Land accounts for less than 30% of the earth's surface, yet it still measures up to roughly 130 million square kilometers (about 50 million square miles). Of the 193 countries in the world today, some have a territory as small as a city, while others are as large as continents. We wonder: Measured by landmass, which is the largest country in the world?
July 2007
Child Adoptions Worldwide
Adoptions are increasingly in the global headlines these days. On the one hand, some Hollywood celebrities have been in the media spotlight recently for adopting children abroad. On the other hand, there has been a renewed interest in the plight of orphaned children. We wonder: What is the annual number of child adoptions worldwide?
Dependent on the U.S.A.?
For quite a few years, U.S. economic growth has been the dominant factor in the world economy. Consequently, U.S. demand for imports has had a vital influence on the economic fortunes of many nations around the globe. With growing concerns about a U.S. economic slowdown, we wonder: How much of Europe’s GDP is accounted for by its U.S.-bound exports?
Top Muslim Nations
Due to conversions and high birthrates in the Muslim world, Islam is the world's fastest-growing religion. In fact, with 1.3 billion followers, the number of Muslims worldwide is equal to the population of China, the world's most populous country. We wonder: Measured by its population, which of the following countries is not ranked among the 15 largest Muslim nations?