CIA Factbook random facts game

**senhuan** · 04-16-2007, 12:43 AM

The CIA Factbook is a part of the official CIA.gov webpage that deals out general information on countries. I find it so fun to browse that I wish to make a pointless game out of.

Rules:
You may state one fact per post (or more if they are interconnected) from the factbook

You are encouraged to include any personal comments as to the meaning or implication of said facts.
I ask people to include as many links and citations as possible, so as to formulate a researchable post.

I shall start:

South Africa
Unemployment rate: 25.5% (2006 est.)

comment: I used to share a flat with a South African, and he said it was closer to 50 - 60%.

**senhuan** · 04-16-2007, 03:18 PM

OK I'm itching for a first post (from someone else), so I'll post something.

Panama:
Languages: Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual

comment: Try to say 'I am a Panamanian' 3 times fast! ^^

**Captain Hero** · 04-18-2007, 04:27 PM

So all we do is post facts about a spescific country?

**senhuan** · 04-18-2007, 06:52 PM

Pretty much. From the CIA.gov website.

**ILL-Bill** · 01-02-2011, 12:44 AM

Mongolian Armed Forces: Mongolian Army, Mongolian Air Force; there is no navy (2010) Not sure where to verify it at, but the CIA said so. Comment: Haha, they have no navy. End of comment.

**armageddongirl** · 01-02-2011, 05:05 AM

ANTARCTICA-no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent and summer-only staffed research stations.

Comment- Its very cold

**ILL-Bill** · 01-02-2011, 12:12 PM

Qatar - 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010) Comments: Sounds like quarter.

**bethabara9** · 01-02-2011, 01:07 PM

LOL, they have a game page! Breaking codes, photo analysis (smiling proudly I aced that one!)
https://www.cia.gov/kids-page/games/index.html

B'

**Susan J** · 01-02-2011, 04:22 PM

Updated Dec 10, 2010 12:24 PM - The Impact of Pearl Harbor

"Conspiracy theorists have insisted that the Japanese success was not due to careful planning and execution, but must have resulted from some form of wrongdoing on the American side.
Yet none have produced evidence to shake the basic findings of Congress' joint investigation in 1946.
Congressional probers basically blamed the disaster on a lack of imagination and watchfulness on the part of the American commanders on the scene,
combined with poor coordination and exchange of intelligence in Washington."

My comment:

My mother worked for General MacArthur both before and during WWII
and I distinctly remember the rise of passion in her voice, that occurred
on the few occasions, when she spoke of General MacArthur.

I was a child, and I remember her comments about how MacArthur had purposefully allowed the Japanese to bomb Pearl Harbor.
I remember feeling shocked, and I asked her,
"Why ? Why would he allow such a thing?"
Her response ?
She said it was the only way to make the American public 'wake up' to the atrocity of the Germans and stop the slaughter of the Jews.
-- and the medical experiments really 'ticked her off'.

**ILL-Bill** · 01-02-2011, 10:38 PM

Akrotiri - approximately 15,700 live on the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia including 7,700 Cypriots, 3,600 Service and UK-based contract personnel, and 4,400 dependents. COMMENT: Never heard of it as far as I know.