The United States' Latino Population

The United States' Hispanic/Latino population is growing rather quickly. The US Census Bureau recently released new maps showing the distribution of 22 different Latino populations. They revealed that the largest Latino populations are in large cities, like Houston, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, and New York. Take a look for yourself!

Wisconsin: The Badger State

• Capital: Madison
• Major Cities:
  • Milwaukee
  • Green Bay
• Major Geographical Features
  • Lake Superior
  • Lake Michigan
  • Green Bay
  • St. Croix River
  • Mississippi River
  • Wisconsin River
  • Lake Winnebago
  • Lake Superior Lowlands
  • Northern Highlands
• National Parks: none
• 1783: Present-day Wisconsin becomes part of the United States
• 1848: Wisconsin becomes the 30th state
• 1854: The Republican Party is formed in Wisconsin
• Motto: "Forward"
• Name Meaning: "Gathering of the Waters" in Algonquian
• Green Bay is the smallest city with an NFL team
• Industries
  • Milk and Dairy
    • Wisconsin has the most milk and milk cows than any other state
  • Paper and Paper Products
• Home to 714,000 lakes (the most in the US) and 7,446 streams and rivers
• 47 state parks
• Summerfest in Milwaukee is the nation's largest music festival
• Famous People
  • Frank Lloyd Wright
  • George Kennan
  • Earl Lambeau
  • Joseph McCarthy
  • Georgia O'Keeffe
  • Tony Romo
  • William Rehnquist
  • Steve Stricker
  • Bud Selig
  • Laura Ingalls Wilder

Cloud Types

The following words are different types of clouds from highest altitude to lowest. But, first things first. A cloud is water moisture and ice crystals that have collected in the atmosphere.

1. Cirrus: feathery clouds; made of ice crystals
2. Cirrocumulus: small, round puffs of clouds that generally appear in long rows
3. Cirrostratus: Sheet-like clouds; usually appear 12-24 hours before a storm
4. Cumulonimbus: large, tall clouds that cause thunderstorms; produce precipitation, lightning, and thunder
5. Altostratus: gray or blue-gray clouds that cover the entire sky; appear before precipitation
6. Altocumulus: gray-white, puffy clouds
7. Nimbostratus: dark gray clouds that appear with precipitation
8. Cumulus: white, puffy clouds; signal fair weather
9. Stratus: flat, low, gray clouds that appear to be in a sheet
10. Stratocumulus: gray, lumpy clouds

Thailand

• Capital: Bangkok
• Major Geographical Features
  • Andaman Sea
  • Strait of Malacca
  • South China Sea
  • Gulf of Thailand
  • Chao River
  • Mekong River
  • Indochina Peninsula
  • Khoret Plateau
  • Chao Phraya Lowlands
  • Isthmus of Kra
• Official Name: Kingdom of Thailand
  • Formerly: Siam
• Religion: Buddhist (94.6%)
• Languages:
  • Thai
  • English
• 1767-1782: Capital at Thonburi
• 1932: Bloodless revolution results in constitutional monarchy
• 1939: Changed name to Thailand
• 1940's: Japanese ally in World War Two due to Asia for the Asians
• 2006: Military coup declares martial law and writes a new constitution
• 2014: Another military coup declares martial law
• Independence: 1238, Siam united
• Government: Constitutional monarchy
• Currency: bant (THB)
• Thailand is slightly larger than 2 Wyomings
• Literacy: 92%
• Climate: Tropical
• Only Southeast Asian nation to not be colonized
• Largest rice exporter
• World's smallest mammal (the bumblebee bat) lives in Thailand
• 8th largest US importer

Edible Flags

I bet you have never seen a nation's flag made out of food. Well, now you can. In preparation of the Sydney International Food Festival of 2009, people created flags of the participating nations out of common food from that nation. For example, Italy's flag was created using basil, spaghetti, and tomatoes.

Enjoy!

United Arab Emirates

• Formerly
  • The Trucial State
  • Trucial Oman
• Capital: Abu Dhabi
• Major City: Dubai
• Major Geographical Features
  • Persian Gulf
  • Strait of Hormuz
  • Gulf of Oman
  • Rub Al Khali (Empty Quarter)
• Religion: Muslim
• Languages:
  • Arabic (official)
  • Persian
  • English
  • Hindi
  • Urdu
• 19th century: British grant the United Arab Emirates foreign affairs and defense autonomy
• 1958: Oil is discovered
• Independence: 1971-72: The 7 emirates unite to make one country; from the United Kingdom
• Government: federation
• Currency: Emirati dirham
• Maine is slightly larger than the United Arab Emirates
• Literacy: 78%
• Climate: desert
• The Strait of Hormuz sees the transport of most of the world's crude oil
• Plays a vital role in Middle Eastern political affairs
• Burj Dubai in Dubai is the tallest building in the world
• 3/4 of the United Arab Emirates' work force is foreign

Ohio: The Buckeye State

• Capital: Columbus
• Major Cities:
  • Cleveland
  • Cincinnati
  • Akron
  • Toledo
  • Youngstown
  • Dayton
• Major Geographical Features
  • Great Lakes Plains
  • Allegheny Plateau
  • Lake Erie
  • Ohio River
  • Scioto River
• National Parks: Cuyahoga Valley National Park
• 1787: Became part of Northwest Territories
• 1803: Ohio became the 17th state (first west of the Alleghenies)
• 1869: Chewing Gum was invented in Ohio
• 1903: Wright Brothers develop a practical aircraft in Dayton
• Motto: "With God All Things are Possible"
• Name Meaning: "Great River" in Iroquois
• Cleveland is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Canton is home to the National Football Hall of Fame
• Natural Resources: Water, Land (produces soy beans, corn)
• Known for making rubber
• Famous People
  • Neil Armstrong
  • Wright Brothers
  • Doris Day
  • Judith A. Resnik
  • Annie Oakley
  • James Garfield
  • Ulysses S. Grant
  • Warren G. Harding
  • Rutherford B. Hayes
  • William McKinley
  • William Henry Harrison

Largest (and Smallest) States in the United States

Largest States:

1. Alaska
2. Texas
3. California
4. Montana
5. New Mexico
6. Arizona
7. Nevada
8. Colorado
9. Wyoming
10. Oregon...

 ...The largest state east of the Mississippi River is Georgia, ranked at 21

Smallest States:

1. Rhode Island
2. Delaware
3. Connecticut
4. Hawaii
5. New Jersey
6. Massachusetts
7. New Hampshire
8. Vermont
9. Maryland
10. West Virginia...

...The smallest contiguous state west of the Mississippi River is Louisiana, the 18th smallest state

Finland

• Capital: Helsinki
• Major Cities
  • Turku
  • Tampere
• Major Geographical Features
  • Baltic Sea
  • Gulf of Bothnia
  • Gulf of Finland
  • Aland Islands
• Official Name: Republic of Finland
• Religion: Evangelical Lutheran (82.5%)
• Language: Finnish (95%)
• World War Two: Successfully defended itself from Germany and Soviet Union
• 1995: Joins the European Union
• Independence: 1917 from Russia (following the Russian Revolution of 1917)
• Government: republic
• Currency: Euro (EUR)
  • Only Nordic nation using the Euro
• Montana is slightly larger than Finland
• Literacy: 100%
• Climate: Subarctic
• Helsinki is the northernmost capital in Europe
  • It is also only 40 miles from Tallinn, Estonia
• Exports
  • Telecommunications
  • Paper
  • Machines