200 Countries.
How many have you visited?

Japan is home to Kongō Gumi, founded in 578 AD and considered the world's oldest company. It has more vending machines per person than any other country, selling everything from hot ramen to fresh eggs.

Why go: Visit old temples, watch sumo wrestling, and stay in a traditional ryokan. Ride the bullet train and see the cherry blossoms in spring.

Iceland gets almost all of its electricity and heat from renewable sources. It has no standing army.

Why go: See the Northern Lights in winter and swim in geothermal pools. Drive the Ring Road past volcanoes, glaciers, and waterfalls.

In 1893, New Zealand became the first country to give women the right to vote. Baldwin Street in Dunedin is the world's steepest street.

Why go: See the fjords of Milford Sound and the glowworm caves at Waitomo. Learn about Māori culture, go bungee jumping, and visit Middle-earth filming locations.

Morocco's University of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 AD, is the world's oldest continuously operating university. The medina of Fez is the world's largest car-free urban area.

Why go: Walk the souks of Marrakech and sleep under the stars in the Sahara. Drink mint tea on a rooftop terrace and visit the blue city of Chefchaouen.

Peru grows over 3,000 varieties of potatoes. Archaeologists still debate the purpose of the Nazca Lines.

Why go: Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and take a boat on Lake Titicaca, often called the world's highest navigable lake. Visit the Amazon rainforest, which covers 60% of the country.

Norway has the world's longest road tunnel, at 24.5 km. Straightened out, its coastline would wrap around the equator twice.

Why go: Take a boat through UNESCO-listed fjords with thousand-foot waterfalls. See the midnight sun in summer or the Northern Lights from a husky sled in winter.

Bhutan absorbs more CO2 than it produces and measures success by Gross National Happiness rather than GDP.

Why go: Hike to the Tiger's Nest Monastery on its cliff face. See Buddhist traditions that are still part of daily life in the Himalayas.

Portugal produces half of the world's cork and is home to the world's oldest bookstore, Livraria Bertrand, opened in 1732.

Why go: Eat custard tarts from century-old bakeries and surf at Nazaré. See the tiled buildings of Lisbon's old neighborhoods and taste port wine in the cellars of Porto.