Geography & Travel
What’s the Difference Between Hispanic and Latino?
Latin America, extending from the deserts of northern Mexico to the icy wilds of Tierra del Fuego in Chile and Argentina, encompasses many diverse countries and peoples.
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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 the Bermuda Triangle.
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Editor's Picks
8 Amazing Physical Features of Africa
Check out these jaw-dropping physical features of the African continent.
The story of how Swahili became Africa’s most spoken language
The story of how Swahili became Africa’s most spoken language.
5 Notable Buildings in Hungary
Know before you go.
A Tale of Two Submerged Continents
In February 2017 studies of Earth’s geological and geophysical features revealed evidence of ancient continents in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
5 Transit Stations Worth Seeing
Know before you go.
Why Is Ireland Two Countries?
The island of Ireland contains both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, but what led to this separation?
7 Significant Stadiums
Know before you go.
What Is the Newest Country in the World?
Some countries seem as though they’ve been around since the dawn of time. But others are considerably newer. Which is the newest?
Spotlight: The Nile River
It's the longest river in Africa and one of history's most storied bodies of water, a witness to the rise and fall of advanced ancient civilizations. The Nile is home to a dizzying array of plants, fish, and reptiles—the Nile perch and the Nile crocodile perhaps being the most well-known.
Quizzes
Which Country Is Larger? Quiz
See how these countries measure up.
Name That World Flag!
Our salute to flags from around the world. Can you name the countries they belong to?
Wonders of the World Quiz
Covering the ancient, new, and natural—prove you are no one-hit wonder.
A World of Food Quiz
In what country might you sit down to a smorgasbord? Why is durian fruit banned in several places? Take a trip around the world in this study of global cuisine.
Videos
Discover the richly complex remote ecosystem of Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica
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Mumbai
Great Wall of China
Angkor
Colorado River
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Featured Categories
Ancient Ruins
Petra
Petra, ancient city, centre of an Arab kingdom in Hellenistic and Roman times, the ruins of which are in southwest Jordan. The city was built on a terrace, pierced from east to west by the Wadi Mūsā (the Valley of Moses)—one of the places where, according to tradition, the Israelite leader Moses
Roman Baths
Roman Baths, well-preserved public bathing facility built about 70 CE on the site of geothermal springs in Roman Britain, now in Bath, England, U.K. The hot mineral springs bubble up from the ground at temperatures well above 104 °F (40 °C), and the main one produces more than 300,000 gallons (1.3
Borobudur
Borobudur, massive Buddhist monument in central Java, Indonesia, 26 miles (42 km) northwest of Yogyakarta. The Borobudur monument combines the symbolic forms of the stupa (a Buddhist commemorative mound usually containing holy relics), the temple mountain (based on Mount Meru of Hindu mythology),
Chan Chan
Chan Chan, great ruined and abandoned city, the capital of the Chimú kingdom (c. ad 1100–1470) and the largest city in pre-Columbian America. It is situated on the northern coast of present-day Peru, about 300 miles (480 km) north of Lima in the Moche valley, between the Pacific Ocean and the city
Religious Sites
Mahabodhi Temple
Mahabodhi Temple, one of the holiest sites of Buddhism, marking the spot of the Buddha’s Enlightenment (Bodhi). It is located in Bodh Gaya (in central Bihar state, northeastern India) on the banks of the Niranjana River. The Mahabodhi Temple is one of the oldest brick temples in India. The original
Mount Athos
Mount Athos, mountain in northern Greece, site of a semiautonomous republic of Greek Orthodox monks inhabiting 20 monasteries and dependencies (skítes), some of which are larger than the parent monasteries. It occupies the easternmost of the three promontories of the Chalcidice (Khalkidhikí)
Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath Temple, place of worship in the Kathmandu Valley on the Baghmati River, on the eastern outskirts of the city of Kathmandu, that is the holiest site in Nepal. It is devoted to the Hindu god Shiva in his form as Pashupati, protector of animals. There has been a religious foundation here
Dome of the Rock
Dome of the Rock, shrine in Jerusalem built by the Umayyad caliph ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān in the late 7th century ce. It is the oldest extant Islamic monument. The structure is situated on a flat elevated plaza known to Muslims as al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf (“The Noble Sanctuary”) and to Jews as the
Natural Wonders
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, waterfall on the Niagara River in northeastern North America, one of the continent’s most famous spectacles. The falls lie on the border between Ontario, Canada, and New York state, U.S. For many decades the falls were an attraction for honeymooners and for such stunts as walking
Dead Sea
Dead Sea, landlocked salt lake between Israel and Jordan in southwestern Asia. Its eastern shore belongs to Jordan, and the southern half of its western shore belongs to Israel. The northern half of the western shore lies within the Palestinian West Bank and has been under Israeli occupation since
Uluru/Ayers Rock
Uluru/Ayers Rock, giant monolith, one of the tors (isolated masses of weathered rock) in southwestern Northern Territory, central Australia. It has long been revered by a variety of Australian Aboriginal peoples of the region, who call it Uluru. The rock was sighted in 1872 by explorer Ernest Giles
Iguaçu Falls
Iguaçu Falls, series of cataracts on the Iguaçu River, 14 miles (23 km) above its confluence with the Alto (Upper) Paraná River, at the Argentina-Brazil border. The falls resemble an elongated horseshoe that extends for 1.7 miles (2.7 km)—nearly three times wider than Niagara Falls in North America