1. Luxembourg (Europe)
Luxembourg,
officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (Luxembourgish:
Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg, French: Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, German:
Großherzogtum Luxemburg), is a landlocked country in western Europe,
bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. Luxembourg has a population of
over half a million people in an area of approximately 2,586 square
kilometres (999 sq mi). Luxembourg lies on the cultural divide between
Romance Europe and Germanic Europe, borrowing customs from each of the
distinct traditions. Luxembourg is a trilingual country; German, French
and Luxembourgish are official languages. Although a secular state,
Luxembourg is predominantly Roman Catholic. During World War II,
Luxembourg abandoned its policy of neutrality, when it joined the Allies
in fighting Nazi Germany. (based on a wikipedia article)
2. Qatar (Middle East)
Qatar,
also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is an Arab
country, known officially as an emirate, in the Middle East, occupying
the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger
Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south;
otherwise, the Persian Gulf surrounds the state. A strait of the Persian
Gulf separates Qatar from the nearby island nation of Bahrain. Qatar is
an oil- and gas-rich nation, with the third largest gas reserves, and
the first or second highest GDP per capita in the world. An absolute
monarchy, Qatar has been ruled by the al-Thani family since the
mid-1800s and has since transformed itself from a British protectorate
noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil
and natural gas revenues. In Standard Arabic the name is, while in the
local dialect it is. (based on a wikipedia article )
3. United Arab Emirates (Middle East)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
(Arabic: دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة, Dawlat al-Imārāt al-‘Arabīyah
al-Muttaḥidah, short name: The Emirates, local short name: Al Emarat
الامارات) is a federation situated in the southeast of the Arabian
Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman and
Saudi Arabia and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar
and Iran. The UAE consists of seven states, termed emirates, (because
they are ruled by Emirs) which are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm
al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah. The capital and second largest
city of the United Arab Emirates is Abu Dhabi. (based on a wikipedia article)
4. Norway (Europe)
Norwayor
Noreg (Nynorsk)), officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country
in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian
Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of
Svalbard.[note 1] Norway has a total area of 385,252 square kilometres
(148,747 sq mi) and a population of about 4.8 million. It is one of the
most sparsely populated countries in Europe. The majority of the country
shares a border to the east with Sweden; its northernmost region is
bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east; and Denmark
lies south of its southern tip across the Skagerrak Strait. The capital
city of Norway is Oslo. Norway's extensive coastline, facing the North
Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea, is home to its famous fjords. (based on a wikipedia article)
5. Singapore (Asia)
Singapore,
officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country off the
southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the
equator, in the Southeast Asian region of the Asian continent. It is
separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north, and from
Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. Singapore
is the world's fourth leading financial centre and a cosmopolitan world
city, playing a key role in international trade and finance. The port
of Singapore is also amongst the top five busiest ports in the world.
Among his more notable decisions is the plan to open casinos to attract
tourism. Elections were held on 30 May 1959 with the People's Action
Party winning a landslide victory. (based on a wikipedia article)
6. Brunei (Asia)
Brunei,
officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the
Abode of Peace (Malay: Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: بروني دارالسلام),
is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of
Borneo, in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China
Sea, it is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, and
in fact it is separated into two parts by Limbang, which is part of
Sarawak. It is the only sovereign state completely on the island of
Borneo, with the remainder of the island belonging to Malaysia and
Indonesia. Stated plans for the future include upgrading the labour
force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourism
sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base. (based on a wikipedia article)
7. USA (North America)
The United States of America (also referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA,
or America) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty
states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central
North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington,
D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans,
bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of
Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and
Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an
archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several
territories in the Caribbean and Pacific. The coastal plain of the
Atlantic seaboard gives way further inland to deciduous forests and the
rolling hills of the Piedmont. (based on a wikipedia article)
8. Kuwait (Middle East)
The State of Kuwait (Arabic:
دولة الكويت, Dawlat al-Kuwayt) is a sovereign Arab emirate situated in
the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered
by Saudi Arabia to the south, and Iraq to the north. It lies on the
northwestern shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from
the Arabic "akwat", the plural of "kout", meaning fortress built near
water. The emirate covers an area of 17,820 square kilometres (6,880 sq
mi) and has a population of about 2.7 million. The government is keen on
decreasing Kuwait's dependence on oil to fuel its economy by
transforming it into a regional trading and tourism hub. The planned
US$77 billion City of Silk is the largest real estate development
project in the Middle East. (based on a wikipedia article)
9. Switzerland (Europe)
Switzerland (German:
die Schweiz,[note 3] French: la Suisse, Italian: la Svizzera, Romansh:
la Svizra), officially the Swiss Confederation (Confœderatio Helvetica
in Latin, hence its ISO country codes CH and CHE), is a federal republic
consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal
authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe[note 4] where it
is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the
south, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Chemicals, health and
pharmaceutical, measuring instruments, musical instruments, real estate,
banking and insurance, tourism, and international organisations are
important industries in Switzerland. The largest exported goods are
chemicals (34% of exported goods), machines/electronics (20.9%), and
precision instruments/watches (16.9%). (based on a wikipedia article)
10. Hong Kong (Asia)
Hong Kong (Chinese:
香港) is one of two special administrative regions (SAR) of the People's
Republic of China (PRC); the other is Macau. Situated on China's south
coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is
renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a land
mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) and a population of seven million people,
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Hong
Kong's population is 95% ethnic Chinese and 5% from other groups. Hong
Kong's Han Chinese majority originate mainly from the cities of
Guangzhou and Taishan in the neighbouring Guangdong province. The name
"Hong Kong" is an approximate phonetic rendering of the of the spoken
Cantonese or Hakka name "香港", meaning "fragrant harbour" in English. (based on a wikipedia article)
11. Netherlands (Europe)
The Netherlands is
a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in
North-West Europe. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional
monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west,
Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and water borders with
Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom. The capital is Amsterdam and the
seat of government is The Hague. Many economic historians regard the
Netherlands as the first thoroughly capitalist country in the world. In
early modern Europe it featured the wealthiest trading city (Amsterdam)
and the first full-time stock exchange. (based on a wikipedia article)
12. Ireland (Europe)
Ireland is
the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in
the world. It lies to the northwest of continental Europe and is
surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland is
Great Britain, separated from it by the Irish Sea. The island is divided
between the Republic of Ireland, which covers just under five-sixths of
the island, and Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, which
covers the remainder and is located in the northeast of the island. The
population of Ireland is approximately 6.2 million people. Just under
4.5 million live in the Republic of Ireland and just under 1.8 million
live in Northern Ireland. (based on a wikipedia article)
13. Australia (Pacific & Antarctica)
Australia (
or, or ), officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a highly
developed country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of
the Australian continent (the world's smallest), the island of Tasmania
and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.N4
Neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New
Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to
the northeast and New Zealand to the southeast. The service sector of
the economy, including tourism, education, and financial services,
accounts for 69% of GDP. Although agriculture and natural resources
account for only 3% and 5% of GDP respectively, they contribute
substantially to export performance. Australia's largest export markets
are Japan, China, the US, South Korea, and New Zealand. (based on a wikipedia article)
14. Austria (Europe)
Austria or
(German: Österreich ), officially the Republic of Austria (German:
Republik Österreich), is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million
people in Central Europe. It is bordered by Germany and the Czech
Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and
Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The
territory of Austria covers 83,872 square kilometres (32,383 sq mi) and
has a temperate and alpine climate. Austria's terrain is highly
mountainous due to the presence of the Alps; only 32% of the country is
below 500 metres (1,640 ft), and its highest point is 3,797 metres
(12,457 ft). The majority of the population speaks German, which is also
the country's official language. Other local official languages are
Croatian, Hungarian and Slovene. (based on a wikipedia article)
15. Canada (North America)
Canada (
) is a country in North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in
the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic
Ocean. It is the world's second largest country by total area. Canada's
common border with the United States to the south and northwest is the
longest in the world. From the early 17th century onwards, that part of
New France that lay along the Saint Lawrence River and the northern
shores of the Great Lakes was known as Canada. The area was later split
into two British colonies, Upper Canada and Lower Canada. They were
re-unified as the Province of Canada in 1841. Upon Confederation in
1867, the name Canada was adopted as the legal name for the new country,
and Dominion (a term from Psalm 72:8) was conferred as the country's
title. Combined, the term Dominion of Canada was in common usage until
the 1950s. (based on a wikipedia article)
16. Iceland (Europe)
Iceland[note
1] () (Icelandic: Ísland (names of Iceland); IPA: ) is a European
island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean on the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of
103,000 km2 (39,769 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Reykjavík,
with the surrounding areas in the southwestern region of the country
being home to some two-thirds of the national population. Iceland is
volcanically and geologically active. The interior mainly consists of a
plateau characterised by sand fields, mountains and glaciers, while many
glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed
by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate despite a high latitude
just outside the Arctic Circle. (based on a wikipedia article)
17. Sweden (Europe)
Sweden is
a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe.
Sweden has land borders with Norway to the west and Finland to the
northeast, and water borders with Denmark, Germany, and Poland to the
south, and Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia to the east. Sweden is
also connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund. The
modern name Sweden is derived through back-formation from Old English
Swēoþēod, which meant "people of the Swedes" (Old Norse Svíþjóð, Latin
Suetidi). This word is derived from Sweon/Sweonas (Old Norse Sviar,
Latin Suiones). (based on a wikipedia article)
18. Denmark (Europe)
Denmark,
archaic: ), officially the Kingdom of Denmark (Danish: Kongeriget
Danmark ) together with Greenland and the Faroe Islands, is a
Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. It is the southernmost of the
Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered
to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North
Sea. The country consists of a large peninsula, Jutland (Jylland) and
many islands, most notably Zealand (Sjælland), Funen (Fyn),
Vendsyssel-Thy (commonly considered a part of Jutland), Lolland, Falster
and Bornholm, as well as hundreds of minor islands often referred to as
the Danish Archipelago. Denmark has long controlled the approach to the
Baltic Sea; before the digging of the Kiel Canal, water passage to the
Baltic Sea was possible only through the three channels known as the
"Danish straits". (based on a wikipedia article)
19. United Kingdom (Europe)
The United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland[note 7] (commonly known as the
United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a country and sovereign state
located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an
island nation, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the
northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands.
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border[note 8]
with another sovereign state, sharing it with the Republic of Ireland.
Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean,
the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. Great Britain is
linked to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel. (based on a wikipedia article)
20. Germany (Europe)
Germany),
is a country in Western Europe. It is bordered to the north by the
North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the
Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west
by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The territory of
Germany covers 357.021 km2 and is influenced by a temperate seasonal
climate. With 81.8 million inhabitants, it is the most populous member
state of the European Union, and home to the third-largest number of
international migrants worldwide. Under Augustus, the Roman General
Publius Quinctilius Varus began to invade Germania (a term used by the
Romans to define a territory running roughly from the Rhine to the Ural
Mountains), and it was in this period that the Germanic tribes became
familiar with Roman tactics of warfare while maintaining their tribal
identity. (based on a wikipedia article)
21. Belgium (Europe)
Belgium,
), officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a state 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
organizations such as NATO. Belgium covers an area of 30,528 square
kilometres (11,787 sq mi), and it has a population of about 10.8 million
people. Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin
Europe, Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups, the
Dutch-speakers, mostly Flemish, and the French-speakers, mostly
Walloons, plus a small group of German-speakers. Belgium's two largest
regions are the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north and the
French-speaking southern region of Wallonia. The Brussels-Capital
Region, officially bilingual, is a mostly French-speaking enclave within
the Flemish Region. (based on a wikipedia article)
22. France (Europe)
(based on a wikipedia article)
23. Finland (Europe)
Finland,
officially the Republic of Finland Finnish: Suomi; Swedish: Finland, is
a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern
Europe. It is bordered by Sweden on the west, Norway on the north and
Russia on the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of
Finland. In 2005, Finnish tourism grossed over €6.7 billion with a five
percent increase from the previous year. Much of the sudden growth can
be attributed to the globalisation and modernisation of the country as
well as a rise in positive publicity and awareness. There are many
attractions in Finland which attracted over 4 million visitors in 2005.
The Finnish landscape is covered with thick pine forests, rolling hills
and complemented with a labyrinth of lakes and inlets. (based on a wikipedia article)
24. Bahrain (Middle East)
Bahrain,
officially Kingdom of Bahrain (Arabic: مملكة البحرين, Mamlakat
al-Baḥrayn, literally: "Kingdom of the Two Seas"), is a small island
country in the Persian Gulf ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. While
Bahrain is an archipelago of thirty-three islands, the largest (Bahrain
Island) is 55 km (34 mi) long by 18 km (11 mi) wide. Saudi Arabia lies
to the west and is connected to Bahrain via the King Fahd Causeway,
which was officially opened on 25 November 1986. Qatar is to the
southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain. Because they needed to control the
Persian Gulf trade route, the Parthians established garrisons in the
southern coast of Persian Gulf. In the 3rd century AD, the Sassanids
succeeded the Parthians and held the area until the rise of Islam four
centuries later. (based on a wikipedia article)
25. Japan (Asia)
Japan (日
本 Nihon or Nippon), officially the State of Japan (日本国 Nippon-koku or
Nihon-koku), is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific
Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, 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. The characters that make
up Japan's name mean "sun-origin" (because it lies to the east of nearby
countries), which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of
the Rising Sun". Archaeological research indicates that people were
living on the islands of Japan as early as the Upper Paleolithic period.
The first written mention of Japan begins with brief appearances in
Chinese history texts from the first century A.D. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
26. Spain (Europe)
Spain officially
the Kingdom of Spain (Spanish: Reino de España), is a country and
member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the
Iberian Peninsula.[note 6] Its mainland is bordered to the south and
east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with the
British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar; to the north by France,
Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the northwest and west by the
Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. During the last four decades the Spanish
tourism industry has grown to become the second biggest in the world,
worth approximately 40 billion Euros, about 5% of GDP, in 2006. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
27. Italy (Europe)
Italy;
Italian: Italia ), officially the Italian Republic (Italian: Repubblica
italiana), is a country located in Southern Europe and includes the
Italian Peninsula and the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea,
Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with
France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent states of San
Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within the Italian Peninsula,
and Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland. The
territory of Italy covers 301,338 km² and is influenced by a temperate
seasonal climate. With 60.4 million inhabitants, it is the sixth most
populous country in Europe, and the twenty-third most populous in the
world. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
28. Equatorial Guinea (Africa)
Equatorial Guinea,
officially the Republic of Equatorial Guineais a country located in
Middle Africa. With an area of 28,000 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi)
it is one of the smallest countries in continental Africa. It is also
the most prosperous, however the wealth is concentrated in government
and elite hands, with 70% of the population living under the United
Nations Poverty Threshold of $2/day. It has a population of 1,014,999.
It comprises two parts: a Continental Region (Río Muni), including
several small offshore islands like Corisco, Elobey Grande and Elobey
Chico; and an insular region containing Annobón island and Bioko island
(formerly Fernando Po) where the capital Malabo is situated. Investment
in agriculture, fishing, livestock, and tourism are among sectors the
government would like targeted. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
29. Taiwan (Asia)
Taiwan,
also known as Formosa (from Portuguese: Ilha Formosa, "Beautiful
Island"), is a country situated in East Asia in the Western Pacific
Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. It has
comprised most (99%) of the territory of the Republic of China (ROC)
since the 1950s. The term "Taiwan" has also become a commonly used
alternative name both domestically and internationally to refer to the
entire country of Republic of China after the ROC lost international
diplomatic recognition as "China" in the 1970s. The Qing Dynasty was
defeated in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) and Taiwan and
Penghu were ceded in full sovereignty to the Empire of Japan.
Inhabitants wishing to remain Qing subjects were given a two-year grace
period to sell their property and move to mainland China. Very few
Taiwanese saw this as feasible. (based on a wikipediaarticle / cc by-sa)
30. Greece (Europe)
Greece is
a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the
Balkan Peninsula. The country has land borders with Albania, the
Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east.
The Aegean Sea lies to the east of mainland Greece, the Ionian Sea to
the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
31. New Zealand (Pacific & Antarctica)
New Zealand is
an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two
main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island), and numerous
smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham
Islands. The indigenous Māori language name for New Zealand is Aotearoa,
commonly translated as land of the long white cloud. The Realm of New
Zealand also includes the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing but in
free association); Tokelau; and the Ross Dependency (New Zealand's
territorial claim in Antarctica). New Zealand is also well known for its
extreme sports and adventure tourism. Its reputation in extreme sports
extends from the establishment of the world's first commercial bungy
jumping site at Queenstown in the South Island in November 1988. There
is a culture of longboarding in urban areas. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
32. Cyprus (Europe)
Cyprus;
Greek: Κύπρος, Kýpros, IPA: ; Turkish: Kıbrıs), – officially the
Republic of Cyprus (Greek: Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία, Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía,
IPA: ; Turkish: Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti) – is a Eurasian island country in
the Eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and
Lebanon. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one
of its most popular tourist destinations. An advanced, high-income
economy with a very high Human Development Index, the Republic of Cyprus
was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement until it joined the
European Union on 1 May 2004. (based on a wikipedia article /cc by-sa)
33. Israel (Middle East)
Israel (Hebrew:
יִשְׂרָאֵל, Yisrā'el; Arabic: إِسْرَائِيلُ, Isrā'īl), officially the
State of Israel (Hebrew: מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, Medīnat Yisrā'el; Arabic:
دَوْلَةُ إِسْرَائِيلَ, Dawlat Isrā'īl), is a parliamentary republic in
the Middle East located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
34. South Korea (Asia)
South Korea,
officially the Republic of Korea) and sometimes referred to simply as
Korea, is a state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the
Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to
the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital
is Seoul. South Korea lies in a temperate climate region with a
predominantly mountainous terrain. Its territory covers a total area of
99,392 square kilometers and has a population of 50 million. In the
early centuries of the Common Era, Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, and the Samhan
confederacy occupied the peninsula and southern Manchuria. Of the
various small states, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla grew to control the
peninsula as Three Kingdoms of Korea. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
35. Slovenia (Europe)
Slovenia officially
the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: Republika Slovenija, ), is a country
in Central Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean.
Slovenia borders Italy on the west, the Adriatic Sea on the southwest,
Croatia on the south and east, Hungary on the northeast, and Austria on
the north. The capital and largest city of Slovenia is Ljubljana. Spa
tourism has grown in importance in the last two decades, attracting many
German, Austrian, Italian and Russian visitors. Important spas in
Slovenia include Radenci, Čatež ob Savi, Dobrna, and Moravske Toplice.
Slovenia is a member of the European Union, the Eurozone, the Schengen
area, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the
Council of Europe, NATO, UNESCO, WTO, OECD and UN. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
36. Bahamas (Central America & Caribbean)
The Bahamas),
officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is a country consisting of
29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets (rocks). It is located in the
Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and
Haiti), northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the
United States of America (nearest to the state of Florida). Its total
land area is 13,939 km² (5,382 sq. mi.; slightly larger than the US
states Connecticut and Rhode Island combined), with an estimated
population of 330,000. Its capital is Nassau. Geographically, the
Bahamas lie in the same island chain as Cuba, Hispaniola (Dominican
Republic and Haiti) and Turks and Caicos Islands, the designation of the
Bahamas refers normally to the commonwealth and not the geographic
chain. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
37. Trinidad and Tobago (Central America & Caribbean)
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago)
is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of
the South American country of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the
Lesser Antilles. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations
including Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the southeast, and
Venezuela to the south and west. The bulk of tourism visitor arrival on
the islands are from Western Europe. The Dutch and the Courlanders
established themselves in Tobago in the 16th and 17th centuries and
produced tobacco and cotton. Tobago changed hands between British,
French, Dutch and Courlanders from modern-day Latvia. Britain
consolidated its hold on both islands during the Napoleonic Wars, and
they were combined into the colony of Trinidad and Tobago in 1889. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
38. Czech Republic (Europe)
The Czech Republic is
a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country borders Poland to
the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south
and Slovakia to the east. The Czech Republic has been a member of NATO
since 1999 and of the European Union since 2004. The Czech Republic is
also a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE). As an OSCE participating State, the Czech Republic’s
international commitments are subject to monitoring under the mandate of
the U.S. Helsinki Commission. From 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2009, the
Czech Republic held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The Czech economy gets a substantial income from tourism. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
39. Oman (Middle East)
Oman,
officially the Sultanate of Oman (Arabic: سلطنة عمان Salṭanat ʻUmān),
is an Arab country in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the
Arabian Peninsula. It borders the United Arab Emirates on the northwest,
Saudi Arabia on the west and Yemen on the southwest. The coast is
formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the
northeast. The country also contains Madha and Musandam, two exclaves on
the Gulf of Oman, south of the Strait of Hormuz and surrounded by the
United Arab Emirates on the land side. With its 2,800,000 inhabitants,
700,000 of which non-nationals, on an area of 310,000 km2, Oman has a
very low population density of less than 10 inh/km2. Its capital is
Muscat, its currency the Rial. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
40. Portugal (Europe)
Portugal (Portuguese:
Portugal, Mirandese: Pertual), officially the Portuguese Republic
(Portuguese: República Portuguesa; Mirandese: República Pertuesa), is a
country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe and is bordered by the
Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east.
The Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira are also part of
Portugal. Travel and tourism will continue to be extremely important for
Portugal, with visitor numbers forecast to increase significantly over
the next five years. However, there is increasing competition from
Eastern European destinations such as Croatia who offer similar
attractions to Portugal, and are often cheaper. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
41. Malta (Europe)
Malta,
officially the Republic of Malta (Maltese: Repubblika ta' Malta), is a
southern European country and consists of an archipelago situated
centrally in the Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily and 288 km east of
Tunisia, with the Strait of Gibraltar 1,826 km to the west and
Alexandria 1,510 km to the east. The economy is dependent on foreign
trade (serving as a freight trans-shipment point), manufacturing
(especially electronics and textiles) and tourism. Malta is the popular
tourist destination, with 1.2 million tourists every year. Tourism
infrastructure has increased dramatically over the years and a number of
good-quality hotels are present on the island, although overdevelopment
and the destruction of traditional housing is of growing concern. An
increasing number of Maltese now travel abroad on holiday. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
42. Saudi Arabia (Middle East)
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Arabic:
المملكة العربية السعودية), commonly known as Saudi Arabia, is the
largest Arab country of the Middle East. It is bordered by Jordan and
Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United
Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the
south. The Persian Gulf lies to the northeast and the Red Sea to its
west. It has an estimated population of 28 million, and its size is
approximately 2,149,690 square kilometres (830,000 sq mi). The kingdom
is sometimes called "The Land of the Two Holy Mosques" in reference to
Mecca and Medina, the two holiest places in Islam. The two mosques are
Masjid al-Haram (in Mecca) and Masjid Al-Nabawi (in Medina). (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
43. Slovakia (Europe)
The Slovak Republic (short form: Slovakia ;
Slovak: Slovensko, long form Slovenská republika ) is a state in
Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of
about 49,000 square kilometres (19,000 sq mi). Slovakia is a landlocked
country bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland
to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest
city is the capital, Bratislava, and the second largest is Košice.
Slovakia is a member state of the European Union, NATO, United Nations,
OECD and WTO among others. The official language is Slovak, a member of
the Slavic language family. The Slovak landscape is noted primarily for
its mountainous nature, with the Carpathian Mountains extending across
most of the northern half of the country. Amongst these mountain ranges
are the high peaks of the Tatra mountains. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
44. Seychelles (Africa)
Seychelles,
officially the Republic of Seychelles (French: République des
Seychelles; Creole: Repiblik Sesel), is an island country spanning an
archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some 1,500 kilometres
(932 mi) east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar.
In 1971, with the opening of the international airport, tourism became a
serious industry, basically dividing the economy into plantations and
tourism. The tourism sector paid better, and the plantation economy
could only expand so far. The plantation sector of the economy declined
in prominence, and tourism became the primary industry of Seychelles.
Other nearby island countries and territories include Zanzibar to the
west, Mauritius and Réunion to the south, Comoros and Mayotte to the
southwest. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
45. Croatia (Europe)
Croatia,
officially the Republic of Croatia (Croatian: Republika Hrvatska), is a
country in Central Europe and Southeastern Europe at the crossroads of
the Pannonian Plain, the Balkans, and the Adriatic Sea. Its capital and
largest city is Zagreb. Croatia borders Slovenia to the north, Hungary
to the northeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the southeast, Serbia to the
east, and Montenegro to the southeast. As a result of the war, the
economic infrastructure sustained massive damage, particularly the
revenue-rich tourism industry. From 1989 to 1993, GDP fell 40.5%. With
the end of the war in 1995, tourism and Croatia's economy recovered
moderately. However, corruption, cronyism, and a general lack of
transparency stymied meaningful economic reform, as well as much-needed
foreign investment. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
46. Hungary (Europe)
Hungary officially
the Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság), is a landlocked country
in the Carpathian Basin in Central Europe, bordered by Austria,
Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Its capital
is Budapest. Hungary is a member of EU, NATO, OECD, V4 and is a Schengen
state. The official language is Hungarian, the most widely spoken
non-Indo-European language in Europe, being part of the Finno-Ugric
family. In foreign investments, Hungary has seen a shift from
lower-value textile and food industry to investment in luxury vehicle
production, renewable energy systems, high-end tourism, and information
technology. Hungary is ranked sixth in an environmental protection index
by GW/CAN. (based on a wikipedia article /cc by-sa)
47. Estonia (Europe)
Estonia (Estonian:
Eesti), officially the Republic of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti Vabariik),
is a state in the Baltic Region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to
the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the
south by Latvia (343 km), and to the east by the Russian Federation
(338.6 km). The territory of Estonia covers 45,227 km2 (17,462 sq mi)
and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate.The Estonians are a
Finnic people, and the official Estonian language is closely related to
Finnish. On September 24, 1939, warships of the Red Navy appeared off
Estonian ports and Soviet bombers began a patrol over Tallinn and the
nearby countryside. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
48. Poland (Europe)
Poland (Polish:
Polska), officially the Republic of Poland (Rzeczpospolita Polska), is a
country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech
Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to
the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave,
to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometres
(120,726 sq mi), making it the 69th largest country in the world and the
9th largest in Europe. Poland has a population of over 38 million
people, which makes it the 34th most populous country in the world and
the sixth most populous member of the European Union. Poland is a part
of the global tourism market with constantly increasing number of
visitors, particularly after joining the European Union. Tourism in
Poland contributes to the country's overall economy. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
49. Russia (Asia)
Russia;
Russian: Россия, tr. Rossiya, ), is a state in northern Eurasia. It
is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects.
From northwest to southeast, Russia shares borders with Norway,
Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both via Kaliningrad
Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the People's
Republic of China, Mongolia, and North Korea. It also has maritime
borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the United States by the
Bering Strait. At 17,075,400 sq. km (10,610,162 sq. miles), Russia is by
far the largest country in the world, covering more than a ninth of the
Earth's land area. Russia is also the ninth most populous nation with
142 million people. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
50. Antigua and Barbuda (Central America & Caribbean)
Antigua and Barbuda;
Spanish for "ancient" and "bearded") is a twin-island nation lying
between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two
major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller
islands (including Great Bird, Green, Guinea, Long, Maiden and York
Islands). Separated by a few sea miles, the group is in the middle of
the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles, roughly at 17 degrees
north of the Equator. Being a former part of the British Empire has
strongly influenced the country's governance, language, and culture. The
twin-island nation's agricultural production is focussed on its
domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor
shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and
construction work. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
51. Barbados (Central America & Caribbean)
Barbados)
is an island nation of the Lesser Antilles, 34 kilometres (21 mi) in
length and as much as 23 kilometres (14 mi) in width, amounting to
431 square kilometres (166 sq mi). It is situated in the western area of
the North Atlantic Ocean and 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of the
Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about
168 kilometres (104 mi) east of the islands of Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, and 400 kilometres (250 mi) north-east of Venezuela.
Barbados is outside of the principal Atlantic hurricane belt.
Historically, the economy of Barbados had been dependent on sugarcane
cultivation and related activities, but in the late 1970s and early
1980s it has diversified into the manufacturing and tourism sectors. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
52. Lithuania (Europe)
Lithuania (,
U.S. usually ; Lithuanian: Lietuva), officially the Republic of
Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Respublika) is a country in Northern
Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the
southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to
the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of
Kaliningrad to the southwest. Across the Baltic Sea to the west lies
Sweden and Denmark. Its population is 3.28 million. Its capital and
largest city is Vilnius. According to officially published figures, EU
membership fueled a booming economy, increased outsourcing into the
country, and boosted the tourism sector. The litas, the national
currency, has been pegged to the euro since 2 February 2002 at the rate
of EUR 1.00 = LTL 3.4528, and Lithuania is expecting to switch to the
euro on 1 January 2014. (based on a wikipediaarticle / cc by-sa)
53. Libya (Africa)
Libya;
Libyan vernacular: Lībya, also translated as Socialist People's Libyan
Arab Great Jamahiriya), is a country located in North Africa. Bordering
the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya lies between Egypt to the
east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria
and Tunisia to the west. Authorities have privatised more than 100
government owned companies since 2003 in industries including oil
refining, tourism and real estate, of which 29 are 100% foreign owned.
The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for
about 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural
products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel and
aluminium. On November 21, 1949, the UN General Assembly passed a
resolution stating that Libya should become independent before January
1, 1952. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
54. Latvia (Europe)
Latvia (;
Latvian: Latvija), officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas
Republika) is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is
bordered to the north by Estonia (343 km), to the south by Lithuania
(588 km), to the east by the Russian Federation (276 km), and to the
southeast by Belarus (141 km). Across the Baltic Sea to the west lies
Sweden. The territory of Latvia covers 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi) and it
has a temperate seasonal climate. The Capitulation of Estonia and
Livonia in 1710 and the Treaty of Nystad, ending the Great Northern War
in 1721, gave Vidzeme to Russia (it became part of the Riga
Governorate). The Latgale region remained part of the Polish–Lithuanian
Commonwealth as Inflanty Voivodeship until 1772, when it was
incorporated to Russia. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
55. Argentina (South America)
Argentina,
is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a
federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is
the eighth-largest country in the world by land area and the largest
among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico, Colombia and Spain are
more populous. "Wine tourism" is important in Mendoza province, with the
impressive landscape of the Cordillera de Los Andes and the highest
peak in the Americas, Mount Aconcagua, 6,952 m (22,808 ft) high,
providing a very desirable destination for international tourism.
Formerly stable prices and exchange rates were disrupted, however: the
peso lost about 70% of its value from early 1948 to early 1950, and
inflation reached 50% in 1951. Foreign policy became more isolationist,
straining U.S.-Argentine relations. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
56. Gabon (Africa)
Gabonis
a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea
to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the
Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of
the Atlantic Ocean is to the west. It covers a land area of nearly
270,000 km² and has an estimated population of 1,500,000. Its capital
and largest city is Libreville. In 2002, President Omar Bongo Ondimba
put Gabon firmly on the map as an important future ecotourism
destination by designating more than 11% of the nation's territory to be
part of its national park system (with 13 parks in total), one of the
largest proportions of nature parkland in the world. Natural resources
include: petroleum, magnesium, iron, gold, uranium, and forests. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
57. Saint Kitts and Nevis (Central America & Caribbean)
The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis,
also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis), located
in the Leeward Islands, is a federal two-island nation in the West
Indies. It is the smallest sovereign nation in the Americas, in both
area and population. Saint Kitts and Nevis is a twin-island federation
whose economy is characterised by its dominant tourism, agriculture and
light manufacturing industries. Sugar was the primary export from the
1640s on, but rising production costs, low world market prices, and the
government's efforts to reduce dependence on it have led to a growing
diversification of the agricultural sector. In 2005, the government
decided to close down the state-owned sugar company, which had
experienced losses and was a significant contributor to the fiscal
deficit. Former sugar plantations still dominate the St. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
58. Chile (South America)
Chile,
officially the Republic of Chile is a country in South America
occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to
the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the
north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake
Passage in the far south. With Ecuador, it is one of two countries in
South America which do not border Brazil. The Pacific coastline of Chile
is 6,435 kilometres (4000 mi). Chilean territory includes the Pacific
islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas and Easter
Island. Chile also claims about 1,250,000 square kilometres (480,000
sq mi) of Antarctica, although all claims are suspended under the
Antarctic Treaty. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
59. Mexico (Central America & Caribbean)
Mexico,),
officially known as the United Mexican States (Spanish: Estados Unidos
Mexicanos ), is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It
is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by
the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the
Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico. Covering almost 2
million square kilometres (over 760,000 sq mi), Mexico is the
fifth-largest country in the Americas by total area and the 14th largest
independent nation in the world. With an estimated population of 111
million, it is the 11th most populous country and the most populous
Hispanophone country on Earth. Mexico is a federation comprising
thirty-one states and a Federal District, the capital city. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
60. Lebanon (Middle East)
Lebanonor
; Arabic: لُبْنَان Lubnān; French: Liban), officially the Republic of
Lebanon[nb 1] (Arabic: اَلْجُمْهُورِيَّة اَللُّبْنَانِيَّة al-Jumhūrīyah
al-Lubnānīyah; French: République libanaise), is a country on the
eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Syria to the
north and east, and Israel to the south. Lebanon's location at the
crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has
dictated its rich history, and shaped a cultural identity of religious
and ethnic diversity. (based on a wikipediaarticle / cc by-sa)
61. Romania (Europe)
Romania is
a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe,
north of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside
the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the
Danube Delta is located within its territory. Romania shares a border
with Hungary and Serbia to the west, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova
to the northeast, and Bulgaria to the south. In 2006, the domestic and
international tourism generated about 4.8% of gross domestic product and
5.8% of the total jobs (about half a million jobs). Following commerce,
tourism is the second largest component of the services sector. Tourism
is one of the most dynamic and fastest developing sectors of the
economy of Romania and characterized by a huge potential for
development. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
62. Botswana (Africa)
The Republic of Botswana (Tswana:
Lefatshe la Botswana) is a sub Saharan country located in Southern
Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" (singular: Motswana).
Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its
new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30
September 1966. It has held free and fair democratic elections since
independence. Botswana is one of the world’s great development success
stories. A small, landlocked country of 1.9 million people, Botswana was
one of the poorest countries in Africa with a GDP per capita of about
US$70 at independence from Britain in 1966. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
63. Malaysia (Asia)
Malaysiais
a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of
thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass
of 329,845 square kilometres (127,354 sq mi). The country is separated
by the South China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and
Malaysian Borneo (also known as West and East Malaysia respectively).
Malaysia shares land borders with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei and
has maritime boundaries with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the
federal government. The population as of 2009 stood at over 28 million.
The economy of the country has, traditionally, been fuelled by its
natural resources, but is now also expanding in the sectors of science,
tourism, commerce and medical tourism. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
64. Turkey (Middle East)
Turkey (Turkish:
Türkiye), known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( Türkiye
Cumhuriyeti ), is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian
peninsula in western Asia and Thrace (Rumelia) in the Balkan region of
southeastern Europe. Turkey is one of the six independent Turkic states.
Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest;
Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Azerbaijan (the
exclave of Nakhchivan) and Iran to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the
southeast. The Mediterranean Sea and Cyprus are to the south; the Aegean
Sea to the west; and the Black Sea is to the north. The Sea of Marmara,
the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles (which together form the Turkish
Straits) demarcate the boundary between Eastern Thrace and Anatolia;
they also separate Europe and Asia. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
65. Uruguay (South America)
Uruguay,
Spanish : ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country
located in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some
3.5 million people, of whom 1.4 million live in the capital Montevideo
and its metropolitan area. An estimated 88% of the population are of
European descent. Estancia tourism is based upon traditional,
folkloristic and/or historical elements of Uruguay and the remaining
resources of the historic ranches (estancias) from Uruguay's "golden
era". Batlle had two terms (1903–07 and 1911–15) in which to initiate
his policies, but, realizing that his program might be reversed by a
future president or dictator, he promoted a constitutional reform to end
the presidency and replace it with a plural executive, the colegiado. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
66. Montenegro (Europe)
Montenegro (meaning
"Black Mountain" in Montenegrin) is a country located in Southeastern
Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is
bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the
northwest, Serbia to the northeast, Kosovo[a] to the east and Albania to
the southeast. Its capital and largest city is Podgorica, while Cetinje
is designated as the Prijestonica (Пријестоница), meaning the former
Royal Capital City. Approximately one million tourists visited
Montenegro in 2007, resulting in €480 million of tourism revenue. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
67. Panama (Central America & Caribbean)
Panama),
officially the Republic of Panama, is the southernmost country of
Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South
America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the
southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the
south. The capital is Panama City. Explored and settled by the Spanish
in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union
of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela – named the Republic of Gran
Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of
Colombia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903. The
Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904
and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of
the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
68. Bulgaria (Europe)
BulgariaBulgarian:
България, Balgariya, ), officially the Republic of Bulgaria (Република
България, Republika Balgariya, ), is a country in south-eastern Europe.
Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north (mostly
along the Danube), Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and
Greece and Turkey to the south. The Black Sea defines the extent of the
country to the east. Basil II managed to prevent rebellions by
retaining the local rule of the Bulgarian nobility, who were
incorporated into Byzantine aristocracy as archons or strategoi,
guaranteeing the indivisibility of Bulgaria in its former geographic
borders and recognising the autocephaly of the Bulgarian Archbishopric
of Ohrid. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
69. Belarus (Europe)
Belarus,;
Belarusian: Беларусь, Russian: Беларусь or Белоруссия, Belorussia see
Etymology), officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country
in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast,
Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to
the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest,
Grodno (Hrodna), Gomel (Homiel), Mogilev (Mahilyow) and Vitebsk
(Viciebsk). Forty percent of its 207,600 square kilometres (80,200
sq mi) is forested, and its strongest economic sectors are agriculture
and manufacturing. The region that is now Belarus was first settled by
Slavic tribes in the 6th century. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
70. Mauritius (Africa)
Mauritiusofficially
the Republic of Mauritius (Mauritian Creole: Republik Moris; French:
République de Maurice) is an island nation off the southeast coast of
the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about
900 kilometres (560 mi) east of Madagascar. In addition to the island of
Mauritius, the Republic includes the islands of Cargados Carajos,
Rodrigues and the Agalega Islands. Mauritius Island is part of the
Mascarene Islands, with the French island of Réunion 200 km (120 mi) to
the southwest and the island of Rodrigues 570 km (350 mi) to the
northeast. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
71. Venezuela (South America)
Venezuela;
Spanish: ), officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
(Spanish: República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a tropical country on
the northern coast of South America. It is a continental mainland with
numerous islands located off its coastline in the Caribbean Sea. The
republic is a former Spanish colony that won its independence in 1821.
Venezuela borders Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia
to the west. Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St. Lucia, Barbados, Curaçao,
Bonaire, Aruba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Leeward
Antilles lie just north, off the Venezuelan coast. Its size is
916,445 square kilometres (353,841 sq mi) with an estimated population
of 26,414,816. Its capital is Caracas. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
72. Serbia (Europe)
Serbia,
officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: Република Србија, Republika
Srbija), is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central-
and Southeastern Europe, covering the southern lowlands of the
Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans. Serbia borders
Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; the Republic of
Macedonia to the south; and Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and
Montenegro to the west; its border with Albania is disputed. Serbia's
capital city, Belgrade, is among the most populous in Southeastern
Europe. Serbia's government, businesses, and citizen's concentrate their
tourism on the villages and mountains of the country. The most famous
mountain resorts are Zlatibor, Kopaonik, and the Tara. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
73. Iran (Middle East)
Iran officially
the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Central Eurasia and
Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanian
era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country
was also known to the western world as Persia. Both Persia and Iran are
used interchangeably in cultural contexts; however, Iran is the name
used officially in political contexts. It is the centre of tourism in
Iran, and between 15 and 20 million pilgrims go to the Imam Reza's
shrine every year. Iran has one of the highest urban growth rates in the
world. From 1950 to 2002, the urban proportion of the population
increased from 27% to 60%. The United Nations predicts that by 2030, 80%
of the population will be urban. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
74. Kazakhstan (Asia)
Kazakhstan,
officially the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is located in Eastern Europe
and Central Asia. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it
is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of
2,727,300 km² is greater than Western Europe. It is neighbored clockwise
from the north by Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan,
and also borders on a significant part of the Caspian Sea. The capital
was moved in 1997 from Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, to Astana.
Kazakhstan declared itself an independent country on December 16, 1991,
the last Soviet republic to do so. Its communist-era leader, Nursultan
Nazarbayev, became the country's new president. Since independence,
Kazakhstan has pursued a balanced foreign policy and worked to develop
its economy, especially its hydrocarbon industry. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
75. Costa Rica (Central America & Caribbean)
Costa
Rica), officially the Republic of Costa Ricais a country in Central
America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east and
south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to
the east. In recent times pharmaceuticals, financial outsourcing,
software development, and ecotourism have become the prime industries in
Costa Rica's economy. High levels of education among its residents make
the country an attractive investing location. Since 1999, tourism earns
more foreign exchange than the combined exports of the country's three
main cash crops: bananas, pineapples and coffee. Coffee production has
played a key role in Costa Rica's history and economy and by 2006 was
the third cash crop export. Costa Rica is located on the Central
American isthmus, 10° North of the equator and 84° West of the Prime
Meridian. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
76. Republic of Macedonia (Europe)
Macedonia, officially the Republic of Macedonia is
a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeastern
Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from
which it declared independence in 1991. It became a member of the
United Nations in 1993 but, as a result of a dispute with Greece over
its name, it was admitted under the provisional reference of the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, sometimes abbreviated as FYROM. The
Macedonian word for spa is бања, transliterated as banja. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
77. Grenada (Central America & Caribbean)
Grenada)
is an island country and sovereign state consisting of the island of
Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in
the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is located northwest of
Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines. Tourist facilities are being expanded;
tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner. Major short-term
concerns are the rising fiscal deficit and the deterioration in the
external account balance. Grenada shares a common central bank and a
common currency (the East Caribbean dollar) with seven other members of
the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) The island was a
province of the short-lived West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
78. Brazil (South America)
Brazil;
Portuguese: Brasil;, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil
(Portuguese: República Federativa do Brasil), is the largest country in
South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by
geographical area and by population. It is the only Portuguese-speaking
country in the Americas and the largest lusophone country in the world.
General Ernesto Geisel became president in 1974 and began his project of
re-democratization through a process that he said would be "slow,
gradual and safe." Geisel ended the military indiscipline that had
plagued the country since 1889, as well as the torture of political
prisoners, censorship of the press, and finally, the dictatorship
itself, after he extinguished the Fifth Institutional Act. (based on a wikipediaarticle / cc by-sa)
79. South Africa (Africa)
The Republic of South Africa is
a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a
2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are
Mozambique and Swaziland; while Lesotho is an independent country wholly
surrounded by South African territory. South Africa is a popular
tourist destination, and a substantial amount of revenue comes from
tourism. Among the main attractions are the diverse and picturesque
culture, the game reserves and the highly regarded local wines. In the
first two decades of the 19th century, the Zulu people grew in power and
expanded their territory under their leader, Shaka. Shaka’s
depredations led indirectly to the Mfecane (“Crushing”) that devastated
the inland plateau in the early 1820s. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
80. Azerbaijan (Asia)
Azerbaijan;
Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan
(Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikası), is one of the six independent
Turkic states in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the
crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, it is bounded by the
Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest,
Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south. It was not until 2000s that
the tourism industry began to recover, and the country has since
experienced a high rate of growth in the number of tourist visits and
overnight stays. Atropates ruled over the region of Atropatene
(present-day Iranian Azerbaijan). The name "Atropates" itself is the
Greek transliteration of an Old-Iranian, probably Median, compounded
name with the meaning "Protected by the (Holy) Fire". (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
81. Saint Lucia (Central America & Caribbean)
Saint Lucia;
French: Sainte-Lucie) is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea
on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles,
it is located north/northeast of the islands of Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a
land area of 620 km2 (238 sq mi) and has an estimated population of
160,000. Its capital is Castries. The island nation has been the home of
two Nobel laureates, Arthur Lewis and Derek Walcott. It is the nation
with the second most such honorees per capita after Faroe Islands. The
financial sector has weathered the global financial crisis, but the
recession has hurt tourism. One of the Windward Islands, it was named
after Saint Lucy of Syracuse by the French, the first European
colonizers. They signed a treaty with the native Carib peoples in 1660. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
82. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Central America & Caribbean)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
is a nation in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern
portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the
eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic
Ocean. Its 389-square-kilometre (150 sq mi) territory consists of the
main island of Saint Vincent and the northern two-thirds of the
Grenadines, which are a chain of smaller islands stretching south from
Saint Vincent Island to Grenada. To the north of St. Vincent lies St.
Lucia, to the east Barbados. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is densely
populated (over 300 inhabitants/sq km) with its 120,000 people. Its
capital is Kingstown, also its main port. The country has a French and
British colonial history and is now part of the Commonwealth of Nations
and CARICOM. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
83. Colombia (South America)
Colombia),
officially the Republic of Colombia), is a constitutional republic in
northwestern South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by
Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by
the Caribbean Sea; to the northwest by Panama; and to the west by the
Pacific Ocean. Colombia also shares maritime borders with Venezuela,
Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa
Rica. With a population of over 45 million people, Colombia has the 29th
largest population in the world and the second largest in South
America, after Brazil. Colombia has the fourth largest Spanish-speaking
population in the world after Mexico, the United States, and Spain. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
84. Dominica (Central America & Caribbean)
Dominica,officially
the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea.
To the north-northwest lies Guadeloupe, to the southeast Martinique.
Its size is 754 square kilometres (291 sq mi) and the highest point in
the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of 1,447 metres
(4,747 ft). The Commonwealth of Dominica has an estimated population of
72,500. The capital is Roseau. Dominica's economy is heavily dependent
on both tourism and agriculture. Independence did little to solve
problems stemming from centuries of economic underdevelopment, and in
mid-1979, political discontent led to the formation of an interim
government. It was replaced after the 1980 elections by a government led
by the Dominica Freedom Party under Prime Minister Eugenia Charles, the
Caribbean's first female prime minister. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
85. Jamaica (Central America & Caribbean)
Jamaica)
is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, 234 kilometres (145 mi) in
length and as much as 80 kilometres (50 mi) in width, amounting to
11,100 square kilometres (4,300 sq mi). It is situated in the Caribbean
Sea, about 145 kilometres (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 191 kilometres (119
mi) west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti
and the Dominican Republic. Its indigenous Arawakan-speaking Taíno
inhabitants named the island Xaymaca, meaning the "Land of Wood and
Water", or the "Land of Springs". The growth was fueled by strong
investments in bauxite/alumina, tourism, manufacturing industry and, to a
lesser extent, the agricultural sector. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
86. Peru (South America)
Peru;
Spanish: Perú, Quechua: Perú, Aymara: Piruw), officially the Republic
of Peru), is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the
north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast
by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.
Peru is a representative democratic republic divided into 25 regions.
Its geography varies from the arid plains of the Pacific coast to the
peaks of the Andes mountains and the tropical forests of the Amazon
Basin. It is a country with a high Human Development Index score and a
poverty level around 34%. Its main economic activities include
agriculture, fishing, mining, and manufacturing (e.g. textiles). The
Peruvian population, estimated at 29.5 million, is multiethnic,
including Amerindians, Europeans, Africans, and Asians. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
87. Suriname (South America)
Suriname or
Surinamor, Dutch: Suriname; Sarnami: शर्नम् Sarnam, Sranan Tongo:
Sranangron or Sranankondre), officially the Republic of Suriname, is a
country in northern South America. Its geographical size is just under
165,000 km2 (64,000 sq mi), and it has an estimated population of
approximately 470,000, most of whom live on the country's north coast,
where the capital Paramaribo is located. Agriculture, especially of rice
and bananas, remains a strong component of the economy, and ecotourism
is providing new economic opportunities. More than 80% of Suriname's
land-mass consists of unspoiled rain forest, and with the establishment
of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve in 1998, Suriname signaled its
commitment to conservation of this precious resource. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
88. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Europe)
Bosnia and Herzegovina or
; Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Latin: Bosna i Hercegovina; Bosnian and
Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина, Ottoman Turkish: Bosna Hersek) is
a country in South-Eastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by
Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and
Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina (also:
Bosnia-Herzegovina/Bosnia and Hercegovina) is almost landlocked, except
for 26 kilometres (16 miles) of Adriatic Sea coastline, centered on the
town of Neum. The interior of the country is mountainous centrally and
to the south, hilly in the northwest, and flatland in the northeast.
Inland is the larger geographic region with a moderate continental
climate, marked by hot summers and cold, snowy winters. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
89. Dominican Republic (Central America & Caribbean)
The Dominican Republicis
a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles
archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is
occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean
islands that are shared by two countries. Both by area and population,
the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after
Cuba), with 48,442 square kilometres (18,704 sq mi) and an estimated 10
million people. Although the service sector has recently overtaken
agriculture as the leading employer of Dominicans (due principally to
growth in tourism and Free Trade Zones), agriculture remains the most
important sector in terms of domestic consumption and is in second
place, behind mining, in terms of export earnings. The service sector in
general has experienced growth in recent years, as has construction. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
90. Tunisia (Africa)
Tunisia,
officially the Tunisian Republic (الجمهورية التونسية al-Jumhūriyya
at-Tūnisiyya), is the northernmost country in Africa. It is an Arab
country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast,
and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area is almost
165,000 km², with an estimated population of just over 10.3 million. Its
name is derived from the capital Tunis located in the north-east.
Tunisia has a diverse economy, ranging from agriculture, mining,
manufacturing, petroleum products and tourism. In 2008 it had a GDP of
$41 billion (official exchange rates), or $82 billion (purchasing power
parity). It also has one of Africa and the Middle East's highest
per-capita GDPs (PPP). (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
91. Ecuador (South America)
Ecuador),
officially the Republic of Ecuador, literally, "Republic of the
equator") is a representative democratic republic in South America,
bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by
the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South
America, along with Chile, that do not have a border with Brazil. The
country also includes the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific, about
1,000 kilometers (620 mi) west of the mainland. The Ministry of
Information and Tourism was established on 10 August 1992, at the
beginning of the government of Sixto Duran Ballen, who envisioned
tourism as a key activity for the economic and social development of
peoples. Compared with the growth of the tourism sector in June 1994, it
was decided to separate the tourism information, to devote exclusively
to promote and strengthen this activity. (based on a wikipediaarticle / cc by-sa)
92. Albania (Europe)
Albania,
is a country in South Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Montenegro to
the northwest, Kosovo[a] to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to
the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the
Adriatic Sea to the west, and on the Ionian Sea to the southwest. It is
less than 72 km (45 mi) from Italy, across the Strait of Otranto which
links the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea. The latter underlines the
importance of modernizing economic sectors such as the agro-food
industry and tourism. It also underscores the strategic importance of
energy, environmental and water resource management. Stakeholders have
proposed prioritizing fields of research such as agriculture and food,
information and communication technologies (ICTs), public health,
Albanology and humanities, natural resources, biotechnology,
biodiversity, defence and security. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
93. Algeria (Africa)
Algeria (Arabic:
الجزائر, al-Jazā’ir, Berber: Dzayer), officially the People's
Democratic Republic of Algeria (also formally referred to as the
Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria), is a country in North
Africa. In terms of land area, it is the largest country on the
Mediterranean Sea, the second largest on the African continent after
Sudan, and the eleventh-largest country in the world. In Antiquity
Algeria was known as the Numidia kingdom and its people were called
Numidians. The kingdom of Numidia had early relations with
Carthaginians, Romans and Ancient Greeks, the region was considered a
fertile area, and Numidians were known for their fine cavalry. Several
Berber dynasties emerged during the Middle Ages in the Maghreb, Sudan,
Andalusia, Italy, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Egypt, and other nearby lands. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
94. Thailand (Asia)
Thailand),
formerly Siam (Thai: สยาม, IPA: ), is an independent country that lies
in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma
and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of
Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the
southern extremity of Burma. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in
the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast and Indonesia and India in the
Andaman Sea to the southwest. Thailand experienced rapid economic growth
between 1985 and 1995 and is a newly industrialized country with
tourism, due to well-known tourist destinations such as Pattaya,
Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Ko Samui, and exports contributing
significantly to the economy. (based on awikipedia article / cc by-sa)
95. Belize (Central America & Caribbean)
Belize)
(formerly British Honduras), is a democratic constitutional monarchy,
and the northernmost Central American nation. Belize has a diverse
society, comprising many cultures and languages. Although Kriol and
Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in
Central America where English is the official language. Belize is
bordered by Mexico to its north, by Guatemala to its south and west, and
by the Caribbean Sea to the east. Belize has a small, essentially
private enterprise economy that is based primarily on agriculture,
agro-based industry, and merchandising, with tourism and construction
recently assuming greater importance. In 2006, the exploitation of a
newly discovered crude oil field near the town of Spanish Lookout, has
presented new prospects and problems for this developing nation. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
96. Turkmenistan (Asia)
The Republic of Turkmenistan (Turkmen:
Türkmenistan Respublikasy), also known as Turkmenia (Russian:
Туркмения) is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it
was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet
Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR). Turkmenistan is one of the six
independent Turkic states. It is bordered by Afghanistan to the
southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, Uzbekistan to the east and
northeast, Kazakhstan to the north and northwest and the Caspian Sea to
the west. The rivalry officially concluded with the Anglo-Russian
Convention of 1907. Slowly, Russian and European cultures were
introduced to the area. This was evident in the architecture of the
newly formed city of Ashgabat, which became the capital. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
97. Tonga (Pacific & Antarctica)
Tonga-
officially the Kingdom of Tonga (Tongan: Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga) –
an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprises 169 islands, 36 of
them inhabited. The Kingdom stretches over a distance of about 800
kilometres (500 miles) in a north-south line located at about a third of
the distance from New Zealand to Hawaiʻi. Tonga's development plans
emphasize a growing private sector, upgrading agricultural productivity,
revitalizing the squash and vanilla bean industries, developing
tourism, and improving the island's communications and transportation
systems. Substantial progress has been made, but much work remains to be
done. A small but growing construction sector is developing in response
to the inflow of aid monies and remittances from Tongans abroad. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
98. El Salvador (Central America & Caribbean)
El Salvador;
Spanish: República de El Salvador, literally meaning "Republic of the
Savior") is the smallest and also the most densely populated country in
Central America. It borders the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and
Honduras. It lies on the Gulf of Fonseca, as do Honduras and Nicaragua
further south. El Salvador's tourism industry has grown dynamically over
recent years as the Salvadoran government focuses on developing this
sector. Last year tourism accounted for 4.6% of GDP; only 10 years ago,
it accounted for 0.4%. In this same year tourism grew 4.5% worldwide.
Comparatively, El Salvador saw an increase of 8.97%, from 1.15 million
to 1.27 million tourists. This has led to revenue from tourism growing
35.9% from $634 million to $862 million. As a reference point, in 1996
tourism revenue was $44.2 million. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
99. Guyana (South America)
Guyana),
officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and previously known as
British Guiana, is a state on the northern coast of South America that
is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana has been a former
colony of the British, Dutch and for a brief period, the French. It is
the only state of the Commonwealth of Nations on mainland South America,
and is also a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which has
its secretariat headquarters in Guyana's capital, Georgetown. Guyana
achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 26 May 1966 and became a
Republic on 23 February 1970. This fact has given rise to various
non-exploitative, environmentally sustainable industries such as
ecotourism, successfully capitalizing on the biological wealth of the
Konashen COCA with comparatively little enduring impact. (based on a wikipedia article / cc by-sa)
100. China (Asia)
China,
as a civilization, is one of the world's oldest and is regarded as the
oldest continuous civilization. Prior to the 19th century, it possessed
one of the most advanced societies and economies in the world; but
through successive dynasties it then missed the industrial revolution
and began to decline. In the 19th and 20th century, imperialism,
internal weakness and civil wars damaged the civilization and its
economy, and led to the overthrow of imperial rule. Historically,
China's cultural sphere has extended across East Asia as a whole, with
Chinese religion, customs, and writing systems being adopted to varying
degrees by neighbors such as Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Through its
history, China was the source of many major inventions. It has also one
of the world's oldest written language systems.
0 Comments: