The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 World

Terrain World, in 36 editions.

The entry for World published Terrain in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 18 editions. Each is shown as published. Terrain in every entry.

editions changed the text
18
the first edition with it
1990
the latest edition with it
2025

Published as “Terrain” (1990 to 2025).

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.

2025 edition

Changed since 2024

Open the 2025 entry

  • a compilation of terrain extremes can be found in the World elevation entry;
  • the world's ocean floors also display wide variation, as explained in the bathymetry and major ocean currents entries under each of the five ocean entries ( Arctic , Atlantic , Indian , Pacific , and Southern )
top ten world caves:
compiled from Geography - note(s) under country entries
largest cave:
  • Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam, is the world's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage by volume;
  • it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft);
  • it connects to Thung cave, but not yet officially -- when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volume
largest ice cave:
the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, Austria, is the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi)
longest cave:
Mammoth Cave in west-central Kentucky is the world's longest known cave system with more than 650 km (405 mi) of surveyed passageways
longest salt cave:
  • the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom in Israel is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi);
  • its survey is not complete, so its recorded length will eventually increase
longest underwater cave:
the Sac Actun cave system in Mexico is the longest underwater cave in the world at 348 km (216 mi), and the second-longest cave worldwide
longest lava tube cave:
Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is the world's longest and deepest lava tube cave; it has been surveyed at 66 km (41 mi) long and 1,102 m (3,614 ft) deep
deepest cave:
Veryovkina Cave in the country of Georgia is the world's deepest cave at 2,212 m (7,257 ft)
deepest underwater cave:
the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete, and it could be 800-1,200 m deep
largest cave chamber:
the Miao Room in the Gebihe cave system in China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park has about 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volume
largest bat cave:
  • Bracken Cave outside San Antonio, Texas, is the world's largest bat cave;
  • an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October, making it the world's largest known concentration of mammals

bonus "cave" - the world's largest sinkhole: the Xiaoxhai Tiankeng sinkhole in Chongqing Municipality, China is 660 m deep, with a volume of 130 million cu m

tremendous variation of terrain may be found on each of the continents, and a compilation of terrain extremes can be found in the World "Elevation" elevation entry; the world's ocean floors also display extraordinary variation -- check wide variation, as explained in the "Bathymetry" bathymetry and "Major surface currents" major ocean currents entries under each of the five ocean entries (Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, ( Arctic , Atlantic , Indian , Pacific , and Southern) for further information on oceanic environs Southern )
Top top ten world caves: compiled from "Geography Geography - note(s)" note(s) under various country entries where more details may be found
largest cave: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam, is the world's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage by volume; it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thung cave, but not yet officially -- when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volume
largest ice cave: the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, Austria, is the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi)
longest cave: Mammoth Cave in west-central Kentucky is the world's longest known cave system with more than 650 km (405 mi) of surveyed passageways
longest salt cave: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom in Israel is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete, so its recorded length will eventually increase
longest underwater cave: the Sac Actun cave system in Mexico is the longest underwater cave in the world at 348 km (216 mi), and the second longest second-longest cave worldwide
longest lava tube cave: Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is the world's longest and deepest lava tube cave; it has been surveyed at 66 km (41 mi) long and 1,102 m (3,614 ft) deep
deepest cave: Veryovkina Cave in the country of Georgia is the world's deepest cave, plunging down cave at 2,212 m (7,257 ft)
deepest underwater cave: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete, and it could be 800-1,200 m deep
largest cave chamber: the Miao Room in the Gebihe cave system in China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park has about 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volume
largest bat cave: Bracken Cave outside San Antonio, Texas, is the world's largest bat cave; an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October, making it the world's largest known concentration of mammals
bonus "cave" - the world's largest sinkhole: the Xiaoxhai Tiankeng sinkhole in Chongqing Municipality, China is 660 m deep, with a volume of 130 million cu m

Cite this page

Central Intelligence Agency. “World: Terrain.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/world/terrain.

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