An Interesting Fact About Your Country

[ryai458]

In an effort to become more multicultural and end the non-existent amount of seething nationalism on the Escapist [/sarcasm], put forward your best ice breaker (or the most interesting fact to you) about your home country. Mine most definitely is the United States was a nation built on weed, without which the 13 colonies` economy would`ve collapsed.

I'm going to request that you cite your sources on this one please

I believe he is referring to tobacco not marijuana.

 

[persopolis]

Belgium: We gave you maps, plastics, Cécile De France, beer, chocolate and pedophilia.
you're welcome.
The only true Belgians in Belgium speak German,
yeah we annexed them alright. True story.

 

[RanD00M]

We are the only country to ever beat England at a (naval) war.

- The Netherlands

What about Iceland and the Cod War?

 

[Proverbial Jon]

Just pulled this from a website for the figures, but also knew it to be true: English people consume more tea per capita than anybody else in the world (2.5 times more than the Japanese and 22 times more than the Americans or the French).

 

[Nazz3]

We made Angry Birds.

 

[The Stonker]

Iceland! Lets come with a fact about Iceland.
Well, we have the biggest glacier in Europe (Greenland doesn't count.)

 

[Eggsnham]

The vast majority of U.S. citizens AREN'T stupid. Believe it or not.

I think that's pretty interesting.

 

[jpblade666]

I'm from the US and I'm from the state of New Hampshire so I'll give a fact from my state. My state is one of the few, if not the only, state that hasn't made duels to the death illegal. Of course no one actually duels to the death but knowing I can is awesome.

 

[Mandalore_15]

Scotland consists of over 790 islands, only 130 of which are inhabited. Also, our national motto is "Nemo me impune lacessit", which translated from Latin means "No-one provokes me with impunity" (or "Cha togar m' fhearg gun dìoladh" in Gàidhlig).

 

[z3rostr1fe]

Alot of my countrymen love to spawn babies... They usually make around 8-10 children in their lifetime... And they are dumb due to the fact that they have sex as their favorite pastime, and they don't use family planning together with it.

EDIT:
Okay, maybe "Uneducated" is a better substitute to "Dumb"...

 

[Mark Flanagan]

Britain invented the Christmas and Valentine cards, sorry world.

 

[Trololo Punk]

Canada
Second largest country in the world and a relatively small population for the size (2011 estimation: 34,451,000)

 

[kiwisushi]

The welsh word for microwave is "popty ping." I found that hilarious when I found out.

True, and the Welsh for Ironing is Smwthio!

 

[kiwisushi]

Iceland! Lets come with a fact about Iceland.
Well, we have the biggest glacier in Europe (Greenland doesn't count.)

They voted not to pay back the countries in Europe that they lost their money for.

 

[Siifer]

Sweden: We use polarbears instead of cars. I know, it's badass right?

 

[Rarhnor]

Denmark
We are closet-nationalists

I want to move so badly...

 

[loukasmaki]

Sweden invented the mail bomb.

In the early 20th century a failed inventor thought it was fun to put explosives in packages and mail it to people he didn't like while trying to make it look like some left wing radical group was responsible.

Doesn't that make one feel all fuzzy wuzzy inside?

Didn't a Swede also invent dynamite?

Yes Alfred Nobel. He also hoped to invent a weapon or machine for use in warfare that would be so devastating that it could have the potential to wipe out two armies in moments because then the countries of the world would be so horrified of warfare that they would dispand their troops...

 

[Drago-Morph]

The majority of the founding fathers were either Atheist or refused to describe their religion

I am an Athiest, and I am going to say I flat out do no believe this. Some seem to likely have been Athiests, but most were of some type of religion including simply Diests. I realize you threw in the qualifier "or refused to descibe their religion", but I feel like you are trying to say that the majority was anti christian, or even say the majority was straight up Atheist.

OT: Kentucky is technically NOT a state in America, but rather a commonwealth. What does that mean?

Not really a whole lot. The main difference is that other states are guaranteed sovereignty by the US constitution, where as a commonwealth is given sovereignty by it's people. Also, apparently, I do not own the land I live on, but rather own the rights to use it.

What does it mean in real day to day life?

Only seems to mean that I pay more property taxes. Not sure if that is even true, I have just had several people tell me that over the years.

However, if you ever referr to KY as a state, I would not call you wrong.

Same thing for Massachusetts and I think Virginia. There may be one more, not sure.

 

[Furious Styles]

Yes Alfred Nobel. He also hoped to invent a weapon or machine for use in warfare that would be so devastating that it could have the potential to wipe out two armies in moments because then the countries of the world would be so horrified of warfare that they would dispand their troops...

So that's why there isn't a Nobel Prize for logic!

 

[Kaltazraza]

Denmark has the unique letters æ, ø, and å.
Also the Danish national anthem was changed cause it was offensive to Swedish people.
Just remembered, it's legal to shoot Swedish people if they cross the ice from Sweden to Denmark in the winter, but only by using a front loaded rifle.