countries

Countries whose real names differ from the generally accepted ones: TOP-10

30/01/2022 by

An interesting fact is that most of the names on the political map of the world (whether in Russian, English or any other language) do not correspond to the names used by the inhabitants of the designated territories. In the material below, we have collected the most interesting differences in the generally accepted and real names of states.

♥ BY TOPIC: The most expensive paintings in the world and why they cost so much: TOP-50.

TOP 10 countries whose real names are radically different from the generally accepted ones

Indeed, most of us do not pay much attention to the correctness of the toponyms used. We still buy real Ceylon tea, although the island, like the country, has been called Sri Lanka for half a century, we do not recognize the name of the state of Myanmar that has been used for 30 years and continue to stubbornly call it Burma, we linguistically reduce the Kingdom of the Netherlands to two Dutch regions, etc. . However, knowing the correct names of some states is not only useful for general development, but also quite curious.

♥ BY TOPIC: The deepest holes in the world.

Deutschland (Germany)

As you know, the unification of the German lands took place quite recently in a historical perspective, and therefore the neighbors still call this state in accordance with the nicknames of those tribes with which their ancestors had more contact. So, the French call the country Allemania, the Russians – Germany, the Finns – Saks, the Danes – Tiskland, the Ukrainians – Nimechchina, the Poles – just Germans, and the Icelanders even call it Piskaland. In international circulation, the English name Germany is used, but the citizens themselves refer to their state as Deutschland.

♥ BY TOPIC: Famous artists of the “circus of freaks”: people with amazing anatomical abnormalities.

Hellas (Greece)

Calling the state Greece in the presence of an orthodox Hellene is almost as insulting as calling the city Odessa in the presence of a native Odessan. Although, in fact, in the very antiquity that all the inhabitants of the country dream of, there were no Hellenes. The inhabitants of Corinth considered themselves Corthians, and the Athenians lived in Athens. However, subsequently, with the light hand of Herodotus, all the territories mastered by the Greeks really began to be called Hellas, and the inhabitants – Hellenes. But then there were the Romans, who did not care deeply about all the merits of the creators of the ancient civilization. It was they who introduced the name Greece, which is used in various versions today by the whole world, except for the Greeks themselves, who still call their country – Hellas (Ελλάδα).

♥ BY TOPIC: What animals and birds live the longest on the planet: Top 10.

El Maghreb (Morocco)

The history of the appearance of the generally accepted name of this state is remarkable in that it is a typical example of the European colonialists’ disregard for local names. The abbreviated self-name of the country is El Maghreb or the Kingdom of the Maghreb, which roughly translates as “west” and is easily explained by the geographical location of the state on the northwestern coast of the African continent. The French, having colonized this territory, called it simply by the name of one of the largest cities – Marrakech.

♥ BY TOPIC: The tallest people on earth in history + video.

Ayastan (Armenia)

The origin of the common name “Armenia” is in many ways similar to Dutch history and is associated with the name of the region Armi, while the Armenians themselves call the country Ayastan (Հայաստան) in honor of Hayk, the commander, according to legend, in 2492 BC. who defeated the Babylonians.

♥ BY TOPIC: The best cities in the world: 28 places with the highest standard of living.

Nihon or Nippon (Japan)

The East is a delicate matter, and it can be quite difficult to understand the etymology of the names of Asian countries. However, in the case of “the place where the sun rises” everything is more or less clear. In fact, this phrase, familiar to a Russian-speaking person, is the real name of the State of Japan, which is written in kanji characters and pronounced as “Nihon koku” or “Nippon koku”. That is how the representatives of the Chinese Sun dynasty called the island state, for whom the sunrise geographically began precisely from Japan, and then the Pacific desert extended. The name Nihon is used mostly by the Japanese in everyday life, while Nippon can be seen in official documents.

♥ BY TOPIC: Why the dollar is called the buck, denoted by the symbol $ and other interesting facts about the American currency.

Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland)

Although the world’s largest island is not an independent state, its presence on this list is justified by a rather original, generally accepted name. According to one version, the Norwegian Viking Eric the Red, who organized the first settlements here and wanted to lure as many compatriots as possible into his possessions, came up with the idea to call the harsh cold area “green land” (Greenland or in Danish Grønland). The self-name of the island is Kalaallit Nunaat, which can be translated as “Land of the Kalaalites” (Kalaalites are a tribe of local Eskimos).

♥ BY TOPIC: The Swiss guard, or why the Pope can only be guarded by people from Switzerland?

United Kingdom (UK)

The most difficult situation with names has developed in the British Isles, where a person who is not particularly interested in geography can completely get confused. Here is England, and Great Britain, and the United Kingdom, and two Irelands, one of which is Northern, and the second for some reason not Southern, but if you add here Australia, Canada and many small state formations, the inhabitants of which in one way or another are subjects of the British crown, it becomes quite difficult to put the whole administrative division in your head.

Let’s start with the UK. This is how most people around the world, including Russian speakers, call the state, which includes four main territories: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. However, to be absolutely precise, Great Britain is more of a geographical name, denoting the largest island of the country, but only England, Scotland and Wales are located on it, while Northern Ireland is located on another island along with its neighbor – ordinary Ireland.

The political name that should be used (but is used quite rarely) in international circulation is United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or, for short, the United Kingdom. Among other things, the British themselves exacerbate the problem. For example, at the Olympic Games they compete under the name Great Britain, while including athletes from Northern Ireland in the team. At the same time, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own national football teams, playing under their own flags to the accompaniment of different anthems at FIFA and UEFA international competitions.

♥ BY TOPIC: How to pronounce Xiaomi in Russian correctly and what this word means.

Netherlands (Holland)

Another rather complex state formation, the basis of which is the Kingdom of the Netherlands with its three islands: Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, as well as the Netherlands itself. At the same time, the Netherlands itself also includes three Caribbean islands: Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, as well as the main European part, in which, among others, there are the provinces of South and North Holland. However, throughout the world, this multinational, complex state is still regularly called Holland, calling all its citizens Dutch, including those who have never left their island in the Caribbean and have never seen Holland itself.

As in the case of the British, the Dutch government was not particularly active in this matter – the country was designated as Holland at international summits, sports, economic forums, etc. However, at the beginning of 2020, it was decided to end the linguistic confusion at the legislative level, and the Netherlands finally abandoned the Holland brand.

♥ BY TOPIC: Space speeds: how fast do you need to fly to leave the Earth, the planetary system and the galaxy?

Sakartvelo (Georgia)

Here the situation is strictly opposite to that in the Netherlands. The Georgians themselves call the country Sakartvelo only after one of the regions of Kartli, which played a decisive role in the economic and cultural development of the state. The English-speaking international community calls the country Georgia, which is most likely associated with St. George, in whose honor the Georgians erected several hundred churches and consider him their patron.

The Russian-language name Georgia, presumably, has roots in Persian sources, where these territories are called the “land of wolves” – Gurjistan. And in Armenian, the country sounds like Vrastan, which can be translated into Russian as “Upper Country” (Georgia is located strictly north of Armenia).

♥ BY TOPIC: Who has the most followers on Instagram – the 40 most popular accounts.

Joseon and Hanguk (North and South Korea)

As is the case with most other states, the rest of the world has no interest in the internal Korean political cuisine and the peninsula is easily divided along the 38th parallel into North Korea (DPRK) and South. The only problem is that the Koreans themselves do not recognize any division and both halves consider the other half to be temporarily annexed by damned capitalists or no less damned communists. Actually, the name Korea itself, derived from the name of the Koryo empire (which united the peninsula until 1392), is also not used by the Koreans themselves.

The self-name of North Korea is Joseon, which can be translated as “Land of the Morning Calm”. In turn, in the south, Korea is called Hanguk or Taehanminguk, and the division into the southern and northern parts follows the same principle as in the DPRK: in the north, Bukhan (Northern Khan), in the south, respectively, Namhan (Southern Khan).

♥ BY TOPIC: 7 Famous Symbols You Might Not Know About.

Aotearoa (New Zealand)

Despite the fact that the active development of the New Zealand islands by Europeans began only a couple of centuries ago, a single original name for this state does not exist in nature, although they are trying in every possible way to find it. The fact is that the Maori who lived here before the advent of the colonialists did not, of course, have any political borders and political maps, and their territories were limited to the shores of the islands, each of which had its own name (and it could be radically different from the name that was used for neighbors of the area).

However, the current international name of the country New Zealand is not very suitable for the New Zealanders themselves – it turns out that the largest state of Oceania is named after the not most prosperous, to put it mildly, southwestern province of the Netherlands, the reason for which was the nationality of the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, named after which, by the way, is also named neighboring Tasmania.

The most acceptable option for restoring historical justice is considered to be the name Aotearoa, which roughly translates as “Land of the Long White Cloud”, however, opponents of the renaming note that until the middle of the 20th century, the Maori themselves called it exclusively the Northern (one of the two main) islands of New Zealand.

See also:

Prohibited films: TOP 10 popular films banned in certain countries

10/09/2021 by ALOK DAS

It is believed that banning films only fuels interest in them and is often deliberately provoked by the creators. However, cinema without a license and a distribution certificate in the vast majority of cases loses almost all potential profit, and the reasons for the ban are sometimes so unclear that one involuntarily begins to doubt the adequacy of the censors.

♥ BY THEME: What do the names of TV channels mean: TNT, Netflix, HBO?

Wonder Woman, 2017

The picture was banned in Lebanon even before the world release, and many media outlets, without understanding the situation, hastened to accuse the authorities of the Islamic state of conservatism. Two reasons for the banning of a Hollywood film in a Muslim country seemed obvious – the propaganda of feminism and the frank outfit of the protagonist.

However, the real reason for the restriction of the show was another fact – the performer of the role of Gal Gadot did military service in the armed forces of Israel, with which Lebanon is in tense relations.

♥ BY THEME: Best Movies: How to Find a Good Movie to Watch – 9 Working Ways.

The Simpsons Movie, 2007

The innocuous, seemingly satirical animation produced by 20th Century Fox has been accused of racism by Myanmar’s cultural overseers. According to local censors, yellow people in films (albeit animated ones) are a clear allusion to the Asian race, which should not be possible in principle. By the way, in the country the same applies to any works where people with red faces are present.

♥ BY THEME: Top 100 Movies in Cinema History that Made the Most Money.

Christopher Robin, 2018

In theory, Winnie the Pooh could also be banned in Myanmar because of the yellow face, but he is still a bear, not a man. Therefore, it was banned in China, considering the similarity of Winnie’s face with the appearance of the leader of the local Communist Party Xi Jinping.

♥ BY THEME: Kitchen, Univer, Interns and 12 more Russian TV series copied from Western studios.

Number 44, 2015

The 2015 thriller directed by Daniel Espinosa is based on the book by British writer Tom Rob Smith and tells the story of MGB officer Lev Demidov, played by Hollywood star Tom Hardy. Demidov does not fit into the ideology of the Stalinist USSR in any way, he takes pity on dissidents, refuses official forgeries, besides, he is the child of victims of the Holodomor of the 30s.

According to the storyline, the main character is forbidden to investigate the murders of children committed by a maniac copied from the later activist Andrei Chikatilo. There is also a character obligatory for such a movie – a cowardly careerist, ready to sue his fellow soldiers for another star on his shoulder straps.

Such coverage of Soviet realities was regarded by Russian censors as a distortion of historical events, and the film was banned from showing throughout the territory of the Russian Federation.

♥ BY THEME: All Oscar winning cartoons.

Interview (The Interview), 2014

After the death of DPRK leader Kim Jong Il in 2011, the international community expected a thaw in relations between North Korea and the United States. Kim Jong-un, who came to power, turned out to be more tolerant of Western values, which was reflected in the film “Interview” with a high degree of exaggeration.

According to the plot, Kim is a fan of the American showman David Skylark (James Franco), which the US intelligence agencies decide to take advantage of. They recruit Skylark and send him to the DPRK in order to kill the leader of the North Korean nation under the pretext of interviewing him. Naturally, in a trashy comedy aimed at Western audiences, Kim Jong-un (like all other Koreans, by the way) looks ridiculous and stupid, which, as expected, led to a ban on cinema on the territory of the state. By the way, the Russian censors also did not issue a distribution certificate to the film.

♥ BY THEME: Films that won the Oscar for Best Picture in the 21st Century.

The Death of Stalin, 2017

The story is similar to the ban on the film “Interview” in the Russian Federation. Only this time, the authors of the film are British, and Soviet leaders were the victims. In a satirical form, the picture describes the struggle for the post of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the USSR Party between Lavrenty Beria and Nikita Khrushchev after the death of the “leader of the peoples” in 1953.

It is noteworthy that the film received a distribution certificate and was even shown in Russia, however, under pressure from the Communist Party, it was decided that the true goal of the filmmakers was “to discredit the figure of Stalin.”

♥ BY THEME: Oscar-winning Russian films (+ nominee paintings).

“Russia 88”, 2009

The film is allegedly based on real events that took place in Moscow – the leader of a neo-Nazi organization learns that his sister has a love relationship with a Caucasian. Naturally, the main skinhead of the Russian capital is making every effort to find and kill the impudent man.

As a result of consideration by the censorship commission, the film was not only banned from showing, but also recommended for study by the prosecutor’s office. The investigation by the investigators confirmed the diagnosis – the painting by Pavel Bardin is clearly extremist in nature and should not be shown on the territory of the Russian Federation.

♥ BY THEME: What is a sequel, prequel and spin-off and how are they different?

Fifty Shades of Gray, 2015

A frankly weak film based on an even less profound, in terms of plot and literary value, novel by Erica Leonard James, became an absolute bestseller and noticeably increased sales of devices for homegrown BDSM fans around the world.

Of course, the erotic hit for teenage girls was banned in a number of countries (mostly Islamic). As for the domestic viewer, the picture of Sam Taylor-Johnson was not shown only in some regions of Russia (Ingushetia, Dagestan, etc.).

♥ BY THEME: Best Thrillers: A list of the top 35 films with descriptions, trailers and links.

Back to the Future, 1985-1990

Surely no movie lover will guess what seditious can be found in this harmless sci-fi trilogy about the adventures of a teenager Marty McFly and scientist Emmett Brown. However, the film cannot be shown in China due to the fact that it is in principle forbidden there to mention ghosts and time travel in films.

♥ BY THEME: Most Popular YouTube Videos: Top 25 Most Viewed YouTube Videos of All Time.

“2012”, 2009

Another not the most obvious prohibition – Roland Emmerich’s catastrophic tape could hardly catch anyone’s religious, political or other beliefs. The movie was filmed based on the popular media event at that time – the alleged “end of the world” associated with the end of the Mayan calendar.

However, this film could not make it onto the screens of viewers in North Korea, for whom 2012 was a special year for strictly opposite reasons. The centenary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, the leader, the Sun of the nation, and suddenly the end of the world – this cannot be even in the cinema.

See also:

Countries whose real names differ from the generally accepted ones: TOP-10

24/02/2021 by ALOK DAS

An interesting fact is that most of the names on the political map of the world (be it in Russian, English or any other language) do not correspond to the names used by the inhabitants of the designated territories. In the material below, we have collected the most interesting differences in common and real names of states.

♥ BY TOPIC: The most expensive paintings in the world and why they cost so much: TOP-50.

TOP 10 countries, whose real names are radically different from the generally accepted ones

Indeed, most of us do not pay much attention to the correctness of the place names used. We still buy real Ceylon tea, although the island, like the country, has been called Sri Lanka for half a century, we have not recognized the name of the state Myanmar for 30 years and continue to stubbornly call it Burma, linguistically we are reducing the Kingdom of the Netherlands to two Dutch regions, etc. … Nevertheless, finding out the correct names of some states is not only useful for general development, but also quite curious.

♥ BY TOPIC: The deepest holes in the world.

Deutschland (Germany)

As you know, the unification of the Germanic lands happened quite recently in a historical perspective, and therefore the neighbors still call this state in accordance with the nicknames of those tribes with which their ancestors had more contact. So, the French call the country Allemania, the Russians – Germany, the Finns – Saxo, the Danes – Tiskland, the Ukrainians – Nimechina, the Poles – simply Germans, and Icelanders call it Piskaland. In international circulation, the English name Germany is used, but the citizens themselves call their state no other than Deutschland.

♥ BY TOPIC: Famous artists of the “freak circus”: people with amazing anatomical disabilities.

Hellas (Greece)

To call the state Greece in the presence of an orthodox Hellene is almost as offensive as to call the city Odessa in the presence of a native Odessa citizen. Although, in fact, in the very antiquity that all the inhabitants of the country dream about, there were no Hellenes. The inhabitants of Corinth considered themselves Corfinians, and the Athenians lived in Athens. However, subsequently, all the territories developed by the Greeks, with the light hand of Herodotus, really began to be called Hellas, and the inhabitants – Hellenes. But then there were the Romans, who did not care deeply about all the merits of the creators of the ancient civilization. It was they who introduced the name Greece into circulation, which is used in different versions by the whole world today, except for the Greeks themselves, who still call their country Hellas (Ελλάδα).

♥ BY TOPIC: What animals and birds live the longest on the planet: Top 10.

El Maghreb (Morocco)

The history of the emergence of the generally accepted name of this state is remarkable in that it is a typical example of the European colonialists’ disregard for local names. The abbreviated self-name of the country is El-Maghreb or the Kingdom of Maghreb, which roughly translates as “west” and is easily explained by the geographical location of the state on the northeastern coast of the African continent. The French, having colonized this territory, named it simply by the name of one of the largest cities – Marrakesh.

♥ BY TOPIC: The tallest people on Earth in history + video.

Ayastan (Armenia)

The origin of the generally accepted name “Armenia” is in many ways similar to the Dutch history and is associated with the name of the region Armi, while the Armenians themselves name the country Ayastan (Հայաստան) in honor of Hayk – the commander, according to legend, in 2492 BC. who defeated the Babylonians.

♥ BY TOPIC: Top cities in the world: 28 places with the highest living standards.

Nihon or Nippon (Japan)

The East is a delicate matter, and it can be quite difficult to understand the etymology of the names of Asian countries. However, in the case of “the place where the sun rises” everything is more or less clear. In fact, this phrase familiar to a Russian-speaking person is the real name of the State of Japan, which is written in kanji hieroglyphs and pronounced as “Nihon koku” or “Nippon koku”. This was the name of the island state by representatives of the Chinese Sun dynasty, for whom the sunrise geographically began from Japan, and then the Pacific Desert stretched. The Japanese use the name Nihon for the most part in everyday life, while Nippon can be seen in official documents.

♥ BY TOPIC: Why the dollar is called the buck is indicated by the $ symbol and other interesting facts about the American currency.

Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland)

Even if the world’s largest island is not an independent state, its presence in this list is justified by a rather original generally accepted name. According to one of the versions, the Norwegian Viking Erik the Red, who organized the first settlements here and wanted to lure as many compatriots as possible, came up with the name of the harsh cold area “green land” (Greenland or Grønland in Danish). The self-name of the island is Kalaallit Nunaat, which can be translated as “Land of the Kalaalits” (Kalaalits are a tribe of local Eskimos).

♥ BY TOPIC: Swiss Guard, or why the Pope can only be guarded by immigrants from Switzerland?

United Kingdom (UK)

The most difficult situation with names has developed on the British Isles, where a person who is not particularly interested in geography can get completely confused. Here are England, and Great Britain, and the United Kingdom, and two Ireland, one of which is North, and the second is for some reason not South, but if we add Australia, Canada and many small state formations, whose inhabitants are, in one way or another, subjects of the British crown, then it becomes quite difficult to put the whole administrative division in your head.

Perhaps it’s worth starting with the UK. This is how most people around the world, including Russian-speakers, call the state, which consists of four main territories: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. However, to be absolutely precise, Great Britain is more of a geographical name denoting the largest island in the country, but only England, Scotland and Wales are located on it, while Northern Ireland is located on another island along with its neighbor – the usual Ireland.

The political name, which should be used (but is used quite rarely) in international circulation – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or, for short, the United Kingdom. Among other things, the British themselves are aggravating the problem. For example, at the Olympic Games, they act under the name Great Britain, while including athletes from Northern Ireland on the team. At the same time, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own national football teams, flying their flags to the accompaniment of different anthems in international FIFA and UEFA competitions.

♥ BY TOPIC: How to pronounce Xiaomi in Russian and what does this word mean.

Netherlands (Holland)

Another rather complex state formation, the basis of which is the Kingdom of the Netherlands with three islands included in it: Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten, as well as the Netherlands itself. At the same time, the Netherlands itself also has three Caribbean islands: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, as well as the main European part, in which, among others, there are the provinces of South and North Holland. However, all over the world, this multinational, complex state is still regularly called Holland, referring to all of its citizens as Dutch, including those who have never left their island in the Caribbean and have never seen Holland itself.

As in the case of the British, the Dutch government did not show much activity in this matter – the country was designated as Holland at international summits, sports, economic forums, etc. However, at the beginning of 2020, it was decided to end the linguistic confusion at the legislative level, and the Netherlands finally abandoned the Holland brand.

♥ BY TOPIC: Space velocities: how fast do you need to fly to leave the Earth, planetary system and galaxy?

Sakartvelo (Georgia)

Here the situation is strictly opposite to that in the Netherlands. The Georgians themselves call the country Sakartvelo only after one of the regions of Kartli, which played a decisive role in the economic and cultural development of the state. The English-speaking international community calls the country Georgia, which is most likely associated with St. George, in whose honor the Georgians have erected several hundred churches and consider him their patron.

The Russian-language name Georgia, presumably, has its roots in Persian sources, where these territories are called “land of wolves” – Gurjistan. And in Armenian the country sounds like Vrastan, which can be translated into Russian as “Upper Country” (Georgia is located strictly to the north of Armenia).

♥ BY TOPIC: Who has the most followers on Instagram – 40 most popular accounts.

Joseon and Hanguk (North and South Korea)

As is the case with most other states, the rest of the world has no interest in the internal Korean political cuisine and the peninsula is easily divided along the 38th parallel into North Korea (DPRK) and South Korea. The only problem is that the Koreans themselves do not recognize any division and both halves consider the other half to be temporarily annexed by the damned capitalists or no less damned communists. Actually, the very name Korea, derived from the name of the Koryo empire (which united the peninsula until 1392), is also not used by the Koreans themselves.

North Korea’s self-name is Joseon, which can be translated as “Country of Morning Freshness.” In turn, in the south, Korea is called Hanguk or Taehanmingguk, and the division into the southern and northern parts follows the same principle as in the DPRK: in the north, Bukhan (Northern Khan), in the south, respectively, Namkhan (Southern Khan).

♥ BY TOPIC: 7 famous symbols you might not know about

Aotearoa (New Zealand)

Despite the fact that the active development of the New Zealand islands by Europeans began only a couple of centuries ago, a single original name for this state does not exist in nature, although they are trying to find it in every possible way. The fact is that the Maori who lived here before the advent of the colonialists did not, of course, have any political borders and political maps, and their territories were limited to the shores of the islands, each of which had its own name (and it could be radically different from the name that was used for this territory is neighbors).

Nevertheless, the current international name of the country New Zealand does not suit the New Zealanders very much – it turns out that the largest state in Oceania is named after the not most prosperous, to put it mildly, southwestern province of the Netherlands, the reason for which was the nationality of the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, by name which, by the way, is named also neighboring Tasmania.

The most acceptable option for restoring historical justice is considered the name Aotearoa, which roughly translates as “Land of the Long White Cloud”, but opponents of the renaming note that until the middle of the 20th century, the Maori themselves called this exclusively the North (one of the two main) islands of New Zealand.

See also:

Sockets in different countries of the world: types, descriptions and photos

02/08/2020 by ALOK DAS

Note to tourists, migrants and hunters for seasonal discounts in foreign glasses. Long ago, having curbed the power of electricity, contented humanity could not really agree on uniform standards for its operation – in the 21st century it is reckless to travel without a set of adapters.

Typical electrical outlets vary from country to country. If you happen to travel outside your country, then you probably noticed this feature. This difference is due to many factors, some of which we will disclose below.

♥ BY TOPIC: We make 220 volts from 12 V in a car, or how to charge a laptop in a car (and not only).

Why are the outlet types different?

First of all, the process of development of power grids was non-uniform throughout the world, which naturally affected the shape of the sockets produced. Also, do not lose sight of the fact that in different parts of our planet, people used various types of power generators to generate energy, and this also had its impact on the design of connectors. In addition, the shape of the sockets also depended on the companies involved in the installation of power grids in a particular region, since these companies supplied equipment created by them and compatible with their networks.

Some of the old connectors in a corrected form are still used in some countries, but they decided to abandon many over time, since they did not meet safety standards. Moreover, there are no uniform standards even within power grids – in different regions, the current frequency and voltage may be different.

♥ BY TOPIC: 70 interesting facts about IT technologies.

For example, in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba and a number of other countries, a voltage of 100-127 V at a frequency of 60 Hz is used, while the rest use a voltage of 220-240 V at a frequency of 50 Hz. Moreover, the design of the connectors is different even if the parameters are the same.

Basically, 12 types of outlets are distinguished (another classification has 15). Let’s consider their characteristic features:

American connectors: types A and B

From the name itself, it can be understood that these sockets were developed in the USA. Accordingly, they are common in Central, North and South (partly) America, as well as in Japan. Connector B differs from A in that it has an additional hole for a grounding prong.

European plug: types C and F

The most familiar to us options for sockets. As in the previous case, they differ in the presence of a separate hole for grounding. Distributed in the CIS, in many EU countries, in Algeria and Egypt.

♥ BY TOPIC: Best gadgets for Apple, home, work and leisure with AliExpress (updated daily)…

UK plug: Type G

The peculiarity of the device of outlets in the UK was associated with the fact that during the Second World War, the country experienced a shortage of copper. For this reason, it was necessary to design a plug with three plugs and a small copper contact.

In addition to Great Britain, type G was also common in countries previously under the influence of the British Empire (Singapore, Cyprus, Malta, etc.).

♥ BY TOPIC: How brand names appeared: Ikea, Lego, Pepsi, Reebok, Skype, Sony, Canon, Google, etc.

Australian plug: Type I

This socket design can be found in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati and the Cook Islands. The connector is also used in some regions of China.

♥ BY TOPIC: 20 essential goods for leisure, tourism and travel with AliExpress.

Israeli plug: type H

This type of socket is only common in Israel and Palestine. The plugs on the plugs may vary — round or flat — but both are compatible with the connector.

♥ BY TOPIC: 35 of the best optical illusions that have become internet memes.

Danish plug: type K

Used in Denmark, Maldives and Bangladesh. Differs in the most “friendly” design.

All the presented variety of connectors is overcome by the corresponding adapters purchased in advance. This will protect the traveler from unnecessary hassle when visiting another country.

It is no surprise that universal chargers are so highly regarded by startup fans. Major consumer electronics manufacturers have their own answer to the age-old question – Apple, for example, produces its own World Travel Adapter Kit.

See also:

10 smallest countries in the world

06/07/2020 by ALOK DAS

According to scientists, the Earth’s population is about 7.3 billion people living in different parts of the world. Just like people, every country, even the smallest, has its own characteristics and is fraught with a lot of interesting things.

Grenada

The island of Grenada is located in the southeastern part of the Caribbean Sea and takes 10th place in the list of the smallest countries in the world. Its area is about 344 square meters. km As of January 1, 2016, the population of Grenada was 107 thousand people. Grenada is one of the world’s largest nutmeg producers. The most popular sport in the country is cricket.

♥ BY TOPIC: 10 most unusual drawings visible from space with coordinates on Google Maps.

Malta

The total area of Malta (Maltese archipelago) is 316 square meters. km The Republic is considered one of the most densely populated in Europe – more than 419.5 thousand people live in Malta. The Maltese archipelago is primarily the islands of Malta and Goza. It also includes the uninhabited islands of St. Paul and Filfla, the uninhabited Comino and tiny Cominotto and Filfoletta. Malta is 48th on the list of the happiest countries in the world. One of the main attractions of Malta is the Calypso Cave, where, according to legend, the beautiful nymph kept Odysseus captive for seven years.

♥ BY TOPIC: 29 logos with masterfully hidden subtext.

Maldives

Maldives archipelago includes 1,192 islands, 200 of which are uninhabited. The Maldives gained independence in 1965 and as of January 1, 2016, the population of the state totaled a little less than 367 thousand people. Global climate change is a significant problem for the country. In 2009, the then president of the state and 13 officials held a meeting at the bottom of the sea in full diving equipment in order to draw public attention to the potential threat to the islands.

♥ BY TOPIC: Yanni or Lorl? This is unbelievable, but people hear this word in different ways. What do you hear?

Saint Kitts and Nevis

The state of St. Kitts and Nevis, also known as the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis, is located in the eastern Caribbean Sea and consists of two islands – St. Kitts and Nevis. The area of the country is 261 square meters. km, and the population (55 thousand people), which is 6 times less than the number of Maldives. In addition to its wonderful nature, the country is known for the fact that several famous figures were born here at different times, in particular, one of the founding fathers of the United States, Alexander Hamilton.

♥ BY TOPIC: 500, 1000, 5000 and 100 000 dollars are the largest and rarest banknotes of the American currency.

Liechtenstein

The Principality of Liechtenstein is a very interesting country, whose area is 160 square meters. km The population of Liechtenstein is only 37 thousand people. The dwarf state is located between Austria and Switzerland and is considered one of the safest countries in the world. The crime rate here is incredibly low, and the last murder in the country occurred in 1997!

There are a number of bizarre events in the history of Liechtenstein. For example, in March 2007, during a nightly training session, 170 Swiss Army soldiers lost their way and accidentally invaded Liechtenstein. After walking about two kilometers, they found a mistake and turned back.

♥ BY TOPIC: The 30 most famous fake photos you could believe in.

San marino

San Marino is the oldest state in Europe, surrounded on all sides by Italian territory. The area of the country is only 60 square meters. km., and the population – about 32 thousand people. In 1861, the San Marino authorities offered then US President Abraham Lincoln honorary citizenship in exchange for forming an alliance. Interestingly, Lincoln agreed to this proposal. The republic cannot boast of outstanding sporting achievements. For example, the San Marino national football team debuted in 1990, since then having won only one international match. Then (April 28, 2004) Sanmarinians defeated the Liechtenstein team with a score of 1-0.

♥ BY TOPIC: Holland and the Netherlands: what’s the difference and how to call?

Tuvalu

Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellis Islands, is a Pacific state in Polynesia with an area of 26 square kilometers and a population of 10 thousand people. There is only one hospital in the country. Tuvalu can be called a “state in the suburbs” – in 2010, only 2 thousand people visited the country, with 65% of them for business purposes.

♥ BY TOPIC: The deepest pits in the world.

Nauru

Nauru is located in the South Pacific in Micronesia. The country covers an area of 21.3 square meters. km The Republic of Nauru is the smallest island nation in the world. About 10.2 thousand people live here. Unemployment is one of the most important problems of the state. Only 10% of the population is employed in Nauru. In addition, Nauru is known for its high level of obesity and the highest level of diabetes in the world (40% of the country’s population suffer from this disease).

♥ BY TOPIC: 8 interesting examples of landscape design for manipulating the behavior of citizens on the street.

Monaco

Everyone knows that Monaco is one of the richest and most prosperous countries. The area of the state is 20.2 square meters. km, and the population has more than 37.5 thousand inhabitants. In Monaco, held the stage of the famous Formula 1 automobile race (Grand Prix of Monaco). The state borders on France, and its flag is practically indistinguishable from the Indonesian, which served as the occasion for a diplomatic conflict. The Principality of Monaco is also known for its eponymous football club.

♥ BY TOPIC: Why the dollar is called the buck is indicated by the symbol $ and other interesting facts about the American currency.

Vatican

The closed city-state of the Vatican is located in one of the areas of Rome and covers an area of 44 hectares. It was founded in 1929 by the Roman Catholic Church, is governed by the Pope and the conclave of cardinals, has the status of an independent state and even its own army. Out of a population of 800 people, only 450 live in the Vatican.

The Vatican prints its own stamps, issues passports and license plates, has its own flag and anthem, but there is no taxation here. The protection of the Vatican is provided by the soldiers of the Swiss Guard, created in 1506 to protect the then Pope Julius II.

See also:

How the word “Hello” appeared, and what they say, taking a phone call in other countries

14/05/2020 by ALOK DAS

Today, the phone has become an integral part of our everyday life. Until recently, it seemed like a miracle, capable of reproducing a person’s voice at a considerable distance. Today, the phone is a mobile multifunctional multimedia “harvester”. Of course, he did not lose his main function, even if the connection became digital, having received video support.

♥ BY TOPIC: How did the word Spam appear: an amazing story about the origin of the term.

It is easy to guess what the majority says, taking a phone call: “Hello!” (ale). This word became so familiar that it received new meanings, sometimes slang. Where did it come from, and what does it originally mean? Frankly, few people know this.

In the distant days, when telephony was only being introduced into the life of a person, each of its users had to follow quite clear prescribed rules. Initially, the phone was far from a mass tool – only the richest and most influential people could afford it. That is why then every improvement in the technology of voice transmission at a distance became an event that brought telephony closer to the masses.

And although Alexander Bell is considered the inventor of the phone, the development of this technology, its improvement and popularization was carried out by the famous American inventor Thomas Edison. It was he who designated the very popular word with which telephone conversations now begin in half the countries of the planet.

♥ BY TOPIC: Parrot repeats iPhone ringtone (video).

Where did the word “Hello” come from?

In 1877, Edison corresponded with the president of one of the telegraph companies. It was about introducing clear rules when using a new device to receive and transmit voice messages. Edison himself suggested starting the conversation with the word “hullo.” But the inventor of the phone, Alexander Bell, had a different point of view. He considered it appropriate to use the word ahoy as the beginning of a conversation. That is the English word that greets each other with the teams of ships that met at sea (they shouted him into a shout at another ship in order to start a conversation). As a result, the Edison version has taken root, and we use it today. Our “hello” is a Russified “hullo”. It is interesting that the word did not even come to Russia directly from America, but in transit through Europe. There, the overseas “hullo” was subjected to dialect processing, giving rise to both “Hello” and “Ale”.

But the idea of Edison found understanding not in all countries. For example, in Spain, a conversation begins with “diga” (say), in Japan “mosi-mosi” (say-say), and in China – “wei” (hey), in Korea – “yoboseeyo” (short for “yogi seee ”(“ Look here ”)), the Arabs prefer“ marhab ”(hello), in Israel -“ shalom ”(peace).

See also: