The World's Tallest Mountain

Everyone knows that Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world, right? Well, if you want to get technical about it, the answer is NO.

Mount Everest stands 29,028 feet tall. From top to bottom, it's taller than any other mountain--whose bottom is the surface of the earth.

Here's the catch: If you add what's underneath, then Mount Everest isn't the tallest mountain. The winner then is Mauna Kea, a huge, very tall volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii (called Hawaii). Mauna Kea stretches 13,796 above water and 19,680 underwater, for a total of 33,476!

So if you say that it's the whole mountain that counts, then Mauna Kea is the tallest.

More about Mauna Kea
The volcano has not been active in more than 4,000 years. People, however, have been active on top of Mauna Kea for many years. Skiing is popular up there, as is astronomical observation.

Atop the mountain is the world-famous Mauna Kea Observatory, the highest astronomical observatory in the world. Here, scientists enjoy the dry air and high elevation to peer into the far reaches of space, many times through the Keck Telescope, the largest optical telescope in the world.

Info from Social Studies For Kids

 

Greenland: Not Much Green There


Greenland is a land of snow and ice. Not much green grows there. It's so cold all the time that only the hardest trees there. Some of those trees are green. But the snow and ice that are on the ground all the time don't show a whole lot of grass.

How Greenland got its name isn't entirely clear. Erik the Red, the great explorer, might have been the first European to land in Greenland. Did he name it Greenland? Maybe. He might have found it greener than his homeland of Iceland.

We do know that Greenland was warmer (by a few degrees) a thousand years ago, when Erik the Red would have landed there.

This large island was claimed by Denmark for many years, until it became independent in 1979. In fact, it isn't even called Greenland anymore. The correct name of the now independent country is Kalaalit Nunaat.

Info from Social Studies For Kids
 

 

Canada

The maple leaf is a national symbol of Canada. The red commemorates the blood shed by Canadians during World War I (1914-1918), and the white represents snow. The flag first flew in 1965.

Ottawa is the capital city.
Jacques Cartier claimed Canada for France in 1534.
The national Anthem is "O Canada". Hear It
Canada is the only country not to win a gold medal in the summer Olympic games while hosting the event.
There are 22 nuclear reactors in Canada called CANDU reactors, they supply 16% of the total power supply for Canada.
Canada is an Indian word meaning "Big Village".
The first McDonalds restaurant in Canada was in Richmond B.C.
16% of Canadians rely on groundwater for domestic use.
Measuring 9,970,610 km sq, Canada is the worlds second largest country.
The royal Canadian Air Force won Olympic Gold in 1948 (for hockey).
In 1984 a Canadian farmer began renting advertising space on his cows.
Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a federal state with a democratic parliament. The Parliament of Canada, Ottawa, consists of the house of Commons, whose members are elected, and a senate whose members are appointed.
The total number of cyclist is nearly 18 million, out of these nearly 13.5 million are adults.
Ninety per cent of the Canadian population lives in a narrow southern band.
Canada has one fifth of the worlds fresh water supply.
There are more donut shops in Canada per capita than any other country.
0.3% of all road accidents in Canada involve a Moose.
In Quebec, there is an old law that states margarine must be a different color than butter.

Info from www.funfacts.co.uk
 

 

   
 
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