Monday, 23 May 2011
Sunday, 22 May 2011
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
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NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines.
The United States Censs Bereau reports the total land area of all islands as 179.01 square miles. The official 2000 census count was 69,221. More than 90% of the population lives on the island of Saipan. Of the fourteen other islans, only two (Tinian and Rota) have a significant population. The islands of Agrihan and Alamagan have fewer than ten residents each, and the remaining islands are unpopulated.
The Commonwealths's center of government is in the village of Capital hill on Saipan. as the island is governed as a single municipality, most publications name Saipan as the Commonwealth's capital.
The Northern Mariana Islands, together with Guam to the south, compose the Mariana Islands. The southern Islands are limestone, with level terraces and fringing coral reefs. The northern islands are volcanic, with active volcanoes on Anatahan, Pagan and Agrihan. The volcano on Agrihan has the highes elevationa at 3,166 feet. About one-fifth of the land is arable, another tenth is pasture. The primary natural resource is fish, some of which are endangered species, which leads to conflict. Also, development hsa created landfills which have contaminated the groundwater on Saipan, which could lead to disease.
Anatahan Volcano is a small volcanic island 80 miles north of Saipan. It is about 6 miles long and 2 miles wide. Anatahan began erupting suddenly from its east crater on may 10, 2003, at about 6 p.m. It has since altenated between eruptive and calm periods. On April 6, 2005, approximately 50,000 cubic meters of ash and rock were ejected causing a large, blck cloud to drift south over Saipan and Tinian.
The islands have a tropical marine climate moderated by seasonal northeast trade winds. There is little seasonal temperature variation. The dry season runs from December to June, and the rainy season from July to November and can include typhoons. The Gunness Book of World Records has cited Saipan as having the most equable temperature in the world.
The Northern Mariana Islands have a presidential representative democratic system, in which the governor is head of government, with a multi-party system. The Northern Mariana islands are a commonwealth of the United States. Federal funds to the Commonwealth are administered by the Office of Insular Affairs of the U.S. Depertment of the Interior.
The islands have over 220 miles of highways, three airports with paved runways and one heliport.
Monday, 16 May 2011
COSTA RICA
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COSTA RICA
REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA
Costa rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaraqua to the north, Panama to the east and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to the east.
Costa Rica, which means ''Rich Coast'', constitutionally abolished its army permanently in 1949. It is the only Latin American country included in the list of the world's 11 older democracies.
Costa Rica has consistently been among the top Latin American countries in the Human Develpment Index, ranked 62nd in the world in 2010, and is cited by the UNDP as one of the countries that has attained much higher human develpment than orther countries at the same income levels.
In 2007 the Costa Rican fovernment annouced plans for Costa Rica to become the first carbon neutral country by 2021.
Costa Rica is composed of seven provinces, which turn are divided into 81 cantons, each of which is directed by a mayor. mayors are chosen democratically every four years by each canton's people. There are no provincial lgislatures. The cantons are further divided into 421 districts. The provinces are: Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose.
Costa Rica is located on the Central American isthmus, lying between latitudes 8 and 12N, and longitudes 82 and 86W. It borders the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, with a total of 1,290 km of coastline, 212km on the Caribbean coast and 1,016km on the Pacific.
Costa Rica also borders Nicaraqua to the north and Panama to the south-southeast. In total, Costa Rica comprises 51,100 km2 of territorial waters.
The highest point in the country is Cerro Chirripo, at 3,819 metres, and is the fifth highest peak in Central America. the highest volcano in the country is the Irazu Volcano (3,431 m). the larges lake in Costa rica is Lake Arenal.
Costa Rica also comprises several islands. Cocos Island stands out because of its distance from continental landmass, 480km from Puntarenas, but Calero Island is the larges island of the country. Over 25% of Costa Rica's national territory is protected by SINAC (the National System of Conservation Areas), which oversees all of the country's protected areas. Costa Rica also possesses the gretest density of species in the world.
Because Costa rica is located between nine to ten degrees north of the Equator, the climate is tropical year round. However, the country has many microclimates depending on elevation, rainfall, topography, and by the geography of each particular region.
Costa Rica's seasons are defined by how much rain falls during a particular period and not to the four seasons in the Northern Hemisphere. The year can be split into two periods, the dry seadon know to the residents as summer, and the rainy season, know locally as winter.
The location that receives the most rain is the Caribbean slopes of the Central Cordilera mountains, with an annual rainfall of over 5,000mm. Humidity is also higher on the Caribbean side than on the Pacific side. the main annual temperature on the coastal lowlands is around 27 celsium, 20 celsium in the main populated areas of the Central Cordilera, and below 10 celsium on the summits of the highes mountains.
Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of plants and animals. While the country has only about 0.25% of the world's landmass, it contains 5% of the world's biodiversity. Around 25% of the country's land area is in protected national parks and protected areas, the larges percentage of protected areas in the world average 13% developed world.
Costa Rica has successfully managed to diminsh deforestation from some of the worst rates in the world from 1973 to 1989, to almost zero by 2005
One national park that is internationally renowned among ecologists for its biodiversity and where visitors can expect to see an abundance of wildlife is tha Corcovado National Park. Corcovado is the one park in Costa Rica where all four Costa Rican monkey species can be found. These include the White-headed Capuchin, the Mantled Howler, the endagered Geoffroy's Spider Monkey and the Central American Squirrel Monkey, found only on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and a small part of Panama, and was considered endangered until 2008 when its status was upgraded to vulnerable. Deforestation, illegal pet-trading and hunting are the main reasons for its threatened status.
Tortuguero National Park is home to spider, howler and white-throated Capuchin monkeys. The park ie recognized for the annual nesting of the endangered green turtle and is the most important nesting site for the species. Giant leatherback, hawksbill, and loggerhead turtles also nest there.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is home to about 2,000 plant species, including numerous orchids. Over 400 types of birds and over 100 species of mammals can be found there.
As of 2010, Costa Rica has an estimated population of 4,640,000. Whites and mestizos make up 94% of the population, while 3% are Black, or Afro-Caribbean, 1% Native American, 1% Chinese, and 1% other.
There are also over 60,000 Native American or indigenous inhabitants, representing 1.5% of the population. Most of them live in secluded reservations, distributed among eight ethnic groups: Quitirrisi, Matabu, Maleku, Bribri, Cabecar, Guaymi, Boruca and Terraba.
Christianity is the predominant religion, and Roman Catholicism is the official state religion according to the 1949 Constitution, which at the same time guarantees freedom of religion.
The primary language spoken in Costa Rica is Spanish. some native languages are still spoken in indigenous reservations the most numerically important are the Bribri, Maleku, Cabecar and Ngabere languages some of which have several thousand speakers in Costar Rica.
LIBERIA
is a city i Guanacaste province, Costa Rica, located 215 km northwest of the capital, San Jose.
With more than 35,000 inhabitants, Liberia is the regional hub of the Costa Rican northwest. The city center features a modern church, as many Costa Rican towns do, facing a plaza surrounded by locally-owned shops and restaurants. liberia is also home to an expo that takes place in the month of July, celebrating the annexation of Guanacaste Province on July 25, 1824.
Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport
Formerly know as Liberia International Airport, is one of the four international airports in Costa Rica.
The airport is located in the city of Liberia in Guanacaste Province. It serves as a hub for the affluent tourism that visits Costa Rica's Pacific coast. The airport is named for Daniel Oduber Quiros, who served as president of Costa Rica from 1974 to 1978. The most comon airplanes to visit this airport are 737s and 757s.
Airlines and destinations
Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Berlin | Seasonal: Düsseldorf [begins November 12] |
| Air Canada | Toronto Pearson Seasonal: Montreal-Trudeau |
| Air Transat | Seasonal: Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver |
| Arkefly | Seasonal: Amsterdam, Düsseldorf |
| American Airlines | Dallas/Ft. Worth, Miami |
| Canjet | Seasonal: Toronto-Pearson |
| Continental Airlines | Houston-Intercontinental, Newark |
| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta |
| Enerjet | Seasonal: Toronto-Pearson |
| Frontier Airlines | Seasonal: Denver |
| Jetairfly | Brussels |
| Miami Air | Seasonal: Miami |
| Nature Air | La Fortuna, Managua, Punta Islita, Pavas-SYQ, Tamarindo |
| Sunwing Airlines | Toronto-Pearson |
| TACA operated by TACA Regional | San Salvador |
| TACA operated by Sansa | San José de Costa Rica, Tamarindo |
| Thomas Cook Canada operated by Jazz Air | Seasonal: Montreal-Trudeau, Ottawa, Toronto-Pearson |
| Thomson Airways | London-Gatwick |
| United Airlines | Seasonal: Chicago-O'Hare |
| USA 3000 Airlines | Chicago-O'Hare, St. Louis [begins May 6] |
| US Airways | Charlotte |
| Westjet | Toronto-Pearson |
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Taiwan
TAIWAN
Know as FORMOSA - ''Beautiful Island''
Taiwan is an island situated in East Asia in the Western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. It comprises 99% of the terrioty of the Republic of China since the 1950s.
Separeted from the Asina continent by the 160km wide Taiwan Strait, the main Island of the group is 394km long and 144 kilometres wide. To the northeast are main Islands of Japan and the East China Sea, and the southern end of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan is directly to the east; the Batanes Islands of the Philippines lie to its south across the Bashi Channel.
The mountainous island spans the Tropic of Cancer and is covered by tropical and subtropical vegetation. Other minor islands and islets of the group include the Penghu Islands (Pescadores), Green Island, and Orchid Island, as well as the Diaoyutai Islands (Senkaku Islands), which have been controlled by Japan since the 1970s.
The island of Taiwan lies some 180 kilometers of the southeastern coast of china, across the Taiwan Strait, and has an area of 35,801 km2
The East china Sea lies to the north, the Philippine Sea to the east, the Luzon Strait directly to the south and the South Cina Sea to the southwest. The island is characterized by the contrast between the eastern two-thirs, consisting mostly of rugged mountains running in five ranges from the northern to the southern tip of the island, and the flat tot gently rolling Chianan Plains in the west that are also home to most of Taiwan's population.
Taiwan's highest point is Yu Shan at 3,952 meters, and there are five other peaks over 3,500 meters. this makes it the world's fourth-highest island.
Taroko National Park, located on the mountainous eastern side of the island, has good examples of montainous terrain, gorges and erosion caused by a swiftly flowing river.
The shape of the main island of Taiwan is similar to a sweet potato seen in a south-to-north direction, and therefore, Taiwanese, especially the min-nan division, often call themselves ''children of the Sweet Potato''. There are also other interpretations of the island shape, one of which is a whale in the ocean if viewed in a west-toeast direction, which is a common orientation in ancient maps, plotted either by Western explorers or the Great Qing.
With its high population density and many factories, some areas in Taiwan suffer from heavy polution. Most notable are the southern suburbs of Taipei and the western stretch from Tainan to Lin Yuan, south of kaohsiung. in the past, Taipei suffered from extensive vehicle and factory air pollution, but with mandatory use of unleaded petrol and the establishment of the environmental Protection Agency, the ari quality of Taiwan has improved dramatically.
Taiwan's population was estimated in 2010 at 23 milion, most of whom are on the island of Taiwan. About 98% of the population is of han chinese ethnicity. of the, 86% are descendants of early han Chinese immigrants kno as the ''benshengren''. The group is often referred to ''native Taiwanese'' in English while the Taiwanese aborigines are also considered as ''native Taiwanese'' freguently.
Mandarin is officially recognized by the Republic of China as the national language and is spoken by the vast majority of residents. About 70% of the people in Taiwan belong to the Hoklo ethnic group and speak both Taiwanese, as their mother tongue, and Mandaring. Mandarin has been the primary language of instruction in schools since the Japanese were forced out in the 1940s.
Over 93% of Taiwanese are adherents of a combination of the polytheistic ancient Chinese religion, buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. 4,5% are adherents of Christianity, which includes Protestants, Catholics, Latter-day Saints and other.
TAIPEI CITY
Taipei is the capital of the Republic of china and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Danshui River, and is about 25km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean.
The city proper is home to an estimated 2,618,772 people. Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung together from the Taipei metropolitan area with a population of 6,900,273.
Taipei is the political, economic, and cultural center of Taiwan. the national Taiwan university is located in Taipei, as well as the National Palace Museum, which has one of the largest collections of Chinese artifacts and artworks in the world. considered to be a global city, Taipei is part of a major industrial area.
Taipei was founded in the early 18th century and became an important center for overseas trade in the 19th century. the Qing Dynasty in china made Taipei the provincial capital of Taiwan in 1886. When the Japanese acquired Taiwan in 1895 after the First Sino-Japanese Was, they retained Taipei as the capital of the island, and also advanced an extensive uban planning in Taipei.
TAIWAN TAOYUAN INTERNATION AIRPORT
(TPE)
is an international airport located in Dayuan Township, Taoyuan County, Taiwan. it is one of four Taiwanese airports with regular international flights, ans is by far the busiest international air entry point amongst them.
It is the main international hub for China Airlines and EVA air. Opened in 1979, the airport was know as Chiang Kai-shek International Airport or CKS International Airport until the name was changed in 2006 to its current name.
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport is one of two airports that serves Taipei and the rest of northern Taiwan. The other is Taipes Songshan Airport, located within Taipi City limits, which served Taipei as its internation ariport until 1979.
Taiwan Taoyuan handled a total of 25,114,418 passengers in 2010. it is the fifteenth-busiet air freight hub in the world and thirteenth-busiest airport by internation passenger traffic.
Friday, 22 April 2011
Tanzania
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The United Republic of Tanzania
Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south.
The United Republic of Tanzania is a state composed of 26 regions (mikoa), including those of the autonomous region of Zanzibar.
The head of state is President and since 1996 the official capital of Tanzania has been Dodoma. Between independence and 1996, the main coastal city of Da es Salaam served as the country's political capital. Today, Dar es Salaam remains the principal commercial city of Tanzanina and the de-facto seat of most government institutions.
The name Tanzania derives from the names of the two states Tanganyika and Zanzibar that united in 1964 to form the United Republic of Taganyika and Zanzibar, which later the same year was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania.
At 947,300 km2, Tanzania is the world's 31st-largest country. Compared to other African countries, it is slightly smaller than Egypt and comparable in size to Nigeria.
It lies mostly between latitudes 1 and 12S, and longitudes 29 and 41E.
Tanzania is mountainous in the northeast, where Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, is situated.
To the north and west are the Great Lakes of Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika. Central Tanzania comprises a large plateau, wit plains and arable land. The eastern shore is hot an humid, with the island of Zanzibar lying just offshore.
Tanzania contains many large and ecologically significant wildlife parks, including Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park in the north, Selous Game Reserve and Mikumi National Park in the south, Gombe National Park in the west know as place of studies about chimpanzee behaviour.
Tanzania's main tourist destinations is Kalambo water falls in the soutwestern region of Rukwa and they are the second highest in Africa.
Tanzania has a tropocal climate. In the highlands, temperatures range between 10 and 20 celsium during cold and between 25 and 31 celsium during hottest period. Annual temperature is 32 celsium.
Tanzania has two major rainfall regions. One is uni-modal (December-April) and the other is bimodal (October-December & March-May). The fromer is experienced in southern, south-west, central and western parts of the country, and the latter is found to the north and northern coast.
The African population consists of more than 120 ethnic groups. The populations also includes people of Arab, Indian and Pakistani origin and small European and Chinese communities.
Tanzania's population has been estimated to consist of roughly:
- Christian 62%
- Muslim 35%
- indigenous religious groups 3%
The Christian population is mostly composed of Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses. Zanzibar is about 97 percent Muslim. On the mainland, Muslim communities are concentrated in coastal areas.
Official language of Tanzania is Swahili and English. Swahili is seen as the unifying language of the country between tribes who each have their own tribal language; English serves the purpose of providing Tanzanias with the ability to participate in the global economy and culture.
DAR ES SALAAM - ''HOUSE OF PECE'' - ''MZIZIMA''
Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. it is also the countyr's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar Es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: Kinondoni to the north, Ilala in the center of the region, and Temeke tothe south.
The Dar es Salaam Region had a population of 2,497,940 as of the officila 2002 census. Though Dar es Salaam lost its official status as capital city to Ddoma in 1974, it remains the centre of the permanent central government bereaucracy and continues to serve as the capital for the surrounding dar es Salaam Region.
FLIGHT TICKETS
ACCOMODATION
Monday, 18 April 2011
Poland
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POLAND
The total area of Poland Europe .
The capital city of Poland Warsaw
History of Poland
Following centuries were turmoil of civil wars, pagan rebellions and military conflicts with neighbouring countries, yet Poland Poland Lithuania
16th century in Poland Europe ; universities and commerce flourished. Poland Europe during the Reformation, as religious freedom was guaranteed by him.
Until the end of the 18th century Poland Poland Russia Prussia Austria
Geography of Poland
Geographic coordinates are 52 00 N, 20 00 E. Total area of this country is in total 312,685 sq km which is shared between land - 304,465 sq km - and water - 8,222 sq km. To compare, Poland New Mexico
Climate in winter is temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation. Summers are mild with frequent showers and thundershowers.
The highest point is Rysy 2,499 m . The lowest point is Raczki Elblaskie -2m.
WROCLAW
is the main city in south-western Poland, situated on the River Oder. Wroclaw is the former capital of Silesia and today, capital of Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been either part of Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia or Germany. Accoring to official population figures in 2009, it's population is 632,240, making it the fourth largest city in Poland.
COPERNICUS AIRPORT WROCLAW
is an international commercial airport in Wroclaw in southwestern Poland. The airport is located 10km southwest of the city centre. It has one runway, one passenger terminal and one cargo terminal.
WARSAW CHOPIN AIRPORT
is an international airport located in the Wlochy district of Warsaw, Poland. Formerly Okecie International Airport, it is named after the famous Polish composer and former Warsaw resident, Frederic Chopin. It is Poland's busiest airport, handling just under 50% of the country's air passenger traffic.
LOT, polish airlines
is the flag carrier of Poland. Based in Warsaw, LOT was established in 1929, making it on of the world's oldest airlines still in operation. Using a fleet of 55 aircraft, LOT operates a complex network to 60 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia. Most of the destinations are served from its hub, Warsaw Chopin Airport. 1989 marked the beginning of the airline's quick development. LOT started retiring their old Soviet aircraft,and began their fleet renewal. With the arrival of the first Boeing 767-200ER, LOT ceased to serve their inter-continental destinations to Chicago, Newark, and New York City with the llyushin 11-62M aircraft.
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