Aside from joy, freedom, and new experiences, many of us travel for other reasons: to see unfamiliar places, explore destinations beyond our own, and learn how different their cultures are from ours. We’re often amazed by how they’ve preserved their heritage and how their economies compare to ours.
But travel isn’t just fun—it’s about respecting cultures, too. What’s acceptable in one country might be offensive in another, so knowing cultural etiquette is key to avoiding unintended offense.
For example, Turkey isn’t just beaches and skiing—did you know that?
Here’s a collection of 50 of the most unusual and amazing travel facts from around the world that will blow your mind!
1. ๐ธ๐ฆ Saudi Arabia –
No Rivers!
๐ต Saudi Arabia is one of
the only countries without any permanent rivers due to its desert climate. It
relies on underground aquifers and desalination plants for water.
2. ๐ Falkland Islands –
Sheep Outnumber People
With roughly 2,600 people, the Falkland Islands have nearly
500,000 sheep — that's about 153 sheep for every person!
3. ๐จ Russia – Hotel Supreme
AZIMUT Hotels in Moscow boasts 7,500 beds and 5,000 rooms,
making it one of the largest hotel chains in Russia.
4. ๐ Switzerland – Hotel
Elite
The Royal Penthouse Suite at Hotel President Wilson has 12
marble bathrooms and costs over £40,000 per night!
5. ๐ฒ๐พ Malaysia –
Hotel Grand
The First World Hotel in Malaysia has more than 7,351 rooms,
making it the largest hotel as of 2020.
6. ✈️ USA – A Nation of High Flyers
At any given time, there are at least 61,000 people flying
on planes in the USA — more than a small city!
7. ๐ Indonesia – Volcano
Mania
Indonesia has the most active volcanoes in the world
— 127 active volcanoes, with many close to populated areas.
8. ๐ซ๐ท France – The
Most Popular
France remains the world’s top tourist destination,
welcoming over 100 million visitors in 2023.
9. ๐ Singapore – No Farms
Singapore is practically devoid of farmland due to its small
size and urban landscape.
10. ๐จ๐ฆ Canada – Lake
Central
Canada has the most lakes in the world, thanks to its large
size and glacial history.
11. ๐️ Hum, Croatia –
Smallest Settlement
Hum is considered the world’s smallest town, with a tiny
population and a main street you can walk through in minutes.
12. ๐️ Algeria – Made of Sand
Over 90% of Algeria is covered by the Sahara Desert, the
largest hot desert on Earth.
13. ๐ Maldives – How Low?
Most of Maldives’ islands sit less than 1 meter above sea
level, making it vulnerable to rising seas.
14. ๐ง Jordan – Very Low
The Dead Sea, shared by Jordan and Israel, is the lowest
point on Earth at 414 meters below sea level.
15. ⚡ Norway – Go Green
Over 99% of Norway’s electricity comes from renewable
hydropower.
16. ๐ณ Haiti – Trees-less?
Due to severe deforestation, Haiti has almost no trees left.
17. ๐ฃ️ Papua New Guinea –
Tongue Twister
With over 840 languages, Papua New Guinea is the most
linguistically diverse country in the world.
18. ๐ Tonga – Land of the
Heavy
Tonga has the highest adult obesity rate worldwide, with
over 71% of adults classified as obese.
19. ๐งฑ China – Brick in the
Wall
The Great Wall of China is the longest wall in the world,
stretching 8,852 kilometers!
20. ๐ค Papua New Guinea –
Shortest Alphabet
Papua New Guinea’s alphabet has only 11 letters: a, b, e, g,
i, k, o, p, r, t, u.
20. ๐ค Papua New Guinea –
Shortest Alphabet
Papua New Guinea’s alphabet has only 11 letters: a, b, e, g,
i, k, o, p, r, t, u.
21. India ๐ฎ๐ณ
Milk & Stamps? India isn’t just the land of spices — it also has the
largest number of post offices ๐ฌ in the world and
the most cows ๐, boasting 307.5 million as of 2023. Talk
about a country that’s got milk and mail covered!
22. Andorra ๐️
Get High! Nestled in the Pyrenees, Andorra la Vella stands as Europe’s
highest capital city at 1,023 meters (3,356 feet) above sea level.
Breathe that crisp mountain air! ๐ฌ️
10. Sweden ๐ธ๐ช
Island Life! Sweden reigns supreme with 267,570 islands ๐️,
mostly uninhabited! Even Stockholm, its capital, spreads across 14 islands
connected by over 50 bridges ๐. Island hopping,
anyone?
23. Greece ๐ฌ๐ท
Love Thy Country! Greece holds the record for the longest national
anthem ๐ถ — “Hymn to Liberty” by Dionysios Solomos —
with so many stanzas it’s practically an epic poem set to music. Sing your
heart out! ๐ค
24. Africa ๐
Dr. Doolittle’s Nightmare! Forget hippos — the tiny mosquito ๐ฆ
is Africa’s deadliest animal, spreading malaria, dengue, and West Nile virus,
causing hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. Size isn’t everything.
25. Iran ๐ฎ๐ท
Ancient Tree! Iran hosts the world’s 2nd oldest tree ๐ณ,
an ancient natural monument estimated to be 4,000 years old. A living
testament to history standing tall.
26. Thailand ๐น๐ญ
Wait for It! Bangkok’s full ceremonial name is so long it might break
your tongue! Known as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon... ๐️,
it holds the title for the longest city name in the world.
27. Spain ๐ช๐ธ
Oil Country! Spain produces nearly 45% of the world’s olive oil ๐ซ,
leading the global market with a whopping 24% share in 2022. Olรฉ for Spain’s
liquid gold!
28. Benin (West Africa) ๐ง๐ฏ
Seeing Double! Benin boasts the highest rate of twins ๐ฏ
worldwide with 27.9 per 1,000 births, thanks to genetics among certain ethnic
groups. Twins here are celebrated as special gifts. ๐
29. Japan ๐ฏ๐ต
It’s Not Round, It’s Square! Japan grows unique square watermelons
๐๐ฆ
primarily for decoration. Grown in molds and harvested early, these pricey
oddities are an art form as much as a fruit!
30. Guernsey ๐ฌ๐ฌ
Independent Country! Though tiny and linked to the British Crown ๐,
Guernsey governs itself, isn’t part of the UK or EU, and even issues its own
currency ๐ฐ. Small island, big autonomy!
31. Tuvalu ๐น๐ป
Get Rich! With just 11,000 people, Tuvalu earns big bucks by leasing its
.tv domain ๐ป online — enough to
cover its hefty $20,000 UN membership fee. Clever island economics!
32. Iceland ๐ฎ๐ธ
Friendlies! Voted the friendliest nation ๐
by the World Economic Forum, Iceland’s low crime and welcoming culture make it
a top destination for safe, warm-hearted visits.
33. Nepal ๐ณ๐ต
Feminist Religion! Nepal uniquely worships a living goddess, the
Kumari ๐ง — a young girl regarded as a living
incarnation of the goddess Taleju, residing in Kathmandu’s Kumari Ghar palace ๐ฐ.
34. Jamaica ๐ฏ๐ฒ
Voodoo Religion! Jamaica still practices Obeahism, a voodoo tradition ๐ฎ
believing spirits can bring both good and bad luck — though it’s officially
outlawed and carries harsh penalties. ⚖️
35. Palau ๐ต๐ผ
Jaws! Palau was the first country to create a shark sanctuary ๐ฆ,
banning commercial shark fishing and protecting their ocean ecosystem — a win
for nature and tourism alike.
36. The Baltic States ๐ช๐ช๐ฑ๐ป๐ฑ๐น
Hold My Hand! In 1989, about 2 million people formed the Baltic Way,
a 675 km human chain ๐ค across Estonia, Latvia,
and Lithuania, symbolizing unity and a call for freedom from Soviet rule.
37. Ladonia ๐ด
Lads Me Not! Ladonia is a micronation inside Sweden ๐ธ๐ช,
founded as a rebel art state celebrating freedom of speech ๐ฃ️,
creativity ๐จ, and expression — with over 29,000 global
“citizens.”
38. Costa Rica ๐จ๐ท
Peacefully Yours! Known as Central America’s most peaceful country ☮️,
Costa Rica boasts no army, strong democracy ๐ณ️, and a focus on social
programs, consistently ranking high on the Global Peace Index.
39. Samoa ๐ผ๐ธ
Boy Meets Girl! Samoa’s culture embraces the Fa’afafine, men
raised and identifying as women ๐ป — a recognized third
gender with a unique and respected place in society.
40. Vietnam ๐ป๐ณ
Drink a Snake! Fancy a health boost? In Vietnam, you can sip rice wine
infused with a whole snake ๐๐ถ — said to
improve vitality. Would you dare to try this exotic elixir?
41. Comoros ๐ฐ๐ฒ
Friends for All! This small island nation belongs to the African Union ๐,
Francophonie ๐ซ๐ท, Islamic Cooperation ☪️,
and the Arab League ๐ธ๐ฆ — proving it’s
a champion of global friendship and diplomacy.
42. Turkmenistan ๐น๐ฒ
Bring a Pitchfork! The Door to Hell ๐ฅ,
a blazing crater in Turkmenistan’s desert, has been on fire for over 40 years —
a fiery natural wonder 70 meters wide you have to see to believe.
43. Paris (France) ๐ซ๐ท
Up High! The Eiffel Tower’s elevators ๐ก travel a combined 64,000
miles per year. It even sways in storms ๐ช️ and grows a few
centimeters taller in summer heat — a true iron giant.
44. Gibraltar ๐ฌ๐ฎ
Let’s Drive! Gibraltar has a staggering 1,444 vehicles per 1,000
people ๐๐, making it one of the world’s most
car-packed places — a busy hub on a tiny rock!
45. Colorado Plateau (USA) ๐บ๐ธ
The Oldest Giant! Fishlake National Forest is home to the Pando Tree ๐ฒ
— one of the world’s oldest living organisms, with a root network estimated to
be 80,000 years old.
46. Spain ๐ช๐ธ
Is it Done Yet? The Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona ๐ฐ
has been under construction since 1882 — longer than the pyramids! Nope, it’s
still not finished.
47. Philippines ๐ต๐ญ
Island in a Lake in an Island! The Philippines hosts the Vulcan Point
Island ๐️ — an island inside a lake, inside an
island, inside a lake, inside an island. Mind blown! ๐คฏ
48. Iceland ๐ฎ๐ธ
None at All! Iceland has no mosquitoes at all ๐ซ๐ฆ
— not a single one! The land of fire and ice is also the land of zero pesky
bites.
49. Canada ๐จ๐ฆ
Lake Central! Canada is the country with the most lakes ๐️
in the world, thanks to its massive size and northern glacial landscape.
50. The Americas ๐
Longest Drive! The Pan-American Highway ๐ฃ️ stretches through 14
countries, making it the world’s longest motorable road. Road trip, anyone?
I’m not familiar with most of these countries, but learning these fascinating facts really opens your eyes to the diversity and wonder of our world.
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