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.
Browse Subcategories
Featured content, September 21, 2023
What State Is Washington, D.C. In?
U.S. geography can be complicated.
5 Buildings You Have to See in Chile
Know before you go.
Where Is “Old Zealand”?
Pretty much as far away from New Zealand as you can get while staying on Earth.
7 (or 8) Summits: The World’s Highest Mountains by Continent
Climbing each continent’s highest mountain is a major mountaineering achievement. Read this list to learn more about the...
Africa
Africa, the second largest continent (after Asia), covering about one-fifth of the total land surface of Earth. The continent...
language
Language, a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members...
canals and inland waterways
Canals and inland waterways, natural or artificial waterways used for navigation, crop irrigation, water supply, or drainage....
Plains Indian
Plains Indian, member of any of the Native American peoples inhabiting the Great Plains of the United States and Canada....
Geography & Travel Quizzes
Geography & Travel Videos
Image Gallery
Geography & Travel
View Gallery
Geography & Travel Subcategories

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

This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
-
Russian Empire
historical empire, Europe
-
German Empire
historical nation, Germany
-
Soviet Union
historical state, Eurasia

This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
-
Champs-Élysées
thoroughfare, Paris, France
-
Wall Street
street, New York City, New York, United States
-
Goodnight-Loving Trail
cattle trail, Texas, United States

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
-
Great Basin Indian
people
-
Northwest Coast Indian
people
-
South American Indian
people

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

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
-
Mount Aconcagua
mountain, Argentina
-
Antarctica
continent
-
South America
continent

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

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
-
Zion National Park
national park, Utah, United States
-
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
national park, North Carolina-Tennessee, United States
-
Mesa Verde National Park
national park, Colorado, United States

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
-
New York
state, United States
-
New South Wales
state, Australia
-
Rhode Island
state, United States

This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
-
North Africa
region, Africa
-
Central Asia
region, Asia
-
Silicon Valley
region, California, United States

This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
-
Mount Fuji
mountain, Japan
-
CN Tower
building, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
-
Kruger National Park
national park, South Africa