Random Geography Facts That Rocked Our World (15 items)

(#12) El Paso, TX Is Closer To San Diego, CA Than It Is To Houston, TX

Texas is a very large state. Anyone driving from one end to the other can tell you that, especially anyone driving from Houston to San Diego. The rough mid-point, El Paso, is actually closer to San Diego than it is to Houston. From San Diego to El Paso measures about 724 miles driving and 626.82 in a straight line. From El Paso to Houston, the drive is about 745 miles and a 673.93 straight line.
(#5) Pluto Could Fit Inside Russia

NASA’s New Horizon mission flew by Pluto in 2015 and provided the most accurate measurements of the dwarf planet yet. Pluto's diameter was measured at 2,370 kilometers which would easily fit inside Russia's east-to-west-width of 6,000 kilometers, and its narrower north-to-south height of 3,000 kilometers.

In spite of that, Pluto does have a slightly larger surface area than the earthly country, coming in at a recently adjusted 17,646,012 square kilometers versus Russia's 17,125,191 square kilometers.
(#10) A Patch Of Land In North Carolina Is Permanently Leased To England

In May 1942, the HMT Bedfordshire was torpedoed by a German submarine off the coast of Ocracoke Island, NC. The entire crew went down with it, but only four men were washed ashore.

Because the Americans didn't have the time or resources to ship the men back to England, they buried them on the island. This land was later leased to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission "in perpetuity" - making this effectively British soil.
(#7) Canada Has More Large Lakes Than All The Rest Of The World Combined

The country of Canada has the most lakes in all the world. When it comes to bigger, more substantial lakes, Canada boasts 62% of the world's lakes that are 10 hectares or larger. The Canada and United States shared Great Lakes contain 18% of the world's fresh lake water.
(#14) There Are More People In California Than In Canada

According to data compiled by World Bank, as of 2019, Canada has a population of approximately 37,589,262 people. The 2019 US Census data says that California comes in slightly higher with a population of 39,512,223.
(#3) The Majority Of Canadians Live South Of Seattle

The majority of the population of the United States' "neighbor to the north" actually lives south of a major American city. While the 49th parallel is often thought of as the border between the US and Canada, around 72% of Canadians live below it, and Seattle, WA. Canada's two largest cities, Toronto and Montreal are well south of Seattle, as is its fourth-largest city and federal capital, Ottawa.