26 countries participated in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. Some countries sent more athletes to the Paralympics than to the Olympics. Athletes must have recognized disabilities to participate in the Paralympics, which featured 20 sports in 2012. In 2012, 26 countries sent athletes to the Paralympic Games in London. Bosnia, Iraq, Iran, Rwanda and […]
Before 2010, only seven countries had won the World Cup. Spain became the eighth winner that year. Brazil has won the most World Cups at five. The first World Cup was in 1930, hosted by Uruguay. The tournament is held every four years, except for 1942 and 1946 due to World War II. Brazil is […]
The United States won 46 gold medals at the 2016 Olympics, followed by Great Britain and China. Nine nations won their first gold medals, including Vietnam, Kosovo, and Fiji. Kuwait was suspended, and Puerto Rico competed independently, with Monica Puig winning gold in tennis. A record 59 countries won gold medals. For some nations, winning […]
The equator is an imaginary circle around the Earth, with a designation of 0° latitude. It passes through South America, Africa, Indonesia, and the Maldives, dividing countries such as Colombia, Uganda, and Kenya. Equatorial Guinea is not actually on the equator. The equator is a large imaginary circle that people imagine drawn around the Earth […]
Independence Day is celebrated in many countries to commemorate the rejection of an occupier and the birth of a new and free nation. In the US, it is celebrated on July 4th with fireworks, parades, and picnics. India celebrates on August 15th with flag displays and feasts. Israel celebrates on Yom Ha’atzmaut with barbecues, family […]
Fluctuations in exchange rates can change a country’s ranking among the richest countries in the world, but may not affect its population’s standard of living. Gross National Product (GNP) is a widely accepted measure of success, but GDP per capita does not capture quality of life. Luxembourg, Qatar, Norway, Kuwait, UAE, Singapore, and the USA […]
Identifying countries with the lowest cost of living is imprecise as prices and economies fluctuate. Historically, the lowest living costs are found in the developing world, but there is usually not much opportunity for income growth. Countries with higher standard wages also have high living costs. The cost of living is best understood in context, […]
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child protects children’s rights and is widely ratified, but the US and Somalia have not ratified it. The US has concerns about parental rights and the death penalty for minors. Even ratified countries don’t always follow all aspects of the treaty. The United Nations (UN) Convention on […]
The table shows the 25 most populous countries, with China and India being home to about a third of the world’s population. The human population continues to grow in most of the world and the table below should help illustrate how the population is divided among various countries. Interestingly, the two most populous countries (China […]
There are 44 landlocked countries and areas in the world, which can limit trade and affect GDP. Only a few landlocked countries have a higher GDP per capita than the world average of $15,000 USD. Africa has 15, Asia has 12, Europe has 15, and South America has 2 landlocked countries. Lichtenstein and Uzbekistan are […]
Oil consumption is increasing globally due to industrialization and modern machines. The US is the largest consumer, followed by China, Japan, India, and Russia. The European Union is not included in the ranking. Oil is perhaps the world’s most critical energy source. Overall consumption is on the rise as more and more people around the […]
The earth’s total area is 510,072,000 sq km, with 70.8% water and 29.2% land. The top 25 countries by size are listed, with Russia being the largest. Greenland is included as it is self-governing. According to the CIA World Factbook, the total area of the earth is 510,072,000 square kilometers (196,939,900 square miles). Of this, […]
The WTO reports that machinery and transport equipment are the most exported products, followed by mining products, office equipment, and chemicals. The EU has the highest export value, followed by the US and China. Favorable trade balances are important for developing countries, but increased exports alone are not a solution for accelerating development. The traditional […]
Determining the number of countries in the world is complex due to the changing political landscape and fluid interpretation of the term ‘countries’. The United Nations recognizes 193 states, while the Montevideo Convention’s criteria would place the number at 201, including eight states not recognized by the UN. A broader definition could include up to […]
Russia shares borders with Finland and North Korea, allowing for overland travel between the two countries. Russia has the most borders with 17 countries and is the largest country in the world. Other interesting geography facts include Liechtenstein being doubly landlocked, Alaska’s unique location, and Istanbul spanning two continents. Although Finland and North Korea are […]
Crime in the Netherlands has decreased since 2004, resulting in the closure of over 20 prisons. This is due to relaxed drug laws, rehabilitation focus, and electronic monitoring. The country now imports prisoners to keep remaining prisons open, with only 11,600 people incarcerated in 2017. Former prisons have been transformed into hotels and migrant housing. […]
Saint Lucia is the only country named after a woman, named after Saint Lucia of Syracuse, a Christian martyr who died in 304 AD. The French settled on the island and named it in her honor. Many miracles are attributed to her, including the healing of her mother’s deadly bleeding disorder. She was executed by […]
Only Liberia, Myanmar, and the United States have not officially adopted the metric system, but each country uses some metric measurements alongside customary units. The modern standard metric system originated in 1960 and was adopted by most countries, but some countries still use other measurements for certain things. Only three countries in the world have […]
Bolivia, a landlocked country, has maintained a naval fleet on Lake Titicaca for over 100 years. After losing its Pacific coast to Chile, Bolivia was limited to chasing smugglers and delivering supplies. However, in 1990, Peru granted Bolivia limited access to the sea, allowing Bolivia to build port facilities, launch a coastal naval presence, and […]
The Third World classification has evolved since its inception after World War II. Initially, it was used to describe countries that were not part of the capitalist or communist blocs. Later, it was used to describe underdeveloped and economically dependent countries. Today, the term has no clear objective classification and is decided by whoever uses […]
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