Interesting Facts

DID YOU KNOW?

• More than 700,000 people work in London's banking industry - more than any other city in the world.
• Rome is closer to Tunis than to Berne, Vienna or Belgrade.
• Istanbul is the only city that resides on two continents; Europe and Asia.
• The continents of Europe and Asia are not separate land masses, but they are divided by the Ural Mountains.
• Tokyo has more neon signs than any than city in the world.
• Think about it! The Eastern-most opening of the Panama Canal connects to the Pacific Ocean while the Western-most opening of the canal to the Atlantic Ocean; and not what would seem more logical, the other way around.
• The smallest island with country status is Pitcairn in Polynesia with 1.75 sq. miles.
• According to NASA - the U.S. has the most violent weather. In a typical year, the US can expect some 10,000 violent thunderstorms, 5000 floods, 1000 tornados and several hurricanes - but we already knew that!!!!
• As strange as it may be, Antarctica is essentially a desert of snow and ice with a total annual precipitation of approximately only two inches.
• Antarctica is the only landmass in the world that is not owned by any one specific country.
• Alaska has approximately 5,000 earthquakes a year, 20% of which measure more than 3.5 on the Richter Scale.
• While the state of Minnesota is known for its 10,000 lakes, the country of Finland contains 187,888 lakes.
• Although Hawaii is mainly known for its 6 major islands, namely: Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, The Big Island and Lanai, the state actually comprises 132 islands, reefs and shoals.
• There are some 81,000 islands off the coast of Finland, 20,000 of which comprise the Finland Archipelago.
• Indonesia is comprised of 13,667 islands.
• While Warsaw, Poland has the largest Polish population, Chicago, Illinois boasts of having the world's second largest number of Polish residents.
• The town of Tidikelt in the Sahara Desert did not receive a drop of rain during a ten year period.
• Forests cover approximately one third the landmass of the United States of America.
• Antarctica comprises 90% of the world's ice cover. If melted, this would represent approximately 70% of the earth's fresh water.