From the sweaty apple armpit dance in Austria to the biggest fish competition in Brazil and the penis festival in Japan – these are the strangest pulling techniques across the planet

FORGET language barriers - when it comes down to learning about the birds and the bees and the art of sex itself, the language of love is universal.

At least, that's what we thought. But according to recent studies, pulling techniques vary drastically from country to country – and feature everything from parading the size of your…fish, and chatting for just 30 minutes before your first time having sex.

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Austrian women are much more likely to pull if they have a slice of apple squeezed into their armpit and one region of Russia has dedicated a national sex holiday to boost declining fertility rates.

But these aren't the most bizarre pulling rituals.

Here we discover the biggest turn ons and turn offs from around the world…

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Austria: The sweaty apple dance 

In rural Austria, women attend dances with apple slices under their armpits in the hope of finding a man who will take a bite at the end of the night.

The ritual dates back to the 19th century and allows women to capture their 'sexual scent' - or BO - ahead of getting frisky.

Although (luckily) this is a dying tradition, women still use slices of fruit to capture their smell before offering it to potential suitors to sniff.

If he likes her in return, he’ll take a bite of the apple slice, to signify his attraction to her. Our five-a-day will never look the same.

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Brazil: Catch of the day

In the central Brazilian village of Mehinaku, a man’s ability to fish is said to be the key to a woman’s heart.

When a woman comes of age in her adolescence, she becomes "available" to suitors, who must bring her gifts in order to show he’ll be a capable husband.

But forget traditional chocolates and roses, Mehinaku men go fishing, bringing back their biggest catch to the woman they wish to marry. The act is seen as a gift in return for sexual favours when they are married.

It’s a sign of what is to come for the groom-to-be, as if he’s chosen as the lucky one, he’s expected to live with his wife’s family and help with household chores like fishing, carving and building boats.

But there’s a catch…women in turn are expected to have several children and the men are able to take freely take extra-marital lovers.

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Russia: The sexy 'bonk holiday'

Ever been tempted to pull a sickie and stay in bed with your partner?

If you live in Russia, and it's September 12, you have no reason to put on your best flu-voice, as the day marks the region of Ulyanovsk’s "day of conception".

Governor of the region – which is just outside of Moscow - Sergey Morozov, has ruled that couples must spend the day getting frisky to help solve the population crisis.

In a 2006 speech by Vladimir Putin, the President described the country’s rapid population decrease as "the most acute problem in contemporary Russia", and it’s expected to drop by 30million by 2050.

And the best part is that those couples with a due date of June 12 – exactly nine months later – are rewarded with prizes such as a jeep or an apartment.

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France: Clothes off in 30 minutes  

While Brazil and Austria have some intense rituals, and Russia designates a whole day for sex, France is much more to the point.

According to a sex columnist, Maïa Mazaurette, who writes for French GQ Magazine, 30 minutes is an appropriate length of time to get to know someone over a drink before hitting the sack in France.

Forget the third date rule and the stereotype that the French are inclined to romance their dates, Maia says: “I don’t want to have to wait until the end of the evening for sex. I want to go home immediately.”

Although the French are also said to find the English accent "cute", don’t try to flirt with them when you’ve had a few too many.

“If you are too drunk, it’s better to wait for better conditions. It won’t be good sex and we like good sex,” she adds.

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Japan: The 18-34 year old virgins

But while the French might jump into bed quickly, the Japanese are much less randy.

Along with Russia, Japan also has a rapidly declining birth rate, as rates of virginity and sexless marriages begin to rise.

A recent report by Japan’s Family Planning Association found that a third of Japanese men were too tired for sex, and that a quarter of women found the thought of intercourse ‘troubling’, with one woman suggesting men were ‘too busy with porn’ to ask a woman on a date.

Another study discovered the rate of virgins aged 18-34 had risen to 45 per cent last year, and birth rate had decreased to just below one million births a year.

This is all in spite of the country’s annual Kanamara – aka penis – festival.

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The spring date sees thousands flock to the streets wearing penis costumes, hats, and sucking willy-shaped lollypops.

The festival celebrates the 17th century legend of a demon who, unable to be with the woman he loved, hid inside her vagina and ate the penises of her two husbands.

Fed up of not having any sex, the woman then requested a steel dildo be made – which later broke the demon’s teeth and vanquished him for good.

It’s little wonder men are running away from any potential bonks…

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Cambodia: ‘Love hut’

Forget Love Island’s infamous hideout, where couples of the ITV2 dating show snuck off to for a not-so-undercover romp – Cambodian parents have taken things up a notch.

The Kreung tribe, based in remote Cambodia, believe that parents should build their daughter a "love hut" when she reaches her mid-teens.

The purpose of the hut, named "the maiden hut" is that potential suitors are invited to spend the night with the girl – aged between 13-15 to early 20s, until she finds the one she wants to marry.

Young boys from nearby villages would drop by the hut and sing love songs while playing the flute outside. If the feeling was mutual, the girl would invite the boy into the hut to sleep with her.

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During this time, the girl is completely sexually independent and can sleep with who she likes.

Sometimes this period can last up to five years, and several encounters, before she meets a match.

Unwanted pregnancies do happen, but whoever the girl chooses takes up the responsibility of raising the child as his own.

Divorce is seen as unacceptable, so they believe it’s better for the couple to consummate their relationship so they know what they are letting themselves in for.

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Denmark: Getting frisky in the sun

Although soaring temperatures act as a natural aphrodisiac, the Danes are friskier than any other country in the sunshine.

Research conducted by travel company Spies Travel found that they have 45 per cent more sex on holiday than when they’re at home.

They also launched an ad campaign, titled "Do it for Denmark", encouraging couples to have more sex on holiday, and similar to Russia’s "conception day" initiative, the travel company have awarded prizes, including a free holiday to those couples who have a baby nine months after their trip.

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