Geographical

Official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Graeme Gourlay

Digital cartography on trial: Mexico sues Google for ‘Gulf of America’ label

4 minutes

Google’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico for US users has triggered diplomatic outrage, legal action from Mexico, and a global debate over who controls the world’s digital maps Beneath the sun-bleached skies of the Caribbean, where the Atlantic’s azure waters merge with the Gulf of Mexico’s warmer currents, a modern geopolitical drama continues to unfold. This body of … [Read more...] about Digital cartography on trial: Mexico sues Google for ‘Gulf of America’ label

Don’t care about the Arctic because it’s empty and distant – care because it’s busy and close

3 minutes

An Arctic resident's view of the row about Camilla Hempleman-Adams' trek across Baffin Island In his book So You've Been Publicly Shamed, Jon Ronson describes the internet waking up each day and selecting one person on whom to focus its collective, latent rage. Recently, that 'person of the day' was British adventurer Camilla Hempleman-Adams, who completed a 241 km … [Read more...] about Don’t care about the Arctic because it’s empty and distant – care because it’s busy and close

Better World Video Awards 2025

5 minutes

Entry to the 2025 Better World Video Awards is now open With the support of our partner, Aggressor Adventures, a world-leading travel company, we’re launching the Better World Video Awards 2025. Last year, we received hundreds of entries that told amazing stories about people and projects helping to improve life on our planet. Winners included films about a community … [Read more...] about Better World Video Awards 2025

Review: Four Points of the Compass by Jerry Brotton

2 minutes

Jerry Brotton's new book uncovers the ways in which seemingly simple coordinates shape the way we perceive our world, cultures and politics The original iconic photograph of the Earth taken from Apollo 17 in 1972 had Antarctica at the top. That NASA decided to flip the image is one of the many remarkable facts that you discover in this marvellous examination of how we … [Read more...] about Review: Four Points of the Compass by Jerry Brotton

Brazil: key facts about the world’s fifth-largest country

4 minutes

Discover Brazil's vast history – from World Cup wins to political turmoil – along with a deep dive into its geography, economy and culture Spanning a whole host of landscapes – from the Amazon rainforest, the bustling cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, to the iconic Copacabana beach, Brazil is home to more than 220 million people and a diverse range … [Read more...] about Brazil: key facts about the world’s fifth-largest country