Facts

How Many Countries?

There are 196 countries in the world today. Unless you don't count Taiwan…

Taiwan is not considered an official country by many, which would bring the count down to 195 countries. Although Taiwan operates as an independent country, many countries (including the U.S.) do not officially recognize it as one. Because the People's Republic of China considers Taiwan a breakaway province of China, countries who wish to maintain diplomatic relations with China have had to sever their formal relations with Taiwan (more than 100 countries, however, have unofficial relations with Taiwan).

How many countries belong to the United Nations?

192 countries are UN members. The exceptions are Taiwan (in 1971, the UN ousted Taiwan and replaced it with the People's Republic of China) and Vatican City. Kosovo is not yet a member. The newest UN members are Switzerland (2002) and Montenegro (2006).

What are the world's newest countries?

The world's newest country is South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011. Before that, the newest country was Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in February 2008. Montenegro became a country in June 2006, after splitting off from Serbia. Since 1990, 29 new nations have come into being. Many of these emerged from the collapse of the Soviet Union (14 countries) and the breakup of the former Yugoslavia (7 countries). See our Guide to New Nations.

Are there still any countries that have colonies?

There are 61 colonies or territories in the world. Eight countries maintain them: Australia (6), Denmark (2), Netherlands (2), France (16), New Zealand (3), Norway (3), the United Kingdom (15), and the United States (14). See Territories, Colonies, and Dependencies for a list of the world's colonies and what countries administrate them, p. 663.

Are there still territories in the world that are claimed by more than one country?

There are six major disputed territories in the world: the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, Western Sahara, and Antarctica (about a dozen nations have laid claims to portions of it). In addition, there are innumerable other territorial disputes throughout the world, many of which had resulted in ongoing armed conflicts.

 source:www.factmonster.com

People in the World

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do” is a famous saying about customs. But what exactly do the Romans and other people do that is so different? Where do women wear rings in their noses to show they are married, for example? Where do people greet each other with a bow rather than a handshake? Here are some other ways people behave and beautify themselves around the world.

• In Rome, Italy, adults drink coffee standing up at a coffee bar.
• Throughout Europe, people eat with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right.
• In India, women wear rings in their noses to show they are married.

• arttoday.com

• In New Zealand, chewing gum in public is considered impolite.
• In Russia, powerful handshakes among men are often carried to extremes.
• In Brazil, kids do not have sleepovers.
• In most parts of Asia, it is taboo to touch people's heads, especially those of children.
• In Taiwan, belching after a meal is considered a compliment to the cook.
• In Australia, pancakes are served at dinner rather than breakfast.
• In Thailand, people do not step on their doorsills. It is believed that a spirit lives in the threshold of every home.
• In many North African countries, children ride to school on donkeys.
• 
  
• In Ethiopia, both males and females of the Surma tribes shave their heads as a mark of beauty. The women wear lip plates; their lower lips are pierced and stretched as ever-larger plates are inserted over time. The larger the plate, the more appealing the woman.
• In Japanese homes, a hot bath is prepared for the whole family at once. Members take turns soaping, scrubbing, and rinsing off outside the tub before soaking in it.
• In France, children celebrate their name day (a saint's feast day) rather than their birthday.
• In Bangladesh, people use their right hand when they eat or hand things to other people. They consider their left hand unclean.
• In the Himalaya Mountains of Asia, the Apa Tanis tribal people wear black wooden nose plugs and tattoos on their chins.
• In Taiwan, eating or drinking in the streets is considered crude.
• In India, people do not wear shoes in the kitchen because some food is prepared on the floor.
• In Pakistan, a bridegroom wears garlands of money given to him by his relatives on his wedding day.
• On many Greek islands, women bake their food in a communal village oven.

PICTURE FACTS

Unajua kuna mananasi yenye rangi ya waridi?

Wengi wanafahamu manansi yenye rangi ya dhahabu.

Hata hivyo, kulingana na mtandao wa habari wa Evening standard, picha za mananasi yenye rangi ya waridi zimeibuka kwenye Instagram na kusababisha msisimko mkubwa.

Sio ngozi yake pekee iliyo na rangi hiyo, mbali pia unapokata mananasi hayo, unakumbana na rangi ya waridi.

Image captionUbongo wa binadamu una hisia ya sita yenye uwezo wa 'kubashiri' matukio ya baadaye.

Ubongo wa binadamu una hisia ya sita yenye uwezo wa 'kubashiri' matukio ya baadaye.

Kando na kusaidia kutambua unachoona kupitia kwa macho , upande maalum wa ubongo unaosaidia kuona una uwezo wa kubashiri matukio ya baadaye.

Wataalm wa ubongo kutoka chuo kikuu cha Radboud University waligundua hisia hiyo ya sita baada ya utafiti wa kina.

Haya ni kulingana na mtandao wa Huffington post.