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12 U.S. Geography Facts You Never Knew!

Do you consider yourself to be a proud American who knows all there is to know about the good ol’ U.S. of A.? Well, we hate to break it to you, but we guarantee you didn’t know the 12 U.S geography facts below. These will blow your mind!
 
1. The World’s Entire Population Could Fit inside the State of Texas
Unknown U.S. Facts

If all of us lived at the same density level as New York City, the world’s population would cover around 250,404 square miles. This means that there would technically be enough space for all 7.5 billion people to live in Texas, which is 268,597 square miles in total. It might be a bit crowded though.

2. Over 40 Building in New York City Have Their Own Zip Code

Speaking of densely populated areas, Manhattan – the most crowded of New York City’s five boroughs – is so cramped that it has over 200 zip codes. In fact, some skyscrapers are so large that they even have one of their very own. The Empire State, MetLife, and Chrysler buildings are just three that can claim exclusive rights to their own unique zip code.

3. Boston and Austin Are the Only Two U.S. State Capitals with Rhyming Names
Unknown U.S. Facts

Rayleigh and Albany? Not so much. In fact, go through all the ones you know and we guarantee that Boston and Austin are the only two state capital cities in the United States with names that rhyme.

4. Parts of Nevada Are Farther West Than Los Angeles, California

California is one of the westernmost states in America and makes up the majority of the nation’s west coast. Meanwhile, the city of Reno, Nevada, is nearly 300 miles from the ocean. However, believe it or not, Reno is roughly 86 miles farther west than the coastal city of Los Angeles.

5. Neither Florida nor California Have the Longest U.S. Coastline
Unknown U.S. Facts

Many people would probably guess that California or Florida have the longest coastline in the country, but in reality, Alaska is the national coastline champion! Its coast spans 6,640 miles (10,686 km) – which is more than all the other 49 states combined.

6. The United States Boasts a Mountain That is Taller Than Mount Everest

At 29,028 feet (or 8,848 meters), Mount Everest is considered to be the world’s highest mountain above sea level. However, the tallest mountain in the world is actually located in the United States. Hawaii’s Mauna Kea is over 32,000 feet (10,000 meters) tall when measured from the seafloor. However, since it only reaches 13,796 feet (4,205 meters) above sea level – and over half of its base sits under the sea – it doesn’t receive the same hype as the Himalayas.

 
7. California Has More Residents Than all of Canada
Unknown U.S. Facts

Canadian residents celebrated a milestone in 2015 when the country reached a population of 36 million for the very first time. However, that’s still around three million people short of California’s population. Roughly 39 million people live in the Golden State, making it the most populous state in America.

8. You Can Walk from the United States to Russia

Yes, seriously! During certain times of the year, you can travel by foot between the United States and Russia, thanks to two islands known as Big and Little Diomede. Big Diomede is the easternmost part of the Russian Federation; its neighbor, Little Diomede, is part of Alaskan territory. When the water freezes in the winter, brave travelers can cross the short distance – about 2.4 miles – between the two islands.

9. The Western United States Used to Have Enormous Lakes
Unknown U.S. Facts

During a period known as the “Last Glacial Maximum,” over 20,000 years ago, the states of Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and California contained bodies of water so large they rivaled the Great Lakes. Over time, these lakes shrank as global temperatures began to rise until they eventually disappeared altogether.

10. The United States is Home to the World’s Shortest River

When naming American rivers, the Mississippi, the Rio Grande, or the Colorado might spring to mind. However, while these famous waterways get all the attention, many forget about little Roe River in Montana. This river flows for only 200 feet, making it the shortest river in the world.

11. A Piece of Africa is underneath the United States
Unknown U.S. Facts

You might know that long ago, a supercontinent called Pangaea broke up to form the seven continents as we know them today. Now, 250 million years later, geologists have discovered a chunk of Africa that stuck around in North America. It can be found near Alabama, just off the coast of the south-eastern states.

12. The United States Borders Three Oceans – Not Two

It’s common knowledge that the United States shares a coastline with the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. However, what few realize, is that the country also touches the Arctic Ocean along Alaska’s northern border.

Source: rd
Images: depositphotos

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