Can You Name the 20 Most Populous Countries in the World in Three Minutes?

Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that was never under European colonial control. Bangkok is the capital city, but its full official name is—get ready—Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit. To clear your mind after that last fact, we’ll tell you that Thailand is home to the smallest mammal in the world—the bumblebee bat.

Since 1939, Iran has officially been called the Islamic Republic of Iran. No one is perfect, but did you know that weavers deliberately include mistakes in handmade Persian rugs? This is because followers of Islam believe that only Allah is perfect. Philosophers may debate whether a deliberate mistake is indeed a mistake, but, given the complexity of gorgeous Persian rugs, it's likely that most contain multiple mistakes.

That’s right—Turkey, along with its largest city, Istanbul, is partly in Europe and partly in Asia. A popular dessert in Turkey, called tavuk göğsü, or chicken breast pudding, is made with shredded chicken, milk, sugar, and a thickener, cooked and then served with a dusting of cinnamon. Visit a muhallebici, or pudding shop, to try this dessert that was a delicacy for Ottoman sultans.

After World War II, Germany was divided into two countries, East and West Germany, and a wall was built to divide the capital city of Berlin. The Berlin Wall came down in 1989, and Unification Day took place on October 3, 1990, creating a united Germany. Berlin is about nine times the size of Paris, and it has more bridges than Venice.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has more than 200 ethnic groups, and the main languages are Lingala, Kikongo, Tshiluba, Swahili, and French. Kinshasa, the capital city of the DRC, is home to more French-speaking people than any other city, including Paris.

Vietnam is known as the Kingdom of Motorbikes, and for good reason. Nearly 80% of Vietnamese people use motorbikes for their daily commutes. Vietnam is the largest exporter of cashew nuts and the second largest exporter of coffee. If you visit the capital city, Hanoi, try the ca phe trung, which is espresso topped with whipped condensed milk and egg yolk.

Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza is the only surviving wonder of the ancient world. Until 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was completed in Paris, the Great Pyramid was the tallest human-made structure in the world. Experts still disagree about how such a massive structure was built 4,500 years ago. Cairo is currently the capital of Egypt, but plans are underway to build a new high-tech smart city further east.

The Philippines, named for King Philip II of Spain, is made up of 7,641 islands. Do the math: if you visited one island per day, how long would it take you to visit all of them? Nearly 21 years! Even if you only visited the 2,000 inhabited islands, you’d need more than five years to visit one per day. The Philippines is home to Jollibee, a fast-food chain that specializes in spaghetti, fried chicken, and fiesta palabok noodles. They’re expanding into the U.S., so keep your eyes open.

Ethiopia is the only country in Africa that was never under European colonial control. Did you know that the Ethiopian calendar has 13 months? The first 12 months have 30 days each, and the 13th month has either five or six days, depending on whether or not it is a leap year. Additionally, the Ethiopian calendar is seven years behind the rest of the world because it uses Christ’s date of Annunciation as its starting point. The Ethiopian New Year’s Day is September 11.

Japan has nearly as many islands as the Philippines, with a total of 6,852. The four main islands make up 97% of Japan’s total area. If you visit the island of Osaka, check out the Hanshin Expressway, which travels directly through the 5th, 6th, and 7th floors of the 16-story Gate Tower Building. That’s truly making efficient use of space.

As long ago as 1900 B.C., people living in what is now Mexico enjoyed chocolate. Mexico’s full official name is the United Mexican States. The country’s capital is the easy-to-remember Mexico City. Unfortunately, Mexico City is sinking more than 3 feet per year, due to the fact that the surrounding lakes have been depleted and much of the capital’s drinking water is piped from an aquifer beneath the city.

Russia’s Oymyakon, located fairly close to the Arctic Circle, is considered to be the coldest permanently inhabited place on our planet. In January, the coldest month, the average high temperature in Oymyakon is -44.5 degrees F, and the average low is -50 degrees F. By contrast, Russia’s Sochi, called the Russian Riviera, has palm trees and mild weather.

Bangladesh, in South Asia, has been an independent country since 1971. Cox’s Bazar, called the jewel of Bangladesh, has a 75-mile sea beach and also the world’s largest refugee camp. The Sundarbans mangrove forest is home to the Bengal tiger and other endangered species.

Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa, mostly from agriculture and petroleum products. A small town called Igbo-Ora is known as Nigeria’s home of twins. Locals believe that their unusually high number of twins is due to their diet of yams and okra leaves, but no scientific evidence confirms this.

Brazil is named for its famous Pau-Brasil trees. Their bright red sap is used for dying cloth, and their wood is used to create bows for string instruments. Due to overharvesting and deforestation, these trees are classified as endangered today.

Pakistan, in South Asia, has an ATM at an elevation of 15,397 feet above sea level, in the Khunjerab Pass. Before you plan to hit this ATM for cash, consider the steep road grades, harsh weather conditions, and risk of altitude sickness. The Khunjerab Pass has the highest border crossing in the world, between Pakistan and China, along the Karakoram Highway.

Indonesia has so many islands that no one seems to know the exact number. Reports vary from 13,466 to 18,307. The largest island, Sumatra, is famous for the Rafflesia arnoldi, or corpse flower, which is incredibly large and smells like rotting flesh. Indonesia’s huge lizard, by the way, is the Komodo dragon, which weighs up to 150 pounds and can kill humans.

The United States has all five climate zones: tropical, dry, temperate, continental, and polar. The two non-contiguous states, Hawaii and Alaska, are helpful in this regard. Three out of every four tornadoes in the world happen in the U.S., and, since tracking began in 1851, the U.S. has experienced more hurricanes than any other country. On an unrelated note, the U.S. has the most dogs by far, with nearly 90 million.

India is the largest democracy in the world, with its capital located in New Delhi. The well-known children’s game Snakes and Ladders (or Chutes and Ladders) was created in India in the 13th century by Saint Gyandev. In his version, called Mohshapat, the ladders symbolized virtues and the snakes represented vices, teaching important lessons about morality.

China has the largest population, approaching 1.5 billion, or more than 18% of the world’s people. It has the second-largest economy, behind the U.S. Its full name is the People’s Republic of China, and its capital is Beijing. China is one of the four ancient civilizations, along with the Babylonian, Mayan, and Egyptian, and it shares borders with more countries than any other, at 14. The next time you enjoy a celebration with fireworks, remember that they were invented in China.