Are These Country Facts True or False?

By: Jonnathan Chadwick
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Are These Country Facts True or False?
Image: Jean-Philippe Tournut / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Is eating a kangaroo sausage considered good luck in Australia? Do vanilla oranges really grow in Uruguay? Is a McDonald's Quarter Pounder really called a Royal with cheese in France?

You never really know the customs and norms of a country until you step foot on its soil. A thumbs-up gesture means "up yours" in Australia, shaking your head in Greece means "yes," and nodding your head means "no." Crossing your arms in Finland could get you into a fight and the gesture for "come over here" could get you arrested in the Philippines. The word "drugs" means "friends" in Russia, and if you order a glass of air in Indonesia, you'll get a glass of water.

The good thing about all these confusing norms is that they're just norms and not facts. The bad news is that the facts about some of these countries can be even more confusing. The geography, history, economy, politics, government and people of countries across the world have no limit of variety. Every corner of Earth is naturally unique, and one country's crime is another country's law.

It's complicated, but here are some tips: Kangaroo sausage isn't a thing, neither are vanilla oranges, and a Quarter Pounder at a French McDonald's is called a Royal Cheese. Now, what do you know about the rest of the world? Can you guess whether these country facts are true or false?

Iceland
ARoxo / Moment / Getty Images
There are no mosquitoes in Iceland.
True
False
Chinese couple on computer
JohnnyGreig / E+ / Getty Images
China is home to the most Google and Facebook users in the world.
True
False
Hong Kong money
Reed Kaestner / Corbis / Getty Images
The smallest denomination of banknote used in Hong Kong is a 10-dollar bill.
True
False

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Jamaica
peeterv / E+ / Getty Images
There are no McDonald's restaurants in Jamaica.
True
False
Donauinselfest 2015
Manfred Werner (Tsui) via WikiCommons
The largest attendance ever at a music festival took place in 2015 in Argentina.
True
False
Twins
Jill Lehmann Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Switzerland has the highest rate of twins born in the world.
True
False

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Canadian coastline
shaunl / E+ / Getty Images
Canada has the longest coastline on the planet.
True
False
Hot air balloons New Zealand
Brenda Anderson / Moment / Getty Images
It is illegal to fly in a hot air balloon with a rooster in New Zealand.
True
False
Languages
mrPliskin / E+ / Getty Images
English is the official language of America.
True
False

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Old Kyoto, Japan
Copyright Artem Vorobiev / Moment / Getty Images
The country of Japan was founded in 1260 BC.
True
False
Geneva, Switzerland
JaCZhou 2015 / Moment / Getty Images
Zurich and Geneva are the official co-capitals of Switzerland.
True
False
Tall versus short
tihomir_todorov / E+ / Getty Images
The average height of someone living in the Netherlands is 6 feet, 4 inches.
True
False

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Reims, France
Pakin Songmor / Moment / Getty Images
France has 12 different time zones.
True
False
Papua New Guinea
Tammy616 / E+ / Getty Images
There is only one official language listed in Papua New Guinea.
True
False
Unicorn
Pone Pluck / Moment / Getty Images
The national animal of Scotland is the unicorn.
True
False

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Lemaire Channel in Antarctica
Kelly Cheng / Moment / Getty Images
More than 99% of all of the world's fresh water can be found in Antarctica.
True
False
Soccer in Greenland
Algkalv via WikiCommons
Greenland is not allowed to join the FIFA football league because the country is covered in ice and people can't play football there.
True
False
Lima, Peru
Marco ILLESCAS ECHENIQUE / Moment Open / Getty Images
The only officially documented encounter with extraterrestrial life occurred 5 miles north of Lima, Peru in 1994.
True
False

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Driving in Finland
AarreRinne / E+ / Getty Images
Speeding fines in Finland are based on how much money you make.
True
False
Macau
Jess Yu / Moment / Getty Images
The small nation of Macau generates 20x more gambling revenue than Las Vegas.
True
False
Mauna Kea
Michael Runkel / Getty Images
The tallest mountain in the world is located in the United States.
True
False

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Temple of Poseidon, Greece
Sergio Amiti / Moment / Getty Images
You're not allowed to wear high heels to historic sites in Greece.
True
False
Driving in Japan
Taro Hama @ e-kamakura / Moment / Getty Images
Drivers in Japan drive on the right side of the road.
True
False
Monaco
John Harper / Moment / Getty Images
The country of Monaco is smaller than Central Park in New York City.
True
False

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Traffic Jam in Beijing
Dong Wenjie / Moment / Getty Images
China once had a highway traffic jam that lasted two weeks.
True
False
Tea in Middle East
valentinrussanov / E+ / Getty Images
Non-Muslims are not allowed to eat in public during Ramadan in Saudi Arabia.
True
False
Cars in Shanghai
Jackal Pan / Moment / Getty Images
It is illegal to own a red car in Shanghai, China.
True
False

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Cats
shaunl / E+ / Getty Images
There are more cats in the United States than official U.S. citizens.
True
False
Students taking test
Caiaimage/Chris Ryan / OJO+ / Getty Images
New Zealand allows students to use text speak in school.
True
False
Buckingham Palace
Cpl Tim Laurence RAF via WikiCommons
London's Buckingham Palace is the largest residential palace in the world.
True
False

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Vatican City
Nico De Pasquale Photography / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Vatican City is the second-smallest country in the world.
True
False
Flip flops
Stockbyte / Stockbyte / Getty Images
It is illegal to drive with flip-flops in 17 U.S. states.
True
False
New York City
Yukinori Hasumi / Moment / Getty Images
New York City is the most populous city in North America.
True
False

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Luggage
Mongkol Chuewong / Moment / Getty Images
It is illegal to carry three packs of gum in your luggage when entering Singapore.
True
False
Australia
maydays / Moment / Getty Images
Australia is the biggest island in the world other than Antarctica.
True
False
Kites
anand purohit / Moment / Getty Images
It is illegal to fly a kite in Delhi, India without a license.
True
False

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Royal Australian military personnel
Official U.S. Navy Page via WikiCommons
The National Army of Vatican City is larger than the Canadian and Australian Armed Forces combined.
True
False
Antarctica
David Merron Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Antarctica is the largest desert in the world.
True
False
Zhang Xin
Columbia GSAPP via WikiCommons
China has more billionaires than any other country on Earth.
True
False

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Paradise sign
Fotosearch / Getty Images
Lovely, Carefree, Paradise, Smileyberg and Happyland are all town names in America.
True
False