Belgian Prime Minister Herman van Rompuy was unanimously elected the first President of the European Union by the twenty-seven member states today in Brussels. The New York Times reports, "The Belgian prime minister, an economist who likes bowling duckpins and writing haiku, has earned respect for calming down ethnic tensions in Belgium in his 11 months as prime minister" The position of president is expected to begin January 1, 2010. Prime Minister van Rompuy beat former British Prime Minister Tony Blair for the new post.

A new study on the number of scientific publications per capita found that European countries led the world in research and innovation. The seven most productive countries in terms of scientific research articles published per citizen are: 1) Switzerland, 2) Sweden, 3) Denmark, 4) Israel, 5) Finland, 6), the Netherlands, and 7) Canada. The U.S. ranked twelfth while Germany ranked fifteenth in the study based on scientific articles from 2005.

Mark Burnett Productions, the creative force behind Survivor, The Apprentice and Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? is searching for young people (ages 6-12) who are geography experts for a new television network series set to air in early 2010. If you think your child fits that description, contact Joshua Robinson at jdrcasting@gmail.com or (310) 903-5438. The casting deadline is Friday, November 20.

Palestinian diplomats have requested the European Union to ask the United Nations Security Council to declare the West Bank and Gaza Strip as an independent state. American, Israeli, and even EU officials balked at the idea. As the United States is a permanent member of the Security Council, the U.S. has veto power, so the idea likely would not get far. Palestine also unilaterally declared independence in November 1988, which did not gain widespread recognition.

This funny video posted on the great Geographile blog it worth watching. It shows comedian Mo Rocca dealing with "harassment" from various individuals regarding his knowledge of all of the capitals of the world. Enjoy!

Happy Geography Awareness Week! November 15-21 is Geography Awareness Week! This year's theme is "Get Lost in Mapping: Find Your Place in the World" and there's no better place to start thinking about Geography Awareness Week than my site here at geography.about.com and on the official My Wonderful World Geography Awareness Week website, where you can download free wall maps from National Geography and get involved in supporting geographic education! Have a wonderful week!

The now-defunct U.S. Route 66 that once extended from Chicago to Los Angeles officially ended on the West Coast at the corner of 7th Street and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. Nonetheless, Santa Monica officials have decided to imagine that Route 66 ended at the Santa Monica Pier in an effort to boost the popular Route 66 tourism of those who follow the old highway route. What do you think about this fictitious end of Route 66?

The Iranian capital of Tehran sits upon more than one hundred known earthquake faults. Therefore the government is taking the prudent action of working to relocate the capital to a safer location by 2025. The BBC reports on the various other issues, including religious, that might be having an impact on this decision. Thanks to Catholicguaze for spreading the news.

Take this brand-new fifteen-question multiple-choice Geography Quiz to test your geographic knowledge. Good luck!

The Walt Disney Company has gained approval from Chinese officials to build a Disneyland theme park in Shanghai, China. Expected to open within five years, Shanghai Disneyland is expected to cost $3.5 billion, one of the largest foreign investments in China. In related news, The New York Times reports on four year-old Hong Kong Disneyland, which has not been the success that the Walt Disney Company had hoped it would be.