Tag Archives: City

London

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London

Don’t get lost in the vast metropolitan of London!

  • London is one of the greatest cities worldwide, and it is located in Europe’s England, in the United Kingdom, and it is the capital of both England and the UK.
  • London is the home to four World Heritage Sites: the Westminster Abbey and Palace that includes the Big Ben; Tower of London; Kew Gardens; and a section of the area of Greenwich; and it is also home to many other notable sites including Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square.
  • The first main colonisation of London, originally known as Londinium, was by the Roman Empire from 43 AD, and while it housed up to 60,000 people in the second century, it eventually declined until it was mostly deserted for up to 200 years, however, once it was re-established by King Alfred from 886 AD, it grew to become a central power in the 11th century.
  • London has been struck by numerous devastating disasters throughout history, including the Black Plague of 1665 to 1666, the Great Fire of 1666, and the Blitz bombing during World War II.
  • London was the first city to have held the Olympic Games on three occasions, in 1908, 1948 and 2012.

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Part of London
Image courtesy of fkwiatkowski/Flickr
  • As of 2013, London was the largest city in the United Kingdom, with a metropolitan population of more than 13.5 million people, and it covered an area of 1,583 square kilometres (611 square miles) with the main city in the centre, and this ‘Greater’ region contained approximately 8.5 million people, of which approximately 36% were born in other countries.
  • Temperatures in London range on average from 2.1°C to 23.6°C (35.8°F to 74.5°F); and the lowest and highest recorded temperatures were -13.6°C and 38.1°C (7.5°F and 100.6°F respectively).
  • It has been claimed that London is one of the ‘greenest’ cities in the world, and it is the home to many parks, such as Hyde Park, and as such, it contains over 2,000 vegetation species, 60 bird and 120 fish species, as well as many other animal species.
  • London had a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of around $669 billion in 2005, with primary income based in the finance sector, with tourism being another prominent area, with more than 14 million individuals visiting the city annually.
  • London is home to much history and culture, particularly in the arts, such as seen by the multiple museums and galleries, and it is often depicted in literature.
Bibliography:
London, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London
London at a Glance, n.d, Visitlondon.com, http://www.visitlondon.com/discover-london/london-highlights/london-at-a-glance?ref=nav

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Venice

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Venice

Venice is a city of history and water.

  • Venice is a city located in Europe, in the northeastern area of Italy, that is made of a lagoon, 118 islands, 177 canals and 409 bridges.
  • ‘Venice’ is also known as ‘La Dominante’, ‘City of Masks’, ‘Serenissima’, ‘City of Water’, ‘The Floating City’, ‘Queen of the Adriatic’, ‘City of Canals’ and ‘City of Bridges’.
  • Venice is considered as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 due to the lagoon, canals and historical constructions.
  • Venice was the home to approximately 270,700 people in 2009, and the population count has been historically erratic due to the destructive Black Plague between the 14th to 17th centuries.
  • Venice was probably founded by numerous escapees of surrounding country invasions, and the first ruler, the doge, Paolo Lucio Anafesto, in 697 is believed to have been Exarch Paul.
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Part of Venice
Image courtesy of Diana Robinson/Flickr
  • From the 800s, Venice was a popular trade site, particularly once coastline pirates were defeated; and later it became well known for its famous aritsts, and it now has the most masterpieces per kilometre in the world.
  • Occasionally, Venice is flooded by high tides of the Adriatic Sea, known as ‘acqua alta’, and these especially high tides can increase water depths by up to 1.94 metres (6.36 feet), as recorded in 1966, although generally they are less than a 1.5 metre (4.9 feet) increase.
  • Historical Venice style buildings made from stone or brick, were generally built on timber poles that are embedded in clay, mud and sand, and they mostly remain in good condition, even though they have been submerged in water for hundreds of years.
  • Venice is a very popular tourist destination, with visitors attracted to the city’s incredible architecture and uniqueness, as well as the famous annual Carnival of Venice held early in the year, although the number of visitors, approximately 60,000 every day, has caused some controversy due to the sheer quantity and potential damage they can generate on various levels.
  • Typical transport in Venice includes gondolas and other boats that use the canals; automobiles and trains; and aircraft facilities are also available.
Bibliography:
Venice, 2014, Lonely Planet, http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/venice
Venice, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice
Venice and its Lagoon, 2014, UNESCO WHC, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/394

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New York City

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New York City

“I ♥ New York City.”

  • New York City is a city located in the New York State, in the United States of America, and it is the home of many well known places, notably Times Square; the Statue of Liberty; the World Trade Centers; New York Stock Exchange; the Unisphere; Brooklyn Bridge; and Central Park.
  • ‘New York City’ is also known as ‘New York’, ‘City of New York’, ‘NYC’, ‘NY’, ‘Big Apple’ and ‘The City’.
  • During 1785 to 1790, New York City was the capital of the United States of America, and since then, it has had the greatest city population in the US , with an estimated 8.4 million people living in the city itself in 2013 and approximately 20 million in the metropolitan area,
  • New York City was visited by an explorer from Italy, Giovanni da Verrazzano, for the French monarchy, in 1524, which was the first recorded visit by Europeans.
  • New York City itself covers a total area of approximately 1,214 square kilometres (469 square miles), and the metropolitan area extends to 34,490 square kilometres (13,318 square miles).

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Skyline
Image courtesy of Rakkhi Samarasekera/Flickr
  • In 2011, New York City was the home to 5,937 high rises,including the new One World Trade Center, the highest building in the Western hemisphere.
  • New York City has five districts, or boroughs, and is the home to 500 galleries of art, 1,200 schools, four of the costliest sporting stadiums on earth and 113 square kilometres (43.75 square miles) of parkland.
  • It is estimated that more than 800 languages are spoken in New York City, and the city is popularly known for its bagels, pizza and cheesecake, as well as other foreign cuisine.
  • Fifty-two percent of New York City’s families do not own a car, and therefore the city has numerous taxis, the largest and one of the most used subways of rapid transit in the world,  and some of the busiest airline and ferry services.
  • New York City is visited by approximately 55 million people every year, is one of the most significant centres for commerce and business in the world, and in 2010 it had a GMP (gross metropolitan product) of US$1.28 trillion.
Bibliography:
New York City, 2014, History, http://www.history.com/topics/new-york-city
New York City, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City

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Petra

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Awe-inspiring, ancient city… Petra

  • Petra is an ancient city fortress located in southern Jordan in the Middle East, on the side of the mountain Jebel al-Madhbah, in amongst valleys and hills.
  • ‘Petra’ is an Ancient Greek word meaning ‘rock’ or ‘stone’, and is also known as the ‘Rose city’, describing the rock colour that is best seen at sunrises or sunsets.
  • Petra was built in an area that was a significant city on the trade route and had a good supply of water all year round from a stream, and the city was well known for its ancient and unique water and farming systems.
  • Historically, Nabataean folk populated the city of Petra and made it their capital, and at its most populated, the city accommodated 20,000 people.
  • Petra is said to have been established around 600 BC, and was occupied at one stage by the Romans, and later, Arabs.

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City front
Image courtesy of Maureen/Flickr
  • Petra was struck by an earthquake that weakened the city’s structure near the end of the Roman reign, and afterwards many valuable items were stolen from the numerous city tombs.
  • Petra became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and gained recognition as one the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007.
  • As well as damage from tourism and earthquakes, Petra suffers from erosion, flooding, structure collapse and the like, which has caused much deterioration of the city.
  • The first Western explorer to record the discovery of Petra was from Switzerland, by the name of John Burckhardt, in 1812.
  • One of the entrances to the city of Petra, known as Al-Khazneh, the ‘treasury’, has the dimensions of 30 by 43 metres (98 by 141 feet), which looks like the front of a mansion.
Bibliography:
Petra, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra
Petra, n.d, Jordan, http://www.visitjordan.com/default.aspx?tabid=63

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Bethlehem

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Bethlehem

Luke 2:11 NIV Bible ‘For unto you is born this day in the city of David [Bethlehem] a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.’

  • Bethlehem is a religious city located in Palestine, in the West Bank, in the Middle East, and it has a large proportion of Christians and also Muslims.
  • ‘Bethlehem’ is also known as ‘Bēt Lahm’, ‘Beit Sahur’, ‘Ephratah’ and ‘the City of David’, as well as many other names, and the name has at least two different meanings – in Hebrew, ‘house of bread’ and in Arabic, ‘house of meat’.
  • Bethlehem is the city of Jesus Christ’s birth, and is one of the oldest Christian settlements.
  • The first known reference of Bethlehem is in a 1400 BC dated letter, involving the King of Egypt and King of Jerusalem of the era.
  • Bethlehem has seen much unrest in its history, with opponents taking over the city a number of times, and it was occupied by the Romans in 132 AD, and later Muslims from 637 AD.

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Bethlehem
Image courtesy of David Poe/Flickr
  • Conflict between Israel and Palestine has been evident for a century and so the control of Bethlehem was in Israel’s hands for some time, however the city has been governed by the Palestinian National Authority since 1995.
  • Bethlehem has a population of approximately 25,000 people, and a fifth of those live in the original area of the city, known as the ‘old city’.
  • Temperatures in Bethlehem range, on average from 5 to 30°C (41 to 86°F), and June to September are generally dry months, while November to January are generally the wettest.
  • Bethlehem accommodates approximately 2 million tourists annually, with the industry supplying 65% of the city’s wealth.
  • Bethlehem saw its first female mayor in 2012, Vera Baboun, who was previously a headmistress and lecturer, and is the home of 135 schools, 100 of which are government schools operated by the Palestine Authority.
Bibliography: Bethlehem, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem
Mor L, Bethlehem History, n.d, Holy Land Network, http://www.holylandnetwork.com/bethlehem/bethlehem.htm

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Dubai

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Dubai

One of the fastest growing cities in the world…

  • Dubai is a city located in the Arabian Desert and on the southeastern part of the Persian Gulf located in the United Arab Emirates, Middle East, and occupies an area of 4,110 square km (1,588 square miles).
  • In 2012, Dubai was the wealthiest city in the Middle East and the 27th wealthiest city in the world and is nicknamed the ‘City of Gold’, due to its significant trade in gold, and includes 250 gold retail outlets in the city.
  • The main religion of Dubai is Islam, and Arabic is the official language with English being the second.
  • Dubai is the home of its ruler, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
  • Dubai’s population of over 2 million people originate from over 200 countries, with only a little over 15% of them being nationals, and over 50% of the expatriates are Indian.

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Dubai
Image courtesy of Robert Young/Flickr
  • Up until the 1930s, Dubai was a significant exporter in pearls, when the industry gave way due to war, the Great Depression and the production of artificial pearls.
  • Dubai has an important role in trade, as the city is located near the Persian Gulf, a main trading water route, which really kicked off in the 1900s, and then in 1966, oil was found in Dubai, which contributed to a huge increase in the population, mainly expatriates, although the oil industry now only makes up a small percentage of the city’s revenue.
  • Dubai is a great tourist destination attracting visitors with no less than 70 shopping malls and 600 fancy hotels, and attracted 10 million people in 2012, ranking it in the top ten most visited cities in the world.
  • Dubai achieved the world’s tallest skyline in 2010, and is home to some of the largest and most unique hotels, gardens, buildings and entertainment centres, and one hotel is nicknamed as a ‘seven star hotel’.
  • Dubai is the home to the Burj Khalifa, an apartment and office building, which became the tallest building in the world in 2010, measuring 829.8 meters (2,722 feet) in height.
Bibliography:
Dubai, 2013, Wikipedia, < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai>
Dubai Department of Tourism, 2012, Dubai Government, < http://www.dubaitourism.ae/en>

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