An Interesting Fact About Your Country

[Mark Flanagan]

Britain invented the Christmas and Valentine cards, sorry world.

 

[Trololo Punk]

Canada
Second largest country in the world and a relatively small population for the size (2011 estimation: 34,451,000)

 

[kiwisushi]

The welsh word for microwave is "popty ping." I found that hilarious when I found out.

True, and the Welsh for Ironing is Smwthio!

 

[kiwisushi]

Iceland! Lets come with a fact about Iceland.
Well, we have the biggest glacier in Europe (Greenland doesn't count.)

They voted not to pay back the countries in Europe that they lost their money for.

 

[Siifer]

Sweden: We use polarbears instead of cars. I know, it's badass right?

 

[Rarhnor]

Denmark
We are closet-nationalists

I want to move so badly...

 

[loukasmaki]

Sweden invented the mail bomb.

In the early 20th century a failed inventor thought it was fun to put explosives in packages and mail it to people he didn't like while trying to make it look like some left wing radical group was responsible.

Doesn't that make one feel all fuzzy wuzzy inside?

Didn't a Swede also invent dynamite?

Yes Alfred Nobel. He also hoped to invent a weapon or machine for use in warfare that would be so devastating that it could have the potential to wipe out two armies in moments because then the countries of the world would be so horrified of warfare that they would dispand their troops...

 

[Drago-Morph]

The majority of the founding fathers were either Atheist or refused to describe their religion

I am an Athiest, and I am going to say I flat out do no believe this. Some seem to likely have been Athiests, but most were of some type of religion including simply Diests. I realize you threw in the qualifier "or refused to descibe their religion", but I feel like you are trying to say that the majority was anti christian, or even say the majority was straight up Atheist.

OT: Kentucky is technically NOT a state in America, but rather a commonwealth. What does that mean?

Not really a whole lot. The main difference is that other states are guaranteed sovereignty by the US constitution, where as a commonwealth is given sovereignty by it's people. Also, apparently, I do not own the land I live on, but rather own the rights to use it.

What does it mean in real day to day life?

Only seems to mean that I pay more property taxes. Not sure if that is even true, I have just had several people tell me that over the years.

However, if you ever referr to KY as a state, I would not call you wrong.

Same thing for Massachusetts and I think Virginia. There may be one more, not sure.

 

[Furious Styles]

Yes Alfred Nobel. He also hoped to invent a weapon or machine for use in warfare that would be so devastating that it could have the potential to wipe out two armies in moments because then the countries of the world would be so horrified of warfare that they would dispand their troops...

So that's why there isn't a Nobel Prize for logic!

 

[Kaltazraza]

Denmark has the unique letters æ, ø, and å.
Also the Danish national anthem was changed cause it was offensive to Swedish people.
Just remembered, it's legal to shoot Swedish people if they cross the ice from Sweden to Denmark in the winter, but only by using a front loaded rifle.

 

[Galdrack]

-Our country was the 8th to introduce railway's.
-The inventor of the Induction Coil born and lived here.
-The first submarine's to be officially adopted by the US and Royal navy's were invented by a man from here.
-We have the second most tea drinker's per capita
-We have one of the oldest monument's in the world http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange
-We won the 2002 Regal WEPA Olympic Quaich http://www.elephantpolo.com/tournaments/2002/index.php
-We have the fastest and one of the most deadly Team sports in the world http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurling

This is us http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland

 

[Kenko]

Sweden, we're the only ones who have succesfully invaded and taken parts of Russia without freezing and running away like others

 

[FallenMessiah88]

Denmark
We are closet-nationalists

I want to move so badly...

Not so much more than any other country methinks.

 

[scully745]

Sydney, Australia here

I've noticed that the further west you go (nation-wide not just in Sydney) the number of bogans encountered increases proportionally. That and the further north you go the more uptight people get

 

[FallenMessiah88]

Denmark

We have the oldest state flag still in use today, "Dannebrog". It was adopted sometime in the 13th century.

We are also ond of the oldest kingdoms in the world. The first Danish monarch was "Gorm Den Gamle" (Gorm The Old) who reigned from 930 - 958.

 

[Snowalker]

No we're not, we're the 21st fattest country.
-snip-

OT: Australia is home to the only Monotremes in existence, which, if you didn't know, are basically mammals that lay eggs.

Edit: OK, Monotremes are actually in New Guinea too, so that invalidates that.

Uh... we have the worlds most poisonous snakes?

This [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article4171160.ece] times article begs to differ.

Strictly speaking snakes are venomous, not poisonous.

http://blogs.nature.com/news/2008/06/dont_worry_australia_youre_not.html

That article says you're wrong.

Aye, I heard of a drink around here that has snake venom in it.

OT: my state developed Sundrop, you know, the soda that so acidic, it burn your stomach wall.

Good to be form Tennessee

 

[Drago-Morph]

I'm pretty sure Canada invented the telephone and basketball ... correct me if I'm wrong.

Thats a tricky one for the telephone, but if you go by Alexander Graham Bell because he got the first patent then it was conceived in Brantford Ontario but created in Boston, Massachusetts. But it was invented in the US earlier by Antonio Meucc and Elisha Gray but not patented. There are also 5 or 6 other inventors that made telephone type devices but im to lazy to list them.

Actually, both the telephone and basketball belong to Massachusetts. Go my state!

 

[artanis_neravar]

In an effort to become more multicultural and end the non-existent amount of seething nationalism on the Escapist [/sarcasm], put forward your best ice breaker (or the most interesting fact to you) about your home country. Mine most definitely is the United States was a nation built on weed, without which the 13 colonies` economy would`ve collapsed.

I'm going to request that you cite your sources on this one please

I believe he is referring to tobacco not marijuana.

No he meant hemp, which they used to make clothing, sacks, ropes, etc he probably said weed to make it sound more dramatic

 

[InsomniacWolf]

Well if you wanted to know more about missouri specifically, the weather is highly erratic. Yesterday I was sitting in the sun (coming through the window above the chair I play video games in) and it was a pleasant 80 degrees outside. Today I wake up and look at the weather, and it is a high of 50. There wasn't even a cold front.

 

[MetalDooley]

Finland, first female president I think...

Nope not even close.Mary Robinson was elected President of Ireland in 1990,nine years before Finland elected a female president.Iceland has both of us beat though.They elected a female president in 1980

Ireland was the first country in the world to introduce a nationwide ban on smoking in workplaces and public buildings