Geographical articles from November 2007

Geographical archives from November 2007

It's only natural.(FROM THE EDITOR)(Editorial)
November 1, 2007... Growing up in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, I was fortunate enough to live right next to a national park and within a half-hour's drive of some gorgeous beaches. Little surprise then, that much of my childhood was spent outdoors, whether it...

Where in the world?(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Indentify this country using the following clues: * It's the world's largest exporter of iron ore * Ethanol comprises around 40 per cent of all vehicle fuel in the country * It has the world's highest level of website defacements...

Following the advice of a fortune-teller, residents of a small community in China's Hainan province decided to change the name of their village in a bid to improve prosperity.(CHINA)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Following the advice of a fortune-teller, residents of a small community in China's Hainan province decided to change the name of their village in a bid to improve prosperity. However, the shift--from Tianmeidong to Tianwei--has resulted in an...

Robots are to be deployed during a 40-day expedition to the deepest ocean ridge under the Arctic Ocean in search of undiscovered animal species around submarine hot springs.(ARCTIC)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Robots are to be deployed during a 40-day expedition to the deepest ocean ridge under the Arctic Ocean in search of undiscovered animal species around submarine hot springs. A team of international scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic...

In an effort to reverse Russia's falling birth rate, which has sharply declined since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Sergei Morozov, governor of the province of Ulyanovsk in central Russia, is offering prizes to couples who have a baby on 12 June next year--Russia's national day.(RUSSIA)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... In an effort to reverse Russia's falling birth rate, which has sharply declined since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Sergei Morozov, governor of the province of Ulyanovsk in central Russia, is offering prizes to couples who have a baby on 12...

Summer sees fastest Arctic melt yet.(WORLDWATCH)(National Snow and Ice Data Centre's report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The Arctic icecap has receded to its smallest size since records began, following warm summer temperatures, according to a new report by the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC). The NSIDC's Dr Mark Serreze said that an area almost...

Rate of coral loss exceeds Amazon forest destruction.(WORLDWATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Marine biologists from the University of North Carolina, USA, have drawn together the findings of 6,000 independent studies of more than 2,600 reefs to demonstrate that coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian oceans are being lost at a faster...

Top 10 largest households (average people per dwelling).(WORLDWATCH)(Table)
November 1, 2007... TOP 10 LARGEST HOUSEHOLDS (AVERAGE PEOPLE PER DWELLING) 1 CONGO 8.1 2 PAKISTAN 7.2 3 KUWAIT 6.4 3 UAE 6.4 5 GUINEA 6.3 5 MEXICO 6.3 7 CAMBODIA 6.2 7...

Global food crisis looming.(WORLDWATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... A growing human population, combined with a reduction in fertile farmland, could threaten global food security and lead to a crisis in the next 50 years, according to scientists attending the UN-backed International Forum of Soils, Society and...

Rare livestock breeds facing extinction.(WORLDWATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... An over-reliance on a small proportion of livestock breeds is putting rare drought-and disease-resistant breeds at risk of extinction, according to the world's first inventory of farm animals. Worldwide, many farmers and smallholders are...

Almost half of the oak trees in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire are dead or dying due to old age.(UK)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Almost half of the oak trees in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire are dead or dying due to old age. Fewer than 1,000 oak trees remain in this once dense forest, with five dying every year. Managers of the forest have appealed for 50million...

A new museum dedicated to geography has opened in Iran to house a collection of maps and atlases from ancient Iranian, Babylonian and Greek civilisations as well as maps of Iran.(IRAN)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... A new museum dedicated to geography has opened in Iran to house a collection of maps and atlases from ancient Iranian, Babylonian and Greek civilisations as well as maps of Iran. To mark the opening, the museum has released a 1:10,000-scale map...

The Sri Lankan Army was recently forced to mount an attack on a swarm of wasps at the ancient city of Sigiriya, a World Heritage site in central Sri Lanka, after numerous tourists were stung.(SRI LANKA)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The Sri Lankan Army was recently forced to mount an attack on a swarm of wasps at the ancient city of Sigiriya, a World Heritage site in central Sri Lanka, after numerous tourists were stung. According to local police records, 100 people with...

Arrival of rains triggered migration out of Africa.(WORLDWATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Analysis of mud from the bed of Lake Malawi in southeast Africa has revealed that Homo sapiens was able to migrate out of Africa because of a shift to wetter weather. By analysing a detailed climate record...

Disease and public opinion put pigs in peril.(WORLDWATCH)(blue-eared pig disease)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the UK faces up to the arrival of the bluetongue virus, a potentially fatal swine virus, known as blue-eared pig disease, is spreading across 26 Chinese provinces, killing an estimated 40,000 pigs. According...

Four-billion-year-old diamonds shed light on Earth's formation.(WORLDWATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Diamonds discovered in rocks buried in a West Australian coastal ridge are providing geologists with a vital insight into the early geology of the Earth. Uncovered by geologists from Westfalische Wilhelms University in Munster, Germany,...

Quality of life: quality of life is measured not just by wealth, but also by health and education.(STATE OF THE WORLD)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To the extent that quality of life can be measured, richer countries offer more than poor ones. Whether they do as much as they are able depends on choices made about how to allocate their wealth, especially in...

Anglesey: Jo Sargent visits the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wales as it celebrates the 40th anniversary of its designation.(AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY)(Anglesey Island)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Following the winding path, brushing against spiny gorse bushes as I go, I make my way cautiously across the uneven ground. It's imperative that I tread carefully here--barely a stone's throw from the track, there's...

Go beyond the open road.(IN SOCIETY)(Royal Geographical Society's contest)
November 1, 2007... For decades, Land Rovers have been proving their worth in some of the world's most extreme environments on expeditions and scientific fieldwork. With winter drawing in, a trip to tropical climates or swapping a miserable commute for a journey...

Event of the month.(IN SOCIETY)(Explore's conference)(Conference news)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... 24-25 November Explore (CONFERENCE, LONDON) Whether you're planning your first expedition or your 50th, the RGS-IBG's Explore conference could be for you. Explore will provide participants with the opportunity to attend two days...

Want to make the ultimate journey?(IN SOCIETY)
November 1, 2007... Have you ever dreamed of jacking in the desk job and pursuing the adventure of a lifetime? The Society is offering a 4,000 [pounds sterling] travel bursary for one individual to undertake an original and challenging journey that will form the...

A selection of November's events.(IN SOCIETY)(Calendar)
November 1, 2007... For details, please visit www.rgs.org/whatson or contact the events office on 020 7591 3100 or events@rgs.org 12 November, 6.30pm Modern slavery in the UK (LECTURE, LONDON) Professor Gary Craig from the Wilberforce Institute...

Robert Peary's oil stove: a vital item from the US explorer's still-disputed 1909 expedition to the North Pole.(FROM THE COLLECTION)
November 1, 2007... While Robert Peary was once acknowledged to be the first man to reach the North Pole, his claim remains shrouded in controversy. What is beyond doubt is that his last expedition to the Arctic in 1909 which relied heavily on Inuit guides, their...

The Geographical photographer of the year 2007: sponsored by Olympus.(READER COMPETITION)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PRIZES FIRST PRIZE: a 10,000 [pounds sterling] 12-day Zambian safari The winner of this year's competition will receive a 12-day, all-inclusive trip for two to Zambia. The winner and guest will fly from...

The march of time.(Xingu people)(Cover story)
November 1, 2007... Established in 1961, Xingu National Park was South America's first ever 'indigenous' national park - a protected tribal territory administered by the communities who live within its boundaries. Currently hemmed in by millions of hectares of...

Lost in the concrete jungle.(Nature deficit and children's contact with nature)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Whether the blame rests with television, overprotective parents or litigation culture is unclear, but more and more children are growing up with little or no direct contact with nature. And an increasing body of...

Mining Mongolia's heart of gold: Mongolia is undergoing a mining boom, with untapped deposits of gold ripe for exploitation following the fall of Communism. Much is harvested by a nomadic army of so-called ninja miners, who toil in the valleys and sell their bounty on the black market. But despite the illicit nature of their activities, the miners are worth their weight in gold to the nation.(Ninja miners)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Alag places his small plastic container of gold flecks on the counter in his aunt Nima's supply shop. Her digital scales weigh the gold that he and his two brothers have retrieved that day. They look on in...

Forward crawl across the White Continent: fifty years ago, the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, under the leadership of Vivian Fuchs, achieved the goal that had so tragically eluded Ernest Shackleton when it made the first ever overland traverse of Antarctica. Christian Amodeo tell the tale of this epic crossing.(Trans-Antarctic Expedition)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN 1949, THE HEAD of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (now known as the British Antarctic Survey), geologist Vivian 'Bunny' Fuchs, hit upon the idea of reviving Ernest Shackleton's grand plan of a...

Life on the rocks: in parts of the Solomon Islands, getting married doesn't just mean buying or even building a house: it may mean building an entire island from the ocean floor up. Forced from the mainland by headhunters 300 years ago, the Saltwater People of Lau Lagoon have found refuge on islands they've built from coral.(Island builders)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] As if the Solomon Islands' sprawling collection of almost 1,000 coral atolls wasn't enough, villagers living on the coast of Malaita, the most populous of the islands, are building more. For half a millennium,...

Win a 5,000 [pounds sterling] 18-day Vietnam adventure: embark on the holiday of a lifetime for two and discover Vietnam with ace explorers.(EXCLUSIVE READER OFFER)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The winner and their guest will embark on this exciting adventure next year, flying from London to Hanoi on 1 November 2008 and returning on 18 November. They will travel across Vietnam, a country that is full of...

The heart of the Mata.(Brazil's Atlantic forest or Mata Atlantica )
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Mata Atlantica (Atlantic rainforest) in southeastern Brazil consists of densely forested mountains, wetlands, estuarine habitats, mangrove swamps and coastal islands, all harbouring a rich diversity of plants and...

The birth of tourism: from the Taj Mahal to the Pyramids at Giza, via Victoria Falls and Old Faithful, this month's selection of images, drawn from the Royal Geographical Society's archives, examines the origins of recreational travel and shows some of the world's most famous landmarks as they appeared in the days before they became staples on the tourist trail.(Geographical archive)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Taj Mahal at Agra in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, 1860-70. Completed in 1653, the Taj Mahal, which took 20,000 men more than 20 years to build, is one of India's most recognisable landmarks and arguably the...

Measure for measure.(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Story of Measurement by Andrew Robinson Thames & Hudson, hb, pp224, 19.95 [pounds sterling] It was General de Gaulle who is said to have famously remarked: 'How can you govern a country which has 246...

The Ferocious Summer: Palmer's Penguins and the Warming of Antarctica.(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Ferocious Summer: Palmer's Penguins and the Warming of Antarctica by Meredith Hooper Profile Books, hb, pp300, 20 [pounds sterling] Antarctica is the 'unseen fridge magnet' on the world's underside; Palmer...

Zheng He: Tracing the Epic Voyages of China's Greatest Explorer.(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Zheng He: Tracing the Epic Voyages of China's Greatest Explorer by Michael Yamashita White Star, hb, pp447, 24.95 [pounds sterling] Chinese exploration during the 15th century has been much discussed in recent...

Whatever Happened to Tanganyika? The Place Names That History Left Behind.(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Whatever Happened to Tanganyika? The Place Names That History Left Behind by Harry Campbell Portico Books, hb, pp192, 9.99 [pounds sterling] Harry Campbell had an excellent idea: to write a book about why and...

Top 10 writer's reads.(Broughton Coburn's favorite book)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Broughton Coburn lived in the Himalaya for 21 years, working in conservation and development, and is the author or editor of six books, including two US national bestsellers. He most recently co-edited Himalaya: Personal Stories of Grandeur,...

Antarctica: Exploring a Fragile Eden.(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Antarctica: Exploring a Fragile Eden by Jonathan and Angela Scott Collins, hb, pp252, 25 [pounds sterling] Once you've seen a few volumes of Antarctic photography, it's tempting to think that anyone could do it:...

Traversa.(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Traversa By Fran Sandham Gerald Duckworth, hb, pp180, 16.99 [pounds sterling] While some travellers find their inspiration poring over ancient maps, others may get it from the desire to commune with the great...

Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters: An Outrageous Englishwoman and Her Lost Kingdom.(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sylvia, Queen of the Headhunters: An Outrageous Englishwoman and Her Lost Kingdom by Philip Eade Weidenfeld & Nicolson, hb, pp362, 20 [pounds sterling] Although the hand-drawn maps on the endpapers of Eade's book...

The Clouded Leopard.(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Clouded Leopard by Wade Davis Tauris Parke Paperbacks, pb, pp231, 9.99 [pounds sterling] Every so often, we need reminding that preserving our planet's natural fabric is a global priority. Wade Davis,...

Exploration Fawcett.(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Exploration Fawcett by PH Fawcett First published in 1953. Most recent edition published by Weidenfeld & Nicholson, pb, pp368, 12.99 [pounds sterling] There can be few controversies in the history of the...

From bottles to bags: we're carbon-offsetting our flights, staying in hotels lit by solar energy and eating in restaurants serving locally produced food. But what about our rucksacks, jackets and sleeping bags? Paul Deegan attempts to pack green equipment.(ESSENTIAL GEAR)
November 1, 2007... Yvon Chouinard once said: I'm going to die with these shoes. This is the last pair of brown leather shoes I'm going to buy. That's my attitude towards buying everything: to try to buy something that is going to last the rest of my life.' ...

Ten of the best: it's entirely feasible to kit yourself out from head to toe in top-of-the-range outdoor gear that is eco-friendly as well as wallet-friendly. Check out these items and do your bit for the environment.(ESSENTIAL GEAR)(Buyers guide)
November 1, 2007... [1] Rucksack Osprey Circuit [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 50 [pounds sterling]/1.08 kilograms With 70 per cent recycled content, this 32-litre rucksack is built for everyday use. An integral laptop sleeve folds flat when not...

Buy one, get one tree.(Paramo A.S.'s environmental consciousness)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Paramo is giving away a tree with every Pajaro jacket (250 [pounds sterling]) in order to reduce its carbon footprint. But rather than having to lug it home and plant it yourself, Paramo will provide a donation to Trees for Life, who will plant...

Ultra-light head torch nets two awards.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Petzl's incredibly light and bright e+LITE head torch (25 [pounds sterling]) has recently received recognition from two very different audiences. The torch, which weighs just 27 grams and is waterproof to up to a metre, was considered to be the...

Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... More than 2,000 competitors lined up at the start of The North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in August, ready to face almost 9,000 metres of altitude change over a distance of 163 kilometres around Mont Blanc. This annual endurance race...

Hi-Tec collaborates with the NSPCC.(OUT AND ABOUT)(National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children )(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Proceeds from the sale of Hi-Tec's latest range of children's footwear will be donated to two charities working to stamp out cruelty to children in the UK. Hi-Tee hopes to raise at Peast 25,000 [pounds sterling]...

Marmot goes nuts.(OUT AND ABOUT)(fiber clothing)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... It appears that humble coconut husks have several properties that can be successfully transferred to the performance clothing market, and Marmot has been the first to take advantage, completely overhauling one of its ranges. Marmot has...

Hit the heights, safely.(OUT AND ABOUT)(health alert on mountaineering)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With mountaineering enjoying unprecedented growth and popularity, increasing numbers of people are choosing to take on some of the world's highest mountains, without being suitably prepared--physically, mentally or...

Explorer's essentials: , digital explorer, techer and co-founder of www.inomad.co.uk.(OUT AND ABOUT)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. BGAN satellite terminal. A phenomenal piece of kit the size of a laptop that gives broadband-speed internet access from almost anywhere in the world. * www.satcomms.com 2. Moleskine notebook. Good...

Looking after your eyes: medical advice on expedition eye care by Dr Daniel Morris of Wilderness Medical Training.(Expedition health)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most people expect their eyes to work perfectly at all times, even in the most extreme environments, risking potentially blinding consequences as a result of poor contact lens care, snow blindness or high altitude....

The Geographical Good Guide Guide: helping you choose that vitally important, but often rather confusing, item of kit: the guidebook.(OUT AND ABOUT)(Dorling Kindersley do-it-yourself travel guides)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dorling Kindersley do-it-yourself travel guides WHAT ARE THEY LIKE? The website for DK's Eyewitness travel guides allows you to create your own guides by selecting specific content from a range of DK travel...

Seeing red: geo photo: the ability to photograph what the eye can't see gives infrared photography a realm of mystery that has numerous practical applications as well as aesthetic appeal.(PHOTOGRAPHY)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Infrared radiation can't be seen with the naked eye, and its strength varies with the temperature of the subject. It's defined as those wavelengths beyond the deepest reds of the visible spectrum at 700 nanometres...

Right of reply.(LETTER OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I was heartened to learn from David MacLennan's letter in the September issue (Mailbag) that the Chagos Conservation Trust (CCT) is working towards a nationally and internationally supported framework for future conservation management in the...

First book plea.(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I was disappointed that you dedicated two thirds of a precious page to reviewing Travel: Where to Go When (Reviews, October 2007). The reviewer could have made his point (rubbish book, waste of money) in a line or two. The space could then have...

But who built them?(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] First, let me commend your efforts to bring to the fore the problems faced by the Angkor complex in Cambodia and other similar magnificent monuments around the world (Trampled temples, September 2007). The article...

Different views.(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... Your correspondent (Mailbag, October 2007) feels that it will be a shame if a cultural link from Kublai Khan's garrison to their present-day descendants is lost. However, she doesn't explain why it will be a shame, and for whom that applies....

A big time to celebrate.(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I was surprised to learn just how vital a role the Niger River plays for the people of Mall (Fishing frenzy, August 2007). Families are really dependent on the catfish supply it brings, and I was taken aback by the...

Devolution ignored.(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I was most interested to read of, and impressed by, the plans and proposals to bring about adjustments to the curriculum in order to 'put geography on the map' (In Society, September 2007). However, although the article made reference to the...

Scott not a sir.(MAILBAG)(Correction notice)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... There was an error in the Geophoto section in the September Geographical. Robert Falcon Scott wasn't knighted, although I'm sure he would have been if he had made it back. Alex Garnett, by email

Respectful disagreement.(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I respectfully disagree with some of Jonathan Wright's negative remarks regarding Tony Juniper's exemplary Saving Planet Earth book (Reviews, September 2007). Mr Juniper incisively and poignantly accentuated the moral and ecological imperative...

Correction.(MAILBAG)(Correction notice)
November 1, 2007... We neglected to mention in October's Archive (Out of Africa) that much of the text drew on research carried out by historian Cliff Pereira.

Sir Chris Bonington.(IN CONVERSATION)(Interview)
November 1, 2007... Sir Chris Bonington, 73, mountaineer and explorer, has completed 19 expeditions to the Himalaya, including four to Mount Everest and the first ascent of the south face of Annapurna, gaining a knighthood for his services to the sport in 1996....