100+ amazing facts
1. The world’s longest commercial flight took around 30 hours.
The so-called ‘Double Sunrise’ service by Qantas, which ran from Australia to Sri Lanka from 1943-45, often lasted over 30 hours, with passengers seeing the sunrise twice. Today the longest commercial flight is the Singapore Airlines Singapore to New York route, with an average journey time of 17 hours and 50 minutes.
2. The shortest commercial flight takes less than two minutes.
Incredibly, the shortest commercial flight, operating between the neighbouring islands of Westray and Papa Westray in Scotland’s Orkney islands, takes around one and a half minutes. With the fastest recorded flight taking less than 50 seconds.
3. Japanese railways hand out ‘certificates’ for delays of more than five minutes.
Japanese trains, reputedly the most punctual in the world, issue passengers with a ‘delay certificate’ if a train is running more than five minutes behind schedule. The documents can be shown to bosses or teachers to explain a passenger’s lateness. Delay certificates are also issued on some trains in Germany and in Paris.
4. The most expensive airport to city taxi ride costs around £190.
Any budget traveller worth their salt attempts to avoid airport taxis at all costs, but anyone keeping an eye on their finances should certainly avoid jumping in a cab from Tokyo’s Narita Airport. According to a study by Moneycorp (a currency exchange company), the ride is the most expensive airport-to-city transfer in the world, costing an average of £191/$235 one way.
5. India’s trains transport roughly 23 million passengers each day.
That’s the entire population of Australia. Additionally, if laid out in a single line, the tracks from India’s railway network could circle the world one and a half times.
Things you didn’t know about countries…
6. Saudi Arabia has no rivers.
The country in the Arabian peninsula has no permanent rivers. It is one of the 17 countries in the world without a single river flowing through it.
7. In Ethiopia the current year is 2013.
Ethiopia maintains its own calendar, which, due to a difference in the perceived date of the Annunciation (the proclamation of the birth of Christ), is seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar (which is used as standard across most of the world). In Ethiopia the new year also begins on either August 29 or August 30.
8. It is the same time at both ends of China.
Despite spanning five geographical time zones, China only has one set time, which is observed throughout the country. China Standard Time is UTC+8.
9. The UK has the world’s longest country name.
The UK’s official title of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland makes it the longest recognised country name in the world.
10. Alaska is both the westernmost and easternmost state in the USA.
Alaska’s Aleutian Islands are actually located west of the 180th Meridian (the line that divides the eastern and western hemisphere), making it the only US state to be partly located in the eastern hemisphere.
Foodie facts...
11. The most ordered meal on Deliveroo, a leading takeout app, in 2019 was a Hawaiian dish of raw fish.
Of all the restaurants served by the app, which operates in over 200 cities around the world, the most ordered meal was the Pok̩ Signature Super Prot̩in̩ Рa Hawaiian dish with raw fish as the core ingredient Рfrom restaurant Pokawa in the city of Paris. Less exotic, a humble cheeseburger from the London branch of chain restaurant Five Guys was the second most ordered dish on the app.
12. Russia only classified beer as an alcoholic drink in 2011
Remarkably before then any drink with less than 10% alcohol was considered a ‘foodstuff’.
13. Pilots and co-pilots do not eat the same meal before a flight.
As part of standard convention, pilots and co-pilots do not eat the same food before a flight in case of food poisoning (or worse). If one of the pilots is incapacitated (unable to leave the bathroom) then the other pilot can take over.
14. Banana is a popular pizza topping in Sweden.
Often paired with curry powder believe it or not.
15. Instant noodles topped a Japanese poll of the country’s greatest inventions of the 20th century.
In the poll, conducted in the year 2000 by Fuji Research Institute, respondents placed instant noodles at the top of the list, followed by karaoke in second place. Incidentally karaoke translates from Japanese into English as ‘empty orchestra’.
1: Nature
- The deepest place on Earth is the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. It’s 36,201 feet (11,034m) deep. That’s almost seven miles!
- The longest river in the world is the River Nile, clocking 6,853km in length. Its water resources are shared by 11 different countries, too.
- Lobsters are not ‘biologically immortal’, but they do produce an enzyme that repairs their cells and helps their DNA to replicate indefinitely. That’s where the myth comes from.
- The deepest freshwater lake in the world is Lake Baikal, located in Siberia. It plunges to a whopping depth of 5,315 feet (1,620m). Woah!
- Pineapples take two years to grow.
- Acacia trees in Africa communicate with each other. They emit gasses to alert other trees to produce the toxin tannin, which protects them from hungry animals.
- Armadillos are bulletproof. (This is NOT an invitation to test the fact.)
- Niagara Falls never freezes.
- Each limestone/granite block that makes up the Great Pyramid of Giza weighs 2.5 tons. And there are 2.3 million of them. Yes, you read that correctly.
- It would take you approximately 18 months to walk all the way along The Great Wall of China. (It’s over 5,000 miles long).
2: History
- The national flag with the most colors in it is Belize (1981), with 12.
- The first hand-held mobile phone call was made on April 3rd, 1973, in NYC.
- Buzz Aldrin (the second man to ever step on the Moon, in 1969) actually peed himself while walking on the surface, apparently.
- In Ancient Egypt, the word for ‘cat’ was actually pronounced ‘mew’, or ‘meow’.
- The American Revolution (1765-1783) came before the French Revolution (1789-1799).
- The Anglo-Zanzibar War (1896) was the shortest war ever – lasting just 38 minutes!
- The printing press, which revolutionized the sharing of information, was invented by Gutenberg around the year 1440.
- The largest contiguous land empire in history is The Mongol Empire (13th & 14th centuries).
- Egypt is classified as the oldest country in the world, dating back to 3100 BCE.
- Tim Berners-Lee created the first ever web browser (World Wide Web), in 1990.
3: Art & Culture
- In 2019, scientists discovered the world’s oldest known work of art on an Indonesian Island called Sulawesi. It was created 44,000 years ago.
- The name “sandwich” comes from an 18th-century aristocrat called the 4th Earl of Sandwich.
- 9310 Tweets are sent out every second.
- “Salvator Mundi” by Leonardo da Vinci is the most expensive painting in the world, valued at $450.3M.
- The most-visited country on the planet is France, with 90M visitors, according to figures from the UNWTO in 2018. Who’s at number two? Spain.
- 92% of the world’s currency is digital.
- “Avengers: Endgame” is the top-grossing film of all time, making over $2.7B!
- The wealthiest company in the world in 2020 was Saudi Aramco.
- The Statue of Unity in China’s Henan province is the tallest in the world, standing at a whopping 579 feet (182m). Note: The Statue of Liberty is 93m by comparison!
- Brazil boasts the most biodiversity of any country on the planet, with more than 50,000 species of plants and trees.
4: People & Countries
- Scientists say tears tell you the reason for someone crying. If the first drop comes from the right eye, it’s tears of joy. Otherwise, it’s because of pain.
- In the UK in 2019, renewable energy generated more electricity than fossil fuels for the first time ever. Also, did you know Norway gets 0% electricity from coal? And Germany has installed 1 kW of renewable capacity per person in the last decade?
a) (Climate change is the biggest global issue of our time, but there are some things to feel positive about!) - The longest reigning monarch ever was Louis XIV of France. He ruled for 72 years, 110 days. Exhausting.
- Marie Curie was the first person ever to win TWO Nobel Prizes – one for physics in 1903, the other for chemistry in 1911 for her work on radioactivity.
- King Henry VIII of England had servants called “Grooms of Stool”, who wiped him clean after he visited the toilet. Gross.
- 0.5% of the male population are descended from Genghis Khan. (Scientists did a study in 2003 showing that about 16 million dudes share a Y chromosome with the famous Emperor.)
- Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the Isle of Man all have claims to having the oldest parliament in history, all of which were founded in the 9th and 10th centuries.
- Russia is the most forested country in the world, with 815 million hectares.
- China is the world’s most populous country, with around 1.4 billion people living there.
- The youngest person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize is Malala Yousafzai (aged just 17 in 2014), for her work as a child rights activist and champion of girls’ right to education.
5: “No way! Really?”
- Sunsets only exist because Earth’s atmosphere acts as a prism for light. In scientific terms, it’s called “scattering”.
a) Molecules and particles in the atmosphere (which are more numerous at sunset) scatter short-wavelength violet and blue light away from your eyes, so we can see the other colors on the spectrum, like yellow and orange. - The most remote place in the world is the Tristan da Cunha islands in the Southern Atlantic Ocean. They’re 2,434km from Saint Helena, the nearest inhabited place. Imagine Mum sends you out for groceries but the local supermarket is closed? That’s a long trip.
- When you do a Google query, 1000 computers are used to find the answer in 0.2 seconds.
- There are almost 5 billion internet users in the world.
- The median age of the world’s population is around 30 years, as of 2019.
- We actually produce enough food to feed everyone on the planet; the problem is distribution.
- In 2010, Google tried to find out how many books there were in the world. They reckon there are about 130,000,000 of them. (Let’s call this one a semi-fact, though, ok?)
- A tiger’s roar can be heard up to two miles away.
- The Earth is 147.2 million kilometers away from the Sun, and it’s about 4.5 billion years old. That’s some serious heritage.
- Owls don’t have eyeballs.
Lesser-known aspects of famous landmarks...
16. Despite what people say, the Great Wall of China is not visible from space.
Even from low Earth orbit the structure requires magnification to be seen by the human eye.
17. The Eiffel Tower was initially greatly disliked by the Parisian art community upon opening.
The iconic tower was labelled as ‘monstrous’ and ‘ridiculous’ after it was unveiled to the world. It’s even claimed that contemporary writer Guy de Maupassant disliked the structure so much that he ate lunch in the tower every day because it was the only place in Paris where the landmark was not visible.
18. The scenic Great Ocean Road, that sweeps along the coast of Victoria, Australia, is actually a war memorial.
Built by soldiers and dedicated to those who lost their lives in WWI, the road serves as the largest war memorial in the world.
19. Sudan has more ancient pyramids than Egypt.
Sources vary, but Sudan is claimed to be home to around 250 pyramid structures, that were built by the rulers of the ancient Kushite kingdoms between 2500BC to 300AD. Egypt is thought to have just over 100 pyramids.
20. The minarets of the Taj Mahal lean outwards slightly.
This was done deliberately to ensure that if the structure collapsed the minarets would fall away from the central tomb, and not destroy it. It’s also true that a team of 20,000 artisans and craftsmen built the iconic structure, but the popular story about them all being amputated by Shah Jahan, the ruler who commissioned it, upon completion (so they’d never build anything as beautiful), is most likely a myth.
Everything else...
21. There are currently 320,000 people learning ‘Klingon’ (the fictional language featured in television show Star Trek) on language app Duolingo.
English is the most popular language on the app, with 34 million people undertaking lessons since the beginning of 2020.
22. On the island of Yap, a state of Micronesia, rocks are used as currency.
Each rock’s worth is based on its size and its history (where it came from). Though US dollars have now started to be used for everyday purchases on the island, rocks are still used for ceremonial transactions (during weddings, for example). Yap also uses turmeric, shells and cloth as official currency.
23. If it was as densely populated as New York City, the entire world's population could fit into the US state of Texas.
We wouldn’t have all that much room, but, with the rest of the planet uninhabited, there’d be plenty of places to go to escape the crowds.
24. You’re never more than 30 steps away from a in Disneyland.
The story goes that Walt Disney used to observe visitors in the park and see how many steps they took before littering, as a result a litter bin is never more than 30 steps away in any Disney park. Another of Walt’s lesser-known Disneyland additions was the creation of a secret bar hidden inside the – then otherwise 'dry' – park, which he used to entertain personal guests and sponsors. The speakeasy-style venue, located behind a large door in the New Orleans Square section of the park, now runs as a private members club with an annual membership fee of $10,000.
25. You don't need to wait an hour after eating before you can swim safely.
Despite what your mother always told you, there is no medical data that suggests you can’t swim on a full stomach. It can, however, feel uncomfortable, and potentially lead to a feeling of nausea, so it’s best to take a short pause after polishing off your sandwich before you go crashing into the surf.
6. You can drive on the world’s highest motorable road
At over 19,300 feet, the Ladakh road is the highest motorable road in the world. Make sure you pack a warm jacket on before embarking on this particular adventure!
7. Home of a mysterious skeleton lake
Located in the Himalayas at about 16,470 feet, the glacial Lake Roopkund has become famous for the human skeletons found in the lake and surrounding areas.
It is thought that the skeletons are the remains of people from the 9th century who perished during a severe hail storm.
8. The popular game “Snakes and Ladders” originated in India
Now sold across the world (sometimes adapted to “shoots and ladders”), this board game traces its roots back to India. It was first created to teach morals and lessons about karma in a way that young children would understand and remember.
9. India was the first country to mine diamonds
From the 4th century BC for around 1,000 years, India was the only source of diamonds in the world. The original diamonds were found in the Krishna River Delta.
In the 18th century, more diamond deposits were discovered in Brazil, and soon after, in South Africa, adding to the market of diamonds.
10. Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world, and it’s not a true polytheism
With documents dating back as early as 5,500 BCE, Hinduism is considered the oldest religion in the world.
There is not a known founder of Hinduism, and no one cares to know who started Hinduism since Hinduism is a way of life.
Currently, Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world, serving more than 1 billion people.
Regarding gods, Hinduism is not a pure polytheism. Hindus believe in one god, Brahma, who is manifested in thousands of other gods.
Along with Brahma as the main god, two other gods make up The Trimurti. Brahma is the creator of the universe, Vishnu is the preserver of the universe, and Shiva destroys the world to recreate it.
It is up to each Hindu to decide which god they worship.
And here’s another fun fact about Hinduism; the number 108 is the most sacred number for Hindus. It is the ratio of the Sun’s distance from Earth to the Sun’s diameter, as well as the ratio of the Moon’s distance from Earth to the Moon’s diameter.
11. India has 22 recognized languages
The numerous languages spoken across India include Santali, Kashmiri, Bengali, Tamil, and Urdu. However, the official languages are English and Hindi.
India also has the world’s second-largest population of English speakers (first is the United States), since most Indians speak their own regional language as well as English for easier communication.
Sanskrit is considered the oldest language in the world, the “mother of all languages.” Every Hindu book is written in Sanskrit, and it is said that Sanskrit is the language of the demi-Gods.
12. Ranked the second-most populous country in the world
Second only to China, India has roughly 1.37 billion people… and the number keeps climbing. It’s estimated that by the year 2050, India will have surpassed China to become the most populated country in the world.
13. Most Indians eat with only their fingers
It’s customary in India to eat food with your fingers, including rice, sauces, meats, and vegetables. Some people argue that to truly enjoy an authentic Indian curry, it’s a requirement to eat the dish with your hands!
Don’t be afraid to forgo the use of a fork, knife, and spoon while you’re in India; just watch how the locals do it and try finger food out for yourself.
14. A village with no locks and doors may be the safest on Earth
The village of Shani Shingnapur is famous for not having a door or lock on a single house. Beyond that, there has not been a recording of a criminal act for almost 400 years.
Many people think that the shared vulnerability has created a neighborly trust between the residents, which has formed a protection stronger than a deadbolt or heavy gate.
15. “Indian food” has become one of the most widespread cuisines in the world
From London to New York City, Indian food has spread across the world and continues to gain popularity. Many argue that authentic flavor and spice is lost in many of the restaurants outside of India itself.
16. India has the highest population of vegetarians
It’s estimated that between 15% and 30% of India’s population follow a strict vegetarian diet, while many others will only consume fish and no land animals.
Vegetarianism is so widely spread that even western food chains like KFC provide a vegetarian menu for restaurant patrons.
17. There are A LOT of holidays
In 2019, India recorded 26 official holidays, including Independence Day, Deepavali, Holi, and Christmas.
The wide range of celebrations comes from the fact that so many different cultural groups are blended in the Indian population, leading to a plethora of holidays and festivals.
18. Holi is much more than a colorful powder festival
Holi, also known as the festival of colors, is the popular Hindu spring festival celebrated across India and Nepal. Holi’s name comes from “Holika”, the sister of demon King “Hiranyakashyap,” and it signifies the victory of good over evil. It also marks the end of the winter season, welcoming the spring.
While the festival is well known for its colorful powders, water also is a big part of the event as many people use water balloons to engage in water fights with family and friends.
Beyond being a national festival in India, these days, Holi is celebrated by Hindus all over the world.
19. The world’s largest sundial is located in India
The town of Jaipur is home to the largest sundial in the world, which is a towering 27 meters (90 feet) tall! If that’s not impressive enough, the sundial is constructed from beautiful polished stone to create a truly impressive work of architecture.
The sundial has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Every year, it attracts thousands of visitors, who come to witness the shadow moving at about six centimeters per minute.
20. The Taj Mahal is slowly changing color
Perhaps the most iconic landmark in India, the majestic white walls of the Taj Mahal are something almost every traveler dreams of seeing.
However, due to pollution and contaminants in the air, the marble walls are slowly transforming from white into a yellow color.
21. During World War II, the Taj Mahal was disguised as a bamboo stockpile
Even if the color is changing, the Taj Mahal is still one of the most beloved and important monuments in the country.
To protect the building during World War II, the entire palace was covered with bamboo scaffolding, completely hiding the true structure from bomber planes flying overhead.
The trick seemed to work because the Taj Mahal was never struck during the war.
22. In some places in India, Coke and Pepsi are used as pesticides
In the Chattisgarh state of India, which is one of the world’s largest rice-producing areas, farmers began to spray their fields with Coke and Pepsi products, since it was cheaper than traditional pesticides and seemed to work just as well.
On looking more closely at this method, it’s thought that the sweet syrups attract ants to the field, which eat the eggs and larva of insects that commonly destroy crops.
23. North Sentinel Island is one of the last “untouched” places on Earth
The Indian government has prohibited anyone from going within three miles of North Sentinel Island, home of the Sentinelese people.
In 1991, the anthropologist Madhumala Chattophadhyay had several peaceful encounters with the Sentinelese, but in subsequent years, the people made it very clear (sometimes violently) that they did not want to be disturbed.
It is now considered one of the last places untouched by the outside world.
24. The Kumbh Mela is visible from space
The Kumbh Mela is an important festival and pilgrimage site, and the largest gathering on Earth. While a celebration takes place each year, there is a festival of greater significance at four-year and twelve-year intervals.
The number of people attending the festival is so large that the crowd is visible in satellite photos taken from space.
25. India has one of the lowest divorce rates in the world
According to statistics, the divorce rate in India is about 1 out of every 100 marriages, making it much lower than most countries. This may be partly due to cultural customs and the fact that arranged marriages still occur in India.
26. Frogs Are Married Off
Speaking of marriage, frogs are married in India! Well, at least in Varanasi. Varanasi goes back to its old traditional beliefs and rituals, so when the rains are delayed, the frogs there are caught and married to each other to please the rain gods.
27. The Hindu calendar has six seasons
Instead of the typical four-season cycle most countries recognize, India follows a six-season calendar, recognizing spring, summer, monsoon, autumn, prewinter, and winter.
28. Varanasi is the most ancient surviving city in the world
A few countries around the world claim they have the oldest living city in the world, and India is no exception.
The holy city of Varanasi, also known as Banaras or Kashi, is believed to be one of the oldest living cities in the world. In fact, it is believed that this place was once the home of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
As Mark Twain puts it, Varanasi is “older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.”
This city’s connection with eternity doesn’t end here, for it is believed that the person who inhales his final breath here actually attains salvation.
This is why so many devout Hindus pilgrimage to Varanasi to spend their last days on Earth. At the same time, many other devotees flock to the city throughout the year to experience its divinity.
29. The Origin of Ayurveda and Yoga
In addition to being well known as the holiest city in India, Varanasi is also known as the birth-place of Ayurveda and Yoga and their ancient healing systems.
30. India is divided into 29 states
Not many foreigners realize that India is subdivided into states. Some of these states – like Assam, Kashmir, and Goa – are more easily recognized thanks to products like Assam tea, Kashmir silk, or the popular tourist destinations in Goa.
31. Tea is the national beverage of India
It’s no secret that Indians love tea; the beverage is served throughout the day and with meals in every household. India is the second-largest producer of tea in the world, following closely behind China.
32. Around 70% of the world’s spices come from India
India is by far the largest producer of spices, which are shipped across continents to restaurants and kitchens worldwide. Some of the best-known spices are turmeric, cumin, saffron, and chili powders.
33. India has the current tallest statue in the world
Measuring 600ft (182m) in height, the Statue of Unity is currently the tallest statue in the world. The statue, which is a tribute to the independence leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is located in the western state of Gujarat, where Patel was born.
For comparison, this statue is almost twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty (305ft or 93m). It is made with more than 12,000 bronze panels and weighs about 67,000 tonnes.
34. The Amritsar Golden Temple serves free meals….for thousands
The Amritsar Golden Temple is one of the most dazzling architectural monuments in India, but it is also a site of generosity and compassion. This Sikh temple is open to people of all religions.
Every day, it serves a simple vegetarian meal, often to over fifty thousand people. What’s even more impressive is that almost all the ingredients are donated.
35. India was the first country to refine and consume sugar
If you have a sweet tooth, you have India to thank for it. India was the first place were sugar was extracted, refined, and used in cooking – although once people got a taste of the delicious stuff, sugar production quickly spread around the world.
36. Shampoo originated in India
The word “shampoo” comes from the Sanskrit word “champu,” which means “to massage.” Ground herbs mixed with water were the very first forms of shampoo. Not until later, when the idea caught on were commercial bottles produced.
37. India is Famous for its Iconic Step Wells
India’s abandoned step-wells, known as vavs in Gujarat and baolis (or baoris) elsewhere in northern India, are an important part of its history and architecture.
While information about them is scarce, they’re believed to have started appearing mostly between the 2nd and 4th centuries to supply water from the country’s deep water tables – especially in the hot, dry states in northern India.
Beyond their primary use, they were often used to provide shade, as temples, community centers, and layovers on trade routes.
Among the most stunning step wells is the Rani ki Vav (the Queen’s Step Well), which is undoubtedly India’s most awe-inspiring step well. It’s crazy to think that this UNESCO World Heritage site was just recently discovered.
38. The steel wires in the Bandra Worli Sealink could stretch around the world
Completed in 2010, the incredible Bandra Worli Sealink bridge required 90,000 tons of cement to build. To hold that all up, enormous steel cables – each with the ability to hold up 900 tons of weight – were put in place along the bridge.
If they were laid out end to end, the cables could reach around the circumference of the globe.
39. Gandhi is one of India’s most famous icons
Revered the world over for his nonviolent philosophy of passive resistance, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was known to his many followers as Mahatma, or “the great-souled one.” He was also commonly referred to a “Bapu,” which means father.
In the years following World War I, he became the leading figure in India’s struggle to gain independence from Great Britain.
After Partition in 1947, he continued to work toward peace between Hindus and Muslims until his death, when he was fatally shot in Delhi in January 1948 by a Hindu fundamentalist.
Gandhi’s face has appeared on all denominations of Indian Rupees printed since 1996.
40. There’s a floating post office in India
Not only does India have the largest network of postal services in the world, but it also has some very unique post offices, including one that floats on the water.
Located in Dal Lake, Srinagar, the post office has begun to serve as a tourist destination for curious visitors who hope to photograph the unique site. Trust me, Srinagar is one of the most beautiful places in India!
These amazing facts about India are just the tip of the iceberg; this country has so many surprises in store for travelers!
There’s nothing quite like real-life experience, so if these fun facts about India have piqued your curiosity, get ready to have your mind blown when you travel there in person!