75 Fascinating facts about Europe.

1-Europe is the second smallest continent-but its coastline of some 24,00o miles (38,000 km) would nearly stretch around the Earth.


 2-BULGARIAN FIRE DANCERS DANCE OVER BURNING  EMBERS BAREFOOT, JUST AS THEIR ANCESTORS DID THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO. 


3-The Caspian Sea is the world's largest body of water completely surrounded by land. It's larger than Japan. 


4-Cheese plays a big role in Switzerland's history. Fondue, bread dipped in warm cheese, started out in Switzerland. The holes in Swiss cheese are called "eyes." 


5-Seven European countries start with the letter "S": San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. 


6-During a bullfight, a popular activity in Spain, a bullfighter called a matador waves a red cape to get the bull to charge. Bulls are color-blind, but the movement attracts them.


7-Russia, the largest country in the world, covers 11 time zones and two continents (Europe and Asia). 


8-Eurasian otters, found all over Europe, are very playful. Sometimes they play "tag," and slide down mud banks, or slip and slide in the snow. 


9 Austria is sometimes called "The Land of Music" because many classical artists lived in Vienna. Today, almost every town in Austria has a band or orchestra.


10 Latvian cuisine includes a cold sour-cream soup and spekapirādzini(bacon pies). 


11- The Palace of Parliament in Romania's capital can be seen from space. Some 20,000 people worked to build it, starting in July 1984. 


12-Nightingales are a type of bird found in forests and dry woodland areas of Europe and Southwest Asia. They migrate south and spend winters in Africa. 


13 In Rome you'1l find the Bocca Della Veritá (which means "the mouth of truth"), an ancient stone mask carved out of marble. Legend says that if you put your hand in its mouth, if you are a liar the mask will gobble it up. 


14-THE SMALL COUNTRY OF MONACO OFFERS LUXURY RESORTS ON THE MEDITERRANEAN. ONE HOTEL OFFERS AN EIGHTH- FLOOR SUITE FOR ABOUT $14,000 A NIGHT. 


15 Porto Santo in the Madeira Islands holds a weeklong festival devoted to Christopher Columbus every September. His first child was born in the city. 


16-Finland's capital, Helsinki, is the northernmost capital in Europe, and stretches across more than 300 islands.


17-Mount Etna, a volcano on the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, is almost always erupting. There are three observatories on the volcano. 


18 About one-third of all the world's raspberries come from Serbia.


19 LEGOs were first created in Denmark. When a giant, eight- foot-tall (2.4 m) LEGO man washed ashore in Florida, U.S.A., it was traced back to a Dutch artist. 


20 A MAN ONCE RODE HIS BIKE DOWN THE 1,665 STEPS OF THE EIFFEL TOWER IN PARIS, FRANCE. 


21 The first circus was held in Rome, Italy. 


22 Some 10,000 avalanches happen every year in the Swiss Alps. 


23 The Sami people of Scandinavia are excellent reindeer herders. Reindeer can walk 3,000 miles (5,000 km) a year. 


24 An Irish poet wrote a play that only lasts for 35 seconds. 


25 The International Court of Justice is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. It's located in the Peace Palace. 


26 The Alps have more than 30,000 animal species and 13,000 plant species, making them a biodiversity hot spot. 


27 Many parts of the autobahn, or German highway system, have no speed limit. The first part was completed in 1932, and the system now stretches for 6,800 miles (11,000 km). 


28 In Russia, it's bad luck to shake hands through a doorway. 


29 The largest known super- colony of ants stretches nearly 4,000 miles (6,440 km) through Portugal, France, Spain, and Italy.


30 The first chocolate shop in Switzerland opened in Bern in 1792, 


31 More than 400 species of European butterflies take to the skies. The yellow-and-black swallowtail can be found flitting across alpine meadows. 


32 The London, England, subway system is called the "Tube" or the "Underground." It's estimated that half a million mice live in the system. 


33 Iceland has two main zones of volcanism because it is located on the boundary of tectonic plates. 


34 European bison almost went extinct, but now they are trying to make a comeback. These bison are the largest herbivores in Europe. 


35 Finland has some 188,000 lakes. 


36 Portugal's only national park, Peneda Gerês, is home to ancient Roman roads and early human rock structures called dolmens. 


37 THE WORLD'S LEAST POPULOUS COUNTRY- VATICAN CITY-RECORDED 798 CITIZENS IN 2011. IT IS LOCATED WITHIN ROME, ITALY. 


38 The language of Luxembourg- Luxembourgish-is close to German. Newspapers publish in German, but officials use French for administrative tasks. 


39 More people with red hair are born in Scotland than anywhere else in the world.


40-The flag of the European Union has a circle of 12 yellow stars on a blue background. The stars symbolize harmony and unity. 


41 The English Channel stretches 21 miles (32 km) between England and France. The quickest swim across it took a little more than seven hours, but the longest took more than a day! 


42 Disneyland Paris opened in 1992. Some 15 million tourists visit the park each year, and it is Europe's most popular destination.


 43 The deepest lake in Europe is found in Norway. Lake Hornindalsvatnet is 1,686 feet (514 m) deep. 


44 IRELAND HAS NO NATIVE SNAKES. THE LEGEND IS THAT ST. PATRICK FORCED THEM TO LEAVE. 


45 The Berlin Wall, which divided Germany for 28 years, came down in 1989. It contained 302 watch- towers and 259 paths for guard dogs. Today, pieces of the wall are in museums around the world. You can also buy pieces of it on eBay. 


46 Hungary's capital, Budapest, has more than 100 thermal springs. Be careful when soaking in the spas and baths since some of the waters can reach a scalding 168°F (76°C). 


47-Venice, Italy, has no roads but has canals instead. The city is actually more than 100 islands connected by a canal system. 


48-Every person in Iceland is required to learn to swim. It's the law! 


49 Duffel bags are named for a Belgian town where the cloth used to make them comes from. 


50 An annual trumpet festival in Serbia attracts people from all over the world to play and dance. It also includes a contest for best trumpeter. 


51 The Statue of Liberty in New York City was constructed in France.


52-THE FIRST WORLD TOE WRESTLING COMPETITION WAS HELD IN DERBYSHIRE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 1976 . 


53 The Leaning Tower of Pisa began to lean with the addition of the third floor . The 14.000 ton ( 12,700 MT ) medieval tower took over 800 years to fully complete and leans 16 feet ( 5 m ) off - center . 


54 A man holds the record for holding the most straws in his mouth - 400 - while performing in Germany . 


55 The " Running of the Bulls " in Pamplona , Spain , can be traced back to the 14th century . 


56 Muchanaghederdauhaulia is the longest place name in Ireland , and it is located in Galway County . 


57 In France and Spain , instead of a tooth fairy , a legendary tooth mouse comes to collect children's teeth . 


58 The most chocolate in the world is sold at Brussels National Airport in Belgium 


59 Showing your palm to some one is offensive in Greece . 


60 Putting your hands below the table during a meal in France , Germany , and Austria is considered rude . 


61 The biggest Ferris wheel in Europe , the London Eye , takes 30 minutes to rotate and travels so slowly that passengers can get on and off without the wheel stopping 


62 Russia's capital , Moscow , is the largest city in Europe , and in 2011 boasted 79 billionaires -- more than New York , London , and Los Angeles . 


63-Istanbul , Turkey , is the only large city that stretches across two continents , Europe and Asia . About 70 percent of Istanbul's residents live in the European sector . 


64 It's estimated that there are more bicycles than people in Amsterdam .


65 In the summer parts of Sweden have 24 hours of daylight , but in midwinter the sun doesn't rise above the horizon for two months , 


66 Germany hosts the Mud Olympics each year . 


67 Germany also hosts a plastic duck race , during which about 6,000 plastic ducks are released into the Neckar River , 


68 THE EIFFEL TOWER IN PARIS , FRANCE , IS REPAINTED ABOUT EVERY SEVEN YEARS . IT TAKES A TEAM OF 25 PAINTERS USING MORE THAN 1,500 BRUSHES A YEAR TO PAINT THE MONUMENT . 


69 William the Conqueror hunted boar and deer in England's New Forest . Now a national park , the woods are home to 500 - year - old oak trees and Britain's only poisonous snake - the adder . 


70 A totally upside - down house in Trassenheide , Germany is a very wacky tourist attraction . Everything is upside - down on the inside , too , even the toilet . 


71 The United Kingdom's current monarch , Queen Elizabeth II , has her own YouTube channel .


 72 Wales's Snowdonia National Park boasts King Arthur among its most famous inhabitants . It's said that he battled king - killing giant Rhita Gawr on the top of Snowdon , the park's namesake and highest peak . 


73 Fire Rock is a sun - shaped sphere of rock in the Czech Republic's Bohemian Switzerland National Park and is believed by some to have been created by a lightning strike 


74 Belarus , located in eastern Europe , means " White Russia . " 


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5 Mount Sibilla in Italy is named for the legendary prophetess named Sibyl . It is said that knights traveled from across Europe to her remote cave in hopes of gaining advice and her wisdom .


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