>
Friday, April 13, 2007
Biggest Sprawl
What do you think is the biggest sprawl?Whats the largest in Europe?What in Asia, and South America?
Las Vegas
Pheonix
Atlanta>
Las Vegas
Pheonix
Atlanta>
Out West a Paradox, Densely Packed Sprawl
Quote:>
>Packed In
Ten of the 15 most densely populated urban areas are located in the West.
Rank Urbanized area Population
density*
1 Los Angeles - Long Beach - Santa Ana, Calif. 7,068.3
2 San Francisco - Oakland, Calif. 7,004.3
3 San Jose 5,914.1
4 New York - Newark
(incl. Conn. suburbs) 5,309.3
5 New Orleans 5,101.6
6 Davis, Calif. 4,845.4
7 Vallejo, Calif. 4,681.9
8 Honolulu 4.659.8
9 Tracy, Calif. 4,621.6
10 Las Vegas 4,597.1
11 Galveston, Tex. 4,527.7
12 Oxnard, Calif. 4,459.7
13 Miami 4,407.4
14 Fairfield, Calif. 4,355.7
15 Stockton, Calif. 4,218.4
43 Washington, D.C.
(incl. Va., Md. suburbs) 3,400.8
65 Baltimore 3,041.3
80 Philadelphia (incl. N.J., Del., Md. suburbs) 2,861.4
274 Atlanta 1,783.3>
| Out West, a Paradox: Densely Packed Sprawl L.A. Area Growing Crowded the Fastest By Blaine Harden Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, August 11, 2005; Page A01 SIGNAL HILL, Calif. -- Sure, it looks like sprawl. From atop this hill near the port of Long Beach, greater Los Angeles splays out through the midsummer haze as a low-rise suburban muddle stitched together by freeways. But take a closer look: What you knew about sprawl turns out to be wrong. The urbanized area in and around Los Angeles has become the most densely populated place in the continental United States, according to the Census Bureau. Its density is 25 percent higher than that of New York, twice that of Washington and four times that of Atlanta, as measured by residents per square mile of urban land. And Los Angeles grows more crowded every year, adding residents faster than it adds land, while most metropolitan areas in the Northeast, Midwest and South march in the opposite direction. They are the sprawling ones, dense in the center but devouring land at their edges much faster than they add people. Odd as it may seem, density is the rule, not an exception, in the wide-open spaces of the West. Salt Lake City is more tightly packed than Philadelphia. So is Las Vegas in comparison with Chicago, and Denver compared with Detroit. Ten of the country's 15 most densely populated metro areas are in the West, where residents move to newly developed land at triple the per-acre density of any other part of the country. "If you want elbow room, move to Atlanta or Charlotte or the countrified suburbs of Washington," said Robert E. Lang, director of Virginia Tech's Metropolitan Institute in Alexandria. "You probably aren't going to get it in the West. There, if you and your neighbor lean out your windows, you can hold hands." This demographic pattern is having profound effects on housing construction, commuting and the quality of urban life. In upper-income quarters of metro Los Angeles, density can be an aesthetic kick. When wedded to smart design and careful planning, it is a high-energy stimulant for suburban ennui, luring high-end stores, protecting open space and paying for toll roads that reduce traffic. But in poorer parts of the region, especially where large immigrant families have settled, density is a just fancy word for severe overcrowding. Ten municipalities in the nation average more than four people per household -- and nine of them are in greater Los Angeles, according to the Census Bureau. In these mostly older neighborhoods of tract houses, density has a way of turning garages into illegal apartments, while strangling public schools, overwhelming parks and choking streets with cars. Problems born of overcrowding also have a way of being ignored by politicians, since many residents are illegal or poor or both -- and do not vote. Bursting at the Seam Open space in the West has always seemed endless. But deserts, mountains, huge tracts of federally owned land and a pervasive lack of water make much of the region unlivable. As such, it has remained the most rural part of the country in terms of land use while becoming the most densely urban in terms of where people live. Sometime around the early 1980s, greater Los Angeles collided with these unforgiving restraints. Continued... Full Article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...081002110.html |
Ten of the 15 most densely populated urban areas are located in the West.
Rank Urbanized area Population
density*
1 Los Angeles - Long Beach - Santa Ana, Calif. 7,068.3
2 San Francisco - Oakland, Calif. 7,004.3
3 San Jose 5,914.1
4 New York - Newark
(incl. Conn. suburbs) 5,309.3
5 New Orleans 5,101.6
6 Davis, Calif. 4,845.4
7 Vallejo, Calif. 4,681.9
8 Honolulu 4.659.8
9 Tracy, Calif. 4,621.6
10 Las Vegas 4,597.1
11 Galveston, Tex. 4,527.7
12 Oxnard, Calif. 4,459.7
13 Miami 4,407.4
14 Fairfield, Calif. 4,355.7
15 Stockton, Calif. 4,218.4
43 Washington, D.C.
(incl. Va., Md. suburbs) 3,400.8
65 Baltimore 3,041.3
80 Philadelphia (incl. N.J., Del., Md. suburbs) 2,861.4
274 Atlanta 1,783.3>
Top 20 World's Best Skyline
Top 20 Metropolis: 2005 Ranking of World's Best Skyline
1 Hong Kong
2 New York
3 Tokyo
4 Shanghai
5 Chicago
6 Bangkok
7 Singapore
8 Kuala Lumpur
9 Dubai
10 Seoul
11 Shenzhen
12 Chongqing
13 Manila
14 Toronto
15 Sydney
16 Houston
17 Guangzhou
18 Osaka
19 Los Angeles
20 Moscow
AGREE or DISAGREE? and why?
Note: This thread is pure discussion only. Don't post any photos, if photos are needed just provide us the links. Thank You and Enjoy.
>
1 Hong Kong
2 New York
3 Tokyo
4 Shanghai
5 Chicago
6 Bangkok
7 Singapore
8 Kuala Lumpur
9 Dubai
10 Seoul
11 Shenzhen
12 Chongqing
13 Manila
14 Toronto
15 Sydney
16 Houston
17 Guangzhou
18 Osaka
19 Los Angeles
20 Moscow
AGREE or DISAGREE? and why?
Note: This thread is pure discussion only. Don't post any photos, if photos are needed just provide us the links. Thank You and Enjoy.
>
A Roof Garden? It's Much More Than That
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/10/re...e/10green.html
A Roof Garden? It's Much More Than That
By LISA CHAMBERLAIN
Published: August 10, 2005
Frances Roberts for The New York Times
The planting proceeds on the roof of the Silvercup Studies complex, above, in Long Island City, Queens. The green-roof idea is slowly taking hold in New York.
Peter Thompson for The New York Times
In Chicago, where Agusto Garcia waters plants on the roof of a McDonald's, green roofs are already common.
As temperatures soared over 90 degrees and New York City broke records for electricity use at the end of July, landscapers were installing a "green" roof at Silvercup Studios in Long Island City, Queens, where parts of the HBO series "The Sopranos" are filmed.
Above Tony Soprano's head will be New York City's largest green roof, a thin layer of plants covering 35,000 square feet in a design that aims to reduce air pollution, control heating and cooling costs, and absorb storm water runoff.
Proponents of the project, which has been two years in the making, are hoping to use data collected from it to convince commercial property owners and developers that not only are green roofs good for the environment, they can benefit the bottom line.
The highly visible location near the large Silvercup Studios' sign will be its own best advertisement. A matrix of 1,500 planters will have 20 different species of plants intended to show off their red, yellow and green colors, visible from the Queensboro Bridge when in full bloom.
Not to be confused with a roof garden, however, a green roof is less of an aesthetic amenity than it is a workhorse. The carefully selected plants and soil - engineered to weigh only a fifth as much as typical dirt - help clean the air and absorb rain that would otherwise become storm-water runoff. And when many of them are clustered together, green roofs can reduce the urban heat island effect (densely populated cities tend to be hotter than surrounding areas because of the heat-trapping properties of tall buildings, asphalt and concrete).
Less well established are the benefits of green roofs to property owners and developers. It is known that they can reduce a building's heating and cooling costs, and extend the life of the roof, but the question is, Do the long-term benefits justify the initial cost?
"We are looking to demonstrate to the government, the public and most of all private business that green technologies are an economic benefit," said Stuart Suna, co-owner of Silvercup Studios. "What exactly that benefit is will be determined by this green-roof demonstration project."
The Silvercup project originated with a study undertaken by Diana Balmori of Balmori Associates, a landscape design firm.
Ms. Balmori's interest in the submarket of green-roof design led to a comprehensive assessment of New York City's flat-roof buildings. What she discovered is that Long Island City has 667 acres of empty flat-roof surfaces suitable for vegetation, an area more than three-quarters the size of Central Park. Given the available flat roofs, the air pollution generated from the area's heavy industry and traffic, and a nearby power plant that produces 25 percent of the city's electricity, Long Island City turned out to be the perfect green-roof laboratory.
Ms. Balmori took her idea to build a demonstration green roof to the Long Island City Business Development Corporation, the neighborhood's business improvement district; Mr. Suna is a member of the group. They secured a grant from Clean Air Communities, an organization devoted to reducing air pollution and energy consumption in the city's low-income neighborhoods.
The $500,000 grant is paying for the green-roof design by Balmori Associates, and the installation by Greener by Design, a landscaping company based in New York that specializes in green roofs. Ms. Balmori estimates the outlay will be about $10 a square foot, not including the structural engineering costs paid for by Silvercup Studios, or the yearlong study to be undertaken by the Earth Pledge Foundation, a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization based in New York.
Leslie Hoffman, executive director of Earth Pledge, said that once the green roof was established, her organization would measure energy savings as a result of reduced temperature fluctuations in and around the building. The study will also measure the amount of storm-water retention, which alleviates pressure on the city's overtaxed wastewater system.
A study conducted in Chicago, for instance, demonstrated that a green roof absorbed nearly half the water that was captured elsewhere in a conventional roof rain barrel during a downpour.
Richard Heller, president and chief executive of Greener by Design, said energy savings from green roofs would fluctuate depending on the building type, but the greatest savings would be achieved in low-rise flat-roof buildings. The same Chicago study, conducted in 2003, showed that green-roof temperatures were 19 percent to 31 percent cooler during peak daytime hours in July compared with a conventional roof.
Despite the existing data, Ms. Hoffman and many other green-roof proponents agree that appealing to the enlightened self-interest of property owners and developers is not enough. Getting local government involved is critical to reducing the cost of green-roof installation and achieving economies of scale through mass production. With current technology, green roofs typically cost $8 to $10 a square foot, whereas a regular roof costs about $4 to $6 a square foot.
"Isolated green roofs are expensive insulation," Ms. Hoffman said. "But when you have a whole community of green roofs, it changes the microclimate of the area and reduces demand for energy. Think about one sidewalk in front of a building. That doesn't make a transportation path. But if everyone has one in front of their property, you have a way to walk around the city. Only a citywide effort can achieve that."
To that end, proponents in New York have been lobbying City Hall to offer incentives to developers and property owners. While green-roof incentives are still in the "nice idea" phase at City Hall in New York, Chicago has been a proponent of green roofs since Mayor Richard M. Daley installed the country's first municipal green roof on top of City Hall in 2001. Chicago now has both requirements and incentives in place for private businesses to follow the city's lead.
As a result, Sadhu Johnston, Chicago's commissioner of the environment, said there were approximately two million square feet of green roofs already built or in various stages of construction in Chicago. Currently, New York City has approximately 60,000 square feet of green roofs built or under construction.
Two years ago, Chicago began offering a density bonus in the central business district in exchange for green-roof installation. The city uses a complex formula to calculate the bonus, but at least 50 percent of the roof must be covered with vegetation before the bonus starts to apply. More significantly, of the estimated 150 green-roof projects currently in development, only 12 are taking advantage of the city's incentives. The rest are being built because the city requires that new developments that benefit from city financing must install a green roof.
"It's a combination of incentives and requirements," Mr. Johnston said. McDonald's built a flagship restaurant in downtown Chicago and installed a highly visible, 3,150-square-foot, bi-level green roof. Target and Apple Computer have also installed green roofs on their stores in Chicago.
While studies in Chicago and other cities in Canada and Europe have demonstrated the environmental benefits of green roofs, green roof proponents know they need hard numbers to convince New York's developers of the economic benefits.
"We want to bridge the gap between theory and reality," said Glenn Goldstein, program director for Clean Air Communities. "Having definitive data that informs developers and other real estate people how a green roof could perform for them is critical.">
A Roof Garden? It's Much More Than That
By LISA CHAMBERLAIN
Published: August 10, 2005
Frances Roberts for The New York Times
The planting proceeds on the roof of the Silvercup Studies complex, above, in Long Island City, Queens. The green-roof idea is slowly taking hold in New York.
Peter Thompson for The New York Times
In Chicago, where Agusto Garcia waters plants on the roof of a McDonald's, green roofs are already common.
As temperatures soared over 90 degrees and New York City broke records for electricity use at the end of July, landscapers were installing a "green" roof at Silvercup Studios in Long Island City, Queens, where parts of the HBO series "The Sopranos" are filmed.
Above Tony Soprano's head will be New York City's largest green roof, a thin layer of plants covering 35,000 square feet in a design that aims to reduce air pollution, control heating and cooling costs, and absorb storm water runoff.
Proponents of the project, which has been two years in the making, are hoping to use data collected from it to convince commercial property owners and developers that not only are green roofs good for the environment, they can benefit the bottom line.
The highly visible location near the large Silvercup Studios' sign will be its own best advertisement. A matrix of 1,500 planters will have 20 different species of plants intended to show off their red, yellow and green colors, visible from the Queensboro Bridge when in full bloom.
Not to be confused with a roof garden, however, a green roof is less of an aesthetic amenity than it is a workhorse. The carefully selected plants and soil - engineered to weigh only a fifth as much as typical dirt - help clean the air and absorb rain that would otherwise become storm-water runoff. And when many of them are clustered together, green roofs can reduce the urban heat island effect (densely populated cities tend to be hotter than surrounding areas because of the heat-trapping properties of tall buildings, asphalt and concrete).
Less well established are the benefits of green roofs to property owners and developers. It is known that they can reduce a building's heating and cooling costs, and extend the life of the roof, but the question is, Do the long-term benefits justify the initial cost?
"We are looking to demonstrate to the government, the public and most of all private business that green technologies are an economic benefit," said Stuart Suna, co-owner of Silvercup Studios. "What exactly that benefit is will be determined by this green-roof demonstration project."
The Silvercup project originated with a study undertaken by Diana Balmori of Balmori Associates, a landscape design firm.
Ms. Balmori's interest in the submarket of green-roof design led to a comprehensive assessment of New York City's flat-roof buildings. What she discovered is that Long Island City has 667 acres of empty flat-roof surfaces suitable for vegetation, an area more than three-quarters the size of Central Park. Given the available flat roofs, the air pollution generated from the area's heavy industry and traffic, and a nearby power plant that produces 25 percent of the city's electricity, Long Island City turned out to be the perfect green-roof laboratory.
Ms. Balmori took her idea to build a demonstration green roof to the Long Island City Business Development Corporation, the neighborhood's business improvement district; Mr. Suna is a member of the group. They secured a grant from Clean Air Communities, an organization devoted to reducing air pollution and energy consumption in the city's low-income neighborhoods.
The $500,000 grant is paying for the green-roof design by Balmori Associates, and the installation by Greener by Design, a landscaping company based in New York that specializes in green roofs. Ms. Balmori estimates the outlay will be about $10 a square foot, not including the structural engineering costs paid for by Silvercup Studios, or the yearlong study to be undertaken by the Earth Pledge Foundation, a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization based in New York.
Leslie Hoffman, executive director of Earth Pledge, said that once the green roof was established, her organization would measure energy savings as a result of reduced temperature fluctuations in and around the building. The study will also measure the amount of storm-water retention, which alleviates pressure on the city's overtaxed wastewater system.
A study conducted in Chicago, for instance, demonstrated that a green roof absorbed nearly half the water that was captured elsewhere in a conventional roof rain barrel during a downpour.
Richard Heller, president and chief executive of Greener by Design, said energy savings from green roofs would fluctuate depending on the building type, but the greatest savings would be achieved in low-rise flat-roof buildings. The same Chicago study, conducted in 2003, showed that green-roof temperatures were 19 percent to 31 percent cooler during peak daytime hours in July compared with a conventional roof.
Despite the existing data, Ms. Hoffman and many other green-roof proponents agree that appealing to the enlightened self-interest of property owners and developers is not enough. Getting local government involved is critical to reducing the cost of green-roof installation and achieving economies of scale through mass production. With current technology, green roofs typically cost $8 to $10 a square foot, whereas a regular roof costs about $4 to $6 a square foot.
"Isolated green roofs are expensive insulation," Ms. Hoffman said. "But when you have a whole community of green roofs, it changes the microclimate of the area and reduces demand for energy. Think about one sidewalk in front of a building. That doesn't make a transportation path. But if everyone has one in front of their property, you have a way to walk around the city. Only a citywide effort can achieve that."
To that end, proponents in New York have been lobbying City Hall to offer incentives to developers and property owners. While green-roof incentives are still in the "nice idea" phase at City Hall in New York, Chicago has been a proponent of green roofs since Mayor Richard M. Daley installed the country's first municipal green roof on top of City Hall in 2001. Chicago now has both requirements and incentives in place for private businesses to follow the city's lead.
As a result, Sadhu Johnston, Chicago's commissioner of the environment, said there were approximately two million square feet of green roofs already built or in various stages of construction in Chicago. Currently, New York City has approximately 60,000 square feet of green roofs built or under construction.
Two years ago, Chicago began offering a density bonus in the central business district in exchange for green-roof installation. The city uses a complex formula to calculate the bonus, but at least 50 percent of the roof must be covered with vegetation before the bonus starts to apply. More significantly, of the estimated 150 green-roof projects currently in development, only 12 are taking advantage of the city's incentives. The rest are being built because the city requires that new developments that benefit from city financing must install a green roof.
"It's a combination of incentives and requirements," Mr. Johnston said. McDonald's built a flagship restaurant in downtown Chicago and installed a highly visible, 3,150-square-foot, bi-level green roof. Target and Apple Computer have also installed green roofs on their stores in Chicago.
While studies in Chicago and other cities in Canada and Europe have demonstrated the environmental benefits of green roofs, green roof proponents know they need hard numbers to convince New York's developers of the economic benefits.
"We want to bridge the gap between theory and reality," said Glenn Goldstein, program director for Clean Air Communities. "Having definitive data that informs developers and other real estate people how a green roof could perform for them is critical.">
Is sustainability really utopian?
Sustainability and Utopia
http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~klevine/index.htm
Is sustainability utopian (unattainable)?>
http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~klevine/index.htm
Is sustainability utopian (unattainable)?>
Top 10 in your city
what are the best of the following in your city? only one item for each subject(post pics if u want)
1. highrise(skyscraper)
2. lowrise(any kind of low building)
3. restaurant
4. museum
5. avenue or street
6. square or circle
7. monument
8. transport system
9. company
10. park,zoo or aquarium>
1. highrise(skyscraper)
2. lowrise(any kind of low building)
3. restaurant
4. museum
5. avenue or street
6. square or circle
7. monument
8. transport system
9. company
10. park,zoo or aquarium>
Yet another one: Is Japan developed because of US?
US economically colonized Japan after WW2, world Japan be Japan today without the help form the A-bomber?>
>
International schools in your city
Does your city have any international schools or any school where the student body are of different nationalities. This is from kinder to high-school
Here's from Hong Kong
American International School
Australian Internationl School
Califonia International School
Canadian International School of Hong Kong
Carmel School of Hong Kong
Christian Alliance International School
Concordia International School
Chinese International School
Delia School of Canada
English Schools Foundation
-------------------------------
Bradbury Junior School
Island School
Sha Tin Junior School
Beacon Hill School (Hong Kong)
King George V School
Sha Tin College
South Island School
Quarry Bay School
West Island School
French International School
German Swiss International School
Hong Kong International School
Hong Kong Japanese School
Hong Lok Yuen International School
Korean International School
Leafy International Kindergarten
Li Po Chun United World College
Norwegian International School
Parkview International Pre-school
Philippine International School
Sear Rogers International School, Hong Kong Island
Singapore International School
Woodland Pre-schools
Yew Chung International School
Kiangsu Chekiang College (International Section)>
Here's from Hong Kong
American International School
Australian Internationl School
Califonia International School
Canadian International School of Hong Kong
Carmel School of Hong Kong
Christian Alliance International School
Concordia International School
Chinese International School
Delia School of Canada
English Schools Foundation
-------------------------------
Bradbury Junior School
Island School
Sha Tin Junior School
Beacon Hill School (Hong Kong)
King George V School
Sha Tin College
South Island School
Quarry Bay School
West Island School
French International School
German Swiss International School
Hong Kong International School
Hong Kong Japanese School
Hong Lok Yuen International School
Korean International School
Leafy International Kindergarten
Li Po Chun United World College
Norwegian International School
Parkview International Pre-school
Philippine International School
Sear Rogers International School, Hong Kong Island
Singapore International School
Woodland Pre-schools
Yew Chung International School
Kiangsu Chekiang College (International Section)>
For the non-scandinavians here
Just tell me whats the first thing that pops up in your mind when you hear:
................
Stockholm -
Gothenburg (Göteborg) -
Malmo (Malmö) -
Copenhagen (Kobenhavn) -
Aarhus -
Oslo -
Bergen -
Helsinki -
Espoo ->
................
Stockholm -
Gothenburg (Göteborg) -
Malmo (Malmö) -
Copenhagen (Kobenhavn) -
Aarhus -
Oslo -
Bergen -
Helsinki -
Espoo ->
::LAS PARRANDAS:: VENEZUELA-SUIZA GRUPO DE MUSICA TRADICIONAL EN SUIZA (Marc Ueter,Do
LAS PARRANDAS EN SUIZA:
*Brigitte Gonzalez: canto y cuatro
*Marc Ueter"MARACO": maracas, bajo y percusión
*Douglas Gonzalez: canto y percusión
*Sheila de Ueter: canto, percusión y baile tradicional, con traje tradicional
Hay más cantantes y participantes, pero no se puede nombrar a todo el mundo...
::LAS PARRANDAS:: Grupo musical folklorico en Suiza. Musica tipica de Venezuela en Suiza, musica llanera, musica de la costa venezolana, aguinaldos, merengue caraqueño, boleros, cantos y bailes tradicionales.
Contacte el grupo LAS PARRANDAS para animar a su fiesta, en Suiza, Francia, Alemania, Italia, etc.
Información y contacto en SUIZA: Brigitte Gonzalez – Ostos - Tél. +41 (0)21 653 78 31
Correo electrónico : brigitte.gonzalez-ostos@bluewin.ch
tambien: marc.ueter@bluewin.ch
Con calor y buen humor venezolano!!
************************************************************>
*Brigitte Gonzalez: canto y cuatro
*Marc Ueter"MARACO": maracas, bajo y percusión
*Douglas Gonzalez: canto y percusión
*Sheila de Ueter: canto, percusión y baile tradicional, con traje tradicional
Hay más cantantes y participantes, pero no se puede nombrar a todo el mundo...
::LAS PARRANDAS:: Grupo musical folklorico en Suiza. Musica tipica de Venezuela en Suiza, musica llanera, musica de la costa venezolana, aguinaldos, merengue caraqueño, boleros, cantos y bailes tradicionales.
Contacte el grupo LAS PARRANDAS para animar a su fiesta, en Suiza, Francia, Alemania, Italia, etc.
Información y contacto en SUIZA: Brigitte Gonzalez – Ostos - Tél. +41 (0)21 653 78 31
Correo electrónico : brigitte.gonzalez-ostos@bluewin.ch
tambien: marc.ueter@bluewin.ch
Con calor y buen humor venezolano!!
************************************************************>
Let's rethink future U.S. population boom
Well folks, congress just passed probably the toughest immigration legislation in the history of the United States, and I think it is just a start. Do you think our future population projections still hold true?>
The best city : London vs New York vs Tokyo (for non Asian, non European)
which city is the best city in world ?
This poll is for people exception of asian and european>
This poll is for people exception of asian and european>
The best urban Christmas trees in the world
My choice:
The biggest one in Europe is standing in Warsaw, POLAND
>
The biggest one in Europe is standing in Warsaw, POLAND
>
Metropolitan governments
As municipal boundaries become less and less relevant in our metropolitan areas which are becoming almost as "urban" beyond the main city's city limits as they are within them
-and-
the need for integrating major metro areas in areas like transporation, police, and other civic services...
do you believe in the 21st century we will see more and more of a trend to metropolitan government, something akin to Miami/Dade or metro Indianapolis?
Will metropolitan government, a strong and adequately empowered level of government, become more and more important, perhaps the way that counties functioned in the past, but with a lot more power? Will our cities become less relevant in their governmental roles due to their inability to effectively offer services that should be metropolitan in nature?>
-and-
the need for integrating major metro areas in areas like transporation, police, and other civic services...
do you believe in the 21st century we will see more and more of a trend to metropolitan government, something akin to Miami/Dade or metro Indianapolis?
Will metropolitan government, a strong and adequately empowered level of government, become more and more important, perhaps the way that counties functioned in the past, but with a lot more power? Will our cities become less relevant in their governmental roles due to their inability to effectively offer services that should be metropolitan in nature?>
2005 worldwide cost of living survey results released
Tokyo and Osaka are worldÂ's most expensive cities; Asuncion in Paraguay is cheapest
Many Eastern European cities have risen sharply in the rankings
Ottawa in Canada is the cheapest North American city
Find out more about Mercer's Cost of Living Reports
Tokyo remains the worldÂ's most expensive city, followed by Osaka, according to the latest Cost of Living Survey from Mercer Human Resource Consulting. London moves down one position in the rankings to take third place, followed by Moscow which also drops a place this year. Asuncion in Paraguay is the least expensive city in the survey.
With New York as the base city scoring 100 points, Tokyo scores 134.7 and is more than three times costlier than Asuncion, which has an index of 40.3.
MercerÂ's survey covers 144 cities across six continents and measures the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location, including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment. It is the worldÂ's most comprehensive cost of living survey and is used to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation allowances for their expatriate employees.
Â"Currency fluctuations and exchange rates can have a huge impact on how much expatriates receive and what they can buy with that money,Â" commented Yvonne Sonsino, Partner at Mercer. Â"The challenge for multinational companies is to ensure their expatriate compensation packages remain fair and attractive enough to retain key employees, while making sure they do not pay over the odds and find themselves at a competitive disadvantage.
Â"While there has been significant investment by multinationals in traditionally Â'low-costÂ' countries, the gap appears to be closing and local salaries are shooting up as a result of higher living expenses and an increased demand for skills,Â" she said. Â"Companies need to keep pace with the changes, and we find that many are now seeking guidance as they make regular review of their expatriate compensation packages a standard procedure.Â"
There have been some significant changes in the rankings this year which are primarily due to exchange rate fluctuations, particularly of the US dollar and Euro.
Europe
London remains the most expensive city in Europe, with a score of 120.3. Â"Steep accommodation and transport costs together with the appreciation of the pound against the US dollar have contributed to the cityÂ's high ranking,Â" said Marie-Laurence Sepede, Research Manager at Mercer. Scores are based on the cost of living for expatriates who are likely to stay in Central London, where accommodation is more expensive. Other UK cities are less costly, with Glasgow in 40th position and Birmingham in 47th place (scores 87.5 and 85.8).
Moscow is the second most expensive city in Europe ranked in 4th position (119), followed by Geneva in 6th place (113.5) and Zurich in 7th place (112.1). Other high-scoring cities include Copenhagen ranked 8th (110), Oslo, which has moved up from 15th to 10th place due mainly to the appreciation of the Norwegian Krone against the US dollar, and Milan ranked 11th (104.9).
Budapest in Hungary ranks in 24th position (score 93.3) and is the costliest city of the countries that joined the EU last year. Â"Many cities in the new EU accession countries have risen sharply in the rankings this year, as they make strides to bring their economic infrastructure up to EU standards. Central and Eastern Europe are becoming increasingly attractive for investment by multinationals,Â" commented Ms Sepede. Warsaw, Prague and Bratislava have all risen by more than ten places.
Bucharest in Romania is the least expensive European city in 103rd place (71.4), followed by Limassol in Cyprus ranked 100th (71.9).
The Americas
New York remains the most expensive city in North America, at 13th position in the rankings (score 100). Other costly cities include Los Angeles ranked 44 (86.7), San Francisco in 50th place (84.9) and Chicago in 52nd position (84.6). Washington DC takes 78th place (77.4). Winston Salem is the cheapest US city surveyed, ranked 119th (66.6). Â"Many of the US cities surveyed have fallen in the rankings due to the weakening of the dollar against the Euro, Canadian dollar and Asian Pacific currencies,Â" commented Ms Sepede.
Though still relatively inexpensive, Canadian cities continue to move up in the rankings due to the strength of the Canadian dollar. Toronto is the most expensive city and takes 82nd place (76.2) in the rankings, while Ottawa is the least expensive Canadian city and takes 122nd position (66.4).
Following the devaluation of the Argentinean currency in 2002 and the subsequent financial crisis, cities in South America remain among the cheapest in the survey. Asuncion in Paraguay is the least expensive city globally, at 144th position with a score of 40.3. Other cheap cities include Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Caracas in places 142 (score 50.3.), 140 (53.5) and 138 (54.4) respectively. Lima in Peru is still the most expensive city in South America at position 118 with a score of 66.9.
San Juan in Puerto Rico is the costliest city in Central America and the Caribbean, ranked 74th (score 77.7). San Jose is the least expensive in 135th place (58), replacing Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic which has moved up to 99th place (72.3) due to the appreciation of the Dominican Peso against the US dollar and low inflation last year.
Asia
Four of the worldÂ's ten costliest cities are in Asia, with Tokyo being the most expensive city globally. Osaka takes 2nd position due to the strengthening of the Japanese Yen relative to the US dollar, (121.8) followed by Seoul in 5th place (115.4) and Hong Kong ranked 9th (109.5). Â"Chinese cities have dropped significantly in the rankings as the currency is pegged to the US dollar and has therefore been affected by its depreciation,Â" said Ms Sepede. Beijing is at position 19 (score 95.6) followed by Shanghai in 30th place (90.4).
Australasia
Auckland and Wellington move up in the rankings this year to positions 69 and 76 respectively (scores 79.6 and 77.5) due to the significant appreciation of the New Zealand dollar against the US dollar. Sydney is still the most expensive city in the region at 20th place with a score of 95.2. Other high-scoring cities in Australia include Melbourne in 68th position (80) and Brisbane in 84th place (74.9).>
Many Eastern European cities have risen sharply in the rankings
Ottawa in Canada is the cheapest North American city
Find out more about Mercer's Cost of Living Reports
Tokyo remains the worldÂ's most expensive city, followed by Osaka, according to the latest Cost of Living Survey from Mercer Human Resource Consulting. London moves down one position in the rankings to take third place, followed by Moscow which also drops a place this year. Asuncion in Paraguay is the least expensive city in the survey.
With New York as the base city scoring 100 points, Tokyo scores 134.7 and is more than three times costlier than Asuncion, which has an index of 40.3.
MercerÂ's survey covers 144 cities across six continents and measures the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location, including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment. It is the worldÂ's most comprehensive cost of living survey and is used to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation allowances for their expatriate employees.
Â"Currency fluctuations and exchange rates can have a huge impact on how much expatriates receive and what they can buy with that money,Â" commented Yvonne Sonsino, Partner at Mercer. Â"The challenge for multinational companies is to ensure their expatriate compensation packages remain fair and attractive enough to retain key employees, while making sure they do not pay over the odds and find themselves at a competitive disadvantage.
Â"While there has been significant investment by multinationals in traditionally Â'low-costÂ' countries, the gap appears to be closing and local salaries are shooting up as a result of higher living expenses and an increased demand for skills,Â" she said. Â"Companies need to keep pace with the changes, and we find that many are now seeking guidance as they make regular review of their expatriate compensation packages a standard procedure.Â"
There have been some significant changes in the rankings this year which are primarily due to exchange rate fluctuations, particularly of the US dollar and Euro.
Europe
London remains the most expensive city in Europe, with a score of 120.3. Â"Steep accommodation and transport costs together with the appreciation of the pound against the US dollar have contributed to the cityÂ's high ranking,Â" said Marie-Laurence Sepede, Research Manager at Mercer. Scores are based on the cost of living for expatriates who are likely to stay in Central London, where accommodation is more expensive. Other UK cities are less costly, with Glasgow in 40th position and Birmingham in 47th place (scores 87.5 and 85.8).
Moscow is the second most expensive city in Europe ranked in 4th position (119), followed by Geneva in 6th place (113.5) and Zurich in 7th place (112.1). Other high-scoring cities include Copenhagen ranked 8th (110), Oslo, which has moved up from 15th to 10th place due mainly to the appreciation of the Norwegian Krone against the US dollar, and Milan ranked 11th (104.9).
Budapest in Hungary ranks in 24th position (score 93.3) and is the costliest city of the countries that joined the EU last year. Â"Many cities in the new EU accession countries have risen sharply in the rankings this year, as they make strides to bring their economic infrastructure up to EU standards. Central and Eastern Europe are becoming increasingly attractive for investment by multinationals,Â" commented Ms Sepede. Warsaw, Prague and Bratislava have all risen by more than ten places.
Bucharest in Romania is the least expensive European city in 103rd place (71.4), followed by Limassol in Cyprus ranked 100th (71.9).
The Americas
New York remains the most expensive city in North America, at 13th position in the rankings (score 100). Other costly cities include Los Angeles ranked 44 (86.7), San Francisco in 50th place (84.9) and Chicago in 52nd position (84.6). Washington DC takes 78th place (77.4). Winston Salem is the cheapest US city surveyed, ranked 119th (66.6). Â"Many of the US cities surveyed have fallen in the rankings due to the weakening of the dollar against the Euro, Canadian dollar and Asian Pacific currencies,Â" commented Ms Sepede.
Though still relatively inexpensive, Canadian cities continue to move up in the rankings due to the strength of the Canadian dollar. Toronto is the most expensive city and takes 82nd place (76.2) in the rankings, while Ottawa is the least expensive Canadian city and takes 122nd position (66.4).
Following the devaluation of the Argentinean currency in 2002 and the subsequent financial crisis, cities in South America remain among the cheapest in the survey. Asuncion in Paraguay is the least expensive city globally, at 144th position with a score of 40.3. Other cheap cities include Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Caracas in places 142 (score 50.3.), 140 (53.5) and 138 (54.4) respectively. Lima in Peru is still the most expensive city in South America at position 118 with a score of 66.9.
San Juan in Puerto Rico is the costliest city in Central America and the Caribbean, ranked 74th (score 77.7). San Jose is the least expensive in 135th place (58), replacing Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic which has moved up to 99th place (72.3) due to the appreciation of the Dominican Peso against the US dollar and low inflation last year.
Asia
Four of the worldÂ's ten costliest cities are in Asia, with Tokyo being the most expensive city globally. Osaka takes 2nd position due to the strengthening of the Japanese Yen relative to the US dollar, (121.8) followed by Seoul in 5th place (115.4) and Hong Kong ranked 9th (109.5). Â"Chinese cities have dropped significantly in the rankings as the currency is pegged to the US dollar and has therefore been affected by its depreciation,Â" said Ms Sepede. Beijing is at position 19 (score 95.6) followed by Shanghai in 30th place (90.4).
Australasia
Auckland and Wellington move up in the rankings this year to positions 69 and 76 respectively (scores 79.6 and 77.5) due to the significant appreciation of the New Zealand dollar against the US dollar. Sydney is still the most expensive city in the region at 20th place with a score of 95.2. Other high-scoring cities in Australia include Melbourne in 68th position (80) and Brisbane in 84th place (74.9).>
Friendliest and rudest cities in the world, In you're experience.
Share your experiences
Friendliest:
San Francisco
Auckland, NZ
Nadi, Fiji
Chicago
Madrid
Atlanta
Rudest:
Paris
Barcelona
Miami
Los Angeles
(Please don't turn this into a war)>
Friendliest:
San Francisco
Auckland, NZ
Nadi, Fiji
Chicago
Madrid
Atlanta
Rudest:
Paris
Barcelona
Miami
Los Angeles
(Please don't turn this into a war)>
Pyramids in your country or city
Show your countries/ cities pyramids!
Germany:
Karlsruhe
Faber Pyramid bochum (proposal)
Ulm
>
Germany:
Karlsruhe
Faber Pyramid bochum (proposal)
Ulm
>
Major Districts in Your City
Which are the major districts in your city (excluding downtown)?
The major districts in my two cities Are:
Panama City, Panama (born)-
Casco Viejo
El Chorrillo
Santa Ana
Calidonia
Bella Vista
Marbella
El Cangrejo
Punta Paitilla
San Francisco
Obarrio
San Francisco, California (live)-
Western Addition
North Beach
Marina
Chinatown
Mission (outer/inner)
Pacific Heights
Richmond
Sunset
SOMA (South of Market)
Bayview
I omitted some lesser (but prominent) neighborhoods in both cities in order to focus on the major districts.
>
The major districts in my two cities Are:
Panama City, Panama (born)-
Casco Viejo
El Chorrillo
Santa Ana
Calidonia
Bella Vista
Marbella
El Cangrejo
Punta Paitilla
San Francisco
Obarrio
San Francisco, California (live)-
Western Addition
North Beach
Marina
Chinatown
Mission (outer/inner)
Pacific Heights
Richmond
Sunset
SOMA (South of Market)
Bayview
I omitted some lesser (but prominent) neighborhoods in both cities in order to focus on the major districts.
>
Avg Manhattan price per foot sets record: $984
From the realdeal.net:
Moreover, this price includes crappy apartments in crappy areas like Harlem.
Average Manhattan price per foot sets record
October 11, 12:50 pm
Largely lost in the media froth over the Miller Samuel residential market report last week was this: The average price per square foot of a Manhattan apartment set an all-time record in the third quarter. It bounced to $984, a 1.4 percent increase over the second quarter and a 22.5 percent jump over the same period in 2004. The record came during a quarter when the overall market increased, according to Miller Samuel CEO Jonathan Miller. Also, the market share for studios and one-bedrooms surged during the quarter, driving average prices up in that market and affecting the overall residential market.>
Moreover, this price includes crappy apartments in crappy areas like Harlem.
Average Manhattan price per foot sets record
October 11, 12:50 pm
Largely lost in the media froth over the Miller Samuel residential market report last week was this: The average price per square foot of a Manhattan apartment set an all-time record in the third quarter. It bounced to $984, a 1.4 percent increase over the second quarter and a 22.5 percent jump over the same period in 2004. The record came during a quarter when the overall market increased, according to Miller Samuel CEO Jonathan Miller. Also, the market share for studios and one-bedrooms surged during the quarter, driving average prices up in that market and affecting the overall residential market.>
Most unlivable cities in the Developed world
For me the list goes like this
Detroit(dirty and rundown)
Washington(the rudest people on the planet)
LA(too many cars and crime)>
Detroit(dirty and rundown)
Washington(the rudest people on the planet)
LA(too many cars and crime)>
Is London leading the way in Skyscraper Designs?
The city of London has only in the last decade started to build super tall, with Canary Wharf at the forefront. It started of with standard issue scrapers but since the completion of Swiss RE, skyscrapers across the city are becoming more and more unique and designed to the best of quality to gain planning permission. Is there any other city in the world, with numerous unique and beautiful towers, proposed in thier city as London has in hers?
Debate:
>
Debate:
>
Urban vs Rural
I was curious to see if most of the members of the fourm lived in a urban enviroment. As much as i love cities and large buildings i live out in the country!>
Is crime a major problem in your city?
Every city has it's own problems when it comes to crime whether they may be petty crimes or serious felonies.
Crime is a problem in my city, Hong Kong though is not as serious compared to most western cities. Though movies whether HK or Hollywood would like to portray Hong Kong as a crime ridden city filled with Triad thugs and drug smuggling, the city in reality is very safe especially for tourists.
Hong Kong crime problems are mostly petty crimes like theft, vandalism. It's serious crimes are organized crime (triads), drug smuggling/substance abuse, illegal immigration, prostitution and illegal gambling. There are some cases of murder in the city but not as big or serious compared to the west.
Hong Kong police force on the other hand is one of the finest in Asia and can handle situation.
Now I would like to know if crime is really a serious problem in your city and what kind of crimes.>
Crime is a problem in my city, Hong Kong though is not as serious compared to most western cities. Though movies whether HK or Hollywood would like to portray Hong Kong as a crime ridden city filled with Triad thugs and drug smuggling, the city in reality is very safe especially for tourists.
Hong Kong crime problems are mostly petty crimes like theft, vandalism. It's serious crimes are organized crime (triads), drug smuggling/substance abuse, illegal immigration, prostitution and illegal gambling. There are some cases of murder in the city but not as big or serious compared to the west.
Hong Kong police force on the other hand is one of the finest in Asia and can handle situation.
Now I would like to know if crime is really a serious problem in your city and what kind of crimes.>
Which will be the first 50 million & 100 million person city?
We all know who the big boys are now. But in the future which cities (or urban aglomerations as opposed to corridors) have a chance and will be first in hitting the 50 million then 100 million population mark? Who are the megametros of the future!
Shanghai, San Paolo, LA, Dhaka, Lagos, Mumbai??? Others???>
Shanghai, San Paolo, LA, Dhaka, Lagos, Mumbai??? Others???>
>
Which US cities will look BETTER in 20 years?
On the Skyscraper forum, we honor growth (be it population, building height, density, etc.). But sometimes that very growth that we so value can destroy the original reasons we love our cities in the first place. Too much of a good thing can be a detriment.
Which US cities because of how they manage growth yet continue to thrieve will be better places twenty years from now than they are today?
In other words, which are doing the most to enhance their physical environment, balancing the needs of growth with the needs of people in a way that will really make them stand out in 2025?>
Which US cities because of how they manage growth yet continue to thrieve will be better places twenty years from now than they are today?
In other words, which are doing the most to enhance their physical environment, balancing the needs of growth with the needs of people in a way that will really make them stand out in 2025?>
Do you know all the big cities of your country?
Do you know all the big cities of your country and how big they are (in population)?
And do you keep track of the economic development and population change of those countries? If so, how do you do that?
And if you don't mind, name some of the big cities of your country and show us how big they are.>
And do you keep track of the economic development and population change of those countries? If so, how do you do that?
And if you don't mind, name some of the big cities of your country and show us how big they are.>
U must see it......
film about Tel Aviv
http://www.itv4u.net/playerframe.asp...107&subcat=180
__________________
what do u think about Tel Aviv?>
http://www.itv4u.net/playerframe.asp...107&subcat=180
__________________
what do u think about Tel Aviv?>
Geographic Analogies
I've been thinking about these for a while now. Do you agree with them?
Earth City, Earth
Middle East = Downtown Earth
Europe = Declining Edge City
Asia = Revitalizing Edge City
America = Suburban Sprawl
Oceana = Exurb
Africa = Country
Share your own geographic analogies!
>
Earth City, Earth
Middle East = Downtown Earth
Europe = Declining Edge City
Asia = Revitalizing Edge City
America = Suburban Sprawl
Oceana = Exurb
Africa = Country
Share your own geographic analogies!
>
What Is Wrong With Los Angeles?
I can't help but comment on the fact that some forumers here are rude and harsh to the LA forumers. I just don't understand why many of you feel Los Angeles to be inferior to cities such as NYC, Chicago, London, etc. For what reason exactly? Oh let me guess. It's not as urban? It doesn't have 100 story skysrapers? Obnoxious yellow taxis with drivers beeping their horns in your face? Really. Los Angeles isn't confined around Compton, gangs, violence, graffiti, etc. In fact, Los Angeles is identified more as Hollywood and for entertainment. But my problem here is, that almost every forumer from Chicago and NYC is extremely rude and vulgar to Angelenos. What do you have against our city? IT makes no sense to us whatsoever. And the fact that you desperately seek for even the smallest thing to degenerate the City of Angels is pathetic and OLD. Please take a breather and open your eyes. I'm not trying to troll but this problem has been present in these forums for long enough.>
>
Your job: draw a line around "downtown"
No city has a clearly defined "dowtown area/CBD". It often shifts and its exterior is most open to conjecture. So I guess you get to call it the way you see it:
Give us your city and what you preceive to be the current borders of its downtown area. And why.>
Give us your city and what you preceive to be the current borders of its downtown area. And why.>
USA NEEDS TOWERS?!
dont you think USA has tonnes of beautiful skyscrapers but we need some towers (when i say towers i mean structures like CN tower and SPACE NEEDLE) ???>
Do the Koreans believe they are popular and good-looking?
The Koreans believe they are popular and good-looking so everyone in the world loves them. Why do you think like that way? I'm interested.
>
>
UAE's GDP per capita from $23,000 to $28,500, Grew by 28.5% and gained $30 billion
UAE economy to gain $30 billion in 2005
Dec 20, 2005 - 01:00 -
Abu Dhabi, 20 Dec. 05 (WAM)--The UAE's economy is expected to gain a staggering $30 billion in nominal terms in 2005 to become the third largest economy in the Middle East and Central Asia, according to projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The country's gross domestic product peaked at around USD104.2 billion in 2004 after rocketing by more than 17 percent over the 2003 GDP of USD88.5 billion.
In 2005, the GDP is projected to swell by nearly $30 billion or 28.5 percent to a record USD133.8 billion and will continue its expansion to reach USD150.9 billion in 2006.
IMF figures for the economies of 32 countries in the Middle East and Central Asia showed the UAE's GDP ranked third after Saudi Arabia and Iran and accounted for nearly 9.2 percent of the total GDP of the 32 countries listed by the IMF.
The situation is in contrast with two decades ago, when the UAE had one of the smallest economies in the region as its oil production was relatively low and the country has just embarked on a massive programme to diversify its economy.
Experts said the rapid growth in the UAE's economy was a result of a sharp increase in its crude production, steady expansion in the non-oil sector, the increase gas output and the construction of new petrochemical and refining projects.
Diversification programmes in the UAE have largely paid off in terms of reduced reliance on crude exports as the oil sector's share of the GDP has plummeted to only around a third from more than two thirds in early 1980s. As a result, the UAE's economy is gradually becoming less vulnerable to oil price fluctuations.
Although most other regional economies are projected to rise sharply in 2006 because of expectations oil prices will stay high, the UAE will still maintain the third largest economy in the Middle East and Central Asia, according to the IMF.
A breakdown showed Saudi Arabia was the dominant economic power in 2005, with a GDP of around $314.2 billion. Iran's GDP was put at USD203.3 billion.
In 2006, the GDP of these two countries is projected to climb to around USD349.4 billion and USD242.2 billion respectively.
But in per capita terms, the UAE was expected to remain in the second place after Qatar given its high GDP and relatively small population compared to that of Saudi Arabia and Iran. Independent estimates put the UAE's per capita income at around USD23,000 in 2004 while it is predicted to jump to nearly USD28,500 in 2005.
Given its smaller population and a sharp increase in LNG exports, Qatar has remained the richest country in the region in terms of per capita income, which peaked at around USD39,000 and is projected to swell to a record USD45,000 this year.
In its latest annual review for the UAE, the IMF sounded optimistic about the country's economic prospects in the medium run.
" The medium-term outlook remains favorable based on current expectations that world oil prices will remain high and the UAE's oil production will increase steadily to more than 3 million barrels per day by 2010," it said.
" Real non-hydrocarbon GDP growth is projected to remain robust as the economy gains traction from the ongoing productivity enhancing structural reforms, improved investment regime, and a more streamlined business climate. During 2006-10, both the fiscal and external current account balances are projected to continue to register large surpluses averaging about 22.5 percent and 17 percent of GDP, respectively." It noted that with an oil production close to capacity at about 2.5m bpd, the UAE currently ranks as the 9th largest crude oil producer and 6th largest net oil exporter worldwide. But it added that the country's role in the global oil market will "certainly increase further in the future, as its oil reserves amount to 10 percent of the world total." WAM/AZ 12 12 CCCCQQE
http://www.wam.org.ae/servlet/Satell...=1041492777827>
Dec 20, 2005 - 01:00 -
Abu Dhabi, 20 Dec. 05 (WAM)--The UAE's economy is expected to gain a staggering $30 billion in nominal terms in 2005 to become the third largest economy in the Middle East and Central Asia, according to projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The country's gross domestic product peaked at around USD104.2 billion in 2004 after rocketing by more than 17 percent over the 2003 GDP of USD88.5 billion.
In 2005, the GDP is projected to swell by nearly $30 billion or 28.5 percent to a record USD133.8 billion and will continue its expansion to reach USD150.9 billion in 2006.
IMF figures for the economies of 32 countries in the Middle East and Central Asia showed the UAE's GDP ranked third after Saudi Arabia and Iran and accounted for nearly 9.2 percent of the total GDP of the 32 countries listed by the IMF.
The situation is in contrast with two decades ago, when the UAE had one of the smallest economies in the region as its oil production was relatively low and the country has just embarked on a massive programme to diversify its economy.
Experts said the rapid growth in the UAE's economy was a result of a sharp increase in its crude production, steady expansion in the non-oil sector, the increase gas output and the construction of new petrochemical and refining projects.
Diversification programmes in the UAE have largely paid off in terms of reduced reliance on crude exports as the oil sector's share of the GDP has plummeted to only around a third from more than two thirds in early 1980s. As a result, the UAE's economy is gradually becoming less vulnerable to oil price fluctuations.
Although most other regional economies are projected to rise sharply in 2006 because of expectations oil prices will stay high, the UAE will still maintain the third largest economy in the Middle East and Central Asia, according to the IMF.
A breakdown showed Saudi Arabia was the dominant economic power in 2005, with a GDP of around $314.2 billion. Iran's GDP was put at USD203.3 billion.
In 2006, the GDP of these two countries is projected to climb to around USD349.4 billion and USD242.2 billion respectively.
But in per capita terms, the UAE was expected to remain in the second place after Qatar given its high GDP and relatively small population compared to that of Saudi Arabia and Iran. Independent estimates put the UAE's per capita income at around USD23,000 in 2004 while it is predicted to jump to nearly USD28,500 in 2005.
Given its smaller population and a sharp increase in LNG exports, Qatar has remained the richest country in the region in terms of per capita income, which peaked at around USD39,000 and is projected to swell to a record USD45,000 this year.
In its latest annual review for the UAE, the IMF sounded optimistic about the country's economic prospects in the medium run.
" The medium-term outlook remains favorable based on current expectations that world oil prices will remain high and the UAE's oil production will increase steadily to more than 3 million barrels per day by 2010," it said.
" Real non-hydrocarbon GDP growth is projected to remain robust as the economy gains traction from the ongoing productivity enhancing structural reforms, improved investment regime, and a more streamlined business climate. During 2006-10, both the fiscal and external current account balances are projected to continue to register large surpluses averaging about 22.5 percent and 17 percent of GDP, respectively." It noted that with an oil production close to capacity at about 2.5m bpd, the UAE currently ranks as the 9th largest crude oil producer and 6th largest net oil exporter worldwide. But it added that the country's role in the global oil market will "certainly increase further in the future, as its oil reserves amount to 10 percent of the world total." WAM/AZ 12 12 CCCCQQE
http://www.wam.org.ae/servlet/Satell...=1041492777827>
The cities where you have most chance of being robbed (from the Daily Telegraph )
The cities where you have most chance of being robbed, from the Daily Telegraph 23/3/03:
1: Kingston, Jamaica
"Crime against tourists is increasing despite government efforts."
2: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
"Crime levels remain high, exacerbated by police corruption and inaction."
3: Cape Town, South Africa
"Street crime remains serious and guns are a part of everyday life."
4: Mexico City, Mexico
5: St Petersburg, Russia
6: Buenos Aires, Argentina
7: Bangkok, Thailand
8: Washington, USA
9: Rome, Italy
10: Athens, Greece>
1: Kingston, Jamaica
"Crime against tourists is increasing despite government efforts."
2: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
"Crime levels remain high, exacerbated by police corruption and inaction."
3: Cape Town, South Africa
"Street crime remains serious and guns are a part of everyday life."
4: Mexico City, Mexico
5: St Petersburg, Russia
6: Buenos Aires, Argentina
7: Bangkok, Thailand
8: Washington, USA
9: Rome, Italy
10: Athens, Greece>
What do you thought about São Paulo before and after joining SSC??
Did you know it before SSC? Was you surprised it was so big??
I am asking these apparently silly questions because many foreigners dont know, have not even heard about, never saw, São Paulo. Some think the only city in Brasil is Rio de Janeiro.>
I am asking these apparently silly questions because many foreigners dont know, have not even heard about, never saw, São Paulo. Some think the only city in Brasil is Rio de Janeiro.>
The world's best skyline list.
Toronto is way down the list.Just infront of Sydney.
Hong Kong dominates.
New York second
Shanghai rising.
Tokyo in third.
having been to most of these places the list makes perfect sense.
Check it out
http://www.library.tudelft.nl/~egram/skylines.htm>
Hong Kong dominates.
New York second
Shanghai rising.
Tokyo in third.
having been to most of these places the list makes perfect sense.
Check it out
http://www.library.tudelft.nl/~egram/skylines.htm>
what are the cities that have the most unmatched skylines
There are a lot of cities around the world that have really unmatched skylines compared to its population, economic achievement....etc.
Some of them are really small or poor but with an amazing skyline, and some of them are huge, rich with decent economic power but with small skylines.
So which cities around of the world do you think have fairly unmatched skylines.
In my opinion, in North America, Calgary and LA probably have the most unmatched skylines. Calgary is just a little city with only 1 million people but look at its skyline!! It's simpy amazing!! On the other hand, LA is such a huge city, but its skyline is somewhat a disappointment to me.
In asia, I found almost all the richer nations have less impressive skylines, and the nations that have relatively low economic achievement have more impressive skylines.
For example, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Pusan and Seoul all have smaller skylines than what they should have. However, on the other hand, Manila, BKK, KL, even Shanghai, and Beijing all have lower GDP per capita but have huge, impressive and modern skylines.
In Europe, I think they rather keep their traditional and elegant lowrise or midrise architecture instead of being North Americanized. So by "North American standard," they all have smaller skylines than what they should have.
What do you guys think?>
Some of them are really small or poor but with an amazing skyline, and some of them are huge, rich with decent economic power but with small skylines.
So which cities around of the world do you think have fairly unmatched skylines.
In my opinion, in North America, Calgary and LA probably have the most unmatched skylines. Calgary is just a little city with only 1 million people but look at its skyline!! It's simpy amazing!! On the other hand, LA is such a huge city, but its skyline is somewhat a disappointment to me.
In asia, I found almost all the richer nations have less impressive skylines, and the nations that have relatively low economic achievement have more impressive skylines.
For example, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Pusan and Seoul all have smaller skylines than what they should have. However, on the other hand, Manila, BKK, KL, even Shanghai, and Beijing all have lower GDP per capita but have huge, impressive and modern skylines.
In Europe, I think they rather keep their traditional and elegant lowrise or midrise architecture instead of being North Americanized. So by "North American standard," they all have smaller skylines than what they should have.
What do you guys think?>
San Francisco leads US Metros in Median Home Prices
Median Home Prices by MSA ranked.
Thanks to Darrell@SSC for this post.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Single-home price growth over the 12 months ending June 30 was the strongest in history, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Link: http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/li...rice.html#table
The list in the link above includes duplications of Metro Areas and Metro Divisions, in particular with New York City and Los Angeles.
The list below includes only traditional MSAs with over 500,000 residents based on 2004 U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
Twelve MSAs over 500,000 were not included and no explanation was given. Perhaps this is due to latest data not available.
Those MSAs over 500,000 not included (listed in order of population size) are:
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC
Fresno, CA
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
Bakersfield, CA
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY
McAllen-Edinburgh-Pharr, TX
Stockton, CA
Scranton-Wilkes Barre, PA
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Augusta, GA
The remainder of MSAs over 500,000 are ranked below by median home price.
* Please note that median home price differs from average home price as the median price means that half the homes are worth more and half the homes are worth less, whereas average includes the value of all homes divided by number of homes.
Rank; MSA; Median Price 6-30-05
1. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $726,900
2. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA $605,600
3. Honolulu, HI $577,800
4. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT $487,300
5. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA $474,800
6. New York-Newark-Edison, NY-NJ-PA $452,700
7. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $429,200
8. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH $418,500
9. Sacramento-Arden Arcade-Roseville, CA $377,400
10. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $371,600
11. Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, FL $367,800
12. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $367,600
13. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $310,300
14. Las Vegas-Paradise, NV $300,00
15. Worcester, MA $292,300
16. Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA $291,600
17. New Haven-Milford, CT $283,800
18. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $266,800
19. Baltimore-Towson, MD $264,700
20. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI $263,600
21. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $257,700
22. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $249,100
23. Denver-Aurora, CO $248,400
24. Portland-South Portland, ME $247,200
25. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ $243,400
26. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA $238,000
27. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $237,700
28. Orlando, FL $232,200
29. Tucson, AZ $228,500
30. Madison, WI $220,100
31. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI $216,800
32. Colorado Springs, CO $214,200
33. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $211,000
34. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $204,000
35. Richmond, VA $198,400
36. Springfield, MA $197,900
37. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 204,000
38. Charleston-North Charleston, SC $193,600
39. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC $192,000
40. Raleigh-Cary, NC $185,200
41. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $176,100
42. Albuquerque, NM $171,700
43. Salt Lake City, UT $169,900
44. Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI $169,200
45. Austin-Round Rock, TX $166,800
46. Jacksonville, FL $166,600
47. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA $166,500
48. Boise City-Nampa, ID $161,800
49. Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN $159,700
50. Kansas City, MO-KS $157,100
51. Birmingham-Hoover, AL $156,100
52. Columbus, OH $155,900
53. New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA $152,600
54. Memphis, TN-MS-AR $150,100
55. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $149,100
56. Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN $148,500
57. Greensboro-High Point, NC $148,000
58. Des Moines, IA $145,100
59. Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH $144,700
60. Knoxville, TN $143,400
61. Greenville, SC $143,200
62. Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, TX $142,500
63. St. Louis, MO-IL $141,900
64. Grand Rapids, MI $139,000
65. Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA $137,300
66. Louisville, KY-IN $136,800
67. Baton Rouge, LA $135,400
68. San Antonio, TX $134,000
69. Columbia, SC $133,700
70. Jackson, MS $124,600
71. Indianapolis, IN $124,600
72. Akron, OH $119,800
73. Dayton, OH $119,400
74. Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR $118,900
75. Toledo, OH $118,600
76. Pittsburgh, PA $118,500
77. Tulsa, OK $117,400
78. Oklahoma City, OK $115,700
79. Rochester, NY $110,700
80. El Paso, TX $108,900
81. Syracuse, NY $108,700
82. Wichita, KS $106,300
83. Buffalo-Niagra Falls, NY $97,500
84. Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA $82,900>
Thanks to Darrell@SSC for this post.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Single-home price growth over the 12 months ending June 30 was the strongest in history, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Link: http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/li...rice.html#table
The list in the link above includes duplications of Metro Areas and Metro Divisions, in particular with New York City and Los Angeles.
The list below includes only traditional MSAs with over 500,000 residents based on 2004 U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
Twelve MSAs over 500,000 were not included and no explanation was given. Perhaps this is due to latest data not available.
Those MSAs over 500,000 not included (listed in order of population size) are:
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC
Fresno, CA
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
Bakersfield, CA
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY
McAllen-Edinburgh-Pharr, TX
Stockton, CA
Scranton-Wilkes Barre, PA
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Augusta, GA
The remainder of MSAs over 500,000 are ranked below by median home price.
* Please note that median home price differs from average home price as the median price means that half the homes are worth more and half the homes are worth less, whereas average includes the value of all homes divided by number of homes.
Rank; MSA; Median Price 6-30-05
1. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $726,900
2. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA $605,600
3. Honolulu, HI $577,800
4. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT $487,300
5. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA $474,800
6. New York-Newark-Edison, NY-NJ-PA $452,700
7. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $429,200
8. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH $418,500
9. Sacramento-Arden Arcade-Roseville, CA $377,400
10. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $371,600
11. Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, FL $367,800
12. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $367,600
13. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $310,300
14. Las Vegas-Paradise, NV $300,00
15. Worcester, MA $292,300
16. Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA $291,600
17. New Haven-Milford, CT $283,800
18. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $266,800
19. Baltimore-Towson, MD $264,700
20. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI $263,600
21. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $257,700
22. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $249,100
23. Denver-Aurora, CO $248,400
24. Portland-South Portland, ME $247,200
25. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ $243,400
26. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA $238,000
27. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $237,700
28. Orlando, FL $232,200
29. Tucson, AZ $228,500
30. Madison, WI $220,100
31. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI $216,800
32. Colorado Springs, CO $214,200
33. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $211,000
34. Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $204,000
35. Richmond, VA $198,400
36. Springfield, MA $197,900
37. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 204,000
38. Charleston-North Charleston, SC $193,600
39. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC $192,000
40. Raleigh-Cary, NC $185,200
41. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $176,100
42. Albuquerque, NM $171,700
43. Salt Lake City, UT $169,900
44. Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI $169,200
45. Austin-Round Rock, TX $166,800
46. Jacksonville, FL $166,600
47. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA $166,500
48. Boise City-Nampa, ID $161,800
49. Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN $159,700
50. Kansas City, MO-KS $157,100
51. Birmingham-Hoover, AL $156,100
52. Columbus, OH $155,900
53. New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA $152,600
54. Memphis, TN-MS-AR $150,100
55. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $149,100
56. Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN $148,500
57. Greensboro-High Point, NC $148,000
58. Des Moines, IA $145,100
59. Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH $144,700
60. Knoxville, TN $143,400
61. Greenville, SC $143,200
62. Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, TX $142,500
63. St. Louis, MO-IL $141,900
64. Grand Rapids, MI $139,000
65. Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA $137,300
66. Louisville, KY-IN $136,800
67. Baton Rouge, LA $135,400
68. San Antonio, TX $134,000
69. Columbia, SC $133,700
70. Jackson, MS $124,600
71. Indianapolis, IN $124,600
72. Akron, OH $119,800
73. Dayton, OH $119,400
74. Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR $118,900
75. Toledo, OH $118,600
76. Pittsburgh, PA $118,500
77. Tulsa, OK $117,400
78. Oklahoma City, OK $115,700
79. Rochester, NY $110,700
80. El Paso, TX $108,900
81. Syracuse, NY $108,700
82. Wichita, KS $106,300
83. Buffalo-Niagra Falls, NY $97,500
84. Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA $82,900>
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