10 countries you probably never heard about

You really have to be a geography freak to know about these countries from the list. It’s irrelevant to us how recognized they are as countries but they surely look at themselves like that. Of course a special thanks to Wikipedia for the article’s research.

10. Vanuatu, 90% of Vanuatu people household and consume fish, and 80% are living in rural, isolated villages with their own gardens and food supplies. Scuba diving is a very popular tourist attraction here. Tsunamis are not a rare thing in Vanuatu, and earthquakes have a negative affect on the country’s economy.

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9. Nauru, a former German Empire colony is also known as Pleasant Island of the South Pacific. The people of Nauru are collecting rain water during monsoon rains between November and February because they are very limited on natural fresh water. The most popular sport in this country is Australian rules football, and they have football league with seven teams.

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8. Tuvalu, is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. They don’t have regular military forces, and spend no money on defense. Tuvalu is the 4th smallest country in the world. The first inhabitants of the country were Polynesian people.

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7. Comoros is African island nation in the Indian Ocean between Mozambique and Madagascar. The island is an old French colony, and today there is about 300 000 Comorians living in France. 98% of the population is Islamic.

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6. Guernsey is under the responsibility of the United Kingdom but they don’t count as a part of the U.K, as well as the European Union. Guernsey is located in the English Channel on the coast of Normandy. They have complete autonomy over internal affairs, and they are discussing total independence from the British Crown.

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5. Isle of Man, also known as Mann, is self-governing British Crown Dependency, with a location in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. They are not a part of the European Union. Isle of Man economy is based on offshore banking and tourism. The island has been inhabited since before 6500 BC.

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4. Tokelau, is a non-self-governing territory of New Zealand that consists of three islands. The name Tokelau is a Polynesian word that means “north wind”. The island has the smallest economy of any country in the world that makes them almost completely dependent on subsidies from New Zealand. 96% of the population is Christians and 57% of these are women.

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3. Cook Islands, are a self-governing parliamentary democracy. With over 90 000 tourists per year, tourism is their far best industry and their leading element of the island economy, far ahead of offshore banking, marine, pearls and fruit exports. Cook Islands got named by the British navigator Captain James Cook when he arrived the islands in 1773.

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2. Pitcairn Islands, officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, are a group of four volcanic islands that are formerly a British colony, the last remaining in the Pacific. The population’s language is a mix of English and Tahitian. In recent years the church has been closed because only 8 islanders have been visiting it regularly. There is only one Café and Bar on the island, and the Government Store is selling alcohol and cigarettes. They used to have moral strict laws which prohibited dancing, smoking and consummation of alcohol.

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1. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is the independent republic located between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Nagorno Karabakh is one of the most heavily mined regions of the former Soviet Union because of the 1991-1994 Nagorno-Karabakh War. They are still not recognized by any state, including Armenia. 95% of the population is Armenian, and the rest are Greeks and Kurds. Their tourism are basically directed to Armenians that live in Western countries.

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Top 10 largest concerts in history

10. Blockbuster RockFest 1997 [385,000] was a music event that celebrated capital punishment. It was held on Texas Motor Speedway with hot artists like No Doubt, Counting Crows and Matchbox Twenty.

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 9. Woodstock 1969 [400,000] was the pop culture event of that decade that had a big influence on both American music and culture. Legendary artists like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Santana and the Who was only a few of many others that performed. The audience, that were mostly hippies, sent a message to the world that everyone could gather together to enjoy music and celebrate peace.

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 8. Toronto SARS Benefit 2003 [450,000+]. The disease SARS that attacked Asia and Toronto in Canada was the reason for this benefit concert. Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Justin Timberlake were some of the artists that supported by performing.

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 7. Simon & Garfunkel [500,000] held their second reunion concert in Central Park in 1981. It was a free concert that was televised by HBO.

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 6. Isle of Wight Festival [600,000] was the biggest concert ever held in UK. The Who, The Doors and Leonard Cohen were some of the performing artists, and Jimi Hendrix had unfortunately his last performance on this event. All the tickets were sold out the first day.

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 5. Summer Jam at Watkins Glen [600,000+]. A huge hippy concert held at the Grand Prix auto circuit in Watkins Glen, New York, with bands like The Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers.

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 4. Steve Wozniak’s 1983 US Festival [670,000] was a culture festival sponsored by one of the co-founders of Apple Computers, Steve Wozniak. It was held in California with great performers like Motley Crue, U2 and David Bowie.

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 3. Garth Brooks in Central Park [750,000] was a great country concert with excited and cheering “cowboys” in the audience. Brooks performed classics as “Friends in Low Places”, and “The Dance”.

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 2. New York Philharmonic in Central Park 1986 [800,000]. The largest classical concert that celebrated the rededication of the Statue of Liberty.

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 1. Rod Stewart at Copacabana Beach 1994 [3,500,000]. A New Years celebration featuring Rod Stewart with the largest concert crowd ever. The wonderful Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil was overcrowed with singing and celebrating audience.

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Top 10: Weapons That Changed The World

10 Trebuchet

Siege warfare was one of the most enduring types of warfare, from simple hill forts to imposing stone citadels. Often, the campaigns waged against these structures lasted for months, as the besieged sat behind almost impenetrable walls and moats. The trebuchet completely altered the balance of siege warfare. Firing much bigger projectiles (at much greater distance), and much more accurately than traditional catapults, trebuchets were capable of destroying a stone wall in a matter of days, dramatically improving the chances of a besieging force capturing a city before a relief force could arrive, or their camp was destroyed by disease.




9 Mark I “Mother” tank

While the most famous prototype for a tank was by Leonardo Da Vinci, it was not until World War I that tanks became deployed in warfare. With caterpillar tracks suitable for a wide variety of terrains, thick armor and heavy firepower, the Mark I ”Mother” tank marked a new stage in armored warfare. Much harder to stop than a horse, the British used them to penetrate the fortified German trenches. Tanks became a major part of strategy in WWII, and put an end to the use of trench warfare as a viable mode of conflict.

8 Hellebore

While not a weapon in the traditional sense, biological warfare has been massively significant in human history. Over the centuries, diseased people, poisons and, more recently, weaponized anthrax have all been used to attack enemies. But one of the earliest examples of biological warfare was through the use of hellebore, a common plant with poisonous properties. It was used during the siege of Kirrha in 585 B.C., poisoning the water supply and leaving the defenders too weak to withstand attack. The development of this new weapon in warfare has been refined over the centuries and frequently used with devastating effect.

7 Maxim machine gun

The invention of a viable rapid-fire, automatic weapon did not happen until the mid-19th century, and even then the Gatling gun was not especially effective. It was widely believed that cavalry and infantry combat would remain vital in combat, but this all changed with the introduction of the much more effective Maxim machine gun, during World War I. A weapon that scythed down attackers with ease, cavalry were rendered totally irrelevant, while infantry were liable to massive losses. The machine gun was a major step into fully mechanized warfare, and created loss of life on a scale hitherto unknown.

6 Fokker airplane

Even when flight was a nascent technology, it was applied to military pursuits. Hot air balloons were used to monitor troop movements in battle, zeppelins occasionally dropped bombs and early airplanes were used for reconnaissance.  But it was really during WWI that planes became weaponized. The Fokker was the best of the first wave of fighter planes, fitted with machine guns that could fire through the propeller blades without damaging them, allowing battle to be waged in the skies. To an extent, it also rendered naval warfare obsolete. Ruling the seas was irrelevant if you could not rule the skies too.

5 Chlorine gas

It was perhaps inevitable that as science advanced, its discoveries would be turned to military purposes. During World War I, the Nobel-prize winning scientist Fritz Haber helped develop the first chemical weapon, chlorine gas. This led to rapid development of other weaponized chemicals, such as mustard gas and phosgene. The devastating effect of such weapons led to them being outlawed by the Geneva Convention. They did, however, lead to the development of other equally devastating weapons, such as nerve agents. While as yet they have been used relatively infrequently, the fear of such weapons being used is as prevalent as it was in the trenches.

4 Predator drone

Drones are the ultimate in impersonal conflict. These weapons require virtually no human involvement, travel hundreds of miles and are controlled from extremely safe locations. Officially, they are used only for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering missions. Their greatest impact has been their ability to provide incredibly detailed, accurate and up-to-date information to enable successful strategy planning. It helps minimize resource wastage, and is vital in the concept of surgical strikes, reducing collateral damage and civilian casualties. It also reduces military casualties, as drones are sometimes fitted with hellfire missiles, which can do a lot of damage without risking close engagement with the enemy.

3 Harquebus

Guns are undoubtedly one of the most revolutionary weapons in human history. Although initially they were heavy, slow to load and liable to explode, eventually they became so efficient as to render more traditional weapons obsolete. The first gun that approximated to modern firearms was the harquebus, which was prominent between the 15th and 16th centuries, and was the first gun to be fired from the shoulder. It became prominent because, unlike traditional projectile weapons, it was capable of piercing armor at short ranges, making it much easier to kill heavily armored knights. It brought about the end of armor as effective protection.  

2 Atomic Bomb

The Atomic Bomb is by far the most devastating weapon ever used, and so powerful that on the two occasions it was deployed, there were an estimated 200,000 deaths. This marked the passage of warfare into the atomic age, and was undoubtedly a moment that changed the world. The power of an atomic bomb is so far removed from that of conventional weaponry that it has dominated diplomatic and military strategies ever since. Who would have guessed that a Little Boy and a Fat Man (the names of the two bombs) would together change the world?

1 Bow and arrow

The bow is the most enduringly effective weapon in human history. Evidence indicates origins as early as 12,000 years ago, and they only became obsolete in the 16th century. The bow and arrow, in its various guises, helped develop many great empires. The Ancient Egyptians used archers heavily, the composite bow was a vital component of great nomad invasions of Europe, including the Huns, Avars, Magyars, and Mongols, while the English longbow was a weapon of fear and proved decisive in many battles. These powerful societies were undoubtedly helped by the potency of the bow and arrow, making this a worthy candidate for the top spot.



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Basant Festivals in Pakistan

A man flies a kite at sunset after a day-long kite flying festival, locally known as 'Basant', in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, 09 February 2003, as officials said around 100,000 people from inside and outside the country had arrived in the city to celebrate the occasion. Two people died and more than 100 were injured during the annual kite flying festival marking the advent of spring in Pakistan. Public parks and rooftops were crowded with revellers celebrating the festival which started with music concerts and dinner parties organized privately or as public events late Saturday.


 


Pakistani children run to catch a kite during a kite flying festival, locally known as 'Basant', in the eastern city of Lahore, 09 February 2003, as officials said around 100,000 people from inside and outside the country had arrived in the city to celebrate the occasion. Two people died and more than 100 were injured during the annual kite flying festival marking the advent of spring in Pakistan. Public parks and rooftops were crowded with revellers celebrating the festival which started with music concerts and dinner parties organized privately or as public events late Saturday.



A professional prepares special thread used in kite flying on a roadside pavement on the eve of the annual kite-flying festival, locally known as 'Basant', in the eastern city of Lahore, 07 February 2003. Basant is celebrated at the onset of each spring with an orgy of kite-flying, roof top soirees, garden parties and equestrian events.



A shopkeeper gives the final touches to a kite decorated with a dragon and slogans to symbolise the Indian occupation in disputed Kashmir, on the eve of the annual kite-flying festival, locally known as 'Basant', in the eastern city of Lahore, 07 February 2003. This is first time that kite manufacturers have printed slogans about the current affairs of the world during the Basant festival. Basant is celebrated at the onset of each spring with an orgy of kite-flying, roof top soirees, garden parties and equestrian events.



Pakistani kite lovers carry away a big kite decorated with the upcoming cricket World Cup 2003 slogan on a donkey cart on the eve of the annual kite-flying festival, locally known as 'Basant', in the eastern city of Lahore, 07 February 2003. Basant is celebrated at the onset of each spring with an orgy of kite-flying, roof top soirees, garden parties and equestrian events. The cricket World Cup 2003 is being held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya this month and next.



Young Pakistani women dance to the beat of a drum during the colourful spring festival locally known as 'bassant' in Lahore, 17 February 2002. Thousands of kite lovers celebrated the famous and traditional Bassant Festival in Lahore by arranging parties and musical shows.


Pakistani kite loves try to catch a kite during the colourful spring festival locally known as 'bassant' in the eastern city of Lahore, 17 February 2002. Thousands of kite lovers celebrated the famous and traditional Bassant Festival in Lahore by arranging parties and musical shows. Seen in the background is the Grand Badshehi Mosque of Lahore.



Lahore citizens buy kites on Basant, the spring festival, 16 February 2002. Basant fever is at its hight as people make last minute preparations to celebrate this spring festival which begin Saturday night. An estimated sum of Rs 200 million rupees, (3.33 million dollars) will be spent on strings, kites and partying.



Workers of Pakistan's tourism department display a huge kite on the eve of the traditional kite festival locally known as Bassant in the eastern city of Lahore, 16 February 2002. The festival will be celebrated with the start of the spring season tomorrow by flying hundreds of thousands of colurful kites throughout the day.


People are busy shopping for kites on the eve of Basant - a kite festival in Pakistani eastern city of Lahore, 17 February 2001. The Kite festival will be celebrated tomorrow in this city where kite flying lovers will fly thousands of colourful kites through out the day along with other cultural activities.

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7 Fastest Cars in World History

7. The Jaguar XJ220

This car was produced between 1992 and 1994 and achieved the fastest speed for a production car in 1993 when it managed to reach a speed of 213 mph (343 km/h). The car was officially produced by Jaguar Sport, which was a partnership of Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw Racing.


6. McLaren F1 production car

Driven by Jonathan Palmer the McLaren F1 production car achieved the crown of fastest production car in 1994. There were only 107 McLaren F1’s produced and it remains till this day the fastest naturally aspirated, depending only on atmospheric pressure, production car available. The McLaren F1 set a speed of 231 mph (371.8 km/h) in 1994 to become the world’s fastest production car but surpassed this record in 1998 with a speed of 240 mph (391 km/h).
 

5. The Koenigsegg CCR


This automobile was the fastest production car around for less than 2 month’s when it achieved a speed of 240.7 mph (387.37 km/h) in late February of 2005. Appearing at the Geneva Auto Show in 2004 the Swedish designed car was soon knocked off the top spot by our next car the Bugatti Veyron.

4. Bugatti Veyron



With 1,001 hp and a 16 cylinder 8 litre quad-turbocharged engine the Bugatti Veyron became the world’s fastest production car in April 2005, less than two months after the Koenigsegg CCR had achieved the title. Setting a speed of 253.8 mph (408.5 km/h) the Bugatti Beyron, developed by Volkswagen, was produced in a small production run of just 200 cars.


3. SSC Ultimate Aero

 


2. The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport


This car has more horse power than the original Veyron, 1,200 hp compared to 1,001 hp for the Veyron. The car has been officially recorded at a speed of 267.81 mph (431.1 km/h) in June 2010 and 30 cars are scheduled for production. Customers who purchase the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport however will be limited to a measly 257.9 mph (415.05 km/h)!


1. Dagger GT



Set to become the world’s fastest ever production car, the new Dagger GT from TranStar is soon to be built. And when it is, it will make people squeal in delight. The car, which will be in production in the early part of 2011, is said to be able to reach speeds in excess of 300 mph (482.8 km/h) and will cost in the region of £300,000 ($454,000), which is about $350,000 more than the most expensive Tesla, just to present you with a comparison. So, if you plan on buying the Dagger, make sure you bring your fat wallet. Oh, and if you if ever want to see the Dagger in person, go travel to a trade show where it is often displayed. Chances are, there’s a fancy banner stand accompanying the car as well.

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