‘What’s a totally false myth about your country that’s 100% believed?’ – 27 favourites

It all began when orionve asked this over on Reddit.

‘What is a common myth about your country that is 100% false but many people still believe in it?’

And it prompted lots and lots of replies which were occasionally enlightening, sometimes furious and often very funny.

Here are our 27 favourites (they don’t always identify the country but that really won’t be a problem for reasons that are about to become obvious).

1.

‘Romania. Many people believe we have vampires, but in my 700 years of living here, I haven’t even seen one. I asked my mates back in the castle and they also haven’t seen any, and they’ve been around for longer than I.’
zyppoboy

2.

‘That the Irish are the biggest drunks in the world, completely false and mean as we’re only the second biggest drinker in the world but we hope to get first place next year.’
LegendaryPQ

3.

‘People think British people are either stiff Upper lip public schoolboys or cockney brick layers/football hooligans. There’s a whole world of people in between! Some of us don’t even like football. One of my friends DOESNT EVEN DRINK TEA! Not sure why she’s my friend to be honest.’
farlos75

4.

‘That we say “shrimp on the barbie”, it was an ad campaign to appeal to Americans, it was the most successful tourism campaign still to this day, but literally no one in australia says that.’
Fireo2sw

5.

‘Welsh people shag sheep. Temptation is there but the static shock wouldn’t be worth it.’
TheGrizzlyBen

6.

‘I’ve never seen a mime in Paris.’
simon_0404

7.

‘Iceland was not named as part of some conspiracy to keep folks away from a good thing. The name comes from the fact that early settlers arrived during summer and then suffered horrible losses of livestock and people once winter hit and icebergs were seen filling the fjords. It was more of a warning than anything, that this place sucked. Greenland on the other hand was probably named as such to make it sound more hospitable.’
MorrisonsLament

8.

‘Oh so much, according to popular opinion I should be a weed smoking, clog wearing tulip farmer living in a windmill. Can you guess where I am from yet? ;)’
Jealous-Proof5505

9.

‘Nigeria. that everyone here is into scamming people lmao.’
crzybrzy

10.

‘We aren’t all overweight people wearing Old Navy American flag t-shirts and khaki shorts. Only, like, 60% of us.’
SkippyNordquist

11.

‘Everyone drinks maple syrup, moose everywhere and saying “sorry” all the time.’
Ugandan_Chungas

12.

‘Kenyans are all long-distance runners, live in huts, speak no English, and have pet wild animals. Ugh.

‘So here goes: The long-distance guys are mainly from one community/ tribe called the Kalenjin that’s about 15% of the population. Next, Kenya is still a developing nation with a lot of poverty, but there’s a lot of modern architecture. Next, the country is rated 18 out of 100 on the English Proficiency Index. And lastly: you can apply for a special (and rarely-granted) permit for your bobcat named Babou, but keeping wildlife is not at all common. And the Kenya Wildlife Service will conduct regular visits to ensure Babou isn’t being kept in Meowschwitz-like conditions.’
kwnet

13.

‘That it is always hot in Australia. It’s not.’
dragonfly-1001

14.

‘That crumpets and tea makes you posh. I can get 9 crumpets for a quid from me local Asda, far from posh!’
Cyberspunk1991