World History

Many people asking "how big is Iran" are surprised by just how large the country really is. Iran covers about 636,000 square miles (1.65 million square km), making it the 18th-largest country in the world and the second-largest country in the Middle East (after Saudi Arabia).

By Lena Thaywick

If you are wondering what countries are in the Middle East, the answer depends how we define the region. The Middle East is not a continent but a geopolitical region that mostly lies in western Asia, with connections to North Africa and sometimes South Asia.

By Lena Thaywick

If you're curious about countries that start with L, the list is shorter than you might expect. In the English language, there are nine countries in the world whose country names begin with the letter L.

By Lena Thaywick

The countries that start with R make up a surprisingly short list in English, which is part of what makes the topic interesting.

By Lena Thaywick

Anyone watching headlines in 2026 is wondering, who is the U.S. allies with? Who is Iran allies with? Many are trying to understand how the Islamic Republic builds partnerships and influence across the Middle East and the wider world.

By Wren Corvayne

Countries that start with S appear across much of the globe. There's a total of 26 countries whose names start with the letter S in English, spread across Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas.

By Lena Thaywick

Many people assume there must be several countries that start with Q. After all, the world contains nearly 200 countries. So it seems logical that more than one would begin with that letter. But when you look at country names in English, the list is unexpectedly short.

By Lena Thaywick

As global politics become increasingly gnarly, many want to know: Who is America's greatest ally? Many Americans look at national security, history, military cooperation, and economic ties to decide which country stands closest to the United States.

By Wren Corvayne

People often search for "country that starts with x" and expect to find at least one nation on the list. After all, the English alphabet has 26 letters and nearly 200 sovereign states around the world.

By Lena Thaywick

War has shaped human societies for thousands of years. The biggest wars in history were the armed conflicts with the largest death tolls and the widest political consequences.

By Lena Thaywick

Why did the Ottoman Empire fall? There's no single answer. It was a slow-motion collapse fueled by internal dysfunction, foreign intervention and the brutal modernity of war.

By Lena Thaywick

Why did ancient Egypt fall? Settle in for the story of how one of the longest-lasting civilizations in the ancient world slowly lost power.

By Lena Thaywick

Babylon was once the jewel of the ancient world, a mighty city nestled along the Euphrates River, renowned for its towering ziggurats and legendary Hanging Gardens. But why did Babylon fall?

By Lena Thaywick

In the early 1500s, the Aztecs ruled a sprawling empire across central Mexico. Their capital city, Tenochtitlán, was the largest city in the Americas at the time.

By Lena Thaywick

Why did the Inca empire fall? How could a mighty empire collapsed in just a few decades?

By Lena Thaywick

Why did the Han dynasty fall? How did one of the most durable early Chinese empires unravel from the inside? There's not a singular answer.

By Lena Thaywick

When most people dream of travel, they think of popular tourist destinations packed with iconic landmarks and crowded attractions. But the least-visited countries in the world offer something different: raw natural beauty, rich culture, and a chance to explore without the tourist crowds.

By Lena Thaywick

When people ask, what is the most dangerous place in the world, the answer depends on whether you're talking about war zones, harsh environments or crime-ridden cities.

By Lena Thaywick

Most people can rattle off the names of big tourist hotspots. But ask them about the least known countries, and you’ll probably get a blank stare. (And rightfully so: That's a pretty weird question to ask.)

By Lena Thaywick

Bangkok holds the Guinness World Record for the longest place name in the world. To be more specific, the title goes to Bangkok’s ceremonial name, not its everyday moniker.

By Lena Thaywick

Not every country is bursting at the seams. While the world’s population continues to climb, some nations remain remarkably small in terms of people.

By Lena Thaywick

Over the last few decades, the world has seen a wave of new nations emerging from civil war, political reform, and the breakup of larger unions.

By Lena Thaywick

Communism is a complicated, loaded word. While the strict definition is subject to lots of debate, there is broad agreement on the states call themselves communist today.

By Zach Taras

Monumental statues have been a hallmark of human ambition for centuries, standing tall as symbols of culture, religion and identity. The tallest statue in the world is no exception — and neither are any of its competitors.

By Mack Hayden

The world's most powerful countries shape global affairs with economic strength, military power, tech, and cultural influence, driving international policy.

By Desiree Bowie