no need to gaze below this is something mad my fellow
Friday 7 March 2014
Monday 22 August 2011
Europe Tourist Attractions
Europe Tourist Attractions
With a myriad of tourist attractions and destinations that are all close together Europe is a great place to visit. Whether a tourist is looking for a romantic vacation, a family vacation, or just a quiet get away Europe should be on everyone’s list of top travel spots. With something to do for everyone Europe stands out as one of the best travel destinations in the world.There is a great deal of history to see all across Europe. The ancient ruins of Greece and Rome can be an exciting activity for the traveler wanting to learn about ancient history. Rome also has a great deal of religious significance as it houses the Vatican and several Christian cathedrals. The medieval castles and cathedrals of Spain, the United Kingdom, and many other countries are great for travelers looking to see monuments from the middle ages. Germany, France, and Poland offer great tourist attractions for someone looking to learn about World War I, World War II, or even the cold war. Ireland houses a rich culture, beautiful islands and landscapes, as well as several cathedrals and chapels.
Greece, Italy, and Spain offer warm beaches and thriving cities for the person looking to relax. The warm beaches and resorts along the Mediterranean are perfect for relaxation and fun. The Romantic cities of Venice and Paris are excellent for tourists looking to go on a romantic getaway. The exciting and historical sites of Vienna and London can be great for the traveler looking to have fun and just do some sightseeing. The colder regions of Norway, Switzerland, and Sweden are great for travelers looking for winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, or relaxing near the fireplace while the snow falls.
Our Europe Tourist Attraction Search offers the most advanced way to find the best Tourist Attractions in Europe. Search by location, price range, rating, and hours of operation to find the top Europe tourist attractions.
Travel to Greece
One of the most sought after tourist destinations of the world, Greece marks the visit of several thousand travelers from all round the four corners of the world. Situated in the southeastern part of Europe the country shares it northern border with Albania and Bulgaria. Turkey lies to the east of Greece. The land blessed with a rich cultural and historical backdrop has always earned the appreciation of the discerning travelers. Travel to Greece involves ample of activities and tourist attractions that waits for the travelers to pay a visit.
Greece blessed with excellent traffic connections and air services makes the journey of the travelers easier. One may opt for the direct or connecting flights from any part of the globe to reach Greece comfortably. Travel to Greece becomes easier for the travelers if they take the help of travel agencies. Be it the snow clad peaks, exotic beaches, incredible landscape beauty or the lush green parks all play a major part in enhancing the beauty of the land.
The city of Athens is one of the major attractions in Greece. Pay a visit to the city to be the part of a wonderful experience. The holiday island of Corfu is also blessed with ample of tourist attractions for the people to have a nice and memorable time. The island of Mikonos also beckons the heart of the discerning travelers. When it comes to traveling the travelers are always in search of the best options to enjoy a memorable vacation. Greece offers a wide variety of hotels ranging from luxury to cheap budget accommodations for the pleasure of the travelers.
The hotels in Greece are best known for providing comfortable and luxurious accommodation to pamper the heart of the travelers. The lavishly decorated rooms are adorned with modern and comfortable amenities for the convenience of the guests. The in-house restaurants and cafes in the Greek hotels are best known for serving a wide variety of mouthwatering dishes to satisfy the tastes of most discerning tasting buds.
The tourists traveling to Greece are advised to reserve cars from time ahead for getting around the city more comfortably. The local drivers are aware of the nearby city attractions and also take care of the needs and requirements of the travelers. Travel to Greece also includes a visit to the major shopping destinations to pay a vent to your inner shopping desires. The popular malls and markets feature ample of outlets for the people to enjoy and fulfill their shopping desires.
Greece blessed with excellent traffic connections and air services makes the journey of the travelers easier. One may opt for the direct or connecting flights from any part of the globe to reach Greece comfortably. Travel to Greece becomes easier for the travelers if they take the help of travel agencies. Be it the snow clad peaks, exotic beaches, incredible landscape beauty or the lush green parks all play a major part in enhancing the beauty of the land.
The city of Athens is one of the major attractions in Greece. Pay a visit to the city to be the part of a wonderful experience. The holiday island of Corfu is also blessed with ample of tourist attractions for the people to have a nice and memorable time. The island of Mikonos also beckons the heart of the discerning travelers. When it comes to traveling the travelers are always in search of the best options to enjoy a memorable vacation. Greece offers a wide variety of hotels ranging from luxury to cheap budget accommodations for the pleasure of the travelers.
The hotels in Greece are best known for providing comfortable and luxurious accommodation to pamper the heart of the travelers. The lavishly decorated rooms are adorned with modern and comfortable amenities for the convenience of the guests. The in-house restaurants and cafes in the Greek hotels are best known for serving a wide variety of mouthwatering dishes to satisfy the tastes of most discerning tasting buds.
The tourists traveling to Greece are advised to reserve cars from time ahead for getting around the city more comfortably. The local drivers are aware of the nearby city attractions and also take care of the needs and requirements of the travelers. Travel to Greece also includes a visit to the major shopping destinations to pay a vent to your inner shopping desires. The popular malls and markets feature ample of outlets for the people to enjoy and fulfill their shopping desires.
Not surprisingly, the climate varies widely throughout Europe as well as within each country. Currents in the Atlantic Ocean tend to moderate temperatures along the western coasts, even in Iceland. However the climate of larger countries can span a wide range of temperatures and conditions. Remember if you are travelling from the Southern Hemisphere that the seasons in Europe are the reverse of those where you live!
Using the Alps as a rough dividing line for the continent's climate, summers in the north are mild while winters can be cold and wet, whereas south of the Alps summers can be hot and dry and winters damp and cool. As always, temperatures are cooler at higher altitudes.
Northern Europe (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) has a temperate, pleasant climate thanks to the Gulf Stream. Winters can be crisp and quite invigorating, although the further south you go the milder the winter weather, with average temperatures around 0° Celsius. Summers are remarkably comfortable as temperatures rarely reach above 26°C. The Midnight Sun is visible 24 hours a day in summer in the northernmost regions of these countries. The Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis) can be observed in the sky over parts of Europe, with the best viewing from north of the Arctic Circle from September through March. Central and Eastern Europe (Austria , Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia , Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia,Switzerland and Ukraine) experience temperate, cool summers with temperatures hovering around 25°C, and cold, cloudy, humid winters. This area features four distinct seasons having mountain snowfall in the winter and moderate to warm summers. Western Europe (Belgium, Britain, France, Holland, Ireland and Luxembourg) is known for its mild maritime winters, with short bursts of cold towards the east and heavier rainfall in the west. Summers are moderate and become cooler as you move north. Southern and Mediterranean Europe (Croatia, Cyprus, southern France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Portugal, Spain and Turkey) bask in bright sunlight during most of the year; the winters tend to be mild while summers are hot and dry, with some rain in autumn and spring. Countries measure temperature in Celsius (Centigrade) rather than Fahrenheit. For a very quick and rough conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit, double the temperature and add 30, e.g. 20°C = 20 + 20 + 30 = about 70°F.
Albania is known for its beautiful, clean and pure beaches and a pollution free city. Even though many countries have adopted the modern and has long forgotten their culture, it is in Albania where you can still find their own culture and tradition. There are many famous places in Albania that you can visit. A few of them are mentioned below.
Tirana
Tirana the capital city is one of the most famous places in Albania which you must visit. Tirana has changed a lot from a dull lifeless city with a city full of life. You can enjoy shopping and also various historical architectures. The boulevards remind you of the Italian, Ottoman and the communist past. The city is very much populated and traffic is unruly at times but you cannot simply ignore the charm of Tirana.
Beret
Beret is one of the most beautiful towns in Albania which have preserved the heritages and is a museum city of the communist government. The most important feature is the white Ottoman house that has stairs which climbs up the hill to the castle and is named as 'town of a thousand windows'.
Ionian Coast
Ionian Coast is another place to visit among different famous places in Albania. You can enjoy your swim along the Ionian and Adriatic coasts even though this adventure tourism is still in its nascent stage.
Rosita Fortress
You can find the old world charm in Rosita Fortress, located in Shkoder.
Burin
Burin is a small peninsula between the straits of Corfu and Lake Burin. It is a site of a Greek colony and a bishopric. The site that you will see when you visit Burin is the ruins that represent the city's progress in each period.
Sarandon
Sarandon which is one of the famous places in Albania is a place of old Greek minority and is one of the centers of Greeks in Albania that is a minority.
Mt Data National Park
Mt Data National Park is situated in the northeast of the capital city of Tirana. It is a weekend gateway where you can relax and leisure. The wild flowers and different climate zone is the striking feature of this place. This is an ideal spot for you to enjoy walking in a peaceful and quiet surrounding. During winter the mountain peaks are covered with snow and the pine and beech forest are popular to the local people. You can reach here either by cable-car or by road where you have to pay s nominal fee.
Vlore
Vlore is the second largest port of Albania. It is also known as Lone and has a number of rocky beaches and mountains nearby. The city also has museum, technical schools, theatre etc.
Northern Albania
You can find wildlife, lagoons, swamps and mountains in northern Albania. You can enjoy the scenic beauty of the place which is far from the hustle bustle of city life.
There are many other famous places in Albania apart from the ones mentioned above. You can enjoy the scenic beauty of the various cities and you can also delve deep into the history of the place.
When to visit Albania?
As Albania is situated in latitude, the country experiences different kind of weather patterns during winter and summer seasons. Albania experience a variety of climate, it is advisable to know the weather pattern at that time before you plan your visit.
Tirana
Tirana the capital city is one of the most famous places in Albania which you must visit. Tirana has changed a lot from a dull lifeless city with a city full of life. You can enjoy shopping and also various historical architectures. The boulevards remind you of the Italian, Ottoman and the communist past. The city is very much populated and traffic is unruly at times but you cannot simply ignore the charm of Tirana.
Beret
Beret is one of the most beautiful towns in Albania which have preserved the heritages and is a museum city of the communist government. The most important feature is the white Ottoman house that has stairs which climbs up the hill to the castle and is named as 'town of a thousand windows'.
Ionian Coast
Ionian Coast is another place to visit among different famous places in Albania. You can enjoy your swim along the Ionian and Adriatic coasts even though this adventure tourism is still in its nascent stage.
Rosita Fortress
You can find the old world charm in Rosita Fortress, located in Shkoder.
Burin
Burin is a small peninsula between the straits of Corfu and Lake Burin. It is a site of a Greek colony and a bishopric. The site that you will see when you visit Burin is the ruins that represent the city's progress in each period.
Sarandon
Sarandon which is one of the famous places in Albania is a place of old Greek minority and is one of the centers of Greeks in Albania that is a minority.
Mt Data National Park
Mt Data National Park is situated in the northeast of the capital city of Tirana. It is a weekend gateway where you can relax and leisure. The wild flowers and different climate zone is the striking feature of this place. This is an ideal spot for you to enjoy walking in a peaceful and quiet surrounding. During winter the mountain peaks are covered with snow and the pine and beech forest are popular to the local people. You can reach here either by cable-car or by road where you have to pay s nominal fee.
Vlore
Vlore is the second largest port of Albania. It is also known as Lone and has a number of rocky beaches and mountains nearby. The city also has museum, technical schools, theatre etc.
Northern Albania
You can find wildlife, lagoons, swamps and mountains in northern Albania. You can enjoy the scenic beauty of the place which is far from the hustle bustle of city life.
There are many other famous places in Albania apart from the ones mentioned above. You can enjoy the scenic beauty of the various cities and you can also delve deep into the history of the place.
When to visit Albania?
As Albania is situated in latitude, the country experiences different kind of weather patterns during winter and summer seasons. Albania experience a variety of climate, it is advisable to know the weather pattern at that time before you plan your visit.
Theo bald (1994) suggested that "etymologically, the word tour is derived from the Latin, 'torn are' and the Greek, 'torsos', meaning 'a lathe or circle; the movement around a central point or axis'. This meaning changed in modern English to represent 'one's turn'. The suffix –ism is defined as 'an action or process; typical behavior or quality', while the suffix, –its denotes 'one that performs a given action'. When the word tour and the suffixes –ism and –ist are combined, they suggest the action of movement around a circle. One can argue that a circle represents a starting point, which ultimately returns back to its beginning. Therefore, like a circle, a tour represents a journey in that it is a round-trip, i.e., the act of leaving and then returning to the original starting point, and therefore, one who takes such a journey can be called a tourist."[5]
In 1941, Hunziker and Krapf defined tourism as people who travel "the sum of the phenomena and relationships arising from the travel and stay of non-residents, insofar as they do not lead to permanent residence and are not connected with any earning activity."[6][7] In 1976, the Tourism Society of England's definition was: "Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of people to destination outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all purposes."[8] In 1981, the International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism defined tourism in terms of particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home.[9]
In 1994, the United Nations classified three forms of tourism in its Recommendations on Tourism Statistics:[10]
- Domestic tourism, involving residents of the given country traveling only within this country.
- Inbound tourism, involving non-residents traveling in the given country.
- Outbound tourism, involving residents traveling in another country.
· "Sustainable tourism is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems." (World Tourism Organization)
· Sustainable development implies "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987)[26]
· Sustainable tourism can be seen as having regard to ecological and socio-cultural carrying capacities and includes involving the community of the destination in tourism development planning. It also involves integrating tourism to match current economic and growth policies so as to mitigate some of the negative economic and social impacts of 'mass tourism'. Murphy (1985) advocates the use of an 'ecological approach', to consider both 'plants' and 'people' when implementing the sustainable tourism development process. This is in contrast to the 'boosterism' and 'economic' approaches to tourism planning, neither of which consider the detrimental ecological or sociological impacts of tourism development to a destination.
· However, Butler (2006) questions the exposition of the term 'sustainable' in the context of tourism, citing its ambiguity and stating that "the emerging sustainable development philosophy of the 1990s can be viewed as an extension of the broader realization that a preoccupation with economic growth without regard to it social and environmental consequences is self-defeating in the long term." Thus 'sustainable tourism development' is seldom considered as an autonomous function of economic regeneration as separate from general economic growth.
Africa Brief
Africa Brief
Africa, second-largest of the Earth's seven continents - covering about 30,330,000 sq km (11,699,000 sq mi), which makes up about 22 per cent of the world's total land area.
Largest Country
Sudan, Republic of, republic in north-eastern Africa, the largest country of the African continent. Sudan has a total area of 2,505,800 sq km (967,490 sq mi).
Smallest Country
The smallest African country is The Seychelles covering an area of 453 sq km but Gambia is the smallest of the mainland African states, covering an area of 11,300 sq km (4,363 sq mi).
Largest City
Egypt's capital city, Cairo, is the largest city in Africa with an estimated 9.2 million population
Highest Point
Mount Kilimanjaro - Uhuru Point - (5895m/19,340 ft) in Tanzania
Lowest Point
the lowest is Lake 'Asal (153 m/502 ft below sea level) in Djibouti
Northernmost tip
is Cape Blanc (Ra's al Abyad;) in Tunisia
Southernmost tip
is Cape Agulhas in South Africa
Largest Lake
Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and the is the world's second-largest freshwater lake - covering an area of 69,490 sq km (26,830 sq mi) and lies 1,130 m (3,720 ft) above sea level. Its greatest known depth is 82 m (270 ft).
Deepest Lake
Lake Tanganyika is the deepest lake in Africa reaching at its greatest depth is 1,436 m (4,710 ft), making it the second deepest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Baikal.
Longest River
The River Nile drains north-eastern Africa, and, at 6,650 km (4,132 miles), is the longest river in Africa and in the world. It is formed from the Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia, and the White Nile, which originates at Lake Victoria.
The Great Africa Rift Valley
The Rift Valley extends more than 4,830 km (3,000 mi) from Syria in south-western Asia to Mozambique in south-eastern Africa.
The width of the valley ranges from a few miles to more than 160 km (100 mi). In eastern Africa, the valley splits into two branches: the Eastern Rift and the Western Rift
The fault in which the Rift sits is still moving: the western side of the rift is pulling away from the eastern ridge at about 6 mm per year, while in the south it is moving together at a rate of 2 mm per year.
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi contains the largest number of fish species of any lake in the world, probably over 500 from ten families. Particularly noteworthy are the Cichlidae, of which all but five of over 400 species are endemic to Lake Malawi. The lake contains 30% of all known cichlid species. Of particular interest is the 'mbuna' rock fish.
Namib Desert
The Namib is the world's oldest desert, and the only desert in Africa inhabited by elephant, rhino, giraffe and lion
Namibia - Fish River Canyon
The Fish River canyon is the second largest canyon in the world.
The Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert alone is expanding southwards at an average of 0.8 km (½ mile) a month.
Largest Country
Sudan, Republic of, republic in north-eastern Africa, the largest country of the African continent. Sudan has a total area of 2,505,800 sq km (967,490 sq mi).
Smallest Country
The smallest African country is The Seychelles covering an area of 453 sq km but Gambia is the smallest of the mainland African states, covering an area of 11,300 sq km (4,363 sq mi).
Largest City
Egypt's capital city, Cairo, is the largest city in Africa with an estimated 9.2 million population
Highest Point
Mount Kilimanjaro - Uhuru Point - (5895m/19,340 ft) in Tanzania
Lowest Point
the lowest is Lake 'Asal (153 m/502 ft below sea level) in Djibouti
Northernmost tip
is Cape Blanc (Ra's al Abyad;) in Tunisia
Southernmost tip
is Cape Agulhas in South Africa
Largest Lake
Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and the is the world's second-largest freshwater lake - covering an area of 69,490 sq km (26,830 sq mi) and lies 1,130 m (3,720 ft) above sea level. Its greatest known depth is 82 m (270 ft).
Deepest Lake
Lake Tanganyika is the deepest lake in Africa reaching at its greatest depth is 1,436 m (4,710 ft), making it the second deepest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Baikal.
Longest River
The River Nile drains north-eastern Africa, and, at 6,650 km (4,132 miles), is the longest river in Africa and in the world. It is formed from the Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia, and the White Nile, which originates at Lake Victoria.
The Great Africa Rift Valley
The Rift Valley extends more than 4,830 km (3,000 mi) from Syria in south-western Asia to Mozambique in south-eastern Africa.
The width of the valley ranges from a few miles to more than 160 km (100 mi). In eastern Africa, the valley splits into two branches: the Eastern Rift and the Western Rift
The fault in which the Rift sits is still moving: the western side of the rift is pulling away from the eastern ridge at about 6 mm per year, while in the south it is moving together at a rate of 2 mm per year.
Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi contains the largest number of fish species of any lake in the world, probably over 500 from ten families. Particularly noteworthy are the Cichlidae, of which all but five of over 400 species are endemic to Lake Malawi. The lake contains 30% of all known cichlid species. Of particular interest is the 'mbuna' rock fish.
Namib Desert
The Namib is the world's oldest desert, and the only desert in Africa inhabited by elephant, rhino, giraffe and lion
Namibia - Fish River Canyon
The Fish River canyon is the second largest canyon in the world.
The Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert alone is expanding southwards at an average of 0.8 km (½ mile) a month.
Wildlife
Four of the five fastest land animals live in Africa - the cheetah (70 mph), wildebeest, lion, and Thomson's gazelle (all about 50 mph).
Penguins (see our photo)
South Africa has a penguin colony, which thrives thanks to the cold Antarctic currents on the west coast near the Cape.
Chameleons
Madagascar is the home of the worlds largest as well as the smallest chameleons! Almost half of the world’s chameleon species live on the island of Madagascar. ( more info )
Seals
The largest seal colony in the southern hemisphere is a Cape Cross in Namibia. ( more info )
Frogs
The world's biggest frog is found in Cameroon. Named the goliath frog, their body can be one-foot long. (more info )
Nile Crocodiles
The Nile crocodile is Africa's largest living reptile - growing to an average length of 5 m. (more info )
African Elephants
The African elephant is the largest living land mammal.
An elephant can weigh up to 6-7 tons and has no natural enemies for he is not a predator and there is none large enough to challenge him.
Did you know elephants drink up to 160 liters of water per day and a mature elephant can carry up to 6.8 liters of water in its trunk
An African elephant possesses such "manual" dexterity in his/her trunk tip that he/she can actually turn the pages of a book with it. (more info )
Giraffes
Did you know that the tongue of a giraffe can be as long as 45 cm?
Giraffes are 6 ft tall when they are born. (more info )
Even though their necks can be 6-7 feet in length, Giraffe have the same number of vertabrae in their necks as humans (7)
The tallest animal on earth is the giraffe - its horn tops being up to 6 metres above ground level.
Gorillas
The Gorilla is the largest of the living primates, male gorillas weight up to 200kg, yet are shy and retiring. (more info )
Cheetahs
The cheetah is the fastest land animal at 95 km/h (60mph).
Beetles
The world's largest and heaviest beetle, the Goliath Beetle is found in tropical Africa. It can reach a length of 5 inches and weigh up to ¼ lb more info
Butterfly
Having a wingspan of only ½", the smallest butterfly is in the world is found in South Africa. It is know as the Dwarf Blue Butterfly
Fish
The only place where shools of fresh water sardines are found is in Lake Tanganyika.
Four of the five fastest land animals live in Africa - the cheetah (70 mph), wildebeest, lion, and Thomson's gazelle (all about 50 mph).
Penguins (see our photo)
South Africa has a penguin colony, which thrives thanks to the cold Antarctic currents on the west coast near the Cape.
Chameleons
Madagascar is the home of the worlds largest as well as the smallest chameleons! Almost half of the world’s chameleon species live on the island of Madagascar. ( more info )
Seals
The largest seal colony in the southern hemisphere is a Cape Cross in Namibia. ( more info )
Frogs
The world's biggest frog is found in Cameroon. Named the goliath frog, their body can be one-foot long. (more info )
Nile Crocodiles
The Nile crocodile is Africa's largest living reptile - growing to an average length of 5 m. (more info )
African Elephants
The African elephant is the largest living land mammal.
An elephant can weigh up to 6-7 tons and has no natural enemies for he is not a predator and there is none large enough to challenge him.
Did you know elephants drink up to 160 liters of water per day and a mature elephant can carry up to 6.8 liters of water in its trunk
An African elephant possesses such "manual" dexterity in his/her trunk tip that he/she can actually turn the pages of a book with it. (more info )
Giraffes
Did you know that the tongue of a giraffe can be as long as 45 cm?
Giraffes are 6 ft tall when they are born. (more info )
Even though their necks can be 6-7 feet in length, Giraffe have the same number of vertabrae in their necks as humans (7)
The tallest animal on earth is the giraffe - its horn tops being up to 6 metres above ground level.
Gorillas
The Gorilla is the largest of the living primates, male gorillas weight up to 200kg, yet are shy and retiring. (more info )
Cheetahs
The cheetah is the fastest land animal at 95 km/h (60mph).
Beetles
The world's largest and heaviest beetle, the Goliath Beetle is found in tropical Africa. It can reach a length of 5 inches and weigh up to ¼ lb more info
Butterfly
Having a wingspan of only ½", the smallest butterfly is in the world is found in South Africa. It is know as the Dwarf Blue Butterfly
Fish
The only place where shools of fresh water sardines are found is in Lake Tanganyika.
Culture
Ancient Egyptians
The ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone. ( find out more about Ancient Egypt )
Beer
Apart from Muslim nations, Ghana has the lowest per capita consumption of beer in Africa, yet its brewery industry is one of the most competitive
Weddings
Did you know that in Africa it is almost imposible to hold a small wedding? The idea of a private wedding is unknown and is greatly frowned upon. Friends and relatives expect to be invited to a wedding and to play a role in the ceremony.
)
Ancient Egyptians
The ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone. ( find out more about Ancient Egypt )
Beer
Apart from Muslim nations, Ghana has the lowest per capita consumption of beer in Africa, yet its brewery industry is one of the most competitive
Weddings
Did you know that in Africa it is almost imposible to hold a small wedding? The idea of a private wedding is unknown and is greatly frowned upon. Friends and relatives expect to be invited to a wedding and to play a role in the ceremony.
)
Health
Malaria
90% of all malaria cases are in sub-Saharan Africa
3,000 children under the age of five die each day from malaria in Africa
1-5% of GDP in Africa covers costs of malaria control and lost labour days
Did you know, that Africa would have been an estimated US $100 billion better off in 1999 if malaria had been eliminated years ago?
Aids
17 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have died of AIDS
At least 25 million people in Africa are HIV-positive.
12 million children who have lost their parents to AIDS face a precarious future.
Hospitals
The world's biggest hospital is in Soweto.
Malaria
90% of all malaria cases are in sub-Saharan Africa
3,000 children under the age of five die each day from malaria in Africa
1-5% of GDP in Africa covers costs of malaria control and lost labour days
Did you know, that Africa would have been an estimated US $100 billion better off in 1999 if malaria had been eliminated years ago?
Aids
17 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have died of AIDS
At least 25 million people in Africa are HIV-positive.
12 million children who have lost their parents to AIDS face a precarious future.
Hospitals
The world's biggest hospital is in Soweto.
Language
Kiswahili
The word "Crossword" in Kiswahili is "chemshebongo" which, when translated, means "boil brains".
In East & Central Africa the British Army was still remembered. One regiment was known in Kiswahili as "Magi Bareedi Askari", translated this is "Water Cold Soldiers" or in other words the "Cold Stream Guards".
(supplied by Simon Vivian)
Kiswahili
The word "Crossword" in Kiswahili is "chemshebongo" which, when translated, means "boil brains".
In East & Central Africa the British Army was still remembered. One regiment was known in Kiswahili as "Magi Bareedi Askari", translated this is "Water Cold Soldiers" or in other words the "Cold Stream Guards".
(supplied by Simon Vivian)
Misc
Diamonds
The world's largest diamond was the Cullinan, found in South Africa in 1905. It weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut. It was cut into the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.2 carats, the Lesser Star of Africa, which weighs 317.40 carats, and 104 other diamonds of nearly flawless colour and clarity. They now form part of the British crown jewels.
Windmills
Did you know there are about 280 000 windmills on farms across South Africa, second in number only to Australia?
Most Populated Country
With a population of more than 113 million, Nigeria is easily the most populated country in Africa and the 10th most populous country in the world.
Africa Geography Facts
· Number of Countries in Africa - 54 and a couple of disputed territories (Western Sahara and Somaliland). South Sudan is Africa's newest country, officially born on July 9, 2011.
· Tallest mountain - Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: 19,340 feet / 5895 meters. See what the climb is like in pictures.
· Lowest point in Africa - Lake Assal in Djibouti which lies at 515 feet (155m) below sea level.
· Largest desert in Africa is - The Sahara Desertwhich spans almost 3.5 million square miles (9,000,000 square kilometers). It stretches across North Africa and makes up a large part of a dozen countries.
· Longest river in Africa - The Nile which is also the longest river in the world. It runs fromUganda all the way to Egypt for 4,132 miles (6650 km).
· Largest lake in Africa - Lake Victoria in East Africa, bordering Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The Lake is the second largest in the world, at 26,560 square miles (68,800 square kilometres). It is the main source of the Nile River.
· Largest island in Africa - Madagascar off the East coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean is the largest island in Africa and the 4th largest island in the world. Madagascar is just over 1000 miles (1580 km) long and 350 miles (570 km) wide.
· Largest waterfall in Africa - The Victoria Falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Victoria Falls are just over 1 mile wide (1.7 km) and 355 feet (108 m) high. During the wet season over 500 million liters (19 million cubic feet) of water plummets over the edge into the Zambezi River. The spray can be seen from over 30 miles away.
· The Equator - In Africa, the equator runs along for almost 2500 miles, passing through 6 countries: Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Somalia.
Facts About Africa's Population
· Most populated country in Africa - Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa with an estimated population of 125 - 145 million people. (Population statistics are politically loaded and that's why these numbers vary so much). Egypt is second with over 76 million people.
· Least populated country - The Seychelles has the lowest population of any country in Africa with around 80,000 people. But Namibia is the least densely populated country in Africa.
· Most populated city in Africa - Cairo in Egypt is Africa's most populated city with an estimated 17 million residents living in the metropolitan area.
· Least populated capital city in Africa - Maseru, the capital of the Kingdom of Lesotho has a population of around 14,000.
· Number of Ethnic Groups (tribes) in Africa - Difficult to estimate but there are at least 3,000 distinct ethnic groups in Africa. A large country like Nigeria has more than 370recognized tribes.
· Number of Languages Spoken in Africa - There are over 2000 languages spoken in Africa. Arabic (in various dialects) has the highest number of speakers with over 170 million speakers, mostly living in North Africa and the Horn of Africa.
· Africa's Capital Cities - There are 52 official African capital cities. See list of Africa's capital cities.
Africa Travel Facts
· Most Visited Country in Africa - Egypt is the most popular tourist destination in Africa. In 2007, Egypt attracted around 10 million visitors. The Pyramids have been a prime tourist attraction for the past 2000 years. South Africa came a close second with 9 million visitors in 2007 (based on figures from UNWTO).
· Most Visited East African Countries - Kenya andTanzania are the most popular East African countries for visitors. However, in 2008 Kenya's tourist numbers declined drastically due to political instability. Both countries tend to attract visitors interested in combing a safari with some beach time.
· Most Visited Country in Southern Africa - South Africa is by far the most popular country in the region. Visitors are attracted to its cities, beaches, wildlife parks as well as niche tourism like bird watching and medical tourism. Mozambique is the fastest emerging tourist destination in the region.
· Most Visited Countries in West Africa - The Gambia and Senegal attract the most tourists in this region of Africa (which along with Central Africa draws the least amount of tourists on the continent). Both The Gambia and Senegal are popular beach destinations for Europeans fleeing the cold winter weather.
· Most Visited Countries in North Africa - Egypt is the most popular tourist destination in North Africa, but Morocco has seen the largest growth in its tourism industry (14% in 2007 according to the UNTWO). Tunisia is also extremely popular, particularly with Europeans.
Fun Africa Travel Facts
Over the years running this site, I've compiled some fun Africa travel related facts. Here's a sample ....
· When you visit Eritrea's capital Asmara, you can sip a perfect macchiato in an outdoor cafe and enjoy some lovely 1930's, Italian architecture.
· Lake Malawi is the cheapest place in the world to get your open-water diving certification; enjoy more than 500 varieties of tropical fish while you're learning.
· The original Star Wars movie sets in the deserts of Tunisia (a.k.a. planet Tatooine) are very well preserved and you can even stay in Luke Skywalker's home.
· Sudan has more Pyramids than Egypt. The 223 pyramids are smaller and steeper than their Egyptian counter parts, but the Nubians were obviously very busy people around 4 BC - 3 AD.
Saturday 2 July 2011
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