My childhood in every country

We live in a diverse world. Our cultures and environment shape us into who we are. And as technology makes our world smaller, we learn that even though we have different childhoods – we all share the same joy, fears and hopes. I reached out to people from across the world to see how childhood was in their country. France …

Why Does Russia Own Land Above Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast)?

Have you ever noticed that patch of land above Poland? Well it’s called Kaliningrad Oblast. But it’s not owned by Poland. It’s actually owned by Russia and has been since 1945. Even though Russia is 300km to the east. It’s an interesting story that involves Germany and the signing of a deal between the USSR, Britain and the USA…

What is Britain vs the United Kingdom?

The United Kingdom and Britain seem to be used interchangeably. But they are different. One is a collective country entity (Britain) and one is a Sovereign State (the United Kingdom) which includes Northern Ireland and the surrounding islands… but not Ireland. Do not anger an Irishman by telling him he is part of Britain. That will likely cause a bar fight…

Is Taiwan part of China?

This question is a diplomatic minefield. Mainland China thinks Taiwan is part of China. But Taiwan doesn’t. So whose side do you want to take? Taiwan’s official name is the Republic of China (ROC)… not to be confused with mainland China, which has the official name of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Yeah, it’s confusing. So let’s dive in…

When Your Nation isn’t in the Olympics. But Wins

206 nations competed at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. But there was one country not allowed to attend – Kuwait. The IOC didn’t like legislation that the country passed. The interesting thing is that a Kuwaiti athlete won a gold medal. So what song should be played on the dais?

Get it right: a country, a nation and a state

When I started Maphover, I assumed that the terms country, nation and state were interchangeable. How wrong I was. Each term has a different meaning. For instance, England is a country – but it’s not a State. Likewise, the United Kingdom is a State, but it’s not a country. Read the simplistic definitions of each term…

Tristan De Cuna: The Most Remotest Island

Tristan da Cunha is the most remote populated island in the World. It’s right in the middle of the southern Atlantic Ocean – an equal distance from South America and Africa. Getting there takes a 7 day boat ride…

Is the Czech Republic now called Czechia?

The Czech Republic government have now approved the name ‘Czechia’ as the official short name of the country. The change makes the name easier to brand worldwide. The flag will remain unchanged. So when do we start calling it Czechia? Basically, when you’re ready.

What is the definition of a country

How many countries are there in the world? Well, probably around 192, 193, 194… 250. Yeah, it’s kind of an approximate answer. But that’s because there is no universally accepted definition to define what a country is. Ask one country and they’ll tell you a number based on what they recognise as a country… and ask another country and you’ll get a completely different answer. You can thank good old international politics.