BBC's Simon Reeve names his 'favourite' country after visiting 130 nations

Simon Reeve has named his favourite country on Earth, where you can find things you don't see "anywhere else on the planet". As one of the foremost adventure on British , Simon has visited some of the most stunning and dangerous parts of the world, with adventures spanning from a brush with the KGB to being chased by .

In his latest three-part show, 'Scandinavia with Simon Reeve', the intrepid presenter journeys across the rugged but equally picturesque Nordic nations, spanning tundra, forest and fjord. Yet, it marks just the latest for Simon, who has visited more than 130 countries throughout his life, a staggering figure for someone who didn't step foot on a plane until they were "growing up and properly working". Simon said: "You know, I'm a very lucky bloke. I've been to more than 130 countries now and travelled pretty extensively, I grant you, but almost all as an adult. You know, I don't come from a 'travel-ly' family. I didn't get on a plane until I was growing up and properly working."

Simon revealed that he didn't have the opportunity to take "fancy foreign holidays" when he was young, but he believes this has helped him "appreciate" his role even more.

In fact, he doesn't take his incredible for granted and mentioned spending time on the dole as a teen, meaning he remains "very aware" of "how lucky" he's been.

Picking only one country from the multitude he's visited over the years appears to be no mean feat for the , but if you had to "twist" his arm, one, in particular, stands out

Simon said: "So, I've always got my eyes open when I'm travelling. I'm always trying to soak it up like a human sponge, and I absolutely love the journeys still. If you twist my arm and you say, 'You've gotta come up with somewhere that you really love', Madagascar."

Madagascar, the fourth-largest in the world, is known for its extraordinary wildlife-a vast array of reptiles, plants, and mammals that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet.

According to the WWF, the 144-million-acre island off the southeast coast of is home to a diverse range of habitats, from dense rainforests to deserts.

Simon continued: "Madagascar was staggeringly different and beautiful and surprising, and obviously, that's off the east coast of Africa. It's got a bit of Africa in it. It's got a bit of Asia in it. But it's quite unique, as well.

"You see stuff there that you don't see anywhere else on the planet. You know, a group of cowboys wearing huge floppy hats taking a huge herd of buffalo across the country to market."

You could scale another hill and be greeted by a "huge plain of spiny cactus", according to Simon, who declared that there's "weird stuff happening there".

He added: "You know, when humans first arrived on Madagascar, there were lemurs the size of gorillas. You know, things have evolved there in very different and special ways, so that is a place that has really amazed me."

You can watch Scandinavia with Simon Reeve on Sundays at 9pm on Two and iPlayer. Catch all three episodes on iPlayer NOW.