Capital : Prague, Area : 78,866 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 10,513,800, Language : Czech, Religion :Christianity, Currency : Koruna.
In June 1992 a 74 year old federations Czech and Slovak regions agreed to part. On July 17, 1992 Slovak National Council adop-
ted a declaration of sovereignty by 113 to 24 votes. President Havel resigned as Federal president on July 20, 1992. On 25 Nov., 1992 the Federal Assembly voted the dissolution of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. Czechoslovakia splits into the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 1 Jan. 1993
DENMARK
Capital : Copenhagen, Area: 43,098 Sq.km, Population (2014) : 5,627,235, Language : Danish, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Krone.
Denmark is situated in northern Europe between the North Sea and the Baltic. It com- prises the peninsula of Jutland, the islands of Zealand, Funen and Bornholm and 480 smaller islands. Greenland and the Faroe Islands also form part of the kingdom of Denmark.
EGYPT
Capital : Cairo, Area : 9,97,739 Sq. km, Population (2014) : 86,048,500 Language : Arabic, Religion : Muslim, Currency: Pound.
Egypt traditionally known as the gift of the Nile, occupies north-east Africa and is bounded by the Gulf of Aqaba, Palestine, Israel, Sudan, Libya, the Mediterranean sea and the Red sea.
Egypt has one of the oldest civilizations in the world, its recorded history going back to more than 5000 B. C. In 1922 Egypt became an independent monarchy and in 1952 a republic.
ETHIOPIA
Capital: Addis Ababa, Area: 127,127Sq. km, Population (2013) : 86,613,986, Language : Amharic (official language), English, Religion : Christianity and Islam, Currency : Birr.
Ethiopia is a mountain- ous country in North-East Africa, having access to the Red Sea, through the province of Eritrea, which was federated with Ethiopia in 1952 and later was united with Ethiopia.
Ethiopia is one of the most ancient countries of the world, with a colourful history. The Ethiopian emperors claimed descent from Solomon and the famous Queen of Sheba. The last Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Sellasie was deposed by the armed forces which took over the govt. in 1974. Eritrea seceded and became independent, on 24 May, 1993.
FRANCE
Capital:Paris,Area: 5,43,965Sq.km,Popula- tion (2014) : 65,844,000, Language : French, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Euro.
France, the largest country in Western Europe, lies between three big countries—
Spain, Germany and Italy and the lesser states of Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg. The
North Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay) lies to the west and the English Channel to the north, while the Mediterranean Sea bounds the south. The island of Corsica—the birth place of Napoleon—forms an integral part of France.
Once a grand monarchy, the French Revolu- tion (1789–1793) made France a republic. Since then republican and imperial form of government followed one after another until the Fifth Repub- lic and the French Community came into being in 1958 under President Charles de Gaulle.
FINLAND
Capital : Helsinki, Area : 3,38,145 Sq. km, Population (2014) : 5,452,821, Language : Finnish and Swedish, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Euro.
The Republic of Finland is bordered on the north by Norway, on the west by Sweden and the Gulf of Bothnia, on the south by the Gulf of Finland, and on the east by Russia.
Finland is a Baltic state, which once formed part of the Russian Empire. It became an indepen- dent republic in 1917. It became a member of the European Union in 1995.
GERMANY
Capital : Berlin, Area : 357,023 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 80,619,000, Language : German, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Euro.
Germany lies in the heart of Europe. Its neighbours to the west are the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France, to the south Switzerland and Austria, to the south & south-east (Czech Republic) to south-east.
It was Bismarck, Chancellor of Prussia,
who laid the foundation of the German Empire in 1871. After the defeat of Germany in the Second
world war the erstwhile German territory was divided into two occupation areas, Russia occupying East Germany and USA, Britain and France occupying west Germany. The city of Berlin was also divided into west Berlin (USA, Britain and France) and East Berlin (Russia). West Germany came into being on May 23, 1949. Note : On Oct. 3, 1990 East & West Ger- many were reunited in one nation.
GHANA
Capital : Accra, Area : 2,38,533 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 2,51,99,609, Language : English (official language) and eight major national languages, Religion : Christianity and Islam, Currency : Cedi.
Ghana is composed of the former British colony Gold Coast and the British ruled Togoland in Western Africa.
Ghana got independence on 6th March, 1957 and became anindependentrepub- licwithin the Commonwealth on July 1, 1960.
Ghana is primarily an agricultural country and produces the best quality cocoa which consti- tutes a major export item. Other cash crops in- clude kolanuts, palm products, bananas, coffee, shea-nuts and rubber. It also exports timber, gold, diamonds, manganese and bauxite.
GREECE
Capital : Athens, Area: 1,31,957 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 1,07,72,967, Language : Modern Greek, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Euro.
GreeceortheHellenic Republic occupies the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula in the Mediterranean with the Ionian Sea on the west and the Aegean Sea on the east. Albania, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria
lie to the north of Greece and Turkey to the east. In ancient times, Greece was the seat of democracy, learning and culture. Monarchy was abolished in Greece in 1974. It has been a Republic since.
HUNGARY
Capital : Budapest, Area : 93,030 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 9,906,000, Language : Hungarian, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Forint. Hungary, a socialist country in Central Europe, lies between
Czechoslovakia,Yugoslavia, the USSR, Romania and Austria. Hungary became an independent republic in 1918 and the Hungarian Socialist Republic in 1919. In 1990, a multi-party demo- cracy, committed to political and economic reforms was instituted.
INDONESIA
Capital : Jakarta, Area : 1,890,754 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 24,98,66,000, Language : Bahasa Indonesian, Religion : Islam (mono- theism), Currency : Rupiah.
Indonesia is an archipelaga state consisting of over 13,000 (6000 inhabited) islands. The five main islands are Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), Sulavesi and Irian Jaya.
The Japanese army occupied Indonesia from 1942 till 1945 after the surrender of the Dutch army. The Indonesian people proclaimed their independence on August 17, 1945. After a war of independence, the Netherlands transferred the sovereignty to Indonesia on December 27, 1949. The country is embroiled in internal dissensions and several of the country’s discontented regions are wanting to break-free. East Timore, has already seceded and became an independent nation on 20 May, 2002.
IRAN
Capital : Teheran, Area : 1,648,200 Sq. km,Population (2014) :77,254,000(excluding about 1·4 million Afgan refugees and nearly
6,00,000 Iraqi refugees), Language : Persian, Religion : Islam, Currency : Rial.
Iran is surrounded by Iraq and Turkey in the west, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan in the north, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east and Persian Gulf in the south- west.
It is a country of great antiquity. The last of the Pahlavi dynasty, Mohammed Reza was forced to free Iran in face of nationwide revolt against him. In Feb. 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini, a high priest of Islam, returned to Iran to guide its destiny. Since these have been further cautions moves towards a more liberal society.
IRAQ
Capital : Baghdad, Area : 434,128 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 31,858,481, Language : Arabic, Religion : Islam, Currency : Iraqi Dinar.
Iraq is the modern name for Mesopotamia. It is surrounded by Iran on the east, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Arabian (Persian) Gulf on the South, Jordon and Syria on the west and Turkey on the north.
Iraq is one of the most ancient countries of the world. Following US attack on Iraq in March 2003 and its subsequence occupation of the country the political states of Iraq defies any categorization. At present it is being governed by a US controlled Iraqi Governing council. Its sovereignty is in doldrums.
ISRAEL
Capital : Jerusalem, Area : 21,671 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 8,134,100, Language : Hebrew and Arabic, Religion : Judaism, Curre- ncy : Sheqel.
A republic of the middle east (west Asia), Israel is surrounded on three sides by Arab countries. On the north is Lebanon, on the east Syria and Jordan, and on the south Egypt.TheMediterraneanSea lies to the west.
The republic occupies the minor portion of ancient Palestine.
On Nov. 29, 1947 the UN partitioned Palestine between the Jews and the Arabs. A new Zionist state called Israel was proclaimed in the Jewish area of Palestine on May 15, 1948.
ITALY
Capital : Rome, Area : 301,328 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 59,943,933, Language : Italian, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Euro.
The Italian Republic occupies the long penin- sular area in Europe extending from the Alps into the Mediterranean Sea. The peninsula is bounded by the Mediter- ranean on 3 sides. France bounds it on the north- west, Switzerland and Austria on the north and Yugoslavia on the north-
east. The islands of Sicily, Sardinia, Elba and Capri in the Mediterranean belong to Italy.
JAPAN
Capital : Tokyo, Area : 377,887 Sq. km, Population (2014) : 127,180,000, Language : Japanese, Religion : Shintoism and Buddhism, Currency : Yen.
Japan consists of four main islands, Honshu (Main land), Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku and
a number of smaller islands of which Okinawa is one. Japan is separated
from Russia and North Korea by the Sea of Japan and from China by the East China Sea. MostimportantJapanese ports are : Yokohama, Kobe, Nagoya and Osaka.
North Pacific Ocean
Japanisaveryprogressivecountry.Afterthe devastationcaused by 2nd world war she has made phenomenal progress in all fields raising it to the status of a great economic power of the world. Politically, it is a constitutional monarchy.
KENYA
Capital : Nairobi, Area : 582,646 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 44,354,000, Language : Capswahili & English, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Shilling.
TheRepublicofKenya is bordered on the north by Sudan and Ethiopia, east by Somalia and the Indian Ocean, south by Tanzania and west by Uganda.
Formerly a British colony, Kenya became an
independent republic within the commonwealth in 1964.
KOREA (North)
Capital : Pyongyang, Area : 122,672 Sq. km, Population (2014) : 24,895,000,Language: Korean,Religion:Atheist,Currency:Won.
The Democratic Peo- ple’s Republic of Korea occupies the northern part of the Korean peninsula. ItliesbetweentheYellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. China is in the north.
During the second worldwar,Americaoccu-
pied South Korea and Russia, North Korea. At the Potsdam Conference, the 38th parallel latitude was recognised as the line of division between the occupation areas of Russia and America. North Korea was formed into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on Sept. 9, 1948.
KOREA (SOUTH)
Capital : Seoul, Area : 99,900 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 52,981,991, Language : Korean, Religion : Buddhism, Christianity and Confucian, Currency : Won.
TheRepublicofKorea forms the southern part of the Korean peninsula. It is bounded on the north by North Korea, on the east by the Sea of Japan and on the west by the Yellow Sea, the Republic
of Korea was formally proclaimed on Aug. 15, 1948. North Korea and South Korea became separate countries following its partition in 1953 when the war between the communists backed by Russia & China and the democrats backed by U.S.A. came to an end, South Korea has developed fast and has joined the club of developed nations of the world.
LIBYA
Capital : Tripoli, Area : 1,759,540 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 6,202,000, Language : Arabic, Religion : Islam, Currency : Dinar.
An Arab State of the north-west of Africa.
Libya is bounded by Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, Niger and Chad.
Formerly on Italian colony, Libya became an independent state in 1949.
MACEDONIA
Capital : Skopje, Area : 25,713 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 2,087,171, Language : Macedonian, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Dena.
Macedonia declared independence on Sept. 8, 1991 from Yugoslavia. It is bounded in the north by Yugoslavia, in the east by Bulgaria, in the south by Greece and in the West by Albania.
MALAYSIA
Capital : Kuala Lumpur, Area : 329,847 Sq. km, Population (2014) : 30,023,000, Language : Malay, Religion : Islam, Currency : Ringgit.
Malaysia is a federation of 13 states. Penin- sular Malaysia is bordered on the east by the South China Sea, on the
south by the Straits of Johor, on the west by the Straits of Malacca and on the north by Thailand.
Malaysia achieved its independence in 1957.
MEXICO
Capital : Mexico City, Area : 1,964,375 Sq. km, Population (2013): 11,83,95,054, Language: Spanish, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Peso.
A federal republic of middle America, Mexico is bounded in the north by the U.S., west and south by the Pacific Ocean, south-east by Guatemala, Belize and the Caribbean sea and north-east by the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico became an independent state in 1821.
MONGOLIA
Capital : Ulan Bator, Area : 1,564,116 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 2,931,300,Language: Mongolian, Religion : Buddhist and Lamaism, Currency : Tugrik.
The Mongolian People’s Republic lies in Central Asia with the Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. It became an independent state in 1921.
MYANMAR (Burma)
Capital : Yangon (Rangoon), Area : 6,76,577 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 53,259,000, Lan- guage: Burmese, Religion :
Buddhism, Currency : Kyat. A republic of south-east Asia, Myanmar (Burma) is bordered by India, Bangla- desh, China, Laos and Thailand. The country is watered by the Irrawaddy which forms one of the most fertile basins in all Asia.
Originally, a part of British India, Myanmar (Burma) became a sepa- rate unit of the British
Commonwealth in April 1937. It became an independent country on Jan 4, 1948.
NEPAL
Capital : Kathmandu, Area : 1,47,181 Sq.km, Population (2013) : 3,04,30,267, Language : Nepali, Religion : Hindu and Buddhist, Currency : Rupee.
Nepal is a kingdom in the southern slope of the Himalayas, situated between India and China.
NORWAY
Capital : Oslo, Area : 323,758 Sq.km, Population (2014) : 5,109,056, Language : Norwegian, Religion : Lutheran, Currency : Krone.
Norwayextendsalong the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula from the Skagerrak which separates it from Denmark to the North Cape in the Arctic Ocean, where it meets Finland and Russia.
Norway is knownastheLand of the Midnight Sun, because in the north Cape area, the sun does not set from middle May until the end of July, nor does it rise above the horizon from the end of November to the end of January.
PAKISTAN
Capital : Islamabad, Area : 7,96,096 Sq. km, Population (2014):185,786,000, excluding 4 million residents of
Pakistani-administe- red Jammu and Kashmir and 1·1 million Afgan refu- gees. Language : Urdu, Religion : Islam, Currency : Rupee.
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, now confined to west Pakistan, originally came into existence in 1947 following the partition of India into two states, India and Pakistan. Its eastern wing, formerly called East Pakistan, fell apart in 1971 and became Bangladesh.
POLAND
Capital : Warsaw, Area : 3,12,685 Sq. km, Population (2013) : 38,502,396, Language : Polish, Religion : Christianity, Currency : Zloty.
A People’s Republic of Upper Central Europe, Poland is bordered in the north by the Baltic Sea, Russia, east by Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine, south by the Czech Republic and Slovakia and west by Germany.
Poland whose history goes back to the tenth century A.D. partitioned in 18th century, it became independent in 1918. The Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939 initiated the world war II. The country was liberated again in 1944.