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Testimony Before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
“China’s Global Quest for Resources and Implications for the United States” January 26, 2012 Testimony before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission Elizabeth Economy C.V. Starr Senior Fellow and Director, Asia Studies Council on Foreign Relations Introduction China’s quest for resources to fuel its continued rapid economic growth has brought thousands of Chinese enterprises and millions of Chinese workers to every corner of the world. Already China accounts for approximately one-fourth of world demand for zinc, iron and steel, lead, copper, and aluminum. It is also the world’s second largest importer of oil after the United States. And as hundreds of millions of Chinese continue to move from rural to urban areas, the need for energy and other commodities will only continue to increase. No resource, however, is more essential to continued Chinese economic growth than water. It is critical for meeting basic human needs, as well as demands for food and energy. As China’s leaders survey their water landscape, the view is not reassuring. More than 40 mid to large sized cities in northern China, such as Beijing and Tianjin, boast crisis- level water shortages.1 As a result, northern and western cities have been drawing down their groundwater reserves and causing subsidence, which now affects a 60 thousand kilometer area of the North China Plain. 2 According to the director of the Water Research Centre at Peking University Zheng Chunmiao, the water table under the North China Plain is falling at a rate of about a meter per year.3 -
National Geographic Traveler
an APPETITE for LAOS The complexity, grace, and taste of Luang Prabang unfurl one delicious bite at a time The Nam Ou river was once a major transport route, bringing people and produce from northern Laos to Luang Prabang. By Andrew Nelson Photographs by Ewen Bell 54 NATGEOTRAVEL.COM SOMETIMES Raise a spoonful of tom kha kai, a traditional Laotian coconut chicken A PORTAL soup, to your lips, and a tantalizing perfume of lemongrass, lime, and galangal wafts upward. Its scent is ISN’T A DOOR. sublime and earthy, hot and sour. The fragrant plume comes with a peppery kick. The sensation is vivid, somehow poignant, and utterly transporting. IT’S A BOWL The memory brings a smile as I stand in a line of passengers at Luang Prabang airport, in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. I’ve traveled OF SOUP. 9,000 miles to Southeast Asia inspired by Van Nolintha, a charismatic 32-year- old Laotian-American restaurateur in Raleigh, North Carolina, whose inventive renditions of his child- hood dishes from his native land have earned the acclaim of diners and food critics alike. Now I’ve come for a taste of the real thing. Upon leaving the airport, my first views of Laos are the Phou Thao and Phou Nang mountain ranges, which surround the ancient royal city of Luang Prabang like an embrace. The slopes are lush with trees that comb and catch the low-lying clouds. As I enter the city, a cluster of motorbikes overtakes my taxi, trailing fumes and impatience. A teenage girl, sitting sidesaddle in a Laotian silk tube skirt called a sinh, flashes past. -
View Full Activity Guide
Activities Guide Experiences are personal journeys. Our goal at Amantaka is to introduce you to Luang Prabang’s deeply-rooted cultural heritage, natural wonders and contemporary attractions, and help you establish a personal connection with its warm and friendly people. As part of UNESCO, Luang Prabang has 32 temples and 111 historic Lao-French buildings throughout the town, citing Luang Prabang as the best-preserved traditional town in Southeast Asia. New construction is limited, and development must be in keeping with the spirit of the town. Luang Prabang is small in scale and easily explored either on foot or by bicycle, ideal for discovering notable architectural landmarks and other distinctive attractions in town. At Amantaka, tailor-made itineraries can be made to embrace passions and interests. From a traditional Lao cooking class on our organic farm to a sunset cruise on the majestic Mekong, or from a tour of the most sacred temples to a walk-through surrounding villages, our team at Amantaka are here to help you create your own journey into the heart of this fascinating town. Luang Prabang – a UNESCO town Luang Prabang city tour Temple and village walk Half-day excursion Half-day excursion Begin the tour at Amantaka, with the first stop at Wat This adventure begins with a short river-crossing from the Visoun and Wat Aham. Within their precincts stands the boat jetty behind the Palace Museum. After disembarking gigantic That Makmo (Watermelon), originally known as at Xieng Mene’s makeshift boat landing, walk through an That Patum or Lotus Stupa, built in 1503 A. -
ABSTRACT LU, CHI. Natural and Human Impacts on Recent
ABSTRACT LU, CHI. Natural and Human Impacts on Recent Development of Yangtze River and Mekong River Deltas. (Under the direction of Dr. Paul Liu). The Yangtze River Delta is the largest delta in China and is also a highly populated delta where metropolitan cities such as Shanghai are located. The evolution of Yangtze River Delta will directly influence the economics and environment in this area. The sediment flux from Yangtze into the delta decreased during the past three decades and the operation of world’s largest hydropower project, Three Gorges Dam, made this situation much more severe. In the delta area, another large project called Deep Water Navigation Channel was also completed in recent years. Mekong River Delta is another major delta in Asia and also has a lot of dams in the river basin. To document the relationship between human impacts on the large river basin and coastal evolution, in this study, we used Jiuduan Island of Yangtze River Delta and two islands of Mekong River Delta as examples and utilized Landsat data to show how these island’s shoreline changed with the trend of decreased sediment discharge. In Mekong River Delta, the shoreline change agreed well with the sediment flux, eroding from 1989 to 1996 and prograding from 1996 to 2002. In Yangtze River Delta, shoreline kept growing before Three Gorges Dams was operating, eroded from 2003 to 2009 and then prograded again from 2011 to 2013. The main reason for the shoreline progradation from 2011 to 2013 was the impact of the Deep Water Navigation Channel project which totally changed the sediment transport process around Jiuduan Island. -
Spatial Distribution of Nematode Communities Along the Salinity Gradient in the Two Estuaries of the Sea of Japan
Russian Journal of Nematology, 2019, 27 (1), 1 – 12 Spatial distribution of nematode communities along the salinity gradient in the two estuaries of the Sea of Japan Alexandra A. Milovankina and Natalia P. Fadeeva Far Eastern Federal University, Sukhanov Street 8, 690950, Vladivostok, Russia e-mail: [email protected] Accepted for publication 15 May 2019 Summary. Spatial distribution and structure of nematode assemblages in two estuaries (long lowland Razdolnaya and mountain Sukhodol rivers, the Sea of Japan) were investigated. Sampling was conducted from freshwater to marine benthic habitats. The meiobenthic community was strongly dominated by nematodes. In both estuaries, the spatial distribution of nematode density, composition and feeding types related to the salinity gradient. From a total of 57 nematode species, 42 and 40 nematode species were identified in each estuary, respectively. The changes in the taxonomic structure of nematode fauna were found along the salinity gradient. Differences in nematodes community observed along each estuarine gradient were much lower than between the two estuaries. Only four species Anoplostoma cuticularia, Axonolaimus seticaudatus, Cyatholaimus sp. and Parodontophora timmica, were present in all sampling zones of both estuaries. Most of the recorded species were euryhaline, described previously in shallow coastal bays; only five freshwater species have been described previously from the freshwater habitat of Primorsky Krai. Key words: community structure, euryhaline nematodes, free-living nematodes, Razdolnaya River estuary, Sukhodol River estuary. Free-living nematodes are an important are available from several estuaries (Fadeeva, 2005; component of both marine and estuarine ecosystems Shornikov & Zenina, 2014; Milovankina et al., (Giere, 2009; Mokievsky, 2009). It has been shown 2018). -
Transboundary River Basin Overview – Salween
0 [Type here] Irrigation in Africa in figures - AQUASTAT Survey - 2016 Transboundary River Basin Overview – Salween Version 2011 Recommended citation: FAO. 2011. AQUASTAT Transboundary River Basins – Salween River Basin. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Rome, Italy The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO. FAO encourages the use, reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Except where otherwise indicated, material may be copied, downloaded and printed for private study, research and teaching purposes, or for use in non-commercial products or services, provided that appropriate acknowledgement of FAO as the source and copyright holder is given and that FAO’s endorsement of users’ views, products or services is not implied in any way. All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be made via www.fao.org/contact-us/licencerequest or addressed to [email protected]. -
Amur Leopard Fact File
AMUR LEOPARD FACTFILE NAME Amur Leopard SCIENTIFIC NAME Panthera pardus orientalis GEOGRAPHIC RANGE Southwest Primorye in the Russian Far East HABITAT Temperate forests. LIFESPAN 10-15 years in the wild. Up to 20 years in captivity. WEIGHT 25– 75kg DIET Roe deer, sika deer, badgers and hares. WILD POPULATION Approx. 100 individuals IUCN RED LIST STATUS An extremely high risk of becoming extinct in the wild. GENERAL DESCRIPTION Amur leopards are one of nine sub-species of leopard. They are the most critically endangered big cat in the world. Found in the Russian far-east, Amur leopards are well adapted to a cold climate with thick fur that can reach up to 7.5cm long in winter months. Amur leopards are much paler than other leopards, with bigger and more spaced out rosettes. This is to allow them to camouflage in the snow. In the 20th century the Amur leopard population dramatically decreased due to habitat loss and hunting. Prior to this their range extended throughout northeast China, the Korean peninsula and the Primorsky Krai region of Russia. Now the Amur leopard range is predominantly in the south of the Primorsky Krai region in Russia, however, individuals have been reported over the border into northeast China. In 2011 Amur leopard population estimates were extremely low with approximately 35 individuals remaining. Intensified protection of this species has lead to a population increase, with approximately 100 now remaining in the wild. AMUR LEOPARD RANGE THREATS • Illegal wildlife trade– poaching for furs, teeth and bones is a huge threat to Amur leopards. A hunting culture, for both sport and food across Russia, also targets the leopards and their prey species. -
Amur Oblast TYNDINSKY 361,900 Sq
AMUR 196 Ⅲ THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST SAKHA Map 5.1 Ust-Nyukzha Amur Oblast TY NDINS KY 361,900 sq. km Lopcha Lapri Ust-Urkima Baikal-Amur Mainline Tynda CHITA !. ZEISKY Kirovsky Kirovsky Zeiskoe Zolotaya Gora Reservoir Takhtamygda Solovyovsk Urkan Urusha !Skovorodino KHABAROVSK Erofei Pavlovich Never SKOVO MAGDAGACHINSKY Tra ns-Siberian Railroad DIRO Taldan Mokhe NSKY Zeya .! Ignashino Ivanovka Dzhalinda Ovsyanka ! Pioner Magdagachi Beketovo Yasny Tolbuzino Yubileiny Tokur Ekimchan Tygda Inzhan Oktyabrskiy Lukachek Zlatoustovsk Koboldo Ushumun Stoiba Ivanovskoe Chernyaevo Sivaki Ogodzha Ust-Tygda Selemdzhinsk Kuznetsovo Byssa Fevralsk KY Kukhterin-Lug NS Mukhino Tu Novorossiika Norsk M DHI Chagoyan Maisky SELE Novovoskresenovka SKY N OV ! Shimanovsk Uglovoe MAZ SHIMA ANOV Novogeorgievka Y Novokievsky Uval SK EN SK Mazanovo Y SVOBODN Chernigovka !. Svobodny Margaritovka e CHINA Kostyukovka inlin SERYSHEVSKY ! Seryshevo Belogorsk ROMNENSKY rMa Bolshaya Sazanka !. Shiroky Log - Amu BELOGORSKY Pridorozhnoe BLAGOVESHCHENSKY Romny Baikal Pozdeevka Berezovka Novotroitskoe IVANOVSKY Ekaterinoslavka Y Cheugda Ivanovka Talakan BRSKY SKY P! O KTYA INSK EI BLAGOVESHCHENSK Tambovka ZavitinskIT BUR ! Bakhirevo ZAV T A M B OVSKY Muravyovka Raichikhinsk ! ! VKONSTANTINO SKY Poyarkovo Progress ARKHARINSKY Konstantinovka Arkhara ! Gribovka M LIKHAI O VSKY ¯ Kundur Innokentevka Leninskoe km A m Trans -Siberianad Railro u 100 r R i v JAO Russian Far East e r By Newell and Zhou / Sources: Ministry of Natural Resources, 2002; ESRI, 2002. Newell, J. 2004. The Russian Far East: A Reference Guide for Conservation and Development. McKinleyville, CA: Daniel & Daniel. 466 pages CHAPTER 5 Amur Oblast Location Amur Oblast, in the upper and middle Amur River basin, is 8,000 km east of Moscow by rail (or 6,500 km by air). -
Effects of Flood on DOM and Total Dissolved Iron Concentration in Amur River
Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol. 21, EGU2019-11918, 2019 EGU General Assembly 2019 © Author(s) 2019. CC Attribution 4.0 license. Effects of Flood on DOM and Total Dissolved Iron Concentration in Amur River Baixing Yan and Jiunian Guan Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, China ([email protected]) DOM is an important indicator for freshwater quality and may complex with metals. It is already found that the water quality was abnormal during or after the flood events in various areas, which may be due to the release and resuspending of sediment in the river and leaching of the soil in the river basin area. And flood are also a major pathway for different dissolved matter, such as DOM, transport into the river system from the flood bed, wetlands, etc., when the flood was subsided. River flood has visibly impact on DOM component and concentration. The concentration and species of DOM and dissolved iron during different floods, including watershed extreme flood event, typhoon-induced flood event, snow-thawed flood event were monitored in Amur River and its biggest trib- utary Songhua River. Also, some simulation experiments in lab were implemented. The samples were filtered by 0.45µm filter membrane in situ, then analyze the ionic iron (ferrous ion, Ferric ion) by ET7406 Iron Concentration Tester(Lovibond, Germany with Phenanthroline colorimetric method). The total dissolved iron was determined by GBC 906 AAS(Australia) in lab. DOC was analyzed by TOC VCPH, SHIMADZU(Japan). The results showed that DOC ranged 6.63-9.19 mg/L (averaged at 7.68 mg/L) during extreme Songhua-Amur flood event in 2013.The lower molecular weight of organic matter[U+FF08]<10kDa[U+FF09]was the dominant form of DOM, and the lower molecular weight of complex iron was the dominant form of total dissolved iron. -
Geography – Russia
Year Six RUSSIA Key Facts • Russia (o cial name: Russian Federation) is the world’s largest • Given its size, the climate in Russia varies. The mildest areas country (with an area of 17,075, 200 square kilometres) and are along the Baltic Coast. Winter in Russia is very cold, with has a population of 144, 125, 000. The currency of Russia is the temperatures in the northern regions of Siberia reaching -50 Ruble. degrees Celsius in winter. • The capital city of Russia is Moscow. It has a population 13.2 million people within the city limits and 17 million within the Food and Trade urban areas. It is situated on the Moskva River in western Russia. • Borscht is a famous Russian soup made with beetroot and sour cream. It can be enjoyed hot or cold. Physical and Human Geographical features • St Petersburg is a major trade gateway in Russia, specialising in • Major mountain ranges: Ural, Altai. oil and gas trade, shipbuilding yards and the aerospace industry. • Major rivers: Amur, Irtysh, Lena, Ob, Volga and Yenisey. Russia The fl ag of Russian Federation (Russian: Флаг России) Geographical Skills Key Vocabulary • Children locate the world’s countries on a map, focusing on the • Map: a diagrammatic representation of an area of land showing environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics physical features, cities, roads etc. and major cities of Russia. • Symbol: something that represents or stands for something • Children further their locational knowledge through the else. accurate use of maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer • Key: information needed for a map to make sense. -
14 Architecture
14 Architecture Wat Xieng Thong roof edge showing the cho faa now painted in turquoise A view of Wat Xieng Thong taken from within the compound Many of the stencils are repaired by monks. © All photos by Denise Heywood By DENISE HEYWOOD THE 35 BUDDHIST temples of Luang Prabang are delicate structures in need of frequent renovation. Damage caused by neglect, tropical Luang Prabang rain, humidity and heat, together with the impact of increasing numbers of tourists, all erode the buildings. This year Wat Xieng Thong, the most important and magnificent wat in Luang Prabang, and Wat Pak Khan, one of the smallest but oldest in the city, have both undergone restoration Temple Renovation and further enhance the cultural and aesthetic value of the former royal created it in memory of the legendary capital of Laos. present, this denotes a temple built by King Chanthaphanith, whose stories Luang Prabang became a a king. The dok so faa symbolises are depicted in golden stencilled UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mount Meru, abode of the gods, the imagery inside the main sim. 1993. Maintaining and conserving axis mundi, centre of the world, Traditionally wats were grouped sacred monuments is the highest surrounded by the seven mythical around royal residences, built with priority, along with preserving the chain of mountains of Hindu royal patronage or by affluent secular buildings as well, but funding mythology. In Laos, religion is individuals, as funding the building of is always needed. For Wat Xieng syncretic, incorporating Hindu, a wat gains merit in Buddhism. The Thong, a contribution of some Buddhist and animistic references. -
Chapter Iii a Comparison on Lan Xang and Early
CHAPTER III A COMPARISON ON LAN XANG AND EARLY RATTANAKOSIN BUDDHIST ART AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS As a Buddhist kingdom, both Lan Xang and Rattanakosin cherished their temples by put every effort to build one and decorate it with the most beautiful artwork they could create at that moment. Those architectures and artworks not just express how luxury each kingdom was, but also represent the thought and circumstance in the meantime. Even though Lan Xang and Rattanakosin had a same religion and were neighbor, their arts and architectural designs are different as follow: 3.1 Lan Xang Buddhist Art and Architectural Design Lan Xang was a kingdom with diversity; even in the Lao race itself. Since the end of the reign of King Suryawongsa Thammikkarat, Lan Xang was divided into three separated kingdom; Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Champasak. Even though they were split up, they still shared their art and architectural designs. Each kingdom had been influenced by the neighbor surround and outsider as described below: 3.1.1 Lan Xang Architecture Developed through centuries, Lan Xang architectures may contain a lot of outsider influence, but at some point, they have their own unique style of architecture. Lan Xang temples can be divided into two part; Buddhawat and Sangkhawat. This chapter will discusses only on the Buddhawat area which cantains of That (ธาตุ), sim (สิม), Ho Wai (หอไหว), Oob Mung (อูบมุง), Hotrai or a library (หอไตร) and Ho Klong or a drum tower (หอกลอง), 3.1.1.1 That (Pagoda or Stupa) That (ธาตุ) in Lan Xang architecture is a Buddhist monument which can refer as a Chedi or pagoda (in Thai Architecture).