Geography Facts for Kids
Cool facts about our planet
Madagascar split away from Africa about 165 million years ago and has been isolated ever since. As a result, about 90% of its wildlife, including all lemurs, exist nowhere else on Earth.
Lake Hillier on Middle Island in Australia is a strikingly bright pink colour and stays that way all year round. Scientists believe the unusual colour is caused by salt-loving microorganisms and algae.
The Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia is the longest railway line in the world, stretching almost 9,300 km. A trip from Moscow to the Pacific coast takes about seven days by train without stopping.
The Himalayas are still growing. The Indian tectonic plate continues to push northward into the Eurasian plate at about 5 cm per year, causing the mountains to rise by a few millimetres each year.
Lake Superior, on the border of the USA and Canada, is the world's largest freshwater lake by surface area. It contains enough water to flood all of North and South America to a depth of about 30 cm.
Africa has more countries than any other continent, with 54 recognized nations. Many of Africa's straight borders were drawn by European colonizers in the 1800s without regard for existing peoples and territories.
The Grand Canyon in Arizona is one of the most famous canyons, but it is not the world's deepest. That title belongs to Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Tibet, which is more than twice as deep.
Singapore has been steadily growing in size by reclaiming land from the sea for decades. The country is now about 25% larger than it was when it gained independence in 1965.
The Amazon Rainforest is home to an estimated 10% of all species on Earth. Scientists are still discovering thousands of new species there every year, including new plants, insects, and even mammals.
Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language. Its neighbours all speak Spanish, making Belize a unique cultural crossroads in the region.