So, what is geography? In our first episode of Crash Course Geography, we will endeavour to answer this seemingly simple question with the help of a similarly simple factoid: that the US imports more than 3 billion pounds of bananas from Guatemala each year. But as it turns out, beneath the kinds of factoids we usually associate with Geography are much grander stories that really are Geography. So let's go a little bananas as we explore the sordid history of the Chiquita banana.

In honour of Geography Awareness Week, National Geographic put together a playlist of some of the most incredible geography our Earth has to offer.

We all know that geography is important; but what can you do with it? As students across the country prepare for the 2012 National Geographic Bee, we've explored how geography is used in the real world, from disaster response to military intelligence and even polar exploration. We wish all competitors good luck in this year's competition!

Download Google Earth at http://earth.google.com.