Geography

San Diego Creek (Orange County, California) San Diego Creek San Diego Creek is a 15-mile creek in Orange County, California, draining a roughly 112-square-mile watershed into Upper Newport Bay and the Pacific Ocean; it has major ecological…

San Fernando Valley: geography, history, culture, and municipalities San Fernando Valley Urban valley north of central Los Angeles with about 1.8 million residents; notable for its surrounding mountains, suburban neighborhoods, entertainment industry, and mixed governa…

San Fernando, California — small city in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando, California San Fernando is an independent city within the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles County, California, known for its mission-era origins, diverse community, and role as a small muni…

San Gabriel Mountains Mountain range north of Los Angeles separating the LA Basin from the Mojave; known for Mount San Antonio, diverse habitats, recreation, water supply and protected public lands.

San Gabriel River (California) — geography, history, and uses San Gabriel River A 75-mile river in Southern California flowing from the San Gabriel Mountains through Los Angeles and Orange counties to the Pacific near Long Beach and Seal Beach; heavily modifie…

San Jacinto County, Texas San Jacinto County is a rural county in eastern Texas with Coldspring as its seat. Named for the San Jacinto River, it had 26,384 residents in 2010 and is known for forests, outdoo…

San Joaquin River Major California river flowing from the Sierra Nevada to San Francisco Bay; central to Central Valley agriculture, water supply, native fisheries, and ongoing restoration efforts.

San Joaquin Valley A major agricultural and geographic region of California's Central Valley, home to diverse crops, cities like Fresno and Bakersfield, and notable environmental and water-management…

San Juan Creek (Orange County, California) San Juan Creek San Juan Creek is a roughly 27-mile stream in Orange County, California. Rising in the Santa Ana Mountains, its 134 sq mi watershed flows to the Pacific at Dana Point; notable trib…

San Juan Province (Dominican Republic) San Juan is a western Dominican province centered on the city of San Juan de la Maguana. It comprises a fertile valley drained by the Yaque del Sur, surrounded by mountains, with a…

San Luis Rey River (Southern California) San Luis Rey River A 55-mile coastal river in southern California rising on Palomar Mountain, flowing through Lake Henshaw to the Pacific; important for regional water supply, ecology, recreation and…

San Marino: Europe’s Small Historic Republic Enclave San Marino San Marino is a small, landlocked republic surrounded by Italy, known for its long republican tradition, medieval center on Mount Titano, microstate governance, tourism economy and…

San Martín Region (Peru): Geography, History, Economy and Culture San Martín Region San Martín, in northern Peru, spans the upper Amazon and Andean foothills. Its capital is Moyobamba and largest city Tarapoto. The region is noted for biodiversity, tropical agricu…

San Miguel River San Miguel River is a common toponym (Spanish for 'Saint Michael') used for several distinct rivers worldwide, notably a tributary in western Colorado, and multiple streams in Lati…

San Miguel River (Colorado) — tributary of the Dolores River San Miguel River (Colorado) An overview of Colorado's San Miguel River: course, geography, ecology, human uses, recreation and conservation of this largely free‑flowing Dolores River tributary.

San Miguel River (Ecuador and Peru) San Miguel River (Ecuador) A river in the borderlands of Ecuador and Peru that serves as part of the international boundary and supports local ecosystems, communities, and cross‑border activities.

San Salvador Department Central department of El Salvador containing the national capital San Salvador; political, cultural and economic center established as a department in 1824.

Sana'a Governorate (Yemen) Sana'a Governorate Sana'a Governorate is a highland province of Yemen that surrounds the capital city; it is administratively distinct from the city district Amanat al-Asimah and had about 918,379 pe…

Sanborn County, South Dakota Sanborn County is a small, rural county in eastern South Dakota with a low population, an agricultural economy, and Woonsocket as its county seat. Founded in 1883 during regional s…

Sand Rock, Alabama — Town in Cherokee and DeKalb Counties Sand Rock, Alabama Sand Rock is a small town in northeastern Alabama, straddling Cherokee and DeKalb counties. A rural community on the Sand Mountain plateau known for its scenic upland landscape and…

Sandal Bar — upland region of the Rechna Doab in Punjab Sandal Bar Sandal Bar is a historic upland tract in the Rechna Doab of Punjab, lying between the Ravi and Chenab rivers. Once a wooded pastureland, it was transformed by irrigation and agricu…

Sanday, Orkney: the northerly sand island Sanday, Orkney Sanday is a low, sandy island in the Orkney archipelago of northern Scotland known for long beaches, bird and seal colonies, Norse heritage, small communities and a mixed economy o…

Sandbar (Shoal): Formation, Types, Ecology and Hazards Sandbar A sandbar, or shoal, is an accumulation of sand, silt or pebbles formed by water currents and waves. These dynamic features influence navigation, coastal ecosystems, and shoreline…

Sanders County, Montana Sanders County in western Montana, created in 1905 with county seat Thompson Falls. A largely rural, forested region known for rivers, outdoor recreation, timber history and small…

Sandusky County, Ohio County in northwestern Ohio centered on Fremont. Rural and small-city mix with agriculture, manufacturing, historic sites, and recreational access to the Sandusky River and nearby…

Sandwich Islands: historical name for the Hawaiian archipelago Sandwich Islands Sandwich Islands was the European name given by Captain James Cook in 1778 to the Hawaiian Islands; the archipelago's indigenous name is Hawai‘i and it was settled centuries earlie…

Sangha-Mbaéré Prefecture (Central African Republic) Sangha-Mbaéré Sangha-Mbaéré is a southwestern prefecture of the Central African Republic, centered on Nola. It comprises dense Congo Basin rainforest, major rivers, and important conservation ar…

Sanghar District, Sindh — administration, geography, economy and culture Sanghar District Sanghar District in eastern Sindh, Pakistan, is a large agricultural district centered on Sanghar city. This article outlines its administration, tehsils, geography, economy, histo…

Sanghar Taluka (Tehsil), Sanghar District, Sindh Sanghar Taluka Administrative subdivision of Sanghar District in Sindh, Pakistan, centered on the city of Sanghar; overview of geography, administration, economy, history and culture.

Sankt Pölten-Land District (Lower Austria) Sankt Pölten-Land District A surrounding rural district in the state of Lower Austria, Sankt Pölten-Land encircles the statutory city of Sankt Pölten and combines agricultural lowlands, small towns, and comm…

Sankt Wendel (district) A concise overview of the Sankt Wendel district in northern Saarland, Germany: geography, municipalities, history, economy and transport links.

Sankuru Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo Sankuru Sankuru is a central province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with capital Lusambo. It comprises six territories, extensive Congo Basin rivers and forests, and a largely ru…

Santa Ana River Major river in Southern California that runs from the San Bernardino Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, shaping water supply, flood control, and habitat across the Inland Empire and O…

Santa Barbara County, California Coastal county in southern California centered on the city of Santa Barbara. Known for Mediterranean climate, wine country, universities, scenic coastline, and a mix of mountain an…

Santa Catarina (state, Brazil) Santa Catarina (state) Santa Catarina is a coastal state in southern Brazil known for high living standards, diverse European-descended population, varied geography from beaches to mountains, and an expo…

Santa Clara Valley A lowland region in Northern California bounded by the Santa Cruz Mountains and Diablo Range; historically agricultural and now heavily urbanized and associated with Silicon Valley…

Santa Cruz County (California and Arizona) Santa Cruz County Overview of the two U.S. counties named Santa Cruz: a coastal California county known for beaches, redwoods and UC Santa Cruz, and a southern Arizona border county centered on Noga…

Santa Cruz County, Arizona Santa Cruz County is a small border county in southern Arizona with Nogales as its seat. Known for cross-border ties with Sonora, agriculture, and historic mission sites, it was es…

Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia) Santa Cruz is Bolivia's largest and most economically dynamic department, in the eastern lowlands with a multicultural population, major agricultural and energy production, and the…

Santa Cruz Province, Argentina A large, sparsely populated province in Argentine Patagonia known for glaciers, sheep ranching, mining and national parks such as Los Glaciares and Perito Moreno.

Santa Cruz River (Arizona–Sonora) Santa Cruz River A transboundary river across southern Arizona and northern Sonora, the Santa Cruz River is a desert waterway with historical, ecological and cultural importance and ongoing restora…

Santa Elena Province (Ecuador) Santa Elena Province Coastal province in western Ecuador created in 2007 from Guayas; known for its beaches, fishing and tourism economy, saline plains, and growing coastal cities including the capital…

Santa Fe County, New Mexico: overview, geography, history and culture Santa Fe County, New Mexico County in north-central New Mexico whose seat is Santa Fe; known for Spanish colonial history, Pueblo communities, high-desert and mountain landscapes, arts, tourism and state gove…

Santa Fe de Nuevo México: from Spanish colony to American state Santa Fe de Nuevo México Historical region centered on Santa Fe that evolved from a Spanish provincial seat (1598) through Mexican administration to U.S. occupation, territorial organization, and statehood…

Santa Luzia (Cape Verde): uninhabited island in the Barlavento group Santa Luzia, Cape Verde Santa Luzia is an uninhabited island of Cape Verde covering 35 km². Noted for its arid volcanic terrain and seabird colonies, it is managed for conservation and limited research vi…

Santa Margarita River A roughly 50-mile river in southern California that rises in the Santa Ana Mountains and flows west through Riverside and San Diego counties to the Pacific, notable for its largely…

Santa Monica Mountains Coastal mountain range in southern California, United States, known for Mediterranean ecosystems, recreation, and proximity to Los Angeles.

Santa Susana Mountains A coastal Southern California mountain range north of Los Angeles, spanning Ventura and Los Angeles counties; known for chaparral ecology, recreation, and historical industrial sit…