Every country on Earth has its own unique characteristics that make it stand out from the rest. From geographical anomalies to cultural peculiarities, here are some interesting facts about the world's strangest countries.
8 strangest countries in the world, some are located in all 4 hemispheres
Việt Nam•07/07/2024France - Most time zones
France, known for its rich history, culture and cuisine , has the distinction of spanning the most time zones of any country in the world. Including its overseas territories, France covers a total of 12 time zones, ranging from UTC-10 in French Polynesia to UTC+12 in the French territories of Wallis and Futuna.
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| The most famous bridge in Paris is Le Pont Alexandre III, connecting the Place des Invalides and the Champs-Elysees with many elaborate and beautiful details. The bridge was built in 1900, like an open-air museum with many sculptures in gold and bronze. Photo: NYT |
Papua New Guinea - The most linguistically diverse country
Papua New Guinea is renowned for its incredible linguistic diversity. There are 839 living languages spoken across the country. This diverse linguistic landscape reflects the richness of the country’s culture and heritage, making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries on the planet.
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| Indigenous people in Papua New Guinea. Photo: FAO |
Kiribati - The only country in all 4 hemispheres
Kiribati, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, has the unique feature of being located in all four hemispheres of the Earth - Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Hemispheres. This geographical feature makes Kiribati an attractive destination for travelers who like to explore different parts of the world.
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Part of the island nation of Kiribati |
Ethiopia - The country 7 years behind the world
Ethiopia follows a different calendar system called the Ethiopian calendar, which is about seven times behind the Gregorian calendar commonly used around the world. This means that while the rest of the world entered the 21st century in 2001, Ethiopia was still in the 20th century.
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| Unlike the Western Gregorian calendar with 12 months, Ethiopia uses a 13-month calendar. Photo TOI |
Guam - Most Coral Roads
Guam, a US territory in the Western Pacific, is known for its unique infrastructure – coral roads. Because the island is so rich in coral, crushed coral was used to build many of the roads, giving them their distinctive look and texture. Guam has no natural sand.
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| Guam is a 17-hour flight from New York. Photo Pinterest |
North Korea - The most closed country
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is often considered one of the most closed and restrictive countries in the world. The government tightly controls information, movement, and interaction with the outside world, making it one of the most isolated countries on Earth.
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| Image of Hwasong district, Pyongyang on April 16, 2024 posted by KCNA |
Saudi Arabia - The country without a permanent river
Despite its vast size and diverse landscape, Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the world without a single permanent river. Although wadis (seasonal riverbeds) and oases dot the country, the lack of permanent rivers has important implications for water resource management and agriculture.
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Saudi Arabia is a country without rivers. |
Turkmenistan - The country with the strangest laws
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Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia bordering the Caspian Sea and largely covered by the Karakum Desert, famous for its archaeological sites including major stops along the ancient Silk Road trade route. |
Turkmenistan, located in Central Asia, is known for its eccentric leader and its myriad of unusual laws and regulations. From banning ballet and opera to renaming months and days of the week after the president and his family, Turkmenistan’s government has implemented many strange regulations that make it one of the most fascinating countries in the world. It’s also a country where young men are not allowed to have long hair or beards, and black and dirty cars are banned.
Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/8-quoc-gia-ky-la-nhat-the-gioi-co-nuoc-nam-tren-ca-4-ban-cau-post284229.html
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