Russia is the obvious choice when thinking about countries that span two continents. But did you know Indonesia also qualifies? Or that Panama connects North and South America?
Read more: Which Countries Actually Span Two Continents?
Germans dominate 21 states from Pennsylvania to Oregon. Forty-one million Americans identify as German, with Wisconsin at 36%. Mexicans lead five Southwest states at 11%. African Americans top nine Southern states where slavery was concentrated. Italians run New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey with 18 million Americans. Irish dominate New England at 11%.
Read more: The Most Common Ancestry in Every US State
Jeffrey Linn mapped what Southern California looks like when 80 meters (260 ft) of seawater flood the LA Basin. Two versions show the transformation from basin to bay.
Read more: When Los Angeles Becomes a Bay
While swing states dominate election coverage, there’s another electoral geography worth examining. Twenty states and Washington, DC have remained remarkably consistent in their presidential voting patterns since 1988, creating a stable foundation beneath the shifting political landscape. Which states have never wavered, and what does their geographical distribution tell us about American political geography?
Read more: The Geography of Predictability: 20 States That Never Switch Sides
Have you ever pictured a spot with 241 million people that isn’t even a country? That’s Uttar Pradesh in India, home to more folks than Brazil or Nigeria. If it stood on its own, it’d be the sixth biggest nation by population.
Read more: The World’s Most Populous Subdivision: Uttar Pradesh Has More People Than Brazil
Some maps try to do the impossible. The World GeoHistogram squeezes 9,000 years of civilization onto a single poster—compare Ancient Rome with the Mongol Empire, see when Alexander conquered Persia, figure out which civilizations actually existed at the same time. It’s ambitious, messy, and genuinely useful for understanding historical connections.
Read more: Mapping 9,000 Years: How the World GeoHistogram Shows Every Major Empire on One Timeline
US states with Democratic or Republican governor wins over last six elections: Washington all six Democratic, Texas all six Republican, Arizona even three each, plus regional trends and surprises like Kansas four Democratic.
Read more: U.S. States by Party They Voted for in Their Last Six Gubernatorial Elections
In 1910, Europe had the most extensive railway network it would ever see. Then came two world wars, redrawn borders, and the automobile. By 2000, the countries that pioneered railways were systematically tearing them up.
Read more: How Europe’s Railway Network Rose and Fell
Pull up Google Trends for holiday pie searches and you’ll see something unexpected: America’s pie map looks different than it did five years ago. The South’s pecan pie territory shrank dramatically. New England’s letting go of apple pie. And pumpkin? It’s taking over almost everywhere. What happened to our regional baking traditions?
Read more: Holiday Pie Searches by State: How America’s Baking Map Shifted in Five Years
Dante wrote the Divine Comedy, but he also spent years documenting what he thought of Italian peoples region by region. Romans had ugly appearances and were “lurid.” Sardinians were “apes” who weren’t even Italian. Florentines were “spawn of Satan.” Sicilians were cruel and hypocritical. This map from his 1302-1305 treatise shows his stereotypes spread across medieval Italy.
Read more: Dante’s Map of Italian Stereotypes (1300s): Romans Are “Lurid,” Sardinians Are “Apes”
Most of the United States gets colder in winter than Victoria, British Columbia. This temperature comparison map shows exactly which American regions stay warmer than Canada’s mildest city.
Read more: Most of America Has Colder Winters Than Canada’s Warmest City
Water resources on our planet follow uneven paths. The Amazon River alone moves more water than the next seven largest rivers combined.
Read more: Continental Runoff and River Discharge
Two climate projection maps show exactly where America’s rainfall patterns will change by mid-century. Most regions will get wetter, but some will get drier, and certain areas face storms that dump enormous amounts of water in dangerously short periods.
Read more: Where Will It Rain More (and Less) by 2050?