Geographical articles from November 2005

Geographical archives from November 2005

What's in a word?(FROM THE EDITOR)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... The words 'exploration' and 'controversy' never seem to be anything other than the closest of companions. Although it isn't immediately clear why, the former causes anxiety, offence, stress, headaches and downright confusion. It's a word that...

Earthwatch is holding a lecture at the RGS-IBG in London on 17 November featuring Dr Laurie Marker of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, who will talk about reconciling the needs of endangered species and humans in Namibia and Kenya.(UK)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Earthwatch is holding a lecture at the RGS-IBG in London on 17 November featuring Dr Laurie Marker of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, who will talk about reconciling the needs of endangered species and humans in Namibia and Kenya. Admission is...

The 276 inhabitants of Tristan de Cunha, a remote British volcanic island in the South Atlantic.(TRISTAN DE CUNHA)
November 1, 2005... The 276 inhabitants of Tristan de Cunha, a remote British volcanic island in the South Atlantic, are now able to shop online as the island has finally been given its own postcode.

Stephen Lewis, the UN's special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, claims that Uganda is "under the influence of the American policy through the presidential initiative of emphasising abstinence far and away over condoms".(UGANDA)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Stephen Lewis, the UN's special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, claims that Uganda is "under the influence of the American policy through the presidential initiative of emphasising abstinence far and away over condoms". He also said condoms in...

This photograph of a newly emerged swallowtail butterfly, taken in Cyprus by Fiona Lea, is the overall winner of the Ecological Society's 2005 photography competition.(Worldwatch)(Illustration)
November 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: This photograph of a newly emerged swallowtail butterfly, taken in Cyprus by Fiona Lea, is the overall winner of the Ecological Society's 2005 photography competition. "We had found the chrysalis on fennel...

Internet poses threat to endangered species.(Worldwatch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... GLOBAL The internet is increasing the illegal trade in endangered species and threatening some animals with extinction, claims the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). According to IFAW, the listing of endangered species is common...

Shackleton awarded Blue Planet Prize.(Worldwatch)(Professor Sir Nicholas Shackleton and Dr Gordon Hisashi Sato )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... JAPAN Professor Sir Nicholas Shackleton and Dr Gordon Hisashi Sato have been awarded this year's prestigious Blue Planet Prize; Shackleton for his contribution to palaeoclimatology and Sato for developing new mangrove-planting technology in...

War technology aids elephant conservation.(Worldwatch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... NAMIBIA Seismic sensors developed during the war in Vietnam to track enemy movements are helping scientists survey elephant populations. The data collected are providing ecologists with vital information for the management and conservation of...

Bustards back in business.(Worldwatch)
November 1, 2005... UK After more than 130 years, the great bustard--the world's heaviest flying bird--is making a comeback in the UK. Last recorded in the UK in Wiltshire in 1873, the bird is being reintroduced on Ministry of Defence (MoD) land on Salisbury...

Top 10: largest producers of meat.(Worldwatch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Top 10 Largest producers of meat '000 tonnes 1 China 67,772 2 USA 39,195 3 Brazil 16,605 4 France 6,521 5 Germany 6,503 6 India 5,762 7 Spain ...

Scientific Exploration Society.(Geographical Organisations of Note)
November 1, 2005... When was the Scientific Exploration Society (SES) founded and how? In 1969, a group of like-minded scientists and explorers came together to found the society following the successful descent of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia--the world's first...

Too little, too ape?(Worldwatch)
November 1, 2005... In 50 years' time, the number of Sumatran orangutans living in the wild could drop as low as 250, given the rate at which their habitat is currently being destroyed This is one of the findings of the first World Atlas of Great Apes and their...

Nepal.(GEOGRAPHICAL FLAGS OF THE WORLD)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... DESCRIPTION: The Nepalese flag is the only national flag that isn't the standard rectangular or square shape. The flag is made up of two overlapping triangles, the top one smaller than the lower one. It is crimson, bordered in blue. The upper...

Frederick Courtenay Selous (1851-1917).(Late Great Geographers #61)(Biography)
November 1, 2005... The epitome of a Victorian gentleman, Frederick Selous was a hunter, naturalist and conservationist who explored vast areas of Southern Africa and made valuable biological observations What was his background? Frederick Courtenay...

Geographical Magazine, November 1955.(50 YEARS AGO TODAY ...)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... In November 1955, Geographical published Portugal's permanence in Africa, an article by historian Michael Teague on the colony of Angola. Teague charted Angola's progress from its colonisation in 1482 (Europe's first in West Africa) to its rise...

An eight-month project has begun to move 400 elephants from Kenya's overcrowded Shimba Hills Reserve to the much larger Tsavo East National Park.(KENYA)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... An eight month project has begun to move 400 elephants from Kenya's overcrowded Shimba Hills Reserve to the much larger Tsavo East National Park. Moving the 2-4-tonne animals will cost 1.8 million [pounds sterling].

Production has been suspended at 7,000 Chinese coal mines--a third of the country's total--until they meet national safety standards.(CHINA)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Production has been suspended at 7,000 Chinese coal mines--a third of the country's total--until they meet national safety standards. More than 3,000 miners have been killed in 2005 alone

The Alpine Club is holding a one day symposium to coincide with its annual dinner on 3 December at Rheged near Penrith, Cumbria.(UK)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The Alpine Club is holding a one day symposium to coincide with its annual dinner on 3 December at Rheged near Penrith, Cumbria. The focus of the symposium, to be chaired by Stephen Venables, will be the mountain ranges east of the Himalaya in...

Breathtaking conditions.(Weatherwatch with BBC weather forecaster Helen Willets)(weather and health)
November 1, 2005... What types of weather can affect our health? From sunburn to hypothermia--not to mention hurricanes-it's clear that the weather can affect us all. That a thunderstorm can leave an asthma patient short of breath is, however, less well known,...

As many as 4,000 people could eventually die of radiation exposure as a result of the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, say scientists.(UKRAINE)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... As many as 4,000 people could eventually die of radiation exposure as a result of the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, say scientists. However, by the middle of this year, fewer than 50 deaths had been directly attributed to the incident.

Eighteen lobby groups, comprising millions of members and supporters, have joined forces to put pressure on the UK government to make climate change its top priority, meet its 2010 target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent, and commit to the EU-wide 30 per cent reduction of emissions by 2020.(UK)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Eighteen lobby groups, comprising millions of members and supporters, have joined forces to put pressure on the UK government to make climate change its top priority, meet its 2010 target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent, and...

Hilary Lister from Canterbury has become the first quadriplegic sailor to complete a solo crossing of the English Channel.(UK)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Hilary Lister from Canterbury has become the first quadriplegic sailor to complete a solo crossing of the English Channel. The 33-year-old controlled her eight-metre boat by blowing and sucking through straws during the six hour crossing.

Quizzical: once again, Chris Edwards tackles some of life's great mysteries, such as why climbers lose their appetite at high altitudes, why airmail stickers say 'par avion' and how Stanley found Livingstone.
November 1, 2005... Why do airmail letters carry the French words 'par avion'? S Wilson, Warwick Over the past years or so, English has become the de facto international language. But the standards for letters were set during the 19th century, when...

Unseen Island Life exhibition.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Launched last month, the Unseen Island Life exhibition at the Society's headquarters features 70 photos of the Caribbean taken by Harry Johnston in 1908 09. The photography illustrates everyday life, including agriculture, markets and religion...

Free maps.(www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Ordinance Survey, an RGS IBG corporate benefactor, is providing free maps for every 11-year old in the country, as part of an ongoing initiative with schools * To take advantage of the scheme, register your order online at...

Exploring expedition preparation.(In Society: A round-up of news, views and recent and forthcoming events at the RGS-IBG)(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... EDITORIAL: This month, the Society's annual Explore conference, organised by the Expedition Advisory Centre (EAC), will bring together exploration enthusiasts from all over the world with interests ranging from scientific and cultural research...

Forthcoming EAC course dates.(In Society: A round-up of news, views and recent and forthcoming events at the RGS-IBG)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
November 1, 2005... Certificate in Off-Site Safety Management: 19-20 October 2005 at the RGS-IBG Overseas Expeditions and Fieldwork: 12 October 2005 at Newmarket Educational Visits Co-ordinator: various dates between October 2005 and May 2006 Land...

The Society looks back--in pictures.(In Society: A round-up of news, views and recent and forthcoming events at the RGS-IBG)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... To mark its 175th anniversary, the Society has produced a new hardback book illustrating both its history and its collections. Featuring more than 400 images drawn from the Society's historical and modern collections, To the Ends of the Earth...

A selection of November's Society events.(In Society: A round-up of news, views and recent and forthcoming events at the RGS-IBG)(Calendar)
November 1, 2005... For details, please contact the Events Office on 020 7591 3100 * 2 November, 7pm Bill Oddie's Patagonia (LECTURE, LONDON) Bill Oddie tells of his visit to the World Land Trust's Coastal Steppe Project in Patagonia with a BBC crew...

The distance from A to B: John Adams's road map of England and Wales (1677).(MAP OF THE MONTH)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... It was around 1672 when John Adams first had the idea of creating a map showing the road distances of England and Wales. At the time, he was staying with a Mr Lloyd at Llanvorda in Shropshire, who was in the process of designing a fishery on...

Bringing the world back home.(RGS EXPLORATION)(To the Ends of the Earth)(Excerpt)
November 1, 2005... GLOBAL The history of the Royal Geographical Society is associated with the pioneering expeditions of Stanley, Burton, Scott, Shackleton, et al, which helped to document the world as we know it today. Here we present a selection of images from...

Running the rapids in the Grand Canyon: the Colorado River's course through the Grand Canyon is one of the great North American journeys. Paul Harris takes on the river's notorious rapids, riding in the wake of 19th-century explorer Major John Wesley Powell.(COLORADO RIVER)
November 1, 2005... We pulled into a tiny beach on day nine to scout Crystal, one of the biggest and most notorious rapids in the Grand Canyon. Squinting in the harsh sun, we spent a long time trying to determine the best way through the succession of monstrous...

Jungle: the world's tropical rainforests have provided us with everything from rubber to chocolate and pharmaceuticals. By chopping them down, are we throwing away a potential future bounty?(Geographical dossier)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The jungle is the most complex place on Earth. Home to more than half of the world's pland and animal species, it plays a vital role in keeping the planet healthy and has sustained human communities for millennia. Throughout history, we've...

Taking the pulse: the world's dwindling tropical rainforests represent our largest reservoir of biodiversity and play a vital role in maintaining ecological services.(Geographical dossier/jungle)
November 1, 2005... The tropical forests originated almost 200 million years ago during the early days of the dinosaurs. They were huddled together in the giant supercontinent Pangaea, which was centred around the equator and covered by huge ferns and early forms...

In search of bounty: the rainforests were a natural treasure trove for the European explorers who first visited them and have since provided the source materials for some of today's most commonplace technologies and products.(Geographical dossier/jungle)
November 1, 2005... From the earliest times, the jungle's bounty came in plant form. Some of the earliest voyages of the conquistadors to the Americas had, as a subsidiary aim to the discovery of El Dorado, the penetration of the cinnamon forests. It turned out...

New harvests: today, humanity relies upon rainforests for sustaining livelihoods, boosting economies and providing potential cures for such illnesses as malaria and cancer.(Geographical dossier/jungle)
November 1, 2005... Forests have arguably played a larger role in the development of human societies than any other resource, bar water and soil. The prime marketable product of most forests today is wood for use as timber, fuel wood, pulp and paper, providing...

The riddle of Lewa Downs: the black leopard is one of the world's most elusive creatures. So when reports filtered through to Christopher Ondaatje that one had been seen on Lewa Downs in central Kenya, he dropped everything, grabbed his cameras and drove deep into the bush to fulfill a lifelong ambition: to see a black leopard in the wild.(BLACK LEOPARD)
November 1, 2005... "To see the panther is very unlucky, very bad." There was a pained look in Taraiyo's eyes. "There will be drought and bad times. This is always the way when we see the panther. It is evil and should be killed. We must pray to Maa. He is the God...

From pole to poll: as part of this special, exploration-themed issue, we decided to solicit the opinions of some of the respected and inspiring individuals we loosely call explorers. Not that many of them would use that label themselves, as we rapidly discovered.(EXPLORATION POLL)
November 1, 2005... Our survey allowed some of the world's pre-eminent explorers to tell it as they see it. Unafraid of most things, as explorers tend to be, they certainly weren't reticent in voicing their opinions and, in some cases, in stirring up a little...

How to be an explorer: planning an expedition can often seem more daunting than actually carrying it out. Jo Sargent discovers some tips and tricks for increasing your chances of success.
November 1, 2005... Butterfly net in hand, the pith-helmeted explorers of yesteryear wandered the world in the name of science and the pursuit of glory. But times have changed: all four corners of the globe are now open to anyone with the necessary drive and...

Scotland's forgotten explorer: overshadowed by Livingstone, Burton and Stanley, the exploits of the hapless John Duncan have been all but forgotten. Derek O'Connor tells the story of a pioneering Scottish explorer in the old West African French colony of Dahomey.(Cover Story)
November 1, 2005... On a blisteringly hot day in June 1845, a tall Scot on a tiny horse rode into Abomey, capital of the infamous West African slave-trading nation of Dahomey. In defiance of the equatorial heat, and seemingly of all common sense, he was dressed in...

We're all explorers now: the roots of adventure travel lie more in the Swinging Sixties than in serious exploration, but its emerging position as a serious option for the short-break tourist means more of us are going farther and farther afield. Tom Chesshyre takes a walk back down the hippy trail.(TRAVEL MATTERS)
November 1, 2005... My feet were agony itself. New hiking boots had robbed against my heels, creating blisters the size of ten-pence pieces. I was sunburnt, my back ached and I'd overfilled my pack (never, never again). I was totally knackered--I'm not used to...

Wally Herbert: the greatest of them all? Ranulph Fiennes called him the "greatest explorer of our time". His physical achievements defy statistics, but it's his spiritual connections that set him apart from the rest, says his old friend Robin Hanbury-Tenison.(GEOPEOPLE: WALLY HERBERT)
November 1, 2005... No-one has covered more ground than Wally Herbert--more than 40,000 kilometres, the majority of it through areas that haven't been visited since. And no-one has mapped more country--some 120,000 square kilometres. Nor has anyone made a greater...

History's ultimate explorer.(GEOGRAPHICAL ARCHIVE)
November 1, 2005... In the Golden Age of Exploration, no endeavour proved to be more challenging than the early attempts to reach the poles. Captain Robert Falcon Scott's valiant, but ultimately tragic expedition to the South Pole has been etched indelibly into...

The Adventures of Captain Hatteras.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... The Adventures of Captain Hatteras by Jules Verne First published in 1874. Most recent edition published by Oxford University Press, pb, pp402, 8.99 [pounds sterling] When Richard Shandon signs on as commander of the Forward, he doesn't...

Worlds Within.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... Worlds Within by Robin Hanbury-Tenison The Long Riders Guild, hb, pp284, 19.99 [pounds sterling] This is Robin Hanbury-Tenison's account of two journeys: his trek across the Sahara with a group of Tuareg tribesmen and an exploration of...

Crimes against Nature.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... Crimes against Nature by Robert F Kennedy Jr Penguin Books, pb, pp280, 7.99 [pounds sterling] Robert F Kennedy Jr's environmental credentials are nigh-on flawless. His CV includes positions as senior attorney for the Natural Resources...

The legend of Lawrence.(Lawrence of Arabia: The Life, the Legend)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... The legend of Lawrence Lawrence of Arabia: The Life, the Legend by Malcolm Brown Thames & Hudson, hb, pp208, 24.95 [pounds sterling] Seventy years ago, a former Royal Air Force serviceman died after a motorcycling accident in Dorset,...

A rocky ride through Rome's history.(The Seven Hills of Rome)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... A rocky ride through Rome's history The Seven Hills of Rome by Grant Heiken et al Princeton University Press, hb, pp288, 18.95 [pounds sterling] Now here's a tourist guide to Rome with a difference. This book goes millions of years beyond...

Not a mole hill to be seen.(Mountains from Space)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... Mountains from Space by Stefan Dech et al Harry N Abrams, hb, pp224, 25.95 [pounds sterling] Mountains from Space provides us with the chance to see our planet's high places from a perspective normally enjoyed only by astronauts. Its...

North-East Passage to Muscovy.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... North East Passage to Muscovy by Kit Mayers, Sutton Publishing, hb, pp241, 20 [pounds sterling] Only maritime history enthusiasts will have heard of Stephen Borough--a state of affairs that Kit Mayers hopes to rectify with North-East...

The Village in the Jungle.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... The Village in the Jungle by Leonard Woolf, Eland, pb, pp216, 12.99 [pounds sterling] In 1913, Leonard Woolf published his first novel, The Village in the Jungle, which was based on his experiences in the colonial service in Ceylon before...

On Younghusband's Path: Peking to Pindi.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... On Younghusband's Path: Peking to Pindi by Tom Broadbent, Head-Hunter, pb, pp255, 9.99 [pounds sterling] This is the first of four books by adventurer Tom Broadbent, woven around the Central Asian and Himalayan journeys of renowned Raj...

Paperback round-up.(Last Voyage of Captain Cook: The Collected Writings of John Ledyard; Journal of a Residence Among the Negroes in the West Indies; Thomas More's Magician: A Novel Account of Utopia in Mexico)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... Great travel tales continue to be gripping and inspiring long after the journeys were actually made. So it comes as little surprise that the accounts of some of the world's earlier travellers continue to be republished, reread and admired. ...

Top 10 writer's reads.
November 1, 2005... This month: Robin Hanbury-Tenison This month: Robin Hanbury.Tenison Robin Hanbury-Tenison is the editor of The Oxford Book of Exploration and one of the founders of Survival International. His latest book, Worlds Within, is reviewed on...

Meetings with Remarkable Muslims.(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... Meetings with Remarkable Muslims by various authors, Eland, hb, pp312, 18.99 [pounds sterling] At a time when the 'public face' of Muslims seems to be a grainy CCTV shot of a suspected terrorist, Meetings with Remarkable Muslims is most...

Travellers' tales from a heroic era.(Dead Reckoning: Tales of the Great Explorers 1800--1900)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2005... Dead Reckoning: Tales of the Great Explorers 1800--1900 edited by Helen Whybrow WW Norton and Company, hb, pp576, 13.99 [pounds sterling] "Ignorance of what the future has in store is often not a bad thing," wrote Elizabeth Le Blond just...

All-weather protection: cold, wet, miserable? It doesn't have to be that way, thanks to recent revolutions in outdoor-clothing technology.(essentials gear)
November 1, 2005... When I was 12, my parents bought me a waterproof neoprene coat to protect me from the vagaries of the autumnal Welsh weather during a field-studies trip to the Brecon Beacons. The only trouble was that whenever I moved while wearing it, the...

Women on tour.(Cotswold Outdoor and North Face organize events)
November 1, 2005... Cotswold Outdoor has teamed up with The North Face and women-only outdoor skills centre Chicks Unleashed for a series of free evening events in Cotswold Outdoor stores around the UK. The events will highlight the way in which the outdoor...

On a tribal tip.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... While this isn't the kind of fabric we usually feature here, we thought it worth a mention. Tribal Textiles is a fair-trade textile-design organisation and manufacturing company located in Zambia's Luangwa Valley that employs 200 people to...

Travel on the cards.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Now you can play at travelling while you're travelling. New card game Backpacker allows two to six players to put their budget-travel skills to the test, avoiding sickness, fully booked flights and theft in order to travel to and photograph...

Rohan returns to its roots.(GEAR ESSENTIALS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Rohan is celebrating 30 years of outdoor-gear design with a range of retro-styled travel clothes using designs it pioneered at its launch but featuring the latest smart fabrics. When Rohan launched its first range in 1975, the company...

Glowing, glowing, not gone.(GEAR ESSENTIALS)(Glow Ring makes a self illuminating device )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Imagine a self illuminating device that works continuously without the need for batteries, light or recharging for ten years. As hard as it is to believe, the Glow Ring safety marker keyring does just that--and for just 10 [pounds sterling]....

Top Flight jacket survives festival.(GEAR ESSENTIALS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The Prophecy PacLite jacket from The North Face's Flight Series has been on the market for some time. So what's the news? Well, Geographical recently tested the 150 [pounds sterling] jacket during this year's deluge-affected Glastonbury...

West Nile virus: medical advice from Jason Gibbs, head pharmacist at Nomad Travel stores and health clinics.(Travel health)
November 1, 2005... Following the recent flooding in the southern USA, there was much discussion about the possibility of outbreaks of diseases such as typhoid and cholera. Such outbreaks are rare following disasters in developed nations as they require an initial...

Signal Books: Mad Dog Resort Guides.(The Geographical Good Guide Guide: Helping you choose that vitally important, but often rather confusing, item of kit: the guidebook)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... A BIT OF HISTORY After two years as a guide at Les Trois Vallees in France, Kate Whittaker decided that answering the same questions every day was too much like hard work. So she wrote all the answers down and Mad Dog Resort Guides was...

Explorer's essentials: Glenn Shaw, adventurer with brittle bone condition.
November 1, 2005... 1. A satellite phone I never leave for an expedition without one. 2. Duct tape Over the years, I've forgotten how many uses I've found for this stuff, from fixing torn clothing and patching holes in tents and kayaks to lashing a...

Out of Africa: for many of us, an African wildlife safari represents the trip of a lifetime. Keith Wilson offers some tips to ensure that you return with some fittingly awesome photos.(Geo photo)
November 1, 2005... Riding in an open-topped Land Rover across the vast plains of East and Southern Africa photographing the continent's legendary wildlife is high among the aspirations of most travel photographers. It wasn't that long ago that a safari involved a...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2005... Having broken the golden rule of never reading my published articles, I was embarrassed to discover that photographer Martin Hartley's website appeared incorrectly at the foot of my feature on photographic equipment (Essential gear:...

Not beating about the bush.(Mailbag)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... Ray Mears makes an interesting point when he says in your feature article, A very British bushman (September 2005), that, to a certain extent, it's sad that the outdoor experience is more often expressed in the gear required for it than the...

Unfair criticism.(Mailbag)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... The report by the International Medical Corps, covered in September's Worldwatch, stating that humanitarian organisations are failing to meet the mental health and women's health needs of Darfur's displaced populations is both fatuous and an...

Hats off.(Mailbag)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... I found the article on Peru (A new dawn for Peru) in the October issue most interesting. In reference to the cover image, the reason some street vendors wear white hats is to indicate that they speak both Spanish and Quechua. Ida G...

A less charitable view.(Mailbag)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... Further to Tom Chesshyre's article (Time for clarity on charity challenges, July 2005) and the letter from Mr Foot (Mailbag, August 2005), I would like to ask what it is about these so-called charity challenges that deserves any sponsorship....

Lost in the post.(LETTERS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Founded on the banks of the Somes River by salt miners, the city featured on this stamp is the capital of the county of the same name. As a consequence of the Second Vienna Award, ownership of the city--whose name means 'Big Village'--was...

National treasure.(Letter of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2005... May I say how delighted was with me article about the National Forest--A forest for the future--published in the June edition of Geographic? The author, Nigel Hicks, has captured the dynamism of what we're trying to achieve through the creation...

Returning from the field.(Suraj Goonewardene )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Back in the country this month is Knuckles 2005: Phase II, a Geographical Fieldwork Grant-supported project run by Suraj Goonewardene of the University of Edinburgh. Goonewardene has spent two years in the tropical rainforest of Sri Lanka's...

Forthcoming deadlines.(Calendar)
November 1, 2005... 28 OCTOBER: Neville Shulman Challenge Award: 10,000 [pounds sterling] for a geographical project that involves a strong element of physical and/or mental challenge 31 OCTOBER: The Ray Y Gildea Jr Award: 2,750 [pounds sterling] for...

Grants news: Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) grants offer Greg Dow discusses an RGS-IBG-funded project that's helping a village in northern India move to be closer to a reliable water source.(Grants news)
November 1, 2005... Relocation, relocation, relocation The ancient kingdom of Zanskar, located within the region of Ladakh in the far north of India among the mountains of the Himalaya, is a high altitude semi desert The surrounding terrain is characterised by...

Christian Amodeo in conversation with ... Nick Middleton.(Interview)
November 1, 2005... Nick Middleton is an adventurer and University of Oxford geography lecturer best known for his television series Surviving Extremes and Extremes along the Silk Road. He is also an author, and has written 16 books and more than 200 articles for...