 |
 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
Geographical Facts and
Superlatives |  |
| A collection of
facts including the extremes of geography, such as the highest and lowest,
hottest and coldest places on Earth. | |
|
If you know anymore send them to us and, if they are good enough, we'll add them to the page! |
|
| GeoRat © Camilla Robinson |
Human Geography
LARGEST COUNTRIES (in sq miles): 2004 |
SMALLEST COUNTRIES (in sq miles): 2004 |
||||
1. |
Russia | 6,592,735 |
1. |
Vatican City | 0.17 |
2. |
Canada | 3,855,081 |
2. |
Monaco | 0.75 |
3. |
United States | 3,717,792 |
3. |
Nauru | 8.11 |
4. |
China | 3,705,386 |
4. |
Tuvalu | 10.0 |
5. |
Brazil | 3,286,470 |
5. |
San Marino | 23.6 |
6. |
Australia | 2,967,893 |
6. |
Liechtenstein | 62.0 |
7. |
India | 1,269,338 |
7. |
Marshall Islands | 70.0 |
8. |
Argentina | 1,068,296 |
8. |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 101.0 |
9. |
Kazakhstan | 1,049,150 |
9. |
Maldives | 116.0 |
10. |
Sudan | 967,493 |
10. |
Malta | 122.0 |
HIGHEST POPULATION DENSITY (per sq mile): 2004 |
LOWEST POPULATION DENSITY (per sq mile): 2004 |
||||
1. |
Monaco | 42,861 |
1. |
Western Sahara | 2.6 |
2. |
Singapore | 16,279 |
2. |
Mongolia | 4.6 |
3. |
Vatican City | 5,362 |
3. |
Namibia | 6.1 |
4. |
Malta | 3,253 |
4. |
Australia | 6.7 |
5. |
Maldives | 2,930 |
5. |
Botswana | 6.7 |
6. |
Bahrain | 2,640 |
6. |
Suriname | 6.9 |
7. |
Bangladesh | 2,542 |
7. |
Iceland | 7.4 |
8. |
Barbados | 1,672 |
8. |
Mauritania | 7.5 |
9. |
Taiwan | 1,638 |
9. |
Libya | 8.3 |
10. |
Nauru | 1,580 |
10. |
Canada | 8.4 |
Largest Cities in the World
City |
Country |
Population
size (in millions) |
Shanghai |
China |
13.3 |
Mumbai
(Bombay) |
India |
12.6 |
Buenos
Aires |
Argentina |
11.92 |
Moscow |
Russia |
11.3 |
Karachi |
Pakistan |
10.9 |
Delhi |
India |
10.4 |
Manila |
Philippines |
10.3 |
Sao
Paulo |
Brazil |
10.26 |
Seoul |
South Korea |
10.2 |
Istanbul |
Turkey |
9.6 |
Figures
as of 01/01/2004
|
||
Continental Permanent Population Values
Continent |
Population |
Africa |
778,000,000 |
Antarctica |
0 |
Asia |
3,674,000,000 |
Australia
and Oceania |
31,000,000 |
Europe |
732,000,000 |
North
America |
483,000,000 |
South
America |
342,000,000 |
Top Ten Countries By Gross Domestic Product
| HIGHEST GDP PER CAPITA : 2003 | LOWEST GDP PER CAPITA : 2003 | ||||
1. |
Luxembourg |
$55,100 |
1. |
Somalia |
$500 |
2. |
United States |
$37,800 |
2. |
Sierra Leone |
$500 |
3. |
Norway |
$37,700 |
3. |
East Timor |
$500 |
4. |
San Marino |
$34,600 |
4. |
Tanzania |
$600 |
5. |
Switzerland |
$32,800 |
5. |
Malawi |
$600 |
6. |
Denmark |
$31,200 |
6. |
Congo, Dem Republic of |
$600 |
7. |
Iceland |
$30,900 |
7. |
Burundi |
$600 |
8. |
Austria |
$30,000 |
8. |
Ethiopia |
$700 |
9. |
Ireland |
$29,800 |
9. |
Eritrea |
$700 |
10. |
Canada |
$29,700 |
10. |
Congo, Republic of |
$700 |
Top Ten Countries By Highest Inflation
HIGHEST INFLATION: 2003 |
||
|---|---|---|
1. |
Zimbabwe |
383.4% |
2. |
Angola |
106.0% |
3. |
Myanmar |
52.8% |
4. |
Haiti |
37.3% |
5. |
Venezuela |
31.1% |
6. |
Belarus |
30.0% |
7. |
Iraq |
27.5% |
8. |
Malawi |
27.4% |
9. |
Ghana |
26.4% |
10. |
Uzbekistan |
21.9% |
Where Do The Super Rich People Live?
Rank |
Country |
Number of Billionaires |
1. |
United States |
269 |
2. |
Japan |
29 |
3. |
Germany |
28 |
4. |
Italy |
17 |
5. |
Canada |
16 |
6. |
Switzerland |
15 |
7. |
France |
15 |
8. |
Hong Kong |
14 |
9. |
Mexico |
13 |
10. |
United Kingdom |
12 |
Most Expensive Countries In Which To Live
Rank |
Country |
1. |
Japan |
2. |
South Korea |
3. |
Russia |
4. |
Taiwan |
5. |
Norway |
6. |
Hong Kong |
7. |
Switzerland |
8. |
Denmark |
9. |
Argentina |
10. |
China |
Top Ten Countries By Highest Infant Mortality Rate
| HIGHEST INFANT MORTALITY RATE (deaths per 1000 births): 2004 |
||
|---|---|---|
1. |
Angola |
192.5 |
2. |
Afghanistan |
166.0 |
3. |
Sierra Leone |
145.2 |
4. |
Mozambique |
137.1 |
5. |
Western Sahara |
133.6 |
6. |
Liberia |
130.5 |
7. |
Niger |
122.7 |
8. |
Somalia |
118.5 |
9. |
Mali |
118.0 |
10. |
Tajikistan |
112.1 |
Top Ten Countries By Lowest Infant Mortality Rate
| HIGHEST INFANT MORTALITY RATE (deaths per 1000 births): 2004 |
||
|---|---|---|
1. |
Singapore |
2.3 |
2. |
Sweden |
2.8 |
3. |
Japan |
3.3 |
4. |
Iceland |
3.3 |
5. |
Finland |
3.6 |
6. |
Norway |
3.7 |
7. |
Malta |
3.9 |
8. |
Czech Republic |
4.0 |
9. |
Andora |
4.1 |
10. |
Germany |
4.2 |
Top Ten Countries By Highest Life Expectancy
| HIGHEST LIFE EXPECTANCY (in years): 2004 | ||
|---|---|---|
1. |
Andorra |
83.5 |
2. |
Singapore |
81.5 |
3. |
San Marino |
81.5 |
4. |
Japan |
81.0 |
5. |
Switzerland |
80.3 |
6. |
Sweden |
80.3 |
7. |
Australia |
80.3 |
8. |
Iceland |
80.2 |
9. |
Canada |
80.0 |
10. |
Italy |
79.5 |
Top Ten Countries By Lowest Life Expectancy
| LOWEST LIFE EXPECTANCY (in years): 2004 | ||
|---|---|---|
1. |
Botswana |
30.8 |
2. |
Zambia |
35.2 |
3. |
Angola |
36.8 |
4. |
Lesotho |
36.8 |
5. |
Mozambique |
37.1 |
6. |
Malawi |
37.5 |
7. |
Swaziland |
37.5 |
8. |
Zimbabwe |
37.8 |
9. |
Rwanda |
39.2 |
10. |
Namibia |
40.5 |
Top Ten Countries By Lowest Literacy Rate
| LOWEST LITERACY RATES: 1990 | ||
|---|---|---|
1. |
Burkina Faso |
18% |
2. |
Eritrea |
20% |
3. |
Sierra Leone |
21% |
4. |
Benin |
23% |
5. |
Guinea |
24% |
6. |
Somalia |
24% |
7. |
Sudan |
27% |
8. |
Gambia |
27% |
9. |
Ethiopia |
28% |
10. |
Niger |
28% |
Physical Geography
Continental Sizes and Highest / Lowest Points
Continent |
Land
area in sq km (approx) |
Land
area in sq miles(approx) |
Percentage
of the total land area |
Heighest
point |
Lowest
point |
Africa |
30,065,000 |
11,608,000 |
20.2% |
Mt.
Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, 19,340 ft. (5,895 m) |
Lake
Assal in Djibouti, 512 ft. below sea level (–156 m) |
Antarctica |
13,209,000 |
5,100,000 |
8.9% |
Vinson
Massif in the Ellsworth Mts., 16,066 ft. (4,897 m) |
Lowest
land point hidden within the Bentley Subglacial Trench (deeper than –2,538
m). |
Asia |
44,579,000 |
17,212,000 |
30.0% |
Mt.
Everest inTibet-Nepal, 29,035 ft. (8,850 m) |
Dead
Sea in Israel-Jordan, 1,349 ft. below sea level (–411 m) |
Australia
and Oceania |
8,112,000
|
3,132,000 |
5.3% |
Mt.
Kosciusko in Australia, 7,310 ft. (2,228 m) |
Lake
Eyre in Australia, 52 ft. below sea level (–12 m) |
Europe |
9,938,000 |
3,837,000 |
6.7% |
Mt.
Elbrus in Georgia, 18,510 ft. (5,642 m)* |
Caspian
Sea in Kazakhstan 92 ft. below sea level (–28 m) |
North
America |
24,474,000 |
9,449,000 |
16.5% |
Mt.
McKinley in Alaska, 20,320 ft. (6,194 m) |
Death
Valley in California, 282 ft. below sea level (–86 m) |
South
America |
17,819,000 |
6,879,000 |
12.0% |
Mt.
Aconcagua in Argentina, 22,834 ft. (6,960 m) |
Valdes
Peninsula in Argentina 131 ft. below sea level (–40 m) |
*
An alternative and more traditional view of Europe does not include Georgia.
Instead Mont Blanc, in France, is given as the heighest point in Europe,
at 4000m
|
|||||
Largest and Smallest Countries (by land area)
LARGEST
COUNTRIES |
SMALLEST
COUNTRIES |
||||||
Rank |
Country |
Area
in sq. km |
Area
in sq. miles |
Rank |
Country |
Area
in sq. km |
Area
in sq. miles |
1 |
Russia |
17,075,400 |
6,592,846 |
1 |
Vatican
City |
0.44 |
0.17 |
2 |
Canada |
9,330,970 |
3,602,707 |
2 |
Monaco |
1.95 |
0.75 |
3 |
China |
9,326,410 |
3,600,947 |
3 |
Nauru |
21.2 |
8.2 |
4 |
United States |
9.166,600 |
3,539,242 |
4 |
Tuvalu |
26 |
10 |
5 |
Brazil |
8,456,510 |
3,265,075 |
5 |
San Marino |
61 |
24 |
6 |
Australia |
7,617,930 |
2,941,283 |
6 |
Liechtenstein |
160 |
62 |
7 |
India |
2,973,190 |
1,147,949 |
7 |
Marshall
Islands |
181 |
70 |
8 |
Argentina |
2,736,690 |
1,056,636 |
8 |
Seychelles |
270 |
104 |
9 |
Kazakhstan |
2,717,300 |
1,049,150 |
9 |
Maldives |
300 |
116 |
10 |
Sudan |
2,376,000 |
917,374 |
10 |
St. Kitts
and Nevis |
360 |
139 |
Oceans by Size (Surface area)
Ocean |
Surface
Area (in sq. km) |
Arctic |
14,056,000 |
Atlantic |
76,762,000 |
Indian |
68,556,000 |
Pacific |
155,557,000 |
Southern |
20,327,000 |
Deepest Parts of the Oceans
Location |
Ocean |
Depth |
Mariana
Trench |
Pacific
Ocean |
35,827
feet (6.8miles) |
Puerto
Rico Trench |
Atlantic
Ocean |
30,246
feet (5.7 miles) |
Java
Trench |
Indian Ocean |
24,460
feet (4.6 miles) |
Arctic
Basin |
Arctic
Ocean |
18,456feet
(3.5 miles) |
An
airliner flying at 33,000 feet is 6.25 miles above you - so imagine the
same sort of distance below you and you have the Mariana
Trench
|
||
Longest Rivers
Rank |
River |
Length (in miles) |
Location |
1. |
Nile |
4160 |
North / East Africa |
2. |
Amazon |
4000 |
South America |
3. |
Yangtze |
3964 |
China |
4. |
Huang He |
3395 |
China |
5. |
Ob-Irtysh |
3362 |
Russia |
6. |
Amur |
2744 |
Northeast Asia |
7. |
Lena |
2734 |
Russia |
8. |
Congo |
2718 |
Central Africa |
9. |
Mackenzie |
2635 |
Australia |
10. |
Mekong |
2600 |
Southeast Asia |
The Largest Lakes
Rank |
Lake |
Size (in sq km) |
Location |
1. |
Caspian Sea |
371,000 |
Asia / Europe |
2. |
Superior |
82,100 |
North America |
3. |
Victoria |
69,500 |
Africa |
4. |
Huron |
59,600 |
North America |
5. |
Michigan |
57,800 |
North America |
6. |
Tanganyika |
32,900 |
Africa |
7. |
Baikal |
31,500 |
Asia |
8. |
Great Bear |
31,300 |
North America |
9. |
Aral Sea |
30,700 |
Asia |
10. |
Malawi |
28,900 |
Africa |
The Deepest Lakes
Rank |
Lake |
Depth (in feet) |
Location |
1. |
Baikal |
5315 |
Russia |
2. |
Tanganyika |
4800 |
Africa |
3. |
Caspian Sea |
3363 |
Asia / Europe |
4. |
Malawi |
2317 |
Africa |
5. |
Issyk-Kul |
2303 |
Kyrgyzstan |
Largest Islands
Rank |
Name |
Size (sq km) |
1 |
Australia |
7,617,930 |
2 |
Greenland |
2,175,600 |
3 |
New Guinea |
792,500 |
4 |
Borneo |
725,500 |
5 |
Madagascar |
587,000 |
6 |
Baffin |
507,500 |
7 |
Sumatra |
427,300 |
8 |
Honshu |
227,400 |
9 |
Great Britain |
218,100 |
10 |
Victoria |
217,300 |
Coldest Recorded Temperatures
Rank |
Location |
Temperature |
1 |
Vostok , Antarctica |
-128.6F |
2 |
Plateau Station , Antarctica |
-119.2F |
3 |
Oymyakon , Russia |
-96.0F |
4 |
Verkhoyansk , Russia |
-89.8F |
5 |
Northice , Greenland |
-86.8F |
6 |
Eismitte, Greenland |
-84.8F |
7 |
Snag ,Yukon, Canada |
-81.4F |
8 |
Prospect Creek , Alaska, USA |
-79.8F |
9 |
Fort Selkirk , Yukon, Canada |
-74.0F |
10 |
Rogers Pass , Montana, USA |
-69.7F |
Hottest Recorded Temperatures
Rank |
Location |
Temperature |
1 |
Al'Aziziyah , Libya |
136.4 F |
2 |
Greenland Ranch , Death Valley, California |
134.0 F |
3 |
Ghudamis, , Libya |
131.0 F |
4 |
Kebili , Tunisia |
131.0 F |
5 |
Tombouctou , Mali |
130.1 F |
6 |
Araouane , Mali |
130.0 F |
7 |
Tirat Tavi , Israel |
129.0 F |
8 |
Ahwaz , Iran |
128.3 F |
9 |
Agha Jari , Iran |
128.0 F |
10 |
Wadi Halfa , Sudan |
127.0 F |
Highest Mountains (Above Sealevel)
Rank |
Name |
Height |
Location |
1 |
Everest |
8850m |
Nepal |
2 |
Qogir |
8611m |
Pakistan |
3 |
Kangchenjunga |
8586 |
Nepal |
4 |
Lhotse |
8501m |
Nepal |
5 |
Makalu |
8462m |
Nepal |
6 |
Cho Oyu |
8201m |
Nepal |
7 |
Dhaulagiri |
8167 |
Nepal |
8 |
Manaslu |
8156m |
Nepal |
9 |
Nanga Parbat |
8125m |
Pakistan |
10 |
Annapurna |
8091m |
Nepal |
Highest Waterfalls in the UK
Country |
Waterfall |
Height |
Location |
Grid
Ref |
OS
Map |
England |
Cauldron
Snout |
200ft
(61m) |
Teesdale,
County Durham |
NY814287 |
Explorer OL19 Landranger 91 |
Wales |
Pistwll
Rhaeadr |
240ft
(73m) |
(Clwyd)
North West of LLanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant |
SJ073295 |
Explorer
255 |
Scotland |
Eas
a' Chual Aluinn |
658ft
(201m) |
Nr
Glen Coul, Scottish Highlands |
NC282277 |
Explorer 442 Landranger15 |
Source: Tourist Boards of England, Scotland and Wales.
Deepest Lakes in the UK
Country |
Lake |
Depth |
Location |
Grid Ref |
OS Map |
England |
Wastwater |
249ft (76m) |
Lake District National Park |
NY 165 061 |
Landranger 89 |
Wales |
Llyn Cowlyd |
222ft (67.66m) |
Carneddau mountains, Snowdonia National Park |
SH 728 624 |
Landranger 115 |
Scotland |
Loch Morar |
1017ft (310m) |
Scottish Highlands |
NM 858 904 |
Landranger 40 |
Weird Geography
The Largest Wave
The highest wave ever recorded was in Lituya Bay on the southern coast of Alaska. In July 1958 a massive landslide was triggered by an earthquake, causing a tsunami wave that reached an impressive 1720 feet (524m) high! Amazingly, two fishing boats in the bay survived the event, although a third boat was washed inland, killing its crew.
If you are wondering how the height was measured - scientists just looked for the high water mark on the surrounding hills, then measured down to sea level.
The Longest Place Name
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch
This is the name of a town in North Wales (United Kingdom). The name, translated from Welsh, means "The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St. Tysilio's of the red cave".
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu
This is a Maori name for a place in New Zealand. In English it translates as "the place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as 'land eater,' played his flute to his loved one."
But...
The Guinness Book Of Records suggests that the winner is the Thai word for the city of Bangkok.
Krungthepmahanakonbowornratanakosinmahintarayudyayamahadiloponoparatanarajthaniburiromudomrajniwesmahasatarnamornpimarnavatarsatitsakattiyavisanukamphrasit
When translated this means...
The land of angels, the great city of immortality, various of devine gems,the great angelic land unconquerable,land of nine noble gems, the royal city, the pleasant capital place of the grand royal palace,forever land of angels and reincarnated spirits,predestined and created by the highest devas.
We value
your ideas and suggestions. Please contact the
maintainer of this site.
This page
can be found at: http://www.geography-site.co.uk
Last update to
this statement was on:
January 5, 2007
© Copyright Geography Site
 |
 |
 |