Amazing or Hard to Believe Geographic Facts

[Pauly Wauly]

Originally Posted by nyalpine90

cool thread
me likes!

Google will answer all your questions

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by tranquility

I moved from the most densely-populated place on Earth (Hong Kong) to the most sparse (Canada) (Disclaimer: roughly-speaking more or less, don't break out your protractors on me, geography nerds! LOL.)

Originally Posted by bosstones

Mongolia would like a word with you.

There's always one...what did I just say??

Anyway, at one point in time this was true and I thought it was interesting.

[Lady Jane]

Tugela Falls: The Tallest waterfall in the World.

In the KwaZulu-Natal Province of the Republic of South Africa, the Drakensberg of Royal Natal National Park is home to the complex of seasonal waterfalls known as Tugela Falls. With an uninterrupted leap of 411 m (1348.43 ft) and a total drop of 947 m (3106.96 ft).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tugela_Falls

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

The Diomede Islands

Time zones can be strange and create strange situations. The Diomede Islands are only separated by 4 km (2.4 mi), yet due to the International Date Line running across them, they are not only in different time zones but also 20 hours apart.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diomede_Islands

The Int'l Date Line cost me my 21st birthday! When I was in the Navy, we crossed it the day before my birthday and I had something like an hour or 2 of my birthday.

[Lady Jane]

In France, "La fosse Dionne" is a seemingly bottomless water pit. Despite several attempts by divers, its depth has been impossible to find. Exploring it is now strictly controlled as multiple deaths have occurred.

[Jbrown7403]

Interesting (to me at least) that Denver is further north than San Francisco.

[sygazelle]

Columbus, Ohio is further east than Tallahassee, Florida. That just doesn't seem right!

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

Tugela Falls: The Tallest waterfall in the World.

In the KwaZulu-Natal Province of the Republic of South Africa, the Drakensberg of Royal Natal National Park is home to the complex of seasonal waterfalls known as Tugela Falls. With an uninterrupted leap of 411 m (1348.43 ft) and a total drop of 947 m (3106.96 ft).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tugela_Falls

Maybe not quite the tallest, or maybe waterfalls are measured in different ways under differing circumstances?

Angel Falls in Venezuela is reputed to be over 3,200' high: https://www.britannica.com/place/Angel-Falls.

Whichever, whatever - over 3,000' for a waterfall is incredible. I had plans to go to Angel Falls way back in the early 70s but never made it. Now I'm wishing I had.

[floridaorange]

Florida is further south than Mississippi

[tturedraider]

The Great Lakes hold more than 20% of all of the fresh water in the world. 30% of the population of Canada rely on the Great Lakes for their drinking water. The Great Lakes create their own weather systems.

[tturedraider]

Dalhart, Texas in the uppermost northwest corner of Texas is closer to six state capitals than it is to the capital of Texas, Austin.

It is 812 miles from Texarkana, Texas to El Paso, Texas. It is 784 miles from Chicago, where I live, to Texarkana.

[vreihen16]

(Unverified statistic) In Canada, 75% of the population lives within 100 miles of the US border.....

[Lady Jane]

Point Nemo.

Point Nemo is the location in the ocean that is farthest from land.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/nemo.html

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

(Unverified statistic) In Canada, 75% of the population lives within 100 miles of the US border.....

I'm guessing that checks out if not even higher.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

The Int'l Date Line cost me my 21st birthday! When I was in the Navy, we crossed it the day before my birthday and I had something like an hour or 2 of my birthday.

This reminded me of a Humor in Uniform I read in Reader’s Digest years ago. As I’m sure you remember, in the military when we’re talking about getting in trouble we often say, “what are they going to do, take away my birthday?” Well, as you discovered the Navy can do that. This sailor got into trouble and he was put in the brig for 24 hours the day before his birthday and during that time his ship crossed the international date line and when he was released it was the day after his birthday.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by dradernh

Maybe not quite the tallest, or maybe waterfalls are measured in different ways under differing circumstances?
(

I was thinking the same thing. How and when they were measured. Whether they consider sheer drop or tiered drop etc... Regardless, quite fascinating.

A more recent article: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/life...d-latest-data/

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

(Unverified statistic) In Canada, 75% of the population lives within 100 miles of the US border.....

Over the years, I recall 50 miles being the distance generally used in the stat but don't recall the percentage used.

[WayneM3]

Detroit is further east than Atlanta...

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by WayneM3

Detroit is further east than Atlanta...

I had to double check that one. The first thought that came to my mind was Detroit is further left than Atlanta.

[2000cs]

Originally Posted by WayneM3

Detroit is further east than Atlanta...

And it is north of Canada (Windsor)

[spazzyfry123]

.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

.

LOL