Alaska - More than half of the coastline of the entire
United States is in Alaska.
Amazon – This rainforest produces more than 20% of the
world's oxygen supply. The Amazon River pushes so much
water into the Atlantic Ocean that, more than one hundred
miles at sea off the mouth of the river, one can dip fresh
water out of the ocean. The volume of water in the Amazon
river is greater than the next eight largest rivers in the
world combined and three times the flow of all rivers in
the United States.
Antarctica - Is the only land on our planet that is not
owned by any country. Ninety percent of the world's ice
covers Antarctica. This ice also represents seventy percent
of all the fresh water in the world. As strange as it sounds,
however, Antarctica is essentially a desert. The average
yearly total precipitation is about two inches. Although
covered with ice (all but 0.4% of it, i.e.), Antarctica
is the driest place on the planet, with an absolute
humidity lower than the Gobi desert.
Brazil - Got its name from the nut, not the other way around.
Canada - Has more lakes than the rest of the world combined.
Canada is an Indian word meaning "Big Village."
Chicago - Next to Warsaw, Chicago has the largest Polish
population in the world.
Detroit - Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, carries
the designation M-1, named so because it was the first
referenced paved road anywhere.
Damascus, Syria - Was flourishing a couple of thousand
years before Rome was founded in 753 BC, making it the
oldest continuously inhabited city in existence.
Istanbul, Turkey - Is the only city in the world located
on two continents.
Los Angeles – The city's full name is El Pueblo de Nuestra
Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula and can be
abbreviated to 3.63% of its size: L.A.
New York City - The term "The Big Apple" was coined by
touring jazz musicians of the 1930's who used the slang
expression "apple" for any town or city. Therefore, to
play New York City is to play the big time - The Big
Apple. There are more Irish in New York City than in
Dublin, Ireland; more Italians in New York City than in
Rome, Italy; and more Jews in New York City than in Tel
Aviv, Israel.
Ohio - There are no natural lakes in the state of Ohio;
every one is manmade.
Pitcairn Island - The smallest island with country status
is Pitcairn in Polynesia, at just 1.75 sq. miles/4,53 sq. km.
Rome - The first city to reach a population of 1 million
people was Rome, Italy in 133 B.C.
Siberia - Contains more than 25% of the world's forests.
S.M.O.M. - The actual smallest sovereign entity in the
world is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (S.M.O.M.).
It is located in the city of Rome, Italy, has an area of
two tennis courts, and as of 2001 has a population of 80,
20 less people than the Vatican. It is a sovereign entity
under international law, just as the Vatican is.
Sahara Desert - In the Sahara Desert, there is a town
named Tidikelt, which did not receive a drop of rain
for ten years. Technically though, the driest place on
Earth is in the valleys of the Antarctic near Ross
Island. There has been no rainfall there for two
million years.
Spain - Literally means 'the land of rabbits.'
St. Paul, Minnesota - Was originally called Pig's Eye
after a man named Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant who set
up the first business there.
Roads - Chances that a road is unpaved in the U.S.A.:
1%, in Canada: 75%.
Texas - The deepest hole ever made in the world is in
Texas. It is as deep as 20 empire state buildings but
only 3 inches wide.
United States - The Eisenhower interstate system
requires that one-mile in every five must be straight.
These straight sections are usable as airstrips in
times of war or other emergencies.
Waterfalls - The water of Angel Falls (the World's highest)
in Venezuela drops 3,212 feet (979 meters). They are 15
times higher than Niagara Falls.
