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1240 clues · 132 countries.
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1240 clues · 132 countries.
Showing 1240 clues across 132 countries.
Trees in Alaska are generally thinner and have less broad leaves than those seen in the other 49 states.
Most of interior and northern Alaska lies in subarctic or tundra climate zones. These areas feature relatively low amounts of forest undergrowth and shorter trees.
The Alaskan towns in the Alexander Archipelago, on the British Columbia border have a unique look. Tall mountains with lush green forests can be seen in the background, with the majority of buildings made of wood. In addition, Generation 2 coverage is often overcast and misty.
NOTE: Coastal areas of Oregon and Washington can have a similar appearance in terms of landscape and foliage.
Aspen trees (Populus tremuloides) can be found in lower elevation areas of interior and south-central regions of Alaska. These trees have white bark and rounded leaves.
Due to Alaska’s very cold climate; agricultural fields are mainly found in the south of the state, mostly in the Matanuska Valley and Kenai Peninsula.
Juneau, Alaska’s Capital city, is the largest settlement in the Alaskan panhandle. Therefore, it is much more ‘built up’ than other towns in this area. The city is surrounded by heavily forested mountains and hills.
The Denali highway, stretching from Cantwell to Paxson in central Alaska, is a mostly gravel highway in the ‘Alaska’ mountain range. This road runs generally east to west, is covered in the generation 2 camera, and was taken in late summer, so wildflowers and green shrubby plants are common.
Albania is generally a mountainous country, with a Mediterranean climate and vegetation. In between the hills and mountains, you can sometimes find more flat, agricultural valleys. The mountains are usually quite green, sometimes with patches of exposed rock visible.
Albania is generally a very mountainous country. This map shows the elevation and relief.
Low-lying areas are mostly concentrated in the west, around Shkodër, Tirana and Vlorë. This part of the country is characterised by agricultural flatlands and low, undulating hills. Note that the highland plateau around Korçë in the southeast is also very flat.
The highest mountains can be found in the far north and the far south. In places, these mountains can have an almost alpine look.
You can click on the image to enlarge it.
A wide, almost dried out river valley going southeast to northwest, can be seen along the SH71 between Pishaj and Kokel.
A couple of small roads northwest of Vlorë can be recognised by the very coastal-looking Aleppo pine forest.
The final road with a yellow centre line is the SH1 north of Tirana. It goes through a wide valley with fairly tall mountains on either side.
In Tirana, Durrës and on the A3 and SH3 south of Tirana you can find highways which are divided by concrete blocks, with grass and greenery in between.
The general landscape consists of green, tropical mountains with many palm trees. Small roads are often made of concrete. Most houses are one storey, and have a simple box design. Plain metal sheet roofs are also very common.
Ofu Airport is small with a concrete runway. The Google Car covering it has two orange straps on the roof. Many palm trees can also be seen on the other side of the runway.
All the Generation 3 coverage was taken in October, meaning that many deciduous trees have autumn colours.
Pas de la Casa, a touristy city in eastern Andorra, can be easily recognized by the plethora of shops and hotels. As it is located at an altitude of 2080 metres, there are no trees visible on the mountains surrounding it.
Penguins can be found on parts of the coverage.
NOTE: This is mostly useful to exclude coverage in the Arctics.
A beach with black sand and many penguins can be seen on Deception Island.
Cuverville Island can be recognised by the overcast weather combined with the coastline to the northwest. You’ll also see a decent number of penguins, particularly toward the east.
In the Chaco and Formosa provinces, you will often see sandy soil with an abundance of vegetation; mainly low trees and bushes.
Grassland with a few separated tree plantations is generally found in this area.
Small lakes near the road are occasionally seen in the province of Buenos Aires.
Roads with reddish pavement lined with long Argentine needle-grass are common in San Luis.
If you see this kind of vegetation with flat grass and a low number of bushes, you are almost certainly in the state of Tierra del Fuego or southeastern Santa Cruz.
The majority of tree plantations in Argentina are located in the Entre Rios province.
NOTE: Uruguay and southern Brazil have them as well. Make sure to look at other clues before guessing.
Beech forests are commonly found in the state of Tierra del Fuego.
Coperinicia alba, also known as the Caranday Wax Palm, have short, fan-like leaves that tend to grow in low-density, single-species forests. Most common in Formosa, they can also be found in Chaco, Corrientes and northern Santa Fe.
Trithrinax Campestris, or the caranday palm, not to be confused with the Caranday Wax Palm, is a rustic palm native to the Sierras de Córdoba with a broader distribution in San Luis and northern mountainous Argentina. It can be identified by its compact fan-like leaves with a trunk hidden by a coat of dead-leaves.
The Butia yatay palm has arching, pinnate leaves and often grows at an incline with varying heights. It is most common in Corrientes and Parque Nacional El Palmar, Entre Rios.
The Macaw Palm has small thin leaves with a visible spear shaped top. It can be found as a decorational plant all across Argentina, however in the wild it is most common in Formosa, Chaco and Misiones.
Trichocereus atacamensis, or the cardón, is a cactus native to the high elevation mountain ranges of Catamarca, Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy. It can be identified by its candelabra-like appearance and fuzzy golden brown spines.
Stetsonia coryne, or the toothpick cactus, is a large tree-like cactus with many branches and spines resembling toothpicks. Its habitat includes a hotspot between Catamarca and Cordoba as well as the border area between Chaco, Salta and Formosa.
Wild sunflowers (Tithonia tubaeformis) are often found in Salta, Jujuy and Tucumán.
Prosopis caldenia, known as the caldén, is a decently large deciduous tree with small leaves and sinuous branches. It is mainly found in La Pampa.
NOTE: This tree can sometimes be confused with other trees such as the White Carob.
Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) is one of the most defining flora of the Pampas region. It is recognizable by its long bunched reeds and white fluffy flowerheads.
Sugarcane plantations are most common in Tucumán, with hotspots appearing in Salta and Jujuy.
Fields of sorghum can most commonly be seen in Santa Fe, Córdoba and Buenos Aires. It can be identified by its dark red flowerheads.
Corn fields can be found in most of northern Argentina, however they are most common in Córdoba, Buenos Aires and Santiago del Estero.
Fields of sunflowers are mainly found in southern Chaco, and less commonly in Buenos Aires and southern Córdoba.
Single rows of poplar trees, characterised by their thin and tall appearance, are very common around Neuquén. The area is also very flat.
The Pink Trumpet Tree (Handroanthus impetiginosus) can be found in cities in northern Salta such as Orán, Tartagal and General Mosconi.
Salt pans in Argentina are typically found in Jujuy.
NOTE: They can also be found in southwestern Bolivia and northeastern Chile.
If you see vineyards with mountains in the west and flatness in the east, you are most likely in the outskirts of Mendoza.
NOTE: There are multiple wine regions in Argentina, but the Mendoza wine region is the most recognisable one of them all.
Semi-coastal grass hills are seen in southern Buenos Aires, especially northeast of Bahía Blanca.
The monkey puzzle tree can be found in western Neuquen. The most specimens are seen on state road 23.
NOTE: They are seen on the other side in Chile as well.
Gum trees (eucalyptus) are by far the most common type of tree in Australia. Their bark is typically light-coloured, with puffy puffy clusters of leaves.
NOTE: Their look may vary significantly, depending on your location within the country. More details can be found in the region-guessing section.
Olive-green possum guards are only found on electricity poles in Tasmania.
NOTE: Possum guards are found all over Australia. The colour is what distinguishes them.
These brush plants are commonly seen in Western Australia.
The vegetation in the area surrounding Darwin is extremely distinct. It features dark red soil, as well as rich green grass and trees. The tree trunks are typically black.
Termite mounds can sometimes be seen in the Northern Territory and rarely northern WA and QLD. They appear as brown, spiky formations rising out of the ground.
The area around Warramboo in SA to Madura in WA has a unique landscape. Vegetation is quite dry and is made up of shrubs and wide crowned eucalyptus. In addition, the soil is sandy with a slight orange tint.
The dry area east of Adelaide and into northwestern Victoria has a similar landscape, with the same vegetation but usually with whiter soil.
NOTE: The soil gets more red in the WA side. Redder soil can also be seen more inland on the Victorian side around Mildura. In addition, the Nullarbor Highway has a distinct landscape.
Lush green or golden fields can be found in this band from the south of the Yorke Peninsula to Echuca. In the SA side, the landscape should be drier than the Victorian side and more wide crowned eucalyptus can be seen. On the Victorian side, the trees generally have more leaves and are taller.
NOTE: The area near Mount Gambier has a distinct landscape. For more information, see below.
Coastal northern Queensland is very tropical. Typical vegetation consists of palm trees and dark green vegetation.
Sugarcane plantations are very common in Northern Queensland, due to its tropical climate.
NOTE: Sugarcane plantations can be seen as far south as northern NSW, however are most commonly found in northern Queensland. For a detailed overview, see this map.
The landscape in inland NSW is mostly flat, and the soil gets redder the more inland you go. Vegetation consists of mostly dry pale-green shrubs. Further east and on the Queensland and Victorian borders, the climate gets more temperate but is still quite dry and more eucalyptus trees can be seen, with the soil transitioning into a more sandy colour as well as more hills being visible.
Tasmania has a cool temperate climate which is uncommon in the rest of Australia and is comparable to central-southern Chile or New Zealand. Typical landscape consists of green rolling hills that can look dry in winter coverage. Eucalyptus trees can be seen on the side of roads and on hills in the distance. Rural Tasmania is also quite hilly with dense eucalyptus forests making up the landscape.
NOTE: Certain areas of Victoria can look similar so make sure to look for other clues.
The northern QLD city of Cairns is distinct due to its tropical vegetation and big green mountains around the city.
NOTE: To differentiate Cairns from other northern Queensland towns, Cairns has many high rise buildings and should feel quite urban. Divided roads are also common in downtown Cairns, and only commonly seen in Mackay further south, where it is less tropical and more flat.
The area around Mount Gambier, SA features white soil and extensive pine tree plantations, making it recognisable.
Kangaroo Island in South Australia tends to have a distinct look. The vegetation mostly consists of bushes and low, stubby eucalyptus trees with puffy clusters of leaves. The orange soil colour is reminiscent of Western Australia.
In addition, the island only has Generation 2 and Generation 4 coverage.
The Stirling Ranges are a small mountain range in Western Australia that tower over a largely flat plain, such that they can be viewed from a distance.
The Nullarbor Highway (Latin for “no tree”) can be easily recognized thanks to the flatness, overall grey look and very low vegetation.
NOTE: Use the road angle or road lines to determine whether you are on the WA or SA side.
The Stuart Highway from Alice Springs to around Pimba, SA can be easily recognized by its bright orange dirt, short trees and blue car Generation 4.
NOTE: Use the road angle and whether there are rumble strips to determine whether you are in NT or SA. Rumble strips are much rarer on the NT side.
Most of Austria is mountainous and covered in forests. However, some areas in the east and northeast are much more flat and agricultural.
Vineyards are limited to the far eastern part of the country.
You can find a very precise map here. Notably, there are a lot of vineyards close to Vienna and around Lake Neusiedl.
Most of the Azores visible on Street View consists of open agricultural fields in a rolling landscape, often with taller round hills in the background.
NOTE: Madeira has a very mountainous landscape, and very rarely has open agricultural fields.
Hydrangeas can commonly be seen on the Azores.
NOTE: They can rarely be found on Madeira.
Japanese cedars (cryptomeria japonica) are very common on the Azores.
NOTE: While they can less commonly be seen on Madeira, they are not native to any part of mainland Europe.
Black and white cows are very common on the Azores.
NOTE: Cows on Madeira are usually brown with white spots.
Bodies of water and agricultural fields can be often seen beside the streets of Bangladesh.
Streets in Bangladesh are often lined by trees, which sometimes have white paint on the bottom of their trunks.
Rice is the main agricultural crop in Bangladesh and is planted twice a year. The different rice seasons can be told apart by the height and colour of the rice and are very useful for regionguessing.
Short green rice that is barely sticking out of the water is known as early growth rice. Early growth rice can be seen in the states of Khulna, Mymensingh and south of Padma River in Dhaka.
NOTE: Beware that this, and the following tips, are only accurate in Generation 4 coverage.
Slightly taller rice, in the middle of growing, which still remains green, can be seen in the states of Rangpur, Barishal and Chittagong.
Fully-grown rice is characterised by being noticeably taller, as well as having a yellow or orange colour and fluffier tips - the fluffiness signifies that the rice is ripe. Fully-grown rice is mostly seen in the state of Rajshahi, but it is also present in Rangpur and Chittagong.
Harvested rice can be identified by its beige or brown colour and shorter, cut down appearance. It can be seen alongside fully-grown, unharvested rice as well as freshly planted early growth rice in adjacent fields. This is most commonly seen in the states of Sylhet and southern Khulna.
Rice fields require some rest time, so it's natural to come across some off-season barren, empty fields without rice altogether. Off-season fields are mostly seen in the state of Dhaka, north of Padma River.
Vast rice fields with almost nothing else in view can be seen in the border area between the states of Dhaka, Mymensingh and Sylhet.
While most of Bangladesh is almost completely flat, in the eastern parts of Chittagong you may find fairly tall, forested and uncultivated hills.
Corn tends to be planted in the west of Bangladesh - large and medium-sized fields can be found in Rajshahi, Rangpur, western Mymensingh and northern Khulna.
Smaller patches of corn can be found in the south of Barishal, usually adjacent to other crops.
Jute is a tall-growing green crop which gets dried and used in the making of rugs, bags and other goods. Because of when the coverage was taken, jute can almost exclusively be found on Street View in Rangpur. In its dried state it can be found hanging off fences and drying on the roads anywhere in the country.
Canola is a low-growing crop with yellow flowers that is used to make cooking oil. It is usually planted during the off-season for rice, making it extremely common north of Padma river in the state of Dhaka.
Tea production in Bangladesh is concentrated in the highlands of southern Sylhet and, rarely, Chittagong.
Standalone fruit trees in Bangladesh are most commonly seen in the states of Rajshahi and Rangpur. Fruit orchards with systematically planted trees, however, are concentrated near the Indian border in both states.
Sunflower fields are found in the south of Barishal state.
Fields of watermelons can also be found in the south of Barishal.
Eucalyptus trees are tall trees with lush crowns and ivory-coloured trunks. In Bangladesh they are more common in the north, with Rangpur, Rajshahi and Mymensingh being the most likely states.
Blossoming trees are tied to coverage and seasonal metas in Bangladesh, and are only found in the states where coverage was taken during spring time - Khulna, Mymensingh and southern Dhaka.
NOTE: Beware that this is only accurate in Generation 4 coverage.
Beach Sheoaks (Casuarina equisetifolia) are thin evergreen trees with thin, long, drooping branchlets. Like the name suggests, they are mostly observed in coastal regions - along the coast of the Teknaf Peninsula and around Noakhali city in Chittagong.
The Ardennes, located in the southeast part of Belgium, have a very distinct landscape. You can see a lot of steep hills, dense forests, and valleys.
NOTE: The Ardennes extend partially into France, Luxembourg, and Germany.
Many parts of the Belgian North Sea coast are lined by apartment blocks, in a manner that is often derisively referred to as a “wall” of buildings by locals.
Near the coast, you will also sometimes be able to spot a dune landscape, with low bushes, long grass and sandy soil.
The most typical look of Bermuda is somewhat dense vegetation, consisting of fairly small trees and a lot of bushes, combined with single family houses strewn across the landscape.
Palms are very commonly found on Bermuda.
The Phobjikha Valley, south of Nubding, is a wide and relatively flat agricultural valley. It is by far the largest open valley with no major river visible on Street View.
While the Paro International Airport is located in a dry northwest valley, the Bumthang Domestic Airport is located in a wet northern valley.
The Altiplano (“high plain”) is an immense highland plateau that dominates most of western Bolivia. It is covered in grasslands that range from green to arid. Some parts are suitable for agriculture, whereas other parts are extremely dry. Grass growing in tufts is common (sometimes referred to as “Bolivian hedgehogs” in the community).
NOTE: While it is generally fairly flat, you will often see hills and mountains around you. However, as a general rule, the road itself will be mostly flat.
The grasslands of the Altiplano tend to look more lush in the more northern half: the area close to El Alto and La Paz.
NOTE: Due to seasonal coverage, there are some exceptions to this, but in general this is a good rule of thumb to distinguish between the different parts of the Altiplano.
Conversely, the Altiplano looks more arid in the more southern half: around Oruro, and the roads going southwest towards Chile.
NOTE: There is one major exception to this: one driving side of the divided part of Ruta 1 looks somewhat green all the way up to Oruro (due to this coverage being captured in a different season).
Lake Titicaca, on the border with Peru, is the most significant body of water in Bolivia. It is located entirely within the Altiplano. It can be seen from two roads:
The section of Ruta 1 between Desaguadero and Guaqui. Here, the lake will always be to your north.
The section of Ruta 2 between San Pablo de Tiquina and Batallas. Here, the lake will mostly be to your south or west.
The landscape around Titicaca is very green, compared to most of the western half of Bolivia.
The area east of the Andes is very green and tropical, with lots of agriculture – especially around Santa Cruz. This area is mostly very flat, though you will see large hills on some of the roads closer to the Andes. The soil tends to have a pink colour.
La Paz is a very hilly city. Most of La Paz itself is situated in meandering valleys, surrounded by hills that often tend to be covered in green vegetation (as opposed to the more dry hillsides found in many other Bolivian urban areas).
Sucre is situated in a very hilly landscape, and as a result you can see many elevation changes in its streets. Uniquely, you can see these round, tree-covered hills in many parts of the city.
Potosí is also situated in a very hilly landscape, like Sucre. However, its landscape is much more arid, with little to no trees atop the hills.
Santa Cruz is the only large Bolivian city located in a tropical (and flat) landscape.
Note that there are several smaller towns around Santa Cruz that look essentially identical. Some of these have extensive side-road coverage too.
Ruta 1 west of El Alto is a paved road that runs through green grasslands. The road itself is mostly flat, but you will usually see hills nearby. On the road, you will often see numbers marked in white paint.
Near the western end of the road, close to Desaguadero and the border with Peru, you will be able to see Lake Titicaca to your north.
NOTE: This road can look very similar to Ruta 2 northwest of El Alto. Road angles can help if you are not sure.
The section of Ruta 3 around Pongo, northeast of La Paz, can easily be recognised by the breathtaking views of enormous mountains, which are often surrounded by low-hanging clouds. The mountains are also recognizable by their dark grey rocks lightly covered in greenish grass.
The N Yungas Road (also popularly known as Death Road), is a bendy, small and unpaved road, high up in the mountains east of La Paz. The vegetation is very tropical. The coverage in the southern part of the road is very foggy. True to its unofficial name, this road looks like a very dangerous drive. You can sometimes see some daring cyclists.
NOTE: The northern half of this road looks less foggy and dangerous. However, it should still be recognizable, as it is the only dirt road meandering through jungle hills in Bolivia.
Around Morochata, northwest of Cochabamba on Ruta 25, there is a small isolated piece of coverage that looks extremely similar to Peru. It is a dirt road that meanders through a mountainous landscape. Knowing this road can be extremely helpful for country streak purposes.
The western part of this road is located in a green mountain landscape, with fields on the mountain slopes and lots of eucalyptus trees around.
Towards the east, it transitions into a more arid high altitude landscape that still looks very similar to Peru.
The roads around the town of Mataral have recognizable coverage: a very green, hilly landscape, and sunny weather with only a couple of clouds. While the hills are very green, the vegetation is not very dense, and quite low.
This coverage is limited to Ruta 7 from Comarapa to Mairana, and Ruta 22 to Vallegrande. Other roads in Bolivia with similar vegetation tend to either have different weather (overcast) or terrain (more flat).
In the aforementioned Mataral area, you will often see large cacti hiding between the bushes, as well as trees with yellow flowers.
The eastern section of Ruta 4, east of Santa Cruz, runs in a general east-west direction, through a mostly flat, green landscape. In some places, you can see some low hills. This road has both asphalt and concrete pad sections.
Between the villages of Villa Vitalina and Coipasa, there is an isolated stretch of coverage where the Google car drove through extremely arid desert terrain. This small road is located close to the southwestern end of Ruta 12, near the Chilean border. It can be hard to spot on the map, because it blends in with the salt flat.
Closer to Villa Vitalina, the car drove over the salt flat. Closer to Coipasa, the car drove on an unpaved dirt road, where you can see cone-shaped volcanic hills. In both parts, there is virtually no vegetation.
Sajama National Park was covered by this unique Google car: it has a black roof rack with a series of metal bars.
The coverage is on an unpaved road surrounded by fluffy bushes. The Nevado Sajama volcano is always visible. The car briefly drove through the small village of Tomarapi, which can be recognized by its traditional buildings with adobe walls and thatched roofs.
The typical Botswana landscape is dry and mostly flat, though a limited amount of elevation can be found in certain regions. Common vegetation includes shrubs, small trees, and occasionally dry, golden grasslands. The soil is arid, sandy and ranges in colour from white to red.
NOTE: The border region of South Africa can have a similar landscape.
Botswana has many unique and distinct regions throughout the country. This image breaks down the main factors that differentiate each distinctive landscape by soil, vegetation and other clues.
You can click on the image to enlarge it.
RESOURCE: This image was made possible by the invaluable research done by Jasper Woodard. You can check out his Botswana videos on his YouTube channel.
The southeastern region near Gaborone has many semi-arid hills covered in short shrubs. If you see a lot of these, you are likely to be in the area between Gaborone and Lobatse.
NOTE: Similar hills can be found elsewhere in the country and across the border in South Africa. If you see a large quantity of them, and use other clues to rule out South Africa, you can be fairly certain that you are in southeastern Botswana.
The landscape in the eastern pocket north of Francistown is characterised by red soil and a somewhat arid look. The soil in these two areas often looks firm and rocky, rather than sandy or dusty. Trees and bushes with yellowed leaves and other “autumn” colours are common. Many trees are bare and withered. You might see fallen leaves on the ground here and there.
A large region in the middle western part of the country is characterised by very white sandy soil. In addition, the vegetation tends to look very dry.
NOTE: Sandy soil can be found in many places in Botswana. This tip specifically refers to the bright white colour of the sand.
The A35 is a very recognisable road: there is always a power line to your west. It can also be recognised by its grainy asphalt with faded markings. Many small tracks can be found parallel to the road, disappearing into the bushes.
The A33 is characterised by a landscape that is more lush than usual. Trees have lots of green leaves and the grass is very tall. The more north you go, the more lush the vegetation becomes.
Chobe Flood Plains National Park in the far north has a lot of small, winding dirt road coverage, with a lot of it being just south of the Chobe River. It has scattered lush bushes on either side, and you will often find wildlife such as elephants and warthogs.
This portion of the A30 has a distinct autumn feel unique to it. Notably, there are trees with orange coloured leaves lining the road in straight rows. In addition, there is often tall grass as opposed to other autumn looking locations.
Salt pans can be found in central-eastern Botswana. Dirt road coverage can be found leading to the pans and has similar soil and grass, but you can also find many trees along the road. They are mainly found around the Nwetwe pan. The salt pans show up as lakes on the map.
NOTE: A lot of the dirt road coverage near the pans was taken in June, and will feature trees without leaves or those that are beginning to lose their leaves.
Just outside Gaborone, there is a lot of coverage along very rural, small dirt tracks. They can be identified by the orange-red shade of dirt and abundance of green trees and bushes surrounding the road.
The section of the A33 within the Sibuya Forest Reserve and the CT/3 (Tamafupa) Commercial Wildlife Utilisation is under construction. This is most visible by the service road or embankment alongside the road.
NOTE: Despite being in the construction zone, some locations may still look normal.
The mostly unpaved road north of Maun to Khwai can be identified by extremely white sandy soil and tall green trees surrounding the road. The first section of the road, between Maun and Shorobe, is paved. But that section can still be identified by the trees, faint road markings, and power lines to the west of the road.
The A20 has mostly clean, recent asphalt. Some sections of the road are much thinner than usual. The landscape is characterised by red soil, dry grey-coloured trees, and very little grass.
Southeast of Tshabong, the A20 has been recently repainted and has very bright yellow lines and relatively dark asphalt. There is a powerline running alongside it to the northeast, it has orange-tan sandy soil, and you can often find patches of yellow flowers.
Most of the coverage in Brazil is along the eastern half, with only sparse coverage in the Amazon.
It is useful for beginning players to start forming a rough mental map of where the (limited) coverage is in the western half. When you get Amazonian rounds, this can prevent you from wildly plonking hundreds of kilometres away from the nearest road.
Northeastern Brazil can be identified by its dry soil, shrubs and succulents (the Caatinga landscape). In rainy season coverage, the shrubs are still recognisable, but can be deceptively green.
The Amazon is a dense rainforest that comprises 40% of Brazil’s total area. Not many roads are within it, but those that are, mostly go through either biodiverse forest or grassy hills with sparse trees.
Acre has a unique landscape of small grass hills and sparsely growing trees. The roads often do not cut around the hills like in most of Brazil, but ride the hills instead. A similar landscape can also be seen near Maraba in the state of Pará.
Rural locations in Roraima are mostly open grassy plains with large, distant mountains in the background. Occasionally, you are on roads within the mountains. Furthermore, the grass in Roraima is distinctly thin, and grows in bunches.
The landscape in Rio Grande do Sul can be hilly or flat with lush, green fields. Southern areas can have some resemblance to Uruguay.
Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo often have rolling grassy hills.
These distinct trees, called Paraná pines, have long horizontal branches with leaves only at the end. They grow mainly in the southern Brazilian states of Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul.
Coconut palm trees have long leaves, can grow very tall, and have thin trunks. They are common across the north eastern states and sometimes further west or south along the coast.
NOTE: Coconut palms grow across the world and are not unique to Brazil.
Carnaúba palms have short but strong, fan-like leaves and a trunk that is smooth at the top and spiked at the bottom. They are common in Ceará but are also in Piauí and Rio Grande do Norte.
Babassu palms have long, robust leaves comprised of many leaflets. Trunk length can vary from short to tall. They are found throughout the Amazon, or more rarely, down the east coast.
Açai palms produce fruits that are popular globally. Most of these palms are found near Belem, but can be seen across the Amazon. They are distinct in the way the leaflets droop downward along with their unusually thin trunks.
Moriche palms have leaves with a rounded fan shape. They are most common in Amazonas, Acre, and Roraima, but can be found in all of the Amazonian states.
NOTE: These palms can additionally be found very commonly in the Amazonian parts of Colombia and Peru.
Macaw palms have thin leaves compared to other palms, and often have a visible spear shaped top. They are very common around Mato Grosso do Sul and the surrounding states, but can be seen much further out sometimes. These palms should be used with caution, and single trees are much less of an indicator than multiple trees.
This species of plant, with long stems and many leaves growing up, are very common in Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, and Paraíba. In the dry season, you can still make out the distinct long stems without leaves.
Very tall grass can be often seen in the centre of the country, most notably in the Tocantins, Goiás, Bahia, and Minas Gerais states.
Eucalyptus Grandis, when fully grown, is a very tall tree with plantations all over Brazil. You can find them in both large and very small plantations., as well as randomly growing anywhere. You can see them all over the south, but there are some large plantations in Amapá too.
Sugarcane plantations are by far most common in the state of São Paulo, and in the coastal north east states, especially Alagoas and Pernambuco.
Soybeans appear as small, leafy soil grown plants. They are most commonly grown in Mato Grosso, Paraná, and Goiás.
Coffee beans are by far the most common in Minas Gerais, but also can be found in Espírito Santo and northeastern São Paulo.
Insulators that resemble brown mushrooms are only found in Pernambuco.
These spheres on top of utility poles are João-de-Barro nests. They are common across the south of Brazil.
The Amazonas 319 has a very lush, bright green and tropical landscape, as it cuts through the Amazon rainforest. The road is flat and mostly unpaved, featuring bright orange soil. However, closer to Manaus the road becomes paved. There are wooden or ladder poles alongside the entire stretch. It is covered by the blue Generation 4 car.
The Pará section of the 163 is often hilly, curvy, dry, and sometimes hazy. It has a wide range of amazonian vegetation. The road is frequently trafficked, usually by transportation trucks. It is covered by the blue Generation 4 car.
This Amazonian trekker combines boat and walking coverage on and near the Madeira and Aripuana rivers, south of the 319. They are seen travelling through dense rainforest and small villages.
The beautiful National Park of Northeast Maranhão, known for its sand dunes with pools of water, has walking trekker and vehicle coverage. The truck is white with a black bed. The landscape can vary from beach to sandy wetland.
Ilha de Fernando de Noronha is a Brazilian island with official coverage approximately 340 kilometres northeast of Rio Grande do Norte, and the country itself. It is covered by a white buggy, which is visible at the front. The island is similar in vegetation to the closest part of mainland Brazil, and has large exposed rocks. There is also boat coverage around the island.
A large portion of the coverage is taken on sand beaches. You will typically see many palm trees along the beaches.
Coastal palm forests also comprise a significant portion of the coverage. They almost exclusively consist of coconut palms.
Mangroves can be found on several of the atolls.
Some of the larger islands with coverage have grassy fields surrounded by bushes and palms.
Coin du Mire is a small island with a dark rocky shore and a grassy field with no bushes or palm trees.
Shitcam in Cambodia is only found in the southwestern half.
The low-lying central plain is home to most agricultural land. The landscape is flat, cultivated, and dotted with villages and farms.
Conversely, the northeast is much more uncultivated: there is less agriculture and more natural vegetation. Some areas are slightly hilly.
The southwest is the area with the most elevation in Cambodia. This region is characterized by hills and low mountains. Some inland roads feature dense forest cover, but the coastal areas in particular are fairly densely populated.
Rubber tree plantations are found in three places:
In a narrow belt northeast of Phnom Penh, mostly centred around the southern sections of Roads 7 and 71
Around the town of Ban Lung in the far northeast, as well as east of it on and near Road 78.
Around the town of Pech Sreada. This area has a distinct look. See the tip in the spotlight section.
Rubber trees can be recognized by their thin trunks and dark green crowns. The trees are neatly arranged in rows. They often have small taps near the bottom of the trunk.
NOTE: Rubber trees are common in Thailand. Only use this clue to region-guess if you are certain that you are in Cambodia, and not to identify the country.
Several unpaved jungle offroads in the southwest of the country, northeast of Road 48, have a distinct look: red soil, dense jungle, and generally hilly terrain.
NOTE: Some rural jungle roads in the east of the country can look similar. Here, however, the soil tends to be more brownish or orange rather than red.
The coverage close to Phnum Samkos has a distinct look: overcast weather, and large, prominent mountains that are visible in the distance. The roads are unpaved and consist of brown soil. Wild, very green vegetation can be seen all around you.
Oil palm plantations can only be found on Road 4, as well as some of its rural offroads, just north of Preah Nob.
NOTE: Oil palm plantations are much more common in Malaysia and Indonesia. Only use this clue to region-guess if you are certain that you are in Cambodia, and not to identify the country.
Preah Monivong National Park in the south of the country has a unique and recognizable landscape. It is situated on a highland plateau. The soil is white and very rocky. The vegetation consists of stunted, windswept bushes and low trees. The foliage has a distinct dark green tint that contrasts with the white rocks. Some parts of the park are more forested but will still have the same rocky soil.
Road 41, southwest of Phnom Penh, has a recognizable look and road angle:
It is a wide road, with a grey and very gravelly road surface
It runs in a general NNE direction
The landscape close to the road is flat and agricultural. However, you can often see hills in the distance.
NOTE: There are other roads that can look similar. Therefore, the road angle is very important to identify this road.
The southern section of Road 76, south of Krong Saen Monourom, has recognizable coverage: overcast weather, dark asphalt, the presence of outer road lines, and relatively crisp lines for Cambodian standards. Furthermore, a large part of the eastern half of this road runs through hilly terrain with dense jungle.
Most of the northern section of Road 76, between Lumphat and Mayura Wild Park, is recognizable too: it is a wide, unpaved road, with brown soil, and a semi-open jungle forest all around you.
Weather conditions start off as overcast on the southern end of the road, and quickly improve the further north you go, with almost completely clear skies on the northern end.
NOTE: There are other, smaller roads that can look similar. However, this road is by far the longest that has this distinct look.
Around the town of Pech Sreada, in the far east of Cambodia, you can find rubber tree plantations that were covered during the dry season, leading to a distinct look. In addition, the soil is very orange, making it easy to distinguish this area from other regions in Cambodia with rubber tree plantations.
Yukon has a very northern, boreal landscape that is mostly hilly, sometimes with large mountains in the distance. Coniferous trees line the roads and the further north you go, the thinner and shorter the trees get. Older Generation 2 coverage is common in this region.
The landscape in the interior of southern British Columbia, mostly centred around the towns of Kamloops and Kelowna, has a distinct look. It is generally hilly and a little more arid than the rest of BC, The vegetation consists of sprawling brown grasslands, and pine tree forests on the hillsides.
The Great Plains are mostly flat, with some rolling hills. There is a lot of agriculture, very few trees, and it is very sparsely populated. The landscape gets drier the further south-southwest you go, with the driest parts near the border with the US state of Montana.
Canola is grown in the central southern prairies, and it can be found almost nowhere else in Canada. It is visually similar to a field of bright yellow flowers.
NOTE: Canola is also very common in the US state of North Dakota.
The region around Rouyn-Noranda in northwestern Québec can mainly be characterised by the north-south grid, along with the slightly hilly landscape featuring many agricultural fields nestled between the forests, which have many shorter trees as well as thin birches.
Aspen trees are common in the forested parts of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. They are recognizable by their white, birch-like trunks. In most seasons, they have regular green leaves, but in fall coverage, they turn a characteristic bright yellow colour.
The Québec City-Windsor Corridor is the most densely populated part of Canada. It is mostly flat and green, with a patchwork of agriculture and occasional forest cover.
NOTE: This area can look similar to the Great Lakes region in the US.
Prince Edward Island soil has a distinct red tint to it. Potato farming is also very common on PEI.
NOTE: This type of soil can occasionally be seen in certain areas of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
The Balsam Fir is a very common species of tree found in Newfoundland. It has a Christmas tree-like appearance.
NOTE: While most commonly found in Newfoundland, the Balsam Fir can also grow in other parts of Eastern Canada and the US. For an overview, see this map.
The Dempster Highway (road numbers 5 and 8) connects the Klondike Highway (road number 2) in Yukon with the remote town of Inuvik in the Northwest Territories.
It is very recognizable: it is an unpaved road with Generation 2 coverage, dark brown soil, and a tundra landscape with short trees. It is mostly hilly and mountainous, but the section between Fort McPherson and Inuvik is flat. Closer to Inuvik, the weather gets cloudy.
The AB-93 highway through Banff and Jasper National Park features distinct, gradual, and steep mountains with a sharp peak on either side of the road. Tall, somewhat thin trees can also be seen.
The area near Drumheller, Alberta has distinct canyon-like treeless rock formations that comprise the landscape.
The Trans-Labrador Highway (road numbers 500 and 510) is a recognizable road, covered by Generation 4, mostly during sunny weather conditions. Thin pine trees line the side of the road, and it has a remote, cold, and northern feel. On many parts of the road, the sun is low in the sky. In addition, when the car drives past the city of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, it is common to see snow on the ground.
The inland roads of the Gaspé Peninsula feature densely forested mountainous terrain. It is particularly common to encounter overcast coverage in this region.
The Cape Breton Highlands in northeastern Nova Scotia have an unusual amount of elevation for Eastern Canadian standards. It is very forested, with a mix of broad-leaf trees and pine trees.
Route 430 on Newfoundland runs in a roughly south-southwest to north-northeast direction, with the road lines slightly washed out. It is located in a remote and sparsely populated part of the island. On many sections of the road, the coast is visible to your west. To your east, you will usually see low balsam fir forests, and occasionally an imposing wall of mountains in the far distance.
Kangiqsualujjuaq is a town in northern Québec, surrounded by green rocky hills, with trees visible in the distance.
Nain is a small town on the Northeastern coast of Labrador. The town features colourful wooden houses, and trees in and around the town. To the north, a big hill is usually visible. And to the south, rocky cliffs can be seen on the other side of the bay. Additionally, kids can sometimes be seen walking beside the trekker.
The Atacama is an extremely arid desert covering the northern third of Chile. Some parts of it experience the lowest rainfall on the planet. As a result, many locations in this desert are almost completely devoid of any vegetation: you will often just see sand and bare rock without any plants in sight anywhere.
NOTE: The Atacama Desert also covers parts of southern Peru, western Bolivia and northwestern Argentina.
Eucalyptus plantations combined with a somewhat dry climate are a good indicator that you are in southwestern Valparaíso.
The region around Santiago can be recognized by its semi-arid climate, having dry hills and scattered vegetation.
Compared to the area around Santiago, the Maule region has a similar look. However, it has a Mediterranean climate, and is generally greener. Vineyards are also commonly seen in this region.
Concepcion pines, scientifically named Pinus radiata, can be recognized by their puffy needles. They are most commonly found in Bio Bio, where the city of Concepcion is located, and less commonly in Ñuble and Araucania.
Narrow roads with trees on both sides can commonly be seen in the regions of Bio Bio and Araucania.
Monkey puzzles, scientifically named Araucaria araucana, are found in far eastern Araucania.
NOTE: Monkey puzzles can also be found on the other side of the Argentinian border.
A rolling, agricultural landscape, comparable to New Zealand, can be seen on Isla Grande de Chiloé.
NOTE: Similar looking landscapes exist in some other parts of the country, but usually more level.
Chilean rhubarb can commonly be found on Isla Grande, and on the mainland east of it. Chilean rhubarb can be recognized by its large, cabbage-like appearance.
Lush green valleys, with rocky mountains and often overcast coverage, can be seen in southern Los Lagos and northern Aysén.
Southern Aysén can be recognised by autumn coverage, having orange and red coloured vegetation. Keep in mind that not all coverage in this region will have fall colours.
Part of Ruta 41 is located in a valley, with snowy mountains seen in the distance. Many trees and vineyards can commonly be seen toward the west. Triple yellow lines can also be seen from this point.
These purple flowers, named Large-leaved Lupines, can commonly be found along Ruta 240.
The northern section of Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve can be recognized by the Tamarugo trees lining the road. The road itself is mediocre quality, and in a consistent north-west direction.
Alto Loa National Reserve can be recognized by the vast, open landscape, followed by salt pans leading up to snow-capped volcanoes. The road running through the reserve is paved.
Smooth mountains with a reddish tint are seen in Los Flamencos National Reserve. Salt pans are also a common sight. The reserve uses triple yellow lines, with short dashes in the west.
Llanos de Challe National Park can be recognized by the brown coloured dirt on the roadside, patches of light sand, juniper plants, and dark coloured mountains. The sky is overcast in most of the coverage.
NOTE: Pan de Azúcar National Park looks similar, however has less vegetation.
A vast, mostly treeless landscape combined with triple yellow lines are seen in Alto Bio Bio National Reserve. While the reserve may look dry, there is a distinct cold and high altitude feel. Monkey puzzles are also seen toward the east.
NOTE: Ruta 181 leading up to the reserve also has triple yellow lines, however, is less vast with more vegetation.
Puyehue National Park can be recognized by the dense vegetation surrounding the road. The pavement itself has triple yellow lines, and tar snakes are frequently seen. In the east, many dead trees can be seen with a lack of leaves.
The parking area outside Sichuan Museum in Chengdu has a lot of greenery.
Most of Christmas Island is covered by dense tropical forest. Some unpaved roads feature bright, white sandy soil. A small part of the coverage is in built-up areas. And in some places, palms can be seen.
The built-up areas are in the northeast. The rest of the island is mostly covered by dense forest.
Christmas Island is famous for its red crabs. Near Ethel Beach, you can find a trekker walking among hundreds of these crabs. Another smaller trekker where you can see crabs is near The Dales, on the West Coast. Throughout the island, you can find references on signs to these crabs.
The general landscape consists of bright white sand, many palms and mowed grass. Cocos Islands is significantly less forested or hilly compared to Christmas Island.
The Cocos Islands runway can be recognized by it being the widest paved road on the island, with mowed grass on both sides of the runway and this follow car.
Cocos Islands has many trekkers along the coast. Most of them will be walking on white sand, with the ocean to one side and palms the other.
Direction Island can be recognized by the beaches having significantly more litter compared to the other islands. Bricks, styrofoam and dead coral can be seen along some portions of the coast.
In addition, the trekker can be seen walking between many palms inland.
The inland trekker on Pulau Luar (Horsburgh Island) can be recognized by the dry, yellow grass, and more sparse vegetation.
East of the Andes lies a vast lowland called Llanos. It is characterised by open tropical grasslands, savannas with scattered trees, small areas of forest and seasonal flooding.
As a result of slave trade, the Pacific coast of Colombia is home to an overwhelming majority of Afro-Colombians.
Sugar cane is grown along the Cauca river in Valle del Cauca and neighbouring departments.
This landscape is typical of the far Northern province of La Guajira: extreme dryness, low vegetation and occasional cacti.
In addition, you can often recognise the Uribia-Puerto Bolivar road because of this landscape, the straightness and the train track always present to the East.
Costa Rica is a mostly lush tropical country, with rolling hills, agricultural lowlands, peaky volcanoes running through the centre of the country, as well as dense rainforests dotted around.
North of the mountains lie the largely flat Caribbean Lowlands, characterised by extensive agriculture, grey dirt and a good number of straight roads. Although overcast coverage is common in this area, some locations can be rather sunny.
A lot of the coverage in western Costa Rica was captured during the dry season.
Most of the banana plantations are found in Limón province.
NOTE: Wild banana plants and planted bananas in gardens are found throughout most of the country.
The majority of oil palm plantations are found along the coast in Puntarenas province. A few smaller plantations are located in Limón province.
NOTE: A few oil palms can be found here and there throughout the country, especially on the east coast but they’re not part of any plantations.
Pineapple plantations can be seen in western Limón province, northern Alajuela province as well as around the town of Buenos Aires in Puntarenas province.
Sugarcane plantations can be found in multiple areas across the country, but the major areas are usually distinguishable based on landscape. In the southern area around San Isidro de El General and Buenos Aires you can find sugarcane plantations in bloom with silvery tufts of strands at the top of the plants.
Rice fields are mostly found south of the town of Bagaces in Guanacaste province. Some fields are harvested or just recently planted but can be recognized by the raised edges around the paddies.
The majority of coffee plantations are located throughout the central valley.
Cassava plantations are most commonly found in western Limón province.
Teak is recognisable for their tall straight trunks and round glossy, yellow-green leaves and is most common in Guanacaste.
Guanacaste trees can be recognised by their thick trunk and characteristically large, umbrella-shaped crown. They are mostly seen in the eponymous Guanacaste province.
Mainly growing along the southern coast, Attalea palms can be recognised by the upwards facing leaves that droop slightly.
Macaw palms are common in western Costa Rica and can be recognised by the long and disheveled looking broods that form an almost round crown. They also usually have a spiky trunk as well.
Dark volcanic rocks can be found in most of central Costa Rica, but are more common around Guapiles, Limón Province and around the Miravalles Volcano on the border of Alajuela and Guanacaste provinces.
Simple fences made of irregular wooden branches or logs are found all over Costa Rica but much more prevalent in the west, compared to the planted tree rows or spiked concrete variants more common elsewhere.
Larger irrigation canals exist in the area south of Bagaces and Cañas in Guanacaste province.
Another major divided highway is the RN 32 from the intersection with RN 4 to Limón on the Caribbean coast. The road passes through lush forests in the generally flat Northern lowlands.
NOTE: Aside from the stretch of the RN 1 with concrete pavement, all other major divided highways are in close proximity to San José.
Wind turbines are found in a few clusters, mainly in Guanacaste province, but also southwest of Cartago, over the province border in San José province. In Guanacaste, you’ll find them around La Fortuna, south and northwest of Tilarán, around Santa Cruz, and quite far north of Liberia around road 917.
Southwest of La Fortuna, near the Fortuna Waterfall, you’ll find a Generation 4 trekker taken by Rainbolt on a downhill trail with many stair segments. It concludes at a waterfall. You can recognise it from his brown hair or the camera crew following him.
West of La Fortuna, in the Puentes Colgantes Arenal, Mistico Park, there is another trekker on a tropical trail, taken by a black-haired individual.
Beach trekkers are mostly found on the northern east coast, but can also be found west of San José and on Cocos Island.
Most rural forest trekkers are found in central Costa Rica. Cocos Island also mainly consists of dense tropical forests.
The University of Costa Rica, in eastern San José, is fairly busy, with a lot of greenery and various medium-sized buildings strewn across the campus.
In Centro Recreativo Bosque de la Hoja, just east of San José de la Montaña, you can see the trekker being followed by three dogs through a pine forest.
In Recreational Park Los Manantiales, just southwest of Poás, you can find a road lined with sugarcane plantations and cornstalk dracaena plants.
The Cartago Municipal Museum can be recognised by its palace-like facade with a neatly planted garden in front, as well as the railway in the middle of the street in front of the museum.
By the entrance of Jardín Botanico Lankester, located southeast of Cartago, you can find a poorly maintained dirt road, surrounded by mountains in the distance, as well as a sign with the name of the garden.
Within the garden itself you will find a plethora of different plants, with the walkways having many soft curves, and almost never being straight.
Another quirk of Generation 3 coverage is that the majority of it was made in autumn. This means that the vegetation in this coverage will often have distinct yellowish or orange fall colours.
Take note that this seasonal meta is not found in Generation 4 coverage.
The north-eastern region of Croatia is mostly flat and features a lot of agriculture. It is similar in terms of landscape to Hungary and north-western Serbia.
The region north and west of Zagreb is hilly and agricultural.
The Adriatic coast features rocky mountains similar to those seen in Montenegro or Albania. Shrubs are more common instead of trees along the coast, especially in the south. This coastal region has a lot of islands and peninsulas.
There are a lot of vineyards around the town of Ilok, near the Serbian border, west of Novi Sad. You can find vineyards in other parts of Croatia as well, but they are most common in this area. If you see lots of vineyards in a northeastern Croatian landscape, you are more often than not near Ilok.
These tall cypress trees are commonly found near the southern tip of Croatia.
Due to Curaçao’s semi-arid climate, cacti can commonly be seen.
The western half of Curaçao is characterised by a semi-arid rural landscape with green, but dry hills. Houses are spread apart, with the roads in the west quite narrow in width.
The island has a Mediterranean landscape, with bright exposed rock, olive trees, palm trees, cypress trees, and green coastal farmland. The interior consists of pine forests in the mountains.
Vineyards are found more towards the southwest of Cyprus.
Wild Mustard, which looks like bushes of yellow flowers, while possible to find on most of Cyprus, is most common in these areas, mainly in the eastern half of the country.
The Paphos Forest nature reserve consists of windy mountain roads with red soil on the sides, passing through the mostly uninhabited Mediterranean forest. You will not see any bollards in the reserve, with few exceptions.
In the northeast of Cyprus, you will often be able to see the Kyrenia Mountain ridge to the north, overlooking the otherwise flat farmland.
Dark red fields, even if covered in vegetation, are a good clue for northern Cyprus and Famagusta, the far eastern region.
Famagusta can easily be recognised by the mostly flat landscape, with lots of red fields. Maybe more importantly though, all of the coverage is shitcam.
NOTE: Shitcam is quite rare in the rest of Cyprus.
The wind turbines in the east are built on sandy rolling hills, surrounded by agricultural fields .
The wind turbines in the SW are located within the Oreites Forest, a shrubby hill surrounded by more extreme elevation. There is a noticeable incline towards the coast, which is often visible to the southwest.
Banana plantations can be found along the western coast around Peyia.
Around 95% of all wine produced in Czechia comes from the Moravian wine region.
Denmark is a generally flat country with wide, open fields between towns. Suburban areas are usually open, with space between buildings. Urban cores are more dense and built up.
These traditional “seaweed roofs” are found on the island of Læsø. They are made from a type of seaweed known as eelgrass.
This type of landscape is found on the outskirts of Santo Domingo. It is characterised by narrow dirt tracks, whitish dirt, dried green shrubbery and debris next to the road.
Most of the coverage in Ecuador is centred around the western part of the country. A large part of the Amazon rainforest has no coverage.
There is also some trekker coverage on the Galapagos Islands.
You can check out the extent of the official coverage on this website.
Banana plants, and especially plantations, are most commonly found in the southwestern part of the country.
The Amazon area is very distinct. It is fairly flat, and contains many of these trees with white bark (Cordia trichotoma), and oil palms.
The vast majority of the coverage notably uses the rarer “high antenna”.
The province of Esmeraldas can look similar to the Amazon region, but it is significantly hillier.
The province of Chimborazo is semi-arid, and has an abundance of pine trees.
A brown pipe can be seen on the side of a few north-eastern Ecuadorian roads.
The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago located west of mainland Ecuador. There are only trekkers and boat coverage on and around the islands. There is a wide variety of landscapes, including volcanic soil, low shrubbery, and craters (with Galapagos turtles onlooking).
Kihnu is a small island off the coast that has recognizable coverage:
All coverage is Generation 4, taken during late autumn (recognizable by the fallen brown leaves on the ground).
Noticeably, it has a very moody, dark cloud cover, taken close to sunset.
If you see a combination of these two things, Kihnu is a good place to guess.
NOTE: Near Tartu you can also get a fair amount of autumn coverage, sometimes with a fair amount of cloud cover.
Eswatini’s landscape is known for its green, wooded hills and tall golden grass.
NOTE: In contrast, Lesotho’s mountains are typically barren, and long grass is not a common sight there.
Montane grasslands with long golden grass and a mountainous landscape are typical of Western Eswatini.
NOTE: Long grass can be found in almost all areas of Eswatini. This clue refers specifically to the pristine golden colour most commonly seen in the Western highlands.
Pine tree plantations are found in select areas in the West of the country.
NOTE: Similar plantations can also be found in South Africa.
This distinct region in the central South of the country, mostly along the MR9, can be recognized by the dark, overwhelming greenness and tall wooded mountains.
NOTE: If you are struggling to see why this is unique, try comparing this to other areas of the country, which are more “golden” and light-coloured.
Sugar cane is grown in several areas along the Eastern border.
The MR3 South of Ngomane can be recognized thanks to flatness, long dry grass and the dirt on the camera.
You can recognise the Mlawula Nature Reserve thanks to the narrow dirt tracks, tall grass and overall savannah landscape.
The Carcass Island trekker can be recognized by the open plains, with the ocean clearly visible. The ground may also get rocky.
NOTE: Do not get this confused with the Faroe Islands trekker.
Open plains with slightly yellow grass can be seen on West Point Island. The ocean will not be clearly visible on this trekker.
The landscape of the Faroe islands is characterised by long, wide fjords with jagged green mountains that rise straight out of the water, with rocky ridge lines along the mountainsides. The mountains generally look more imposing and greener than coastal mountains in Iceland, which can often be used to tell them apart.
The Faroe islands have almost no naturally growing trees.
Faroese houses are typically made of wood, often with an above ground basement made of stone which is painted in a different colour than the wooden part. Roofs will usually be either metal or have grass on top (turf).
The village of Kirkjubøur at the southern tip of the main island can be recognised by the black houses, almost all having grass roofs. The town also has a small church ruin.
Most of Finland is covered by dense boreal forests. Pine trees are common, as well as birches, which are easily recognizable by their white trunks.
A lot of Generation 3 coverage was taken in autumn, meaning that trees in this coverage often have distinct fall colours.
NOTE: This is significantly less common in Generation 3 coverage in the other Nordics. This means that when you are faced with a tough decision between countries, a fall vibe can be a good clue for Finland.
Take note that this season meta is not present in Generation 2 and Generation 4 coverage.
Finland has a lot of farmlands, but the majority of them are concentrated near the west and south coast.
Small, stunted trees with spindly, thin trunks are common in northern Finland.
Road 970 in the far north, on the border with Norway, is easily recognizable: it runs through a river valley with hills on both sides. The river is visible in many places, usually to the northwest. The birch trees around the road are small and stunted.
NOTE: The Generation 3 coverage on this road was taken in the autumn, meaning that the vegetation looks dead and mostly devoid of leaves.
Due to its proximity to the Scandinavian Mountains, the area near Kilpisjärvi features a unique hilly landscape, with low vegetation.
NOTE: The Generation 2 coverage on this road was taken during Spring, so the vegetation looks dead.
Buses in Jyväskylä are almost completely green.
Rural roads surrounded by hedges blocking the view, reminiscent of the British Isles, are primarily found in the northwest, particularly in Normandy.
NOTE: Hedges by themselves are not sufficient for recognizing this area and are common all over France.
Stone pines are commonly found along the southern coast, often planted alongside urban roads. You may however find them as north as Nantes.
Forests made up entirely of Maritime pines (pinus pinaster) are found in the southwest of the country (Gironde and Landes departments). The whole area will be fairly flat, which is not typical of other areas with such pines.
France is the second largest wine producer in the world, with many famed wine regions. The most common include the area around Bordeaux, southern coast and Champagne, East of Paris. Other regions include, but are not limited to, Loire Valley, Alsace and Corsica.
NOTE: This map is highly simplified, see this map for more detailed and extensive description.
Sunflowers are mostly found in the southwest of the country, particularly around Toulouse.
The French Riviera will mirror many characteristics of Monaco. Rich areas with planted palms and light coloured multi story buildings with wide balconies are good indications you’re in this area, with the rest of the southern coast and Corsican Bastia sharing similar vibes.
NOTE: Just like Monaco, several cities host boat trekkers in their harbour.
Martinique is an overseas department and region and a single territorial collectivity of France, in the eastern Caribbean. For country streaks purposes, it is counted as France.
Plonk It has a more in-depth guide to Martinique here.
Lavender fields can be found in the southeast, appearing as small grey bushes when not fully grown.
Salt farms, which appear as flooded trenches with grass medians, are found along the Atlantic coast, most notably around Guérande, Noirmoutier, Île de Ré and Île d'Oléron.
Baltic Pines or Pinus sylvestris are generally more concentrated in the northeast of Germany. They can be recognized by their orange-tinged trunk.
NOTE: This map is very approximate.
You can spot trees that are painted white close to the bottom of the trunk in the northeast.
NOTE: You will rarely find them outside the shaded region.
The flat plains southeast of Regensburg can be recognised by the slight ridge often visible to the northeast. The plains themselves are flat, and quite agricultural.
Vineyards are mostly concentrated in the southwest of Germany. However, there are a couple regions further east as well.
You can find hop fields in these regions. They are commonly seen just north of Munich.
Many trees in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have these tiny green markers on them. You can very rarely find them in Lower Saxony.
The shrub and sand covered hills are unique to the island of Sylt. And like the rest of the North Frisian Islands, rock walls, brick houses, and thatched roofs are common.
NOTE: Some parts of Sylt look more generic, but still very flat.
Ghana is mostly flat with red soil, however hills and mountains can be seen in some regions. Tropical vegetation is very common, and palms are common especially toward the south.
Northern Ghana features a savannah landscape, which can be identified by its dry soil and less dense vegetation.
Tall mountain ranges in Ghana are typically seen near Lake Volta in the highlighted area.
NOTE: Mountain ranges to the east are more common in the area near Togo.
Dense forests in Ghana are typically found in the southwest and east. You will usually see many naturally occurring palm trees, making the two regions recognizable.
Tall palm trees are commonly found along the coast. Most of them are located in the west.
Most unpaved roads in a dry savannah landscape are found north of Wa, as well as near the town itself.
NOTE: The other unpaved roads in northern Ghana are the Yendi-Nkwanta road in the east, and part of the Salaga-Tamale road, which has very distinct soil. See the tips below.
The road connecting the town of Sawla with the N10 has very crisp, new road lines. Most of the road runs in a general east-west direction, through a lush savannah landscape. The middle line can be solid or dashed.
NOTE: There are a couple of other roads with crisp road lines like these, however these tend to have a different road angle or landscape.
The road between Nkwanta and Domanko is unpaved, with a powerline close to the road to your east or northeast. The road itself runs in a general SE-NW direction, through a lush savannah landscape that is typical of central Ghana.
NOTE: In urban areas, there can be a powerline on both sides of the road. In addition, a section of the Salaga-Tamale road has a powerline to the east as well, but the darker soil and moody cloud cover makes it distinguishable.
The coastal area just east of Accra, especially on the N1, has a distinct landscape: it is very flat and wide open, with significantly less vegetation than the rest of southern Ghana. Some parts can look somewhat dry.
The section of the N1 road near the border town of Elubo is very new: it has dark and unblemished asphalt, a very crisp-looking middle line, and no outer lines. The vegetation is dense and occasionally features palm trees.
NOTE: This new road surface continues until the town of Azuleti. The middle line can be dashed or solid. Near Azuleti, the road does not have a middle line.
The Keta Lagoon in the southeast of Ghana can be seen on the road that runs along it, with the lake being most visible in the northern section. You can sometimes see grey rocks on the side of the road. The soil is quite sandy in comparison to the rest of the country, and it should have a coastal feel.
The Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary has a unique Google car. The ‘Ghana tape’ and roof rack will not be visible however, the black right side mirror will be slightly visible just outside the blur.
NOTE: The red soil and surrounding vegetation should still be good clues for the country, despite the lack of the typical car meta associated with Ghana.
Gibraltar is famous for its monkeys, of the species Barbary macaque. It is the only place in Europe where you can find wild monkeys.
The largest flat agricultural valleys in Greece are found close to Thessaloniki and Larissa, but smaller flat valleys, where the mountains generally appear closer, can be found in several other areas in the north and centre of the country.
On many of the central islands you can find a very barren landscape, with small bushes and no trees in sight. This tends to be more common on the smaller islands with coverage.
Olive plantations are found in coastal areas, particularly on Crete and southern Peloponnese.
Citrus plantations are mainly found in coastal areas, particularly on southern Peloponnese.
The Greenlandic landscape is very barren, with no trees or taller vegetation and often featuring snow. Mountains and hills are common, with very limited flat areas. On top of that, almost all coverage was taken in coastal areas, so fjords and visible coastlines are very common.
Qaqortoq can be recognized by the red rectangular car. The coverage is extremely sunny and the area is greener and less barren than most of the country.
The coverage in Tasiilaq can be recognized by the ATV with large grey handguards on either side. The coverage has a lot of very thin clouds and the area is somewhat green.
Narsaq can be identified by the thin antenna seen on the right side of the car. The coverage is very sunny and fairly green.
The coverage in Narsarsuaq can be recognized by the driver wearing a black hoodie. The coverage was taken close to sunset on a very sunny day. There is also a fair amount of small bushes along the road, which is somewhat unusual in Greenland.
On the other side of the fjord from Narsarsuaq, a black ATV with an orange and purple bag in the front can be seen. The coverage has a lot of tall green grass and the dirt is unusually red for Greenland.
Qeqertarsuaq is most easily recognized by the blue ATV with wide side mirrors. The coverage is fairly overcast and with a lot of yellow grass along the roads.
Paamiut can typically be recognized by the round, grey car which is often only barely visible. The coverage has a lot of thin clouds, but is still quite bright and the foliage consists of a mixture of yellow and green grass, and reddish moss.
Kangerlussuaq can typically be recognized by the many streaky clouds in the sky, combined with the significant dryness. The roads near Kangerlussuaq can also be recognized by its unconventional look, with many small bushes, sandy soil with an almost arid climate.
To the north of Saattut you can see a wide mountain range shrouded in clouds, on the other side of a fjord. The paths covered are mostly dark, muddy dirt roads, and the foliage is mainly yellow grass tufts.
Guam has a tropical climate with a lot of dense and somewhat low vegetation.
Hills are mostly found on the southern half of the island.
Guatemala is a tropical country, and is mainly covered by rainforests.
The southern regions of Guatemala mainly consist of completely flat agricultural land. It is generally more built up than flat areas in the north.
Oil palm plantations are primarily found in two general areas: in the southwest and just north of the central mountain range.
A small dirt road in the middle of a dense jungle can be found north of Tikal, in the far north of the country.
Hawaii is known for its lush and tropical vegetation, with a variety of plants and trees. However, being a volcanic island chain, Hawaii has a wide range of landscapes, and as such vegetation as well.
You will often see plenty of ferns, tall grass, or other flowers on the sides of the roads.
Topography on Hawaii is characterised by many sloping volcanoes, rugged cliffs, hills, valleys and craters. Such distinct topography combined with tropical vegetation is a good way to identify Hawaii.
The Island of Kauaʻi is the furthest west island in Hawaii with official Google coverage. This island has deep red soil and has large rugged hills with lush, jungle-like vegetation.
NOTE: Other islands such as Maui and Molokaʻi have similar soil colours, but the hillsides on them will typically have less dense vegetation.
The Island of Oʻahu lies southeast of Kauaʻi. It is known for being home to the Honolulu urban area. It also is home to steep, lush hills, which can be commonly seen from all around the island, especially in Honolulu’s suburbs.
The Island of Molokaʻi is just southeast of Oʻahu. It features deep red soil and a prominent volcano on the eastern end of the island. Especially in the older Generation 3 coverage, the vegetation appears very dry. Molokaʻi is also very sparsely populated.
The Island of Lānaʻi is a small, yet distinct island that lies just south of Moloka’i. A volcano is found just east of the centre of the island, adjacent to the town of Lānaʻi. In this area, tall Cook pines are abundant. In addition, some main roads near the centre of the island are lined with younger Cook pines.
Towards the coasts of the island of Lānaʻi, hills dotted with dry grass and shrubby vegetation are commonly seen. These areas are very rural with few buildings.
The Island of Maui sits southeast of Molokaʻi. In the centre of the island, you will find dry and somewhat flat grasslands with one or both of the mountain ranges on the island visible.
Coastal areas of Maui are noticeably more lush and green. Banana plants, palm trees, and views of the mountains are all common.
The Island of Hawai’i (also referred to as The Big Island) is both the largest and farthest southeast island with Street View coverage in the state. The interior areas feature rolling, grassy plains and volcanic rocks. You can typically see one or more of the island’s volcanoes from the road.
The coastal areas of the island of Hawai’i are where most of the towns and built-up areas on the island are located. These areas are typically more lush and have more trees and fern plants than the interior.
Rural roads going through forests within a flat landscape are commonly found south of the city of Hilo, on the island of Hawaiʻi.
NOTE: Mountainous forests are dotted around Hawaii, but if you are in one, and you see red soil with Generation 3, consider guessing in Kauaʻi, the westernmost covered island.
Within Hawaii, a distinct green blur can only be seen on the island of Oʻahu.
The infamous “Hawaiian lattice” can be recognized by the volcanic soil and rocks that are abundant in the region. Volcanic vegetation can also be seen lining the roads. Note that the angle of the roads is a big clue for the area, and that this lattice was built on the slope of Mauna Loa.
On the eastern side of the island of Molokaʻi lies the Kamakou volcano, leading to a significantly hillier and slightly more vegetated landscape than the western parts of the island.
Kahoʻolawe is a small island that lies just to the southwest of Maui. It only has trekker coverage on small gravel roads and dirt trails, and is characterised by dry, shrubby vegetation, rolling hills, and dark red soil. On the western end of this coverage, several buildings can be seen.
There is also a plethora of rural locations that are harder to identify.
Outside the urban areas, Hong Kong is generally quite mountainous, with green, subtropical vegetation. There is extensive coverage in rural areas outside the city, with many roads going through the mountains. You might see low-rise rural buildings, however usually you will not need to travel far to see tall apartment blocks.
NOTE: Singapore, on the other hand, is very flat.
Distinct weathered rock walls can be seen on the side of mountains. Some of them have nets, to prevent rockslides. In addition, green or blue plaques are a common sight.
The north-western area near the Mainland China border is mostly flat and features a patchwork of waterlogged rice paddies. The Shenzhen skyline is visible in the distance, to your north.
The residential district of Caribbean Coast and Tung Chung has identical apartment blocks that face the same direction, almost like a “wall” of buildings. There are a lot of planted palm trees in between and on the side of roads.
The Tai Chung Kiu Road is a divided road that runs in a north-east direction, and has views of the Shing Mun River to the west. The median has palm trees. In addition, a bicycle path runs alongside the road. Further north, Route 2 also runs alongside the river, but this road has more lanes.
Fan Kam Road runs in a general north-east direction, and can be recognized by the dense tropical vegetation surrounding the road, and sometimes mountains in the background. The road is also quite narrow and does not have any outer lines. Many small villages branch off of the road, south and north of the country park.
Lam Kam Road is similar to Fan Kam Road, however it runs in a more east-west direction. The road should also feel busier with more cars driving along the road and more houses on the sides of the road. In addition, the road is usually wider and a median containing trees can be seen separating sidewalks near the villages.
The roads going to Disneyland are divided, with palm trees along the side of the road with teal coloured street lamps.
While the southeastern parts of Hungary are extremely flat, with almost no noticeable hills, the northern and western parts mainly consist of forested hills and mountains. The tallest mountains are found in the north, while the southwestern mountains are generally slightly lower.
Unlike most of the Hungarian plains, which is almost entirely cultivated land, the Puszta, centred around Hortobágy National Park, mainly consists of barren and wet, natural grasslands.
Iceland often looks barren and treeless. Most regions have a dark grey soil consisting mostly of volcanic rocks.
NOTE: Due to the lack of trees, the landscape in Iceland does not look like anywhere else in Northern Europe.
Barren landscapes consisting mostly of dark volcanic gravel, with little to no vegetation or signs of life, are typical of the inland regions of Iceland. Most such covered roads are located in the east.
The Southwest agricultural area in Iceland can be identified by its relatively flat farmland landscape scattered with numerous farmsteads, fields, meadows and grasslands.
NOTE: Although there are other smaller agricultural areas in Iceland, mountains in this area tend to be quite distant, making it unique.
The wide valley around Eiðar is slightly hilly and agricultural, with tall, snowy peaks visible in the distance on either side, to the east and northwest, respectively.
The valley around Hallormsstaður has a distinct northeast/southwest angle with low-lying mountains on either side, a wide river flowing through it, and an unusual amount of trees for Iceland. Some of the sideroads are in the forests.
In Bihar, and less commonly Jharkhand, you may find trees with four red and white stripes painted near the bottom.
Houses or huts with thatched roofs are mainly found along the east coast and northern plains. Large hay mounds are also generally more common in this region. Note that thatched roofs from Uttar Pradesh to Odisha tend to be made of fine pieces of hay whereas thatched roofs from Odisha to Tamil Nadu tend to be made of dried palm fans.
Chir pines are more or less exclusive to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir as well as in westernmost Arunachal Pradesh. These pines can be identified from their generally smooth-looking conical or spherical crowns with very long needles.
Khasi pines are mainly found in Meghalaya and Manipur. While the needles appear similar to those of chir pines, the overall crown formed by its branches will appear more jagged and disorganised.
This type of cacti (Euphorbia neriifolia) can commonly be seen as part of fences throughout Gujarat, western Maharashtra and the southern half of Rajasthan.
Palmyra Palms have a round crown with fan shaped leaves and a trunk with consistent thickness, giving them a lollipop shape. If you see them in large numbers you should be in the south or east of the country.
Areca Palms can be recognised by their very thin trunk and a small crown. They are mainly found near the southwestern coast, in the northeast and on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Date palms are commonly found in drier areas of the central regions of India where there are fewer tropical and coastal palms.
Oil palm plantations are most commonly found in the panhandle of Andhra Pradesh, especially near the eastern border with Telangana.
Tea plantations can be found in the northeast and the far south.
NOTE: If you find tea plantations in a flat area, you are likely in Assam or northeastern West Bengal, near the Assam border.
Sugarcane is most commonly found in the north in and around Uttar Pradesh, and in the southwest.
Cotton is commonly found in the western parts of India, particularly in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Canola is mostly found in and around Rajasthan.
In Ladakh and northern Himachal Pradesh you can find an extremely dry landscape with little to no vegetation within the Himalayan mountains.
The northern plains, also known as the Ganges River Valley, of India are very fertile with extremely flat and open agricultural fields.
Red soil can be found in several regions, but mainly near the southern west coast and in and around Chhattisgarh and western Odisha.
The Western Ghats Mountains in the western part of Maharashtra can be recognised by their distinct ridgelines, often having plateaus rather than peaks. The northern part is drier while the southern part has more vegetation.
NOTE: During the rainy season the mountains will turn green and appear quite different.
The landscape in Mizoram mainly consists of lush, green valleys with fairly low vegetation with eroded hillsides having many small peaks scattered around.
NOTE: A somewhat similar landscape can be found in Meghalaya, however rather than distinct peaks, the hillsides will have a mostly smooth and flat top.
Japanese cedar trees can typically be recognised by their significant height combined with their narrow, fluffy-looking crowns. They are most commonly found near the border of Sikkim and West Bengal, as well as in Meghalaya.
The Himalayan cedar is most commonly seen on the NH34 from Harsil to Gangotri, as well as around the city of Shimla.
The Bhutan white pine can be recognised by its hanging needles all pointing downwards. They are mainly found in the Mechuka Valley as well as near the Bhutan border in Arunachal Pradesh.
Doum palms, which appear similar to Palmyra palms but with multiple branches, are almost exclusive to the union territory of Diu.
The endangered Indian pitcher plant is exclusive to the Khasi Hills, which are mainly in Meghalaya. They can occasionally be spotted on road sides, especially on the NH206 north of Umlārem.
The western half of Uttarakhand is typically far more barren than the other Himalayan regions, due to logging and erosion. The coverage northwest of Dehradun on the Himachal Pradesh Border has some especially barren hills full of brown grass and small roads next to cliffs.
The Mechuka valley is the only place in Northeast India where snowy mountains are visible. The valley contains brownish grass and a plethora of Bhutan white pine. North of Mechuka the coverage gradually becomes overcast and somewhat dark.
The landscape south of Shillong in Meghalaya, is characterised by V-shaped, green eroded valleys with somewhat flat and smooth ridgetops.
NOTE: Mizoram hills are less smooth with more rises and falls instead of long smooth ridges.
Salt flats and coastal marshes with nearly no vegetation, other than short yellow or brown grass, can be found in parts of Gujarat. Shallow bodies of water can often be seen around these areas.
NOTE: The soil in western Rajasthan will be a lot more sandy and you’ll typically be able to see short desert shrubs.
Lakshadweep, located off the coast of Kerala, can be easily recognised by the abundance of coconut trees. They are often painted red-and-white, resembling the Polish flag.
Parts of roads NH6 and NH206 southeast of Shillong can be recognised by the presence of khasi pines with distinct yellow outer road lines and fresh dark pavement.
NOTE: This is the only road in Meghalaya that uses yellow outer road lines, but these lines exist in other states as well.
Green paint can often be seen on the side of bridges in South and Central Kalimantan.
Within Indonesia, oil palm plantations are mostly concentrated in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Palm plantations can rarely be seen in Sulawesi.
The majority of rice production is concentrated in Java, but can sometimes be found in other provinces, namely South Sulawesi and South Sumatra. They can rarely be found in other provinces as well. For a full overview, see this page.
The Nusas typically look drier than other regions in Indonesia. The islands get especially dry towards the east, especially in Generation 3. Vegetation tends to look less tropical, but instead more brown with a lack of leaves. Sumba Island is also the driest of the Nusas.
NOTE: While less common, other regions such as Java can look similarly dry. Make sure to look out for other clues before guessing.
This savannah landscape is occasionally seen on North Sumba.
NOTE: In Generation 3, you will always see a white car.
Steeply pitched roofs made of palm tree leaves can sometimes be seen on Nias Island, south west of North Sumatra.
The only piece of coverage outdoors is a small patio with a diagonal walkway. In this patio you can see many date palms.
This is the only piece of the coverage that can rarely appear on serious maps.
You will often see a strip of grass in the middle of tiny rural roads. Such roads are called “boreens”. While not unique, these boreens can often be a strong clue in a tough 50-50 between Ireland and the UK.
Most of Ireland is dominated by a very green, agricultural landscape, with lots of hedgerows next to the roads and dividing the fields.
This type of landscape is also common in many parts of the UK, and can be virtually indistinguishable from Ireland.
Ireland’s west coast is defined by a rugged, hilly landscape. Steep hills and low mountains dominate. The neat fields of the east make way for wild grass- and moorlands. The grass often has more brownish and yellow tones to it. Sometimes you will be able to see exposed rocks.
The general landscape on the Isle of Man consists of hilly farmland, and narrow roads passing through them.
Gorse plants (or Ulex), which can be recognized by their bright yellow flowers, are very common on the Isle of Man.
NOTE: Gorse plants can also be found in other rugged areas of the UK and Ireland, such as the Scottish Highlands.
A ‘twig smudge’ can be seen on the left side of the camera lens in southern Isle of Man.
The landscape ranges from a greener Mediterranean landscape in the north, to a very arid landscape in the south.
Northern Israel is usually far more mountainous and green than the rest of Israel. Throughout the region you will almost always see forested hills and mountains.
Southern Israel and eastern West Bank are extremely dry and sandy.
The area west of Jerusalem can often look deceptively similar to northern Israel, with green forested hills and some agriculture sprinkled across the landscape.
Two things can occasionally be used to tell the two apart. Firstly, in northern Israel you may occasionally see wide, flat valleys, while the Jerusalem area is always going to be hilly. Secondly, if you see houses made of Jerusalem stone, you are likely to be near Jerusalem.
Most of the West Bank has a semi-arid Mediterranean landscape. It is generally greener than southern Israel, drier than northern Israel and west of Jerusalem, and hillier and less agricultural than central Israel.
Date palm plantations can often be seen close to the Jordanian border.
Other than the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, the only major body of water is the Sea of Galilee. It is noticeably more vegetated than the Dead Sea, making it easily recognisable.
Mount Carmel is a long mountain ridge, going northwest to southeast, near the city of Haifa. From the northeast, it can easily be recognised by its direction and size.
There is also a lot of coverage on top of the mountain range, which is generally fairly green and looks noticeably high altitude.
Mount Gilboa is a very dry looking mountain, which can be seen from far away and from many angles.
There is some coverage on top of the mountain, which is very green and often with a very good view over the surrounding valleys.
You can find these small irrigation canals on the side of the road, in the area around the city of Beit She’an.
The southern stretch of road 90 will have a dry mountain range to the east. It is also common to see palm trees.
Timna National park can be recognised by the complete dryness combined with the mountain ridges in all directions.
North of the Hasolelim forest reserve you can see this large reservoir.
Jericho can commonly be recognised by the date palms in a somewhat sparsely built and poor-looking urban setting.
The Israel National Trail goes through the entire country and has one of the longest trekkers in the world. The trail goes through more or less every landscape present in the country, from the rocky desert in the south to lush forests in the north. Along the trail you may find these markings, which will typically be orange, blue and white, but can also feature other colour schemes.
Italy has a Mediterranean landscape with a lot of agricultural fields on rolling hills, and forested mountain valleys.
The landscape on the southeastern peninsula surrounding Bari has many olive plantations, which are often seen together with bright rock walls. The dirt in the region typically has a noticeably red colour.
Beware that a similar landscape can also be found in southeastern Sicily.
The Sicilian landscape is characterised by an arid, hilly agricultural landscape, often combined with rocky mountains.
Grey rocks sticking up from the ground are commonly found on Sardinia, particularly in the northeast.
NOTE: A similar phenomenon can be seen on Sicily, however the landscape will typically be much drier than Sardinia.
Cacti in Italy are most common in the south, particularly in Sicily, southern Sardinia and the south of Apulia.
Citrus plantations are primarily found on eastern Sicily and the southern tip of Calabria.
Rice is mainly produced in the western and central parts of Po valley, and less commonly in Sardinia.
The island of Pantelleria is a volcanic island southwest of Sicily. Dark volcanic rocks can be seen in the many rock walls of the island, as well as on some houses. It is fairly common to see yellow lichen covering the rocks. The island also has a very large amount of cacti.
The Aeolian islands are a volcanic archipelago north of Sicily. Here you will find a mix of volcanic soil and rocks with mediterranean vegetation, like stone pines or olive trees. Like in Sicily, cacti are fairly common.
In the mountains of the islands it is very common to see touristic white villas.
Kerosine tanks, otherwise known as “Claymores”, can be found more commonly the further north you go. They are abundant in Hokkaido, but can be found in prefectures south of it, or in high elevation mountainous areas.
Giant butterbur (commonly referred to as cabbage) is abundant in Hokkaido and some northern prefectures. Plants found south of Hokkaido often have smaller leaves. It is often found growing along the roadside.
NOTE: Cabbage is also found on the island of Sakhalin, Russia. However, the Google car will not have low-cam there.
Green tea plants are often grown in hedged rows. You will often see these fans mounted on poles, which serve the purpose of preventing frost from falling on the plants.
The prefectures of Shizuoka (36%) and Kagoshima (34%) make up the majority of the production, with Mie (7%), Miyazaki (4%), and other prefectures (17%) making up the minority.
Rice is mainly produced north of Tokyo. During growth, it resembles straws of grass. And when ready for harvest, brown husks are visible. They are also commonly planted in beds of water.
The regions of Chubu (21%), Kanto (15%), Tohoku (27%), and Hokkaido (7%) make up the majority of production.
Japanese White Birch grows dominantly in the Chubu and Hokkaido regions, and to a lesser extent in Tohoku. Small areas of white birch can be found throughout Japan, so use this information primarily to help assist your region guess.
NOTE: Japanese Beech is another species of tree found in Japan. They, however, have more grey and spotted bark, as opposed to the mostly white Japanese White Birch.
In general, bamboo grows more often in the south, and slowly decreases further north. Population size and areas where it grows can vary, so use this information primarily in helping assist your region guess.
Chinese Silver Grass, referred to as Kyushu grass, is indeed very abundant on the island of Kyushu. However, use this tip with caution, as they can be seen outside of this area.
NOTE: Another notable region they can be found in is the prefectures of Niigata, Yamagata and Akita. Though, combining the rather large quantity found on Kyushu, its normally distinct vegetation, along with other information, there often will be a clear distinction.
Sugarcane is almost exclusively found on the islands in southern Kyushu and Okinawa.
Agricultural fields with red soil are commonly found on several southern islands, most notably on the islands of Miyakojima and Ishigaki in southern Okinawa.
The island is shaped by a unique mix of British and Norman influences. The many winding roads and hedgerows are reminiscent of English country lanes, with tree-covered roads being particularly common. However, due to Jersey’s unique geographical position, most coverage features sunny weather.
All images were taken by a Generation 2 camera.
Cornish palms (Cordyline australis) can be identified by their distinctive thin trunks and arching leaves. They are commonly used as decorative plants on Jersey.
NOTE: These palms can also be found on some stretches of the British mainland’s coastline.
The Les Mielles Nature Reserve is a vast, treeless expanse located on Jersey’s western coast. Combined with the gentle westward slope and partially overcast coverage, this makes for a very recognisable area.
Jordan is a very arid country, with limited vegetation and a lot of almost completely lifeless desert. The lushest parts will still only have the look of an arid Mediterranean landscape.
Highway 35 connecting Amman and Jerash is a divided road surrounded by hills speckled with green vegetation.
NOTE: Highway 40 west of Amman is also divided and features a similar landscape. However, the T-shaped lamppost shown in the image is only found on highway 35 which helps distinguish the two.
Highway 40 is a recognisable divided road surrounded by low, green shrubbery that makes its way west of Amman through the hilly terrain into the sandy area close to the Dead Sea.
NOTE: Y-shaped lamp posts as shown in the image can be found along the length of highway 40, making it distinguishable from highway 35 north of Amman.
Near and in the city of Madaba, you will find flat fields which are sometimes tilled. They uniquely have the characteristic of rich, red soil.
NOTE: The fields continue both north and south of Madaba, along Highway 35.
Kazakhstan is a big and diverse country, which features a plethora of distinct landscapes like deserts, grassy steppes, mountain passes, and birch forests.
Most strikingly, most of the rural coverage in Kazakhstan is in a very empty, open and mostly flat landscape.
The bottom of tree trunks are very often painted white.
NOTE: This is common in several eastern European countries, as well as in parts of Russia.
These lush birch forests next to green fields are common in northern Kazakhstan.
NOTE: This landscape often appears very similar to that found in and around Omsk Oblast in Russia.
Vast grassy green plains are found in northwestern Kazakhstan. They are especially common in Akmola and Kostanay regions.
Sandy and shrubby desert-like landscapes are common in southwestern Kazakhstan.
The East Kazakhstan Region is hilly and forested. It was covered in october, so you will see fall colours on the vegetation. The town of Ridder itself is flat, but surrounded by hazy mountains.
The landscape in southern Kazakhstan near Uzbekistan is hilly and quite dry and shrubby, with a lot of orange looking grass. The landscape consists of dry but grassy rolling hills or dead flat agricultural land near Zhetisay.
NOTE: These red and white KM markers that look like Kyrgyz ones, are only found near Zhetisay.
Grassy green rolling hills can be found in southern Kazakhstan. They are especially common just north of Bishkek.
Around Semey, you can find small clusters or entire forests consisting mostly of pine trees and some deciduous trees, which will have fall colours.
The divided section of the E38 goes southeast to northwest from Shymkent to Kyzylorda. The road is made of asphalt, and it has all white road lines. The landscape varies quite a lot; in the south, it is very green and in the north, it gets dry, sandy, and shrubby.
Driving direction: Both ways
The section of the M36 going from Karaganda to Almaty can often be recognised by the road being under construction, with a second lane being built. Yellow lines are common. As for the landscape, it’s a wintery dry steppe, which looks noticeably orange-brown.
Driving direction: South from Karaganda.
Between Karaganda and Astana, the M36 is now a divided highway, with yellow outer lines. The landscape consists of a grassy, sometimes hilly, steppe with an occasional row of trees along the road. Note that the general southeast to northwest road angle is important.
Driving direction: Both ways
The P4/A17 from Astana to Pavlodar is a divided road, generally going east to west, through a hilly steppe landscape similar to the M36, but is generally less vegetated. Most of the road has outer yellow lines.
Driving direction: Both ways
The section of the A1 going from Astana to Shchuchinsk is a 6-lane divided highway. The landscape around is generally quite green, with trees and grassy plains or hills.
Driving direction: Both ways
The A17 going to Ulytau Region can be recognised by the bad pavement quality, where the edges of the road are almost crumbling away, along with the single white middle road line, which can be dashed or solid. The landscape itself is a grassy steppe, with some fall coloured trees occasionally lining the roads.
West of Atasu, the sun is distinctly low on the horizon.
NOTE: A small section east of Atasu has pristine new pavement, which has a slight red tint to it.
Driving direction: Towards Atasu from both directions
The road north of Zhezqazghan has no road lines. The landscape is very dry, desolate, with very limited vegetation and slightly hilly. The soil can look very red or orange at times.
The weather is sunny, with a lot of cumulus clouds.
Driving directions: North from Nikolskiy
The R260 road is mostly paved, but not in the best condition; many cracks can be seen, and it mostly lacks road lines. The weather is overcast and the landscape is a slightly hilly steppe, consisting of somewhat yellow grass and reddish soil, which is very evident when the road is unpaved.
The R217 is very similar, but the road is in better condition and mostly has very faded dashed white middle road lines, which are often quite difficult to see. The further east you go, the more sparse the cloud cover gets.
Driving directions: South from Atbasar
Coverage in dense baltic pine forests can be found north of Shchuchinsk, which is north of Astana.
NOTE: Baltic pines can be found in other parts of the country.
Parts of Oskemen have hazy forest fire coverage.
A small ridge of hills is visible to the north in a lot of Taldykorgan coverage.
Many species of eucalyptus are commonly found in Kenya. They can be identified by their long, often clumped leaves, and smooth bark.
NOTE: Eucalyptus trees can be found in other countries. Use this information to help reinforce your country guess.
The natural formation of land has great diversity between regions. The east and large portions of the north are extremely flat. In contrast, the further southwest you travel, the higher the elevation becomes on average.
You can click on the image to enlarge it.
Mombasa and the other coastal towns are easily identified from the white sandy soil, palm trees and coastal feel.
The far west areas of the country that are northwest and southwest of Kisumu are the most agricultural parts of the country. You will often see farms, grassy hills, and tall eucalyptus trees in this region of the country.
The area around Kitui is semi-arid, usually mountainous, and has light orange, sandy dirt.
The northwest part of the country has very limited coverage, most of which is on the A1 or in Sibiloi National Park. It has faintly tan soil and sparse low trees. A lot of the coverage in this area is very flat, but you can also see hills or mountains.
White flowers, especially when they are in large numbers, are commonly found east of Chyulu Hills National Park, as well as in Tsavo National Park and near the A109 south of Nairobi.
The B9 in the Northeast is entirely unpaved and has bright reddish orange dirt with many trees surrounding the road. Most of it is very flat, but the coverage at the western end of the road can have hills and mountains. The soil also transitions into a more sandy colour.
The A2 between Isiolo and Marsabit has many plants alongside the road and you will often see large mountains in the distance. The stretch going through Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust will have a very large mountain range to the west.
North of Marsabit will be much flatter, with some mountains in the distance. The stretch just north or Marsabit will have mountains visible to the south, while further north, a different range can be seen. It will also have much less vegetation.
The A3 north of Garissa is very unique, with light coloured soil and many green trees on either side of the road.
The western part of the C34 is a flat, east to west road. There are two long, straight sections with an abundance of sugar cane. Furthermore, you will see a large mountain range north along the entire mentioned stretches of road.
Amboseli National Park has a grey car with a small snorkel. It is very flat with tan grass, few trees, and dried up lake beds. You can always see the base of Kilimanjaro to the south, with most of it obscured by clouds.
Aberdare National Park has a grey and brown car that features a large snorkel. Almost all of the coverage is outside of the National Park, with only two roads within the park covered. The main road through the park has these rubber bands on the roof rack, which can only be found in one other National Park in Kenya.
Between Kitale and Mt Elgon, you can find the Aberdare car as well, but it will always have rubber bands, unlike in Aberdare where it will only have them on the main roads through the park. It can be differentiated from Aberdare by its redder dirt, and greener landscape.
The area surrounding and between Kerio and Lodwar uses the same car as the Aberdare National Park, but with a vastly different landscape. It is very sandy, dry, and has little vegetation.
You may also find yourself in Generation 3 coverage without car meta.
This stretch of the B8 just north of Kibaoni has many succulents on the side of the road.
All of Kyrgyzstan was covered during the winter months, so many of the trees will lack leaves, the landscape will be quite drab, and you can see snow in many parts of Kyrgyzstan.
In Kyrgyzstan, you will often see trees and concrete poles that are painted white on the bottom.
Lake Issyk Kul is the biggest body of water in Kyrgyzstan. You will often be able to spot it on the roads north and south of the lake. Sometimes it will be obscured by buildings or trees, but the lack of any mountains in the direction of the lake will be a good clue.
NOTE: There are two other significant bodies of water that can be seen from the road: the Toktogul Reservoir and Lake Song-Kul. With a bit of practice, you can reliably distinguish these from Issyk Kul however.
You can also distinguish Osh from Bishkek by looking at the trees: most still have their leaves.
The mountains here can be characterised by steep rocky cliffs that can have a slight purple or red tint to them. Not much vegetation grows on these mountains - only some grass and shrubs. A small river also runs alongside the road. You can also spot these brown metallic electricity pylons and curved concrete guardrails on the sides of this road.
NOTE: This section of road features the Black Dot Mirror.
This section of road goes through mountains that have rocky cliffs. These mountains are a habitat for lots of spruce trees that grow on the cliff sides. A more diverse selection of trees grows next to the river that follows the road. You can see that some mountains still have snow on the peaks. Most signposts along the road are coloured blue.
NOTE: The southern section of the road features more rocky cliffs that cannot sustain any trees.
You can see the mostly dried up part of the Toktogul Reservoir either to the south or north of the road. There are taller mountains quite close on every side. The northern half is more desolate, while the south features more vegetation and buildings as well.
This southern region has a lot of agriculture and a lot of vegetation on the sides of the roads. The region is generally flat, but the road is very close to the hills that are usually to the north or east. The gaps in the minimap indicate exceptionally hilly spots.
NOTE: This section of road features the Southern Dirty Mirror.
The beginning section of the divided EM-11 has this grassy median up until Khun-Chi.
The road then becomes undivided. This section south of Balykchy is extremely dry, with the landscape mostly consisting of small shrubs, unless you are next to the Chu river. To the north, you can spot these mountains that have clouds hovering above them. Otherwise, there are no clouds in this region.
Further up the road, you enter a dry valley with mountains flanking both sides. There is barely any vegetation - just some shrubs close to the ground. The river next to the road brings some more greenery to the area. In the southern half of this section, you can see this slightly snowy ridge to the north.
Going further south, you will reach this next valley, which seems equally dry, but the mountains are more rocky and have trees growing on them. The road now has very bad pavement, and as such you can see dust clouds.
Once you get out of the valley, you will notice this area is more vegetated, has more buildings, and more animals on the now grassy fields. The landscape is still hilly, with bigger mountains to the north, south, and west. The southern mountains are especially distinct, with them being covered in snow. The hills immediately north of Naryn can get very dry, but look out for snow that you can see in the shade.
The section east of Cholpon Ata appears overcast, with mountains to the north, and a lake to the south. Tall tree rows on either side of the road is a common sight.
The vertical stretch of road north of Karakol is mostly flanked by tall tree rows on either side. There are also tall snowy mountains to the north and south.
NOTE: The weather changes here, around the midpoint of the road.
On the road west of Karakol, you will see a lot of vegetation on the sides of the roads, and long expanses of green and yellow fields beyond them. You will usually be able to see the Tian Shan Mountain Range in the distance to the north. There are big mountains to the south as well, with smaller hills before them.
NOTE: The weather is completely clear east of this intersection.
You will see a lot of mountains and hills to the south here, but only some hills to the north, with seemingly nothing behind them. You might even see Issyk Kul behind them. There is still a lot of sand on the sides of the roads.
The landscape around the western end of Issyk Kul is drier than the east. The lake itself and the southern hills are further away from the road as well.
The eastern side of EM-13 closely resembles the road going west of Naryn. (See tip below) This road, however, is an unpaved gravel road in the middle of the Naryn valley, so the hills to the north are now closer. The Landscape is filled with bushes, shrubs, and grass.
NOTE: The one town in the region can be recognized by these white-and-red fences with a white diamond pattern in the middle.
The road going east of Naryn is also in the Naryn Valley. Here you will also see hills close to the road in the south, and then further away to the north. The plains north of the road are however smaller. This side is also more built up, except the road, which is unpaved at certain parts. Here, the hills south also have small amounts of snow on them.
The road in the mountains south of Song-Kul is the only unpaved road this high up in the mountains. You can see the clouds below you, down in the valleys below. The mountains have rugged peaks, and snowy cliff sides. Many of the mountains also have spruce trees growing on them.
The M-118 takes you from the resort town Arslanbob down into the fertile Fergana Valley.
Includes 2 tips.
On this road, you should be able to see the Kara Darya river to the east in the valley below the road. The region is generally hilly and green. To the north, you can see some low-lying mountains in the distance, they have some snow on them. The hills east of the river have snow on the top as well.
NOTE: This section of road features the Southern Dirty Mirror.
Going further west, you will encounter a very hilly landscape. The landscape features a lot of vegetation - tall grass, trees, bushes. This road uses these concrete barriers as guardrails, notice the cement above the gaps.
The general southeast to northwest driving direction on this road is also worth noting.
This valley is full of vegetation. This area also has a lot of buildings and fences near the road. Most of the road is in poor shape, with it being unpaved and potholes littering parts of it. To the north, you can see some darker clouds, and closer to Arkit, the weather will get cloudier, and there are more dead trees.
The south to north driving direction on this road is worth noting.
This section near Arkit has a lot of snow everywhere and low broad leafed trees all around. This already unique landscape paired with the south to north driving direction makes it very easy to recognise.
This section of the M-010 is surrounded by beautiful spruce covered snowy mountains. Some snow has also gathered on the sides of the road.
There is another road with coverage to the east of the Chunkurchak road: it goes through a very rocky valley, with a variety of plants growing on the mountainsides, of which only some have small amounts of snow. You can also see some snow in the valley, and more so towards the south.
This divided road north of Bishkek, that leads up to the international airport, uses unique yellow-and-black curbs on the median, which consists of mostly grass. Some sections have small planted trees, and poles with red-and-yellow paint on the bottom. The horizontal section west of the airport has a lot more trees.
The road south of Jeti Oguz goes through a valley. The general landscape in this valley is very green by Kyrgyzstan standards, there are plenty of trees and bushes growing in the valley and on the hills. You can see small patches of snow still on the ground. From most of the valley, you can still see the Tian Shan mountains to the north, and other snowy mountains to the south. The valley also contains these unique orange rock formations.
The road north of Grigorievka goes through a stunning river valley. This is one of the most unique roads in Kyrgyzstan. You can easily recognise it from the spruce covered mountains in this rocky valley. The lack of snow is also notable.
The northern half of this road is on an open rolling field with pine forests scattered around.
There is a side road north of the Orto Tokoy Reservoir that has very broken coverage. This road is well maintained, and it passes through dry mountains. The only vegetation around is grass and shrubs. To the west, you can see this mountain which has little snow left. To the north, the mountains are dark, similar to silhouettes, and on the southern portion of the road, you will see the reservoir.
This remote gravel road southwest of Naryn passes through a dry and desolate valley. Despite the river, there is nothing but some shrubs on the ground. Many of the mountains in the valley have steep, rocky cliff sides. You will also find snow here, but more so in the south.
Street View coverage in Laos is very limited. Only five cities are covered: Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and Pakse.
In addition, all coverage in Laos was taken by a Generation 3 camera.
All five cities have a distinct look and with some practise they are easily distinguishable from each other. The differences are discussed in more detail in the region-guessing section, but the summarized version is as follows:
Luang Prabang: historical architecture, hills, palms
Vang Vieng: distinct mountains
Vientiane: no roof rack, large city
Savannakhet: very flat
Pakse: red soil, arid, hills
Palm trees are common in Luang Prabang.
The road that goes through the conservation area features uniquely hilly terrain for Laos. Landscape around the road is also very dry, and mostly forested. Additionally, the road is in good condition with coloured curbs and dashed outer lines.
NOTE: It is the only single lane road that has black and white or yellow and white curbs.
The southern city of Pakse is easily recognizable thanks to the distinct red soil.
The vegetation is also uniquely dry, with equally dry hills nearby.
The area south of Jelgava is characterised by a wide open landscape with considerably less forest and more fields than most of the rest of Latvia.
Lebanon has a Mediterranean landscape, with a lot of hills and rocky cliffs.
The region around Zahle has flat agricultural fields, with mountains visible to the northwest.
Northern Lebanon is very flat and agricultural. You might see the mountains to the southeast.
Coverage was taken along parts of the promenade in Beirut, with a grey brick pavement and a large number of fan palms.
Campus Debbieh of the Beirut Arab University consists of somewhat sparsely built large modern sandstone buildings on top of a forested hill. The ocean can typically be seen far away to the west.
One of the best ways to identify the country are the characteristic ‘Lesotho mountains’. They are bare and treeless, often have tabletop-like shapes, and recognizable horizontal rocky ridgelines.
Depending on where you are in the country, the mountains can vary a bit in appearance. Especially inland areas towards the southeast, where they appear more like rolling green hills rather than isolated tabletop mountains. However, you will still often be able to see the horizontal rocky ridges.
These agave plants are common throughout the countryside and often a good clue for the country.
Grasslands in Lesotho primarily consist of short grass.
NOTE: This is mostly useful to distinguish Lesotho from Eswatini, which famously has a lot of tall grass.
Lesotho is a very rural society. You will often see a lot of free-roaming livestock on Lesotho’s roads: most commonly cows, but also horses, donkeys, and other farm animals.
Lesotho can be roughly divided into two regions, based on landscape: flat and mountainous.
In the flat region, the road itself runs through a mostly flat or hilly landscape. “Flat” is a bit of a misnomer, as you will usually still see tabletop-like mountains around you. However they will usually be significantly further away from the road, giving you a more clear line of sight. This “flat” part is the region with the most coverage, settlements and agriculture.
Conversely, in the mountainous part, the road will usually be directly on the side of the mountain, instead of slightly away from it. The mountains are often large, closer to the road, and covered in green grass.
Coverage in the mountainous part of Lesotho is very sparse: there are only 6 main roads (and a couple of very small off-roads) with coverage, meaning that you can learn each road by heart if you feel so inclined.
The road going from Ramatsediso to Sehlabathebe NP, in the southeast on the border with South Africa, is very recognizable. Consider guessing there if the following three things are all true for your location:
Unpaved road with light brown soil.
Good weather with little fluffy clouds.
Grassy landscape high in the mountains.
You will also often be able to see exposed, light-coloured rocks next to the road.
Qacha's Nek is a very recognizable town that is located far away from most other towns, on the southeastern border with South Africa.
It is situated right in the middle of green mountains, and it had noticeably bad weather when the Google car drove there.
Most coverage in Liechtenstein is situated in a somewhat flat river valley, but with tall mountains in almost every direction. In particular, within this valley, you will almost always be able to see the nearby mountains towering above you to the east. Most of the mountainous coverage is just on the slopes of the mountains, with only a small amount properly in the mountains.
As a result of the flat Rhine River Valley, Liechtenstein has a lot of pastures and other agricultural land.
Triesenberg and its surroundings are a fairly densely populated area on the slope of the mountains just east of the Rhine River Valley, which can often be seen below to the west.
Around Ruggell, there is a small, forested ridgeline to the south. This is a big contrast to the towering mountains seen elsewhere.
This steep rocky cliff with trees at its base and on the top can be seen in and around Mäls.
The only lakes in Liechtenstein are located just south of Steg, near the middle of the mountains.
Lithuania has less forest cover than the other two Baltic countries. As a result, the landscape appears more open and agricultural. Your mileage may vary depending on the round however, so use this meta with some caution.
The Curonian Spit is a long thin sand-dune spit south of Klaipeda, that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. The main road on this spit, road 167, has a recognizable combination of landscape and road direction:
The road is surrounded on all sides by forest with many Baltic pines. In many places, you will see slightly windswept trees (visible in the example image).
Almost all of Luxembourg’s landscape consists of green rolling hills, with a patchwork of agriculture and forests.
NOTE: If you see a yellow licence plate, and you are not sure what country it belongs to, landscape is often a good clue: almost all of the Netherlands is completely flat.
Vineyards are primarily found in the southeast of the country.
A hilly, rural region of Macau can be found in the south. Roads are narrow, winding up hills with trees on both sides. A helpful clue are the lamp posts, which are commonly seen.
When this area appears in a world map, it can be confusing to newer players, as there are very few language or architecture clues available. The washed out early Generation 2 coverage can help with identifying it as being located in Macau.
The climate of Madagascar generally varies from extremely dry in the southern and central parts, to tropical in the north.
The coverage on the island of Nosy Ambariovato can be recognized by the people, one wearing a blue T-shirt and sunglasses on their forehead, one with a light red T-shirt and one with a darker red tank top. There is also a fourth person in some of the coverage, wearing a light blue T-shirt. The coverage is very hilly and forested.
There is a village by the northern shore of Nosy Ambariovato.
Ambiky can be recognized by the large number of palms combined with the brown, sandy dirt road. In most of the coverage, there is a person walking in front of the trekker with a grey T-shirt and a brown backpack.
A beach west of Ambiky can be recognized by the low trees combined with low mountains to the northwest.
An area with coverage south of Ambiky can be recognized by the large, solitary green bushes combined with a very slight red tinge in the dirt. Certain parts of the coverage are quite wet.
A small section of the coverage by the Sambirano river has two different people present on the coverage; one with a red T-shirt and white cap, and one with a spotted dress.
A couple of atolls on the central west coast can be seen on Street View. The northernmost is the smallest, and is easily recognizable as it only consists of sand and you can always see from one shore to the other.
NOTE: Among the five atolls with land coverage, only the two furthest south appear on the map.
The other atolls can be recognized by their small size relative to other landmasses and the broad leaved palms which is rarely found anywhere else in the country.
The trekker next to the RN8 can be recognized by its extreme dryness, combined with the four people wearing red, blue, grey and light blue respectively.
Baobab Avenue is easy to recognize by the extremely broad trunked baobab trees along the side of the road.
Morondava has a very smooth sand beach, with the ocean to the northwest. There are a large number of palms visible.
Belo Sur Mer can be recognized by the large number of palms combined with the blanket of white sand on the ground.
A piece of coverage, partly taken on a large grassy field, and partly on the side of a sand dune, can be found south of Manahy.
A small, very sandy village with the shore to the north can be seen on a small cape north of Andavadoaka. Part of the coverage was taken just outside the shoreline.
Coverage with multiple different people walking near and around the trekker, and with a small village to the west, can be found in the southeastern part of the bay. Part of the coverage goes through a very shallow body of water.
A small part of the coverage in Tsaranoro was taken inside a forest, which occasionally hides the surrounding mountains. The best way to recognize this area is the relatively dark coverage, combined with the four people following the trekker.
A small settlement is found in the northeastern end of Tsaranoro. The mountains can typically be seen in the background.
The second part with the same two people is found to the east of St Augustin, going through a hilly landscape with a lot of shrubs.
Madeira is a very mountainous and semi-tropical island.
NOTE: The Azores are less mountainous and more temperate.
Similar to continental Portugal, Madeira has a lot of eucalyptus forests, which can sometimes look deceptively like the mainland.
NOTE: The Azores do not commonly have eucalypti.
Hydrangeas can occasionally be seen.
NOTE: They are even more common on the Azores.
African lilies (Agapanthus praecox) are very common in Madeira. They can be recognized by their long grassy leaves and round flower clusters at the end of a long stem. The most common colours are white and blue.
Due to the lack of flat terrain, terrace farming is extensively practised on the island. Stone walls are used to separate the individual plateaus.
Ferns are very common throughout the island.
Low altitude clouds are typical on the island, and are often seen on street view.
You can sometimes find free roaming cows on high-altitude roads on the island, as well as warning signs for those cows. The cows will typically be brown with white spots, contrary to the Azores, where the cows will typically be black and white.
The majority of banana plantations are found in the south.
The eastern tip of the island is very arid with little to no vegetation.
Cascata dos Anjos is situated in the southwest and is a popular location on the island. It is a 100-metre-high waterfall, which cascades onto the road below.
Trash bins with a logo resembling leaves are found in Perlis and Kedah.
The Niono mosque is located in a busy area by the side of a wide, sandy and fairly dirty road, with trees right by the walls of the mosque.
It is most easily located on the map by first looking for the “Centre Commercial” slightly north of the centre of Niono.
The exterior of the mosque in Gao can be recognised by the large desolate space outside the walls, the ground consisting of reddish dirt, and some trees in the background.
The Djenné mosque has a very recognizable front, with some distant trees and a clear sky. The mosque is surrounded by low houses, making the area look fairly open.
The Mopti mosque is similar in style to the Djenne mosque, but has trees growing closer to the walls and a slight amount of clouds in the sky. The streets with coverage around the walls of the mosque also appear more narrow than the ones in Djenne.
This natural rocky gorge is part of the Bandiagara Escarpment. It features dry trees and bushes following the path. It is located southwest of Sangha Ogol Leye, and is the only completely rural coverage in Mali.
The general landscape of Malta consists of slightly hilly dry agricultural fields. Many roads are also only 1 or 2 lanes wide, due to the island’s size. Having a mediterranean climate, cacti and various dry shrubs can be seen.
Habitation Clément is a rum distillery covered by a trekker. Due to it being pinpointable, some locations are on maps such as ACW. There are several landscapes in and around the distillery, including:
A warehouse with a truck and a forklift.
A view of the outside with hills in the background and machinery on display.
A rural dirt track outside with red soil and palm trees.
The inside of the distillery with the structure made of H-beam steel.
The coastal southern trekker can be recognized by a few unique things:
In the north, the trekker starts off walking on a slightly hilly path, with other people.
Several houses with orange roofs can be seen.
A flatter and more open path can be seen, with the ocean slightly visible through the trees.
The coverage ends in the south with a car park and some stalls.
The Jardin de Balata trekker is the most tropical and humid feeling on Martinique. The trekker can be recognized by dark and damp feeling, the trees with buttress roots, ferns and bamboo. This man wearing a black shirt and grey cap can sometimes be seen with the trekker.
Cacti, of many different species, are extremely common in Mexico.
Prickly pear cacti are distinct with their flat oval-shaped pads. They are noticeably more common centrally and are rarely seen in southern and coastal states.
Agave salmiana, also known as pulque agaves, have wide, smooth, curling leaves, and a crown-like appearance. They are common in the central Mexican valley and further north around the city of San Luis Potosi.
Vast fields of blue agave (Agave tequilana), used to produce tequila, are mostly found in Jalisco and Nayarit.
Yucca filifera, also known as tree yucca, as well as yucca decipiens are most commonly seen in San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas as well as some of the bordering northern states. They can be recognised by their oblong rosettes of sharp green leaves branching from a single trunk, similar to a tree.
The Mexican Giant Cardon is an extremely common cacti in the Baja California peninsula. It can be identified through its large sprawling arms stemming from a singular trunk and ribbed exterior.
The Saguaro Cacti can be spotted in the western half of Sonora, featuring short curving arms that stem from a main trunk.
Organ Pipe Cacti have long thin stems that often come out from a stem that is around ground level. They are most commonly found in Sonora and occasionally in Baja California Sur.
The Blue Myrtle Cacti have short arms that uniformly curve and point upwards. It is abundantly found in San Luis Potosi, but also common in Queretaro and Hidalgo.
Sugar cane can be found all over the country, but by far most common in Veracruz.
Coconut palms can be found all across the coast, but are often found in large groups in Guerrero and Colima.
Sabal palms are most commonly observed in the east coast of Mexico, the Yucatan peninsula, as well as the state of Nayarit. They feature a spiky, sun-shaped crown, giving the tree a lollipop-like appearance.
The Attalea rostrata is a huge palm recognizable from its upright leaves, almost resembling an umbrella. It is mostly exclusive to Veracruz and Tabasco, and can be rarely found in Chiapas.
Oil palm plantations are most common in Chiapas, and occasionally on the outskirts of the state in Veracruz, Tabasco, and Campeche.
Boojum trees can be recognized by their alien, tentacle-like appearance. They are almost exclusively found in the southern half of Baja California.
Brittlebush are small shrubs with bright silver-grey leaves that are most commonly found in Sonora, especially around Hermosillo.
These thin, white-barked trees can be found in the Yucatan peninsula, but are most prevalent in Quintana Roo.
These gold tufts of grass in a line right next to the road are most commonly found in Coahuila.
These clumps of grass in almost a teardrop shape are common in the region around Tlaxcala.
Red agricultural fields are commonly seen in Zacatecas and occasionally southern Durango.
The western parts of Chihuahua and Durango can feature a rocky mountainous landscape covered with pine forests. In general, these pines are shorter and more stunted in appearance than pine forests of the central or south.
Extremely dark fields are common in Guanajuato.
These red agricultural fields surrounded by dense forests of tropical trees are most common in northern Campeche.
These fences made out of trees with red-coloured bark are commonly found in Veracruz.
NOTE: These tree fences can still be found in other coastal states and are best utilised when combined with other clues.
The area around Mexicali features flat farmland with a ridge to the west. Washingtonia palms are very common and these poles made out of brown wood can be found.
The area around Poza Rica in Veracruz features a lot of citrus tree plantations. It is common to see large amounts of these trees grown right on top of the hills.
The area around Ciudad Obregon is distinct due to the pinkish-tan soil and canals found around the city’s agricultural areas.
Cerro del Bernal is a distinct extinct volcano that is found in southern Tamaulipas. It can be found heading directly northwest of Tampico or west of Morón.
This extremely long and flat ridge is found in the Sierra del Abra Tanchipa Biosphere Reserve in eastern San Luis Potosi.
This tall, flat ridge, with very prominent ridgelines, belongs to the Maderas del Carmen Biosphere Reserve in Northern Coahuila near the US border.
NOTE: The only road the mountain range can be observed from is the Federal Highway 53 that leads to Boquillas del Carmen.
The outskirts of Ciudad Juárez features a lot of dirt roads with a distinct shade of orange soil and low shrubs.
The town of Guaymas has a lot of jagged cliffs and mountains that make the area very distinct. The soil is also distinctly pinkish and organ-pipe cacti can be seen scattered on the hills and next to the road.
The 54 is a divided highway that runs through northeastern Zacatecas which features yucca trees spammed on both sides of the road. Additionally, the streetview car is often exposed and appears almost white due to the sunlight.
The 40D that crosses the Sinaloa-Durango state line is recognizable by the stunning lush cliffs and mountains along the road. The highway commonly passes through tunnels and the road itself features double yellow middle roadlines.
Monaco is a hilly country. The very few areas that are not built up show mediterranean vegetation.
Planted palm trees are common.
Mongolia can typically be identified by the steppe biomes found across the country. While some forested areas are found in Mongolia, most of the country features empty grasslands or deserts with a characteristic lack of trees. It is not uncommon to find rugged, rocky or rolling hills as well as rivers and lakes across Mongolia.
It is very common to see large herds of animals in Mongolia, including horses, yaks, cows, sheep, goats, and camels.
You can find forests, typically surrounded by grassy fields, all around northern Mongolia. Generally these will be Siberian Larches, with pines and birches being common as well.
Small dirt tracks within flat, vast grassy fields are mainly found in far eastern Mongolia.
You can find arid steppe rangeland, characterised by the coarse soil, patchy grass, and small shrubs, throughout southwestern Mongolia.
Fall coverage in Mongolia gives rise to very distinct orange-coloured trees and grass, and can only be found in a few areas; mostly between the towns of Lun and Hatgal, with some fall coverage around Ulaanbaatar. Trees are more commonly seen the further north you are.
NOTE: Some of the generation 4 coverage in Ulaanbaatar was also taken in the fall.
Around the town of Bugant is a large forest that stands out for having narrow dirt trails with close trees, typically on both sides, in a way that can appear quite Russian. Additionally, it is very common to see birches around this area.
Keep in mind that the dirt trails in this forest do not appear on the map.
Due to Mongolia’s harsh climate and terrain, crop fields are rare, but they do occasionally appear in the subdivisions of Selenge and Töv, near Ulaanbaatar.
The Choir Highway is the longest covered paved road in Mongolia, running from Nalaikh down to Zamiin-Uud on the Chinese border, and is mostly desert. The dry brown soil, lack of vegetation, clear skies, and general flatness are all characteristic of this road. Additionally, a railroad runs along the entire highway, which can be seen west of the highway north of Sainshand, and east of the highway south of Sainshand. Between the towns of Sainshand and Erdene there is some overcast coverage.
The Millenium Road runs just west of the town of Lun, and has late fall coverage, combined with a dry climate that gives it characteristic orange short grass. The silver tent, clear skies, and general flatness with low rolling hills also help in identifying this road. The sun gradually sets as the car continues west until it becomes sunset at the end of the road.
NOTE: At the end of the road, the car continues travelling northwest up to Murun on off-road dirt trails.
The Darkhan-Erdenet highway can be identified by the low rolling hills, tall transmission towers, and occasional crop fields in the area. Additionally, most of the highway has winter coverage with the tentless car, light snow, and yellow grass. Beware that summer coverage can occasionally appear in the eastern half of the road.
North of Ulaanbaatar you can find this car, which has the same blue tent as the eastern tent, but with a backwards-facing snorkel. The snorkel can sometimes be difficult to see, so use other additional clues such as rolling hills and forests to confirm the region.
NOTE: The highway in pink can have either the blue tent car or the tentless car with snow coverage.
Erdenet is the second largest city in Mongolia. As such, it has many multistory buildings that can be seen from across town, a large stadium, and a ferris wheel in the south of the city. It is surrounded by large barren hills to the south and to the north, and was covered on a cloudy day in the winter, meaning all vegetation is dead.
NOTE: Erdenet can look very similar to Darkhan and Ulaanbaatar, but the lack of snow distinguishes it from Darkhan, while the cloudy skies and lack of rubber inlays on the roof racks can be used to distinguish it from Ulaanbaatar.
Sukhbaatar and Altanbulag are two neighbouring towns in the north near the Russian border. They have dry, forested hills all around and heavy overcast coverage. Sukhbaatar is completely overcast while Altanbulag is slightly less cloudy.
NOTE: Murun and Choibalsan are two other towns that also have overcast coverage, but lack forested hills and have different Street View cars.
Dalanzadgad can be easily recognised by its distinct sunset coverage. Additionally it has a dry climate, fall-coloured grass, rocky hills to the south, some smoke stacks, and a unique loose tent cover on the left side.
Arvaikheer is a large central town recognizable by the warm, green, and grassy landscape in gen 4, with low rolling hills in every direction. Often you can see the town’s ferris wheel in a park in the centre of town.
NOTE: In older coverage, a distinct camera smudge can be seen on the right side of the camera.
In the central town of Tsetserleg, you will see these distinct rocky, rugged hills, with small trees growing on them to the north. It has very clear skies and the neighbourhoods can often be seen on the hilly slopes.
Hatgal is a small lake town on the Khuvsgul Lake. It can be recognized from its fall coverage with orange trees and grass, and the large lake in the northeast, where the Khuvsgul Ice Festival is held every year.
Uliastai is a central-western Mongolian town, surrounded by large, green nearby hills. It is common to see a decent amount of trees or the river that runs through the town. In the centre of town, you can find a small hill with the Soyombo symbol inscribed on it.
In the town of Altai, you can see a range of dark, distant hills to the south and west and low rolling hills to the north and east. Additionally, it is common to see wet roads, as most of the coverage occurred after heavy rain.
NOTE: In older coverage, a unique tent can be seen, which is inflated on the left side.
East of Uvs lake, you can find a lot of these small shrubs and patchy grass in a somewhat flat landscape.
NOTE: Similar shrubs can be found around Shaazgai Lake, but that area is considerably more hilly.
Khan Khokhii is a national park in northwestern Mongolia with some of the most dense forests in the country. It has partially cloudy skies, dark soil, and the western grey tent.
Keep in mind that the trails in this park do not appear on the map.
NOTE: There are other forests in Mongolia, but Khan Khokhii is one of the biggest and one of the only areas where you can be completely surrounded by trees.
This beautiful river valley, just west of Lake Hatgal in the Khoridol Saridag mountains, is very recognizable from the surrounding rocky cliffs and forests, and the ground that is completely covered in pebbles.
Montenegro is a small, mountainous country. Inland mountains are lush and green, while most coastal mountains have distinct exposed, light coloured rock. Most roads are also only 1 or 2 lanes wide.
Green, agricultural valleys with deforested hills to make way for farmland are most commonly seen in the north.
Dry mountains with a lack of trees are seen around Podgorica, and to the south of it. Vineyards are also commonly seen in this region.
Pine forests can be found in the north and a small area north of Nikšić, but most commonly in the east.
Durmitor National Park can be recognized by a distinct landscape consisting of grassy, treeless mountains with a high-altitude feel.
The town of Žabljak is situated in this national park, and can be recognized by the landscape but also by the unique architecture.
Roads surrounded by tall and lush trees on both sides will generally place you in the north of the country. The more trees and the greener they are, the further north-northeast you should click.
A pocket around Oshakati, and to a lesser extent the rest of the north features more agricultural land and has very light sandy soil. This map also closely lines up with where you can find the Hyphaene Petersiana fan palms.
The landscape east of Windhoek closely resembles that of Botswana, with a generally flat and dry landscape, featuring slightly reddish soil, short golden grass and shrubbery, as well as acacia trees.
Further northwest, you’ll find a somewhat greener region, where the mountains and hills will be covered in shrubbery and trees.
This pocket south of Tsumeb features the most lush coverage in Namibia, with the grass and mountains being completely green in colour.
Around Windhoek, you’ll find a small region with a somewhat dry rolling hills landscape, with hills that are covered in dry yellow grass and dead-looking bushes and small trees.
The southeast part of Namibia has countless small ridges that are NW to SE in orientation. Roads ‘riding’ these red sandy ridges appear bumpy, almost like a rollercoaster. Roads winding between the ridges make them appear like miniature valleys.
Tall pink sand dunes are mainly found just east of Sossusvlei, and can also be seen from further away on a few roads.
Vineyards are exclusively found around Aussenkehr on the South African border in the south.
These somewhat baity agricultural fields can be found just west of Mariental.
Road A1 between Windhoek and Okahandja, featuring a savannah-like landscape, is just one of two major roads that are divided in Namibia. The other one can be found just southeast of Swakopmund, and features a dry coastal landscape, with light sandy soil and sand dunes.
Road B1 south of Grunau is a desolate paved road going generally N-NE through a desert landscape with only very low and dry vegetation.
Around Rehoboth the landscape gradually becomes more vegetated, and as you get closer to Windhoek, the hills become more prominent, with a lot of somewhat pointed lonestanding hills, as well as ridges being visible. The weather is fairly clear with small clouds across the sky.
North of Okahandja, the B1 follows a general northbound direction, with the sun shining brightly to the N-NW. The sky is otherwise clear of clouds. As for the landscape, it’s flatter than around Windhoek, with only the occasional hill or mountain, otherwise the short golden grass, somewhat green acacia trees and shrubbery further away from the road is typical for middle to north Namibia.
South of Sukses, you’ll see these two pointy mountains, one of which has a sharper peak than the other, to the west of the road.
This desolate paved road goes in a general E-SE direction through a fairly flat and dry landscape. Small clouds dot the sky. The shrubbery is quite green for the most part, especially in the east, which is also very hilly.
NOTE: The easiest way to tell it apart from parts of the B4 is the eastwards driving direction on this road, as opposed to westwards on the B4.
After the road climbs onto the plateau east of Kuibis, the landscape will seem mostly flat until you reach the intersection with the D432, but you can notice the road having a gradual incline for long stretches. The soil around is very red in colour, with limited shrubbery or signs of life. The weather is clear, with some clouds far in the distance.
Road B6 goes in a general eastwards direction from Windhoek, with the landscape ranging from hilly close to Windhoek, to mostly flat closer to Gobabis. The soil is somewhat orange in colour, with short green grass and otherwise green vegetation growing from it. The cloud cover also varies, but no part of this road has a clear sky.
NOTE: The only other similar paved road, road C39, has brighter soil.
You can recognise this long stretch of B8 by the light coloured grainy pavement as well as the general E-NE angle and vegetated northern landscape.
Very red soil and small tufts of golden grass lining the road can be used to recognise the paved C19. The sky is mostly covered in dark clouds, especially to the north.
The C22 is a paved road generally going east, with freshly cut, orange tufts of grass along the road. A couple of large, rocky hills almost hug the road near the middle. The blinding sun low on the horizon to the east can also be helpful.
NOTE: A short stretch near Okakarara was taken at a different time, making it less distinct. Look for the low ridge N-NW and the sun to the NNE to confirm.
A large rugged mountain formation can be seen to the west from the paved C13. Other smaller hills and mountains can be seen in other directions. Light coloured soil hugs the road, while more orange coloured soil can be seen further from the road, with light green vegetation and shrubbery acting as a contrast.
Another easy way to get the road is to look for the wispy clouds trying to hide the sun in the east.
The C34 looks like darker streaks of black sand surrounded by more sand as far as the eye can see. Some coastal shrubbery, and even the coast can be seen in some parts. Unique white bollards with two yellow reflectors on the front, and one red in the back can also be seen along the road at regular intervals.
Red tinted and slightly grainy pavement along with the green savannah-like grassy landscape crowned with low-lying cumulus clouds can be used to recognise the northern section of road C35.
South of the C41 intersection, the road loses its red pavement, and the quality worsens. The landscape is less grassy, and more sandy, with hills to the west, though often hidden behind the vegetation. The road generally goes in a S-SE direction. Further south, it gets hillier, and parts will have a more SE bound angle. The sky is consistently covered by scattered cirrostratus and cumulus clouds.
A short section NW of Kamanjab along with the same somewhat green and hilly landscape, features an impressive array of clouds in the sky, with the sun attempting to peek out from the west. Hues of orange can be seen on the horizon.
The C38 is yet another indistinct paved northern road with sandy soil, somewhat green vegetation and short grass lining the road. The sky, which is covered with a spotty blanket of clouds, is generally the most distinct clue. The sun is faintly shining through the clouds to the north.
Most of the C39 travels through a wide valley, with small vegetation-covered hills on both sides, which are mostly visible to the north. The N-NE angle and puffy cumulus clouds dotting the sunny sky are also noteworthy.
The C40 has a general NW angle going through flat terrain with the usual northern landscape of short grass next to the road, trees further away and some hills further in the distance. Similar to the C39, a lot of cumulus clouds dot the sky, and the closer to Kamanjab you get, the lower the sun sets to the west.
East of the intersection with the C35, the road has a constant SW to NW angle, and grainy pavement. The grass looks soft to the touch, and the somewhat sandy soil is typical of this region. Cumulus clouds dot the sky.
West of the C35 intersection, the same grainy pavement and clouds remain, but the landscape is much hillier, and the road angle changes.
Along the C43 you can find some of the most impressive red-coloured tabletop mountains. The road is wide and unpaved with light coloured gravel contrasting the otherwise red landscape.
The C44 is a wide unpaved sandy road lined with trees, easily recognised from the general E-SE angle, and the westbound driving direction.
NOTE: The D3301, a bit further south looks similar, but the soil is generally much redder, and the car is driving east.
A few roads in the north lack the typical outer yellows.
The C46, which is a long road going generally NW to SE. The E-W section by Ruacana, has very poor pavement. SE of Oshikuku, the sun is low in the sky to the NW.
C41 (M123) also has a NW angle but has more clouds in the sky than the C46.
B10 west of Eenhana is an E-W stretch, which is more vegetated, and also has the sun low in the sky to the west.
B10 east of Nkurenkuru is another NW bound stretch with the sun low in the sky, but this part is much more vegetated than the C46. You can also see the moon to the east.
D3615 is a short road with a constant N-NE angle that technically has outer yellows, but they are quite faded.
Gobabis is a big north-south gridded city in the desert, with red soil permeating the landscape and roads, which are very often unpaved. A faint green ridge is sometimes visible to the north to northwest. The street signs, while rare, are also green, with silver framing on the top and bottom. Blue bins are also a good clue for Gobabis.
The coastal cities of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are flat and often have sandy streets, with palms and Norfolk pines planted around. Street and road signs often have square-shaped signposts.
Road angles can be used to line up parts of the city, but a northeast bound angle is common in both.
These white and blue plastic containers are common in Swakopmund, as are yellow lamp posts in downtown areas.
Oranjemund is a well-off gridded city with almost exactly east to west streets, with an abundance of planted vegetation all around the city. Multiple Norfolk pines can be seen almost everywhere. Streets are well organised with E-W avenues and N-S streets, which can be seen written on small blue markers next to the gates or on street signs, which have varying designs.
The landscape of Aus is very rocky, with dry hills devoid of vegetation all around. The hills to the north have a fairly smooth sloped shape, while the peaks to the south are more rugged.
Orange coloured mountains, which are covered in green vegetation surround the partly hilly town of Opuwo, from where you have a great vantage point of the mountains.
Otavi sits in between many sets of mountains, all of which are quite far away, but can be seen from the city. Being a northern town, Otavi is quite green, with slightly reddish sandy soil, which is common for the more northern cities. The entire town is on a northeast to southwest grid, which can rule out similar looking cities like Grootfontein and Tsumeb.
From almost anywhere in Karibib the dark silhouette of Erongo Mountain can be seen to the north. Dry hills covered in shrubbery flank the town to the south.
The crown-like outline of Mt Brandeburg is barely visible to the northwest from most parts of Uis, while Many other dry hills surround the town. The open pit mines, which have a distinctive white colour, can be seen from the western half of Uis.
Ariamsvlei can be recognised by a single flat-topped hill with rocky ridgelines near the top, and small amounts of green shrubbery dotting the slopes. The hill is either to the north, or east, depending on the part of town. The soil has a dark red tint to it, with lots of bushes and small trees growing around the place.
You will see flat agricultural areas in the south as well as high altitude mountain roads in the northern half of Nepal.
The western hills can be recognised by the dry landscape, with a lot of exposed hillsides lacking vegetation.
Areca Palms can be recognised by their very thin trunk and a small crown. They are mainly found in the southeast.
Canola, a crop with bright yellow flowers, is mostly found in a few southern pockets in the western half of Nepal.
Chir Pines, which can be identified from their generally smooth-looking conical or spherical crowns with very long needles, are found everywhere in the mountains, but are much more common in the west, and near Kathmandu.
NOTE: The eastern region is generally greener than the west.
Grass with white and fluffy-looking tips is most commonly found just southeast of Kathmandu.
While it can be found in most of the country, it usually won’t look as white and fluffy outside the dark red coloured region.
Japanese cedar trees, which are only found in far eastern Nepal, can typically be recognised by their significant height combined with their narrow, fluffy-looking crowns.
Tea Plantations are also only found in far eastern Nepal. Both in the mountains, and in the flat region.
Fences of varying build quality, made of mainly sticks, are most commonly found in the eastern plains of Nepal.
While the most common water tank colours in Nepal are green and black, which are found everywhere, yellow ones are mainly found in the east.
Some roads north of Siddhicharan, in eastern Nepal are unique due to the high elevation hills with dark green rhododendron bushes growing in abundance. The bushes have red flowers which can be hard to see.
This foggy and gloomy road hosts the only natural forest dominated by east himalayan fir. You can recognise it from all the tall dark trees present around the road. It is located just northwest of Bhimeshwor Municipality, east of Kathmandu.
This sketchy yellow/orange dirt road can be recognised from the high elevation landscape with the high elevation oaks. It can be found northeast of Phungling in far northeastern Nepal.
This dirt track in a northwestbound valley can be recognised by the snowcapped mountains to the northwest. You can find it north of the Khaptad national park in western Nepal.
Green forests and trees are found in the southern parts of the Nepalese trekker coverage.
A lot of the coverage in the vicinity of Namche Bazar can be summarised as being sunny, with the trails going close to the treeline, meaning you will be either near the top of or just above a forest for most of this coverage. You will generally see barren or snowy mountains in some direction.
Khumjung village, situated just north of Namche Bazar, can be recognised by the jagged mountain towering above the village. Almost every house in the village has a green roof.
Beware that there is a label for Khumjung further north, which is not close to the village.
Pangboche is a fairly large settlement with fairly bright coverage. The surrounding landscape mainly consists of forested mountains nearby and some taller mountains in the distance.
Phorste is a fairly scarcely built settlement with a massive recognizable mountain close by. There are a lot of dead-looking trees surrounding the village.
Around the southern tip of the Nepalese trekker coverage, you will get this dark, overcast coverage inside a forested valley.
North of Phakding you will get more overcast coverage in the same forest valley, however here the coverage is far brighter.
The valley by Thamu can be recognised by the generally forested mountainsides, combined with the angle of the valley, going northwest to southeast.
Northeast of Namche Bazar, you can find this semi-green river valley with clouds covering all mountains surrounding it.
Slightly east of Namche Bazar, you can find this very overcast trail following the mountainside. There are still some trees around, and the trail is noticeably higher above the valley than other overcast sections with trees.
East of the POI called ‘Deboche’, you get this very overcast forest coverage. The dirt here is very bright and sandy, which can help differentiate it from the southern trail.
The Netherlands is extraordinarily flat. In most of the country, you will get no more than a few metres of elevation. Large swathes of the country are reclaimed land that is at or even below sea level.
NOTE: The most major exception to this is the south of Limburg, where you can get low hills. Another place with some amount of hills is De Veluwe in central Gelderland province.
Many rural roads are lined by rows of trees.
NOTE: This is also common in Poland.
Many Dutch roads are flanked by bicycle paths. Different designs exist, but a very common one is a reddish-pink lane.
Cycling is one of the most common modes of transportation in the Netherlands. You will see cyclists and bicycles everywhere.
Most of the west and north is at or below sea-level. As a result, most of this region’s countryside has a distinct “polder” landscape: the landscape is marshy, often with a large amount of small waterways.
Conversely, the south and the east tends to have a more typical flat European farmland look. Waterways are still common, but the landscape can look less marshy.
The Veluwe area is unusually forested for Dutch standards. Some parts feature a very slight amount of elevation.
Some parts of the Veluwe feature old-growth forest, heath or sandy soil. This area can look odd and unlike the rest of the Netherlands if you have never seen it before.
NOTE: Some other natural areas in the Netherlands can have a similar look, but the Veluwe is by far the largest.
Most of the Dutch North Sea coast is lined by dunes.
The islands in the northwest are called the Wadden Islands. They are very popular local tourism destinations, which is sometimes evident in the street view coverage. Their northwestern coastlines feature a lot of sand dunes.
In the Westland municipality, just southwest of The Hague, greenhouses are extremely common. They cover most of the municipality’s land surface.
It is very common to see ferns growing in forested areas in New Zealand.
The West Coast and part of the Tasman region on the South Island can be recognized by its temperate rainforests and rugged landscape. This can be seen through the hundreds of tall hills and mountains, as well as the dark, compact greenery which is due to the area’s high level of rainfall.
The flatter parts of the Southland and Otago regions can be recognised by their cold climate and sloping, alpine hills. The vegetation in this area is often quite stunted due to the climate.
The Southern Alps, a large, snowy mountain range, stretches throughout the majority of the South Island. Vegetation on the mountains becomes rarer the further south it is.
Hawke’s Bay has dry, golden grassy hills, and in Generation 4 it will be sunny with a white Street View car.
Tall hedge and tree rows are particularly common in the Canterbury region. They are mostly found in the Canterbury plains, which comprises very flat, large fields.
Due to Canterbury’s flat landscape, mountains can often be seen in the distance to the west.
NOTE: Hedges that are even taller are common near Tauranga.
Very tall hedges are found in the Bay of Plenty, mainly around Tauranga.
NOTE: Noticeably lower, but still tall, hedges are commonly found in Canterbury.
Vineyards are particularly common in the Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay regions.
NOTE: Vineyards can be found throughout New Zealand, so be sure to check other clues as well.
Corn is almost exclusively found on the North Island.
While New Zealand flax can be found across the country, if you see them in long neat rows, you should consider Southland.
The area around Tongariro National Park is identifiable due to the low-lying volcanic vegetation in the area. Mount Ruapehu and Mount Tongariro are in the vicinity, and their tops are often covered by clouds.
Coverage on Mount Ruapehu is easily identifiable due to the dark volcanic landscape and distinct lack of vegetation.
NOTE: This type of coverage is limited to the roads around the Whakapapa Ski Village.
The cities of Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt can be identified by the wide, green valley they are located in, which runs southwest to northeast.
Fruit farms covered in green netting are particularly common near Tauranga, but can also be seen near Gisborne.
NOTE: Fruit farms are not fully exclusive to these regions, so make sure to consider other clues as well.
Banks peninsula, also sometimes called Akaroa, due to the town, is rocky with grassy hills, and small patches of trees.
NOTE: This region can sometimes have gorse, which are also commonly found on the Otago peninsula.
The region of northern Marlborough, known as Marlborough Sounds, has densely forested mountains protruding from water.
NOTE: Northern Marlborough is almost exclusively in Generation 4.
The Otago peninsula east of Dunedin is recognizable from its combination of plants such as cabbage trees, yellow flowered bushes, small groves of cone-shaped pine trees, and New Zealand flax. Additionally, the peninsula’s poles often have off-centre crossbars.
State Highway 94 is characterised by its dense red beech forest surrounded by snow-capped mountains.
Shown is a Köppen climate map of Nigeria. The climate ranges from tropical rainforest in the far south, where you can find an abundance of palms with lush, green vegetation, to a more arid, savannah landscape in the centre, with more scattered trees. In the far north, it transitions to an arid steppe where the vegetation becomes even more sparse.
NOTE: Due to dry/wet seasons, the coverage may look drastically greener/drier than expected for certain latitudes.
These haystacks are extremely common and are almost exclusively found in Kaduna state.
If you find yourself in an arid, but green, agricultural landscape with an abundance of corn around, you are likely to be in Kano state. It is only covered by shitcam, without any Generation 3 or 4.
Benue state can be recognized by the lush, green grass covered ground, with reddish soil. The vegetation is somewhat scattered, with the grass making way for taller trees. Shorter trees and shrubs between the grass and taller trees are somewhat uncommon. Thatched huts are also common in comparison to other southern states.
NOTE: An abundance of palms should make you lean toward the bordering southern states that can look similar.
Niger state is the shitcam equivalent to Benue state. It is almost entirely covered by shitcam, and can be recognized by the scattered trees, reddish soil, and dry grass.
The highways that run through the northwestern states of Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina can be recognized by an even more open and arid landscape compared to Niger state. The tree coverage becomes even more sparse, or there may not be trees at all. These states are entirely covered by shitcam.
A savannah landscape combined with rocky hills can most commonly be seen in the northeast in the states of Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, and the north of Taraba. The hills in the far east and west of this region are typically greener and covered in more vegetation compared to the hills toward the middle of the range.
NOTE: Around the city of Gombe, hills composed of softer, clay-like soil can be seen instead.
A flat landscape with coastal vegetation and many palms can be seen east of Lekki. The ground is very sandy. Almost all of the coverage is old Generation 3, with a silver follow car.
The A121 can be recognized by the lush, tropical vegetation surrounding the divided highway, with a short, concrete median. Being a major highway, many vehicles, especially trucks, can be seen along it.
NOTE: The A232 heading east of Benin City is also divided, however the median is noticeably wider than that of the A121.
The Obudu Plateau road can be recognized by having the tallest mountains in Nigeria with street view coverage. The road winds up lush, green mountains and the coverage is slightly foggy and wet.
The general landscape of North Macedonia consists of relatively dry grasslands, and small hills and scattered trees.
The E-65 between Tetovo and Skopje will sometimes have trees in between the guardrails.
This is the only highway to have them, besides a small part of the E-75/A1 road south of Veles (see the next tip).
A small part of the E75 and the A1 also have planted trees in the median.
As mentioned, trees can also be seen on E-65 between Tetovo and Skopje. To distinguish between these roads, the E-65 is much more mountainous than the A1.
Northern Mariana Islands have a tropical climate with a lot of dense and somewhat low vegetation.
Royal Poinciana, Flamboyant Tree or Flame Tree (Delonix Regia) is the official tree of the Northern Mariana Islands and very common to see in the territory. Its wide crown with bright red flowers is easy to recognize.
NOTE: This tree is not common in Guam.
Traditional houses in Norway commonly have grass covered roofs.
NOTE: This is far less common in Sweden and Finland.
This species of fern (Pteridium aquilinum, also known as bracken) which typically has a fairly tall stem and many wide leafs branching out, is mostly found in the south of Norway. Beware that other species of ferns can be found further north.
Spruces are mainly found in the southern half of the country, particularly in the southeast and around Trondheim.
Pines are most common in coastal and far inland areas in the southern half of the country.
Oaks are mainly found in the far south of Norway.
Maples are mainly found in the south, particularly by the farmlands around Oslo.
Brightly coloured moss is common to find in the area between Lillehammer and Oppdal.
Large farmlands are mainly found in three areas, the southeast, the area surrounding Trondheim, and south of Stavanger.
The following clues will explain how to differentiate between the three.
The largest concentration of farmland is found in the southeast, in the general vicinity of Oslo. The area is much flatter than most of the country, and it is common to get a rolling landscape with smooth, round forested hills in the distance. The area southeast of Oslo is particularly flat.
Similarly to the southeast, the farmland south of Stavanger is flatter than most of the country. However, the fields look more vast and open, and it is very common to see rock walls made of large, round rocks. Furthermore, rather than crops, most fields will only contain grass.
The northeast of Norway can typically be recognized by a somewhat rolling landscape, rather than tall mountains, and vegetation mainly consisting of very small birches combined with patched grass.
Barren highlands, with no trees or bushes, and often with rocky mountains along the road, are mostly found in the southwest.
Exposed rock, often spotted with small coastal pines and bushes, are mainly found on the south coast.
Coastal grasslands with little to no other vegetation and only somewhat low, distant mountains can be found by coastal roads in the far north.
Along the Russian border you can see this noticeably humid and green-looking road, with very overcast and occasionally foggy coverage. The trees are somewhat low and mainly consist of thin birches and pines.
Most of Oman features a desert landscape with little vegetation. While the middle and southern half is mostly flat, the north coast features dry mountains similar to those found in the UAE. The southern coast also has mountains, though less dry.
Close to the southern coast, especially around Salalah, you will find a rolling hills landscape. The area commonly features rocky ground, bushes and small trees as well as some fairly green valleys.
The mountains north of Nizwa have an amount of green bushes that are unusually large for the north. The mountains are very rocky and jagged, which differentiates them from the more rolling mountains in the south.
Sandy desert with light coloured green and yellow shrubs can be found in northeastern Oman, mainly south and west of Bidiyah.
South of Bidiyah you can find a couple of dirt roads going through a slightly rolling landscape consisting of orange-pink sand and small yellow-ish shrubs. The roads mainly go between long and low sand dunes with a general south-south-west direction.
Masirah Island features a dry and slightly hilly landscape, typically with somewhat grey soil and with brown shrubs visible. Road 51, which circulates the island, usually only has a white centre road line, which can help in recognising it. The front camera on the island is slightly smudged.
Acacia trees, recognisable by their relatively short height and umbrella-like flat crowns, are most abundant and common in northern Oman, but can also be found close to the rest of the coast.
Date palm plantations are most common along the northern coast.
NOTE: Coconut palms, on the other hand, are usually found near Salalah.
Gas pipelines, often paralleling the road, are most common around Fahud, in Ad Dhahirah Governorate. But they can also be found in many pockets in central-southern Oman.
You can use the colour of the bins in Oman to narrow down your location. The purple regions are mixed.
NOTE: Even the dark blue and red regions are not 100% a certain colour.
Black bins without stickers are mainly found in Al Batinah South Governorate and north of Al Khaburah in Al Batinah North Governorate.
NOTE: Black bins throughout Oman may appear like they lack stickers, so use this with caution.
Around the town of Ubar, you can find patches of green agricultural land surrounded by desert.
Musandam governorate has more in common with the UAE than most of Oman, due to the even drier mountainous landscape, and it often has an orange tone. Dipping beds, or mountains with diagonal layers, are common too.
NOTE: Most of mainland Oman is dry but still has somewhat shrubby mountains.
The road going to Saudi Arabia from Ibri can be recognised by the completely flat desert landscape with bright pink-greyish soil along with the road having very wide shoulders and the overall great road condition. The southern portion goes in a straight northeast direction, and the northern section curves more and can have more shrubs.
Road 29 south of Ibri features a fairly shrubby landscape, with low and jagged mountains on the eastern side of the road. The low-lying sun to the northwest is particularly distinct.
Crossing into the Ash Sharqiyah North Governorate, the shoulders become wide, like those on Road 31. However, unlike Road 31, the desert here is darker and has more shrubs and greenery. A long portion of the road also has overcast coverage. The lighter red section is no longer road 32 but still features the wide shoulders. The landscape further north also gets hillier and more vegetated.
Road 35 is surrounded by hills and mountains, and the ground is mostly covered in green shrubs. Curved lamp posts are posted at regular intervals on the northeastern side of the road.
Coastal Road 41 features one of the sandiest landscapes in Oman, with very light sand all around. The coast is sometimes visible in the distance. On the north-to-south stretch, you can see a distant ridge to the west.
The road southeast of Ubar has a general northwest bound angle, along with a power line to the left of the road. You will often see signs of life in the form of farms or buildings on this road.
NOTE: Don’t mix this up with the 37, which has a similar angle, but is more desolate and can have sunset coverage.
A significant portion of the Pakistani coverage was taken in large, well ordered gardens, often surrounded by stone walls and in combination with old temples or fortresses. This type of garden is typically referred to as a Mughal garden.
Patriata, northeast of Islamabad can be recognised by the hilly forests, mainly consisting of tall pine trees. Interestingly, parts of the coverage were taken from an aerial lift.
The coverage in Changa Manga Forest Park can be recognised by the path angle being northeastern, and the narrow channel closely following the path, either on the northern or southern side.
Panama is a tropical country with a lot of hills. You will find a lot of palms and other tropical plants along with drier rolling hills and fields.
Most roads are paralleled by fences that are partly or fully made out of small trees. The rest of the fence posts are also almost always wooden.
Green tropical landscapes with palm trees and very tall grass are common around Colón and Panama City.
The area around David is very flat, with lots of fairly open fields. Usually, mountains will be visible to the north and northeast.
The region around Aguadulce is relatively flat and features a lot of agricultural fields along with very brown or orange soil.
The road going to Changuinola features a lush and green hilly landscape. The weather is cloudy or overcast on the entire road.
Highway 9 going from Panama City north to Colón is a divided concrete highway. The road is visibly grainy and has a lot of tar lines. The landscape is lush and hilly.
This small red spot can mostly be found in Panamá Oeste and on the road 2 going from southern Los Santos province to the Verguas province.
The region around Changuinola is filled with banana plantations.
A mountainous landscape with pine trees, volcanic rocks, dry grass, and gravel roads can be found northeast of Volcán.
Peru largely consists of semi-arid mountain ranges and valleys.
Peru has a diverse climate, dominated by a dry desert in the west, and a tropical rainforest in the east.
You can click on the image to enlarge it.
These three landscapes are typically found along offroads in Tumbes. You will always see sandy soil with either green or withered bushes.
NOTE: In addition, Tumbes does not have black cars on off roads. Make sure to consider it whenever you see such landscapes with a white Street View car.
The southwestern landscape of Piura is generally dry, featuring a low amount of vegetation with a few shrubs and bushes. The landscape is mostly flat, but you will sometimes see rolling hills.
Northwest of the city of Piura lies an area with similar vegetation to the area mentioned previously. However, this area is noticeably hillier.
Coconut palms (and other species of tall palms) can sometimes be seen in coastal areas of Peru, mainly north of Lima. They are mainly found in the agricultural areas which are typically found around the major coastal cities.
Olive tree plantations can be found in the far southern region of Tacna.
Most of the sugar cane production is found in the northern coastal regions of Peru near the cities of Chiclayo and Trujillo. Typically you see large fields of sugar cane in these areas. Smaller areas of sugar cane can be found further south in other valleys close to the Pacific coast.
Similarly to sugar cane plants, banana plants are generally found in agricultural regions adjacent to the coast in the northern half of the country.
Low grass, a few hills, stone walls in villages and brown brick buildings are typical for the region south of Lake Titicaca in eastern Peru.
Far north Peru features mountains that are often covered in shrubby trees and bushes. Closer to the coast and the Ecuador border, these mountains are often quite dry in appearance.
Pine plantations are typically found in higher elevation areas of the country, away from the coastal deserts and Amazonian Regions. The most common types of pine trees planted are Pinus radiata and Pinus patula.
Patches of light green lichen can be seen covering rocks and growing on the ground in high elevation areas of central and southern Peru.
Coastal agricultural valleys in the middle and south are commonly sandwiched between dry mountains with no vegetation. The general orientation of these valleys are southwest-northeast.
NOTE: Agricultural valleys in the north of Peru can look similar, but often feature more shrubs and trees on the mountains.
Ruta 5N between the towns of San Alejandro and Esperanza is a relatively straight, flat road in good condition. This road primarily runs north-south through the rainforest.
Ruta 30C in eastern Peru uses a white Street View car in Generation 3 between the cities of Planchon and Iñapari. It features dense forest, few villages, and resembles interior areas of Brazil. Some of this area has been overwritten with Generation 4. Most of this segment runs north to south.
The valley connecting the cities of Jauja and Huancayo features a flat plain with plentiful trees, agricultural areas, and small villages. North-south oriented mountains can be seen on both edges of the valley.
The coverage on the north side of Lake Titicaca was taken during a significantly wetter season than the coverage taken on the south side of Lake Titicaca.
North of the city of Huancayo lies a shallow lake called Lake Chinchaycocha (also referred to as ‘the middle lake.’). This lake is generally marshy and a range of mountains can be seen to the east of the lake. This lake can look similar to Lake Titicaca, but is generally less densely populated and features fewer trees.
Most of the boulevard-type streets in Peru are in the city of Lima. These boulevards are typically long, straight streets divided by concrete or a grassy berm.
Iquitos is a city in northeast Peru. It is an isolated city with only Generation 3 Street View coverage. Three-wheeled tuk-tuks, overcast skies, and rolling Amazonian landscapes are commonly seen in the area. This coverage is isolated from other areas of northern Peru.
It is somewhat common to see grains being spread out on roads to dry.
NOTE: This practice is also common in Vietnam.
The forested mountain range in Northern Luzon is characterised by somewhat dry mountainsides and an abundance of pine trees. You may rarely come across a similar landscape on high-altitude roads in Mindanao.
While corn can be found in most of the country, it is most common on northern Luzon and on Mindanao.
The vast majority of Oil palm plantations are found on Mindanao.
The majority of sugarcane in the Philippines can be found on the islands of Negros and Panay.
Pineapple plantations are mostly found on Mindanao.
Banana plantations are almost exclusively found in central and southern Mindanao.
NOTE: Wild growing banana plants can be found all over the country, so make sure what you are seeing is an actual plantation before guessing.
Moluccan albizia are trees with light coloured trunks and pinnate leaves near the top of the tree. They are mainly found on Mindanao and are especially common in the eastern and central regions of the island.
Decorations made of neon-green Mountain Dew bottles are commonly found in the north, particularly on northern Luzon.
This type of tractor, called a kuliglig, is mostly found on the plains around Cauayan on northern Luzon.
On central Bohol you can find these distinct round grassy hills. The hills generally have dark brown soil beneath the grass, earning them the name of Chocolate Hills.
The Arayat Volcano can be recognised by being completely surrounded by flat agricultural fields.
Pitcairn Island is a semi-tropical and densely forested island, with most of the coverage being taken on small dirt tracks going through the forest.
The coverage on Henderson Island is limited to two white sand beaches on the northern and eastern shore.
Poland is generally a flat country, with occasional rolling hills. The country is very green, with a lot of agriculture, and some amount of forest cover.
NOTE: Mountains can be found near the southern border.
Many roads in Poland are lined by rows of trees.
Orchards are mostly concentrated around the towns of Grójec and Sandomierz in southeastern Poland.
The main road on the Hel peninsula is very recognizable: it is a coastal forest road with a railway track running parallel to it.
Eucalyptus trees are very common in Portugal. The only other part of Europe where you’ll commonly see eucalyptus is northern Spain.
Open fields sparsely populated with holm oaks (Quercus ilex) and cork oaks (Quercus suber) are very common in the southeast. These species of oaks tend to be on the smaller side, and have a Mediterranean look. While these fields will look quite dry during summer and fall, they will look much lusher during spring.
Olive plantations are generally more common in the eastern half of the country, particularly in the far northeast and slight southeast.
NOTE: The easiest way to tell apart the olive plantations from the oak fields from the last tip is to look at the pattern in which they’re planted. Olive plantations are typically planted in dense rows, while the oaks are planted more sparsely and not in an obvious pattern.
Dense eucalyptus forests are mostly found in the northwest.
Forests, or plantations of Maritime pines (Pinus Pinaster) are very common in the northern half of Portugal. You can recognize the tree by its grey bark with red undertones, and fluffy branches that point upwards. Older trees often don’t have any branches in the bottom half of the tree.
NOTE: Plantations of this pine are also common in northern Spain, particularly Galicia.
In the Douro wine region, straight east of Porto, you will commonly find steep terraced vineyards.
Citrus plantations are mostly found along the south coast.
Pine forests with extremely sandy white soil can be found near the coast between the cities of Setúbal and Sines.
In the far southwest of the country you can find a flat uncultivated landscape with very limited vegetation, which typically appears quite dry. There are almost no trees nearby, and only very low bushes and grass.
Southern Puerto Rico can often look distinctly drier than the rest of the island.
The North and South coasts of Puerto Rico typically feature flat coastal plains or rolling hills.
Qatar's landscape is predominantly desert, with arid, and mostly flat expanses of sand as far as the eye can see. You will often not see a lot of trees or other greenery.
Bollards in Qatar are only found on a few roads, and you can easily tell them apart.
The horizontal road just west of Qatar map label uses black and yellow centre lines.
The horizontal road south of Madinat al Ka`ban has a lot more greenery and, the coverage is also very overcast.
The coastal road south of Fuwayrit has coastal shrubs all around, and you can often see the coast.
If the road doesn’t fit the above descriptions, guess on the long vertical road west of Qatar map label.
This black box on the left side of the bed is seen southeast of Ar-Rayyan, around the green area.
NOTE: The box will not always be visible. Make sure to look out for other clues before guessing.
The black box on the right side of the bed is seen in Al Khor, and in the green area around The Torch Tower and Khalifa International Stadium.
NOTE: The box will not always be visible. Make sure to look out for other clues before guessing.
Réunion is a mountainous volcanic island in the Indian Ocean on a similar latitude to Queensland, Australia. Most roads are along the coast, with lush green mountains visible close by. Vegetation consists of palms and ferns, pine trees at higher elevation, and flowering plants due to the island’s tropical savanna climate.
Sugarcane plantations on Réunion can be found in two regions: the northeast and the southwest. The southwest is generally more built up and densely populated, meaning you will see more buildings or cars around.
Route du Volcan can be recognized by the Martian landscape. The only vegetation is scattered shrubs and the soil is a distinct brown-red colour. These white stones lining the road are also a good clue.
La Route Forestière 58 de la Scierie et du Haut des Makes is a winding dirt track that can be recognized by the dense vegetation surrounding it, particularly pine trees and eucalyptus. The track itself is also dark in colour, with grass growing in the middle of it.
The eastern region of Réunion is the least densely populated, evident by the eastern part of the N2, which is a single carriageway passing through somewhat dense vegetation on both sides, or a vast landscape with little to no trees.
Trees and poles will often have white painted bottoms.
NOTE: This is also common in Ukraine and parts of Russia.
The Romanian landscape ranges from tall forested mountains and hills in the centre to flat or rolling agricultural landscapes in the south, west and east.
This type of haystack, typically featuring a stick going straight through, is very common in Romania.
Completely flat agricultural landscapes can be found in the south and west.
NOTE: If you can see distant hills or mountains to the north, you are likely in the south, and if you see them to the south or east, you are likely in the west.
South of Iași, near the border to Moldova, you can find rolling agricultural valleys with a very specific north-north-west to south-south-east angle.
NOTE: Make sure to look for agricultural fields on top of the hills to confirm this region.
Sunflowers are primarily found in the far east of the country, and secondly in the far west.
A boat trekker, with a green boat, can be found in the far east of the country. It mostly goes through small, overgrown canals in a flat landscape.
NOTE: There is no road coverage in this region.
Birch trees, identified by their white peeling bark, have a wide range in Russia. Notably they are almost never found far south or far north in the western part of the country.
Birches very close together, as well as forests consisting of only birches, are indicative of areas east of the Urals, most commonly between Chelyabinsk Oblast and Novosibirsk Oblast.
Siberian larches are one of the dominant tree species in much of eastern Russia, recognized by their unique needle-like leaves. Generally speaking, they become more prevalent the further east you go in the country, as well as at high elevations.
Giant butterbur (commonly referred to as Sakhalin cabbage) is very common in Sakhalin Oblast, particularly in the southern half. Related plants can very rarely be found in Adygea.
This type of white flower (heracleum sosnowskyi) is most commonly found around Moscow, Komi Republic, and Perm Krai.
Large amounts of the pink or red flower fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) typically indicates a northern region of Russia. Similarly, most places north of Moscow commonly have fireweed.
Sunflowers are common along the border with Ukraine as well as more eastern oblasts like Ulyanovsk, Samara, and northern Orenburg.
Blue-pod lupines appear very commonly in northern Vladimir Oblast, eastern Ivanovo Oblast, and southwestern Kostroma Oblast. It can also be found less commonly elsewhere in Kirov Oblast and towards the Baltics.
The black poplar is commonly found south, near the border with Ukraine, as well as toward the western border with Kazakhstan.
The Russian olive is typically found along the Kazakhstan border.
Lined oak trees, often with a single white stripe around the trunk, are extremely common in Kaliningrad.
Sparsely planted larches along the road with open rolling fields is common in Tatarstan and adjacent federal subjects.
Lush and diverse forests in a hilly landscape characterises the noticeably warmer region around Vladivostok. Most of the coverage is overcast and has a white car with a long antenna. Further south, near the tri-border, you will find a more open rolling hill landscape.
A presence of Siberian larches and large mountains on a mostly paved, but sometimes wide-gravel road indicates the main road south of Yakutsk, with Generation 4 white car appearing north of Berkakit.
The landscape in Buryatia is very unique, containing open grassy landscape with shrubs and mountains. It is lusher near Baikal, but the mountains persist.
This forest fire haze is found near Lake Gusinoye, southwest of Ulan-Ude in Buryatia. While similar to the haze found near Mirny, the Buryatia haze coverage can typically be recognised by the open rolling landscape, which is not found near Mirny.
Dry steppe mountains with a long antenna will usually indicate the Tuva Republic. The south part of the main road in the Altai Republic and Tuva can appear similarly dry, so things such as driving direction and cloudiness can be used to distinguish them.
The landscape in the far north can be recognised by the relatively flat landscape, with very low vegetation.
The coverage in Omsk Oblast is some of the most recognizable in Russia. It is typically summer Generation 4 and has a distinct landscape consisting of green agricultural fields, which are interrupted by isolated patches of (primarily) birch forest.
Note that in Generation 3, this landscape can be seen in a much larger area of Russia.
NOTE: This combination of coverage and landscape spills over slightly into the neighbouring Tyumen and Novosibirsk Oblasts (in the south, and near Tatarsk, respectively).
Grassy fields, with bushy vegetation, in early spring Generation 4 coverage is typical for Dagestan. The landscape can either be completely flat or mountainous. These flowers are also quite common in the Generation 4 Dagestan coverage.
Rocks along the road are extremely common throughout most of Karelia and Murmansk Oblast. They can also be found in Perm Krai and Buryatia but are less common and smaller in size.
An open, hilly landscape with low shrubbery and fireweed usually indicates Murmansk. The lower the shrubbery, the more north it generally is.
Sovetskaya Gavan and Vanino in eastern Khabarovsk have winter coverage, somewhat similar to Vorkuta.
NOTE: While Vorkuta and Vanino have similar coverage types, Vorkuta is noticeably flatter, having lower vegetation and a more barren landscape.
The road to Okha in northern Sakhalin is unpaved, revealing its very sandy soil. The road is surrounded by short, stunted bushes and trees.
On the east side of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, the coverage turns from rainy to wet after the rain.
Tunkinsky National Park in western Buryatia is a very green river basin with tall, jagged mountains to the north. In comparison to most of Buryatia, it is much greener.
Tropical plants in Russia such as palm trees are only found on the Black Sea, most commonly around Sochi.
Banana plants are common throughout Rwanda.
Tea plantations are common in Western Rwanda, and a couple other pockets.
Northeastern Rwanda has less extreme elevation compared to the rest of Rwanda. It more so consists of rolling hills and open agricultural land or undeveloped grassland.
The Akagera national park features a very vegetated yet dry landscape with wide unpaved roads that are reddish-brown in colour.
You can also find these rectangular waystones at intersections.
This coverage was taken with the brown Google car.
NOTE: There is some coverage on the paved section south of the national park.
The landscape mainly consists of flat or rolling grasslands. The coast will be visible more often than not.
A slightly hilly, grassy landscape with boxy houses spaced apart can be seen on Île-aux-Marins.
This rural trekker in the far north can be recognized by the rolling, grassy landscape. The trekker can also be seen walking on a wooden path, with trees on either side.
The rural trekker on Saint Pierre island has a more rocky landscape. The trekker also walks on a path with trees on both sides.
The landscape of San Marino largely consists of smooth agricultural hills, with many small winding roads. The vegetation is distinctly Mediterranean, and normally appears quite lush.
São Tomé and Príncipe are tropical islands, which are almost completely covered in rainforests. Banana plants are especially common throughout the islands.
You can find oil palm plantations in southern São Tomé.
The landscape north of The Gambia and for Senegal generally is a flat, arid, savannah-desert landscape with sparse trees. The trees themselves will be somewhat short and have leaves that are faded in colour.
The vegetation in the region south of The Gambia is more lush and green compared to the rest of Senegal, and palm trees can be seen closer to the coast.
NOTE: Coverage toward the west will also be especially tropical. In addition, make sure not to confuse the south with some coverage near Dakar, which can look deceivingly green. However, here the vegetation will look a lot more low and coastal.
Diourbel Region is the only region in Senegal with extensive rural coverage. The coverage in the region will look like this, with the Google Car driving on a sandy road with sparse trees. Some of the coverage extends to the west in the Thies region up to Babou.
NOTE: The sand in the coverage around Touba tends to be more grassy.
A very slightly rolling landscape consisting of vegetated sand dunes can be seen along the northwestern coast.
A dry landscape with slight hills can mostly be seen around Bakel, but also south to Nayé.
A greener landscape with larger hills can be seen around Kedougou and Mako.
Irrigated rice fields can sometimes be seen in the region between St Louis and Richard Toll.
Hazy coverage with a low sun through a sometimes agricultural landscape can be seen on the N2 between St. Louis and Richard Toll.
The N2 between Richard Toll and Matam is a wide road going through a flat desert landscape with very sparse trees. It can be recognized by the bright blue skies with no clouds. The road itself goes east-west and northeast-southwest.
NOTE: The higher the sun is, the more east you are.
Distinct, tall patches of bright yellow grass can be seen along the N3, mostly to the east in the Matam Region.
The road northeast of Kedougou to the Malian border can be recognized by the hazy bushfire coverage. Smoke trails can sometimes be seen in the distance. The road is paved south of Saraya.
NOTE: The car is always blurred.
A flat, slightly marshy landscape with low vegetation can be seen on a few sections of roads in the Saloum River Delta.
The white road in the Forest of Thies can be recognized by the dry, slightly hilly landscape with brown vegetation. The road itself is made of bright orange dirt. There is also a noticeably haze in the coverage.
This slight ridge in an otherwise flat landscape can be seen in Fruška Gora National Park, southwest of Novi Sad.
A lush, green, mountainous landscape can be seen in the south and southeast, along the Bulgarian and Kosovo border.
Fall coverage can be seen in this region south of Čačak, and a small area around Valjevo.
The distinct Vršac Mountains can be seen east of Vršac near the Romanian border. The mountains protrude out from a flat landscape and vineyards can commonly be seen to the south of the mountains. The Vršac Castle can also be seen atop the mountain.
Rain trees are seen all around Singapore, and are often planted along main roads.
You can easily recognise the island of Sentosa thanks to the green signposts, winding roads and general resort feel. Occasionally you might see a green lane like this as well.
The Generation 3 trekker on Pulau Ubin can be identified by the unusually rural forest coverage and the camouflage-type hat sometimes visible when looking down.
The western lowlands in Slovakia are characterised by completely flat agricultural fields, which are rare to find anywhere else in the country.
NOTE: While there are some generally flat areas in Czechia, it is rare to see complete flatness which reaches beyond the horizon.
The eastern lowlands can typically be recognized by wide, flat fields, surrounded by hills or mountains in the far distance.
Pine forests are common in the westernmost part of the country.
The Slovenian landscape is generally very hilly and forested, with occasional agriculture.
For exceptions to this, see the region guessing section.
A very significant portion of the coverage in Slovenia was taken on small roads deep inside forest.
Flat, or rolling, agricultural fields with no mountains or tall hills in view can be seen in the east of the country.
Near the coast you get a landscape similar to the rest of the Adriatic coast; white cliffs with bushy vegetation, vineyards and Mediterranean architecture.
Big bird nests on top of poles are commonly seen in the northern part of the Northern Cape Province.
The northeast of the country can look very dry and somewhat barren, with a lot of orange or red soil. You will often see hills or mountains covered in shrubs.
NOTE: Depending on the season, the coverage can change drastically from dry to very green.
Vineyards are almost exclusively found in Western Cape, mostly in valleys near the coast. You can also commonly find them near Upington, in Northern Cape.
Sugarcane plantations are most commonly seen in KwaZulu-Natal, mostly along the coast. However, they can also be seen in Mpumalanga on the Mozambique border. For an overview, see this map.
Uniquely tall Cook pine trees are found mostly between the cities of East London and Durban along the southeastern coast.
NOTE: These are planted and not native, so they can be found anywhere along the coast.
Tree plantations that consist mostly of pine are common to the west of Eswatini, and some to the south in KwaZulu-Natal.
NOTE: Pine tree plantations are typically seen within the country of Eswatini itself.
Grassy rolling hills are generally located in the coastal area of Western Cape between Cape Town and George, and just north of Cape Town. Tall ridges are usually visible to the north or east.
The landscape near the Mozambique border in the highlighted area is noticeably flat, with green subtropical vegetation.
The landscape around Kruger National Park is generally flat, with a savannah climate and dry vegetation. You will not see any agriculture and the vegetation is mostly made up of grasses, with small trees dotting the landscape. Red soil can also be seen below the grass.
In addition, this distinctive directional waystone is commonly found at many junctions.
NOTE: Within the coverage of the park, you will mostly find unpaved gravel roads or small and paved roads without road lines.
The section of the R360 north of Bokspits, next to the Botswana border, has asphalt with a recognizable reddish tint. The landscape is arid and features dry greyish trees, shrubs and long golden grass. The road runs in a general north to south direction.
NOTE: Asphalt with a reddish tint can be found on other roads and the southern part of the R360. However, the landscape north of Bokspits looks predominantly like this.
Mountains in the Witfontein Nature Reserve, likely George’s Peak, will be visible north from the city of George.
Prion Island can be recognized by the wooden walkway, lush green plants and numerous seals which inhabit the island.
The area around Gimje can be recognised by being one of the only completely flat areas of South Korea, combined with the open, yellow-green fields along almost every road in the area.
Spain has highly diverse landscapes, ranging from lush Atlantic forests to bone-dry semideserts. Elevation is also varied: highland plateaus interspersed with rolling hills are common, but you might also encounter jagged mountain ranges and very flat lowland areas.
While there is not one single definitive Spanish landscape, most of the country has a somewhat dry, Mediterranean climate, with matching vegetation and agriculture.
The landscape in the far north is much more green and lush than the rest of Spain. The landscape is generally quite hilly. Hedges and green meadows are common. In some places, this region’s landscape bears a vague resemblance to Ireland, France and the UK.
The Pyrenees is a large mountain range on the border between Spain and France. Its mountains are some of the highest in all of Spain. It can be recognized by its light grey rock and abundance of pine trees. Local architecture features many rock walls.
NOTE: Andorra and the French part of the Pyrenees look very similar in terms of landscape and architecture. Also consider that the exclave of Llívia is part of Spain.
Thick forests of tall pines can be found all throughout the Pyrenees. When encountered in smaller mountains in between grazing fields or agricultural land, it will most likely be in the Basque Country or Navarra.
The centre of Castilla y León features a mostly flat agricultural landscape, with only slight changes in elevation. Most of the fields will have cereal crops like wheat and barley, and it is fairly common to find sunflower plantations.
Vineyards can be found in several places in Spain. However, if you see vineyards in between mountain ranges to the north and south, you are most likely in La Rioja.
Starting in Navarra and cutting across the middle of Aragón, there is a strip of semi-desert landscape on both sides of the Ebro river basin. Light sandy soil and small shrubs growing on small hills are common in this area.
Castilla la Mancha can have completely flat landscapes, which are not that common in Castilla y León. Half of Spain’s wine is produced in this region, so vineyards are fairly common.
In the western provinces of Ciudad Real and Toledo, it is very common to see olive tree plantations, generally in flatter ground than those found in Andalusia.
Open fields sparsely populated with holm oaks (Quercus ilex) and cork oaks (Quercus suber) are very common in Extremadura and neighbouring regions. These species of oaks tend to be on the smaller side, and have a Mediterranean look. Be careful not to confuse them with olive trees, as they can look superficially similar to the untrained eye.
North of Cáceres the vegetation is more lush and winter and spring coverage is more common.
In the southeast of Spain, especially in Murcia, you can find a rather arid landscape, with very sandy soil and medium sized mountains surrounding.
Small shrubs and small plantations of fruit trees and olive trees are a common sight around rural roads.
Mountains in this area, especially Murcia and the south of Alicante have a very distinct look.
They are quite rugged, usually lacking in vegetation. This region commonly features a hazy look, making mountains in the distance look like they are behind a sort of mist.
Olive trees are one of the main crops planted in Spain, they can be commonly seen in more than half of the country.
Around Córdoba and Jaén, you can find massive olive tree plantations growing over rolling hills and going as far as the eye can see.
The bigger and more remote plantations are usually only covered in Generation 2.
South of Madrid, olive tree plantations are usually in small or medium sized fields, in mostly flat terrain and commonly accompanied by red soil.
Olive plantations on the east coast are commonly fenced or behind rock walls and you will almost always see mountains in some direction.
All throughout the north coast of Spain you will find eucalyptus plantations looking like this. Galicia has more plantations than the rest of the north combined.
NOTE: Eucalyptus plantations are also extremely common in Portugal.
When you encounter eucalyptus trees in a dry environment, you will most likely be in the province of Huelva. You can find them more rarely in Extremadura in the north and up until Córdoba in the east.
On the east coast of Spain, you can find many orange tree plantations. They are usually in small valleys, and if they are in flat land you can usually see mountains to the west, north or south.
In the Guadalquivir river basin you can also find many orange plantations, usually in much more open and flat terrain than those of the east coast.
There are some extensive plantations in the mountains, but coverage is sparse there.
Corn is most commonly grown in big river basins in Spain. It is also grown on the north coast, especially Galicia, and in an area in the north west of Castilla y León.
Stone pines (Pinus pinea) can be recognized by their fluffy leaves, and compact bulbous crown that is wider than it is tall.
Forests of exclusively stone pines in a flat area are very common around Valladolid and Huelva. It is common to see them in the mountains close to Barcelona in residential areas.
Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis) also have fluffy leaves, but their crown is less compact, more disorganised looking, and often taller, compared to stone pines.
This is the most common pine on the east coast of Spain and the Balearic Islands.
Baltic pines (Pinus sylvestris) are tall and thin, with a dark bark that sheds at the top, revealing the orange-red wood underneath. They usually do not have branches on the bottom half of the trunk, especially when fully grown.
Baltic pines can be found in mainly three mountain ranges: the Pyrinees, Sierra de Guadarrama and the Iberian System.
Maritime pines (Pinus Pinaster) has two variants in Spain, near the Atlantic coast, it has grey bark with red undertones, and fluffy branches that point upwards. Older trees often don’t have any branches in the bottom half of the tree.
NOTE: Plantations of this pine are extremely common in north and central Portugal.
In the rest of Spain you can find the Mediterranean variant of the tree. It still has a grey bark with red tones, and it is usually very fissured.
You can find the tree in most of the mountain ranges in central and southern Spain. Extensive plantations in flat ground can be found North of Segovia.
Signs from the local government of Andalusia are very recognizable because of the green stripe on the left side.
It is also very common to see small versions of these signs around nature reserves with green signposts.
The Balearic islands have a recognizable, coastal Mediterranean look. Somewhat dry looking forests of Aleppo pines cover most of the hills, and small patches of agricultural land, mainly with fruit trees and olive trees, cover the flatter areas between towns.
Within the Balearic Islands, grazing fields are almost exclusive to the island of Menorca.
The small island of Formentera frequently features low coastal shrubs. It is common to be able to see the mountains of Ibiza from Formentera’s north coast.
The Canaries have extremely diverse landscapes, including steep mountains, pine forests, volcanic soil, and extreme aridity. You can also encounter more normal landscapes that can look more like mainland Spain.
NOTE: Because of its diversity, it is hard to pin down the average landscape in the Canaries. A more useful strategy is to focus on whether it looks unique and unlike anything that you would find in mainland Europe: if meta matches with Spain, but something is “off” in terms of vibe, consider the Canaries.
The island of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands is characterised by a very arid landscape with little to no vegetation. Orange soil is very common, and within the Canary Islands archipelago essentially unique to this island.
You can find these unique wine plantations with volcanic soil and rocks in the shape of a semicircle on the island of Lanzarote.
You will find a mountainous, mediterranean landscape in Ceuta, featuring a mix of eucalyptus trees and pines.
Coverage during early spring on dirt roads between green grassy fields, and leafless vineyards with red soil, is very common in the central-north part of Castilla la Mancha.
This type of coverage is particularly extensive in the northern part and exclusively in generation 3. Towards the south you will also find very similar looking coverage in generation 4.
The Ebro delta (Deltebre in catalan) features an extremely flat landscape, where rice fields and water canals are very common.
There are significant mountains to the South, West, and North, and some of them can be seen from almost every location in the delta.
Between Almeria and Motril you can find many greenhouses with white roofs, in the lowland area close to the sea. They are especially common in El Ejido.
Sri Lanka is a tropical country. It usually has very lush, green vegetation. It is densely populated and many parts are covered in a patchwork of agricultural fields.
Many parts of Sri Lanka have reddish soil.
Less commonly, you may encounter white, sandy soil.
Palm trees are very common in Sri Lanka, more so than many other Asian countries.
NOTE: Palm trees are also very common in the Philippines.
The southwest of Sri Lanka has a more wet climate that is characterised by lush, dense vegetation. Deep green tones dominate the landscape.
Conversely, the rest of the country has a slightly more dry climate. The vegetation is often lower and more open. The landscape usually has a mix of brown and green tones.
Note that the difference is not extreme, as the landscape in Sri Lanka never truly gets downright arid. However, with some practise, you can often learn to tell the difference. Your mileage may also vary depending on the season, local forest cover, or coverage type (Generation 3 often tends to make the landscape look more arid than it really is).
Tea plantations are found in the central and southwestern parts of the country. They are most common in the area just west of Nuwara Eliya.
Tea plants look like small, compact shrubs with bright green leaves. They are usually planted in organised rows or clusters on hillsides.
Horton Plains National Park has a very distinct and bait landscape, consisting of hilly plains covered in long grass. In the distance, you can see forests, but most of the park’s roads meander through a wide open landscape.
The general landscape consists of barren, treeless mountains. Trees and greenery are a very rare sight, with the majority of vegetation consisting of moss and grasses. The sky is also often overcast, with a gloomy look to the coverage.
This road going south-east of Longyearbyen can be recognized by the barren, treeless mountains on both sides of the road, with lakes leading up to the mountains. A small black mirror can sometimes be seen on the left.
Sweden has a varied landscape, with a lot of boreal forests, small to medium-sized farmlands and many lakes. The northern and western parts of the country are quite mountainous, with long, narrow lakes and rivers, while the southern and eastern parts are generally flatter.
Broad leafed trees, other than birches, only grow naturally in the southern half of the country, and become increasingly common the further south you get.
Ferns are mostly found in southern and central Sweden. It can occasionally be found further north in the east.
While it is possible to see forested mountains in several regions in the country, mountains with no trees at the top can only be found in the northwestern parts of the country.
This type of vegetation, consisting of thin, weak-looking boreal trees and somewhat sandy soil can be found in the far north of Sweden.
Beech forests, which can generally be recognised by the barren ground covered in brown leafs, are mainly found in the far south.
It is very common to see exposed, often somewhat round, rocks on the Swedish west coast. They will often have lower vegetation, such as small bushes, growing on them.
NOTE: Exposed rocks around Stockholm are also fairly common, however these typically look sharper than rocks on the west coast, and commonly have thick moss growing on them.
In Skåne you will find the most open agricultural landscape in Sweden. It is the only region where, rather than a dense forest in the distance, you can get only a few small patches of trees strewn across the fields. On top of that, crops are often more diverse than the cereal crops, which are typical for the rest of Sweden.
The area surrounding lake Mälaren can often be recognized by the fairly flat ground with medium sized agricultural fields, forests beyond them, and small “islands” of bushes and trees in the middle of the fields.
The agricultural landscape of Västergötland and Östergötland is mostly flat, similarly to the landscape around lake Mälaren. The two most consistent differences is that this landscape is more open and has lots of wind turbines. While you can almost always see a forest in the distance, it will typically be much further away than around Mälaren.
On the west coast, and particularly in Halland, you will see a lot of flat agricultural fields with small, round, forested hills in the distance. Generally, the hills get larger and the fields get smaller further north. The area also has more precipitation than most of the country, and as such it typically looks very lush.
If you see flat, medium-sized to small agricultural fields, and you suspect that you are in the northern half of the country, you are likely somewhat close to the coast between Umeå and Luleå.
In most of Jämtland County, particularly around lake Storsjön, you can find large farmlands, commonly situated in the middle of wide, often somewhat steep hills, which is uncommon in the rest of the country, where most farmlands will be either on flat ground or in valleys. The fields are generally not cultivated and will mostly consist of ordinary grass.
The landscape around the High Coast in Västernorrland can be recognised by the many forested, rocky mountains surrounding agricultural valleys. The valleys are rarely straight and the mountains are of varying heights and shapes.
Agricultural fields in and around Södermanland very often go through small valleys, with forests up on the sides of the valleys. The fields are typically medium to small sized.
Traditional Swedish fences are typically made of thin round tree trunks and branches. However, on Gotland these fences are typically made of larger trunks that have been cut into sharp-looking wedges.
Dirt roads which have a deep grey colour and are aligned with low, green grassy vegetation on either side are commonly found in the northern half of Jämtland. This is mostly found in Generation 4 summer and Generation 3 fall coverage.
Öland is an extremely flat island with a somewhat barren south half with many small bushes, while the north is typically slightly lusher with fewer, but larger bushes and some trees. The island also contains a very large number of small rock walls.
It is very common to see long, neat rows of moderately thin birches in urban areas along the north coast.
Corrugated square metal roof panels with moss growing on them are typically found in southern Sweden, particularly in Skåne and Blekinge. It is mainly found on large barns, and the roofs are often very steep.
Many roads in western Dalarna and nearby regions have a very noticeable red colour.
NOTE: Forests in the region predominantly consist of thin pines, which, in combination with the red roads, is a very good indication of the region.
The E10 between Kiruna and the Norwegian border is a major road which can be recognised by the vegetation mainly consisting of small birches, occasionally with some pines strewn in, combined with snow covered mountains, which can typically be seen in the distant west close to Kiruna, and in all directions when you approach the border. A major lake can also be seen to the north on the western half of the road.
The northern section of road 99 can usually be recognized by its grey sandy ground with brown-green moss, the noticeable ditch following most of the road and its fairly low, dense forest with a mixture of birches, pines and spruces.
Beware that the most recent coverage on much of the road was taken during early spring, which makes some of these features harder to recognise.
Most mountain roads in Sweden have been built below the treeline, resulting in small trees being visible on almost all coverage. The only paved road in Sweden above the treeline, with no visible trees, can be found on the border between Jämtland and Västerbotten, near the Norwegian border. The coverage was taken during fall, giving the limited vegetation a yellowish brown colour.
The highest altitude public road in Sweden, which is a dirt road going straight over a treeless mountain plateau, was covered in Generation 4 on a cloudy day during summer.
NOTE: The highest point on the road features a parking spot and is right on top of the “Falkvålen” label.
In the town of Gällivare you can often see a mountain with a smooth slope and a low tree line to the southwest. No other town in Sweden has a natural treeless mountain in such close proximity.
If you are surrounded by flat agricultural fields, with a single forested hill range to the west, you are likely to be east of Omberg in western Östergötland.
Mistletoe is mainly found near lake Mälaren and is particularly common in the city of Västerås.
The island of Visingsö in the middle of Lake Vättern can often be recognised by the agricultural fields with the lake being visible both to the northwest and southeast, with forested hills at the shore of either side of the lake.
A majority of all large orchards in Sweden are found around the town of Kivik on the east coast of Skåne.
Large orchards can also be found northeast of Kristianstad in Vånga, around Båstad, and on the southern east coast of lake Vättern.
Following the northern west coast of Öland you will find this small coastal road, with a rocky beach and low, bushy vegetation.
If you suspect you are on Gotland, and see small, dry stony fields with small juniper bushes, you are very likely to be on Fårö. This landscape becomes more extreme near the north coast of the island.
On the southern tip of Gotland you can find this west coastal road with grassy fields and a grassy hill ridge to the east.
Visby is the only preserved Hanseatic town in Sweden. The inner town can typically be recognised by the cobblestone streets, combined with the small, brightly painted stone houses and an abundance of roses following the house walls. It is also quite common to get a glimpse of the old Hanseatic wall surrounding the town.
These small yellow signs advertising tree felling are commonly found on utility poles and lamp posts in the suburbs of Stockholm. While the phone code for Stockholm is usually written on the signs, it is often difficult to make out from a distance.
The stretch of the E4 between Umeå and the Finnish border is one of very few roads in the northern parts of the country which is large enough to normally have either a wide ditch or a barrier between the carriageways. The area is fairly flat and the road is mainly surrounded by forests, mostly consisting of thin birches and pines, which get lower further north.
The stretch of the E45 going between Orsa and Älvros can be recognised by the brown-red wet pavement with forest consisting of thin pines and birches along the roadside.
While the southern half of Switzerland is extremely mountainous, with long, thin valleys between the mountains, the northern half mostly consists of large farmlands on either flat ground or rolling hills, typically with forested hills in the distance.
A fairly flat landscape with a long chain of medium-sized, forested mountains northwest means you are likely south of the Jura Mountains.
Exposed limestone rocks, protruding from forested hills, are commonly found in the Jura mountains.
The valley of Martigny has the highest density of fruit plantations in the country. It can easily be recognized by the many small fruit trees in combination with the wide, flat valley with large mountains on either side.
Apart from the valley of Martigny, the most likely area to find fruit trees is near Lake Constance, followed by the area northwest of Lake Geneva.
The central western plain of Taiwan mainly consists of flat to low rolling plains. It is common to find crops and other farmland in this area.
The central-eastern region that covers two-thirds of Taiwan consists of forested mountains.
The central mountain range that runs all the way to the south of the island is made up of tall mountains and rugged valleys. At high elevations, the vegetation can look less tropical and feature temperate or even coniferous trees.
The Hualien-Taitung Valley is a thin and long valley located on the east coast of the island passing from Hualien City at the north to Taitung City at the south. It is very recognizable as it consists of flat gentle plains surrounded by densely-forested mountains to the east and west.
NOTE: Most of the coverage on the east coast lies within this valley.
There are also other valleys in central Taiwan that can look similar.
The Yilan Plain is easily identifiable by the mountain ranges that are seen in the north, west, and south. Rice paddies are also extremely common as well as houses built right next to these fields.
NOTE: While the landscape on the surface can look quite similar to the valleys of Hualien and Taitung, unlike those two, you will almost never find mountains to the east in the plains of Yilan. Furthermore, the flat plains of Yilan are also generally more open.
The island of Kinmen can be recognized by these trees with fuzzy leaves lining the road and red-tinged soil.
NOTE: There is no Generation 4 coverage in Kinmen.
Miaoli and Hsinchu share a landscape of low rolling hills and winding roads as well as sparse farmland with vegetation that can look messy and unkempt.
Areca catechu, also known as areca palms or betel nut palms, are extensively found in central and southern Taiwan.
Areca palms are most common in the mountainous regions of Taiwan, you can still see dense areca palm patches in northern counties but they are few and far between.
Coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) are primarily found in the southern-half of the island, toward the coast.
Norfolk island pines (Araucaria heterophylla) are extremely common in the county of Penghu, especially in tightly-packed rows next to roads.
NOTE: While these trees can be found on the main island as well, they are usually never found in such close proximity.
These leafless trees are most frequently seen in Penghu.
Cultivated fish farms are mostly found right next to the coast in the western counties.They are generally seen in the southern-half of the island, anywhere from Changhua to Pingtung, but predominantly found in the counties of Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, and Kaohsiung.
Tea plantations are generally seen in mountainous areas all over Taiwan. You can find them commonly in Chiayi, Nantou, Hsinchu, and Miaoli.
These areca palm plantations are mostly found in the county of Pingtung.
NOTE: Plantations in Pingtung are mainly found in neat, organised rows like these, in the flat plains. While in most central and southern counties, they will be found in the mountainous areas. Additionally, the counties further north will also rarely have areca palms in the flat plains of the west coast.
The islands east of Taitung, Green Island and Orchid Island, are distinct due to the more tropical climate, abundance of coconut palms, and lush cliffs. Additionally, it is common to find run-down, concrete pavement.
NOTE: While the landscape between Green Island and Orchid Island are quite similar, a good way to distinguish the two is that Green Island frequently uses yellow outer lines. Additionally, Green Island is slightly more built-up.
The Provincial Highway 20, specifically the part that runs through Yushan National Park, features tall mountains covered with coniferous trees. The road also utilises these tube-like double guardrails.
NOTE: This road is only covered in Generation 2 and 4. The Generation 4 coverage is very overexposed and features sunny weather.
The road that leads up to Taipingshan National Forest in Yilan is distinct due to it often being very foggy when covered. Other features of this road include the coniferous trees and a guardrail with red legs.
NOTE: Certain parts of the roads feature a sunset in Generation 3.
This open landscape with forests of short trees surrounding a narrow grassy road can be found in Hualien in the flat parts of Guangfu and Fenglin. This area can be distinguished due to it being commonly covered in Generation 2; however, you can find similar landscapes in Generation 3 and 4.
A green train car can be found in east Chiayi around Alishan National Forest.
A walking trekker goes through a large part of Gombe National Park. The landscape varies somewhat from place to place.
In the lowland parts, you will see dense jungle and usually very little sunlight, leading to dark coverage. Sometimes, you can see chimpanzees.
Higher up on the hills, the forest becomes more open and you will see savannah-like trees around you.
On top of the hills, the trees make way for a bare grassland landscape. Here, you have breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape and Lake Tanganyika.
There is a boat trekker in Lake Tanganyika, that hugs the coast very closely, next to Gombe National Park. The coast is always to your east. You will see hills that are mostly covered in tropical forest, with some bare and grassy hilltops.
You can see the boat through the blur: it is painted olive green and white, and has some people in it. The boat and people are always pixelated due to the blur.
NOTE: Do not confuse this boat trekker with the boats in Madagascar.
Thailand has two regions that are relatively flat and dry compared to other areas. One north of Bangkok, the other more east.
NOTE: The eastern area feels sometimes a bit drier than the area north of Bangkok.
Low, smooth and forested mountains can be found in the centre-north of the country.
Rubber wood plantations are typically seen in Thailand. Most of them are located in the south. You can recognize them by the small, black taps on the bottom of the tree's trunk.
A majority of Thailand’s rice cultivation occurs within the highlighted area.
Rice cultivated during the dry season is most common in the central plains. The dry season in Thailand can typically be recognized by a haze in the sky due to wildfires.
During the wet season, the majority of rice cultivation occurs in the eastern plains.
Over 90% of the palm oil in Thailand is produced in the south. This means that palm plantations are most often seen in southern Thailand.
Dense plantations of short or medium sized coconut palms are most commonly found west of Bangkok.
Slightly less dense plantations of tall coconut palms are most common in Prachuap Khiri Khan.
NOTE: The entire peninsula will have many coconut palms, this tip only refers to plantations.
Large numbers of palmyra palms are typically found near the eastern coast of the peninsula, specifically just south of Bangkok as well as in the far south.
NOTE: Lone or small clusters of palmyra palms can be found all throughout the country.
Areca palms are mainly found across the peninsula, but are especially common around Ranong.
Sugar cane is mostly grown in central and eastern Thailand.
Cassava is a bush-like plant with digitate leaves. It can be found throughout most of Thailand, but is considerably more common in the central and northeastern plains.
Corn is most commonly found in the north and central regions of Thailand.
The most extensive fruit plantations can be found in the valley between Chiang Mai and Lamphun as well as eastern Sa Kaeo and Chanthaburi.
Durian plantations are most common around Chanthaburi, but can be found around the peninsula and other areas. When they are young, they can be identified by their cone-shaped appearance. When fully grown, durian trees can be identified by their dark bark, branches that nearly reach the ground, and oblong leaves with pointed tips.
Pineapple plantations are most commonly found southeast and southwest of Bangkok.
Eucalyptus plantations are most common around Sa Kaeo.
NOTE: Eucalyptus can be found in smaller quantities, such as lining the road, in different areas. This tip is exclusively about dense plantations.
Tectona grandis, also known as teak, is most commonly found in high densities in the north. It can be recognized by its large leaves and yellow flowers.
NOTE: Teak trees are often used for decoration along highways.
Pine trees, specifically Pinus latteri, or Tenasserim pines, are more or less exclusive to the north and northwest of the country.
Codiaeum variegatum, also known as garden croton, is a decorative plant recognised by its yellow, orange and red leaves. It is most common around Ranong and other coastal provinces.
Koh Samui and Koh Pha-Ngan are touristy islands with narrow, crowded roads and a tropical feel.
The Phrao District in Chiang Mai is a fairly flat valley surrounded by mountains in all directions. The valley will commonly grow rice and fruit.
Rolling hills of corn or sugar cane fields can be found in the west of the Tak province. In this area, paved roads are often very brown.
Deep red fields with cassava and rubber trees can be found in Kanchanaburi.
The area around Khao Yai National Park in southern Nakhon Ratchasima is a large tourist attraction. You will see many advertisements, businesses, restaurants, and resorts along otherwise rural roads. Large rocky hills can be seen closer to the border with Nakhon Nayok and Prachin Buri.
The province of Mukdahan features many long, low hills among fields of rice, sugarcane, cassava and rubber trees.
Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park in western Prachuap Khiri Khan features large, distinct exposed rock mountain massifs. Notably, the mountains can be seen from the center of the province.
Brown paved roads among fields of sugarcane, cassava, and corn can be found in southeastern Nakhon Ratchasima.
Brown paved roads among fields of bananas, durians, rubber, and corn can be found in southern Sisaket.
NOTE: Southeastern Nakhon Ratchasima may look similar at times.
Southern Lopburi features a large, slightly north-north-west grid with fields of rice, corn, sugarcane, and cassava. Ridges can often be seen to the north, south and west.
Western Rayong province features a northeast-southwest grid filled with modern and industrial buildings among fields of rubber trees, cassava, and pineapple.
A smudge on the front left of the camera can be seen on the densely forested road going through Khao Yai National Park. This smudge can also be found in nearby areas of Nakhon Nayok and Prachin Buri.
NOTE: Other smudges may rarely exist elsewhere in the country.
Tunisia has Mediterranean, dry and semidesert climates.
NOTE: In the second step, you will find more about region specific climate and landscape.
These olive tree plantations can often be found along roads. They consist of nicely arranged rows of olive trees on an often raked, weedless soil.
The area north of Tunis has a Mediterranean climate with hilly terrain. The region is very agricultural and at the time the coverage was captured, almost all fields laid fallow.
The area between Tunis and Hammamet looks similar to the area north of Tunis, but the hills tend to be higher and more vegetated.
The large middle region between Hammamet and Gabes is very flat, and more arid. Olive tree plantations are common and the more south you go, the drier the landscape becomes.
South of Gabes is where the landscape changes into something more akin to a desert. A lot more rubbish and small white rocks can be found along the roads. Olive tree plantations are still somewhat common. A mountain range far in the distance is often visible to the southwest.
The island of Djerba can sometimes have a distinct vibe. There tend to be a lot of palm trees. Whitewashed, traditional buildings with blue doors and windows are common.
NOTE: Not all locations on the island will have this distinct vibe. A lack of a follow car is another good way to confirm that you are on Djerba.
If you see a large amount of palm trees in a single place, you are probably in Gabes.
NOTE: While Djerba also has many palm trees, the towns and surrounding area tend to look more rural.
On the P1 road northwest of Medinine, you can occasionally find sandy hills that look like this. These hills are quite unique, as most coverage in southern Tunisia is in very flat areas.
An offroad from road P12 southwest of Sousse can be recognised by the dark pavement surrounded by bright sandy soil combined with the east-west road angle. The eastern part of the road is fairly vegetated, with large numbers of prickly pears, while the western part of the road is very arid with little to no vegetation.
The Turkish landscape ranges from arid in the southeast to a Mediterranean landscape in the southwest. In the north you will often find a more forested and lush landscape. The most typical landscape is semi-arid, either rolling or flat, with vast agricultural fields, containing very limited vegetation other than crops.
Beware that Turkey is a very naturally diverse country with many landscapes that are not mentioned in this tip.
Northern Turkey tends to be significantly lusher and more forested than the rest of the country.
In the northeast you will find uncultivated grasslands in valleys surrounded by round hills. Trees are very limited in the region. In Generation 3 the area has an extremely distinct look, with deep green grass covering the hills. It is significantly more difficult to recognise in Generation 4, where the grass has a more arid look.
Turkish pines (pinus brutia) are mainly found near the Mediterranean coast.
NOTE: Turkish pines can appear very similar to Aleppo pines, which are uncommon in Turkey, but are often found in other Mediterranean countries.
Tea plantations are common in the province of Rize.
Olive trees are mainly found on the Mediterranean coast.
Sunflowers are mainly found in northwestern Turkey.
A majority of all vineyards in Turkey can be found in a region east of Izmir.
Cotton is mainly found in the region surrounding the city of Şanlıurfa.
Lake Van is by far the biggest lake in Turkey and has a semi-arid landscape, being surrounded by dry grassy hills and occasional trees and agricultural fields near the shore.
If you find yourself surrounded by greenhouses, you are likely to be along the south coast west of Adana.
Banana plants are found around the city of Alanya.
Road D525 south of Söke is a completely straight road going south-south-west to north-north-east with winter Generation 3 coverage. Along the road you will typically find a large amount of reed.
Along the western shore of Lake Beyşehir and Lake Eğirdir you can find this small single lane road with jagged, exposed rock and Turkish pines to the west. These two can be differentiated by the road west of Lake Eğirdir having a middle road line.
The city of Entebbe, southwest of Kampala, can often be recognized by feeling slightly emptier than most of the capital, with more greenery and somewhat fancier houses. The area also has significantly more street signs than the rest of the capital.
The National Park is located in the northeastern parts of the country and mostly consists of a large savannah with mountains being visible in most directions. The most recognizable mountain range can be seen to the east and is visible in most of the coverage.
The southern half of the north road in Kidepo is somewhat forested, and as such it may occasionally be hard to see the various mountains.
The northern half of the north road in Kidepo is located in a savannah and can be easily recognised by the wide mountain to the north.
The National Park is located by the northern end of Lake Albert and can commonly be recognized by the low dirt barriers along the side of the roads. A savannah can be seen in the western part, while the eastern parts contain many small trees and bushes. Apart from a fairly low and wide mountain range far away to the west, there are no mountains in the vicinity.
Seeing these palms in Uganda means you are extremely likely to be in the northern parts of Murchison Falls.
The National Park has three types of coverage, the first of which is a very wide dirt road going through a dense, tropical forest. It is by far the widest dirt road in the country outside of Kampala with Street View coverage.
The second type of coverage in Kibale is on a small forest road, which is still large enough to be covered using a car. The forest appears to be quite dense, however it is typically not very dark. The area is mostly flat.
The final type of coverage is a number of tiny forest paths. The coverage is somewhat dark, with the sun shining through every so often.
The park is located west of lake Victoria and has by far the driest coverage in the country. The grass is almost always completely dried out, which is normally enough to recognise it. Bushes and trees along the road also typically look very dry. The area is quite hilly, but not mountainous.
The coverage in the national park consists of two small forest paths running parallel to each other. The forest appears very humid, and on much of the coverage, drops of water can be seen on the camera lens.
The national park is located near the Kenyan border and has two stretches of paths covered, the first of which is in a forest with a fairly steep slope heading upwards to the east. The dirt typically has a very dark red colour.
The eastern stretch of path covered is easily recognized by its small palm-like trees on an open hilly field and a man following the photographer, who is dressed in green and holding a rifle.
On top of the brown dirt, the national park also contains large cacti with many branches going almost straight upwards, resembling the shape of trees.
Single-family homes are very common in suburbs and small towns. These neighbourhoods are often heavily vegetated and tend to look rundown. Most roads are unpaved. Buildings are usually made of bricks, often have corrugated roofs, and are invariably surrounded by fences.
This is the stereotypical rural round in Ukraine:
Generally bad road quality.
A landscape that is usually flat or slightly hilly.
A line of trees or bushes next to the road, with wide open agricultural fields beyond that.
A lack of road infrastructure or buildings, until you reach the next urban area.
Low amount of traffic.
Almost all Ukrainian coverage was made in the summer, meaning the foliage is green and the people around are dressed for sunny weather.
Five major cities have autumn coverage, with distinct fall colours and colder weather. See the region guessing section for more information.
These tall poplar trees are common in many parts of the country.
NOTE: They can be found in some regions of Russia, but most of the country completely lacks them.
May coverage in Ukraine is primarily seen in the western half of the country. It can be recognized by looking at the plants, which have a yellowish tint on otherwise green leaves.
NOTE: June and July coverage can also be found in the areas highlighted, as well as the rest of the country.
Five major cities were covered in 2011, years before the rest of the country was covered: Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Odesa and Donetsk.
This coverage was made during autumn, meaning that the trees have distinct fall colours and people are dressed for colder weather.
In Kyiv, Lviv and Kharkiv, almost all of this coverage has been overwritten by the newer summer coverage. However, in all of Donetsk, and most of Odesa, it is still intact. In Donetsk specifically, there is no newer coverage at all.
The Carpathian Mountains is an area in western Ukraine that is significantly hillier than the rest of the country, in some places bordering on mountainous. It is also much more forested, with very little agriculture, and a lot of pine trees. The roads going through it tend to be more curvy, rather than the straight highways found in the rest of the country.
Forests with Baltic pines (Pinus sylvestris) are most commonly found in the north, most often near the border with Belarus. Baltic pines are usually tall and have orange-red bark.
While some of these forests consist solely of this species, many of them are a mix of Baltic pines and broadleaf trees.
NOTE: Note that the Carpathians are also covered in a lot of pine forests. They are noticeably hilly however, allowing you to distinguish this area from the very flat north.
Towards the south, the climate becomes warmer and drier. The landscape is more arid. Forests are considerably more rare, and make way for shrubs and open fields. The difference is not extreme, but can become noticeable after some practice.
Sunflowers are grown in most of Ukraine. However, they only start to bloom as early as late July. Due to the way Ukraine was covered, this means you will usually only see sunflower fields that are in bloom in the far south and east of the country.
These fields are most common in Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa Oblast. The road T0403 to Nova Kakhovka especially has a lot of them.
Note that sunflower fields that are not in bloom can be found in most of the country. These will just look like regular crop fields to most people.
A leaf can be seen on the back of the Google car from: Ternopil to Zolochiv on the H02, Ternopil to Brody on the P39, and from Brody to Dubno on the E40. It can also be seen from Brody to Pochaiv on the P26 and from Dubno to Mlyniv on the E85.
Red soil can be seen on some ultra-rural dirt tracks around the iron mine in Kryvyi Rih, due to mining activity. Brazilian-style poles can also be seen, making locations around the mine very convincing bait. The foliage, however, will be significantly less tropical, and a long antenna can be seen.
Bus stop shelters with a vibrant yellow-and-green paint scheme, featuring sunflowers and the name of a local brand (Оліс), can be found in the Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts.
Google sent a special car trekker to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, where the nuclear disaster happened in the 1980s. This car goes from Ivankiv all the way to the abandoned town of Pripyat.
On most of the road to Pripyat, you will not really be able to tell that you are inside the Exclusion Zone. However, inside Pripyat you will see completely abandoned and overgrown buildings, giving the place an eerie look.
This rare white Google car with visible side mirrors and sparse vegetation is found on Sir Baniyas Island.
Remote trekkers, with sand dunes all around, can be found in the far south of the country, between the towns of Taraq and Alyhyali.
The British countryside tends to be very green, with lots of hedgerows lining the road. Low, rolling hills are common throughout most of the country.
NOTE: The Irish countryside looks very similar, so make sure to look at other clues before guessing.
Suburbs in UK towns tend to have a recognizable look. They typically feature near-identical houses, often semi-detached, usually with well-manicured lawns. The road layout can be maze-like, with lots of cul-de-sacs and curvy roads.
The Scottish Highlands can be distinguished by the semi-barren, very mountainous landscape.
NOTE: A lot of Generation 4 coverage in the Highlands is from (early) spring, meaning that the vegetation often looks brown and yellow.
In addition, some of the most mountainous parts of Wales and Northern England can look similar.
Cornish palms (Cordyline australis) in the UK are most commonly found in the far southwest along the coast and in Jersey. Although, they can rarely be found all along the west coast up to Scotland.
This is a forest density map of the contiguous United States. Eastern and Northern regions of the country typically have much denser tree cover than Western and Southwestern regions.
You can click on the image to enlarge it.
Corn fields can most commonly be found in these regions. For a detailed overview, see this map.
Soybeans are short, dark green crops organised in long rows and are found in similar regions where corn is grown. They are most common in the Eastern Plains, Midwest, Lower Mississippi Valley, and areas of the Mid Atlantic.
Along the Canadian border in North Dakota, and rarely Montana, fields filled with short yellow canola flowers (Brassica napus) can commonly be seen from the road.
Cotton is a crop that produces large fields of fluffy white flowers. It is most commonly produced in coastal Southeast States, the Lower Mississippi River Valley, Western Texas, and parts of California and Arizona. You can click here for a more detailed map.
NOTE: When cotton is not fully grown (earlier in the year) cotton fields often look like this.
Rice production only occurs in a few areas of the US, so it is very useful for region guessing. It is typically grown in large, flat fields that resemble low prairies. It is only grown in north-central California and the Lower Mississippi River Valley in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. You can click here for a more detailed map.
NOTE: When rice is not fully grown, rice fields often look similar to this.
The Great Plains are in the middle of the United States and stretch from the Canadian border in the North, to central Texas in the South. This area is primarily flat with few trees. Some areas feature agriculture fields, while others feature dry and barren grassy fields.
The area spanning from the Montana Border with Saskatchewan to the Western Great Lakes features many ‘prairie potholes.’ These are areas of low-lying wetlands that feature marshy grasses and small, shallow ponds.
The Appalachian mountain range is a low mountain range that runs through the eastern states. The general landscape consists of low, forested mountains, with beech and oak trees being a common sight.
NOTE: Houses in the south generally have less storeys. New England architecture, commonly consisting of wood panelling, high roofs and a porch, is also more common toward the north, especially in New England.
The loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), commonly referred to as southern pines in the community, are found throughout the southeastern US. They are a great way to recognize this region, as they are abundant, recognizable and mostly limited to this part of the country. They tend to be tall, with fluffy-looking clusters of pine needles.
Grass that is used in lawns in the southern US (colloquially known as Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses) go dormant in the winter months. This causes the lawns to turn beige or light brown in winter; whereas grasses used in more northern areas of the US stay much greener in winter.
The Lower Mississippi River Valley is a very flat and open landscape with red soil in areas of Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Northeast Louisiana. Corn and other crops are common in this area.
The area stretching from the Canadian border to Northern New Mexico is home to the Rocky Mountains. These jagged, rocky formations often feature many pine trees and visible snow all-year round at the highest peaks. Some areas of the Rocky Mountain Range are noticeably dry, with few trees.
The Great Basin, centred around Nevada, can be recognized by the tall, sometimes snow-capped mountains in the background. There are dry, but grassy, and slightly shrubby plains leading up to the mountains.
The tallest mountains are in Nevada, Utah and California. More gradual, rocky hills can be seen in Oregon, and greener mountains can be seen in Idaho and central Utah.
Keep in mind that there are exceptions, so make sure to look out for other clues before guessing.
Great Basin Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is a short, shrubby blue-green bush that is common in the interior western United States.It is most common in arid areas.
Saguaro cacti are most commonly shaped like tall, straight tubes with several branches extending from the main tube. They are most commonly found in southern Arizona, on the Sonoran border.
Extremely tall conifer trees (Douglas firs) with a dark brown bark, and dark green leaves, can most commonly be seen in Cascadia. Notably, they can also be found in northern California, Idaho and as far east as Montana.
Beware that they are also commonly found in British Columbia.
Temperate rainforests are found in coastal areas of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. These rainforests feature many broadleaf trees, large conifers, and ferns.
NOTE: These rainforests stretch north into coastal British Columbia and Southeast Alaska as well.
Palm trees are common in coastal areas of the Southeastern states, as well as the Desert Southwest region. Shown here is the Mexican Fan Palm, which is most common in California and along the Gulf Coast, but other palm tree types have a similar range.
Just west of the metropolitan areas of Austin and San Antonio Texas lies a large area of dry, rocky hills featuring many yucca and prickly pear plants. Texas Live Oak trees are the predominant tree type in this area.
The Rio Grande Valley in South Texas is extremely flat and features shrubby trees and agricultural fields. This area borders the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.
Spanish moss, appearing as greyish white drapes, can sometimes be seen on trees in the deep south.
Agricultural golden fields can commonly be seen in eastern Washington.
NOTE: Flat areas of northern and eastern Oregon can have a similar appearance.
Central Valley, California can be recognized by its Mediterranean climate. This is reflected in its agriculture, seen in the vineyards and olive trees that can commonly be found here.
In addition, rolling hills can be seen toward the edges of the valley.
The Nebraska Sandhills are a recognizable region of rolling hills covered with prairie grass in the central-north part of the state.
In the Appalachian area stretching from southern New York to southern Virginia, there are a lot of forest-covered rolling hills, with flat valleys dividing them. A majority of the ridges are oriented Southwest to Northeast.
Hawaii is the youngest state in the US and the only US state outside of North America.
A separate Plonk It guide to Hawaii can be found here.
American Samoa is a South Pacific island group and an unorganised US territory.
A separate Plonk It guide to American Samoa can be found here.
The main island of Dry Tortugas National Park, west of Key West, can be identified by the hexagonal brick structure and the surrounding moat.
The Loggerhead Lighthouse, situated on the Loggerhead Key, has a brown top-half and a white bottom. The path on which the trekker walks on is also made of bright concrete, and many palm trees can be seen around the lighthouse.
The Florida Keys are an archipelago of tropical islands west of Miami. The highway connecting the islands can be recognized by green, tropical vegetation on the sides of the usually single lane road. The soil is also sandy white.
Urban locations are also similar, but with many more planted palm trees and mowed grass being a common sight.
Deep South Florida, between the metropolitan areas of Ft. Myers and Miami, features dense, jungle-like forests that have few inhabitants. Roads through these areas are commonly very straight and long.
Southwestern Oklahoma features a small area of rocky, shrubby peaks. Some of the mountains are also covered in trees, and the rocks can have a pinkish red tint to them.
Big Bend National Park is located along the Mexico border in Southwest Texas. It can be identified by its dry, rocky peaks and shrubby foliage. This park is adjacent to the Chihauhan desert, so plants such as yucca and prickly pear cactus are common.
Along the New Mexico and or Texas border there is a ridge of tall, dry peaks known as the Guadalupe Mountains. In adjacent areas of both states, smaller foothills of these mountains can be seen with relatively flat tops and shrubby foliage.
Death Valley National Park can be easily recognized by the dry, sandy, treeless mountains that can be seen from the roads that go through the park. In Generation 3 coverage, the sky can look particularly dusty.
NOTE: Many smaller roads in Death Valley only have Generation 1 coverage.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park features similar, sand-brown, eroded rock formations to Badlands National Park. The rock formations in this park tend to have more trees on them. Additionally, almost all coverage has fall colours visible.
NOTE: Similar formations can be seen in far eastern Montana as well.
The Black Hills, located in far Western South Dakota and far Eastern Wyoming, are a series of moderately tall mountains with large amounts of conifer trees and rocky outcroppings. The surrounding areas are typically much flatter with lesser tree cover.
NOTE: This area has a similar appearance to many areas within the Rocky Mountains, which lie further to the West.
This is the stereotypical Uruguay round. The coverage often, but not always, features overcast weather. Most of the landscape consists of open grasslands with gentle hills. Occasionally, you might see separated tree plantations. Roads are generally in worse condition than in neighbouring countries.
Occasionally, you might see palm trees. These short and stocky species of palm tree are particularly common.
Cattle farming is an important part of Uruguay’s agriculture. Cattle outnumber people four by one, so you will see a lot of them around in rural rounds.
The landscape near the town of Minas is recognizable: some of the tallest hills in the country, with lots of exposed rocks, and often heavy bushland vegetation.
The image shown here is a fairly extreme example of this landscape, used for illustration purposes – usually it is more subtle. However, the exposed rock is always a good clue.
NOTE: The landscape in the Quebrada de los Cuervos nature reserve, situated further north, can look similar. In addition, there are also very tall hills in the north of the country. However, these look different (see the tip below).
You can also find tall hills in the north of the country. These can be recognized by their noticeably darker soil. These hills also typically do not have the exposed rocks that are visible in the Minas hills.
The vegetation tends to be natural, and you will often see tree plantations.
This specific landscape tends to be most noticeable very close to the Brazil border, on Route 30 near Tranqueras.
Tree plantations are a defining feature of much of Uruguay’s countryside, but they are especially common in two areas in the north and northwest.
Note that the highest density of plantations is in these areas, but more isolated plantations can be found all over the country.
Punta del Este is a seaside resort town with a recognizable look. It is an affluent and touristic place with a developed downtown that consists of many tall, modern apartment buildings. Its main attraction is its large, sandy beach.
Further away from the downtown area, you will see less highrises, but still a lot of expensive-looking villa neighbourhoods. Here, you will often see distinctive tall pine trees.
This unique Google car is found in the Valle del Lunarejo natural park, located west of the town of Tranqueras. The car has a white front and a curved black backside with a brown strap.
The coverage is an off-road trekker line on the map. The car drives on a small track through a grassy landscape.
NOTE: This park only shows up as a point of interest on the map, instead of the usual dark green polygon used for natural parks.
One of the most distinct features of the Midway atoll is the presence of multiple albatrosses on almost every single location.
The islands other than the Midway Atoll can generally be characterised by three things. Firstly, the Generation 3 trekker coverage. Secondly, the low, bushy vegetation, and thirdly, the presence of numerous birds.
Southeast Island is arguably the least distinctive island in the chain. It has a small lake near the centre, and a large amount of birds in the sky.
Lisianski Island only has coverage right by the shore and can typically be recognised by the large bushes going around the entire island.
The French Frigate Shoals is a fairly long and thin island with a shabby-looking runway. The island has by far the largest number of birds out of all islands in the chain.
East Island is the smallest island in the chain. There is barely any vegetation and you can see the ocean in all directions.
Vanuatu is a tropical island chain, with a significant part of the coverage being taken in a dense tropical forest.
A distinct plateau with dark brown soil and patchy grass is seen east of the volcano.
Tropical plants and many ferns can be seen in this jungle further to the east. A man with a red cap is also seen with the trekker.
Endu Pahakol, the only village with coverage on Ambrym Island, can be recognized by the small thatched huts and dark soil.
It is somewhat common to see grains being spread out on roads to dry.
NOTE: This practice is also common in the Philippines, and more rarely in Thailand as well.
Wide open and completely flat agricultural fields are most commonly seen in the Red River Delta and somewhat less commonly found in the Mekong River Delta.
The Mekong Delta is an exceedingly flat, water-rich area. It is traversed by numerous very straight canals, often flanked by linear villages. It is one of the most densely populated parts of Vietnam, with cultivated fields essentially everywhere. The area is even more tropical than the rest of Vietnam, with lots of palm trees and lush wetland vegetation.
The Central Highlands region tends to have a landscape with a somewhat distinct vibe: often hilly with distant mountains, red soil, and often fairly dry, rolling agricultural fields. Additionally, the vegetation is a bit drier than in the rest of Vietnam (depending on the season).
Rubber tree plantations are primarily found in the provinces to the north of Ho Chi Minh City, as well as in several parts of the Central Highlands.
Rubber trees can be recognized by their thin trunks. In Vietnam, it is typical for a section of the tree trunk to be wrapped in a piece of plastic. These trees tend to be neatly organized in a dense grid-like pattern.
Tea plantations are primarily found in the north, limited to several disconnected areas.
A major exception is the southern province of Lâm Đồng, which has a large tea area centred around the city of Bảo Lộc.
Tea plants can be recognized by their compact and neatly trimmed shape, with small dark green leaves. They are often, but not always, planted in windy rows on hillsides.
Clusters of Khasi pines growing on hills are very typical of far northeastern Vietnam, specifically the provinces of Lạng Sơn and Quảng Ninh.
Dragonfruit farms are mostly found in two small areas in the south:
around the city of Phan Thiết in Bình Thuận province
a small area on the border between Long An and Tiền Giang, northeast of Mỹ Tho .
Dragonfruit resembles the end of an upturned wet mop.
The coastal region northeast of Phan Thiết city is noticeably dry and sandy, compared to the typical Vietnamese landscape. Some parts of this region are very rocky as well.
Black pepper plantations are common in the area in and around the Central highlands. Black pepper is a type of vine that is cultivated on tree trunks: the pepper plants shroud these trees with a dense cover of downward-pointing leaves, completely obscuring the tree’s trunk.
Wind turbines can be found in a few clusters mainly in the southern half of the country.
Here are the clusters from most to least common:
Thin bamboo poles can be found in rural areas of the northwestern mountains.
The countryside directly around the city of Đà Lạt is densely covered in greenhouses.
The Đồng Văn Karst Geopark in northern Hà Giang province, in the extreme northernmost tip of Vietnam, is characterized by a very distinct landscape: rounded, pointy mountains with relatively sparse vegetation, exposing the very dark rocks underneath.
NOTE: The broader region of northern Vietnam is also characterized by pointy mountains. The Geopark is unique because of the exposed rocks.
The island of Phú Quốc is found in southern Vietnam near Cambodia. Phú Quốc only has Generation 3 coverage and has a lot of dark red soil. You may sometimes see a large forested ridge, which sits northeast on the island.
This peninsula in far northern Khánh Hoà can be recognised by the many sand dunes hugging the road, which is mostly a divided highway, but also a smaller paved road for a shorter stretch.