Liberia

Flag of Liberia

Short Bio:

• Name: Republic of Liberia
• An UN-Member?: Yes
• Capital: Monrovia
• Continent: Africa
• Area: 1,11,369 sq.km
• Population: 4,105,000  (Approx)
• Religion: Indigenous beliefs-40%, Christian-40%, Muslims-20%
• Literacy: 56%  (Approx)
• Language: English, Tribal dialects
• Currency: Liberian Dollar
• Income (Per Capita): $396  (Approx)
• Avg life span: 45.8 years  (Approx)
• Date of Independence: 26^th July 1847  
• Government type: Republic 
• President: Ellen Johnson
• Prime minister: Sirleaf
• Chief Mineral Resource: Iron ore
• Principal Crop: Cassava, Coffee
• Main Industry: Food processing, Mining
• Main exports: Iron ore, Rubber
• Main imports: *

History:

• In December 1989 civil strife broke out in the country resulting its almost half of the population became refugee.
• Around 1,50,000 lost their lives. In 1994, a 17-member coalition transition govt was instituted.
• Ruth Perry led a Transition govt in September 1996.
• Thus Ruth Perry became Africa’s first female head of state.
• In July 1997, Charles Taylor won 75% of presidential vote and became the president.
• Charles Taylor was once a war-lord, who launched the civil war in Liberia.

Vatican City

Flag of Vatican-City

Short Bio:

• Name: Santo della Cittadel Vaticano (The holy See)
• An Un-Member?: No
• Capital: Vatican City
• Continent: Europe
• Area: 0.4 sq.km
• Population: 800  (Approx)
• Religion: Roman Catholic
• Literacy: 100%  (Approx)
• Language: Latin and Italian
• Currency: Euro
• Income (Per Capita): *  (Approx)
• Avg life span: *
• Date of Independence: 11^th February 1929
• Government type: Ecclesiastical 
• Supreme Pontiff: Pope Benedict XVI ( Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger)
• Secretary of State: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone
• Chief Mineral Resource: *
• Principal Crop: *
• Main Industry: *
• Main exports: *
• Main imports: *

Location:

• The Vatican is the smallest independent state (country) in the world.
• It is surrounded by Italian capital Rome.

History:

• It got independence in 11^th February 1929.
• Most of its population are priests and nuns.
• Vatican has its own railway station, coin, postal system and police.

Israel

Flag of Israel

Short Bio:

• Name: State of Israel
• An Un-Member?: Yes
• Capital: Jerusalem
• Continent: Asia
• Area: 20,772 sq.km
• Population: 7,708,900  (Approx)
• Religion: Jewish-76.5%, Muslim-16%, Christian-2.1%, Others-5.5%
• Literacy: 97.5%  (Approx)
• Language: Hebrew, Arabic
• Currency: New Shekel
• Income (Per Capita): $29,410  (Approx)
• Avg life span: 80.8 years  (Approx)
• Date of Independence: 14^th May 1948  
• Government type: Parliamentary Democracy 
• President: Shimon Peres
• Prime minister: Binjamin Netanyahu
• Chief Mineral Resource: *
• Principal Crop: Citrus fruits
• Main Industry: Wine-making, Textiles, Processed foods
• Main exports: Citrus fruits
• Main imports: *

History:

• In 1948 Israel came into being as a result of pressure of international reorganisation for a Jewish state.
• Thousands of Palestinians were displaced as a result of formation of Israel and many wars have been fought involving Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
• Palestinians in west bank have lived under Israeli occupation since 1967.
• Israel evacuated its settlers from Gaza Strip in 2005 and withdrew its forces ending 40 years of military activity.
• In 1979 Egypt and Israel signed a peace agreement, but was followed after 1990.
• The years of uprising of the peace progress with Palestinians is known as ‘Intifada’
•     A ‘final status’ agreement is yet to be reached between Palestine and Israel.

Finland

Flag of Finland

Short Bio:

• Name: Soumen Tasavalta (Republic of Finland)
• An UN-Member?: Yes
• Capital: Helsinki
• Continent: Europe
• Area: 3,38,000 sq.km
• Population: 53,80,000 (Approx)
• Religion: Lutheran Church of Finland-82.5%, Orthodox Church-11%, Other Christian-5.4%, Others-1.1%
• Literacy: (Approx)
• Language: Finnish, Swedish
• Currency: Euro
• Income (Per Capita): $34,401 (Approx)
• Avg life span: 79.3 years (Approx)
• Date of Independence: 6^th December 1917
• Government type: Republic
• President: Ms Tarja Halonen
• Prime minister: Mari Kiviniemi
• Chief Mineral Resource: *
• Principal Crop: Grains, Potatoes
• Main Industry: Pulp and Paper, Ship building, Machinery, Leather industry.
• Main exports: Pulp and Paper ,(1/4^th of world’s paper exports)
• Main imports: *

History:

• Got independence on 6^th December 1917.
• It is a Baltic state and once it was a part of Russian Empire.
• More than 60% of its people live in urban area.

Chile

Flag of Chile

Short Bio: 

• Name: Republic de Chile ( Republic of Chile)
  
• An UN-Member?: Yes
• Capital: Santiago
• Continent: South America
• Area: 7,59,626 sq.km
• Population: (Approx)
• Religion: Christian-87.5%, Others-12.5%
• Literacy: 97% (Approx)
• Language: Spanish
• Currency: Chilean Peso
• Income (Per Capita): $14,950 (Approx)
• Avg life span: 78.7 years (Approx)
• Date of Independence: 18^th September 1810
• Government type: Republic
• President: Sebastian Pinera Echenique
• Prime minister: *
• Chief Mineral Resource: Copper
• Principal Crop: Wheat
• Main Industry: Fish processing, Textile, Wood industry.
• Main exports: Copper
• Main imports: It has to import 1/3^rd of its food.

Location:

• The Republic of Chile lies on Western seaboard of South America.
• It occupies strip of land between Peru and Bolivia in the North to Cape Horn in South.

History:

• It is the first South American country to elect a Marxist Govt.
• The govt fell in a military coup in 1973.
• Human rights violations were charged against Augusto Pinochet.
• Pinochet was arrested in London in 2000 and was put under house arrest.
• He was declared unfit to stand in trial in July 2001.

Dominica

Flag of Dominica

Short Bio:

• Name: Commonwealth of Dominica
• An Un-Member?: Yes
• Capital: Roseau
• Continent: North America
• Area: 750 sq.km
• Population: 67,000 (Approx)
• Religion: Christian-91%, Others-9%
• Literacy: 88% (Approx)
• Language: English, French Patois
• Currency: East Caribbean Dollar
• Income (Per Capita): $10,456 (Approx)
• Avg life span: 76 years (Approx)
• Date of Independence: 3^rd November 1978
• Government type: Parliamentary Republic
• President: Nicholas J.O Liverpool
• Prime minister: Roosevelt Skerrit
• Chief Mineral Resource: *
• Principal Crop: *
• Main Industry: Tourism
• Main exports: Bananas, Cocoa, Corpa
• Main imports: *

Location:

• The country lies in the Lesser Antilles in East Caribben.
• The island (country) is volcanic in origin.
• Most of population are Negroes, Mulatoes. Also Carib-Indians Live here.

History:

• Dominica was a British protectorate earlier.
• It got independence on 3^rd November, 1978.

Iraq

Flag of Iraq

Short Bio:

• Name: Republic of Iraq
• An Un-Member?: Yes
• Capital: Baghdad
• Continent: Asia
• Area: 4,38,446 sq.km
• Population: 31,468,000 (Approx)
• Religion: Muslim=97% (Shia-65%,Sunni-35%), Others=3%
• Literacy: 75% (Approx)
• Language: Arabic, Kurdish
• Currency: Dinar
• Income (Per Capita): $3600 (Approx)
• Avg life span: 60 years (Approx)
• Date of Independence: 3^rd October, 1932
• Government type: Transitional Government.(Under US control)
• President: Jalal Talabani
• Prime minister: Nuri Al-Maliki
• Chief Mineral Resource: Petroleum
• Principal Crop: Wheat, Barly
• Main Industry: Petrochemicals, Textiles, Oil Refining etc.
• Main exports: Dates (A type of fruit)
• Main imports: *

Location:

• Iraq is located in the Middle East.
• Iraq is the modern name of Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia is derived from two words, Meso and Potamia.
• Meso means=Middle
• Potamia means=River

History:

• It is the most ancient civilisation, which had influenced European and Asian civilizations.
• Iraq overran Kuwait in August 1990.
• An US-led coalition beat Iraq in February 1991.