Memorize The World

Let’s continue our tour of Western Asia, hitting Syria.

Wondering what this is about? See this post on why I am memorizing all the countries in the world.

Syria is another of the United States’ best buddies (OK, perhaps not). After it gained independence from France in the 1940s, there were a string of coups and attempted coups. The country has been under Emergency Law since 1962 (wonder when that one will end).

Having said that, like many areas in the region, you can’t just go by the headlines. It has a growing tourism industry and has taken very small steps to increase individual freedoms.

Here are some basic facts about Syria:

• Capital: Damascus
• Official Language: Arabic
• Independence: April 17, 1946
• Population: 22,198,110 - 51st in the world
• Currency: Syrian pound (SYP)

Syria borders Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Lebanon and Israel to the southwest.

Something you may not know

The capital, Damascus, is considered one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

All information was ripped off from Wikipedia

Let’s continue our tour of Western Asia, hitting Iran.

Wondering what this is about? See this post on why I am memorizing all the countries in the world.

Is Iran a proud member of Dubya’s “Axis of Evil”, or is it (as I’ve heard) a fantastic place to visit with amazing people? Like most things, the truth is probably somewhere in between.

Here are some basic facts about Iran:

• Capital: Tehran
• Official Language: Persian
• Unification: 1501
• Population: 74,196,000 - 174th in the world
• Currency: Rial (IRR)

Iran borders Iraq to the west, Turkey to the northwest, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan to the north, and Afghanistan and Pakistan to the west.

Something you may not know

The northern part of Iran is covered by dense rain forests called Shomal or the Jungles of Iran. There used to be a Caspian Tiger there, but sadly it went extinct in the 1950s. Boo.

All information was ripped off from Wikipedia

On we go through Western Asia, stopping at Azerbaijan.

Wondering what this is about? See this post on why I am memorizing all the countries in the world.

Azerbaijan is a former Soviet republic that is “at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia”. The culture is heavily influenced by its Turkic and Shi’ite Muslim population.

It suffered quite a bit after the fall of the Soviet Union, and unlike most former republics, its’ “Black January” was one of the few times that the USSR used force against dissidents during the breakup.

After the fall of the USSR there were widespread coups and corruption, but it was recently listed as “one of the top 10 reformers” by the World Bank.

Now if only it could get along with its’ neighbour Armenia.

Here are some basic facts about Azerbaijan:

• Capital: Baku
• Official Language: Azerbaijani
• Independence: August 30, 1991
• Population: 9,047,000 - 90th in the world
• Currency: Manat (AZN)

Azerbaijan borders Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south.

Something you may not know

Petroglyphs in Azerbaijan show a thriving culture going back to 10,000 BC.

All information was ripped off from Wikipedia

We continue our trip through Western Asia, visiting Armenia.

Wondering what this is about? See this post on why I am memorizing all the countries in the world.

Armenia is an area steeped in history. After all, Mount Ararat, where Noah’s Ark supposedly escaped the flood, is located there.

Not all the history of of the good kind. Between incessant occupation and invasions, the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1916, the breakup of the Soviet Union and the switch to a market economy, and having trade cut off from Turkey and Azerbaijan, Armenia has had a rough ride. However, things are starting to improve and trade is increasing.

Here are some basic facts about Armenia:

• Capital: Yerevan
• Official Language: Armenian
• Independence: August 23, 1990
• Population: 3,238,000[ - 134th in the world
• Currency: Dram (AMD)

Armenia borders Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east and south, and Iran to the south.

Something you may not know

The Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity as its religion.

All information was ripped off from Wikipedia

New continent alert! It’s time to jump from Eastern Europe to Western Asia, starting at Georgia.

Wondering what this is about? See this post on why I am memorizing all the countries in the world.

Georgia is a former Soviet republic that gained independence when the good ol’ USSR collapsed. It faced the usual switch-to-market economy challenges, and almost right away there was a coup d’etat, and then a bitter civil war.

Later there was the “Rose Revolution” that saw the leader deposed again. Afterwards, relations with Russia have tanked and even led to war in 2008 over the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. What a mess.

Here are some basic facts about Georgia:

• Capital: Tbilisi
• Official Language: Georgian
• Independence: April 9, 1991
• Population: 4,436,400 - 118nd in the world
• Currency: Lari (GEL)

Georgia borders Turkey to the southwest, Russia to the north, and Armenia and Azerbaijan to the south.

Something you may not know

Joseph Stalin was born in Georgia. His birth name was Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili.

All information was ripped off from Wikipedia

Let’s go to the crossroads of Europe and Asia, visiting Turkey.

Wondering what this is about? See this post on why I am memorizing all the countries in the world.

Turkey is special to me because it is where I went for my honeymoon. It is an absolutely amazing country with mindblowing history and sites, but it is also extremely modern (Istanbul and Ankara anyways). Love love love Turkey.

Oh yeah, there was a small empire (Ottoman I think?) that came from there…

Here are some basic facts about Turkey:

• Capital: Ankara
• Official Language: Turkish
• Formation: October 29, 1923
• Population: 72,561,312 - 18th in the world
• Currency: Turkish lira (TRY)

Turkey borders Greece and Bulgaria to the west, Georgia to the north, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east, and Iraq and Syria to the south.

Something you may not know

Turkey is one of the leading shipbuilding nations; the country ranked 4th in the world in terms of the number of ordered ships, and also 4th in the world in terms of the number of ordered mega yachts

All information was ripped off from Wikipedia

Back to the Mediterranean we go, visiting Cyprus.

Wondering what this is about? See this post on why I am memorizing all the countries in the world.

I’m not going to get into the whole Greece vs. Turkey thing. Suffice it to say, Cyprus is an EU member state that is essentially partitioned into two states: Greek Cyprus and Turkish Cyprus. Will they ever work it out? Who knows. The island has a crazy amount of history, that’s for sure.

Here are some basic facts about Cyprus:

• Capital: Nicosia
• Official Language: Greek, Turkish
• Independence: August 16, 1960
• Population: 798,045
• Currency: Euro (EUR)

Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean, south of Turkey.

Something you may not know

Cyprus is site of the earliest known example of feline domestication.

All information was ripped off from Wikipedia

I’m tired of being on land. Let’s go to Malta.

Wondering what this is about? See this post on why I am memorizing all the countries in the world.

Given where Malta is located, in the middle of the Mediterranean, it’s no suprise that it’s been strategically important to a lot of countries over the years. The Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Fatimids, Sicilians, Knights of St John, French and the British have ruled the islands over the years.

Heck, even St. Paul was shipwrecked there for a while. Malta also has the oldest free-standing structures on Earth, the Megalithic Temples of Malta.

Malta declared its independence in the 60s and declared itself in a republic in the 70s. Sorry Queen Elizabeth. I guess it finally wants to try being on its own for a while.

Here are some basic facts about Malta:

• Capital: Valletta
• Official Language: Maltese, English
• Independence: September 21, 1964
• Population: 412,966 - 171st in the world
• Currency: Euro (EUR)

Malta is in the Mediterranean, between Italy and Tunisia.

Something you may not know

In 1989, Malta was the venue of a summit between US President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, their first face-to-face encounter, which signaled the end of the Cold War.

All information was ripped off from Wikipedia

Through Eastern Europe we go, stopping at Bulgaria.

Wondering what this is about? See this post on why I am memorizing all the countries in the world.

Bulgaria has a long history that goes back to the 7th Century, with various Bulgarian Empires. Then the Ottomans came knocking and so much for that. They were under Ottoman rule for 5 centuries.

Finally it was on its own in the 20th century. It joined WWII under on the side of the Axis powers (bad choice), but when they saw which way the wind was blowing (who do you want to be friends with? Losing Germany or winning USSR?), they wisely switched sides.

After WWII, like most of Eastern Europe, they were a Communist state until the end of the 80s when they switched to multi-party elections. Since then it has been the usual story- economic struggle switching to a market economy (it is the lowest income state in the EU), but it it is growing.

Here are some basic facts about Bulgaria:

• Capital: Sofia
• Official Language: Bulgarian
• Independence: September 22, 1908
• Population: 7,576,751 - 9th in the world
• Currency: Lev (BGN)

Bulgaria is on the Black Sea and is bordered by Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Romania to the north, Turkey to the southeast, and Greece to the south.

Something you may not know

Bulgaria remains the only EU member which does not recycle municipal waste. Come on now. Give a hoot, don’t pollute!

All information was ripped off from Wikipedia

It’s time for our last Eastern European country, and we saved the smallest for last: Russia.

Wondering what this is about? See this post on why I am memorizing all the countries in the world.

I’m assuming you’re familiar with Russia. It’s the largest country in the world, it has formerly the Russian Empire (which was the third largest empire in history) and was the largest part of the Soviet Union, and it’s created some pretty great hockey players.

Here are some basic facts about Russia:

• Capital: Moscow
• Official Language: Russian
• Formation: December 26, 1991 (if we’re talking about the Russian Federation)
• Population: 141,927,297 - 9th in the world
• Currency: Ruble (RUB)

Russia borders (brace yourself): Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both via Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China, Mongolia, and North Korea.

Something you may not know

Russia is so freaking big it spans 9 time zones.

All information was ripped off from Wikipedia