Scienceray > Earth Sciences > Physical Geography

Interesting Information About the Earth

A list of some of the interesting information about the Earth.

The longest mountain range on the Earth's surface is the Andes Mountains with a length of about 4,500 miles traversing seven South American countries but the longest mountain range in the world is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge located underneath the Atlantic Ocean which runs from North Atlantic to South Atlantic Ocean.

For every one kilometer higher above sea level, temperature drops by 1 degree. The higher the location above sea level the lower the temperature.

Mauna Loa in Hawaii is the largest active volcano on our planet but the world's smallest active volcano is the Taal Volcano in the Philippines.Taal Volcano has a 406-meter-high crater. It is described as “a crater within an island within a lake” because it stands as an island at Taal Lake. The lake was formed after the volcano, which used to be much larger, collapsed.

The subcontinent of India was formerly a part of Africa. Millions of years ago, India broke away from Africa and bumped to Asia creating the Himalayas with its great impact. According to experts, the Himalayas are still growing. Resemblance of India and Africa's flora and fauna is another basis of experts on establishing this possibility.

Victoria Fall in Africa is the largest waterfall in the world based on a width of 1.7 kilometers (1 mi) and height of 108 meters (360 ft), forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world but Angel Falls in Canaima National Park, Venezuela is the tallest waterfall in the world, drops nearly a kilometer (979 m.) from a table-top mountain known as Auyantepui or Devil's Mountain.

Eight out of the ten highest peaks in the world are located in Nepal, Mt. Everest being the highest with a height of 29,035 ft. would totally submerge in the deepest part of the world's oceans, and the deepest location of the Earth's crust - the Mariana's Trench measuring 35,798 ft deep.

The lowest point of dry land on the surface of the Earth is the shores of the Dead Sea between Israel and Jordan. It is 420 meters below sea level (1,378 ft). The Dead Sea is the world's second saltiest body of water after Lake Asal in Djibouti. It is 8.6 times saltier than the ocean. The sea high salinity prevents macroscopic aquatic organisms from living in it, though some bacteria and fungi are present.

Amazon River of South America is second only to Nile River of Africa with a length of 4,180 miles as the longest river in the world but Amazon River is the largest river in the world. Amazon's discharge at its mouth is approximately 7 million cubic feet per second.

Without a doubt, the largest desert in the world is the Sahara Desert in Africa, it is almost as large as the United States but the driest desert on Earth is the Atacama Desert in Chile. This desert is virtually rainless with an average rainfall of 1 mm. per year only. It is 50 times more arid than California's Death Valley. The coldest desert during winter is the Gobi Desert in China.

Based on photos taken from satellites, the Atlantic Ocean is getting wider by 5-10 cm. a year. According to the theory of continental drift, some 200 millions years ago, the Earth's continents were joined together to form one gigantic super continent, called Pangaea. Noticed how South America and Africa and other continents seem to fit altogether.

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Comments (12)
#1 by tracy sardelli, May 2, 2008
very intersting article, very informative, thank you Nobert.
#2 by salvatore, May 2, 2008
great article buddy, keep penning.
#3 by slowslow, May 2, 2008
Very interesting
#4 by Lucy Lockett, May 2, 2008
The world is a big place and always evolving, informative article.
#5 by Ruby Hawk, May 2, 2008
Thank you for the geography lesson. I know I learned all this once upon a time but most is forgotten so I need a refresher course.
#6 by Judy Sheldon, May 2, 2008
Nobert, you provide us with a map of where we all live and Triond provides us with a network that we can all share.

Thank you for your lesson.
#7 by Francie, May 3, 2008
Very interesting article, I learned some and that is positive!
#8 by nobert soloria bermosa, May 6, 2008
thanks to everybody, i appreciate your support so much.
#9 by JJJJJ, Jul 24, 2008
uhhh, hoping it was veiwing the point from a planet point of veiw
#10 by JJJJJ, Jul 24, 2008
that would really help too uther wise its helpfull
#11 by JJJJJ, Jul 24, 2008
Please thanks maybe ok
#12 by jhfgjgf, Jul 24, 2008
wonderful article helps homework heaps
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