Incredible Geography Facts

Mount Chimborazo Is Higher than Mount Everest.

Many people think that Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. But this is not quite true. Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador is even higher if we measure it from the center of the Earth. Its top is about two and a half miles farther from the Earth's center than the top of Mount Everest.

Usually, people measure the height of a mountain from sea level. But the sea level is not the same everywhere. Near Mount Chimborazo, the sea level is about three and a half miles higher than near Mount Everest. Because the Earth is not a perfect ball—it is wider at the equator. Mount Chimborazo reaches farther into space, even though Mount Everest is higher from sea level.

A River Which Runs Backwards.

There is a strange river on the north-east coast of Africa. It is called the River Tadjoura. This river does not run to the sea like most rivers. It runs backwards—from the Bay of Tadjoura inland into Lake Assal. This happens because Lake Assal lies below sea level, so the water flows into it.

A River That Runs Both Ways.

In South America, there is a river that can run in two directions. It is called the Cassiquiare Canal. Sometimes it flows into the Orinoco River, and sometimes into the Amazon River. When the Amazon is full of water, the current moves toward the Orinoco. When the Orinoco is full, it flows the other way. It is one of the world's most unusual rivers.