Middle Eastern Empires

There is a really neat animated map of diferent empires near the middle east. It shows 5,000 years in 90 seconds.

hat-tip: The Lilting House

Tornadoes

I just found out (again from The Handy Geography Answer Book) that 90% of all tornadoes occur in the United States.

Translators

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Christmas Ideas*

These are a few gift ideas for geo freaks.


This is more of a family gift. It's expensive, but our family got one last year, and we use it all the time. Learn everything form the names of countries to the pronunciation of capital cities to other trivia. Two people can compete against one another in geography games. (My grandpa liked this one so much that he bought one of his own!)

Odyssey III Talking Globe ->

to view it click on the link below
http://www.leapfrog.com/Primary/GradeSchool/PRD_explorerglobe/Explorer+Globe.jsp?CID=KNC-CROSSQ4


World Discovery Deluxe Computer program ->

This program helps you locate places throughout the world. It has different kinds of quizzes at three different ability levels, so again, the whole family can enjoy it.

to view click the link below



http://www.smartkidssoftware.com/ndgws2.htm


We have a lot of geography games in the house, but the ones below are ones we play the most:


Trans America and Trans Europe ->






to view click the links below








http://www.fairplaygames.com/gamedisplay.asp?gameid=401&MP=1


http://www.fairplaygames.com/gamedisplay.asp?gameid=2826


Borderline card games ->


To view this and other versions click the link below



http://www.educationallearninggames.com/borderline-card-games.asp


(The links I've included should help you get more information on these items. I am in no way advertising for these sites, and haven't done any price comparisons or anything.)

* Please send some of you're favorite gift ideas so Mom knows what to get me!

Gualdacanal

The Island of Guadalcanal: a place of beauty and violence

Even though just a small island in the Pacific ocean, Guadalcanal played a huge part in World War II. One of the bloodiest battles of all time was fought on the shores of this historic place. More than 2,000 American men were killed, while the Japanese buried ten times that amount. That many lives lost in only three days.

Even if it was a terrifying, not to mention deadly, area 60 years ago, Guadalcanal is now the most inhabited island in the Solomon Islands. With a normally tropical climate as well as beautiful beaches, it makes an excellent tourist destination. The country of the Solomon Islands lies about 200 miles off the coast of Papua New Guinea, another island country in the South Pacific.

Whereas 60 years ago there were ripped up planes falling from the sky every minute, ultra-intense combat everywhere, and the possibility that you might set off a land mine with any step you take, I think that one would rather enjoy being on the present-day island of Guadalcanal, one of the most lush and beautiful places in the world.

Geography Cup Scores

Here is the curent leaderboard on Geography Cup I'm at number 10 (I'm geofreak) and I played 82 times to get there.

Geography Cup

Yesterday a new geography quiz site started called the Geography Cup . I think that U.K. and U.S. challenged each other. In it there are 13 questions the first ten are countries you have
to find then the last three are geography type questions
e.g. what country is the biggest producer of coacoa (which by the way is Cote D'ivory). Have fun.

It's Coming Off

It's Coming Off

Encompassing many different countries in east Africa, and at a length of about 2000 miles, you have probably not heard of this spectacular land formation. I will not tell you the name, but I will give you clues in this paragraph, as I have given you two already. Ready… Go! Three lakes lie in it, Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Malawi. One of the tallest mountains in the world lies on its' edge, Mt. Kilimanjaro. The worlds' longest river has its source in its area, the Nile River. Most of the Serengeti Plain lies within it. But perhaps the most important, concerning and amazing thing about it, is that it will cut the entire continent in two someday. Have you guessed it by now? If you have, good job, if you have not, it is the Great Rift Valley.

The valley does run through a great many countries, from Eritrea in the north, to Mozambique in the south, crossing ten other countries in between. The center of the valley covered with fertile plains, bordered by huge mountains and steep cliffs. I know that you have knowledge of the Serengeti Plain, and that most animals of Africa live there. Now as I said before, the Great Rift Valley will some day spilt Africa in half. The reason for that is because two of the Earth's plates are pulling apart from each other, or they're 'rifting,' creating a lowland or valley in between. At their current speed today, the plates should fully come apart in about 125 million years from now.

Diagram credits here.

Answers to "More True or False"

1. Twenty-seven U.S. states have land north of Canada's southernmost point. True.

2. The 4,724-mi Trans-Canada Highway is the world's longest national highway. True.

3. Canada has fewer lakes than any other country in the Northern Hemisphere. False. With almost a million, Canada has more lakes than any other country in the world.

4. Canada's border with the U.S. is 5,525 mi long. True.

5. Since Toronto has no direct access to the Atlantic, all goods from the city must be shipped overland. False. The St. Lawrence Seaway connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.

6. Canada has the longest coastline of any country. True.

7. Canada covers three time zones. False. There are six time zones in Canada.

8. The climate in British Columbia is the most severe in Canada. False. British Columbia has the most moderate climate of Canada's regions.

9. Canada has mountains named for Santa's reindeer--Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. True.

10. Few people in Canada live near the U.S. border. False. Most of Canada's population live within a few hundred miles of the border.

Africa Map

Here's another map I drew. This time it's Africa.

Globe Coloring Page

I drew this coloring page I think it was pretty soon after I got interested in geography (which was in second grade) and I thought you might be interested.

More True or False

1. Twenty-seven U.S. states have land north of Canada's southernmost point.

2. The 4,724-mi Trans-Canada Highway is the world's longest national highway.

3. Canada has fewer lakes than any other country in the Northern Hemisphere.

4. Canada's border with the U.S. is 5,525 mi long.

5. Since Toronto has no direct access to the Atlantic, all goods from the city must be shipped overland.

6. Canada has the longest coastline of any country.

7. Canada covers three time zones

8. The climate in British Columbia is the most severe in Canada

9. Canada has mountains named for Santa's reindeer--Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen.

10. Few people in Canada live near the U.S. border.

The Country of Ethiopia

Last Saturday night, my family had some guests over for dinner. As you probably guessed from the title of this essay, their home country is Ethiopia. After they left, my mom told me that she had learned that since Ethiopia is such a mountainous country, their people are safe from most mosquito induced diseases, which are very common in that particular continent. A fact that I found to be very interesting is that eighty-percent of the mountains of Africa are located in Ethiopia.

I also think that it's very intriguing that Ethiopia is just barely landlocked by three countries; Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somalia. In the past, Ethiopia had a pretty funny name, Abyssinia. In World War II, Ethiopia was controlled by Italy, and the rest of Africa was controlled by the French, Spanish, British, German, and Portuguese. After the war however, the African modern nations started to form. One of these was Ethiopia, now a fully independent country.

Today, Ethiopia is a prosperous nation at the top of the Great Rift Valley. Some day that rift will split Africa in half because two of the earth's plates are drifting away from each other and three of the worlds largest lakes lie in that valley . Today, while it is still intact, Ethiopia seems like a really great country to visit.

Chocolate Cake Farm

Ria just recently posted about the Chocolate Cake Farm on Liber Parma.
First I looked in our encyclopedia for baking soda (which is one of the ingedients) instead I found baking powder which has baking soda in it and it had the scientific name in it to (sodium bicarbonate). Then I looked for sodium bicarbonate and I only found sodium but in that section there was part for other articles one of them was bicarbonate of soda. Then later electroblogster and I spent about an hour looking on the internet for where the ingredients would grow and came out with somewhere in southern Kenya, Africa.

That One Country, Switzerland

That One Country, Switzerland

Switzerland is a very special country with many features, like chocolate. Do you like chocolate? I do. But do you know what country produces the most chocolate? Can anyone guess? It's Switzerland. You all know that Switzerland is a very mountainous country and I do not think that very many cocoa trees could grow there. Honestly, I do not know how they make their chocolate so well, but I love it. In fact, chocolate lovers around the world order Swiss chocolate for special occasions or even to just to lie around in their fridge.

There is one downside about this delicious treat. It is expensive. But if you go to any wedding or something like that, you will probably find that kind of chocolate, so eat all you can.

Chocolate is not the only thing that makes Switzerland such a special country. In Geneva, there are more banks within the metropolitan area of the city than any other city in the world. Switzerland is where many millionaires deposit their money to keep it safe because Swiss banks are high-security so they can not be robbed.

These are only a few things about Switzerland, out of at least a hundred more. Personally, I would greatly enjoy a trip to that one country, Switzerland

Antarctica

I was reading The Handy Geography Answers Book. In it I noticed that the average thickness of the ice in Antarctica is about a mile thick!

Color Photos in the National Geographic Magazine

I was reading a book about the National Geographic Society's 100th Aniversary.
In it I found that the November 1910 issue was the very first issue to have colored photos.
It has three of those pictures. The first is a picture of some Japenese ladies. The second is some Chinese people riding on a horse-drawn cart. The third is a man from South Korea wearing a raincoat and hat made out of some sort of grasses. I thought it was interesting looking at the pictures and thinking that they weren't just pictures of people in costumes - these are pictures of people wearing their everyday clothes and doing ordinary things.

More Results For the Geography Meme

SFO Mom
The Ironic Catholic
Transcendental Musings
Appalachian Ambiance
Electroblogster

True or False Answers

1. The driest place in the U.S. is Mount Waialeale on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. False (Thank you tito)

2. St. Augustine, Florida, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the U.S. True

3. No U.S. cities have the same name as any state. False (New York- New York) Thank you Geoguy

4. The northernmost point of the lower 48 states is in Maine. False- it is Minnesota

5. A pipeline brings oil 800 mi (1,280 km) from oil fields in northern Alaska to the port of Valdez. True

6. A state park in Georgia consists of half a million acres of swamp (2,000 sq km), the Okefenokee Swamp Park. True

7. The letters Q, X and Z do not appear in the name of any U.S. state. False- (Arizona-Texas)

8. The northernmost U.S. state capital is Juneau, Alaska. True

9. The only active diamond mine in the U.S. is in Arkansas. True

10. With an area of just 1,214 sq mi (1,953.7 sq km) Rhode Island is not only just the smallest state; it is also smaller than any country in Europe. False (Luxembourg)

Thanks for the help everyone

The Chestertons Answered the Meme Too!

Frances Blogg Chesterton
G.K. Chesterton

The Map in The Schoolroom

The Map in The Schoolroom

essay written by GeoGuy for Writing Workshop

In my schoolroom, there is a National Geographic map of Ireland and Great Britain pinned on the wall. When I become distracted I always seem to gaze up at the map. Most of the time I notice something new or something that I had never noticed before. On the Ireland map, which I believe is where our teacher is from, everywhere I look there is some strange new name of a city, river or mountain that I missed. Do you know what the longest river is in Ireland and the UK? It is the Shannon, a 240 mi long river. That is pretty short for the biggest river in any area.

Next I skip over to England to study it. You may not have known this, but the island of Great Britain is actually one of the largest islands in the world. Scotland's northwestern coastline is jagged and rocky which has a remarkable resemblance to Norway, only about 300 miles away. Then I look down to view England and Wales. But before I can, my mom yells out: "Thomas, get back to your work!" Great, I was just getting to the best part.

a geo poem

Here is a short poem from a book named Got Geography, called Island:

every island
dreams

of being a continent

Is it Mine or Your's

Frank and I were looking at a globe I pointed to South America and said "That's South America" then I pointed to Africa and said "That's Africa". We reviewed those for a while. Then I pointed to Europe and said "that's Europe" and then he said "that not my up".

Geography Meme Results (so far)

Here are links to Geography meme posts.
The Curt Jester
Catholic mom in Hawaii
Catholic Fire
Studeo
Brian T. Austin FSSP
Ana Braga-Henebry's Journal
Cor Immaculatae
Cajun Cottage
CUSTOS FIDEI
Liber Parma
Echoes of Creation
Ramblings of a GOP soccer mom
Pro Ecclesia
Happy Catholic
Knit and Pray
Catholic Homeschooled Teens
I Am My Kids Mom
Quo vadam ed ad quid?
Faith and Country
American Phoenix
Fanatholic
Catholic Mom
Another Catholic Mom
The World...IMHO
Angela Messenger
Benning's Writing Pad
A Women Seeking Grace
Adoro Te Devote
PalmTree Pundit
Classical Education in Paradise
Chronicle of a Meandering Traveller
Stella Borealis
De Die in Diem, Dei Gratia

True or False

I'm using a book called:





This is from page 37:



1. The driest place in the U.S. is Mount Waialeale on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

2. St. Augustine, Florida, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the U.S.

3. No U.S. cities have the same name as any state.

4. The northernmost point of the lower 48 states is in Maine

5. A pipeline brings oil 800 mi (1,280 km) from oil fields in northern Alaska to the port of Valdez.

6. A state park in Georgia consists of half a million acres of swamp (2,000 sq km), the Okefenokee Swamp Park.

7. The letters Q, X and Z do not appear in the name of any U.S. state.

8. The northernmost U.S. state capital is Juneau, Alaska.

9. The only active diamond mine in the U.S. is in Arkansas.

10. With an area of just 1,214 sq mi (1,953.7 sq km) Rhode Island is not only just the smallest state; it is also smaller than any country in Europe.


I’m going to look up and post the answers next time I post

The Map Guys' Geography Meme

Here's my first post:

1. A Place You've Visited and Your Favorite Thing there
Sanibel Island, Florida, The Gulf of Mexico

2. A Country You'd Like to Visit and Why
Italy, The Vatican

3. A Place From History You'd Like to Visit and Why
Pompeii, I think it would be cool

4. A Place You Know a Lot About
Rome

5. A Place You'd Like to Learn More About
Washington D.C.

6. A Fictional Place You'd Like to Visit
Redwall Abbey

The Map Guys' Geography Meme

This is what I answered:

1. A Place You've Visited and Your Favorite Thing there
Brasil and Rio de Janeiro

2. A Country You'd Like to Visit and Why
Germany because of all the cities to see

3. A Place From History You'd Like to Visit and Why
Ancient Rome to see all the old buildings

4. A Place You Know a Lot About
Japan

5. A Place You'd Like to Learn More About
Middle eastern nations

6. A Fictional Place You'd Like to Visit
Alagaesia

The Map Guys' Geography Meme

I am starting a Geography meme so here it goes.

1. A Place You've Visited and Your Favorite Thing there
Hannibal, MO; The Mark Twain Cave

2. A Country You'd Like to Visit and Why
Tanzania Because I'd Like to Climb Mount Kilamanjaro.

3. A Place From History You'd Like to Visit and Why
Iceland around 1000 A.D. Because the Vikings Lived there then.

4. A Place You Know a Lot About
Taiwan

5. A Place You'd Like to Learn More About
Brunei

6. A Fictional Place You'd Like to Visit
Middle Earth

I Tag
Ria, Love2learn Mom, Electroblogster, Ike, and Geoguy

South Orkney Islands (Antarctica)

I just recently noticed that near Antarctica there's a group of islands called the South Orkneys that are in the Scotia sea. I thought that this was intresting because the Orkneys are near Scotland.

New Crater Found

Last night my dad showed me an article about this crater, and I thought it might be interesting to post about it.

The Chesapeake Bay crater is the seventh largest, one of the best preserved,
known craters on Earth. Like all craters, it was formed by a meteorite that crashed into the Earth about 35.5 million years ago, in the
late Eocene period. And to think that we never knew about until now!

To read more about it, click here.

Illustration credits

Elephants and Tapioca Pudding

Yesterday Ria and I were looking at the National Geographic Kid's and she noticed a funny article. It was about someone in Thailand who was driving a truck full of tapioca pudding.
One of his tires popped so he went to get help and when he came back he found the truck surrounded by elephants eating the tapioca pudding. Then he called the army in but when they got back the elphants had got full and left.

Geo-Extremes

This is my first post on this blog, and I thought that I should put down some "extreme" facts that people may not already know. And here they are (from the National Geographic Bee Official Study Guide):

Warmest place: Dalol, Denakil Depression, Ethiopia, 93 F (34 C) for average annual temperature

Coldest place: Plateau Station, Antarctica, -134 F (-92 C) for average annual temperature

Wettest place: Mawsynram, Assam, India 467 in (1186 cm) for average annual rainfall

Driest place: Atacama Desert, Chile, rainfall is so slight the records are unreliable

Greatest tides: Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, Canada 52 ft (15.8 m)










Bay of Fundy, Canada

Dubayy (Dubai)

My mom was suprised when I didn't know the capital of Dubai because she thought it was a country. Today we looked on the internet to find out about Dubai and found that it is not a country but the largest city in the United Arab Emirates.

Google Earth is Smarter Than We Thought (Europe)

I was installing Google Earth and I noticed that there was a tour of places in The Da Vinci Code.
Here is the description they have for it.

Da Vinci Code Tour: Real-life locations of note described in a little-known, obscure book/movie called "the Da Vinci Code".

Ria and I thought that it was really funny that they called it "little-known".

The Orkney Islands (Europe)

Today I was reading Our American Catholic Heritage for my history and in it I noticed that it talked about the Orkneys in a part about the Vikings. I happened to remember them from The Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow. The Orkneys are just off the north side of Scotland.

Welcome to the New Map Guys

Hello this is a new geography blog that I'm doing with two of my friends who also love geography.
We were going to wait for the new blogger so that we could have categories but I have not got an invitation for it yet. We will switch to it when I do get an invitation.

Boring Geography

There is absolutely no such thing at as boring geography.