Bad Lands: The Geography of Cities That Shouldn't Exist-and Why They Do

Join Geoff Gibson, creator of Geography by Geoff, as he investigates the world’s most geographically doomed cities

Why is Phoenix running dry in the heart of the desert? Why is Jakarta slipping beneath the sea even as millions call it home? How has Napoli endured in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, the same volcano that obliterated Pompeii—and what will happen when it erupts again?

From their earliest beginnings, cities clustered near rivers, fertile soil, and safe harbors—the lifelines of civilization. And yet, some of the world’s greatest urban centers rose in places that defy logic: parched deserts, sinking deltas, unstable fault lines, volcanic kill zones. What once promised opportunity now threatens catastrophe.

Bad Lands is a gripping exploration of cities built on the brink. Traveling across continents and centuries, it uncovers the bold ambitions, desperate gambles, and unintended consequences that shaped these improbable metropolises. Through vivid storytelling and sharp analysis, it reveals how geography—unyielding, indifferent, and sometimes violent—continues to dictate their fate.

At once history, investigation, and warning, Bad Lands asks a provocative question: When the land itself turns against us, can human ingenuity outrun disaster—or are some cities living on borrowed time?