# Geographical oddities (another thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 10, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895 "2014-12-10T23:11:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/21 "2014-12-11T03:47:00Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > What state has a portion of itself that cannot be reached from the rest of the state, by land, water, or air without traveling through another state? I think the same is true of the [Northwest Angle of Minnesota](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Angle), except you have travel through another country, not another state. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/22 "2014-12-11T03:57:34Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Which direction do you travel in order to transit the Panama Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific? In Panama, you can also see the sun rise over the Pacific in the morning, and later the same day see it set over the Atlantic. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/23 "2014-12-11T04:43:17Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I also find it amusing that parts of Canada are further south than parts of California. What are the three closest countries to Canada? The US, Denmark (Greenland), and France (St. Pierre and Miquelon) ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/24 "2014-12-11T04:53:40Z")
Parts of Arizona and New Mexico are farther north than part of Illinois. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/25 "2014-12-11T04:58:47Z")
I can’t remember the name of this one town kinda near Bristol, Mississippi but it’s two weeks from everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/26 "2014-12-11T13:37:24Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > I think the same is true of the [Northwest Angle of Minnesota](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Angle), except you have travel through another country, not another state. No, it’s not the same. You can take a plane or boat originating in MN to get to Northwest Angle and never leave Minnesota. You only have to enter Canada to get there if you want to drive there. But you MUST leave Kentucky to get to that bit of Kentucky known as the Kentucky Bend. Look at a map of each place. [northwest angle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Angle#mediaviewer/File:NORTHWEST_Angle.png) [Kentucky Bend](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Kentucky_Bend_map.png) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/27 "2014-12-11T13:44:45Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > What state has a portion of itself that cannot be reached from the rest of the state, by land, water, or air without traveling through another state? > > Kentucky, with its famous [Kentucky Bend](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Bend). Also New York. Liberty Island and the original area of Ellis Island are completely surrounded by New Jersey. New Jersey gets the reclaimed parts of Ellis Island, though. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/28 "2014-12-11T23:33:20Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Done this before, but I was just looking at a map and a few occurred to me. > > 1. True or False: New Jersey is west of New York. > > False, of course; Joisey is 99% south of Noo Yawk. But if you guessed wrong it’s probably because you think that tight zoom on Manhattan represents the whole. I’m not sure I agree with this one… _Most of_ the state of New Jersey is south of _most of_ the state of New York, but the northern quarter-or-so of the state is west of New York City and Long Island. So wouldn’t the answer be ‘both’? Or perhaps ‘neither’? Name the 10 countries that share a border with France. Spain Andorra Belgium Luxembourg Germany Switzerland Italy Monaco Suriname Brazil Because French Guiana is part of the country of France. ---
**Author:** ![Robrein](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robrein/32/6728_2.png) [@Robrein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robrein)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/29 "2014-12-11T23:42:18Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > Name the 10 countries that share a border with France. > > Spain > Andorra > Belgium > Luxembourg > Germany > Switzerland > Italy > Monaco > Suriname > Brazil > > Because French Guiana is part of the country of France. What about [The Netherlands](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Martin) and [Australia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad%C3%A9lie_Land)? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/30 "2014-12-11T23:55:39Z")
The deepest water-filled hole/cave in the world is at least 1286 feet deep, and was not discovered to be anywhere near this deep until 2000. Where is this? It’s a tiny pond called Pozzo del Merro, around 10 miles from Rome. Yep, one of the centers of civilization had the deepest hole in the world right next to it exposed to the air for everyone to see, and up until a few years ago everyone thought it was only a hundred or so feet deep. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/31 "2014-12-12T00:00:34Z")
Juneau, Alaska, which is the state capital, is inaccessible to the rest of the state except by sea or air. The city limits are also extended so that the city is larger than the states of Delaware or Rhode Island, and almost larger than the two states combined. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/32 "2014-12-12T00:01:03Z")
I’d quibble with some of these: > [@](#): > > Quoth **notfrommensa** : > > There a region in what US State where 4 different US states are within 30 miles. That’s five states. If you just want four, then any spot within a 30 mile radius of Four Corners will work. > [@](#): > > Quoth **Colibri** : > > What are the three closest countries to Canada? Those are the second, third, and fourth closest. The closest country to Canada is Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/33 "2014-12-12T01:19:22Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Also > > New York. Liberty Island and the original area of Ellis Island are completely surrounded by New Jersey. New Jersey gets the reclaimed parts of Ellis Island, though. Yeah, that’s weird. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/34 "2014-12-12T01:40:57Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > What state has a portion of itself that cannot be reached from the rest of the state, by land, water, or air without traveling through another state? > > Kentucky, with its famous [Kentucky Bend](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Bend). Here’s another similar spot: Carter Lake Iowa is on the West side on the Missouri river surrounded by Greater Omaha Nebraska [Carter Lake, Iowa - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_Lake,_Iowa) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/35 "2014-12-12T02:03:05Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Here’s another similar spot: Carter Lake Iowa is on the West side on the Missouri river surrounded by Greater Omaha Nebraska [Carter Lake, Iowa - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_Lake,_Iowa) Yeah, but it’s attached to the rest of Iowa by water, can get there from the rest of Iowa by boat or plane. It’s certainly interesting (as is Point Roberts, Angle Inlet, & Kaskaskia), but it’s not an exclave. I like exclaves. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/36 "2014-12-12T02:13:48Z")
Whether it’s a case of oddities or just some fun trivia, it’s fun to look at [the Degree Confluence Project](http://www.confluence.org/index.php) and to play around with the various borders to states and countries that are approximately east-west or north-south – especially those near the integer degree of latitude or longitude – just to see how “off” the old-fashioned surveying techniques have been when compared with GPS precision. Take as an example the borders of the state of Tennessee – [DCP: United States : Tennessee](http://www.confluence.org/region.php?id=52) – with the states to its south (MS, AL and GA). Look at the red dots for precision of where they are versus where they ought to be if they were accurately assigned. It might make a fun project for the trivia value to see how many such integer degree points on borders are actually “right at” their GPS value on the border proper. (I have yet to do such a thing, but it struck me as a topic that might fit the theme of this thread.) If this sort of thing amuses you, take a look at [Some Geography Trivia Fun: Degree Confluences](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=554045) which was started 02-28-2010, 01:17 PM and most recently posted to 09-14-2014, 11:52 AM. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/37 "2014-12-12T04:14:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’d quibble with some of these: > That’s five states. If you just want four, then any spot within a 30 mile radius of Four Corners will work. Another spot for four states is near Pittsfield, MA. 30 miles to Vermont, Connecticut, and NY. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/38 "2014-12-12T05:09:18Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Juneau, Alaska, which is the state capital, is inaccessible to the rest of the state except by sea or air. The city limits are also extended so that the city is larger than the states of Delaware or Rhode Island, and almost larger than the two states combined. That’s because [it sits](https://www.google.com/search?q=lynn+canal&rlz=1C1CHHF_enUS528US528&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=631&tbm=isch&imgil=7el7GWAGXyCo1M%253A%253B30lLYnjpPK7RbM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fen.wikipedia.org%25252Fwiki%25252FLynn_Canal&source=iu&pf=m&fir=7el7GWAGXyCo1M%253A%252C30lLYnjpPK7RbM%252C_&usg=__kmuODH38Nho-KZS4jww6aD8cWfs%3D&dpr=1.25&ved=0CDEQyjc&ei=JXiKVIH8MtTYoASTs4DACA#tbm=isch&q=juneau+alaska&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=BnVK0Fu9fgNoGM%253A%3BL18qHBRIVvlG8M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fupload.wikimedia.org%252Fwikipedia%252Fcommons%252F5%252F5b%252FJuneau_Alaska.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fit.wikipedia.org%252Fwiki%252FJuneau%3B1024%3B683) at the foot of a mountain range and on Lynn Canal. Any construction has to follow the coastline, except for a few small valleys. I was born there. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/39 "2014-12-12T06:05:52Z")
Reno, NV is west of Los Angeles, CA ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/40 "2014-12-12T07:02:42Z")
Quito Ecuador is East of Atlanta GA. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895.md?page=3)