# Your geographical misconceptions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294>\
**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:** 4\
**Page:** 57

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/1124 "2026-10-19T13:26:47Z")

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> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#):
>
> Oh my. Did the renumbering in Maine result in the removal of my favorite highway sign, “No Exit 5”?
> 
> It’s not every day you see the interstate system boosting sequels to one of Sartre’s finest works.

I use the same joke about “No Exit 3” in Providence, Rhode Island. You can go down there to satisfy your Sartre joke fix.

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**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/1125 "2026-10-19T14:50:29Z")

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> [@SCAdian](#):
>
> In Connecticut, exits on I-395 were changed to milepost numbers a few years ago, but I-95 exits are still numbered sequentially.

Don’t worry, they are working on changing them all to milepost numbering. It’s apparently a federal requirement now (with no particular timeframe or deadline, but rather done when the exit signs are due for routine replacement).

> **[Exit Renumbering](https://portal.ct.gov/dot/traffic-engineering/exit-renumbering?language=en_US)**

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**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/1126 "2026-10-20T13:34:02Z")

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I often forget and re-remember just how big Canada is.

Alberta is the 4th most populous province, yet that is “only” about 5 million people (4.2m as of 2021, 5m is estimated for 2026). Alberta has ~661,000 km/sq of land. The most similar country to that in area is Myanmar at 676,000 km/sq, but Myanmar has 50 million people.

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**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-geographical-misconceptions/929294/1127 "2026-10-20T14:54:32Z")

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Interestingly, while Canada is the 2nd largest country in terms of area (trailing Russia by a substantial margin - Siberia would be the largest on its own), its ranking falls to 4th if only including the land. The large Hudson Bay is the reason for this.

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