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Planet Earth is BIG! Get out there, take a look, and experience what cities and people all over the world have to offer.

Weather

France

Sunny days, cool breezes, fresh air... This is a list of countries with <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-weather-sites/cameron-quasney?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the best weather</a> in the world, ranked from best to worst. Weather is a topic that everyone has an opinion on. Some people complain that humidity it is too hot, while others think that the warmer it is, the better. Some tourists love wearing sweaters and curling up by a fire, and others fly South to avoid winter weather. Which country has the best weather? Whether it&#39;s crisp Scandinavian snow or sweet Mediterranean air, vote on this list to help determine whose weather reigns supreme.

Most people agree that sunshine is an important factor when determining good weather. New Zealand, Ecuador and Argentina are countries that are warm and sunny all year round. Australia and Bolivia are also great nations for high temperatures and blue skies.

Not everyone thinks that warm weather is the best. Italy and France are great countries for perfect summers and mild winters. If you like seasons, there is no better place than the United States of America. A beautiful fall day with colorful trees and a light breeze is some of the best weather anyone can hope to experience.

Which country do you think has the best weather?

Hungary

There are many factors to consider when determining the best country to live in. Is there a low crime rate? Is the economy stable? What is the work-life balance? Weigh out all of the options and vote on this list to determine which nation is the number one to call home.According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Denmark and the Netherlands provide the best work-life balance by offering great pay and less hours worked per week, about 27 on average. The United States ranked high on the list for the ability to earn a good income and provide a relatively safe environment. Norway is a great place to live because of their pristine environment. Their air pollution is much lower than other nations and the drinking water is of the highest caliber. New Zealand and Australia both ranked very high on the OECD list by providing a safe environment, with beautiful landscapes and healthy citizens.Which country is the best overall? Most studies agree that quality of life is the most important factor when determining a place to live. What do you think? Vote on this list of the best countries to live in in the world and let your voice be heard.

Dream Destinations

Wales

List of Countries with the Best Food ranked from best to worst. There are many contenders for the title of “country with the best food,” but how will we decide which one is best. With so many delicious cuisines in the world, we need the help of Ranker voters to determine which nation has the finest fare. Vote on this list of the countries with the best food and we will see which nation lands in the top spot.Let's take a look at some of the nations that are known for food. Chinese food is popular all over the world and when done right, it can't be beat. Then there is Italy, known for fresh pasta and delectable sauces, maybe they should be crowned the king of cuisine.When it comes to cooking, anyone who has ever heard of Julia Child knows that the French know their way around the kitchen. For croissants alone, France must be in the running for the country with the best food. Mexican food is also a favorite around the world for its use of simple, fresh ingredients with bold flavors and tons of toppings.Which country will end up on top? That's up to you. Vote on this list of the countries with the best food and join the discussion in the comments section. Let's dish!

Travel

Italy

List of the best countries for retirement, as ranked by retirees and world travelers. When it comes time to decide on a retirement location abroad, there’s a lot that needs to be considered. It’s tough enough to move away from everything you’ve ever known. That’s why it’s important to discover a country that will fit your lifestyle needs, as well as fulfill all of your dreams for what your life would be like after retiring. If you’ve been wondering, “What are the best countries to retire to?” you need to think about what you don’t want to live without. The countries on this list have more than enough entertainment for retirees, such as museums, cultural festivals, and interesting cuisine. The countries on this list rank high for their quality of life, since many of its residents and citizens are happy, healthy, and financially solvent. There are great real estate options for retirees, and the cost of living is perfect for those on a fixed income.This list also includes countries that have comfortable climates, easy public transportation, and great medical care, including the finest doctors and hospitals. Any retired person would be lucky to live in any of these wonderful countries.

Canada

List of the Best Countries to Move To ranked from best to worst. Every year millions of people decide to leave the country where they were born and raised in order to make another nation their home. Which country is the best to move to? That all depends on what is important to you. Climate, taxes, crime and health care all must be carefully considered when moving to another country.One of the first things to consider when moving to another country is how to avoid culture shock. Moving to a nation where english is widely spoken can be a big help alleviating confusion. New Zealand and Australia are english speaking nations with beautiful landscapes and an ideal climate.Safety is another factor to keep in mind when moving across the globe. Norway and Denmark are wonderful countries with a low crime rate as well as a low risk for terrorist attacks. France, Germany and Italy are all popular countries to move to for individuals who want to take in delicious food, cultural museums and beautiful sights.There are so many great countries to move to, how will we ever decide which one is the best? That is where you come in. Vote on this list of the best countries to move to and we will see which country lands in the top spot.

Austria

Which country is the best to travel to? The options are endless and vary from person to person. Do you prefer to experience great nightlife in the hottest cities, or would you rather explore lush landscapes and the wonders of nature? Help travelers determine which nation is the greatest vacation destination by voting on this list. From American sites to the richly historic landscapes of Europe and Asia, the world is full of great countries to visit and explore.The European nations have been popular travel destinations for decades. With rich culture, delicious cuisines, and some of the world's greatest museums, France, Germany and Spain are places that everyone should experience. Russia is the largest country in the world and offers exciting opportunities for every traveler. The Kremlin in Moscow is one of the most interesting sites that visitors could hope to take in.Thrifty travelers have more options than ever in 2015. South Korea is becoming an affordable vacation destination for sportsmen and adventure lovers. The Asian nation offers challenging hikes, green golf courses and ocean waters for fishing. Mexico has beautiful all-inclusive resorts that provide vacationers beach front views for a bargain.What country is your favorite to travel to? Vote on this list and share your favorite travel destinations in the comments section.

United States of America

List of the countries with the best quality of life, as ranked by travelers and people who live there. In order to have an extremely happy and healthy life, you depend a lot on the resources around you in your country of residence. The Quality of Life Index ranks countries based on subjective and objective factors, including life-satisfaction surveys and health. Other influences on a high quality of life is community life, family life, job security, political freedom, gender equality, material well-being, political stability, and climate.People who live in countries that offer comfortable housing, plenty of medical services, employment opportunities, and strong community ties are significantly happier and healthier than those in countries that are lacking on one or more of those.This list is the answer to the question, “<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-countries-in-asia/best-world-journeys?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">What are the countries</a> have the best quality of life?” While no country is perfect, the countries compiled on this list house the happiest people on Earth due to the many resources that are available to them, from strong public transportation to availability of medical care. Affordability of housing, entertainment, and other living costs are also an important factor.The countries on this list are among the best places in the world to live. The people are happier overall due to their high quality of living.

Collectivity of Saint Martin

List of Countries with the Best Beaches ranked from best to worst. What makes a beach great? Does it have to offer activities like snorkeling and kayaking or is a desert island feel more ideal? Everybody loves laying out on a sandy beach listening to the ocean roll in, but which country offers the best in beaches? Vote on this list and help fellow sun worshipers determine which nation has the best beaches.Italy offers some amazing beaches. Rabbit Beach in Lampedusa provides travelers beautiful cliffs, blue waters and plenty of sunshine. If you look closely you might even see turtles and dolphins in the water. Australia has some of the world's cleanest beaches with pristine sand and clear waters. New Zealand also has spectacular sand surrounded by magnificent views that will make travelers feel like they are in paradise.Tulum, Mexico provides vacationers the unique opportunity to swim near ancient Mayan ruins. If you are more adventurous, you may prefer the beaches on Palaui Island in the Philippines. Palaui Island is only accessible to travelers who are willing to camp, giving you the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful beaches in the world without hoards of other vacationers.Which country has the best beaches? Vote on this list and tell us why a certain beach is your favorite in the comments section.

This is a ranked list of the best countries for nightlife as voted on by men and women. These countries include some of the most remote, beautiful, and unexpected countries such as Singapore, Turkey, and Israel. This list answers the question, “what are the countries with the best nightlife?” The <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-countries-for-young-people-to-visit/ranker-travel?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best places for young people</a> to visit and party all night are those have a vibrant club scene which caters to young people and have a party mentality. Often these countries have fewer legal concerns than places like the USA that allows them to have nightclubs which stay open until all hours. Young people have the ability and time to travel to these countries simply looking for a good time, so many of these countries make economies off of tourists looking for excellent nightlife. These ranked countries are located in every part of the world and span all tastes, budgets, and desires of travelers looking to party. These include countries in eastern Europe such as Serbia where Belgrade boasts one of the liveliest and most unexpected nightlifes as well as <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/haunted-places-in-asia/isadora-teich?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">places in Asia</a> like Indonesia where inexpensive travel attracts many young people looking to have a great time. In these places, young tourists can party all night at the world’s best nightclubs. As traveler looking for the world’s best nightlife you might ask yourself, “What the world’s best nightclubs?”. Well here we have compiled a list of the very best countries for nightlife.

Places/Travel

List of the best countries for women ranked from best to worst. When determining which country is the best for women, many factors must be taken into consideration. Are women being treated equally to men in the workplace? Do ladies have good access to healthcare? Is safety a concern for females when they are alone? These questions and more must be answered when determining which country is the best for women.Workplace equality is an important issue for women in all developed nations. In 2013, The Economist created a “Glass Ceiling Index” that placed New Zealand at the top of the list of best countries for working women. Norway and Sweden also appeared high on the positive list with the U.S. landing in the 12th best position.The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development points out that Bulgaria is the best country for women when it comes to maternity leave, offering more than 56 weeks of paid time off. Norwegian women spend the least amount of time doing housework in their free time and the women of Japan experience the least amount of domestic violence.With all things considered, which country would you rank as the best for women? Vote on this list and let your voice be heard.

poll

Portugal

List of the Best Countries to Start a Business ranked from best to worst. What is most important to you and your business? Is it labor costs, importing and exporting capabilities or the level of difficulty in starting a new company? Different countries offer advantages and disadvantages for new businesses. Which one is the best? Vote on this list of the best countries to start a business and let us know what you think.To this day, the United States remain a great place to start a new business. With a high level of economic integration and a relatively low start-up cost, the United States offer great resources for young companies. The American dream is still alive and well.China offers low production costs, so if you are going to manufacture a physical product look to Asia. China also has a large population, equating to a large consumer base. Japan also provides great business opportunities and are very willing to work with other nations. The Netherlands offer business owners a great financial model with little red tape, allowing your company to thrive.Which country is the best to start a business? Vote on this list and share any experience you have starting a business in the comments section.

List of the poorest countries of the world. Poverty is seen in most parts of these countries. Poverty is determined by GDP (gross domestic product), literacy rate and employment rate which are the parameters to determine the level of poverty of a country. Some of the poorest countries in the world have the lowest GDPs and literary rates of any other countries.What are the poorest countries in the world? Poverty in the world can be kept at bay by helping these nations see better economic conditions. While some of the richer countries in the world complain about minimum wages and the like, these countries are often concerned with rampant unemployment and lack of access to basic human needs. This list of the poor countries in the world is alphabetical, but can be sorted by any column. Source: UN's Human Development Report

List of the Best Countries to Work and Live ranked from best to worst. Work-life balance is becoming a matter of great importance to people all over the world. With increasing pressure to do more both on the job and at home, it is important to take time to smell the roses. Which country is the best at figuring out the balance of work and life? Vote on this list and we will see which nation lands in the top spot.When it comes to work-life balance, it seems that Europe has got it figured out. Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden all offer employees short hours and consistently try to think of ways to make the job better, like improving commutes.While we work long hours in the United States, we know how to unwind in our off time which makes the US a great country for work-life balance. Our neighbors to the north in Canada have been jumping up the charts when it comes to work-life balance because employers have been noticing that a happy worker is a productive worker.Which country is the best to work and live? Vote and this list and let us know why you think a certain country is best in the comments section.

College

Republic of Ireland

List of the Best Countries to Study Abroad ranked from best to worst. Almost every college and university has programs that allow their students to study abroad. How do these young scholars decide which nation will provide them with quality education and a great adventure? Vote on this list of the best countries to study abroad and share your wisdom with all adventurous undergrads.There are many factors to consider when deciding which country to spend a semester in while you study abroad. If your a foodie, Italy is your best bet to immerse yourself in decadent cuisine. France offers beautiful scenery, vast culture and rigorous curriculums, providing students studying abroad with an unforgettable experience.For a semester abroad that is inexpensive, check out what the various African countries have to offer. Kenya and Tanzania both offer students a quality education mixed with rich cultural diversity and amazing opportunities to observe wildlife, while remaining easy on the pocket book. Mexico also provides studious travelers with wonderful educational opportunities for a fair price. Another bonus to heading south of the border is that for many students home is only a few hours away.Which country will land in the top spot on this list of the best countries to study abroad? Time will tell, but be sure to vote to make sure that your favorite spot is featured high on the list.

Even in today's modern world, where freedom is prized and respected, you will still find examples of dictatorship governments around the globe. This is a list of countries, nations, and states governed or ruled by a dictatorship, sorted alphabetically. In some cases, nations may have multiple ruling bodies or government types, meaning they're not exclusively countries that are governed by dictatorship. This list of countries that use dictatorship as their form of government contains various bits of information about each nation, such as the official language or currency of the country. If you're looking for the names of countries with dictatorship governments then you're in the right place.In a dictatorship, power rests with one supreme ruler. This list answers the questions, &quot;Which countries are ruled by dictatorship?&quot; and &quot;Which countries are governed by dictatorship?&quot; Current dictatorships include Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan, and North Korea. Perhaps someday some of these modern dictatorships will cast off their dictators and embrace a more democratic and inclusive form of government. But for today, these are the world's dictatorships.

List of the most obese countries in the world with morbid obesity condition. Here is a list of all the unfit countries of the world with fattest adults or fattest country with overweight people. Countries with highest percent of overweight people (aged 15 and over) made it to this list of the most obese countries of the World. What are the fattest countries in the world? This list will answer that question.You can sort this list of fattest countries of the world in 2007 by any column. Source: World Health Organization.

Men currently outnumber women globally by 66 million. Just let that sink in for a moment. Although women tend to outnumber men in many countries around the world, some nations are in desperate need of more women, and that need has a huge impact on society. If you don’t think the shift in sex ratio (the number of men per 100 women) is a big deal then think again. The reasons why men outnumber women in some countries <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/depopulation-conspiracy-theories/mike-rothschild" target="_blank">may just surprise you</a>.Global trends are changing: men are living longer, and more women are entering the workforce. Unfortunately, that means women are starting to pick up some bad habits that are negatively impacting their health. The trends of migrant workers moving throughout the globe also cause these numbers to change. The percentage of females compared to males in the United Arab Emirates is so astronomical because of migrant workers that it’s a wonder any man in that part of the world can find a date on Saturday night.India, China, and Sweden are just a few countries where men outnumber women. Where will the sex ratio in other European nations be 10 or 20 years down the line? Should the world be concerned about this shift in sex ratio? Yes, yes it should.

Sweden

The cleanest countries in the world also rank, not surprisingly, among the most beautiful countries in the world. Keeping any country with major cities clean is no small task, but the world&#39;s cleanest countries have figured out a balance between population and sanitation and work tirelessly to be the cleanest and most efficient countries. For some countries, like Singapore, this means enforcing strict laws to keep the streets clean. Others have a national culture that tends towards tidiness and find that cleanliness is enforced through societal pressure and expectations.

These clean countries are the places on earth with best air quality, the countries with the best outdoor spaces, and the countries with the cleanest cities. From the snow capped mountains of Canada to the sparkling waters of Costa Rica, there is no shortage of beauty to behold when visiting the most spotless countries on the planet.

What is the cleanest country in the world? Which ones have cleanest streets? What is the world&#39;s cleanest country? In what country can I find the cleanest cities in the world? This ranking of the cleanest countries in the world should get you on the right path to countries with the cleanest air, countries with the least litter, and the overall cleanest countries on the planet.

List of the Best Countries to Raise Children ranked from best to worst. Raising children is a joyful experience for parents across the globe. Parents all want to give their kids the best education, good access to healthcare and the greatest childhood possible. Some nations provide children with better opportunities than others. Which place is the best to raise children? Help us decide by voting in this list of the best countries to raise children.France and Italy are great countries to raise children. Not only are they full of culture and opportunities, but they also combine public and private healthcare to maximize the overall health of their nations. European countries also provide mothers with excellent paid maternity leave.When it comes to a child's education, Japan lands in the top spot year after year. Besides having excellent public and private schools, Japanese children spend much more time doing homework than their counterparts across the globe. Japanese kids are consistently years ahead of their American counterparts in their curriculums.When you weigh out all of the options, which country is the best to raise children? Vote on this list and share your insights with other voters in the comments section.

List of countries where there is no minimum drinking age. Most countries are used to having a strict drinking age, from 16 to 21 years old.These drinking age mandates are put in place to keep young people from making bad alcohol-related decisions, especially as their brains are still developing and they’re still maturing emotionally. However, there are a few countries throughout the world that don’t have a strict drinking age. In many of these countries it’s legal for a person at any age to consume alcohol, often with parental permission. Some countries allow any age to drink, but there is a mandated age in which you can purchase. In Swaziland, Cuba, and Jamaica, for instance, you need to be 18 to buy alcohol, but you can drink it legally at any age. While it’s legal for any age to drink in these countries, law enforcement can still confiscate the alcohol from young people at their discretion. &nbsp;If you’ve been wondering, “What countries have no drinking age?” this list features each country that allows people of any age to drink alcohol.&nbsp;

Around the World

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Looking for the best deposit rates? Interest deposit rates are a punchline in the USA, but deposit rates elsewhere...? You're in luck, and you're also in for a surprise. The following list is ranked based on the interest rate paid by each country's banks for time, demand, and savings deposits. Turkey came in first with a whopping 22.9%, followed by Moldova and Venezuela.The highest interest rates in the world can be found all over the globe. Read on to learn more about the highest interest rate in the world, and the varying country interest rates.Source: World Bank

Highest Interest Rates in the World | Countries with Best Deposit Rates

20 Countries with the Best Interest Deposit Rates

The Best Places/Travel Lists - Find or Make a All Countries List  | Ranker  | Ranker - A World of Lists

Country

Best Rankings of Places to Visit, Interesting Travel Destinations and Popular Attractions

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Gen Xers

Turkey

Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is a parliamentary republic largely located in Western Asia with the portion of Eastern Thrace in Southeastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the south. The Mediterranean Sea is to the south; the Aegean Sea to the west; and the Black Sea to the north. The Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles demarcate the boundary between Thrace and Anatolia; they also separate Europe and Asia. Turkey's location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia makes it a country of significant geostrategic importance.
Turkey has been inhabited since the paleolithic age, including various ancient Anatolian civilizations, Aeolian and Ionian Greeks, Thracians, and Persians. After Alexander the Great's conquest, the area was Hellenized, which continued with the Roman rule and the transition into the Byzantine Empire.

Moldova

Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova, also known as Moldavia, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe located between Romania to its west and Ukraine to its north, east and south. Its capital city is Chișinău.
Moldova declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991 as part of the dissolution of the Soviet Union. A new constitution was adopted on 29 July 1994. A strip of Moldova's internationally recognised territory on the east bank of the river Dniester has been under the de facto control of the breakaway government of Transnistria since 1990.
As a result of a decrease in industrial and agricultural output since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the relative size of the service sector in Moldova's economy has grown to dominate its GDP and currently stands at over 60%. Moldova remains, however, the poorest country in Europe.
Moldova is a parliamentary republic with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government.

Venezuela

Venezuela, officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America. Venezuela's territory covers around 916,445 km² with an estimated population around 29,100,000. Venezuela is considered a state with extremely high biodiversity, with habitats ranging from the Andes Mountains in the west to the Amazon Basin rainforest in the south, via extensive llanos plains and Caribbean coast in the center and the Orinoco River Delta in the east.
The territory currently known as Venezuela was colonized by Spain in 1522 amid resistance from indigenous peoples. In 1811, it became one of the first Spanish-American colonies to declare independence, which was not securely established until 1821, when Venezuela was a department of the federal republic of Gran Colombia. It gained full independence as a separate country in 1830. During the 19th century, Venezuela suffered political turmoil and autocracy, remaining dominated by regional caudillos until the mid-20th century. Since 1958, the country has had a series of democratic governments.

Yemen

Yemen, officially known as the Republic of Yemen, is an Arab country in Southwest Asia, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. Yemen is the second largest country in the peninsula, occupying 527,970 km². The coastline stretches for about 2,000 km. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea to the south, and Oman to the east. Although Yemen's constitutionally stated capital is the city of Sana'a, the city has been under rebel control since February 2015. Because of this, Yemen's capital has been temporarily relocated to the port city of Aden, on the southern coast. Yemen's territory includes more than 200 islands, the largest of these is Socotra.
Yemen was home of the Sabaeans, a trading state that flourished for over a thousand years and probably also included parts of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea. In 275 AD, the region came under the rule of the later Jewish influenced Himyarite Kingdom. Christianity arrived in the 4th century AD whereas Judaism and local paganism were already established.

São Tomé and Príncipe

São Tomé and Príncipe officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa.
It consists of two archipelagos around the two main islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about 140 kilometres apart and about 250 and 225 kilometres, respectively, off the northwestern coast of Gabon. Both islands are part of an extinct volcanic mountain range. São Tomé, the sizable southern island, is situated just north of the equator. It was named in honour of Saint Thomas by Portuguese explorers who arrived at the island on his feast day on the western shores of the island, a small village called Anobom.
With a census population of 192,993, São Tomé and Príncipe is the second-smallest African country, behind Seychelles. It is also the smallest Portuguese-speaking country.

Vietnam

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. With an estimated 90.5 million inhabitants as of 2014, it is the world's 13th-most-populous country, and the eighth-most-populous Asian country. The name Vietnam translates as "Southern Viet"; it was first officially adopted in 1802 by Emperor Gia Long, and was adopted again in 1945 with the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh. The country is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east. Its capital city has been Hanoi since the reunification of North and South Vietnam in 1976.
Vietnam was part of Imperial China for over a millennium, from 111 BC to AD 938. The Vietnamese became independent from Imperial China in 938, following the Vietnamese victory in the Battle of Bạch Đằng River. Successive Vietnamese royal dynasties flourished as the nation expanded geographically and politically into Southeast Asia, until the Indochina Peninsula was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century.

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a contiguous transcontinental presidential republic in the Caucasus region, situated at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west and Iran to the south. The exclave of Nakhchivan is bounded by Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, while having a short border with Turkey in the northwest.
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence in 1918 and became the first Muslim-majority democratic and secular republic. It was also the first Muslim-majority country to have operas, theaters and modern universities. The country was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920 as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence in October 1991, before the official dissolution of the USSR. Earlier, in September 1991, the disputed Armenian-majority Nagorno-Karabakh region re-affirmed its willingness to create a separate state as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Myanmar

Burma, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, commonly shortened to Myanmar, is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia bordered by Bangladesh, India, China, Laos and Thailand. One-third of Burma's total perimeter of 1,930 km forms an uninterrupted coastline along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Burma has a population of 51 million people. Burma is 676,578 square kilometres in size. Burma's capital city is Naypyidaw and its largest city is Yangon.
Early civilisations in Burma included the Tibeto-Burman-speaking Pyu in Upper Burma and the Mon in Lower Burma. In the 9th century, the Burmans of the Kingdom of Nanzhao entered the upper Irrawaddy valley and, following the establishment of the Pagan Empire in the 1050s, the Burmese language, culture and Theravada Buddhism slowly became dominant in the country. The Pagan Empire fell due to the Mongol invasions and several warring states emerged. In the 16th century, reunified by the Taungoo Dynasty, the country was for a brief period the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia. The early 19th century Konbaung Dynasty ruled over an area that included modern Burma and briefly controlled Manipur and Assam as well.

Nigeria

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Nigeria is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean.
Present-day Nigeria has been the site of numerous kingdoms and tribal states spanning over a millennium. The modern state has its origins in British colonization during the late 19th to early 20th centuries, with the merging of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate. During the colonial period, the British set up administrative and legal structures whilst retaining traditional chiefdoms. Nigeria achieved independence in 1960, but plunged into a two-year civil war several years later. It has since alternated between democratically-elected civilian governments and military dictatorships, with its 2011 presidential elections being viewed as the first to be conducted reasonably freely and fairly.

Brazil

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in both South America and the Latin American region. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population. It is the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world, and the only one in the Americas.
Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 km. It borders all other South American countries except Ecuador and Chile and occupies 47.3 percent of the continent of South America. Its Amazon River basin includes a vast tropical forest, home to diverse wildlife, a variety of ecological systems, and extensive natural resources spanning numerous protected habitats. This unique environmental heritage makes Brazil one of 17 megadiverse countries, and is the subject of significant global interest and debate regarding deforestation and environmental protection.
Brazil was inhabited by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing of traveler Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500, who claimed the area for Portugal.

South Africa

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is a country located in Southern Africa. It has 2,798 kilometres of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian oceans. To the north lie the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; and within it lies Lesotho, an enclave surrounded by South African territory. South Africa is the 25th-largest country in the world by land area, and with close to 53 million people, is the world's 25th-most populous nation.
South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution's recognition of 11 official languages, which is among the highest number of any country in the world. Two of these languages are of European origin: Afrikaans developed from Dutch and serves as the first language of most white and coloured South Africans, based on history; English reflects the legacy of British colonialism, and is commonly used in public and commercial life, though it is fourth-ranked as a spoken first language.

Madagascar

Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Southeast Africa. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar, as well as numerous smaller peripheral islands. Following the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, Madagascar split from India around 88 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation. Consequently, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90 percent of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are threatened by the encroachment of the rapidly growing human population and other environmental threats.
Initial human settlement of Madagascar occurred between 350 BC and AD 550 by Austronesian peoples arriving on outrigger canoes from Borneo. These were joined around AD 1000 by Bantu migrants crossing the Mozambique Channel from East Africa. Other groups continued to settle on Madagascar over time, each one making lasting contributions to Malagasy cultural life.

Mongolia

Mongolia is a landlocked country in east-central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Ulaanbaatar, the capital and also the largest city, is home to about 45% of the population. Mongolia's political system is a parliamentary republic.
The area of what is now Mongolia has been ruled by various nomadic empires, including the Xiongnu, the Xianbei, the Rouran, the Turkic Khaganate, and others. In 1206, Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire, and his grandson Kublai Khan conquered China to establish the Yuan Dynasty. After the collapse of the Yuan, the Mongols retreated to Mongolia and resumed their earlier pattern of factional conflict except during the era of Dayan Khan and Tumen Zasagt Khan. In the 16th centuries, Tibetan Buddhism began to spread in Mongolia and it was accelerated by the unwavering support of the Qing government after Mongolia was incorporated by the Qing dynasty. In the 1900s almost half of the adult male population were Buddhist monks.
By the mid-18th century, all of Mongolia had been incorporated into the area ruled by the Manchus' Qing Dynasty.

Argentina

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic is a federal republic located in southeastern South America. Sharing the Southern Cone with its smaller neighbour Chile, it is bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north; Brazil to the northeast; Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east; Chile to the west and the Drake Passage to the south. With a mainland area of 2,780,400 km&#178;, Argentina is the eighth-largest country in the world, the second-largest in Latin America, and the largest Spanish-speaking one. Argentina claims sovereignty over part of Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Mozambique

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. It is separated from Madagascar by the Mozambique Channel to the east. The capital and largest city is Maputo.
Between the 1st and 5th centuries AD, Bantu-speaking peoples migrated from farther north and west. Swahili, and later also Arab, commercial ports existed along the coasts until the arrival of Europeans. The area was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498 and colonized by Portugal from 1505. After over four centuries of Portuguese rule, Mozambique gained independence in 1975, becoming the People's Republic of Mozambique shortly thereafter. After only two years of independence, the country descended into an intense and protracted civil war lasting from 1977 to 1992. In 1994, Mozambique held its first multiparty elections and has remained a relatively stable presidential republic since.
Mozambique is endowed with rich and extensive natural resources.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and known until 1972 as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia near the south-east of India. Sri Lanka has maritime borders with India to the northwest and the Maldives to the southwest. Its documented history spans 3,000 years, with evidence of pre-historic human settlements dating back to at least 125,000 years. Its geographic location and deep harbours made it of great strategic importance from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to WWII.

Georgia

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi. Georgia covers a territory of 69,700 square kilometres, and its population is almost 5 million. Georgia is a unitary, semi-presidential republic, with the government elected through a representative democracy.
During the classical era, several independent kingdoms became established in what is now Georgia. The kingdoms of Colchis and Iberia adopted Christianity in the early 4th century. A unified Kingdom of Georgia reached the peak of its political and economic strength during the reign of King David IV and Queen Tamar in the 11th–12th centuries. Thereafter the area was dominated by various large empires, including the Safavids, Afsharids, and Qajar Persians. In the late 18th century, the kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti forged an alliance with the Russian Empire, and the area was annexed by Russia in 1801.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western three-eighths of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands, along with Saint Martin, that are shared by two countries. Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second-largest Caribbean nation, with 48,445 square kilometres and nearly 10 million people, one million of which live in the capital city, Santo Domingo.
Christopher Columbus landed on the island in 1492, which the Taíno people had inhabited since the 7th century. It became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas; namely Santo Domingo, the oldest continuously inhabited city and the first seat of the Spanish colonial rule in the New World. After three centuries of Spanish rule, with French and Haitian interludes, the country became independent in 1821. The ruler, José Núñez de Cáceres, intended that the Dominican Republic be part of the nation of Gran Colombia, but he was quickly removed by the Haitian government and Dominican slave revolts.

Mauritius

Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres off the southeast coast of the African continent. The country includes the island of Mauritius, Rodrigues, the islands of Agalega, and the archipelago of Saint Brandon. The islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues, and Réunion form part of the Mascarene Islands. The area of the country is 2,040 km². The capital and largest city is Port Louis.
Mauritius claims sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago and Tromelin Island. The United Kingdom excised the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritian territory prior to Mauritian independence in 1965. The UK gradually depopulated the archipelago's indigenous population and leased its biggest island, Diego Garcia, to the United States. The US soon thereafter established a military base on Diego Garcia.
The island of Mauritius was visited during the medieval period by the Arabs and then by the Portuguese, who named it Dina Arobi and Cirne, respectively. The island was uninhabited until the Dutch Republic established a colony in 1638, with the Dutch naming the island after Prince Maurice van Nassau.

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