The Columbia River is one of the more magnificent rivers in the United States. The river’s headwaters actually begin inside Canada, but the majority of it flows through Washington State and along the Washington-Oregon border before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. A great deal is known about this important natural resource, but here are 7 things you don’t know about the Columbia River.

1. 498 miles of the Columbia River’s total length of 1,243 miles is found in Canada.

2. Cape Disappointment marks the northern edge of the mouth of the Columbia River. It received its name from British Captain John Meares who had searched for the river, couldn’t find it, and determined that it didn’t exist.

3. More than 40 percent of all wheat that is exported from the entire United States is at one time or another barged down the Columbia River.

4. There are 14 hydroelectric dams that produce power on the Columbia River, three of them lie within the borders of Canada’s British Columbia.

5. Despite the fact that the Columbia River starts in Canada and flows south into Washington State, the first 200 miles of the river actually flows northwest from its source.

6. The largest dam on the Columbia River is the Grand Coulee Dam. The original planned height of the dam was to be between 200 and 300 feet, during construction the planned height of the dam was changed to 500 feet high.

7. The three Columbia River dams that are found inside Canada, Mica Dam, Duncan Dam and Hugh Keenleyside Dam, were all built in the late 1960s and early 1970s and were required as part of the Columbia River Treaty between the United States and Canada. They are all mainly used for water storage, although power production was enabled at two of the dams years after they were completed.

The Columbia River is a great source of hydroelectric power and recreational opportunities. It has developed into one of the more important resources that the Pacific Northwest has and is used to the benefit of the entire nation. There are a number of worthwhile attractions and locations to visit up and down the entire length of the Columbia River.

1. Guam is the largest island in Micronesia.

2. Introduced accidentally to Guam following World War II, the Brown Tree Snake has become something of a problem. They nearly eliminated the population of a number of birds on the island and as there was no snake population in Guam before their arrival, they have no natural predators.

3. Because of Japan taking over the island during World War II, Guam is the only piece of American soil with a population in the thousands to be occupied by foreign troops except for the British in the War of 1812.

4. Though the people of Guam are American citizens, they cannot vote for President.

5. Approximately 29% of the island of Guam is controlled by American military bases.

6. Because of its location on the other side of the International Dateline, Guam’s official motto is: “Where America’s Day Begins”.

7. If you were from Guam, you would be a Guamanian

With its rich history and high concentration of military bases, though it is not a state, Guam will continue to play an important role in the United States of America.

1. Venice has been featured, or at least referenced, in a number of films, including: Othello (1952), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), La Femme Nikita (1990), Everyone Says I Love You (1996), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), The Italian Job (2003), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), Chasing Liberty (2004), Casanova (2005), and Casino Royale (2006) along with two other James Bond films (Moonraker and From Russia With Love).

2. The city of Venice sits on what is known as the Venetian Lagoon and stretches across more than 115 separate and individual islands.

3. Venice became part of Italy in 1866. Before that it had been part of, among others, its own Republic, the Austrian Empire, France’s Napoleon Bonaparte’s empire, and the Roman Empire.

4. The classic and much-recognized Venetian Gondola is now mainly only used for tourists.

5. The city of Venice is Europe’s largest urban car-free area.

6. Most of the wood pilings that the foundations of the city of Venice’s buildings sit on came from Russia.

7. Venice is home to more than 400 bridges.

Venice will continue to be a top destination in both Europe and Italy. With the opportunity to see so many things you will never see any where else in the world, why would you want to visit Venice too?

1. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 gives all land on North America above the 49th parallel to Canada, and below the 49th parallel to the United States. Vancouver Island is the only part of Canada that extends below the 49th parallel that remains part of Canada.

2. The largest of the two glaciers on the island is the Comox Glacier

3. For 17 years, from 1849 to 1866, Vancouver Island was its own colony before finally being added to the colony of British Columbia.

4. The mildest temperatures in all of Canada are found on Vancouver Island.

5. Though colonized extensively by the British, Vancouver Island was home to the only Spanish settlement ever within the current boundaries of Canada. This settlement was Fort San Miguel near Yorquot.

6. Vancouver Island is accessible from the United State by ferry from four different port cities: Seattle, Bellingham, Anacortes, and Port Angeles.

7. Due to floatplane and helicopter activity, the harbor in the city of Victoria is officially Vancouver Island’s second busiest airport.

Vancouver Island will remain one of the best destinations in the Pacific Northwest area; it is filled with history, natural beauty and tons of recreational opportunities.

1. The Grand Coulee Dam is almost a mile long.
2. The original purpose of Grand Coulee Dam was to irrigate much of Central Washington, as World War II approached the primary use turned to the creation of electricity to assist in the war effort.
3. The reservoir behind Grand Coulee Dam is called Lake Roosevelt which stretches over 150 miles to the Canadian border.
4. Grand Coulee Dam actually creates two reservoirs, Lake Roosevelt and Banks Lake. Water behind Grand Coulee Dam is pumped uphill to fill Banks Lake which sits 280 feet above Lake Roosevelt.
5. Grand Coulee Dam is the largest concrete dam, and also the largest concrete structure, in North America.
6. The rising water behind Grand Coulee Dam forced the town of Kettle Falls to be relocated.
7. Initially the dam was planned to be shorter than it turned out to be, one of the reasons the design was changed to feature a taller dam was to create more jobs during the depression era.

Grand Coulee Dam has since been dwarfed by other dams around the world, but it remains a great accomplishment in history and a great place to visit.

1. The highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro is called Uhuru Peak.
2. The youngest person ever to climb Mount Kilimanjaro was 12 years old.
3. There is a sign at the summit, placed there by the Tanzanian government, that congratulates climbers for reaching the top.
4. Mount Kilimanjaro is a free standing mountain and is not part of a mountain range.
5. From 1889 through 1918 after the area had become known as German East Africa, the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro (Uhuru Peak) was called Kaiser-Wilhelm-Spitze. It reverted back to its prior name after Germany’s defeat in World War I.
6. The summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is covered by mobile phone service.
7. Only local Tanzanian trek operators have the ability to purchase the necessary permits for a climb on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain on the continent of Africa and for a number of reasons will remain popular with mountain climbers and adventurers from all over the world.