Kiribati is an island country in the Pacific Ocean. It is the largest state in Oceania in terms of extent, with an area of about 5,000,000 km² covered by the ocean, but the land area is only a small fragment of it, only 811 km², in the form of 32 small islets . The country has about 100,000 inhabitants who can be proud of the official title of "land of the rising sun". taking into account the conventions that set the time zone across the planet. The Republic of Kiribati is one of the first places on Earth traversed by the first rays of the Sun every morning. The time zone is 14 hours ahead of UTC - the farthest time zone in the world.
The state comprises three groups of islands - the Gilbert Islands, the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands. The capital of the Republic of Kiribati is South Tarawa, and the island relief is of coral and volcanic origin, the maximum altitude in the area being only 80 meters. The climate is equatorial, and vegetation is represented by tropical trees and grassy plants. Coconut and pandanus forests occupy 50% of the territory.
The island state of Kiribati is located immediately in Polynesia and Micronesia. Currently, the small country is successfully developing, despite scarce natural resources. Bemorepanda collected some interesting facts:
1. The name of the island state of Kiribati comes from the distorted English "Gilbert Islands".
2. All the islands on which Kiribati is located are atolls.
3. Kiribati covers an area of 33 atolls.
4. The highest point in Kiribati is 81 meters above sea level. It is located on Banaba Atoll.
5. On the territory of Kiribati there are two freshwater lakes and about a hundred salt ones.
6. Kiribati is a member of the United Nations.
7. Two of the atolls of Kiribati were once used for testing atomic weapons.
8. The main problems in Kiribati are overpopulation, lack of fresh water and soil erosion.
9. The total population of Kiribati is just over one hundred thousand people.
10. About 90% of the population of Kiribati are representatives of the people of the same name. Its other name is tungaru.
11. The official language of the country is English, but very few people speak it. The majority of the population speaks the Kiribati language.
12. The writing system of Kiribati is based on the English alphabet.
13. Kiribati does not have its own army.
14. There are two official currencies in the country - the Australian dollar and the equivalent Kiribatian dollar.
15. The Kiribati one dollar coin has a dodecagonal shape.
16. Stamps issued by the country are popular with philatelists around the world and are a significant source of replenishment of the state treasury.
17. Kiribati has the second largest exclusive economic zone in the Pacific Ocean - more than three and a half million square kilometers of water space.
18. Kiribati has two radio stations - a government and a private one.
19. Kiribati is the least visited country on the planet by tourists.
20. Athletes from Kiribati take part in the Olympic Games.
21. Also, the Republic of Kiribati is unique in that it is located in all hemispheres of the Earth at once. Part of Kiribati, islands
22. Phoenix is the world's largest marine reserve.
23. On one of the atolls of Kiribati there is a city called London.
24. Christmas Island, one of the Kiribati atolls, is the largest atoll in the world. He alone occupies 48 percent of the country's total land mass..
25. The Republic of Kiribati as a state appeared in 1979, having gained independence from Great Britain.
26. There is not a single river in Kiribati.
27. The only diplomatic mission in the world of the Republic of Kiribati is located on the Fiji Islands. In Russia, for example, the British consulate is in charge of Kiribati's diplomatic affairs.
28. Tarawa and others of the Gilbert group were occupied by Japan during World War II.
29. The island is slowly disappearing.
30. Most of the islands of Kiribati are low-lying coral atolls built on a submerged volcanic chain and encircled by reefs.
The Marshall Islands is a small state lost in the endless ocean. Few people in our country were closely interested in him, and it was completely in vain - this is the land of insane beauty.
The islands were discovered by the Spanish in the first half of the 16th century and were explored by British Captain John Marshall (1788), from whom they received their name. Between 1885 and 1914 they were under German protectorate, and during World War II the area was part of the Japanese first line of defense. In 1944 the islands were conquered by the Americans, who administered them until 1990, when the country gained its independence. On Bikini and Enewetak Islands, the U.S.A. they conducted nuclear experiments.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands is an island state in the Pacific Ocean, north of the Equator, between the Caroline and Hawaii archipelagos, with an area of 181 km.
The territory of the country occupies several hundred islands (32 atolls, 867 reefs), arranged in two rows: Ralik in the west and Ratak in the east.
The climate is equatorial, determining a tropical (tree) vegetation, dominated by banana and palm trees, but also a fauna rich in birds, fish.
Bemorepanda collected some more interesting facts:
1. The Republic of the Marshall Islands is actually under the control and jurisdiction of the United States.
2. The archipelago, on which the republic is spread, includes 5 islands and 29 atolls.
3. The Marshall Islands were discovered in 1526.
4. The land area of this state is about 181 square kilometers.
5. Nuclear weapons were tested on two atolls.
6. There are no nature reserves in the Marshall Islands.
7. There are paved roads only on the two largest atolls of the archipelago.
8. The maximum height of the Marshall Islands above sea level is ten meters.
9. The country gained independence only in 1983.
10. It is here, on the Kwajalein Atoll, that the world's largest lagoon is located.
11. In the northern part of the archipelago, the climate is so arid that it receives about the same amount of precipitation as in the American deserts.
12. The Marshall Islands have two official languages - Marshall and English.
13. The currency of the Republic is the US dollar.
14. 98% of the population of the islands are Marshalls.
15. The Marshall Islands maintains diplomatic relations with many countries. With Russia too.
16. Also the Marshall Islands is a member of the United Nations.
17. Subsidies from the United States and other countries account for a large share of the state
budget.
18. On the territory of the Marshall Islands there are more than two thousand kilometers of highways.
19. Internet and mobile phones are available in the two largest atolls, but they are very poorly distributed.
20. The Marshall Islands publishes two newspapers, one private and one public.
21. The country's islands are significantly distant from each other.
22. In total, the Marshall Islands is home to just over fifty thousand people.
23. The most popular sport in the country is basketball.
24. In 2008, athletes from the Marshall Islands took part in the Olympic Games for the first time, but did not take prizes.
25. There are only two hospitals in the country.
The Fiji Islands are among those countries that are rarely interested in anyone other than those who already live here. Perhaps in vain - this is a very interesting place, and it is definitely worth visiting here at least once in your life.
Fiji is one of the best known and most developed states in the Pacific, and its main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, account for most of the land and concentrate over 90% of the total population. The island's inhabitants are a mixture of Indians, Polynesians and Malaysians and have one of the highest living standards in Oceania, although the country has suffered from ethnic conflicts at the end of the last century. The relief of these islands is volcanic, and the maximum height is on the island of Viti Levu where there is also the capital Suva (Tomaniivi peak 1,424 m high).
Bemorepanda collected top facts about Fiji Islands.
1. Over the past century and a half, the state of Fiji has changed five names.
2. The current name is the Republic of the Fiji Islands.
3. In Fiji, as many as three languages have the status of state - English, Fijian and Hindustani.
4. The country's currency is the Fijian dollar.
5. Fiji has 332 islands, of which about a third are inhabited.
6. The highest point in Fiji is Mount Tomanivi, whose peak reaches 1324 meters above sea level.
7. Due to the lack of fresh water, the Fijians collect rainwater from roofs in special tanks.
8. There are rivers and lakes on the Fiji Islands.
9. More than three and a half thousand species of various insects live here.
10. Descendants of immigrants from India make up a third of Fiji's population, there are a little less than three hundred thousand people.
11. The Armed Forces of the Republic of the Fiji Islands take part in various UN peacekeeping activities around the world.
12. The most popular sport in Fiji is rugby.
13. On Fijian dollars there is an image of the Queen of England.
14. In Fiji, it is customary to go on a visit and take some gift for the hosts with you.
15. Fun fact - sunglasses in Fiji are prohibited, as are hats. They can only be worn by leaders.
16. Tipping in Fiji can be considered disrespectful.
17. In Fiji there is a line of change of dates - the 180th meridian.
18. There are as many as 28 airports in Fiji.
19. There are highways only on two islands. Cars, respectively, too.
20. About 87% of the population lives on the two largest islands of the archipelago.
India is one of the oldest countries on the planet. The history and culture of India are rooted in such a deep past that even professional scientists, culturologists and historians still cannot fully understand them. True, the real picture is less rosy. India is an overpopulated, poor and sometimes rather polluted country, not at all reminiscent of the wonderful place that is usually described in fairy tales and shown in films.
India is a country with a rich culture and amazing traditions, Bemorepanda presents some interesting facts.
1. India ranks second in the world in terms of the number of people living on its territory after China (the country's population is about 1.3 billion people).
2. The territory of modern India was inhabited by the ancestors of modern people about 500 thousand years ago. Just think - half a million years ago!
3. In the 2014 elections, 668 women and five transsexuals were elected to the Indian Parliament.
4. India has an amazing variety of animal and plant species. At the same time, about 33% of the plant varieties growing in Indian forests are not found anywhere else on the planet.
5. The Indians were the first to season food with black pepper.
6. The national sport in India is field hockey, and the most popular is cricket, inherited by the Indians from the British colonialists. India has won more Olympic medals in field hockey than any other country in the world.
7. India is the birthplace of yoga.
8.In the Indian capital New Delhi, every year there is International Mango Festival.
9. One of the main architectural symbols of India, the Taj Mahal mausoleum, was built for almost 30 years by more than 20 thousand workers and artisans. Now this unique structure is gradually covered with cracks and turns yellow due to extremely dirty air - the complex has to be regularly cleaned using special white clay.
10. In 2010, a luxury train called the Maharajah Train began operating between New Delhi and Mumbai. Passengers on the train can admire India's most famous landmarks from the cool of the five-star carriages.
11. India leads among all countries in the world in the number of homicides and abortions per thousand population.
12. People in India speak 780 languages and more than a thousand dialects derived from these languages (see interesting facts about languages).
13. The Indian authorities have legally banned the import of its national currency, the Indian rupee, across the border. Both the import of rupees into India and the export of local money from it are prohibited. True, usually no one checks anything anyway.
14. In India, it is customary to celebrate weddings on a grand scale - even not too wealthy families invite up to one and a half thousand guests to the wedding and organize a festive feast for them.
15. Indians consider cows to be sacred animals, so they do not eat beef and allow cattle to roam freely along the city streets and beaches. However, this does not apply to the state of Goa - they even eat beef here, since the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of Goa are Christians, not Hindus.
16. More than a million people in India are dollar millionaires.
17. In India, practically no one uses washing machines - wealthy Indians prefer to hire a housekeeper who takes care of the laundry, while poor families simply wash their clothes in a nearby pond.
18. Indian women do not address their husbands by their first names, as this is considered disrespectful.
19. India has more vegetarians than any other country in the world.
20. Indian Post has the largest mail delivery network in the world. On the territory of the country there is a post office located at an altitude of 4400 meters above sea level, there is also a floating post office, and several decades ago, the Indians were served by mobile postmen on camels.
21. The sacred city of Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
22. India ranks second after the United States in terms of the number of English-speaking residents.
23. The Indian town of Cherrapunji is considered one of the wettest places on Earth.
24. Jaipur has the world's largest sundial.
25. Indians prepare over 140 types of traditional national desserts.
Traveling now is difficult, and in many places it is impossible. But the borders have begun to slowly open - and this year's vacation already sounds like a plan, not just a dream. But how risky is it and is it even possible to protect yourself from coronavirus on vacation? Weigh the pros and cons together.
Over the past year, everyone has grown tired of worries, confusion and prohibitions. This article was written to help you decide whether or not to go on vacation in 2021. Bemorepanda explains you how it is going.
Tourism in the era of coronavirus: where can you go abroad now? And whether to go at all?
Some countries are opening borders and easing quarantine measures, but this does not add confidence. The question of whether it is safe to travel now is even more worrisome after the resumption of international traffic.
The answer depends on many factors: the way of travel (by plane, train, car, or something else), direction, fresh statistics on cases of coronavirus infection in a certain place, quarantine measures and current prevention methods.
Should I book a flight this year?
Long queues at the check-in counters, security checks at the airport, waiting for departure side by side with a crowd of strangers, several hours in an airplane seat in the same cabin with other passengers - all this raises doubts about the safety of flights during a pandemic.
But the good news is that airports and airlines have already adjusted to the new reality.
For example, carriers have introduced flexible rules for canceling and postponing flight bookings, and large air hubs are closing some terminals to ensure more effective security measures in a pandemic. There are also far fewer cafes and shops at airports. Some sell only takeaway.
The temperature is measured at anyone who enters the airport building: passengers, greeters, crew members, airport staff and everyone else. In some cases, non-contact thermometers and thermal imagers are used again - just before boarding a flight.
In public transport, taxis, in terminal terminals and during the entire flight, masks are required, and sometimes other personal protective equipment (face screens, for example) are required.
Social distancing rules are widely followed. Airlines are changing seating positions in aircraft cabins whenever possible, offering self-check-in instead of check-in at counters, and redesigning the queuing system so that passengers are at a safe distance from each other. The cabins of the largest carriers are equipped with HEPA air filters. Some air terminals have introduced one-way traffic through terminals to reduce the number of personal contacts between people.
The approach of airlines to in-flight meals has also changed: some carriers no longer serve food on their flights, others have cut down on the menu and offer only individually packaged snacks and drinks in cans. It's safer to take a snack with you from home - just check the airlines' requirements for food in hand luggage.
Isn't it dangerous to stay in hotels during the coronavirus?
Major hotel chains and small family hotels are well aware that in the era of the coronavirus, guests' demands on the hygiene and safety of vacation homes have increased.
To reduce the risks for guests, many hotels offer contactless check-in and check-out and virtual reception, but almost everywhere they abandoned the buffet and free use of pools and other public areas. In the hotels of large world chains, even the room service has been replaced with an application: you place an order through your smartphone - and it is left under the room door.
Social markings and machines with sanitizers at every turn are a new reality in the hotel world. Many good hotels use disinfectant mats, air ionizers and electrostatic filters, and offer guests free masks. Cleanliness in rooms is now more closely monitored than before the pandemic: in many hotels, tables with a schedule for the latest and planned cleaning have appeared, and the cleaning protocols themselves have become more stringent.
Most hotels around the world now allow free cancellation or modification of reservations up to 24 hours prior to the scheduled check-in date. And to make you even more relaxed, the cleanliness rating is immediately visible in the search results for hotels on Skyscanner. It shows you the hotel's hygiene standards and helps you make an informed booking decision.
Is it safe now to travel by car and is it worth renting a car on vacation from a hygiene point of view?
Analysts predict an increase in demand for car rental and car sharing during the pandemic, as these are safer alternatives to public transport. If you rent a car on a trip or drive a car sharing car, do not forget about safety measures: gloves, ventilation and treatment of contact surfaces with an antiseptic will never hurt.
Car rental offices are doing everything to ensure that their service meets safety requirements during the coronavirus period. The giants are investing in the development of machines that unlock automatically, that is, without keys walking from hand to hand. But that's not all: many measures to protect against COVID-19 have already been implemented.
For example, a car from Sixt can now be ordered, picked up and returned without personal contact with managers and agents. The keys are left in the locker, which you can access through the mobile application. Another car rental company, Zipcar, has already introduced a mobile car unlocking system: they have an app that replaces keys. Read about other travel contactless technologies.
Is it dangerous to travel by train until the COVID-19 pandemic is over?
Against the backdrop of the pandemic, railways strictly follows the recommendations.
Measures to ensure the sanitary safety of train passengers in our country are divided into two types:
Disinfection of trains. Before leaving the route, each train is thoroughly disinfected. Bed linen, which is given to passengers for rest and spending the night on the train, also undergoes additional sanitation.
Staff at train stations and on trains must wear masks and undergo a body temperature check before going on shift. All railway workers have received special training - they know how to take care of a passenger who has symptoms of SARS on the way, and of those around them.
Comprehensive disinfection is carried out at railway stations with the participation of specialists. A safe distance between passengers is also respected. The most walk-through places, checkout rooms, sanitary rooms, platforms, walkways and office premises are treated with special disinfectants. There are markings everywhere, and there are vending machines with sanitizers at the entrance, at the ticket office and in the waiting rooms. In some places, personal protective equipment (PPE) is issued.
Do they measure the temperature on the train and how is the railway being treated now?
On the way, train passengers are measured twice a day. If someone has a high rate, the conductors will exclude contact between the passenger and others and call an ambulance to the nearest station.
At least four times a day during the journey, the personnel must sanitize all surfaces of the rolling stock using means that prevent the spread of bacteria.
In addition to disinfecting bed linen and carriage surfaces,railways ensures safety in restaurant carriages. They use sanitization and checkerboard seating to maintain social distance, and all service personnel wear masks. If you do not want to visit the restaurant car, you can order any dish from the menu from the conductor with delivery to your place.
Similar rules apply at train stations and on trains abroad. Thorough multiple disinfection, social markup, checkerboard seating, thermometry, sanitizers, masks and contactless payment for services are used.
