Geography

Adrar Province, Algeria Adrar Province Adrar Province is a vast Saharan region in southwestern Algeria, named for its capital Adrar. It is one of the country's largest provinces with a sparse population concentrated in…

Adriatic Sea — geography, ecology and human uses Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea is the northern arm of the Mediterranean between Italy and the Balkans. This article summarizes its geography, bathymetry, ecology, history, economic uses and mode…

Aegean Sea: Geography, history, and modern significance Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea lies between Greece and Anatolia, linking the Mediterranean to the Black Sea. Known for numerous islands, ancient maritime civilizations, and modern shipping, fisher…

Aeolian Islands (Lipari Islands) — volcanic archipelago north of Sicily Aeolian Islands A volcanic archipelago of seven main islands north of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands are famed for active volcanoes, prehistoric obsidian, resilient island communities and a UNESCO Wo…

Aerial Acres, California — unincorporated community in Kern County Aerial Acres, California Aerial Acres is a small unincorporated community in Kern County, California, situated at about 2,428 ft (740 m). This article summarizes its setting, governance, likely origins and…

Afar Region (Ethiopia) Afar Region Afar Region is an arid, tectonically active area in northeastern Ethiopia, home to the Afar people, the Danakil Depression, and important rift landscapes, national parks and pastor…

Afar Triangle (Afar Depression) Afar Triangle A low, geologically active basin in northeastern Africa where the Red Sea and the East African Rift meet; notable for volcanic activity, salt flats and key hominin fossil finds.

Affoltern District (Knonaueramt / Säuliamt) Affoltern District Affoltern District is a German-speaking district in the canton of Zürich, Switzerland, centered on Affoltern am Albis; it combines rural landscapes, small towns and commuter links…

Afghanistan: geography, history, society, and contemporary issues Afghanistan Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Asia with a long history, diverse peoples, complex geography and significant political, humanitarian and human rights challenges since 2021.

Africa: overview of geography, peoples, history and environment Africa Africa, the world's second-largest continent, includes 54 countries and over 1.2 billion people. It is cradle of humankind, and features vast ecological, cultural and economic dive…

Africa‑Eurasia (Afro‑Eurasia): geography, history and significance Africa-Eurasia Africa‑Eurasia (Afro‑Eurasia) is Earth’s largest continuous landmass, combining Africa and Eurasia; it holds most of humanity, diverse climates and ecosystems, and has shaped globa…

Afumați, Dolj Afumați is a rural commune in Dolj County, in the Oltenia region of southwestern Romania. Overview of its administration, geography, economy, local life and how it differs from oth…

Agdash District (Ağdaş) — central Azerbaijan district Agdash District Agdash District (Ağdaş) is a central Azerbaijani raion centered on Agdash city. It lies along the Kura and Turyan rivers and includes agricultural lowlands, Tugay forests, and the…

Agenvillers — Commune in Somme, Hauts-de-France Agenvillers Agenvillers is a small rural commune in the Somme department of Hauts-de-France, northern France. This article summarizes its geography, history, administration, economy and points…

Aghdam District (Ağdam raion) Aghdam District Aghdam District is an administrative region in southwestern Azerbaijan, known for its ruined former capital, its role in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and ongoing recovery and rec…

Aghjabadi District — central Azerbaijani raion centered on Aghjabadi city Aghjabadi District Aghjabadi District is an administrative district in central Azerbaijan with its capital at Aghjabadi. Created in 1930, briefly merged with Agdam in the 1960s, it is primarily agric…

Aghstafa District Aghstafa District is an administrative raion in northwestern Azerbaijan, comprising a central city and 36 villages. It has agricultural and transport importance and a history shape…

Agly (river in southern France) Agly The Agly is a Mediterranean river in southern France. Rising in foothills, it crosses the Plain of Roussillon in Occitanie, flows through Aude and Pyrénées-Orientales and empties i…

Agout — river of southern France Agout The Agout (Occitan: Agot) is a left tributary of the Tarn in southwestern France, flowing through the Occitanie region and lending its name to several communes along its course.

Agra district (Uttar Pradesh, India) Agra district District in central Uttar Pradesh with Agra city as headquarters; famous for Mughal monuments such as the Taj Mahal, a mixed economy of tourism, crafts and agriculture, and River Y…

Agra division (Uttar Pradesh, India) Agra division Administrative division in western Uttar Pradesh centered on Agra; noted for Mughal monuments, Mathura pilgrimage sites, glass and leather industries, and mixed agricultural econom…

Agriswil — village and former municipality in Canton Fribourg, Switzerland Agriswil Agriswil is a small village in the See district of Canton Fribourg, Switzerland. Formerly an independent municipality, it was merged into Ried bei Kerzers on 1 January 2006. Rural,…

Agror Valley — a mountain valley in Mansehra District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Agror Agror is a three-glenn valley in northern Pakistan's Mansehra District. Known for its farms, villages and mixed Hindko and Pashto-speaking communities, it lies in Oghi Tehsil in Ha…

Aguascalientes: Mexican state at the heart of the basin Aguascalientes Aguascalientes is a centrally located Mexican state known for its hot springs, urban capital of the same name, industrial economy and the famous Feria Nacional de San Marcos.

Agulu Lake — freshwater lake in Anambra State, Nigeria Agulu lake Agulu Lake is a natural freshwater lake near Agulu town in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria, known for local fishing, wetland ecology, and its role in regional water drainage an…

Agusan del Norte: province in the Caraga region of Mindanao, Philippines Agusan del Norte Agusan del Norte is a province on northeastern Mindanao in the Caraga region of the Philippines. Its capital is Cabadbaran; the highly urbanized city of Butuan lies within its area…

Agusan del Sur — province in the Caraga region of Mindanao, Philippines Agusan del Sur Agusan del Sur is a landlocked province in the Caraga region of Mindanao, Philippines, known for the Agusan River valley, Agusan Marsh, Indigenous communities, and an economy based…

Ahrweiler (district) Ahrweiler is a rural district in northern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, centered on the spa town Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. It includes the Ahr valley, parts of the Eifel uplands and…

Aichach-Friedberg: rural district in Swabia, Bavaria Aichach-Friedberg Aichach-Friedberg is a rural district (Landkreis) in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It centers on the towns of Aichach and Friedberg and comprises agricultural lands, villages and commu…

Aigle District (canton of Vaud) Aigle (district) Aigle is an administrative district in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, spanning shores of Lake Geneva to alpine valleys. It includes historic towns, vineyards, thermal baths and m…

Aiguille de Chambeyron Aiguille de Chambeyron is a prominent needle‑shaped peak in the southern Alps near the France–Italy border, above 3,000 m, known for steep ridges, alpine climbing routes and its po…

Ain (river) The Ain is a river in eastern France that rises in the Jura Mountains and flows south to join the Rhône; it has shaped local landscapes, ecology, recreation and gave its name to th…

Aïn Defla Province (Algeria) Aïn Defla Province Aïn Defla is a northern Algerian province (wilaya) southwest of Algiers, noted for rolling Tell Atlas landscapes, agricultural production and towns such as Miliana, Hammam Righa an…

Ainharp — a rural commune in Pyrénées-Atlantiques, southwestern France Ainharp Ainharp is a small rural commune in Pyrénées-Atlantiques, southwestern France, characterised by pastoral landscapes, Basque and Béarn cultural influences, agricultural activity and…

Air France Flight 447 Air France Flight 447 was an Airbus A330 scheduled Rio de Janeiro–Paris flight that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on 1 June 2009, killing all 228 aboard; investigations shaped mo…

Air navigation: principles, methods, history, and modern practice Air navigation Overview of air navigation: definition, main methods (VFR/IFR), instruments and aids, historical development, operational uses, safety considerations, and modern trends like GNSS a…

Aisne (river): geography, history, and significance Aisne (river) The Aisne is a river in northeastern France, a left tributary of the Oise, known since Roman times as Axona and notable for its role in regional geography, navigation, ecology, and…

Ajay River: course, ecology, history and human use Ajay River Overview of the Ajay River — its course through Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, tributaries, ecology, flood history, economic importance and contemporary conservation issues.

Akdamar Island (Aghtamar) Akdamar Island Small island in Lake Van, eastern Turkey, known for the medieval Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross, carved reliefs, historic monastery complex, and its cultural and touristic si…

Akershus (former county of Norway) Akershus Akershus was a Norwegian county surrounding Oslo, named after Akershus Fortress. It combined urban suburbs, towns and rural areas and in 2020 merged with Buskerud and Østfold into…

Akrotiri and Dhekelia: British Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus Akrotiri and Dhekelia Two British Sovereign Base Areas on the island of Cyprus retained for military and strategic purposes, with distinct administration, history, and local civilian communities.

Aksai Chin: High-Altitude Desert Plateau on the China–India–Pakistan Frontier Aksai Chin Aksai Chin is a high‑altitude arid plateau on the China–India–Pakistan frontier, administered by China but claimed by India; sparsely populated and central to a longstanding territ…

Al Hudaydah Governorate (Yemen) Al Hudaydah Governorate Al Hudaydah Governorate on Yemen's Red Sea coast includes the major port city of Al Hudaydah; noted for fisheries, agriculture, and strategic maritime importance in Yemen's economy…

Al-Qassim Region — Central Saudi Arabia's Agricultural Heartland Al-Qassim Region Al-Qassim is a central Saudi administrative region centered on Buraydah, known for extensive agriculture—especially date cultivation—traditional Najdi towns, and a prominent role i…

Alagnon (river of the Massif Central, France) Alagnon A volcanic highland river in central France. The Alagnon rises in the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne and is a left tributary of the Allier, influencing local ecology,…

Alagoas — Brazilian coastal state known for beaches, lagoons and tourism Alagoas Alagoas is a small coastal state in Brazil's Northeast region, noted for its beaches, coral reefs, lagoons, and a tourism-driven economy centered on Maceió and coastal towns like M…

Alajuela Province — geography, economy, and cultural highlights Alajuela Province Alajuela is a north-central province of Costa Rica, bordering Nicaragua. It combines active volcanoes, agricultural lowlands, protected forests and a major transport hub centered o…

Åland Islands — autonomous, Swedish-speaking archipelago of Finland Åland Islands An autonomous, demilitarized and monolingually Swedish-speaking archipelago in the Baltic Sea with its own parliament, special legal status and a maritime economy centered on shipp…