| Newsweek International
02 April, 2006 April 10-17, 2006 issue
Luxor, Egypt
Dating back to the 14th century B.C., the
Luxor temple complex on the west bank of
the Nile River—which includes the
Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens,
more than 40 temples and the tombs of thousands
of nobles—is threatened not only by
the ravages of tourism and theft, but by
the Nile itself. The construction of the
Aswan Dam 40 years ago has caused salt to
build up in the newly fertile soil around
the temples, eroding their ancient foundations
and filling many tombs with water. The World
Monuments Fund is currently devising a management
plan for the site, and hopes to give the
complex its biggest renovation since Alexander
the Great.
Babylon, Iraq
The largest ancient settlement in Mesopotamia
was built by King Nebuchadnezzar, of ‘hanging
gardens’ fame. Since the ruins were
uncovered at the turn of the 20th century,
artifacts have been removed, damaged and
contaminated. Saddam Hussein installed a
giant self-portrait there and U. S. troops
built trenches and crushed ancient roads.
A recent British Museum report warns that
Iraq lacks the resources to restore the
site and urges an international effort.
Coral Triangle, Indonesia
Home to one of the most diverse collections
of marine life in the world, the Coral Triangle
extends from the waters of eastern Indonesia
to Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, parts
of Malaysia and the Solomon islands. More
than 3,000 species of fish and 600 varieties
of coral—a full 75 percent of those
known to science—have been found there.
But this ecosystem faces a growing threat
from overfishing as well as destructive
fishing, in which explosives or poisons
are used to kill the fish, not only depleting
the stock but also permanently destroying
their habitat. Highly desirable species
like grouper and Napoleon wrasse have already
been fished to near extinction. Rising sea
temperatures have also increased periods
of coral bleaching, which kills the reefs.
Machu Picchu, Peru
The ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu is
in danger of becoming a victim of its own
popularity. Built around 1460 and discovered
by American historian Hiram Bingham in 1911,
the breathtaking and well-preserved mountain
ruins have become Peru’s most popular
tourist attraction, drawing half a million
visitors every year. The site’s 200
buildings, located in a geological fault
zone, are in a precarious position to begin
with. Constant foot traffic has made matters
worse, wearing down and destabilizing the
ancient stone foundations. Development near
the site is exacerbating the problem of
landslides, which threaten to dislodge Machu
Picchu from its alpine perch. To stem the
tide, Peru recently limited the number of
visitors to 500 per day and closes the site
for one month every year to repair damaged
trails. But that may be too little too late.
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The Maldives - Natural Wonders of
the World |
Maldives
It might not seem possible for an entire
country to sink, but that is exactly what
is happening to the Maldives, a nation of
12,000 islands that contain some of the
richest marine life in the world. With more
than 80 percent of its land less than a
meter above sea level, the Maldives are
particularly at risk from the rising sea
levels caused by global warming. The 2004
tsunami, which devastated the country’s
infrastructure, has already erased some
tiny atolls and the country’s maps
have been redrawn. Conservationists hope
to prevent further erosion by regrowing
damaged coral reefs.
Venice, Italy
Almost since it was settled in 452, the
city has been sinking at a rate of more
than one centimeter a century. The African
plate on which Italy sits is slipping beneath
the European plate, causing the Adriatic
Sea to rise. Heavy-industry workers pumping
groundwater from below the city and huge
tidal wakes left by freighters and cruise
ships have added to the rising water. And
now Venice is too broke to do much about
it.
Great Wall, China
The oldest parts of China’s most famous
landmark were built in the fifth century
B.C., but the 14th-century Ming dynasty
really strengthened it. Today nearly two
thirds of the 6,352km wall has been destroyed
by erosion, crass commercialism (one 500-year-old
tower contains a drinks stand) and unchecked
development. With the 2008 Olympics looming,
China is more interested in progress than
preservation.
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