20 Common Travel Questions Which People Often Get Wrong

One thing I’ve noticed from years of global travel, is that there are many common travel questions which people don’t quite have the correct answers for.

If you think Dubai is your favourite country, or that Sydney is the capital city of Australia, then I’m afraid that’s not quite true.

Some of these travel myths are surprisingly widespread.

Here I’m going to debunk many incorrect travel “facts” which I’ve heard several times over the years, and share the reality below, so hopefully you can learn a thing or two from this post! Let’s start with a few non-existent countries.

Is Dubai a Country?

No, Dubai is both a city, and one of the 7 emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates, the country in which Dubai is in.

The 7 emirates are Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain.

Emirates are territories ruled by an emir, and in the case of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), these emirates combine to make one country.

Dubai is also the name of the capital city in the emirate of Dubai. It is not the capital of the UAE however. That is Abu Dhabi, a city which is also the capital of the Abu Dhabi Emirate.

Not confusing at all, right!?

Is Bali a Country?

Bali is not a country, it’s an island in the country of Indonesia.

Bali may be mistaken for a country due to its sheer popularity, and cultural differences compared to elsewhere in Indonesia.

Sometimes a brand becomes so big that it becomes the default term to describe something. For example, if you search for something online you may say “I will Google that”, even if you aren’t using Google.

In this case, the brand has become bigger than the action. Bali is similar in some ways.

Whilst my audience will predominantly be made up of intrepid travellers who know their Djiboutis from their Burundis and love adventurous experiences such as staying with nomads in rural Mongolia, the majority of people who visit Bali are the same types who work a standard 9-5 job and might spend a week or two in Greece or Spain during their summer holidays.

From their perspective, they may not know any more about Indonesia. Including the chaotic capital Jakarta, unique experiences on Komodo Island and whether it’s worth visiting Nusa Lembongan, a chilled spot which caters more to the holidaymaker demographic than the hardcore traveller.

Indonesia is a Muslim country, but Bali is overwhelmingly Hindu, with 87% of Balinese people following this religion. The province with the second-highest Hindu population is Central Kalimantan with under 6%, which just goes to show the religious disconnect between Bali and the rest of Indonesia.

Is Greenland a Country?

No, Greenland is not a country, it is part of Denmark.

Greenland has a devolved government, which means it sets the majority of its own laws (although Denmark still controls some aspects, including military and monetary policy).

Similarly to Easter Island (a Pacific island which is formally part of Chile), Greenland has little in common with Denmark culturally. It is more relatable to northern Canada, which also has a large Inuit population used to living in extreme cold weather at the coldest times of year.

Language is another area in which Greenland feels like a separate entity to Denmark, with Greenlandic being the official language, and Danish only being spoken by around 10% of the population.

Is Africa a Country?

No, Africa is a continent made up of 54 different countries. The countries can be divided into various regions with ethnic and cultural differences.

For example, North Africa refers to the countries along the Mediterranean coast (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt) and sometimes Sudan, which is just south of Egypt.

North African countries culturally have more in common with Middle Eastern nations such as Saudi Arabia or Syria than Sub-Saharan Africa (pretty much all of Africa that isn’t categorised as “North Africa”).

North African nations are also 97% Muslim, whereas Southern Africa is 80% Christian.

The Southern African countries (South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe) have about as much in common with North Africa as with the 7 amazing Central American countries. In other words, not much at all.

Africa is one of the most diverse continents on the planet.

Is Holland a Country?

No, Holland is a region in the Netherlands. It is not a country, and referring to the Netherlands as “Holland” is incorrect.

There are 12 provinces in the Netherlands, including two along the coast called North Holland and South Holland.

Collectively, these two provinces, which include the capital Amsterdam, make up the region of Holland.

Rotterdam and The Hague are the Netherlands’ second and third-largest cities, and they are also located in Holland which makes this by far the most important region of the Netherlands, perhaps explaining some of the confusion.

Are the Pyramids a Wonder of the World?

The Pyramids of Giza are not one of the current New Seven Wonders of the World. However they are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence today.

The current Seven World Wonders are the Taj Mahal (India), Great Wall of China (China), Petra (Jordan), the Colosseum (Italy), Machu Picchu (Peru), Christ the Redeemer (Brazil) and Chichen Itza (Mexico).

Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, earthquakes destroyed the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (Turkey), the Colossus of Rhodes (Greece) and the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Egypt).

The Statue of Zeus at Olympia (Greece) was destroyed in unknown circumstances, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (Turkey) was burned down and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Iraq) may never have existed to begin with.

The Pyramids stand strong today however, and I would strongly recommend visiting them, as they are one of the most impressive places I’ve seen on my travels.

Is the UK the Same as Great Britain?

The United Kingdom (UK) is not the same as Great Britain. Great Britain is the large island which consists of England, Scotland and Wales. The UK is made up of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is on the separate island of Ireland, alongside the Republic of Ireland, an independent country which isn’t part of the UK.

The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland and several smaller islands including the Isle of Man.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are run by devolved governments, although they are officially part of the UK. The devolved governments are in charge of local issues, whilst the main UK government in Westminster covers national affairs including defence and foreign policy.

Is the Sahara Desert the Largest Desert in the World?

No, the Sahara Desert is only the 3rd-largest desert in the world behind the Arctic and Antarctica.

It is however the world’s largest hot desert at 3.5 million square miles in size, which makes it 3.5 times larger than the next largest, the Arabian Desert.

People often believe that a desert just means a large hot area full of sand. This is not accurate. A desert is anywhere with less than 25cm of precipitation in a year.

Is Israel in Europe?

No, Israel is a country in Asia. It is often mistaken for a European country due to its participation in European competitions such as the Eurovision Song Contest and UEFA football competitions.

Israel aligns strongly with Europe for several reasons.

Firstly, Israel has a lot more cultural similarities with European countries than Middle Eastern nations, along with a large Israeli-European population.

Secondly, Israel has poor relations with many Arab nations due to a series of conflicts since it was first created in 1948. This includes many clashes with Palestine, of which there have been several since the election of Hamas in the Gaza Strip back in 2007.

Is Vatican City in Italy?

No, Vatican City has been independent from Italy since the 1929 Lateran Treaty which recognised the Vatican’s right to sovereignty.

Vatican City was once part of a much larger entity known as the Papal States. These states were merged into Italy through either treaties or war, and the Italians eventually agreed to give the Vatican its own territory.

The two countries have coexisted peacefully ever since, and the Vatican is currently the world’s smallest country, which can be traversed by foot in just 20 minutes.

Is Monaco Part of France?

No, Monaco is an independent country surrounded by France and the Mediterranean Coast.

Monaco is often confused for a French city, mostly due to its miniscule size (it is the second-smallest country in the world after Vatican City), and the fact that Monaco’s well-known football team plays in France.

The country is run by a monarchy, and has good relations with France who have agreed that they will respect Monaco’s right to independence, even if there are no remaining heirs from the House of Grimaldi, who are the ruling dynasty in this microstate.

Is Rio de Janeiro the Capital of Brazil?

No, Brasilia is the current capital of Brazil, taking this title from Rio de Janeiro in 1960.

The Brazilian government at the time were concerned about Rio’s coastal position potentially leaving it vulnerable to attacks, and decided to move the capital inland.

Rio de Janeiro remains Brazil’s most popular city for tourists, and is the second-biggest by population.

With famous spots such as Copacabana Beach, and Christ the Redeemer, Rio is by far the most recognisable city in the country, whereas Brasilia doesn’t have the same appeal which makes it easy to mistake Rio for the capital still.

Is Sydney the Capital of Australia?

No, the capital of Australia is Canberra. Sydney has never been Australia’s capital.

Sydney and Melbourne both wanted capital city status, and Canberra was eventually picked because it lies almost halfway between the two cities and was chosen as a compromise.

Canberra has been the capital since 1913, when it replaced Melbourne.

Melbourne remains the capital city of the state of Victoria, whilst Sydney is the capital of New South Wales. Canberra is in New South Wales, and is the national capital but not the state capital.

Is Istanbul the Capital of Turkey?

No, the capital of Turkey (now officially Türkiye) is Ankara. It was moved from Istanbul in 1923 when the Ottoman Empire was replaced by Turkey.

Turkish founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk moved the capital due to Istanbul’s vulnerability to attack.

Istanbul remains the most popular city in Turkey today which isn’t surprising given the number of historical and cultural places worth visiting in the city.

The capital was never moved back as Istanbul was symbolically seen as the capital of the Ottoman Empire, whereas Ankara represented modern Turkey instead.

Is La Paz the Capital of Bolivia?

No, La Paz is the the Bolivian seat of government, whereas the official capital city is Sucre.

This is a confusing one as Sucre is the constitutional capital, and therefore the “official” one, whereas La Paz is home to the president and Bolivia’s major political institutions.

On a side note, La Paz is an amazing city with a lot to see and do, it’s one of my favourites in Latin America!

La Paz is home to unique traditions including the Witches Market where all sorts of trinkets and traditional medicines are sold. You can also see Cholitas Wrestling, a form of wrestling between middle-aged indigineous women which definitely isn’t something you see every day.

Bolivia is a fantastic country, especially if you get the opportunity to visit Salar de Uyuni. I wrote all about the best time to visit the Bolivian salt flats. And it’s something I highly recommend doing.

It is also the cheapest country in Latin America from my own experiences visiting almost every nation in the region.

Is Belize City the Capital of Belize?

No, the capital of Belize is Belmopan. Belize City used to be the capital, but was destroyed by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. Belmopan was built inland and became the capital in 1970, allowing the government to settle in a location that wasn’t so vulnerable to natural disasters.

Belize City has since been rebuilt, but it is no longer the capital. Instead it is mostly a transit hub, which is home to the country’s largest airport, buses to other parts of Belize and Mexico or Guatemala, and boats out to the islands which Belize is most famous for.

Is Yangon the Capital of Myanmar?

No, the capital of Myanmar was moved from Yangon to Naypyidaw in 2006. This is due to the ruling military junta having concerns over Yangon’s coastal position which made it vulnerable to natural disasters and possible invasions.

Yangon feels much more like a capital city. It has several interesting attractions including Shwedagon Pagoda, the country’s most important Buddhist site.

Myanmar is safe to visit with the right precautions and I’d say it’s one of the most interesting countries in Southeast Asia.

Naypyidaw on the other hand is more like a ghost city. It was purpose-built with the sole intention of becoming the capital, and has few residents.

It’s the 3rd-largest capital in the world, at 7,054 square kilometers in size, making it smaller than only Beijing and Ankara. Yet only 900,000 people live there. For context, Tokyo is over 3 times smaller than Naypyidaw, with over 15 times the population.

Is Western Sahara a Country?

No, Western Sahara is not recognised as a country. It is claimed by both Morocco and the Polisario Front, whose primary aim is for the territory to be recognised as an independent nation.

In practice, Morocco controls around 70% of Western Sahara including almost all coastal areas, whereas the Polisario Front control the other 30%, mostly along the Mauritania border.

It is highly unlikely that Western Sahara will be recognised as independent any time soon. It would need Morocco to agree to this, which is not a likely scenario.

Is Somaliland a Country?

No, Somaliland is part of Somalia, although it has its own separate government, currency and borders.

Somaliland operates as an independent country would. However it is not officially recognised by any other nation.

This is mostly for political reasons. Countries believe that if they recognise Somaliland without Somalia formally confirming a split into two nations, it will open the door for other disputed territories to claim independence and potentially lead to conflict.

For example, Transnistria would have a case for claiming independence from Moldova and citing the Somaliland situation as justification. Likewise Catalonia from Spain. Likewise many other territories across the world.

Established countries do not wish to open this can of worms and therefore will not recognise Somaliland unless Somalia chooses to do so.