Croatia

Continent: Europe
Capital: Zagreb
Language: Croatian
Population: 4,284,889 (2011 census)

History: Croatia is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic at the crossroads of Central Europe, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers 56,594 square kilometres (21,851 square miles) and has diverse, mostly continental and Mediterranean climates. Croatia’s Adriatic Sea coast contains more than a thousand islands. The country’s population is 4.28 million, most of whom are Croats, with the most common religious denomination being Roman Catholicism. The Croats arrived in the area of present-day Croatia during the early part of the 7th century. They organized the state into two duchies by the 9th century. Tomislav became the first king by 925 AD, elevating Croatia to the status of a kingdom. The Kingdom of Croatia retained its sovereignty for nearly two centuries, reaching its peak during the rule of Kings Peter Krešimir IV and Dmitar Zvonimir. Croatia entered a personal union with Hungary in 1102. In 1527, faced with Ottoman conquest the Croatian Parliament elected Ferdinand I of the House of Habsburg to the Croatian throne. In 1918, after World War I, Croatia was included in the short-lived State of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs which seceded from Austria–Hungary and merged into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. A fascist Croatian puppet state existed during World War II. After the war, Croatia became a founding member and a federal constituent of Second Yugoslavia, a socialist state. In June 1991, Croatia declared independence, which came into effect on 8 October of the same year. The Croatian War of Independence was fought successfully during the four years following the declaration.

I became obsessed with the travel section of stumbleupon and would often find Croatia as a place to go visit. Located next to Italy in Europe, Croatia always showed up on beautiful photography, and amazing places to go visit. Viewing these pictures, it’s no wonder! The waterfalls look amazing and the Adriatic Sea looks beautiful. The climate seems mild and warm, and I want to just dive into these waters! Someday!

Rio de Janeiro

City: Rio de Janeiro
Capital of: Brazil
Language: Portuguese
Continent: South America
Population: 6,323,037 (city)

History: The city of Rio de Janeiro proper was founded by the Portuguese on March 1, 1565 and was named São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, in honor of St. Sebastian, the saint who was the namesake and patron of the then Portuguese Monarch D. Sebastião. Rio de Janeiro was the name of Guanabara Bay. Until early in the 18th century, the city was threatened or invaded by several, mostly French, pirates and buccaneers, such as Jean-François Duclerc and René Duguay-Trouin. Rio de Janeiro is one of the most visited cities in the southern hemisphere and is known for its natural settings, carnival celebrations, samba, Bossa Nova, balneario beaches such as Barra da Tijuca, Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon. Some of the most famous landmarks in addition to the beaches include the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer (“Cristo Redentor”) atop Corcovado mountain, named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World; Sugarloaf mountain (Pão de Açúcar) with its cable car; the Sambódromo, a permanent grandstand-lined parade avenue which is used during Carnival; and Maracanã Stadium, one of the world’s largest football stadiums.

You might also remember the movie Rio that came out in 2011 about the little bird from Rio de Janeiro. If that animation and story wasn’t enough to make you want to go visit the city, then nothing will!

Venezuela

Continent: South America
Capital: Caracas
Language: Spanish
Population: 28,946,101 (2011 census)

History: Venezuela was colonized by Spain in 1522 despite resistance from indigenous peoples. It became one of the first Spanish American colonies to declare independence, but did not securely establish independence until 1821 (as a department of the federal republic of Gran Colombia, gaining full independence in 1830). During the 19th century Venezuela suffered political turmoil and dictatorship, and it was dominated by regional caudillos (military strongmen) well into the 20th century. The country has intermittently had democratic governments between 1945 and the present day; like most countries of Latin America, it has suffered some coups and military dictatorships. Economic shocks in the 1980s and 1990s led to a political crisis causing hundreds of deaths in the Caracazo riots of 1989, two attempted coups in 1992, and the impeachment of President Carlos Andres Perez or embezzlement of public funds in 1993. A collapse in confidence in the existing parties saw the 1998 election of former career officer Hugo Chávez, and the launch of the Bolivarian Revolution, beginning with a 1999 Constituent Assembly to write a new Constitution of Venezuela.

In The News: With the recent death of former leader, Hugo Chávez, Venezuela has been in the news quite a bit lately. As a country turned to socialism, many of Venezuela’s natural resources haven’t been properly utilized. Rich in petroleum, natural gas, and more, the citizens of Venezuela can get gasoline for what we can equate to around 4 cents/gallon. However, the country is in a state of turmoil with the death of Hugo Chávez. Elections are held by voting, however, the country is experiencing a great amount of corruption as democracy is attempted.

You can read more about the corruption of the political process going on, here.