Geography in school wasn’t always the most exciting subject—it often depended on the teacher and how it was presented. Most students wouldn’t dive deeper into it unless required.
Yet, our planet is full of incredible things waiting to be discovered.
From well-known facts to hidden gems, here’s a list of lesser-known geographical wonders often overlooked.
Australia moves 2.7 inches a year
Some of Earth’s tectonic plates shift faster than others. Australia sits on one that moves northward with a slight clockwise rotation at about 2.7 inches per year.
Because of this, GPS systems in the country need periodic updates.
Interestingly, this land is still considered British soil.
Ireland’s palm trees
Ireland isn’t known for its tropical climate, yet its coasts feature plants resembling palm trees.
The Cordyline australis, or cabbage palm, is native to New Zealand but became popular in Irish gardens in the 1800s.
Though not technically a tree, it thrives in Ireland’s mild coastal climate, thanks to warm ocean currents.
California has more people than Canada
As of 2019, Canada’s population was approximately 37,589,262.
In comparison, the 2019 U.S. Census data recorded California’s population at 39,512,223—making the state more populous than the entire country of Canada.
Reno, NV, is actually farther west than Los Angeles, CA
California’s southern curve is often overlooked, leading many to assume that its cities are farther west than they actually are.
In reality, Reno sits at 119°49’ west, while Los Angeles is slightly farther east at 118°14’ west.
El Paso, TX is closer to San Diego, CA than Houston, TX
Texas is huge, and anyone driving from Houston to San Diego will agree.
Surprisingly, El Paso is closer to San Diego than to Houston.
The drive from San Diego to El Paso is about 724 miles (626.82 miles in a straight line), while the drive from El Paso to Houston stretches 745 miles (673.93 miles in a straight line).
No other place on Earth is farther from land than Point Nemo
Point Nemo, located in the Pacific Ocean at 48°52.6′S 123°23.6′W, is the most remote place on Earth, the farthest point from any land.
According to the National Ocean Service, it is so isolated that the nearest humans are often astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
The Himalayas grow annually
The Himalayas formed 40 to 50 million years ago when the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate.
As the plates continue to push against each other, the mountains keep rising.
Mount Everest gains about a millimeter per year, while the northern Himalayas grow approximately 10 millimeters annually.
North Carolina has land that is permanently leased to England
In May 1942, a German submarine torpedoed the HMT Bedfordshire off the coast of Ocracoke Island, NC.
Only four men made it to shore.
With no time or resources to return the fallen to England, the Americans buried them on the island.
The site was later leased to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission “in perpetuity.”
Canada outnumbers the world with the most number of large lakes
Canada has more lakes than any other country, with 62% of the world’s lakes measuring 10 hectares or larger.
Together, Canada and the United States hold 18% of the world’s fresh lake water.
France’s longest border is with Brazil
French Guiana, on the northern coast of South America, borders Suriname to the northwest and Brazil to the south, with a 730-kilometer border.
The second-longest French border is with Belgium, measuring 657 kilometers.
Russia could house Pluto
In 2015, NASA’s New Horizons mission provided precise measurements of Pluto, revealing a diameter of 2,370 kilometers.
Russia spans 6,000 kilometers east to west and 3,000 kilometers north to south, meaning Pluto could fit within its borders.
However, Pluto’s surface area of 17,646,012 square kilometers slightly surpasses Russia’s 17,125,191 square kilometers, making for a tight fit.
Split Alaska and they would be the first and second largest in the US
Most people don’t realize just how massive Alaska is.
Texas may be the second-largest state, but if you split Alaska in two, Texas would drop to third place.
Alaska spans 664,988 square miles, while Texas covers “only” 268,597.
Russia is 116 times larger than Bangladesh which has more people
Bangladesh, with approximately 168,472,000 people, shares just 147,570 square kilometers of land.
In contrast, Russia’s roughly 146,962,000 people are spread across a vast 17,125,000 square kilometers.
A lot of Canadians live south of Seattle
Many Canadians actually live south of major American cities.
Toronto, Montreal, and even Ottawa—the fourth-largest city and federal capital—are all situated south of Seattle.
In fact, 72% of Canadians reside below the well-known U.S.-Canada border, a fact that often surprises people.
Mexico City sinks every year
Mexico City has sunk 32 feet over the past 60 years—an average of 3.2 feet per year.
Built atop a massive aquifer, the city relies on it as its primary water source.
However, it consumes water at twice the rate of replenishment, worsening land subsidence.
Iconic structures like the Metropolitan Cathedral at Zócalo Square now face challenges in staying upright due to the shifting ground.
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