Interesting Geography Facts – North America

(Last Updated On: October 7, 2019)

Can’t get enough geography? We’re right there with you. The world is a big, beautiful, fascinating place. Here are a few interesting geography facts related to North America.

1. Alaska is the northernmost, westernmost AND easternmost state.

Alaska Geography Facts
It’s not hard to imagine Alaska being the northernmost and westernmost state in the US. Surprisingly, however, Alaska is also the easternmost. Parts of Alaska stretch so far west that they actually reach the Eastern Hemisphere.

2. 11 states have land farther south than the most northern point of Mexico.

Mexico Border Geography Facts
It may seem a little counterintuitive, but a handful of US states are actually south of the border. Can you name which ones?

3. Canada has a lot of lakes. Like, a lot.

Canada Geography Facts
We all know Canada is huge, so maybe having a lot of lakes shouldn’t be that much of surprise. However, did you know that Canada is home to more than half of all the natural lakes in the world? What’s more, 9% of the country is covered in fresh water. If you’re ever feeling thirsty, head to Canada.

4. There are more than 7,000 different Caribbean islands, but only about 2% of them are inhabited.

Caribbean Geography Facts
Shipwrecked in the Caribbean? The good news is there are literally thousands of islands you could wash up on. The bad news is that the island will likely be deserted.

5. The entire world population could fit inside Texas.

Texas Geography Facts
Things would be pretty cramped, but Texas is so big that if we lived at the same density level as New York City, there would be enough space for all 7.5 billion of us to have a little land. That doesn’t mean we all could actually survive there though. It would be tough to live with no roads, hospitals, farmland, businesses, etc. Did we mention much of Texas is desert too?

6. You can travel north, south, east or west in Stamford, Connecticut, and the next state you encounter will be New York.

Stamford Geography Facts
Yes, it’s true. You can travel in a straight line in any of the four cardinal directions while in Stamford and end up in the Empire State.

7. Mt. Thor on Baffin Island, Canada, has Earth’s greatest sheer vertical drop.

Mt. Thor Geography Facts
At 4,101 feet, Mt. Thor lays claim to the world’s greatest vertical drop. Take one step off the peak and you’d fall for almost a mile before you hit anything.

8. There is no spot in Central America more than 125 miles from the ocean.

Central America Geography Facts
If you love the sea, Central America is the place to be!

9. Reno, Nevada is west of Los Angeles, California.

Reno Geography Facts
Los Angeles is the epitome of West Coast, but it’s actually not as far west as you might think. The map doesn’t lie.

10. 43 buildings in Manhattan, New York City, have their own zip code.

Manhattan Geography Facts
The most densely populated of New York City’s 5 boroughs also has an abundance of zip codes. Sending letters must get confusing.


Like these North American geography facts? Make sure to check out interesting geography facts for South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and Antarctica.

About the Author:

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Mark Heald is the Managing Editor of Sporcle.com. He enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and bemoaning the fact the Sonics left Seattle.

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