Afghanistan

Afghanistan officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the east and south, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, Tajikistan to the northeast, and China to the northeast and east. Occupying 652,864 square kilometers (252,072 sq mi) of land, the country is predominantly mountainous with plains in the north and the southwest, which are separated by the Hindu Kush mountain range. Kabul is the country's capital and largest city. 

Did you know that:
1. Afghanistan has changed its national flag over 20 times (with some sources citing up to 30 variations) in roughly 100 years since gaining independence in 1919. 
2. Many Afghans, particularly those born during decades of conflict, use January 1st as a default, "de facto" birthday on official documents like passports, visas, and digital accounts. This practice stems from a lack of recorded, standardized birth dates in the Afghan calendar and the need for a convenient date to fill in forms.
3. Arabic is not the official language in Afghanistan.The official languages are Pashto and Dari (Afghan Persian. While Arabic is not a native or widely spoken language in the country, it is used for religious purposes and is a minority language spoken by a small percentage of the population.
4. In Afghanistan, Afghan refers to the people, and Afghani (AFN) is the currency.
5. Buzkashi, which translates to "goat grabbing," is the traditional national sport of Afghanistan. It is a rugged, ancient equestrian game where horse-mounted players, known as chapandaz, compete to grab a headless goat or calf carcass and carry it to a designated scoring circle.
6. The term “Afghan” is derived from the word “Asvakan,” meaning “horsemen” or “horse breeders.”
7. Scientists have confirmed that the world's oldest oil paintings, dating to the mid-7th century AD, were discovered in the caves behind the destroyed Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan. These murals, featuring intricate scenes and mythical figures, predate the widespread use of oil paint in Europe by centuries.
8. Afghans celebrate their new year, Nowruz (meaning "New Day"), on 21 March, the first day of spring.
9. Afghanistan is a critical, though threatened, home to the endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia). These elusive cats, often called "ghosts of the mountains," inhabit the high, rugged mountain landscapes of northeastern Afghanistan, particularly in the remote Wakhan Corridor and parts of the Hindu Kush range.

Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands is a sovereign country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania lying to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu.

Did you know that:
1. Solomon Islands were named after King Solomon de Mendana, the nephew of the Governor
of Peru.
2. The official language is English though Melanesian pidgin and 120 indigenous languages
are also spoken.
3. There are only two seasons in Solomon Islands: dry and raining. The rainy season is from November to April.
4. The world’s largest salt water lagoon is Marovo Lagoon and is situated in New Georgia,
Solomon Islands.
5. The world’s largest raised coral atoll is East Rennell in the Solomon Islands.
6. When people from Solomon Islands raise their eyebrows in answer to a question it means yes.

Saint Helena

Saint Helena is a volcanic tropical island in the South Atlantic Ocean, 4,000 km east of Rio de Janeiro and 1,950 km west of the Cunene River, which marks the border between Namibia and Angola in southwestern Africa. It is part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.

Did you know that:
1. It was named after Saint Helena of Constantinople, the consort of Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus and mother of Constantine the Great.
2. Saint Helena has only one newspaper, one radio station and one internet service provider.
3. It is now Britain’s second oldest remaining Overseas Territory, after Bermuda.
4. It is the only place on earth where the mating of whale sharks has been seen by humans.
5. The British used Saint Helena as a prison for both Napoleon and some 5,000 Boer War captives.

French Guiana

French Guiana is an overseas department and region of France, located on the north Atlantic coast of South America in the Guyanas. It borders Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west. By land area, it is the second largest region of France and the largest outermost region within the European Union.

Did you know that:
1. Cayenne pepper is named after Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana.
2. French Guiana has numerous coastal beaches that are popular nesting sites for turtles. The Leatherback turtle in particular is very fond of this region’s shoreline. It is one of the largest nesting sites for this turtle anywhere in the world.
3. French Guiana was the location of penal settlements from the middle of the nineteenth century until the middle of the twentieth century.
4. The European Space Centre is located at Kourou in French Guiana.

Russia

Russia is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic. At 17,075,400 square kilometers, Russia is the largest country in the world, covering more than one-eighth of the Earth's inhabited land area. 

Did you know that:
1. Russia is the world's ninth most populous country with over 144 million people at the end of 2015.
2. Russia is bigger than Pluto.
3. 77% of Russia is made up of Siberia.
4. Russia and America are less than 4km apart at the nearest point.
5. In Russia is now illegal to tell kids gay people exists.
6. There’s a museum in Russia that hires cats to protect its artworks against rodents.
7. Beer was not considered an alcoholic beverage in Russia until 2013.

Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.

Did you know that:
1. Late-night dancing was illegal in Japan until 2015.
2. Japan suffers 1,500 earthquakes every year.
3. Japan has more than 50,000 people who are over 100 years old.
4. Japanese trains are among world’s most punctual: their average delay is just 18 seconds.
5. In Japan there are more pets than children.
6. Sleeping on the job is acceptable in Japan, as it’s viewed as exhaustion from working hard.
7. Black cats are considered to bring good luck in Japan.
8. In Japan, they use more paper for comics than for toilet paper.
9. Most streets in Japan have no name.
10. In Japanese, there are at least 20 different ways to say “Sorry”.