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Croatia
is a sovereign state at the crossroads of Central Europe, Southeast Europe, and
the Mediterranean. Its capital city is Zagreb, which forms one of the country's
primary subdivisions, along with its twenty counties. Croatia covers 56,594
square kilometers and has diverse, mostly continental and Mediterranean
climates.
Did you know that:
1. Croatia's Adriatic Sea coast contains more than a thousand islands.
2. Famous scientist and inventor, Nikola Tesla was born in the village of
Smiljan which is now part of Croatia.
3. The smallest town in the world is Hum, which is in Istria with a population
of only 23 people.
4. Agatha Christie spent her honeymoon in Dubrovnik.
5. Marco Polo, the world-renowned 13th century adventurer, traveler and
merchant, was most probably born in 1254 on the Dalmatian island of Korčula and
even today, there are people on the island, who bear the same family name.
6. The famous Dalmatian dogs originally came from Croatia’s region of Dalmatia.
Thanks to its eye-catching white coat and black spots, the Dalmatian is one of
the most easily recognizable dog breeds in the world.
7. The White House in Washington, D.C. was built with the stone brought from
the island of Brac.
8. The necktie, worn by businessmen around the world, was invented in Croatia
and is locally known as ‘cravat.’
9. The national park of Plitvice and Krka have been used as the locations for
scenes in the films about the Indian Winnetou.
10. It has the highest number of UNESCO Intangible Goods of any European
country (in a tie with Spain).
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of
France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, 1,210 km east of Australia and
16,136 km east of Metropolitan France.
Did you know that:
1. Nouméa is the capital city of New Caledonia, a territorial collectivity of
France located 750 miles east of Australia in the southwest Pacific Ocean.
2. New Caledonia is home to the New Caledonian crow, known for making tools as
much or more than primates.
3. Include the New Caledonian lagoon, at 24,000 sq. km it’s one of the largest
lagoons worldwide.
4. Is home to the world’s largest species of fern, the Cyathea Intermedia,
getting so big, it resembles more of a palm tree than a plant.
Greece is a
country in Southern Europe. It is strategically located at the crossroads of
Europe, Asia and Africa. It also shares land borders with Albania to the
northwest, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north and Turkey to
the northeast.
Did you know that:
1. No one in Greece can choose to not vote. Voting is required by law for every
citizen who is 18 or older.
2. About 7% of all the marble produced in the world comes from Greece.
3. According to Greek mythology, Athena and Poseidon agreed that whoever gave
the city the best gift would become guardian over the city. Though Poseidon
gave the gift of water, Athena’s gift of an olive tree was deemed by the other
gods to be more valuable.
4. Greece is the leading producer of sea sponges.
5. Greece has more archaeological museums than any other country in the world.
6. The saying “taking the bull by its horns” comes from the Greek myth of
Hercules saving Crete from a raging bull by seizing its horns.
7. The first Olympic Games took place in 776 B.C. The first Olympic champion
was a Greek cook named Coroebus who won the sprint race.
8. Greece’s currency, the drachma, was 2,650 years old and Europe’s oldest
currency. The drachma was replaced with the Euro in 2002.
Israel is a
country in Western Asia, situated at the southeastern shore of the
Mediterranean Sea. It shares land borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria in
the northeast, Jordan on the east, the Palestinian territories comprising the
West Bank and Gaza Strip on the east and southwest, respectively, and Egypt and
the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea to the south.
Did you know that:
1. There are over 100 sushi restaurants in Tel Aviv.
2. Israel was the first country to ban underweight models.
3. Israeli banknotes have braille markings on them.
4. The largest known dog cemetery in the ancient world was discovered in the
coastal city of Ashkelon.
5. The country has the most Bauhaus buildings in the world.
6. The first antivirus software for computers was created in Israel in 1979.
7. Israel has the world’s second highest per capita of new books.
Bhutan is a
landlocked country in South Asia located at the eastern end of the Himalayas.
It is bordered to the north by China and to the south, east and west by India.
To the west, it is separated from Nepal by the Indian state of Sikkim, while
further south it is separated from Bangladesh by the Indian states of Assam and
West Bengal. Bhutan's capital and largest city is Thimphu.
Did you know that:
1. Anyone found guilty of killing a highly endangered and culturally sacred
black-necked crane could be sentenced to life in prison.
2. Bhutan is the only nation in the world where the sale of tobacco is banned.
3. Plastic bags have been banned in Bhutan since 1999, and instead cotton bags
are used to help conserve the country.
4. The “takin,” a goat-antelope, is Bhutan’s national animal; a unique and
strange animal looking like a mix of a cow and goat.
5. The national sport of Bhutan is archery.
6. Bhutanese are forbidden to marry foreigners.
Mongolia is
a landlocked country in east-central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the
north and China to the south, east and west. Ulaanbaatar, the capital and also
the largest city, is home to about 45% of the population.
Did you know that:
1. You could fit the Netherlands into Mongolia 37 times!
2. Many dinosaur fossils still lie exposed. Tourists pick them up as souvenirs.
3. Snow leopards are native to Mongolia. A quarter of the world's population
lives here. (A snow leopard cannot purr or roar).
4. In a country where distances are far and communication can be difficult, it
is important to maintain a sense of community. People living in the Mongolian
countryside will always have a bowl of warm, salty milk tea ready for visitors.
5. Eagles are kept as pets by nomads.
