Going global

01 A Steep Climb

The longest escalator in the world can be found in Hong Kong. The “central mid-levels escalator” has a length of 2,624 feet (800 meters) and ascends more than 440 feet (135 meters). A trip to the top takes 20 minutes.

02 A High Flyer

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the U.S. state of Georgia handles 104.4 million passengers and around 900,000 takeoffs and landings (2016), making it the world’s largest aviation hub.

03 A Popular Saying

English might be spoken in 53 countries across the world, but Chinese has the most speakers, accounting for 18 percent of the world’s population.

04 A Vanishing Act

In 2015, 23.1 million items of luggage were reported missing following a flight. This is a relatively low rate given that there were 3.5 billion passengers in total—even if those affected might see things differently.

05 A Hot Affair

The Finns are the world’s most enthusiastic coffee drinkers: per capita consumption totals 26 pounds (12 kg) per year. This figure is comparatively low in the USA (9.25 lb/4.2 kg) and Germany (14.1 lb/6.4 kg).

06 A Hyggelig Home

The Norwegians have reason to rejoice: according to the United Nations’ World Happiness Report, Norway is home to the happiest people.

07 A Pot of Gold

Rome’s Fontana di Trevi is a major drawing card for tourists. Every day, they throw around €3,000 in the fountain—usually tossing the coins over their right shoulder. This is supposed to bring good luck.

08 A Popular Read

In France, there is a Victor Hugo Street in every single city. The French revere this 19th-century writer as the greatest author of them all.

09 A Price to Pay

In Stuttgart, travelling one kilometer by taxi costs between €1.90 and €2.40. In comparison, passengers in Paris pay between €1.05 and €1.27, and in New York, the equivalent of €1.56.

10 A Tasty Beverage

Why do so many airplane passengers drink tomato juice? Because your sense of taste runs amok in the air! The low air pressure at cruising altitude reduces the oxygen partial pressure in the lungs. This, in turn, reduces activity by the taste buds.

11 A Critical Curve

Windows in airplanes are usually round or oval in shape. Square windows led to crashes in the 1960s when planes first started flying higher. The pressure on the corners of the windows became so great that it made hairline cracks form, causing the window to shatter with time.

12 A Bombing Business

In 2015, companies in Germany spent €50.9 billion on business trips.