The Handy Geography Answer Book

The world, its people, its countries, its history, the maps, and more!


Geography is more than just maps and finding your destination. It is about the land, the people on that land, the delicate balance of nature, and our very interdependence upon it, despite the miracles of technology and grocery stores. It’s about the effects of nature on places and people, as well as how politics, borders, cities, and towns affect our lives. The Handy Geography Answer Book traces the history of geography from Eratosthenes and Alexander von Humboldt to latitude and longitude, folding maps, and the latest advances in the Global Positioning System (GPS). It provides insights into economic, social, historic, culture, religious, political, and climate geography, plus oceanography, demographics, and more.



Completely revised and updated, The Handy Geography Answer Book tours the world, its natural features, and the ever-changing mark humans make on our planet. It answers 1,200 questions on today’s world, from the trivia (longest, hottest, tallest) to how geography has influenced history, religion, architecture, and the location of cities. You’ll learn answers to such questions as . . .

Why is every two-dimensional map distorted?
What new epoch has recently been proposed by Nobel Prize winner Paul Crutzen?
Who first had the idea that there is a magnetic North Pole?
What is interesting about Google’s “Streetview”?
How does GPS work?
When will we run out of oil?
How many people are projected to live on the planet in 2050?
What are the largest metropolitan areas in the United States?
How many miles of paved road are there in the United States?
Which state has the highest annual divorce rate?
What are the largest and smallest counties in the United States?
What’s the difference between England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom?
How is China changing our map of the world?
What is ISIS/ISIL?
Of all 54 countries in Africa, which ones were never colonized?
Who owns Antarctica?


Numerous maps, photos, and illustrations bring the text to life. With an appendix detailing the history, people, government, economy, climate, geography, and other statistics for each of the more than 250 countries of the world, this is the ideal resource for anyone interested in learning about our planet. The Handy Geography Answer Book also includes a helpful bibliography and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.