Afghanistan
|
A worshipper waits outside a mosque in Kabul |
Albania
|
Albanians flock to the Adriatic during the summer |
Angola
|
Angola has emerged as a leading oil producer and one of Africa's fastest-growing economies |
Argentina
|
The gaucho, traditional skilled horseman of the Pampas |
Armenia
|
Armenia excels at chess |
Australia
|
Australia's aboriginal people are now in the minority |
Austria
|
Austria was home to Gustav Klimt, famed for his erotic paintings, such as The Kiss |
Azerbaijan
|
Azerbaijan has large oil and gas reserves |
Bahrain
|
Bahrain has been part of the Formula One championship circuit since 2004 |
Bangladesh
|
Pilgrims arrive near Dhaka for the Biswa Ijtema, the world's second biggest Muslim gathering after the Hajj |
Barbados
|
Agriculture is a major contributor to the economy |
Belarus
|
Ice fishing is a popular activity in Belarus |
Belgium
|
Comic strip hero Tintin was created by Belgian cartoonist Herge |
Belize
|
Belize has the world's second longest barrier reef |
Benin
|
Voodoo supreme chief Dagbo Hounon Tomandjre arrives for a festival |
Bhutan
|
Bhutan has a rich artistic heritage |
Bolivia
|
Bolivia has plenty of mineral resources |
Botswana
|
Botswana's San bushmen may be the world's oldest human population, a major genetic study reported |
Brazil
|
Brazil has an advanced space programme |
Brunei
|
Brunei's population is two-thirds Malay with a sizeable Chinese minority |
Bulgaria
|
Bulgaria was home to the ancient Thracian people, some of whose relics can be seen in Sofia |
Burkina Faso
|
Droughts and coups have contributed to Burkina Faso becoming the world's third poorest country |
Burma
|
The Bamar, after whom Burma is named, make up the largest of numerous ethnic groups |
Burundi
|
Burundi's 12-year civil war ended in 2006, but at least one rebel group remained active after that |
Cambodia
|
Students re-enact Khmer Rouge crimes during an annual Day of Anger remembering the brutality of the regime that ruled in the 1970s |
Cameroon
|
Baka Pygmies, the original dwellers of Cameroon's forests, enjoy small logging concessions |
Canada
|
Canada is rich in wildlife which survives in freezing conditions, including polar bears |
Cape Verde
|
Cape Verde has earned a reputation for political and economic stability |
Chad
|
Decades of violent conflict and corruption have left Chad one of Africa's most impoverished countries |
Chile
|
A monumental statue stands on Easter Island, a distant possession of Chile |
China
|
A symbol of strength, the dragon appears in many folk traditions and was once the emperor's emblem |
Colombia
|
Coffee is one of Colombia's major exports |
Comoros
|
The Comoros islands have few natural resources and its people are heavily dependent on foreign aid |
Cook Islands
|
The Cook Island's natural assets include fine beaches and volcanic mountains |
Costa Rica
|
Costa Rica has a disproportionately high percentage of the world's biodiversity |
Cote d'Ivoire
|
Cocoa is one of Ivory Coast's major exports and sources of income |
Croatia
|
The main square in the Croatian capital Zagreb |
Cuba
|
Cigar rollers in a Havana factory produce one of Cuba's best known exports |
Cyprus
|
Greek-Cypriot soldiers look across at a Turkish-controlled area next to the UN buffer zone |
Czech Republic
|
The Czech Republic has a rich architectural heritage |
Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
A contest for DR Congo's vast mineral wealth has fuelled the fighting in the country |
Denmark
|
The Little Mermaid - depicting the fairy tale character - is an icon of Copenhagen |
Djibouti
|
Djibouti is dependent on foreign aid |
Dominica
|
The West Indies often play test cricket matches in Roseau, Dominica |
East Timor
|
The 27-m high statue of Jesus near Dili was built under Indonesian rule |
Ecuador
|
The Chimborazo volcano, located along the equatorial bulge, puts its summit at the furthest point from the centre of the earth |
Egypt
|
Islam is the main religion in Egypt |
El Salvador
|
The Pipil are one of the groups making up El Salvador's small indigenous population |
Equatorial Guinea
|
Equatorial Guinea is one of the continent's smallest countries |
Eritrea
|
Eritrea's geography includes mountains such as these outside the capital Asmara |
Estonia
|
The orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn |
Ethiopia
|
Ethiopia's rich heritage includes the Church of St George, carved out of solid rock at Lalibela |
Federated States of Micronesia
|
A chief on the island of Yap prepares a chew of betel nut, a mild stimulant and major export |
Fiji
|
Traditional Fijian chiefs still play a role in society |
Finland
|
Finland is a good place to see the natural light displays called aurora borealis |
France
|
The Palace of Versailles, a symbol of France's former monarchy |
French Polynesia
|
Tahiti is popular with tourists and the surfing community |
Gabon
|
Many Gabonese still maintain traditions |
Georgia
|
The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi |
Germany
|
Berlin's Brandenburg Gate was at one time at the dividing line between East and West Berlin |
Ghana
|
Ghana has been a major contributor of armed forces to numerous UN peacekeeping operations in Africa |
Greece
|
Figures on Acropolis Hill survey Athens, a teeming metropolis |
Grenada
|
Kirani James shone a spotlight on Grenada by winning the Men's 400m in the 2012 Olympic Games |
Guam
|
The waters off Guam are the scene of major US navy war games |
Guatemala
|
Fruit has played an important part in politics |
Guinea
|
Rich in mineral reserves, Guinea is poverty-stricken due to economic mismanagement and instability |
Guinea-Bissau
|
Years of political and economic instability have left Guinea-Bissau impoverished |
Guyana
|
Guyana's largest river, the Essequibo, flows from the country's far south to the Atlantic coast |
Haiti
|
Mangoes are one of Haiti's few exports |
Honduras
|
Bananas and coffee are two major exports |
Hong Kong
|
Bamboo is still used to construct and maintain Hong Kong's ultra-modern steel and glass buildings |
Hungary
|
Bathers enjoy thermal pools in one of Europe's biggest spa complexes, in Budapest |
Iceland
|
Iceland is famed for its thermal springs |
India
|
India Gate in New Delhi honours Indian soldiers who fell in the First World War |
Indonesia
|
Indonesia has one of the highest population densities |
Iran
|
Iran's rich heritage includes the centuries old Si-o-Se Pol bridge in Isfahan |
Ireland
|
Dublin street scene |
Israel
|
Tel Aviv is also known as the White City for its collection of more than 4,000 buildings in the Bauhaus style |
Italy
|
In 2011 Italy marked 150 years of unity, promoted by commander Giuseppe Garibaldi, whose statue is pictured left |
Jamaica
|
Jamaica is the birthplace of reggae music and the Rastafari spiritual movement |
Japan
|
Cars are one of Japan's main exports |
Jordan
|
Native Jordanians are descended from Bedouin tribes, but most of the population is made up of Palestinian immigrants |
Kazakhstan
|
One of Kazakhstan's main exports is wool |
Kenya
|
The Great Rift Valley, which crosses several East African countries, has the earliest evidence of human beings found |
Kiribati
|
There are concerns that rising sea levels could threaten Kiribati's low-lying islands |
Kuwait
|
Kuwait is one of the world's largest oil producers |
Kyrgyzstan
|
Kyrgyz authorities are hoping that unspoilt scenery will attract more visitors |
Laos
|
Most of the arable land is used to grow rice |
Latvia
|
Riga is thought to have the finest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe |
Lebanon
|
Baalbek - the classical sanctuary of Heliopolis - has some of the world's best-preserved Roman remains |
Lesotho
|
Landlocked Lesotho is among the world's poorest countries and has the third highest HIV-Aids rate |
Liberia
|
Civil war in the 1990s destroyed Liberia's economy, left 250,000 dead and created thousands of refugees |
Libya
|
Libya's economy is expected to stabilise following the 2011 conflict |
Liechtenstein
|
Triesenberg, overlooking the Rhine valley |
Lithuania
|
A model presents a creation by a Lithuanian fashion designer during a Vilnius festival |
Luxembourg
|
Luxembourg is home to the European Court of Justice |
Madagascar
|
Madagascar is vulnerable to tropical cyclones which can cause extensive damage |
Malawi
|
Food security is a key issue for Malawi where 60% of people live below the poverty line |
Malaysia
|
Malaysia is one of the world's largest palm oil producers |
Mali
|
Singer-songwriter Salif Keita has earned world renown |
Malta
|
Marsaxlokk port is a key container terminal |
Marshall Islands
|
A worker butchers sharks for their fins in this picture taken in 2003, before the Marshall Islands declared the worldâs largest shark sanctuary. |
Mauritania
|
Much of Mauritania is short of water |
Mexico
|
Popocatépetl, or Smoking Mountain, is one of Mexico's most active volcanoes |
Moldova
|
Moldova gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union |
Monaco
|
The annual Monaco Formula One Grand Prix is held on the streets of the city state |
Mongolia
|
Mongolia has long traded hides for goods which it cannot cultivate due to harsh environmental conditions |
Montenegro
|
Montenegro, which means "Black Mountain", is seeking membership of the European Union |
Morocco
|
The Berber people of North Africa have struggled to retain their cultural identity |
Mozambique
|
Gorongosa National Park is only just recovering from the civil war |
Namibia
|
The San bushmen of the Kalahari Desert maintain a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle |
Nauru
|
Nauru is the world's smallest republic |
Nepal
|
A Sadhu - Hindu holy man - prepares for a religious festival |
Netherlands
|
Rembrandt: Greatest artist of the Dutch school |
New Caledonia
|
New Caledonia hosted the 2011 Pacific Games |
New Zealand
|
Auckland: New Zealand's largest city and a major port |
Nicaragua
|
Managua's Oriental Market was set up by survivors of the 1972 earthquake |
Niger
|
Children at an Islamic school in Niamey |
Nigeria
|
In the bustling commercial capital Lagos, rapid growth is straining infrastructure |
Niue
|
Rugby is popular in Niue |
North Korea
|
The capital Pyongyang features several propaganda posters |
Norway
|
Natural gas is a major source of Norway's wealth |
Oman
|
Islam is the main religion in Oman |
Pakistan
|
Pakistan is a major textile producer |
Palau
|
The Blue Holes underwater caves have become a favourite with divers |
Panama
|
Much of Panama is dense jungle |
Papua New Guinea
|
With over 700 traditional societies, Papua New Guinea is the world's most culturally diverse nation. |
Paraguay
|
The ruins of the Jesuit Missions at Santisima Trinidad del Parana - built in the year 1706 - are on Unesco's World Heritage List |
Peru
|
Peru is made up of indigenous people and descendants of Spanish settlers |
Philippines
|
Good Friday reenactment of the crucifixion near Manila: The Catholic faith plays a major role in large parts of the Philippines |
Poland
|
Poland can trace its roots back over 1,000 years |
Portugal
|
Portugal saw solid growth in the 1990s but needed a bail-out in 2011 |
Puerto Rico
|
Puerto Rico is a popular holiday destination |
Qatar
|
Qatar is one of the richest countries in the region |
Republic of Macedonia
|
Macedonia has both Christians and Muslim communities |
Romania
|
Parliament Palace in Bucharest has become one of the must-see sights for foreign visitors |
Russia
|
Moscow's Red Square |
Rwanda
|
Much of Akagera National Park was settled by civil war refugees in the late 1990s |
Saint Lucia
|
The Pitons - two peaks of ancient dormant volcanoes - feature on the island's flag |
Samoa
|
Samoa has many fine beaches attracting a growing number of tourists |
San Marino
|
San Marino has pledged to make its banking system more transparent |
Sao Tome and Principe
|
Sao Tome has several attractions for tourists |
Saudi Arabia
|
Millions of Muslims visit Mecca every year |
Senegal
|
Controversial colossus: The pet project of President Wade has provoked fierce opposition |
Serbia
|
A boy takes part in the ceremonial burning of dried oak branches on Orthodox Christmas Eve in Belgrade |
Seychelles
|
The Coco de Mer coconut - found only in the Seychelles - is the world's largest seed |
Sierra Leone
|
Sierra Leone is trying to encourage tourists to enjoy its natural beauty |
Singapore
|
Many people have access to the latest technologies |
Slovakia
|
Slovakia is home to a small number of European bison, which were saved from extinction |
Slovenia
|
Slovenia was seen as the most liberal republic within the former Yugoslavia |
Solomon Islands
|
Christianity is the dominant religion in Solomon Islands |
Somalia
|
Mogadishu bears the scars of decades of fighting |
South Africa
|
Sun and sea: Hout Bay near Cape Town |
South Korea
|
South Korea is a major exporter of transport equipment and electronics |
South Sudan
|
The Sudd: One of the world's largest wetlands |
Spain
|
The story of Don Quixote - depicted here by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso - is loved the world over |
Sri Lanka
|
A Sri Lankan mahout and a temple elephant take part in a ceremony |
Sudan
|
Sudan's capital Khartoum lies at the confluence of the Blue Nile and the White Nile |
Suriname
|
Maroons - descendants of run-away slaves of African origin - make up a sizeable part of the population |
Swaziland
|
Young women parade at the annual Reed Dance, where the king can choose a new bride |
Sweden
|
Sweden is a major arms exporter |
Switzerland
|
The Matterhorn has provided mountaineers with a major challenge |
Syria
|
Syria has numerous ancient relics |
Taiwan
|
Taiwan is one of Asia's big trading nations |
Tajikistan
|
Ethnic Tajiks speak a language closely related to Persian |
Tanzania
|
The drama of Tanzania's game parks is a major tourist attraction |
Thailand
|
Thailand currently supplies about a third of global rice exports |
The Bahamas
|
Island beaches are a major attraction for visitors |
Togo
|
The people of Togo's Tamberma Valley live in fortified villages founded in the 17th Century |
Tokelau
|
Most islanders live by fishing and farming |
Tonga
|
Exercise class for a healthy lifestyle: a move away from the traditional fish diet has contributed to an obesity epidemic |
Trinidad and Tobago
|
Oil and gas dominate the economy but tourism is an important earner |
Tunisia
|
Dates and other agricultural products are important export earners |
Turkey
|
Islam is the main religion |
Turkmenistan
|
Turkmenistan has the smallest population of the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia |
Tuvalu
|
Funafuti atoll is home to nearly half of the population of Tuvalu |
Uganda
|
A silverback mountain gorilla sits in Uganda's Bwindi National Park, a major attraction for visitors |
Ukraine
|
A Ukrainian naval dancer performs in Sevastopol, which is home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet |
United Arab Emirates
|
Burj Khalifa became the world's tallest structure in 2010 |
United Kingdom
|
Britain is one of the world's major military powers |
United States
|
A worker scans a gigantic digital billboard in New York, a city which embodies the idea that Americans do things on a grand scale |
Uruguay
|
Devotees perform a ritual of the Afro-American religion of Umbanda, which spread to Uruguay from Brazil |
Uzbekistan
|
A street cafe chief in Tashkent prepares 'plov' - Uzbekistan's national dish |
Vanuatu
|
Vanuatu tops travel book publisher Lonely Planet's list of the world's happiest places |
Venezuela
|
Venezuela's indigenous population is concentrated near the rainforests of the south and west |
Vietnam
|
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has thousands of little islands |
Yemen
|
A boy climbs stone columns 15m high at the entrance to a temple traditionally associated with the Biblical Queen of Sheba |
Zambia
|
The Victoria Falls attract many foreign visitors to Zambia |
Zimbabwe
|
Zimbabwe's population stands at around 13 million |