Where is the lie and where is the truth: stereotypes about different countries that people believe in. There is only the Present The most common stereotypes in the world

There are various stereotypes about countries and peoples that have long ceased to be relevant or were not reality at all. They may relate to certain foundations, traditions, cultural characteristics, preferences, character and behavior of people. So, for example, Holland is considered a country where everyone uses soft drugs, Japan is always sushi, Russia is bears, England is tea and oatmeal. In fact, most of these prejudices are completely untrue.

the site will tell you in detail about stereotypes about countries and nationalities that it is high time to stop believing in.

Russia

When foreigners think about Russia, they immediately think of bears. There is a common misconception that these animals walk freely right along the streets of the capital, while in the outback they feel at home. They can break into people's homes and attack them.

This myth arose a long time ago. Back in the 16th century, Baron Sigismund Herberstein traveled through Russia. He repeatedly witnessed scenes of hungry bears wandering through villages in search of food. Later, people learned to train these wild animals and take them to various fairs to entertain people. For foreigners, such events stuck in their memories for a long time, which is why from that time on, clubfooted animals began to be associated with Russia and its inhabitants.

The truth is that the average modern resident of the Russian Federation can only meet a bear in a circus or zoo. Such stereotypes only make you smile.

Mexico

A huge number of action films have been shot about Mexican drug dealers and cartels. They are the ones who made foreigners believe that Mexico is an extremely poor, crime-ridden and dangerous country, where the drug trade is thriving, and the sound of gunshots can be heard on every corner.

Whereas in reality there are actually quite disadvantaged regions in Mexico. These are cities that are located on the border with the United States. While the rest of the country is predominantly quiet resorts and areas. Kind and hospitable people live here who are always ready to help the traveler.

It is worth noting that the standard of living, as well as social security Mexico has long surpassed many other American countries.

Japan

It is usually difficult for tourists to accept the fact that the Japanese rarely eat sushi. Moreover, the country practically does not prepare sushi in the form of rolls, which are so popular outside its borders. Ramen noodles are the most popular in the Land of the Rising Sun. This is a hearty and healthy dish that many Japanese even eat for breakfast.

Mongolia

Few travelers think about traveling to Mongolia. Most people consider this country to be a dangerous and remote steppe with a primitive population.

The bulk of Mongolia is steppe, while part of the population still leads a nomadic lifestyle. However, the people here are well developed, modern and very hospitable. The country has developed cities that are not lagging behind the rest of the world.

Regarding the population of Mongolia, local residents do not see tourists too often, and therefore always treat them kindly. Even nomads welcome travelers with great joy, try to help them, treat them, and invite them to their homes.

USA

The United States of America is truly considered the birthplace of fast food. A huge number of the country's population suffers from excess weight. However, in the last ten years the country has turned its attention to the fight against obesity. Many people, having realized all the harm of trans fats, gave up fast food forever and began to eat healthy image life.

Canada

People are seriously convinced that Canada is very cold, and the country is covered in layers of snow all year round. In fact, such an opinion is not entirely correct. Cold is only northern part Canada, while 90 percent of the country's total population lives in its southern part, where all 4 seasons are observed, and the air temperature in summer often reaches 30 degrees.

Australia

There is a common stereotype regarding the capital of Australia. Some people think it's Melbourne, others think it's Sydney. In fact, both statements are wrong. The capital of this country is Canberra. It is a small town that has been overshadowed by its more developed neighbors.

Popular stereotypes about the countries and people of Europe

Estonia

No matter how funny it may seem, residents of the CIS countries and the rest of the post-Soviet space consider the residents of Estonia to be inhibited and slow. There are reasons for this stereotype. They are connected with the peculiarities of the Estonian language. There are a large number of double vowels here, which seem to divide the word into two parts. Because of this, the ear notices pauses and speech seems slower.

In fact, Estonians speak quite quickly. For Finns, for example, it is much slower and about the same as for residents of the United States. However, the pace of life of local residents is really slow. This is because they do not like fuss and haste.

Netherlands

Almost all foreigners associate the Netherlands with drugs and total permissiveness. Tourists think that there are dealers on every corner of Amsterdam selling weed. In fact, the country's legislation clearly distinguishes between “hard” and “soft” drugs. Their sale is prohibited and is strictly punishable by law.

Soft drugs are sold exclusively in specialized outlets. Their sales volume is limited. Possession of these substances in large quantities is punishable by law, as is the unlicensed sale of hashish and marijuana.

It is worth noting that only 5.5 percent of all Dutch residents regularly use recreational drugs. The rest don't do this. Moreover, most of the Dutch are fanatical adherents of leading a healthy lifestyle.

United Kingdom

It is difficult to find a person who has not heard at least once the phrase “Oatmeal, sir.” It was she who made the whole world believe that the British only eat porridge for breakfast. However, the local residents themselves refute this popular misconception in every possible way. The average Briton's classic breakfast is sausages, scrambled eggs, tomatoes, beans, and toast with salted butter.

Another common stereotype is the tea ceremony, which takes place every day at five o'clock. Many English textbooks provided similar information, which is why people certainly believed that every resident of England at five o’clock in the evening puts aside all his affairs and sits down to drink tea. In fact, such a tradition has not been observed by the British for a long time. Moreover, usually people at work or in a cafe prefer to drink coffee.

Spain

Residents of this country are trying to refute the opinion that bullfighting is their main, most revered and beloved sport. First of all, bullfighting is not considered a sport. Secondly, what Spaniards like most is football. For them, he comes first. Bullfighting is a monstrous spectacle, and most of the population has a negative attitude towards it.

Note: Since 2011, bullfighting has been banned in most areas of Spain. Where bullfights are still held, spectators have the right to vote.

France

The French are believed to spend a lot of time and attention proper nutrition. They only prefer gourmet dishes and have a negative attitude towards fast food. This opinion was true up to a certain point.
Previously, the state did not allocate funds and did not in any way welcome the establishments fast food. However, in lately The authorities weakened their control, which is why local residents began to diligently consume both tasty and unhealthy food.

Sweden

There are also stereotypes about Sweden. So, foreigners are convinced that Carlson is their favorite fairy tale hero all Swedes. This is not completely wrong. Locals they don’t like Carlson because they think he sets a bad example for the children. This is due to his bad character and negative qualities hero.

Whoever the Swedish population truly truly loves is Pippi Longstocking.

Conclusion

Stereotypes about various countries often have no logical basis or compelling reasons. You should not trust the opinion of the masses, especially in the age of unlimited access to information.

Perhaps there are a couple of stereotypes about literally every country, most of which rarely have anything in common with the truth. We decided to check if there were any truthful ones among them, and we found them! Share, what would you add to this list?

1. Italy: Italians are very emotional and use gestures when speaking.

If you come to Italy, you will definitely notice that local residents often speak loudly, emotionally and actively gesticulate. Once upon a time, the Apennine Peninsula was divided into many kingdoms and people spoke different dialects of Italian. To understand each other, they were simply forced to use gestures. And yes, they are indeed very emotional and temperamental, but not to the extreme.

This stereotype has already become almost a legend and causes many jokes, especially from Americans. Indeed, residents of Canada use the particle “eh” every now and then at the end of a sentence to make it interrogative and rhetorical, and simply out of habit.

3. Great Britain: The British are usually calm and polite. And in general it’s difficult to piss them off

Unlike other Europeans, the British really try to maintain a calm demeanor in almost any situation: they are very polite and even a little phlegmatic. In everyday communication, it is difficult to guess the real emotions of the inhabitants of Foggy Albion - they are simply not visible, because you need to keep yourself within the bounds of decency.

4. Japan: They Never Say No Here

Japanese people hate saying “no”: every time they need to refuse someone, they begin to shy away and choose a more polite expression. The origins of this behavior lie in “timmoku” - the Japanese art of silence: it is better to remain silent than to offend a person with a refusal.

5. USA: Americans often smile

The American smile is a decades-old respect for one’s neighbor, part of an established culture of behavior. From childhood, children are taught that if you give others a good mood, it will definitely return to you. In addition, Americans love to give compliments, including to strangers - how can they do without at least a slight smile?

6. Brazil: people here are in no hurry and are constantly late

As in some other southern countries, in Brazil it is customary not to rush anywhere and, as a result, to be late. Punctuality can easily be considered bad manners, and if, for example, you were invited to visit at 19:00, you should not arrive before 20:00. Of course, due to such regularity, the service suffers, but, on the other hand, people here know how to enjoy life and are far from the eternal rush and bustle.

7. Argentina: almost every resident of the country loves football

Football for Argentines is a real passion, not just a game. The days when championships are held are even declared holidays in the country! Any student junior classes understands this game no worse than a professional sports referee and, of course, is definitely a fan of one of the local clubs. And what a unique atmosphere reigns in the stadium - perhaps it’s worth coming here at least for that and seeing everything with your own eyes.

8. France: The French constantly organize strikes and demonstrations

Although modern French people do not go on strike as often as previous generations, according to the French themselves, strikes occur regularly. This is due to the active work of trade unions, the crisis and high taxes. It is not always possible to achieve results, but every now and then those around us suffer: transport stops running, institutions are closed, events are cancelled.

9. Australia: Christmas is usually celebrated here in the summer

This is not even a stereotype, but a fact that is hard to believe: when the whole world celebrates Christmas and New Year, it's...summer in Australia! A typical Christmas party here is held on the beach with a barbecue and temperatures of 30°C. We wouldn’t mind celebrating a holiday there at least once - we’ll remember it for the rest of our lives.

10. Russia: the most people live here beautiful girls in the world

Of course, beautiful girls live everywhere, but it is in Russia that you can meet a huge number of people with blood flowing in their veins different nations. As a result, girls are born with a unique, original beauty that is rarely found anywhere. Well, let's be honest: the author of this article is from Russia and simply cannot remain silent about how amazing the women are here!

We all, to one degree or another, believe in stereotypes about representatives of different nationalities, but not everyone admits it. If you ever have the chance to communicate with a Dutchman in informal setting, probably, during the course of the conversation, you will definitely ask how he lives without the usual “joint”. But not all common stereotypes are based on true facts. As a rule, they are very far from reality. Let's try to debunk some of them.

Colombia is a country of violence and cocaine

Do you also consider Colombians to be criminals and cocaine addicts? In vain!

Due to a long civil war and stories that Colombia is the world's main supplier of cocaine, the country has a less than stellar reputation. When many people mention its name, associations with drugs and violence immediately spring to mind.

In fact

Do you know which country actually produces the most cocaine? Not Colombia at all, but Peru. Thanks to the government's diligent fight against drug traffickers, Colombia lost its lead in cocaine production in early 2013. And in terms of its consumption, it is inferior not only to the United States, but also to such countries as Argentina, Chile, Spain and even Canada.

Now about the violence. The Civil War did devastate Colombia for half a century. But now peace negotiations are underway in the country, so there is a high probability that the conflict will end in the coming months.

Homicide rates in Colombia fell to their lowest levels in decades in 2014 and 2015, while many foreign investors are rushing to invest in local businesses. That is, Colombia from the lawless territory of Escobar (a famous drug lord and terrorist) is gradually turning into a prosperous South American state.

There are only racists in Australia

It turns out that Australians are not racist at all!

It is believed that in Australia, racist views are popular to such an extent that comedians can perform concerts and provoke an enthusiastic reaction from the public by basing acts only on this topic. Even New Zealanders constantly complain that they face discrimination. And this despite the fact that their diaspora in Australia is the largest.

In fact

In 2013, scientists from the University of Sydney conducted a study examining racism in Australia. They found that almost 90% of the population believes that racial diversity is good for the country. For comparison, a similar survey conducted in 2014 in Britain showed that one in three residents of the United Kingdom admits to racial intolerance.

Of course, this could be explained by the fact that people are not willing to talk about their prejudices. But sociologists from the World Values ​​Survey project still found out in 2013 that Australia is one of the most tolerant countries in the world.

The French hate Americans and are too picky about food

The French go to fast foods more often than to restaurants

It is believed that France is home to the largest number of gourmets obsessed with haute cuisine. They also say that the French can’t stand Americans.

Reality

From a report prepared by the Pew Research Center, we can conclude that only 9 countries on the planet treat the United States better than France. Almost 75% of French people admit that they have sympathy for America and Americans. This is more than, for example, Japan (66%), England (66%) or Germany (51%).

What about the other stereotype? Yes, France is truly famous for its national cuisine and probably the best restaurants in the world. But the French do not visit them much more often than foreigners visiting the country. Stubborn statistics only confirm this fact.

This is interesting: It turns out that in the last 3 years, fast food cafes (essentially fast food) in France earn much more than all the restaurants in the country combined.

The Greeks are rare lazy people, and the Germans are the most hardworking

Greeks work 1.5 times more than Germans

Tell me, don’t you really believe in this stereotype, especially in light of latest news related to the Greek default? On the one hand, there are irresponsible, wasteful Greeks who manage to have fun and have fun even on the verge of bankruptcy of the country. On the other hand, there are the stern and efficient Germans, working without sleep or rest to keep the European Union afloat.

In fact

In 2012, the head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development presented a report that contained average data on the number of working hours in each country. South Koreans turned out to be the most hardworking. But let's talk about the European continent.

European countries, including Greece, have an average of 2000-2100 working hours per person per year. The much-touted Germany, on the other hand, was at the bottom of the table. German citizens work on average just 1,408 hours in a full calendar year.

But this does not mean that Germans are undeservedly getting extra days off. According to the report, Germany ranks among the leaders in labor productivity, while Greece lags behind in this indicator.

That is, despite the fact that the Greeks do not strain themselves too much at the workplace, they stay there 1.5 times longer than the Germans. Also, representatives of this nation are less likely than Germans to take vacations, sick leave, or go on maternity leave.

What can be concluded? If scientists can somehow combine the DNA of Greeks and Germans, they will create the most tireless and productive labor army.

The Dutch love marijuana

Marijuana is mainly consumed by foreign tourists, not the Dutch

Everyone knows that it is officially legal to grow hemp in the Netherlands. Of course, no one forbids smoking it either. That's why we believe that every Dutchman spends all his free time smoking joints.

In fact

You will be surprised, but this is not true. Of the few European countries where possession of marijuana is legal (Austria, Czech Republic, Holland and Belgium), the Netherlands ranks fourth in terms of its use. And in comparison with the world’s leading countries, there are practically no people addicted to marijuana here. The French, Italians, Spaniards, Canadians, Americans and even Australians smoke much more marijuana than the Dutch.

This trend is clearly visible in all age groups. Despite the fact that the Dutch legally begin to be considered adults 3 years earlier than Americans, Dutch teenagers are much less likely to start using “weed.”

This is interesting: Most of the visitors to Amsterdam cafes where drugs are sold are foreign tourists. Local residents visit such establishments less and less every year. The Dutch probably don’t even realize that all over the world they are considered, pardon the expression, stoners.

Plastic surgery is too popular in Venezuela

Venezuelans go to plastic surgeons less often than you think

Venezuelans make themselves silicone breasts, redo their noses, correct the shape of their butts... The whole country is literally obsessed with plastic surgery, and local girls know the word “liposuction” even before they go to school. Even clothing store owners allegedly enlarge the breasts of mannequins.

In fact

Venezuelans are really partial to changing their appearance with plastic surgery, but... no more than representatives of other nationalities. Moreover, studies show that Venezuelan girls, on the contrary, are quite restrained in this regard.

The International Society of Plastic Surgeons recently calculated how many plastic surgeries were performed in different states(in terms of population). So, Venezuela took a rather modest 15th place in this ranking. It was ahead of not only the USA and Thailand, but even countries such as South Korea, Canada and Germany. Even in Latin America, Venezuelan girls are less willing to go to plastic surgeons for Botox injections or breast augmentation than Brazilians, Mexicans and Colombians.

This is interesting: American women and Americans fill the pockets of plastic surgeons with approximately $2 billion every year. And in South Korea every fifth woman has resorted to plastic surgery at least once.

The Irish are real drunks

The Irish drink 1.5 times less than Belarusians

We believe that the Irish will happily knock back a glass of something stronger at any moment, or even more than one. And on St. Patrick's Day, every self-respecting Irishman is simply obliged to get drunk as hell! If not for Russia, then it would be Ireland that would wear proud title the most drinking country in Europe.

In fact

Of course, the average Irishman is not a teetotaler. But the Irish consume the same amount of alcohol as, for example, residents of Luxembourg.

Thus, according to the World Health Organization, Ireland ranks modestly 21st with an indicator of 11.9 liters of pure ethanol per capita per year.

The French, Australians and Portuguese drink more than the Irish, while the Germans and English drink about the same. Well, Belarus is considered the leader in this indicator - 17.5 liters. In second place is Moldova, in third is Lithuania, and fourth is Russia. Ukraine ranks sixth.

Spaniards love bullfighting

Not all Spaniards like bullfighting

Experienced tourists advise fans of bloody sports to go to Spain. This Pyrenean country is famous for several types of “folk pastimes” where animals are mutilated. But the Spaniards' greatest love is bullfighting.

In fact

Do you say “love of bullfighting”? You are mistaken, it would be more correct to use the word “hatred”. Numerous surveys show that the majority of Spaniards hate bullfights, they consider them unjustifiably cruel and even shameful.

Journalists from the El Pais newspaper in 2010 found that more than 60% of Spaniards are categorically against bullfighting, and only every third has a positive attitude towards it.

Other polls have found that over 75% of Spaniards want the government to stop funding such activities. And one last fact: in recent years, 28% fewer Spaniards have gone to bullfights.

The English have terrible teeth

Brits care about their oral hygiene the most!

In modern pop culture, the British smile resembles a scene from a horror film. You can't help but be scared without seeing her.

In fact

You know who really deserves to be the butt of all these rotten teeth jokes? Poles. At least Polish children have the most damaged, pulled out, lost and filled teeth, according to OECD data.

Do you think England came second? Not at all! In the same report, experts concluded that the British have much better teeth than even the Americans.

In fact, the British care more about their oral hygiene than any other European country! And their teeth are considered the healthiest. However, it should be clarified that “healthy” does not mean “even” or “ideally white.” We are talking specifically about dental health.

Ebola is rampant in only a small part of Africa

Since the outbreak of Ebola in Africa, Europeans and Americans have avoided the continent like the plague. Hundreds of thousands of people, fearing infection, abandoned planned trips to this continent. The press even described cases where parents forbade their children to go to school if their classmates had visited the Dark Continent.

In fact

Africa is far from just a region. This is a giant of world geography. Africa is larger in area than the United States, China, India and most of European countries, taken together. Saying that Ebola is rampant throughout Africa is about the same as saying that all of Europe is engulfed in bloodshed. civil war only because of the Ukrainian conflict.

But this is not the most surprising thing! Believe it or not, the countries where Ebola really poses a serious threat (Sierra Leone and Liberia) are much closer to London than, for example, to South Africa or Botswana. And the schoolchildren mentioned above, whose classmates their parents decided not to let into school, visited Zambia, 5 thousand kilometers away from the affected countries. This is 2 times greater than the distance from Moscow to London.

This is interesting: In most of the 55 African countries, not a single case of infection with the Ebola virus has been reported.

It's time to abandon common stereotypes about representatives of different nationalities. But this is not so easy to do: for too long we have considered the Dutch as marijuana lovers, the French as gourmets, and the Greeks as rare lazy people, haven’t we?

Oh, are you from Russia? Apparently you live on vodka and caviar? Canada, right? Maybe you want to play hockey? Hello fellow Aussie! Pass me the cubs!

These are all stereotypes that accompany representatives of the above countries through life.

17-year-old designer from Slovakia Martin Vargik created a map of stereotypes, in a note to which he noted that he did not want to offend anyone, and the purpose of the map itself was only to amuse.

Extraordinary card

According to Vargic, his map "depicts the world in the funniest way possible, demonstrating the most common Western stereotypes about other countries and regions of the world."

The guy collected data from various sources, mainly television and the Internet. They reflect more than 1,800 individual stereotypes and associations with certain cultural phenomena or events. Shall we take a look inside?

The cartographic miracle is divided into several sections: 2 maps of the North and South Poles, as well as 6 mini-maps reflecting per capita consumption of alcohol and cigarettes smoked, average penis length and breast size, height and weight.

Information panels that frame maps containing information about the most populated territory of the Earth, countries with the largest number marijuana users, the state with the largest oil reserves, as well as the peace and happiness indices of each territory.

America and its neighbors

The United States, according to Vargic's map, is "The Land of the Free (for rich white men)." The names of its states and cities are often branded with cultural associations. So, Chicago became “Al Capone”, because it was here that the famous American gangster was born, New York became “The Wolf of Wall Street”, Alburque became “heavy”, and California was simply “The Sun”.

What about the neighbors of the United States? The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word Mexico is “tacos,” while Canada boasts maple syrup, hockey and fauna.

Europe

If we start from the top, then Norway, according to Vargik’s observations, is the country of “Black Metal”, Sweden is the land of “Metrosexuals”, and Finland is the land of “Polar Bears”.

The Germans are famous for their Bratwurst sausages, and the Spaniards deserve the name "Animal Rights Violation" through their famous bullfighting.

Italy wouldn't be Italy without Pizza, and Romania wouldn't be Italy without Dracula. Vargik called Bulgaria... the country of “fake Nikes”.

What about Ukraine? Our state received the name “Putin’s precious” (which one would like to read out in the voice of Smeagol), the Autonomous Republic of Crimea - “Putinistan”, and Kyiv is associated in the world with “Maidan”. But is this all that can be said about us? On own experience We understand how senseless and limited people’s ideas about certain states are.
“Many stereotypes reflect negative associations and thoughts, so don’t blindly believe every word you write. Prejudices are formed instantly, and do not forget that they are destroyed just as quickly. Therefore, everything depends on our choice and actions to form new traditions and eradicate existing ones,” notes Vagrik.

When it comes to the customs and foundations of a particular country, then, as a rule, certain stereotypes arise. Japan - sushi, Holland - smoking drugs, England - oatmeal, Russia - bears walking the streets. In fact, many beliefs are no longer true. This material contains 13 common stereotypes that it is high time to stop believing in.

1. Russia

Many foreigners associate Russia with bears. Moreover, there is an opinion that bears roam freely around the capital, and in the outback they generally feel at home, breaking into houses and attacking people. It is worth noting that this myth was born a long time ago. Back in the 16th century, while traveling around Russia, Baron Sigismund Herberstein witnessed scenes of hungry clubfoot walking through villages in search of food. Later, people began to train bears and take them to fairs for the entertainment of the people. These events became firmly entrenched in the minds of foreigners, and since then, disheveled brown animals have become associated with Russia and its inhabitants. In fact, the average Russian can only meet a bear in a zoo or circus, and such statements only cause a smile.

2. Canada

Many people seriously believe that Canada is a cold country that is covered in snow all year round. This opinion is not entirely correct. The fact is that the northern part of the country is really cold and snowy. However, 90 percent of the population lives in southern Canada, where all four seasons are distinct, and in some cities summer temperatures reach 30 degrees.

3. Estonia

It's funny, but many residents of the post-Soviet space consider Estonians to be slow and retarded. The origin of this stereotype is related to the peculiarities of the Estonian language. A large number of double vowels in words, as if dividing them into parts, because of this, the ear records pauses, and speech seems slow. In fact, Estonians speak faster than Finns and are about the same as Americans. As for the rhythm of life, it is really slow. Residents of this small country do not like haste and fuss.

4. Australia

There are people who are sure that Sydney is the capital of Australia. Others believe that the capital is Melbourne. Both statements are wrong. In fact, the capital of Australia is the small city of Canberra, which has been eclipsed by its more developed neighbors.

5. Netherlands

Almost all foreigners associate the Netherlands with drugs and permissiveness. Tourists seriously believe that weed is sold at every turn in Amsterdam. In fact, the country has a clear concept of “hard” and “soft” drugs. The sale of the latter is prohibited and punishable by law. As for soft drugs, they are sold only in specialized outlets and in strictly limited quantities. Unlicensed sale of marijuana and hashish, as well as possession of narcotic substances in large sizes is strictly punishable by law. It is also worth noting that only 5.5 percent of the country's residents regularly use drugs, the rest believe that it is beneath their dignity. Moreover, most Dutch people are fanatical adherents of a healthy lifestyle.

6. UK

Famous phrase: "Oatmeal, sir!" made many people believe that the British certainly eat porridge for breakfast. But the people of England refute this opinion. Traditional breakfast the average Englishman - scrambled eggs, sausages, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes and toast with salted butter. Another misconception is the tea ceremony at five o'clock. We all learned about this from textbooks on English language and they really believed that at exactly five all the inhabitants of England put aside their work and sit down to drink tea. In fact, this tradition has not been observed for a long time, and most residents, while at work or in a cafe, increasingly drink coffee.

7. Spain

The Spaniards refute the assertion that bullfighting is the main and favorite sport. First of all, bullfighting is not a sport. Secondly, the Spaniards love football. It is he who is the favorite and most important sport, and bullfighting is a monstrous spectacle, which most of the population has a negative attitude towards. It is worth noting that since 2011, bullfighting has been banned in many areas of Spain, and where it still takes place, spectators have voting rights.

8. Sweden

There is an opinion among foreigners that Carlson is the most beloved fairy-tale character for all Swedes. However, this is not at all true. The Swedes do not like Carlson at all, believing that with his bad character he sets a bad example for children. Another lie is the existence of Carlson’s house, which is supposedly located on the roof of the former house of writer Astrid Lindgren. But who the population of Sweden really sincerely loves is Pippi Longstocking.

9. Japan

It is difficult for tourists to accept the fact that sushi is generally a rare guest on the table of indigenous Japanese. Moreover, in the Land of the Rising Sun they practically do not prepare sushi in the form of rolls, which are so popular outside its borders. But the most popular and favorite dish of the Japanese is ramen noodles. Many people even eat this soup for breakfast, because it is very filling and can give you energy for the whole day.

10. Mexico

A huge number of action films about Mexican drug traffickers have led foreigners to believe that Mexico is a poor and dangerous country where the drug trade is thriving and gunshots are heard at every turn. Well, Mexico does have relatively disadvantaged regions. These include cities located on the border with the United States. As for the rest of the territory, it consists of mostly quiet areas and resorts inhabited by hospitable and good-natured people. It is also worth noting that the standard of living and social security in Mexico has long surpassed America.

11. France

The French pay a lot of attention to nutrition, prefer gourmet dishes and do not eat fast food. Until a certain time, this was indeed true. Previously, the state did not welcome or finance fast food establishments, but recently the authorities have loosened control and the French have happily begun to consume tasty and unhealthy food. Statistics recent years show that the revenue of fast food establishments significantly exceeds the profit of traditional establishments.

12. Mongolia

Few tourists seriously consider traveling to Mongolia. Moreover, for most people this country seems like a remote and dangerous steppe. Most of Mongolia is indeed occupied by the steppe, and part of the population still leads a nomadic lifestyle. However, there are also developed cities in this country that keep up with the rest of the world. As for the population, the Mongols are not spoiled by tourists, so they treat all visitors more than kindly. Even nomads happily welcome tourists, inviting them to their homes and treating them to national dishes.

13. USA

Indeed, the United States is considered the birthplace of fast food, and a huge number of the population suffers from excess weight. But in recent decades, the country has set a course to combat obesity. Many people, having realized the harm of trans fats, gave up fast food forever and began to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Video bonus:

Continuing the theme of established beliefs