Geographical articles from March 2002

Geographical archives from March 2002

Young geographers are the future. (From the Editor).
March 1, 2002... For the past three years, Geographical has run Geographer of the Year Awards, asking pupils studying geography to research a topical issue and write about it. The competition has gone from strength to strength, this year attracting close to...

Fielding complaints. (Prize Letter with Amazon.co.uk).
March 1, 2002... Old-fashioned, adj. Antiquated in form or character. Out of date. Clinging to old things. (SEOD and Chambers). In an issue that devotes considerable column space to exploration and discovery, and a society that supports the same, the phrase...

Cross words. (Your Letters).
March 1, 2002... I love the new format of Geographical, in particular, the more logical structure. It's useful given that geography and the scope of RGS-IBG work is so wide. I also think it's great that there is an Exploration and Discovery section -- it offers...

Not so cut and dried. (Your Letters).
March 1, 2002... I wanted to respond to the feature by Mark Spalding in the January edition (Climate genie let loose, page 15). He makes a very important point regarding journalistic exaggeration of differences in scientific opinion to make a story. I could not...

Climate clash. (Your Letters).
March 1, 2002... Your new column on climate change is to be welcomed, but Dr Mark Spalding should avoid falling into the journalistic traps which he so deprecates. Name-calling to discredit people who disagree with him merely damages his otherwise reasonable...

Fatal eruption. (Congo).
March 1, 2002... This false-coloured satellite image below shows Mount Nyiragongo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo five hours after it began erupting in January. It was a catastrophic and even fatal event for many of the residents of the town of Goma,...

VSO slams stereotypes. (Global).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Most Britons have distorted and negative views of less developed nations due to stereotyping by the media, says a report by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). In a survey, over 80 per cent of the 1,000 adults interviewed said they...

Ice sheet in jeopardy. (Antartica).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... There is a five per cent chance that west Antarctica's ice sheet will disintegrate over the next 100 years, says a new study by a team of British and Norwegian scientists. The study also claims that such a massive collapse would double...

Norway.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Since the cull a year ago, Norway's wolf population of 28 has been halved. Neither of its packs is intact, suggesting grave consequences for their future, says WWF.

Iran.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Iran's population growth rate dropped from an all-time high of 3.2 per cent in 1986 to just 1.2 per cent in 2001 -- one of the fastest drops ever recorded.

North Korea.(nuclear power reactors under construction)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A team from the Vienna-based international Atomic Energy Agency has visited a nuclear laboratory in North Korea for the first time. The visit was not an inspection. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which agreed in 1994 to stop...

Third of red kites poisoned. (Scotland).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... The future of the rare red kite in Scotland is under threat from poisoning. According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) 36 per cent of red kites reintroduced to northern Scotland in recent times have been poisoned...

Afghanistan.(caring for animals in Kabul zoo)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A team of vets and World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA) staff has flown from the UK to Afghanistan to tend to the few surviving animals in Kabul zoo, which include Marjan, the blind lion.

Gulf of Mexico.(unknown squid observed)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A previously unknown squid has been videoed by a submersible in the Gulf of Mexico, at a depth of 2,000 metres. The creature had previously been spotted in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Scientists said it was very different from...

Is that a fact?(racial profile of landowners, Zimbabwe)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... In Zimbabwe, some 70,000 whites (0.5 per cent of the population) own 70 per cent of the land. 4,000 whites own nearly one third of farmland

Mountains matter.(developing tourist industry in mountainous regions)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... 2002 is International Year of Mountains. Martin Price, Director of the Centre for Mountain Studies at Perth College and Chair of the RGS-IBG Mountain Research Group, argues that tourism in upland areas is all about finding balances Travel...

Liverpool's lost ancestor. (UK).(ancient port of Meols unearthed near Liverpool, England)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Archaeologists are discovering Liverpool's earliest predecessor -- a major international seaport. 10 kilometres west of the city, midway between the Mersey and the Dee, the long-vanished port appears to have come into existence 2,500 years ago...

Lewis to harness the wind. (UK).(peat bog intended for wind farm is protected under environmental law, United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... As Europe's windiest country, Britain is not exploiting its massive potential. The British government is aiming to reach its target of providing ten per cent of the country's electricity needs from renewable sources by 2010. A way to increase...

From the archives. (News).(air service from Europe to America, discover of Cerro Galan volcano)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... 1938 Discussions continued over opening the first air service from Europe to the USA. In 1938 sea travel was the only option. The Atlantic was proving to be one of the greatest barriers in the development of air travel. The struggle to...

Bush u-turn to a greener path. (USA).(George W. Bush, environmental policies)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... President Bush seems to have turned over a green leaf in an effort to bolster his environmental credentials by making funds available for Florida's Everglades, the regeneration of old industrial sites and the development of a hydrogen fuel-cell...

Danger on the high seas: Dr Mark Spalding highlights the threat of rising seas -- the potentially devastating and likely impact of a global temperature rise on the world's oceans. (Climate).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Over the last 100 years, sea levels around the world have risen by about 18 centimetres. In certain parts, slow rises or falls in the Earth's crust may mask or exaggerate this change, but the fact of sea-level rise is now well documented. ...

Fair's fayre. (Global).(fair-trade purchasing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... While awareness of fair-trade purchasing has spread to the high street in recent years, Fairtrade Fortnight (1-17 March), organised by People and Planet, Oxfam and Christian Aid, among others, aims to highten its profile further. As its name...

The battle for Dibden Bay: as the government proposes to reform the planning system, another dispute errupts between conservationists and the UK's heavy industry. (UK).(Associated British Ports aims to build port within New Forest National Park, United Kingdom)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... One of the most acrimonious planning rows witnessed in Britain over the past few years will erupt this summer over plans to build a container port within the proposed New Forest National Park. Britain's biggest ports company, Associated...

What a waste. (Sweden).(Sweden bans landfilling of combustible waste)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Sweden has banned the landfilling of combustible waste in an effort to force a more efficient, safer and environmentally friendly method of waste removal. Since 1994 Sweden has cut landfill waste to under a quarter of the total -- less...

History in the map-making: one of the finest maps of England, Wales and Ireland ever created dates from the early 17th century. Jonathan Potter looks at the history of this beautifully detailed and decorated cartographic gem. (Map of the Month).(Johann Baptist Vrients' Angliae Et Hiberniae Accurata Descriptio)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... ANTIQUE MAPS OF THE BRITISH ISLES DO NOT SHOW THE VARIATION OF FORM COMMON TO maps of newly discovered parts of the world. Nevertheless, there have been some outstanding cartographic images produced of the islands. Johann Baptist Vrients'...

Lore of the wild: Ray Mears is a man with a mission. In the past decade he has tirelessly championed the art of bushcraft. But this self-taught expert remains as much pupil as teacher, never ceasing to learn ancient skills from those who live and work in the wild. (Geographical Interview).
March 1, 2002... THERE COULD BE NO BETTER COMPANION on a winter morning's ramble than Ray Mears, a man whose name is synonymous with survival and bushcraft expertise. Not that I anticipate having to rely too heavily on the maker of the BBC's Extreme Survival...

Burnt offerings. (Fire Rituals).(Mark Parren Taylor photographs East and Southeast Asia)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... FIRE IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF MOST RELIGIONS, FROM funeral pyres in India to swinging incense lanterns in Spain and New Age bonfires in New Mexico. But nowhere more than in Hong Kong are smoke and fire used so frequently and diversely....

A dead certainty: human extinction may come quicker than expected, according to new mathematical modelling. Mammal families are decreasing fast, in line with dinosaur numbers 66 million years ago. (The Extinction Cycle).
March 1, 2002... MOST OF US HAVE BEEN STUCK IN A traffic jam on a motorway. Sometimes the vehicles move forward slowly, only to come to a halt again a few metres farther on. At other times they go faster for a greater distance only to come to a halt again. And...

A growing concern: the vast, verdant country of Brazil possesses some of the most fertile land on the planet. Yet for some, this is not enough. Biotech companies now want to sell genetically modified seed to the farmers, threatening both the purity of the Amazon's ecosystem and Brazil's status as the world's largest exporter of GM-free soya.
March 1, 2002... A POSSE OF HUNTERS STRIDES across the fields surrounding the village of Cabaceiras, before disappearing into the forest on a mission to shoot armadillos or wild pigs for dinner. Corn cobs sizzle on a brazier at the roadside, the villagers...

Brazil: the world's fifth largest country, Brazil is a fertile land of great mineral wealth and magnificent natural wonders, including the mighty Amazon basin. (Factfinder).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Name: Federative Republic of Brazil Population: 174 million; whites 55 per cent, mixed race 38 per cent, blacks 6 per cent, Indians 2 per cent, other 1 per cent Capital: Brasilia Currency: Real Religion: Roman Catholic 70 per...

Trawl or nothing. (Trawler Fishing).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... FOR THE TRAWLER FISHERMEN OF CORNWALL, WORK IS DIRTY, DANGEROUS AND EXHAUSTING. Now it doesn't even pay. The industry that took generations to create is dying, suffocating under EC rulings on net size, and the acute problem of diminishing...

Travels through time: a clutch of yellowing letters inherited from her father and transcribed by Barbara Auld, provide a unique and personal insight into the experiences of two brothers who emigrated to Australia in 1839. (Australia Bound).
March 1, 2002... AT THE DAWN OF THE 19TH CENTURY, BRITAIN WAS A land of immense social change. The Industrial Revolution had made many their fortune, but for others the spectre of poverty still loomed. In the overcrowded cities conditions were grim, leading...

A quick flutter: Pigeon racing is a national obsession in Taiwan. But far from a pastime of gentile amateurs, it is big business, fuelled by the Taiwanese mania for gambling. (Taiwan Pigeon Racing).
March 1, 2002... JURGEN BAYER IS A SILENT MAN. HE WORKS HIS MAGIC IN A different way. The world's most famous pigeon whisperer, he examines the wings, eyes, frame and throat of cocks and hens to find the perfect combination, bringing fame and fortune to the...

Geographical photographer of the year 2002: win a unique 16-day safari in South Africa, courtesy of Classic retreats, and a hasselblad XPan camera worth over 1,600 [pounds sterling]. (Photo Competition).
March 1, 2002... As we move into a new era of the magazine, the coveted title of Geographical Photographer of the Year 2002 will be awarded to the most captivating cover image that encapsulates the spirit of Geographical. What we will be looking for ...

Geographical readers -- can you help us reach 10 million [pounds sterling]?(center for geography fundraising)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
March 1, 2002... Geographical is the magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). And we're appealing to readers of the magazine to help the Society raise up to 10million [pounds sterling] to develop our world-class centre for geography, for everybody...

People at the society: in March, experts will entertain and enlighten the Society's Fellows and guests with topics on South America and the western Indian Ocean.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... David Hamilton An illustrated lecture on South America's highest peak, Aconcagua, and the wild scenery of windswept Patagonia. Illustrated with fascinating material from David's current exploits in the region, as well as from his past...

Petra's People. (lecture news).(Nabataen kingdom lecture)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... On 10 December writer Jane Taylor presented an erudite lecture on the ancient Nabataean Kingdom. She explained how, in a period of three centuries, the Nabataeans changed from a pastoral nomadic tribe to a sophisticated society settled in fine...

Unlocking the mysteries of the Mascarene Plateau -- mission complete. (In Society: a round-up of news, views, and events happening this month at the Society).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Shoals of Capricorn Programme -- the Society's latest and largest field research programme -- has drawn to a successful close after three years in the field researching some of the world's most productive yet unstudied waters. (See...

Benefits of joining the Society and subscribing to the magazine. (In Society: a round-up of news, views, and events happening this month at the Society).(Royal Geographical Society)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)is a world centre for geographers and geographical learning, dedicated to the development and promotion of knowledge together with its application to the challenges facing society and the environment....

New education activities coming online. (In Society: a round-up of news, views, and events happening this month at the Society).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Society will be greatly expanding and developing its online education activity during 2002 as two new projects come to fruition to provide learning resources for teachers and pupils. The projects are part of the Society's objective to make...

Society events. (RGS-IBG News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... At the Society 5 March, 7.00 pm World Birth Day On 5 July 2001, teams of video journalists witnessed and recorded the birth of children in nine countries from five different continents. The exotic and challenging locations...

Saving lives. (exploration & discovery).(first aid training)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Knowledge of basic first aid is essential for every member of an expedition team. Relying on one trained team member is dangerous, as it may be he or she who is injured. It has also been shown that those trained in first aid are more safety...

British climbers tackle peak: victory on one of the ridges in the Himalaya. (exploration & discovery).(Ama Dablam)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The daunting northwest ridge on Ama Dablam in the Everest region of Nepal has been successfully reached by British alpinists. Two climbers, Jules Cartwright and Rich Cross, gained the ridge -- one of the hardest in the Himalaya -- and proceeded...

Winner of 2002 Neville Shulman award announced.(Chad Staddon to study reconstruction of Bosnian mountain communities)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Winner of 2002 Neville Shulman Award announced 2002 is the International Year of Mountains and in recognition, this year's Neville Shulman Award was given to a mountain activity or project concerned with challenges faced by mountain...

Gilchrist fieldwork award 2002.
March 1, 2002... Gilchrist fieldwork award 2002 The Gilchrist Educational Trust offers a biennial award for an overseas research project that supports original and challenging fieldwork carried out by small teams of (up to ten) university academics and...

Ardito Desio (1897-2001): Professor Ardito Desio, the geologist, geographer and explorer has died at the age of 104. The first Italian to reach the South Pole -- in 1962, at the age of 65 -- the height of Desio's professional glory was attained eight years before, in the summer of 1954.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
March 1, 2002... In 1954, with Hillary and Tenzing having conquered Everest the previous year, the 8,611-metre K2 remained the highest untrodden peak on the planet. In the eyes of the ambitious Desio, it was vital that Italians reach K2's summit first. It...

Benedict Allen's survival tips: adventurer and explorer Benedict Allen offers tried-and-tested advice for putting your best foot forward when travelling in the tropics.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... More important than your tent, mosquito net or water bottle are your own feet. Without them in good shape, you aren't going anywhere. In tropical rainforest you should always wear boots, drying your feet carefully each evening with anti-fungal...

Explorers' forum.
March 1, 2002... Get in touch with fellow explorers and adventures. Buy your kit, sell, swap, exchange expedition gear, recruit team members... it's all covered here Himalayan culture ROSE/KSS is a small non-profit project seeking volunteers to teach...

Arctic Year. (Letters from high latitudes).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The winter solstice is now far behind us and we are enjoying extended periods of twilight in which to travel and work, but winds of 54 knots and temperatures of -26.7[degrees] C continue to ensure that life is far from easy. Each day involves...

Gear X in association with expedition hit ltd. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Disabled adventurer Glenn Shaw recently returned from a successful kayaking expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula. He used a variety of equipment, both in the kayak and on the mainland and islands that he visited. Knoydart Ocean Cagoul ...

Risk assessment and crisis management. (News).
March 1, 2002... Wednesday 6 March 2002 A one-day course at the RGS-IBG, London The inherent risks and consequences of any mishaps are potentially far greater on an expedition overseas than in the UK. This workshop will leave you with a clear...

Wilderness medical training. (News).
March 1, 2002... Saturday 23 March and Sunday 24 March 2002 A weekend course at the RGS-IBG London. This course starts where conventional first aid stops, Run by Wilderness Medical Training, it is intended for small groups operating in remote areas...

Big mother is watching. (technology).
March 1, 2002... A device enabling parents to keep a close watch over the whereabouts of their children will be on sale in the USA shortly. The Child Locator -- costing 200 [pounds sterling], with monthly service charges -- is an instrument akin to a wristwatch...

Earth to survive final sunset. (technology).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... According to UK astronomers, the Sun's demise in 7.5 billion years' time will not mean the end of the Earth, as was previously believed. In fact it will be around for another 200 million years. It is widely accepted that the Sun will die...

Life on Mars. (technology).(microbes found in Dry Valleys of Antarctic suggest possibility of life on Mars)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The discovery of microbes deep under Antarctica's ice-free Dry Valleys by a team of Canadian and New Zealand scientists opens up the possibility of life on Mars, and will show space scientists where to look for life on the red planet's surface....

Brown dwarf found near Sun. (technology).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Astronomers at the Gemini Observatory in Hawaii have spotted a brown dwarf orbiting a nearby star similar to our Sun. It is the first time a star and brown dwarf have been seen so close to one another. Brown dwarves are often referred to as...

Satellite to world-watch. (technology).(European Space Agency launches the Envisat satellite)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Europe's largest and most advanced satellite will be launched by the European Space Agency this month to monitor pollution and environmental change over the Earth's surface. Envisat, which has taken 14 years to develop, will transmit data...

A brief history of mine. (talking innovation).(Stephen Hawking)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The world-famous Cambridge physicist, Stephen Hawking, CBE, recently celebrated his 60th birthday with a symposium of popular lectures attended by distinguished academics. Hawking is Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, a...

Virtual opening. (technology).(Glasgow Science Centre opens technologically sophisticated theatres, Scotland)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The newly-opened Glasgow Science Centre (GSC) is to launch two additional ultra-modern experiences this month, designed to bring space -- and inner-space -- to the people. The ScottishPower Space Theatre and the Virtual Science Theatre will use...

A strongman in Egypt. (Late, great geographers).(Giovanni Battista Belzoni )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Giovanni Battista Belzoni (1778-1823) An Italian strongman and engineer who became the most prolific Egyptotogist of his age, Belzoni discovered more ancient Egyptian artefacts than anyone of his generation and filled London's museums with...

Wordly-wise words. (people).(Winston Churchill on pronunciation of names)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... "Everybody has a right to pronounce foreign names as he chooses." Sir Winston Churchill (1951, The Observer)

Andy Robinson, Warden, St Kilda. (Straight talk).(Brief Article)(Interview)
March 1, 2002... Andy Robinson is warden of St Kilda, a remote archipelago, owned by the National Trust for Scotland. It is the most important seabird breeding station in northwest Europe. Already a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1986, St Kilda is currently...

Hogging the limelight: a wart-hog invasion is unnerving Jonathan Scott's dogs. Meanwhile the author, photographer and Big Cat Dairy presenter describes the work that lies ahead for his wife Angie and himself. (Out of Africa).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The other day, one of our dogs, Mara, appeared with a huge swelling over her left eye. My first though was that she had forgotten the lessons of the pevious year and tangled with another spitting cobra. Then I spotted a huge male wart hog...

Top 10 favourite books.(evironment, sociology)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... 1 Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh by Helena Norberg-Hodge, Peter Matthiessen (Rider 9.99 [pounds sterling]) 2 The Unsettling of America by Wendell Berry (Sierra Club Books 8.33 [pounds sterling]) 3 The Biotech Century by...

The Secret Hunters. (Just delayed).
March 1, 2002... The Secret Hunters by Ranulph Fiennes Little Brown,hb,pp 370 16.99 [pounds sterling] This incredible story is all the more amazing for the truth that underlies it. In a small wooden hut in Antarctica the explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes...

World Atlas of Coral Reefs. (Underwater world).
March 1, 2002... World Atlas of Coral Reefs by Mark D Spalding, Corinna Ravilious and Edmund Green UNEP/WCMC, hb, 424pp, 29.95 [pounds sterling] Traditionally, information on the status of the world's coral reefs has been dispersed throughout a wide body of...

Creatures of the Deep.
March 1, 2002... Creatures of the Deep by Erich Hoyt, firefly, hb, pp 160, 27.95 [pounds sterling] In the world of horror movies, the fascination with sea monsters has traditionally translated as malevolent sharks hell-bent on devouring American...

Dougal Haston: The Philosophy of Risk.
March 1, 2002... Dougal Haston: The Philosophy of Risk by Jeff Connor, Canongate, hb, 211 pp, 16.99 [pounds sterling] Sir Chris Bonington reckons Dougal Haston is the closest among mountaineers to being a cult figure. Edinburgh-based publishers...

The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China.
March 1, 2002... The Art of Calligraphy in Modern China By Gordon S Barrass, The British Museum Press, hb, pp288, 50 [pounds sterling] An ancient form of expression based on ideograms, calligraphy is, today, universally recognised for its sophisticated...

Decorated Skin: A World Survey of Body Art. (Geographical reviews: written on the body).
March 1, 2002... Decorated Skin: A World Survey of Body Art By Karl Groning Thames & Hudson, pp256, pb, 19.95 [pounds sterling] If the words `body art' make you think only of seedy tattoo parlours and piercings of questionable artistry, this vibrant...

Little Lhasa: In Exile from Tibet. (Geographical Reviews).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... 5-10 March 2002 Don't miss this exhibition by photojournalist Kari Herbert who journeyed to Dharamsala in northern India to document the exiled life of Tibetans. Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, London W6 Tel: 020 8237 1004

The Arctic Voyages of Martin Frobisher: An Elizabethan Adventure. (Geographical reviews: quest for the arctic trail).
March 1, 2002... The Arctic Voyages of Martin Frobisher: An Elizabethan Adventure by Robert McGhee The British Museum Press, hb, pp 188, 19.99 [pounds sterling] Explorers are a fascinating breed, enduring a plethora of hardships incomprehensible to the...

Do you know? (Mind Map).
March 1, 2002... Q How many types of avalanche are there and what distinguishes one from the other? Simon Battman, Basingstoke Q When did humans first invent soap? Was it invented by one culture or created independently by several cultures? ...

Question & answer. (Mind Map).
March 1, 2002... MUSICAL MYSTERY Where in the world are singing sands found and why do they sing? Singing sand is an international phenomenon, occurring naturally at sites on all the continents. The size and shape of the grains of sand at singing sites...

Where am I? (Mind Map).
March 1, 2002... I am relaxing on the grass of a large famous recreation ground; its full name could be deduced from adding an eastern seaboard American river to a Scottish football team with a historic home. Near this ground are a famous oval and botanical...

On location. (Mind Map).
March 1, 2002... Can you name the film and the countries where it was made from these clues? This 1989 movie tells the story of an women searching for her father, while travelling home through South-East Asia. She finds herself in prison, after being...

Answers and address. (Mind Map).
March 1, 2002... ANSWERS AND ADDRESS Occasionally the publisher of Geographical allows carefully screened organisations to mail our readers, if you would prefer not to be mailed by anyone, please indicate this on your entry form for each competition....

Shoot your own rhino: a new friendly hunting initiative for tourists in South Africa may just save Africa's most endangered herbivore. (travel).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Frustrated hunters can strap on their shooting gear again, and help conserve endangered rhino in the process, in a new initiative launched in South Africa. Instead of shooting rhino with bullets, `green' hunters are now equipped with...

Courting the past. (travel).(Old Damascus)
March 1, 2002... Each month Geogrophicol visits one of the world's 100 most endangered monuments. Newly added to the World Monuments Fund's list are the courtyard houses in Syria's Old Damascus Thanks to the laws introduced by the Syrian Government in the...

Geographical goes arctic. (travel).(contest reveals hidden treasure in Arctic)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... This year Geoglaphical staff were out in force at the Adventure Travel Show in Olympia, London and it was great that so many of you came to visit us on our stand. The Geographical Treasure Hunt caused a great deal of commotion, with readers...

Location link: if you enjoy the beauty of Antarctica you will love the ice-laden waters of Lake Argentina. (News).(South Georgia island)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... South Georgia, a Southern Ocean Island off the Falklands, has no permanent human inhabitants and can only be visited by ship. It's partly because of its towering 11,000-kilometre mountains and immense glaciers, and partly because of its teeming...

A helping hand for the world's porters. (News).(working conditions and rights of mountain guides)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Mountain trekking -- it's exciting, it's beautiful, it's challenging. But how many of us could meet the challenge of trekking at altitude without the local porters who carry our food and camping equipment for us? While we wouldn't dream of...

Travel doctor. (News).(scabies)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... DEAR DOCTOR I have recently returned from a diving trip to Zanzibar where, due to the fact that all my money was stolen, I had to spend a few nights in a cheap hotel until more was wired out to me. Since my return I have had the most awful...

Into the valley of life and death: spectacular and unspoiled, Guatemala is a traveller's dream, yet faced with a tourism boom an essential balance must be struck. (Central America).
March 1, 2002... THE MEMORY OF WAR IS STILL AS FRESH AS wet blood, yet in the villages around Lake Atitlan, the scene is more carnivalesque than funerary. Each village is defined by its own hand embroidered, jewel-coloured uniform, worn by its inhabitants every...