Japan is one of the world’s great baseball-playing nations. The game was introduced to the country during the Meiji Period (1868-1912, when Japan industrialised and established closer contact with the rest of the developed world) and gained in popularity after the Second World War, when many American soldiers were based in Japan. There are two professional baseball leagues in the country.
Pizza was invented in Naples, Italy in the mid-nineteenth century using simple, inexpensive ingredients. Pizza is still a delicacy of Naples and the Campania area in general, and it has also gone on to conquer the world, becoming one of the most widely consumed convenience foods.
Belarus has two official languages, Belarusian and Russian. However, most communication takes place in Russian, while Belarusian is primarily an academic language taught at school. In some border areas, however, people speak Trasyanka, a blend of Belarusian and Russian, with influences from the languages of neighbouring countries.
Australia is home to the world’s largest Greek population outside Greece. Melbourne has a large Greek Precinct, as well as a Hellenic Museum and a Foundation for Hellenic Culture.
Estonia has one of the largest proportions of women in the world, partly because women typically outlive men by as much as ten years. There are only about 84 men to every 100 women in Estonia.