Places

Turkey (officially Türkiye) is a transcontinental republic spanning Anatolia and Thrace, between Europe and Western Asia.

Turkmenistan is a Central Asian country on the Caspian Sea, dominated by the Karakum Desert, with major natural gas reserves and a largely arid geography.

A low-lying island country in the central Pacific, Tuvalu has nine reef islands and atolls and is among the nations most exposed to sea-level rise.

Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa, straddling the equator and centred on a high plateau around Lake Victoria, the source of the White Nile.

Ukraine is the largest country lying entirely within Europe, with fertile plains that make it a major grain producer, and it became independent in 1991 after centuries of foreign rule.

A federation of seven emirates on the Arabian Peninsula, formed in 1971, known for its oil wealth, diversified economy and role as a regional trade, finance and aviation hub.

The United Kingdom is a sovereign state on the British Isles off northwestern Europe, made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This entry covers its physical and human geography and how its territory formed.

The United States is a federal constitutional republic of 50 states and several territories in North America, with about 340 million people and the largest nominal GDP of any economy.

Uruguay is a small South American country on the Atlantic and the Río de la Plata, bordered by Brazil and Argentina. Its grassy plains, river systems, climate and population concentration shape its economy and society.

Uruk was a major ancient Mesopotamian city whose archaeological remains document early urbanization, monumental architecture, and the development of writing.

Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked Central Asian republic whose capital is Tashkent, bordering five countries and home to roughly 37 million people.

Coastal city in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, and the core of Metro Vancouver; covers its geography, climate, history, governance, economy and urban development.

Vanuatu is a volcanic island country of about 80 islands in the South Pacific, a parliamentary republic independent since 1980.

Vatican City is the world's smallest sovereign state, an enclave inside Rome established in 1929 as the territorial base of the Holy See.

Venezuela is a federal presidential republic on South America's northern coast, known for its varied geography, large oil reserves, and recent political and economic upheaval.

Venice is a city built on islands in the northern Adriatic lagoon. It was the core of a medieval and early modern maritime republic and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site facing flooding and mass tourism.

Capital of Austria on the Danube: its history, geography, population, governance, economy, culture and heritage.

Vietnam is a long, S-shaped country on the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with mountains in the north and west and two major river deltas that hold most of its farmland and people.

Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland, on the Vistula River, shaped by centuries of capital status, wartime destruction, and postwar rebuilding.

The capital of the United States: a federal district on the Potomac River, outside any state, with a 1790 founding and a governance structure unlike any other U.S. city.

Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province and a major river-port, industrial, transport, and university city in central China.

Capital of Shaanxi, northwestern China; a major ancient capital and eastern end of the Silk Road.

The Yangtze is the longest river in China and Asia, flowing east from the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea and forming a major water system and economic corridor.

The Yangtze River Delta is a major economic region in eastern China, centred on Shanghai and covering Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, with a 2025 GDP of about 34.66 trillion yuan.

The Yellow River is China’s second-longest river, distinguished by its sediment-rich waters, shifting lower course, and importance to Chinese history and northern China’s water supply.

Yemen is a country at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Saudi Arabia and Oman and fronting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Its geography, ancient kingdoms, and ongoing conflict shape its regional role.

Zambia is a landlocked country in south-central Africa. It lies mostly on a high plateau and is drained chiefly by the Zambezi River.

Zimbabwe is a landlocked republic in southern Africa known for its high plateau, the Great Zimbabwe ruins, Victoria Falls, and a mineral-based economy.

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich, known for its finance sector, universities, and historic old town on Lake Zurich.