What building is famously located at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave?

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20006 | Zillow This property is hidden from your search results. Unhide 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20006  3 beds 35 baths 55,000 sqft Edit Edit home facts for a more accurate Zestimate. Off Market See current rates This home is not currently listed for sale or rent on Zillow. A Zestimate® home valuation is Zillow's estimated market value. It is not an appraisal. Use it as a starting point to determine a home's value. Learn more A Rent Zestimate® is Zillow's estimated monthly rental price, computed using a proprietary formula. It is a starting point in determining the monthly rental price for a specific property. Edit Home to every American president except George Washington - who chose the site - the White House is rich in history and tradition. Known as "The People's House", the complex is made up of the Executive Residence flanked by colonnades that connect to the West Wing and East Wing. The six-story Executive Residence serves as the president's living quarters and entertaining area. Notable rooms include the Diplomatic Reception Room where President Franklin D. Roosevelt held fireside chats, Lincoln Bedroom that was once the namesake's office, East Room which hosts large ceremonies and State Dining Room for formal dinners. The impressive kitchen is equipped to serve dinner for up to 140 guests and hors d'oeuvres to over 1,000. The First Family enjoys the top two floors as its private living area. These floors are altered to accommodate the needs of each new president. In addition to many bedrooms, you'll find a sun room, music room, game room and gym. Also within the house is a library, a doctor's office, flower and carpenter shops, and a bowling alley. Head to the East Wing, past the 40-seat Family Theater to the offices of the First Lady, the White House social secretary and correspondence staff. On the opposite side of the Executive Residence is the West Wing. This is the operations hub of the president's top staff, complete with the press briefing room and the famous Oval Office. The complex sits on 18 meticulously landscaped acres, including the North and South Lawns, a putting green, two fountains, the Rose Garden and Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. While public White House tours are limited, anyone can appreciate the beauty of the grounds from the bordering streets. Flooring: Carpet, Hardwood, Slate, Tile Garden Parking: Garage - Attached, Off street Patio Add owner estimate Zestimate A Zestimate home valuation is Zillow's estimated market value. It is not an appraisal. Use it as a starting point to determine a home's value. Learn more The Value Range is the high and low estimate market value for which Zillow values a home. The more information, the smaller the range, and the more accurate the Zestimate. See data coverage and accuracy table Don't agree with your home's Zestimate? Owners can edit their home facts to make the Zestimate more accurate. Plus, you can leave an opinion on your Zestimate value below. Just click "Owner Estimate". $397,747,372


In what city would you find the Kowloon peninsula?

Hong Kong Luxury Hotel | The Peninsula Hong Kong Share The Peninsula Hong Kong At A Glance Create unforgettable memories in the spirit of giving with The Peninsula Hong Kong’s extraordinary festive experience. A fleet of Rolls-Royce Phantoms spirit you to your destination in speed and style Our record-breaking fleet of 14 Rolls-Royce Phantoms ensures a swift and seamless passage through Hong Kong Fully-customised interactive digital bedside and desk tablets are pre-set in one of 11 languages. The majestic Lobby, with its vaulted ceilings and ornate cornicing, has been an icon of glamour and luxury since the Grande Dame first opened her doors in 1928 Breathtaking views of Victoria Harbour set the scene from a Deluxe Harbourview Room A haven of serenity at the Roman-style swimming pool with wrap around vistas of the Hong Kong Island skyline The Peninsula Shopping Arcade is Hong Kong’s original luxury arcade, and home to over 80 leading luxury brands and local design stores 'Tis the season of Christmas cheer at The Peninsula Hong Kong, where a cornucopia of heartwarming festive events and activities awaits throughout the hotel. Learn more here . Created in 1928, and Hong Kong's oldest hotel, the legendary "Grande Dame of the Far East" continues to set hotel standards worldwide, offering a blend of the best Eastern and Western hospitality in an atmosphere of unmatched classical grandeur and timeless elegance. A stay at the hotel allows you to re-live the glamour of travel of a by-gone era and explore the many antiques and historical artifacts on display around the hotel.


What English town is famous for its white cliffs?

The White Cliffs of Dover (WWII Hit - Vera Lynn) "There'll be Bluebirds Over" ~ Anastasia Lee - YouTube The White Cliffs of Dover (WWII Hit - Vera Lynn) "There'll be Bluebirds Over" ~ Anastasia Lee Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on May 16, 2012 Teenager performs classic WWII hit, "White Cliffs of Dover" made famous by Vera Lynn ! Anastasia Lee Official website ~ http://www.anastasialee.com/index.html This is Anastasia Lee (15 yrs old) and my rendition of this World War Two Classic "(There'll Be Bluebirds Over)" ~ "The White Cliffs of Dover" is a popular World War II song made famous by Vera Lynn with her 1942 recording—one of her best known recordings. Written in 1941 by Walter Kent and Nat Burton, the song was also among the most popular Second World War tunes. It was written before America had joined World War II, to uplift the spirits of the Allies at a time when Nazi Germany had conquered much of Europe's area and was bombing Britain. The song was written at a time when British and German aircraft had been fighting over the cliffs of Dover in the Battle of Britain: the song's lyrics looked toward a time when the war would be over and peace would rule over the iconic White Cliffs of Dover, Britain's de facto border with the European mainland. The lyricist Nat Burton cobbled together the words, which were inspired by a poem by Alice Duer Miller and Walter Kent, and borrowed the tune from "Over The Rainbow." It became a dance band favorite in America and the song's emotions were ideal for the English singer Vera Lynn, whose version became a favorite for British soldiers serving abroad during WWII. Dover is an English port town and is famous for its white cliffs. August 2009, 92-year-old Dame Vera Lynn became the oldest living artist to make it into the top 20 of the UK albums chart when We'll Meet Again - The Very Best of Vera Lynn entered at #20. The force's sweetheart's CD was released to coincide with the 70-year anniversary of the declaration of World War II. Two weeks later We'll Meet Again - The Very Best of Vera Lynn reached the top of the chart making Dame Vera the oldest living person in the entire world ever to have a #1 album. Ms. Lynn said: "I am extremely surprised and delighted, and a big 'thank you' to all my fans for putting me there." The song is the terrace anthem of the supporters of Dover Athletic FC. Therell be bluebirds over The white cliffs of Dover Tomorrow Just you wait and see I'll never forget the people I met Braving those angry skies I remember well as the shadows fell The light of hope in their eyes And though I'm far away I still can hear them say Bombs up... But when the dawn comes up Therell be bluebirds over The white cliffs of Dover Tomorrow Just you wait and see Therell be love and laughter And peace ever after When the world is free The shepherd will tend his sheep The valley will bloom again And Jimmy will go to sleep In his own little room again Therell be bluebirds over The white cliffs of Dover Tomorrow Just you wait and see Therell be bluebirds over The white cliffs of Dover Tomorrow Just you wait and see... Category


What is the biggest island in the Indian Ocean?

Islands of the Indian Ocean travel guide - Wikitravel 3.5 Uninhabited or Restricted Islands The islands of the Indian Ocean are a varied collection, including many of the smallest territories and one of the largest island nations (Madagascar). Many hug the coastlines of continents; others must be sought out hundreds of miles from any other land. Perhaps the one thing they have in common was being affected by the tsunami of Boxing Day 2004, ranging from remarkable waves to inundation. Reunion island in the sky Note: The subantarctic islands south of 45° latitude are categorized here instead as islands of the Southern Ocean .


Vegemite vs Marmite – the best breakfasts July 31, 2016 Vegemite vs Marmite It’s the battle of the spreads! If there’s one thing New Zealanders and Australians love to do – it’s battle it out over which country is the best at…..[ insert everything]! New Zealand has the Rugby World Cup (tick), Australia smashes us at cricket. NZ has Lorde, Australia has Kylie. New Zealand has the glorious Southern Alps for skiing, Australia has beach after beach of golden sand and epic waves. NZ has Sir Peter Jackson, Aussie has Baz Luhrman. We really are neck and neck in every race. Including the black, tar-like spread for our breakfast: Vegemite and Marmite. Marmite was first made in England and was brought over to New Zealand in 1910. It took awhile for New Zealanders to develop a passion for the spread but once they did, it grew quickly! Sanitarium bought the rights to manufacture Marmite exclusive in 1919 but faced competition across the ditch when Vegemite was launched in the early 1920s. The rivalry began! Marmite is made with yeast – a by-product from the brewing industry. It is blended with a secret recipe of herbs and spices and then left to sit in a process called autolysis, where the yeast develops into the unique Marmite flavour. In fact, Marmite claims that each batch varies depending on where the ingredients have been sourced from. They have dedicated “tasters” who help blend the different batches together to create the right one that is known and loved throughout the country. Vegemite is also made with yeast and is very similar. Some say that Marmite is a little sweeter but it seems that preference is purely personal. Both are high in B vitamins, Iron and minerals and are suitable for vegetarian diets. In the 2012 earthquakes that devastated most of Christchurch the Sanitarium factory that produces Marmite in Papanui had to close and be rebuilt creating “Marmaggedon” Supermarket shelves went bare and jars sold on Trademe for upwards of $60. A year later the new factory was operational and jars could be sold to eager fans – some who turned up at midnight to be reacquainted with their favourite spread. The year’s absence did no harm to the brand, if anything it created more buzz and desire! Now, this is quite unpatriotic of us because in our house we actually prefer Vegemite. Both spreads can be quite divisive and visitors from other countries often ponder the mystery black substance with caution. It’s not sweet like most other toast spreads.  Both spreads can be enjoyed on their own or served as base with other toppings: cheese or avocado are particularly delicious. Do you have a preference for Vegemite or Marmite? Share this:


What uninhabited island was settled by HMS Bounty mutineers?

Mutiny on the HMS Bounty - Apr 28, 1789 - HISTORY.com Mutiny on the HMS Bounty Share this: Mutiny on the HMS Bounty Author Mutiny on the HMS Bounty URL Publisher A+E Networks Three weeks into a journey from Tahiti to the West Indies, the HMS Bounty is seized in a mutiny led by Fletcher Christian, the master’s mate. Captain William Bligh and 18 of his loyal supporters were set adrift in a small, open boat, and the Bounty set course for Tubuai south of Tahiti. In December 1787, the Bounty left England for Tahiti in the South Pacific, where it was to collect a cargo of breadfruit saplings to transport to the West Indies. There, the breadfruit would serve as food for slaves. After a 10-month journey, the Bounty arrived in Tahiti in October 1788 and remained there for more than five months. On Tahiti, the crew enjoyed an idyllic life, reveling in the comfortable climate, lush surroundings, and the famous hospitality of the Tahitians. Fletcher Christian fell in love with a Tahitian woman named Mauatua. On April 4, 1789, the Bounty departed Tahiti with its store of breadfruit saplings. On April 28, near the island of Tonga, Christian and 25 petty officers and seamen seized the ship. Bligh, who eventually would fall prey to a total of three mutinies in his career, was an oppressive commander and insulted those under him. By setting him adrift in an overcrowded 23-foot-long boat in the middle of the Pacific, Christian and his conspirators had apparently handed him a death sentence. By remarkable seamanship, however, Bligh and his men reached Timor in the East Indies on June 14, 1789, after a voyage of about 3,600 miles. Bligh returned to England and soon sailed again to Tahiti, from where he successfully transported breadfruit trees to the West Indies. Meanwhile, Christian and his men attempted to establish themselves on the island of Tubuai. Unsuccessful in their colonizing effort, the Bounty sailed north to Tahiti, and 16 crewmen decided to stay there, despite the risk of capture by British authorities. Christian and eight others, together with six Tahitian men, a dozen Tahitian women, and a child, decided to search the South Pacific for a safe haven. In January 1790, the Bounty settled on Pitcairn Island, an isolated and uninhabited volcanic island more than 1,000 miles east of Tahiti. The mutineers who remained on Tahiti were captured and taken back to England where three were hanged. A British ship searched for Christian and the others but did not find them. In 1808, an American whaling vessel was drawn to Pitcairn by smoke from a cooking fire. The Americans discovered a community of children and women led by John Adams, the sole survivor of the original nine mutineers. According to Adams, after settling on Pitcairn the colonists had stripped and burned the Bounty, and internal strife and sickness had led to the death of Fletcher and all the men but him. In 1825, a British ship arrived and formally granted Adams amnesty, and he served as patriarch of the Pitcairn community until his death in 1829. In 1831, the Pitcairn islanders were resettled on Tahiti, but unsatisfied with life there they soon returned to their native island. In 1838, the Pitcairn Islands, which includes three nearby uninhabited islands, was incorporated into the British Empire. By 1855, Pitcairn’s population had grown to nearly 200, and the two-square-mile island could not sustain its residents. In 1856, the islanders were removed to Norfolk Island, a former penal colony nearly 4,000 miles to the west. However, less than two years later, 17 of the islanders returned to Pitcairn, followed by more families in 1864. Today, around 40 people live on Pitcairn Island, and all but a handful are descendants of the Bounty mutineers. About a thousand residents of Norfolk Island (half its population) trace their lineage from Fletcher Christian and the eight other Englishmen. Related Videos


etymology - Why does Germany's English name differ from its German name? - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange Why does Germany's English name differ from its German name? up vote 20 down vote favorite 1 Germany in German is Deutschland and the language is Deutsch. I'm used to words being anglicized, but why is there a complete replacement in this case? 4   As a note, this is not at all a unique case with the name of Germany in English. French and German names for other countries often differ greatly from their native names. –  Noldorin Jan 2 '11 at 0:40 2   @Noldorin: But it is not very common to call a neigbouring Western-European country by a name derived from an entirely different IE root. –  Cerberus Jan 2 '11 at 3:28      Tim Osterholm on his Table of Nations website brought forth an interesting theory that the word German originated long ago from the ancient Assyrian city of Kerman. The word Deutsh is also linked with Assyria. It seems that during the fall of Ninevah, this group of people migrated north to escape from the invading Babylonians (and Scythians too perhaps). Coming from a civilized area to the more primitive tribes of ancient Germany perhaps gave them an influence there out of proportion to their numbers. – user14214 Oct 26 '11 at 4:05 1   up vote 30 down vote accepted Germany did not officially unite as a singular country until 1871 . Before that, there were a number of different regions like Bavaria, Prussia, the Hanseatic League, Saxony, and so on. There was also a long period of time when this region was part of the Holy Roman Empire. Before this, the peoples that eventually became Germany were grouped into various tribes. Because of the lack of a single unifying name or country, the Germans ended up being named various things in different regions. From the Old High German diutisc meaning "of the people" (e.g. Deutschland). From Latin Germania, probably meaning "neighbor" (e.g. Germany). From the name of the Alemanni tribe (e.g. Allemagne). From the name of the Saxon tribe (e.g. Saksa). From the Protoslavic word němьcь, meaning "foreigner", literally "unable to speak" (e.g. Německo). From the Germanic word Volk, meaning "folk" or "people" (e.g. Vokietija). 6   Note that the Latin Germania from which Germany is derived probably had its origin ultimately as a Celtic loanward. (For example, how the Gauls would refer to the Germans/non-Celtic tribes.) Also, Germany certainly did exist as a concept (if not a country) before the 19th century - the King of Germany was a title the Holy Roman Empire (also called the German Empire) held. –  Noldorin Jan 2 '11 at 0:43 2   @Noldorin: I didn't mean to suggest that there was no connection between any of the sub-parts of present-day Germany, but the connections were much looser, and it wasn't really an official country until that 1871 unification. I still think that what I describe is a key contributor to the number of completely different names for Germany. –  Kosmonaut Jan 2 '11 at 2:53 1   @Noldorin: Interesting, I had no idea idea that "Germania" came from Celtic. I suppose the Celts met the Germans before the Romans did, having spread all over Europe much earlier. –  Cerberus Jan 2 '11 at 2:59 5   @Kosmonaut: Your theory has merit. An older, single state is more likely to get a stable name. I suppose the same could be said about the decentralized Netherlands/Low Countries/Holland/The Dutch. As for Spain, one might conjecture that 500 years of unity were enough. But what about Italy? Could it be that the ancient memory of Roman Italy - the last time it ever was a unity - was enough to give it a name much more stable than that of Germany? That is somewhat doubtful, though it is not impossible. –  Cerberus Jan 2 '11 at 3:10 4   And yes, Italy had had a constant name throughout history thanks to the Roman hegemony over Europe in antiquity (even over the parts of Germania and Scythia it did not conquer). The name "Italia" has truly ancient origins ("land of the bull god" if my memory serves me) - it was without doubt the 2nd country in Europe. In fact,


What city was once called New Amsterdam?

New York City Was Once New Amsterdam New York City Was Once New Amsterdam Interesting Facts in Easy English Pre-Listening Vocabulary golden age: a period of wealth and advancement settlers: people who move to an undeveloped area and begin to live and work there surrender: to not fight reclaim: to take back something that was once yours Listen and read. [ 1:13 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now New York City Was Once New Amsterdam Have you ever wondered how New York City got name? During the Dutch Golden Age, in the 17th century, New York City was called New Amsterdam. It was Holland’s largest city by Dutch settlers in 1624. New Amsterdam was the of New Netherland, where the Dutch were heavily involved with the fur trade. In 1664, the English organized a takeover and the colony was peacefully surrendered. The British renamed the city New York after the Duke of York who had the takeover. The Dutch reclaimed the area briefly in 1673 and named it . By 1664, however, the English were back in control, and it has been New York ever since. Comprehension Questions What was New York City called before it was called New York? What did early Dutch settlers become involved with in the New York area? Why does the report mention the word “orange”? Discussion Questions: The borough of Brooklyn in New York City was also named after a town in the Netherlands. Does your birthplace or hometown have a story for its name? show Answershide Answers New York City Was Once New Amsterdam Have you ever wondered how New York City got its name? During the Dutch Golden Age, in the 17th century, New York City was called New Amsterdam. It was named after Holland’s largest city by Dutch settlers in 1624. New Amsterdam was the capital of New Netherland, where the Dutch were heavily involved with the fur trade. In 1664, the English organized a takeover and the colony was peacefully surrendered. The British renamed the city New York after the Duke of York who had organized the takeover. The Dutch reclaimed the area briefly in 1673 and named it New Orange. By 1664, however, the English were back in control, and it has been New York ever since. New York City was called New Amsterdam before it was called New York. Early Dutch settlers became involved with the fur trade in the New York area. The report mentions the word “orange” because the Dutch reclaimed New York briefly in 1663, and renamed it New Orange. (“orange” is associated with the Royal Family of the Netherlands) Related posts:


Including inland seas, what's the world's largest lake?

Largest Lake in the World - Largest in the United States Largest Lake in the World & Largest Lake in the United States Caspian Sea map: Map of the Caspian Sea - World's largest landlocked water body (by surface area). Image by CIA. Which Lake is the World's Largest? There are a few different ways to define the world's largest lake. Are you interested in the lake with the largest surface area? Or, the lake with the greatest water volume? And, do you want to consider saltwater seas in your comparison? "Which lake is the world's largest?" is not a simple question to answer. So, we will explore the question from a few different perspectives. World's Largest Lake (by volume): Lake Baikal is the world's largest freshwater lake in terms of volume. It contains about 5,521 cubic miles of water (23,013 cubic kilometers), or approximately 20% of Earth's fresh surface water. This is a volume of water approximately equivalent to all five of the North American Great Lakes combined. While Lake Baikal is extremely deep, its surface area is only about 12,248 square miles (31,722 square kilometers), putting it in seventh place worldwide in terms of surface area. Lake Baikal map: Map of Lake Baikal - World's largest freshwater lake (by volume). Image by CIA. World's Largest Lake (by surface area): The salty Caspian Sea has the greatest surface area of any lake at 143,200 square miles (370,886 square kilometers). Lake Superior, on the United States/Canada border, is the named freshwater lake with the greatest surface area at 31,700 square miles (82,103 square kilometers). However, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron can technically be considered a single lake because they both have the same surface elevation and they are connected by the Mackinac Strait (which is not a river because the water does not have a consistent flow direction). So, Lake Michigan-Huron could be considered the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. It has a total surface area of 45,410 square miles (117,611 square kilometers), which is significantly larger than Lake Superior. The total water volume in Lake Michigan-Huron, at 2,026 cubic miles (8,443 cubic kilometers), is much smaller than the volume of Lake Baikal. Great Lakes map: Map of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron - World's largest freshwater lakes (by surface area). Image by CIA. Largest Lake in the United States (by volume): The largest lake in the United States on the basis of water volume is Lake Superior with a volume of 2,904 cubic miles (12,104 cubic kilometers). Largest Lake in the United States (by surface area): Lake Superior is the single named lake with the largest surface area in the United States at 31,700 square miles (82,103 square kilometers). However, as mentioned above, if you consider Lake Michigan and Lake Huron as a single lake, then Lake Michigan-Huron has the largest surface area at 45,410 square miles (117,611 square kilometers).


What became the world's newest independent country in 2011?

The World's Newest Countries (34 Created Since 1990) Thirteen other countries became independent through a variety of causes. March 21, 1990 - Namibia became independent of South Africa. May 22, 1990 - North and South Yemen merged to form a unified Yemen . October 3, 1990 - East Germany and West Germany merged to form a unified Germany after the fall of the Iron Curtain. September 17, 1991 - The Marshall Islands was part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (administered by the United States) and gained independence as a former colony. September 17, 1991 - Micronesia , previously known as the Caroline Islands, became independent from the United States. January 1, 1993 - The Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent nations when Czechoslovakia dissolved. May 25, 1993 - Eritrea was a part of Ethiopia but seceded and gained independence. October 1, 1994 - Palau was part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (administered by the United States) and gained independence as a former colony. May 20, 2002 - East Timor (Timor-Leste) declared independence from Portugal in 1975 but did not became independent from Indonesia until 2002. June 3, 2006 - Montenegro was part of Serbia and Montenegro (also known as Yugoslavia) but gained independence after a referendum. June 5, 2006 - Serbia became its own entity after Montenegro split. Febraury 17, 2008 - Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. July 9, 2011 - South Sudan peacefully seceded from Sudan following a January 2011 referendum. Sudan itself was the first to recognize South Sudan and did so one day early, on July 8, 2011.


Where Was Xanadu Where Was Xanadu? Asian History Glossary, U-Z Where Was Xanadu? Romantic Xanadu, as portrayed in Samuel Coleridge Taylor's poem Kubla Khan, rather than the real historic city of Shang-du.  Eric Meola / Getty Images Share By Kallie Szczepanski Xanadu was the summer capital of China's Yuan Dynasty after 1264, located in Inner Mongolia near the modern city of Duolun.  At the time, China and Mongolia were united under Mongol rule. The first Yuan emperor, Kublai Khan , established Beijing (then known as Dadu) as the capital of his empire. For the hot, humid summer months, however, he preferred to be closer to the plains of his native Mongolia . Thus, his summer capital moved to Xanadu, previously called Kai Ping. More properly, Xanadu was known as Shangdu or "Upper Capital"; the western world first learned of it through the account by famed Italian explorer Marco Polo of his visit to the city in 1275. Another European who wrote about the fabled city was Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who portrayed it as the essence of Oriental mystery and wealth in his poem Kubla Khan , published in 1816. Pronunciation: "ZAN-uh-doo" Also Known As: Shangdu, Shangtu, Kai Ping Examples:


Near what major American city is Lake Pontchartrain located?

Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation TIMELINE Geologic History 200 mya- South America, Africa, and North America, part of Pangean supercontinent, pulled apart creating a basin that has evolved into the present day Gulf of Mexico. 180 mya A precursor to the Mississippi River began depositing sediment in the north central Gulf of Mexico. 146-92 mya Louisiana and a large portion of North America were covered by a huge inland sea. 20,000 years ago sea level was 360 feet lower and many small rivers were discharging sediment at the outer edge of the continental shelf. 4,000 years ago sea level rose and the Pine Island barrier system developed extending from Hancock County, Mississippi to New Orleans. 3,000 years ago the St. Bernard delta of the Mississippi River built out of the alluvial valley onto the continental shelf creating what is now the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain. 2,000 years ago, the Mississippi River diverted to the Lafourche delta. The natural transgression of the St. Bernard delta caused coastal land loss and the formation of the Chandeleur Islands. 1,000 years ago the Mississippi River diverted to the modern Birdfoot delta complex in the southern region of the Basin. Human History 12000 ya The first people came to inhabit the northern part of our Basin. 4000 ya Native American communities along the Lower Mississippi began building huge earthen mounds. Pre ï¿½1682 Many Native American tribes live in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, including such tribes as the Bayougoula, Mougoulacha, Chitimacha, Oumas, Tangipahoa, Colapissa, and Quinipissa Accalopissa. 1539: Epidemics began ravaging Native American societies due to the introduction of smallpox, malaria, typhoid fever, measles, syphilis, and tuberculosis by European explorers. 1682: Explorers from France arrive to explore the Lower Mississippi River Valley. 1699: Iberville discovers and names Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas for the French. 1718: Bienville founds the City of New Orleans at present site because of easy access to the Mississippi River through Lake Pontchartrain and Bayou St. John. 1763: After a short revolution, the Spanish government takes over the rule of most of Louisiana. 1803: Louisiana becomes part of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase. 1820ï¿½l840s: Most Native Americans east of the Mississippi River were relocated to the West. The Trail of Tears occurred during this period. 1831-1838: The New Basin Canal is built by Irish and German immigrants. 1834: The Marigny Plantation in New Orleans gives way to the neighborhood of Faubourg Marigny so Bernard de Marigny moves across the Lake to Fontainbleau, the family plantation on the north shore. He establishes the fashionable resort town of Mandeville. 1862 ï¿½ 1865 Union Troop occupied New Orleans during the civil war in order to control the Mississippi River. 1924: The Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, or the Industrial Canal is opened, linking the Mississippi River with the Lake. 1928: Pontchartrain Beach opens where Lake Vista is today. 1931: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers builds the Bonnet Carrï¿½ Spillway. 1939: Pontchartrain Beach is moved to Milneburg. During World War II, the land near Lake Pontchartrain, where the University of New Orleans stands today, was used by Higgins Boats to build wartime vessels. 1956-1964: Lincoln Beach Amusement Park was opened in 1956 and was a popular attraction for African Americans in New Orleans. It closed in 1964. Currently the City of New Orleans has plans to redevelop the site. 1963: The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) is opened to provide a short cut for shipping from the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans. 1972: Pontchartrain Beach swimming area closes due to unacceptable levels of pollution which threaten the health of bathers. 1979: "No swimming" advisories are posted along the Lake's south shore in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes by the Department of Health and Hospitals. 1983: Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park closes permanently. 1989: The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF) is established to restore the health of the lake and i


In what city would you find the world's tallest building?

china's sky city to become world's tallest building world's tallest building, sky city will break ground next month in china the world’s tallest building, sky city in changsha, china images courtesy of broad group / different energy     update (26 july 2013): the broad group , the chinese developers of the anticipated tallest building in the world, made waves with their initial announcement that they would complete the aptly named ‘sky city‘ in 90 days. in march 2013, they announced a new timeline of 7 months for the nearly 3,ooo-foot skyscraper, and the groundbreaking occurred on july 20th, 2013. just four days later, construction ground to a halt as chinese officials claim that the developers failed to get the proper governmental permissions and permits for anything besides obtaining 22 acres of land.   – the broad group has already had success with the prefab skyscraper method with its 15 storey s9 building in shanghai: they delivered and assembled the 30 storey hotel structure in a mere 15 days. the extreme productivity is mainly due to a system of modules and prefabricated parts combined with a back-breaking timeline.   located just outside changsha, the rapidly developing waterfront area that will soon house a zaha hadid theater complex, the mixed use residential complex will house 31,000 people inside. approximately 83% of the vertical complex will be exclusively residential, while 3% will be reserved for office use. a hotel with a thousand person capacity and a school set to educate 4600 children is also planned for the veritable urban complex.   broad developers and broad sustainable development express and act on a serious concern for sustainable building technologies and CO2 emission reduction, touting many manifestos about green lifestyle tips and techniques. mechanisms to protect against solar gain and a network of green roofs express a commitment to the green cause, irrespective of scale. the 220 storey is set to top out at a height of 838 meters and cost a relative small sum of 628 million USD; a fraction of the cost of the current tallest building in the world, dubai’s burj khalifa. that mega structure cost about 1.5 billion USD and was built in an already extraordinarily fast five years. sky city ‘s statistics are particularly remarkable because the project aims to posit a solution to a larger goal of extreme urbanization and population growth both cheaply and with regard to environmental concerns. the site selection alone proposes a long-term metropolitan spread, with the assumption that changsha’s urban trajectory will engulf the megastructure. perhaps 200,000 tons of prefabricated steel components will result in a resolution to long-standing problems in urban development and alter the profession and priorities in architecture at large.     a walkthrough of the project video © different energy


What valley is the site of the Earth's highest-ever recorded temperature, 134°F?

This Month in Climate History: Earth’s Hottest Temperature | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) formerly known as National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) Home  >  News  > This Month in Climate History: Earth’s Hottest Temperature This Month in Climate History: Earth’s Hottest Temperature Greenland Ranch Weather Station 1922 Credit: NOAA Ever since the Lost ‘49ers gave it its name back in 1849, Death Valley has been famous for being one of the hottest and driest places in North America. In fact, Death Valley holds the record for the world’s highest surface air temperature ever recorded—134°F recorded at Greenland Ranch July 10, 1913. While 134°F is definitely well-above Death Valley’s average summer temperatures, temperatures frequently reach or exceed 100°F from mid-May until early October. On July 5–14, 1913, Death Valley endured an intense stretch of hot weather. The high temperature reached 125°F or more every day, and that 10-day period still ranks as the longest consecutive stretch of temperatures that high on record in the valley. The hottest days were from July 9 to the 13, when the high temperature reached as least 129°F each day, and on July 10 the temperature spiked to 134°F. Although Death Valley had been known for being an extremely hot place, this reading helped to solidify its reputation. On September 13, 1922, a temperature of 136°F was recorded at El Azizia, Libya. This was eventually certified by the World Meteorological Organization as the hottest air temperature ever recorded on Earth. However, additional evidence recently came to light indicating that the 136°F reading was invalid. On September 12, 2012, the World Meteorological Organization officially recertified the 134°F reading at Death Valley as the all-time highest surface air temperature recorded on the planet. So, why is Death Valley always so hot? Part of the reason is that the depth and shape of Death Valley influence its summer temperatures. The valley is a long, narrow basin 282 feet below sea level, yet is walled by high, steep mountain ranges. The clear, dry air and sparse plant cover allow sunlight to heat the desert surface. The heat radiates back from the rocks and soil, and then becomes trapped in the valley’s depths. Summer nights provide little relief as overnight lows during the summer may only dip into the 85°F to 95°F range. Learn more about Death Valley’s World Record Temperature and the celebration of its 100th anniversary at www.wrh.noaa.gov/vef/deathvalley/ .


Albania and Serbia are located on what peninsula?

What is a list of the Balkan countries? | Reference.com What is a list of the Balkan countries? A: Quick Answer The Balkan countries, as of 2014, are Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece. The European section of Turkey also lies within the Balkan Peninsula. Full Answer The Balkan Peninsula which gives its name to these countries lies in the southeast region of Europe. Albania is located along the Adriatic Sea, and its capital city is Tirane. Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital is Sarajevo. That country is located south of Croatia and is mostly landlocked. Bulgaria is located along the Black Sea; its capital is Sofia. Croatia has an hourglass shape squeezed between Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina; its capital is Zagreb. Greece is located on the southwest tip of the Balkan Peninsula; its capital is Athens. Montenegro is located on the Adriatic Sea north of Albania; its capital is Podgorica. Romania has the largest land mass and a western shore on the Black Sea, and its capital is Bucharest. Serbia is landlocked in the center of the peninsula; its capital is Belgrade. The smaller country of Macedonia is landlocked south of Serbia, and its capital is Skopje. A small section of Turkey lies within the Balkan Peninsula. Its largest city, Istanbul, is the only city to straddle Asia and Europe, with the European side laying on the southeastern point of the Balkan Peninsula.


Indus River: Longest River of Pakistan Information of the world Home » Sciences » Geography » Indus River: Longest River of Pakistan Indus River is the longest River Of Pakistan which is about 1976 miles (3180 km) long. Among the five major and more than 75 smaller rivers in Pakistan, the Indus river is the not only the longest but the largest river as well. According to the average annual flow The Indus River stands at the twenty first number in the list of largest rivers in the world. The annual flow of Indus river is almost 50 cubic miles (207 cubic meter). The Origin: Indus River originates in the Tibetan plateau which is an autonomous region. Starting from the Lake Mansarovar, this river enters Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir which is an occupied territory by India. Darya-e-Sind enters Pakistan at Gilgit-Baltistan and then it travel throughout the country, at the end, the Indus River falls in the Arabian Sea near the famous port of Karachi. Indus River Tributaries of The Indus: Following are the tributaries of the Indus River. Nagar River, Astor River, Balram River, Dras River, Gar River, Ghizar River, Gilgit River, Gumal River, Kabul River, Kurram River, Panjnad River, Shigar River, Shyok River, Sohan River, Tanubal River, Zanskar River. Apart from these sixteen smaller rivers Chenab is also the tributary of this mighty river. Other three major rivers of Pakistan, fall in Chenab which ultimately meets The Indus at Punjnad. Tarbela Dam Irrigation System on The Indus River: There are 6 main barrages on the Indus river which provide water for 18 major canals. As Pakistan has the largest canal system in the world, Indus is the major source of this vast irrigation system as it provides water for Sindh and Punjab agricultural areas. The world’s largest earth filled dam (Tarbela Dam) is also built on this river. This river is the lifeline of the economy of Pakistan as it provide water for those fertile areas which provide food items to the country. These food items not only feed the nationals of the country but also they are exported to the other countries of the world. Being an agricultural country, Pakistan is fed by this river through a powerful and wider spread canal system. Barrages of Indus River: Jinnah Barrage (Feeds 2 major Canals) Chashma Barrage (Feeds 2 major Canals) Taunsa Barrage (Feeds 2 major Canals) Guddu Barrage (Feeds 3 major Canals) Sukkar Barrage (Feeds 7 major Canals) Ghulam Muhammad Barrage (Feeds 4 major Canals) Sukkar barrage is commonly known as Sindh barrage whereas Ghulam Mohammad barrage is commonly known as Kotri barrage.


If measured from its base on the sea floor, what mountain is the world's tallest?

The World’s Tallest Mountain from Base to Peak | Web Odysseum The World’s Tallest Mountain from Base to Peak Posted on The World’s Tallest Mountain from Base to Peak October 02, 2012 No, it’s not the Mount Everest, but the Mount McKinley (or Denali) in Alaska ! McKinley has a summit elevation of 20,320 feet (6,194 m) above sea level, making it the highest peak in North America. Measured from base to peak, it is the world’s tallest mountain ON LAND. McKinley sits atop a plain with elevations from 300 metres (1,000 ft) to 900 metres (3,000 ft), for a base-to-peak height of 5,300 to 5,900 metres (17,000 to 19,000 ft). Mount Everest, on the other hand, sits atop the Tibetan Plateau at a much higher base elevation. Base elevations for Everest range from 4,200 m (13,800 ft) on the south side to 5,200 m (17,100 ft) on the Tibetan Plateau, for a base-to-peak height in the range of 3,650 to 4,650 metres (12,000 to 15,300 ft). But the world’s tallest mountain ON EARTH (Land and Ocean) is the volcano Mauna Kea. Standing 4,205 m (13,796 ft) above sea level, its peak is the highest point in the U.S. state of Hawaii. However, much of the mountain is below sea level; when measured from its oceanic base, the total height difference is 10,200 m (33,500 ft). McKinley’s base-to-peak height is only little more than half that of the 10,200 metres (33,500 ft).


GBP 21/- Shilling | Coin Collecting Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Royal Mint The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813. It was the first English machine-struck gold coin, originally worth one English Pound sterling, equal to twenty shillings; but rises in the price of gold caused the value of the guinea to increase, at times to as high as thirty shillings; from 1717 onwards its value was officially fixed at twenty-one shillings, after Great Britain adopted the gold standard. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, where much of the gold used to make the coins originated. Although no longer circulated, the term guinea survives in some circles, notably horse racing, and in the sale of rams, to mean an amount of one pound and one shilling (one pound and five pence in decimalised currency), equivalent to 21 shillings or £1.05. The name also forms the basis for the Arabic word for the Egyptian pound الجنيه el-Gineih. Contents Edit The first guinea was produced 1663, and was made legal currency by a Proclamation of 27 March 1663. 44½ guineas would be made from one Troy pound of 11/12 finest gold, each weighing 129.4 grains. The denomination was originally worth one pound, or twenty shillings, but an increase in the price of gold during the reign of Charles II led to its being traded at a premium. In 1670 the weight of the coin was reduced from 8.4–8.5 g to 8.3–8.4 g, but the price of gold continued to increase, and by the 1680s the coin was worth 22 shillings. The diameter of the coin was 25 millimetres throughout Charles II's reign, and the average gold content was 0.9100. "Guinea" was not an official name for the coin, but much of the gold used to produce the early coins came from Guinea in Africa. The coin was produced each year between 1663 and 1684, with the elephant appearing on some coins each year from 1663–65 and 1668, and the elephant and castle on some coins from 1674 onwards. Reign Edit The obverse and reverse of this coin were designed by John Roettier (1631–c. 1700). The obverse showed a fine right-facing bust of the king wearing a laurel wreath (amended several times during the reign), surrounded by the legend CAROLVS II DEI GRATIA ("Charles II by the grace of God"), while the reverse showed four crowned cruciform shields bearing the arms of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, between which were four sceptres, and in the centre were four interlinked "C"s, surrounded by the inscription MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX date ("Of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King"). To avoid confusion with gilded silver coins the edge was milled to deter clipping or filing (and to distinguish it from the silver half-crown which had edge lettering). Until 1669 the milling was perpendicular to the edge, giving vertical grooves, while from 1670 the milling was diagonal to the edge. John Roettier continued to design the dies for this denomination in the reign of James II. In this reign, the coins weighed 8.5 g with a diameter of 25–26 mm, and were minted in all years between 1685 and 1688, with an average gold content of 0.9094. Coins of each year were issued both with and without the elephant and castle mark. The king's head faces left in this reign, and is surrounded by the inscription IACOBUS II DEI GRATIA ("James II by the grace of God"), while the obverse is the same as in Charles II's reign except for omitting the interlinked "C"s in the centre of the coin. The edge of the coins are milled diagonally. With the removal of James II in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, his daughter Mary, and her husband Prince William of Orange ruled jointly by agreement as co-monarchs. Their heads appear conjoined on the guinea piece in Roman style, with William's head uppermost, with the legend GVLIELMVS ET MARIA DEI GRATIA. In a departure from the previous reigns the reverse featured a totally new design of a large crowned shield which bore the arms of imperial France in the first quarter, of Scotland in the second quarter, of I


What is the Rome's Flavian Amphitheatre better known as?

Flavian Amphitheater Rome Reborn Flavian Amphitheater Known since the middle ages as the “Colosseum” because of the 100-foot-tall statue of the Sun god moved next to it by Hadrian (A.D. 76-138), this amphitheater was built by Vespasian in the valley between the Velia, the Esquiline and the Caelian Hills. The area had been a pond in the private gardens of Nero's Golden House. Vespasian restored it to public use for the popular animal hunts and gladiatorial games. The complex, which could hold ca. 45-50,000 spectators, replaced an earlier amphitheater elsewhere in the city that was destroyed in the great fire of A.D. 64. Despite the protest of Christian thinkers, the gladiatorial fights continued until well into the Christian period, ending in the fifth century A.D. The animal hunts continued a century longer. Amphitheatrum Flavium From Samuel Ball Platner, A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome, rev. Thomas Ashby. Oxford: 1929, p. 6-11. Ordinarily known as the Colosseum, built by Vespasian, in the depression                     between the Velia, the Esquiline and the Caelian, a site previously occupied                     by the stagnum of Nero's domus Aurea (Suet. Vesp. 9; Mart. de spect. 2.5; Aur. Vict. Caes. 9.7). Vespasian                     carried the structure to the top of the second arcade of the outer wall and                     of the maenianum secundum of the cavea (see below), and dedicated it before                     his death in 79 A.D. (Chronogr. a. 354, p146). Titus added the third and                     fourth stories (ib.), and celebrated the dedication                     of the enlarged building in 80 with magnificent games that lasted one                     hundred days (Suet. Titus 7; Cass. Dio LXVI.25; Hieron a. Abr. 2095; Eutrop.                     vii.21; Cohen, Tit. 399, 400). Domitian is said to have completed the                     building ad clipea (Chron. ib.) which probably                     refers to the bronze shields that were placed directly beneath the uppermost                     cornice (cf. Cohen, Tit. 399) and to additions on                     the inside (HJ 282). View Full Article Additional source material Ancient Library Sources (from Peter Aicher, Rome Alive: A Source Guide to the Ancient City, vol. 1, Bolchazy-Carducci: 2004) [ Works cited ] 70. Colosseum (Amphitheatrum Flavii). Sources. 70.1. The Emperor Vespasian ordered a new amphitheater to be                          built from the booty [of the Jewish War in AD 70]. Inscription (see Claridge, p.                            278)


Justin Peters is a Slate correspondent and the author of The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet . The point of this redesign, of course, is to deter counterfeiters, who have apparently not yet thrown in the towel, even though I informed them back in March that counterfeiting American currency is the dumbest crime imaginable. The new $100 note is just the latest in a series of advanced, secure bills the government has issued over the years. Here’s a brief history of how they were made—and, sometimes, how they were defeated. The 1914 $100 Federal Reserve Note. Wikimedia Commons Advertisement 1914: Before 1914, America’s paper money had been issued as “United States Notes” by private banks that had been given federal charters, by small children with construction paper, and in many other formats, too. The history of American paper currency is very confusing, and this confusion was a boon to counterfeiters, who benefitted greatly from the non-standard design. The first $100 Federal Reserve Note, like some of the bills that came before it, featured some basic security features that still exist to this day: colored threads scattered across the face of the bill; intricate engraving that is difficult to duplicate; the Treasury seal and serial number rendered in ink of a different color; and special paper stock that is not commercially available. The Series of 1928 $100 bill, which, confusingly, was issued in 1929. Collectors.com 1929: The 1914 note was a step forward, but it was still possible to defeat it; antique paper money dealer Manning Garrett has noted that some 1914 $100 Federal Reserve notes are “are virtually undetectable as counterfeits.” The big security advance in 1929 was the implementation of a standard design across all denominations. This made it easier for regular people to know what money was supposed to look like, and made it harder for inept counterfeiters to claim that, yes, the $100 bill did feature a portrait of Eddie Rickenbacker, thank you very much! All others pay cash. Wikimedia Commons 1966: In 1955, Congress passed a law requiring that the phrase “In God We Trust” appear on all American currency, be it coin or paper. Its inclusion on the reverse of all $100 bills from 1966 onward helped merchants realize they should probably be suspicious of bills that contained other slogans, like “The Business of America is Business,” “Better Dead than Red,” and “Ich bin ein Berliner.” Note the security thread barely visible next to the Federal Reserve seal. Trust me, it's there. Wikimedia Commons 1991: While various design elements were tweaked here and there, the $100 note pretty much stayed the same from 1929 until 1991, when the rise of high-resolution color photocopiers prompted the implementation of some new security features. The Series 1990 bills added tiny, copier-resistant microprinting around the Ben Franklin portrait, and a slim polyester security thread that was weaved right into the bill’s fabric. The thread, which sat next to the Federal Reserve seal, was only visible if you held the bill up to the light, at which point, if you squinted, you could make out the phrase “Freemasons Rule.” The redesigned 1996 $100 bill. Wikimedia Commons 1996: A big year in the history of American paper money! With color copiers, inkjet printers, and computer imaging technology getting better and better, the government decided to completely reboot the $100 bill. Among other improvements, the new note featured an oversized, off-center portrait of Benjamin Franklin, a ghostly watermark of that same portrait, hard-to-duplicate fine-line printing in the background, and optically variable ink in the bottom-right corner that shifted color from green to black. Also, if you attempt to photocopy the bill, the portrait of Benjamin Franklin will shout “Step away from the copier” and place you under citizen’s arrest.


What constellation is depicted on the Australian flag?

The Australian Flag Home > ANBG > Australian Flag The Australian Flag The Australian Flag came into being after the the federation of the Australian States into the Commonwealth of Australian on 1 January, 1901. The Commonwealth Blue Ensign was selected a a result of a public competition (over 30 000 designs were submitted); although selected in 1901 and gazetted in 1903, it was not given Royal assent and adopted as the definitive Australian flag until 1954 in the Flags Act 1953 (Act No. 1 of 1954)! It is based on the Blue Ensign of the United Kingdom, is twice as long as it is wide, and consists of a dark blue field that can be notionally divided into four quadrants. There is a different motif in each of the upper and lower hoist quadrants and the remaining two quadrants of the fly share another different constellation motif. The present Australian flag can be considered to consist of three main elements: The Union Jack in the upper hoist quadrant or first quarter (also know as the Canton), denoting Australia's historical links with Great Britain. The Union Jack itself is composed of red and white intersecting and overlayed vertical and diagonal crosses on a blue background, The Southern Cross in the second quarter (also known as the top or head) and fourth quarter. Consists of five stars in a more or less kite-like pattern - Alpha Crucis (7-point), Beta Crucis (7-point), Gamma Crucis (7-point), Delta Crucis (7-point) and the smaller Epsilon Crucis (5-point). The outer diameter of each of the 4 major stars is 1/7 the width of the fly and the inner diameter is 4/9 outer diameter; the diameter of Epsilon Crucis is 1/12 the width of the fly and the inner diameter is 4/9 the outer diameter. The constellation of the Southern Cross is a significant navigational feature of the southern hemisphere, strongly places Australia geographically and has been associated with the continent since its earliest days, The Commonwealth Star or Star of Federation, central in the third quarter or lower hoist, has seven points to denote the six states and the combined territories of the Commonwealth. The seventh point was added in 1909. The outer diameter is 3/5 the width of the Union Jack (3/10 the width of the fly) and the inner diameter is 4/9 the outer diameter. Other Australian Ensigns The Australian Army is represented by and protector of the Australian National Flag. In addition to the the Commonwealth Ensign, there are three other official Australian ensigns: The Australian Red Ensign - Merchant Navy, as for the Australian flag, but with a red field with white stars. Proclaimed in the Flags Act 1953. Covers Australian registered ships under section 30 of the Shipping Registration Act 1981. The Australian White Ensign - Royal Australian Navy - as for the Australian flag but with a white field and dark blue stars. Gazetted in 1967. The Sky-blue Ensign - Royal Australian Air Force - as for the Australian flag but with a pale blue field, the southern cross rotated clockwise c. 20 degrees and the blue roundel with white inner and red kangaroo of the Royal Australian Air Force in the lower fly. Gazetted in 1982. Flags Similar to the Australian Flag Several nations and territories have flags with similar appearance to the Australian National Flag, reflecting either a common British colonial history or previous association with Austrlaia. Most notable is the New Zealand National Flag, a Blue Ensign with a Southern Cross of four red stars. State and Territory Flags Each of the six states of Australia has its own Official State Flag consisting of a Blue Ensign defaced with the badge or heraldic device of the state concerned; the heraldic devices are those represented in the Commonwealth Arms . The flags of the Australian territories and of more individual nature and are not based on the Blue Ensign. Other "Australian" Flags The Queen's Personal Flag for Australia This flag is for the Queen's personal use when in Australia and was approved by her in 1962. It is based on the Australian Commonwealth Arms in the form of a banner n the rati


Mérida and Cancún are located on what peninsula?

Yucatan Travel Guide - DoCancun!com HOME > TRAVEL GUIDES > YUCATAN TRAVEL GUIDE Yucatan Travel Guide Yucatan Hotels Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is full of wonderful things to explore, from beautiful colonial cities to amazing Mayan ruins to stunning natural beauty. Stay in beautiful hotels from Mexico's colonial era, or restored Yucatan haciendas. Yucatan Hotels Yucatan Tours You will run out of vacation days before you run out of things to do on your vacation. Visits to the numerous Mayan archaeological sites in the Yucatan are some of the most popular tours. Yucatan Tours Car Rentals Get your vacation in gear with our Car Rental Service in Merida, Cancun, Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya. Choose your car from our great variety of brands and models that best fits your budget.  Car Rentals Introduction to the Yucatan Peninsula "I can only imagine how the Indians felt when they were first confronted with the Spanish. Their first difficulty was deciding whether the Spanish were mortals or gods. The French structuralist Tzvetan Todorov makes the interesting argument that this confusion varied in direct proportion to literacy. The Incas, who could not write at all, were convinced the Spanish were gods. The Aztecs, who had pictograms, initially thought that the Spanish were gods but soon changed their minds. The Maya, who could read and write, knew from the beginning that the Spanish were men. The Maya, therefore, were the most difficult to conquer." --Peter Canby, The Heart of the Sky: Travels Among the Maya From beautiful colonial cities to modern day Mayan villages, the Yucatan Peninsula has a multitude of cities and towns to explore along the way.  The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico includes the Mexican states of Yucatan, Campeche, and Quintana Roo.  The capital city of the state of Yucatan is Merida. The capital city of the state of Campeche is Campeche. And the capital city of the state of Quintana Roo (where Cancun and the Riviera Maya are located) is Chetumal. Chetumal, Mahahual and Bacalar are part of an area known as the Costa Maya, and more information can be found on our Costa Maya page. Colonial cities such as Merida and Valladolid have beautiful architecture and will bring you back in time to the Spanish colonial days of this area. Merida  is the capital of the state of Yucatán, and a good base for exploring the region. Even coastal ports such as Progreso to the north and Celestun to the west hold treasures of flocks of vibrant pink flamingos or piers that seem to extend endlessly. Rustic haciendas and convents from the 1600s and 1700s dot the outlying areas to the east. So do caverns of stalactites and stalagmites and cenotes which are underground sinkholes formed from the porous limestone of the region. Look for timeless villages in the small Yucatecan towns along the Convent Route of l7th century churches south of Mérida  or the Ruta de Puuc near Uxmal, about 90 minutes south of Merida . Yucatan Peninsula Map Archaeological Sites in the Yucatan UXMAL The world of the ancient Maya encompassed the Central American countries of Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras as well as Mexico's southeastern states of Chiapas, Tabasco and the three states of the Yucatan Peninsula: Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatan. This region, now known as the Mundo Maya (Maya World), contains more than 3,000 architectural sites of this ancient and powerful culture, whose incredible legacy and ritual secrets await almost daily discovery.  The most visited Mayan ruins in the Yucatan are Chichen Itza, Tulum, Coba and Uxmal, but dozens of others can be found in the Yucatan. Unlike the Aztecs of central Mexico or the Incas of Peru, the Mayans are a living culture, speaking Mayan among themselves and following centuries-old customs.  As you explore the villages of the area, you can see women embroider elaborate floral borders on huipile blouses. You will pass clutches of sleepy towns lined with rectangular homes that have scant furniture and no beds --  only hammocks hung between the narrow walls.  Visit our Mayan Ruins page for more d


What famous event for daredevils happens in Pamplona, Spain?

Daredevils are tossed head over heels and trampled on at Pamplona festival but one man finds time for a SELFIE – The Sun What a shot! A runner goes for the ultimate selfie with a raging bull during the first race of the eight-day festival AP:Associated Press One runner is pushed head over heels by a charging bull as others scramble away from the scene AP:Associated Press An unlucky runner is pushed over by a raging bull as fellow runners, clad in white and red, look on Alamy Run for it! Thousands of thrill-seekers head to Pamplona, risking life and limb to run with the bulls Getty Images Four people were injured in the crowd of thousands who tried to outrun furious bulls in the streets of northern Spain EFE Thousands of thrill-seekers ran with the bulls through Pamplona, with one tactic to try to stay as close to the bull as possible EFE Four people were injured as they ran from the bulls with three suffering head injuries and another suffering an arm injury EFE Thursday morning was just the first bull run of the season with the festival making the northern Spanish town famous Getty Images Many people struggle to keep up with the adrenaline-fuelled race and can be trampled by a bull or running people if they fall Getty Images A man lies on the ground as the fighting bulls run past him - the man was lucky to escape with the risk of being gored by bull horns a dangerous possibility EPA An unidentified runner is taken away for treatment after suffering cuts and bruises during the bull run Reuters The bulls will face fights with matadors in the afternoon and are face certain death RELATED STORIES RUNNING OF THE BOOBS Girls go wild as they let strangers grope their breasts at running of the bulls festival in Pamplona MISTAKEN IDENTITY Tourists can treat themselves to toys and balloons including Dora the Explorer during the festival Reuters Thursday's run lasted 2 minutes, 28 seconds as the runners and bulls alike ran through the streets Reuters One runner tries to take cover from the charging bulls. In all, 15 people have died from gorings in the San Fermin festival since record-keeping began in 1924 AP:Associated Press One of the adrenaline-junkees is charged by a bull during the race, which doesn't even last three minutes AP:Associated Press One of the runners falls over as he tries to escape the raging bull ploughing through the crowd Getty Images Some Spanish locals prefer to stay out of harm's way, watching the festival take place from their balconies EPA Bull runners point rolled-up newspapers at a small san Fermin statue with candles inside a niche on the Cuesta Santo Domingo as they sing a song to the saint to protect them before the start of the morning's bull run EFE A view of the St. Fermin statue (centre) in its niche before the race with the runners saying a prayer to the statue to keep them safe Reuters A runner tries to escape the raging bull, clambering over a barrier as it head butts him Reuters Safe! The runner falls head first over the barrier as he escapes the raging bull Reuters A spectator in an astronaut suit watches from a balcony as the effigy of San Fermin is carried through the centre of Pamplona Reuters The runners must run down a narrow 930-yard course from a holding pen to Pamplona's bull ring Reuters A wild cow jumps over the runners in the first day of the festival, which saw four people injured EFE Runners perform the traditional song to St Fermin, hoping for protection, before the annual race begins Getty Images Participants are forced to run for the lives for fun as part of the annual Spanish festival Getty Images Most people are injured from falling over in the rush to escape the charging bulls Reuters The runs are televised every morning with the participants required to run with six charging bulls through to the bull ring Getty Images A band surrounded by police plays as revellers celebrate the 'Chupinazo', which sees a rocket let off to announce the start of the festival Getty Images People wait for the procession in the centre of Pamplona after the first running of the bulls through the


What is the capital of Western Australia?

Capital Cities of Australia - Overview • Adelaide, South Australia The capital of South Australia, Adelaide, is on Gulf St Vincent which leads through Investigator Strait to the Southern Ocean . As with most major Australian cities, a river runs through the city, and in Adelaide this is the Torrens. The larger, longer Murray River empties into Lake Alexandrina and into the ocean southeast of Adelaide on the eastern side of the Fleurieu Peninsula . Adelaide city centre has streets laid out in a grid surrounded by parklands. Adelaide is named after Queen Adelaide, German-born consort of England's King William IV. More » continue reading below our video Tipping Etiquette Around the World Brisbane skyline © Tourism Queensland. Brisbane skyline © Tourism Queensland • Brisbane, Queensland Brisbane, capital of Queensland, is located on the southeastern side of the state, just north of the Gold Coast . The city has grown alongside the meandering Brisbane River with the city's eastern suburbs fronting Moreton Bay on the western side of the Pacific Ocean . In population, Brisbane ranks first in Queensland and third among Australia's cities after Sydney and Melbourne. Brisbane is named after the river which snakes through the city. The river itself is named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, Governor of New South Wales from 1821 to 1825. More » Australian Parliament House © Australian Capital Tourism. Australian Parliament House © Australian Capital Tourism • Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory is Australia's national capital. Geographically, the Australian Capital Territory is within, but not a part of, the state of New South Wales, in much the same way that the District of Columbia, where the US capital of Washington is located, is part of neither the states of Maryland nor Virginia. As the seat of national government, the Australian Parliament and the nation's central federal offices are located in Canberra, as are the nation's national galleries, museums and library. Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin was created when the Molonglo River was dammed in the early 1960s. More » Aerial view of Darwin © Tourism NT. Aerial view of Darwin © Tourism NT • Darwin, Northern Territory It's Australia's northernmost capital city in the region commonly referred to as the Top End. It's a city that's suffered the brunt of war and natural catastrophes but has seemed to rise stronger than ever before. As the Australian capital city closest to Southeast Asia, it is a melting pot of peoples and cultures, from Aboriginal and Islander Australians to the descendants of European settlers and Asian wayfarers and migrants. The city is named after evolutionist Charles Darwin who sailed on the HMS Beagle in the early 1800s, although Darwin was not on the Beagle when the ship sailed into Darwin Harbour in 1839. More » Port Arthur © Tourism Tasmania & Sarah Quine. Port Arthur © Tourism Tasmania & Sarah Quine • Hobart, Tasmania Hobart, Australia's southernmost state capital, is located on the southeastern side of island-state Tasmania. It has grown on the banks of the Derwent River and is the end point of the annual sea classic, the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race , which starts on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day . The ruins of the Port Arthur convict penitentiary and the historic village of Richmond are but two popular Hobart daytrip destinations. The main island of Tasmania is no more than 62.5 square kilometres and most Tasmanian attractions can be reached in a day from Hobart or the northern city of Launceston. More » Melbourne skyline © Tourism Victoria. Melbourne skyline © Tourism Victoria • Melbourne, Victoria Ah, Melbourne. It's one of my favorite cities, and always a pleasure to visit. Getting around Melbourne to view and experience its many city attractions is easy and pleasant with its free City Circle tram and the City Tourist Shuttle . Catch either of these two visitor-friendly vehicles and get off at places that interest you and then get back on and head to your next destination. And feel the throb of this city. It's ali


What language does the word tsunami come from?

What does "tsunami" mean? What does "tsunami" mean? Tsunami is a Japanese word with the English translation, "harbor wave." Represented by two characters, the top character, "tsu," means harbor, while the bottom character, "nami," means "wave." In the past, tsunamis were sometimes referred to as "tidal waves" by the general public, and as "seismic sea waves" by the scientific community. The term "tidal wave" is a misnomer; although a tsunami's impact upon a coastline is dependent upon the tidal level at the time a tsunami strikes, tsunamis are unrelated to the tides. Tides result from the imbalanced, extraterrestrial, gravitational influences of the moon, sun, and planets. The term "seismic sea wave" is also misleading. "Seismic" implies an earthquake-related generation mechanism, but a tsunami can also be caused by a nonseismic event, such as a landslide or meteorite impact.


Gibraltar Straits as seen from Morocco  -  Travel Photos by Galen R Frysinger, Sheboygan, Wisconsin   The Strait of Gibraltar The Strait of Gibraltar (Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق, Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain from Morocco. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq (جبل طارق) meaning mountain of Tariq. It refers to the Ummayad Berber general Tariq ibn-Ziyad who led the Islamic conquest of Hispania in 711. It is also known as the Straits of Gibraltar or STROG (Strait Of Gibraltar), the latter being in naval use. There are 13 km (8 miles) of ocean separating Europe from Africa at the strait's narrowest point. The strait depth ranges between 300 and 900 meters. A ferry commutes between the two continents.   Gibraltar On the northern side of the Strait is Spain and Gibraltar, while on the southern side is Morocco and Ceuta, a Spanish exclave in North Africa. Its boundaries were known in antiquity as the Pillars of Hercules. There are several small islands, such as the disputed Isla Perejil, that are claimed by both Spain and Morocco.   new port being built in Morocco About 6 million years ago, the Strait closed, effectively turning the Mediterranean into a huge salty lake that eventually dried up, in what is known as the Messinian Salinity Crisis. The Mediterranean then turned into a lake, known as the Mediterranean Sea. At the Miocene/Pliocene boundary, approximately 5.33 million years ago, the Strait opened up for the last time, and has remained open since.   The Straits are an important shipping route from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. There are ferries that operate between Spain and Morocco across the strait, as well as between Spain and Ceuta and Gibraltar to Tangier.   stock tender dressed in the style of Northern Morocco In December 2003, Spain and Morocco agreed to explore the construction of an undersea rail tunnel to connect their rail systems. The gauge of the tunnel would be 1435mm to match the proposed construction and conversion of significant parts of the existing broad gauge system to standard gauge.   On a net basis, water continually flows eastward into and through the Strait of Gibraltar, due to an evaporation rate within the Mediterranean basin higher than the combined inflow of all the rivers that empty into it. The sill of the Strait of Gibraltar acts to limit mixing between the cold, less saline Atlantic water and the warm Mediterranean waters. The latter are so much saltier that they sink below the constantly incoming Atlantic water and form a highly saline (thermohaline, both warm and salty) bottom water, called the Mediterranean outflow. A density boundary separates the layers at about 100 m depth. It flows out and down the continental slope, losing salinity, until it equilibrates after mixing at a depth of about 1000 meters. The Mediterranean outflow water can be traced for thousands of kilometers before losing its identity.   wearing the characteristic hat Internal waves (waves at the density boundary layer) are common in the strait. Like traffic merging on a highway, the water flow is constricted in both directions because it must pass over a shallow submarine barrier, the Camarinal Sill. When large tidal flows enter the Strait, internal waves are set off at the Camarinal Sill as the high tide relaxes. The wavesï¿½sometimes with heights up to 100 mï¿½travel eastward. Even though the waves occur at great depth and the height of the waves at the surface is almost nothing, they can be traced in the sunglint because they concentrate the biological films on the water surface, creating slight differences in roughness. The waves flow eastward, refract around coastal features; can be traced for as much as 150 km, and sometimes create interference patterns with refracted waves.     Ceuta, Spain as seen from a hill in Morocco Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain located on the Mediterranean, on the North African side of the Stra


On what street would you find the official residence of the British Prime Minister?

Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street - GOV.UK GOV.UK Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street 17 January 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May set out the Plan for Britain, including the 12 priorities that the UK government will use to negotiate Brexit. 13 January 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May and Prime Minister Bill English of New Zealand held a press conference after their meeting at 10 Downing Street. 9 January 2017 Theresa May set out her vision for the shared society, the government's role within it and how to transform mental health support. 9 January 2017 Theresa May announces a comprehensive package of measures to transform mental health support in our schools, workplaces and communities. 11 January 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May and Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny spoke about working together for a solution to the situation in Northern Ireland. 31 December 2016 Theresa May wishes everyone a peaceful, prosperous and happy New Year. Latest Get updates to this list email   feed Copy and paste this URL in to your feed reader See all What we do 10 Downing Street is the official residence and the office of the British Prime Minister. The office helps the Prime Minister to establish and deliver the government's overall strategy and policy priorities, and to communicate the government's policies to Parliament, the public and international audiences. Connect with Number 10 on audioBoom Transparency Greater transparency across government is at the heart of our commitment to let you hold politicians and public bodies to account. Contact form https://email.number10... The Prime Minister’s office is interested to hear from you and you can email us using the link above. All emails are read and we will do our best to ensure you receive a response. Where appropriate, we will forward your email to the relevant government department for the matters you raise. You can also write to the following address: 10 Downing Street


What ethnic group does the ETA separatist movement claim to represent?

What is Eta? - BBC News BBC News Close share panel Image caption The 2006 Madrid airport bomb demolished a car park, and the peace process For four decades, the armed organisation Eta has waged a bloody campaign for independence for the seven regions in northern Spain and south-west France that Basque separatists claim as their own. On 5 September 2010, it announced a decision not to carry out further attacks. In January 2011, it declared a permanent and "internationally verifiable" ceasefire. The group had declared at least two ceasefires before, but abandoned them both. Euskadi Ta Azkatasuna, Eta, whose name stands for Basque Homeland and Freedom, first emerged in the 1960s as a student resistance movement bitterly opposed to General Franco's repressive military dictatorship. Under Franco the Basque language was banned, their distinctive culture suppressed, and intellectuals imprisoned and tortured for their political and cultural beliefs. The Basque country saw some of the fiercest resistance to Franco. His death in 1975 changed all that, and the transition to democracy brought the region of two million people home rule. But despite the fact that Spain's Basque country today enjoys more autonomy than any other - it has its own parliament, police force, controls education and collects its own taxes - Eta and its hardline supporters have remained determined to push for full independence. Its violent campaign has led to more than 820 deaths over the last 40 years, many of them members of the Guardia Civil, Spain's national police force, and both local and national politicians who are opposed to Eta's separatist demands. However, in recent years the group has been under pressure. Although it has mounted occasional attacks, experts believe that concerted political and police action has squeezed its capabilities. Waning support Certainly the days in the late 1970s, when the group was able to kill 100 people per year on average - just as Spain was awakening from a long dictatorship and moving towards democracy - appear to be long past. After three people were killed in 2003, Eta refrained from any other deadly attacks until the last days of 2006. The Eta of today has some logistical networks in France and a pool of a few hundred youths scattered across the borders of the Basque Country, in France and Spain, willing to engage in deadly missions. French and Spanish police have sought to reduce Eta's capability and the Spanish government and judiciary have banned the political wing of the movement, which seeks an independent state for the Basques. The logic for banning the political wing, which has operated for the last decade under different names - Herri Batasuna, Euskal Herritarrok, Batasuna - is that both wings are inextricably linked. Banning the political branch, it was hoped, would reduce the flow of funds and support to Eta units, and prevent it gaining political representation. Spanish and French police, working together, have dealt a number of recent blows to the group. The arrest of Eta's suspected military head, Garikoitz Aspiazu Rubina, in November 2008, followed the detention of its political commander, Javier Lopez Pena, six months earlier. Both arrests took place in France, long used as a base by Eta. Since then, French and Spanish authorities have announced the arrest of a string of allegedly senior figures in Eta, giving the impression that they have the group on the run. Correspondents say support for Eta is also being squeezed. This is not only because of the gains made in recent years by moderate Basque nationalists, but also because there is a growing feeling that Eta is desperately out of touch with public opinion. In May 2009, radical separatist parties were excluded from Basque elections. Basque Nationalists failed to win an outright majority and the Basque parliament voted in its first non-nationalist government in 30 years, led by Socialist Patxi Lopez. Changing times Eta's July 1997 kidnapping of a 29-year-old local councillor for the ruling Popular Party in the Basque region, Miguel Angel Blanco, wa


On what peninsula do Spain and Portugal lie?

Iberian Peninsula | peninsula, Europe | Britannica.com Iberian Peninsula Italian Peninsula Iberian Peninsula, peninsula in southwestern Europe , occupied by Spain and Portugal . Its name derives from its ancient inhabitants whom the Greeks called Iberians, probably for the Ebro (Iberus), the peninsula’s second longest river (after the Tagus ). The Pyrenees mountain range forms an effective land barrier in the northeast, separating the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe, and in the south at Gibraltar the peninsula is separated from North Africa by the narrow Strait of Gibraltar . The Atlantic Ocean washes the northern, western, and southwestern coasts, and the Mediterranean Sea washes the southern and eastern shores. Cape Roca , in Portugal, is the most westerly point of continental Europe. A satellite photograph of the Iberian Peninsula. Jeff Schmaltz—MODIS Rapid Response Team/NASA/GSFC Map of the Iberian Peninsula, Andorra, and nearby islands (c. 1900) from the 10th edition of … Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. A satellite photograph of the Strait of Gibraltar, between southern Andalusia, Spain, and northern … Telespazio/DeA Picture Library Europe (continent) second smallest of the world’s continents, composed of the westward-projecting peninsulas of Eurasia (the great landmass that it shares with Asia) and occupying nearly one-fifteenth of the world’s total land area. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the west by the... 8 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References Romanesque architecture  (in Western architecture: Iberia ) External Links Iberian Peninsula - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) Occupied by both Spain and Portugal, the Iberian Peninsula lies in southwestern Europe. Its name is derived from its ancient inhabitants, whom the Greeks called Iberians. This name probably comes from the Ebro (Iberus), the peninsula’s second longest river after the Tagus. Article History Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources. At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context. (Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution! Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: April 22, 2015 URL: https://www.britannica.com/place/Iberian-Peninsula Access Date: January 20, 2017 Share


What U.S. state has the largest Mormon population?

Mormon Population - Mormonism, The Mormon Church, Beliefs, & Religion - MormonWiki Jump to: navigation , search The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has over 15 million members (as of 2013), with more than half of those members living outside the United States. Wards (the name for a congregation) and branches (similar to wards but smaller) of the Church can be found in over 162 countries. Countries with the highest percentage of LDS members are the United States, the countries of Latin America, the Philippines, Canada, England, American Samoa, Tonga, and Western Samoa. The Church has minimal presence in China (though it does have fairly good population in Hong Kong as well as a temple there), the Middle-East, and Cuba. The Church is growing fastest in Africa, Latin America, and east Asia. Within the United States in Utah about sixty percent of the population are members. That puts the state population of Saints at just over 1.5 million members. In Idaho, fourteen percent of the population are LDS; in Nevada, nine percent; Arizona, six percent; Oregon, four percent; and the rest of the states are at about three percent. Church membership doubles approximately every fifteen years, due mostly to increased missionary efforts . In the last ten years the number of missionaries has gone up by fifty percent. There are currently over 80,000 missionaries in 162 countries (2013), and in the year 2000 alone five million copies of the Book of Mormon were handed out. 2009 Church growth in the U.S. was under 2%, but this still put the LDS Church in third place among only four religions reporting growth. The LDS Church is now the fourth largest church in the United States. Worldwide, there are nearly 300,000 converts a year plus growth through members having families. Growth of the Church outside of the United States is amazing. For example, Missionaries were not allowed into Nigeria until 1978, by 1980 there were 1,700 members in Nigeria and by 1995 there were 28,000 members. In line with the fact that about half of its members are now outside of the United States, about half speak English as a primary language. Spanish speaking members have reached a total of 3,226,000, and 780,000 members speak Portuguese. Another 1,311,000 speak a language other than English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Because of the massive growth the Church is experiencing in non-English speaking countries, the Church curriculum is now printed in dozens of languages. The huge growth of the Church means that meetinghouses and temples are needed in more places. As of 2004 there were 20,000 meetinghouses in use. As of October 2010, over 140 temples were in use, with others either under construction or announced. Rodney Stark, a sociologist of religion, estimates that the LDS Church could easily have between 60 to 265 million members by the year 2080.


What city was supposedly founded by Romulus and Remus?

Rome founded - Apr 21, 753 B.C. - HISTORY.com Rome founded Publisher A+E Networks According to tradition, on April 21, 753 B.C., Romulus and his twin brother, Remus, found Rome on the site where they were suckled by a she-wolf as orphaned infants. Actually, the Romulus and Remus myth originated sometime in the fourth century B.C., and the exact date of Rome’s founding was set by the Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro in the first century B.C. According to the legend, Romulus and Remus were the sons of Rhea Silvia, the daughter of King Numitor of Alba Longa. Alba Longa was a mythical city located in the Alban Hills southeast of what would become Rome. Before the birth of the twins, Numitor was deposed by his younger brother Amulius, who forced Rhea to become a vestal virgin so that she would not give birth to rival claimants to his title. However, Rhea was impregnated by the war god Mars and gave birth to Romulus and Remus. Amulius ordered the infants drowned in the Tiber, but they survived and washed ashore at the foot of the Palatine hill, where they were suckled by a she-wolf until they were found by the shepherd Faustulus. Reared by Faustulus and his wife, the twins later became leaders of a band of young shepherd warriors. After learning their true identity, they attacked Alba Longa, killed the wicked Amulius, and restored their grandfather to the throne. The twins then decided to found a town on the site where they had been saved as infants. They soon became involved in a petty quarrel, however, and Remus was slain by his brother. Romulus then became ruler of the settlement, which was named “Rome” after him. To populate his town, Romulus offered asylum to fugitives and exiles. Rome lacked women, however, so Romulus invited the neighboring Sabines to a festival and abducted their women. A war then ensued, but the Sabine women intervened to prevent the Sabine men from seizing Rome. A peace treaty was drawn up, and the communities merged under the joint rule of Romulus and the Sabine king, Titus Tatius. Tatius’ early death, perhaps perpetrated by Romulus, left the Roman as the sole king again. After a long and successful rule, Romulus died under obscure circumstances. Many Romans believed he was changed into a god and worshipped him as the deity Quirinus. After Romulus, there were six more kings of Rome, the last three believed to be Etruscans. Around 509 B.C., the Roman republic was established. Another Roman foundation legend, which has its origins in ancient Greece, tells of how the mythical Trojan Aeneas founded Lavinium and started a dynasty that would lead to the birth of Romulus and Remus several centuries later. In the Iliad, an epic Greek poem probably composed by Homer in the eighth century B.C., Aeneas was the only major Trojan hero to survive the Greek destruction of Troy. A passage told of how he and his descendants would rule the Trojans, but since there was no record of any such dynasty in Troy, Greek scholars proposed that Aeneas and his followers relocated. In the fifth century B.C., a few Greek historians speculated that Aeneas settled at Rome, which was then still a small city-state. In the fourth century B.C., Rome began to expand within the Italian peninsula, and Romans, coming into greater contact with the Greeks, embraced the suggestion that Aeneas had a role in the foundation of their great city. In the first century B.C., the Roman poet Virgil developed the Aeneas myth in his epic poem the Aeneid, which told of Aeneas’ journey to Rome. Augustus, the first Roman emperor and emperor during Virgil’s time, and Julius Caesar, his great-uncle and predecessor as Roman ruler, were said to be descended from Aeneas. Related Videos


By surface area, what is the largest of Africa's great lakes?

Lakes of Africa Wetlands of International Importance Lakes of Africa Lakes are the source of many great rivers in Africa, provide enormous amounts of fresh water fish and water to many of the continents inhabitants and are home to unique aquatic and terrestrial species. Africa holds some of the largest lakes in the world. Africa’s largest lakes are Lake Victoria (Lake Ukerewe), Lake Chad, in the centre of the continent, and Lake Tanganika, lying between the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Tanzania and Zambia. Livelihoods Lakes are important resources of water for agriculture, household use, but of course of fish. Sithole estimated that lakes in Africa support 16-17 per cent of inland fisheries, making Uganda one of the largest freshwater fish producers in the world. Across much of the continent, lake freshwater fisheries provide an important source of food and livelihood for millions of people. Photo: Lake Magadi. By Vic Klabbers Great lakes The most important lake area in Africa is undoubtedly that of the Great Lakes. The African Great Lakes are a series of lakes constituting the part of the Rift Valley lakes in and around the East African Rift. They include Lake Malawi (or Lake Nyasa), with over 500 endemic fish species, and Lake Victoria. Their high lake plateau contains the headwaters of both the Nile and the Congo rivers. Lake Victoria is the size of Ireland and second largest fresh water lake in the world in terms of surface area. Lake Victoria receives its water from many rivers, the largest being the Kagera. The lake then drains into the Nile through Owen Falls, where there is a man-made hydroelectric dam. Locals introduced the Nile perch, which became the top predator wiping out many endemic fish species. Also part of the Great Lakes is Lake Tanganyika, the world's second largest in volume as well as the second deepest. Lake Tanganyika’s only outlet is the Lukuga River, which flows into the Congo River. It is home to hippos and crocodiles and varieties of fish, of which are almost 200 unique Cichlid species. Threats Despite their beauty, these great lakes rank as one of the world's most endangered water systems. Deforestation, agricultural and industrial pollution, urban waste water and overfishing severely affect the health of many of the lakes and their water basins. Then there are the threats to rivers that also impact Africa’s lakes. Huge hydropower dams with extensive reservoirs decrease the critical water flow, but also block the routes of many migratory species, such as fish and manatees. These dams are found throughout the continent: Kariba on the river of Zambezi, Asuan in Egypt on the river of Nile, and the biggest dam of the continent: Akosombo on the Volta River in Ghana (Fobil 2003). Furthermore, extensive irrigation for cash crop cultivation and other agriculture put severe limits on water availability, causing lake water levels to drop and turning permanent rivers into seasonal streams. On the African continent as a whole, 85 per cent of water withdrawals are used for agriculture-and the percentage is even higher in sub-Saharan Africa. Example: Lake  Natron, Kenya Lake Natron in Kenya is Africa’s most important Wetlands of International Importance. It is the only breeding site of the East-African population of Lesser Flamingo. The Lake Natron Basin – being part of the Serengeti ecosystem - was listed as Tanzania’s second Ramsar site in 2001. The 58 x 15 km lake which is only 0.5 – 2 m deep was nominated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands as a representative example of a Rift Valley soda lake in East Africa. However, the Lake is under severe threat by the renewed plans by the Tanzanian government to mine for soda ash in the lake. Read more Example: Lake Ichkeul, Tunisia Lake Ichkeul  (photo top) is one of only four major wetlands in Africa that have been declared as a World Heritage Site. The Ichkeul National Park is part of an estuarine wetland system on the Mediterranean coast of Tunisia, wher


What ocean current brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to Europe?

Weather Facts: North Atlantic Drift (Gulf Stream) | weatheronline.co.uk Weather Facts | Wind of the World | Climate of the World | Weather Lore | Weather Brains | Philip Eden | Oil spill | Fukushima | Volcanic ash | Video North Atlantic Drift (Gulf Stream) The Gulf Stream is the most important ocean-current system in the northern hemisphere, which stretches from Florida to north-western Europe. It incorporates several currents: the Florida current, the Gulf Stream itself, and an eastern extension, the North Atlantic Drift. The Florida Current is fast, deep, and narrow, but after passing Cape Hatteras the Gulf Stream becomes less effective at depth and develops a series of large meanders which form, detach, and re-form in a complicated manner. After passing the Grand Banks (off Newfoundland), the flow forms the diffuse, shallow, broad slow-moving North Atlantic Drift. The relatively warm waters of the North Atlantic Drift are responsible for moderating the climate of western Europe, so that winters are less cold than would otherwise be expected at its latitude. Without the warm North Atlantic Drift, the UK and other places in Europe would be as cold as Canada, at the same latitude. For example, without this steady stream of warmth the British Isles winters are estimated to be more than 5 °C cooler, bringing the average December temperature in London to about 2°C. Within the Gulf of Mexico , the Gulf Stream is very narrow, only 50 miles wide, and travels very fast at 3 mph, carrying water at about 25°C. The North Atlantic Drift widens considerably to several hundred miles, slows to less than 1 mph and splits into several sub-currents. Off the British Isles it splits into two branches, one going south (the Canary Current) and the other going north along the coast of W and N Europe, where it exerts considerable influence upon the climate as far as northwestern Europe. For example, the Drift is particularly important because it keeps many Norwegian ports free of ice throughout the year. The two main driving forces behind it are the prevailing southwesterly trade winds and the circulation of the water far below the oceans surface, the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) circulation. Water in the north Atlantic sinks because it is dense. Density of water is increased by both salinity and temperature - the colder and saltier the water is the denser it is. This deep water flows to the Gulf of Mexico until it warms enough to resurface and flow back north as the Gulf Stream. Some 11,000 years ago the NADW shut down in response to subtle shifts in global climate. This slowed and diverted the course of the Gulf Stream to such an extent that the regional climate of the Northeast Atlantic became considerably cooler. As a result Northwestern Europe dropped back to ice age conditions within tens of years. It is now suspected that global warming may trigger a shutdown in the NADW, and a slowing or diversion of the Gulf Stream, which would ironically lead to colder climates throughout the UK and Northwest Europe. Advertisement