After which goddess is the the capital of Greece named?

US Cities With Greek Names | USA.GreekReporter.com US Cities With Greek Names US Cities With Greek Names By - Feb 9, 2013 More than 100 cities and villages across the USA have been named after Greek cities, mythological heroes and historical figures of ancient and modern times. This is a short list of the biggest and most well known American cities bearing Greek names across the Atlantic. Olympia is the capital city of the state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It has 46,500 residents and it is named after the sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, the most famous games in history. Athens is a name you can find in several cities in the states of Georgia, Ohio, Alabama, Indiana, Maine, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania. There is also a New Athens in Illinois and an Athens County in Ohio. The name of the Greek capital and ancient goddess Athena seems particularly popular in the USA. Arcadia is yet another Greek origin name found in various states including California, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin. The home of ancient Greek god Pan and the praised unspoiled natural environment of the Peloponnese region has been a source of inspiration in the USA. The name of the famous ship that carried Jason and the Argonauts to the Golden Fleece, Argo, is a small town in Texas, while Arion the poet who was kidnapped by pirates and was miraculously saved by dophins is remembered in both Iowa and Ohio. You can also find replicas of the important Greek port city of Corinth in Kentucky, Mississippi, New York, Texas and Vermont. The famous city state of ancient Greece known for its disciplined warriors and its unique social system, Sparta, has reemerged in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin. Titan Atlas who was punished by Zeus to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders is remembered in Atlanta cities in  Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana,Missouri , Nebraska, New York, Texas. There is also the name Atlas in Michigan and Kansas, and the name Atlantic City in New Jersey. Troy the ancient city of the Trojan War described in Homer’s epic The Iliad has been a source of inspiration for cities and residences in Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. The home of Ulysses Ithaca has been used in Nebraska, New York and Ohio, while a city in central Texas was named after Ulysses’ faithful wife Penelope. Echo, the ancient Greek mountain nymph that fell in love and had her heart broken by Narcissus, gave her name to cities in Louisiana, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas, Utah. Cities bearing the name of ancient epic poet Homer are found in the states of Alaska, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, Ohio. The name of Greece’s biggest island Crete has been used in cities both in Illinois and Nebraska, while Delphi, where the famous ancient oracle once was, inspired the residents of Indiana, Kentucky and New York as well. Finally, Greece has given its name to the town of Greece in Monroe County, New York, United States. With a population of 96,095 according to the 2010 census, the Town of Greece was established in 1822 from part of the Town of Gates and was previously called Northampton. The name Greece was selected because of the then contemporary struggle of Greece for independence from the Ottoman Empire. TAGS what about cities ending with polis like Minneapolis, Indianapolis… then the Navy’s Annapolis. Still that link. Then there are those with the names like Phoenix, an ancient Hellenic bird… Chris Moutzikis What about the city Macedonia in Ohio? I’m sure there are many more from other parts of Greece outside


On what island could dodo birds once be found?

Dodo Bird: an Extinct Species Dodo Bird: an Extinct Species THE DODO BIRD EXTINCT The dodo bird inhabited the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, where it lived undisturbed for so long that it lost its need and ability to fly. It lived and nested on the ground and ate fruits that had fallen from trees. There were no mammals on the island and a high diversity of bird species lived in the dense forests. In 1505, the Portuguese became the first humans to set foot on Mauritius. The island quickly became a stopover for ships engaged in the spice trade. Weighing up to 50 pounds, the dodo bird was a welcome source of fresh meat for the sailors. Large numbers of dodo birds were killed for food. Later, when the Dutch used the island as a penal colony, pigs and monkeys were brought to the island along with the convicts. Many of the ships that came to Mauritius also had uninvited rats aboard, some of which escaped onto the island. Before humans and other mammals arrived the dodo bird had little to fear from predators. The rats, pigs and monkeys made short work of vulnerable dodo bird eggs in the ground nests. The combination of human exploitation and introduced species significantly reduced dodo bird populations. Within 100 years of the arrival of humans on Mauritius, the once abundant dodo bird was a rare bird. The last dodo bird was killed in 1681. Although the tale of the dodo bird’s demise is well documented, no complete specimens of the bird were preserved; there are only fragments and sketches. The dodo bird is just one of the bird species driven to extinction on Mauritius. Many others were lost in the 19th century when the dense Mauritian forests were converted into tea and sugar plantations. Of the 45 bird species originally found on Mauritius, only 21 have managed to survive. Although the dodo bird became extinct in 1681, its story is not over. We are just beginning to understand the effects of its extinction on the ecosystem. Recently a scientist noticed that a certain species of tree was becoming quite rare on Mauritius. In fact, he noticed that all 13 of the remaining trees of this species were about 300 years old. No new trees had germinated since the late 1600s. Since the average life span of this tree was about 300 years, the last members of the species were extremely old. They would soon die, and the species would be extinct. Was it just a coincidence that the tree had stopped reproducing 300 years ago and that the dodo bird had become extinct 300 years ago? No. It turns out that the dodo bird ate the fruit of this tree, and it was only by passing through the dodo’s digestive system that the seeds became active and could grow. Now, more than 300 years after one species became extinct, another was to follow as a direct consequence. Will more follow? Luckily, some creative people discovered that domestic turkey gullets sufficiently mimic the action of the dodo bird’s digestive system. They have used turkeys to begin a new generation of the tree, which is now called the dodo tree. If these seedlings survive to produce their own seeds, the species will be saved. Questions for Thought: Mauritius is a medium-sized island that is extremely far away from any mainland. What does Island biogeography suggest about such places? Birds and bats are frequently responsible for the natural pollination and seed dispersal of trees. What will their extinctions and endangerment mean for the forests where they live?


Largest Desert in the World - Desert Map Home » Records » Largest Desert The World's Largest Deserts A map showing the generalized location of Earth's ten largest deserts and a table of over 20 major deserts. World desert map: This map shows the generalized location of Earth's ten largest deserts on the basis of surface area. The table at the bottom of this page provides the names, generalized locations, and surface areas of over twenty major deserts. Base map by NOAA. Sand dunes in the Sahara Desert of Libya: Most people think of deserts as "sandy" landscapes. That is true part of the time. This is a view of sand dunes in the Sahara Desert of Libya - an area known as the Ubari (or Awbari) Sand Sea. Photo © iStockphoto / PatrickPoendl. What is a Desert? A desert is a landscape or region that receives very little precipitation - less than 250 mm per year (about ten inches). Approximately 1/3 of Earth's land surface is a desert. There are four different types of deserts based upon their geographic situation: 1) polar deserts, 2) subtropical deserts, 3) cold winter deserts, and 4) cool coastal deserts.  As shown on the map above, deserts occur on all of Earth's continents. The Largest Desert The two largest deserts on Earth are in the polar areas. The Antarctic Polar Desert covers the continent of Antarctica and has a size of about 5.5 million square miles. The second-largest desert is the Arctic Polar Desert. It extends over parts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. It has a surface area of about 5.4 million square miles. McMurdo Dry Valleys: The largest deserts on Earth are in the polar regions. This is one of the McMurdo "dry valleys" near Lake Hoare, Antarctica. The Canada Glacier is in the background. Photograph by Peter West, National Science Foundation. Non-Polar Deserts The rest of Earth's deserts are outside of the polar areas. The largest is the Sahara Desert, a subtropical desert in northern Africa. It covers a surface area of about 3.5 million square miles. A list of more than twenty of the largest non-polar deserts can be found below. Vegetation of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona: Cacti and grasses in Arizona's Sonoran Desert. Photo © iStockphoto / vlynder. The Desert Environment When most people think of a desert, they imagine a landscape covered with sand and sand dunes. Although many deserts are sand-covered, most are not. Many desert landscapes are rocky surfaces. They are rocky because any sand-size or smaller particles on the surface are quickly blown away. Rocky deserts are barren wind-swept landscapes. Most deserts receive so little precipitation that surface streams usually only flow immediately after rainfall - unless the stream has a source of water outside of the desert. Streams that enter a desert usually suffer major water losses before they exit. Some of the water is lost to evaporation. Some is lost to transpiration (taken up by plants and then released to the atmosphere from the plants). And, some is lost to infiltration (water soaking into the ground through the bottom of the stream channel). Desert Fauna and Flora The plants and animals that live in a desert must be adapted to the environment. Plants must be very tolerant to intense sun, prolonged periods without precipitation, and have an ability to prevent moisture loss to conditions of severe temperature ranges, dry winds, and low humidity. Animals must be able to tolerate temperature extremes, temperature ranges, and have an ability to survive with very little water. Many animals adapt to desert conditions by living underground and being active at night. Major Deserts of the World Name


What is the biggest island in the Caribbean?

The Biggest Caribbean Islands | USA Today The Biggest Caribbean Islands Havana is the capital of the largest Caribbean island. (Photo: Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images ) What Are Physical Landforms of the Caribbean Islands? The Caribbean region has hundreds of islands, spread out over an area that runs from the southern coast of the U.S. to the east coast of Venezuela. Some of these islands are so small that no one can live on them. All but one of the largest islands in the Caribbean are destinations that have good infrastructure, budget and luxury tourist facilities, convenient transportation options and a choice of activities that make your trip exciting or relaxing, depending on your preference. Cuba Cuba (gocuba.ca) is the largest island in the Caribbean at 42,803 square miles. Just 83 miles from Key West, Florida, it is also the closest Caribbean destination to the United States. The regulations of the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the U.S. Department of the Treasury govern allowable or licensed travel to Cuba. Due to long-standing U.S. foreign policies, the U.S. government does not permit American tourist travel to Cuba. Travel licenses that do not require a formal application include visits to relatives who are Cuban nationals, trips by full-time journalists and employees of specific nongovernmental organizations in which the U.S. is a member. OFAC does not require a license application for professional research and conference trips or business trips by employees of telecommunications, agricultural and medical device companies. Trips for educational programs, religious and humanitarian aid activities, freelance journalists, performing artists and athletics require an application for a travel license from OFAC. The Cuban government requires that licensed U.S. travelers obtain a visa before leaving the U.S. Hispaniola Hispaniola is the second largest Caribbean island, and it is home to two different countries. The Dominican Republic (godominicanrepublic.com) is the larger of this island's two countries, with an area of 18,792 square miles. Spanish is the official language of the Dominican Republic. In tourist areas, English is common. Haiti (haititourisme.org) occupies the eastern third of Hispaniola. It has an area of 10,714 square miles. The official language of Haiti is French; however, a Creole variation of French is the more common unofficial language. U.S. citizens and permanent residents need a passport to travel to both countries on the island of Hispaniola. Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (seepuertorico.com) is a U.S. Territory and the third largest Caribbean island at 5,324 square miles. The land area of Puerto Rico is only 3,425 square miles; the remainder of the island’s total area is water. U.S. citizens and permanent residents can travel to Puerto Rico without a passport. You still need a valid government-issued photo I.D. to board a plane or cruise ship to this destination. English is the official language, but Spanish is commonly the first language of most residents of this island. Jamaica With a total area of 4,244 square miles, Jamaica (visitjamaica.com) is the fourth largest island in the Caribbean. However, its total land area of 4,181 square miles is larger than Puerto Rico's land area. It is the largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean. Flights from the U.S. are available on major carriers and the country's national airline, Air Jamaica. Visitors also have a choice of cruise lines that travel to Jamaica. The Jamaican government requires that U.S. citizens and permanent residents present a passport at all ports of entry. The Bahamas At 5,359 square miles in area, the 700-island chain of the Bahamas (bahamas.com) is larger than Puerto Rico and Jamaica; however, these islands are in the Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean Sea. Cuba’s location blocks this chain's access to the waters of the Caribbean. They are closer to the U.S. than Cuba, at 50 miles from the southernmost point in Florida. References


On what sea is the Russian city of Sochi located?

Sochi Map 2014 and Locator Map of Sochi Winter Olympics 2014 Sochi map 2014 and locator map of sochi winter olympics 2014 Sochi, Russia Dateline: July 4, 2007 The city of Sochi, Russia, was selected as the host city for the XXII Olympic Winter Games in 2014. The announcement was made by IOC President Jacques Rogge in Guatemala City, where the IOC members were meeting. Sochi was elected in the second round of voting with 51 votes against 47 votes for PyeongChang, South Korea. The vision of Sochi 2014 is to unite the resources of the city of Sochi, the Krasnodar region and the Russian nation to develop in Sochi greatly needed sports venues and resort infrastructure, in a sustainable, inclusive, environmentally responsible manner. Their goal is to deliver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games of unsurpassed excellence for the athletes, the Olympic family, the Paralympic family and the world. City Details: The city of Sochi is located in far southwestern Russia along the edge of the Black Sea. It fronts the massive peaks of the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains, a perfect venue for winter sports of all types. The last local census indicated 328,809 residents, but that will certainly increase as construction and development activities for the 2014 Winter Olympics progress.


What is the name of the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium?

The Regions | Belgium.be The Regions Brussels-Capital Region Apart from the Federal State and the Communities, there are the Regions. There are three Regions. The names of the three regional institutions are borrowed from the name of the territory they represent. So we refer to (from north to south) the Flemish Region, the Brussels-Capital Region and the Walloon Region. Their powers have been extended in the course of the various reforms. During the second reform of the state in 1980, the Flemish and the Walloon Region were given their Parliament and Government. The Brussels-Capital Region, on the other hand, was only granted its institutions during the third reform of the State in 1988-89. The population elects the members of the Regional Parliament directly every five years. The Regions have legislative and executive organs: these are known as the Regional Parliament and the Regional Government. One should not forget that in Flanders, the Community and Regional institutions were merged. So in Flanders, there is one Parliament and one Government.


By volume of water, what is the largest lake in Scotland?

The Five Largest Freshwater Lochs in Scotland - Holiday Parks The Five Largest Freshwater Lochs in Scotland The Five Largest Freshwater Lochs in Scotland January 22, 2013 at 2:44 pm The Five Largest Freshwater Lochs in Scotland: Lochs by Volume, Area, Length and Depth Loch Ness might get almost all the press when it comes to the Scottish Lochs, but it’s by no means the largest or longest. There are at least 31,460 lochs in Scotland, and out of these, there are lochs that are deeper, longer and larger in area than Loch Ness. Loch is simply the Scottish Gaelic and Irish word for a lake or sea inlet, and there is only one natural body of water called a ‘lake’ in Scotland: Lake Menteith. This article is a guide to the five largest lochs by volume, area, length and depth. Holiday Parks offer breaks at Lomond Woods at Loch Lomond – the largest loch in Scotland by surface area.   5 Largest Scottish Lochs by Volume Loch Ness is by far the largest loch in Scotland by volume, and it contains more water than all of the lakes in England and Wales combined. Of course, it’s apparently the home of the fabled Loch Ness monster, and this huge volume of water has given Nessy plenty of space to hide over since her modern ‘sighting’ in 1933. 5 Largest Scottish Lochs by Area Loch Ness wins for volume for its consistent depth for its area, but Loch Lomond actually has a considerably larger surface area. Most originated from glacial over deepening of the valleys they now occupy, and are subsequently long and thin in shape. Loch Lomond has a bulbous southern expanse of water, which gives it a greater surface area than the other lochs. 5 Longest Scottish Lochs Loch Awe is the longest loch – just beating Loch Ness by 2km. It is located to the West of Loch Lomond in Argylle and Bute. While it has a length of 41km, it has an average width of 1km. It is particularly well renowned for trout and salmon – so if you’re a keen fisher, then Loch Awe is a good spot. 5 Deepest Scottish Lochs by Depth Loch Morar is the deepest freshwater body in the British Isles, at a depth of 310m. Much like Loch Ness, it’s home to a legendary monster – dubbed morag by the locals. Loch Morar would be able to fit the newly opened London building The Shard, which is also 310m in height, exactly in its depth.


"What ""line"" divides the northern and southern U.S. states?"

Do you consider Maryland and Virginia southern states? Do you consider Maryland and Virginia southern states? Please explain why or why not. Thanks. by Anonymous reply 146 03/17/2015 Virginia most definitely - capitol of the confederacy, first real Southern accents you encounter when driving south, more Republican etc. Maryland is weird, starting with the Bawlmer accent, which is kind of northeastern but kind of southern. It is the transitional state. by Anonymous reply 1 06/20/2011 Virginia, definitely. It was one of the major slave holding states and stronghold of the Confederacy. Maryland no, because of John Waters. by Anonymous reply 3 06/20/2011 I'm a Yankee by birth but currently living in California. Perhaps that affects my answer. To me, any state that was part of the Confederacy is The South. So Virginia is southern and Maryland is not. by Anonymous They were both slave states. by Anonymous reply 5 06/20/2011 I've lived in northern Virginia my whole life and know the DC metro area well. Maryland is not a southern state, but Virginia is - even no. Va. is pretty southern. DC is kind of southern. by Anonymous Yes. Both. Besides the history, listen to the accents. by Anonymous reply 7 06/20/2011 Maryland is a southern state though like Virginia, the growth of DC suburbs mutes the character. The North would not allow Maryland to secede for strategic reasons (look at a map), but the people probably would have if they were free to choose. by Anonymous reply 8 06/20/2011 Virginia Yes%0D Maryland No%0D %0D If You drive from D.C. to Baltimore, it feels like you are in an East Coast City.%0D %0D Drive across the Potomac River to Virginia and it feels like you are in a Southern City.%0D %0D This is what makes Washington D.C. such a great city! by Anonymous reply 9 06/20/2011 Yes to both. Everything below the Mason-Dixon line is the south with the exception of DC. by Anonymous reply 11 06/20/2011 [quote]The North would not allow Maryland to secede for strategic reasons (look at a map), but the people probably would have if they were free to choose.%0D %0D %0D Not so. Of the Marylanders who enlisted and fought in the civil war, 77% enlisted with the union. by Anonymous reply 12 06/20/2011 Today, it's "Northern" on the DC - Baltimore corridor but the rest of the state is still Southern. It's below the Mason-Dixon Line. by Anonymous VA yes, MD no. We didn't trust MD then and still do not. by Anonymous reply 14 06/20/2011 Of course Virginia is SOuthern. It is the capital of the Confederacy. The governor even recognizes Confederate History Day. Maryland WAS a Southern state for most of American history. It arguably still IS. by Anonymous reply 15 06/20/2011 They're both states full of Yankees. I have cousins who live Virginia, and their teenage children have those awful nasal Yankee voices. Of course, Maryland isn't even worthy of discussion. by Anonymous reply 16 06/20/2011 says r16 with his plummy smoker's cough buffeting the fad pads around his neck and parotids. by Anonymous reply 17 06/20/2011 I think Virginia, Maryland, DC and maybe North Carolina could be considered Mid-Atlantic states. They really have no relation, culturally, to states likes Alabama and Mississippi, etc. by Anonymous Amongst us real Virginians, it's when you cross the Rappahanock River that....."the south be gins." by Anonymous reply 19 06/20/2011 I'm from Maryland. I don't know of anyone from there who considers themselves to be Southern, whereas parts of Virgina still wave their Confederate flags on their mudflaps proudly. by Anonymous reply 20 06/20/2011 I have to disagree with R6: NoVa (as in the D.C. suburbs) is definitely *not* Southern, but the southern part of the state most certainly is. Southwestern Virginia is as backwater hick-filled as any rural part of Georgia or Alabama. Plus, as noted, Virginia was essentially the center point in the Confederacy, even if its capital was originally in Alabama. That said, being part of the Confederacy doesn't automatically make a state "Southern," otherwise Missouri and Texas would fit the bil


What Italian region has its capital in Florence?

Regions of Italy, Map of Italy Regions, Regions in Italy 7 581 In the time of Ancient Rome, this capital city of Italy was the center of the entire Roman Empire. Today Italy, a founding member of the eurozone and the European Union, is also one of the largest economies in the world, and a major regional power in Europe. Rich Catholic culture has shaped the country's religious base, even though Judaism has been the longest established religious faith in the country. Home to a number of UNESCO's heritage sites, Italy is also a great center of culture, literature, and art. Italy is also known for giving the world the theatrical extravaganza called opera, and its traditional cuisine - pastas and pizzas. Italy's Political Timeline Constitution was approved Location of Italy Located in southern Europe, Italy is comprised of the Italian Peninsula and a number of islands. Italy shares borders with four countries: Switzerland, France, Austria, and Slovenia. It also surrounds two landlocked countries, San Marino and Vatican City. Italy spans a total area of 116,347 square miles and has a coastline of 4,722 miles. Economy and Agriculture Economically, Italy can be divided into two parts - the developed industrial north, which is dominated by private companies, and the less developed agricultural south. Prior to World War II, Italy had an agriculture-based economy, and after the Second World War, Italy rapidly transformed to an industrialized nation. Today, Italy is one of the most developed nations of the world, with a high standard of living. The country has high GDP, but also has a high unemployment rate. Italy's economy is supported by many small and medium-sized enterprises, which mainly produce high quality consumer goods. Italy's GDP is about $2.05 trillion (2010 United Nations), which is the eighth largest in the world. Italy's main agricultural products are wheat, rice, citrus fruits, beef, potatoes, and soybeans. Its main industries are textile industry, tourism industry, and consumer goods manufacturing enterprises. The eurozone crisis has left an indelible mark on the country, though, and unemployment is a major concern. Political History and Divisions Prior to June 1946, monarchy was prevalent in Italy, but the monarchy was abolished in June 1946, and Italy became a parliamentary democratic nation. Italy's parliament is divided in two houses: the Senate of the Republic (315 seats) and the Chamber of Deputies (630 seats). Italy's prime minister shares authority with the president of Italy. Fifteen regions of Italy have centralized governments, with the head of the regions reporting to the central government. The twenty regions of Italy have about 110 provinces, each with its its own locally elected representatives. One unique feature of Italy's parliament is that representation is given to permanently non-residing citizens. Major Cities of Italy Venice: Located northeastern Italy, Venice is the capital of the Veneto region. Venice is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its beautiful views, works of art, and unique landscapes and architecture. This city attracts many tourists every year. Milan: Milan is the commercial, industrial, and business center of Italy. This second largest city of Italy also is the capital of the Lombardy region and can be called the capital of Italian fashion. Florence: This famous historical city is the capital of the Tuscany region of Italy. Florence has many monuments and museums that attract visitors to this city on regular basis. Rome: The capital of Italy as well as the the Lazio region, Rome became part of unified Italy in 1870. In ancient times, Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire, which was a powerful empire that spanned the Mediterranean. Rome is also listed as a UNESCO's World Heritage Site. Italy - from the Etruscans to the present day Italy is a peninsular country bounded by the Mediterranean, with the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Italy is a beautiful country with lofty mountains like the Apennine and green valleys like in Lombardy.


What country is often described as being shaped like a boot?

What European country is shaped like a boot? | Reference.com What European country is shaped like a boot? A: Quick Answer One of the most identifiable European countries on the world map is Italy, due to being shaped like a boot. Italy's peninsula is surrounded on three sides by water. The country has the Adriatic Sea on the east side, the Mediterranean to the south and the western shore is bordered by the Tyrrhenian Sea.


What canal connects the Red and Mediterranean Seas?

Suez Canal – Connects the Mediterranean sea to the Red sea | Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide Home / Recent Videos / Suez Canal – Connects the Mediterranean sea to the Red sea Suez Canal – Connects the Mediterranean sea to the Red sea in Recent Videos 16/05/2015 Suez Canal is the largest man-made artificial sea-level waterway found in Egypt. It was opened in the 1869 to allow water transportation between Europe and Asia to  avoid ships navigation around Africa. The canal original size was 164 km long and 8metre deep. However enlargements have been undertaken and it now has a length of 193.30 km and its 24 metres deep. It also has a northern access channel of 22 km and 9 km southern access. The canal has a northern terminus known as Port Said and a southern terminus called Port Tewfik. Suez Canal is owned and maintained by the Suez Canal Authority of the Arab Republic of Egypt. A treaty signed under the International Treaty Act shows that the canal can be used in times of war or peace by every vessel of commerce or of war and no flag is required for distinction. The canal allows passage of ships up to 20 metres and with weight of 240,000 tons. The height allowed above water is a maximum of 68 metres. Big ships offload their cargo to canal- owned boats to reduce their weight and reload later at the end of the canal. Suez Canal attracts a lot of visitors who come to see the amazing wonders of this man made sea. It serves as the first salt water passage between the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The canal has attracted attention from film makers. A film known as Suez was made in 1938 and it’s based on the canal’s history. Also in the novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, a character known as Nautilus travels through an underwater passage beneath the Suez Canal. All these highlight the canal as a very import part in opening up Africa to other parts of the world. Source: Amr Fathey


What was the name of the highest caste in Indian society?

India's Caste System - dummies Many Westerners have heard of India’s caste system, but a thorough understanding of its ins and outs is still relatively uncommon. The following sections reveal the nitty-gritty of the caste system. What’s the caste system? Broadly speaking, a caste system is a process of placing people in occupational groups. It has pervaded several aspects of Indian society for centuries. Rooted in religion and based on a division of labor, the caste system, among other things, dictates the type of occupations a person can pursue and the social interactions that she may have. Castes are an aspect of Hindu religion. Other religions in India do not follow this system. Castes are ranked in hierarchical order (originally, the system wasn’t to have a hierarchy based on occupation or birth but purely on personality; this has been skewed somehow over time), which determines the behavior of one member of society over another. Even in a modern business setting, where caste isn’t openly acknowledged, there may be subtle observances of village or family-style ranking. For instance, a young official may address a senior person, not necessarily his superior, as chachaji, a respectful term for a paternal uncle. How it’s structured India’s caste system has four main classes (also called varnas) based originally on personality, profession, and birth. In descending order, the classes are as follows: Brahmana (now more commonly spelled Brahmin): Consist of those engaged in scriptural education and teaching, essential for the continuation of knowledge. Kshatriya: Take on all forms of public service, including administration, maintenance of law and order, and defense. Vaishya: Engage in commercial activity as businessmen. Shudra: Work as semi-skilled and unskilled laborers. The most obvious problem with this system was that under its rigidity, the lower castes were prevented from aspiring to climb higher, and, therefore, economic progress was restricted. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of modern India, made the lower castes and untouchables a fifth, lowly class with the name Harijan, or “children of God.” You see many references to SC and ST in India, in newspapers, government notifications, and so on. These initials refer to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes — scheduled is what Harijan is translated into today. The government is sensitive about reserving seats in colleges and job opportunities for them. But the government has legislation to make up for the past suppression and oppression of the lower castes. How it works Castes still rarely intermarry and are definitely not changeable. In urban India, though, people of all castes meet socially or for business. Discriminating against anyone because of their caste for things like club memberships and so on is against the law. Though caste and community are facts of Indian life, foreigners are not expected to behave differently toward any caste.


What country is a group of islands in the Persian Gulf?

Persian Gulf and it’s Iranian islands | Where is IRAN The Persian Gulf and its Iranian islands -Iran The Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf is in the south, separating Iran from Saudi Arabia. The Gulf is 990kms long and at its widest place about 340kms wide. The Strait of Hormoz is less than 55kms wide. The average depth is 35ms but increases up to 90 to 100ms in some places. The ancient Greeks called this gulf “Persikos” and the Arabs referred to it as “Bahrolfars”. In contemporary times it has become famous for its international oil wells which are located on the sea bed. Naming the Persian Gulf An epitaph from Darius the first (Darius the Great) which mentions “the sea which passes from Pars” has been found in the Strait of Hormoz, and the Gulf has been called “the Pars Sea” from the time of Sassanians. The second century Greek Historian, Flavius Arrianus, mentioned it as “Persikon karitas” (meaning Persian Gulf) in his work, as did Esterabon, the first century Greek geographer. Latin books from the Middle Ages refer to it as “Persicus Sinus” or “Persicus mare”. In other languages the word “Persicus” is used with slight variations. Arab and Iranian Muslim scientists mentioned the Gulf as “Bahr e Fars”, “Bahrolfarsi”, or “Khalij e Fars” in historical and geographical books. Masoudi, the fourth century Arab historian and geographer travelled from Baghdad to the Persian Gulf and later to Kerman, Transoxiana and China. He says, “The Sea of Oman is the continuation of the Persian Sea.” Estakhri, the fourth century geographer and Ibn e Hoghal e Baghdadi had the same idea and named the Persian Gulf “Bahr e Fars” in their work. The islands of the Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf has many islands such as Kish, Khark and Gheshm, which are important in economic terms and a large number of Iranians and non-Iranians reside there. Some of these islands are still uninhabited because of a lack of water. In recent years, Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tonb Island have come to the attention of Western politicians and media because of the baseless claims the United Arab Emirates have laid to them. Geographical characteristics and the position of the three islands The Strait of Hormoz, with a length of 185kms and a width of 56 to 180kms is the narrow channel which links the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and international shipping lines by way of the Sea of Oman. Iran owns some of the prominent and strategic islands in the Strait of Hormoz and the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Although all of the Iranian islands hold special importance, Lark, Gheshm, Hengam, Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tonb Island are more significant. Abu Musa Island is 12kms wide and 75kms from the south east of Lenge port. Abu Musa’s oil is in the surrounding sea in the district of Mobarak and is considered to be the highest quality in the Persian Gulf. TThe historical background of Iran’s sovereignty over the three islands Historical research shows that in the second millennium BC the three islands, like the others, were ruled by and were part of the Persian Empire. Similarly, during the Islamic era these islands were also part of southern states of Iran like Fars. Portuguese forces occupied the three islands for some time but they were taken back during the reign of King Abbas Safavi. King Nader Afshar and Karim Khan Zand controlled the three islands and in the reign of King Fathali Ghajar, the Fars Sea islands of Kish, Bahrain, Abu Musa, Hendurabi, Greater and Lesser Tonb Island and Faru were part of the Fars state. In 1263, the islands of the Persian Gulf, including Abu Musa, were part of the Fars state. A precise study of historical books and documents leaves no doubt about Iran’s sovereignty over these three islands. Iran’s sovereignty over the islands in the Persian Gulf and the claims of the United Arab Emirates 1. It is noteworthy that while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) claim to own the Iranian islands, the Sheikhdoms which form the country did not exist before the nineteenth century. The Ras al Khaimah Sheikhdom didn’t even exist at the beginning of th


Aotearoa is an alternative name for what country?

alternative Aotearoa - alternative Aotearoa alternative Aotearoa get this! alternative Aotearoa: niche subculture Emerging from mainstream culture in Aotearoa as part of the 1960s youth revolution, referred to as the underground in the late '60s and the counter-culture in the early '70s, alternative Aotearoans were distinguished by their rebellion against the establishment, a generic non-conformist stance, and the intent to collectively pioneer a diverse cultural and political movement to provide a positive alternative to mainstream kiwi society. In 2016 this movement is now so diffuse that it's necessary to provide it with a media focus, and a way to collaborate to enhance the common good.  People who transcend the confines of mainstream culture and traditional belief systems need a counterpoint cultural niche in which to operate.  Such an arena can provide a foundation for us to co-create a better world.  Operating from this source of mutual strength, we can intervene in the mainstream in helpful ways, as catalysts. political liaison Our initial consensus was that both wings of the establishment were functioning as terminal parts of the problem.  The obvious way to provide a positive alternative was to commit to functioning as the solution.  Dualism operates in the human psyche as a binary strait-jacket which forces people to polarise around binary choices - but we don't have to see each of our choices as a dichotomy. Clever folk will seek a suitable third option.  On the political spectrum, this means rejecting the left & right wings in favour of the center.  Centrists like to be non-aligned.  From there, they can intervene in support of good ideas from either side, and explain what is wrong with the established left & right ideologies and policies.  Progressive centrists seem radical if they reject both establishment parties, so the task is to explain how a radical center can catalyse political progress by moving mainstream debate beyond entrenched positions. design As a brand, alternative Aotearoa will operate as cultural identifier, and as an alternative political movement with catalytic intent, liaison, networking and think-tank, to the extent that participants are able to develop it.  Autonomous function will be steered by a core group of seven, initially, then thirteen.  Anyone who identifies with the concept ought to join - you may volunteer to help with the steering if you have the time, motivation, and expertise. This site was created in 2011 in the expectation of global system crash:  the necessity was to provide a positive alternative to the survivalist option.  Imaginary money has been keep the capitalist system going since the gfc 8 years ago - but that only works as long as everyone continues to subscribe to the delusion.  Are you that stupid?  If not, read the next page (purpose) which addresses that context, before you consider joining via the network page... Create a free website


What musical instrument is considered to be a symbol of Ireland?

Ireland - Instruments of traditional music Musical Instruments HARP Harp is an ancient instrument that has always been connected to Celtic music (it's one symbol of Ireland), above all in the most aristocratic environment. Celtic harps are generally smaller and can be played over one's knees. The Scottish Harp is called Clarsach and Welsh one is formed by 3 rows of strings with half tone of difference between the rows in order to obtain a chromatic scale. In these days Nylon strings are more common even if some musicians have began to use again the original stringings that produce a sound similar to the one of bells. BAGPIPES & UILLEANN PIPES The basic instrument is usually formed by a bag in which the air is blown through a blowpipe. Pressure of arm on the bag pushes the air through a reed in a pipe. The sound embraces 2 octaves. Scottish Highland Pipes are those that have the most acute sound and are played standing. The pipe has 8 holes. There are two pipes for "tenor" sounds and one for low sounds. Irish Warpipes is much similar but has only one tenor pipe. Much more popular in Ireland are the Uilleann Pipes in which there is a small bellows. The small tube has a sound that extends on 2 octaves, the pipes are 3 or 4 and there are tone controls that are other pipes that can play chords. All these instruments are played without pauses, in a continuous way.  BANJO Brought in the XIX century from United States now is part of the traditional Irish music instruments. The Irish Banjo has a string less, four, and these are usually heavier and are tuned on notes G-D-A-E. BODHRAN It's a wooden percussion instrument with goat skin much common in Irish traditional music. It's usually beaten with the right hand with a small stick called beater and touching or grazing in different points the back of the case with the left hand to vary the depth of the sound, from hollow and deep to acute and sharp. Other percussion instruments used in Ireland are bones and spoons that are beaten to produce a particular sound. GUITARS and BOUZOUKIS They are used in the accompaniment and to create a rhythmic background. Guitars are usually simple acoustic guitars with 6 strings. The Irish Bouzouki is quite different from the Greek version. It has 4 strings and a rounded case. The tuning is usually set up on series G-D-A-D or G-D-A-E. FIDDLE It's the main element of all the Scottish and Irish traditional music. It's exactly the same as everywhere in the world. The term Fiddle is only used for traditional music. ACCORDION The melodion is a simpler version of accordion. The sound is produced by air that is blown inside by the movement of arms and that make vibrate metallic reeds inside. Depending on whether you compress or expand the bellows the note will be different. It has 10 keys that produce a series of 20 diatonic notes usually tuned in C. Accordion has a second row of keys generally a semitone over the first series that gives to this instrument a great chromaticity. The most used pair of tuning is B/C even if C/C#, C#/D and D/D# are also very common. But traditional music is often diatonic and the second series of keys is used mostly to create ornamental sounds. The Concertina is a small accordion of hexagonal shape. In traditional music is generally used the diatonic form tuned in C and G. There are two keyboards each one at one side of the bellows (usually a row of keys on each head). FLUTE Flutes of varied kind always has been played in traditional music for hundred years. The types used today are those simplest ones with 6 holes and even 8 keys. Usually they are made with wood. Their construction gives a dark sound and the much softer than the tin whistle. TIN WHISTLE It's the most simple and economic of traditional instruments even if not that easy to manage. It's a simple metallic tube with 6 holes and a mouthpiece like the one of the recorder whose sound ranges between 2 octave.


What is the world's biggest freshwater lake by volume?

Largest Lakes in the World by Area, Volume and Depth Share By Matt Rosenberg This page includes three lists of the world's largest lakes. They are ranked by surface area, volume, and depth. The first list is surface area: Largest Lakes by Surface Area 1. Caspian Sea - Asia - 371,000 sq km (143,000 sq mi)* 2. Lake Superior - North America - 82,100 sq km (31,698 sq mi) 3. Lake Victoria - Africa - 68,800 sq km (26,563 sq mi) 4. Lake Huron - North America - 59,600 sq km (23,011 sq mi) 5. Lake Michigan - North America - 57,800 sq km (22,316 sq mi) 6. Lake Tanganyika - Africa - 32,900 sq km (12,702 sq mi) 7. Great Bear Lake - North America - 31,328 sq km (12,095 sq mi) 8. Baikal - Asia - 30,500 sq km (11,776 sq mi) 9. Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa) - Africa - 30,044 sq km (11,600 sq mi) 10. Great Slave Lake - North America - 28,568 sq km (11.030 sq mi) Source: The Times Atlas of the World Largest Lakes by Volume 1. Baikal - Asia 23,600 cubic km** 2. Tanganyika- Africa - 18,900 cubic km 3. Superior - North America - 11,600 cubic km 4. Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa) - Africa - 7,725 cubic km 5. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance Lake Michigan - North America - 4900 cubic km 6. Lake Huron - North America - 3540 cubic km 7. Lake Victoria - Africa - 2,700 cubic km 8. Great Bear Lake - North America - 2,236 cubic km 9. Issyk-Kul (Ysyk-Kol) - Asia - 1,730 cubic km 10. Lake Ontario - North America - 1,710 cubic km Source: Wikipedia Deepest Lakes in the World 1. Lake Baikal - Asia - 1,637 m (5,369 ft) 2. Lake Tanganyika - Africa - 1,470 m (4,823 ft) 3. Caspian Sea - Asia - 1,025 m (3,363 ft) 4. O'Higgins Lake (San Martin Lake) - South America - 836 m (2,742 ft) 5. Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa) - Africa - 706 m (2,316 ft) Source: Wikipedia * Some consider the Caspian Sea not to be a lake but it is surrounded by land and thus meets the generally accepted definition of a lake. ** Lake Baikal holds one-fifth of the world's freshwater.


What is the most populous country in Africa?

Map of Most Populated African Countries Online Quiz Most Populated African Countries Among the African Countries, Nigeria is the most populated. Below is the map of Africa showing the top ten most populated countries along with the table stating their capital city and population. Click on any shaded country on the map for enlarged view


What city was capital of Russia until 1918?

History of St. Petersburg under Vladimir Lenin St. Petersburg (Petrograd) under Lenin: The Civil War and its aftermath St. Petersburg (Petrograd) under Lenin: The Civil War and its aftermath (1918-1924) Lenin may have become the ruler of Russia and Petrograd the first socialist capital, but a successful revolution here did not mean that the rest of the country had obediently followed suit. There were still vast territories that did not recognize Bolshevik rule. Although Lenin quickly negotiated a devastating separate peace with Germany which resulted in the loss of enormous tracts of land, the country itself erupted into brutal Civil War as Tsarist forces clashed with Red Guards. In this perilous situation, Russia's capital was, after a two hundred year interlude on the Neva, returned to Moscow, a greater distance from the insecure border, in March 1918. Parade of delegates across the Field of Mars to a session of the Second Congress of the Comintern. Petrograd, 19 July 1919 Petrograd experienced mass exodus. The government bureaucracy with its attendant hordes of ministers, clerks, and military personnel relocated to Moscow, able-bodied men were embroiled in the Civil War, and civilians absconded to the countryside where food was easier to procure. Likewise, the wealthy and aristocratic, a targeted class under the new regime of workers and peasants, fled to safer grounds. Vladimir Nabokov, who had spent his childhood in a luxurious mansion within the shadow of St. Isaac's Cathedral, escaped on the last ship out of Sebastopol. Rasputin's aristocratic murderer Felix Yusupov - jewels and two Rembrandts in hand - was part of the royal entourage that crammed onto a warship in Yalta, kindly provided by the British for the Tsar's mother. Those who remained often ended up corpses: four Grand Dukes, including the Tsar's uncle, were shot in the Peter and Paul Fortress in 1918. As a result of this turmoil, in four years the population of the city was reduced by more than two-thirds, sinking from 2,400,000 in 1916 to 740,000 in 1920. Vladimir Lenin presents a report on the international situation at a session of the Second Congress of the Comintern. Petrograd, 19 July 1919 Photo by Karl Bulla Meanwhile, the battle for political education was also under way. Geographical signposts were used to educate the populace in the ideas and ideals of the new regime and to eliminate associations with St. Petersburg's imperial and religious past. As it was clearly impossible for a self-respecting socialist city to have one of its main waterways named in honour of Catherine the Great, the Ekaterinsky Canal was renamed Canal Griboedova in 1923, after the nineteenth century aristocratic author and diplomat who Soviet historians rather improbably deemed an honorary Marxist. Gathering of workers from the Putilovskiy Factory for elections to the Petrograd Soviet Street names with religious overtones were likewise deemed inappropriate by the atheistic government. Thus, the square in front of the Moscow Railway Station, previously called Znamenskaya Ploshchad after the nearby Church of Our Lady of the Sign (Znamenskaya Tserkov ), was renamed Ploshchad Vosstaniya ("Uprising Square") to commemorate the numerous revolutionary protests that had occurred here (the church itself was torn down in 1940, a fate which befell many churches throughout the land). In 1918, the city's grand central avenue, Nevsky Prospekt, was rechristened Ulitsa Proletkulta after the Organization of Proletarian Culture and Enlightenment, a short-lived experimental artistic institution (the Soviet passion for snappy portmanteau abbreviations quickly came to dominate not only the official language of the era, but also the toponymy of Russia's cities). In the same year, the Winter Palace, former residence of the Tsars, was renamed Palace of the Arts, and Palace Square became Ploshchad Uritskogo ("Uritsky Square"). A trampled star on Palace Square But who was Uritsky? The story of this man is telling for the times. A Bolshevik revolutionary, Moisey Uritsky became head of the Petrograd


Montreal is located on an island in what river?

Montréal - The Canadian Encyclopedia Montréal Montréal, Québec, incorporated as a city in 1832, population 1,649,519 (2011 c), 1,620,695 (2006 c). Montréal is Canada’s second largest city and is home to nearly half of the province of Québec’s population. It is the metropolis of the province and was the most populous city in Canada for a century and a half. It is located in southwestern Québec on Île de Montréal at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers. Montréal is a major industrial centre, commercial and financial metropolis, railway and maritime bridgehead, and one of the centres of francophone culture in North America. It is one of the world's great cities and enjoys international acclaim. Settlement The present-day island of Montréal and the surrounding areas were long inhabited by the St. Lawrence Iroquoians . The island was a good site for settlement due to the natural resources nearby, and the St. Lawrence River and Lachine Rapids made it necessary for travellers to stop there and unload their boats. In 1535 French navigator Jacques Cartier visited one of their villages, Hochelaga , a large village made up of approximately 50 longhouses and a population of approximately 1,500 people located on the slopes of Mont Royal , a small mountain of volcanic origin. The residents of Hochelaga were primarily agriculturalists, but also ate fish and game. For reasons that remain unclear, but may include European diseases and wars with other groups, the St Lawrence Iroquoians disappeared as a distinct nation by the late 16th century. Montréal (sometimes also called Ville-Marie ) was founded in 1642 as a missionary colony under the direction of Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve and Jeanne Mance , but the fur trade soon became its main activity. Maisonneuve and his group of four dozen colonists were caught in a storm of conflict between Aboriginal peoples for control of the fur supply. A permanent state of war with the Iroquois marked the early decades of the colony's existence (see also Iroquois Wars ). In 1665 Louis XIV sent 1,200 French troops to the colony, and these troops attacked the Iroquois the following year. Permanent peace was only established in 1701 with the conclusion of a major treaty, La Grande Paix, between the French, the Iroquois and more than 30 other Aboriginal groups. Development Montréal was a city of the interior, in contrast to Québec City , which was the administrative capital and the main port where exchanges with France took place . Montréal soon became the great centre of the fur trade . Coureurs de bois , voyageurs and such famous explorers as René-Robert Cavelier de La Salle , Daniel Dulhut , Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville and Pierre Gaultier de La Vérendrye all set out from the city. These traders and explorers methodically explored the North American continent from the Gulf of Mexico to the Rockies and established a network of trading posts to secure furs for the Montréal fur trade. The fur trade relied on the labour of Aboriginal peoples and did not provide much employment in Montréal itself. Strong dependence on this single industry and the region’s weak agricultural output resulted in slow population growth early on. At the end of the 17th century, for example, the city had just over 1,000 inhabitants. Almost one century later, in 1789, the population had only reached approximately 5,500. Religious institutions made their presence felt in the life of the community. Among these was the Order of Saint-Sulpice, which owned the seigneurie of Île de Montréal for close to 200 years and provided priests for the parish church. Built in 1685, the Order’s seminary building still stands on the Place d'Armes. Montréal surrendered to British forces in 1760 during the Seven Years’ War . For several decades after the British conquest Montréal's economy continued to depend mainly on the fur trade. Scottish merchants such as Alexander Mackenzie , the Frobisher brothers ( Joseph , Benjamin and Thomas ), Simon McTavish , and Duncan , Simon and William McGillivray took the place of franc


What's the world's second-tallest mountain?

Photos: The World's Tallest Mountains Photos: The World's Tallest Mountains By Remy Melina | August 9, 2010 01:49pm ET MORE Credit: NASA Intro Scientists are now able to pinpoint exactly how tall every mountain on Earth is, thanks to NASA's use of the Earth Observing System series of satellites. Measuring each mountain's summit, or tallest point, by their height above sea level, the 10 tallest mountains in the world all turn out be located in the Himalayas . Each of these mountains belongs to the "eight-thousanders" club, a list that consists of the 14 mountains on Earth that are 8,000 meters (about 26,250 feet) tall or more. Meet the "eight-thousanders" and the brutal challenges they pose to the people who try to climb them. 2 of 12 Annapurna I Nepal 26,545 feet (8,091 meters) The tenth highest mountain in the world, Annapurna I is located in western Nepal, while its smaller sister mountain Annapurna II is in the east. The name Annapurna translates to Goddess of the Harvests in Sanskrit, and is the name of a goddess of fertility and agriculture in Hinduism. French mountaineers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal were the first to reach Annapurna's summit in 1950, in the process becoming the first people in the world to climb a peak over 26,247 feet (8,000) meters. During the perilous journey, frostbite and gangrene forced the expedition doctor to perform emergency amputations, removing both of the explorers' toes and most of Herzog's fingers without anesthetic. 3 of 12 Nanga Parbat Pakistan 26,657 feet (8,125 meters) Nanga Parbat means "Naked Mountain" in Urdu and is also known by the name Diamir, or the "Dwelling Place of the Fairies." Its dangerous ice-covered terrain has also earned it the nickname "deadly mountain," as more than 60 mountain climbers have lost their lives attempting to scale the mountain, according to NASA. Climbing Nanga Parbat is in fact so dangerous that while over 1,800 people have reached Everest's summit, only about 216 people have successfully gotten to the top of Nanga Parbat. 4 of 12 Manaslu Nepal 26,781 feet (8,163 meters) Located in the Mansiri Himal part of the Nepalese Himalayas, Manaslu translates to "Mountain of the Spirit" and is known for its beautiful valley glaciers and steep, snowy peaks. Prone to avalanches, glacier falls, monsoon rainfall and landslides, Manaslu's various scenic trekking routes are also treacherous. Reaching the mountain's summit was not even attempted until the early 1950s, and the first climbers to successfully do so were the Japanese explorers Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu, who mounted the summit in 1956. 5 of 12 Dhaulagiri Nepal 26,795 feet (8,167 meters) Dhaulagiri means "White Mountain" in Sanskrit and was named by Max Eiselin, who led a Swiss expedition to its summit in 1960. This was the first Himalayan climb supported by an aircraft, but after the plane crashed, it was abandoned and left in a valley north of the mountain and the mountaineers continued their trek. Dhaulagiri, located in north central Nepal, has a topography consisting of ridges, glaciers and ice falls. It boasts technically challenging routes and massive drops and is therefore mostly attempted only by seasoned mountaineers. 6 of 12 Cho Oyu Nepal/China 26,864 feet (8,188 meters) Compared to Dhaulagiri, Cho Oyu is easier to climb and its summit can be reached in roughly three weeks. The mountain was first climbed in 1954 by Herbert Tichy, Joseph Jöchler and Sherpa Pasang Dawa Lama during an Austrian expedition. The mountain's friendly terrain and snow conditions have made it an increasingly popular destination for ski mountaineers and snowboarders. 7 of 12 Makalu Nepal/China 27,838 feet (8,485 meters) The only eight-thousander to possess an isolated peak shaped like an icy four-sided pyramid, Makalu was first climbed in 1955 by a French expedition led by Jean Franco. Located just 14 miles (22 kilometers) east of Mount Everest, the mountain is exceptionally hard to climb and only five of its initial 16 summit attempts were successful. Makalu's name is believed to be taken from the


What's the tallest mountain that can be seen from Seattle?

9 Can't-miss Peaks | Seattle Magazine 9 Can't-miss Peaks They’re massive. Magical. Magnificent. Northwest mountains to put on your bucket list. BY: Roddy Scheer, Nick O’Connell, Tina Lassen and John Levesque with Sarai Dominguez, Cayla Lambier, Jennifer Lee and Anna Samuels | Posted Alan Majchrowicz We’ve all asked (and answered) the classic vacation question: The mountains or the shore? As it happens, we feel strongly both ways. But after publishing our Ultimate Coast Guide three years ago, we knew we had created an obvious imperative. And so we present our paean to Washington’s magnificent mountains. Why? Well, to paraphrase the famous quotation of British mountaineer George Mallory, partly because they’re there. But, more precisely, because they are ours. Here in Seattle, mountains inform our lives, whether we spend time hiking up them, skiing down them, or driving through them. (Some of us never set foot on them—see page 152—and that’s OK, too.) With brawny assertiveness, the Cascade Range extends from northern California into southern British Columbia, a splendid serration of accessible beauty. In Washington, the range is both barrier—physical, climatological, even political—and unifier, bringing millions to its forested slopes every year in search of sumptuous scenery, sweet solitude and soft snow. West of Seattle, the Olympic Range—whose glorious peaks never cease to impress us on a clear day—is a more distant tease, requiring a trip across (or around) Puget Sound to reach its remote retreats. Our lease agreement on all of these geological marvels comes with infinitely flexible terms—from an intimacy encouraged by frequent and fervent contact to an arm’s-length relationship more comfortable with postcard views. Whatever the depth of the attraction, it is as steadfast as the mountains themselves. Irresistible Icon: Rainier WHY WE GO: It’s a natural beacon, calling out to anyone lucky enough to live (or spend some vacation time) under its spell. Elevation: 14,410 feet Drive time from Seattle to Paradise: 3 hours Drive time from Seattle to Sunrise: 2.5 hours We call it “the Mountain,” as if no further explanation is needed. It towers over the Puget Sound region—more than 50 miles from Seattle but, on those spectacular days when “the mountain is out,” so tantalizingly close that its gleaming white dome suggests a fresher, purer world. South of the summit, the winding road up to aptly named Paradise (elevation: 5,400 feet) provides a fast track to the high and mighty impressive: neck-craning views of old-growth forests, alpine meadows and glaciers yawning with blue crevasses. Easy hiking trails start from the parking lot. Some weave among wildflowers and over streams. Others wander through glacial moraines and groves of alpine fir. And some climb steeply, serving as approaches for serious alpinists attempting the summit. The most accessible glaciated peak in North America, Rainier became a national park in 1899, offering eye-popping displays of Northwest grandeur—ice-blue glaciers, multihued flowers, stunning waterfalls—for backseat tourists, hiking neophytes and hardy trekkers. The unprecedented access comes with a full helping of amenities: restaurants, a visitor center, gift shops and a classic wilderness lodge of peeled logs and massive stone fireplaces. With all these attractions, Rainier draws visitors from around the globe—between 1.5 million and 2 million a year. And most of them eventually turn up at Paradise. Which is why many who have made the trip once or twice actually prefer east-facing Sunrise to Paradise. The early-morning sun paints the snow-plastered northeast side of Rainier with an otherworldly light, wowing visitors and photographers who flock to Sunrise (elevation: 6,400 feet), the highest point in the park accessible by motor vehicle. This sublime spot, which is actually closer to Seattle, gives access to alpine meadows dotted with fir and carpeted in Indian paintbrush and avalanche lily. Our favorite part of this lesser-trod side of the mountain is the 360-degree view taking in Emmons Glacier,


Tsar and Kaiser were derivatives of what Roman title?

tsar | title | Britannica.com title Alternative Titles: czar, czarina, tsarina, tzar, tzarina Related Topics Peter I Tsar, also spelled tzar or czar, English feminine tsarina, tzarina, or czarina, title associated primarily with rulers of Russia . The term tsar, a form of the ancient Roman imperial title caesar, generated a series of derivatives in Russian: tsaritsa, a tsar’s wife, or tsarina; tsarevich, his son; tsarevna, his daughter; and tsesarevich, his eldest son and heir apparent (a 19th-century term). Tsar Alexis, detail of a portrait by an unknown artist, c. 1670; in the State Historical … Courtesy of the State Historical Museum, Moscow Overview of tsarist rule in Russia. Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz In medieval Russia the title tsar referred to a supreme ruler, particularly the Byzantine emperor , who was considered the head of the Orthodox Christian world. But the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453 and the Ottoman Turks’ conquest of the Balkans left the grand princes of Moscow as the only remaining Orthodox monarchs in the world, and the Russian Orthodox clergy naturally began to look to them as the defenders and possible supreme heads of Orthodox Christianity. Claims were put forth that Moscow would become the “third Rome” in succession to Constantinople (now Istanbul) and Rome itself. In 1472 Ivan III , grand prince of Moscow, married Sofia (Zoë) Palaeologus, the niece of the last Byzantine emperor. Sofia brought with her the traditions of the Byzantine court and its concept of the exalted nature of monarchical power. Ivan III, portrait from A. Thenet, La Cosmographie universelle, Paris, 1575 Courtesy of the trustees of the British Museum; photograph, J.R. Freeman & Co. Ltd. In 1547 Ivan IV the Terrible, grand prince of Moscow, was officially crowned “tsar of all Russia,” and thus the religious and political ideology of the Russian tsardom took final form. As tsar, Ivan IV theoretically held absolute power, but in practice he and his successors were limited by the traditional authority of the Orthodox church, the Boyar Council, and the legal codes of 1497, 1550, and 1649. Ivan IV, portrait by Viktor Mikhaylovich Vasnetsov. © Bettmann/Corbis


Munich | Bavaria, Germany | Britannica.com Bavaria, Germany Bavaria Munich, German München , city, capital of Bavaria Land (state), southern Germany . It is Bavaria’s largest city and the third largest city in Germany (after Berlin and Hamburg ). Munich, by far the largest city in southern Germany, lies about 30 miles (50 km) north of the edge of the Alps and along the Isar River , which flows through the middle of the city. Pop. (2003 est.), 1,247,873; (2011) 1,348,335. Munich, Germany. iStockphoto/Thinkstock The twin towers of the Church of Our Lady (left) and the New Town Hall (right), Munich, Germany. iStockphoto/Thinkstock Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz History Munich, or München (“Home of the Monks”), traces its origins to the Benedictine monastery at Tegernsee, which was probably founded in 750 ce. In 1157 Henry the Lion , duke of Bavaria, granted the monks the right to establish a market where the road from Salzburg met the Isar River. A bridge was built across the Isar the following year, and the marketplace was fortified. In 1255 Munich became the home of the Wittelsbach family, which had succeeded to the duchy of Bavaria in 1180. For more than 700 years the Wittelsbachs would be closely connected with the town’s destiny. In the early 14th century the first of the Wittelsbach line of Holy Roman emperors, Louis IV (Louis the Bavarian), expanded the town to the size at which it remained up to the end of the 18th century. Under the Bavarian elector Maximilian I (1597–1651), a powerful and effective ruler, Munich increased in wealth and size and prospered until the Thirty Years’ War . It was occupied by the Swedes under Gustav II Adolf (Gustavus Adolphus) in 1632, and in 1634 a plague epidemic resulted in the death of about one-third of its population. The third Wittelsbach who left his mark on the community was Louis I , king of Bavaria from 1825 to 1848. Louis planned and created modern Munich, and his architects established the city’s characteristic appearance in the public buildings they designed. The 19th century was Munich’s greatest period of growth and development. Protestants became citizens for the first time in what had been until then a purely Roman Catholic town. The city’s population of 100,000 in 1854 grew to 500,000 by 1900. Munich’s cultural importance in Europe was enhanced when Louis II , by his championing of the composer Richard Wagner , revived its fame as a city of music and the stage. Similar Topics Hamburg The rule of the Wittelsbach dynasty finally ended with the abdication of Louis III in November 1918, and, in the aftermath of World War I , Munich became a hotbed of right-wing political ferment. It was in Munich that Adolf Hitler joined the Nazi Party and became its leader. The beer cellar where he held meetings that led to the Putsch (“rising”) against the Bavarian authorities in November 1923 can still be seen (see Beer Hall Putsch ). In World War II Munich suffered heavily from Allied bombing raids, which destroyed more than 40 percent of its buildings. The contemporary city In the past Munich suffered economically because of its distance from seaports and from the coal mines of the Ruhr region. But this situation improved when fuels other than coal came into general use. Munich shifted from heavy to light industry, to the manufacture, for example, of precision instruments, optical and electrical appliances, and aerospace and other high-technology products, as well as to the production of food, cosmetics, and clothing. The city has several of the largest breweries in Germany and is famous for its beer and its annual Oktoberfest celebration. Munich is a major tourist destination and a convention centre. Book publishing and printing and television production are also important. The city is a centre of the banking and financial industry, and it has one of the largest wholesale markets in Europe for fruit, vegetables, and animal produce. Capitals & Cities: Fact or Fiction? Munich is connected by rail to all the main cities of Germany and Austria , and it is a major hub for the G


Besides the Caucasus, what mountain range forms the border of Europe and Asia?

Europe’s Continental Boundaries | Counter-Currents Publishing Europe’s Continental Boundaries Europe by night 4,475 words Of the Earth’s seven continents, Europe is the second smallest in total area—only Australia is smaller. In terms of population density it is the second largest after Asia. Geographically, Europe is a peninsula of Eurasia. It has been described as a peninsula of peninsulas and islands.  The surprising difficulty of defining Europe as a continent can be seen not only in differing definitions of its boundaries, or the bewildering number of candidates for its most extreme points north, south, east, and west, but even in disagreements over which locale constitutes the geographical center of Europe. The answers to all of these questions seem completely undeterminable in any precise kind of way. Fortunately, the broad outlines are clear. The “boundaries of Europe” discussed here concern only Europe as a continent ending (or beginning) at the Ural Mountains. This creates a formalistic and artificially truncated political and racial horizon. Europe: One of the most commonly used continental boundaries Notably, it ignores the Russian Federation as a unitary racial/political/social entity—a nation, including Russia-in-Asia, extending across much of northern Eurasia and constituting the world’s largest country in total area. Its 6.6 million square miles include one-eighth of the Earth’s inhabited land area—1.7 x the land area of Canada or 2 x the size of the Roman Empire at its greatest extent. Moreover, some countries still possess overseas territories outside Europe that are integral parts of the homeland. With the exception of Greenland and a few small islands close to Europe, such territories will not be discussed here. Due to Europe’s peninsular structure, the most difficult boundary to define is the eastern one, dividing continental Europe from continental Asia. Whether various countries or portions of countries are grouped geographically with Europe or Asia varies according to the sources consulted. Because the major maritime boundaries that separate the continent of Europe from the Earth’s other continents—the Mediterranean Sea on the south, the Atlantic Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north—have well-defined coastlines, the close analysis of such boundaries primarily involves the allocation of various islands to Europe or some other continent. The Boundary of Europe and Asia The Southeastern boundary between Europe and Asia Evidently the first man to define the eastern continental boundary between Europe and Asia pretty much as it exists today is Philip Johan von Strahlenberg (1676–1747), a Swedish army officer, explorer, and scholar of German descent. As defined in his book Das nord- und ostliche Theil von Europa und Asia (The north and east part of Europe and Asia) (Stockholm, 1730), which was translated into English, French, and Spanish, Strahlenberg’s border followed the chain of the Ural Mountains north-to-south, then the Emba River to the north coast of the Caspian Sea before passing through the Kuma-Manych Depression to the Black Sea. This Depression, named after two rivers, lies just north of the Caucasus Mountains which are today regarded as the true boundary. The continent’s eastern boundary cuts Russia in two—European Russia and Asian Russia. There is a strikingly uneven distribution of human and natural resources between the Asian and European regions. Asian Russia, about the size of China and India combined, occupies roughly three-quarters of Russian Federation territory. But the quarter of the country west of the Urals—a major portion of continental Europe—is home to more than 75% of Russia’s population and most of its industry and agriculture. It was in European Russia that the Russian nation took shape. Despite governmental efforts to resettle Russians in sparsely populated Asian areas with abundant natural resources, the imbalance persists. The Urals boundary The watershed divide of the Ural Mountains forms the natural land boundary between the continents of Europe and Asi


Iran Chamber Society: When "Persia" became "Iran" Geography of Iran When "Persia" became "Iran" This article is a part of "Persia or Iran" by Professor Ehsan Yarshater, published in Iranian Studies, Vol. XXII, No.1, 1989. In 1935 the Iranian government requested those countries which it had diplomatic relations with, to call Persia "Iran," which is the name of the country in Persian. The suggestion for the change is said to have come from the Iranian ambassador to Germany, who came under the influence of the Nazis. At the time Germany was in the grip of racial fever and cultivated good relations with nations of "Aryan" blood. It is said that some German friends of the ambassador persuaded him that, as with the advent of Reza Shah, Persia had turned a new leaf in its history and had freed itself from the pernicious influences of Britain and Russia, whose interventions in Persian affairs had practically crippled the country under the Qajars, it was only fitting that the country be called by its own name, "Iran." This would not only signal a new beginning and bring home to the world the new era in Iranian history, but would also signify the Aryan race of its population, as "Iran" is a cognate of "Aryan" and derived from it. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent out a circular to all foreign embassies in Tehran, requesting that the country thenceforth be called "Iran." Diplomatic courtesy obliged, and by and by the name "Iran" began to appear in official correspondence and news items. At first "Iran" sounded alien (for non-Iranians), and many failed to recognize its connection with Persia. Some (Westerners) thought that it was perhaps one of the new countries like Iraq and Jordan carved out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire, or a country in Africa or Southeast Asia that had just been granted independence; and not a few confused it with Iraq, itself a recent entity. As time passed and as a number of events, like the Allied invasion of Iran in 1941 and the nationalization of the oil industry under Prime Minster Dr Mohammad Mosaddeq, put the country in the headlines, the name "Iran" became generally accepted, and "Persia" fell into comparative disuse, though more slowly in Britain than in the United States.


What is the world's most spoken language?

The World's Most Popular Languages Share By Matt Rosenberg Here's a listing of the ten most popular languages spoken worldwide, along with the approximate number of primary or first language speakers for that language. 1. Mandarin Chinese - 882 million 2. Spanish - 325 million


What is the biggest city on the island of Java?

Provinces and Big Cities in Java Indonesia | Java Indonesia Provinces and Big Cities in Java Java Island has a population of 136 million people (1995), with a density of 1029 people/km², the island became one of most crowded population in the world. The three western part of the island (West Java, Banten, and Jakarta) has a density more than 1,400 people/km². The island of Java administratively consists of six provinces: 1. Special Capital Region of Jakarta Special Capital Region of Jakarta (DKI Jakarta, Jakarta Raya) is the capital city of Indonesia . Jakarta is the only city in Indonesia which has a province-level status. Jakarta is located in northwest part of Java Island. Formerly been known as the Sunda Kelapa (before 1527), Jayakarta (1527-1619), Batavia, or Jacatra (1619-1942), and Djakarta (1942-1972). Jakarta has an area 661.52 km², with a total population of 9,588,198 inhabitants (2010). The metropolitan area of Jakarta (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi) has a population about 23 million inhabitants. The city is the most populous city in Indonesia or sixth of the world. 2. Banten Province Banten Province used to be a part of West Java province, but separated since 2000. Banten province consists of 4 regencies and 4 cities. Serang is the capital of Banten province . Serang is directly in northern part of Banten province. Banten has total population of 9,351,470 inhabitants (2006). Sea area of Banten is one potential sea route, the Sunda Strait is one strategic sea traffic lane because links the big ship from Australia and New Zealand to Southeast Asia such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. In addition, Banten is the link between Java and Sumatra. 3. West Java Province The capital of West Java province located in Bandung city . The history shows that West Java is the first province in the territory of Indonesia. This province comprises 17 regencies and 9 cities. This province has the largest population in Indonesia. In 2002, West Java population reached 37,548,565 people, with an average density of 1033 people/km². Most of the population of West Java are the Sundanese, who speak the Sunda language. Read more about West Java Province in our past article . 4. Central Java Province Central Java is known as the “heart” of Javanese culture. The majority population of Central Java are Javanese. Administratively, the province of Central Java consist of 29 regencies and 6 cities. The population of Central Java Province was 32,380,687 inhabitants. The capital of the province is located in the Semarang city . Read more about Central Java Province in our past article . 5. Special Region of Yogyakarta Special Region of Yogyakarta (or Jogja, Yogya, Jogjakarta, Yogyakarta, and often abbreviated DIY) is a province located in the southern part of Java Island and bordering with Central Java province in the north. Unlike other provinces in Java, Yogyakarta led by a king who serves as governor. Yogyakarta Province is comprised of 4 regency and one big city of Yogyakarta . The area was hit by the earthquake in Java on May 27, 2006 which resulted in 1.2 million people homeless. 6. East Java Province The East Java province has area of 47,922 km² and its population 37,070,731 peoples (2005). East Java province has the largest territory among the 6 provinces in Java, and has the second largest population in Indonesia after West Java. East Java is known as a center of eastern culture of  Java, and has a fairly high economic significance. Administratively, East Java, consists of 29 regency and 9 cities, making the province of East Java which has a most districts in Indonesia. East Java capital city located in Surabaya city . 3 responses to “Provinces and Big Cities in Java” Erwin Mckendall


What U.S. state has the smallest land area?

List of U.S. States by Area List of U.S. States by Area List of U.S. States by Area Learn the Area of the Largest and Smallest U.S. States Jennifer Maravillas Getty By Amanda Briney Updated November 30, 2016. The United States is the third largest country in the world based on land area. There are different estimates showing the total land area of the country, but all of them show the country as being over 3.5 million square miles (9 million sq km). The Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook states that the total land area of the U.S. is 3,794,100 square miles (9,826,675 sq km). The United States is broken down into 50 states and one district (Washington D.C.). The following is a list of all 50 states arranged by total area from largest to smallest. 1) Alaska - 663,267 square miles (1,717,854 sq km) 2) Texas - 268,820 square miles (696,241 sq km) 3) California - 163,695 square miles (423,968 sq km) 4) Montana - 147,042 square miles (380,837 sq km) 5) New Mexico - 121,589 square miles (314,914 sq km) 6) Arizona - 113,998 square miles (295,254 sq km) 7) Nevada - 110,561 square miles (286,352 sq km) 8) Colorado - 104,093 square miles (269,600 sq km) continue reading below our video Test Your General Science Knowledge 9) Oregon - 98,380 square miles (254,803 sq km) 10) Wyoming - 97,813 square miles (253,334 sq km) 11) Michigan - 96,716 square miles (250,493 sq km) 12) Minnesota - 86,939 square miles (225,171 sq km) 13) Utah - 84,899 square miles (219,887 sq km) 14) Idaho - 83,570 square miles (216,445 sq km) 15) Kansas - 82,277 square miles (213,096 sq km) 16) Nebraska - 77,354 square miles (200,346 sq km) 17) South Dakota - 77,116 square miles (199,730 sq km) 18) Washington - 71,300 square miles (184,666 sq km) 19) North Dakota - 70,700 square miles (183,112 sq km) 20) Oklahoma - 69,898 square miles (181,035 sq km) 21) Missouri - 69,704 square miles (180532 sq km) 22) Florida - 65,755 square miles (170,305 sq km) 23) Wisconsin - 65,498 square miles (169,639 sq km) 24) Georgia - 59,425 square miles (153,910 sq km) 25) Illinois - 57,914 square miles (149,997 sq km) 26) Iowa - 56,271 square miles (145,741 sq km) 27) New York - 54,566 square miles (141,325 sq km) 28) North Carolina - 53,818 square miles (139,988 sq km) 29) Arkansas - 53,178 square miles (137,730 sq km) 30) Alabama - 52,419 square miles (135,765 sq km) 31) Louisiana - 51,840 square miles (134,265 sq km) 32) Mississippi - 48,430 square miles (125,433 sq km) 33) Pennsylvania - 46,055 square miles (119,282 sq km) 34) Ohio - 44,825 square miles (116,096 sq km) 35) Virginia - 42,774 square miles (110,784 sq km) 36) Tennessee - 42,143 square miles (109,150 sq km) 37) Kentucky - 40,409 square miles (104,659 sq km) 38) Indiana - 36,418 square miles (94,322 sq km) 39) Maine - 35,385 square miles (91,647 sq km) 40) South Carolina - 32,020 square miles (82,931 sq km) 41) West Virginia - 24,230 square miles (62,755 sq km) 42) Maryland - 12,407 square miles (32,134 sq km) 43) Hawaii - 10,931 square miles (28,311 sq km) 44) Massachusetts - 10,554 square miles (27,335 sq km) 45) Vermont - 9,614 square miles (24,900 sq km) 46) New Hampshire - 9,350 square miles (24,216 sq km) 47) New Jersey - 8,721 square miles (22,587 sq km) 48) Connecticut - 5,543 square miles (14,356 sq km) 49) Delaware - 2,489 square miles (6,446 sq km) 50) Rhode Island - 1,545 square miles (4,001 sq km) 51) Washington D.C. - 68 square miles (176 sq km) References Central Intelligence Agency. (29 September 2010). CIA - The World Factbook - United States. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.htm Wikipedia.org. (31 August 2010). List of U.S. States and Territories by Area - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_area


Upon what river would you find the English town of Stratford?

Stratford-upon-Avon for Accommodation, Touring, Dining, Walking... Riverside Walk along the River Avon Distance: 1¼ miles Time: Just over 1 hour Difficulty: Easy walking on level metalled footpaths   Take an easy stroll along both sides of the River Avon in Stratford. From the East side of the river you will get  outstanding views of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, boating activities and slightly further down river you will be able to see Holy Trinity Church, where William Shakespeare is buried.     There are many car parks in Stratford, the largest being on the East side of the river next to The Butterfly Farm.   Start from the bandstand, next to the car park. Take the footpath alongside the river, where you will see the Royal Shakespeare Theatre across the river on the opposite bank - to your right is the tramway bridge. As you view the theatre, turn left and follow the path. You will also see many activities to be had on the river, including hire of rowing boats or river cruises.  After a couple of hundred yards you will see on the river the pedestrian chain ferry (see picture on page).   Continue on and shortly after passing the ferry you will have a wonderful view of Holy Trinity Church. This is one of the best angles to photograph the church, especially as it will be framed by the weeping willows beside you. Some little way further you will see some attractive weirs and canal boat locks. Continue on until you come to the Mill Bridge. (as you look back to the views of the weirs, you might like to reflect on our severe floods, many years ago, when the weirs were completely submereged below the flooded river, which also came part-way up the apartment blocks opposite.)   Cross the bridge, keep to the right, walking up Mill Lane. Continue on for another 150 yards, where you will come to the entrance to Holy Trinity. You may enter the church yard and the church - if you keep to the right you will get another view from the west. In the church yard you will find a plaque denoting William Shakespeare's grave.   On leaving the church yard, turn right and right again to enter Avonbank Gardens, where you can visit the Brass Rubbing Center. Continue on and you will come to the Chain Ferry once more. Once past the ferry you will come to the Memorial Theatre Gardens at the rear of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.  You will be able to walk along the river bank, until the theatre, where you can proceed along the theatre river terrace. There is a cafe here if you wish to stop.   On passing the theatre the beautiful Bancroft Gardens open up to your left in front of the theatre. Continue along the pathway alongside the river until you come to the prisoner's Bridge over the canal. Here you will see many canal boats tied up in the basin. On the other side of the canal you will be able to see the Gower Memorial, celebrating many works of Shakespeare.   Turn back towards the Tramway Bridge over the river, where you will get a panaramic view down the river avon and also the theatre, where from this angle it appears to be rising in the style of a Mississippi riverboat - an ideal place to get photos for the scrap book.    Continue over the bridge, and at the end, turn right, follow the path until you again and up at the Bandstand.   Riverbank Walk - Access Guide This walk was especially designed for those with visual impairments, but can be enjoyed by anyone. A trail is marked by reference posts which are numbered in both tactile signs and Braille. Cassettes describing the walk, can be hired free of charge from the Butterfly Farm, to help guide visitors along the path. The walk follows along the Tramway Path and then into the recreation grounds. There is an option to carry along towards the locks and Lucys Mill. Swan's Nest Lane - situated next to the Butterfly Farm


What island in the Caribbean is divided between France and the Netherlands?

Saint Martin/Sint Maarten: An Island Divided | GeoCurrents Saint Martin/Sint Maarten: An Island Divided Tweet (Note: Today’s post is by Claire Negiar, a Stanford senior, soon to graduate. Claire will be writing a few posts over the coming weeks, many of them focused on France and French dependencies.) Saint Martin. Sint Maarten. A crossroad between North and South, split between France and the Netherlands, Saint Martin has known a different fate in the aftermath of decolonization than most other Caribbean islands. Although the European colonial powers of Britain, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and even some of the Nordic nations usually battled it out for sovereignty over Carribbean islands in long back-and-forths, on the island of Saint Martin, the two main contenders chose a different path: that of peaceful coexistence. But what enabled Saint Martin to be successful in its division, while so many other attempts at dividing territory across the world have failed? And how have France and the Netherlands been able to coexist and build a coherent island community despite this division? One hypothesis would be that the early colonization of Saint Martin has given time the chance to smooth over the conflicts and the disputes that resulted from this dual presence. Indeed, borders were disputed for some time before matters were settled: between 1648 and 1816, conflicts changed the border sixteen times. In the end, the French came out ahead with 54 km2 to the 41 km2 of the Dutch side. The French and Dutch had both coveted the island: while the French wanted to colonize all the islands between Trinidad and Bermuda, Dutch interest in Saint Martin stemmed from a desire to have a convenient halfway point between their colonies in New Amsterdam (today New York) and Brazil (temporarily taken from Portugal). Because there were few people inhabiting the island, the Dutch easily founded a settlement there in 1631, erecting Fort Amsterdam as protection from invaders. Soon after, the Dutch East India Company began salt mining operations. French and British settlements sprang up on the island as well, which attracted the Spanish conquistadores’ attention: taking note of these successful colonies and wanting to maintain their control of the salt trade, they suddenly found St. Martin much more appealing than it had been. What is more, the Eighty Years’ War, which had been raging between Spain and the Netherlands, provided further incentive to attack. The Spanish forces captured Saint Martin from the Dutch in 1633, seizing control and driving most or all of the colonists off the island. Although the Dutch retaliated in several attempts to win back the island, these were unsuccessful. However, fifteen years after the Spanish conquered the island, the Eighty Years’ War ended and the Spanish lost their inclination to continue defending the island. They deserted the island in 1648 and, when this happened, both the Dutch and the French jumped at the chance to re-establish their settlements. Dutch colonists came from St. Eustatius, while the French came from St. Kitts. After some initial conflict, both sides realized that neither would yield easily and, preferring to avoid an all-out war, they signed the Treaty of Concordia in 1648, which divided the island in two. In spite of the treaty, relations between the two sides were not always cordial. We can therefore see that Saint Martin’s history was off to a rocky start as well, and that things were not always as smooth as they are today. Some elements of the initial partition of the island may, however, help explain why it has largely been successful. Indeed, the French and the Dutch realized it was in their interest to sign a treaty giving each of them roughly half the territory. In a game of prisoner’s dilemma, the French and the Dutch would therefore both have chosen the option of “lying low,” resulting in the most beneficial split for both, instead of choosing the “equilibrium” strategy of attacking behind the other’s back, resulting in a sub-optimal resolution where there is also an intense mis


What city was famously built on Palatine, Capitoline, and five other hills?

The Seven Hills of Rome - Vatican Articles Vatican / Vatican Articles / Rome / The Seven Hills o... The Seven Hills of Rome 27/06/2013 by Vatican.com   The ancient city of Rome was originally built on the topographical layout of seven separate hills. These seven hills were joined together by the ancient walls of Rome- the Servian walls. The Seven Hills of Rome lie in the east to the Tiber River. Later many more areas were annexed to the city. The city walls were extended to include them also and the city is now much bigger than its original territory. The Vatican and Vatican hill are included in the Areas that were added to the city much later in history. The seven hills are, namely: The Quirinal Hill The Palatine Hill   The biggest of all the seven is the Esquiline hill. It is famous because the Roman emperor constructed the domus aurea on it. Before the time of the Roman Empire the east side of the Esquiline was used for refuse and the poor buried their dead there. Execution of criminals was held by the Esquiline gate and the bodies were left to rot there. Burial was not allowed within the borders of the city but the burial area at the Esquiline was not within the walls of the city. In addition on the Esquiline were The Temple of Claudius, The Colossus, and the Baths of Trajan. The Palatine hill is also very important. According to the legend about the foundation of Rome the city to was first founded on the Palatine Hill by Romulus. Rome had a very humble beginning. According to the legend the seven hills were originally occupied by tiny groups of separate tribes and were not affiliated to any city. Rome did not yet exist. Eventually the residents of the seven hills started to cooperate in order to participate in a series of religious games. These games were the adhesive that bonded the different settlers. As these separate settlements came together and became friendly, they formed together the newborn city of Rome. They started to work together to drain the marshes between the different hills and turn them into markets. The safety of any city used to depend on the height, sturdiness and breadth of its walls. The seven hills were protected by the walls called the Servian Walls. These were built in the early 4th century BC. Whereas five out of the seven hills of Rome; The Caelian, The Esquiline, The Aventine, The Viminal and The Quirinal) include monuments, buildings, and parks m the poher two are not populated currently. The Capitoline hill is now Rome's city hall, and the Palatine Hill is part of an archaeological site. Because of the seven hills Rome is known as the city of seven hills among other names given to it. The legend of the seven hills is so famous that here are other cities in the world that claim to have been built on seven hills. One of these cities is Athens, Greece. The Pincian Hill located north of the tiber, The Vatican Hill which is located north-west to the river Tiber , and the Janiculum Hill  lying to the west, are not part of the  Seven Hills. Tell us what you think about this topic


What country was once known as East Pakistan?

What is the current name of East Pakistan? | Reference.com What is the current name of East Pakistan? A: Quick Answer The current name of East Pakistan is Bangladesh. East Pakistan was the eastern faction of Pakistan, which was created in 1947. Full Answer When British rule ended in India, the predominantly Muslim regions to the east and west of Hindu India were given sovereignty and were called East Pakistan and West Pakistan. Despite having the same religious beliefs, the two Pakistani wings differed in cultural, economic and geographic aspects. In 1971, East Pakistan seceded and clamored for self-governance and greater autonomy from West Pakistan. The country of Bangladesh was then established, on March 26, 1971. In February 1974, West Pakistan, later renamed Pakistan, formally acknowledged the independent state.