Author & founder

Mike

TerraLenses · Travel writer · France

About

I'm a French traveller in my thirties. Over the past fifteen years I've visited roughly thirty countries across five continents — long overland trips in Southeast Asia and South America, shorter forays through the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe, and a steady circuit of European destinations closer to home.

I started TerraLenses in 2024 because the country reference I wanted didn't exist online — something that would pair decent data with honest long-form writing and actually cover the full world rather than just the Lonely-Planet greatest hits. The site has grown from a handful of pages to a full interactive atlas covering 203 countries, with 20+ "flagship" country profiles written as proper 2,000-word pieces.

Writing on TerraLenses is mine; the methodology page explains how I collect and verify the underlying data. If you find an error or want to suggest a correction, send me an email — I read everything.

Expertise and interests

  • Geographic focus: every continent, with particular depth on Europe (lived), Southeast Asia (extensive travel), and West/North Africa (research focus).
  • Editorial interests: country-level history and geography, cultural context, food traditions, travel practicalities, comparative geography.
  • Research approach: primary sources first (UNESCO, World Bank, national statistics agencies), supplemented by reputable editorial sources (Encyclopaedia Britannica, established travel journalism).
  • Tools: OpenStreetMap and Mapbox for mapping; the Astro framework for the site itself; plain research and writing.

Country profiles (203)

Enriched long-form country pages I've written or edited. Each is a 1,500-2,500 word piece with sources cited at the bottom.

🇦🇫 Afghanistan Asia 🇦🇱 Albania Europe 🇩🇿 Algeria Africa 🇦🇩 Andorra Europe 🇦🇴 Angola Africa 🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda Americas 🇦🇷 Argentina Americas 🇦🇲 Armenia Asia 🇦🇺 Australia Oceania 🇦🇹 Austria Europe 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan Asia 🇧🇸 Bahamas Americas 🇧🇭 Bahrain Asia 🇧🇩 Bangladesh Asia 🇧🇧 Barbados Americas 🇧🇾 Belarus Europe 🇧🇪 Belgium Europe 🇧🇿 Belize Americas 🇧🇯 Benin Africa 🇧🇹 Bhutan Asia 🇧🇴 Bolivia Americas 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Europe 🇧🇼 Botswana Africa 🇧🇷 Brazil Americas 🇧🇳 Brunei Asia 🇧🇬 Bulgaria Europe 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso Africa 🇧🇮 Burundi Africa 🇰🇭 Cambodia Asia 🇨🇲 Cameroon Africa 🇨🇦 Canada Americas 🇨🇻 Cape Verde Africa 🇨🇫 Central African Republic Africa 🇹🇩 Chad Africa 🇨🇱 Chile Americas 🇨🇳 China Asia 🇨🇴 Colombia Americas 🇰🇲 Comoros Africa 🇨🇷 Costa Rica Americas 🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire Africa 🇭🇷 Croatia Europe 🇨🇺 Cuba Americas 🇨🇾 Cyprus Europe 🇨🇿 Czech Republic Europe 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo Africa 🇩🇰 Denmark Europe 🇩🇯 Djibouti Africa 🇩🇲 Dominica Americas 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic Americas 🇪🇨 Ecuador Americas 🇪🇬 Egypt Africa 🇸🇻 El Salvador Americas 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England Europe 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea Africa 🇪🇷 Eritrea Africa 🇪🇪 Estonia Europe 🇸🇿 Eswatini Africa 🇪🇹 Ethiopia Africa 🇫🇯 Fiji Oceania 🇫🇮 Finland Europe 🇫🇷 France Europe 🇬🇦 Gabon Africa 🇬🇪 Georgia Asia 🇩🇪 Germany Europe 🇬🇭 Ghana Africa 🇬🇷 Greece Europe 🇬🇱 Greenland Americas 🇬🇩 Grenada Americas 🇬🇹 Guatemala Americas 🇬🇳 Guinea Africa 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau Africa 🇬🇾 Guyana Americas 🇭🇹 Haiti Americas 🇭🇳 Honduras Americas 🇭🇰 Hong Kong Asia 🇭🇺 Hungary Europe 🇮🇸 Iceland Europe 🇮🇳 India Asia 🇮🇩 Indonesia Asia 🇮🇷 Iran Asia 🇮🇶 Iraq Asia 🇮🇪 Ireland Europe 🇮🇱 Israel Asia 🇮🇹 Italy Europe 🇯🇲 Jamaica Americas 🇯🇵 Japan Asia 🇯🇴 Jordan Asia 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan Asia 🇰🇪 Kenya Africa 🇰🇮 Kiribati Oceania 🇽🇰 Kosovo Europe 🇰🇼 Kuwait Asia 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan Asia 🇱🇦 Laos Asia 🇱🇻 Latvia Europe 🇱🇧 Lebanon Asia 🇱🇸 Lesotho Africa 🇱🇷 Liberia Africa 🇱🇾 Libya Africa 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein Europe 🇱🇹 Lithuania Europe 🇱🇺 Luxembourg Europe 🇲🇬 Madagascar Africa 🇲🇼 Malawi Africa 🇲🇾 Malaysia Asia 🇲🇻 Maldives Asia 🇲🇱 Mali Africa 🇲🇹 Malta Europe 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands Oceania 🇲🇷 Mauritania Africa 🇲🇺 Mauritius Africa 🇲🇽 Mexico Americas 🇫🇲 Micronesia Oceania 🇲🇩 Moldova Europe 🇲🇨 Monaco Europe 🇲🇳 Mongolia Asia 🇲🇪 Montenegro Europe 🇲🇦 Morocco Africa 🇲🇿 Mozambique Africa 🇲🇲 Myanmar Asia 🇳🇦 Namibia Africa 🇳🇷 Nauru Oceania 🇳🇵 Nepal Asia 🇳🇱 Netherlands Europe 🇳🇿 New Zealand Oceania 🇳🇮 Nicaragua Americas 🇳🇪 Niger Africa 🇳🇬 Nigeria Africa 🇰🇵 North Korea Asia 🇲🇰 North Macedonia Europe 🇬🇧 Northern Ireland Europe 🇳🇴 Norway Europe 🇴🇲 Oman Asia 🇵🇰 Pakistan Asia 🇵🇼 Palau Oceania 🇵🇸 Palestine Asia 🇵🇦 Panama Americas 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea Oceania 🇵🇾 Paraguay Americas 🇵🇪 Peru Americas 🇵🇭 Philippines Asia 🇵🇱 Poland Europe 🇵🇹 Portugal Europe 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico Americas 🇶🇦 Qatar Asia 🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo Africa 🇷🇴 Romania Europe 🇷🇺 Russia Europe 🇷🇼 Rwanda Africa 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis Americas 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia Americas 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Americas 🇼🇸 Samoa Oceania 🇸🇲 San Marino Europe 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe Africa 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Asia 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland Europe 🇸🇳 Senegal Africa 🇷🇸 Serbia Europe 🇸🇨 Seychelles Africa 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone Africa 🇸🇬 Singapore Asia 🇸🇰 Slovakia Europe 🇸🇮 Slovenia Europe 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands Oceania 🇸🇴 Somalia Africa 🇿🇦 South Africa Africa 🇰🇷 South Korea Asia 🇸🇸 South Sudan Africa 🇪🇸 Spain Europe 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Asia 🇸🇩 Sudan Africa 🇸🇷 Suriname Americas 🇸🇪 Sweden Europe 🇨🇭 Switzerland Europe 🇸🇾 Syria Asia 🇹🇼 Taiwan Asia 🇹🇯 Tajikistan Asia 🇹🇿 Tanzania Africa 🇹🇭 Thailand Asia 🇬🇲 The Gambia Africa 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste Asia 🇹🇬 Togo Africa 🇹🇴 Tonga Oceania 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago Americas 🇹🇳 Tunisia Africa 🇹🇷 Turkey Asia 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan Asia 🇹🇻 Tuvalu Oceania 🇺🇬 Uganda Africa 🇺🇦 Ukraine Europe 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates Asia 🇺🇸 United States of America Americas 🇺🇾 Uruguay Americas 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan Asia 🇻🇺 Vanuatu Oceania 🇻🇦 Vatican City Europe 🇻🇪 Venezuela Americas 🇻🇳 Vietnam Asia 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Wales Europe 🇾🇪 Yemen Asia 🇿🇲 Zambia Africa 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe Africa

Blog articles

Mar 20, 2025 Germany vs Austria: Cultural, Historical and Travel Differences Explained Germany and Austria share a language but offer surprisingly different travel experiences. We compare cities, culture, landscapes, food, and what makes each country unique. Mar 20, 2025 Alemania vs Austria: diferencias culturales, históricas y de viaje Alemania y Austria comparten un idioma pero ofrecen experiencias de viaje sorprendentemente diferentes. Comparamos ciudades, cultura, paisajes, comida y qué hace único a cada país. Mar 20, 2025 Allemagne vs Autriche : différences culturelles, historiques et de voyage L'Allemagne et l'Autriche partagent une langue mais offrent des expériences de voyage étonnamment différentes. On compare villes, culture, paysages, cuisine et ce qui rend chaque pays unique. Mar 18, 2025 Portugal vs Spain for Expats: Where Should You Move in 2025? Considering a move to the Iberian Peninsula? We compare Portugal and Spain on cost of living, visas, climate, healthcare, language, and quality of life for expats. Mar 18, 2025 Portugal vs España para expatriados: ¿dónde mudarse en 2025? ¿Considerando mudarse a la Península Ibérica? Comparamos Portugal y España en coste de vida, visas, clima, sanidad, idioma y calidad de vida para expatriados. Mar 18, 2025 Portugal vs Espagne pour expatriés : où déménager en 2025 ? Vous envisagez un déménagement dans la péninsule ibérique ? On compare Portugal et Espagne sur coût de la vie, visas, climat, santé, langue et qualité de vie pour expatriés. Mar 15, 2025 Australia vs New Zealand: Which Country to Visit First? Australia or New Zealand — two of the world's most breathtaking destinations. We compare nature, wildlife, cities, adventure, and costs to help you decide. Mar 15, 2025 Australia vs Nueva Zelanda: ¿qué país visitar primero? Australia o Nueva Zelanda — dos de los destinos más impresionantes del mundo. Comparamos naturaleza, fauna, ciudades, aventura y costes para ayudarte a decidir. Mar 15, 2025 Australie vs Nouvelle-Zélande : quel pays visiter en premier ? Australie ou Nouvelle-Zélande — deux des destinations les plus époustouflantes au monde. On compare nature, faune, villes, aventure et coûts pour vous aider à décider. Mar 12, 2025 Thailand vs Vietnam for Backpackers: A Complete 2025 Guide Thailand or Vietnam for your Southeast Asia backpacking trip? We compare costs, beaches, culture, food, and the backpacker experience in both countries.

Get in touch

Email: mic.thomas1334@gmail.com
Contact form: /contact