GEOGRAPHY

Westsylvania is just one state that never made the cut.

12 Proposed U.S. States That Didn't Make the Cut

The road to our 50 states is littered with wannabe territories that couldn't wait to be admitted to the union, but never quite got there. Here are 12 states that could have been.

20 of the Strangest Maps Ever Created

Odd cartographic creations like ‘Fool’s Cap Map of the World,’ ‘Leo Belgicus,’ and ‘The Porcineograph’ make the classic Mercator Projection look outright dull.

Border Patrol: When 3 States Fought Over the “Delaware Wedge”

The Delaware Wedge is a 1.068-square-mile triangular chunk of land where Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland meet. For 200 years, that’s all these states could agree on.

The Haskell Free Library and Opera House.

The U.S.-Canada Border Runs Directly Through This Library

The library’s official entrance is on the U.S. side of the building, but new changes will have Canadians enter from their side of the border.

The Top 10 Most Productive States in America

See which states excel in time management and work efficiency.

Which destination does your state want to travel to?

Every State’s Dream Travel Destination, Mapped

Discover the most searched vacation destinations in the U.S., from tropical beaches to overseas adventures.

A lot of people seem to be craving chicken pot pie lately.

The Most Popular Pie Recipes by State, Mapped

From savory chicken pot pie to the nutty pecan pie, find out which dishes people are interested in for Pi Day.

The UCLA Bruins have long been a college basketball powerhouse.

The Top 10 Best Cities for College Basketball Fans

WalletHub has ranked the top U.S. cities for college basketball fans, with Los Angeles topping the list.

The Jhelum River Bridge, part of the ancient Grand Trunk Road passing through Punjab, Pakistan.

8 Incredible Ancient Roads

Some of the world’s oldest roadways are only memories now—but many have been preserved as historic monuments or improved to handle today’s traffic.

Where does your state rank in WalletHub‘s study?

The Best and Worst American States for Women

Explore WalletHub‘s rankings of the best and worst states for women, based on economic well-being, healthcare access, and safety metrics.

Baltimore, Maryland had a brief stint as capital.

9 Places That Have Served as the Capital of the United States

Washington, D.C., hasn't always been the political center of the United States.

The border between these two countries is a little odd in places.

Over the Borderline: The Little Bit of Minnesota That Could Have Gone Canadian

An old map error led to some strange—and at times contentious—geography.

This island may look mysterious, but it isn’t a phantom island.

8 Mysterious Phantom Islands

Old maps are littered with islands that have vanished. What happened to these strange and unexplainable lost lands? Did they ever exist in the first place?

A map of the 63 National Parks in the U.S.

1 Fact About All 63 U.S. National Parks

From Acadia to Zion, the U.S. has some pretty majestic national parks. Here’s one fun fact about every single one—plus a map so you can see where they all are.

Why Did ‘The Ukraine’ Become Just ‘Ukraine’?

Until a few decades ago, Ukraine was almost always referred to as 'the Ukraine'. Then people started dropping the definite article, and now you almost never see it. Here's why.

The Forgotten History of Amber Valley, Canada’s Northernmost Black Settlement

Today, Amber Valley looks like any number of small, rural communities, but a couple dilapidated log cabins hint at what was once the northernmost all-Black settlement in the world.

5 Misconceptions About Antarctica

Misconception No. 4 : It snows a lot.

This map caused a stir in the early 2000s.

3 Controversial Maps From History

From a U.S. map with only 38 states to a probable hoax, these maps definitely had geographers buzzing.

How the Neighborhoods of Manhattan Got Their Names

For an island of only 24 square miles, Manhattan sure has a lot of neighborhoods. Many have distinct monikers that might not seem intuitive to the lay-tourist, or even to a lifelong New Yorker.

The Inuit settlement of Kulusuq in Greenland.

11 Fresh Facts About Greenland

Greenland lies north and south of the Arctic Circle and about 500 miles from the North Pole—a position that makes it a key part of global defense strategy. Read on for amazing facts about this icy island.

101 Things We Learned in 2024

Let’s celebrate another year in the books with a look back at how our knowledge grew over the past 12 months.

Single people may want to start swiping in Atlanta, Georgia.

The 15 Best (and Worst) U.S. Cities for Single People

Looking for love? Your geography may (or may not) be doing you any favors.

She's probably looking at one of our map or dog pieces.

Our 15 Most Popular Stories of 2024

Content about maps, fascinating facts about everyday objects, language, and dogs was a hit among Mental Floss readers this year.

Mountaineers making their way to the summit out Mount Everest.

29 Geographical Superlatives That Will Change How You See the World

From the world’s tallest peaks to its deepest lakes and beyond