The past year was a big one geographically -- for the first time since 2008, a new country (South Sudan) was created and major disaster struck around the world. Some of the top geographic stories of the year are reflected in last year's ten most popular articles on Geography at About.com. Thank you for visiting my site over the past fourteen years!
1. Daylight Saving Time - this perennial favorite becomes extremely popular in the spring and fall as people attempt to understand why we "spring forward and fall back."
2. Capitals of Every Country - with South Sudan's independence, people were interested in seeing a list of all of the 196 countries on the planet.
3. The Number of Countries in the World - when a new country is added to the roster of independent states, this is always a popular article.
4. Seven Wonders of the World - there are so many lists of the seven wonders (and so many publicity gimmicks each year), this simple article lists a few of the most popular and prominent lists.
5. World Population - this past year, the global population was said to have crossed the seven billion barrier, which generated a tremendous amount of interest in the current population, its history, and its projected growth.
6. The Smallest Countries in the World - this article certainly interesting but I know of no event that triggered its popularity.
7. The Number of Continents - the number of continents on the planet is always a great controversy, that's why regions are such a better grouping.
8. China Population - as the world's most populous country, the population of China is always of great interest.
9. What is the Circumference of the Earth? - this short answer provides basic information to a common question.
10. State Capitals - yet another list of basic information.
Comments
With South Sudan created as a Sub-Saharan state, Sudan itself can now be unequivocably viewed as an Arab state.