Masterlist #WorldFromMyArmchair
This is one of my favorite challenges @ Paul’s Halfman, Halfbook.
- I love to travel….but don’t want to leave home.
- In books I can go anywhere I want!
- Paul has introduced me to some great
- …UK travel. science and non-fiction awards:
- Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards
- The Wainwright
- Royal Society Science Book Prize
- Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction
UPDATE: December 2022: in 6 years…only visited
- 14 countries (books read)
- 2 oceans (books read)
- NOT a very good result….will do better in 2023!
2023: Planning
- 2022: Do Not Disturb – M. Wrong (Rwanda) (NF)
- 2022: A Line in the World: A year by North Sea coast – D. Nors Denmark – REVIEW
- 1930: Le juif errant est arrivé – A. Londres Poland
- 2020: Signs of Life – S. Fabes England
- 1884: Au soleil – G. de Maupassant France
- 1963: L’Usage du monde – Nicholas Bouvier – book ends in Pakistan, Khyber Pass
- 2022: In the Shadow of the Mountain – Silvia Vasquez-Lavado Peru
- 1957: Hong Kong et Macao – Joseph Kessel – (China,Hong Kong, Macau) – REVIEW
- 2020: Diary of a Young Naturalist – Dara McAnulty England
- 2020: The Bells of Old Tokyo: travels in Japanese time – Anna Sherman Japan
- 2016: Sovjetistan – Erika Fatland Turkmenistan
- 2019: La panthère des neiges – Sylvian Tesson (China,Tibet)- REVIEW
2022:
- A Walk in the Woods – Bill Bryson USA
2020:
- Surrender – Joanna Pocock USA
- Wild Sea: a history of the southern ocean – Joy McCann Southern Ocean
- Hazelwood – Tom Doigt – Australia
- City On Fire: The Fight For Hong Kong – A. Dapiran China
2019:
- Indonesia ect. – E. Pisani Indonesia
- A Time of Gifts – Patrick Leigh Fermor Bulgaria
- A Poet’s Dublin – Eavan Boland Ireland
- Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia – Pacific Ocean
2018:
- Wild Kingdom – S. Moss – READ England
- Towards Mellbreak – M. Bragg – READ England
- The Rule of the Land: Walking Ireland’s Borders – G. Carr – Ireland
- River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze – P. Hessler – China
- Border – K. Kassabova – READ Bulgaria
- Feeling the Heat – J. Chandler – Antarctica (continent)
- Saga Land – R. Fidler and K. Gislason – Iceland
- Wounds – F. Keane – Ireland
- Deep South – P. Theroux – USA
- Islander: Journey Around Our Archipelago – P. Barkham England
- From the Edge: Australia’s Lost Histories – M. McKenna Australia
- The Revolutionary Ride – L. Pryce – Iran
- Christ Stopped at Ebloi – Carlo Levi – Italy
2017:
- The Marches – R. Stewart England
- Foxes Unearthed – L. Jones England
- Village Christmas – L. Lee England
- The Bush – D. Watson Australia
- The Voices of Marrakesh – E. Canetti Morocco
- The Shepherd’s Life – J. Rebanks England
- The Story of Ireland – N. Hegarty Ireland
- Interstate – J. Sayarer USA
- The Story of Israel – D. Gordis Israel
- Walking the Nile – L. Wood start in Nyungwe Forest in Rwanda
- The Running Hare – J. Lewis-Stempel England
- Into the Heart of Tasmania – R. Taylor Australia
- Congo – D. van Reysbrouck Congo
- Position Doubtful – Kim Mahood Australia
Country | Commencement | Population | Area |
---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | 1946 | 39.84 M | 653,000 km² |
Albania | 1955 | 2.81 M | 29,000 km² |
Algeria | 1962 | 44.62 M | 2,382,000 km² |
Andorra | 1993 | 0.08 M | 470 km² |
Angola | 1976 | 33.93 M | 1,247,000 km² |
Antigua and Barbuda | 1981 | 0.10 M | 440 km² |
Argentina | 1945 | 45.81 M | 2,780,000 km² |
Armenia | 1992 | 2.97 M | 30,000 km² |
Australia | 1945 | 25.74 M | 7,741,000 km² |
Austria | 1955 | 8.96 M | 84,000 km² |
Azerbaijan | 1992 | 10.15 M | 87,000 km² |
Bahamas | 1973 | 0.40 M | 14,000 km² |
Bahrain | 1971 | 1.75 M | 778 km² |
Bangladesh | 1974 | 166.30 M | 148,000 km² |
Barbados | 1966 | 0.29 M | 430 km² |
Belarus | 1945 | 9.34 M | 208,000 km² |
Belgium | 1945 | 11.59 M | 31,000 km² |
Belize | 1981 | 0.40 M | 23,000 km² |
Benin | 1960 | 12.45 M | 115,000 km² |
Bhutan | 1971 | 0.78 M | 38,000 km² |
Bolivia | 1945 | 11.83 M | 1,099,000 km² |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1992 | 3.26 M | 51,000 km² |
Botswana | 1966 | 2.40 M | 582,000 km² |
Brazil | 1945 | 213.99 M | 8,516,000 km² |
Brunei | 1984 | 0.44 M | 5,770 km² |
Bulgaria | 1955 | 6.90 M | 111,000 km² |
Burkina Faso | 1960 | 21.50 M | 274,000 km² |
Burundi | 1962 | 12.26 M | 28,000 km² |
Cambodia | 1955 | 16.95 M | 181,000 km² |
Cameroon | 1960 | 27.22 M | 475,000 km² |
Canada | 1945 | 38.25 M | 9,985,000 km² |
Cape Verde | 1975 | 0.56 M | 4,030 km² |
Central Africa | 1960 | 4.92 M | 623,000 km² |
Chad | 1960 | 16.91 M | 1,284,000 km² |
Chile | 1945 | 19.21 M | 757,000 km² |
China | 1971 | 1,412.36 M | 9,563,000 km² |
Colombia | 1945 | 51.27 M | 1,142,000 km² |
Comoros | 1975 | 0.89 M | 1,861 km² |
Congo | 1960 | 5.66 M | 342,000 km² |
Congo (Dem. Republic) | 1960 | 92.38 M | 2,345,000 km² |
Costa Rica | 1945 | 5.14 M | 51,000 km² |
Croatia | 1992 | 3.90 M | 57,000 km² |
Cuba | 1945 | 11.32 M | 110,000 km² |
Cyprus | 1960 | 1.22 M | 9,250 km² |
Czechia | 1993 | 10.70 M | 79,000 km² |
Denmark | 1945 | 5.86 M | 43,000 km² |
Djibouti | 1977 | 1.00 M | 23,000 km² |
Dominica | 1978 | 0.07 M | 750 km² |
Dominican Republic | 1945 | 10.95 M | 49,000 km² |
Ecuador | 1945 | 17.89 M | 256,000 km² |
Egypt | 1945 | 104.26 M | 1,001,000 km² |
El Salvador | 1945 | 6.52 M | 21,000 km² |
Equatorial Guinea | 1968 | 1.45 M | 28,000 km² |
Eritrea | 1993 | 3.50 M | 118,000 km² |
Estonia | 1991 | 1.33 M | 45,000 km² |
Eswatini | 1968 | 1.17 M | 17,000 km² |
Ethiopia | 1945 | 117.88 M | 1,104,000 km² |
Fiji | 1970 | 0.90 M | 18,000 km² |
Finland | 1955 | 5.54 M | 338,000 km² |
France | 1945 | 67.50 M | 549,000 km² |
Gabon | 1960 | 2.28 M | 268,000 km² |
Gambia | 1965 | 2.49 M | 11,000 km² |
Georgia | 1992 | 3.71 M | 70,000 km² |
Germany | 1973 | 83.13 M | 358,000 km² |
Ghana | 1957 | 31.73 M | 239,000 km² |
Greece | 1945 | 10.66 M | 132,000 km² |
Grenada | 1974 | 0.11 M | 340 km² |
Guatemala | 1945 | 17.11 M | 109,000 km² |
Guinea | 1958 | 13.50 M | 246,000 km² |
Guinea-Bissau | 1974 | 2.02 M | 36,000 km² |
Guyana | 1966 | 0.79 M | 215,000 km² |
Haiti | 1945 | 11.54 M | 28,000 km² |
Honduras | 1945 | 10.06 M | 112,000 km² |
Hungary | 1955 | 9.71 M | 93,000 km² |
Iceland | 1946 | 0.37 M | 103,000 km² |
India | 1945 | 1,393.41 M | 3,287,000 km² |
Indonesia | 1950 | 276.36 M | 1,914,000 km² |
Iran | 1945 | 85.03 M | 1,745,000 km² |
Iraq | 1945 | 41.18 M | 435,000 km² |
Ireland | 1955 | 5.03 M | 70,000 km² |
Israel | 1949 | 9.36 M | 22,000 km² |
Italy | 1955 | 59.07 M | 301,000 km² |
Ivory Coast | 1960 | 27.05 M | 322,000 km² |
Jamaica | 1962 | 2.97 M | 11,000 km² |
Japan | 1956 | 125.68 M | 378,000 km² |
Jordan | 1955 | 10.27 M | 89,000 km² |
Kazakhstan | 1992 | 19.00 M | 2,725,000 km² |
Kenya | 1963 | 54.99 M | 580,000 km² |
Kiribati | 1999 | 0.12 M | 810 km² |
Kuwait | 1963 | 4.33 M | 18,000 km² |
Kyrgyzstan | 1992 | 6.69 M | 200,000 km² |
Laos | 1955 | 7.38 M | 237,000 km² |
Latvia | 1991 | 1.88 M | 64,000 km² |
Lebanon | 1945 | 6.77 M | 10,000 km² |
Lesotho | 1966 | 2.16 M | 30,000 km² |
Liberia | 1945 | 5.18 M | 111,000 km² |
Libya | 1955 | 6.96 M | 1,760,000 km² |
Liechtenstein | 1990 | 0.04 M | 161 km² |
Lithuania | 1991 | 2.80 M | 65,000 km² |
Luxembourg | 1945 | 0.64 M | 2,590 km² |
Madagascar | 1960 | 28.43 M | 587,000 km² |
Malawi | 1964 | 19.65 M | 118,000 km² |
Malaysia | 1957 | 32.78 M | 330,000 km² |
Maldives | 1965 | 0.54 M | 300 km² |
Mali | 1960 | 20.86 M | 1,240,000 km² |
Malta | 1964 | 0.52 M | 320 km² |
Marshall Islands | 1991 | 0.06 M | 181 km² |
Mauritania | 1961 | 4.78 M | 1,031,000 km² |
Mauritius | 1968 | 1.27 M | 2,040 km² |
Mexico | 1945 | 130.26 M | 1,964,000 km² |
Micronesia | 1991 | 0.12 M | 700 km² |
Moldova | 1992 | 2.57 M | 34,000 km² |
Monaco | 1993 | 0.04 M | 2 km² |
Mongolia | 1961 | 3.33 M | 1,564,000 km² |
Montenegro | 2006 | 0.62 M | 14,000 km² |
Morocco | 1956 | 37.34 M | 447,000 km² |
Mozambique | 1975 | 32.16 M | 786,000 km² |
Myanmar | 1948 | 54.81 M | 677,000 km² |
Namibia | 1990 | 2.59 M | 824,000 km² |
Nauru | 1999 | 0.01 M | 21 km² |
Nepal | 1955 | 29.67 M | 147,000 km² |
Netherlands | 1945 | 17.53 M | 42,000 km² |
New Zealand | 1945 | 5.12 M | 268,000 km² |
Nicaragua | 1945 | 6.70 M | 130,000 km² |
Niger | 1960 | 25.13 M | 1,267,000 km² |
Nigeria | 1960 | 211.40 M | 924,000 km² |
North Korea | 1991 | 25.89 M | 121,000 km² |
North Macedonia | 1993 | 2.07 M | 26,000 km² |
Norway | 1945 | 5.41 M | 385,000 km² |
Oman | 1971 | 5.22 M | 310,000 km² |
Pakistan | 1947 | 225.20 M | 796,000 km² |
Palau | 1994 | 0.02 M | 460 km² |
Panama | 1945 | 4.38 M | 75,000 km² |
Papua New Guinea | 1975 | 9.12 M | 463,000 km² |
Paraguay | 1945 | 7.22 M | 407,000 km² |
Peru | 1945 | 33.36 M | 1,285,000 km² |
Philippines | 1945 | 111.05 M | 300,000 km² |
Poland | 1945 | 37.78 M | 313,000 km² |
Portugal | 1955 | 10.30 M | 92,000 km² |
Qatar | 1971 | 2.93 M | 12,000 km² |
Romania | 1955 | 19.12 M | 238,000 km² |
Russia | 1991 | 143.45 M | 17,098,000 km² |
Rwanda | 1962 | 13.28 M | 26,000 km² |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1983 | 0.05 M | 260 km² |
Saint Lucia | 1979 | 0.18 M | 620 km² |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1980 | 0.11 M | 390 km² |
Samoa | 1976 | 0.20 M | 2,840 km² |
San Marino | 1992 | 0.03 M | 61 km² |
Sao Tome and Principe | 1975 | 0.22 M | 960 km² |
Saudi Arabia | 1945 | 35.34 M | 2,150,000 km² |
Senegal | 1960 | 17.20 M | 197,000 km² |
Serbia | 2000 | 6.84 M | 88,000 km² |
Seychelles | 1976 | 0.10 M | 460 km² |
Sierra Leone | 1961 | 8.14 M | 72,000 km² |
Singapore | 1965 | 5.45 M | 719 km² |
Slovakia | 1993 | 5.45 M | 49,000 km² |
Slovenia | 1992 | 2.11 M | 21,000 km² |
Solomon Islands | 1978 | 0.70 M | 29,000 km² |
Somalia | 1960 | 16.36 M | 638,000 km² |
South Africa | 1945 | 60.04 M | 1,219,000 km² |
South Korea | 1991 | 51.74 M | 100,000 km² |
South Sudan | 2011 | 11.38 M | 644,000 km² |
Spain | 1955 | 47.33 M | 506,000 km² |
Sri Lanka | 1955 | 22.16 M | 66,000 km² |
Sudan | 1956 | 44.91 M | 1,879,000 km² |
Suriname | 1975 | 0.59 M | 164,000 km² |
Sweden | 1946 | 10.42 M | 447,000 km² |
Switzerland | 2002 | 8.70 M | 41,000 km² |
Syria | 1945 | 18.28 M | 185,000 km² |
Tajikistan | 1992 | 9.75 M | 141,000 km² |
Tanzania | 1964 | 61.50 M | 947,000 km² |
Thailand | 1946 | 69.95 M | 513,000 km² |
Timor-Leste | 2002 | 1.34 M | 15,000 km² |
Togo | 1960 | 8.48 M | 57,000 km² |
Tonga | 1999 | 0.11 M | 750 km² |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1962 | 1.40 M | 5,130 km² |
Tunisia | 1956 | 11.94 M | 164,000 km² |
Turkey | 1945 | 85.04 M | 785,000 km² |
Turkmenistan | 1992 | 6.12 M | 488,000 km² |
Tuvalu | 2000 | 0.01 M | 26 km² |
Uganda | 1962 | 47.12 M | 242,000 km² |
Ukraine | 1945 | 43.81 M | 604,000 km² |
United Arab Emirates | 1971 | 9.99 M | 84,000 km² |
United Kingdom | 1945 | 67.33 M | 244,000 km² |
United States | 1945 | 331.89 M | 9,832,000 km² |
Uruguay | 1945 | 3.49 M | 176,000 km² |
Uzbekistan | 1992 | 34.92 M | 447,000 km² |
Vanuatu | 1981 | 0.31 M | 12,000 km² |
Venezuela | 1945 | 28.70 M | 912,000 km² |
Vietnam | 1977 | 98.17 M | 331,000 km² |
Yemen | 1947 | 30.49 M | 528,000 km² |
Zambia | 1964 | 18.92 M | 753,000 km² |
Zimbabwe | 1980 | 15.09 M | 391,000 km² |
Non-members of the United Nations
With 193 member states and their additionally dependent external territories, it would almost be easier to list only the countries that are not members. These are the following countries or territories:
- Northern Cyprus is actually a Turkish republic according to all UN member states. Turkey does not recognize Northern Cyprus.
- Taiwan is claimed by China and was a regular member of the UN until 1971. Due to foreign policy constraints with China several states were forced to no longer recognize Taiwan and to consider it part of China in the future.
- The status of Western Sahara under international law has not yet been clarified. There are still disputes between Morocco and the Sahrawis that do not currently allow recognition as an independent country.
- The status of Kosovo under international law is also still controversial. Although more than half of the UN members now recognize Kosovo as a sovereign state, it is still under the administrative jurisdiction of the United Nations.
- Vatican City and Palestine have the role of permanent observer. They are treated as members, but have no voting rights in the General Assembly.
- The Cook Islands, Niue and Northern Mariana Islands are smaller Pacific island states with a total population of less than 70,000. They are freely associated with New Zealand and the USA respectively, but are monitored by the UN.
- Curaçao is an island in the Caribbean and has actually become a sovereign state since the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010. It is considered an “independent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands” by the United Nations.
The five oceans are:
- The Pacific Ocean, the largest of the oceans, also reaches northward from the Southern Ocean to the Arctic Ocean. It spans the gap between Australia and Asia, and the Americas. The Pacific Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean south of South America at Cape Horn.
- READ –> Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia
- The Atlantic Ocean, the second largest, extends from the Southern Ocean between the Americas, and Africa and Europe, to the Arctic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean south of Africa at Cape Agulhas.
- The Indian Ocean, the third largest, extends northward from the Southern Ocean to India, the Arabian Peninsula, and Southeast Asia in Asia, and between Africa in the west and Australia in the east. The Indian Ocean joins the Pacific Ocean to the east, near Australia.
- The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the five. It joins the Atlantic Ocean near Greenland and Iceland and joins the Pacific Ocean at the Bering Strait. It overlies the North Pole, touching North America in the Western Hemisphere and Scandinavia and Siberia in the Eastern Hemisphere. The Arctic Ocean is partially covered in sea ice, the extent of which varies according to the season.
- The Southern Ocean is a proposed ocean surrounding Antarctica, dominated by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, generally the ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude. The Southern Ocean is partially covered in sea ice, the extent of which varies according to the season. The Southern Ocean is the second smallest of the five named oceans. – READ –> Wild Sea: a history of the southern ocean