Longest wall
(Great Wall of China (4,343 miles / 6,690 kilometers))
The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood, and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China to protect the Chinese states and empires against the raids and invasions of the various nomadic groups of the Eurasian Steppe with an eye to expansion. Several walls were being built from as early as the 7th century BC; these were later joined together and made bigger by Qin Shi Huang (220–206 BC), the first Emperor of China. Little of that wall remains. Later on, many successive dynasties have repaired, maintained, and newly built multiple stretches of border walls. The most well-known of the walls were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)
Longest river
(The Nile (4,160.08 miles / 6,695 kilometers))
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa, and is the longest river in the world, though some sources cite the Amazon River as the longest. The Nile, which is about 6,650 km (4,130 mi) long, is an "international" river as its drainage bas in covers eleven countries, namely, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Republic of the Sudan and Egypt. In particular, the Nile is the primary water source of Egypt and Sudan.
Deepest lake
(Lake Baikal in Russia (5,370 feet / 1,637 meters))
Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake by volume in the world, containing 22–23% of the world's fresh surface water. With 23,615.39 km3 (5,670 cu mi) of fresh water, it contains more water than the North American Great Lakes combined. With a maximum depth of 1,642 m (5,387 ft), Baikal is the world's deepest lake. It is considered among the world's clearest lakes and is considered the world's oldest lake – at 25–30 million years. It is the seventh-largest lake in the world by surface area.
Highest mountain peak
(Mount Everest on the Nepal-China border (29,028 feet / 8,848 meters))
Mount Everest, known in Nepali as Sagarmatha and in Tibetan as Chomolungma, is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The international border between Nepal (Province No. 1) and China (Tibet Autonomous Region) runs across its summit point. The current official elevation of 8,848 m (29,029 ft), recognized by China and Nepal, was established by a 1955 Indian survey and subsequently confirmed by a Chinese survey in 1975. In 2005, China remeasured the rock height of the mountain, with a result of 8844.43 m. There followed an argument between China and Nepal as to whether the official height should be the rock height (8,844 m., China) or the snow height (8,848 m., Nepal). In 2010, an agreement was reached by both sides that the height of Everest is 8,848 m, and Nepal recognizes China's claim that the rock height of Everest is 8,844 m.
Longest rail journey without changing trains
(Moscow, Russia - Pyongyang, North Korea (6,346 miles / 10,214 kilometers))
The Korean State Railway is the operating arm of the Ministry of Railways of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and has its headquarters at Pyongyang. The world's longest run without changing trains is one of 10,214 km (6,346 miles) from Moscow, Russia to Pyongyang in North Korea. One train a week makes the journey by this route, which includes sections of the famous Trans-Siberian line. It is scheduled to take 7 days 20 hours 25 minutes.
Largest railway station (by number of platforms)
(Grand Central Terminal in New York City, New York, U.S. (44 platforms))
Grand Central Terminal (GCT) also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Grand Central is the southern terminus of the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem, Hudson and New Haven Lines. The terminal serves Metro-North commuters traveling to the Bronx in New York City; Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties in New York; and Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The terminal also contains a connection to the New York City Subway at Grand Central–42nd Street. GCT is the largest train station in the world in terms of area occupied and number of platforms. The terminal is spread over 49 acres and has 44 platforms.
Longest railway platform
(Gorakhpur Junction in Uttar Pradesh, India (4,482.7 feet / 1,366.33 meters))
The Gorakhpur Railway Station is located in the city of Gorakhpur in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It has the world's longest railway platform. It serves as the headquarters of the North Eastern Railway. The station offers Class A-1 railway station facilities. On 6 October 2013, Gorakhpur became the world's longest railway platform, after inauguration of the remodelled Gorakhpur Yard, with a stretch of around 1.35 kilometres (0.84 mi).
The city of Gorakhpur serves 10 local railway stations known as Gorakhpur Junction, Gorakhpur cantt, Domingarh, Sahjanwa, Sihapar, Maniram, Nakaha jungle, Kushmi, Jagatbela, and Unaula.
Longest bridge
(Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge in China (101.9 miles/164 kilometers))
The Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge is a 164.8-kilometre (102.4 mi) long viaduct on the Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway. It is the world's longest bridge. The bridge is located on the rail line between Shanghai and Nanjing in Jiangsu province. It is in the Yangtze River Delta where the geography is characterized by lowland rice paddies, canals, rivers, and lakes. The bridge runs roughly parallel to the Yangtze River, about 8 to 80 km (5 to 50 mi) south of the river. It passes through the northern edges of population centers (from west to east) beginning in Danyang, Changzhou, Wuxi, Suzhou, and ending in Kunshan. There is a 9-kilometre long (5.6 mi) section over open water across Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou.
Largest bird
(Ostrich (Adult males can be nine feet / 2.75 meters tall and weigh over 330 pounds / 150 kilograms))
The ostrich is the largest bird in the world. Even though it has wings, it can't fly, but it makes up for the lack of flight by running very fast. The ostrich is found in nature in Africa, but it is farmed all over the world for its meat. Ostriches are bigger than any other bird in the world. They can grow up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall and can weigh up to 330 lbs. (150 kilograms)
Largest hospital ship
(United States Naval Ships Mercy and Comfort (894 feet / 272.5 meters long; 105.8 feet / 32.3 meters wide))
The Mercy class of hospital ships are converted San Clemente-class super tankers used by the United States Navy. Originally built in the 1970s by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, they were acquired by the Navy and converted into hospital ships, coming into service in 1986 and 1987. Mercy class replaced the Haven-class hospital ships. The ships are operated by Military Sealift Command and are designed to provide emergency, on-site care for American combatant forces, and also for use in support of disaster relief and humanitarian operations. Each ship contains 12 fully equipped operating theaters, a 1,000-bed hospital facility, radiological services, medical laboratory, pharmacy, optometry lab, CAT scan and two oxygen-producing plants.
Largest animal (by weight)
(The blue whale)
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. At 30 metres (98 ft) in length and 180 metric tons (200 short tons) or more in weight, it is the largest known animal to have ever existed. The Blue Whale’s tongue weighs around 2.7 metric tons (5,952 pounds), about the size of an average Asian Elephant and its heart weighs about 600 kg (1,300 lb) and is the largest known in any animal. Not only is the heart similar size to a mini-cooper car but also comparable in weight.
Largest hot desert
(The Sahara)
The Sahara is a desert located on the African continent. It is the largest hot desert in the world, and the third largest desert overall after Antarctica and the Arctic. Its area of 9,200,000 square kilometres (3,600,000 sq mi) is comparable to the area of China or the United States. The name 'Sahara' is derived from a dialectal Arabic word for "desert". The Sahara is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Red Sea on the east, the Mediterranean Sea on the north and the Sahel Savannah on the south. The enormous desert spans 11 countries: Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and Tunisia.
Largest island
(Greenland)
Greenland has an area of 2,166,086 square km, but a meager population of 56,452. The populations is over 85% Inuit. The remaining inhabitants are mainly Danish. The average annual temperature of Greenland varies between -9 to 7 °C.
Greenland is an autonomous constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe (specifically Norway and Denmark, the colonial powers, as well as the nearby island of Iceland) for more than a millennium. The majority of its residents are Inuit, whose ancestors began migrating from the Canadian mainland in the 13th century, gradually settling across the island.
Tallest building
(Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, UAE)
The Burj, known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration in 2010, is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft) and a roof height (excluding antenna) of 828 m (2,717 ft) and more than 160 stories, the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure and building in the world since its topping out in late 2008. Burj Khalifa holds the following records:
- Tallest building in the world
- Tallest free-standing structure in the world
- Highest number of stories in the world
- Highest occupied floor in the world
- Highest outdoor observation deck in the world
- Elevator with the longest travel distance in the world
- Tallest service elevator in the world
Tallest statue
(Statue of Unity in Kevadiya, India (597 feet / 182 meters))
The Statue of Unity is a colossal statue of Indian statesman and independence activist Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950) who was the first Home minister of India and the chief adherent of Mahatma Gandhi during the non-violent Indian Independence movement; highly respected for his leadership in uniting the 562 princely states of India to form the single large Union of India. It is located in the state of Gujarat, India. It is the world's tallest statue with a height of 182 metres (597 ft). It is located on a river island facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam on river Narmada in Kevadiya colony, 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of the city of Vadodara.
The project was first announced in 2010 and the construction of statue started in October 2013 by Larsen & Toubro, who received the contract for ?2,989 crore (US$420 million). It was designed by Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar, and was inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 October 2018, the 143rd anniversary of Patel's birth
Tallest minaret
(Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco)
The Hassan II Mosque or Grande Mosquée Hassan II is a mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. It is the largest mosque in Africa, and the 5th largest in the world. Its minaret is the world's tallest minaret at 210 metres (689 ft). Completed in 1993, it was designed by Michel Pinseau and built by Bouygues. The minaret is 60 stories high topped by a laser, the light from which is directed towards Mecca. The mosque stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic Ocean; worshippers can pray over the sea but there is no glass floor looking into the sea. The walls are of hand-crafted marble and the roof is retractable. A maximum of 105,000 worshippers can gather together for prayer: 25,000 inside the mosque hall and another 80,000 on the mosque's outside ground.
Longest road tunnel
(Lærdalstunnelen in Norway)
The Lærdal Tunnel (Norwegian: Lærdalstunnelen) is a 24.51-kilometre-long (15.23 mi) long road tunnel connecting Lærdal and Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway and located approximately 175–200 kilometres (109–124 mi) north-east of Bergen. It is the longest road tunnel in the world succeeding the Swiss Gotthard Road Tunnel. The tunnel carries two lanes of European Route E16 and represents the final link on the new main highway connecting Oslo and Bergen without ferry connections and difficult mountain crossings during winter.
Largest bell (ever)
Tsar Kolokol in Moscow, Russia (404,000 pounds / 183,251 kg)
The Tsar Bell, also known as the Tsarsky Kolokol, Tsar Kolokol III, or Royal Bell, is a 6.14-metre (20.1 ft) tall, 6.6-metre (22 ft) diameter bell on display on the grounds of the Moscow Kremlin. The bell was commissioned by Empress Anna Ivanovna, niece of Peter the Great. It has never been in working order, suspended, or rung. The present bell is sometimes referred to as Kolokol III (Bell III), because it is the third generation.
Longest coral reef
(The Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia)
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres (1,400 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 sq mi). The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. CNN labelled it one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Queensland National Trust named it a state icon of Queensland.
Longest continental mountain range
(The Andes in South America)
The Andes or Andean Mountains in South America are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. This range is about 7,000 km (4,300 mi) long, about 200 to 700 km (120 to 430 mi) wide (widest between 18° south and 20° south latitude), and of an average height of about 4,000 m (13,000 ft). The Andes extend from north to south through seven South American countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
Largest carnivore (on land)
(Polar bear (880 pounds to 1,320 pounds / 400 to 600 kilograms))
Highest waterfall
(Angel Falls in Canaima National Park, Venezuela (3,212 feet / 979 meters))
Angel Falls is a waterfall in Venezuela. It is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, with a height of 979 metres (3,211 feet) and a plunge of 807 metres (2,368 feet). The waterfall drops over the edge of the Auyán-tepui mountain in the Canaima National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Gran Sabana region of Bolívar State. The height figure 979 metres (3,211 feet) mostly consists of the main plunge but also includes about 400 metres (1,300 ft) of sloped cascade and rapids below the drop and a 30-metre (98 ft) high plunge downstream of the talus rapids.
Largest flower
(Rafflesia arnoldii in Indonesia (36 inches / 91.4 centimeters across and 15 pounds / 6.8 kilograms in weight))
Rafflesia arnoldii, commonly called the corpse lily, is a species of flowering plant in the parasitic genus Rafflesia. It is noted for producing the largest individual flower on Earth. It has a very strong and unpleasant odour of decaying flesh, earning it the nickname "corpse flower". It is endemic to the rainforests of Sumatra and possibly Borneo. Although there are some plants with larger flowering organs like the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) and talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera), those are technically clusters of many flowers.
Tallest lighthouse
(Jeddah Light in Saudi Arabia (436 feet / 133 meters))
Jeddah Light is an active lighthouse in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. With a height of approximately 436 feet (133 m) it has a credible claim to be the world's tallest light tower. It is located at the end of the outer pier on the north side of the entrance to Jeddah Seaport.
Largest library
(Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., U.S. (Over 167 million books, legal materials, films, maps, sheet music and sound recordings))
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. The Library is housed in three buildings on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.; it also maintains the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Virginia. The Library's functions are overseen by the Librarian of Congress, and its buildings are maintained by the Architect of the Capitol. The Library of Congress has claims to be the largest library in the world. Its "collections are universal, not limited by subject, format, or national boundary, and include research materials from all parts of the world and in more than 450 languages.
Largest plane (by weight)
(Antonov An-225 Mriya designed by former Soviet Union (maximum take-off weight of
1,410,000 pounds / 639,565 kilograms))
The Antonov An-225 Mriya is a strategic airlift cargo aircraft that was designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Ukrainian SSR within the Soviet Union during the 1980s. It is powered by six turbofan engines and is the heaviest aircraft ever built, with a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tonnes (710 short tons; 630 long tons). It also has the largest wingspan of any aircraft in operational service. The single example built has the Ukrainian civil registration UR-82060. A second airframe with a slightly different configuration was partially built. Its construction was halted in 1994 because of lack of funding and interest, but revived briefly in 2009, bringing it to 60–70% completion. On 30 August 2016, Antonov agreed to complete the second airframe for Aerospace Industry Corporation of China (not to be confused with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China) as a prelude to AICC commencing series production.
Deepest point in ocean
(Challenger Deep (part of the Mariana Trench) in the Pacific Ocean (36,070 feet / 10,994 meters))
The Mariana Trench or Marianas Trench is located in the western Pacific Ocean approximately 200 kilometres (124 mi) east of the Mariana Islands, and has the deepest natural trench in the world. It is a crescent-shaped trough in the Earth's crust averaging about 2,550 km (1,580 mi) long and 69 km (43 mi) wide. The maximum known depth is 10,994 metres (36,070 ft) (± 40 metres [130 ft]) at the southern end of a small slot-shaped valley in its floor known as the Challenger Deep. However, some unrepeated measurements place the deepest portion at 11,034 metres (36,201 ft). For comparison: if Mount Everest were dropped into the trench at this point, its peak would still be over two kilometres (1.2 mi) under water. At the bottom of the trench the water column above exerts a pressure of 1,086 bars (15,750 psi), more than 1,000 times the standard atmospheric pressure at sea level. At this pressure, the density of water is increased by 4.96%, so that 95.27 litres (20.96 imp gal; 25.17 US gal) of water under the pressure of the Challenger Deep would contain the same mass as 100 litres (22 imp gal; 26 US gal) at the surface. The temperature at the bottom is 1 to 4 °C (34 to 39 °F).
Longest metro line without a driver
(Red Line in Dubai, UAE (32.37 miles / 52.1 kilometers))
The Dubai Metro is a rapid transit rail network in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Red Line and Green Line are operational, with one more line being constructed. These first two lines run underground in the city center and on elevated viaducts elsewhere (elevated railway). All trains are fully automated and driverless, and, together with stations, are air conditioned with platform edge doors to make this possible. Architecture firm Aedas designed the metro's 45 stations, two depots and operational control centers. The Al Ghurair Investment group were the metro's builders.
Largest predatory fish
(Great White Shark (average length of 14 feet to 15 feet / 4.3 meters to 4.6 meters))
The great white shark, also known as the great white, white shark or white pointer, is a species of large mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. The great white shark is notable for its size, with larger female individuals growing to 6.1 m (20 ft) in length and 1,905 kg (4,200 lb) in weight at maturity. However, most are smaller; males measure 3.4 to 4.0 m (11 to 13 ft), and females measure 4.6 to 4.9 m (15 to 16 ft) on average. According to a 2014 study, the lifespan of great white sharks is estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, well above previous estimates, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fish currently known. According to the same study, male great white sharks take 26 years to reach sexual maturity, while the females take 33 years to be ready to produce offspring. Great white sharks can swim at speeds of over 56 km/h (35 mph), and can swim to depths of 1,200 m (3,900 ft)
Largest mosque
(The Great Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia (3,840,000 square feet / 356,800 square meters))
The Great Mosque of Mecca, also called Al-Haram Mosque or "Grand Mosque of Makkah", is the largest mosque (and, by usable interior volume, the second-largest building) in the world, and surrounds the Islamic Qiblah, that is the Ka‘bah in the Hejazi city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Muslims face the Kaaba while praying. One of the Five Pillars of Islam requires every Muslim to perform the ?ajj, one of the largest annual gatherings of people in the world, at least once in their lifetime when able to do so, including circumambulating the Kaaba. It is also the main phase for the ‘Umrah, the lesser pilgrimage that can be undertaken any time of the year.
Highest capital city
(La Paz in Bolivia (11942 feet / 3,640 meters))
La Paz, also named Chuqi Yapu (Chuquiago) in Aymara, is the seat of government and the de facto national capital of the Plurinational State of Bolivia (the constitutional capital of Bolivia is Sucre). With an estimated 789,541 residents as of 2015, La Paz is the third-most populous city in Bolivia (after Santa Cruz de la Sierra and El Alto).
Highest post office
(Spiti Valley in India (14,567 feet / 4,400 meters))
Spiti Valley is a cold desert mountain valley located high in the Himalayas in the north-eastern part of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" means "The Middle Land", i.e. the land between Tibet and India.