Top 50 Interesting World Facts You Should Know

Last Updated on October 31, 2021

With around 200 countries and more than 7.8 billion people (plus plants, animals, and other organisms), the world is full of interesting, fun, and fascinating facts. In the land of the Kiwis, for instance, you’ll find the highest concentration of pet owners on the planet. And over in Nicaragua, you’ll find one of the only two flags in the world to feature the color purple. Hungry for more facts about the world and its ever-growing population? Read on to learn some interesting trivia about the Earth’s past, present, and future.

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Interesting World Facts

1. Glaciers and ice sheets hold about 69 percent of the world’s freshwater.
2. The fastest gust of wind ever recorded on Earth was 253 miles per hour.
3. Recent droughts in Europe were the worst in 2,100 years.
4. The best place in the world to see rainbows is in Hawaii.
5. There are fossilized plants in Greenland under 1.4 km of ice.
6. Whale songs can be used to map out the ocean floor.
7. New creatures have been found in deep-sea volcanoes.
8. Mount Everest is bigger now than the last time it was measured.
9. Climate change is causing flowers to change color.
10. Dentistry is the oldest profession in the world.
11. North Korea and Cuba are the only places you can’t buy Coca-Cola.
12. The entire world’s population could fit inside Los Angeles.
13. There are more twins now than ever before.
14. The hottest chili pepper in the world is so hot it could kill you.
15. More people visit France than any other country.
16. The world’s most densely populated island is the size of two soccer fields.
17. The Canary Islands are named after dogs, not birds.
18. Indonesia is home to some of the shortest people in the world.
19. The Paris Agreement on climate change was signed by the largest number of countries ever in one day.
20. The world’s quietest room is located at Microsoft’s headquarters in Washington state.
21. There’s only one country in the world that doesn’t use the metric system.
22. The longest place name on the planet is 85 letters long.
23. Four babies are born every second.
24. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -144 degrees Fahrenheit.
25. The Earth’s ozone layer will make a full recovery in 50 years.
26. Japan is the world’s most earthquake-prone country.
27. There are around 4 quadrillion quadrillion bacteria on Earth.
28. People who are currently alive represent about 7% of the total number of people who have ever lived.
29. Muhammad is thought to be the most popular name in the world.
30. Only two countries use purple in their national flags.
31. Africa and Asia are home to nearly 90 percent of the world’s rural population.
32. The most expensive coin in the world was sold for more than $7 million.
33. The world’s largest man-made oyster reef was created in Maryland.
34. A record-breaking 92 countries competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
35. South Sudan is the youngest country in the world.
36. More than 52% of the world’s population is under 30 years old.
37. People 60 years and older make up 12.3% of the global population.
38. There are more than 24 time zones around the world.
39. Nearly half of the world’s population watched both the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup games.
40. It’s estimated that Sweden has more islands than any other country.
41. There are 43 countries that still have a royal family.
42. California is home to the “Artichoke Capital of the World.”
43. All giant pandas in zoos around the world are on loan from China.
44. The “most typical human” fits this description.
45. Canada has 9% of the world’s forests.
46. The red-billed quelea is the most common bird on Earth.
47. There’s a website that tracks the world’s population in real time.
48. More people speak Mandarin Chinese than any other language.
49. Around one in every 200 men are direct descendants of Genghis Khan.
50. Copenhagen is the most bike-friendly city in the world.