If you travel directly north from Lima, Peru, until you hit the United states, which of these cities do you come closest to: Phoenix, Houston, New Orleans, or Miami?

It may seem counterintuitive, but a journey straight north from Lima, Peru, would land you nearest to the sun-drenched shores of Miami, Florida. This geographical fun fact stems from the way our perception of the globe often differs from the reality of map projections. South America, and specifically Peru's western coast, is situated much farther east than many people realize. A look at a globe or a map centered on the Americas will reveal that the westernmost parts of South America are not directly aligned with the western United States.

Lima, the capital of Peru, sits at a longitude of approximately 77 degrees west. Traveling directly north means staying on or very close to this line of longitude. When you trace this line northward, you'll find that it passes well to the east of the other cities listed. Phoenix, at around 112 degrees west, is significantly farther to the west. Houston (about 95 degrees west) and New Orleans (around 90 degrees west) are also considerably west of Lima's longitudinal line.

Miami, on the other hand, is located at approximately 80 degrees west longitude. This places it just a few degrees to the west of a direct northern path from Lima, making it the closest of the four options. This surprising geographical alignment highlights how the curvature of the Earth and the true placement of continents can challenge our mental maps of the world. It’s a great reminder that when it comes to geography, our intuition can sometimes lead us astray.