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Alaska is both the westernmost and easternmost state in the US -

This is because a small, uninhabited island called Semisopochnoi stretches so far west that it actually enters the Eastern Hemisphere.

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France's longest border is with Brazil -

The border is located between the Brazilian state of Amapá and the French region of Guyana. It's 450 miles (730 km), and the longest border France shares with another country, despite not being located in mainland France.

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Antarctica is the largest desert in the world -

When you picture a desert, you probably don't imagine Antarctica. However, the definition of a desert is actually just an area of land that doesn't get more than 10 inches (254 mm) of precipitation a year. With that definition in mind, the world's largest desert is Antarctica!

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In the Philippines, there’s an island that’s within a lake, on an island that’s within a lake, on an island -

Vulcan Point is an island within Main Crater Lake, which is located on Volcano Island, which is located in Lake Taal, which is located on the island of Luzon. Mind-blowing!

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The Appalachian Mountains are shrinking -

Some believe that the Appalachians were once as tall as the Himalayas. But due to constant rain and wind erosion, the mountain range has been shrinking.

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In contrast, the Himalayan mountains are growing -

The Himalayas are still growing today, by about 0.78 inches (1.98 cm) a year, because the tectonic plates beneath India and Asia continue to push into each other. However, like the Appalachians, the Himalayas are also being eroded, but at a slower rate than that at which they're growing.

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Continents can move at the same rate as fingernails grow -

It’s typical for a continent to shift about one inch (2.54 cm) per year, but when the tectonic plates are under stress, they can move about 20 times faster, which is the same rate as our fingernails grow.

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The Dead Sea is sinking -

Already at 1,407 feet (429 m) below sea level, the Dead Sea is sinking about 3 feet (1 m) a year.

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It snows in the Sahara Desert -

The Sahara's temperature is on average 86°F (30°C), but in the evenings chill sets in, averaging 55°F (12°C). In rather recent history, the Sahara recorded snowfall in 1979, 2016, 2018, and 2022.

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There are more ancient pyramids in Sudan than in Egypt -

Egypt is home to 138 pyramids, whereas Sudan has between 200 and 255 known pyramids, built for the Kushite kingdoms of Nubia.

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About 90% of the world's population lives in the Northern Hemisphere -

There are more than eight billion people living in the world, of which 90% are in the Northern Hemisphere.

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Russia is so big that it's home to 11 time zones -

Covering 6.6 million square miles (17 million km2), Russia is the largest country in the world, so it makes sense that its land spreads across multiple times zones.

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Africa is the only continent that lies in all four hemispheres -

The world is divided into four hemispheres based on the Equator and the Prime Meridian. While some continents fall into two hemispheres, Africa lies between all four.

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Parts of Canada are to the south of Detroit -

Windsor, Canada, dips down towards the US and curves toward Michigan. So if you drive south in certain parts of Detroit, you'll find yourself in Canada!

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The Diomedes Islands have a 21-hour time difference between them -

The Diomede Islands are made up of Big Diomede, owned by Russia, and Little Diomede, owned by the US. And because of their time difference, they're nicknamed Tomorrow and Yesterday Island.

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Istanbul is the only city in the world that is spread across two continents -

Want to visit two continents in one trip? Then head to Istanbul! The Bosporus Strait separates the European and Asian sides of the city.

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Mount Chimborazo is the highest point on Earth, but not the world's tallest mountain -

Mount Everest's peak is the highest altitude above sea level at 29,029 feet (8,848 m). Mount Chimborazo's peak, on the other hand, is the furthest point on Earth from Earth's center. The summit is over 6,800 feet (2,072 m) farther from Earth's center than Mount Everest's summit.

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Only two countries in South America don't border Brazil -

Only Ecuador and Chile, both on the west coast, are separated from Brazil by other South American nations.

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Three countries are landlocked by just one country -

Lesotho is located entirely within South Africa, while San Marino and Vatican City are both situated within Italy.

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Australia is actually wider than the Moon -

The Moon sits at 2,113 miles (3,400 km) in diameter, while Australia is almost 2,485 miles (4,000 km) from east to west. Of course, in terms of surface area, the Moon beats Australia.

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A large percentage of Earth’s oxygen comes from the Amazon -

It’s estimated that 20% of Earth’s oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest, which is why we need to protect it!

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Mount Thor has the world's greatest vertical drop -

Mount Thor, or Thor Peak, on Baffin Island in Canada, has a vertical drop of 4,101 feet (1,250 m).

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The deepest place on Earth is in the Pacific Ocean -

Within the Mariana Trench, the deepest place on Earth, there’s a small depression called the Challenger Deep, which reaches depths of 35,856 feet (10,971 m).

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Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world -

The oldest city has been continuously inhabited for at least 11,000 years and is currently home to over two million people

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The largest concentration of lakes is in Canada -

With 879,800 lakes, Canada has more lakes than anywhere else in the world. Basically, they have 62% of the world's lakes!

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Reno, Nevada, is farther west than Los Angeles, California -

While most of California is more west than Nevada, looking at a map of the US you'll see that Reno is actually farther west than Los Angeles.

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The world's largest war memorial is a road -

When Australian soldiers returned home from World War I, they were offered jobs to build a road along the coast. By the time of completion in 1932, Great Ocean Road stretched 150 miles (243 km).

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There are 7,000 Caribbean islands -

Home to 13 sovereign island nations, the Caribbean region actually includes more than 7,000 islands, islets, and keys in total.

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There are more caves in Kentucky than anywhere else in the world -

Researchers have explored nearly 400 miles (643 km) of Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave system and believe there is still more to discover.

Sources: (Insider) (Travel + Leisure)

See also: The most disputed territories in the world

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