A country with zero percent unemployment rate
The country of Andorra has a zero percent unemployment rate.
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Country facts and facts about countries, from the Random Facts shelf.
129 facts on this shelf
Why is a turkey a turkey?
The turkey was named for what was wrongly thought to be its country of origin.
What is the penalty for a DUII?
While in some countries the penalty for driving while intoxicated can be death (yes, death), in Uruguay intoxication is a legal excuse for having an accident while driving. "Please believe me officer, I really was drunk."
When was the country of Iraq founded?
There was no country of Iraq until it was created by the British in 1920. The modern state of Iraq was created out of the three provinces controlled by the Ottoman Turks, Basra, Mosul, and Baghdad.
In 1864 Abraham Lincoln could see a serious problem emerging
"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes
me to tremble for the safety of my country . . . Corporations have been
enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money
power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the
prejudices of people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the
Republic is destroyed." Abraham Lincoln, 1864
What was the speed limit in 1865?
In 1865 the first speed limit was introduced in Britain - 2 mph in town and 4 mph in the country.
What is the small country in south-western Europe between France and Spain?
Andorra, a country with population 69,150 is in south-western Europe, between France and Spain.
Bathroom Facts
An average person visits the toilet 2,500 times per year. (6-8 times per day)
People spend at least 3 years of their lives on the toilet.
Seven million cell phones are dropped in the toilet per year.
Americans use a lot more toilet paper than any other country. (7 sheets on average)
People have flushed down the toilet: goldfish, false teeth, socks, underwear, bras, shirts, shoes, mice, hamsters, toy cars, action figures, Barbies, toothbrushes, and whole rolls of toliet paper.
Most toilets flush on an E-flat note.
10,000 times you have to change a baby's diaper until it learns how to go to the bathroom itself.
Men spend 140 days of his life shaving.
Brushing your teeth with the water on wastes 5 gallons of water. Shaving with the water on wastes 15 to 20 gallons.
Females takes 3 times longer than males in the bathroom.
There's a lot of water in this country's desert
The exploration for oil in the southern deserts of Libya discovered vast underground resources of water which will be tapped by the Great Manmade River Project. The Great Manmade River Project will enable Libya to reclaim land from the desert with the aim of agricultural self-sufficiency by bringing water from the natural underground supplies in the south. The natural reserves tapped by this civil engineering project will provide water for several hundred years.
How many stars and stripes are on the US flag, and what do they represent?
The US flag has 50 stars, one for each state, and 13 stripes that stand for the original 13 colonies.
What is the largest US state by area?
Alaska is the largest US state by area. It is more than twice the size of Texas, the second-largest state.
What was the first national park in the US?
Yellowstone became the first US national park in 1872, and it is widely considered the first national park in the world.
Which country has the oldest written national constitution still in use?
The US Constitution was signed in 1787 and ratified in 1788. It is the oldest written national constitution still in use today.
Where did the Statue of Liberty come from?
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the US and was dedicated in New York Harbor in 1886.
Where was the hottest air temperature on Earth recorded?
Death Valley in California holds the record for the hottest air temperature ever recorded on Earth: 134°F (56.7°C), measured at Furnace Creek in 1913.
How did the Louisiana Purchase change the size of the US?
In 1803 the US bought the Louisiana Territory from France for about $15 million. The deal roughly doubled the size of the country.
Which US state is made up entirely of islands?
Hawaii is the only US state made up entirely of islands, and it was the last state to join the Union, in 1959.
What is the longest river in the US?
The Missouri River is the longest river in the US, at about 2,341 miles. It is slightly longer than the Mississippi, which it flows into.
How close are the US and Russia at their nearest point?
In the Bering Strait, Little Diomede Island (US) and Big Diomede Island (Russia) are only about 2.4 miles apart. The International Date Line runs between them, so they are almost a full day apart in time.
When did China lose its title as the world's most populous country?
China was the world's most populous country for centuries until India passed it in 2023.
How many time zones does China use?
China is wide enough to cover about five geographic time zones, but the whole country officially runs on a single time zone, Beijing Time.
How long is the Great Wall of China?
A 2012 Chinese government survey measured all sections of the Great Wall at about 13,171 miles (21,196 km) combined, which is more than half the Earth's circumference.
Which countries share Mount Everest?
Mount Everest sits on the border between China and Nepal. A joint survey in 2020 set its official height at 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet).
Where was paper invented?
Paper was invented in China. The court official Cai Lun is traditionally credited with improving and standardizing papermaking around 105 CE.
Where do giant pandas live in the wild?
Wild giant pandas live only in China, in the mountain forests of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces.
What is the largest hydroelectric power station in the world?
China's Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River is the world's largest hydroelectric power station by installed capacity, at about 22,500 megawatts.
Who lived in Beijing's Forbidden City?
Beijing's Forbidden City was the imperial palace for 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for nearly 500 years, until the last emperor left in the 1920s.
What is the most spoken native language in the world?
Mandarin Chinese has more native speakers than any other language on Earth, close to a billion people.
How was China's Terracotta Army discovered?
China's Terracotta Army is thousands of life-size clay soldiers buried with the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Farmers digging a well discovered it by accident in 1974.
Which country has the largest population in the world?
India became the world's most populous country in 2023 and has more than 1.4 billion people.
Which country was first to land a spacecraft near the Moon's south pole?
In August 2023, India's Chandrayaan-3 mission became the first spacecraft to land near the Moon's south pole, making India the fourth country to soft-land on the Moon.
Why was the Taj Mahal built?
Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in Agra as a tomb for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Construction took roughly 20 years in the mid-1600s.
Where did the game of chess originate?
Chess traces back to an Indian game called chaturanga, played around the 6th century CE, whose pieces represented the four divisions of an ancient army.
How many people voted in India's 2024 general election?
About 642 million people voted in India's 2024 general election, making it the largest democratic election in human history.
How many languages are officially recognized in India's constitution?
India's constitution officially recognizes 22 languages in its Eighth Schedule, and hundreds more are spoken across the country.
Where was zero first treated as a number?
Indian mathematicians were the first to treat zero as a number in its own right. In 628 CE, the mathematician Brahmagupta wrote down rules for calculating with it.
Which places are among the wettest on Earth?
Mawsynram, a village in India's Meghalaya state, is one of the wettest places on Earth, averaging about 11,872 mm (467 inches) of rain a year.
Which country produces the most movies each year?
India's film industries, including Bollywood, produce more movies each year than any other country, often well over 1,500 films annually.
What share of the world's wild tigers live in India?
India is home to about 75% of the world's wild tigers. Its 2022 census counted roughly 3,682 of them.
How many islands does Japan have?
A 2023 government recount found that Japan has about 14,125 islands, more than double the long-cited count of 6,852.
When did the world's first high-speed train line open?
Japan's Shinkansen "bullet train" opened in 1964, just before the Tokyo Olympics. It was the world's first high-speed rail line.
What is the tallest mountain in Japan?
Mount Fuji is Japan's tallest mountain at 3,776 meters, and it is an active volcano. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013.
How many writing systems does Japanese use?
Written Japanese mixes three scripts: kanji (characters borrowed from Chinese), hiragana, and katakana.
Which country has one of the longest life expectancies in the world?
Japan consistently ranks at or near the top of the world for life expectancy, at around 84 years.
What did Nintendo originally make?
Nintendo was founded in Kyoto in 1889 to make hanafuda playing cards, nearly a century before it became a video game giant.
What is one of the oldest companies in the world?
Japan's Kongō Gumi, a temple construction company founded in 578 CE, is one of the oldest continuously operating companies in history.
How many active volcanoes does Japan have?
Japan has 111 active volcanoes, roughly 10% of all the active volcanoes on Earth.
Which country has the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy?
Japan's imperial family is considered the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world, with traditional records tracing the line back more than 1,500 years.
What was the first city hit by an atomic bomb?
Hiroshima, Japan, became the first city hit by an atomic bomb, on August 6, 1945. Nagasaki was hit three days later.
What countries make up the United Kingdom?
The UK is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
What is Big Ben?
"Big Ben" is technically the name of the giant bell inside London's clock tower. The tower itself was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012.
Where was the world's first underground railway?
The London Underground opened in 1863 and was the world's first underground railway. Its first trains were pulled by steam engines.
What was the Magna Carta?
The Magna Carta, sealed by King John of England in 1215, established the idea that even the king had to obey the law.
Does the UK have a written constitution?
The UK has no single written constitution. Its constitution is spread across laws, court rulings, and long-standing traditions.
What is the national animal of Scotland?
Scotland's national animal is the unicorn, a mythical creature that has appeared on Scottish royal coats of arms since the 1400s.
How old is Stonehenge?
Stonehenge in England was first built around 3000 BCE, which means its earliest stages are roughly 5,000 years old.
When did Charles III become king of the UK?
Charles III became king of the UK on September 8, 2022, after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who had reigned for 70 years.
Who invented the World Wide Web?
British scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1989 while working at CERN in Switzerland.
Where were the first official rules of soccer written?
The Football Association was founded in London in 1863 and wrote the first official set of rules for modern soccer.
What is the most visited country in the world?
France is the most visited country in the world, drawing roughly 100 million international tourists a year.
Why was the Eiffel Tower built?
The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris. It was originally meant to be temporary, and many Parisian artists hated it at first.
What is the most visited art museum in the world?
The Louvre in Paris is the world's most visited art museum. It is home to the Mona Lisa and was originally a royal palace.
Which country has the most time zones?
France has more time zones than any other country, 12 in all, because its overseas territories are scattered across the globe.
When was the first Tour de France held?
The first Tour de France bike race was held in 1903. A newspaper created it to boost its sales.
What event does France's national holiday on July 14 celebrate?
France's national holiday on July 14 marks the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, a key early moment of the French Revolution.
What is the highest mountain in the Alps?
Mont Blanc, on the border of France and Italy, is the highest mountain in the Alps at about 4,806 meters. Its exact height changes slightly with its ice cap.
Who invented pasteurization?
French scientist Louis Pasteur developed pasteurization in the 1860s, which kills harmful microbes by heating liquids like milk and wine.
When can a sparkling wine legally be called Champagne?
A sparkling wine can only legally be sold as "Champagne" if it is made in the Champagne region of France under strict production rules.
Where was the metric system created?
The metric system was created in France in the 1790s, during the French Revolution, to replace a confusing mix of local measurements.
Which country has the largest population entirely within the European Union?
Germany has the largest population of any European Union country, at around 83 million people.
Do Germany's highways have a speed limit?
Many stretches of Germany's Autobahn have no general speed limit, though drivers are advised to stay around 130 km/h (81 mph).
When did the Berlin Wall fall?
The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989. East and West Germany officially reunified less than a year later, on October 3, 1990.
Who invented the movable-type printing press in Europe?
Johannes Gutenberg developed the movable-type printing press in Mainz, Germany, around 1440. It made books dramatically cheaper and helped spread ideas across Europe.
How did Oktoberfest begin?
Munich's Oktoberfest began in 1810 as a celebration of the wedding of Bavaria's Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese.
What was the Reinheitsgebot?
The Reinheitsgebot, a Bavarian law from 1516, said beer could only be made from water, barley, and hops. It is one of the oldest food-safety laws in the world.
How many countries border Germany?
Germany borders nine countries: Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Who patented the first practical automobile?
German engineer Karl Benz patented his gas-powered Motorwagen in 1886, and it is widely considered the first practical automobile.
How long did it take to build Cologne Cathedral?
Construction of Germany's Cologne Cathedral started in 1248 and was not finished until 1880, more than 600 years later.
How many FIFA World Cups has Germany won?
Germany has won the FIFA World Cup four times: in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014.
Which country has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites?
Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country, with more than 60 sites.
Which independent countries are located inside Italy?
Two independent countries sit completely inside Italy: Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, and San Marino.
How many people could the Roman Colosseum hold?
The Colosseum in Rome was completed in 80 CE and could hold an estimated 50,000 spectators for gladiator fights and public events.
How did pizza Margherita get its name?
According to popular legend, pizza Margherita was named for Queen Margherita of Italy after a Naples pizza maker served it to her in 1889. Its toppings match the colors of the Italian flag.
Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa lean?
The Leaning Tower of Pisa started tilting during construction in the late 1100s because it was built on soft, unstable soil.
What is the city of Venice built on?
Venice, Italy, is built on 118 small islands in a lagoon, connected by more than 400 bridges and a network of canals.
What is the tallest active volcano in Europe?
Mount Etna in Sicily is the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
When did Italy become a unified country?
Italy did not become a single unified country until 1861. Before that it was a patchwork of separate kingdoms and states.
Where did the Renaissance begin?
The Renaissance began in Florence, Italy, in the 1300s, fueled by wealthy patrons like the Medici family.
Who discovered the four largest moons of Jupiter?
Italian scientist Galileo Galilei discovered Jupiter's four largest moons in 1610 using a telescope he improved himself.
What is the largest country in South America?
Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fifth-largest country in the world by area.
What is the official language of Brazil?
Brazil's official language is Portuguese, not Spanish. That makes it the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas.
How much of the Amazon rainforest is in Brazil?
About 60% of the Amazon rainforest, the largest tropical rainforest on Earth, lies inside Brazil.
Which country has won the most FIFA World Cups?
Brazil has won the FIFA World Cup five times, more than any other country: in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002.
When did Brasília become the capital of Brazil?
Brasília was built from scratch as a planned city and became Brazil's capital in 1960, replacing Rio de Janeiro.
Which country produces the most coffee?
Brazil has been the world's largest coffee producer for more than 150 years and grows about a third of the world's coffee.
When was the Christ the Redeemer statue completed?
The Christ the Redeemer statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro was completed in 1931 and stands about 30 meters (98 feet) tall, not counting its pedestal.
What is the largest carnival in the world?
Rio de Janeiro's Carnival is considered the largest carnival in the world and draws millions of people into the streets each year.
How many waterfalls make up Iguazu Falls?
Iguazu Falls, on the border of Brazil and Argentina, is a system of about 275 separate waterfalls stretching nearly 3 kilometers.
What is the largest tropical wetland in the world?
The Pantanal, located mostly in Brazil, is the world's largest tropical wetland and is one of the best places on Earth to see jaguars in the wild.
What is the largest country in the world by area?
Russia is the largest country in the world, covering about 17.1 million square kilometers, more than one-ninth of Earth's land.
How many time zones does Russia span?
Russia stretches across 11 time zones, so when it is morning in the far east, it is still the night before in the west.
What is the deepest lake in the world?
Lake Baikal in Siberia is the deepest lake in the world at about 1,642 meters. It holds around 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water.
What was the first artificial satellite?
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, on October 4, 1957. The launch kicked off the Space Race with the US.
Who was the first human in space?
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space on April 12, 1961, orbiting Earth once in about 108 minutes.
What is the longest railway line in the world?
Russia's Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railway line in the world. It runs about 9,289 kilometers from Moscow to Vladivostok.
What is one of the coldest permanently inhabited places on Earth?
The village of Oymyakon in Siberia is one of the coldest permanently inhabited places on Earth. It recorded a temperature of −67.7°C (−89.9°F) in 1933.
Who created the periodic table of elements?
Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev published his periodic table in 1869. He left gaps for elements that had not been discovered yet and correctly predicted their properties.
Who founded the Hermitage Museum?
The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg traces its founding to 1764, when Catherine the Great began collecting art. It is now one of the largest museums in the world.
What is the second-largest country in the world by area?
Canada is the second-largest country in the world by area, behind only Russia.
Which country has the longest coastline?
Canada has the longest coastline of any country, about 243,000 kilometers, because it borders three oceans and has thousands of islands.
Which country has the most lakes?
Canada has more lakes than any other country, with an estimated 60% of all the lakes in the world.
Who invented basketball?
Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith, a Canadian physical education teacher working in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Where was insulin discovered?
Insulin was discovered in 1921 at the University of Toronto by Frederick Banting and Charles Best. It turned diabetes from a death sentence into a treatable condition.
What are the official languages of Canada?
Canada has two official languages, English and French, both made official under the Official Languages Act of 1969.
Which country produces the most maple syrup?
Canada produces about 70% of the world's maple syrup, and most of it comes from the province of Quebec.
What is the longest international border in the world?
The border between Canada and the US is the longest international border in the world, stretching about 8,891 kilometers (5,525 miles).
Who chose Ottawa as the capital of Canada?
Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of Canada in 1857. One reason was that it sat between English- and French-speaking regions.
What was Canada's first national park?
Banff, in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, became Canada's first national park in 1885.
Which country has the most Spanish speakers?
Mexico has the largest Spanish-speaking population in the world, more than Spain itself.
What city was Mexico City built on top of?
Mexico City is built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital founded in 1325 on an island in Lake Texcoco.
Did the Aztecs use cacao beans as money?
The Aztecs valued cacao so highly that they used cacao beans as currency, and they drank chocolate as a bitter, spiced beverage.
When was Chichén Itzá named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World?
The ancient Maya city of Chichén Itzá in Mexico was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.
What is the largest pyramid in the world by volume?
The Great Pyramid of Cholula in Mexico is the largest pyramid in the world by volume, even bigger than Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza. It is so overgrown that it looks like a hill.
When did UNESCO recognize Mexico's Day of the Dead?
UNESCO added Mexico's Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) to its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.
Where do monarch butterflies spend the winter?
Millions of monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles each fall to spend the winter in the fir forests of Michoacán, Mexico.
Why is Mexico City sinking?
Parts of Mexico City are sinking by more than a foot per year because so much groundwater is pumped from the old lakebed beneath the city.
Where was corn first domesticated?
Corn (maize) was first domesticated about 9,000 years ago in southern Mexico from a wild grass called teosinte.
What does Cinco de Mayo commemorate?
Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day. It celebrates Mexico's victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, while Independence Day is September 16.
Why do Rottweilers sometimes have docked tails?
The AKC breed standard calls for Rottweilers to have docked (shortened) tails, a holdover from their working past. Many European countries now ban docking, so Rottweilers there usually keep their natural tails.