The letter M is the 13th letter of the English alphabet and has a long and rich history. It is related to the Semitic mem and the Greek mu, and some experts think it might have originated from a sign that represented waves on the water. There are 18 countries in the world that start with the letter M, but in this article, we will focus on the top 10 based on their population, area, and GDP. These countries are:
- Mexico
- Myanmar
- Morocco
- Malaysia
- Mozambique
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mongolia
We will explore some interesting facts and features about each of these countries, such as their culture, cuisine, geography, history, and tourism. We will also provide some useful links and resources for further reading. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of these fascinating countries that start with M and hopefully be inspired to visit them someday.
Mexico
Mexico is the most populous country that starts with M, with over 128 million people. It is also the 13th largest country in the world by area, covering almost 2 million square kilometers. Mexico has a diverse and rich culture, influenced by its indigenous, European, African, and Asian heritage. It is known for its colorful festivals, such as the Day of the Dead, its delicious cuisine, such as tacos and mole, its vibrant art and music, such as Frida Kahlo and mariachi, and its ancient civilizations, such as the Maya and the Aztec.
Mexico is also a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors every year. Some of the most famous attractions include:
- The Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
- The Teotihuacan, an ancient city with impressive pyramids and temples.
- Cancun, a resort city with beautiful beaches and nightlife.
- Mexico City, the capital and largest city with many museums, monuments, and parks
Myanmar
Myanmar is the second most populous country that starts with M, with over 54 million people. It is also the 39th largest country in the world by area, covering over 650 thousand square kilometers. Myanmar has a diverse and complex culture, influenced by its neighboring countries of China, India, Thailand, and Bangladesh. It is known for its Buddhist traditions, such as meditation and pagodas, its ethnic diversity, with over 135 recognized groups, its natural beauty, such as lakes and mountains, and its political history, such as its struggle for democracy and human rights.
Myanmar is also an emerging tourist destination, attracting more visitors every year. Some of the most famous attractions include:
- The Bagan, an ancient city with over 2 thousand temples and pagodas
- The Inle Lake, a large freshwater lake with floating villages and gardens
- The Mandalay, the second-largest city and cultural center of Myanmar
- The Yangon, the former capital and largest city with colonial buildings and markets
Morocco
Morocco is the third most populous country that starts with M, with over 36 million people. It is also the 58th largest country in the world by area, covering over 446 thousand square kilometers. Morocco has a diverse and rich culture, influenced by its Arab, Berber, African, and European heritage. It is known for its colorful markets, such as the souks, its exotic cuisine, such as couscous and tagine, its stunning architecture, such as mosques and palaces, and its literary and artistic achievements, such as Nobel laureate Tahar Ben Jelloun and painter Hassan El Glaoui.
Morocco is also a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors every year. Some of the most famous attractions include:
- The Marrakesh, a historic city with a lively medina and a famous square
- The Casablanca, a modern city with a romantic vibe and a classic movie
- The Chefchaouen, a picturesque town with blue-painted buildings and mountains
- The Sahara Desert, a vast and majestic landscape with sand dunes and camels
Malaysia
Malaysia is the fourth most populous country that starts with M, with over 32 million people. It is also the 66th largest country in the world by area, covering over 330 thousand square kilometers. Malaysia has a diverse and complex culture, influenced by its Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous heritage. It is known for its multiculturalism, such as its religious tolerance and festivals, its delicious cuisine, such as nasi lemak and satay, its natural beauty, such as rainforests and islands, and its economic development, such as its skyscrapers and infrastructure.
Malaysia is also a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors every year. Some of the most famous attractions include:
- Kuala Lumpur, the capital and largest city with iconic landmarks such as the Petronas Twin Towers
- Penang is an island state with a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a food paradise
- The Langkawi, an archipelago of 99 islands with beaches and wildlife
- The Borneo, a large island shared with Indonesia and Brunei with jungles and orangutans
Mozambique
Mozambique is the fifth most populous country that starts with M, with over 31 million people. It is also the 35th largest country in the world by area, covering over 800 thousand square kilometers. Mozambique has a diverse and rich culture, influenced by its Bantu, Swahili, Portuguese, and Arab heritage. It is known for its musical traditions, such as marrabenta and timbila, its spicy cuisine, such as peri-peri and matapa, its scenic coastline, such as the Bazaruto Archipelago and the Quirimbas Islands, and its wildlife conservation, such as the Gorongosa National Park and the Niassa Reserve.
Mozambique is also an emerging tourist destination, attracting more visitors every year. Some of the most famous attractions include:
Madagascar
Madagascar is the sixth most populous country that starts with M, with over 27 million people. It is also the 47th largest country in the world by area, covering over 580 thousand square kilometers. Madagascar has a unique and diverse culture, influenced by its Austronesian, African, Indian, and French heritage. It is known for its endemic flora and fauna, such as lemurs and baobabs, its traditional music and dance, such as salegy and hira gasy, its varied cuisine, such as romazava and ravitoto, and its political history, such as its independence and coups.
Madagascar is also a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors every year. Some of the most famous attractions include:
- Antananarivo, the capital and largest city with historical landmarks and markets
- The Isalo National Park, a stunning park with canyons and waterfalls
- The Nosy Be, an island with beaches and resorts
- The Avenue of the Baobabs, a scenic road with giant trees
Malawi
Malawi is the seventh most populous country that starts with M, with over 19 million people. It is also the 98th largest country in the world by area, covering over 118 thousand square kilometers. Malawi has a diverse and rich culture, influenced by its Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, and Yao heritage. It is known for its friendly and hospitable people, its lively music and dance, such as malipenga and gule wamkulu, its tasty cuisine, such as nsima and chambo, and its social issues, such as poverty and HIV/AIDS.
Malawi is also an emerging tourist destination, attracting more visitors every year. Some of the most famous attractions include:
- The Lake Malawi, a large freshwater lake shared with Mozambique and Tanzania
- The Liwonde National Park, a wildlife park with elephants and hippos
- The Zomba Plateau, a scenic plateau with forests and waterfalls
- The Blantyre, the commercial and cultural capital of Malawi
Mali
Mali is the eighth most populous country that starts with M, with over 19 million people. It is also the 24th largest country in the world by area, covering over 1.2 million square kilometers. Mali has a diverse and rich culture, influenced by its Mandinka, Bambara, Songhai, and Tuareg heritage. It is known for its musical traditions, such as kora and ngoni, its historical empires, such as Ghana and Mali, its artistic achievements, such as the Great Mosque of Djenne and the manuscripts of Timbuktu, and its political instability, such as coups and conflicts.
Mali is also an emerging tourist destination, attracting more visitors every year. Some of the most famous attractions include:
- The Timbuktu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a legendary city
- The Djenne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an ancient city
- The Dogon Country, a cultural region with unique villages and rituals
- The Bandiagara Escarpment, a natural wonder with cliffs and caves
Mauritania
Mauritania is the ninth most populous country that starts with M, with over 4 million people. It is also the 29th largest country in the world by area, covering over 1 million square kilometers. Mauritania has a diverse and rich culture, influenced by its Moorish, Berber, Wolof, and Fulani heritage. It is known for its nomadic lifestyle, its iron ore production, its desert landscape, such as the Eye of Africa and the Richat Structure, and its human rights issues, such as slavery and discrimination.
Mauritania is also an emerging tourist destination, attracting more visitors every year. Some of the most famous attractions include:
- The Nouakchott, the capital and largest city with markets and mosques
- The Chinguetti, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a medieval city
- The Banc d’Arguin National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a bird sanctuary
- The Adrar Plateau, a scenic plateau with oases and sand dunes
Mongolia
Mongolia is the tenth most populous country that starts with M, with over 3 million people. It is also the 18th largest country in the world by area, covering over 1.5 million square kilometers. Mongolia has a unique and diverse culture, influenced by its Mongol, Turkic, Tibetan, and Chinese heritage. It is known for its nomadic lifestyle, its horse culture, its traditional music and dance, such as morin khuur and bilge, its hearty cuisine, such as buuz and khorkhog, and its historical figures, such as Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan.
Mongolia is also a popular tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors every year. Some of the most famous attractions include:
- Ulaanbaatar, the capital and largest city with museums and temples
- The Gobi Desert, a vast and diverse desert with camels and fossils
- The Khuvsgul Lake, a large and pristine lake with yurts and reindeer
- The Orkhon Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a cultural landscape
Conclusion
In this article, we have explored the top 10 countries that start with M based on their population, area, and GDP. We have learned some interesting facts and features about each of these countries, such as their culture, cuisine, geography, history, and tourism. We have also provided some useful links and resources for further reading.
10 Most Asking Questions and Answers
Here are some of the most asking questions and answers about the countries that start with M:
Q: Which country that starts with M has the highest GDP per capita?
A: According to the World Bank data for 2020, the country that starts with M that has the highest GDP per capita is Malaysia, with $10,942.
Q: Which country that starts with M has the lowest population density?
A: According to the World Bank data for 2020, the country that starts with M that has the lowest population density is Mongolia, with 2 people per square kilometer.
Q: Which country that starts with M has the most languages spoken?
A: According to the Ethnologue data for 2021, the country that starts with M that has the most languages spoken is Mexico, with 290 languages.
Q: Which country that starts with M has the longest coastline?
A: According to the CIA World Factbook data for 2021, the country that starts with M that has the longest coastline is Madagascar, with 4,828 kilometers.
Q: Which country that starts with M has the oldest civilization?
A: According to the UNESCO data for 2021, the country that starts with M that has the oldest civilization is Mali, with the ancient city of Djenne-Djenno dating back to 250 BC.
Q: Which country that starts with M has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites?
A: According to the UNESCO data for 2021, the country that starts with M that has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites is Mexico, with 35 sites.
Q: Which country that starts with M has the most biodiversity?
A: According to the Conservation International data for 2021, the country that starts with M that has the most biodiversity is Madagascar, with over 90% of its wildlife being endemic.
Q: Which country that starts with M has the best food?
A: This is a subjective question that depends on personal taste and preference. However, some of the countries that start with M that are known for their delicious cuisine are Mexico, Morocco, Malaysia, and Mauritania.
Q: Which country that starts with M has the best music?
A: This is also a subjective question that depends on personal taste and preference. However, some of the countries that start with M that are known for their musical traditions are Mali, Mozambique, Mongolia, and Malawi.
Q: Which country that starts with M is the best to visit?
A: This is another subjective question that depends on personal interest and budget. However, some of the countries that start with M that are popular tourist destinations are Mexico, Myanmar, Morocco, and Malaysia.