Reflections
This class has taught me an immense amount about the world we live in and the people we share it with. I look forward to experiencing the landscapes and cultures that I have learned about and appreciate my new understanding of our world.
North America
North America is considered the "melting pot" of the world. The United States of America is culturally rich and diverse with varying landscapes. I enjoyed researching Canada as I did not know as much information on its history as the United States. With its vast size I wrongfully assumed that it had a larger population. Canada is home to approximately 34 million people with 12.4 million households according to the 2006 census. (Canada Facts, 2011) It was also interesting to learn that the Baffin Island in Canada is the fifth biggest island on Earth and only two US states are bigger than Baffin Island-Alaska and Texas.
I have travelled extensively throughout the United States and have been fortunate enough to visit Hawaii and Alaska. If New York City had the same population density as Alaska, only 16 people would be living in Manhatten! Alaska also has more than half the world's active glaciers and 5 percent of the states is covered in glaciers. North America was named after explorer Americo Vespucci and is the only continent that has every kind of climate. The United States has such beautiful landscapes and natural treasures to explore.
I have travelled extensively throughout the United States and have been fortunate enough to visit Hawaii and Alaska. If New York City had the same population density as Alaska, only 16 people would be living in Manhatten! Alaska also has more than half the world's active glaciers and 5 percent of the states is covered in glaciers. North America was named after explorer Americo Vespucci and is the only continent that has every kind of climate. The United States has such beautiful landscapes and natural treasures to explore.
Central and South America
Central and South America was particularly fascinating for me to research. I have always had a desire to travel to South America. How exciting it would be to see the Mayan ruins and the rainforest! There was so much information to discover about South America. An area I have always been particularly fascinated in is Easter Island. It is located 2300 miles west of Chile in the Pacific Ocean. I always assumed it was part of South America and discovered it geographically belongs to Oceania. Another interesting fact is Charles Darwin came up with the theory of evolution while visiting the Galapagos Islands. He visited the island chain from 1831-1836 during an expedition on the HMS, Beagle. His observations of how various animal species had adapted to life on the islands contributed to his theory of evolution and his book, "The Origin of Species."
(South America, 2011)
South America is home to many natural wonders and resources. In Venezuela, Lake Maracaibo sits above one of the world's largest oil fields and wealth from the oil has helped the country become one of the richest in Latin America. South America has a dramatic variance in climates. The Atacama Desert in Chile is considered one of the driest places on earth. While the Amazon River basin experiences an average rainfall of 150 inches. That's nearly half an inch per day!
(South America, 2011)
South America is home to many natural wonders and resources. In Venezuela, Lake Maracaibo sits above one of the world's largest oil fields and wealth from the oil has helped the country become one of the richest in Latin America. South America has a dramatic variance in climates. The Atacama Desert in Chile is considered one of the driest places on earth. While the Amazon River basin experiences an average rainfall of 150 inches. That's nearly half an inch per day!
Europe
I have been researching Europe for some time before this course. My husband's family is from the tiny principality of Liechtenstein, which I chose for my country of focus in the Europe Overview. His family's castle still exists and his great uncle, Josef Rheinberger, is a world famous composer. If my daughter shows an interest it would be amazing to send her to Liechtenstein's prestigious music conservatory!
My family is from Norway and Italy and I have read Frances Mayes book series on Tuscany. Now I dream of retiring to my own villa in the Italian countryside drinking wine and picking olives from my own orchard! It is good to have a dream...
My family is from Norway and Italy and I have read Frances Mayes book series on Tuscany. Now I dream of retiring to my own villa in the Italian countryside drinking wine and picking olives from my own orchard! It is good to have a dream...
Russia and the Newly Independent States
The architecture of Russia is truly stunning. In St. Petersburg there are 221 museums, 2,000 libraries, 80 theaters, 100 concert halls, 62 cinemas, 45 art galleries and 80 club establishments of culture. About 100 festivals and competitions of different trends of culture and art are held in St. Petersburg every year. In the Winter palace more than 70 halls for shows have been built. The Mikhailovsky castle is considered the most romantic construction in St. Petersburg. In Petergroph there are more than 40 operating fountains.
Russia experiences some of the harshest winter conditions on the planet. This makes Russia a popular tourist location for winter athletic sports. Russia is home to the Ural mountains which were the first mountain formation on Earth. In Altai there are more than 820 glaciers covering over 620 square kilometers. A ski resort in Dombai has about 20 kilometers of ski routes. (Russia Travel, 2011)
I would like to visit Russia when it is deep in winter with snow as high as buildings. I have seen pictures when Russia has experienced snow storms that made me grateful for our "mild" Minnesota winters in comparison!
Russia experiences some of the harshest winter conditions on the planet. This makes Russia a popular tourist location for winter athletic sports. Russia is home to the Ural mountains which were the first mountain formation on Earth. In Altai there are more than 820 glaciers covering over 620 square kilometers. A ski resort in Dombai has about 20 kilometers of ski routes. (Russia Travel, 2011)
I would like to visit Russia when it is deep in winter with snow as high as buildings. I have seen pictures when Russia has experienced snow storms that made me grateful for our "mild" Minnesota winters in comparison!
North Africa and Southwest Asia
Egyptian culture and history has always fascinated me. This region of the world is in the news daily as the war in Irag rages on and the turmoil of Sudan and Lybia. It is an area that I keep up to date and informed on. I was not as informed on Morocco and chose it as my country of focus in the regional overview. Morocco gained independence from France in 1956 and is the 12th richest country in Africa. It is also the only African country not part of the "African Union." Morocco is also a major non-NATO ally of the United States. Morocco has the oldest university in the world, the University of Fes, which was founded in 859.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is a region comprised of vast deserts, an abundance of people and a variety of wildlife. Many of the animals of this region are endangered because of the loss of their habitat due to human development. Some endangered animals of this region include black rhinoceros, cheetahs, gazelles, lemurs, and mountain zebras. This region is fascinating to research because of its vast physical features and its cultural aspects. It is encouraging to discover that the private sector is emerging in this region calling for political reform and that women are now assuming leadership roles. Democratic elections are also becoming a reality for many countries in this region. There is so much need for healthcare in this region as a tragic HIV-AIDS epidemic is severely affecting this region.
South Asia
India has such a rich and complex history. The architecture is magnificent and astounding! I was amazed to discover that India has over 5,000 years of recorded history. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and from the picture to the left you can clearly see why. It was erected by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is considered by many to be the symbol of eternal love.
Afghanistan and Pakistan dominate our news because of their political unrest and disputes over global terrorism. This region is marked by a high poverty rate which is the result of military spending. The governments are corrupted and government officials reside in luxury while most citizens live on less than two US dollars per day. The ethnic diversity of these countries has made efforts to unite them under one government impossible. The devastation of decades of war has left this region crippled.
The landscape of South Asia is stunning. The Himalayas form the northern border of the region and the area is lush in dense and colorful vegetation.
Afghanistan and Pakistan dominate our news because of their political unrest and disputes over global terrorism. This region is marked by a high poverty rate which is the result of military spending. The governments are corrupted and government officials reside in luxury while most citizens live on less than two US dollars per day. The ethnic diversity of these countries has made efforts to unite them under one government impossible. The devastation of decades of war has left this region crippled.
The landscape of South Asia is stunning. The Himalayas form the northern border of the region and the area is lush in dense and colorful vegetation.
East Asia
East Asia is captivating because of its technological advancements and artistic cultural influences. My father is retired from the Navy and travelled to East Asia several times during my childhood. I always looked forward to the exotic gifts he would bring home. From Japan he gave me a silk kimono with a dragon embroidered on the back and from Korea several dolls. He always had such exciting stories about the foods he ate, the people he met and the landscapes he witnessed. Tokyo is among my father's favorite destinations in the world and I hope to someday make the journey. The earthquake in Japan this year was devastating. My heart goes out to everyone affected.
Southeast Asia
I was not very familiar with this region of the world. Some additional interesting information I learned is that Cambodia is home to the largest religious temple in the world. It is called Angkor Wat and it's estimated that it took more than 30 years to build. In this temple, people can even ride an elephant from the south gate of Angkor Thom to the Bayon Temple. Another interesting place in Cambodia is Oudong, where the golden urn containing the remains of Buddha is placed.
The only information I know of Thailand pertained to the tsunami that devastated the country on Dedember 26, 2004. I discovered that all Thai men are expected to become a monk-at least temporarily. Traditionally, it was for a period of 3 months, but it is now reduced to a week or two. All barber shops in Thailand close on Wednesdays because many believe it will bad luck to cut their hair that day of the week.
In the Philippines there are more than 12,000 species of sea shells! I was also surprised to learn that Indonesia is comprised of more than 12,000 islands and more than 6,000 are uninhabited. A fascinating part of this project has also been discovering the exotic animals of each region. The Philippines is a host to a variety of extremely rare animals. One of these animals includes the miniature deer, a fish that can climb trees and catch insects.
The only information I know of Thailand pertained to the tsunami that devastated the country on Dedember 26, 2004. I discovered that all Thai men are expected to become a monk-at least temporarily. Traditionally, it was for a period of 3 months, but it is now reduced to a week or two. All barber shops in Thailand close on Wednesdays because many believe it will bad luck to cut their hair that day of the week.
In the Philippines there are more than 12,000 species of sea shells! I was also surprised to learn that Indonesia is comprised of more than 12,000 islands and more than 6,000 are uninhabited. A fascinating part of this project has also been discovering the exotic animals of each region. The Philippines is a host to a variety of extremely rare animals. One of these animals includes the miniature deer, a fish that can climb trees and catch insects.
Oceania
This regional overview was my favorite to research. My husband and I have been fortunate enough to visit Hawaii twice. We vacationed at Waikiki beach in November 2002 and February 2006. The lands in the Pacific Ocean are truly paradise. I found it disheartening to learn that we are polluting the islands with nuclear waste and increasing cancer risk for the citizens. Hopefully, as our world becomes more ecologically aware, we will decrease the harm we are causing our beautiful planet. Australia is on our top five list of destinations. How I would love to hold a Koala and scuba or snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef!
I hope you have enjoyed this journey around the world!
References:
Canada Facts. (2011) Interesting Facts about Canada. Retrieved from: http://www.canadafacts.org/
Russia Travel. (2011) Travel Russia-Places to See and Explore. Retrieved from: http://www.russia-travel.ws/information_about_Russia/
South America. (2011) South America Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://www.south-america.com/en/Geography/South-America
Pulsipher A. & Pulsipher L. (2008) World Regional Geography: Global Patterns, Local Lives. (4th Edition) New York: W.H. Freeman & Company
Photos: Creative Commons. (2011) Retrieved from: http://www.weebly.com/
