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Are you ready to test your knowledge of geography, politics, and history?
How much do you know about the countries of the world quiz? Our quiz will test your familiarity with the world’s nations, their capitals, their place on the map, and many curious facts about them.

Don’t worry – we didn’t make it too hard, but if you’re afraid about your score, don’t stop reading. We prepared a quick intro into the world’s countries and some factoids about them. Read on and get ready for the test!

Independent

There are 195 independent sovereign nations in the world. This number has been the same since 2011 when South Sudan became an independent state. It does not include several disputed regions, like Taiwan or Kosovo. It also doesn’t include dependent territories. For example, Greenland is not a country, but a self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark.

Is Antarctica an autonomous country? It is not. Antarctica is governed by about 30 countries. No country owns the continent, but several have claims to it (including France, the United Kingdom, Argentina, and Norway). In 1959 12 countries signed a treaty agreeing to no military presence, no mining, and no nuclear explosions in Antarctica.

The largest country in the world is Russia, spanning two continents and most of northern Eurasia. It occupies about 1/9th of the world’s total landmass. Russia is both the largest country in Europe (roughly 4,000,000 km2) and Asia (around 13,100,000 km2).

The smallest country in the world is Vatican City, which is a European microstate. It covers an area of 49 hectares (121 acres) and has a population of about 453 as of 2019.

Saudi Arabia is the largest non-river country on the planet. The largest landlocked nation is Kazahstan. China is the largest country entirely in Asia.

Nauru is the smallest island country, smallest republic, and smallest country that is not a city-state. Luxembourg is the smallest country that is not a European microstate or island country.

What are the world’s most populous countries? China beats all the other nations with nearly 1,4 billion residents. India follows quickly with around 1,3 billion residents. Next on the list are the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, Brazil, and Nigeria.

Which countries have the highest and lowest life expectancy? It means how long the average person lives in any given country. The top 10 countries with the highest life expectancy are Hong Kong, Japan, Switzerland, Singapore, Italy, Spain, Australia, Iceland, Israel, and South Korea. The top 11 countries with the lowest life expectancy are Mali, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, South Sudan, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Chad, Lesotho, and the Central African Republic.

The countries with the highest literacy rates (the ability to read and write by age 15) are Andorra, Finland, Greenland, Vatican, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, North Korea, Azerbaijan, and Latvia. The countries with the lowest literacy rates are South Sudan, Afghanistan, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, Somalia, Ethiopia, Guinea, and Benin.

Please do note that these rankings aren’t definitive. The scores might vary depending on the sources. In the cases of some countries, there are no complete or reliable data.

Do you know why Madagascar is called the Red Island? It is due to the distinctive red hue of the island’s soil. You can’t find this color anywhere else in the world!

The highest statue in the world is located in Gujarat, India. It is called the Statue of Unity and has a height of 182 meters. The figure depicts Vallabhbhai Patel, a well-known Indian statesman and a leader of India’s Independence movement.

Guinea is home to the wettest capital of the world. Conakry City covers a total land area of 450 square kilometers, and it experiences an average of 3,7 meters of rain every year.

Morocco is one of the only three countries featuring both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. The other two nations are France and Spain.

There are more lakes in Canada than in all the other countries in the world combined. They are in fact considered to be enclosed seas because they are so large.

Have you ever wondered which country was the flattest one on the planet? We have the answer for you: it is Bolivia. The nation also holds the record for having the longest salt flat.

The world’s oldest country is in Europe, and it is called San Marino. This small nation, covering just 62 square kilometers, was originally formed in 301 AD.

Did you know that cheating on an exam in Bangladesh is punishable by imprisonment? Make sure you don’t have any cheat sheets on you if you ever take a test in this country!

Malawi is described as “The Warm Heart of Africa” due to its residents’ friendliness and hospitability. On the other hand, Chad is often called “The Dead Heart of Africa” because it is so close to the deserts.

Countries of the world quiz

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