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Travel to Maldives | Travel and Tourism

>> Friday, May 21, 2010

Travel to Maldives | Travel and Tourism

The name "Maldives" may derive from Mahal'deeb', and the people were called Maldivian 'Dhivehin'. The word Dheeb/Deeb (archaic Dhivehi, related to Sanskrit dvīp (द्वीप)) means 'island' and Dhives (Dhivehin) means 'islanders' (i.e., the Maldivians). During the colonial era, the Dutch referred to the country as Maldivische Eilanden in their documentation, while "Maldive Island" is the anglicized version of the local name used by the British, which later came to be written as Maldives

The Republic of Maldives, more widely known simply as The Maldives, is an island which is in the Indian Ocean. People may think of the Maldives being an island chain, but it is in fact seen as one island which has 26 atolls that make it up, and lies near the coast of Sri Lanka. There are 1,192 islets, of which only 200 are inhabited, meaning that technically you could get your own little island to yourself for some time, if you chose to explore and take this option.

The Maldives is known for the fish that inhabit the area and the beautiful sites and wildlife that can be seen. If you want to make sure that you take in every drop of nature that you can, then read on for a guide of what can be seen where.

Komandoo Island is a great first place to visit. The beaches there will provide a wonderful start to your holiday, with idyllic white sands and a lagoon that surrounds them, which is literally a perfect turquoise. In the middle of the island is a reef which lets you see the coral and go snorkeling or just get to see a variety of sea life and some invertebrates which scurry around the top. This really is a beautiful site, so should be on your agenda.

Kuredu Island is the other for marine life, with many fish that frequent the area. Be sure to make the most of this by scuba diving or snorkelling to see the resident beauty that will be all around you. There are sharks around the area, but take an instructor with you. Feel assured though that shark attacks are very unlikely. Remain cautious and sensible and you are sure to have a safe and visually stunning dive. There are lagoons that can be explored, or else just have a swim in the warm waters that are located in this part of the world. On the island itself you can see some of the Flora of the Maldives, with much greenery covering the place.

If you are more into the greenery, then Rangali or Makunudu island are lovely and have palms lining the places to walk, as well as vegetation that you would expect in the tropical climate you are in. Combined with the beaches, this is a haven and makes for a holiday that is more about relaxation than anything else.

There are sea birds that are seen around the Maldives, such as herons in particular, but to see one of the most fantastic creatures that is an inhabitant, you will have to be more careful. Sea turtles are now endangered and quite rare, but you can see them on some islands, and if you dive off into the waters from the coasts here. You can take specialist tours with operators or local agencies to see these, which is a wonderful experience and highly recommended. The Maldives is a beautiful place for honeymooners or nature lovers, and there is much to experience as you relax and unwind in a dream setting.

Abu Dhabi Skyscraper | Travel Tourism

>> Monday, May 3, 2010

Abu Dhabi : Skyscraper | Travel Tourism Abu Dhabi (Arabic: أبو ظبي‎ Abū ẓabī, literally Father of gazelle) is the capital of, and the second largest city in the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast. The city proper, making up an area of 67,340 km² (26,000 sq mi), had an estimated population of 860,000 in 2008.

Abu Dhabi houses important offices of the federal government, and is the seat for the United Arab Emirates Government and the home for the Emirati Royal Family. Abu Dhabi has grown to be a cosmopolitan metropolis. Its rapid development and urbanisation, coupled with the relatively high average income of its population, has transformed Abu Dhabi to a larger and advanced metropolis. Today the city is the country's center of political, industrial activities, and a major cultural, and commercial centre due to its position as the capital. Abu Dhabi alone generated 56.7% of the GDP of the United Arab Emirates in 2008. Abu Dhabi is home to important financial institutions such as the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates and the corporate headquarters of many companies and numerous multinational corporations. One of the world's largest producers of oil, Abu Dhabi has actively attempted to diversify its economy in recent years through investments in financial services and tourism. Abu Dhabi is the third most expensive city in the region, and 26th most expensive city in the world.^[7] Fortune stated in 2007 that Abu Dhabi was the richest city in the world.

History

Parts of Abu Dhabi were settled in the 3rd millennium BC and its early history fits the nomadic herding and fishing pattern typical of the broader region. Modern Abu Dhabi traces its origins to the rise of an important tribal confederation, the Bani Yas, in the late 18^th century, which also subsequently assumed control of the town of Dubai. In the 19^th century the Dubai and Abu Dhabi branches parted ways.

Into the mid-20th century, the economy of Abu Dhabi continued to be sustained mainly by camel herding and the growing of dates and vegetables at the inland oases of Al-Ain and Liwa, and fishing and pearl diving off the coast of Abu Dhabi town, which was occupied mainly during the summer months. At that time most dwellings in Abu Dhabi town were constructed from palm fronds (barasti), with the wealthier families occupying mud huts. The growth of the cultured pearl industry in the first half of the 20th century created hardship for residents of Abu Dhabi as pearls represented the largest export and main source of cash earnings.

In 1939, Sheikh Shakhbut Bin-Sultan Al Nahyan granted petroleum concessions, and oil was first found in 1958. At first, oil money had a marginal impact. A few lowrise concrete buildings were erected, and the first paved road was completed in 1961, but Sheikh Shakbut, uncertain whether the new oil royalties would last, took a cautious approach, preferring to save the revenue rather than investing it in development. His brother, Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, saw that oil wealth had the potential to transform Abu Dhabi. The ruling Al Nahyan family decided that Sheikh Zayed should replace his brother as ruler and carry out his vision of developing the country. On 6 August 1966, with the assistance of the British, Sheikh Zayed became the new ruler.^[10]

With the announcement by the UK in 1968 that it would withdraw from the Persian Gulf area by 1971, Sheikh Zayed became the main driving force behind the formation of the United Arab Emirates.

After the Emirates gained independence in 1971, oil wealth continued to flow to the area and traditional mud-brick huts were rapidly replaced with banks, boutiques and modern highrises.

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Abu Dhabi World Trade Center By

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Abu Dhabi 2-real estate

Abu Dhabi picture

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Masdar Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates | Travel and Tourism

Masdar Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates | Travel and Tourism Masdar (Arabic: مصدر‎, maṣdar, literally the source) is a project in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. Its core is a planned city, which is being built by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, a subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, with the majority of seed capital provided by the government of Abu Dhabi.^[1]^[2] Designed by the British architectural firm Foster + Partners, the city will rely entirely on solar energy and other renewable energy sources, with a sustainable, zero-carbon, zero-waste ecology. The city is being constructed 17 kilometres (11 mi) east-south-east of the city of Abu Dhabi, beside Abu Dhabi International Airport.

It will host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency

Design and intent

The project is headed by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC). Initiated in 2006, the project is projected to cost US$22 billion and take some eight years to build, with the first phase scheduled to be complete and habitable in 2009.^[6]^[7]^[8] The city is planned to cover 6 square kilometres (2.3 sq mi) and will be home to 45,000 to 50,000 people and 1,500 businesses, primarily commercial and manufacturing facilities specialising in environmentally-friendly products, and more than 60,000 workers are expected to commute to the city daily.^[7]^[9]^[10] It will also be the location of a university, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), which will be assisted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).^[11]^[12] Automobiles will be banned within the city; travel will be accomplished via public mass transit and personal rapid transit systems, with existing road and railways connecting to other locations outside the city.^[9]^[13] The absence of motor vehicles coupled with Masdar's perimeter wall, designed to keep out the hot desert winds, allows for narrow and shaded streets that help funnel cooler breezes across the city.

Masdar City will be the latest of a small number of highly planned, specialized, research and technology-intensive municipalities that incorporate a living environment, similar to Novosibirsk, Russia or Tsukuba Science City, Japan.

Partners in the project through its Clean Tech Fund are Consensus Business Group, Credit Suisse and Siemens Venture Capital. Construction of the first phase of the project is being managed by CH2M HILL. Infrastructure construction for the city will be handled by the Al Jaber Group and design of the central Masdar headquarters building has been awarded to Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture.