AROUND
THE
WORLD
IN
EIGHTY
WAYS
AFGHANISTAN
Capital Kabul
Major cities Bagram, Jalalabad, Kandahar
Main religions Sunni Muslim, Shi’a Muslim
Languages Pashto, Dari
Currency Afghani
Longest river Helmand
Highest mountain Nowshack
Landmarks Gawher Shad Mausoleum in Herad
National sport Buzkhasi (translates as “goat grabbing”)
Famous Afghans Mohammed Akbar Khan, empire builder who has an area of Kabul named after him
Did you know?
The full-length dark blue veils worn by the majority of Afghan women are called burqas
ALBANIA
Capital Tirana
Major cities Elbasan, Berat, Durres, Sarande, Korce
Main religions Muslim, Roman Catholic, Albanian Orthodox
Languages Albanian, Tosk, Greek
Currency Lek
Longest river Drin
Highest mountain Korabi
Landmarks Classical theatre at Butrint and Durres Amphitheatre
Ancient name Illy
Famous Albanians James and John Belushi (ethnic Albanians) and Mother Teresa
Did you know?
Albanians call their country Shqiperia
meaning, “land of the eagle”
ALGERIA
Capital Algiers
Major cities Constantine, Tindouf, Bechar, Ghardaia
Main religions Sunni Muslim (state religion)
Languages Arabic, French
Currency Algerian dinar
Longest river Cheliff
Highest mountain Tahat
Landmarks Tassili N’Ajjer (meaning The Plateau of Chasms)
National anthem Qassaman
Famous Algerians Elissa Rhais (writer) Cheb Kaled (singer)
Did you know?
The Sahara Desert takes up over 80% of the area of Algeria
ARGENTINA
Capital Buenos Aires
Major cities La Plata, Santa Fe, Cordoba, Mendoza, San Juan
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish
Languages Spanish
Currency Argentine peso
Longest river Rio Parana
Highest mountain Aconcagua
Landmarks Iguaza Falls, Teatro Colon Opera House
National flower Ceibo flower
Famous Argentineans Diego Maradona, Juan Manuel Fangio, Eva Peron, Che Guevara
Did you know?
John Strickland, a member of the crew of the
16th century explorer Sebastian Cabot is credited
with taking turkeys from Argentina and introducing them to England
AUSTRALIA
Capital Canberra
Major cities Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin, Adelaide
Main religions Anglican, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages English, Aboriginal
Currency Australian dollar
Longest river Murray
Highest mountain Mount Kosciuszko
Landmarks Ayers Rock, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House
National holiday Australia Day (January 26)
Famous Australians Don Bradman, Rolf Harris, Ned Kelly, Barry Humphries, Pat Cash
Did you know?
Australia boasts the world’s longest fence,
extending over 5530km and designed to keep dingoes
away from sheep
AUSTRIA
Capital Vienna
Major cities Graz, Innsbruck, Linz, Salzburg
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim
Languages German, Slovene, Hungarian, Croatian
Currency Euro, replaced the schilling
Longest river Danube
Highest mountain Grossglockner
Landmarks Pasterze Glacier, Spanish Riding School in Vienna
National flower Edelweiss
Famous Austrians Arnold Schwarzenegger, Niki
Lauda, Adolf Hitler, Johann Strauss, Franz
Klammer, Marie Antoinette
Did you know?
The German name for Austria is Osterreich,
translated into “eastern empire” and deriving from the
time when Austria was part of the Holy Roman Empire
BANGLADESH
Capital Dhaka
Major cities Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshani
Main religions Muslim, Hindu
Languages Bengali, English
Currency Taka
Longest river Surma-Meghna
Former name East Pakistan
National sport Kabaddi, a form of tag
Famous Bangladeshis President Zia, Emperor Shah Jehan
Did you know?
Bangladesh did not come into existence until
1971, when East Pakistan withdrew from its union
with West Pakistan
BELGIUM
Capital Brussels
Major cities Bruges, Antwerp, Liege, Ghent
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages Dutch, French, German
Currency Euro, replaced Belgian franc
Longest river Scheldt
Motto Unity is strength
National anthem Brabanconne
Landmarks Mannekin Pis, Chateau de Laeken
Famous Belgians Jean Claude Van Damme, Jean Marc Bosman, Eddie Merckx, Georges Simenon
Did you know?
Belgium produces approximately 170,000 tons
of chocolate annually
BOLIVIA
Capital La Paz
Major cities Santa Cruz, Cochabamba
Main religions Roman Catholic
Languages Spanish, Quecha, Aymara
Currency Boliviano
Longest river Rio Mamore
Highest mountain Nevado Sajama
National holiday Independence Day, August 6th
Landmarks Ruins of Tiahuanaco, Basilica de San Francesco
Famous Bolivians Andres Santa Cruz, President of the newly independent Bolivia, (1829-1839)
Did you know?
Bolivia’s capital La Paz is the highest capital city in the world
BRAZIL
Capital Brasilia
Major cities Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador
Religions Roman Catholic
Languages Spanish
Currency Real
Longest river Amazon
Highest mountain Pico de Neblina, meaning “fog peak”
National dance Samba
Landmarks Copacabana Beach, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Christ the Redeemer (statue in Rio de Janeiro)
Famous Brazilians Pele, Ayrton Senna, Ronaldo, Nelson Piquet
Did you know?
Brazil covers 47.8% of South America
BULGARIA
Capital Sofia
Major cities Burgas, Plovdiv, Borovets
Main religions Bulgarian Orthodox, Muslim
Languages Bulgarian
Currency Lev
Longest river Iskar
Highest mountain Musala
National sport Weightlifting
Landmarks Raiskato Paraskalo (Heaven Spray) Waterfall, Rila Monastery
Famous Bulgarians John Atanasoff (inventor of the first electronic computer), Hristo Stoichkov
Did you know?
Bulgarian citizens nod their head to indicate no and shake their head for yes
CANADA
Capital Ottawa
Major cities Toronto, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Calgary, Quebec, Vancouver, Montreal
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages English, French
Currency Canadian dollar
Longest river Mackenzie
Highest mountain Mount Logan
National animal Beaver
Landmarks Niagara Falls, CN Tower in Toronto
Famous Canadians Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Pamela Anderson, Jim Carrey, Bryan Adams
Did you know?
Montreal is the second most highly populated
French speaking city in the world after Paris
CHILE
Capital Santiago
Major cities Valparaiso, Puntas Arenas, Concepcion, San Vicente, Temuco
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages Spanish
Currency Chilean peso
Longest river Loa
Highest mountain Ojos del Salado
National animal Huemul, a species of white tail deer
Landmarks Easter Island, La Chascona Museum
Famous Chileans Augusto Pinochet, Pablo Neruda
Did you know?
The Chilean city of Puntas Arenas is the most
southerly city in the world
CHINA
Capital Beijing
Major cities Shanghai, Xian, Shenyang, Zhengzhou
Main religions Taoist, Buddhism, Muslim (since 2002, officially an atheist state)
Languages Mandarin Chinese, Standard Chinese
Currency Yuan
Longest river Yangtze
Highest mountain Everest (stands on the border of Tibet, an autonomous region of China)
National anthem March of the Volunteers
Landmarks The Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, The Temple of Heavenly Peace
Famous Chinese Jackie Chan, Confucius, Bruce Lee, Mao Tse Tung
Did you know?
Zoos were first invented in China, where they were called Parks Of Intelligence
COLOMBIA
Capital Bogotá
Major cities Medellin, Santa Marta, Pasto, Cali, Buenaventura
Main religions Roman Catholic
Languages Spanish
Currency Colombian peso
Longest river Magdalena
Highest mountain Pico Cristobal Colon
National tree Wax palm
Landmarks Salt Cathedral in Zipaquira (accommodates 8,400 people)
Famous Colombians Juan Pablo Montoya, Shakira, Faustino Asprilla
Did you know?
Colombia is the only country that forms a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea
CUBA
Capital Havana
Major cities Bayamo, Santa Clara, Guatanamo, Nuevitas
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages Spanish
Currency Peso
Longest river Cauto
Highest mountain Pico Turquino
National anthem To Battle, Men Of Bayamo
Landmarks Capitolo Nacional in Havana, a replica of Washington DC’s Capitol
Famous Cubans Fidel Castro, Gloria Estefan, Andy Garcia, Desi Arnaz
Did you know?
Cuba is home to the world’s smallest bird, the bee hummingbird
CYPRUS
Capital Nicosia
Major towns Larnaca, Limassol, Paphos
Main religions Greek Orthodox, Muslim
Languages Greek, Turkish, English
Currency Cypriot pound
Longest river Kourris
Highest mountain Olympus
National anthem Ode To Freedom
Landmarks Kolosi Castle, Aphrodite’s Rocks
Famous Cypriots Archbishop Makarios, George Michael (British Greek-Cypriot)
Did you know?
Cyprus is the only country in the world that
bears an outline of the country on its flag
CZECH REPUBLIC
Capital Prague
Major cities Ostrava, Pizen, Brno, Liberec
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages Czech, Slovak
Currency Koruna
Longest river Vtlava
Highest mountain Snezka
National anthem Where Is My Motherland?
Landmarks Wenceslas Square, St Vitus Cathedral, Prague Castle
Famous Czechs Ivan Lendl, Emil Zatopek, Martina Navratilova, Pavel Nedved
Did you know?
The Czech Republic has more Internet service
providers than any other non-English speaking
country
DENMARK
Capital Copenhagen
Major cities Odense, Alborg, Roskilde, Helsinger, Horsens
Main religions Evangelical Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages Danish
Currency Krone
Longest river Gudena
Highest mountain Yding Skovhoj
National bird Mute swan
Landmarks Tivoli Gardens, Little Mermaid statue
Famous Danes Peter Schmeichel, Viggo Mortensen, Whigfield, Hans Christian Anderse
Did you know?
Dannebrog, the Danish national flag is the oldest national flag in the world
ECUADOR
Capital Quito
Major cities San Lorenzo, Riobamba, Loja, Cuencha
Main religions Roman Catholic
Languages Spanish, Quechua
Currency US dollar, replaced the sucre
Longest river Napo
Highest mountain Chimborazo
National flower Rose
Landmarks Independence Square in Quito
Famous Ecuadorians Christina Aguilera (half Ecuadorian)
Did you know?
Cotopaxi in Ecuador is the world’s highest
active volcano and its name translates into English as,
“Smooth neck of the moon”
EGYPT
Capital Cairo
Major cities Alexandria, Port Said, Aswan, Suez, Luxor
Main religions Muslim, Coptic Christian
Languages Arabic
Currency Egyptian pound
Longest river Nile
Highest mountain Gebel Katarina
National anthem Biladi
Landmarks Sphinx, The Great Pyramids, Valley of the Kings, Aswan Dam
Famous Egyptians Omar Sharif, Anwar Sadat, Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Did you know?
Ancient Egyptians believed the onion held
special powers to ward off evil spirits and when taking
an oath they placed one hand on an onion
ETHIOPIA
Capital Addis Ababa (name means “new flower” in Arabic)
Major cities Jima, Nazret, Gonder, Awasa
Main religions Muslim, Ethiopian Orthodox
Languages Amharic, Somali, Arabic, Tigrinya, Oromigna
Currency Birr
Longest river Awash (wholly in Ethiopia)
Highest mountain Ras Dejen
National symbol Lion of Judea, symbol of the Emperor of Ethiopia
Landmarks Blue Nile Falls, Trinity Cathedral
Famous Ethiopians Miruts Yifter, Haile Selassie
Did you know?
Addis Ababa is the highest capital city in Africa
FINLAND
Capital Helsinki
Major cities Valo, Vaasa, Turku, Rauma, Kotka, Pori, Tampere
Main religion Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox
Languages Finnish, Swedish
Currency Euro, replaced the Markka
Longest river Kemijoki
Highest mountain Haltitunturi, sometimes referred to as Halti
National instrument Kantele
Landmarks Hame Castle, Seurasaari open air museum
Famous Finns Paavo Nurmi, Sami Hypia, Jean Sibelius, Mika Hakkinen
Did you know?
Finland is nicknamed, The land of a thousand lakes
FRANCE
Capital Paris
Major cities Marseilles, Bordeaux, Lyon,
Dijon, Strasbourg, Lille, Cherbourg, Nice, Nantes
Rouen, Brest, Toulouse
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim
Languages French and various regional dialects e.g. Provencal Breton
Currency Euro, replaced the franc
Longest river Loire
Highest mountain Mont Blanc
National anthem La Marseillaise
Landmarks Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame
Famous French Napoleon Bonaparte, Eric Cantona, Thierry Henry, Brigitte Bardot, Charles de Gaulle, Zinedine Zidane, Edith Piaf, Michel Platini
Did you know?
Dune de Pilat in the Bay of Arcachon is the highest sand dune in Europe
GERMANY
Capital Berlin
Major cities Munich, Bonn, Hamburg, Dresden, Stuttgart, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt
Main religions Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim
Language German
Currency Euro, replaced the Deutschmark
Longest river Elbe (wholly in Germany)
Highest mountain Zugspitze
National symbol Cornflower
Landmarks Ulm Cathedral, Olympic Stadium Munich, Brandenburg Gate
Famous Germans Ludwig Von Beethoven, Michael
Schumacher, Otto Von Bismarck, Boris
Becker, Steffi Graf, Franz Beckenbauer
Did you know?
The tradition of erecting Christmas trees originated in Germany in the 16th century
GREECE
Capital Athens
Major cities Thessaloniki, Kavala, Larisa, Volos
Main religions Greek Orthodox, Muslim
Languages Greek
Currency Euro, replaced the drachma
Longest river Aliakmon
Highest mountain Olympus
National cheese Feta
Landmarks Acropolis, Parthenon
Famous Greeks Hippocrates, Homer, Prince Philip, Demis Roussos, Nana Mouskouri
Did you know?
In Greece the olive tree is known as the gift
of Athena as it was gifted to Ancient Greek citizens by
the goddess of wisdom
HUNGARY
Capital Budapest
Major cities Pecs, Szeged, Miskolc, Gyor
Main religions Roman Catholic, Calvinist, Lutheran
Languages Hungarian
Currency Forint
Longest river Tisza (598km in Hungary)
Highest mountain Kekesteto
National dish Goulash
Landmarks The Buda Hills, The Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest
Famous Hungarians Bela Bartok, Harry Houdini, Joseph Pulitzer
Did you know?
In Hungary, the season of autumn is known as
Venasszonyok Nyara, which translates as
“Old ladies’ summer”
ICELAND
Capital Reykjavik
Major cities Hofn, Vik, Straumsvik, Akureyri
Main religions Evangelical Lutheran, Protestant, Roman Catholic
Languages Icelandic
Currency Krona
Longest river Thjorsa
Highest mountain Hvannadalshnukur
National anthem O God Of Our Country
Landmarks Gullfoss Waterfall, Mount Hekla
Famous Icelanders Magnus Magnusson, Bjork, Eider Gudjohnsen
Did you know?
The full official name of Iceland is,
Lyoveldio Island, Republic of Iceland
INDIA
Capital New Delhi
Major cities Calcutta, Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Amritsar, Agra, Madras, Bangalore
Main religions Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian
Languages Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali
Currency Rupee
Longest river Ganges
Highest mountain Kangchenjunga (on the border of India and Nepal)
National fruit Mango
Landmarks Taj Mahal in Agra, The Golden Temple in Amritsar
Famous Indians Mahatma Gandhi, Ravi Shankar, Sunil Gavaskar
Did you know?
Algebra, calculus and chess all originated in India
INDONESIA
Capital Jakarta
Major cities Cilacap, Denpasar, Semarang
Main religions Muslim, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Hindu, Buddhist
Languages Bahasa, Malay, English, Javanese
Currency Rupiah
Longest river Barito
Highest mountain Mandala Top
National airline Garuda
Landmarks Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world
Famous Indonesians Badminton star Rudy Hartono
Did you know?
Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world
IRAN
Capital Tehran
Major cities Ahvaz, Chabahar, Birjand, Mashhad
Main religions Shi’a Muslim, Sunni Muslim
Languages Persian, Kurdish, Turkish, Arabic
Currency Rial
Longest river Karun
Highest mountain Damavand
National anthem Sorood-e Melli-e Jomhoori-e Eslami
Landmarks Albrouz Mountains, Emam Khomeini Mosque
Famous Iranians Omar Khayam
Did you know?
The red stripe on the flag of Iran symbolises
the willingness of every Iranian to shed blood for their
country
IRAQ
Capital Baghdad
Major cities Basra, Karbala, Mosul, Samarra, Kirkuk
Main religion Shi’a Muslim, Sunni Muslim, Christian
Languages Arabic, Kurdish, Armenian
Currency Iraqi dinar
Longest river Tigris-Euphrates
Highest mountain Hasarost
National song Ardulfurataini Watan
Landmarks Taurus Mountains, Ziggurat of Ur
Famous Iraqis Saddam Hussein
Did you know?
Baghdad was originally built in the shape of a circle and was consequently known as The Round City
ISRAEL
Capital Jerusalem
Major cities Tel Aviv, Nazareth, Haifa, Hadera
Main religions Jewish, Muslim, Christian
Languages Hebrew, Arabic
Currency Shekel
Longest river Jordan
Highest mountain Hermon
National emblem Menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum
Landmarks The Gaza Strip, The Wailing Wall, Mount of Olives
Famous Israelis Chaim Topol, Golda Meir, Shimon Peres, Dana International
Did you know?
The shore of the Dead Sea stands 408m below sea level
ITALY
Capital Rome
Major cities Milan, Turin, Naples, Genoa, Florence, Bologna, Venice
Main religion Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim
Languages Italian, German, French, Slovene
Currency Euro, replaced lira
Longest river Po
Highest mountain Zumsteinspitze
National airline Alitalia
Landmarks Leaning Tower of Pisa, Vatican Palace, St Mark’s Square
Famous Italians Benito Mussolini, Leonardo da
Vinci, Michelangelo, Roberto Baggio, Rudolph
Valentino
Did you know?
The Vatican City in Rome is the world’s only independent state that registers an annual zero birth rate
JAMAICA
Capital Kingston
Major cities Portmore, Montego Bay, Mandeville
Main religions Protestant, Baptist, Anglican, Roman Catholic, Rastafarianism
Languages English, Jamaican English
Currency Jamaican dollar
Longest river Rio Minho
Highest mountain Blue Mountain Peak
National motto Out of many, one people
Landmarks Fort Montego, Port Royal (the only sunken city in the Western Hemisphere)
Famous Jamaicans Bob Marley, Desmond Dekker
Did you know?
Jamaica was originally called Sunda Kelapa
JAPAN
Capital Tokyo
Major cities Yokohama, Hiroshima, Sapporo, Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe
Main religions Shinto, Buddhism, Christian
Languages Japanese
Currency Yen
Longest river Shinano
Highest mountain Mount Fuji
National bird Crane, a symbol of peace
Landmarks Great Buddha of Kamakura, Toshogu Shrine
Famous Japanese Yoko Ono, Akiro Kurosawa
Did you know?
The number 4 is regarded with great
superstition in Japan. The Japanese word for 4 is “shi”, the
same as the word for death
JORDAN
Capital Amman
Major cities Al Karak, Irbid, Az Zarqa, Al Aqabah
Main religions Sunni Muslim, Christian
Languages Arabic
Currency Jordanian dinar
Longest river Jordan
Highest mountain Jabal Ram
National holiday Independence Day, May 25
Landmarks Petra, known as The Pink City
Famous Jordanians King Abdullah I, King Abdullah II, King Hussein
Did you know?
Amman, the capital of Jordan was formerly called Philadelphia
KENYA
Capital Nairobi
Major cities Mombassa, Lamu, Kisumu, Nakaru, Malindi
Main religions Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim
Languages Kiswahli, English
Currency Kenyan shilling
Longest river Tana
Highest mountain Mount Kenya
National anthem Oh God Of All Creation
Landmarks Nairobi National Park, Kakamega Forest
Famous Kenyans Jomo Kenyatta, Kip Keino
Did you know?
Mzungu is the name that Kenyan natives give
to white people
KOREA
North Korea
Capital Pyongyang
Major cities Kosong, Najin, Sonbong
Landmarks Taedong Gate, Sungnyong Temple, Arch of Triumph
Area 122,762 sq km
South Korea
Capital Seoul
Major cities Inchon, Kunsan, Taejon
Landmarks Dragon Valley, Chongbang Falls, Mount Soraksan National Park
Area 99,392 sq km
Famous Koreans Moon Sun Myung, founder of the Moonies Unification Church
Did you know?
North and South Korea were separated by the
38th Parallel in 1948 and despite the country’s
turbulent history it is known as The Land Of The Morning Calm
KUWAIT
Capital Kuwait
Major cities Al Jahrah, Qasr, Hawali, As Salimiyah
Main religions Muslim, Christian, Hindu
Languages Arabic
Currency Kuwaiti dinar
Longest river There are no perennial rivers in Kuwait
Highest mountain Ash Shaqayah
National flower Arfaj
Landmarks Kuwait Towers, The Grand Mosque
Famous Kuwaitis Sheik Ahmad Al-Jaber, Sheik Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah
Did you know?
Kuwaiti law prohibits newspapers making
insulting references towards God and the Prophet,
with transgressors facing a lengthy jail term
LATVIA
Capital Riga
Major cities Valmiera, Ogre, Jelgava, Jurmala
Main religions Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Languages Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian
Currency Lat
Longest river Gauja
Highest mountain Gaizinkalns
National insect Two-spot ladybird
Landmarks Swedish Gate, Riga Castle (Presidential home)
Famous Latvians Former world chess champion Mikhail Tal, Marians Pahars
Did you know?
Latvia won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2002 with the song, “I Wanna” sung by Maria N
LEBANON
Capital Beirut
Major cities Sidon, Tyre, Baalbeck, Batroun,
Main religions Muslim, Christian
Languages Arabic, French, English, Armenian
Currency Lebanese pound
Longest river Litani
Highest mountain Qurnat as Sawda
National emblem Cedar tree
Landmarks Temple of Jupiter, Pigeon Rocks,
Famous Lebanese Frank Zappa, Paul Anka (both of Lebanese descent)
Did you know?
The Hollywood star Keanu Reeves was born in
Beirut
LIBYA
Capital Tripoli
Major cities Tobruk, Al Jawf, Sabah, Zuwarah, Banghazi, Al Burayqah
Main religions Sunni Muslim
Languages Arabic, Italian, English
Currency Libyan dinar
Longest river “Great Man Made River”. This
project brought water from reservoirs in
Southern Libya to irrigate the northern agricultural areas.
Highest mountain Bette Peak
Former name Tripolitania
Landmarks Akukas Mountains, Leptis Magna (archaeological site)
Famous Libyans Colonel Gadaffi
Did you know?
Libya is the only country to have a flag comprising of a single colour, that being the colour green
LUXEMBOURG
Capital Luxembourg
Major cities Esch, Differdange, Dudelange, Schifflange
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim
Languages Luxembourgish, French, German
Currency Euro, replaced the Luxembourg franc
Longest river Sauer-Moselle
Highest mountain Buurgplaatz
National airline Luxair
Landmarks Grand Ducal Palace, Pertrusse Valleys
Famous Luxembourgers Henri Tudor, the inventor of the lead storage battery
Did you know?
Luxembourg is the only country in the world
that is given the official title of a Grand Duchy
MALAYSIA
Capital Kuala Lumpur
Major cities Port Dickson, Kuantan, Taiping, Lumut
Main religions Muslim, Daoist, Buddhism, Sikh, Christian, Shamanism
Languages Bahasa Melayu, English, Iban, various Chinese dialects
Currency Ringgit
Longest river Kinabatangan
Highest mountain Gunung Kinabalu
National sport Badminton
Landmarks Petronas Towers, Batu Caves
Famous Malaysians Jimmy Choo, Michelle Yeoh
Did you know?
Malaysia is home to the world’s oldest rain forests
MALTA
Capital Valetta
Major towns Rabat, Bugibba, Marsaxlokk
Main religions Roman Catholic
Languages Maltese, English
Longest river Malta has no rivers, lakes or mountains
Other islands Gozo, Comino
National symbol Maltese Cross
Landmarks Valetta Grand Harbour, Mnajdra Temples
Famous Maltese Tony Drago, Jean Parisot de la Valette (the Grand Master of the Knights of St John)
Did you know?
In Ancient Roman times Malta was known as
Melita, which translates to “Island of honey”
MEXICO
Capital Mexico City
Major cities Acapulco, Chihuahua, Veracruz, Guadalajara
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages Spanish
Currency Peso
Longest river Rio Grande
Highest mountain Volcan Pico de Orizaba
National anthem Mexicans, The War Cry
Landmarks Aztec ruins national monument, Popocatepetl (volcano)
Famous Mexicans Anthony Quinn, Carlos Santana, Hugo Sanchez
Did you know?
When the Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes
landed in Mexico in the 16th century he named the
country, New Spain.
MONACO
Capital Monaco-ville
Major towns Monte Carlo, Fontvielle
Religions Roman Catholic
Languages French, English, Italian, Monagasque
Currency Euro
Ruled by Grimaldi dynasty since 1297
Highest mountain Mont Agel
National motto Deo Juvante (With God’s Help)
Landmarks Monte Carlo Casino, Palais du Prince
Famous Monagasque Prince Rainier, Olivier Beretta
Did you know?
Monaco has an identical flag to Indonesia
MONGOLIA
Capital Ulan Bator
Major cities Altay, Bulgan, Darhan
Main religions Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Shamenist
Languages Khalkha Mongol, Russian
Currency Tugrig
Longest river Zavkhan
Highest mountain Huiten Peak
National emblem Soyombo
Landmarks Orkhon Valley, Tomb of Wang Zhaojun
Famous Mongolians Genghis Khan
Did you know?
In the 13th century, Genghis Khan established the world’s first pony express
MOROCCO
Capital Rabat
Major cities Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Agadir, El Jadida
Main religions Muslim
Languages Arabic
Currency Dirham
Longest river Draa
Highest mountain Jbel Toubkal
National dish Couscous
Landmarks Hassan II Grand Mosque, Tangier Palace
Famous Moroccans Said Aouita
Did you know?
In Greek mythology, Hercules is said to have
pulled Africa and Spain apart whilst holding
Gibraltar and the Moroccan mountain of Jbel Musa. These two points are now known
as
The Pillars of Hercules
NETHERLANDS
Capital Amsterdam
Major cities The Hague, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Haarlem, Utrecht
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim
Languages Dutch, Frisian
Currency Euro, replaced the guilder
Rivers The Netherlands lies on the delta of
three major rivers, the Rhine, the
Scheldt and the Maas
Highest mountain Vaalserberg
National emblem Lion
Landmarks Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, Royal Palace in Amsterdam
Famous Dutch Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt,
Mata Hari, Johann Cruyff, Marco Van
Basten, Fanny Blankers Koen, Ruud Van Nistelrooy
Did you know?
In 2000, the Netherlands became the first country to legalise euthanasia
NEW ZEALAND
Capital Wellington
Major cities Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch, New Plymouth
Main religions Anglican, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Protestant, Methodist
Languages English, Maori
Currency New Zealand dollar
Longest river Waikato
Highest mountain Mount Cook
National plant Silver fern
Landmarks Auckland Harbour Bridge, Sky Tower in Auckland
Famous New Zealanders Russell Crowe, Kiri Te
Kanawa, Sam Neill, Sir Richard Hadlee
Sir Edmund Hilary, Lucy Lawless, Anna Paquin
Did you know?
Wellington is the most southerly capital city in the world
NIGERIA
Capital Abuja
Major cities Lagos, Sokoto, Katsina, Benin City, Port Harcourt
Main religions Muslim, Christian
Languages English, Hausa, Yoruba
Currency Naira
Longest river Niger
Highest mountain Chappal Waddi
National anthem Arise O Compatriots
Landmarks Zuma Rock, Assop Falls, Lekki Beach
Famous Nigerians Ben Okri, Sade, Jay Jay Okocha
Did you know?
St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is also the patron saint of Nigeria
NORWAY
Capital Oslo
Major cities Trondheim, Bergen, Hamar, Harstad
Main religions Evangelical Lutheran, Protestant, Roman Catholic
Languages Norwegian
Currency Krone
Longest river Glomma
Highest mountain Galdhopiggen
National bird Dipper
Landmarks Jostedalsbreen (Europe’s largest glacier)
Famous Norwegians Edvard Grieg, Edvard Munch,
Roald Amundsen, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Ingrid Kristiansen, Vidkun Quisling
Did you know?
Norway has the longest coastline in Europe extending for 21,930km
PAKISTAN
Capital Islamabad
Major cities Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Hyderabad
Main religions Muslim, Christian, Hindu
Languages Punjabi, Pashtu, Urdu, English, Sindhi
Currency Rupee
Longest river Indus
Highest mountain K2
National bird Chukar partridge
Landmarks Khyber Pass, Shalimar Gardens, Shah Faisal Mosque
Famous Pakistanis Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Benazir Bhutto
Did you know?
Pakistan’s name means, “Pure land”
PARAGUAY
Capital Asuncion
Major cities San Pedro, Concepcion, Pilar, Ciudad del Este
Main religions Roman Catholic, Mennonite
Languages Spanish, Guarani
Currency Guarani
Longest river Rio Paraguay
Highest mountain Cerro Pero
National anthem Paraguayans Republic Or Death
Landmarks Itaipu Dam
Famous Paraguayans Diego Ferreira, Julio Cesar Franco
Did you know?
In Paraguayan mythology the god Abaangui cut
off his nose that became the moon
PERU
Capital Lima
Major cities Callao, Cusco, Chiclayo, Huanuco
Religions Roman Catholic
Languages Spanish, Quecha, Aymara
Currency Neuvo Sol
Longest river Amazon
Highest mountain Nevado Huascaran
National anthem We Are Free, Let Us Remain So Forever
Landmarks Machu Picchu (the lost city of the Incas)
Famous Peruvians Cesar Vallejo, Teofilo Cubillas
Did you know?
Peru is home to Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake
PHILIPPINES
Capital Manila
Major cities Quezon City, San Fernando, Batangas
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist
Languages Filipino, English, various dialects including Tagalog and Pampango
Currency Philippine peso
Longest river Cagayan
Highest mountain Mount Apo
National sport Basketball
Landmarks San Juanico Bridge, Aguinaldo Shrine
Famous Filipinos Imelda Marcos, Cory Aquino
Did you know?
The republic of the Philippines is made up of
7,107 separate islands
POLAND
Capital Warsaw
Major cities Krakow, Gdansk, Lodz, Katowice, Poznan
Main religions Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant
Languages Polish
Currency Zloty
Longest river Vistula
Highest mountain Rysy
National dance Mazurka
Landmarks Auschwitz concentration camp, Wieliczka salt mine, Ksiaz Castle
Famous Poles Marie Curie, Pope John Paul II, Roman Polanski, Lech Walesa, Chopin
Did you know?
The Polish alphabet contains 35 letters
PORTUGAL
Capital Lisbon
Major cities Setubal, Porto, Faro, Coimbra, Averio, Barreiro
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages Portuguese, Mirandese
Currency Euro, replaced the escudo
Longest river Tagus
Highest mountain Ponta do Pico
National bird Rooster
Landmarks Belem Tower, Church of Bom Jesus
Famous Portuguese Luis Figo, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, Eusibio
Did you know?
In a Portuguese bullfight it is illegal for the bull to be killed
ROMANIA
Capital Bucharest
Major cities Arad, Barsav, Timisoara, Craoiva, Giurgiu
Main religions Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim
Languages Romanian, Hungarian, German
Currency Leu
Longest river Danube
Highest mountain Moldoveanu
National anthem Awaken Thee Romanian
Landmarks Carpathian Mountains, Monastery of Horezu
Famous Romanians Ilie Nastase, Nadia Comaneci, Edward G Robinson (born in Bucharest)
Did you know?
The literary character of Dracula was based
on the Romanian Prince of Wallachia, Vlad the Impaler
RUSSIA
Capital Moscow
Major cities Volvograd, St Petersburg, Murmansk, Rostov
Main religions Russian Orthodox, Muslim
Languages Russian
Currency Rouble
Longest river Volga
Highest mountain Gora Elbrus
National emblem Two headed black eagle
Landmarks Kremlin, St Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square, Bolshoi Theatre
Famous Russians Tchaikovsky, Lev Yashin,
Rudolf Nureyev, Vladimir Lenin, Yuri Gagarin
Rasputin, Josef Stalin, Mikhail Gorbachev, Gary Kasparov
Did you know?
Siberia is home to the world’s deepest lake, Lake Baikal that reaches a depth of 1741m
SAUDI ARABIA
Capital Riyadh
Major cities Mecca, Medina, Al Jubayl, Jiddah
Main religions Muslim
Languages Arabic
Currency Riyal
Longest river There are no permanent rivers or lakes in Saudi Arabia
Highest mountain Jabal Sawda
National emblem Pair of crossed swords beneath a palm tree
Landmarks Holy Mosque in Mecca, King Fahd Causeway
Famous Saudis King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince Abdullah
Did you know?
The words alcohol, almanac and admiral all originated in the Arabic language
SOUTH AFRICA
Capital Pretoria (administrative), Bloemfontein (judicial), Cape Town (legislative)
Major cities Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Kimberley
Main religions Christian, Muslim, Hindu
Languages 11 official languages including Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, Zulu
Currency Rand
Longest river Orange River
Highest mountain Njesuthi
National bird Blue crane
Landmarks Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope, Witwatersrand University
Famous South Africans Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Steve Biko, Gary Player, Ernie Els
Did you know?
When Graca Machel married Nelson Mandela in
1998, she became the first ever woman to
have married the leaders of two different countries. Her first husband Samora
Machel was the
first President of Mozambique
SPAIN
Capital Madrid
Major cities Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Cadiz, Toledo, Zaragoza
Main religions Roman Catholic
Languages Spanish, Catalan, Basque, Galican
Currency Euro, replaced the peseta
Longest river Ebro
Highest mountain Mount Teide (located on the island of Tenerife)
National symbol Pomegranate
Landmarks Alhambra Palace in Granada, Neptune’s Fountain in Madrid
Famous Spaniards Pablo Picasso, El Cid, Julio Iglesias, Salvador Dali, Severiano Ballesteros
Did you know?
The first ever woman to feature on a stamp in the USA was Queen Isabella of Spain
SRI LANKA
Capital Colombo
Major cities Ratnapura, Negombo, Galle, Mannar
Main religions Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Christian
Languages Sinhala, Tamil
Currency Sri Lanka rupee
Longest river Maheweli
Highest mountain Pidurutalagala
National emblem Lion brandishing a sword
Landmarks Adams Peak, a mountain that holds a
distinction of being sacred to four
Different religions. (Buddhism, Hinduism, Muslim, Christian)
Famous Sri Lankans Aravinda de Silva
Did you know?
Ceylon, the former name of Sri Lanka, gave us the world’s first female Prime Minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike
SUDAN
Capital Khartoum
Major cities Al Fashir, Port Sudan, Omdurman, Al Qadarif
Main religions Sunni Muslim, Christian
Languages Arabic, Nubian, Nilotic, English
Currency Sudanese dinar
Longest river Nile
Highest mountain Kinyeti
National motto Victory Is Ours
Landmarks Republican Palace in Khartoum
Famous Sudanese Poet, Mustafa Sayed Ahmed
Did you know?
Sudan is Africa’s largest country by area
SWEDEN
Capital Stockholm
Major cities Gothenburg, Malmo, Uppsala, Halmstad
Main religions Lutheran Roman Catholic, Christian, Jewish, Buddhism, Muslim
Languages Swedish
Currency Krona
Longest river Muonio-Torne
Highest mountain Kebne
National emblem Lion
Landmarks Trollhattan Falls, Jukksjarvi ice hotel, Royal Palace in Stockholm
Famous Swedes Abba, Bjorn Borg, Ingrid
Bergman, Greta Garbo, Alfred Nobel, Sven
Goran Eriksson, Henrik Larsson, Max von Sydow
Did you know?
The city of Stockholm was built on fourteen islands connected by bridges
SWITZERLAND
Capital Bern
Major cities Zurich, Geneva, Lucerne, Lausanne
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages German, French, Italian, Romansch
Currency Swiss franc
Longest river Rhine
Highest mountain Dufourspitze, also known as Monte Rosa
National anthem Step Into The Rosy Dawn
Landmarks Mount Eiger, Matterhorn, St Peter’s Church in Zurich
Famous Swiss Roger Federer, Sepp Blatter, Herman Hesse, Martina Hingis
Did you know?
The main source of power in Switzerland is hydro-electric power
SYRIA
Capital Damascus
Major cities Tadmur, Aleppo, Al Hasakah, As Suwayda
Main religions Sunni Muslim, Alawite, Jewish, Christian
Languages Arabic, Kurdish, Aramaic, Armenian
Currency Syrian pound
Longest river Euphrates
Highest mountain Mount Hermon
National anthem Defenders Of The Homelands, Greetings
Landmarks Azem Palace, Omayyad Mosque
Famous Syrians President Bashar al-Assad, St Paul
Did you know?
In ancient times parts of Syria along with
Persia, Sumer and Babylon formed an area known as
The Fertile Crescent
THAILAND
Capital Bangkok
Major cities Sattahip, Phuket, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai
Main religions Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Hindu
Languages Thai, English,
Currency Baht
Longest river Chao Phraya
Highest mountain Doi Inthanon
National sport Thai boxing
Landmarks Victory Monument, The Grand Palace, Bayoke Towers
Famous Thais James Wattana, Visoot Tungarat (known as The Asian Elvis)
Did you know?
The word Thai means, “free” in the Thai language
TUNISIA
Capital Tunis
Major cities Sousse, Medenine, Sfax, Gafsa
Main religions Muslim, Christian, Jewish
Languages Arabic, French
Currency Tunisian dinar
Longest river Medjerda
Highest mountain Jebel ech Chambi
National anthem O Defenders Of The Home Land
Landmarks Ruins of Carthage, Atlas Mountains, Palace of El Abdellia
Famous Tunisians Habib Bourguiba (first President of independent Tunisia)
Did you know?
In the film Star Wars, the scenes depicting
Tatooine, the home planet of Luke Skywalker, were shot in Tunisia
TURKEY
Capital Ankara
Major cities Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, Samsun
Main religions Muslim, Christian
Languages Turkish, Kurdish
Currency Turkish lira
Longest river Kizilirmak
Highest mountain Mount Ararat
National emblem Crescent moon
Landmarks Bosphorus Bridge, The Blue Mosque in Istanbul
Famous Turks Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Hakan Sukur
Did you know?
Turkey is the only country to have territory in both Asia and Europe
UGANDA
Capital Kampala
Major cities Entebbe, Mbale, Gulu, Masaka
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim
Languages English, Ganda
Currency Uganda shilling
Longest river Nile
Highest mountain Mount Stanley
National emblem Crane
Landmarks Murchison Falls, Mount Elgon National Park
Famous Ugandans Idi Amin, Milton Obote
Did you know?
In 1962, Uganda gained its independence from
the United Kingdom
UKRAINE
Capital Kiev
Major cities Chernobyl, Donetsk, Odessa, Luhansk
Main religions Ukrainian Orthodox, Ukrainian Catholic, Protestant, Jewish
Languages Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian
Currency Hryvnia
Longest river Dnieper
Highest mountain Mount Hoverla
National emblem Trident
Landmarks Vidubytskyi Monastery, Independent Square in Kiev
Famous Ukrainians Sergey Bubka, Isaac Stern, Jack Palance (of Ukrainian descent)
Did you know?
Ukraine acquired the nickname of “The
Breadbasket of Europe”, due to its richness of natural resources
UNITED KINGDOM
Capital London
Major cities Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Belfast
Main religions Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Jewish
Languages English, Welsh, Gaelic
Currency Pound sterling
Longest river Severn
Highest mountain Ben Nevis
National bird Robin
Landmarks Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh Castle
Famous Brits David Beckham, Tony Blair, Bobby
Moore, The Beatles, Henry VIII
Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria, Duke of Wellington
Did you know?
The top ten greatest Britons of all time, as
voted by BBC viewers, read as follows:
1 Winston Churchill 2 Isambard Kingdom Brunel 3 Lady Diana 4 Charles Darwin 5
William
Shakespeare 6 Isaac Newton 7 Elizabeth I 8 John Lennon 9 Horatio Nelson 10
Oliver Cromwell
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Capital Washington DC
Major cities New York, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Houston, Miami
Detroit, Dallas, Philadelphia, Denver
Main religions Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish
Languages English, Spanish
Currency Dollar
Longest river Mississippi
Highest mountain Mount McKinley
National Independence July 4, 1776
Landmarks Statue of Liberty, The White House, Grand Canyon, Golden Gate Bridge, Empire State Building
Famous Americans Muhammed Ali, Clint Eastwood, George Washington, Neil Armstrong
Did you know?
The size of the USA was doubled in 1803 after
the purchase of Louisiana from France.
URUGUAY
Capital Montevideo
Major cities Mercedes, Fray Bentos, Colonia, Minas
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish
Languages Spanish, Portunol
Currency Uruguayan Peso
Longest river Parana
Highest mountain Cerro Catedral
National anthem Easterners, The Fatherland Or Death
Landmarks Pocitos Beach, El Faro Lighthouse
Famous Uruguayans Gustav Poyet, Jose Enrique Rodo
Did you know?
The official full name of Uruguay is Republica Oriental del Uruguay
VENEZUELA
Capital Caracas
Major cities Valencia, San Cristobal, Marcaibo, Puerto La Cruz
Main religions Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages Spanish
Currency Venezuelan Bolivar
Longest river Orinoco
Highest mountain Pico Bolivar
National bird Troupial
Landmarks Angel Falls (highest waterfalls in the world)
Famous Venezuelans Simon Bolivar, President Hugo Chavez
Did you know?
Venezuela along with Colombia and Ecuador was founded following the disintegration of Gran Colombia in 1830
ZIMBABWE
Capital Harare
Major cities Bulawayo, Hwange, Mutare, Chitungwiza
Main religions Christian, Muslim, various indigenous religions
Languages English, Shona, Ndebele
Currency Zimbabwean dollar
Longest river Zambezi
Highest mountain Mount Inyangani
National anthem Blessed Be The Land Of Zimbabwe
Landmarks Kariba Dam, Victoria Falls
Famous Zimbabweans Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, Ian Smith
Did you know?
Zimbabwe played their first ever cricket test
match on October 18, 1992, drawing with India