People > Note: Countries Compared
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COUNTRY |
DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| AfghanistanAfghanistan | A worshipper waits outside a mosque in Kabul |
| AlbaniaAlbania | Albanians flock to the Adriatic during the summer |
| AngolaAngola | Angola has emerged as a leading oil producer and one of Africa's fastest-growing economies |
| ArgentinaArgentina | The gaucho, traditional skilled horseman of the Pampas |
| ArmeniaArmenia | Armenia excels at chess |
| AustraliaAustralia | Australia's aboriginal people are now in the minority |
| AustriaAustria | Austria was home to Gustav Klimt, famed for his erotic paintings, such as The Kiss |
| AzerbaijanAzerbaijan | Azerbaijan has large oil and gas reserves |
| BahrainBahrain | Bahrain has been part of the Formula One championship circuit since 2004 |
| BangladeshBangladesh | Pilgrims arrive near Dhaka for the Biswa Ijtema, the world's second biggest Muslim gathering after the Hajj |
| BarbadosBarbados | Agriculture is a major contributor to the economy |
| BelarusBelarus | Ice fishing is a popular activity in Belarus |
| BelgiumBelgium | Comic strip hero Tintin was created by Belgian cartoonist Herge |
| BelizeBelize | Belize has the world's second longest barrier reef |
| BeninBenin | Voodoo supreme chief Dagbo Hounon Tomandjre arrives for a festival |
| BhutanBhutan | Bhutan has a rich artistic heritage |
| BoliviaBolivia | Bolivia has plenty of mineral resources |
| BotswanaBotswana | Botswana's San bushmen may be the world's oldest human population, a major genetic study reported |
| BrazilBrazil | Brazil has an advanced space programme |
| BruneiBrunei | Brunei's population is two-thirds Malay with a sizeable Chinese minority |
| BulgariaBulgaria | Bulgaria was home to the ancient Thracian people, some of whose relics can be seen in Sofia |
| Burkina FasoBurkina Faso | Droughts and coups have contributed to Burkina Faso becoming the world's third poorest country |
| BurmaBurma | The Bamar, after whom Burma is named, make up the largest of numerous ethnic groups |
| BurundiBurundi | Burundi's 12-year civil war ended in 2006, but at least one rebel group remained active after that |
| CambodiaCambodia | Students re-enact Khmer Rouge crimes during an annual Day of Anger remembering the brutality of the regime that ruled in the 1970s |
| CameroonCameroon | Baka Pygmies, the original dwellers of Cameroon's forests, enjoy small logging concessions |
| CanadaCanada | Canada is rich in wildlife which survives in freezing conditions, including polar bears |
| Cape VerdeCape Verde | Cape Verde has earned a reputation for political and economic stability |
| ChadChad | Decades of violent conflict and corruption have left Chad one of Africa's most impoverished countries |
| ChileChile | A monumental statue stands on Easter Island, a distant possession of Chile |
| ChinaChina | A symbol of strength, the dragon appears in many folk traditions and was once the emperor's emblem |
| ColombiaColombia | Coffee is one of Colombia's major exports |
| ComorosComoros | The Comoros islands have few natural resources and its people are heavily dependent on foreign aid |
| Cook IslandsCook Islands | The Cook Island's natural assets include fine beaches and volcanic mountains |
| Costa RicaCosta Rica | Costa Rica has a disproportionately high percentage of the world's biodiversity |
| Cote d'IvoireCote d'Ivoire | Cocoa is one of Ivory Coast's major exports and sources of income |
| CroatiaCroatia | The main square in the Croatian capital Zagreb |
| CubaCuba | Cigar rollers in a Havana factory produce one of Cuba's best known exports |
| CyprusCyprus | Greek-Cypriot soldiers look across at a Turkish-controlled area next to the UN buffer zone |
| Czech RepublicCzech Republic | The Czech Republic has a rich architectural heritage |
| Democratic Republic of the CongoCongo, DR. | A contest for DR Congo's vast mineral wealth has fuelled the fighting in the country |
| DenmarkDenmark | The Little Mermaid - depicting the fairy tale character - is an icon of Copenhagen |
| DjiboutiDjibouti | Djibouti is dependent on foreign aid |
| DominicaDominica | The West Indies often play test cricket matches in Roseau, Dominica |
| East TimorEast Timor | The 27-m high statue of Jesus near Dili was built under Indonesian rule |
| EcuadorEcuador | The Chimborazo volcano, located along the equatorial bulge, puts its summit at the furthest point from the centre of the earth |
| EgyptEgypt | Islam is the main religion in Egypt |
| El SalvadorEl Salvador | The Pipil are one of the groups making up El Salvador's small indigenous population |
| Equatorial GuineaEqu. Guinea | Equatorial Guinea is one of the continent's smallest countries |
| EritreaEritrea | Eritrea's geography includes mountains such as these outside the capital Asmara |
| EstoniaEstonia | The orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn |
| EthiopiaEthiopia | Ethiopia's rich heritage includes the Church of St George, carved out of solid rock at Lalibela |
| Federated States of MicronesiaMicronesia | A chief on the island of Yap prepares a chew of betel nut, a mild stimulant and major export |
| FijiFiji | Traditional Fijian chiefs still play a role in society |
| FinlandFinland | Finland is a good place to see the natural light displays called aurora borealis |
| FranceFrance | The Palace of Versailles, a symbol of France's former monarchy |
| French PolynesiaFr. Polynesia | Tahiti is popular with tourists and the surfing community |
| GabonGabon | Many Gabonese still maintain traditions |
| GeorgiaGeorgia | The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi |
| GermanyGermany | Berlin's Brandenburg Gate was at one time at the dividing line between East and West Berlin |
| GhanaGhana | Ghana has been a major contributor of armed forces to numerous UN peacekeeping operations in Africa |
| GreeceGreece | Figures on Acropolis Hill survey Athens, a teeming metropolis |
| GrenadaGrenada | Kirani James shone a spotlight on Grenada by winning the Men's 400m in the 2012 Olympic Games |
| GuamGuam | The waters off Guam are the scene of major US navy war games |
| GuatemalaGuatemala | Fruit has played an important part in politics |
| GuineaGuinea | Rich in mineral reserves, Guinea is poverty-stricken due to economic mismanagement and instability |
| Guinea-BissauGuinea-Bissau | Years of political and economic instability have left Guinea-Bissau impoverished |
| GuyanaGuyana | Guyana's largest river, the Essequibo, flows from the country's far south to the Atlantic coast |
| HaitiHaiti | Mangoes are one of Haiti's few exports |
| HondurasHonduras | Bananas and coffee are two major exports |
| Hong KongHong Kong | Bamboo is still used to construct and maintain Hong Kong's ultra-modern steel and glass buildings |
| HungaryHungary | Bathers enjoy thermal pools in one of Europe's biggest spa complexes, in Budapest |
| IcelandIceland | Iceland is famed for its thermal springs |
| IndiaIndia | India Gate in New Delhi honours Indian soldiers who fell in the First World War |
| IndonesiaIndonesia | Indonesia has one of the highest population densities |
| IranIran | Iran's rich heritage includes the centuries old Si-o-Se Pol bridge in Isfahan |
| IrelandIreland | Dublin street scene |
| IsraelIsrael | Tel Aviv is also known as the White City for its collection of more than 4,000 buildings in the Bauhaus style |
| ItalyItaly | In 2011 Italy marked 150 years of unity, promoted by commander Giuseppe Garibaldi, whose statue is pictured left |
| JamaicaJamaica | Jamaica is the birthplace of reggae music and the Rastafari spiritual movement |
| JapanJapan | Cars are one of Japan's main exports |
| JordanJordan | Native Jordanians are descended from Bedouin tribes, but most of the population is made up of Palestinian immigrants |
| KazakhstanKazakhstan | One of Kazakhstan's main exports is wool |
| KenyaKenya | The Great Rift Valley, which crosses several East African countries, has the earliest evidence of human beings found |
| KiribatiKiribati | There are concerns that rising sea levels could threaten Kiribati's low-lying islands |
| KuwaitKuwait | Kuwait is one of the world's largest oil producers |
| KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan | Kyrgyz authorities are hoping that unspoilt scenery will attract more visitors |
| LaosLaos | Most of the arable land is used to grow rice |
| LatviaLatvia | Riga is thought to have the finest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe |
| LebanonLebanon | Baalbek - the classical sanctuary of Heliopolis - has some of the world's best-preserved Roman remains |
| LesothoLesotho | Landlocked Lesotho is among the world's poorest countries and has the third highest HIV-Aids rate |
| LiberiaLiberia | Civil war in the 1990s destroyed Liberia's economy, left 250,000 dead and created thousands of refugees |
| LibyaLibya | Libya's economy is expected to stabilise following the 2011 conflict |
| LiechtensteinLiechtenstein | Triesenberg, overlooking the Rhine valley |
| LithuaniaLithuania | A model presents a creation by a Lithuanian fashion designer during a Vilnius festival |
| LuxembourgLuxembourg | Luxembourg is home to the European Court of Justice |
| MadagascarMadagascar | Madagascar is vulnerable to tropical cyclones which can cause extensive damage |
| MalawiMalawi | Food security is a key issue for Malawi where 60% of people live below the poverty line |
| MalaysiaMalaysia | Malaysia is one of the world's largest palm oil producers |
| MaliMali | Singer-songwriter Salif Keita has earned world renown |
| MaltaMalta | Marsaxlokk port is a key container terminal |
| Marshall IslandsMarshall Isl. | A worker butchers sharks for their fins in this picture taken in 2003, before the Marshall Islands declared the worldâs largest shark sanctuary. |
| MauritaniaMauritania | Much of Mauritania is short of water |
| MexicoMexico | Popocatépetl, or Smoking Mountain, is one of Mexico's most active volcanoes |
| MoldovaMoldova | Moldova gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union |
| MonacoMonaco | The annual Monaco Formula One Grand Prix is held on the streets of the city state |
| MongoliaMongolia | Mongolia has long traded hides for goods which it cannot cultivate due to harsh environmental conditions |
| MontenegroMontenegro | Montenegro, which means "Black Mountain", is seeking membership of the European Union |
| MoroccoMorocco | The Berber people of North Africa have struggled to retain their cultural identity |
| MozambiqueMozambique | Gorongosa National Park is only just recovering from the civil war |
| NamibiaNamibia | The San bushmen of the Kalahari Desert maintain a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle |
| NauruNauru | Nauru is the world's smallest republic |
| NepalNepal | A Sadhu - Hindu holy man - prepares for a religious festival |
| NetherlandsNetherlands | Rembrandt: Greatest artist of the Dutch school |
| New CaledoniaNew Caledonia | New Caledonia hosted the 2011 Pacific Games |
| New ZealandNew Zealand | Auckland: New Zealand's largest city and a major port |
| NicaraguaNicaragua | Managua's Oriental Market was set up by survivors of the 1972 earthquake |
| NigerNiger | Children at an Islamic school in Niamey |
| NigeriaNigeria | In the bustling commercial capital Lagos, rapid growth is straining infrastructure |
| NiueNiue | Rugby is popular in Niue |
| North KoreaNorth Korea | The capital Pyongyang features several propaganda posters |
| NorwayNorway | Natural gas is a major source of Norway's wealth |
| OmanOman | Islam is the main religion in Oman |
| PakistanPakistan | Pakistan is a major textile producer |
| PalauPalau | The Blue Holes underwater caves have become a favourite with divers |
| PanamaPanama | Much of Panama is dense jungle |
| Papua New GuineaPapua NG | With over 700 traditional societies, Papua New Guinea is the world's most culturally diverse nation. |
| ParaguayParaguay | The ruins of the Jesuit Missions at Santisima Trinidad del Parana - built in the year 1706 - are on Unesco's World Heritage List |
| PeruPeru | Peru is made up of indigenous people and descendants of Spanish settlers |
| PhilippinesPhilippines | Good Friday reenactment of the crucifixion near Manila: The Catholic faith plays a major role in large parts of the Philippines |
| PolandPoland | Poland can trace its roots back over 1,000 years |
| PortugalPortugal | Portugal saw solid growth in the 1990s but needed a bail-out in 2011 |
| Puerto RicoPuerto Rico | Puerto Rico is a popular holiday destination |
| QatarQatar | Qatar is one of the richest countries in the region |
| Republic of MacedoniaMacedonia Rep. | Macedonia has both Christians and Muslim communities |
| RomaniaRomania | Parliament Palace in Bucharest has become one of the must-see sights for foreign visitors |
| RussiaRussia | Moscow's Red Square |
| RwandaRwanda | Much of Akagera National Park was settled by civil war refugees in the late 1990s |
| Saint LuciaSaint Lucia | The Pitons - two peaks of ancient dormant volcanoes - feature on the island's flag |
| SamoaSamoa | Samoa has many fine beaches attracting a growing number of tourists |
| San MarinoSan Marino | San Marino has pledged to make its banking system more transparent |
| Sao Tome and PrincipeSoa Tome+ | Sao Tome has several attractions for tourists |
| Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia | Millions of Muslims visit Mecca every year |
| SenegalSenegal | Controversial colossus: The pet project of President Wade has provoked fierce opposition |
| SerbiaSerbia | A boy takes part in the ceremonial burning of dried oak branches on Orthodox Christmas Eve in Belgrade |
| SeychellesSeychelles | The Coco de Mer coconut - found only in the Seychelles - is the world's largest seed |
| Sierra LeoneSierra Leone | Sierra Leone is trying to encourage tourists to enjoy its natural beauty |
| SingaporeSingapore | Many people have access to the latest technologies |
| SlovakiaSlovakia | Slovakia is home to a small number of European bison, which were saved from extinction |
| SloveniaSlovenia | Slovenia was seen as the most liberal republic within the former Yugoslavia |
| Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands | Christianity is the dominant religion in Solomon Islands |
| SomaliaSomalia | Mogadishu bears the scars of decades of fighting |
| South AfricaSouth Africa | Sun and sea: Hout Bay near Cape Town |
| South KoreaSouth Korea | South Korea is a major exporter of transport equipment and electronics |
| South SudanSouth Sudan | The Sudd: One of the world's largest wetlands |
| SpainSpain | The story of Don Quixote - depicted here by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso - is loved the world over |
| Sri LankaSri Lanka | A Sri Lankan mahout and a temple elephant take part in a ceremony |
| SudanSudan | Sudan's capital Khartoum lies at the confluence of the Blue Nile and the White Nile |
| SurinameSuriname | Maroons - descendants of run-away slaves of African origin - make up a sizeable part of the population |
| SwazilandSwaziland | Young women parade at the annual Reed Dance, where the king can choose a new bride |
| SwedenSweden | Sweden is a major arms exporter |
| SwitzerlandSwitzerland | The Matterhorn has provided mountaineers with a major challenge |
| SyriaSyria | Syria has numerous ancient relics |
| TaiwanTaiwan | Taiwan is one of Asia's big trading nations |
| TajikistanTajikistan | Ethnic Tajiks speak a language closely related to Persian |
| TanzaniaTanzania | The drama of Tanzania's game parks is a major tourist attraction |
| ThailandThailand | Thailand currently supplies about a third of global rice exports |
| The BahamasThe Bahamas | Island beaches are a major attraction for visitors |
| TogoTogo | The people of Togo's Tamberma Valley live in fortified villages founded in the 17th Century |
| TokelauTokelau | Most islanders live by fishing and farming |
| TongaTonga | Exercise class for a healthy lifestyle: a move away from the traditional fish diet has contributed to an obesity epidemic |
| Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad+ | Oil and gas dominate the economy but tourism is an important earner |
| TunisiaTunisia | Dates and other agricultural products are important export earners |
| TurkeyTurkey | Islam is the main religion |
| TurkmenistanTurkmenistan | Turkmenistan has the smallest population of the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia |
| TuvaluTuvalu | Funafuti atoll is home to nearly half of the population of Tuvalu |
| UgandaUganda | A silverback mountain gorilla sits in Uganda's Bwindi National Park, a major attraction for visitors |
| UkraineUkraine | A Ukrainian naval dancer performs in Sevastopol, which is home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet |
| United Arab EmiratesUAE | Burj Khalifa became the world's tallest structure in 2010 |
| United KingdomUnited Kingdom | Britain is one of the world's major military powers |
| United StatesUnited States | A worker scans a gigantic digital billboard in New York, a city which embodies the idea that Americans do things on a grand scale |
| UruguayUruguay | Devotees perform a ritual of the Afro-American religion of Umbanda, which spread to Uruguay from Brazil |
| UzbekistanUzbekistan | A street cafe chief in Tashkent prepares 'plov' - Uzbekistan's national dish |
| VanuatuVanuatu | Vanuatu tops travel book publisher Lonely Planet's list of the world's happiest places |
| VenezuelaVenezuela | Venezuela's indigenous population is concentrated near the rainforests of the south and west |
| VietnamVietnam | Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has thousands of little islands |
| YemenYemen | A boy climbs stone columns 15m high at the entrance to a temple traditionally associated with the Biblical Queen of Sheba |
| ZambiaZambia | The Victoria Falls attract many foreign visitors to Zambia |
| ZimbabweZimbabwe | Zimbabwe's population stands at around 13 million |
