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, March 24, 2025

What’s the Difference Between Great Britain and the United Kingdom?
Navigating the nomenclature of the British Isles
8 Notable Buildings in Moscow
Know before you go.
7 (or 8) Summits: The World’s Highest Mountains by Continent
Climbing each continent’s highest mountain is a major mountaineering achievement. Read this list to learn more about the...
How Do Countries Choose Their Capital Cities?
London, Tokyo, Buenos Aires…How are national capitals chosen?
canals and inland waterways
Canals and inland waterways, natural or artificial waterways used for navigation, crop irrigation, water supply, or drainage....
Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains
Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains, Native peoples inhabiting the Great Plains of the present-day United States and Canada....
cave
Cave, natural opening in the earth large enough for human exploration. Such a cavity is formed in many types of rock and...
Australia
Australia, the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, lying between the Pacific and Indian oceans...

Geography & Travel Quizzes

Oceans Across the World: Fact or Fiction?
Is a reef a feature of the ocean? Does the Atlantic Ocean have the world’s deepest water? Sort out the facts and see how...
India: Fact or Fiction?
You may know that India is east of Pakistan, but does most of the country lie south of the Equator? From the national flag...
Journey to India: Fact or Fiction?
What is India’s highest peak? Is the Bay of Bengal on its east coast or west? From Punjab to Gandhi, sort out the facts in...
Destination India: Fact or Fiction?
Is the shilling India’s unit of currency? Is Delhi the largest city in India? From Sikkim to literacy rates, test your knowledge...
Islands of the World: Fact or Fiction?
You may be familiar with the islands of the Caribbean, but how much do you know about the island of Corsica? Travel beyond...
Island Discoveries: Fact or Fiction?
From Greenland and Alcatraz to Micronesia and the Republic of the Maldives, discover islands across the globe with this quiz.
Exploring Asia: Fact or Fiction?
Do all the former Soviet Central Asian countries share a common border? Was Ho Chi Minh City once called Saigon? Sort out...
Destination Asia: Fact or Fiction?
You may know that Asia is one of the most populous continents on Earth, but is it also the largest? See how "large" your...
Exploring Korea: Fact or Fiction?
Did the 38th Parallel originally divide North Korea and South Korea? Is the capital of South Korea Pyongyang? See if your...
The Middle East: Fact or Fiction?
Is the literacy rate in Afghanistan very high? Does Yemen take its name from the Arabic word meaning "northerly?" Sort through...
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
How does the human brain process language? 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.