Random Interesting Fact

By Phyllis Barkas Goldman

In Iceland, more books per person, are read than in any other nation.
The Siamese cat originated in Thailand, but you won't find many there today. The Thais say that the Siamese cats all went to England. One Thai legend says that once there was a Siamese princess who needed a safe place to keep her precious rings while she bathed. A palace cat bent his tail and told the princess that she could put her rings on his tail for safe-keeping. That is why many cats in Thailand today have crooked tails. Other cats there have bobbed or shortened tails.
The island country of Madagascar is often called "the land of living fossils," because of its unusual plants and animals. The Malagasy, (people of Madagascar), is a melting pot of different cultures. A death is honored by feasting, singing, and dancing. In fact, some groups celebrate funeral ceremonies as long as 30 days. Recently, however, the government has stated that no funeral may be more than four days long.
Instead of attending middle school or high school, Norwegian children attend either a three-year realskole or a five-year gymnasium.
In Kenya, most families depend primarily on cattle in order to make a living.
The Vikings, pirates from northern Europe of 1,000 years ago, went to Ireland demanding money from the Irish. At first the Irish refused to pay but the Vikings forced them to pay by slashing their noses. This is how we got the expression "pay through the nose."
Many people of the Congo believe that if a pied wagtail, which is a beautiful bird, lands on your doorstep you will have a happy marriage. Legend has it that the spirit of a good, handsome prince lives in this bird.
Liberia was settled in the 1800's by many American-born freed black slaves. Monrovia, Liberia's capital and largest city, was named after U.S. President, James Monroe.
Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister from 1940-45 and 1951-55) once called Uganda, "a fairy tale." This landlocked nation, with its great rivers and lakes, snow-capped mountains, and deep valleys, has some of the most magnificent terrain in the world.
The people of Botswana are called Btswana. A relatively new African nation, Botswana has European influences in both dress and food.
Laos is the only landlocked state in Southeast Asia. Most Lao are Buddhist or Animist. A small country dominated by periods of Japanese and French rule, Laos was also greatly affected by the Vietnam War.
Hospitality is very important in Moroccan culture. A host will even protect his guest with his life! At one time, Moroccan women were confined to their homes. If she did go out, she had to cover herself with a veil and a long robe (jellaba or haik). Today, young Moroccan women wear Western-style clothes, and attend schools, shops, and mosques freely.
South Africa is one of the richest countries in the world. However, despite its great mineral wealth, the majority of its inhabitants are poor.
New Zealand, officially known as the Dominion of New Zealand, is agriculturally rich. The standard of living is high, and extensive social services are provided for its citizens.
During the early 1700's the Russian Czar Peter I (Peter the Great) wanted the Russian people to look more "civilized" so he imposed a tax on beards. When this failed to convince the men to shave, he outlawed beards altogether.
The Lapland region lies across Arctic Norway, Sweden, Finland, and western Russia. Lapps are very small people — only four and a half to five feet tall in height!! Although short, they are stocky in build, and blond-haired and blue-eyed. Some still live nomadic lives as reindeer herders.
Aruba, located in the Caribbean Sea off of the coast of Venezuela, is a popular vacation destination. In fact, this small island's economy depends on the tourism industry. A Dutch colony with Spanish influences, its official languages are Spanish, Dutch, English, and Popumiento (a combination of Spanish, Dutch, English, and Island language).
The Phillippine islands are made up of 7,107 islands and islets. It's coastline is 13,997 miles (twice that of the U.S.!) 116 dialects and languages are spoken! Although Fillipinos are Maylay descendants, more than 300 years of Spanish rule has influenced this region in customs and culture. Men are called Fillipinos and women, Fillipinas.
Sierra Leone, located in West Africa, translates "Mountains of the Lion". There is some dispute of how this came about. Some say that when the sound of thunder rolls through the mountains during a storm, the fearsome sound is like a lion's roar. Others say that 15th century Portugese sailors saw the shape of a lion in the rugged outline of the mountains coming up from the swampy Coast of West Africa.
The Canary Islands is a group of Spanish Islands off of the coast of Spain. It gets its name from the yellow songbirds (canaries) that are found there. The major language of Canarians is Spanish.
Somalia, or the Somali Democratic Republic, is located in eastern Africa. It is often called the Land of Milk and Myrrh. Somal, means "milk of the cow or goat."
Located in Northern Africa, El Azizia, Libya reached a temperature of 136 degrees Fahrenheit (58 degrees Celsius) on September 13, 1922. This is the highest temperature ever recorded!
Benazir Bhutto, who became prime minister of Pakistan on December 2, 1988 was the first woman to lead a Muslim nation.
Indonesia, a country located north of Australia, consists of 13,677 islands. Of these islands, about 6,000 are inhabited. Also, Indonesia has the highest Muslim population in the world with about 174 million Muslims.
Located in Venezuela is the Angel Waterfall which is the world's highest waterfall at 3,812 feet.
Within Nepal, a small country located between China and India, lies Mount Everest. At 29,108 feet, Mt. Everest is the tallest Mountain in the world.
In the Philippines, the yo-yo was originally used as a weapon. It was later adapted and introduced as a toy in 1929.
The largest island in the world is Greenland. Located between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Oceans, Greenland was originally settled by Vikings, led by Eric the Red in 986 AD. Today, Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
In New Zealand, the Maori people named a local hill, Taumatawhakatangihangakoauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronuku pokaiwh enauakitanataha. In English, this 84-letter word means "the brow of the hill where Tamatea who sailed all round the land played his nose flute to his lady love".
Over the centuries bodily functions have found their way to what is known today as the "bathroom, wash room, comfort station, powder room, etc". The actual history of the bathroom began over ten thousand years ago in Scotland. Crude pipe systems enabled people to use indoor private quarters to rid themselves of bodily waste.
In Kenya and Tanzania, wildlife has become an important source of income. Tourists from around the world travel to these countries to view its wildlife.
In Antarctica today there is not a single tree or bush on the entire continent yet scientists have found evidence that at one time Antarctica was densely covered with forests of pine, palm, and fern-like trees.
One of the national drinks of Pakistan is sour milk. Also, in Pakistan the homes of the wealthy are often divided into two parts: one part for the men and another part for the women and children.
For 2000 years Sri Lanka has been known for its pearl fisheries. Other gemstones that are found there are moonstones, garnets, topazes, amethysts, sapphires, and rubies.
Adam's Peak (in Sri Lanka) is where Buddha is said to have ascended to heaven. This mountain can be seen from far out at sea.
In Sweden, North of the Arctic Circle, the sun shines 24 hours a day during June and July.
The world's longest electric railroad runs from the southern tip of Sweden, to Narrik (in northern Sweden) a distance of almost 1,400 miles.
Australia is the world's largest wool producer, and is the only country in the world that occupies a whole continent.
Myanmar (me-yan-mar), formerly Burma, is called "The Golden Land" by its people. Some think that it gets its name from the Myanmar custom of decorating Buddhist pagodas with gold leaves, which glitter and sparkle in the sunlight. It is also possible that it gets its golden name because the sun shines on it most of the year!
It rains nearly half of all the days of the year in Singapore.
Hungary, a central European country, derives its name from a famous group of nomadic warriors called the Huns. In the mid-5th century AD, the Huns, led by Attila the Hun ravaged much of Europe. The Europeans, who feared the Huns, called this band of warriors the "scourge of God".

Source: Monkeyshines on Cultures & Customs From Around the World, 1997, p145, 5p