About MH17 Crash

Published on Oct 13, 2015

Video about the Dutch Safety Board’s investigation into the causes of the crash of flight MH17 on 17 July 2014 in the eastern part of Ukraine and the Board’s investigation into flying over conflict zones. The video was based on the Dutch Safety Board’s investigation reports, which were published on 13 October 2015.

 

 

Regions of the World according to the United Nations

United_Nations_geographical_subregions

By T.seppelt (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

For detailed classification by the United Nations for statistical purposes visit this page.

 Geographical region and composition

001 World
002 Africa a/
       014 Eastern Africa
       017 Middle Africa
       015 Northern Africa
       018 Southern Africa
       011 Western Africa
019 Americas
419 Latin America and the Caribbean
       029 Caribbean
       013 Central America
       005 South America
021 Northern America b/
142 Asia
       143 Central Asia
       030 Eastern Asia
       034 Southern Asia
       035 South-Eastern Asia
       145 Western Asia
150 Europe
       151 Eastern Europe
       154 Northern Europe
       039 Southern Europe
       155 Western Europe
009 Oceania
       053 Australia and New Zealand
       054 Melanesia
       057 Micronesia
       061 Polynesia

 

   Selected economic and other groupings

…   Developed and developing regions c/
199 Least developed countries
432 Landlocked developing countries
722 Small island developing states

 

Numerical code

   Geographical region and composition of each region

002

Africa a/

014 Eastern Africa
108 Burundi
174 Comoros
262 Djibouti
232 Eritrea
231 Ethiopia
404 Kenya
450 Madagascar
454 Malawi
480 Mauritius
175 Mayotte
508 Mozambique
638 Réunion
646 Rwanda
690 Seychelles
706 Somalia
728 South Sudan
800 Uganda
834 United Republic of Tanzania
894 Zambia
716 Zimbabwe
017 Middle Africa
024 Angola
120 Cameroon
140 Central African Republic
148 Chad
178 Congo
180 Democratic Republic of the Congo
226 Equatorial Guinea
266 Gabon
678 Sao Tome and Principe
015 Northern Africa
012 Algeria
818 Egypt
434 Libya
504 Morocco
729 Sudan
788 Tunisia
732 Western Sahara
018 Southern Africa
072 Botswana
426 Lesotho
516 Namibia
710 South Africa
748 Swaziland
011 Western Africa
204 Benin
854 Burkina Faso
132 Cabo Verde
384 Cote d’Ivoire
270 Gambia
288 Ghana
324 Guinea
624 Guinea-Bissau
430 Liberia
466 Mali
478 Mauritania
562 Niger
566 Nigeria
654 Saint Helena
686 Senegal
694 Sierra Leone
768 Togo
019

Americas

419 Latin America and the Caribbean
029 Caribbean
660 Anguilla
028 Antigua and Barbuda
533 Aruba
044 Bahamas
052 Barbados
535 Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
092 British Virgin Islands
136 Cayman Islands
192 Cuba
531 Curaçao
212 Dominica
214 Dominican Republic
308 Grenada
312 Guadeloupe
332 Haiti
388 Jamaica
474 Martinique
500 Montserrat
630 Puerto Rico
652 Saint-Barthélemy

659

Saint Kitts and Nevis
662 Saint Lucia
663 Saint Martin (French part)
670 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
534 Sint Maarten (Dutch part)
780 Trinidad and Tobago
796 Turks and Caicos Islands
850 United States Virgin Islands
013 Central America
084 Belize
188 Costa Rica
222 El Salvador
320 Guatemala
340 Honduras
484 Mexico
558 Nicaragua
591 Panama
005 South America
032 Argentina
068 Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
076 Brazil
152 Chile
170 Colombia
218 Ecuador
238 Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
254 French Guiana
328 Guyana
600 Paraguay
604 Peru
740 Suriname
858 Uruguay
862 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
021 Northern America b/
060 Bermuda
124 Canada
304 Greenland
666 Saint Pierre and Miquelon
840 United States of America
142

Asia

143 Central Asia
398 Kazakhstan
417 Kyrgyzstan
762 Tajikistan
795 Turkmenistan
860 Uzbekistan
030 Eastern Asia
156 China
344 China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
446 China, Macao Special Administrative Region
408 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
392 Japan
496 Mongolia
410 Republic of Korea
034 Southern Asia
004 Afghanistan
050 Bangladesh
064 Bhutan
356 India
364 Iran (Islamic Republic of)
462 Maldives
524 Nepal
586 Pakistan
144 Sri Lanka
035 South-Eastern Asia
096 Brunei Darussalam
116 Cambodia
360 Indonesia
418 Lao People’s Democratic Republic
458 Malaysia
104 Myanmar
608 Philippines
702 Singapore
764 Thailand
626 Timor-Leste
704 Viet Nam
145 Western Asia
051 Armenia
031 Azerbaijan
048 Bahrain
196 Cyprus
268 Georgia
368 Iraq
376 Israel
400 Jordan
414 Kuwait
422 Lebanon
512 Oman
634 Qatar
682 Saudi Arabia
275 State of Palestine
760 Syrian Arab Republic
792 Turkey
784 United Arab Emirates
887 Yemen
150

Europe

151 Eastern Europe
112 Belarus
100 Bulgaria
203 Czech Republic
348 Hungary
616 Poland
498 Republic of Moldova
642 Romania
643 Russian Federation
703 Slovakia
804 Ukraine
154 Northern Europe
248 Åland Islands
830 Channel Islands
208 Denmark
233 Estonia
234 Faeroe Islands
246 Finland
831 Guernsey
352 Iceland
372 Ireland
833 Isle of Man
832 Jersey
428 Latvia
440 Lithuania
578 Norway
680 Sark
744 Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
752 Sweden
826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
039 Southern Europe
008 Albania
020 Andorra
070 Bosnia and Herzegovina
191 Croatia
292 Gibraltar
300 Greece
336 Holy See
380 Italy
470 Malta
499 Montenegro
620 Portugal
674 San Marino
688 Serbia
705 Slovenia
724 Spain
807 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
155 Western Europe
040 Austria
056 Belgium
250 France
276 Germany
438 Liechtenstein
442 Luxembourg
492 Monaco
528 Netherlands
756 Switzerland
009

Oceania

053 Australia and New Zealand
036 Australia
554 New Zealand
574 Norfolk Island
054 Melanesia
242 Fiji
540 New Caledonia
598 Papua New Guinea
090 Solomon Islands
548 Vanuatu
057 Micronesia
316 Guam
296 Kiribati
584 Marshall Islands
583 Micronesia (Federated States of)
520 Nauru
580 Northern Mariana Islands
585 Palau
061 Polynesia
016 American Samoa
184 Cook Islands
258 French Polynesia
570 Niue
612 Pitcairn
882 Samoa
772 Tokelau
776 Tonga
798 Tuvalu
876 Wallis and Futuna Islands

Developed and developing regions c/

Developing regions
002 Africa
019 Americas excluding Northern America (numerical code 021)
029 Caribbean
013 Central America
005 South America
142 Asia excluding Japan
009 Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand
(numerical code 053)
Developed regions
021 Northern America
150 Europe
392 Japan
053 Australia and New Zealand
199

Least developed countries

004 Afghanistan
024 Angola
050 Bangladesh
204 Benin
064 Bhutan
854 Burkina Faso
108 Burundi
116 Cambodia
140 Central African Republic
148 Chad
174 Comoros
180 Democratic Republic of the Congo
262 Djibouti
226 Equatorial Guinea
232 Eritrea
231 Ethiopia
270 Gambia
324 Guinea
624 Guinea Bissau
332 Haiti
296 Kiribati
418 Lao People’s Democratic Republic
426 Lesotho
430 Liberia
450 Madagascar
454 Malawi
466 Mali
478 Mauritania
508 Mozambique
104 Myanmar
524 Nepal
562 Niger
646 Rwanda
678 Sao Tome and Principe
686 Senegal
694 Sierra Leone
090 Solomon Islands
706 Somalia
728 South Sudan
729 Sudan
626 Timor-Leste
768 Togo
798 Tuvalu
800 Uganda
834 United Republic of Tanzania
548 Vanuatu
887 Yemen
894 Zambia
432

Landlocked developing countries

004 Afghanistan
051 Armenia
031 Azerbaijan
064 Bhutan
068 Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
072 Botswana
854 Burkina Faso
108 Burundi
140 Central African Republic
148 Chad
231 Ethiopia
398 Kazakhstan
417 Kyrgyzstan
418 Lao People’s Democratic Republic
426 Lesotho
454 Malawi
466 Mali
496 Mongolia
524 Nepal
562 Niger
600 Paraguay
498 Republic of Moldova
646 Rwanda
728 South Sudan
748 Swaziland
762 Tajikistan
807 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
795 Turkmenistan
800 Uganda
860 Uzbekistan
894 Zambia
716 Zimbabwe
722

Small island developing States

016 American Samoa
660 Anguilla
028 Antigua and Barbuda
533 Aruba
044 Bahamas
052 Barbados
084 Belize
092 British Virgin Islands
132 Cabo Verde
174 Comoros
184 Cook Islands
192 Cuba
212 Dominica
214 Dominican Republic
242 Fiji
258 French Polynesia
308 Grenada
316 Guam
624 Guinea-Bissau
328 Guyana
332 Haiti
388 Jamaica
296 Kiribati
462 Maldives
584 Marshall Islands
480 Mauritius
583 Micronesia (Federated States of)
500 Montserrat
520 Nauru
540 New Caledonia
570 Niue
580 Northern Mariana Islands
585 Palau
598 Papua New Guinea
630 Puerto Rico
659 Saint Kitts and Nevis
662 Saint Lucia
882 Samoa
678 Sao Tome and Principe
690 Seychelles
702 Singapore
090 Solomon Islands
670 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
740 Suriname
626 Timor-Leste
776 Tonga
780 Trinidad and Tobago
798 Tuvalu
850 United States Virgin Islands
548 Vanuatu

a/ The designation sub-Saharan Africa is commonly used to indicate all of Africa except northern Africa, with the Sudan included in sub-Saharan Africa.

b/ The continent of North America (003) comprises Northern America (021), Caribbean (029), and Central America (013).

c/ There is no established convention for the designation of “developed” and “developing” countries or areas in the United Nations system. In common practice, Japan in Asia, Canada and the United States in northern America, Australia and New Zealand in Oceania, and Europe are considered “developed” regions or areas. In international trade statistics, the Southern African Customs Union is also treated as a developed region and Israel as a developed country; countries emerging from the former Yugoslavia are treated as developing countries; and countries of eastern Europe and of the Commonwealth of Independent States (code 172) in Europe are not included under either developed or developing regions.

 

 

Countries and Capitals

While searching for quizzes about Countries and Capitals I found following fantastic sites :-

  1. Different types of quizzes – Click link to play quiz
  2. Quiz with three levels of difficulty – (for kids)
  3. Relatively tough quiz – How many countries you know?  As you answer the map will be filled in
  4. Seterra – A free map quiz to download (online version also available)
  5. The quiz I liked most
  6. Android app – with ten levels. free with ads

Complete list of capitals and countries:-  http://www.lukemastin.com/testing/definitions/capitals.cgi?list

List of UN member states

CIA – World Fact Book – for information about all countries.  Android app also available

 

 

Smallest sovereign state in the world – Vatican City

Piazza-San-Pietro-in-Vatican-City

Vatican city, an enclave in Rome is the smallest sovereign state in the world by area.

The Vatican palace is the residence of the pope within the city walls. The Holy See is the name given to thegovernment of the Roman Catholic Church, which is led by the pope as the bishop of Rome. As such, the Holy See’s authority extends over Catholics throughout the world. Since 1929 it has resided in Vatican City, which was established as an independent state to enable the pope to exercise his universal authority.

 

“Vatican City”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web. 03 Jul. 2015
<http://www.britannica.com/place/Vatican-City>.

UN – official languages

  1. Arabic
  2. Chinese
  3. English
  4. French
  5. Russian
  6. Spanish

Currently these are the six official languages of the United Nations.

We Indians wish that Hindi should be included as an official language of the World body.  Following news item on the Zee News site explains the issue:-

New Delhi: India has not made a proposal for introduction of Hindi as an official language of the United Nations as it would cost the government over Rs. 82 crore annually even by a conservative estimate.The information was given by the External Affairs Ministry in reply to a Right to Information plea filed by a 12-year old girl, Aishwarya Parashar, of Lucknow who sought to know that why a formal proposal to make Hindi as an official language of the UN has not been given.

“The introduction of Hindi as one of the official languages of the UN has several financial and procedural implications, which require to be met before a formal proposal can be tabled in the UN,” Central Public Information Officer of MEA, S Gopalakrishnan said in his reply.

He said India, a proposing country, would need to provide sufficient financial resources to the UN to cover the additional expenditure on interpretation, translation, printing and duplication of documents and related infrastructural costs.

“This according to conservative estimates, could cost in excess of USD 14 million (app Rs 82.6 crore) per year. This is based on the decision of the UN General Assembly in 1973 to include Arabic as a working and official language of General Assembly and adding an inflation component of 2-3 per cent per annum on a compounded basis.

“The actual cost is likely to be considerably higher since infrastructual changes would also need to be made in all conference halls to provide for an additional interpreter`s booth,” he said.
The MEA said it is not simply a question of expenditure as UN General Assembly would need to adopt a resolution supported by a majority of the 192 UN member States.

“As adding another official language entails a significant increase in the budget of the UN (personnel, equipment, and other recurring costs), Member States have been generally reluctant to support proposals entailing additional financial burden,” he said.

He said in 1973, when General Assembly approved the inclusion of Arabic among the official and working languages of the General Assembly, it did so recognising that Arabic was the language of 19 members of the United Nations.

“It was also the working language of specialised agencies such as UNESCO, FAO, WHO and the IOL. It was the official and working language of the OAU,” he said.

The MEA official said notwithstanding the fact that Hindi is spoken in many countries of the world, its recognition as an official language of other countries as well as official language in some of the specialised agencies and regional/sub-regional groupings is a factor which is to be considered for recognition in the UN.

“No special weightage is given by the UN for population, size of the country of its Gross Domestic Product. The basic principle of the UN is the sovereign equality of all nations, whether big or small,” he said.

The official said because of these reasons, Japan and Germany, who are the second and third largest contributors of the regular budget of the UN and who also have a strong policy and preference for using their own language, have not pressed for inclusion of their respective languages in the list of official languages of the UN.

The world body has six official languages–English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic–which are also the working languages in the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.

PTI

First Published: Thursday, May 29, 2014 – 22:52

For more information check the following links:-

History of UN official languages

Official Languages – a page on the UN site

 

World Population

 

Continent Area (km²) Area (mi²) Percent of
total landmass
Population Percent of
total population
Density
People per
km²
Density
People per
mi²
Most populous
city (proper)
Asia 43,820,000 16,920,000 29.5% 4,164,252,000 60% 95.0 246 Shanghai, China
Africa 30,370,000 11,730,000 20.4% 1,022,234,000 15% 33.7 87 Lagos, Nigeria
North America 24,490,000 9,460,000 16.5% 542,056,000 8% 22.1 57 Mexico City, Mexico
South America 17,840,000 6,890,000 12.0% 392,555,000 6% 22.0 57 São Paulo, Brazil
Antarctica 13,720,000 5,300,000 9.2% 4,490[31] 0% 0.0003 0.00078 McMurdo Station, US
Europe 10,180,000 3,930,000 6.8% 738,199,000 11% 72.5 188 Moscow, Russia[32]
Australia 9,008,500 3,478,200 5.9% 29,127,000 0.4% 3.2 8.3 Sydney, Australia

From Wikipedia

Accuracy of information not guaranteed.

India – China border issue

NEW DELHI: India and China will hold their first boundary meet after the Narendra Modi-led NDA government came to power on Monday when national security adviser Ajit Doval meets his counterpart Yang Jieche hoping to take the talks forward.

Source : Economic Times

India’s defence ministry will fund the following Railway projects in Arunachal Pradesh.
The defence ministry may give Rs 345 crore for detailed investigation and track alignments for the four projects.