A land of extreme dimensions and a tremendous variety of climate zones and biomes, from the driest desert in the world to lush temperate rainforests, scrub and tundra. It’s narrowest of all countries in form, a product of being sandwiched between the largest ocean and longest mountain range in the world. Once a property of colonial Spain, it then saw an influx of people from all over Europe that went on to shape the most prosperous of all Latin American nations. Perhaps the most geographically fascinating of all countries, this land could only be Chile!
History
The Eight Ages of Greece – A Complete History
The oldest civilisation in Europe. Birthplace of Western Philosophy. The first European alphabet. A place where human sculpture was perfected. A place where democracy was first realised. Where those famous athletic games began. So many accolades for so small a land. Where to begin in telling the story of this oh-so important of nations? At the beginning, of course, and don’t stop until the end! In this video I dare to tell the FULL history of this land and its people. It is an incredible story. It is the story of GREECE.
South Africa: History, Geography, Economy & Culture
South Africa. Perhaps the first word that comes to mind is Apartheid, a system that enshrined in law racial discrimination at a national level. But those days are long gone now, and South Africa is attempting to reinvent itself as the “Rainbow Nation” of ethnic diversity. And there is so much more to South Africa. Having the most concentrated deposits of minerals found anywhere in the world, it’s no surprise that South Africa dominated the gold and diamond mining industry for decades. But these days its tourists that bring in much of the wealth, and with so much stunning natural beauty, flora and fauna, it’s no wonder. Welcome to South Africa!
The Krakatoa Volcanic Eruption of 1883 – The Loudest Sound Ever Heard?
In 1883, possibly the loudest sound ever heard, detonated in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, Indonesia. The source of this explosion? A volcano that has gone down in infamy. Over 36,000 lives were lost in the ensuing pyroclastic flows and tsunami, and is the second deadliest volcanic eruption in recorded history. This is Infamous Geography. This is Krakatoa.
In this video, I look at the causes of the 1883 Krakatoa eruption, the subduction of the Indo-Australian plate under the Sunda Plate, as part of the Pacific Ring of Fire that has led to Indonesia having the largest number of active volcanoes of any country. I look in detail at the colossal 1883 eruption, the sounds that it made that put it into the record books, and the killer pyroclastic flows and tsunami that led to so many lives lost.
I then look at Krakatoa in the context of other historical eruptions and as measured by the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI). Mount Tambora and Mount Toba, also in the same region are notable examples of other massive volcanic eruptions in recorded and geological history.
Lastly, I look at how the numerous volcanoes on Java have led to this island being the most populated on Earth, and end with a glimpse at what might lie in Krakatoa’s future.
Sweden: History, Geography, Economy & Culture
Sweden’s influence in the world is huge in comparison to its population size. Why is this? What is it in the culture and people of Sweden that makes it so disproportionately influential? In this video I hope to provide the answer by an examination of some facts about Sweden, its history and geography.
The Northwest Passage – The Quick Northern Sea Route That Never Was
A sea-route that would connect Europe to the riches of Asia. Its there somewhere, over the north of the continent of America. So was the thought in the minds of thousands of merchants, explorers and kings in an obsession that would grip the sea-faring nations of Europe for four centuries. If only they knew the truth of the Arctic Archipelago of Northern Canada. A barren, frozen complex of land and sea about as hostile an environment as any to be found on Earth. A crusher of ships, and the grave of those arrogant enough to believe it was theirs to conquer. This is infamous geography. This is the Northwest Passage.
Russia: History, Geography, Economy and Culture
Russia. It is a country that has been at the forefront of global politics for more than two centuries. Russia is a country that is almost always in the news, as the recent Russia Ukraine conflict demonstrates. It’s a country you simply cannot ignore. At a time of renewed tensions between East and West, its more important than ever that we stop a moment to understand what is Russia and who are the Russians. And this is why I made this country the next in the series on Nation States of Earth.
The Philippines: History, Geography, Economy & Culture
An archipelago of 7,600 islands, where South-East Asia meets the Pacific. The Philippine Islands are the large islands of Luzon and Mindanao, and the collection of smaller islands between, known as the Visayas, with Palawan far to the west.
Brazil: History, Geography, Economy & Culture
Taking up half the continent of South America, Brazil is host to vast array of landscapes and biomes – from the steamy Amazon Rainforests, to the savannah of the Planalto Central, and the lush Atlantic Forests.
Iran: History, Geography, Economy & Culture
This is the story of Iran, once known as Persia. In this video, I explore the long history of Iran through to the controversial present, the diverse geography of Iran of deserts and mountains, the surprisingly complex Iranian Economy and the remarkably rich Iranian culture that has influenced the world in so many ways.