Asia is the largest continent by both area and population, covering around 30% of the world's land area and home to more than 4.7 billion people.
The Pacific Ocean is the deepest and largest ocean on Earth, with the Mariana Trench plunging to a depth of about 36,070 feet (10,994 meters).
Contrary to popular belief, Antarctica is the largest desert in the world due to its extremely low precipitation levels, not the Sahara.
Mount Everest, standing at 29,032 feet (8,849 meters) above sea level, is the highest peak on Earth, located in the Himalayas.
Sweden has the most islands of any country in the world—more than 267,500, though only about 1,000 are inhabited.
Indonesia has the most active volcanoes of any country, with more than 130 that are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Antarctica holds the largest ice sheet, which contains about 90% of the world’s fresh water.
The Zavikon Island bridge between Canada and the United States is considered the shortest international bridge, spanning only 32 feet.
Commonwealth Bay in Antarctica is known as the windiest place on Earth, with wind speeds often exceeding 150 mph (240 km/h).
Kiribati is the only country that lies in all four hemispheres—north, south, east, and west—due to its position across the equator and the International Date Line.
The Pan-American Highway is the longest road network in the world, stretching over 19,000 miles (30,000 kilometers) from Alaska to Argentina.
Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the world without a single permanent river.
The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Tibet is considered the deepest and possibly the longest canyon in the world.
The Rub' al Khali or Empty Quarter in the Arabian Peninsula is the largest area of continuous sand desert in the world.
The Maldives is the lowest country in the world, with an average elevation of just 1.5 meters above sea level.
The Iguazu Falls, located on the border of Argentina and Brazil, is the largest waterfall system in the world by the number of individual falls.
Mawsynram in India receives the highest average annual rainfall in the world, around 467 inches (11,871 mm).
China and Russia are tied for the most land borders with other countries—each shares borders with 14 different nations.
Lesotho is entirely surrounded by South Africa, making it one of the few countries completely landlocked within another country.
Vatican City is the world's smallest independent country, both by area (0.49 km²) and population (around 800 people).
Mount Roraima is a tri-border point between Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana, and features some of the oldest geological formations on Earth.