2018-11-27
There are many ways to learn geography. Gazing at a map and memorizing a list of place names can get the job done, but those aren’t the most captivating of activities. When you need an entertaining approach to geographic studies, Seterra’s quiz games can’t be beat, but YouTube videos are a whole lot of fun too!
On YouTube, you can find several engaging channels dedicated to helping geography enthusiasts explore the world. Talented educators with awesome video production skills have posted hundreds of useful geography videos, and they’re all available to you online!
In this article, we’ll take a look at four of the most popular geography-loving YouTube channels. Between them, they present a massive array of topics, and each channel has its own unique style.
We encourage you to check out a few videos on each of these channels, and you’ll want to subscribe too, because they post awesome new videos all the time!
Geography Now
Geography Now introducing Mongolia
To say this crew is passionate about geography would be a huge understatement! The mission at Geography Now is to cover every single country in the world, in alphabetical order, and these guys go out of their way to making their videos fun!
In their A-to-Z survey of the globe, they’ll leave no place unstudied. Step one is to create a video about every UN-recognized country in the world, but when they’re finished with that, they plan to cover the constituents, plus autonomous and disputed regions…also in alphabetical order, of course!
At Geography Now, it’s not only about running down the countries in order. They know how to keep things interesting, with videos about flags, one that discusses what would happen if the Earth was inverted, another that explores where in the world one might find hidden treasure, and so many more.
Click here to check out Geography Now, now! (Wait… maybe finish this article first!)
WonderWhy
"The Most Complex International Borders in the World" by WonderWhy
When you watch a video on WonderWhy, you’ll learn a lot about geography, but it won’t feel like you’re studying. That’s because this educational YouTube channel has a way of infusing the geographical content with fascinating nuggets of current and historical information.
You’ll find videos that discuss topics like the oldest country in the world; the unification, division, and reunification of Germany; and how the world map has changed Since WWI, to reference just a few.
If you like your geography with a side of history and a dash of politics, WonderWhy will keep you coming back for more. You can dive into the “Strangest Time Zones of the World,” or take a look at the fascinating “Macedonia Naming Controversy.” You can’t go wrong; select any video—you’ll pick up some valuable geographic knowledge, and more!
Click here to check out WonderWhy!
RealLifeLore
"Where Was the Last Place Discovered on Earth?", by RealLifeLore
Providing answers to questions that you've never asked—that’s the goal of RealLifeLore, and they’re nailing it!
With a slant toward anthropology, history, and science, RealLifeLore is a YouTube channel that seamlessly blends topics from those fields of study with geographical information in a way that will enrich your mind.
There is some standard geography fare available, such as discussions of flags, etc., but much of the RealLifeLore video collection offers inciteful exploration of esoteric, geography-adjacent topics.
As wild as some of their topics are, RealLifeLore takes a grounded approach and covers the information in a way that really sinks in. You can explore answers to questions like:
- How Far Away Can You Get From Everybody Else?
- Where Was the Last Place Discovered on Earth?
- What if the Roman Empire Reunited Today?
- What's the Most Difficult Place to Get to In the World?
- How Will Earth Change If All the Ice Melts?
- What If We Built a Road Around the World?
- How Fast Can You Travel Around the World?
- Why Landlocked Countries Still Have Navies?
The folks at RealLifeLore believe that the world is a wonderfully fascinating place, and they’re doing all they can to bring that wonder to life through their videos. Click here to check out RealLifeLore on YouTube!
Wendover Productions
"Urban Geography: Why We Live Where We Do" by Wendover Productions
The mission at Wendover Productions is to explain how our world works, so you get a little bit of everything in their videos. There are videos on travel, economics, science, and, of course, geography.
You can select from interesting videos like “Why Time is One of Humanity's Greatest Inventions,” or one that explores why flying is so expensive, but there’s plenty of geography stuff too. A two-part series called “A Map Geek's Tour of the World” will satisfy any geography fan. There’s a ton of interesting content here, like a video that asks, “Why Cities Are Where They Are?” and another that runs down every state in the US.
For a fresh and fascinating take on geographical topics, plus so much more, navigate here to check out the videos by Wendover Productions.
Exploring Geography Through Videos
We’ve looked at a handful of great YouTube channels dedicated to helping you learn geography, but there are others out there. For example, the pros over at National Geographic have created some very educational videos for a series they call Destination World where you can learn about the continents and find out what makes them unique.
Videos are a great way to learn about geography. The format lends itself to colorful animation and engaging photography, so you won’t find yourself staring at another map or memorizing another list of countries. Find the YouTube geography channel that matches up with your interests, and let the learning begin!