Records
132 questions tagged Records — spanning every one of the seven Ws.
What is the deepest point on Earth?
The Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench reaches 11,034 meters (36,201 feet) below sea level — deeper than Mount Everest is tall. Only three crewed descents have reached the bottom.
What is the smallest country?
Vatican City is the smallest country by both area (0.44 sq km) and population (~800 citizens). It is an independent city-state entirely surrounded by Rome, Italy.
When was the first human in space?
Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space on April 12, 1961, orbiting Earth once aboard Vostok 1 in a flight lasting 108 minutes. He reached an altitude of 327 km.
When did humans first land on the Moon?
Apollo 11 landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the lunar surface, followed by Buzz Aldrin 19 minutes later. The mission lasted 8 days.
Where is the driest place on Earth?
The Atacama Desert in Chile is the driest non-polar place — some areas have received no measurable rainfall in recorded history. NASA uses it as a Mars analogue due to the extreme aridity.
Where is the tallest mountain?
Mount Everest stands at 8,849 meters above sea level — the highest point on Earth. But measured from base to summit, Mauna Kea in Hawaii is taller at 10,210 meters (most of it underwater).
Where is the largest desert?
Antarctica is Earth's largest desert at 14.2 million sq km — it's a "cold desert" receiving only 51 mm of precipitation annually. The Sahara is the largest hot desert at 9.2 million sq km.
Where is the deepest lake?
Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia, is the world's deepest lake at 1,642 meters. It holds 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water — more than all the North American Great Lakes combined.
Which animal is the fastest?
The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal overall at 389 km/h in a hunting dive. On land, the cheetah reigns at 112 km/h — though it can only sustain top speed for about 460 meters.
Which country has the most natural lakes?
Canada has more lakes than all other countries combined — over 2 million, holding about 60% of the world's lakes. It contains 20% of the world's total fresh water.
Which planet has the most moons?
Saturn holds the record with 146 confirmed moons as of 2023, overtaking Jupiter (95 moons). Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is bigger than Mercury and has a thick atmosphere with methane lakes.
Which is the longest river?
The Nile is traditionally measured as the longest river at 6,650 km, flowing through 11 African countries. The Amazon is a close contender at 6,400–7,062 km depending on the measurement method.
Whose voice carries the farthest naturally?
The Silbo Gomero — a whistled language from La Gomera, Canary Islands — can carry up to 5 km across deep ravines. It's a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and is still taught in local schools.
Whose footprints are still on the Moon?
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's footprints from the 1969 Apollo 11 landing remain on the Moon. With no wind or water erosion, they could last over a million years — disturbed only by micrometeorites.
Whose paintings are the most expensive ever sold?
Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi" holds the record at $450.3 million (2017 auction). Other top sales include de Kooning's "Interchange" ($300M) and Cézanne's "The Card Players" ($250M).
Whose reign was the longest in history?
Louis XIV of France reigned for 72 years and 110 days (1643–1715), the longest verified reign of any sovereign monarch in history. He became king at age 4.
Whose works make up the most translated books?
The Bible is the most translated book in history, available in over 700 languages (complete) and 3,589 languages (partial translations). After religious texts, Pinocchio and The Little Prince are among the most translated.
How deep can a submarine go?
Military submarines typically operate at ~300–600 meters. The deepest crewed dive reached 10,928 meters — the DSV Limiting Factor piloted by Victor Vescovo in the Mariana Trench in 2019.
Where is the hottest place on Earth?
Death Valley, California, holds the record for the highest reliably measured air temperature: 56.7°C (134°F) in 1913.
Where is the coldest inhabited place on Earth?
Oymyakon in Siberia, Russia, is the coldest permanently inhabited place, where temperatures have dropped to around −71.2°C.
Which is the largest planet in the solar system?
Jupiter is by far the largest planet, with a diameter of about 143,000 km — more than 11 Earths across and over twice the mass of all other planets combined.
Which is the largest animal that ever lived?
The blue whale is the largest animal known to have ever existed, reaching up to 30 meters long and around 180 tonnes — heavier than any dinosaur.
Which metal is the most valuable?
Rhodium is usually the most expensive precious metal, often trading well above gold and platinum, thanks to its rarity and use in catalytic converters.
Which is the hardest natural material?
Diamond is the hardest known natural material, scoring a perfect 10 on the Mohs scale. It is made of pure carbon under immense pressure.
Which is the largest ocean?
The Pacific Ocean is the largest, covering about 165 million km² — more than all the land on Earth combined and roughly a third of the planet's surface.
Which is the longest-living animal?
The ocean quahog clam can live over 500 years, and the Greenland shark may live 300–500 years. Some jellyfish may even be biologically immortal.
Where is the most remote place on Earth?
Point Nemo, in the South Pacific, is the point in the ocean farthest from any land — about 2,700 kilometres from the nearest coast.
Where is the largest country?
Russia is the world largest country by area, covering about 17.1 million square kilometres across two continents and 11 time zones.
Where is the Mariana Trench?
The Mariana Trench lies in the western Pacific Ocean and contains the deepest known point on Earth, nearly 11 kilometres down.
Where is the world tallest building?
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the world tallest building, soaring to 828 metres — more than twice the height of the Empire State Building.
Which is the oldest living tree?
A Great Basin bristlecone pine in California is among the oldest known living trees, at over 4,800 years old.
Which Is the Fastest Land Animal?
The cheetah is the fastest land animal, reaching speeds of up to 112 km/h in short bursts.
Which Country Has the Most Time Zones?
France has the most time zones of any country — 12 in total — thanks to its overseas territories spanning the globe.
Which Is the Largest Living Organism?
A honey fungus (Armillaria ostoyae) in Oregon, USA, spanning about 9.6 km², is considered the largest living organism by area.
Which Bird Can Fly the Highest?
The Rüppell griffon vulture holds the record at 11,300 metres — confirmed when one was struck by a plane at that altitude.
Which Is the Saltiest Body of Water?
Don Juan Pond in Antarctica is the saltiest body of water on Earth, with a salinity of over 40% — about 12 times saltier than the ocean.
Which Is the Largest Volcano on Earth?
Mauna Loa in Hawaii is the largest active volcano on Earth by volume (about 75,000 km³) and surface area.
Which Natural Element Is the Rarest on Earth?
Astatine is the rarest naturally occurring element, with less than 30 grams estimated to exist in Earth crust at any given time.
Which Is the Most Expensive Spice?
Saffron is the world most expensive spice, costing $5,000-$10,000 per kilogram due to the labour-intensive harvesting of crocus flowers.
Which Is the Longest-Running Scientific Experiment?
The pitch drop experiment at the University of Queensland, started in 1927, is the world longest-running laboratory experiment.
Which Insect Is the Strongest?
The horned dung beetle (Onthophagus taurus) can pull 1,141 times its own body weight, making it the strongest insect relative to its size.
Which Tree Is the Tallest?
Hyperion, a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) in Northern California, stands at 115.92 metres — the tallest known tree on Earth.
Where is the tallest building in the world?
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai stands 828 metres tall, the tallest structure ever built.
Where is the highest capital city in the world?
La Paz in Bolivia is generally considered the highest capital city in the world, sitting at around 3,640 metres above sea level in the Andes.
Where is the southernmost city in the world?
Ushuaia in Argentina, on the island of Tierra del Fuego, is usually called the southernmost city in the world.
Where is the tallest tree on Earth?
The tallest known tree on Earth is a coast redwood named Hyperion, growing in Redwood National Park in California, standing about 116 metres tall.
Which animal can hold its breath the longest?
The Cuvier beaked whale holds the record among mammals, with dives recorded lasting over three and a half hours on a single breath.
Which animal has the longest lifespan?
The ocean quahog, a type of clam, can live over 500 years, and one specimen named Ming was found to be about 507 years old.
Which animal has the most teeth?
The common snail can have thousands of tiny teeth on a ribbon-like tongue called a radula, with some snails having well over 10,000.
Which animal is the loudest?
The sperm whale produces the loudest sounds of any animal, with clicks reaching around 230 decibels underwater, while the blue whale is the loudest for sustained calls.
Which bird builds the largest nest?
The sociable weaver of southern Africa builds the largest communal nests, huge shared structures that can house hundreds of birds, while the bald eagle builds the largest single nest.
Which bird has the largest wingspan?
The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, reaching up to about 3.5 metres from tip to tip.
Which element is the rarest on Earth?
Astatine is the rarest naturally occurring element on Earth, with an estimated total of less than a gram present in the entire crust at any time.
Which gemstone is the hardest?
Diamond is the hardest natural gemstone, scoring the maximum 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.
Which metal is the most abundant in Earths crust?
Aluminium is the most abundant metal in Earths crust, making up about 8 percent of it by weight.
Which mountain is the hardest to climb?
K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth, is widely regarded as the hardest and most dangerous major peak to climb, far deadlier than Everest.
Which plant grows the fastest?
Certain species of bamboo are the fastest-growing plants, with some able to grow up to about 90 centimetres in a single day.
Which river carries the most water?
The Amazon River in South America carries by far the most water of any river, discharging around 209,000 cubic metres per second into the Atlantic.
Which animal has the longest tongue relative to its body?
The tube-lipped nectar bat of Ecuador has the longest tongue relative to its body of any mammal, longer than its entire body.
Which bird lays the largest egg?
The ostrich lays the largest egg of any living bird, weighing about 1.5 kilograms, though the extinct elephant bird laid far bigger ones.
Which country has won the most FIFA World Cups?
Brazil has won the men’s FIFA World Cup a record five times, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.
Which drivers have won the most Formula 1 world championships?
Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher share the record with seven Formula 1 drivers’ world championships each.
Which club has won the most Champions League titles?
Real Madrid has won the European Cup and Champions League a record 15 times, the latest in 2024.
Which countries have won the Eurovision Song Contest the most?
Sweden and Ireland share the record with seven Eurovision Song Contest victories each.
Which tennis player has won the most Grand Slam titles?
Novak Djokovic holds the men’s record with 24 Grand Slam singles titles, level with Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24.
Which team has won the most NBA championships?
The Boston Celtics have won a record 18 NBA championships, the latest in 2024, one more than the Los Angeles Lakers.
Which chess player has the highest rating ever?
Magnus Carlsen of Norway reached a FIDE rating of 2882 in May 2014, the highest ever recorded.
Which person was the tallest ever?
Robert Wadlow of Alton, Illinois, is the tallest person in recorded history, measuring 2.72 metres, or 8 feet 11.1 inches.
Which person lived the longest?
Jeanne Calment of France lived for 122 years and 164 days, the longest verified human lifespan.
Which is the best-selling mobile phone ever?
The Nokia 1100, launched in 2003, is usually named the best-selling single phone model, with about 250 million sold.
Which is the best-selling video game console ever?
Sony’s PlayStation 2 is the best-selling video game console of all time, with more than 160 million units sold.
Which is the longest bridge in the world?
The Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge in China, a railway viaduct about 164.8 km long that opened in 2011.
Which is the longest tunnel in the world?
The longest railway tunnel is Switzerland’s 57 km Gotthard Base Tunnel; the longest tunnel of any kind is the 137 km Delaware Aqueduct in New York.
Which is the tallest statue in the world?
The Statue of Unity in Gujarat, India. At 182 metres it is about twice the height of the Statue of Liberty including its pedestal.
Which is the largest museum in the world?
The Louvre in Paris is the largest art museum by gallery space, while the Smithsonian Institution is the largest museum complex.
Which is the busiest train station in the world?
Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, which handled around 3.5 million passengers a day before the pandemic.
Which is the most expensive car ever sold?
A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, sold in 2022 for €135 million, about $143 million.
Which is the largest diamond ever found?
The Cullinan Diamond, a 3,106-carat gem found in South Africa in 1905. Its largest cut stones are part of the British Crown Jewels.
Which animal has the most legs?
A millipede called Eumillipes persephone, found in Western Australia, with up to 1,306 legs — the first known animal with more than 1,000.
Which animal has the largest heart?
The blue whale. Its heart weighs around 180 kg and can beat as slowly as two times a minute during a dive.
Which is the heaviest land animal?
The African bush elephant. Adult males typically weigh around 6 tonnes and can stand up to 4 metres at the shoulder.
Which is the smallest mammal?
The Etruscan shrew is the lightest, at about 2 grams, while the bumblebee bat is the smallest by body length, around 3 cm.
Which is the spiciest chilli in the world?
Pepper X, named the world’s hottest chilli by Guinness in 2023, with an average of about 2.69 million Scoville Heat Units.
Which is the largest peninsula in the world?
The Arabian Peninsula, covering about 3.2 million km² between the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf.
Which Is the Longest Venomous Snake in the World?
The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, reaching about 5.5 metres, with record specimens close to 5.7 metres.
Which Is the Smallest Fish in the World?
Paedocypris progenetica, a tiny carp from Indonesian peat swamps, can mature at just 7.9 millimetres long.
Which Is the Largest Frog in the World?
The goliath frog of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea is the largest frog, growing up to about 32 centimetres long and 3.3 kilograms.
Which Is the Largest Butterfly in the World?
Queen Alexandra's birdwing from Papua New Guinea is the largest butterfly, with females reaching a wingspan of up to about 28 centimetres.
Which Is the Largest Jellyfish in the World?
The lion's mane jellyfish is the largest, with a bell up to about 2 metres wide and tentacles that can exceed 30 metres.
Which Is the Largest Octopus in the World?
The giant Pacific octopus is the largest known octopus species, typically weighing around 15 kilograms with an arm span of up to about 4 metres.
Which Is the Largest Rodent in the World?
The capybara of South America is the largest living rodent, weighing 35 to 66 kilograms and measuring up to about 1.3 metres long.
Which Is the Largest Deer in the World?
The moose is the largest deer, with bulls standing up to about 2.1 metres at the shoulder and weighing up to around 700 kilograms.
Which Is the Smallest Wild Cat in the World?
The rusty-spotted cat of India, Sri Lanka and Nepal is the smallest wild cat, weighing just 0.9 to 1.6 kilograms.
Which Is the Tallest Dog Breed?
The Great Dane and the Irish Wolfhound are the tallest dog breeds, and Great Danes hold the record for the tallest dog ever measured.
Which Mammal Dives the Deepest?
Cuvier's beaked whale holds the mammal diving record, reaching a depth of 2,992 metres and staying underwater for more than three and a half hours.
Which Is the Smallest Flowering Plant in the World?
Wolffia, commonly called watermeal, is the smallest flowering plant, with individual plants less than about a millimetre across.
Which Plant Has the Largest Leaves?
The raffia palm Raffia regalis has the longest leaves of any plant, reaching up to about 25 metres long.
Which Is the Hottest Chili Pepper in the World?
Pepper X is officially the world's hottest chili pepper, averaging about 2.69 million Scoville Heat Units.
Which Is the Largest Fruit That Grows on Trees?
The jackfruit is the largest tree-borne fruit, sometimes weighing more than 40 kilograms and measuring up to about 90 centimetres long.
Which Is the Largest Known Star?
Red supergiants such as Stephenson 2-18 are among the largest known stars, with estimated radii around 2,000 times that of the Sun, though measurements are uncertain.
Which Is the Largest Asteroid?
Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt, about 940 kilometres across, and is classified as a dwarf planet.
Which Is the Largest Bay in the World?
The Bay of Bengal is the largest bay in the world, covering about 2.17 million square kilometres of the northeastern Indian Ocean.
Which Is the Most Expensive Painting Ever Sold?
Salvator Mundi, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, is the most expensive painting ever sold at auction, fetching $450.3 million in 2017.
Which Is the Best-Selling Album of All Time?
Michael Jackson's Thriller is the best-selling album of all time, with estimated worldwide sales of about 70 million copies.
Which Is the Best-Selling Single of All Time?
Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales of about 50 million copies.
Which Train Holds the World Speed Record?
Japan's L0 Series maglev holds the train speed record of 603 km/h, set on 21 April 2015.
Which Is the Longest Non-Stop Commercial Flight?
Singapore Airlines' service between Singapore and New York JFK is the longest regular non-stop flight, covering about 15,300 kilometres in roughly 18 to 19 hours.
Which Was the Largest Ship Ever Built?
The supertanker Seawise Giant, completed in 1979, was the longest ship ever built at 458.45 metres.
Which Aircraft Has the Largest Wingspan?
The Stratolaunch Roc has the largest wingspan of any aircraft ever flown, at about 117 metres.
Which Is the Largest Castle in the World?
Malbork Castle in Poland is the world's largest castle by land area, covering about 143,600 square metres.
Which Country Has the Most Tornadoes?
The United States has the most tornadoes of any country, averaging about 1,200 a year.
Which Is the Sunniest Place on Earth?
Yuma, Arizona, is recognised as the sunniest place on Earth, with the sun shining about 90 percent of daylight hours.
Which Was the Strongest Hurricane Ever Recorded?
Hurricane Patricia in 2015 was the strongest hurricane ever recorded by wind speed, with sustained winds of about 345 km/h.
Which Was the Longest Tennis Match Ever Played?
John Isner beat Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in 2010 in a match lasting 11 hours and 5 minutes, spread over three days.
Which Runner Holds the Men's Marathon World Record?
Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum holds the men's marathon world record of 2:00:35, set in Chicago on 8 October 2023.
Which Is the Fastest Man Ever Recorded?
Usain Bolt is the fastest man ever recorded, running 100 metres in 9.58 seconds in Berlin in 2009.
Which Is the Smallest Monkey in the World?
The pygmy marmoset of the western Amazon is the smallest monkey, weighing only about 100 to 120 grams.
Which Is the Largest Landlocked Country?
Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country, covering about 2.72 million square kilometres.
Which Is the Northernmost Capital City?
Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland, is the northernmost capital of a sovereign country, at about 64°08′ north.
Which Is the Heaviest Flying Bird?
The great bustard is usually considered the heaviest flying bird, with males sometimes weighing around 16 to 18 kilograms.
Which Is the Fastest Snake in the World?
The black mamba of sub-Saharan Africa is usually considered the fastest snake, reaching about 16 km/h or more in short bursts.
Which Spider Makes the Largest Webs?
Darwin's bark spider of Madagascar builds the largest known orb webs, with bridge lines up to about 25 metres long across rivers.
Which Is the Most Common Bird in the World?
The domestic chicken is the most common bird, with tens of billions alive at any time; among wild birds, the house sparrow was estimated in 2021 to be the most abundant.
Which Is the Largest Turtle in the World?
The leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle, with shells up to about 1.8 metres long and weights often exceeding 500 kilograms.
Whose Idea Was the Guinness Book of Records?
The Guinness Book of Records was the idea of Sir Hugh Beaver, managing director of the Guinness Brewery, and was compiled by twins Norris and Ross McWhirter.
Which is the largest gulf in the world?
The Gulf of Mexico is the world's largest gulf, covering about 1.6 million square kilometres.
Which mammal has the longest pregnancy?
Elephants have the longest pregnancy of any mammal: African elephants carry their calves for about 22 months.
Which is the most distant human-made object?
NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft, launched in 1977, is the most distant human-made object, now more than 25 billion km from Earth.
Which human-made object is the farthest from Earth?
Voyager 1 is the farthest human-made object from Earth. It has traveled farther than any other spacecraft, venturing into interstellar space.
Which spacecraft has traveled fastest relative to the Sun?
The Parker Solar Probe has reached the highest speed of any human-made object, exceeding 190 kilometers per second near perihelion. Its extreme speed comes from diving close to the Sun.
Which bird can fly the highest above sea level?
The Rüppell’s griffon vulture is considered the highest-flying bird, with a confirmed collision at about 11,300 meters (37,000 feet).
Which fungus has the largest fruiting body ever recorded?
Some bracket fungi can form enormous fruiting bodies, but the best-known record holders are not as precisely measured as trees. The largest examples can span several meters across.