human nature

Borobudur in Indonesia, the most multilingual country

95 most inspirational travel quotes ever penned

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These inspirational travel quotes have roused us to travel with abandon to over 100 countries. Perhaps they will do the same for you…

For us, there is no such thing as luxury travel; travel is, by default, a luxury. It is a privilege provided by the country of our birth, a privilege that many are not as fortunate to enjoy.

Sometimes, we have to pinch ourselves at just how ridiculous our lives have become: an ex-teacher and jobbing writer travelling the world for a living. It is absurd, it is astonishing, it is luxury.

India couple smiling at the camera – happiest countries in the world 2024

Ranked: happiest countries in the world 2025

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Finland is the happiest country in the world for the eighth consecutive year. We take a look at the latest World Happiness Report

Happiness is a nebulous thing; hard to grasp and harder to hold onto. Scientists, economists and philosophers have defined it through the ages as a combination of different things, among them health, wealth, companionship and security.

most peaceful countries in the world 2020

Ranked: safest countries in the world 2025

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The safest countries in the world have been updated for 2025. Read our insights from the study and browse the rankings

Iceland is the safest country in the world followed by Ireland, Austria, New Zealand and Singapore.

However, the world is not as safe as a year ago as the average level of global peacefulness has deteriorated for the 12th time in 16 years. Ninety-seven countries recorded a decline in peacefulness while 65 registered an improvement according to the latest Global Peace Index (GPI).

The UN world food programme helps the world's poorest countries

Poorest countries in the world 2024 – ranked

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African nations continue to dominate the ranking of the poorest countries in the world based on the latest data from the World Bank

We all have preconceptions about places. Take Ethiopia, for example. As children of the eighties, Kia and I were only too aware of the struggles Ethiopia has faced historically: political unrest, civil war and, of course, famine.

It was easy then to imagine a vast desolate dust bowl ahead of our visit in 2017. 

most stressed countries in the world cracked dry earth

Ranked: the world’s most stressed countries 2022

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The world’s most stressed countries have been announced with Afghanistan named the most stressed nation

How did you feel yesterday? Did you feel physical pain? Experience enjoyment? Worry? Anger? What about stress?

These are the questions put to 127,000 interviews with adults in 121 countries and territories as part of the Gallup Global Emotions Report, which measures life’s intangibles – feelings and emotions – that traditional economic indicators such as GDP were never intended to capture.

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12 maps that changed our worldview

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From ancient Greece to Silicon Valley, we look at the maps that changed our worldview

There are few things that evoke the romanticism of adventure quite like a map – especially old maps. Full of exotic names (Persia, Abyssinia, Rhodesia!) and olde worlde lettering, they are reminiscent of a time when men and women sacrificed their lives for adventure and exploration.

An abandoned whaling boat in Barrow

12 of Earth’s most remote places and communities

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From eastern Greenland to northern Alaska, we explore some of the most remote places on Earth

Whether it’s astronomical distances, inhospitable climates or extreme terrains that define these remote and hostile lands, there’s one thing they all have in common: they are on my bucket list. That and the fact that people live there.

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Concrete jungles: the world’s most urban countries

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We take a look at the world’s most urban countries and why they go hand in hand with the most stressed

City life is stressful. It presses on our weary bones, wafts through windows on pungent fumes and boxes up our personal space.

Two men in vanuatu, one of the world’s least-known countries

Interesting facts about the world’s least-known countries

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A selection of some of the most interesting facts about the world’s least-known countries we’ve picked up over the years

This is a subjective topic I know. What counts as an interesting fact? What counts as one of the world’s least-known countries?

There is no scientific answer but when this question was posed on Q&A site Quora, it certainly threw up some noteworthy particulars about some of the more obscure sovereign and not-so-sovereign states of the world. 

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Call of the wild: disconnecting from daily life

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A strange evening with Desconnexions in Catalonia reminds us why it’s so important to get off our laptops and occasionally leave our phones at home

I was on Wikipedia reading about a 2015 controversy involving a judge on the New Zealand version of X Factor when I realised I was doing it again: wasting time reading about a person I didn’t know involved in an event I didn’t care about on a show I didn’t watch.

I had fallen down the internet rabbit hole – again.

A lake in New Zealand, one of the world's least densely populated countries

Crowd control: the world’s least densely populated countries

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Are those living in the world’s least densely populated countries happier than those living in more crowded ones?

Finland was recently named the happiest country in the world. As with previous years, it is clear that developed, conflict-free nations with stable governments tend to rank higher in these indexes.

What’s interesting is that many of the world’s happiest countries also have relatively low population density. Finland, Norway, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia all have fewer than 20 people per square kilometre (followed closely by Sweden with 22.12), and all appear in the top 10 happiest countries.

Flinders Chase National Park Remarkable Rocks

Flinders Chase National Park: what not to miss

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Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island is one of South Australia’s finest parks. We take a look at seven sights not to be missed

Sprawled across the western end of Kangaroo Island, Flinders Chase National Park is home to wild coastline, diverse wildlife and some truly extraordinary landmarks. The park has steadily recovered from bushfires that destroyed over 400 sq km of land in 2007, and today offers a uniquely Australian landscape of sugar-gum canopies and mallee scrub. 

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The world is not getting better

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Life for humans may be improving but what about everything else that shares our planet?

In trying times, social media users tend to share think pieces, charts and graphics proving that humanity has never had it so good.

These graphics focus on the growth of lovely things like basic education, literacy, democracy and vaccination, and the decline of awful things like extreme poverty and child mortality.

The moai of Easter island draw tens of thousands of visitors

7 great travel mysteries from around the world

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If there’s one thing I enjoy more than a good adventure yarn, it’s a good adventure yarn with a mysterious ending. Here are some of my favourite travel mysteries from around the world (and one from  outside of it).

Shackleton's ship, Endurance, during the epic journeys of discovery

10 epic journeys of discovery

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Humans are an intrepid race. For centuries, explorers have disappeared over the horizon in search of new lands and distant shores on epic journeys of discovery. Thanks to these pioneers we’re able to follow in their footsteps now and forevermore.

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4 heartwarming travel tales

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Hear four heartwarming travel stories we’ve heard over the years. If no. 2 doesn’t make you cry, you are probably a robot!

1. How a mother lost in travel chaos was found

Cancelled. Cancelled. Cancelled, begins Agnes Mwangale’s tale of travel. It was 6pm on 15th April 2010 and she had just arrived at Toronto airport. As she scanned the arrivals board, her stomach churned and she realised that everything would not be okay – despite the promise she had made her mother.

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12 most common expat problems

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We list the 12 most common expat problems. The problems fall into three main areas: relationships, money and culture shock

Over the course of the past year, we have used our expat survey to gather advice for expats and their loved ones, most popularly 8 tips to know before you go and 6 things not to say to an expat.  

Here, we list the 12 most common expat problems based on InterNations’ broader Expat Insider survey.

interesting facts about Uruguay poor president

10 lessons from ‘the world’s poorest president’

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Uruguay’s José Mujica, the ‘world’s poorest president’, lives in a 1-bed home, drives a Beetle and gives away 90% of his salary. We share his wisdom

I’ve always had a very specific idea about Uruguay. Crouched deep in the belly of the continent, it was in my mind an expansive plain of rolling hills, laconic gauchos astride thoroughbred horses and tall blades of grass bristling in the sun.

I’m sure my version of Uruguay exists somewhere but the one I found was vastly different. Instead of a South American Arcadia, I found a modern country with liberal views and impressively progressive laws.

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