-of-a-kind. You needed to clear Swiss customs to access the village. Taxes that funded public services were paid to Switzerland. Campione had Swiss police, fire, and ambulance services. The town had Swiss postal and dialing codes. Its residents registered and insured their vehicles in Switzerland. Salaries were paid in Swiss Francs. So what’s the problem with this quaint Swiss village? It’s actually part of Italy, not Switzerland.

Campione d’Italia is another town with a long twisted history that starts with a geographical anomaly. As the crow flies, Campione is only 600 meters, or about half a mile, from the border between Switzerland and Italy. However, because of the steep and rugged mountainous terrain in the Alps, one must drive more than 20 km from town to reach the main body of Italy. This is just part of the reason that the town relied on Swiss infrastructure.

The Ancient Romans founded the village during the first century BC, which officially became part of Italy in the year 777. Between 1512 and 1900, Campione had numerous opportunities to become part of Switzerland, but it rejected them each time. Ironically, in 1848, the town petitioned Switzerland for annexation. The Swiss government denied the request over their desire to remain neutral.

Integration into Switzerland

Shortly after Benito Mussolini rose to power in Italy in the 1930s, his regime lost control of the Campione enclave. During that time, residents of Campione rejected Mussolini’s fascism and integrated with Switzerland. Campione remained essentially part of Switzerland until 1 January, 2020, when it formally became part of the EU Customs Territory.

Since its integration into the European Union, its Swiss postal codes have been invalidated and residents are now required to register their vehicles in the Italian Province of Como. Interestingly, calls to everywhere in town except for city hall still use the international dialing code for Switzerland.

4. A 2-for-1 Special: Two American Towns Stranded in Canada

In 1846, the US and Great Britain signed the Oregon Treaty. The treaty established the 49th parallel as the northern border of the United States through the Rocky Mountains. Today, the 49th parallel forms the international border between the US and Canada.

Before signing the treaty, ambassadors from both Britain and the US agreed to survey the coastal area south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Both countries wanted to make sure the 49th parallel did not split any islands off the coast between the two countries.

After the survey, the US agreed to cede the southern end of Vancouver Island to the British. Both countries established the border through the Salish sea between Port Angeles, Washington, and Victoria, British Columbia.

Unfortunately, the surveyors were so focused on the islands that they missed part of the Tsawassan Peninsula that extended south of the 49th parallel near Vancouver.

Point Roberts, Washington

By the time the surveyors realized their mistake, it was too late. The treaty had already been signed. The border had cut off the southern tip of the Tsawassan Peninsula from the rest of the United States. The British government requested that the entire Tsawassan Peninsula should be part of Britain, but the US ultimately rejected the offer. The southern tip of the peninsula remained part of the US.

During the 1858 gold rush, Canadian prospectors established Robert’s Town on the US part of the Tsawassan Peninsula in an effort to avoid paying taxes. The town lasted less than a year, but was ultimately settled by Americans and named Point Roberts. It remained part of the Oregon Territory until the US Government granted Washington State statehood in 1889.

Much like Campione d’Italia, Point Roberts relies on Canadian services and infrastructure. The town’s water comes from Vancouver, and the municipality of Delta, British Columbia provides assistance to the Point Roberts police and fire services when requested. Up until 1988, Point Roberts used British Columbia’s 604 area code, meaning you had to make an international call to reach the rest of the United States.

Elm Point and Northwest Angle, Minnesota

It turns out that Point Roberts wasn’t the only “whoopsie” the treaty negotiators made in 1846. Much like Point Roberts, Elm Point is a tiny strip of land in Manitoba that dips south of the 49th parallel, making it technically part of Minnesota. Thankfully, Elm Point is uninhabited and thus does not have the logistical headaches of Point Roberts.

The US-Canada Border’s Biggest Anomaly

Not far from Elm Point is the largest anomaly on the entire US-Canada border. Minnesota’s Northwest Angle sits north of the 49th parallel and logically should be part of Canada. Due to an inaccurate map of the area, the Americans and the British had agreed to a geographical impossibility when they signed the Oregon Treaty in 1846.

The original treaty established the US-Canada border as running from Lake Superior west through the Rainy River to the northwest corner of Lake of The Woods. From there, it would run due west until it intersected the Mississippi River. It didn’t take long for surveyors to find a couple major problems.

1. The northwest corner of Lake of the Woods is north of the 49th parallel
2. If you go due west from there, you do not intersect the Mississippi River

Due to poor 19th century technology, it took decades to reach an agreement on where the border should be established. Once both Canada and the US were able to make accurate maps of Lake of the Woods, they agreed to run the border from the lake’s originally agreed upon northwest corner due south to the 49th parallel.

In doing so, they sliced off the Northwest Angle from Manitoba and made it part of Minnesota. Both Canada and Great Britain tried several times to buy the land back from the US in the late 1800’s. The US Government rejected every offer, and the Northwest Angle has stood as-is to this day.

5. Visit France on a Short Day Trip from Canada

When you ask about experiencing European or French culture in North America, most people would tell you to head to either Montréal or Québec City. While I have zero qualms against either Montréal or Québec City, why not take it a step further and just take a short day trip to France instead?

Wait, what? A short day trip to France from Canada? Yes, you heard that right. You can get on a ferry in Canada and be in France less than 2 hours later. Only 25 km from Point May, Newfoundland, Canada, you will find the French territory of St. Pierre et Miquelon.

Consider the following excerpt from our exploration of France in the Weird Geography series last summer.

St. Pierre and Miquelon may be small islands, but they carry a stark cultural distinction not just from Newfoundland and Labrador, but to Canada as a whole. When you visit the islands, you’ll experience French food, wine, and music. You’ll pay with Euros, charge your devices with 220 volt plugs, and of course will be speaking French, not English. Finally, St. Pierre and Miquelon are part of France, so don’t forget your passport.

Matt Gove, in Weird Geography: 10 Bizarre and Unusual Facts About France
5 July, 2020

6. Fancy Warmer Weather? Head to South America to Visit France

Nope, we’re not yanking your chain here, either. If the cold, damp, and grey in the Canadian Maritimes don’t suit your fancy, head south. In addition to the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, French Guiana is rich in both French and Creole culture. It’s wedged between Brazil and Suriname, and it’s part of France, to boot.

French Guiana’s tropical climate is much more attractive, too. Average high temperatures are between 28 and 30°C (82 and 86°F) for 10 months of the year. The territory has never recorded a temperature below 18°C (64°F) either. Most of its population lives on the coast. Interior French Guiana is largely dense, uninhabitable jungle.

Read more about French Guiana in our Weird Geography visit to France.

7. Brits, Want a Holiday on the Mediterranean without Leaving the UK? You Can Do That, Too.

The United Kingdom has a reputation for being grey, chilly, and rainy. However, you can enjoy the spectacular climate and beaches of the Mediterranean Sea without having to leave the UK.

Gibraltar

Gibraltar sits on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, just south of La Línea de la Concepción, Spain. Its name is actually derived from the Arabic term Jabal Tāriq, which means “Mountain of Tariq”. While it doesn’t feel like the rest of United Kingdom, Gibraltar is a melting pot of cultures. You’ll find cultural influences from Spain, the Arab part of northern Africa, Judaism, and even Hinduism. English and Spanish are Gibraltar’s primary spoken languages, but you’ll hear languages from all over the world.

The British captured Gibraltar in 1704. Spain officially ceded the territory in 1713. Unlike places like Llívia or Campione d’Italia, there have been very few squabbles over Gibraltar. It’s been a bit awkward since the UK left the European Union. Thankfully, the EU and the UK are currently negotiating an agreement that would allow Gibraltar to participate in the Schengen Area and prevent a hard border with Spain.

Cyprus

The United Kingdom also has two Sovereign Base Areas on the Island of Cyprus. Both Sovereign Base Areas are heavily restricted and cannot be used for anything other than military purposes. The laws of both Sovereign Base Areas are similar, and in some cases identical to the corresponding Cypriot laws. However, British agencies handle law enforcement and the legal system.

Cyprus has an interesting history since its independence from Britain in 1960. Greece and Turkey immediately began posturing for control of the island. In 1974, the Greek Military executed a coup d’état to unite the island with Greece. Five days later, Turkey invaded Cyprus, setting off months of conflict on the island. By the time order was restored, the island had split in two. Turkey occupied the northeastern half of Cyprus, while Greece occupied the southwestern half.

In response, the United Nations declared a buffer zone between the two sides. After being completely sealed off from each other for 30 years, both sides began to ease border restrictions in 2003. Today, you can cross between the two sides, but you do need a passport. Greece and Turkey have discussed reunification, but those negotiations have all collapsed. You can still see the UN Buffer Zone denoted on Google Maps today.

8. Less than 500 km (300 mi) From Berlin, Germany, You’ll Find…Russia

A seemingly harmless cession of a portion of Germany at the end of World War II landed Russia a port that remains critical to its military and economic success to this day. The city of Kaliningrad is the only Russian port on the Baltic Sea that is ice-free year-round. Without Kaliningrad, the only available Russian ports in the winter would be on the Black Sea, which is less than ideal both militarily and economically.

Here’s the excerpt about Kaliningrad from our Weird Geography exploration of Russia last August.

Formerly part of East Prussia and Germany, the Kaliningrad Oblast (Калининградская область) is an isolated exclave of the Russian Federation sitting between Poland and Lithuania. In January 1945, the Soviet Union invaded and annexed all of East Prussia except for the city of Königsberg. After the Nazis were defeated in 1945, the Germans agreed to cede the city to the Soviets.

In 1946, the Soviets changed the name of Königsberg to Kaliningrad. By 1950, the remaining German population had been forcibly expelled, and Russian replaced German as the oblast’s official language. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the Kaliningrad oblast was designated part of Russia. Kaliningrad has become even more isolated since Poland and Lithuania joined the European Union and significantly tightened their border security.

Matt Gove, in Weird Geography: 10 Bizarre and Unusual Facts About Russia
30 August, 2020

9. Go Island Hopping in Indonesia and Run into…Australia

Australia is not a country you would typically associate with overseas territories. However, it does have two. You’ll find both Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands just off the coast of Indonesia.

Christmas Island has a particularly fascinating history. Europeans first reached the island in 1643, but the British did not formally annex the island until 1888. During World War II, the Japanese became particularly interested in the island’s rich phosphate deposits. Japan took the island by force in 1942. When the Axis powers surrendered at the end of the war, Christmas Island became part of Singapore.

So how did Australia wind up with it? From the end of World War II until 1961, both Singapore and what is currently Malaysia were part of the United Kingdom. The Australian Government requested that the UK transfer sovereignty of Christmas Island from Singapore to Australia. On 1 October, 1958, Christmas Island officially became part of Australia, where it remains to this day.

10. Go Way Off the Grid in Bir Tawil. You Won’t Be in Any Country.

Bir Tawil sits along the border between Egypt and Sudan. It’s the result of a spectacular bungling of language in a treaty the United Kingdom drew up with Egypt and native tribes that inhabit the area in 1902.

At the time of the treaty, the British controlled what is now Sudan. In the intial treaty, Egypt and the UK agreed that the 22nd parallel would form the border between Egypt and Sudan. However, native tribe activity in two triangular areas along the border disrupted those plans.

The primary area in dispute, known as the Hala’ib Traingle is north of the 22nd parallel on the Red Sea. A much smaller area, Bir Tawil, sits south of the 22nd parallel and southwest of the Hala’ib Triangle. You can see both areas marked by the dashed lines in the map below.

An Attempt to Account for Native Tribes Backfires

In an attempt to better reflect the native tribes’ land use, the British redrew the border in November, 1902. They argued that Bir Tawil was grazing land used by a native tribe in Egypt and should become part of Egypt. Additionally, the native inhabitants of the Hala’ib Triangle were much culturally closer to Sudan, so the Hala’ib Triangle should be part of Sudan.

Egypt immediately fired back that the original border that they agreed to (the 22nd parallel) was the actual border. Using the 22nd parallel as the border would place the Hala’ib Triangle in Egypt and Bir Tawil in Sudan.

So what’s the result? You can probably guess.

• Both Egypt and Sudan claim the Hala’ib Triangle
• Neither country claims Bir Tawil

To this day, Bir Tawil remains the only terra nullius, or habitable place on earth not claimed by any recognized government.

So why hasn’t anyone claimed it for 120 years? Mainly because of Bir Tawil’s remoteness and extreme desert climate. Average high temperatures exceed 40°C (104°F) for seven months out of the year. Bir Tawil has measured temperatures above 100°F in every month of the year except December and January.

Conclusion

Whether it’s due to a poor choice of words, outdated technology, or just a bit of luck, countries often pop up where you least expect to see them. Making these discoveries Since many countries still restrict travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope this at least somewhat satisfies your drive to get out and explore. We’ll be back out adventuring in person soon.

Until then, in the list above, I’m most interested in a day trip to France from Canada and exploring the two Spanish cities on the coast of North Africa. Which countries intrigue you the most?

Top Photo: Welcome Sign at a Mexican Port of Entry
Los Algodones, Baja California, Mexico – December, 2017

The post Weird Geography: 10 Countries You’ll Find in Unexpected Places appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

1. If Texas were its own country, it would be the 40th largest in the world.

At over 695,000 square kilometers, Texas would fall between Zambia and Myanmar if you ranked countries by surface area. Additionally, Texas is bigger than Ukraine, France, Thailand, and Spain.

2. Contrary to the belief of a startling amount of people, Texas is not the largest state in the United States.

When you look at a map of the United States, it’s hard not to notice Texas. And while Texas is the largest state in the lower 48, it’s not the largest state in the US. That designation belongs to Alaska. At over 1.7 million square kilometers, Alaska would stretch from San Francisco to Jacksonville if you overlaid it across the lower 48.

3. The State of Rhode Island fits inside of Texas 174 times.

It’s always fun to see how many times the smallest state in the US fits into one of its largest. Figuring it out is nothing more than a simple math problem.

Texas covers an area of 695,662 square kilometers. Rhode Island is 4,001 square kilometers. To get the number of times Rhode Island, which we’ll call n, fits into Texas, we just divide Texas by Rhode Island.

n = TX/RI
n = 695,662 / 4,001 = 173.872
n = 174

4. It is 1,000 km from Beaumont, Texas to Jacksonville, Florida. It’s also 1,000 km from El Paso, Texas to San Diego, California.

Yes, you read that right. You can drive only about 1,000 km (620 mi) from each end of Texas and reach both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Though I must say, if you’re looking for the beach, it’s much easier just to stay in Texas. The Texas Gulf Coast is home to some of the best beaches in America.

And what’s even crazier? Beaumont and El Paso are closer to the east and west coasts, respectively, than they are to each other. As the crow flies, Beaumont and El Paso are about 1,200 km (745 mi) apart.

5. There are almost 900 miles of Interstate 10 in Texas. If you started in Greece and drove that distance, you’d cross 7 countries.

Interstate 10 is a major cross-country freeway running from Jacksonville, Florida to Los Angeles, California. About one third of it is in Texas. From Beaumont to El Paso, Interstate 10 runs for 1,420 km (880 mi) across Texas. You’ll pass through Houston and San Antonio as you transition from the swamps and bayous of the Gulf Coast to the Chihuahuan Desert.

For an international perspective, let’s start in Patras, Greece and drive north. After 1,420 km (880 mi), you will have passed through seven countries before winding up in northern Italy.

1. Greece
2. Albania
3. Montenegro
4. Bosnia and Herzegovina
5. Croatia
6. Slovenia
7. Italy

To put Texas’ size into a better perspective, let’s stick closer to home. Start in York, Maine and drive south on Interstate 95. After driving for about 1,420 km or 880 mi, you will be in Dillon, South Carolina and will have crossed 13 states.

6. Texas is a border state. The geographical center of the United States is in Lebanon, Kansas. Just 50 km (30 mi) of the Oklahoma Panhandle separates Texas and Kansas.

In fact, back in the early 1800’s Texas and Kansas bordered each other. At the time, that border actually formed the US-Mexico border. Texas entered the Union as a slave state in 1845, but US law at the time prohibited slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel, which currently forms the state line between the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles.

As a result, Texas ceded the strip of land between the 36°30′ parallel and the Kansas border. At the time, it was not assigned to any state or territory, so it became known as “No Man’s Land”. It existed under several different names before officially becoming the panhandle of the Oklahoma Territory in 1891.

7. The Paseo del Norte is the 2nd largest transborder conurbation on the US-Mexico border and one of the largest binational metroplexes in the world.

Also known as The Borderplex, the Paseo del Norte is comprised of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México. It is the largest binational and bilingual work force in the Western Hemisphere.

Despite the recent divisiveness along the US-Mexico border, El Paso and Juárez continue to function as a single community. People routinely cross the border in both directions every day to go to work, attend school, see the doctor, and much more. There are no two communities on the US-Mexico border that are as united as El Paso and Juárez.

Any guess as to what the largest transborder conurbation on the US-Mexico border is? That distinction belongs to San Diego and Tijuana. The San Ysidro Port of Entry separating the two cities is the largest and busiest international border crossing in the world.

8. El Paso is closer to Cheyenne, Wyoming than Houston, Texas

El Paso sits in a unique location. The southern terminus of Interstate 25 is about 75 km (45 mi) northwest of downtown El Paso in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Continue north on I-25 through New Mexico and Colorado to Cheyenne, Wyoming. You will have driven 1,184 km (735 mi).

Alternatively, head east on Interstate 10 from El Paso. By the time you reach downtown Houston, you will have driven 1,202 km (750 mi). Did we mention Texas is big?

9. Brownsville, Texas is closer to El Naranjo, Guatemala than Dalhart, Texas.

Brownsville sits on the Gulf Coast across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, México. It’s about as far south as you can go in Texas. Dalhart is located in the far northwest corner of the Texas Panhandle, about 75 km (45 mi) south of Boise City, Oklahoma.

Because of Mexico’s unique shape, Guatemala is actually closer to Brownsville than Dalhart is. As the crow flies, El Naranjo, Guatemala is 1,186 km (736 mi) from Brownsville, while Dalhart is 1,227 km (762 mi) from Brownsville. It’s hard to wrap your head around, but you read that right. Brownsville is closer to a town two countries away than it is to a town in the same state. There are not too many cities or towns in the world that can make that claim.

If that wasn’t enough to blow your mind about Brownsville, wrap your head around this.

10. If you travel from Brownsville, Texas to Kerrick, Texas, you will be almost half way to Canada.

I know. There’s no way this can possibly true, right? As we said earlier, Texas is big. The small town of Kerrick sits right on the state line between the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. As the crow flies, you’ll travel 1,270 km (785 mi) from Brownsville to Kerrick. Once you’re in Kerrick, it’s only 1,390 km (863 mi) north to the Canadian border. You’ll cross the border into North Portal, Saskatchewan.

Conclusion

I hope that if there’s one thing you learned today, it’s that Texas is enormous and its geography is full of quirks and oddities. Because of that, it’s also an incredibly diverse place to explore. Visit swamps, beaches, farmland, prairies, canyons, mountains, and deserts without having to leave the state.

If that’s not enough, Mexico is right next door if you’re looking to dip your toe into the world of international adventuring. Alternatively, head north to Oklahoma to experience some of the best storm chasing in the world. Though I must say from experience, chasing storms in the Texas Panhandle is second to none. I hope you enjoyed our excursion into Texas geography. Stay tuned for more Weird Geography coming soon.

Top Photo: Texas Welcome Sign on Interstate 40 as you enter from Oklahoma
Benonine, Texas – August, 2017

The post Weird Geography: 10 Mind Blowing Facts About Texas appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

1. Russia spans 11 time zones and is permanently on Daylight Saving Time

Did I mention Russia is a big country? When Vladivostok is heading to work in the morning, Moscow is just sitting down to dinner. To put the time zones into perspective, Boston and Bangkok are 11 hours apart. When it’s 7 PM in Boston, it’s 6 AM in Bangkok.

2. Russia shares a land border with 14 other countries.

Amazingly, it does not stand alone in bordering the most number of countries. China also shares a land border with 14 other countries. Russia’s longest land border is with Kazakhstan, which checks in at 6,847 km (4,254 mi), while Russia’s shortest international border is its 17 km (10.5 mi) border with North Korea.

And speaking of international borders…

3. You can travel over land from Finland to North Korea and only pass through a single country.

Despite Helsinki and Pyongyang sitting nearly 7,000 km (4,300 mi) apart as the crow flies and having a six-hour time difference, Russia is the only country that separates the two. However, this journey is impossible in reality since there are no legal border crossings between Russia and North Korea. Maybe I should have used China as the example instead.

4. At their closest points, Russia and the United States are only 4 km (2.5 mi) apart.

The Diomede Islands sit in the middle of the Bering Strait between Wales, Alaska and Naukan, Russia (Наукан). Big Diomede is a Russian island, while Little Diomede is part of Alaska. In a true geographical oddity, the two islands sit just under 4 km (2.5 mi) from each other, and due to the International Date Line running between them, there is a 21-hour time difference between Big and Little Diomede.

Bonus Fact: The mainland-to-mainland distance between Wales, Alaska and Naukan, Russia is 80 km (50 mi). For perspective, the width of the Phoenix metro (measured from Goodyear to Apache Junction) is about 90 km (55 mi).

All right, enough about borders, let’s move on.

5. Russia is home to the coldest town on Earth

The Siberian town of Oymyakon (Оймякон) lays claim to being the coldest inhabited place on Earth. The town has very unique terrian and topography, as it sits in a river valley surrounded by mountains. The valley traps frigid air year-round, creating the extremely cold climate in town.

Not surprisingly, winters in Oymyakon are brutal, with average winter high temperatures hovering around -43°C (-45°F). Low temperatures between November and March routinely drop below -50°C (-58°F).

The second coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was recorded at Oymyakon on 6 February, 1933, when the mercury dipped to -67.7°C (-89.9°F). Oymyakon’s weather station has been in operation since the 1920’s and has never recorded a temperature above freezing between 25 October and 17 March. Only Antarctica has recorded colder temperatures than Oymyakon.

Bonus Fact: On 28 July, 2010, Oymyakon measured its all-time record high of 34.6°C (94°F). When coupled with its all-time record low mentioned above, it has a temperature range of 102°C (184°F). The Russian towns of Verhoyansk, Yakutsk, and Delyankir, along with Fort Vermillion, Alberta, Canada are the only other places on earth that have observed a temperature range greater than 100°C.

6. Russia is home to the world’s largest and deepest lake, which contains over 20% of the Earth’s fresh water.

Lake Baikal (озеро Байкал) sits on the border between the Irkutsk Oblast and the Buryat Republic in southern Siberia. At 636 km (395 mi) long with a maximum depth of 1.64 km (5,387 ft), it contains more water than the Great Lakes combined, with a volume of 23,615 cubic km (5,670 cubic mi). Baikal is also considered to be the world’s oldest, cleanest, and clearest lake, and is home to thousands of species of plants and animals. You can often see the bottom in depths up to 30 to 40 meters (100 to 130 ft), especially in the wintertime.

The lake was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, and is a top Russian tourist destination year-round.

7. There is a part of Russia wedged between Poland and Lithuania

Formerly part of East Prussia and Germany, the Kaliningrad Oblast (Калининградская область) is an isolated exclave of the Russian Federation sitting between Poland and Lithuania. In January 1945, the Soviet Union invaded and annexed all of East Prussia except for the city of Königsberg. After the Nazis were defeated in 1945, the Germans agreed to cede the city to the Soviets.

In 1946, the Soviets changed the name of Königsberg to Kaliningrad. By 1950, the remaining German population had been forcibly expelled, and Russian replaced German as the oblast’s official language. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the Kaliningrad oblast was designated part of Russia. Kaliningrad has become even more isolated since Poland and Lithuania joined the European Union and significantly tightened their border security.

Today, Kaliningrad is the only Russian port on the Baltic Sea that is ice-free year round, and plays a strategic role in the Russian economy and military.

8. Moscow is closer to both Churchill, Manitoba and Libreville, Gabon than Ozernovskiy, Russia.

The expansive geography of Russia has been known to yield some facts so absurd it seems there’s no possible way they can be true. Libreville, Gabon sits just 43 km (27 mi) north of the equator in central Africa, while Churchill, Manitoba is on the Hudson Bay in Canada about 140 km (87 mi) south of the provincial border with the Northwest Territories.

What’s even harder to believe? The distance from Churchill to Libreville is 10,750 km (6,680 mi). Ozernovskiy (Озерновский) is located on the southern tip of the Kamchatka Krai, about 1,100 km (700 mi) northeast of Japan.

Here’s how the distances from Moscow break down:

9. The US State of Alaska was once part of Russia

Have you ever heard someone say that Alaska stretches so far west it actually goes into the Eastern Hemisphere? Well, Russia once stretched so far east it went into the Western Hemisphere. Russia tried unsuccessfully to colonize Alaska, which was known as Russian America, before ultimately deciding keeping the territory was not profitable.

In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7 million, in a deal known as Seward’s Folly. Ironically, Russia sold Alaska to the US because they saw Canada as a much bigger threat at the time. Some Russian town names, churches, and sayings remain preserved in Alaska to this day.

10. Russia is larger than the surface area of Pluto.

I can’t think of a scenario where this fact would be anywhere remotely close to useful, but it’s a cool statistic nonetheless, and would make for a really good trivia question. Pluto’s surface area is 16.7 million square kilometers, while Russia checks in at a whopping 17.1 million square kilometers.

Bonus Fact #1: The letters И and Я in the Cyrillic alphabet are actually vowels.

I’ve never quite understood why so many Americans think these are the Cyrillic letters for “N” and “R”. They’re just not. Both letters are actually vowels in all languages that use the Cyrillic Alphabet. The letter “И” is used basically the same way the letter “i” is used in English, while the letter “Я” makes a “ya” sound, which is common ending in many Russian words, including the Russian word for “Russia” – Россия – which is pronounced “Russ-ee-ya”.

Extra Bonus Fact: The Cyrillic alphabet is just the Greek alphabet with several extra letters to represent sounds in Slavic languages that are not used in Greek.

Bonus Fact #2: Bangladesh, which has 0.86% the land area of Russia, has a larger population.

Bangladesh, which covers roughly the same land area as the US State of Illinois, is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, while Russia, which has about twice the land area of Canada, is simply not.

Well, that wraps up our geography adventure through Russia. Stay tuned for our next weird geography adventure, which will be a special spin-off of this rendition. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you next time. Спасибо. Увидимся в следующий раз.

Top Photo: An icy Vineyard Sound and Woods Hole Passage following a major blizzard
Woods Hole, Massachusetts – February, 2015

The post Weird Geography: 10 Bizarre and Unusual Facts About Russia appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

1. Contrary to Popular Belief, France Borders 8 Other Countries

When you think of countries that border France, I’m guessing that Spain, Italy, Germany, and Belgium are among the first neighboring countries that come to mind. While those 4 countries do take up the majority of France’s land borders, France also borders numerous smaller countries such as Monaco and Andorra. The complete list of countries that border France is:

1. Spain
2. Andorra
3. Monaco
4. Italy
5. Switzerland
6. Germany
7. Luxembourg
8. Belgium

Now, despite the fact that the map says otherwise…

2. France Shares a Border with the Netherlands

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. There are no weird gotchas in the map above. On the European continent, France does not border the Netherlands. However, in the Caribbean, sitting about 150 km (90 mi) east of both the US and British Virgin Islands is the island of St. Martin. The northern half of the island is a territory of France (Saint-Martin), while the southern half of the island is a territory of the Netherlands (Sint Maarten).

If that wasn’t strange enough on the border front…

3. France Also Shares a Border with Brazil

When you think of South America, Latin and Hispanic culture is always the first thing that comes to mind. As it should be. Nearly the entire continent speaks either Spanish or Portuguese. However, three small outliers sit on the north coast of South America, wedged between Venezuela and Brazil.

Going from west to east, those three outliers are:

• Guyana – an English-speaking country and former British territory.
• Suriname – a Dutch-speaking country and former territory of the Netherlands.
• French Guiana – currently an overseas department, or territory, of France.

All right, enough with French territories for now. Let’s head back to Europe.

4. You can visit Spain without leaving France

Thanks to an anomaly in the border between France and Spain and the European Union’s laws that allow you to freely move between countries, you can visit Spain without having to cross France’s southern border.

Located about 2 km north of the border crossing between Bourg-Madame, France and Puigcerdà, Spain, you’ll find the town of Llívia, a Spanish town located entirely inside of France. Spain originally ceded the village to France in 1659 as part of the Treaty of the Pyrenees, but bureaucratic oversight kept it officially as part of Spain, where it remains to this day.

Today, Llívia is steeped in history that goes back to the Middle Ages. It is a great place to go indulge in Spanish architecture, culture, and cuisine. Over the years, Llívia has maintained its Spanish heritage despite strong French influences from being surrounded by France.

Because both France and Spain are members of the European Union, you can easily pass through town without even realizing you were in another country. Unlike some other enclaves, Llívia has Spanish dialing codes, postal codes, and emergency services.

Feel free to read more about Llívia in the Spanish newspaper El País.

5. You can drive from Paris, France to London, England without having to get on a boat

While you certainly have the option to get on a boat if you wish, you can also opt to take the train through Channel Tunnel (Le tunnel sous la manche) between Folkestone, England and Calais, France. The 50 km (31 mi) tunnel is the only fixed link between the UK and mainland Europe and is the longest underwater tunnel in the world.

The tunnel first opened in 1994, facilitating a direct connection between high-speed railways in the UK and France. Trains travel through the tunnel at 160 km/h (99 mph), making it much faster than ferries. In 2017, the tunnel carried 10.3 million passengers, 10.4 million passenger cars, and 1.22 million tons of freight.

Now, let’s dive into French culture…

6. The world’s most populous French-speaking city is not in France

If I asked you what is the biggest French-speaking city in the world, your first guess would likely be Paris. When I told you that wasn’t correct, you’d probably start guessing other French cities such as Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse. Nope. I’ll give you a hint. It’s not in France. You’ll tell me it’s Montréal, and I’ll once again tell you you’re wrong.

Paris was the world’s most populous French-speaking city until the mid 2010’s. In 2015, Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, passed Paris to become the most populous French-speaking city in the world and the most populous city on the African continent.

Here are the 5 most populous French-speaking cities in the world, as of 2017:

1. Kinshasa, DR Congo – 11.58 million
2. Paris, France – 10.85 million
3. Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – 4.8 million
4. Montréal, Québec, Canada – 3.54 million
5. Dakar, Sénégal – 3.52 million

Booming populations in Francophone Africa are driving the shift in demographics and turning parts of Africa into centers for innovation. As a result, you are seeing the rise megacities such as Kinshasa, Abidjan, and Dakar all over French-speaking Africa.

7. Besides English, the most common second language you’ll find in French-speaking countries is Arabic

While your initial instinct would probably be to guess Spanish or Italian here, I’ll direct your attention back to the last point where we discussed the boom across Francophone Africa, and more specifically, northern Africa. Across many of the countries that make up the Sahara Desert, Arab culture has been and continues to merge with a booming French-speaking Africa.

As a result, many countries now speak both French and Arabic. Some countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Mauritania use Arabic as their primary language and French as their secondary languages. Others, such as Senegal, Niger, and the Central African Republic do the opposite, primarily speaking French, while using Arabic as a secondary language.

Here are the most common second languages in French-speaking countries:

1. English – 11 countries
2. Arabic – 9 countries
3. German – 3 countries
4. Wolof – 2 countries
5. Spanish – 2 countries

8. French is spoken as an official or primary unofficial language on every continent

While it’s easy to identify French-speaking countries, states, and territories on continents such as Europe, Africa, and North America, I want to focus on the lesser-known places. France’s extensive network of territories and former colonies have left the French language and culture dotted all over the world.

Let’s start in South America. If you remember earlier, the French territory of French Guiana sits on the north coast of the continent between Brazil and Venezuela. French Guiana shares the same vibrant Creole culture you’ll find across the French Caribbean, such as in places like Haiti, Martinique, and Guadeloupe. It’s part of France, so its official language is French.

French language and culture in Asia is quickly dying out, but if you know what to look for, you can still find it. From 1887 to 1954, French Indochina was comprised of what is currently Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. After French Indochina was granted independence from France, it retained its French culture and language similar to Francophone Africa. However, it has since faded into a distant memory as those countries restore their native culture, as they have much smaller connection to Europe than French-speaking Africa.

While fewer and fewer people in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam are speaking French, they still do, albeit not to a very large extent. Some of the best remaining evidence of French influence in southeast Asia can actually be found on Google Maps (click the image to enlarge).

And Oceania? That’s a perfect segue into our next fact.

9. From Australia, you can travel round-trip to France and cover less distance than if you flew one-way from Paris to Moscow

France’s territories strike again, here. About 1,200 km (800 mi) off the coast of Australia’s Queensland state, you will find the island of New Caledonia (Novelle Calédonie), the southernmost French territory in the South Pacific. The island is a top snorkeling and scuba diving location, well known for its pristine beaches, stunning lagoons, expansive coral reefs, and diverse flora and fauna. It is also rich in both Polynesian and French culture.

And as for the distance from Paris to Moscow? It’s about 2,500 km (1,500 mi) as the crow flies.

10. You can get on a ferry in Canada and be in France 80 minutes later

Have you ever seen the tourism ads for Canada that tell people that they can experience Europe without leaving North America? They’re usually inviting you to come experience the strong European influences in cities such as Montréal and Québec City (La Ville Québec).

It turns out you can take that a step further and actually visit Europe without ever leaving North America. About 25 km (15 mi) west of Point May, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, you will find the French territory of St. Pierre and Miquelon.

St. Pierre and Miquelon may be small islands, but they carry a stark cultural distinction not just from Newfoundland and Labrador, but to Canada as a whole. When you visit the islands, you’ll experience French food, wine, and music. You’ll pay with Euros, charge your devices with 220 volt plugs, and of course will be speaking French, not English. Finally, St. Pierre and Miquelon are part of France, so don’t forget your passport.

Fun Fact: Because of its proximity to St. Pierre and Miquelon, Newfoundland is the only place in North America where you’ll see cars with European license plates on a regular basis.

Bonus: The French city of Nice, with its palm tree-lined boulevards, sits at the same latitude as Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Despite the stark differences in climate, both cities sit at 43°N latitude. While Toronto is well-known for its long, cold, and often snowy winters, Nice benefits from mild winters and warm summers on the Mediterranean Sea, which are greatly aided by a steady flow of warm water from the Gulf Stream. Indeed, the French Riviera is the furthest north location in the world where palm trees can both grow and thrive.

However, don’t let the fact that Nice sits at 43°N fool you. The city has seen temperatures as low as -7°C (19°F) and averages 1.2 snowy days per year.

So how did I manage to visit France without actually setting foot in Europe? After reading this post, you’ll likely conclude that I visited one of France’s many overseas departments or territories. Indeed, I visited the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe for two weeks in December, 2004.

Well that wraps up our exploration of the unusual geography of France. I hope you’ve enjoyed this article as much as I’ve enjoyed studying French language and culture over the years. Until next time.

Top Image: Plant Nursery – Magog, Québec, Canada – August, 2019

The post Weird Geography: 10 Bizarre and Unusual Facts About France appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.