UAE To Build Tallest Building
Thursday March 31, 2005
The United Arab Emirates has plans to build the world's tallest building in Dubai. The building is expected to be completed in 2008.
Chinese College Students Can Marry
Thursday March 31, 2005
Starting this fall, Chinese college students who are of the requisite age (22 for men and 20 for women) will be allowed to marry without obtaining permission from their educational ... Read More
South & Central American Capitals Game
Wednesday March 30, 2005
Take a look at this new South & Central American Capitals from Sheppard Software. You can find more fun in my Test Your Knowledge directory.
Ireland Bans English on Maps and Road Signs
Tuesday March 29, 2005
In the Gaelic-speaking west coast of Ireland, the government has banned the use of English on official government Ordnance Survey maps and on road signs. This change is an ... Read More
8.7 Earthquake in Indonesia
Monday March 28, 2005
Another massive earthquake has struck near Indonesia. Today's magnitude 8.7 earthquake is just off the coast of Sumatra, in the Ring of Fire. The risk of tsunami was ... Read More
Sprawl on Film
Sunday March 27, 2005
Take a look at this fascinating video of the growth of the Phoenix metropolitan area, from the American Museum of Natural History.
Retire in Style
Saturday March 26, 2005
Geographer Warren Bland's new book, Retire in Style: 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada identifies the top places to retire as: Boulder, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; San Antonio, Texas; ... Read More
Vibrant Cities Lack Children
Friday March 25, 2005
Here's an interesting article from the New York Times (registration required) about cities such as Portland, Oregon that have become amazing places to live but they suffer from the number ... Read More
Lost in Geography
Friday March 25, 2005
The state of geographic education is summarized in this interesting article from the Washington Times.
Italy to Name Peak for Pope John Paul II
Thursday March 24, 2005
On Pope John Paul II's birthday on May 18, a 7,900 foot (2424 m) peak in Italy's Gran Sasso, the highest mountain range in the Apennines, will be named for ... Read More
Is Taiwan a Country?
Wednesday March 23, 2005
With the recently approved Chinese anti-secession law that allows a Chinese military attack on Taiwan to prevent the island from seeking independence, I thought it was defintely time to explore ... Read More
The Sex Lives of Cannibals
Wednesday March 23, 2005
The Sex Lives of Cannibals is a fascinating travelogue about life on the Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati; read my book review and then go buy the book!
IMAX Theaters Will Not Show Volcano Movie
Wednesday March 23, 2005
In an effort not to offend the fundamentalists among them, IMAX theaters across the Southern U.S. are opting not to show the film Volcanoes of the Deep Sea because it ... Read More
Tsunami Earthquake Now 9.3?
Wednesday March 23, 2005
Thanks to my colleage Andrew Alden, About.com's Editor and Guide for Geology, for pointing out that the December 26, 2004 tsunami-causing earthquake near Sumatra has been found by seismologists from ... Read More
Happy Flood Safety Awareness Week!
Tuesday March 22, 2005
The NOAA National Weather Service is hosting the first annual Flood Safety Awareness Week from March 21-25, 2005, to raise public attention to the dangers of flooding and ways to ... Read More
New Geography Quiz
Sunday March 20, 2005
Take this week's phenomenal and amazing five-question geography quiz to test your geographic knowledge. Good luck and have fun!
New Atlas Review
Thursday March 17, 2005
I just received a copy of the new The Comparative World Atlas from Hammond. It's 104 pages, paperback, and exceptionally cheap for an atlas of this quality. Read ... Read More
Tsunami Risk for Caribbean High
Thursday March 17, 2005
According to the American Geophysical Union, "The potential for devastating tsunamis in the northern Caribbean is high, say marine scientists, based on their analysis of historical data since the arrival ... Read More
Pretoria Name Change Update
Wednesday March 16, 2005
The metropolitan council of Pretoria, South Africa has voted to change the name of the city, which also serves as the administrative capital of South Africa, to Tshwane. The ... Read More
Ben's Place of the Week
Wednesday March 16, 2005
If you can't get enough geography in your Inbox from my free weekly email newsletter, Oxford University Press Editor Ben Keene publishes the Ben's Place of the Week email newsletter. ... Read More
National Geographic Bee State Finals April 1
Monday March 14, 2005
The state finals for the National Geographic Bee are fast approaching! On April 1, up to 100 fourth- to eighth-graders in each of the 50 states, the District of ... Read More
Experts Urge Iran Capital Move
Monday March 14, 2005
Iranian earthquake experts are urging government officials to move the capital of Iran from Tehran to another less hazard-prone city. Tehran, with a population of 12 million, lies on ... Read More
Google Maps
Sunday March 13, 2005
Google Maps is a fantastic new service that provides detailed and visually appealing street maps of the United States and Canada. As with all Google products, their search is amazing ... Read More
Microsoft Announces Family-Tracking GPS Clock
Sunday March 13, 2005
Like the "clock" found in the home of Weasley family in the Harry Potter series, Microsoft has developed a device that shows the location of family members using GPS. ... Read More
Worcester Frowns on "Tornado" Name
Friday March 11, 2005
The new Canadian American League team called the Worcester Tornadoes irks the sensibilities of some residents of the Massachusetts city where 94 people were killed in a June 9, 1953 ... Read More
The Cleanliness of the Swiss
Thursday March 10, 2005
There's a fascinating essay online from a BBC News correspondent who describes the stressful hygiene inspection process of selling a house in Switzerland.
U.S. Life Expectancy Reaches New High
Wednesday March 9, 2005
Life expectancy in the United States has reached an all-time high of 77.6 years for 2003, up from 77.3 in 2002. According to the CDC, "record-high life expectancies were ... Read More
The View from Mount Everest
Wednesday March 9, 2005
Take a look at this panoramic 360° view from the top of Mt. Everest!
Geography of Survivor Palau
Monday March 7, 2005
The tenth season of the reality show Survivor takes place on the tiny independent Pacific island country known as Palau. Learn all about this island nation and see a ... Read More
New Geography Quiz
Sunday March 6, 2005
Take this week's five-question, multiple-choice geography quiz to test your geographic knowledge. Then, compare your score with others!
Independence for French Polynesia?
Sunday March 6, 2005
Oscar Temaru was recently elected president of the French territory of French Polynesia. Temaru appears to be open to working toward independence for the territory.
Satellite Photo of Dust Storm
Friday March 4, 2005
Check out this great satellite photo of a dust storm across northern Egypt and Libya blowing into the Mediterranean. Cool, huh?!
10 Best Fast Food Restaurants
Thursday March 3, 2005
The Travel Channel presents the ten best fast food outlets around the world, from McDonald's in Manhattan (which requires reservations) to Burger King at NATO's Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo.
The World's 10 Worst Dictators
Wednesday March 2, 2005
David Wallechinsky (The Book of Lists) presents his list of the World's 10 Worst Dictators, in consultation with Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders. ... Read More
Geographic Illiteracy in Japan
Tuesday March 1, 2005
Fortunately for Americans, Japanese students also have problems locating countries on a map. In a recent survey, 24% of Japanese students could not locate North Korea and 40% could ... Read More
Women's History Month Facts
Tuesday March 1, 2005
The U.S. Census Bureau provides facts in honor of Women's History Month. Among the most notable facts -
31% of women 25 to 29 years old have attained a bachelor’s ... Read More