FACTS

World Facts

In Ivrea, Italy, thousands of citizens celebrate the beginning of Lent by throwing oranges at one another.
Lake Baikal in the south central part of Siberia is the world’s deepest lake. This lake, which is about 20 million years old, contains 20 per cent of the earth’s fresh liquid water.
Scotland has 421 words for "snow".
During world war II, bakers in the USA were ordered to stop selling sliced bread for the duration of the war on January 18, 1943. Only whole loaves were made available to the public. It was never explained how this action helped the war effort.
Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country.
Indonesia consists only of islands – 13,667 altogether.
The Mexican Hat dance is the official dance of Mexico.
The only continent without reptiles is Antarctica.
The Sumerians, who lived in the middle east, invented the wheel in about 3450 BC. They also invented writing.
Chinese made the first wheelbarrow.
Native people of South America catch and use piranha’s razor-sharp teeth to make tools and weapons.
The giant African snail grows over a foot in length and weighs more than a pound (0.5 kg approximately).
The ancient Egyptians slept on pillow made of stone.
In Russia, when flowers are given for a romantic occasions, flowers are given in odd numbers as even number of flowers is given at funerals only.
The coliseum in Rome was used regularly for about 400 years.
The hand salute originated from the ‘Hail Caesar’ salute of the Roman empire.
Australia’s national anthem is called ‘Advance Australia Fair’.
The Nobel prize was first awarded in 1901.
The world Nazi is actually an abbreviation for Nationalsoziali-stische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, which refers to the National Socialist German Workers Party.
The Eiffel Tower has 1,665 steps.
Ushuaia, Argentina is the world’s southernmost city.
Australia is the only country-continent in the world.
The city of Tokyo was originally called Edo.
Despite being over 27 times smaller, Norway’s total coastline is longer than the USA’s.
In Las Vegas, casinos do not have any clocks.
There are 293 steps to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
As a part of the original design, the names of 72 French scientists and other famous people is imprinted on the sides of the Eiffel tower.
During World War II, condoms were used to cover rifle barrels from being damaged by salt water as the soldiers swam to shore.
Tomatina is the legendary Spanish tomato-throwing festival held in Bunol, Spain.
The White House has 35 bathrooms, 3 elevators, 132 rooms, and 412 doors.
The word Spain means ‘The land of rabbits.’
The sound made by the Victoria falls in Zimbabwe is so loud that it can be heard 40 miles away.
Earth is the only planet not named after a god other than Hinduism.
It took approximately 2.5 million (25 lakh) blocks to build the pyramid of Giza, which is one of the Great Pyramids.
Great Britain was the first country to issue postage stamps in the year 1840.
The first state to give the right to women to vote was Wyoming.
The thickness of the arctic ice sheet is on average 10 feet. There are some areas that are thick as 65 feet.
The first theatre to show motion pictures was the Nickelodeon on June 19, 1905 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was opened by Harry Davis on Smithfield Street.
The greatest mountain range is the Mid-Ocean Ridge, extending 64,374 kilometres from the Arctic Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.
Maine is the toothpick capital of the world.
The USA bought Alaska from Russia for 2 cents an acre.
Early Romans used to use porcupine quills as toothpicks.
Austria was the first country to use postcards, starting in 1869.
The ‘middle finger’ gesture originates back to 423 BC in Aristophanes play ‘The Clouds’.
New York City was briefly the US capital, from 1789 to 1790.
In 1930, Ellen Church became the world’s first airline stewardess.
The Hundred Year War, fought between France and England, lasted for 116 year.
From 1526 to 1707, the first six Mughal emperors of India ruled in unbroken succession from father to son.
The only South East Asian country that has never been colonized by a Western Power is Thailand.
The Pacific Ocean covers 28 percent of the Earth’s surface.
The sport of surfing originated in Hawaii.
Then hottest Chile in the world is the Habanero.
Iran means ‘Land of Aryans’.
Remains of what appears to be cheese has been found in Egyptian tombs over 4,000 years old!
Three consecutive strikes in bowling is called a Turkey.
The first country to abolish capital punishment was Austria in 1787.
There is only one Q in a game of Scrabble.
The only roller skating museum in the world is Lincoln Nebraska.
Austria was the first country to use post-cards, starting in 1869.
The city of Vince stands on about 120 small islands.
The longest recorded duration of a total solar eclipse is 7.5 minutes. (2010)
Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and business turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change.
It’s illegal to sell, own or distribute chewing gum in Singapore.
Half of everything bought in American stores is bought on impulse. Supermarkets report very strong sales of almost anything they stock at the check-out line.
Approximately 40 per cent of the paper currency in circulation in America was counterfeit by the end of the civil war.
The sears tower consists of nine frames tubes, which connects nine skyscrapers as one building.
Although identified with Scotland, bagpipes are actually a very ancient instrument, introduced in the British Isles by the Roman.
The major air-polluting industries are iron, steel and cement.
Less than 2 percent of Indians own a Computer. China is 10 percent according to 2010 census.
The Industrial Revolution in Europe first saw the beginning of air pollution, which gradually became a major global problem.
When trains were introduced in the United States, many people believed the women’s bodies were not designed to go at 50 miles an hour, and that their uteruses would fly out of their bodies if they were accelerated to that speed.
An estimated 16 percent of the world's population- 1.2 billion people have little or no access to electricity.
Two rival churches in Vrontados, Greece, Shoot tens of thousands at each other every Easter in a "Rocket War" and they agree to settle the score next year.
Russia has more faith healers than doctors.