This is the 1st part of my Modern Countries blog. On these links down below you can go instantly to the countries down below. The 1st part includes Afghanistan-Brazil. If you click on the links on the capital city or the tallest Mountain it will bring you to a wikepedia page.

• Afghanistan
• Albania
• Algeria
• Andorra
• Angola
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Australia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• Bahamas
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Belize
• Benin
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Brazil

Afghanistan (Asia)

Capital: Kabul

Population: 31 Million (as of 2006)

Size: 250,001 sq. miles

Currency: afghani 1$ = 49.10 afghanis 

Tallest Point: Nowshak 24,557 feet tall

Main languages: Persian, Pashtu

Main religion: Islam 99.7%

About: Afghanistan became independent in 1919

Albania (Europe)

Capital: Tirana

Population: 3.5 Million (as of 2006)

Size: 11,100 sq. miles

Currency: leke 1$ = 101.54 leke

Tallest Point: Maja e Korabit 9,032 feet tall

Main languages: Albanian, Greek

Main religion: Islam 55.8% 

About: Albania was the last country to gain independence from the Ottoman empire. It became independent on November 28, 1912. 

Algeria (Africa)

Capital: Algiers (El Djazair)

Population: 32.9 Million (as of 2006)

Size: 919,595 sq. miles

Currency: dinars 1$ = 72.70 dinars

Tallest Point: Tahat 9,541 feet tall

Main Languages: Arabic, French, Berber

Main religion: Islam 99.0%

About: Algeria became independent from France on July 3, 1962 after a revolution.

Andorra (Europe)

Capital: Andorra: la Vella

Population: 71,201 

Size: 181 sq. miles

Currency: 1$ = .84 euros 

Tallest Point: Coma Pedrosa 9,665 feet tall

Main Languages: Catalan, French, Castillan 

Main religion: Christian 90.0%

About: In 1278 Andorra became independent but it is still under the principality of France and Spain.

Angola (Africa)

Capital: Luanda

Population: 12.1 Million

Size: 481,354 sq. miles

Currency: kwanza 1$ = 80.18 kwanza

Tallest point: Morro de Moco 8,596 feet tall

Main Languages: Portuguese, Many different African Languages

Main religion: Christain 60%

Territories: Cabinda Province

About: The Angolan War of Independence went from February 1961- April 1974 when they gained their independence from Portugal.

Antigua and Barbuda (North America)

Capital: St. John’s 

Population: 69,108

Size: 171 sq. miles

Currency: East Carribean dollar 1$ = 2.67 East Carribean dollar

Tallest point: Mount Obama 1,319 feet tall

Main Languages: English

Main religion: Christain 74% 

About: Antigua and Barbuda gained full independence from Britain on November 1, 1981.

Argentina (South America)

Capital: Buenos Aires

Population: 39.9 Million

Size: 1,068,302 sq. miles

Currency: pesos 1$ = 3.07 pesos

Tallest point: Aconcagua 22,835 feet tall

Main Languages: Spanish, English, Italian

Main Religion: Christain 89.7%

About: The Argentine war of Independence against the Spanish Empire (1810-1818) was lead by Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli, and others. On July 9, 1816 they made their constitution.

Armenia (Asia)

Capital: Yerevan

Population: 2.9 Million

Size: 11,506 sq. miles 

Currency: drams 1$ = 439.50 drams

Tallest point: Mount Aragat 13,435 feet tall

Main languages: Armenian, Russian

Main religion: Christain 79%

About: The Republic of Armenia was part of the United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) until shortly after the Berlin Wall fell. It became independent in 1991.

Australia (Australia and the Pacific)

Capital: Canberra

Population: 20.2 Million

Size: 2,967,909 sq. miles

Currency: Australian Dollar 1$ = 1.35 Australian Dollar

Tallest point: Mount Kosciuszko 7,313 feet tall

Main languages: English, Aboriginal Languages

Main religion: Christain 52.2%

About: The first Europeans to arrive in Australia were the Dutch in 1606. The called it “New Holland.” James Cook went to Australia in 1770 and renamed it “New South Wales” and the British Empire claimed it as their own. Australia became a commonwealth on January 1, 1901.

Territories: Christmas islands, Macquarie islands, and McDonald islands

Austria (Europe)

Capital: Vienna

Population: 8.1 Million 

Size: 32,382 sq. miles

Currency: euros 1$ = .84 euros

Tallest point: Grossglockner 12,461 feet tall

Main Languages: German, Serbian

Main religion: Christain 61%

About: Austria became a country in 1804.

Azerbaijan (Asia)

Capital: Baku

Population: 7.9 Million

Size: 33,436 sq. miles

Currency: manats 1$ = 4,606 manats

Tallest point: Mount Bazarduzu 14,715 feet tall

Main Languages: Azeri, Russian, Armenian

Main religion: Islam 90.7%

About: Azerbaijan became an independent country from the USSR in 1991 after the dissolution of it.

Bahamas (North America)

Capital: Nassau

Tallest Point: Mount Alvernia 207 feet tall

Population: 303,770

Size: 5,382 sq. miles

Currency: Bahamian dollars 1$ = .99 Bahamian dollars

Main languages: English, Creole

Main religion: 91% Christian

About: Formerly a British colony the Bahamas became independent on July 10, 1973

Bahrain (Asia)

Capital: Manama

Population: 698,585

Size: 257 sq. miles

Currency: dinars 1$ = .38 dinars

Tallest point: Mountain of Smoke 400 feet tall

Main languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Main religion: Islam 70.3%

About: Bahrain became independent on August 15, 1971 after declaring independence from Britain.

Bangladesh (Asia)

Capital: Dhaka

Population: 147.3 Million (Bangladesh is very densely populated. It is a fairly small country but hundreds of Millions people live there.)

Size: 55,599 sq. miles

Currency: taka 1$ = 66.72 taka

Tallest point: Keokradong 3,196 feet tall

Main languages: Bangala, English

Main religion: Islam 83.4%

About: Bangladesh became independent after breaking away from Pakistan in 1971

Barbados (North America)

Capital: Bridgetown

Population: 279,912

Size: 166 sq. miles

Currency: Barbados Dollar 1$ = 1.99 Barbados Dollar

Tallest point: Mount Hillaby 1,102 feet tall

Main languages: English

Main religion: Christain 95.5%

About: Barbados was colonized by the British in 1627. It became independent from them on November 30, 1966.

Belarus (Europe)

Capital: Minsk

Population: 10.2 Million

Size: 80,155 sq. miles

Currency: rubal 1$ = 2,514

Tallest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hill 1,135 feet tall

Main languages: Belarusian, Russian

Main religion: Christain 96.5%

About: Belarus broke away from the USSR in 1991.

Belgium (Europe)

Capital: Brussels

Population: 10.3 Million

Size: 11,787 sq. miles

Currency: euros 1$ = .84 euros

Tallest point: Signal de Botrange 2,277 feet tall

Main language: Dutch, French, German

Main religion: Christain 61%

About: Belgium become independent in 1830

Belize (North America)

Capital: Belmopan

Population: 287,730

Size: 8,867 sq. miles

Currency: Belize Dollars 1$ = 1.96 Belize Dollars

Tallest point: Doyle’s Delight 3,688 feet tall

Main languages: English, Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna, Creole

Main religion: Christain 74.3%

About: In the 18th Belize was fought over by the British and the Spanish and was called “British Honduras.” It became independent in 1964.

Benin (Africa)

Capita: Porto-Novo and Cotonou

Population: 7.8 Million

Size: 43,483 sq. miles

Currency: CFA Franc (Central African Franc) 1$ = 548 CFA franc

Main languages: French, Fon, Yoruba

Main religion: Christain 65.5%

About: Benin became a French colony in 1872 and became independent from them on August 1, 1960.

Bhutan (Asia)

Capital: Thimphu

Population: 2.2 Million

Size: 18,147 sq. miles

Currency: ngultrums 1$ = 44.16 ngultrums

Tallest point: Gangkhar Puensum 24,836 feet tall

Main languages: Dzongkha, Tibetan

Main religion: Buddhist 100% ( you have to be buddhist in Bhutan) 

About: Bhutan became a part of British India in 1865. It became independent on December 17, 1907.

Bolivia (South America)

Capital: La Paz, and Sucre

Population: 8.9 Million

Size: 424,164 sq. miles

Currency: bolivianos 1$ = 8.00 bolivianos

Tallest point: Nevado Sajama 21,463 feet tall

Main languages: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara

Main religion: Christain 87.2%

About: Bolivia fought a war for independence against Spain and gained it on August 6, 1825.

Bosnia-Herzegovina (Europe)

Capital: Sarajevo

Population: 4.4 Million

Size: 19,741 sq. miles

Currency: marks 1$ = 1.64 marks

Tallest point: Maglic 7,828 feet tall

Main languages: Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Main religion: Islam 50.0% (Christain is 47% of the population) 

About: The capital, Sarajevo is where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on June 28, 1914, starting WW1. Bosnia-Herzegovina became a country on March 1, 1992.

Botswana (Africa)

Capital: Gaborone

Population: 1.6 Million

Size: 231,804 sq. miles

Currency: pulas 1$ = 5.42 pulas

Tallest point: Otse Hill 4,892 feet tall 

Main languages: English, Setswana

Main religion: Christain 77%

About: Britain claimed Botswana as their own on March 31, 1885. They became a free state on September 30, 1966.

Brazil (South America)

Capital: Brasília

Population: 188.0 Million (Brazil is the most populous country in South America)

Size: 3,286,488 sq. miles

Currency: reais 1$ = 2.18 reais 

Tallest point: Pico de Neblina 9,888 feet tall

Main languages: Portuguese, Spanish, English

Main religion: Christian 97% (Brazil has the largest Catholic population in the world)

About: Brazil and Mexico have the most crime and murders in the world. On September 7, 1822 Brazil declared itself independent from Portugal. 

Territories: Martin Vaz islands