TEFL World Factbook

The largest country in Africa, Algeria is a country of UNESCO heritage sites, beautiful colonial architecture, ancient Roman ruins, gorgeous beaches and the Sahara desert.

When hearing the word Argentina, it conjures up the seductive sounds of Tango, and this is certainly true in every area of the country.

What an intriguing country! From kangaroos to koalas, Bondi to barbecue, surfing to Sydney, Australia is a country of great beauty, interesting culture and fantastic opportunities.

Austria is a country with a richly woven landscape of nature and culture.

Bahrain is a small country in the Middle East, situated between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Bangladesh is not the most obvious destination for TEFL teachers in comparison to its neighbours in South East Asia because the majority of its teachers speak fluent English, but there are still opportunities in this interesting country.

Officially known as the Kingdom of Belgium (due to its constitutional monarchy), this small country borders France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Belize is situated between Mexico and Guatemala but it was a British colony until 1981 and so maintains a feel for its colonial past.

Can you imagine a country which bases its success on happiness rather than economic indicators? Bhutan is that country.

Bolivia is a country of rugged and remote beauty, a keeper of ancient cultures, and has a rich mixed indigenous community.

A landlocked country with a population of just over 2 million people, Botswana is one of Africa’s most stable countries and one of the fastest growing economies in the world. In terms of big cities, Botswana does not have much to offer but you don’t come to Botswana to experience city life.

With its formidable booming and developing economy, Brazil is tipped to be one of the main world leaders in the future.

Sandwiched between Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodia is a place to visit for those who want to experience a slower pace of life.

Cameroon has varied geography and wildlife – in Cameroon you can find just about anything you would in all other African countries combined.

Canada is a country that offers everything: big cities, the great outdoors, international culture.

Despite the distances involved, Chile is easy to get around and explore.

Sitting on an enormous land mass, China is home to a vast array of cultures and ethnic groups, all united by the main languages of Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese..

Colombia has beautiful warm Caribbean beaches, where the scenery is stunning and the pace of life is slow.

Costa Rica has tropical rain forests, active volcanoes and is home to some of the most beautiful and colourful animals on Earth.

Croatia is a country of more than a thousand islands and plenty of sunshine, making this a holiday destination of choice for many travellers.

It’s a country of castles, picturesque villages and beer.

The Dominican Republic is the most visited destination in the Caribbean, and for good reason.

Despite being small, Ecuador sits on the Equator and has a heritage that is hard to rival. Home to the World Heritage Sites of Quito (the capital) and Cuenca, along with the interwoven Spanish colonial heritage, Ecuador is a rich mixture of indigenous and European cultures.

Egypt is a fusion of the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

El Salvador is a small Central American country, between Guatemala and Honduras.

One of the oldest countries in the world, Ethiopia is the only African country to have never been colonized. Ethiopia is a nature-lover's paradise, with numerous opportunities for trekking, hiking in the mountains and watching wildlife on the lakes.

Finland is a small country in Northern Europe with borders with Russia, Norway and Sweden.

With exquisite wines and vineyards, over 400 official cheeses, beautiful architecture and stunning nature, France has everything.

Not many people realise that besides being a girl’s name and a US state, Georgia is also an Eastern European country.

This country is filled with 400-year-old villages, castles and cobblestones, as well as spectacular nature.

Ghana is a warm, friendly country in West Africa, neighbouring Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Togo.

Greece has influenced generations of European countries for thousands of years.

Greenland is a land like no other.

Guatemala is a small country situated in Central America, bordering Mexico, Honduras, Belize and El Salvador. A mixture of beautiful scenery and ancient history, it has a cultural heritage which is a blend of Spanish and native Mayan influences.

Guinea is a coastal country in West Africa, home to the most mesmorising landscapes.

Haiti is a country that has had its fair share of disasters – both natural and man-made – yet has managed to retain a certain charm and an undeniable natural beauty.

Hong Kong brings with it an interesting fusion of Chinese, British, Indian and Cantonese cultures.

From the medieval towns, the Baroque churches, the neoclassical public buildings and the art nouveau influences, Hungary has it all.

India is a country of curry, cricket and culture. It’s a vibrant, colourful culture with something to suit everybody’s tastes.

Indonesia has the fourth-largest population in the world, comprising approximately 238 million people and 17, 508 islands, of which 6,000 are inhabited.

Ireland, or the Republic of Ireland, is a sovereign state which occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with Northern Ireland which is a part of the United Kingdom.

Located between the Arabian Peninsula and the Mediterranean coast, Aliya (the Promised Land), is the only Jewish state in the world.

Italy is soaked in an amazing historical and artistic legacy.

An island floating in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica is world-famous for many things: its ‘irie’ lifestyle, beaches, music and, of course, its rum.

Japan is a country of harmony and contradiction, where the ancient and the ultra-modern sit side by side.

When first hearing the word Jordan, two words might come to mind: Petra and Queen Rania.

It is a country which not many people have heard of or at least don’t know much about. Kazakhstan is a landlocked Central Asian country which borders Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. It is a former Soviet state but it gained independence in 1991.

Kenya is situated on the east coast of Africa and is a mixture of beaches, mountains, savannah and desert.

Although one of the smallest countries in the region, Kuwait is also one of the richest due to the ample oil fields.

With Israel on one border and Syria on the other, Lebanon combines both the modern and the historic.

Lesotho is a tiny landlocked kingdom completely surrounded by South Africa. Also known as the Mountain Kingdom or the Kingdom in the Sky, it is a land of rivers, valleys, mountain ranges and Maluti beer.

Bordering the Mediterranean, Libya enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate along the coast while most of the rest of the country is covered by the extremely hot and dry Libyan Desert.

Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world, situated in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa.

Known as the Warm Heart of Africa, Malawi is friendly and welcoming, if poor. It is an agricultural country and heavily dependent on foreign aid so there is a large expat community with foreigners coming to work as diplomats, NGO workers and government officials.

Malaysia is an interesting mix of culture and language. The indigenous tribes are mainly situated in the north and around Northern Borneo, while the Malay, Chinese, English and Indian influences are more seen on the Peninsula. Elements of Persian and Arabic cultures are also still present in the country.

Due to the economy and industry, there is a demand for English in the country.

The art hub of Mexico rivals that of London and New York.

Ah Mongolia! Land of…what exactly? Any idea? This is the beauty of Mongolia, a country so mysterious many people couldn’t find it on a map.

Morocco, situated in North Africa, is an interesting blend of European, African and Middle Eastern influences.

Mozambique is surely one of Africa’s best-kept secrets. Though it is rich in natural beauty, a prolonged civil war meant that tourists stopped coming to Mozambique a long time ago. The war ended in 1992, though, and since then the country has been politically stable so it won’t be long before the tourist crowds make their way back to its white, sandy beaches and warm waters.

Otherwise known as the Golden Land, Myanmar (formerly Burma) is a country of diverse culture, spirituality and amazing cuisine.

If you’re after spectacular landscapes and awe-inspiring natural beauty rather than bright lights and big cities then Namibia may be your destination of choice.

Nepal is, by any definition, a magical destination. It’s a country of simplicity and tradition, full of mystery and charm.

The Netherlands is a small European country bordering Germany and Belgium.

New Zealand is the land where time stood still, and it is obvious why.

Fun, adventurous and cheap, Nicaragua is one of the safer countries in the region. Colonial architecture, white sandy beaches, volcanoes, lakes, and diverse flora and fauna are just a taste of what you can discover in Nicaragua.

Nigeria is big. Known as the Giant of Africa, it has a population of approximately 194 million people, making it the most populous country on the continent, with over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 spoken languages.

Norway: land of the Vikings, the most northerly brewery in the world and Allemannsrett.

Oman is a country that has traditionally had and still has strong ties with the UK.

Panama is flanked by the still waters of the Caribbean, and crosses over to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean.

Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, with over 800 languages spoken and a wide variety of ethnicities and religions, but it is also one of the least explored.

Paraguay is a small, landlocked country in central South America.

Peru is home to some of the most ancient civilizations of Andean history; namely the Incas.

The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7 000 islands, sometimes called the ‘Pearl of the Orient’. To say this is a beach lover’s paradise would be a serious understatement.

Poland was the birth place of both Copernicus and Chopin, as well as one of the most popular Popes in modern times, John Paul II.

Cliff-top castles and medieval cobblestone fishing villages remind the visitor of the long history of this country.

The first words that might come to mind when hearing the word Romania are Count Dracula and Transylvania.

Russia has a unique history of Tsars and the communist revolution of 1918.

As the biggest oil producer in the world, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is also the richest.

This former French colony is a cultural melting pot. It is a Muslim country so you can expect plenty of mosques and religious monuments and you can also count on beautiful, rolling plains and coastal towns.

Singapore is a small island nation, located off of the Malay Peninsula. Many know Singapore as a premier shopping destination in the region, but to label Singapore as only this would be misleading.

For those who would like to escape from the rushed pace of Western Europe and have a more laid-back experience, Slovakia is the place to go.

Every country in the world displays some diversity, but South Africa, stretching from the hippos in the Limpopo River to the penguins waddling in the Cape, takes some beating.

South Korea is a living, breathing oxymoron. Seoul is a bustling metropolis with over 10 million inhabitants, yet here you can find historical sites and contemporary attractions living side by side: palaces and museums are close to massive shopping malls and busy restaurants.

Spain is an interesting cultural mix of European and Arabic heritage, as well as its own indigenous populations, namely the Catalan and Basque regions with their own distinctive languages.

Sri Lanka is perhaps most famous for its tea plantations (it was previously known as Ceylon) or its turbulent history, but it has so much more to offer.

Home to Vikings, smorgasbord and Abba, Sweden is the third largest country in the EU but the one with the lowest population.

Cheese lover? Chocoholic? Then welcome to Switzerland: a country deservedly famous for its many culinary specialities.

Taiwan is a small, beautiful island that is densely populated.

Home to Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania has been the destination of choice for intrepid travellers for decades. There aren’t many countries in the world where you can witness the great wildebeest migration on the Serengeti and this is just one of many attractions Tanzania has to offer – from diverse flora and fauna to beach holidays and extreme sports, Tanzania has something to offer everyone.

Thailand is known as the Land of Sunshine, due to its warm tropical climate.

Togo is a thin strip of a country on the west Coast of Africa. With tranquil beaches, vibrant markets and friendly people, it was once considered the pearl of West Africa.

Tunisia is a country of both natural and man-made beauty. It boasts gorgeous beaches and the stunningly beautiful Sahara Desert, but also the historical site of Carthage.

Turkey, split between Europe and Asia, has an amazing cultural heritage.

Known as the ‘Pearl of Africa’, Uganda is a landlocked country in Eastern Africa. It gained independence from Britain in 1962 and subsequently endured a turbulent few decades and became known for its high HIV rates.

The UAE is a huge oil-producing country with influences from India, Malaysia, the Philippines and the UK.

Every culture and country on earth seems to be represented here

Land of the free, home of the brave, the United States is a gigantic geographical space just waiting to be explored.

This nation is one of the smallest countries in South America, with 50% of the population living in the capital Montevideo.

From the rice field terraces, the lush, green mountains, the national parks and breath-taking coastlines to the capital city of Hanoi, Vietnam will inspire and amaze you.

One of the safest countries in the world, Zambia offers natural beauty on an unparalleled level. The home of Victoria Falls and the walking safari, Zambia is a must-visit destination for adventurers who love the great outdoors and getting close to nature.