Cook Islands - Aitutaki (1)

Cooling shade and colourful kayaks at O'otu Beach, Aitutaki.

Sent by Kimiora from Aitutaki, Cook Islands.

Aitutaki, also traditionally known as Araura, Ararau and Utataki, is one of the Cook Islands, north of Rarotonga. It has a population of approximately 2,000. Aitutaki is the second most visited island of the Cook Islands. The main village is Arutanga (Arutunga) on the west side.

Aitutaki is an "almost atoll". It has a maximum elevation of approximately 123 metres with the hill known as Maunga Pu close to its northernmost point. The land area of the atoll is 18.05 km², of which the main island occupies 16.8 km². The Ootu Peninsula, protruding east from the main island in a southerly direction along the eastern rim of the reef, takes up 1.75 km² out of these 16.8 km² for the main island. For the lagoon, area figures between 50 and 74 km² are found. Satellite image measurement suggests that the larger figure also includes the reef flat, which is commonly not considered part of a lagoon.

The barrier reef that forms the basis of Aitutaki is roughly the shape of an equilateral triangle with sides 12 kilometres in length. The southern edge of the triangle is almost totally below the surface of the ocean, and the eastern side is composed of a string of small islands (including Mangere, Akaiami, and Tekopua).

The western side of the atoll contains many of Aitutaki's important features including a boat passage through the barrier reef allowing for anchorage close to shore at Arutanga. Towards the south of the side is a small break in the barrier reef, allowing access for small boats to the lagoon which covers most of the southern part of the triangle. Further to the north is the bulk of the main island. Its fertile volcanic soil provide tropical fruits and vegetables. Two of Aitutaki's 15 islets (motus) are also volcanic. The rest are made of coral.

Aitutaki Airport is located close to the triangle's northern point. There is an area suitable to land flying boats in the southeastern part of the lagoon. (read further)

Cook Islands

Two beautiful little islands lie in the middle of Aitutaki's pristine lagoon. This view of Rapota is from Motu Rakau, where the TV series Survivor and Shipwrecked were both filmed.

Sent by Kimiora from Aitutaki, Cook Islands.

The Cook Islands (Cook Islands Māori: Kūki 'Āirani) is a parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand. It comprises 15 small islands whose total land area is 240 square kilometres (92.7 sq mi). The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), however, covers 1,800,000 square kilometres (690,000 sq mi) of ocean.

The Cook Islands' defence and foreign affairs are the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands. In recent times, the Cook Islands have adopted an increasingly independent foreign policy. Although Cook Islanders are citizens of New Zealand, they have the status of Cook Islands nationals, which is not given to other New Zealand citizens.

The Cook Islands' main population centres are on the island of Rarotonga (14,153 in 2006), where there is an international airport. There is a much larger population of Cook Islanders in New Zealand, particularly the North Island. In the 2006 census, 58,008 self-identified as being of ethnic Cook Islands Māori descent.

With about 100,000 visitors travelling to the islands in the 2010–11 financial year, tourism is the country's main industry, and the leading element of the economy, far ahead of offshore banking, pearls, and marine and fruit exports. (read further)

Falkland Islands - Stanley (2)

Sent by Vanessa from Stanley, Falkland Islands.

Falkland Islands - Stanley (1)

First impressions along the Harbour Edge.

Sent by Vanessa from Stanley, Falkland Islands.

Stanley /ˈstænli/ (also known as Port Stanley) is the capital of the Falkland Islands. It is located on the island of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope in one of the wettest parts of the islands. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 2,115. Stanley is represented by five members of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands, currently Jan Cheek, Barry Elsby, Dick Sawle, Gavin Short and Mike Summers.

Today, Stanley is the main shopping centre on the islands and the hub of East Falkland's road network. Attractions include the Falkland Islands Museum, Government House – built in 1845 and home to the Governor of the Falkland Islands (currently Nigel Haywood) – and a golf course, as well as a whalebone arch, a totem pole, several war memorials and the shipwrecks in its harbour. The Falkland Islands Company owns several shops and a hotel. Stanley has four pubs, eleven hotels & guesthouses, three restaurants, a fish and chip shop and the main tourist office. There are three churches including the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral, the southernmost cathedral in the world. A bomb disposal unit in the town is a legacy of the Falklands War.

The town hall serves as a post office, philatelic bureau, law court and dance hall. The police station also contains the islands' only prison, with a capacity of thirteen in the cells. (read further)

Montenegro - Durmitor National Park

Montenegro - Durmitor

Sent by Tina of Slovenia who visited Durmitor National Park.

Durmitor National Park comprises Mount Durmitor plateau and the valley formed by the canyon of the River Tara, incorporating three major geomorphologic features: canyons, mountains and plateaux. Because of its geographical location and range in altitude, the park is under the influence of both Mediterranean and alpine microclimates, which has resulted in an exceptional range of species.

Geologically, Durmitor and Tara canyons are made up of rocky massifs of the Mesozoic era (from the Lower Triassic to the Upper Cretaceous), Tertiary and Quaternary periods. The dominant features are the limestone formations of the Middle and Upper Triassic, the Upper Jurassic and the Upper Cretaceous, especially the so-called Durmitorean flysch. The River Tara, one of the last wild rivers in Europe, has pure, clear waters, a gorge 1,300 m deep and notable floristic and faunistic diversity. The 16 glacial lakes of the Durmitor and the canyons of the Tara, Susica and Draga rivers were formed during the Quaternary period, following the sudden thaw of the snow and the formation of glaciers on the Durmitor and neighbouring mountains. The waters of the largest lake, Black Lake, feed two separate river basins: the River Tara, and underground through the Durmitor Massif, the River Komarnica or Piva. There are numerous examples of weathering processes, rock shapes and land features characteristic of karstic erosion, fluvial erosion and glacial erosion.

Vegetation zones include deciduous forest, coniferous forest and subalpine zones. The dominant species include Scots pine, Norway pine, silver fir, beech, occasional birch, mugo pine and juniper. The park supports a rich karstic flora with many rare and endemic species. There are 37 taxa endemic to the area and six specific to Durmitor. The park contains one of the last virgin black pine forests in Europe, on soils that would usually develop beech woodland.

The Tara and its tributaries, as well as the lakes, contain a large number of salmonidae. Forest fauna includes brown bear, wolf, wild boar, wild cat, chamois, various species of eagle, capercaillie, black grouse and rock partridge. (Source)

Ireland - County Donegal - Sea Arch

Naturally formed Sea Arch, County Donegal.

Sent by Claudia, WiP partner from Ireland.

Spain - Balearic Islands - Menorca

Cala Galdana in Menorca.

Sent by Valérie from Belgium who visited Menorca.

Minorca or Menorca (Catalan: Menorca [məˈnɔrkə]; Spanish: Menorca [meˈnorka]; from Latin: Insula Minor, later Minorica "minor island") is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca.

Minorca has a population of approximately 94,383 (2010). It is located 39°47' to 40°00'N, 3°52' to 4°24'E. Its highest point, called El Toro or Monte Toro, is 358 metres (1,175 ft) above sea level. (read further)

U.S.A. - Nebraska - Mapcard

Nebraska became the 37th state admitted to the Union on March 1, 1867. Known as the "Cornhusker State," Nebraska ranks 15th in size among all 50 states, and supports a great diversity of industry and agriculture.

Sent by Mallory from Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

Nebraska /nəˈbræskə/ is a state that lies in both the Great Plains and the Midwestern United States. Its state capital is Lincoln. Its largest city is Omaha, which is on the Missouri River.

The state is crossed by many historic trails, but it was the California Gold Rush that first brought large numbers of non-indigenous settlers to the area. Nebraska became a state in 1867. (read further)

U.S.A. - Wyoming - Mapcard

WYOMING

Sent by Maille and Matt Gray from Lander, Wyoming, USA.

U.S.A. - Oklahoma - State Capitol Building

OKLAHOMA STATE CAPITOL
OKLAHOMA CITY
Situated among working oil wells on old Route 66, the Oklahoma State Capitol building is now complete with a concrete dome 87 years after the building's construction in 1915.

Sent by Lisa from Oklahoma City, USA.

The Oklahoma State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the building that houses the Oklahoma Legislature and executive branch offices. It is located along Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City. The present structure includes a dome that was completed in 2002. The building is a National Historic Landmark.

Oklahoma's first state capital was Guthrie, Oklahoma, but was moved to Oklahoma City in 1910. Construction began on the Oklahoma State Capitol in 1914 and was completed in 1917. Originally, it housed the judicial branch of Oklahoma, but the state's high courts moved to the Oklahoma Judicial Center in 2011.

The state capitol complex is the only state capitol grounds in the United States with active oil rigs.(read further)

U.S.A. - Arkansas - State Capitol Building

ARKANSAS STATE CAPITOL
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
Constructed from 1899 to 1915, Arkansas' State Capitol is a scaled down replica of our nation's capitol in Washington, D.C.

Sent by Terry from Sherwood, Arkansas, USA.

The Arkansas State Capitol Building, located in Little Rock, is the main house of government of the state of Arkansas.

In 1899, the St. Louis architect George R. Mann visited the governor of Arkansas Daniel W. Jones, and presented his drawings of his winning competition design for the Montana State Capitol, which had not been built. They were hung on the walls of the old Capitol to generate interest in a new building. The drawings' attractiveness eased the passage of the bills for the new building, and also drew attention to the architect. In 1899, Mann was selected as architect by a seven-member commission that included future governor George W. Donaghey. Donaghey opposed Mann's selection and advocated a national design competition, but the majority of the commission voted for Mann. After Donaghey was elected governor in 1908, he forced Mann off the project and selected Cass Gilbert to finish the Capitol.

Construction took 16 years, from 1899 to 1915. The Capitol was built on the site of the state penitentiary and prisoners helped construct the building. They lived in a dormitory that was left on the Capitol grounds while construction was taking place.

The Capitol foundations were aligned incorrectly by their original builder, future Governor George Donaghey. He centered the building on the centerline of Fifth Street (now Capitol Avenue), but he aligned the building north-south using the still-standing penitentiary walls as a guide without recognizing that Fifth Street was not aligned east-west; like other "east-west" downtown Little Rock streets, it runs parallel to the Arkansas River at a slight angle off true east-west. Therefore, the structure is situated in a north-south manner from end-to-end, which does not fit the grid street pattern of Little Rock's downtown. This also led to a slight S-curve in the formal entrance walkway between the foot of Capitol Avenue and the front steps of the Capitol. (Source)

U.S.A. - North Carolina - Raleigh

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
Raleigh was established as the capital of North Carolina in 1792 and this beautiful city is now a focal point of governmental educational, commercial, and social activity in the state.

Sent by Tiffany from Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

Raleigh (/ˈrɔːli/; raw-lee) is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees, which line the streets in the heart of the city. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2011 estimated population was 416,468, over an area of 142.8 square miles (370 km²), making Raleigh currently the 42nd most populous city in the United States. It is also one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. The city of Raleigh is named after Sir Walter Raleigh, who established the lost Roanoke Colony on Roanoke Island in present-day Dare County, North Carolina.

Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill make up the three primary cities of the Research Triangle metropolitan region. The regional nickname of "The Triangle" originated after the 1959 creation of the Research Triangle Park, primarily located in Durham County, roughly midway between the cities of Raleigh and Chapel Hill, and three major research universities of North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Research Triangle region encompasses the U.S. Census Bureau's Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill in the central Piedmont region of North Carolina. As of 2012 Census Estimate the population of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill CSA was 1,998,808. The Raleigh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as of 2012 Census Estimate was 1,188,564. (read further)

Palau (2)

Palau Pacific Resort

Sent by Ella Delos Santos of Palau Pacific Resort in Koror, Palau.

Palau (1)

Palau Pacific Resort

Sent by Mr. Naoyuki Maedani, the General Manager of Palau Pacific Resort in Koror, Palau.

Palau, sometimes spelled Belau or Pelew), officially the Republic of Palau (Palauan: Beluu er a Belau), is an island country located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is geographically part of the larger island group of Micronesia. The country's population of around 21,000 is spread across 250 islands forming the western chain of the Caroline Islands. The most populous island is Koror. The islands share maritime boundaries with Indonesia, Philippines and the Federated States of Micronesia. The capital Ngerulmud is located in Melekeok State on the nearby island of Babeldaob.

The country was originally settled around 3,000 years ago by migrants from the Philippines and sustained a Negrito population until around 900 years ago. The islands were first visited by Europeans in the 18th century, and were made part of the Spanish East Indies in 1885. Following Spain's defeat in the Spanish–American War in 1898, the islands were sold to Imperial Germany in 1899 under the terms of the German–Spanish Treaty, where they were administered as part of German New Guinea. The Imperial Japanese Navy conquered Palau during World War I, and the islands were later made a part of the Japanese-ruled South Pacific Mandate by the League of Nations. During World War II, skirmishes, including the major Battle of Peleliu, were fought between American and Japanese troops as part of the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign. Along with other Pacific Islands, Palau was made a part of the United States-governed Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in 1947. Having voted against joining the Federated States of Micronesia in 1979, the islands gained full sovereignty in 1994 under a Compact of Free Association with the United States.

Politically, Palau is a presidential republic in free association with the United States, which provides defense, funding, and access to social services. Legislative power is concentrated in the bicameral Palau National Congress. Palau's economy is based mainly on tourism, subsistence agriculture and fishing, with a significant portion of Gross National Product (GNP) derived from foreign aid. The country uses the United States dollar as its currency. The islands' culture mixes Japanese, Micronesian and Melanesian elements. The majority of citizens are of mixed Micronesian, Melanesian, and Austronesian descent, with significant groups descended from Japanese and Filipino settlers. The country's two official languages are Palauan (member of the wider Sunda–Sulawesi language group) and English, with Japanese, Sonsorolese, and Tobian recognised as regional languages. (read further)

U.S.A. - North Dakota - State Flower & State Bird

NORTH DAKOTA
The Peace Garden State

State Flower : Wild Prairie Rose, selected March 7, 1907.
State Bird : Western Meadow Lark, selected March 10, 1947.

Sent by Amy from Bismarck, North Dakota, USA.

French Guiana

French Guiana

Sent by Chunly from Jahouvey in French Guiana.

French Guiana (French: Guyane française; officially just Guiana, French: Guyane) is an overseas region of France on the north Atlantic coast of South America. It borders Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west. Its 83,534 km² (32,253 sq mi) area has a very low population density of less than 3 inhabitants per km², with half of its 239,450 people in 2012 living in the metropolitan area of Cayenne, its capital. By land area it is by far the largest overseas region of France. As an oversea region, it is inside the European Union.

The addition of the adjective "French" in English comes from colonial times when five such colonies existed (The Guianas), namely from west to east: Spanish Guiana (now Guayana Region in Venezuela), British Guiana (now Guyana), Dutch Guiana (now Suriname), French Guiana, and Portuguese Guiana (now Amapá, a state in far northern Brazil). French Guiana and the two larger countries to the north and west, Guyana and Suriname, are still often collectively referred to as the Guianas and comprise one large shield landmass.

A large part of the department's economy derives from the presence of the Guiana Space Centre, now the European Space Agency's primary launch site near the equator. (read further)

Norway - Svalbard and Jan Mayen - Ny-Ålesund

Norway - Svalbard - Ny-Ålesund

Sent by Netherlands Arctic Station from Ny-Ålesund, Spitsbergen, Norway.

Ny-Ålesund ("New Ålesund") is one of the four permanent settlements on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. It is located on Brøggerhalvøya and Kongsfjorden. Like the rest of Svalbard, Ny-Ålesund is administered by the Kingdom of Norway.

Ny-Ålesund is one of the world's northernmost settlements at 78°55′N 11°56′E, and is the world's northernmost functional public settlement. It is 107 km away from Longyearbyen.

Today, it is inhabited by a permanent population of approximately 30–35 people. All of them work for one of the research stations — e.g. the Norwegian Polar Institute — or the logistics and supply company Kings Bay AS, which 'owns' and runs the research village. In the summer the activity in Ny-Ålesund is greatly increased with up to 120 researchers, technicians, and field assistants. At present, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, France, India, Italy,Japan, South Korea and China all maintain research stations at Ny-Ålesund, although not all are inhabited year-round.

Ny-Ålesund is home to the new Arctic Marine Laboratory (the northernmost in the world), which was officially opened on 1 June 2005. With many open rooms and wet and dry lab spaces alike, the marine lab is particularly useful for countries that do not maintain permanent research stations in the area. (read further)

Grenada

Multiviews of Grenada.

Sent by Spice Island Beach Resort from St. George's, Grenada.

Grenada is an island country and commonwealth realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" because of the production of nutmeg and mace crops of which Grenada is one of the world's largest exporters. Its size is 344 square kilometres (133 sq mi), with an estimated population of 110,000. Its capital is St. George's. (read further)