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THE GREAT 10 LARGEST DESERTS IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO THE AREA OF DESERTS

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on THE GREAT 10 LARGEST DESERTS IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO THE AREA OF DESERTS

A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. Approximately one-fifth of the Earth’s surface is covered by deserts. A region so arid because of little rainfall that it supports only sparse and widely spaced vegetation or no vegetation at all. This is an area in which few forms of life can exist because of lack of water, permanent frost, or absence of soil. This area of the ocean in which it is believed no marine life exists. Desert is unsettled area between Mississippi and rocky mountains thought to be unsuitable for human habitation. Experts have several ways of categorizing the different types of deserts, but most will agree on some version of the following four classifications: hot and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold. Due to intense heat, rain is known to evaporate in hot and dry deserts before it can even reach the ground. Many semiarid deserts get so little rain because tall mountain ranges prevent precipitation from reaching these drier regions. These are the 10 largest deserts in the world by size.

1.Antarctic: 5,500,000 sq. miles

Antarctica is the driest continent. The Antarctic is located in the southern hemisphere and covered by around 7.1 million cubic miles of an ice sheet that is approximately 1.5 miles thick. With a humidity rating of 5% it is the driest region on the planet, and so, Antarctic is classified as a large barren cold desert. The name Antarctica is the romanised version of the Greek compound word ,meaning is “opposite to the Arctic”, “opposite to the north”. Very little snow or rain falls on the continent, but because it is so cold, the small amount of precipitation that does fall does not melt. 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice. The lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was at Russia’s Vostok Station in Antarctica: -89.2°C (-128.6°F) on 21st July, 1983. About 70% of Earth’s fresh water is in the Antarctic ice cap. There are no countries in Antarctica; the continent is governed by an international treaty. There are no permanent residents. But up to 1,000 people may be wintering over at various research stations. It is the fifth-largest continent and nearly twice the size of Australia. At 0.00008 people per square km, it is by far the least densely populated continent. Antarctica is a good place to find meteorites, or rocks that fall from space to Earth. Scientists find more meteorites in Antarctica than any other place in the world. NASA sends teams to Antarctica to learn more about the planet Mars. Antarctica and Mars have a lot in common. Both places are cold. Both places are dry like a desert.

Antarctica and Arctic deserts are classified as cold deserts. Due to their positions at the northern and southern poles of our planet, they are also known as polar deserts. They are the largest deserts in the world. The former makes up the entire continent, while the latter stretches across numerous countries like Canada, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. They are very dry, but not in the traditional sense. They are cold all year round with frigid winters. Instead of sand, the surrounding surface is covered in layers of ice and snow. The average temperature hovers around freezing, but can plummet to -50 degrees Celsius. During wet seasons, cold deserts can get up to eighteen inches of rain every year, but on average, they receive only six to ten. Scientists take turns going there to study the ice. Tourists visit Antarctica in the summer season. One tool that NASA uses is ICESat. That stands for the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite. Using ICESat, NASA can measure changes in the size of Antarctica’s ice sheets. ICESat also helps NASA to understand how polar ice may change and affect the rest of the planet. Melting ice sheets in Antarctica may change sea levels all over the world. Some experts even claim that certain areas in Antarctica have not seen rain in 14 million years. Few plants can survive such brutal conditions. Many of the animals that call these polar regions home have easily adapted to the cold, such as bears, penguins, and seals. About Organisms native to Antarctica include many types of algae, bacteria, fungi, plants, protista.

2.Arctic: 5,000,000 sq. miles

Arctic covers the island groups of Svalbard, Franz Josef Land, Severny Island and Severnaya Zemlya in the Arctic Ocean, above 75 degrees north latitude. The Arctic is the second largest desert on the planet and is slightly smaller in size than the Antarctic. It is so cold that the snow that does fall doesn’t melt, so deep snow covers the land and ice. As long as there is some source of moisture and some way to lift or cool the air, it can snow even at incredibly cold temperatures. The top part of the Arctic region, known as the Arctic Circle, receives minimal precipitation and is classified as desert land. The southern region of the Arctic, also known as Tundra, has greater precipitation and therefore, supports a thriving ecosystem. A large part of the Arctic is sea ice. The region is covered with glaciers, snow, and bare rock in a harshly cold environment. It has an area of 161,400 square kilometres (62,300 sq mi). The ecoregion stretches 2,000 km west-to-east, and 1,000 km north-to-south, across the Arctic Ocean north of Norway and Russia. Arctic, northernmost region of the Earth, centred on the North Pole and characterized by distinctively polar conditions of climate, plant and animal life, and other physical features. The term is derived from the Greek arktos (“bear”), referring to the northern constellation of the Bear. It has sometimes been used to designate the area within the Arctic Circle—a mathematical line that is drawn at latitude 66°30′ N, marking the southern limit of the zone in which there is at least one annual period of 24 hours during which the sun does not set and one during which it does not rise. This line, however, is without value as a geographic boundary, since it is not keyed to the nature of the terrain.

The Arctic Desert refers to a number of islands north of 75 degrees north latitude. This includes northern Novaya Zemlya, Franz Josef Islands and Severnaya Zemlya. Mapped ecoregion boundaries correspond to the arctic desert zone in Kurnaev’s forest map of the USSR. However, northern sections of the Taimyr Peninsula, Novosibirsk Islands and Wrangel Island were excluded from this region as their lower latitudes permit a wider range and higher abundance of species. International interest in the Arctic and subarctic regions has steadily increased during the 20th century, particularly since World War II. Three major factors are involved: the advantages of the North Pole route as a shortcut between important centres of population, the growing realization of economic potentialities such as mineral like petroleum and forest resources and grazing areas, and the importance of the regions in the study of global meteorology. The Arctic lands have developed geologically around four nuclei of ancient crystalline rocks. The largest of these, the Canadian Shield, underlies all the Canadian Arctic except for part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands. It is separated by Baffin Bay from a similar shield area that underlies most of Greenland. The Arctic desert is home to a number of highly adapted species, which can cope with the extreme conditions or, as some long-distant migratory bird species come there only for a short summer season.

3.Sahara: 3,320,000 sq. miles

The Sahara is a desert on the African continent. Around 25% of the land is covered by sand with the total region comprising a mix of hilly areas and shallow land. The Sahara is the third largest desert and is part of a high-temperature zone, unlike the colder regions of Arctic and Antarctic. The total area varies but mostly stretches approximately 3,000 miles across and around 1,100 miles north to south. The northern areas of the Sahara experiences mostly dry subtropical temperatures while the southern areas remain mostly dry tropical. It is the largest hot desert in the world. The name ‘Sahara’ is derived from the Arabic word for “desert”. The population of the Sahara is just two million. For several hundred thousand years, the Sahara has alternated between desert and savanna grassland in a 20,000 year cycle caused by the precession of the Earth’s axis as it rotates around the Sun, which changes the location of the North African Monsoon. The area is next expected to become green in about 15,000 years . The Sahara is bordered in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the north by the Atlas Mountains and Mediterranean Sea, in the east by the Red Sea, and in the south by the Sahel—a semiarid region that forms a transitional zone between the Sahara to the north and savannas to the south. The enormous desert spans 11 countries: Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and Tunisia. Other topographical features include mountains, plateaus, sand- and gravel-covered plains, salt flats, basins and depressions. Mount Koussi, an extinct volcano in Chad, is the highest point in the Sahara at 11,204 feet (3,415 m), and the Qattara Depression in Egypt is the Saraha’s deepest point, at 436 feet (133 m) below sea level. The highest peak in the Sahara is Emi Koussi (3,415m), a volcano located in Tibesti Mountains, Chad. In east-central Algeria lies the Isaouane-n-Tifernine Sand Sea, with sand dunes as high as 450m – some of the tallest in the world. The largest dunes in Morocco are the Erg Chigaga – with some dunes reaching a massive 300m.
Camels, also known as the “ships of the desert,” are well-adapted for the hot, arid environment, according to the San Diego Zoo. The humps on a camel’s back store fat, which can be used for energy and hydration in between meals. Camels store energy so efficiently that they can go more than a week without water and several months without food. Other residents of the Sahara include a variety of gazelles, addax, cheetahs, caracals, desert foxes and wild dogs, according to the Sahara Conservation Fund. Many reptile species also thrive in the desert environment, including several species of snakes, lizards, and even crocodiles in places where there is enough water. Plant species in the Sahara have adapted to the arid conditions, with roots that reach deep underground to find buried water sources and leaves that are shaped into spines that minimize moisture loss. The most arid parts of the desert are completely void of plant life, but oasis areas, such as the Nile Valley, support a large variety of plants, including olive trees, date palms and various shrubs and grasses. One proposal for mitigating the effects of climate change is to install large-scale wind and solar farms in the Sahara. The farms would provide clean energy and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere, and may also promote increased precipitation in the vicinity. Several activities you can do in the Sahara such as quad biking, stargazing, sand surfing, camping or trekking. Our Sahara Desert Trek is a fantastic adventure, taking us on a 4 day trek to the top of the Chegaga Dunes.
Although water is scarce across the entire region, the Sahara contains two permanent rivers (the Nile and the Niger), at least 20 seasonal lakes and huge aquifers, which are the primary sources of water. Despite the harsh, arid conditions of the desert, several plants and animals call the region home. There are approximately 500 species of plants, 70 known mammalian species, 90 avian species and 100 reptilian species that live in the Sahara, plus several species of spiders, scorpions and other small arthropods, according to World Wildlife Fund. Camels are one of the most iconic animals of the Sahara. The large mammals are native to North America and eventually made their way across the Bering Isthmus between 3 and 5 million years ago, according to a study in the Research Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Management in 2015. Camels were domesticated about 3,000 years ago on the Southeast Arabian Peninsula, to be used for transportation in the desert.The Sahara desert has a variety of land features, but is most famous for the sand dune fields that are often depicted in movies. The dunes can reach almost 600 feet (183 meters) high but they cover only about 15 percent of the entire desert. The average annual temperature is 30°C, whilst the hottest temperature ever recorded was 58°C. The area receives little rainfall, in fact, half of the Sahara Desert receives less than 1 inch of rain every year.

4.Arabian Desert: 900,000 sq. miles

The Arabian Desert appears as a vast expanse of light sand-coloured terrain with an occasional indistinct line of escarpments or mountain ranges, black lava flows, or reddish systems of desert dunes stretching to the horizon. Arabian Desert is the largest desert area on the continent—covering an area of about 900,000 square miles (2,300,000 square km)—and the second largest on Earth, surpassed in size only by the Sahara, in northern Africa. The Arabian desert is part of the Arabian Peninsula that extends across the 220 latitude and 120 to 340 north. Several countries that share the desert land include; Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE. Large parts of the desert experiences extremely high temperatures, reaching 1300 F during peak summer season. Arabian Desert, great desert region of extreme southwestern Asia that occupies almost the entire Arabian Peninsula. Mountainous highlands rise in the northwestern portion of the Hejaz region, in the Asir region, in Yemen, and in Oman. Lesser ranges have been uncovered by erosion in the interior. Eighteen volcanic fields are scattered through the west, mainly in Hejaz, several of them more than 10,000 square miles (25,000 square km) in area.

The Arabian Desert is bordered to the north by the Syrian Desert, to the northeast and east by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, to the southeast and south by the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and to the west by the Red Sea. A large part of the Arabian Desert lies within the modern kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Yemen, on the coast of the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, borders the desert to the southwest. Oman, bulging out into the Gulf of Oman, lies at the eastern edge of the desert. The sheikhdoms of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to the west stretch along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf at the desert’s northeastern limit. The emirate of Kuwait abuts the northern Persian Gulf between Saudi Arabia and Iraq. In the northwest the desert extends into Jordan.
Vegetation at first seems nonexistent, but the discerning eye can find sparse patches of growth on the surface, or bits of green where shrubs strive to survive. There is almost always a breeze, which changes seasonally to winds of gale force. The Sun and Moon are bright in clear skies, although dust and humidity may lower visibility. The Arabian Desert consists of two major regions. The first, the ancient Arabian platform, is in the west. It is composed mainly of Precambrian gneiss and was assembled roughly 900 to 541 million years ago. The second region, in the east, comprises sedimentary rock layers deposited over the past 541 million years on continental shelves and within marine basins along the margins of the Arabian platform. Vast amounts of petroleum formed between those sedimentary rock layers, making the Arabian Desert the richest petroleum-producing region in the world. Roughly 33 million years ago, early in the Oligocene Epoch, Arabia began to split away from Africa. That was the onset of a period of rifting that was caused by upwelling from Earth’s mantle beneath the regions now lying on either side of the Red Sea.

5.Gobi Desert: 500,000 sq. miles

Located in Central Asia, the Gobi desert is shared by Mongolia and China. Unlike the Sahara and Arabian deserts, Gobi is mostly made up of hard rock and not sand. The desert is a result of the rain shadow from the tall Himalayan Mountains which prevents precipitation carrying winds from reaching the Gobi. Maximum temperature can touch a high of 1130 F during peak summer season while it can dip to as low as -400 F is some parts. The Gobi Desert is a large desert or brushland region in East Asia. The Gobi is a rain shadow desert, formed by the Tibetan Plateau blocking precipitation from the Indian Ocean reaching the Gobi territory. The Gobi is overall a cold desert, with frost and occasionally snow occurring on its dunes. Besides being quite far north, it is also located on a plateau roughly 910–1,520 m (2,990–4,990 ft) above sea level, which contributes to its low temperatures. An average of approximately 194 mm (7.6 in) of rain falls annually in the Gobi. Additional moisture reaches parts of the Gobi in winter as snow is blown by the wind from the Siberian Steppes.

Large copper deposits are being mined by Rio Tinto Group. The mine was and remains controversial. There was significant opposition in Mongolia’s parliament to the terms under which the mine will proceed, and some are calling for the terms to be renegotiated. The Gobi name come from Mongolian gobi, meaning “waterless place. Gobi is not sandy desert but bare rock. It is possible to drive over this surface by car for long distances in any direction: northward toward the Altai and Hangayn mountain ranges, eastward toward the Da Hinggan Range, or southward toward the Bei Mountains and Huang He valley. The Gobi consists of the Gaxun, Junggar (Dzungarian), and Trans-Altai Gobi in the west, the Eastern, or Mongolian, Gobi in the centre and east, and the Alxa Plateau (Ala Shan Desert) in the south. The Eastern Gobi is similar to the western regions, with elevations varying from 2,300 to 5,000 feet (700 to 1,500 metres), but it receives somewhat more precipitation—up to 8 inches (200 mm) per year—though it lacks significant rivers. The Gobi’s plains consist of chalk and other sedimentary rocks that are chiefly Cenozoic in age (i.e., up to about 66 million years old), though some of the low, isolated hills are older. The terrain contains small masses of shifting sands.

6.Kalahari Desert: 360,000 sq. miles

This subtropical desert is located in the southern part of the African continent and shared between Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Angola. One of the most interesting Kalahari Desert facts is that it is not a desert in the strictest sense of the word, as it receives too much rainfall – between 5 and 10 inches annually. However any rain filters rapidly through the vast expanses of sand, leaving nothing on the surface, turning the Kalahari into the “thirstland”. A more accurate definition of a desert is a region in which “the evaporation rate is twice as great as the precipitation”. This is true for the southwestern half of the Kalahari. The northeastern portion, however, receives much more rainfall and, climatically, cannot qualify as a desert; and yet, it is totally lacking in surface water. In the southwest it merges with the Namib, the coastal desert of Namibia. Kalahari is derived from the Tswana word Kgala, meaning “the great thirst”, or Kgalagadi, meaning “a waterless place”; The Kalahari has vast areas covered by red sand without any permanent surface water. The Kalahari’s longest north–south extent is roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres), and its greatest east–west distance is about 600 miles; its area has been estimated at some 360,000 square miles (930,000 square kilometres). Extended dunes cover most of the north and northwestern parts of the Kalahari. Numerous pans exist within the Kalahari, including the Groot-vloer Pan and Verneukpan where evidence of a wetter climate exists in the form of former contouring for capturing of water. North and east, approximately where the dry forests, savannahs and salt lakes prevail, the climate is sub-humid rather than semi-arid. South and west, where the vegetation is predominantly xeric savanna or even a semi-desert, the climate is “Kalaharian” semi-arid. During peak summer, the temperature can reach 1150 F during the day and fall to 750 F at night. Winter temperatures drop to 100 F. Bedrock is exposed only in the low but vertical-walled hills, called kopjes, that rarely but conspicuously rise above the general surface. Aside from the kopjes, three surfaces characterize virtually all of the Kalahari: sand sheets, longitudinal dunes, and vleis (pans).
Due to its low aridity, the Kalahari supports a variety of flora. The native flora includes acacia trees and many other herbs and grasses. The kiwano fruit, also known as the horned melon, melano, African horned cucumber, jelly melon, or hedged gourd, is endemic to a region in the Kalahari Desert. The Kalahari is home to many migratory birds and animals. Previously havens for wild animals from elephants to giraffes, and for predators such as lions and cheetahs, the riverbeds are now mostly grazing spots, though leopards and cheetahs can still be found. The area is now heavily grazed and cattle fences restrict the movement of wildlife. Among deserts of the Southern Hemisphere, the Kalahari most closely resembles some Australian deserts in its latitude and its mode of formation. The temperatures in the Kalahari Desert are extreme, with summers being very hot while winter temperatures can go below zero degrees Celsius at night. This is a result of the Kalahari’s relatively high altitude and predominantly clear, dry air. Arid-adapted game includes springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest, kudu, steenbok and duiker. The Kalahari is home to desert specialties such as meerkat, bat-eared foxes, cape fox and brown hyena. One of the more unexpected Kalahari Desert facts is that all three African big cats can be found here –cheetah, leopard and the famous black-maned Kalahari lions. The Kalahari is the southernmost desert in Africa. It is the sixth biggest desert by area on Earth and the second biggest in Africa after the Sahara.

7.Great Victoria Desert: 220,000 sq. miles

The largest desert on the Australian continent is located in the southwestern region and extends over 700 miles across. The desert is mostly arid and made up of rocky terrain and undulating dunes. During the summer season, temperatures can exceed 1050 F, and in winters dip to as low as 680 F. The Great Victoria Desert is a sparsely-populated desert ecoregion and interim Australian bioregion in Western Australia and South Australia. The Great Victoria consists of many small sandhills, grassland plains, areas with a closely packed surface of pebbles and salt lakes. The area of the Great Victoria Desert is shared roughly equally by the states of South and Western Australia. It is north of the Nullarbor Plain and south of the Musgrave Ranges. The climate of the GVD is arid, with variable and unpredictable rainfall that can fall in either summer or winter. The median annual rainfall (1890–2005) averaged across the GVD is 162 mm. Its pristine, arid wilderness includes red sand dunes, stony plains and dry salt lakes. There is no permanent surface water, with scarce rock holes, claypans and soaks holding water only during wet periods. Within this landscape there are Aboriginal communities at Oak Valley, Watarru and Walalkara. 15 bird species with a conservation rating including the princess parrot, malleefowl and scarlet chested parrot. The Great Victoria Desert can be very dry and sandy. However, plants and animals still live there. The plants are adapted to the dry, arid climate, otherwise they would not be able to survive. Wallabies, bandy snakes, lizards. kangaroos . and many birds live in the Great Victoria Desert. These animals have also adapted to survive in extreme heat and extreme cold. It was penetrated in 1875 by a party led by the explorer Ernest Giles, who named it the Great Victoria Desert. Supports many vegetation types, including eucalypt open woodlands, mulga woodlands, acacia shrublands, casuarina and mallee shrublands and woodlands, and chenopod and samphire shrublands. Of note are the sparse woodlands of stately marble gums.

8.Patagonia Desert: 200,000 sq. miles

Located in South America between the Andes and the Atlantic Ocean, the Patagonia desert is part of Argentina and Chile. A cold winter desert, temperatures here average 370 F. The Patagonian Desert is the largest of the 40° parallel and is a large cold winter desert, where the temperature rarely exceeds 12 °C and averages just 3 °C. The region experiences about seven months of winter and five months of summer. Frost is not uncommon in the desert but, due to the very dry condition year round, snow is rare. It is bounded, approximately, by the Patagonian Andes to the west, the Colorado River to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Strait of Magellan to the south; the region south of the strait—Tierra del Fuego, which is divided between Argentina and Chile—also is often included in Patagonia. Desert and semidesert cover the Patagonian tableland that extends from the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean. The general aspect of this tableland is one of vast steppelike plains, rising in terrace fashion from high coastal cliffs to the foot of the Andes; but the true aspect of the plains is by no means as simple as such a general description would imply. The land along the Negro River rises in a series of fairly level terraces from about 300 feet (90 metres) at the coast to about 1,300 feet at the junction of the Limay and Neuquen rivers and 3,000 feet at the base of the Andes. South of the Negro River, the plains are much more irregular. Volcanic eruptions occurred in this area until fairly recent times, and basaltic sheets covered the tableland east of Lakes Buenos Aires and Pueyrredon.

  1. Syrian Desert: 200,000 sq. miles

Syrian Desert located in West Asia, the desert forms part of Syria, Iraq, and Jordan. The Syrian desert is about the same size as Patagonia but is a subtropical desert which is mostly dry. The Syrian Desert also known as the Syrian steppe, the Jordanian steppe, or the Badia, is a region of desert, semi-desert and steppe. The land is open, rocky or gravelly desert pavement, cut with occasional wadis. The desert is bounded by the Orontes Valley and the volcanic field of Harrat al-Shamah to the west, and by the Euphrates to the east. In the north, the desert gives way to the more fertile areas and to the south it runs into the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. Several parts of the Syrian Desert have been referred to separately such as the Palmyrene desert around Palmyra, and the Homs desert. The eastern section of the Syrian Desert, that within borders of Iraq, can be referred to as the Western Desert.

The Syrian desert, in turn, is divided into two parts, which differ in their surface structure. The first, a plateau in the southwest, is more elevated than the other part and also much drier. The part to the northeast starts at lower elevation in the south—2,208 feet (673 m)—and ends at 623 feet (190 m) in the north. This part is dry and has dry river channels (wadis) exposed to flooding. These wadis range in length from 93 to 186 miles (150–300 km) and in width from 0.3 to 0.6 miles (0.5 to 1 km). Annual precipitation in the Syrian desert does not exceed 5.85 inches (150 mm). Receiving on the average less than 5 inches (125 mm) of rainfall annually and largely covered by lava flows, it formed a nearly impenetrable barrier between the populated areas of the Levant and Mesopotamia until modern times ; several major motor routes and oil pipelines now bisect it. In the late 1970s, there was much oil exploration.

10.Great Basin Desert: 190,000 sq. miles

The Great Basin Desert is located in the United States and forms part of the Greater North American Desert. It’s mountain peaks (33) reaches 10,000 feet. Since large parts are mountainous, the temperatures vary based on the elevation. It covers an arid expanse of about 190,000 square miles (492,000 square km) and is bordered by the Sierra Nevada range on the west, the Wasatch Mountains on the east, the Columbia Plateau on the north, and the Mojave Desert on the south. Minerals have proved to be the greatest resource of the Great Basin. Much of the nation’s gold, magnesite, barite, and mercury are produced in Nevada, which is also among the leading producers of lithium, silver, diatomite, and gemstones. Utah is the leading producer of beryllium ore and is among the leading producers of gold, silver, copper, iron ore, and molybdenum. The desert is a geographical region that largely overlaps the Great Basin shrub steppe defined by the World Wildlife Fund, and the Central Basin and Range ecoregion defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and United States Geological Survey. The desert is one of the four biologically defined deserts in North America, in addition to the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts. There are more than 33 peaks within the desert with summits higher than 9,800 feet (3,000 m), but valleys in the region are also high, most with elevations above 3,900 feet (1,200 m). Different locations in the desert have different amounts of precipitation, depending on the strength of these rain shadows. The Great Basin Desert is the only “cold” desert in the country, where most precipitation falls in the form of snow. A desert is defined as a region that receives less than 10 inches (25cm) of precipitation per year.
The mountain ranges of the Great Basin have been likened, in an old survey report, to a group of caterpillars all crawling irregularly northward. The ranges are from 60 to 120 miles (95 to 190 km) long and 3 to 15 miles (5 to 24 km) wide. The valleys are usually somewhat wider than the ranges and are mostly deserts, with floors 1,000 to 6,000 feet (300 to 1,800 metres) above sea level. The annual rainfall of 6 to 12 inches (150 to 300 mm) in the basin supports little more than sparse desert or semidesert vegetation. In many places volcanic rocks that formed about 30 million years ago have been cut and displaced by the block faults. There are historical records of earthquakes and constant contemporary micro-earthquakes, indicating that faulting has continued to the present day. The valley floors have deep soils resulting from thousands of years of mountain erosion. These valleys receive little rainfall; most of precipitation occurs as winter snow. The combination of hot, dry summers and cold winters results in a characteristic vegetation dominated by aromatic, perennial shrubs such as various forms of sagebrush . This vegetation type is dominated by one species and is known as the Great Basin Sagebrush Zone. In the wetter, more northerly parts there is an increasing proportion of grasses, giving rise to a vegetation type termed Sagebrush Steppe. In other, scattered regions of this desert, where the soil particles are very fine, there are permanent lakes or temporary lakes. These areas and the surrounding lands can have a high salt concentration caused by the evaporation of water. Such areas are dominated by various types of saltbush giving a vegetation type known as Salt-Desert Shrub.

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THE GREAT 10 BIGGEST OCEANS AND SEAS IN THE WORLD BASED ON US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on THE GREAT 10 BIGGEST OCEANS AND SEAS IN THE WORLD BASED ON US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

About 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. This water is composed of the world’s five oceans as well as many other bodies of water. One of these common water body types is a sea, a large lake-type water body that has saltwater and is sometimes attached to an ocean. However, a sea does not have to be connected to an ocean outlet; the world has many inland seas, such as the Caspian. The majority of life on Earth is aquatic. As so much of the Earth’s surface is underwater, it comes as no surprise that marine species outnumber those on land. But, it’s an incredible 94 per cent of the Earth’s living species that exist within the oceans. According to the World Register of Marine Species there are now 240,470 accepted species, but this is believed to be just a small proportion of the species that exist, with new marine life being discovered every day. Over 70 per cent of our planet’s oxygen is produced by the ocean. It’s thought that between 70 and 80 per cent of the oxygen we breathe is produced by marine plants, nearly all of which are marine algae. It’s possible to find rivers and lakes beneath the ocean.
The following is a list of the Earth’s 10 Biggest Occeans and Seas based on US geological survey.

1.Pacific Ocean

The word “Pacific” means peaceful. The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean on the planet. It is so large it is bigger than the landmass of all the world’s continents combined. The Pacific Ocean is located between Americas to the East of the Pacific Ocean basin and the Asian and Australian continents to the West. The Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. It covers more than 30% of the earth’s surface. The Pacific Ocean is also the deepest ocean. The Pacific Ocean contains around 25,000 islands. The ring of fire is located in the Pacific Ocean basin. A number of volcanoes form a ring around the basin which is where the name comes from. The Pacific Ocean contains more than 75,000 volcanoes. Temperatures vary across the Pacific Ocean. The closer to the equator the warmer the water’s temperatures. Water near the poles reaches the freezing point.

The Pacific Ocean is home to most of the world’s islands. The Pacific Ocean is also home to many Atolls. An Atoll is a coral island surrounded by a lagoon. Atolls are only found in warm ocean waters. The Pacific Ocean is also home to the Great Barrier Reef. This reef is the largest in the world and stretches more than 1,429 miles. The Pacific Ocean actually shrinks by one inch every year , this is caused by the movement of tectonic plates. Marine Pollution has increased by over 100 times in the Pacific Ocean over the past 40 years. Pollution is most prevalent in the northeast part of the Pacific Ocean. The main culprit for the pollution of the water is small fragments of plastic which float in the water, polluting the surrounding environment and endangering wildlife. In addition to this, the Pacific has been polluted by the debris from satellite crashes, such as Mars 96, which broke up over a 200-mile stretch of the water, and also hit Chile and Bolivia.

2.Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean out of the other 5 world oceans, it is the second youngest. It covers approximately 20 percent of Earth’s surface and about 29 percent of its water surface area. The Atlantic Ocean is incredibly deep. It has an average depth of 10,925 feet (3,300 metres) and a maximum depth of 27,493 feet (8,380 metres) in the Puerto Rico Trench, north of the island of Puerto Rico. It has an area of about 106,460,000 km2 (41,100,000 sq mi). Atlantic Ocean, body of salt water covering approximately one-fifth of Earth’s surface and separating the continents of Europe and Africa to the east from those of North and South America to the west. The ocean’s name, derived from Greek mythology, means the “Sea of Atlas.” The Atlantic is, generally speaking, S-shaped and narrow in relation to its length. On average, the Atlantic is the saltiest of the world’s major oceans. The Equator divides the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and the South Atlantic Ocean and is located between Americas to the West of the Atlantic Ocean basin and the continents of Europe and Africa to the East. The Atlantic Ocean’s climatic zones vary with latitude: The warmest climatic zones stretch across the Atlantic north of the equator, while the coldest zones are in the high latitudes corresponding to the areas covered by sea ice. The Atlantic Ocean fisheries are the second most important in the world accounting for 28%, or 22,434,652 mt, of the global catch in 2017; of the seven regions delineated by the Food and Agriculture Organization in the Atlantic basin. Ocean water is on the move, affecting your climate, your local ecosystem, and the seafood that you eat. Ocean currents, abiotic features of the environment, are continuous and directed movements of ocean water. These currents are on the ocean’s surface and in its depths, flowing both locally and globally. Winds, water density, and tides all drive ocean currents. Ocean sediments comprise terrigenous, pelagic, and authigenic materials, which are so identified based on their origin and location on the sea floor. Terrigenous deposits formed by erosion, weathering, and volcanic activity on land and then washed to sea comprise sand, mud, and rock particles resting primarily on the continental shelves.

Terrigenous deposits are thickest off the mouths of large rivers or off desert coasts. Pelagic deposits, covering the sea floor in the deep waters far from shore are of two general types: the red clays resulting primarily from dust that has settled on the water, and the oozes, which are the remains of organisms that sink to the ocean floor. Depending on the predominant types of organisms forming them, the oozes are either calcareous or siliceous. Covering most of the ocean floor and ranging in thickness from 200 to 11,000 feet (60 to 3,300 meters), pelagic deposits are thickest in the convergence belts and in the zones of upwelling. Authigenic comprise materials such as manganese nodules that occur where sedimentation proceeds slowly or where currents sort the deposits. The salinity of the surface waters in the open ocean ranges from 33 to 37 parts per thousand (3.3 – 3.7 percent) by mass and varies with latitude and season. Surface salinity values are influenced by evaporation, precipitation, river inflow, and melting of sea ice. Although the minimum salinity values are found just north of the equator, in general the lowest values are in the high latitudes and along coasts where large rivers flow into the ocean. Maximum salinity values occur at about 25° north and south of the equator, in subtropical regions with low rainfall and high evaporation.

3.Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world’s oceanic divisions. It covers 70,560,000 km2 (27,240,000 sq mi) or 19.8% of the water on Earth’s surface. Indian Ocean’s average depth is 12,990 feet (3,960 metres), and its deepest point, in the Sunda Deep of the Java Trench off the southern coast of the island of Java, is 24,442 feet (7,450 metres). It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. Indian Ocean is unique. It constitutes the core of the large-scale Tropical Warm Pool which, when interacting with the atmosphere, affects the climate both regionally and globally. The name originates from the location around the Indian penisula. In size the Indian Ocean is comparable with roughly 5.5 times the size of the USA. Northern Indian Ocean also is the most important transport route for oil as it connects the oil-rich countries of the Middle East Each with Asia. Every day tankers are carrying a cargo of 17 million barrels of crude oil from the Persian Gulf on its waters. 40% of the world’s offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean, mainly from oilfields of Indonesia and the Persian Gulf. Suez Canal in Egypt, the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia are the two most well known waterways in the Indian Ocean. Asia blocks heat export and prevents the ventilation of the Indian Ocean thermocline.

The Indian Ocean is the warmest ocean in the world. Long-term ocean temperature records show a rapid, continuous warming in the Indian Ocean, at about 1.2 °C (34.2 °F). The temperature of 28 degrees Celsius/82 degrees Fahrenheit or higher is reached in coastal regions near the equator. On average the Indian Ocean has a minimum temperature of around 22 degrees Celsius/71 degree Fahrenheit. However in the southern regions, nearer to the polar regions the temperatures drop drastically below 40 degrees latitude south. Singapore port, Mumbai and Chennai ports in India, Aden (Yemen), Jakarta (Indonesia), Mombasa (Kenya), Durban port(South Africa) are the major seaports of the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean contains the largest submarine fans of the world, the Bengal Fan and Indus Fan, and the largest areas of slope terraces and rift valleys. The Indian Ocean is bounded by Iran, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh to the north; the Malay Peninsula, the Sunda Islands of Indonesia, and Australia to the east; Antarctica to the south; and Africa and the Arabian Peninsula to the west. Mumbai (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Singapore (Singapore), Perth (Australia), Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania), Durban (South Africa) are some big coastal cities situated along the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean provides home to many endangered sea species such as turtles, seals and dugongs (also called sea cows).

4.Southern Ocean

The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, South Polar Ocean or the Austral Ocean. Southern portions of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans and their tributary seas surrounding Antarctica are called Southern Ocean. It is regarded as the second-smallest of the five principal oceanic divisions: smaller than the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans but larger than the Arctic Ocean. Southern Ocean is the fourth biggest ocean on earth and covers only 6% of the earth’s surface. The Southern is between 4,000m and 4,800m/12,000ft and 14,000ft deep with some deep trenches. The average depth is about 3,200m/10,700ft. The deepest point in the Southern Ocean is in the South Sandwich Trench with a depth of over 7,000m 23,000ft. Icebergs will be encountered in the Southern Ocean during any season. Big iceberg fragments drift in the water. They can big several hundred metres high. The sea temperatures of the Southern Ocean range from -2 deg Celsius to 10 degrees Celsius/28F – 50F. The climatic conditions depend also on the seasons. The Southern Ocean is thus ’emerging’ from the waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, the South Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean in latitudes south of 60 degrees South.

The Southern Ocean is now the fourth largest of the world’s five oceans. The ocean’s most important organism in the higher food chain is the small, shrimplike krill. Animals on the sea bottom of the near-shore zone include the sessile hydrozoans, corals, sponges, and bryozoans, as well as the foraging, crablike sea spiders and isopods, the annelid worm polychaete, echinoids, starfish, and a variety of crustaceans and mollusks. At the sea bottom there are also eelpouts, sea snails, rat-tailed fishes, and codlike fishes. It was formed ‘only’ 30 million years ago when South America and Antarctica moved apart. Southern Ocean is home to the emperor penguins and wandering albatrosses, blue whales and fur seals. The biggest of the seals are the elephant seals which weigh up to 4,000kg/8,818lb. Every spring over 100 million birds nest on the rocky shores of Antarctica. There are only a few ports in the Southern Ocean. The ports belong mainly to research stations, such as the Rothera Station (British research base), Palmer Station (USA), Mawson Station (Australia), but the southernmost ports in Australia are recognised also as ports of the Southern Ocean. Among them are Adelaide port in South Australia and Macquarie Port on Tasmania.

5.Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean is located in the northern hemisphere north of 60 degrees North latitude and borders the Eurasian and North American continents and surrounds Greenland and several islands. The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world’s five major oceans. It is also known as the coldest of all the oceans. It is mostly covered by sea ice throughout the year and almost completely in winter. The Arctic Ocean derives its name from the word ‘arktos’ which means ‘bear’ in Greek. It covers less than 3% of the earth’s surface. The Arctic Ocean’s surface temperature and salinity vary seasonally as the ice cover melts and freezes; its salinity is the lowest on average of the five major oceans, due to low evaporation, heavy fresh water inflow from rivers and streams. Its area of 5,440,000 square miles (14,090,000 square km). The deepest sounding obtained in Arctic waters is 18,050 feet (5,502 metres), but the average depth is only 3,240 feet (987 metres). Distinguished by several unique features, including a cover of perennial ice and almost complete encirclement by the landmasses of North America, Eurasia, and Greenland, the north polar region has been a subject of speculation since the earliest concepts of a spherical Earth. From astronomical observations, the Greeks theorized that north of the Arctic Circle there must be a midnight sun at midsummer and continual darkness at midwinter. The sediments of the Arctic Ocean floor record the natural of the physical environment, climate, and ecosystems on time scales determined by the ability to sample them through coring and at resolutions determined by the rates of deposition. Of the hundreds of sediment corings taken, only four penetrate deeply enough to predate the onset of cold climatic conditions.

The oldest (approximately 80-million-year-old black muds and 67-million-year-old siliceous oozes) document that at least part of the Arctic Ocean was relatively warm and biologically productive prior to 40 million years ago.
The Arctic Ocean is warming faster than anywhere else on Earth and feeling the onslaught of climate change. The U.S., Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Russia all have territories that reach into the Arctic Ocean. As once impenetrable sea ice becomes less stable, Northern Hemisphere countries have begun to take a greater interest in the Arctic as a path for shipping lanes, military presence, and commercial opportunities, particularly oil and gas exploration. Many animals that are often seen roaming the sea ice are also adapted for the water. Polar bears have large, paddle-like paws to propel them through the water, and they’ve been documented swimming for hours. Walruses have large tusks that they use to pull themselves out of the water, and they find much of their food by foraging along the sea floor. Whales and fish are often an important food source for indigenous people living in the Arctic, but commercial fishing has been banned in much of the Arctic Ocean.

6.Arabian Sea

The Arabian Sea has been an important marine trade route since the era of the coastal sailing vessels. The Arabian Sea was formed within the past roughly 50 million years as the Indian subcontinent collided with Asia. The Arabian Sea has a monsoon climate. Minimum air temperatures of about 75 to 77 °F (24 to 25 °C) at the sea’s surface occur in the central Arabian Sea in January and February, while temperatures higher than 82 °F (28 °C) occur in both June and November. Its total area is 3,862,000 km2 (1,491,000 sq mi) and its maximum depth is 4,652 meters (15,262 ft). Arabian Sea is bounded to the west by the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, to the north by Iran and Pakistan, to the east by India, and to the south by the remainder of the Indian Ocean. To the north the Gulf of Oman connects the sea with the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz. To the west the Gulf of Aden connects it with the Red Sea via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Major seaports include Kandla Port, Okha Port, Mumbai Port, Nhava Sheva Port (Navi Mumbai), Mormugão Port (Goa), New Mangalore Port, Vizhinjam International Seaport and Kochi Port in India, the Port of Karachi, Port Qasim, and the Gwadar Port in Pakistan, Chabahar Port in Iran and the Port of Salalah in Salalah, Oman.

The biggest river flowing into the sea is the Indus River. Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai is the largest port in the Arabian Sea, and the largest container port in India. Major Indian ports in the Arabian Sea are Mundra Port, Kandla Port, Nava Sheva, Vizhinjam International Seaport The Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, also known as the Vizhinjam International Seaport and the Port of Trivandrum. Kochi Port, Mumbai Port, and Mormugao. There are several islands in the Arabian Sea, with the most important ones being Lakshadweep Islands (India), Socotra (Yemen), Masirah (Oman) and Astola Island (Pakistan). Stretching southeastward from Socotra is the submarine Carlsberg Ridge, which coincides with the belt of seismic activity in the Indian Ocean that divides the Arabian Sea into two major basins—the Arabian Basin to the east and the Somali Basin to the west. The region, which contains many fish remains, is known as a fish cemetery. The Arabian Sea contributes to a monsoon climate in the surrounding region by providing the water necessary for the wet storms. During the monsoon season, winds on the sea generally blow from the southwest and are particularly cold. A rich and varied aquatic habitat is supported in the Arabian Sea by high levels of inorganic

7.South China Sea

The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luzon, Mindoro and Palawan), and in the south by Borneo, eastern Sumatra and the Bangka Belitung Islands, encompassing an area of around 3,500,000 km2 (1,400,000 sq mi). The South China Sea is a region of tremendous economic and geostrategic importance. One-third of the world’s maritime shipping passes through it, carrying over US $3 trillion in trade each year.[1] Huge oil and natural gas reserves are believed to lie beneath its seabed.
At present, it is improbable that the PLA would attempt to actually land troops and occupy the island of Taiwan, because the probability of a successful military operation with minimum casualties for China is low.
The South China Sea is a critical commercial gateway for a significant portion of the world’s merchant shipping, and hence is an important economic and strategic sub-region of the Indo-Pacific. Geographically, the South China Sea plays a significant role in the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific. The South China Sea is bordered by Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Their recent economic growth has contributed to a large portion of the world’s commercial merchant shipping passing through these waters. Japan and South Korea rely heavily on the South China Sea for their supply of fuels and raw materials and as an export route, although the availability of diversionary sea lanes bypassing the South China Sea provides non-littoral states with some flexibility in this regard. The South China Sea also contains rich, though unregulated and over-exploited fishing grounds and is reported to hold significant reserves of undiscovered oil and gas.

The South China Sea Islands consist of over 250 islands, atolls, cays, shoals, reefs and seamounts in the South China Sea. The islands are mostly low and small, and have few inhabitants. The islands and surrounding seas are subject to overlapping territorial claims by the countries bordering the South China Sea. More than half of the world’s fishing vessels are in the South China Sea, and millions of people depend on these waters for their food and livelihoods.
But the South China Sea has been dangerously overfished. Total fish stocks have been depleted by 70 to 95 percent since the 1950s. Coral reefs, which are vital to marine habitats, have been declining by 16 percent per decade, according to a report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The region also is the subject of more than a dozen overlapping and interconnected disputes over who is in charge of the various islands, rocks, shoals and reefs scattered throughout the South China Sea waters. For example, the Spratly Islands are claimed in entirety by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and in part by Brunei, the Philippines and Malaysia; each except Brunei occupies some of the islands.

  1. Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea is an American Mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. The entire area of the Caribbean Sea, the numerous islands of the West Indies, and adjacent coasts, are collectively known as the Caribbean. The name “Caribbean” derives from the Caribs, one of the region’s dominant Native American groups at the time of European contact during the late 15th century. It is approximately 1,063,000 square miles (2,753,000 square km) in extent. The Caribbean Sea is considered a relatively shallow sea in comparison to other bodies of water. The Caribbean Sea is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. It is located between latitudes 9° and 22° N and longitudes 89° and 60° W. The Caribbean Sea is home to over 7,000 islands that belong to 28 nations. The habitats supported by the reefs of the Caribbean Sea are critical to such tourist activities as fishing and diving, and provide an annual economic value to Caribbean nations of $3.1–$4.6 billion. To the south it is bounded by the coasts of Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama; to the west by Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico; to the north by the Greater Antilles islands of Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico; and to the east by the north-south chain of the Lesser Antilles, consisting of the island arc that extends from the Virgin Islands in the northeast to Trinidad, off the Venezuelan coast, in the southeast. Within the boundaries of the Caribbean itself, Jamaica, to the south of Cuba, is the largest of a number of islands. The sea’s deepest point is the Cayman Trough, between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, at 7,686 m (25,217 ft) below sea level. The Wider Caribbean Region includes 35 states and territories that border two interconnected watersheds: the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

In the tropical waters of the Caribbean Sea the average temperature is 27°C and it varies no more than 3°C. Salinity is highest from January to May and lowest from June to December. Toward fall in the northern hemisphere, salinity drops in the southeastern end of the Caribbean Sea, due to discharges from the Orinoco and Amazon River watersheds. There are five basins within the Caribbean Sea, they are the Yucatan, Cayman, Colombian, Venezuelan, and Grenada basins. The Caribbean Sea floor is also home to two oceanic trenches: the Hispaniola Trench and Puerto Rico Trench, which put the area at a higher risk of earthquakes. Underwater earthquakes pose a threat of generating tsunamis which could have a devastating effect on the Caribbean islands. Scientific data reveals that over the last 500 years the area has seen a dozen earthquakes above 7.5 magnitude. The sea is one of the largest oil production areas in the world, producing approximately 170 million tons per year. The area also generates a large fishing industry for the surrounding countries, accounting for half a million metric tons of fish a year. A total of 12,046 marine species live in the Caribbean Sea. Of these, there are more than 1,000 known fish species, including flying fish, moray eels, bull sharks, tiger sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, giant oceanic manta rays, and parrotfish, as well as 90 mammal species, including dolphins, sperm whales, manatees, humpback whales, and seals.

  1. Mediterranean Sea

The opening of the Suez Canal the Mediterranean Sea also became an important strategic location for many European nations and as a result, the United Kingdom and France began building colonies and naval bases along its shores. The Mediterranean Sea is a large sea or body of water that is located between Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern Asia. Mediterranean Sea became controlled by the Byzantines, Arabs and Ottoman Turks. Its total area is 970,000 square miles (2,500,000 sq km) and its greatest depth is located off the coast of Greece at around 16,800 feet (5,121 m) deep. The average depth of the sea, however, is about 4,900 feet (1,500 m). Stone age tools have been discovered by archeologists along its shores and it is believed that the Egyptians began sailing on it by 3000 B.C.E. Today the Mediterranean is one of the busiest seas in the world. The Mediterranean Sea is a very large sea that is bounded by Europe, Africa, and Asia and stretches from the Strait of Gibraltar on the west to the Dardanelles and the Suez Canal on the east.

Geographically, the Mediterranean Sea is divided into two different basins—the Western Basin and the Eastern Basin. In total, the Mediterranean Sea borders 21 different nations as well as several different territories. Some of the nations with borders along the Mediterranean include Spain, France, Monaco, Malta, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco. It also borders several smaller seas and is home to over 3,000 islands. Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the narrow Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and Morocco. Trade and shipping traffic is prominent and there is also a significant amount of fishing activity in its water. The Mediterranean Sea has a large number of different fish and mammal species that are mainly derived from the Atlantic Ocean. Harbor porpoises, Bottlenose Dolphins, and Loggerhead Sea Turtles are common in the sea. In addition, tourism is also a large part of the region’s economy because of its climate. The largest of these islands are Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Cyprus, and Crete. The Mediterranean Sea loses more water by evaporation than it is fed by the rivers draining into it. The Mediterranean Sea is known for being an important historic trade path and a strong factor in the development of the region around it.

  1. Bering Sea

The Bering Sea is separated from the Gulf of Alaska by the Alaska Peninsula. It covers over 2,000,000 square kilometers (770,000 sq mi) and is bordered on the east and northeast by Alaska, on the west by Russian Far East and the Kamchatka Peninsula, on the south by the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands and on the far north by the Bering Strait, which connects the Bering Sea to the Arctic Ocean’s Chukchi Sea. The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Northern Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves. Bering Sea and Strait, Russian Beringovo More and Proliv Beringa, northernmost part of the Pacific Ocean, separating the continents of Asia and North America. To the north the Bering Sea connects with the Arctic Ocean through the Bering Strait, at the narrowest point of which the two continents are about 53 miles (85 kilometres) apart. The Bering Sea ecosystem includes resources within the jurisdiction of the United States and Russia, as well as international waters in the middle of the sea. The interaction between currents, sea ice, and weather makes for a vigorous and productive ecosystem.

Fishers and crabbers in such a harsh environment occasionally create opportunities for beauty. The Bering Sea, near the chain of the Aleutian Islands, is one of the most intense patches of ocean on Earth. Strong winds, freezing temperatures, and icy water are normal conditions. The combination makes for some of the most ferocious waves on the planet, where the water can rise and fall 30 feet on a normal day. A lasting shift could dramatically transform a region with some of the nation’s most valuable fisheries and indigenous communities whose way of life relies on ice. Already scientists have documented changes in algae as well as zooplankton, fish, and seabird populations. The shifts are “a bit of a warning sign that these things can happen rather quickly,” says Robert Foy, the Juneau-based science and research director for NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center, which is headquartered in Seattle.

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THE GREAT 10 LARGEST HINDU TEMPLES IN THE WORLD

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Largest 10 Hindu Temples in the World
Temple is a building devoted to the worship of a god or gods for religious practice. A Hindu temple is a symbolic house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together, using symbolism to express the ideas and beliefs of Hinduism. Temples of Hindu deities exist not only in India but around the world. People of the whole world are surprised by seeing the ancient Hindu temples famous for their vastness and amazing architecture. These amazing structures have been built several hundred years ago without any mechanical support. The spiritual principles symbolically represented in Hindu temples are given in the ancient Sanskrit texts of India for example, Vedas and Upanishads, while their structural rules are described in various ancient Sanskrit treatises on architecture. Here we are telling you about the 10 largest Hindu temples present in the world.

1.Angkor Wat, Angkor

man looking at an ancient temple
Photo by Tiago Cardoso on Pexels.com

Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia. It is the largest religious monument in the world, on a site measuring 162.6 hectares (1,626,000 m2; 402 acres) which was built for king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. The cultures of Southeast Asia reflect long periods of both Indian and Chinese influence. The temple complex contains numerous stone bas-reliefs in a highly refined style; many depict scenes from Hindu myth and legend. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious center since its foundation — first Hindu, dedicated to the god Shri Vishnu, then Buddhist. The most important structure in Angkor Thom is the temple known as the Bayon, whose most distinctive feature is the enormous stone faces found atop its towers, each face carefully constructed from multiple blocks of stone.

On the island of Java, the massive Buddhist monument known as Borobudur testifies both to Indian influence and the persistence of local cultures. The structure of Borobudur was created in the century by rulers of the Sailendra dynasty. A vast structure built on an actual hill, its plan forms a mandala and it features no fewer than 72 Buddha figures set into individual domes. While temples in the form of mountains or mounds are a feature of Indian Buddhism, Borobudur is nevertheless unique and scholars speculate that its form and function are best explained by ties to native traditions. The decorations on the walls of the temple have a uniquely Hindu story telling characteristics. They have fables and myths pictures that tell of the temple’s origin in Hindu religion.

2.Swami narayan Mandir, New Jersey

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robbinsville in Central New Jersey is a Hindu place of worship built by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and consecrated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, led by Mahant Swami Maharaj, is a denomination of the Swaminarayan branch of Hinduism. One of the most interesting facts about the making of the Akshardham Temple in New Jersey is that stone marble was sourced from Europe and handcrafted in Rajasthan for years. An epitome of Indian culture, spirituality, and architecture, Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple is an abode of God built in 2005. The mandir is built of hand-carved Italian Carrara marble, Turkish limestone, and Indian pink stone. Over 8000 volunteers from all around the world were involved in the construction of intricately carved marble and sandstone structure of the temple. The central shrine holds the murtis of Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami, together worshipped as Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj. Similarly, different shrines hold other murtis, including Radha & Krishna, Shiva & Parvati, Sita & Ram, Hanuman, Ganapati, and the lineage of BAPS gurus who are Swaminarayan’s spiritual successors. It was quite challenging to transport tons of marble from Europe to USA in a certain time frame. The mandir was constructed according to guidelines outlined in ancient Vedas, or Hindu scriptures. According to The Times of India, 2,000 artisans in Rajasthan are hand-crafting the temples in Italian and Rajasthani marble.

The finished pieces are then assembled in New Jersey by a team of master craftsmen. The main gate of the mandap, called Mayur Dwar, is a major attraction of the temple. The Mayur Dwar is meticulously adorned with 236 sculptures including peacocks, elephants, monks and devotees carved out of marble. The ornate pillars, panels, walls and ceilings depict stories of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and ancient scriptures. This is beautiful both outside and inside. The temple is the first and only Swaminarayan temple outside India to have the twin form of Nar Narayan as central deities. It is also one of the first in the US to have domes. The architecture and intricate marble carvings were absolutely beautiful. Visiting this temple is a truly unique experience. The temple campus sprawls over 160 acres. A total of 4.7 million man hours spent by craftsmen and volunteers of all ages went into the making of the largest Hindu temple in USA, which is apparently not visible to the naked eye. A seat of spirituality, divinity, Hinduism and humanitarianism, the temple opened its door to devotees. It is made of chiseled Italian marble, this New Jersey Indian temple is a wonder in itself.

3.Ranganathaswamy Temple, Thiruchirapalli

Srirangam temple is often listed as the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world. The temple, located in Tamil Nadu, occupies an area of 156 acres (631,000 m²) with a perimeter of 4,116m (10,710 feet) making it the largest temple in India and one of the largest religious complexes in the world. The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is one of the most distinguished and captivating Hindu temples in the world. This temple is considered to be the world’s largest functioning Hindu temple and the largest Temple in India. The temple houses the tallest gopuram or temple tower across South India. Located in Srirangam in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, the magnificent Ranganathaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, a form of Lord Vishnu in a reclining pose. This temple has 108 deities displaying different forms of Vishnu.

The largest functioning Hindu temple is spread over an area of about 155 acres within a perimeter of 4 km. The temple houses the ancient inscriptions not just in Tamil, but also in other languages like, Sanskrit, Telegu, Marathi, Oriya and Kannada. The temple is enclosed by seven concentric walls with a total length of 32,592 feet or over six miles. These walls are enclosed by 21 Gopurams. The Ranganathanswamy Temple complex with 49 shrines, all dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is so huge that it is like a city within itself. However, the entire temple is not used for the religious purpose, the first three out of seven concentric walls are used by private commercial establishments such as restaurants, hotels, flower market, and residential homes. The temple was awarded with UNESCO Asia Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation Program in the year 2017 for the category ‘Award of Merit’. The annual 21 days festival attracts more than 1 million visitors every year. This is one of the must visit festivals in south India. Another interesting fact about the temple is that the walls of the temple complex are painted with exquisite paintings using herbal and vegetable dyes.

  1. Chhatarpur Temple, New Delhi

Commonly known as Chhatarpur Mandir, the Shree Adya Katyayani Shaktipeeth Mandir is nestled amidst the beautiful surroundings of the historical Mehrauli area in south Delhi, barely 4 kilometres from the Qutub Minar. this grand temple is dedicated to goddess Katyayani. It is also counted among the heritage sites of South Delhi. Spread over an area of about 70 acres, the temple features separate as well as shared areas dedicated to each deity divided into three complexes. There are captivating idols of deities like Katyayani, Laxmi-Ganesh, Shiva-Parvati, and Hanuman. It is like a marble art coming alive and is a modern mix of both northern and southern architectures. This temple was considered as the biggest temple in India and second largest in the world, before the Akshardham Temple was created in 2005 in Delhi. Thousands of devotees assemble here during festivals of Dussehra, Mahashivratri and Janmashtami, when special pujas and grand celebrations.

In the courtyard of the temple is a holy peepal tree where people tie threads for wish fulfilment. The temple was established in 1974, by Baba Sant Nagpal ji, who died in 1998. His samadhi shrine lies in the premises of the Shiv-Gauri Nageshwar Mandir within the temple complex. This temple is totally constructed from marble and on all the facets there is jaali (perforated stone or latticed screen) work. It can be classified a vesara style of architecture. Katyayani is one of the incarnations of Goddess Durga, also known as Parvati or Lalitha, the wife of Lord Shiva and has the following story as the background. There was a Rishi named Katyayan who worshipped Durga devi and asked her for a boon that she be born as his daughter. Devi got pleased and fulfilled his wish. In this Avtaar, she killed Mahishasur, the demon. The idol of Devi is depicted as golden complexioned and carrying various weapons in her hand for destruction of evil.

5.Swaminarayan Akshardham ,New Delhi

Akshardham is a Hindu temple complex in Delhi, India. Also referred to as Delhi Akshardham or Swaminarayan Akshardham, the complex displays millennia of traditional Indian and Hindu culture, spirituality, and architecture. The building was inspired and moderated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisans construct Akshardham. The temple was officially inaugurated on 6 November, 2005. The construction of Akshardham Complex was completed in just five years with the efforts of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) along with the help of thousands of artisans and BAPS volunteers. The temple is spread over 83,342 square feet area. It consists of 350 feet long, 315 feet wide and 141 feet high monuments, which are very attractive. The structure of the temple was designed in such a way that it can last for at least 1000 years more.

Akshardham Temple comprises 200 sculptured stone figures of India’s sages, monks, Acharyas and divine incarnations. It also consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, 9 ornate domes, Gajendra Pith and 20,000 statues of divine figures of India. Akshardham Temple is surrounded by Narayan Sarovar, which is a lake and carries water from 151 lakes in India. There are 108 faces of cows placed along the lakes which represent 108 Hindu deities. It has a 3,000-feet-long orbital path for Parikrama made up of red stones brought from Rajasthan. There is also an exquisite garden in the Akshardham temple complex in the shape of lotus and therefore is also, known as the Lotus Garden. The magnificent musical fountain show of this beautiful temple is the centre of attraction for the audience. Another interesting fact about Akshardham temple is that there are 10 gates, which represents the 10 directions according to Vedic literature. In the Akshardham temple complex, there is a Yagnapurush Kund which is the largest yagna kund in the world. In the temple premises there are green lawns which are collectively known as Garden of India or Bharat Upavan. The temple has 11 feet high beautiful statue of Lakshmi Narayan and other statues of Shiva Parvati, Radha Krishna and Sita Ram within the memorial.

6.Besakih Temple, Bali, Indonesia

Besakih Temple is a pura complex in the village of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung in eastern Bali, Indonesia. It is known as and accepted as Bali’s Mother Temple for more than a thousand years. It is the most important, the largest and holiest temple of Hindu religion in Bali, and one of a series of Balinese temples. Perched nearly 1000 meters up the side of Gunung Agung, it is an extensive complex of 23 separate but related temples with the largest and most important being Pura Penataran Agung. The temple is built on six levels, terraced up the slope. The entrance is marked by a candi bentar (split gateway), and beyond it the Kori Agung is the gateway to the second courtyard. At least 70 celebrations take place at Besakih every year, as each shrine has its own anniversary. Its high location offers spectacular countryside views with rice paddies, hills, mountains, and streams. visiting the temple sanctuaries of Besakih is a special pilgrimage.

Mount Agung’s position gives it an almost mystical quality. Several stairs lead up to the sacred mountainside, leading to temples that vary by type, status, and function. Pura Penataran Agung has white banners for Shiva, the destroyer; Pura Kiduling Kreteg features red banners for Brahma, the creator; and Pura Batu Madeg represents Vishnu, the preserver, with its black banners. Pura Pasimpangan lies on the downstream side (on the east of the main street), while Pura Pangubengan can be found upstream. A series of eruptions of Mount Agung in 1963, which killed approximately 1,700 people, also threatened Pura Besakih. The lava flows missed the temple complex by mere meters. This complex of Hindu temples is the largest, holiest and most important on the island and miraculously survived the catastrophic volcanic eruption. The location of Mount Agung gives the temple complex a mystical quality and for the local Balinese, visiting this temple sanctuary is a truly special pilgrimage. It serves as a popular destination for visitors to Bali and as a place of prayer for local Hindu people.

7.Belur Math, West Bengal

Mutt is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, a chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is located on the west bank of Hooghly River, Belur, West Bengal, India and is one of the significant institutions in Calcutta. This temple is the heart of the Ramakrishna Movement. The temple is notable for its architecture that fuses Hindu, Christian and Islamic motifs as a symbol of unity of all religions. Swami Shivananda said about the earlier temple echoes in our ears: ‘This is our shrine. Sit here for a while and do japa. Sri Ramakrishna is present here fully awakened; he sees and hears everything; … pray to him for bhakti, mukti, wisdom, power of discrimination, dispassion, liberation or money, power, pleasures of life or anything; you will get whatever you want.’ Even people not interested in religion come here for the peace it exudes. The serene campus of belur math on the Ganga includes temples dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda, in which their relics are enshrined, and the main monastery of the

Ramakrishna order. The place has been sanctified by the stay of Swami Vivekananda and most of the monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna who spent several years here. Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi also visited this place on several occasions. The room in which Swamiji attained Mahasamadhi has been preserved here. This place of religious importance is visited by people from all over India and abroad. The main gate of belur math leads to the Ramkrishna Sarada Mandir. belur math has also provided other things such as an art college, an industrial school and charitable dispensary. belur math is free from bigotry and sectarian rational and is modern in outlook. Belur math has an amazingly big prayer hall, where you can find the awesome statue of Ramakrishna. This international tourist attraction place is based on the principle of religious fraternity, as was advocated by Ramakrishna Paramhansa. This is also reflected in the architectural design of Math, which exhibits a blend of temple, church and mosque patterns.

  1. Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram

The architecture of the temple represents the link between arts and spirituality. Thillai Natarajah Temple, Chidambaram – Chidambaram Thillai Natarajar-Koothan Kovil or Chidambaram temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the centre of the temple town of Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu in east-central South India. Chidambaram is a temple complex spread over 40 acres (160,000 m2) in the heart of the city. The Cholas considered Lord Shiva as Nataraj as their family deity. The temple has five main Halls or Sabhas namely the Kanaka Sabha, the Cit Sabha, Nritta Sabha, Deva Sabha and Raja Sabha. This temple is located at the Center Point of world ‘s Magnetic Equator. amoung the “Pancha bootha” temples, Chidambaram denotes the Skies. Kalahasthi denotes Wind. Kanchi Ekambareswar denotes land. All these 3 temples are located in a straight line at 79 degrees 41 minutes Longitude. This can be verified. An amazing fact & astronomical miracle.

It is truly a large temple which is completely used for religious purpose. Temple roof is made of 21600 gold sheets which denotes the 21600 breaths taken by a human being every day (15 x 60 x 24 = 21600). These 21600 gold sheets are fixed on the “Vimanam” (Roof) using 72000 gold nails which denote the total no. of Nadis (Nerves) in the human body. “Ponnambalam ” is placed slightly tilted towards the left. This represents our Heart. To reach this, we need to climb 5 steps called “Panchatshara padi ” “Si, Va, Ya, Na, Ma ” are the 5 Panchatshara mantras. There are 4 pillars holding the Kanagasabha representing the 4 Vedas. Kalasas on the Golden Roof represent the 9 types of Sakthi or Energies.The 6 pillars at the Artha Mantapa represent the 6 types of Sashtras. The 18 pillars in the adjacant Mantapa represents 18 Puranams. The main complex to Lord Shiva Nataraja also contains shrines to deities such as Sivakami Amman, Ganesh, Murugan and Vishnu in the form Govindaraja Perumal.

9.Prambanan, Yogyakarta

Rara Jonggrang is a 9th-century Hindu temple compound in Central Java, Indonesia, dedicated to Shiva. It also houses shrines of Vishnu, Brahma and their consorts. The temple compound is located approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) northeast of the city of Yogyakarta on the boundary between Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces. The temple compound, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest Hindu temple site in Indonesia, and one of the biggest in Southeast Asia. It is characterized by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of Hindu temple architecture, and by the towering 47-metre-high (154 ft) central building (Lord Shiva shrine) inside a large complex of individual temples. Prambanan attracts many visitors from across the world. The complex is laid out in the form of a mandala, and features the towering, broad spires that are typical of Hindu temple architecture, and represent Meru, the holy mountain where the gods live. Originally there were 240 temples in the complex but many of them have deteriorated or been looted leaving just scattered stones.

The three main inner shrines are dedicated to Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Keeper and Shiva the Destroyer. The three towers cut a striking figure in any conditions, but are perhaps most breathtaking when lit up at night. The Shiva temple dedicated to Shiva the Destroyer is the tallest and largest structure in Prambanan complex, it measures 47 meters (154 feet) tall and 34 meters (111 feet) wide. The other name of this temple is the Lorojonggrang temple. Prambanan attracts many visitors from around the world. Prambanan Temple Compounds comprises of two groups of buildings which includes Loro Jonggrang, Sewu complexes, Lumbung, Bubrah and Asu (Gana). The 508 stone temples of various shapes and sizes are either in a complete and preserved condition or have been retained as ruins. This site includes all elements necessary to express its exceptional significance and is well maintained. There are no threats of development or neglect; however the area is prone to natural threats such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. This temple has been revitalized and today is widely regarded as the most beautiful and graceful Hindu temple in Indonesia.

10.Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur

The temple, which is also called as Brihadeshwara Temple and RajaRajeswara Temple Rajarajeswaram, is among the largest temples of the country. It was the Marathas who gave it the name Brihadeeshwara or the Great Ishwara.The temple has the world’s tallest vimanam (temple tower) and its Kumbam (the structure on the top) weighs approximately 80 tons. The temple is said to have a huge cap stone on top of it, The Garbhagriha where the Shiva lingam is located is said to generate large amount of electromagnetic energy. The 80 tonne stone acts a repulsive force and channels the energy to the inner areas of the temple to sustain its piousness and divinity. The positive energy radiant within in the temple structure is said to have a calming, soothing effect both mentally and physically on the devotees. The structure is a proof of wealth, artistic expertise and power of the Chola kingdom. The temple has a huge statue of Nandi (sacred bull) at the entrance. The statue is carved out of a single rock and weighs around 20 tons. The Lingam inside the temple is 3.7 meters tall. Brihadeeswarar temple is the first complete granite temple in the world. Around 60,000 tons of granite is said to be used to build the temple.

A long associated myth with this temple is that the shadow of the main structure does not fall on the ground. There is also evidence that the temple was a platform for talented dancers to showcase their talent. The inscriptions also mention the different kinds of jewels used in the period. Each of these jewels are mentioned in detail. A total of twenty three different types of pearls, eleven varieties of diamonds and rubies are mentioned in these inscriptions. We can’t even imagine how this would have made possible in those days without any special equipment. The big Tanjavur temple is said to have more than hundred underground passages that connects to various other places. Nowadays, most of the passages are sealed. In the earlier days, the passages were used by sages, Kings and Queens to roam about different temples and places, especially during auspicious festivals like Deepavali, Maha Shivarathri and Makar Sankranti.

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THE GREAT 10 FAST GROWING PLANTS ON THE PLANET

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A plant having a permanently woody main stem or trunk, ordinarily growing to a considerable height, and usually developing branches at some distance from the ground. The initial stage of a grown tree is the plant, so we can say that plant may or may not grow into a tree. Plants live for shorter periods than trees. Annuals live for only one growing season, bi-annuals for two seasons and perennials anywhere from five years to 100 years, such as in the case of lilacs. Trees typically live for 100 to 150 years, with some hardwoods living up to 200 years and conifers up to 300 years or more. Trees play a significant role in reducing erosion and moderating the climate. During the process of photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen. They remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store large quantities of carbon in their tissues. Some trees and plants grow really fast, and can put on substantial height within just a few short years. Trees usually reproduce using seeds. Let’s take a look at the 10 fastest growing plants on the planet.
1.Bamboo

nature dust bamboo green
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Bamboo reaches maturity after only 3 to 5 years. Bamboo releases 30% more oxygen into the atmosphere and absorbs more carbon dioxide compared to other plants. bamboo greatly decreases amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and cleans the air. Individual stems of bamboo are called culms. They arise from the underground rhizome and emerge from the ground fully developed. Bamboo is a viable replacement for wood. Bamboo grows incredibly quickly, which is one reason it is often used to make sustainable, eco-friendly products. Re-planting bamboo is fairly easy thanks to the swift growth rate of the plant. The spreading root structure allows one rootstock to produce several shoots, permitting horizontal growth. Some species can literally grow 10 centimeters per day under appropriate climate conditions. If you actually had the patience to sit there all day, you would notice the growth by the end of it. The fastest growing bamboo has been found to grow at up to 35 inches per day; That’s a world record.
It is also one of the strongest building materials with a tensile strength of 28,000 psi. To help give you an idea how much this is, mild steel measures 23,000 psi. It greatly reduces erosion with a sum of stem flow rate and canopy intercept of 25%. Bamboo is often used in Asian cuisine. Various animals on the planet used bamboo in their diet. Panda’s diet is based on bamboo exclusively, while mountain gorilla and lemurs of the Madagascar eat bamboo to enrich their regular diet. Bamboo can survive more than 120 years in the wild. The Bamboos (Bambusoidaea) consists of 1439 different species in 116 genera. Bamboo has stronger structure than steel and it is widely used in the construction industry. Other than that, bamboo is used in the manufacture of floors, furniture, house walls, skateboards, bicycle frames and helmets. Bamboo is used in folk medicine to treat infections and to accelerate healing of the wounds. It was actually the first plant to re-green after the atomic blast in Hiroshima in 1945.

  1. Hybrid poplar

This species of poplar is a popular shade tree in North America and well suited for certain conditions. The tree can be effectively used by tree farmers and large property owners. Hybrid poplar is a very fast growing tree on a variety of soil types. It only takes about five years to grow poplars to harvestable height, making them popular in industry applications. Hybrid poplars can put on ten feet a year. These are selected for their superior adaptive traits for cold and drought tolerance; disease and pest resistance; growth rate and form. Hybrid poplar reduces wind erosion and traps snow, reduces environmental stress in livestock and increases the availability of habitat and food for birds and other animals. Its rapid growth makes it an attractive wood source for bio-energy and for fibre based products.
A “hybrid” plant is produced when pollen of one species is used to fertilize flowers of another species. It is a tree resulting from the combining, either naturally or artificially, of various poplar species into a hybrid. Most hybrid poplars are a landscaping nightmare when grown in yards and parks. Hybrids grow six to ten times faster than similar species. Tree farmers can see economic returns in 10 to 12 years. These are easy to plant. Hybrid poplar can be used in the process of making oriented strand board and, possibly, structural lumber. Burning wood does not increase atmospheric carbon monoxide(CO). This species of poplar is a popular shade tree. It is not as impressive as the bamboo. This is just one of the artificially created species on our list.

  1. Algae
green grass on water
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Scientists estimate that algae produce at least half of the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere by converting carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Today, algae actually help maintain the carbon cycle. Algae are very fast growing eukaryotes and are found all over the world. They grow so quickly that they sometimes “bloom.” Algae blooms can be dangerous for sea life because they pull all the oxygen out of the water and some types of algae bloom such as red tide can even be toxic to human health. Algae can consist of only one or large number of cells. They can be microscopically small, or extremely large. Even though some algae look like plants, they lack leaves, roots, stomata, phloem and xylem that are typical for vascular plants. Some algae have amoeba-like body and ability to actively hunt and kill the prey. Algae can range from 100-foot-long giant kelp to several varieties of microbes called cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.
Cyanobacteria might also be in your breakfast smoothie. The “superfood” spirulina is a nontoxic cyanobacteria popular for its nutritional profile, including proteins, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. Plenty of larger algae are both nutritious and delicious. Researchers are even adding algae to dairy cow diets. Algae play important role in the aquatic ecosystems. They serve as food for many fish and provide shelter for various animals. The algae produces a chemical that inhibits gut microbes from making as much of the greenhouse gas. Sometimes, in fact, algae are a little too good at reducing greenhouse gases. You can thank algae for our seafood, too. Tiny phytoplankton, found worldwide, make up the base of aquatic food chains. Scientists figured that algae probably weren’t productive enough. The organisms might not even produce enough fuel to make up for the energy needed to grow them. Fossilized algae are used for the manufacture of dynamite.

  1. Duckweed

Duckweed is tiny oval-shaped plants on the water’s surface. These plants can cause some problems, but they also have benefits. This small, flowering plant is one which also grows very quickly. Duckweed mainly grows in warm, wet environments around the world, either in shade or direct sunlight. It floats,. forming a blanket over small bodies of slow-moving water. These bodies of water contain high levels of nutrients such as phosphorus or nitrogen. Duckweed can be used to help purify water by controlling algae growth and converting waste and sewage water into treated water and biomass. Every 30 hours, the species can undergo an entire life cycle. If a duckweed were able to reproduce continuously at maximum efficiency, it would theoretically be able to create four Earth-sized masses of duckweed inside of just four months.
Duckweed is a source of food for water fowl and even people in parts of Southeast Asia such as Thailand. Duckweed can multiply at an incredibly fast rate. It can cover the surface of a body of water, blocking sunlight and killing fish and aquatic plant life. To control the growth of duckweed, reduce the flow of nutrients into the water and use bubble aeration to inhibit the growth of duckweed. A duckweed plant produces a daughter bud about once a day. With ideal growing conditions, the original plant and its daughter buds can produce as many as 17,500 plants in two weeks. Koi, goldfish and grass carp eat duckweed, but grass carp will eat other plants first.

  1. Eastern Cottonwood

These species of tree may be the fastest growing tree in North America. Eastern cottonwood has thick bark which prevents damage of the inner, delicate wood. Eastern cottonwood can survive 70 to 100 years in the wild. but they have the potential to live 200 to 400 years if they have a good growing environment. The Eastern cottonwood is a producer, transforming the sun’s energy into food energy. Bark is smooth and yellow-green in young trees. Brown-grey, deeply furrowed, corky bark can be seen on the old trees. Eastern cottonwood has strong root system that can reach 15 feet in diameter. groves are typically indicitive that a water source is nearby as they consume large amounts of water in their growth cycle. Root absorbs up to 200 gallons of water per day.
Eastern cottonwood has triangular leaves with pointed tips and long petioles. Bright, emerald green color of the leaves changes into bright yellow during the autumn. Eastern cottonwood blooms during the March and April. North Americans used eastern cottonwood tree to build canoes. First European settlers used eastern cottonwood for the construction of houses and barns. Wood of eastern cottonwood is used for the manufacture of paper, pallets, boxes, lightweight furniture and as a firewood. Fragrant oils obtained from the eastern cottonwood are used in the cosmetic industry for the manufacture of lip balms and massage oils. Leaves, bark and buds of eastern cottonwood are used in treatment of fever, inflammation and pain. Essential oils of eastern cottonwood can be used in treatment of arthritis and sore muscles.

  1. Giant Sequoia
trees beside road
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Sequoia trees are best known for their mammoth size, but they are also very fast growing. Giant sequoia can reach 164 to 279 feet in height and 20 to 26 feet in diameter. THEY HAVE THE THICKEST BARK ON EARTH. One famous tree, the “General Sherman Tree,” was measured by researchers, who calculated that it had added three inches to its girth in 40 years. Their bark also doesn’t contain any flammable pitch or resin. The blaze eats up any brush or deadwood that’s accumulated on the ground while leaving behind nutrient-rich ash in which the saplings can flourish. Giant sequoias are popular tourist attraction. Giant sequoia can survive more than 3500 years in the wild. High concentration of tannin, an insoluble chemical compound found in many coniferous trees, the trees are immune to most diseases. Not only does the astringent substance protect the sequoia from fungus, it also safeguards it from insect attacks.
THEY PRODUCED THE LARGEST LIVING ORGANISM ON EARTH. onsider the height of a giant sequoia tree multiplied by that girth increase. That’s a lot of wood, and reminds us that trees grow outward and not just upward. The bark of a giant sequoia may be the thickest of any tree we know—on some specimens the outer layer of bark measures over two feet thick at the base. Animals like squirrels, chickarees, and beetles are instrumental in cracking open sequoia cones and dispersing the contents. But for a seed to germinate it needs to make direct contact with bare, mineral soil. Each cone produces around 230 seeds. They are miniature, flat and brown in color. Giant sequoia releases 300.000 to 400.000 seeds annually. They can be used only for the production of fence posts and toothpicks.

  1. Acacia

Acacia is a type of shrub or deciduous tree that belongs to the pea family. Acacia can be an impressively fast growing tree. There are over 800 species of acacia that can be found in Australia, and in the tropical and subtropical areas of America, Asia, Africa and Europe. Acacia grows on well-drained soil, in dry and sunny habitats. This allows them to experience a perpetual growing season. Most species of acacia have green, pinnate leaves. Leaves of acacia are important source of food for camels, goats, giraffes and cattle. Leaves They are also used as preservatives and have application in the pharmaceutical industry. Acacia has short lifespan. Most species live between 15 to 30 years. Gum Arabic, isolated from African species of acacia, has application in the food industry. It is used as a thickening agent in the manufacture of soft drinks, frozen desserts and confectionery.
It is also used as adhesive and cure. They are densely arranged on the branches and create impression of a giant fern. Acacia usually grows to the height of 40 feet. Some types of acacia can reach 70 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter. Swollen-thorn acacia (African species) lives in symbiosis with stinging ants. Acacia provides shelter and food. In return, ants protect plant from the herbivores. Strong and durable wood of acacia was popular and widely used for the manufacture of ships in the past. Today, acacia is mostly used for the production of floorings, furniture, toys, jewellery and tools. Acacia develops pea-shaped flowers that consist of 5 petals. Flowers of acacia are used in the industry of perfumes and cosmetics. They are yellow or white, rarely purple or red colored. Fruit of acacia is dry pod. It is elongated and filled with 5 to 6 brown or black seed.

  1. Wisconsin Fast Plants

Wisconsin Fast Plants are a rapid cycling variety of Brassica rapa that was initially developed as a research tool to improve the disease resistance of economically-valuable cruciferous crops (a large group of plants that includes mustard, radish, cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, and more). In order to speed up the genetic research in the crucifers, breeding has taken Brassica rapa and six related species from the family Cruciferae for shorter life cycles. The end result: petite, quick-growing plants known as Fast Plants. This trademarked strain of field mustard grows so quickly it has actually been marketed as “fast plants.” Every five weeks, it can produce a brand new generation. Small plant size and ability to grow at high plant density. These plants have high reproductive capacity. It has ability to grow under continuous fluorescent lighting in a standard potting mix.
The shortened life cycle has proven effective in reducing the time required for traditional breeding programs, which has led to advances in cellular and molecular plant research. Over 150 genetic traits have been described that are useful in research. Breeding process has decreased from six-month growth cycle to only five weeks. Professor Williams managed to establish uniform size, flowering time and growing conditions. To ensure optimal germination rates, plant seeds the same year you receive them. Germination rates decrease over time. Seeds are living and need to be kept cool and dry before planting. Plants play an integral part in the world by taking in carbon dioxide and producing oxygen.

  1. Kudzu

Kudzu, also known as Japanese arrowroot, is vine that belongs to the pea family. This is an incredibly fast-growing plant which can add a whole foot a day, and under prime conditions, may add a whole 60 feet in a single growing season. Kudzu is also known as “foot a night vine”, “mile a minute vine” and “vine that ate the south” because of it’s quick growth. This is considered quite a pest. Kudzu produces purple flowers arranged in terminal clusters that can reach 12 inches in length. Flowers emit sweet, pleasant fragrance which attracts bees. Fruit of kudzu is pod filled with seed. Fruit ripens in autumn. Kudzu grows in the mountains, fields and near the roads. It prefers shade. Kudzu has compound leaves that consist of three oval or heart-shaped leaflets. Leaves are dark green, hairy and alternately arranged on the stem. It climbs over everything and is very hard to kill. Along its way, it tends to kill other plants. It is considered extremely aggressive and invasive, and while it is native to Japan, it has spread to other locations throughout the world, including the US.
Kudzu (root) is used in traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of headache, migraine, thirst, allergies, diarrhea, hypertension, cardiovascular disorders and hypercholesterolemia. Root is also used to reduce craving for alcohol, and flowers to alleviate symptoms of hangover and facilitate detoxification of liver. Root, flowers and leaves of kudzu can be used in human diet. Starch extracted from root can be used instead of cornstarch. Flowers are used for the preparation of jelly. Kudzu has very long root that can prevent erosion and improve qualities of soil. Bacteria in the root of kudzu absorb atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into nitrate, plants-friendly type of nitrogen. It’s lifespan is more than 2 years Fibers extracted from the stem, known as ko-hemp, are used for the manufacture of paper and cloth. Kudzu is important source of food for goats and llamas in the southern parts of the USA. Kudzu can be used for the manufacture of cellulosic ethanol, type of biofuel which does not pollute atmosphere as much as conventional types of fuel.

  1. Transgenic Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is the second most widely planted multipurpose woody tree species in the world. It is a commercially important hardwood tree for paper and wood industries. Eucalyptus are important hard wood trees, originated in Australia and belongs to the family Myrtaceae. The estimated plantation area covered by eucalyptus is 20 million hectares worldwide. The genus Eucalyptus comprises of more than 700 species and hybrids, some of which bear their economic importance as a source of paper pulp, wood, timber and essential oils. The ever increasing demand for wood, timber and shelter poses a great threat to the natural forest resources. Eucalyptus being a hardwood tree produces shorter fibers than softwoods like pines. Short fibers of this genus make it more reliable for use in paper and furniture industries. Fast growing and high yielding eucalyptus plantations with their short rotation period along with adaptation to a wide range of environments offer enormous scope as an alternative to meet the growing wood demands of the world as well as to save the natural forests from deforestation. It is the versatility and fast-growing characteristics of this genus that has aroused and still is stimulating increasing interest worldwide, particularly as the demand for pulp, fuel, and construction wood increases.
Over 8 million ha of Eucalyptus plantations have been established in Angola, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Congo, India, Iran, Madagascar, Morocco, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Pakistan, the USA, and Uruguay. More than 90% of these forests have been planted since 1955, and about 50% in the past decade. Another artificially developed plant on our list is transgenic eucalyptus, developed by splicing brassica genes with eucalyptus genes. These trees grow 30% faster than other types of natural eucalyptus, and can add 16 feet a year. Within just five years, some plants may manage to top 100 feet. Trees like the transgenic eucalyptus are praised by some, while others warn that species like this could easily overtake the planet much like the naturally invasive kudzu. The long term ecological ramifications of manufactured fast-growing plants like the eucalyptus are impossible to imagine or predict at this point of time. Leaves of eucalyptus are rich in oil that is used to alleviate symptoms of bronchitis, sore throat, nasal congestion. All parts of eucalyptus tree are used in the manufacture of dyes. Eucalyptus oil is also used as insecticide. Eucalyptus is also known as “gum tree” because of the sticky rubbery substance that flows from the injured bark. Lifespan of eucalyptus depends on the species. Most eucalyptus trees can survive more than 250 years in the wild.

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THE GREAT 10 LARGEST FLOWERS IN THE WORLD

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on THE GREAT 10 LARGEST FLOWERS IN THE WORLD

Nature often surprises us with true wonders. There are the flowers that can leave anybody speechless. The seed-bearing part of a plant, consisting of reproductive organs that are typically surrounded by a brightly coloured corolla (petals) and a green calyx (sepals) is called flower. There are many fragrant and beautiful flowers on earth, but many of them are similar in size about 1inch to 5 inches in diameter. Rose is one of the most popular and loved of the beautiful flowers. Flowers are part of the most important occasions of life and have a language of their own. Flowers’ meanings and symbolization were a key element many years ago. Plants succeeded in using their flower’s deceptive development–using color and smell to attract insects and animals for pollination.

1.Rafflesia arnoldii

Rafflesia arnoldii is one of the world’s most endangered plant species. It has a diameter of over three feet. It is also known as Rafflesia tuanmudae or Stinking corpse lily or corpse flower and is one of the largest living organisms. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies certain Rafflesian species, such as Rafflesia Magnifica, as “critically endangered.” This process happens once a year, when Rafflesia grows to its maximum diameter with five leathery, red spotted petals around a bowl-like center that swallows flies and insects for further sustenance. This parasitic plant is steady, not visible until it is about to bloom, with no roots, stems, twigs, or leaves. Buds arise over months to the size of the cabbage without a sign of the contaminated host plant. Corpse flower’s bloom too has a rotten corpse smell. The rafflesia feeds on a host plant to live, drinking its water and nutrients. The rafflesia’s life is tragically short. Its mouth remains open for just one week before it rots and dies. so the largest flower on Earth is on borrowed time. While the flies gain nothing from the flowers, the pollen sticks to its back as they rest on the bloom,attracted by its rotten meat scent.
When these flies pass into a female flora, the pollen is released in the flowers so they can fertilize it. Its produced fruit has thousands of seeds and is fleshy and small. Such fruits are consumed by tree shrews, which then continue to disperse the plant’s seeds. Rafflesia arnoldii is one of the three national flowers in Indonesia, the other two being the white jasmine and moon orchid. It was officially recognized as a national “rare flower”. Scientists just found one of the world’s largest flowers blooming in an Indonesian jungle. It was named Rafflesia after British colonialist Sir Stamford Raffles who spotted one in Indonesia in the early 19th Century. Rafflesia is a genus of flower with 28 known species, the second largest of which is Rafflesia kerrii, with blooms measuring 70 to 110 cm across, or over three feet. Only Rafflesia arnoldii of Sumatra exceeds its dimensions slightly, becoming the largest single flower on Earth. Rafflesia is endemic in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

  1. Titan arum

Titans normally open in the evening and the intense odor only lasts for 12 hours. The bloom will stay open (with a much lighter odor) for only 1-2 days. The plant must reach 10-15 years of age before it blooms for the first time and then blooms every 3-5 years thereafter. Titan arum also known as Amorphophallus titanum or death flower, is the flowering plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world, that bloom rarely for a short period. This bud started growing in April, and we believe that it will bloom in early June. It is not among best-smelling flowers as this flower releases while it is in bloom a smell, like a rotten corpse. Fluorescence of the titan arum is not as large as the talipot palm but rather branches off, unlike talipot, which makes it a bigger flower. The plant itself reaches approximately 10 to 15 feet in height, and the leaves can be as large as 13 feet(4 m). The tallest recorded bloom of corpse flower, according to Guinness Book of World Records, was 10 feet 2.225 inches tall that also makes titan arum as the tallest flower in the world.
In the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the corpse flower is classified as “vulnerable” in the Red List of Threatened Plants. But, if the conditions that affect its life and reproduction do not change, the plant may become endangered. Habitat loss and devastation are the primary threats. Titan Arums are only found in the jungles of Sumatra and produce the world’s largest floral structures. Greenhouse Manager Tammy Blume and volunteer and titan enthusiast Mariah Huffman attempted pollination by hand with pollen that was collected three weeks earlier from Rotney. This pollination was successful, and Odie produced beautiful orange and red berries, which you can see below. These seeds were collected and some were used to start new plants for our collection, while others were shared with other institutions all over the country.

  1. Talipot palm

Talipot palm is one of the world’s largest palms, having origins from South India. It has a height of up to 25 m and a diameter of stems of up to 1.3 m. It is a palm fan with a diameter of up to 5 m, a petiole up to 4 m, and around 130 leaflets. The Talipot Palm has one or more million small flowers, the largest inflorescence in any plant, 6-8 m long, on a branched trunk stitched on top of a trunk. The Talipot palms are monocarpic, which means their flowers only once at the age of 30 to 80. The plant dies after fruiting. A single tree yields more than250 kg of seeds. Talipot Palm has many uses it is as useful as coconut in its native region, and Talipot fruits, which are surprisingly tasty, are known as ice apple. Their leaves are also used extensively for wall protection, for plaiting the mats and as umbrellas during rainy season. Like other palms, the central part of the stem of Corypha umbraculifera, is a rich source of starch. Palms are felled to extract this central ‘pith’ which is dried, powdered, stored and used for preparation of bread. It is a species of palm native to eastern and southern India and Sri Lanka. It is also grown in Cambodia, Myanmar, China, Thailand and the Andaman Islands. Kerala coast and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also home to this species. Once the seeds fall, the tree also dies.

  1. Neptune grass (Posidonia oceanica)

The Posidonia Oceanica, which is also named “Neptune grass,” has been sequenced by a group of scientists to be around 200,000 old seaweed covering ocean floors from Spain to Cyprus. The plant has roots, twigs, leaves, flowers, and it creates fruits known as sea olives. It forms large underwater meadows that are an important part of the ecosystem. It should not be confused with algae. It flowers in the autumn. The leaves are tape-shaped, measuring between 1 cm in width and between 30 and 120 cm in length. This aquatic plant lives in the Mediterranean Sea and in certain areas south of Australia, with similar characteristics to dry land. Among the many strengths of Neptune Grass is that it oxidizes the oceans and is also a food source formany animal species.Its appearance also shows that the water is of good quality and is well stored. Biologists often term Posidonia Oceanica as “Mediterranean’s Lungs.” Balls of fibrous material from its foliage, known as egagropili, wash up to nearby shorelines. This species is found only in the Mediterranean Sea where it is in decline, occupying an area of about 3% of the basin.
Seagrasses are a paraphyletic group of angiosperm plants, which are exclusively found in estuarine and marine environments. They belong to four families, Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Cymodoceaceae, and Hydrocharitaceae. Among these, the endemic species Posidonia oceanica is predominant in the Mediterranean Sea. Posidonia meadows provide breeding and nursery grounds for various fish and other marine organisms. They influence commercial fishing and shape the coastal structure by accumulating nutrients. The meadows of the seagrass posidonia oceanica are essential for the protection of the marine environment on the Spanish Mediterranean coasts. Posidonia oceanica is a Mediterranean endemic phanerogam or flowering plant which has special characteristics which must be known at the outset in order to prevent serious environmental damage through the construction of harbour works. These characteristics include a millenary life span, a need for light and clear water, very slow growth and reproduction rate, a need for sandy beds, a shedding of leaves in Autumn and the fact that they form meadows over a very long period which stabilise the shoreline by preventing the impact of the sea.

  1. Puya raimondii

Puya raimondii is the largest bromeliad species, with a height up to 15 m and is also known as the queen of the Andes. We can find this type of plant species in Bolivian and Peruvian forests from the high Andes. The flower can reach a height of up to 30 feet (9.14 m), which contains 8-12 million seeds per plant. The Queen of the Andes in the wild have only three populations. There are thousands of species comprising the bromeliad group, but Puya raimondii has less geneticdiversity. Puya raimondii is currently on a verge of extinction because of the inability to adapt to climate changeand deforestation. The species name of raimondii commemorates the 19th-century Italian scientist Antonio Raimondi, who immigrated to Peru and made extensive botanical expeditions there. The whole plant may reach as much as 15 m (50 ft) tall.
This plant can produce between 8,000 and 20,000 flowers in a 3-month period. Its reproductive cycle lasts approximately 80 years. of the Andes (Puya raimondii) is a terrestrial bromeliad. Many bromeliads are epiphytes, growing on the surface of other plants and getting their food from the air and accumulated plant matter trapped in branch crevices. Terrestrial bromeliads have their roots in soil. There are only three populations of Queen of the Andes in the wild. Most of them have many thousands of plants, but their genetic diversity is very low. They may be unable to adapt to changes in climate. Human impacts to the populations include repeated fires to generate or maintain pasture for livestock forage.

  1. Common Sunflower
yellow sunflower macro photographyt
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Sunflowers are extremely well-known worldwide. Sunflowers are mainly from North and South America, and some species are cultivated in farms for the spectacular sizes of their blossom and for their edible seeds. nowadays you can find them in numerous countries around the world. Sunflowers Their bright yellow color is their defining characteristic and makes them very striking. Sunflower seeds are used to make sunflower oil or can directly be eaten roasted. At least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day is needed for the sunflowers, the better if you try to maximize their potential for size. The excessive blooming of gigantic sunflowers is difficult to top. On towering stems, the Russian variety opens flowers up to 14 inches in diameter, 9 to 12 feet high. The disk flowers are brown, yellow, or purple, while the petallike ray flowers are yellow. The fruit is a single-seeded achene.
Oilseed varieties typically have small black achenes, while those grown for direct seed consumption, known as confection varieties, have larger black-and-white achenes that readily separate from the seed within. Farmers generally sow seeds in spring while they harvest the crop at the end of summer. If considered usability, Sunflower is the biggest flower in the world. The leaves are used as fodder, the flowers yield a yellow dye, and the seeds contain oil and are used for food. The oil is also used in soap and paints and as a lubricant. The sweet yellow oil obtained by compression of the seeds is considered equal to olive or almond oil for table use. These flowers with their gorgeous big and bright blooms have a unique and winning combination of offering some rather amazing benefits to us as well as being pretty to look at. It is a useful alternative and replacement for unhealthy margarine spreads and high fat butter for cakes and home bakes.

  1. Tree peony

Common peony is an exquisite flower but, its bigger counterpart, the tree peony, is a very different plant. Tree peonies are woody shrubs, with no support, as some grow at 10 feet high. They have many forms, colors, and fragrances, and their flowers are much bigger and typically bloom about two weeks earlier than herby peonies. During their bloom season, which lasts for about two weeks in April and May, plants can have more than 50 blooms at one time. For gardeners we must embrace China for they provided many of our most cherished garden flowers, including the stunningly beautiful tree peony. Chinese use them as decorative ornaments and for medicinal purposes. As the season advances, the flower buds begin to swell, reaching the size of a small apple before issuing forth in late April with a flower the size of a salad plate.
Double forms are most common with the blossoms in delicate pastel shades of red, pink, white and yellow. Tree peonies can be grown in all parts of Arkansas but are less common in gardens than their herbaceous cousins. Their rarity in cultivation is because they’re difficult to propagate. Tree peonies do best in a fertile, well drained garden soil. They will grow in full sun or light shade and are easy to grow if well sited. With so many varieties of peonies available these days, selecting the right peony for your garden can be confusing. Add terms like tree peony, itoh peony and herbaceous peony, and it can seem overwhelming. The mid to late spring blossoms of tree peonies are unrivaled in size, color and fragrance.

  1. Hibiscus
red blue and green bird on tree branch
Photo by Jean van der Meulen on Pexels.com

Hibiscus or Hibiscus sabdariffa is one of the world’s largest flower. The name ‘Hibiscus’ comes from hibiskos, the old Greek name for the common marsh mallow. Hibiscus develops large, trumpet-shaped flower without scent. Flower consists of five or more petals. There are over 200 species of hibiscus that can be found in the warm and tropical regions all over the world. These beautiful bright flowers surely beautify a home or garden but are also used as medicine. We can find these plants in various colors like white, yellow, orange, purple, pink, red or blue. Size wise, Hibiscus can be as wide as 8 inches in diameter. The hibiscus family is a mix of diverse plants–from annuals to perennials and shrubs–famed for their large, audacious bloom, often as big as a plate. It contains both male (stamen) and female (pistil) reproductive organs. Bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are main pollinators of hibiscus flowers.
Brightly colored flowers of hibiscus are rich source of natural dyes that are used in the food industry. Dried hibiscus is edible, and it is often a delicacy in Mexico. It can also be candied and used as a garnish, usually for desserts. Women in use dyes extracted from hibiscus flowers to dye their eyebrows and hair. The most popular beverage made of hibiscus is tea (made of dry flowers). Besides pleasant taste, tea made of hibiscus represents rich source of vitamin C. According to some medical studies, tea made of hibiscus lowers blood pressure and decreases cholesterol level. Hibiscus cannabinus is a species of hibiscus that is used in the paper industry. China and Thailand are the greatest producers of hibiscus in the world. Hibiscus is known as “shoe flower” in China because people use hibiscus to polish their shoes. The hibiscus is used as an offering to goddess Kali and Lord Ganesha in Hindu worship. Hibiscus is considered a very feminine flower.

9.Magnolia

The first flowering plant on Earth is believed by researchers to be magnolias. One of the world’s biggest flowering plants, as believed by many researchers. There are around 210 species of magnolia that differ in size, shape, color of the flower and type of habitat. Magnolia trees originate from Southeast Asia and North America, but they have been naturalized to almost all continents in the world because of their beauty. Fossils prove that they have been on Earth for around 100 million years, according to scientific research. Because magnolia is so old, the flowers have no real petals and sepals; they have petal-like tepals instead. Magnolia flowers come according to variety in various shapes, sizes, and colors. The magnolia family comprises high and fluffy trees with pink, white, red, purple, yellow blossoms. Magnolia blooms from April to June. First flowers develop seven years after planting.
Most magnolia varieties have wide bulbs measuring 6 to 8 inches in diameter.
The magnolia is eye-catching due to its soft colors and its large, lovely petals. It’s one of the most famous flowers in the world due to its beauty. It’s commonly used in decoration, bouquets, gifts, etc. Size of magnolia tree depends on the species. Smaller species are only 15 feet tall. Larger species can grow 80 feet in height. Magnolia produces cone-like brownish fruit that can reach 2 to 10 inches in length. Kidney-shaped seed can be red, orange or pink in color. Seed of magnolia is favorite food of many birds. Bark and flowers of magnolia are used in traditional Asian medicine. Leaves of magnolia are used for wrapping of food in Asia. Magnolia is resistant to most pests and diseases. Some species are prone to fungal infections. Larvae of certain insects eat different parts of magnolia tree. Wood of magnolia is used for the production of pallets and furniture. Flower contains both male and female reproductive organs. Flowers release sugary scent which attracts pollinators.

10.Lotus

aquatic aquatic plant beautiful bloom
Photo by SevenStorm JUHASZIMRUS on Pexels.com

The lotus flower is also known as the “Nile flower. The Nelumbo family’s white lotus flowers and pink lotus are seen as sacredness. The lotus flower is one of the world’s most recognizable and sacred flowers. The stunning flower is a universal symbol of some of history’s most influential cultures and is the national flower of India. Lotus’s color influences its important significance. The most interesting detail about this lovely flower is the lifespan of its seeds, which can sprout after many centuries. Lotus flowers can conclude a spiritual meaning of ascent, enlightenment, or renaissance in more bright colors red, purple, and blue, white. It mostly grows in murky and shallow waters and need warm sunlight to grow, but are cold climate intolerant. This flower would not flourish in winter, consequently, as it is aquatic. With its roots in the deeper sludge, this flower only thrives in under muddy still water.
Its bloom, which is above the water surface, commonly has a diameter up to 20 centimeters when fully matured. It’s an extraordinary flower that is famous worldwide, mainly because it’s an aquatic flower. It’s India’s national flower and is symbolic in Buddhism and Hinduism for wealth, prosperity, purity and fertility. The flower species is native to Asia, and most predominantly in India and China. Flower opens in the morning and closes at night. Lotus was a symbol of sun, rebirth and creation in the ancient Egypt. Dried stamens of the lotus are used for the preparation of aromatic tea. Flower, young leaves, seeds and root are edible and often used in Asian cuisine. Older and bigger leaves are used for wrapping of food. Lotus is rich in fibers and vitamins of the B group. It is also rich source of iron and other important minerals. Lotus uses rhizomes to attach itself to the ground. This flower is known by its beautiful odor.

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THE GREAT 10 BIGGEST BANKS IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO THE BANKS’ TOTAL ASSETS

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on THE GREAT 10 BIGGEST BANKS IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO THE BANKS’ TOTAL ASSETS

A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be performed either directly or indirectly through capital markets. A bank is the extension of credit, and for facilitating the transmission of funds. Due to the importance of banks in the financial stability of a country, most jurisdictions exercise a high degree of regulation over banks. Here are The ranking of the 10 biggest banks are built according to banks’ total assets.

1.Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)

The largest and richest bank in the world is the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). ICBC’s headquarters are located in Beijing. By the total number of assets, customers, employees, loans and deposits; ICBC, as it’s often referred to, completely dominates the rest of the biggest banks in the world. ICBC has $4,322 billion total assets according to the latest data, and its market capitalization totals $424 billion. It has more than 4,60,000 employees. 70% of government-owned company ranked number one all over the 1000 Banks. ICBC’s total assets are thought to be in the region of $4.2 trillion dollars according to the latest data. Almost 1/5 of all bankings are in China only.

  1. China Construction Bank Corporation

According to the latest data, it has $3,822 billion in assets, and its market capitalization totals more than $204 billion. Originally, CCB was created for government exchanges, and only later, it was redeveloped into the commercial bank. The company operates more than 14,000 branches all around the globe, with about 372,000 employees. China Construction Bank Corp. engages in the provision of a wide range of financial services to corporate and personal customers. It operates through the following business segments: Corporate Banking, Personal Banking, Treasury, and Others. The Corporate Banking segment provides a range of financial products and services to corporations, government agencies and financial institutions, which comprises of corporate loans, trade financing, deposit taking and wealth management services, agency services, financial consulting and advisory services, cash management services, remittance and settlement services, custody services, and guarantee services.
The Personal Banking segment provides personal loans, deposit taking and wealth management services, card business, remittance services, and agency services to individual customers. The Treasury segment represents inter-bank money market transactions, repurchase and resale transactions, investments in debt securities, and trade of derivatives and foreign currency. The Others segment refers to equity investments and revenues, results, assets and liabilities of overseas branches and subsidiaries. The company was founded in October 1954 and is headquartered in Beijing, China. The company was founded in 13,629 domestic branches.

  1. Agricultural Bank of China

Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), also known as AgBank. It was founded in 1951, and has its headquarters in Dongcheng District, Beijing and ABC has nearly 24,000 representatives in the country and abroad. Total assets of the Agricultural Bank of China comprise more than $3,698 billion, and according to the latest data, its market capitalization is $147 bln. This bank was established to support agriculture. This bank today also handles loans to nonagricultural businesses and individuals. It is one of the four major state-controlled banks. Agricultural Bank of China engages in the provision of international commercial banking and financial services. This is driven by bank’s long history of receiving state support. ABC was designated as a global systematic important bank. ABC is China’s third-largest commercial bank by total assets.
The bank has one of the largest domestic networks, which extends deeply into China’s county areas. This helps the bank build a commanding franchise in rural markets and provides it with a low-cost and stable deposit base. The central government is ultimately the largest shareholder of all five state banks and has a record of providing solvency and asset-quality support. Since the late 1970s, the Bank has evolved from a state-owned specialized bank to a wholly state-owned commercial bank and subsequently a state-controlled commercial bank. The Bank was restructured into a joint stock limited liability company in January 2009. In July 2010, the Bank was listed on both the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which marked the completion of our transformation into a public shareholding commercial bank.

  1. Bank of China ltd

The Bank of China is one of the oldest and most reliable banks in China. It is one of the four biggest state-owned commercial banks in China. It was created in 1912 and still leads in the national banking sector. Over 70% of the company belongs to the Chinese government, and it has offices in over 20 countries. According to the data, its assets are near $3,387 billion, and its market capitalization is about $113 bln. Bank of China is legally separate from its subsidiary Bank of China , although they maintain close relations in management and administration and co-operate in several areas including reselling BOC’s insurance and securities services. Its headquarters are in Xicheng District, Beijing. In Hong Kong, Frankfurt and other financial centers across the globe, the bank functions as clearing house of the currency. The bank is also the issuer of overseas yuan-denominated bonds.

Mumbai holds the pride of being the wealthiest city in India, with the highest GDP of all the cities in South, West and the Central Asia. The city houses important financial institutions such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Bombay Stock Exchange, the National Stock Exchange of India, the SEBI and the corporate headquarters of numerous Indian companies and multinational corporations. Bank of China has commenced its business in India by launching the first branch in Mumbai in June 2019. The India branch works on the international network of Bank of China across the globe, with a world class banking, professional strengths and a diversified platform of the Bank across various sectors. Operating strictly in compliance with local laws and regulations, Bank of China India Branch provides comprehensive business services in Corporate Banking, Treasury and Branch Banking.

  1. JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase is one of the most eminent and popular US banks. This company was created in 2000 as a result of merging several huge banks. JPMorgan Chase HQ is located in Manhattan, New York City. It is one of the largest investment companies in the world. Now its assets total $3,139 bln, and its market capitalization is over $292 bln, which also makes it one of the most expensive companies in the world. JPMorgan Chase & Co. provides global financial services and retail banking. The Company provides services such as investment banking, treasury and securities services, asset management, private banking, card member services, commercial banking, and home finance.
JP Morgan Chase serves business enterprises, institutions, and individuals. JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company. It is also the world’s most valuable bank by market capitalization. The Chase brand is used for credit card services in the United States and Canada, the bank’s retail banking activities in the United States, and commercial banking. Both the retail and commercial bank and the bank’s corporate headquarters are currently located at 383 Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, while the prior headquarters building directly across the street, 270 Park Avenue, is demolished and replaced with a new building.

  1. HSBC Holdings plc

London’s HSBC is one of the biggest banks in Europe, totaling $2.92 tln. in assets. Originally, the purpose of its creation was to perform exchanges between Europe and China, and it still stays crucial in such actions. It also has more than 10 subsidiaries, which perform all possible operations inside this sector.
HSBC Holdings plc is a multinational investment bank and financial services holding company. HSBC traces its origin to a hong in British Hong Kong and its present form was established in London by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation to act as a new group holding company in 1991. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation opened branches in Shanghai in 1865 and was first formally incorporated in 1866.
HSBC has around 3,900 offices in 65 countries and territories across Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America, and around 38 million customers. HSBC is organised within four business groups: Commercial Banking, Global Banking and Markets, Retail Banking and Wealth Management, and Global Private Banking. In 2020, the bank announced that it would consolidate its Retail Banking & Wealth Management arm with Global Private Banking, to form Wealth & Personal Banking. HSBC has a dual primary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the Hang Seng Index and the FTSE 100 Index. Key Role as European Hub: HSBC Bank plc’s Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) are driven by support from its ultimate parent, HSBC Holdings plc.

  1. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group

This Japanese holding company has $2.89 tln. in assets, which makes it one of the “best” banks in Japan. MUFG’s department network spread all around the world allows MUFG to perform in 40 different countries. The company was created in 2005 by the merger of the two largest banks of Japan, and its headquarter is located in Osaka City. MUFG has the target of 550.0 billion yen of profits attributable to owners of parent for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. MUFG is engaged in financial service businesses such as banking business, trust banking business, securities business and credit card/loan businesses. Because there are various uncertainties caused by economic situation, market environments and other factors in these businesses, MUFG discloses a target of its profits attributable to owners of parent instead of a forecast of its performance.
The forward-looking statements are made based upon, among other things, the company’s current estimations, perceptions and evaluations. In addition, in order for the company to adopt such estimations, forecasts, targets and plans regarding future events, certain assumptions have been made. Accordingly, due to various risks and uncertainties, the statements and assumptions are inherently not guarantees of future performance, may be considered differently from alternative perspectives and may result in material differences from the actual result. The financial information included in this financial summary report is prepared and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in Japan. Differences exist between Japanese GAAP and the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States in certain material respects. Such differences have resulted in the past, and are expected to continue to result for this period and future periods, in amounts for certain financial statement line items under U.S. GAAP to differ significantly from the amounts under Japanese GAAP. For example, differences in consolidation basis or accounting for business combinations, including but not limited to amortization and impairment of goodwill, could result in significant differences in our reported financial results between Japanese GAAP and U.S. GAAP.

  1. Bank of America (BoA)

The BoA is the second largest bank in the USA. It has an extensive range of financial services in the whole country and abroad. The headquarters are located in Charlotte City, North Carolina. According to the BoA balance sheet has $2,620 bln. assets and its market capitalization is about $209 bln. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. operates as a holding company, which provides financial services through its subsidiaries. It operates through the following segments: Integrated Retail Banking Business Group, Integrated Corporate Banking Business Group, Integrated Trust Assets Business Group, Integrated Global Business Group, Global Markets and Others. The Integrated Retail Banking Business Group segment manages domestic business that provides retail banking services, which includes commercial and trust banking; securities trading; and retail product development, promotions, and marketing.
The Integrated Corporate Banking Business Group segment covers all domestic corporate businesses, including commercial banking, investment banking, trust banking, and securities businesses. The Integrated Trust Assets Business Group segment provides asset management and administration services for pension and security trusts, in addition to consultation services for pension management schemes and payouts. The Integrated Global Business Group segment covers businesses outside of Japan. The Global Markets segment offers assets and liability management, strategic investment, foreign exchange operations and financial products. The Others segment operates corporate centers of related companies. The company was founded on April 2, 2001 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

  1. BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas was created in 1999, and now it tops the financial, banking, and insurance rankings. Currently, the company has representatives all around the globe, and its headquarters are located in Geneva, Paris, and London. BNP Paribas has been named “World’s Best Bank for Corporates” and “World’s Best Bank for Financial Inclusion” 2020 by Euromoney, a publication specializing in international finance. As a European leader and a leading international banking player, BNP Paribas is recognized for the expertise of its teams and its transversal approach to its business lines, which are grouped into Corporate and Institutional Banking, Domestic Markets and International Financial Services, in order to offer the best possible service to our clients. For example, in the EMEA region, BNP Paribas’ banking teams coordinated more than €46 billion of DCM (Debt Capital Market) transactions over the past year. In addition, the Group continued to intensify its efforts in several areas to integrate sustainable development into its products and operating processes, introduce significant measures and help its clients to accelerate this transition.
BNP Paribas has thus introduced proactive sector policies, taken financial steps to promote sustainable financing, and supported its clients in integrating sustainable development into their activities through innovative financing solutions. Its assets compound to $2,336 bln and the bank has $39 bln of market capitalization. We have also invested in the products and people to provide simple and effective solutions in the world’s fastest growing markets. We are experts in capital markets, advisory and financing businesses. Our client-centric model aims to anchor its leadership position in Europe and leverage the rapid growth in Asia. BNP Paribas was one of the first banks to start a dialogue with India in 1860 begining operations in Calcutta (renamed Kolkata). We have since then spread our branches to eight key metros & mini metros and widened and enriched our product repertoire. Today, BNP Paribas is the second oldest foreign bank on the Indian soil and is positioned amongst the leading corporate banks in India. A shareholders’ Club set up in 1995, is open to “individual” shareholders holding at least 200 shares. As of today it counts more than 63,000 members. Meetings with shareholders are arranged during the year in the main regional cities: the bank’s policy is presented by senior executives of BNP Paribas and members of the Top Management.

  1. Credit Agricole

Credit Agricole is one of the largest companies in France, which successfully controls a large part of the banking sector inside the country. Credit Agricole CIB has been present in India since 1981 and is located as today in Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Pune. From these 5 branches, the Bank also deals with the large markets in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Baroda. The Bank offers a comprehensive range of products and services, tailored to the needs of Indian companies, multinational companies and financial institutions. It has a balance of $1,984 bln. in assets. Gross customer capture was strong, with 416,000 new customers captured since the start of the year, and a 25,000 increase in the customer base. Lastly, commercial activity in capital markets was buoyant in order to meet customer needs in terms of hedging and bonds. In the first quarter of 2020, Credit Agricole Group’s stated net income Group share came to €908 million versus €1,350 million in the first quarter of 2019.
For Crédit Agricole S.A., the underlying net income Group share reached €1.1 bn for the second quarter of 2020, down -10.9% compared to 2019, and €1.8 bn for the first half of the year. Credit Agricole SA set aside more than expected to cover souring loans in the second quarter after the covid pandemic hit the French lender’s retail clients and large corporate customers. Provisions in the three months through June jumped to 842 million euros ($998 million), higher than the 775 million-euro estimate of analysts polled by Bloomberg. Costs to cover souring debt drove down results at some of the lender’s most important business units, including the large clients segment, which saw a five-fold increase in the cost of risk from a year earlier.
Credit Agricole is more diversified and less dependent than rivals BNP Paribas SA and Societe Generale SA on trading, though it did benefit from the volatility that boosted fixed income results at rivals. At the same time it was able to avoid the dividend-related losses that caused management upheaval earlier this week at SocGen and Natixis.

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THE GREAT LARGEST 10 HOSPITALS IN THE WORLD

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A Hospital is an institution providing medical and surgical treatment and nursing care for sick or injured people. A hospital provides the patients a treatment with specialized medical and quality is one of the most powerful ways to assess this aspect of health care, and hospital accreditation. Here are the Largest 10 Hospitals in the world in the year 2020.

1.The Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota)

Mayo Clinic is ranked number 1 in the United States for 2019-2020. It is maintaining a position at or near the top for more than 27 years. Mayo Clinic has been caring for patients from around the world for more than 100 years. Mayo Clinic is an American nonprofit academic medical center focused on integrated patient care, education, and research. It employs over 4,500 physicians and scientists, along with another 58,400 administrative and allied health staff, across three major campuses: Rochester, Minnesota; Jacksonville, Florida; and Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona. Mayo Clinic serves more than 1.3 million people each year in 19 hospitals across five states. It provides vital innovation for the entire medical community.
The practice specializes in treating difficult cases through tertiary care and destination medicine. William Worrall Mayo settled his family in Rochester in 1864 and opened a sole proprietorship medical practice that evolved under his sons, Will and Charlie Mayo, along with practice partners Drs. Stinchfield, Graham, Plummer, Millet, Judd, and Balfour, into Mayo Clinic. Today, in addition to its flagship hospital in Rochester, Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Arizona and Florida. It has general medical and surgical facility. The Mayo Clinic has a large integrated transplantation program.

  1. Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland)

Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland ranked No. 2 on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll. It is a teaching hospital. Cleveland Clinic, a non-profit academic medical center, provides clinical and hospital care and is a leader in research, education and health information. Cleveland Clinic is one of the largest medical providers in the world, with hospitals in the United States, Canada, and the United Emirates. The medical center’s heart and surgery program has been ranked as the best in America each year since 1995, and it was the best major medical center to combine clinical services around one organ system or disease. It has served patients from all 50 states and 135 countries. The Cleveland Clinic is an American academic medical center based in Cleveland, Ohio. Owned and operated by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, an Ohio nonprofit corporation established in 1921, it runs a 170 acres (69 ha) campus in Cleveland, as well as 11 affiliated hospitals, 19 family health centers in Northeast Ohio, and hospitals in Florida and Nevada.
As of 2019, it has over 67,500 employees, a figure that includes over 17,000 registered nurses and advanced practice providers and over 4,520 physicians and scientists in 140 specialties. It is affiliated with the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, with which it started a physician-investigator medical school training program: the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. The organization grew out of the surgical practice of Frank J. Weed at 16 Church Street on the near-west side of Cleveland. It includes the Taussig Cancer Institute, Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Children’s and Pediatric Institute, and Centers for Geriatric and Diabetes Care. The hospital’s Transplant Center performed almost 700 organ transplants in 2017, and its procedures include heart, lung, liver and pancreas.

3.Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston)

Massachusetts General Hospital is located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Hospital is the teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School, has the largest hospital-based research program in the United States, with over 1,200 clinical trials being conducted at any given time, in topics ranging from the opioid epidemic to the impact of socioeconomic status on health. Massachusetts General Hospital was established to provide care to Boston’s sick, regardless of socioeconomic status. It has remained at the forefront of medicine by fostering a culture of collaboration, pushing the boundaries of medical research, educating the brightest medical minds and maintaining an unwavering commitment to the diverse community we were created to serve.
It has a keen focus on equity to serve, heal, educate and innovate at the highest levels. This Hospital’s first priority is the well-being of our patients near and far. As a team they are able to maintain a singular focus on providing the highest quality, most compassionate care to each and every patient. Many multidisciplinary care teams known worldwide for innovations in cancer, digestive disorders, the neurosciences, heart disease, orthopaedics, transplantation, urologic diseases and trauma care unite specialists across the hospital to offer comprehensive, state-of-the-art medical care.

  1. Toronto General Hospital (Toronto)

Toronto General Hospital (TGH) is one of Toronto’s oldest hospitals, dating back to 1819 when the Loyal and Patriotic Society of Upper Canada organized a trust fund to support the construction and maintenance of a hospital in the provincial capital, the Town of York. Toronto General Hospital is the teaching hospital for University of Toronto, is the largest research organization in Canada and the largest transplant center in North America. The hospital also performed the first triple organ transplant. Toronto General Hospital has been ranked one of the world’s best hospitals in a global ranking. It is cited for its world-leading Sprott Department of Surgery, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and Soham & Shaila Ajmera Family Transplant Centre. TGH’s excellence in the fields of endocrinology, autoimmunology and diabetes, its work to provide access to high-quality care to patients in remote communities, and a strong strategic plan were also contributing factors.
It is in the top-10 list in 2020 year and it was finalized by a panel of doctors, medical professionals and administrators from across four continents. Since TGH first opened, world’s clinical use of insulin, the first successful single- and double-lung transplants, the first transplant using the Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion System, and the first successful direct stimulation of a heart that had stopped beating, the precursor of all pacemakers. The University Health Network has grown out of a series of mergers between our current hospitals, as we have adjusted and change to accommodate our growing and changing patient community in and around the GTA. It is the only Ontarian Center providing Extracorporeal Life support for respiratory and cardio-pulmonary failure. The Multi- Organ transplant program is Canada’s largest organ transplant program. More than 500 transplants are performed each year and more than 5000 recipients are followed by a multidisciplinary team.

  1. Charite (Berlin)

The Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin is one of Europe’s largest university hospitals, affiliated with Humboldt University and Free University Berlin. It was ranked by Focus as the best of over 1000 hospitals in Germany. Charite is internationally renowned for its excellence in teaching and training. It has ablility to provide appropriate treatment for almost any diagnosed condition. In 2019 and 2020 ranked the Charite as fifth best hospital in the world and best in Europe. Charite is one of the largest university hospitals in Europe. All of our clinical care, research and teaching is delivered by physicians and researchers of the highest international standard. Charite proudly lays claim to more than half of all German Nobel Prize winners in Physiology or Medicine, including Emil von Behring, Robert Koch, and Paul Ehrlich.
Charite extends over four campuses, and has close to 100 different Departments and Institutes, which make up a total of 17 different Charite Centers. Having marked its 300-year anniversary in 2010, Charite is now one of the largest employers in Berlin, employing 15,500 staff. QS World University Rankings 2019 ranked the Charite Medical School as number one for medicine in Germany and ninth best in Europe. 4,135 nurses work at the Charite, their tireless commitment to patient satisfaction contributing to the hospital’s outstanding reputation. Each year, around 800,000 inpatients and outpatients receive professional and dedicated care and treatment here.

6.Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore)

The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD is ranked No. 6 on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll. Johns Hopkins Hospital serves over three million patients each year through its 40 patient care locations, four health and surgery centers, and six hospitals.
It also houses the second-highest rated medical school in the United States, which has “the most advanced clinical research in the world.” It is a general medical and surgical facility. The Johns Hopkins Health System was created in 1986, and 10 years later, it joined with the medical school to create Johns Hopkins Medicine. It includes the Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and Wilmer Eye Institute. Among Hopkins’ research institutes are those dedicated to studying brain science, cell engineering, diabetes and genetic medicine. Hopkins can lay claim to a number of medical firsts, such as developing renal dialysis, isolating and crystallizing insulin and inventing the rechargeable, implantable pacemaker. Main aim of this hospital is to provide the highest quality care and service for all people in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human illness.

  1. University Hospital Zurich, (Switzerland)

The University’s hospitals ensure the close association between medical research and clinical services. It provides primary health care and cutting-edge medicine in a central location in Zurich. We use our superior academic knowledge to treat a wide range of health issues, taking a personal touch and utilizing highly specialized and up-to-date research. The first hospital in Zurich, from which the current hospital derives, is recorded as having existed as early as 1204. The University Hospital of Zurich has clinical departments for neurology, medical oncology, cardiovascular-thoracic medicine, trauma-derma-rheuma-plastic surgery, abdomen-metabolism, imaging, diagnostics, anesthesiology-intensive care or management, and clinical research.
The quality of this clinical services and the superior care they give to their patients are their highest priorities. The University Children’s Hospital is a nonprofit private institution serving all children and adolescents. It is the largest children’s hospital in Switzerland and one of Europe’s leading centers for pediatric and adolescent medicine. The University Hospital of Zurich is the university hospital of Zurich, Switzerland. With its 43 divisions and institutes, the hospital is known for its achievements in health care, research, and teaching. A wide variety of countries prefer to come to here for treatment, another reason being that they are one of the best-rated university hospitals in Europe. University Hospital Zurich help University Hospital Zurich take a semi automated approach to medical coding, replacing a manual, complex and time-consuming process. It has created a machine learning system that accurately proposes complex medical codes to human administrators

8.Singapore General Hospital (Singapore)

Singapore General Hospital (SGH) is Singapore’s flagship hospital. SGH operates as a restructured hospital and is a not-for-profit institution with a long tradition of providing affordable tertiary healthcare. Singapore General sees more than one million people annually. The tertiary referral hospital has on-campus specialist centers, leads clinical research, and offers undergraduate and postgraduate training for students and professionals. Singapore General Hospital was ranked as the eighth best hospital in the world. The Singapore General Hospital was established in 1821, when the first General Hospital was located in the cantonment for British troops near the Singapore River.
As the bedrock of medical education, SGH continues to play a key role in nurturing doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, and is committed to innovative translational and clinical research. Our social mission and humanitarian legacy have been the driving force behind the Hospital’s efforts and achievements in service, education and research are the “three pillars” of SGH. This Hospital offers emergency care, women’s health services, cardiology, orthopedic, and oncology services. Singapore General Hospital serves its patients throughout the Singapore. Polyclinics offer a range of subsidised primary care services, including medical treatment for acute conditions, chronic disease management, women’s and children’s health services, as well as radiological, laboratory and pharmacy services.

  1. Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer, Israel

Sheba Medical Center has been ranked by Newsweek among the World’s Top 10 Hospitals for the past two years. We are an international leader in medical innovation, collaborating with health centers around the globe to develop groundbreaking techniques and life-saving treatments. Our all-inclusive hospital features 159 medical departments and clinics, and we treat over 1 million patients yearly. Along with continuously advancing our technologies and a wide range of services. Our Sheba team is deeply committed to providing patient-focused, compassionate, and personalized care. In 2020, it is ranked as the 9th-best hospital in the world. It includes 200,000 emergency visits annually, and conducts more than two million medical tests of all types each year, on a $320 million annual budget.
The medical center is also home to the Israel National Center for Health Policy and Epidemiology Research, the internationally acclaimed Israel National Center for Medical Simulation, the Israel National Blood Bank and Cord Blood Bank, and the Safra International Congenital Heart Center. Other major centers at Sheba include the Sheba Cancer Treatment and Research Centers, the Sheba Heart Center that was donated by Lev Leviev, and the Tel Hashomer Medical Research, Infrastructure and Services Co. Ltd., which provides global consulting and training services. Sheba provides services to patients from across the Middle East, including many patients from the Palestinian Authority. It also provides guidance and mentoring in the planning, construction and operation of healthcare systems and hospitals around the world.

  1. Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden
A man walks to the entrance of Karolinska hospital in Stockholm on March 30, 2012 as former French Prime Minister Michel Rocard was taken into intensive care at the hospital earlier today. Rocard, an 81-year-old Socialist veteran, has fallen ill in the Swedish capital and was treated in intensive care, the French foreign ministry said Friday. AFP PHOTO (Photo by JONAS EKSTROMER / SCANPIX SWEDEN / AFP) (Photo by JONAS EKSTROMER/SCANPIX SWEDEN/AFP via Getty Images)

The Karolinska University Hospital is a teaching hospital affiliated with Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, with two major sites in the municipalities of Solna and Huddinge. It covers areas such as biochemistry, genetics, pharmacology, pathology, anatomy, physiology and medical microbiology, among others. It is recognised as Sweden’s best university and one of the largest, most prestigious medical universities in the world. The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Healthcare at Karolinska is now organized in patient care flows. For example, patients with heart and vascular conditions are treated in an integrated manner, with specialists from functions such as emergency medicine, imaging and cardiology working together – often in the same building or corridor. The hospital network is the second largest in Sweden.
In 2014, Karolinska and the Stockholm County Council established a 14-year strategic innovation partnership with Philips to help bring this vision to life with joint innovations that increase the value of care for patients. It has 15,800 employees and it gives treatment for 1.6 million patient visits per year. It has two sites in the Swedish capital of Stockholm: Huddinge and Solna. The building will augment our ability to carry out our assignment to provide highly specialised care, not only for patients in Stockholm, but for those from other parts of Sweden and other countries, too. The new facilities will also optimize the expertise and equipment at our disposal, enhancing our ability to take care of the most severely injured and seriously ill patients.

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BIGGEST GREAT 10 GOLD MINES BY RESERVES IN THE WORLD

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on BIGGEST GREAT 10 GOLD MINES BY RESERVES IN THE WORLD

A Gold mine is a place where gold is dug from the ground. Something that produces something desired (such as money). Gold mines remain important hubs of industry around the world as prospectors gamble on striking it rich with one of the world’s most valuable metals. Demand remains high for the precious metal, particularly in jewellery-making and as a relatively safe investment opportunity. Gold often occurs in free elemental form in rocks, veins and alluvial deposits in the form of nuggets or grains. A mine is a source of great wealth or profit. According to Mining Technology, Here are the 10 Biggest Gold Mines by reserves in the world in the year 2020.

1.Carlin, USA. 411 koz.

The Carlin Trend hosts one of the largest gold concentrations in the western hemisphere. Total Carlin’s production is 4% of world Production. Carlin deposits are 75% of US production. It has good hunting grounds for big deposits. On July 1, 2019, Barrick’s Goldstrike (including 60% share of South Arturo) and Newmont’s Carlin were contributed to Nevada Gold Mines and are now referred to as Carlin. This gigantic integrated operation located west of the city of Elko on the geologic feature known as the Carlin Trend, Stretching 56km (35mi). Nature concentrates the metals by a process of partially melting Crustal rocks at the depth, letting them melt arise through the crust and on the way cool and dumping valueless minerals such as Feldspars and amphiboles and then concentrating the useful minerals and metals in the remaining magma or hydrothermal fluid. Carlin–type gold deposits are sediment-hosted disseminated gold deposits. These deposits are characterized by invisible gold in pyrite and arsenopyrite. This dissolved kind of gold is called “Invisible Gold”, as it can only be found through chemical analysis.

  1. Olimpiada. 277 koz.

Located in one of Russia’s most prolific gold mining provinces, Olimpiada is largest gold mine in Russia, one of the largest gold mines on the globe. It is operated by Polyus. Olimpiada is Polyus’ largest gold operation and accounts for almost half of its total gold production. The company’s Olimpiada and Blagodatnoye mines are part of its Krasnoyarsk business unit, which is the second-largest gold asset in the world by output. The combined production from the two operations represents 63.7% of the company’s total gold output. This ore mined at the site is processed at three plants with a combined capacity of 13 million tonnes of ore annually. Olimpiada is located in the Severo-Yeniseysky District, 25km away from the village of Yeruda. The site is approximately 500km from the city of Krasnoyarsk in the Krasnoyarsk Territory of Western Siberia. It is situated at a distance of 20km from Blagodatnoye mine. Polyus Gold has claimed the Olimpiada gold mine is estimated to contain proven and probable reserves of around 28 million ounces. The mine produced 1.38Moz of gold in 2019 and 1.32Moz of gold in 2018.

  1. Pueblo Viejo, Dominican Republic. 238 koz.

The Pueblo Viejo mine is a gold mine located in the north-central region of the Dominican Republic in the Sanchez Ramirez Province. It is the largest gold mine in the Americas and eighth largest in the world. This mine produced 581,000 ounces of gold in 2018 and 6.55 million ounces of gold in reserve. The mine comprises two major oxide deposits known as Monte Negro and Moore and three other small deposits. The Pueblo Viejo mine in the Dominican Republic is about 100 km northwest of the capital city of Santo Domingo. The mine is operated by the Pueblo Viejo Dominicana Corporation — a joint venture between Barrick (60%) and Newmont (40%). Pueblo Viejo has a mine-life of more than 30 years and is expected to produce over one million ounces of gold per annum. It is the largest undeveloped gold mine in the world.

  1. Cortez, USA. 208 koz.

Cortez Gold Mine is a large gold mining and processing facility in Lander and Eureka County, Nevada, United States, located approximately 75 miles (120 km) southwest of Elko and comprises the Pipeline and South Pipeline deposits and the Cortez Hills deposit. Pipeline and South Pipeline are open pit mines, while Cortez Hills is an underground and open pit mining operation. On July 1, 2019, Cortez was contributed to Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture between Barrick and Newmont Corporation. It consists of three distinct units: the Cortez open pit and two Carlin-type disseminated gold deposits – Pipeline and South Pipeline. The entire Pipeline complex contained 23 million ounces of gold between the original orebodies, the Pipeline orebody and the later discoveries of South Pipeline, Crossroads and Gap. It will also retain a contingent royalty interest in the future production of the property.

  1. Kibali, DRC. 202 Koz.

The Kibali gold mine is located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), approximately 220 kilometres east of the capital of the Haut Uele province, Isiro, 150 kilometres west of the Ugandan border town of Arua and 1,800 kilometres from the Kenyan port of Mombasa. It is expected to produce 600,000oz of gold per annum for the first 12 years. The Kibali gold mine is located within the Moto greenstone belt. The gold mineralisation is scattered throughout the region. Kibali is co-owned by AngloGold Ashanti (45%), Barrick Gold Corporation (45%) following its merger with Randgold Resources, and Société Minière de Kilo-Moto (SOKIMO) (10%), a state-owned gold mining company. Kibali produced 807,000 ounces of gold in 2018. It comprises an integrated open pit and an underground operation as well as a 7.2Mtpa processing plant. The mine is named for the nearby Kibali River. There are two zones: Kibali-Durba-Karagba trends north-east, and Pakaka-Mengu trends north-west. Gold-bearing deposits are found throughout the region. Facilities include a sulphide and oxide plant that can process 7.2 million tonnes of ore per year, three 44MW hydroelectric stations, a 32MW backup thermal power generator and separate storage facilities for cyanide and flotation tailings.

6.Cadia East, Australia. 195 koz.

Cadia produces gold doré from a gravity circuit and gold-rich copper concentrates from a flotation circuit at Cadia. The gold dore is then refined at the Perth Mint and concentrates are piped to a dewatering plant at nearby Blayney and sent by rail to Port Kembla in New South Wales for export. The Molybdenum Plant is expected to deliver an additional revenue stream in the form of a molybdenum concentrate which will be a by-product credit to AISC per ounce. Newcrest’s Cadia is made up of the Cadia East underground panel cave mine and the Ridgeway underground mine (currently in care and maintenance). Cadia East mine in the Cadia valley produced 752,000 ounces of gold in 2018.
Cadia East is the biggest gold mine in Australia despite 11% production decline in March Quarter 2020. The Cadia East orebody is one of the world’s largest gold deposits, comprising a Mineral Resource of 2,347Mt containing 33.2Moz of gold and 6.59Mt of copper, along with a current Ore Reserve of 18.7Moz of gold and 3.16Mt of copper. It will underpin production from the Cadia Valley for at least the next 30 years. Initial exploration pointed to an underground mine similar to Ridgeway Deeps, however, more recent drilling has revealed that a much larger zone of mineralisation exists, likely to support both underground and open cut mines.

  1. Lihir, PNG. 187 koz.

Newcrest’s Lihir operation on Aniolam Island in the New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea is 900 kilometres north-east of the capital Port Moresby. The gold deposit at Lihir is within the Luise Caldera, an extinct volcanic crater that is geothermally active.
The Lihir mine produced 976,000 ounces of gold in 2018, a 6% improvement over 2017. Most of the ore extracted from Lihir is treated through pressure oxidation and conventional leaching. The mine produced 933,000oz of gold in the financial year ending June 2019. The mine is expected to produce 1Moz of gold in 2020. Lihir is looking to stabilise throughput at or slightly above these levels and increase focus on lifting recovery rates to maximise overall gold production and cash flow in the future. It employs approximately 4,500 residential and fly-in-fly-out workers.

  1. Loulo-Gounkoto, Mali. 176 koz.

Barrick’s Loulo-Gounkoto complex comprises two distinct mining permits, Loulo and Gounkoto, and is situated in western Mali, bordering Senegal and adjacent to the Falémé River. Barrick Gold Corporation’s Loulo-Gounkoto complex has demonstrated its mettle, exceeding its 2019 guidance with production of 714,802 ounces of gold. An intensive exploration program in the Kenieba region, Loulo-Gounkoto has significant growth potential and is well-placed to meet all the targets. Société des Mines de Loulo SA (Loulo) owns the Loulo gold mine, and Société des Mines de Gounkoto (Gounkoto) owns the Gounkoto gold mine. Both Loulo and Gounkoto are owned by Barrick (80%), and the State of Mali (20%). This is also the product of a long and constructive partnership between the government of Mali and ourselves, and in this regard it is gratifying to report that we have made significant progress towards settling the dispute between us over tax and related issues which allows us to look forward to continuing to grow our partnership with the Mali government and its people

  1. Fekola, Mali. 164 koz.

The Fekola Mine is located in southwest Mali, on the border between Mali and Senegal, approximately 500 km due west of the capital city, Bamako. B2Gold acquired the world-class Fekola Gold Project through a merger with Papillon Resources Limited in October 2014. The Fekola Mine generated almost US$134 million in revenue for the Government of Mali in 2019. B2Gold will continue to monitor the situation and work to ensure that its mining operations continue normally, providing economic benefits and job creation both to the communities around the mine and to regional and national governments. Foreign investment and political stability in Mali are crucial for the country. B2Gold is a low-cost international senior gold producer headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Founded in 2007, today, B2Gold has operating gold mines in Mali, Namibia and the Philippines, and numerous exploration and development projects in various countries including Mali and Colombia. In 2020, B2Gold forecasts consolidated gold production of between 1,000,000 and 1,055,000 ounces.

  1. Fosterville, Australia. 160 koz.

Kirkland Lake’s Fosterville Mine is second highest-grade and one of the lowest-cost gold mine globally, located 20km from the city of Bendigo in the State of Victoria, Australia. The Fosterville Mine features growing gold production at increasingly high grades, as well as extensive in-mine and district scale exploration potential. In March Quarter 2020, Kirkland Lake achieved 25% y-o-y production growth at Fosterville. In particular, the Swan Zone contributed 532,000 ounces at an average grade of 58.8 g/t Au (281,000 tonnes) to the updated Mineral Reserve estimate. The mine is located in an area with well-developed infrastructure and is accessible by paved roads. Fosterville’s ore is processed at the Fosterville Mill, a 2,275 tonne per day processing facility.

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LARGEST 10 GREAT ECONOMIES IN THE WORLD AND THE SOURCES OF ECONOMY

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on LARGEST 10 GREAT ECONOMIES IN THE WORLD AND THE SOURCES OF ECONOMY

Economy means the state of a country or region in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services and the supply of money. Economies determine how resources are distributed among members of a society, they determine the value of goods or services. The political and legal structure of a society will govern how wealth can be accumulated, how wealth and resources are distributed, and the manner of competition permitted between different participants in the economy. There are three big economic systems in use by modern governments: capitalism, socialism, and communism. We wanted to understand how the top 10 largest economies in the world measured by GDP(Gross Domestic Product). We took historical GDP figures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2020.

1.United States

new york statue of liberty usa monument
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The U.S. has retained its position of being the world’s largest economy since 1871. economy of the United States is that of a highly developed country with a mixed economy. It is the world’s largest economy by nominal GDP and net wealth. U.S. Nominal GDP: $21.44 trillion – U.S. GDP (PPP): $21.44 trillion.
The size of the U.S. economy was at $20.58 trillion in 2018 in nominal terms and is expected to reach $22.32 trillion in 2020. The U.S. is often dubbed as an economic superpower and that’s because the economy constitutes almost a quarter of the global economy, backed by advanced infrastructure, technology, and an abundance of natural resources.
When the economies are assessed in terms of purchasing power parity, the U.S. loses its top spot to its close competitor China. In 2019, the U.S. economy, in terms of GDP (PPP), was at $21.44 trillion, while the Chinese economy was measured at $27.31 trillion. United States has the most technologically powerful economy in the world and its firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers, pharmaceuticals, and medical, aerospace, and military equipment. The largest U.S. trading partners are China, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Germany, South Korea, United Kingdom, France, India, and Taiwan. The nation’s economy is fueled by abundant natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and high productivity. It is the world’s largest producer of petroleum and natural gas. U.S. not only has the largest internal market for goods, but also dominates the trade in services.

2.China

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China Nominal GDP: $14.14 trillion – China GDP (PPP): $27.31 trillion
China has experienced exponential growth over the past few decades, breaking the barriers of a centrally-planned closed economy to evolve into a manufacturing and exporting hub of the world. China is often referred to as the “world’s factory,” given its huge manufacturing and export base. However, over the years, the role of services has gradually increased and that of manufacturing as a contributor to GDP has declined relatively. The IMF projects a growth of 5.8% in 2020. China has experienced exponential growth over the past few decades. It is a manufacturing and exporting hub of the world. China is often referred to as the “world’s factory,” given its huge manufacturing and export base. However, over the years, the role of services has gradually increased and that of manufacturing as a contributor to GDP has declined relatively.

3.India ($12.36 T )

brown concrete india gate
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The economy of India is characterised as a developing market economy. India was the world’s fastest growing major economy and Historically it is the largest economy in the world. The long-term growth perspective of the Indian economy remains positive due to its young population and corresponding low dependency ratio, healthy savings and investment rates, and is increasing integration into the global economy. Apart from private consumption, India’s GDP is also fueled by government spending, investment, and exports. India has one of the world’s highest number of billionaires and extreme income inequality.
According to World Bank, to achieve sustainable economic development India must focus on public sector reform, infrastructure, agricultural and rural development, removal of land and labour regulations, financial inclusion, spur private investment and exports, education and public health. India’s ten largest trading partners were USA, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Iraq, Singapore, Germany, South Korea and Switzerland. India ranks second globally in food and agricultural production. India’s telecommunication industry is the world’s second largest by number of mobile phone, smartphone, and internet users. It is the world’s tenth-largest oil producer and the third-largest oil consumer.

  1. Japan ( $5.89T )
photo of himeji castle behind white cherry blossoms
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The economy of Japan is a highly developed free-market economy. With this low growth rate, the national debt of Japan has expanded due to its considerable social welfare spending in an aging society with a shrinking tax-base. The scenario of “Abandoned homes” continues to spread from rural areas to urban areas in Japan.
A mountainous, volcanic island country, Japan has inadequate natural resources to support its growing economy and large population, and therefore exports goods in which it has a comparative advantage such as engineering-oriented, research and development-led industrial products in exchange for the import of raw materials and petroleum. The nation’s large and varied forest resources, which covered 70 percent of the country. Japan is among the top-three importers for agricultural products in the world in total volume for covering of its own domestic agricultural consumption. The nation, therefore, built up the manufacturing and processing industries to convert raw materials imported from abroad.
Japan is the world’s largest single national importer of fish and fishery products. This strategy of economic development necessitated the establishment of a strong economic infrastructure to provide the needed energy, transportation, communications, and technology. Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market is the largest wholesale market for primary products in Japan. Although many kinds of minerals were extracted throughout the country, most mineral resources had to be imported in the postwar era. Iron ore, copper, bauxite, and alumina must be imported, as well as many forest products. Local deposits of metal-bearing ores were difficult to process because they were low grade. Deposits of gold, magnesium, and silver meet current industrial demands, but Japan is dependent on foreign sources for many of the minerals essential to modern industry. Japan lags behind other developed countries in labor productivity. Early European visitors were amazed by the quality of Japanese craftsmanship and metalsmithing. This stems from the fact that Japan itself is rather rich in natural resources found commonly in Europe, especially iron.

  1. Germany ( $4.59T )
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It has the largest national economy in Europe. The economy of Germany is a highly developed social market economy. The top 10 exports of Germany are vehicles, machinery, chemical goods, electronic products, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, transport equipment, basic metals, food products, and rubber and plastics. The economy of Germany is the largest manufacturing economy in Europe and it is less likely to be affected by the financial downturn and conduct applied research with practical industrial value and sees itself as a bridge between the latest university insights and industry-specific product and process improvements, and by generating a great deal of knowledge in its own laboratories as well. Germany is rich in timber, lignite, potash and salt. Some minor sources of natural gas are being exploited in the state of Lower Saxony. Until reunification, the German Democratic Republic mined for uranium in the Ore Mountains.
Energy in Germany is sourced predominantly by fossil fuels (30%), followed by wind second, then nuclear power, gas, solar, biomass and hydro. Germany is the first major industrialized nation to commit to the renewable energy transition called Energiewende. Germany is the leading producer of wind turbines in the world. Germany is the world’s top location for trade fairs. Around two thirds of the world’s leading trade fairs take place in Germany. Over time, other German states joined the customs union and started linking their railroads, which began to connect the corners of Germany together. The growth of free trade and of a rail system across Germany intensified economic development which opened up new markets for local products, created a pool of middle managers, increased the demand for engineers, architects and skilled machinists, and stimulated investments in coal and iron.

  1. Russia ( $4.52T )
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The economy of Russia is an upper-middle income mixed and transition economy. Russia contains over 30 percent of the world’s natural resources. Russia relies on energy revenues to drive most of its growth. Russia has an abundance of oil, natural gas and precious metals, which make up a major share of Russia’s exports. Russia is considered an “energy superpower”. It has the world’s largest proven natural gas reserves and is the largest exporter of natural gas. Russia has a large and sophisticated arms industry, capable of designing and manufacturing high-tech military equipment, including a fifth-generation fighter jet, nuclear powered submarines, firearms, and short range/long range ballistic missiles. Top military exports from Russia include combat aircraft, air defence systems, ships and submarines. the wealth held offshore by rich Russians is about three times larger than official net foreign reserves, and is comparable in magnitude to total household financial assets held in Russia.
Russia had undergone a radical transformation, moving from a centrally planned economy to a globally integrated market economy. Especially in the production of oil, gas, and electricity and in the chemical industries—there was a marked diversification in industrial output, including a limited expansion in consumer goods. Major components of the reforms included establishing privately owned industrial and commercial ventures and privatizing state-owned enterprises. To encourage privatization, the government issued vouchers to Russian citizens that enabled them to purchase of shares in privatized firms, though in practice these vouchers frequently were sold for cash and were accumulated by entrepreneurs. A commodity- and stock-exchange system also was established. For business growth, taxes on medium and small enterprises were moderated, and the government began to offer incentives for reinvesting profits into the domestic economy. By the early 21st century, the measures had begun to have a positive effect on the Russian economy, which showed signs of recovery and stable growth. Steady earnings from oil exports permitted investments in factories, and the devalued currency made Russian goods more competitive on the international market.

  1. Indonesia ( $4.01T )
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Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It has charted impressive economic growth since overcoming the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s. The world’s 10th largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, and a member of the G-20. Furthermore, Indonesia has made enormous gains in poverty reduction, cutting the poverty rate by more than half since 1999, to 9.78% in 2020. It aims to further strengthen Indonesia’s economy by improving the country’s human capital and competitiveness in the global market. The Indonesian economy has been climbing steadily higher. Indonesia is the world’s largest island country .
Indonesia is composed of some 17,500 islands, of which more than 7,000 are uninhabited. It is the 14th-largest country by land area, at 1,904,569 square kilometres (735,358 square miles). The country’s capital, Jakarta, is the second-most populous urban area in the world. In the early 21st century Indonesia was the fourth most populous in the world. The name Indonesia derives from Greek Indos and the word nesos, meaning “Indian islands”. The economy of Indonesia is the largest in Southeast Asia and is one of the emerging market economies of the world. As an upper-middle income country and member of the G20, Indonesia is classified as a newly industrialised country.

  1. Brazil ( $3.60T )
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Brazil is one of the world giants of mining, agriculture, and manufacturing, and it has a strong and rapidly growing service sector. The country was heavily dependent on one or two major agricultural products, whose prices fluctuated widely on international markets. The Brazilian government in the 20th century attempted to diversify the country’s production and reduce its dependency on agricultural exports by strongly encouraging manufacturing. The government initiated several key industries, including a modern shipbuilding program, a petrochemical sector led by the huge Petrobras company, a burgeoning microelectronics and personal computer industry, and aircraft manufacturing by the Embraer corporation, including commercial jetliners, aviation and surveillance equipment, and aircraft for the Brazilian air force. It established a motor vehicle industry in the 1950s to replace U.S. and German imports and assembly plants. The government privatized dozens of financial institutions, manufacturers, and mining companies in the 1990s, including several major steel producers and the Rio Doce Valley Company.
The CVRD, Brazil’s giant mining and shipping conglomerate, was apportioned into separate mining and shipping units. The government also sold a minority of its Petrobras shares to private investors and partially opened the petroleum industry to competition. At the beginning of the 21st century, serious problems marked the Brazilian economy, aggravated by political uncertainties. Inflation, financial instability, and unemployment (or underemployment) remained constant threats, and political and financial scandals periodically erupted throughout the country. Brazil still has one of the world’s most lopsided distributions of wealth. It is a leading producer of a host of minerals, including iron ore, tin, bauxite (the ore of aluminum), manganese, gold, quartz, and diamonds and other gems, and it exports vast quantities of steel, automobiles, electronics, and consumer goods. Brazil is the world’s primary source of coffee, oranges, and cassava (manioc) and a major producer of sugar, soy, and beef.

  1. UK ( $3.24T )
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The economy of the United Kingdom is a highly developed social market and market-orientated economy. In 2019, the UK was the fifth-largest exporter in the world and the fifth-largest goods importer. It also had the second-largest inward foreign direct investment, and the third-largest outward foreign direct investment. UK is one of the most globalised economies, and it is composed of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The service sector dominates, contributing around 80% of GDP, the financial services industry is particularly important, and London is the second-largest financial centre in the world. The currency of the UK is the pound sterling, which is the world’s fourth-largest reserve currency. The economy of the United Kingdom has slowly been climbing the ranks of the mostly free for the past decade. Although some economic disruptions are likely, the U.K. will also have new opportunities to expand economic freedom, especially by reducing the tax burden and government spending and pursuing new trade agreements with the United States and other countries.
UK economic output shrank by 20.4% in the second quarter of 2020, the worst quarterly slump on record, pushing the country into the deepest recession of any major global economy. Britain already faces a tough 2021 as the country battles the twin shocks of coronavirus and Brexit. But failing to secure an agreement with the United Kingdom’s biggest export market would amplify the pain. With a limited trade agreement, the UK economy is due to bounce back with growth of 4.6% in 2021 before losing some momentum between 2022 and 2024, according to IFS and Citi projections. Failing to reach a trade deal with Europe would shave as much as one percentage point off that level of growth.

10.France ($3.16T )

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The economy of France is highly developed and free-market-oriented. France is one of the major economic powers of the world, ranking along with such countries as the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. It included the large industrial companies such as Renault. France is also the most visited destination in the world, as well the European Union’s leading agricultural power. France IS the largest Foreign Direct Investment recipient in Europe in 2020. Paris is a leading global city and it has one of the largest city GPD in the world. Paris has been ranked as the 2nd most attractive global city in the world in 2019 by KPMG. 31 companies that are part of the world’s biggest 500 companies are existing here. It is the world’s fourth largest private oil company.
Another indicator of improved living standards is the growth of ownership of various household and consumer goods, particularly such items as automobiles and computers. Here indirect taxation in the form of a value-added tax (VAT) is relatively high. The top individual income tax rate is 45 percent, and the top corporate tax rate is 31 percent. Other taxes include a value-added tax. The overall tax burden equals 46.2 percent of total domestic income. The overall managerial environment is bolstered by France’s modern business culture, mature financial markets, skilled entrepreneurs, and well-protected intellectual property rights. The total value of exports and imports of goods and services equals 63.4 percent of GDP. State ownership is primarily concentrated in transport, defense, and broadcasting.

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LARGEST 10 GREAT HYDROELECTRIC DAMS IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF INSTALLED POWER

by Sree DivyaUncategorizedLeave a Comment on LARGEST 10 GREAT HYDROELECTRIC DAMS IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF INSTALLED POWER

A hydroelectric dam is one of the major components of a hydroelectric facility. A dam is a large, man-made structure built to contain some body of water. In addition to construction for the purpose of producing hydroelectric power, dams are created to control river flow and regulate flooding. In some rivers, small scale dams known as weirs are built to control and measure water flow. Dams fall into the category of retaining structures, or structures that are built to create large standing bodies of water known as reservoirs. These reservoirs can be used for irrigation, electrical generation, or water supply. Hydroelectricity is one of the fore-runners of the renewable energy industry. Here are 10 Largest hydroelectric Dams in the World in terms of installed power.

1.Three Gorges Dam, China

The Three Gorges Dam has been the world’s largest power station in terms of installed capacity (22,500 MW) since 2012. In 2018, the dam generated 101.6 terawatt-hours (TWh). As well as producing electricity, the dam is intended to increase the Yangtze River’s shipping capacity. The dam is located 44km from the city of Yichang in Hubei province. The project has 34 generators, which includes 32 main generators. The other two are power generators with a capacity of 50MW each. When construction of the dam officially began in 1994, it was the largest engineering project in China. At the time of its completion in 2006, it was the largest dam structure in the world. The height of Three Gorges is about 594 feet (181 meters (m)) and the length is about 7,770 feet (2, 335 m).
The dam creates the Three Gorges Reservoir, which has a surface area of about 400 square miles (1,045 square kilometers) and extends upstream from the dam about 370 miles (600 kilometers). The gorge controls approximately one million square kilometres of drainage area and averages a runoff of 451 billion cubic metres annually. Ecology and environmental monitoring information system for the project was opened in 2007. Fish Nurturing Centre Base was also built for the conservation of Asian carp and other species through the eco-scheduling process. The official total cost of the Three Gorges Dam project was estimated as CNY203bn ($29bn).

2.Itaipu Dam, Brazil and Paraguay

The Itaipu Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Parana River located on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. The volume of this Dam is 12,300,000 m3 (430,000,000 cu ft) and total capacity is 29 km3 (24,000,000 acre⋅ft). It’s location is Foz do Iguacu, ‎Hernandarias. Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam is the world’s second-largest operational hydroelectric power plant in terms of installed power. With an installed generation capacity of 14GW, the plant is operated by Itaipu Binacional and located on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. Energy generated by Itaipu helps to meet the demands of the two countries. Approximately 90% of the energy generated by the plant is used by Brazil. Itaipu has 20 generating units, each with a capacity of 700MW. The dam’s reservoir, which covers an area of 1,350km² with Spanning of 170 kilometers in length.
The name “Itaipu” was taken from an isle that existed near the construction site. In the Guarani language, Itaipu means “the sounding stone”. To ensure water quantity and quality, Itaipu has created an environmental conservation area, planting more than 44 million trees. The protected areas now total over 100,000 hectares, including reserves and wildlife refuges in both countries and the biological forest corridor that protects the reservoir.Recently, Itaipu became the first hydroelectric plant in the world to have its own protected areas and supporting landscapes which are now recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. Although forest conservation is an essential safety measure for water security, it also depends on other environmental priorities, especially those that relate to land use. It regularly surpasses the production of the larger dam and holds the world record for energy produced, achieving 103.1 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2016.

3.Xiluodu Dam, China

The Xiluodu Dam is an arch dam on the Jinsha River, i.e. the upper course of the Yangtze in China. It is located near the town of Xiluodu in Yongshan County of Yunnan Province but the dam straddles into Leibo County . The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and its power station has an installed capacity of 13,860 MW. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and its power station has an installed capacity of 13,860 MW. Additionally, the dam provides for flood control, silt control and its regulated water releases are intended to improve navigation downstream. Xiluodu power plant offsets approximately 150m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year. It reduces the consumption of 41 million tonnes of coal for electricity generation. The Xiluodu plant generates 64bkWh of electricity a year.
The Xiluodu plant is made up of two power houses located on both sides of the dam. The power house comprises 18 Francis turbine-generators and an air-cooled generator with 855.6MVA output. The reservoir has a total storage capacity of 16.5 billion cubic yards, of which six billion cubic yards are for flood control. The construction of the dam was carried out using belt conveyors, crawler tractors, hydraulic excavators, rock trucks and wheel loaders. The water discharge structures of Xiluodu Hydropower Station are composed of 7 surface holes of the dam body, 8 deep holes and 4 spillway tunnels on the bank. The main task of flood control operation of Xiluodu Hydropower Station is to control the flood of the Chuanjiang River section and enhance the flood control standard of cities such as Yibin along the bank, while ensuring the safety of the hydro-complex project.

4.Guri Dam, Venezuela

The Guri power project, also known as the Simon Bolivar hydroelectric power station, is located on the Caroni River in the Bolivar State of southeastern Venezuela. Installed Capacity is 10,235 MW. The power plant consists of 20 generating units of different capacities ranging between 130MW and 770MW. Surface Area of this dam is 4,250 km2 (1,641 sq mi). The Guri dam measures 532ft in height and 4,314ft in length. To free a greater proportion of the country’s petroleum for sale and export, the Venezuelan government made the bold move to transition from hydrocarbon- to hydroelectric-generated power as the country’s primary electricity source. The economic efficiency of Guri Dam’s construction can be attributed to its phased development. While other concepts called for the dam to be built to the final height at the first stage a much easier design the region would not have been able to absorb all of the generated power, making it more difficult to finance.
In addition, the compact and incremental design of the dam resulted in inexpensive power at the time approximately US$550 per kW, which attracted aluminum and iron ore smelting industries to the area. Fulfilled government’s goal to significantly decrease dependence on petroleum as a domestic power source: ability to generate more than 10,000MW and produce up to 50,000GWh per year—the equivalent of 300,000 barrels of oil per day. Alstom was awarded two contracts in 2007 and 2009 to refurbish four 400MW units and five 630MW respectively. Andritz received a contract to supply five 770MW Francis turbines for the powerhouse II of Guri in 2007. The Guri power station supplies approximately 12,900GW/h of energy for Venezuela. The plant provides approximately 50,000GW/h of energy to the country annually.

5.Belo Monte Dam, Brazil

The Belo Monte power station is owned and operated by Norte Energia. The Belo Monte hydropower project under construction on the lower reach of the Xingu River, in Para, Brazil, was installed with 9.39GW generating capacity as of September 2019. The project comprises two dams and two powerhouses, including a main powerhouse equipped with 18 Francis turbines of 611MW capacity each, and a supplemental power house with six 38.85 MW Bulb turbines. The capacity of the dam is 11,233 megawatts (MW). This Dam is the second largest hydroelectric dam in Brazil. Brazil’s rapid economic growth over the last decade has provoked a huge demand for new and stable sources of energy, especially to supply its growing industries. In Brazil, hydroelectric power plants produce over 85% of the electrical energy. The aim is to stimulate the country’s economic growth by building a huge infrastructure of roads and dams, mainly in the Amazon region. The controversial Belo Monte mega-dam in Para state has done significant socio environmental harm to the Xingu River and the indigenous and traditional people living beside it.
Important Brazilian Panel on Climate Change report warned that global warming could drop water levels all across the Amazon basin, putting hydropower in serious jeopardy. Brazil needs Belo Monte and 60 other major dam projects in the Amazon to meet its growing energy demand. Belo Monte’s 668km2 reservoir will flood over 400km2 of forest, generating enormous qualities methane, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than CO2. Like other big dams, Belo Monte would cause considerable direct and indirect environmental destruction. Belo Monte is only one dam complex, not a series of upstream dams. The government is aware that Belo Monte’s seasonal inefficiency can only be managed by creating more dam reservoirs upstream, allowing technicians to regulate river flows for the entire year. As such, project plans continue to point to the eventual construction of four dams in addition to Belo Monte: Altamira, Iriri, Pombal, and Sao Felix.

6.Tucurui Dam, Brazil

A more modest hydroelectric facility on a small river north of Manaus supplies that city with power. The Tucuruí Hydropower Complex situated on the lower Tocantins River in Tucurui, Para, Brazil. It involved installation of 11 generating units with 370MW capacity each. It is the first large-scale hydroelectric project in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. The installed capacity of the 25-unit plant is 8,370 megawatts (11,220,000 hp). The power station delivers electricity to the Belem town and the surrounding area. It is located about 350 kilometers from the state’s capital Belém, it caused the flooding of an area of about 3,014 km2 and displaced about 32,000 people. A case study on the social impacts of the Tucuruí dam by Fearnside (1999) reported a systematic overestimation of the plant’s benefits by public authorities, while social and environmental impacts have rather been downplayed, making it an example of Brazil’s unlearned lessons in hydroelectric development.
It notes that most generated power was used for the highly subsidized aluminum industry in Barcarena and Sao Luis. Additionally, dams disturb the flow and composition of the water within rivers and channels. Water released downstream from dams has unnaturally high energy and very little sediment, which causes “hungry water” to run forcefully, eroding the riverbeds, without sufficient sediment concentration to slow it down. This deepens the riverbed compared to the surrounding water table, which causes the ground water to rush into the channel and become surface water – a process known as incision.

7.Grand Coulee Dam, USA

The Grand Coulee hydropower project located on the Columbia River in Washington, US. The annual generating capacity of the plant is more than 24TWh. It consists of total 18 Francis turbines rated 125MW and three 10MW additional units. The Grand Coulee is an ancient river bed in the U.S. state. This area has underlying granite bedrock, formed deep in the Earth’s crust 40 to 60 million years ago. The land periodically uplifted and subsided over millions of years giving rise to some small mountains and, eventually, an inland sea. The dam has four power plants. It is 550 feet (167.6 meters) tall, measured from its foundation in solid granite, or approximately 350 feet (106.7 meters) from the downstream river surface to the top of the dam. It is 5,223 feet (1,592 meters) long, or 57 feet short of a mile. The two original power plants. The total generating capacity is 6,809 megawatts and its average annual energy output is about 2,300 megawatts, or enough power to continuously supply the needs of two cities the size of Seattle.
Hydropower accounts for 79.7 percent of Grand Coulee’s authorized purposes, the others being irrigation and flood control. While hydropower is the primary purpose of the dam today, the public desire for irrigation was the driving force behind its construction. Hydroelectric power plants provide a very efficient, renewable method of generating electricity without producing air pollution. Hydroelectricity produced electricity currently accounts for nearly 7% of the total electricity generated in the United States. However, currently less than 3% of all dams in the United States are used to generate electricity. This discrepancy presents a great opportunity to increase the use of renewable energy production through hydroelectric power. There are many factors which make hydroelectric energy a desirable alternative to the burning of fossil fuels, yet the construction and operation of hydroelectric plants also involves a number of disadvantages. These drawbacks include environmental changes which could adversely affect the health of humans and animals.

8.Xiangjiaba, China

Xiangjiaba is built on the outlet of Jinsha River canyon, which is located Yibin City of Sichuan and Shuifu County, Yunnan, China. The reservoir area is 458,800km² and the reservoir capacity is 5.163 billion cubic metres. The power plant is installed with eight units of 800MW each and comprises various structures for flood discharge, diversion, power generation, and ship lift. The Xiangjiaba is gravity dam with 162m-high and has a crest elevation of 384m. The annual generating capacity of the power plant is 30.88kWh. The Xiangjiaba hydropower facility exploits the lower mainstream water of Jinsha River, a tributary of the Yangtze River. After the successful launch of the Three Gorges hydro power project in 1994, the CTG was authorised for building four hydropower plants namely Xiluodu, Xiangjiaba, Wudongde and Baihetan, all located either on the mainstream or on the tributaries of the Yangtze River. The power output of the Xiangjiaba hydroelectric plant is supplied to central China and east China via the 800kV Xiangjiaba-Shanghai UHVDC (Ultra High Voltage Direct Current) transmission link.
Xiangjiaba will be the third largest hydropower project in the country, after Three Gorges and Xiluodu. As an important part of China’s Great Western Development Programme, the project is expected to drive local social and economic development. It will primarily supply power to China’s central and eastern regions, while at the same time meeting power demand in the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. The project Xiangjiaba hydro project includes eight turbine generator sets. Major benefits are from power generation to CO2 reduction and flood control. The Xiangjiaba hydropower project brings major flood control benefits, and its combined operation with the Xiluodu hydropower project will improve flood prevention in the downstream coastal cities of Yibin, Luzhou and Chongqing.

9.Sayano-Shushenskaya, Russia

The Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant located on the Yenisei River in Sayanogorsk, Khakassia, Russia. It is operated by RusHydro. An arch-gravity dam 242m tall and 1,066m long was constructed as part of the project. The power plant consists of ten Francis generating units with a capacity of 640MW each. It generates 23.5TWh of energy a year, of which 70% is delivered to four aluminium smelters in Siberia. It is the largest power plant in Russia and the 9th-largest hydroelectric plant in the world, by average power generation. Plant operated ten hydro turbines manufactured at the Leningradsky Metallichesky Zavod, each of which at 194-metre (636 ft) head. The destruction of the turbines and auxiliary equipment at Russia’s Sayano-Shushenskaya Hydro Power Plant in August 2009 claimed the lives of 75 workers and wrecked an indispensable source of electricity that will take years to fully restore.
The disaster, as this report explains, was predictable and preventable. technicians were operating multiple hydroelectric turbines at the plant, including Unit 2, and plant maintenance work on other equipment was continuing. About 70% of the energy generated by RusHydro goes to United Company Rusal’s aluminum smelters, which produce about 12% of the world’s aluminum. It consists of a solid left-bank dam 246.1 metres long, a power dam 331.8 metres long, a spillway dam 189.6 metres long and a solid right-bank dam 298.5 metres long. The dam supports the Sayano-Shushenskoe reservoir, with a total capacity of 31.34 km3, useful capacity of 15.34 km3 and surface area of 621 km2.

10.Longtan Dam, China

The Longtan hydropower project located on the Hongshui River in Tian’e County, Guangxi, China, is the sixth biggest in Asia. The hydroelectric power station consists of nine Francis 700MW generating units. The Longtan dam is a roller-compacted concrete gravity dam 216.5m in height and 832m in width. The dam is intended for hydroelectric power production, flood control and navigation. The dam contains seven surface spillways, two bottom outlets and an underground power station. This gravity dam more than 700 feet tall, So this is the tallest of its type in the world. The hydroelectric power station consists of 9 power generating units with a capacity of more than 17.3 billion kilowatt hours. This system of valves provides a high quality, reliable solution to the stringent requirements of one of the largest and most advanced hydroelectric generation plants of its kind, ensuring optimal utilization of available natural resources. The project is owned by Longtan Hydropower Development. The dam’s newest hydroelectric turbine was installed in 2009. The design and construction of the dam have applied the state of the art of modern RCC and it also represents the highest level of present RCC construction. After reservoir impoundment, the dam’s operation is normal and presents good performance.

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