1999 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
Team results -- Men 's
Table:
Rank
Country
Team
Time

South Africa
Hendrick Ramaala
Abner Chipu
Mluleki Nobanda
3:06:01

Ethiopia
Tesfaye Jifar
Tesfaye Tola
Fekadu Degefu
3:06:03

Kenya
Paul Tergat
Laban Chege
Sammy Korir
3:06:03

4
France
Abdellah Béhar
Larbi Zéroual
Mohamed Serbouti
3:08:39

5
Portugal
Eduardo Henriques
Alberto Chaíça
José Ramos
3:08:50

6
Japan
Toshiyuki Hayata
Toshiaki Tezuka
Shigeru Aburaya
3:09:21

7
Italy
Rachid Berradi
Giacomo Leone
Roberto Barbi
3:11:05

8
Spain
Teodoro Cuñado
Javier Caballero
Antonio Serrano
3:11:10

9
Netherlands
Kamiel Maase
Aiduna Aitnafa
Marco Gielen
3:11:43

10
United States
Scott Larson
John Sence
Kevin Odiorne
3:14:28

11
Algeria
Rachid Ziar
Amar Dahbi
Kamal Kohil
3:14:10

12
Belgium
Koen Allaert
Christian Nemeth
Stéphane Rousseau
3:14:52

13
Great Britain
Mark Steinle
Nick Jones
David Taylor
3:16:21

14
Mexico
Alejandro Cuahtepizi
Miguel Bravo
Francisco Bautista
3:18:57

15
Uganda
Jafred Lorone
Francis Yiga
Job Sikoria
3:19:01

16
Egypt
Ahmed Abd El-Mangoud
Fouly Salem
Ahmed Abdel Rasool Badry
3:19:41

17
Germany
Sebastian Bürklein
Christian Fischer
Oliver Mintzlaff
3:19:57

18
Estonia
Pavel Loskutov
Toomas Tarm
Margus Pirksaar
3:20:25

19
Belarus
Vladimir Tsyamchik
Zarislav Gapeyenko
Vladimir Tonchinskiy
3:21:48

20
Swaziland
Sipho Dlamini
Isaiah Dlamini
Lucky Bhembe
3:22:25

Consulting the following table and the context paragraphs listed.

State the answer to the question: Who is the youngest team member from the country that is the world 's 48th largest country by total area ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

South Africa , officially the Republic of South Africa ( RSA ) , is the southernmost country in Africa . It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres ( 1,739 mi ) of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans ; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia , Botswana , and Zimbabwe ; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini ( Swaziland ) ; and it surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho . South Africa is the largest country in Southern Africa and the 24th-largest country in the world by land area and , with over 58 million people , is also the world 's 24th-most populous nation . It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere . About 80 percent of South Africans are of Bantu ancestry , divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different African languages , nine of which have official status . The remaining population consists of Africa 's largest communities of European , Asian ( Indian ) , and multiracial ( Coloured ) ancestry . South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures , languages , and religions . Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution 's recognition of 11 official languages , which is the fourth-highest number in the world . Two of these languages are of European origin : Afrikaans developed from Dutch and serves as the first language of most coloured and white South Africans ; English reflects the legacy of British colonialism , and is commonly used in public and commercial life , though it is fourth-ranked as a spoken first language . The country is one of the few in Africa never to have had a coup d'état , and regular elections have been held for almost a century . However , the vast majority of black South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994 . During the 20th century , the black majority sought to claim more rights from the dominant white minority , with this struggle playing a large role in the country 's recent history and politics .
Hendrik Ramaala ( born 2 February 1972 ) is a South African long-distance runner .
Abner Chipu ( born 2 January 1972 ) is a retired South African long-distance runner . His specialties include Cross , Half Marathon , Marathon , Cross team event and the Half Marathon Team Event .
Mluleki Nobanda ( born 15 November 1968 ) is a South African long-distance runner who competes in half marathons and marathons . He was a team gold medallist at the 1999 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships with Hendrick Ramaala and Abner Chipu after finishing tenth with a personal best time of 62:17 minutes . He has won marathons in three continents , having taken the Belgrade Marathon in 2001 , Taipei International Marathon in 2002 , and numerous marathons in South Africa . He has also won the prestigious 56 km Two Oceans Marathon . He achieved his personal best at the 1999 Reims Marathon , running a time of 2:12:13 hours for third . He won the Cape Town Marathon in 2007 at the age of 39 .
Ethiopia ( /ˌiːθiˈoʊpiə/ ; Amharic : ኢትዮጵያ , ʾĪtyōṗṗyā , listen ( help·info ) , Tigrinya : ኢትዮጵያ , Oromo : Itiyoophiyaa , Somali : Itoobiya , Afar : Itiyoophiyaa ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia , is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa . It shares borders with Eritrea to the north , Djibouti to the northeast , Somalia , and the de facto state of Somaliland to the east , Kenya to the south , South Sudan to the west and Sudan to the northwest . With over 109 million inhabitants , Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world and the second-most populous nation on the African continent with a total area of 1,100,000 square kilometres ( 420,000 sq mi ) . Its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa , which lies a few miles west of the East African Rift that splits the country into the Nubian and Somali tectonic plates . Some of the oldest skeletal evidence for anatomically modern humans has been found in Ethiopia . It is widely considered as the region from which modern humans first set out for the Middle East and places beyond . According to linguists , the first Afroasiatic-speaking populations settled in the Horn region during the ensuing Neolithic era . Tracing its roots to the 2nd millennium BCE , Ethiopia 's governmental system was a monarchy for most of its history . Oral literature tells that the monarchy was founded by the Solomonic dynasty of the Queen of Sheba , under its first king , Menelik I . In the first centuries , the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilization in the region , followed by the Ethiopian Empire circa 1137 . During the late 19th-century Scramble for Africa , Ethiopia and Liberia were two nations that preserved their sovereignty from long-term colonisation by a European colonial power and many newly-independent nations on the continent subsequently adopted its flag colours . However , the country was later occupied by Italy in 1936 and became Italian Ethiopia ( part of Italian East Africa ) until it was liberated during World War II .
Tesfaye Jifar ( Amharic : ተስፋዬ ጅፋር ) born April 23 , 1976 ) is a male Ethiopian long-distance runner . Jifar won the New York City Marathon in 2001 , his time of 2:07:43 standing as the course record for ten years . The same year he was second at the Tokyo Marathon and won the Saint Silvester Marathon held in Brazil . At the Amsterdam Marathon in 1999 he was second and broke the Ethiopian record held by Belayneh Dinsamo . Jifar 's time of 2:06:49 hours remains his personal record . Tesfaye Jifar is a three-time medalist from IAAF World Half Marathon Championships , he won bronze in 1999 and 2000 and silver in 2001 . At the 2001 World Championships in Athletics in Edmonton Jifar finished seventh in the marathon race .
Tesfaye Tola ( born October 19 , 1974 ) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner , most known for winning a bronze medal in marathon at the 2000 Summer Olympics . The next year he finished fourth at the 2001 World Championships , and fifth in the World Half Marathon Championships .
Kenya ( /ˈkɛnjə/ ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Kenya ( Swahili : Jamhuri ya Kenya ) , is a country in Africa with 47 semiautonomous counties governed by elected governors . At 580,367 square kilometres ( 224,081 sq mi ) , Kenya is the world 's 48th largest country by total area . With a population of more than 47.6 million people , Kenya is the 29th most populous country . Kenya 's capital and largest city is Nairobi , while its oldest city and first capital is the coastal city of Mombasa . Kisumu City is the third largest city and also an inland port on Lake Victoria . Other important urban centres include Nakuru and Eldoret . Kenya is bordered by South Sudan to the northwest , Ethiopia to the north , Somalia to the east , Uganda to the west , Tanzania to the south , and the Indian Ocean to the southeast . According to archaeological dating of associated artifacts and skeletal material , the Cushites first settled in the lowlands of Kenya between 3,200 and 1,300 BC , a phase referred to as the Lowland Savanna Pastoral Neolithic . Nilotic-speaking pastoralists ( ancestral to Kenya 's Nilotic speakers ) started migrating from present-day southern Sudan into Kenya around 500 BC . European colonisation of Kenya began in the 19th century during the European exploration of the interior . Modern-day Kenya emerged from a protectorate established by the British Empire in 1895 and the subsequent Kenya Colony , which began in 1920 . Numerous disputes between the UK and the colony led to the Mau Mau revolution , which began in 1952 , and the subsequent declaration of independence in 1963 .
Paul Kibii Tergat ( born 17 June 1969 ) is a Kenyan former professional long distance runner . He became the first Kenyan to set the world record in the marathon from 2003 to 2007 , with a time of 2:04:55 , and is regarded as one of the most accomplished long-distance runners of all time . Runnerworld called him the Most comprehensive runner of all time . Towards the end of his career he concentrated exclusively on the marathon . Tergat set several world records and won many titles on the track , in cross country , and on the road . He lives and trains in Eldoret .
Laban Chege ( born 10 September 1969 ) is a Kenyan athlete who specialises in middle and long distance running . He finished tenth at the 1997 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships , and a seventh-place finish at the 1999 edition helped him win a bronze medal with Kenya in the team competition . He won the Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale race on consecutive occasions in 1995 and 1996 . He won the City to Surf race in Sydney twice in 1999 and 2000 . He has also competed in cross country running , having won the 1998 Belfast International Cross Country meeting .
Sammy Korir ( born December 12 , 1971 ) in Kiboswa village , Nandi county of Rift Valley province , Kenya , is a long distance runner from Kenya .
France ( French : [ fʁɑ̃s ] ( listen ) ) , officially the French Republic ( French : République française , pronounced [ ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ( listen ) ) , is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . [ XIII ] The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . It is bordered by Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast , Switzerland and Italy to the east , and Andorra and Spain to the south . The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . The country 's 18 integral regions ( five of which are situated overseas ) span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres ( 248,573 sq mi ) and a total population of 67.02 million ( as of July 2019 [ update ] ) . France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris , the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban areas include Lyon , Marseille , Toulouse , Bordeaux , Lille and Nice . France , including its overseas territories , has the most number of time zones of any country , with a total of 12 . During the Iron Age , what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls , a Celtic people . Rome annexed the area in 51 BC , holding it until the arrival of Germanic Franks in 476 , who formed the Kingdom of Francia . The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned Francia into East Francia , Middle Francia and West Francia . West Francia , which became the Kingdom of France in 987 , emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages , following its victory in the Hundred Years ' War ( 1337-1453 ) .
Abdellah Béhar ( born 5 July 1963 in Souk Arba du Gharb ) is a retired Moroccan-born French runner who specializes in the 5000 metres and cross-country running .
Larbi Zéroual ( born 14 January 1971 ) is a Moroccan long-distance runner . He competed in the men 's 10,000 metres at the 1996 Summer Olympics .
Portugal ( Portuguese : [ puɾtuˈɣal ] ) , officially the Portuguese Republic ( Portuguese : República Portuguesa [ ʁɛˈpuβlikɐ puɾtuˈɣezɐ ] ) , [ note 5 ] is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula , in southwestern Europe . It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe , being bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain . Its territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira , both autonomous regions with their own regional governments . Portugal is the oldest nation state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe and the world , its territory having been continuously settled , invaded and fought over since prehistoric times . The pre-Celtic people , Iberians , Celts , Carthaginians and Romans were followed by the invasions of the Visigoths and Suebi Germanic peoples . After the Muslim conquests of the Iberian Peninsula , most of the territory was part of Al-Andalus until their expulsion . Portugal as a country was established during the early Christian Reconquista . Founded in 868 , the County of Portugal gained prominence after the Battle of São Mamede in 1128 . The Kingdom of Portugal was later proclaimed following the Battle of Ourique in 1139 , and independence from León was recognised by the Treaty of Zamora in 1143 . On 12 December 2017 , the Portuguese Navy commemorated the 700th anniversary of its official creation by King Denis of Portugal . Tracing its origins back to the 12th century , it is the oldest continuously serving navy in the world . In the 15th and 16th centuries , Portugal established the first global empire , becoming one of the world 's major economic , political and military powers .
Eduardo António da Silva Henriques ( born 24 March 1968 in Alenquer , Oeste ) is a Portuguese runner who specialized in the 3000 metres steeplechase and cross-country running . Since 1999 he has mainly been running half marathon .
Alberto Chaíça ( born 17 September 1973 , Caparica ) is a Portuguese long-distance runner . His best result to date has been a finish in 4th place in the marathon at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics in Paris . He competed in the marathon at the 2004 Olympics finishing 8th . He also finished 8th in the marathon at the 2006 European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg .
José Joaquim Domingos Ramos ( born 28 July 1968 in Barreira ) is a Portuguese long distance runner .
Japan ( Japanese : 日本 , Nippon [ ɲippoꜜɴ ] ( listen ) or Nihon [ ɲihoꜜɴ ] ( listen ) ) is an island country located in East Asia . It is bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east , and spans more than 3,000 kilometers ( 1,900 mi ) along the coast of the continent from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Philippine Sea in the south . Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire , Japan encompasses a stratovolcanic archipelago of about 6,852 islands , with five main islands ( Hokkaido , Honshu , Kyushu , Shikoku , and Okinawa ) comprising 97% of the country 's total area of 377,975 square kilometers ( 145,937 sq mi ) . Japan is officially divided into 47 prefectures and traditionally into eight regions . Approximately two-thirds of the country 's terrain is mountainous and heavily forested , and less than one-eighth of land is suitable for agriculture . Consequently , Japan is among the most densely populated and urbanized countries in the world , with over 90% of its population living in urban areas . The largest of these is the metropolitan area centered on the capital city of Tokyo , which is the most populous in the world and home to more than 38 million people . Japan itself is the world 's eleventh most populous country with a population of 126.2 million , of which 97.8% are ethnically Japanese . The kanji ( or Chinese characters ) that make up the name of Japan in the Japanese language mean sun origin ; in the Western world , the country is often known by the sobriquet Land of the Rising Sun . Periods of influence from other regions , primarily China , followed by periods of isolation , particularly from Western Europe , have characterized the history of Japan . While archaeological evidence indicates that Japan was inhabited as early as the Upper Paleolithic period , the first written mention of the archipelago appears in Chinese texts from the first century AD . Between the fourth and ninth centuries , the kingdoms of Japan became gradually unified under an Emperor and imperial court based in Heian-kyō ( modern Kyoto ) .
Shigeru Aburaya ( 油谷 繁 , Aburaya Shigeru , born 8 February 1977 in Nagato , Yamaguchi ) is a Japanese long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon race .
Italy ( Italian : Italia [ iˈtaːlja ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Italian Republic ( Italian : Repubblica Italiana [ reˈpubblika itaˈljaːna ] ) , is a European country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands . Italy is located in south-central Europe , and it is also considered a part of Western Europe . The country covers a total area of 301,340 km2 ( 116,350 sq mi ) and shares land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino . Italy has a territorial exclave in Switzerland ( Campione ) and a maritime exclave in the Tunisian Sea ( Lampedusa ) . With around 60 million inhabitants , Italy is the third-most populous member state of the European Union . The capital and largest city is Rome ; other major cities are Milan , Naples , Turin , Palermo , Genoa , Bologna , Florence and Venice . Due to its central geographic location in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean , Italy has historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures . In addition to the various ancient peoples dispersed throughout what is now modern-day Italy , the most predominant being the Indo-European Italic peoples who gave the peninsula its name , beginning from the classical era , Phoenicians and Carthaginians founded colonies mostly in insular Italy , Greeks established settlements in the so-called Magna Graecia of Southern Italy , while Etruscans and Celts inhabited central and northern Italy respectively . An Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom in the 8th century BC , which eventually became a republic with a government of the Senate and the People . The Roman Republic initially conquered and assimilated its neighbours on the Italian peninsula , eventually expanding and conquering parts of Europe , North Africa and Asia . By the first century BC , the Roman Empire emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean Basin and became a leading cultural , political and religious centre , inaugurating the Pax Romana , a period of more than 200 years during which Italy 's law , technology , economy , art , and literature developed . Italy remained the homeland of the Romans and the metropole of the empire , whose legacy can also be observed in the global distribution of culture , governments , Christianity and the Latin script .
Rachid Meknes Berradi ( born 29 August 1975 ) is an Italian long-distance runner who specializes in the 10,000 metres .
Giacomo Leone ( born 10 April 1971 in Francavilla Fontana , Brindisi ) is a retired male long-distance runner from Italy . He set his personal best ( 2:07:52 ) in the marathon on 4 March 2001 in Otsu , Japan . Leone is best known for winning the 1996 edition of the New York City Marathon .
Roberto Barbi ( born 25 March 1965 ) is a retired Italian long-distance runner who specialized in the marathon . He was banned from sports for life in 2009 , after his second EPO positive .
Spain ( Spanish : España [ esˈpaɲa ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Spain ( Spanish : Reino de España ) , [ a ] [ b ] is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of Spanish territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean . Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula . Its territory also includes two archipelagoes : the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa , and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea . The African enclaves of Ceuta , Melilla , and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country ( Morocco ) . [ h ] Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory . The country 's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar ; to the north and northeast by France , Andorra , and the Bay of Biscay ; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean . With an area of 505,990 km2 ( 195,360 sq mi ) , Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe , the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union , and the fourth largest country in the European continent . By population ( about 47 million ) , Spain is the sixth largest in Europe and the fifth in the European Union . Spain 's capital and largest city is Madrid ; other major urban areas include Barcelona , Valencia , Seville , Zaragoza , Málaga and Bilbao . Modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 35,000 years ago . Iberian cultures along with ancient Phoenician , Greek , Celtic and Carthaginian settlements developed on the peninsula until it came under Roman rule around 200 BCE , after which the region was named Hispania , based on the earlier Phoenician name Sp ( a ) n or Spania . At the end of the Western Roman Empire the Germanic tribal confederations migrated from Central Europe , invaded the Iberian peninsula and established relatively independent realms in its western provinces , including the Suebi , Alans and Vandals .
Teodoro Cuñado ( born 13 February 1970 ) is a Spanish long-distance runner . He competed in the men 's 10,000 metres at the 2000 Summer Olympics .
Antonio Serrano Sánchez ( born 8 March 1965 in La Solana , Ciudad Real ) is a retired Spanish long-distance runner who specialized in the 10.000 metres and road running .
The Netherlands ( Dutch : Nederland , [ ˈneːdərlɑnt ] ( listen ) ) , informally Holland , is a country in Northwestern Europe with some overseas territories in the Caribbean . In Europe , it consists of 12 provinces that border Germany to the east , Belgium to the south , and the North Sea to the northwest , with maritime borders in the North Sea with those countries and the United Kingdom . Together with the Caribbean Netherlands - Bonaire , Sint Eustatius and Saba - it forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . The official language is Dutch and a secondary official language in the province of Friesland is West Frisian . In the north and east of the country , Low Saxon is also spoken , and in the southeast , Limburgish . In the Caribbean Netherlands English and Papiamento are recognised languages . The five largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam , Rotterdam , The Hague , Utrecht and Eindhoven . Amsterdam is the country 's most populous city and nominal capital , while The Hague holds the seat of the States General , Cabinet and Supreme Court . The Port of Rotterdam is the busiest seaport in Europe , and the busiest in any country outside Asia . Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the busiest airport in the Netherlands , and the third busiest in Europe . The country is a founding member of the EU , Eurozone , G10 , NATO , OECD and WTO , as well as a part of the Schengen Area and the trilateral Benelux Union . It hosts several intergovernmental organisations and international courts , many of which are centered in The Hague , which is consequently dubbed 'the world 's legal capital ' .
Kamiel Maase ( born 20 October 1971 in Nijmegen , Gelderland ) is a retired long-distance runner from the Netherlands , who is the current Dutch record holder in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres . He retired in January , 2009 .
The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. or US ) or America , is a country consisting of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . [ g ] At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) , it is the world 's third or fourth-largest country by total area [ b ] and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe . Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico . With an estimated population of over 328 million , the U.S. is the third most populous country in the world . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the most populous city is New York City . Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies led to the American Revolutionary War lasting between 1775 and 1783 , leading to independence . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century - gradually acquiring new territories , displacing Native Americans , and admitting new states - until by 1848 it spanned the continent . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the abolition of slavery in the United States . The Spanish-American War and World War I confirmed the country 's status as a global military power .
Algeria ( /ælˈdʒɪəriə/ ( listen ) al-JEER-ee-ə ) is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa . The capital and most populous city is Algiers , located in the far north of the country on the Mediterranean coast . With an area of 2,381,741 square kilometres ( 919,595 sq mi ) , Algeria is the tenth-largest country in the world , and the largest in the African Union and Arab World . With an estimated population of over 42 million , it is among the ten most populous states in Africa . Algeria is bordered to the northeast by Tunisia , to the east by Libya , to the west by Morocco , to the southwest by the Western Saharan territory , Mauritania , and Mali , to the southeast by Niger , and to the north by the Mediterranean Sea . It is a semi-presidential republic consisting of 48 provinces and 1,541 communes ( counties ) . Pre-1962 Algeria has known many empires and dynasties , including ancient Numidians , Phoenicians , Carthaginians , Romans , Vandals , Byzantines , Umayyads , Abbasids , Idrisid , Aghlabid , Rustamid , Fatimids , Zirid , Hammadids , Almoravids , Almohads , Zayyanids , Spaniards , Ottomans and , finally , the French colonial empire . Algeria is a regional and middle power . It has the highest human development index of all non-island African countries and one of the largest economies on the continent , based largely on energy exports . Algeria has the 16th largest oil reserves in the world and the second largest in Africa , while it has the ninth largest reserves of natural gas . Sonatrach , the national oil company , is the largest company in Africa , supplying large amounts of natural gas to Europe . Algeria has one of the largest militaries in Africa and the largest defence budget .
Rachid Ziar ( born 15 November 1973 ) is a retired Algerian long-distance runner who specialized in the marathon . He finished 24th at the 1999 World Half Marathon Championships , 19th at the 2001 World Half Marathon Championships and 18th at the 2003 World Championships . He also competed at the 2004 Olympic Games , but did not finish the race . His personal best times were 1:01:30 hours in the half marathon , achieved in September 1999 in Uijeongbu ; and 2:09:54 hours in the marathon , achieved in April 2002 in the Paris Marathon .
Kamel Kohil ( born 25 December 1971 ) is an Algerian long-distance runner . He competed in the men 's marathon at the 2000 Summer Olympics .
Belgium , [ A ] officially the Kingdom of Belgium , is a country in Western Europe . It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north , Germany to the east , Luxembourg to the southeast , France to the southwest , and the North Sea to the northwest . It covers an area of 30,689 km2 ( 11,849 sq mi ) and has a population of more than 11.5 million , making it the 22nd most densely populated country in the world and the 6th most densely populated country in Europe , with a density of 376 per square kilometre ( 970/sq mi ) . The capital and largest city is Brussels ; other major cities are Antwerp , Ghent , Charleroi and Liège . The sovereign state is a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system . Its institutional organization is complex and is structured on both regional and linguistic grounds . It is divided into three highly autonomous regions : the Flemish Region in the north , Wallonia in the south , and the Brussels-Capital Region . Brussels is the smallest and most densely populated region , as well as the richest region in terms of GDP per capita . Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups or communities : the Dutch-speaking Flemish Community , which constitutes about 60 percent of the population , and the French-speaking Community , which comprises about 40 percent of all Belgians . A small German-speaking Community , numbering around one percent , exists in the East Cantons . The Brussels-Capital Region is officially bilingual ( French and Dutch ) , although French is the dominant language . Belgium 's linguistic diversity and related political conflicts are reflected in its political history and complex system of governance , made up of six different governments .
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK or U.K. ) or Britain , [ note 11 ] is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland . Existing under its current name since 1921 , the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain , the north­eastern part of the island of Ireland , and many smaller islands . Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland . Otherwise , the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to the east , the English Channel to the south and the Celtic Sea to the southwest , giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world . The Irish Sea separates Great Britain and Ireland . The total area of the United Kingdom is 94,000 square miles ( 240,000 km2 ) . The United Kingdom is a unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy . [ note 12 ] The current monarch is Queen Elizabeth II , who has reigned since 1952 , making her the world 's longest-serving current head of state . The United Kingdom 's capital and largest city is London , a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million . Other major cities include Birmingham , Manchester , Glasgow , Leeds and Liverpool . The United Kingdom consists of four constituent countries : England , Scotland , Wales , and Northern Ireland . Their capitals are London , Edinburgh , Cardiff , and Belfast , respectively .
Mark Steinle ( born 22 November 1974 ) is a British long-distance runner . He competed in the men 's marathon at the 2000 Summer Olympics .
Mexico ( Spanish : México [ ˈmexiko ] ( listen ) ; Nahuatl languages : Mēxihco ) , officially the United Mexican States ( UMS ; Spanish : Estados Unidos Mexicanos , EUM [ esˈtaðos uˈniðoz mexiˈkanos ] ( listen ) , lit . Mexican United States ) , is a country in the southern portion of North America . It is bordered to the north by the United States ; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean ; to the southeast by Guatemala , Belize , and the Caribbean Sea ; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico . Covering almost 2,000,000 square kilometers ( 770,000 sq mi ) , the nation is the fifth largest country in the Americas by total area and the 13th largest independent state in the world . With an estimated population of over 129 million people , Mexico is the tenth most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world , while being the second most populous nation in Latin America after Brazil . Mexico is a federation comprising 31 states plus Mexico City ( CDMX ) , which is the capital city and its most populous city . Other metropolises in the country include Guadalajara , Monterrey , Puebla , Toluca , Tijuana , and León . Pre-Columbian Mexico dates to about 8000 BC and is identified as one of six cradles of civilization and was home to many advanced Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Olmec , Toltec , Teotihuacan , Zapotec , Maya , and Aztec before first contact with Europeans . In 1521 , the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the territory from its politically powerful base in Mexico-Tenochtitlan ( part of Mexico City ) , which was administered as the viceroyalty of New Spain . The Roman Catholic Church played a powerful role in governing the country as millions were converted to the faith , although King Charles III expelled the Jesuits in the 1770s . The territory became a nation state following its recognition in 1821 after the Mexican War of Independence . The post-independence period was tumultuous , characterized by economic inequality and many contrasting political changes .
Francisco Bautista ( born September 17 , 1972 in Contla de Juan Cuamatzi , Tlaxcala ) is a male long-distance runner from Mexico . He represented his native country at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing , PR China , where he finished in 66th place in the men 's marathon event , clocking 2:29.28 . Bautista set his personal best ( 2:11.44 ) in the marathon on March 7 , 2004 in Torreón .
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda ( Swahili : Jamhuri ya Uganda ; Luganda : Eggwanga Yuganda ) is a landlocked country in East-Central Africa . It is bordered to the east by Kenya , to the north by South Sudan , to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo , to the south-west by Rwanda , and to the south by Tanzania . The southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria , shared with Kenya and Tanzania . Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region . Uganda also lies within the Nile basin , and has a varied but generally a modified equatorial climate . Uganda takes its name from the Buganda kingdom , which encompasses a large portion of the south of the country , including the capital Kampala . The people of Uganda were hunter-gatherers until 1,700 to 2,300 years ago , when Bantu-speaking populations migrated to the southern parts of the country . Beginning in 1894 , the area was ruled as a protectorate by the UK , who established administrative law across the territory . Uganda gained independence from the UK on 9 October 1962 . The period since then has been marked by violent conflicts , including an 8-year-long far right military dictatorship led by Idi Amin . Additionally , a lengthy civil war against the Lord 's Resistance Army in the Northern Region led by Joseph Kony , has caused hundreds of thousands of casualties . The official languages are English and Swahili , although any other language may be used as a medium of instruction in schools or other educational institutions or for legislative , administrative or judicial purposes as may be prescribed by law .
Egypt ( /ˈiːdʒɪpt/ ( listen ) EE-jipt ; Arabic : مِصر Miṣr , Egyptian Arabic : مَصر Maṣr , Coptic : Ⲭⲏⲙⲓ Khēmi ) , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt , is a country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula . Egypt is a Mediterranean country bordered by the Gaza Strip ( Palestine ) and Israel to the northeast , the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea to the east , Sudan to the south , and Libya to the west . Across the Gulf of Aqaba lies Jordan , across the Red Sea lies Saudi Arabia , and across the Mediterranean lie Greece , Turkey and Cyprus , although none share a land border with Egypt . Egypt has one of the longest histories of any country , tracing its heritage back to the 6th-4th millennia BCE . Considered a cradle of civilisation , Ancient Egypt saw some of the earliest developments of writing , agriculture , urbanisation , organised religion and central government . Iconic monuments such as the Giza Necropolis and its Great Sphinx , as well the ruins of Memphis , Thebes , Karnak , and the Valley of the Kings , reflect this legacy and remain a significant focus of scientific and popular interest . Egypt 's long and rich cultural heritage is an integral part of its national identity , which has endured , and often assimilated , various foreign influences , including Greek , Persian , Roman , Arab , Ottoman Turkish , and Nubian . Egypt was an early and important centre of Christianity , but was largely Islamised in the seventh century and remains a predominantly Muslim country , albeit with a significant Christian minority . From the 16th to the beginning of the 20th century , Egypt was ruled by foreign imperial powers : The Ottoman Empire and the British Empire . Modern Egypt dates back to 1922 , when it gained nominal independence from the British Empire as a monarchy . However , British military occupation of Egypt continued , and many Egyptians believed that the monarchy was an instrument of British colonialism . Following the 1952 revolution , Egypt expelled British soldiers and bureaucrats and ended British occupation , nationalized the British-held Suez Canal , exiled King Farouk and his family , and declared itself a republic .
Germany ( German : Deutschland , German pronunciation : [ ˈdɔʏtʃlant ] ) , constitutionally the Federal Republic of Germany ( German : Bundesrepublik Deutschland , listen ( help·info ) ) , [ f ] is a country in Central and Western Europe . It borders Denmark to the north , Poland and the Czech Republic to the east , Austria and Switzerland to the south , France to the southwest , and Luxembourg , Belgium , and the Netherlands to the west . Germany includes 16 constituent states , covers an area of 357,386 square kilometres ( 137,988 sq mi ) , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With 83 million inhabitants , it is the second most populous state of Europe after Russia , the most populous state lying entirely in Europe , as well as the most populous member state of the European Union . Germany is a very decentralised country . Its capital and largest metropolis is Berlin , while Frankfurt serves as its financial capital and has the country 's busiest airport . Various Germanic tribes have inhabited the northern parts of modern Germany since classical antiquity . A region named Germania was documented before AD 100 . Beginning in the 10th century , German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire . During the 16th century , northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation . After the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire , the German Confederation was formed in 1815 . The German revolutions of 1848-49 resulted in the Frankfurt Parliament establishing major democratic rights .
Oliver Mintzlaff ( born 19 August 1975 ) is a German football official , Red Bull GmbH Global Head of Soccer , and a former long-distance runner .
Estonia ( Estonian : Eesti [ ˈeːsʲti ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Estonia ( Estonian : Eesti Vabariik ) , is a country on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe . It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland with Finland on the other side , to the west by the Baltic Sea with Sweden on the other side , to the south by Latvia ( 343 km ) , and to the east by Lake Peipus and Russia ( 338.6 km ) . The territory of Estonia consists of the mainland and of 2,222 islands in the Baltic Sea , covering a total area of 45,227 km2 ( 17,462 sq mi ) , water 2,839 km2 ( 1,096 sq mi ) , land area 42,388 km2 ( 16,366 sq mi ) , and is influenced by a humid continental climate . The official language of the country , Estonian , is the second-most-spoken Finnic language . The territory of Estonia has been inhabited since at least 9,000 BC . Ancient Estonians became some of the last European pagans to adopt Christianity - following the Livonian Crusade in the 13th century . After centuries of successive rule by Germans , Danes , Swedes , Poles and Russians , a distinct Estonian national identity began to emerge in the 19th and early 20th centuries . This culminated in independence from Russia in 1920 after a brief War of Independence at the end of World War I . Initially democratic prior to the Great Depression , Estonia experienced authoritarian rule from 1934 during the Era of Silence . During World War II ( 1939-1945 ) , Estonia was repeatedly contested and occupied by the Soviet Union and Germany , ultimately being incorporated into the former . After the loss of its de facto independence , Estonia 's de jure state continuity was preserved by diplomatic representatives and the government-in-exile . In 1987 the peaceful Singing Revolution began against Soviet rule , resulting in the restoration of de facto independence on 20 August 1991 .
Pavel Loskutov ( born 2 December 1969 in Valka , Latvia ) is a former Estonian long-distance runner who specialized in marathon races . He has competed in the Olympic marathon race four times consecutively , from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics to the 2008 Beijing Games .
Belarus ( /bɛləˈruːs/ ; Belarusian : Беларусь , IPA : [ bʲɛlaˈrusʲ ] ) , officially the Republic of Belarus ( Belarusian : Рэспубліка Беларусь , Russian : Республика Беларусь ) , formerly known by its Russian name Byelorussia or Belorussia ( Russian : Белоруссия ) , is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe bordered by Russia to the northeast , Ukraine to the south , Poland to the west , and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest . Its capital and most populous city is Minsk . Over 40% of its 207,600 square kilometres ( 80,200 sq mi ) is forested . Its major economic sectors are service industries and manufacturing . Until the 20th century , different states at various times controlled the lands of modern-day Belarus , including the Principality of Polotsk ( 11th to 14th centuries ) , the Grand Duchy of Lithuania , the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , and the Russian Empire . In the aftermath of the 1917 Russian Revolution , Belarus declared independence as the Belarusian People 's Republic , which was conquered by Soviet Russia . The Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia became a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union in 1922 and was renamed as the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic ( Byelorussian SSR ) . Belarus lost almost half of its territory to Poland after the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-1921 . Much of the borders of Belarus took their modern shape in 1939 , when some lands of the Second Polish Republic were reintegrated into it after the Soviet invasion of Poland , and were finalized after World War II . During WWII , military operations devastated Belarus , which lost about a quarter of its population and half of its economic resources . The republic was redeveloped in the post-war years . In 1945 the Byelorussian SSR became a founding member of the United Nations , along with the Soviet Union and the Ukrainian SSR .
Eswatini ( /ˌɛswɑːˈtiːni/ ESS-wah-TEE-nee ; Swazi : eSwatini [ ɛswáˈtʼiːni ] ) , officially the Kingdom of Eswatini ( Swazi : Umbuso weSwatini ) and also known as Swaziland ( /ˈswɑːzilænd/ SWAH-zee-land ; officially renamed in 2018 ) , is a landlocked country in Southern Africa . It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its north , west , and south . At no more than 200 kilometres ( 120 mi ) north to south and 130 kilometres ( 81 mi ) east to west , Eswatini is one of the smallest countries in Africa ; despite this , its climate and topography are diverse , ranging from a cool and mountainous highveld to a hot and dry lowveld . The population is composed primarily of ethnic Swazis . The language is Swazi ( siSwati in native form ) . The Swazis established their kingdom in the mid-18th century under the leadership of Ngwane III . The country and the Swazi take their names from Mswati II , the 19th-century king under whose rule Swazi territory was expanded and unified ; the present boundaries were drawn up in 1881 in the midst of the Scramble for Africa . After the Second Boer War , the kingdom , under the name of Swaziland , was a British protectorate from 1903 until it regained its independence on 6 September 1968 . In April 2018 , the official name was changed from Kingdom of Swaziland to Kingdom of Eswatini , mirroring the name commonly used in Swazi . The government is an absolute monarchy , ruled by King Mswati III since 1986 . Elections are held every five years to determine the House of Assembly and the Senate majority . The current constitution was adopted in 2005 .
Sipho Dlamini is a Swazi Olympic middle-distance runner . He represented his country in the men 's 1500 meters and the men 's 800 meters at the 1992 Summer Olympics . His times were a 1:48.70 and a 3:46.33 .
Lucky Willie Bhembe ( born 25 October 1973 ) is a Swazi athlete . He competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics .