Geography - 9koala Information sharing and downloading https://9koala.com/ Geography - 9koala Information sharing and downloading true https://9koala.com/636-desert-habitat-facts.html Admin Geography Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:57:19 +0400 Desert Habitat: Facts

What is a Desert?


Deserts cover about one fifth of the earth's land surface. There are actually four major types of desert. The deserts known as the hot and dry deserts are found close to the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. They are much different from the cold deserts like the ones found in the arcticregions of the world. The semiarid deserts and the coastal deserts are scattered all around the globe.
But just what is a desert? There seems to be a wide range of definitions and guidelines the world over as to what is classified as a desert and which type of desert an area fits into. Generally speaking, a desert is any area that receives minimal rainfall, less than 12 inches per year. Let's explore these four types of deserts.

Hot and Dry Deserts


Hot and dry deserts are, well, hot and dry. Temperatures in the hot and dry desert vary between 20° C and 49° C (68° F and 120° F) depending upon time of day and other conditions. The soils in these deserts are rocky and/or sandy and may blow in the wind.
Because they are hot and dry, very few plants can live there. The few plants that do exist in a hot and dry desert are capable of conserving water. They have hard, thick coatings and some are covered in prickly spines to prevent water loss and to protect them from animals who might try to chew through them to get to their moisture.
Most animals in the hot and dry desert tend to be nocturnal or burrowinganimals that can hide from the sun and its heat. Many can go long periods without water or can get water from their food.
The Missouri Botanical Garden provides a table which catalogues the features of some of the world's hot and dry deserts.

Cold Deserts


Cold deserts can be found in the Antarctic, Greenland, and other cold climate areas. Cold deserts are too cold to support much plant life. Mosses and lichens will grow in the springtime, and sagebrush and a few deciduous vegetation will make their homes here.
Precipitation is largely snow and the soils are often heavy and sometimes salty. Animals that live in the cold deserts are often burrowing animals that head underground to keep warm. Sometimes deer will find their way to the cold desert in search of food.
The Missouri Botanical Garden has also catalogued the features of seven of the world's cold deserts.

Semiarid Deserts


Semiarid deserts have the lowest amount of rainfall during the winter months. While the daytime can be relatively warm, the nights are much cooler. This cooling allows for the formation of dew which can be beneficial to the plants and animals.
Soil can be gravel-like or sandy in the semiarid desert and have less salt than soils of the cold desert. Plants may have silvery or reflectiveleaves to protect themselves from the sun. They may have spiny surfaces and a bad odor or taste.
Animals in the semiarid desert tend to burrow or stay in the shade of plants and rocks. Insects, small mammals, and reptiles live in the semiarid desert.

Coastal Deserts


Coastal deserts tend to have mild temperatures that change gently between winter and summer. They are usually located along western ocean coasts where the wind blows and prevents the moisture from moving inland. There are no temperature extremes in these deserts as we might see in other habitats.
Soils have good drainage and are fine, textured and porous. Plants have the ability to store water so they have it for survival when rain is scarce.
Animals have developed adaptations for living in the dry environment. Some have developed the ability to slow their life cycles while others speed up their life cycles in order to improve survival. For example, some insects liedormant for long periods until environmental conditions improve.

Desert Variations


One thing to consider is that even within a specific type of desert, there are variations in the temperatures, the amount of rainfall, and the plants and animals that live there.
Some deserts even have an area known as an oasis. An oasis is afertile area within the desert borders. Natural underground springs feed a region and provide the moisture necessary to give life in an otherwise desert environment.
National Geographic has a great site about oases you may want to visit.

Deserts in the United States

The United States has four major desert areas: The Great Basin, The Mojave, the Sonoran, and the Chihuahuan. All four are located in the western part of the United States. The Great Basin Desert is considered a cold desert, while the other three are hot and dry deserts.
The Missouri Botanical Garden has a map and additional information about these deserts.

Idaho's Desert


Southern Idaho is a sagebrush steppe desert, which is part of the Great Basin sagebrush desert that also covers much of Nevada and Utah, northeastern California, southeastern Oregon, and western Wyoming. This desert is the largest of four in North America, much of it above 4,000 feet inelevation.
It is a cold desert characterized by cold winters and hot summers. While snow is a common sight in the winter, overall moisture is limited to about 4–12 inches a year. Miles and miles of sagebrush and wildflowers such as sunflower and yarrow blanket this part of Idaho.
The Great Basin Desert covers an arid expanse of about 190,000 square miles and is bordered by the Sierra Nevada Range on the west, the Rocky Mountains on the east, the Columbia Plateau to the north and the Mojave and Sonoran deserts to the south.

How Desert Plants Survive


How do desert plants save water? Desert plants work hard to make use of what's available. They use the sun's energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) into sugar, a process calledphotosynthesis. During this process, stomata on a plant's leaves and stems open to absorb carbon dioxide from the air and in return release oxygen. Each time a plant opens its pores, some water escapes. This is called transpiration.
Replacing this lost water is not easy with so little annual moisture, and if the water cannot be replaced, the desert plants will die. So desert plants have acquired special adaptations that help them reduce water loss. Here are some of their adaptations:
  • Smaller, fewer, and deeper pores — Many desert plants have smaller, fewer, and deeper pores than other plants. With such pores, hot and dry winds are prevented from blowing directly across the pores and evaporating so much of the plants' water.
  • Waxy cover — Plants not only lose water through their pores, they also lose it through the cell walls on their leaves. The leaves and stems of many desert plants have a thick covering that is coated with a waxy substance, allowing them to seal in and protect what moisture they already have.
  • Nocturnal — Plants typically lose a large amount of water through transpiration, especially on hot, sunny days when they are doing photosynthesis like crazy. So if transpiration occurs during daytime hours, high temperatures can cause water to evaporate quickly. But if the process occurs at night, less water is lost. Often times, desert plants do not open their pores until the sun goes down and temperatures fall.
  • Little leaves — Most desert plants have small leaves, spikes for leaves, or no leaves at all. The smaller or fewer leaves a plant has, the less water is lost during transpiration since it has less surface area open to the sun and wind. For desert plants with small leaves or none at all, the twigs and stems help to carry out photosynthesis.
  • Hide and rest — During the hottest part of the day many desert grasses and other plants “roll up” their leaves (hide and rest) to reduce the amount of surface area exposed to sun and wind. Some plants simply position themselves so they have less exposure to the climatic elements on a hot, sunny day.
  • Drop 'em in drought — Some desert plants grow leaves during the high moisture period of the year and then shed their leaves when it becomes dry and hot again. Such plants are called drought deciduous. These kinds of plants carry out photosynthesis only during the moist periods.

How Do Plants Get Water?


One way desert plants, trees, and shrubs suck up as much water as possible is by growing very deep taproots. Sometimes these roots can get to be more than 100 feet long. The above-ground parts of a plant may remain small for years simply because the plant puts most of its energy into developing its taproot system.
Desert plants may have a huge, tangled network of shallow roots that spread out from the plant in all directions. The roots can be as long as the plant is tall, allowing the plant to quickly absorb water from the slightest rainfall.

Why Do Plants Shrink and Swell?


Desert plants can soak up water, store it, and prepare to use it during drought. For example, cacti and many other desert plants store water in their fleshy leaves and stems.
Desert plants may also have other adaptations for water storage, such as pleats or folds that will allow the plant to swell with added water when it can. The pleats or folds can almost disappear if the plant soaks up a lot of water; then the plant can shrink, and its pleats or folds can become visible again as drought sets in and the plant makes use of water it has stored.
Though many desert plants die to the ground during the hottest part of each year, the water they have stored in underground roots, tubers and bulbs will sustain them until the next moist period.
Why do plants grow hairs and spines? The hairs and spines that grow on desert plants help reduce moisture loss by breaking the effects of the wind. They also help to cast small shadows on other desert plants, which can protect them from the sun. The hairs and spines can even serve to reflect the sun's rays away from plants because of their shininess. Lastly, hairs and spines can help protect plants from hungry animal predators.

Why Do Plants Produce Special Chemicals?

Scientists believe that desert plants may produce and give off chemicalsfrom their leaves or roots that keep other plants from growing nearby. It is thought that plants do this to reduce competition, especially when water is scarce.

Why Do Seeds Of Plants Sleep?


Some desert plants cope with the desert's dryness by not coping at all. As a result, during drought they are present only as seeds in the soil. For months, years, or even decades these seeds “sleep” to wait out the dry spell in a dormant state. When the right amount of rain falls and soaks into the soil, they sprout and bloom. When this happens the desert's dry brown landscape can quickly change into colorful fields of wildflowers, herbs, and grasses.
Most of these fast-growing desert plants do not last very long. So aside from having seeds that are adapted to drought, they have few or no special adaptations to desert conditions. This is why desert plants of this kind sprout, flower, and leave behind a generation of seeds as quickly as possible. Short-lived desert plants like this are called ephemerals. With little water available to help them grow, dormant ephemerals are covered and protected by natural chemicals called inhibitors. The primary function of inhibitors is to keep seeds from germinating until enough moisture and specific temperatures are present. Once the inhibitor has been washed off, the seeds can sprout.

Desert Misfits


Today there are some plants found in the desert that do not belong there. These plants are misfits and do not benefit the ecosystem in which they were introduced.
Idaho is no different. It, too, has its share of misfit plant species. These plants species are referred to asexotic, alien, or non-native species and were introduced from other continents or regions such as Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, India, the Mediterranean area, South America, and Russia.
Many exotic plant species were introduced intentionally with the idea that they would serve a great purpose and provide excellent benefit to all who used them, for example, shade trees to control wind and erosion, forage crops to support livestock, other plants to improve watersheds or beautify landscapes.
In other cases, alien plant species were transported and introducedunintentionally through immigrants and their belongings, or with importedgoods. Regardless of how they arrived, as the years have passed since their introduction, we have realized that many of the introduced non-natives are more of a problem and threat than a benefit.

The most prominent desert misfit in the West is cheatgrass. Cheatgrass was introduced into the United States from Eurasia with the idea it would be a great food source for livestock and wildlife. That is true in early spring before its seedsemerge, but it is practically worthless throughout the remainder of the year.
Cheatgrass is a hardy plant that has no natural consumers in North America. So it can grow out of control. This disturbs the natural balance and crowds out native plants that are necessary for the native animals that need them for food.
Not only that, but cheatgrass, once dry, is a great fuel for fire. When wildfire starts in a sagebrush-dominatedplant community, fire kills the sagebrush, but the cheatgrass can often survive and out-compete other native plants for important nutrients and moisture.
]]> true https://9koala.com/393-the-interesting-facts-about-germany.html Admin Geography Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:57:08 +0400 Here are some interesting Germany Facts which were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids.
  • Population: 83,8 million people live in Germany (2090). The majority of people live in cities and towns.
  • Capital: Berlin with 3.5 million inhabitants is not only Germany's capital city but also the biggest city.
  • Name: Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of Germany), Nickname: 'Land der Dichter und Denker'
  • Government: Democracy, Republic
  • Language: German
  • Literacy: More than 99% can read and write.
  • Religion: mainly Christians (Protestants 34%, Roman Catholics 34%)
  • Currency: 1 Euro=100 cents, before 2001 German Mark/Deutsche Mark (DM)
  • Flag colors: black, red and gold

Where is Germany? - Germany Map

Germany is located in the center of Europe and shares borders with 9 countries: Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxemburg, Belgium, and the Netherlands (clockwise from the top/north).
Germany is the second-most populous country in Central Europe after Russia and many immigrants live and study in Germany.
The Baltic Sea (in German: Ostsee), the North Sea (in German: Nordsee), and the lowlands form the natural borders in the North of Germany and the Southern Germany borders are formed by the Alps mountains and Lake Constance (in German: Bodensee).
The highest mountain in Germany is the 'Zugspitze' (which means 'windy peak') with 2,963 metres/9,721 ft. Germany's highest mountain is one of Germany's top attractions and many tourists visit the mountain top every year. You can take a cablecar up to the top of the mountain and have spectacular views of the Alps and the scenic countryside from there.
Zugspitze in Germany
Zugspitze - highest Mountain in GermanySee the amazing panoramic 360° views from the Zugspitz mountain top, to view. (It will take about 10 seconds to load this amazing panorama page. Please be patient the view is really worth the wait :-)

Germany Facts:
Attractions for Kids

Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
  • Berlin: learn about German history and re-unification, visit the Reichstag building and parliament. 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of reunification!
  • Cologne and the Rhine Valley: Cologne Cathedral, Lorelei and annual Carnival festivities
  • Black Forest: great for nature lovers and hikers with many picturesque villages, turquoise lakes, and great forest walks.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber
  • Rothenburg ob der Tauber: The medieval town is a bit touristy but very scenic and boasts a huge Christmas shop which is open all-year-round.
  • Northern Germany: Explore Germany's biggest island Rügen and the historic Hanse towns Stralsund und Rostock or further off Lübeck and Hamburg
  • Munich: for its science and art museums, experiencing the famous Oktoberfest and the typical Bavarian Gemütlichkeit (which means feeling home and being comfortable)
  • Bavaria and the German Alps: great for skiing, hiking, and relaxed holidays. You just have to see these awe-inspiring castles such as Neuschwanstein or Herrenchiemsee
  • Castles: There are more than 25,000 castles in Germany, make sure to visit at least one of our top ten castles. Below you see Hohenzollern Castle.
German Castles: Hohenzollern
Castle HohenzollernRead more about our favorite castles in Germany here.

Some Germany Facts about German People

Famous Goethe Painting by TischbeinGermany is well known for great poets, such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (you see him in the pictured above in the famous painting by Tischbein) and Friedrich Schiller, and many other writers, such as the Grimm brothers (remember the tale of Hansel and Gretel) or Thomas Mann. Because of these splendid writers as well as scientists and inventors such as Albert Einstein, Robert Koch or Gottlieb Daimler, the country is often referred to be the "Land der Dichter und Denker"(country of poets and thinkers).
Germans love going to museums, concerts, and theatres. These places are well maintained and supported, so you will find many interesting places you can visit.
Germans also love sports! Many Germans are active in sports clubs such as soccer, tennis, or gymnastics clubs. In schools, the most popular sports activities are soccer, volleyball, basketball, ballet, and dancing. Sports idols Sebastian Vettel (Formula 1), Bastian Schweinsteiger (soccer), or Anna Schaffelhuber and Felix Neureuther (skiing) are supported by most Germans proudly. Many of you will already have heard the names of Boris Becker and Steffi Graf which are among the world's most known tennis stars.
The country's premier soccer league, called Bundesliga, is followed closely by many and Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund are firm favorites not only of Germans.
The most popular sports in Germany are soccer, tennis, swimming, and skiing, although the latter is possible only in the southern and eastern parts of the country. Especially in the Bavarian Alps, the Mittelgebirge and the Erzgebirge, the mountains are high enough and warrant for enough snow to enjoy a multitude of winter sports facilities.

German Food

German Food: Brezeln in Germany
Most of the German main dishes contain either meats, mainly pork, beef and veal or fish. Germans often eat potatoes, but pasta dishes are also very popular, especially with the younger generations. The Germans love their bread, which is mainly a mix of wheat and rye flour and is much darker and has a hard crust. Bread rolls are also eaten.
Sauerkraut, Sausages and Brezeln (Pretzels, see in the picture above) are surely the most famous German food exports and in Germany you will find fresh bread, bread rolls and pretzels as well as delicious cakes and pastry in the numerous bakery shops. Even little villages often have more than two or three bakers and you will have the choice of many different types of bread and rolls.
Germans love their meat, but you will find more and more vegetarian dishes on the menus in restaurants now too, although there are many more variations of dishes with meat available. Schweinebraten oder Schweinsbraten (roast pork knuckles) is very popular in Southern Germany while Rinderbraten (beef roast) is more popular in Northern Germany.
Typical German food: roast pork with red cabbage and knoedl (dumplings)
German Food: Roast pork with dumplings and red cabbage german Facts: More typical German food:
  • Sauerkraut: probably the most famous vegetable associated with German food. It is eaten in Germany with potatoes and meat, but traditionally not eaten with fish as in many other parts in the world.
  • Rotkraut: red cabbage, see in the image above
  • Knödel, either as Semmelknödel: bread dumplings, eaten either with mushrooms in a creamy sauce or with meat dishes or Kartoffelknödel: potato dumplings
  • Spargel: white asparagus is harvested in late April and until 24 June. It has a very distinct flavor and is very healthy! Usually accompanied by ham and a white creamy sauce, this vegetable is really delicious.
  • Black Forest Cake: delicious dark chocolate cake filled with cherries and cream.
  • Weisswurst: very pale veal sausage, cooked and eaten in Bavaria - usually in midmorning, before noon.
  • Stollen and Lebkuchen: Delicious cakes, decorated biscuits, and various gingerbread cookies are eaten at Christmas time in Germany.
  • Wine and Beer: Did you know that Germans do produce lovely wine as well as beer? The valleys along the Rhine and Mosel rivers are well known for their wines. Bavaria is known for its beer and the many microbreweries.
]]> true https://9koala.com/345-top-best-things-you-need-to-know-about-antarctica.html Admin Geography Sun, 19 Jan 2025 12:40:27 +0400 Our Antarctica Facts for Kids shall provide lots of interesting and fun facts on the southernmost continent.
Antarctica is the least populated continent of our planet. The word 'Antarctica' comes from the Greek term 'Antarctica' meaning 'the opposite to arctic' or 'opposite to north'.

Top 15 Antarctica Facts

1. According to size, Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent of our planet. The continent is almost double the size of Australia!

Antarctica Map by Nasa
Antarctica Map by NASA2. Antarctica is an ice covered continent surrounded by the Southern Ocean. Almost all of the continent's land is covered by a thick layer of ice. On average the ice is 1.9 km/6,200 ft deep. Read more on the Southern Ocean here. The inland ice-sheet has a thickness of up to 4 km/13,000 ft.

3. Antarctica is the driest continent of the seven continents. Antarctica is an icy desert with very little rainfall throughout the year.

Antarctica ice with penguins and clear blue sky
4. Antarctica is the windiest place on the earth where windspeed of more than 350 kilometres per hour/218 miles per hour have been measured.
4. Antarctica is the least populated continent. There are no residents living permanently here. Only around 1,000 people (in winter) and 10,000 people (in summer) live on the continent. These people are mainly based there for one year to live and work in the research stations. The research stations are scattered all around the continent.

5. The Antarctic Treaty which came into force in 1961 is now signed by 53 countries. The treaty regulates the international relations between all countries to support scientific operations on the ice. Article 1 of the Antarctic Treaty states that 'The area is to be used for peaceful purposes only'. According to the Antarctic Treaty, Antarctica refers to the land and ice shelves from 60 degrees south of the equator.


The research station in Antarctica6. There are 18 countries who regularly send scientists and researchers to the various stations on the continent. The most and biggest stations are held by the USA, Russia, Chile, Argentina and Australia. The largest research station is McMurdo station, which is a research centre. There more than 1,000 scientists work on various research projects during summertime.
7. Highest continent: Antarctica has the highest average elevation of all continents. Most of the continent is higher than 3,000 m/9,900 ft. above sea level. The highest mountain on Antarctica is Mount Vinson at 4,900 metres/16,000 ft.

Explorer on Mount Vinson

More Antarctica Facts

8. Antarctica Facts - Flora: The few areas where there is no or only little ice throughout the year are located in the most northern parts of the continent. There one will find also the typical Tundra vegetation. Typical Tundra plants are small scrubs, grasses and mosses.
9. Antarctica Facts - Fauna/Wildlife: There are not many species living on the Antarctic continent. Whales, and seals live in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. The Emperor penguins are the only penguin species breeding on Antarctica.

Emperor PenguinsEmperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest of all penguin species. They grow to over 120 cm/48 inches in height and weigh up to 45 kg/100 lb. These penguins feed on krill, fish and squid. The penguin colonies on Antarctica usually contain thousands of penguins. On Antarctica there are about 5 million penguins!
10. Antarctica Climate - Coldest Place: Antarctica is the coldest continent of our planet. The coldest air temperature ever measured in Antarctica was -89.2°C /-128.6 °F at Vostok Station in 1983. Along the Antarctic coast, the average temperature is -10°C /14 °F. The coastline has the warmest climate of the continent.

11. The geographic South Pole is located more than 1,235 km/767 miles from the coast on a plateau 2,800 metres/9,100 ft. above sea level.
Antarctica South PoleSouth PoleThe Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is located next to the geographic south pole, as you can see in the image above.
12. Antarctica Facts - Famous explorers:
  • British explorer James Cook was the first to cross the Antarctic circle and to circumnavigate the Antarctic continent as early as 1773
  • Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole in 1911
  • British polar explorer Ernest Shackleton undertook three Antarctic explorations and was the first to cross South Georgia in Antarctica in 1916
Amundsen reaches the South Pole - image by Olav Bjaaland13. In 1985, scientists described a huge ozone hole which grew in the atmosphere over Antarctica. It had formed in less than ten years as ozone values had sank every Springtime in the Antarctic. Man-made chemicals were destroying the ozone layer. The thinning ozone layer was understood as a warning sign. The ozone hole shows how sensitive our planet is to our activities.
14. About 40,000 tourists from around the world visit Antarctica every year on polar cruises and exploration trips.

Ecological Expedition in Antarctica - image: Joseph SohmTourist attractions in Antarctica are:

  • Deception island, formerly a whaling station, is popular for its still active volcano and it's viewpoint at Neptune's Bellows.
  • Port Lockroy on Wince Island, where there is a Antarctic heritage centre and museum.
  • Drake Passage is a popular part of polar cruises although it is known for its rough seas. The water channel lies between South America and Antarctica.
  • Tourists will also enjoy watching the Aurora australis, the Southern Lights in the Antarctic winter between March and September.
15. Antarctica Facts: Antarctica contains more than 90% of the world's ice and more than 90% of our planet's fresh water.

Useful Resources for Antarctica Facts:

  • British Antarctic Survey: Last accessed 2 October 2017
  • Introduction to Antarctica: Last accessed 2 October 2017
  • National Geographic: World Atlas for Young Explorers. Washington: 2010
  • Earth Condensed. The World Atlas by Millennium House. 2009

Read more about the other continents



Image Credits on Antarctica facts page: Shutterstock.com and wikipedia commons
Return from Antarctica Facts to Kids-World-Travel-Guide Homepage
]]> true https://9koala.com/121-scandinavian-countryes-old-style-photos.html Admin Geography Sun, 12 Jan 2025 16:49:50 +0400 Scandinavia is Sweden ,Denmark, iceland and Norway.We can say that Finland(down side of page we write the reassons) is not full of Scandinavians.FInland was part of sweden before and they have most mix up with russian vikings also. this is The area described by the adjective "Nordic" (describing an area called "Norden" in Swedish but I don't think the term is used in English)




























Have You Ever Wondered...

  • Where is Scandinavia?
  • What countries make up the Scandinavian Peninsula?
  • Is Finland a part of Scandinavia?
As is often the case, it depends. Geographically, Finland could be considered Scandinavian and at one time was a part of the Swedish Kingdom. Most Finns are Lutherans, as Scandinavians used to be. However, Finnish is not a Scandinavian language and Finns are ethnically distinct from Scandinavians.

Finland, according to some Finns I know, is not part of Scandinavia, which comprises Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Together with Iceland and Finland (and the Faroes), they together form the Nordic Countries.
  • As a Finn myself, I would say the following: geographically Finland is not a part of Scandinavia, Sweden, Norway and Denmark are. However, Finland, together with Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland form the Nordic countires, known in Finnish as Pohjoismaat. Estonia is not part of those five countries.Kristiina Bailey, Milton Keynes Great Britain
  • I was taught in school in Denmark that Scandinavia consists of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Nordic countries consists of Scandinavia, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, The Faroe Islands and Aaland. The last 3 mentioned are autonomous regions. The Nordic Council is a geo-political inter-parliamentary forum for co-operation between the Nordic countries and consists of all the members mentioned above and has Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as observing countries. This is the political definition and some could clame that due to the geographical location of Finland, it could be said to be a part of Scandinavia. After all finish language has absolutely nothing in common with the scandinavian languages. I as a dane have no problems communicating in danish with people from Norway or Sweden, but I do not understand a word of finish. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden all had vikings in the past. While the Danes and Norwegians focused on their plundering, exploring, and other business of theirs in countries westward of their homelands, the Swedes traveled eastward from Sweden into Russia, following rivers like the Dneiper into Eastern European countries and even reaching as far as Byzantium and Baghdad.

]]> true https://9koala.com/556-off-shore-sea-sargasso-sea.html Admin Geography Sun, 12 Jan 2025 16:49:43 +0400 The Sargasso Sea, an ellipse-shaped and relatively stagnant water body covered with Sargassum-type floating algae in the north-western part of the Atlantic Ocean (Bermuda). It is the first mention of Christopher Columbus that surrounds the Islands of Bermuda from the Sea of Sargasso.

When Columbus saw the algae, he continued on his way, believing that the land was close. He felt unnecessary fear from the Sea of Sargasso around the old sailors.

Sargasso Sea: The easiest options to see from afar in the Coastal Sea World, the largest water bodies are called the ocean. The ocean is a very vague concept by definition, oceans are classified in different ways around the world. Seas are defined as parts that enter the lands of the oceans.

Although it has been forgotten by humanity many times throughout history, all the water bodies on the surface of the earth are a very thin layer for the world that fills the gaps of the land. Naturally, everybody of water, including the seas, must have a coast by land. The region called the Sargasso Sea is called a sea without any land due to its isolated structure in the middle of the ocean. The Sargasso Sea, which is located in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean and covers part of the Bermuda Triangle, has a very unique structure. There are currents constantly rotating around it, and it contains dense brown algae called Sargassum, which is algae.

Ocean currents isolate the region and the Sargasso Sea continues to maintain its unique ecosystem. This region surrounded by clockwise ocean currents has a relatively stagnant structure. It is surrounded by the Gulf Stream in the west, the North Atlantic Stream in the north, the Canary Stream in the east, and the North Equatorial Stream in the south. Although the North Atlantic has a harsh cold climate, the Sargasso Sea is interestingly hot.]]> true https://9koala.com/1024-top-antarctica-facts.html Admin Geography Sun, 12 Jan 2025 16:49:36 +0400 1. Antarctica is the largest desert in the world.
2. the size of Antarctica is the fifth largest continent of our planet. The continent is almost double the size of Australia!
3. Antarctica is an ice-covered continent surrounded by the Southern Ocean. Almost all of the continent's land is covered by a thick layer of ice. On average the ice is 1.9 km/6.200 ft deep. Read more on the Southern Ocean here. The inland ice sheet has a thickness of up to 4 km/13.000 ft.
4. The only continent where reptiles do not live is Antarctica.
5. The coldest place in the world is the high mountain ranges in Antarctica. The temperature can drop to -93.2°C.
6. It has not rained or snowed in some parts of Antarctica for the last 2 million years.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 03: A woman experiences the 'Rain Room' art installation by 'Random International' in The Curve at the Barbican Center on October 3, 2012 in London, England. The 'Rain Room' is a 100 square meter field of falling water that visitors are invited to walk into with sensors detecting where the visitor are standing. The installation opens to the public on October 4, 2012, and runs until March 3, 2013. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
7. There is a red flowing waterfall.
The Blood Falls seeps from the end of the Taylor Glacier into Lake Bonney. The tent at left provides a sense of scale for just how big the phenomenon is. Scientists believe a buried saltwater reservoir is partly responsible for the discoloration, which is a form of reduced iron.
8. There is only one cash machine (ATM).
9. 90% of the clean water in the world is in Antarctica.
10. There are no polar bears in Antarctica, but there are many penguins.
11. The only continent without a time zone is Antarctica.
12. The coldest, windiest, highest, and driest continent in the world is Antarctica.
13. Chile has a settlement in Antarctica with schools, hospitals, hotels, post offices, internet, television and mobile phones.
14. The ice cover in Antarctica has existed for 40 million years.
15. The highest temperature recorded in Antarctica is 14.5°C.
16. It is known that Antarctica was once as hot as California.
17. Only less than 1% of Antarctica has no ice.
18. Highest continent: Antarctica has the highest average elevation of all continents. Most of the continent is higher than 3,000 m/9,900 ft. above sea level. The highest mountain in Antarctica is Mount Vinson at 4,900 metres/16,000 ft.

19. Antarctica Facts - Flora: The few areas where there is no or only little ice throughout the year are located in the most northern parts of the continent. There one will find also the typical Tundra vegetation. Typical Tundra plants are small scrubs, grasses and mosses.
20. Antarctica Facts - Fauna/Wildlife: There are not many species living on the Antarctic continent. Whales, and seals live in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. The Emperor penguins are the only penguin species breeding on Antarctica.
Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest of all penguin species. They grow to over 120 cm/48 inches in height and weigh up to 45 kg/100 lb. These penguins feed on krill, fish and squid. The penguin colonies on Antarctica usually contain thousands of penguins. On Antarctica there are about 5 million penguins!
21. Antarctica Climate - Coldest Place: Antarctica is the coldest continent of our planet. The coldest air temperature ever measured in Antarctica was -89.2°C /-128.6 °F at Vostok Station in 1983. Along the Antarctic coast, the average temperature is -10°C /14 °F. The coastline has the warmest climate of the continent.

22. The geographic South Pole is located more than 1,235 km/767 miles from the coast on a plateau 2,800 metres/9,100 ft. above sea level.
The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is located next to the geographic South Pole, as you can see in the image above.
23. Antarctica Facts - Famous explorers:
  • British explorer James Cook was the first to cross the Antarctic Circle and to circumnavigate the Antarctic continent as early as 1773
  • Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole in 1911
  • British polar explorer Ernest Shackleton undertook three Antarctic explorations and was the first to cross South Georgia in Antarctica in 1916
24. In 1985, scientists described a huge ozone hole that grew in the atmosphere over Antarctica. It had formed in less than ten years as ozone values had sank every Springtime in the Antarctic. Man-made chemicals were destroying the ozone layer. The thinning ozone layer was understood as a warning sign. The ozone hole shows how sensitive our planet is to our activities.

25. About 40,000 tourists from around the world visit Antarctica every year on polar cruises and exploration trips.
Tourist attractions in Antarctica are:

  • Deception Island, formerly a whaling station, is popular for its still active volcano and its viewpoint at Neptune's Bellows.
  • Port Lockroy on Wince Island, where there is an Antarctic heritage center and museum.
  • Drake Passage is a popular part of polar cruises although it is known for its rough seas. The water channel lies between South America and Antarctica.
  • Tourists will also enjoy watching the Aurora australis, the Southern Lights in the Antarctic winter between March and September.
26. Antarctica Facts: Antarctica contains more than 90% of the world's ice and more than 90% of our planet's fresh water.
27. The largest iceberg measured is even larger than Jamaica, at 11,000 square km.
28. The average snow depth is 1.6 km.
29. In some parts of the continent, the wind speed can reach 320 km/h.
30. In 1977, Argentina sent a pregnant woman here to claim rights in a part of the continent, and the child became the first human born in Antarctica.
31. The 300 lakes in the lower part of Antarctica do not freeze thanks to the heat coming from the center of the earth.]]> true https://9koala.com/517-information-about-ethiopia.html Admin Geography Sun, 12 Jan 2025 16:49:17 +0400 INTRODUCTION

Ethiopia is. not only large in area, about the size of France,
Germany and Spain combined, its altitudinal range is from
a hundred metres below sea level—one of the hottest spots
on earth — to over four and a half thousand, the summit

of Africa's fourth highest mountain. This altitude range is - ’

divided into three zones: daga, woina daga, and kolla, cor-
responding to highlands, midlands and lowlands.

The highlands are mainly inhabited by Christian people
who, with teams of oxen, plough the stony hillsides in the
north and the richer arable valleys and plateaulands in the
northwest. The population is not dense and the settlements
tend to be scattered all over the landscape. Vast, deep gorges
separate one plateau area from another, causing considerable
social isolation to the Tigray and Amhara people who live
here. Here isrwhere t'eff is grown—the cereal most favoured
by the highlanders. The keeping of cattle is secondary to
these farmers.

Dropping from the 2,500 - 3,500 metre daga, we find very
different cultural modes. At 1,500 - 2,500 metres lie the
'horticultural' areas, where the language base is often Cushitic
as opposed to the northern Semitic (Gurage is the excep-
tion). This is the ensete area—one of the few plant cultures
in East Africa—rolling green country with bamboo and acacia
stands, homesteads clustering together, and well-tended
and manured smallholdings. Here the land is extremely
fertile and the population density is very high.Ancient meth-
ods of land allocation have for the most part prevented
individual exploitation. This is the country of the Done, the
Gurage and the Sidama. Some cattle are kept but are secondary
to the main occupation.

Lower still, is the area of the pastoralists—the true cattle
people. This is grass savanna and desert, and about twenty
percent of the people who live here are nomadic or semi—
nomadic. Vast areas of otherwise unproductive wastelands
are ranged by the herding cultures; peoples like the Arsi,

v

the Borena, the Afar, the Somali or the Nuer, to whom cattle
are the source of power. prestige and security. These people
are mainly Moslem and have been for several centuries, and
their p litical structure has of necessity been based on bond

friendship ties. The so~called 'pure’ pastoralists who inhabit

the inhospitable desert country of the Afar Triangle herd
mainly camels and goats and subsist almost exclusively on
a diet of milk, butter and meat. In a slightly less harsh environ-
ment you find the mixed Cultivators, herding cattle and camels
but also growing sugar and cotton crops. These are the
Konso, the Harer -Kottu, and the Anuak of Gambela, etc.

These are broad sweeping categories, intended only‘to give a
general picture of the extraordinary diversity of the land and
its peoples. There are in fact an astonishing eighty-three
languages and two hundred dialects spoken by' Ethiopians.
Each group tends to have some slight cultural difference even
from its nearestneighbours. Their customs, and indeed their
whole manner of living, their homes and their diet have
evolved over the generations, using local materials to advantage
and trading to acquire occasional 'imponed' goods. The
people have prevailed, in spite of periodic famine, war and
disease, and are now preparing to take a massive step for-
ward in the time scale and adapt to 20th century technology. '

it is vital to remember and understand the past, to take‘into
consideration present cultural modes in order to transfer
traditional goals and methods to modern concepts without
destroying useful values, confidence and individuality.
“Tribalism” per so must constitute a threat to development;
but tolerance for ethnic differences, and the respect of one
group for another with different customs, helps people to
adapt to necessary changes and accept the idea that a part
of their autonomy must be sacrificed to the building of the
nation as a whole. Aware and proud of their differences,
Ethiopia’s people can work together towards a better life
in the future.

For reading Full book Please CLICK HERE
]]> true https://9koala.com/441-plate-tectonics-may-have-started-400-million-years-earlier-than-we-thought.html Admin Geography Sun, 12 Jan 2025 16:49:14 +0400 Modern plate tectonics may have gotten underway as early as 3.2 billion years ago, about 400 million years earlier than scientists thought. That, in turn, suggests that the movement of large pieces of Earth’s crust could have played a role in making the planet more hospitable to life.
Geologist Alec Brenner of Harvard University and his colleagues measured the magnetic orientations of iron-bearing minerals in the Honeyeater Basalt, a layer of rock that formed between 3.19 billion and 3.18 billion years ago. The basalt is part of the East Pilbara Craton, an ancient bit of continent in Western Australia that includes rocks as old as 3.5 billion years.
This craton, the researchers found, was on the move between 3.35 billion and 3.18 billion years ago, drifting around the planet at a rate of at least 2.5 centimeters per year. That’s a speed comparable to modern plate motions, the team reports April 22 in Science Advances.
The basalt layer, which burbled up like lava and hardened during the journey, contains iron-bearing minerals that can act as tiny signposts pointing the way toward Earth’s magnetic poles. While the lava was still molten, the minerals rotated, orienting themselves to align with either the north or south magnetic pole. By tracking the changes in orientation within the lava as more basalt formed during the journey, the researchers were able to determine how quickly the craton was moving.
Scientists have long used such preserved magnetic signposts to reconstruct plate motions, retracing the steps of drifting bits of the continent. But the constant grinding and shifting of Earth’s tectonic plates over the last few billion years have reworked Earth’s surface many times over, leaving few outcrops that are older than 3 billion years.
The Honeyeater Basalt, however, is a rare site, both ancient and relatively unworked by metamorphism, the heat and pressure from which could have altered the minerals and reset their magnetic orientation. The team examined 235 samples of the basalt using an instrument called a quantum diamond microscope that can detect traces of magnetism at the micrometer scale. From these analyses, the researchers created a high-resolution map of magnetic orientations within the rock.
Based on the map, the team estimates that about 3.2 billion years ago, the East Pilbara Craton was at a latitude of about 45°, but whether north or south isn’t certain, Brenner said April 21 in a video news conference. That’s because researchers aren’t sure whether Earth’s magnetic poles at the time were in their current orientation or reversed. Either way, this bit of ancient crust moved in a gradual, steady motion — a hallmark of modern plate tectonics, the researchers say. Today, the craton is located at about 21° S, just north of the Tropic of Capricorn.
Plate tectonics is generally thought to have become a well-established global process on Earth no earlier than around 2.8 billion years ago. Before that, Earth’s interior was considered to be too hot for cold, rigid plates to form at the surface, or for deep subduction to occur, in which one crustal plate dives beneath another.
An earlier start to plate tectonics would have implications for the evolution of life on Earth, Brenner told reporters. Whether the process was in operation when the first single-celled organisms emerged, currently thought to be at least 3.45 billion years ago, isn’t clear, he said
But it is clear that plate tectonics is currently closely tied to the biosphere, he added. It promotes chemical reactions between once-buried rocks and the atmosphere that can modulate the planet’s climate over millions to billions of years. “So if [plate tectonics] happened on the early Earth, these processes were likely playing a part in the evolution of life,” Brenner said.
Active, modern-style plate tectonics is the most likely explanation for the data, the researchers say. But they acknowledge other possible explanations can’t yet be ruled out, including an early, episodic, fit-and-start style of plate tectonics.
Some researchers have proposed that, during the Archean Eon that lasted from about 4 billion to about 2.5 billion years ago, there was a proto-plate tectonics process in which bits of crust moved in fits and starts as the planet began to cool after its formation. Sediment eroded from Earth’s earliest continents may also have helped grease the wheels, setting the stage for modern plate tectonics.
The researchers’ data could support episodic rather than gradual plate motion, perhaps as a precursor to modern plate tectonics, says Michael Brown, a geologist at the University of Maryland in College Park. Those data suggest that after its initial burst of speed, the Honeyeater Basalt’s progress slowed considerably, from 2.5 centimeters per year to 0.37 centimeters per year, he says.
It’s still unclear how similar proto-plate tectonics may have been to the modern process. “We know too little to answer this question with confidence,” says geophysicist Stephan Sobolev of the University of Potsdam in Germany. Sobolev has suggested previously that, for about a billion years during the Archean, plate tectonics occurred regionally: Plates could have been broken apart by large meteorite impacts or powerful plumes rising from the mantle, generating regional cells in which ancient continents formed and small blocks of crust subducted.
Such a regional cell may have formed the East Pilbara Craton in Australia, Sobolev suggests. But for that bit of ancient continent to have traveled so far so quickly, he says, “large-scale subduction must have been involved” — a surprising possibility for early Earth’s history.
]]> true https://9koala.com/519-history-of-ethiopia-which-is-before-nowhere-shared.html Admin Geography Fri, 10 Jan 2025 11:51:43 +0400 For real book Click here to see ->
For See African traditional sweet houses culture CLICK HERE

INTRODUCTION
Ethiopia is. not only large in area, about the size of France,
Germany and Spain combined, its altitudinal range is from
a hundred meters below sea level—one of the hottest spots
on earth — to over four and a half thousand, the summit
of Africa's fourth highest mountain. This altitude range is - ’
divided into three zones: daga, woina daga, and kolla, cor-
responding to highlands, midlands, and lowlands.
The highlands are mainly inhabited by Christian people
who, with teams of oxen, plow the stony hillsides in the
north and the richer arable valleys and plateau lands in the
northwest. The population is not dense and the settlements
tend to be scattered all over the landscape. Vast, deep gorges
separate one plateau area from another, causing considerable
social isolation to the Tigray and Amhara people who live
here. Here is where the is grown—the cereal most favored
by the highlanders. The keeping of cattle is secondary to
these farmers.
Dropping from the 2,500 - 3,500-metre daga, we find very
different cultural modes. At 1,500 - 2,500 meters lie the
'horticultural' areas, where the language base is often Cushitic
as opposed to the northern Semitic (Gurage is the excep-
tion). This is the ensete area—one of the few plant cultures
in East Africa—rolling green country with bamboo and acacia
stands, homesteads clustering together, and well-tended
and manured smallholdings. Here the land is extremely
fertile and the population density is very high.Ancient meth-
ods of land allocation have for the most part prevented
individual exploitation. This is the country of the Done, the
Gurage and the Sidama. Some cattle are kept but are secondary
to the main occupation.

Lower still, is the area of the pastoralists—the true cattle
people. This is grass savanna and desert, and about twenty
percent of the people who live here are nomadic or semi—
nomadic. Vast areas of otherwise unproductive wastelands
are ranged by the herding cultures; peoples like the Arsi,


the Borena, the Afar, the Somali or the Nuer, to whom cattle
are the source of power. prestige and security. These people
are mainly Moslem and have been for several centuries, and
their p litical structure has of necessity been based on bond

friendship ties. The so~called 'pure’ pastoralists who inhabit


]]> true https://9koala.com/430-greenest-destinations-on-earth.html Admin Geography Fri, 10 Jan 2025 11:51:42 +0400

20. Torri Superiore, Italy

Thought to date from the late 13th century, the medieval village complex of Torri Superiore in the Ligurian Alps is an eco-village that has been restored by its small community using sustainable wood, environmentally friendly paint and local materials. With about 20 permanent residents who live alongside their livestock, the commune is a triumph of sustainable living where water is heated through solar panels, the toilets are compostable, and food is grown on-site in permaculture gardens and fruit orchards. Visitors can stay in the village, learning about sustainable living and taking part in work exchange holidays.
Torri Superiore is an eco-village in the Ligurian AlpsTorri Superiore Facebook

19. Ecuador

The first country to recognise the rights of nature in its constitution, Ecuador is regularly named as the World’s Leading Green Destination at the World Travel Awards.
As well as laying claim to the wildlife-rich Galapagos Islands, Ecuador boasts a huge chunk of rainforest and is one of the last bastions of South American cloud forest. The country is not without its environmental issues (tempting oil reserves lie beneath the rainforest are slowly being tapped by the current government), but it remains one of the most biodiverse destinations on the planet and offers some of the best eco-lodges in South America.
El Cajas National Park, Ecuador

18. Bristol, England

When it comes to radical thinking and ethical living, both the council and residents of Bristol deliver. The 2015 European Green Capital continues to use less energy per household and push towards its carbon-neutral targets by 2030.
The city also has various programmes to fight food waste. Businesses and residents are encouraged to reduce food waste while an army of volunteers gets ready to rescue food or captured for recycling or composting.
Greta Thunberg leads crowds in Bristol, UK

17. Uruguay

Being the first country in the world to legalise weed, you may think that ‘going green’ takes on another meaning for the people of Uruguay, but in actuality, this South American nation is a haven of environmental progress. Wind, water and agricultural waste have generated 94.5% of Uruguay’s electricity since 2016, and the government plans to institute a 100% renewable initiative by 2021. Uruguay’s push for sustainable living is also evident in its population. Its hippie enclaves, like Cabo Polonio on the coast, are also wooing tourists with a back to basics lifestyle of no electricity, no roads and communal candlelit meals.
La Pedrera Beach, Uruguay

16. San Francisco, USA

San Francisco has long been a haven for progressive social movements, but today it’s also famous for being the most eco-friendly city in America. The first city in the US to ban single-use plastic bags in 2007, San Fran has the highest per-capita prevalence of eco-friendly services, which includes green architects, engineers and cleaning services. While lofty ambitions of being waste-free by 2020 have been pushed back, San Francisco is still the leader in the United States when it comes to sustainable living and recycling with an astonishing 77 per cent of its municipal waste recycled.
A climate change protest in San Francisco

15. Rwanda

If you’re visiting Rwanda on the last Saturday of the month, then you better pack a litter picker. Why? Because your trip will coincide with umuganda, a community day of national housekeeping where every citizen (including the president) goes out to clean the country. This monthly spruce up and the ban on plastic bags make Rwanda one of the cleanest nations on the planet.
But that’s just the tip of this African gem’s eco iceberg. Thanks to its conservation targets, Rwanda’s endangered mountain gorillas, along with lions and rhinos, are thriving. While they may not have completed everything set out 20 years ago in the plan, Rwanda has embarked on a massive drive for reforestation, while setting up the ‘Green Climate’ investment fund to support its eco-efforts.
Tea plantations in Rwanda

14. Azores Islands, Portugal

The autonomous Portuguese archipelago made up of nine volcanic islands has been named in the Sustainable Destinations Global Top 100 multiple times. The Azores have earned their green credentials with a host of policies tapping into renewable energies – wind, geothermal and biomass. One of its islands, Graciosa, now runs on 100% renewable energy.
Protecting the local wildlife and environment is also essential to islanders. The region has 60 marine protected areas and four UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. There is also a raft of well-regulated snorkelling, diving and whale-watching trips which offer the best ways to experience the local marine life, from dolphins, turtles to sperm whales.
A coastal path in the Azores

13. The Isle of Eigg, Scotland

Floating off the coast of mainland Scotland, The Isle of Eigg is owned by a consortium of local residents, the Highland Council and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, who pooled their resources together in 1997 to buy the island. Since signing the deeds, Eigg’s empowered owners have established the world’s first completely renewable electricity grid (using energy from the sun, water and wind), and developed a sustainable ecotourism industry. The Island’s infrastructure and policies ensure the island remains a haven for wildlife such as Minke whales, golden eagles and cuckoo.
Wind turbines in Eigg, Scotland

12. Freiburg, Germany

After being heavily bombed in World War II, this small German town rebuilt itself from the ground up with the environment in mind, implementing considered planning and engineering strategies to ensure people’s daily needs are within walking or biking distance.
In addition, Freiburg consolidated its ‘green’ status with local laws requiring that new houses to use no more than 65 kilowatt-hours of heating energy per square meter per year, 10 kilowatt-hours lower than the national standard. Solar panels are present on almost every building in Freiburg. In fact, Freiburg’s ‘New Energy Homes’ create more solar energy than they consume, earning up to 6,000 euros per year for the residents.
An eco-friendly 'inner city' district in Freiburgwww.freiburg.de

11. Chumbe Island

Thailand take heed – this is how island tourism should be done. Privately managed by a non-profit organisation (the only one of its kind in Africa), tiny Chumbe island is breaking ground when it comes to marine conservation. Just 32km (20 miles) off the coast of mainland Tanzania, Chumbe’s shallow turquoise waters are home to one of the most spectacular reefs in the world.
Only a select few guests are permitted to visit the island and stay overnight at any one time. Seven rustic eco-lodges are situated within the island’s forest reserve, offering a unique off-grid experience with no Wi-Fi, no TV and peace away from the bustling, polluted mainland.
An aerial view of Chumbe Island

10. Ljubljana, Slovenia

In the past decade, Slovenia’s capital city has dramatically improved its environmental sustainability standards. Ljubljana has become the first capital in the EU to take part in the ‘zero waste’ programme and has worked tirelessly to create and preserve its public green areas which make up a third of the city’s territory.
The city centre, once dominated by cars, has shifted its focus to pedestrians and cyclists. The results? They won the title ‘European Green Capital’ in 2016 and are now continuing to push towards a sustainable zero waste tourism initiative that will see drastic improvements to the country’s sustainability and eco-friendly industries.
Ljubljana, Slovenia

9. Singapore

Singapore is so involved in the green movement that its Public Utilities Board has a highly efficient strategy to catch rainwater, investing millions into desalination plants and also reclaiming wastewater (sewage). That’s right – known as NEWater, it is recycled water which uses advanced membrane technologies and ultra-violet disinfection to produce high-quality drinking water. It is mainly used by industries now and added to the reservoirs to blend with raw water during dry periods.
Apart from water, Singapore looks to increase buildings which hold its ‘Green Mark’ certification from 25% to 80% by 2030. The Green Mark program encourages the use of materials like solar panels, high-efficient cooling units and rainwater harvesting to help reducing carbon emissions.
Vegetation grown on a Singaporean skyscraper

8. Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki has cars in its crosshairs. By 2025, Finnish authorities hope to make car ownership a thing of the past and, in the process, want to change the way we travel forever. At least that is the plan. Technology lies at the heart of this transport revolution: at the tap of a finger, smartphone users can summon on-demand buses, which use algorithms to form the best routes for its passengers. Add that to the city’s ubiquitous nature reserves and stringent eco policies, and you have one of the greenest capitals in Europe.
Helsinki, Finland

7. Oslo, Norway

With sustainability as a way of life for Norwegians, no one was surprised when Oslo was crowned the European Green Capital in 2019. The city has a unique ‘Climate Budget’ initiative which requires the city council to only approve spending plans that have a realistic chance of reducing greenhouse gas and driving to reach its carbon-neutral goal by 2050.
Oslo’s eco-friendly neighbourhood Vulkan also serves as an excellent example of the city’s push for sustainable living. The area is built on the idea of shared resources, with a self-sufficient solar energy system that directs excess energy to heat hot water and homes. When more energy is needed in the winter it can be drawn from geothermal wells 300m (984ft) below ground.
The Vigeland Park, Oslo, Norway

6. Iceland

Iceland is a land of staggering natural beauty. Located on the mid-Atlantic ridge, it’s also one of the most tectonically active places in the world, with over 130 volcanoes, as well as numerous hot springs, glaciers and waterfalls. This abundance of natural hydro and geothermal resources supplies nearly 100% of the country’s electricity consumption and 85% of its total primary energy consumption, making Iceland the world’s largest green energy producers per capita and an example that the rest of the world are attempting to emulate.
A geothermal power plant in Iceland

5. Switzerland

When it comes to environmental protection, the Swiss are militant – and who can blame them? They want to preserve their wonderful, snow-shrouded mountains, rosemary-colored hills, trickling streams, and world-class skiing. They’re also fields ahead in the race to be green with policies such as the ‘polluter pays’ scheme where residents must buy special bin bags to put their trash in.
Consistently ranked number one in the world for sustainable tourism in the Global Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Reports, Sw

itzerland continues to reduce emissions, embrace renewable energy, and improve water quality.
A scrapyard in Switzerland

4. Curitiba, Brazil

Only decades ago, Curitiba was no more than an outpost for travelers moving between São Paulo and its surrounding agricultural regions, but it has grown to become one of the most environmentally-friendly cities in the world. Noteworthy achievements of the Paraná capital include the development of an ultra-efficient bus system serving 85% of its residents and a Green Exchange Program where its participants exchange recyclable material for food.
As well as reducing its energy consumption and food waste, over the years Curitiba has implemented key strategies to protect the city from natural disasters. For instance, to prevent the city from flooding, a green belt was constructed on the city’s outskirts, sustainably mown by grazing sheep. The sheep manure and the wool are collected and sold by local farmers, enabling them to profit from these eco-friendly policies.
Botanical Garden, Curitiba, Brazil

3. Chile

This South American country has been leading the way in sustainable adventure and eco-tourism for several years. The country has 41 national parks, 26 natural reserves, 20 forest reserves and 18 natural monuments, which altogether cover an area of 18 million hectares, about 20% of its territory. To protect these places, there is a national system known as SNASPE in place to care for its landscapes and ecosystems, while sustainability certifications are also given to hotels and tour operators that work to meet the standards of environmental protection.
Chile is also home to South America’s first geothermal plant and the government has been launching large-scale solar power plants and wind farms. At the end of 2019, 22% of Chile’s energy comes from renewable sources. Officials hope to make that 90% by 2050 by utilizing all the clean natural resources at their disposal.
A solar power plant in Chile

2. Copenhagen, Denmark

“The bike is a Dane’s best friend” as the saying goes in Denmark. Nine out of ten people in Denmark own a bike and they cycle 1.6km (1 mile) a day on average. In Copenhagen, there are about 400km (249 miles) of cycle paths – all clearly separated from car lanes and sidewalks.
On two wheels you’ll pass LEED Platinum-certified buildings, restaurants that serve organic produce, and solar-powered picnic boats that bob along the canals. But the best sustainability project has to be ‘Copenhill’, a plant that converts waste to energy supplying electricity to 30,000 houses and is also designed to be a playground – there is an artificial 9,000-metre-squared ski and snowboard terrain running from the roof of the building to its base.
A power plant that boasts an artificial ski slope

1. Sweden

Home of Greta Thunberg, the inspiring environmental activist, Sweden is a clear leader in renewable energy – over 54% of its energy comes from renewable sources and the country is set to reach its 100% target by 2040, 10 years earlier than the targets set by other European nations.
Sustainability was a top focus when the authority regenerated old neighborhoods. For example, Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm has smart electric grids and a network of underground chutes that take household waste to a collection station, while Västra hamnen in Malmö is a carbon-neutral neighborhood that uses thermal energy storage system (pumped by wind energy) to heat homes in winters.
But it isn’t all modern-day innovation. 63% of Sweden is forest and one of Sweden’s constitutional laws, allemansrätt (‘freedom to roam’) grants citizens unwavering access to all of the region’s countryside, whether it be privately or publicly owned – perfect if you really want to immerse yourself in nature.]]>