Interesting geographical facts. The most interesting geographical facts

Planet Earth is full of amazing geographical and geological mysteries and paradoxes. In fact, there are so many of them that we are unlikely to be able to reveal all the secrets that nature hides. Here are the most unusual and sometimes strange facts related to geography, geology and earth.

1. The shortest name of the area
The shortest name of the area is “Å” - the name of a small village that is located in both Sweden and Norway. In Scandinavian language "Å" means "river".

2. The largest city in the world
The largest city in the world based on surface area is the city of Hulun Buir in the Inner Mongolia region of China, which covers an area of 263,953 square meters. km.

3. Countries completely surrounded by one country
Lesotho, Vatican City and San Marino are the only countries completely surrounded by one country. Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa, and the Vatican City and San Marino are completely surrounded by Italy.

4. Second Longest Place Name
The second longest place name in the world has been recognized as "Taumatawhakatangihangak oauauotamateaturipukaka pikimaungahoronukupokaiwhe nua kitanatahu", consisting of 84 letters, which belongs to a hill in New Zealand and in the Maori language means "the place where Tamatea, the man with large knees who slipped, rose and swallowed the mountain, being known as the eater of mountains, played his flute for his beloved.”

This was the longest geographical name for some time (and remains so in the Guinness Book of Records), until it was supplanted by the name "Krung thep mahanakhon bovorn ratanakosin mahintharayutthaya mahadilok pop noparatratchathani burirom udomratchanivetmahasathan amornpiman avatarnsathit sakkathattiya visnukarmprasit", consisting of 163 letters and meaning poetic name of Bangkok in Thailand.

5. The coldest and warmest sea
The water temperature in the White Sea in Russia is the lowest and is only -2 °C. The Persian Gulf is the warmest sea. In summer, the water temperature here reaches 35.6 °C.

6. The world's oldest constitutional republic
San Marino is considered the oldest constitutional republic in the world. It was founded in 301 by a Christian mason who was fleeing persecution by Emperor Diocletian. The Constitution of San Marino, which was adopted in 1600, is considered the oldest written constitution in the world.

7. The deepest hole drilled by man
The deepest hole drilled by man is the Kola superdeep well in Russia. It reached 12,262 m and was drilled for scientific exploration, during which a number of unexpected discoveries were made, such as a huge hydrogen deposit that was so massive that the mud that came out of the hole was literally boiling.

8. The farthest point from the center of the Earth and the lowest place on the earth's crust
Due to the Earth's bulge at the equator, the 6,310 m summit of Chimborazo Volcano in Ecuador is the furthest point from the center of the Earth, claiming the title of "highest point on Earth" despite Everest being the highest peak above sea level. . Chimborazo is an extinct volcano located 1 degree south of the equator.

The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans with the lowest surface elevation of the earth's crust. Today it is believed to have a depth of 10,971 m. It is located in the western Pacific Ocean east of the Mariana Islands.

9. The longest mountain range on Earth
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the longest mountain range on Earth, measuring 40 thousand km. It is located in the center of the Atlantic Ocean. Iceland is the only part of this mountain range that is above sea level.
The Andes form the longest surface mountain range at 7,000 km.

10. Place name consisting of only vowels
Mount Circeo on the west coast of Italy was once called Aeaea (5 vowels in a row and no consonants). According to mythology, the sorceress Circe lived here. Two other places with only vowels in their names are Aiea in Hawaii and Eiao, one of the Marquesas Islands.

11. The northernmost, eastern and western state in America
Alaska is the northernmost, eastern and western state in America. It is the only state that is part of the eastern hemisphere, making it the easternmost and westernmost state.

12. Sea without coast
The Sargasso Sea is an area in the center of the North Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by ocean currents, and is the only sea without a coastline. In the west it is limited by the Gulf Stream, in the north by the North Atlantic Current, in the east by the Canary Current and in the south by the North Equatorial Current. This current system forms the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre.

13. Lake in an ancient impact crater formed as a result of a meteorite fall
Lake Bosumtwi, located in an ancient meteorite impact crater with a diameter of 8 km, is the only natural lake in Ghana. It is located 30 km southwest of Kumasi city and is a popular recreation area. There are about 30 villages near the lake, with a total population of 70,000 people.

14. Unusual river flow
There is only one river in the world that originates near the equator and flows from there into the temperate zone and that is the Nile River. For some unknown reason, most rivers flow in the opposite direction.

15. Lack of land at the North Pole
There is no land at the North Pole - only ice over the water surface. The Arctic Ocean, which has 12 million square kilometers of floating ice, has the lowest winter temperature, -34°C.

It's still not clear why Lake Hillier in Western Australia is pink.
To protect against evil spirits, people of the Akha tribe living in northern Laos nail wooden models of Kalashnikov assault rifles and hand grenades to gate posts. People are sure that not a single evil spirit will dare to pass through such a gate.
The driest place on earth is the Dry Valleys of Antarctica, where there has been no precipitation for two million years.
The population of Africa speaks the largest number of languages - the number of African languages exceeds two thousand. The rarest of them is the Bikya language. In 1998, only one 87-year-old woman from a village on the border between Cameroon and Nigeria spoke this language.
Holland is a province within the Netherlands, which in the 16th–18th centuries was the political and economic core of the state. Since then, the history of this province has merged so much with the history of the entire country that the Netherlands began to be called Holland.
At the geographic poles (North and South), time can be chosen at your discretion, since all meridians converge at one point, and therefore the concept of geographic longitude loses its meaning. Since calculating the time of day at any place on Earth is related to the geographic longitude of that place, the uncertainty of longitude at the geographic poles leads to the uncertainty of the time of day at them.
Istanbul, Türkiye is the only city in the world that is located on two continents.
The oldest city in the world is Damascus, the capital of Syria. It flourished for several thousand years until the founding of Rome in 753 BC.
The largest building in the world is the Burj Dubai skyscraper (Dubai Tower). Its height is 828 meters (164 floors).
Costa Rica does not have a regular army.
Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined.
The smallest states: Vatican City - approximately 0.44 square meters. km. Population 770 people; Monaco - approximately 1.9 sq. km. Population - 32,000 people; Nauru - approximately 21 sq. km. Population 13,000; Tuvalu - approximately 25 sq. km. Population - 12,000 people; San Marino - approximately 61 sq. km. Population: 29,000 people.
Streets in Japan have no names.
Persia changed its name to Iran in 1935.
Austria was the first country to use postcards.
10 percent of the Russian government's revenue comes from the sale of vodka.
Japan is 70% mountainous.
All 14 mountains that are higher than 8000 meters are in Asia.
The tallest mountain in the world with its base on the ocean floor is Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Its height is 10203 m, but only 4205 m are above sea level.
In Korea, it is considered tactless to keep your hands behind your back or in your pockets.
In Brazil, pulling down the lower eyelid of the right eye means that the listener doubts what you are saying.
The full name of Los Angeles is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula" and can be shortened to 3.63% of the original size: "LA".
In 1980, there was only one country in the world where there were no telephones - Bhutan.
The character Donald Duck was banned in Finland because he doesn't wear pants.
In Saudi Arabia, a woman can get a divorce if her husband does not give her coffee.
7% of Americans don't know the first 9 words of the American anthem, but know the first 7 words of the Canadian anthem.
5% of Canadians don’t know the first 7 words of the Canadian anthem, but they know the first 9 words of the American anthem.
The West African Matami tribe plays football with a human skull.
The state of Papua New Guinea includes the islands of New Britain and New Ireland.
The capital of Vermont, Montpelier, is the only state capital in the United States without a single McDonald's.
Montpelier (Vermont) is the smallest state capital in the United States. Its population is only about nine thousand inhabitants.
The Weddell Sea in Antarctica is considered the cleanest sea on Earth.
The farthest point from all the oceans on Earth is in China.
In France, Italy and Chile the existence of UFOs is officially recognized.
In May 1948, two New Zealand volcanoes, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe, erupted simultaneously.
Unlike most African nations, Ethiopia was never a European colony.
Lebanon is the only state in the Middle East without deserts.
The city of Hong Kong ranks first in the world in the number of Rolls-Royce cars.
There are only two countries in South America that do not have access to the ocean: Bolivia and Paraguay.
Amsterdam and Antwerp have 26 islands each, St. Petersburg has 101, and Venice has as many as 118.
In the town of Calama, located in the Chilean Atacama Desert, it never rains.
The widest street in the world is located in Brasilia (Monumental Axis street, width - 250 meters).
Residents of the island of Lesbos are called lesboians and lesbosians, rather than lesbians and lesbians.
The Red Sea is the warmest sea on Earth.
Indonesia is located on 17,508 islands.
There is not a single river in Saudi Arabia.
The Ob River has about 150,000 tributaries.
The Greek national anthem has 158 versions. No one in Greece knows all 158 versions of their country's anthem.
In Malaysia, they believe that by bathing a child in beer, you can protect him from all sorts of troubles and illnesses.
The 7 most numerous peoples in the world: Chinese (Han), Hindustani, US Americans, Bengalis, Russians, Brazilians and Japanese.
The tallest extinct volcano on Earth is Aconcagua, located in Argentina. Its height is 6960 meters.
Several buildings in Manhattan have their own zip code. And the World Trade Center even has several of them.
There is only one river in the world that originates at the equator and flows into a temperate climate zone: the Nile. For some unknown reason, the remaining rivers flow in the opposite direction.
The center of Europe is located on the territory of Ukraine in the Transcarpathian region between the cities of Tyachev and Rakhiv, near the village of Delovoye, and the center of Asia is in the city of Kizyl, Tuva Republic.
In Thailand it is still considered indecent to use a fork when eating. The fork is used only to transfer food from the plate to the spoon.
Despite the fact that Delhi and Novosibirsk are almost at the same longitude, their time differs by an hour and a half. This is due to the fact that India has special maternity hours.
23 of the 50 American states have access to the ocean.
On February 18, 1979, it was snowing in the Sahara Desert.
There are 17 active volcanoes in Japan.
The first capital of the Russian state was Ladoga.
Cuba is the only Caribbean island with railways.
Nauru is the only state in the world that does not have an official capital.
The largest ports in the world: Rotterdam, Singapore, Kobe, New York, New Orleans.
The last eruption of the Japanese volcano Fuji occurred in 1707.
336 rivers flow into Lake Baikal, but only one flows out (the Angara).
Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) is considered the coldest capital in the world.
Until almost the end of the 1980s, there was not a single telephone in Bhutan.
Of the 25 highest peaks in the world, 19 are in the Himalayas.
Less than 1 percent of the Caribbean islands are inhabited.
There are as many as 3 cities in Peru and 9 more in Paris in the USA.
The Ganges has the largest delta of all rivers.
Japan includes more than 3,900 islands.
In the state of Togo, a man who compliments a woman is obliged to marry her.
In the central square of the Canadian town of Glendon stands its official symbol - a dumpling 9 meters high and weighing 2700 kg.
The eruption of the Mexican volcano Paricutin lasted 9 years (from 1943 to 1952). During this time, the volcano's cone rose 2,774 meters.
There are 5 states in Europe that border only one other state - Portugal, Denmark, San Marino, Vatican City and Monaco.
The 7 largest countries in the world (Russia, Canada, USA, China, Australia, Brazil and Argentina) occupy half of the planet's total land area.
The inscription Allah Akbar is repeated 22 times on the Iranian flag.
The Philippines archipelago includes 7,107 islands.
The Trans-Siberian Railway crosses exactly 3901 bridges.
The Kingdom of Tonga is the only monarchy in Oceania.
The first draft of the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper, and the first American flag was woven from hemp paper.
House numbering was first adopted in London in the 18th century, before which the address was determined by the owner's name.
In 1991, a monument to the ax was erected in Canada on a concrete pedestal. The weight of the monument was 7 tons.
60% of all cultural values of Western Europe are concentrated in Italy. Any Italian city is an open-air museum.
In the city of Tegazi (Sahara) there are houses with walls made of rock salt. This is one of the driest places on Earth.
In Finland, Italy, Germany, England, France and Spain, the number of cell phones exceeds the number of regular phones.
Visitors to the museum in Wupperteil are given identical postcards and asked to send them from their hometown. They make up the exhibition.
In the city of Tombsone, men and women over 18 years of age are prohibited from smiling if they are missing more than 1 front tooth.
The Ecuadorian postal service stamps the envelopes: Pyramid, located on the equator and dividing the world in half.
In England, 12 million old cell phones and 2 million televisions are thrown into landfill every year.
In London, a true Cockney is considered to be one who was born in the East End, within earshot of the bells of St Mary-le-Bow.
During the construction of the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, there was such a demand for Romanian marble that even tombstones throughout the country were made from other materials.
The cities of Makhachkala and Buinaksk are named after the Dagestan revolutionaries Magomed-Ali Dakhadaev (Makhach) and Ullubiy Daniyalovich Buinaksky.
The Russian city of Armavir received its name in honor of the ancient capital of Armenia - Armavir. Now they are sister cities.
Canada has been declared the best country to live by the UN 4 times over the past 5 years.
There are more Barbie dolls in Italy than there are Canadians in Canada.
There are no clocks in Las Vegas casinos.
The only country where not a single birth was registered in 1983 is the Vatican.
If all the steel cables of the largest Akashi-Kaikyo suspension bridge were stretched out in length, they could encircle the Earth as many as seven times.
The windiest place is Victoria Land, located in Antarctica. The wind speed here reaches 215 kilometers per hour.
Andorra is the only country in the world with free postal services.
Scrolling your finger at your temple means “I think” in Argentina and Peru. In other countries, the same gesture means “crazy.”
In Japan, it is considered very indecent to kiss in front of witnesses.
The equator passes through 13 countries of the world.
In Iceland, tipping is considered an insult.
The United Nations University is located in Tokyo.
Venice in Italy is built on 118 islets and connected by 400 bridges. She gradually sinks into the water.
In Paraguay, registered blood donors can legally duel.

56 interesting facts about geography that you may not have heard of.

1. The Kingdom of Tonga is the only monarchy in Oceania.

2. The Trans-Siberian Railway crosses exactly 3901 bridges.

3. The Philippines archipelago includes 7,107 islands.

4. The inscription “Allah Akbar” is repeated 22 times on the flag of Iran.

5. The 7 largest countries in the world (Russia, Canada, USA, China, Australia, Brazil and Argentina) occupy half of the planet’s total land area.

6. There are 5 states in Europe that border only one other state - Portugal, Denmark, San Marino, Vatican City and Monaco.

7. The eruption of the Mexican volcano Paricutin lasted 9 years (from 1943 to 1952). During this time, the volcano's cone rose 2,774 meters.

8. In the central square of the Canadian town of Glendon stands its official symbol - a dumpling 9 meters high and weighing 2700 kg.

9. The London equivalent of New York's Wall Street is called Lombard Street.

10. In the state of Togo, a man who compliments a woman is obliged to marry her.

11. Five boroughs of New York: Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan.

12. The largest desert in Europe is Ryn Sands. It is located between the Volga and Ural rivers (on the territory of Kazakhstan and Russia).

13. Japan includes more than 3,900 islands.

14. The Ganges has the largest delta of all rivers.

15. In the USA there are 3 cities in Peru and 9 more in Paris.

16. Less than 1 percent of the Caribbean islands are inhabited.

17. Of the 25 highest peaks in the world, 19 are in the Himalayas.

18. Until almost the end of the 1980s, there was not a single telephone in Bhutan.

19. Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) is considered the coldest capital in the world.

20. 336 rivers flow into Lake Baikal, but only one flows out (the Angara).

21. The last eruption of the Japanese volcano Fuji occurred in 1707.

22. The largest ports in the world: Rotterdam, Singapore, Kobe, New York, New Orleans.

23. Nauru is the only state in the world that does not have an official capital.

24. Cuba is the only Caribbean island with railways.

25. The first capital of the Russian state was Ladoga.

26. There are 17 active volcanoes in Japan.

28. 23 of the 50 American states have access to the ocean.

29. Despite the fact that Delhi and Novosibirsk are almost at the same longitude, their time differs by an hour and a half. This is due to the fact that India has special maternity hours.

30. In Thailand, it is still considered indecent to use a fork when eating. The fork is used only to transfer food from the plate to the spoon.

31. The center of Europe is located on the territory of Ukraine in the Transcarpathian region between the cities of Tyachev and Rakhiv, near the village of Delovoye, and the center of Asia is in the city of Kizyl, Tuva Republic.

32. There is only one river in the world that originates at the equator and flows into a temperate climate zone: the Nile. For some unknown reason, the remaining rivers flow in the opposite direction.

33. Several buildings in Manhattan have their own zip code. And the World Trade Center even has several of them.

34. The highest extinct volcano on Earth is Aconcagua, located in Argentina. Its height is 6960 meters.

35. The 7 most numerous peoples in the world: Chinese (Han), Hindustani, US Americans, Bengalis, Russians, Brazilians and Japanese.

36. Montpelier (Vermont) is the smallest state capital in the USA. Its population is only about nine thousand inhabitants.

37. The capital of Vermont, Montpelier, is the only state capital in the United States that does not have a single McDonald's.

38. One of the largest Icelandic geysers, located on the slope of the Hekla volcano, is called... Geyser.

39. In Malaysia, they believe that by bathing a child in beer, you can protect him from all sorts of troubles and illnesses.

40. The Greek national anthem has 158 versions. No one in Greece knows all 158 versions of their country's anthem.

41. The Ob River has about 150,000 (!) tributaries.

42. There is not a single river in Saudi Arabia.

43. Indonesia is located on 17,508 islands.

44. The Red Sea is the warmest sea on Earth.

45. The inhabitants of the island of Lesvos are called lesboians and lesbosians, not lesbians and lesbians.

46. In Moscow there is a river called Los, and the largest of the streams flowing into it is called... Losenok.

47. Among the Chinese and Koreans, the surname always comes first (i.e. Mao Zedong's surname is Mao).

48. The widest street in the world is located in Brasilia (Monumental Axis street, width - 250 meters).

49. It never rains in the town of Calama, located in the Chilean Atacama Desert.

50. The state of Papua New Guinea includes the islands of New Britain and New Ireland.

51. Amsterdam and Antwerp have 26 islands each, St. Petersburg has 101, and Venice has as many as 118.

52. There are only two countries in South America that do not have access to the ocean: Bolivia and Paraguay.

53. The city of Hong Kong ranks first in the world in the number of Rolls-Royce cars.

54. Lebanon is the only state in the Middle East without deserts.

55. Unlike most African nations, Ethiopia was never a European colony.

56. In May 1948, two New Zealand volcanoes, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe, erupted simultaneously.

1. Snow in the Sahara

2. Island question

Japan includes more than 3,900 islands, the Philippines archipelago includes 7,107 islands, and Indonesia is located on 17,508 islands.

3. Fixing the material

The inscription "Allah Akbar" is repeated 22 times on the Iranian flag.

4. The Magnificent Seven

The seven largest countries in the world (Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Russia and the USA) occupy half of the planet's total land area.

5. Only one neighbor

There are 5 states in Europe that border only one other state - Portugal, Denmark, San Marino, Vatican City and Monaco.

6. Longest eruption

The eruption of the Mexican volcano Paricutin lasted 9 years (from 1943 to 1952). During this time, the volcano's cone rose 2,774 meters.

7. Ukrainian trace

In the central square of the Canadian town of Glendon, which is one of the centers of the Ukrainian diaspora, stands its official symbol - a dumpling 9 meters high and weighing 2700 kg.

photo - Instagram

8. Chinese wilderness

The farthest point from all the oceans on Earth is in China.

9. Their morals

In the state of Togo, a man who compliments a woman is obliged to marry her.

10. Penguins for purity

The Weddell Sea is considered the cleanest sea on Earth.

11. Remnants of former luxury

The tallest extinct volcano on Earth is Aconcagua, located in Argentina. Its height is 6960 meters.

12. No capital needed

Nauru is the only state in the world that does not have an official capital. But it is very beautiful there.

photo - Instagram

13. All deltas delta

The Ganges has the largest delta of all the rivers on the planet.

14. American Diversity

There are as many as 3 cities in Peru and 9 more in Paris in the USA.

15. Cuban Missile Crisis

Less than 1 percent of the Caribbean islands are inhabited and only Cuba has railroads.

16. Top of the World

Of the 25 highest peaks in the world, 19 are in the Himalayas.

17. Hole of the World

Until almost the end of the 1980s, there was not a single telephone in Bhutan.

photo - Instagram

18. Cold is not an aunt

Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) is considered the coldest capital in the world.

19. Blast from the past

The last eruption of the Japanese volcano Fuji occurred in 1707.

20. Port city

The largest ports in the world: Rotterdam, Singapore, Kobe, New York, New Orleans.

Despite the fact that there are no longer blank spots on the map, there is still a lot of little-known and interesting information in the world. You can travel a lot and see beautiful places and amazing traditions everywhere. Or you can just look around and see if there is anything wonderful nearby, because we spend a lot of time at work, and if we just go out into nature, we can admire the breathtaking landscapes and get acquainted with interesting information that is so abundant in the world around us. Rivers and lakes, cities, countries, seas, mountains - we present interesting facts about geography.

Rivers and lakes

The shortest geographical name is “Å”. This word in Swedish and Norwegian means a river and, accordingly, road signs with this inscription are placed in front of rivers in Sweden and Norway.

Until recently, the Nile was considered the longest river; now the Amazon is considered the longest river. For a long time, researchers could not accurately determine the source of the Amazon, partly because the river flows through difficult terrain, partly because there are so many tributaries, and it was necessary to accurately determine which of them is the deepest and most the beginning of the Amazon.

In the African country of Ghana there is only one lake - Bozumtwi. It has a round shape and a diameter of 8 kilometers. It was formed in a meteorite crater and is a very popular place for both recreation and residence - three dozen villages are located on the shores, in which about 70 thousand people live.

The Dead Sea is a lake that is located 430 meters below sea level. The salinity of the water is such that a person can lie on the surface of the water, it will be difficult and dangerous to dive, because salt can get into the eyes and cause severe pain. Despite the fact that living conditions are very difficult here, in the distant past there were several cities on the seashores, where residents were engaged in the extraction of asphalt, a viscous substance that was used in construction. Now Dead Sea salts are used in cosmetology, and the reservoir itself is a tourist center.

Cities

Some interesting geographical facts about cities. Inner Mongolia (China) is home to the largest city in the world by area - Hulunbuir. Its area exceeds 260 thousand square kilometers. For such an area, one side of the square must exceed 500 kilometers. The city's population is also large, with more than 2.5 million residents in 2010. Such a large area is explained by the fact that the administrative unit aimak (the entire region) was turned into an urban district.

The largest city in the world is Chongqing, China, with a population of about 40 million people. In second place is Tokyo with a population of 35 million people. The fact that a little-known Chinese city has become the largest is explained by the fact that the Chinese authorities declared the entire province an urban district, but there were reasons for this - the country's government is implementing a program for relocating rural residents to cities.

The largest ghost town is Ordos, located in the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia. This city was built for 1 million inhabitants, but only 20 thousand people live in it. Most of the buildings are empty. The city was built as a coal mining center, but there was little coal and the city remained uninhabited. But the Chinese authorities, pursuing a policy of relocating rural residents to cities, plan to significantly increase the number of residents of Ordos in a few years.

The smallest city listed in the Guinness Book of Records is the Croatian town of Hum. The population is about 20 people, there is a measure. Despite its small size, there are two temples, a restaurant, and a shop. Many tourists come here, since the city was built in the 11th century on the site of the ruins of a fortress and after that has changed little, so although the city is small, it has many attractions.

In the American city of Bufort there is an abandoned school building, a store, a gas station, and a parking lot. There were probably many people living here in the past if the locality is considered a city, but in 2012 there was only one resident living here, who was the mayor of the city. This resident put the village up for sale; two Vietnamese entrepreneurs bought it for $900,000.

Countries

There are three enclave states in the world - Lesotho, Vatican City and San Marino. Lesotho is completely surrounded by the lands of the Republic of South Africa, the Vatican and San Marino are surrounded by Italian lands. The Vatican is the smallest state in the world, and San Marino is the oldest state.

The Republic of San Marino has a history of sovereignty dating back to 301; historians suggest that from the 6th century, when Italy began to disintegrate into separate states, San Marino became a completely independent state entity. This state also has the oldest constitution in the world, it was created in 1600.

The ruling dynasty in Japan is considered the oldest on the planet. Emperor Akihito, who rules in this country, is a descendant of the first Emperor Jimmu, who began ruling in 711 BC. Japan is the only country in the world that is officially an empire.

In Costa Rica, more than 20 percent of the territory is occupied by national parks and reserves. This contributes to the development of tourism - about one million tourists come here every year, who bring about 7 percent of revenue to the treasury.

Seas

Fun facts about the seas. The lowest water temperature - minus 2 degrees Celsius - was recorded in the White Sea, which washes the northern shores of Russia. As you know, water freezes at 0 degrees, but salt water freezes at lower temperatures, so the sea can have a minus temperature.

The warmest water is in the Persian Gulf; it can warm up to temperatures of more than 35 degrees. Such warm water contributes to the abundance of marine life - corals, fish. There are also a lot of sharks here, so the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea (which also has very warm water) are considered dangerous for divers (and tourists) due to the abundance of predators and poisonous fish and animals. Also dangerous are large shells, the doors of which can squeeze the diver’s hand, making it very difficult to open this trap in the water. When vacationing in Egypt or the United Arab Emirates, you need to be very careful when vacationing in the water, it is easy to get bitten or be stung by a poisonous sea creature.

The Sargasso Sea, which is located in the Atlantic Ocean, has no shores. Its boundaries are ocean currents - the Gulf Stream in the west, the North Atlantic in the north, the Canary Islands in the east and the North Atlantic Equatorial in the south. This complex of currents forms the North Atlantic Subtropical Spiral. This area probably became a sea due to the abundance of algae called sargassum; they float here on the surface of the water and create the impression of proximity to land. Flying fish live here; they can fly above the surface of the water up to 400 meters (usually up to 50 meters) at a height of 5 meters above the water, reaching a speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

The earth at the equator is convex. Thanks to this, the peak of Mount Chimborazo, which is located in Ecuador and has a height of 6310 meters, is the most distant point on our planet, if you count from the center of the earth.

The longest mountain range is not located on land, but at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. It stretches from south to north approximately in the middle between Africa and America and has a length of more than 18 thousand kilometers. Only the northern part of this mountain range is located above the water, this is the island of Iceland. The longest land mountains are the Andes, they stretch for 7 thousand kilometers.

The tallest mountain in the world is not Everest, but Mauna Kea, a mountain located in Hawaii. Its height above sea level is 4205 meters, but if you count from the foot, which is deep under water, then the height is 10203 meters.

Interesting information

The deepest place on earth is the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, which is almost 11 kilometers deep. Even at such a depth, without light and under high water pressure, living creatures live.

There are several geographical names that consist only of vowel sounds - Aeaea (a mountain in Italy), Aiea (a city in Hawaii), Eiao (one of the Marquesas islands).

The longest railway in the world is the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia, its length is more than 9 thousand kilometers. It stretches from Moscow to Vladivostok through 87 cities.

The deepest well drilled by man is the Kola well, which is more than 12 kilometers deep. They planned to make the well even deeper, but they encountered technical problems and further drilling was suspended.