Which country has the most time zones including its overseas territories, spanning 12 different time zones? This country's mainland (European part) uses one time zone (UTC+1), but its overseas territories spread across the globe give it a total of 12 time zones (13 if counting Antarctica claims). These territories include French Polynesia (UTC-10 to UTC-9), the Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe – UTC-4), South America (French Guiana – UTC-3), the Indian Ocean (Réunion – UTC+4, Mayotte – UTC+3), and the Pacific (New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna – UTC+11). The country also claims Adélie Land in Antarctica (UTC+5 to UTC+10 depending on the season). This gives the country the most time zones of any country – more than Russia (11) or the United States (11). The country also has the most overseas territories of any country. The time zones mean that when it is noon in Paris, it is 10 PM the previous day in Tahiti and 8 AM the next day in New Caledonia.

What is the world's largest exclave (a territory legally attached to another country but not contiguous with it)? This exclave is a US state separated from the rest of the country by Canada. It covers 1.7 million square kilometers (660,000 square miles) – larger than the country of France. It was purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million (about $0.02 per acre). The exclave has a population of 736,000 people. It is separated from the contiguous US by British Columbia and the Yukon Territory (Canada). The exclave is known for its extreme geography: the highest peak in North America (Denali, 6,190 m), the longest coastline of any US state (6,640 miles), and vast wilderness. The exclave's capital (Juneau) is the only US capital not accessible by road from the rest of the country – you can only reach it by boat or plane. The exclave has 224 named islands. The exclave was the site of a major gold rush in 1896-1899 (Klondike Gold Rush).

Which country has the longest official name in English (56 characters including spaces)? This country's full name is "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland." It is a constitutional monarchy comprising four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales (which together form Great Britain) and Northern Ireland. The name reflects the 1707 union of England and Scotland (Kingdom of Great Britain), the 1801 union with Ireland (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland), and the 1922 separation of most of Ireland (becoming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). The country has 16 overseas territories. The country's flag is called the Union Jack, combining the crosses of St. George (England), St. Andrew (Scotland), and St. Patrick (Ireland). The country has the world's fifth-largest economy and was the first industrialized country. The capital is London, one of the world's most visited cities.

Which European microstate is an enclave – completely surrounded by Italy? This country is one of only three enclave countries in the world (countries completely surrounded by a single other country). The others are Vatican City (also surrounded by Italy) and Lesotho (surrounded by South Africa). This country is the oldest surviving sovereign state in the world, founded in 301 AD. It has a population of about 34,000 people and an area of 61 square kilometers (24 square miles). The country is entirely mountainous, with the highest point at 749 meters (2,457 feet). The country's economy is based on tourism (over 3 million visitors annually), banking, and the sale of postage stamps (collectors value them highly). The country is named after a Christian stonemason who fled Roman persecution. The country has its own army (the world's smallest, with about 80 soldiers) and its own flag (white and blue with three towers). The country is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Which country has the highest percentage of its land area within the Arctic Circle? This island nation is almost entirely within the Arctic Circle – about 80% of its land is north of the Arctic Circle (66.5°N). The country is an autonomous territory of Denmark. It has the world's second-largest ice sheet (after Antarctica), covering 80% of its surface. The ice sheet contains 10% of the world's fresh water. The country's population is only about 56,000 people – one of the lowest population densities on Earth (0.14 people per sq km). The country's name in its native language (Kalaallit Nunaat) means "Land of the Kalaallit" (the indigenous Inuit people). The country has the world's largest national park (Northeast Greenland National Park, 972,000 sq km). The country's midnight sun lasts from May to July, and the polar night lasts from November to January. The country's ice sheet is melting rapidly due to climate change, contributing to global sea level rise.

Which independent country has the highest population density in the world, with over 26,000 people per square kilometer? This microstate on the French Riviera is only 2.02 square kilometers (0.78 square miles) in area – the second-smallest country in the world (after Vatican City). It has a population of about 39,000 people. The country is famous for its casinos (Monte Carlo Casino), the Monaco Grand Prix (Formula One race through city streets), luxury yachts, and as a tax haven (no personal income tax). The country has been ruled by the Grimaldi family since 1297. The current ruler is Prince Albert II. The country has its own police force (550 officers for 39,000 people – one of the highest police per capita ratios in the world). The country's economy is based on tourism, banking, and real estate – it has the highest GDP per capita in the world (over $185,000 USD). The country has no airports; the closest is in Nice, France. The country has the highest life expectancy in the world (89.4 years).

Which country is the only one that spans both the European and Asian continents (a transcontinental country) with territory in both Europe and Asia? This country has about 77% of its land in Asia and 23% in Europe. The traditional boundary between Europe and Asia runs through the country along the Ural Mountains and the Ural River (which the country itself proposed). The country's capital is located on the European side. The country is the largest in the world by land area (17.1 million sq km). The European part of the country contains about 78% of the population (110 million people), while the Asian part (Siberia and the Far East) contains only 22% (30 million people). The country's European part is more industrialized and urbanized, while the Asian part is rich in natural resources (oil, gas, minerals, timber). The country's famous Trans-Siberian Railway (9,289 km) connects Moscow in Europe to Vladivostok in Asia. The country has the world's longest border (over 60,000 km).

Which country has the longest north-south distance, stretching over 4,300 kilometers (2,670 miles) from north to south? This country stretches from the Atacama Desert in the north (17°S) to Cape Horn in the south (56°S). The country is long and narrow – 4,300 km long but only 150-350 km wide. The country includes the Andes Mountains, the Atacama Desert (the driest non-polar desert), the Central Valley (agricultural heartland), the Lake District (volcanoes and lakes), the fjords and channels of Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego (shared with Argentina). The country also claims territory in Antarctica (which would extend the north-south distance even further). The country's north-south length means it has every climate zone except tropical: desert, Mediterranean, temperate rainforest, and polar (in the Antarctic claim). The country's capital (Santiago) is located in the central region. The country is one of the most seismically active in the world (the 2010 8.8 magnitude earthquake shifted the city of Concepción 3 meters west).

Which two countries share the record for the most neighboring countries (14 each)? One country is the largest by land area (Russia); the other is the most populous (China). Russia borders: Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (via Kaliningrad exclave), Poland (via Kaliningrad), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and North Korea. China borders: North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Both countries are located primarily in Asia. The third-highest is Brazil (10 countries). Both countries have had complex relationships with their neighbors – Russia has 14 neighbors partly because the Soviet Union broke into many independent countries. China has 14 neighbors partly because of its size and central location in Asia. Both countries have active border disputes with some of their neighbors.

Which "country" (actually a continent governed by an international treaty) has no permanent population and is the coldest, driest, windiest place on Earth? This continent is not a sovereign country – it is governed by the Antarctic Treaty (1959, 56 signatories). The treaty designates the continent as a "natural reserve, devoted to peace and science." No country can claim sovereignty, and no military activity is allowed. The continent has no permanent human population, but it has about 5,000 seasonal researchers in summer and 1,000 in winter. The continent holds 90% of the world's ice and 70% of its fresh water. The coldest temperature ever recorded was here (-89.2°C / -128.6°F). The continent has no trees, no shrubs, and no land mammals. The only insects are wingless midges (Belgica antarctica). The continent has active volcanoes (Mount Erebus, 3,794 m) and the world's longest river (the Onyx River, only 32 km long). The continent's ice sheet is up to 4.8 km thick. If all the ice melted, global sea levels would rise by 58 meters (190 feet).