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Afghanistan
U.S. Troops Leave Airbase
The United States left its last Afghan base on Thursday night, turning the base over to the Afghan government for the first time in two decades. Bagram is Afghanistan’s largest air base, and the U.S. has occupied it since 2001. The base was originally built by the Soviet Union in the 1950s, and occupied by Soviet troops from 1979 until 1989. The departure of troops out of Bagram symbolizes that major US military activity in the country is coming to an end. The United States will leave 650 troops to protect the embassy in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, indefinitely.
This map depicts Bagram, the largest air base in Afghanistan where American troops were withdrawn Thursday night. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Barron’s
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United States
Trump Organization Indicted
Yesterday the Trump Organization and its CFO, Allen Weisselberg were indicted by a grand jury on 15 counts of tax fraud. The CFO and Organization pleaded not guilty to all charges. Former President Donald Trump himself was not charged. The charges allege that the Trump Organization helped employees evade taxes by underreporting income and accepting perks that were not reported to authorities. The charges also allege that Weisselberg did not report $1.7 million in perks as income to authorities to evade paying taxes. Weisselberg could face more than a decade in prison if convicted. The indictment is part of a larger ongoing investigation into Trump and the Trump Organization’s finances.
This map depicts Trump Organization projects around the world as of 2020. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: DefenseOne
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Arctic
Ice Loss Threatens Arctic Life
A study published in Communications Earth & Environment says the Arctics’ ‘Last Ice Area,’ a refuge for wildlife, could be in more danger from climate change than previously predicted. Satellite data and computer modeling show that the Wandel Sea thick sea ice coverage last year was the second-lowest on record. Researchers estimate 80% of the melt was caused by weather factors like wind but 20% related to climate change factors. The Arctic, the region of sea ice north of Greenland and Canada, has long been considered the last and most crucial barricade against climate change and sea-level rise. The loss of Arctic ice will mean devastating impacts for the region’s ‘ice-dependent’ life such as polar bears, gulls, walruses, and Indigenous peoples.
This map depicts the location of the Wandel Sea compared to the ‘Last Ice Area’ in the Arctic. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: With a Gini coefficient of 0.59, which city is considered to have the most unequal wealth distribution in the United States?
A: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Although the United States is the wealthiest country in the world with a per capita GDP of over $65,000, there is a high degree of income inequality among the population. The U.S. has an overall Gini coefficient of .42, comparable to Cote d’Ivoire, Argentina, and Haiti. Income inequality varies significantly across geographies in the U.S. According to the 2019 American Community Survey released by the U.S. Census Bureau, of American cities with populations of at least 300,000, San Juan ranked the most unequal, with Atlanta and Miami following closely behind.
Source
Click here to learn more about our upcoming Fall Symposium Geography 2050: Towards a More Equitable Future.
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Q: What city is attributed to the invention of fireworks in the second century B.C.?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Tuesday’s DailyGeo.
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