Dracula v. the Ottoman Empire: Geography's Role (Part II)

In Part I, we introduced the importance of Wallachia and Transylvania, as well as the bitter connections between the Ottomans and Dracula (Vlad III).  Today, we sink our teeth into Dracula's name and his use of terrain to win battles and spread terror.

Vlad III (Tepes) (Dracula)

Namesake

Dracula's father, Vlad II, was awarded membership into the prestigious Order of the Dragon.  Sponsored by the Holy Roman Empire, the dragon was symbolic of Saint George's legendary victory over a dragon.The purpose of the Order was to defend Christian Europe from the advances of the Ottoman Empire.  In his language, Vlad II became Vlad Dracul (Vlad the Dragon).  His namesake son, Vlad III, became Vlad Dracula (Son of the Dragon). 

Powerful Pics: Ganges River Delta

In this 1994 NASA image, the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers deposit tons of silt and clay into the Bay of Bengal.

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Trivia: African Border Rivers (Difficult)

Rivers make for great natural barriers and many nations employ them for that purpose.  Some rivers act as barriers for multiple nations.  How many can you list?

1. The Zambezi River creates borders between Zambia and three other nations.  What are those three nations?

2.The Limpopo River forms borders between South Africa and two other nations.  What are those two nations?

3. The Rusizi River marks borders between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and two other nations.  What are those two nations?

Continue for answers.

Check This Out: The Geography of Horror

What was the scene of your favorite horror movie? Was it Dracula's London? The Shining's Estes Park, Colorado? The Geography of Horror is a treat that maps the location of over 200 horror movies.

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Dracula v. The Ottoman Empire: Geography's Role (Part I)

This story explores how physical geography led to a showdown between Dracula (yes, he was a real person) and the fearsome Ottoman Empire. 

Wallachia c. 1390

Encroaching Danger

In the mid-fifteenth century, few names struck as much fear into European hearts as did the Ottoman Empire.  In 1453, Constantinople, thought to be impenetrable, was overrun by Ottoman forces.  The capital of the Eastern Roman Empire had fallen.  Psychologically devastating, the defeat also gave the Ottomans a foothold in Eastern Europe.   One of the first territories set upon by Ottoman invaders was the relatively small territories of Transylvania and Wallachia (parts of modern-day Romania).  These territories served as the birthplace and kingdom of Vlad III (Dracula).

Powerful Pics: Cyclone Nargis 2008

In 2008, Cyclone Nargis brought devastating winds and flooding to South East Asia. This Earth Observatory image shows the utter destruction of a Burmese village.

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Trivia: China's Border Rivers

China neighbors 14 nations, with many rivers serving as borders.  Given the bordering river, can you identify China's neighbor?

1. The Amur River partially forms China's border with
a. Vietnam
b. North Korea
c. Russia
d. India

2. The Yalu River partially forms China's border 
a. Mongolia
b. Kazakhstan
c. Kyrgyzstan
d. North Korea

3. The Salween (Nu) River partially forms China's border with
a. Myanmar
b. Russia
c. Nepal
d. Pakistan

4. The Beilun River partially forms China's border with
a. Vienam
b. Russia
c. Afghanistan
d. Tajikistan

5. The Tumen River partially forms China's border with
a. Bhutan
b. Laos
c. Russia
d. North Korea

Continue for answers

Check This Out: Map of the Dead

As Halloween nears, it is a good time to reevaluate your preparedness for the Zombie Apocalypse.  Map of the Dead increases your survival chances by mapping the places most useful - such as hospitals (for medical supplies), fire stations (for axes), and gas stations (for Twinkies).  

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Myanmar's Oppressed Minorities (Final Thoughts)

This is the final article in the series: Myanmar's Oppressed Minorities.  For previous articles in the series, click the following links:

Preview

Part I

Part II

Part III

The Misunderstood Roots of Burma's Rohingya Crisis

The Atlantic's Krishnadev Cualamur wrote this article to shed light on the stance Myanmar's government has taken.  The information within is of vital importance to anyone truly wanting to understand why so much violence is unfolding.

Denied Existence

The articles in the series focused on Myanmar's treatment of its citizens and how ethnic groups have been driven to refugee camps in neighboring countries.  And while those countries offer more safety than Myanmar, they haven't exactly welcomed the refugees with open arms.  Bangladesh continues to deny citizenship, even for refugees that have lived there for more than two decades.  Thailand, like most of Myanmar's other neighbors, has banned refugees from even leaving the camps.  

Powerful Pics: Hurricane Harvey from Space

We once again feature a NASA image.  Today, Hurricane Harvey, Seen From the Cupola of the International Space Station

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Trivia: China

5 Questions about China: Good luck!

1. What is China's capital?

a. Shanghai

b. Guangzhou

c. Beijing

d. Shenzhen

2. What is China's SECOND longest river?

a. Yangtze

b. Yellow

c. Heilongjiang . 

d. The Grand Canal

3. What is China's most populous city?

a. Shanghai

b. Guangzhou

c. Beijing

d. Shenzhen

4. Which of the following Chinese cities lies at the end of the Yangtze River?

a. Shanghai

b. Guangzhou

c. Beijing

d. Shenzhen

5. HARD: Which Chinese location is also known as the Sea of Death?

a. South China Sea

b. Taklamakan Desert

c. Himalayas

d. Poyang Lake

Answers Below...

Check This Out: Smarty Pins

Smarty Pins is a unique game that has players answer map trivia questions by dropping a pin on the correct location.  Categories include Sports (Where do the Saints play?), Science (Pin the driest national park.), History (Pin the country that used to be known as Abyssinia.), and more. 

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Myanmar's Oppressed Minorities (Part 3)

Today we are continuing our look at Myanmar's oppressed ethnicities.  If you missed previous articles, click the following links:

Preview

Part I 

Part II

In today's article, we are examining how natural resources and political geography are exacerbating conflicts between Myanmar's military and the ethnic minorities in Kachin State.

Myanmar's Kachin State

Part 3: The Jaded Kachin
Like the neighboring Kokang people, many Kachin are Baptist Christians.  However, their conflict with Myanmar's government has very little to do with religion.  In fact, some reports list Buddhism as Kachin's majority religion.

Kachin is the only Myanmar state to share borders with both China and India.  It is also rich with natural resources, such as jade and timber.  Kachin is possibly home to the world's largest jade deposits. Both its crucial location and plentiful resources make the region extremely important for Myanmar's government.  The Kachin are also fiercely independent; living a predominately autonomous existence for generations.

(New Feature) Powerful Pics: North Korea at Night

Great pictures tell their own story.  In this new feature, we will provide viewers with one or more images that are so powerful, they need few words. Today's photo: NASA's 2014 picture: Korean Peninsula Seen From Space Station.

North Korea looks like part of the ocean.

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Check This Out: Seterra

Seterra is an amazing site that offers a variety of fun and challenging map games.  The map games range from U.S. States to Ukraine's regions to the world's largest cities.  Seterra also offers apps for both Android and Apple phones so you can play on the go.  

Seterra.com

Myanmar's Oppressed Minorities (Part 2)

In today's article, we are continuing our look at Myanmar's oppressed ethnicities.  If you missed previous articles, click the following links:
Preview
Part I 

Today the spotlight shines on Myanmar's Shan State, where both the Shan and Kokang people live and where both face Myanmar's brutality.

Part 2: The State of Shan

Shan
It is not just religious divisions that lead Myanmar to torment its minorities.  The Shan people, like the majority of Myanmar's citizens, practice a form of Buddhism heavily influenced by animism. Though religiously similar, the Shan comprise about one-tenth of Myanmar's population and have demanded increased autonomy.  To achieve this, the Shan created one of the most staunch military groups resisting Myanmar's government.  Fighting between the two often creates high civilian casualties and has forced many to flee to neighboring Thailand, China, and Laos.