Maps can be weird

If you look at the world map, you see big countries and small countries. And that's about it. But if you know where to zoom in, you find strange things that just doesn't seem right. I want to start where I left the other blog: In the USA. Or more accurately on the USA/Canadian border.

The longest border in the world consists mostly of a long straight line following the 48th parallel. In Boundary Bay outside Seattle, this creates a rather cool thing... If you want to visit Point Roberts, WA by car, well you have no option but drive into Canada on the way. Point Roberts is therefore an exclave of the USA. A small piece of a peninsula connected to Canada, but a part of the United States. This makes no sense!

Another strange thing on the same border is USA's little dig above the 48th parallel. It only consists of a small inlet called Davis Inlet. This is also an exclave, which means there's no way you can go there by land without crossing the border. But why on earth did USA want that inlet???

The next case is actually from Europe. From the heart of my beloved continent. More accurately in Netherlands and Belgium. I wonder what happened with the city/cities of Baarle Nassau and Baarle-Hertog... It seems to be like
"Mom, I'm going to the local store!"
"Did you remember your passport?"
Anyway, I think there are 26 exclaves within the city limits, and in some of them it's only a farm or two!!!

If you look close on a US map, or at the state map of Arkansas or Tennessee, you can probably see something weird about the state line between the two. The line is supposed to follow Mississippi. The reason for the strange line is not that the people drawing it were drinking beer, but actually some earthquakes hitting the area in the early 19th century. This caused the river to change it's direction some places, leaving Arkansas with some area east of the river, and opposite for Tennessee. It was however decided that the state line should not be moved. So that's why!

These are some of the coolest things, but if you just know where to look, you can find more strange things than you ever imagined. The world map is full of surprises!

World quiz website #1: Sporcle!

http://www.sporcle.com/

Just had to let this be the first link shared. It's called sporcle, and was founded in July 2007. It now has more than 214,000 user created games, and it still surprises me that almost all of them are seriously good. And for Americans: You can make your college climb higher on the lists! I love this site and have learnt so incredibly much from it. Not the most useful things, though...hehe...but it's just so fun and addictive you won't believe it. I get totally lost in the game every time I visit the geography quizzes... And it's such a big site that there's nothing you wouldn't find. Like guessing the 200 biggest cities in the US. That's the one I'm struggling with at the moment, after learning for instance the presidents. Just had to tell you. Oh, and I don't mind if you take a look at some of my quizzes: http://www.sporcle.com/user/Norwegian_dude/contributed I challenge you to try one quiz and not get addictive!