A classic tricky geography question for Americans is: 'Which U.S. state is closest to Africa?' Intuition often points toward Florida or perhaps North Carolina. However, because of the way the African continent bulges westward and the North American continent angles toward the northeast, the correct answer is Maine. Specifically, a spot called Quoddy Head, Maine, is the closest point in the United States to the African continent (specifically Morocco). It is approximately 3,150 miles away. This is hundreds of miles closer than Florida is to any point in Africa. This highlights the 'Great Circle' routes and how flat maps can distort our perception of trans-oceanic distances.