Chad

• Capital: N'Djamena
• Major Cities
  • Moundou
  • Sarh
  • Abeche
• Major Geographical Features
  • Sahara Desert
  • Sahel
  • Lake Chad
  • Chari River
• Official Name: Republic of Chad
• Religions:
  • Islam
  • Christianity
  • Indigenous beliefs
• Languages:
  • French (official)
  • Arabic (official)
  • Sarat (in south)
  • Sango (in south)
• 1990: Libyan forces leave after repeated invasions
• 1998-2000: Revolts in the northern part of the nation
• 2004: Large scale oil production
• Independence: 1960 from France
• Government: republic
• Currency: Central African franc (XAF)
• Chad is slightly larger than 3 Californias
• Literacy: 25.7%
• Climate
  • North: Desert
  • South: Tropical
• Landlocked
• Lake Chad is the most important body of water in the Sahel
• One of Africa's poorest nations

World's Largest Volcano Discovered!

Recently a new volcano was discovered about 1,000 miles east of Japan. Tamu Massif is the size of New Mexico and the biggest volcano on Earth. Its size also puts it as one of the largest volcanoes in the SOLAR SYSTEM! The volcano is made of basalt and lies on Shatsky Rise in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Scientists are still attempting to figure out how the volcano was formed.

Oklahoma: The Sooner State

• Capital: Oklahoma City
• Major Cities:
  • Tulsa
  • Lawton
• Major Geographical Features
  • Great Plains
  • Ozark Plateau
  • Ouachita Mountains
  • Wichita Mountains
  • Red River
  • Canadian River
  • Arkansas River
  • Lake Texoma
• National Parks: none
• 1803: Present-day Oklahoma is acquired in the Louisiana Purchase
• 1834: Established as a Native American territory
• 1889: Opened to non-indigenous settlers
• 1907: Oklahoma becomes the 46th state
• 1930s: Drought comes about because of the Dust Bowl
  • Many people left Oklahoma, like the Joad Family in Grapes of Wrath
• 1995: The Federal Building in Oklahoma City is bombed
  • This was the worst terrorist attack on US soil until September 11, 2001
• Motto: "Labor conquers all things"
• Name Meaning: "Red People" in Choctaw
• Industries:
  • Wheat
  • Electric Parts
  • Transportation
  • Petroleum
  • Cattle
  • Machinery
  • Natural Gas
• The westernmost county, Cimarron County, borders four states
• Home to 760 Native American tribes
  • 2nd largest Native American population
• There is an operating oil well on capital grounds
• Famous People
  • Mickey Mantle
  • Chuck Norris
  • Brad Pitt
  • Jim Thorpe
  • Dr. Phil

Everglades National Park

Great Egret, Ardea alba
National Park Service Photo by Rodney Cammauf

• Everglades National Park is located in south Florida
• Covers 1,507,850 acres
• Established in 1947
• Everglades is a UNESCO international biosphere reserve and a world heritage site
• Only place where alligators and crocodiles live side-by-side
• Nicknamed the "River of Grass"
• The Everglades area originally spanned from Lake Okeechobee to the southern tip of Florida, but it has shrunk due to industrialization. Even today, the Everglades is still shrinking because less and less water is available to maintain the ecosystem.
• 1st national park aimed at preserving an ecosystem rather than providing scenic views for visitors
• Served as a refuge for Native Americans during the Seminole Wars
• 2 Seasons
  • Dry: December to April
    • When most visitors go and when there are the most activities
  • Wet: May to November
    • Very uncomfortable to visit due to large numbers of mosquitoes and humid weather

American Crocodile, Crocodylus acutus
National Park Service Photo by Rodney Cammauf

Gabon

• Capital: Libreville
• Major City: Port Gentil
• Major Geographical Features
  • Atlatnic Ocean
  • Corisco Bay
  • Ogooue River
  • Bight of Biafra
  • Cape Lopez
• Official Name: Gabonese Republic
• Religion: Christian
• Languages:
  • French (official)
  • Fang
  • Bateke
  • Bapounou or Eschira
  • Bardjab
• Independence: 1960 from France
• Government: republic
• Currency: Central African Franc (XAF)
• Colorado is slightly larger than Gabon
• Literacy: 63.2%
• Climate: Tropical
• One of Africa's more wealthy nations

Global Warming: Fact or Fake?

Today's modern geographic debate, aside from whether Crimea should be included on Russian maps, is global warming. Many people have strong opinions one way or the other. Recently, a United Nations-affiliated group (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) leaked a report explaining its near-certain belief that climate change is caused by humans. However, there also has been data showing a minimal increase in global temperatures over the last few decades. Moreover, studies have shown that decreasing our "carbon footprint" will not affect global temperatures.

What do you make of the global warming debate and why? Share your ideas below on our current geographic controversy!