Foot of the Mountain
Encyclopedia
Foot of the Mountain is the ninth and final studio album by the Norwegian pop band A-ha
. It was released on 19 June 2009 and reached #1 on the German Album Chart and #2 on the Norwegian Album Chart. In its first week in the UK, the album debuted at #5, their highest chart placing in that country since Stay on These Roads
in 1988.
The overall sound of the record marks a return to the synthpop
style the band became famous for in the mid-1980s. Keyboardist Magne Furuholmen
describes the album thus: "It's an album that incorporates the key elements that first defined the band: soaring vocals, synth hooks, yearning lyrics and melodic melancholia.".
Foot of the Mountain was A-ha's last full length album before their split in 2010. However, they did release a further compilation album "25" with their last single "Butterfly, Butterfly (The Last Hurrah)
").
/Furuholmen
, unless otherwise noted.
Japanese Edition Bonus Tracks
took four years due to the individual projects of the band members. Paul's band Savoy
released Savoy Songbook Vol. 1
, Magne released his second solo album A Dot of Black in the Blue of Your Bliss
and Morten released his second English-language solo album Letter from Egypt
. Despite touring quite extensively between 2005 and 2008, the focus of the group was not directed towards recording. The album ended up being recorded in a relatively short period of time (between January and May 2009) with Steve Osborne
and Roland Spremberg producing .
The recording session took place in several studios around the world. In the US
sessions were held at Water Music
, Beat 360 and The Alabaster Room in New York City
. In Norway
recordings were made at Yoga Studio, Alabaster Cottage, Malabar Studio and Rainbow Studio. In the UK
the band recorded at Real World Studios
, whilst in Germany
they used Gaga Studios and Boogie Park Studios.
as "an electro-blues", is heavily inspired by Arcade Fire and their album Neon Bible
. Being the principal songwriter on the album, Waaktaar-Savoy also got inspired by his changing surroundings, dividing his time between New York City
and Oslo
. " 'Shadowside' feels quite Norwegian in the melody, the chords and the mood. 'The Bandstand' reminds me of my first trip to New York City in the early '80s, before A-ha were famous. Songs are like a photo-album – they can really send you back. And this one reminds me of arriving at Port Authority with $35 in my pocket, sporting really high, yellow, almost see-through synthesizer-hair, wearing a tiger-shirt and a brown suit, looking like an alien!" The title track, 'Foot of the Mountain' – examines one of the fundamental conflicts of modern life, the pull between nature and big-city civilization: for Paul, the buzz of New York City versus the beauty and isolation of Norway. "It's the dilemma of loving a city life, yet secretly wondering if we'd be happier being surrounded by open fields and sweeping mountains." "Real Meaning" is inspired by Waaktaar-Savoy calling home only to be greeted by his answering machine. The idea behind "Start the Simulator" was to make a heartfelt song using technical language: "The basic idea was to make a song using only technical terms and phrases, and still make it very emotional and personal. There is such poetry in the old Apollo manuals: "switch to Omni Bravo" and "the bright ejector blanket." The latter should probably be "ejecta blanket
."
Magne's solo work has been sampled extensively, with the song "Foot of the Mountain" originally appeared as a solo track on Magne's last solo album and two tracks from the A-ha album have borrowed parts from Magne's album.
, Istockphoto
and Helge Kvamme supplied photographs for the inner sleeve. Martin Kvamme said the following about the inspiration behind the cover art: "In this case the title helped quite a lot. I know that this is a somehow poetic quote and that they are not necessarily talking about a mountain, but we wanted something majestic and simple. That's also why we made it quite abstract. It's a picture of the mountain Kyrkja (the church) in Jotunheimen
, Norway
. Inside we have more images of Norwegian nature (in a collage style). But in general I guess the inspiration comes from the overall idea (production and songwriting/lyrics), rather than the album title."
gave the album 4 out of 6 stars, calling the band "Coldplay's half-potent uncles". Dagbladet
also gave it 4 out of 6, stating "this is one of A-ha's best records, but it could have been a classic." Aftenposten
was also very positive, giving it 4 out of 6, whilst Dagsavisen
had slight reservations giving it 3 out of 6. Nettavisen
also gave it 3 out of 6. Swedish newspaper Norra Västerbotten
gave the album a glowing review and the mark 4 out of 5 stating that the album contained "melodic synthpop in the vein of The Killers.". Göteborgs-Posten
gave the album 4 out of 6, calling the album " a late peak in the bands career, perfectly placed between the soundscapes of Keane, Coldplay
and Depeche Mode
." Östgöta Correspondenten
gave a favourable review stating "it is clear to see where Coldplay get their inspiration from." Kristianstadsbladet were less favorable, stating that the album was a "sleeping pill.". The album Foot of the Mountain reached Platinum
status in Russia
and in January 2010, it was certified platinum in Germany In February it reached silver status in the UK.
A-ha
A-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
. It was released on 19 June 2009 and reached #1 on the German Album Chart and #2 on the Norwegian Album Chart. In its first week in the UK, the album debuted at #5, their highest chart placing in that country since Stay on These Roads
Stay on These Roads
Stay on These Roads is the third full-length album by the rock band A-ha. It was released on 3 May 1988 through Warner Bros. Records.-Recording:...
in 1988.
The overall sound of the record marks a return to the synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
style the band became famous for in the mid-1980s. Keyboardist Magne Furuholmen
Magne Furuholmen
Magne 'Mags' Furuholmen is a Norwegian musician. He is best known as the guitarist and keyboardist of the pop band A-ha.-A-ha:Furuholmen has been the keyboardist with A-ha since their formation in 1982, though he also plays guitar...
describes the album thus: "It's an album that incorporates the key elements that first defined the band: soaring vocals, synth hooks, yearning lyrics and melodic melancholia.".
Foot of the Mountain was A-ha's last full length album before their split in 2010. However, they did release a further compilation album "25" with their last single "Butterfly, Butterfly (The Last Hurrah)
Butterfly, Butterfly (The Last Hurrah)
"Butterfly, Butterfly " is a song by A-ha, and their final recording before splitting on 4 December 2010. The song was sold digitally in Norway from July 5. It is included on 25, a compilation album released on July 19. Its world premiere was on June 14, 2010. The single entered the Norwegian...
").
Track listing
All tracks written by Waaktaar-SavoyPaul Waaktaar-Savoy
Paul Waaktaar-Savoy is a Norwegian musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as guitarist in the Norwegian pop band A-ha...
/Furuholmen
Magne Furuholmen
Magne 'Mags' Furuholmen is a Norwegian musician. He is best known as the guitarist and keyboardist of the pop band A-ha.-A-ha:Furuholmen has been the keyboardist with A-ha since their formation in 1982, though he also plays guitar...
, unless otherwise noted.
- "The Bandstand" – 4:02
- "Riding the Crest" – 4:16
- "What There Is" – 3:43
- "Foot of the MountainFoot of the Mountain (song)"Foot of the Mountain" is the first single from the A-ha album of the same name. It was used as the official anthem of the 2009 World Championships in Athletics held in Berlin...
" (Waaktaar-Savoy/Furuholmen/M. Terefe) – 3:57 - "Real Meaning" – 3:40
- "ShadowsideShadowside (song)"Shadowside" is a single from the A-ha album Foot of the Mountain. It was released as the third single from the album in the UK and as the second single in Europe...
" (Waaktaar-Savoy) – 4:55 - "Nothing Is Keeping You HereNothing Is Keeping You Here"Nothing Is Keeping You Here" is a single from the A-ha album Foot of the Mountain. It was released as the second single from the album in the UK and as the third single in Europe. In an interview in Norway, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy stated that the track was the first song to be written for the album...
" (Waaktaar-Savoy) – 3:17 - "Mother Nature Goes to Heaven" (Waaktaar-Savoy) – 4:08
- "Sunny Mystery" (Furuholmen) – 3:30
- "Start the Simulator" (Waaktaar-Savoy) – 5:17
Japanese Edition Bonus Tracks
- "Foot Of The Mountain" (Remix)
- "Foot Of The Mountain" (Erik Ljundren Remix)
- "Foot Of The Mountain" (Boheme 7 Remix)
Personnel
- Morten HarketMorten HarketMorten Harket is a Norwegian musician, best known as the lead singer of the Norwegian synthpop/rock band A-ha, which released nine studio albums and topped the charts in several countries after their breakthrough hit "Take on Me" in 1985. A-ha disbanded in 2010. Harket has also released four solo...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Magne FuruholmenMagne FuruholmenMagne 'Mags' Furuholmen is a Norwegian musician. He is best known as the guitarist and keyboardist of the pop band A-ha.-A-ha:Furuholmen has been the keyboardist with A-ha since their formation in 1982, though he also plays guitar...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - Paul Waaktaar-SavoyPaul Waaktaar-SavoyPaul Waaktaar-Savoy is a Norwegian musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as guitarist in the Norwegian pop band A-ha...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, vocals
Chart positions
- #1 - Germany
- #1 - Luxemburg
- #2 - Norway
- #3 - Russia
- #5 - UK
- #8 - EUROPE
- #11 - Austria
- #12 - Switzerland
- #17 - Poland
- #31 - WORLD
- #40 - Czech Rep
- #45 - Sweden
- #72 - Ireland
- #83 - Holland
- #85 - Italy
- #134 - Japan
Year-end charts
| Chart (2009) | Rank |
|---|---|
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
22 |
Certifications
| Country | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Germany IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
Platinum | 200,000 |
| Russia | Platinum | 20,000 |
| Norway | Platinum | 45,000 |
| U.K. British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Silver | 65,000 |
Recording process
In a 2007 interview with the Norwegian TV channel TV Tromsø, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy expressed frustration over the time it took to produce new material with the band: "The trouble with us is that we're never in sync. Right now, I'm eager to get going on the new album. I'm telling everybody that the new album is coming out next year and that it's going to be great. But the other two are of course just starting to get into their solo projects again and want to prioritize those for the time being." Getting around to recording the follow-up to AnalogueAnalogue (album)
Analogue is the eighth studio album by the Norwegian band A-ha, released in 2005.-Track listing:#"Celice" – 3:41#"Don't Do Me Any Favours" – 3:51...
took four years due to the individual projects of the band members. Paul's band Savoy
Savoy (band)
Savoy are a Norwegian-American rock trio consisting of Paul Waaktaar-Savoy , Lauren Savoy and Frode Unneland...
released Savoy Songbook Vol. 1
Savoy Songbook Vol. 1
Savoy Songbook Vol. 1 is a compilation album from the Norwegian group of the same name, released Monday 6 August 2007 in Norway. It was released 12 May 2008 in the UK by Genepool Records. Disc one contains three all-new tracks and re-recordings of earlier tracks. Disc 2 contains the original...
, Magne released his second solo album A Dot of Black in the Blue of Your Bliss
A Dot of Black In The Blue Of Your Bliss
A Dot Of Black In The Blue Of Your Bliss is the 2nd solo album of Norwegian band a-ha's Magne Furuholmen as Magne F.This album was released as a 300 copies limited 6 track vinyl EP in February 2008 and then as a regular CD in May 2008....
and Morten released his second English-language solo album Letter from Egypt
Letter from Egypt
Letter from Egypt is the fourth studio album by Norwegian singer Morten Harket, released on May 19, 2008. It is his first album since 1996 and second sung in English....
. Despite touring quite extensively between 2005 and 2008, the focus of the group was not directed towards recording. The album ended up being recorded in a relatively short period of time (between January and May 2009) with Steve Osborne
Steve Osborne
Steve Osborne is a multi-platinum selling British record producer. He has worked with a wide variety of musicians, such as New Order, Doves, U2 and KT Tunstall. During the 1990s, Osborne was half of the Perfecto Records team, a production and remix collaboration with Paul Oakenfold; the artists...
and Roland Spremberg producing .
The recording session took place in several studios around the world. In the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sessions were held at Water Music
Water Music
Water Music may refer to*Water Music , orchestral suites by George Frideric Handel*Water Music , an orchestral suite by Georg Philipp Telemann*Water Music , a novel by T.C...
, Beat 360 and The Alabaster Room in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
recordings were made at Yoga Studio, Alabaster Cottage, Malabar Studio and Rainbow Studio. In the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
the band recorded at Real World Studios
Real World Studios
Real World Studios is a residential recording studio in Box, Wiltshire, England associated with the Real World Records Ltd. record label founded by rock musician Peter Gabriel...
, whilst in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
they used Gaga Studios and Boogie Park Studios.
Inspirations
The track "Riding the Crest", named by Paul Waaktaar-SavoyPaul Waaktaar-Savoy
Paul Waaktaar-Savoy is a Norwegian musician and songwriter. He is best known for his work as guitarist in the Norwegian pop band A-ha...
as "an electro-blues", is heavily inspired by Arcade Fire and their album Neon Bible
Neon Bible
Neon Bible is the second album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released in March 2007 on Merge Records. Originally announced on December 16, 2006 through the band's website, the majority of the album was recorded in a church that the band bought and renovated.Neon Bible became Arcade...
. Being the principal songwriter on the album, Waaktaar-Savoy also got inspired by his changing surroundings, dividing his time between New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. " 'Shadowside' feels quite Norwegian in the melody, the chords and the mood. 'The Bandstand' reminds me of my first trip to New York City in the early '80s, before A-ha were famous. Songs are like a photo-album – they can really send you back. And this one reminds me of arriving at Port Authority with $35 in my pocket, sporting really high, yellow, almost see-through synthesizer-hair, wearing a tiger-shirt and a brown suit, looking like an alien!" The title track, 'Foot of the Mountain' – examines one of the fundamental conflicts of modern life, the pull between nature and big-city civilization: for Paul, the buzz of New York City versus the beauty and isolation of Norway. "It's the dilemma of loving a city life, yet secretly wondering if we'd be happier being surrounded by open fields and sweeping mountains." "Real Meaning" is inspired by Waaktaar-Savoy calling home only to be greeted by his answering machine. The idea behind "Start the Simulator" was to make a heartfelt song using technical language: "The basic idea was to make a song using only technical terms and phrases, and still make it very emotional and personal. There is such poetry in the old Apollo manuals: "switch to Omni Bravo" and "the bright ejector blanket." The latter should probably be "ejecta blanket
Ejecta blanket
An ejecta blanket is a generally symmetrical apron of ejecta that surrounds crater; it is layered thickly at the crater’s rim and thin to discontinuous at the blanket’s outer edge....
."
Magne's solo work has been sampled extensively, with the song "Foot of the Mountain" originally appeared as a solo track on Magne's last solo album and two tracks from the A-ha album have borrowed parts from Magne's album.
Artwork
The album's artwork is designed by Martin Kvamme, who has worked with A-ha on previous occasions, both as a band and on solo projects. Stian Andersen, Guy BerrymanGuy Berryman
Guy Rupert Berryman is a Scottish musician known as the bassist for the groups Coldplay and Apparatjik. Berryman is left-handed but chooses to play the bass right-handed.-Coldplay:...
, Istockphoto
IStockphoto
iStockphoto is an online, royalty free, international microstock photography provider operating with the micropayment business model. Images cost between 1 and 150 credits, depending on size and image collection .- History :The company was founded by Bruce Livingstone in May, 2000...
and Helge Kvamme supplied photographs for the inner sleeve. Martin Kvamme said the following about the inspiration behind the cover art: "In this case the title helped quite a lot. I know that this is a somehow poetic quote and that they are not necessarily talking about a mountain, but we wanted something majestic and simple. That's also why we made it quite abstract. It's a picture of the mountain Kyrkja (the church) in Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen is a mountainous area of roughly 3,500 km² in Southern Norway and is part of the long range known as the Scandinavian Mountains. The 29 highest mountains in Norway are all in Jotunheimen, including the very highest - Galdhøpiggen...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Inside we have more images of Norwegian nature (in a collage style). But in general I guess the inspiration comes from the overall idea (production and songwriting/lyrics), rather than the album title."
Critical reception
The Norwegian newspaper Verdens GangVerdens Gang
Verdens Gang , generally known under the abbreviation VG, is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper...
gave the album 4 out of 6 stars, calling the band "Coldplay's half-potent uncles". Dagbladet
Dagbladet
Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
also gave it 4 out of 6, stating "this is one of A-ha's best records, but it could have been a classic." Aftenposten
Aftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
was also very positive, giving it 4 out of 6, whilst Dagsavisen
Dagsavisen
Dagsavisen is a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway. The former party organ of the Norwegian Labour Party, the ties loosened over time from 1975 to 1999, and it is now fully independent...
had slight reservations giving it 3 out of 6. Nettavisen
Nettavisen
Nettavisen was the first Norwegian online newspaper that was not established in relation to a pre-existing real-life newspaper. It started up on 1 November 1996...
also gave it 3 out of 6. Swedish newspaper Norra Västerbotten
Norra Västerbotten
Norran , is a Swedish newspaper. It is published in Skellefteå, and chiefly distributed in the northern parts of Västerbotten. It was founded by a group of liberal newspaper enthusiasts led by Anton Wikström from Jörn in 1910. The first official edition was published 1 January 1911...
gave the album a glowing review and the mark 4 out of 5 stating that the album contained "melodic synthpop in the vein of The Killers.". Göteborgs-Posten
Göteborgs-Posten
Göteborgs-Posten is a major daily newspaper in Sweden. It is published in Gothenburg, with containing coverage of local, regional, national and international issues. It is chiefly distributed in western Götaland. It has the second largest national circulation, after Dagens Nyheter and before...
gave the album 4 out of 6, calling the album " a late peak in the bands career, perfectly placed between the soundscapes of Keane, Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
and Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
." Östgöta Correspondenten
Östgöta Correspondenten
Östgöta Correspondenten is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It is published in Linköping and has a circulation of about 60 000 copies every day. The stated position of the editorial page is liberal conservative. Östgöta Correspondenten was first published in 1838...
gave a favourable review stating "it is clear to see where Coldplay get their inspiration from." Kristianstadsbladet were less favorable, stating that the album was a "sleeping pill.". The album Foot of the Mountain reached Platinum
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
status in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and in January 2010, it was certified platinum in Germany In February it reached silver status in the UK.
Release history
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
12 June 2009 |
| Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
|
| Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
15 June 2009 |
| Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
19 June 2009 |
| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
|
| Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
|
| UK | 27 July 2009 |
| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
18 August 2009 |
| Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
27 October 2009 |
| Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
4 November 2009 |
| Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... |
18 February 2010 |