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Lithuania was once one of Europe’s largest country, occupying present-day Belarus, Ukraine, as well as large parts of Russia and Poland, this then broke up into the Polish-Lithuania Commonwealth.
236 Country and Territories Controlled, 27 Uncontrolled, 27 days to go
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Interestingly, in 1812, a large section of Riga was intentionally burned down in anticipation of an attack by Napoleon and his troops. The attack didn’t materialised, so hundreds of buildings were destroyed needlessly.
237 Country and Territories Controlled, 26 Uncontrolled, 26 days to go
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Estonia is the northernmost Baltic state, with Finland and Sweden only being separated by the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea too. They all share fairly good relations, with plenty of Finns visiting Estonia and vice versa. Alcohol taxes are also lower in Estonia than it is in Finland, and many Finns have bought alcohol there as it’s cheaper.
238 Country and Territories Controlled, 25 Uncontrolled, 25 days to go
You are so close to finishing!
This has been an incredible journey of exciting opportunities and commitment that will be recognised by the IFATC gods as being one of the top achievements ever achieved in the history of ATC…
I’ll shut up now…🤣
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Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is famous for its buildings with unparalleled architectural intricacies, as well as being the centre of Azerbaijan’s oil and gas boom. More well known in recent years as being Formula One’s more exciting street circuits, the track itself brings you through the grandest, modern and well-built areas, as well as a tight and challenging castle section that punishes the smallest of mistakes. It is also thought to have been the fastest street circuit in the world, until the Jeddah Corniche Street Circuit, only completed about a month ago, hosted the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
239 Country and Territories Controlled, 24 Uncontrolled, 24 days to go
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Well known for its preserved history for a very long time, Syria was considered to be a popular holiday destination for many who are eager to explore the remnants of various civilisations such as the Roman, Ottoman and Greek Macedonian Empires, to name a few.
240 Country and Territories Controlled, 23 Uncontrolled, 23 days to go
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At the core of the Silk Road, Uzbekistan is one of only two double-landlocked countries in the world, other than Liechtenstein. It’s highly strategic location means that many parts of the Silk Road was well developed, with many buildings from the Soviet era also being architectural marvels.
241 Country and Territories Controlled, 22 Uncontrolled, 22 days to go
You should go for Dubai next!
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Oddly enough, despite plenty of attractions, Turkmenistan has one of the lowest numbers of visitors globally. With visitor figures under 9,000 in 2012, this is mainly due to difficulties in obtaining visa permits. Turkmenistan’s location also means that it’s a prime location along the Silk Road, with plenty of UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the path.
242 Country and Territories Controlled, 21 Uncontrolled, 21 days to go
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Tajikistan is the smallest of the 5 Central Asian nations on this list, and while it may be small, it definitely packs a punch. Its elevation surpasses all other countries in the region, with multiple peaks at over 7,000 meters above sea level. It is also closely related to Iran, with its language, Tajik and Persian being closely related and mutually intelligible
243 Country and Territories Controlled, 20 Uncontrolled, 20 days to go
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A country with a fame for its Jewish Silversmiths, Yemen’s Silversmiths were famous globally for their ability to create intricate works of art with precious metals. Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, is also thought to be one of the oldest settlements around the world that is still inhabited to this day.
244 Country and Territories Controlled, 19 Uncontrolled, 19 days to go
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Thought to be home to the “Doomsday Vault”, Svalbard is known for its seed bank at which Svalbard Global Seed Vault to provide security in the event there is a need to reintroduce plants as a result of natural disasters or mismanagement of crops. In 2020, the total seed sample stored at the vault exceeded 1,000,000 samples for the first time.
245 Country and Territories Controlled, 18 Uncontrolled, 18 days to go
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The second richest country in the world, only behind Qatar. It is also one of the smallest countries in the world, but has one of the largest car populations, with more than 600 cars per 1,000 inhabitants. Unsurprisingly, this is because more than half of the workforce travels between the two countries on their commute to work.
246 Country and Territories Controlled, 17 Uncontrolled, 17 days to go
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The second least visited country in Europe, this small country of about 38,000, and is the only country in the world that has 100% of its territory in the Alpine region. Interestingly, while this country does not have an army of its own, it is on occasionally accidentally invaded by the Swiss army which conducts training exercises in the woods near the border with Liechtenstein.
247 Country and Territories Controlled, 16 Uncontrolled, 16 days to go
You absolute legend for controlling literally every country in the world!
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At the time of posting, Iraq Airways is the newest A220 operator, having just taken delivery of their first of five brand new A220. This Middle Eastern country is also home to some of the earliest systems of writing, with scripts including different wedge-shaped marks on clay tablets.
248 Country and Territories Controlled, 15 Uncontrolled, 15 days to go
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The oldest nation in the Arab region, the rule of Omani Al Said Family has been in place since 1744, and human presence in the region, even longer. Past records indicates that there may have been human presence for well over 100,000 years. As well as having a large coastline, Omanis are said to be the best shipbuilders in the world too.
249 Country and Territories Controlled, 14 Uncontrolled, 14 days to go
I see your pretty close, 2 more weeks remaining. How do you plan on to finish such as countries in which order. Good Luck!
Something, something, something, Malaysia. Confirmed
Just had to ruin it…
