The number 17 can be written in Roman as XVII. When these numerals are rearranged, it reads VIXI, which means in Latin ‘I have lived’, meaning ‘my life is over’. The number 17 is therefore considered unlucky in Italy.
Postage stamp without country name
The first country to issue postage stamps was Great Britain. It issued the first postage stamp on 1 May, 1840. These stamps were meant for use only within Great Britain and Ireland, and therefore, functioned almost like local stamps. It is due to this reason that the stamps in Great Britain did not bear the …
The country with the lowest elevation point
The Maldives, located in the Indian Ocean, is the country with the lowest elevation point. The Maldives is an archipelago of 1,192 small coral islands grouped into 26 atolls. Only 200 of these islands are inhabited. All these islands are low-lying, none rising higher than 2.4 metres (about 8 feet) above sea level.
The only Southeast Asian country never colonized by a western power
The Kingdom of Thailand in Southeast Asia has one of the longest monarchies in history. After a revolution in 1932 a constitutional monarchy was established in Thailand. Throughout its history, Thailand was never colonized by any western power.
An underwater post office
The world’s only underwater post office is located in the Hideaway Island marine sanctuary in the Republic of Vanuatu. Situated in the South Pacific, the post office is 50 metres offshore and three metres below the water surface. Divers and snorkelers can post special ‘waterproof postcards’ from this post office. If snorkelers find it difficult …
Highway through a building
The Japanese engineers found an ingenious way to make the best use of the available space when they built the exit of the Hanshin Highway through the Gate Tower building in Fukushima-ku, Osaka. The exit passes between the fifth and seventh floors of the building. The elevators pass through these floors without stopping. There is …