Spain

Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, España Spanish pronunciation of the title in its original version Listen and Reino de España, is a southern European country and, as defined, of the West, which occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula. In 2009, there were 46 million inhabitants, making it the twenty-ninth country in the world in terms of population. One of the former European colonial powers, the country was a major world power in the fifteenth the sixteenth century, but began to lose influence thereafter, particularly throughout the nineteenth century with the loss of its colonies.

Spain is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the south and east, with the exception of the British territory of Gibraltar and the Strait of the same name which separates the continent of Africa. To the north, the Pyrenees form a natural border with France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay. Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean bordering the west and northwest. Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco. With an area of ​​504,030 km ², Spain is the largest in Western Europe and the European Union after France country.

Because of its location, the territory of Spain was subject to many external influences, often simultaneously, since prehistoric times until the birth of Spain as a country. Conversely, the country itself has been an important source of inspiration for other regions, chiefly during the modern era, when it became a colonial empire that has left a legacy of over 400 million Spanish speakers in date.

Indigenous peoples of the Iberian Peninsula are called Iberians. But Celtic populations, called Celtiberians, will then be aggregated. From the ninth century BC. BC, the Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians settled counters on Mediterranean shores.

Since 1978, the political organization of Spain is governed by the constitution of that year establishing a constitutional monarchy and a social and democratic state of law and plurality of political parties.

The monarch has political and symbolic powers, as defined in Article 62 of the constitution: it is the head of state and army, ratifies laws, appoints the Prime Minister, may dissolve Parliament on a proposal by . Furthermore (art. 56), it is the representative of the Spanish state in international relations, especially vis-à-vis ties with the Hispanic world. The current ruler is Felipe VI. Executive power is still held by the President of the Government.

The President of the Government (Presidente del Gobierno) (comparable to the role of a Prime Minister) is the head of the executive for a period of four years renewable. The Prime Minister is appointed by the king after the acceptance of his candidature by the Congress of Deputies; he chairs the Council of Ministers. Mariano Rajoy is from December 20, 2011, President of the Government.

Legislative power is vested in Parliament (the Cortes Generales), which is the highest representative body of the Spanish people. It consists of a lower house, the Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados) and an upper house, the Senate (Senado). The Congress of Deputies has 350 members elected for four years by direct universal suffrage. Currently, the Senate is composed of 264 members of which 208 are directly elected and 56 appointed by the regions.

The judiciary consists of the Council of the Judiciary, administration and supervision of judges and magistrates and body of staff exercising a legal authority in Spain; the Supreme Court, which oversees the Spanish legal system and considers Last Call for crimes trial as well as for certain crimes or offenses of importance; Superior Courts of Justice, which make up the autonomous high courts also form part of the court order and are for the Spanish autonomous community of attachment, the equivalent of the Supreme Court, they remain subject to it and made ​​their judgments can be lodged appeals near the Supreme Court. A Spanish specificity lies in the existence of the National Court, a kind of "international" court ruling that foreigners for crimes of an international nature or particular themes that may involve either third States or several communities, but also topical areas such as terrorism, attacks on the welfare of the state and communities or representatives.

London

The common name London may appoint several different geographical or administrative units, which can sometimes be confusing. 

The most common use refers to Greater London (Greater London), one of nine regional subdivisions of  England, formed of the territory under the control of the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London. Greater London is considered a NUTS-1 within the European Union. It is this set of about 1600 km2 to 7.5 million people, which is commonly referred to when speaking of the British capital. Greater London is divided into two areas; Inner London and Outer London. Both areas are considered NUTS-2 regions. However, the Greater London is not officially a city, whose status is strictly defined in the UK, is awarded to a city by the British monarch on specific criteria. Before its creation in 1965, the territory was part of Greater London counties of Kent, Middlesex, Surrey, Essex and Hertfordshire. 



The City of London (City of London, abbreviated City, Square Mile or in reference to an area of ​​1 square mile), located in the heart of Greater London, is the historical definition of London. This is where the modern city was born and today is the oldest district of the capital. It's also a full-fledged district with special status. The city and the rest of London8 Grand London9 form two regions "Lieutenancy" (lieutenancy Areas) different.

Greater London is located in the South East of England, 50 miles west of the Thames Estuary and extends over an area of ​​1,579 km2, which puts the city at the thirty-seventh place of the most étendues11 cities. Elevations range from sea level up to 245 m in Biggin Hill, south of agglomération12. 

The river, which crosses the city from west to east, has had a major influence on the development of the city. London was originally founded on the north bank of the Thames and has arranged for several centuries, only one bridge, London Bridge (London Bridge). The main focus of the city is accordingly confined to this side of the Thames to the construction in the eighteenth century, a series of other bridges. The city was then extended in all directions, this expansion is hindered by any natural obstacle in a country almost devoid of relief, except for a few hills (Parliament Hill, Primrose Hill). 

The Thames was once wider and shallower than today. The river banks were heavily decorated, most tributaries were hijacked and are now underground, sometimes transformed into sewers (eg the Fleet River after which is named Fleet Street, the oldest street of journalists). The Thames is subject to the tide and is largely flood London. Flood threats also increase over time given the steady rise in the water level at high tide and slow tilt Britain (bearing north, lower in the south) caused by a isostatic rebound phenomenon. Dam, the Thames Barrier was built across the Thames at Woolwich in the 1970s, to overcome this threat. In 2005 however, it was suggested the construction of a dam of fifteen kilometers long further downstream to ward off future flooding.

Egypt

Egypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic al-Gumhuriyyat Miṣr'Arabiyyah (جمهورية مصر العربية), commonly known as Egyptian Arabic Masr  (مصر), is a country located mainly in North Africa is located on the south coast of the eastern Mediterranean: the Levantine basin, only the northeastern part of Egyptian territory consists of the Sinai Peninsula is in Asia. The current Egypt occupies the geographical area that was once one of ancient Egypt.

With over 86 million inhabitants, Egypt is the third most populous country in Africa after Nigeria and Ethiopia. Growing very rapidly, its population has quadrupled in sixty years.

Its capital is Cairo (al-Qahira, القاهرة). If the official language is Arabic, the language spoken is Egyptian (Arabic dialect). The Siwi - Tamazight (Berber) in western countries - is still spoken in Siwa. Coptic, it survives as the liturgical language of Egyptian Christians. As for the Nubian, it remains a language spoken by the inhabitants of Upper Egypt, in the Aswan region, an area commonly known as Nubia. Its currency is the Egyptian pound.

Egypt multiplies extremes: the most populous Arab country, 90% of its population lives in a strip of fertile land along the Nile (24 km at its widest point near Fayoum, 10 km on average, but can n 'have a hundred meters). The remaining land is desert.

To the south, the Nile runs into a mountain barrier; as it moves towards the north, the landscape becomes increasingly flat and barren.
North of Cairo, the valley turns into a vast delta 200 kilometers wide, similar to a large fertile range into the Mediterranean Sea.
To the east of the valley is the Arabian desert to the west the Libyan desert, arid plateau dotted with bizarre geological formations and lush oases.
To the east, across the Suez Canal extends the Sinai Peninsula, extending the Arabian desert, where the Mount Catherine rises to 2,642 meters.

The air is very dry and clean, and only the Nile is not found there totally Saharan climate. In winter, the temperature is mild and night frosts are exceptional. Apart from the months of January, February and March, sometimes quite cold in the north, average temperatures are around 20 ° C on the Mediterranean coast (maximum 31 ° C) and 28 ° C in Aswan (maximum 50 ° C). In the desert, the extremes are de rigueur - glowing day, cold at night.

Become significantly wetter since the construction of the High Dam, Upper Egypt virtually ignored the rain in ancient times, to the point that it seemed like an omen, usually fatal in the eyes of its inhabitants.

The Nile Delta and especially the offshore experience less severe drought. During the winter, heavy showers are transforming the region into swamps, but these are relatively rare rainfall (average in Cairo is six days of rain per year). Alexandria is the Egyptian city that receives the most precipitation, about 19 cm / year, while qu'Assouan receives only about 10 mm every five years.

In spring, rampant often the khamsin, a dry wind, hot and dusty, scorching breath deserts southeast. At the speed of 150 km / h, he tears the leaves and gives the sky a deep orange hue; the air charge of the dust which makes breathing oppressive. During these fifty days (hence the name of this season), Egypt knows some severe thunderstorms once symbolized by the god Seth.

In summer, the temperature is high, but in the evening a regular northerly breeze cools the atmosphere; this dry heat is actually more tolerable than humid heat.

This great sun, the dry heat were not without influence on the manners of the ancient Egyptians: the need for clothing was not much felt, but the wig was useful to protect themselves from the sun; baths and toilet care refreshed skin, while makeup, cosmetics, perfumes protected the skin and eyes from the sun reverb, and masked the smell of perspiration.

It is also to collect some freshness that were built into thick brick, which is working under porches and affluent people hid their homes in the green gardens.

Martil

Martil is a Moroccan seaside  town located northeast of Tetouan, on the Mediterranean Sea in the region of Tangier-Tetouan. From the time she was a Spanish protectorate, the city was called Rio Martil.

While she was part of the province of Tétouan2, it was attached to the prefecture of M'diq-Fnideq in 20101.

Tangier

Tangier (Arabic: طنجة; Amazigh Tanja, ⵟⴰⵏⵊⴰ, Greco-Roman: Tingis) is a city in northern Morocco, in the Western Rif. It is the capital of the area of Tangier-Tetouan and Tangier-Asilah prefecture. Located at the northern end of the country, the city is the main gate of Morocco on Europe, All which it is separated by 14 km of the Strait of Gibraltar. Its population W


AS 669.685 Inhabitants in the census of 20.041, making it the fifth Largest city in Morocco. It Was dubbed "the city of strangers" Because Of icts Many settlements (Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Arabs, Portuguese, English, French and Spanish).


Tangier is located in the bay of the same name, opened on the western end of the Strait of Gibraltar, about 15 kilometers from the Spanish coast. First established on the hill of the Kasbah, the city gradually spread over the mountains bordering the west towards Cape Spartel (Marshan plateau, Old Mountain) and then along the beach towards Cape Malabata. Despite these reliefs, the site presents no significant river system.

The climate is Mediterranean, Tangier moderated by the oceanic influence and the breath of Chergui, with four distinct seasons: wet and mild winter, warm summer and dry, moderate rain inter-seasons. However, the city is often subject to severe weather such as strong winds and heavy rainfall (eg 200 mm of rain in one day, November 23, 2008). Rainfall ranges between 700 and 1000 mm per year. For temperatures, the record low is -4.2 ° C January 28, 2005 and for the record heat is 43.5 ° C on 1 August 2003

After a Phoenician presence, he remains two small cemeteries, the city was actually founded in the fourth century BC by the Carthaginians, who made ​​a counter (Tingi). In 146 BC, to the fall of Carthage, the city is connected to the Mauretania and became a Roman colony (Tingis) related to the province of Spain. Tangier takes such importance, it becomes, to the third century, the Mauritanian capital Tingitane. In the fifth century, Tangier was occupied by the Vandals. Released during the reign of Justinian in the early sixth century, it is attached to the Byzantine empire.

General Moussa Ibn Umayyad Noussaïr interested in Tangier for its strategic position and it is from there that 711, will begin the conquest of Spain by the troops of Tarik Ibn Ziad, who Gibraltar, among others, owes its name (Jebel Tarik Mount Tarik). During the five centuries after the dynasties of Morocco, Tunisia and Spain dispute the sovereignty of Tangier. The Idrisids masters of Volubilis, the Umayyads of Spain, compete on it for over a century. In the middle of the tenth century, the Fatimids of Tunisia to extend their authority. In 1075, in lesAlmoravides become masters until 1149, when the city fell to the Almohads. She enfeoffs Hafsides to Tunis before becoming Merinid en12743.

After three attempts to seize the Portuguese in 1471 and second to England in 1661 as dowry brought by Catherine of Braganza her husband Charles II of England. Back when Tangier was still a Portuguese city, it was the capital of the Algarve in Africa, we must not forget that there were two Algarve at the time, one in Europe and one in Africa [ref. needed] 4. Moulay Ismail in 1679 (chérifien Empire Alawi) laid siege to Tangier which is en1684 abandoned by decision of Charles II estimating its occupation by the British troops unnecessary and too costly.

As a result of the assistance provided by the Sultan Abd ar-Rahman ibn Hisham to the Algerian emir Abd El-Kader, the French launched a raid on Tangier retaliation led by the Prince de Joinville who bombed the city in 1844 and dismantles fortifications.

European rivalry for control of the city, door ajar on Morocco, began in the late nineteenth century. France, Spain, the United Kingdom and Germany increasing diplomatic and trade missions to place their pawns, putting the city at the center of international rivalries. In 1880, the Madrid Convention attempts to define the relations between the major powers over Morocco. Driven by Chancellor Bulow who hears Remember way sensational, that Germany will not let get away and that France can not change the political situation in Morocco without the authorization of a new international Conference Guillaume He arrived March 31, 1905 the imperial yacht Hohenzollern in Tangier for a few hours and denounces, after a meeting with the uncle of the sultan, the French and Spanish designs on Morocco, causing a diplomatic crisis: the crisis Tangier. In 1906 the Algeciras Conference redefines the positions of each in Africa recognizing the independence of the sultan and affirming the equality of the signatories in the economic field. In 1923 the negotiations resulted in making an international zone free from customs duties. On 24 July 1925, the final status of Tangier is signed by theKingdom Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United States, Portugal, Soviet Union and France, which will join the Italy later.

The city now has its financial autonomy. It endows an international administration, especially in a legislature, composed of thirty international officials appointed by their respective consuls and nine Moroccans. The era of "International Status" is that of most international Tangier, both in culture and in the business, benefiting from the facilities offered to smuggling, espionage and counterfeiting.

In June 1940, after the French defeat, the Spanish Nationalist troops occupied Tangier and allow, in March 1941, the installation of the German consulate in mendoubia (Mendoub residence) where the Nazi flag fleet. In March 1944, Spain is from the German consulate mendoubia before removing, LE9 October 1945, troops from Tangier, which will regain its international status. Between 1939 and 1950, Tanger has seen its population triple to more than 150,000 residents.

April 10, 1947, Sultan Mohammed V, accompanied by Crown Prince Moulay Hassan (the future Hassan II), delivered the first speech in Tangier, which refers to a unified and independent Morocco attached to the Arab nation. In 1956, with the independence of Morocco, the conference Fedala (8 to 29 October) makes Tangier in Morocco. A Royal Charter maintains the freedom of exchange and trade until 1960, when the Moroccan government abolished the tax benefits and Tangier are left with is identical to that of other cities of the kingdom status. To avoid a significant capital flight, the port of Tangiers has a free zone.

The city known for ten years (2000) a spectacular development.

Agadir

Agadir (That word means "fortified granary collective" in Tamazight Tifinagh ⴰⴳⴰⴷⵉⵔ, أڭادير Arabic) is a city in southwestern Morocco, located On on the Atlantic  coast, in the Souss area, 508 miles south of Casablanca, 173 km from Essaouira and 235 km west of Marrakech3. It is the capital of the administrative area of Souss-Massa-Draa and the Prefecture of Agadir Ida Outanane. 

The population of the metropolitan area of Greater Agadir in 2012 is estimated at about 900 000 inhabitants. [Ref. needed] The city currently has about 600,000 habitants1,4 (Gadiris in French, Gougadir / Oultougadir in tachelhit, Gadiri / Gadiria in Arabic), and the town, with neighboring cities, and Aït Melloul Inzegane 600 000. According to the 2004 census, Agadir had that year 346,106 habitants5 and population lapréfecture Agadir Ida Outanane was 487,954 habitants5. This is one of the main urban centers of Morocco, seventh agglomeration of the country after Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Marrakech, Meknes and Tangier. The population density is quite high. Three languages ​​are spoken in the city: Arabic (Darija essentially, the Moroccan Arabic dialect); the tachelhit (or Berber) by the Amazigh (Berbers or Chleuhs Icelḥiyen); and French. 
Damaged by an earthquake in 1960, the city has been completely rebuilt with mandatory seismic standards. It is now the largest seaside resort in Morocco where tourists and foreign residents come many attracted by an unusually mild all year round climate. Since 2010, well served by low cost and the highway to Tangier flights, the city attracts all horizonset is experiencing annual growth of over 6% a year in housing demand while production barely exceeds 3

Paris

Paris (pronounced [pa.ʁi] pronunciation of the title in its original version Listen) is the capita
l of France. It lies at the heart of a vast fertile plain temperate climate, the Paris Basin, on a bend of the Seine, between the junction of the latter with the Marne and Oise. Its inhabitants are called Parisians.

Paris is also the capital of the Île-de-France and the only French town that is also a department. As the cities of Lyon and Marseille, it is divided into districts (twenty in number). It has a police commissioner.

Most populous city long in Europe, it remains the most populous France. According to the census of Inseeb 1, the town of Paris on 1 January 2011 had over 2.2 million inhabitants. The Paris agglomeration has largely developed during the twentieth century, bringing 10.5 million at January 1, 2011b 2, and its urban area (the city and the suburban ring) were approximately 12.3 million inhabitants on 1 January 2011b 3 It is one of the most populated cities in Europe.

The position of Paris, on an island to cross the great navigable river that is the Seine by a route connecting the north and south of Gaul, in fact since ancient times an important city, capital of the Parisii and a base of an emperor. Its position at the center of the territory controlled by the Frankish kings actually choose as the capital of France instead of Tournai. Placed at the center of a fertile agricultural area with a damp, mild climate, Paris is one of the main cities of France during the tenth century, with royal palaces, wealthy abbeys and a cathedral; during the twelfth century, with the University of Paris, the city became one of the first homes in Europe for education and the arts. Royal power setting in the city, its economic and political importance is growing. Thus at the beginning of the fourteenth century, Paris is one of the most important of the whole Christian world cities. In the seventeenth century it was the capital of a major European political powers in the eighteenth century one of the great cultural centers of Europe and the nineteenth century capital of the arts and pleasures. Paris plays a major political and economic role in the history of Europe during the second millennium.

Symbol of French culture with its many monuments, the city attracts the 2000s nearly three million visitors per year1. Paris also occupies a prominent place in the world of fashion and luxury; it is also the most visited capital in the world.

 The city, with its suburbs, the economic and commercial capital of France, and its first financial marketplace. The Paris region, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of 607 billion euros (845 billion dollars) in 2011b 4, is a major European economic player. It is the first European region by the régional2 GDP and sixth in GDP per capita PPA3. The density of its railway network, highway and airport structure, the hub of French and European aviation network, make it a focal point for international transport. This is the result of a long evolution, particularly the centralizing designs of monarchies and republics, which give a significant role to the capital in the country and tend to concentrate institutions. Since the 1960s, government policies, however, are between devolution and decentralization.

Japan

Japan, officially the State of Japan, Nippon or Nihon (日本?) And Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku (日本国?), Respectively, is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies in the Sea of ​​Japan, east of China, Korea and Russia, and northern Taiwan. Etymologically, the kanji (ideograms or) that make up Japan's name mean "country (国, Kuni) Original (本, Hon) from the Sun (日, hi)"; this is how Japan is designated as the "Land of the Rising Sun".

Japan form since 1945, an archipelago of 6,852 islands over 100 m2, including the four largest are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, accounting for 95% of the land area. The archipelago stretches over three thousand kilometers. Most of the islands are mountainous, many volcanic; for example, Japan's highest peak, Mount Fuji (3,776 m), is a volcano (inactive since 1707). Japan is the tenth most populous country, with about 127 million to 377 488 km2 (337 inhab. / Km 2), most of which focused on the narrow coastal plains. Greater Tokyo, which includes the capital Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan region in the world, with over 35 million inhabitants. The city was the first global financial center in 1990.


Archaeological research indicates that Japan was inhabited as early as the Upper Paleolithic period. The first written mention of Japan begins with brief appearances in Chinese history texts from the first century. Japan's history is characterized by periods of great influence in the outside world followed by long periods of isolation. Since adopting its constitution in 1947, Japan has maintained a constitutional monarchy with an emperor and an elected parliament, the Diet.

Japan is the third largest economy in the world in nominal GDP and the third for GDP at purchasing power parity. It is also the fourth largest exporter and sixth importing country in the world. Major player in international trade and sparing power he has accumulated a net creditor position vis-a-vis the rest of the world (in) more than 325,000 yens7 billion, placing it in first place before the China8. It is a developed country with a very high standard of living (tenth highest HDI) and the longest life expectancy in the world (according to UN estimates) 9. But this idyllic picture should not obscure important issues facing the future of the country: Japan suffers from one of the world's lowest birth rates, well below the replacement level générations10. The country is currently démographique11 decline. It is also the country for which the weight of the gross public debt is the largest in the world12, the latter amounted in 2013 to 250% of PIB13.

Japan is a constitutional monarchy. Governed by the 1947 Constitution, where the Emperor (天皇, Tennō?) No longer occupies a place of honor, while the bulk of political power is vested in a bicameral parliament, the Diet (国会, Kokkai?) . Executive power is vested in the cabinet (内閣, Naikaku?), Responsible to the Diet, headed by Prime Minister (総 理 大臣, Sori daijin?) And composed of ministers of state (国務 大臣, Kokumu daijin?) To all be civilians. The prime minister is chosen in the Diet by peers before being appointed by the emperor. It has the power to appoint and dismiss other ministers, a majority must be a member of Parliament. The constitution assigns sovereignty, which previously returned to the emperor, the Japanese people.

The legislative branch, and thus the Diet is first made ​​everything a lower chamber, the House of Representatives (衆議院, SHUGI-in?) Of 480 seats, of which 300 members are elected by the single-mode to turn and 180 by regional proportional. Representatives are elected for four years by universal suffrage (must have twenty years to vote). The upper house, called the House of Councillors (参議院, Sangi-in?) Of 242 members, is composed of persons elected for a term of six years, renewed by half every three years. There is universal suffrage and secret ballot. The voting system is mixed: 146 councilors are elected by a block voting within the prefectures, and 96 advisers on national proportional.

Politics has long been dominated after the end of the American occupation by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has provided all the Prime Ministers of the country from 1955 to 1993, from 1996 to 2009 and since 2012, which -Ci, liberal conservative, governs alone or in coalition, including the Kōmeitō, party under the influence of Sōka Gakkai, whose members are mostly from between 1999 and 2009 and since 2012 the main opposition party has long was the Japan Socialist Party (JSP) until one suffers the loss of its traditional electorate as a result of its alliance from 1994 to 1998 with the LDP in a grand coalition and its transformation in 1996 social Party -démocrate (PSD). Since the 1990s, the non-Communist opposition was led by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), founded in 1996 and reformed in 1998, consisting of former dissidents as former PSJ that the LDP and positioning themselves at the center even the center-left of the Japanese political spectrum with a near Third way social liberal ideology.

 He eventually came to power after the parliamentary elections of August 30, 2009 and its president, Yukio Hatoyama, has become the 60th Prime Minister of Japan on September 16, 2009 Naoto Kan succeeded him June 4, 2010, before leaving his instead turn to Yoshihiko Noda on September 2, 2011 and heads a bipartisan coalition government with the people's New Party (NPP, center-right). However, he lost the majority in the next parliamentary elections on December 16, 2012, in favor of the return of the PLD-Kōmeitō coalition. Shinzō Abe, already prime minister from 2006 to 2007, has thus returned to head the government Dec. 26, 2012.

New York

New York (pronunciation in American English / nuːjɔɹk / pronunciation of the title in its original version Listen), officially City of New York, otherwise known as the name and abbreviation of New York City or NYC, is the largest city in the United States and one of the largest in the Americas. It is located in the Northeastern United States, on the Atlantic coast to the southeastern tip of the state of New York. The New York City consists of five boroughs called boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. Its inhabitants are called New Yorkers.

Between 1785 and 1790 the city of New York was the capital of the US2. It is the largest city in the country since 17903, before feeding for a few decades the financial and political rivalry between New York and Philadelphia.

New York has a significant impact on global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education and entertainment. Gathering all the characteristics of a global city, it is sometimes considered the "capital of the world." If it is not the capital of the United States for more than two sièclesnotes 1, New York is not least the country's most populous city, with 8,336,697 inhabitants according to the Census Bureau of the United States (2012) 4. At the heart of the megalopolis of BosWashnotes 2, its agglomeration 19,069,796 habitants5 spans several counties of the State of New York (suburbs east and north) and impinges on two neighboring states. Indeed, the state of New Jersey has its western suburbs and south, and the Connecticut includes its suburbs northeast. Its urban area in turn had 22,201,312 inhabitants in 20096.

New York is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, with its many ethnic neighborhoods. The best known are Little Italy, Chinatown or that incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese population Amériques7,8,9,10.

New York hosts some 50 million visitors annuels11,12,13. Times Square, iconified as "the Crossroads of the World" 14,15,16,17,18, is the hub of the show in the entire country and the theater district Broadway19, one of the most populaires20 intersections and a major center of the entertainment industry worldwide.21. The city has a large number of bridges (78,822 in 2012), skyscrapers and parks renowned mondiale23. The financial district in New York, anchored by Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, functions as the "financial capital of the world" 24,25,26,27,28,29,30 and is home to the stock exchange and New York31 its future financial center One World Trade center. In addition, the Manhattan real estate market is among the highest in the world.32.

Finally, New York is home to institutions of global importance. These include the UN headquarters, but also many seats multinationales33 and cultural centers such as the Metropolitan Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, MoMA, Lincoln Center. Many famous universities are located in New York, including the University of the City of New York, Columbia University, New York University, and Rockefeller, which are classified among the top 50 universities in the University monde34.

Turkey

Turkey, long the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic, Turkish Türkiye Türkiye Cumhuriyeti pronunciation and form, is a country located on the border of Asia and Europe. It has borders with Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan (Nakhichevan), Iran, Iraq and Syria. It is a parliamentary republic whose official language is Turkish. Turkey is bordered to the north by the Black Sea, to the west by the Aegean Sea and south through the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea: the Levantine Basin. Eastern Thrace (Europe) and Anatolia (Asia) are separated by the Sea of ​​Marmara and the Bosporus on the east and west of the Dardanelles (the three inlets form what is called the Straits ).

Turkey has 3% of its territory in Europe (Eastern Thrace). Its geographical location astride two continents, at the crossroads of routes Russia - Mediterranean and Balkans - Middle East, on the ancient Silk Road, today on the pipeline route of strategic importance, Turkey has always been a hub of economic, cultural and religious exchanges. She made the link between the East and the West, where its strategic leadership position which reinforces the view of the political events that have shaken the Middle East as the oil market and tensions linked to the problem water.

Modern Turkey was founded under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1923 on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire defeated by the First World War, is a unitary constitutional secular democratic republic,. Since then, she has never ceased to be closer to the West by joining, for example, cooperation organizations: NATO, OECD, OSCE, Council of Europe or the G20. Turkey is an official candidate since 1963 to enter the European Economic Community (EEC), the current European Union (EU), with which it has concluded a customs union agreement in 1995, in force since 1996 Negotiations for the entry of Turkey into the EU is officially underway since 2005 same time, Turkey has maintained close ties with countries with a majority Muslim population as it, as well as the Middle East and Asia Central including participation in the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Organization for Economic Cooperation, and the Turkic Council. In 2014, at the summit in Dili (East Timor), Turkey became an associate observer of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP)

Anatolia (Asia Minor) is one of the cradles of Christianity. According to the Acts of the Apostles, it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians. Saint Paul of Tarsus and originates he traveled extensively in Asia Minor: Antakya, Konya, Ankara (capital of Galatians), Ephesus. The latter city is attached to the memory of John. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary spent her last years near Ephesus in Selçuk. The Cave of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus is located near Ephesus as the name suggests. The Seven Churches of Asia or Seven Churches of the Apocalypse are seven mentioned in the book of the Apocalypse in the New Testament diocesan communities (episcopal seats were located in Asia Minor (Anatolia), now in Turkey.) St. Nicolas, who was born in Patara and died in Myra, was a native of the region of Lycia in Anatolia. The seven ecumenical councils (Nicaea I, Constantinople I, Ephesus, Chalcedon, Constantinople II, Constantinople III, Nicea II) gathered in Turkey today (at Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus, Chalcedon.) Two of the five churches of Pentarchy (Church Constantinople and Antioch) are in what is now Turkey. There are remnants of early Christianity (Cappadocia) and medieval (in the region of Trabzon.)

In the early twentieth century, the Christian Armenians living in eastern Turkey on the Armenian plateau and the Greek Orthodox on the coast of the Aegean Sea as well as the northern and southern coasts (Trabzon, Antalya, Izmir ...). During the First World War, most Armenians were killed, deported or fled during the Armenian Genocide. The Greeks first fled after the burning of their homes by turques23 forces during the Greco-Turkish War of 1920-1922, were then subject to an exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey between 1923 and 1927 with a transfer of Greek populations from Anatolia to Greece and Turkey populations from Greece to Turkey.

The number of Christians in Turkey are not so far beyond the two thousand percent, although the largest city, Istanbul, is home to two prestigious patriarchates: the Greeks and Armenians. Armenians are the largest Christian community in the country (60 000 including 45 000 Istanbul24), divided into three communities: Apostolic (57,000), Catholics (3000) and Protestants (500) in Istanbul, Antakya and Kayseri). Also exemplary Syriacs (15,000 of which 2,000 Catholics in Istanbul and Mardin), Chaldeans (10,000, mostly from Iraq), the Latins (5000, concentrated in Istanbul and Izmir, small communities Bursa, Konya, Mersin, Tarsus, Antakya, Iskenderun, Samsun, Trabzon), Greek Orthodox (3000, Istanbul, Antakya, Gökçeada and Bozcaada).


 It should also be added the "new" Protestant or Muslim converts to evangelical Protestantism, which are the number of 5000.

Rome

Rome (Italian Roma / 'Roma /) is the capital of Italy since 1871, is located in the Lazio region in central Somalia. With 2,865,151 inhabitants established on 1285 sq km (4,321,244 inhabitants in 2013 with the agglomeration) 1, Rome is the most populated municipality of Italy and largest of Europe.2 after Moscow and London; its urban area, however, is less important than those of Milan and Naples3. Its inhabitants are called the Romans.

City cradle of Western civilization after Athens, Rome has a history that spans more than two thousand five hundred years. It was the center of the Roman Empire, which dominated Europe, North Africa and the Middle East for over five hundred years from the first century BC. BC to the fifth century AD. AD .. Rome occupies a crucial place in Christianity and is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican City, a sovereign state whose head is the pope.

The historic center of Renaissance and Baroque style. Rome is the third most visited in Europe after London and Paris4 and its historic center tourist destination is listed by UNESCO as a heritage site mondial


Rome is in the Lazio region in central Italy, at the confluence of the Aniene and Tiber. The center is located about 25 kilometers from the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, but the Roman settlement extends to it through the Municipio XIII forming the current district of Ostia, also called Lido di Roma (Lido meaning "coast" in Italian). The altitude ranges from 13 meters above sea level (in Piazza del Popolo) to 120 meters.

The historic center of Rome is dominated by seven hills: Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal and Viminal, all lying on the left bank of the Tiber River that runs through the city to the south and in the middle of which is the Tiber Island. The ancient city was surrounded by walls which Aurelian Wall, a wall built by the Emperor Aurelian in 270 to protect neighborhoods that had developed outside the Servian Wall. This part of Rome covers about 4% of the area of the present municipality that extends well beyond the strictly urban space.
The old center remains one of the world's largest historic cities, it is divided into 22 Rioni and includes about 300 hotels, more than 2,000 palaces, 300 churches, 200 monumental fountains, several archaeological sites, eight parks, main monuments the city, government institutions and thousands of shops, offices, bars and restaurants.

The rest of the city is divided into urban neighborhoods that contain the majority of modern buildings. The whole is surrounded by the GRA (GRA), Roman Perimeter Highway. Beyond develop new wings where tertiary sectors, and new residential neighborhoods far beyond the device (Torrenova Acilia) and belted themselves by the device of the A1 Milan-Naples.

Doubaï

Doubaï1 Dubai is the most populous of the United Arab Emirates (across the federal capital Abu Dhabi). Located on the Persian Gulf, it is capital of the emirate of Dubai, and has over one million inhabitants (however, with the cities of Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, themselves capitals of their respective emirates it forms a metropolitan area exceeding 2.3 million in 2010). Dubai is also the largest port in the country.

Founded in the eighteenth century, Dubai remains a modest and isolated town in the world that lives mainly pearl diving in the late nineteenth century. At that time, as the emirate surroundings, they become important in participating in the creation of the Trucial States (Trucial States in English) in 1853.
Through a difficult period during the inter-war years, before entering the full force of modernity in the second half of the twentieth century, Dubai participated in the creation of the current UAE in 1971 with the emir is vice -présidence.

Although not the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has become the most famous city of the federation.
This reputation is largely due to the media coverage of its tourism projects such as the Burj Al Arab, the most luxurious and the most "star" of the world, the gigantic building projects like the Palm Islands, artificial peninsula shaped palm, the World, an artificial archipelago that replicates the map of the world, the Dubai Marina and disproportionate to the particular architecture, not to mention the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa.

These projects claimed by the government, are presented as a way to become in a few years the world's top destination for luxury tourism and become one of the world centers of family tourism, business, shopping, etc.

The road network consists of broad avenues and highways, including Sheikh Zayed Road is the best known example. This creates a mesh network linking the various residential areas, work and travel in the metropolitan area of Dubai. To allow the crossing of Khor Dubai, the tunnel Shindanaga submarine was built in the sea. Dubai also has the reputation of being the city of the rich country with the most accidents and deaths on the roads. It is estimated that there is an accident every three minutes in Dubai, which contributes to the gridlock. To finance road infrastructure, toll, the salik was established on 1 July 2007.

The sixth crossing of the Khor Dubai, a bridge 12 lanes circulation14 (2x6 lanes), 1.7 km long, 205 m high with a width of 64 m is under construction (March 2008). The bridge, the largest in the world, will open up the Al Jaddaf area. The project will take four years to an estimated $ 817 million (556 million euros).

To alleviate gridlock, the bus network, made ​​up of 59 lines used by 200,000 passengers a week, can reduce three subway lines are under construction, were opened partially in 2009 and fully in 2012 .

The green line in the shape of a "U" around the Khor Dubai Deira and Bur Dubai will link the city center while the red line will connect Jebel Ali in Dubai International Airport. These two lines will measure 70 km and 43 stations count (33 underground and surface ten). Recently, the construction of another line of 47 kilometers (purple) was announced. It would connect the new airport under construction (the Dubai World Central International Airport) in Jebel Ali.

A Streetcar whose construction started in 2009 and with 14 km of line for 19 stations, should also be put into operation in 2014 Finally, to complete these networks transport in own site, it is planned to build seven monorails to to connect to different sites such as Dubailand, Jumeirah Palm, etc. Taxis are numerous in Dubai and it's everywhere. They are the means of non-personal use by most Emiratis transport.

Canton

Canton (Portuguese Cantão) and Guangzhou (pinyin: GuăngzhōuÉcouter pronunciation in Mandarin Chinese: 广州) is the capital of Guangdong Province in southern China. It has the administrative status of sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. With nearly 12.7 million (including 11.07 million urban residents over an area of ​​3843 km2) 2, is the third most populous city behind Shanghai and Beijing, and the first Southern China. With the cities of Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and it forms the Chinese megalopolis River Delta Pearl conurbation stretching nearly 20 000 km2 and represents almost 40 million inhabitants. It hosted the 2010 Asian Games.


According to legend, the city of Canton is descended from heaven with goats Immortals, where Chinese circumlocution of "City of Five Rams" to designate rams that are actually goats.

Canton, or Guangzhou, was his debut called Panyu (Chinese: 番禺; Jyutping: Pun1 Jyu4), a name taken from the name of two mountains surrounding the present town, and Pan Yu His story begins with the conquest of the region. during the Qin Dynasty. Panyu began its expansion when the city became the capital of the Nanyue Kingdom (南越) in 206 BC. AD, the latter including at the time what is now Vietnam. The Han Dynasty annexed the Nanyue Kingdom in -111 and Panyu became a provincial capital of Guangdong. In 226 AD, Panyu became the seat of Guang Prefecture (广州; Guangzhou). Its name was changed to Guangzhou (廣州) in 226.

In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Chinese society became international with the influx of fore

ign merchants which followed the restoration of Chinese control over the Silk Road, after the military conquest of Emperor Taizong (626- 649). Canton, like other major cities such as Chang'an and Luoyang, and many other market towns, welcomed foreign communities. Originating mainly from Central Asia in recent introduced new religions as well as other culinary, musical and artistic traditions. In the ninth century, the foreign population of the city of Canton was estimated at 100,000 people.

Arab and Persian pirates sacked Guangzhou (known to them as the Sin-Kalan) in 758, according to a report from the local government of 30 October 758, which corresponded to the day Gisi (癸巳) of the ninth lunar month in the first year of the era of Emperor Suzong Qianyuan Tang Dynasty. The tenth century to the twelfth century, there existed a district in Guangzhou foreigners, including people sheltering from the Persian Gulf from the sacking of the town of 758.


During the Japanese invasion, the city suffers from autumn 1937 violent strategic bombing of civilian targets, leading to a resolution of censure of the League of Nations against Japan. The imperial army are also implanted bacteriological research unit 8604, a subsidiary of Unit 731, where Japanese doctors practiced experiments on human guinea pigs.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is the largest city in the state of Nevada, USA. It is located in the middle of the Mojave Desert (the driest of the four North American deserts) in Clark County. Mormons founded the city in 1855, which became the early twentieth century an agricultural village.

With liberal laws relating to gaming in the State of Nevada, the city has earned a worldwide reputation for its casinos and its journals. Because of the huge hotel capacity of the city (more than 120,000 hotel rooms, making it the city's first hotel in the world), it is also a place of choice for hosting major conventions. Las Vegas is also the temple of shopping, especially with its large shopping centers (the Fashion Show Mall, for example, located on the Strip).

Las Vegas is a premier tourist destination in the United States. In 2004, the city has hosted the game 37.4 million visitors, 80% from California.

Las Vegas is the seat of Clark County since 1909 (the year of the creation of the county). It is also the seat of a Catholic diocese. According to the Census Bureau of the United States, the population of the municipality is 583 756 inhabitants in 2010.1 The population of the metropolitan area has tripled in twenty years and has 1,951,269 inhabitants in 2010 to Las Vegas After the thirtieth municipality and the urban area of the thirtieth country2. The Greater Las Vegas does not match the metropolitan area (MSA). Its territory covers only 1906 km2 collecting 1,868,220 inhabitants 1,951,269 on the metropolitan area (Clark County) account. A dozen municipalities make up the metropolitan area (Las Vegas, Enterprise, North Las Vegas, Spring Valley, Winchester, Paradise, Boulder City, Henderson ...).

The broader metropolitan area (CSA) covers two counties (Clark and Nye), or 67,487 square kilometers with a population of 2,013,326 inhabitants.

Las Vegas is one of the largest cities in the United States. However, it has no major league team owned professional sports such as the NFL (American football), MLB (baseball), NBA (basketball) and NHL (ice hockey). This feature can be explained by the fact that the leaders of these major league experience some reluctance to coexist professional franchise with this "game world" and bookmakers.

The city has a professional American football franchise in theaters, the Las Vegas Gladiators playing in Arena Football League, they play in the Orleans Arena (9500 seats) with the Las Vegas Wranglers are an ice hockey team in the East Coast Hockey League.

The main baseball club of the city are the Las Vegas 51s of the League of the Pacific Coast, which plays in the Cashman Field (9334 seats). The 51s are a AAA minor league team affiliated with the New York Mets MLB.

The Las Vegas area has three major basketball teams: the Las Vegas Stars (International Basketball League), the PROLYMs Las Vegas and Henderson All-Starz (American Basketball Association 2000).

In February 2007, the Thomas & Mack Center (main sports hall in the city with about 19,000 seats) hosted the NBA All-Star Game in 2007.

Since 1986, the city hosts the Open in Las Vegas is a male tennis tournament which takes place in late February, sometimes early May.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) is a conventional circuit located north of the city, which hosts racing like NASCAR. The circuit is a "D-oval" (oval-shaped D), has a length of 2.414 km and has a capacity of 156,000 spectators. It belongs to the Speedway Motorsports, Inc., headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The main events are the Shelby American NASCAR (Sprint Cup), the Sam's Town 300 (Nationwide Series) and the Las Vegas 350 (Camping World Truck Truck Series).

In college sports, the Rebels of UNLV (NCAA) defend the colors of the University of Nevada (Las Vegas). The football team of Rebels play Sam Boyd Stadium (36,800 seats) while that of basketball plays at the Thomas & Mack Center (18,776 seats). Since 1992, the Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas Bowl is organizing a football game usually between university teams from the Pacific Ten Conference and the Mountain West Conference.

The city of Las Vegas is located in the south of the State of Nevada, Clark County (36 ° 11 '39 "N 115 ° 13' 19" W). According to the Census Bureau of the United States, the city covers an area of ​​340 km2. A small part of this area (0.04%) is covered by water.

The city lies in a valley (Las Vegas Valley) in the heart of an arid basin surrounded by snow-capped mountains in winter: string Spring (2512 meters), Rainbow Mountain to the west line north of Las Vegas, Sunrise Mountain and Frenchman Mountain east (1,025 meters), Black Mountain to the south (1,552 meters). Landscapes that are around is desert and geological characteristics of the Great Basin region.

The average altitude is 620 meters above the mean level of the sea. Due to urbanization and sampling ground water, the soil is affected by subsidence related to the flaws quaternaire4