Top Lists http://didyouknow.org/lists Interesting top lists of famous people, places, sports, vehicles, war and more. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:52:50 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Largest deserts http://didyouknow.org/lists/largest-deserts/ http://didyouknow.org/lists/largest-deserts/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:02:39 +0000 txtface http://didyouknow.org/lists/?p=971 The largest deserts are covered in ice and you might not think of it as a desert but a desert is an area that does not receive enough water from condensation of atmospheric water vapor – in particular rain – that falls under gravity and therefor not enough to support most forms of life. In Antarctica and the Arctic there is a lot of ice but very few animals and plants.

The polar deserts might shrink because of global warming while the subtropical deserts – those dry, sandy deserts – are expanding because of the same reason and because of desertification.

World’s largest deserts:

Desert Location Sq miles Sq km
1 Antarctic Desert Antarctica 5,339,573 13,829,430
2 Arctic Arctic 5,300,000 13,726,937
3 Sahara North Africa 3,474,920 9,000,000
4 Arabian Southwest Asia 900,000 2,330,000
5 Gobi Mongolia/China 500,002 1,295,000
6 Kalahari Southern Africa 360,000 900,000
7 Patagonian Argentina/Chile 260,000 670,000
8 Great Victorian Australia 250,000 647,000
9 Syrian Syria, Jordan, Iraq 200,000 520,000
10 Great Basin Desert United States 190,000 492,000
]]> http://didyouknow.org/lists/largest-deserts/feed/ 0 Dakar Rally Winners – Motorcycles http://didyouknow.org/lists/dakar-rally-winners-motorcycles/ http://didyouknow.org/lists/dakar-rally-winners-motorcycles/#comments Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:21:00 +0000 txtface http://didyouknow.org/lists/?p=923 The idea for the Dakar began in 1977 when Thierry Sabine got lost on his motorbike in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice Rally. After being saved he returned to France still enthralled by the wild landscape and promised himself he would share his fascination with the world. The Paris-Dakar race became the world’s most famous rally. Sabine died in a helicopter crash in 1986 but his legend lives on. Motorcycles took part since the first Dakar Rally, 1979.

Year Rider Bike Route
2012 Cyril DESPRES (FRA) KTM 450 Rally Mar del Plata–Copiapó–Lima
2011 Marc COMA (SPA) KTM 450 Rally Buenos Aires – Arica – Buenos Aires
2010 Cyril DESPRES (FRA) KTM 690 Rally Buenos Aires – Antofagasta – Buenos Aires
2009 Marc COMA (SPA) KTM 690 Rally Buenos Aires – Valparaiso – Buenos Aires
2008 No race
2007 Cyril DESPRES (FRA) KTM 690 Rally Lisboa – Dakar
2006 Marc COMA (SPA) KTM LC4 660R Lisboa – Dakar
2005 Cyril DESPRES (FRA) KTM LC4 660R Barcelona – Dakar
2004 Nani ROMA (SPA) KTM LC4 660R Clermont-Ferrand – Dakar
2003 Richard SAINCT (FRA) KTM LC4 660R Marseille – Sharm el Sheikh
2002 Fabrizio MEONI (ITA) KTM LC8 950R Arras – Madrid – Dakar
2001 Fabrizio MEONI (ITA) KTM LC4 660R Paris – Dakar
2000 Richard SAINCT (FRA) BMW F650RR Paris – Dakar – Cairo
1999 Richard SAINCT (FRA) BMW F650RR Granada – Dakar
1998 Stephane PETERHANSEL (FRA) Yamaha YZE850T Paris – Granada – Dakar
1997 Stephane PETERHANSEL (FRA) Yamaha YZE850T Dakar – Agades – Dakar
1996 Edi ORIOLI (ITA) Yamaha YZE850T Granada – Dakar
1995 Stephane PETERHANSEL (FRA) Yamaha YZE850T Granada – Dakar
1994 Edi ORIOLI (ITA) Cagiva Elefant 900 Paris – Dakar – Paris
1993 Stephane PETERHANSEL (FRA) Yamaha YZE850T Paris – Tanger – Dakar
1992 Stephane PETERHANSEL (FRA) Yamaha YZE850T Paris – Sirte – Cape Town
1991 Stephane PETERHANSEL (FRA) Yamaha YZE750T Paris – Tripoli – Dakar
1990 Edi ORIOLI (ITA) Cagiva Elefant 900 Paris – Tripoli – Dakar
1989 Gilles LALAY (FRA) Honda NXR750V Paris – Tunis – Dakar
1988 Edi ORIOLI (ITA) Honda NXR750V Paris – Algiers – Dakar
1987 Cyril NEVEU (FRA) Honda NXR750V Paris – Algiers – Dakar
1986 Cyril NEVEU (FRA) Honda NXR750V Paris – Algiers – Dakar
1985 Gaston RAHIER (BEL) BMW GS980R Paris – Algiers – Dakar
1984 Gaston RAHIER (BEL) BMW GS980R Paris – Algiers – Dakar
1983 Hubert AURIOL (FRA) BMW GS980R Paris – Algiers – Dakar
1982 Cyril NEVEU (FRA) Honda XL500R Paris – Algiers – Dakar
1981 Hubert AURIOL (FRA) BMW GS800R Paris – Algiers – Dakar
1980 Cyril NEVEU (FRA) Yamaha XT500 Paris – Algiers – Dakar
1979 Cyril NEVEU (FRA) Yamaha XT500 Paris – Algiers – Dakar

Dakar Rally Winners – Cars

]]> http://didyouknow.org/lists/dakar-rally-winners-motorcycles/feed/ 0 Cities with most metro stations http://didyouknow.org/lists/cities-with-most-metro-stations/ http://didyouknow.org/lists/cities-with-most-metro-stations/#comments Sun, 19 Jun 2011 13:03:19 +0000 txtface http://didyouknow.org/lists/?p=895 A train station that is built underground is called a “metro station,” a “subways” or  “underground”  or “tube.” The first metro system was opened in 1863 in London, England. Known as “The Tube” or “The Underground” it now has 270 metro stations.

Metro systems used to be dark, murky rail transport systems but many have developed into well-maintained rapid transport systems and clean, modern-looking stations featuring shops, eateries and many other conveniences.

160 cities in the world boast metro systems, the longest being in Shangai, China. The Shangai metro tracks are 264 miles (424 km) long and still growing as more station lines are being added. More than 5 million – and up to 7 million – people use the Shangai Metro daily.

New York City is the city with the most metro stations, called the “New York City Subway.”

List of cities with the most metro stations:

1. New York City, NY, USA* – 481 metro stations

2. Paris, France – 368 metro stations

3. Berlin, Germany** – 339 metro stations

4. Madrid, Spain – 299 metro stations

5. Seoul, South Korea – 293 metro stations

6. Shanghai, China – 273 metro stations

7. London, UK – 270 metro stations

8. Moscow, Russia – 182 metro stations

9. Tokyo, Japan** – 293 metro stations

10. Mexico City, Mexico – 175 metro stations

* New York City – 468 metro station plus NY Path Hudson (13 metro stations)
** Berlin, Germany U-Bahn (173 metro stations) and S-Bahn (166 metro stations)
*** Tokyo Metro (179 metro stations) plus Toei Subway (106 metro stations) and Tokyo Waterfront (8 metro stations)

]]> http://didyouknow.org/lists/cities-with-most-metro-stations/feed/ 0 World’s smallest countries http://didyouknow.org/lists/worlds-smallest-countries/ http://didyouknow.org/lists/worlds-smallest-countries/#comments Sat, 18 Jun 2011 17:52:01 +0000 txtface http://didyouknow.org/lists/?p=889 The Vatican is the world’s smallest country, at 0.16 square miles (0,44 sq km). Monaco is the second smallest country. Tuvalu, the 5th smallest country, is situated in the South Pacific and consists of nine coral atolls but most of its citizens live on Funafuti,  the main island.

World’s smallest countries:

1. Vatican City – 0.17 sq m (0,44 sq km)

2. Monaco – 0.77 sq m (2 sq km)

3. Gibraltar – 2.5 sq m (6,47 sq km)

4. Nauru – 8.2 sq m (21,23 sq km)

5. Tuvalu – 10 sq m (25,9 sq km)

6. Macau – 11.9 sq m (29,5 sq km)

7. Sint Maarten – 13.1 sq m (34 sq km)

8. Norfolk Island13.3 sq m (34,6 sq km)

9. Pitcairn Islands 18.1 sq m (47 sq km)

10. Bermuda 20.6 sq m (53,2 sq km)

However, most of these are dependencies of larger countries and/or non-self governing territories.

The smallest independent countries in the world:

1. Vatican City – 0.17 sq m (0,44 sq km)

2. Monaco – 0.77 sq m (2 sq km)

3. Nauru – 8.2 sq m (21,23 sq km)

4. Tuvalu – 10 sq m (25,9 sq km)

5. San Marino – 24 sq m (61,2 sq km)

6. Liechtenstein – 62 sq m (160,4 sq km)

7. Marshall Islands – 70 sq m (181 sq km)

8. Saint Kitts and Nevis – 104 sq m (261 sq km)

9. Maldives – 115 sq m (298 sq km)

10. Seychelles – 174 sq m (451 sq km)

]]> http://didyouknow.org/lists/worlds-smallest-countries/feed/ 0 World’s largest islands http://didyouknow.org/lists/worlds-largest-islands/ http://didyouknow.org/lists/worlds-largest-islands/#comments Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:24:24 +0000 txtface http://didyouknow.org/lists/?p=721 The world’s largest islands by area size:

1. Greenland, Denmark – 836 330.48 sq miles (2,166,086 sq km) – coastline: 27,394 miles (44,087 km).
2. New Guinea (Papua New Guinea and West New Guinea) – 303,381 sq miles (785,753 sq km).
3. Borneo – 288,869 sq miles (748,168 sq km).
4. Madagascar – 226,658 sq miles (587,041 sq km) – coastline: 3,000 miles (4,828 km).
5. Baffin Island (Qikiqtaaluk), Canada – 195,928 sq miles (507,451 sq km).
6. Sumatra, Indonesia – 171,069 sq miles (443,066 sq km).
7. United Kingdom – 94,058 sq miles (243,610 sq km) – coastline: 7,723 miles (12,429 km).
8. Honshu, Japan – 87,182 sq miles (225,800 sq km).
9. Victoria Island, Canada – 83,89 sq miles (217,291 sq km).
10. Ellesmere Island, Canada – 75,767 sq miles (196,236 sq km).

Also see: Biggest and Smallest Islands

]]> http://didyouknow.org/lists/worlds-largest-islands/feed/ 1 World’s longest rivers http://didyouknow.org/lists/worlds-longest-rivers/ http://didyouknow.org/lists/worlds-longest-rivers/#comments Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:12:35 +0000 txtface http://didyouknow.org/lists/?p=695 List of the longest rivers in the world and the countries through which they run:

1. Amazon -  4,250 miles (6,800 km) – Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana.

2. Nile – 4,160 miles (6,695 km) – Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Egypt.

3. Yangtze – 3,917 miles (6,300 km) – China.

4. Mississippi-Missouri – 3,902 miles (6,275 km) – Canada, United States.

5. Yenisey-Angara-Selenga – 3,445 miles (5,539 km) – Mongolia, Russia.

6. Huang He (Yellow River) – 3,398 miles (5,464 km) – China.

7. Ob’-Irtysh – 3,364 miles (5,410 km) – China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia.

8. Parana – 3,030 miles (4,880 km) – Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina.

9. Congo – 2,922 miles (4,700 km) – Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Angola, Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Cameroon, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda.

10. Amur (Heilong Jiang) – 2,763 miles (4,446 km) – Russia, China, Mongolia.

See: Amazon is longest river

]]> http://didyouknow.org/lists/worlds-longest-rivers/feed/ 0 Vatican Top 10 Albums http://didyouknow.org/lists/vatican-top-10-albums/ http://didyouknow.org/lists/vatican-top-10-albums/#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2010 11:01:33 +0000 txtface http://didyouknow.org/lists/?p=689 In February 2010, the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano published the Holy See list of Top 10 albums of all time. The Pope sure has some good taste in music!

1. Revolver – Beatles

2. If I Could Only Remember My Name – David Crosby

3. The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd

4. Rumours – Fleetwood Mac

5. The Nightfly – Donald Fagen

6. Thriller – Michael Jackson

7. Graceland – Paul Simon

8. Achtung Baby – U2

9. (What’s the Story) Morning Glory – Oasis

10. Supernatural – Carlos Santana

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