The Best University in Each Country

The population of Angola consists of 24.3 million persons with a diversity of tribal groups and traditions creating an eclectic atmosphere.

Argentina is a federal republic located in southeastern South America. With 1,073,500 square miles of land it is the eighth largest country worldwide and the largest Spanish speaking country.

With a history of civilization that dates back to the Bronze Age, Armenia claims to be the location of the world's earliest known leather shoe and the world's earliest wine-producing facility. The country is located in western Asia and is bordered by Turkey, Georgia, and Iran.

With an area of over 2.9 million square miles, Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. This Oceania continent is comprised of the mainland of Australia and several smaller islands.

The country of Austria is a parliamentary representative democracy comprising nine federal states. It is landlocked by the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Switzerland.

Azerbaijan is a smaller country of just over 33,000 square miles located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is bordered by the Caspian Sea, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Iran.

Being a tropical island country consisting of 700 islands, cays, and inlets in the Atlantic Ocean, it is of little surprise that a strong tourism and finance economy has made the Bahamas one of the richest countries in the world per capita.

Bahrain is an island country near the Persian Gulf. Its population is currently 1.493 million.

Bangladesh is a South Asia country bordered by India and Myanmar. With a land area just under 57,000 square miles and a population over 168 million, Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Belarus is a relatively small landlocked country in Eastern Europe bordered by Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania. The 80,000 square miles holds a population of approximately 9.508 million.

The 11,000 square miles which comprise the country of Belgium maintains a population of approximately 11 million citizens. This densely populated sovereign state of Western Europe is home to two main linguistic groups, Dutch and French.

Belize, formally known as British Honduras, is the only country in Central America with an official language of English, though Spanish and Kriol are also spoken. Bordered by Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean Sea, this small country is only 8,800 square miles.

Formally known as Dahomey, the country of Benin is located in West Africa and bordered by Togo, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The 44,000 square miles hold a population of approximately 10.8 million citizens.

A landlocked country in western-central South America, Bolivia is bordered by Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Its 400,000 square miles holds a population of 11 million with one third of the country living in the Andean mountain range.

A landlocked country in Southern Africa bordered by Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, Botswana became an independent country within the Commonwealth in 1966. Nearly 70 percent of the 224,000 square miles consists of the Kalahari Desert.

Usually abbreviated B&H, Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country in southeastern Europe located on the Balkan Peninsula comprised of nearly 20,000 square miles. The multiethnic population consists of approximately 3.507 million.

A total of 3.2 million square miles of land and a population of over 205 million citizens makes Brazil the fifth largest country in the world and the largest of the Portuguese speaking nations.

Brunei is a small country of just over 2,000 square miles located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. The decline of the country started during the 19th century and ended with Brunei becoming a British protectorate in 1888, until it was able to gain independence again in 1984.

Located in southeastern Europe, the 42,000 square miles which comprise the country of Bulgaria are divided into 28 provinces. A unified state of the country can be traced back to 681 AD, however further prehistoric culture in Bulgaria goes back to the Neolithic period.

Bordered by six other countries, Burkina Faso is a landlocked area of 105,000 square miles in West Africa with a population of just over 17.3 million citizens. Historically known as the Republic of Upper Volta, the country was inhabited by various tribes until French colonization in the 19 century.

Considered part of Central Africa, the history of Burundi is one of struggle and war. Bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Congo, Burundi has been home to the Twa, Hutu, and Tutsi tribes for the past 500 years.

Historically known as the Khmer Empire, Cambodia is located in Southeast Asia on the Indochina Peninsula. The 69,800 square miles holds a population of over 15 million citizens, 95 percent of whom practice Theravada Buddhism, the official religion of the country.

The 183,000 square miles of Cameroon are also known as ‘Africa in miniature' for the geological and cultural diversity. Located in Central Africa, the country is home to over 200 various linguistic groups, with French and English being the official languages of government and trade, and more than 22.5 million citizens.

The world's second largest country by total area, Canada's 3.86 million square miles is divided into 10 provinces and three territories. This northern neighbor of North America has an estimated 36 million citizens.

A small island country of just over 1,500 square miles, Cape Verde is located in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Western Africa. The archipelago of 10 volcanic islands was discovered by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century.

A landlocked country in Central Africa, this area of 240,000 square miles holds a population of approximately 4.7 million citizens. The country's current borders were set by France during the 19th century, though the land had been inhabited for millennia prior.

The fifth largest country in Africa, Chad encompasses an area of over 495,000 square miles. The population is estimated at 13.6 million citizens who represent over 200 ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.

Chile is a narrow South American country located between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. Conquered and colonized by Spain in the 16th century, Chile declared its independence in 1818 and has since maintained an extremely stable republic.

The world's most populous country with 1.38 billion citizens, China is currently governed by the Communist Party, contrary to the previous dynasties which ruled the land for generations.

In the northwest of South America lies the 440,000 square miles that comprise the country of Colombia. Discovered by the Spanish in 1499, Colombia gained independence from Spain in 1819 and officially became the Republic of Colombia in 1886.

Previously known as Zaire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is located in Central Africa. The second largest country in Africa by area, the Congo is comprised of over 905,000 square miles and holds a population of over 81.6 million citizens.

The year round tropical country of Costa Rica is a rapidly developing nation. The 19,000 square miles, once heavily dependent on farming and agriculture, now include an economy of finance, pharmaceuticals, and ecotourism.

The 21,000 square miles of Croatia are at a key location between Central Europe, Southeast Europe, and the Mediterranean. The country also controls over 1,000 islands in the Adriatic Sea coast.

Comprising over 42,000 square miles, Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and the second most populated with over 11 million citizens. The country was colonized by Spain in the 15th century and remained so until the Spanish-American war of 1898.

Cyprus is an island country of 3,500 square miles off the coasts of Syria and Turkey. Located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus is the third largest and third most populated in the area.

Bordered by Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Poland, Czech Republic is a unitary parliamentary republic located in Central Europe. The 30,000 square miles holds a population of 10.65 million.

The southernmost of the Nordic countries, Denmark occupies an area of 16,500 square miles. In addition to the proper mainland, Denmark consists of the peninsula, Jutland, and an archipelago of 443 islands.

Colonized by Portugal in the 16th century, the 5,400 square miles which comprise the country of East Timor are located in Maritime Southeast Asia. East Timor remained under the Portuguese rule until 1975 and the Revolutionary Front for and Independent East Timor.

The 109,000 square miles which comprise the country of Ecuador include the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Now a democratic presidential republic, Ecuador was colonized by Spain in the 16th century.

The history and cultural influence of Egypt cannot be overstated with evidence of civilization dating back to the 10th millennium BC. Spanning both the Northeast corner of Africa and the Southwest corner of Asia, Egypt is one of the few transcontinental countries.

With just over 8,000 square miles and a population of 6.38 million citizens, El Salvador has been ranked as the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. Conquered by the Spanish Empire in the 16th century, El Salvador has a history of political and economic instability.

Located in the Baltic region of Northern Europe, Estonia covers over 17,000 square miles including the mainland and more than 2,000 islands and islets in the Baltic Sea housing a population of approximately 1.325 million.

The 420,000 square miles which comprise Ethiopia are located in the Horn of Africa. This multilingual country is home to more than 100 million citizens and approximately 80 ethnolinguistic groups making it the most populated landlocked country in the world.

Well known for its tourism industry, Fiji is an island county in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean. Comprising a total land area of 7,100 square miles, Fiji has over 330 islands with a population of 858,000 citizens.

Historically an integral part of Sweden, Finland was brought into the Russian Empire in 1809 and was able to declare its independence in 1917 after the Russian Revolution. Being the eighth largest country in Europe in terms of area with over 130,000 square miles, Finland has also been noted to be the most sparsely populated.

Encompassing over 248,000 square miles in Western Europe, France has an estimated population of 66.6 million citizens.

Located on the west coast of Central Africa, Gabon encompasses an area of 100,000 square miles on the equator. The country holds an estimated 1.5 million citizen population.

The country of Georgia is located between Eastern Europe and West Asia. The cultural and political peak of the country lasted from the last 11th century through the 13th century, after which Georgia entered into alliance with the Russian Empire and saw the rise of civil unrest through the 1990s.

The 137,000 square miles of Germany includes 16 constituent states with a population of approximately 81.5 million citizens, making the country the most populous in the European Union.

With evidence of civilization stretching millennia into the past, the first permanent state of Ghana dates back to the 11th century. Political turmoil erupted in the 15th century as European powers battled over trading rights.

Located in southeastern Europe, the ancient history of Greece spans millennia. Widely considered to be the cradle of Western civilization, the country was first unified under the rule of Philip of Macedon in the 4th century BC.

Grenada is a small tropical island country consisting of the mainland and six lesser islands in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. The total land space is only 133 square miles which holds a population of approximately 110,000 citizens.

Once the focus of the Mayan Civilization in Central America, Guatemala was conquered by Spain in the 16th century. In 1821 independence was attained and Guatemala became part of the Federal Republic of Central America.

Located in West Africa, Guinea is a relatively small country of 94,900 square miles. Home to a population of 10.5 million citizens, there are 24 ethnic groups and 24 indigenous languages recognized with Islam being the predominant religion.

Also known as the ‘Land of many waters', Guyana is the fourth smallest country in the northern South America mainland encompassing a total of 83,000 square miles. The country was first settled by the Dutch and then came under British control in the 18th century.

Just over 10,000 square miles in size, the country of Haiti can be found on the island of Hispaniola in the archipelago of the Caribbean, a space it shares with the Dominican Republic. With a total of 10.6 million citizens, Haiti is recognized as the most populous country in the Caribbean Community.

Vatican City is an independent city state comprising 110 acres within the country of Italy. Established in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty to guarantee the diplomatic independence of the Pope, Vatican City is considered the smallest state in the world by area and population.

Historically, the 43,000 square miles of Honduras were the home of several Mesoamerican cultures, the most notable of which is the Maya. Discovered and conquered by Spain in the 16th century, Roman Catholicism and the Spanish language were blended into the culture.

Over the centuries Hungary has been home to several people groups including the Celts, Romans, Huns, and Slavs. The land reached its golden age in the 15th century.

The 40,000 square miles of Iceland constitute a geologically and volcanically active Nordic island country located between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean. With a population of 332,000 citizens, Iceland is considered the least populated country in Europe.

Home of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, the 1.2 million square miles of India located in South Asia now holds a population of 1.339 billion.

Located in Southeast Asia and Oceania, Indonesia is the largest island country in the world by number of islands. Over 258 million citizens inhabit the 14,000 islands of Indonesia making the country the fourth most populous in the world.

The 636,000 square miles of Iran located in West Asia comprise the second largest country in the Middle East, and is home to 81.16 million people.

Iraq has been the center of various political struggles since the sixth millennium BC. The 169,000 square miles have been a part of the Hellenistic, Parthian, Roman, Umayyad, Mongol, and Ottoman empires, to name but a few.

The second largest island of the British Isles with 6.4 million citizens, Ireland is divided between Northern Ireland which is part of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland which covers the majority of the land.

The 8,000 to 8,500 square miles which comprise the nation of Israel are perhaps the most disputed lands in history. Since Biblical times Israel has seen political turmoil and the consecutive overpowering from nations including ancient Babylon, Rome, and the Ottoman Empire.

A center of history and culture, Italy consists of 116,000 square miles and is home to a population of 61 million citizens. The capital city of Rome was the conquering power through the ancient world and was the center of innovation during the Renaissance period.

The 124,000 square miles of the Ivory Coast are located in West Africa. In 1843 the land became a protectorate of France and in 1893 became a full colony.

As the fourth largest island country in the Caribbean Sea and the fourth most populous, Jamaica consists of just over 4,000 square miles and contains the states of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The land was brought under Spanish rule in 1494 until England conquered Jamaica in 1655.

Consisting of 145,000 square miles, the island country of Japan is located in East Asia in the Pacific Ocean. The 6,852 strato-volcanic islands are divided into 47 prefectures in eight regions.

Jordan is in many ways at the center of the world. It sits at the crossroads between Africa, Europe, and Asia.

With just over one million square miles of land, Kazakhstan is recognized as the world's largest landlocked country by area. Located in Eurasia between Eastern Europe and northern Central Asia, Kazakhstan was historically occupied by various nomadic tribes.

The 224,000 square miles of Kenya overlies the East African Rift along the line of the equator. Evidence of human civilization in the country can be traced back to the Lower Paleolithic period. European and Arab influence first appeared in the Early Modern period.

After World War II, the nation of Korea was divided into the Northern and Southern zones by the United States of America and the Soviet Union with the Americans occupying the south and the Soviets in the north. The country describes itself as a socialist state, though many accuse North Korea of being a totalitarian dictatorship.

After World War II, South Korea came under the jurisdiction of the United States of America. The land is now considered the best developed in East Asia with the most advanced democracy.

Located in Western Asia, the 6,800 square miles of Kuwait were historically home to fishing villages. By the 1700's the country had become a major trading route and was well known for its shipping industry.

Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country comprising 77,000 square miles and an approximate population of 5.7 million citizens.

Located on the Indochinese peninsula of Southeast Asia, Laos is a landlocked country comprising 91,000 square miles and a population of 6.8 million citizens.