Fun with Maps

Like millions of others I am a fan of the Big Bang Theory and especially Sheldon Cooper. I even liked his Fun with Flags videos. Seriously. I wished they would continue.

My name is Dan Hanson and I have also been a longtime fan of maps and the role they play in a region's history, commerce, politics, culture and so on. So I started a new video podcast series called Fun with Maps.

Running ClevelandPeople.com which features the 120 or so different ethnic groups that are represented in the area, I've noticed how the geography of a place has played a role in its culture and history.

For example:,

• When you see how close the Horn of Africa is to the Arabian Peninsula you will understand how important the Suez Canal , Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are.



• Or what does it mean for Ethiopia to be landlocked?



• Or for Somalia to have that huge coastline?



• How did a little piece of Russia get to the West of Lithuania?



• Which river is longer - The Nile or the Amazon?



• Why can you see the Aurora Borealis so often in Lapland? And what famous figure comes from Lapland?

We won't just look at countries and large regions. We'll look at how cities split by a river (Chicago, Cleveland, Budapest, etc.) have been influenced by their geography.

There's so much more.

Don't expect cinematic artistry. I don't have the ability and that's not the intention. I just want to share my interest in Maps with others.

So Sheldon Cooper had Fun with Flags and I'm now hoping you will join me in having Fun with Maps.

Watch the introductory video of Fun with Maps. 

Currently there are 3 episodes posted (in addition to the intro video)

The Horn of Africa, Finland and the Nile River.

See Fun with Maps