Hungary

• Capital: Budapest
• Major Cities
  • Szeged
  • Debrecen
• Major Geographical Features
  • Lake Balaton
  • Danube River
  • Tisza River
  • Great Hungarian Plain
• Official Name: Republic of Hungary
• Religions:
  • Roman Catholic
  • Calvinist
  • Lutheran
• Language: Hungarian (Magyar)
• Most spoken non-Indo-European language in Europe
• 1848: Louis Kossuth leads a relatively unsuccessful revolution against Hapsburg rule
• 1867: The Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary was established
• 1918: Austro-Hungarian Empire collapses
• 1945: Hungary established as a Soviet Bloc nation
• 1956: Hungary joins the Warsaw Pact after an uprising against communist rule that was put down by the USSR
• 1989: Communist rule overthrown
• 1999: Hungary joins NATO
• 2004: Hungary joins the European Union
• Independence: 1918 upon the dissolution of the Austria-Hungary
• Government: parliamentary democracy
• Currency: forint
• Indiana is slightly larger than Hungary
• Literacy: 99.2%
• Climate: temperate
• Landlocked
• Budapest was originally two cities, Buda and Pest. Each city was on a different side of the Danube River until they merged into one city

Romania

• Capital: Bucharest
• Major Geographical Features
  • Carpathian Mountains
  • Transylvanian Mountains
  • Black Sea
  • Danube River
  • Mures River
  • Olt River
  • Siret River
• Religion: Romanian Orthodox
• Languages:
  • Romanian (official)
  • Hungarian
  • German
• 1947: The People's Republic of Romania is established as part of the Soviet Bloc
• 2007: Joins the European Union
• Independence: 1877 by the Ottoman Empire
• Government: republic
• Currency: New leu (RON)
• Oregon is slightly larger than Romania
• Literacy: 97.3%
• Bukovina region is known for its painted monasteries
• Only Warsaw Pact nation to get rid of communism violently
• Exports
  • Iron
  • Steel
  • Electrical Equipment
  • Shoes

Belarus

• Capital: Minsk
• Major City: Homyel
• Major Geographical Features
  • Belorussian Ridge
  • Polatsk Lowland
  • Polesye Marshes
• Official Name: Republic of Belarus
• Formerly: The Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic
• Religion: Eastern Orthodox (80%)
• Languages:
• Byelorussian 
• Russian
• Independence: 1991 from the Soviet Union
• Government: republic by name, when the nation is in fact a dictatorship
• Currency: Belorussian ruble (BYB/BYR)
• Kansas is slightly larger than Belarus
• Literacy: 99.6%
• Climate: cold winters with cool summers
• Landlocked
• Belarus has a lot of glacial scoring, leading to over 1,000 lakes
• Home to large deposits of granite, limestone, marble, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay
• Belarus has the strongest political ties to Russia of the former Soviet republics 
• Minsk is home to the headquarters of the Commonwealth of Independent States
• Belarus means "White Russia"
• 70% of the radiation from the Chernobyl incident is in Belarus
• Exports
• Cars
• Iron
• Steel

Egypt

• Capital: Cairo
• Major Cities
  • Alexandria
  • Suez
  • Aswan
  • Giza
  • Port Said
  • Luxor
• Major Geographical Features
  • Western Desert
  • Libyan Desert
  • Eastern Desert
  • Lake Nasser
  • Nile River
  • Sinai Peninsula
  • Mediterranean Sea
  • Red Sea
  • Gulf of Suez
  • Gulf of Aqaba
  • Suez Canal
• Official Name: Arab Republic of Egypt
  • Formerly the United Arab Republic (with Syria)
• Religions:
  • Sunni Muslim
  • Coptic Christian
• Language: Arabic
• 1869: Suez Canal completed
• 1981: President Anwar Sadat assassinated
• 2011: Longtime President Hosni Mubarak resigns during Egyptian Revolution and sentenced to life imprisonment
• 2012: Mohamed Morsi (a member of the Muslim Brotherhood) elected president and expands presidential authority
• 2013: The Egyptian military ousts President Morsi after unrest in the nation
• Independence: 1922 from the United Kingdom
• Government: republic
• Currency: Egyptian Pound
• Egypt is slightly larger than 3 New Mexicos
• Literacy: 58%
• The Sinai Peninsula is the only land bridge between Africa and Eurasia
• Largest population in the Arab world
• Nile River is the longest river in the owrld
• 95% desert
• Industries
  • Textiles
  • Food
  • Tourism
  • Petroleum
  • Chemicals
• 2,450 kilometers of coastline
• 2nd most populated African nation (after Nigeria)
• 95% of the population lives along the Nile
• Recently, Egypt has been found to be fostering religious intolerance against Christians and other non-Muslims

Nicaragua

• Capital: Managua
• Major City: Leon
• Major Geographical Features
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Caribbean Sea
  • Gulf of Fonseca
  • Lake Managua
  • Lake Nicaragua
  • San Juan River
  • Miskito Cays
  • Islas del Maiz
  • Cordillera Isabella
• Official Name: Republic of Nicaragua
• Religion: Roman Catholic (58.5%)
• Languages:
  • Spanish (97.5%) (official)
  • Miskito
• 2013: Nicaraguan government allows a Chinese company to build a Nicaragua Canal to rival the Panama Canal
  • For more on this, visit http://geography.about.com/b/2013/06/15/the-nicaragua-canal.htm
• Independence: 1821 from Spain
• Government: republic
• Currency: gold Cordoba (NIO)
• New York is slightly larger than Nicaragua
• Literacy: 67.5%
• Climate: tropical
• Lake Nicaragua is the largest freshwater body in Central America
• Exports
  • Coffee
  • Meat
  • Sweeteners
• Largest nation in Central America

Tunisia

• Capital: Tunis
• Major Geographical Features
  • Mediterranean Sea
  • Gulf of Gabes
  • Atlas Mountains
  • Sahara Desert
  • Sand Sea
• Official Name: Tunisian Republic
• Religion: Muslim
• Languages:
  • Arabic (official)
  • French
• 146 BC: Romans destroy the city of Carthage (near Tunis)
• 2013: Tunisia and Malta discuss oil drilling cooperation
• Independence: 1956 from France
• Government: republic
• Currency: Tunisian dinar
• Tunisia is slightly larger than Georgia
• Literacy: 74.15%
• Climate
  • North: Temperate
  • South: Desert

Poland

• Capital: Warsaw
• Major Cities
  • Krakow
  • Gdansk
  • Lodz
  • Wroclaw
• Major Geographical Features
  • Baltic Sea
  • Oder River
  • Vistula River
  • Masuria
  • Malopolska Hills
  • Beskid Mountains
  • Carpathian Mountains
• Official Name: Republic of Poland
• Religion: Roman Catholic (89.8%)
• Language: Polish (97.8%)
• Late 1700's: partitioned between Prussia, Russia, and Austria
• World War Two: overrun by Germany and Soviet Union
• Post-WWII: became Soviet satellite state
• 1990: 1st nation to overthrow communist rule
  • Due to Lech Walesa and the Solidarity movement
• 1999: joined NATO
• 2004: joined EU
• Independence: 1945 as a Soviet Bloc nation
• Government: republic
• Currency: zloty (PLN)
• New Mexico is slightly larger than Poland
• Literacy: 99.8%
• Climate
  • 2/3 Marine West Coast
  • 1/3 Continental
• Home to Europe's largest bison herd
• Exports
  • Cars
  • Machines
  • Furniture
• Largest nation in central Europe
• Pope John Paul II was from Poland

Ethiopia

• Capital: Addis Ababa
• Major City: Diredawa
• Major Geographical Features
  • Blue Nile River
  • Lake Tana
  • Choke Mountains
  • Ethiopian Highlands
  • Shebele River
  • Lake Turkana
  • Great Rift Valley
• Official Name: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
  • Formerly: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa
• Religions:
  • Muslim (32.8%)
  • Ethiopian Orthodox (50.6%)
  • More on the Religions of Ethiopia
• Languages:
  • Amharic (32.7%)
  • Tigrinya (6.1%)
  • Oromigra (31.6%)
  • Guaragigna (3.5%)
  • Somali (6%)
  • Arabic
• 1930-1974: Haile Selassie modernizes Ethiopia
• 1936-1941: Italian occupation
• 1945: Ethiopia becomes a charter member of the United Nations
• 1974: Socialism established
• 1991: Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front takes power
• 1993: Ethiopia loses coastline with the independence of Eritrea
• Ethiopia has been established for over 2,000 years
  • It is the oldest independent nation in Africa and one of the oldest in the world
• Government: federal republic
• Currency: birr
• 2 Texases slightly larger than Ethiopia
• Literacy: 42.7%
• Climate: Highland
• Landlocked
• Exports
  • Coffee
  • Oil
  • Crude Materials

France

• Capital: Paris
• Major Cities
  • Toulouse
  • Marseilles
  • Lyon
• Major Geographical Features
  • English Channel
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Bay of Biscay
  • Gulf of Lion
  • Mediterranean Sea
  • Loire River
  • Seine River
  • Pyrenees Mts.
  • Massif Central
  • Alps
  • Corsica (island)
• Official Name: French Republic
  • formerly Gaul
• Religion: Roman Catholic
• Language: French
• 1789-1794: French Revolution
• 1919: World War One victor
• 1940: Conquered by Nazi Germany
• 1958: established a presidential democracy
• Independence: 486 when Frankish tribes united
• Government: republic
• Currency: euro
  • Euro leader
• Texas is slightly larger than France
• Literacy: 99%
• International Claims
  • French Guiana
  • Guadeloupe
  • Martinique and Reunion
• Largest nation in western Europe
• One of the most modern nations
• Large percentage of pet owners
• Makes 400 types of cheeses (2nd in the world)
• 1,200 museums
  • the Louvre in Paris is the largest in the world
• Industries
  • Lavender
  • Tourism
  • Wine
• The Tour de France is the world's most famous bicycle race

Morocco

• Capital: Rabat
• Major Cities
  • Casablanca
  • Fez
  • Marrakesh
• Major Geographical Features
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Strait of Gibraltar
  • Mediterranean Sea
  • Atlas Mountains
  • Anti-Atlas Mountains
  • Moulouya River
  • Rif Mountains
• Official Name: Kingdom of Morocco
• Religion: Muslim (98.7%)
• Languages:
  • Arabic (official)
  • Berber
  • French
• 1905-1906: First Moroccan Crisis; considered one of the causes of World War One
  • Kaiser Wilhem II visited Morocco to support its independence in order to drive France and the United Kingdom apart
  • BACKFIRE!
• Independence: 1956 from France
• Government: constitutional monarchy
• Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)
• Morocco is slightly larger than California
• Literacy: 52.3%
• Climate: Mediterranean
• Called the "Gateway to Africa"
• Exports
  • Clothing
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Chemicals
  • Fish
• 1 of 3 remaining kingdoms in Africa
• Sovereignty of the Western Sahara is disputed between Morocco and the Polisario Front

Bangladesh

• Capital: Dhaka
• Major Cities
  • Chittagong
  • Khulna
• Major Geographical Features
  • Bay of Bengal
  • Ganges River
  • Brahmaputra River
• Official Name: People's Republic of Bangladesh
  • Formerly East Pakistan
• Religion: Muslim (83%)
• Languages:
  • Bangla or Bengali (official)
  • English
• 1947: Bangladesh becomes East Pakistan, administered by Pakistan
• 1970: Awami League wins elections, eventually leads independence movement
• 1975: Military coup
• Independence: 1971 from Pakistan
• Government: parliamentary democracy
• Currency: taka (BDT)
• Iowa is slightly larger than Bangladesh
• Literacy: 43.1%
• 7th largest nation in population (150 million people)
• Very poor nation
• The alluvial plains in Bangladesh often flood, displacing people
• The Ganges Delta is the largest river delta in the world
• 3rd largest population of Muslims
• One of the most densely populated nations
• The Tropic of Cancer passes through southern Bangladesh

Cuba

• Capital: Havana
• Major Cities
  • Holguin
  • Guantanamo
• Major Geographical Features
  • Gulf of Mexico
  • Straits of Florida
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Cayman Trench
  • Isla de la Juventud
  • Caribbean Sea
  • Sierra Maestra
• Official Name: Republic of Cuba
• Religion: Roman Catholic
• Language: Spanish
• 1898: Spain cedes Cuba to the Untied States at the end of the Spanish-American War
• 1959: Fidel Castro overthrows the dictatorship of Batista, instituting communism
• 1961: United States invades Cuba to oust Castro in the Bay of Pigs Invasion but were defeated by Castro
• 1962: USSR attempts to put nuclear missiles in Cuba but the United States compromises to have the missile returned to the Soviet Union (known as the Cuban Missile Crisis)
• 2008: Fidel Castro resigns as leader of Cuba, his brother Raul takes over
• Independence: 1902 from United States administration
• Government: communist state
• Currency: Cuban peso
• Pennsylvania is slightly larger than Cuba
• Literacy: 99.8%
• Climate: Tropical
• Westernmost of the Greater Antilles
• Largest nation in the Caribbean
• Many Cubans immigrate to the United States to escape the communist regime

Uruguay

• Capital: Montevideo
• Major Geographical Features
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Rio de la Plata
  • Uruguay River
  • Cuchilla Gradne
  • Rio Negro
  • Laguna Merin
• Official Name: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
  • Formerly
    • Banda Oriental
    • Cisplatine Province
• Religion: Roman Catholic
• Languages:
  • Spanish
  • Portunol or Brazilero (a mixture of Spanish and Portuguese)
• 1973: The Marxist guerrilla group, Tupamaros, is allowed to control the military
• 1985: Civilian Rule restored
• Independence: 1825 from Brazil
• Government: constitutional republic
• Currency: Uruguayan peso
• Uruguay is slightly larger than Washington
• Literacy: 98%
• Climate: Warm Temperate
• 2nd smallest nation in South America
• 3/4 grassland
• Lowest poverty and population growth rates in South America
• Highest urbanization and literacy rates in South America
• 93% of the population is either Spanish or Italian
  • Around the same number lives in cities with Montevideo home to 33% of the population

Ireland

• Capital: Dublin
• Major Cities
  • Cork
  • Limerick
• Major Geographical Features
  • Donegal Bay
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Celtic Sea
  • St. George's Channel
  • Irish Sea
  • Aran Islands
  • Shannon River
  • Galway Bay
• Religion: Roman Catholic (87.4%)
• Languages:
  • English (official)
  • Gaelic (official)
• 1845-1850: Irish Potato Famine
  • 30% of the population leaves Ireland during this period
• 1916: Easter Monday Rebellion against British rule fails
• 1949: Ireland withdraws from the Commonwealth of Nations
• 1973: Joins European Economic Community (now the European Union)
• Independence: 1921 from the United Kingdom
• Government: republic, parliamentary democracy
• Currency: Euro (EUR)
• Ireland is slightly larger than West Virginia
• Literacy: 99%
• Climate: Marine West Coast
• Occupies 83% of the island of Ireland
• Exports
  • Chemicals
  • Pharmeceuticals
• 40% of the Ireland population lives within 97 kilometers of Dublin

The United States of America

In honor of Independence Day, where we in America celebrate such a pivotal point in the history of the world, we decided to write about one of the most powerful nations in the world.

• Capital: Washington, D.C.
• Major Cities
  • San Francisco
  • San Jose
  • Los Angeles
  • San Diego
  • Phoenix
  • Dallas
  • San Antonio
  • Houston
  • Chicago
  • New York City
  • Philadelphia
  • Boston
• Major Geographical Features
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Gulf of Mexico
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Bering Sea
  • Rio Grande
  • Missouri River
  • Mississippi River
  • Great Lakes
    • Superior
    • Michigan
    • Huron
    • Erie
    • Ontario
  • Rocky Mountains
  • Appalachian Mountains
  • Great Plains
• Official Name: The United States of America
• Religions:
  • Christian
  • Various other religions
• Language: English (official)
• July 4, 1776: The Second Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence
• 1789: Constitution ratified
• 1861-1865: American Civil War
• 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor
• September 11, 2001: The terrorist group al-Qaeda hijacks four American planes running two into the World Trade Centers of New York City and one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Another plane was forced to crash in rural Pennsylvania
  • This event prompts a global war on terror
• Independence: 1776 from the United Kingdom
• Government: constitution-based federal republic
• Currency: US Dollar
• Literacy: 97%
• 3rd largest nation in area and population
• National Bird: Bald Eagle
• 1st modern democracy
• 1 of the most powerful nation-states
• Mottoes:
  • From Many, One
  • In God We Trust
• United States is 1/2 of the size of Russia

India

• Capital: New Delhi
• Major Cities
  • Mumbai (Bombay)
  • Kolkata (Calcutta)
  • Bangalore
  • Hyderabad
  • Chennai (Madras)
  • Delhi
  • Jaipur
• Major Geographical Features
  • Arabian Sea
  • Laccadive Sea
  • Indian Ocean
  • Bay of Bengal
  • Himalayas
  • Kashmir
  • Western Ghats
  • Eastern Ghats
  • Ganges River
  • Indus River
  • Deccan Plateau
• Official Name: Republic of India
• Religion: Hindu
• Languages:
  • Hindi (national)
  • Bengali (official)
  • Telugu (official)
  • Marathi (official)
  • Tamil (official)
  • Urdu (official)
  • Gujarati (official)
  • Malayalam (official)
  • Kannada (official)
  • Oriya (official)
  • Punjabi (official)
  • Assamese (official)
  • Kashmir (official)
  • Sindhi (official)
  • Sanskrit (official)
  • English
• 1498: Vasco da Gama lands in Calicut
• 19th century: Great Brittain colonizes India
• 1932, 1943, 1948: Mahatma Gandhi famously fasts in order to have his political demands met
• Independence: 1947 from the United Kingdom; Pakistan (with Bangladesh) and India were created at this time
• Government: federal republic
• Currency: Indian rupee
• India is slightly larger than 1/3 United States
• Literacy: 60.5%
• Controls important Indian Ocean trade routes
• The Indus Valley was home to the oldest civilization
• 2nd largest population
• Disputes over the Kashmir between India, Pakistan, and China
• 4 world religions originated in India: Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism
• Climates
  • North: Temperate
  • South: Tropical monsoon
• Bombay is the home of Bollywood, the Hindu film industry
• 7th largest nation by area
• The Taj Mahal is located in Agra

Cambodia

• Capital: Phnom Penh
• Major Cities: Sihanoukville (Kampong Saom)
• Major Geographical Features
  • Tonle Sap
  • Gulf of Thailand
  • Phu Quoc Island
  • Mekong River
  • Indochina Peninsula
• Official Name: Kingdom of Cambodia
  • Formerly
    • Khmer Repbulic
    • Democratic Kampuchea
    • People's Republic of Kampuchea
    • State of Cambodia
• Religion:Theravada Buddhist (95%)
• Languages:
  • Khmer (official)
  • French
  • English
• 1969-1973: United States bombs Cambodia as part of the Vietnam War
• 1975: The communist Khmer Rouge takes over (Under Pol Pot, 25% of Cambodia's population dies)
• 1975: The Mayaguez Incident is the last battle of the Vietnam War
• 1978: Vietnam invades
• Independence: 1953 from France
• Government: democracy under monarch
• Currency: niel
• Oklahoma is slightly larger than Cambodia
• Literacy: 73.6%
• Climate: Humid Tropical
• Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure and the only religious structure on a national flag
  • Angkor Wat is a Buddhist temple complex
• Economy
  • Printed Material
  • Clothing

Nigeria

• Capital: Abuja
• Major Cities
  • Lagos
  • Port Harcourt
  • Kano
  • Ibadan
  • Kaduna
  • Benin City
• Major Geographical Features
  • Gulf of Guinea
  • Bight of Benin
  • Lake Chad
  • Niger River
  • Benue River
  • Jos Plateau
  • Udi Hills
• Official Name: Federal Republic of Nigeria
• Religions:
  • Muslim (50%)
  • Christian (40%)
• Languages:
  • English (official)
  • Hausa
  • Yoruba
  • Igbo (Ibo)
  • Fulani
  • other indigenous languages
• 1967-70 the Biafra War (or Nigerian Civil War) occurs
  • Some southeastern provinces of Nigeria attempted to secede and form their own nation, Biafra
• 2008: The Bakassi Peninsula is transferred to Cameroon
• 2014: The Islamic militant group Boko Haram kidnaps 276 schoolgirls in northern Nigeria
• 2014: Nigeria has 20 cases and 8 deaths from the Ebola Epidemic but is set to be Ebola-free by October 20.
• Independence: 1960 from the United Kingdom
• Government: federal republic
• Currency: naira (NGN)
• Nigeria is slightly larger than 2 Californias
• Literacy: 68%
• Climate: Mostly tropical
• Most populous nation in Africa; 7th most populous in the world
• Exports
  • Petroleum
• Home to 250 threatened animal species
• Has the highest rate of forest loss (11.1%)
• The western coast of Nigeria is part of the "Slave Coast" so called because of the large numbers of slaves exported from the area

South Korea

• Capital: Seoul
• Major Cities
  • Pusan
  • Inchon
  • Taegu
• Major Geographical Features
  • Yellow Sea
  • Tsushima Strait
  • Korea Strait
  • Sea of Japan
  • East Sea
  • Taebaek Mountains
• Official Name: Republic of Korea
• Religions:
  • Christian (26.3%)
  • Buddhist (23.2%)
• Languages:
  • Korean
  • English
• 1910-1945: Japanese occupation under "Asia for the Asians" campaign
• 1950-1953: Korean War
  • 1953: Armistice separates the Korean Peninsula along the 38th Parallel
    • The border between North and South Korea is a demilitarized zone
• 1997: Financial crisis in South Korea
• 2000: First summit between North and South Korea
• Independence: 1945 from Japan
• Government: republic
• Currency: South Korean Won (KRW)
• South Korea is slightly larger than Indiana
• Literacy: 97.99%
• Climate: subtropical
• Seoul is the world's 2nd largest metro area
• Motto: "Land of the Morning Calm"
• Industries
  • Iron
  • Steel
  • Machinery
  • Telecommunications
• Pusan is the world's 8th largest port
• 4th largest exporter and importer to the United States

South Africa

• Capitals:
  • Pretoria (administrative)
  • Cape Town (legislative)
  • Bloemfontein (judicial)
• Major Cities
  • Johannesburg
  • Durban
• Major Geographical Features
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Indian Ocean
  • Orange River
  • Kalahari Desert
  • Cape of Good Hope
• Official Name: Republic of South Africa
• Religion: various Christian faiths
• Languages:
  • Afrikaans (official)
  • English (official)
  • Ndebele (official)
  • Pedi (official)
  • Sepedi (official)
  • Sesotho (official)
  • Swazi (official)
  • Tsonga (official)
  • Tswana (official)
  • Venda (official)
  • Xhosa (official)
  • Zulu (official)
• 1806: Settled by the British
• 1867: Diamonds discovered
• 1886: Gold discovered
• 1990s: Apartheid rule ends
  • Apartheid was the system of racial segregation in South Africa
  • 1994-1999: Nelson Mandela serves as president. He was the first black South African to hold that office
• Independence: 1910 from Great Brittain
• Government: republic
• Currency: rand
• Two Texases are slightly larger than South Africa
• Literacy: 86.2%
• Climate: Dry Mid-Latitude (Grassland)
• Completely surrounds Lesotho, almost completely surrounds Swaziland
• Hosted the 2010 World Cup
• Richest and most modern nation in Africa
• Also called the "Rainbow Nation"