Feb. 9 is World Pizza Day, a celebration of one of the most popular foods in the world and that almost everyone likes, among other things, due to the multitude of ingredients that it can be served with and the variety of combinations that exist.

So, why is pizza celebrated on this day? On Feb. 9, 2017, Icelandic President Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannessones wanted to ban pineapple on pizza, or at least that's what he hinted at during a talk with students in the city of Akurey. This took social media by storm, and it went on a rampage against the president's statements. 

The president could not hide his declared "hatred" of Hawaiian pizzas with the students, and faced the consequences.

However, that same year, pizza was declared an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, "due to its role in social life and the transmission of this culinary art between generations." The recognition was preceded by the endorsement of more than 2 million signatures following Jóhannessones' declarations.

The pizza we know today originated in the Italian city of Naples, and it is said that the people who lived there added tomato to a flatbread made from yeast. All indications are that the creator of the modern pizza was Raffaele Esposito, who lived there. According to a popular urban legend, Esposito invented a pizza in 1889 in honor of Queen Margherita, which he named margherita pizza. 

Despite its Italian origin, the word pizza comes from the Greek 'pēktos,' meaning 'solid' or 'coagulated,' referring to the consistency of the dough base, usually circular, made with wheat flour, salt, water and yeast.

Pizza facts

The food that is one of the most loved around the world also has several fun facts that never cease to surprise its consumers: 

• It is considered the most popular and best-selling food in the world.
• The most expensive pizza in the world was sold for $3 million dollars on eBay. 
• Eating pizza makes you more productive at work. 
• The world's first pizzeria opened in Port'Alba in Naples, Italy, in the late 1800s.
• The most popular pizza flavors are Pepperoni, Funghi, Fugazza, Neapolitan, Calzone and Hawaiian. 
• The second most expensive pizza in the world costs $2,000 and is made with foie gras, truffles, caviar and 24-karat edible gold.
• In 2001, the world's most expensive pizza delivery took place when a pizza was sent to the International Space Station. The operation cost more than $1 million.