Adventure Travel

Category: Numbers 🔢

World Happiness Report Country Rankings 2023

  1. 🇫🇮 Finland
  2. 🇩🇰 Denmark
  3. 🇮🇸 Iceland
  4. 🇮🇱 Israel
  5. 🇳🇱 Netherlands
  6. 🇸🇪 Sweden
  7. 🇳🇴 Norway
  8. 🇨🇭 Switzerland
  9. 🇱🇺 Luxembourg
  10. 🇳🇿 New Zealand
  11. 🇦🇹 Austria
  12. 🇦🇺 Australia
  13. 🇨🇦 Canada
  14. 🇮🇪 Ireland
  15. 🇺🇸 United States
  16. 🇩🇪 Germany
  17. 🇧🇪 Belgium
  18. 🇨🇿 Czechia
  19. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
  20. 🇱🇹 Lithuania
  21. 🇫🇷 France
  22. 🇸🇮 Slovenia
  23. 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
  24. 🇷🇴 Romania
  25. 🇸🇬 Singapore

By any standard, 2022 was a year of crises, including the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, worldwide inflation, and a range of local and global climate emergencies. We thus have more evidence about how life evaluations, trust and social connections together influence the ability of nations, and of the world as a whole, to adapt in the face of crisis. Our main analysis relates to happiness as measured by life evaluations and emotions, how they have evolved in crisis situations, and how lives have been better where trust, benevolence, and supportive social connections have continued to thrive.

Ranking of Happiness based on a three-year-average 2020-2022

Read » The World Happiness Report, published March 20, 2023

Ten hottest places on Earth

Hottest places on Earth, based on the highest average monthly temperature

  • Death Valley, California (39°C / 101°F in July)
  • Iranshahr, Iran (38.3°C / 100.9°F in June)
  • Ouallene, Algeria (38°C / 100.4°F in July)
  • Kuwait City, Kuwait (37.7°C / 100°F in July)
  • Medina, Saudi Arabia (36°C / 97°F in July)
  • Buckeye, Arizona (34°C / 93°F in July)
  • Jazan, Saudi Arabia (33°C / 91°F in June)
  • Al Kufrah, Libya (31°C / 87°F in July)
  • Alice Springs, Australia (29°C / 84°F in January)
  • Tamanrasset, Algeria (29°C / 84°F in June)

Ten wettest places on Earth

Wettest places on Earth based on average annual precipitation »

  • Mawsynram, India (11,871 mm / 467.4 inches annual precipitation)
  • Cherrapunji, India (11,777 mm / 463.7 in)
  • Tutunendo, Colombia (11,770 mm  / 463.4 in)
  • Cropp River, New Zealand (11,516 mm / 453.4 in)
  • San Antonia de Ureca, Equatorial Guinea (10,450 mm  / 411.4 in)
  • Debundsha, Cameroon (10,299 mm  / 405.5 in)
  • Big Bog, Hawaii (10,272 mm / 404.4 in)
  • Mt Waialeale, Hawaii (9,763 mm / 384.4 in)
  • Kukui, Hawaii (9,293 mm / 365.9 in)
  • Emeishan, China (8,169 mm / 321.6 in)

Ten driest places on Earth

Driest places on earth based on least average annual precipitation »

  • McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica (0 mm / 0 inches annual precipitation)
  • Arica, Chile (0.76 mm / 0.03 in)
  • Al Kufrah, Libya (0.86 mm / 0.03 in)
  • Aswan, Egypt (0.86 mm / 0.03 in)
  • Luxor, Egypt (0.86 mm / 0.03 in)
  • Ica, Peru (2.29 mm / 0.09 in)
  • Wadi Halfa, Sudan (2.45 mm / 0.1 in)
  • Iquique, Chile (5.08 mm / 0.2 in)
  • Pelican Point, Namibia (8.13 mm / 0.32 in)
  • El Arab (Aoulef), Algeria (12.19 mm / 0.48 in)

The Worlds Most Powerful Passports, as of January 2019

  1. Japan (190 countries can be visited without a visa)
  2. Singapore, South Korea (189)
  3. Germany, France (188)
  4. Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden (187)
  5. Luxembourg, Spain (186)
  6. Austria, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, U.K., U.S. (185)
  7. Belgium, Canada, Greece, Ireland (184)
  8. Czech Republic (183)
  9. Malta (182)
  10. Australia, Iceland, New Zealand (181)

London-based consulting firm Henley & Partners, using data from the International Air Transport Association, compiles this index of passports that allow visa-free travel.

In the past, this was an annual list, released every January. The list is now being updated every few months.

Since January 2018, Germany has been knocked out of top spot, while both the U,K. and U.S. passports have dropped one place in the rankings.

More at Lonely Planet, Traveller,  CNN

In 2018 We Redefined Human Limits

  • Camille Herron Set a 24-Hour Running Record
  • Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell Break Two Hours on El Cap’s Nose
  • Karel Sabbe Smashed the Appalachian Trail Speed Record
  • Hilaree Nelson and Jim Morrison Became the First to Ski Down Lhotse
  • Ida Nilsson set the Fastest Known Time on the Grand Canyon’s double-crossing classic. 5 Days Later Taylor Nowlin beat that time by three minutes
  • Lhakpa Sherpa Summited Everest a Record Ninth Time
  • Eliud Kipchoge Set a new Marathon World Record
  • 70-year-old double-amputee Xia Boyu summited Mount Everest

More at Outside

UNWTO report confirms another record year for tourism, for most

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s 2018 Tourism Highlights, the total number of international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) grew 7 percent from 2016 to 2017.

International tourist arrivals reached a total of 1.323 billion in 2017, some 84 million more than the previous year and a new record. The sector has now seen uninterrupted growth in arrivals for eight straight years.

2017 was the eighth consecutive year of above- average growth in international tourism following the 2009 global economic crisis. The growth in the travel and tourism industry has been fuelled by the global economic upswing, resulting in strong outbound demand.

By region, Europe and Africa saw bigger than average growth of 8 and 9 percent, respectively. By subregion, North Africa and Southern and Mediterranean Europe saw the greatest increases in 2017, reflecting strong demand for destinations along the Mediterranean.

When looking at sheer numbers, Europe continues to lead with almost half of the world’s total international arrivals, at 671 million. Europe was also home to six of the ten most visited countries in 2017, with France remaining in the lead.

Spain overtook the USA for second place as international tourism to the USA was down almost 4%.  Continue reading

The best passport to have

The Henley Passport Index measures how powerful these national identifications are based on how many countries citizens can access without a visa.

In its latest ranking, Japan takes the top spot with the country’s passport-holders being able to access 189 nations without a visa.

After five years sitting at the top, Germany is now tied in second place with Singapore for visa-free access to 188 countries.

  1. Japan (189 countries can be visited without a visa)
  2. Germany, Singapore (188)
  3. Finland, France, Italy, South Korea, Spain, Sweden (187)
  4. Austria, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States (186)
  5. Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Switzerland (185)
  6. Australia, Greece (183)
  7. Czech Republic, Malta, New Zealand (182)
  8. Iceland (181)
  9. Hungary, Malaysia, Slovenia (180)
  10. Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia (179)

The index is based on data collected through the International Air Transport Association.

Read More: Global News, Conde Nast Traveler

Many are now choosing to travel alone

Annabel Fenwick Elliott, The Telegraph:

As far as younger travellers go, according to data from the Abta, almost one in eight 18-24 year olds reported going on a holiday by themselves in 2017. In 2011, this question was asked to 15-24 year olds and the figure was just 4.5 per cent.

According to Hostelworld, the number of solo bookings made by Britons has increased 60 per cent over the past three years, the highest rise globally.

Singles holiday operator Just You says the age of their clientele ranges from 21 to 90, but averages out at the 55+ age group.

What does appear to be consistent, however, is that women are much more likely to travel alone than men, and that’s only rising.