Countries

Prelude

In general, I'm not a big fan of questions about which countries (or states, etc.) share borders. For example: "Which country has land borders with Cameroon, Niger, Libya, Egypt, Sudan and the Central African Republic?" (Answer: Chad.) Even worse, IMHO, is the type that asks things like: "If you sailed due east from New York, what would be the first European country in which you made landfall?" (Answer: Portugal – about 25 miles from its northern border with Spain.)

But such questions are quite popular with setters, so we might as well be as well–prepared as possible. Here's a map (which I stole from geology.com) that should help (but note that it doesn't show East Timor or South Sudan):

Click on the map for a larger version (in a new tab).

Here are a couple of specific lists that are worth remembering.

Africa

Firstly, the African countries with a Mediterranean coast (from west to east):

As anyone with any sort of grasp of Middle Eastern politics should be aware, Egypt's eastern border is with Israel. Note also that Morocco has a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, as well as one on the Mediterranean.

Central America

And secondly, the countries of Central America (from south–east to north–west). We'll start with the ones that have both a Pacific and a Caribbean coast:

Note that in the above table, each country has borders with the countries that come both before and after it.

I have a mnemonic (which I made up myself) to help me remember the Central American countries. For the five countries with Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, it is: Peter Cushing Naturally Hates Garlic.

There are two countries however that only have coastlines on one or the other (Pacific or Caribbean). We can include them, with a hint of caution:

To include the two that only have coasts on one side, I extend my mnemonic to: Peter Cushing Naturally Hates Eating Garlic Bread.

The first list (and its mnemonic) takes us right through the isthmus, from Colombia to Mexico. (It's well worth remembering, by the way, that the South American country that borders Central America is Colombia.) If we want to place El Salvador and Belize precisely, we need to remember that El Salvador is on the Pacific side and Belize is on the Caribbean side. We should also remember that Belize does have a border with Mexico.

This could all be a bit mind–blowing, and it's not really clear on the world map above. So here's one (stolen from Wikitravel) that should help; and it even marks the capital cities.

Central America Map

If you want to test yourself: I found this quiz quite clever. It also includes the larger Caribbean countries.

(This is one of over two hundred quizzes on Lizard Point – intended for school students, but great for quizzers also. It's my new favourite website!)

Biggest Countries

The world's ten largest countries, by area – according to worldometers.info:

	Area (sq. miles)	Area (sq. km)	Population	Pop. ranking	Continent
1	6,601,665	17,098,242	146,203,613	9	Europe / Asia	Russia
2	3,855,101	9,984,670	40,528,396	36	North America	Canada
3	3,747,877	9,706,961	1,392,399,000	2	Asia	China
4	3,618,783	9,372,610	335,893,238	3	North America	United States
5	3,287,955	8,515,767	203,080,756	7	South America	Brazil
6	2,969,906	7,692,024	26,821,557	54	Australasia	Australia
7	1,269,345	3,287,590	1,409,670,000	1	Asia	India
8	1,073,518	2,780,400	46,654,581	31	South America	Argentina
9	1,052,089	2,724,900	20,033,546	62	Asia	Kazakhstan
10	919,595	2,381,741	45,400,000	33	Africa	Algeria

Population figures are the latest given by Wikipedia in March 2024.

Smallest Countries

The world's ten smallest countries, by area – according to worldometers.info:

	Area (sq. miles)	Area (sq. km)	Population	Pop. ranking	Continent
1	0.19	0.49	764	195	Europe	Vatican City
2	0.77	2.0	39,050	190	Europe	Monaco
3	8	21	11,680	193	Oceania	Nauru
4	10	26	10,679	194	Oceania	Tuvalu
5	24	61	33,889	191	Europe	San Marino
6	62	160	39,724	189	Europe	Liechtenstein
7	70	181	42,418	188	Oceania	Marshall Islands
8	101	261	47,195	187	North America	Saint Kitts and Nevis
9	100	300	515,132	167	Asia	Maldives
10	122	315	519,562	166	Europe	Malta

Population figures are the latest given by Wikipedia in March 2024.

Country Calling Codes

I would have referred to these as International Dialling Codes; but Wikipedia calls them Country Calling Codes.

They do come up from time to time, when the question setter is getting really desperate. There is a sort of system to them; it makes sense at a certain level (the first digits after the + sign) but then it descends into what looks pretty much like organised chaos. There must be some logic to it, based apparently on number of subscribers; but it's far from obvious to me.

The following table summarises the make–up of the nine main groups, within which each country's code starts with the same digit.

Keen quizzers may feel they should have some degree of familiarity with the codes for some of the world's more prominent nations – for example, members of the G20. These are all given either in the table or in the associated notes.

1		USA, Canada (both 1), and some Caribbean and Atlantic island nations
2		Africa, Greenland (299)
3		Most of Europe, and Armenia
4		The UK, Germany, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, and Scandinavia excluding Finland
5		South America, Mexico, and some Caribbean and Atlantic island nations
6		Australasia (including Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines)
7		Russia and Kazakhstan (both 7)
8		China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and some other South–East Asian countries
9		The rest of Asia (including the Middle East)

Other

The first country, alphabetically		Afghanistan
"Land of the Eagles" (symbol is a black double–headed eagle on a red background)		Albania
Proclaimed itself the world's first Atheist state, in 1967
The closest country to Corfu (closer than the Greek mainland)
Africa's largest country (by area) – following the independence of South Sudan in 2011		Algeria
The city of Constantine, founded by the Phoenicians in around 200 BC, is today the third largest city in		Algeria
Independent Pyrenean state between France and Spain		Andorra
Fourteen British mercenaries were executed by firing squad, in 1976, in		Angola
Second–largest country in South America by area, and third by population (Brazil is largest by both measures; Colombia is second by population)		Argentina
The world's largest Spanish–speaking country, by area (eighth largest overall)
Córdoba is the second largest city in cordoba
Name comes from the Latin for silver
Lake Eyre (15m below sea level) is the lowest point in; the Lake Eyre Basin (one of the world's largest drainage basins) covers one sixth of		Australia
Lake Amadeus, Lake Disappointment, Lake Torrens
The Great Victoria Desert (the world's sixth largest), the Great Sandy Desert, and the Simpson Desert
The world's largest supplier of opal
The wattle blossom is the national flower of
Budgerigars are native to
Laid claim to almost half of Antarctica in 1933
Arnhem Land (reserve); Murchison River; Kakadu National Park
The world's longest fence (the Dingo Fence – 5614 km, 3488 miles)
Guy Fawkes River National Park (the river named after the discoverers camped there on 5 November 1821)
Kakadu National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site – renowned for the richness of its Aboriginal cultural sites)
First country to mandate plain packaging for tobacco products (2012)
Has held a National Sorry Day (a.k.a. National Day of Healing) since 1998, as part of an ongoing process of reconciliation between its indigenous and settler populations
Burgenland, Carinthia, Styria and Vorarlberg are four of the nine states (Bundeslander – the others are named after cities, or the country itself) of		Austria
Nagorno Karabakh is a de facto autonomous republic within; Nakhchivan is an exclave (separated by Armenia) of		Azerbaijan
Commonwealth country: consists of over 700 coral islands, about 20 of which are inhabited, the largest being Andros		Bahamas
Island nation in the Persian Gulf		Bahrain
Produces 70% of the world's jute		Bangladesh
Chittagong is a large seaport in
Cox's Bazar Beach – named after the town of Cox's Bazar, and said to be the world's longest unbroken sea beach – is the top tourist destination in
Name comes from either the Portuguese or Spanish for 'bearded ones'		Barbados
Corresponds roughly to a region known historically as White Russia – which is an approximate translation of its official name		Belarus
Seceded from the Netherlands, 1830		Belgium
First country to legalise euthanasia for terminal patients of any age (2014)
Flanders, Wallonia and the Capital Region (whose full title includes the name of the capital) are the three regions (the first two being divided into provinces) of
Hainaut, Namur and Limburg are three of the ten provinces of
The battles of Waterloo, Ramillies, Quatre Bras and Mons were fought in
Antwerp, Bruges (Brugge), Liege, Mons, Ostend and Zeebrugge are major towns or cities in
A Walloon is (usually) a French–speaking native of
The only country in Central America without a Pacific coastline		Belize
Britain's oldest colony; voted against independence in 1995		Bermuda
Known to its inhabitants as Druk Yul (Land of the Thunder Dragon); its kings are known by the sobriquet Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King), and its people as Drukpa, (Dragon people)		Bhutan
Bordered by China (Tibet) and India (as is Nepal)
The last country in the world to get both television and the Internet
Named after the leader (born in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1783) known as the Liberator		Bolivia
Sucre is the constitutional capital and seat of the judiciary, and Santa Cruz (de la Sierra) is the largest city, of
Lost its coastline to Chile in 1879
The Kalahari Desert covers up to 70% (depending on the season) of		Botswana
The largest country in South America, the largest country in the world that's crossed by the Equator, and the only one that's crossed by the Equator and either of the Tropics		Brazil
Salvador, Fortaleza, Belo Horizonte, Manaus and Recife are major cities in
The world's largest Roman Catholic population
Xingu National Park; Cape Branco (easternmost point of S. America)
The port of Niterói is the chief shipbuilding centre of
Produces about one third of the world's coffee
Petrópolis was named after Pedro II, the second emperor of, was the summer residence of the emperors of (in the 19th century), is known as the Imperial City of, and is now a popular winter resort in
Mato Grosso (pronounced matu grossu, meaning 'thick bushes') is the third largest of the 26 states of
The only independent state wholly on the island of Borneo		Brunei
Plovdiv is the second largest city in; Varna (known from 1949 to 1956 as Stalin) and Bourgas (Black Sea ports and holiday resorts) are the third and fourth largest		Bulgaria
Angkor Wat – the world's largest temple complex		Cambodia
Siem Reap (best known globally for its proximity to the above tourist attraction) is the second largest city in		Cambodia
Has over two million lakes (claims to have about half of the world's lakes); the Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake are two of its largest; produces more hydroelectric power than any other country		Canada
The only Commonwealth country with Pacific and Atlantic coastlines
The maple leaf has been a national symbol for over 200 years
Magnetic North is in
Longest coastline (a little over 150,000 miles)
Known as the Breadbasket of the World
District of Mackenzie, Mackenzie River, Mackenzie Mountains
National Parks: Banff (oldest – established in 1885), Fundy, Jasper, Kluane (biggest – established in 1993)
Joined the G6 in 1976 (one year after its foundation) to form the G7
Greenand's nearest neighbour
Cirque du Soleil (circus entertainment company) was founded in
Wood Buffalo National Park – the world's second largest, after Northeast Greenland
Atlantic archipelago, 300 miles off Senegal: Republic of		Cape Verde
Africa's largest landlocked country, and the world's third largest (after Kazakhstan and Mongolia)		Chad
Valpariso (one of the South Pacific's most important seaports); Cape Horn; Atacama Desert (the world's driest)		Chile
Includes the closest landfall to Antarctica
Paranal Observatory, home of the imaginatively–named Very Large Telescope
Produces one third of the world's copper
Suffered an earthquake in May 1960 that measured 9.5 on the Richter scale – the strongest since seismographic recording began
Produces most cotton, wheat and tobacco		China
Has the world's largest army
Has borders with more countries than any other (14)
The point on the Earth's surface that is farthest from the sea is in
Gunpowder, rockets, fireworks, paper money, the compass and the canal lock were all invented in
Indian ink comes from
Third country to put a man in space (2003)
The largest country in the world that has a single time zone (since 1949, for political reasons)
The giant panda is native to
Drew level with Italy as the country with the most World Heritage Sites (55 each)
Second most populous country in South America, after Brazil (fourth largest in area – after Brazil, Argentina and Peru)		Colombia
The only South American country with both a Pacific and a Caribbean coast
The only South American country that has a border with Central America (Panama)
Until 1903, Panama was a province of
The town of Leticia – a major port on the Amazon River – stands at the "triple point" of Brazil, Peru and ... (the country to which it belongs)
Bobby Moore was arrested in 1970 (in the run–up to the FIFA World Cup in Mexico) after being accused of stealing a bracelet, in
Island nation at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel		Comoros
Goma (devastated by volcanic lava flow, 2002)		Congo
Africa's second largest country, by area, after Algeria		DR Congo
Katanga (now split into four separate provinces) was, between 1966 and 2015, a province of
Banana is a small seaport on the short coastline of
Became the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army, 1949 (originally in December 1948 by President Jose Ferrer, following his victory in a civil war)		Costa Rica
Known in its own language as Hrvatska; top–level internet domain name ".hr"		Croatia
Coat of arms (represented on the national flag) is a red–and–white chequerboard shield (with five smaller shields, representing its five different historical regions); the origin of the chequerboard shield is obscure, but it is reflected in the shirts worn by the national football team
Dalmatia is a coastal region of
Cres, Krk and Brač are the largest islands of; Korčula, Vis, Pag and Rab are other islands (and popular holiday destinations) in
Viñales Valley – a popular tourist destination, particularly for hiking and rock climbing		Cuba
Ended a 50–year rift with the USA in 2014		Cuba
Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, Famagusta and Kyrenia are major cities of		Cyprus
Halloumi cheese comes from		Cyprus
The only two European countries, other than the UK and Ireland, that drive on the left		Cyprus
		Malta
The bren gun originated in		Czechoslovakia
Consists of the historic regions of Bohemia and Moravia, plus parts of Silesia and Lower Austria		Czech Republic
Plzeň (Pilsen) – the city that gives its name to Pilsner beer
The Sedlec Ossuary – the crypt of a chapel in the town of Kutná Hora – is one of the most–visited tourist attractions in
Bohemian Switzerland National Park – part of a larger region of the same name, which includes Europe's largest sandstone arch
Consists of most of the Jutland peninsula and several islands; capital stands on the island of Zealand		Denmark
Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg are respectively the second, third and fourth largest cities in
Bornholm, Roskilde and Viborg are counties of
Roskilde is now the 10th largest city in ... but was its capital from the 11th century until 1443, and 39 of its former kings are buried there
Joined the Common Market along with UK and Ireland in 1973; voted against the Maastricht Agreement in 1992, but in favour in 1993
The headquarters of the Lego Group are in
The Order of the Elephant (of ancient origin, formally instituted in 1693) is the highest honour in
The only African country whose capital city has the same name as the country		Djibouti
Puerto Plata is the principal tourist airport of		Dominican Republic
Michael Jackson and Lisa–Marie Presley married, in 1994, in		Dominican Republic
The top–level internet domain name '.dd' was assigned to (but never used)		East Germany
Name means "East East"		East Timor
The only Asian country that has Portuguese as an official language (not counting Macau)		East Timor
Named after a line of latitude		Ecuador
Guayaquil is the most populous city in
Toquilla straw hats, or Panama hats, were originally made, and still are made, in (they're then shipped overseas from Panama; the art of weaving them is recognised by UNESCO as part of this country's cultural heritage)
Coat of arms (shown on the national flag) shows the Guayas River descending from the volcano Chimborazo, and is crested with a condor
South American country that was an OPEC member from 1973 to 1992 and from 2007 to 2019
Bordered by Libya, Sudan and the Gaza Strip		Egypt
Capital city is on the island of Bioko, and was known until 1973 as Santa Isabel		Equatorial Guinea
The only sovereign African state where Spanish is an official language		Equatorial Guinea
Santa Ana is the second largest city, and a major coffee producing centre, in		El Salvador
The only country in Central America without an Atlantic coastline		El Salvador
El Alamein; Valley of the Kings; Sinai peninsula; Alexandria is the major port of		Egypt
The Blue Nile rises in		Ethiopia
Viti Levu is the largest, and Vanua Levu the second largest, island of; allowed its Commonwealth membership to lapse following the military coups of 1987 led by Col. Sitiveni Rabuka		Fiji
Claims to have over 60,000 lakes; about 10% of its surface area is lakes		Finland
Known in its native language as Suomi
Espoo and Vartaa are the second and third largest cities in
Communications company Nokia is based in
The smallest country, by population, to have hosted the summer Olympics (2010 estimate 5,375,000)
Largest country in the European Union, by area		France
First to have number plates on cars; first to introduce driving tests
Has produced more Nobel Literature laureates than any other country (15)
Strasbourg and Chamonix (winter sports resort and climbing centre) are in
Y is a village in
Smallest country on the African mainland, by area		Gambia (The)
Consists of a strip of land, about ten miles wide and 300 miles long, on both banks of the river of the same name
Surrounded on three sides by Senegal, and on the fourth by the sea
Left the Commonwealth in 2013, but rejoined in 2018
Most populous state in the European Union		Germany
European country that has borders with nine countries (more than any other)
The only country that Denmark shares a border with
Neanderthal is a valley in
Black Forest
The first African nation to win independence from Britain (1957)		Ghana
Ashanti, a former native kingdom suppressed by the British in 1900 after four wars, is part of
After World War I, British Togoland became part of (the French protectorate became Togo)
The Black Volta and White Volta rivers (both of which rise in Burkina Faso) meet to form the Volta River and Lake Volta, in
Europa Point		Gibraltar
Known in its own language (and on its stamps) as Hellas		Greece
Cape Matapan, the southernmost point of mainland Europe, is in
Evia (a.k.a. Euboea) is the second largest island – by both area and population – of
The 12th country to join the Eurozone (2001), and the first to join the original 11
EU member state with the longest coastline
Tikal – an ancient Mayan city, home of the Temple of the Great Jaguar (dating from the 8th century AD)		Guatemala
The major Ebola outbreak of 2014–15 started in (later spreading to Sierra Leone and Liberia, and less seriously to Senegal, Mali and Nigeria)		Guinea
The only English–speaking country in South America – and the only mainland country whose cricketers can play for the West Indies		Guyana
Demerara River (gave its name to a former Dutch colony in, and the natural brown sugar that's produced there)		Guyana
Name comes from the Spanish word for 'depths', after an alleged remark by Columbus		Honduras
Copán is an ancient Mayan city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in		Honduras
Europe's largest landlocked country		Hungary
Debrecen (DEB–ret–sen) is the second–largest city in
Postage stamps are marked "Magyar Posta"
Lake Balaton – the largest lake in Central Europe – is a major tourist destination in
More volcanoes than any other European country; 85% of its homes are heated by underwater hot springs		Iceland
Smallest population of all the NATO member states, and the only one without a standing army; rated "the most peaceful country in the world" in 2011 by the Global Peace Index, largely due to its lack of armed forces (its only defence is its coastguard service)
One third of it is classified as desert (Europe's largest)
Vatnajokull National Park, said to be the largest in Europe
Bharat is the official name of; the Bharatiya Janata Party is one of the two main political parties in		India
The world's second most populous country, after China, and the most populous democracy
Separated from two of its neighbours (originally only one, but in two parts) by the Radcliffe Line
The peacock is the national bird, lotus the national flower, banyan the national tree
The Deccan Plateau (a.k.a. the Deccan Flats) is a large area, between two coastal mountain ranges, in
Arabic numerals, including the zero, originated in
Chess, and several other modern board games, are believed to have evolved from an ancient strategy game known as chaturanga, in
Produces most films per year
The first airmail service started (in 1911) in
Has over 7,000 universities (more than any other country – USA is next with 4,000)
Gained independence from the Netherlands in 1949, after a four–year armed and diplomatic struggle		Indonesia
The world's fourth most populous nation, after China, India and the USA (2018 estimate 268 million); includes all of the world's fifth largest island (Sumatra) and parts of the 2nd and 3rd largest (New Guinea and Borneo)
Bali, Krakatoa, Java, Sumatra, Sulowese, West Timor, most of Borneo (Kalimantan), part of New Guinea (Irian Jaya): all belong to
Shares New Guinea with Papua New Guinea
More volcanoes than any other country
The only Asian country crossed by the Equator; the southernmost point of Asia is in
The world's largest Muslim population
'The Peacock Throne' is a term used (erroneously, according to Wikipedia) in the West as a metonym for the monarchy of		Iran
Has coasts on the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman
Abadan (on the Persian Gulf) is the major port of
Shiraz is the fifth most populous city in
Produces half of the world's pistachio nuts
Coincides approximately with the area known in ancient history as Mesopotamia – including Babylon and Ur		Iraq
Left the Commonwealth in 1949		Ireland (Rep. of)
Largest defence spend per head		Israel
Has compulsory military service for women
Haifa is the major port of
The Negev Desert covers more than half of
Country with most UNESCO World Heritage Sites – up to 2019, when China caught it up, both having 55		Italy
Sestriere (ski resort)
South Tyrol is a German–speaking 'autonomous province' of
Abidjan is the largest city in, and the former capital of		Ivory Coast
Has three 'counties' called Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey		Jamaica
Montego Bay (tourist destination)		Jamaica
'The Chrysanthemum Throne' is a term used in English to refer to the monarchy of		Japan
Changed to driving on the left in 1978
Satsuma is the name of a town, district and province of
Disneyland: USA, France and ...
Highest life expectancy (according to the WHO, 2013)
Calendar: months not named but are known as 1st Month, 2nd Month, etc.
NHK (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai) is the national broadcaster of
The Hashemite Kingdom (after the dynasty that's ruled since the 10th century)		Jordan
Aqaba is the only seaport of
Ruins of the ancient city of Petra
Desert valley of Wadi Rum, famous for its association with Lawrence of Arabia
The world's largest landlocked country, and ninth largest overall		Kazakhstan
The second largest of the former USSR republics (after Russia)
Russia's longest land border is with
Baikonur Cosmodrome – the launch site for all Soviet and Russian manned space flights (including the one that took Briton Tim Peake to the International Space Station in 2015)
Masai Mara National Reserve		Kenya
Mombasa is the second largest city, and largest port, in		Kenya
Divided along the 38th parallel, as one of the conditions of the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II (approved on 17 August 1945)		Korea
Unilaterally declared its independence fom Serbia in 2008		Kosovo
Plain of Jars (an archaeological landscape, named after the artefacts that are scattered around it in groups of up to 100, believed to be associated with Iron Age burials)		Laos
The goddess of love and freedom, in its own pagan mythology, is Milda – her name used as a nickname for the maiden depicted on its coins and hallmarks, also for the Freedom Monument in its capital		Latvia
The only Arab country without a desert		Lebanon
The Beqaa (Bekaa) Valley is the most important farming region (producing, among other things, 90% of its wines) in
Cedar is the national tree
Tyre and Sidon
Commonwealth country, entirely surrounded by South Africa		Lesotho
West African republic, settled in 1822 by freed slaves from the Caribbean islands and the USA, as a colony of the American Colonization Society; its capital city is named after a US President who was a prominent supporter of the colonisation; declared itself independent in 1847; its independence was recognised by the USA in 1862		Liberia
Notorious for providing most so–called "flags of convenience" to ships from other countries		Liberia
Bordered by Austria and Switzerland; the River Rhine forms its entire western border; lies entirely within the Western Rhaetian Alps		Liechtenstein
Schaan, where a company called Ivoclar Vivadent makes 20% of the world's false teeth, is the largest town in		Liechtenstein
Tobruk, Benghazi		Libya
Leptis (or Lepcis) Magna – a prominent city of the Carthaginian and Roman Empires, whose ruins are among the best–preserved Roman sites in the Mediterranean		Libya
The first Soviet republic to declare independence (March 1990)		Lithuania
The world's highest GDP per head		Luxembourg
The Red Lands – named after the colour of its iron–laden earth – is the most heavily industrialised and most densely populated area in
Schengen – the village that gave its name to the European treaty of 1985 that provided for the removal of border controls between participating countries
The village of Findel is home to the only international airport in
Removed "Former Yugoslav" from the provisional name under which it was admitted to the United Nations in 1993, and inserted "North", in 2019 (following the resolution of a dispute with Greece)		(North) Macedonia (Republic of)
The Malagasy are the dominant ethnic group in		Madagascar
Blantyre – the capital of the district of the same name – is the commercial and industrial capital of, and the second largest city in		Malawi
The only Commonwealth country with an elected monarch		Malaysia
Island nation in the Indian Ocean, forming a chain approx. 500 miles long (north to south), 400 miles south–west of Sri Lanka		Maldives
The world's lowest highest point (2.4 m above sea level), and the lowest average height (1.5 m)
Asia's smallest country (298 km² – about three–quarters the size of the Isle of Wight)
Timbuktu is in		Mali
Commonwealth country: declared itself a republic in 1974, joined the EU in 2004		Malta
Name comes from the ancient Latin or Greek word for honey
Became the European Union's smallest member in 2004
Mdina (former capital of), Mosta (featuring the world's third largest dome)
Nightlife district Paceville
Newest town Pembroke, named after the British Secretary of War 1859
Baja California, Chihuahua and Tabasco are states in; Chihuahua is also the capital city of the state of the same name		Mexico
Chichen Itza, Calenque, and Calakmul and Tikal are ancient cities (all UNESCO World Heritage Sites) in
The dahlia is the national flower of
The world's largest supplier of silver
More Spanish speakers than any other country
"Mariachi" (also commonly applied to a small band of street musicians) is a type of folk music native to
Acapulco (seaport and coastal resort)
The breakaway state of Transnistria (having declared its independence in 1990) is internationally recognised as belonging to		Moldova
Most densely populated (16,923 per km²; see Singapore)		Monaco
Shortest coastline
Became the smallest member of the United Nations, in 1993, when it became a full voting member
Gained independence from Serbia in 2006; name means "black mountain"		Montenegro
Adopted the Euro unilaterally, although not officially part of the Eurozone (as did Kosovo, which is not a UN member)		Montenegro
The least densely populated UN member state – bigger than France, Spain and Germany combined, but with a population of only just over 3 million (Asian country)		Mongolia
Casablanca, Fez, Safi, Tangier, Agadir		Morocco
The only African country with both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines
Separated from Spain by the Straits of Gibraltar – the closest African country to mainland Spain
Madeira and its archipelago are off the coast of
Gained independence from Portugal in 1975; joined the Commonwealth in 1995, as the only member that had never had any constitutional link to Britain or any other member – but since joined by Rwanda		Mozambique
Twyfelfontein: site of over 2,000 rock paintings, from the 2nd millennium BC		Namibia
Walvis Bay (meaning Whale Bay): a city and popular tourist destination, known for Bird Island (an artificial platform in the sea, where birds congregate and guano is collected) and a huge sand dune known as Dune 7
Given access to the Zambesi river by the Caprivi Strip – named after the German Chancellor who negotiated the acquisition of the land in 1890, in an exchange with the UK
The world's smallest island nation: became a full member of the Commonwealth in 2000		Nauru
Eight of the world's ten highest mountains (Everest, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Annapurna) are either wholly or partly in		Nepal
The world's second largest Hindu population (after India) – 21.5 million in 2019
Chitwan National Park (famous for its wildlife)
Traditional home of the Gurkhas
Friesland is a province of		The Netherlands
Utrecht and Delft are cities in
Exports more cheese than any other
Highest population density in the European Union
Zeeland, after which New Zealand was named, is the westernmost province of (Zealand is the largest island of Denmark)
Efteling – based on ancient myths and legends, fairy tales, etc. – is one of the world's oldest theme parks, and the largest in
Furthest ahead of GMT (12 hours), and thus the first to greet every new day		New Zealand
Known to approximately 15% of its population as Aotearoa – '[the land of] the long white cloud'
Waitangi Day (Feb 6th) is the national day of
Sutherland waterfalls
Waimangu, the world's largest geyser
Fiordland National Park is by far the largest (of 14) in
The Tongariro National Park – a UNESCO world heritage site, acknowledged for both its natural and cultural significance – is the oldest national park in
Administers the Ross Dependency (Antarctica)
Lake Taupo (the caldera of a volcano of the same name) is the largest lake (by surface area) in
The Beehive is the popular name for the Executive Wing of the parliament buildings of
The largest of the seven countries of Central America, by area (and the third most populous)		Nicaragua
Africa's most populous country; the only OPEC member nation that has English as an official language		Nigeria
Separated (peacefully) from Sweden in 1905		Norway
Telemark is one of the 19 counties of
Lillehammer (host city of the 1994 Winter Olympics)
Utsira (as in sea areas North and South) is a small town in the south–west of
Tromso, Trondheim (home of Rosenborg FC), Bergen
Hammerfest (the world's most northerly town)
Sends a Christmas tree to London every year
Voted against joining the European Economic Community in 1972, prompting the resignation of its government, and again in 1994
The only country with dependencies in both the Arctic and Antarctic
Europe's five highest waterfalls are in
Jarlsberg cheese comes from
Name (coined 1933) means "land of the pure"		Pakistan
First country to leave and rejoin the Commonwealth (joined on gaining independence in 1947, left in 1972, rejoined in 1989)
Includes the only two of the world's ten highest mountains that aren't at least partly in Nepal (K2, Nanga Parbat)
Seceded from Colombia in 1903		Panama
The only Central American country that has a border with South America (Colombia)		Panama
Gained independence from Australia in 1975, and became its nearest neighbour		Papua New Guinea
Has over 850 indigenous languages (said to be more than any other country)		Papua New Guinea
Shiraz was the capital (1750–81) of		Persia (Iran)
The most distant source of the Amazon (from its mouth) is in		Peru
Punta Pariñas, a.k.a. Punta Balcones – the westernmost point of mainland South America – is also in
Machu Picchu (ancient Inca city)
Nazca lines (said to be the world's largest ever works of art – a number of ancient geoglyphs in the desert, which can only be properly seen from the air)
Arequipo and Trujillo (troo–HEE–o) are (respectively) the second and third largest cities in
Named (indirectly) after the husband of Queen Mary I of England, who was the second of his four wives		The Philippines
Luzon and Mindanao are the two largest of the 7,000+ islands of
Named after the country's second president, and officially its capital from 1948 to 1976, Quezon City is the most populous city in
Auschwitz is in; Piła (pronounced Piwa) and Płock (Pwotsk) are towns in; between the wars, Vilnius (capital of Lithuania) was in; placed under martial law 1981–3		Poland
Lusitania was a Roman province that included the modern country of; the Lusiads is/are the national epic of		Portugal
Lavender is the national flower of
Cape St. Vincent is the south–western extremity of
Fatima is a Christian shrine and site of pilgrimage in
Goa (Western India) was a colony (from 1510 to 1961) of
The world's largest producer of cork
Fado (meaning 'fate' or 'destiny') is a generally mournful style of folk music, originating in
Occupies a peninsula in the Persian Gulf; has a border only with Saudi Arabia		Qatar
Formed in 1861 by the merger of Moldavia and Wallachia; Timisoara is the second largest city in; Transylvania ('the land beyond the forest'), formerly part of Hungary, voted in 1918 to join		Romania
Bran – a small town famous for its mediaeval castle, which has alleged literary associations		Romania
The world's largest country (c. 17 million km² – approx. 80 times the size of GB)		Russia
Became the 54th member of the Commonwealth in 2009, despite having never been a British colony (see Mozambique)		Rwanda
The only country that's named after a real (i.e. not fictitious, legendary or mythological) woman		St. Lucia
Commonwealth country: part of the German Empire from 1900 to 1914, subsequently governed by a joint British and New Zealand colonial administration, gaining independence on 1 January 1962; dropped the word 'Western' from its name in 1997		Samoa
Savaii and Upolu are the principal islands of
Crossed the International Date Line (from east to west) at midnight on 29 December 2011, going straight to the 31st
The world's oldest continuous republic; Europe's smallest republic; an enclave of Italy		San Marino
Ruled since at least 1243 by two captains regent (as heads of state and heads of government), selected by the legislative body, from opposing parties, every six months (1 April and 1 October)
Dogano (pop. 7,000) is the largest city in
Consists principally of two islands in the Gulf of Guinea (off West Africa)		Sao Tomé and Principé
Hejaz – the region that includes Mecca and Medina		Saudi Arabia
The only country with coastlines on both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf (i.e. both sides of the Arabian peninsula)
The largest of the 17 countries worldwide that have no river
Closed all cinemas and theatres, as a political response to an increase in Islamist activism, including the 1979 seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca
Sometimes known as the Land of Cakes; Celtic name Alba		Scotland
Surrounds the Gambia on three sides		Senegal
Cape Verde (the westernmost point of Africa) is in		Senegal
Has its origins in a settlement (now its capital city) founded by the British in 1787 as a home for freed slaves; name means 'lion mountains' (after a range of mountains – it has no lions)		Sierra Leone
The world's second most densely populated country, and the most densely populated country with a population over 1 million (7,148 per km²; see Monaco)		Singapore
The merlion (mer–lion) – a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish – is the official mascot of		Singapore
Horn of Africa (the easternmost point of mainland Africa)		Somalia
Mainland African country with the longest coastline		Somalia
Has coastlines on the Atlantic and Indian oceans		South Africa
Sun City is a resort in
Tugela Falls (the world's second highest waterfall)
The Zulus are the most numerous ethnic group in
Produces 80% of the world's platinum
Busan (or Pusan) is the largest port of		South Korea
Hyundai – one of the world's biggest motor manufacturers – is based in		South Korea
Became the 193rd member of the United Nations, in 2011		South Sudan
Cape Finisterre, Cape Trafalgar		Spain
Most foreign visitors each year
Andalusia is a region of
Heir apparent carries the title Prince of Asturias
Ceuta and Melilla are exclaves (on the coast of Morocco) of
Kandy, Trincomalee, Jaffna and Galle are cities in		Sri Lanka
Sigiriya or Sinhagiri (Lion Rock – a rock fortress), Polonnaruwa (ancient royal city) and the Temple of the Tooth (in Kandy) are tourist attractions in		Sri Lanka
British Crown Colony on the Malay peninsula: Malacca, Penang, Singapore. Dissolved 1946		Straits Settlement
Nubian Desert (eastern Sahara)		Sudan
Often marked in green and pink diagonal stripes in the days of the British Empire
Darfur (West, North and South) is a region of
The smallest country in South America (not counting French Guiana, which is legally part of France), and the only one apart from Guyana where they drive on the left		Surinam
Renamed itself The Kingdom of Eswatini in 2018, to celebrate 50 years of independence		Swaziland
Bordered to the east by Mozambique, and on all other sides by South Africa		Swaziland
Sverige on stamps		Sweden
Lily of the valley is the national flower of
Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Malmo, and Uppsala are cities in
Vänern (VAY–nern) – the largest lake in Europe, outside Russia
Helvetia on stamps		Switzerland
Appenzeller, emment(h)al(er), gruyère and raclette are cheeses from		Switzerland
Aramaic was the language of Aram, which is the Biblical name for (modern country)		Syria
Official title is the Republic of China (as opposed to the People's Republic of China)		Taiwan
Mobile phone maker HTC is based in		Taiwan
Formed in 1964 by the merger of Tanganyika and Zanzibar		Tanzania
Olduvai Gorge – important fossil evidence of early Man
Serengeti National Park is in north–east
Mainland Asian country which borders Malaysia to the North		Thailand
Xi–Zang (Sitsang), an autonomous region of China since the 1950s, is better known as		Tibet
Name is derived from a Turkic word meaning 'the heights'		Tibet
One of Africa's smallest coutries, sandwiched between Ghana (to the west) and Benin (to the east); Burkina Faso lies to the north of all three		Togo
Home of the calypso		Trinidad
Lies between Algeria and Libya, on the north coast of Africa; Ras ben Sakka, the northernmost point of Africa (1km west of Ra's al Abyad, a.k.a. Cap Blanc, which is often cited) is in		Tunisia
Hammamet is a tourist resort (popular for swimming and water sports) in
The ruins of Carthage are near to the capital city of
El Djem – a town noted for its Roman ruins, especially an amphitheatre which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Tarsus (birthplace of St. Paul), Ephesus (site of the Temple of Diana) and the archaeological site of Troy are in		Turkey
Anatolia is the region that makes up the majority of
The Tigris and Euphrates both rise in
Batman is a provincial capital and approximately the 20th largest city in
NATO member that's furthest from the Atlantic Ocean
The Karakum Desert occupies about 70% of the land area of		Turkmenistan
Tiny Commonwealth nation with the lucrative Internet Top Level Domain name .tv		Tuvalu
Described by Winston Churchill (in 1907) as "... truly the Pearl of Africa"		Uganda
"Largest country on the European continent" (Wikipedia)		Ukraine
Crimean peninsula
Chernobyl
Odessa is the largest port in
The Donets Basin, also known as the Donbass, is a major industrial region in
The words 'Oriental Republic of' appear in the official name of		Uruguay
Fray Bentos (historically a meat processing centre – near the border with Argentina)		Uruguay
The world's largest Christian population		USA
The Philippines gained independence in 1946 from		USA
Samarkand is the second largest city in		Uzbekistan
Europe's smallest independent state, and the world's		Vatican City
Established by the Lateran Treaty, 1929		Vatican City
Said to have been named by Amerigo Vespucci, after an Italian city (Venice)		Venezuela
Trinidad lies less than 7 miles off the coast of
Angel Falls (the world's highest waterfall); Maracaibo – city and lake (the largest in South America)
Angostura (renamed Cuidad Bolivar in 1846)
The only one of OPEC's five founder members not in the Middle East, and the only member nation outside the Middle East and Africa (since Indonesia left in 2016 and Ecuador in 2020)
The Simon Bolivar Orchestra is formed of children from deprived backgrounds, from
Sucre (soo–cray) is the legal or judicial capital of
Name means 'land of the south' in its own language		Vietnam
Modern country that probably includes the biblical nation of Sheba (but Ethiopia also has a claim)		Yemen
Mocha (the port, famous for being the major marketplace for coffee from the 15th century until the early 18th century)		Yemen
Founded 1913 as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes; broke up in a series of political upheavals and conflicts during the early 1990s		Yugoslavia
The first Communist country to be visited by a ruling British monarch (1972)		Yugoslavia
Merged with Tanganyika in 1964 to form Tanzania		Zanzibar
Last country, alphabetically		Zimbabwe
The world's poorest country (GDP $200 per capita – CIA World Factbook 2008, cited by Wikipedia)
Mashonaland and Matabeleland are now part of
Name means 'house of stone' in the Mashona language (after an ancient architectural complex)
Political parties ZANU and ZUM; ZANU and ZAPU fought for its independence;
Bulawayo is the second–largest city in

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