Geography & Places
Which country has the most time zones, what is the largest desert on Earth, why does Greenland look so big on maps? Facts about countries, borders, maps and places, with the numbers checked.
- Geography & Places
Why is Australia a continent and Greenland an island? It's about more than the sea around them
Both are surrounded by water, but Australia has its own tectonic plate, unique wildlife and nearly four times Greenland's size, while Greenland is geologically part of North America.
November 4, 2026 - Geography & Places
Which country has the most time zones? It's France, not Russia
Counting its overseas territories, France uses 12 different official times, 13 for part of the year. Russia and the United States follow with 11, while vast China keeps a single zone.
November 4, 2026 - Geography & Places
Why does Greenland look so big on maps? (And how big it really is)
On the Mercator projection, the most familiar world map, areas swell the farther they are from the equator. That is why Greenland looks as big as Africa, which is actually 14 times larger.
November 4, 2026 - Geography & Places
What is the highest point on Earth? It depends where you start measuring
Above sea level, it is the summit of Everest, at 29,031.7 feet (8,848.86 m). But Chimborazo in Ecuador sits farther from Earth's center, and Hawaii's Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain from base to peak.
November 4, 2026 - Geography & Places
Which Country Borders the Most Countries? China and Russia, With 14 Each
China and Russia share the record for land neighbors, with 14 each. Here is who those neighbors are, how Brazil reaches 10, and why the counting rules change the answer.
November 4, 2026 - Geography & Places
What Is the International Date Line, and Why Isn't It Straight?
The International Date Line is where the calendar flips to the next day, out in the middle of the Pacific. Here is why it exists, why it zigzags and how Kiribati and Samoa moved it.
November 4, 2026 - Geography & Places
How Many Countries Are There in the World? It Depends on Who's Counting
The UN has 193 member states and two observer states, which is where the common answer of 195 comes from. Here is why Taiwan, Kosovo and others fall outside the count and why some lists top 200.
November 4, 2026 - Geography & Places
What Is the Largest Desert in the World? It's Antarctica, Not the Sahara
By the rainfall definition, the world's largest desert is Antarctica, at about 5.4 million square miles. The Sahara is the largest hot desert, and Chile's Atacama is among the driest places on Earth.
November 4, 2026
