The Deadliest and the Strongest Earthquake of the World?
The deadliest earthquake occurred in central China, in 1557. There people were living in caves carved from soft rocks. An estimated 830,000 people were killed in it. The strongest earthquake came in Chile (South America), off the coast, at the scale of 9.5, which broke 1,000 mile long fault in the sea.

The strongest earthquake occurred on the ground was in Anchorage, Alaska (USA) in 1964 - at the scale of 9.2, which was felt on 500,000 square Miles (1,295,000 square Kms) area; while the most destructive earthquake was in California, at the scale of 7.8, where it caused over 700 deaths and property damage.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

The Deepest Lake of the World?
Lake Baikal, in South Central part of Siberia (Russia) - 5,712 feet (1.7 Kms) deep. It is about 20 million years old and contains about 20% of Earth's fresh liquid water.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

The Deepest Part of the Ocean?
36,198 feet (6.9 Miles or 11 Kms), at the Mariana Trench, in the Pacific Ocean, well South of Japan, near the Marina Islands.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

The Driest and the Wettest Parts of the Earth?
A place called Africa, in Chile (South America) with only 0.03" (0.76 mm) rains a year. At that rate it will take a year to fill a coffee cup. While Lloro, in Columbia (South America), averages 523.6" (more than 40 feet or 13 meters) rainfall a year - that is about 10 times more than any wettest part of Europe or the United States of America.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

Where Was the Fastest Surface Wind Ever Recorded?
231 mph (372 Kms per hour) at Mount Washington, New Hampshire (USA) on April 12, 1934. But during May 1999 tornado in Oklahama researchers recorded 318 mph (512 Kms per hour) wind.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

The Fastest Train of the World - Bullet Train
China launched the world's fastest train service covering a distance of 1,068 kms at the average speed of 350 kms an hour on December 11, 2010, Saturday. The distance between Wuhan in central China and Guangzhou in the country's south was covered by the high-speed train in 2.45 hours. The train reached a maximum speed of 394.2 km per hour, of its journey which began on December 9. This world's fastest train will be officially open for traffic on December 26 on high-speed railway Wuhan-Guangzhou for the longest distance and for the highest speed in the world. A distance of more than a 1,000 kms is to be covered in three hours, at an average speed of 340 kms (220 miles) per hour.
The first official high-speed Beijing-Shanghai express train arrives in Hefei, Anhui province on June 30, 2011. With its fully reclining airline-style business class seats, a strict no-smoking policy and designed for top speed of 220 miles per hour, the new Beijing-Shanghai express embodies China's race to the future. [July 1, 2011 news]

First Solar Powered Stadium
Taiwan recently finished construction on a solar-powered stadium that will generate 100% of its electricity from photovoltaic technology designed by Toyo Ito. The 50,000-seat arena welcomed the 2009 World Games which featured many sports not included in the Olympics, such as parachuting, tenpin bowling and rugby sevens.
[as of 2009]

First Man-made Highest Waterfall
First man-made highest waterfall (30 m) is located in Singapore at the Jurong Bird Park.

The World's First Man-made Island?
This is the Palm-shaped island of Dubai. Its construction was begun in 2001. One ton rocks cover the sand, and two layers of large rocks weighing up to six tons each cap the structure. It also has two 328-foot openings on each side to eliminate stagnation in the 16 narrow, deep channels. These gaps allow water to completely circulate every 13 days. The Palm Islands themselves are constructed from sand dredged from the sea floor.

Palm Jumeirah is made from 3,257,212,970.389 cubic feet of ocean sand vibro-compacted into place [source: The Palm Jumeirah]. Vibro-compaction increases the density of loose sand by saturating it with jets of water and vibrating it with probes. To get the complex shape just right, designers and contractors use Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS) to plot the palm and ensure the sand placement within 0.39 of an inch. When the island is complete, 120,000 residents and workers plus as many as 20,000 tourists a day are expected there.

First Night Zoo of the World
It is in Singapore - Night Safari.

The Highest, Driest, and Coldest Continent
Antarctica.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

The Highest Tides
They are in Burntcoast Head, Minas Basin, part of the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Canada. Tides can range up to 38.4 feet (11.7 meters or about three stories) high. The Bay is funnel shaped. Its bottom slopes upward continuously from the ocean inlet This results in "tidal bore", a wave-like phenomenon. Bores in Fundy can travel up the feeder rivers at the speed of 8 mph and be more than 3 feet high.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]
Some said that it is in Hopewell Bay, where the tide can be seen at its best! The tide rises nearly 50 feet plus or minus (depending on the lunar phase) DAILY! So over the span of several hours one can see the water rise and fall that much! This place in Eastern Canada is a very important tourist attraction. One has to check.

The Highest Waterfall of the World?
Angel Falls in Venezuela (South America), 3,212 feet (979 meters) high, and a plunge of 2,647 feet (807 meters). It is located in canaima National Park, an UNESCO World Heritage in the Gran Sabana region of Bolivar State, Venezuela, South America. It is one of the country's top tourist destinations despite its isolated location. Its base feeds into the Kerep River (or Rio Gauya) which flows into the Churun River, a tributary of the Carrao River. Since it was discovered by Jimmie Angel, it is known as Angel fall.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

The Highest Volcano on the Earth?
The Mauna Loa in Hawaii (USA). It rises more than 50,000 feet (9.5 miles or 15.2 Kms) above its base which sits under the surface of the sea. But on Mars, Olympus Mons, rises 16 miles (25 Kms) into the Martian sky - its base covering almost the entire state of Arizona.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

The Highest Mountain of the World?
Mount Everest, situated at the border of Nepal and Tibet, rises up to 29,035 feet (nearly 9 Kms) above sea level. Its height was revised by 7 feet in 1998 using the satellite based system - Global Positioning System.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]   see also Highest point on Earth is not Mount Everest

Largest Ancient City of the World
Built in the mid-15th century, Machu Picchu is located 7,875 feet above sea level in the Urubamba Valley in Peru. A gorgeous collection of 150 structures, including temples and residences, the city was abandoned approximately 100 years after its founding and not re-discovered until the early 1900s. Machu Picchu was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.
[January 2009]

The Largest Canyon in the Solar System?
The Grand Canyon is the largest Canyon on the Earth - its mail  ranch is 277 miles (446 Kms) long. BUT Velles Marineris on Mars is 3,000 miles (4,800 Kms) long - if it is kept on the US map, it would extend from New York city to Los Angeles. At places it is about 5 miles (8 Kms) deep.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

Largest Church Building of the World
The world's biggest church building is the Winners' Chapel. Canaan Land in Otta, Nigeria. Its inside sitting capacity is 50,000; and outside overflow capacity is 250,000.
[January 2009]

The Largest Desert of the World?
The Sahara Desert in Northern Africa. It is almost as large as United States. The area of USA is 3,718,691 square miles while Sahaara's area is 3,500,000 square miles (9,065,000 square Km).
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

The Largest Flower of the World
The largest flower in the world was blossoming in Blanco, Veracruz, Mexico - 2 meters high and weighing 75 kilos, it has the peculiarity of blooming only during three days every 40 years. You'd only see it once or twice in a lifetime. Amorphophallus Titanum (Araceae), also called "Cadaverous flower" has the peculiarity of blooming only during three days every 40 years, a privilege that Mother Nature bestowed on this town in Veracruz .

Largest House in the World
Indisputably, the Sultan of Brunei’s Istana Nurul Iman is the world’s largest residence. Really more of a palace, this structure boasts an impressive 2,152,782-square feet of space, comprised of 1,788 rooms (including 257 bathrooms), and is home to the Sultan's car collection, including 165 Rolls Royces. (It easily dwarfs Buckingham Palace's 828,818 square feet). Unfortunately for non-royals, the Sultan’s palace is only open three days a year for the Islamic festival of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, marking the end of Ramadan. However, in 2009, Indian multi-billionaire Mukesh Ambani is scheduled to complete construction on the world's largest house.
[January 2009]

The Largest Island of the World?
Greenland - 840,000 square Miles (2,176,000 square Kms). It is one third the size of Australia. Some say it is an island, while others count it as a continent.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

The Largest Lake of the World?
By size and volume, it is the Caspian Sea - although it is names sea, but it is a lake - located between Europe and West Asia.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]
Lake Baikal in Southern Siberia is the world's oldest and deepest lake containing more water than all the Great Lakes of United States of America combined.

The Largest Man-Made Islands
Perhaps no structure on this list more embodies the original impulse behind the tall building — pure human hubris — than Dubai’s Palm Islands. Composed of three separate islands, Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira, the entire construction will add nearly 330 miles of beach front to the city of Dubai. Parts of Palm Jumeirah are currently open for development, with the remaining islands to be completed in the next 10-15 years. When finished, the three islands will contain over 100 luxury hotels while Palm Deira itself will be almost as large as Paris.
[January 2009]

Largest Mosque in the World
The world's largest mosque is the Shah Feisal mosque in Islaamabaad, Paakistaan. It has an inside hall capacity of 35, 000 and outside overflow capacity of 150,000.

The Largest Mountain Chain on the Earth
It is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which splits nearly the entire Atlantic Ocean spreading from north to south. Iceland is one place where this submarine mountain chain rises above the sea surface.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

The Largest Ocean on the Earth?
The Pacific Ocean - 64 million square miles (165 million square Kms) with an average of depth of 2.4 miles (3.9 Kms) - more than the double of Atlantic Ocean.
[Yahoo, 5/17/2008]

Largest Palace Complex
The Forbidden City was the Chinese Imperial Palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Quing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of the Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace museum. For almost 500 years, it served as the house of the emperors. Built in 1406-1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings, with 9,807 bays of rooms, and covers 7,800,000 square feet (720,000 meter square) area.

Largest Snowflake
How much big you can think of the largest snowflake could be? The largest snowflake in recorded history was reported at Fort Keogh, Montana, on January 28, 1887, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The snowflake was reportedly 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick. The person who found the snow flake, a ranch owner Matt Coleman, described it as "larger than milk pans."

Longest Bridge of the World
The world's longest bridge is in China - Donghai Bridge, China ... It is 32.5 kilometers long.

Longest Bus of the World
The longest bus in the world is in China. It is length is: 25 Meters, have 5 doors, and can carry 300 passengers.

Longest Fence in the World
The longest fence in the world is in Australia and it runs for over 3,436 miles (5,530 km)
[January 2009]

The Longest Place Name of the World
And it is like this -- Krungthepmahanakorn amornratanakosin mahintarayutthay amahadilokphop nopparatrajathanibu riromudomrajaniw esmahasatharn amornphimarnavatarn sathitsakkattiya visanukamprasit. Above huge name has many meaning and one of this is "the royal capital of nine noble gems, the pleasant city" (noparat rajathani burirom). Needless to say that this huge name is original name in Thai for Bangkok.

The Longest Rivers of the World?
River Nile in northern Africa - 4,160 miles (6,695 Kms) long.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

Longest Train Journey
The Trans Siberian Railway (Russia) offers the longest train journey. It takes about 7 days to travel 5,580 miles (9,000 Kms) between Moscow and Vladivostok.

Length of Some Other Well-know Rivers of the World
River Yaangtze, China, 3,900 miles, from Tibbet Plateau to East China Sea

The Longest and the Widest River Bridges?
The world's widest bridge is in Sydney, Australia - the Sydney harbor bridge. The bridge has 16 lanes of car traffic - 8 lanes in the upper floor, 8 lanes in the lower floor. While the world's longest bridge is Donghai Bridge, China 3.25 km long.

The Longest Sea Bridge?
The longest sea bridge is in China. It opened a 36 km span bridge across Hangzhou Bay – in the eastern province of Zhejiang just 18 months ago – which is currently the longest sea-bridge. (as of Dec 2009). But on Dec 16, 2009 it announced to open another longer sea bridge. The Y-shaped link between Hong Kong, Macau and China will be around 50 km (31 miles) long in total, 35 km of which will span the sea, due to be completed by 2015. The structure also includes a 5.5 km underwater tunnel with artificial islands to join it to bridges on each side. It is the first major marine bridge-and-tunnel project in China.

It is designed with a service life of 120 years. It can withstand the impact of a strong wind with a speed of 51 meters a second, or equal to a maximum Beaufort scale 16 (184 to 201 kmph). It can also resist the impact of a magnitude-8 earthquake and a 300,000-tonne vessel. Much of which will be fabricated offsite. Six lanes of traffic will pass across the bridge at a maximum speed of 100kmph, cutting driving time from Hong Kong to Zhuhai from four hours to one.

The Lowest Dry Point on Earth?
The shore of Dead Sea in the Middle East - 1,300 feet (400 meter) below sea level. Not even close is the Bad Water in Death Valley (in California, U SA) at a mere 282 feet below sea level.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

Most Densely Populated Country
The Netherlands is most densely populated country in the world, followed by Belgium, then Japan.

The Most Diverse Country Linguistically
Papua New Guinea is the country in which people speak most languages - over 750 in all, but most spoken languages are Motu and Pidgin English.

Most Isolated City
Perth, Australia, is the most isolated city on the planet. 200 miles across impenetrable desert from the next city of any size.

Most Expensive and the Only 7-Star Hotel in the World
Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai is the only 7 Star Hotel in the World is in this building. Its Cheapest room cost only $1,000 per night. Its Royal Suite cost $28,000 per night. The building houses commercial malls, offices etc in addition to Hotel.

Only Building with a Highway in it
Gate Tower Building, a 16-storey building, in Osaka, Japan is the only building through which a highway passes through its 5th-7th floors. The highway is part of the Hanshin Expressway, a network (239.3 km) of expressways surrounding Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, Japan. The expressway is the tenant of these floors. The building's elevator doesn't stop on Floor 5th-7th, Floor 4 being followed by Floor 8 only.

Only 7-Star Hotel in the World
Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai is the only 7 Star Hotel in the World is in this building. Its Cheapest room cost only $1,000 per night. Its Royal Suite cost $28,000 per night. The building houses commercial malls, offices etc in addition to Hotel.

Only Equatorial Glacier of the World
Mount Cotopaxi, in Ecuador, South America. It supports the only glacier on the equator.
[www.livescience.com, 5/18/2008]

Largest Glacier of the World
Largest glacier of the world is Lambert Glacier and is located in East Antarctica.

Shortest Intercontinental Commercial Flight
The shortest intercontinental commercial flight in the world is from Gibraltar (Europe) to Tangier (Africa) - distance is 34 miles and time is 34 minutes.

Smallest Country of the World
Vatican City. It has its own currency, army etc.
[The actual smallest sovereign entity in the world is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (S.M.O.M). It is located in the city of Rome, Italy, has an area of two tennis courts, and, as of 2001, had a population of 80 - 20 less people than the Vatican. It is a sovereign entity under international law, just as the Vatican is.]

Tallest Bar of the World
On the 87th floor of Shanghai’s Jin Mao Tower – literally “Golden Prosperity Building”, is the appropriately titled Cloud Nine. In February 2001, cocktail-sipping patrons observed Han Qizhi, a 31-year-old shoe salesman, climb the 1,214 foot tower barehanded.
[January 2009]

Tallest Brick Minaret of the World
Qutub Meenaar is the tallest brick minaret in the world. It is situated in Delhi, India. It was started by Qutubuddeen Aibaq, but he could complete only its basement. His successor added three more storeys, and in 1368, Feroz Shaah Tugalaq added the 5th and the last storey of the building.

Tallest Building of the World
World's tallest building is in Dubai - actually in Burj Dubai. It is 900 meters high - just 100 meter less to a kilometer!

Tallest Casino of the World (sort of)
Unsurprisingly located in Las Vegas, the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino boasts a 1,149-foot tall observation tower and restaurant, making it the tallest free-standing tower in the United States. While you can be shot straight up 160 feet in the air, or ride a mechanical arm over the Tower’s edge, there are no actual games in the tower itself.
[January 2009]

Tallest Dam of the World
Construction began on the Nurek Dam (984 feet) in 1961 while the central Asian nation of Tajikistan was still a republic within the Soviet Union, and was completed an efficient 19 years later. The dam provides 98 percent of Tajikistan’s electrical needs and was one of the first to be constructed with an asphalt central core of cement forming an impermeable barrier along the Vakhsh River.

Tallest Hotel of the World - Never Actually Completed
Destined for greatness, the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea, stands at 1,083 feet, was supposed to boast 105 floors and 3.9 million-square-feet of floor space, and was meant to have seven revolving restaurants. Not surprisingly this towering pyramid’s construction was put on hold in 1992 when North Korea confronted more pressing matters. What remains is the pyramid itself, but it lacks windows and fixtures and has been deemed unsafe for human occupancy.
[January 2009]

Tallest Hotel of the World - Not in Dubai
Though eclipsed both by Dubai’s Rose Tower and Jumeirah Emirates Tower, the Baiyoke Tower II in Bangkok, Thailand, nevertheless boasts 88 floors and 673 guest rooms. The 997-foot Tower is located in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district known for its shopping and its 1.5 mile long artificial lake.

Tallest Idol of the World
The world's tallest idol is at Shimalaa, Himaachal Pradesh, India. This is the newest temple of Hanumaan, inaugurated by Abhishek Bachchan (son of Amitabh Bachchan) in November 2010. The specialty of this temple is that its idol is the tallest in the world and it is situated at the highest altitude. The idol's height is 108 feet and its altitude is 8,100 feet. It is the same place where Hanumaan asked the address of Drone Parvat while going to bring the Sanjeevanee herb for Lakshman. It is known as "Jaakhoo Temple". The idol has been carved by a Raajasthaan sculptor. Till now the tallest idol was of Jesus Christ, 98 feet tall, at the height of 2296 feet in Rio de Jenerio, Brazil. It is known as the "Christ, The Redeemer".

Tallest Memorial of the World
Erected in 1940 by the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, the Benedictine Abbey of the Valley of the Fallen boasts the largest Memorial Cross in the world. Located 28 miles northwest of Madrid, the 492-foot structure towers above a basilica and crypt carved out of a granite ridge, and boasts spectacular views of both the surrounding valley and the outskirts of Madrid.
[January 2009]

Tallest Monolith of the World?
World tallest monolith is in Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, India, with an height of 8 meters, 2 meters breadth, and 0.46 meters thick

Tallest Monument of the World
Commonly known as the “Gateway to the West” the St. Louis Arch, designed by renowned architect Eero Saarinen, marks the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The arch is surrounded by a 91-acre national park along the Mississippi River and stands 630-feet-tall. Visitors can take a four-minute tram ride up one of the “legs” of the arch to the observation deck at its center for spectacular views of St. Louis.
[January 2009]

Widest Bridge
According to Guinness World Records, Sydney Harbor bridge is the world's widest long-span bridge - 16 lanes of car traffic (8 lanes on the upper floor and 8 lanes on the lower floor - it is a double decker bridge). The 161 feet (49 meter) wide deck makes Sydney Harbor Bridge the widest long-span bridge in the world. It is also the 5th longest spanning arch bridge in the world. It is the tallest steel arch bridge also measuring 440 feet (134 meters) from top to water level.