3 HIDDEN COUNTRIES (You've Never Heard Of!)

Summary

In this video, Drewbinski explores three lesser-known countries: Tuvalu, a tiny island nation in the Pacific with a unique airport-turned-playground; Comoros, an African island nation with a rich blend of cultures and stunning beaches; and Djibouti, a strategically important country in the Horn of Africa with a high cost of living and a strong military presence. Each country offers a distinct experience, from the community spirit of Tuvalu to the cultural diversity of Comoros and the intriguing mix of security and luxury in Djibouti.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Drewbinski introduces three lesser-known countries: Tuvalu, Comoros, and Djibouti.
• 🏝️ Tuvalu, located in the South Pacific, is the world's fourth smallest country with a population of under 10,000.
• 🌅 Tuvalu's airport runway doubles as a communal playground in the evenings, hosting various sports and activities.
• 🌊 Tuvalu faces the threat of climate change, with rising sea levels encroaching on the island's land.
• 🌏 Comoros is situated off the southeastern coast of Africa and is the 170th smallest country in the world.
• 🏞️ Comoros is known for its diverse culture, influenced by East African, Arabic, and French elements.
• 🏖️ The country boasts stunning beaches and a relaxed, laid-back lifestyle, making it an ideal place for relaxation.
• 🌋 Mount Karthala, one of the world's most active volcanoes, is located in Comoros.
• 🏭 Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, is a small country with a strong French influence and a high level of security.
• 💵 Djibouti is one of the most expensive countries in the world, with a significant presence of foreign military bases.
• 🛃 The country's high security and cost of living are attributed to the presence of foreign military bases and rapid urbanization.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Drewbinski's video?

The main topic of Drewbinski's video is about introducing three lesser-known countries: Tuvalu, Comoros, and Djibouti.

How many people live in Tuvalu according to the video?

According to the video, Tuvalu has a population of less than 10,000 people.

What is unique about the airport runway in Tuvalu?

The unique aspect of the airport runway in Tuvalu is that it turns into a massive playground every evening where locals play various sports, including an invented sport called 'piano'.

What environmental challenge is Tuvalu facing as mentioned in the video?

Tuvalu is facing the environmental challenge of rising sea levels, which threatens to submerge the country and its airport runway.

What is the significance of the flag of Comoros?

The flag of Comoros is divided into four colors representing the four main islands: Moheli (yellow), Mayotte (white), Anjouan (red), and Grande Comore (blue), with green symbolizing Islam.

What are some of the languages spoken in Comoros?

In Comoros, people speak French, Shikomoro, and Arabic, with French being widely spoken due to the country's colonization by France.

Why is the lifestyle in Comoros described as slow-paced?

The lifestyle in Comoros is described as slow-paced because of the relaxed and laid-back nature of the people and the overall atmosphere of the country.

What is the main religion in Comoros?

The main religion in Comoros is Islam, with roughly 99% of the local population practicing it.

Why is Djibouti considered an important country despite its small size?

Djibouti is considered important because it's located on one of the world's most strategic waterways, the Red Sea, and hosts foreign military bases from countries like the U.S., France, Italy, Japan, and China.

What is the reason behind the high security and prices in Djibouti?

The high security and prices in Djibouti are due to its status as a hub for foreign military bases and rapid urbanization, which have caused the cost of living to increase significantly.

What is Drewbinski's personal experience of Djibouti's cost of living?

Drewbinski found Djibouti to be the most expensive country he has visited in Africa and among the top five most expensive in the world, spending a significant amount in a short period without any luxury spending.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Exploring Tuvalu: The Tiny Island Nation

In the first paragraph, Drewbinski introduces viewers to the remote island country of Tuvalu in the South Pacific. Despite being the world's fourth smallest sovereign nation with less than 10,000 people, Tuvalu holds voting power in the United Nations. Drewbinski highlights the country's unique charm, including its only prison with an open gate, the main road's deserted nature, and the transformation of the airport runway into a lively playground after 5 p.m. He also discusses the country's vulnerability to rising sea levels, which threatens to submerge the island and displace its inhabitants. Drewbinski concludes by expressing his admiration for Tuvalu's beauty and the kindness of its people, and his hope to return someday.

05:01

🏝️ Discovering Comoros: The Hidden Gem of Africa

The second paragraph takes viewers to the African island nation of Comoros, located off the southeastern coast of Africa. Drewbinski describes Comoros as a small country with a population of 820,000 people of mixed ethnicities, known as Comorans. He notes the country's unique culture, influenced by East African, Arabic, and French elements, and the locals' fluency in at least three languages: French, Shikomoro, and Arabic. Drewbinski explores the local cuisine, markets, and the capital city of Moroni, emphasizing the country's affordability, natural beauty, including beaches, mountains, and a salt lake, and the laid-back lifestyle. He also mentions the difficulty of reaching Comoros due to limited and expensive flights, but highly recommends it as a destination for unique experiences.

10:03

🏖️ Djibouti: A Strategic Crossroads with a High Price Tag

In the final paragraph, Drewbinski shifts focus to Djibouti, a small country in the Horn of Africa. He describes his initial impressions of the country, noting the strong French influence in its language, architecture, and culture. Despite not being a typical tourist destination, Djibouti has intense security measures and is one of the most expensive countries in Africa. Drewbinski discusses the presence of foreign military bases from various nations, which has contributed to the high cost of living. He reflects on the contrast between the country's strategic importance and the poverty experienced by many of its residents, concluding that Djibouti is a fascinating and complex country that warrants further exploration.

Keywords

💡Tuvalu

Tuvalu is a small island country in the South Pacific, known for its low population and susceptibility to rising sea levels. In the video, Drewbinski highlights Tuvalu's unique culture, such as the airport runway that transforms into a playground for local sports and the invented sport 'piano.' The country's vulnerability to climate change is underscored by Drewbinski's visit during a high tide, illustrating the pressing environmental issues faced by Tuvalu.

💡Comoros

Comoros, also known as the Comoros Islands, is an archipelago off the southeast coast of Africa. Drewbinski introduces Comoros as a lesser-known destination with a rich cultural blend of East African, Arabic, and French influences. The video showcases the country's flag, which symbolizes the different islands and their predominant religion, Islam. Drewbinski's experience in Comoros emphasizes the local language, cuisine, and the traditional face paint known as 'kofia.'

💡Djibouti

Djibouti is a country located in the Horn of Africa, known for its strategic location along the Red Sea. The video script describes Djibouti as a country with a strong French influence, evident in its language, cuisine, and colonial architecture. Drewbinski notes the high security and cost of living, which he attributes to the presence of foreign military bases and rapid urbanization. Despite these challenges, Djibouti is portrayed as a country of interest due to its unique geopolitical situation.

💡Climate Change

Climate change is a significant theme in the video, particularly in relation to Tuvalu. Drewbinski discusses the effects of rising sea levels on the island nation, where high tides can flood the airport runway and threaten the country's existence. This keyword is crucial for understanding the environmental challenges faced by small island states and the urgency of global climate action.

💡Cultural Diversity

Cultural diversity is a key concept in the video, as Drewbinski explores the unique blend of cultures in each country. In Tuvalu, the invented sport 'piano' and the communal use of the airport runway for sports reflect the island's distinct culture. In Comoros, the traditional face paint 'kofia' and the country's flag represent the fusion of East African, Arabic, and French influences. Djibouti's French influence is evident in its language and architecture, highlighting the cultural diversity within each country.

💡Sovereignty

Sovereignty is mentioned in the context of Tuvalu being a real sovereign country with voting power in the United Nations, despite its small size and population. This keyword is important for understanding the political status and international recognition of small nations like Tuvalu, which, despite their size, have the same rights and responsibilities as larger countries.

💡Playground

The term 'playground' is used to describe the airport runway in Tuvalu, which becomes a communal space for sports and recreation in the evening. This keyword illustrates the resourcefulness and community spirit of Tuvaluans, turning a functional space into a hub for social interaction and physical activity.

💡Piano (Sport)

Piano is a sport unique to Tuvalu, mentioned in the video as an example of the country's cultural distinctiveness. The sport's inclusion in the video script highlights the creativity and unique traditions of Tuvalu, showcasing how local communities develop their own forms of entertainment and physical activity.

💡Kofia

Kofia refers to the traditional face paint worn by women in Comoros, as described by Drewbinski during his visit. This keyword is significant for understanding the cultural practices and aesthetic expressions of the Comorian people, offering a glimpse into their customs and traditions.

💡Foreign Military Bases

Foreign military bases are a notable feature of Djibouti, as mentioned by Drewbinski, with the presence of military facilities from countries like the U.S., France, Italy, Japan, and China. This keyword is crucial for understanding the geopolitical importance of Djibouti and the reasons behind its high security and cost of living.

💡Extreme Poverty

Extreme poverty is mentioned in the context of Djibouti, where a quarter of the population lives in such conditions despite the presence of foreign military bases and high costs of living. This keyword is important for understanding the economic disparities and social challenges within the country, highlighting the contrast between the military presence and local living conditions.

Highlights

Introduction to the video about three lesser-known countries.

Tuvalu, a South Pacific island nation, is the world's fourth smallest country.

Tuvalu has a population of less than 10,000 people and is a sovereign nation with voting power in the UN.

The country's only prison has an open front gate during the daytime, indicating a low crime rate.

Tuvalu's airport runway transforms into a playground every evening, hosting various sports.

A unique sport called 'piano' is played only in Tuvalu.

Tuvalu faces the threat of rising sea levels, which could submerge the island in the coming decades.

The video creator witnesses king tides that flood the airport runway during his visit.

Tuvalu is described as a place with kind-hearted people and a unique, magical airport playground.

Comoros, off the southeastern coast of Africa, is introduced as the second country.

Comoros has no ATMs and requires cash exchange at banks, reflecting its small size and limited infrastructure.

The country's flag represents the different islands and the majority Islamic religion.

Comoros has a population of 820,000 with a mix of East African, Arabic, and French features.

The local cuisine, including a dish called 'pilau,' is highlighted.

Mount Karthala, the biggest active volcano in the world, is located in Comoros.

The capital city, Moroni, is described as charming with colonial architecture and vibrant markets.

Djibouti, the third country, is located in the Horn of Africa and is known for its foreign military bases.

Djibouti is one of the most expensive countries in the world due to the presence of foreign military bases.

The video creator experiences intense security measures throughout Djibouti.

Djibouti is described as the most interesting country in Africa despite its high security and cost of living.

The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to share their knowledge of these countries.

Transcripts

what's up guys drewbinski here i hope

you're all doing well and staying safe

in today's video i'm going to tell you

about three countries that you've

probably never heard of before and

that's because the world has 197

countries and all of them are beautiful

in one way or another so with that being

said we're gonna start in the south

pacific islands with the country of

tuvalu

one two three

[Music]

another day another country in the

pacific islands that i'm lucky to visit

this one though might be the most

unknown of them all tuvalu i surveyed 29

000 people on instagram and 71

said they had never heard of tuvalu

that's pretty absurd considering that

they're a real sovereign country with

voting power in the u.n

the name itself makes me curious

but an american would say tuvalu it's

like to the loo like you know once i was

like dude that sounds like

it's the world's fourth smallest country

with less than 10 000 people

just pretty much chill only the vatican

monaco and nauru are smaller this is the

only prison here in tuvalu the front

gate is not even closed during the

daytime there isn't much happening i'm

walking down the main road here and

there is nobody around and it's always

really hot

but around 5 p.m every evening as the

sun starts to set you will not believe

what happens

the airport runway turns into a massive

playground and the entire country is

invited soccer volleyball basketball

rugby running and even their own

invented sport this sport is called

piano it's 12 sport and it's only played

here do you play here every day yeah

every day

oh yeah every night

what happens if there's a plane takes an

emergency landing what happens oh

usually they'll have a siren for it and

is there a reason why they play here i

think it's because it's the only big

large space that we have on the island

so here's the island and here's the

runway it takes up the entire length i'm

standing right now exactly where our

plane arrived just a few hours ago if

you remember i showed all the people

waiting in this little building and now

all the kids are playing soccer here

it's about 5 p.m while this is one of

the happiest environments i've ever seen

it's very sad that their playground is

drowning i just happened to visit tuvalu

during the highest king tide ever

recorded and i witnessed sea levels

approaching the tarmac it just keeps on

creeping creeping closer soccer games

turned into water sports and splashing

contests people were walking through

ankle high water just across the airport

it was one of the most vivid and

eye-opening scenes i've ever seen the

kids have no idea that they're playing

in the ocean that will force all of them

out of their beloved country in a matter

of decades if water levels keep rising

then the only airport will be forced to

close down and when that day does happen

nobody can leave the island unless

they're on a boat

i'll end this video on a positive note

by saying that tuvalu is a lovely place

with very kind-hearted people i

pleasantly enjoyed exploring all around

the island today and everyone smiles and

says hi to me on the street so i'm

trying to find the supermarket and these

kids are taking me this airport

playground is just magical and something

you can't find anywhere else in the

world honestly speaking guys tuvalu is

incredible and i always have dreams

about that airport playground it was

just such a cool place and i hope to go

back there someday soon the next country

i want to tell you about today is a

country off the south eastern coast of

africa and it's called comoros

and welcome to camaros

[Music]

it's the 170th smallest country in the

world located somewhere between

madagascar mozambique and tanzania it's

so small that there are no atms to get

cash i had to wait in line at the bank

to exchange dollars for francs got it

i'm assuming that 95 of you watching

this have never heard of comoros or know

nothing about it so i'm gonna tell you

as much as i can over the next three

minutes this is the flag of gomorrah's

divided by five color the green ones it

shows the color of islam which is our

religion the yellow ones is for the

island of moheli the white one is for

the island of

mayat red one is for the island of

andhra and the blue one is for my island

which is gazija my local friends hamza

hi

and armelle hello who reached out on

facebook here picked me up at the

airport

welcome to camaros and they've been

showing me all around their land

commerce it's an arabic name which means

al qamar the moon but french call it

komor and english we call it camaras

they are so cool and i love hanging out

with them here's what i've discovered

about their country

about 820 000 people of mixed

ethnicities called kamaros their home

and by looking at their faces i saw a

combination of east african arabic and

french features

my name is drew

drew

drew

nice name most komorians speak at least

three languages fluently french

shikamore and arabic french is widely

spoken because much like its neighbors

was colonized by france for a long time

but the culture here feels more swahili

than anything else like kenya or

tanzania

and there are touches of french and

arabic influences that make it very

unique i have a follower here she's

following me around the village speaking

of unique i've never seen women wearing

this sort of beautiful face paint in my

life this is what we call kofia yeah

it's a traditional

cup handsome

i'm going to order you a local food

that's called pilau it's mix of rice and

many spices with chicken and some legos

islam is the main religion with roughly

99 of locals practicing which sort of

takes me back to the maldives three

months ago but while the beaches here

aren't quite on maldivian level they are

pretty stunning and make a perfect place

for relaxation beaches aside the nature

everywhere is incredible you will find

tons of coconut trees rolling mountains

volcanoes and even a salt lake

welcome to the salt lake the color of

that water it's like four different

shades of blue the biggest active

volcano in the world is here called

mount cartala the lifestyle all around

comoros is slow paced and laid back so

don't expect anyone to be in a hurry

quite the contrast from where i just was

in madagascar it's also shockingly cheap

here

five dollars for that massive fish here

we go we're having the capital city

which called moroni

maroney is surprisingly charming and

enjoyable

with colonial buildings big mosques

going inside one of the mosques this is

awesome vibrant markets okay we are now

at the local markets in maroney

and pleasant streets komaros is a

special place because i haven't seen any

other tourists here i feel like i have

the entire country to myself the reason

for such few visitors is because getting

to the commerce islands is not easy

there's only a handful of flights each

day coming to moroni and they are quite

expensive but if you ever find yourself

in the region it's worth stopping by for

a brand new experience whenever people

ask me what's the best beach in africa i

always tell them in comoros it's such a

little hidden gem of a country and if

you guys want to see something different

i highly recommend to check it out for

the last country i'm going to tell you

about today we go up north in africa to

the horn of africa djibouti

djibouti the country people only

recognize by name

because it's synonymous with butt jabuti

where you come from from your body

it's a tiny country no bigger than new

jersey that sits on the horn of africa

along one of the world's most important

waterways the red sea

booty can you tell i like saying the

name but what is this country all about

what is happening in this mysterious

land i'm just as curious as you are to

find out so i booked a few nights here

to discover my 132nd country djibouti

this video is about my honest

interpretations realizations and

experiences in djibouti first

impressions french french arabic and

more french the capital djibouti city

has retained all of its french influence

after being colonized by france in the

19th century everything feels like

france like these baguettes cheese wine

the street names look it's marcel street

the locals mostly speak french

but also arabic and english kind of like

morocco

is good i quickly learned that djibouti

is not a touristy place at all but for

some strange reason it has the most

intense security i've ever seen in the

airport on the street in the mall you

are always being watched you cannot walk

one block in djibouti without an

intimidating armed policeman staring at

you from head to toe in fact the

security is so tight and uncomfortable

so i'm filming part of this video on my

phone because i've already been stopped

twice by the police for using my camera

what's even crazier for a non-touristic

country is the very steep prices

djibouti is the most expensive country

i've visited in africa and the top five

most expensive in the world this is the

most expensive countries i've ever got

my visa cost 90 bucks to get in the

cheapest private room i could find

online yesterday was 105 bucks a night

in djibouti this is what you get look

how dirty the bathroom floor is

sitting down at a little french

restaurant for lunch just ordered some

poison and nothing on this menu is

cheaper than 17 bucks in the supermarket

a chocolate bar is 12

a 15 minute taxi ride from the airport

to my hotel was 35

in just 40 hours in djibouti i spent a

whopping 424 dollars and i wasn't

balling out on anything why is this

country so heavily securitized and

expensive i pondered this question for a

while until i finally realized that

djibouti is a hub for foreign military

bases as the u.s france italy japan and

recently china all have massive

facilities here their presence combined

with the rapid urbanization of this

country have caused prices to skyrocket

despite a quarter of djibouti's 1

million residents living in extreme

poverty if you ask me that is a problem

it has been a strange and unexpected

experience in djibouti which i now call

the most interesting country in africa

alright guys that wraps up the three

countries that you've probably never

heard of before and i hope you can prove

me wrong so if you have heard of these

countries comment below let me know what

you think hope you enjoyed the video i'm

gonna keep doing these trip recaps

because obviously i can't go anywhere i

have to stay in my backyard dress up

like a golfer and pretend like i'm

playing golf so whatever do what you can

do alright guys take care love you all

have a great day and i'll see you later

i'm druvinsky and if you like my travel

videos please click subscribe and join

me as i plan to visit every country in

the world