THE GREAT 10 LARGEST FISH SPICES LIVING TODAY IN THE WORLD

A fish is an animal which lives and breathes in water. All fish are vertebrates and most breathe through gills and have fins and scales. Fish are cold-blooded, which means their internal body temperature changes as the surrounding temperature changes. The 25,000 known species of fish are divided into three main groups. There are three classes of fish: jawless, cartilaginous, and bony. All fish have a backbone. Fish have been on the earth for more than 500 million years. Fish were well established long before dinosaurs roamed the earth. 40% of all fish species inhabit fresh water, yet less than .01% of the earth’s water is fresh water. Fish have a specialized sense organ called the lateral line which works much like radar and helps them navigate in dark or murky water. Fish have excellent senses of sight, touch, taste and many possess a good sense of smell and ‘hearing’. Fish feel pain and suffer stress just like mammals and birds. Fish eat other fish, fish eggs, mollusks, aquatic plants, algae, zooplankton, terrestrial insects, water birds, turtles, frogs, snakes and mice. Living species range from the primitive jawless lampreys and hagfishes through the cartilaginous sharks, skates, and rays to the abundant and diverse bony fishes. Around 99% of living fish species are ray-finned fish. Fish can communicate in their underwater environments through the use of acoustic communication. Acoustic communication in fish involves the transmission of acoustic signals from one individual of a species to another. It can be found in nearly all aquatic environments, from high mountain streams to the abyssal and even hadal depths of the deepest oceans. Fish are an important resource for humans worldwide, especially as food. Commercial and subsistence fishers hunt fish in wild fisheries or farm them in ponds or in cages in the ocean. Tropical fish are one of the most popular pets in the U.S. The great 10 Largest fish species living today are as follows.

1.Whale Shark

It is also the largest extant non-mammalian vertebrate species on our planet. Whale sharks may grow up to 40 feet and weigh as much as 40 tons by some estimates. The whale shark is found in the warm tropical oceans open waters and can be found in the temperatures of about 68-77° Fahrenheit. Fish are usually covered with scales. They have two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. A fish takes in the oxygen from the water using gills. The whale shark and basking shark exceed all other fish by a considerable margin in weight and length. The Rhincodon typus, which can grow up to 41.5 feet and weigh as much as 21.5 tons, is the biggest fish species living today.

They have broad, flat heads with short snouts and their backs have an interesting white, yellow, and grey checkerboard pattern. These fish can live for up to 70 years. Despite their massive size, the fish are rarely a threat to humans. Whale sharks eat mostly small organisms like plankton, schooling fish, and squid, which they strain from the water as they swim with their meter-long mouths and specialized teeth. They feed mainly on plankton. The species are labelled as an endangered species by the IUCN. Bycatch losses, vessel strikes, low multiplication rate are only some of the factors threatening the future survival of the species. Whale sharks, which give live birth to hundreds of small babies.

2.Basking Shark

The Cetorhinus maximus can attain lengths of about 20 to 26 feet and weigh almost 19 tons, making the species the second biggest extant fish species in the world. It grows upto a maximum length of 45 feet and weight of 10,000 pounds (4.5 metric tons).This migratory shark species is found throughout the temperate oceans of the world. Like the whale shark, it feeds exclusively on planktons. A filter-feeder, the shark feeds near the surface of the water as if it was basking in the sun, hence the name. The basking shark has been labelled as a vulnerable species by the IUCN. The whale shark and basking shark exceed all other fish by a considerable margin in weight and length. It is usually greyish-brown, with mottled skin. It is one of three plankton-eating shark species, along with the whale shark and megamouth shark. They are quite harmless.

They spend most of their time near the surface, swimming with their extraordinarily large mouths open, filtering out their preferred prey, but they may also make deeper, feeding dives. Several countries have given them some or complete legal protection, legal fisheries still exist in other places, and occasionally, basking sharks are captured unintentionally in other fisheries. Basking sharks give birth to only a few, quite large babies. Basking sharks have been observed leaping out of the water, which may be a way of getting rid of parasites. Basking sharks have massive livers that make up 25 percent of their body weight. It is estimated that basking sharks live for about 50 years. Years of heavy commercial exploitation for food, shark liver oil, shark fin and also threats from fishing, bycatch losses, and more have reduced the population of the species.

3.Great White Shark

The great white shark is the world’s largest known predatory fish. It has 300 teeth, yet does not chew its food. The Carcharodon carcharias is found in the coastal waters of all the oceans where water temperature ranges between 12 and 24 °C. Most shark-related attacks on humans are associated with this shark species since it lives in coastal areas where encounters with humans are more frequent. However, humans are not the preferred prey of this species but still unprovoked attacks by the great white are quite common. Great white sharks can be found throughout the world’s oceans, mostly in cool waters close to the coast. These super swimmers are the largest predatory fish (fish that eat other fish or animals) on our planet. Some specimens of the species have been found to be 20 feet long and weigh about 3.3 tons. Generally, however, individuals are about 13 feet in length. The great white shark can live for over 70 years. The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the great white. These fish feed on a variety of prey species including the seabirds. Larger white sharks will also prey on sea lions, seals, and small toothed whales like orcas.

The great white shark is the apex predator in its ecosystem but occasionally killer whales are known to kill these sharks. The great white shark is also a vulnerable species subjected to the same threats as the species mentioned above. Great white sharks can swim at speeds of 25 km/hr (16 mph) for short bursts and to depths of 1,200 m (3,900 ft). ‘Great white shark’ is the most commonly used variant among common people, likely because the addition of the word “great” stresses the size of the species. The great white shark was one of the species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, in which it was identified as an amphibian. He assigned the scientific name Squalus carcharias, Squalus being the genus that he placed all sharks in. By the 1810s, it was recognized that the shark should be placed in a new genus, but it was not until 1838 when Sir Andrew Smith coined the name Carcharodon as the new genus. Great white sharks are grey with a white underbelly, from where they get their name. They have a streamlined shape and powerful tails. They can even leave the water completely, breaching like whales when attacking prey from underneath. Of the 100-plus annual shark attacks worldwide, a third to a half are attributed to great white sharks.

  1. Tiger Shark

The Galeocerdo cuvier or the “Sea Tiger” is the fourth largest fish species living today. It can attain a length of more than 16 ft and weigh around 3 tons. Tiger sharks can grow up to 18 feet (5.5 m) long. The populations of this species are widely distributed in the tropical and temperate oceans with larger populations living around the islands in the central Pacific Ocean. It is often called the man-eater shark. Tiger shark teeth are unique with very sharp, pronounced serrations and an unmistakable sideways-pointing tip. They play an important role in ecosystem function.
Younger sharks exhibit black tiger-like stripes on the body which disappear with age. These stripes give the species its name. It is notable for having the widest food spectrum of all sharks, with a range of prey that includes crustaceans, fish, seals, birds, squid, turtles, sea snakes, dolphins, and even other smaller sharks.

It also has a reputation as a “garbage eater”. Sadly, the tiger shark is also threatened by human activities that make it a near threatened species on the IUCN Red List. The tiger shark is responsible for the second-highest number of attacks on humans after the great white shark. A tiger shark generally has long fins to provide lift as the shark maneuvers through water, while the long upper tail provides bursts of speed. The skin of a tiger shark can typically range from blue to light green with a white or light-yellow underbelly. Female tiger sharks have anywhere from 10 to 82 embryos and give birth to an average of 30 to 35 pups per litter. Tiger sharks live in shallow, coastal waters, but have been seen 1,150 feet (350 m) deep. The dark stripes on their sides and backs, which is one way they can be distinguished from other shark species. These large, slow-moving sharks live all over the world in sub-tropical waters.

  1. Giant Oceanic Manta Ray

The Manta birostris is a ray species that ranks as the fifth largest fish species in the world. It is therefore the biggest species of ray and can be as big as 23 feet and weigh around 3 tons. These rays live in the tropical and subtropical oceans. Giant manta rays can dive more than 3,280 feet (1,000 m) underwater, but typically feed only 33 feet (10 m) deep. The manta rays feed mainly on plankton and swim alone or in groups with other members of the same species or other marine species. Although the manta ray has few predators in the water, humans are responsible for a steep decline in their population due to irresponsible fishing practices. It is dorsoventrally flattened and has large, triangular pectoral fins on either side of the disc. At the front, it has a pair of cephalic fins which are forward extensions of the pectoral fins. These can be rolled up in a spiral for swimming or can be flared out to channel water into the large, forward-pointing, rectangular mouth when the animal is feeding. It has a small dorsal fin and the tail is long and whip-like.

The manta ray does not have a spiny tail as do the closely related devil rays. The colouring of the dorsal (upper) surface is black, dark brown, or steely blue, sometimes with a few pale spots and usually with a pale edge. The ventral surface is white, sometimes with dark spots and blotches. it has been recorded as far north as southern California and New Jersey in the United States, Aomori Prefecture in Japan, the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, and the Azores in the northern Atlantic. In the Southern Hemisphere, it occurs as far south as Peru, Uruguay, South Africa, and New Zealand. When traveling in deep water, the giant oceanic manta ray swims steadily in a straight line, while further inshore it usually basks or swims. Giant manta rays have one of the lowest fecundity of all elasmobranchs, typically only giving birth to one pup every two to three years. There are reports of giant mantas living to at least 40 years. Giant manta rays have the biggest brains of any fish studied so far. They use that brain power to learn, exercise their memory, distinguish between objects and even recognize themselves in the mirror.

  1. Ocean Sunfish

The Mola mola is the world’s largest living bony fish. Adults of this species weigh around 2.3 tons and can grow up to a maximum length of 10.8 ft. The truth about sunfish is that they are far more amazing, and capable animal. They have no true tail, and instead look like a fish that has been cut in half. Due to their unique shape, the fish can attain a height equivalent to their length. These fish inhabit the world’s tropical and temperate oceans. Although they have few natural predators, they are subjected to great threats due to human activities like fishing. Thus, the IUCN has labelled the species as vulnerable. They feed on massive quantities of sea jelly. Sunfish are consumed largely small fishes, fish larvae, squid, and crustaceans.

Its scientific name, mola, is Latin for “millstone”, which the fish resembles because of its grey color, rough texture, and rounded body. They are a silvery color and have a rough skin texture. Their teeth are fused into a beak-like structure, and they are unable to fully close their relatively small mouths. Its common English name, sunfish, refers to the animal’s habit of sunbathing at the surface of the water. This family comprises three genera: Masturus, Mola and Ranzania. Unlike most fish, the sunfish swings its dorsal fin and anal fin in a characteristic sculling motion. Ocean sunfish use their dorsal and anal fins as a primary means to move. Sometimes ocean sunfish swim along the ocean surface. They are commonly observed off the coast of Southern California, Indonesia, the British Isles, Southern coast of Africa the Northern and Southern Isles of New Zealand. Females of the species can produce more eggs than any other known vertebrate, up to 300,000,000 at a time.

7.Sharptail Mola

The Masturus lanceolatus is a mola species that lives in the world’s tropical and temperate marine waters. It is similar in appearance to the ocean sunfish , but can be distinguished by the projection on its clavus . It has an oval body with an evenly convex forehead profile. Their skin is covered with small dermal denticles that are finer than those of the ocean sunfish. The sharptail mola (Masturus lanceolatus) is also very large. Molas have a distinctive bullet-shaped appearance, with a short body that ends abruptly in a thick rudder like structure called a clavus just behind the tall triangular dorsal and anal fins. Since the species is elusive in nature, it is rarely sighted and hence little understood. The fish can attain a length of about 11 feet and weigh as much as 2 tons.

The sharptail mola feeds on a wide variety of species including annelids, sponges, fishes, etc. Molas are the largest of the bony fishes, and they are separated into three genera: Mola, Masturus, and Ranzania. It has recently become important to commercial fisheries operating off eastern Taiwan. This species is the only member of its genus. During the day, they spend most of their time in depths of 5-200 meters (16–656 feet), preferring water temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius, but making frequent dives in cool, deep waters, perhaps to avoid feeding or hunting. Their skin is covered with a small dermal denticle which is finer than the sea sunflower. Sharptail mola’s swim mode is just like any other sea sunfish, it uses the long surface and the scaling speed of anus to propel itself through the water.

  1. Hoodwinker Sunfish

The Mola tecta have been recently discovered and hence little is known about its behavior. However, it is ranked as one of the biggest fish species known to us. The hoodwinker sunfish is a congener of the more widely known ocean sunfish, Mola mola. It has a smooth body shape, no bump and has a maximum length of 242cm (about 7.9 feet). It is closely related to the more widely known ocean sunfish. The fish is found in the oceanic waters of the Southern Hemisphere where it preys on salps. These are mostly discovered in the temperate region of Southern Hemisphere in the water near Australia, New Zealand Southern Chile and Southern Africa. It does not have spines in its fins nor real caudal fin. Compared to other Mola species, Mola tecta is slimmer, has a sleeker adult body shape and lacks a protruding snout and lumps along the tail fin.

It reaches up to three meters in length and weighing up to two tonnes (2.0 long tons; 2.2 short tons). The hoodwinker sunfish was the first new species of sunfish . They have attracted interest for centuries because of their unique shape and large size. These beautiful giants Mola tecta can be identified from its rounded clavus edge with indent, 15-17 clavus fin rays and its body scales are raised conical midpoints. Mola tecta, the hoodwinker sunfish is a deep-sea fish with gigantic body size. Discovered on a beach near Christchurch, New Zealand in 2015, Mola tecta, the hoodwinker sunfish is the first species to identify sunfish in 130 years. Mola tecta are found mostly in equatorial regions of the Southern Hemisphere in waters close to Australia, New Zealand, southern Chile, and South Africa. It was first described by Marine Naigard, a sea scientist. Mole tech is hard to study because they are hard to find and their huge size makes them difficult to store.

  1. Beluga Sturgeon

A critically endangered species, the Huso huso belongs to the sturgeon family. The beluga sturgeon is one of the only species of sturgeons that actively eats other fishes and is one of the largest predatory fishes on Earth. The common name for the sturgeon, as for the unrelated beluga whale, is derived from the Russian word, meaning “white”, probably referring to the extensive pale colour on the flanks and belly in beluga compared to other sturgeons. It has elongated body, heterocercal tail, partially cartilaginous skeleton, naked skin, longitudinal series of scutes. The habitat of the fish is restricted to the Black, Caspian and Adriatic Seas. Humans have heavily exploited this species for the beluga caviar, a highly-priced delicacy. The unregulated fishing of this species and poaching activities have severely reduced the populations of this fish leading to an urgent need to protect the species from commercial exploitation.

The fish is also a late-maturing species with a long lifespan. It migrates upstream in rivers for laying eggs. Other fish and rarely waterfowl constitutes its prey base. The largest known specimen of the beluga sturgeon has been found to be 23.6 ft long and weigh 1,571 kg. Heavily fished for the female’s valuable roe, known as beluga caviar, wild populations have been greatly reduced by overfishing and poaching. The sturgeons are a very old group of fishes (over 200 million years old) and make up one of the most primitive lineages of bony fishes. beluga sturgeon produce millions of eggs. The amount of eggs that a single beluga sturgeon can produce makes this species the most valuable fish in the world to fishers. That value may be the beluga sturgeon’s doom. When preparing to spawn upriver, the beluga sturgeon is easy to capture, by harpoon or in nets. The largest of all sturgeon species is the most prestigious of all due to its caviar, once the most expensive food product in the world.

  1. Reef Manta Ray

The Manta alfredi is the second biggest species of ray and the tenth biggest fish species living in the world today. It is one of the largest rays in the world. The fish is generally found in the tropical and subtropical marine waters but are absent in the East Pacific and the West Atlantic. The fish can weigh as much as 1.4 tons and attain lengths of up to 5.5 m. It primarily consumes zooplankton and is a filter-feeder. Although it is rarely predated upon due to its considerable size and high speed, human activities like overfishing have adversely impacted populations of this species. The reef manta ray is thus a Vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. The reef manta ray has a pelagic lifestyle and feeds by filtering sea water in order to catch zooplankton. Research indicates that mantas probably may live to at least 50 years old.

The Reef Manta Ray (Mobula alfredi) is one of the largest and most iconic marine species. Because Reef Manta Rays frequent relatively shallow waters along the coastal reefs of continents and oceanic islands, they are more commonly encountered by divers and snorkellers than their Oceanic Manta Ray cousins. Large, flat and oddly shaped, these fish are named for their unique appearance, ‘Manta’ meaning blanket or cloak in Spanish. Sporting famously long pectoral fins, these iconic creatures can be spotted in numerous regions of the Great Barrier Reef. Feeding on krill and zooplankton, they are often seen forming long chains and swimming in circles to create a spiral effect, catching food in their wake.

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THE GREAT 10 LARGEST HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO NET PREMIUM WRITTEN(NPW) AND NON-BANKING ASSETS

Health insurance is an insurance product which covers medical and surgical expenses of an insured individual. It reimburses the expenses incurred due to illness or injury or pays the care provider of the insured individual directly. Health insurance is an insurance that covers the whole or a part of the risk of a person. By estimating the overall risk of health risk and health system expenses over the risk pool, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to provide the money to pay for the health care benefits specified in the insurance agreement. The benefit is administered by a central organization such as a government agency, private business, or not-for-profit entity. There are two basic types of health insurance: 1.Mediclaim Plans, 2. Critical Illness Insurance Plans. Medicare or medical costs are rising year on year. As a matter of fact, inflation in medicare is higher than inflation in food and other articles. While inflation in food and clothing is in single digits, medicare costs usually escalate in double digits. One way to provide for medical emergencies is by taking health insurance. Health insurance offers considerable flexibility in terms of disease / ailment coverage.  With health insurance, you are assured of a more secure future both health-wise and money-wise. This makes health insurance policies critical for individuals, especially if they are responsible for the financial well-being of the family. The Great 10 largest Health insurance companies in the world, by net premiums written (NPW) and non-banking assets in the year 2018.

1.UnitedHealth Group Incorporation- United States

UnitedHealth Group Incorporation is an American for-profit managed health care company based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. This brand was created in 2011 as the company’s health services business. UnitedHealth Group incorporated on July 1, 2015, is a health and well-being company. The Company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, OptumHealth, OptumInsight and OptumRx. Among the middlemen tasked with making today’s healthcare efficient and cost-effective is UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH), the world’s largest healthcare company by revenue. Primarily an insurer, UnitedHealth Group claims over 130 million customers worldwide. It offers health care products and insurance services. It is the largest healthcare company in the world by revenue, with 2019 revenue of $242.2 billion.  No one plans to fall ill or get hurt, but a serious illness can strike anyone at any time. The cost of treating the illness can cause severe financial strain on the savings you have accumulated over time. It provides health and well-being services to individuals age 65 and older. UnitedHealthcare Global – serves 6.2 million people with medical benefits, residing principally in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru but also in more than 130 other countries. Net Premium Written is US $178,087,000.

2.AXA S.A.-France

AXA is a French multinational insurance firm headquartered in Paris that engages in global insurance, investment management and other financial services. Axa S.A. is a French multinational insurance firm headquartered in the 8th arrondissement of Paris that engages in global insurance, investment management, and other financial services. The Axa Group operates primarily in Western Europe, North America, the India Pacific region, and the Middle East, with a presence also in Africa. Axa is a conglomerate of independently run businesses, operated according to the laws and regulations of many different countries. The company was founded in 1816 as Mutuelle de L’assurance contre L’incendie. The firm adopted the Axa name in 1985. AXA SA (AXA), incorporated on February 20, 1985, is a holding company engaged in the business of financial protection. The Company’s segments include Life & Savings, Property & Casualty, International Insurance, Asset Management, Banking and Holding companies.

AXA operates primarily in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific Region and in other regions, including the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. AXA offers a range of Life & Savings products, including Individual and group savings products, as well as Life and Health products for both individual and commercial clients. The Company’s International Insurance Segment operations are focused on risks, reinsurance and assistance. AXA Corporate Solutions Assurance is the Company’s subsidiary engaged in large corporations in terms of property and casualty, loss prevention, risk management, underwriting and claims handling and to specialty markets across the world. The operations in the Banking segment are conducted primarily in Belgium, France and Germany. AXA Bank’s products and offers are linked with insurance business and are focused on retail products. AXA Banque has approximately 715,000 registered customers, with a retail banking product offer.  Net Premium Written is US $103,033,468 in the year 2018.

3.Ping An Ins (Group) Co of China Ltd.-China

Ping An Insurance also known as Ping An of China and the company’s name Ping An translates to “safe and well”. over 204 million retail customers and 534 million Internet users, Ping An is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. Ping An Life, through its nationwide service network of over 40 branches, including approximately six telemarketing centers, and over 3,000 business outlets, provides individual customers and institutional clients with life insurance products. With The company has 236,000 employees and 635,000 insurance agents. China Ping An Insurance  Company Limited  also offers property and casualty insurance service in the Hong Kong market.  Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd., incorporated on March 21, 1988, is a personal financial services provider. The Company provides insurance, banking, investment, and Internet finance products and services.

The Company operates through six segments: life insurance, property and casualty insurance, banking, trust, securities and corporate. The life insurance segment offers a range of life insurance products to individual and corporate customers, including term, whole-life, endowment, annuity, investment-linked, universal life and healthcare insurance. The property and casualty insurance segment offers a range of insurance products to individual and corporate customers, including automobile insurance, non-automobile insurance, and accident and health insurance. The banking segment undertakes loan and intermediary businesses with corporate customers and retail business, as well as wealth management and credit card services with individual customers. The trust segment provides trust services and undertakes investing activities. The securities segment undertakes brokerage, trading, investment banking and asset management services. The corporate segment includes the management and support of the Company’s business through its strategy, risk, treasury, finance, legal and human resources functions, among others. Ping An stands out among Chinese financial institutions for its aggressive acceptance of foreign capital.  The company is considered to be China’s biggest insurer, with US$107 billion in gross premium income in 2018. Its market capitalization is at US$220 billion in July 2019. These business segments contributed 69%, 15%, 11%, 6%, and 2% of the company’s net profit, respectively, in 2019.

4. China Life Insurance (Group) Company- China

The company is a life insurance company established in Beijing, China on 30 June, 2003. China Life Insurance also handles non-life insurance products. China Life Insurance (Overseas) Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of China Life Insurance (Group) Company which is the largest state-owned financial insurance corporation in China, is the strategic headquarter for overseas business development of the parent company. The parent company has been taking firm strides to develop modern insurance services and realize the “China Life Dream” of becoming a premier international financial insurance group.  And with strong support from the parent company, China Life Insurance Company Limited has already built business networks in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Indonesia. The primary focus of the Company is the enhancement of profits and creation of value through organic growth as well as mergers and acquisitions.

China Life Insurance Company Limited  is a Beijing-headquartered China-incorporated company that provides life insurance and annuity products. With 70% state-ownership, China Life is the biggest life insurer in China in terms of total assets, but has experienced economic difficulty in the past years. China’s insurance market has attracted dozens of new competitors after the Chinese government liberalized. It also provides both individual and group accident and short-term health insurance policies and services. It has more than 300 million individual and group policies in force. China Life sells its individual products primarily through its own network, comprised of exclusive agents, direct sales representatives, and dedicated and non-dedicated agencies. In addition to life insurance, the company provides asset management services and health and accident insurance. Net Premium Written is US $ 92,360,557 in the year 2018.

5. Kaiser Foundation Group of Health Plans- United States

Kaiser Permanente is an American integrated managed care consortium, based in Oakland, California, United States, founded in 1945. Kaiser has an integrated care model, offering both hospital and physician care through a network of hospitals and physician practices operating under the Kaiser Permanente name. Kaiser Permanente operates in eight states like Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia and the District of Columbia, and is the largest managed care organization in the United States. Each entity of Kaiser Permanente has its own management and governance structure, although all of the structures are interdependent and cooperative to a great extent.  Kaiser Permanente is one of the largest nonprofit healthcare plans in the United States. 

As of 2019, Kaiser Permanente had 12.2 million health plan members, 218,297 employees, 22,914 physicians, 59,127 nurses, 39 medical centers, and 706 medical facilities. The Permanente Medical Groups, which provide care for Kaiser Permanente members, continuously develop and refine medical practices to help ensure that care is delivered in the most efficient and effective manner possible.  Each Permanente Medical Group operates as a separate for-profit partnership or professional corporation in its individual territory, and while none publicly reports its financial results, each is primarily funded by reimbursements from its respective regional Kaiser Foundation Health Plan entity. KFHP is one of the largest not-for-profit organizations in the United States. Net Premium Written is US $ 92,054,688 in the year 2018.

6. Anthem, Inc. – United States

Anthem, Inc., incorporated on July 17, 2001, is a health benefits company. Anthem is a leading health benefits company dedicated to improving lives and communities, and making healthcare simpler. The Company operates through three segments: Commercial and Specialty Business, Government Business and Other. It is the largest for-profit managed health care company in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The company was formed by the 2004 merger of WellPoint. Through its affiliated companies, Anthem serves more than 106 million people, including 42 million within its family of health plans.  Anthem companies serve members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; and as the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensees for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Anthem Inc.’s also serve customers in many states across U.S. The company operates as Anthem Blue Cross in California, where it has about 800,000 customers and is the largest health insurer. It operates as Empire BlueCross BlueShield in New York State and as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in 10 states. There may be times when we use other companies to give our members and providers certain types of services, like Utilization Management or Case Management. It would always make sure that it was approved by law and allowed by our contracts beforehand.

Radiant Services, LLC may be part of the approval process for care you receive. Whether Radiant is involved or not, the process is the same. Radiant has some staff outside the United States. They want to help you get access to quality, efficient care that is backed by scientific research. Its managed care plans include preferred provider organizations (PPOs); health maintenance organizations (HMOs); point-of-service (POS), plans; indemnity plans and other hybrid plans, including consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs); and hospital only and limited benefit products. In addition, it provides an array of managed care services to self-funded customers, including claims processing, underwriting, stop loss insurance, actual services, provider network access, medical cost management, disease management, wellness programs and other administrative services. It provides an array of specialty and other insurance products and services, such as dental, vision, life and disability insurance benefits, radiology benefit management and analytics-driven personal healthcare. It also provides services to the federal government in connection with the Federal Employee Program (FEP). Net Premium Written is US $85,048,000 in the year 2018. provides non-BCBS plans under the Unicare, Amerigroup, CareMore, Simply Healthcare, HealthSun, HealthLink, and other brands in more than 25 states. Plans include PPO, HMO, POS, indemnity, and hybrid plans offered to employers, individuals, and Medicare and Medicaid recipients.

7. Allianz SE- Germany

Allianz SE is the holding company of the Allianz Group. Allianz SE operates in the field of reinsurance, providing reinsurance protection for Allianz Group companies, in particular. Allianz, headquartered in Munich, is a German financial services company operating mainly in the insurance and asset management sectors globally. As of December 31, 2019, Allianz SE employed 1,673 people. Besides Allianz SE, the Allianz Group comprises subsidiaries with over 147,000 employees in more than 70 countries. With revenues reaching approximately 127 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, it was the third largest insurance company worldwide.  Allianz has more than 85 million customers worldwide and its services include property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance and asset management. Allianz operates through Allianz Belgium, previously AGF Belgium which has been re-branded to Allianz Belgium in November 2007.

The Life or Health segment offers a range of life and health insurance products on both an individual and a group basis.  Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing over 650 billion euros on behalf of its insurance customers while our asset managers Allianz Global Investors and PIMCO manage an additional 1.4 trillion euros of third-party assets. It runs the Asset Management business out of two distinct investment management businesses, PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors (AllianzGI). Both units operate under Allianz Asset Management (AAM). Particular strongholds include the United States, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the Asia-Pacific region. Net Premium Written  is US $83,203,137 in the year 2018.

8. Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. – Italy

Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. or simply Generali Group is an Italian insurance company based in Trieste.  It is the largest of its kind in Italy and among top 10 in the world.  Assicurazioni Generali Austro-Italiche, the company was founded on December 26, 1831. The company grew in importance, becoming one of the largest insurance operators both in Italy and in Central Europe.  The Group operates through three segments: Life, Non Life, and Holding and other business. The Life segment include saving and protection products, both individual and for families, as well as products with investments purposes for companies. The Non-life segment provides various insurance products related to casualty, accident, health, and company plans. The Holding and other business segment includes non insurance assets, mostly banking and asset management activities. The Company is active globally.  Generali’s major competitors at international level are AXA, Allianz and Zurich. Besides them, there are companies competing at local and regional level in various countries and markets.  Today Generali operates primarily in Europe, Middle East and East Asia, with large market shares in Italy, Poland, Hungary, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia, The Netherlands, Croatia, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Romania, Israel, Japan, China and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with secondary operations in Latin America.

In India the company is represented by Future Generali, a joint venture of Future group and Assicurazioni Generali. It provides both life and property or casualty insurance. The Non-Life business is known as Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited. The Life business is known as Future Generali India Life Insurance Company Limited. Main Subsidiaries of the group includes, in Italy: Genertellife, Alleanza Assicurazioni, Generali Italia and Banca Generali. Generali confirms its leadership position in the Italian insurance market with an overall share of 16.2% as it can rely on a complete range of insurance solutions for its clients in both the Life and P&C segments. During 2019, Generali Italia continued to implement its simplification programme with the goal to improve the customer experience by simplifying the relationship between customers and agents for the entire process by providing more and more accessible and innovative services. The Group’s global initiative for the society, Generali Italia launched Ora di Futuro. Net Premium Written  is US $72,617,727 in the year 2018.

9. State Farm Group – United States

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent company of several affiliates and subsidiaries that provide property and life insurance, banking products, and mutual funds.  It was founded in 1922. It is also the largest auto insurance provider in the United States. Approximately it has  59,000 employees and it consists of  84M policies and accounts in force in the U.S. as of December 2019. About 60% of State Farm households have more than one product. In 2019, Fire and Auto Claims handled about 22,000 claims per day. Through its two life insurance affiliates, State Farm Life was the second largest U.S. ordinary individual life insurer based on policies in force according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.  State Farm offers about 100 products with approximately 19,200 agents.

The group’s parent company is State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, which is a mutual insurance company based in Bloomington, Illinois.  State Farm is best known for offering property and casualty (P&C) insurance products, especially in personal lines. It offers life and health insurance, annuities, mutual funds and banking products.  Nearly 867,000 policies were there in health. Net Premium Written is US $70,832,964 in the year 2018.  In 2019, the insurer announced personal auto insurance rate reductions in multiple states including: Arizona, Louisiana and South Carolina.

10. People’s Insurance Company (Group) of China Ltd.- China

The People’s Insurance Company (Group) of China Limited (abbreviated as PICC Group or PICC) is the first nationwide insurance company in China and has developed into a leading large-scale integrated insurance financial group in the People’s Republic of China. It was founded in October 1949 and headquartered in Beijing.  The Company is mainly engaged in property insurance, health insurance, life insurance, reinsurance, Hong Kong insurance, pension insurance and operating insurance business.  The group provides insurance products for accident, universal life, general life, family property, travel, auto, health, personal credit loan guarantee and performance guarantee. It also offers cargo insurance, credit guarantee insurance, special risk insurance, engineering insurance, employer liability insurance, export product liability insurance, safety production liability insurance, government rescue insurance and technological equipment insurance.  The Chinese Central Government is the controlling shareholder.

On December 7th 2012, PICC Group successfully completed its IPO on Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which was China’s first group listing of state-owned financial insurance conglomerate.  In 1996, it became a holding company, as People’s Insurance Company  of China  Three subsidiaries were formed, as property insurer, life insurer and reinsurer respectively. PICC has branch offices in London and New York as well as in the cities and towns of China. PICC Health was a joint venture with German insurer DKV  and other investors. The Life Insurance covers personal, personal insurance products-wealth management, groups, banks, and e-commerce platform online insurance. Health Insurance is a form of insurance that provides coverage or financial security for the medical expenses incurred by the policyholder. Based on the chosen health insurance plan, the policyholder gets coverage for hospitalization, day-care facility, treatment costs for listed diseases, surgical expenses along with reimbursement of the acquired expenses. Net Premium Written is US $68,204,489 in the year 2018.

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THE 10 GREAT LARGEST SMARTPHONE BRANDS IN THE WORLD

The worldwide smartphone industry is enormous and growing expeditiously . Smartphones have revolutionized our day to day lives. Consumer preference is dynamically evolving as new technologies are sprouting up every day, bringing the latest styles, innovation, and features in the spectrum. Smartphones are said to curtail stress in busy work life. Smartphone use boosts and improves your brain’s functioning, helping to stay energetic and bustling. Smartphones have become a high-priority for our lives in less than two decades, and their craze and obsession are increasing day after day. Top mobile brands are indulging in extensive research and development in high-resolution cameras, design, processors, stylish look, and accessories, paying attention to the consumers’ needs. Today, customers can choose from a wide range of smartphones available in the market. The leading global players have a firm hold on the market, such as Apple, Samsung, Oppo, and Vivo. Some of these top brands also include Huawei, LG, followed by ZTE and Lenovo.

1.Samsung

South Korean tech giant Samsung topped the global smartphone market with 47% quarter-on-quarter and 2% year-on-year. Samsung is a global leader in the smartphone industry, as it consistently strives to enhance product capabilities through its extensive R&D. Samsung has expanded its product portfolio for affordably priced smartphones to high-end mobile phones to suit everybody’s needs. The company currently holds 1st ranking in the Top Best smartphone Brands, with more than 219.5 million annual sales. Out of all other smartphone brands, Samsung has managed to prevail in the list of top-selling phones in Europe. It’s a very reliable brand. Samsung smartphones are built with a perfect combination of cost-efficiency, performance, and accuracy. This brand’s latest technology and features make it the most demanding and trusted brand in the world. Popular Samsung mobile phone and smartphone models are Samsung Galaxy S20, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S11, Galaxy Note9, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note10+, Galaxy S9+, Galaxy S9, Galaxy Note8, Galaxy Fold, Samsung Galaxy Fold 2, Galaxy M31, Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung Galaxy M21, Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite, Samsung Galaxy A71 5G, Galaxy A90, and Samsung Galaxy M40.

Samsung is known for its Samsung Galaxy smartphone range, and the flagship products of Samsung are Samsung Galaxy S7 edge+ and Galaxy Note 7. Recently, Samsung developed the unique Tizen OS for its smartphones as an alternative to its Android smartphones. For its latest launch of Galaxy S9, Samsung also partnered with Audio companies such as AKG and Dolby, offering a high-quality sound experience. Samsung’s market share accounted for approximately 20%, making it one of the top mobile phone brands. Units Shipped: 315 million, Profit: USD 18,947 million, Sales: USD 170,625 million

  1. Apple

Apple Inc. is an American Multinational Company that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services. It was the first company to launch the world’s first smartphone brands by the iPhone’s name using its operating system named iOS. Apple has a large customer base as it offers products that have superior design and features, which have become more of an aspirational brand for people worldwide. Apple has a global footprint in around 22 countries with 499 retail stores. The company is known for its high specifications and stylish, simple iPhone that is the signature product of Apple. Apple released its first-generation iPhone in 2007. The company holds 2rd ranking in the Top 10 Best Mobile Phone Brands in the world. The new generation of iPhone has advanced three-lens cameras with the most powerful and smartest chip ever in any smartphone.
Best Apple iPhone models are iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple iPhone 12, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone SE.
Units Shipped: 215 million, Profit: USD 48,351 million, Sales: USD 229,234 million

  1. Huawei

The Chinese telecommunications company has been manufacturing mobile phones since 1997. It is also the largest telecom infrastructure maker in the world. The company also makes Android smartphones and tablets. Recently it has stepped into the smartwatch market with an Android Wear based device. It is another one of the big smartphone manufacturers from China. The smartphone was launched in 23rd December 2020. The phone comes with a 6.67-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1080 pixels by 2400 pixels. The Huawei Enjoy 20 SE is powered by octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 710A processor and it comes with 4GB of RAM. Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. is a Chinese multinational technology company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong. It designs, develops, and sells telecommunications equipment and consumer electronics. Huawei has over 194,000 employees as of December 2019. Over 75,000 Huawei employees are in R&D. Huawei has deployed its products and services in more than 170 countries. Huawei has partnered with approximately 80% of the world’s top telecommunications companies. Huawei has one of the best innovation centers across the globe. In 2016, Huawei invested 14% of its revenue in R&D. Huawei operates in more than 170 countries and is also expected to develop its own operating system, which shows its strong potential in the mobile market. In March 2018, Huawei released the much-anticipated smartphone models called HUAWEI P20 and HUAWEI P20 Pro, which has the world’s first Leica triple camera. These innovations have enabled Huawei to establish itself as a top global mobile phone brand, with setting high expectations for smartphone photography.
Units Shipped: 152 million, Profit: USD 6,890 million, Sales: USD 87,646 million

4.Oppo

Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd, commonly referred to as OPPO, is a Chinese consumer electronics and mobile communications company knew for its smartphones, Blu-ray players, and other electronic devices. OPPO was the top smartphone brand in China in 2016. currently, the company holds 4th ranking in the Top 10 Mobile Phone Brands in the World. Oppo and Vivo are sister brands owned by the very same parent company Guangdong. Oppo is a subsidiary and part of BBK Electronics Corporation and Vivo, Realme, and OnePlus. Oppo’s sales went up by 80% at 21,524.6 crores in 2018-2019. Over the years, Oppo has launched a wide range of smartphones ranging from the low segment to targeting the affluent customer segments. Oppo has created a strong brand presence despite being a late entrant in the smartphone market. However, smart marketing campaigns and branding, along with high product quality, have made Oppo one of the top mobile phone brands in 2020.
In 2017, Oppo became the official sponsor of the Indian Cricket Team, giving the brand massive credibility and attention. The company in India has engaged with Bollywood actors who became the face of the brand. Apart from this, Oppo has a reliable distribution network that covers more than 200,000 retailers in India itself, and more across the globe. Popular Oppo Mobile Phone and Smartphone models are Oppo A31, Oppo F15, Oppo A5, Oppo A9, Oppo Reno2, Oppo F7, Oppo F5, Oppo F3, Oppo A71, Oppo F5 Youth, Oppo A83, Oppo F9 Pro, Oppo F11 Pro, and Oppo F9.
Units Shipped: 111 million, Profit: USD 1,400 million, Sales: USD 60,000 million

5.Vivo

Vivo Communication Technology Co. Ltd. is a Chinese Technology Company owned by BBK Electronics that designs and manufactures smartphones and smartphone accessories in China, software, and online services. BBK Electronics also owns Oppo, Realme, and One plus. Vivo entered the telecommunication and consumer electronics industry with landline phones and wireless phones. In 2011, Vivo started its smartphone business. In 2015, it became one of the Top 10 Mobile Phone Brands with a 2.7% share that gradually increased. Vivo entered the mobile phone market within half quarter of 2017 with a global market share of 10.7%. Celebrity endorsements, brilliant advertising, and sponsorships have propelled the brand to compete with Samsung, Apple, and Oppo. Popular Vivo Mobile phone and smartphone models are Vivo Z1x, Vivo V17 Pro, Vivo S1 Pro, Vivo V17, Vivo Z1 Pro, Vivo S1, Vivo U20, Vivo V15, Vivo U10, and Vivo Y11 2019. The company presently holds 6th ranking in the Top 10 Best Mobile Phone Brands globally, with a 7.2% market share and 103 million units. Vivo recently launched its V9 mobile range that is identical to Apple’s iPhone X with its notch display. Hence, Vivo became the first Android mobile phone company to launch phones that features a notch display like that of Apple’s iPhone X.
Units Shipped: 95 million, Profit: USD 1,125 million, Sales: USD 46,484 million

  1. Xiaomi

Xiaomi is a Chinese Multinational Company. Xiaomi is the 6th largest smartphone manufacturer in the world. Xiaomi’s flagship brands are the Redmi and Mi series, which have gained popularity and trust of millions of consumers. Xiaomi has created its brand value as it continues to focus on innovation and the latest technology. It makes and invests in smartphones, mobile apps, laptops, bags, trimmers, earphones, shoes, MI Televisions, fitness bands, and many other products. Its logo, “MI,” stands for “Mobile Internet.” It also has different meanings, including “Mission Impossible” because Xiaomi faced many challenges that had seemed impossible to deft in the early days. The company has its presence in India, China, Brazil, Singapore, Turkey, and Asian nation with its exclusive Mi and Redmi Series smartphones. Xiaomi’s shipments of smartphones were approximately 90 million in 2017 and have been able to grab a spot in the top 10 smartphone companies in the world. popular Xiaomi Mobile phone and smartphone models are Xiaomi Mi 9, Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro, Xiaomi Mi Mix 3, Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro, Xiaomi Pocophone F1, Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 8, Xiaomi Mi Mix 25, Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite, Xiaomi Mi A2, Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite and Xiaomi Mi Note 3.

Units Shipped: 95 million, Profit: USD 1,000 million, Sales: USD 17,000 million

  1. LG

LG Corporation, formerly Lucky-Goldstar, is a South Korean multinational companyand is Founded in Seoul in the year 1958. It is the fourth-largest chaebol in South Korea. The company associates the letters LG with the company’s tagline “Life’s Good.” LG makes electronics, chemicals, and telecom products. The company is known for its flagship G series of smartphones and a wide range of products, including smart TVs. At present, the company holds rank 7th among the Top 10 Mobile Phone Brands globally, and it didn’t achieve excellent performance in many countries. LG’s smartphone business recorded revenues of $1.12 billion in Q4 2019. LG has been a known brand name in refrigerators and air-conditioners. The smartphone was launched in 9th November 2020. The phone comes with a 6.52-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 720 pixels by 1600 pixels. LG Android phones may not be as popular as the likes of Samsung and Google, LG continues to kick out quality phones year after year. But LG’s smartphone range has woo-ed over the consumers with their brilliant Android features. LG’s premium smartphone models include the K-series, G-series, LG Tribute, Flex, and Nexus. Popular LG mobile phone and smartphone models are LG W10 Alpha, LG K41S, LGK51S, LGK61, LG V502 ThinQ 5G, LG G8X ThinQ, LG Q70, LG Stylo 5, LG W10, LG G7 Plus ThinQ, LGV30 Plus, and many more. These smartphones have highly-advanced camera features, high-speed autofocus, and noise reduction for better calling and photography. LG’s latest mobile launch is the W31+.
Units Shipped: 55 million, Profit: USD 110 million, Sales: USD 46,800 million

  1. Lenovo

Lenova Founded in Beijing in 1984, Lenovo acquired IBM’s PC business in 2005, and first became the world’s top PC maker in 2013. It entered the Android and Windows tablet market in 2011, began selling Android smartphones in 2012. Lenovo Group Limited, often shortened to Lenovo, is a Chinese multinational company. The company manufactures and sells personal computers, tablets, smartphones, servers, electronic storage devices, etc. Lenovo couldn’t maintain its position in the smartphone market, and currently, the company holds 8th rank in the Top 10 Best Mobile Phone Brands in the world. Despite the increase of units sold by Lenovo, it lost its global participation. The company has also launched an online-only sub-brand for smartphones called Zuk in China. Lenovo has implemented an aggressive strategy to replace Samsung as mainland China’s top smartphone manufacturer. It spent $793.5 million in Wuhan to build a plant that can produce 30 to 40 million phones per year. Over the years, Lenovo has made a global presence in 160 countries and has grown to become one of the top global mobile companies. Lenovo’s Tango smartphones have unique sensors that are able to track motion and measure the contours of a room; also, it can measure interiors of apartments and buildings by using augmented reality features.

Some of the popular smartphones by Lenovo are P, K and A series, Zuk Series, and VIBE. Lenovo also launched the Moto Z models that live up to its tagline, “Different is better.” Popular Lenovo, mobile phone and smartphone models are Lenovo Z2 Plus, Lenovo P2, Lenovo K6 Power, Lenovo Vibe K5 Note, Lenovo Vibe K5, Lenovo A5, Lenovo Z5, Lenovo Z5 Pro, Lenovo Z5 Pro GT, and Lenovo Z5s.
Units Shipped: 50 million, Profit: USD 535 million, Sales: USD 43,035 million

  1. ZTE

Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment Corporation is a Chinese multinational telecommunications equipment and systems company. The company has made several Android smartphones and tablets. While the company mainly sells products under the ZTE brand, it is also an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). It was founded in 1985 and it is listed on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. By 2009, the company had become the third-largest vendor of GSM telecom equipment worldwide, and about 20% of all GSM gear sold throughout the world that year was ZTE branded. In 2011 it holds around 7% of the key LTE patents and that same year launched the world’s first smartphone with dual GPS/GLONASS navigation, MTS 945. With intelligent marketing, an extensive distribution chain, and smart advertising, ZTE has made its presence in approximately 140 countries. Some of these devices can actually be classified as “underrated” as they didn’t make it out of China, got little attention when they were announced, or were overshadowed by other phones.
ZTE’s latest mobile launch is the Blade V2021 5G. The smartphone was launched in 2nd December 2020. The phone comes with a 6.52-inch touchscreen display. ZTE is famous for its smartphones, affordable mobile phones, tablets, etc. along with various network and telecommunication equipment. Units Shipped: 45 million, Profit: USD 719 million, Sales: USD 17,123 million

  1. Alcatel Lucent

Alcatel Lucent is a French brand of mobile handsets owned by Finnish consumer electronics company Nokia and used under license by Chinese electronics company TCL Technology. The Alcatel brand was licensed in 2005 by former French electronics and telecommunications company Alcatel-Lucent to TCL for mobile phones and devices. Alcatel-Lucent was acquired by Nokia back in 2016 but still runs under the name Alcatel-Lucent, with OneTouch series being its widely proclaimed smartphone range. The high specifications and quality have attracted a lot of customers as the company also allows customization and specialization in technology as per the consumers’ needs. This industry is providing built-in security and limited environmental impact. We offer flexible business models: in the cloud, on premises, and hybrid. Over 100 years of innovation have made us a trusted advisor to more than 830,000 customers around the world. From 1919 up to present day, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise history has been nurtured. Alcatel Mobile Phones was established in April 2004 as a joint venture between Alcatel-Lucent (45%) and TCL Corporation (55%). Alcatel originally started making mobile phones in late 1996. In 2005, the joint venture was dissolved and TCL acquired Alcatel-Lucent’s 45 percent share, and Alcatel Mobile Phones became a wholly owned subsidiary group of TCL. The brand name was licensed to TCL. In 2010, Alcatel One Touch became the corporate brand. In February 2016, it was changed back to simply Alcatel and a new logo was introduced. Alcatel-Lucent’s premium smartphone range includes are Pixi, Idol, and Pop. The company recently released A50, A30 Plus, Idol 5S, Pop 4 plus smartphone models, incorporating virtual reality in their Idol 4 and Idol 4s series.
Units Shipped: 20 million, Profit: USD 218 million, Sales: USD 15,149 million

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THE GREAT LARGEST 10 AIRLINES IN THE WORLD BASED ON OPERATIONAL SAFETY, PASSENGER REVIEWS, PROFITABILITY, INVESTMENT RATING, FLEET AGE, PRODUCT OFFERING

Wright brothers of India invented the Aeroplane. An air transportation system includes its equipment, routes, operating personnel, and management. An Airline is an organization providing a regular public service for passengers and goods of air transport on one or more routes. It is a system that provides scheduled flights for passengers or cargo. It is a company that owns and operates many airplanes. Airlines utilize aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in which they both offer and operate the same flight. Not all airlines are created equal. As in most businesses, there is a sort of stratification of airlines, at least within the United States. U.S. airlines are either publicly or privately owned – however, in many countries, the government owns the airlines.
The best international airlines in the world seem to pull off the nearly impossible: they not only connect travelers with some of the coolest destinations on the planet but also do it with the grace. We are looking for leadership and airlines that innovate to make a real difference to the passenger experience particularly in economy class.” “In our evaluation, we also consider the audited feedback from passengers on our website.” The largest airlines in the world can be defined in several ways. A full service airline typically offers passengers in flight entertainment, checked baggage, meals, beverages and comforts such as blankets and pillows in the ticket price.
As of 2019, American Airlines Group was the largest by fleet size, passengers carried and revenue passenger mile. Delta Air Lines was the largest by revenue, assets value and market capitalization. Lufthansa Group was the largest by number of employees, FedEx Express by freight tonne-kilometers, Turkish Airlines by number of countries served, Ryanair by number of routes and UPS Airlines by number of destinations served. To decide the rank of Airlines, a dozen key factors are included like operational safety, passenger reviews, profitability, investment rating, fleet age, and product offerings such as premium economy on long-haul flights and seating options in other classes.

1.Air New Zealand Airlines

The airline’s main hub is Auckland Airport, located near Mangere in the southern part of the Auckland urban area. Air New Zealand originated in 1940 as Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), a company operating trans-Tasman flights between New Zealand and Australia. TEAL became wholly owned by the New Zealand Government in 1965, whereupon it was renamed Air New Zealand. The carrier has a fleet size of 104 and currently operates Airbus A320, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft. It doesn’t compromise in terms of safety and reliability, and assures a great travel experience on air. Air New Zealand seeks to offer economical air fares to travelers. The airline flies to all key destinations of Europe, Africa, North America, South America, the Caribbean and the Middle East, and their service quality is outstanding. It operates scheduled passenger flights to 20 domestic and 32 international destinations in 20 countries primarily Australia, London, Los Angeles are some of the popular routes served by Air New Zealand. The airline has been a member of the Star Alliance since 1999. Air New Zealand was awarded Airline of the Year in 2010 and 2012 by the Air Transport World Global Airline Awards. In 2014, Air New Zealand was ranked the safest airline in the world by JACDEC. In March 1999, Air New Zealand became a member of the Star Alliance. From 1999 through 2000, Air New Zealand became embroiled in an ownership battle over Ansett with co-owner News Limited over a possible sale of the under-performing carrier to Singapore Airlines. For domestic flights Air New Zealand features four classes of seats: Seat, Seat + Bag, Flexi Time and Flexi Plus. For long haul fights there is Economy, Economy Skycouch, Premium Economy and Business Premiere.
You’ll find the best peaceful sleep in the sky

  1. Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines (SIA) is the flag carrier airline of Singapore with its hub at Singapore Changi Airport. Singapore Airlines (SIA) is founded in 1 May 1947 as Malayan Airways and it had started operations from 1 Oct 1972. The top international carrier is once again Singapore Airlines, which has won the No. 1 spot in each of the past 25 years. Singapore Airlines, which took 2nd position, is always at the forefront of airline awards and introduced its new A350 and 787-10 over the last 2 years, along with revamped A380s. Singapore Airlines was the launch customer for the Airbus A380 – the world’s largest passenger aircraft. Singapore Airlines operates an all wide-body passenger aircraft fleet from five aircraft families: Airbus A330, Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787, totally 135 aircrafts as of 30 November 2020. Seven Boeing 747-400 cargo aircraft are also operated. It ranks amongst the top 15 carriers worldwide in terms of revenue passenger kilometers, and is ranked tenth in the world for international passengers carried. The airline also won the second and fourth positions as the World’s Best Airlines and World’s Cleanest Airlines respectively for 2019. Singapore Airlines flies to 137 destinations in 32 countries on five continents from its primary hub in Singapore. Singapore Airlines includes many airline-related subsidiaries. SIA Engineering Company handles maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) business across nine countries, with a portfolio of 27 joint ventures, including with Boeing and Rolls-Royce. Singapore Airlines Cargo operates SIA’s freighter fleet and manages the cargo-hold capacity in SIA’s passenger aircraft. It has two subsidiaries: SilkAir operates regional flights to secondary cities, while Scoot operates as a low-cost carrier.

3.All Nippon Airways(ANA)

In 3rd position is All Nippon Airways which continues its dominance of Japanese aviation. All Nippon Airways was founded in 27 December 1952 and is headquartered in Tokyo. It is the leading operators of the Boeing 787 and a launch customer for the 777X. The airline is at the forefront of cabin innovation. The hubs are Tokyo–Haneda Tokyo–Narita. Secondary hubs are Tokyo–Haneda Tokyo–Narita. All Nippon Airways also known as Zennikku is the largest airline in Japan by revenues and passenger numbers. Its headquarters are located in Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area of Minato ward of Tokyo. It operates services to both domestic and international destinations. Far East Airlines merged with the newly named All Nippon Airways in March 1958. . In 2017, the airline received an award for the “World’s Best Airport Services”. In 1986 ANA expanded its international services gradually: to Beijing, Dalian, Hong Kong and Sydney in 1987; to Seoul in 1988; to London and Saipan in 1989; to Paris in 1990 and to New York and Singapore in 1991. Airbus equipment such as the A320 and A321 was added to the fleet in the early 1990s, as was the Boeing 747-400 jet. ANA joined the Star Alliance in October 1999. ANA has an extensive domestic route network that covers the entirety of Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south. ANA’s international route network extends through China, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Canada, United States, Mexico, Australia, and Western Europe. It has grown to become one of the world’s top-class airline companies, with more than 42 million passengers annually. It is our goal to be the world’s leading airline group in customer satisfaction and value creation. ANA (All Nippon Airways) connects 49 Japanese cities with 113 routes, and 42 cities overseas with 87 routes.

  1. Qantas Airlines

Qantas took the fourth spot for its financial performance and Best Lounge and Best Domestic Service awards. It was founded as Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service. QANTAS literally stands for “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service”. Darwin to Singapore was the first Flight to Overseas, Qantas made it’s international debut on the Darwin – Singapore route in May 1935 on a De Havilland 86. In 2003 Qantas founded Jetstar Airways as an answer to the low-cost airline Virgin Blue (Now Virgin Australia) which entered the domestic market in 2000. The airline’s headquarters are in Sydney. Qantas is commonly known as the “Flying Kangaroo” because of its logo, which is identified as a white kangaroo on a red right-angle triangle. It is the second oldest continuously operating airline in the world. In June 1959, Qantas’ first jet airliner was delivered, which was a Boeing 707-138. Qantas has 18 domestic destinations within Australia and 23 international destinations in 15 countries. In 1934, QANTAS and Britain’s Imperial Airways formed Qantas Empire Airways Limited (QEA). Qantas Boeing 747-438 made the first record-breaking non-stop flight – London-Sydney non-stop flight, VH-OJA, City of Canberra, on March 24, 1989, the first commercial airline ever to cover more than 17,000 km. Most airlines on the list are squeaking by with domestic operations, despite all odds, Qatar Airways has continued operating to an impressive number of international destinations, with plans to serve 80 destinations globally this month, in June 2020. Its customer approval rating is at an all-time high. It is the third oldest airlines in the world.

  1. Cathay Pacific Airlines

Cathay Pacific Airways took 5th spot and is always in the winner’s circle. It has won numerous awards from Airlineratings.com including Best Business Class in 2013 and 2015 and Best Asia/Pacific Airline for 2016. Roy was an American citizen and served the CNAC during the war flying supplies to Burma. He named the airline Cathay Pacific. “Cathay” used to be the medieval name for China and Roy had the vision of flying over the Pacific Ocean one day, hence the name. No other airline in the world has been named “Airline of the Year” as often as the Hong Kong based carrier. The Skytrax awards have been given out since 2001 with Emirates being the first to win it. Cathay claimed the award in 2003, 2005, 2009 as well as 2014, more than any other airline in the world. The Airbus A350 is the most modern and latest passenger aircraft in service. Cathay placed an order of 46 A350-900 and -1000 to join the fleet in the next years with the aim to replace it’s A340’s. It’s currently operating on flights to Auckland, London and Dusseldorf. The “Queen of the Skies” is slowly fading from the skies due to the trend of operating, lighter and more efficient airplanes such as the 787 Dreamliner or the A350. In order to extend it’s network and to stay more competitive Cathay Pacific received its very first jet in 1964. The DC-3 is probably the Beetle of the aviation industry, it wouldn’t just stop working. You could fly on forever with this airplane, just as you could drive the VW Beetle for a lifetime.

  1. Emirates Airlines

In 6th spot is Emirates, which has just ordered 787-9s and A350s and announced it will introduce Premium Economy to its aircraft next year. Dubai Airport is 3rd busiest airport in the world. It is also the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 3,600 flights per week from its hub at Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport, to more than 150 cities in 80 countries across six continents through its fleet of nearly 300 aircraft. Cargo activities are undertaken by Emirates SkyCargo. Emirates Airline is based in the heart of United Arab Emirates, Dubai. Nothing happens without a reason. Dubai is known as the ‘city of gold’ bathed in splendor, where wealth is so extreme that sometimes difficult to comprehend. Emirates Airlines aligns with that image pretty well. Emirates Airline also won in the best in-flight entertainment category. Dubai International Airport is the primary hub for the company. Emirates has a fleet size of 258 aircraft, one of the largest fleet sizes in the world. Emirates generates 36.5% of its revenue from Europe & Americas & spends 35.1% of its revenue on fuel. Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 3 was built exclusively for the use of Emirates at a cost of $4.5 billion and officially opened 14 October 2008. Emirates has made code-share agreement with Philippine Airlines, Qantas, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Silk Air, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, TAP Portugal, Thai Airways, Virgin America, Air Mauritius, Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, JetBlue, Jetstar, Jetstar Asia, and Korean Air. Emirates is a state-owned company.

Emirates Airlines was first airlines in which showers are available under the plane. Only Emirates Super Jumbo, the Airbus A380 has a shower on board. Most of Emirates 777 come with a First Class. The Dubai based airline is due to welcome it’s 100th “Super Jumbo”. Emirates is the worlds 4th largest airline by scheduled revenue passenger-kilometres flown and operates the biggest Airbus A380 fleet in the world. 42 more 380’s are still on order and expected to join Emirates within the next few years making it 142 in total. The majority of the 20,000 cabin crew employed by Emirates come from the UK, no surprise by an average 20 flights between Dubai and the United Kingdom. Those are followed by Australian crew and Egyptians as well as Indian and Filipino Crew. Emirates was only founded in 1985. The airlines first flight took off on October 25 in 1985 on a Boeing 727, which was provided by the Royal Family to Karachi in Pakistan. Flight EK600 was a historic milestone and the birth of an airline which should 30 years later operate more than 3,600 flights a week to 140 cities in 80 countries around the world. In fact the Gulf carrier only uses 2 kinds of airplanes, the Airbus A380 as well as the Boeing 777. Emirates is the worlds largest operator of both airplane types. This makes 234 planes in total. The greatest thing of such an identical flight is that each of the 98,244 seats Emirates offers is identical. It’s is also the only airline in the world where every seat comes with a personal screen. In 17 hours you could comfortably fly from London to New York, have a Starbucks coffee in Manhattan and fly back to the UK or alternatively you could fly from Auckland, New Zealand to Dubai on the longest Airbus A380 flight in the world. The Dubai based carrier is extremely popular and the brand itself was valued at 7 Billion US-Dollars in 2016. But the airline was also awarded as Skytrax Airline of the year in 2001, 2002, 2013 and 2015. It is the biggest honor an airline can receive within industry. Emirates is the only major airline in the world which is not part of any alliance.

7.Virgin Atlantic Airlines

Moving into 7th spot is Virgin Atlantic which continues to innovate. A guy on a motorcycle used to pick up Virgin Atlantic customers and bring them to the airport. It might seem like a strange investment, but it’s well worth it for Delta, which now gets to fly its customers more frequently to London’s Heathrow Airport. Virgin Atlantic is a British Airline and considered to be of the more luxurious airlines in the world. It has been flying since 1984. The airline began operations on June 22nd, 1984 with the first flight between Gatwick and Newark with a leased Boeing 747-200 aircraft. On its vast network, it reaches out to major destinations in North America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and Asia. The airline was the first to introduce personal televisions to its business class passengers. The airline was ranked as the best airline in Europe. The airline in 2008 flew the first ever commercial flight in the world using biofuel. Subsequently, it made an order of 15 dreamliners which burn 27 percent less fuel than the A340. While British Airways operates all of its transatlantic long-haul flights from its bases at London’s Heathrow and Gatwick Airports, Virgin Atlantic has a secondary base in Manchester in Northern England, as well as operates numerous seasonal point-to-point routes from smaller cities throughout the Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in addition to its bases at both Heathrow and Gatwick. These point-to-point routes include Glasgow and Belfast to Orlando using the Boeing 747-400.
Steve Fossett singlehandedly flew around the world in a Virgin plane
In February 2005, the aviation pro and first man to fly around the earth in a balloon successfully circumnavigated the globe in Virgin Atlantic’s lightweight GlobalFlyer plane — the only aircraft to have made a 25,000-mile, round-the-world trip on a single tank of fuel. The personality and language of our brand plays a major role. Virgin Atlantic took to the skies 30 years ago and despite its rise in popularity. Virgin flew its customers’ cats and dogs from the US to London’s Heathrow Airport for the first time in 2003, and has since carried more than 15,000 animals on board.

  1. EVA Air Airlines

EVA Air is ranked in the top 3 ‘Most Loved Airlines’. EVA Air takes 8th spot, EVA Air has always been the leader in Taiwanese aviation and always at the forefront of cabin innovation such as premium economy in 1992. After receiving the 5-Star status, EVA Air was also voted to to be the third most loved airline in the world, ranked behind the Indonesian carrier Garuda and the South Korea-based airline Asiana. EVA Airways Corporation, of which “EVA” stands for Evergreen Airways, is a Taiwanese international airline based at Taoyuan International Airport near Taipei, Taiwan, operating passenger and dedicated cargo services to over 40 international destinations in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. EVA Air is largely privately owned and flies a fully international route network. It is the second largest Taiwanese airline. EVA Air is headquartered in Luzhu, Taoyuan City, Taiwan. The company slogan is “Sharing the World, Flying Together”. Its founding in 1989 as an affiliate of shipping conglomerate Evergreen Group. Its cargo arm, EVA Air Cargo, links with the Evergreen worldwide shipping network on sea and land. As of January 2018, EVA Air is the 15th safest airline in the world, with no hull losses, accidents, or fatalities since its establishment. EVA Air introduced their brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. On July 1st in 1991, the first commercial EVA Air flight took off from Taipei’s Taoyuan International airport. This was the beginning of a new era for the the first privately owned airline in Taiwan. In 1992, EVA Air introduced a “new” fourth class, these days commonly known as Premium Economy Class, to their 747 Jumbo fleet.

Wider seats, improved service, and wider screens were one of the benefits of the so called “Economy Deluxe” package. EVA Air’s longest flight takes 15hours and 55 Minutes. However, I doubt most Economy Class passengers look forward to a 16 hours flight whenever the plane takes off at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. The flight is among the 25 longest flights in the world, and covers the 12,776 kilometres it takes to Taiwan’s capital Taipei. Another major airline is about to retire it 747 Jumbo fleet on the 27th of March 2017. On the 1st of October 2016, Cathay Pacific is saying farewell to its last Jumbo when the ‘Queen of the Skies’ takes off for a very last adventure to Tokyo. The Taiwanese Airline just recently made an order for 24 787-10 Dreamliners which is the biggest version of Boeing’s latest aircraft worth 8 Billion dollars. That makes EVA Air the 3rd Asian customer for this specific Boeing version. EVA Air operates a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with Airbus A330, Airbus A321, Boeing 777, Boeing 787, and ATR 72 (operated by UNI Air) airliners primarily used on passenger routes, along with Boeing 777 freighter aircraft used on cargo routes. The airline was one of the first carriers to introduce the Premium Economy class, which it debuted in 1991. In June 2016, the Taiwanese airline got upgraded from a 4 to a 5-Star Airliner, joining a very privileged club. World class Airlines such as Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, or Hainan Airlines are all part of this amazing alliance. EVA Air is to date without any loss of an aircraft. It is also without passenger fatalities in its operational history, making it the third safest carrier on Earth. This is dominated by Asian carriers, the safest European Airline is the Amsterdam-based KLM.

  1. Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways, another great innovator is in 9th spot with its award-winning catering and Business Class Qsuites. In 1999 airlines such as Qantas, Air Berlin, American Airlines or Finnair teamed up to form the counterpart of Star Alliance and SkyTeam. Qatar sponsors the best team in the world. Qatar Airways is the first airline to operate all new generation aircrafts in it’s fleet. Many big players in the aviation market are undergoing big changes within their fleets, introducing new airplanes, replacing the older ones. While many airlines decided to operate either the Airbus A350, the Dreamliner or the Super Jumbo A380, the Doha based airline decided to make orders for all of them, being the first airliner to operate all 3 of them. The daily service from Doha to Auckland which is due to take off on December 3rd, 2016, is going to be the longest flight on earth. The distance between Qatar’s capital and the biggest city in New Zealand is 14,536 kilometres. The flight attendants are going to announce an estimated flight time of 18 hours and 30 minutes. On January 1st in 2016 an Airbus A350 embarked for a historical flight, being the first airline to land an Airbus 350 on American soil. When the new airliner left Doha Hamad International Airport it wasn’t heading for Los Angeles, Atlanta or New York as you would probably expect.

Qatar Airways is the best airline in the world. According to the World Airlines Award 2015, Qatar Airways was voted the number one airline on earth. The state owned carrier has won in the category best business class and best airline in the Middle East as well as best business class lounge. Seems like the perfect airline for any business trip. On the 15th of January 2015 the brand new Airbus A350-900 took off for it’s first commercial flight from Doha to Frankfurt. Development costs are estimated at 11 billion Euros and to date 777 350’s have been ordered by 43 worldwide customers. Qatar Airways base or better known as Hamad International Airport, was voted “Best Airport” in the Middle East, succeeding the two United Arab Emirates Airports located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The new hub opened on April 30 in 2014 and is only 10 kilometres south of the Doha city center with is reachable by metro and frequent busses. Only a handful airlines are connecting their hubs with a straight flight to all inhabitant continents, Qatar Airways is one of them. Which also makes Hamad International one of only 5 airports in the world offering a non-stop connection to all 6 of them. Qatar Airways has since become one of the fastest growing carriers in the history of aviation with unprecedented expansion averaging double digit growth year on year. In April 2011, Qatar Airways reached a milestone reaching 100 destinations in its global route map.

  1. Virgin Australia Airlines

The airline took out Best Cabin Crew and Best Economy for 2020. It is an Australian-based airline. Airline has since grown to directly serve 33 cities in Australia, from hubs in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Virgin Australia’s young and stylish fleet currently flies you to over 45 destinations across Australia in addition to a number of international destinations including New Zealand, Indonesia and the Pacific Islands. It is the largest airline by fleet size to use the Virgin brand. It commenced services on 31 August 2000 as Virgin Blue as a low-cost airline with two Boeing 737-400 aircraft. The The airline’s headquarters is based in South Bank, Queensland. In 2011, the airline went through a massive transformation—the changing of its brand to Virgin Australia. This included the introduction of a new aircraft livery, new uniforms, and new onboard menu options. New wide-body aircraft were acquired for use to compete with Qantas, and the roll-out of business class across all the Virgin Australia network. It is providing a seamless experience across all international and domestic markets, while retaining the same excellent service. Virgin Australia’s most important commercial partner is Delta (due to their transpacific joint venture), while the airline is owned by Etihad Airways, Hainan Airlines, and Singapore Airlines. Australia’s second-largest airline is Virgin Australia.
In 2001, 14 new routes were launched, expanding to a true national domestic network. Virgin Australia welcomed its millionth Guest onboard in June 2001. In 2003, Virgin Blue Holidays, Virgin Blue’s holiday arm, was launched. Virgin Blue Holdings floated on the Australian Stock Exchange in December 2003, and Patrick Corporation invested a further $137m at the time of the Initial Public Offering. In 2004, Pacific Blue, a New Zealand-based leisure-focussed international airline, was launched, offering flights between Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. In 2005, another Blue airline, Polynesian Blue, was launched in partnership with the Government of Samoa, with the first flight departing Auckland for Apia. In 2007, plans to establish a long haul international airline, V Australia, were announced, and Pacific Blue launched domestic services in New Zealand. In 2009, V Australia flies for the first time from Sydney to Los Angeles and Brisbane to Los Angeles. In 2012, Virgin Australia was awarded ‘Best Airline’ and ‘Best Staff Service’ in the 2012 Skytrax World Airline Awards. The airline began flying in New Zealand (formerly Pacific Blue), and Virgin Samoa (formerly Polynesian Blue) took-off in Samoa. In 2013, Virgin Australia has officially launched its new wireless in-flight entertainment system. In August 2015, Virgin Australia converted its outstanding order for 17 Boeing B737-800 aircraft to the Boeing 737 MAX 8 model. With the 23 Boeing B737 MAX 8 aircraft already on order, this conversion brings the order for this type to a total of 40 aircraft, with the first delivery for 2018. In 2016, Virgin Australia introduced new Business class and Economy Premium cabins on its long-haul international routes on board Boeing 777 aircraft.

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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

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

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 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

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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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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