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Greenland – United States
U.S. Greenland Talk Continues
Leaders of European nations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are raising objections to the continued rhetoric of United States leadership about taking control over the Danish territory of Greenland. On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump repeated claims on Sunday that Greenland was vital to U.S. interests, and a senior aide contended yesterday that no country would fight the U.S. over the territory. European leaders across the NATO block responded to say the population of Greenland was entitled to decide its own fate. The world’s largest island, Greenland has a tiny population but bears significant mineral resources, and its position in relation to the Arctic makes it important as reductions in sea ice make the region an area of international competition for shipping and resource extraction.
This map depicts Greenland in relation to other countries that have claims on the Arctic territory, as well as the location of Greenland’s known mineral resources. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Anadolu Agency
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Iran
Anti-Government Protests Grow
At least 25 people have been killed and over 1,000 arrested in Iran during the first nine days of protests that started in the bazaar of Tehran over the plunging value of the currency and soaring inflation. The authorities have acknowledged the economic hardships but accused networks linked to foreign powers of stoking the protests. The shopkeepers’ protests continue today in the bazaar, with about 150 people focusing on economic demands. The protests have spread to some cities in western and southern Iran but do not match the scale of unrest that swept the nation in 2022-23 over the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in the custody of morality police for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code. Though smaller, these protests have quickly expanded from an economic focus to broader frustrations, with some protesters chanting against the country’s clerical rulers.
This interactive map depicts cities across Iran where anti-government protests have taken place since December 28. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Newsweek
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United States
Whales Near Extinction Spotted
The North Atlantic right whale, one of the world’s rarest whale species, is having more babies this year than in some recent seasons, but experts say many more young are needed to help stave off the possibility of extinction. Its population numbers an estimated 384 animals and is slowly rising after several years of decline. The whales give birth off the southeastern U.S. every winter before migrating north to feed. Researchers have identified 15 calves this winter. That number is higher than two of the last three winters, but the species needs approximately 50 or more calves per year for many years to stop its decline and allow for recovery, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The whales are vulnerable to collisions with large ships and entanglement in commercial fishing gear. This year’s increase in births is encouraging, but the species remains in peril without stronger laws to protect against those threats.
This map depicts the North Atlantic right whale critical habitat. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: At 430 feet (130 m) above sea level, where can you find a memorial altar placed at the tip of an extinct volcano?
A: The Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh, Scotland
Rising from the center of Edinburgh, Scotland, is Castle Rock, the mountain on which Edinburgh Castle is situated. Castle Rock is a dolerite plug – a massive chunk of volcanic basalt left behind by a volcano that died around 340 million years ago. In a convergence of ancient geology and contemporary history and culture, the very peak of the plug emerges through the floor of the Scottish National War Memorial, a chapel inside the castle grounds, on which an altar bearing a steel casket holding the names of Scotland’s war dead is placed. The chapel was completed in 1927 to memorialize Scottish soldiers killed in World War One, and the rolls were updated with all Scottish military casualties in subsequent conflicts.
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Q: With over 220 ancient pyramids dating back 4,600 years, which country touts the world’s most?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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