# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/41 "2014-12-12T07:27:58Z")
The Great Circle route (shortest distance) from Tokyo to the Panama Canal passes East of San Antonio, Texas. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/42 "2014-12-12T08:47:44Z")
What is the largest European country by landmass? The largest Asian country? If you go due South of Karachi, which country’s territory do you hit? I’ll give you a hint, it’s also a cricket playing nation. The UK, Belgium, Pakistan, Netherlands, S Korea. Which of these has the least population density? ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/43 "2014-12-12T16:51:16Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > What is the largest European country by landmass? The largest Asian country? Umm, Russia and Russia? > [@AK84](#): > > If you go due South of Karachi, which country’s territory do you hit? I’ll give you a hint, it’s also a cricket playing nation. India. The border between India and Pakistan snakes northeast from the Indian Ocean to China. > [@AK84](#): > > The UK, Belgium, Pakistan, Netherlands, S Korea. Which of these has the least population density? UK ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/44 "2014-12-12T16:55:25Z")
Travel to Theodore Roosevelt Island, a National Park within the borders of Washington, DC, is unusual for what reason? It’s an island, but what’s unusual about the island? The only bridge to the island is from Virginia. The only ways to get there from anywhere else in DC are: 1. Taking a boat 2. Traveling to Arlington, Virginia and crossing the Arlington-\>TR Island bridge. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/45 "2014-12-12T17:53:04Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > Umm, Russia and Russia? Yes > [@](#): > > India. The border between India and Pakistan snakes northeast from the Indian Ocean to China. Actually you will hit the Australian Antarctic territory > [@](#): > > UK Pakistan actually. The FATA is on the same longitude as which Indian state? Which is the furtherest million plus city to NYC ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/46 "2014-12-12T17:53:27Z")
Michigan has a “Lost Peninsula.” Michigan’s border with Ohio is one of those infamous straight lines on a map that doesn’t give a crap about actual geography. As a result, the tip of a small little peninsula in Ohio wound up as Michigan territory. It has a small population, and is home to the Lost Peninsula Marina. To get from there to the rest of Michigan you have to either take a boat or drive thru Ohio. I think there are one or two islands in Lake Erie that are also bisected by the state border, but they’re small and uninhabited, so nobody really cares. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/47 "2014-12-12T18:10:39Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > Travel to Theodore Roosevelt Island, a National Park within the borders of Washington, DC, is unusual for what reason? It’s an island, but what’s unusual about the island? > > The only bridge to the island is from Virginia. The only ways to get there from anywhere else in DC are: > > 1. Taking a boat > 2. Traveling to Arlington, Virginia and crossing the Arlington-\>TR Island bridge. Oddly enough, that’s also true (in a way) of Roosevelt Island in New York. [spoiler]It’s part of the Borough of Manhattan, but the only bridge to the island is from Queens. The only way to get there directly from Manhattan Island is 1. By subway 2. By tramway.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/48 "2014-12-12T18:29:07Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > There a region in what US State where 4 different US states are within 30 miles. > > [spoiler]Extreme SE Missouri near New Madrid, > > if you go NE, you will be in Illinois, > If you go East, you are in Kentucky, > if you got Southeast, you are in Tennessee, > and if you go WestSouthWest, you will be in Arkansas. > > There are spots in Maryland (near Baltimore) that are within 50-60 miles of VA, NJ, DE, PA and WV > [/spoiler] With online mapping software, it appears that the straight line distance from the most NW point where VA and NC meet to Kentucky is about 60 miles. From the mid point of that line you would be in VA and 30 miles or less from KY, WV, NC and TN. The caveat is the accuracy of the mapping because it is almost exactly 60 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/49 "2014-12-12T18:51:57Z")
A ship could sail from Pakistan to Kamchatka without turning. That’s the longest straight sea route on the planet. [Here’s a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VpQwuGueeoA) ---
**Author:** ![vontsira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/51bf81/32.png) [@vontsira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vontsira)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/50 "2014-12-12T19:05:09Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > If you go due South of Karachi, which country’s territory do you hit? I’ll give you a hint, it’s also a cricket playing nation. > [@AK84](#): > > Actually you will hit the Australian Antarctic territory > [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > A ship could sail from Pakistan to Kamchatka without turning. That’s the longest straight sea route on the planet. [Here’s a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VpQwuGueeoA) Not doubting any of the information above; but altogether, it makes me want to give up on anything to do with voyages from the coast of Pakistan. Just too mind-boggling ! ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/51 "2014-12-13T01:11:33Z")
Yeah, it wouldn’t be an easy voyage. You’d go right past Antarctica for one. Also, “not turning” wouldn’t mean following a single bearing, because your compass direction would be changing constantly. I’m not sure how hard that would make it to plot the course. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/52 "2014-12-13T22:13:47Z")
> [@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. > > Those are the second, third, and fourth closest. The closest country to Canada is Canada. The fifth state was implied with Missouri. I said four different states. Obviously 5 total. ---
**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 13, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/53 "2014-12-13T23:33:14Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Those are the second, third, and fourth closest. The closest country to Canada is Canada. If you want to be pedantic (and who doesn’t), that’s just wrong. According to Merriam Webster, the definition of close is: > [@](#): > > close adjective \ˈklōs > : near in space : not far away or distant > : near in time > : very similar : almost the same And near means: > [@](#): > > : at, within, or to a short distance or time \ Canada is not a short distance from Canada, it’s no distance at all from Canada. Something that is in exactly the same place as something else is not close or near to it; it’s in the same place. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/54 "2014-12-14T13:26:41Z")
Manitoulin Island is on Lake Huron. There are a number of lakes on Manitoulin Island. The three largest are Lake Manitou, Lake Kagawong, and Lake Mindemoya. There are islands on each of these three lakes. Treasure Island is the largest. It is located on Lake Mindemoya. One wonders if there are any (very small) lakes on Treasure Island… ---
**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 14, 2014, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/55 "2014-12-14T15:58:58Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > One wonders if there are any (very small) lakes on Treasure Island… I’ve spent time on Manitoulin island. Nice and quiet there. Reeeeeeeeal quiet. Damn, it’s hard to find decent aerial photos of Treasure Island. But what I’ve seen makes me think that _maybe, just maybe_ there’s a boggy patch or two on the northern third of the island, that _could_ be sort of lakey if the rains are heavy. Or they just might be clearings. ---
**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 14, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/56 "2014-12-14T16:31:34Z")
Okay, I just wasted a pleasant half hour examining all the islands in the lakes of Isle Royale in Lake Superior. Didn’t find any lakes on those islands in lakes on the island in a lake. ☹ Thought I’d found one, but it was just a vegetation bloom with a central clear spot. Are there no lakes on islands on lakes on islands on lakes on continents on oceans? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/57 "2014-12-14T17:41:21Z")
This is kind of a hijack and might need its own thread, but I’m gonna ask: The set-up: I was looking through an older road atlas a while back. Each state map had a small graphic in the corner; the graphic had a black triangle on each state denoting the location of the high point of said state. It occurred to me a significant number of high points were either on or VERY near (less than a mile), a border with another state. Care to guess how many? 16. I can supply a list, if interested.How many more are within 10 miles? 10. 2 of those are peninsula states. Now, my question–which I tried to Google once and had no luck–is: Does anyone know of any clan wars/feuds; territorial squabbles; county, state or Federal skirmishes to claim the “Highest Point” for a neighboring state? What would the benefit(s) have been 150-200 years ago? Nowadays, transmission towers would be a source of revenue (?), with maybe hiking/tourism dollars causing friction. Any thoughts/evidence/anecdotes (beyond _ **Go Back To Bed, burpo** _)? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/58 "2014-12-14T18:02:47Z")
If you haven’t been there yet, **burpo the wonder mutt** , you might get some clues from [United States State High Points (plus DC)](http://www.peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=12004) and related sites. I’ve been fascinated by that cluster in the TN/NC/GA/KY/SC/VA (Blue Ridge) region. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/59 "2014-12-14T18:11:45Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > The set-up: I was looking through an older road atlas a while back. Each state map had… …special notations designed to appeal to the long-distance driver, tourist, traveler or parent. “Road atlas” is the key term here. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895/60 "2014-12-14T18:15:58Z")
**Zeldar** , thanks for the tip. Just the page you linked to has a cool factoid: five are on private land (Hey, Clem! I own m’own mountin’)! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/geographical-oddities-another-thread/706895.md?page=4)