world top places

African egypt city and cairo pics

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:31:00 -0700

Egypt one will be left speechless as they look out the window and see the contrast of the setting. Out one side of the plane, you can see the vast arid desert which seems to be never ending. the choreographed chaos here hits you like a ton of bricks. It doesn’t take long, however, to acclimatise to Cairo’s wall of noise, snarl of traffic, cry of hawkers and blanket of smog, and get drawn into the hypnotising charm of this pulsating metropolis. Known to its nearly 20 million residents as Um ad-Dunya (Mother of the World), modern Cairo is a hotchpotch of recent growth barely superimposed on a dense bed of history. Wander down to Islamic Cairo and you’ll be sucked in through the looking glass to a bygone medieval era. Head out west to Giza’s famed pyramids and the time warp sets you back a full 4000 years.

Rainfall
January 7 (0.3);
July 0 (0)
Average monthly mm (inches)
Time Zone
+2 hours UTC (Coordinated Universal Time)
Population
City proper 6,800,992
Metro area 11,146,000
Elevation
23 meters (75 feet)
Temperature
January 19°/9°C (66°/48°F);
July 34°/22°C (94°/71°F)
Average daily High/Low °C (°F)

African egypt city

African egypt the lost city

African egypt city cairo

Cape Town city south africa

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:46:00 -0700

Cape Town (Afrikaans: Kaapstad; Xhosa: iKapa) is the second-most populous city in South Africa and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. The city is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is also Africa's most popular tourist destination.The earliest known remnants in the region were found at Peers cave in Fish Hoek and date to between 15,000 and 12,000 years ago. Little is known of the history of the region's first residents, since there is no written history from the area before it was first mentioned by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in 1486. Vasco da Gama recorded a sighting of the Cape of Good Hope in 1497. In the late 16th century, Portuguese, French, Danish, Dutch and English ships regularly stopped over in Table Bay en route to the Indies. They traded tobacco, copper and iron with the Khoikhoi in exchange for fresh meat. In 1652, Jan van Riebeeck and other employees of the Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Verenigde Oost-indische Compagnie, VOC) were sent to the Cape to establish a way-station for ships travelling to the Dutch East Indies, and the Fort de Goede Hoop (later replaced by the Castle of Good Hope). The settlement grew slowly during this period, as it was hard to find adequate labour. Cape Town is not only the most popular international tourist destination in South Africa, but Africa as a whole. This is due to its good climate, natural setting, and well-developed infrastructure. The city has several well-known natural features that attract tourists, most notably Table Mountain which forms a large part of the Table Mountain National Park and is the back end of the City Bowl. Reaching the top of the mountain can be achieved either by hiking up, or by taking the Table Mountain Cableway. Cape Point is recognised as the dramatic headland at the end of the Cape Peninsula. visit Cape Town's beaches, which are popular with local residents.Due to the city's unique geography, it is possible to visit several different beaches in the same day, each with a different setting and atmosphere. Though the Cape's water ranges from cold to mild, the difference between the two sides of the city is dramatic. While the Atlantic Seaboard averages annual water temperatures barely above that of coastal California around 13 °C (55 °F), the False Bay coast is very much warmer, averaging between 16 and 17 °C (61 and 63 °F) annually. This is similar to water temperatures in much of the Northern Mediterranean (for example Nice). In Summer, False bay water averages slightly over 20 °C (68 °F), with 22 °C (72 °F) a common high.

Boulders Beach near Simon's Town is known for its colony of African Penguins. Surfing is popular and the city hosts the Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing competition every year.The city has several notable cultural attractions. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, built on top of part of the docks of the Port of Cape Town, is the city's most visited tourist attraction. It is also one of the city's most popular shopping venues, with several hundred shops and the Two Oceans Aquarium.Part of the charm of the V&A, as it is locally known, is that the Port continues to operate and visitors can watch ships enter and leave. The V&A also hosts the Nelson Mandela Gateway, through which ferries depart for Robben Island.It is possible to take a ferry from the V&A to Hout Bay, Simon's Town and the Cape Fur Seal colonies on Seal and Duiker Islands. Several companies offer tours of the Cape Flats, a mostly Coloured township, and Khayelitsha, a mostly black township.

Competing teams of minstrels parade in brightly coloured costumes, performing Cape Jazz, either carrying colourful umbrellas or playing an array of musical instruments. The Artscape Theatre Centre is the main performing arts venue in Cape Town.

The city also encloses the 36 hectare Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden that contains protected natural forest and fynbos along with a variety of animals and birds. There are over 7000 species in cultivation at Kirstenbosch, including many rare and threatened species of the Cape Floristic Region. In 2004 this Region, including Kirstenbosch, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Cape Town's transport system links it to the rest of South Africa; it serves as the gateway to other destinations within the province. The Cape Winelands and in particular the towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek are popular day trips from the city for sightseeing and wine tasting. Whale watching is popular amongst tourists: Southern Right Whales and Humpback Whales are seen off the coast during the breeding season (August to November) and Bryde's Whales and Killer Whale can be seen any time of the year

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Athens CITY Greece santorini pics and Athens travel tips

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 6 Oct 2011 20:40:00 -0700

Athens dominates the Attica periphery and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state. A centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, home of Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum, it is widely referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, largely due to the impact of its cultural and political achievements during the 5th and 4th centuries BC on the rest of the then known European continent. Today a cosmopolitan metropolis, modern Athens is central to economic, financial, industrial, political and cultural life in Greece and it is rated as an Alpha world city.
The city also retains a vast variety of Roman and Byzantine monuments, as well as a smaller number of remaining Ottoman monuments projecting the city's long history across the centuries. Athens is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Acropolis of Athens and the medieval Daphni Monastery. Landmarks of the modern era, dating back to the establishment of Athens as the capital of the independent Greek state in 1833, include the Hellenic Parliament (19th century) and the Athens Trilogy consisting of the National Library of Greece, the Athens University and the Academy of Athens.

Athens has been continuously inhabited for at least 7000 years. By 1400 BC the settlement had become an important centre of the Mycenaean civilization and the Acropolis was the site of a major Mycenaean fortress whose remains can be recognised from sections of the characteristic Cyclopean walls. Unlike other Mycenaean centers, such as Mycenae and Pylos, it is not known whether Athens suffered destruction in about 1200 BC, an event often attributed to a Dorian invasion, and the Athenians always maintained that they were "pure" Ionians with no Dorian element. However, Athens, like many other Bronze Age settlements, went into economic decline for around 150 years following this.

Iron Age burials, in the Kerameikos and other locations, are often richly provided for and demonstrate that from 900 BC onwards Athens was one of the leading centers of trade and prosperity in the region. The leading position of Athens may well have resulted from its central location in the Greek world, its secure stronghold on the Acropolis and its access to the sea, which gave it a natural advantage over inland rivals such as Thebes and Sparta.

By the 6th century BC, widespread social unrest led to the reforms of Solon. These would pave the way for the eventual introduction of democracy by Cleisthenes in 508 BC. Athens had by this time become a significant naval power with a large fleet, and helped the rebellion of the Ionian cities against Persian rule.

Some of the neo-classical structures to be found are public buildings erected during the mid-19th century, under the guidance of Theophil Freiherr von Hansen and Ernst Ziller, and include the Athens Academy, Athens City Hall, Greek Parliament, Old Parliament (1875–1932) (Now the National Historical Museum), University of Athens, and Zappeion Hall.

Beginning in the 1930s, the International style and other architectural movements such as Bauhaus and Art Deco began to exert an influence on almost all Greek architects, and many buildings both public and private were constructed in accordance with these styles. Localities with a great number of such buildings include Kolonaki, and some areas of the centre of the city; neighbourhoods developed in this period include Kypseli.

In the 1950s and 1960s during the vast extension and development of Athens, modern architecture played a very important role. The centre of Athens was largely rebuilt, leading to the demolition of a number of neoclassical buildings.

Omonoia Square, (Greek: is the oldest square in Athens. It is surrounded by hotels and fast food outlets, and contains a train station used by the Athens Metro and the Ilektrikos, appropriately named Omonoia Station. The square often becomes the focus for celebration of sporting victories, as seen after the country's winning of the Euro 2004 and the Eurobasket 2005 tournaments.

Metaxourgeio (Greek: Μεταξουργείο) is a neighborhood of Athens, Greece. The neighborhood is located south of the historical center of Athens, between Kolonos to the east and Kerameikos to the west, and north of Gazi. Metaxourgeio is frequently described as a transition neighborhood. After a long period of abandonment in the late 20th century, the area is acquiring a reputation as an artistic and fashionable neighborhood due to the opening of many art galleries, museums, and trendy restaurants and cafes. Moreover, local efforts to beautify and invigorate the neighborhood have reinforced a budding sense of community and artistic expression.

National Park is punctuated by well-marked paths, gorges, springs, torrents and caves dotting the protected area. Hiking and mountain-biking in all four mountains remain popular outdoor activities for many residents of the city. The National Garden of Athens was completed in 1840 and is a green refuge of 15.5 hectares in the center of the Greek capital. It is to be found between the Parliament and Zappeion buildings, the latter of which maintains its own garden of seven hectares.

Parts of the city centre have been redeveloped under a masterplan called the Unification of Archeological Sites of Athens, which has also gathered funding from the EU to help enhance the project. The landmark Dionysiou Aeropagitou street has been pedestrianised, forming a scenic route. The route starts from the Temple of Olympian Zeus at Vasilissis Olgas Avenue, continues under the southern slopes of the Acropolis near Plaka, and finishes just beyond the Temple of Hephaestus in Thiseio.

Bangkok Airport

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 5 Oct 2011 00:57:00 -0700

As the opening date for Bangkok's new airport nears, preparations are being finalised for one of the largest logistical operations in global aviation history moving millions of tonnes of aircraft and equipment from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi within roughly 12 hours. Jetstar has elected to move to this brand new airport on 15th September 2006, to ensure a smooth transition ahead of other airlines. Suvarnabhumi Airport is the new international airport for Bangkok. All airlines must move to this new airport by 28th September 2006. There have been a number of recent airport moves in the Asia-Pacific: Seoul, Hong Kong airport, Nagoya and Kuala Lumpur airport - but none involved the volume of equipment in an airport the size of Don Muang, believed to be the largest in the Asia-Pacific in terms of aircraft movement.

Bangkok Airways announced it will take off at the Suvarnabhumi Airport from September 21st onwards – a week prior to the official opening of the mega airport on September 28th. This first phase of the Boutique Airline’s operation will include flights to and from Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Samui, Jinghong (Xixuangbanna), and Shenzhen. For more information visit: Bangkok Airways.
There have been a number of recent airport moves in the Asia-Pacific: Seoul, Hong Kong airport, Nagoya and Kuala Lumpur airport - but none involved the volume of equipment in an airport the size of Don Muang, believed to be the largest in the Asia-Pacific in terms of aircraft movement. the relocation involved a military-style logistical exercise that began with an inventory and analysis of the total volume of equipment, a plan to identify where it would be loaded and unloaded, as well as transport routes and potential bottlenecks.

Five business units, including catering and cargo, plus the operations centre, will have to transferred. At stake are thousands of tools, spare parts, engines, cargo containers, pallets, loading/unloading equipment, kitchenware, cranes, forklifts, cabin items, IT hardware, aircraft-moving vehicles, and more.

These have been classified into eight "packaging" units and will be transported via 2,928 trips between the two airports, mostly by 10-wheel trucks.

Bangkok Airport

Bangkok city

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 4 Oct 2011 20:54:00 -0700

Bangkok city History:
Bangkok is the capital, largest urban area and primary city of Thailand. Known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon pronounced Krung Thep [listen] (help·info), meaning "city of angels" for short, it was originally a small trading post on the west bank of the lower Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The city is more formally called "Phra Nakhon" (Thai: พระนคร), referring to the original boundaries of the 18th century, while the name Krungthep Mahanakorn includes the urban areas which have since grown. Still most Thais and foreigners generally call the city by its original name of Bangkok.
The city however, continues to lack a green belt development as economic activity continues to pour into the capital, resulting in massive housing projects along the suburbs.
Bangkok is known for its large green sections within the city centre, including the large forest park between Yannawa and Samut Prakan. This part of the city covers an area of over 50 km2 (19 sq mi). and is intended to buffer the CBD from the large industries of the west and south of Metropolitan Bangkok. Other areas include Bung Makkasan, an urban city buffer for residences, sections of many major roads which have unbuilt swamps and green fields. Some of these areas are intentionally undeveloped for protecting against urbanization, while others are land lost during the Asian Financial Crisis.

the landscape around greater Bangkok, but have done little to overcome the notorious traffic jams on Bangkok's surface roads as private vehicle usage continues to outstrip infrastructure development.
Due to a large number of traffic jams in Bangkok, the elevated highway (Thai: ทางด่วน, RTGS: thang duan, "express way"), linking most road networks in Bangkok together, is another choice for the rush.

City Buses
A regular bus service is provided by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and it operates throughout Bangkok as well as to adjoining provinces. Most routes do not have service late in the evening, but some routes operate around the clock. Public buses are cheap, with a minimum fare of 7 baht to most destinations within metropolitan Bangkok. Air-conditioned buses have minimum and maximum fares of 11 and 24 baht, respectively.

Rail systems
On the birthday of HM King Rama IX, 5 December 1999, an elevated two-line Skytrain (officially called BTS) metro system was opened. The remains of the failed BERTS (Hopewell) project can still be seen all the way from the main railroad station out towards Don Mueang Airport. Due to the Asian financial crisis of 1997 construction was halted and the concrete pillars were left unused.
The MRT subway system opened for use in July 2004. The MRT connects the northern train station of Bang Sue to the Hua Lamphong central railway station near the city centre, while also going through the eastern part of Bangkok. It connects to the BTS system at BTS stations Mo Chit, Asok, and Sala Daeng.

Bangkok is considered to be one of the world's tourist hotspots. Bangkok is Thailand's major tourist gateway, which means that the majority of foreign tourists arrive in Bangkok. The city boasts some of the country's most visited historical venues such as the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun. There are numerous projects to maintain Bangkok's historic sites in the Rattanakosin area and river districts.
For destinations in the southwest and the west, buses leave from the Southern Bus Terminal, west of the city in the Thonburi area. For destinations in the southeast, such as Pattaya, Ko Samet and Ko Chang, buses leave from the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai. For all destinations north and northeast, the Northern Bus Terminal is at Mo Chit. Bangkok's less accessible southern terminal was recently moved even farther out. Though Bangkok is well connected to other cities, getting to the bus terminals often are a challenge in themselves[citation needed].
There are numerous companies that pr\ovide bus services within Bangkok Metropolitan Region. The main operator, Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, has a service area covering Bangkok and its suburban areas in the adjacent provinces of Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, and Samut Sakhon.

It was the 18th busiest airport in the world, second busiest in Asia by passenger volume, 15th busiest in the world and fourth busiest in Asia in international passenger volume. Don Mueang consistently ranked 19th in the world in cargo traffic, and seventh in the Asia-Pacific region. Don Mueang is considered to be one of the world's oldest international airports, its opening in March 1914 making it almost twenty years older than London Heathrow. It has three terminals and is located about 30 km (19 mi) north from the heart of Bangkok.

On 28 September 2006, Suvarnabhumi Airport (IATA: BKK; ICAO: VTBS), became Bangkok's official international airport, replacing Don Mueang. Pronounced Suwannaphum (RTGS), or loosely Su-wan-na-poom, the airport is located southeast of the city center in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan Province. The progress of Suvarnabhumi Airport dates back to the early 1970s when a large plot of land 8,000 acres (3,237 ha) (32 km²) was bought. A student uprising in October of the same year prevented further progress with the development when the military government of Thanom Kittikachorn was subsequently overthrown. After several military coups and the Asian financial crisis of 1997, construction finally began in 2002, after five years of clearing the site. The first flights landed in September 2006, shortly after another military coup. Its two parallel runways are connected by the five concourses of the main terminal building.

cambodia landscapes and fjords

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:13:00 -0700

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noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:32:00 -0700

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The ancient temple complex of Angkor Wat is Cambodia’s national treasure. The nearby city of Siem Reap has developed dramatically since the days Angelina Jolie filmed Tomb Raider here and fell in love with the nation. While some lament the discovery of Angkor by the masses, the site is still breathtaking and Siem Reap offers all the comforts one could wish for on any budget.
Kingdom of Cambodia is situated in Southeast Asia, bordered to the North by Thailand and Laos, the East and the South by Vietnam and the West by the Gulf of Thailand.
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Thailand best beaches pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:14:00 -0700

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Boston city Boston beaches Skylines and Boston Airport

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:26:00 -0700

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kenai fjords national park amazing pics

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 8 Sep 2011 22:45:00 -0700

Kenai Fjords National Park is a United States National Park established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The park covers an area of approximately 1,760 sq mi (4,600 km2) on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska, near the town of Seward. The park contains the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the United States. The park is named for the numerous fjords carved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. The park can be reached from Seward, 130 mi (210 km) south of Anchorage at the southern terminus of the Seward Highway. It is only one of three national parks in Alaska that can be reached by road, via the Exit Glacier Nature Center. A network of trails from the Nature Center provide access to the glacier, and the 7.4-mile (11.9 km)
Cruise tours originating from Seward also provide access to the park via Resurrection Bay.

The National Park includes mountains, waterfalls, tidewater glaciers and wildlife ranging from black bears to harbor seals. Its islands include sea lion haulouts and its rocky coastline and islands contain rookeries for a wide variety of seabirds including gulls, kittiwakes, murres, oystercatchers, cormorants and puffins. Its waters support sea otters (photo below), salmon, halibut, porpoises and whales.

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Honolulu hawaii luxery hotels

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 5 Sep 2011 22:55:00 -0700

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Honolulu city Honolulu Tourist attractions places

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 5 Sep 2011 22:31:00 -0700

History
Honolulu English pronunciation is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. a Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and County of Honolulu which covers the entire island. For statistical purposes, the U.S. Census Bureau recognizes the urban part of Honolulu as a census-designated place. Honolulu is a major financial center of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. The population of the Census-designated place was 377,357 at the 2000 census, while the population of the city and county was 953,207 at the 2010 census. Honolulu is the most populous state capital relative to state population. In the Hawaiian language, Honolulu means "sheltered bay" or "place of shelter". The city has been the capital of the Hawaiian islands since 1845 and gained historical recognition following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor near the city on December 7, 1941, and as the birthplace of Barack Obama, the 44th and current President of the United States. In 2004, Men's Fitness magazine named Honolulu the fittest city in the United States. Honolulu has three large road races:

The Great Aloha Run is held annually on Presidents' Day.
The Honolulu Marathon, held annually on the second Sunday in December, draws more than 20,000 participants each year, about half to two thirds of them from Japan.
The Honolulu Triathlon is an Olympic distance triathlon event governed by USA Triathlon. Held annually in May since 2004, there is an absence of a sprint course.
Ironman Hawaii was first held in Honolulu, it was the first ever Ironman and is also the World Champs.

Fans of spectator sports in Honolulu generally support the football, volleyball, basketball, rugby union, rugby league and baseball programs of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. High school sporting events, especially football, are especially popular.
Honolulu has no professional sports teams. It was the home of the Hawaii Islanders (Pacific Coast League, 1961–1987), The Hawaiians (World Football League, 1974–1975), Team Hawaii (North American Soccer League, 1977), and the Hawaiian Islanders (af2, 2002–2004).
The NCAA football Hawaii Bowl is played in Honolulu.

Tourist attractions places
Ala Moana Center
Aloha Tower
Bishop Museum
Diamond Head
Hanauma Bay
Honolulu Academy of Arts
Honolulu Zoo
ʻIolani Palace
ʻIolani Palace
Lyon Arboretum
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
USS Arizona Memorial
Waikiki Aquarium
Waikiki Beach

This is the home of some of Hawaii’s most historic places from Iolani Palace, the Kawaiahao Church, the Mission Houses and the treasured artifacts of the Bishop Museum to iconic landmarks like the Aloha Tower, the King Kamehameha I Statue, the Duke Kahanamoku Statue and the historic Hawaii Theatre. Honolulu is also Hawaii’s hot spot for arts, culture and entertainment. From the nightlife, live music and fine dining of Waikiki to the art galleries and underground bars of the Chinatown arts district. Whether you’re looking for Hawaii’s finest museums, or Hawaii’s finest Hawaii Regional Cuisine chefs, the best resorts, festivals, and events, or just some fun things to do, you’ll find it all in Honolulu. Home to the majority of Oahu’s population, the sprawling city of Honolulu spreads throughout the southeastern shores of Oahu, from Pearl Harbor to Makapuu Point, encompassing world famous Waikiki.

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Paris france in night paris best places paris pics and wallpapers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 3 Sep 2011 02:44:00 -0700

Paris (pronounced French) is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (or Paris Region, French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris, within its administrative limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated population of 2,211,297 (January 2008) but the Paris metropolitan area has a population of 11,899,544 (January 2008) and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.In 2009 and 2010 Paris was ranked among the three most important and influential cities in the world, among the first three "European cities of the future" – according to research published by the Financial Times and among the top ten most liveable cities in the world according to the British review Monocle. Paris also ranked among the ten greenest European cities in 2010. The office of Secretary of State for the Development of the Capital Region was created in March 2008 within the French government. Its office holder, Christian Blanc, is in charge of overseeing President Nicolas Sarkozy's plans for the creation of an integrated Grand Paris ("Greater Paris") metropolitan authority (see Administration section below), as well as the extension of the subway network to cope with the renewed growth of population in Paris and its suburbs, and various economic development projects to boost the metropolitan economy such as the creation of a world-class technology and scientific cluster and university campus on the Saclay plateau in the southern suburbs.

In parallel, President Sarkozy also launched in 2008 an international urban and architectural competition for the future development of metropolitan Paris. Ten teams, which bring together architects, urban planners, geographers, and landscape architects, will offer their vision for building a Paris metropolis of the 21st century in the Kyoto Protocol era and will make a prospective diagnosis for Paris and its suburbs that will define future developments in Greater Paris for the next 40 years.

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Taiwan of Landscape

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 1 Sep 2011 23:50:00 -0700

Taiwan of Landscape

Taiwan beachs Taiwan Sea ports Taiwan sky scar Taiwan city pics

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 1 Sep 2011 23:07:00 -0700

History
Taiwan (i/ˌtaɪˈwɑːn/ ty-wahn) also known, especially in the past, as Formosa (from Portuguese: Ilha Formosa, "Beautiful Island"), is an island of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. the Asian continent by the 160 km (99 mi) wide Taiwan Strait the main island of the group is 394 km (245 mi) long and 144 kilometres (89 mi) wide. To the northeast are the 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. Taiwan composes the vast majority of the ROC's territory since 1950, and this is one of multiple reasons that the ROC is commonly known as "Taiwan". The political status of Taiwan is disputed because it is claimed by the People's Republic of China, which was established in 1949 by the communists on mainland China and considers itself the successor state to the ROC. In fact, since PRC's establishment, it never controlled any of the territories the ROC government currently governs. Japan had originally acquired Taiwan from the Qing Empire in 1895 under Article 2 of the Treaty of Shimonoseki. At the end of World War II, Japan renounced all claims to sovereignty over its former colonial possessions, including Taiwan and Penghu (Pescadores) but did not specify to whom Taiwan and Penghu should be assigned.

taiwan sea port entrence

island of Taiwan lies some 180 kilometers off the southeastern coast of China, across the Taiwan Strait, and has an area of 35,881 km2 (13,853.7 sq mi). If included the Penghu Islands which is now a nominal county under the Taiwan Province, administered by the Executive Yuan, Taiwan's area is 36,008 km2 (13,902.8 sq mi). The East China Sea lies to the north, the Philippine Sea to the east, the Luzon Strait directly to the south and the South China Sea to the southwest. The island is characterized by the contrast between the eastern two-thirds, consisting mostly of rugged mountains running in five ranges from the northern to the southern tip of the island, and the flat to 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.

Langveges
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 (a variant of Min Nan), as their mother tongue, and Mandarin. Mandarin has been the primary language of instruction in schools since the Japanese were forced out in the 1940s. The Hakka ethnic group, comprising around 15% of the population, use the Hakka language. Taiwan's aboriginal minority groups mostly speak their own native languages, although most also speak Mandarin. The aboriginal languages do not belong to the Chinese or Sino-Tibetan language family, but rather to the Austronesian language family.

Although Mandarin is the language of instruction in schools and dominates television and radio, non-Mandarin languages or dialects have undergone a revival in public life in Taiwan, particularly since the 1990s after restrictions on their use were lifted. A large proportion of the population can speak Taiwanese, and many others have some degree of understanding. People educated during the period of Japanese rule (1895–1945) were taught using Japanese as the medium of instruction.

taiwan beachs

National Parks
Kenting National Park
Shei-Pa National Park
Taroko National Park
Yangmingshan National Park
Yushan National Park
National Scenic Areas

Buildings
Fo Guang Shan
Presidential Office Building
Shin Kong Life Tower
Taipei 101
Tuntex Sky Tower
Yuanshan Grand Hotel

Temples
Chaotian Temple at Beigang
Mountains
Alishan
Sun Moon lake
Yushan Mountain

Museums
National Palace Museum
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
Fort San Domingo
Fine Arts Museum

taiwan sky scarapers

taiwan Sea ports

taiwan beachs

taiwan beautifull pics

Macdonalds in taiwan city

taiwan beachs pics

netherland pictures and biography

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 01:49:00 -0700

The Netherlands is a densely populated country. Amsterdam is the capital and largest city known for its many canals, historic buildings, red light district (De Wallen) and cannabis coffee shops. One can purchase and use cannabis without fear of prosecution in the Netherlands, which is rare for most western countries, and has led to a large number of "drug tourists" from abroad. the Netherlands are cities like the royal seat, The Hague, with its city centre, beaches and Madurodam (miniature city). Modern Rotterdam is known for its harbour, shopping and skyline. Delft and Utrecht are former rich trading cities. In the south, Maastricht is one of the oldest Roman cities, and a very old village called Valkenburg lying in a landscape with old castles and hills.

Typically Dutch are the tulips and windmills of the Keukenhof flower gardens, the Zaanse Schans and Kinderdijk, and the traditional fishing villages of Volendam and Marken. Popular souvenirs from the Netherlands are flower bulbs, delftware and wooden shoes. This page aims to give you a broad overview of Netherlands' art, culture, people, environment, geography, history, economy and government.

Beside a country profile with facts and figures, the page contains links to sources which provide you with all the information you need to know about this European nation, e.g.: official web sites of the Netherlands, addresses of Netherlands' and foreign embassies, domestic airlines, city- and country guides with extensive travel and tourism information on accommodation, tourist attractions, events and more like weather information, maps, statistics and local newspapers from the Netherlands.

netherland tulip pictures

netherland pictures

netherland famous tuliep pictures

map of netherland

netherland tourest atrections pictures

Brussels Belgium

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:11:00 -0700

Brussels-Capital Region is one of the three Regions of Belgium, while the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community do exercise, each for their part, their cultural competencies on the territory of the Region. French and Dutch are the official languages; most public services are bilingual (exceptions being education and a couple of others). The Capital Region is predominantly French-speaking—about 85–90 of the population are French-speakers (including migrants and second language speakers), and about 10–15 are native Dutch-speakers. In January 2006, of its registered inhabitants, 73.1% are Belgian nationals, 4.1% French nationals, 12.0% other EU nationals (usually expressing themselves in either French or English), 4.0% Moroccan nationals, and 6.8% other non-EU nationals. The EU has not declared a capital formally, though the Treaty of Amsterdam formally gives Brussels the seat of the European Commission (the executive/government branch) and the Council of the European Union (a legislative institution made up from leaders of member states). It locates the formal seat of European Parliament in the French city of Strasbourg, where votes take place with the Council on the proposals made by the Commission. However meetings of political groups and committee groups are formally given to Brussels along with a set number of plenary sessions.

medieval times Brussels stood at the intersection of routes running north-south (the modern Rue Haute/Hoogstraat) and east-west (Chaussée de Gand/Gentsesteenweg-Rue du Marché aux Herbes/Grasmarkt-Rue de Namur/Naamsestraat). The ancient pattern of streets radiating from the Grand Place in large part remains, but has been overlaid by boulevards built over the River Senne, over the city walls and over the railway connection between the North and South Stations.

Pakistan swat and kalam valleys

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:06:00 -0700

kalam valleY pics
kalam valley
kalam valley
kalam valley
swat valley near peshawer
swat valley best landscape
swat valley beautifull view
swat valley towerest places
swat valley pics

Pakistan murree tourist places and spots

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:50:00 -0700

murree tourist places
murree tourist places

murree tourist places
murree tourist places
murree tourist places
murree tourist places
murree tourist places
murree tourist places
murree tourist places

Karachi historical building shrines and Karachi air port

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:01:00 -0700

Karachi ( Karācī (help·info), Urdu: کراچی; Sindhi: ڪراچي) is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million while the metropolitan area has a population of over 13 million. Karachi is the most populous city in the country, one of the world's largest cities in terms of population and the 10th largest urban agglomeration. It is Pakistan's premier centre of banking, industry, economic activity and trade and is home to Pakistan's largest corporations, including those involved in textiles, shipping, automotive industry, entertainment, the arts, fashion, advertising, publishing, software development and medical research. city is located in the south of the country, along the coastline meeting the Arabian Sea; it is spread over 3,527 km2 (1,362 sq mi) in area, almost four times bigger than Hong Kong. It is locally known as the "City of Lights" (روشنیوں کا شہر) and "The bride of the cities" (عروس البلاد) for its liveliness, and the "City of the Quaid" (شہرِ قائد), having been the birth and burial place of Quaid-e-Azam (Muhammad Ali Jinnah), the founder of Pakistan. Karachi is the financial and commercial capital of Pakistan. In line with its status as a major port and the country's largest metropolis, it accounts for a lion's share of Pakistan's revenue. According to the Federal Board of Revenue's 2006-2007 year book, tax and customs units in Karachi were responsible for 46.75% of direct taxes, 33.65% of federal excise tax, and 23.38% of domestic sales tax. Karachi accounts for 75.14% of customs duty and 79% of sales tax on imports. Therefore, Karachi collects a significant 53.38% of the total collections of the Federal Board of Revenue, out of which 53.33% are customs duty and sales tax on imports.

Shrines
Abdullah Shah Ghazi Mausoleum
Alam Shah Baba at Jama Cloth
Gaib Shah Baba at Kemari
Misri Shah Baba at Clifton
Muhammed Shah Dullah Sabzwari at Kharadar
Nuri Baba at Teen Hatty
Qari Muslehuddin Aleh Rehma

Historical buildings
Hindu Gymkhana
Jinnah Courts
Quaid-e-Azam House
Wazir Mansion

Parks
Main article: List of parks and gardens in Karachi
Aquat Park
Askari Park
Bagh at Mazar-e-Quaid
Bagh Ibne Qasim
Beach View Park
Bi Amman Park
Boat Basin Park
Fatima Jinnah Ladies Park
Hill Park
Jauhar Park
Jheel Park
Karachi Zoological Gardens
Kokan Park
Molai Park
Nisar Shaheed Park
Safari Park

Museums
National Museum of Pakistan
Pakistan Air Force Museum
Pakistan Maritime Museum

Water parks, amusement parks
Aladdin Amusement Park
APNA Water World
Chieku Water Park
Cosy Water Park
Dreamworld Resort
Fiesta Water Park
Halku Water Park
Samzu Water Park
Siddiquians Water Park
Sindbad Amusement Park
Sunway Lagoon Water Park

Boly wood actress mira on karachi air port

Karachi Quaid-e-azam international airport out side front

karachi historical musiam

Tomb of Quaid-e- azam mouhammad ali jinah

historical bilding in karachi

shrine of abdulla shah gazi on clifton karachi

beautifull historical bilding in karachi

karachi historical and towerest atracations places

Intery gate of abdulla shah gazi shrine

karachi buildings autharity demolish the old bildings

Karachi Laibrery historical building

Karachi historical building and places

Habib bank plaza in karachi

KMC bilding in karachi

Clifton karachi beach parks and shoping centres

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 20:12:00 -0700

Park towers shoping centre on main clifton
KFC on clifton park towers
Clifton parks pics
clifton sea view pics
clifton Benezir bhhoto park in side view
Clifton karachi beach
Clifton karachi beach
Clifton karachi beach
Clifton karachi beach beautifull view
Clifton karachi pics

chaukhandi tombs Karachi Pakistan history

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 19:40:00 -0700

Chaukhandi (Urdu: چوکنڈی) tombs are situated 29 km east of Karachi on N-5 National Highway near Landhi Town in Pakistan. style of architecture is typical only to the region of Sindh, and unique in that it is found nowhere else in the Islamic world. Generally, the elements are attributed to Jokhio (also spelt Jokhiya) also known as the family graveyard of Jokhio tribe, some people of Baluch tribe also buried were built between the 15th and 18th centuries.

in Sindh and Baluchistan, is unique with their orientation from south to north. These graves are constructed in buff sandstone. Their carved decoration presents exquisite craftsmanship. These graves are constructed either as single graves or as groups of up to eight graves raised on a common platform.

Their primary sarcophagus has six vertical slabs, with two long slabs standing on each side of the grave covering the length of the body and the remaining two vertical slabs covering the head and foot side. These six slabs are covered by a second sarcophagus consisting of six more vertical slabs similar but in size giving the grave a pyramid shape. This upper (second sarcophagus) is further covered with four or five horizontal slabs and the topmost (third) sarcophagus is set vertically with its northern end carved into a knob known as a crown or a turban.

Hinidan by Major M. A. Tighe, Political Agent in southern Baluchistan. J. P. Vogel was the first to investigate this and other cemeteries – including Karpasan (a plateau south of Hinidan), Gundar (a village near Dinga, south of Hinidan), and Manghopir and he drew attention to another cemetery discovered by Captain Showers, Political Agent in Kalat, lying between the Hub River and Sonmiani. Vogel recognized that the tombs were Islamic, as indicated by the use of the Arabic script and the alignment of the monuments. Jokhia or Jokhiya (Urdu:جوکھيو) are said to be the descendant of the Samma (tribe). Chaukhandi cemetery, consisting of names or Quranic Verse. Some of the Jams who were named were said to belong to the Jokhio tribe still resident in the area.and the 1st raitar Mr, Ali Muhammad Jokhio of Jokhio History.

1917, H. D. Baskerville discovered a similar cemetery in the vicinity of the village of Chaukhandi, near Karachi. Baskerville's published report raised the question of above-ground burial – but he dismissed this possibility, describing a careful investigation of one of the stone chambers in the cemetery, which had not contained any remains. A number of tomb inscriptions were found at the Chaukhandi cemetery, consisting of names and/or sayings from the Quran. Some of the Jams who are named were said to belong to the Jokhiya tribe still resident in the vicinity.

Henry Cousens devoted a chapter of his book on the antiquities of Sindh to 'Baluch tombs. He studied tombs in Jarak (now spelt Jerruck), Sonda and Kharkharo, which were also of the same type. Referring to the studies by G. E. L. Carter, he noted that more than twenty such cemeteries had in the meantime been identified, and he rejected the theory regarding above ground burial, due to the frequent occurrence of arcade-like perforations in the lower casket. Cousens was the first to draw comparisons with other architectural monuments in Sindh, and he refers to similarities between the decoration of a tomb in Sonda and the tombs of Mian Ghuam Shah Kalhoro (Shah Wardi Khan) (d. 1772) in Hyderabad and The tomb of the Samma king, Jam Nizamuddin II (reigned 1461–1509), is an impressive square structure built of sandstone and decorated with floral and geometric medallions. Similar to this is the mausoleum Isa Khan Tarkhan the Younger (d. 1644) in the necropolis on Makli Hill. With regard to the covering of the tombs with chattris, he points to similar tombs in the same necropolis and to the tomb of Mir Masum in Sukkur.

the creation of Pakistan the Chaukhandi tombs, however, did not receive any attention from authorities until Dr. I. H. Qureshi a renowned historian and the then education minister (later Chancellor of Karachi University), drew the attention of the Department of Archeology and Museums to the Chaukhandi tombs, after receiving a letter from Zahid Hussain, Governor of State Bank of Pakistan citation needed.

Shaikh Khurshid Hasan mentioned that at first his department did not even realize that the tombs were protected under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904. After a survey the Director General of the Department of Archeology and Museums called these a dolmen graveyard at Chaukhandi in the national press.

In the post-independence era the first serious studies were made by Mumtaz Hassan; he described Chaukhandi tombs as Baluch tombs. After that many articles were published in the national newspapers but the mystery as to their origin could not be solved.

his first paper based on epigraphical-cum-historical studies, Shaikh Khurshid Hasan observed that the Chaukhandi graveyard near Landhi was predominantly a graveyard of the Jokhio tribe, although some tombs of the Burfat and Sheikh tribes have also been found. In another article on Chaukhandi tombs in 1984 Shaikh Khurshid Hasan mainly dealt with the decorative elements of the stone carving. In the following years he also published on the gravestones and inscriptions. (1978) the German scholar Dr. Salome Zajadacz-Hastenrath published a book in German in which she mainly dealt with the stylistic evolution of Chaukhandi tombs. When comparing Chaukhandi tombs (namely tombs of particular types and forms thereof) among each other, a typological framework was established and consequently a relative chronology. By comparing this framework with dated structures, mainly of Makli Hill, but also of other sites, the study arrived at dates for the various stages of evolution of the Chaukhandi tombs which later developed, but which did, however, not replace preceding ones. Besides, Chaukhandi tombs strictly speaking, the study dealt also with individual topics like, for instance, with 'Form of the tombstones Riders, weapons, and other depictions on men's graves', 'Jewellery depictions on women's graves', articles which all show the richness of Chaukhandi funerary art. Further, the documentary part of the book includes a list of dated stonemasonry patterns on Chaukhandi tombs

the Italian Professor Gian Giuseppe Filippi visited Sindh and examined some prominent sites of Chaukhandi graveyards. He traced the Rajput influences in Chaukhandi graveyards. In this article he mentioned that it is well-known that many Munda warrior groups have family ties with the so-called Rajput tribes of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Even in this case, their warlike behavior and the confusing definition of the Rajput caste keeps open the ‘structure’ of Hinduism. Some among the Rajput tribes, namely the Jokhio , the Numeri, the Burfat and the Lashari emigrated from Kutch (Gujarat) and Rajputana towards the Sindh and Makran regions during the Samma Dynasty. All these tribes mentioned had close relations among each other including matrimonial ties, both within their own group as well as with the Baluch tribe of the Kalmatis. His hypothesis envisions a tribal Rajput origin in the utilization of not only the monolithic slabs and pedestals in the step-and-house-shaped Chaukhandi graves, but also in the naive decoration of some tombs which rather resemble a house facade like a human face as if drawn by a child. The decoration of the tombs (mostly with geometric motifs) is derived from wood sculpture.
On the type site of 'Chaukhandi', there is the tomb of Jam Murid bin Haji, which contains the word Chaukhandi, along with the name of the deceased. Shaikh Khurshid Hasan therefore, considered Chaukhandi to be the name of the place. Moreso, when Banerji visited the Chaukhandi graveyard in 1920, he referred it as "the little village Chaukhandi". According to Mumtaz Hassan, Chaw in Sindhi language means four and Khundi corner or pillar. Chaukhandi thus refers to the four pillars supporting the umbrella shaped dome over the tomb and would apply to all tombs having the same construction.[6] However, this argument does not find support because all the tombs covered with umbrella shaped domes or with a rectangular pavillion at Chaukhandi have more than four pillars or columns. Even [at] Mangophir canopy over similar graves has more than four pillars. As regards the view that Chaukhandi is the name of a place, Mumtaz Hassan feels that such a view derives strength from the fact that in the popular imagination the name Chaukhandi has come to be associated particularly with the tombs near Landhi. 'Baluch Tombs' – a name based on local traditions linking the tombs to various tribal groups, namely the Burfat, Kalamati, Jakhara and Jokhiya. The fact that the cemeteries lie in an area in which the Baluchis are either the only ethnic group or live alongside other tribes provides support for this description.

However, the area across which the cemeteries are spread is by no means identical with that of the Baluchis, but includes only a tiny fraction of it. For this reason, the term 'Baluch tombs' does not appear very accurate. It suggests the conclusion that this type of tomb is a peculiarity of the Baluchis and might be explained in some way through the common culture and history of the tribe as a whole – although there is no evidence of this.

best hotels in italy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:33:00 -0700

best hotels in Venice? Everyone has his or her own idea of how to get the best out of Venice. Some go for the architecture, some long for the pictures; some think only of shopping. Despite its incredible richness, you can walk from one end to the other in little more than an hour, and it’s a city to remember, no matter why you went there.
Bauer Il Palazzo Venice, 5 stars

On the Grand Canal and steps from the Piazza San Marco, Bauer Il Palazzo scores perfectly for location. Rooms are done in red with gold upholstery. This five-star luxury class hotel is located in an original Venetian house from the 18th century.Under decorative inlaid ceilings and surrounded by Chinese vases and historic tapestries created by master craftsmen Bevilacqua and Rubelli, today’s most refined travellers can enjoy living in the elegant atmosphere of a Venetian nobleman’s period house brought up to date with modern services and conveniences

Hotel Ca’ Sagredo Venice, 4 stars
The historical tour offered at check-in is worth your time: Among the highlights are original frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo and Pietro Longhi in the grand hall, a high-ceiling-ed ballroom with over-sized windows overlooking the canal, and huge Murano chandeliers—all of which conjure the masked balls that once took place here. The 42 guest rooms are beautifully appointed with sofas and chairs covered in pale silk damask and custom wallpapers in pretty, light patterns, and all come with large bathrooms.

Hotel Cipriani Venice, 4 stars
the ultrafamous—many of whom never even bother to take the hotel’s private launch across to the bustle of Venice proper. For them, the Cipriani, with its restaurants, bars, tennis courts, spa, and Olympic-size saltwater pool, is its own destination. The decor in the public spaces and 104 rooms is mostly opulent, with lashings of silk brocade, murals, frescoes and gilded ceilings, and all-marble bathrooms.
Hotel Danieli Venice, 4 stars

part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection) has been a hotel since the early 19th century, visited oftenly by Charles Dickens and Richard Wagner. Tthe 225-room hotel spreads from its original 14th-century palazzo to incorporate two 20th-century buildings. Deep reds and earthy greens lend an almost Asian touch. Throughout the hotel, rooms are outfitted with Fortuny and Rubelli fabrics, and while antiques adorn the magnificent Venetian Gothic reception hall, the ambiance is more Hollywood mansion than aristocratic palazzo.

Best Italy beaches Touarest atraction places

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:35:00 -0700

Italy is a peninsula surrounded by the mountains and the sea. The Adriatic east coast in the east, Tyrrhenian Sea in the west, the Lake District in the north and the southern islands of Sardinia and Sicily all equally offer some of the most fantastic beaches in the world. the cool breeze of the sea, enough to attract many to build homes and gardens right by the beaches. Whether you’re looking for the perfect beach or perhaps a way to cool down after exploring ancient cities, the warm waters, eternal sunshine and sandy stretches of Italy’s beaches are a must for all travellers. Italy, Capri is a rocky, mountainous island that’s a favorite with starlets and jet setters. While many of the island’s hotels boast great views of the clear blue sea, the J.K. Palace Capri is the only one with direct beach access. You can easily explore the area’s best beaches on your own. The best beach on the north side is the wide expanse at the Bagni di Tiberio while the south side of the island has Marina di Mulo. Most beaches are supported by beach clubs which provide beach access as well as facilities, towels and chairs for a nominal fee.
Amalfi Coast
Most visitors experience the Amalfi Coast while navigating the twists and turns during a scenic drive on the coastal road. The view is breathtaking with jagged cliffs and blossoming flowers, but the best way to experience the coast is to visit one of its seaside villages.

Karakoram Mountains & Haiway

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 3 Aug 2011 20:50:00 -0700

Karakoram (or Karakorum) is a large mountain range spanning the borders between Pakistan, India and China, located in the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan (Pakistan), Ladakh (India), and Xinjiang region, (China). Karakoram is home to the highest concentration of peaks over eight kilometres (five miles) in height to be found anywhere on earth including K2, the second highest peak of the world (8,611 m/28,251 ft). K2 is just 237 m (778 ft) lower than the 8,848 m (29,029 ft. range is about 500 km (311 mi) in length, and is the most heavily glaciated part of the world outside the polar regions. The Siachen Glacier at 70 km and the Biafo Glacier at 63 km rank as the world's second and third longest glaciers outside the polar regions.

The Karakoram is bounded on the northeast by the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, and on the north by the Pamir Mountains.
The name was first applied by local traders to the Karakoram Pass. Early European travellers, including William Moorcroft and George Hayward, started using the term for the range of mountains west of the pass, although they also used the term Muztagh for the range now known as Karakoram. Later terminology was influenced by the Survey of India, whose surveyor Thomas Montgomerie in the 1850s gave the labels K1 to K6 (K for Karakoram) to six high mountains visible from his station at Mount Haramukh in Kashmir. the Himalaya are important to Earth scientists for several reasons. They are one of the world's most geologically active areas, at the boundary between two colliding continents. Therefore, they are important in the study of plate tectonics.

A significant part, 28-50% of the Karakoram Range is glaciated, compared to the Himalaya (8-12%) and European Alps (2.2%). Mountain glaciers may serve as an indicator of climate change, advancing and receding with long-term changes in temperature and precipitation. A study by the Universities of California and Potsdam found that the Karakoram glaciers are mostly stagnating,[6] because, unlike in the Himalayas, many Karakoram glaciers are covered in a layer of rubble which has insulated the ice from the warmth of the sun.
The notable peaks of the Karakoram are:
Batura I (7,795 m)
Rakaposhi (7,788 m)
Batura II (7,762 m)
Kanjut Sar (7,760 m)
Saltoro Kangri (7,742 m)
Batura III (7,729 m)
Saser Kangri (7,672 m)
Chogolisa (7,665 m)
Haramosh Peak (7,397 m)
Momhil Sar (7,343 m)
Baintha Brakk (7,285 m)
Muztagh Tower (7,273 m)
K2 (8,611 m)
Gasherbrum I (8,068 m)
Broad Peak (Phalchen Kangri) (8,047 m)
Gasherbrum II (8,035 m)
Gasherbrum III (7,952 m)
Gasherbrum IV (7,925 m)
Distaghil Sar (7,885 m)
Kunyang Chhish (7,852 m)
Masherbrum I (7,821 m)