• Country Codes & Abbreviations

    The 2-letter codes shown below are supplied by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization). It bases its list of country names and abbreviations on the list of names published by the United Nations. The UN also uses uses 3-letter codes, and numerical codes to identify nations, and those are shown below.

    A2  A3  NUM COUNTRY 
    AF AFG 4 AFGHANISTAN
    AL ALB 8 ALBANIA
    DZ DZA 12 ALGERIA
    AS ASM 16 AMERICAN SAMOA
    AD AND 20 ANDORRA
    AO AGO 24 ANGOLA
    AI AIA 660 ANGUILLA
    AQ ATA 10 ANTARCTICA
    AG ATG 28 ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
    AR ARG 32 ARGENTINA
    AM ARM 51 ARMENIA
    AW ABW 533 ARUBA
    AU AUS 36 AUSTRALIA
    AT AUT 40 AUSTRIA
    AZ AZE 31 AZERBAIJAN
    BS BHS 44 BAHAMAS
    BH BHR 48 BAHRAIN
    BD BGD 50 BANGLADESH
    BB BRB 52 BARBADOS
    BY BLR 112 BELARUS
    BE BEL 56 BELGIUM
    BZ BLZ 84 BELIZE
    BJ BEN 204 BENIN
    BM BMU 60 BERMUDA
    BT BTN 64 BHUTAN
    BO BOL 68 BOLIVIA
    BA BIH 70 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOWINA
    BW BWA 72 BOTSWANA
    BV BVT 74 BOUVET ISLAND
    BR BRA 76 BRAZIL
    IO IOT 86 BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY
    BN BRN 96 BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
    BG BGR 100 BULGARIA
    BF BFA 854 BURKINA FASO
    BI BDI 108 BURUNDI
    KH KHM 116 CAMBODIA
    CM CMR 120 CAMEROON
    CA CAN 124 CANADA
    CV CPV 132 CAPE VERDE
    KY CYM 136 CAYMAN ISLANDS
    CF CAF 140 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
    TD TCD 148 CHAD
    CL CHL 152 CHILE
    CN CHN 156 CHINA
    CX CXR 162 CHRISTMAS ISLAND
    CC CCK 166 COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS
    CO COL 170 COLOMBIA
    KM COM 174 COMOROS
    CG COG 178 CONGO
    CD COD 180 CONGO, THE DRC
    CK COK 184 COOK ISLANDS
    CR CRI 188 COSTA RICA
    CI CIV 384 COTE D’IVOIRE
    HR HRV 191 CROATIA (local name: Hrvatska)
    CU CUB 192 CUBA
    CY CYP 196 CYPRUS
    CZ CZE 203 CZECH REPUBLIC
    DK DNK 208 DENMARK
    DJ DJI 262 DJIBOUTI
    DM DMA 212 DOMINICA
    DO DOM 214 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
    TP TMP 626 EAST TIMOR
    EC ECU 218 ECUADOR
    EG EGY 818 EGYPT
    SV SLV 222 EL SALVADOR
    GQ GNQ 226 EQUATORIAL GUINEA
    ER ERI 232 ERITREA
    EE EST 233 ESTONIA
    ET ETH 231 ETHIOPIA
    FK FLK 238 FALKLAND ISLANDS (MALVINAS)
    FO FRO 234 FAROE ISLANDS
    FJ FJI 242 FIJI
    FI FIN 246 FINLAND
    FR FRA 250 FRANCE
    FX FXX 249 FRANCE, METROPOLITAN
    GF GUF 254 FRENCH GUIANA
    PF PYF 258 FRENCH POLYNESIA
    TF ATF 260 FRENCH SOUTHERN TERRITORIES
    GA GAB 266 GABON
    GM GMB 270 GAMBIA
    GE GEO 268 GEORGIA
    DE DEU 276 GERMANY
    GH GHA 288 GHANA
    GI GIB 292 GIBRALTAR
    GR GRC 300 GREECE
    GL GRL 304 GREENLAND
    GD GRD 308 GRENADA
    GP GLP 312 GUADELOUPE
    GU GUM 316 GUAM
    GT GTM 320 GUATEMALA
    GN GIN 324 GUINEA
    GW GNB 624 GUINEA-BISSAU
    GY GUY 328 GUYANA
    HT HTI 332 HAITI
    HM HMD 334 HEARD AND MC DONALD ISLANDS
    VA VAT 336 HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY STATE)
    HN HND 340 HONDURAS
    HK HKG 344 HONG KONG
    HU HUN 348 HUNGARY
    IS ISL 352 ICELAND
    IN IND 356 INDIA
    ID IDN 360 INDONESIA
    IR IRN 364 IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF)
    IQ IRQ 368 IRAQ
    IE IRL 372 IRELAND
    IL ISR 376 ISRAEL
    IT ITA 380 ITALY
    JM JAM 388 JAMAICA
    JP JPN 392 JAPAN
    JO JOR 400 JORDAN
    KZ KAZ 398 KAZAKHSTAN
    KE KEN 404 KENYA
    KI KIR 296 KIRIBATI
    KP PRK 408 KOREA, D.P.R.O.
    KR KOR 410 KOREA, REPUBLIC OF
    KW KWT 414 KUWAIT
    KG KGZ 417 KYRGYZSTAN
    LA LAO 418 LAOS
    LV LVA 428 LATVIA
    LB LBN 422 LEBANON
    LS LSO 426 LESOTHO
    LR LBR 430 LIBERIA
    LY LBY 434 LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA
    LI LIE 438 LIECHTENSTEIN
    LT LTU 440 LITHUANIA
    LU LUX 442 LUXEMBOURG
    MO MAC 446 MACAU
    MK MKD 807 MACEDONIA
    MG MDG 450 MADAGASCAR
    MW MWI 454 MALAWI
    MY MYS 458 MALAYSIA
    MV MDV 462 MALDIVES
    ML MLI 466 MALI
    MT MLT 470 MALTA
    MH MHL 584 MARSHALL ISLANDS
    MQ MTQ 474 MARTINIQUE
    MR MRT 478 MAURITANIA
    MU MUS 480 MAURITIUS
    YT MYT 175 MAYOTTE
    MX MEX 484 MEXICO
    FM FSM 583 MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF
    MD MDA 498 MOLDOVA, REPUBLIC OF
    MC MCO 492 MONACO
    MN MNG 496 MONGOLIA
    MS MSR 500 MONTSERRAT
    MA MAR 504 MOROCCO
    MZ MOZ 508 MOZAMBIQUE
    MM MMR 104 MYANMAR (Burma)
    NA NAM 516 NAMIBIA
    NR NRU 520 NAURU
    NP NPL 524 NEPAL
    NL NLD 528 NETHERLANDS
    AN ANT 530 NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
    NC NCL 540 NEW CALEDONIA
    NZ NZL 554 NEW ZEALAND
    NI NIC 558 NICARAGUA
    NE NER 562 NIGER
    NG NGA 566 NIGERIA
    NU NIU 570 NIUE
    NF NFK 574 NORFOLK ISLAND
    MP MNP 580 NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
    NO NOR 578 NORWAY
    OM OMN 512 OMAN
    PK PAK 586 PAKISTAN
    PW PLW 585 PALAU
    PA PAN 591 PANAMA
    PG PNG 598 PAPUA NEW GUINEA
    PY PRY 600 PARAGUAY
    PE PER 604 PERU
    PH PHL 608 PHILIPPINES
    PN PCN 612 PITCAIRN
    PL POL 616 POLAND
    PT PRT 620 PORTUGAL
    PR PRI 630 PUERTO RICO
    QA QAT 634 QATAR
    RE REU 638 REUNION
    RO ROM 642 ROMANIA
    RU RUS 643 RUSSIAN FEDERATION
    RW RWA 646 RWANDA
    KN KNA 659 SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
    LC LCA 662 SAINT LUCIA
    VC VCT 670 SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
    WS WSM 882 SAMOA
    SM SMR 674 SAN MARINO
    ST STP 678 SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE
    SA SAU 682 SAUDI ARABIA
    SN SEN 686 SENEGAL
    SC SYC 690 SEYCHELLES
    SL SLE 694 SIERRA LEONE
    SG SGP 702 SINGAPORE
    SK SVK 703 SLOVAKIA (Slovak Republic)
    SI SVN 705 SLOVENIA
    SB SLB 90 SOLOMON ISLANDS
    SO SOM 706 SOMALIA
    ZA ZAF 710 SOUTH AFRICA
    GS SGS 239 SOUTH GEORGIA AND SOUTH S.S.
    ES ESP 724 SPAIN
    LK LKA 144 SRI LANKA
    SH SHN 654 ST. HELENA
    PM SPM 666 ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON
    SD SDN 736 SUDAN
    SR SUR 740 SURINAME
    SJ SJM 744 SVALBARD AND JAN MAYEN ISLANDS
    SZ SWZ 748 SWAZILAND
    SE SWE 752 SWEDEN
    CH CHE 756 SWITZERLAND
    SY SYR 760 SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
    TW TWN 158 TAIWAN, PROVINCE OF CHINA
    TJ TJK 762 TAJIKISTAN
    TZ TZA 834 TANZANIA, UNITED REPUBLIC OF
    TH THA 764 THAILAND
    TG TGO 768 TOGO
    TK TKL 772 TOKELAU
    TO TON 776 TONGA
    TT TTO 780 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
    TN TUN 788 TUNISIA
    TR TUR 792 TURKEY
    TM TKM 795 TURKMENISTAN
    TC TCA 796 TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
    TV TUV 798 TUVALU
    UG UGA 800 UGANDA
    UA UKR 804 UKRAINE
    AE ARE 784 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
    GB GBR 826 UNITED KINGDOM
    US USA 840 UNITED STATES
    UM UMI 581 U.S. MINOR ISLANDS
    UY URY 858 URUGUAY
    UZ UZB 860 UZBEKISTAN
    VU VUT 548 VANUATU
    VE VEN 862 VENEZUELA
    VN VNM 704 VIET NAM
    VG VGB 92 VIRGIN ISLANDS (BRITISH)
    VI VIR 850 VIRGIN ISLANDS (U.S.)
    WF WLF 876 WALLIS AND FUTUNA ISLANDS
    EH ESH 732 WESTERN SAHARA
    YE YEM 887 YEMEN
    YU YUG 891 Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)
    ZM ZMB 894 ZAMBIA
    ZW ZWE 716 ZIMBABWE

    Source: World Atlas 2010

  • The Sun… Massive Energy Ball

    There’s an old joke that goes:

    An International gathering of world leaders in science met in Geneva to discuss their latest findings. Each nation took a turn sharing its latest developments. The leader of one nation stood before the group and declared that they had devised a spacecraft which would allow their astronauts to fly directly to the sun. He was met with boisterous laughter from the audience, to which he boldly replied, “I know what you’re thinking, but we have a plan. We’re going to fly the ship at night!” About everybody knows that you can’t fly directly to the sun, for several reasons, not the least of which is that you can’t even land there because there is no there to land on. The sun is a star, which is an enormous ball of burning gases. If you remember from your science lessons in school about the three states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) you remember that gases are not solids. In order to land and stand on any celestial body, it would need to be solid because we are solid. Oh yeah, for us to fly anywhere near the sun we would have to build a spacecraft that could withstand over 1,000,000 degrees Kelvin AND keep the people inside protected from not only the extreme heat, but the intense light and solar radiation. Human beings were built to withstand the intensity of the sun from the distance of earth, not any closer. Even at this distance, too much exposure to the sun can be dangerous. Besides, we don’t really need to fly to the sun to study it, we can make observations from afar (it’s much safer).

    The Source of the Sun's Tremendous Energy

    You would probably think of the sun as very old, as it is estimated that the “birth” of the sun happened 4.5 billion years ago. Things that grow old usually die, but 4.5 billion years is young for our sun. It is estimated that there is enough fuel in the interior of the sun to keep that lamp burning for about another five billion years, growing twice as bright as it is now. The source of the sun’s fuel is hydrogen and helium gases. Through a special chemical reaction, called nuclear fusion, the hydrogen gas is “burned” releasing an enormous amount of energy in the form of light and heat.
    Two isotopes of the element Hydrogen (tritium and deuterium) collide with each other under extreme heat in the interior of the sun. The two atoms smash into each other so hard that several things happen:

    1. Like cars smashing into each other in a high speed crash, the atoms lose pieces of themselves, atomic particles

    2. Unlike anything else we know of in the universe, however, an ENORMOUS amount of energy is released into the surrounding area, on the order of 450 times the amount of energy required for a fusion reaction to initiate (talk about a big return on your investment!)

    3. The atomic particles from the Hydrogen atoms that were released during the collision are fused together, forming an entirely new molecule called Helium

    Of course, there’s a LOT more than just two atoms smashing into each other in the center of the sun. There’s so many nuclear fusion reactions happening inside the sun at any given time that we don’t have a number big enough to count them! The light and heat energy travels from the core of the sun to its exterior (the photosphere) where we see it from earth (during the day). It takes a million years for the energy from a single nuclear fusion reaction in the center of the sun to reach the surface.
    The sun is so powerful we can harness the energy from it to make our lives easier – ever heard of solar energy (using the heat from the sun to heat the water for your house)? Now that you know a little more about the sun, solar energy has a different meaning. True solar energy comes from the nuclear fusion reactions of the sun’s interior. From the knowledge we have gained about about nuclear science we have developed of the Hydrogen bomb and nuclear energy.


  • ICEBERGS… All you should know

    The word iceberg comes from the Dutch word “ijsberg” which means “ice hill”. Iceberg is the mass of ice that has become detached, or calved, from the edge of an ice sheet or glacier and is floating on the ocean. They float because of more volume which makes them less dense than water and about one ninth of the total mass of a berg projects above the water. Greenland and other N Atlantic icebergs are usually peaked and irregular in shape; Antarctic icebergs are tabular, with flat tops and steep sides. Icebergs differ from other ocean ices: sea ice is formed directly from the freezing of ocean water; pack ice is tightly packed fragments of sea ice; ice floes are small, floating ice fragments that separate from pack ice; and fast ice is ice attached to a shore. The tallest iceberg measured ever was 168m seen in 1958 off Greenland. Smaller icebergs makes a particular sound while floating and hence they are called “growlers”. Every year about 10000-15000 icebergs are formed around the world! The process of ice formation is called carving and the most enthralling of all is that the air trapped in a fully formed iceberg may be about 3000 years old!

    How do icebergs form, and where do they go?
    Icebergs form when chunks of ice calve, or break off, from glaciers, ice shelves, or a larger iceberg. Icebergs travel with ocean currents, sometimes smashing up against the shore or getting caught in shallow waters.

    When an iceberg reaches warm waters, the new climate attacks it from all sides. On the iceberg surface, warm air melts snow and ice into pools called melt ponds that can trickle through the iceberg and widen cracks. At the same time, warm water laps at the iceberg edges, melting the ice and causing chunks of ice to break off. On the underside, warmer waters melt the iceberg from the bottom up.

    Why do scientists study icebergs?
    Climate scientists study icebergs as they break up for clues to the processes that cause ice shelf collapse. Scientists have noticed that the way icebergs break up when they reach warmer waters mirrors the disintegration of Antarctic ice shelves. By studying the factors that cause icebergs to break up, researchers hope to better understand the influences that lead to ice shelf breakup, and to better predict how ice shelves will respond to a warming climate.

    Oceanographers follow icebergs because the cold freshwater they contribute to the sea can influence currents and ocean circulation far away from their origins. Biologists study icebergs to find out how they influence ocean life.  As icebergs melt, they leak nutrients into the ocean around them. Recent studies have shown that the water surrounding icebergs teems with plankton, fish, and other sea life