Want to Know it? Answers to life's questions » facts http://wanttoknowit.com Want to know it? This blog has a little bit of everything to keep you entertained, challenge your mind and find answers to life's questions. Wed, 23 May 2012 00:58:07 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Interesting Facts about Belgium http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-belgium/ http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-belgium/#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 00:34:25 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4640 2 (11,787 sq mi). It is named after the Roman province of Gallia Belgica. It is home to the European Union’s headquarters and was one of the founding members of the organization. ]]> Belgium is a country located in Western Europe. It is boarded by the Netherlands, German, Luxembourg and France. It has a population of approximately 11 million people with 157,673 of those living in its capital city of Brussels. Belgium is a relatively small country with an area of 30,528 km2 (11,787 sq mi). It is named after the Roman province of Gallia Belgica. It is home to the European Union’s headquarters and was one of the founding members of the organization.

Interesting facts about Belgium

  • Belgium is officially known as The Kingdom of Belgium.
  • Belgium has three official languages Dutch, French and German. A large group of Dutch-speaking people inhabit the north of the country and the French-speaking population inhabits the south of the country. There are small pockets of German speaking citizens.
  • A person from Belgium is known as a Belgian.
  • The Belgium motto is Eendracht maakt macht (Dutch), L’union fait la force (French), Einigkeit macht stark (German) which translates to mean “Strength through Unity.”
  • Belgium is a federal parliamentary constitution monarchy. The current King of Belgium is Albert II and the Prime Minister is Elio Di Rupo.
  • Belgium has the reputation of being the “Battleground of Europe” due to the many battles fought in this region. It was here that Napoleon was finally beaten at the Battle of Waterloo.
  • The Royal Palace in Brussels is bigger than Buckingham Palace in the U.K.
  • The first printed newspapers were printed in Belgium and the French-speaking part of Belgium is the world’s biggest producer of comics per capita.
  • 500 different kinds of beer are made in Belgium and average Belgian consumes 150 liters per year.
  • Belgium also produces 220,000 tons of chocolate per year. French Fries also originated in Belgium. The country is also famous for waffles. Unfortunately, for the many children of the world, brussel sprouts also originated in Belgium.
  • Belgium legalized euthanasia in 2002, and gay marriage in 2003.
  • Belgium has compulsory education to the age of 18 years.
  • The longest tramway line in the world is the Belgian coast tram (68 km).
  • The Body Mass Index was invented in Belgium by the Belgian Adolphe Quetelet.
  • The highest percentage of cable TV subscribers reside in Belgium with 97% of Belgian households receiving cable TV.
  • Belgium has three main geographical regions: The coastal plains in the north, The Ardennes Mountains in the south-east and the Paris Basin at the southernmost tip.
  • The temperature drops to its lowest in January when the average temperature is 3 °C (37.4 °F). The highest temperatures are recorded in July with the average temperature reaching 18 °C (64.4 °F).
  • The countries highest point is Signal de Botrange at 694 meters (2,277 ft).
  • Belgium is a mostly secular country with only about 5% of the population attending church.
  • Health insurance is compulsory in the country and it is known for a high level of health care services.
  • Belgium is recognized as the birth place of oil painting.
  • Soccer is one of the most popular sports in Belgium and other sports including cycling, tennis, swimming and Judo, are also popular.
  • In 1920, the summer Olympics were held in Belgium in the city of Antwerp.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-belgium/feed/ 0 Interesting Facts about Fiji http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-fiji/ http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-fiji/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 01:07:06 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4604 2 (7,056 sq mi) and it has a population of approximately 850,000 people. The capital city of Fiji is Suva which is also the nation’s largest city with a population of 89,000. It is located on the south east coast of Viti Levu Island. Most of the population of Fiji resides on this island. ]]> Fiji is a small island nation that is located in the South Pacific Ocean. It is approximately 1,100 nautical miles (2,000 km; 1,300 mi) northwest of New Zealand’s North Island. The nation of Fiji is made up of 322 islands and more than 500 islets. Its total land area is just 18,274 km2 (7,056 sq mi) and it has a population of approximately 850,000 people. The capital city of Fiji is Suva which is also the nation’s largest city with a population of 89,000. It is located on the south east coast of Viti Levu Island. Most of the population of Fiji resides on this island.

Interesting facts about Fiji

  • Fiji is officially known as the Republic of Fiji.
  • The motto of Fiji is Rerevaka na Kalou ka Doka na Tui which translated means “fear God and honor the Queen.”
  • The official Languages of Fiji are English, Bau Fiji and Fiji Hindu.
  • The Republic of Fiji covers a total area of 194,000 km2 (75,000 sq mi) of which only 10% is land.
  • The highest point in the Fijian Republic is Mount Tomanivi on Viti Levu with a height of 1,324 meters (4,344 ft). Mount Tomanivi is an extinct volcano; it was previously named Mouth Victoria. All the major rivers on the Island of Viti Levu have their headwaters mid-way up this mountain.
  • Fiji’s nearest neighbors are Tonga to the East and Vanuatu to the west.
  • The climate in Fiji is fairly stable with a warn season from November until April and a cooler season from May until October. The maximum average temperature in the warm season is 30 °C and in the cooler season the average daily temperature is 22 °C (72 °F). Fiji also experiences tropical cyclones.
  • Fiji is a popular tourist destination and tourism is very important to the Fijian economy.
  • Fiji gained independence from the United Kingdom on 10 October 1970 and became a republic on 28 September 1987.
  • The population of Fiji is mostly made up of native Fijians and Indo-Fijians. The Indo-Fijians are descendants of Indian labourers brought to the islands by the British. Fijian is the term used to denote those people who are indigenous to Fiji. Fiji Islanders or Nationals is used to describe people who have citizenship in Fiji.
  • The Fijian Military has been part of peace keeping operations for the UN in various parts of the world.
  • Since the country became independent there have been four military coups in Fiji (two in 1987, 2000 and 2006).
  • Indigenous Fijians are mainly Christian with the large majority attending the Methodist church. The Indo-Fijians are mostly Hindu and Muslim.
  • Rugby Union is the most popular sport in Fiji and they have a very successful national team. Rugby league is also popular in Fiji along with soccer.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-fiji/feed/ 0 Who Painted The Denver Airport Murals http://wanttoknowit.com/who-painted-the-denver-airport-murals/ http://wanttoknowit.com/who-painted-the-denver-airport-murals/#comments Sat, 05 May 2012 12:42:59 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4599 The Denver Airport Murals are two murals on permanent display at the Denver International Airport. As a collection the murals are titled “In Peace and Harmony With Nature.” The larger two-piece mural is titled “A Hopeful Future in which Humanity Rehabilitates the Environment” and the smaller two-piece mural is called “The Present State of the Environment.” The murals are designed to depict the current state of the world and contrast this with a better future. The controversial nature of the artwork has led to many conspiracy theories related to the New World Order and Freemasons. They have also attracted other criticism for some of the more graphic portions of the paintings and some of these portions have been removed. Let’s take a look at who painted these controversial murals.

Who painted the Denver Airport Murals?
The Denver Airport Murals were painted by artist Leo Tanguma. He began work on the murals in 1993 and they were completed for the airport opening in 1995. He was also assisted by a number of local artists and his daughter Leticia Tanguma.

Did you know?
The artist released a statement refuting the claims made by the conspiracy theorists and explaining his background, the meaning behind his work and the history of his development as an artist.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/who-painted-the-denver-airport-murals/feed/ 0 Interesting Facts about Tanzania http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-tanzania/ http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-tanzania/#comments Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:45:54 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4554 2 (364,898 sq mi.) making it the 31st largest country in the world and the 12th largest country in Africa. ]]> Tanzania is a country located in eastern Africa. It shares borders with Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique. It also has a border along the Indian Ocean. Tanzania is home to approximately 43 million people with about 325,000 of those living in its capital city of Dodoma. It has a total land area of 945,203 km2 (364,898 sq mi.) making it the 31st largest country in the world and the 12th largest country in Africa.

Interesting facts about Tanzania

  • Tanzania was originally known as Tanganyika until the island of Zanzibar joined with Tanganyika to become The United Republic of Tanzania on 26 April 1964.
  • The official languages of Tanzania are Swahili and English, but many other native dialects are spoken as well.
  • The currency of Tanzania is the Tanzanian shilling
  • The first president of Tanzania was Julius Kambarage Nyerere.
  • The largest city in Tanzania is Dar es Salaam, with a population of about 2.5 million. It was the capital city of Tanzania until 1974-1996.
  • Tanzania is mainly an agricultural country with 75% of its exports being agricultural in nature.
  • Natural gas is also mined in Tanzania and sold through the largest Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam.
  • Tanzania is the third-largest producer of gold in Africa, after South Africa and Ghana.
  • The precious gemstone Tanzanite can only be found in Tanzania.
  • Tanzania has a diverse landscape. It is mountainous in the northeast, hot and humid along the eastern shore and there is a large plateau in the center of the country. The country has a varied climate due to its varied landscape. Tanzania draws many tourists each year due to its beautiful beaches and national parks.
  • Tanzania is home to the famous Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the north, Selous Game Reserve and Mikumi National Park in the south and Gombe National Park in the west.
  • It is also home to the highest point in Africa, Mt Kilimanjaro 5,895 m (19,341 feet). This mountain is found in north Tanzania.
  • Tanzania is bordered by three of the largest lakes on the continent of Africa: Lake Victoria (the world’s second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world’s second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest.
  • The population of Tanzania is approximately 62% Christian and 35% Muslim. The remaining percentage follows indigenous religions or have no religion.
  • Tanzania is famous for two art forms Tingatinga and Makonde. Tingatinga is an African paintings painted with enamel paints on canvas. Makonde is hardwood sculptures.
  • Football (soccer) is widely played all over the country and is the most popular sport. Other sports played in Tanzania include basketball, cricket and rugby. They have also won two track and field medals at the Olympic Games.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-tanzania/feed/ 0 Who Directed Forrest Gump http://wanttoknowit.com/who-directed-forrest-gump/ http://wanttoknowit.com/who-directed-forrest-gump/#comments Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:43:41 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4515 Forest Gump is a film based on a novel written by Winston Groom. The story follows the life of Forrest Gump who witnesses some of the most important events of his time. The movie stars Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump and Robin Wright as Jenny Curran. The film was released in 1994 and was an instant hit. It made over $677 million at the box office, from a budget of just $55 million, and held the number one position for 10 weeks. The film won 6 Academy Awards, from 13 nominations. These included the awards for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director. Let’s take a look at who directed this popular movie.

Who directed Forrest Gump?
Forest Gump was directed by Robert Zemeckis. He was actually the third choice after Terry Gilliam declined the offer and Barry Sonnenfeld left to direct another film. Zemeckis won the Academy Award for Best Director for his work on the film.

Filming took 4 months and was finished in December 1993. Many visual effects were used to incorporate the main character into historical events and these were completed by Industrial Light & Magic. The film was released on July 6, 1994, and was generally well received by the critics and public alike.

Did you know?
Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks have also worked together on the film “Cast Away” and “The Polar Express.”

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/who-directed-forrest-gump/feed/ 0 Why Are Native Americans Called Indians http://wanttoknowit.com/why-are-native-americans-called-indians/ http://wanttoknowit.com/why-are-native-americans-called-indians/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:40:23 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4512 Native Americans are the indigenous people of North America. They were split into many tribes that populated much of the continent. It is thought that they originally came to the continent via a land bridge that once connected present day Alaska and Siberia (now the Bering Strait). Native Americans first encountered Europeans after the 1492 European discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus. Since this time, Native Americans have been commonly known as Indians or American Indians in the United States. if you have ever wondered where this name comes from, keep reading to find out.

Why are Native Americans called Indians?
The name Indians came about because of a mistake by explorer Christopher Columbus. He believed that the distance from Europe to eastern Asia, then known as India or the Indies, was shorter than had been predicted. In 1492 he set out on his first voyage and when he reached the Americas he believed that he had reached eastern Asia. He referred to the native people as Indians because of this mistaken belief. Even though his error was soon discovered, the name became popular and was used to describe Native Americans for centuries. Although the term Native American is more widely used today, the term Indian or American Indian is still commonly used.

Did you know?
The mistake made by Columbus also caused him to misname the islands of the Caribbean as the West Indies!

The name American Indian is not used for those Native Americans outside the contiguous United States, which includes the native people from Alaska and Hawaii.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/why-are-native-americans-called-indians/feed/ 0 Who Painted Washington Crossing The Delaware http://wanttoknowit.com/who-painted-washington-crossing-the-delaware/ http://wanttoknowit.com/who-painted-washington-crossing-the-delaware/#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:50:03 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4490 “Washington Crossing The Delaware” is a well known painting that depicts George Washington crossing the Delaware River during the American Revolutionary War. The painting is a considered to be a very important piece of art because this was one of the most famous moments in American history. The painting is located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where it is a part of their permanent collection. They are also many copies of this painting, including one in the reception area of the West Wing of the White House. Let’s take a look at who painted this famous painting, keep reading to find out.

Who painted Washington Crossing The Delaware?
“Washington Crossing The Delaware” was painted by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze. Leutze was a German American artist and was hoping to encourage Europe to follow the example of the American Revolution. He finished painting the first version in 1850, but it was damaged due to a fire in the artist’s studio. It was restored and sold to the German art museum Kunsthalle Bremen. However, it was destroyed in World War II by a British bombing raid. The second version, a full sized replica, was completed in 1851. It was displayed in New York the same year and over 50,000 people came to view it. The painting was bought for $10,000 (an extremely large sum at the time). It had multiple owners through the years before it was eventually donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by John Stewart Kennedy in 1897.

Did you know?
The flag of the United States shown in the painting was not created until 1777 and Washington would have instead used the Grand Union Flag at the time of crossing the Delaware River.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/who-painted-washington-crossing-the-delaware/feed/ 0 Interesting Facts About Iraq http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-iraq/ http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-iraq/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:22:57 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4498 2 (169,234 sq mi.). Iraq means “the fertile” or “the deep-rooted land” in Arabic. This name may have come from the two large rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, that run through the country. ]]> Iraq is located in Western Asia and shares it borders with Syria and Turkey to north, Iran to the east and Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south. It also has a narrow coastline along the Persian Gulf. Iraq is home to approximately 30 million people and about 7 million of those reside in the capital city of Baghdad. The total area of the country is 438,317 km2 (169,234 sq mi.). Iraq means “the fertile” or “the deep-rooted land” in Arabic. This name may have come from the two large rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, that run through the country.

Interesting facts about Iraq

  • The official name of Iraq is the Republic of Iraq.
  • The motto of Iraq is “God is the Greatest”.
  • Iraq is the modern name for the area known as ‘Mesopotamia’.
  • It is one of the oldest civilizations on Earth with history dating back to the 6th Millennium BC. It is considered to be the birthplace of writing, law and the wheel.
  • The official languages of Iraq are Arabic and Kurdish.
  • 75- 80% of the population of Iraq are Arab, 15-20% are Kurdish, and the other five percent is a mixture of Turkoman, Assyrian and others.
  • From 1920 to 1932 Iraq was ruled by United Kingdom and was known as the Kingdom of Iraq. It gained independence from the U.K in 1932. The monarchy was overthrown in 1958 and the Republic of Iraq was established.
  • In 1968 the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party gained control of Iraq, which ultimately led to a war known as the Iraq War which began in 2003 and ended in 2010. The Gulf War was also initiated by Iraq when it invaded neighboring Kuwait. Iraq was invaded by the United States in 2003, with the resulting war lasting until 2011 when the US withdrew their troops.
  • Iraq is mostly desert with fertile agricultural land along the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
    The Highest Point in the country is 3,611 m (11,847 ft) and is known locally as Cheekah Dar, which means Black tent.
  • Iraq has a hot, arid climate with mild to cool winters and long, dry summers. The mountainous areas in the north of the country do experience heavy snow at times. The average temperature in Iraq during summer is 40 °C (104 °F), and it is not uncommon to have experience in excess of 48 °C (118.4°F). The winter temperature does not often exceed 21 °C (69 °F) and night time temperatures can drop to 2-5 °C (35 – 41 °F).
  • Iraq ranks second in the world for oil reserves and has 143.1 billion barrels of proved oil reserves.
  • The main religion of Iraq is Muslim with 97% of the population practicing this religion.
  • The most popular sport in Iraq is soccer. The Iraqi Football Association was formed in 1948 and has been a member of FIFA since 1950. The Iraqi national team won the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. The Iraqi also enjoy basketball, swimming, weightlifting, bodybuilding, boxing, kick boxing and tennis.
  • Iraq is home to the first known cookbook. Some of these recipes date back over 10,000 years. Chicken and lamb are the most favored meats and nearly all meals are served with basmati rice. Bulgur Wheat is also a staple food of the country.
  • Kebab , Shawarma (grilled meat sandwich wrap), Bamia (lamb, okra and tomato stew), Quzi (lamb with rice, almonds, raisins and spices), Falafel (fried chickpea patties served with amba and salad in pita), Kibbeh (minced meat ground with bulgur or rice and spices), Masgouf (grilled fish with pepper and tamarind), and Maqluba (a rice, lamb, tomato and aubergine dish) are authentic ethic meals of this region.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/interesting-facts-about-iraq/feed/ 0 Why Does Oil Float on Water http://wanttoknowit.com/why-does-oil-float-on-water/ http://wanttoknowit.com/why-does-oil-float-on-water/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:04:37 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4496 It is a well known fact that oil floats on water. In many situations we see this phenomenon such as after rainstorms when it is common to see oil on top of puddles. It is also common to see oil droplets on top of the water when washing dishes. Many experiments are undertaken in elementary school to observe this fact of science. So why does oil float on water? Read this article to find out.

What causes oil to float on water?
There are two reasons why oil floats on water. The first reason is that oil is less dense than water. This means that it is lighter and is able to float to the surface of water. Having less density makes the oil float on the water just like a straw or a piece of foam. Although some oils are denser than water, the majority of oils are lighter. The density of pure water is calculated at 1000kg/m3. This means that a cubic meter of water weights one metric tonne. Oil, on the other hand, is less dense than water and has a density of approximately 800kg/m3. This means that a cubic meter of oil is equal to 800kg, compared with a cubic meter of water at 1000kg. So just like a helium balloon will rise in the air because it has less density, oil will rise in water and float on the top.

Density isn’t the only reason that oil floats on water. The other reason is the fact that oil is hydrophobic (scared of water). Oil molecules do not dissolve in water due to this characteristic. They will instead bond together and float to the surface. A lot of oil will create a film on the top of the water. Oil is non-polar and water is polar so they repel each other and this causes the oil to float.

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]]> http://wanttoknowit.com/why-does-oil-float-on-water/feed/ 0 Who Directed Saving Private Ryan http://wanttoknowit.com/who-directed-saving-private-ryan/ http://wanttoknowit.com/who-directed-saving-private-ryan/#comments Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:25:51 +0000 Want to know it http://wanttoknowit.com/?p=4451 Saving Private Ryan is a war film set during World War II. The story follows a U.S. Army Captain and a group of 7 men as they search for Private First Class James Francis Ryan, who is the last surviving son of the Ryan family. A General decides to send these men on the mission so that the missing brother can be returned safely home under the Sole Survivor Policy. The film is loosely based on the story of the Niland brothers, when the last surviving brother was sent home after his other 3 brothers were thought to have died in the war. The film stars Tom Hanks and Matt Damon. It was released in 1998 and was a box office smash, grossing over $480 million from a budget of just $70 million. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including the Academy Award for Best Director. Continue reading to find out who directed this successful movie.

Who directed Saving Private Ryan?
Saving Private Ryan was directed by the famous director Steven Spielberg. The initial story was developed in 1994 and after being passed to the producer and to Tom Hanks it reached Spielberg. After reading the script he decided he wanted to be the one to direct it. Shooting began in late June, 1997 and lasted for 2 months. For his work on the film he won the Academy Award for Best Director.

Did you know?
The film took out 5 Academy Awards, but is one of the only times that a film has won Best Director without winning Best Film (that award went to Shakespeare in Love).

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