The smallest countries in the world are located in Europe, Oceania, and North America. The smallest countries by land mass include Holy See/Vatican City, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Cook Islands, Niue, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Maldives, and Malta. The smallest countries by population include Holy See/Vatican City, Niue, Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau, […]
Electricity consumption rankings vary depending on whether raw material consumption or per capita consumption is considered. China, the US, India, and Russia are the top raw consumers, while Iceland, Nordic countries, and Canada lead in per capita consumption. The EU ranks third overall, and Japan is knocked out of the top five. The top 25 […]
Over 25 countries have nuclear plants in operation, producing just under 15% of the world’s total energy consumption. The US has the most reactors, followed by France, which produces 77% of its energy from nuclear sources. Japan met 30% of its energy needs through nuclear power before the Fukushima disaster, and now plans to cease […]
Several countries have both a president and a prime minister, with clearly delineated powers and responsibilities. France is an example of a country where the two roles serve as a means of building automatic checks and balances into the system. Ethiopia is an example of a country where the president is responsible for good public […]
The Soviet Union was the largest socialist state, lasting from 1922 to 1991. It went through many changes, including territorial annexations and political control. At its peak, it included 15 republics, with Russia being the most powerful. The liberalization movements and financial control of the republics led to its dissolution in 1991, with Russia taking […]
60% of countries are electoral democracies, with North America and Western Europe scoring highest on the Economist Intelligence Unit’s democracy index. Norway was ranked most democratic in 2011. About 60 percent of the world’s countries are electoral democracies, according to Freedom House, a US-based nongovernmental organization. Out of 167 countries included in the Economist Intelligence […]
Kuwait’s DNA Act required all citizens, residents, and visitors to submit DNA samples, but was ruled unconstitutional in 2017. Human rights advocates say DNA databases can be effective but must be tightly regulated. Kuwait introduced Law No. 78/2015 in response to a 2015 suicide bombing at a mosque that killed 27 people and injured 227 […]
Progressive taxes require those with higher incomes to pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes. The US, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK all use progressive taxation. Regressive taxes, such as sales taxes, require those with lower incomes to pay a higher percentage of their earnings in taxes. A progressive tax […]
Many western countries consider 13 to be unlucky due to its association with Christianity and the Last Supper. Norse mythology also views 13 as unfortunate. Ancient Romans believed 2 was worse than 13. In Asia, 4 is considered unlucky due to its similarity to the word for “death.” The number 8 is considered lucky in […]
Mathematicians have determined that North Korea is the only country capable of repelling a zombie apocalypse due to its high number of soldiers per capita. The term “zombie” comes from Haitian folklore and modeling such scenarios can be useful in other research areas. They may have had too much time on their hands, but mathematicians […]
Countries compete for the most Nobel Prize winners, with the US leading with over 300. However, some worry that the US is losing ground in science. The awards are seen as a litmus test for a country’s success in producing innovators, but gender and race representation is also important. Usually, most countries have a merry […]
Good Samaritan laws protect people who help others from legal liability for any harm or death that may occur. These laws vary by country, but the concept is universal. Some places legally require people to help, while others only protect those who provide assistance voluntarily. Financially compensated individuals and first responders are generally not protected. […]
Samoa has moved through the International Date Line twice by changing its time zone to align with the other side. The IDL was established in 1884, but countries can rearrange it to suit their needs. China only has one official time zone despite spanning five internationally accepted ones. Countries cannot physically travel across the International […]
The world has different legal traditions, with some countries basing their legal system on the Napoleonic Code and others on common law. Common law countries, including former British colonies, rely on tradition and precedent from case law. Implementation of common law varies, with some countries coexisting with native legal systems. Research has found that common […]
Market economies are driven by supply and demand, not government decisions. They evolved from centuries of trading goods and negotiating prices. Some countries have planned economies, but many have moved towards market economies. Governments with market economies have a laissez faire attitude, but may take steps to influence price movements during recessions. In a market […]
Greeks work the second-hardest in the world after Korea, with an average of 42.4 hours per week. Mediterranean countries work longer hours than northern countries. Finland has the most paid leisure time, while the Philippines and Thailand have the least. Women in some countries work almost as many hours as men. Greece may seem like […]
Spanish is the third most spoken language in the world, with 400 million speakers. It has many dialects and variations, with differences in accent, forms of address, and pronunciation of certain letters. The language has two singular pronouns for the second person, tú and usted, except in RioPlatense where a third form, voseo, is used. […]
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