Bahamas

The Bahamas - officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas - is a country consisting of more than 700 islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean; north of Cuba and Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti); northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands; southeast of the U.S. state of Florida and east of the Florida Keys. Its capital is Nassau on the island of New Providence. The designation of "Bahamas" can refer to either the country or the larger island chain that it shares with the Turks and Caicos Islands. As stated in the mandate/manifesto of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Bahamas territory encompasses 470,000 km2 of ocean space.

Did you know that:
1. The name of the country comes from the Spanish word ‘bajamar’, meaning ‘shallow water’.
2. 80% of Bahamian natives are of African descent. Two-thirds of the population lives in the New Providence Island (the location of Nassau).
3. The original inhabitants of the Bahamas were the Taino people, from the 11th century AD, believed to have migrated from South America.
4. The yellow elder is the national flower (blooming throughout the year), the Lignum Vitae or Tree of Life is the national tree, the Flamingo is the national bird, and the Blue Marlin is the national fish.
5. Cuisine in the Bahamas is known for seafood, such as conch, rock lobster, land crabs, stew fish, and salt fish.  Other commonly used ingredients include coconut, peas, and dumplings.

Germany

Germany is a federal parliamentary republic in western-central Europe. The country consists of 16 states and its capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 square kilometres and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With 80.3 million inhabitants, it is the most populous member state in the European Union.

Did you know that:
1. There are more soccer fan clubs in Germany than in any other country.
2. 70% of german highways have no speed limit.
3. Germans are the second biggest consumers of beer in the world.
4. Gummy Bears were invented by the German Hans Riegel.
5. There are over 300 kinds of bread in Germany.
6. The first printed book was in German.
7. The Christmas tree (Tannenbaum) tradition came from Germany.
8. Most taxis in Germany are Mercedes.

Armenia

Armenia is a mountainous country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south.

Did you know that:
1. There are between 500,000 and one million Armenians in the United States, with between 30,000 and 50,000 in the metropolitan Detroit area.
2. The city of Yerevan (originally called Erebuni, now the capital of the Republic of Armenia) has been continuously inhabited for over 2,700 years. Only a few cities, which include Jerusalem and Damascus (the oldest such city), are older.
3. Armenian was the eighth language in which the Bible, either in full or in part was written (following Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Syriac, Coptic, Gothic, and Latin). The Armenian translation, a complete one finished in A.D. 433, is considered to be the "Queen of Translations."
4. Armenians are the first people (other than the Hereros) to suffer genocide in the 20th century.
5. Armenians built churches in a gothic style of architecture a century before it first appeared in Europe.
6. One of the largest lakes in the world, Lake Sevan is located in the highlands of Armenia.

Guinea

Guinea is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea, it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. It has a population of 10,057,975 and an area of 246,000 square kilometres. Forming a crescent as it curves from its western border on the Atlantic Ocean toward the east and the south, it shares its northern border with Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Mali, and its southern border with Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Côte d'Ivoire.

Did you know that:
1. The official language is French though many ethnic groups such as the Fula, Mandingo and Susu speak their own native languages.
2. Guinea boasts of spectacular landscape with lush and verdant rainforests and plenty of wildlife in the south. The waterfall-rich Fouta Djalon Plateau in the west has breathtaking scenery.
3. Conakry is the capital city of Guinea.
4. The natural resources include major mineral deposits, hydroelectric power resources and rich agricultural potential. Guinea is the world’s second-largest bauxite producing nation.
5. The literacy rate of Guinea is very low. Guinea has a rich musical tradition like other West African countries.

Andorra

Andorra is a landlocked microstate in Southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe, having an area of 468 km2 and an estimated population of 85,000 in 2012. Its capital, Andorra la Vella, is the highest capital city in Europe, at an elevation of 1,023 metres above sea level.

Did you know that:
1. The main language of Andorra is Catalan.
2. Tourism is the main industry in Andorra.
3. Andorra is ranked fourth in the world when it comes to human life expectancy. The expected life span of a person in Andorra is 82 years of age.
4. By law the male head of each family in Andorra is required to own a gun in case of attack or emergency.
5. Out of each year Andorra commonly receives 300 days of sunshine.

Denmark

Denmark is a sovereign state in Northern Europe, located south-west of Sweden, south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. The Kingdom has two autonomous constituent countries in the north Atlantic Ocean, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. At 43,094 square kilometres and a population of around 5.6 million inhabitants, Denmark consists of a peninsula, Jutland, and the Danish archipelago of 407 islands, of which around 70 are inhabited, are characterised by flat, arable land and sandy coasts with little elevation and a temperate climate. The national language, Danish, is closely related to Swedish and Norwegian.

Did you know that:
1. Denmark was the first European country to abolish slavery.
2. The "Dannebrog" is the oldest national flag in the world.
3. Danes eat more pasta than any other people.
4. There is not a single mountain in Denmark. The closest thing is a 170 meters high hill called Møllehøj.
5. Denmark is the fifth largest exporter of food in the world.
6. Denmark came up with Lego.
7. Denmark has been inhabited since about 12,500 BC.

Belgium

Belgium is a federal monarchy in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters as well as those of several other major international organisations such as NATO. Belgium covers an area of 30,528 square kilometres and it has a population of about 11 million people.

Did you know that:
1. There are over 800 kinds of beers made in Belgium.
2. Belgians consume in average 150 liters of beer per person per year.
3. The world's first beer academy opened in Herk-de-Stad, in the Belgian province of Limburg, in 1999.
4. Belgians claim to have invented chips (French fries), and indeed about all towns and villages have their own friterie/frituur (chips seller).
5. Belgian people are the most avid users of discount coupons in the world, just before the United States.
6. Europe's first modern health resort opened in Spa in the 18th century.
7. The Belgian motorway system is the only man-made structure visible from the moon (at night, due to the lights all along the motorway network).

Austria

Austria is a federal republic and a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The territory of Austria covers 83,855 square kilometres and has a temperate and alpine climate.

Did you know that:
1. About one fourth of the population of Austria lives in the capital, Vienna.
2. The highest point in Austria is the Großglockner with its 3797 meters.
3. Austria has the second lowest unemployment level for men in the EU.
4. The sewing machine was invented in 1818 by the Austrian Josef Madersperger,
5. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Hollywood actor and governor of California in years 2003-2011, grew up as an Austrian citizen.
6. Austrian flag is one of the oldest national flags in the world.
7. Ferdinand Porsche, the founder of "Porsche" company, was from Austria.