- In the UK, twin births have increased from one in 98 births in 1983 to one in 68 in 2003. [The Spectator, 1st October 2005]
- According to the WHO, drink and drugs are responsible for Scotland's murder rate—the second highest in western Europe. [The Guardian, 8th October 2005]
- Australia is the only EU or Commonwealth government not to have protested about Guantánamo bay. [The Observer, 25th September 2005]
- Last year, the name David slipped out of the top 50 most popular names for newborn boys for the first time in over 60 years. [Horizons, June 2005]
- Women had the vote in Turkey before France, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. [Financial Times, 3rd October 2005]
- The word "paradise" comes from a Persian word meaning "walled around." [Fencing Paradise by Richard Mabey]
- There are more burglaries per head in Canada than in the US. [The Economist, 1st October 2005]
- According to Mori, 13 per cent of British citizens view themselves as "old Labour," while 29 per cent say "new Labour" or "social democrat." [The Guardian, 29th September 2005]
- Only 26 per cent of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in the UK are fluent in English. The equivalent figure for the US is 68 per cent. [David Cameron speech to Foreign Policy Centre, 24th August 2005]
- George Bernard Shaw is the only person to have won both a Nobel prize and an Oscar. [Orlando Sentinel, 1st April 2003]
- Britons drink a quarter more alcohol than they did ten years ago. [The Economist, 3rd September 2005]
- There are ten applicants for every place on teacher-training courses in Finnish universities. [Washington Post, 7th August 2005]
