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الأربعاء، 9 يناير 2013

15 Really Odd Geographical Factsأغرب 15 حقيقة جغرافية حول العالم

أغرب 15 حقيقة جغرافية حول العالم


Our planet is filled with many wonderful geographical and geological anomalies and mysteries. So many so, that we may never truly unlock all of the secrets that nature has tucked away. This is a list of 15 of the more unusual or outright bizarre facts relating to geography, geology, and the earth.

1. Shortest Place Name
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The Shortest place name is "Å" it is located in both Sweden and Norway. In Scandinavian languages, "Å" means "river". The image above is one of the newly replaces road signs for the area – they are frequently stolen for their novelty value.

2. Largest City in the World (surface area)
China with Inner Mongolia highlighted in orange and Hulunbuir city highlighted in red
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The largest city in the world – based on surface area, is Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia (China) which is 263 953 km sq (102 000 sq mi).

3. Countries Completely Surrounded by One Other Country
Lesotho    photo source
Lesotho, Vatican City, and San Marino are the only countries completely surrounded by one other country. Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa, and Vatican City, and San Marino are both completely surrounded by Italy.

4. The Second Longest Geographical Name
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The second longest geographical name that is accepted in the world is “Taumatawhakatangihangak oauauotamateaturipukaka pikimaungahoronukupokaiwhe nua kitanatahu” (85 letters) which is a hill in New Zealand – it is a maori phrase which translates to “place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as land-eater, played his flute to his loved one”. It was the longest until recently (though the Guinness Book of Records still regards it as the longest); it has most likely now been supplanted by Krung thep maha nakorn amorn ratana kosin­mahintar ayutthay amaha dilok phop noppa ratrajathani burirom udom rajaniwes­mahasat harn amorn phimarn avatarn sathit sakkattiya visanukamprasit in Thailand (163 letters).

5. The Coldest and Warmest Sea
 
Persian Gulf     photo source
The White Sea, in Russia, has the lowest temperature, only -2 degrees centigrade. ThePersian Gulf is the warmest sea. In the summer its temperature reaches 35.6 degrees centigrade. 

6. World’s Oldest Constitutional Republic
San Marino   photo source
San Marino claims to be the world’s oldest constitutional republic – it was founded in 301 by a Christian stonemason fleeing persecution under Emperor Diocletian. Its constitution of1600 is the oldest written constitution in the world. San Marino is pictured above.

7. The Deepest Hole Ever Drilled by Man
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The deepest hole ever drilled by man is the Kola Superdeep Borehole, in Russia. It reached a depth of 12,261 meters (about 40,226 feet or 7.62 miles). It was drilled for scientific research and gave up some unexpected discoveries, one of which was a huge deposit of hydrogen – so massive that the mud coming from the hole was “boiling” with it.

8. Farthest Point From Earth's Center & Lowest Place on Earth Crust
Mt. Chimborazo    photo source
Due to the bulge of the earth at the equator, the peak of Ecuador's Mount Chimborazo(20,700 feet or 6,310 meters) is the point farthest from the center of the earth so the mountain claims the title of being the "highest point on earth" although Mt. Everest is still the highest point above sea level. Mt. Chimborazo is an extinct volcano and is about one degree south of the equator. 
The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans, and the lowest elevation of the surface of the Earth's crust. It is currently estimated to be up to 10,971 m (35,994 ft) deep. It is located in the western Pacific Ocean, to the east of the Mariana Islands.


9. Longest Mountain Chain on Earth
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The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the Longest mountain chain on earth (at 40 000 kilometers or 25 000 miles ). It is located along the middle of the Atlantic. Iceland is the only part of this chain that is above water. The Andes form the longest exposed mountain range at 7 000 kilometers (4 350 miles).


10. Vowel-Only Geographic Locations
Mt. Circeo    photo source
Mount Circeo on Cape Circaeum on the western coast of Italy was once called Aeaea (5 vowels in a row with no consonants). It was believed in mythology to be the home of the witch Circe. Two other vowel-only geographic locations are the town of Aiea in Hawaii, andEiao – one of the Marquise Islands.


11. The Most Northern, Eastern and Western State in All of America
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Alaska is the most Northern, Eastern and Western state in all of America. It is the only state that enters the “Eastern Hemisphere” making it also the most eastern lying and western lying state.


12. Sea Without Coasts
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The Sargasso Sea is a region in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by ocean currents, and this is the only sea that has no coast. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf Stream, on the north, by the North Atlantic Current, on the east, by the Canary Current, and on the south, by the North Atlantic Equatorial Current. This system of currents forms the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre.

13. Lake in an Ancient Meteorite Impact Crater
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Lake Bosumtwi, situated within an ancient meteorite impact crater, is approximately 8 km (5 mi) across and the only natural lake in Ghana. It is situated about 30 km (18,6 mi)south-east of Kumasi and is a popular recreational area. There are about 30 villages near the lake, with a combined population of about 70,000 people.

14. Unusual River Flow
River Nile   photo source
There is only one River in the world that has its source near the equator and from there flows into a temperate zone - the Nile. For some little understood reason, the flow of most Rivers is in the opposite direction.

15. No Land at the North Pole
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There is no land at all at the North Pole, only ice on top of sea. The Arctic Ocean has about12 million sq km (4.6 million sq mi) of floating ice and has the coldest winter temperature of -34 degrees centigrade. 

11of the Most Colorful Cities in the World أكثر 11 مدينة ملونة حول العالم


11of the Most Colorful Cities in the World




1. Guanajuato City, Mexico

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Nestled in the mountains of the Sierra de Guanajuato lies the beautiful colonial city of Guanajuato. The city was founded in 1554 next to one of the richest silver mining areas of Mexico. The 16th-century mining boom led to the construction of beautiful haciendas and fine colonial buildings.

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Guanajuato streets and many colorful alleyways spread out in every direction while most of its traffic is served by a network of underground tunnels making it an excellent city for pedestrians.

2. Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles
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Willemstad is the chief town of Curaçao located on the southern coast of the island. The Dutch colonial architecture of Willemstad is decidedly picturesque when set against the Caribbean waters.
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The historic centre of the city consists of two quarters: Punda and Otrobanda.  The Punda district is the main shopping area and the seat of government of the Netherlands Antilles. It is the oldest district of Willemstad, established in 1634. The bright and diverse colors of the buildings in Willemstad are justification enough to make the trip.

3. Valparaiso, Chile
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Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere.
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The houses here are painted all different shades of bright colors. This was because when the ships were docked for repairs and repainting, they’d leave the extra paint on the docks. People would grab whatever paint they could find and paint their houses. The colorful houses have become a Valparaiso trademark

4. St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
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St. John's is the capital and largest city of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and is the primary municipality of the St. John's Metropolitan Area. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland.
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St. John's is a colourful place. The older houses with wooden sidings are brightly coloured especially in the downtown area (viewed here).

5. Manarola, Italy
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Manarola is one of the oldest towns in Cinque Terre and is nestled in the Italian Riviera. This picturesque village sprouts out of the mountainside to provide a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean sea.
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Just climb the winding streets and enjoy and espresso at any of the outdoor cafe’s and absorb the stunning scenery.

6.Wroclaw, Poland
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Wroclaw, located in the south-west, is Poland's most charming city. The town square dates back to the 12th century, and its 14th century brick Gothic architecture is particularly inspiring.
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Like most of the country, it has a strong Roman Catholic affiliation. Thus, cathedrals of celebratory hues line the streets. 

7. Lima, Peru
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Unlike many of the tourist-driven towns on this list, Lima is very much a working city. Unique in its mixture of poverty, native and imported cultures and varied development, Lima is especially noted for its different architectural styles
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Spanish baroqueFrench neoclassicism and art nouveau buildings make the city an arena of colors and art.

8. Utrecht, Netherlands
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Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. 
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It is located in the eastern end of the Randstad, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands, with a population of 307,000.

9. Stockholm, Sweden
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Stockholm, one of the most beautiful capitals in the world, is built on 14 islands connected by 57 bridges.
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The beautiful buildings, the greenery, the fresh air and the proximity to the water are distinctive traits of this city. 

10. Jaipur, India
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Though not multicolored, Jaipur explore shades of pink. Nicknamed the “pink city, Jaipur, the capital city of the desert state of Rajasthan, features architecture of pink sandstone – from grand structures and forts to tiny markets. The town looks even more surreal with elephants, camels and cows strolling past the pink buildings.

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Painting a building a vivid color contributes greatly to the beautification of a town. A colorful facade has the power to turn an ordinary town into one bucolic and charming. If not quite ready to throw a bucket of purple paint on your home, visit these pretty towns and brave seeing the world in brighter color.

11. Jodhpur, India
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In the middle of the barren Thar desert you will find Jodhpur, also known as Blue City It got that nickname because every little building and house in this fortress city is painted in ablue color, so from above it looks like a blue spot in the middle of the Thar desert. 
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It is still unknown why they all painted in the color blue but some will say that it has something to do with the caste system in India. This historic city is full of forts, palaces and temples.


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هذه أكثر المدن الملونة على وجة الأرض والتي قد تستغرب من ألوانها الصاخبة والعديدة مقارنه بكونها مدن وليست لوحات فنية .




1- مدينة ريوماجيرو في أيطاليا وبالإنجليزية Riomaggiore, Italy : قد تعتقد للوهلة الأولى إنها مجرد صورة فنية مرسومة ولكنها في الحقيقة مدينة تتكون من الطوب الأحمر ثم تم طلائه بالعديد من الألوان لتكون بهذا الشكل الرائع و المناظر التي قد تدهشك و هذه صور آخرى لها .





2- مدينة جايبور في وراجستان بالهند : تختلف قليلاً في مظهرها فهي ليست متعددة الألوان ولكن اللون الغالب فيها هو الوردي و لذلك فهي تلقب "المدينة الوردية" و تتكون من الحجر الرملي الوردي .




3- مدينة وليمستاد في جزر الأنتيل الهولندية : وتم تشيدها في منتصف القرن الـ 17 وفي شكلها يتضح إنها مستوحاة من العمارة الاستعمارية من عاصمة جزر الانتيل الهولندية .وكما ترى في الصورتين التاليتن فهي تقع على ميناء و تضم مباني سكنية و تجارية و مطاعم وجميعها ملونة .





4- مدينة لابوكا في الأرجنتين و بالأنجليزية La Boca, Argentina : وهي عبارة عن حي في الارجنتين يقيم فيه المهاجرين الإيطاليين و يتميز بتلون جميع الأبنية فيه وكلمة La Boca تعني كلمة فم" باللغة الاسبانية حيث أن ذلك الحي يجلس على فم نهر صغير . و هذه صورتان لتلك المدينة .







5- مدينة فروكلاف في بولندا : وهي وتقع في الجنوب الغربي من بولندا ، وتعتبر المدينة الأكثر سحرا في بولندا ، ساحة المدينة يعود تاريخها الى القرن الـ 12، وبها بعض الأبنيه تم بنائها في القرن الـ 14 وهذه صورة لها .





6- مدينة ونجييربين في النرويج : عندما تقع مدينة على جزيرة في المحيط المتجمد الشمالي الأبيض و تندمج معها ألوان رائعة يكون ذلك منظر لتلك المدينة ، حيث تظهر المنازل التي طليت بألوان زاهية خلف المنظر الرائع للمياة المتجمدة وهذه صورة لها .




7- مدينة غواناخواتو، في المكسيك : تأسست تلك المدينة في عام 1554، و هي مدينة صغيرة مع مجموعة كبيرة من العمارة الاستعمارية الاسبانية وحين نترجم أسمها فهو يعني "كم هائل من الضفادع"، لأن الضفدع هو رمز المكسيكي من الحكمة ، وهذا تفسير أنتشار اللون الأخضر في المباني بجانب الألوان الاخرى و إليكم صورتان لها .