During big south swells the beach area in view of the Teahupoo reef monster produces some fine waves, also great for beginners who can simultaneously watch the pros surf the big waves on the reef in the distance.

BBC: Learning to surf in the land of giants

It's been 140 years since the Homestead Act sent waves of settlers across the Great Plains, staking claim to parcels of land 160 acres in size.

NPR: The New Homestead Act

According to which you believe, great earthquakes will cause California to fall into the Pacific, tidal waves will devastate coastal cities, or the earth's crust will shift.

ECONOMIST: Not the end of the world

To combat the surge in storms and waves, the government has built what locals call the Great Wall of Male: a concrete barrier 1.8-metre (6 ft) high that partly rings the capital.

ECONOMIST: Letter from Maldives