Our world is filled with fascinating places so many of us aren’t even aware of. Today, we will look at some little-known yet intriguing facts about different countries of the world. From the shortest street in the world in Scotland to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall in Singapore, these unusual facts will certainly inspire you to visit these wonderful places and also make you feel how little we know about our amazing world.
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1. The Monument to the Laboratory Mouse in Russia has been constructed to pay homage to the millions of rodents who lose their lives in the name of science every year. The adorable statue shows a scholarly-looking mouse knitting a DNA double helix.
2. Installed in 1410, Prague's Astronomical Clock is known as the world's oldest working clock of its kind. The ancient clock features an astronomical dial, an hourly display of moving figures, a monthly calendar dial with all the 12 signs of the zodiac, and "The Walk of the Apostles".
3. In Suriname, South America, there's a synagogue and a mosque side by side, showing its unique multiculturalism.
4. Ebenezer Place in Scotland holds the record for being the shortest street in the world. The street was created by an awkwardly placed hotel that was built in 1883 at the junction of Union Street and River Street. The city council instructed the hotel owner to put a name on the short end of the building and thus, the six-foot, nine-inch (2.06 meters) strip of sidewalk outside it was recognized as a separate street which was later recorded as the shortest street in the world by the Guinness Book of Records.
5. In 2015, a team of 100 volunteers in Bhutan planted 49,672 trees in one hour, registering their country's name in the Guinness World Records. The previous record was held by an Indian team.
6. The highest altitude ATM is located in Pakistan at the height of 15,396 ft (4693 m). The ATM belongs to the National Bank of Pakistan in Khunjerab Pass, Gilgit Baltistan, and was opened in 2016.
7. The Restaurante Sobrino de Botin in Madrid is the oldest restaurant in Spain and has been serving food since 1725. The famous eatery was even referenced by author Ernest Hemingway in his book The Sun Also Rises in 1926.
8. Kiribati, located in the central Pacific Ocean, about 4,000 km (about 2,500 mi) southwest of Hawaii, is the only country in the world that has land within all four hemispheres. This is because its islands extend into the eastern and western hemispheres, as well as the northern and southern.
9. The Bahrain World Trade Center, standing at an impressive 787 ft (240 m), is a one-of-a-kind structure that has 3 built-in turbines in it. It is the first skyscraper in the world to incorporate wind turbines into its design. The turbines provide 11% to 15% of the towers' total power consumption and run almost 50% of the time on an average day.
10. Singapore's Changi Airport has the world's tallest indoor waterfall. Known as the Rain Vortex, the waterfall is over 130 ft (about 40 m) tall and pumps 500,000 liters of rainwater. The unique sculpture was designed as the centerpiece of the airport.
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