Widest Road in the World

Over the last few decades, the number of vehicles on road has increased manifolds all over the world. This has, in turn, evoked the need for putting in more efforts to promote road safety, and the development of roads which are WIDE enough to support the ever growing road traffic in the world is a part of this very road safety initiative. Roads with 8 and 10 lanes are no more rare occurrences, but what about roads with 20 lanes - they surely deserve to be called engineering marvels of the modern world. With quite a few claims about 'world's widest road' making the rounds, there seems to be a lot of confusion as to which is actually the widest road of them all. With all this confusion, the only way out seems to be to get more information on all these roads which are allegedly claimed to be widest - and see whether they are really wide or are mere boastful claims.

World's Widest Road

At its widest point the Ontario Highway 401 in Canada has 18 lanes in the mainline and additional 4 lanes as connecting ramps. If all these lanes are taken into consideration the total amounts to 22 lanes - thus making the Ontario Highway 401 the widest road in the world. This highway is also known as the King's Highway 401 or Macdonald-Cartier Freeway. You need not be surprised if you come across people referring to it as the four-oh-one that it is widely known as in Canada. It stretches from Windsor, in southwestern Ontario, to Quebec, in east-central Canada. Yet another interesting attribute of this road is the fact that the segment of this road which passes through Toronto - which is the largest city in Canada, is the busiest road in North America.

Cheapest Places to Live in

After a detailed thought on needs and demands, fiscal condition, long-term plans and expectations, you need to come up to a sensible conclusion, selecting the right place that also suits your requirements. The below discussion on some cheapest places to live in the world, would prove helpful in this regard. Note that the list given below is irrespective of any order or preference.

Costa Rica - Enjoy the Hot Tropics

Costa Rica is one of the cheapest places to live in the world. This beautiful country is furnished with scenic landscapes, various climatic zones, and plenty of wildlife variety. The only thing you need to keep in mind is the hot tropical climate, which might irritate some people! Generally, USD 500 - USD 700 per month would be more than enough to reside in a shared accommodation. San Jose, the headquarters of Costa Rica, is also cheap, with inexpensive transport services, low cost of living and household amenities. The further you move away from central San Jose, the cheaper life gets!

Caribbean - Sunny Days and Vibrant Nights

Caribbean is a world popular destination for tourism. Millions of tourists visit this part of the world every year! But did you know that the Caribbean is also amongst the cheapest places to live in the world. The place is full of hotels, luxury resorts, guest houses, etc., and the only forms of settlements belong to age-old groups. However, once you go there, you could find agents helping you out in finding a home for yourself. You can get a nice cottage at a mere sum of USD 25,000, which is a one-time investment!

Belize - Simply Great

Belize, located in Central America, offers a lot of natural variety along with a cheap cost of living! English being the official language, makes things simpler. Accommodation for people preferring to stay alone might cost around USD 300 - USD 500 per month, whereas, for people comfortable at sharing accommodation with a couple of folks, the deal would be more reasonable, at around USD 100 a month. Local groceries are cheap, and a tax-free living for retirees makes thing even cheaper. There's another thing, Belize receives wet and dry seasons, therefore do not expect the weather to be sunny or cloudy all the time.

Romania - Europe's Cheapest

Romania! A beautiful place, with exotic beaches, dark forests, medieval settlements and large mountains. Romania is certainly amongst the cheapest places in entire Europe. The city's capital metro Bucharest is an epitome of many samples of neoclassical architecture, and consists of many good discotheques, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, and on top of that, you could find plum brandy and cheap wines flourishing everywhere. Romania is also one of the cheapest real estate locations in the whole of Europe.

Cambodia - Rich in Culture and Tradition

Well, exotic beaches, vibrant nightlife, discotheques, and restaurants might not be the promoting features of Cambodia. However, the place is one of the prime contenders when it comes to cheap living cost! Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, has accommodation options that cost around just USD 500 - USD 600 per month, and sharing them with travelers makes them even cheaper, costing around USD 200 a month. Food is also relatively cheap, and a meal would cost you somewhere around USD 1 - USD 2. The normal means of transportation, the Tuk Tuk, is very economical too and saves you a lot of money going around the place.

Interesting Facts About China

China is one of the world's oldest civilizations. It is a state located in East Asia. The Republic of China was established on January 1, 1912. China is rich in history, culture and has contributed widely to global arts. Here are some interesting facts about China. 


Interesting Facts About China

• Many commodities of everyday use were invented by the Chinese. Papyrus was found in China. It was from Papyrus that paper was created.
• The art of printing was first invented and then fine-tuned by the Chinese. The early lodestone was also invented in China. It is a common knowledge that gunpowder was first made in China, though it is a misconception that the Chinese used it only for festivals and crackers. The Chinese had various weapons working on gunpowder.
• Other notable inventions include the wheelbarrow, cast iron, the iron plough, the suspension bridge, the parachute, compass, matches, raised relief maps, the propeller, the cross bow and the cannon. The Chinese were also the first to use natural gas as fuel. The Chinese astronomers were the first to make notes about the Supernova.
• Calligraphy is one of the major arts of China, and has recently entered the western world. Chinese literature existed since around 1000 BC.
• The Chinese also invented various musical instruments, such as the pinyin, zheng, qin, sheng, xiao and the pipa.
• The establishment meant an end of the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty in China. The total population of China is more than one billion. It is the most populated country in the world. Around a fifth of the world's population resides in China.
• China has mostly mountains and plateaus in the west and lower lands in the east. The main rivers in China are the Huang He and the Yangtze. Another important river is the Amur, which flows in the north east.
• The first dynasty in China was named Xia and it was considered mythical until recent excavations were considered mythical. The second Chinese Dynasty was Shang. The Shang Dynasty was then invaded by the Zhou, which ruled China from the twelfth to the fifth century.
• The first rebellion in China took place during the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC. It was also the dynasty to unify the whole of China and set up the post of the Emperor, along with standardizing the Chinese language. It was followed by the Han Dynasty, the Three Kingdoms and the short-lived Sui Dynasty. The Tang and Song Dynasties also ruled over China, until the Mongol leader Kublai Khan formed the Yuan Dynasty. The Yuan Dynasty was overthrown in 1368, giving way to the Ming Dynasty in 1644.
• The first emperor of China was Shi Huang-Ti. He is remembered in China for his ruthlessness and harsh laws, and most notably his burning of books circa 213 BC. He also built a network of around two hundred and seventy palaces, which were linked by tunnels.
• At the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1947, constitutional rule was established, with the Communist Party of China controlling Mainland China. Mao Zedong led the Communist Party of China.
• China has about fifty-six recognized ethnic groups in itself, with the biggest ethnic group being the Han. Altogether, there are around hundred ethnic groups. China is a secular and atheist country, although it does offer religion on a personal basis as well as supervised religious organizations, like Buddhism, Taoism and the immortal Confucian mentality. Around three percent of the Chinese population are Christians, while about two percent follow the ways of Islam.
• Beijing is the capital of China and is one of the most populous cities in the world. It is China's political, educational, cultural and military hub. The largest city of China is Shanghai.
• There are between 7 and 13 main regional groups in China. The most spoken language is Mandarin, followed by Wu, Cantonese and Min.
• China has also etched its name in the world of sports. Historians are of the opinion that football has originated in China. The Chinese are well-known for their martial arts.
• The Giant Panda is China's most loved animal. Pandas are also considered symbols of bravery.
• The Phoenix is the most important bird in Chinese mythology. It represents the feminine power of the empress.
• The Chinese consider red as their lucky color. Red is a symbol of happiness for them and is commonly used at Chinese festivals, weddings, birthdays and other festive occasions.
• The Chinese calendar dates back to 2600 BC and is based on the cycles of the moon.
• The Chinese National Day is celebrated on 1st October and is a holiday in China.
• The Great Wall of China is the longest wall in the world, built by Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. It is the largest engineering project ever carried out in the history of mankind.
• The Grand Canal of China is the oldest and longest canal in the world.