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Interesting Facts about Eurovision Song Contest

Countries are eligible to participate in Eurovision if they are active members of the EBU, that is if they fall within the EBU area, or members of the Council of Europe. (map link: green denotes participating nations.)

The EBU Broadcasting Area " is bound on the west by the western boundary of Region 1 - on the east by the meridian 40° East of Greenwich and on the south by the parallel 30° North so as to include the western part of the USSR, the northern part of Saudi Arabia and that part of those countries bordering the Mediterranean within these limits. In addition, Iraq, Jordan and that part of the territory of Turkey lying outside the above limits are included in the European Broadcasting Area."

Organizers of the 2005 Eurovision asked the Ukrainian government to put a block on bookings to the host city, Kiev.  Hotel and press facilities are always a concern when choosing a host city. Apparently there was a shortage of hotel rooms and unfortunately many people found their bookings abruptly cancelled.