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Here are 10 incredible unknown places you should know about! These are the facts about the richest country and smallest nation! Subscribe to Knowledge Feed for Myth Mania Mondays, Fact Tree Tuesdays, Wildlife Wednesdays, Origin Thursdays, Fun Fact Fridays & Wildcard Weekends. 6. Kiribati When under British rule the Republic of Kiribati was known as the Gilbert Islands. The nation contains Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands and 33 atolls which are scattered across 1.3 million square miles of the Pacific. The country is the only nation to fall within all four hemispheres. Over half of the country’s one hundred thousand permanent residents live in the capital city of Tarawa. Though western influence is steadily establishing itself in Kiribati, most locals live in traditional huts and eat coconuts, breadfruit, and fish as they have done for hundreds of years. The LGBT community faces social disadvantages in the nation. Male homosexuality is illegal with a punishment of 5 years in prison. Female sexuality is legal but heavily frowned upon. 5. Djibouti Almost all of the nearly 850,000 people who live in the Republic of Djibouti adhere to Islam and have done so for the last thousand years. Before voting for independence in 1977, the area was a French territory. The region is a desert that is located in eastern Africa and is a place where you may find large groups of people caravaning on a single vehicle, a site that may be odd in the United States but one that is much more common in many parts of Africa. One major landmark of the region is Lake Assal, the third lowest point on earth and one of the world’s saltiest bodies of water. Outside of Djibouti City, the country is free of large-scale development and is a great place to go on an outdoor adventure. 4. Niue Being a 100 square mile island located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and having a population of around 1,200 makes Niue one of the most isolated nations on the planet. While not a member of the U.N. the organization does recognize Niue as a freely associated state with New Zealand, with whom they maintain strong ties. New Zealand produces Niue’s coin’s and, in 2014 created Disney coins to be used as currency on the island. With help from the E.U. Niue has been in the process of converting to renewable energy since 2009, when a solar power system was installed, providing 6% of the country's electricity. 3. Bhutan The country only started letting outsiders in starting in the 1970’s and has an interesting approach to tourism. Foreign visitors have to pay a $250 tariff per day. While this may seem pricey, it is an all-inclusive fee that covers accommodation, food, transport and even a guide. Bhutan is located in South Asia between India and China and is a place that takes great pride in their ancient, Buddhist traditions. Radio broadcasting didn’t begin in the country until 1973, a year which also saw the nation institute a policy to measure the country's Gross National Happiness. The internet and television didn’t arrive until 1999. Bhutan is also very environmentally conscious. Law states that at least 60% of the country must remain forested and it absorbs more carbon than it emits. 2. Palau An island country that is southeast of the Philippines, Palau has only been around for 22 years having become independent on October 1, 1994. The country contains roughly 250 Island, the most populous of which is Koror and has a total population of nearly 18,000 people. Palau maintains an association with the United States, who provides defense and funding to the Republic. One of the country’s most famous places is Blue Corner which is a body of water that is world renowned for its scuba diving and is known for its sharks. Palau created the world’s first shark sanctuary beginning in 2009 and is a global leader in protecting marine ecosystems. 1. Suriname A former colony of the Netherlands, today Suriname is the smallest country in South America and has a population of 540,000. The country’s president, Desi Bouterse, claimed the position after staging a military coup in 1980. The dictator has been ruling the nation with an iron fist ever since. He was responsible for and according to an eyewitness, took place in the December Murders in 1982. On December 7, 1982, Bouterse rounded up 15 dissidents, mostly respected journalists, and professors, and brought them to Fort Zeelandia, which is located in the capital city of Paramaribo and is the city's oldest building. There Bouterse ordered the group to be tortured and murdered, with Bouterse himself reportedly killing two of the victims. The Netherlands convicted the ruler of smuggling over 1,000 pounds of cocaine into the country, and Europol issued a warrant for his arrest in 1999. None of this matters as Bouterse position as president gives him legal immunity and Suriname has no extradition treaty with the Dutch.