This page is experimental, lazily formatted and the opinions are written with little regard to cohesion, straight from my heart. If I were able to write text and code as fast as I think, this page would be populated with all the countries of the world real quick. Sadly this will take me ages, especially entries about the big guys like USA, UK, Russia and so on. My opinion about Poland will be in a separate page dedicated to the culture of Poland that I'm constantly putting off.
Don't look at the source code... it's awful
Very nice, simple and red color only appearing as a small detail makes it very pristine and inviting, the crescent and the stars are elegantly placed, similaly to the flag of Singapore, the colors brings up the blue tiles of Samarkanda, clear white sky and green lush mountain valleys and Islam I guess.
I don't like flags of former USSR republics, just like I don't admire many flags of U.S. states - they are too repetitive and I can't really remember them, even when I try.
Uzbekistan
- Oʻzbekiston (Uzbek)
- Узбекистан (Russian)
Groups
#Ecumena #Asia, #Central Asia, #Former USSR, #Islamic, #Turkic, #Commonwealth of Independent States
Keywords
Cotton export, Aral Lake, Chevrolet Matiz, Second most populated former USSR country, Amu Daria and Sur Daria rivers, desert on the west, mountains on the east, ancient monuments, Alexander The Great, large number of immigrants to Russia and Ukraine, Uber drivers in Warsaw, Tashent-Samarkanda high speed rail corridor that is longer than the entire high speed network in USA, complex borders with Kyrghystan and Tajikistan in Fergana Valley
My overview
The only large country that is double-landlocked (borders only countries that don't have access to the global waters), maybe that's why is so unknown outside Cental Asia. Aral Lake and its dramatic shrinkage is the most well known geography phenomenon of Uzbekistan as well as the main export crop that led to this environmental disaster: cotton.
Where do I get the info
- Have I been there: no
- Level of knowledge: Very basic - Feelings intensity index: Small - Culture likability index: Nice, unknown - Politics general opinion: Authoritarian, but weak
- The news and media about the country: There are very few vlogs or articles about Uzbekistan in Polish media, the last time I heard something was when there were protests in Nukus about the autonomy, but that wasn't a major headline. Occasional articles with topics such as large emigration of students
- Do I know somebody: No one personally, I've met multiple Uber/Bolt drivers in Warsaw
- Famous people I recognize: sadly no, except the name of the president (only with a hint)
- Have I been there at least once: no
Wishlist
- Do I wanna visit: yes
- Is it likely to happen: almost definitely no plane tickets are unaffordable and how to even convince the family to go there if it's so far away, not popular and there are no sea resorts
- What I wish to see: cool ancient monuments in Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkanda and somewhere else I'm not aware, Aral Lake and the uncovered wrecked ships, the mountains would be nice, metro in Tashkent, the high speed railway, the collection of Chevrolets on the streets ( in Poland they used to be popular and known as former Korean Daewoo brand)
Regions and cities
Regions: Karakalpakastan, Fergana ValleyCities: Tashkent - the largest city in Central Asia (or second when you count Kabul), Bukhara, Samarkanda, Asaka - the motor city of Uzbekistan, Nukus - the capital of Karakalpakastan
Generic aquafresh flag, easily mistaken as the Dutch flag, but it’s simple and effective. The light blue is quite different than the Dutch, I can easily see that (random trivia about Polish language: we have separate and very common words a light blue ‘błękitny’ and blue ‘niebieski’) so its better than Romania vs. Chad confusion.
I like this one. It's well established in the local culture, it’s unique and the red lion is cool, but the blue stripes and lion’s complicated shape don’t look good when the flag is tiny. It looks like the crossless Greek flag that gets shot and is bleeding.
It seems logical to distinguish it from the Netherlands by adding coats of arms. I generally like the way it looks, but still, it’s not unique.
Luxembourg
- Lëtzebuerg (Luxembourgish)
- Luxembourg (French)
- Luxemburg (German)
Groups
#Ecumena, #Europe, #Western Europe, #European Union, #Benelux
Keywords
European, Multilingual, The biggest small state in Europe, Principality, Tax Haven, Landlocked, Large cargo airport, Super wealthy
My overview
Open the map of Europe in MS Paint, select the rectangle that includes all the western part of Europe from Portugal to north-east Germany and shrink it into a bunch of pixels. That’s how you get Luxembourg: the entire germanic-romance Europe condensed into a super wealthy and surprisingly influential dot on the map with its own space program, large cargo airport and large finance stuff that’s going on there. It’s not Monaco level wealth however, there are no royal casinos and formula 1 races, but rather cheaper gas stations and no sunny mediterranean coast, but rather quaint central european forests and villages.
Where do I get the info
- Have I been there: no, but I was close
- Level of knowledge: Very basic - Feelings intensity index: Small - Culture likability index: Nice, unknown - Politics general opinion: Impressed by the numbers and hidden influence, worried a bit about tax dodging and wealth unequality
I don’t know that much about the culture, no song that represents the country for me (yet).
- Do I know somebody: never met anybody from there sadly
- Famous people I recognize: nope, but I'll find them
Wishlist
- Do I wanna visit: yes
- Is it likely to happen: quite likely, when I start to travel abroad again and managed to bend the route to some other western European country to include Luxembourg then I could stop by and visit
- What I wish to see: The city of Luxembourg as well as the rural hills, the town of Schengen and the tripoint.
Regions and cities
Luxembourg City
First 3 letters of the name come from the word “Luxury” or “Deluxe” I guess, nice that they have a tram system and the public transport is for free, although the majority of people commute by a car from three different countries nearby.
Schengen
Yes, it’s a village on Mosel river, in the tripoint of Luxembourg, France and Germany that the Schengen area got its name from. I love border points like this, especially when no additional documents are needed to visit.
Nothing to say really, Caribbean countries are really good at making recognizable flags once they drop the Union Jack, this one looks very familiar to Tanzania, don't know if it's all connected.
Trinidad and Tobago
- Trinidad and Tobago (English)
Groups
#Cemanahuac #America #Central America #Carribbean
Keywords
Drums, Nicky Minaj, Oil, Mixed culture
My overview
I know hardly anything about those islands, just a bunch of dull trivias.
I don’t know that much about the culture, other than the fact that one of the member of Major Lazer is from there, and there is a sizable community that was brought by British from India. Oh and Nicky Minaj, An Outsider on Neocities reminded me of this, thanks lol
Where do I get the info
- Have I been there: Probably will never afford to get there, just like to the 90% of the world.
Level of knowledge: Very basic - Feelings intensity index: Small - Culture likability index: Nice, unknown - Politics general opinion: I almost know nothing, I heard about some tensions between etnicities
While I was in Brussels, I was at some chocolate souvenirs store and a nice lady behind the cash registry said that she's from Trinidad and Tobago and asked me and my friend where are we coming from and if we know anything about her homeland. A friend said nothing and I just came up with the fact that Trinidad and Tobago is rich in oil, the capital is Port of Spain and it lies next to Venezuela. Before our answers she tried to give us a hint that the country is known by the drums. I had no clue about it, at first I thought about Tam Tam drums from Worms game series, but apparently the steelpan drums are the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. Since then this little trivia will live forever rent-free in my head.
Regions and cities
Tobago
Apart from the fact that this island is in the name of the entire country, Tobago is known to me (and some Polish history enthusiasts) as a sole example of an attempt of The Polish-Lithuania Commonwealth to colonize an island in America. Other than that I just heard that Tobago is a tourist island, while Trinidad is the oil drilling island.
Suitable flag, green, gold, very islamic and those red stripes included in 2017 add significance, emphasizing the struggle that Mauritanian people endured.
Darker green is kinda better than in the new flag, but with those red stripes it's good that they lighten up that green.
Mauritania
In official languages:
- موريتانيا (Arabic)
My overview
The first hint about the existence of the country in mass media (at least for me) was a short exchange in the scene of Titanic, one of the ladies said that the ship is not impressive because it's not that different than Mauritania.
The country's culture is usually outshined by neighbours like Morocco and Senegal, but as far as I know it got some unique features. It's definitely much harder to reach by average traveller than those two countries, and it does not advertise at all. TBC
My first hand knowledge
If I somehow changed the job into professional traveller or a diplomat, I might pay a visit.
Never been there, never met or knew anybody.
Regions or cities
Nouakchoot
It took me some time to learn how to properly type that name of the capital of Mauritania in English. I heard that this city on the Atlantic coast is extremely sprawled and lacks any high buildings.
TBC
A bit too dark blue, but cool.
Nauru
In official languages:
- Naoero (Nauruan)
- Nauru (English)
My overview
At the age of 7, when I got a huge world atlas as a christmas gift, the map of that tiny peculiar island was prominently displayed on the separate map box. Since then I was fascinated by that tiny dot of bird poop on the vast ocean. Okay sorry, it's not meant to be an offence, it's just a history, which is very unusual in some moments.
TBC
My first hand knowledge
If I were to live in the Antipodes then yeah, why not visit. I haven't even met anybody irl to know about that place.
TBC
Regions or cities
Yaren
Technically Nauru doesn't have a capital, but the fact that still the island have many tiny districts is fun to know.
TBC
It's a chad flag.
Romania
In official languages:
- România (Romanian)
My overview
Hey look, it's a brand new Dacia Sandero!
Anyway, since it's in the EU, I'm dying to visit the country!
My first hand knowledge
Multiple people that I know have visited Romania, met a handful of people from there, and some online.
TBC
Regions or cities
Bucharest
I've read a book about the comparison of Bucharest and Warsaw, so I guess that's my most well researched city in a non-online way.
TBC
Cluj-Napoka
I barely knew about the existence of the city (except just the fact that it's a large city in the middle of Transilvania) until I spot a direct flight from Warsaw to Cluj and after a bit of research I realized that's actually a pretty important place, a high education hub of Romania. Then when the city announce that they are going to build a second metro system in the country I respect that city even more, way to go Cluj-Napoka, I bet you'll finish the first metro line faster than Kraków or Belgrade :D
TBC
Constanta
TBC
Mangalia
I know about this place because of Inna, her songs were 2010 summer vibes all the way!
Sulina
I found this place interesing due to its unusual location on the Danube river delta, it's a small village that is not connected via road with the rest of the Europe, even though it's technically on the continent.
Arad
TBC
Subsaharan countries have much more colorful and rich flags than a very simple European ones, love that, but be advised I don't know nothing about the meaning of the emblem on the left yet.
Zimbabwe
In official languages:
- Dziko la Zimbabwe (Chewa)
- - (Chibarwe)
- - (Kalanga)
- - (Koisan)
- - (Nambya)
- Nyika yeZimbabwe (Ndau)
- - (Ndebele)
- Riphabliki ra Zimbabwe (Shangani)
- Nyika yeZimbabwe (Shona)
- Rephabliki ea Zimbabwe (Sotho)
- - (Tonga)
- Lefatshe la Zimbabwe (Tswana)
- Riphabuḽiki ya Zimbabwe (Venda)
- IRiphabhlikhi yaseZimbabwe (Xhosa)
- Republic of Zimbabwe (English)
My overview
It's such a bummer that even though Zimbabwe is the essence of Africa with it's nature, giant rivers, waterfalls, animals as well as all the rich cultural heritage, languages, Great Zimbabwe artifacts, the very first few things that I can come up with about Zimbabwe with no preparation is that its currency is always worthless so they use any other ones like US Dollars, South African Rands or Chinese Yuans, an old fart dictator called Mugabe used to be the president and that scene from Blood Diamond where Leonardo DiCaprio calls the country 'Rhodesia' with the trademark colonial smug.
My first hand knowledge
Never met anybody that ever mentioned that country or was there personally until just this March 2025 when I accidentally met a nice lady from Zimbabwe while waiting on the queue to the ticket office in Warsaw!
We had a small talk about where I got to learn the English and she told me that in Zimbabwe every office/administration related stuff is in English, and even though she can speak Shona, English is very pervasive and many people, even from older generations sometimes forgot the words of their native languages because of it.
Regions or cities
Harare
TBC
Bulawayo
TBC