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Our world is brimming with incredible geographical and geological wonders, many of which remain shrouded in mystery. There are so many, in fact, that we may never completely uncover the secrets nature has concealed. Here are 15 of the most unusual and downright strange geographical and geological facts about our planet.
1 Facts 1 – 5
1. The second longest accepted geographical name in the world is 'Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhe nua kitanatahu' (85 characters), which is a hill in New Zealand. This Maori phrase translates to '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.' It was once considered the longest, though Guinness World Records still lists it as such. However, it may now be overtaken by 'Krungthepmahanakornamornratnakosinmahintarayutthayamahadillokphopnopparatrajathani buriromudomrajaniwesmahasatharnamornphimarnavatarnsathitsakkattiyavisanukamprasit' in Thailand (163 characters).
2. Lesotho, Vatican City, and San Marino are the only nations entirely encircled by a single other country. Lesotho is entirely surrounded by South Africa, while both Vatican City and San Marino are surrounded only by Italy.
3. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyllllantysiliogogogoch holds the title of the longest village name in the world (and ranks as the third longest geographical name). Located in Wales, it features four consecutive 'l's!
4. The shortest place name is 'Å,' which can be found in both Sweden and Norway. In Scandinavian languages, 'Å' translates to 'river.' The image above shows one of the newly updated road signs for the area, which are often stolen due to their novelty value.
5. Vatican City is the world's smallest country, measuring just 0.2 square miles—smaller than the average city! On the other hand, Russia is the largest country, not surprisingly.
2 Facts 6 – 10
6. The largest city in the world by surface area is Hulunbuir, located in Inner Mongolia, covering an area of 263,953 km².
7. The hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth occurred in El Azizia, Libya, reaching 136°F, while the coldest temperature was -134°F in Vostok, Antarctica. Western Australia holds the record for the hottest average temperature, with 96°F year-round.
8. San Marino claims the title of the world’s oldest constitutional republic, founded in 301 by a Christian stonemason escaping persecution under Emperor Diocletian. Its 1600 constitution is the world’s oldest written constitution. The image above shows San Marino.
9. While Mount Everest holds the record for the highest altitude above sea level, Mount Chimborazo is the closest point on Earth to the moon. The Marianas Trench, on the other hand, is the deepest place on Earth.
10. Alaska holds the distinction of being the northernmost, easternmost, and westernmost state in the United States. It is the only state that stretches into the Eastern Hemisphere, making it both the most eastern and western state.
3 Facts 11 – 15
11. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the longest mountain range on Earth, stretching over 40,000 kilometers. It runs through the center of the Atlantic Ocean, with Iceland being the only part that rises above water. The Andes, however, form the longest exposed mountain range, reaching 7,000 kilometers.
12. Mount Circeo, located on Cape Circaeum on Italy’s western coast, was once known as Aeaea (a word with five consecutive vowels and no consonants). In mythology, it was thought to be the home of the witch Circe. Other places with vowel-only names include Aiea in Hawaii and Eiao, part of the Marquesas Islands.
13. Glaciers contain between 70% and 80% of all the freshwater on Earth. A staggering 99% of these glaciers are located in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
14. In 1811 and 1812, three earthquakes measuring around 8 on the Richter scale caused the Mississippi River to reverse its flow. These quakes also led to the creation of Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee.
15. The deepest hole ever drilled by humans is the Kola Superdeep Borehole in Russia, reaching a depth of 12,261 meters (about 40,226 feet or 7.62 miles). Drilled for scientific exploration, it led to unexpected discoveries, including a vast hydrogen deposit that caused the mud to appear 'boiling' with it. The borehole is shown in the image above.
Contributors: Schiesl, JFrater
