Iceland is the world's oldest functioning democracy
Mongolia is the largest landlocked country
Because heat expands the metal, the Eiffel Tower always leans away from the Sun
There are 1,792 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower
In Calama, a town in the Atacama Desert of Chile, it has never rained
The only man-made structure visible from space is the Great Wall of China
Birth-control campaigns in Egypt in the late 1970s failed because village women ended up wearing the pills in lockets, as talismans
Niagara Falls has moved about ten miles upstream in the last 10,000 years. The falls are eroding at the rate of 5 feet per year
The Sahara desert is expanding half a mile south every year
The Channel between England and France grows about 300 millimeters each year
The Hudson River along the island of Manhattan flows in either direction depending on the tide.
There is now an ATM at McMurdo Station in Antarctica, which has a winter population of 200 people
The Australian term for extras in cricket are 'sundries'
In early Rome, March 1 was New Year's Day. Later, the ancient Romans made January 1 the beginning of the year
Ancient Persians gave New Year's gifts of eggs, symbolizing productivity
Due to precipitation, for a few weeks K2 is bigger than Mt Everest
Vietnamese currency consists only of paper money; no coins
Canada declared national beauty contests canceled as of 1992, claiming they were degrading to women
There are more Rolls Royce cars in Hong Kong than anywhere else in the world
Until 1896, India was the only source for diamonds to the world
It snowed in the Sahara Desert in February of 1979
Australia's national anthem is called Advance Australia Fair
The only nation whose name begins with an A, but doesn't end in an A is Afghanistan
The Atlantic Ocean gets wider by a little more than one inch every year
The world's only city whose name consists solely of vowels is Aiea, in Hawaii, USA.
Soldiers in the Netherlands are not required to salute officers
Los Angeles' full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula" . In English this means 'The City of Angels'
The Netherlands has built 800 miles of massive dikes and sea walls to hold back the sea. If it wasn't for these walls, 40% of the country would be flooded.
Big Ben is actually the name of the largest bell inside the London clock tower, not of the clock itself.
In 1867 the United States paid Russia only $7.2 million (2 cents an acre) for Alaska
Every year in France there is a "Thieves Fair" where people are encouraged to try to steal things from the stalls
The world's longest street is in Canada. Toronto's Yonge Street runs 1,190 miles
In the kingdom of Bhutan, all citizens officially become a year older on New Year's Day
Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, was born in the ancient southeastern Turkish town of Lycia early in the fourth century
Belgium is the only country that has never imposed censorship for adult films
The Nullarbor Plain of Australia covers 100,000 square miles without a tree.
Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country
Australia is the only continent on earth without an active volcano.
In Turkey, in the 16th and 17th centuries, anyone caught drinking coffee was put to death
There are twice as many kangaroos in Australia as there are people.
There are no public toilets in Peru
Mickey Mouse is known as "Topolino" in Italy
The oldest national flag still in existence, that of Denmark, dates back to the 13th century
Nepal is the only country that doesn't have a rectangular or square flag
In 1949, the temperature in part of Portugal soared to 158 degrees F for a couple of minutes. No one knows why
Nauru is the only country in the world with no official capital
Windmills always turn counter-clockwise. Except for the windmills in Ireland
It was once against the law to slam your car door in a city in Switzerland
In 1980, Bhutan was the only country in the world with no telephones
There is a hotel in Sweden built entirely out of ice; it is rebuilt every year.
In the great fire of London in 1666 half of London was burnt down but only 6 people were injured.
The longest fence in the world is in Australia and it runs for over 3,436 miles (5,530 km)
In Switzerland, it is illegal to flush the toilet after 10 P.M. if you live in an apartment.
Holland is the lowest country in the world. It is estimated that 40 percent of the land is below sea level.
Tokyo has had 24 recorded instances of people either killed or receiving serious skull fractures while bowing to each other with the traditional Japanese greeting
Netherlands, most densely populated country in the world, followed by Belgium, then Japan
Perth, Australia, is the most isolated city on the planet..200 miles across impenetrable desert from the next city of any size.
Los Angeles's full name is "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina delos Angeles de Porciuncula" . It means the City of Angels.
India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history.
In Thailand, it is illegal to leave your house if you are not wearing underwear
In Israel, picking your nose is illegal.
In Sweden, while prostitution is legal, it is illegal for anyone to use the services of a prostitute.
On every continent there is a city called Rome.
Vatican City is the smallest country in the world with a population of 1,000 and a size of 108.7 acres.
China has only about 200 family names.
The country with the most Post offices is India with over 152,792 compared with just over 38,000 in the United States.
Colombia produces the most emeralds of any country in South America.
The world's largest gold mine is in Juneau, Alaska
Namibia, Africa, supplies the most valuable diamonds of the 18 countries in southern Africa rich with diamonds.
Switzerland attracts the most suicide tourists.
India has no rabbits in the wild � only hares
In Tokyo, a bicycle is faster than a car for most trips of less than 50 minutes!
It's illegal to drink beer out of a bucket while you're sitting on a curb in St. Louis, Missouri!
It's against the law to pawn your dentures in Las Vegas!
It's against the law to burp, or sneeze in a certain churches in Omaha, Nebraska!
The state of Florida is bigger than England!
In Natoma, Kansas, it's illegal to throw knives at men wearing striped suits.
It was once against the law to have a pet dog in a city in Iceland!
There are more plastic flamingos in the U.S, than real ones!
About 3000 years ago, most Egyptians died by the time they were 30!
In Bangladesh, kids as young as 15 can be jailed for cheating on their finals!
A company in Taiwan makes dinnerware out of wheat, so you can eat your plate!
Q is the only letter in the alphabet that does not appear in the name of any of the United States!
In Tokyo, they sell toupees for dogs!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Fun Geography Facts
Jangan Kita Lupa
HUBUNGAN MANUSIA DENGAN ALAM SEKITAR
Manusia dipertanggungjawabkan memelihara dan mengekalkan keindahan alam dengan cara: menjaga kebersihan persekitaran
dan tempat tinggal,laut dan sungai dengan tidak membuang sampah
atau sisa buangan di merata-rata tempat.
Kedua,tidak merosakkan ekologi alam dengan melakukan penebangan hutan tanpa kawalan seperti melakukan kegiatan pembalakan haram.
Ketiga,mengadakan kempen kesedaran perihal pentingnya memelihara dan memulihara alam sekitar.
Keempat,membuat perancangan pembangunan yang teliti sebelum sesuatu projek dilaksanakan.
LARANGAN MEROSAKKAN ALAM
Allah s.w.t memberi amaran kepada mereka yang melakukan kerosakan kepada alamsebagai mana firmanNya yang bermaksud:
“telah timbul berbagai-bagai kerosakan dan bencana di darat dan di laut dengan sebab apa yang telah dilakukan oleh tangan manusia (timbuknya yan g demikian)kerana Allah hendak merasakan mereka dengan sebahagian daripada balasan perbuata-perbuatan yang buruk yang telah mereka lakukan,supaya mereka kembali insaf dan bertaubat”.(surah ar-Rum:41)
Oleh itu,kita dilarang sama sekali melakukan kerosakan kepada alam.ini kerana pebuatan merosakkan alam adalah perbuatan dibenci Allah.Mereka yang nerosakkan alam bermakna telah lupa nikmat dan rahmat daripada Allah s.w.t.Selain itu,melakukan penebangan hutan dan pembakaran secara terbuka akan merosakkan alam seperti berlaku tanah runtuh dan boleh membawa penyakit.Dan akhirnya,keindahan alam akan mula berkurangan,manakala kehidupan pelbagai ekosistem alam akan musnah termasuk habitat binatang liar akan musnah.
Prime Meridian
Why was the Prime Meridian established at Greenwich?
In 1675, the Royal Observatory at Greewich, outside of London was created to study the determination of longitude (a vital component to oceanic navigation). The United Kingdom and, by association, the United States, used Greenwich as the reference point for longitude.Thus, by the time of an international conference in 1884 to establish fixed degrees of longitude on the planet, many countries had been using Greenwich as the prime meridianfor decades so the tradition became internationally accepted.
El Nino
Kebiasaannya, lautan Pasifik sentiasa ditiupi angin timur iaitu hembusan angin timur ke barat yang meniup air laut hangat jauh dari lautan bahagian timur - sebelah Peru dan Chile - menuju ke barat lautan Pasifik, mengarah pantai Australia dan kepulauan Filipina.
Permukaan air ini diganti dengan air sejuk yang terjadi dari arus Antartic Humbolt Current yang sentiasa datang dari pantai benua Amerika Selatan. Ini menyebabkan suhu permukaan laut di bahagian tengah dan timur lautan Pasifik menjadi lebih sejuk dari bahagian barat. Bagaimanapun, dalam tahun-tahun terjadinya El Nino, angin timuran berkurangan.
Oleh itu, air hangat yang sepatutnya menuju ke arah barat sebaliknya berputar balik merintangi lautan Pasifik. Ini mengakibatkan memperlahankan kejadian Arus Humbolt yang sejuk, menyebabkan timur Pasifik, yang sepatutnya menjadi sejuk, menjadi hangat sebaliknya. Semasa air laut hangat memanaskan udara di atasnya, ia menaikkan daya pengapungan lapisan bawah atmosfera, yang mana menyebabkan pengolakan awan dan hujan lebat.
Berbeza dengan El Nino, La Nina merujuk kepada keadaan suhu yang lebih sejuk dari biasa merentangi Pasifik Tengah dan Timur - lebih sejuk dari keadaan biasa apabila Arus Humbolt membawa air sejuk ke kawasan Pasifik ini. Semasa La Nina, angin timuran bertambah kuat dan kejadian putaran sejuk sepanjang pantai barat benua Amerika Selatan meningkat.
Sepanjang waktu ini, suhu air laut sepanjang Khatulistiwa boleh jatuh sebanyak 14 darjah Celsius. Semasa tahun-tahun La Nina, monsun meningkat di Asia Tenggara dan Australia - berlawanan dengan tahun-tahun El Nino. Sistem putaran keadaan panas (El Nino), biasa dan sejuk (La Nina) berlaku setiap tiga hingga empat tahun.
What is geography actually?
“ ...mere names of places...are not geography...know by heart a whole gazetteer full of them would not, in itself, constitute anyone a geographer. Geography has higher aims than this: it seeks to classify phenomena (alike of the natural and of the political world, in so far as it treats of the latter), to compare, to generalize, to ascend from effects to causes, and, in doing so, to trace out the great laws of nature and to mark their influences upon man. This is 'a description of the world'—that is Geography. In a word Geography is a Science—a thing not of mere names but of argument and reason, of cause and effect. ”
Unusual Food Museums That Amuse and Educate
The Potato Museum highlights the famous spuds of Idaho. You’ll get a history lesson beginning with the first potatoes planted in the mid-1800s all the way through how the crop was industrialized. You’ll learn how the growing and harvesting process works. There is information about potato nutrition, interesting video presentations, and many other educational facts on display. Here are some points about potatoes: the average American eats about 124 pounds of potatoes a year; the average German eats twice that amount; Thomas Jefferson introduced French fries to America when he served them at the White House; the largest potato ever grown was 7 pounds 1 ounce; and the world’s largest potato chip is 23” x 14.5”. Ann, who was nicknamed Anna Banana as a child (it has to start somewhere) first became interested in bananas in 1980 on a trip to Hawaii. She bought a t-shirt with the logo of a bar on it. Guess what? The bar was named ‘Anna Bannanas’ (yes, spelled differently.) Ann gradually accumulated more and more banana related things, some she found herself and others were given to her by friends. The collection grew and morphed until she ended up with close to 4,000 banana related items, many of which are on display at Bananas Antiques in Auburn. Here are a few bits about bananas: the average American eats about 150 bananas a year; in 2001 Britain reported more than 300 accidents relating to bananas – most involved slipping on banana skins; a cluster of bananas is called a hand and consists of 10-20 bananas, which are also known as fingers; the word ‘banan’ is Arabic for finger; and lastly, bananas don’t have any fat, cholesterol or sodium making them a great snack food. In the Dutch Cheese Museum, which is located inside of the Waaggebouw (weighing house) at the Alkmaar cheese market, you’ll learn the country’s history surrounding the production and trade of cheese. You can view a slide presentation and portraits of Dutch women from the 16th century to learn more about traditional life in this country. You’ll also see old tools and instruments used for cheese making over the centuries. Outside of the museum is the cheese market, where a demonstration is put on daily from April through September. A traditional market is at work here, complete with the cheese carriers in their customary straw hats hauling carts of cheese around the mart. Here are a few details about Dutch cheeses: cheese has been made in this area since about 200 BC; cheese was traditionally made by women; 60% of the cheese produced in the Netherlands is Gouda; Edam cheese was originally formed into round balls to make it easier to transport on sailing ships and the cheese balls were occasionally used as canon balls.Idaho Potato Museum – Blackfoot, Idaho, USA
This museum in Blackfoot, Idaho promises: “We give taters to Out-Of-Staters”. Every adult who purchases a ticket takes home a box of hash browns. How and why exactly did Idaho become so well known for potatoes? Blame it on the Snake River. Potatoes prefer to grow in soil that has a high moisture level, and the weather combined with the river provides just the right environment for potato plants to flourish.Washington Banana Museum – Auburn, Washington, USA
Banana plantations are typically found in hot tropical regions like South America, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Caribbean Islands. So, why is there a banana museum in Auburn, Washington – a cool, wet, northern location? I imagine there isn’t a banana tree in sight. It’s all because of a woman named Ann Mitchell Lovell, and her interest in this special fruit.Dutch Cheese Museum – Alkmaar, Netherlands
If you’ve ever visited the Netherlands, and been outside of the big city, you’re familiar with the herds of cows that speckle the pastures. There are about 1.5 million of them in the country. That’s a lot of cows, and you’ll notice they all look happy and well fed. That’s where the profitable cheese business begins, with the milk from those plump, healthy beasts.
