Geography & Travel

Planet Earth contains some extraordinarily diverse environments, some of which are easily habitable and some not so much. In different areas of Earth, one might find sweltering deserts, dense tropical rainforests, or bone-chilling tundras. Each biome and habitat comes with its own selection of flora and fauna, and it may include physical features such as canyons, volcanoes, rivers, or caves. Human beings have built homes in many different environments, settling the area and organizing it into units such as cities, states, regions, and countries, each with its own points of interest. Shifting trends in human migration have resulted in a human geography that is profoundly different from that of centuries ago.
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Featured content, December 26, 2022

World Data Locator Map: Australia
Is Australia an Island?
What’s the difference between an island and a continent anyway?
Big Sur. Pacific Ocean. Waves. Beach. Point Sur on the Pacific coastline near Big Sur, California.
What Is Known (and Not Known) About the Bermuda Triangle
People have been trying to solve the “mystery” of the Bermuda Triangle for years. Here’s what we know (and don’t know) about...
language
language
Language, a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members...
Oudegracht
canals and inland waterways
Canals and inland waterways, natural or artificial waterways used for navigation, crop irrigation, water supply, or drainage....
Distribution of North American Plains Indians
Plains Indian
Plains Indian, member of any of the Native American peoples inhabiting the Great Plains of the United States and Canada....
Stalactites and stalagmites in the Queen's Chamber, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, southeastern New Mexico.
cave
Cave, natural opening in the earth large enough for human exploration. Such a cavity is formed in many types of rock and...

Geography & Travel Quizzes

Giant's Causeway, Antrim, Northern Ireland. Basalt columns, UNESCO World Heritage Site
Where in the British Isles?
How much do you know about the geography of the British Isles? Take this quiz to find out.
Union Jack flag of Great Britain, united kingdom
Explore England, Scotland, and Wales Quiz
What is the highest mountain in Wales? Which are the largest and most northerly of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides islands? Test...
Aerial view of Iguacu Falls, Argentina. (Iguassu Falls, Iguazu Falls)
Quick Quiz: Know Your Waterfalls
What is the highest waterfall in Canada? What five-cascade waterfall is fed by melting snow? Find out how well you know your...
7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia
Quick Quiz: This Land Is Your Land
How much do you really know about the land you live on? Test your knowledge of continents, islands, and countries in this...
Mayflower. Plymouth. Photograph of the Mayflower II a full-scale reproduction of the Mayflower. The Mayflower II built in Devon, England, crossed the Atlantic in 1957 maintained by Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA.
World Explorers Quiz
Who wrote Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa? What did Ernest Giles cross in 1875? Test your knowledge...
Cathedral of Brasilia, Brazil, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, built in the shape of a crown of thorns.
39 of the Most Challenging World Capitals Across History
Paris, Bujumbura, Pierre, and Nuuk all have something in common: they are all capital cities. And there are thousands more....
Encyclopaedia Britannica thistle graphic to be used with a Mendel/Consumer quiz in place of a photograph.
47 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular Geography Quizzes
Only the best and most determined quizmasters should tackle this quiz. It consists of questions taken from Britannica’s most...
Close-up of a weathered, old American flag of the United States of America, used as a patriotic decoration on Fourth of July (Independence Day), Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and other national holidays.
U.S. State Nicknames Quiz
Every U.S. state has a nickname. Some are official, some are not. All are unique. In this quiz, you’ll be shown nicknames...
The twin spires of the Grossmunster are a distinctive feature of Zurich's cityscape: the popular panoramic view shows Zurich Downtown Switzerland, with Lake Zurich and the snow-capped Alps in the background.
A Capital Idea
The city or town that functions as the seat of government and administrative center of a country, state, territory or province...
Workmen constructing the Statue of Liberty in Frederic Auguste Bartholdi's Parisian warehouse workshop; first model; left hand and quarter-sized head. Photo by Albert Fernique, ca. 1882-83.
Statue of Liberty Quiz
Think you know your history about one of the United States’s most recognizable symbols? Try your luck with this quiz.
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Geography & Travel Subcategories

Riyadh Cities & Towns
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Ukraine Countries of the World
Although there isn’t universal agreement on the question of what qualifies as a “country,” it is generally accepted that in order to be a country, a state must be a sovereign unit that has a permanent population, defined territorial boundaries, a government, and the ability to enter into agreements with other states. Even when these conditions are met, however, internationally recognized independence is not a given, and a territorial entity that declares itself to be an independent country is not always recognized as such by the rest of the world.
Articles
Roman Forum Historical Places
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Highways & Trails
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Distribution of North American Plateau Indians Human Geography
Since 1945 human geography has contained five main divisions. The first four—economic, social, cultural, and political—reflect both the main areas of contemporary life and the social science disciplines with which geographers interact (i.e., economics, sociology, anthropology, and political science and international relations, respectively); the fifth is historical geography.
Articles
Some of the pictorial signs used at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif. Languages
Language, a system of conventional spoken, manual, or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves. The functions of language include communication, the expression of identity, play, imaginative expression, and emotional release.
Articles
Mount St. Helens volcano Physical Geography of Land
Earth’s geographic history has been one marked by significant overall change, with ice ages, continental drift, and other major disruptions ultimately shaping Earth's land into the landscape of mountain ranges, deserts, islands, and volcanoes that we see today.
Articles
Arctic Ocean Physical Geography of Water
Whether it's Lake Michigan, the Gulf of Panama, or the River Thames, bodies of water of all shapes and sizes can be found around the globe, and they play a critical role for human beings, who use such bodies of water as a source of drinking water, a means of transporting both goods and people themselves, or a place to engage in water sports, among a plethora of other possible uses. Additionally, many bodies of water provide striking scenes of natural beauty and house important marine ecosystems. Satiate your thirst for knowledge about Earth's oceans, lakes, seas, rivers, waterfalls, bays, and more.
Articles
Hiker in Sequoia National Park in the Sierra Nevada, east-central California. Nature Reserves & National Parks
Nature reserves are areas set aside for the purpose of preserving and protecting plants and animals, particularly endangered species. National parks may effectively serve a similar purpose by shielding threatened species from hunters, but these parks can also be created for the purpose of public recreation, affording its visitors a chance to be immersed in a protected natural environment. Many national parks have been created in the last 100 years, including Yellowstone National Park, the oldest and probably the best-known national park in the United States.
Articles
flag of Queensland States & Other Subdivisions
Every nation has its own subdivisions to demarcate smaller political units within its territory. Counties, districts, oblasts, polis, nomos, unitary authorities, boroughs, and cities are all examples (among many others) of how land can be organized.
Articles
North Africa Geographic Regions
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Big Ben Tourist Attractions
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles