world's INFO.......)

CONTINENTS (by size)

#1 Asia - (44,579,000 sq km)
#2 Africa - (30,065,000 sq km)
#3 North America - (24,256,000 sq km)
#4 South America - (17,819,000 sq km)
#5 Antarctica - (13,209,000 sq km)
#6 Europe - (9,938,000 sq km)
#7 Australia/Oceania - (7,687,000 sq km) 

CONTINENTS (by population) 2006 est.

#1 Asia - (3,879,000,000)
#2 Africa - (877,500,000)
#3 Europe - (727,000,000)
#4 North America - (501,500,000)
#5 South America - (379,500,000)
#6 Australia/Oceania - (32,000,000)
#7 Antarctica - (0) 

CONTINENTS (by the number of countries)

#1 Africa - (53)
#3 Europe - (46)
#2 Asia - (44)
#4 North America - (23)
#5 Oceania - (14)
#6 South America - (12) 

Russia 17,075,400 sq km, (6,592,846 sq miles)
Canada 9,330,970 sq km, (3,602,707 sq miles)
China 9,326,410 sq km, (3,600,947 sq miles)
USA 9.166,600 sq km, (3,539,242 sq miles)
Brazil 8,456,510 sq km, (3,265,075 sq miles)
Australia 7,617,930 sq km, (2,941,283 sq miles)
India 2,973,190 sq km, (1,147,949 sq miles)
Argentina 2,736,690 sq km, (1,056,636 sq miles)
Kazakhstan 2,717,300 sq km, (1,049,150 sq miles)
Sudan 2,376,000 sq km, (917,374 sq miles) 

 SMALLEST COUNTRIES (by land mass)
Vatican City 0.44 sq km, (0.17 sq miles)
Monaco 1.95 sq km, (0.75 sq miles)
Nauru 21.2 sq km, (8.2 sq miles)
Tuvalu 26 sq km, (10 sq miles)
San Marino 61 sq km, (24 sq miles)
Liechtenstein 160 sq km, (62 sq miles)
Marshall Islands 181 sq km, (70 sq miles)
Seychelles 270 sq km, (104 sq miles)
Maldives 300 sq km, (116 sq miles)
St. Kitts and Nevis 360 sq km, (139 sq miles) 

 OLDEST COUNTRIES
San Marino (301 AD)
France (486 AD)
Bulgaria (632 AD)
Denmark (950 AD)
Portugal (1143 AD)
Andorra (1278 AD)
Switzerland (1291 AD) 

 YOUNGEST COUNTRIES
Montenegro (July, 2006)
Serbia (July, 2006)
East Timor (2002)
Palau (1994)
Czech Republic (1993)
Eritrea (1993)
Slovakia (1993)
Bosnia/Hertzegovina (1992) 

 RICHEST COUNTRIES
(GNP in USA Dollars)
Luxembourg ($45,360)
Switzerland ($44,355)
Japan ($41,010)
Liechtenstein ($40,000)
Norway ($34,515) 

 POOREST COUNTRIES
(GNP in USA Dollars)
Mozambique ($80)
Somalia ($100)
Eritrea ($100)
Ethiopia ($100)
Congo, DNC ($100)

 COUNTRIES WITH MOST LAND BORDERS
(The Most Neighboring Countries)
China (14)
Russian Federation (14)
Brazil (10)
Congo, Germany and Sudan (9)
Austria, France, Tanzania, Turkey and Zambia (8)

 DEPENDENCIES AND TERRITORIES
Numerous areas of the world (most often islands) are under the economic and military protection of another country. These dependencies and territories are usually small and remote. Some still aspire to gain independence, while others would be unable to survive as an independent country based on global positioning and economic conditions.

Dependencies and Territories of the World
(a complete list) 

 TOP 10 TALLEST MOUNTAINS
Mount Everest 8850m (29035ft) Nepal/China
Qogir (K2) 8611m (28250ft) Pakistan
Kangchenjunga 8586m (28169ft) Nepal
Lhotse 8501m (27920ft) Nepal
Makalu I 8462m (27765ft) Nepal
Cho Oyu 8201m (26906ft) Nepal
Dhaulagiri 8167m (26794ft) Nepal
Manaslu I 8156m (26758ft) Nepal
Nanga Parbat 8125m (26658ft) Pakistan
Annapurna I 8091m (26545ft) Nepal

The dormant volcano Mauna Kea (on the Big Island of Hawaii) could be considered the tallest mountain in the world. If you measure it from its base in theHawaiian Trough (3,300 fathoms deep) to its summit of 13,796 feet, it reaches a height of 33,476 feet.

 TALLEST MOUNTAINS
(On Each Continent)
Mount Everest 8850m (29035ft) Asia
Aconcagua 6959m (22831ft) S. America
Mount McKinley 6194m (20320ft) N. America
Mount Kilimanjaro 5963m (19563ft) Africa
Mount Elbrus 5633m (18481ft) Europe
Puncak Jaya 4884m (16023ft) Oceania
Vinson Massif 4897m (16066ft) Antarctica 

 LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD
Languages spoken by the most people
(Native speakers only)

Chinese Mandarin 1 billion +
English 512 million
Hindi 501 million
Spanish 399 million
Russian 285 million
Arabic 265 million
Bengali 245 million
Portuguese 196 million
Malay-Indonesian 140 million
Japanese 125 million
German 100 million
Korean 78 million
French 77 million
Chinese, Wu 77 million
Javanese 75 million
Chinese. Yue 71 million 

 COUNTRIES (Highest Density)
(people per square km)
Monaco 16,205
Singapore 6,386
Malta 1,261
Maldives 1,164
Bahrain 1,035
Bangladesh 1,002
Vatican City 920
Barbados 648
Nauru 621
Mauritius 603 

 COUNTRIES (Lowest Density)
(people per square km)
Mongolia 2
Namibia 2
Australia 3
Botswana 3
Iceland 3
Suriname 3
Libya 3
Mauritania 3
Canada 3
Guyana 4 

 COUNTRY POPULATION (smallest)
(February, 2006 numbers)
Vatican City 920
Tuvalu 11,640
Nauru 13,050
Palau 20,300
San Marino 28,880
Monaco 32,410
Liechtenstein 33,720
St. Kitts 38,960
Marshall Islands 59,070
Antigua and Barbuda 68,720 

 COUNTRY POPULATION (largest)
(February, 2006 numbers)
China 1,306,313,800
India 1,080,264,400
USA 295,734,100
Indonesia 241,973,900
Brazil 186,112,800
Pakistan 162,419,900
Bangladesh 144,319,600
Russia 143,420,300
Nigeria 128,772,000
Japan 127,417,200 

 LARGEST CITIES ON THE PLANET!
Numbers shown are the population within the recognized city limits, and do not include people living in the immediate surrounding area outside of the established border of the city. For the largest metropolitan areas refer to the list below this one.
Revised (10/01/04)
Shanghai, China 13.3 million
Mumbai (Bombay), India 12.6 million
Buenos Aires, Argentina 11.92 million
Moscow, Russia 11.3 million
Karachi, Pakistan 10.9 million
Delhi, India 10.4 million
Manila, Philippines 10.3 million
Sao Paulo, Brazil 10.26 million
Seoul, South Korea 10.2 million
Istanbul, Turkey 9.6 million
Jakarta, Indonesia 9.0 million
Mexico City, Mexico 8.7 million
Lagos, Nigeria 8.68 million
Lima, Peru 8.38 million
Tokyo, Japan 8.3 million
New York City, USA 8.09 million
Cairo, Egypt 7.6 million
London, UK 7.59 million
Teheran, Iran 7.3 million
Beijing, China 7.2 million 

 LARGEST METRO AREAS IN THE WORLD
Numbers shown are the population within the immediate surrounding area of the established border of the city, and also include the city limit population figures. Revised (05/11)
Toyko, Japan 35.6 million
Chingqing (Chungking), China 31.4 million
New York City - Philadelphia area, USA 30.1 million
Mexico City, Mexico 21.5 million
Seoul, South Korea 20.15 million
Sao Paulo, Brazil 19.9 million
Jakarta, Indonesia 18.2 million
Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto, Japan 17.6 million
New Delhi, India 17.36 million
Mumbai, India (Bombay) 17.34 million
Los Angeles, USA 16.7 million
Cairo, Egypt 15.86 million
Calcutta, India 14.3 million
Manila, Philippines 14.1 million
Shanghai, China 13.9 million
Buenos Aires, Argentina 13.2 million
Moscow, Russian Fed. 12.2 million 

 Hottest,Coldest,Driest,Wettest
Hottest Place Dalol, Denakil Depression, Ethiopia, annual average temperature (93.2°F, 34°C)
Coldest Place Plateau Station, Antarctica, annual average temperature (-56.7°C)
Wettest Place Mawsynram, Assam, India, annual average rainfall (11,873 mm, 467.4")
Driest Place Atacama Desert, Chile, imperceptible rainfall on a yearly basis 

 HIGHEST/LOWEST SURFACE POINTS
(Below Sea Level, On Each Continent)
Dead Sea, Asia -409 meters
Lake Assal, Africa -156 meters
Death Valley, North America -86 meters
Valdés Peninsula, South America -40 meters
Caspian Sea, Europe -28 meters
Lake Eyre, Australia -16 meters
Antarctica (ice covered) -2,538 meters

 Highest/Lowest Points
Countries, Islands, Oceans here! 

For the highest points on each continent see
Tallest Mountains (above)

 DRIEST INHABITED PLACES 
(Rain fall in inches per year)
Aswan, Egypt 0.02"
Luxor, Egypt 0.03"
Arica Desert, Chile 0.04"
Ica, Peru 0.1"
Antofagasta, Chile 0.2"
El Minya, Egypt 0.2"
Asyut, Egypt 0.2

 WETTEST INHABITED PLACES 
(Rain fall in inches per year)
Buenaventira, Colombia 267"
Monrovia, Liberia 202"
Pagp Pago, American Samoa 198"
Moulein, Burma (Myanmar 192"
Lae, Papua New Guinea 183"
Baguio, Philippines180"
Sylhet, Bangladesh 178"

 LARGEST DESERTS OF THE WORLD

(SUBTROPICAL)
Sahara, North Africa 3,320,000 sq. miles
Arabian, Middle East 900,000 sq. miles
Kalahari, Southern Africa 360,000 sq. miles
Great Victoria, Australia 250,000 sq. miles
Syrian, Syria, Jordan, Iraq 200,000 sq. miles
Chihuahuan, Mexico, U.S. 175,000 sq. miles
Great Sandy, Australia 150,000 sq. miles
Sonoran, Mexico, U,S, 120,000 sq. miles
Thar, India, Pakistan 77,000 sq. miles
Gibson, Australia 60,000 sq. miles
Simpson, Australia 56,000 sq. miles
Mohave, S,W, USA 25,000 sq. miles

(COOL COASTAL)
Atacama, Chile SA 54,000 sq. miles
Namib, S.W. Africa 31,000 sq. miles

(COLD WINTER)
Gobi, China, Mongolia 500,000 sq. miles
Patagonian, Argentina 260,000 sq. miles
Great Basin, S.W. USA 190,000 sq. miles
Karakum, Turkmenistan 135,000 sq. miles
Colorado Plateau, Western USA 130,000 sq. miles
Kyzyl Kum, West Asia 115,000 sq. miles
Taklamakan, China 105,000 sq. miles
Dasht-e Kavir, Iran 30,000 sq. miles

(POLAR)
Antarctic 5,339,000 sq. miles
Arctic 5,300,000 sq. miles