Amazing Geography Facts

Saltiest Sea: The water in the Dead Sea, between Israel and Jordan, has about nine times more salts and minerals than the oceans. The sea gets its name from the fact that so much salt makes it impossible for marine life to live there. What is bad for fish is good for people. The dense water makes it easy to float.

Liveliest Waters: The Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast of Australia is the biggest structure made by living organisms. It is built from tiny marine polyps, called corals, and their skeletons. The largest coral reef in the world, it is home to 1,500 species of fish, 400 types of coral, 500 species of seaweed, 16 species of sea snake, and 6 species of sea turtle!

Loftiest Lake: Lake Titicaca lies 12,580 feet above the ocean, along the mountainous border between Peru and Bolivia. It's the highest lake in the world that is big enough for large boats. Twenty-five rivers flow into the lake, which covers over 3,500 square miles. The ancient Incas built their capital next to the lake, which they considered sacred.

Coolest Arches: Arches National Park in Arizona has more than 2,000 arches carved out of rock by 100 million years of erosion. The smaller arches are just 3 feet long. The largest, called Landscape Arch, spans 306 feet.

World Almanac for Kids, 2003