Jump to content

User:Bloom6132/DYK A–Z country challenge

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Blatantly stole off Wikipedia:WikiProject Rosblofnari/DYK A-Z country challenge. End goal is to produce a minimum of 2 DYK articles for every country, territory or political entity in the world. Major islands are also included in the challenge, especially if they have a cultural identity which is often different to the mainland.

A–Z country DYK challenge
Country, territory or entity Article names Images Hook
 Abkhazia
 Afghanistan
 Åland Islands
 Albania
 Alderney
Aleutian Islands
 Algeria Kassaman
... that Moufdi Zakaria reportedly wrote the lyrics to the national anthem of Algeria with his own blood on the walls of his jail cell?
 American Samoa Flag of American Samoa
... that the Flag of American Samoa features a Bald Eagle, even though it does not live in the territory?
 Andorra El Gran Carlemany; Coat of arms of Andorra
... that "El Gran Carlemany", the national anthem of Andorra, proclaims the microstate as the "only remaining daughter of the Carolingian empire"?
... that the upper quarters of the coat of arms of Andorra (pictured) feature the arms of the Bishop of Urgell and the Count of Foix, the "two traditional protectors" of the principality?
 Anguilla
 Angola Angola Avante; Maurício Camuto ... that "Angola Avante", the national anthem of Angola, is used as a nickname for an inter-community football competition held in Portugal?
... that Maurício Camuto, the incoming bishop of Caxito in Angola, was the director of a commercial radio station that exposed human rights abuses in the country?
 Antarctica
 Antigua and Barbuda
 Argentina
 Armenia Mer Hayrenik ... that "Mer Hayrenik", the national anthem of the First Republic of Armenia, became a protest song when it was banned during the Soviet era?
 Aruba
 Australia Flag of Western Australia
... that the direction of the black swan on the flag of Western Australia (pictured) was corrected in 1953, even though this issue was identified 17 years earlier?
 Austria
 Azerbaijan
 Azores
 Bahamas Flag of the Bahamas; March On, Bahamaland
... that the flag of the Bahamas (pictured) was first hoisted 41 years ago today when the islands became independent?
... that "God Save the Queen" was twice played by mistake at the 1982 Commonwealth Games instead of "March On, Bahamaland" (featured), before officials realized they did not have a recording of the latter?
 Bahrain
 Bangladesh
 Barbados
 Bavaria
 Belarus
 Belgium
 Belize
 Benin Flag of Benin
... that the Flag of Benin, first chosen in 1959, was reinstated in 1990 following the collapse of the People's Republic of Benin?
 Bermuda
 Bhutan
 Bolivia
 Bonaire
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Botswana Flag of Botswana; Fatshe leno la rona
... that the black and white bands on the Flag of Botswana represent the stripes of the zebra, the country's national animal?
... that "Fatshe leno la rona", the national anthem of Botswana, was reportedly not the government's preferred choice because it was composed by the co-founder and leader of an opposition party?
 Brazil
 British Antarctic Territory
 British Indian Ocean Territory
 British Virgin Islands
 Brunei
 Bulgaria
 Burkina Faso
 Burma
 Burundi
 Cambodia Notre Dame Cathedral (Phnom Penh) ... that the Khmer Rouge destroyed Phnom Penh's Notre Dame Cathedral by tearing it down stone by stone?
 Cameroon
 Canada Holy Rosary Cathedral (Vancouver); Sacred Heart Cathedral (Kamloops); Flag of New Brunswick; Flag of Manitoba
... that the bells in Vancouver's Holy Rosary Cathedral (pictured) were originally cast in Savoy, France?
... that the church preceding the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Kamloops, British Columbia, was destroyed by fire on Ash Wednesday of 1919?
... that although New Brunswick was confederated into Canada 150 years ago today, the province's flag (pictured) was not adopted until 1965?
... that the flag of Manitoba (shown) was adopted in 1965 to counteract the replacement of the Canadian Red Ensign with the Maple Leaf flag?
 Cape Verde
 Cayman Islands
 Central African Republic
 Chad
 Chechnya
 Chile
 Republic of China
 People's Republic of China St. Joseph's Church, Beijing
... that Beijing's St. Joseph's Church (pictured) has been damaged by an earthquake, burned during the Boxer Rebellion, converted into a school after the Chinese Civil War, and closed during the Cultural Revolution?
 Christmas Island
 Colombia
 Comoros
 Republic of the Congo Flag of the Republic of the Congo
... that the symbolism behind the red in the Flag of the Republic of the Congo was left unexplained?
 Democratic Republic of Congo
 Cook Islands
 Corsica
 Costa Rica
 Côte d'Ivoire
Crete
 Croatia
 Cuba Eusebio Leal
... that Cuban historian Eusebio Leal preferred to identify himself as a "Fidelist" rather than a Marxist?
 Curaçao
 Cyprus
 Czech Republic
 Denmark
 Djibouti
 Dominica
 Dominican Republic
Easter Island
 East Timor
 Ecuador
 Egypt
 El Salvador
 England
 Equatorial Guinea
 Eritrea
 Estonia
 Ethiopia
 Falkland Islands
 Faroe Islands
 Fiji Coat of arms of Fiji
... that the coat of arms of Fiji (pictured) was retained after independence from the United Kingdom in 1970, partly because of its links to the last Fijian king, who ceded his country to Britain?
 Finland
 France
 French Guiana
 French Polynesia Notre Dame Cathedral, Papeete (also Tahiti)
... that Papeete's Notre Dame Cathedral contains Stations of the Cross that were influenced by Paul Gauguin?
 Gabon Flag of Gabon
... that the yellow band on the flag of Gabon (pictured) represents the Equator, which cuts across the republic?
Galapagos Islands
 The Gambia Flag of the Gambia
... that the blue band on the flag of the Gambia (pictured) represents the river that gives the country its name?
 Gambier Islands
 Georgia
 Germany
 Ghana
 Gibraltar
Gran Canaria
 Greece
 Greenland
 Grenada Flag of Grenada
... that the nutmeg on the flag of Grenada (pictured) alludes to one of the country's key exports, which gave rise to its nickname, the "Isle of Spice"?
 Guadeloupe
 Guam
 Guatemala
 Guernsey
 Guinea
 Guinea-Bissau
 Guyana Dear Land of Guyana, of Rivers and Plains ... that two separate contests were held to determine the words and the music of the national anthem of Guyana?
 Haiti
 Hawaii
 Herm
 Honduras
 Hong Kong Tung Chung Battery; Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Hong Kong)
... that Tung Chung Battery (pictured) was built to protect its eponymous bay from pirates, but now faces towards Hong Kong International Airport?
... that Hong Kong's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (pictured) was founded, officially opened, consecrated and bombed by the Japanese on December 8?
 Hungary
Ibiza
 Iceland Lofsöngur
... that "Lofsöngur", the national anthem of Iceland, was composed in an Edinburgh town house (pictured)?
 India
 Indonesia
 Iran
 Iraq
 Republic of Ireland
 Isle of Man
 Isle of Wight
 Israel
 Italy Giacomo dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto
... that the election of Giacomo dalla Torre as the grand master of the Order of Malta in 2018 marked the first time that female members participated in the vote for a new leader?
 Jamaica
 Japan
 Jersey
 Jordan
 Kazakhstan
 Kenya
Kerguelen Islands
 Kiribati
 Kosovo
 Kuwait
 Kyrgyzstan Flag of Kyrgyzstan
... that the 40 rays on the flag of Kyrgyzstan represent the number of tribes united by national folk hero Manas to fight against the Mongols?
 Laos Pheng Xat Lao ... that after the 1975 end of the Laotian Civil War, the lyrics to the national anthem of Laos, "Pheng Xat Lao", were changed but the music remained the same?
Las Palmas
 Latvia
 Lebanon
 Lesotho
 Liberia
 Libya
 Liechtenstein Flag of Liechtenstein
... that a crown was added to the flag of Liechtenstein after it was discovered at the 1936 Summer Olympics that its prior flag was identical to the flag of Haiti?
 Lithuania
 Luxembourg
 Macau St. Dominic's Church, Macau
... that the first Portuguese-language newspaper in China was published at Macau's St. Dominic's Church (pictured) in 1822?
 Republic of Macedonia Denes nad Makedonija ... that "Denes nad Makedonija" was chosen to be the national anthem of the Republic of Macedonia, even though it finished runner-up in a contest held soon after independence in 1991?
 Madagascar
 Madeira
Majorca
 Malawi
 Malaysia Francis Chan (also Singapore) ... that a Malaysian sultan gave "The Singing Bishop" a marble statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a token of their friendship?
 Maldives
 Mali Seal of Mali
... that the seal of Mali (pictured) depicts the Great Mosque of Djenné at the centre?
 Malta
 Marquesas Islands Notre Dame Cathedral, Taiohae
... that the exterior wall of Taiohae's Notre Dame Cathedral (pictured) is made up of stones from each of the six inhabited islands of the Marquesas?
 Marshall Islands
 Martinique St. Louis Cathedral, Fort-de-France
... that St. Louis Cathedral (pictured) in Fort-de-France is the seventh church to be erected on the site since 1657, due to the natural disasters that have plagued the city over the years?
 Mauritania
 Mauritius
 Mayotte
 Mexico Héctor Suárez ... that Héctor Suárez was the first comedian from Latin America to be "roasted" by fellow celebrities?
 Federated States of Micronesia
Minorca
 Moldova
 Monaco
 Mongolia
 Montenegro
 Montserrat
 Morocco
 Mozambique
 Nagorno-Karabakh
 Namibia
 Nauru
   Nepal
 Netherlands
 New Caledonia
 New Zealand
 Nicaragua
 Niger
 Nigeria
 Niue
 Norfolk Island
 Northern Cyprus
 Northern Ireland
 Northern Mariana Islands
 North Korea
 Norway
 Oman Khanjar; National emblem of Oman
... that the khanjar, a "ceremonial dagger" from Oman, is featured on the country's national emblem (pictured)?
 Pakistan
 Palau
 Palestine
 Panama
 Papua New Guinea
 Paraguay
 Peru
 Philippines
 Pitcairn Islands
 Poland
 Portugal
Prince Edward Islands
 Puerto Rico
 Qatar
 Réunion
 Rhodes
 Romania
 Russia Bolshoy Ice Dome
... that the Bolshoy Ice Dome (interior pictured) is scheduled to host the gold medal match of the Olympic men's ice hockey tournament today?
 Rwanda
 Ryukyu Islands
 Saba
 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
 Saint Barthélemy
 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
 Saint Kitts and Nevis Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis
... that the two stars on the Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis (pictured) represent the two islands that make up the federation?
 Saint Lucia Flag of Saint Lucia
... that the triangles on the flag of Saint Lucia (pictured) represent the Pitons, two volcanic plugs on the island that are a national symbol of the country?
 Collectivity of Saint Martin
 Saint Pierre and Miquelon St. Pierre Cathedral, Saint-Pierre
... that St. Pierre Cathedral in Saint Pierre and Miquelon contains stained glass windows that were given by Charles de Gaulle during his 1967 visit?
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
... that diamonds were featured on the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (pictured) because the previous breadfruit leaf was hard to recognise from afar?
 Samoa
 San Marino
 São Tomé and Príncipe Flag of São Tomé and Príncipe
... that the stars on the flag of São Tomé and Príncipe (pictured) represent the two islands that make up the country?
 Sardinia
 Sark
 Saudi Arabia
 Scotland
 Senegal Flag of Senegal; Coat of arms of Senegal
... that the green star on the Flag of Senegal (pictured) represents Islam, the religion practiced by 94% of Senegalese?
... that the coat of arms of Senegal was designed by a Parisian heraldist in 1965?
 Serbia
 Seychelles
 Shetland
 Sicily
 Sierra Leone Flag of Sierra Leone
... that the blue band on the flag of Sierra Leone (pictured) represents the "natural harbour" of Freetown, the country's capital city?
 Singapore Francis Chan (also Malaysia) ... that a Malaysian sultan gave "The Singing Bishop" a marble statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a token of their friendship?
 Sint Maarten
 Slovakia
 Slovenia
Society Islands
Socotra
 Solomon Islands Flag of the Solomon Islands
... that the flag of the Solomon Islands (pictured) was designed by a Kiwi?
 Somalia
 Somaliland
 South Africa Sibongile Khumalo ... that Sibongile Khumalo, who sang both national anthems at the 1995 Rugby World Cup Final, said that it was "the one and only time I've ever watched a rugby match, at any level, of any kind"?
 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
 South Korea
 South Ossetia
 Spain
 Sri Lanka
 Sudan
 Suriname
 Svalbard
 Swaziland
 Sweden
  Switzerland
 Syria
 Tahiti Notre Dame Cathedral, Papeete (also French Polynesia)
... that Papeete's Notre Dame Cathedral contains Stations of the Cross that were influenced by Paul Gauguin?
 Tajikistan
 Tanzania Flag of Tanzania
... that the flag of Tanzania (pictured) amalgamated elements of the flags of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which united in 1964 to form the republic?
 Tenerife
 Thailand
 Togo
 Tokelau
 Tonga Flag of Tonga
... that the Constitution of Tonga stipulates that the kingdom's flag (pictured) can never be changed?
 Transnistria
 Trinidad and Tobago
 Tunisia
 Turkey
 Turkmenistan
 Turks and Caicos Islands
 Tuvalu
 Uganda Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty ... that "Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty" (recording featured) is one of the shortest national anthems, at only eight bars long?
 Ukraine
 United Arab Emirates
 United Kingdom
 United States M&M Boys; Neal Ball
... that the M&M Boys (pictured) hold the single-season Major League Baseball record for most combined home runs by teammates with 115?
... that Major League Baseball shortstop Neal Ball beat his close friend Babe Ruth in a bowling challenge in 1923?
 Uruguay
 U.S. Virgin Islands
 Uzbekistan Flag of Uzbekistan
... that the crescent on the flag of Uzbekistan (pictured) represents Islam, while the twelve stars symbolize the months of the Islamic calendar and the zodiac constellations?
 Vanuatu
 Vatican City
 Venezuela
 Vietnam St. Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi
... that an 11th-century pagoda was demolished in order to construct Hanoi's St. Joseph's Cathedral in 1886?
 Wales
 Wallis and Futuna
 Yemen
 Zambia
 Zanzibar
 Zimbabwe
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Bloom6132/DYK_A–Z_country_challenge&oldid=1006346596"