MapGEOMapGE

Which country has the longest coastline in the world?

Canada

Canada's coastline is about 202,000 km, more than the next several countries put together, because of the enormous fractal fringe of the Arctic archipelago. Indonesia, second, is about 55,000 km.

Greater Tokyo's population is closest to that of which country?

Canada

Greater Tokyo holds roughly 37 million people and Canada about 40 million, so one metropolitan area is within a tenth of the world's second-largest country by area. Australia is about 27 million.

Why was Canberra built as Australia's capital?

It was a compromise

The 1901 federation deadlocked between the two largest cities, so the constitution required a new capital in New South Wales but at least 100 miles from Sydney. Canberra was purpose-built from 1913.

Australia's name comes from a Latin phrase meaning what?

Southern land

From terra australis incognita, the unknown southern land that European geographers assumed must exist to balance the northern continents. The name was applied to the real continent long after the guess.

Where was the highest reliably recorded air temperature on Earth?

Death Valley, California

Furnace Creek recorded 56.7 C in 1913, a figure still debated, and 54.4 C as recently as 2020-21. Ground temperatures in Iran's Lut Desert are higher but those are surface, not air.

Outside North America, which country gets the most tornadoes for its size?

Britain

The UK records roughly 30 to 50 a year over a small area, giving it more tornadoes per square kilometre than anywhere else. They are almost all weak compared with American ones.

Which is the largest island in the world?

Greenland

Greenland is about 2.17 million km2. Australia is larger but is classed as a continent. The distinction is conventional rather than physical.

If every person on Earth stood shoulder to shoulder, roughly how much space would they need?

About the area of Los Angeles

At about four people per square metre, 8 billion people need about 2,000 km2. Los Angeles is roughly 1,300 km2 and Greater London about 1,600.