Geography

Wilson Lake (Kansas) — reservoir, parks, and natural resources Wilson Lake (Kansas) Wilson Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir on the Russell–Lincoln county line in Kansas, managed for flood control, wildlife habitat, water uses and year‑round recreat…

Wilsonian Armenia Wilsonian Armenia refers to the Armenian state boundaries drawn by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson under the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres — a plan never implemented and later superseded by…

Wilster (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) Wilster Wilster is a small town in the Steinburg district of northern Germany. It has a modest population, local services, and a long regional history tied to the marshlands of Schleswig-H…

Wiltshire Ceremonial county in South West England known for Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain and rolling chalk downland; includes towns such as Trowbridge and the unitary authority of Swindon.

Wiltz (river) The Wiltz is a river in Belgium and Luxembourg, a left tributary of the Sauer (Sûre) and part of the Rhine drainage system. It flows through the town of Wiltz and shapes a rural va…

Wind shear — causes, types, effects, and detection Wind shear Wind shear is a rapid change in wind speed or direction over a short distance. This article explains types, causes, impacts on aviation and wind energy, detection methods, and nota…

Windermere — the largest natural lake in England Windermere Windermere is a glacial ribbon lake in the Lake District of England, known for its size, natural beauty, heritage towns, wildlife and long history as a centre for recreation and co…

Windham County, Connecticut Windham County is a largely rural county in northeastern Connecticut, comprising small towns, historic mill villages and forests. It functions mainly as a geographic and statistica…

Windward Islands (Lesser Antilles): geography, history and significance Windward Islands The Windward Islands are the southern group of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. This article summarizes their geography, constituent islands, geology, history, and modern impo…

Winter Gardens, California: overview of the community Winter Gardens, California Winter Gardens is an unincorporated census-designated place in San Diego County, California. This article summarizes its location, size, population (2010), character, history, and…

Winterthur District, Canton of Zürich Winterthur District Administrative district in the German-speaking part of the canton of Zürich, Switzerland, centred on the city of Winterthur; geographic, historical, and economic overview.

Wisconsin River Major tributary of the Mississippi River in Wisconsin, flowing from northern lake country through glacial plains and the Wisconsin Dells to join the Mississippi; important for ecol…

Wittenberg (district) Administrative district in eastern Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, known for its historic town Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Reformation heritage, Elbe landscapes, and mixed agricultural and cul…

Wittmund (district) — East Frisian coastal district in Lower Saxony Wittmund (district) Wittmund is a Landkreis in northwestern Lower Saxony, Germany. Located in East Frisia on the Wadden Sea coast, it contains protected tidal flats and the islands Langeoog and Spieke…

Woleu‑Ntem Province (Gabon) Woleu-Ntem Province Northernmost province of Gabon with capital Oyem. Known for rainforest landscapes, river systems, cross‑border trade with Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, and diverse Fang cultural…

Wolfenbüttel (district) Wolfenbüttel is a rural district (Landkreis) in southeastern Lower Saxony, Germany. Centered on the town of Wolfenbüttel, the district combines river valleys, low ridges, agricultu…

Wolfsberg District, Carinthia: geography, history and administration Wolfsberg District Overview of Wolfsberg District in the Austrian state of Carinthia: location, landscape, history, economy, administration and cultural highlights centered on the town of Wolfsberg.

Wood County, Ohio County in northwestern Ohio with county seat Bowling Green, recorded population 125,488 in 2010. Known for agriculture, manufacturing and Bowling Green State University; part of th…

Wood County, Texas Profile of Wood County, Texas: location in eastern Texas, county seat Quitman, mid‑19th century namesake Governor George T. Wood, geography, economy, communities and recreation inc…

Wood County, Wisconsin: geography, history, economy, and community Wood County, Wisconsin Overview of Wood County, Wisconsin — its location, history of logging and paper manufacturing, communities including Wisconsin Rapids, economy, government, and outdoor recreation.

Wood River, Illinois — Overview, History, and Local Features Wood River, Illinois Wood River, Illinois, is a small city in the Metro-East area near St. Louis. This article summarizes its geography, historical development, economy, landmarks and community charact…

Woodford County, Kentucky Woodford County in central Kentucky is a historic Bluegrass county known for thoroughbred horse farms, bourbon distilling, and the county seat Versailles. It lies near Lexington an…

Woodland Hills, Los Angeles Woodland Hills is a residential and commercial neighborhood in the southwestern San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California, known for hillside communities, parks, and a suburba…

Woodland, California Woodland is the county seat of Yolo County, California, known for its agricultural economy, historic downtown, and proximity to Sacramento and UC Davis. Population was 55,468 in 20…

Woodruff County, Arkansas Woodruff County is a sparsely populated county in eastern Arkansas's Delta region. Created in 1862, it had 7,260 residents in 2010 and has Augusta as its county seat.

Woods County, Oklahoma Woods County is a rural county in northwestern Oklahoma with Alva as its county seat. The area has agricultural roots, small towns, and higher-education presence in Northwestern Ok…

Woodson County, Kansas Woodson County is a small, rural county in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Yates Center and the population was 3,309 at the 2010 census.

Woodward County, Oklahoma County in northwestern Oklahoma centered on the city of Woodward; economy based on agriculture and energy, with territorial-era origins, local parks, and transportation links.

Worcester County, Maryland Coastal county at Maryland's eastern edge known for Ocean City, barrier islands, fishing, and tourism. County seat Snow Hill; population about 51,454 at the 2010 census.

World Geodetic System (WGS): global reference for coordinates and heights World Geodetic System The World Geodetic System is the international standard datum and coordinate framework used for mapping, navigation and geodesy; WGS 84 is the current reference model.

Worth County, Missouri Worth County is a small, rural county in northwestern Missouri. Organized in 1861 and named for General William J. Worth, it is noted for its low population and agricultural charac…

Wrangel Island — remote Arctic island and protected wildlife refuge Wrangel Island Remote Russian Arctic island in the Chukchi Sea, notable for polar bears, possible last woolly mammoths, nature reserve and UNESCO status; lies near the 180° meridian with the Inte…

Wrangell Mountains (Alaska) Wrangell Mountains A volcanic mountain range in eastern Alaska, largely within Wrangell–St. Elias National Park; noted for large shield volcanoes, high glaciated peaks, distinct climate effects, and…

Wright County, Iowa — overview, history, and communities Wright County, Iowa Wright County is a rural county in north-central Iowa; its county seat is Clarion. This article summarizes geography, history, economy, government, and notable facts.

Wright County, Minnesota County in central Minnesota with county seat Buffalo. Founded 1855; 2010 population 124,700. Known for lakes, agriculture, suburban growth and access to the Twin Cities metro.

Wright County, Missouri Wright County is a largely rural county in southern Missouri with Hartville as its county seat. It is known for wooded hills, agriculture, and small towns; population was 18,815 at…

Wular Lake — Major freshwater lake in Jammu and Kashmir Wular Lake Wular Lake is one of Asia's largest freshwater lakes, located between Sopore and Bandipore in Jammu and Kashmir. Fed by the Jhelum River, it varies seasonally and supports fisherie…

Wülflingen — District 6 of Winterthur, Switzerland Wülflingen Wülflingen is District 6 of the city of Winterthur in Switzerland. Once an independent municipality, it comprises several quarters and combines residential areas, local industry an…

Wunsiedel (district) — Landkreis Wunsiedel i. Fichtelgebirge Wunsiedel (district) An overview of the Wunsiedel district in northeastern Bavaria: geography in the Fichtelgebirge mountains, administration, towns, economy, history, and recreation including the Schn…

Würzburg (district) Würzburg is a rural district (Landkreis) in northwestern Bavaria, Germany, surrounding but not including the independent city of Würzburg. It is known for its Main valley, vineyard…

Wuyi Mountains A forested mountain range on the Fujian–Jiangxi border in southeastern China, the Wuyi Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage site known for biodiversity, tea culture and dramatic r…

Wyoming: Geography, History, Economy, and Culture Wyoming An encyclopedic overview of Wyoming covering its landscape, history, people, economy, major attractions such as Yellowstone and the Tetons, and notable demographic and political fe…

Wyre Forest — semi‑natural lowland woodland on the Worcestershire–Shropshire border Wyre Forest Wyre Forest is a large semi‑natural woodland of about 26.3 km² on the Worcestershire–Shropshire border in England, valued for its biodiversity, history, and public access for recre…

Yadgir district, Karnataka Yadgir district Yadgir district is a district in northern Karnataka, India, centered on Yadgir town. Formed in 2009, it is primarily agricultural and has a mix of Deccan-era heritage, rural econom…

Yaeyama Islands: geography, ecology, culture and conservation Yaeyama Islands An overview of the Yaeyama Islands in Okinawa Prefecture: geography, major islands, ecosystems, history, economy, culture, tourism and contemporary conservation issues.

Yakima, Washington: City at the Heart of the Yakima Valley Yakima, Washington Yakima is a city in south-central Washington known for its agricultural productivity—especially hops, tree fruit and wine grapes—its river valley setting, and its role as a regiona…

Yalobusha River (north-central Mississippi) Yalobusha River The Yalobusha River is a roughly 165-mile river in north-central Mississippi, a main tributary of the Yazoo River. Named from Choctaw for 'little tadpole', it is important for hydr…

Yamagata Prefecture: geography, history, culture and attractions Yamagata Prefecture Yamagata Prefecture in northern Honshu's Tōhoku region: mountainous landscapes, snowy winters, fruit agriculture, hot springs, historic sites such as Yamadera and Dewa Sanzan, and…