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Have you ever heard about Armenia's mandatory chess lessons? or Brazil's obsession with live music? Or Eritrea's women soldiers in their fight for independence? In today's episode, we are covering one fact about EVERY country in the United Nations. Well, up through the letter G, because there are a lot. 1 Fact About Every Country in the UN. Part one. Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@MentalFloss?sub_confirmation=1 About Mental Floss: Mental Floss is where curious people come for trivia-tastic information. Mental Floss produces lists of fun facts, debunks common misconceptions, and tells untold stories from history, science, culture and more. Website: http://www.mentalfloss.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/mental_floss Facebook: https://facebook.com/mentalflossmagazine Discord: https://discord.io/mentalfloss Copyright Notice: This video and YouTube channel contain dialog, music, and images that are property of Mental Floss. You are authorized to share the video link and channel, and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to this YouTube Channel is provided. 2025 Mental Floss 1 Fact About Every Country in the UN (A-G) | Mental Floss https://www.youtube.com/@MentalFloss
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0:00
Did you know that Afghanistan's national sport features men on horseback trying to drop an
0:04
animal carcass into the circle of justice? The game is known as buzkashi, which has been translated to something like goat pulling
0:11
Sometimes the ball is actually a calf carcass. Sponsors run the gamut from local warlords to telecommunications companies
0:18
And while I'll admit that I have no interest in seeing one of the intense, sometimes grisly
0:23
matches firsthand, anyone turning their noses up at the ancient pastime might want to look
0:28
into the composition of an American baseball. Hi, I'm Erin McCarthy, and on this jumbo-sized edition of The List Show, I'm sharing one
0:35
fact about every country in the United Nations. Well, at least the countries from A to G. We'll have to do some more installments to
0:41
cover everything, but today we're hitting mandatory chess, seriously cheap beer, and
0:46
a whole lot more. Let's get started. There were once well over 100,000 bunkers in Albania, one for about every 15 people who
1:00
lived in the country. They were built on the commands of Enver Hocha, the country's paranoid mid-20th century dictator
1:07
While many have been destroyed or fallen into disrepair, others have been turned into hostels
1:11
homes, and even museums. Algeria's national animal is the fennec fox, the world's smallest fox
1:17
These little guys often weigh less than three pounds, and lend their name to the country's
1:21
national football team, who are known as Les Feniques. Tiny Andorra in the Pyrenees Mountains
1:26
is the world's only co-principality. Though the country is a parliamentary democracy with a prime
1:31
minister, the role as the official chief of state is jointly held by two princes. One is the president
1:36
of France. As of the filming of this video, that's Emmanuel Macron. The other is Spain's Bishop of
1:42
Urgel. Though Angola's official language is Portuguese, six members of the Bantu language
1:47
family are considered national languages, including umbundu, which is spoken natively by about a quarter of the country's population. Portuguese in Angola is influenced by languages
1:56
that predate colonization. The unique blend has been dubbed portugolano. In Antigua and
2:01
Barbuda, the fashion police take on a different meaning. It's illegal for civilians, including
2:06
tourists, to wear camouflage clothing, lest they be mistaken for military personnel. And
2:11
unlike some odd laws around the world that are on the books but not enforced, this one
2:16
is legit. You can read accounts online of people's camo clothing being taken from them at customs
2:21
and during the 2017 Carnival celebration, a police official announced on state radio that
2:26
any unsanctioned camouflage would be seized. Argentinians, as a general rule, like their beef
2:33
The country has over 14 million heads of cattle, almost enough for every three residents to share
2:38
a cow. The country's beef consumption per capita actually maxed out back in 1956 at more than 100
2:44
kilograms of meat per person. That's a little more than four pounds of beef per person every week
2:50
In 2011, Armenia made chess a mandatory subject for six- to eight-year-old students. We're not
2:55
talking about a daily class exactly, but the compulsory weekly lessons are an indication of
2:59
the country's passion for the game. Armenia has one of the highest rates of grandmaster chess
3:04
players per capita in the world. If I had been alive in the middle of the last century, I might
3:09
have made a trip to Sydney, Australia. Not to visit its world-famous opera house, which didn't
3:14
formally open until 1973, but to patronize what may be the world's unofficial first cat cafe
3:19
Located in one of the pylons of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, The Lookout was originally conceived as a
3:24
tourist-centric business, selling souvenirs and displaying an all-Australian exhibition meant to educate and entertain visitors. But after The Lookout's proprietor, Yvonne Rentoul, installed
3:34
a cattery in the far-flung spot, a group of adorable felines became minor celebrities
3:39
covered by ABC News Australia and photographed by the Daily Telegraph. The cats included George, Bridget, and Pylon
3:46
A guidebook from the era noted their immaculate garb and priestly aloofness
3:51
Austria is home to what may be the world's oldest extant restaurant and inn
3:55
Salzburg's St. Peter's Stiff's Culinarium. They claim it was name-checked in a poem from the year 803 CE
4:00
written by one of Charlemagne's advisors. When it first opened, St. Peter's didn't sell food so much as
4:05
give it out freely to religious travelers, leading to some controversy over the world's oldest restaurant crown
4:11
but with over a millennium of hospitality under its roof, I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt
4:17
Azerbaijan is called the land of fire, and that's not just a metaphorical nod to the passion of its citizens
4:23
With large quantities of oil and natural gas just below the surface, actual flames were known to leap out from the country's ground for millennia
4:30
Yanar Dag, or something like Burning Mountainside in English, is a modern-day example of what were once much more numerous so-called eternal flames
4:39
The Bahamas has an unfortunate habit of attracting unscrupulous outsiders. The Lucaans, who historically inhabited the islands, were largely wiped out within less than 30 years
4:49
of European contact. Blackbeard and Calico Jack are two of the many pirates who plied their
4:53
illegal trades in the islands during the early 18th century. And in 2017, the island of Great
4:58
eczema was home to the notorious fire festival, produced by now-convicted fraudster Billy McFarland
5:04
Bahrain is often considered to be the center of the lost ancient civilization of Dilmun
5:09
In the epic of Gilgamesh, Dilmun is described as some kind of paradise. In reality, it was an
5:14
important hub for commerce that traded with Mesopotamia and the Indus culture. Archaeological
5:19
evidence, including huge collections of burial mounds, point to the island of Bahrain's important
5:23
place in the once thriving civilization. Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country
5:28
on Earth, but has the rather rough record of being the most populous country to never
5:32
win an Olympic medal. But the country is very good at sports that are more popular in the
5:36
nation — especially cricket. Barbados derives its name from the Portuguese Os Barbados, or the bearded ones, or the Spanish
5:43
version of the same. That's probably not a reference to the grooming habits of the island's
5:47
indigenous inhabitants. Though it's hard to know for sure, the most widely accepted explanation
5:52
for the name, refers to fig trees found on the island, which have a woolly, sort of beard-like look
5:58
Belarus's capital, Minsk, is often referred to as one of the world's cleanest cities
6:02
Even when citizens take to the streets in protest, they're known to do so in a neat
6:06
orderly way. At a demonstration against integration with Russia, participants tore up photos of Vladimir
6:11
Putin but then collected the pieces to put in garbage cans. When citizens calling for long-serving President Alexander Lugashenka to step down, some could
6:19
be seen taking their shoes off before standing on public benches. As Mbado Lukashenko once
6:24
said, cleanliness is our brand. Belgium is a pretty small country, but one day it could be effectively chopped in half
6:31
In the southern Wallonia region, people generally speak French. In the north, sometimes known
6:36
as Flanders, they speak a version of Dutch known as Flemish. The capital city, Brussels
6:41
is geographically in the Flemish region but is considered independent and bilingual at least officially The country union seems poised to hold at least in the near term but the stark division between the regions has led to periodic
6:53
calls for partition. Belize is not exactly known for its skyscrapers. Its tallest buildings top
7:00
out at less than 100 feet. While its tallest structure, the so-called Sky Palace at Catacol
7:05
is part of a ruin from the Maya civilization. In Benin, voodoo doesn't involve sticking pins
7:10
in little effigies of your enemies. More often called Vaudun, it's actually considered an
7:14
official religion in the country, and influences the culture and lives of many citizens
7:19
including those who practice other religions. It's estimated that about 40 to 65 percent of
7:24
Benidese people participate or believe in some elements of voodoo. Chances are you haven't been
7:29
to Bhutan. The country has a pretty insular history. They only started officially permitting
7:34
tourists in 1974, and most visitors today have to pay a tourist fee of $200 per night
7:40
Cable television was only legalized in the Himalayan nation in 1999, presumably because
7:46
the king wanted to check out the Sopranos. Alasitas is a Bolivian festival with roots in the area's Aymara people
7:52
Today, the celebration often combines indigenous tradition, Christian devotion, and modern-day commerce
7:58
Many Bolivians, especially those in La Paz, where the largest Alasitas takes place, stock
8:03
up on miniature versions of the things they hope to acquire in the coming year
8:07
Everything from mini-automobiles to houses or even little university diplomas are fair game
8:12
These figurines are blessed by Catholic priests, and then offered up to the Indian god Ikiko in
8:17
hopes that the full-size versions of the items will enter participants' lives
8:21
The modern Olympics began in Athens in 1896. The next time the Games made their way to the
8:26
Balkans was 1984, when Bosnia and Herzegovina, then part of Yugoslavia, became the first social
8:32
estate to host the Winter Games. Making it rain takes on a different meaning in Botswana
8:38
The country's currency is called the Pula. In the Setswana language, Pula means rain or blessings
8:44
That may be related to the fact that Botswana is one of the world's more drought-prone countries, making water a particularly valuable resource
8:52
Brazilians, as a general rule, love live music. You could glean that insight from walking around Salvador do Bahia or Rio, but the country's
9:00
passion for performance can also be seen in their recorded music listening habits
9:04
Out of the country's top 200 most listened to songs on Spotify in 2019, almost 7 percent
9:09
were taped live performances, as opposed to studio recordings. That's tops in the country's
9:14
yzed and more than four times the number of live tracks as a percentage than the second-place
9:19
country, Mexico. In Brunei Darussalam, you might say that December 16, 1941, is a day that will
9:25
live in infamy. A little more than a week after the Pearl Harbor attacks, Japanese forces invaded
9:30
Brunei. One factor that likely led to the invasion was Brunei's oil fields. Japan ended up occupying
9:36
the small country throughout most of World War II. If you want to see an interesting piece of
9:41
Bulgarian history and buy a can of soda, make sure to look down while you're in Sofia. The Bulgarian
9:46
capital is dotted with kleks, semi-underground shops that are sort of the Bulgarian counterpart
9:51
to a New York bodega. Many of the Kleks are built in what were once underground bomb shelters
9:57
Today, Kleks have taken on yet another identity, as a new generation has repurposed some into
10:01
everything from art galleries to speakeasies. Burkina Faso was home to Thomas Sankara
10:07
the man who has been called Africa's Che Guevara. Sankara actually gave the country its name after
10:11
coming to power in a 1983 coup. Most recently, it had been known as Upper Volta. Sankara was
10:17
murdered in 1987. But it wasn't until April 2022 that a military tribunal found 11 men guilty of
10:23
crimes related to his death. Burundi drinks a couple of forms of beer that you're not likely
10:27
to find outside of Africa. Mpike is a sorghum-based, low-alcohol drink that has held a special place
10:32
in the area's culture for years. Traditionally, each imbiber sticks a straw into a communal vessel
10:37
in order to partake. Burundians also consume a drink popular in a number of East African countries
10:42
often called banana beer in English. Cabo Verde, or Cape Verde, was evidently uninhabited by human
10:48
beings until the 15th century. Still, it's hard to say who discovered the islands. Some credit the
10:53
navigator Antonio Denoli, others credit different explorers working on behalf of the Portuguese
10:59
But even then, it's unlikely they're truly unknown unknown, with some historians arguing
11:03
that African coastal traders, Arab explorers, or even the ancient world might have known about the
11:08
archipelago before the Portuguese showed up. Cambodia's Angor Wat literally translates to
11:12
something like Temple City. That name checks out. It's very possibly the world's largest
11:17
religious complex. One of the most beloved dishes in Cameroon is endole, a stew usually
11:22
containing peanuts, bitterleaf, spices, and some kind of protein. Sometimes that protein is shrimp
11:28
or prawns, which incidentally inspired the country's name when Portuguese explorers noticed
11:32
plentiful crustaceans in the Wari River. Canada has been called the world's most educated country
11:39
Over half of adults between 25 and 64 in the country have received education beyond secondary school
11:45
All that schooling is paying off. Canadians had the good sense to make their country the largest consumer of donuts per
11:50
capita in the world. The Central African Republic is one of the poorest countries in the world, but that didn't
11:56
stop self-proclaimed Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa from spending an estimated $20 million on his
12:01
coronation ceremony in 1977. Bocasa seemed to fashion himself as something of a modern-day
12:06
Napoleon, even down to a crown copying the one-time French emperor. Bocasa was deposed in 1979
12:13
Chad's namesake is Lake Chad, which itself ultimately comes from a word meaning large lake
12:19
So Lake Chad is Lake Large Lake. And in case you're wondering, the English first name Chad
12:23
is completely unrelated. We don't know where it comes from, but it might be related to the
12:28
Britonic Celtic word for battle. Smithsonian Magazine called Chile an astronomer's paradise
12:33
Its dry climate means fewer nights are ruined by rain. Light pollution also poses less of a problem in the narrow country than in more densely
12:40
populated countries. And seeing how close it gets to Antarctica, parts of the country provide a unique vantage
12:46
point to observe the southern hemisphere's night sky. The people of China have made countless contributions to the world, from innovating paper products
12:53
to developing the world's first compass. But the technological breakthrough I want to share is the live crab vending machine
12:59
versions of which have appeared intermittently in the country since 2010. Medellin, Colombia is home to an interesting form of public transportation
13:08
a nearly 400-meter outdoor escalator. Located in Communa 13, a part of the city once plagued
13:13
with violence, the escalator has alleviated the commute of the area's residents and been a part
13:18
of the area's turnaround. Today, tourists flock to the neighborhood for its street art
13:22
and to ride its one-of-a-kind mobility option. Kamaru's is a pretty small island nation
13:27
off the eastern coast of Africa. If you've ever smelled a perfume that included Ilang Ilang though there a good chance that where it came from Kamaru is the world biggest producer of the essential oil It makes up about 10 of the country export revenue A Time magazine cover called Noabali Noki National Park in the Republic of Congo
13:45
the world's last Eden. It contains no roads and has never been logged
13:49
Costa Ricans are often referred to as Ticos, a nickname that comes from a linguistic habit
13:55
common in the country. While much of the Spanish-speaking world uses ito as a diminutive suffix
13:59
un poquito, flaccito, gordito. People in Costa Rica often use tico, which carries a connotation
14:06
for a small size or just general affection. Cope d'Ivoire produces more cacao beans than
14:11
any other country. Almost 20% of the population earns their income from the industry
14:17
A Croatian con man could theoretically have weaseled a few weasels out of his mark
14:21
Sort of. The country's currency used to be the kuna, the Croatian word for a martin
14:26
a member of the same family as weasels and otters. The name dates back to the old practice of using
14:31
the pelts of the adorable little animals as currency. But now Croatia uses the euro
14:36
so hopefully visits to a zoo ATM have gotten less confusing. People have been arguing for decades about the effect of Fidel Castro and his communist party
14:44
coming to power in Cuba back in 1959. One slightly lesser known change that Castro made was to
14:49
effectively ban Santa Claus on the grounds that he was foreign to their culture. It was of a piece
14:54
with other anti-Christmas moves that would be rolled out in the next decade that saw the day
14:58
no longer recognized as a national holiday in the country. The years from 1969 to 1998 are known as
15:04
La Navidades Silenciadas, or the Silent Christmases. Cyprus is a divided island. The northern part of
15:11
the country calls itself the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus and is recognized exclusively
15:16
by Turkiye, while the southern part is more aligned with Greece and is the more internationally
15:20
recognized government. In between is the so-called Green Line, a buffer zone controlled by the United
15:26
Nations. According to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, about a thousand
15:30
incidents occur in the zone every year, although incidents covers a lot of ground, everything from
15:36
the unauthorized use of firearms to name-calling. In Czechia, beer is often cheaper than water—bottled
15:43
water, that is. Czechs take advantage of the affordable suds, drinking three-quarters of a
15:47
pint of beer a day, on average. The Democratic Republic of the Congo may one day boast of a
15:52
city with more French speakers than anywhere in the world. And that includes France. Kinshasa is
15:57
already estimated to be the largest francophone city in the world, but only about half to two
16:02
thirds of its population speaks French daily. With the country expected to grow significantly
16:06
in the coming years, some estimates say it will double in population in the next three decades
16:12
it may one day eclipse metropolitan Paris for the highest concentration of French speakers
16:17
Denmark is embracing the automobile more than ever. More than 62 percent of Danish households
16:22
reported owning a car in 2021. But in many ways, the bike is still king in the country
16:28
Or perhaps queen, given that the country's reigning monarch is Margrethe II. About 70 percent of
16:33
residents over six years old own a bike. Danes ride almost a mile per day on average. Djibouti
16:39
Lac Assal is saltier than the Dead Sea, about 10 times saltier than ocean water. It's also the
16:45
lowest point below sea level in all of Africa. Dominica's capital, Nroseau, has been through a
16:50
number of names and iterations over the years. It was originally settled by Ameri-Indians. By the
16:56
time Christopher Columbus sailed past the island and named it Dominica, it was inhabited by a group
17:00
known as the Caribs, now referred to as the Kalinago. They referred to the area as Sari
17:06
It was called Charlottetown at one point and eventually got its name from the French, inspired by the reeds found there by settlers
17:13
It was burned by the French in 1805 and again suffered nearly total destruction by a hurricane in 1979
17:19
as Britannica.com says. Each time, it's been rebuilt. The Dominican Republic was also explored, conspicuous finger quotes, by Columbus
17:28
but he didn't name it after the day he spotted it, as he did with Dominica, which is Latin for Sunday
17:34
He actually called his sighting La Isla Española, which gives the name its island today, Hispaniola
17:39
The Dominican Republic takes its name from St. Dominic, the namesake of a settlement created by
17:44
the less famous Columbus brother, Bartholomew. Ecuador's Mount Chimborazo is the furthest point
17:49
on Earth from the center of the Earth. That might be a bit surprising since it's almost over 8,000
17:54
feet shorter than Everest. It gets a bump from its location near the equator, though. The Earth's
17:59
oblate spheroid shape bulges in the middle, meaning Chimborazo is significantly farther
18:04
from the Earth's core than its much taller counterpart in Asia. Egypt was once home to
18:09
ancient world's most famous collection of knowledge, the Library of Alexandria. But much
18:14
of what you've heard about its infamous burning is more speculative than you might realize
18:18
Numerous sources mention Julius Caesar's troops burning books there. But if that did happen
18:23
it was probably an accident following the burning of the ships in the harbor rather than
18:27
anything deliberate. And even then, it's not clear that the entire collection was destroyed
18:32
Centuries later, sources are still talking about the Library of Alexandria. In fact, two great libraries of Alexandria, which adds to the confusion. And it's possible no
18:41
invading army's torch is to blame, and the library just really decayed away. According to library
18:46
expert Richard Ovenden, rather than highlighting the cataclysmic nature of barbaric ignorance
18:51
triumphing over civilized truth, Alexandria is a cautionary tale of the danger of creeping decline
18:57
through the underfunding, low prioritization, and general disregard for the institutions that
19:02
preserve and share knowledge. Thankfully, we've learned our lesson. Moving on. In 2021
19:09
El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukela, made his country the first in the world to accept Bitcoin
19:14
as legal tender. It's been a rocky rollout. Though the unique arrangement may have given a
19:19
boost to international tourism, so far the country's investment in Bitcoin has cost it
19:24
tens of millions of dollars due to the crypto crash of 2022. You might make a big deal out of
19:29
of your birthday, but Equatorial Guinea's president Teodoro Obiang probably has you outdone
19:35
His birthday is a national holiday in the country. You can't say Obiang is particularly well-known
19:40
for his restraint. He once bought a Boeing 737 with gold-plated toilet fittings, and he's held
19:45
onto his office since 1979, making him the longest-serving president in the world. During
19:50
their war for independence from Ethiopia, Eritrean women served alongside men in all capacities except
19:56
the top ranks of leadership. Tens of thousands fought in the conflict, which lasted for decades
20:02
Estonia might not be the first country you think of in Europe, but by some accounts it's the center
20:07
of the whole continent. Geographically speaking, that is. It depends exactly what land masses you
20:11
count as part of Europe, and it's quite a contentious claim. But a village in Estonia
20:16
on the island of Serema makes their own case as the center of the continent
20:20
Less controversially Serema is the site of a number of meteorite impacts of uncertain age but recent like a couple thousand years ago The largest and most well left behind the so Kali Crater The best candidate for longest monarch with a verifiable reign
20:35
is Eswantani's Sabuza II. He came to the throne when he was four months old and reigned for 82
20:41
years. The one slight complication is that for much of his reign, Eswantani was a British
20:46
protectorate rather than an independent nation. But still, according to historian Bruce Lincoln
20:51
when he was introduced to the resident commissioner, he was called, using the old name of Swaziland
20:56
the paramount chief of Swaziland and king of the Swazi nation. Ethiopia is often considered
21:02
Africa's oldest independent country. The only time it was colonized by a foreign country was
21:07
shortly before World War II, when Benito Mussolini's Italy briefly established a new
21:11
Italian empire in the region. Fiji's national beverage is Yacona, perhaps more widely known
21:17
as kava. It plays an important ceremonial and social role in the country. Intriguingly
21:22
a number of studies have shown kava effective in treating the symptoms of anxiety. Maybe don't
21:26
go running out to drink kava just yet, though. There are other studies which suggest it can be
21:30
toxic to the liver. Field marshal Karl Mannerheim has a mighty reputation as a military hero in
21:36
Finland. And while you probably won't ever be voted the greatest person in your country's history
21:40
as Mannerheim was, you might be able to relate to him on another level. Mannerheim was apparently
21:45
keenly aware of the importance of appearances and demanded the ability to inspect any photos
21:50
of himself before publication to make sure they met his approval. Paris is undoubtedly France's
21:55
most famous city, but it's not actually the oldest. That distinction belongs to Marseille
22:01
which was founded by Greeks from modern-day Turkey around 600 BCE. They called it Massalia
22:05
Gabon's first known residents were the Baca people, who were once referred to as pygmies
22:11
That name was never accurate. Though the Baca are, indeed, on the shorter side, with an
22:15
average height around 5 feet, they're not nearly as small as that outdated label suggests
22:20
It's related to a Greek word referring to the distance between the elbow and the knuckles
22:24
which Edamon Line puts at around 13.5 inches. The Gambia is one of only a handful of countries
22:30
that commonly uses a definite article in its English-language name. That's partially
22:34
to remove confusion between the country and Zambia, much farther south in Africa. I'll
22:39
tell you more about that country in about a hundred nations' time. Georgia the country and Georgia the state share a name in English, but that's about
22:46
where the similarities end. The southern state is named after King George II. When the country
22:51
assumed its name, he was still centuries away from being born. Some say the name derives
22:55
from the Christian country's affinity for St. George, while others say it dates back
22:59
to an old Persian label for the area that translates to something like Land of the Wolves
23:04
It's not clear which is correct, though spoiler alert, it's not St. George, but I will definitely
23:08
be referring to Georgia as Wolfland from now on. Germany reunified more than three decades ago, but the former West and East Germany aren't
23:16
exactly the same, even today. A report from 2015 found that East Germans spent 79% less on consumer goods than their
23:23
Western brethren. There's a small but fascinating industry in Ghana making fantasy coffins
23:28
Craftsmen create permanent resting places that can take the shape of anything from a
23:32
sneaker to an animal or airplane. Some of the fantasy coffins have even been exhibited in art
23:36
galleries. According to a less-than-scientific survey conducted by the condom manufacturer Durex
23:42
a higher percentage of people in Greece have sex at least once a week than any other country
23:47
Apparently, it's not just the birthplace of democracy. No, wait, that's not how condoms work
23:53
Granada is home to the Caribbean's largest divable shipwreck, the Bianca Sea. Or is that
23:58
La Marseillaise, or the Maréchal Pétain. This sunken vessel has had quite a life. It was
24:04
originally built in France, but was briefly seized by the Nazis during their occupation of the country
24:09
in World War II. According to most, but not all, versions of the story, when the Germans retreated
24:14
they sunk the ship. Then known as the Maréchal Pétain, it was eventually salvaged and rechristened
24:19
La Marseillaise. It operated as a cruise ship under that name for several years, with a brief
24:24
stint as the Arosa Sky, and then finally the Bianca Sea. On a voyage in 1961, an explosion
24:30
led to the ship sinking. Most of the people on board were ferried to safety, but three deaths
24:34
were eventually attributed to injuries sustained in the disaster. The Bianca Sea burned for days
24:40
It's been said that the heat from the fire actually caused the nearby water to boil
24:44
Today, visitors to the small island nation can actually scuba dive down to the wreckage
24:48
Some even take a swim in the ship's pool. Guatemala has had its fair share of famous
24:54
visitors. Aldous Huxley said of the country's beautiful lake Atilan, Simone de Beauvoir mentioned buying artis fabrics there. But my favorite story of a literary
25:05
icon's time in the country starts with a plane crash. Antoine de Saint-Exupery was headed for
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Argentina via Guatemala back in 1938. His plane crashed during takeoff and was destroyed. The
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The author had to stay in the country to recuperate, and some believe his time there inspired details
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in his iconic novella, The Little Prince. The protagonist's home, for example, is an asteroid, with two active volcanoes and one
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inactive one, perhaps mimicking the city of Antigua's inactive Volcan de Agua, an
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active Volcan de Fuego and Acotenago. Others suggest that the book's drawing of a snake that swallowed an elephant looks like
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Cerro de Oro, a geological feature found in the country. It's hard to know for sure, but I like to think a little bit of the prince's asteroid
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lives on Earth. Historians disagree on where the word Guinea comes from
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The most entertaining etymology is related to West Africa's Susu language, in which
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a word like Guinea meant woman. One folk history says that when Europeans landed in Africa, they were greeted by women who
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identified themselves as Guinea. The Europeans supposedly misapplied the word to the area, and a few centuries later we
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have four countries that include Guinea in their name. Guinea-Bissau is the third one of those countries we've gotten to in this video
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Its population is unique in that the plurality of residents are Muslim, and yet the official
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language is Portuguese. It's the only country in the world where those two things are true
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It's probably worth noting, the official language status is a remnant of the country's
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colonial past. Today, the most common language of the country is a unique form of Portuguese creole
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Guiana is a South American country whose official language is English. Naturally, a quarter of its population identifies as Hindu
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A bit of history will clear things up. The country was once a British colony
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In the years following 1833's Slavery Abolition Act, a lot of Indians were brought over as
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indentured servants to work on then-British Guyanas' sugar plantations. Today, ethnically Indian Guyanese people have their own unique culture, influenced by
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but distinct from, their South Asian ancestors. and three, and who knows, maybe even four of this journey to cover one fact about every country in the United Nations
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I'll see you next time
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