# Your geographical misconceptions **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 30, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294 "2020-12-30T20:58:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 30
**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:** [February 11, 2021, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/582 "2021-02-11T13:12:43Z")
Here’s another one: The [Comarca de Guna Yala](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guna_Yala), and indigenous homeland (equivalent to a province) in Panama. Nearly all the population lives on small offshore islands off the coast. There are a couple of towns on the mainland but most people live offshore. ---
**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:** [February 11, 2021, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/583 "2021-02-11T13:17:38Z")
> [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > Hong Kong? I thought of that, but only about 1.2 million out of over 7 million live on Hong Kong Island itself. A large majority of the population lives in Kowloon and the New Territories on the mainland. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/584 "2021-02-11T14:31:46Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > 20 minutes after posting this, I’m now in “read only” mode How did you post that 20 minutes after posting it? Or, for that matter, while you were in read-only mode? ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2021, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/585 "2021-02-11T23:25:48Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Seattle? I’m thinking Anchorage. Is that correct @Acsenray ? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/586 "2021-02-12T00:22:24Z")
I’m the one asking. How am I supposed to know? My guess is that it’s not Anchorage, because it’s more like 2,000 miles north of Minneapolis, not 200. And it doesn’t even have 400,000 people, far less than 5 million. ---
**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:** [February 12, 2021, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/587 "2021-02-12T01:59:21Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > I don’t know if this is a misconception or not. The only political division in the world that are partly on a continental mainland but most residents live on islands are Denmark, Newfoundland and Monroe County Florida. Can somebody disabuse me of that? Here’s another: [Kodiak Island Borough](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodiak_Island_Borough,_Alaska), Alaska. Most people live on Kodiak Island but there is a little bit of land on the mainland. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/588 "2021-02-12T02:22:38Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > How did you post that 20 minutes after posting it? Or, for that matter, while you were in read-only mode? Only **jtur88** could accomplish such a feat. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/589 "2021-02-12T03:11:43Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > [@jtur88](#): > > > > 20 minutes after posting this, I’m now in “read only” mode > > How did you post that 20 minutes after posting it? Or, for that matter, while you were in read-only mode? Whet it said “read only”, the reply button still opened a text box, so I sent this note as a test. It wasn’t sent, but went into a queue, and sent when the read-onlt spontaneously resolved. The island question would have been Hong Komg many years ago, but not now. Same, I think, for Equatorial Guinea and Fernando Po. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/590 "2021-02-12T03:18:14Z")
Another would have beem Newport County, Rhode Island, except that counties in RI have been stripped of any administrative function. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/591 "2021-02-12T16:25:05Z")
For Equatorial Guinea, most (70 percent) of the populace lives on the mainland. The capital is on an island however. The name of the country could lead to misconceptions, as no part of the territory is actually on the Equator. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/592 "2021-02-12T16:42:29Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > dubbel zout! Prima! En lekker! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/593 "2021-02-12T17:12:23Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > For Equatorial Guinea, most (70 percent) of the populace lives on the mainland. The capital is on an island however. Equatorial Guinea belongs to the category of polities that have their capital on an island while the majority of land is on the mainland. The only others I know of in this category are Denmark, British Columbia and Newfoundland. But since Eq G is building a new capital on the mainland, it’s soon going to leave that category. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/594 "2021-02-12T18:03:47Z")
Iqaluit is the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. It’s located on Baffin Island, with a population of 7700 out of the total territorial population of 35,000. > **[Iqaluit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iqaluit)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > > Iqaluit (/iˈkæluɪt/ ee-KAL-oo-it; Inuktitut: ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ \[iqaluit\], lit. 'place of many fish'; French: \[i.ka.lu.it\]) is the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut, its largest community, and its only city. It was known as Frobisher Bay from 1942 to 1987, after the large bay on the coast on which the city is situated. In 1987, its traditional Inuktitut name was restored. > In 1999, Iqaluit was designated the capital of Nunavut after the division ... ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/595 "2021-02-12T18:27:47Z")
Two others, Victoria and St. John’s are on islands. Charolettetown does not really count, though, because 5he whole province is an island. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/596 "2021-02-12T18:30:36Z")
Psst, **eschereal** : > [@dtilque](#): > > The only others I know of in this category are Denmark, British Columbia and Newfoundland ---
**Author:** ![merrick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@merrick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merrick)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/597 "2021-02-12T18:43:37Z")
If we’re counting cities as “administrative divisions”, the [Metropolitan City of Venice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_City_of_Venice) and the Comune di Venezia are centred on (drumroll) Venice, but only a minority of the population (55,000 out of 800,000+ in the Metropolitan City) lives on the historic islands. There are probably some other examples where a city started on an island and spilled out onto the mainland. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/598 "2021-02-12T19:33:23Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I think they were having you on, the arctic circle is approximately 66°30′ N latitude, the northernmost bit of Scotland is below 61° N Yeah, I came to realize the Scots love tall tales. We took the Tour of the Dead tour in Edinburgh and learned that the big hill where the cemetery is located used to be flat ground before they piled all the Black Plague corpses there. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/599 "2021-02-12T19:37:40Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Iqaluit is the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. As best I can tell by adding up the areas of islands (making a rough guess as to how much of Victoria Island is in Nunavut), it looks like more of Nunavut is on islands than the mainland. Unless I made a mistake, it’s out. > [@merrick](#): > > If we’re counting cities as “administrative divisions”, the [Metropolitan City of Venice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_City_of_Venice) and the Comune di Venezia are centred on (drumroll) Venice, but only a minority of the population (55,000 out of 800,000+ in the Metropolitan City) lives on the historic islands. Yes, that looks good. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2021, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/600 "2021-02-12T23:26:29Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > As best I can tell by adding up the areas of islands (making a rough guess as to how much of Victoria Island is in Nunavut), it looks like more of Nunavut is on islands than the mainland. Unless I made a mistake, it’s out. If you calculate the area that borders on NWT and MB – the part that you could theoretically hike or take a dogsled to without ever crossing sea ice – it looks like that is around a quarter of Nunavut. If you subtract wet spots (lakes vs ocean territory) it looks like it works out the same (maybe slightly less for the continental region). Kind of sad, really, as they have [the coolest license plates](http://www.plateshack.com/y2k/Nunavut/nun1999.jpg), that no one ever sees. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2021, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/601 "2021-02-13T04:14:07Z")
I always wanted a globe slash liquor cabinet. For when you want to get drunk old school on Canadian Club. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294.md?page=31)