Fact File

Foreword

Have you ever tried to find the answer to what you originally thought was a relatively simple question? Have you ever searched high and low and finally given up in complete exasperation? The Gem Fact File is the book you need, with its thousands of difficult-to-remember and hard-to-find facts. Here you will find the answers to such diverse enquiries as ‘What are the member countries of NATO?’ and ‘Who were the Seven Fathers of the Church?’ There are lists of everything from phobias, chemical elements, winners of the Booker Prize and Olympic Games venues, to the world’s five largest deserts, the seven liberal arts and the winners of the championships in all the major sports. In among the hard facts are entries on more lighthearted matters, such as the order of the presents in the song ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’.

This fascinating little book draws together material from nine distinct fields: Politics, History, Geography, Religion, Science, The Arts, Language, Sport and General Interest.

Like its numerical companion volume, Gem Ready Reference, the Gem Fact File provides an easy-to-use quick reference point for a broad miscellany of information that could only be otherwise obtained after consulting a wide variety of sources, and as such will appeal to everyone from trivia buffs and quiz compilers to students and journalists.

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Foreword

Politics

Countries of the World

Major Political Groupings

Arab League

Andean Group (Grupo Andino)

APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation)

CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market)

The Commonwealth

European Union

ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)

EFTA (European Free Trade Association)

ESA (European Space Agency)

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

OAS (Organization of American States)

OAU (Organization of African Unity)

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)

OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)

United Nations

Administration Areas

Pre-1974 Counties of the United Kingdom

Post-1974 and post-1996 Counties/Councils/Regions of the United Kingdom

Australian States/ Territories and their Capitals

Canadian Provinces/Territories and their Capitals

New Zealand Regional and City Councils

South African Provinces and their Capitals

States of the United States of America

History

Sovereigns of the British Isles

Rulers of Scotland (from 1058)

Principal rulers of Wales (from 999)

Rulers of Ireland (from 1002)

Rulers of England (from 955) and of the United Kingdom (from 1801)

British Prime Ministers

US Presidents

Australian Prime Ministers

New Zealand Prime Ministers

Canadian Prime Ministers

Geography

Beaufort Scale

Richter and Mercalli Scale

Shipping Areas

Continents of the World

Largest Islands

Largest Oceans

Largest Seas

Largest Deserts

Highest Mountains

Highest Volcanoes (Active)

Highest Waterfalls

Longest Rivers

Largest Lakes

Deepest Caves

Largest Countries (Area)

Largest Countries (Population)

Smallest Countries (Area)

Smallest Countries (Population)

Most Densely-Populated Countries

Largest Cities

Longest Road Tunnels

Longest Bridges (Main Span)

Longest Rail Tunnels

Longest Ship Canals

Highest Dams

Busiest Ports

Busiest Airports (Total Passengers)

Busiest Airports (Intl. Passengers)

Religion

The Ten Commandments

The Beatitudes

The Stations of the Cross

The Twelve Apostles

The Four Last Things

The Seven Sacraments

The Seven Champions of Christendom

The Seven Fathers of the Church

The Ten Plagues of Egypt

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

The Twelve Tribes of Israel

The Seven Last Plagues

The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy

Saints and Saints’ Days

Patron Saints of the United Kingdom

Patron Saints and Intercessors

Largest Religions

Types of Cross

Popes of the Roman Catholic Church

Archbishops of Canterbury

Books of the Bible

Protestant Canon

Roman Catholic Canon

Jewish Texts

The Koran

Hindu Texts

Buddhist (Pali) Texts

Principal Gods

Greek

Roman

Norse

Other Figures

Egyptian

Science

Geological Table

Chemical Elements

Periodic Table

Mohs’ Hardness Scale

Gemstones

Scientific Laws

Physics – Gases

Physics – Fluids

Physics – Energy

Physics – Relativity

Physics – Motions

Chemistry

Mathematics

Inventions

Arts

Poets Laureate

Booker Prize

Pulitzer Prize

Prix Goncourt

Nobel Prize for Literature

The Oscars

Languages

Typographic, Scientific and Mathematical Symbols

Accents

The Apostrophe

American Spelling and Word Variations

Branches of Study

Phobias

Collective Nouns

-Archies and -Ocracies

Sport

Olympic Games Venues

Winter Olympic Games Venues

1996 Atlanta Olympic Games Final Medal Tables

Commonwealth Games Venues

Football World Cup Venues

Football

Cricket

Rugby Union

Rugby League

Golf

Tennis

Horse Racing

General Interest

International Time Zones

The International Date Line

Calendars

Lunar Calendar

Solar Calendar

Lunisolar Calendar

Calendars in Use Today

Georgian Calendar

Jewish Calendar

Islamic Calendar

Hindu Calendar

Chinese Calendar

French Revolutionary Calendar

Solstice

Equinox

Quarter days (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

Scottish Term Days

Birthstones, Astrological Signs and Names

Wedding Anniversaries

Orders of Precedence

Orders of Chivalry