homework encyclopedia

KIRIBATI

SAMOA

TONGA

CANADA

UNITED STATES

OF AMERICA

MEXICO

NICARAGUA

GUATEMALA

EL SALVADOR

COSTA RICA

PANAMA

HONDURAS

JAMAICA

CUBA

BAHAMAS

DOM.

REP.

HAITI ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

DOMINICA

ST. LUCIA

ST. VINCENT &THE GRENADINES

BARBADOS

GRENADA

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

ST. KITTS & NEVIS

GUYANA

SURINAME

VENEZUELA

COLOMBIA

ECUADOR

BRAZIL

P

E

R

U

BOLIVIA

PA

RA

GU

AY

URUGUAY

A R G E N T

IN

A

C

H

I

L

E

BELIZE

Midway Islands

(U.S.)

Jarvis I.

(U.S.)

Baker &

Howland Is.

(U.S.)

Tokelau

(N.Z.)

American

Samoa

(U.S.) French Polynesia

(France)

Kermadec Islands

(N.Z.)

Chatham Islands

(N.Z.)

Alaska

(U.S.)

Navassa I.

(U.S.)

Turks & Caicos Is. (U.K.)

Puerto Rico (U.S.)

Virgin Is.

(U.S.)

Neth. Antilles (Neth.)

Aruba

(Neth.)

British Virgin Is. (U.K.)

Anguilla (U.K.)

Guadeloupe (France)

Montserrat (U.K.) Martinique (France)

French Guiana

(France)

Falkland Islands

(U.K.)

Peter I Island

(Norway)

Wallis &

Futuna

(France)

Clipperton Island

(French Polynesia)

Cook

Islands

(N.Z.)

Pitcairn

Islands

(U.K.)

Cayman Is.

(U.K.)

Niue

(N.Z.)

St. Pierre &

Miquelon

(France)

Bermuda

(U.K.)

Hawaii

(U.S.)

Johnston Atoll

(U.S.)

Palmyra Atoll

(U.S.)

Kingman Reef

(U.S.)

Aleutian^

Is.^ (U.S.

)

Easter Island

(Chile)

Sala y Gomez

(Chile)

Galápagos Is.

(Ecuador)

San Felix Island

(Chile)

San Ambrosio

Island

(Chile)

Juan Fernandez Islands

(Chile)

South Shetland

Islands

Guadalupe

(Mexico)

Revillagigedo Islands

(Mexico)

Arctic Circle

Tropic of Cancer

Equator

Tropic of Capricorn

Antarctic Circle

Great

Lakes

Lake

Titicaca

S O

U T

Bering

Sea

PACIFIC

OCEAN

PACIFIC

OCEAN

Gulf

of

Mexico

ATLANTIC

OCEAN

Hudson

Bay

ARCTIC

OCEAN

Baffin

Bay

The world today is divided into 195 independent

nations, differing from each other in size, shape,

population, people, language, government, culture,

and wealth. World maps are always changing, as

new countries emerge from colonial rule or old

ones divide or fall apart. Fifty years ago, there

were only 82 independent nations, the rest

being colonies or dependencies waiting

to gain their independence.

4 UNGUARDED BORDER

Some border posts, such as

this one between Cambodia and

Vietnam, are unguarded, as both

countries are at peace and their

people can travel freely between

them. Most international borders are

agreed by both sides, with one-sixth

formed by rivers, and many more

formed by lakes, mountain ridges,

or seas. Some, notably those in the

Sahara, are just straight lines across

the ground.

1 FLAGS

Every nation has its own unique flag, which often represents the history

or geography of that country in some way. For instance, the 13 stripes

of the US flag represent the 13 colonies that first formed the USA,

while the 50 stars stand for each of the current 50 states of the Union.

Largest country: Russian

Federation 17,075,400 sq km

(6,592,800 sq miles)

Smallest country: Vatican City

0.44 sq km (0.17 sq miles)

Longest border: USA-Canada

8,893 km (5,526 miles)

Country with most neighbours:

China (14)

Oldest country: San Marino, 301 CE

Youngest country: Kosovo (disputed),

2008

Political World

THE WORLD 1

Every part of the Earth’s land surface belongs to or is claimed by one

country or another, with the exception of Antarctica, where territorial

claims have been set aside by international treaty (a formal agreement).

POLITICAL WORLD

political

world