Ho Chi Minh City and Saigon are two names for the same place. The area was first known as Prey Nokor, then Saigon, and was later renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1975. The origin of the name Saigon is debated, but it is believed to come from the Khmer term for “city of kapok […]
Vatican City is the world’s smallest independent state, surrounded by Italy and with a population of just over 800 people. It is the secular capital of the Catholic Church, with the Pope as its head of state and the only absolute monarch in Europe. The city includes important Catholic landmarks such as St. Peter’s Basilica […]
The Vatican has eight soccer teams in its small league, with players from various institutions. The Vatican national team has only played four international matches, all against Monaco, with limited victories due to players’ demanding day jobs. Vatican City also has a women’s team and an intramural team of priests competing in the Clericus Cup. […]
Hulunbuir, China is the largest city in the world by area with over 100,000 square miles, followed by Jiuquan, China. Altamira, Brazil is the largest city outside of China. Shanghai, Mumbai, Karachi, Delhi, and Istanbul are the most populated cities, while Hun, Croatia, and Vatican City are the smallest. Yakutat City and Borough, Alaska is […]
Mexico City is sinking due to the overuse of aquifers for water supply, causing infrastructure damage and threatening water supplies and architecture. The city was originally built on an island in Lake Texcoco, which was drained by the Spanish. The sinking is caused by poor conservation and seismic activity. The Center for Ecology and Development […]
Villa Epecuén, a once-thriving tourist destination in Argentina, was submerged under 33 meters of salt water in 1985. After resurfacing in 2005, it became a ghost town, except for Pablo Novak, the only resident. The town’s salt lake was known for its healing properties. Villa Epecuén, a resort town located 340 miles (547 km) southwest […]
Madison, Wisconsin named the plastic flamingo as its official bird in 2009 due to a prank at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1979. The state bird of Wisconsin is the robin. Wisconsin is known for its dairy production and was where the Republican party was founded. The plastic flamingo is indeed the official bird of […]
Bangkok is the world’s most popular tourist destination with 16 million visitors in 2013, due in part to its proximity to China, which spends over $100 billion annually on international tourism. London and Paris followed in popularity. Bangkok, Thailand is the world’s most popular city as a tourist destination, with nearly 16 million visitors in […]
Cape Town is facing its worst drought in over a century, with dam levels perilously low. The population has grown significantly, but residents haven’t heeded warnings to use water sparingly. “Day zero”, when taps will run out, is estimated to be April 16, 2018. The water crisis in Cape Town is nearing breaking point. For […]
New Delhi is the world’s most polluted city due to high levels of PM 2.5 caused by coal-fired factories, automobiles, and lack of government regulations. India is home to the top four polluted cities, with air pollution contributing to over seven million deaths worldwide in 2012. Beijing’s air pollution levels are three times lower than […]
Residents of Oslo created a “honey highway” in 2015 to combat the declining bee population. Safe havens were created on rooftops and balconies throughout the city. The Pollinator Pathway and colony collapse disorder are global initiatives to protect pollinators. In 2015, residents of Oslo, Norway decided to do something about the declining bee population by […]
Cairo, Africa’s largest city, has over 15 million people, making it the 16th largest metropolitan area globally. It was once a major academic center and has a pollution problem causing 25,000 deaths annually. Cairo has the largest population of any city in Africa with more than 15 million people in the Cairo area. This is […]
Venezuela was named after the Italian city of Venice by Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda in 1499 due to the similarity of some houses built on stilts. Venezuela is home to Angel Falls, diverse wildlife, and the world’s largest rodent. Venice is the Italian city that gave its name to a South American country: Venezuela. […]
Las Vegas now powers all government facilities with renewable energy, including a large solar array and hydroelectric turbines. The city’s casinos are also installing solar panels. Burlington, Vermont and Aspen, Colorado have also achieved 100% renewable energy production. What happens in Vegas shouldn’t always stay there. For example: In 2016, all government facilities in the […]
Provo, Utah is the happiest city in the US, according to a survey of 500,000 Americans. Provo residents reported high satisfaction in areas such as health, job satisfaction, and access to basic necessities. The city is largely religious, with many residents being members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Other happy cities […]
In 1977, the town of Kinney, Minnesota, seceded from the United States to request “foreign aid” for their water system. The ploy attracted national attention and eventually led to the state of Minnesota funding the replacement of the system. Foreign aid makes up only about 50 percent of the average federal budget, with the US […]
Jack Swilling founded Phoenix, Arizona in 1867 by creating the Swilling Irrigation Canal Company and starting farming. The town was officially recognized in 1868 and named Phoenix by “Lord” Darrell Duppa. Swilling was a gold prospector, mine owner, and Phoenix’s first justice of the peace. He suffered from injuries and addiction to morphine. He married […]
Portland, Oregon has the highest rate of cycling to work among large US cities, with 6.1% of residents cycling. This is due to safety and convenience improvements. Workers aged 16-24 and those with a bachelor’s or professional degree are most likely to cycle. Portland, Oregon is the city that cycles the most to work among […]
Milwaukee, Wisconsin was a major center of the American beer industry due to skilled German brewers and farmers emigrating to the area, excellent grain-growing land, and a ready shipping lane. At its height, four of the largest brewing companies were based in Milwaukee, but today only one remains. The Miller Brewery still employs many local […]
Cincinnati’s abandoned subway system, consisting of two miles of tunnels, was almost completed in the 1920s before funding collapsed. It would cost $100.5 million to revive it for modern use, but it is currently being used to house a water main and fiber optic cables. The Ohio city of Cincinnati almost had a rapid transit […]
