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Abidjan

Abidjan

Abidjan is the largest city and former capital of Côte d'Ivoire. It is the commercial and banking center of Côte d'Ivoire as well as the de facto capital (Yamoussoukro is the official capital). It stands in Ébrié Lagoon on several converging peninsulas and islands, connected by bridges. The city is a study in contrasts. On one hand the city is hot and humid, congested and full of street hawkers. On the other hand, Abidjan is referred to as the "Paris of West Africa" because of its parks, broad boulevards, universities, exotic fashions and museums. Districts include Cocody, an upscale residential area located east of the modern business district, and Treichville, located southward on Petit-Bassam Island, with its busy traditional market. Banco National Park lies north of the city. Abidjan harbors numerous government departments. It is also the hub of the national road system and the terminus of the Abidjan-Niger Railway, which extends northward into Burkina Faso. Abidjan's modern port opened in 1950, when the Vridi Canal was cut through a sandbar, linking the Ébrié Lagoon with the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Formerly West Africa's pre-eminent port, Abidjan is attempting to bring back traffic which veered to other ports during Côte d'Ivoire's political unrest. Since a military putsch in December 1999, as well as widespread civil unrest in the ensuing years, traffic has switched to other main regional ports such as Accra, Lome, Cotonou and Dakar. Xenophobia and harassment of foreigners, as well as numerous illegal roadblocks along the country's roads, have further discouraged shippers from using Abidjan's port. The Abidjan Port Authority has invited delegations of shippers from the landlocked countries of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger -- which have seen increased difficulty in imports due to Abidjan's problems -- to working sessions to discuss improvements in the situation.

Population and language

A 1995 estimate placed Abidjan's population at around 2,793,000. Estimates for the population of the Abidjan metropolitan area as of 2005 vary between 4 and 5 million inhabitants. As Abidjan is inhabited by people from a wide array of different ethnicities, the French language is used as the language of communication in the metropolitan area, which is the fourth-largest French speaking metropolitan area in the world after Paris and Kinshasa and Montreal. A specific colloquial Abidjan French has even appeared, with a pronunciation and some colloquial words distinct from standard French. The area of Abidjan is recognized as the only area in Africa where French (colloquial Abidjan French) is truly a native tongue.

Geography and neighbourhoods

Abidjan lies on the Ébrié Lagoon. The business district Le Plateau is the centre of the city. It lies with Cocody, Deux Plateaux (the richest neighbourhood with mansions, typically inhabited by diplomats and the wealthy) and the slum area of Adjamé on the north shore of the lagoon, while Treichville and Marcory (also poor areas) lie to the south, Abobo-Doume and Yapougon to the west and Boulay Island in the middle of the lagoon. Further south lies Port Bouët, home to the airport and main seaport. Abidjan is located at 5°25' North, 4°2' West (5.41667, -4.03333). [http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html]

History

The city grew after the construction of a new wharf in 1931 and its designation as the capital of the then French colony in 1933. The completion of the Vridi Canal in 1951 enabled it to become an important sea port. In 1983, Yamoussoukro was designated as the nation's capital, but most government offices and foreign embassies remained in Abidjan.

Places of interest

The University of Abidjan, several technical colleges, and the national library and museum are in the city. Sights in Abidjan include St Paul's Cathedral, designed by Aldo Spiritom, the Cocody Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art and the Parc du Banco rainforest reserve. Le Plateau is known for its skyscrapers, unusual in West Africa. It is the business centre of Abidjan. With its chic boutiques and outdoor cafes, le Plateau is a favourite place of business travellers. There are many different banks located in the le Plateau district.

Industry

Major industries include food processing, lumber, automobile manufacturing, and the manufacture of textiles, chemicals, and soap. There is also a large oil refinery.

Transportation

Trains on the line to Ouagadougou run from several stations in the city, the most important being in Treichville. Ferries link Treichville, Abobo-Doumé and Le Plateau. The airport is located approximately 10 mi/16 km from downtown Abidjan. Taxis and buses are available at the airport, but are considered unsafe. The taxis are metered and the fares are relatively low. Rental cars are also available, however the fees can be quite expensive. Vehicle accidents occur frequently, especially at night when roads are poorly lit. Roadblocks manned by government security forces are becoming magnets for corruption. Police officers routinely extort bribes from motorists. Travelers planning to travel outside of Abidjan should do so only in convoy, maintaining constant radio or satellite contact.

PORT BOUET INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (DIAP/ABJ)

Abidjan Airport (Port Bouet International Airport) has a 3,000-meter runway and ILS 3B equipment. The airport has 25 check-in counters and nine boarding access points. AERIA, Abidjan Airport Management Company, operates and manages the whole airport area and relevant indirect services. There is a military apron at the airport. Private aircraft usually park in the commercial area, away from the terminal. Fencing and lighting are adequate at this facility. A special airport police unit provides security at Abidjan's airport. X-ray machines and metal detectors are used to screen passengers and their baggage, but security measures at this facility are lacking both in terms of quality and coverage. Theft is a concern in the passenger terminal. Airport officials are known to be corrupt due to their low salaries. Incidents of theft and drug smuggling occur frequently. Do not allow ground service personnel to handle possessions without supervision.

Political Unrest

During times of political unrest, the Ivorian government closes the airport and imposes an overnight curfew for days at a time. There is also a French military base near the airport where protests may occur during times of political unrest. Occasional violence also occurs at the airport. Most recently, on 6 November 2004, Ivorian troops raided Abidjan's airport in an attempt to destroy French aircraft. One aircraft was slightly damaged during the incident, but there are no details as to the extent or specificity of the damage. As a result of the attack, the airport perimeter was sealed and closed to air traffic. In the September 2002 mutiny, the Ivorian government closed Abidjan's international airport, as it usually does during times of unrest. Flights were diverted to neighboring Ghana and elsewhere. Unidentified gunmen briefly blocked the major highway leading in and out of Abidjan. Several carriers have cancelled service to Côte d'Ivoire.

Culture

The musical group Magic System was founded in the city in the 1990s.

Security

- The law requires that travelers in Abidjan carry one of the following: national identity card, employee card, consular card, residency permit or passport.
- Although the overall situation in Abidjan has stabilized since the resurge in violence in November 2004, there are continual reports of violence. The U.N. has stated "its concern over the security situation" throughout Côte d'Ivoire, particularly in Abidjan. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ranks Abidjan as the second most dangerous city in the world.
- The current political situation is highly unstable and security risks are acute due to ongoing conflict. Foreigners should avoid all travel outside Abidjan, the former capital, as well as rural and outlying areas. Other threats include crime, carjacking and demonstrations.

Ongoing Conflict

As the economic capital and largest city in Côte d’Ivoire, violence due to ongoing conflict remains a concern in Abidjan. Although the security situation has stabilized significantly since November 2004 and citizens have resumed regular daily activities, sporadic violence still occurs. Pro-government militia groups, some accused of theft and racketeering, have previously been concentrated in the Adjamé district. There have been isolated incidents of violence between these militia and local residents.

Demonstrations

Abidjan has been the site of sporadic protests, some of which have turned violent. Demonstrations have normally been over political issues revolving around political opposition groups and disgruntled military personnel. The Young Patriots, a pro-government youth group, conducted a series of protests throughout the country in March 2005 to demand the withdrawal of French peacekeeping troops. Although these protests have subsided, the possibility remains that these protests could resume, particularly as 4 May 2005, the date the U.N. peacekeeping mandate is set to expire, nears. While these protests did not occur in Abidjan, in accordance with a government ban on public demonstrations, government supporters wore red head or arm bands to show anti-French sentiment. Political protests remain a possibility as the national election, expected in October 2005, nears. Although all public demonstrations have been banned in Abidjan until 11 June 2005, visitors should avoid all protests that may occur.

Crime

Even before the September 2002 mutiny, the crime rate has continually increased as a result of poor economic conditions, an influx of weapons and refugees from neighboring Liberia, and urban migration. Burglaries commonly occur at residences, restaurants, and small businesses. Petty theft is prevalent throughout Abidjan and armed gangs are a growing problem. Tourists are frequently robbed on the Houphouet-Boigny and Charles de Gaulle bridges; travelers should not cross these bridges on foot. Persons who are victims of armed robbery should not attempt to resist thieves. Please see "Country News" for periodic updates on crime trends.

Carjacking

Armed carjackings are very common in Côte d'Ivoire. Criminals customarily target four-wheel drive vehicles, and do not hesitate to shoot their victims when confronted with resistance. The vehicles are often used to commit other crimes, and are often discovered abandoned within 24 hours of the carjacking. The police force has established checkpoints throughout the city, in an attempt to curb the high crime rate.
- Travelers should avoid the Treichville, Plateau and Abobo business districts due to high crime rates.
- Avoid the Adjamé district due to high crime and the frequent presence of armed militia groups. Armed conflict and violence are not uncommon in Adjamé.
- Avoid the de Gaulle and Houphouet-Boigny bridges (crossing the Lagoon) because they are dangerous areas for pedestrians.
- Do not walk alone in the city, especially after dark. The police are less than adequate in coping with crime. The police force is hampered by a lack of funding, training and support. At times, the police force has refused to respond to crimes while weapons are being used. Police are known to solicit bribes, especially at highway checkpoints and near Port Bouet Airport. Most police officials only speak French. Human rights organizations have condemned alleged abuses by security officials against foreigners in Côte d'Ivoire as xenophobia continues in the country. The Ivorian League of Human Rights (LIDHO) charges that members of all the security forces have extorted money from West African immigrants, seized and destroyed their identity documents and subject people to degrading and humiliating treatment, especially at the many checkpoints along roads nationwide. At particular risk are immigrants fleeing Côte d'Ivoire due to increased persecution and insecurity: in the past, these travelers have been stripped of their belongings and sometimes stripped, beaten and humiliated in public places. While security forces are highly unlikely to behave this way toward Western travelers, such impunity poses a growing concern for all travelers to the country.
- The police emergency telephone number is 170 and 112 for GSM cell phones.
- The medical emergency telephone number is 180 and 112 for GSM cell phones. Medical care in Côte d'Ivoire is substandard and medicines are in short supply. The following facilities are located in Abidjan: Hôpital de Port Bouet: (225) 21-27-85-00 PISAM (Polyclinique internationale Sainte-Marie) (Cocody): (225) 22-44-51-32

External Links

- [http://abidjan.ci.site.voila.fr Photos from Abidjan]
- [http://ivorycoast.site.voila.fr Akwaba in Ivory Coast]
- [http://www.izf.net/izf/documentation/cartes/centreVille/abidjan.htm Map of Abidjan] Category:Capitals in Africa Category:Cities in Côte d'Ivoire Category:Coastal cities ja:アビジャン

Capital

:This article concerns places that serve as centers of government and politics. For alternative meanings see capital (disambiguation) In politics, a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of "capital") is the principal city or town associated with its government. It is almost always the city which physically encompasses the offices and meeting places of the seat of government and fixed by law. The word capital is derived from the Latin caput meaning "head," and the related term capitol refers to the building where government-business is chiefly conducted. Seats of government in major substate jurisdictions are usually called "capitals", but at lower administrative subdivisions, terms such as county town, county seat, or borough seat are also used. As the focal point of power for the country or region, the capital naturally attracts the politically motivated and those whose skills are needed for efficient administration of government such as lawyers, journalists, and public policy researchers. Older capitals have often developed into prime economic, cultural, or intellectual centers as well. Such is certainly the case with Paris and Buenos Aires among national capitals, and Irkutsk or Salt Lake City in their respective state or province. Such concentration may be controversial. The siting of Brasília in Brazil's heartland was done in order to bring progress to the interior of the country, since the old capital, Rio de Janeiro, along with entire Southeastern Brazil was already crowded. The government of South Korea announced in 2004 it would move its capital from Seoul to Yeongi-Gongju — even though the word Seoul itself means "capital" in the Korean language. The convergence of political and economic or cultural power is by no means universal. Traditional capitals may be economically eclipsed by provincial rivals, as occurred with Thebes by Alexandria, Nanjing by Shanghai, or Edinburgh by Glasgow. The decline of a dynasty or culture could mean the extinction of its capital city as well, as occurred with Babylon and Cahokia. And many modern capital cities, such as Abuja and Ottawa, were deliberately fixed outside existing economic areas, and may not have established themselves as new commercial or industrial hubs since.

Multiple capitals

:See also: List of multiple capitals A number of cases exist where states or other entities have multiple capitals. In South Africa, for example, the administrative capital is Pretoria, the legislative capital is Cape Town, and the judicial capital is Bloemfontein, the outcome of the compromise that created the Union of South Africa in 1910. In others, the "effective" and "official" capital may differ for pragmatic reasons, resulting in a situation where a city known as "the capital" is not, in fact, host to the seat of government:
- Yamoussoukro was designated the national capital of Côte d'Ivoire in 1983, but as of 2004 most government offices and embassies were still located in Abidjan
- Sucre is still the constitutional capital of Bolivia, but most of the national government long abandoned that region for La Paz
- Amsterdam is the nominal national capital of the Netherlands even though the Dutch government and supreme court are both located in The Hague. In such cases, the city housing the administrative capital is usually understood to be the "national capital" among outsiders. For instance, Santiago is understood to be the capital of Chile even though its Congress is in Valparaiso.

Capital as symbol

With the rise of modern empires and the nation-state, the capital city has become a symbol for the state and its government, and imbued with political meaning. Unlike medieval capitals, which were declared wherever a monarch held his or her court, the selection, relocation, founding, or capture of a modern capital city is an emotional affair. For example:
- Ruined and almost uninhabited Athens was made capital of newly independent Greece with the romantic notion of reviving the glory of the ancients;
- Peter I of Russia moved his government to Saint Petersburg to give the Russian Empire a western orientation, while Kemal Atatürk did the same by ironically moving east to Ankara, away from Ottoman Istanbul;
- The selection or founding of a "neutral" city, one unencumbered by regional or political identity, represented the unity of a new state with Madrid in Spain, Washington, D.C. in the United States, and Canberra in Australia among others;
- During the American Civil War, tremendous resources were expended to defend Washington, D.C. from Confederate attack even though the small federal government could have been moved relatively easily in the era of railroads and telegraph.
- Berlin has risen from the ashes of World War II (Stunde Null) to become the new/old capital city of the third most prosperous nation in the World, Germany.

The effects of the capital

The capital city is almost always the main target in a war, as capturing it usually guarantees capture of much of the enemy government, and victory for the attacking forces. In the tradition of drama, capital cities are usually associated with high stake final battles, such as in the Lord of the Rings series where the forces of Mordor besiege the Gondorian capital of Minas Tirith; it is assumed if the city falls, Gondor falls with it. In old China, the relatively fragile dynasties could easily be toppled with the fall of their capital. In the Three Kingdoms period, both Shu and Wu fell when their respective capitals of Cheng Du and Jian Ye fell. The Ming were destroyed when the Manchus took their seat of power, and this pattern endlessly repeats itself in Chinese history. In the West, things were vastly different. The Byzantine Empire lasted for nearly 60 years after Crusaders took their capital city of Constantinople. The American revolutionaries lost their capital of Philadelphia, but survived the blow.

Largest national capital cities

Some of the largest cities in the world are not national capitals. The largest national capitals on each continent, by urban/metropolitan area population, are:
- Africa: Cairo (11,146,000)
- Asia: Tokyo (35,237,000)
- Europe: Moscow (13,600,000)
- North America: Mexico City (17,809,471)
- Oceania: Wellington (367,600)
- South America: Buenos Aires (13,349,000)

Lists of capitals

- Lists of national capitals
- by name
- by country (with also the largest city)
- by continent and country
- List of historical national capitals
- List of capitals of subnational entities
- List of multiple capitals
- List of countries that have the name of their capital included in their name
- List of countries whose capital is not their largest city Category:Capitals Category:Political geography als:Hauptstadt ko:수도 ja:首都 ms:Ibu negara simple:Capital (city) th:เมืองหลวง zh-min-nan:Siú-to·

Côte d'Ivoire

The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (IPA /kot divwa/ or /kot divwar/; commonly called Ivory Coast in English; see below about the name) is a country in West Africa. It borders Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana to the west, north, and east, and borders the Gulf of Guinea to its south. One of the most prosperous of the tropical West African states, its economic development has been undermined by political turmoil spawned by official corruption and refusal to adopt needed reforms.

History

Not much is known about Côte d'Ivoire prior to the arrival of European ships in the 1460s. The major ethnic groups came relatively recently from neighbouring areas: the Kru people migrated from Liberia around 1600; the Senoufo and Lobi moved southward from Burkina Faso and Mali. It wasn't until the 18th and 19th centuries that the Akan people, including the Baoulé, migrated from Ghana into the eastern area of the country and the Malinké migrated from Guinea into the northwest. Compared to neighbouring Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire suffered little from the slave trade. European slaving and merchant ships preferred other areas along the coast with better harbours. France took an interest in the 1840s, enticing local chiefs to grant French commercial traders a monopoly along the coast. Thereafter, the French built naval bases to keep out non-French traders and began a systematic conquest of the interior. They accomplished this only after a long war in the 1890s against Mandinka forces, mostly from Gambia. Guerilla warfare by the Baoulé and other eastern groups continued until 1917. The French had one overriding goal: to stimulate the production of exports. Coffee, cocoa and palm oil crops were soon planted along the coast. Côte d'Ivoire stood out as the only West African country with a sizeable population of 'settlers'; elsewhere in West and Central Africa, the French and English were largely bureaucrats. As a result, a third of the cocoa, coffee and banana plantations were in the hands of French citizens and a hated forced-labour system became the backbone of the economy. The son of a Baoulé chief, Félix Houphouët-Boigny was to become Côte d'Ivoire's father of independence. In 1944 he formed the country's first agricultural trade union for African cocoa farmers like himself. Annoyed that colonial policy favoured French plantation owners, they united to recruit migrant workers for their own farms. Houphouët-Boigny soon rose to prominence and within a year was elected to the French Parliament in Paris. A year later the French abolished forced labour. As Houphouët-Boigny grew fonder of money and power, and became more ingratiated with the French, he gradually dropped the more radical stance of his youth. France reciprocated by making him the first African to become a minister in a European government. At the time of Côte d'Ivoire's independence in 1960, the country was easily French West Africa's most prosperous, contributing over 40% of the region's total exports. When Houphouët-Boigny became the country's first president, his government gave farmers good prices to further stimulate production. Coffee production increased significantly, catapulting Côte d'Ivoire into third place in total output behind Brazil and Colombia. Cocoa did the same; by 1979 the country was the world's leading producer. It also became Africa's leading exporter of pineapples and palm oil. Behind the scenes, it was French technicians who had masterminded the programme, which was often referred to as the 'Ivoirian miracle'. In the rest of Africa, Europeans were driven out following independence; in Côte d'Ivoire, they poured in. The French community grew from 10,000 to 50,000, most of them teachers and advisers. For 20 years, the economy maintained an annual growth rate of nearly 10% - the highest of Africa's non-oil exporting countries. Politically, Houphouët-Boigny ruled with an iron hand. The press wasn't free, and only one political party was tolerated. Houphouët-Boigny was also Africa's number one producer of 'show' projects. So many millions of dollars were spent transforming his village, Yamoussoukro, into the new capital that it became the butt of jokes. No one was laughing by the early 1980s though, when the world recession and a local drought sent shockwaves through the Ivoirian economy. Thanks also to the overcutting of timber and collapsing sugar prices, the country's external debt increased threefold. Rising crime in Abidjan made news in Europe. The miracle was over. In 1990, hundreds of civil servants went on strike, joined by students protesting institutional corruption. The unrest forced the government to support multiparty democracy. Houphouët-Boigny became increasingly feeble and died in 1993. His hand-picked successor was Henri Konan Bédié. In October 1995, Bédié overwhelmingly won re-election against a fragmented and disorganised opposition. He tightened his hold over political life, sending several hundred opposition supporters to jail. In contrast, the economic outlook improved, at least superficially, with decreasing inflation and an attempt to remove foreign debt. Unlike Houphouët-Boigny, who was very careful in avoiding any ethnic conflict and left access to Ivorian nationality wide-open to immigrants from neighbouring countries, Bedié emphasized the concept of "Ivority" (Ivoirité) to exclude his rival Alassane Ouattara, having only one parent of Ivory Coast nationality, to run for future presidential election. As people originating from Burkina Faso are a large part of the Ivorian population this policy resulted in the exclusion of many people from Ivorian nationality and relationship between various ethnic groups became strained. In parallel, Bédié excluded many potential opponents from the army. In late 1999, a group of dissatisfied officers staged a military coup putting General Robert Guéi in power, Bédié fled into exile in France. The coup had the effect of reducing crime and corruption, and the generals pressed for austerity and openly campaigned in the streets for a less wasteful society. An election was held in October 2000 in which Laurent Gbagbo vied with Robert Guéi for the presidency, but it was neither peaceful nor democratic. The lead up to the elections was marked by military and civil unrest. Guéi's attempt to fix the election led to a public uprising, resulting in around 180 deaths and his swift replacement by the election's likely winner, Gbagbo. Alassane Ouattara, was disqualified by the country's Supreme Court, which based his ineligibility on his Burkinabé nationality. The disqualification sparked violent protests in which his supporters, mainly from the country's Muslim north, battled riot police in the capital, Yamoussoukro. On September 19, 2002, troops mutinied and gained control of the north of the country. In Abidjan, the gendarmerie was seized by the rebels and former president Guéi was murdered with fifteen persons in his home. Alassane Ouattara took refuge in the French embassy. What exactly happened on the night of September 19 is confused; some report the events as a military coup attempt, but other sources report that opponents were executed by pro-Gbagbo death squads and that the rebellion was an unplanned reaction. An early ceasefire with the rebels, who had the full backing of the northern populace (mostly of Burkinabé origins), proved short-lived and fighting over the prime cocoa-growing areas resumed. France sent in troops to maintain the cease-fire boundaries, and militias, including warlords and fighters from Liberia and Sierra Leone, took advantage of the crisis to seize parts of the west. In January 2003, President Gbagbo and rebel leaders signed accords creating a 'government of national unity'. Curfews were lifted and French troops cleaned up the lawless western border of the country. But the central problems remained, and neither side achieved its goals. Since then, the unity government has proven extremely unstable. In March 2004, 120 people were killed in an opposition rally. A later report concluded the killings were planned. Though UN peacekeepers were deployed, relations between Gbagbo and the opposition continued to deteriorate.

Politics

The official capital since 1983 is Yamoussoukro; however, Abidjan remains the administrative center. Most countries maintain their embassies in Abidjan. The population continues to suffer because of an on-going civil war. International human rights organizations have noted problems with the treatment of captive non-combatants by both sides and the re-emergence of child slavery among workers in cocoa production. Since the incident on September 19, 2002 (refer to the history section), a civil war broke out, and the north part of the country has been seized by the rebels, the New Forces (FN). A new presidential election was expected to be held in October, 2005. However, this new election could not be held on time due to delay in the preparation. See also: Civil war in Côte d'Ivoire

Administrative Divisions

Côte d'Ivoire is divided into 19 regions (régions), which are further divided into 58 departments (départements).

Geography

department Côte d'Ivoire is a country of western Sub-Saharan Africa. It borders Liberia and Guinea in the west, Mali and Burkina Faso in the north, Ghana in the east, and the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) in the south.

Economy

Maintaining close ties to France since independence in 1960, diversification of agriculture for export, and encouragement of foreign investment has made Côte d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states.

Demographics

76% of the population are considered Ivorians. They belong to different peoples, which linguistically are summarized under the language groups of Kwa, Kru, Mande, and Gur. Since Cote d'Ivoire has established itself as one of the most successful west African nations, about 20% of the population consists of workers from neighbouring Liberia, Burkina Faso and Guinea. This fact has created steadily increasing tension in recent years, especially since most of these workers are Muslims while the native-born population is largely Christian (primarily Roman Catholic) and animist. 4% of the population is of non-African ancestry. Many are French, British, and Spanish citizens, as well as Protestant missionaries of American and Canadian background. In November 2004, around 10,000 French and other foreign nationals evacuated Cote d'Ivoire due to attacks from pro-government youth militias.

Culture

Spanish
- Music of Côte d'Ivoire: Alpha Blondy, Gyil, Djun-djun
- Islam in Côte d'Ivoire See also: List of writers from Côte d'Ivoire, Art of Côte d'Ivoire

The name

History

The country was originally known in English as Ivory Coast, and corresponding translations in other languages: Elfenbeinküste in German, Costa de Marfil in Spanish, Costa do Marfim in Portuguese, Ivoorkust in Dutch and so on. In October 1985 the government requested that the country be known as Côte d'Ivoire in every language. In fact, according to national law, the name of the country cannot be translated from French. Of course, this law can only apply within the country itself.

Usage

Despite the Ivorian government's ruling, "Ivory Coast" (sometimes "the Ivory Coast") is still the most commonly used name in English. Governments, however, use "Côte d'Ivoire" for diplomatic reasons. Journalistic style guides usually (but not always) recommend "Ivory Coast":
- The Guardian newspaper's [http://www.guardian.co.uk/styleguide/page/0,5817,184827,00.html Style Guide] says: "Ivory Coast, not "the Ivory Coast" or "Côte D'Ivoire"; its nationals are Ivorians"
- The BBC usually uses "Ivory Coast" both in news reports and on its page about the country [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1043014.stm].
- The Economist newsmagazine's [http://www.economist.com/research/styleGuide/index.cfm?page=805717 Style Guide] says "Côte d'Ivoire not Ivory Coast".
- The United States Department of State uses "Côte d'Ivoire" in formal documents, but uses "Ivory Coast" in many general references, speeches and briefing documents [http://www.state.gov/p/af/rls/rm/2005/43552.htm].
- Encyclopædia Britannica uses "Côte d'Ivoire".
- ABC News, The Times of London, the New York Times and SABC all use "Ivory Coast" either exclusively or predominantly.

Miscellaneous topics

- Civil war in Côte d'Ivoire
- Communications in Côte d'Ivoire
- Foreign relations of Côte d'Ivoire
- Military of Côte d'Ivoire
- Music of Côte d'Ivoire
- Transportation in Côte d'Ivoire
- National football team of Côte d'Ivoire

References

- Much of the material in these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.

External links

Government
- [http://www.isa-africa.com/ambaci-jp/ Embassy of Côte d'Ivoire in Japan] government information and links News
- [http://allafrica.com/cotedivoire/ allAfrica - Côte d'Ivoire]news headline links
- [http://www.abidjan.net Abidjan.Net] news forums links Overviews
- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1043014.stm BBC News - Country Profile: Ivory Coast]
- [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/iv.html CIA World Factbook - Cote d'Ivoire]
- [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/citoc.html Library of Congress Country Study - Ivory Coast] data as of November 1988 Directories
- [http://www.afrika.no/index/Countries/C_te_d_Ivoire/index.html The Index on Africa - Côte d'Ivoire] directory category
- [http://search.looksmart.com/p/browse/us1/us317836/us317916/us559898/us559899/us10065674/us559908/ LookSmart - Ivory Coast or Cote d'Ivoire] directory category
- [http://dmoz.org/Regional/Africa/C%c3%b4te_d%27Ivoire/ Open Directory Project - Côte d'Ivoire] directory category
- [http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/cote.html Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: Cote d'Ivoire - Ivory Coast] directory category
- [http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/Country_Specific/Cote.html University of Pennsylvania - African Studies Center: Cote d'Ivoire] directory category
- [http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Cote_d_Ivoire/ Yahoo! - Cote d'Ivoire] directory category Tourism
-
- [http://www.anytravels.com/africa/cote_divore/ Travel Overview of Côte d'Ivoire] Other
- [http://www.izf.net/izf/documentation/cartes/Pays/supercartes/cotedivoire.htm Map of Côte d'Ivoire]
- [http://www.pipci.org/ Parti Ivoirien du Peuple]
- [http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/cote_divoire/ Lonely Planet - Cote d'Ivoire] travel guide
- [http://globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/ivory-coast.htm Global Security - Ivory Coast Conflict]
- [http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/37105 French Soldiers Machine-gun Civilians on 'Ivory Coast'. (video, November 2004)]
- [http://ivorycoast.site.voila.fr Akwaba in Ivory Coast] Category:Côte d'Ivoire Category:African Union member states zh-min-nan:Côte d'Ivoire ko:코트디부아르 ms:Côte d'Ivoire ja:コートジボワール simple:Côte d'Ivoire

Yamoussoukro

Yamoussoukro, a town of 100,000 inhabitants located 240 kilometers North of Abidjan, is the administrative capital of Côte d'Ivoire. Yamoussoukro is located at 6°50' North, 5°15' West (6.8333, -5.25). [http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html]

History

Colonial period history

Chief Yamousso, the niece of Kouassi N'Go, ran the village of N'Gokro at the time of French colonization. The village then comprised 475 inhabitants, and was one of 129 Akoué villages. Diplomatic and commercial relations were then established but, in 1909, on the orders of the Chief of Djamlabo, the Akoué revolted against the administration. Bonzi station, seven kilometers from Yamoussoukro on the Bouaflé road, was set on fire, and the French administrator, Simon Maurice, was spared only by the intervention of Kouassi N'Go. This respected former leader persuaded the Akoué not to wage a war which could only have turned into a disaster. As the situation returned to normal, Simon Maurice, judging that Bonzi had become unsafe, decided to transfer the French military station to Yamoussoukro, where the French Administration built a pyramid to the memory of Kouassi N'Go, Chief of the Akoué, and in homage to Yamousso, N'Gokro was renamed Yamoussoukro. In 1919, the civil station of Yamoussoukro was removed, and Félix Houphouët-Boigny became the leader of the village in 1939. A long period was passed where Yamoussoukro, small agricultural town, remained in the shadows, until after the war, when it saw the creation of the African Agricultural Trade Union, and first conferences of its Chief. But it was only with Independence that Yamoussoukro finally started to rise.

History since independence

After 1964, the President Félix Houphouët-Boigny made ambitious plans and started to build. One day in 1965, later called the Great Lesson of Yamoussoukro, he visited the plantations with the leaders of the county, inviting them to transpose to their own villages the efforts and agricultural achievements of the region. On July 21, 1977, Houphouët offered its plantations to the State. In March 1983, Yamoussoukro became the political and administrative capital of the Côte d'Ivoire, after, in one century, Grand-Bassam (1893), Bingerville (1900) and Abidjan (1933). The majority of economic activity still takes place in Abidjan.

Highlights

Yamoussoukro is also the site of what is claimed to be tallest Christian place of worship on Earth: The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro, consecrated by Pope John Paul II on September 10, 1990. Also noteworthy are the Kossou Dam, the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Foundation, the PDCI-GDR House, the various schools of the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny-Boigny Polytechnic Institute, the international airport (with an average of six hundred passengers and 36 flights in 1995, it is only airport in Africa which can accommodate the Concorde), the Town Hall, the Protestant Temple, the Mosque, and the Palace of Hosts. On November 6, 2004, Yamoussoukro Airport was attacked by French infantry after military aircraft from the airport bombed UN peacekeeper as well as rebel targets and 9 French peacekeepers and one U.S. civilian were killed. Two Ivory Coast Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft and several Mil Mi-24 helicopters were destroyed, which was most of the country's air forces. Mobs tried to attack the French forces after the airport raid. Category:Cities in Côte d'Ivoire Category:Capitals in Africa ja:ヤムスクロ

Ébrié Lagoon

The Ébrié Lagoon lies in Côte d'Ivoire, separated for most of its length from the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow coastal strip. The long lagoon is linked to the sea by the Vridi Canal, while the Bandama River and Comoë River flow into it. Abidjan and towns such as Grand Bassam, Bingerville, Jacqueville and Tiagba lie on the lagoon. Category:Geography of Côte d'Ivoire E

Peninsula

A peninsula (Latin, literally meaning almost island) is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body, surrounded by water on three sides. A peninsula can also be a headland, cape, promontory, bill, or spit.

Peninsulas of the World

Eurasia

Continental Europe

- Apsheron, Azerbaijan
- Brittany, France
- Butjadingen, Germany
- Cotentin Peninsula, France
- Crimea, Ukraine
- Gallipoli, Turkey
- Grenen, Denmark
- Hel Peninsula, Poland
- Italian Peninsula, Italy
- Jutland Peninsula, northern Germany and Denmark
- Peniche Peninsula, Portugal
- Piran, Slovenia
- Saint-Tropez, on the French Riviera
- Walcheren, Netherlands
- Zuid-Beveland, Netherlands

Balkan peninsula

- Chalkidiki, Greece
- Pilio, Greece
- Kassandra, Greece
- Mani Peninsula, Greece
- Mount Athos, Greece
- Peloponnesos, Greece
- Sithonia, Greece
- Zadar, Croatia
- Istria, Croatia
- Peljesac peninsula, Croatia

Iberian Peninsula

encompassing the whole of Spain and Portugal
- Cabo Espichel, Portugal
- Cabo de São Vicente, Portugal
- Tróia, Portugal
- Gibraltar (British Territory)

Scandinavian Peninsula

encompassing Sweden and Norway
- Svaerholthalvoya, Norway
- Varangerhalvoya, Norway

Indian subcontinent

- Mumbai city
- Kathiawar Peninsula, Gujarat

East Asia

- Malay Peninsula
- Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong (China)
- Leizhou Bandao, China
- Liaodong Bandao, China
- Shandong Bandao, China
- Ca Mau Peninsula, Vietnam

Korean Peninsula

The whole land mass encompassing South and North Korea is a Peninsula

Japan

Kyushu:
- Nishi-sonogi-hanto
- Kunisaki-hato Honshu:
- Shiriya-zaki
- Oshika-hanto
- Noto-hanto
- Oga-hanto
- Miura-hato
- Boso-hanto
- Inubo-zaki
- Izu-hanto

Philippines

- Bataan Peninsula
- Bondoc peninsula, Luzon
- Zamboanga, Mindanao
- San Ildefonso peninsula, Luzon

Indonesia

- Poluostrov Yamau
- Semenanjung Blambangan, Java,
- Semenanjung Minahassa, Sulawesi
- East Peninsula, Sulawesi
- South-east Peninsula, Sulawesi
- South Peninsula, Sulawesi

Madeira Islands

(Portuguese Territory)
- Ponta de São Lourenço

The Americas

United States of America

- Alaska Peninsula, Alaska
- Cape Cod, Massachusetts
- Cleveland peninsula, Alaska
- Delmarva Peninsula, encompassing parts of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia
- Door Peninsula, Wisconsin, in Lake Michigan
- Florida Peninsula, encompassing most of Florida state
- Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
- Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan, in Lake Superior
- Key Peninsula, Washington, in Puget Sound
- Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan, in Lake Michigan
- Lower Peninsula, Michigan
- Middle Peninsula, Virginia, on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay
- Mokapu, Hawaii
- Northern Neck, Virginia, on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay
- Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan, in Grand Traverse Bay
- Olympic Peninsula, Washington
- Pinellas Peninsula, Florida
- Sandy Hook, New Jersey
- San Francisco Peninsula, California
- Upper Peninsula, Michigan
- Virginia Peninsula, Virginia, on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay

Canada

Greenland

(Danish Territory)
- Alfred Wegeners Halvo
- Hayes Halvo
- Ingnerit
- Nuussuaq Halvo
- Svartenhuk Halvo

Mexico

- Baja California peninsula, Mexico, containing the state of Baja California and state of Baja California Sur
- Yucatán peninsula, partly separating the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea

Central America

- Península de Azuero, Panama

South America

- Paraguana, Venezuela
- Araya Peninsula, Venezuela
- Brunswick Peninsula, Chile
- Guajira Peninsula, Colombia
- Paracas Peninsula, Peru
- Paria Peninsula, Venezuela
- Taitao Peninsula, Chile
- Verde Peninsula, Argentina
- Valdes Peninsula, Argentina

Caribbean

- Barrio Obrero, Puerto Rico, despite its name, it is also a peninsula

Australia & Oceania

Australia

Australia
- Beecroft Peninsula, New South Wales
- Cape York Peninsula, Queensland
- Cobourg Peninsula, Northern Territory
- Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
- Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia
- Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania
- Inskip Peninsula, Queensland
- Jervis Bay Territory
- Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
- Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania
- Wilsons Promontory, Victoria
- Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
- Younghusband Peninsula, South Australia

New Zealand

- Banks Peninsula, South Island
- Bluff Peninsula, South Island
- Bream Head, North Island
- Cape Brett, North Island
- Cape Campbell, South Island
- Cape Foulwind, South Island
- Cape Kidnappers, North Island
- Cape Turnagain, North Island
- Coromandel Peninsula, North Island
- Farewell Spit, South Island
- Kaikoura Peninsula, South Island
- Karikari Peninsula, North Island
- Mahia Peninsula, North Island
- Miramar Peninsula, North Island
- Mount Maunganui, North Island
- Mount Nicaragua, North Island
- North Auckland Peninsula, North Island
- Otago Peninsula, South Island
- Tiwai Point, South Island
- Whangaparaoa Peninsula, North Island

Papua New Guinea

- Gazelle Peninsula, New Britain
- Huon

Africa

- Bakassi, Cameroon but disputed with Nigeria
- Buri Peninsula, Eritrea
- Cabo Blanco, Mauritania/Western Sahara
- Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
- Cap-Vert, Senegal
- Ceuta, Spain
- Punta Durnford, Western Sahara
- Raas Xaafuun peninsula/Ras Hafun, Somalia

Antarctica

- Antarctic Peninsula
- Edward VII Peninsula
- Fletcher Peninsula
- Fowler Peninsula
- Martin Peninsula ko:반도 ja:半島 simple:Peninsula zh-min-nan:Poàn-tó

Bridge

:This article is about the edifice (it is mostly an index to articles concerning specific bridge types). For other meanings, see bridge (disambiguation). bridge (disambiguation) A bridge is a structure built to span a gorge, valley, road, railroad track, river, body of water, or any other physical obstacle. Designs may be built higher than otherwise needed in order to allow other traffic (particularly ship traffic) beneath. The purpose of a bridge is to allow easier passage by providing a continuous more uniform more easily navigable route via what would otherwise be an uneven or impossible path for the particular kind of thing travelling or being transported, whether people, vehicles, trains, ships, liquids or whatever else.

History

The first bridges were spans made of wooden logs or planks and eventually stones, using a simple support and crossbeam arrangement. The arch was first used by the Roman Empire for bridges and aqueducts, some of which still stand today. The Romans also had cement, which reduced the variation of strength found in natural stone. Brick and mortar bridges were built after the Roman era, as the technology for cement was lost then later rediscovered. Rope bridges, a simple type of suspension bridge, were used by the Inca civilization in the Andes mountains of South America, just prior to European colonization in the 1500s. During the 18th century there were many innovations in the design of timber bridges by Hans Ulrich, Johannes Grubenmann, and others. The first engineering book on building bridges was written by Hubert Gautier in 1716. With the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, truss systems of wrought iron were developed for larger bridges, but iron did not have the tensile strength to support large loads. With the advent of steel, which has a high tensile strength, much larger bridges were built, many using the ideas of Gustave Eiffel.

Etymology

The Oxford English Dictionary traces the origin of the word bridge to an Old Norse word bryggja, meaning "landing stage, gangway, or movable pier".

Types of bridges

Bridges may be classified by their use or by their structure.

By use

A bridge is usually designed for trains, pedestrian or road traffic, a pipeline or waterway for water transport or barge traffic. In some cases there may be restrictions in use. For example, it may be a bridge carrying a highway and forbidden for pedestrians and bicycles, or a pedestrian bridge, possibly also for bicycles. An aqueduct is a bridge that carries water, resembling a viaduct.

Decorative and ceremonial bridges

To create a beautiful image, some bridges are built much taller than necessary. This type, often found in east-asian style gardens, is called a Moon bridge, evoking a rising full moon. Other garden bridges may cross only a dry bed of stream washed pebbles, intended only to convey an impression of a stream. Often in palaces a bridge will be built over an artificial waterway as symbolic of a passage to an important place or state of mind. A set of five bridges cross a sinuous waterway in an important courtyard of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. The central bridge was reserved exclusively for the use of the Emperor, Empress, and their attendants.

Index to types of bridges and bridge related topics

Image:NagasakiMeganebashi.jpg|Arch bridge Image:Pont_du_gard.jpg|Aqueduct Image:Baileycoppename.jpg|Bailey bridge Image:UniversityBridge-1Clip.jpg|Bascule bridge Image:Small footbridge.jpg|Beam bridge Image:Concrete box girder bridge.JPG|Box girder bridge Image:ThreeTwrBrCenter.jpg|Cable-stayed bridge Image:CaissonSchematic.jpg|Caisson Image:ForthBridgeEdinburgh.jpg|Cantilever bridge Image:Puente del Alamillo.jpg|Cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge Image:Tarr steps clapper bridge.jpg|Clapper bridge Image:Australia sydney-404.jpg|Compression arch suspended-deck bridge Image:Guilford vermont covered bridge 20040820.jpg|Covered bridge Image:CurlingBridgeClip.jpg|Curling bridge Image:Fort ticonderoga drawbridge to demilune.jpg|Drawbridge Image:Hoernbruecke.jpg|Folding bridge Image:IRBSideViewClip.jpg|Inca rope bridge Image:JetwayAtVancouverBC.jpg|Jetway Image:Guilford vermont bridge covered bridge interior 20040820.jpg|Lattice bridge Image:BNSFBridgeClip.jpg|Lift bridge Image:Vallorcine footpath bridge 2003-12-13.jpg|Log bridge Image:SFTGMoonBridge.jpg|Moon bridge Image:PlateGirderUnderTracks.jpg|Plate girder bridge Image:ArmyPontoonBr.jpg|Pontoon bridge Image:Uppsala Ultunabron02 2005-06-16.jpg|Retractable bridge
(Thrust bridge) Image:ProposedSFOBBEasternSpan.jpg|Self-anchored suspension bridge Image:SegmentalBridgeFtLauderdale.jpg|Segmental bridge Image:WinnepegBridge.jpg|Side-spar cable-stayed bridge Image:CapilanoBridge.jpg|Simple suspension bridge Image:StepStoneBridge.jpg|Step-stone bridge Image:BridgeSubmerging4.jpg|Submersible bridge Image:suspension.bridge.bristol.arp.750pix.jpg|Suspension bridge Image:Railway swing bridge.jpg|Swing bridge Image:Millenium_bridge_close.jpg|Tilt bridge Image:Paying Toll on passing a Bridge From a Painted Window in the Cathedral of Tournay Fifteenth Century.png|Toll bridge Image:Newport.transporter.750pix.jpg|Transporter bridge Image:AlhambraTrestle.jpg|Trestle Image:Eastbound_over_SCB.jpg|Truss arch bridge Image:RRTrussBridgeSideView.jpg|Truss bridge Image:Conwy Castle 2.jpg|Tubular bridge Image:Toronto-bloorviaduct.jpg|Viaduct Image:NoImageYetRectFramed.png|Weigh bridge Image:BoxerwoodDotComZigZag.jpg|Zig-zag bridge

Bridge structural and evolutionary taxonomy

Zig-zag bridge Bridges may be classified by how the four forces of tension, compression, bending and shear are distributed through their structure. Most bridges will employ all of the principle forces to some degree, but only a few will predominate. The separation of forces may be quite clear, as in a suspension or cable-stayed span; the elements in tension are distinct in shape and placement. In other cases the forces may be distributed among a large number of members, as in a truss, or not clearly discernible to a casual observer as in a box beam. Bridges can also be classified by their lineage, which is shown as the vertical axis on the diagram to the right.

Efficiency

A bridge's structural efficiency may be considered to be the ratio of load carried to bridge weight, given a specific set of material types. In one common challenge young students are to be divided into groups of two or three and then to be given a fixed quantity of wood sticks, a specific distance to span, and a given glue, and then to construct a bridge that will be tested to destruction by the progressive addition of load at the center of the span. The bridge taking the greatest load is by this test the most structurally efficient. A bridge's economic efficiency will be site and traffic dependent, the ratio of savings by having a bridge (instead of, for example, a ferry, or a longer road route) compared to its cost. For a given site, kind of bridge employed and the materials used determine the total cost, a lifetime cost composed of materials, labor, machinery, engineering, cost of money, maintenance, refurbishment, risk potential, and ultimately, demolition and associated disposal, recycling, and reuse. Bridges employing only compression are relatively inefficient structurally, but may be highly cost efficient where suitable materials are available near the site. For medium spans, trusses or box beams are usually most economical, while in some cases, the appearance of the bridge may be more important than its cost efficiency. The longest spans usually require suspension bridges.

Notable bridges

- Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge - Japan, with the longest section span of 1.9 km.
- Forth Railway Bridge - Scotland, one of the most famous cantilever bridges in the world.
- Golden Gate Bridge - USA, arguably the most beautiful of its type.
- The Iron Bridge - England, the world's first iron bridge.
- Confederation Bridge - Canada, world's longest bridge over waters that freeze.
- Jamuna Bridge- Bangladesh, longest rail-road bridge in south asia , 2nd longest in world.
- Lake Pontchartrain Causeway - USA, spanning Lake Pontchartrain in south Louisiana, it is the longest bridge in the world at 23.87 miles (38.41 km).
- Lupu Bridge- China, longest single steel arch.
- Mackinac Bridge - USA, Opened to traffic in 1957, connecting the two peninsulas of Michigan; held the title of the world's longest two tower suspension bridge between anchorages until the 1990s.
- Mahatma Gandhi Setu - India, the longest river bridge in the world.
- Menai Suspension Bridge - Wales, first road suspension bridge in the world.
- Millau Viaduct - France, tallest bridge in the world.
- Overtoun Bridge, - Scotland, dogs have leaped to their deaths from this bridge, leading to urban legends.
- Penang Bridge - Malaysia, longest bridge in Southeast Asia.
- Québec Bridge - Canada, largest cantilever bridge in the world.
- San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge - USA, especially for seismic retrofit and eastern span replacement.
- Sundial Bridge - USA, a dramatic single cantilever spar cable stayed span for pedestrians.
- Sydney Harbour Bridge - Australia, arguably the best-known suspended-deck compression arch bridge.
- Tacoma Narrows Bridge - USA, famous for its collapse due to aerodynamic effects.
- Tatara Bridge - Japan, largest span cable-stayed bridge.
- Tower Bridge - London, England, and a symbol of this city.
- Tyne Bridge - England, one of Northern England's most iconic structures.
- Trajan's bridge - Romania, ancient Roman bridge over the river Danube, only fragments visible.
- Vasco da Gama Bridge - Portugal, the longest bridge in Europe at 17.2 km.
- Victoria Falls Bridge - linking Zimbabwe to Zambia, built in 1905 as part of the projected Cape-Cairo railway.
- Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge - USA, built during Boston's Big Dig, the widest cable-stayed bridge.

External links

- [http://www.structurae.de/en/ Structurae] - International Database and Gallery of Structures.
- [http://www.asce.org/history/hp_bridges.html American Society of Civil Engineers] History and Heritage of Civil Engineering - Bridges
- [http://www.historicbridges.org/index.htm Historic Bridges of Michigan and Elsewhere] Photos, information, and maps of historic bridges in and around Michigan. Also has a links page with links to bridge databases in other regions of the U.S.A.
- [http://www.brantacan.co.uk/bridges.htm Bridge Building — Art and Science] Comprehensive explanations about bridges.
- [http://www.garrettsbridges.com/index.html Model Bridge Building]
- [http://pghbridges.com/basics.htm Bridge Basics] A guide to bridge terminology and styles
- [http://www.chinapage.com/bridge/shanghai/lupu/lupu.html Shanghai lupu] Chinese bridge site showing suspended deck arch construction and completion.
- [http://www.bridgebuilder-game.com BridgeBuilder] - Great game where you design a bridge and see if a train will drive over it safely.
- [http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/RRbridge/ RRbridge]- Discussion group focused on railroad bridges, trestles, and viaducts. Hosted by Yahoo! Groups
- [http://filebox.vt.edu/users/aschaeff/titlepage.html Bridge disasters]
- [http://www.nireland.com/bridgeman/Dictionary.htm A dictionary of bridge terms]
- [http://bridges.lib.lehigh.edu/BookListpage.html/ Digital Bridge Library at Lehigh University]
- [http://bobjagendorf.smugmug.com/gallery/119358 Bridge Photos]
- [http://flickr.com/photos/tags/bridge Flickr: Photos tagged with bridge] Category:Buildings and structures
- Category:Coastal construction ko:다리 ms:Jambatan ja:橋 simple:Bridge th:สะพาน

Park

:For the Korean family name Park, see Korean name. Korean name A park is any of a number of geographic features.

Hunting parks and the parks of country houses

Originally, the term referred to an area maintained as open space where residences, industry and farming were not allowed, often originally so that nobility might have a place to hunt. These were known for instance, as deer parks (deer being originally a term meaning any wild animal). Many country houses in Britain and Ireland still have parks of this sort, which since the 18th century have often been carefully landscaped for aesthetic effect. They are usually a mixture of open grassland with scattered trees and sections of woodland, and are often enclosed by a high wall. The area immediately around the house is the garden. In some cases this will also feature sweeping lawns and scattered trees; the basic difference between a country house's park and its garden is that the park is grazed by animals, but they are excluded from the garden. Ireland

Public parks

Today, the primary meaning, based on the original meaning, is an area of open space provided for recreational uses. Parks in this sense are usually owned and provided by the government. Park uses are often divided into two categories: active and passive recreation. Active recreation is that which require intensive development and often