Young Diplomats

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Geography and social studies have never been so much fun.

United Kingdom - At one time, Britain owned so much land across the planet, the phrase "the sun never sets on the British Empire" became symbolic of their territorial mass. Hong Kong, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Burma, Kenya, and much of Africa were all conquered and owned by Britain at one point. Most of its territory was lost throughout the 20th century as these countries became independent.

Russia - Russia's love for liquor doesn't stop at vodka. Wine is growing in popularity, and Russia's notoriety for drunkenness is often equated with the apathetic nature of many of its people toward how the rest of the world perceives it. Throughout the course of history, Russia has suffered at the hands of careless, evil, and tyrannical rulers who were responsible for an overwhelming amount of economic devastation and political corruption. Nobody can blame the Russians for drinking their problems away.

Sudan - Anyone familiar with the massacres and civil unrest plaguing Sudan's Darfur region know very well the brutal realities of political instability in one of Africa's most impoverished nations. The Sudanese government has taken little to no action to protect its citizens, and the future looks bleak. It recently suffered a territorial loss when the newly-formed nation of South Sudan seceded from the north, largely due to religious conflict between the Muslim north and the Christian south.

Israel - Since becoming a country with American funding and support just after World War II in the late 1940s, Israel has faced a swarm of criticism and hostility from Muslims in the surrounding regions and throughout the Arab world in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Israel's American-backed military training have ensured its enemies are wiped out, no matter the cost. Even the most vulnerable and peaceful Palestinians have fallen victim to one too many attacks, but it's hard to put all the blame on Israel itself, which has suffered countless terrorist attacks at the hands of its own neighbors.

The Netherlands - The first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage (though not the first to legalize same-sex unions, which was Denmark in 1989) is also home to the world's most famous red light district in the center of Amsterdam. Prostitution is a way of life, and the extremely laid-back and liberal Dutch will assure you they wouldn't have it any other way.

Colombia - Coffee. Shitloads and shitloads of coffee.

Japan - Loyalty and devotion are two of the most important virtues in Japanese culture. So much so, that the numerous ways the Japanese have committed suicide throughout history in the name of their country are recognized and known throughout the world. Two such methods are seppuku, which involves slicing one's own stomach until they become disemboweled and their organs fall out, and kamikaze, in which military pilots would deliberately crash their planes into enemy targets. In addition, karōshi is a Japanese word describing the act of somebody committing suicide as a result of work-related stress or depression. As for Japanese porn...many find it ironic that the country that brings you such oddities as tentacle porn has strict censorship laws. Genitalia in Japanese porn is required by law to be censored, albeit minimally. This is why "tentacle hentai" has become popular, as tentacles are not considered genitalia under Japanese law.

Denmark - What is widely-known as the "happiest country in the world" with among the very highest standards of living and peacefulness was overpowered when it was invaded by Nazis during World War II. The Danes knew their country was too small to try and fight the Nazis, so they pretended to befriend them while subsequently hiding Jews living in Denmark from the Nazis. The Danes snuck thousands of Jews living in Denmark over into neutral Sweden, helping them escape the Nazis and possibly saving their lives.

The United States - Few places across the globe have the caliber of political corruption coupled with hypocrisy as the United States. The nation responsible for fleeing England to avoid religious persecution is now a hotbed for a relatively new conservative movement in the form of Republicans, who wish to use religion to control the masses and ban such harmless acts of equality and services, such as same-sex marriage, abortions, same-sex adoptions, and birth control. How ironic.

Peru - Because, Craig.

China - Copyright infringement and international law are two concepts the government officials in China can't seem to comprehend. Fake goods, unlicensed merchandise, cheap knock-offs, and patent theft are regular practice in the world's most populous country, and one has to wonder if the nation itself is ready to assume the responsibilities of becoming a world power. It's growing too much, too fast, and it's not doing it properly.

Afghanistan - In many poorer Muslim societies, as well as much of India, which is predominately Hindu, the right hand is used for most everyday things such as shaking hands, opening doors, and specifically eating. This is because in many of these societies, the left hand is used for wiping their asses. Toilet paper isn't used in such places, and has not caught on when it was introduced. Simultaneously, Muslims don't eat pork because they think it's not sanitary. Clearly, their concept of cleanliness differs from much of the rest of the world. Most Hindus, however, are vegetarians, and not because they believe meat is dirty. Certain aspects of their religion encourage them to be at peace with nature and treat animals with the same respect as other people. Regardless, chicken and lamb are very widely consumed, though beef is seldom eaten, as cows are considered holy animals.