MODERN SOCIETY
Worst Cable-Car Disaster
At the Cavalese ski resort, northern Italy, 42 people were killed in a cable-car accident on March 9, 1976, when the cable ruptured and the lift tumbled to the valley floor. A 14-year-old girl miraculously survived the 213-meter (700-ft) drop. At the subsequent investigation, faulty maintenance and operation were found to be the cause of the accident - a verdict which led to the jailing of four lift officials. Other sources said that a military aircraft flying overhead had severed the cable.
Worst Disaster Caused By Mass Panic
Around 4,000 people were killed on June 6, 1941, at an air-raid shelter in Chongqing, China. They had left the shelter after an all-clear signal, but a further warning sounded and thousands were trampled to death and suffocated as they scrambled to get back inside the shelter.
Bloodiest War
The most costly war in terms of human life was World War II, in which the total number of fatalities, including battle deaths and civilians of all countries, is estimated to have been 56.4 million. The country which suffered most in proportion to its population was Poland, with 6,028,000 deaths, equivalent to 17.2% of its population. The Soviet Union lost an estimated 26.6 million of its citizens.
Largest Civilian Evacuation
An estimated 2 million Germans were evacuated from East Prussia in 1945, when the region was ceded to the Soviet Union under the terms of the Potsdam Agreement.
Largest Criminal Gang
Japan's Yamaguchi-gumi is over 30,000-strong, making it the world's largest criminal gang. The mob is part of the infamous Japanese mafia known as the "Yakuza". There are some 90,000 yakuza altogether, in more than 3,000 groups. Members of the Yamaguchi-gumi are instantly recognizable by their head-to-toe tattoos. Disgraced members can be spotted by their severed fingers, which are cut off as punishment for acts of betrayal. The gangsters have, for decades, enjoyed immunity from police and media investigations because of the influence the yakuza wield with high-ranking businessmen and politicians.
Greatest Art Robbery
On April 14, 1991, 20 paintings, estimated to be worth $500 million (£280 million), were stolen from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. However, only 35 minutes later they were found in an abandoned car not far from the museum.
Largest Firework
The five-color Universe I Part II – the world's largest firework – exploded at the annual Lake Toya Firework Festival in Hokkaido, Japan on July 15, 1988. The 700-kg (1,543-lb) shell of the fantastic fire cracker burst to produce light display with a massive 1.2-km (0.75-mile) diameter!
Greatest Fast Food Spending
Americas have a gargantuan fixation with fast food. Burgers, fries, chicken wings, thick shakes… oh yeah, bring it on! US citizens spent $110 billion on fast food in 2000 – that's more than any other country in the world, and a lot more than the $6 billion spent 30–years ago in 1970. The USA has 300 different types of fast food chain and these account for 40% of all restaurant sales each year.
First Lady Of Most Countries
Graca Machel was married to Samora Machel, President of Mozambique, from 1975 until his death on October 19, 1986. On July 18, 1998, she married Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa, becoming the first woman to be First Lady of two countries.
Highest Cost of Living
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, the world's most expensive city is Tokyo, Japan, as of June 2004.
Highest Life Expectancy
The country with the highest life expectancy at birth is Japan with 81.6 years in 2002.
Least Valuable Currency
In July 2000 there were 631,044 Turkish lira to the US dollar.
Highest Dow Jones Closing
The highest closing figure of the Dow Jones Industrial Average of selected stocks was 11,722.98 on January 14, 2000. Charles H Dow first unveiled his industrial stock average on May 26, 1896, in Wall Street, New York, devised as a benchmark for comparing individual stocks to market trends, to other indicators of economic conditions, and differentiating long-term trends from short-term fluctuations.
Largest Residential Palace
The Istana Nurul Iman palace of HM the Sultan of Brunei is the largest residence in the world, with a floor space of 200,000 sq m. (2,152,782 sq. ft), 1,788 rooms, and 257 bathrooms.
Richest Woman
The world’s richest woman is Alice Walton, daughter of Sam Walton (d. 1992), founder of Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer. She has an estimated net worth of $16.5 billion (£9.8 billion) according to the Forbes 2003 Rich List.
The Most Expensive Burger
The DB Burger Royale, created by Chef Daniel Boulud, is available on the Menu of DB Bistro Moderne in New York, USA, for $59. It it served exclusively during the black troufle season.
Lowest inflation
The country with the world's lowest inflation rate is Hong Kong where consumer prices fell by -2.6% during 2003.
|
Human Body
Amazing Feats
Natural World
Technology
Arts/Media
Modern Society
Travel/Transportation
Sports/Games
|
