Geography

Minden-Lübbecke District — North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Minden-Lübbecke Administrative district in northeastern North Rhine-Westphalia, formed in 1973; centered on Minden, shaped by the Weser river, canals, rolling hills and a mix of industry, agricult…

Minnesota: geography, history, culture and economy Minnesota Overview of Minnesota in the Upper Midwest of the United States: geography, climate, Indigenous heritage, Twin Cities, economy, recreation and notable facts, including statehood an…

Minnesota River A tributary of the Mississippi River in Minnesota, formed by glacial drainage; important for regional geography, ecology, navigation, and history.

Mino Province: history, geography, and cultural legacy Mino Province Mino Province (Mino no kuni), a former Japanese province in present-day Gifu Prefecture on Honshū, notable for its strategic central location, medieval history, Mino-yaki pottery a…

Minsk Region (Minsk Oblast): geography, administration, economy and culture Minsk Region Minsk Region (Minsk Oblast) is a central province of Belarus surrounding the capital Minsk. This article covers its geography, administrative structure, history, economy, and point…

Mirage (atmospheric optical phenomenon) Mirage A mirage is an optical effect in which atmospheric refraction makes distant objects appear displaced, distorted, inverted, or like pools of water. It arises from light bending in l…

Miranda (state) — Venezuelan state surrounding Caracas Miranda (state) Miranda is a populous state in north-central Venezuela. Capital Los Teques. It combines coastal, valley and mountain landscapes, forms part of the Caracas metro area, and is named…

Mirpur District (Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan) Mirpur District Mirpur District is an administrative district in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan‑administered territory. It includes the city of Mirpur, plain and hilly lands, and notable infrast…

Mirror Lake (Mount Hood area, Oregon) Mirror Lake (Mount Hood, Oregon) Mirror Lake is a small alpine lake in Clackamas County, Oregon, at the foot of Tom, Dick and Harry Mountain in Mount Hood National Forest. It is a popular short-hike destination an…

Mirzapur district, Uttar Pradesh Mirzapur district Mirzapur district in Uttar Pradesh, India: geography, administration, history, economy, culture and major places including Vindhyachal and Chunar Fort. Population and tehsil struct…

Misiones Province (Argentina): geography, history and economy Misiones Province Concise encyclopedia entry on Misiones Province, covering geography, Guaraní heritage, yerba mate agriculture, Iguazú National Park, economy and cultural highlights.

Mississippi County (Arkansas and Missouri) Mississippi County Two separate U.S. counties named Mississippi County sit along the Mississippi River: one in northeastern Arkansas and one in southeastern Missouri. Both share riverine geography an…

Mississippi County, Arkansas County in northeastern Arkansas along the Mississippi River. Established in 1833, with two county seats (Blytheville and Osceola) and a history tied to river commerce and Delta agr…

Mississippi County, Missouri Mississippi County is a rural county in the southeast corner of Missouri, named for the Mississippi River. The county seat is Charleston; 2010 population was 14,358. Agriculture an…

Mississippi Delta (Yazoo–Mississippi Delta) Mississippi Delta The Mississippi Delta is a distinct alluvial region in northwest Mississippi known for fertile soils, cotton history, Delta blues, and profound cultural and social influence on the…

Mississippi River — course, history, uses, and environmental issues Mississippi River A comprehensive overview of the Mississippi River: its course, tributaries, human uses, ecology, historical role, and modern challenges including nutrient runoff and flood control.

Missouri River Valley: Geography, History, and Significance Missouri River Valley The Missouri River Valley stretches from the river's Montana headwaters to its meeting with the Mississippi, forming North America's longest river valley and a broad basin of flood…

Mistelbach District — overview, geography, administration and cultural highlights Mistelbach District Mistelbach District in northeastern Lower Austria is an administrative region known for viticulture, small towns and rural landscapes. This article summarizes its geography, histor…

Miyazaki Prefecture Southeastern Kyushu prefecture in Japan, with a warm coastal climate, agriculture and surf culture, mythic Shinto sites, scenic gorges and beaches; the capital city is Miyazaki.

Mizoram: geography, people, history and culture Mizoram Mizoram is a hilly state in northeast India known for its Mizo community, lush forests, distinctive festivals and a history of transition from a district to statehood in 1987.

Moder (river) The Moder is a river in Alsace, northeastern France, and a left-bank tributary of the Rhine. It flows from the Vosges foothills through Bas-Rhin communes and joins the Rhine, suppo…

Modoc County, California Sparsely populated northeastern California county known for the Modoc Plateau, high desert landscapes, ranching economy, Native American history and remote outdoor recreation oppor…

Mogilev Region (Mahilyow Voblast) — Province of eastern Belarus Mogilev Region Mogilev Region is an eastern province of Belarus centered on the city of Mogilev. It is known for its river network, mixed forests and farmland, industrial towns, and long-term imp…

Mohmand District (formerly Mohmand Agency) Mohmand District Mohmand District is a mountainous district in northwest Pakistan, formerly a Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) agency. Its headquarters is Ghalanai; it has a Pashtun tribal…

Mojanda (volcano and crater-lake complex) Mojanda Mojanda is an inactive stratovolcano in the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes in northern Ecuador, notable for a caldera that holds three high-altitude crater lakes and a protected p…

Mojave Desert Arid region of the southwestern United States known for its Joshua trees, basin-and-range terrain, and unique desert ecosystems spanning parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Arizo…

Molamenqing (Phola Gangchen) — Himalayan peak and Shishapangma subpeak Molamenqing Molamenqing, also called Phola Gangchen, is a Himalayan mountain in Tibet with a disputed height. Often treated as a subsidiary summit of Shishapangma, it draws interest for its pr…

Moldova: overview, history, language, and economy Moldova Moldova is a landlocked Eastern European country between Romania and Ukraine. This article summarizes its geography, language, history from medieval Moldavia to Soviet rule and ind…

Moldoveanu Peak — Romania’s Highest Mountain Moldoveanu Peak Moldoveanu Peak (Vârful Moldoveanu) is Romania’s highest summit (about 2,544 m), in the Făgăraș Mountains of the Southern Carpathians. Routes, terrain, access points and visitor gu…

Monaco: The Principality — geography, government, economy and culture Monaco Monaco is a small, sovereign city-state on the French Riviera. This article summarizes its geography, history, government, economy, culture and notable events such as the Monaco Gr…

Monaro (New South Wales) Monaro is a high, mostly treeless plateau region in southern New South Wales, Australia, noted for its cool climate, grazing country, distinctive soils and close links with Canberr…

Moneron Island, Sakhalin Oblast (Russia) Moneron Island Small forested island off southwest Sakhalin in the Sea of Japan, notable for rich marine life, seabird colonies and protected status. Administered by Sakhalin Oblast, Russia.

Monfragüe — protected landscape and national park in Extremadura, Spain Monfragüe Monfragüe is a protected natural area in Extremadura, western Spain, known for dramatic river valleys, cliff-nesting raptors and the Parque Nacional Monfragüe, a hub for conservati…

Mongar District (Bhutan) Mongar District Mongar is an eastern Bhutan dzongkhag known for its town of Mongar, lemongrass production, Kuri Chhu hydropower, and sections of two protected areas. It comprises 17 village blocks…

Mongolia: geography, people, history and culture Mongolia Overview of Mongolia—its landscape, low population density, nomadic traditions, urban growth, history from the Mongol Empire to modern republic, economy, and distinctive cultural p…

Mono Lake: An alkaline, endorheic lake of the eastern Sierra Nevada Mono Lake Mono Lake is a saline, endorheic lake east of the Sierra Nevada in California, noted for its tufa towers, unique brine-based ecosystem and a late-20th-century conservation effort t…

Monongahela River A major northward-flowing river on the Allegheny Plateau, running from north-central West Virginia into southwestern Pennsylvania to form the Ohio River at Pittsburgh.

Monongalia County, West Virginia County in north-central West Virginia centered on Morgantown and West Virginia University; known for Appalachian landscape, a university-driven economy, research and cultural insti…

Monroe County, Arkansas: Overview, Geography, History and Economy Monroe County, Arkansas Monroe County is a rural county in eastern Arkansas's Delta region. This article covers its geography, history, economy, communities and natural features, including wetlands and ag…

Monroe County, Florida County encompassing the Florida Keys and a mainland Everglades section; founded in 1823 and centered on Key West, known for tourism, marine ecosystems, and distinctive island commu…

Monroe County, Illinois Monroe County is a county in southwestern Illinois with a rural-suburban character; the county seat is Waterloo and the population was 32,957 at the 2010 census.

Monroe County, Iowa Monroe County, Iowa, is a largely rural county founded in 1843 with county seat Albia. Named for President James Monroe, it had 7,970 residents in 2010 and is shaped by agriculture…

Monroe County, Kentucky Monroe County is a rural county in southern Kentucky, with Tompkinsville as its seat and a 2010 population of 10,963. It is known for agriculture, small towns, and local community…

Monroe County, Missouri Monroe County is a rural county in northeastern Missouri. Its county seat is Paris, and the county had 8,840 residents in the 2010 census.

Monroe County, Pennsylvania County in northeastern Pennsylvania within the Pocono Mountains. County seat Stroudsburg; known for outdoor recreation, resort tourism, protected lands and a mix of small towns and…

Monseñor Nouel Province, Dominican Republic Monseñor Nouel Province Central Dominican province with capital Bonao; created in 1982 from La Vega. Known for mixed mountain-and-valley geography, agriculture, mining, and local cultural traditions.

Mont Aigoual — a mountain of the Cévennes in the Massif Central, France Mont Aigoual Mont Aigoual is a prominent peak in the Cévennes (Massif Central, southern France) known for its meteorological observatory, exposed weather, panoramic views and varied upland habi…

Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) Mont Blanc Mont Blanc is the highest peak of the Alps, straddling the France–Italy border. A landmark of European mountaineering, it is known for its glaciers, alpine history, and year‑round…