# \[GAME\] All the Countries in the World trivia game **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [December 9, 2014, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718 "2014-12-09T02:53:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/181 "2015-12-10T19:19:28Z")
There comes in on Wiki between Cyprus and Comoros, the un-numbered Reunion (France). Reunion intrigues me, so I’ll do it. Kind of “through-the-looking-glass” island twin of nearby Mauritius – Reunion has always been French territory: now, I believe, an overseas _departement_ of metropolitan France. Capital: St. Denis. Opinions of visitors to Reunion, vary: some find it fully a tropical paradise, others consider it spoilt a bit by the inhabitants – many of whom tend to a sort of hillbilly-ish “we hate everyone who isn’t us” attitude. #161: Comoros Archipelago north of Madagascar – was a French colony before independence. Capital: Moroni. When I was a kid, we had a board game about collecting animals for zoos: the Comoros were where you had to go, to bag a coelacanth. #162: Bhutan ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/182 "2015-12-10T19:33:20Z")
Tiny mountain kingdom near India Has dragon on its flag Has young, attractive king and queen #163: Guyana. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/183 "2015-12-10T20:19:41Z")
#163: Guyana Capital: Georgetown. Until independence, was British Guiana – the only British territory on the continent of South America. According to a Guyanan one-time housemate of mine: the people of Guyana identify strongly, culturally, with the West Indies. It’s an insult to a Guyanan to call him “South American”. Follows, a numberless “odd one” – Macau (China); then #164: Montenegro ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/184 "2015-12-12T00:32:38Z")
Well, I’ve been to Macau, so I’ll take it. 1. Former Portuguese colony that was handed back to China a couple years after Hong Kong (16 years ago this month, in fact) 2. The Las Vegas of the East 3. The Ruins of St. Paul is a Unesco World Heritage Site (also often incorrectly labelled a cathedral) I’m seeing now that #164 is the Solomon Islands. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/185 "2015-12-12T04:06:40Z")
I’ll take Montenegro: Double-headed eagle on flag About a 620k population Site of high-stakes poker game in _Casino Royale_ Next: #164 Solomon Islands. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/186 "2015-12-12T07:49:56Z")
Montenegro and the Solomons had indeed swapped places since I’d previously checked. #164: Solomon Islands Archipelago in South Pacific, formerly British territory. Capital Honiara. Location of bitter fighting with the Japanese in World War II, especially involving the island of Guadalcanal. #166: Luxembourg ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/187 "2015-12-12T11:20:54Z")
#166: Luxembourg 1. Capital and largest city is Luxembourg City 2. Speaks a German dialect called Luxembourgish 3. Along with Belgium and the Netherlands was a founding member of the Benelux Union, sort of a mini EU. #167: Suriname ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/188 "2015-12-12T15:13:08Z")
#167: Suriname aka Surinam Formerly Dutch Guiana. Capital Paramaribo. Home of the Surinam Toad, whose reproductive arrangements some people think very disgusting. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=497698&highlight=buckeye](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=497698&highlight=buckeye) (ST material between posts #347 and 432.) #168: Cape Verde ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/189 "2015-12-12T18:31:37Z")
Island chain off western coast of North Africa Half-million population Stable multiparty democracy #169: Western Sahara ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/190 "2015-12-13T14:28:03Z")
#169: Western Sahara On the Atlantic coast, immediately south-west of Morocco. Formerly a Spanish colony; for long, a hot bone-of-contention issue between Spain and Morocco. Seems that it’s now an independent nation – I had no idea. (Feeble, but “that’s all I’ve got”.) An un-numbered oddity, Transnistria; then #170: Malta ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/191 "2015-12-14T02:07:04Z")
Held by the British during WWII and defended against Axis attack at great cost. Has a red and white flag. The future Queen Elizabeth II lived there briefly as a princess while her husband served in the Royal Navy. #171: Brunei. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/192 "2015-12-14T02:46:58Z")
I wot not of Transnistria; but in the Wiki list, un-numbered Guadeloupe (France) comes before Brunei. I just-about know three things about Guadeloupe: so – French West Indian island, now an overseas _departement_ of France. An island basically in two parts, connected by a narrow isthmus. Mentioned in Herman Wouk’s Caribbean-comic-capers novel _Don’t Stop the Carnival_, as a near neighbour of the fictional US island on which the book’s action is set. #171: Brunei Small nation on the island of Borneo, “nested” within the Malaysian part of that island. Oil-producing, I believe. The Sultan of Brunei is one of the richest men in the world. Un-numbered: Martinique (France) #172: The Bahamas ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/193 "2015-12-14T22:38:50Z")
172 Bahamas: A bewildering numbr of islands, most of then uninhabited. Nassau and Freeport are just about the only places that are easy to get to. Caribbeann drug smuggles are more afraid of Bahamian pirates, than of the US Coast Guard. #173 – Belize ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/194 "2015-12-14T22:53:00Z")
(Parenthetical) > [@Sangahyando](#): > > #169: Western Sahara > > On the Atlantic coast, immediately south-west of Morocco. > > Formerly a Spanish colony; for long, a hot bone-of-contention issue between Spain and Morocco. > > Seems that it’s now an independent nation – I had no idea. Eh, not exactly: in a reverse of what happens with several of the other oddballs (de facto seceded but none or few recognize it e.g. Somaliland), this is one where a nontrivial number of countries have recognized it as independent, _but occupied_ (by Morocco). I suspect the Wikipedia list has been edited by a sympathizer of the SADR’s claim. (/parenthetical) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/195 "2015-12-15T02:43:37Z")
#173: Belize 1. Formerly known as British Honduras. 2. Capital is Belize City. 3. Consistently makes the top rankings in polls on the best places for an expat to retire to. #174: Maldives ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/196 "2015-12-15T04:53:06Z")
174 Maldives Chain of islands off the coast of India Haven for millionaires to hide their fortune there Expensive for backpackers, illegal to sleep on the beach or anywhere else outside a very expensive hotel. #175 – Iceland ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/197 "2015-12-15T14:08:57Z")
I seem to be the only participant who’s including the “no-number-only-a-dash” places. As we get into ever smaller and lesser territories, there are progressively more “no-number-only-dash” ones. Shortly on the Wiki list, there’ll be five no-number-only-dashes, in succession. What to do? > [@JRDelirious](#): > > (Parenthetical) > Eh, not exactly: in a reverse of what happens with several of the other oddballs (de facto seceded but none or few recognize it e.g. Somaliland), this is one where a nontrivial number of countries have recognized it as independent, _but occupied_ (by Morocco). I suspect the Wikipedia list has been edited by a sympathizer of the SADR’s claim. > > (/parenthetical) Thanks. Basically the only thing I knew about this place, was Morocco’s coveting it ! #175: Iceland Capital Reykjavik. Has, I believe, the oldest and longest-continually-functioning Parliament in the world. Reputedly. many Icelanders hold a strong belief in the existence of elves, and the necessity of keeping on the right side of them. Next: North Cyprus (un-numbered) Then #176: Barbados ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/198 "2015-12-15T18:56:02Z")
#176 Barbados Caribbean nation, former British colony. Easternmost Caribbean island. Colonists from Barbados founded the city of Charles Town, now Charleston ,S.C. A penal colony for Irish rebels against Oliver Cromwell, some of whose descendants live there still. (I worked with a guy from Barbados, who had the strongest Caribbean accent I’ve ever heard. It was amusing to see people react to a 6’4 white guy who sounded like Bob Marley.) Forgot to add, #177 Vanuatu. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/199 "2015-12-15T21:00:05Z")
#177: Vanuatu South Pacific archipelago essentlaily lying eastward of the more northerly parts of Australia. Before independence, was a “condominium” – jointly-ruled territory – of UK and France; which I gather did not work all that well. National anthem is titled “Yumi, Yumi, Yumi”. Now we get into the aforementioned five sequential no-number-only-a-dash-es. What will happen, will happen… ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718/200 "2015-12-16T02:01:42Z")
177A – New Caledona I think still a metropolitan department of France proper. Some major mining activity there for something highly polluting, I think maybe aluminum/bauxite… Closest islands to New Guinea, must have once been British, with a name like that. 177B – French Polynesia [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-all-the-countries-in-the-world-trivia-game/706718.md?page=11)