Islamic Republic of Afghanistan › Asia -- Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran
Kabul • 652,230 sq km • pop. 32,564,342 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashto (official) 35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism, but Dari functions as the lingua franca Major cities KABUL (capital) 4.635 million (2015) Ethnic groups Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, other (includes smaller numbers of Baloch, Turkmen, Nuristani, Pamiri, Arab, Gujar, Brahui, Qizilbash, Aimaq, Pashai, and Kyrghyz) Religions Sunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1% Independence 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
Internet .af • 1.9 million • 5.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 23.4 million • 74 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Albania › Europe -- Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
Tirana (Tirane) • 28,748 sq km • pop. 3,029,278 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Roma, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) Major cities TIRANA (capital) 454,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 est.) Religions Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% Independence 28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Internet .al • 1.7 million • 56.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.4 million • 111 (2014 est.) subs./100
People's Democratic Republic of Algeria › Africa -- Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Algiers • 2,381,741 sq km • pop. 39,542,166 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Berber dialects: Kabylie Berber (Tamazight), Chaouia Berber (Tachawit), Mzab Berber, Tuareg Berber (Tamahaq) Major cities ALGIERS (capital) 2.594 million; Oran 858,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% Religions Muslim (official; predominantly Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian and Jewish)
Independence 5 July 1962 (from France)
Internet .dz • 6.5 million • 16.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 37.3 million • 96 (2014 est.) subs./100
Principality of Andorra › Europe -- Southwestern Europe, Pyrenees mountains, on the border between France and Spain
Andorra la Vella • 468 sq km • pop. 85,580 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese Major cities ANDORRA LA VELLA (capital) 23,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Andorran 49%, Spanish 24.6%, Portuguese 14.3%, French 3.9%, other 8.2% (2012 est.) Religions Roman Catholic (predominant) Independence 1278 (formed under the joint sovereignty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell)
Internet .ad • 76,300 • 89.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 66,200 • 78 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Angola › Africa -- Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo
Luanda • 1,246,700 sq km • pop. 19,625,353
Languages Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages Major cities LUANDA (capital) 5.506 million; Huambo 1.269 million (2015) Ethnic groups Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22% Religions indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.) Independence 11 November 1975 (from Portugal)
Internet .ao • 3.7 million • 19.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 14.1 million • 74 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Saint John's • 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) • pop. 92,436 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official), Antiguan creole Major cities SAINT JOHN'S (capital) 22,000 (2014) Ethnic groups black 87.3%, mixed 4.7%, hispanic 2.7%, white 1.6%, other 2.7%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.) Religions Protestant 68.3% (Anglican 17.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.4%, Pentecostal 12.2%, Moravian 8.3%, Methodist 5.6%, Wesleyan Holiness 4.5%, Church of God 4.1%, Baptist 3.6%), Roman Catholic 8.2%, other 12.2%, unspecified 5.5%, none 5.9% (2011 est.) Independence 1 November 1981 (from the UK)
Internet .ag • 81,900 • 89.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 109,100 • 120 (2014 est.) subs./100
Argentine Republic › South America -- Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay
Buenos Aires • 2,780,400 sq km • pop. 43,431,886 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French, indigenous (Mapudungun, Quechua) Major cities BUENOS AIRES (capital) 15.18 million; Cordoba 1.511 million; Rosario 1.381 million; Mendoza 1.009 million; San Miguel de Tucuman 910,000; La Plata 846,000 (2015) Ethnic groups white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3% Religions nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4% Independence 9 July 1816 (from Spain)
Internet .ar • 25.7 million • 59.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 66.4 million • 154 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Armenia › Asia -- Southwestern Asia, between Turkey (to the west) and Azerbaijan
Yerevan • 29,743 sq km • pop. 3,056,382 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Armenian (official) 97.9%, Kurdish (spoken by Yezidi minority) 1%, other 1% (2011 est.) Major cities YEREVAN (capital) 1,044 (2015) Ethnic groups Armenian 98.1%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.1%, other 0.7% (2011 est.) Religions Armenian Apostolic 92.6%, Evangelical 1%, other 2.4%, none 1.1%, unspecified 2.9% (2011 est.) Independence 21 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Internet .am • 1.3 million • 43.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.5 million • 113 (2014 est.) subs./100
Commonwealth of Australia › Oceania -- Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Canberra • 7,741,220 sq km • pop. 22,751,014 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English 76.8%, Mandarin 1.6%, Italian 1.4%, Arabic 1.3%, Greek 1.2%, Cantonese 1.2%, Vietnamese 1.1%, other 10.4%, unspecified 5% (2011 est.) Major cities Sydney 4.505 million; Melbourne 4.203 million; Brisbane 2.202 million; Perth 1.861 million; Adelaide 1.256 million; CANBERRA (capital) 423,000 (2015) Ethnic groups English 25.9%, Australian 25.4%, Irish 7.5%, Scottish 6.4%, Italian 3.3%, German 3.2%, Chinese 3.1%, Indian 1.4%, Greek 1.4%, Dutch 1.2%, other 15.8% (includes Australian aboriginal .5%), unspecified 5.4% Religions Protestant 30.1% (Anglican 17.1%, Uniting Church 5.0%, Presbyterian and Reformed 2.8%, Baptist, 1.6%, Lutheran 1.2%, Pentecostal 1.1%, other Protestant 1.3%), Catholic 25.3% (Roman Catholic 25.1%, other Catholic .2%), other Christian 2.9%, Orthodox 2.8%, Buddhist 2.5%, Muslim 2.2%, Hindu 1.3%, other 1.3%, none 22.3%, unspecified 9.3% (2011 est.) Independence 1 January 1901 (from the federation of UK colonies)
Internet .au • 20.2 million • 89.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 31 million • 138 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Austria › Europe -- Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Vienna • 83,871 sq km • pop. 8,665,550 (July 2015 est.)
Languages German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in South Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.) Major cities VIENNA (capital) 1.753 million (2015) Ethnic groups Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified 2.4% (2001 census) Religions Catholic 73.8% (includes Roman Catholic 73.6%, other Catholic .2%), Protestant 4.9%, Muslim 4.2%, Orthodox 2.2%, other 0.8% (includes other Christian), none 12%, unspecified 2% (2001 est.) Independence 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed)
Internet .at • 7.2 million • 83.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 13 million • 150 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Azerbaijan › Asia -- Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range
Baku (Baki, Baky) • 86,600 sq km • pop. 9,780,780 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Azerbaijani (Azeri) (official) 92.5%, Russian 1.4%, Armenian 1.4%, other 4.7% (2009 est.) Major cities BAKU (capital) 2.374 million (2015) Ethnic groups Azerbaijani 91.6%, Lezgian 2%, Russian 1.3%, Armenian 1.3%, Talysh 1.3%, other 2.4% Religions Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.) Independence 30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991 (adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan)
Internet .az • 5.8 million • 60.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 10.6 million • 109 (2014 est.) subs./100
Commonwealth of The Bahamas › Central America and the Caribbean -- chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Nassau • 13,880 sq km • pop. 324,597
Languages English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) Major cities NASSAU (capital) 267,000 (2014) Ethnic groups black 90.6%, white 4.7%, black and white 2.1%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.) Religions Protestant 69.9% (includes Baptist 34.9%, Anglican 13.7%, Pentecostal 8.9% Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, Methodist 3.6%, Church of God 1.9%, Brethren 1.6%), Roman Catholic 12%, other Christian 13% (includes Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), other 0.6%, none 1.9%, unspecified 2.6% (2010 est.) Independence 10 July 1973 (from the UK)
Internet .bs • 247,200 • 76.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 273,300 • 85 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Bahrain › Middle East -- Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Manama • 760 sq km • pop. 1,346,613
Languages Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu Major cities MANAMA (capital) 411,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Bahraini 46%, Asian 45.5%, other Arabs 4.7%, African 1.6%, European 1%, other 1.2% (includes Gulf Co-operative country nationals, North and South Americans, and Oceanians) (2010 est.) Religions Muslim 70.3%, Christian 14.5%, Hindu 9.8%, Buddhist 2.5%, Jewish 0.6%, folk religion
Independence 15 August 1971 (from the UK)
Internet .bh • 1.3 million • 96.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 2.3 million • 177 (2014 est.) subs./100
People's Republic of Bangladesh › Asia -- Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India
Dhaka • 148,460 sq km • pop. 168,957,745 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Bangla 98.8% (official, also known as Bengali), other 1.2% (2011 est.) Major cities DHAKA (capital) 17.598 million; Chittagong 4.539 million; Khulna 1.022 million; Rajshahi 844,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Bengali at least 98%, ethnic groups 1.1% Religions Muslim 89.5%, Hindu 9.6%, other 0.9% (includes Buddhist .5%, Christian .3%) (2004 est.) Independence 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan)
Internet .bd • 11.4 million • 6.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 120.4 million • 72 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Bridgetown • 430 sq km • pop. 290,604 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official), Bajan (English-based creole language, widely spoken in informal settings) Major cities BRIDGETOWN (capital) 90,000 (2014) Ethnic groups black 92.4%, white 2.7%, mixed 3.1%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.2%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.) Religions Protestant 66.3% (includes Anglican 23.9%, other Pentecostal 19.5%, Adventist 5.9%, Methodist 4.2%, Wesleyan 3.4%, Nazarene 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Baptist 1.8%, Moravian 1.2%, other Protestant .8%), Roman Catholic 3.8%, other Christian 5.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness 2.0%, other 3.4%), Rastafarian 1%, other 1.5%, none 20.6%, unspecified 1.2% (2010 est.) Independence 30 November 1966 (from the UK)
Internet .bb • 227,400 • 78.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 305,500 • 105 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Belarus › Europe -- Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Minsk • 207,600 sq km • pop. 9,589,689 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Russian (official) 70.2%, Belarusian (official) 23.4%, other 3.1% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 3.3% (2009 est.) Major cities MINSK (capital) 1.915 million (2015) Ethnic groups Belarusian 83.7%, Russian 8.3%, Polish 3.1%, Ukrainian 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.9% (2009 est.) Religions Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.) Independence 25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Internet .by • 5 million • 52.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 11.4 million • 119 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Belgium › Europe -- Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
Brussels • 30,528 sq km • pop. 11,323,973 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1% Major cities BRUSSELS (capital) 2.045 million; Antwerp 994,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% Religions Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25% Independence 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne)
Internet .be • 9.5 million • 84.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 12.7 million • 113 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Central America and the Caribbean -- Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
Belmopan • 22,966 sq km • pop. 347,369 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English 62.9% (official), Spanish 56.6%, Creole 44.6%, Maya 10.5%, German 3.2%, Garifuna 2.9%, other 1.8%, unknown 0.3%, none 0.2% (cannot speak) Major cities BELMOPAN (capital) 17,000 (2014) Ethnic groups mestizo 52.9%, Creole 25.9%, Maya 11.3%, Garifuna 6.1%, East Indian 3.9%, Mennonite 3.6%, white 1.2%, Asian 1%, other 1.2%, unknown 0.3% Religions Roman Catholic 40.1%, Protestant 31.5% (includes Pentecostal 8.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 4.7%, Mennonite 3.7%, Baptist 3.6%, Methodist 2.9%, Nazarene 2.8%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 10.5% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, Morman, Muslim, Rastafarian), unknown 0.6%, none 15.5% (2010 est.) Independence 21 September 1981 (from the UK)
Internet .bz • 91,200 • 26.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 172,300 • 51 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Benin › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Porto-Novo (official capital); note - Cotonou (seat of government) • 112,622 sq km • pop. 10,448,647
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Major cities PORTO-NOVO (capital) 268,000 (2014); COTONOU (seat of government) 682,000; Abomey-Calavi 757,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9% (2002 census) Religions Catholic 27.1%, Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, Protestant 10.4% (Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%), other Christian 5.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census) Independence 1 August 1960 (from France)
Internet .bj • 441,000 • 4.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 10.8 million • 106 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Bhutan › Asia -- Southern Asia, between China and India
Thimphu • 38,394 sq km • pop. 741,919
Languages Sharchhopka 28%, Dzongkha (official) 24%, Lhotshamkha 22%, other 26% (includes foreign languages) (2005 est.) Major cities THIMPHU (capital) 152,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Ngalop (also known as Bhote) 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15% Religions Lamaistic Buddhist 75.3%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 22.1%, other 2.6% (2005 est.) Independence 1907 (became a unified kingdom under its first hereditary king)
Internet .bt • 203,100 • 27.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 628,300 • 86 (2014 est.) subs./100
Plurinational State of Bolivia › South America -- Central South America, southwest of Brazil
La Paz (administrative capital); Sucre (constitutional capital) • 1,098,581 sq km • pop. 10,800,882 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official) 60.7%, Quechua (official) 21.2%, Aymara (official) 14.6%, foreign languages 2.4%, Guarani (official) 0.6%, other native languages 0.4%, none 0.1% Major cities Santa Cruz 2.107 million; LA PAZ (capital) 1.816 million; Cochabamba 1.24 million; Sucre (constitutional capital) 372,000 (2015) Ethnic groups mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 68%, indigenous 20%, white 5%, cholo/chola 2%, black 1%, other 1%, unspecified 3% ; 44% of respondents indicated feeling part of some indigenous group, predominantly Quechua or Aymara Religions Roman Catholic 76.8%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 8.1%, Protestant 7.9%, other 1.7%, none 5.5% (2012 est.) Independence 6 August 1825 (from Spain)
Internet .bo • 3.9 million • 36.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 10.5 million • 98 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Europe -- Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
Sarajevo • 51,197 sq km • pop. 3,867,055 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Bosnian (official), Croatian (official), Serbian (official) Major cities SARAJEVO (capital) 318,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Bosniak 48.4%, Serb 32.7%, Croat 14.6%, other 4.3% Religions Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14% Independence 1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence completed on 1 March 1992; independence declared on 3 March 1992)
Internet .ba • 2.6 million • 67.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.5 million • 90 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Botswana › Africa -- Southern Africa, north of South Africa
Gaborone • 581,730 sq km • pop. 2,182,719
Languages Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English (official) 2.1%, Sesarwa 1.9%, Sempukushu 1.7%, other 5.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2001 est.) Major cities GABORONE (capital) 247,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% Religions Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4% (includes Baha'i, Hindu, Muslim), unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 est.) Independence 30 September 1966 (from the UK)
Internet .bw • 283,500 • 13.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.4 million • 158 (2014 est.) subs./100
Federative Republic of Brazil › South America -- Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean
Brasilia • 8,515,770 sq km • pop. 204,259,812 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language) Major cities Sao Paulo 21.066 million; Rio de Janeiro 12.902 million; Belo Horizonte 5.716 million; BRASILIA (capital) 4.155 million; Fortaleza 3.88 million; Recife 3.739 million (2015) Ethnic groups white 47.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 43.1%, black 7.6%, Asian 1.1%, indigenous 0.4% (2010 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 64.6%, other Catholic 0.4%, Protestant 22.2% (includes Adventist 6.5%, Assembly of God 2.0%, Christian Congregation of Brazil 1.2%, Universal Kingdom of God 1.0%, other Protestant 11.5%), other Christian 0.7%, Spiritist 2.2%, other 1.4%, none 8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.) Independence 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)
Internet .br • 108.2 million • 53.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 280.7 million • 139 (2014 est.) subs./100
Brunei Darussalam › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
Bandar Seri Begawan • 5,765 sq km • pop. 429,646 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects Major cities BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (capital) 241,000 Ethnic groups Malay 65.7%, Chinese 10.3%, other indigenous 3.4%, other 20.6% (2011 est.) Religions Muslim (official) 78.8%, Christian 8.7%, Buddhist 7.8%, other (includes indigenous beliefs) 4.7% (2011 est.) Independence 1 January 1984 (from the UK)
Internet .bn • 277,200 • 65.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 465,800 • 110 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Bulgaria › Europe -- Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Sofia • 110,879 sq km • pop. 7,186,893 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Bulgarian (official) 76.8%, Turkish 8.2%, Roma 3.8%, other 0.7%, unspecified 10.5% (2011 est.) Major cities SOFIA (capital) 1.226 million (2015) Ethnic groups Bulgarian 76.9%, Turkish 8%, Roma 4.4%, other 0.7% (including Russian, Armenian, and Vlach), other (unknown) 10% (2011 est.) Religions Eastern Orthodox 59.4%, Muslim 7.8%, other (including Catholic, Protestant, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox, and Jewish) 1.7%, none 3.7%, unspecified 27.4% (2011 est.) Independence 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
Internet .bg • 4.1 million • 57.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 9.9 million • 137 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Africa -- Western Africa, north of Ghana
Ouagadougou • 274,200 sq km • pop. 18,931,686
Languages French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population Major cities OUAGADOUGOU (capital) 2.741 million (2015) Ethnic groups Mossi over 40%, other approximately 60% (includes Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani) Religions Muslim 60.5%, Catholic 19%, animist 15.3%, Protestant 4.2%, other 0.6%, none 0.4% (2006 est.) Independence 5 August 1960 (from France)
Internet .bf • 782,400 • 4.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 12.5 million • 68 (2014 est.) subs./100
Union of Burma › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Rangoon (Yangon); note - Nay Pyi Taw is the administrative capital • 676,578 sq km • pop. 56,320,206
Languages Burmese (official) Major cities RANGOON (Yangon) (capital) 4.802 million; Mandalay 1.167 million; Nay Pyi Taw 1.03 million (2015) Ethnic groups Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5% Religions Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, Animist 1%, other 2% Independence 4 January 1948 (from the UK)
Internet .mm • 646,700 • 1.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 26.6 million • 48 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Burundi › Africa -- Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bujumbura • 27,830 sq km • pop. 10,742,276
Languages Kirundi 29.7% (official), Kirundi and other language 9.1%, French (official) and French and other language 0.3%, Swahili and Swahili and other language 0.2% (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area), English and English and other language 0.06%, more than 2 languages 3.7%, unspecified 56.9% (2008 est.) Major cities BUJUMBURA (capital) 751,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000 Religions Catholic 62.1%, Protestant 23.9% (includes Adventist 2.3% and other Protestant 21.6%), Muslim 2.5%, other 3.6%, unspecified 7.9% (2008 est.) Independence 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
Internet .bi • 144,500 • 1.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.2 million • 31 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Cambodia › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos
Phnom Penh • 181,035 sq km • pop. 15,708,756
Languages Khmer (official) 96.3%, other 3.7% (2008 est.) Major cities PHNOM PENH (capital) 1.731 million (2015) Ethnic groups Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4% Religions Buddhist (official) 96.9%, Muslim 1.9%, Christian 0.4%, other 0.8% (2008 est.) Independence 9 November 1953 (from France)
Internet .kh • 831,700 • 5.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 23.9 million • 155 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Cameroon › Africa -- Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Yaounde • 475,440 sq km • pop. 23,739,218
Languages 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official) Major cities YAOUNDE (capital) 3.066 million; Douala 2.943 million (2015) Ethnic groups Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1% Religions indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% Independence 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
Internet .cm • 1.5 million • 6.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 17.3 million • 75 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › North America -- Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US
Ottawa • 9,984,670 sq km • pop. 35,099,836 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official) 58.7%, French (official) 22%, Punjabi 1.4%, Italian 1.3%, Spanish 1.3%, German 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, Tagalog 1.2%, Arabic 1.1%, other 10.5% (2011 est.) Major cities Toronto 5.993 million; Montreal 3.981 million; Vancouver 2.485 million; Calgary 1.337 million; OTTAWA (capital) 1.326 million; Edmonton 1.272 million (2015) Ethnic groups Canadian 32.2%, English 19.8%, French 15.5%, Scottish 14.4%, Irish 13.8%, German 9.8%, Italian 4.5%, Chinese 4.5%, North American Indian 4.2%, other 50.9% Religions Catholic 40.6% (includes Roman Catholic 38.8%, Orthodox 1.6%, other Catholic .2%), Protestant 20.3% (includes United Church 6.1%, Anglican 5%, Baptist 1.9%, Lutheran 1.5%, Pentecostal 1.5%, Presbyterian 1.4%, other Protestant 2.9%), other Christian 6.3%, Muslim 3.2%, Hindu 1.5%, Sikh 1.4%, Buddhist 1.1%, Jewish 1%, other 0.6%, none 23.9% (2011 est.) Independence 1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK per Statute of Westminster)
Internet .ca • 32.4 million • 92.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 29.5 million • 85 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Cabo Verde › Africa -- Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal
Praia • 4,033 sq km • pop. 545,993 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Portuguese (official), Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) Major cities PRAIA (capital) 145,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% Religions Roman Catholic 77.3%, Protestant 3.7% (includes Church of the Nazarene 1.7%, Adventist 1.5%, Universal Kingdom of God 0.4%, and God and Love 0.1%), other Christian 4.3% (includes Christian Rationalism 1.9%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, Assembly of God 0.9%, and New Apostolic 0.5%), Muslim 1.8%, other 1.3%, none 10.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.) Independence 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Internet .cv • 213,900 • 39.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 613,400 • 114 (2014 est.) subs./100
Central African Republic › Africa -- Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bangui • 622,984 sq km • pop. 5,391,539
Languages French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages Major cities BANGUI (capital) 794,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2% Religions indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% Independence 13 August 1960 (from France)
Internet .cf • 181,000 • 3.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 1.5 million • 28 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Chad › Africa -- Central Africa, south of Libya
N'Djamena • 1.284 million sq km • pop. 11,631,456 (July 2015 est.)
Languages French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects Major cities N'DJAMENA (capital) 1.26 million (2015) Ethnic groups Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebbi 11.5%, Kanem-Bornou 9%, Ouaddai 8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha 4.7%, other 6.4%, unknown 0.3% (1993 census) Religions Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census) Independence 11 August 1960 (from France)
Internet .td • 273,900 • 2.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 5.3 million • 46 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Chile › South America -- Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Santiago; note - Valparaiso is the seat of the national legislature • 756,102 sq km • pop. 17,508,260 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%, unspecified 0.2% Major cities SANTIAGO (capital) 6.507 million; Valparaiso 907,000; Concepcion 816,000 (2015) Ethnic groups white and non-indigenous 88.9%, Mapuche 9.1%, Aymara 0.7%, other indigenous groups 1% (includes Rapa Nui, Likan Antai, Quechua, Colla, Diaguita, Kawesqar, Yagan or Yamana), unspecified 0.3% (2012 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 66.7%, Evangelical or Protestant 16.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1%, other 3.4%, none 11.5%, unspecified 1.1% (2012 est.) Independence 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
Internet .cl • 11.4 million • 65.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 23.7 million • 136 (2014 est.) subs./100
People's Republic of China › Asia -- Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Beijing • 9,596,960 sq km • pop. 1,367,485,388 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Standard Chinese or Mandarin (official; Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry) Major cities Shanghai 23.741 million; BEIJING (capital) 20.384 million; Chongqing 13.332 million; Guangdong 12.458 million; Tianjin 11.21 million; Shenzhen 10.749 million (2015) Ethnic groups Han Chinese 91.6%, Zhuang 1.3%, other (includes Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai and other nationalities) 7.1% Religions Buddhist 18.2%, Christian 5.1%, Muslim 1.8%, folk religion 21.9%, Hindu note: officially atheist (2010 est.)
Independence 1 October 1949 (People's Republic of China established); notable earlier dates: 221 B.C. (unification under the Qin Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Qing Dynasty replaced by the Republic of China)
Internet .cn • 626.6 million • 46.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 1.3 billion • 94 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Colombia › South America -- Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama
Bogota • 1,138,910 sq km • pop. 46,736,728 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official) Major cities BOGOTA (capital) 9.765 million; Medellin 3.911 million; Cali 2.646 million; Barranquilla 1.991 million; Bucaramanga 1.215 million; Cartagena 1.092 million (2015) Ethnic groups mestizo and white 84.2%, Afro-Colombian (includes multatto, Raizal, and Palenquero) 10.4%, Amerindian 3.4%, Roma
Religions Roman Catholic 90%, other 10% Independence 20 July 1810 (from Spain)
Internet .co • 24.3 million • 52.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 55.3 million • 120 (2014 est.) subs./100
Union of the Comoros › Africa -- Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Moroni • 2,235 sq km • pop. 780,971 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (official; a blend of Swahili and Arabic) (Comorian) Major cities MORONI (capital) 56,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava Religions Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% Independence 6 July 1975 (from France)
Internet .km • 50,200 • 6.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 383,000 • 50 (2014 est.) subs./100
Democratic Republic of the Congo › Africa -- Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Kinshasa • 2,344,858 sq km • pop. 79,375,136
Languages French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba Major cities KINSHASA (capital) 11.587 million; Lubumbashi 2.015 million; Mbuji-Mayi 20.007 million; Kananga 1.169 million; Kisangani 1.04 million; Bukavu 832,000 (2015) Ethnic groups over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population Religions Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10% Independence 30 June 1960 (from Belgium)
Internet .cd • 290,000 • less than 1% (2008)
Telephones - mobile 37.1 million • 48 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of the Congo › Africa -- Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Brazzaville • 342,000 sq km • pop. 4,755,097
Languages French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread) Major cities BRAZZAVILLE (capital) 1.888 million; Pointe-Noire 969,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3% Religions Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2010 est.) Independence 15 August 1960 (from France)
Internet .cg • 89,500 • 1.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 4.9 million • 106 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Costa Rica › Central America and the Caribbean -- Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
San Jose • 51,100 sq km • pop. 4,814,144 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), English Major cities SAN JOSE (capital) 1.17 million (2015) Ethnic groups white or mestizo 83.6%, mulato 6.7%, indigenous 2.4%, black of African descent 1.1%, other 1.1%, none 2.9%, unspecified 2.2% (2011 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2% Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Internet .cr • 2.4 million • 50.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 7.1 million • 149 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Cote d'Ivoire › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan • 322,463 sq km • pop. 23,295,302
Languages French (official), 60 native dialects of which Dioula is the most widely spoken Major cities YAMOUSSOUKRO (capital) 259,000 (2014); ABIDJAN (seat of government) 4.86 million; Bouake 762,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998) Religions Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est.) Independence 7 August 1960 (from France)
Internet .ci • 621,500 • 2.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 22.1 million • 97 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Croatia › Europe -- Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
Zagreb • 56,594 sq km • pop. 4,464,844 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Croatian (official) 95.6%, Serbian 1.2%, other 3% (including Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and Albanian), unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.) Major cities ZAGREB (capital) 687,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Croat 90.4%, Serb 4.4%, other 4.4% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma), unspecified 0.8% (2011 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 86.3%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.5%, not religious or atheist 3.8% (2011 est.) Independence 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Internet .hr • 2.9 million • 65.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 4.5 million • 100 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Cuba › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida
Havana • 110,860 sq km • pop. 11,031,433 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official) Major cities HAVANA (capital) 2.137 million (2015) Ethnic groups white 64.1%, mestizo 26.6%, black 9.3% (2012 est.) Religions nominally Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jewish, Santeria Independence 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence
Internet .cu • 3 million • 27.5%
Telephones - mobile 2.5 million • 23 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Cyprus › Middle East -- Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey
Nicosia (Lefkosia/Lefkosa) • 9,251 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus) • pop. 1,189,197 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Greek (official) 80.9%, Turkish (official) 0.2%, English 4.1%, Romanian 2.9%, Russian 2.5%, Bulgarian 2.2%, Arabic 1.2%, Filippino 1.1%, other 4.3%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.) Major cities NICOSIA (capital) 251,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001) Religions Orthodox Christian 89.1%, Roman Catholic 2.9%, Protestant/Anglican 2%, Muslim 1.8%, Buddhist 1%, other (includes Maronite, Armenian Church, Hindu) 1.4%, unknown 1.1%, none/atheist 0.6% (2011 est.) Independence 16 August 1960 (from the UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are recognized only by Turkey
Internet .cy • 738,900 • 63.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 1.1 million • 95 (2014 est.) subs./100
Czech Republic › Europe -- Central Europe, between Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria
Prague • 78,867 sq km • pop. 10,644,842 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Czech (official) 95.4%, Slovak 1.6%, other 3% (2011 census) Major cities PRAGUE (capital) 1.314 million (2015) Ethnic groups Czech 64.3%, Moravian 5%, Slovak 1.4%, other 1.8%, unspecified 27.5% (2011 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 10.4%, Protestant (includes Czech Brethren and Hussite) 1.1%, other and unspecified 54%, none 34.5% (2011 est.) Independence 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia); note - although 1 January is the day the Czech Republic came into being, the Czechs commemorate 28 October 1918, the day the former Czechoslovakia declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as their independence day
Internet .cz • 8.2 million • 77.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 14 million • 131 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Denmark › Europe -- Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes several major islands (Sjaelland, Fyn, and Bornholm)
Copenhagen • 43,094 sq km • pop. 5,581,503 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) Major cities COPENHAGEN (capital) 1.268 million (2015) Ethnic groups Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali Religions Evangelical Lutheran (official) 80%, Muslim 4%, other (denominations of less than 1% each, includes Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Serbian Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Baptist, and Buddhist) 16% (2012 est.) Independence ca. 965 (unified and Christianized under HARALD I Gormson); 5 June 1849 (became a constitutional monarchy)
Internet .dk • 5.4 million • 96.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 7.1 million • 128 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Djibouti › Africa -- Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia
Djibouti • 23,200 sq km • pop. 828,324 (July 2015 est.)
Languages French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar Major cities DJIBOUTI (capital) 529,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian) Religions Muslim 94%, Christian 6% Independence 27 June 1977 (from France)
Internet .dj • 73,500 • 9.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 287,000 • 35 (2014 est.) subs./100
Commonwealth of Dominica › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about halfway between Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Roseau • 751 sq km • pop. 73,607 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official), French patois Major cities ROSEAU (capital) 15,000 (2014) Ethnic groups black 86.6%, mixed 9.1%, indigenous 2.9%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2001 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 61.4%, Protestant 20.6% (inclues Evangelical 6.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.1%, Pentecostal 5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, other 1.3%), Rastafarian 1.3%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.2%, other 0.3%, none 6.1%, unspecified 1.1% (2001 est.) Independence 3 November 1978 (from the UK)
Internet .dm • 43,400 • 59.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 92,200 • 126 (2014 est.) subs./100
Dominican Republic › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Santo Domingo • 48,670 sq km • pop. 10,478,756 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official) Major cities SANTO DOMINGO (capital) 2.945 million (2015) Ethnic groups mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11% Religions Roman Catholic 95%, other 5% Independence 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
Internet .do • 5 million • 48.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 8.3 million • 80 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Ecuador › South America -- Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Quito • 283,561 sq km • pop. 15,868,396 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (Castillian) 93% (official), Quechua 4.1%, other indigenous 0.7%, foreign 2.2% Major cities Guayaquil 2.709 million; QUITO (capital) 1.726 million (2015) Ethnic groups mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 71.9%, Montubio 7.4%, Amerindian 7%, white 6.1%, Afroecuadorian 4.3%, mulato 1.9%, black 1%, other 0.4% (2010 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 74%, Evangelical 10.4%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.4% (includes Mormon Buddhist, Jewish, Spiritualist, Muslim, Hindu, indigenous religions, African American religions, Pentecostal), atheist 7.9%, agnostic 0.1% Independence 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
Internet .ec • 5.9 million • 37.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 16.6 million • 106 (2014 est.) subs./100
Arab Republic of Egypt › Africa -- Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula
Cairo • 1,001,450 sq km • pop. 88,487,396 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes Major cities CAIRO (capital) 18.772 million; Alexandria 4.778 million (2015) Ethnic groups Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census) Religions Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 90%, Christian (majority Coptic Orthodox, other Christians include Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, Maronite, Orthodox, and Anglican) 10% (2012 est.) Independence 28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status; the revolution that began on 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn on 18 June 1956); note - it was ca. 3200 B.C. that the Two Lands of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt were first united politically
Internet .eg • 42 million • 48.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 95.3 million • 110 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of El Salvador › Central America and the Caribbean -- Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
San Salvador • 21,041 sq km • pop. 6,141,350 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), Nahua (among some Amerindians) Major cities SAN SALVADOR (capital) 1.098 million (2015) Ethnic groups mestizo 86.3%, white 12.7%, Amerindian 0.2% (includes Lenca, Kakawira, Nahua-Pipil), black 0.1%, other 0.6% (2007 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.) Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Internet .sv • 1.7 million • 27.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 9.2 million • 150 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Equatorial Guinea › Africa -- Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
Malabo • 28,051 sq km • pop. 740,743 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official) 67.6%, other (includes French (official), Fang, Bubi) 32.4% (1994 census) Major cities MALABO (capital) 145,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Fang 85.7%, Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%, Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4% (1994 census) Religions nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices Independence 12 October 1968 (from Spain)
Internet .gq • 115,100 • 15.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 516,500 • 72 (2014 est.) subs./100
State of Eritrea › Africa -- Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Asmara (Asmera) • 117,600 sq km • pop. 6,527,689 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages Major cities ASMARA (capital) 804,000 (2015) Ethnic groups nine recognized ethnic groups: Tigrinya 55%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Kunama 2%, Rashaida 2%, Bilen 2%, other (Afar, Beni Amir, Nera) 5% (2010 est.) Religions Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant Independence 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
Internet .er • 58,100 • 0.91% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 417,400 • 7 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Estonia › Europe -- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Tallinn • 45,228 sq km • pop. 1,265,420 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Estonian (official) 68.5%, Russian 29.6%, Ukrainian 0.6%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) Major cities TALLINN (capital) 391,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Estonian 68.7%, Russian 24.8%, Ukrainian 1.7%, Belarusian 1%, Finn 0.6%, other 1.6%, unspecified 1.6% (2011 est.) Religions Lutheran 9.9%, Orthodox 16.2%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 2.2%, other 0.9%, none 54.1%, unspecified 16.7% (2011 est.) Independence 20 August 1991 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)
Internet .ee • 1 million • 81.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 2.1 million • 162 (2014 est.) subs./100
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia › Africa -- Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Addis Ababa • 1,104,300 sq km • pop. 99,465,819
Languages Oromo (official working language in the State of Oromiya) 33.8%, Amharic (official national language) 29.3%, Somali (official working language of the State of Sumale) 6.2%, Tigrigna (Tigrinya) (official working language of the State of Tigray) 5.9%, Sidamo 4%, Wolaytta 2.2%, Gurage 2%, Afar (official working language of the State of Afar) 1.7%, Hadiyya 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Opuuo 1.2%, Kafa 1.1%, other 8.1%, English (major foreign language taught in schools), Arabic (2007 est.) Major cities ADDIS ABABA (capital) 3.238 million (2015) Ethnic groups Oromo 34.4%, Amhara (Amara) 27%, Somali (Somalie) 6.2%, Tigray (Tigrinya) 6.1%, Sidama 4%, Gurage 2.5%, Welaita 2.3%, Hadiya 1.7%, Afar (Affar) 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Silte 1.3%, Kefficho 1.2%, other 10.5% (2007 est.) Religions Ethiopian Orthodox 43.5%, Muslim 33.9%, Protestant 18.5%, traditional 2.7%, Catholic 0.7%, other 0.6% (2007 est.) Independence oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years (may be traced to the Aksumite Kingdom, which coalesced in the first century B.C.)
Internet .et • 1.6 million • 1.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 30.5 million • 32 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Fiji › Oceania -- Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Suva (on Viti Levu) • 18,274 sq km • pop. 909,389 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani Major cities SUVA (capital) 176,000 (2014) Ethnic groups iTaukei 56.8% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 37.5%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 4.5% (European, part European, other Pacific Islanders, Chinese) Religions Protestant 45% (Methodist 34.6%, Assembly of God 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.9%, and Anglican 0.8%), Hindu 27.9%, other Christian 10.4%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other 0.3%, none 0.8% (2007 est.) Independence 10 October 1970 (from the UK)
Internet .fj • 331,700 • 36.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 876,200 • 97 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Finland › Europe -- Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Helsinki • 338,145 sq km • pop. 5,476,922 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Finnish (official) 89%, Swedish (official) 5.3%, Russian 1.3%, other 4.4% (2014 est.) Major cities HELSINKI (capital) 1.18 million (2015) Ethnic groups Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6%, Russian 0.5%, Estonian 0.3%, Roma (Gypsy) 0.1%, Sami 0.1% (2006) Religions Lutheran 78.4%, Orthodox 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.2%, none 19.2% (2010 est.) Independence 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
Internet .fi; note - Aland Islands assigned .ax • 5.1 million • 94.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 7.6 million • 139 (2014 est.) subs./100
French Republic › --
Paris • 643,801 sq km; 551,500 sq km (metropolitan France) • pop. 66,553,766
Languages French (official) 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) Major cities PARIS (capital) 10.843 million; Lyon 1.609 million; Marseille-Aix-en-Provence 1.605 million; Lille 1.027 million; Nice-Cannes 967,000; Toulouse 938,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities Religions Christian (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic) 63-66%, Muslim 7-9%, Jewish .5-.75%, Buddhist .5-.75%, other .5-1.0%, none 23-28% Independence no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French Republic founded); 4 October 1958 (Fifth French Republic established)
Internet metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp; Martinique - .mq; Mayotte - .yt; Reunion - .re • 56.8 million • 85.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 64.9 million • 98 (2014 est.) subs./100
Gabonese Republic › Africa -- Central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Libreville • 267,667 sq km • pop. 1,705,336
Languages French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi Major cities LIBREVILLE (capital) 707,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Bantu tribes, including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba); other Africans and Europeans, 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality Religions Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% Independence 17 August 1960 (from France)
Internet .ga • 164,800 • 9.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.6 million • 215 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of The Gambia › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
Banjul • 11,300 sq km • pop. 1,967,709 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars Major cities BANJUL (capital) 504,000 (2015) Ethnic groups African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1% (2003 census) Religions Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2% Independence 18 February 1965 (from the UK)
Internet .gm • 274,000 • 14.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 2.3 million • 119 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Asia -- Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia, with a sliver of land north of the Caucasus extending into Europe; note - Georgia views itself as part of Europe
Tbilisi • 69,700 sq km • pop. 4,931,226 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Georgian (official) 71%, Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% Major cities TBILISI (capital) 1.147 million (2015) Ethnic groups Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 est.) Religions Orthodox Christian (official) 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census) Independence 9 April 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier date: A.D. 1008 (Georgia unified under King BAGRAT III)
Internet .ge • 2.5 million • 50.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 5.4 million • 109 (2014 est.) subs./100
Federal Republic of Germany › Europe -- Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark
Berlin • 357,022 sq km • pop. 80,854,408 (July 2015 est.)
Languages German (official) Major cities BERLIN (capital) 3.563 million; Hamburg 1.831 million; Munich 1.438 million; Cologne 1.037 million (2015) Ethnic groups German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish) Religions Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3% Independence 18 January 1871 (establishment of the German Empire); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed on 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed on 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; West Germany and East Germany unified on 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights on 15 March 1991; notable earlier dates: 10 August 843 (Eastern Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 2 February 962 (crowning of OTTO I, recognized as the first Holy Roman Emperor)
Internet .de • 70.3 million • 86.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 99.5 million • 123 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Ghana › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Accra • 238,533 sq km • pop. 26,327,649
Languages Asante 16%, Ewe 14%, Fante 11.6%, Boron (Brong) 4.9%, Dagomba 4.4%, Dangme 4.2%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.9%, Kokomba 3.5%, Akyem 3.2%, Ga 3.1%, other 31.2% Major cities Kumasi 2.599 million; ACCRA (capital) 2.277 million (2015) Ethnic groups Akan 47.5%, Mole-Dagbon 16.6%, Ewe 13.9%, Ga-Dangme 7.4%, Gurma 5.7%, Guan 3.7%, Grusi 2.5%, Mande 1.1%, other 1.4% (2010 est.) Religions Christian 71.2% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 28.3%, Protestant 18.4%, Catholic 13.1%, other 11.4%), Muslim 17.6%, traditional 5.2%, other 0.8%, none 5.2% (2010 est.) Independence 6 March 1957 (from the UK)
Internet .gh • 5 million • 19.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 30.4 million • 118 (2014 est.) subs./100
Hellenic Republic › Europe -- Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Athens • 131,957 sq km • pop. 10,775,643 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Greek (official) 99%, other (includes English and French) 1% Major cities ATHENS (capital) 3.052 million (2015) Ethnic groups population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001 census) Religions Greek Orthodox (official) 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% Independence 1830 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Internet .gr • 6.2 million • 57.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 12.8 million • 119 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Saint George's • 344 sq km • pop. 110,694 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official), French patois Major cities SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) 38,000 (2014) Ethnic groups African descent 89.4%, mixed 8.2%, East Indian 1.6%, other 0.9% (includes indigenous) (2001 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 44.6%, Protestant 43.5% (includes Anglican 11.5%, Pentecostal 11.3%, Seventh Day Adventist 10.5%, Baptist 2.9%, Church of God 2.6%, Methodist 1.8%, Evangelical 1.6%, other 1.3%), Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 6.2%, none 3.6% Independence 7 February 1974 (from the UK)
Internet .gd • 49,600 • 45.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 134,500 • 122 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Guatemala › Central America and the Caribbean -- Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
Guatemala City • 108,889 sq km • pop. 14,918,999 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official) 60%, Amerindian languages 40% Major cities GUATEMALA CITY (capital) 2.918 million (2015) Ethnic groups Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001 census) Religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Internet .gt • 2.5 million • 17.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 16.9 million • 115 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Guinea › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Conakry • 245,857 sq km • pop. 11,780,162 (July 2015 est.)
Languages French (official) Major cities CONAKRY (capital) 1.936 million (2015) Ethnic groups Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10% Religions Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7% Independence 2 October 1958 (from France)
Internet .gn • 195,100 • 1.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 8.7 million • 76 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Guinea-Bissau › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Bissau • 36,125 sq km • pop. 1,726,170 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Crioulo 90.4%, Portuguese 27.1% (official), French 5.1%, English 2.9%, other 2.4% Major cities BISSAU (capital) 492,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Fula 28.5%, Balanta 22.5%, Mandinga 14.7%, Papel 9.1%, Manjaco 8.3%, Beafada 3.5%, Mancanha 3.1%, Bijago 2.1%, Felupe 1.7%, Mansoanca 1.4%, Balanta Mane 1%, other 1.8%, none 2.2% (2008 est.) Religions Muslim 45.1%, Christian 22.1%, animist 14.9%, none 2%, unspecified 15.9% (2008 est.) Independence 24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
Internet .gw • 56,100 • 3.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 1.1 million • 65 (2014 est.) subs./100
Cooperative Republic of Guyana › South America -- Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
Georgetown • 214,969 sq km • pop. 735,222
Languages English (official), Guyanese Creole, Amerindian languages (including Caribbean and Arawak languages), Indian languages (including Caribbean Hindustani, a dialect of Hindi), Chinese (2014 est.) Major cities GEORGETOWN (capital) 124,000 (2014) Ethnic groups East Indian 43.5%, black (African) 30.2%, mixed 16.7%, Amerindian 9.1%, other 0.5% (includes Portuguese, Chinese, white) (2002 est.) Religions Protestant 30.5% (Pentecostal 16.9%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%), Hindu 28.4%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Muslim 7.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, other 1.9%, none 4.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2002 est.) Independence 26 May 1966 (from the UK)
Internet .gy • 270,200 • 36.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 566,900 • 77 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Haiti › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Port-au-Prince • 27,750 sq km • pop. 10,110,019
Languages French (official), Creole (official) Major cities PORT-AU-PRINCE (capital) 2.44 million (2015) Ethnic groups black 95%, mulatto and white 5% Religions Roman Catholic (official) 54.7%, Protestant 28.5% (Baptist 15.4%, Pentecostal 7.9%, Adventist 3%, Methodist 1.5%, other .7%), voodoo (official) 2.1%, other 4.6%, none 10.2% Independence 1 January 1804 (from France)
Internet .ht • 1.2 million • 11.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 6.8 million • 68 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Honduras › Central America and the Caribbean -- Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Tegucigalpa • 112,090 sq km • pop. 8,746,673
Languages Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects Major cities TEGUCIGALPA (capital) 1.123 million; San Pedro Sula 852,000 (2015) Ethnic groups mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1% Religions Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3% Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Internet .hn • 1.7 million • 19.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 7.7 million • 90 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Europe -- Central Europe, northwest of Romania
Budapest • 93,028 sq km • pop. 9,897,541 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Hungarian (official) 99.6%, English 16%, German 11.2%, Russian 1.6%, Romanian 1.3%, French 1.2%, other 4.2% Major cities BUDAPEST (capital) 1.714 million (2015) Ethnic groups Hungarian 85.6%, Roma 3.2%, German 1.9%, other 2.6%, unspecified 14.1% Religions Roman Catholic 37.2%, Calvinist 11.6%, Lutheran 2.2%, Greek Catholic 1.8%, other 1.9%, none 18.2%, unspecified 27.2% (2011 est.) Independence 16 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding date); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established)
Internet .hu • 7.4 million • 74.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 11.7 million • 118 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Iceland › Arctic Region -- Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the United Kingdom
Reykjavik • 103,000 sq km • pop. 331,918 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken Major cities REYKJAVIK (capital) 184,000 (2014) Ethnic groups homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6% Religions Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (official) 73.8%, Roman Catholic 3.6%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.9%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 2%, The Independent Congregation 1%, other religions 3.9% (includes Pentecostal and Asatru Association), none 5.6%, other or unspecified 7.2% (2015 est.) Independence 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark; birthday of Jon SIGURDSSON leader of Iceland's 19th Century independence movement)
Internet .is • 316,400 • 96.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 370,000 • 113 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of India › Asia -- Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
New Delhi • 3,287,263 sq km • pop. 1,251,695,584 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9% Major cities NEW DELHI (capital) 25.703 million; Mumbai 21.043 million; Kolkata 11.766 million; Bangalore 10.087 million; Chennai 9.62 million; Hyderabad 8.944 million (2015) Ethnic groups Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000) Religions Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other and unspecified 2% (2011 est.) Independence 15 August 1947 (from the UK)
Internet .in • 237.3 million • 19.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 944 million • 76 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Indonesia › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
Jakarta • 1,904,569 sq km • pop. 255,993,674 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (of which the most widely spoken is Javanese) Major cities JAKARTA (capital) 10.323 million; Surabaya 2.853 million; Bandung 2.544 million; Medan 2.204 million; Semarang 1.63 million; Makassar 1.489 million (2015) Ethnic groups Javanese 40.1%, Sundanese 15.5%, Malay 3.7%, Batak 3.6%, Madurese 3%, Betawi 2.9%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Buginese 2.7%, Bantenese 2%, Banjarese 1.7%, Balinese 1.7%, Acehnese 1.4%, Dayak 1.4%, Sasak 1.3%, Chinese 1.2%, other 15% (2010 est.) Religions Muslim 87.2%, Christian 7%, Roman Catholic 2.9%, Hindu 1.7%, other 0.9% (includes Buddhist and Confucian), unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.) Independence 17 August 1945 (declared)
Internet .id • 42.4 million • 16.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 319 million • 126 (2014 est.) subs./100
Islamic Republic of Iran › Middle East -- Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan
Tehran • 1,648,195 sq km • pop. 81,824,270 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Persian (official), Azeri Turkic and Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic, other Major cities TEHRAN (capital) 8.432 million; Mashhad 3.014 million; Esfahan 1.88 million; Karaj 1.807 million; Shiraz 1.661 million; Tabriz 1.572 million (2015) Ethnic groups Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes Religions Muslim (official) 99.4% (Shia 90-95%, Sunni 5-10%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian) 0.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2011 est.) Independence 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed); notable earlier dates: ca. 550 B.C. (Achaemenid (Persian) Empire established); A.D. 1501 (Iran reunified under the Safavid Dynasty); 12 December 1925 (modern Iran established under the PAHLAVI Dynasty)
Internet .ir • 22.9 million • 28.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 68.9 million • 85 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Iraq › Middle East -- Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Baghdad • 438,317 sq km • pop. 37,056,169 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), Kurdish (official), Turkmen (a Turkish dialect) and Assyrian (Neo-Aramaic) are official in areas where they constitute a majority of the population), Armenian Major cities BAGHDAD (capital) 6.643 million; Mosul 1.694 million; Erbil 1.166 million; Basra 1.019 million; As Sulaymaniyah 1.004 million; Najaf 889,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian, or other 5% Religions Muslim (official) 99% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian 0.8%, Hindu note: while there has been voluntary relocation of many Christian families to northern Iraq, recent reporting indicates that the overall Christian population may have dropped by as much as 50 percent since the fall of the Saddam HUSSEIN regime in 2003, with many fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon (2010 est.)
Independence 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government
Internet .iq • 2.8 million • 7.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 33 million • 92 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Europe -- Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Dublin • 70,273 sq km • pop. 4,892,305 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 38.7% of the population as a first or second language in 2011; mainly spoken in areas along the western coast) Major cities DUBLIN (capital) 1.169 million (2015) Ethnic groups Irish 84.5%, other white 9.8%, Asian 1.9%, black 1.4%, mixed and other 0.9%, unspecified 1.6% (2011 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 84.7%, Church of Ireland 2.7%, other Christian 2.7%, Muslim 1.1%, other 1.7%, unspecified 1.5%, none 5.7% (2011 est.) Independence 6 December 1921 (from the UK by treaty)
Internet .ie • 3.9 million • 81.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 4.9 million • 101 (2014 est.) subs./100
State of Israel › Middle East -- Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Jerusalem: note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like all other countries, maintains its embassy in Tel Aviv • 20,770 sq km • pop. 8,049,314 (includes populations of the Golan Heights of Golan Sub-District and East Jerusalem, which was annexed by Israel after 1967) (July 2014 est.)
Languages Hebrew (official), Arabic (used officially for Arab minority), English (most commonly used foreign language) Major cities Tel Aviv-Yafo 3.608 million; Haifa 1.097 million; JERUSALEM (capital) 839,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Jewish 75% (of which Israel-born 74.4%, Europe/America/Oceania-born 17.4%, Africa-born 5.1%, Asia-born 3.1%), non-Jewish 25% (mostly Arab) (2013 est.) Religions Jewish 75%, Muslim 17.5%, Christian 2%, Druze 1.6%, other 3.9% (2013 est.) Independence 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Internet .il • 6 million • 75.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 9.5 million • 120 (2014 est.) subs./100
Italian Republic › Europe -- Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Rome • 301,340 sq km • pop. 61,855,120 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German-speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area) Major cities ROME (capital) 3.718 million; Milan 3.099 million; Naples 2.202 million; Turin 1.765 million; Palermo 853,000; Bergamo 840,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south) Religions Christian 80% (overwhelmingly Roman Catholic with very small groups of Jehovah's Witnesses and Protestants), Muslim (about 800,000 to 1 million), Atheist and Agnostic 20% Independence 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
Internet .it • 37 million • 59.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 94.2 million • 153 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Kingston • 10,991 sq km • pop. 2,950,210 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English, English patois Major cities KINGSTON (capital) 588,000 (2015) Ethnic groups black 92.1%, mixed 6.1%, East Indian 0.8%, other 0.4%, unspecified 0.7% (2011 est.) Religions Protestant 64.8% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 12.0%, Pentecostal 11.0%, Other Church of God 9.2%, New Testament Church of God 7.2%, Baptist 6.7%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.5%, Anglican 2.8%, United Church 2.1%, Methodist 1.6%, Revived 1.4%, Brethren .9%, and Moravian .7%), Roman Catholic 2.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.9%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 6.5%, none 21.3%, unspecified 2.3% (2011 est.) Independence 6 August 1962 (from the UK)
Internet .jm • 1.5 million • 49.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 2.9 million • 98 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Asia -- Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
Tokyo • 377,915 sq km • pop. 126,919,659 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Japanese Major cities TOKYO (capital) 38.001 million; Osaka-Kobe 20.238 million; Nagoya 9.406 million; Kitakyushu-Fukuoka 5.51 million; Shizuoka-Hamamatsu 3.369 million; Sapporo 2.571 million (2015) Ethnic groups Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6% Religions Shintoism 79.2%, Buddhism 66.8%, Christianity 1.5%, other 7.1% Independence 3 May 1947 (current constitution adopted as amendment to Meiji Constitution); notable earlier dates: 660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU); 29 November 1890 (Meiji Constitution provides for constitutional monarchy)
Internet .jp • 109.3 million • 86.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 152.7 million • 120 (2014 est.) subs./100
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan › Middle East -- Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia, between Israel (to the west) and Iraq
Amman • 89,342 sq km • pop. 8,117,564
Languages Arabic (official), English (widely understood among upper and middle classes) Major cities AMMAN (capital) 1.155 million (2015) Ethnic groups Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1% Religions Muslim 97.2% (official; predominantly Sunni), Christian 2.2% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), Buddhist 0.4%, Hindu 0.1%, Jewish
Independence 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Internet .jo • 3.6 million • 45.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 11.1 million • 140 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Kazakhstan › Asia -- Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural (Zhayyq) River in easternmost Europe
Astana • 2,724,900 sq km • pop. 18,157,122 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Kazakh (official, Qazaq) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.) Major cities Almaty 1.523 million; ASTANA (capital) 759,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Kazakh (Qazaq) 63.1%, Russian 23.7%, Uzbek 2.9%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Uighur 1.4%, Tatar 1.3%, German 1.1%, other 4.4% (2009 est.) Religions Muslim 70.2%, Christian 26.2% (mainly Russian Orthodox), other 0.2%, atheist 2.8%, unspecified 0.5% (2009 est.) Independence 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Internet .kz • 10.6 million • 59.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 28 million • 156 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Kenya › Africa -- Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
Nairobi • 580,367 sq km • pop. 45,925,301
Languages English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages Major cities NAIROBI (capital) 3.915 million; Mombassa 1.104 million (2015) Ethnic groups Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1% Religions Christian 82.5% (Protestant 47.4%, Catholic 23.3%, other 11.8%), Muslim 11.1%, Traditionalists 1.6%, other 1.7%, none 2.4%, unspecified 0.7% (2009 census) Independence 12 December 1963 (from the UK)
Internet .ke • 16.5 million • 36.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 33.6 million • 75 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Kiribati › Oceania -- Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about halfway between Hawaii and Australia
Tarawa • 811 sq km • pop. 105,711 (July 2015 est.)
Languages I-Kiribati, English (official) Major cities TARAWA (capital) 46,000 (2014) Ethnic groups I-Kiribati 89.5%, I-Kiribati/mixed 9.7%, Tuvaluan 0.1%, other 0.8% (2010 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 55.8%, Kempsville Presbyterian Church 33.5%, Mormon 4.7%, Baha'i 2.3%, Seventh Day Adventist 2%, other 1.5%, none 0.2%, unspecified 0.05% (2010 est.) Independence 12 July 1979 (from the UK)
Internet .ki • 12,200 • 11.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 18,100 • 17 (2014 est.) subs./100
Democratic People's Republic of Korea › Asia -- Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
Pyongyang • 120,538 sq km • pop. 24,983,205 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Korean Major cities PYONGYANG (capital) 2.863 million (2015) Ethnic groups racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese Religions traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) Independence 15 August 1945 (from Japan)
Internet .kp • •
Telephones - mobile 2.8 million • 11 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Korea › Asia -- Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Seoul • 99,720 sq km • pop. 49,115,196 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Korean, English (widely taught in junior high and high school) Major cities SEOUL (capital) 9.774 million; Busan (Pusan) 3.216 million; Incheon (Inch'on) 2.685 million; Daegu (Taegu) 2.244 million; Daejon (Taejon) 1.564 million; Gwangju (Kwangju) 1.536 million (2015) Ethnic groups homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) Religions Christian 31.6% (Protestant 24%, Roman Catholic 7.6%), Buddhist 24.2%, other or unknown 0.9%, none 43.3% (2010 survey) Independence 15 August 1945 (from Japan)
Internet .kr • 44.9 million • 91.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 57.2 million • 117 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Kosovo › Europe -- Southeast Europe, between Serbia and Macedonia
Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina) • 10,887 sq km • pop. 1,870,981 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Albanian (official) 94.5%, Bosnian 1.7%, Serbian (official) 1.6%, Turkish 1.1%, other 0.9% (includes Romani), unspecified 0.1% Major cities PRISTINA (capital) 207,062 (2014) Ethnic groups Albanians 92.9%, Bosniaks 1.6%, Serbs 1.5%, Turk 1.1%, Ashkali 0.9%, Egyptian 0.7%, Gorani 0.6%, Roma 0.5%, other/unspecified 0.2% Religions Muslim 95.6%, Orthodox 1.5%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, other 0.07%, none 0.07%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.) Independence 17 February 2008 (from Serbia)
Internet `` • • Telephones - mobile 562,000 • 31 (2007) subs./100
State of Kuwait › Middle East -- Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
Kuwait City • 17,818 sq km • pop. 2,788,534
Languages Arabic (official), English widely spoken Major cities KUWAIT (capital) 2.779 million (2015) Ethnic groups Kuwaiti 31.3%, other Arab 27.9%, Asian 37.8%, African 1.9%, other 1.1% (includes European, North American, South American, and Australian) (2013 est.) Religions Muslim (official) 76.7%, Christian 17.3%, other and unspecified 5.9% Independence 19 June 1961 (from the UK)
Internet .kw • 2.4 million • 86.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 7.6 million • 277 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kyrgyz Republic › Asia -- Central Asia, west of China, south of Kazakhstan
Bishkek • 199,951 sq km • pop. 5,664,939 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Kyrgyz (official) 71.4%, Uzbek 14.4%, Russian (official) 9%, other 5.2% (2009 est.) Major cities BISHKEK (capital) 865,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Kyrgyz 70.9%, Uzbek 14.3%, Russian 7.7%, Dungan 1.1%, other 5.9% (includes Uyghur, Tajik, Turk, Kazakh, Tatar, Ukrainian, Korean, German) (2009 est.) Religions Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5% Independence 31 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Internet .kg • 1.4 million • 24.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 7.6 million • 135 (2014 est.) subs./100
Lao People's Democratic Republic › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam
Vientiane (Viangchan) • 236,800 sq km • pop. 6,911,544 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages Major cities VIENTIANE (capital) 997,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Lao 54.6%, Khmou 10.9%, Hmong 8%, Tai 3.8%, Phuthai 3.3%, Leu 2.2%, Katang 2.1%, Makong 2.1%, Akha 1.6%, other 10.4%, unspecified 1% (2005 est.) Religions Buddhist 66.8%, Christian 1.5%, other 31%, unspecified 0.7% (2005 est.) Independence 19 July 1949 (from France)
Internet .la • 300,000 • 5.8% (2009)
Telephones - mobile 4.6 million • 68 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Latvia › Europe -- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Riga • 64,589 sq km • pop. 1,986,705 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian), unspecified 9.4% Major cities RIGA (capital) 621,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Latvian 61.1%, Russian 26.2%, Belarusian 3.5%, Ukrainian 2.3%, Polish 2.2%, Lithuanian 1.3%, other 3.4% (2013 est.) Religions Lutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006) Independence 4 May 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)
Internet .lv • 1.5 million • 76.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 2.5 million • 126 (2014 est.) subs./100
Lebanese Republic › Middle East -- Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Beirut • 10,400 sq km • pop. 6,184,701 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian Major cities BEIRUT (capital) 2.226 million (2015) Ethnic groups Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% Religions Muslim 54% (27% Sunni, 27% Shia), Christian 40.5% (includes 21% Maronite Catholic, 8% Greek Orthodox, 5% Greek Catholic, 6.5% other Christian), Druze 5.6%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, Hindus, and Mormons Independence 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Internet .lb • 4 million • 67.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 4.4 million • 75 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Lesotho › Africa -- Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Maseru • 30,355 sq km • pop. 1,947,701
Languages Sesotho (official) (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Major cities MASERU (capital) 267,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Independence 4 October 1966 (from the UK)
Internet .ls • 102,000 • 5.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 2.1 million • 110 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Liberia › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Monrovia • 111,369 sq km • pop. 4,195,666 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence Major cities MONROVIA (capital) 1.264 million (2015) Ethnic groups Kpelle 20.3%, Bassa 13.4%, Grebo 10%, Gio 8%, Mano 7.9%, Kru 6%, Lorma 5.1%, Kissi 4.8%, Gola 4.4%, other 20.1% (2008 Census) Religions Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.4% (2008 Census) Independence 26 July 1847
Internet .lr • 177,600 • 4.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.2 million • 79 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Africa -- Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria
Tripoli (Tarabulus) • 1,759,540 sq km • pop. 6,411,776
Languages Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Berber (Nafusi, Ghadamis, Suknah, Awjilah, Tamasheq) Major cities TRIPOLI (capital) 1.126 million (2015) Ethnic groups Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians) Religions Muslim (official; virtually all Sunni) 96.6%, Christian 2.7%, Buddhist 0.3%, Hindu note: non-Sunni Muslims include native Ibadhi Muslims (
Independence 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship)
Internet .ly • 1.4 million • 21.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 10.1 million • 161 (2014 est.) subs./100
Principality of Liechtenstein › Europe -- Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland
Vaduz • 160 sq km • pop. 37,624 (July 2015 est.)
Languages German 94.5% (official) (Alemannic is the main dialect), Italian 1.1%, other 4.3% (2010 est.) Major cities VADUZ (capital) 5,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Liechtensteiner 65.6%, other 34.4% (2000 census) Religions Roman Catholic (official) 75.9%, Protestant Reformed 6.5%, Muslim 5.4%, Lutheran 1.3%, other 2.9%, none 5.4%, unspecified 2.6% (2010 est.) Independence 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire); 24 August 1866 (independence from the German Confederation)
Internet .li • 34,500 • 92.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 38,800 • 104 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Lithuania › Europe -- Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia
Vilnius • 65,300 sq km • pop. 2,884,433
Languages Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other 0.9%, unspecified 3.5% (2011 est.) Major cities VILNIUS (capital) 517,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Lithuanian 84.1%, Polish 6.6%, Russian 5.8%, Belarusian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.2% (2011 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 77.2%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Old Believer 0.8%, Evangelical Lutheran 0.6%, Evangelical Reformist 0.2%, other (including Sunni Muslim, Jewish, Greek Catholic, and Karaite) 0.8%, none 6.1%, unspecified 10.1% (2011 est.) Independence 11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 6 July 1253 (coronation of MINDAUGAS, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created), 16 February 1918 (independence from Soviet Russia)
Internet .lt • 2 million • 70.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 4.4 million • 152 (2014 est.) subs./100
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg › Europe -- Western Europe, between France and Germany
Luxembourg • 2,586 sq km • pop. 570,252 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Luxembourgish (official administrative language and national language (spoken vernacular)) 88.8%, French (official administrative language) 4.2%, Portuguese 2.3%, German (official administrative language) 1.1%, other 3.5% (2011 est.) Major cities LUXEMBOURG (capital) 107,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Luxembourger 57%, Portuguese 16.1%, French 6.1%, Italian 3.5%, Belgian 3.3%, German 2.4%, British 1.1%, other 10.5% Religions Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000) Independence 1839 (from the Netherlands)
Internet .lu • 530,400 • 95.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 796,400 • 143 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Macedonia › Europe -- Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Skopje • 25,713 sq km • pop. 2,096,015 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Macedonian (official) 66.5%, Albanian (official) 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 est.) Major cities SKOPJE (capital) 503,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 est.) Religions Macedonian Orthodox 64.8%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.4%, other and unspecified 1.5% (2002 est.) Independence 8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
Internet .mk • •
Telephones - mobile 2.3 million • 110 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Madagascar › Africa -- Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Antananarivo • 587,041 sq km • pop. 23,812,681 (July 2015 est.)
Languages French (official), Malagasy (official), English Major cities ANTANANARIVO (capital) 2.61 million (2015) Ethnic groups Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran Religions indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% Independence 26 June 1960 (from France)
Internet .mg • 17 million • 73.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 9 million • 39 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Malawi › Africa -- Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique
Lilongwe • 118,484 sq km • pop. 17,964,697
Languages English (official), Chichewa (common), Chinyanja, Chiyao, Chitumbuka, Chilomwe, Chinkhonde, Chingoni, Chisena, Chitonga, Chinyakyusa, Chilambya Major cities LILONGWE (capital) 905,000; Blantyre-Limbe 808,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Chewa 32.6%, Lomwe 17.6%, Yao 13.5%, Ngoni 11.5%, Tumbuka 8.8%, Nyanja 5.8%, Sena 3.6%, Tonga 2.1%, Ngonde 1%, other 3.5% Religions Christian 82.6%, Muslim 13%, other 1.9%, none 2.5% (2008 est.) Independence 6 July 1964 (from the UK)
Internet .mw • 387,500 • 2.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 5.1 million • 30 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Kuala Lumpur; note - Putrajaya is referred to as an administrative center not the capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur • 329,847 sq km • pop. 30,513,848 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai Major cities KUALA LUMPUR (capital) 6.837 million; Johor Bahru 912,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Malay 50.1%, Chinese 22.6%, indigenous 11.8%, Indian 6.7%, other 0.7%, non-citizens 8.2% (2010 est.) Religions Muslim (official) 61.3%, Buddhist 19.8%, Christian 9.2%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 1.3%, other 0.4%, none 0.8%, unspecified 1% (2010 est.) Independence 31 August 1957 (from the UK)
Internet .my • 12.1 million • 40.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 44.9 million • 149 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Maldives › Asia -- Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Male • 298 sq km • pop. 393,253 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Dhivehi (official, dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English (spoken by most government officials) Major cities MALE (capital) 156,000 (2014) Ethnic groups South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs Religions Sunni Muslim (official) Independence 26 July 1965 (from the UK)
Internet .mv • 18,600 • 4.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 665,800 • 169 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Mali › Africa -- interior Western Africa, southwest of Algeria, north of Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, west of Niger
Bamako • 1,240,192 sq km • pop. 16,955,536 (July 2015 est.)
Languages French (official), Bambara 46.3%, Peul/foulfoulbe 9.4%, Dogon 7.2%, Maraka/soninke 6.4%, Malinke 5.6%, Sonrhai/djerma 5.6%, Minianka 4.3%, Tamacheq 3.5%, Senoufo 2.6%, unspecified 0.6%, other 8.5% Major cities BAMAKO (capital) 2.515 million (2015) Ethnic groups Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5% Religions Muslim 94.8%, Christian 2.4%, Animist 2%, none 0.5%, unspecified 0.3% (2009 Census) Independence 22 September 1960 (from France)
Internet .ml • 12.4 million • 75.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 23.5 million • 143 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Malta › Europe -- Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
Valletta • 316 sq km • pop. 413,965 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Maltese (official) 90.1%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.9% (2005 est.) Major cities VALLETTA (capital) 197,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock) Religions Roman Catholic (official) more than 90% (2011 est.) Independence 21 September 1964 (from the UK)
Internet .mt • 166,000 • 40.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 546,200 • 132 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of the Marshall Islands › Oceania -- Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia
Majuro • 181 sq km • pop. 72,191 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census) Major cities MAJURO (capital) 31,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Marshallese 92.1%, mixed Marshallese 5.9%, other 2% (2006) Religions Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census) Independence 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
Internet .mh • 1,700 • 2.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 15,500 • 22 (2014 est.) subs./100
Islamic Republic of Mauritania › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Nouakchott • 1,030,700 sq km • pop. 3,596,702 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French, Hassaniya (a variety of Arabic) Major cities NOUAKCHOTT (capital) 968,000 (2015) Ethnic groups black Moors (Haratines - Arab-speaking slaves, former slaves, and their descendants of African origin, enslaved by white Moors) 40%, white Moors (of Arab-Berber descent, known as Bidhan) 30%, black Africans (non-Arabic speaking, Halpulaar, Soninke, Wolof, and Bamara ethnic groups) 30% Religions Muslim (official) 100% Independence 28 November 1960 (from France)
Internet .mr • 402,000 • 11.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.8 million • 107 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Mauritius › Africa -- Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, about 800 km (500 mi) east of Madagascar
Port Louis • 2,040 sq km • pop. 1,339,827 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Creole 86.5%, Bhojpuri 5.3%, French 4.1%, two languages 1.4%, other 2.6% (includes English, the official language, which is spoken by less than 1% of the population), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) Major cities PORT LOUIS (capital) 135,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2% Religions Hindu 48.5%, Roman Catholic 26.3%, Muslim 17.3%, other Christian 6.4%, other 0.6%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) Independence 12 March 1968 (from the UK)
Internet .mu • 81,700 • 6.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 1.7 million • 124 (2014 est.) subs./100
United Mexican States › North America -- North America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the United States and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the United States
Mexico City (Distrito Federal) • 1,964,375 sq km • pop. 121,736,809 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish only 92.7%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.7%, indigenous only 0.8%, unspecified 0.8% Major cities MEXICO CITY (capital) 20.999 million; Guadalajara 4.843 million; Monterrey 4.513 million; Puebla 2.984 million; Toluca de Lerdo 2.164 million; Tijuana 1.987 million (2015) Ethnic groups mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 62%, predominantly Amerindian 21%, Amerindian 7%, other 10% (mostly European) Religions Roman Catholic 82.7%, Pentecostal 1.6%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.4%, other Evangelical Churches 5%, other 1.9%, none 4.7%, unspecified 2.7% (2010 est.) Independence 16 September 1810 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recognized by Spain)
Internet .mx • 49.5 million • 41.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 102.2 million • 85 (2014 est.) subs./100
Federated States of Micronesia › Oceania -- Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia
Palikir • 702 sq km • pop. 105,216 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official and common language), Chuukese, Kosrean, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi Major cities PALIKIR (capital) 7,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Chuukese/Mortlockese 49.3%, Pohnpeian 29.8%, Kosraean 6.3%, Yapese 5.7%, Yap outer islanders 5.1%, Polynesian 1.6%, Asian 1.4%, other 0.8% (2010 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 54.7%, Protestant 41.1% (includes Congregational 38.5%, Baptist 1.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 0.8%, Assembly of God .7%), Mormon 1.5%, other 1.9%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.) Independence 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
Internet .fm • 29,900 • 28.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 31,400 • 30 (2013) subs./100
Republic of Moldova › Europe -- Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Chisinau in Romanian (Kishinev in Russian) • 33,851 sq km • pop. 3,546,847 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Moldovan 58.8% (official; virtually the same as the Romanian language), Romanian 16.4%, Russian 16%, Ukrainian 3.8%, Gagauz 3.1% (a Turkish language), Bulgarian 1.1%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.4% Major cities CHISINAU (capital) 725,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Moldovan 75.8%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.9%, Gagauz 4.4%, Romanian 2.2%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1%, unspecified 0.4% Religions Orthodox 93.3%, Baptist 1%, other Christian 1.2%, other 0.9%, atheist 0.4%, none 1%, unspecified 2.2% (2004 est.) Independence 27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Internet .md • 1.6 million • 44.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.7 million • 104 (2014 est.) subs./100
Principality of Monaco › Europe -- Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy
Monaco • 2 sq km • pop. 30,535
Languages French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque Major cities MONACO (capital) 38,000 (2014) Ethnic groups French (official) 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21% Religions Roman Catholic 90% (official), other 10% Independence 1419 (beginning of permanent rule by the House of GRIMALDI)
Internet .mc • 27,400 • 89.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 33,700 • 110 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Asia -- Northern Asia, between China and Russia
Ulaanbaatar • 1,564,116 sq km • pop. 2,992,908 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Khalkha Mongol 90% (official), Turkic, Russian (1999) Major cities ULAANBAATAR (capital) 1.377 million (2015) Ethnic groups Khalkh 81.9%, Kazak 3.8%, Dorvod 2.7%, Bayad 2.1%, Buryat-Bouriates 1.7%, Zakhchin 1.2%, Dariganga 1%, Uriankhai 1%, other 4.6% (2010 est.) Religions Buddhist 53%, Muslim 3%, Christian 2.2%, Shamanist 2.9%, other 0.4%, none 38.6% (2010 est.) Independence 11 July 1921 (from China)
Internet .mn • 527,100 • 17.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3 million • 103 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Europe -- Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia
Podgorica; note - Cetinje retains the status of "Old Royal Capital" • 13,812 sq km • pop. 647,073 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Serbian 42.9%, Montenegrin (official) 37%, Bosnian 5.3%, Albanian 5.3%, Serbo-Croat 2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 4% (2011 est.) Major cities PODGORICA (capital) 165,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Montenegrin 45%, Serbian 28.7%, Bosniak 8.7%, Albanian 4.9%, Muslim 3.3%, Roma 1%, Croat 1%, other 2.6%, unspecified 4.9% (2011 est.) Religions Orthodox 72.1%, Muslim 19.1%, Catholic 3.4%, atheist 1.2%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.6% (2011 est.) Independence 3 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro)
Internet .me • 381,700 • 58.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 1 million • 156 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Morocco › Africa -- Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara
Rabat • 446,550 sq km • pop. 33,322,699 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), Berber languages (Tamazight (official), Tachelhit, Tarifit), French (often the language of business, government, and diplomacy) Major cities Casablanca 3.515 million; RABAT (capital) 1.967 million; Fes 1.172 million; Marrakech 1.134 million; Tangier 982,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Arab-Berber 99%, other 1% Religions Muslim 99% (official; virtually all Sunni,
Independence 2 March 1956 (from France)
Internet .ma • 19.9 million • 60.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 44.1 million • 134 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Mozambique › Africa -- Southeastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania
Maputo • 799,380 sq km • pop. 25,303,113
Languages Emakhuwa 25.3%, Portuguese (official) 10.7%, Xichangana 10.3%, Cisena 7.5%, Elomwe 7%, Echuwabo 5.1%, other Mozambican languages 30.1%, other 4% (1997 census) Major cities MAPUTO (capital) 1.187 million; Matola 937,000 (2015) Ethnic groups African 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08% Religions Roman Catholic 28.4%, Muslim 17.9%, Zionist Christian 15.5%, Protestant 12.2% (includes Pentecostal 10.9% and Anglican 1.3%), other 6.7%, none 18.7%, unspecified 0.7% (2007 est.) Independence 25 June 1975 (from Portugal)
Internet .mz • 1.4 million • 5.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 18.4 million • 75 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Namibia › Africa -- Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa
Windhoek • 824,292 sq km • pop. 2,212,307
Languages Oshiwambo languages 48.9%, Nama/Damara 11.3%, Afrikaans 10.4% (common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population), Otjiherero languages 8.6%, Kavango languages 8.5%, Caprivi languages 4.8%, English (official) 3.4%, other African languages 2.3%, other 1.7% Major cities WINDHOEK (capital) 368,000 (2015) Ethnic groups black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5% Religions Christian 80% to 90% (at least 50% Lutheran), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20% Independence 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
Internet .na • 325,400 • 14.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 2.7 million • 121 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Nauru › Oceania -- Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
• 21 sq km • pop. 9,540 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Nauruan 93% (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English 2% (widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes), other 5% (includes I-Kiribati 2% and Chinese 2%) Major cities Ethnic groups Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8% Religions Protestant 60.4% (includes Nauru Congregational 35.7%, Assembly of God 13%, Nauru Independent Church 9.5%, Baptist 1.5%, and Seventh Day Adventist .7%), Roman Catholic 33%, other 3.7%, none 1.8%, unspecified 1.1% (2011 est.) Independence 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
Internet .nr • •
Telephones - mobile 6,800 • 73 (2012) subs./100
Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal › Asia -- Southern Asia, between China and India
Kathmandu • 147,181 sq km • pop. 31,551,305 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Nepali (official) 44.6%, Maithali 11.7%, Bhojpuri 6%, Tharu 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.2%, Magar 3%, Bajjika 3%, Urdu 2.6%, Avadhi 1.9%, Limbu 1.3%, Gurung 1.2%, other 10.4%, unspecified 0.2% Major cities KATHMANDU (capital) 1.183 million (2015) Ethnic groups Chhettri 16.6%, Brahman-Hill 12.2%, Magar 7.1%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.8%, Newar 5%, Kami 4.8%, Muslim 4.4%, Yadav 4%, Rai 2.3%, Gurung 2%, Damai/Dholii 1.8%, Thakuri 1.6%, Limbu 1.5%, Sarki 1.4%, Teli 1.4%, Chamar/Harijan/Ram 1.3%, Koiri/Kushwaha 1.2%, other 19% Religions Hindu 81.3%, Buddhist 9%, Muslim 4.4%, Kirant 3.1%, Christian 1.4%, other 0.5%, unspecifed 0.2% (2011 est.) Independence 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)
Internet .np • 3.8 million • 12.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 23.2 million • 75 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of the Netherlands › Europe -- Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Amsterdam; note - The Hague is the seat of government • 41,543 sq km • pop. 16,947,904 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Dutch (official) Major cities AMSTERDAM (capital) 1.091 million; Rotterdam 993,000; The Hague (seat of government) 650,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Dutch 80.7%, EU 5%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%, Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 2%, Caribbean 0.8%, other 4.8% (2008 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 28%, Protestant 19% (includes Dutch Reformed 9%, Protestant Church of The Netherlands, 7%, Calvinist 3%), other 11% (includes about 5% Muslim and lesser numbers of Hindu, Buddhist, Jehovah's Witness, and Orthodox), none 42% (2009 est.) Independence 23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)
Internet .nl • 16.2 million • 96.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 19.6 million • 116 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Oceania -- Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Wellington • 267,710 sq km • pop. 4,438,393 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (de facto official) 89.8%, Maori (de jure official) 3.5%, Samoan 2%, Hindi 1.6%, French 1.2%, Northern Chinese 1.2%, Yue 1%, Other or not stated 20.5%, New Zealand Sign Language (de jure official) Major cities Auckland 1.344 million; WELLINGTON (capital) 383,000 (2015) Ethnic groups European 71.2%, Maori 14.1%, Asian 11.3%, Pacific peoples 7.6%, Middle Eastern, Latin American, African 1.1%, other 1.6%, not stated or unidentified 5.4% Religions Christian 44.3% (Catholic 11.6%, Anglican 10.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 7.8%, Methodist, 2.4%, Pentecostal 1.8%, other 9.9%), Hindu 2.1%, Buddhist 1.4%, Maori Christian 1.3%, Islam 1.1%, other religion 1.4% (includes Judaism, Spiritualism and New Age religions, Baha'i, Asian religions other than Buddhism), no religion 38.5%, not stated or unidentified 8.2%, objected to answering 4.1% Independence 26 September 1907 (from the UK)
Internet .nz • 4 million • 91.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 5.1 million • 116 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Nicaragua › Central America and the Caribbean -- Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Managua • 130,370 sq km • pop. 5,907,881 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official) 95.3%, Miskito 2.2%, Mestizo of the Caribbean coast 2%, other 0.5% Major cities MANAGUA (capital) 956,000 (2015) Ethnic groups mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5% Religions Roman Catholic 58.5%, Protestant 23.2% (Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%), Jehovah's Witnesses 0.9%, other 1.6%, none 15.7% (2005 est.) Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Internet .ni • 845,100 • 14.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 7.1 million • 121 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Niger › Africa -- Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Niamey • 1.267 million sq km • pop. 18,045,729 (July 2015 est.)
Languages French (official), Hausa, Djerma Major cities NIAMEY (capital) 1.09 million (2015) Ethnic groups Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census) Religions Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20% Independence 3 August 1960 (from France)
Internet .ne • 281,200 • 1.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 8.2 million • 47 (2014 est.) subs./100
Federal Republic of Nigeria › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon
Abuja • 923,768 sq km • pop. 181,562,056
Languages English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, over 500 additional indigenous languages Major cities Lagos 13.123 million; Kano 3.587 million; Ibadan 3.16 million; ABUJA (capital) 2.44 million; Port Harcourt 2.343 million; Benin City 1.496 million (2015) Ethnic groups Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the most populous and politically influential are: Hausa and the Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5% Religions Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10% Independence 1 October 1960 (from the UK)
Internet .ng • 66.6 million • 37.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 139 million • 78 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Norway › Europe -- Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden
Oslo • 323,802 sq km • pop. 5,207,689 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities Major cities OSLO (capital) 986,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Norwegian 94.4% (includes Sami, about 60,000), other European 3.6%, other 2% (2007 est.) Religions Church of Norway (Evangelical Lutheran - official) 82.1%, other Christian 3.9%, Muslim 2.3%, Roman Catholic 1.8%, other 2.4%, unspecified 7.5% (2011 est.) Independence 7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)
Internet .no • 4.9 million • 96.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 5.9 million • 115 (2014 est.) subs./100
Sultanate of Oman › Middle East -- Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
Muscat • 309,500 sq km • pop. 3,286,936
Languages Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects Major cities MUSCAT (capital) 838,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African Religions Muslim (official; majority are Ibadhi, lesser numbers of Sunni and Shia)) 85.9%, Christian 6.5%, Hindu 5.5%, Buddhist 0.8%, Jewish note: approximately 75% of Omani citizens, who compose almost 70% of the country's total population, are Ibadhi Muslims; the Omani government does not keep statistics on religious affiliation (2013) (2010 est.)
Independence 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Internet .om • 2.1 million • 65.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 6.2 million • 192 (2014 est.) subs./100
Islamic Republic of Pakistan › Asia -- Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north
Islamabad • 796,095 sq km • pop. 199,085,847 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8% Major cities Karachi 16.618 million; Lahore 8.741 million; Faisalabad 3.567 million; Rawalpindi 2.506 million; Multan 1.921 million; ISLAMABAD (capital) 1.365 million (2015) Ethnic groups Punjabi 44.68%, Pashtun (Pathan) 15.42%, Sindhi 14.1%, Sariaki 8.38%, Muhajirs 7.57%, Balochi 3.57%, other 6.28% Religions Muslim (official) 96.4% (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.6% (2010 est.) Independence 14 August 1947 (from British India)
Internet .pk • 21.3 million • 10.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 135.8 million • 69 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Palau › Oceania -- Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines
Melekeok • 459 sq km • pop. 21,265 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Palauan (official on most islands) 66.6%, Carolinian 0.7%, other Micronesian 0.7%, English (official) 15.5%, Filipino 10.8%, Chinese 1.8%, other Asian 2.6%, other 1.3% Major cities MELEKEOK (capital) 299 (2012) Ethnic groups Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 72.5%, Carolinian 1%, other Micronesian 2.4%, Filipino 16.3%, Chinese 1.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other Asian 3.4%, white 0.9%, other 0.3% (2005 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 49.4%, Protestant 30.9% (includes Protestant (general) 23.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.3%, and other Protestant 2.5%), Modekngei 8.7% (indigenous to Palau), Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 8.8%, none or unspecified 1.1% (2005 est.) Independence 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
Internet .pw • •
Telephones - mobile 19,100 • 90 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Panama › Central America and the Caribbean -- Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica
Panama City • 75,420 sq km • pop. 3,657,024 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), indigenous languages (including Ngabe, Bugle, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso Tjerdi, and Bri Bri) Major cities PANAMA CITY (capital) 1.673 million (2015) Ethnic groups mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Native American 12.3% (Ngabe 7.6%, Kuna 2.4%, Embera .9%, Bugle .8%, other .4%, unspecified .2%), black or African descent 9.2%, mulatto 6.8%, white 6.7% (2010 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% Independence 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain on 28 November 1821)
Internet .pa • 1.7 million • 48.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 6.2 million • 172 (2014 est.) subs./100
Independent State of Papua New Guinea › Oceania -- Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia
Port Moresby • 462,840 sq km • pop. 6,672,429 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Tok Pisin (official), English (official), Hiri Motu (official), some 836 indigenous languages spoken (about 12% of the world's total); most languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers Major cities PORT MORESBY (capital) 345,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian Religions Roman Catholic 27%, Protestant 69.4% (Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%, United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8.9%), Baha'i 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census) Independence 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)
Internet .pg • 164,500 • 2.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.4 million • 51 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Paraguay › South America -- Central South America, northeast of Argentina, southwest of Brazil
Asuncion • 406,752 sq km • pop. 6,783,272 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), Guarani (official) Major cities ASUNCION (capital) 23.56 million (2015) Ethnic groups mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5% Religions Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census) Independence 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Internet .py • 1.9 million • 29.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 7.3 million • 109 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Peru › South America -- Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
Lima • 1,285,216 sq km • pop. 30,444,999 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official) 84.1%, Quechua (official) 13%, Aymara (official) 1.7%, Ashaninka 0.3%, other native languages (includes a large number of minor Amazonian languages) 0.7%, other (includes foreign languages and sign language) 0.2% (2007 est.) Major cities LIMA (capital) 9.897 million; Arequipa 850,000; Trujillo 798,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3% Religions Roman Catholic 81.3%, Evangelical 12.5%, other 3.3%, none 2.9% (2007 est.) Independence 28 July 1821 (from Spain)
Internet .pe • 12.3 million • 40.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 31.7 million • 105 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of the Philippines › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Manila • 300,000 sq km • pop. 100,998,376 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan Major cities MANILA (capital) 12.946 million; Davao 1.63 million; Cebu City 951,000; Zamboanga 936,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%, other 25.3% (2000 census) Religions Catholic 82.9% (Roman Catholic 80.9%, Aglipayan 2%), Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census) Independence 4 July 1946 (from the US)
Internet .ph • 39.2 million • 39.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 111.3 million • 112 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Poland › Europe -- Central Europe, east of Germany
Warsaw • 312,685 sq km • pop. 38,562,189 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.3% Major cities WARSAW (capital) 1.722 million; Krakow 760,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Polish 96.9%, Silesian 1.1%, German 0.2%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 1.7% Religions Catholic 87.2% (includes Roman Catholic 86.9% and Greek Catholic, Armenian Catholic, and Byzantine-Slavic Catholic .3%), Orthodox 1.3% (almost all are Polish Autocephalous Orthodox), Protestant 0.4% (mainly Augsburg Evangelical and Pentacostal), other 0.4% (includes Jehovah's Witness, Buddhist, Hare Krishna, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Muslim, Jewish, Mormon), unspecified 10.8% (2012 est.) Independence 11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 966 (adoption of Christianity, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)
Internet .pl • 25.9 million • 67.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 59.8 million • 155 (2014 est.) subs./100
Portuguese Republic › Europe -- Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Lisbon • 92,090 sq km • pop. 10,825,309 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but locally used) Major cities LISBON (capital) 2.884 million; Porto 1.299 million (2015) Ethnic groups homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal Religions Roman Catholic 81%, other Christian 3.3%, other (includes Jewish, Muslim, other) 0.6%, none 6.8%, unspecified 8.3% Independence 1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
Internet .pt • 7.2 million • 66.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 11.9 million • 110 (2014 est.) subs./100
State of Qatar › Middle East -- Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia
Doha • 11,586 sq km • pop. 2,194,817 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language Major cities DOHA (capital) 718,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% Religions Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other (includes mainly Hindu and other Indian religions) 14% (2004 est.) Independence 3 September 1971 (from the UK)
Internet .qa • 2.1 million • 96.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3.3 million • 156 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Europe -- Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Bucharest • 238,391 sq km • pop. 21,666,350 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Romanian (official) 85.4%, Hungarian 6.3%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.2%, other 1%, unspecified 6.1% (2011 est.) Major cities BUCHAREST (capital) 1.868 million (2015) Ethnic groups Romanian 83.4%, Hungarian 6.1%, Roma 3.1%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.2%, other 0.7%, unspecified 6.1% (2011 est.) Religions Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 81.9%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformed and Pentecostal) 6.4%, Roman Catholic 4.3%, other (includes Muslim) 0.9%, none or atheist 0.2%, unspecified 6.3% (2011 est.) Independence 9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized on 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed)
Internet .ro • 11.2 million • 51.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 22.9 million • 105 (2014 est.) subs./100
Russian Federation › Asia -- North Asia bordering the Arctic Ocean, extending from Europe (the portion west of the Urals) to the North Pacific Ocean
Moscow • 17,098,242 sq km • pop. 142,423,773 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Russian (official) 96.3%, Dolgang 5.3%, German 1.5%, Chechen 1%, Tatar 3%, other 10.3% Major cities MOSCOW (capital) 12.166 million; Saint Petersburg 4.993 million; Novosibirsk 1.497 million; Yekaterinburg 1.379 million; Nizhniy Novgorod 1.212 million; Samara 1.164 million (2015) Ethnic groups Russian 77.7%, Tatar 3.7%, Ukrainian 1.4%, Bashkir 1.1%, Chuvash 1%, Chechen 1%, other 10.2%, unspecified 3.9% Religions Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.) Independence 24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 1157 (Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal created); 16 January 1547 (Tsardom of Muscovy established); 22 October 1721 (Russian Empire proclaimed); 30 December 1922 (Soviet Union established)
Internet .ru; note - Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su" that was allocated to the Soviet Union and is being phased out • 84.4 million • 59.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 221 million • 155 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Rwanda › Africa -- Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kigali • 26,338 sq km • pop. 12,661,733
Languages Kinyarwanda only (official, universal Bantu vernacular) 93.2%, Kinyarwanda and other language(s) 6.2%, French (official) and other language(s) 0.1%, English (official) and other language(s) 0.1%, Swahili (or Kiswahili, used in commercial centers) 0.02%, other 0.03%, unspecified 0.3% (2002 est.) Major cities KIGALI (capital) 1.257 million (2015) Ethnic groups Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, Twa (Pygmy) 1% Religions Roman Catholic 49.5%, Protestant 39.4% (includes Adventist 12.2% and other Protestant 27.2%), other Christian 4.5%, Muslim 1.8%, animist 0.1%, other 0.6%, none 3.6% (2001), unspecified 0.5% (2002 est.) Independence 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
Internet .rw • 1.1 million • 9.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 7.7 million • 63 (2014 est.) subs./100
Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Basseterre • 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) • pop. 51,936 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official) Major cities BASSETERRE (capital) 14,000 (2014) Ethnic groups predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese Religions Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic Independence 19 September 1983 (from the UK)
Internet .kn • 17,000 • 34.4% (2009)
Telephones - mobile 76,600 • 149 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Castries • 616 sq km • pop. 163,922 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official), French patois Major cities CASTRIES (capital) 22,000 (2014) Ethnic groups black/African descent 85.3%, mixed 10.9%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 61.5%, Protestant 25.5% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 10.4%, Pentecostal 8.9%, Baptist 2.2%, Anglican 1.6%, Church of God 1.5%, other Protestant .9%), other Christian 3.4% (includes Evangelical 2.3% and Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), Rastafarian 1.9%, other 0.4%, none 5.9%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.) Independence 22 February 1979 (from the UK)
Internet .lc • 142,900 • 89.2% (2009)
Telephones - mobile 188,400 • 115 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Kingstown • 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) • pop. 102,627 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English, French patois Major cities KINGSTOWN (capital) 27,000 (2014) Ethnic groups black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, European 4%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 3% Religions Protestant 75% (Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%), Roman Catholic 13%, other (includes Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant) 12% Independence 27 October 1979 (from the UK)
Internet .vc • 76,000 • 72.7% (2009)
Telephones - mobile 115,000 • 112 (2014 est.) subs./100
Independent State of Samoa › Oceania -- Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Apia • 2,831 sq km • pop. 197,773
Languages Samoan (Polynesian) (official), English Major cities APIA (capital) 37,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians (persons of European and Polynesian blood) 7%, Europeans 0.4% (2001 census) Religions Protestant 57.4% (Congregationalist 31.8%, Methodist 13.7%, Assembly of God 8%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.9%), Roman Catholic 19.4%, Mormon 15.2%, Worship Centre 1.7%, other Christian 5.5%, other 0.7%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) Independence 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
Internet .ws • 27,600 • 14.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 106,500 • 54 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of San Marino › Europe -- Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy
San Marino • 61 sq km • pop. 33,020 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Italian Major cities SAN MARINO 4,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Sammarinese, Italian Religions Roman Catholic Independence 3 September 301
Internet .sm • 17,200 • 52.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 37,600 • 115 (2014 est.) subs./100
Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe › Africa -- Central Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the Equator, west of Gabon
Sao Tome • 964 sq km • pop. 194,006 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4% Major cities SAO TOME (capital) 71,000 (2014) Ethnic groups mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cabo Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese), Asians (mostly Chinese) Religions Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.9%, Mana 2.3%, Universal Kingdom of God 2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012 est.) Independence 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Internet .st • 47,000 • 24.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 128,500 • 67 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia › Middle East -- Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
Riyadh • 2,149,690 sq km • pop. 27,752,316
Languages Arabic (official) Major cities RIYADH (capital) 6.195 million; Jeddah 4.076 million; Mecca 1.771 million; Medina 1.28 million; Ad Dammam 1.064 million (2015) Ethnic groups Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% Religions Muslim (official; citizens are 85-90% Sunni and 10-15% Shia), other (includes Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh) (2012 est.) Independence 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)
Internet .sa • 16.2 million • 59.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 52.7 million • 193 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Senegal › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
Dakar • 196,722 sq km • pop. 13,975,834 (July 2015 est.)
Languages French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka Major cities DAKAR (capital) 3.52 million (2015) Ethnic groups Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4% Religions Muslim 94% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1% Independence 4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960
Internet .sn • 3 million • 22.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 14.4 million • 105 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Serbia › Europe -- Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary
Belgrade (Beograd) • 77,474 sq km • pop. 7,176,794
Languages Serbian (official) 88.1%, Hungarian 3.4%, Bosnian 1.9%, Romany 1.4%, other 3.4%, undeclared or unknown 1.8% Major cities BELGRADE (capital) 1.182 million (2015) Ethnic groups Serb 83.3%, Hungarian 3.5%, Romany 2.1%, Bosniak 2%, other 5.7%, undeclared or unknown 3.4% (2011 est.) Religions Serbian Orthodox 84.6%, Catholic 5%, Muslim 3.1%, Protestant 1%, atheist 1.1%, other 0.8%, undeclared or unknown 4.5% (2011 est.) Independence 5 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro)
Internet .rs • 3.6 million • 49.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 9.3 million • 130 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Seychelles › Africa -- archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
Victoria • 455 sq km • pop. 92,430 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, other 3.8%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.) Major cities VICTORIA (capital) 26,000 (2014) Ethnic groups mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab Religions Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 10.6% (Anglican 6.1%, Pentecoastal Assembly 1.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.2%, other Protestant 1.6), other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9% (2010 est.) Independence 29 June 1976 (from the UK)
Internet .sc • 49,300 • 53.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 151,300 • 165 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Sierra Leone › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Freetown • 71,740 sq km • pop. 5,879,098 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%) Major cities FREETOWN (capital) 1.007 million (2015) Ethnic groups Temne 35%, Mende 31%, Limba 8%, Kono 5%, Kriole 2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), Mandingo 2%, Loko 2%, other 15% (includes refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, and small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians) (2008 census) Religions Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30% Independence 27 April 1961 (from the UK)
Internet .sl • 85,600 • 1.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 4.8 million • 83 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Singapore › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Singapore • 697 sq km • pop. 5,674,472 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Mandarin (official) 36.3%, English (official) 29.8%, Malay (official) 11.9%, Hokkien 8.1%, Tamil (official) 4.4%, Cantonese 4.1%, Teochew 3.2%, other Indian languages 1.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.1%, other 1.1% (2010 est.) Major cities SINGAPORE (capital) 5.619 million (2015) Ethnic groups Chinese 74.2%, Malay 13.3%, Indian 9.2%, other 3.3% (2013 est.) Religions Buddhist 33.9%, Muslim 14.3%, Taoist 11.3%, Catholic 7.1%, Hindu 5.2%, other Christian 11%, other 0.7%, none 16.4% (2010 est.) Independence 9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)
Internet .sg • 4.5 million • 80.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 8.7 million • 157 (2014 est.) subs./100
Slovak Republic › Europe -- Central Europe, south of Poland
Bratislava • 49,035 sq km • pop. 5,445,027 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Slovak (official) 78.6%, Hungarian 9.4%, Roma 2.3%, Ruthenian 1%, other or unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.) Major cities BRATISLAVA (capital) 401,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Slovak 80.7%, Hungarian 8.5%, Roma 2%, other and unspecified 8.8% (2011 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 8.2%, Greek Catholic 3.8%, other or unspecified 12.5%, none 13.4% (2011 est.) Independence 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Internet .sk • 4.5 million • 82.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 6.4 million • 117 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Slovenia › Europe -- south Central Europe, Julian Alps between Austria and Croatia
Ljubljana • 20,273 sq km • pop. 1,983,412 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Slovenian (official) 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4%, Italian (official, only in municipalities where Italian national communities reside), Hungarian (official, only in municipalities where Hungarian national communities reside) (2002 census) Major cities LJUBLJANA (capital) 279,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census) Religions Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census) Independence 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
Internet .si • 1.4 million • 72.3% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 2.3 million • 117 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Oceania -- Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Honiara • 28,896 sq km • pop. 622,469 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Melanesian pidgin (in much of the country is lingua franca), English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population), 120 indigenous languages Major cities HONIARA (capital) 73,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Melanesian 95.3%, Polynesian 3.1%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 0.3% (2009 est.) Religions Protestant 73.4% (Church of Melanesia 31.9%, South Sea Evangelical 17.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.7%, United Church 10.1%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.5%), Roman Catholic 19.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 4%, none 0.03%, unspecified 0.1% (2009 est.) Independence 7 July 1978 (from the UK)
Internet .sb • 46,400 • 7.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 376,700 • 62 (2014 est.) subs./100
Federal Republic of Somalia › Africa -- Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Mogadishu • 637,657 sq km • pop. 10,616,380
Languages Somali (official), Arabic (official, according to the Transitional Federal Charter), Italian, English Major cities MOGADISHU (capital) 2.138 million; Hargeysa 760,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including 30,000 Arabs) Religions Sunni Muslim (Islam) (official, according to the Transitional Federal Charter) Independence 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland that became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960 and Italian Somaliland that became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960 to form the Somali Republic)
Internet .so • 157,500 • 1.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 5.5 million • 53 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of South Africa › Africa -- Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Pretoria (administrative capital); Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital) • 1,219,090 sq km • pop. 53,675,563
Languages IsiZulu (official) 22.7%, IsiXhosa (official) 16%, Afrikaans (official) 13.5%, English (official) 9.6%, Sepedi (official) 9.1%, Setswana (official) 8%, Sesotho (official) 7.6%, Xitsonga (official) 4.5%, siSwati (official) 2.5%, Tshivenda (official) 2.4%, isiNdebele (official) 2.1%, sign language 0.5%, other 1.6% (2011 est.) Major cities Johannesburg (includes Ekurhuleni) 9.399 million; Cape Town (legislative capital) 3.66 million; Durban 2.901 million; PRETORIA (capital) 2.059 million; Port Elizabeth 1.179 million; Vereeniging 1.155 million (2015) Ethnic groups black African 80.2%, white 8.4%, colored 8.8%, Indian/Asian 2.5% Religions Protestant 36.6% (Zionist Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%), Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census) Independence 31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared); 27 April 1994 (majority rule)
Internet .za • 24.8 million • 46.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 79.5 million • 150 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of South Sudan › Africa -- East-Central Africa; south of Sudan, north of Uganda and Kenya, west of Ethiopia
Juba • 644,329 sq km • pop. 12,042,910 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official), Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), regional languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk Major cities JUBA (capital) 321,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Dinka 35.8%, Nuer 15.6%, Shilluk, Azande, Bari, Kakwa, Kuku, Murle, Mandari, Didinga, Ndogo, Bviri, Lndi, Anuak, Bongo, Lango, Dungotona, Acholi (2011 est.) Religions animist, Christian Independence 9 July 2011 (from Sudan)
Internet .ss • •
Telephones - mobile 2.9 million • 25 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Spain › Europe -- Southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains; southwest of France
Madrid • 505,370 sq km • pop. 48,146,134 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, and Basque 2% Major cities MADRID (capital) 6.199 million; Barcelona 5.258 million; Valencia 810,000 (2015) Ethnic groups composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types Religions Roman Catholic 94%, other 6% Independence 1492; the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain
Internet .es • 35.5 million • 74.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 50.8 million • 106 (2014 est.) subs./100
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka › Asia -- Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital • 65,610 sq km • pop. 22,053,488 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% Major cities Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital) 128,000 (2014); COLOMBO (capital) 707,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, other 0.5% (2012 est.) Religions Buddhist (official) 70.2%, Hindu 12.6%, Muslim 9.7%, Roman Catholic 6.1%, other Christian 1.3%, other 0.05% (2012 est.) Independence 4 February 1948 (from the UK)
Internet .lk • 4.4 million • 19.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 22.1 million • 101 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of the Sudan › Africa -- north-eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Khartoum • 1,861,484 sq km • pop. 36,108,853 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, Fur Major cities KHARTOUM (capital) 5.129 million (2015) Ethnic groups Sudanese Arab (approximately 70%), Fur, Beja, Nuba, Fallata Religions Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority Independence 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK)
Internet .sd • 8.5 million • 24.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 27.8 million • 78 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Suriname › South America -- Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana
Paramaribo • 163,820 sq km • pop. 579,633 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese Major cities PARAMARIBO (capital) 234,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2% Religions Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5% Independence 25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands)
Internet .sr • 212,900 • 37.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 927,800 • 162 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Swaziland › Africa -- Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital • 17,364 sq km • pop. 1,435,613
Languages English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official) Major cities MBABANE (capital) 66,000 (2014) Ethnic groups African 97%, European 3% Religions Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other 30% (includes Anglican, Baha'i, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) Independence 6 September 1968 (from the UK)
Internet .sz • 337,300 • 23.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 916,800 • 65 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Sweden › Europe -- Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
Stockholm • 450,295 sq km • pop. 9,801,616 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Swedish (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities Major cities STOCKHOLM (capital) 1.486 million (2015) Ethnic groups indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks Religions Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13% Independence 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)
Internet .se • 8.7 million • 89.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 12.3 million • 127 (2014 est.) subs./100
Swiss Confederation › Europe -- Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Bern • 41,277 sq km • pop. 8,121,830 (July 2015 est.)
Languages German (official) 64.9%, French (official) 22.6%, Italian (official) 8.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.5%, Albanian 2.6%, Portuguese 3.4%, Spanish 2.2%, English 4.6%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 5.1% Major cities Zurich 1.246 million; BERN (capital) 358,000 (2015) Ethnic groups German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% Religions Roman Catholic 38.2%, Protestant 26.9%, Muslim 4.9%, other Christian 5.7%, other 1.6%, none 21.4%, unspecified 1.3% (2012 est.) Independence 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Internet .ch • 7.1 million • 88.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 11.5 million • 142 (2014 est.) subs./100
Syrian Arab Republic › Middle East -- Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Damascus • 185,180 sq km • pop. 17,064,854 (July 2014 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian (widely understood); French, English (somewhat understood) Major cities Aleppo 3.562 million; DAMASCUS (capital) 2.566 million; Hims 1.641 million; Hamah 1.237 million; Lattakia 781,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7% Religions Muslim 87% (official; includes Sunni 74% and Alawi, Ismaili, and Shia 13%), Christian (includes Orthodox, Uniate, and Nestorian) 10% (includes Orthodox, Uniate, and Nestorian), Druze 3%, Jewish (few remaining in Damascus and Aleppo) Independence 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Internet .sy • 4.8 million • 26.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 15.6 million • 87 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Tajikistan › Asia -- Central Asia, west of China, south of Kyrgyzstan
Dushanbe • 144,100 sq km • pop. 8,191,958 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business Major cities DUSHANBE (capital) 822,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Tajik 84.3%, Uzbek 13.8% (includes Lakai, Kongrat, Katagan, Barlos, Yuz), other 2% (includes Kyrgyz, Russian, Turkmen, Tatar, Arab) (2010 est.) Religions Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.) Independence 9 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Internet .tj • 1.3 million • 16.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 8 million • 99 (2014 est.) subs./100
United Republic of Tanzania › Africa -- Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique
Dodoma; note - officially changed in 1996; serves as the meeting place for the National Assembly; the excutive branch offices and diplomatic representation remain in Dar es Salaam, the largest city and commercial capital • 947,300 sq km • pop. 51,045,882
Languages Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages Major cities DAR ES SALAAM (capital) 5.116 million; Mwanza 838,000 (2015) Ethnic groups mainland - African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, African, mixed Arab and African Religions mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim Independence 26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent on 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent on 10 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar on 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania on 29 October 1964
Internet .tz • 7.4 million • 15.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 31.9 million • 64 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Thailand › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
Bangkok • 513,120 sq km • pop. 67,976,405
Languages Thai (official) 90.7%, Burmese 1.3%, other 8% Major cities BANGKOK (capital) 9.27 million; Samut Prakan 1.814 million (2015) Ethnic groups Thai 95.9%, Burmese 2%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2010 est.) Religions Buddhist (official) 93.6%, Muslim 4.9%, Christian 1.2%, other 0.2%, none 0.1% (2010 est.) Independence 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Internet .th • 19.5 million • 28.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 97.1 million • 143 (2014 est.) subs./100
Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note - Timor-Leste includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco
Dili • 14,874 sq km • pop. 1,231,116
Languages Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English Major cities DILI (capital) 228,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority Religions Roman Catholic 96.9%, Protestant / Evangelical 2.2%, Muslim 0.3%, other 0.6% (2005) Independence 28 November 1975 (independence proclaimed from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of Timor-Leste's independence
Internet .tl • 12,000 • 1.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 676,900 • 56 (2014 est.) subs./100
Togolese Republic › Africa -- Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Lome • 56,785 sq km • pop. 7,552,318
Languages French (official, the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north) Major cities LOME (capital) 956,000 (2015) Ethnic groups African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1% Religions Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51% Independence 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
Internet .tg • 336,000 • 4.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 4.8 million • 66 (2014 est.) subs./100
Kingdom of Tonga › Oceania -- Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Nuku'alofa • 747 sq km • pop. 106,501 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English and Tongan 87%, Tongan (official) 10.7%, English (official) 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.03% (2006 est.) Major cities NUKU'ALOFA 25,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Tongan 96.6%, part-Tongan 1.7%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.03% (2006 est.) Religions Protestant 64.9% (includes Free Wesleyan Church 37.3%, Free Church of Tonga 11.4%, Church of Tonga 7.2%, Tokaikolo Christian Church 2.6%, Assembly of God 2.3% Seventh Day Adventist 2.2%, Constitutional Church of Tonga .9%, Anglican .8% and Full Gospel Church .2%), Mormon 16.8%, Roman Catholic 15.6%, other 1.1%, none 0.03%, unspecified 1.7% (2006 est.) Independence 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
Internet .to • 40,400 • 37.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 68,000 • 64 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago › Central America and the Caribbean -- Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Port of Spain • 5,128 sq km • pop. 1,222,363 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese Major cities PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) 34,000 (2014) Ethnic groups East Indian 35.4%, African 34.2%, mixed - other 15.3%, mixed African/East Indian 7.7%, other 1.3%, unspecified 6.2% (2011 est.) Religions Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congretational 2.5, other Protestant .9), Roman Catholic 21.6%, Hindu 18.2%, Muslim 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 8.4%, none 2.2%, unspecified 11.1% (2011 est.) Independence 31 August 1962 (from the UK)
Internet .tt • 779,900 • 63.7% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 2 million • 162 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Tunisia › Africa -- Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Tunis • 163,610 sq km • pop. 11,037,225 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Berber (Tamazight) Major cities TUNIS (capital) 1.993 million (2015) Ethnic groups Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% Religions Muslim (official; Sunni) 99.1%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Shia Muslim, and Baha'i) 1% Independence 20 March 1956 (from France)
Internet .tn • 5 million • 45.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 14.3 million • 131 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Turkey › Middle East -- Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria
Ankara • 783,562 sq km • pop. 79,414,269 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages Major cities Istanbul 14.164 million; ANKARA (capital) 4.75 million; Izmir 3.04 million; Bursa 1.923 million; Adana 1.83 million; Gaziantep 1.528 million (2015) Ethnic groups Turkish 70-75%, Kurdish 18%, other minorities 7-12% (2008 est.) Religions Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews) Independence 29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)
Internet .tr • 36.6 million • 46.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 71.9 million • 92 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Asia -- Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan
Ashgabat (Ashkhabad) • 488,100 sq km • pop. 5,231,422 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% Major cities ASHGABAT (capital) 746,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003) Religions Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2% Independence 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Internet .tm • 414,300 • 8.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 7.2 million • 139 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Oceania -- Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Funafuti; note - administrative offices are in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet • 26 sq km • pop. 10,869 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Tuvaluan (official), English (official), Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui) Major cities FUNAFUTI (capital) 6,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4% Religions Protestant 98.4% (Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%), Baha'i 1%, other 0.6% Independence 1 October 1978 (from the UK)
Internet .tv • 4,100 • 38.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 3,800 • 35 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Uganda › Africa -- East-Central Africa, west of Kenya, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kampala • 241,038 sq km • pop. 37,101,745
Languages English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic Major cities KAMPALA (capital) 1.936 million (2015) Ethnic groups Baganda 16.9%, Banyankole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%, Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%, Bunyoro 2.7%, other 29.6% (2002 census) Religions Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other 3.1%, none 0.9% (2002 census) Independence 9 October 1962 (from the UK)
Internet .ug • 6 million • 16.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 20.4 million • 57 (2014 est.) subs./100
- › Asia, Europe -- Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east
Kyiv (Kiev) • 603,550 sq km • pop. 44,429,471 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Ukrainian (official) 67.5%, Russian (regional language) 29.6%, other (includes small Crimean Tatar-, Moldavian-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities) 2.9% (2001 est.) Major cities KYIV (capital) 2.942 million; Kharkiv 1.441 million; Odesa 1.01 million; Dnipropetrovsk 957,000; Donetsk 934,000; Zaporizhzhya 753,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 est.) Religions Orthodox (includes Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox (UAOC), Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP), Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish Independence 24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: ca. 982 (VOLODYMYR I consolidates Kyivan Rus), 1648 (establishment of Cossack Hetmanate)
Internet .ua • 16.8 million • 37.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 61.2 million • 136 (2014 est.) subs./100
United Arab Emirates › Middle East -- Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Abu Dhabi • 83,600 sq km • pop. 5,779,760
Languages Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu Major cities Dubai 2.415 million; Sharjah 1.279 million; ABU DHABI (capital) 1.145 million (2015) Ethnic groups Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982) Religions Muslim (Islam; official) 76%, Christian 9%, other (primarily Hindu and Buddhist, less than 5% of the population consists of Parsi, Baha'i, Druze, Sikh, Ahmadi, Ismaili, Dawoodi Bohra Muslim, and Jewish) 15% Independence 2 December 1971 (from the UK)
Internet .ae • 5.2 million • 93.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 16.8 million • 299 (2014 est.) subs./100
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales › Europe -- Western Europe, islands - including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland - between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea; northwest of France
London • 243,610 sq km • pop. 64,088,222 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English Major cities LONDON (capital) 10.313 million; Manchester 2.646 million; Birmingham 2.515 million; Glasgow 1.223 million; Southampton/Portsmouth 882,000; Liverpool 870,000 (2015) Ethnic groups white 87.2%, black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.) Religions Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, other 2%, unspecified 7.2%, none 25.7% (2011 est.) Independence 12 April 1927 (Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act establishes current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); notable earlier dates: 927 (minor English kingdoms united); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union formally incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union formally unite England and Scotland as Great Britain); 1 January 1801 (Acts of Union formally unite Great Britain and Ireland as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland); 6 December 1921 (Anglo-Irish Treaty formalizes partition of Ireland; six counties remain part of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland)
Internet .uk • 57.3 million • 89.9% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 78.5 million • 123 (2014 est.) subs./100
United States of America › North America -- North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Washington, DC • 9,826,675 sq km • pop. 321,368,864 (July 2015 est.)
Languages English 79.2%, Spanish 12.9%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 3.3%, other 0.9% (2011 est.) Major cities New York-Newark 18.593 million; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana 12.31 million; Chicago 8.745 million; Miami 5.817 million; Dallas-Fort Worth 5.703 million; WASHINGTON, D.C. (capital) 4.955 million (2015) Ethnic groups white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate) Religions Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.) Independence 4 July 1776 (declared); 3 September 1783 (recognized by Great Britain)
Internet .us • 276.6 million • 86.8% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 317.4 million • 100 (2014 est.) subs./100
Oriental Republic of Uruguay › South America -- Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Montevideo • 176,215 sq km • pop. 3,341,893 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), Portunol, Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier) Major cities MONTEVIDEO (capital) 1.707 million (2015) Ethnic groups white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically nonexistent) Religions Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%, nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%, other 1.1% (2006) Independence 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
Internet .uy • 2 million • 59.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 5.5 million • 165 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Uzbekistan › Asia -- Central Asia, north of Turkmenistan, south of Kazakhstan
Tashkent (Toshkent) • 447,400 sq km • pop. 29,199,942 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% Major cities TASHKENT (capital) 2.251 million (2015) Ethnic groups Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.) Religions Muslim 88% (mostly Sunni), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% Independence 1 September 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
Internet .uz • 11.8 million • 40.6% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 21.6 million • 75 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Vanuatu › Oceania -- Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Port-Vila (on Efate) • 12,189 sq km • pop. 272,264 (July 2015 est.)
Languages local languages (more than 100) 63.2%, Bislama (official; creole) 33.7%, English (official) 2%, French (official) 0.6%, other 0.5% (2009 est.) Major cities PORT-VILA (capital) 53,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Ni-Vanuatu 97.6%, part Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 1.3% (2009 est.) Religions Protestant 70% (includes Presbyterian 27.9%, Anglican 15.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.5%, Assemblies of God 4.7%, Church of Christ 4.5%, Neil Thomas Ministry 3.1%, and Apostolic 2.2%), Roman Catholic 12.4%, customary beliefs 3.7% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 12.6%, none 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2009 est.) Independence 30 July 1980 (from France and the UK)
Internet .vu • 30,800 • 11.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 156,100 • 58 (2014 est.) subs./100
The Holy See (Vatican City State) › Europe -- Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Vatican City • 0.44 sq km • pop. 842 (July 2014 est.)
Languages Italian, Latin, French, various other languages Major cities VATICAN CITY (capital) 1,000 (2014) Ethnic groups Italians, Swiss, other Religions Roman Catholic Independence 11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Holy See and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over centuries varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to 754
Internet .va • •
Telephones - mobile • subs./100
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela › South America -- Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Caracas • 912,050 sq km • pop. 29,275,460 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects Major cities CARACAS (capital) 2.916 million; Maracaibo 2.196 million; Valencia 1.734 million; Maracay 1.166 million; Barquisimeto 1.039 million (2015) Ethnic groups Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous people Religions nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2% Independence 5 July 1811 (from Spain)
Internet .ve • 13.6 million • 47.2% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 30.5 million • 106 (2014 est.) subs./100
Socialist Republic of Vietnam › Southeast Asia -- Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, as well as China, Laos, and Cambodia
Hanoi (Ha Noi) • 331,210 sq km • pop. 94,348,835 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer, mountain area languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian) Major cities Ho Chi Minh City 7.298 million; HANOI (capital) 3.629 million; Can Tho 1.175 million; Haiphong 1.075 million; Da Nang 952,000; Bien Hoa 834,000 (2015) Ethnic groups Kinh (Viet) 85.7%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.8%, Muong 1.5%, Khmer 1.5%, Mong 1.2%, Nung 1.1%, others 5.3% (1999 census) Religions Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census) Independence 2 September 1945 (from France)
Internet .vn • 40.1 million • 43.0% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 136.1 million • 146 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Yemen › Middle East -- Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Sanaa • 527,968 sq km • pop. 26,737,317 (July 2015 est.)
Languages Arabic (official) Major cities SANAA (capital) 2.962 million; Aden 882,000 (2015) Ethnic groups predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans Religions Muslim 99.1% (official; virtually all are citizens, an estimated 65% are Sunni and 35% are Shia), other 0.9% (includes Jewish, Baha'i, Hindu, and Christian; many are refugees or temporary foreign residents) (2010 est.) Independence 22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen was established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]); note - previously North Yemen became independent in November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and became a republic with the overthrow of the theocratic Imamate in 1962; South Yemen became independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)
Internet .ye • 5 million • 19.1% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 17.1 million • 66 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Zambia › Africa -- Southern Africa, east of Angola, south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lusaka • 752,618 sq km • pop. 15,066,266
Languages Bembe 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.2%, unspecified 0.4% Major cities LUSAKA (capital) 2.179 million (2015) Ethnic groups Bemba 21%, Tonga 13.6%, Chewa 7.4%, Lozi 5.7%, Nsenga 5.3%, Tumbuka 4.4%, Ngoni 4%, Lala 3.1%, Kaonde 2.9%, Namwanga 2.8%, Lunda (north Western) 2.6%, Mambwe 2.5%, Luvale 2.2%, Lamba 2.1%, Ushi 1.9%, Lenje 1.6%, Bisa 1.6%, Mbunda 1.2%, other 13.8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.) Religions Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.) Independence 24 October 1964 (from the UK)
Internet .zm • 2.3 million • 15.4% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 10.1 million • 69 (2014 est.) subs./100
Republic of Zimbabwe › Africa -- Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
Harare • 390,757 sq km • pop. 14,229,541
Languages Shona (official; most widely spoken), Ndebele (official, second most widely spoken), English (official; traditionally used for official business), 13 minority languages (official; includes Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa) Major cities HARARE (capital) 1.501 million (2015) Ethnic groups African 99.4% (predominantly Shona; Ndebele is the second largest ethnic group), other 0.4%, unspecified 0.2% (2012 est.) Religions Protestant 75.9% (includes Apostolic 38%, Pentecostal 21.1%, other 16.8%), Roman Catholic 8.4%, other Christian 8.4%, other 1.2% (includes traditional, Muslim), none 6.1% (2011 est.) Independence 18 April 1980 (from the UK)
Internet .zw • 2.7 million • 19.5% (2014 est.)
Telephones - mobile 11.8 million • 86 (2014 est.) subs./100