Surprising Facts About Countries: Amazing World Trivia You Didn’t Know!

sangeetha·March 10, 2025

1. The Country with the Most Time Zones Isn’t What You Think!

While you might think the USA has the most time zones, it's actually France! Thanks to its overseas territories, France spans 12 time zones, more than any other country in the world. From New Caledonia in the Pacific to French Guiana in South America, this makes France a country that’s always experiencing sunrise somewhere!

2. Canada Has the Most Lakes in the World

Canada is home to more than half of the world’s lakes! With around 879,000 lakes, Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined. These lakes store a massive portion of the Earth's fresh water, making Canada a land of breathtaking landscapes and natural beauty.

3. There’s a Country With No Rivers at All

Saudi Arabia is one of the largest countries in the world without a single natural river! Instead of rivers, Saudi Arabia relies on underground reservoirs, desalination, and seasonal wadis (dry riverbeds) for its water supply. Despite this, it has developed advanced water conservation and distribution systems.

4. Japan Has More Vending Machines Than People in Some Areas

Japan is famous for its vending machines, and there are over 5 million of them across the country. That’s about 1 vending machine for every 25 people! You can find vending machines selling not just drinks and snacks but also hot meals, umbrellas, fresh eggs, and even canned ramen.

5. Russia Is Bigger Than Pluto

Russia is so vast that its land area of 17.1 million square kilometers is actually larger than the surface area of Pluto, which is 16.6 million square kilometers. This makes Russia the only country in the world that’s bigger than an entire dwarf planet in our solar system!

6. There’s a Country Where You Can Visit Two Continents in One City

Istanbul, Turkey, is the only city in the world that sits on two continents: Europe and Asia. The Bosphorus Strait divides the city into two parts, allowing visitors to literally walk or drive between continents in just minutes!

7. Australia Has More Sheep Than People

Australia is famous for its large sheep population, with around 70 million sheep compared to just 26 million people. This means that for every person in Australia, there are nearly three sheep! No wonder Australia is one of the world's leading wool producers.

8. The World’s Oldest Country Has Existed for Over 2,000 Years

Japan is considered the oldest country in the world with an unbroken hereditary monarchy. The Japanese Imperial family has ruled since 660 BCE, making it the world’s longest continuous monarchy!

9. The Only Country Without an Official Capital

Believe it or not, Nauru, a tiny island country in the Pacific, has no official capital city. The government operates from different districts, mainly Yaren, which functions as the de facto capital.

10. The Country That Uses an Entirely Different Calendar

Ethiopia follows the Ethiopian calendar, which is seven to eight years behind the rest of the world! In 2025, Ethiopia will still be in 2018 according to its unique 13-month calendar system. This is why visitors often say traveling to Ethiopia is like going back in time!

11. Greenland Is Technically Not a Country

Despite being the world’s largest island, Greenland is not an independent country. It is an autonomous territory of Denmark. Greenland has its own government but still relies on Denmark for foreign policy and defense.

12. Antarctica Has No Permanent Residents

Even though Antarctica is considered a continent, no country owns it, and it has no permanent population. Scientists and researchers from different countries stay there temporarily, making it the only continent without native human inhabitants.

13. There’s a Country That’s Entirely Inside Another Country

San Marino, a tiny country in Europe, is completely surrounded by Italy. This makes it one of the world's only enclaved countries, along with Lesotho (inside South Africa) and Vatican City (also inside Italy).

14. The Country With the Most Islands

Sweden has the highest number of islands in the world, with more than 267,000 islands! However, only about 1,000 of them are inhabited. These islands offer stunning natural beauty, making Sweden a paradise for nature lovers.

15. Monaco Is Smaller Than New York’s Central Park

The tiny country of Monaco is only 2.1 square kilometers in size, making it smaller than Central Park in New York City, which covers 3.41 square kilometers. Despite its small size, Monaco is one of the wealthiest places on Earth!

16. The Country Where the Sun Never Sets for Months

Norway experiences the Midnight Sun, where the sun stays visible for 76 days straight in some northern regions. From late May to late July, some parts of Norway see 24 hours of daylight—a phenomenon known as the Land of the Midnight Sun.

17. The Country With the Longest Name

The full official name of Thailand is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit! Luckily, most people just call it Thailand!

18. A Country With More Bicycles Than People

The Netherlands is home to around 23 million bicycles, while its population is about 17 million people. That means there are more bicycles than residents, making the Netherlands one of the most bike-friendly countries in the world!

19. The Most Diverse Country in the World

Papua New Guinea holds the record for the most spoken languages in a single country—over 800 languages! That’s about 12% of all the world’s languages spoken in just one country.

20. The Country Where You Can Visit the Future

If you want to be among the first people to enter a new year, visit Kiribati! This Pacific island nation is the first to celebrate New Year's due to its position in the UTC+14 time zone, making it the first country to step into the future every year.

Geography and Travel

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