#111 Kyrgyzstan
Capital, Bishkek
The country is mountainous – occupies part of the “roof of the world” high-mountains block which includes among other bits, the Himalayas
Country includes a fair-sized inland lake – Lake Issik-Kul
#112 Denmark
112 - Denmark
Used to rule most of Scandinavia and still owns Greenland
Home of Hans Christian Andersen
One of if not the oldest national flag in use
#113 Singapore
#113 Singapore
City-state in the Malaysian archipelago.
Long-time, and now-late, prime minister Lee Kuan Kew believed that mastery of English was essential to success and would chastise civil servants for sending him reports with poor grammar or spelling.
Uses caning as a punishment; famously caned an American teenager for vandalism, a move that met with as much approval as condemnation in the United States.
#114: Finland.
(A question about this game - is it supposed to be three facts you know, or think you know, off the top of your head? So it’s cheating to check Wikipedia to see if you’re right?)
#113: Singapore.
- Capital is, er … No, that won’t work. Wealthiest nation in Southeast Asia.
- Singapore is one of three Asian countries whose citizens can obtain a tourist visa on arrival in the US (Japan and South Korea being the other two).
- Symbol is the Merlion.
#114: Finland
EDIT: D’oh! edged out by Slow Moving Vehicle. Oh well, so now we have six facts about Singapore. Yes, I believe these are supposed to be off the top of our heads.
#114 - Finland - My favorite foreign country!
- Capital is Helsinki
- Has a strange obsession with the tango
- Santa Claus lives in Rovaniemi, Finland
115 - Slovakia (Since I’m Slovak, I really wanted to do this one too. Sorry!)
- Capital is Bratislava
- Part of the Kingdom of Hungary for nearly 1000 years
- Like Halusky and Kolach? Thank the Slovaks.
#116 - Eritrea
#116 Eritrea
Capital, Asmara.
Was an Italian colony from, I think, late 19th century; was merged with Ethiopia after Italy’s brief conquest of that country in the 1930s, and the merger remained after the Italians were ousted; Eritrea finally achieved independence after a long and bitter struggle.
A railfan friend of mine has been on holiday to Eritrea at least twice; the country has an interesting and very mountain-spectacular railway.
#117 Norway
#117 Norway
Constitutional monarchy.
Invited a Danish prince to become king; changed his name to Haakon VII.
Had a medieval king called Eystein the Fart.
#118 Central African Republic.
#118 Central African Republic
Was the French colony of Ubangi-Shari until independence in, I think, 1960.
Was long ruled by the insane and capricious tyrant Bokassa, who styled himself Emperor of the country.
Bokassa is gone, but the CAR is still pretty much a place of anarchic horror.
#119 Costa Rica
#119: Costa Rica
- Has no standing army.
- Then-president Oscar Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize.
- Has a sizable American community. (One Anthro prof of mine ended up moving down there, taking along his girlfriend and his elderly mother.)
#120: Turkmenistan
#120 Turkmenistan
Former Soviet republic; in independence after break-up of USSR, was under the rule for a fair while, of a megalomaniac dictator (I seem to get all the loony tyrants / despots !)
I believe that said crazy guy (now no longer on the scene) relinquished the erstwhile capital, Ashkhabad, in favour of an extravagant new capital city built way out in the desert.
There was around 1950, a devastating earthquake centred on Ashkhabad.
Next on Wiki list: Palestine – if people wish to “go there”. Next after that, is Republic of Ireland.
Which brings me to my question: facts supplied are result of research, or the few (or only) connections, connotations, random or personal facts for some reason you know about the country?
I think the game is more fun with the latter.
If Palestine is a country, I’m a potentate. Which I’m not.
The OP wrote: “Using just the random crap in your head, name three trivial factoids about each country”. I agree, that’s more fun, and that’s how I’m playing. Still, one figures: “it’s only a game”.
I’m certainly not intending to touch the Palestine-related can of worms: was just giving the next entries on the Wiki list-of-countries-by-population.
#120A/#121 Palestine
Called the land of the Philistines in the Bible.
Status as a nation is constantly being questioned.
Been a constant source of turmoil since the present state of Israel returned.
#121 Ireland
#121 Irish Republic
Capital, Dublin.
The Irish Republic comprises the majority of Ireland; excluding the six counties of Northern Ireland, which are part of the UK. Inhabitants of UK often refer to the Republic – colloquially, but technically incorrectly – as “Southern Ireland”. The island’s most north-westerly county, Donegal, is part of the Republic. It so happens that the northernmost point of Donegal is a little further north, than northernmost ditto of Northern Ireland. Hence the paradox that “Ireland’s furthest-north place is in Southern Ireland”.
UK citizens may travel to the Irish Republic without a passport, and vice versa.
#122 Republic of the Congo (the “other” one)
Something’s going wonky. Not only is the numbering off, but the next one should be New Zealand.
So, according to the list, #123: New Zealand
- Has two main islands.
- The capital Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world.
- Sheep.
Now, #124: Republic of the Congo (the “other” one)
I think the “Palestine factor” screwed up the numbering. And when I last looked at the Wiki “List of Countries and Dependencies by Population”, I could have sworn that Republic of the Congo followed Ireland; but now, sure enough, New Zealand is in that spot.
#124 Republic of the Congo
Formerly French Congo; adjacent on the north-west, to its Belgian counterpart.
One gathers that while in R of C, “all is not well”; it is Shangri-La compared to its ex-Belgian neighbour, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
R of C still contains much relatively intact tropical forest, with a wealth of wildlife.
#125 Liberia
Maybe there’s a baby boom in New Zealand right now. But I think they’re screwing with us, because suddenly New Zealand is #122, Republic of the Congo #123 and Liberia #124.
So #124: Liberia
- Capital Monrovia is named after US President James Monroe.
- Founded by freed slaves from America.
- Coastal country in West Africa that seems to register a lot of ships.
Next one is also #124: Oman (a tie with Liberia?)
Might it even be easiest to forget about the numbering – just, name the next country as per the Wiki list, at time of reference to same?
“#124 phase 2”: Oman
Capital, Muscat; I believe in former times, the country was often called “Muscat and Oman”.
In the Cold War era, Oman went through a long and sometimes bloody guerrilla war between the ruling regime, and left-wing insurgents.
Has much wild and impressive desert and coastal scenery – a favourite venue for adventurous trips by expats in the Emirates (my brother worked for a long spell in Dubai, and did this at least a couple of times).
126 per Wiki list: Croatia
#126: Croatia
- Part of the former Yugoslavia.
- Parts of Game of Thrones are filmed there.
- Capital is Zagreb
#127: Kuwait (and is it pronounced “Koo-wait” or Kew-wait?)