World Roulette: Fun Facts #9
First published: Tuesday December 30th, 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 81st is...
● Nauru is the 194th biggest country in the world and the 194th in terms of population with 12.000 people.
● It's a good country to live in terms of HDI (124th) with 0,703 which is considered "high".
● Nauru was once the richest country in the world. Nauru's phosphate reserves made Nauru the highest per capita GDP in the world for a brief period in the sixties.
It's not very visited
Prior to the pandemic, around 200 tourists made it to Nauru each year, which means perhaps 15,000 people or 0.0002% of the global population have been there.
Moving out?
In 1963, and then again in 1970, there were discussions about moving the entire population of Nauru to an island off Queensland in Australia because scientists considered Nauru would be uninhabitable by the mid-1990s. The Nauruans opposed the idea and chose to remain.
The 82nd one is...
● Turks and Caicos Islands is a British Overseas Territory that has an area of 948 km2 and a population of 49,309 people.
● If it were a country, it would be the 173th in terms of size and 188th in terms of population.
● Grand Turk was the first land reached by astronaut John Glenn after the Mercury space mission in 1962.
An old shipwreck
The oldest excavated european shipwreck in the americas was found off West Caicos on Molasses Reef. Initially thought to be Christopher Columbus’s ship Pinta, this was later proven to be incorrect and the Molasses Reef Wreck has not been identified. Artifacts from this wreck can be seen at the National Museum on Grand Turk.
High-quality salt
During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington supposedly personally requested salt from the islands due to its high quality. Due to the naval blockades by the British, there was a shortage of salt in the colonies. The high-quality salt from the islands sold for around $40 a bushel (as high as $332 per pound in 2023 dollars).
The 83rd one is...
● Uruguay is the 89th biggest country in the world and the 132nd in terms of population with 3,38 million people.
● It's a very good country to live in terms of HDI (48th) with 0,862 which is considered "very high".
● Uruguay has the world’s longest national anthem, taking around six minutes to sing. It is called Orientales, la Patria o La Tumba (“Uruguayans, the Fatherland or the Grave”).
Salt lovers
Uruguayans are such lovers of salt that the Montevideo city government has had to ban it from appearing on the tables of restaurants and schools. Salt shakers, along with ketchup and mayonnaise, are not readily available at the diner’s disposa
The poorest president
The world’s “poorest president” comes from Uruguay. Jose Mujica, who reigned as president from 2010 to 2015, donated 90% of his monthly salary to charity, the equivalent of $12,000 USD.
The 84th one is...
● Singapore is the 177th biggest country in the world and the 114th in terms of population with 5,88 million people.
● It's one of the best countries to live in terms of HDI (13th) with 0,946 which is considered "very high".
● Singapore is one of the world’s greenest cities, with over 40% of its land covered in nature reserves, parks, and skyrise greenery. Known as the Garden City, Singapore is working toward becoming a “city in a garden.”
F1 night race
In 2008, Singapore hosted the first-ever Formula 1 night race, using floodlights to simulate daylight for better global viewing. The 3.146-mile track is one of F1’s most physically demanding street circuits.
Some unique laws
Singapore is often called the “fine city” due to its strict laws and cleanliness. Some unique laws include: Chewing gum, failing to flush public toilets or feeding pigeons.
The 85th one is...
● Lesotho is the 138th biggest country in the world and the 144th in terms of population with 2,37 million people.
● It's a decent country to live in terms of HDI (167th) with 0,550 which is considered "medium".
● Lesotho could be considered the highest country. It has the highest lowest point of any country (1,400 meters).
One of the largest dinosaur footprints
In 2017, one of the largest dinosaur footprints ever found was discovered in Lesotho. Measuring 57cm, the footprint comes from a dinosaur named Kayentapus ambrokholohali.
Lots of people with HIV
A quarter of the population of Lesotho are HIV-positive. The country has the second-highest HIV prevalence rate in the world, after Eswatini.
The 86th one is...
● Trinidad and Tobago is the 166th biggest country in the world and the 152nd in terms of population with 1,51 million people.
● It's a very good country to live in terms of HDI with 0,807 which is considered "very high".
● Trinidad was named by Christopher Columbus in 1498 after the Holy Trinity. Tobago’s name origins are less clear, but likely originate from the Carib word tavaco, referring to tobacco use by the indigenous peoples.
The first black Miss Universe
In 1977, Trinidad’s Janelle Penny Commissiong became the first Black woman to be crowned Miss Universe. Her victory shattered racial barriers. Commissiong’s achievements are immortalized in three postage stamps produced by the Trinidad and Tobago Postal Service.
World's largest brain coral
The world’s largest brain coral is located at Kelleston Drain, a popular dive site with marine life near Little Tobago. Brain corals are named for their grooved surface, resembling a human brain.
The 87th one is...
● Czech Republic is the 115th biggest country in the world and the 92nd in terms of population with 10,53 million people.
● It's a very good country to live in terms of HDI (29th) with 0,915 which is considered "very high".
● Czech people are the world’s heaviest consumers of beer. In 2016, the Czechs consumed 143.3 liters per person.
Lots of castles
The largest ancient castle in the world is the Prague Castle, 570m long and 128m wide. There are over 2000 castles and chateaux in the Czech Republic, more than in any other country in Europe.
The oldest astronomical clock
Prague’s astronomical clock, known as Prague Orloj, was installed in 1410, making it the oldest in the world. It’s an impressive instrument to behold. Located at the Old Town Hall Tower.
The 88th one is...
● Réunion is an overseas department and a region of France that has an area of 2,511 km² and a population of 896,175 people.
● If it were a country, it would be the 170th in terms of size and 160th in terms of population.
● The longest domestic flight route in the world, covering 9,349 km, is from Paris to La Reunion. This is twice the distance from New York to Los Angeles.
An active volcano
La Réunion is home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes, the Piton de la Fournaise. This volcano on the eastern side of the island has erupted more than 100 times since 1640 and has shaped the island’s rocky landscape.
The panther chameleon
The biggest land animal on the island is the panther chameleon. It’s extremely slow, that’s why in the local dialect it’s called Endormi which means “asleep”. Its color depends on the animal’s mood, surroundings, and location. It can get darker if feeling stressed.
The 89th one is...
● Greenland is an autonomous territory that has an area of 2,166,086 km2 and a population of 56,831 people.
● If it were a country, it would be the 12th in terms of size and 188th in terms of population.
● Many towns in Greenland rely on boats for transportation more than cars.
Largest national park
Greenland is home to the largest national park in the world. The entire north-east of Greenland is one massive national park. Established in 1974 and expanded to its current size in 1988
Greenlandic language
The term “igloo” comes from the Greenlandic language. “Kayak” comes from Inuit hunters who who used the word “qajaq.” Anorak (raincoat) is another Greenlandic word in origin.
The 90th one is...
● Belize is the 148th biggest country in the world and the 171th in terms of population with 426k people.
● It's a good country to live in terms of HDI (115th) with 0,721 which is considered "high".
● Belize is the only Central American country not to have Spanish as its official language
The moving capital
Hurricane Hattie, which struck the country in 1961, killed at least 400 people and destroyed half of Belize City, the former capital. This scale of destruction prompted calls for the capital to be located further inland. Belmopan was constructed and was declared the new capital in 1970.
The Great Blue Hole
The Great Blue Hole is a UNESCO heritage site and one of the most famous attractions of Belize. The blue hole is about 124m deep and 320m wide. This hole is a natural sinkhole and home to hammerhead sharks and many other marine animals.
