Mount Athos is an autonomous republic, with an area of just 336km² 129miles²and a population of 4,000 (1997 estimate). Included within Greece, which recognises its autonomy, the republic is a long, mountainous promontory occupied by 20 Orthodox monasteries and their dependencies. Its government is the Holy Council comprising one representative from each of the 20 monasteries. Under the terms of a law dating from 1066 Mount Athos is inaccessible to all females, adult or child, including the female of any species of domestic animal.
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German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (b. 1944; in office from 1998 to 2005) has been married four times, making him the most-married prime minister of a monogamous society.
The USA has won more Summer Olympics medals than any other nation, amassing 2,298 medals (931 gold, 729 silver and 638 bronze) from the first modern Olympics in 1896 to the 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing. The USSR lies in second place with a total of 1,010 medals (395 gold, 319 silver, 296 bronze) from just nine Olympics (1952–1980 and 1988). This total does not include medals won by Russia (1908–1912), the Unified Team (1992) or the Russian Federation (1996–2008). Third place goes to
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The most Maurice Richard Trophies won by an individual player is two by Pavel Bure (Russia) playing for the Florida Panthers in 2000-2001 and Jarome Iginla (Canada) of the Calgary Flames won the award outright 2002, and a share with Rick Nash (Canada) of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ilya Kovalchuk (Russia) of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2004. The Maurice Richard Trophy is warded each year to the leading goal scorer in the NHL.
The National Hockey League (NHL) record for most career regular-season wins is 602 by Martin Brodeur (Canada) playing for the New Jersey Devils (USA) during the 2009-10 season.
Allan Border (b. 27 July 1955, Australia) skippered the Australian team 93 times (in consecutive matches) between 1978 and 1994, a run that also helped him set the record for the most consecutive Test matches played in a career (153).
The NHL record for most career games played is 1,767 by Gordie Howe (Canada) of the Detroit Red Wings (USA) and Hartford Whalers (USA) from 1946 to 1980.
The person who has officiated in the most games in NHL history is Kerry Fraser (Canada), who refereed 1,902 regular season games from 1979 to April 2010. He officiated the final regular season game of his career in April of 2010.
The NHL record for most regular-season games coached with the same team is 1,500 by Al Arbour (Canada) with the New York Islanders (USA). Arbour came out of retirement for one last game, a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins (USA) on 3 November 2007.
The most medals won by an individual at the World Curling Championships is nine by Eigil Ramsfjell (Norway) who won three gold, two silver and four bronze (1978–1991).