World Roulette: Fun Facts #3
Last updated: Saturday May 24th, 2025
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Welcome To World Roulette
We continue with the series that consists of spinning a roulette with all the recognized, non-recognized countries, and territories of the world, and there will be fun facts about each one! I hope that you like it and let's get started.
The 21st is...
● Mauritania is the 28th biggest country in the world and the 123rd in terms of population with 5,26 million people.
● It's a bad country to live in terms of HDI (164th) with 0,540 which is considered "low".
● Mauritania is one of the world’s most sparsely populated countries with less than 4 people per square mile of land.
The last country to...
Mauritania was the last country to abolish slavery. It was finally outlawed in 1981 but is still a problem in the country.
One of the longest trains
Mauritania is home to one of the longest trains in the world. The "Iron-ore Train" or "Train du Desert" is around 2.4 kilometers long and travels from Zouérat’s iron mines to Nouâdhibou.
The 22nd one is...
● Djibouti is the 147th biggest country in the world and the 158th in terms of population with 1,17 million people.
● It's a bad country to live in terms of HDI (171st) with 0,509 which is considered "low".
● Djibouti is the least populated country in mainland Africa.
A really salty place
Lake Assal (Lac Assal), a world-renowned crater lake in the center of the country, is 10 times saltier than the sea. This makes it the second saltiest body of water in the world after Don Juan Pond in Antarctica. It's also the third lowest point in the world.
The Afar Triple Junction
Djibouti is on a plain known as the Afar Triple Junction. Here three of the Earth’s tectonic plates - the African, Somalian and Arabian plates - are tearing apart from each other.
The 23rd one is...
● Vatican City is the 196th biggest country in the world and the 196th in terms of population with 1,000 people.
● Due to the size of Vatican City there are no data about HDI. However, I can tell that the pope lives a good life.
● An average Vatican resident consumes 54.26 litres of wine every year, giving this country the highest wine consumption rate per capita in the world.
Shortest railway network in the world
Vatican City is also home to the shortest railway in the world. The station has two 300-meter tracks and has one station: Citta Vaticano.
It owns a telescope in Arizona, USA
With light pollution increasing in Rome, it became increasingly difficult to use the Vatican’s Observatory located 15 miles outside of the city. So, in 1981 the Vatican purchased a state of the art telescope that sits on top of Mount Graham in southeast Arizona.
The 24th one is...
● India is the 7th biggest country in the world and the 1st in terms of population with 1,45 billion people.
● It's a decent country to live in terms of HDI (134th) with 0,644 which is considered "medium".
● There are over 19,500 languages/dialects recorded as mother tongues in the 2018 census.
The Longest Constitution
India’s Constitution, adopted in 1950, is the longest written constitution of any country, reflecting the complexity and diversity of Indian society.
Hinduism is the Oldest Religion on the Planet
India’s largest religion, practiced by nearly 80% of the population is considered by many to be the oldest religious tradition in the world. Incredibly, the religion has roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years!
The 25th one is...
● Saint Pierre and Miquelon is an overseas department of France that has an area of 242 km2. It also has a population of 5,819 people.
● If it were a country, it would be the 190th in terms of size and 195th in terms of population.
● Saint Pierre and Miquelon has 5 hours of difference with mainland France.
It was French, then English, French then English, and eventually French again
Originally a French settlement, the British took control of the islands in 1713, 1778, 1794, 1803, and 1815, with the French taking back possession between each of these occupations. Eventually, the French took control of the islands once again in 1816, this time permanently.
A unique timezone
Saint Pierre and Miquelon have their own 30 minute time zone! They’re 30 minutes ahead of Newfoundland. This means that New Year celebrations begin half an hour earlier than in the rest of North America.
The 26th one is...
● Croatia is the 124th biggest country in the world and the 128th in terms of population with 3,85 million people.
● It's a very good country to live in terms of HDI (39th) with 0,878 which is considered "very high".
● The Croatian alphabet is the oldest known Slavic alphabet
A really small town
Hum, located on the Istrian Peninsula, has an area of 13km2 and is widely accepted to be the world’s smallest town. According to the 2011 census there were just 30 people living there, but the 2021 census showed the population to have almost doubled, now standing at 52.
Education is really important
Education has always been important in Croatia, as demonstrated by an impressive literacy rate of more than 99%. This position Croatia among the top-ranking countries worldwide in terms of education and literacy.
The 27th one is...
● South Korea is the 107th biggest country in the world and the 29th in terms of population with 51,6 million people.
● It's one of the best countries to live in terms of HDI (19th) with 0,929 which is considered "very high".
● The flight from Seoul to Jeju is the busiest domestic route in the world with 13.7 million seats in 2023.
Respectful people
“Have you eaten well?” is a common greeting in South Korea, used the way an American may ask, “How are you?”
A weird law
It is a law in South Korea that online banking and shopping must be done through Internet Explorer.
The 28th one is...
● Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory that has an area of 6,8 km2 and a population of 34,003 people.
● If it were a country, it would be the 195th in terms of size and 192nd in terms of population.
● On a clear day, you can see Africa from Gibraltar.
Gibraltar has the only wild monkey population in Europe.
Gibraltar is home to around 300 Barbary macaques and the only place in Europe with wild monkeys. Legend says that if the macaques leave Gibraltar, British rule will end.
Gibraltar has a huge network of tunnels.
At over 55 kilometres long, the tunnels of Gibraltar are nearly twice the length of the territory’s entire road network. Most of the tunnels were constructed over nearly 200 years by the British Army.
The 29th one is...
● Austria is the 113th biggest country in the world and the 99th in terms of population with 9,11 million people.
● It's one of the best countries to live in terms of HDI (22nd) with 0,926 which is considered "very high".
● The Austrian flag is the second oldest in the world (Adopted in the year 1230).
The world’s oldest zoo
Founded in 1752, the Schönbrunn Zoo is the oldest zoological garden in the world. The zoo is located on the grounds of the famous Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna and is home to more than 700 animal species, some of them threatened.
The world’s oldest still-operating restaurant
Austria is also home to the oldest restaurant in the world still in operation - the St. Peter Stiftskeller in Salzburg. It was founded in 803 and is still in operation today, making it more than 1200 years old.
The 30th one is...
● Iran is the 17th biggest country in the world and the 17th in terms of population with 92,1 million people.
● It's a good country to live in terms of HDI (78th) with 0,780 which is considered "high".
● The inscription on the flag reads “Allāhu Akbar” (“God is great”) and is repeated 22 times, honoring the date of the revolution: 22 Bahrām in the Iranian calendar.
In Iran, giving the thumbs up is the same as giving the middle finger
The thumbs up gesture that we all consider to be an indication that things are good, is incredibly offensive in Iranian culture.
It's really old
Archaeological evidence suggests humans have inhabited Iran since the prehistoric period, around 100,000 BC.
(insert smth about iron train airopaata yada yada (thread will understhand)