Heidi Zahl’s travel map

Heidi Zahl is a well-travelled explorer who has set foot in 53 countries across Europe, Asia, North America and Africa. More than half the world's population lives in the countries visited. Across 53 countries, 45 official languages are spoken — real linguistic diversity. The visited countries hold 724 UNESCO World Heritage Sites between them.

Some of the world's most sparsely populated places are on the list — countries where you can drive for hours without seeing another soul. There's a clear soft spot for small nations — countries where the entire population could fit in a football stadium.