Asia is interesting. Interesting facts about Asia

geographic data.

Türkiye is located in the Eastern Hemisphere. Its area is 779,452 sq. km. Part of the territory of Turkey - 97% - is located in Asia and 3% - in Europe. The geographical feature of Turkey is its location at the crossroads of important routes connecting Europe with Asia since ancient times. Nowadays, highways and railway lines run through the territory of Turkey, connecting Europe with many Asian countries.

From three sides it is washed by the seas: in the north - by the Black Sea, in the west - by the Aegean, in the south - by the Mediterranean. In the southern part of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and the largest city in Turkey - Istanbul (former Constantinople).

Minerals.

There are more than 100 types of minerals in Turkey. The country has many types of ore, mining, chemical, fuel and energy raw materials. First of all, tungsten, copper ores, borates, marble, coal, etc. should be mentioned. Turkey accounts for 25% of the world's mercury reserves.

Climate.

Türkiye is a predominantly mountainous country. In this regard, the climate of the country has an average mountainous character and features of a continental climate. Summers in Turkey are hot and dry everywhere, winters are snowy and cold.

Population.

The main population of the country is Turks. The country has never conducted a population census by ethnic composition.

More than half a million Arabs live compactly in the southeast of Turkey. In large cities, especially in Istanbul, Assyrians are also numerous. The Jews of Turkey, who in Turkey are approximately 0.1% of the population and living in large cities, consider themselves Turks who practice Judaism. Greeks, Albanians, Georgians, Azerbaijanis and representatives of many other peoples live throughout the country, mainly in Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara and other large cities. Several thousand Russians live permanently in Turkey.

Turks are Muslims by religion.

Ankara is the capital of Turkey.

Ankara, the capital of the Republic of Turkey and the administrative center of the province of the same name. The second largest city and an important political and economic center of the country.

Mausoleum of Atotürk.

Of course, the Ataturk Mausoleum is the most visited and attractive attraction in Ankara. It is located on the territory of a carefully guarded huge park. The best craftsmen from Egypt, Spain, Italy and Germany worked on its creation.

Quite obviously, features and ancient Egyptian tombs are visible in the architectural details and decorative design of this building. From the viewing platforms of the Mausoleum, a magnificent all-round panorama of the central part of Ankara opens up. In the halls of the Mausoleum, in addition to the tomb with the ashes of Ataturk, there are several museum expositions, including cars that the beloved leader of the Turkish people liked to ride.

Ataturk died on November 10, 1938 at the age of fifty-seven. The founder of the Turkish Republic, the great leader of the Turkish War of Liberation and the man who brought about great reforms, Atatürk spent his life fighting for the independence of the Turkish people and for Turkey to reach the level of progressive countries. It was under his leadership that Türkiye, with its state system, reached the level of modern civilization. The idea arose of building such a mausoleum, which would emphasize the greatness of this man with all its appearance, reflecting his principles and ideas aimed at the development of the country. This was the desire of the Turkish people, grieving for the loss of the Great Leader.

Iran

The Islamic Republic of Iran is a state in southwestern Asia. The capital is the city of Tehran. Iran is one of the oldest states in the world. Iran is one of the most technologically advanced states in the region.

Iran has an arid climate. Along the coast of the Caspian Sea - subtropical. In the north of the country in winter, the temperature often drops below 0°, in July it occasionally reaches 30°. In summer the temperature in the deserts can exceed 40°C. In the west of Iran, in the Zagros mountains, the temperature in winter is almost always below 0 °, heavy snowfalls and strong winds are characteristic. On the plains along the coast of the Persian Gulf, winters are mostly mild, summers are hot and humid.

Major cities.

Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran and one of the largest cities in Asia. Political, economic, transport, trade, financial and cultural center of the country.

Mashkhemd is a city in the northeast of Iran, the administrative center of the Khorasan-Rezavi province. The population is over 2.5 million people.

Keremj is a city in northern Iran, a suburb of Tehran, located at the foot of the Elbrus mountains. Population - 1223 thousand inhabitants. Keredj is an important transport center through which all cargoes heading to Tehran from the Caspian Sea pass.

Isfahamn is a city in Iran on the banks of the Zayandeh River, located 340 km south of Tehran. The administrative center of the province of Isfahan, the third largest city in Iran. Population - 1583 thousand people

Tabriz is a city of 1.4 million people near Lake Uremia in Iran, the administrative center of the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan.

Shiraz is a city in southern Iran, the administrative center of Fars province. Shiraz is located in the valley of the small river Khoshk in the Zagros Mountains at an altitude of more than 1500 meters above sea level.

Qom is a city in Iran. The population is over a million people. Qom is the holy city of the Shiites, the city is growing rapidly. The school of Muslim theology in Qom is considered the second most important among the Shiites after the school in An-Najaf.

Ahvaz is a city in western Iran, the administrative center of Khuzestan. Located on the banks of the Karun River. The population is about 841 thousand. An important center of the metallurgical industry.

Iraq

The Republic of Iraq is a state in the Middle East, in the Mesopotamian lowland, in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Iraq has large reserves of oil and natural gas.

The climate in Iraq is continental, with dry hot summers and relatively rainy cool winters, subtropical in the north and tropical in the south. The average January temperatures increase from north to south from 7 to 12°C, the average July temperatures are 34°C everywhere. The annual rainfall is 50-150 mm in the plains and up to 1500 mm in the mountains. Dust storms are frequent in the south in summer.

Capital of Baghdad.

Baghdad is located almost in the center of Iraq, on the banks of the Tigris River, not far from the mouth of the Diyala River. Natural vegetation is represented mainly by comb, date palm, and in the coastal zone - solonchak grasses, reeds, reeds, willows. The population of Baghdad before the start of hostilities with the United States was over 5 million people. However, as a result of the death of part of the inhabitants of the city, as well as the emigration of Baghdadians to other cities of the country and beyond its borders, the number of urban population has significantly decreased, there are no exact data at the moment. The national composition of the population of the city is represented mainly by Arabs, as well as Kurds, Turks, Assyrians, Armenians, Jews, etc. The state language is Arabic, and Kurdish, which has received official status, is also widely used.

Syria

The Syrian Arab Republic is a state in the Middle East. The population of Syria is 20 million people. The capital is Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

The climate is generally dry. The average annual rainfall does not exceed 100 mm. The average temperature in January is 7°, in July 26.

Capital Damascus.

Damascus is the capital of Syria. One of the oldest cities in the world.

Attractions of Damascus:

Sayyid Zeynab Mosque

Sayyid Rakaya Mosque

The Umayyad Mosque is the largest mosque in Syria.

Cathedral of Damascus

Cathedral of the Virgin Mary

House of Saint Ananias

St. Paul's Chapel

Roman Catholic Cathedral

Church of Saint John

St. Paul's Lavra

Sanctuary of Saint George

Old houses

Azem Palace

Bait al-Akkad

Maktab Anbar

Bayt al-Mamluk

Lebanon

Lebanon is a small mountainous state in the Middle East. The population of Lebanon is about 4 million people. The republic stands out in the Arab world for its extraordinary religious diversity.

Lebanon has a Mediterranean climate. In coastal regions, winters tend to be cool, while summers are hot and humid. In winter, in the mountains, the temperature drops below 0 °, snow is possible. Although the average annual rainfall in Lebanon is much higher than in neighboring countries, an arid climate prevails in the northeast, as the mountains block the flow of moist air from the sea. Sand and dust storms often occur.

In ancient Lebanon huge number forests of the Lebanese cedar grew, which became a symbol of the country. For centuries, trees have been cut down without replanting as the main material in shipbuilding. This led to the fact that by the 20th century, only separate islands of greenery remained on the site of the richest forests.

Capital Beirut.

Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, a major seaport. Beirut is the most important financial and banking center of the entire Middle East. In addition, many international organizations are based in Beirut. The population is 70% Muslim and 30% Christian.

At present, the city center has been practically restored, city architects are building a new Beirut with high-rise buildings, commercial complexes and cultural centers.

Jordan

Jordan is an Arab state in the Middle East. About 90% is occupied by desert and semi-desert.

Tourists visiting Jordan can visit the beaches and coral reefs of the Gulf of Aqaba, where the underwater world can be observed almost from the shore, the beauty of the Dead Sea and ancient monuments. But the largest number of tourists is attracted by one of the new seven wonders of the world - Petra.

Museums and libraries.

The national heritage is preserved in three small museums in Amman: the Archaeological Museum, located in the city citadel, the Folklore Museum, located in the lower galleries of the Roman amphitheater in the city center, and the National art museum, which contains the work of local artists. In Madaba, the museum, which occupies several old city buildings, houses a collection of late Byzantine mosaics.

Pemtra - ancient city. It is located on the territory of modern Jordan, at an altitude of more than 900 m above sea level and 660 m above the surrounding area, the Arava Valley, in the narrow Siq Canyon. The territory of Petra occupies a large area. From the center, where the ruins of numerous buildings, no longer rocky, but built in the traditional way, from stone, are well preserved, it stretches for several kilometers.

Capital Amman

Ammamn is the capital of Jordan and the country's largest city. One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The population is 2.5 million people.

Geography.

The city is located 65 km east of Jerusalem, on seven hills, which are represented on the flag of Jordan by a seven-pointed star.

Kingdom of Bahrain Island state on the archipelago of the same name in the Persian Gulf in Southwest Asia, the smallest Arab state. Capital Manama.

Geography

The area is 620 km².

Coastline: 161 km.

Bahrain occupies three relatively large and many small islands 16 km east of the coast of Saudi Arabia and is connected to this country by a road bridge.

Qatar is a country in southwestern Asia, located on the Qatar Peninsula in the northeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

Population.

40% of the population are Arabs. There are also immigrants from Pakistan, India, Iran, and other countries. The official language is Arabic, but English is widely spoken. The state religion is Sunni Islam, Iranians are Shiites.

Almost the entire territory of the country is a desert. To the north is a low sandy plain with occasional oases, covered with shifting sands; in the middle part of the peninsula there is a rocky desert with patches of solonchaks; in the south are high sandy hills. The climate is continental tropical, dry. In summer, the temperature often rises to 50 °C. The peninsula is poor in water. There are no permanent rivers, most of the water has to be obtained by desalination of the sea. Underground sources of fresh water and oases are located mainly in the north of the country. Animal world poor, dominated by reptiles and rodents.

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates is a state in southwestern Asia in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

Geography.

The United Arab Emirates occupies an area shaped like a rhinoceros horn that protrudes into the Persian Gulf from the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula. UAE borders on Saudi Arabia in the south and west, and with Oman in the east.

The climate of the country is tropical desert. There are often sandstorms. The temperature in summer is 35-40 degrees C, often reaching 50, and in winter it is 20-23 degrees during the day, it is colder at night, but frosts are an extremely rare phenomenon, precipitation is irregular.

Population.

United States population United Arab Emirates is approximately 4.5 million people, of which ethnic Arabs make up only a third, and indigenous people - 11%. The rest are from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries who immigrated to the UAE as temporary workers. 85% of the people living in the country are not its citizens. Arab immigrants are represented mainly by Palestinian refugees.

Oman is a state in Southwest Asia, in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula.

geographic data.

In the north-east of the country, along the coast of the Gulf of Oman, the coastal plain of El-Batin stretches in a narrow strip, the most developed and densely populated part of the country. A vast expanse to the west of this plain is occupied by the mountains of El-Hajar-el-Gharbi. Some peaks reach 3000 m (the highest point is 3353 m). In the middle part of the country there is a low plateau, largely covered with sand. Its average height is 500 m. In the southern part of the country, Dhofar, mountains rise, the highest near the southern coast - up to 1678 m. There are no permanent rivers in Oman. All rivers have only periodic flow, mainly in winter.

The vegetation is poor. In the mountains there are groves of tamarisk, fig, sycamore and oak, but their total area is small. There are savannahs in the foothills. On the north and south coast there are palm groves.

In the middle part of Oman there is a desert, there are areas completely devoid of any vegetation.

The animal world is quite diverse. Lots of sand gazelles and rodents. Predators live - striped hyena, jackal, fox. Lots of birds. Reptiles are very numerous - agamas, foot-and-mouth disease, geckos, chameleons, as well as arachnids - phalanges, scorpions.

Capital Muscat.

Muscat is the capital and largest city of the Sultanate of Oman. The territory of Muscat with its suburbs covers an area of ​​about 1500 km2. Since the beginning of the modernization of Oman in the 1970s, Muscat has experienced a rapid development of infrastructure and urbanization, and, as is usually the case in other cities of the world, neighboring towns have gradually merged into the metropolis.

Attractions.

Sultan Qaboos Mosque - In 1992 Sultan Qaboos ordered that his nation of Oman have its own Grand Mosque. A competition was held in 1993 and construction began in 1995. Construction work took six years and four months.

You may very well be hearing about it for the first time.

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Asia certainly has a huge impact on the Western world in many ways, but despite this, we see only a small part of what is really happening there. Face to face, we will understand that we know nothing about this amazing part of the world, it continues to be a mystery to us behind seven locks.

Here are some of the centuries-old traditions and modern trends of Asia that will leave you scratching your head in bewilderment.

1. Universal birthday.

Asia is the largest part of the world, the birthplace of many ancient cultures and the center of attraction for tourists. There are densely populated urban centers with soaring skyscraper towers, and secluded islands with picturesque beaches. Foreign blog ITsGR9 chose 10 most interesting places in Asia worth visiting.

10 Boracay Island, Philippines

The beach of Boracay Island with the finest white sand is a favorite place for relaxation among locals and visitors, one of them. Carefree atmosphere, exhilarating nightlife, beach parties, culinary delicacies, luxurious spas, thrilling extreme sports – it is a big mistake for tourists to miss this island.

9. Phu Quoc Islands, Vietnam

The coast of Nha Trang Province is a resting place for most local residents, here they are. And tourists might be more interested in the Phu Quoc Islands, with their elegant beaches and clear waters, which perfectly show the surrounding coral reefs and their colorful inhabitants. The 99 Peaks mountain range is replete with waterfalls, plants and rare animal species.

8. Hare Island (Khao Tonsei), Cambodia

The island is located close to the mainland, a 20-minute drive from the town of Kep. In the local bungalows there is no TV, no internet, no air conditioning, this has allowed the island to become one of the most in the world. The purpose of the resort is to give a modern person the opportunity to feel unity with nature, which modern technologies can only interfere with.

7. Bangkok, Thailand

One of the most, replete with chic beaches and first-class restaurants. In this booming capital of Thailand, ancient Buddhist temples sit side by side with glass-and-steel malls. And there is also a huge statue of the Golden Buddha with a height of four and a half meters, a stunning aquarium inside a multi-storey shopping center and the world's largest outdoor market.

6. Seoul, Korea

Most Westerners think of something futuristic when they hear the word Seoul, but the people themselves South Korea true to their cultural heritage. In the city center, next to the towers of concrete and steel, there are ancient witnesses of the past of the country. One of them is the Gyeongbokgung Palace Complex, the oldest and largest monument of the Joseon Dynasty. However, there was a place for entertainment, in Seoul there is one of the world's.

5. Bali, Indonesia

This island has a unique energy: a bizarre mixture of sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters and volcanoes on the horizon makes tourists feel like the heroes of Vokrug Sveta magazine. Here the weary traveler finds a tropical paradise where you can just lie down in a sun lounger and not worry about anything. You can visit spa centers, go in for water sports, chat with macaques in the monkey forest or visit the "land in the sea" - a temple on a sheer cliff. Bali is one of the places where holidays are possible all year round!

4. Tokyo, Japan

Rating interesting places Asia could not do without the Japanese capital. The word "Tokyo" brings up the latest advances in technology, manga, anime, and the Harayuzuku quarter. Indeed, this huge, bubbling cauldron is where the latest trends in technology or fashion are born. Tokyo is also famous for its green space, huge shopping centers and excellent museums.

3. Hong Kong, China

Here the tourist enjoys the luxurious parks and is in awe at the sight of breathtaking cityscapes that open from the tops of skyscrapers. It also has great beaches, museums, and world-class restaurants.

2. Singapore

This modern metropolis, and at the same time, is the perfect combination of picturesque landscapes and high technology. In Singapore, there is a fountain of wealth that got into the Guinness Book of Records as the largest fountain in existence today. Those who wish to increase their capital need to make sure that the upper jets of the fountain are turned off, then go around the fountain clockwise three times, make a wish and touch the water with your palm.

1. Beijing, China

The cultural and political capital of China topped the list of the most interesting cities for tourists in Asia. Some of the most significant places are Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City palace complex. And there are also secluded lamaist monasteries located in the center of world-famous stadiums, and restaurants with amazing local cuisine.

Asia has had a great influence on the rest of the world, but despite everything that people have adopted from there, few people understand at least a fraction of what is happening in this diverse part of the world. From age-old traditions to modern trends that will leave you scratching your head, here are 10 unusual facts about Asia.

10. Universal birthday

Fact: New Year in Vietnam is the birthday of the entire population

Vietnamese New Year or Tet (Tet) is celebrated annually in the second half of winter and lasts for several days. The beginning of the holiday is the first day of the lunar calendar, falling at the end of January or the beginning of February.

Among other traditions, Tet - New Year - is also considered a birthday celebration. Like the Koreans, the Vietnamese measure age by the number of Lunar New Years lived, so a child will officially be one year old on their first Tet, even if they were born a few days before the celebration.

9Thailand's Water Gun Festival


Since we have already talked about the traditions associated with the New Year, the Thai New Year is celebrated from April 13th to 15th. The festival is known as Songkran, which means "astrological transition". The main entertainment during the festival is pouring people with a mixture of water and flour or talc.

Initially, the celebration was associated with a spiritual background. Water was poured on Buddha statues, after which people collected the flowing water and poured it on their loved ones "for good luck." Now this is a common entertainment, during which you can buy a water gun on every corner, and no one is protected from dousing.

8. The biggest mall


Fact: The largest mall in the world is abandoned

In 2005, Chinese billionaire Alex Hu Guirong began building the world's largest shopping mall in Dongguan, China. The 650,000 square meter area allowed the New South China Mall to accommodate some 2,350 boutiques - not to mention a full-fledged rollercoaster ride located inside, a 2-kilometer canal (together with gondolas) and 25 meter replica of the Arc de Triomphe.

There was only one problem - no one wanted to open shops there. From 2005 to now, only 1 percent of the mall's area has ever been used. The rest of the 643,845 square meters is just gathering dust, and the only people who work there are the guards who drive the squatters away.

There are several reasons why the mall failed so badly, but the main one is its location - there are only 10 million people in Dongguan, most of them poor factory workers, and it takes several hours to get to the mall.

7. Merry Christmas


Fact: North Koreans celebrate their own version of Christmas

In North Korea, Christmas is not celebrated. More precisely, the Christmas holiday there is more like military operations than a celebration. Instead of celebrating Christmas, which is celebrated in Western countries, North Korea is celebrating the birth of Kim Jong Il's mother, who was born on December 24th.

The North Korean government has long watched over the religious groups that exist in their territory - in 2002, they even tortured a woman for helping several Christians flee the country. Since then, they have continued to demonize and censor as much Western influence as possible, including the establishment of several patriotic holidays in the Christmas area. In addition to the birth of Kim Jong Il's mother, the people of North Korea celebrate Constitution Day on December 27th, and on New Year's Day they hold parades at the burial site of Kim Il Sung, who started the Korean War.

6. China has one time zone


China is about 5200 kilometers wide, which would be enough to use five different time zones. Despite this, since the Civil War of 1949, China has had one time zone for the entire country.

The reason for this is political: China is a huge state, and after 20 years of civil war, the new government of the People's Republic of China wanted to give the population a sense of unity. Unfortunately, this also meant that while in Beijing sunrise occurred at 6 am, western territories such as Xinjiang Autonomous Region waited another two hours for sunrise.

This system still works, although the Xinjiang administration got tired of it and set their own unofficial time zone, which is 2 hours behind China Standard Time. The Chinese government does not recognize this decision.

5. It's illegal to be fat in Japan.


Japan is currently considered the thinnest industrial society in the world, and for good reason - being fat is against the law. According to Japanese law, the waist circumference of a man over the age of 40 should not exceed 85 centimeters. Women are given a small indulgence - their waist should not exceed 90 cm.

Why? The official explanation is that thin people are healthier and this law is meant to fight high cholesterol and high blood pressure. People who exceed the legal waist circumference are required to attend counseling and adhere to government-approved diets, and companies that employ large numbers of overweight people are required to pay a fine that goes towards health care for the elderly.

4. Population of the Earth


Fact: China and India make up a third of the world's population

It is widely known that China is densely populated, but the population of the country is still surprising. The population of just one province of Sichuan exceeds the combined population of Greece, Portugal, the Netherlands, Guatemala, Austria, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia and Canada - and it is only the fourth largest province in the country.

The populations of India and China make up a third of the world's population - in 2012, the population of these two countries reached 2.5 billion people. Moreover, all these people live in an area just slightly larger than the area of ​​​​the United States.

3. Throwing children "for good luck"


In a temple located in the mountains of the Solapur region in India, newborns are subjected to a ritual that is supposed to bring good luck, health and courage to the child. Children are brought to the top of the 15-meter tower, from where they are thrown down onto a stretched cloth held by the monks at the foot of the tower.

This Muslim tradition is more than 500 years old and is still followed today. Although many people hear about the ritual with horror, the villagers of Musti claim that there has not been a single injury in the entire existence of this tradition.

2. Watch your hands


Fact: Hindus eat with their right hand, wipe themselves with their left.

One of the most interesting customs in India is that they only eat with their right hand. The reason is that when they go to the toilet, toilet paper is not used - they collect some water in their left hand and wipe themselves with it. Apart from hotels and restaurants catering to Western tourists, there are very few toilet paper-equipped toilets throughout the country - why use paper when you have a great left hand, right?

In addition to not eating with the left hand, it is considered offensive to do almost anything imaginable with the left hand, including handing over money or shaking hands in greeting.

1. Chinese children


Fact: Chinese children are named after events

In 1992, China submitted its bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games. That same year, 680 Chinese people named their newborns Aoyun, which translates to "Olympic Games." More than 4,000 people named their children by that name over the next 15 years, and when China was announced to host the 2008 Olympics, there was an additional surge in use of the name. It is not unusual for Chinese parents to name their children after important events or political movements.

This is just one of the methods of choosing names in China - there are others, but according to Chinese registry offices, names such as "Defend China" or "Raise the country" are in the top of common names. Some children are even simply referred to by the glorious name "Space Journey" and there are currently 300,000 "Civilizations" living in the country. It's the same as if people in Russia called their children "Putin for President" or simply "Russia".

Asia certainly has a huge impact on the Western world in many ways, but despite this, we see only a small part of what is really happening there. Face to face, we will understand that we know nothing about this amazing part of the world, it continues to be a mystery to us behind seven locks. TravelAsk wants to introduce you to some of Asia's centuries-old traditions and modern trends that will leave you scratching your head. Here are 10 of the most unusual facts about Asia.

Universal birthday

Vietnamese New Year is a birthday for everyone.

The Vietnamese New Year (or Tet) is celebrated annually at the end of winter and lasts for several days. It begins on the first day of the lunar calendar. In addition to many other traditions of this holiday, it is considered a birthday. Just like the Koreans, the Vietnamese calculate their age by the number of lunar new years they have experienced. So the child will officially be one year old on his first Tet, even if he was born a few days before it.

thailand watering festival

The Thai New Year (Songkran) is celebrated from 13 to 15 April and is the oldest festival that marks the change of the year and the Thai "astrological transition". The main ritual during the celebration is pouring each other with a mixture of water, flour or talc. Initially, the celebration had a spiritual meaning: people poured water on the Buddha statues, and then collected the water that flowed from the statues and poured it on their relatives and friends for good luck. Nowadays, this ritual is performed with the help of water pistols, from which everyone who passes by is watered.

The largest shopping center

In 2005, Chinese billionaire Alex Hu Guirong began building the world's largest shopping center in Dongguan. There was room for 2,350 stores in seven million square feet, not to mention a full-size indoor roller coaster, a 1.3-mile water canal (complete with gondolas) and an 82-foot replica of the Arc de Triomphe. The only problem is that no one wanted to open their store in this center. From 2005 to the present day, only about 1% of the retail space has been occupied. One of the biggest reasons for this failure is the location of the mall: Dongguan has only 10 million people, most of whom are poor factory workers.

Merry Christmas!

North Korea celebrates its own version of Christmas.

North Korea does not celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense. Instead of the Christmas holidays, North Koreans celebrate the birth of Kim Jong Il's mother, who was born on December 24th. On December 27, celebrations are held here on the occasion of Constitution Day, and on New Year's Eve, marches are held to the tomb of Kim Il Sung, where the body of the leader rests in incorruptible form.

China has only one time zone

Although China is located in 5 time zones, there has been only one national time zone since the Chinese Civil War in 1949. This was done in order to give the population a sense of unity and cohesion. When the sun rises in Beijing at 6 a.m., the Western Territories do not see daylight for another 2 hours, so they have created their own unofficial time zone. The Chinese government does not recognize him.

It's illegal to be fat in Japan

The Japanese are considered the thinnest industrialized nation in the world, and all because it is illegal to be fat here! Japanese laws require that the waist of a man over 40 does not exceed 85 cm in girth. Women are given a little more freedom: their waist circumference should not exceed 90 cm. According to the official version, thin people are healthier, thus the law is aimed at combating high cholesterol levels and hypertension. People who break this law must be counseled and put on a government-approved diet. And companies that employ a large number of overweight people are required to pay fines. This money will be transferred to the health fund: for the medical care of the elderly.

world population

Throwing children - for good luck

In the holy mountains in India, newborns are subjected to a ritual that is supposed to bring good luck, courage and health to the child. Children are carried to the top of a 50-meter tower and then thrown down onto a stretched cloth held by monks. This Muslim custom has been practiced for over 500 years and continues to this day. While many people are horrified by the ritual, locals claim no one has been hurt yet.

Watch your hands

Hindus eat with their right hand, dry themselves with their left.

One of the most interesting customs in India is that the locals only eat with their right hand. The fact is that the toilets here do not use toilet paper, they pour some water into their left hand and use it to dry themselves. In India, it is quite difficult to find a restroom with toilet paper, except for hotels and restaurants catering to Western customers. It is also considered offensive to do anything with the left hand, such as handing over money or holding it out in greeting.

Chinese children

Chinese children are named after events.

In 1992, China applied to host the 2000 Olympic Games. That same year, 680 Chinese people named their newborn babies Aoyun (literally translated as "Olympic Games"). Over 4,000 people gave their children this name over the next 15 years. According to the Chinese registry, other common names are "Defending China" and "Building a Nation". Some children are called "Space travel.