08 Dec,2023
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“We do not believe in Gross National Product. Gross National Happiness is more important”. And so the teenage King of Bhutan famously said in 1979. Since then, Gross National Happiness has become a Bhutanese philosophy.
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Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat put Kazakhstan on the map in 2006, and left millions scratching their head about the weird Central Asian country. While Borat’s representations weren’t exactly accurate, there’s no denying Kazakhstan does have it's quirks.
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A proudly reclusive, quasi-communist state, no list of the world’s weirdest countries would be complete without North Korea. While Beijing is the only way for Western tourists to enter the country, once inside, it’s surprisingly safe, provided you toe the government’s line.
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After the fall of the Soviet Union, a cluster of countries in Eastern Europe pushed to join the EU. Enticed by grand promises from the continent’s big players, Belarus’s neighbours quickly signed up. But Belarus, nestled between Russia and Poland, bucked the trend and opted for isolation and reclusiveness, essentially turning its back on a united Europe.
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Armenia, the country where chess is a compulsory subject in school. Yes, you heard that right. Chess is part of the primary school curriculum and valued as much as maths and history. It’s a national obsession, so don’t expect an easy win when local school kids challenge you to a game.
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