mangrove forests

Mangroves are special types of trees of the tropics that can live on the edge of waterways, where rainforests meet oceans waters. Found on sheltered coasts and river ends, they grow in wetlands between land and sea where other plants can't grow. They protect the coasts and prevent soil and sand erosion by having sediment from the rivers and streams and slowing down the flow of water by all of the roots


There are about39.3 million acres of mangrove forests in the coasts of tropical oceans all over the world. More than 10.5 million acres of mangrove forests are found in south east asia. Mangrove trees look as if they grow on stilts.just like this

savanah

savanah {cape york}


Climate
Wet seasons are hot and humid with maximum temperatures around 33–36ºC in January. This region during the wet season is one of the darkest of the savannas, even though there is an average of seven to eight hours of sunshine each day. Rainfall moves from around an annual average of 800 mm (8cm)in the south to a huge 24cm in the north. Dry-season rainfall can be chained with the moist trade winds being uplifted over the coast. Temperatures moderate in the dry with July average minimums dropping to 21ºC in the north and 15ºC in the southern inland areas.


people


This region covers Cape York city in far north Queensland. It has sick natural landscapes and Aboriginal communities as well as a large mine at Weipa. It covers an area of 115,000 square kilometres and has a relatively large area set aside for conservation. Pastoralism however is the dominant land use.
As shown down herepastoralism (white) is the dominant land use throughout the region, however there are significant areas of nature conservation (brown), Aboriginal land use (tan) and forestry (green).

surfers paradise

Surfers Paradise Beach has been named the Gold Coast's Cleanest Beach for 2005 in this year's regional Clean Beach Challenge which attracted entries from 42 strong contenders.
Surfers Paradise automatically joins the winners from five other Queensland regions in the overall State titles to be announced in December.
Always obey the flags here are examples

Red and Yellow Flags - Indicates the safest swimming area (the patrolled area).
Yellow Flag - Potentially dangerous conditions (Caution)
Red Flag - Danger - do not enter water (Stop). When the red flag is displayed, the beach is closed for swimming.
Red and White Chequered Flag - Shark has been sighted in the water.
Blue Flag - Indicates board riding area for Surfers.
Surfers paradise is one of Australia’s most popular beaches because of the strong barrelling waves
Surfers Paradise is a large commercial centre set on the gold coast. Huge skyscrapers tower above the wonderful beaches, and make up part of the active modern town. There are plenty of wonderful shopping arcades around Surfers Paradise, as well as a fantastic nightlife and some fun attractions.

the great barrier reef

The Great Barrier Reef includes over 2,900 reefs, around 940 islands and cays, and stretches 2,300 kms along the Queensland coastline. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is 345,000 km2, that's larger than the entire area of the UK and Ireland combined. The reef is really complex with over 1,500 species of fish, 359 types of hard coral, one third of the world's soft corals, over 175 bird species, six of the world's seven species of threatened marine turtle and more than 30 species of marine mammals including dugongs.

Add to that stunning marine life are 5,000 to 8,000 molluscs and thousands of different sponges, worms, 800 species of starfish, sea urchins and 215 bird species, of which 29 are seabirds.The Great Barrier Reef is listed under all four natural World Heritage criteria for its outstanding universal value.

antartica

Antarctica is not easy to access but that is part of its appeal. Amidst such solitude, adventurous travellers will discover an unreal landscape that lingers in the memory. Very few have ventured onto the continent and those who do will usually rave about the privilege of gazing upon topography that yields towering mountains, bulky glaciers and luminous, dreamlike icebergs, carved into curious shapes.

Perhaps more than anywhere else, Antarctica reminds those who visit it of the awesome (and savage) power of nature. No two travelers will ever see the same icebergs forged in exactly the same form,
such is its ephemeral and austere beauty.However, some argue that Antarctica is changing, and by humanmade causes rather than natural ones. Antarctica is welcoming more tourist-orientated cruises and ferries to the region every year, and facilities are continually developing, with more accommodation, culinary and travel options available.

There is now ample opportunity to ascend Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano on Earth; to fly via helicopter or venture by boat to penguin colonies; to really make the most of a terrain that teems with wildlife, with a multitude of birds, seals, albatrosses and enormous whales; and so on. Some regard this gradual focus on tourism as disconcerting – many wish to preserve Antarctica in its elemental state and want to avoid any potential environmental damage. However, the focus on tourism is, indeed, gradual, and as long as any visitor is aware of their impact upon the landscape and does their utmost to limit that impact, Antarctica is still a magical experience that most, given the chance, would find hard to resist.

daintree forest

The Daintree Rainforest north of Cairns in Queensland Australia is one of the most beautiful examples of Mother Nature in the world. It is home to the largest range of plants and animals on earth, and all of them are found within the largest chunk of rainforest in Australia. Its area spans approximately 1200 square kilometres. This World Heritage Listed area contains the highest number of plant and animal species that are rare, or threatened with extinction, anywhere in the world. The Daintree Rainforest is a unique area, precariously balanced between the advances of development and the warnings of environmentalists.

The Daintree Rainforest contains 30% of frog, marsupial and reptile species in Australia, and 65% of Australia's bat and butterfly species. 20% of bird species in the country can be found in this area. And it all lives in an area that takes up 0.2% of the landmass of Australia. The Daintree Rainforest's addition to the world heritage List in 1988 in recognition of its universal natural values highlighted the rainforest as being mad fun

the sahara desert

The word "Sahara" means "desert" in Arabic. The Sahara is one of the hottest places on earth. September, 1922, the temperature in the Sahara soared to 136 degrees F. At night the temperature can drop below freezing. The Sahara is located on the continent of Africa. It runs through 11 countries and a part of Africa known as the Western Sahara.

The rain in the Sahara is less than 10 inches a year. People cannot survive without water. There are few lakes. Most of these anyway are saltwater lakes. People cannot drink from them. Lake Chad is the only freshwater lake in the desert. Rivers once ran through the Sahara. We know this because dried up riverbeds, called wadis, still exist. When it does rain in the desert, these wadis fill up with water and become active rivers for a short time. Sandstorms are very common in the desert. Brown clouds of sand cover the sky, as wind blows sand everywhere.