There are less than 30 ships in the Royal Canadian Navy which are less than most third-world countries.
100 Mind-Blowing Countries Facts
Scotland was one of the few countries able to hold off being conquered by the Romans in the first century A.D.
Although there is currently no drug proven to make someone tell the truth, some countries like Russia, Canada, and India use truth serums.
500 seeds of 5 different types of seeds were taken into orbit around the moon and later planted around the U.S. as well as a few countries. They were called Moon Trees.
There are only two countries in the world that have the colour purple in their flags: Nicaragua and Dominica.
Per capita, the happiest countries in the world also rank highest in terms of consumers of antidepressants.
In Toy Story 2, in the scene where Buzz gives a speech in front of the American flag, the flag was edited to be a globe for release in non-American countries.
Several African countries don’t like second-hand clothes being imported to their countries because it is destroying their local textile industry.
The longest river in the world is the River Nile, clocking 6,853km in length. Its water resources are shared by 11 different countries, too.
Only four countries in the world have national anthems with no lyrics.
There’s a reason why passports come in four colours. Here’s a weird fact that might surprise you. Have you ever wondered why there isn’t a hot pink passport? The reasoning is that most countries prefer dark shades of red, green, and blue since these dark colours look more official and if they’re dirty, it’s not as noticeable.
5 countries in the world don’t have airports. If you’re a jet-setting traveller, it’s hard to imagine not having an airport nearby for your next family gathering or work event. However, Vatican City, San Marino, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and Andorra somehow make it work!
The TV show Big Brother originated in the Netherlands. It was created by John de Mol in 1999 and has since been franchised in 54 countries.
There is McDonald’s on all continents except Antarctica. Fast food giant McDonald’s serves 120 countries with about 37,855 restaurants worldwide – but you wouldn’t find a single McDonald’s joint in Antarctica. Not only does it have a McDonald ’s-shaped void, but Antarctica is the only demilitarised continent worldwide. Instead, the entire continent is relegated for educational and scientific purposes.
Moon Trees are a thing. No, it’s not another edgy underground indie band, but one of the endless fun facts about plants: Moon trees were sprouted from tree seeds that were flown to the moon, and then planted on the Earth. 500 seeds were taken from 5 different seed types to orbit around the moon. They were later planted around the U.S. and a few other countries.
Only 2 countries don’t sell Coca-Cola. Due to political reasons, North Korea and Cuba do not distribute the world’s most famous drink.
The Paris Agreement on climate change was signed by the largest number of countries ever in one day. The Paris Agreement (Accord de Paris) is an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which deals with greenhouse gas emission mitigation, adaptation, and financing. Initially signed in 2016, 195 UNFCCC members have signed the agreement as of November 2019.
Only 3 countries don’t use the metric system. Namely, Myanmar, Liberia, and the U.S.
Indians read the most out of any nationality. Indians spend an average of 10 hours and 42 minutes a week reading, which is more than any other country in the world. Other countries that read the most are Thailand, China, the Philippines, and Egypt.
Starbucks flopped in Australia. Starbucks may be a staple in many countries, but Aussies couldn’t care less. Since opening dozens of locations in Australia in 2000, 70% have already closed down, leaving only 23 cafes still operating in the country. This is only one of the many fun facts about Australia.
Danish mothers are known to be the most hardworking moms in the world. According to statistics, 82% of mothers in Denmark are employed. Meanwhile, neighbouring countries like Sweden and the Netherlands only rate 50% working mothers.
The happiest countries in the world have the highest antidepressant consumers. These countries are ranked per capita. But at least now we know the medication does work.
The most mathematical flag in the world belongs to Nepal. In its constitution, there is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to draw the flag to its exact measurements. Nepal is also one of the few countries that have a triangular flag.
England and Portugal still maintain their alliance until today. This is also known as the longest unbroken alliance in world history. This treaty began in 1386 between the two countries and they remain strong allies today.
Pumpkin flowers are edible. The seeds, stem, skin, and flesh are all safe for human consumption. These flowers are also used in some native dishes in some countries. More commonly they are deep-fried.
70% of the world’s toys are made in China. Other countries like Japan only produce 19% of goods that are shipped internationally. Most manufactured toys are made from materials such as traditional plastics to wooden toys.
Germany borders 9 countries. These countries include Austria, Poland, Denmark, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Women were only allowed to wear shorts in public after WWII. With the scarcity of resources during the war, people had to wear less or opt for more cost-efficient clothing. After the war, it took time for countries to recover economically. As such, it was socially acceptable for women to wear shorts.
In some Asian countries, slurping loudly is a sign that the food is good.
The movie’s impact reaches far and wide. “Schindler’s List” has been screened and recognised in numerous countries, fostering a global dialogue about the Holocaust and the importance of remembrance.
Oranges weren’t always orange. In Southeast Asia, oranges were originally the colour of green and they were tangerine-pomelo hybrids. Oranges in warmer countries like Vietnam and Thailand continue to be green even after reaching maturity.
Your nails grow faster in the summer. This is probably due to increased blood supply to the fingertips from the heat. After all, fingernails also grow faster in hot countries!
There are 195 recognised countries in the world, according to the United Nations.
The English language is spoken in more than 100 countries around the world.
Different time zones can make work difficult in some countries. France technically encompasses the most time zones with 12 unique time zones. But, these zones are not in a row as France has territories throughout the world. Russia and the United States both span 11 time zones, but there are no people in all these time zones in America.
IN 2018 THE UK WAS THE SECOND LARGEST NET IMPORTER OF FOREST PRODUCTS IN THE WORLD, SURPASSED ONLY BY CHINA. To supply the annual UK demand for just seven products (beef and leather, timber, soy, palm oil, pulp and paper, cocoa, and rubber) requires a land area of almost 90% of the size of the UK. Nearly 30% of this land is in countries at high risk of deforestation.
There is a Statue of Liberty in Paris that faces the Statue of Liberty in America, showing the friendship between the two countries.
The United States, Burma, and Liberia are the only countries in the world that have not officially adopted the metric system as the standard of measurement.
Antarctica isn’t owned by any single nation. Instead, the continent is governed by many of the world’s countries through the Antarctic Treaty. The first signatories of the treaty were the seven nations that had some form of territorial claim to Antarctica: The UK, Norway, New Zealand, France, Chile, Argentina, and Australia.
The most popular car model in the world is the Toyota Hilux. This rugged pickup truck is known around the world for its incredible versatility. With that said, it should come as no surprise that half of the top-selling countries for Hiluxes are in Africa, where the true mettle of the cars is tested on a day-to-day basis. Four out of the top six car models worldwide are Toyotas – the other three are the Toyota Corolla, Rav4, and Land Cruiser.
Some countries skipped the era of landlines. Nigeria, Ghana, and Bangladesh went from zero to 100. Due to a lack of resources, it was too costly to adapt to using landlines. Less than 1% of residents in these countries have a landline, but over 85% have access to cell phones.
British invasions and conflicts. According to research, out of the 193 countries that are currently United Nations (UN) member states, Britain invaded or fought conflicts in the territory of 171 countries, which accounts for approximately 90% of the total.
Time zones can still be a bit complicated. Big countries like Canada and the United States have multiple time zones, whereas China, another large country, only has one. China adopted the Beijing Standard Time to foster unity, but the effect can feel a bit uncanny—two cities in the country can be at roughly the same latitude, but experience sunrise hours apart, according to their clocks. In some parts of China, for example, the sun doesn’t rise until nearly 10 a.m.
Linux’s overall market share among home users has risen to 1.69% but that percentage is much higher in certain countries.
The top 3 countries that prefer Linux are India, Cuba, and Russia.
100,000 groups and more than 400,000 servers in at least 150 countries were infected by the Wannacry virus in 2017, at a total cost of around $4 billion. (Technology Inquirer)
Physical Presence: The NSA maintains a physical presence in many countries across the globe, often in collaboration with the CIA, to conduct surveillance and gather intelligence.
Brits drink a lot of tea… about 100 million cups every day!: The stereotype that the British drink a lot of tea is immediately confirmed with this fun fact. They drink around 100-160 million cups of tea daily, which is about 36 billion every year. The difference from most of the countries in the world is that almost all the tea drinkers in the UK (98%) add milk to their cup of tea.
The Queen didn’t have a passport: During her 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II has visited over 100 countries on official duties. Although every person in the world needs an identity card, she does not need a British passport during her travels. This is because passports are issued in the name of the Queen.
The UK consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Queen Did Not Possess a Passport: In 70 years as queen, Elizabeth II has visited over 100 countries for official business. Her name is on every UK passport, thus she doesn’t require one.
Brits Consume Over 100 Million Cups of Tea Daily: The first interesting fact about the UK that comes to mind may be that the Brits love drinking tea. This fun fact about the UK directly confirms the idea that people from Britain drink a lot of tea. They consume between 100 and 160 million cups of tea daily, or around 36 billion annually. The UK differs from most other countries in the world in that a whopping 98% of tea drinkers add milk to their brew.
Billions of funds are transferred each year: In 2021, money transfers to low and middle-income countries reached US $605 billion according to the latest World Bank data. It’s estimated that around one billion people worldwide (or 1 in 7 people) are involved in international money transfers, with around 200 million migrant workers sending money back home and 800 million people receiving it.
America Isn’t the Only Country that Uses the US Dollar: Besides the United States and its five inhabited territories, 11 countries in the world also use the U.S. dollar, the world’s reserve currency, as their official currency: The British Virgin Islands, Timor-Leste (or East Timor), Bonaire, Ecuador, El Salvador, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, Panama, Turks and Caicos, and Zimbabwe.
Queen Elizabeth II holds the record for having her mugshot on more currency than any other person. Her face is used in more than 30 different countries.
Some Countries Share a Currency
YouTube is banned in 23 countries, including China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, and Turkmenistan, to name a few.
ChatGPT is banned in at least five countries, such as China, Russia, and Venezuela. Italy also banned the chatbot temporarily after GPT-4 was released.
The top five countries/regions for AI engineers are the USA, Europe (the UK and Germany in particular), China, Canada, and India.