Geographic Locations
The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, 525 miles west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part. Wildlife is its most notable feature. The Galápagos islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a biological marine reserve. The principal language on the islands is Spanish. The islands have a population of around 23,000. The islands are geologically young and famed for their vast number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.
Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic, is a sovereign state on the west coast of Central Africa. A small population, as well as oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries. The country has generally been able to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity. It is famed with the diversity of wildlife from gorillas and hippos to whales.
The lush tropical vegetation (which covers much of the interior) gives way in parts to the savannah. There are many rivers along which settlements have grown. Many of the Bantu people are concentrated in coastal areas and villages along the banks of the many rivers. The main cities are Libreville, Port Gentil, Lambaréné, Moanda, Oyem, Mouila and Franceville.
Gabès (Tunisian Arabic: ڨابس
Gābis), also spelled Cabès, Cabes, Kabes, Gabbs and Gaps, is the capital city of the Gabès Governorate in Tunisia. It lies on the coast of the Gulf of Gabès. With a population of 130,984, it is the 6th largest Tunisian city.
Fuzhou, formerly romanized as Foochow, is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian province, China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong (lit. Eastern Fujian) linguistic and cultural area.
The city is on the Min River, a few km inland from the sea. There are many mountains and waterfalls in the hinterland, while sandy beaches are abundant in the coastal areas, especially in the town of Changle and the island of Pingtan.
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 111,892, making it the 6th largest city in Portugal, and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries. Because of its high cultural and historical value, Funchal is one of Portugal's main tourist attractions. It is also popular as a destination for New Year's Eve, and it is the leading Portuguese port on cruise liner dockings.
Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyūshū in Japan. Voted number 14 in 2010's poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyūshū, followed by Kitakyūshū. It is the largest city and metropolitan area west of Keihanshin. It’s known for ancient temples, beaches and modern shopping malls, including Canal City. Maizuru Park contains ruins of 17th-century Fukuoka Castle.
Fujian, formerly romanised as Foken, Fouken, Fukien, and Hokkien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. The name Fujian came from the combination of Fuzhou and Jianzhou (a former name for Jian'ou) two cities in Fujian, during the Tang dynasty. While its population is chiefly of Han origin, it is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse provinces in China.
Fuengirola, in ancient times known as Suel and then Suhayl, is a large town and municipality on the Costa del Sol in the province of Málaga in the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. It is located on the central coast of the province and integrated into the region of the Costa del Sol and the Commonwealth of Municipalities of the Costa del Sol Occidental.
It is a major tourist resort, with more than 8 km of beaches and a mediaeval Moorish fortress. In common with much of this coast, it has been the subject of considerable urban development.
Karviná is a city in Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic, on the Olza River. It is administrative center of Karviná District. Karviná lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia and is one of the most important coal mining centers in the Czech Republic. Together with neighboring towns it forms industrial Ostrava-Karviná Coal Basin. Polish population is historically declining. In the past the town had a significant German community. There is also a growing Romani community.
Fribourg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and the district of Sarine. It is located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss plateau, and is an important economic, administrative and educational center on the cultural border between German and French Switzerland (Romandy).
Fribourg offers a multitude of architectural sights. The Old Town, with Switzerland's best-preserved fortifications, is under a preservation order and there are still more than 200 Gothic-style houses to be admired. In addition there are aristocratic town houses, monuments, St. Niklaus cathedral and numerous churches.