All of these are true, but that shouldn't stop you from making up your own.


Alaska

More than half of the coastline of the entire United States is in Alaska.

Webmaster's comment: "Probably most of the United States' Polar Bears too!"

Amazon

The Amazon rainforest produces more than 20% the world's oxygen supply.

The Amazon River pushes so much water into the Atlantic Ocean that more than one hundred miles at sea, off the mouth of the river, one can dip fresh water out of the ocean. The volume of water in the Amazon river is greater than the next eight largest rivers in the world combined, and three times the flow of ALL rivers in the United States.

Webmaster's comment: "It is so big it has its own species of dolphin."

Antarctica

Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country.

Ninety percent of the world's ice covers Antarctica. This ice also represents seventy percent of all the fresh water in the world. As strange as it sounds, however, Antarctica is essentially a DESERT. The average yearly total precipitation is about TWO INCHES. Although covered with ice (all but 0.4% of it), Antarctica is the driest place on the planet, with an absolute humidity lower than the Gobi desert.

Webmaster's comment: "Drilling cores have revealed that the climate was ice-free 40 million years ago."

Canada

Canada has more lakes than the REST OF THE WORLD combined. Canada is an Indian word meaning 'Big Village'.

Webmaster's comment: "Yes, a VERY big village."

Chicago

Next to Warsaw, Chicago has the largest Polish population in the world.

Webmaster's comment: "If in Chicago, don't miss a meal at the Old Warsaw Buffet."

Damascus, Syria

Damascus, Syria, was flourishing a couple of thousand years before Rome was founded in 753 BC, making it the oldest continuously inhabited city in existence.

Webmaster's comment: "...also known as 'City of Jasmin'".

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul, Turkey, is the only city in the world located on TWO continents.

Webmaster's comment: "...previously named:
Byzantium, Constantinople, Stamboul, New Rome, The City, Bulin, Islambol, Dersaadet, Miklagaršr, Tsargrad and Carigrad".

Los Angeles

Los Angeles' full name is:
El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula -- and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size:    L.A.

Webmaster's comment: "LOS ANGELES is the world's first city to be awarded its own unique internet address: .LA".

Brazil

The country was named after the nut, not the other way around.

Webmaster's comment: "Brazil has the largest number of uncontacted peoples in the world, even more than the island of New Guinea."

New York City

The term 'The Big Apple' was coined by touring jazz musicians of the 1930's who used the slang expression 'apple' for any town or city. Therefore, to play New York City is to play the big time - The Big Apple.
There are more Irish in New York City than in Dublin, Ireland; more Italians in New York City than in Rome, Italy; and more Jews in New York City than in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Webmaster's comment: "At least 193,000 employees in New York City work for a foreign-run company."

Ohio

There are no natural lakes in the state of Ohio, every single one is manmade.

Webmaster's comment: "Canada should donate a couple and have them shipped down."

Pitcairn Island

The smallest island with country status is Pitcairn in Polynesia, at just 1.75 sq. miles/4,53 sq. km.

Webmaster's comment: "That's exactly how large my driveway is when I'm shovelling it."

Roads

Chances that a road is UNPAVED in the U.S.A:
1%,
in Canada:
75%

Webmaster's comment: "...and we Canadians like it like that!"

Rome

The first city to reach a population of 1 million people was Rome, Italy in 133 B.C.
There is a city called Rome on EVERY continent.

Webmaster's comment: "In Ancient Rome, there were two ways of telling time: the sundial, or the water clock, neither of which could be worn on the wrist."

Russia

The deepest hole ever drilled by man is the Kola Superdeep Borehole, in Russia. It reached a depth of 12,261 meters (about 40,226 feet or 7.62 miles). It was drilled for scientific research and gave up some unexpected discoveries, one of which was a huge deposit of hydrogen - so massive that the mud coming from the hole was boiling with it.

Webmaster's comment: "They'd better be careful 'cause if they pop out the other side, they will be under the southern Pacific Ocean."

Sahara Desert

In the Sahara Desert, there is a town named Tidikelt, Algeria, which did not receive a drop of rain for TEN years.

Webmaster's comment: "I have a savings account that I could make parallels about."

Siberia

Siberia contains more than 25% of the world's forests.

Webmaster's comment: "From east to west, Siberia covers nine time zones while the continental United States covers three, AND the diamond deposits in Siberia are so extensive, non-Russian countries pay Russia not to mine them because of a fear the diamond market would collapse".

S.M.O.M.

The actual smallest sovereign entity in the world is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (S.M.O.M). It is located in the city of Rome, Italy, has an area of two tennis courts, and as of 2001 has a population of 80, (20 less people than the Vatican). It is a sovereign entity under international law, just as the Vatican is.

Webmaster's comment: "It is so small that their website has a list of all their licence plate numbers".

Spain

Spain literally means 'the Land of Rabbits.'

Webmaster's comment: "I'm not touching this one!".

St. Paul, Minnesota

St. Paul, Minnesota, was originally called Pig's Eye after a man named Pierre 'Pig's Eye' Parrant who set up the first business there.

Webmaster's comment: "Parrant opened trade as a bootlegger, selling his homemade spirits."

United States

The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one-mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.

Webmaster's comment: "In Canada, by legislation, every mile (km.) of every single street, in every single city, must have a Tim Horton's on it."

Denmark

Before starting your car you are required to check lights, brakes, steering and honk your horn. You must also do a visual check to make sure there are no children sleeping underneath the car.

Webmaster's comment: "Combine this with another older Danish law: [If a person finds a lost child they can claim the child as their own if a parent does not turn up within 2 hours.] and you have the possibility of an unusual childhood."

Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

There are no airstrips on the islands and the 1232 kilometres of coastline have no ports or harbours, only offshore anchorages. Here is an amazing photo of one of the islands: Saint Paul et Amsterdam.

Webmaster's comment: "I'd like to look as knowledgable as the next guy, but up til now..... I hadn't even HEARD of the place."

China

Scientists have discovered a huge body of water...in the earth's mantle...under China. It is the size of the Arctic Ocean.

Webmaster's comment: "That could be either great news for China.....or very bad news."

Waterfalls

The water of Angel Falls (the World's highest) in Venezuela, drops 3,212 feet (979 meters). They are 15 times higher than Niagara Falls.

Webmaster's comment: "There are also 3,212 times FEWER honeymoons held there....and almost no barrel jumping."

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