Mongolia was a powerful empire in the 13th century, with naval power under Kublai Khan. Today, Mongolia has a peaceful foreign policy and a navy consisting of one tug that patrols Lake Khövsgöl. The lake contains 70% of Mongolia’s freshwater resources and is home to a crew of seven sailors, only one of whom can […]
The US has 25% of the world’s prison population, with over 2 million people in prison due to tough sentencing measures costing over $55 billion annually. India has the lowest incarceration rate. The US, China, and Russia make up half of the global prison population, with over 10 million people incarcerated worldwide. The United States […]
India has the largest number of post offices in the world, with about 55,015 as of 2009, almost three times that of China. The postal network covers 90% of rural areas and has expanded over seven times its original size since 1947. India is the country that has the largest number of post offices, with […]
Kiribati is a scattered collection of 33 low-lying coral atolls and islands in the Pacific Ocean, with a population of around 110,000 people. Its islands straddle the Equator and the 180th meridian, making it the only nation spread across all four hemispheres. The main island, South Tarawa, has a high population density and the nation […]
A new Gallup poll shows that the world no longer sees the United States as the ultimate power in global leadership, with a tepid 30% approval rating. Germany was seen as the top world leader by 41% of respondents, followed by China at 31%. The world’s perception of US leadership is at its lowest level […]
Estonia was the first country to adopt nationwide online voting in 2005 for municipal elections. Since then, online voting has expanded for other types of elections, with nearly 25% of voters casting their votes online in the 2011 parliamentary election. No other countries have adopted online voting nationwide due to security concerns. The Netherlands and […]
France is the most visited country in the world with 83 million tourists in 2012, followed by the United States with 67 million visitors. Tourists to France spend less money than those visiting the US, likely due to short-term trips from neighboring countries. The most visited country in the world is France, which had approximately […]
China has the most pigs in the world, with almost half a billion raised in 2008. 4/5 of China’s meat production comes from pigs, and animals raised for food consume almost half of the world’s agricultural production. China has more pigs than the rest of the pig-producing countries in the world combined. Nearly half a […]
Spain has the lowest birth rate among large western countries at 1.32 children per woman. Macao has the lowest rate overall, while Niger has the highest birth rate at 7.68 children per woman and the highest estimated population growth rate. The decrease in Spain’s fertility rate is attributed to the increasing number of years required […]
Mexicans work the longest days in the 26 OECD countries, averaging about 10 hours of both paid and unpaid work. Belgians work the least, with an average of less than seven hours a day. Mexicans also spend the most time per day in unpaid work, while South Koreans do the least. The majority of unpaid […]
Angola has the shortest life expectancy of 38 years due to epidemics, warfare, and minefields. It scores low on the African Governance Index but higher than Somalia and Chad. Macao, Andorra, and Japan have the highest life expectancies over 82 years. The world average is 61 years and the US is 78 years. The country […]
CIA World Factbook provides maps and brief overviews of countries around the world, including protectorates and commonwealths. The list includes Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, and Zimbabwe, among others. Here are maps of countries from around the world provided by the CIA World Factbook. Each map is accompanied by a brief overview. Note that some […]
The income gap in the US is comparable to underdeveloped nations, with the top 20% receiving half of the income and those below the poverty line receiving only 3%. Scandinavian nations have low income gaps, while African nations have the largest. The top 10% of the world’s richest own 85% of assets. Of the western […]
Canada has the world’s longest coastline at 56,453 miles, accounting for 15% of the world’s coastline. Landlocked countries like Austria and Kazakhstan have borders instead of coasts. The US has coastlines on two oceans and borders with Canada and Mexico. There are 44 landlocked countries, including Lichtenstein and Uzbekistan. Canada has the longest coastline of […]
Australia is the most charitable country in the world, according to the World Giving Index. The index measures 153 countries and ranks them based on donations of money, time, and help to strangers. Australia ranked first in 2012, followed by Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. Women donate more money, while men volunteer […]
Papua New Guinea has the most languages of any country, with 820 in use. The country’s isolated tribes are thought to have developed their own languages and dialects. Only three languages are official. Papua New Guinea has 820 different languages in use, the most languages of any country. Although the country is approximately 178,703 square […]
The Gambia is the narrowest country in the world with an average width of 22 miles. Other narrow countries include Cyprus, Jamaica, and Israel. Chile is often cited as narrow, but its average width is 100 miles. The narrowest country in the world is the Republic of The Gambia, which has an average width of […]
Venezuela was named after the Italian city of Venice by Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda in 1499 due to the similarity of some houses built on stilts. Venezuela is home to Angel Falls, diverse wildlife, and the world’s largest rodent. Venice is the Italian city that gave its name to a South American country: Venezuela. […]
Denmark is a progressive nation with strong ties to the past, including the oldest monarchy in Europe and the oldest continuously used national flag in the world. Forbes ranked Denmark as the third happiest country in the world and Copenhagen is known for its urban beaches. Walt Disney drew inspiration from Tivoli Gardens in Denmark […]
Iceland isn’t as cold as its name suggests, with winter temperatures similar to New York City. Full-proof beer was banned until 1989 and TV on Thursdays until 1987. Dogs were banned in 1924 due to a tapeworm, but cats are now popular. Boxing is still banned, and unusual names must be approved by the government. […]
