Forbes Global 2000
2018 list -- By country
Table:
Rank
Country
Companies

1
United States (Including Puerto Rico)
535****

2
China (Including Hong Kong)
315***

3
Japan
225**

4
United Kingdom (including BOTS)
95**

5
Germany (Including Liechtenstein)
95**

6
France (Including DOM-TOM)
90**

7
India
75***

8
South Korea
65**

9
Canada (Excluding Québec)
45*

10
Indonesia
40*

11
Saudi Arabia
35*

12
Australia
35**

13
Sweden
20**

14
Italy
20*

15
Russia
20**

16
Spain
20**

17
Netherlands
20

18
Turkey
20**

19
Ireland
18**

20
Brazil
18**

Considering the tabular data as well as the supporting text provided at the end.

Solve the question: What are the companies of the country that is the oldest , flattest , and driest inhabited continent , with the least fertile soils ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

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 .
Puerto Rico [ a ] ( Spanish for Rich Port ; abbreviated PR ) , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( Spanish : Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico , lit . Free Associated State of Puerto Rico ) [ b ] and briefly called Porto Rico , [ c ] is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeast Caribbean Sea , approximately 1,000 miles ( 1,600 km ) southeast of Miami , Florida . An archipelago among the Greater Antilles , located between the Dominican Republic and the US Virgin Islands , Puerto Rico includes the eponymous main island and several smaller islands , such as Mona , Culebra , and Vieques . The capital and most populous city is San Juan . The territory 's total population is approximately 3.4 million , more than 21 U.S. states . Spanish and English are the official languages of the executive branch of government , though Spanish predominates . Originally populated by the indigenous Taíno people , Puerto Rico was colonized by Spain following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493 . It was contested by the French , Dutch , and British , but remained a Spanish possession for the next four centuries . The island 's cultural and demographic landscapes were shaped by the displacement and assimilation of the native population , the forced migration of African slaves , and settlement from the Canary Islands and Andalusia . In the Spanish Empire , Puerto Rico played a secondary but strategic role compared to wealthier colonies like Peru and New Spain . Spain 's distant administrative control continued up to the end of the 19th century , producing a distinctive creole Hispanic culture and language that combined indigenous , African , and European elements . On September 23 , 1868 , Ramón Emeterio Betances unleashed a revolt against Spanish rule , declaring for the first time the idea of Puerto Ricans as a distinct people , with right to sovereignty .
China ( Chinese : 中国 ; pinyin : Zhōngguó ) , officially the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) , is a country in East Asia and is the world 's most populous country , with a population of around 1.428 billion in 2017 . Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers ( 3,700,000 sq mi ) , it is the third largest country by area . [ j ] Governed by the Communist Party of China , the state exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces , [ k ] five autonomous regions , four direct-controlled municipalities ( Beijing , Tianjin , Shanghai , and Chongqing ) , and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau . China emerged as one of the world 's first civilizations , in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain . For millennia , China 's political system was based on hereditary monarchies , or dynasties , beginning with the semi-mythical Xia dynasty in 21st century BCE . Since then , China has expanded , fractured , and re-unified numerous times . In the 3rd century BCE , the Qin reunited core China and established the first Chinese empire . The succeeding Han dynasty , which ruled from 206 BCE until 220 CE , saw some of the most advanced technology at that time , including papermaking and the compass , along with agricultural and medical improvements . The invention of gunpowder and movable type in the Tang dynasty ( 618-907 ) and Northern Song ( 960-1127 ) completed the Four Great Inventions . Tang culture spread widely in Asia , as the new Silk Route brought traders to as far as Mesopotamia and the Horn of Africa . Dynastic rule ended in 1912 with the Xinhai Revolution , when the Republic of China ( ROC ) replaced the Qing dynasty . China , as a whole , was ravaged by feudal warlordism and Japan during World War II .
Hong Kong ( /ˌhɒŋˈkɒŋ/ ( listen ) ; Chinese : 香港 , Cantonese : [ hœ́ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People 's Republic of China ( HKSAR ) , is a city and special administrative region on the eastern side of the Pearl River estuary in southern China . With over 7.4 million people of various nationalities [ d ] in a 1,104-square-kilometre ( 426 sq mi ) territory , Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world . Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after Qing Empire ceded Hong Kong Island at the end of the First Opium War in 1842 . The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 after the Second Opium War , and was further extended when Britain obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898 . The territory was returned to China in 1997 . As a special administrative region , Hong Kong maintains separate governing and economic systems from that of mainland China under the principle of one country , two systems . Originally a sparsely populated area of farming and fishing villages , the territory has become one of the world 's most significant financial centres and commercial ports . It is the world 's tenth-largest exporter and ninth-largest importer . As one of the world 's leading international financial centres , Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade , and the currency , Hong Kong dollar , is the eighth most traded currency in the world . Hong Kong hosts the largest concentration of ultra high-net-worth individuals of any city in the world . Although the city has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world , there is severe income inequality among its residents . Hong Kong is a highly developed territory and ranks fourth on the UN Human Development Index .
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 ) .
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 .
The British Overseas Territories ( BOTs ) or United Kingdom Overseas Territories ( UKOTs ) are fourteen territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom . They are remnants of the British Empire that have not been granted independence or have voted to remain British territories . Most of the permanently inhabited territories are internally self-governing , with the UK retaining responsibility for defence and foreign relations . Three are inhabited only by a transitory population of military or scientific personnel . They all share the British monarch ( Elizabeth II ) as head of state . As of April 2018 [ update ] the Minister responsible for the Territories excluding the Falkland Islands , Gibraltar and the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on Cyprus , is the Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN . The other three territories are the responsibility of the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas .
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 .
Liechtenstein ( /ˈlɪktənstaɪn/ ( listen ) LIK-tən-styne ; German : [ ˈlɪçtn̩ʃtaɪn ] ) , officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( German : Fürstentum Liechtenstein ) , is a German-speaking microstate situated in the Alps and in the southwest of Central Europe . The principality is a semi-constitutional monarchy headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein ; the Prince 's extensive powers are equivalent to those of a President in a semi-presidential system . Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north . It is Europe 's fourth-smallest country , with an area of just over 160 square kilometres ( 62 square miles ) and a population of 38,557 . Divided into 11 municipalities , its capital is Vaduz , and its largest municipality is Schaan . It is also the smallest country to border two countries . Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan are the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world . Economically , Liechtenstein has one of the highest gross domestic products per person in the world when adjusted for purchasing power parity . It was once known as a billionaire tax haven , but is no longer on any blacklists of uncooperative tax haven countries . An Alpine country , Liechtenstein is mountainous , making it a winter sport destination . The country has a strong financial sector centered in Vaduz . Liechtenstein is a member of the United Nations , the European Free Trade Association , and the Council of Europe , and although not a member of the European Union , it participates in both the Schengen Area and the European Economic Area .
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 ) .
Overseas France ( French : France d'outre-mer ) consists of all the French-administered territories outside the European continent , mostly relics of the French colonial empire . These territories have varying legal status and different levels of autonomy , although all ( except those with no permanent inhabitants ) have representation in both France 's National Assembly and Senate , which together make up the French Parliament . Their citizens have French nationality and vote for the president of France . They have the right to vote in elections to the European Parliament ( French citizens living overseas currently vote in the Overseas constituency ) . Overseas France includes island territories in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans , French Guiana on the South American continent , and several periantarctic islands as well as a claim in Antarctica . Almost all inhabited French administrative divisions outside Europe are classified as either overseas regions or overseas collectivities ; these statuses are very different from one another from a legal and administrative standpoint . Overseas regions have exactly the same status as mainland France 's regions . The French constitution provides that , in general , French laws and regulations ( France 's civil code , penal code , administrative law , social laws , tax laws , etc . ) apply to French overseas regions the same as in mainland France , but can be adapted as needed to suit the region 's particular needs . Hence , the local administrations of French overseas regions can not themselves pass new laws , whereas the overseas collectivities are empowered to make their own laws , except in certain areas reserved to the French national government ( such as defense , international relations , trade and currency , and judicial and administrative law ) . The overseas collectivities are governed by local elected assemblies and by the French Parliament and French government , with a cabinet member , the Minister of Overseas France , in charge of issues related to the overseas territories . ( New Caledonia is neither an overseas region nor an overseas collectivity ; it has a sui generis status , in keeping with the Nouméa Accord . )
India ( Hindi : Bhārat ) , officially the Republic of India ( Hindi : Bhārat Gaṇarājya ) , is a country in South Asia . It is the seventh-largest country by area , the second-most populous country , and the most populous democracy in the world . Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south , the Arabian Sea on the southwest , and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast , it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west ; [ e ] China , Nepal , and Bhutan to the north ; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east . In the Indian Ocean , India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives ; its Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia . Modern humans arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa no later than 55,000 years ago . Their long occupation , initially in varying forms of isolation as hunter-gatherers , has made the region highly diverse , second only to Africa in human genetic diversity . Settled life emerged on the subcontinent in the western margins of the Indus river basin 9,000 years ago , evolving gradually into the Indus Valley Civilisation of the third millennium BCE . By 1200 BCE , an archaic form of Sanskrit , an Indo-European language , had diffused into India from the northwest , unfolding as the language of the Rigveda , and recording the dawning of Hinduism in India . The Dravidian languages of India were supplanted in the northern regions . By 400 BCE , stratification and exclusion by caste had emerged within Hinduism , and Buddhism and Jainism had arisen , proclaiming social orders unlinked to heredity . Early political consolidations gave rise to the loose-knit Maurya and Gupta Empires based in the Ganges Basin . Their collective era was suffused with wide-ranging creativity , but also marked by the declining status of women , and the incorporation of untouchability into an organised system of belief .
South Korea ( Korean : 한국/韓國 ; RR : Hanguk or literally 남한/南韓 ; RR : Namhan ) , officially the Republic of Korea ( Korean : 대한민국/大韓民國 ; RR : Daehan Minguk ) is a country in East Asia , constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea . The name Korea is derived from Goguryeo , which was one of the great powers in East Asia during its time , ruling most of the Korean Peninsula , Manchuria , parts of the Russian Far East and Inner Mongolia under Gwanggaeto the Great . Its capital , Seoul , is a major global city and half of South Korea 's over 51 million people live in the Seoul Capital Area , the fourth largest metropolitan economy in the world . The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period . Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BC . Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century , Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty ( 918-1392 ) and the Joseon dynasty ( 1392-1897 ) . The succeeding Korean Empire was annexed into the Empire of Japan in 1910 . After World War II , Korea was divided into Soviet and U.S.-administered zones , with the latter becoming the Republic of Korea in August 1948 . In 1950 , a North Korean invasion began the Korean War and after its end in 1953 , the country 's economy began to soar , recording the fastest rise in average GDP per capita in the world between 1980 and 1990 . Authoritarian rule ended in 1987 and the country is now the most advanced democracy with the highest level of press freedom in Asia . South Korea is a member of the OECD 's Development Assistance Committee , the G20 and the Paris Club . South Korea is a highly developed country and the world 's 12th-largest economy by nominal GDP .
Canada is a country in the northern part of North America . Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean , covering 9.98 million square kilometres ( 3.85 million square miles ) , making it the world 's second-largest country by total area . Its southern border with the United States , stretching some 8,891 kilometres ( 5,525 mi ) , is the world 's longest bi-national land border . Canada 's capital is Ottawa , and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto , Montreal , and Vancouver . As a whole , Canada is sparsely populated , with most of its land area dominated by forest and tundra . Its population is highly urbanized , with over 80 percent of its inhabitants concentrated in large and medium-sized cities , and 70 percent residing within 100 kilometres ( 62 mi ) of the southern border . Canada 's climate varies widely across its vast area , ranging from Arctic climate in the north to hot summers in the southern regions , with four distinct seasons . Various indigenous peoples inhabited what is now Canada for thousands of years before European colonization . Beginning in the 16th century , British and French expeditions explored and later settled along the Atlantic coast . As a consequence of various armed conflicts , France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763 . In 1867 , with the union of three British North American colonies through Confederation , Canada was formed as a federal dominion of four provinces . This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom .
Quebec ( /k ( w ) ɪˈbɛk/ ( listen ) ; French : Québec [ kebɛk ] ( listen ) ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada . It is bordered to the west by the province of Ontario and the bodies of water James Bay and Hudson Bay ; to the north by Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay ; to the east by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador ; and to the south by the province of New Brunswick and the U.S. states of Maine , New Hampshire , Vermont , and New York . It also shares maritime borders with Nunavut , Prince Edward Island , and Nova Scotia . Quebec is Canada 's largest province by area and its second-largest administrative division ; only the territory of Nunavut is larger . It is historically and politically considered to be part of Central Canada ( with Ontario ) . Quebec is the second-most populous province of Canada , after Ontario . It is the only one to have a predominantly French-speaking population , with French as the sole provincial official language . Most inhabitants live in urban areas near the Saint Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City , the capital . Approximately half of Quebec residents live in the Greater Montreal Area , including the Island of Montreal . English-speaking communities and English-language institutions are concentrated in the west of the island of Montreal but are also significantly present in the Outaouais , Eastern Townships , and Gaspé regions . The Nord-du-Québec region , occupying the northern half of the province , is sparsely populated and inhabited primarily by Aboriginal peoples . The climate around the major cities is four-seasons continental with cold and snowy winters combined with warm to hot humid summers , but farther north long winter seasons dominate and as a result the northern areas of the province are marked by tundra conditions .
Indonesia ( /ˌɪndəˈniːʒə/ ( listen ) IN-də-NEE-zhə ) , officially the Republic of Indonesia ( Indonesian : Republik Indonesia [ reˈpublik ɪndoˈnesia ] ( listen ) ) , [ a ] is a country in Southeast Asia , between the Indian and Pacific oceans . It is the world 's largest island country , with more than seventeen thousand islands , and at 1,904,569 square kilometres ( 735,358 square miles ) , the 14th largest by land area and 7th in the combined sea and land area . With over 267 million people , it is the world 's 4th most populous country as well as the most populous Muslim-majority country . Java , the world 's most populous island , is home to more than half of the country 's population . The country 's capital , Jakarta , is the second-most populous urban area in the world . The sovereign state is a presidential , constitutional republic with an elected legislature . It has 34 provinces , of which five have special status . The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea , East Timor , and the eastern part of Malaysia . Other neighbouring countries include Singapore , Vietnam , the Philippines , Australia , Palau , and India 's Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Despite its large population and densely populated regions , Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support a high level of biodiversity . The country has abundant natural resources like oil and natural gas , coal , tin , copper , gold , and nickel , while agriculture mainly produces rice , palm oil , tea , coffee , cacao , medicinal plants , spices , and rubber . China , the United States , Japan , Singapore , and India are Indonesia 's major trading partners .
Saudi Arabia , [ c ] officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , [ d ] is a country in Western Asia constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula . With a land area of approximately 2,150,000 km2 ( 830,000 sq mi ) , Saudi Arabia is geographically the largest sovereign state in Western Asia , the second-largest in the Arab world ( after Algeria ) , the fifth-largest in Asia , and the 12th-largest in the world . Saudi Arabia is bordered by Jordan and Iraq to the north , Kuwait to the northeast , Qatar , Bahrain , and the United Arab Emirates to the east , Oman to the southeast and Yemen to the south ; it is separated from Israel and Egypt by the Gulf of Aqaba . It is the only nation with both a Red Sea coast and a Persian Gulf coast , and most of its terrain consists of arid desert , lowland and mountains . As of October 2018 , the Saudi economy was the largest in the Middle East and the 18th largest in the world . Saudi Arabia also has one of the world 's youngest populations ; 50 percent of its 33.4 million people are under 25 years old . The territory that now constitutes Saudi Arabia was the site of several ancient cultures and civilizations . The prehistory of Saudi Arabia shows some of the earliest traces of human activity in the world . The world 's second-largest religion , Islam , emerged in modern-day Saudi Arabia . In the early 7th century , the Islamic prophet Muhammad united the population of Arabia and created a single Islamic religious polity . Following his death in 632 , his followers rapidly expanded the territory under Muslim rule beyond Arabia , conquering huge and unprecedented swathes of territory ( from the Iberian Peninsula in the West to modern-day Pakistan in the East ) in a matter of decades . Arab dynasties originating from modern-day Saudi Arabia founded the Rashidun ( 632-661 ) , Umayyad ( 661-750 ) , Abbasid ( 750-1517 ) and Fatimid ( 909-1171 ) caliphates as well as numerous other dynasties in Asia , Africa and Europe .
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia , is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent , the island of Tasmania , and numerous smaller islands . It is the largest country in Oceania and the world 's sixth-largest country by total area . The population of 26 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard . Australia 's capital is Canberra , and its largest city is Sydney . The country 's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne , Brisbane , Perth , and Adelaide . Indigenous Australians inhabited the continent for about 65,000 years prior to the first arrival of Dutch explorers in the early 17th century , who named it New Holland . In 1770 , Australia 's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788 , a date which became Australia 's national day . The population grew steadily in subsequent decades , and by the time of an 1850s gold rush , most of the continent had been explored and an additional five self-governing crown colonies established . On 1 January 1901 , the six colonies federated , forming the Commonwealth of Australia . Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy , comprising six states and ten territories . Australia is the oldest , flattest , and driest inhabited continent , with the least fertile soils . It has a landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometres ( 2,941,300 sq mi ) .
Sweden ( Swedish : Sverige [ ˈsvæ̌rjɛ ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Sweden ( Swedish : Konungariket Sverige [ ˈkôːnɵŋaˌriːkɛt ˈsvæ̌rjɛ ] ( listen ) ) , is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe . It borders Norway to the west and north and Finland to the east , and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund Strait . At 450,295 square kilometres ( 173,860 sq mi ) , Sweden is the largest country in Northern Europe , the third-largest country in the European Union and the fifth largest country in Europe by area . The capital city is Stockholm . Sweden has a total population of 10.3 million of which 2.5 million have a foreign background . Persons who have foreign backgrounds are defined as persons who are foreign born , or born in Sweden with foreign born parents . It has a low population density of 22 inhabitants per square kilometre ( 57/sq mi ) and the highest urban concentration is in the central and southern half of the country . Sweden is part of the geographical area of Fennoscandia . The climate is in general mild for its northerly latitude due to significant maritime influence . In spite of the high latitude , Sweden often has warm continental summers , being located in between the North Atlantic , the Baltic Sea and the vast Eurasian Russian landmass . The general climate and environment varies significantly from the south and north due to the vast latitudal difference and much of Sweden has reliably cold and snowy winters . Southern Sweden is predominantly agricultural , while the north is heavily forested and includes a portion of the Scandinavian Mountains .
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 .
Russia ( Russian : Росси́я , tr . Rossiya , IPA : [ rɐˈsʲijə ] ) , or the Russian Federation , [ e ] is a European country located in Eastern Europe with a vast expanse of territory that stretches across Northern Asia . At 17,125,200 square kilometres ( 6,612,100 sq mi ) , it is by far the largest country in the world by area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , spanning eleven time zones , and bordering 16 sovereign nations . The territory of Russia extends from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east , and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea and the Caucasus in the south . With 146.7 million inhabitants living in the country 's 85 federal subjects as of 2020 , Russia is the most populous nation in Europe and the ninth-most populous nation in the world . Russia 's capital and largest city is Moscow ; other major urban areas include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod , Kazan and Chelyabinsk . The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states , until it was finally reunified by the Grand Duchy of Moscow in the 15th century . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east . Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic ( Russian SFSR ) became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR/Soviet Union ) , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state .
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 .
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 ' .
Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye [ ˈtyɾcije ] ) , officially the Republic of Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye Cumhuriyeti [ ˈtyɾcije dʒumˈhuːɾijeti ] ( listen ) ) , is a transcontinental country located mostly on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia , with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeastern Europe . East Thrace , the part of Turkey in Europe , is separated from Anatolia by the Sea of Marmara , the Bosporus and the Dardanelles ( collectively called the Turkish Straits ) . Istanbul , mostly located on the European side , is the largest city in the country while Ankara is the capital . Turkey is bordered by Greece and Bulgaria to its northwest , the Black Sea to its north , Georgia to its northeast , Armenia , the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan and Iran to its east , Iraq and Syria to its southeast , the Mediterranean Sea to its south , and the Aegean Sea to its west . Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the country 's citizens identify as Turkish , while Kurds are the largest minority at anywhere from 15 to 20 percent of the population . At various points in its history , the region has been inhabited by diverse civilisations including the Assyrians , Greeks , Thracians , Phrygians , Urartians , and Armenians . Hellenization started during the era of Alexander the Great and continued into the Byzantine era . The Seljuk Turks began migrating into the area in the 11th century , and their victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 symbolises the start and foundation of Turkey . The Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243 , when it disintegrated into small principalities called beyliks . Beginning in the late 13th century , the Ottomans started uniting beyliks and conquering the Balkans . After Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453 , Ottoman expansion continued under Selim I . During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent the Ottoman Empire encompassed much of Southeast Europe , West Asia and North Africa and became a world power .
Ireland ( Irish : Éire [ ˈeːɾʲə ] ( listen ) ) , also known as the Republic of Ireland ( Poblacht na hÉireann ) , is a country in north-western Europe occupying 26 of 32 counties of the island of Ireland . The capital and largest city is Dublin , which is located on the eastern side of the island . Around a third of the country 's population of 4.9 million people resides in the greater Dublin area . The sovereign state shares its only land border with Northern Ireland , a part of the United Kingdom . It is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the Celtic Sea to the south , St George 's Channel to the south-east , and the Irish Sea to the east . It is a unitary , parliamentary republic . The legislature , the Oireachtas , consists of a lower house , Dáil Éireann , an upper house , Seanad Éireann , and an elected President ( Uachtarán ) who serves as the largely ceremonial head of state , but with some important powers and duties . The head of government is the Taoiseach ( Prime Minister , literally 'Chief ' , a title not used in English ) , who is elected by the Dáil and appointed by the President ; the Taoiseach in turn appoints other government ministers . The state was created as the Irish Free State in 1922 as a result of the Anglo-Irish Treaty . It had the status of Dominion until 1937 when a new constitution was adopted , in which the state was named Ireland and effectively became a republic , with an elected non-executive president as head of state . It was officially declared a republic in 1949 , following the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 . Ireland became a member of the United Nations in December 1955 .
Brazil ( Portuguese : Brasil ; Portuguese pronunciation : [ bɾaˈziw ] ) , [ nt 1 ] officially the Federative Republic of Brazil ( Portuguese : República Federativa do Brasil , listen ( help·info ) ) , is the largest country in both South America and Latin America . At 8.5 million square kilometers ( 3.2 million square miles ) and with over 211 million people , Brazil is the world 's fifth-largest country by area and the sixth most populous . Its capital is Brasília , and its most populous city is São Paulo . The federation is composed of the union of the 26 states , the Federal District , and the 5,570 municipalities . It is the largest country to have Portuguese as an official language and the only one in the Americas ; it is also one of the most multicultural and ethnically diverse nations , due to over a century of mass immigration from around the world . Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east , Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 kilometers ( 4,655 mi ) . It borders all other countries in South America except Ecuador and Chile and covers 47.3% of the continent 's land area . Its Amazon River basin includes a vast tropical forest , home to diverse wildlife , a variety of ecological systems , and extensive natural resources spanning numerous protected habitats . This unique environmental heritage makes Brazil one of 17 megadiverse countries , and is the subject of significant global interest and debate regarding deforestation and environmental protection . Brazil was inhabited by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing in 1500 of explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral , who claimed the area for the Portuguese Empire . Brazil remained a Portuguese colony until 1808 , when the capital of the empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro . In 1815 , the colony was elevated to the rank of kingdom upon the formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal , Brazil and the Algarves .