INTERESTING!

GEOGRAPHY FACTS

Alaska

More than half of the coastline of the entire United States is in Alaska .

Amazon

The Amazon rainforest produces more than 20% the world's oxygen supply.

The Amazon River pushes so much water into the Atlantic Ocean that, more than one hundred miles at sea off the mouth of the river, one can dip fresh water out of the ocean. The volume of water in the Amazon river is greater than the next eight largest rivers in the world combined and three times the flow of all rivers in the United States .

Antarctica

Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country.

Ninety percent of the world's ice covers Antarctica . This ice also represents seventy percent of all the fresh water in the world. As strange as it sounds, however, Antarctica is essentially a desert. The average yearly total precipitation is about two inches Although covered with ice (all but 0.4% of it, ice.), Antarctica is the driest place on the planet, with an absolute humidity lower than the Gobi desert.

Brazil

Brazil got its name from the nut, not the other way around.

Canada

Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined. Canada is an Indian word meaning ' Big Village .'

Chicago

Next to Warsaw , Chicago has the largest Polish population in the world.

Detroit

Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, carries the designation M-1, so named because it was the first paved road anywhere.

Damascus, Syria

Damascus, Syria, was flourishing a couple of thousand years before Rome was founded in 753 BC, making it the oldest continuously inhabited city in existence.

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey, is the only city in the world located on two continents.

Los Angeles

Los Angele's full name is El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula -- and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size: L.A.

New York City

The term 'The Big Apple' was coined by touring jazz musicians of the 1930's who used the slang expression 'apple' for any town or city. Therefore, to play New York City is to play the big time - The Big Apple.

There are more Irish in New York City than in Dublin , Ireland ; more Italians in New York City than in Rome, Italy ; and more Jews in New York City than in Tel Aviv, Israel .

Ohio

There are no natural lakes in the state of Ohio , everyone is manmade.

Pitcairn Island

The smallest island with country status is Pitcairn in Polynesia , at just 1.75 sq. miles/4,53 sq. km.

Rome

The first city to reach a population of 1 million people was Rome , Italy in 133 B.C. There is a city called Rome on every continent.

Siberia

Siberia contains more than 25% of the world's forests.

S.M.O.M .

The actual smallest sovereign entity in the world is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (S.M.O.M). It is located in the city of Rome, Italy, has an area of two tennis courts, and as of 2001 has a population of 80, 20 less people than the Vatican. It is a sovereign entity under international law, just as the Vatican is.

Sahara Desert

In the Sahara Desert , there is a town named Tidikelt , Algeria , which did not receive a drop of rain for ten years.

Technically though, the driest place on Earth is in the valleys of the Antarctic near Ross Island . There has been no rainfall there for two million years.

Spain

Spain literally means 'the land of rabbits.'

St. Paul , Minnesota

St. Paul, Minnesota , was originally called Pig's Eye after a man named Pierre 'Pig's Eye' Parrant who set up the first business there.

Roads

Chances that a road is unpaved in the U.S.A : 1%, in Canada : 75%

Russia

The deepest hole ever drilled by man is the Kola Superdeep Borehole, in Russia . It reached a depth of 12,261 meters (about 40,226 feet or 7.62 miles). It was drilled for scientific research and gave up some unexpected discoveries, one of which was a huge deposit of hydrogen - so massive that the mud coming from the hole was “boiling” with it.

United States

The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one-mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.

Waterfalls

The water of Angel Falls (the World's highest) in Venezuela drops 3,212 feet (979 meters). They are 15 times higher than Niagara Falls .

You should learn something new every day.

ANSWERS TO THE US HISTORY QUIZ!

1 What is the title of the National Anthem?
D
The Star Spangled Banner

2 Which of the following rights is guaranteed by the first amendment?
C
Freedom of Religion

3 What is the title of the head of a city government?
A
Mayor

4 Who has the ability to declare war?
D
The Congress

5 How many full terms may a Senator serve?
D
No term limits for Senators

6 How many full terms can a President serve?
B
2

7 How many years is a full term for a Representative?
B
2

8 Which amendment sets the minimum voting age to 18?
D
26^th

9 Who becomes President if both the President and Vice President die?
A
The Speaker of the House

10 On July 4th, 1776 we declared Independence from whom?
B
Great Britain

11 How many branches of government do we have?
C
3

12 Which is part of the Judicial branch at the federal level?
A
The Supreme Court

13 Who elects the President of the United States?
B
The Electoral College

14 How many states are there?
C
50

15 How many stripes are there on the American Flag?
B
13

16 Who was the President of the United States during the civil war?
A
Abraham Lincoln

17 Who is the current President of the United States?
B
Barack Obama

18 Who is the current Vice President of the United States?
D
Joe Biden

19 Why did the Pilgrims come to America?
D
to find religious freedom

20 How many total Senators are there?
C
100

21 The Constitution has how many Amendments?
B
27

22 How many Amendments have been proposed officially by Congress but never ratified?
A
6

23 Which of these amendments is a ratified and current amendment?
B

Prohibiting the importing of liquor into States where it is illegal

24 In what year was the last amendment ratified?
C
1992

25 What is the Official Language of the United States?
A
None

26 Who was the first Vice President of the United States?
B
John Adams

27 Who said "Give me liberty or give me death?"
B
Patrick Henry

28 How many Presidents were assassinated while in office?
B
4

29 Which of these Presidents was born in Texas?
D
Dwight D. Eisenhower

30 How many Presidents have been impeached?
B
2