Geography & Travel

Planet Earth contains some extraordinarily diverse environments, some of which are easily habitable and some not so much. In different areas of Earth, one might find sweltering deserts, dense tropical rainforests, or bone-chilling tundras. Each biome and habitat comes with its own selection of flora and fauna, and it may include physical features such as canyons, volcanoes, rivers, or caves. Human beings have built homes in many different environments, settling the area and organizing it into units such as cities, states, regions, and countries, each with its own points of interest. Shifting trends in human migration have resulted in a human geography that is profoundly different from that of centuries ago.
Browse Subcategories

Featured content, November 22, 2024

9 of the World’s Deepest Lakes
How deep is your lake?
Are the Middle East and the Near East the Same Thing?
Don’t let the terminology distract you from this important part of the world.
What Is Known (and Not Known) About the Bermuda Triangle
People have been trying to solve the “mystery” of the Bermuda Triangle for years. Here’s what we know (and don’t know) about...
river
River, (ultimately from Latin ripa, “bank”), any natural stream of water that flows in a channel with defined banks . Modern...
Africa
Africa, the second largest continent (after Asia), covering about one-fifth of the total land surface of Earth. The continent...
language
Language, a system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members...
canals and inland waterways
Canals and inland waterways, natural or artificial waterways used for navigation, crop irrigation, water supply, or drainage....

Geography & Travel Quizzes

Capital Cities of the 50 States Quiz
How well do you know U.S. state capitals? In this quiz, you’ll be shown a capital city, and you’ll need to choose the state...
Canals, Straits, and More Quiz
Which two bodies of water does the Suez Canal connect? Which strait separates the continents of Asia and North America at...
Know Your Asian Geography Quiz
Where is the Mayon Volcano? What port’s name means “fragrant harbour”? Explore the geography of Asia with this quiz.
Know Your UK Geography Quiz
What are “the Broads” of Norfolk, England? What is the largest lake in the British Isles? Test your knowledge. Take this...
Where in the British Isles?
How much do you know about the geography of the British Isles? Take this quiz to find out.
Explore England, Scotland, and Wales Quiz
What is the highest mountain in Wales? Which are the largest and most northerly of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides islands? Test...
Quick Quiz: Know Your Waterfalls
What is the highest waterfall in Canada? What five-cascade waterfall is fed by melting snow? Find out how well you know your...
Quick Quiz: This Land Is Your Land
How much do you really know about the land you live on? Test your knowledge of continents, islands, and countries in this...
World Explorers Quiz
Who wrote Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa? What did Ernest Giles cross in 1875? Test your knowledge...
39 of the Most Challenging World Capitals Across History
Paris, Bujumbura, Pierre, and Nuuk all have something in common: they are all capital cities. And there are thousands more....
Image Gallery
Geography & Travel
Never Miss a Day in History
Sign up for daily fun facts about this day in history, updates, and special offers delivered right to your inbox.

Geography & Travel Subcategories

Riyadh Cities & Towns
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Ukraine Countries of the World
Although there isn’t universal agreement on the question of what qualifies as a “country,” it is generally accepted that in order to be a country, a state must be a sovereign unit that has a permanent population, defined territorial boundaries, a government, and the ability to enter into agreements with other states. Even when these conditions are met, however, internationally recognized independence is not a given, and a territorial entity that declares itself to be an independent country is not always recognized as such by the rest of the world.
Articles
Roman Forum Historical Places
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Highways & Trails
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Distribution of North American Plateau peoples Human Geography
Since 1945 human geography has contained five main divisions. The first four—economic, social, cultural, and political—reflect both the main areas of contemporary life and the social science disciplines with which geographers interact (i.e., economics, sociology, anthropology, and political science and international relations, respectively); the fifth is historical geography.
Articles
Some of the pictorial signs used at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif. Languages
Language, a system of conventional spoken, manual, or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, express themselves. The functions of language include communication, the expression of identity, play, imaginative expression, and emotional release.
Articles
Mount St. Helens volcano Physical Geography of Land
Earth’s geographic history has been one marked by significant overall change, with ice ages, continental drift, and other major disruptions ultimately shaping Earth's land into the landscape of mountain ranges, deserts, islands, and volcanoes that we see today.
Articles
Arctic Ocean Physical Geography of Water
Whether it's Lake Michigan, the Gulf of Panama, or the River Thames, bodies of water of all shapes and sizes can be found around the globe, and they play a critical role for human beings, who use such bodies of water as a source of drinking water, a means of transporting both goods and people themselves, or a place to engage in water sports, among a plethora of other possible uses. Additionally, many bodies of water provide striking scenes of natural beauty and house important marine ecosystems. Satiate your thirst for knowledge about Earth's oceans, lakes, seas, rivers, waterfalls, bays, and more.
Articles
Sequoia National Park Nature Reserves & National Parks
Nature reserves are areas set aside for the purpose of preserving and protecting plants and animals, particularly endangered species. National parks may effectively serve a similar purpose by shielding threatened species from hunters, but these parks can also be created for the purpose of public recreation, affording its visitors a chance to be immersed in a protected natural environment. Many national parks have been created in the last 100 years, including Yellowstone National Park, the oldest and probably the best-known national park in the United States.
Articles
flag of Queensland States & Other Subdivisions
Every nation has its own subdivisions to demarcate smaller political units within its territory. Counties, districts, oblasts, polis, nomos, unitary authorities, boroughs, and cities are all examples (among many others) of how land can be organized.
Articles
Big Ben Tourist Attractions
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
North Africa Geographic Regions
This general category includes a selection of more specific topics.
Articles
Britannica Premium
Did you know you're not getting the full Britannica experience? Access unlimited content with none of the ads by becoming a Britannica Premium subscriber.