Every country in the world (part one)

December 11, 2016 2:28 AM

Learn a little bit about half the world's countries in fifteen minutes.

My favourite? Because Ecuador is split by the equator, the country experiences summer and winter at the same time (seems so simple, it just never occurred to me).

posted by smoke (16 comments total)

That's interesting that Finland and Sweden readjusted their border to accommodate a lighthouse. About this time last year I wrote this post about Norway slightly adjusting it's border as a 100th birthday present for Finland, effectively giving them a mountain.

Well I just checked on the progress of that plan and they're not going ahead with it. I'm a little heartbroken Norway, that would have been the most epic gift ever! You should learn from Sweden's example. Finland built a lighthouse on their territory so they just drew a line around it. No big deal.
posted by adept256 at 3:07 AM on December 11, 2016 [3 favorites]

Is there a reason he didn't count Papua New Guinea as a country with 'Guinea' in it's title?

Also, Kiribati is not pronounced as it is written, it sounds more like ki-ri-bahss.
posted by adept256 at 3:27 AM on December 11, 2016 [4 favorites]

I was wondering about Papua new guinea, too! I thought maybe he just meant iv Africa. Also I believe lichtenstein is double land locked, as well.
posted by smoke at 3:54 AM on December 11, 2016

"the Polish side of this island, despite being only 200 feet from mainland Poland, is not connected by any bridges to Poland, so (...) residents have to cross international borders to get to their own country."

I'd use one of the two ferries, free of charge, but what do I know, I'm not a cool youtuber with access to the world's knowledge at my fingertips.
posted by hat_eater at 3:59 AM on December 11, 2016 [5 favorites]

I liked this, but the heavy focus on odd borders (à la CGP Grey) or popular "fun facts" made this slightly less impressive than if I'd learned something new about these countries. :/
posted by bigendian at 4:32 AM on December 11, 2016 [3 favorites]

I would have appreciated some cultural tidbits instead of world-fact-book type stuff and colonial histories. Although... am I the only one that found that comment about Israel being much more European than those Muslim neighbors oddly jarring.
posted by vacapinta at 5:48 AM on December 11, 2016 [2 favorites]

Lichtenstein Luxembourg borders France, whose mainland has borders on the Coast of the Atlantic, and the Mediterranean, as well as having parts surrounded by both the Indian (Reunion Island), and Pacific (Tahiti) Oceans. Parts of France are also in South American AND North America, meaning France can be found in North America, South America, Europe, and Africa. Until quite recently, you could have also been in Asia, and still be said to be in France as well.
posted by alex_skazat at 6:49 PM on December 11, 2016

And I'm totally wrong about Lichtenstein, I'm thinking Luxembourg, but I'm keeping it for the France facts (which you may find fault in - DO YOUR BEST!)

Although is Liechtenstein a country?
posted by alex_skazat at 6:51 PM on December 11, 2016

PROPER NOUNS IN SCRABBLE? I literally couldn't keep watching after that.
posted by deadcrow at 7:00 PM on December 11, 2016 [2 favorites]

That's what I came here to post about too, deadcrow!

It's good to see that Mefites have our priorities straight :)
posted by jrochest at 11:23 PM on December 11, 2016

Not sure what that are talking about, regarding a UN headquarters in Belgium. Lots of international agencies here, but only a small UN office.
posted by Steakfrites at 11:53 PM on December 11, 2016

The obscurantist in me loved that Uzbekistan is the only stan country in the world to be completely surrounded by Stan countries (countries that end in stan).
Stan means a Muslim Kingdom ?.
posted by Narrative_Historian at 12:05 AM on December 12, 2016 [1 favorite]

Wait...China plans to build a high-speed passenger rail to the US?
posted by mule98J at 12:44 PM on December 12, 2016

Stan means a Muslim Kingdom?

That would be news to Hindustan (India).
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:44 AM on December 13, 2016 [1 favorite]

The obscurantist in me loved that Uzbekistan is the only stan country in the world to be completely surrounded by Stan countries (countries that end in stan).

And is double landlocked.

That's right.

Landlocked by countries that are landlocked.

(!!)

Second in security only to Switzerland, with its thousands of explodable bridges!

Also apparently stan means place!
posted by benadryl at 2:41 AM on December 14, 2016

Estádio Milton Corrêa is a football stadium in Brazil where one goal is in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern.
posted by adept256 at 10:11 PM on December 14, 2016