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Israel is located in Asia.

Hebrew is the language there. It is written and read from right to left.

The currency is called the shekel.

The capital of Israel is Jerusalem.

Israel gets lots of tourists, people who travel there from different countries.

The neighbors of Israel are Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and the Mediterranean Sea.

The main religions in Israel are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Did you know that people in Israel grow oranges? The oranges are also popular around the world!

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Today we are exploring Madagascar, which is the fourth largest island in the world.

It's located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Africa.

The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo.

There are about eighteen million people in Madagascar.

In Madagascar, the languages Malagasy and French are spoken.

Many people in Madagascar eat rice for every single meal. I like rice, but imagine eating it for breakfast! That would be a little too much, I think!

Madagascar has a very warm, tropical climate. It would be a paradise to visit, although there are frequent storms; often no one can tell if a storm's coming or not.

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Greece is located in southeast Europe, almost completely surrounded by seas.

The capital of this Greek-speaking country is Athens. Maybe you've heard of it-Athens is named after the Greek goddess Athena.

There's a very Mediterranean climate-that means it's nice and warm most often.

There are 11,000,000 people living in Greece.

Most people in Greece are Orthodox Christians.

The first Olympic game was held in Olympia, a city in Greece.

The Greek flag is made up of five sky blue stripes, five white stripes and a white cross on a bright blue background.

Some English words come from the Greek language, such as olive, metaphor, and encylopedia.

Antío sas!

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Ireland's language is Gaelic. In Gaelic, Ireland is pronounced Eire. (It is pronounced like "air" then i as at the beginning of "igloo".)

There are about 4 million people in Ireland.

There are tombs in Ireland that are older than the pyramids of Egypt!

Ireland is a land of many myths and legends.

A common snack is a yummy scone with marmalade on top and a big, steaming cup of tea.

The Irish drive on the left side of the road with the steering wheel on the right!

Since Ireland is part of the European Union, their currency is the Euro.

Ireland is a land of rolling green hills and trickling silver rivers. It is simply beautiful there. I hope to visit there someday!

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Israel is located in Asia.

Hebrew is the language there. It is written and read from right to left.

The currency is called the shekel.

The capital of Israel is Jerusalem.

Israel gets lots of tourists, people who travel there from different countries.

The neighbors of Israel are Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and the Mediterranean Sea.

The main religions in Israel are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Did you know that people in Israel grow oranges? The oranges are also popular around the world!

Listen to the podcast!

Myanmar, also called Burma, is located in South-East Asia.

The capital is Yangon.

The money of Myanmar is the Kyats (pronounced shat).

There are more that 50 million people who live in Myanmar!

It can be very hot in Myanmar-in fact, in the dry season, it can get up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fish and rice are the staple foods that the people eat.

Buddhism is the main religion.

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Mexico is located in North America. Mexico's neighbors are Guatemala, Belize, and the USA. The capital is Mexico City.

There are about 108 million people in Mexico. There are 31 states.

Mexicans are mostly Spanish with Native American roots. The Mayans and Aztecs lived in Mexico before the Spanish came.

The Mayans are famous for first discovering how to make chocolate.

The languages of Mexico are Spanish and other indigenous languages common in the area.

Quesadillas are a popular food in Mexico. Quesadillas are 2 tortillas, a round white bread, put together with melted cheese in the middle. They're really good!

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The Netherlands is often referred to as "Holland," but that's not quite accurate. "Holland" is actually a region in the central-western part of the Netherlands, divided into two provinces.

The capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam.

There are about sixty million people in the Netherlands! People who live in the Netherlands are called Dutch.

Some countries in Europe have a Queen, or a King, or a Prince or Princess of some sort-the Netherlands has a Queen!

Dutch people eat cheese for breakfast and for lunch!

They use bicycles to get around a lot, so they can eat all the cheese they want!

People in the Netherlands used to use windmills as help in the mills. Now windmills are usually used for electricity.

Some parts of the Netherlands are below sea level!

Have you read The Diary of Anne Frank? She was a girl who lived during World War II. She has a very exciting story, and she was from The Netherlands. You can visit her hiding place there.

If I ever get to visit The Netherlands, I'd like to try some of their yummy cheese, and I'd like to take a bike tour.

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Malta is located in the Mediterranean Sea. Malta is made up of three main islands - Malta, Gozo, and Comino.

The currency is the Euro. The languages of Malta are Maltese and English.

Roman Catholicism is the main religion of the Maltese people.

Knights are very important to the Maltese. They helped to keep their island safe from attackers. There are many historical reenactments of the knights in Malta.

In Malta, there are internet booths that are sort of like phone booths but instead have computers with internet access inside. I think it sounds really cool and would be fun to use!

The Maltese like to fish. Since they live on islands, it is easy to get fish.

Some Maltese people have a courtyard in the middle of their houses, with plants and trees inside, and a glass roof.

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The capital of Norway is Oslo.

Norway's neighbors to the east are Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The northern parts of Norway are in the Arctic Circle.

The climate in Norway is cool-both literally and figuratively!

To the west is the Norwegian Sea and to the south is the North Sea.

There are seals on the coast of Norway, and the people eat lots of fish.

In Norway, people read lots of newspapers. In fact, there are over 200 different newspapers in Norway!

Norwegians love nature, and many people like to go out biking, hiking, or just enjoying nature itself.

A lot of the people in Norway own boats, because Norwegians love to travel!

Ha det!

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The capital of Australia is Canberra. The biggest city (by far) is Sydney.

Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere and covers 3 time zones. Usually, the weather in Australia is very hot!

Australia's famous for the koalas and kangaroos that roam the country.

Kids in Australia like to eat fish and chips! Chips are another word for French fries!

There are some amazing views in Australia full of breathtaking waterfalls and astonishing greenery!

If I ever get to go to Australia, I'd like to see those beautiful views, and I'd like to try surfing as well!

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Russia is the BIGGEST country in the whole world! It is almost twice the size of the USA!

Did you know that Russia stretches from Eastern Europe to Eastern Asia and into the Arctic Circle?

Moscow is the capital and also the biggest city.

The main language is Russian.

Hospitality is very important to Russians. I'd advise to show up at a mealtime, because they would serve you food!

The Russian currency is called the ruble. If I had some rubles and was in Russia, I would buy ice skates, because there is a lot of snow and ice in Russia, and children like to ice skate.

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India is located in Asia. Its capital is New Delhi.

There are more than one billion people in India! Eighty percent of the people are Hindus.

If you see a cow on your travels there, don't be surprised! Cows are allowed to freely roam the streets there because they are considered to be sacred.

If you wear jewelry, you will be considered prosperous.

There are about 1600 languages and dialects spoken in India. Two of them are English and Hindi.

Henna is a squeeze-on muddy substance that stains your skin. Brides wear intricate henna designs on their wedding day.

Rickshaws are popular three-wheeled carriages that many people use as transportation in India.

Cricket is a sport that the English brought with them when they colonized India. It's now a popular sport there!

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Myanmar, also called Burma, is located in South-East Asia.

The capital is Yangon.

The money of Myanmar is the Kyats (pronounced shat).

There are more that 50 million people who live in Myanmar!

It can be very hot in Myanmar-in fact, in the dry season, it can get up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fish and rice are the staple foods that the people eat.

Buddhism is the main religion.

Listen to the podcast!

Today we are exploring Madagascar, which is the fourth largest island in the world.

It's located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Africa.

The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo.

There are about eighteen million people in Madagascar.

In Madagascar, the languages Malagasy and French are spoken.

Many people in Madagascar eat rice for every single meal. I like rice, but imagine eating it for breakfast! That would be a little too much, I think!

Madagascar has a very warm, tropical climate. It would be a paradise to visit, although there are frequent storms; often no one can tell if a storm's coming or not.

Listen to the podcast!

The Netherlands is often referred to as "Holland," but that's not quite accurate. "Holland" is actually a region in the central-western part of the Netherlands, divided into two provinces.

The capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam.

There are about sixty million people in the Netherlands! People who live in the Netherlands are called Dutch.

Some countries in Europe have a Queen, or a King, or a Prince or Princess of some sort-the Netherlands has a Queen!

Dutch people eat cheese for breakfast and for lunch!

They use bicycles to get around a lot, so they can eat all the cheese they want!

People in the Netherlands used to use windmills as help in the mills. Now windmills are usually used for electricity.

Some parts of the Netherlands are below sea level!

Have you read The Diary of Anne Frank? She was a girl who lived during World War II. She has a very exciting story, and she was from The Netherlands. You can visit her hiding place there.

If I ever get to visit The Netherlands, I'd like to try some of their yummy cheese, and I'd like to take a bike tour.

Listen to the podcast!

Finland is located in northern Europe.

Finnish is the official language of Finland.

There are five million people who live there.

The Finnish currency is the Euro.

Moki is the Finnish word for 'summerhouse'. Many Finns spend a lot of their summertime at their moki.

That's because Finns spend a lot of time in nature. They like fishing, hiking, swimming, and other outdoor activities.

If I ever get to go to Finland-I would REALLY love to-I'd like to buy myself a little Moomintroll. Moomintrolls are little white cartoon characters that are popular in Finland. They're really cute!

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The capital of Portugal is Lisbon. Lisbon is also the biggest city!

Portugal's neighbors are Spain and the Atlantic Ocean.

There are just over ten million people in Portugal.

Roman Catholicism is the most practiced religion in Portugal.

The Portuguese love soccer; so much that they even make phone booths in the shape of soccer balls. In Portugal, they call soccer 'futbol'.

The currency of Portugal is the Euro.

Many kids in this country like to surf and go sailing.

If I ever get to visit Portugal, I'd like to eat some of the hot chouriço bread!

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Mongolia is the largest landlocked country in the world, situated between Russia and China.

The capital of Mongolia is Ulaanbaatar.

Mongolia, with a population of about three million, is about the size of Alaska.

In Mongolia, they use two alphabets-the Cyrillic alphabet and the ancient Mongolian alphabet. Must be pretty confusing when kids are trying to study!

Almost everyone in Mongolia knows how to ride a horse-sounds like fun!

Sometimes, the temperature goes down to 40 degrees below zero-Celsius! I don't think I'd like to experience that if I ever visited!

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Japan is a country of more than 3,000 islands in Asia.

More than 127 million people live in Japan!

The characters that Japanese people use to write are called Kanghi. You need to know two to three thousand of them in order to read and understand a newspaper!

The money used in Japan is called the Yen.

The religions of Japan are mainly Buddhism and Shintoism.

Japan is known for its highest mountain, Mt. Fuji.

It's possible, in Japan, to rent a pet for a day, because many houses are too small for frisky pets! If I ever visit Japan, I'd like to rent a dog!

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The capital of Norway is Oslo.

Norway's neighbors to the east are Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The northern parts of Norway are in the Arctic Circle.

The climate in Norway is cool-both literally and figuratively!

To the west is the Norwegian Sea and to the south is the North Sea.

There are seals on the coast of Norway, and the people eat lots of fish.

In Norway, people read lots of newspapers. In fact, there are over 200 different newspapers in Norway!

Norwegians love nature, and many people like to go out biking, hiking, or just enjoying nature itself.

A lot of the people in Norway own boats, because Norwegians love to travel!

Ha det!

Listen to the podcast!

Italy is bordered by Austria, Slovakia, France, and Switzerland.

Located in Europe, this country is called "The Boot" because of the shape of the peninsula.

Italy is a country of fashion, especially Milan, one of the cities in Italy.

Italy's capital is Rome. Vatican City-in Rome-is a city-state of its own!

The main religion in Italy is Roman Catholicism.

The Italian flag has three vertical stripes: green, then white, and red.

The currency used in Italy is called the Euro.

If I ever got to visit Italy, I'd like to learn Italian and eat some of their famous pasta!

Arrivederci. Ciao!

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Greece is located in southeast Europe, almost completely surrounded by seas.

The capital of this Greek-speaking country is Athens. Maybe you've heard of it-Athens is named after the Greek goddess Athena.

There's a very Mediterranean climate-that means it's nice and warm most often.

There are 11,000,000 people living in Greece.

Most people in Greece are Orthodox Christians.

The first Olympic game was held in Olympia, a city in Greece.

The Greek flag is made up of five sky blue stripes, five white stripes and a white cross on a bright blue background.

Some English words come from the Greek language, such as olive, metaphor, and encylopedia.

Antío sas!

Listen to the podcast!

The capital of Australia is Canberra. The biggest city (by far) is Sydney.

Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere and covers 3 time zones. Usually, the weather in Australia is very hot!

Australia's famous for the koalas and kangaroos that roam the country.

Kids in Australia like to eat fish and chips! Chips are another word for French fries!

There are some amazing views in Australia full of breathtaking waterfalls and astonishing greenery!

If I ever get to go to Australia, I'd like to see those beautiful views, and I'd like to try surfing as well!

Listen to the podcast!

Brazil is the largest country in South America. Brazil has borders with all the countries of South America except Chile and Ecuador.

Rio de Janeiro is the biggest city in Brazil. The capital of Brazil used to be Rio, but now it's Brasilia.

You may have heard of the Amazon Rainforest-yes, that's right, Brazil is where that large rainforest is located!

Carnaval-a big celebration in Brazil-is famous there, and thousands of people show up for it in outrageous costumes! It sounds like fun!

Guavas, passion fruit, and mangos are fruits that can be picked in Brazil.

The money is called the Real.

If I ever went to Brazil, I'd like to go to walk on the beaches, and play soccer, the most popular sport!

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Peru is located in South America.

Neighboring Peru are Ecuador, Colmbia, Chile, Bolivia, and Brazil.

There are three different regions in Peru-mountains, rainforest, and coast.

The official languages of Peru are Spanish and Quechua.

The currency is called the Nuevo Sol.

Roman Catholicism is the most frequently practiced religion in Peru.

Descendants of the Incas still live in Peru today.

Peruvians drink a purple corn drink, called chicha.

You may have heard of the llama. It is a fuzzy, long-necked creature that lives in Peru. Its distant cousin, the alpaca, is softer and its neck is shorter than the llama.

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The neighbors of Sweden are Norway, Finland, and Russia.

The capital and biggest city is Stockholm-did you know that Stockholm means "the city between the bridges?"

Sweden is located in far northern Europe, or Scandinavia. In Sweden, it's very very cold, so pack your sweaters!

The language of Sweden is-what else?-Swedish!

The money of Sweden is called the Swedish crown, or the krona.

Did you know that there's an actual King and Queen of Sweden? How cool is that?!?

The 1912 Summer Olympics were held in Sweden.

Kids there love to eat Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce!

Guess what! There's no poison ivy in Sweden, and you can camp anywhere you want to, even on someone else's land-as long as you're not right next to their house...

Some reindeer live wild in Sweden! Maybe, if you go, you could see one up close!

If we get to travel to Sweden someday, I'd like to try the meatballs, and go camping.

Hej då!

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Germany is in Central Europe, with nine countries bordering it.

The main language of Germany is...what else? German!

The capital of Germany is Berlin.You may have heard of the Berlin Wall-it divided the city, and the country, into two parts from 1961 to 1989. On the east side of the wall, the part under Communist control, there were hardly any marks on it. But on the west side, there was lots and lots of graffiti scrawled over all the wall.

Germans are known for making cars-like Volkswagens, Mercedes-Benz, and BMWs-and really good chocolate.

If I ever get a chance to visit, I'd like to canoe down the Rhine, which is the biggest river in Germany.

Tchuss!

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Argentina is a long country in South America, with its feet near the Antarctic and its head in the tropics.

The biggest city of Argentina, also the capital, is Buenos Aires.

The currency of Argentina is the peso.

Native Americans once lived in Argentina, but not many of them are left there. Hundreds of years ago, people from Spain, Italy, England, and France came and settled in Argentina. They made their mark in the big country. The language of Argentina is Spanish, but they have their own special accent.

Tango is a type of dance famous in Argentina.

You may also have heard of alpacas-really soft animals like llamas-that live in Argentina.

People in Argentina drink lots of mate, a strong tea made from herbs.

If I ever get to visit Argentina, I'd love to try to dance the tango. It looks like so much fun!

Adios!

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China is located on the east coast of Asia.

Beijing is the capital of China, and Shanghai is the biggest city.

There is a very diverse climate in China-which means it could be a range of temperatures and weather, from subtropical in the south to subarctic in the north.

Cantonese and Mandarin are the main languages spoken in China.

There is no specific religion, but Buddhism and Taoism are two of the religions most frequently practiced.

The Chinese were the first to use paper money-how cool is that?

China makes most of the world's toys, and of course you all know the Great Wall of China.

When I visit-which I'd love to do-I'd like to try the soy pastries and the pig snouts!