Geography & Travel

Planet Earth contains some extraordinarily diverse environments, some of which are easily habitable and some not so much. In different areas of Earth, one might find sweltering deserts, dense tropical rainforests, or bone-chilling tundras. Each biome and habitat comes with its own selection of flora and fauna, and it may include physical features such as canyons, volcanoes, rivers, or caves. Human beings have built homes in many different environments, settling the area and organizing it into units such as cities, states, regions, and countries, each with its own points of interest. Shifting trends in human migration have resulted in a human geography that is profoundly different from that of centuries ago.
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Featured content, July 03, 2024

9 of the World’s Deepest Lakes
How deep is your lake?
What Is Known (and Not Known) About the Bermuda Triangle
People have been trying to solve the “mystery” of the Bermuda Triangle for years. Here’s what we know (and don’t know) about...
What Is the Newest Country in the World?
Some countries seem as though they’ve been around since the dawn of time. But others are considerably newer. Which is the...
Australia
Australia, the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, lying between the Pacific and Indian oceans...
Europe
Europe, second smallest of the world’s continents, composed of the westward-projecting peninsulas of Eurasia (the great landmass...
Austronesian languages
Austronesian languages, family of languages spoken in most of the Indonesian archipelago; all of the Philippines, Madagascar,...
map
Map, graphic representation, drawn to scale and usually on a flat surface, of features—for example, geographical, geological,...

Geography & Travel Quizzes

More Geography Fun Facts
Take a trip around the world learning fun and interesting facts about a variety of places. Take this quiz and join Britannica...
Even More Geography Fun Facts
Can’t get enough interesting facts about places around the world? Take this quiz and join Britannica on another fun journey!
Volcanoes Quiz
What does the phrase “Ring of Fire” refer to? What is the highest active volcano in Europe? Test your knowledge of volcanoes...
Know Your Islands Quiz
In which island group is the city of Cadiz located? Where is South Africa’s Prince Edward Island? Find out what you know...
Another Quiz About Islands
You are not an island, but you probably know a lot about them. Test yourself with this quiz.
Quick Quiz: Deserts
What is the largest desert in the world? Where is the Gobi desert? Test your knowledge. Take this quiz.
Geography of the United States Quiz
Take a trip from sea to shining sea across the United States to learn interesting geography facts and see how much you really...
Know Your Regions of the World
Join us to find out riveting facts about geographical regions in countries around the world. Test your knowledge!
All About Mountains Quiz
What is the highest mountain range in South America? In which country are the Southern Alps located? Lace your climbing boots...
All About Oceans and Seas Quiz
What is the world’s largest inland sea? Where is the Puerto Rico Trench? Find out how deep your knowledge of oceans and seas...
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Geography & Travel Subcategories

Riyadh Cities & Towns
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Ukraine Countries of the World
Although there isn’t universal agreement on the question of what qualifies as a “country,” it is generally accepted that in order to be a country, a state must be a sovereign unit that has a permanent population, defined territorial boundaries, a government, and the ability to enter into agreements with other states. Even when these conditions are met, however, internationally recognized independence is not a given, and a territorial entity that declares itself to be an independent country is not always recognized as such by the rest of the world.
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Roman Forum Historical Places
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Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Highways & Trails
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Distribution of North American Plateau Indians Human Geography
Since 1945 human geography has contained five main divisions. The first four—economic, social, cultural, and political—reflect both the main areas of contemporary life and the social science disciplines with which geographers interact (i.e., economics, sociology, anthropology, and political science and international relations, respectively); the fifth is historical geography.
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Some of the pictorial signs used at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif. Languages
Language, a system of conventional spoken, manual, or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves. The functions of language include communication, the expression of identity, play, imaginative expression, and emotional release.
Articles
Mount St. Helens volcano Physical Geography of Land
Earth’s geographic history has been one marked by significant overall change, with ice ages, continental drift, and other major disruptions ultimately shaping Earth's land into the landscape of mountain ranges, deserts, islands, and volcanoes that we see today.
Articles
Arctic Ocean Physical Geography of Water
Whether it's Lake Michigan, the Gulf of Panama, or the River Thames, bodies of water of all shapes and sizes can be found around the globe, and they play a critical role for human beings, who use such bodies of water as a source of drinking water, a means of transporting both goods and people themselves, or a place to engage in water sports, among a plethora of other possible uses. Additionally, many bodies of water provide striking scenes of natural beauty and house important marine ecosystems. Satiate your thirst for knowledge about Earth's oceans, lakes, seas, rivers, waterfalls, bays, and more.
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Sequoia National Park Nature Reserves & National Parks
Nature reserves are areas set aside for the purpose of preserving and protecting plants and animals, particularly endangered species. National parks may effectively serve a similar purpose by shielding threatened species from hunters, but these parks can also be created for the purpose of public recreation, affording its visitors a chance to be immersed in a protected natural environment. Many national parks have been created in the last 100 years, including Yellowstone National Park, the oldest and probably the best-known national park in the United States.
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flag of Queensland States & Other Subdivisions
Every nation has its own subdivisions to demarcate smaller political units within its territory. Counties, districts, oblasts, polis, nomos, unitary authorities, boroughs, and cities are all examples (among many others) of how land can be organized.
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Big Ben Tourist Attractions
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North Africa Geographic Regions
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