JUNIOR WORLDMARK ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WORLD CITIES, - Manilla, Philippines to Paris, France

VOLUME 3 Manilla, Philippines to Paris, France Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities Junior Worldmark Enc...

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VOLUME

3

Manilla, Philippines to Paris, France

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of

World Cities

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of

World Cities VOLUME

3

Manilla, Philippines to Paris France

Edited by Jill Copolla and Susan Bevan Gall

J U N I O R WO R L D M A R K E N C Y C L O P E D I A O F W O R L D C I T I E S

U•X•L Staff Allison McNeill, U•X•L Senior Editor Carol DeKane Nagel, U•X•L Managing Editor Thomas L. Romig, U•X•L Publisher Dorothy Maki, Manufacturing Manager Evi Seoud, Assistant Production Manager Rita Wimberley, Senior Buyer Pamela A.E. Galbreath, Art Director This publication is a creative work copyrighted by U•X•L and fully protected by all applicable copyright laws, as well as by misappropriation, trade secret, unfair competition, and other applicable laws. The authors and editors of this work have added value to the underlying factual material herein through one or more of the following: unique and original selection, coordination, expression, arrangement, and classification of the information. All rights to this publication will be vigorously defended. Copyright © 2000 U•X•L An imprint of the Gale Group All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

Printed in United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Cover photos (top to bottom): Paris, France: Louvre (EPD/Catherine Karnow; Woodfin Camp) Monrovia, Liberia: Redemption Day Celebration (EPD/Homer Sykes; Woodfin Camp) Tokyo, Japan: Kids with skateboards (EPD/Catherine Karnow; Woodfin Camp) Lima, Peru: Market (EPD/Robert Frerck; Woodfin Camp) Washington, DC: Lincoln Memorial (EPD/Catherine Karnow; Woodfin Camp)

Susan Bevan Gall and Jill Marie Coppola, Editors Timothy L. Gall, Executive Editor Mary Francis Sugar, Eleftherios E. Netos, Jennifer Wallace, James C. Woodring, Associate Editors Bridgette M. Nadzam, Graphics and Page Layout Gregory M. Hurst, Editorial Assistant Magellan Geographix, Cartographers

Contributors Olufemi A. Akinola, Ph.D. W.E.B. DuBois Institute, Harvard University Cynthia Andrews. Researcher/Writer, Suttons Bay, Michigan Mike Cikraji. Researcher/Writer, Bay Village, Ohio Patricia Hale. Researcher/Writer, West Hartford, Connecticut Bruce Heilman. University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Jim Henry. Researcher/Writer, Chicago, Illinois William Hodgson. Researcher/Writer, Vancouver, British Columbia Dave Hribar. Researcher/Writer, Avon Lake, Ohio Ignacio Lobos. Journalist, Honolulu, Hawaii Deryck O. Lodrick, Ph.D. Visiting Scholar, Center for South Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley Lupa Ramadhani. University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Gail Rosewater. Researcher/Writer, Cleveland, Ohio Carmen Urdaneta, M.A. Researcher/Writer, Boston, Massachusetts Jeffrey Vance. Researcher/Writer, Brighton, Massachusetts Rosalie Wieder. Researcher/Writer, Cleveland, Ohio Steven Wolinetz, Ph.D. Memorial University, St. John’s Newfoundland

CONTENTS C I T Y F I N D E R TA B L E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii R E A D E R ’S G U I D E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix MANILA, PHILIPPINES ............................................................. 1 M E X I C O C I T Y, M E X I C O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 M I A M I , F L O R I D A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 M I N N E A P O L I S , M I N N E S O T A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 M O N R O V I A , L I B E R I A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 M O N T R É A L , Q U É B E C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 M U M B A I ( B O M B A Y ) , I N D I A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 N A I R O B I , K E N Y A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 N A S H V I L L E , TE N N E S S E E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 N E W O R L E A N S , L O U I S I A N A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 N E W YO R K , N E W YO R K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 P A R I S , F R A N C E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 G L O S S A R Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

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C I T Y F I N D E R TA B L E Volume number appears in brackets []

Toronto, Ontario .......................[4]151 Vancouver, British Columbia......[4]169

Africa

Mexico

Cairo, Egypt .............................[1]115 Johannesburg, South Africa ......[2]123 Lagos, Nigeria ...........................[2]139 Monrovia, Liberia........................[3]69 Nairobi, Kenya ..........................[3]115

Mexico City, Mexico....................[3]19

United States Atlanta, Georgia ...........................[1]1 Boston, Massachusetts .................[1]65 Chicago, Illinois ........................[1]145 Cleveland, Ohio ........................[1]161 Dallas, Texas .............................[1]177 Denver, Colorado.......................[1]191 Detroit, Michigan ..........................[2]1 Honolulu, Hawaii ........................[2]39 Houston, Texas ............................[2]57 Indianapolis, Indiana ..................[2]77 Los Angeles, California ..............[2]189 Miami, Florida.............................[3]37 Minneapolis, Minnesota .............[3]53 Nashville, Tennessee ..................[3]137 New Orleans, Louisiana.............[3]153 New York, New York ................[3]173 Phoenix, Arizona .........................[4]19 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania .............[4]1 San Francisco, California .............[4]85 Seattle, Washington....................[4]101 Washington, D.C..........................[4]18

Asia Bangkok, Thailand ......................[1]17 Beijing, China ..............................[1]33 Hong Kong, China.......................[2]21 Istanbul, Turkey ..........................[2]93 Jerusalem, Israel.........................[2]107 Manila, Philippines .......................[3]1 Mumbai (Bombay), India.............[3]99 Sydney, Australia .......................[4]117 Tokyo, Japan ............................[4]133

Europe Berlin, Germany...........................[1]49 Brussels, Belgium ........................[1]83 Istanbul, Turkey...........................[2]93 London, United Kingdom .........[2]169 Madrid, Spain ...........................[2]205 Paris, France ..............................[3]195 Prague, Czech Republic ...............[4]35 Rome, Italy ..................................[4]63

South America Buenos Aires, Argentina...............[1]97 Caracas, Venezuela ...................[1]131 Lima, Peru ................................[2]155 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ..................[4]49

North America Canada Montréal, Québec .......................[3]83

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R E A D E R ’S G U I D E this Reader’s Guide, all of whom offered substantive insights that were instrumental to the creation of this work. The editors are extremely grateful for the time and effort these distinguished reviewers devoted to improving the quality of this work. Sixteen researchers, many of whom live in the city they profiled, are listed on the staff page. Their well-researched profiles give users of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities an opportunity to compare the history and contemporary life in 50 of the world’s greatest cities—from the ancient cities of Cairo, Egypt and Istanbul, Turkey, to the fast-growing modern metropolitan communities of Lagos, Nigeria; Sydney, Australia; and Seattle, Washington.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities presents profiles of 50 major cities from around the world, arranged alphabetically in four volumes. Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities is a new reference work organized under the Worldmark design. The Worldmark design assembles facts and data about each city in a common structure. Every profile contains a map, showing the city and its location. The challenging task of selecting the cities to be profiled in this first edition of Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities was accomplished with input from librarian advisors. From a list of over 100 candidate cities, 50 were selected to represent the continents and cultures of the world, with an emphasis on cities of the United States. Twenty-five cities from North America (including 21 U.S. cities) are profiled, 9 cities from Asia, 7 cities from Europe, 5 cities from Africa, and 4 from South America fill the four volumes. Profiles present text and graphical elements, including photographs, with the needs and interests of student researchers in mind. Recognition must be given to the many tourist bureaus, convention centers, city government press offices, and graphic agencies that contributed the data and photographs that comprise this encyclopedia. This edition also benefits from the work of the reviewers listed at the end of

Sources Due to the broad scope of this encyclopedia many sources were consulted in compiling the information and statistics presented in these volumes. Of primary importance were the official web sites posted by many of the cities’ government offices and tourist/convention bureaus on the World Wide Web. Also instrumental in the development of this publication was the web site of the U.S. Bureau of the Census, available at http://www.census.gov/. Finally, many fact sheets, booklets, and statistical abstracts were used to update

ix

READER’S GUIDE data not collected by federal or city governments. Profile Features The structure of the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities entries—22 numbered headings—allows students to compare two or more cities in a variety of ways. Each city profile begins with the city name, state or province (where applicable), country, and continent. A city fact box provides information including dates founded and incorporated, city location, official city motto and flower, time zone, ethnic composition, city elevation, latitude and longitude, coastline (where applicable), climate information, annual mean temperature, seasonal average snowfall (where applicable), average annual precipitation, form of government, system of weights and measures used, monetary units, telephone area codes, and city postal codes. Where available, a picture of both the city seal and the city flag, with description, appear. With regard to the time zone, the standard time is given by time zone in relation to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The world is divided into 24 time zones, each one hour apart. The Greenwich meridian, which is 0 degrees, passes through Greenwich, England, a suburb of London. Greenwich is at the center of the initial time zone, known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). All times given are converted from noon in this zone. The time reported for the city is the official time zone. Also provided in each article is a Population Profile box comparing the city proper with its greater metropolitan

x

area, including suburbs (where available), and lists facts such as population, racial breakdown, and nicknames. Profiles also include a City Fact Comparison box, comparing daily costs of visiting the city with costs for visiting representative cities elsewhere in the world (Cairo, Egypt; Rome, Italy; and Beijing, China). City maps, locator maps, and photos complement the entries. The body of each city’s profile is arranged in 22 numbered headings as follows: 1

INTRODUCTION. The city’s location

is described. City features are outlined, sometimes citing key facts from city history and major attractions. 2

GETTING THERE. Information is pro-

vided on major highways offering access into and around the city, as well as information on bus and railroad service, airports, and shipping. 3

GETTING AROUND. Information is

outlined on means of transportation within a city, including bus and commuter rail service; some entries include transportation modes that will be less familiar to many student researchers, such as the three-wheeled tuk-tuk of Bangkok, Thailand. Both commuter and sightseeing transportation methods are included. 4

PEOPLE. A population count is pro-

vided for the city proper and its metropolitan area, along with an ethnic/racial breakdown of the populace. For many cities, population growth patterns, languages, and religions are also discussed 5 NEIGHBORHOODS. Location, characteristics, and attractions of city historic

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities

READER’S GUIDE and ethnic neighborhoods, and business and cultural districts are described. 6 HISTORY. City history is detailed from its founding to the present. 7

GOVERNMENT. Style of government

is described, and elected offices are listed, along with a description of each office and length of an elected term. 8 PUBLIC SAFETY. Police, fire, and ambulatory services are outlined, as well as any special city safety projects. Crime rate statistics are also listed. 9 ECONOMY. This section presents the key elements of the economy. Major industries and employment figures are also summarized.

Topography, climate, and flora and fauna are described, as well as any environmental concerns, programs, or clean-up efforts. 10

ENVIRONMENT.

11 SHOPPING. Popular shopping districts and venues are described, as well as any specialty items for which the city is renowned. 12 EDUCATION. Information about public education and key universities and technical institutes is detailed. 13 HEALTH CARE. Hospitals and other health services are described. Alternative or non-Western health care practices are described in some city profiles. 14

MEDIA. City newspapers, magazines,

television, and radio stations are listed. Where applicable, government influence on media is discussed.

15 SPORTS. Professional and amateur sports—from auto racing and rodeo to cricket and baseball—sports venues, and championships held are listed. Annual sporting events, major international tournaments, and popular recreational sports are also described. 16 PARKS AND RECREATION. Popular recreational activities and city pastimes, from strolling in a city park to playing polo, and the venues where they can be enjoyed, are detailed. 17 PERFORMING ARTS. Performing arts offered in the city are described, as well as the theaters and performing arts halls where they are offered. Notable annual events are listed. 18 LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS. Notable libraries and descriptions of their holdings are described. Major museums, with information about their collections, are listed. 19

TOURISM. The importance of tourism

to the city is summarized, along with factors affecting the tourism industry. Key tourist attractions are listed. 20

HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS. Annu-

ally celebrated holidays and events are listed. 21

F A M O U S C I T I Z E N S . Famous peo-

ple who were born or lived in the city are listed, along with birth and death dates and short biographical descriptions. Bibliographic listings are provided at the end of each profile as a guide for accessing further information. Included are Web sites, 22

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities

FOR

FURTHER

STUDY.

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READER’S GUIDE government offices, tourist and convention bureaus, major city publications, and books about the city and its history. Because some terms used in this encyclopedia will be new to students, each volume includes a glossary. A keyword index to all four volumes appears in Volume 4. Acknowledgments The editors are indebted to the following reviewers, without whom Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities would not have been possible. The individuals listed below were consulted on the content and structure of this encyclopedia. Their insights, opinions, and suggestions led to many enhancements and improvements in the presentation of the material. Ken Cornwell, Library Media Specialist, Northeast High School, Lincoln, Nebraska

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Cindy Doll, Librarian, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus, Ohio Marilyn Eanes, School Library Media Specialist, Hopewell Middle School, Round Rock, Texas Jane Thomas, Library Manager, McNeil High School, Austin, Texas Glenda Willnerd, School Librarian, Lincoln High School, Lincoln, Nebraska Comments and Suggestions We welcome your comments on the Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities, as well as your suggestions for cities to be included in future editions. Please write: Editors, Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities, U•X•L, 27500 Drake Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48331– 3535; call toll-free: 1-800-877-4253; or send e-mail via www.galegroup.com.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities

Manila Manila, Luzon, the Philippines, Asia Founded: 1571; Combined into metropolitan Manila: 1975 Location: Eastern shore of Manila Bay in Southwestern Luzon, the Philippines, Southeast Asia Time Zone: 8 PM in Manila = noon Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Ethnic Composition: Mostly Tagalog group, with approximately 6% Chinese Elevation: 51 feet Latitude and Longitude: 14º50'N, 121ºE Coastline: Manila sits in the coastal lowlands of Manila Bay, and is divided into southern and northern districts by the Pasig River. Climate: warm and humid most of the year. Rainy season is May through November. Annual Mean Temperature: 25ºC (77ºF); May average daily high 35ºC (95ºF) Average Annual Precipitation: 81.3 inches (208.5 cm), falling mostly between May and November Government: Mayor, Vice-Mayor, 36 elected Councilors Weights and Measures: Metric System Monetary Units: Philippine Peso (P) = 100 centavos Telephone Area Codes: 02 (city code for Manila); 63 (country code for the Philippines) Postal Codes: Rarely used in the Philippines

1

Introduction

Manila, also known as the Pearl of the Orient, is located in Southern Luzon, the largest of the more than 7,000 islands that make up the nation known as the Philippines. The city flanks Manila Bay, and is divided into northern and southern sections by the Pasig River. Manila serves not only as the country’s capitol, but also as its financial, publishing, and business center. The citizens of the city speak Tagalog, but most are also fluent in English, which is the language of instruction in the public schools. Manila contains

many of the country’s largest and most prestigious universities and is also home to the National Library. It was the central location of the nation’s battles for independence, first from Spain and later from the United States. Colonized by the Spanish and later governed by the Americans, Manila shows the signs of foreign influence in the widespread Roman Catholicism and the modeling of its schools upon the American educational system. Despite these influences, Manila and its citizens demonstrate a character and vitality uniquely their own.

1

Manila

Manila Population Profile City Proper Population: 1,876,194 Area: 38.3 sq km (14.94 sq mi) Ethnic composition: 94% Christian Malay; 6% Chinese Nicknames: The Pearl of the Orient

Metropolitan Area Population: 7,832,000 Description: Includes Manila, plus seven other cities and nine towns Area: 636 sq km (248.04 sq mi) World population rank1: approx. 25 Percentage of national population2: 24.6% Average yearly growth rate: 3.1% Nicknames: Metro Manila ——— 1. The Manila metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of the Philippines’s total population living in the Manila metropolitan area.

2

Getting There

Metropolitan Manila is located in the southern region of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines, an archipelago nation comprised of more than 7,000 islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer. Manila sits in the coastal lowlands of Manila Bay and is divided into southern and northern districts by the Pasig River. Highways The major routes into Manila are Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (ESDA), the South Super Highway, the C-5

2

Highway, and the ESDA-North Diversion link. Bus and Railroad Service Good public transportation is available in Manila. Several major bus companies provide transportation into the city from the outlying areas; bus terminals are located throughout the Metro area. Those closest to downtown Manila are at Plaza Lawton (also known as Liwasang Bonifacio) and in Pasay City, on the ESDA near Taft Avenue. There are train depots in Paco and Makati districts, and commuter trains running north-south during rush hours. Airports Manila is the main entry point into the Philippines for international travelers. International flights and many domestic flights land at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Paranaque, which is on the southern edge of Metropolitan Manila. Manila Domestic Airport also services domestic flights within the Philippines. Limousine services, public buses, taxis, hotel shuttles, and car rental firms service both airports. Carriers with service to Ninoy Aquino International Airport include Northwest, China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and PAL (Philippine Air Lines), the national carrier of the Philippines.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities

Manila

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities

3

Manila Shipping

Sightseeing

Although Manila is a major Asian seaport, international travel to Manila by boat is very difficult to arrange. Regular passenger boat service exists between Manila and other Philippine ports.

Hotels and travel agencies in Manila offer sightseeing trips by bus. A refitted tanker called the Tennessee Walker provides nightly dinner cruises of Manila Bay. The Department of Tourism can provide English, Spanish, Japanese-speaking guides, as well as guides in other languages.

3

Getting Around

A wide range of public transportation crosses the metro area every day. The most uniquely Philippine mode of travel is the jeepney. Each of these jeepminivan hybrids is uniquely painted and decorated by its owner. Jeepneys provide cheap transportation (fares average P5 to P10) for the short haul, while buses might be more comfortable for longer trips across town. Motorcycles and bicycles with sidecars (called “tricycles” and “pedicabs,” respectively) carry passengers on narrow city streets and alleyways for a charge of a few pesos. Taxicabs are used in the business districts, while in other neighborhoods, including Chinatown and Intramuros, horse-drawn carriages carry both goods and passengers. Bus and Commuter Rail Service The Light Rail Transit provides safe, fast transportation on an elevated railway. It has a limited number of stops, running from Caloocan City south to Baclaran in Pasay City. Currently most stops are in Manila, but more stations are under construction. The Light Rail runs between 4 AM and 9 PM at a fare of P5.

4

4

People

In 1990, the population of the city of Manila was 1,876,194, while the population of the area known as Metro Manila was 7,832,000. Approximately 94 percent of Manila's population is of Malay-Indonesian descent, often infused with Spanish, Chinese, American, and European blood. Of the remainder of the population, between five and six percent are Chinese; this portion of the population includes many of Manila’s wealthiest families and businessmen. Because interracial marriage is common in the Philippines, many Manila residents can be described as Mestizos, the product of marriage between Filipinos and Caucasians or Chinese and non-Chinese. Tagalog is the main language of Manila. Part of the Malay-Polynesian group of languages, it contains words borrowed from many sources including Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Sanskrit. Because more than 70 dialects are spoken in the Philippines, the country has been working toward developing a true national language. The language, called Filipino, is based most heavily on Tagalog. A small percentage of the popula-

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities

Manila

City Fact Comparison Manila (Philippines)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

7,832,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1571

753 BC

723 BC

Indicator

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

$134

$193

$172

$129

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

$48

$56

$59

$62

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.)

$12

$14

$15

$16

$194

$173

$246

$207

38

13

20

11

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

Total daily costs Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established

People’s Bagong Akhbar El Yom/ Taliba Al Akhbar 508,000

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

n.a.

1944

1976

1948

1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

tion—mainly the upper class—claims Spanish as its mother tongue. English is widely spoken and is generally the language of business and politics. English is also the language of instruction in the public schools, although a move to replace English with Filipino in the schools was backed by the Ramos government (1992–98). 5

Neighborhoods

Metro Manila is a conglomeration of 17 municipalities, with neighborhoods ranging from the historic sights of Intramuros to sophisticated business centers in Makati to the squatter shantytowns of Tondo.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities

Rizal Park is at the city’s physical center. To the north of the park is Intramuros, an old, walled city built by the Spanish. Although Intramuros was heavily damaged during World War II (1939–45), it is being restored and is an area of great cultural and historical interest. To the south of Rizal Park are Ermita and Malate, areas that previously housed Manila’s middle and upper classes, but that now form the tourist belt. These areas are home to many hotels and restaurants, as well as to Manila’s vibrant nightlife. Manila’s business center is Makati, a modern showplace of shopping centers and skyscrapers. Residential dis-

5

Manila

Manila, nicknamed the Pearl of the Orient, rests on the Manila Bay. (Mike Yamashita; Woodfin Camp)

tricts, home to wealthy Filipinos and foreign residents, surround the business hub. Forbes Park is Makati’s most exclusive address, housing millionaires behind locked gates and under the protection of private security forces. Many embassies, consulates, polo clubs, and golf clubs also claim Makati addresses. In contrast to Makati is Tondo, a slum area near the Tayuman train station, where an estimated 180,000 of Manila's citizens live in subsistence conditions.

ing small shops. It is located partly in Santa Cruz and partly in Binondo.

Manila’s Chinatown is a longestablished, lively area of restaurants, mah jong clubs, teahouses, and intrigu-

Paranaque and Las Pinas are both old salt-making towns, each known for their distinctive churches. The Las Pinas

6

Each of the other towns that make up Metro Manila has its own character. A government center and home to the main campus of the University of the Philippines, Quezon City also contains many elegant residential neighborhoods. Cubao is Quezon City’s commercial center, and houses the Araneta Coliseum, the site of sporting events.

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities

Manila Church houses a world-famous organ made of bamboo. At Paranaque’s Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the novenas held each Wednesday attract large crowds and turn the neighborhood into an informal marketplace of merchandise and food vendors. Malabon’s fame also stems from religious roots, for each year on Good Friday, this fishing village is transformed by parades of masked devotees whipping themselves over the shoulders as a demonstration of their religious ardor. 6

History

The city of Manila was established in 1571 when the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrived and made it the capitol of the colony “Felipinas.” At the time of Legaspi’s arrival, Manila was a walled Moslem settlement ruled by the Rajah Sulayman, who collected duties from the traders from neighboring island countries who wanted to travel up the Pasig River. Sulayman resisted the intrusion of the Spanish and fled across the river to the area known today as Tondo. When Sulayman’s men met Legaspi's forces at the Battle of Bangkusay Channel on June 3, 1571, they faced the muskets and cannons of the Spanish with only spears and arrows. The Moslems were defeated, and Sulayman himself lost his life during the battle. Although the Chinese invaded Manila in 1574 and the Dutch in the mid-seventeenth century, the Spanish retained control of Manila for 327 years, except for a brief interlude in

Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities

1762 (during the Seven Years’ War) when the British occupied the city. When the Seven Years’ War ended, Manila was once again under the rule of Spain as a condition of the 1763 Treaty of Paris. The Spanish brought Roman Catholicism to Manila, founding many churches, convents, and schools. This influence remains to this day, as the Philippines is the only Asian country in which Christianity is the predominant faith. The citizens of Manila chafed under the yoke of Spanish domination. The seeds of revolution germinated in 1886 with the publication of Dr. Jose Rizal’s book Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not), a novel critical of the way the Spanish friars were governing the Philippines. The Spanish condemned Noli Me Tangere, and Rizal was exiled to Hong Kong. In 1892 he returned to Manila to found La Liga Filipina, a nationalistic organization. Later that year in the Tondo section of Manila, Andres Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, a secret organization devoted to attaining Filipino freedom from Spain. The Spanish discovered the Katipunan in August of 1896 and banished hundreds of Filipinos. Many others were killed. Within ten days, the Katipunan Revolt began, with an open declaration of war against Spain. Jose Rizal became a martyr of the revolution when the Spanish executed him by firing squad on December 30, 1896, in Bagumbayan, Taguig (now part of Metro Manila), for his alleged role in the Katipunan Revolt.

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Manila With the unmasking of the Katipunan, Andres Bonifacio called the Tejeros Convention, at which the revolutionary Tejeros government was formed, with General Emilio Aguinaldo at its head. The Tejeros government was unsuccessful in its fight for freedom from Spain, and as part of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato peace treaty, General Aguinaldo accepted exile in Hong Kong. Despite the failure of the Tejeros revolution, Spanish rule of the Philippines was soon to come to an end. The Spanish-American War battlefield spread to Manila in 1898, where U.S. Commodore George Dewey defeated the Spanish fleet in the Battle of Manila Bay. With the Americans came General Aguinaldo, arriving on the U.S. warship USS McCullock, ready to resume his revolutionary activities against Spain. On June 12, 1898, in Manila, General Aguinaldo declared the Philippines independent from Spain; however, his declaration was not recognized internationally. The United States paid Spain 20 million dollars for their former colony, and Filipinos once again found themselves under foreign rule. War broke out between the Filipinos and the Americans on February 4, 1899, when an American soldier shot and killed a Filipino in Manila. The Philippine-American War continued through 1903 at the cost of many lives both in Manila and elsewhere throughout the islands. In 1935, the U.S. government committed itself to granting the Philippines

8

independence after a ten-year transition, a period that was extended by one year due to World War II. On January 2, 1942, the Japanese landed in Manila, where they remained for three years until they were forced out of their Intramuros stronghold in February 1945. Manila was severely damaged by the bombings of World War II. Of national capitols, only Warsaw, Poland, suffered greater destruction. On July 4, 1946, the Philippine flag was raised for the first time in Rizal Park in Manila, and the nation celebrated its first day of independence. Manila played a key role in the upsetting of dictatorial President Ferdinand Marcos. On August 21, 1983, exiled former senator Benigno Aquino was assassinated at Manila Airport immediately upon his return to his homeland. This assassination shocked the city and the nation and united opposition groups to fight for the end to his rule. 7

Government

The government of the city of Manila is under an umbrella government called the Metropolitan Manila Authority. The Authority governs all the towns and cities that make up Metropolitan Manila. The city government consists of an elected mayor and vicemayor, along with 36 elected councilors. 8

Public Safety

The Metro Manila police force is under the administration of the Philip-

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Manila

The Manila Bay is one of the most protected natural resources in the Philippines. (Mike Yamashita; Woodfin Camp)

pines National Police (PNP) and is divided into five geographic districts. In 1997, the PNP instituted a special task force called “Task Force Tanglow” in Manila and throughout the entire country, focusing on the problems of violence and abuse directed at women and children. 9

Economy

Manila’s economy is multi-faceted. Diverse products, such as chemicals, textiles, rope, coconut oil, and shoes, are manufactured within the metropolitan area. Food and tobacco processing also employ many residents. With its

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excellent protected harbor, Manila serves as the nation’s principal port. In addition, it is the financial and publishing center for the Philippines. The widespread use of English gives the city an advantage in international trade not shared by many Asian cities. Manila shares the problems of many large cities, however. It is overpopulated, and municipal agencies struggle to keep up with the demand for services. 10

Environment

One of Manila’s greatest natural resources is the protected harbor upon which it sits, the finest in all of Asia.

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Manila handicrafts, such as carvings, lamps made of shells, and canework, would do well to try the shops at the Nayong Pilipino or to visit the famous outdoor market in Quiapo called Ilalim ng Tulay. (The name means “under the bridge,” for the market is located under the Quezon Bridge.) Other outdoor markets are found throughout the Metro Manila area. Notable ones include the Quinta Market in Quiapo, not far from Ilalim ng Tulay; Cartimar Market in Pasay, known as a place to buy pets; and the Baclaran Flea Market, located near the Baclaran Church in Baclaran, Manila. The Baclaran Market sells food, flowers, and household items, and is especially lively after mass on Wednesdays. Bargaining is acceptable and even expected at most outdoor markets.

Shoppers can choose between traditional open-air markets, or air-conditioned shopping malls with department stores, art galleries, and food courts. (Catherine Karnow; Woodfin Camp)

The sea provides fish, shells, and salt. Although Manila is now overwhelmingly urban, outlying areas still provide coconuts, hemp for rope making, and rice. Another source of Manila’s wealth is its people, with their high literacy rate and facility with languages. 11

Shopping

Manila offers a variety of shopping experiences, from colorful open-air markets to air-conditioned shopping malls. Shoppers seeking Philippine

10

Makati, the commercial hub of Metro Manila and the nation, boasts department stores, designer boutiques, and art galleries. Major shopping areas include the Makati Commercial Center, the Atrium of Makati, Makati Cinema Square, and the Greenbelt Square. The Cubao area of Quezon City also contains major shopping districts, including Araneta Center, which has nearly two thousand stores. 12

Education

The Philippine educational system is made up of six years of elementary school, four years of secondary school (high school), and higher education (college or university). Children are required to attend the first four years of

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Manila

School children play during recess at Assumption College, an exclusive girl’s school. (Catherine Karnow; Woodfin Camp)

elementary school. Approximately 88 percent of those over 15 years of age are literate. Several universities are based in Metro Manila. The Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City offers elementary, secondary and undergraduate education, as well as graduate schools of arts and science, law, and business. The University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) contains colleges of medicine, nursing, public health, pharmacy, and dentistry, and supports institutes of ophthalmology and socio-biomedical research. Philippine General Hospital is

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the training hospital for the UPM colleges. Founded in 1611, the University of Santo Tomas is Asia’s oldest university. Originally located within the walled city of Intramuros and intended for the education of priests, it has moved to larger quarters in Sampaloc, and now offers a wide range of courses, including music, architecture, engineering, business administration, and education. Other institutes of higher education in Metro Manila include the University of the Philippines (in Quezon City), De LaSalle University, the University of the East (UE Manila),

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Manila Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT), and Asia Pacific College. 13

Health Care

Philippine General Hospital is the training hospital for the health colleges of the University of the Philippines Manila. A large facility, it serves approximately 700,000 patients per year. The Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City offers seminars and postgraduate courses to health care professionals. Nearly a million patients have been treated at the Heart Center since it opened its doors in 1975. The Center is also active in community outreach and education. Other health care facilities in the Metro Manila area include the University of Santo Tomas Hospital, the Makati Medical Center, and St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City. 14

Media

For 20 years under the Marcos regime, official government censorship limited what the newspapers in Manila could print, and only four daily papers served the population. Now, with the absence of censorship, daily newspapers have flourished in the capital city, with more than 20 daily papers available. A variety of viewpoints are represented in the daily papers, which include the Manila Bulletin, Inquirer, Malaya, and the Manila Chronicle. Most publish in English, although papers are also available in Tagalog and, to a lesser extent, in Chinese. A few weekly magazines are published in Manila, including Free Press, which is known for expressing

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critical and irreverent viewpoints. American magazines, such as Time and Newsweek, are widely available. Seven commercial television stations operate out of Manila, broadcasting some shows in English, some in Tagalog. Satellite and cable TV are available to a limited extent. More than a dozen commercial radio stations broadcast from the Metro Manila area, including DWNU, “The Only Station that Rocks the Nation,” and DWFM, whose slogan is “Most Requested Song.” Movie-going is very popular in Manila. Modern movie theaters throughout the Metro Manila area show both Philippine and foreign movies. 15

Sports

The most popular spectator sport in Manila is basketball. Manila has its own professional team in the Philippines Metropolitan Basketball League (MBA), the Manila Metrostars. Games for this league, as well as for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), take place at the Rizal Memorial Stadium and the Araneta Coliseum. Other popular spectator sports include jai-alai, horse racing, and cockfighting. Jai-alai games take place seven days a week at Jai-alai de Manila stadium in Malate. Horse races are held Wednesday nights and Saturday and Sunday afternoons at race tracks in Santa Ana and Santa Cruz. Cockfights take place in various locations, mostly

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Manila on Sundays and holidays. The most well-known cockpits are the Philippine Cockers Club in Santa Ana, La Lorna in Quezon City, and Libertad in Pasay City. 16

Parks and Recreation

Rizal Park, also known locally as Luneta Park, is a popular strolling ground at the center of Manila. With flowers, fountains, and lush lawns, it is usually filled with thousands of people in the late afternoons and evenings. It contains a memorial to Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero who was executed nearby by the Spanish in 1896. A changing of the guard ceremony takes place regularly, as well as twice daily light shows near a set of statues reenacting the execution. The 6:30 PM show is in Tagalog while the 7:30 PM show is in English. The park also contains playgrounds, a roller-skating rink, an openair auditorium, and gardens in traditional, Japanese, and Chinese styles. Other parks in the Metro area include Fort Santiago Park in Manila, and Quezon Memorial Circle and the Ninoy Aquino Park and Wildlife Center, both in Quezon City. The Manila Zoological Garden is in Malate. While it contains interesting specimens of the Philippine eagle and the dwarf buffalo, the facility is known to be crowded and many of the animals neglected. The Chinese Cemetery in the area of Santa Cruz known as Monumento is a fascinating place because of the blending of Catholic, Buddhist, and

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Taoist traditions and the grandiose nature of some of the tombs. Some monuments include mailboxes, refrigerators, and even air-conditioning. Tour guides are available. Golfing is available at 11 greens throughout the Metro Manila area. 17

Performing Arts

Music of many types can be found in Manila. The Cultural Centre in Manila hosts performances by international orchestras and artists as well as by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philippine Madrigal Singers. Free outdoor musical performances are held weekly in Paco Park on Fridays, at Puerta Real at the Intramuros Wall on Saturdays, and at Rizal Park on Sunday afternoons. Jazz is performed regularly in several of the larger hotels’ lounges. Numerous bistros and cafes provide a stage for local singers or the chance for a karaoke experience. Folk dancing demonstrations are held Sunday afternoons in the Mindanao section of Nayong Pilipino in Pasay City. Several restaurants in the Metro area feature Philippine folk dancing as their dinner entertainment. A variety of live theater experience is available in Manila. The Rajah Sulayman Theater, located in Intramuros, provides open-air performances. Other theaters are located in Malate at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, as well as at the Folk Arts Theater and at the William Shaw Theater in Mandaluyong.

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Manila 18

Libraries and Museums

Metro Manila offers visitors the opportunity to explore the cultural wealth of the Philippines through art museums, historical museums, and cultural and scientific displays. Three art museums can be found in Malate: the Cultural Center Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, and the Museo ng Sining, which is the largest museum of contemporary art in the Philippines. The San Augustin Museum in Intramuros contains oil paintings, frescoes, and vestments. The National Museum, located in Rizal Park, contains prehistoric artifacts, as well as pottery, weapons, and costumes. Seven native boats, dating from between 890 and 710 B.C., are also featured. The Ayala Museum in Malate presents a chronological display of Philippine history in over 60 dioramas. The Lopez Museum in Pasig has a collection of over 13,000 Filipino books, some dating back as far as 1524. Its large collection of historical travel literature includes the first printed account of Magellan’s journey to the Philippines. The Rizal Shrine, which honors national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, is located at Fort Santiago in Intramuros. It displays some of his personal belongings, as well as the cell in which he was imprisoned. Casa Manila Museum, also located in Intramuros, is a reproduction of a typical Spanish residence. Another historical residence on display is the former Malacanang Palace, now known as the Museo ng Malacanang. This museum

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once housed examples of the Marcos’s notorious extravagance but now contains mostly photographs of former presidents. The Nayong Pilipino (“Philippine Village”) is a large complex providing a miniaturized version of the entire country, with representative native homes and regional landscapes. It also contains several specialized museums, including the Museum of Philippine Dolls and the Nayong Pilipino Aquarium. The Philippine Museum of Ethnology, also part of the Nayong Pilipino, contains information on the country’s cultural minorities, with examples of tools, musical instruments, weapons, and utensils. The Museo Pambata in Ermita is a children’s museum that encourages hands-on exploration of a rainforest, a streetcar, and an old-fashioned fire engine. The Museum of Arts and Sciences at the University of Santo Tomas has a variety of exhibits, as well as an extensive library. The National Library in Manila has an extensive collection of approximately 1.3 million books. Other libraries may be found in the area colleges and universities and at the International Rice Research Institute. 19

To u r i s m

In recent years, many luxury hotels have been built in Manila to handle the increasing tide of business travel and the tourists who are drawn by the tropical climate, diving opportunities, and

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Manila hospitable people. Budget-priced hostels are available as well. Nearly all of the 1.5 million tourists who visit the Philippines each year enter through Manila and spend at least some of their holiday in the capital city. Many also use Manila as a base from which to explore other nearby attractions, such as the beaches of Bantangas and the hot springs of Los Banos. 20

Holidays and Festivals

JANUARY Black Nazarene Procession Feast of the Santo Nino (Holy Infant) Chinese Lunar New Year, Chinatown (depending on lunar calendar, occurs between mid-January and mid-February)

The most unique and inexpensive way to take a short trip around town is to ride in a Jeepney. Each one is exclusive in its decoration. (George Hall; Woodfin Camp)

FEBRUARY

DECEMBER

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, Quezon City People Power Days, celebrating the peaceful end of the Marcos era, Quezon City

Feast of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, night boat procession Simbang Gabi, night masses held just before dawn throughout the Christmas season

MARCH-APRIL Maundy Thursday Good Friday

MAY Labor Day, parade in Rizal Park Flores de Mayo-Santacruzan, processions in honor of the Virgin Mary

JUNE Manila Day, anniversary of Manila’s being declared a city in 1571, parade and film festival

JULY Filipino-American Friendship Day, evening concert in Rizal Park Paternos River Fiesta

OCTOBER La Naval de Manila, evening candle-lit procession commemorating the 1646 sea victory over Dutch plunderers, Quezon City

NOVEMBER All Saints Day

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21

Famous Citizens

Lorenzo Ruiz (c. 1600–37), calligrapher, executed in Japan for refusing to renounce Christianity, canonized in 1987, becoming first Filipino saint. Mariano Gomes (1799–1872), secular priest and martyr, founder of newspaper La Verdad, which reported Spanish abuses. Jose Maria Basa (1839–1907), reformer and patriot. Numeriano Adriano (1846–97), reformer and patriot, leading member of

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Manila La Liga Filipina, executed by the Spanish for treason. Trinidad Pardo de Taverna (1857–1925), director of National Library and Museum, co-founder of the Federal Party, which advocated statehood in the Philippines. Orencio Lerma (1861–97), musician and martyr, executed by the Spanish. Andres Bonifacio (1863–97), co-founder of the Katipunan, led revolution against Spain in 1896. Teodoro Plata (1866–96), co-founder of the Katipunan, executed by the Spanish. General Antonio Luna (1866–99), called “the greatest soldier of the revolution,” founded and edited La Independencia, the newspaper of the revolution. 22

For Further Study

Websites Manila Bulletin. [Online] Available http:// www.mb.com.ph (accessed January 21, 2000). Manila Times. [Online] Available http:// www.manilatimes.net (accessed January 21, 2000).

Government Offices Mayor’s Office (02) 527-4991 City Press Office (02) 527-0909 Director, Public Recreation Bureau (02) 524-8157

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Tourist and Convention Bureaus Department of Tourism Office, Manila TM Kalaw Street Ermita, Luzon The Philippines (02) 523-8411

Publications Abante 268 Atlanta Manila Ang Pahayagang Malaya (Freedom Newspaper) 202 Railroad and 13th Street Port Area Manila Ang Pilipino Ngayon (Philippines Today; in Filipino) 202 Railroad and 13th Street Port Area Manila China Town News (in Chinese) 652 St. Tomas Street Intramuros Manila Financial Times of Manila Times Journal Building Railroad and 19th Street Manila Malaya (Freedom) C. C. Castro Building Tomog Avenue Manila Manila Bulletin Corner of Muralla and Recoletos P. O. Box 769 Intramuros Manila Chronicle 371 Bonifacio Drive Port Area Manila Manila Standard Elizalde Building, 4th Floor Ayalda Avenue Manila Manila Times 30 Pioneer Street Mandaluyong

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Manila People's Bagong Taliba Times Journal Building Railroad and 19th Street Port Area Manila People's Journal Times Journal Building Railroad and 19th Street Port Area Manila Philippine Daily Inquirer YIC Building, No. 1006 Romualdez Street UN Avenue Manila Philippine Star 202 Railroad and 13th Street Port Area Manila Philippines Times Journal Times Journal Building Railroad and 19th Street Port Area Manila United Daily News (in English and Chinese) 812 Benavides Street Binondo

Books Allen, Francis J. Concrete Battleship: Fort Drum, El Fraile Island, Manila Bay. Missoula, MT: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, 1989. Berner, Erhard. Defending a Place in the City: Localities and the Struggle for Urban Land in Metro Manila. Manila: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1998. Bowditch, Nathaniel. Early American-Philippine

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Trade: the Journal of Nathaniel Bowditch in Manila, 1796. New Haven: Yale University Southeast Asia Studies, 1987. Brittan, Dolly. The People of the Philippines. New York: Powerkids Press, 1998. Caoili, Manuel A. The Origins of Metropolitan Manila: A Political and Social Analysis. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 1999. Connaughton, R.M., John Pimlott, and Duncan Anderson. The Battle for Manila. Norvato, CA: Presidio Press, 1995. Davis, Lucille. The Philippines (Countries of the World). Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books, 1999. Kinkade, Sheila, and Elaine Little (photog). Children of the Philippines (World's Children). Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 1996. Mansfield, Stephen. Guide to Philippines. UK: Bradt Publications, 1997. Michel, John J.A. Mr. Michel's War: From Manila to Mukden: An American Navy Officer's War with the Japanese, 1941– 1945. Norvato, CA, 1998. Moser, Caroline and Cathy McIlwaine. Household Responses to Poverty and Vulnerability. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 1997. Peters, Jens. Lonely Planet Philippines (6th Ed.). Hawthorne, Victoria, Australia: Lonely Planet Publications, 1997. Rizal, Jose, Raul L. Locsin, ed. and Ma Soledad Locson-Locsin, transl. Noli Me Tangere. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1997. Roth, Marissa, Jessica Hagedorn, and Hagedorn Roth. Burning Heart: A Portrait of the Philippines. New York: Rizzoli International Publications, 1999. Schemenauer, Elma. The Philippines. Charhassen, MN: Childs World, 1999.

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Mexico City Mexico City, Mexico, North America Founded: 1521; Incorporated: 1522 Location: North America, Mexico, in a basin known as the Valley of Mexico, built on the dried bed of Lake Texcoco. Mountains surround the city, with the 17,877foot active Popocatépetl Volcano (the smoking mountain) nearby. Time Zone: 6 AM = noon Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Elevation: 7,340 ft (2,237 m) Latitude and Longitude: 19º26'N, 99º7'W Climate: Because of its altitude, Mexico City's weather is cool, with small seasonal changes. While snow is rare, night frosts are common during the colder months of December and January. Annual Median Temperature: 18ºC (64ºF). During the colder months, temperatures average 12.4ºC (54.3ºF). During the rainy season (May through September) remperatures average 17.3ºC (63.1ºF) Average Annual Precipitation: 180 cm (70.5 in) per year. Weights and Measures: Metric Monetary Units: The peso; 9.4 pesos = $ 1 (January 2000) Telephone Area Codes: Country code: (52); Mexico City: (5)

1

Introduction

On a cold winter day, when the wind doesn’t blow, Mexico City lies shrouded by a thick, brown cover. Caught within the tall mountains that surround the mile-high city, the smog permeates everything. The eyes sting, and clothes smell like gasoline. The clearing of throats soon turns to hacking, and the lines at the hospitals grow long. At its worst, Mexico City seems to take the very life out of its citizens. But while they complain about the smog, the traffic, even about its politics and the price of fruit, it is rare to hear Chilangos—the name given to Mexico City

residents—express contempt or hatred for their city. They cherish those rare clear days, when the winds have scrubbed the skies clean and turned them deep blue. In the distance the active Popocatepétl Volcano rumbles and spits fire, while its eternal companion, the dormant Iztaccíhuatl, stands silently by. Sitting in a small plaza adjacent to cobblestone streets and hundred-year-old trees in one of the city's colonial neighborhoods, it is easy to forget that more than 20 million people live within the radius of a few miles. Twenty million people. Visitors shudder at the thought

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Mexico City

Mexico City Population Profile

remains of an Aztec temple peek over a protective wall. Two worlds came to a cataclysmic clash, and yet created something new: Mexico City.

City Proper Population: 8,500,000 Area: 1,499 sq km (579 sq mi) Nicknames: Mexico, "El D.F." (The Federal District); informally, the residents of Mexico City are called chilangos.

Metropolitan Area Population: 18,131,000 Description: Mexico City and 27 neighboring municipalities (second largest metropolitan area in the world) Area: More than 2,330 sq km (900 sq mi) World population rank1: 2 Percentage of national population2: 18.3% Average yearly growth rate: 1.8% ——— 1. The Mexico City metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of Mexico’s total population living in the Mexico City metropolitan area.

of getting lost among the millions, for Mexico City has been called cruel, unrelenting, inhuman. Twenty million people, and at times, just as many cars—or so it seems. It is a city where citizens trust the robbers more than police officers. How could anybody willingly want to live there? It has all been said; even Chilangos have said it. And yet it has also been said that this is a cosmopolitan, deeply sophisticated, and marvelous city, with a history that stretches for many centuries. Anyone who stands in the city’s Zocalo, the main square, will see the mighty cathedral slowly sinking into the soft silt of a former lake. Next to the cathedral, almost as if rising from that very soil, the excavated

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2

Getting There

Highways Five main national highways connect Mexico City to the rest of the nation. By March 1999, nearly 240,000 vehicles per day used the highways to enter and leave the city. Bus and Railroad Service More than 24,000 passenger buses arrive in the Federal District each week, bringing passengers from throughout the country. Overland travelers from the United States can take their own vehicles or travel by bus or train to Mexico City. Airports Most international visitors to Mexico City arrive at the Benito Juárez International Airport, located on the eastern border of the city. The airport is used by nearly 19 million travelers each year. 3

Getting Around

Bus and Commuter Rail Service With more than 3 million registered vehicles, Mexico City is difficult to navigate. Major roads are nearly always congested by every possible mode of transport. Most common are taxis, VW “bugs” painted green or yel-

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Mexico City

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Mexico City low, and small buses known as “peseros” because they originally charged one Mexican peso for a ride. Buses that burn cleaner fuels are replacing the highly polluting peseros. The city also is adding more electric buses to its fleet. The efficient underground metro system, which opened in 1969, carried about four-and-a-half million passengers per day in 1999. By 2010, the metro system is expected to grow to 15 lines, stretch over 315 kilometers (196 miles), and carry more than 12 million passengers per day. Mexico City opened a new underground metro line in November 1999. When fully completed, Line B will stretch for nearly 24 kilometers (15 miles), from the heart of the city to the fast growing northeast suburbs. More than 600,000 passengers per day were estimated to board along the line’s 21 stations in 2000. In January 2000, the government set the fare for the metro and buses at 1.50 pesos (about 25 cents). Senior citizens and the indigent travel for free. 4

People

About one-fifth of Mexico’s people live in the metropolitan area. Most of its inhabitants are people of mixed European and Indian descent (mestizos) and Mexicans of European descent (criollos). But steady immigration from rural areas has brought more indigenous people to the city. Most Mexicans are Roman Catholic, but other religions have shown significant growth in recent years.

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5

Neighborhoods

Similar to other major metropolitan areas in developing nations, Mexico City’s neighborhoods range from those in extreme poverty, where residents live in dilapidated homes without water and electricity, to posh neighborhoods that rival Beverly Hills, California, in their wealth. It is still possible, in this megalopolis of millions, to find a quiet corner in some small tree-lined plaza where the noises and smells of millions of cars seem to vanish. The heart of the city, built over the remnants of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán, is known today as “El Centro” (downtown) or Mexico Viejo (Old Mexico). It is a large area of about four square kilometers (two-and-a-half square miles) dotted by dozens of museums and plazas and thousands of shops and restaurants. Its sidewalks are often crowded by thousands of street merchants selling toys, piñatas, leather belts, and cure-all medicinal herbs. Designated as a historic treasure, Mexico City has embarked on a revitalization program spearheaded by the government that is expected to take many years to complete. The downtown area is defined by its Zocalo, a massive open central plaza that is surrounded by the imposing Cathedral of Mexico, the National Palace, the official seat of the presidency, and many fine colonial buildings, including City Hall. Next to the cathedral are the excavated ruins of Templo Mayor, one of the most important ceremonial buildings of the Aztec era. It was

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Mexico City

City Fact Comparison Indicator

Mexico City (Mexico)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

18,131,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1521

753 BC

723 BC

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

$152

$193

$172

$129

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

$57

$56

$59

$62

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.)

$14

$14

$15

$16

$223

$173

$246

$207

24

13

20

11

Esto

Akhbar El Yom/ Al Akhbar

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

400,000

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1941

1944

1976

1948

Total daily costs Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established 1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

first uncovered in 1978, and archaeologists continue to make new discoveries in the area. The city plans to plant trees in the vast and empty Zocalo to make it friendlier to visitors and to help combat air pollution. During colonial times, Spaniards built fine mansions in Mexico Viejo. Today, most of these have been turned into businesses or torn down to make way for newer buildings. Others languish in disrepair. Near downtown is La Zona Rosa (the Pink Zone), a neighborhood crowded with expensive restaurants and shops. The neighborhood is not as vibrant as it once was but remains popular among international

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visitors. As the city grew, its wealthy citizens continued to move west, building homes in the residential neighborhoods of Polanco, Lomas de Chapultepec, and Bosques de las Lomas. The city stretched south as well, swallowing small surrounding towns and incorporating them into the city. Two of them are Coyoacan and San Angel, where many neighborhoods are defined by their small plazas, cobblestone streets lined by massive old trees, and colonial mansions, many hidden by high walls and colorful gardens. On weekends, thousands of Chilangos descend on Coyoacan and San Angel to shop in the small boutiques and at

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Mexico City

Mexico City’s skyline is lined with historical landmarks. (Mike Yamashita; Woodfin Camp)

street fairs. They sit at the coffee shops and eat at the fine restaurants or buy paintings and sculptures from artists who display their work in the plazas. Here, visitors find a little of the old, provincial Mexico. Farther south is Ciudad Universitaria or University City, home to Mexico’s National University (UNAM). Nearby is the modern and wealthy neighborhood of Pedregal de San Angel, where many homes offer fine examples of modern architecture. The university campus and Pedregal’s homes were built on top of lava fields. Still farther south, on the edge of this megalomaniac city, is Xochimilco,

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which maintain many ties to its preColumbian past. With more than 304 kilometers (189 miles) of canals lined by cypress trees, seven major lagoons, and floating gardens, flower markets, and hundreds of festivals each year, Xochimilco remains one of the most visited districts in the city. To the north, there are many working-class neighborhoods, including the Villa de Guadalupe, home to the national shrine of the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from throughout Mexico and as far north as the United States come to the church to pay their respects.

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Mexico City The variety of architectural styles in Mexico City is staggering. The only constant is the height of buildings. Because a large part of the city is built on the soft silt of former lakes, and because of the frequent seismic (earthquake) activity, most buildings only reach a few stories high. Mexico City is not a city of towers. Some buildings, especially in the historic downtown area, continue to sink into the soft silt under their own weight. Moorish, Spanish, Tudor, Greek, Roman, Victorian, neo-classical and neo-gothic influences are seen throughout the city. Housing varies according to social status. According to government figures, about two-and-a-half million people (about 30 percent of the population) live in apartment complexes. About 80 percent of these buildings operate much like condominiums, and most of them were built between 1960 and 1980. In the richer enclaves, it is often impossible, without an invitation, to know what kind of home hides behind the 12-foot walls, which are topped with high-voltage electric security wires. 6

History

People had been living in the Valley of Mexico for many centuries before the arrival of the Aztecs in the thirteenth century and the conquering Spaniards soon after that. The basin had no natural outlet and several lakes formed in the valley, attracting inhabitants to their shores. Not far from present-day Mexico City, more than 100,000 people lived in Teotihuacán, the "Place of the Gods,'' before it was

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inexplicably abandoned around A.D. 750. Many other groups moved in and out of the valley. Several lakeside communities, some with 10,000 to 15,000 residents, flourished in the Valley of Mexico during pre-Columbian times. According to oral history, the Aztecs were a nomadic tribe. Unskilled and barbaric, they were not welcomed by the inhabitants of the Valley of Mexico when they arrived there in the thirteenth century. They were forced to move from one place to another along the western shore of salty Lake Texcoco, and they ate whatever they could find, including mosquito larva, snakes, and other vermin. In time, the Aztecs settled on some swampy islands on the western shores of the lake. According to legend, the Aztec war god Huitzilopochtli led them to this place. They knew they were home after seeing an eagle perched on a cactus devouring a serpent (today, this national emblem is on the Mexican flag). From here, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán spread over the marshes, swamps, and islands. In 1428, in an alliance with several valley communities, the Aztecs defeated the dominant city of Azcapotzalco. Until then, the Aztecs, known for their viciousness, had served as mercenaries (hired soldiers) for the Tepanecs, the people of Azcapotzalco. To maintain power after their victory, the Aztecs joined a triple alliance with the valley cities of Texcoco and Tlacopan. The three cities exacted tribute (money and goods in exchange for protection) from surrounding communities, but it was Tenochtitlán that rose to become an

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Mexico City

Remains of the Aztec Empire. (Kal Muller; Woodfin Camp)

empire, its grasp extending well beyond the Valley of Mexico. By the time Spanish explorer and soldier Hernán Cortés traveled from Cuba to Tenochtitlán in 1519, the city had grown to more than 100,000 people. It was, in the words of the conquering Spaniards, an amazing city of fertile gardens, canals, and massive temples, more beautiful than any European city. Tenochtitlán was connected to the mainland by three large causeways (bridges) that converged on the ceremonial center, near Emperor Moctezuma II’s palace and the main temple.

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Moctezuma, who believed Cortés was the returning god Quetzalcóatl, welcomed the Spaniards into the city. He was soon their prisoner, however, and died in 1520. The Aztecs then embarked on a futile defense of their city against the Spaniards and their allies, native peoples like the Tlaxcalans, who had been earlier defeated by the Aztecs. Tenochtitlán was heavily damaged during the final battle on August 13, 1521, with Cuauhtémoc, the last of the Aztec kings, leading its defense. Cuauhtémoc, who is now considered a revered national hero, was later tortured and executed. Cortés ordered

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Mexico City the surviving Aztecs out of the city and razed Tenochtitlán. Over its remnants, he began to build a Spanish city he called Mexico. The city was established, and Spain recognized its cabildo (town council) in 1522. The territory became known as New Spain. By the 1530s, Mexico City was given jurisdiction (rule) over other cabildos of New Spain and quickly established itself as the most important city in the Americas. Like that of the Aztecs, the Spaniards’ grasp extended well beyond the Valley of Mexico—only much farther. At one point, Mexico City ruled a territory that extended south to Panama and north to California. By the 1560s, diseases introduced by the Europeans, war, and indentured labor (a contract binding a person to work for another for a given length of time) had decimated Mexico’s native population to one-third of its former size. The wealth taken from New Spain allowed Cortés and those who followed him to build an impressive city. By the eighteenth century, Mexico City’s architecture was renowned, and often compared with the best Europe had to offer. For a period, Mexico City remained by the lakeside. But flooding became a constant problem. After 1629, when several thousand people died in floods, Lake Texcoco and surrounding lakes were drained or filled in. Yet flooding still remained a problem at the turn of the twenty-first century. Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821, after a long war.

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The republican constitution of 1824 established Mexico City as the nation's capital. Unrest followed for the next several decades, as different factions fought for control of Mexico. In 1847, during the Mexican-American War, U.S. troops captured Mexico City and forced a peace treaty on the country. By the 1850s, Mexico’s rulers tried to curb the power of the Catholic Church. The city’s convents were destroyed or turned to other uses. Since then, Mexico’s government has maintained an uneasy relationship with the Vatican (the seat of the Roman Catholic Church). Through the turmoil, the only constant was continued growth, with wealth and power growing increasingly more concentrated in Mexico City. Porfirio Díaz, who ruled the nation for more than three decades (1876–1910), developed the city’s infrastructure (the basic facilities on which the growth of a community depends, such as roads, schools, transportation, and communication systems), encouraged foreign investment, and laid the groundwork for industrial development. By the early twentieth century, Mexico City was becoming a modern city, with gas and electric lighting, streetcars, and other modern amenities. Yet, Díaz’s dictatorial, often cruel, regime concentrated land and wealth in the hands of a few people. The majority of the nation languished in poverty. Social injustice led to nationwide revolts, and ultimately the Mexican Revolution (1910–17). The city was not untouched by the revolution. Battles were fought on its streets,

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Mexico City and thousands of displaced villagers sought refuge in the city. During the war, Mexico City was held briefly by the famous revolutionaries Ernesto “Pancho” Villa and Emiliano Zapata. Yet, Mexico City’s national eminence was unaffected by the revolution. The city continued to modernize at a rapid pace. Old palaces and colonial homes were demolished to make way for new roads and modern buildings. By 1924, Avenida Insurgentes, considered today one of the world's longest avenues, was being laid out. By the late 1920s, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) was well on its way to becoming the most powerful political force in the nation. From Mexico City, it would rule the nation as a de facto (existing in fact though not by legal establishment) one-party state for the next 70 years. Under the PRI, political power became more centralized in Mexico City, which continued to benefit at the cost of other regions in the nation. By 1930, Mexico City had grown to one million and continued to prosper after World War II (1939–45). But the strains of rapid growth were beginning to show. In 1968, Mexico City hosted the Summer Olympic Games and two years later the Soccer World Cup. Both events were meant to signal the prosperity of a developing nation, but serious problems had been masked by the PRI's authoritarian regime. In 1968, government troops massacred an unknown number of protesting students at a Mexico City housing complex. Mexican historians believe the massacre eventually unrav-

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eled the PRI’s hold on the nation and led to dramatic political changes by the 1990s. Under relentless growth, Mexico City had lost its charm by the 1970s, when the government could barely keep up with services. The collapse of oil prices starting in 1982 further curtailed public spending (Mexico is the leading producer of crude oil outside of the Persian Gulf; the Mexican government uses the great oil revenue to finance public spending). Mexico City was choking in the smog and pollution. In 1985, a massive earthquake shook the city, killing at least 7,000 people and destroying dozens of buildings. Villagers from the countryside who continued to pour into the city to escape poverty only compounded the city's problems. With no housing available, they took over lands surrounding the city, creating huge shantytowns that extended for many miles. By the mid1990s, the city was suffering through a debilitating crime wave that only seemed to increase each day. In 1997, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, a member of the Party of the Democratic Revolution, became the first elected mayor of Mexico City, dealing a major blow to the PRI, which had ruled the city without interruptions since 1928. Cárdenas promised a more democratic government, and his party claimed some victories against crime, pollution, and other major problems. He resigned in 1999 to run for the presidency. Rosario Robles Berlanga, the first woman to hold the mayoral post, promised she

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Mexico City would continue to reverse the city's decline. 7

Government

In July 1997, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas became the first elected mayor of Mexico City. Before his election, the President of the Republic appointed the mayor. In essence, the federal government controlled the city, historically the center of cultural, political, and economic power of the nation. Today, Chilangos elect the mayor, considered the second most powerful political position in Mexico behind the presidency. Running as a member of the Party of the Democratic Revolution, Cárdenas' victory was a major blow to the Institutional Revolutionary Party, which had governed Mexico since the 1920s. In 1999, Cárdenas resigned his post to run for the presidency in 2000. Rosario Robles Berlanga was appointed to the post, becoming the first woman mayor of the city. Mexico City is made up of 16 districts. Each district is headed by a delegado or district head, appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the Federal District’s Legislative Assembly. Each district is in charge of providing services for its citizens. 8

Public Safety

Crime is one of the most serious problems facing Mexico City, touching the lives of all its citizens, directly and indirectly. Considered one of the least safe cities in the world, Mexico City in

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the 1990s faced a “crime explosion,” in the words of its first elected mayor, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas. While crime grew by 46 percent between 1960 and 1994, it grew by 59 percent between 1994 and 1997, when about 700 crimes were reported daily. The Cárdenas administration was overwhelmed by the crime wave and embarrassed by its inability to end it. Yet, the government claimed some success by mid-1999. The number of daily crimes reported each day dropped to less than 700 for the first time in several years. In the first two months of 1999, more than 50 banks were robbed, but between March and September, only four banks were robbed. Assaults on drivers dropped from 78 per day in 1997 to 45 by 1999, and car theft dropped from 160 in 1997 to 123 by 1999. Yet, house break-ins remained the same, about 25 per day, and assaults on pedestrians increased from 94 per day in 1997 to 132 per day in the first six months of 1999. A serious problem for the city is the discredited and highly distrusted police department. The mordida (bribe) that Mexican citizens are often forced to pay when confronted by police is the most enduring symbol of corruption. Police officers in the 1990s have been accused of murder, rape, kidnapping, and many other offenses. “The fight against crime has encountered resistance within the police forces themselves,” Cardenas told the Associated Press in September 1999.

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Mexico City The city administration slowly has been trying to reform the police department, retiring and firing many officers. In 1998, the city hired 4,200 new recruits and sought the assistance of French police and university professors to train them. On average, police officers earn $350 per month, but the city has doubled the salary and improved benefits for retrained officers. In August 1999, the city’s police chief ordered 900 traffic officers, all of them men, to stop writing tickets. He said women officers would take over ticket-writing duties because they were less likely to be corrupted. Crime has led to the creation of many private security forces, and it is not rare to see wealthier Mexicans accompanied by bodyguards. The government estimates there are 534 private security companies with 17,500 employees. 9

Economy

Mexico City remains the economic engine of the country even though some industries have been encouraged to move to other areas to reduce pollution and curb growth. Yet more than half of the country's industrial output is still produced in the city. Important industrial activities include textiles, chemicals, furniture, plastics and metals, electronics assembly, and the production of pharmaceutical products. The food and beverage industry remains a major employer while tourism brings millions of dollars into the economy.

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The informal economy plays an important role in the city. Each day, thousands of unlicensed vendors take to the streets, selling everything from windshield wipers and umbrellas to electrical sockets, tacos, and soft drinks. These are people who would be otherwise unemployed, but they present a different challenge to city officials. For years, the city has tried unsuccessfully to clear the vendors off streets in the downtown area. Business owners complain that street vendors are not subject to taxes, do not pay rent, and compete unfairly by selling similar and often cheaper products. 10

Environment

Mexico City’s air pollution sent more than one million people to hospitals in 1999. Despite planting ten million trees, forcing gasoline stations to sell unleaded fuel and install vapor capture systems, and introducing alternative fuels for government vehicles, air pollution remains one of the most daunting environmental issues facing Mexico City. More than three million vehicles on the road each day are mostly to blame, but so are industries and small factories, deforestation, and fires. Over the years, the city has tried or considered drastic measures to clear the air. Among the wildest ideas that have been proposed include blowing up surrounding hills to increase air circulation and installing large fans to blow smog out of the valley. Most recently, some

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Mexico City have proposed creating thousands of rooftop gardens throughout the city. The city also has tried some traditional approaches. To curtail smog, it prohibited driving on certain days, keeping vehicles off the road depending on the last number of their license plates. But the wealthier circumvented the law by buying a second, sometimes even a third car with a different license plate number. Garbage and water also remain critical problems. The city’s 17,000 sanitation workers and a fleet of more than 2,000 trucks collect 11,850 tons of trash per day. Mexico City, which has some of the world’s highest rates of water consumption in the world, suffers chronic water shortages. Each day, it needs 35,000 liters (9,259 gallons) of water per second for its inhabitants. About 30 percent of the city’s drinking water is brought from a location 127 kilometers (79 miles) away and then pumped 1,000 meters (0.62 miles) uphill. About 67 percent of the city's water comes from underground sources, with about 588 wells in operation. 11

Shopping

The Mexican shopping experience begins at the tianguis, large open markets that predate the arrival of the Spaniards in the New World. One of the great tianguis, a word that is still used today, was located in Tlatelolco during the Aztec reign, when thousands of people would gather at an outdoor market each day to buy, sell, and trade

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Open markets are a part of the Mexican shopping tradition. Consumers buy fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat daily at the Plaza of Three Cultures. (Robert Frerck; Woodfin Camp)

thousands of artifacts, vegetables, flowers, and animals. The open market has kept its place in Mexican culture, but shopping has expanded into sophisticated and chic shopping malls, much like those found in the United States. During colonial times, the downtown area was the most important commercial center in the city. But in modern times, the mall and regional shopping centers dislodged the Centro Historico (the historic center) as the place to shop. Mexico City is renowned for shopping. Visitors can choose from street markets to sophisticated shopping centers, like Santa Fe in the northwestern part of the city. Arts and crafts

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Mexico City from throughout Mexico are found in the city. Jewelry, shoes, and other leather goods are important elements in the retail industry. 12

Education

The city has the highest literacy rate in the country, estimated at more than 90 percent. Students are required to attend six years of primary school and three years of secondary school. Students who want to go on to college are required to attend three years of bachillerato (college prep courses). During the 1997–98 school year, there were almost three million students and 168,442 teachers in the city’s 9,460 schools. Mexico City is home to some of the nation’s most important universities, including the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), founded in 1551. More than 350,000 students are enrolled at the sprawling university. Some of Latin America’s most influential intellectuals have taught and attended classes at the prestigious Colegio de Mexico. Among other respected institutions are the National Polytechnic Institute and the Metropolitan Autonomous University. The IberoAmerican University, Anáhuac University, and the United States International University are private institutions. 13

Health Care

Mexico City has a large number of public and private hospitals, including the oldest hospital in the Western Hemisphere. Cortés founded the Jesus

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of Nazareth Hospital early in the sixteenth century. The city has 66 general hospitals, 47 specialized hospitals, more than 7,000 clinics, 542 surgical rooms, 286 clinical analysis laboratories, and more than 18,000 hospital beds. Many health facilities are operated by the government and provide basic health care for the city’s poor. While the city has improved sanitary standards, the population faces daunting problems. In the first six months of 1999, the city reported 1.1 million cases of respiratory problems caused by air pollution. That marked a 37 percent decrease for the same time period in 1998 when 1.7 million cases were reported. Diarrhea also was down by 49 percent. In 1998, 489,000 cases were reported compared to 252,000 for the same period in 1999. 14

Media

Mexico City, along with Buenos Aires, Argentina, is one of the most important book-publishing centers in Latin America, with more than 30 publishing houses. Mexico City also remains one of the top exporters of Spanish-language television programming in the Americas. Televisa, one of the largest communications conglomerates in the developing world, produces more than 20,000 hours of programming each year. Television Azteca is a competing but much smaller company. More than 30 daily newspapers, including an English-language daily, weekly newspapers, and dozens of magazines

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Mexico City are published in Mexico City. More than a dozen foreign bureaus are located in Mexico City. 15

Sports

Mexico City has a long history in sports. The city was host to the Summer Olympic Games in 1968 and the Soccer World Cup in 1970 and 1986 and has played host to many other sporting events. Estadio Azteca, one of the world's largest soccer stadiums, seats more than 100,000 people. Today, the public uses many of the former Olympics venues for other sporting events. More than 200,000 people each month visit the city’s 11 major sports installations. Many of these facilities have deteriorated, and the city plans to fix them. 16

Parks and Recreation

Chilangos prize open spaces. The city’s parks and plazas are always crowded, often overused. On weekends, it is often hard to find a quiet corner in any park, garden, or city plaza. One of the city’s most treasured open spaces is Chapultepec Park, which at 1,600 acres is the largest wooded area in the city. Chapultepec, which in the Nahuatl language means “Hill of the Grasshopper,” also is important historically. Aztec emperors used the park for hunting and recreation. Tenochtitlan also got its drinking water from the park. During colonial times, the Spanish built many buildings at Chapulte-

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Mexico City is among the most important cultural centers in Latin America. Here, the Ballet Folklorico performs at the Palace of Fine Arts. (Robert Frerck; Woodfin Camp)

pec, including a mansion that became Mexico’s military academy. United States troops attacked and captured the school, known as Chapultepec Castle, during the final battle of the MexicanAmerican War, on September 13, 1847. Today, Chapultepec is home to some of the city’s finest museums. Many other large parks dot the city, including the Alameda Central near the Zocalo. Created in 1592, the Alameda

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Mexico City was an exclusive area reserved for the well-to-do. In time, the park was opened to everyone. Today, the Alameda is known for strolling couples who hold hands during romantic interludes. Viveros, a large park in Coyoacan, is popular with runners and walkers who come to do laps among the large trees. The Desert of the Lions (“El Desierto de los Leones”), southwest of the city, is known for its large open spaces, mountains, forests, and springs. 17

Performing Arts

Mexico City is one of the most important cultural centers in Latin America, attracting talent from throughout the Spanish-speaking world. The Palace of Fine Arts, a concert and opera hall in the historic downtown area, is the hub of Mexico’s cultural activity. The stunning building regularly plays host to ballets, concerts, and plays. Its galleries feature artists from throughout the world. Within its walls, there are stunning murals by Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco. The city has many theater groups and dance companies. Mexicans come to the city to study at its fine art, music, and dance schools. The National Center of the Arts opened in 1994. It contains a library and concert hall, and offers classes in cinema, dance, music, and drama.

National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec Park, considered the world’s finest in its specialty. The park also houses the Museum of Modern Art, the Rufino Tamayo Museum, the Papalote Children’s Museum, and the museums of natural history and technology. Coyoacan has the Frida Kahlo Museum while Xochimilco is home to the Dolores Olmedo Museum, which has important works by Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Many museums are free on Sundays. The city is also home to the National Library. 19

Mexico is among the top ten nations in the world in tourism, with about 19 million visitors in 1999. According to government figures, Mexico City was visited by nearly eight million people in 1998, with nearly two million from outside Mexico. Nearly 60 percent of visitors are from the United States and Canada, about 21 percent from Europe and eight percent from South America. Even the most tireless travelers would need days just to see the city’s most important sights. The city has world-class museums, hotels, shops and restaurants, and a history that expands for hundreds of years. There are more than 44,000 rooms in 589 hotels. 20

18

Libraries and Museums

Dozens of public and private museums dot Mexico City, including the

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To u r i s m

Holidays and Festivals

JANUARY

New Year’s Day

FEBRUARY Constitution Day

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Mexico City

Mexicans celebrate the Day of Our Lady of Guadeloupe, the most religious holiday in Mexico. (Robert Frerck; Woodfin Camp)

MARCH Birthday of Benito Juárez

MAY Labor Day Battle of Puebla Mother’s Day

SEPTEMBER Independence Day

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Famous Citizens

Octavio Paz (1914–98), writer, the first Mexican to win the Nobel Prize in literature, and career diplomat, serving in France, Switzerland, Japan, and India. Frida Kahlo (1907–1954), painter.

OCTOBER Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day)

NOVEMBER All Saints' Day All Souls' Day Revolution Day

DECEMBER Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe

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Because Mexico City has been the center of national culture, the country’s most important writers, painters, and musicians have left their stamp on the city. Some came to study and later to teach and work. Artists like Diego Rivera (1883–1957 husband to Frida Kahlo)

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Mexico City and fellow muralists David Alfaro Siqueiros (1898–1974) and Jose Clemente Orozco (1883–1949), executed many of their murals and paintings in Mexico City. 22

For Further Study

Websites Official government of Mexico City. [Online] Available http://www.df.gob.mx (accessed June 28, 2000). Mexican Ministry of Tourism. [Online] Available http://www.mexico.travel.com (accessed January 20, 2000).

Government Offices Mexican consulates in the United States: 540 North LaSalle Street Chicago, IL, 60611 312-670-0240 8 East 41st Street New York, NY. 10017 212-689-0456 125 Paseo de la Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90012 213-624-3261

Tourist and Convention Bureaus Mexican Government Tourism Office(s): 405 Park Avenue, Suite 1401 New York, New York 10022 1-800-446-3942. 10100 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 224 Los Angeles, CA 90067 213-203-8151

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Books Arrom, Silvia Marina. Women of Mexico City. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1985. Bernal, Ignacio. Tenochtitlan. Garden City, NY: Anchor Books, 1975. Broda, Johanna. The Great Temple of Tenochtitlan: Center and Periphery in the Aztec World. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988. Carrasco, David. Daily Life of the Aztecs: People of the Sun and Earth. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. Cassaro, Michael A. and Enrique Martinez, eds. The Mexico City Earthquake, 1985. New York: American Society of Civil Engineers, 1990. Cope, R. Douglas. The Limits of Racial Domination: Plebeian Society in Colonial Mexico City: 1660–1720. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1994. Cory, Steve and Ray Webb (illustrator). Daily Life in Ancient and Modern Mexico City. Chicago: Lerner Publishing Group, 1999. Cross, John C. Informal Politics: Street Vendors and the State in Mexico City. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1999. Davis, Diane. Urban Leviathan: Mexico City in the 20th Century. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1994. Gutmann, Matthew C. The Meanings of Macho: Being a Man in Mexico City. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996. Johns, Michael. The City of Mexico in the Age of Diaz. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1997. Levitt, Helen. Mexico City. New York: Center for Documentary Studies, W.W. Norton, 1997. Poniatowska, Elena, Arthur Schmidt, & Aurora de Camacho Schmidt. Nothing, Nobody: The Voices of the Mexico City Earthquake. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1995. Poniatowska, Elena and Kent Klich (photographer). El Niño: Children of the Streets, Mexico City. New York: Syracuse University Press, 1999. Sabloff, Jeremy A. The Cities of Ancient Mexico: Reconstructing a Lost World. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1997.

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Miami Miami, Florida, United States of America, North America Founded: 1836; Incorporated: 1896 Location: East coast of South Florida, United States, North America Time Zone: 7 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST) = noon Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Ethnic Composition: White, 71.8%; Black, 27.4%; American Indian, 0.2%; Asian 0.6%; Hispanics, 62.5% (may be of any race) Elevation: 3.4 m (11 ft) Latitude and Longitude: 25º83'N, 80º27'W Coastline: 135 km (84 mi) Climate: Semitropical climate with a warm summer and a dry winter, and high humidity. Second most humid city in the U.S. Annual Mean Temperature: 24ºC (76ºF); January 20ºC (68ºF); July 28ºC (82ºF) Average Annual Precipitation: 142 cm (56 in) Government: Mayor-commission Weights and Measures: Standard U.S. Monetary Units: Standard U.S. Telephone Area Codes: 305 Postal Codes: 33101–33299

1

Introduction

Located nearly at the southeasternmost point of the continental United States, the city of Miami, which celebrated its one-hundredth birthday in 1996, conjures images of sunny beaches, tourists, and immigrants, and it is also a major center for international trade. Since Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba at the end of the 1950s, successive waves of Cuban immigrants have dramatically changed the ethnic composition of the city, which is now over 50 percent Hispanic, and informally known as “the capital of Latin America.” Miami today is a colorful, cosmopolitan city, reveling in its ethnic

diversity. Its sunny climate and natural beauty continue to make it a prime tourist destination, even as it struggles to contain crime and other urban problems resulting from large-scale flight to suburban areas. 2

Getting There

Miami is located in South Florida. Situated on the Atlantic coast bordering Key Biscayne Bay, it is also located at the mouth of the Miami River. Highways Miami can be accessed by highways running both north-south (I-95, the Palmetto Expressway, the Florida

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Miami Turnpike) and east-west (the Airport Expressway, the Dolphin Expressway, and the Tamiami Trail). Also running east-west are the Miami Beach, Bal Harbor, Sunny Isles, and William Lehman Causeways. Bus and Railroad Service Greyhound and Trailways provide service to Miami from points across the United States. Amtrak offers trains with sleeping berths and restaurant cars. Airports Miami International Airport is second nationally in the number of international passengers transported every year. Over 85 scheduled carriers offer flights to and from the city. In 1997 the airport served 34 million passengers, 19 million domestic and 15.5 international. About 70 percent of all passengers arriving in the United States from Central and South America come through Miami’s airport. Shipping Miami International Airport leads the nation in transport of international cargo and is the world’s third-busiest airport in terms of total freight tonnage. In 1997, it handled 1.7 million metric tons (1.9 million tons) of cargo. Nearly 278,700 square meters (three million square feet) of new cargo handling space will be added to the facility by 2006 as part of a $4 billion major improvement plan. Miami’s Dante B. Fascell Port handled nearly 6.4 million metric tons

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Miami Population Profile City Proper Population: 365,498 Area: 88 sq km (34 sq mi) Ethnic composition: 71.8% white; 27.4% black; 0.2% American Indians; 0.6% Asians; 62.5% Hispanic (may be any race) Nicknames: Gateway of the Americas, Cruise Capital of the World

Metropolitan Area Population: 2,210,000 Description: Includes Miami and the surrounding region Area: 5,037 sq km (1,945 sq mi) World population rank1: 143 Percentage of national population2: 0.8% Average yearly growth rate: 1.2% Ethnic composition: 77% white; 21.1% black; 1.8% Asian; 54.4% Hispanic (may be any race) ——— 1. The Miami metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of the United States’ total population living in the Miami metropolitan area.

(seven million tons) of cargo in 1997. The port employs 45,000 people, generating $8.3 billion in revenue annually. 3

Getting Around

Greater Miami extends along the coast of Biscayne Bay. The major avenue in the city is Biscayne Boulevard, a four-lane road that borders the city’s oceanfront parkland to the east (Bicentennial Park and Bayfront Park). The downtown streets are laid out in a grid pattern, with the Dolphin Expressway and the North-South Expressway forming major arteries through the city. To

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Miami

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Miami

City Fact Comparison Miami (United States)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

2,210,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1836

753 BC

723 BC

$172

$129

Indicator

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

$82

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

$40

$56

$59

$62

$2

$14

$15

$16

$124

$173

$246

$207

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.) Total daily costs (hotel, meals, incidentals)

$193

Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established

2

13

20

11

The Miami Herald

Akhbar El Yom/ Al Akhbar

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

349,114

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1910

1944

1976

1948

1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

the east a number of bridges, called causeways, connect the mainland with Miami Beach, Virginia Key, and Key Biscayne. Bus and Commuter Rail Service A 7.1-kilometer (4.4-mile) elevated rail service, Metrorail, carries passengers around downtown Miami, while Greater Miami is served by the 34-kilometer (21-mile) Metromover system. In addition, the Metrorail line connects with Tri-Rail, which serves Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward counties over a 108-kilometer (67-mile) route. Miami’s Metrobus service is used by about 200,000 passengers every day.

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Sightseeing Various walking tours are offered, including tours of a variety of neighborhoods and an architectural tour of the Art Deco District. There are also boat tours and aerial tours by helicopter and hot-air balloon. Miami is known as the “Cruise Capital of the World.” Its port is home to ocean liners operated by Cunard Lines (including the Queen Elizabeth II), Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Premier Cruises. Cruise ships launched from Miami dock at ports in the Caribbean,

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Miami Mexico, Central America, and South America. 4

People

In 1995 Miami had an estimated population of 365,498, up from 358,548 recorded in the 1990 census. In 1990, blacks accounted for 27.4 percent of the population, Asians 0.6 percent, and American Indians 0.2 percent. Hispanics (who may be of any race) made up 62.5 percent of the population. The Miami Metropolitan Area had an estimated population of 2,210,000 in 1998, up from 1,937,194 in 1990. Its population was 77 percent white, 21.1 percent black, and 1.8 percent Asian. Hispanics (counted as an ethnicity, not as a race) accounted for 54.4 percent of the population. 5

Neighborhoods

Downtown Miami is an area of great cultural diversity, where one can often hear Spanish, English, Hebrew, and other languages spoken. The heart of downtown is the intersection of Miami Avenue and Flagler Street. A dozen or so blocks along Flagler make up the city’s shopping and theater district. After undergoing a period of blight and neglect, Miami Beach, a sand bar in the Atlantic Ocean about five kilometers (three miles) east of the mainland, is enjoying a renaissance, both among Florida natives and tourists. The trendiest spot is South Beach (nickname: SoBe), renowned for its colorful Art Deco buildings. New nightclubs, hotels,

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restaurants, cafés, galleries, and stores have opened in this area that used to be known primarily as a mecca for Jewish retirees from northern states, drawing an eclectic mix of urban yuppies, artists, and vacationers. The pedestrianonly thoroughfare Lincoln Road, occupying 11 blocks in the heart of South Beach, is a popular center for culture, nightlife, and shopping. Here one may view contemporary art by the area’s upand-coming painters, hear a bookstore poetry reading, or peer through the windows of the Miami City Ballet’s rehearsal studio to see its dancers at work. Surrounding the central city are suburbs including Little Havana, the Bohemian-flavored Coconut Grove, West Miami, North and South Miami, and Coral Gables. 6

History

The name “Miami” means “Big Water” in the language of the Calusa Indians, the major Native American tribe inhabiting the region when the Spanish arrived there in the sixteenth century. Although the Spanish never really succeeded in the settling the region, the Calusa had been wiped out by the early eighteenth century, from their lack of resistance to the diseases the Europeans brought with them, and the Creeks and Seminoles became the dominant tribes. The British gained control of Florida in 1763, during the French and Indian War, but the Spanish won it back 20 years later, only to lose it

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Miami

Miami skyline. (Catherine Karnow; Woodfin Camp)

again in 1821, ceding the territory to the United States. Hostility by the Seminoles slowed settlement in the region until their banishment to the Everglades in 1842 and even afterward. As northern Florida prospered, the south remained sparsely inhabited and undeveloped. The area of present-day Miami, at the mouth of the Miami River, was part of a tract of land belonging to a plantation owner and also the site of Fort Dallas, which became a permanent outpost of the U.S. army in 1849. Following the Civil War (1861–65) two entrepreneurs, William Brickell and J.W. Ewan bought the land

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and established a trading post that eventually grew into a commercial center. However, development of Miami began in earnest when the wealthy widow Julia Sturdivant Tuttle bought a large tract of land in the area and convinced Henry Flagler to extend his Florida East Coast Railroad there. The railway construction was completed in 1896, and Miami was incorporated in the same year. Another major advance in transportation—expanded highway access—brought the city a building boom in the 1920s, when its population jumped from 30,000 to 200,000

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Miami people within five years. The boom ended with a devastating hurricane in 1926, but the infrastructure put in place in the preceding years had laid the groundwork for future development. Industrialization and military bases came to the city during World War II (1939–45), leading to another population boom, and Miami has grown steadily ever since. The face of the city was changed forever when Fidel Castro (b. 1927) came to power in Cuba in 1959, and over 150,000 Cubans flocked to Miami over the following decade. Today it is a bilingual city and the only major city in the United States with a majority Hispanic population. In the 1990s, Hurricane Andrew, rising crime, and inter-ethnic tensions led to the exodus of some 100,000 non-Hispanic whites from Greater Miami, leaving the city struggling with growing social and fiscal problems. 7

Government

Miami is the seat of Dade County. The Miami-Dade County Government, whose offices are headquartered in downtown Miami, is headed by a strong “executive” mayor, a country manager, and a county commission, and has a budget of $4 billion. County commissioners are elected by district. Each of the 29 municipalities in the county also has its own government. The city employs approximately 3,500 persons.

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Public Safety

A well-known negative aspect of Miami is the city’s reputation as the nation’s crime capital. Home to movie stars, multinational corporations, and a culturally and ethnically diverse population, Miami, in the eyes of the public, is also linked to drug lords and highprofile killings, such as the murders of nine foreign tourists in Florida from October 5, 1992, to September 14, 1993—five of which took place in Miami. In 1997, the city made headlines with the murder of clothing designer Gianni Versace. In 1995, the city’s crime index per 100,000 residents was 15,623.7, the highest in the nation. Violent crimes reported to police totaled 3,413.3 (murder, 29.0; rape, 52.3; robbery, 1,498.7; aggravated assault, 1,833.3). Property crimes totaled 12,210.3 (burglary, 2,607.2; larceny/theft, 7,271.1; motor vehicle theft, 2,332.1). 9

Economy

Miami has a highly diversified economy with over 170 multinational companies headquartered in the city and its environs. Top economic sectors include tourism, services, trade, manufacturing, real estate, and construction. Major employers include the MiamiDade County school district, county, federal, and state governments, University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, and Bell South. The Miami Customs District reported $47 billion in imports and

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Miami

Miami’s beaches attract nearly 10 million visitors annually. Tourism contributes billions of dollars in revenue to the economy of Miami. (Catherine Karnow; Woodfin Camp)

exports for 1997, mostly from trade with Latin America. The 19-hectare (47acre) Miami Free Zone, established in 1978, was the world’s first privately owned and operated foreign trade zone. It consists of a 78,593-square-meter (846,000-square-foot) warehouse and office complex near Miami International Airport. Hurricane Andrew in 1992 was followed by a building boom, and the construction industry remains active, with rising demand for single-family homes and condominiums. In 1997, sales of single-family homes totaled $1.9 billion; sales of condominium units

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totaled $558 million. Top industries in the manufacturing sector are apparel, metal fabrication, printing, and medical products, and the biomedical sector is showing rapid growth. The film and entertainment industry is another major generator of income for Miami. Together, movies, television, and commercial and fashion photography generated more than $212 million in income in the area. Recent movies filmed in the Greater Miami area include Donnie Brasco, Speed II, Out of Sight, and There’s Something About Mary.

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Miami Miami’s access to Latin America has made it a top international banking and investment center, with most bank offices located in the city’s financial district along Brickell Avenue. Today it is home to the international trade divisions of a number of major U.S. banks. The city’s financial institutions have won important business in connection with economic development and privatization in Latin American countries. Agriculture remains an important part of the Greater Miami economy. The region is the nation’s leading supplier of vegetables during the winter season. As the only subtropical farming area in the continental United States, it is a leader in the production of tropical fruits and vegetables, with crops valued at $81 million annually. The Miami area also supplies one-fourth of all ornamental plants sold in the country. 10

Environment

Miami, located only two degrees above the Tropic of Cancer, is a subtropical city located on flatlands that were once home to pine and palmetto trees. Its coastal area consists of sandy beaches, and even the region’s interior is only thinly wooded. Lake Okeechobee, 145 kilometers (90 miles) north of the city, is linked to Miami by manmade canals. During the wet season, Greater Miami must contend with problems caused by tropical storms and hurricanes. Among the worst is sanitary sewer overflow, exacerbated by the city’s low terrain: its highest elevation is

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only 12 meters (40 feet) above sea level, and the groundwater table is only one to two meters (three to six feet) below the earth’s surface. When it rains, water is sucked through the sandy earth and further still into the cracks of some of the sanitary sewer pipes crisscrossing beneath Metropolitan Dade County. When unexpected water makes its way into these pipes, the system becomes overloaded. Downtown flooding in the late 1980s and early 1990s caused raw sewage to spill into the Miami River, prompting Metropolitan Dade County to sign consent decrees with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that mandated comprehensive sanitary sewer system rehabilitation. The metropolitan area’s water and sewer department is in the midst of a $1.1 billion sewer upgrade project scheduled for completion by 2002. Pumping station capacities will be expanded; three wastewater treatment plants will be upgraded; and studies of utility operation will be conducted. Dade County’s Department of Solid Waste Management collects waste from more than 260,000 residential addresses, disposing of approximately 2.1 million metric tons (2.3 million tons) annually. Its disposal system consists of one resources recovery facility and associated ash monofill, two landfills, and three regional transfer stations.

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Miami 11

Shopping

Miami and its suburbs offer abundant and varied shopping. The downtown shopping district centered around Flagler Street and South Miami Avenue is one of the busiest shopping areas, with some 1,500 retail outlets, including the second-largest jewelry district in the country. The Omni International Hotel has a two-level shopping plaza with a multiplex movie theater. Bayside Marketplace on Biscayne Boulevard is an open-air waterfront arcade modeled on Boston’s Quincy Market, with dozens of shops as well as restaurants and entertainment facilities. Picturesque CocoWalk in Coconut Grove offers major retail stores, specialty shops, and cafes, all in a setting that has the feel of an Old World village. A variety of ethnic stores in Little Havana offer specialty products, and the Falls, an upscale shopping center anchored by Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, features manmade waterfalls, footbridges, and covered walkways. In South Beach, Lincoln Road, the nation’s first pedestrianonly shopping street, offers a colorful mix of culture, cuisine, and shopping. Miami’s Design District offers dozens of showrooms for interior decorators. 12

Education

The Miami-Dade County school district enrolls more than 340,000 students, making it the fourth largest in the country. About one quarter of its students are foreign-born and speak 62 different languages. Among the educational innovations instituted by the

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school system are 66 magnet school programs, charter schools, satellite learning centers housed in private businesses, and the New World School of the Arts for high school and college students. A new type of school, the Elemiddle School serving grades K through eight, was introduced in 1998, with the goal of replacing large middle schools with smaller community-based units. Students in the Greater Miami area also have the choice of attending over 445 private schools, which enroll more than 45,000 students. With more than 50,000 students, Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) is the nation’s largest single-district multi-campus community college. This two-year school, which operates six campuses, leads the nation in number of degrees awarded to minority students. Florida International University, a four-year state university, has two campuses and enrolls over 30,000 students. The 72-year-old University of Miami is a private research university with an enrollment of 14,000 and respected programs in law, engineering, medicine, and business, and is noted for its Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and Jackson/UM Medical Center. Other four-year institutions include Nova Southeastern University, home of Florida’s first dentistry school; Barry and St. Thomas universities, which are both Catholic-affiliated; Baptist-run Florida Memorial College; and Johnson & Wales University, a degreegranting college that prepares students to enter the hospitality and restaurant

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Miami fields. Johnson & Wales runs an oncampus restaurant and two off-campus eateries staffed by its students.

biomedical corridor to further enhance the presence of this sector in the region. 14

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Health Care

Miami is the home of the nation’s second-largest public hospital, the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, which forms the core of a major medical complex located near the city’s downtown. The complex also houses the highly respected Bascom-Palmer Eye Institute and the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Miami-Dade County has a total of 28 hospitals and 33,000 licensed health-care personnel, the most of any region in Florida. Hospital facilities were reported to have had a combined revenue of $120 million in 1997 and to have treated some 15,000 patients from Florida and around the world. In addition to direct patient services, the Miami area is home to a substantial biomedical industry that produces pharmaceuticals and medical devices and conducts important research and development projects, such as those that led to the development of ultrasonic diagnostic equipment and artificial kidneys. Biomedical companies located in the region include Cordis/Johnson & Johnson, Beckman-Coulter, and Kos Pharmaceuticals. In 1998 the Miami-Dade County commissioners set aside an 11.7-squarekilometer (four-and-a-half-square-mile) area for the development of a proposed

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Media

Miami’s major daily newspaper is the Miami Herald, published in the morning and on Sundays (circulation: weekdays, 349,114; Sundays, 461,201). The city has two Spanish-language daily papers, El Nuevo Herald (published by the Herald for Spanish speakers) and Diario las Americas (circulation, 68,011). Miami also has a daily business newspaper, the Daily Business Review. The newspaper of the black community is The Miami Times, and New Times of Miami is an alternative paper focusing on news and the arts. Spanish-language magazines published in Miami include Hombre Internacional, TV y Novelas (a soapopera fanzine), and a Spanish-language edition of Harper’s Bazaar. Miami has television stations affiliated with all the major commercial networks, as well as two public broadcasting stations and 19 AM and FM radio stations, some of which broadcast exclusively or mostly in Spanish. 15

Sports

Miami is home to several major league sports teams. The National Football League’s Miami Dolphins play at Joe Robbie Stadium. In the National Basketball Association, the Miami Heat plays at the Miami Arena. The National League’s Florida Marlins, who play at Pro Player Stadium, won the 1997 World Series. Miami also has a team in

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Miami

The Miami-Dade County Government is centrally located in downtown Miami. (Gerd Ludwig; Woodfin Camp)

the American Soccer League—the Miami Freedom, whose home matches are usually played at Milander Stadium in nearby Hialeah. A variety of other sports are also played in the Greater Miami area. JaiAlai, a game that originated in the Basque region of Spain and has players chasing balls called pelotas that can travel at speeds of up to 274 kilometers (170 miles) per hour. The South Florida Cricket Association has more than 25 teams. Miami is home to Florida’s largest thoroughbed race track, the Calder Race Course, which offers racing both

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in the summer and winter. Greyhound racing, also popular with Miamians, is sponsored by the Biscayne Kennel Club. The Miami Grand Prix is held in Homestead every February. 16

Parks and Recreation

Miami has 37 parks, covering a total of 1,012 hectares (2,500 acres), and there are some 700 parks and recreation areas found throughout Dade County. Miami’s parks offer facilities for picnicking, hiking, camping, basketball,

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Miami softball, handball, racquetball, as well as 129 kilometers (80 miles) of bike trails. The city also operates ten public swimming pools, 15 public tennis courts, two golf courses, and four marinas, with a capacity of 940 boats. Water sports are the premier recreational attraction in the Miami area and include boating, canoeing, fishing, swimming, scuba and skin diving, windsurfing, and waterskiing. Haulover Park and Biscayne National Park are popular with divers, while Haulover Beach and South Pointe are among the spots favored by surfers. 17

Performing Arts

Miami’s Florida Philharmonic Orchestra is the major symphonic ensemble in South Florida. The region is also home to the Greater Miami Opera, whose productions feature soloists from around the world. Other musical groups include the Miami Chamber Symphony and the New World Symphony, a youth orchestra. Dance is represented by the Miami City Ballet Company, directed by renowned dancer Edward Villella, and the Ballet Flamenco La Rosa. A variety of touring artists also performs at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts (called TOPA), and the Dade County Auditorium, which is also home to the city’s opera company. The Miami Beach Symphony Orchestra performs at the Jackie Gleason Theater. Regional theater is presented at the Coconut Grove Playhouse, and the

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Florida Shakespeare Theater performs at the Biltmore Hotel. The Miami Light Project offers musical theater, comedy, and dance at a variety of locations. 18

Libraries and Museums

The Miami-Dade Public Library System operates a main branch downtown, as well as 25 neighborhood branches and four regional libraries throughout the area. The downtown library, located in the Metro-Dade Cultural Center, has the largest library collection in the southeastern United States. More than 500,000 patrons annually take advantage of the library special educational programs and exhibitions. Its Porta-kiosk Library in the Metrorail Civic Center Station, opened in 1992, is the world’s first library located in a transit-system facility. The Historical Museum of Southern Florida and the Miami Art Museum of Dade County (together with the MiamiDade Public Library) are housed in the Metro-Dade Cultural Center in downtown Miami. The art museum (formerly the Center for the Fine Arts) features major artworks from around the world, including many traveling exhibits. Other museums in the Miami area include the Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium; the Weeks Air Museum, whose exhibits chronicle the history of aviation; the Gold Coast Railroad Museum, where historic railroad cars are on display; the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum; and the Miami Youth

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Miami Museum, which features exhibits for children.

hands-on

A unique facility located in Coconut Grove is the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Originally a palatial private residence built in 1916 in Italian Renaissance style, the museum features 34 rooms whose decor ranges from rococo to neoclassic, including a gilded music room and a tapestry-filled dining room. Surrounding the mansion are four hectares (ten acres) of formal gardens overlooking Biscayne Bay. 19

To u r i s m

Tourism is one of the mainstays of Miami’s economy, and it continues to grow steadily. In 1997 the tourist industry generated $11.6 billion in revenue and created full-time employment for 125,000 people. In the same year, nearly ten million people visited Greater Miami, breaking tourism records for the third year in a row. Warm weather, sunshine, abundant beaches, and a wide variety of entertainment are among the elements that draw large numbers to the region. The three most popular districts among visitors to Miami are (in order) South Beach, Bayside Marketplace, and CocoWalk. Miami is surpassed only by New York City and Los Angeles in numbers of foreign visitors, attracting 5.3 million in 1997 from Europe, Canada, and South America. Miami’s major convention facility is the James L. Knight International Center, a complex consisting of the Miami Convention Center, a Hyatt

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Key Biscayne Bay offers fun in the sun, as well as educational opportunities such as the Seaquarium. (Piero Guerrini; Woodfin Camp)

Regency Hotel, and the University of Miami Conference Center. The Convention Center auditorium seats 4,800 people, and the facility also offers lecture halls, meeting rooms, and a 2,601square-meter (28,000-square-foot) hall for exhibits. Giving the city’s convention industry a major boost was the recent completion of the $135 million oceanfront Loews Miami Beach Hotel in 1998, located within walking distance of the convention center. Another new facility, the 422-room Royal Palm Crowne Plaza Resort, was completed in late 1999. 20

Holidays and Festivals

JANUARY Miccosukee Tribe’s Indian Arts Festival

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Miami National Children’s Theatre Festival Orange Bowl Art Deco Weekend Festival Freddick Bratcher Florida Dance Festival

AUGUST

LATE JANUARY-EARLY FEBRUARY

OCTOBER

Original Miami Beach Antique Show

FEBRUARY Miami Film Festival Miami International Boat Show Bob Marley Festival Coconut Grove Arts Festival

LATE FEBRUARY-EARLY MARCH Doral-Ryder Open

MARCH Taste of the Beach Calle Ocho Festival Carnaval Miami Florida Derby Grand Prix of Miami Italian Renaissance Festival Lipton Tennis Championships

MID-MARCH-EARLY APRIL Dade County Fair & Exposition

APRIL Fairchild Tropical Garden Rain Forest Festival Merrick Festival of Coral Gables

MAY Roots & Culture Festival Subtropics Music Festival Arabian Nights Festival Great Sunrise Balloon Race & Festival

LATE MAY-EARLY JUNE Miami International Home & Garden Show

JUNE Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival Florida Dance Festival

JULY 4th of July at Bayfront Park Tropical Agricultural Fiesta Colombian Festival International Mango Festival Key Biscayne 4th of July Parade & Fireworks

JULY-EARLY OCTOBER San Francisco Shakespeare Festival

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Miami Reggae Festival

EARLY SEPTEMBER-LATE OCTOBER Festival Miami West Indian Carnival Extravaganza Caribbean Festival Columbus Day Regatta Hispanic Heritage Festival

NOVEMBER Miami Book Fair International Puerto Rican Festival South Florida International Auto Show South Miami Art Festival Feria de Espana

LATE NOVEMBER-EARLY JANUARY Santa’s Enchanted Forest

DECEMBER Big Orange New Year’s Eve Celebration King Mango Strut King Orange Jamboree Parade

LATE DECEMBER-EARLY JANUARY Kwanzaa Celebration

DECEMBER-MID-MAY Metropolitan South Florida Fishing Tournament

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Famous Citizens

Dave Barry (b. 1947), longtime Miami resident, writes a Pulitzer Prize-winning humor column for the Miami Herald. Polish-born Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904–91), Nobel-Prize winning novelist who maintained a residence in Miami starting in the 1970s. Edna Buchanon (b. 1939), crime reporter and novelist. Carl Hiaasen (b. 1953), author of crime and mystery novels.

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Miami Janet Reno (b. 1938), attorney general of the United States.

Miami, FL 33131 (305) 539-3000

Sidney Poitier (b. 1924), the first black actor to become a major motion picture star.

Publications

Ellen Zwilich (b. 1939), composer and first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for music. New York-trained dancer Edward Villella (b. 1936), director of the Miami City Ballet Company. 22

For Further Study

Websites Miami City Hall. [Online] Available http:// www.ci.miami.fl.us (accessed October 14, 1999). Miami-Dade County. [Online] Available http:// www.metro.co.dade.fl.us (accessed October 14, 1999). Miami Information Access. [Online] Available http://www.info-access.com/ (accessed October 14, 1999). MiamiSite. [Online] Available http:// www.miamisite.com/ (accessed October 14, 1999).

Government Offices City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 (305) 250-5400 Mayor’s Office 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 (305) 250-5300 Miami Planning and Development Department 444 SW 2nd Ave. Miami, FL 33130 (305) 416-1400

Tourist and Convention Bureaus Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau 701 Brickell Ave., Suite 2700

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Daily Business Review 1 SE 3rd Ave., Suite 900 Miami, FL 33131 Diario Las Americas 2900 NW 39th St. Miami, FL 33142 Miami Herald 1 Herald Plaza Miami, FL 33132 Miami Metro Magazine 800 Douglas Rd., Suite 500 Coral Gables, FL 33134

Books Allman, T. D. Miami, City of the Future. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1987. Cerwinske, Laura. Miami, Hot and Cool. Photographs by Steven Brooke. New York: C.N. Potter, 1990. Davies, Frank. Kidding Around Miami: What to Do, Where to Go, and How to Have Fun in Miami. Santa Fe, NM: John Muir Publications, 1997. Dunn, Marvin. Black Miami in the Twentieth Century. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1997. Grenier, Guillermo, and Alex Stepick III, eds. Miami Now: Immigration, Ethnicity, and Social Change. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1992. Harris, Daryl B. The Logic of Black Urban Rebellions: Challenging the Dynamics of White Domination in Miami. Westport, CN: Praeger, 1999. Moore, Deborah Dash. To the Golden Cities: Pursuing the American Jewish Dream in Miami and L.A. New York: Maxwell Macmillan International, 1994. Portes, Alejandro, and Alex Stepick III. City on the Edge: The Transformation of Miami. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993. Rieff, David. The Exile: Cuba in the Heart of Miami. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. Rieff, David. Going to Miami: Exiles, Tourists, and Refugees in the New America. Boston: Little, Brown, 1987.

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Minneapolis Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America, North America Founded: 1849; Incorporated: 1866 Location: Eastern Minnesota on the Mississippi River, United States, North America Time Zone: 6 AM Central Standard Time (CST) = noon Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Ethnic Composition: White, 81%; Black, 13%; Asian, 4%; Hispanic origin (of any race) 2% (1996) Elevation: 255 m (838 ft) Latitude and Longitude: 44º98'N, 93º26'W Climate: The Twin Cities region has wide fluctuations in temperature, with long, cold, and snowy winters but warm temperatures and low humidity in the summer. Annual Mean Temperature: 7ºC (44.7ºF); January -11ºC (12.2ºF); July 22ºC (72ºF) Seasonal Average Snowfall: 117 cm (46 in) Average Annual Precipitation (rainfall and melted snow): 56 in (142 cm) Government: Mayor-council Weights and Measures: Standard U.S. Monetary Units: Standard U.S. Telephone Area Codes: 612 (Minneapolis & suburbs), 651 (St. Paul & suburbs) Postal Codes: 55401–70

1

Introduction

Located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, once heated rivals, are known today as the Twin Cities and are the nexus of a thriving 11-county metropolitan area. Home to the largest of the four campuses of the University of Minnesota, the area has rich cultural resources and a reputation for civic involvement by ordinary citizens and by its business community. It is home to numerous major corporations, which draw on a well-educated labor pool. In the decades since World War II (1939–45), the region’s popula-

tion has become increasingly a suburban one, but urban redevelopment has kept its central cities vital and safe. 2

Getting There

The Twin Cities are located in eastern Minnesota, at the junction of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, near the Wisconsin border. St. Paul is located roughly eight kilometers (five miles) southeast of Minneapolis, which is the seat of Hennepin County. The Twin Cities Metropolitan Statistical Area comprises ten Minnesota counties, as well as one (St. Croix) in Wisconsin.

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Minneapolis

Minneapolis Population Profile City Proper Population: 358,785 Area: 143 sq km (59 sq mi) Ethnic composition: 81% white; 13% black; 3.3% American Indian; 4.3% Asian Nicknames: Twin Cities (with St. Paul), City of Lakes, Land of 10,000 Lakes

Metropolitan Area Population: 2,792,137 Description: Covers counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin Area: 15,076 sq km (6,064 sq mi) World population rank1: 130 Percentage of national population2: 0.9% Average yearly growth rate: 1.1% Ethnic composition: 91.2% white; 4.4% black; 3.4% Asian/Pacific Islander ——— 1. The Minneapolis metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of the United States’ total population living in the Miami metropolitan area.

Highways The Twin Cities region is accessible by I-94, a major east-west route running from coast to coast of the United States, and I-35, bisecting the country north to south from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, I-494 and I-694 offer access to the Twin Cities suburban areas. Bus and Railroad Service Amtrak and Greyhound both serve the Twin Cities region. If traveling from the airport, Airport Express is a public

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shuttle van service, providing transportation to hotels in downtown Minneapolis. Airport Express shuttles depart the airport (in front of luggage pick-up area) approximately every half-hour and stop at all of the downtown hotels; likewise, the shuttles depart major hotels approximately every half-hour. Airports In 1998–99, over 30 million passengers passed through the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on 491,273 arriving and departing flights. The Airport is located 20 minutes from downtown Minneapolis. The airport, which is served by 13 commercial airlines and is the international headquarters of Northwest Airlines, services a total of over 1,000 arriving and departing flights every day. Direct flights are available to major foreign cities. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport is ranked as one of the nation’s safest. Shipping The Twin Cities are among the nation’s major transportation hubs. Some 150 trucking companies serve the region, making it a major trucking center. The Minneapolis-St. Paul ports together handle about ten million metric tons (11 million tons) of cargo annually. Four air cargo carriers and 40 air freight forwarders service the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport; more than 154 metric tons (170 tons) of freight pass through the airport annually.

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Minneapolis

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Minneapolis 3

Getting Around

The streets of Minneapolis are laid out in two adjacent grid patterns. Streets north of Grant Street follow a northeast-southwest axis, while those to the south are laid out north-south and east-west. With the Mississippi River wending right through its center, St. Paul’s layout is more irregular and broken up by hills and bluffs. Both cities have extensive systems of elevated, covered skywalks connecting virtually all of their major government and commercial buildings. The skywalk systems move much of the cities’ street life to second-story level during the region’s notorious winters, when they provide a climate-controlled haven from biting winds, frigid temperatures, and heavy snowfall. The Minneapolis skywalks can take pedestrians as far as 12 city blocks—from a city-operated parking ramp to the convention center. The Twin Cities area is known for ease of commuting, with traffic flow aided by an efficient freeway system, medium population density, and the fact that commercial and public buildings are spread out over two downtown areas. The legendary politeness of Midwesterners may contribute as well. Bus and Commuter Rail Service Metropolitan Council Transit Operations (MCTO), the nation’s secondlargest bus system, operates more than 900 buses every day in the Twin Cities and the surrounding suburbs, carrying over 60 million passengers annually.

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The Twin Cities are also served by more than 800 taxis. Sightseeing Visitors might want to launch their sightseeing venture with an overview of the city from the observation deck atop the Foshay Tower and catch a glimpse of the Farmers' Market along the Nicollet Mall. The Minneapolis Planetarium is a popular site, as is Underwater World, a 4.5 million-liter (1.2 milliongallon), walk-through aquarium at the Mall of America. The Minnesota Zoo hosts 450 species of animals featured in their natural habitats. For a thrill, visitors can take a ride on the Wild Thing "hyper coaster" at Valleyfair! Family Amusement Park. For a tamer afternoon, there are an abundance of museums in Minneapolis. While many display fine art and history, several host unique exhibits, from medical quackery to children's interactive games. Gray Line sightseeing tours of the Twin Cities area visit Nicollet Mall and other attractions. 4

People

In 1990, the population of Minneapolis was 368,000, of which 81 percent were white; 13 percent were black; 4.3 percent Asian; and 3.3 percent American Indian. Hispanics (both white and black) accounted for 2.1 percent of the population. The 1996 population estimate was 358,785. The population of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Metropolitan Statistical Area was estimated at 2,792,137 as of 1997. The region’s racial composition was listed by the U.S. Cen-

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Minneapolis

City Fact Comparison Minneapolis (United States)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

2,363,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1849

753 BC

723 BC

$172

$129

Indicator

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

$91

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

$44

$56

$59

$62

$2

$14

$15

$16

$137

$173

$246

$207

2

13

20

11

Star Tribune

Akhbar El Yom/ Al Akhbar

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

334,751

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1867

1944

1976

1948

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.) Total daily costs

$193

Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established 1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

sus Bureau in 1996 as 91.2 percent white; 4.4 percent black; 3.4 percent Asian/Pacific Islander. 5

Neighborhoods

The city of Minneapolis identifies 81 distinct neighborhoods, 11 communities, and four industrial areas within its boundaries. The central historic landmark of Minneapolis is Bridge Square, the spot that marks the founding of the city. The city is located on both the east and west banks of the Mississippi River, with the larger part located west of the river. Nicollet Avenue is home to the major downtown

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shopping district, Nicollet Mall, which is closed to all vehicles except buses and taxis. The city’s financial district is located on Marquette Avenue. The University of Minnesota campus is mostly located on the east bank of the river. The Lake of the Isles area houses an upscale residential neighborhood. Divided between both river banks, between two bridges, is the grain-milling district. Inner-ring suburbs on the west bank of the river include Brooklyn Center, Robbinsdale, Crystal, Golden Valley, St. Louis Park, Edina, and Richfield. Second- and third-tier suburbs include

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Minneapolis

A view of the Minneapolis skyline. (Greater Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Bureau)

Bloomington (home of the Mall of America), Eden Prairie, Chaska, Minnetonka, and Plymouth. The neighborhoods surrounding the University of Minnesota are located in the eastern part of the city. St. Paul is smaller than Minneapolis and preserves more of a traditional “small town” feeling. Its neighborhoods include Summit Hill, Crocus Hill,

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St. Anthony Park, Merriam Park, Macalester-Groveland, and Highland Park. 6

History

The area that today comprises the Twin Cities was home to the Sioux tribe when it was first discovered in the late seventeenth century by Europeans—a French party headed by Father Louis Hennepin (for whom Hennepin County is named) that explored the

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Minneapolis area where the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers meet and named the waterfall at the navigable head of the Mississippi River after St. Anthony. Permanent settlement began after the establishment of Fort St. Anthony by the U.S. military in the early nineteenth century. Settlers began arriving from the East, followed by immigrants from Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Ireland. In 1872 present-day Minneapolis was formed by the merger of cities on the east and west banks of the Mississippi. Fueled by its two major industries—timber and flour milling—and an abundant supply of immigrant labor, the city grew rapidly. Rail line expansion also made it a major transportation center. Both Minneapolis and St. Paul flourished through the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as their infrastructure grew and civic and cultural institutions sprang up. A rivalry developed between Minneapolis, the state’s most populous city and home of industrial giants such as Cargill and General Mills, and St. Paul, the state capital, venue of the state fair and home to the “gentry” that populated the Summit Hill neighborhood. The 1920s saw a building boom in both cities. However, it stalled during the Depression years of the 1930s when most new construction was sponsored by government relief programs. The area’s reputation for social activism grew during these years, when it became a focal point for the organized labor movement, as well as both the Socialist and Communist parties. The Twin Cities continued to flourish in the

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post-World War II decades, although the area’s economic base shifted from the traditional lumber and milling industries to new areas, including farm machinery and electronics. Suburbs mushroomed in the region, which grew into the nexus of a seven-county metropolitan region, two-thirds of whose current residents are suburbanites. However, the cities themselves remained vigorous through major urban redevelopment efforts, including Minneapolis’s Nicollet Mall and the networks of skywalks in both cities. 7

Government

Minneapolis, the seat of Hennepin County, is divided into 77 local legislative districts and comprises six U.S. congressional districts. Its government is headed by a mayor and a 13-member city council elected to four-year terms of office. 8

Public Safety

In the 1990s the spread of drug trafficking and other types of street crime from such urban centers as Chicago was a concern in the Twin Cities region. However, major development projects and the assignment of more beat cops to the area have kept downtown Minneapolis a busy, safe, and clean area. In 1995, Minneapolis police reported 1,978 violent crimes per 100,000 population, including 27 murders, 162 rapes, and 992 robberies. Property crimes reported numbered 9,567 and included 2,243 burglaries and 1,255 motor vehicle thefts.

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Minneapolis responded to some 23,000 medical emergencies. 9

Nicollet Mall was a part of a major urban redevelopment effort, aided by the Twin Cities’ strong economy. (Greater Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Bureau)

The Minneapolis Police Department serves five precincts with 910 sworn personnel, 165 civilian personnel, and 12 police dogs. It responded to almost 400,000 calls in 1998–99. In 1997 the Minneapolis Fire Department operated 20 stations in four districts, with 73 civilian personnel and 413 sworn firefighters operating 30 fire trucks. In 1998–99, the department answered nearly 11,000 fire alarms and

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Economy

The Twin Cities region has a strong, diversified economy. Thanks to a well-educated work force, average unemployment in the Twin Cities is consistently below the national average, and per capita income is above it. Numerous major corporations are headquartered here, including Cargill, Northwest Airlines, 3M, Honeywell, Weyerhauser, Medtronic, and many more. Reflecting the agricultural legacy of America’s heartland, the food-processing industry was historically the mainstay of the area’s economy and is still represented by General Mills, Land O’Lakes, Pillsbury, International Multifoods, and others. The proximity of the University of Minnesota and other research facilities has helped make the Twin Cities one of the nation’s major high-technology centers, with over 1,300 research-based high-tech firms. The Twin Cities is also an important financial center—the major one in the upper Midwest, with a number of major financial companies, as well as a branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. Service industries and retailing are also important sectors of the region’s economy. Major retailers located in MinneapolisSt. Paul include Dayton Hudson, Target, SUPERVALU, and the Fingerhut catalogue business.

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Minneapolis 10

Environment

There are 22 lakes within the city limits of Minneapolis (thus the nickname “City of Lakes”) and 31 within the Minneapolis-St. Paul city limits (as well as hundreds more in the surrounding suburbs). Of Minneapolis’s total area of 143 square kilometers (59 square miles), almost seven percent is water. In addition to the multitude of lakes, the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers wend their way through the region, which has one of the country’s most extensive networks of parklands. The immediate seven-county area boasts four state parks and 19 wildlife management and/ or refuge areas. In 1998–99, Minneapolis city services recycled 38,516 metric tons (42,456 tons) of materials, including 19,716 metric tons (21,733 tons) of newspapers, cans, and glass. Minneapolis residents use 246 million liters (65 million gallons) of water annually. 11

Shopping

stores is still the main shopping district in downtown Minneapolis, boasting four department stores, numerous specialty stores, and four multilevel malls, including the City Center, Gaviidae Common, and IDS Crystal Court. Major department stores include Dayton’s, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Retail complexes in downtown St. Paul include Galtier Plaza, Town Square, and the World Trade Center. The St. Paul Farmers’ Market, open April through November, features fresh produce, baked goods, cheese, and arts and crafts. The best-known shopping outlet in the Greater Twin Cities area is the Mall of America in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington. The country’s most extensive shopping and entertainment complex, this “mega-mall” occupying 390,180 square meters (4.2 million square feet) of space opened in 1992. Offering movies and even amusementpark rides, as well as some 400 shops, restaurants, and entertainment sites, it is also a major tourist attraction, drawing over 40 million visitors a year.

As the home of major retail corporations including Dayton Hudson, Target, and Best Buy, the Twin Cities has a history of innovative retailing. In 1956, the suburb of Edina became the site of the nation’s first enclosed shopping mall, Southdale. Still a commercial success, Southdale today is the anchor of an entire business district and residential complex.

The Twin Cities population is a well-educated one. Of all adults ages 25 and over, 82 percent have a high school diploma (compared with a U.S. average of 75 percent); 28 percent have completed four years of college (versus the national average of 20 percent).

In the 1960s, downtown Nicollet Mall was turned into a pedestrian-only thoroughfare. This 12-block stretch of

With a budget of over $625 million and per-pupil spending of nearly $8,000 annually, the Minneapolis

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12

Education

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Minneapolis doctoral degrees. In addition to academic excellence, the university is also an important cultural resource in the region. Other institutions of higher learning in the Twin Cities include the Catholic-affiliated College of St. Catherine; Hamline University, Minnesota’s oldest private university; Macalester College in St. Paul, a highly respected liberalarts college; Metropolitan State University a “college without walls” offering classes for adult students at locations throughout the Twin Cities; Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MCAD), one of the nation’s most respected art schools; and William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul. 13

Gaviidae Common is among the four multi-level malls found in the 12-block stretch of Nicollet Mall, a pedestrian-only thoroughfare. (Greater Minneapolis Convention & Visitors Bureau)

school system employs 8,114 people. In the 1998–99 school year, the system’s 120 schools enrolled a total of 49,388 students. There are also 248 private schools in the Twin Cities area. The Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota is ranked among the nation’s top 20 public universities. Located in the heart of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, the university offers bachelor’s degrees in over 150 fields, as well as 200 master’s degrees, and 100

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Health Care

The location of the Mayo Clinic 129 kilometers (80 miles) to the south in Rochester, Minnesota, has long associated the Twin Cities region with excellence in health care. However, its own facilities and medical personnel are also first rate. The area has 37.3 doctors per 100,000 population. Abbot Northwestern Hospital is the Twin Cities’ largest not-for-profit hospital, as well as a major regional medical center. With a staff of 1,300 physicians and 4,500 employees, the hospital provides services to some 180,000 patients annually. Minneapolis has seven hospitals. Operated by Hennepin County, Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), located in downtown Minneapolis, anchors the county’s health services

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Minneapolis system, which also includes a physician group practice, a system of community clinics, and a health maintenance organization (HMO), as well as respected teaching and research programs. In 1998, HCMC had a daily average of 360 filled beds; 104,590 day patients; 317,411 clinic visits; and 87,566 emergency services visits. 14

Media

The Twin Cities are served by two daily newspapers. The Star Tribune, based in Minneapolis, publishes separate editions for Minneapolis and St. Paul. With a daily circulation of over 400,000 and about 700,000 on Sundays, the Star Tribune offers home delivery throughout the Twin Cities area. The paper won a Pulitzer Prize in 1990 for investigative reporting. The St. Paul Pioneer Press is delivered only in the eastern part of the Twin Cities region but available throughout the area in vending machines and at newsstands. It is known particularly for the quality of its feature and sport writing and its unique Bulletin Board section. Weekly newspapers available in Minneapolis-St. Paul include the American Jewish World, the Asian American Press, the Asian Pages, the Minnesota Women’s Press, the Minneapolis Spokesman and St. Paul Recorder, both serving the black community, and two alternative news weeklies, City Pages and the Twin Cities Reader. Business publications include Finance and Commerce, Minneapolis St. Paul City Business. Mpls. St. Paul is a locally distributed monthly maga-

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zine. Other magazines of local or regional interest are Corporate Report Minnesota, Minnesota History, Minnesota Monthly, Minnesota Parent, Minnesota Sports, and Minnesota’s Journal of Law and Politics. A popular national magazine produced in the region is the Utne Reader. All the major television networks have affiliated stations in the Twin Cities and several cable firms serve the area, although fewer than 50 percent of households in the area subscribe to cable—one of the lowest rates in the nation. There are over 30 AM and FM radio stations in the region. Operator of 27 stations throughout the Midwest and originator of such programs as the popular “Prairie Home Companion” hosted by Garrison Keillor, Minnesota Public Radio has become a major force in the nation’s public radio programming. Minnesota is also home to the Public Radio International (formerly American Public Radio) network, which offers an alternative (or complement) to the programs produced by National Public Radio in Washington, D.C. 15

Sports

The Twin Cities support major league baseball, football, and basketball teams. The Minnesota Twins (baseball), 1987 and 1991 World Series champions, drew crowds of nearly one-and-a-half million fans in the 1997 season. Since 1982, the Twins have played their home games in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. (The Mall of America now stands at the site of their

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Minneapolis former home, Met Stadium.) The Metrodome is also home to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, who went to the Super Bowl four times between 1969 and 1977. About 700,000 fans annually come to see the Minnesota Timberwolves play basketball at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis, even though the ten-year-old team has yet to deliver a winning season. The University of Minnesota’s sports teams bring the full spectrum of intercollegiate sports to the Twin Cities region and attract a loyal following. Especially popular are men’s basketball, hockey, and football, and women’s basketball. Auto racing can be viewed at Elko Speedway and Raceway Park; horse racing is held at Canterbury Park; and greyhounds race at St. Croix Meadows. Popular participant sports in the Twin Cities include bicycling, bowling, canoeing, fishing, golf, horseback riding, ice skating, roller skating, skiing, and tennis. Minnesota Timberwolves’ Stephon Marbury.

16

Parks and Recreation

The Twin Cities are graced with extensive parklands, especially Minneapolis, most of whose 22 lakes are surrounded by public parks. An 88kilometer (55-mile) series of parkways called “Grand Rounds” connects many of the city’s parks. Altogether, Minneapolis has over 170 parks, located on some 2,428 hectares (6,000 acres) of land. Its residents enjoy 120 kilometers (75 miles) of pedestrian, bike, and skate trails. The city’s recreational facilities

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(Courtesy Minnesota Timberwolves)

include 396 baseball diamonds, 183 tennis courts, 85 ice rinks, 11 supervised beaches, 124 public golf courses, eight city courses, and 20 private courses. St. Paul has about 1,416 hectares (3,500 acres) of parkland. 17

Performing Arts

The Twin Cities have a rich array of cultural resources. The Minnesota Orchestra, founded in 1903, has played

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Minneapolis under the batons of such renowned music directors as Eugene Ormandy, Dmitri Metropoulos, and Sir Neville Marriner. The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra is a distinguished full-time ensemble of 37, known for both its live performances and recordings. Other musical groups in the region include the Bach Society of Minnesota; the 150-member Minnesota Chorale; and the Minnesota Opera, which presents classic operas and offers classes in opera. Concerts are sponsored by the Minnesota Composers Forum, Plymouth Music Series, the Schubert Club, and the Twin Cities Jazz Society. Home to the renowned Guthrie Theatre, the Twin Cities have more theaters per capita than any other place in the United States except New York City. Other theater groups include the Children’s Theatre Company, the Great American History Theatre, Illusion Theatre, and In the Heart of the Beat Puppet and Mask Theatre. Dance companies include the Minnesota Dance Theatre; the James Sewell Ballet, showcasing the choreography of its director; and the experimental groups Ballet of the Dolls and the Margolis/ Brown Company. Touring performances of all kinds are staged at many venues in the Twin Cities, including the Fitzgerald Theatre (home of the popular National Public Radio program “A Prairie Home Companion”); the Northrup Auditorium; Orchestra Hall on the Nicollet Mall, home of the Minnesota Orchestra; the Ordway Music Theater; the Orpheum Theatre; the Ted Mann Concert Hall on

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the campus of the University of Minnesota; State Theatre; and Southern Theater. Large audiences for rock concerts and other events are accommodated by the Target Center in Minneapolis and the St. Paul Civic Center. 18

Libraries and Museums

The Minneapolis Public Library operates a central library downtown, 14 neighborhood branches, and one bookmobile. In addition, its Municipal Information Library, housed in City Hall, has two-and-a-half million items, including 2,800 periodical subscriptions; its Central Library has the largest collection in the state. The library system had some 400,000 registered borrowers in 1997, who checked out approximately two-and-a-half million books and other items. The Twin Cities houses several major art collections and more than 50 art galleries. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts houses a collection of over 85,000 art objects, including an excellent Impressionist display and a worldfamous Rembrandt painting, and numerous works by nineteenth- and twentieth-century European and American painters. The Walker Art Center is well known for the quality of its contemporary art collection, as well as its presentation of innovative performance programs. The University of Minnesota’s Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum houses a mostly modern collection in a dramatic contemporary riverfront building designed by architect Frank Gehry.

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Minneapolis The Minnesota History Center in St. Paul displays all things Minnesotan—from the mysteries of grain silo operation to facets of the state’s multicultural past. Also located in St. Paul are the Science Museum of Minnesota and Minnesota Children’s Museum. Specialty museums in Minneapolis include the James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History, the American Swedish Institute, and the Bakken Library and Museum of Electricity in Life.

To u r i s m

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Minneapolis has 18 hotels, with a total of 5,027 rooms. The major convention facility, opened in 1990, is the Minneapolis Convention Center, featuring 26,012 square meters (280,000 square feet) of exhibit space topped by three soaring copper domes, as well as a ballroom with proscenium stage for gala events. The convention center is linked to the city’s eight-kilometer (five-mile) system of walkways that connects with hotels, shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.

MAY Heart of the Beast May Day Parade & Festival Scottish Country Fair Eagle Creek Rendezvous Main Street Days

JUNE Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival Edina Art Fair Grand Old Day Midsommar Celebration and Scandinavian Art Fair Minnesota Crafts Festival SummerFolk Twin Cities Juneteenth Celebration Civil War Weekend Live in the Zoo Alive After Five Concerts Nicollet Mall Car Classic

JULY Lyn-Lake Street Fair All-Star Festival of the Blues Minneapolis Aquatennial Minnesota Heritage Festival Movies and Music in the Park Rice Street Festival Rondo Days A Taste of Minnesota Twin Cities Ribfest Viennese Sommerfest Grand Prix of Minnesota

AUGUST

JANUARY

Minnesota Renaissance Festival Minnesota State Fair Powderhorn Festival of the Arts Uptown Art Fair Bloomington Jazz Festival Cedarfest

St. Paul Winter Carnival

SEPTEMBER

MARCH

Country Folk Art Show Fall Festival Horse Show Oyster & Guinness Festival

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Holidays and Festivals

St. Patrick’s Day Parades Dayton’s-Bachman’s Flower Show Northwest Sports Show Warehouse District Art Walk

APRIL Festival of Nations Antique Show Easter Egg-Stravaganza International Film Fest

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OCTOBER European Oktoberfest Fall Home & Garden Show Farmers Market on Nicollet Mall Twin Cities Marathon

NOVEMBER Ski Snowmobile & Winter Sports Show

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Minneapolis

The University of Minnesota’s Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum collection includes the sculpture Spoonbridge and Cherry. (Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Spoonbridge and Cherry, 1987–88. Aluminum, stainless steel, paint. Collection Walker Art Center. Gift of Frederick R. Weisman in honor of his parents, William and Mary Weisman, 1988.)

DECEMBER Folkways of Christmas Holidazzle Parades International Festival of Trees Holidays at the Zoo New Year’s Eve Fireworks Celebration

21

Famous Citizens

The Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940). Comedian and political satirist Al Franken (b. 1951). Industrialist and billionaire J. Paul Getty (1892–1976).

U.S. Supreme Court justices Warren Burger (b. 1907) and Harry Blackmun (1908–99).

Senator, Vice President, and Democratic presidential candidate Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–78).

Author Robert Bly (b. 1926).

Radio personality and author Garrison Keillor (b. 1942).

Filmmakers Joel (b. 1954) and Ethan Coen (b. 1957). Aviatrix Amelia Earhart (1897–1937).

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U.S. senator and vice presidential candidate Walter F. Mondale (b. 1928).

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Minneapolis Singer Prince Rogers Nelson (the Artist Formerly Known as Prince) (b. 1958).

33 S. 6th St., Multifoods Tower Minneapolis, MN 55402 (612) 661-4700

Newscaster Harry Reasoner (b. 1923).

Publications

Cartoonist Charles Schulz (1922–2000), creator of the Peanuts comic strip.

Corporate Report Minnesota 105 S. 5th St., Suite 100 Minneapolis, MN 55415

Longtime NAACP director Roy Wilkins (1901–81).

Minneapolis-St. Paul 220 S 6th St., Suite 500 Minneapolis, MN 55402

Author Meridel Le Sueur (1900–96). Journalist Eric Sevareid (1912–92). Actress Lea Thompson (b. 1961). 22

For Further Study

Websites Minneapolis City Net. [Online] Available http:// www.city.net/countries/united_states/ minnesota/minneapolis (accessed October 14, 1999). Minneapolis-St. Paul City Guide. [Online] Available http://www.tgimaps.com/marketplace/ cityguide (accessed October 14, 1999). Twin Cities Global Connection. [Online] Available http://www.tcglobal.com/ (accessed October 14, 1999). Twin Cities Internet Guide & Directory. [Online] Available http://www.tcigd.com/ (accessed October 14, 1999).

Government Offices City Hall 350 South Fifth Street Minneapolis, MN 55415 (612) 673-2491 Mayor’s Office 350 South Fifth Street Minneapolis, MN 55415 (612) 673-2100 Minneapolis Planning Department 350 South Fifth Street Minneapolis, MN 55415 (612) 673-2597

Tourist and Convention Bureaus Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Bureau

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Minneapolis-St. Paul City Business 527 Arquette Ave., Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55402 Star Tribune 425 Portland Ave. S Minneapolis, MN 55488

Books Adams, John S., and Barbara J. Van Drasek. Minneapolis-St. Paul: People, Place, and Public Life. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1993. Arthur, Lindsay G., and Jean Arthur. Twin Cities Uncovered. Plano, TX: Seaside Press, 1996. Borchert, John R., et al. Legacy of Minneapolis:Preservation Amid Change. Bloomington, MN: Voyageur, 1983. DeGroot, Barbara, and Jack El-Hai. The Insiders’ Guide to the Twin Cities. St. Paul, MN: St. Paul Press, 1995. Fairbanks, Evelyn. The Days of Rondo. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1990. Kunz, Virginia Brainard. St. Paul, A Modern Renaissance. Northridge, CA: Windsor Publications, 1986. Millett, Larry. Twin Cities Then and Now. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1996. Millett, Larry. Lost Twin Cities. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1992. Nelson, Rick. Minneapolis/St. Paul. CitySmart Guidebook. Santa Fe, NM: John Muir Publications, 1997. Nyberg, Joan. A Rustling of Wings: An Angelic Guide to the Twin Cities. St. Paul: Wingtip Press, 1994. Smith, Robert Tighe. Minneapolis-St. Paul: The Cities, Their People. Helena, MT: American Geographic, 1988.

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Monrovia Monrovia, Liberia, Africa Founded: 1822 Location: Western coast of Liberia Motto: “The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here” (national motto) Time Zone: Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Ethnic Composition: 16 major ethnic groups, the most numerous being the Bassa Elevation: 23 m (75 ft) Latitude and Longitude: 6º20’N, 10º46’W Climate: Warm and humid year round; rainy season between May and October Annual Mean Temperature: 27ºC (80ºF); January 26ºC (79ºF); July 24ºC (76ºF) Average Annual Precipitation (total rainfall): 5,200 mm (205 in) Government: Administered directly by the federal government Weights and Measures: Metric system Monetary Units: Liberian dollar Telephone Area Codes: 231 (both the country and city code) Postal Codes: 10 (Downtown Monrovia)

1

Introduction

Named after the fifth U.S. president James Monroe (1758–1831; president 1817–25), Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, welcomed the first freed slaves to arrive from the United States in the 1820s. Located on the country’s Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Mesurado River, it is the seat of the national government and the country’s principal deepwater port. This once bustling city was a major battleground in the civil war that raged in Liberia from 1990 to 1997. Many of Monrovia’s buildings were destroyed, and its infrastructure sustained heavy damage. In the late 1990s, life began returning to normal as the city started to rebuild, and its resi-

dents were hopeful that a United Nations-sponsored peace agreement and free elections would bring permanent peace to their home. 2

Getting There

Monrovia is located at the northern portion of the Liberian coast, on the promontory of Cape Mesurado at the mouth of the Mesurado River. The city extends across a series of small islands and peninsulas divided by lagoons. Highways Most thoroughfares in Liberia are dirt roads although the major northeast

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Monrovia

Monrovia Population Profile Population: 1,413,000 Area: 13 sq km (5 sq mi) Ethnic composition: 16 major ethnic groups, the most numerous being the Bassa World population rank1: 249 Percentage of national population2: 43.4% Average yearly growth rate: 7.7% ——— 1. The Monrovia metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of Liberia’s total population living in the Monrovia metropolitan area.

road out of Monrovia is paved with tar, as are the roads connecting Monrovia with Bo, Tubmanburg, and Buchanan. Monrovia’s infrastructure suffered heavy damage in the civil war of the 1990s, and rebuilding began late in the decade. In 1998 the Liberia Electricity Corporation turned on the first traffic light to function in the city since 1990. Bus and Railroad Service Crowded inter-city buses (actually minivans) travel most major routes in Liberia. There is direct bus service several times weekly to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Another major mode of intercity travel is bush taxi. There is daily bush taxi service between Monrovia and Buchanan, Gbarnga, Ganta, Sanniquellie, and destinations in Sierra Leone. Boats are often used to travel between Liberian coastal cities. Liberia’s railroads are all owned by the country’s mining companies, and their 480 kilo-

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meters (300 miles) of track are used primarily to transport iron ore to Monrovia and Buchanan. Limited passenger service from the mines to Buchanan was introduced in 1964. Airports The Spriggs-Payne Airfield, southeast of the city, is used for all domestic air travel (there are no regularly scheduled flights). Liberia’s sole international airport is located at Roberts International Airport (popularly known as Robertsfield), 58 kilometers (36 miles) from Monrovia. There are direct flights between Monrovia and Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire) and Conakry (Guinea), and flights from Europe and the United States must connect through these points as well. Shipping The Free Port of Monrovia, opened in 1948, is Liberia’s major deepwater port. Improvements in the early 1960s increased the size of the ships it can accommodate. Together, the ports of Monrovia and Buchanan handle nearly all the country’s shipping. A large number of foreign-owned ships are registered in Liberia, giving it one of the world’s largest merchant fleets with more than 1,600 vessels. 3

Getting Around

Monrovia extends along the Atlantic coast, reaching north to Free Port and Bushrod Island and southeast to the suburb of Sinkor. Both Sinkor and

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Monrovia

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Monrovia the downtown area of the city itself are laid out in grid patterns. Bus and Commuter Rail Service The primary mode of public transport in Monrovia is sharing taxis. Fares are standardized according to a zone system. Sightseeing Years of warfare have curtailed sightseeing in Monrovia, destroying many buildings and much of the city’s infrastructure. 4

People

Monrovia is Liberia’s largest city; in 1995, its metropolitan population was estimated at 962,000. It is estimated that more than one-third of the country’s population lives within 80 kilometers (50 miles) of the city. The major demographic divide in Liberia is the distinction between the country’s indigenous residents and the descendants of freed American slaves, known as Americo-Liberians. The indigenous peoples (found mainly in the interior) outnumber Americo-Liberians (who live mainly on the coastal areas) by a ratio of about 30 to one. All 16 of Liberia’s major ethnic groups can be found among the population of Monrovia, with the most numerous being the Bassa, who belong to the Kwa linguistic group. Monrovia also has a foreign population consisting of both Africans and Europeans.

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5

Neighborhoods

The Monrovia metropolitan area, including the downtown area, nearby districts, and suburbs, has an area of approximately 13 square kilometers (five square miles). The downtown grid is home to government buildings, including the Capitol, Executive Mansion, City Hall, and Temple of Justice; foreign embassies; the Waterside Market; the National Museum; and hotels. Diminutive Providence Island, north of the city center, is the spot where the first freed slaves from America arrived in Liberia in 1822. To the east lie Bushrod, Bally, and Bank Islands. Bushrod Island, where the Free Port of Monrovia is located, is the city’s industrial center and the location of its deepwater port. Sinkor, southward along the Atlantic coast, is Monrovia’s major suburb and is also laid out in a grid pattern, with numbered streets and named avenues. Yet further south are the older district of Congotown, the Spriggs-Payne Airfield, and the Robertsfield Airport. Shantytowns with corrugated iron and cardboard houses extend along the edges of the city. 6

History

European exploration of the coast of present-day Liberia began in 1461 with the arrival of the Portuguese navigator Pedro de Sintra. He was followed by other Portuguese explorers, who named Cape Mesurado and other geographical features of the area, which became known as the Grain Coast.

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Monrovia

City Fact Comparison Indicator

Monrovia (Liberia)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

1,413,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1822

753 BC

723 BC

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

$130

$193

$172

$129

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

$58

$56

$59

$62

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.)

$14

$14

$15

$16

$202

$173

$246

$207

6

13

20

11

Daily Observer

Akhbar El Yom/ Al Akhbar

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

30,000

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1981

1944

1976

1948

Total daily costs (hotel, meals, incidentals) Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established 1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

By the early nineteenth century, anti-slavery sentiment was growing in the United States, and one proposed solution to the problem of accommodating freed slaves was resettlement in Africa. In 1818 representatives of the American Colonization Society, a private U.S. organization, made a trip to the Grain Coast to assess the area. Three years later the society acquired settlement rights for Cape Mesurado through agreements signed with local chieftains. These efforts were aided by the U.S. government under President James Monroe, after whom Monrovia was later named (its original name was

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Christopolis). The first settlers arrived in 1822, settling on Providence Island. In spite of the formal agreement, the settlers were attacked by local tribes but managed to survive. Under the leadership of another American, Jehudi Ashmun, Liberia’s first governmental and economic institutions were formed, and additional settlements were begun in nearby coastal areas. Liberia’s first governor was appointed in 1839, and the territory proclaimed its independence in 1847. A constitution based on that of the United States was adopted, and during the following decade the new

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Monrovia

Monrovia was named after the fifth U.S. president James Monroe (1758–1831; president 1817–25). (Werner Gartung; Woodfin Camp)

nation was recognized by most of the world’s major powers. A large loan from Britain, necessitated by the withdrawal of aid from American colonization societies following Liberian independence, plunged the new nation into debt later in the century. Unable to meet its obligations, the nation was forced to borrow yet more money; its foreign debt was not paid off until 1952. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, border disputes erupted with the French in neighboring Cote d’Ivoire and the British in Sierra Leone.

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Early twentieth-century events in Liberia included the establishment of a rubber plantation near Monrovia by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in 1926 and, a few years later, the resignation of the national government following a scandal over the shipment of African laborers to Fernando Po (in present-day Equatorial Guinea). During World War II (1939–45), Liberia joined the Allies in declaring war on Germany and Japan. As the result of a defense agreement signed with the United States in 1942, an international airport and deepwater harbor were constructed

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Monrovia in Monrovia by 1948. In 1964 the free port of Monrovia was placed for the first time under the jurisdiction of the Liberian government. In spite of the economic progress spurred by Monrovia’s growing importance as an international port city, Liberia fell prey to economic troubles in the 1960s and 1970s, as the world market for its major exports declined. The economic situation and continuing tensions between the coastal elite, mostly descended from ex-slaves, and the tribal population in the interior of the country, led to the overthrow of the democratically elected government of President William R. Tolbert in 1980 in a military coup led by Samuel K. Doe (1951–90), who ruled Liberia for ten years until civil war erupted in 1989 when rebels under the leadership of Charles Taylor invaded Liberia from Cote d’Ivoire. President Doe, who had barricaded himself in the presidential mansion, was killed, together with many of his supporters, in 1990, after which Monrovia was torn between the remnants of Doe’s army and breakaway rebel forces led by Prince Johnson, a former associate of Taylor. Taylor’s forces ultimately seized control of about 90 percent of the country and stormed Monrovia in 1992, after which an international peacekeeping force known as ECOMOG (the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group) was stationed in the country. A series of temporary UN-sponsored peace agreements temporarily halted the fighting, and a permanent agreement was

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A monument dedicated to the first settlers of 1822. (Werner Garttung; Woodfin Camp)

reached in 1996, followed by elections the following year, with Charles Taylor and the National Patriotic Party winning some 75 percent of the vote. Since the area around the capital was the major contested territory during the war, it suffered the greatest damage—to infrastructure and industry. In the late 1990s, however, life in Monrovia was beginning to return to normal, although fears of future violence were raised when ECOMOG troops withdrew in early 1998. As many of the refugees who had fled to neighboring countries poured back into the country, both Liberians and the international community hoped that rebuilding efforts could be undertaken without further bloodshed and brutality. 7

Government

As the seat of the national government, Monrovia is home to the Execu-

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Monrovia ular vote every six years, as are the legislators in the House of Representatives. Senators are directly elected for nineyear terms. During the civil war of 1990 to 1997, competing factions overran the country, and there was no effective central government. Central government was restored in 1995 under interim leadership in the form of a Council of State. In 1997 Charles Taylor was elected president of the country, and the Council of State was dissolved. There are no elected local councils in Liberia, and most local government centers around the country’s 13 counties. Monrovia, however, is governed directly by the federal government rather than at the county level. 8

A boy stands with the national flag of Liberia. Monrovia has no city or county government, but is governed directly by the federal government. (Werner Gartung; Woodfin Camp)

tive Mansion (the residence of the president), the Capitol building, the Temple of Justice, and various ministry buildings. Thanks to its close association with the United States, Liberia’s government has always been modeled on that of the United States, with executive and judicial branches and a bicameral legislature. The 1986 constitution adopted during the regime of General Samuel K. Doe provides for the president to be directly elected by pop-

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Public Safety

The greatest threat to public safety in Monrovia’s recent history was the civil war that raged throughout the country between 1990 and 1997, bringing lawlessness and destruction to this formerly peaceful capital. By 1996 the city lay in ruins while armed gangs employed by rival warlords roamed the streets killing, raping, and looting. Thousands fled the fighting in the capital, and at least 100 peacekeepers lost their lives while trying to restore security to the city and its environs. A U.S. airlift evacuated more than 2,300 people from Monrovia, including 461 American citizens, and nearly the entire U.S. embassy staff left the city. Although conditions improved substantially following the 1996 peace agreement and the 1997 elections, the threat

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Monrovia of violence remained, especially once ECOMOG forces had been withdrawn from the country. 9

Economy

Monrovia’s economy is centered on its harbor, home to the country’s major commercial port, which has accommodated ocean-going vessels since improvements made in the 1940s with U.S. assistance. It is a free port, and vessels from countries around the world can obtain Liberian registration, giving the port one of the world’s largest tanker fleets with more than 1,600 vessels. The main Liberian exports handled through the port are the country’s two major natural resources, latex from rubber plantations and iron ore. Monrovia also has storage and ship repair facilities. Items manufactured in or near the city include food products, cement, bricks, tiles, furniture, and pharmaceuticals. Following the civil war of the 1990s, Liberia, a country that was once prosperous by African standards, is one of the poorest countries on the continent, its economy decimated by displacement of its population and destruction of its infrastructure. Utility operation in Monrovia broke down in 1990, after which the city had no central power supply, and residents resorted to personal power generators. Now heavily dependent on foreign aid, Liberia faces the challenges of repatriating refugees who fled to neighboring countries, rebuilding its infrastructure, and restoring its public institutions.

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10

Environment

Wildlife on Liberia’s coastal plain, where Monrovia is located, has been virtually wiped out by hunting and habitat destruction, including increased poaching during the prolonged period of political instability since 1990. The Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL), headquartered in Monrovia, is primarily concerned with preserving Liberia’s rain forests, located in the northwest and southeastern parts of the country. However, following the country’s civil war, the society also mounted a major campaign in the capital to rehabilitate its zoo, spearheading extensive renovations intended to include a guest house and environmental education center on the zoo grounds. The SCNL also initiated a project to plant acacia seedlings at some 50 sites around the city. Liberia’s largest generating station, the Mount Coffee hydroelectric plant on the Saint Paul River, is located near Monrovia. About half of Liberia’s electric energy comes from hydroelectric generation. Pollution of the river by iron ore tailings is a growing problem, while purity of the waters off the Atlantic coast is threatened by untreated sewage and waste water and oil residues. 11

Shopping

Monrovia’s Free Port has traditionally ensured the city a good supply of consumer goods, as well as specialties such as African cloth and clothing. The

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Monrovia

Modern consumer goods as well as traditional African specialty items are shipped into and out of Monrovia’s Free Port. (Homer Sykes; Woodfin Camp)

largest number of textile and apparel stores can be found on Benson Street, and textiles can be purchased at the Waterside Market. A large concentration of retailers can also be found on Randall Street. African crafts, including wood carvings, stone statues, and musical instruments, are sold in booths near the U.S. embassy and MBK Brother African Arts Dealer on Carey Street. There are also several supermarkets in Monrovia. 12

Education

Compared to most other countries in Africa, educational standards in

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Liberia are high. Although primary and secondary education for children ages six to 16 are theoretically compulsory, only about 50 percent of Liberian children receive a primary education, with the number dropping to 20 percent for secondary education. However, school attendance is better in cities than in rural areas. Liberia’s most important institution of higher education, the University of Liberia (founded in 1862), is located in Monrovia, as are the William V. S. Tubman College of Technology (founded 1978), several teacher-training and community colleges, and the

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Monrovia Monrovia Torrino Medical College, a training institute for paramedics. Cuttington University College, an Episcopalian institution that is the oldest private, coeducational, four-year college in sub-Saharan Africa, is located 193 kilometers (120 miles) north of Monrovia in Suakoko. 13

Health Care

The health-care network in Liberia as a whole suffered from the civil war of the 1990s. Damage to the country’s infrastructure and economy reduced its capacity to combat diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, dysentery, and schistosomiasis. At the end of the war, Liberia had some 85 hospitals, with 15 beds to every 10,000 persons. Health care facilities in Monrovia are among the best in the country and include the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital and the Roman Catholic Hospital, both of which are affiliated with medical and nursing schools.

Voice of America and the BBC World Service can be received; programming from the Sudan, France, and Italy, is also available through direct satellite links. 15

Soccer (“association football”) is the most popular sport in Monrovia, as elsewhere in Liberia. The city’s team, the Lone Stars, plays at a stadium about 12 kilometers (seven-and-a-half miles) from downtown and participates in inter-county competition for the national championship annually. At the international level, the Liberian national team competes in an African soccer league, and the country also has a national basketball team. Other popular sports in Monrovia are squash and swimming. At the collegiate level, the University of Liberia, located in the capital, competes against Cuttington University College in a variety of sports. 16

14

Media

There are several daily newspapers published in Monrovia. The foremost one, the Daily Observer, had a circulation of 30,000 in 1998. The New Liberian is the official newspaper of the Liberian government. The other newspapers include Liberian Age, the Sun Times, the Mirror, and Footprints Today. Liberia’s single, state-owned television station broadcasts from the capital, which is also the only area where its signal can be heard. Liberia has four radio stations, and programming by the

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Sports

Parks and Recreation

Outdoor activities abound in and around Monrovia. Located on Liberia’s Atlantic coast, Monrovia has a number of beaches, including Ellen’s Beach, Kendeja Beach, Thinker’s Village, and, farther out, Marshall Beach. Snorkeling, spear fishing, and scuba diving are all popular activities. Boating and fishing are centered on the St. Paul River. The privately owned Monrovia Zoo offers a glimpse at some of birds and wildlife one would find in the country’s tropical rainforests. The Bong Mining Com-

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Monrovia pany, about two hours north of Monrovia, has extensive recreational facilities, including a swimming pool, soccer field, golf course, tennis courts, restaurants, and aircraft and shooting clubs. 17

Performing Arts

Music and dance in Monrovia and Liberia’s other coastal cities combines traditional African and Western elements. The most common instruments on which traditional Liberian music is played include various types of xylophone, rattles, a variety of stringed instruments, and drums. Modern Liberian music has been influenced not only by American gospel and soul but also by the big band music of Ghana and Sierra Leone and the music of the West Indies and Latin America. Gospel music is widely heard over the radio in Monrovia and other parts of the country. Live popular music can be heard in a few clubs and discos although Monrovia’s night life is much quieter than it was in the years before the civil war. 18

Libraries and Museums

of galleries and a flourishing collection at the National Museum of Liberia, located in the Supreme Court building. The museum was looted during the war, but a number of its masks and ceramic objects were salvaged and are now housed at Cuttington University College in Suakoko. Other museums in Monrovia include the Africana Museum and a museum at the University of Liberia. Some of Monrovia’s local artists, including Leslie Lumeh and Lawson Sworh, display their works at their private studios.

To u r i s m

19

Tourism to Liberia has been suppressed by close to a decade of civil war and political instability. Of the country’s existing hotels, most are located in Monrovia, whose beaches are one of the country’s only tourist attractions. Located on Liberia’s Atlantic coast, popular beaches include Ellen’s Beach, Kendeja Beach, Thinker’s Village, and, farther out, Marshall Beach. 20

Holidays and Festivals

FEBRUARY

Monrovia is home to the government-run National Library, which holds some 15,000 volumes. Other libraries in the capital include a UNESCO facility, a children’s library, a research library operated by the Liberian Information Service, and the University of Liberia library, which holds 108,000 volumes.

Armed Forces Day

Before Liberia’s civil war, Monrovia had a thriving art scene, with a number

JULY

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MARCH Decoration Day J. J. Roberts Day

APRIL Fast and Prayer Day

MAY National Unification Day Independence Day

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Monrovia

Costumed dancers wait their turn to perform at a festival celebration. (Homer Sykes; Woodfin Camp)

AUGUST Flag Day

NOVEMBER Tubman Day

21

Famous Citizens

Joseph Jenkins Roberts (1809–76), Liberia’s first president. Jehudi Ashmun (1794–1828) and Ralph Randolph Gurley (1797–1872), Americans who helped organize the first settlement. William V. S. Tubman (1895–1971), president of Liberia from 1944 to 1971.

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Samuel K. Doe (1951–90), military leader and head of government. George Weah (b. 1966), European Footballer of the Year and African Football Player of the Year. Charles Taylor (b. 1947), former rebel leader and current president of Liberia. 22

For Further Study

Websites Friends of Liberia. [Online] Available http:// www.fol.org (accessed February 3, 2000). MIT. [Online] Available http://groove.mit.edu/ liberiapages (accessed February 3, 2000). University of Pennsylvania. [Online] Available http://www.sas.upenn.edu/african_studies/

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Monrovia country_specific/liberia.html (accessed February 3, 2000).

Government Offices Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs Broad St. P.O. Box 10–9016 1000 Monrovia 10 Office of the President Executive Mansion P.O. Box 10–9001 Capitol Hill 1000 Monrovia 10

Tourist and Convention Bureaus Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism Capitol Hill P.O. Box 10–9021 1000 Monrovia 10

Publications Daily Observer 117 Broad St. Crown Hill P.O. Box 1858 Liberian Age Carey St. P.O. Box 9031 New Liberian Capitol Hill P.O. Box 9021

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Books Belcher, Max, ed. A Land and Life Remembered: Americo-Liberian Folk Architecture. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1988. Chea, Augustine S. Joy after Mourning: The Liberia Civil War. Decatur, GA: A.S. Chea, 1996. Daniels, Anthony. Monrovia Mon Amour: A Visit to Liberia. London: John Murray, 1992. Dolo, Emmanual. Democracy Versus Dictatorship: The Quest for Freedom and Justice in Africa’s Oldest Republic—Liberia. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1996. Harris, Katherine. African and American Values: Liberia and West Africa. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1985. Huband, Mark. The Liberian Civil War. Portland, OR: F. Cass, 1998. Kulah, Arthur F. Liberia Will Rise Again: Reflections on the Liberian Civil Crisis. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1999. Liebenow, J. Gus. Liberia: The Quest for Democracy. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987. Saha, Santosh C. Culture in Liberia: An Afrocentric View of the Cultural Interaction between the Indigenous Liberians and the Americo-Liberians. Lewiston, NY: E. Mellen Press, 1998. Sawyer, Amos. The Emergence of Autocracy in Liberia: Tragedy and Challenge. San Francisco, CA: Institute for Contemporary Studies, 1992. Shuster, Lynda. “The Final Days of Dr. Doe.” Granta. Vol. 48. 1994.

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Montréal Montréal, Québec, Canada, North America Founded: 1642; Incorporated: 1832 Location: Southern Quebéc, at the junction of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Rivers Flag: A red cross on a white background, with four emblems, as follows (clockwise from upper left): fleur de lys, rose, shamrock, and thistle, representing historic French, English, Scottish, and Irish influences Time Zone: 7 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST) = noon Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Ethnic Composition: White, 82.4%; black, 5.6%; other visible minorities, 12% Elevation: 36 m (117 ft) Latitude and Longitude: 45°31’N, 73°34’W Coastline: 24 km (15 mi) along the St. Lawrence River Climate: Continental climate with heavy snowfall and strong winds; warm summers Annual Mean Temperature: 6.5°C (43°F); January –6.3°C (27°F); July 22.2°C (72°F) Seasonal Average Snowfall: 214 cm (84 in) Average Annual Precipitation: 115–150 cm (45–60 in) Government: Mayor-council Weights and Measures: Metric system Monetary Units: Canadian dollar Telephone Area Code: 514 Postal Codes: All postal codes begin with the letter ‘H’

1

Introduction

Montréal is the largest city in eastern Canada and after Paris, the second largest French-speaking city in the world. Located on an island at the junction of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers, to the north of New York state. Montréal is a center for trade and exchange. The stockaded settlement of Hochelaga predated the arrival of the first white explorers, such as Jacques Cartier. European settlement dates from 1642 when Maisonneuve established a small fort, Ville Marie, on the St. Lawrence River. Montréal takes its name from Mt. Royal, an imposing hill in the center of the city. The location of

the city has ensured Montréal’s position prominence in shipping, manufacturing, and until recently, finance. Although today its manufacturing industries are in decline, Montréal remains an important port for both ocean-going freighters and shipping on the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes. Initially settled by the French, Montréal’s population has been divided between an English-speaking business elite and a poorer working Frenchspeaking class. Montréal’s ethnic complexion and its importance in both English Canada and Québec has changed. Under pressure from Québec Nationalists, major businesses and the English-speaking

83

Montreal

Montréal Population Profile City Proper Population: 1,005, 000 Area: 192 sq km (74 sq mi) Ethnic composition: 82.4% white; 5.6% black other visible minorities 12% Nicknames: City of Churches

than any other North American city except the provincial capital Québec City. 2

Getting There

Montréal is easily accessible by road, rail, water, and air. Highways

Metropolitan Area Population: 3,401,000 Area: 3500 sq km (1,355 sq mi) World population rank1: 79 Percentage of national population2: 14.4% Average yearly growth rate: 0.6% ——— 1. The Montréal metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of Canada’s total population living in the Montréal metropolitan area.

elites who dominated them have departed for Toronto and Englishspeaking Canada. Québec City, the provincial capital, has surpassed Montréal as the center of Québec political life. Although Montréal, particularly the eastern part of the city, remains French, Francophone middle classes have departed for the suburbs. Immigrants from southern and eastern Europe and other parts of the world have made Montréal an ethnically diverse city. The city remains an important cultural center and a destination for North American and European tourists enticed by its restaurants, entertainment, neighborhoods, and the character of its older city. Narrow cobblestoned streets, stone buildings, and numerous cafes give Old Montréal a more European character

84

Ten super highways converge on Montréal from Toronto, Ottawa, the Laurentians, Québec City, the Eastern Townships, New England, and New York state. Principal highways include the Trans-Canada Highway, which passes underneath the downtown; Autoroute 20 from Toronto; I-89 from Vermont and New England; and I-87 from Albany and New York City. Québec City is approximately three hours away; Ottawa, 90 minutes; Toronto, five hours; and New York City, six hours by car. Bus and Railroad Service Montréal is a hub for both the Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railways. Via Rail operates trains to Ottawa, Toronto and points west, and Québec City and Eastern Canada. Amtrak operates a daily service from Washington, D.C., and New York City. Montréal can also be reached from numerous points by bus. Airports Montréal’s Dorval Airport is served by Air Canada, as well as major American and international carriers. Flights depart regularly for 130 cities in eastern

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Montreal

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85

Montreal and western Canada, as well as major American and European cities. There is shuttle service to Toronto, which is one hour away by air. Ottawa, Canada’s capital, is 15 minutes away by plane and can be reached in 90 minutes by car. Mirabel Airport, 58 kilometers (36 miles) to the north, provides charter and freight service. Shipping Linked to numerous ports around the world by various shipping lines, Montréal is the leading North American container port on the North Atlantic market. Over the past decade, the Port of Montréal has handled an average of some 18 million metric tons (20 million tons) of cargo each year, including containerized and non-containerized general cargo, grain and other dry bulk, and petroleum products and other liquid bulk. In addition, the port welcomes thousands of visitors to its Iberville Passenger Terminal every year. The Port of Montréal engages in year-round domestic and international trade. Moreover, the St. Lawrence River has been navigable year-round for ocean-going vessels for more than 35 years. A computerized dispatching system ensures that the correct number of longshoremen with the precise skills required are assigned to a ship each day. The Port of Montréal is also among the safest ports in the world as the entire port perimeter and individual terminals are enclosed, and entrances are always monitored.

86

3

Getting Around

Montréal is served by a metro, buses, and an extensive but sometimes traffic-choked road network. Travel by auto can be frustrating. Although the city is traversed by broad boulevards and several expressways, roadways, bridges, and tunnels to suburbs in the south are often stopped with traffic. Drivers unfamiliar with exits and entrances find it difficult to maneuver across lanes to exits and entrances, and in accordance with provincial language laws, signs are in French. Bus and Commuter Rail Service The easiest way to get around the city is by Metro and bus. The Metro is modern, efficient, and quiet. Following a French design, trains run on rubber tires. Metro stations are spacious; each has a unique modern design. There are four separate lines: the green line runs east to west through the downtown; the red line runs south from HenriBourassa, west through the downtown and north again, intersecting the green line at Berri-UQAM and Lionel-Groulx; the yellow line runs from Berri-UQAM south to Longeuil on the opposite side of the St. Lawrence River. The Metro and bus systems are integrated: buses stop at Metro stations, and transfers are available from bus drivers or special machines at station entrances. Cash fares are $1.90 per trip. Six-ride tickets, one- and three-day tourist cards, and weekly and monthly passes are also available. Bicycles can be transported in non-rush hours in the front car of each train. Dorval Airport, 18 kilometers (11

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Montreal

City Fact Comparison Indicator

Montréal (Canada)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

3,401,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1642

753 BC

723 BC

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

$108

$193

$172

$129

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

$62

$56

$59

$62

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.)

$15

$14

$15

$16

$185

$173

$246

$207

Total daily costs Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established

4

13

20

11

Le Journal de Montréal

Akhbar El Yom/ Al Akhbar

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

254,957

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1964

1944

1976

1948

1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

miles) west of the city, can be reached by bus, limousine, or taxi. 4

People

The city of Montréal has a population of one million, but the Montréal metropolitan area has 3.1 million people, 1.75 million of whom live within the Montréal Urban region. The population of the city is diverse. The largest groups within the population are Québecois (French Canadians, approximately 319,000) and English Canadians (301,000). However, Montréal is home to numerous ethnic and linguistic groups. The 1996 census reported sub-

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stantial numbers of Italians (84,000), Irish (43,000), Scots (26,000), Jews (27,000), Greeks (20,000), Chinese (22,000), South Asians (27,000), Haitians (37,000), and Lebanese (14,000). Nearly one-fifth of the population (204,000) is composed of visible minorities. Nearly half of Montréal’s population (492,000 people) is bilingual and thus capable of speaking both of Canada’s two official languages; 370,000 others speak French only, and 100,000 speak English only. This is a substantial change from the past when most of the English Canadian population spoke only English. However, to the dismay of many Québec nationalists, many Fran-

87

Montreal the area of initial settlement, is a historic area with cafes and restaurants. The contemporary downtown is nearby, between Boulevard René Lévesque and Sherbrooke. Urban renewal projects under Mayor Jean Drapeau (1916–1999) replaced many low-rise buildings with modernistic high rises and a network of underground passages connecting shopping and office complexes.

French settlers established Ville Marie in Place Royale in 1642 in what is now Old Montréal. (Bernard Boutrit; Woodfin Camp)

cophones are moving to Montréal’s suburbs. As a result, the proportion of Montréal residents speaking French is declining; there is less insistence on the use of French in bars, cafes, and restaurants. 5

Neighborhoods

Montréal grew up in the area between the St. Lawrence River and Mount Royal. Older industries are on low lands to the west. Old Montréal,

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The modern city surrounds Mount Royal, a large glacial formation in the middle of Montréal island. Residential neighborhoods have distinctive complexions. North of Sherbrooke Street, mansions line streets running up to Mount Royal and extend into Westmount, an English-speaking area to the west of the downtown core. Westmount has been a center for Montréal’s English-speaking population. The east end of Montréal is a poorer and predominantly French. Housing stock here consists primarily of three-story walkup apartment buildings, with wroughtiron exterior stairways. Further west is Notre Dame du Grace, home to middle classes and immigrant communities. The Jewish and many other immigrant communities originally settled in the heart of the city, along St. Lawrence (St. Laurent) Blvd., a north-south artery dividing the eastern and western portions of the city. Italian areas are located further north, around the JeanTalon metro. Mount Royal, to the north of the mountain of the same name, is primarily an Anglophone area. Outremont, in contrast, is predominantly French speaking. Laval, on Jesus Island, is a French-speaking suburb. Longeuil

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Montreal on the southern shore of the St. Lawrence is mixed. 6

History

Montréal is one of Canada’s oldest settlements. Iroquois and Algonquin Indians had established a trading post and settlement, Hochelaga, well before the arrival of Europeans. The French explorer, Jacques Cartier, sailed up the St. Lawrence in 1635 and explored the island and surrounding areas. French settlers, under Sieur de Maisonneuve (Paul de Chomedey, b. early seventeenth century; d. 1676), established Ville Marie in 1642 at Place Royale in what is now Old Montréal. Initially, Montréal was governed as a seigneury, or concession held by a religious order, the Gentlemen of St. Suplice. Ease of water transport established Montréal as the center of the North American fur trade. Montréal remained under the French until 1760 when they were displaced by the British during the French and Indian War (1755–63). The Treaty of Paris in 1763 ceded Montréal to the British. Following the British conquest, Scottish and English merchants displaced the French and in the next 100 years established a commercial and banking empire. Construction of the Lachine canal in 1825, bypassing rapids in the river, opened up inland trade. The Bank of Montréal was established in 1817. Montréal banking interests financed the construction of the Canadian Pacific and the Grand Trunk Railways (later the Canadian National

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Railway), solidifying Montréal’s position as a shipping and commercial center. The city of Montréal was incorporated in 1832. English migration briefly produced an English-speaking majority from 1831 to 1867, but this was reversed by migration from the countryside later in the nineteenth century. European immigration lead to further growth in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The city’s population reached one million in the 1930s and has remained stable since then. However, surrounding areas have continued to grow. Montréal island has 1.7 million people, the larger metropolitan area, 3.1 million. Water and rail transport and available work force facilitated the growth and diversification of industry. Montréal quickly emerged as a major city in both Canada and the province of Québec. Until the 1970s, Montréal was the center of Canadian banking and commerce, as well as an important industrial center. Although the transfer of business and commercial interests to Toronto has undermined the economic position of the city, Montréal’s earlier position has left the city with a legacy of public buildings and institutions, reflected in the major museums and cultural centers described below. Montréal is also the center of Québec cultural and intellectual life, and until recently dominated the smaller, more traditional and homogenous provincial capital, Québec City. In the late nineteenth century, Montréal provided a center for French-Canadian nationalism and was at the heart of the

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Montreal Quiet Revolution, which transformed Québec in the 1960s and 1970s. Relations between English and French speakers have been central in the development of Montréal, Québec, and Canadian politics. English conquest in 1763 transformed Montréal from a French to an English commercial center. Anglophone financial and commercial interests in Montréal allied with Québec upper classes, enabling Englishspeaking Montréal to flourish in an otherwise rural, traditional, Catholic and church-dominated province. In Montréal, English was the language of business, and French Canadians found themselves frustrated by demands to “speak white”—in English, rather than their native French. Elimination of Catholic (and thus Francophone) schools in Manitoba and other parts of western Canada cut off Québec migration to other parts of Canada, encouraging French-Canadian populations to turn in on themselves in solitude, separate from the rest of Canada. Cut off from both the rest of Canada and France, Québecois opposed Canadian involvement in both world wars. Opposition to the draft led to the arrest and imprisonment of Montréal Mayor Camillien Houde until 1944. Social and economic change transformed Québec in the 1960s and 1970s. French Canadian intellectuals, including former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau (b. 1919; prime minister 1968– 79 and 1980–84) and former Québec Premier René Lévesque, a Montréal journalist, joined with others in a Quiet Revolution against the domination of

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traditional upper classes and the Roman Catholic Church. Montréal became a major center for competing views of the position of Québec in Canada. Trudeau and other federalists argued for bilingual and multi-cultural Canada while Québec nationalists, such as Lévesque, insisted on primacy for the French language in Québec and sovereignty for the Québec people. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Québec nationalism provoked massive demonstrations and occasional acts of terrorism by organizations such as the Québec Liberation Front (FLQ). Kidnappings led to the imposition of the War Measures Act, a martial law, in Québec in the spring of 1970. After 1976, new language laws, requiring education in the French language for all, except the children of Anglophones born in Québec, and a dominant position for French in the workplace and on signs, transformed Québec society. Sign laws—Signage— became a point of friction between Anglophones, unable to operate in French, and Québec nationalists. Québec sign laws originally permitted signs only in French, but after negative court decisions, the law was re–written to require that French lettering be at least twice the size of lettering in any other language. Anglophones unwilling to become bilingual left Montréal and the province. In the process, Montréal lost many of its head offices but emerged as vibrant center of Québec intellectual and cultural life. However, language laws demanding that the children of immigrants be educated in

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Montreal French became a source of friction in Montréal’s many ethnic communities. More recently, tensions have subsided, in part because of Francophones. To the dismay of Québec nationalists, Montréal has regularly voted against a referenda demanding that Québec establish itself as a sovereign nation loosely associated with the rest of Canada. In turn, Parti Québecois governments have channeled badly needed investment to Québec City instead of Montréal. 7

Government

Montréal has two levels of government. The city of Montréal has its own 57-member council and a directly elected mayor. The city has a long and colorful political history. Mayor Camillien Houde was jailed during World War II (1939–45) because of his opposition to military conscription. Jean Drapeau (1916–99), mayor during the 1960s, was responsible for the urban renewal and reconstruction of the downtown core, the construction of the Metro, and Expo ‘67, which brought numerous visitors to Montréal. Drapeau’s Civic Party governed Montréal from 1960 to 1986 when it was replaced by Jean Dore’s Citizen’s Union. The City of Montréal is the largest of the 29 municipalities in the Montréal Urban Community. The Montréal Urban Community (MUC) handles police, fire protection, water supply, roads, public transportation, and regional planning for towns and cities on the island of Montréal. Created in 1970, MUC is governed by a council

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Reflecting its bilingual character, Montréal uses both English and French in day-to-day life. (Timothy Eagan; Woodfin Camp)

representing mayors and councilors from each of its 29 municipalities. 8

Public Safety

Policing and fire protection are provided by the Montréal Urban Community. Crime rates are relatively low in comparison to American cities, but the changing composition and relative poverty of Montréal’s population results in friction between police and fireman and visible minorities. Montréal crime rates are higher than Toronto but lower than Western Canadian cities, such as Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Regina, and Vancouver. The

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Montreal

The streets of Old Montréal are lined with shops, restaurants, and cafes. (Timothy Eagan; Woodfin Camp)

Montréal Urban Community employs nearly 6,000 policeman, one per 174 residents. 9

Economy

Montréal originated as trading post and subsequently developed as a cultural and industrial center of Québec and Canada under French rule. Montréal was home to the Hudson’s Bay Company and a major center of the fur trade. English-Canadian commercial and banking elites emerged in the nineteenth century, making Montréal the center of the Canadian economy. Its

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harbor and rail lines made it Canada’s premier port and a major center for manufacturing. However, in recent decades, older industries, such as textiles, have declined, and Montréal has lost prominence as a banking and commercial hub. The shift reflects linguistic conflict and changes in modes and methods of production. The rise of Québec nationalism in the 1960s and 1970s provided the opportunity for the rise of Francophone professional elites. However, successive language laws ensuring the pre-eminence of the French language forced English Canadians to relocate or become bilingual.

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Montreal Many took the latter course, but banks and insurance companies relocated head offices or key functions to Toronto. Linguistic conflicts coincided with the decline of older industries, such as textiles. In addition, in recent years, provincial governments have favored investment in Québec City over Montréal. One sign of Montréal’s economic decline is a recent decision to shift trade in common stocks from the Montréal to the Toronto Stock exchange. Despite the departure of corporate and banking headquarters and the decline of older industries, Montréal remains an important industrial and commercial center. Its port receives ocean-going ships, via the St. Lawrence River, and Montréal remains an important trans-shipment point for grain, agricultural, and industrial products, which arrive by rail and Great Lakes steamers. In addition to its port, Montréal is a major center for food processing, oil refining, and the production of electrical machinery and electronic equipment. Bombardier is a major producer of snowmobiles, subway and rail cars, and aircraft. Nevertheless, Montréal is plagued by an aging industrial base, making it difficult to provide sufficient employment for a workforce continually augmented by industrialization. Nearly one-fourth of the city’s population lives below the poverty line. Montréal is the home of Radio Canada, the Francophone equivalent of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. French and English cultural life thrive. One advantage of Montréal’s

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economic decline is that housing is less expensive than in cities like Toronto, Ottawa, or Vancouver. 10

Environment

Montréal has an inland climate. Temperatures in winter months are cold, averaging –3°C (23°F). With an annual snowfall of 214 centimeters (84 inches), Montréal receives more snow than Moscow. Temperatures rise to 11°C (52°F) in April or October. Summers can be hot. Average summer temperatures are 26°C (79°F). Water quality in the St. Lawrence River has improved with the clean up of the Great Lakes. However, Montréal does not yet treat sewerage, creating major pollution problems. Portions of the downtown and older industrial areas are now derelict and unoccupied, providing a sharp contrast to adjacent renewed areas of the city. Prevailing winds bring pollution from Ontario and the American Midwest. 11

Shopping

Montréal is a shopper’s paradise. The city is a center of fashion and design; stores in almost any price range are easily found. The principal shopping areas are downtown, in and around St. Catherine and Peel Streets. Department stores include the Bay and Oligivies. Numerous shops are located in Montréal’s underground city, an extensive network of underground malls and shopping centers. These link not only shops but also office complexes, hotels, and the central station.

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Montreal The principal shopping streets are St. Catherine Street from Place Ville Marie to Rue Guy. Smaller boutiques may be located along St. Catherine or Sherbrooke Street, two blocks to the north, and on the streets in between. 12

Education

Reflecting its bilingual character, Montréal has both English and French schools and universities. Until recently, most English-speaking students studied in Protestant schools, which were primarily—but not exclusively—Anglophone, while French-speaking students studied in Catholic schools. However, the province of Québec has recently reorganized its schools on linguistic rather than religious lines. Students study in public schools through grade 11 and then move on to more specialized schools (CGEPS) for an additional two years of study. Montréal has two Francophone and two Anglophone universities. The University of Montréal, the oldest and principal French-speaking university, has an extensive campus on the north side of Mt. Royal. The University of Québec in Montréal (UQAM) is downtown at the intersection of St. Catherine and St. Denis Streets. McGill University, the principal English University has its main campus downtown, between Sherbrooke Street and Mt. Royal. Concordia University is a few blocks to the west. Numerous students live in apartments in the “McGill ghetto,” located between the McGill

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campus and St. Denis Street, north of Sherbrooke. In addition to its four universities, Montréal is also home to the Biblioteque Nationale, Québec’s principal library, housed in buildings near UQAM. McGill attracts students from across the country and from the United States, and the University of Montréal attracts students from all over the province of Québec. Concordia and UQAM typically enroll larger percentages of local students. 13

Health Care

The Province of Québec, like all Canadian provinces, provides universal health insurance for all its citizens. Montréal is home to 20 hospitals, including the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montréal General Hospital, Saint-Luc, Sacré-Coeur, Hôtel-Dieu, Jewish General, Montréal General, and others. Many hospitals are affiliated with either the McGill or University of Montréal Medical faculties. In addition to hospitals, 56 community health centers have been instrumental in providing health care, particularly in poorer neighborhoods. However, both medical centers and hospitals have been hit by funding cuts, resulting in closure of beds and cutbacks in services. 14

Media

Montréal is a center for both Francophone and Anglophone media. The principal French-language newspapers are Le Devoir, La Presse, and Le Journal de Montréal. The Montréal Gazette serves

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Montreal Anglophone Montréalers. Numerous ethnic groups are also served by weekly ethnic newspapers. Montréal has 33 AM and FM radio stations and is home to Radio Canada, Canada’s public Francophone radio and TV network. Canada’s National Film Board (NFB) is based in Montréal. Available television includes Radio Canada and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, as well as numerous private broadcasters. Cable connections augment local broadcasting, providing among other things, access to the American media. 15

Sports

The most important sports in Montréal are hockey and baseball. The city’s sports teams include the Montréal Canadiens. The Canadiens, winners of 24 Stanley cups, were one of the six teams that originally made up the National Hockey League. Fans flocked to Montréal Forum, particularly to watch Montréal deal with its rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Known for its intimacy, the Forum was recently replaced by a new arena, the Molson Centre. The Alouettes, Montréal’s Canadian Football League (CFL) team, play at McGill stadium. Montréal has also been home to minor and major league baseball. The Montréal Expos play National League baseball in Montréal’s Olympic Stadium. The Expos team has had difficulty maintaining its standing in the league and attracting sufficient fans to fill the cavernous stadium that the Expos inherited. The one time that the Expos were close to winning the national league pennant, strikes forced

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the cancellation of the remainder of the season. 16

Parks and Recreation

Montréal’s most famous park, Mount Royal, occupies most of the mountain by the same name. Designed by Frederick Law Olmstead (1822– 1903), Mount Royal contains wooded land, trails, gardens, a skating rink and ski area, and sports fields along its base. A large iron cross, commemorating the original settlement, dominates the skyline, and two lookouts provide spectacular views of the city, particularly the downtown core, harbors, and the St. Lawrence River. The Parc des Îles (Park of Islands) is located on artificial islands in the St. Lawrence River. Originally built with fill from the construction of the Metro, the islands were the site of Expo ‘67, the 1967 World’s Fair. The Parc des Îles contains the Stewart Museum, exhibition space, an open air gallery with ten sculptures (including Alexander Calder’s L’ Homme), the Floralies Gardens, sculptures, and the Biopshere, a large globe built to house the former U.S. pavilion at Expo ‘67. The Biosphere now houses the Ecowatch center, an interactive museum that focuses on the complex ecosystem of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. The islands also house a casino and Le Ronde, the amusement park built for Expo ‘67. Other parks include the Botanical Gardens (East on Sherbrooke) and Andrigon, in the western part of the city.

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Montreal

The Olympic Stadium, built in 1976, seats 80,000 and is home to the Montréal Expos baseball team. (Bernard Boutrit; Woodfin Camp)

Several parks and recreation areas are a one- to two-hour drive from the city. Mont Tremblant, in the Laurentian Mountains, is north of the city. The Eastern Townships, a region of glacial hills and lakes just to the north of Vermont and New England, provide summer and winter recreation. Lake Champlain, Vermont’s mountains, and the Adirondack region of New York are also in easy reach of Montréal. 17

Performing Arts

Montréal is a major center for music, dance, and French-language theater. The Place des Arts contains several

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large theaters and exhibition centers and is home the Montréal Symphony Orchestra, the Montréal Opera, Les Grandes Ballets Canadiens, and the Feux Follets, as well as numerous ensembles and quartets. Theater companies include Le Theatre du Nouveau Monde and Le Theatre du Rideau-Vert. Clubs and frequent festivals supplement regular offerings, ensuring that music for any taste is readily available. 18

Libraries and Museums

In addition to the Biblioteque Nationale and its university libraries,

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Montreal Montréal is home to numerous museums. The Montréal Museum of Fine Arts contains classical and modern collections and hosts numerous traveling exhibitions. Located on Sherbrooke Street, the museum is housed in a neoclassical building, and a modern annex faces it on the opposite side of the street. The McCord Museum concentrates on the history of Montréal, the Province of Québec, and Canada from the eighteenth century to the present. Its collections include paintings, drawings and photographs, costumes and textiles, and ethnographic objects from native peoples. The Cinémathèque Québécoise tracks trends in Québec, Canadian, and international film, television, and visual media. Photos, books, posters, scripts, clippings, and other documents are housed at an ultramodern location on Boul. De Maisonneuve East. Although films and tapes are stored in special vaults in Boucherville, the Cinémathèque in Montréal regularly screens films, old and new, and is a major centre for exhibitions and meetings. The Montréal Museum of Decorative Arts on Rue Crescent contains major collections on twentieth-century decorative trends, including furniture, glass, ceramics, jewelry, textiles, and graphic and industrial design. The Canadian Centre for Architecture is a museum, library, and research center devoted to architecture, landscape, and urban design, past and present. Exhibits and collections focus

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on the relationship between architectural trends and their relationship to natural and social environments. Collections are drawn from societies, past and present, in all parts of the world. Reflecting its interest in the interplay between past and present, the Centre is housed in a modern building located in a garden built to restore the surrounding urban area. The center includes Shaughnessy House, one of the few nineteenth-century Montréal homes still open to the public. McGill University’s Redpath Museum focuses on the history and diversity of the natural world. One of the cities oldest museums, the Redpath functions both as a university teaching facility and a natural history museum for elementary and high school students. However, budgetary cutbacks have forced the museum to restrict the hours in which it is open to the public. Other museums include the Stewart Museum, an original fort with exhibitions documenting the settlement of the new world, located in the Parc des Îles. 19

To u r i s m

Montréal’s rich history and its status as North America’s only bilingual city make it a tourist’s delight. Tourists come to enjoy not only its museums, galleries, and shops, but also a wide range of restaurants, theater, music, and an active night life. Old Montréal, adjacent to the port and a short distance from the downtown, is a regular stop on tourist itineraries. Located between

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Montreal the present downtown and the St. Lawrence River, Old Montréal provides access to the river and port. Gray stone buildings line cobblestone streets and squares, such as Place-d’Armes and Place Royale. The Champ-de-Mars, a public park is nearby. Attractions include the nineteenth-century domed Bonsecours Market, the City Hall, the Customs House, the Saint-Sulpice Seminary (Montréal’s oldest building) NotreDame-de-Bonsecours Chapel, and the Notre-Dame Basilica, noted for its richly gilded neo-gothic architecture. Other attractions include visiting St. Helene, the artificial island built to house the 1967 World Fair Expo, and strolling along streets lined with cafes and restaurants, such as St. Laurent, St. Denis, or Prince Arthur. In addition, there are numerous exhibitions and festivals. The Oratory of St. Joseph is a domed church on the north side of Mt. Royal; it attracts pilgrims who climb its many steps on their knees to seek salvation. 20

Holidays and Festivals

MARCH-APRIL Good Friday

MAY Victoria Day

JUNE Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day

21

Famous Citizens

Pierre Elliot Trudeau (b. 1919), Prime Minister of Canada, 1968–79 and 1980–84. Former Mayor Jean Drapeau (1916– 1999), architect of the city’s urban renewal. Humorist and economist Stephen Leacock (1869–1944). Novelist Mordecai Richler (b. 1931). French-Canadian intellectual Henri Bourassa (1868–1932), founder of the influential newspaper, Le Devoir. Although not born in Montréal, the first Parti Québecois premier, René Lévesque (1922–87), spent much of his journalistic career in the city before entering politics. 22

For Further Study

Websites Tourisme Montréal. [Online] Available http:// www.tourism-montreal.org (accessed January 7, 2000).

Tourist and Convention Bureaus Infotouriste 1001 Square Dorchester Montréal (Québec) H3B.1G2 (514) 873-2015 (800) 363-7777

JULY

Books

Canada Day

Hamilton, Janice. Destination Montreal. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications, 1997. Lloyd, Tanya. Montreal. Vancouver: Whitecap Books, 1998. Water, Paul, ed. Montreal & Quebec City. Halifax, NS: Formac Publishing, 1999.

SEPTEMBER Labor Day

OCTOBER Thanksgiving Day

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Mumbai (Bombay) Mumbai, Maharashtra State, Republic of India, Asia Founded: 1668 Location: Arabian Seacoast of Maharashtra, India, South Asia Motto: Urbs Prima in Indis (“First City in India”) Time Zone: 5:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) = noon Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Ethnic Composition: Maratha, more than 50%; Gujarati,18%; Marwari, Sindhi, Punjabi, Bohra, Khoja, Koli, and others, 32% Elevation: Sea-level Latitude and Longitude: 18º58'N, 72º50E Coastline: 36 km (23 mi), Bombay Island Climate: Tropical monsoonal; warm temperatures all year, with heavy rainfall concentrated in the summer months Annual Mean Temperature: 27°C (81°F); January 24ºC (76ºF); May 30ºC (86ºF) Average Annual Precipitation: 180 cm (71 in) Government: Municipal corporation Weights and Measures: Metric; imperial measures also used; common numbers are one lakh (100,000) and one crore (10 million) Monetary Units: Indian Rupee (Re) Telephone Area Codes: 022 Postal Codes: 400001–400104

1

Introduction

The city Mumbai, know as Bombay until 1995, is a great port city, situated on the west coast of the Indian peninsula. It is one of India’s dominant urban centers and, indeed, is one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world. Deriving its name from Mumba Devi, a goddess of the local Koli fishing peoples, Mumbai grew up around a fort established by the British in the mid-seventeenth century to protect their trading interests along India’s western coast. The city’s superb natural harbor provided a focal point for sea routes crossing the Arabian Sea, and Mumbai soon became the main western

gateway to Britain’s expanding Indian empire. The city emerged as a center of manufacturing and industry during the eighteenth century. Today, Mumbai is India’s commercial and financial capital, as well as the capital city of Maharashtra State. 2

Getting There

The city lies on Mumbai Island, located off the Konkan coast of western India. Highways Mumbai is approachable by land only from the north (National Highway

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Mumbai (Bombay)

Mumbai (Bombay) Population Profile City Proper Population: Approximately 10 million Area: Mumbai Island: 65 sq km (25 sq mi) Nicknames: City of Gold; City of Dreams; Bollywood

Metropolitan Area Population: 18,042,000 Description: Area administered by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC) Area: 437 sq km (170 sq mi) World population rank1: 3 Percentage of national population2: 1.8% Average yearly growth rate: 3.5% Ethnic composition: Maratha, Gujarati, Marwari, Sindhi, Punjabi, Bohra, Khoja, Koli, and others ——— 1. The Mumbai (Bombay) metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of India’s total population living in the Mumbai (Bombay) metropolitan area.

8) and east, where National Highways 3 and 4 converge and cross over from the mainland to Thane on Salsette Island. This route then continues southward into the city, where a single main road continues to Colaba Point, the southernmost tip of Mumbai Island. Bridges, such as the Thana Creek Bridge, link Mumbai to the suburbs of Greater Mumbai on the mainland. Bus and Railroad Service Mumbai is an important rail center. Trains with colorful names, such as the Frontier Mail and Deccan Queen, set out from the city’s two main stations,

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Victoria Terminus (now called Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) and Mumbai Central, carrying passengers to distant parts of the country. The headquarters of India’s Western Railway and Central Railway are located in the city. The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation and other State and private companies provide bus service to and from the city. Airports Mumbai’s Sahar International Airport (recently renamed the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport), on Salsette Island, handles almost two-thirds of India’s international air traffic. The airport is served by most major international carriers. Domestic flights use Santa Cruz Airport (also renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport), which shares the same runways but operates from separate terminals. Shipping Mumbai’s deepwater harbor and harbor facilities make it the largest port in western India, handling some 40 percent of India’s total maritime trade. Catamaran and hovercraft services carry passengers from Mumbai to Goa, a major tourist destination. 3

Getting Around

Mumbai Island, the heart of Mumbai city, is only 65 square kilometers (25 square miles) in area and extremely congested. Six million people com-

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Mumbai (Bombay)

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Mumbai (Bombay) a fleet of buses over an extensive route system covering Mumbai and its environs. Recent improvements in this service include the introduction of luxury and air-conditioned buses. Black-andyellow painted taxis ply the streets of Mumbai; however, unlike in most Indian cities, three-wheeled auto rickshaws are banned from the city center. Land transportation in Mumbai is supplemented by a ferry system, which carries passengers across Mumbai Harbor to the eastern suburbs of Greater Mumbai on the mainland. Traditional watercraft plying these routes have recently been augmented by speedboats and hovercraft. Sightseeing

Victoria Station, one of the gates to Mumbai’s colonial past, carries passengers to distant parts of the country. (Robert Frerck; Woodfin Camp)

mute daily on Mumbai’s public transportation system. Bus and Commuter Rail Service The most heavily used form of transport is the surburban electric rail system, with local trains—overflowing with passengers during peak commute hours—linking Mumbai’s suburbs to the city. It is common during the rush hour to see commuters hanging on for dear life to the outside of trains as they travel to the work place. The municipally-owned BEST corporation operates

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Mumbai hosts a variety of major attractions for Indian natives, as well as visitors from overseas. The most popular of these attractions is the rock-cut temples on Elephanta Island in Mumbai Harbor. Many sightseers travel to the island by boat from Apollo Bunder, the location of another famous attraction, the Gateway of India arch. Other sites of interest include the Crawford Market, the bazaars of Kalbadevi and Bhuleshwar, the Parsi Towers of Silence, and Haji Ali’s Mosque. 4

People

With a population of 9.9 million people in the central city, Mumbai is the third-largest city in the world. Some 15.4 million live in Greater Mumbai (Mumbai and its suburbs). Though much of the city’s population are Mar-

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Mumbai (Bombay)

City Fact Comparison Mumbai (India)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

18,042,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1668

753 BC

723 BC

Indicator

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

n.a.

$193

$172

$129

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

n.a.

$56

$59

$62

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.)

n.a.

$14

$15

$16

Total daily costs (hotel, meals, incidentals)

n.a.

$173

$246

$207

Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established

31

13

20

11

The Times of India

Akhbar El Yom/ Al Akhbar

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

813,300

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1838

1944

1976

1948

1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

athas, inhabitants of Maharashtra and speaking the Marathi language, Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city. Its inhabitants include diverse ethnic groups, such as Gujaratis, Marwaris, Sindhis, and people from other Indian states, as well as religious minorities, such as Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains. Mumbai is home to the largest community of Parsis (Zoroastrians) in India, as well as a small population of Jews. 5

Neighborhoods

Mumbai city has many distinctive neighborhoods. The southern tip of Mumbai Island, Colaba, is known for

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the Gateway of India, a yellow basalt arch built in 1924 to commemorate the British presence in India. Just to the north lies the Fort Area, the site of the old British fort around which Mumbai was built. Its Victorian gothic buildings, such as Victoria Terminus and the High Court, are monuments to the city’s colonial past. Marine Drive, lined with high-rise apartments, runs along the shoreline of Back Bay from Nariman Point to Chowpatty Beach. Malabar Hill, an exclusive residential area, lies to the northwest of Back Bay. This neighborhood is known for the Hanging Gardens, as well as the Towers of Silence, where the Parsis lay out their dead to be

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Mumbai (Bombay)

Mumbai skyline from Marine Drive on the Back Bay area. (Robert Frerck; Woodfin Camp)

consumed by vultures and crows. The crowded, bustling Kalbadevi and Bhuleshwar bazaar areas north of Crawford Market were known as “Native Town” to Mumbai’s early European inhabitants. Other well-known city landmarks are the Taj Mahal Hotel, Oval Maidan, Cuffe Parade, Horniman Circle, and Flora Fountain. Bandra and Juhu Beach are prosperous residential areas just north of the Mahim Causeway. Further north are many large suburbs, including Andheri, Kandivili, and Borivali. New Mumbai and Nhava Sheva, on the mainland to the east of Mumbai Harbor and Thana

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Creek, form part of the Greater Mumbai area. 6

History

The area of the Konkan coast where Mumbai 1ies has been settled since prehistoric times. It later came under the control of several states that ruled western India. These included the Buddhist Mauryan Empire (fourth–third centuries B.C.) and the Hindu Satavahana, Shaka, and Rashtrakuta dynasties. The Chalukyas (A.D. 550–750) built the magnificent cave temples on Elephanta Island in Mumbai Harbor. At the end of the thirteenth century, the Yadava rul-

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Mumbai (Bombay) ers, who had their capital at Aurangabad, some 300 kilometers (186 miles) to the northeast, established a settlement at Mahim on one of Mumbai’s original seven islands. This was in response to raids on their territory by the expanding Delhi Sultanate. Mahim was captured by the Muslim ruler of Gujarat in 1348. The Portuguese reached India’s western shores in 1498, Francisco de Almeida becoming the first Portuguese to enter Mumbai Harbor when he seized a Gujarati ship there in 1508. The Portuguese eventually forced Bahadur Shah, the sultan of Gujarat, to cede them Mumbai in 1534. Mumbai was acquired by the British in 1664 as part of Catherine of Branganza’s dowry when the sister of Portugal’s king married Charles II (1630– 1685; r. 1660–1685) of England. In 1668, the British East India Company leased the islands from the Crown for the nominal rent of ten pounds per year. Recognizing the potential of Mumbai and its harbor, the East India Company set about strengthening the settlement’s defenses and soon shifted its administrative headquarters to Mumbai from Surat, in Gujarat. Mumbai’s second governor, Gerald Aungier (d. 1677), laid the foundations for the city’s future growth. Political stability, the promise of religious freedom, and land grants soon attracted large numbers of settlers, including Gujarati and Parsi merchants, to Mumbai. These, and later immigrants, contributed significantly to the growth of Mumbai as an important trading center. By 1676,

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Mumbai had a population of around 60,000. The very end of the seventeenth century saw the beginning of the construction of seawalls, breakwaters, and reclamation projects that eventually connected the original seven islands (Mahim, Worli, Mazagaon, Old Woman’s Island, Colaba, and Mumbai Island) into a single Mumbai Island. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Mumbai lagged behind Calcutta and Madras in importance. However, a series of events in the early and mid-nineteenth century propelled the city to a position of prominence. The continuing struggle for power between the Mughals (the Muslim rulers based in north India) and the Hindu Marathas created unstable political conditions in Gujarat and western India. Artisans and merchants fled to Mumbai for security, providing the stimulus for growth and expansion. This was further enhanced by the British defeat of the warlike Marathas and the expansion of trade both with the mainland and with Europe. In 1857, the first spinning and weaving mill was established in Mumbai, creating a cotton textile industry that was given a great boost by the American Civil War (1861–65), which cut off supplies of cotton to Britain. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 was another stimulus to Mumbai’s growth, further enhancing its position as a major trade, commercial, and industrial center. Mumbai’s size and economic power are reflected in its role in India’s modern political history. The city was an important center in India’s struggle for

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Mumbai (Bombay) independence from British colonial rule. The Indian National Congress, which led the nation’s fight for freedom, was founded there in 1885. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869– 1948), the Mahatma, spiritual leader of the independence movement, launched his “Quit India” campaign against the British in Mumbai in 1942. Linguistic tensions between Mumbai’s Marathi and Gujarati speakers resulted in violence in the city in the late 1950s. This led eventually to the separation of Gujarati-speaking areas from Mumbai state and the creation of Maharashtra State (1960). During the early 1990s, communal violence between Hindus and Muslims in Mumbai again shattered the myth of a tolerant, cosmopolitan city. Rioting led to the deaths of several hundred people (mostly Muslims) and culminated in the bombing (with numerous fatalities) of several buildings in March 1993. The Shiv Sena, a right-wing Maharashtra-based Hindu political party led by Bal Thackeray, was widely blamed for instigating Hindu violence against Muslims in the city. Subsequently elected to office, the Shiv Sena party in 1996 changed Mumbai’s name to “Mumbai,” the Maratha name for the city. 7

Government

Mumbai is administered by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC), whose chief executive officer, the Municipal Com-

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missioner, is appointed every three years by the state government of Maharashtra. The office of mayor is a primarily ceremonial one, with its occupant being elected annually by the BMC. Some city services are administered by the state while others, such as communications, are the responsbility of India’s central government. As the capital of Maharashtra, Mumbai is the site of the state government’s headquarters. 8

Public Safety

The Mumbai Police Force, some 40,000 strong, is administered by the state government. Its head, the Police Commissioner, answers to the home secretary of Maharashtra State. Although Mumbai is a relatively safe city, it is renowned for its underworld. The dons, the leading figures of the Mumbai mafia, have become legendary figures in the city. Recently, organized crime has expanded its activities from smuggling, the black market, and drugs to infiltrate political and business circles. Kidnapping of wealthy citizens for ransom is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. City services include a Fire Brigade and ambulance service, as well as police. 9

Economy

Though once dominated by the cotton textile industry, Mumbai’s economic base is now diversified. Textiles still remain important, but the city’s industries include petrochemicals, automobile manufacturing, metals, electronics, engineering, food processing,

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Mumbai (Bombay)

Mumbai is the home to some of India’s leading industrial, commercial and financial centers. (Robert Frerck; Woodfin Camp)

and a wide range of light manufacturing. Mumbai is home to some of India’s largest and wealthiest industrial conglomerates, such as the Aditya Birla Group, Godrej, and Tata & Sons. More specialized economic activities are diamond cutting, computers, and movie making (in sheer numbers, Mumbai, or “Bollywood,” produces more movies than any other city in the world, including Hollywood). In addition to manufacturing, Mumbai is a leading commercial and financial center. The city is home to the Reserve Bank of India, the Mumbai

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Stock Exchange, and a variety of other major financial institutions. The government and service sectors are also important in the city’s economy. Business in Mumbai has traditionally been dominated by Gujaratis and the Parsis, and Gujarati is the language in which most business is conducted. Mumbai’s economic success, however, and its burgeonong population have created their own problems. The city is rated among the worst in India in terms of housing, cost of living, education, and health care.

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Mumbai (Bombay) 10

Environment

Built on what is, in effect, a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water, and with the backdrop of the hills of the Western Ghats, Mumbai occupies a site of natural scenic beauty. However, sheer numbers of people and rapid population growth have contributed to some serious social and environmental problems. Mumbai attracts immigrants from rural areas seeking employment and a better life. Despite government attempts to discourage the influx of people, the city’s population grew at an annual rate of more than four percent a year. Many newcomers end up in abject poverty, often living in slums or sleeping in the streets. An estimated 42 percent of the city’s inhabitants live in slum conditions. Some areas of Mumbai city have population densities of around 46,000 per square kilometer—among the highest in the world. As a result of Mumbai’s size and high growth rate, urban sprawl, traffic congestion, inadequate sanitation, and pollution pose serious threats to the quality of life in the city. Automobile exhausts and industrial emissions, for example, contribute to serious air pollution, which is reflected in a high incidence of chronic respiratory problems among the populace. Breathing Mumbai’s air has been likened to smoking more than 20 cigarettes a day! The scale of such environmental problems, however, pales in light of a United Nations (UN) report that projects Mumbai’s population to reach 27.4 million by the year 2015.

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11

Shopping

Mumbai is among the best shopping centers in all of India. It offers the shopper everything from modern, airconditioned department stores to traditional bazaars and open-air, roadside stalls. Most modern shops, where prices are fixed, accept credit cards. In private handicraft shops, antique and curio shops, and on the street, prices are usually negotiable, and bargaining is part of the shopping experience. As a major textile and fashion center, Mumbai is known for its fabrics and clothes. Boutiques at Kemp’s Corner sell trendy western-style designer clothes though more traditional Indian clothes and fabrics may be found at Mangaldas Market in Kalbadevi, the nearby Mulji Jetha Market, and along M. Karve Road north of Churchgate Station. Other shopping areas are Crawford Market (fruits and vegetables), Zhaveri Bazaar (jewelry), and Chor Bazaar (“Thieves’ Market”), where everything from used car parts to furniture can be bought. Stalls along Colaba causeway sell handicrafts, watches, perfumes, clothes, jewelry, and leather goods. Many luxury hotels, such as the Oberoi and Taj Mahal, have exclusive (and exclusively priced) shops while a variety of traditional handicrafts can be purchased at government emporiums, such as those found in the World Trade Centre Arcade in Cuffe Parade.

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Mumbai (Bombay) 12

Education

Mumbai is a major center of learning and education. The University of Mumbai was founded in 1857 as an affiliating and examining body patterned after the University of London. Although it still has numerous constituent colleges, the institution has also taken on teaching functions. Other important educational and research institutions include SNDT Women’s University, the Indian Institute of Technology (ITT-Mumbai), the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC), the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), and the National Center for Software Technology (NCST). The Haffkine Institute is an important center for research in medicine and allied sciences. Mumbai municipality runs more than 1,000 primary and secondary schools for the city’s children. Instruction is provided in the student’s mother tongue (mainly Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, and English) though Marathi is a compulsory subject in all municipal schools. Education is free up to certain grades although parents pay for text books and school uniforms. Literacy rates in Mumbai are high (c. 82 percent in 1998) although school drop-out rates are also high. Inadequate resources and declining standards in public institutions result in parents sending their children to the city’s elite private secondary schools, such as Sophia College and St. Xavier’s College. Many wealthier families look overseas for higher education.

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13

Health Care

The city of Mumbai has around 1,000 health care centers to serve its population. Most of these are private hospitals and clinics with excellent doctors and medical staff, many of whom have been trained overseas. There are, however, 17 municipal hospitals that provide care which is affordable to the city’s poor. Major health problems in the city include AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, chronic respiratory ailments, and gastro-intestinal diseases related to poor sanitation and hygiene. Numerous pharmacies (“chemists”) supply a wide range of prescription and non-prescription drugs. 14

Media

Both the Times of India and the Indian Express, two national papers, have Mumbai editions. Other local papers include Asian Age, the Free Press Journal, and the Economic Times. The List is a weekly guide to what’s going on in Mumbai. In addition to these English-language papers, newspapers are also published in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, and Urdu (the language commonly spoken by India’s Muslims). All India Radio (AIR) and two local stations provide radio service to Mumbai. Several local TV stations provide programming in Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi, and English. BBC World, CNN, Star TV, and other international programming can be accessed by satellite cable.

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Mumbai (Bombay) 15

Sports

Mumbai is the home of Indian cricket (a game played on a large field with a leather ball and a flat wooden bat by two teams of 11 players each), and international matches between India and other countries are held at Wankhede Stadium. Cricket games can be found at almost any time on Mumbai’s maidans (open spaces). Soccer, field hockey, and kabbadi, a form of Indian wrestling, are also popular sports. Local beaches are available for swimming although the famous Juju Beach has serious problems with pollution. Horse races are held from November to April at Mahalaxmi Race Course. Golf, tennis, swimming, badminton, and squash facilities are available at private clubs, such as the Breach Candy Club, Mumbai Gymkhana, and Willingdon Sports Club. 16

Parks and Recreation

People in Mumbai enjoy strolling along beaches, such as Chowpatty Beach, or in the city’s numerous parks. The Hanging Gardens (Pheroze Shah Mehta Gardens) and Kamala Nehru Park, in the residential neighborhood of Malabar Hill, provide interesting views of the city. The Mumbai Zoo is located in Jijamata Garden. Further afield, in northern Greater Mumbai, is the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The nearby Kanheri Caves, a complex of Buddhist caves dating to the second century, are a popular destination.

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Moviegoing is a universal pastime in Mumbai. Film City in northern Mumbai is the center of India’s movie industry, and the lives and activities of popular film stars are eagerly followed by fans all across the country. Visits to restaurants, clubs, pubs, and discos are popular among the city’s westernized youth. Pool halls and cybercafes are a rapidly growing aspect of the Mumbai entertainment scene. 17

Performing Arts

At one time, Mumbai was a thriving center of live theater, with performances in English, Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati. Many of the city’s theaters have now been converted into movie houses. However, the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) at Nariman Point was established in Mumbai in 1966 to promote Indian music, dance, and drama. The NCPA stages performances ranging from concerts by visiting western classical music groups (Zubin Mehta regularly takes the Israeli Philharmonic to Mumbai) to regional Indian theater and Indian classical dance and music. The Prithvi Theater at Juhu Beach, founded by the actor Prithviraj Kapoor, provides a home for Hindi theater. Performances also include productions in Marathi, Gujarati, Urdu, and English. The Prithvi also runs a summer theater workshop for children. Other venues for live theater and music performances include Nehru Centre (Worli), Shivaji Mandir (Dadar), Bhaisdas Hall (Vile Parle West), and Shanmukananda Hall (King’s Circle).

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Mumbai (Bombay) 18

Libraries and Museums

Mumbai’s imposing Town Hall, overlooking Horniman Circle, houses the Royal Asiatic Society of Mumbai’s library, as well as the State Central Library, which is a repository for every book published in India. Other libraries in the city include the David Sassoon Library and the Max Müller Bhavan library, both in Kala Ghoda. Built in the Indo-Saracenic style, the Prince of Wales Museum (also in Kala Ghoda) has sections on art, archaeology, and natural history and is known for its collection of Rajasthani and Deccani miniature paintings. The Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum (Byculla), formerly the Victoria and Albert Museum, has exhibits relating mostly to Mumbai and western India. The Mumbai Society of Natural History is located in the Fort area. The city’s art galleries include the National Gallery of Modern Art, which houses both permanent and touring exhibits, and the Jehangir Gallery. 19

To u r i s m

Mumbai is a destination for Indian tourists, as well as visitors from overseas. The rock-cut temples on Elephanta Island in Mumbai Harbor can be reached by boat from Apollo Bunder and are the city’s major attraction. Dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and dating to around the sixth century, the temples were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Apollo Bunder is

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also the location of the famous Gateway of India, the arch built to comemmorate the visit of King George V (1865–1936; r. 1910–1936) of England to India in 1911. Other tourist attractions include the city’s impressive gothic architecture, Crawford Market, the bazaars of Kalbadevi and Bhuleshwar, the Parsi Towers of Silence, and Haji Ali’s Mosque. Mumbai is also a departure point for excursions to the old Portuguese fort at Bassein, to the hill stations in the Western Ghats (Matheran, Lonavla, and Khandala), to Pune, and other attractions in western Maharashtra. 20

Holidays and Festivals

India uses a lunar calendar, and festivals may fall in different months in different years. The date of Muslim religious festivals falls about 11 days earlier in each succeeding year according to the western calendar. JANUARY Makara Sankranti (a Gujarati festival celebrated by kite-flying) Banganga Festival (music festival held at Banganga Tank)

FEBRUARY Elephanta festival (classical Indian music and dance performed on Elephanta Island)

FEBRUARY-MARCH Mahashivratri (Hindus worhip the god Shiva.) Holi (spring festival of the Hindus)

MARCH-APRIL Gudi Padava (Maharashtrian New Year) Mahavir Jayanti (Jains celebrate birth of founder of Jainism.) Muharram (Muslims comemmorate the martyrdom of Hussain, the Prophet's grandson.)

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Mumbai (Bombay)

Tourists may enjoy strolling and shopping in Mumbai’s open markets. Here, food vendors sell fresh fruit and vegetables on Chowpatty Beach. (Robert Frerck; Woodfin Camp)

JULY-AUGUST

NOVEMBER

Coconut Day

Nanak Jayanti (Sikhs celebrate the birthday of Guru Nanak, founder of their religion.) Prithvi Theatre Festival

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER Parsi New Year Ganesh Chaturthi (Images immersed in the sea.)

of

Ganesh

are

Gokulashtami (Krishna’s birthday) Dussehra (nine-day festival celebrating Rama's victory over Ravanna, the demon king of Lanka)

SEPTEMBER Bandra Fair (Feast day of the Virgin Mary is celebrated at the Basilica of Mount Mary in Bandra.)

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER Diwali (The Festival of Lights marks the New Year for Jains and many Hindus.)

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DECEMBER Christmas (celebrated by Christians December 25) New Year’s Eve (celebrated by Christians December 31)

DECEMBER-JANUARY Ramadan (Muslim month of fasting during daylight hours)

21

Famous Citizens

H. J. Bhabha (1909–66), nuclear physicist.

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Mumbai (Bombay) Madhuri Dixit (b. 1967), movie star. S. M. Gavaskar (b. 1949), cricket-player. Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy (1783–1859), Parsi businessman, social reformer, and philanthropist, the first Indian to be knighted (1847) by the British Government. Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936), English author. Zubin Mehta (b. 1936), orchestral conductor. Dom Moraes (b. 1938), writer. Dr. Dhadabhai Naoroji (1825–1917), first Indian to become a Member of the British House of Commons and President of the Indian National Congress. Salman Rushdie (b. 1947), Indian-born British writer. J. N. Tata (1839–1904), industrialist and philanthropist. Sachin Tendulkar (b. 1973), cricketplayer. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (1891–1956), a leader of the “untouchable” Hindus widely regarded as the chief architect of the Indian constitution. Amitabh Bacchhan (b. 1942), movie star. W. M. Haffkine (1860–1930), doctor and discoverer of the plague vaccine. M.F. Hussein (b. 1915), contemporary artist.

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M. A. Jinnah (1875–1948), lawyer, Muslim political leader, and the father of the state of Pakistan. Sir David Sassoon (1792–1853), Baghdadi-born Jew, business tycoon, and philanthropist. 22

For Further Study

Websites Bombay Net. [Online] Available http:// www.bombaynet.com (accessed February 5, 2000). Mumbai Central. [Online] Available http:// www.mumbai-central.com (accessed February 5, 2000). Mumbai Net. [Online] Available http:// www.mumbainet.com (accessed February 5, 2000). The Mumbai Pages. [Online] Available http:// www.theory.tifr.res.in/bombay/index.html (accessed February 5, 2000). Rediff on the Net. [Online] Available http:// www.rediff.com (accessed February 5, 2000).

Government Offices Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) BMC Building Dr. D. Naoroji Rd. Nagar Chowk Mumbai 400002 Mantrayala (Maharashtra State Civil Service) Madame Cama Road Nariman Point Mumbai 400021

Tourist and Convention Bureaus Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry Mackinnon Mackenzie Building Ballard Estate, Shoorji Vallabhdas Marg Mumbai 400001 Tel: 2614681 Fax: 2621213 Government of India Tourist Office 123 Maharshi Karve Rd. Mumbai 400021 Tel: 2033144 Fax: 2014496

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Mumbai (Bombay) Maharashtra Tourism Development Office (Tours Division and Reservations Office) CDO Hutments, Madame Cama Rd. Nariman Point Mumbai 400021 Tel: 2026713 Fax: 2852812

Publications Indian Express (Bombay) Inc. Express Towers Nariman Point Mumbai 400021 Tel: 2022627 Fax: 2022139 The Times of India Times of India Building Dr. D. Naoroji Road Mumbai 400001 Tel: 2620271 Fax: 2620144

Books Bhojani, Namas and Arun Katiyar. Bombay: A Contemporary Account of Mumbai. New Delhi: Harper Collins, 1996. Collins, David. Mumbai (Bombay). Melbourne: Lonely Planet Publications, 1999. Contractor, Behram. From Bombay to Mumbai. Mumbai: Oriana Books, 1998. Desai, Anita. Baumgartner's Bombay. New York: Penguin, 1998. Dwivedi, Sharada and Rahul Mehrotra. Bombay: The Cities Within. Bombay: India Book House, 1995. Edwardes, S. M. The Gazetteer of Bombay City and

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Island. 3 vols. Bombay: Times Press, 1909–10 [reprinted 1977–78]. Mehta, Rina. Mumbai Mum's Guide. Bombay: Oxford and India Book House, 1999. Moraes, Dom. Bombay. Amsterdam: Time-Life Books, 1979. Patel, Sujata and Alice Thorner. Bombay: Metaphor for Modern India. Bombay: Oxford University Press, 1995. Patel, Sujata and Alice Thorner. Bombay: Mosaic of Modern Culture. Bombay: Oxford University Press, 1995. Rohatgi, Pauline, Pheroza Godrej and Rahul Mehrotra, eds. Bombay to Mumbai: Changing Perspectives. Mumbai: Marg Publications, 1997. Rohinton, Mistry. Swimming Lessons, and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag. New York: Vintage, 1997. Rohinton, Mistry. Such a Long Journey. New York: Vintage, 1992. Rushdie, Salman. Midnight’s Children. New York: Knopf, 1995. Rushdie, Salman. The Moor’s Last Sigh. New York: Pantheon, 1995. Tindall, Gillian. City of Gold: the Biography of Bombay. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin, 1992. Virani, Pinki. Once Was Bombay. New Delhi: Penguin Books India, 1999.

English-language movies set in Bombay Bombay 2000. Mira Nair, 1999. Bombay Boys. Mani Ratnam, 1994. Perfect Murder. Zafar Hai, 1988. Salaam Bombay. Mira Nair, 1988.

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Nairobi Nairobi, Kenya, Africa Founded: 1899; Incorporated: 1903 Location: 500 km (300 mi) west of the Indian Ocean in Kenya’s Central Highlands Flag: Field divided into yellow and green quarters, with center circle featuring blue and white waves. Motto: City in the Sun Flower: Glorisa Superba (Kenya) Time Zone: 3:00 PM Universal Coordinated Time (UCT-3) = noon Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Ethnic Composition: Kenyan African groups—Kikuyu, Luo, Luhyia, Kalenjin, Kisii, and Kamba; Asians (people who trace their origins to India and Pakistan), Europeans, and Somalis Elevation: 1,680 meters (5,512 feet) Latitude and Longitude: 1°16'S, 36°48'E Climate: Tropical highland with sunny days, mild daily temperatures, and cool nights Annual Mean Temperature: September to April maximum average daytime temperature 24°C (75°F) and minimum average nighttime temperature 13°C (55.4°F); May to August maximum average daytime temperature 21°C (70°F) and minimum average nighttime temperature 11°C (51.8°F) Seasonal Average Rain: Heavy rains March to May; lighter rains November to December Government: Mayor-council Weights and Measures: Metric system Monetary Units: Kenyan Shilling Telephone Area Codes: 254 (Kenya country code); 2 (Nairobi city code)

1

Introduction

Nairobi is the main commercial and cultural center for East Africa. It is the largest city between Cairo, Egypt, in north Africa, and Johannesburg, South Africa. Located on the edge of the rich agricultural region of the Central Highlands, Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya, the most developed country in East Africa. As one of Africa’s leading cities, it hosts important international conferences and is the home for many embassies, international organizations,

and businesses. The city has a cosmopolitan flair that combines African, Asian, European, and Middle Eastern cultures. Although it is a relatively new city (founded in 1899), it has played an important role in the region. It was at the epicenter of the nationalist movement, which eventually led to Kenya’s independence from Great Britain in 1963. Since independence, the city has grown at a tremendous rate. The city reflects the stark contrasts of wealth that characterize Kenyan society. In the shadows of the skyscrapers in the pros-

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Nairobi

Nairobi Population Profile Population: 2,320,000 Area: 689 sq km (266 sq mi) Ethnic composition: Kenyan African groups— Kikuyu, Luo, Luhyia, Kalenjin, Kisii, and Kamba; Asians (people who trace their origins to India and Pakistan), Europeans, and Somalis World population rank1: 133 Percentage of national population2: 7.7% Average yearly growth rate: 5.0% Nicknames: City in the Sun; Nairobbery ——— 1. The Nairobi metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of Kenya’s total population living in the Nairobi metropolitan area.

perous and efficient central business district lives an army of up to 100,000 homeless. Side by side with beautiful upscale neighborhoods, like Karen and Westlands, are desolate slum areas, such as Mathare Valley and Kibera. The grinding poverty of some of the city’s residents, coupled with the world-class wealth of others, has contributed to one of the Nairobi’s most serious problems: crime. Muggings, car jackings, and robberies are common. However, for many residents the “City in the Sun” remains a dynamic and bustling place in which to live, work, and go to school. 2

Getting There

Nairobi is located in south-central Kenya, 140 kilometers (87 miles) south of the equator. It is well served by international airlines, and a regional road network links it to other major East

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African urban centers. Railways link Nairobi to Mombasa, Kenya’s second largest city, on the Indian Ocean and Kisumu, the third largest city, on the shores of Lake Victoria. Highways Nairobi is connected by paved roads to Kenya’s other major urban centers, such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Kisii, and Kericho. A paved road also links Nairobi to northern Tanzania’s major tourist, agricultural, and commercial center, Arusha. Traffic jams are common leading into the city during the morning rush hour and leading out of the city after work hours. Bus and Railroad Service There are a large number of longdistance bus companies in Nairobi that provide transportation to most areas of the country. Long-distance buses also provide service to major cities in Uganda and Tanzania. In addition to long-distance buses, there are minibuses with regular service to Mombasa and shared taxis to nearby urban centers including the Kenya-Tanzania border. Shared taxis are Peugeot station wagons that usually carry seven passengers. Often the minibuses and shared taxis leave when they are full and therefore do not follow fixed schedules. While the large buses often follow a schedule, at times they operate along lines similar to those of shared taxis and leave when full. Road transport can be dangerous. Many of the long-distance buses travel at night and, in addition to transporting passengers, carry

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Nairobi

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Nairobi cargo. There have been a number of horrific accidents in which large numbers of passengers have been killed or injured. Nairobi railway station serves as the main point of departure for trains to and from Mombasa and Kisumu. There is also a direct Nairobi to Kampala, Uganda, train once a week. Airports The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, about 13 kilometers (eight miles) southeast of the town center via the Mombasa Highway, is the main airport in East Africa. It offers flights to many destinations in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, as well as internal flights to Kisumu on Lake Victoria and Malindi and Mombasa on the coast. In addition to Kenyan airlines, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is serviced by a large number of international airlines. Major airlines that fly into Kenyatta include Air France, Air India, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, El-Al, and Pakistan International Airlines. African airlines that service Nairobi include Ethiopia Airlines, Air Tanzania, South African Airways, Air Madagascar, Air Malawi, Air Mauritius, Air Rwanda, Air Zimbabwe, Cameroon Airlines, Egypt Air, and Royal Swazi. Wilson is Nairobi’s other main airport. Located close to the Nairobi National Park, this airport caters primarily to smaller planes and charter flights. In terms of the number of flights, it is said to be busier than Jomo

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Kenyatta International Airport. Many charter flights to Kenya’s game parks or coastal resorts fly out of Wilson. 3

Getting Around

Downtown Nairobi is in the shape of a triangle. Most of the skyscrapers and major government offices are centered inside of three borders: Uhuru Highway to the west, what used to be the old United States Embassy building to the south, and the Nairobi River to the northeast. In general, the discount shops, hotels, and poorer neighborhoods are located east of the central business district; to the west are the more affluent areas. The streets in the central business district are laid out in a grid pattern. Major roads lead out of the central business district to the residential areas that encircle it. Bus and Commuter Rail Service Mass transit in Nairobi is made up of buses and minibuses. These can be a cheap, if not adventurous, way of getting around Nairobi. They are usually packed during the morning rush hours as people head to work and in the evening as Nairobians return home. However, at other times and on weekends the congestion is not bad. Commuters are not the only people who make use of mass transit: passengers need to be wary of pick-pockets. Kenya Bus Service (KBS) operates a large fleet of commuter buses that serve the city. However, the most important means of mass transit are matatus. Matatus are privately owned minibuses. Many are outrageously decorated (Minnesota

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Nairobi

City Fact Comparison Nairobi (Kenya)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

2,320,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1899

753 BC

723 BC

Indicator

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

$130

$193

$172

$129

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

$52

$56

$59

$62

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.)

$13

$14

$15

$16

$195

$173

$246

$207

9

13

20

11

Daily Nation

Akhbar El Yom/ Al Akhbar

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

170,000

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1960

1944

1976

1948

Total daily costs Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established 1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

Timberwolves, Dennis Rodman, Scud Missile), encouraged by competitions for most original design. Other characteristics of matatus include loud music blaring from the sound-systems and drivers who seldom obey traffic regulations. Although matatus are often jampacked with people, the drivers always believe there is space for one more. Taxi and Shared Taxi Taxis are a more expensive but more reliable mode of transportation than the matatus. They come in all shapes and conditions, including some London-style cabs. Usually, they are not metered and, like most other things in

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Nairobi, their fares are negotiable. Shared taxis, Peugeot station wagons packed with people, operate on some routes and also take passengers to nearby towns. Walking Because traffic congestion is a major problem in downtown Nairobi, walking is the best way to get around the city center. The distances are short, and the streets are well marked. Sightseeing Nairobi is home to many tour operators and travel agents. Excursions can be arranged to all parts of Kenya and to

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Nairobi

Nairobi is the most developed city in East Africa. (Christina Thompson; Woodfin Camp)

visit Tanzania’s impressive northern game parks. Most tour companies and travel agents can organize tours of Nairobi. Tours of central Nairobi will normally include visits to the Parliament Building, the City Market, and the National Museum. Trips to Nairobi National Park, the Giraffe Center, and the Karen Blixen Museum can also be easily arranged. 4

People

Nairobi is a culturally diverse city. All the major Kenyan ethnic groups are represented in the city, and these include the Kikuyu, Luo, Luhyia, Kalen-

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jin, Kisii, and Kamba. While it is difficult to know the exact percentages of the ethnic makeup of Nairobi, there are probably more Kikuyu living in the city than any other group. The Kikuyu make up around 20 percent of the Kenyan population, and their home area borders Nairobi. In addition to the Kenyan African ethnic groups, there is a sizeable population of Asians (people who trace their origins to India and Pakistan), Europeans, and Somalis. Nairobi is also home to a sizeable expatriate (people who have left their homeland) community as numerous embassies and international organizations have offices in the city.

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Nairobi 5

Neighborhoods

Nairobi’s neighborhoods have been influenced by the colonial-era segregation of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, when living space was divided into European, Asian, and African areas. In general, western Nairobi was reserved for Europeans and wealthy Asians. The east was for Africans and poor Asians. One of Nairobi’s largest neighborhoods is Eastleigh. It was originally an Asian and African area, but since independence, it has become a large, overcrowded, primarily African residential estate. Across Juja road from Eastleigh is Mathare, a large slum. On the west side of town are former white-only areas that now house the wealthy from all of Nairobi’s ethnic groups. Karen, Langata, Lavington, and Westlands are some of Nairobi’s posh residential addresses. These neighborhoods are home to high-quality schools, mini-shopping malls, and restaurants. There are a number of housing estates, like South C and Buru Buru, that have been built to accommodate the city’s growing middle class. Ngong Hills, situated west of Nairobi, along with Limuru to the north were sites where many white settlers set up farms and built their houses in early colonial days. 6

History

The country known today as Kenya was created by European colonialism in Africa, which lasted from the mid-

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1800s to the 1960s. Kenya was a British protectorate from 1895 to 1920 and a colony from 1920 to 1963. Prior to 1870 the peoples of what is now Kenya were independent of European control; they governed themselves through councils of elders. However, in 1884 the Sultan of Zanzibar, Seyyid Bargash, allowed a trading concession to the British East Africa Company; thus, British interest in East Africa was sparked by private enterprise. In addition to the British East Africa Company, pioneer missionaries also came to East Africa to spread Christianity and to help abolish the slave trade. An 1886 Anglo-German treaty partitioned East Africa between the two powers, placing the future Kenya in the British sphere and the future Tanzania in the German sphere. In 1888 the British East Africa Company was granted a Royal Charter and renamed the Imperial British East Africa Company (IBEA). The company was given exclusive rights to commercially exploit the British sphere. In 1895 the territory lying between Mombasa and the eastern edge of the Rift Valley (the future Kenya) was declared the East African Protectorate. In 1902, the eastern province of Uganda was added to the East African Protectorate. In 1920 the Protectorate was declared a Crown Colony and renamed Kenya. The name Kenya appears to have come from the Kamba word Kinyaa, meaning “ostrich.” The word “Nairobi” came from the Masai word enairobe, which literally means “stream of cold water.” Nairobi

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Nairobi was founded in 1899. It grew up around a railway line constructed by the British colonial officials from Mombasa on the Indian Ocean coast to Uganda. The present site of Nairobi was selected as a stores depot, shunting yard (place where trains are shifted from one track to another), and camping ground for the thousands of Indian laborers (also British colonials, who came to Kenya seeking work) employed by the British to work on the line. From this point Nairobi developed slowly, unplanned, and unexpectedly. The outbreak of plague and the burning down of the original compound necessitated the town’s rebuilding. By 1907, Nairobi was firmly established and the colonizers decided to make it the capital of the newly formed British East Africa. European settlers were encouraged to settle in the country, and Nairobi was their natural choice due to its cool climate and fertile soils. British authorities hoped these settlers would develop a modern economic sector that would enable the railway to pay for itself. Until that happened, the railway scheme seemed a useless venture that would consume more money than was called for in the initial plans. White settlement in the early years of the twentieth century was led by Lord Delamere, a pugnacious farmer from Cheshire, England. The lord and many other pioneer farmers suffered a lot in their farming ventures as little was known of the kind of crops to grow there. By trial and error they established plantations of coffee, tea, sisal (a plant yielding a

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strong fiber used to make rope), and pyrethrum (a perennial plant yielding flowers used to make insecticide). Cattle rearing also proved to be a profitable undertaking, spurring the establishment of huge ranches. The development of the settler economy allowed the railway venture to reverse its deficits. Due to high demand for laborers in the established plantations, a system was designed to force Africans to work for Europeans. Until the early twentieth century, most Kenyans were subsistence farmers, growing only enough food to meet their needs. In 1920 the colonial state began to confiscate African land; Africans were taxed, and a cash economy was created, forcing many Africans to give up peasant farming to search for cash incomes by working on the European plantations. The Indians who remained behind after the completion of the railway took up trade as their major occupation. In the early 1950s, the Mau Mau launched one of the most severe internal wars in Kenya, aimed at removing the British from the country. Although the war was mainly fought in the countryside and mountains surrounding Nairobi, the British launched sweeps of the city to make mass arrests. Africans were the main target of the sweeps—in particular Kikuyu Africans, a somewhat militant interest group focused on such issues as land scarcity, labor passes, regressive taxation, and inadequate educational and employment opportunities. The Mau Mau were defeated only after troops were sent from Britain to

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Nairobi

A statue of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta (1890–1978). (Betty Press; Woodfin Camp)

Kenya. By 1954 the British enacted Operation “Anvil,” an effort to rid Nairobi of Mau Mau supporters. More than 30,000 arrests were made, most of them Kikuyu; of these, 16,000 were detained as active Mau Mau supporters. In 1956, Dedan Kimathi, recognized as the leader of the Mau Mau, was captured, tried, and found guilty; in 1957, he was executed by the British in a Nairobi prison.

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Also in 1957, the first elections of African members of the Legislative Council were held. Eight African members were elected and chose not to cooperate with the colonial administration by advocating free and direct elections without preference given to any racial group. In 1958, the eight African council members boycotted council proceedings in a protest against the Lennox-Boyd Constitution, which

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Nairobi emphasized a multiracial Legislative Council. They also called for the release of Jomo Kenyatta, who had been arrested as a Mau Mau leader and sentenced to seven years of hard labor in 1952. In 1960 both the Kenya African National Union (KANU) and the Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) were formed. In February 1961 primary and general elections were held under the Lancaster House Constitution. KANU won 19 seats and KADU 11. Although still detained, Jomo Kenyatta was named as president of KANU. By October, Kenyatta was released and assumed the presidency. Between February and April 1962, the second Lancaster House Conference was held in London. A self-government “framework” constitution was agreed upon and drawn to include representation from both political parties. By 1963 Kenya achieved internal self-government with Kenyatta as the first prime minister. The third Lancaster House Conference was held to finalize the constitution for the granting of independence; the conference also declared Kenya a dominion. On December 12, 1963, Kenya finally became an independent state. President Kenyatta died in 1978 and was succeeded by his vice president, Daniel arap Moi. Moi became both the second president and head of KANU. Sworn in for a five-year term, he ruled as a dictator, and his government was marked by human rights abuses,

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corruption, ethnic clashes, economic deterioration, and inept governance. In January 1993, Moi was sworn in for his fourth five-year term in office. By July public rallies were being held to protest Moi’s human rights abuses and to demand constitutional reforms. For the first time in Kenya, the police entered All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi and beat the demonstrators seeking sanctuary there. One of the most shocking singleday events in Nairobi’s history was the U.S. Embassy bombing on August 7, 1998. Nairobians were stunned by the tragedy, in particular because the terrorist attack had nothing to do with their country. In simultaneous attacks on the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 227 people were killed, including 12 Americans, and over 5,000 injured. The bulk of those injured and killed were Kenyans as the U.S. Embassy was located at a busy intersection near the railway station. A neighboring four-story building collapsed during the mid-morning workday attack. The attacks were apparently orchestrated by Osama bin Laden, a wealthy Saudi Arabian who has dedicated his life to attacking American interests. In the aftermath of the bombing, Kenyan and other governments worked closely to rescue survivors, find victims, and apprehend suspects. 7

Government

Nairobi is the main administrative center for the national government. The mayor and the city commission are

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Nairobi responsible for management of the city. Nevertheless, the central government is very strong, leaving the Nairobi local government with little power. 8

Public Safety

Crime is a growing problem. The “City in the Sun” has earned itself the dubious unofficial nickname of “Nairobbery.” Petty crime is rife and serious crimes are becoming more frequent. The chief causes for rising crime rates are the breakdown of the traditional social values, a tense political situation, and high unemployment. In 1998, two vehicles a day were stolen in Kenya. Due to the high incidence of car theft and car jackings, the insurance companies have for years been threatening to discontinue auto insurance because too many claims have made the business unprofitable. Auto insurance premiums are currently ten percent of the value of the vehicles per year (that is, if an auto costs $20,000, the owner pays $2,000 per year in insurance). Ironically, public safety has been weakened by the state, the institution entrusted to provide domestic security. Violent political conflicts between various political and ethnic groups accompanied Kenya’s transition to multiparty politics. These conflicts followed threats by high-ranking government officials directed at the Kikuyu community and caused opponents of the government to charge that the state was behind a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” (genocide) in the Rift Valley

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province. Since the colonial era the state has arrested, harassed, and tortured political dissidents. Some Nairobi businesses, especially those associated with the political opposition, have been ransacked by state security officials. Political tensions have led to rioting, demonstrations, and violent conflicts between rival political factions in Nairobi. The relationship between the police and citizens is not good. There is a widespread belief that the police cause more problems than they solve. Through soliciting bribes and police brutality, the effectiveness of the force has been weakened. Probably because of this, most wealthy people find it necessary to hire their own private security guards, and there are many private security companies, such as Ultimate Security, Total Security, and Securicor. 9

Economy

Kenya has the most vibrant economy in East Africa, and Nairobi is the main commercial center of the country. Nairobi has a well-developed infrastructure, including modern financial and communications systems. Leading domestic (Kenya Commercial Bank) and international banks (Barclays, Citibank, Standard Chartered) operate out of Nairobi. Kenya also has a relatively well-developed industrial base, which accounts for some 20 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). Nairobi is also the largest industrial center. The principal products include processed food, beer, vehicles, soaps,

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Nairobi construction material, engineering, textiles, and chemicals. There is also a thriving sector that provides employment to carpenters, metal workers, furniture makers, vehicle repairmen, and retailers. The cornerstone of Kenya’s economy is agriculture, which employs around 80 percent of the population, contributes 29 percent of the GDP, and accounts for over 50 percent of the country’s export earnings. The areas around Nairobi are prime agricultural lands. The principal food crops are maize, sorghum, cassava, beans, and fruit. Cash crops, such as coffee, are grown by small-scale farmers. Horticulture is a new agricultural growth sector. Flower exports are an important source of foreign exchange. With a well-developed system of hotels and top-rate tour companies and the country’s spectacular game parks and beautiful coast, tourism is an important part of Kenya’s economy. It has replaced coffee as the country’s largest foreign exchange earner. Nairobi is the center for many tour companies and travel agencies. City hotels range from low cost budget to luxury and offer good value and excellent service. 10

Environment

Nairobi is well endowed with a pleasant environment that preserves much of its pristine natural beauty. Ponds, seasonal springs, rivers, flooded grasslands, and swamps abound. Unlike other major cities, Nairobi is not situated on a large river or near the sea.

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Nevertheless, several streams criss-cross the city. Streams running from the Ngong Hills to the south and the ridges to the north become the Athi and Nairobi Rivers. Occasionally hippos and crocodiles can be spotted in the Athi River. Other important sources of water for Nairobi are the Chania and Thika Rivers. There is also the manmade Thika dam, which was constructed as a water reservoir. Natural springs feed a number of small swamps in secluded hollows. In addition, temporary wetlands are created with the coming of each rainy season. The planting of eucalyptus trees, however, has drained most of these springs. Nairobi National Park is another preservation of natural environment. It is covered by a highland forest of hardwoods. A spectrum of birds and animals find their home in the park. The park itself was established in 1948 as an effort by the government to preserve the remaining natural beauty of Nairobi. Nairobi has a bustling population growth. Rapid urbanization and industrialization consume a lot of natural resources, causing alarming environmental degradation. Construction places a very heavy burden on natural resources. Sand is an important construction material; thus, all rivers in Nairobi have been extensively excavated in search of sand. The result has been serious soil erosion. Timber is also used in construction, causing depletion of forests surrounding the city. Additionally, Nairobi attracts hundreds of new immigrants daily. This has an

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Nairobi impact on the environment as service struggles to keep pace with rapid population growth. The city’s sewage system frequently breaks down, adversely affecting the environment. 11

Shopping

A wide variety of shopping experiences can be found in Nairobi. It is a good place to pick up souvenirs and handicrafts. All sorts of goods can be obtained from vendors, kiosks, boutiques, small shops, department stores, and malls. Souvenirs and handicrafts can be purchased all over Nairobi. The city market on Muindi Mbingu Street has a good range of items from souvenir kiondo (colorful woven sisal bags), jewelry, wood, and soapstone carvings to everyday goods like meat, fish, and fruits. However, shopping at city market will test any shopper’s bargaining abilities. On Tuesdays there is a Masai market (which is an informal market) at Kenyatta Avenue near the roundabout on Uhuru Highway. There Masai women sell beaded jewelry, gourds, baskets, and other Masai crafts. The Kigali market, between Kigali Road and Tubman Road, is an overpopulated tourist spot. All kinds of souvenirs can be found there, and if the shopper’s bargaining skills are sharp, some good deals can be obtained. Safari wear, Tshirts, wood carvings, and better assortments of jewelry can be found at a number of downtown shops situated along the major roads of Kenyatta Avenue, Koinange Street, and Kimathi

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Open markets like this one are common in Nairobi. Everything from souvenirs to fresh fish can be purchased from street vendors. (Christina Thompson; Woodfin Camp)

Street. More upscale handicrafts, artwork, and jewelry from all over Africa can be found at the African Heritage Center on Kenyatta Avenue. The appropriately named Biashara (Business) Street is the core of downtown Nairobi’s shopping district; it is made up of endless small shops and cafes. In the Langata area, the Ostrich Park has a craft center with an artisans workshop where passersby can see items being made and enjoy a nice cafe. The Yaya and Sarit Centers are wellknown shopping malls located outside

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Nairobi of the city center. Uchumi supermarkets, located throughout Nairobi, cater to grocery shopping needs, as do stalls that sell fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat. 12

Education

During the colonial era, education was segregated along racial lines with schools built for Europeans, Asians (those from the Indian Subcontinent), and Africans. With independence, the school system was desegregated. Education is seen as an important avenue for upward social mobility and is very competitive. In Nairobi, even at the preschool level, parents are interested in enrolling their children in schools with strong academic reputations. Competition becomes especially intense for places in top government and private high schools. A student’s educational future is largely determined by results on national exams taken after primary school and high school. Many of Nairobi’s approximately 77 private secondary schools and 44 state-run schools are among the country’s best. Nairobi is well served by institutions of higher learning. The oldest university in Kenya is Nairobi University. Another leading state-related university is Kenyatta University, which grew out of a teachers college. A number of private universities were opened in the 1980s and 1990s. Nairobi Polytechnic and Utalii College are other leading learning institutions. Utalii College was started in 1969 to provide highly trained manpower for Kenya’s tourist

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industry. The college has a strong reputation and runs its own hotel in Ruaraka on the outskirts of the city. 13

Health Care

The best medical facilities in East Africa can be found in Nairobi. Two private hospitals with strong reputations are the Nairobi and the Aga Khan. Kenya’s main teaching hospital is Kenyatta, though its reputation regarding patient care is not as strong as in the past. Nairobi and all of Kenya are also served by “Flying Doctors,” an insurance organization that provides expert care and medical evacuations should a health emergency occur. However, if a patient does not have the foresight to join Flying Doctors, they must bear the full cost of the often very expensive services they receive should they become sick. In addition to hospitals, there are numerous private clinics and practices that serve the capital city’s population. 14

Media

Nairobi is the media hub of East Africa. The Nation Group of Companies, which publishes newspapers and runs radio and television stations, has its headquarters in the city. In addition to the Kenyan daily newspaper, The Nation, the company publishes the East African, a weekly newspaper that covers the region of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The Nation Group also publishes the Taifa Leo, a Swahili-language daily newspaper. Kenya’s oldest newspaper is the Standard. It is a daily English-language

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Nairobi newspaper that is well known for its business coverage. The Standard Group also owns Kenya Television Network, the country’s first private television station, based in Nairobi. Kenya’s third most popular newspaper is closely affiliated with the ruling Kenya African National Union and is called the Kenya Times. Kenya Times Ltd., the parent company, also publishes the Swahili language Kenya Leo. Other major media companies operating in the capital are the government-owned Voice of Kenya radio station and the government owned television station, Kenya Broadcasting Company, which first began broadcasting in 1961. Popular magazines published in Nairobi include the Weekly Review, which provides in-depth local news; Viva (for women); Drum; and a puzzle magazine called Chemsha Bongo, which translated from Swahili means Boil Your Brain. 15

Sports

Kenya has a strong reputation for sports, and Nairobi is the center of the sporting scene. In particular, Kenya is well known for its world-class runners. Kenyan runners exploded onto the international scene during the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games when three distance runners won gold medals, including Kipchoge “Kip” Keino, who beat the American favorite Jim Ryun in the 1500-meter race. Since 1968, Kenyans have dominated middle-

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and long-distance running at the international level. National track and crosscountry meets are usually held at the national stadium or at the Ngong Race Course in Nairobi. These events traditionally produce a new group of worldclass runners, ready to challenge their already-established peers. The most popular sport in the country and the capital city is soccer. Nairobi has three large stadiums (Nyayo, City, and Kasarani) in which domestic league and international matches are played. Two clubs with large followings in Nairobi are AFC and Gor Mahia, which are both nationally popular clubs with home bases of support in western Kenya. Recently, a Nairobi-based team, Mathare United, has taken the soccer scene by storm. Named after one of Nairobi’s most notorious slums and made up of young impoverished players, Mathare United is a formidable challenger to the traditionally strong teams of Gor Mahia, AFC, and Kenya Breweries. Motor sports are popular in Kenya. One of the biggest sporting events is the Kenya Safari Rally, which takes place around Easter. The rally, which starts and finishes in Nairobi, follows a route that covers 4,000 kilometers (2,486 miles). Large crowds follow the event in the rural areas and the cities. During the rally, daily results dominate radio, print, and television news coverage as Kenyans cheer for the local heroes competing against top international drivers.

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Nairobi well-maintained country clubs in Nairobi that offer good golfing facilities. Muthaiga Country Club, the old premier settler club, has a top-flight golf course as well as other sporting facilities. Other prominent clubs that have golf courses are Karen Country Club, Limuru Country Club, Royal Nairobi Golf Club, Sigma Golf Club, and the Railway Golf Club. 16

Kids play on a monument in Uhuru Park. (Betty Press; Woodfin Camp)

Other sports gaining popularity in the nation’s capital are rugby, cricket, and field hockey. These games, previously the domain of Nairobi’s settler and Asian communities, are becoming popular among Africans. With increasing numbers of participants, Kenya’s rugby, field hockey, and cricket teams have done well in international competitions. Polo is often played on the weekends in Jamhuri park. For the country’s affluent, golf is a popular sport. There are a number of

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Parks and Recreation

There are a wide variety of parks and recreational activities in Nairobi. The most spectacular, Nairobi National Park, is located just five miles south from the city center. The 117-squarekilometer (45-square-mile) park contains impala, Grant’s gazelle, Thomson’s gazelle, hartebeest, eland, kudu, zebra, wildebeest, giraffes, birds, rhinos, and hippos. Probably the most visited game park in East Africa, it provides a wonderful opportunity to view the wildlife of Africa silhouetted against the Nairobi skyline. It is open daily from dawn to 7:00 PM. Uhuru Park and Uhuru Gardens are located along Uhuru Highway, not far from Nairobi University and the city center. Uhuru Park and Gardens are a large urban green space. The Nairobi Arboretum, also located near Nairobi University, provides a restful setting for a walk among its 300 different species of trees. City Park, located two miles north of the city center, is a well-preserved remnant of the woodlands that covered the area before the construc-

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Nairobi

Costumed dancers perform during festivals in downtown Nairobi. (Betty Press; Woodfin Camp)

tion of the railway. City Park features well-kept lawns, gardens of rare plants, playgrounds, and sports fields. Attending horse races at Ngong Racecourse is a popular weekend activity. Open almost every Sunday, the racecourse is set amid green grass, and it hosts a beautiful old grandstand. 17

Performing Arts

Popular music is an important part of Nairobi’s cultural life. Many musicians sing in Kenyan languages, such as Luo, Kamba, Luhyia, and Kikuyu. Other pop musicians, some from neighboring

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countries, sing in Swahili. Pop music in Nairobi is heavily influenced by the benga beat, which originated in western Kenya among the Luo people. Music from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania are also major influences. Gospel and choir are popular musical genres. Choral music concerts, organized by the Nairobi music society, can often be heard at All Saints Cathedral. Visiting jazz and classical musicians occasionally hold concerts at the Kenya National Theater. Drama and plays are very important forms of expression. In Nairobi,

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Nairobi two resident theater companies offer performances. One is the Kenya National Theater, located across from the Norfolk Hotel and next to the University of Nairobi. The other is called the Professional Center and is located on Parliament Road in the city center. Kenyatta University and the University of Nairobi have amateur theater groups that stage performances. Nairobi hosts the national school drama and music competitions at the Kenyatta Conference Center. These competitions, which start at the local level and culminate in the national finals, generate a great deal of national interest. 18

Libraries and Museums

Nairobi is home to a number of libraries and museums. The national archives are kept in the old Bank of India building, located in the central business district on Moi Avenue across from the Hilton Hotel. Apart from housing important historical documents, it features photographs and craft exhibits. The McMillan Memorial Library is also located in central Nairobi near the Jamia Mosque. This library is distinctive for its two large stone lions that guard its entrance steps. Inside is a display featuring the furniture of writer Karen Blixen, famous for her novel Out of Africa. The library has an extensive collection of books and newspapers. It also houses the parliamentary archives. For a fee, people can become members of the library and check out books.

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The Kenya National Museum has an excellent exhibit on pre-history based on the work of the famous Leaky family of anthropologists. There are also exhibits on insects, animal life, and Kenyan culture. The museum houses a display of Joy Adamson’s (naturalist and author of Born Free) paintings. Film screenings and public lectures sponsored by the museum are very popular. Across from the Kenya Museum is the Snake Farm, which features live specimens of snakes, lizards, chameleons, tortoises, turtles, and crocodiles found in Kenya. For people interested in trains, the Railway Museum, located near the Nairobi Train Station, features a display of locomotives that have operated in Kenya since the railway was built. A well-known part of Kenyan history is represented in the form of a carriage in which a man-eating lion killed and dragged away a railway worker during the line’s construction. In December 1898, lion attacks brought work on the railway to a halt 194 kilometers (121 miles) from the coast in what is now Tsavo National Park. Lion attacks, which usually consisted of a worker being dragged away from his tent in the night, resulted in a number of deaths. A major labor dispute threatened to erupt as the largely Indian workforce demanded to be returned home. Construction of the line was held up for three weeks as the lions were hunted and killed. Karen Blixen’s house, located in the fashionable suburb that bears her name, has been turned into a museum

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Nairobi in her honor. Not far away is the Langata Giraffe Center, which is mainly for children. The center is supported by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife and is home to a number of giraffes that visitors can feed from raised wooden platforms. In addition to the giraffes, the center contains warthogs, bushbuck, and dikdik. The trees and shrubbery at the Giraffe Center are an ideal habitat for birds, and there are over 160 species. For those interested in bird watching, the Langata suburb is also home to a private bird sanctuary. Appointments must be made in advance, and all visitors are accompanied by an ornithologist. The Bomas of Kenya features performances of traditional songs and dances from Kenya’s various ethnic groups. It is located two kilometers (one mile) past the gate of Nairobi National Park in the Langata suburb. On the grounds is an open-air museum that depicts the traditional lifestyle of Kenya’s African ethnic groups.

ment Building, the City Market, and the National Museum. Trips to Nairobi National Park, the Giraffe Center, and the Karen Blixen Museum are also popular. The city offers a well-developed infrastructure, excellent hotels, and fine food. Nairobi has been host to numerous international conferences, conventions, and meetings. 20

Holidays and Festivals

JANUARY New Years Day

MARCH-APRIL Good Friday and Easter Monday Safari Rally Motor Sports

MAY Labor Day

JUNE Madaraka Day

SEPTEMBER Nairobi International Show

OCTOBER Kenyatta Day

DECEMBER Independence Day

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To u r i s m

Tourism is an important part of the Nairobi economy. With a well-developed system of hotels and top-rate tour companies, tourism has actually replaced coffee as the country’s largest foreign exchange earner. City hotels range from low cost budget to luxury. Trips to Kenya’s impressive game parks and beautiful coast can be arranged in the city. Tours of the city itself also can be arranged; tours of central Nairobi normally include visits to the Parlia-

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*Ramadan is also a national holiday. The date of this holiday depends on the sighting of the moon and varies from year to year.

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Famous Citizens

As the political, cultural, and commercial center of Kenya, Nairobi has a long list of famous citizens. Many people living in Nairobi may identify their ancestral village as home; however, Nairobi is considered the second home, if not first home, for most of the country’s leading personalities.

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Nairobi A.M. Jevanjee (1861–1923), real estate tycoon and businessman who started the Africa Standard, Kenya’s first newspaper, created the Jevanjee Gardens, and served as a representative of the Indian community in the colonial Legislative Council.

Richard Leakey (b. 1944), palaeoathropologist who has served as director of the Kenya Department of Wildlife Services and who discovered c r a n i a o f Austro pithecus boisei (1969), Homo habilis (1972), and Homo erectus (1975).

Baroness Karen Blixen-Finecke (1885– 1962), writer, also known by her pen name Isak Dinesen, who moved to Nairobi in 1918 and wrote the novel Out of Africa.

Meja Mwangi (b. 1948), outstanding writer, winner of the Jomo Kenyatta Prize.

Jomo Kenyatta (1890–1978), Kenya’s first president and a dominant figure in th e Ken yan n ation alist movement, jailed in the 1950s by the colonial government for alleged connections to the Mau Mau.

Websites

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga (1911–94), famous politician and one time vicepresident, who was dismissed from the government for quarreling with Kenyatta, but who remained a leader of the political opposition until his death. Daniel arap Moi (b. 1924), president of Kenya, who took over power in 1978 when Kenyatta died. Tom Mboya (1930–69), staunch trade unionist, founder of the Kenya Federation of Labor, and principal leader in Kenya’s independence movement, who was assassinated in 1969. Ngugi wa Thiong`o (b. 1938), famous novelist imprisoned and exiled for political reasons.

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For Further Study

Kenya Web. [Online] Available http:// www.kenyaweb.com (accessed February 5, 2000). Living Encyclopedia for Kenya. [Online] Available http://www.sas.upenn.edu/ African_studies/NEH/Ke.html (accessed February 5, 2000). Nation Newspaper. [Online] Available http:// www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/ Today/ (accessed February 5, 2000).

Government Offices Kenya Embassy in Washington D.C. 2249 R. Street N.W. Washington D.C. 20008 (202) 387-6101

Tourist and Convention Bureaus Kenya Government Tourist Office and Consulates: 424 Madison Ave New York, NY 10017 (212) 486-1300 Dohery Plaza Suite 160 9150 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles CA 90212 (310) 274-6635

Publications Nation Newspapers PO Box 49010 Nairobi Kenya 254-2-221222

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Nairobi Weekly Review Ltd. PO Box 42271 Nairobi Kenya 254-2-251560

Books Cohen, William, and E. S. Ohdiambo. Burying SM: The Politics of Knowledge and the Sociology of Power. Heinemann, 1992. Denison, Isak (Karen Blixen). Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass. Vintage Books, 1989. Donelson, Linda. Out of Africa: Karen Blixen’s Untold Story. Coolsang List, 1998. Finlay, Hugh, and Geoff Crowther. Lonely Planet Kenya. Lonely Planet, 1997. Hauman, Mathew, and R. Van Eyndhoven. Africa Give me Your Eyes: Stories About Meeting People in Kenya. Source Books, 1997. Hodd, Michael. East Africa Handbook. Chicago: Passport Books, 1998.

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Hutton, J. Urban Challenges in East Africa. Nairobi: East Africa Publishing House, 1970. Huxley, Elspeth. Nine Faces of Kenya. London: Harvil, 1991. Lonely Planet. East Africa. Singapore: SNP Printing House, 1997. McHugh, Kathleen. (ed.) Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles. London: Fodo Travel Publications, 1990. Mwangi, Meja. Going Down River Road. Heinemann, 1976. [Fiction] Ngugi wa Thiongo. A Grain of Wheat. Heinemann, 1994. [Fiction] Quick, T.L., (et al). Rhinos in the Rough: A Golfer`s Guide to Kenya. Nairobi: Kenways Publications, 1993. Robertson, Claire. Trouble Showed the Way: Women, Men, and Trade in the Nairobi Area 1890–1990. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1997.

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Nashville Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America, North America Founded: 1779; Incorporated: 1784 Location: On the Cumberland River in Central Tennessee Motto: “Agriculture and Commerce” (state motto) Flag: Royal blue field with white center and gold elements on the city seal. Flower: Iris (state flower) Time Zone: 6 AM Central Standard Time (CST) = noon Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Ethnic Composition: White, 74.1%; Black, 24.3%; Native American, 0.2%; Asian, 1.4% Elevation: 137 m (450 ft) Latitude and Longitude: 36º16'N, 86º78'W Coastline: None Climate: Temperate climate with hot, humid summers and occasional snow in winter Annual Mean Temperature: 15.3ºC (59.5ºF); January 3.7ºC (38.7ºF); July 26.3ºC (79.4ºF) Seasonal Average Snowfall: 27.2 cm (10.7 in); Average Annual Precipitation (total of rainfall and melted snow): 121.9 cm (48 in) Government: Mayor-council Weights and measures: Standard U.S. Monetary Units: Standard U.S. Telephone Area Codes: 615 Postal Codes: 37201–49

1

Introduction

Located in the rolling hills of middle Tennessee, Nashville is the state capital. Home of the Grand Ole Opry since the 1920s, it is the country-andwestern music capital of the world. The city of Andrew Jackson, it combines the grace and warmth of the Old South with the economic vitality of today’s Sun Belt states. The rising popularity of country music in the past two decades has created a booming entertainment industry in Nashville, spurring tourism and attracting new residents with jobs at all levels of the music business. The city retains its traditional strength in

the trucking and tors and has also privatized health and merger of Health Care.

financial services secbecome the capital of care with the growth HCA and Columbia

As home to the first public education system in the South, as well as the site of the pilot project on which the nationwide Head Start programs were modeled, Nashville is also a leader in the field of education. When it merged its city and county governments in the 1960s, the city also became a pioneer in the development of metropolitan government.

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Nashville 2

Getting There

Nashville, which has one of the largest geographical areas of any U.S. city, is located in central Tennessee, on both banks of the Cumberland River and surrounded on three sides by the Highland Rim, which rises up to 122 meters (400 feet) above the elevation level of the city. Highways More than 129 kilometers (80 miles) of interstate highway pass through Nashville. The major interstates are I-65 (north-south) and I-40 (east-west between Knoxville and Memphis and further in both directions). I265 forms a ring around Downtown Nashville, and I-440 encircles midtown Nashville. I-24, running southeast to northwest, also leads into the metropolitan area, merging into I-40 to the south and I-65 to the north. Bus and Railroad Service Interstate bus service to all parts of the country is available on Greyhound, whose terminal is downtown on Eighth Avenue South. Amtrak service is not directly available in Nashville; the closest connection is through Memphis. Airport Originally constructed as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project and opened as Berry Field in 1937, today Nashville International Airport provides air service to almost 90 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, averaging 388 arriving and depart-

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Nashville Population Profile City Proper Population: 505,000 Area: 1,225 sq km (473 sq mi) Ethnic composition: 74.1% white; 24.3% black; 0.2% Native American; and 1.4% Asian Nicknames: Music City USA, Garden Spot of the World, The Athens of the South

Metropolitan Area Population: 1,134,524 Description: Nashville and Davidson County Area: 10,549 sq km (4,073 sq mi) World population rank1: approx. 320 Percentage of national population2: <1% Ethnic composition: 82.6% white; 15.7% black; and 1.4% Asian/Pacific Islander ——— 1. The Nashville metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of the United States’ total population living in the Nashville metropolitan area.

ing flights daily. The airport, which covers 76,178 square meters (820,000 square feet) and has 47 carrier gates, is serviced by 16 carriers. In 1998, Nashville International Airport handled over eight million passengers. Shipping Nashville’s extensive network of interstate highways and 100 freight terminals have made the city an important regional trucking center, and it is served by 135 trucking carriers. The city is also a rail hub for the Southeast, with local railroads handling about 80 freight trains per day. Another major mode of shipping in the area is barge

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Nashville

traffic on the Cumberland River, which connects Nashville to both the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. 3

Getting Around

Nashville is laid out in a grid pattern that straddles and is oriented to the Cumberland River. Numbered streets run parallel to the river in a northwest to southeast direction while

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the perpendicular named streets run southwest to northeast. Bridges cross the river at Jefferson and Spring streets, the James Robertson Parkway, Union and Woodland streets, and Shelby Avenue. Bus and Commuter Rail Service The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Nashville operates hourly bus service

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Nashville to most areas of the city, as well as a motorized trolley in the downtown area during daytime hours. Private automobiles are the preferred mode of transit for most Nashville residents, and use of public transportation is relatively light. Sightseeing A one-and-a-half hour guided walking tour of the city beginning at Fort Nashborough is offered by the nonprofit Historic Nashville, Inc. on Saturday mornings in May through October. The Metropolitan Nashville Historical Commission provides maps for selfguided walking and driving tours, including the African-American Historic Sites Tour and the Battle of Nashville Driving Tour. Commercial companies offering tours include Grand Old Opry Tours, Johnny Walker Tours, and Country & Western/Gray Line Tours. 4

People

In 1990, the population of Nashville was 488,000, with the following racial and ethnic composition: 74.1 percent were white; 24.3 percent black; 1.4 percent Asian; and 0.2 percent Native American. The population estimate for 1994 was 505,000. The population of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area was reported as 985,026 in 1990 and estimated at 1,134,524 as of 1997. The region’s racial composition was listed by the U.S. Census Bureau in 1996 as 82.6 percent white; 15.7 percent black; and 1.4 percent Asian/Pacific Islander.

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The percentage of residents of Hispanic origin (an ethnic rather than a racial designation) was 1.1 percent. 5

Neighborhoods

Dominated by the state capitol building and War Memorial Plaza, downtown Nashville is located near the riverfront and the site of historic Fort Nashborough, built by Nashville’s early settlers. In addition to the capitol, the city’s historic landmarks, and its older commercial buildings, this area is home to Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, commemorating Tennessee history with gardens and stone inscriptions and located at the foot of the capitol. Also located in the downtown area are a two-story shopping arcade between Fourth and Fifth Avenues, built in 1903; the Printer’s Alley Historic District and the Nashville Farmers Market; the Ryman Auditorium, original home of the Grand Ole Opry; and two other well-known musical landmarks—Ernest Tubb’s Record Shop and Gruhn Guitars. Riverfront Park, at First Avenue and Broadway, is a popular venue for musical events. In recent years, lower Broadway and Printer’s Alley have developed into the commercialized and crowded area known as “the District,” which attracts crowds of both tourists and locals. Midtown Nashville, encompasses an area bounded roughly by I-70 on the north, Fourteenth Avenue on the east, Blair Boulevard on the south, and Natchez Trace and Centennial Park on the west. This district is home to both

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Nashville

City Fact Comparison Nashville (United States)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

505,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1779

753 BC

723 BC

$172

$129

Indicator

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

$72

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

$40

$56

$59

$62

$2

$14

$15

$16

114

$173

$246

$207

1

13

20

11

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.) Total daily costs

$193

Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established

Akhbar El Yom/ The Tennessean Al Akhbar 184,979

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1812

1944

1976

1948

1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

Vanderbilt University and Belmont University, as well as Centennial Park. The Music Row area on Sixteenth and Seventeenth Avenues includes a number of country music-oriented museums and souvenir shops, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and a variety of recording studios and music publishers. The area north of I-40 is home to a historic visitors center built at the site of the first Dutch settlement in the region. Tennessee State University and Fisk University are also located in this area, as is the Nashville Zoo. To the east of I-65 and north of I-40 is Opryland USA, a large music and entertainment

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complex that includes the Grand Ole Opry House, an associated theme park and museum, a theater, and the studios of TNN (The Nashville Network) television, scene of regular performance tapings open to the public. South and west of the city lie natural and recreational areas, such as the Cheekwood mansion and gardens, Percy Warner Park and Golf Course, and Radnor Lake State Natural Area. Residential areas are primarily found in the north and east, including the suburbs of Belle Meade, Green Hills, and Harpeth Hills.

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Nashville is the country music capital of the world. (Timothy Eagan; Woodfin Camp)

6

History

The area of present-day Nashville was occupied by Cherokee and Chickasaw Indians when the first Europeans—French traders—arrived there in the eighteenth century and built trading posts. The first permanent settlement was founded at Christmas time of 1779 by pioneer families from North Carolina and eastern Tennessee led by James Robertson. A second party led by John Donelson arrived the following spring, and the new settlement, consisting of log cabins, was named Nashborough for General Francis Nash, a Revolutionary War hero. Most of the

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settlers retreated to Kentucky later the same year as a result of Indian attacks, incited by the British as part of the ongoing Revolutionary War (1776– 1783). Nevertheless, the remnant of the community was incorporated in 1784, and its name changed to the less British-sounding “Nashville.” The settlement prospered, as schools, churches, and businesses were founded, and Tennessee gained its statehood in 1796. In the early years of the nineteenth century, a young lawyer named Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) gained increasing prominence in Nashville as a military

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Nashville hero of the Creek War and the War of 1812, a member of Congress, and, by 1830, the seventh president of the United States. During this period, steamboats were introduced to Nashville, and the city became a center for river trade. New waves of settlers from the east, as well as immigrants from England, Scotland, and Ireland, boosted its population and work force. In 1843 Nashville was named the capital of Tennessee. In 1861 Nashville’s citizens joined their fellow Tennesseans in voting to secede from the Union, and Tennessee became the eleventh and last state in the Confederacy. The following year, the city was invaded by Union forces, which occupied it for the next three years, commandeering its railroads and river transport facilities. Tennessee’s Confederates made a final, unsuccessful attempt to retake the city in Battle of Nashville—one of the bloodiest of the war—in December 1864. By the mid-1870s the city had largely recovered from the war and began to enjoy consistent economic progress and development, accompanied by cultural and educational advances, including the establishment of Vanderbilt and Fisk universities. A milestone in the city’s postwar progress was the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition. The Union Station railroad terminal was built for the exposition, and a replica of the Parthenon, also built for the occasion, was later duplicated in the permanent version that still stands today. Also on display was

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the technological innovation of electric lighting. In the twentieth century, both financial services and manufacturing thrived in Nashville, the former led by the National Life and Accident and Life & Casualty insurance companies, and the latter boosted by wartime demand during the world wars. It was on National Life’s radio station, WSM, that the Grand Ole Opry broadcasts were inaugurated and grew into a popular local phenomenon. In the 1930s and 1940s, federal projects, including the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), brought new jobs and infrastructure modernization to the city. Nashville also benefited greatly from the development of the federal highway system, which made the city a trucking and rail freight center. The TVA made electricity for home heating available in the 1940s. In the postwar years, the new highways and the ascendance of the automobile brought suburbanization to Nashville, as well as other cities throughout the country, and city services became increasingly fragmented. In the 1950s a pioneering plan for consolidated city-county administration was proposed; it became a reality in 1963 with the formation of the Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government. Efficient government has enabled the city to launch urban rehabilitation and development projects that have boosted the economy by spurring downtown retail and commercial development, as well as tourism.

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Nashville With the introduction of countryand-western music into the commercial mainstream since the 1970s, Nashville has won new prominence as one of the nation’s musical capitals. Even though its traditional insurance, publishing, education, and health sectors remained strong, Nashville in the late 1990s was positioned as a major sports and entertainment venue with the construction of a major new sports arena and other development projects. 7

Government

The Nashville Metropolitan Charter, drafted in 1962, made Nashville a leader in the development of a consolidated city-county government. The Nashville-Davidson County metropolitan government was inaugurated in 1963 and is still in place, headed by a mayor and a 40-member metropolitan council consisting of five members at large and 35 representatives elected by district. Its bi-monthly meetings are televised on a cable government-access channel. 8

Public Safety

In 1995, Nashville-Davidson’s incidence of reported violent crimes per 100,000 population was 1,790, including 20 murders, 93 rapes, and 511 robberies. The incidence of property crimes was 8,920 and included 1,573 burglaries and 1,560 motor vehicle thefts. 9

Economy

Banks and insurance companies were among Nashville’s first businesses

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and have remained an important part of the economy. Banks headquartered in the city include Bank of Nashville, First American, and Citizen’s Bank. Nashville is also home to the securities firm J. C. Bradford. American General Life Insurance has remained in the city after acquiring two other locally based companies and is now linked to Nashville’s entertainment industry as a subsidiary of the Gaylord Entertainment Network, which owns the Ryman Auditorium, former home of the Grand Ole Opry, and the Opryland Theme Park. Nashville is also a center of the private healthcare industry as home to Columbia-HCA, the largest operator of for-profit hospitals in the country. This sector has also gone in new directions, spinning off companies in child care and prison management. Nashville’s location in the Sun Belt puts it in prime manufacturing territory. Nissan Motors located its first U.S. plant here in the early 1980s. In the 1990s, a Saturn plant was operating in nearby Spring Hill, and the area is also home to a Bridgestone-Firestone plant. Media and communications are represented by BellSouth, headquartered downtown, and the publishing and electronic media firm Ingram Industries. 10

Environment

Nashville is situated amid rolling hills and abundant natural vegetation. The Highland Rim forms a natural escarpment around the city, encircling

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Nashville

The increasing popularity of country music has boosted Nashville’s economy. Performers dance on the “Showboat” at the Grand Ole Opry. (Al Stephenson; Woodfin Camp)

it on three sides. Nashville extends across both banks of the Cumberland River, and there are two lakes—Old Hickory Lake and the J. Percy Priest Lake—east of the city. 11

Shopping

As in many other American cities, much of Nashville’s retail trade has relocated to malls in the surrounding areas. Urban shopping centers include Church Street Centre, in the heart of the city’s traditional retail district; Market Street, which houses a variety of small shops and restaurants; the Eighth Avenue antique district; and Hillsboro

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Village, a two-block shopping area with clothing, housewares, crafts, and other retailers. Suburban malls in the Nashville area include Bellevue Center, Coolspings Galleria, Hickory Hollow Mall, the Mall at Green Hills, and One Hundred Oaks Mall. Souvenirs can be purchased at the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Centennial Park museum shop. With an encyclopedia inventory that occupies three floors, Gruhn Guitars is considered by some to be the best guitar store in the country.

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Education

The nickname “Athens of the South” comes not only from the Nashville’s replica of the Greek Parthenon but also from its reputation for educational excellence. It was home to the first public education system in the South, established in 1855. One-hundred years later, three prominent African-American residents of Nashville mounted one of the nation’s first school desegregation lawsuits. Nashville was also a pioneer in early-childhood education for disadvantaged children—the prototype for Head Start programs was developed by a teacher there. The Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, the nation’s forty-ninth largest urban school district, are attended by 83 percent of the city’s school-aged children. The system encompasses 127 schools, including magnet programs, special education schools, alternative schools, and an adult education center. Total enrollment in 1998–99 was 69,400. The racial and ethnic breakdown was 47.7 percent white, 45.4 percent black, 3.3 percent Hispanic, 3.2 percent Asian, and 0.2 percent Native American. The schools are administered by a nine-member elected school board and an appointed director of schools. Nashville is home to more than a dozen institutions of higher education, including Vanderbilt University, Tennessee State University, Scarritt College, George Peabody College, Belmont University, and Fisk University. Vanderbilt University, founded in 1873 and

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funded by rail and shipping magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, is a private teaching and research university. Its ten schools, including schools of engineering, nursing, law, and medicine, enroll approximately 10,000 students in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. Fisk University, established in 1866, was one of the nation’s first black colleges. Tennessee State University, a coeducational land-grant university located on a 182-hectare (450-acre) campus west of downtown Nashville, enrolls some 8,200 students. It is one of 46 public colleges and universities administered by the Tennessee Board of Regents. 13

Health Care

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) encompasses Vanderbilt Hospital, the Vanderbilt Clinic, the university’s schools of medicine and nursing, and a variety of other facilities. VUMC employs over 8,000 persons, making it middle Tennessee’s largest private employer and the second largest in the state. Vanderbilt University Hospital has 658 beds housed in a twintowered facility that is also home to the region’s only Level I trauma center and Level I burn center. Several of the hospital’s departments, including cancer, endocrinology, and gynecology, have won nationwide recognition. In 1997, the Vanderbilt clinic recorded nearly 29,000 admissions and scheduled 473,000 outpatient visits. Specialty clinics associated with VUMC include the

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Nashville

Nashville lives up to its nickname, the “Athens of the South,” not only because of the replica of the Greek Parthenon, but also because of its dedication to excellence in education. (Jodi Cobb; Woodfin Camp)

Henry-Joyce Cancer Clinic and Clinical Research Center. The School of Medicine was ranked fourteenth nationwide in a U.S. News & World Report survey in 1997. Other major hospitals in the Nashville area include Baptist Hospital, Metropolitan General Hospital, Nashville Memorial, St. Thomas Hospital, and the following Columbia Health System hospitals: Centennial, Hendersonville, Southern Hills, and Summit. 14

Media

The Tennessean, a morning daily, is Nashville’s major newspaper. In 1998 it has a circulation of 184,979 during the week and 269,959 on Sunday. Nashville

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also has a daily afternoon newspaper, the Nashville Banner, as well as a weekly alternative paper, the Nashville Scene, which covers local news and entertainment. Both the Metropolitan Times and Nashville Pride are weekly newspapers serving Nashville’s black community. Trade magazines published in Nashville focus on insurance, banking, agriculture, music, education, and other fields. All major television networks have affiliates in Nashville, which has a total of seven commercial television stations, and about 30 AM and FM radio stations provide news, music, and local features to the Nashville area.

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Sports

Nashville is home to the former Houston Oilers football team, now the Tennessee Titans, who began playing at the brand-new 67,000-seat Adelphia Coliseum stadium in 1999. The city also has a Triple-A minor league baseball team, the Nashville Sounds (the farm team for the Chicago White Sox), and a Central Hockey League team, the Nashville Night Hawks. College sports have an enthusiastic following in Nashville, home to both Vanderbilt University and Tennessee State University, both of which are known for their football teams and other sports. The Nashville Speedway hosts stock-car racing every weekend. Special sporting events held in Nashville annually include the Iroquois Memorial Steeplechase, held at Percy Warner Park each May, and the Sara Lee Classic Ladies Professional Golfer’s Association Tournament, also in May at Hermitage Golf Course. Pro wrestling is a popular spectator sport in the area. 16

Parks and Recreation

Nashville has about 70 city parks, both large and small, giving the city roughly 2,833 hectares (7,000 acres) of park land altogether. In addition, the surrounding areas include several state parks and nature reserves, such as Long Hunter and Radnor Lake. Nashville’s newest park is the 8hectare (19-acre) Bicentennial Capitol

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Mall State Park, downtown next to the capitol building. Built to celebrate the bicentennial of Tennessee’s statehood in 1997, the park features river fountains, an amphitheater, and a 61-meter (200-foot) map of Tennessee carved in granite. Park rangers offer organized tours of the park. The Tennessee centennial celebration 100 years earlier also left Nashville with a park: Centennial Park at West End and Twenty-Fifth Avenue, whose best-known feature is its replica of the Greek Parthenon. The park also includes a small lake, statues, sports facilities, and a band shell. The adjoining Percy Warner and Edwin Warner Parks (covering approximately 834 hectares/2,060 acres combined) make up one of the country’s largest urban parks and offer riding and biking trails, a nature center, picnic shelters, playing fields, and a racing course. Other city parks include Reservoir Park, Sevier Park, Shelby Park, and Two Rivers Park. Adding to the city’s green space are the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and International Garden. Bledsoe State Park, northeast of Nashville, offers lodging and campgrounds, horse trails, hiking, and swimming. Recreational activities are also offered at Long Hunter State Park about 30 minutes southeast of Nashville. Radnor Lake State Natural Area to the south is a nature preserve and sanctuary for observation, research, photography, and hiking. Swimming in the area’s pools, lakes, and rivers is the number-one recreational activity during Nashville’s

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Nashville

President Andrew Jackson’s (1767–1845) home, the Hermitage. (Timothy Eagan; Woodfin Camp)

hot, humid summer. The area’s rolling terrain is enjoyed by cyclists, equestrians, and golfers. Camping, boating, canoeing, and fishing are other popular outdoors activities in the region. 17

Performing Arts

Although known primarily as the capital of country-and-western music, Nashville also has regular classical music concerts by the Nashville Symphony and Nashville Opera. The music departments of the city’s universities also enrich the classical music scene

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through such resources as the Vanderbilt Orchestra and both student and faculty performances sponsored by Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music and the Belmont University School of Music. In addition, the Friends of Music brings touring artists and ensembles to the city, and the Scarritt-Bennett Center Series features free performances by local musicians. Nashville’s theater troupes include the Tennessee Repertory Theater, Circle Players, Lakewood Theater Company, the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, and Mockingbird Public Theatre. The Amer-

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Nashville ican Negro Playwright Theater presents plays focusing on the African American experience and heritage, as does Blue Wave Productions. The Nashville Ballet has been offering regular dance concerts since the 1980s, and the Tennessee Dance Theater concentrates on modern dance. Touring dance groups are brought to Nashville in concert series sponsored by such groups as Friends of Music, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, and Vanderbilt University. As the home of the Grand Ole Opry and the major center for recordings of country-and-western music, Nashville is the world’s undisputed capital of country music, a position celebrated in the city’s nickname of “Music City USA.” Live performances by both established and up-and-coming country artists can be heard weekly at the Grand Ole Opry House in Opryland USA. Country, folk, and rock concerts still take place at historic Ryman Auditorium, home of the Opry from its inception in the 1920s until the 1970s and newly restored in 1994. Other Nashville venues for country music are the “Midnight Jamboree” at Ernest Tubb’s Record Shop, which is broadcast live on WSM-AM radio; taping sessions of the “Prime Time Country” television show at the TNN studios; and Nashville on Stage. A variety of local clubs also feature country music. 18

Libraries and Museums

Founded in 1904, the Public Library of Nashville and Davidson

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County operates a central library downtown and 18 neighborhood branches. With a total of 262,800 book titles and 781,800 volumes, the library serves a population of more than half a million and employs a staff of 248. It has special collections in the subject areas of business, Nashville genealogy and history, children’s literature, drama, and oral history. Although Nashville has several art collections, none is actually housed in a building designed as a museum (a downtown museum building is in the planning stages, however). The Cheekwood Museum of Art, in the Depression-era Cheek Mansion, displays a permanent collection of American art and a variety of temporary exhibits. Nashville’s full-scale replica of the Greek Parthenon, built in the 1920s to replace the temporary version erected for the 1897 centennial celebrations, houses the Cowan Collection of paintings by American artists and other artifacts. Yet another non-traditional venue for art exhibits is Nashville International Airport, where the works of regional artists are showcased in the terminal’s atrium, as well as in the airport’s halls and lobbies. These include large suspended sculptures and Dale Eldred’s “Airport Sun Project,” an installation of solar reflecting panels. Art collections are also housed in galleries at Vanderbilt University and Fisk University. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum traces the history of country music in a colorful variety of exhibits that include musical instruments

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Nashville and other artifacts, videos, and such unique items as a gold Cadillac that belonged to Elvis Presley. The Grand Ole Opry Museum focuses on performers associated with this famed performance venue. The Lotz House Museum is dedicated to the Civil War (1861– 1865), and the Hartzler-Towner Multicultural Museum displays artifacts that highlight cultures around the world. Other museums include the Cumberland Science Museum, the Museum of Tobacco Art and History, the Nashville Toy Museum, and the Tennessee State Museum. 19

To u r i s m

Nashville’s music industry generates considerable tourism, which has become one of the city’s major sources of income. Tour buses are a common sight throughout Nashville, as visitors attend live performances and radio or television tapings or wander through the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The white-columned Opryland Hotel, located on 12 hectares (30 acres) of land and renovated in 1996, is located adjacent to the Grand Ole Opry House, and the Opryland USA theme park is nearby. Both the hotel and the Nashville Convention Center also offer convention facilities, including meeting and exhibit space, as does the recently completed Nashville Arena. Another of the city’s high-profile hotels is the Loew’s Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel next door to Vanderbilt University.

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20

Holidays and Festivals

JANUARY Nashville Boat & Sport Show

FEBRUARY Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville Heart of Country Antiques Show

MARCH Nashville Lawn & Garden Show

APRIL Americana Sampler Craft Folk & Antique Show Main Street Festival Wildflower Fair

MAY Colonial Fair Day Hermitage Spring Garden Fair Historic Edgefield Tour of Homes Iroquois Steeplechase Opryland Gospel Jubilee Tennessee Crafts Fair Tennessee Renaissance Festival

MAY-AUGUST Dancin’ in the District

JUNE Balloon Classic Chet Atkins Musician Day Fan Fair International Country Music Fair Southern Gospel Music Fest

JULY Independence Day Celebration

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration

SEPTEMBER African Street Festival Belle Meade Fall Fest Italian Street Fair TACA Fall Crafts Fair Tennessee State Fair

OCTOBER Boo at the Zoo Grand Ole Opry Birthday Celebration NAIA Pow Wow Oktoberfest

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Nashville NOVEMBER Longhorn World Championship Rodeo Sinking Creek Film & Video Festival

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER A Country Christmas Nashville’s Country Holidays

21

Famous Citizens

President Andrew Jackson (1767–1845). Vice President Al Gore (b. 1948). Artist Red Grooms (b. 1937). Comedienne Minnie Pearl (1912–1996). Flutist Paula Robeson (b. 1941). Singer Dinah Shore (1917–94). Track star Wilma Rudolph (b. 1940). Rock star Greg Allman (b. 1947). 22

For Further Study

Websites CitySearch Nashville. [Online] Available http: // nashville.citysearch.com (accessed December 8, 1999). Nashville City Net [Online] Available http: // www.city.net/countries/united_states/ tennessee/nashville (accessed December 8, 1999). Nashville.Net. [Online] Available http: // www.nashville.net/ (accessed December 8, 1999).

Government Offices Davidson County 205 Metro Courthouse Nashville, TN 37201 (615) 862-6770 Mayor’s Office 107 Metro Courthouse Nashville, TN 37201 (615) 862-5000

Nashville City Hall 107 Metro Courthouse Nashville, TN 37201 (615) 862–5000

Tourist and Convention Bureaus Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau 161 4th Ave. N. Nashville, TN 37219 (615) 259-4700

Publications The Nashville Business Journal 222 2nd Ave. Nashville, TN 37201 The Tennessean 1100 Broadway Nashville, TN 37203

Books Ben-Amotz, Noa. Discover Another Nashville: An Essential Guide for Natives & Newcomers. Nashville, TN: Common Ground, 1994. Doyle, Don Harrison. Nashville Since the 1920s. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1985. Faragher, Scott. Nashville: Gateway to the South. An Insider's Guide to Music City, U. S. A. Nashville, TN: Cumberland House, 1998. Goodstein, Anita Shafer. Nashville, 1780–1860: From Frontier to City. Gainesville: University of Florida Press, 1989. Kingsbury, Paul. The Country Reader: Twenty-Five Years of the Journal of Country Music. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press, 1996. Kreyling, Christine M. Classical Nashville: Athens of the South. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press, 1996. Squires, James D. Secrets of the Hopewell Box: Stolen Elections, Southern Politics, and a City's Coming of Age. 1st ed. New York: Times Books, 1996.

Videorecordings A Tour of Nashville, Tennessee. [videorecording] City Productions Home Video. Memphis, TN: City Productions, 1994. 1 videocassette (ca. 45 min.). Nashville Music City U.S.A. [videorecording] Video Postcards, Inc., 1986. 1 videocassette (45 min.).

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New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America, North America Founded: 1718; Incorporated: 1805 Location: Southeastern Louisiana on Lake Pontchartrain near the mouth of the Mississippi River; United States, North America Motto: “Laissez le bon temps rouler!” (“Let the good times roll!”) Flag: White field with red (top) and blue (bottom) stripes, and three gold fleur de lys. Flower: Magnolia (Louisiana state flower) Time Zone: Central Standard Time (CST) Ethnic Composition: 34.9% white, 61.9% black, 3.5% Hispanic origin, 3.2% other Elevation: 5 ft. below sea level Latitude and Longitude:29º95’44N, 90º07’50W Coastline: 40 miles Climate: Semitropical climate. Winters are mild, and snowfall is rare; summers are hot and humid, and thunderstorms are common. Annual Mean Temperature: 70.4°F (21.4°C) Seasonal Average Snowfall: .20 in. (50 mm); Average annual precipitation (total of rainfall and melted snow): 62.08 in. (1,580 mm) Government: Mayor-council Weights and Measures: Standard US Monetary Units: Standard US Telephone Area Codes: 504 Postal Codes: 70053, 70056, 70112–70119, 70122, 70124–70131

1

Introduction

The cosmopolitan city of New Orleans is located on Lake Pontchartrain near the mouth of the Mississippi River in southeastern Louisiana. A beguiling combination of old and new, New Orleans has been dubbed “America’s Most Interesting City.” For most of its history, New Orleans’ status as a major port city has made it a bustling center of commerce and industry. Economic opportunity attracted hundreds of thousands of early settlers, resulting in today’s ethnically diverse population of Creoles, Cajuns and those of Italian, African and Caribbean descent. While

the New Orleans metro area today remains an important commercial and industrial hub, it is arguably most famous as a tourist destination. In the early nineteenth century, the American Sector was located just upriver of the original French colony, founded in 1718. Today, visitors come from around the globe to experience the old-world charm of the carefully preserved French Quarter, also called the Vieux Carre (Old Square). Travelers come to dine in its fine restaurants, listen to incomparable jazz, and browse in Royal Street’s fine antique shops. Home to the worldfamous annual Mardi Gras celebration, New Orleans lives by its motto: “laissez

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New Orleans Population Profile

cities within 161 kilometers (100 miles) include Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama.

City Proper Population: 496,000 Area: 468 sq km (180.6 sq mi) Ethnic composition: 34.9% white; 61.9% black; 3.5% Hispanic origin; 3.2% other Nicknames: America’s Most Interesting City; The Crescent City; The Big Easy

Metropolitan Area Population: 1,072,000 Area: 941 sq km (363.5 sq mi) World population rank1: 341 Percentage of national population2: 0.4% Average yearly growth rate: 0.4% ——— 1. The New Orleans metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of the United States’ total population living in the New Orleans metropolitan area.

le bon temps rouler!” (“Let the good times roll!”) 2

Getting There

New Orleans is situated on the Mississippi River, 177 kilometers (110 miles) northwest of its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico. Lake Pontchartrain borders the city to the north. Most of New Orleans lies between Lake Pontchartrain and the east bank of the Mississippi, which follows a crescent-shaped bend, giving New Orleans the nickname the Crescent City. Surrounding communities include Covington, Grenta, Harahan, Kenner, Metairie, Slidell, and Westwego. Major

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Highways Four major north-south highways serve the New Orleans area: Interstate 55 runs from New Orleans to Chicago, Illinois; U.S. Highway 61 runs from New Orleans to Memphis, Tennessee; U.S. Highway 11; and State Highway 23. The two main east-west routes are Interstate 10, which runs from Jacksonville, Florida, to Los Angeles, California; and U.S. Highway 90, which connects the city with Lafayette to the west and Mobile, Alabama, to the east. Bus and Railroad Service Buslines serving New Orleans include Baptiste, Canary’s Transportation, Loews Express, Louisiana Transit, and Greyhound. The main bus terminal is the Greyhound/Trailways Bus Station at 1001 Loyola Avenue. Amtrak passenger trains arrive and depart from the Amtrak Station, also located at 1001 Loyola Avenue. New Orleans is connected via rail to California, Chicago, Florida, New York, and points in between. Airports Major domestic airlines running flights to and from New Orleans International Airport include American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Southwest, TWA, United, and US Airways. Many international airlines also fly directly into the airport, which is 23

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New Orleans kilometers (14 miles) northwest of downtown New Orleans (approximately 20 minutes). Locals sometimes still call it Moissant Field, its former name. Shipping In the world of trade, New Orleans is known as one of the busiest and most efficient international ports in the country, handling 14 million tons of cargo annually. More than 100 steamship lines dock there, and as many as 52 vessels can be berthed at one time. 3

Getting Around

In the early nineteenth century, the city of New Orleans was divided: Americans settled upriver of the original French colony. Today, Canal Street acts as the official dividing line between the historic French Quarter and the rest of the city. Street names actually change as one crosses Canal Street from the French Quarter: Bourbon becomes Carondelet; Royal becomes St. Charles; and so on. Directions in New Orleans are described with respect to the waters, which weave around the city: lakeside means toward Lake Pontchartrain; riverside means toward the Mississippi River; upriver refers to Uptown; and downriver refers to Downtown. Bicycle Paths The French Quarter welcomes bikers, with Royal and Bourbon streets closing off during the day to all traffic but cyclists and pedestrians. City Park

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and Audubon Park are also bicyclefriendly locations. Ferry Service In a 25-minute round trip, the Canal Street Ferry travels across the Mississippi between the Canal Street Wharf and Algiers Ferry Landing. The ride is free to pedestrians; motorists pay one dollar for return to the wharf. The ferry runs daily from 5:30 AM to 9:30 PM. Bus and Commuter Rail Service The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) operates buses, shuttles, and streetcars throughout the New Orleans area. Buses require one dollar exact change or a token (sold only in banks). Transfers are ten cents extra. The Vieux Carre shuttle runs weekdays from 5:00 AM to 7:30 PM. Visitor passes allow unlimited travel on buses and streetcars. One-day passes are issued for four dollars; three-day passes may be purchased for eight dollars. The Riverfront Streetcar operates along the river between Esplanade Avenue and the Robin Street Wharf. It makes five stops above Canal Street and five stops below. The streetcar runs from 6:00 AM to midnight on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to midnight on weekends. The fare is one dollar and 25 cents. Sightseeing Walking tours are one of the most popular ways to see New Orleans. A walk through the historic French Quarter offers access to various jazz clubs, museums, antique shops, and galleries.

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New Orleans

City Fact Comparison New Orleans (United States)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

1,072,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1718

753 BC

723 BC

$172

$129

Indicator

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

$88

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

$40

$56

$59

$62

$2

$14

$15

$16

$130

$173

$246

$207

1

13

20

11

Times-Picayune

Akhbar El Yom/ Al Akhbar

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

259,317

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1837

1944

1976

1948

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.) Total daily costs

$193

Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established 1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

A stroll through the Garden District offers a view of the elegant mansions, known for their extravagant gardens, built by the Americans who settled in New Orleans after the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. A walking tour through the foot of Canal Street in the Central Business District offers shopping mall stops, as well as visits to the World Trade Center and the Aquarium of the Americas.

jazz cruise from 7:00 to 9:00 PM daily. The evening cruise fare is $22.50, $42.50 with dinner. A smaller boat, the John James Audubon, runs between the Aquarium of the Americas and the Audubon Zoo. The Audubon cruise leaves daily at 10:00 AM, noon, 2:00, and 4:00 PM from the aquarium; and 11:00 AM, 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 PM from the zoo. Round-trip fare is $13.50.

Sightseeing tours by steamboat and streetcar are also popular. The New Orleans Steamboat Company runs the two-hour Natchez harbor cruise for a fare of $14.75 at 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM daily. It also runs a two-hour evening

The St. Charles Streetcar offers a 90-minute, 13-mile sightseeing opportunity. An official historic landmark, the streetcar travels up St. Charles Avenue, through the Garden District, past the Audubon Park and Zoo, as well as

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New Orleans

Buildings of old New Orleans in the foreground contrast with skyscrapers under construction and the Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints football team. (Sepp Seitz; Woodfin Camp)

other popular Uptown sights. For a onedollar fare, the streetcar boards in the Central Business District at Canal and Carondelet Streets. It runs daily every five minutes from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM; every 15 to 20 minutes from 6:00 PM to midnight; and every hour from midnight to 7:00 AM. 4

People

In 1990, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated a year-2000 population of 487,780 for the city of New Orleans. However, by 1999 the population count exceeded 496,000 people. The census

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also listed the racial/ethnic breakdown as 34.9 percent white, 61.9 percent black, 3.5 percent Hispanic origin, and 3.2 percent other. However, in a city as cosmopolitan as New Orleans, there is a lot more to racial/ethnic heritage than can be revealed by a statistical breakdown. Today’s population is a colorful amalgamation of Creole, Cajun, Caribbean, African, and Italian descent. However, the Creole and Cajun cultures are probably those most distinctive of New Orleans. One very important thing to understand is that while both groups

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New Orleans are French in descent, Creoles are not Cajuns, and Cajuns are not Creoles. By strict definition, a Creole is a descendant of an early French or Spanish settler, born in the colony, not in Europe. From the beginning, Creoles were strictly city dwellers. They called themselves “French,” spoke French, and considered themselves the true natives. As a result of their stubborn insistence on French language, culture, and customs (and consequent inability to adapt to anything American), they were economically overrun by “Les Americaines” after the Louisiana Purchase. However, the Creole legacy lives on in New Orleans culture in many ways—its food, its music, and the French Quarter. Cajuns, on the other hand, are descendants of rustic, country dwellers who lived along the bayous amid the swamps. They were manual laborers who celebrated as hard as they worked. Happily isolated, they were devoutly Catholic and spoke their own provincial version of French, dating back to their ancestral home in Brittany and Normandy. The word Cajun is actually a corruption of the word “Acadian.” The Cajuns’ ancestors were actually exiled from New Acadia (today known as Nova Scotia) by the British in 1755. In one of the nation’s largest mass migrations, more than 10,000 made their new home in Louisiana. Today, there are nearly one million people of Cajun descent. Those once isolated and ridiculed have acquired a kind of nouveau chic status as Cajun restaurants, music, artwork, and folklore have become all the cultural rage.

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5

Neighborhoods

Major neighborhoods and other well-known parts of the city include the French Quarter, the Central Business District, the Garden District, the University Section, Mid-City, and Lakeshore Drive. Surrounding communities include Covington, Grenta, Harahan, Kenner, Metairie, Slidell, and Westwego. The French Quarter Also called Vieux Carre (Old Square), the French Quarter is the original colony, founded by French Creoles in 1718. The carefully preserved historic district is delineated by Canal Street, Esplanade Avenue, North Rampart Street, and the Mississippi River. The neighborhood is characterized by two- and three-story buildings of old brick and pastel-painted stucco. An eclectic crowd passes beneath hanging plants that dangle from the eaves of buildings. Home to some 7,000 residents, most houses date from the early to mid-nineteenth century and are fronted by secluded courtyards. Although the district encompasses only about two-and-a-half kilometers (one square mile), it is packed full of must-see locations. Other than worldrenowned French Creole restaurants, jazz clubs, and antique shops, the district is home to St. Louis Cathedral at Jackson Square, the Cabildo, Washington Artillery Park, the Old U.S. Mint, the Beauregard-Keyes House, the Gallier House, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum,

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New Orleans the nineteenth-century LaBranche Houses, First Skyscraper, Preservation Hall, the Historic New Orleans Collection, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, Napoleon House, HermannGrima House, the Musee Conti Wax Museum, and the Old Ursuline Convent, which is the only remaining original French colonial structure today. Downriver Downriver of the French Quarter are the suburbs of Marigny, Bywater, Treme—famous for Congo Square and Basin Street—Arabi, and Chalmette, where the Battle of New Orleans was fought in 1815. Algiers is a very old residential section on the city’s west bank, across the Mississippi from the Quarter and the foot of Canal Street. The Central Business District The heart of America’s second-largest port, as well as the main parade route during Mardi Gras, the Central Business District cuts a wide path between Uptown and Downtown, Canal Street being the official dividing line. Defined by Canal Street, the river, Howard Avenue, and Loyola Avenue, the Central Business District is home to the city’s newest convention hotels, shopping malls, and department stores, international trade agencies and consulates, monuments, and the Superdome. Points of particular interest include the World Trade Center, the Aquarium of the Americas, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, and the Spanish Plaza.

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The Garden District One of the nation’s most picturesque neighborhoods, the Garden District is defined by St. Charles Avenue, Louisiana Avenue, Jackson Avenue, and Magazine Street. It was settled by Americans who rushed to New Orleans after the 1803 Louisiana Purchase but remained upriver of the already-established French Quarter. Countering the Creole penchant for secluded courtyards, they built elegant homes surrounded by lavish gardens; however, many of the district’s most stunning mansions were built during the city’s “golden age,” from 1830 until the Civil War. Today, the grand mansions are private homes and closed to the public, but they are worth seeing from the outside. Sites of particular interest include Colonel Short’s Villa, the Robinson House, and the home of novelist Anne Rice. Upriver Beyond the Garden District lies the University Section, home of Loyola University and Tulane University, Audubon Park and Audubon Zoo, one of the nation’s top five zoos, and the Carrollton and Broadmoor residential sections. Riverbend is both a residential and shopping area that is situated in an uptown bend in the Mississippi. Mid-City Located between downtown and Lake Pontchartrain, Mid-City is predominantly a residential area. It is also

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New Orleans home to one of the nation’s largest urban parks. City Park encompasses 607 hectares (1,500 acres) and contains the New Orleans Museum of Art, boating and fishing lagoons, golf and tennis courts, botanical gardens, a playground and amusement park with an antique carousel, and the world-renowned Live Oak trees. Also in Mid-City is the Fair Grounds Race Course, host to thoroughbred racing and the annual Jazz and Heritage Festival. Lakeshore Drive As is suggested by its name, Lakeshore Drive follows the south bank of Lake Pontchartrain. On the east end is Lakefront Airport, and on the west is West End Park, known for its fine seafood restaurants. The area is a popular picnic, fishing, sailing, and sunning spot. It is also host to the Mardi Gras Fountain, which is surrounded by plaques bearing various Carnival krewe emblems. 6

History

The region today called New Orleans was first visited by Europeans in 1541 when a Spanish exploration party led by Hernando de Soto discovered the Mississippi River. It was the French, however, who claimed the Mississippi River Territory when explorer Robert Cavalier de la Salle visited the area in 1682. At the turn of the eighteenth century, French brothers Pierre le Moyne d’Iberville and Jean Baptiste le Moyne de Bienville established a colony in southeastern “Louisiane” when they arrived with 200 settlers. Dubbed

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The War of 1812 ended in New Orleans when U.S. General Andrew Jackson defeated the British forces. (Bernard Boutrit; Woodfin Camp)

La Nouvelle Orleans, the colony was named in honor of Phillippe, duc d’Orleans, the Regent of France. In 1763, the Spanish overtook control of the Louisiana Territory and ruled until 1801 when Napoleon regained it for France. Just two years later, in 1803, Napoleon sold the land to the United States in a deal known historically as the Louisiana Purchase. New Orleans grew tremendously in the nineteenth century. It was incorporated as a city in 1805. The College of Orleans, the first institution of higher learning in Louisiana, opened in the

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New Orleans city in 1811. The following year the first steamboat began operating between New Orleans and Natchez. The War of 1812 actually ended in New Orleans when, on January 8, 1815, General Sir Edward Pakenham attacked the city with a British force and was defeated by U.S. General Andrew Jackson at Chalmette Plantation, now a National Historical Park. Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812, with New Orleans as the state capital. It remained so until 1849, except for a brief period between 1830 and 1831. The city’s location near the mouth of the Mississippi River made it an excellent locale for trade with cotton and sugarcane as the primary commodities. Hundreds of thousands of people were drawn by economic opportunity, and New Orleans’ population skyrocketed to 166,375 by the 1850s. New Orleans had become the third-largest city in the United States. An important Confederate port, New Orleans was captured by Union troops early in the Civil War and held under military rule for the duration. The Civil War led to a period of economic decline, and it was not until 1880 that port tonages were comparable with those of the late 1850s. Recovery was due largely to government construction of the Eads jetties (walls built out into the water to restrain currents and protect a harbor or pier) at the mouth of the Mississippi in 1879, greatly improving access to the Port of New Orleans.

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At the turn of the twentieth century, Louisiana established the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans, and modernization of the port was underway. In 1917, a screw-type electric pump made substantial swamp drainage possible, and formerly uninhabitable land became habitable. By the 1930s, all of the swamp areas were as effectively drained as the higher sites. In addition to swamp problems, fires, hurricanes, and yellow fever epidemics have taken their toll on the city, especially in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. However, New Orleans’ ongoing battle with nature has been made easier by twentieth century technology, and the city has experienced continuous growth since 1900. In the second half of the twentieth century, establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space-flight facility and further expansion of port facilities contributed to New Orleans’ accelerated growth rate. In 1984, New Orleans’ Mississippi River waterfront even hosted the Louisiana World Exposition. In the 1990s, the Port of New Orleans remained among the busiest in the country. Rich in heritage and culture, the population continues to be extremely diverse, consisting of Creoles (descendants of the original French and Spanish colonists), Cajuns (descendants of the Acadians who were driven from Nova Scotia by the British in 1755), and other groups whose ancestry lies in Italy, Africa, and the Caribbean islands. New Orleans is also a major tourist des-

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New Orleans tination, famous for its historic French Quarter and annual Mardi Gras celebration. With a population of more than 496,000 people at the outset of the twenty-first century, New Orleans is Louisiana’s largest city. 7

Government

The New Orleans city government operates under the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans, as amended January 1, 1996. This charter calls for a mayor-council form of government, wherein the mayor is to be aided by a chief administrative officer who is responsible to the mayor in the performance of duties. The council is to consist of seven members, five of whom are to be elected from districts and two from the city at large. The mayor and council members are all elected to fouryear terms. 8

Public Safety

As the New Orleans City Council conducted hearings for the 2000 Millenium Budget, the recommended operating budget of $507,304,152 proposed to continue the city’s commitment to improving public safety. Highlights of the budget included the provision of funding to bring the New Orleans Police Department to a full force of 1,700 officers and the provision for continuation of the city’s five-year Rebuild New Orleans Now! capital initiative to repair streets, parks, and public buildings. Overall, the New Orleans Police Department has reported a steady drop

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in the number of violent crimes. The most notable is the 23 percent reduction of violent crime citywide for the first six months of 1997 compared to the first six months of 1996. The comparison of non-violent crimes for the same periods also shows a decrease by 11 percent. In 1997, the total crime index stood at 53,399. Violent crimes reported to police (per 100,000 population) included 363 murders, 487 rapes, 5,349 robberies, and 4,677 aggravated assaults. Property crimes included 10,236 burglaries and 2,044 motor vehicle thefts. 9

Economy

Since its founding in 1718, New Orleans’ status as a port city has been a major factor in its economic development. Its location near the mouth of the Mississippi River enabled the city to grow as an important center for trade. In the nineteenth century, primary commodities included cotton and sugarcane. During the Civil War, the port served as a vital military post. However, the region experienced economic decline as New Orleans, originally part of the Confederacy, was captured by Union troops early in the war. The city recovered its prosperous economic status by the early 1900s. In the twenty-first century, the New Orleans metro area remains an important commercial and industrial hub. In the world of trade, it is known as one of the busiest and most efficient international ports in the country. Not

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New Orleans

Traveling in New Orleans is difficult because of all the swamps, rivers, lakes, and bayous that are scattered throughout the city, but street cars make it easier to get around. (Bernard Boutrit; Woodfin Camp)

only does the Port of New Orleans play a vital role in the region’s economy, but in Louisiana’s economy as a whole: ten percent of the state’s entire workforce is employed in port-related activities.

The economy has diversified significantly since the 1980s, and service industries currently make up the largest employment sector in the region. Tourism and health care are among the city’s fastest-growing industries.

Despite a decline during the 1980s, the oil and gas industry also remains an important part of the city’s economic base. Major U.S. petroleum companies located in New Orleans include Shell, Exxon, Mobil, and British Petroleum (BP).

Other major boosters of the New Orleans’ economy range from higher education to aerospace to finance. Both Tulane and Loyola Universities are major employers. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) maintains an assembly facility

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New Orleans in the city. Major companies headquartered in the New Orleans’ area include Hibernia Corp; Lockheed Martin Michoud Space Systems; Schwegmann Giant Super Markets; and Union Carbide Corp. As of June 1999, the New Orleans labor force numbered 624,200, and unemployment stood at 4.6 percent. 10

Environment

New Orleans may be a thriving metropolis, but it was once written off as nothing more than an alligator and mosquito-infested swamp. The maze of river, bayous, lakes, and swamps made land access and travel difficult. The semitropical climate provided the perfect breeding conditions for mosquitoes, and diseases, such as yellow fever and malaria, ran rampant. In its earliest days the area was actually referred to as the Isle of Orleans. Today, New Orleans is defined by the very bodies of water that once made habitation so unlikely. Its nickname— the Crescent City—actually refers to the shape of the land that has been molded by the Mississippi River. The river winds through the city and rushes out into the Gulf of Mexico, which lies 177 kilometers (110 miles) to the south. To the north of the city lies Lake Pontchartrain, actually a coastal lagoon, 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide and 64 kilometers (40 miles) long with a total area of more than 1,606 square kilometers (620 square miles).

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The Greater New Orleans area covers about 941 square kilometers (363.5 square miles), but only 514 (198.4) are somewhat dry land. This is because, at five feet below sea level, New Orleans is the lowest point in the state of Louisiana. 11

Shopping

Shopping in New Orleans winds along the Mississippi River, all the way from the French Quarter to Uptown beyond Riverbend. The French Quarter is the place to hunt for antiques. There shoppers will also find art galleries, designer boutiques, bookstores, and an array of unique shops. Along Canal Place, located on Canal Street, shoppers can admire the finery of jewelry designer Mignon Faget and browse in the likes of Saks Fifth Avenue, Laura Ashley, Gucci, and Brooks Brothers. Riverwalk, located at 1 Poydras Street, is a long marketplace boasting more than 200 shops, restaurants, food courts, and huge windows overlooking the Mississippi. New Orleans Centre, between the Hyatt Regency Hotel and the Superdome on Poydras Street, has more than 100 vendors, including Macy’s and Lord & Taylor. For six miles along Magazine Street, Victorian houses and small cottages filled with antiques and collectibles welcome shoppers. Riverbend, located at Maple Street and Carrollton Avenue is comprised of turn-of-the-century Creole cottages that host toy shops, designer boutiques, delis, and more. Metairie’s three-level Esplanade Mall at

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New Orleans West Esplanade Avenue houses 155 shops, including Macy’s and Mervyn’s. Finally, the Warehouse District, bordered by Girod Street, Howard Avenue, Camp Street, and the river, is a major center for the visual arts, Julia Street being particularly noteworthy. Shopper’s guides are published by the Magazine Street Merchants Association and the Royal Street Guild; shopping information can also be found at the New Orleans Welcome Center. 12

Education

Most education in the state of Louisiana was provided through private schools until Reconstruction. In fact, New Orleans’ Creole population often sent their children to be educated abroad in France. It was not until Huey Long’s administration, when spending for education increased significantly and free textbooks were supplied, that education became a high priority for the state. Desegregation of Louisiana schools actually started in New Orleans. Integration of New Orleans public schools began in 1960; two years later, the archbishop of New Orleans required that all Catholic schools under his jurisdiction be desegregated. In 1996, the parish was ranked as the thirty-third-largest school district in the nation with an enrollment of 85,064 students. In 1999, there were 274 public and 135 private elementary schools, 53 public and 29 private high schools in New

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Orleans. There were also three public and five private four-year universities, two community colleges, two medical schools, two law schools, and two theological seminaries. Among the post-secondary institutions, the most wellknown include Loyola University of Louisiana and Tulane University, two of the most distinguished private universities in the South, Dillard University, the University of New Orleans, and Southern University of New Orleans. 13

Health Care

A few of the many medical care facilities in New Orleans include Mercy Baptiste Medical Center, Ochsner Foundation Hospital, Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital, Saint Charles General Hospital, Touro Infirmary, Tulane University Medical Center, and University Hospital of Medical Center of Louisiana. According to 1997 reports, there were 23 hospitals and 2,368 physicians in New Orleans. The citizen to physician ratio for the county was 203 to one. 14

Media

New Orleans has two major television stations: WYES-TV; and WWL-TV, Channel 4. WYES-TV boasts chip beta cams, an eight-camera mobile unit, and editing studio facilities. Clients include HBO, ESPN, MTV, and Bob Hope. WWL-TV, Channel 4 is a legendary CBS affiliate that boasts a strong “Eyewitness News” franchise, double-digit ratings, and network-quality production.

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New Orleans Major newspapers include the Times-Picayune and USA Today, the number-one newspaper in the nation. Magazines include Ambassador’s, Inc., a high quality restaurant guide; New Orleans Magazine, consumer-lifestyle reading dedicated to the upscale local, business, and visitor markets; Where Magazine; and Where Y’at Magazine, the city’s free guide to complete restaurant, club, and bar listings and timely articles about local and national entertainment news. 15

Sports

The same qualities that make New Orleans an optimal convention and festival town also make it a great sports town. An accessible downtown area and a plethora of attractions and hotel accommodations have qualified the Crescent City as host to world-class sporting events on numerous occasions. It has been an eight-time Super Bowl host; three-time NCAA Men’s Final Four Championships host; NCAA Women’s Final Four Championships host; 1992 Olympic Track and Field host; SEC Basketball Tournament host; and AAU Junior Olympics host. For football fans, New Orleans hosts the annual Nokia Sugar Bowl, as well as the National Football League’s Saints team. The Sugar Bowl college football classic, held in January, is sponsored by a non-profit civic group that sponsors seven other amateur sporting events throughout the year. As for the New Orleans Saints, home games are

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played in the Louisiana Superdome from August through December. The Crescent City is also home to the 1998 Triple-A World Series Champion New Orleans Zephyrs. The baseball team is the top affiliate of the Houston Astros and plays 71 home games from April through September at their state-of-the-art facility on Airline Drive. For golf enthusiasts, the FreeportMcDermott Golf Classic is held in late March-early April. The Classic Foundation also hosts the annual PGA Tour golf tournament at English Turn to benefit youth charities. The New Orleans Brass represents the city in the world of hockey, and horse racing takes place at the New Orleans Fair Grounds. 16

Parks and Recreation

New Orleans may be a thriving metropolis, but its parks are nothing short of urban oases. Woldenberg Riverfront Park encompasses 5.3 hectares (13 acres) of landscaped territory, featuring more than 300 oak trees, magnolias, willows, and crepe myrtles, a large lawn and a brick walkway offering direct access to the Mississippi River. City Park, located on City Park Avenue, spans 607 hectares (1,500 acres) and features moss-draped oaks, lagoons, hiking-biking trails, picnic grounds, golf courses, tennis courts, luxuriant

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New Orleans to visit for a close view of sea life. Visitors can explore the aquatic world of the Caribbean, Amazon Rainforest, Gulf of Mexico, and Mississippi Delta. For fishing enthusiasts, the bayous and inlets off the Mississippi River are rich with redfish, trout, and bass; lemon fish, tuna, and red snapper can be found around the oil rigs a few miles offshore. A license issued by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is required for any outing and is available from most sporting goods stores and marinas.

Travelers from all over the world come to listen to the incomparable jazz of New Orleans. (Olivier Rebbot; Woodfin Camp)

botanical gardens, and an amusement park featuring a late nineteenth-century carousel. Audubon Park, located on St. Charles Avenue, offers golf and tennis, a 2.9-kilometer (1.8-mile) jogging path shaded by giant oak trees, and 18 exercise stations. The Audubon Zoo, located on Magazine Street behind Audubon Park, is ranked among the top five zoos in the nation. It is noted for its famed white tiger, white alligators, the Louisiana Swamp exhibit, and the World of Primates. Aquarium of the Americas, located at the foot of Canal Street, is the place

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Game around Louisiana includes a wide variety from deer and water fowl to rabbit and alligator. Hunting permits are available from most expedition outfits. As the New Orleans City Council conducted hearings for the 2000 Millenium Budget, the recommended operating budget of $507,304,152 proposed to continue the city’s commitment to youth development and improving the parks. The proposed budget recommended increasing funding to the New Orleans Recreation Department to nine million dollars to include summer and teen camps, public pools, and afterschool recreational programs. 17

Performing Arts

World-renowned for its jazz history, New Orleans swings with live performances around the clock. Traditional jazz can be found at Preservation Hall and Palm Court Jazz Café. Snug Harbor and Pete Fountain’s Club are also popu-

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New Orleans lar spots. Free jazz concerts are held on weekends during the day in Dutch Alley. For those with a more classical taste in music, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra performs at the Orpheum Theatre. In the realm of dance and opera, the New Orleans Ballet Association and the New Orleans Opera Association produce performances of visiting companies at the New Orleans Theatre for the Performing Arts in Armstrong Park. In dramatic theater, the Contemporary Arts Center hosts the avantgarde, offbeat, and satirical. Classics, contemporary drama, children’s theater, and musicals are presented at Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre. Touring Broadway shows, dance companies, and top-name talent appear at the Saenger Performing Arts Center. 18

Libraries and Museums

New Orleans boasts a total of 65 public libraries and three institutional libraries. The official New Orleans Public Library, with 11 branches and 1,003,274 books, features a special collection on jazz and folk music. The Tulane University Library, with 1,470,549 books, has special collections on jazz and Louisiana history. The libraries at Tulane University and Xavier University of Louisiana each carry a special black-studies collection. New Orleans also hosts a staggering number of museums with collections

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ranging from art to history to novelty. Leading art museums include the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and the Lampe Gallery. As for historical museums, the Louisiana State Museum, an eight-building historic complex in the French Quarter, is the oldest and largest museum in the state of Louisiana. There is also the Confederate Museum, the American Italian Renaissance Museum, BAND—Black Arts National Diaspora, Inc., Gallier House Museum, HermannGrima Historic House, the Historic New Orleans Collection, the House of Broel’s Historic Mansion and Dollhouse Museum, Longue Vue House and Gardens, Pitot House Museum, and St. Alphonsus Art and Culture Museum. Novelty museums include Louisiana Children’s Museum, Musee Conti—the Wax Museum, New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum, the Audubon Living Science Museum, and the six museums of the Rivertown Museums, including Jefferson Parish Mardi Gras Museum and the Saints Hall of Fame. 19

To u r i s m

New Orleans has a reputation as a good-time town. With a motto like “Laissez le bon temps rouler!” (“Let the good times roll!”), it is no wonder that the September 1997 Conde Nast Traveler ranked the Big Easy as the second most popular tourist destination in the United States. The New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau reported between 11 and 14 million visitors and $3.358 billion in expenditures attributed to tourism for 1997.

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New Orleans New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

MAY Greek Festival

JUNE Great French Market Tomato Festival Reggae Riddums Festival

JULY

Go 4th on the River

OCTOBER Swamp Festival Gumbo Festival Jeff Fest New Orleans Film and Video Festival Oktoberfest

NOVEMBER Bayou Classic Football Game

DECEMBER New Orleans is the home to the world-famous Mardi Gras celebration. Masks like these can be purchased in souvenir shops. (Mike Yamashita; Woodfin Camp)

20

Holidays and Festivals

JANUARY Chinese New Year Festival Sugar Bowl Nokia-Sugar Bowl Mardi Gras Marathon

FEBRUARY Lundi Gras Mardi Gras

MARCH African Heritage Festival International Louisiana Black Heritage Festival Mensaje’s Spanish Festival New Orleans Literary Festival St. Patrick’s Day Parade Spring Fiesta

APRIL Crescent City Classic French Quarter Festival

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New Orleans Christmas New Year’s Eve Countdown

21

Famous Citizens

Well-known New Orleans natives include: Louis Armstrong (c. 1898–1971), worldrenowned jazz musician. George Washington Cable (1844–1925), author. Truman Capote (1924–84), author whose works include In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Harry Connick, Jr. (b. 1967), Grammywinning jazz musician. Antoine “Fats” Domino (b. 1928), one of the founding fathers of rhythm and blues. Louis Moreau Gottschalk (1829–69), celebrated nineteenth-century pianist.

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New Orleans Lillian Hellman (1907–84), noted author whose works include Julia and The Little Foxes. George Herriman (1880–1944), cartoonist, best known for Krazy Kat. Mahalia Jackson (1911–1972), one of the world’s greatest gospel singers. Branford Marsalis (b. 1960), jazz saxophonist, once leader of the Tonight Show band. Wynton Marsalis (b. 1961), Grammywinning jazz and classical trumpeter. Paul Morphy (1837–84), father of modern chess. Jelly Roll Morton (1890–1941), famous jazz pianist. Joseph “King” Oliver (1885–1938), cornetist, bandleader, and principal mentor of Louis Armstrong. Mel Ott (1908–1958), 1930s major league baseball star credited with more than 511 major-league home runs. Anne Rice (b. 1941), author of best-selling novels featuring vampires. 22

For Further Study

Websites Chamber/New Orleans and the River Region. [Online] Available http: //www.gnofn.org/ chamber (accessed November 19, 1999). Greater New Orleans Free-Net. [Online] Available http: //www.gnofn.org (accessed November 19, 1999). New Orleans City Government. [Online] Available http: //www.tulane.edu/~uccr/gov.html (accessed November 19, 1999).

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New Orleans Times and Directory. [Online] Available http: //www.gna.com (accessed November 19, 1999). Neworleans.com. [Online] Available http: // www.neworleans.com (accessed November 19, 1999).

Government Offices New Orleans City Hall 1300 Perdido St. New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 565–6000 New Orleans City Council 1300 Perdido St. 2nd Fl W New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 565-7655 New Orleans Mayor 1300 Perdido St. New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 565–8076

Tourist and Convention Bureaus New Orleans Visitor Center 529 Saint Ann St. New Orleans, LA 70116 (504) 566–5031 New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau 1520 Sugar Bowl Dr. New Orleans, LA 70112 (504) 566–5011 Ernest N. Morial Convention Center 900 Convention Center Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 582–3023 New Orleans and River Region Chamber of Commerce 601 Poydras St., Suite 1700 New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 527–6900

Publications Ambassador’s, Inc. 4955 W. Napoleon Ave., Ste. 116 Metairie, LA 70001 (888) 716–1792

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New Orleans Natives’ Guide to New Orleans 3923 Bienville St. New Orleans, LA 70119 (504) 486–5900 New Orleans Magazine 111 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Ste. 1810 Metairie, LA 70005–4955 (504) 838–7737 Offbeat Publications 333 St. Charles Ave., #614 New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 944-4300 Times-Picayune Publishing Corp. 3800 Howard Ave. New Orleans, LA 70140 (504) 826–3279 Where Magazine 528 Wilkinson Row New Orleans, LA 70130 (504) 522–6468

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Where Y’at Magazine 5500 Prytania St., PMA 248 New Orleans, LA 70115 (504) 891–0144

Books Barrett, Tracy. Kidding Around Nashville. Santa Fe: John Muir, 1998. Chappell, Susan. The Opryland Insider’s Guide to Nashville. New York: Ballantine, 2000. Deegan, Paul. Nashville, Tennessee. New York: Crestwood, 1989. Jackson, Joy. New Orleans in the Gilded Age: Politics and Urban Progress, 1880–96. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1969. Lovett, Bobby L. The African American History of Nashville, Tennessee 1780–1930. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 1999.

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N e w Yo r k New York, New York, United States of America, North America Founded: 1613; Incorporated: 1898 Location: Southeastern New York on the Atlantic coast, United States, North America Time Zone: 7 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST) = noon Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Ethnic Composition: White, 63.9%; Black, 28.7%; Asian/Pacific Islander, 7% Elevation: 15–244 m (50–800 ft) above sea level Latitude and Longitude: 40º45'N, 73º59'W Coastline: 1,942 km (750 mi) Climate: Continental climate moderated by the Atlantic Ocean, with hot summers, cold winters, mild springs, and crisp autumns Annual Mean Temperature: 12.2ºC (54.0ºF); January 0.1ºC (32.2ºF); July 24.8ºC (76.6ºF) Seasonal Average Snowfall: 737 mm (29 in) Average Annual Precipitation (total of rainfall and melted snow): 1016 mm (40 in) Government: Mayor-council Weights and Measures: Standard U.S. Monetary Units: Standard U.S. Telephone Area Codes: 212, 718 Postal Codes: 10001–99; 10101–99; 10201–82

1

Introduction

Located at the mouth of the Hudson River in southeastern New York state, New York is one of the world’s great cities. It has the largest population of any city in the United States, and it is unrivaled in the diversity of its neighborhoods and their often-colorful residents. New York runs the gamut from great concentrations of wealth, epitomized by luxury apartment buildings and hotels and mammoth corporate headquarters, to the grinding urban poverty of its ethnic and racial ghettos. A major financial and economic center, it is also a cultural mecca that has attracted generations of artists and

intellectuals and draws millions of tourists every year. In its 400-year history the city has grown and changed rapidly, repeatedly renewing itself through successive waves of immigration and urban development. As a new century approaches, it remains, perhaps more than anything else, a city on the move. 2

Getting There

Located at the southeastern-most point in the state of New York, New York City is situated on the Atlantic coastal plain, at the mouth of the Hudson River.

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New York

New York Population Profile City Proper Population: 7,333,000 Area: 800 sq km (308.9 sq mi) Ethnic composition: 63.9% white; 28.7% black; 7% Asian/Pacific Islander Nicknames: The Big Apple; The Empire City

Metropolitan Area Population: 16,626,000 Description: New York City and surrounding communities World population rank1: 5 Percentage of national population2: 6.0% Average yearly growth rate: 0.4% Ethnic composition: 91.2% white; 4.4% black; 3.4% Asian/Pacific Islander ——— 1. The New York metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of the United States’ total population living in the New York metropolitan area.

(the New York Thruway) becomes the Major Deegan Expressway as it nears the city from the north. I-80 (the Bergen-Passaic Expressway) approaches New York heading eastward from Pennsylvania. Bus and Railroad Service Amtrak offers daily service to New York’s Penn Station from Chicago (on the Lake Shore Limited), Miami (the Silver Star), New Orleans (the Crescent), Toronto (the Maple Leaf), and Montreal (the Adirondack). Amtrak also operates a high-speed rail shuttle, the Metroliner, between New York and Washington, D.C. Other rail lines that operate out of Penn Station are the Long Island Railroad and New Jersey Transit. MetroNorth operates service from New Haven, Connecticut, and Poughkeepsie, New York, to Manhattan’s Grand Central Railroad Terminal. Airports

Highways New York City is known for its traffic congestion, and many New Yorkers walk or use public transportation within the city itself. The major northsouth interstate routes leading to New York are I-95 and I-87 (which approaches New York from the north only). In New Jersey, I-95 becomes the New Jersey Turnpike. East of the Hudson River, it becomes the Cross Bronx Expressway before heading north up the coast of New England. I-95 leads to the Holland and Lincoln tunnels and the George Washington Bridge. I-87

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Almost every major domestic carrier operates flights to and from New York, as do most international airlines as well. The city is served by three major airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (which handles over 200 international flights per day) and LaGuardia Airport, both in Queens, and Newark International Airport in New Jersey. Shipping New York is home to two Foreign Trade Zones—one at Kennedy International Airport and one at the Brooklyn Navy Yard—which encourage trade by

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New York

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New York

City Fact Comparison New York (United States)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

16,626,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

1613

753 BC

723 BC

$172

$129

Indicator

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy) Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.) Total daily costs

$198

$193

$44

$56

$59

$62

$2

$14

$15

$16

$244

$173

$246

$207

Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established

10

13

20

11

The Wall Street Journal

Akhbar El Yom/ Al Akhbar

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

1,740,450

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1889

1944

1976

1948

1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

providing exemptions from certain import duties. Although New York has one of the world’s largest and safest harbors, shipping traffic through its port (and that of New Jersey) has been cut by more than half in the past 30 years, as shippers have begun using modern railroad flat cars that cross over land bridges. However, the World Trade Center, home to many of the world’s largest trading companies, is still owned by the Port Authority of New York. 3

Getting Around

New York City consists of five divisions called boroughs. Manhattan and

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Staten Island occupy separate islands. Brooklyn and Queens, across the East River, are located at the western end of Long Island, and the Bronx occupies part of the mainland to the north, across the Harlem River. Although it is the smallest of the five boroughs, Manhattan—bounded on the west by the Hudson River and on the east by the East River and Harlem—is geographically, financially, and culturally the heart of the city. The streets at the southern end of the island—in areas including the Wall Street financial district, Chinatown, and SoHo—are laid out in an irregular

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New York pattern that dates back to the days of Dutch settlement in the seventeenth century. As settlement later expanded northward, a grid pattern of streets and avenues emerged. The streets run eastwest, with numbers ascending northward; avenues run north-south, with numbers ascending westward. Fifth Avenue, running north-south, is the dividing line between streets labeled “east” and “west”: to the east of Fifth Avenue, 23rd Street is East 23rd, to the west it is West 23rd. Instead of numbers, a few avenues east of Fifth Avenue are labeled by names (Madison, Park, Lexington) or, in the southern part of the city, letters (A, B, C, and D). In addition, Sixth Avenue is also known as Avenue of the Americas, and some of the other numbered avenues on the west side are known by other names above 59th Street (Central Park West, Columbus, Amsterdam, and West End avenues). The streets and avenues north of 14th Street are perpendicular to each other except for Broadway, which runs diagonally across the island, northwest to southeast, from the Upper West Side to 14th Street, after which it runs southward to the tip of Manhattan, serving as the dividing line between east and west for this section of the island. The famous “squares” of the city (Times Square, Herald Square, Union Square, etc.) are located at the intersections of Broadway and the major avenues. A major point of reference in upper Manhattan is Central Park, which runs northward from 59th to 110th streets

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and from Fifth to Eighth avenues (Eighth Avenue is called Central Park West for the length of the park). Bus and Commuter Rail Service New York’s subway system is one of the largest in the world, with 1,149 kilometers (714 miles) of track and 469 stations. Trains run 24 hours a day, making frequent stops during rush hour and other daytime hours. Both local and express trains are available. Buses run daily from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM in all five boroughs; more than 200 routes are covered by a fleet of 3,700 buses. Taxicabs are a popular mode of transportation in Manhattan—during peak traffic hours, an ocean of yellow cabs seem to fill the city’s streets. Taxi stands abound throughout the city, and cabs can be easily hailed in most areas. Sightseeing Visitors may tour New York in organized tours by trolley or double-decker bus, and many walking tours of specific neighborhoods are offered, as well as self-guided walking tours of historic sites in Manhattan. Brief helicopter tours offer a dramatic view of the Manhattan skyline, as do scenic cruises of New York Harbor. In addition there are many specialized tours of specific sites, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City, and the studios of the NBC television network. 4

People

New York is the nation’s most populous city and has more than twice the

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New York

Manhattan is the smallest of New York’s five boroughs in area, but its skyline is the symbol of New York to people around the world. (Katsuyoshi Tanaka; Woodfin Camp)

population of its nearest competitor, Los Angeles. In 1990, the population of New York was 7,323,000, with the following racial composition: 63.9 percent white, 28.7 percent black, and seven percent Asian/Pacific Islander, with other groups accounting for percentages of less than one percent. Hispanics (an ethnic rather than a racial designation) accounted for 24.4 percent of the population. The 1994 population estimate was 7,333,000. The population of the New York Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area was estimated at 8,611,099 as of 1997. The region’s racial composition was listed by the U.S. Census

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Bureau in 1996 as 91.2 percent white; 4.4 percent black; and 3.4 percent Asian/Pacific Islander. Hispanics accounted for two percent of the metropolitan area population. 5

Neighborhoods

In the busy financial district in lower Manhattan, the maze of narrow streets laid down during the oldest period of the city’s history are home to the towering skyscrapers of Wall Street, the nation’s foremost symbol of financial power and prosperity. To the north of the financial district lie New York’s

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New York teeming, colorful Chinatown and Tribeca (“Triangle Below Canal Street”), a former market district whose warehouses have been converted to artists’ lofts and galleries to create one of Manhattan’s trendiest upscale residential neighborhoods, graced by fashionable shops and restaurants. The chic SoHo (“South of Houston”; pronounced HOW-stun) neighborhood just to the north of Tribeca has had a similar history of rejuvenation fueled by its popularity with the artistic community; today, however, gentrification has brought the district out of reach of many artists—like the ones who were responsible for the rebirth of the neighborhood in the 1960s. To the east of SoHo are Little Italy, known for its authentic Italian cuisine, and the Lower East Side, the former home to a teeming population of Eastern European immigrants and today a mecca for shoppers in search of both local color and bargains on Orchard Street. Greenwich Village, between Houston (pronounced HOW-stun) and 14th streets and west of Broadway, is the historical capital of Bohemianism in America, once home to a dizzying array of artists, writers, musicians, and political radicals. Like other once-marginal areas of New York, the Village has become a prime upscale neighborhood with soaring rents, including some of the highest in the city. However, it is still a colorful area and cultural mecca, as well the center of the city’s gay community and home to three colleges: New York University, Parsons School Design, and the New School for Social Research. The

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East Village, located, as its name suggests, east of Greenwich Village, is the edgier counterpart of the Village, although even this formerly gritty area has become more fashionable and expensive since the 1980s. However, it remains a focal point for the city’s pierced and tattooed youth culture, a popular site for after-hours clubs, and an ethnically diverse area. Chelsea, stretching from 14th Street to about 30th Street, west of Sixth Avenue, is yet another neighborhood traditionally linked with artists and writers, especially through its most famous landmark, the Chelsea Hotel. Today it is home to large Hispanic and gay communities, and its “main drag,” Eighth Avenue between 15th and 23rd streets, is known for its cafes, bistros, boutiques, fitness clubs, and the Chelsea Piers sports complex, which includes a climbing wall. Midtown Manhattan is primarily a business rather than a residential neighborhood. Home to numerous corporate headquarters—including those of many entertainment and communications giants—it is also the site of landmarks including Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, the Museum of Modern Art, and the main branch of the New York Public Library, “guarded” by the famous stone lions outside its front entrance. New York’s Upper West Side is a colorful, heavily residential area that is home to many middle-class families and young professionals, although its residents run the gamut from homelessness to upper-echelon wealth. The

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New York neighborhood’s landmarks include the Lincoln Center performing arts complex, the Museum of Natural History, and, at its northernmost point, Columbia University. The major thoroughfare in this district is Broadway, which offers a wide variety of shopping experiences, including Zabar’s gourmet foods and Shakespeare & Company’s eclectic book selection. The Upper East Side is New York’s most exclusive neighborhood. Its residents live in posh apartment buildings with uniformed doormen; its visitors stay at luxury hotels. It is home to Christie’s and Sotheby’s auction houses, Bloomingdale’s, and a host of foreign embassies and consulates, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim and Frick museums. Washington Heights, at the northern end of the city, is primarily a Latino enclave. Home to the largest Dominican population in the United States, in recent decades it has been plagued by problems associated with the drug trade. However, it is still the site of noteworthy landmarks, including the Cloisters (home of the Metropolitan Museum’s medieval collection), the Audubon Ballroom, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, and Yeshiva University. Beginning at 125th Street on the West Side and 96th Street on the East Side, Harlem is America’s most famous black neighborhood. From the days of the 1920s literary and cultural phenomenon known as the Harlem Renaissance until urban decay and violence set in the 1960s, the neighborhood was a unique cultural and political center and home to many

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famous black musicians and intellectuals, and such historic venues as the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater. 6

History

Four hundred years ago, the present-day site of New York City was forest land inhabited by Algonquin and Iroquois Indians who called the central island “Manhattan,” which meant “city of hills.” In 1609 Henry Hudson (c. 1550–1611), an Englishman employed by the Dutch East India Company, sailed up the river that now bears his name, and settlement of the region began five years later. In 1625 the first permanent European settlement—a trading post called New Amsterdam— was formed on Manhattan, and the Dutch “purchased” the island from its Native American inhabitants by bartering items that amounted to the modern equivalent of $24. By 1664, the Netherlands’ colonial rivals, the British, had taken control of the growing settlement and renamed it New York, and it became their secondbusiest trading port in North America, surpassed only by Boston to the north. The rapidly growing town had about 4,000 residents by the turn of the century, and had nearly doubled its population by 1720, becoming the thirdlargest population center in the British colonies. New Yorkers played an active role in the agitation that led to the American Revolutionary Revolutionary War (1775–83). The city was overrun and occupied by British forces early in the war, and the occupation continued

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New York throughout the conflict. In the period after the colonies won their independence, New York served briefly as the seat of the new nation’s government (from 1785 to 1790). By the beginning of the nineteenth century, New York—with a population of 30,000—had become the nation’s second-largest city, after Philadelphia. In the first half of the century, the city’s growth was further bolstered by the opening of the Erie Canal linking the East Coast with the Great Lakes, and by the first waves of mass immigration, from Ireland, Germany, and Scandinavia. Although New York was a center of the abolitionist movement, pro-slavery feeling was strong among unskilled laborers who feared that their jobs would be threatened by freed slaves. The Civil War (1861–65) brought a new economic boom, and the city’s population reached one million by the 1870s. By this time, New York’s government had become a locus of graft and corruption under the infamous Tammany Hall political machine, which spurred a series of political reforms. The last two decades of the century saw new waves of immigration, much of it from Eastern Europe, and the completion of some of the city’s greatest landmarks, including the Metropolitan Opera House and the Statue of Liberty (1882), and the Brooklyn Bridge (1883). The immigration station at Ellis Island opened in 1892. In 1898 New York achieved its present form with the official consolidation of its five boroughs to form

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The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States as a symbol of friendship in the early 1880s. (Bernard Boutrit; Woodfin Camp)

Greater New York City, with a population of three million. The shape of things to come was previewed in the first years of the new century: the Flatiron building—one of its first skyscrapers—went up in 1902, and the first subway line opened in 1904. During World War I (1914–18), New York was a major shipping center for Allied weapons and military equipment. The 1920s brought an era of cultural brilliance marked by the achievements of the Harlem Renaissance, the heyday of the Algonquin Round Table and the founding of the New Yorker magazine, and the

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New York growth of Greenwich Village as a bohemian mecca for writers and others involved in the arts. In 1929 New York was the epicenter of the stock market crash that ushered in the Great Depression of the following decade. Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia (1882–1947; mayor, 1933–1945) led the city through these dark times, which nevertheless saw the construction of the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and the Chrysler Building, the reform of local government, the hosting of two World’s Fairs, and the introduction of the Art Deco style into art and architecture. New York’s international stature was further enhanced with the establishment of United Nations headquarters in the city following World War II (1939–45). It was also during the postwar era that the city became an international leader in the fields of culture and fashion. In every decade, the city became a focal point for trends in popular culture, from the literary “beat generation” of the 1950s to the counterculture of the 1960s and the opening of the disco club Studio 54 in the 1970s. Beginning in the 1950s, a wave of Puerto Rican immigration and increased migration of blacks to the city from rural areas transformed the city’s ethnic makeup, leading to the flight of whites from the city and the eruption of racial tensions in the 1960s. The erosion of the city’s tax base, aggravated by the flight of businesses, brought the city to the point of bankruptcy by 1975. It was rescued by the newly formed Municipal Assistance Corporation, and a new mayor, Ed Koch (b. 1924; mayor

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1978–90) helped reverse the city’s decline through his policies and his popularity with ordinary citizens. By the late 1980s New York, together with much of the country, was slipping into recession. In 1989 the city elected its first black mayor, David Dinkins (b. 1927; mayor 1990–1994), who was replaced in the 1993 mayoral election by U.S. attorney Rudolph Giuliani (b. 1944; mayor 1994–), the first Republican to hold the post in 28 years. The city’s fortunes revived in the 1990s as the city shared in the country’s economic upswing, and tourism boomed. Giuliani was credited with a major decrease in the New York’s crime rate, although the city’s police department drew universal condemnation in the late 1990s for widely publicized incidents of brutality against members of minority groups. 7

Government

New York City has a mayor-council government. The mayor and the council president (who presides over council meetings) are elected to four-years terms by all the city’s voters. Of the 51 council members (all of whom also serve four-year terms), 35 are elected from their own districts, and 16 are elected at large. New York had an estimated 232,588 city employees in 1997. 8

Public Safety

In spite of its violent reputation, New York City actually has less crime per capita than a number of other major cities, including Washington,

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New York

Not only is New York City a financial and economic center, but it is also the headquarters to the United Nations. (Frank Fournier; Woodfin Camp)

D.C., Boston, New Orleans, and Dallas. The city’s crime rate actually has dropped in recent years, thanks partly to public safety policies, such as gun amnesties and gun confiscation, as well as anti-drug initiatives. In 1997, New York’s crime rate was the lowest it had been since 1968. The New York Police Department is one of the country’s largest. It covers a jurisdiction of some 829 square kilometers (320 square miles) and has an annual budget of $2.4 million. Over 38,000 uniformed officers and about 9,000 civilians are employed by the department. The city’s five boroughs are divided into eight Patrol Bor-

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ough Commands, which are in turn subdivided into 76 precincts. In 1995, violent crimes reported to police (per 100,000 population) totaled 1,573 and included 16 murders, 32 rapes, 810 robberies, and 715 aggravated assaults. Property crimes totaled 4,503 and included 1,009 burglaries, 2,500 cases of larceny/theft, and 993 motor vehicle thefts. 9

Economy

With over 200,000 businesses—and the headquarters of some 65 Fortune 500 companies—New York is one of the

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New York country’s major economic and financial centers. All of the world’s major financial institutions—including some 400 foreign banks—have offices in the city, and more than $15 billion worth of stocks are traded every day on the New York Stock Exchange. In addition to banking and finance, New York is also an important center for the major service industries of insurance, accounting, and law. New York is the nation’s publishing capital. By far the largest number of major publishers in the country are located here, as well as the two leading newsmagazines, Time and Newsweek, and the major wire services, the Associated Press and United Press International. Film and television production are also thriving industries in New York. Madison Avenue is famed as the world’s advertising capital, and the city boasts over 1,000 ad agencies. Although it now takes a back seat to the service sector, manufacturing still plays an active role in New York’s economy. The city is home to some 11,000 manufacturers and 20 industrial parks. The garment industry, in which the city has historically been a leader, still employs approximately 75,000 people, and the city is known worldwide as a center of high fashion. New York is also known for its diamond and jewelry industry, which has traditionally been centered around Canal Street and West 47th Street. Newer sectors that are emerging as industrial leaders include semiconductors, computer equipment, and health-care equipment.

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10

Environment

Although New York is better known for skyscrapers and traffic congestion, the city Department of Parks and Recreation has jurisdiction over 834 square kilometers (322 square miles) of urban wilderness, including 83,368 hectares (206,000 acres) of parkland and 2,024 hectares (5,000 acres) of forest preserves. Also included in the resources protected by the parks department are approximately 500,000 trees located on the city’s streets. These trees are also protected by the Department of Environmental Conservation and citizens’ groups, notably Trees New York, founded in 1976. In addition, volunteers are helping restore 341 hectares (843 acres) of wildlife habitat in Central Park, including areas frequented by migrating birds and the New Yorkers who gather regularly to watch them. Also within the city’s borders are beachfront wildlife habitats, such as that along Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, which is home to two federally listed endangered species and one listed by the state of New York. The city’s Urban Park Rangers have taken measures to protect these rare beachdwelling species, including monitoring, patrolling, vehicle exclusion, and fencing. 11

Shopping

New York is a mecca for shoppers, in terms of sheer abundance and variety. The most famous shopping venue is Fifth Avenue, with its major department stores, including Saks Fifth Ave-

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New York nue and Lord & Taylor, and large bookstores (Borders, Barnes & Noble, Rizzoli). Specialty retailers include Cartier, Tiffany, the Warner Brothers Studio Store, and the famed toy store FAO Schwarz. Also located on Fifth Avenue is the Trump Tower shopping complex, which boasts more than 40 stores and restaurants. Seventh Avenue is home to garment and fur wholesalers (some of which will also sell retail). In the Chelsea neighborhood are the Manhattan Mall and Macy’s (West 34th St.), the world’s largest department store. The Upper East Side mixes upscale retailers, including Bloomingdale’s, with fashionable second-hand shops. The Lower East Side is famous as a bargain hunter’s paradise, with designer clothing and other high-quality items regularly sold at a discount, especially on Orchard Street, the best-known shopping venue in the area. Specialty shops and boutiques abound in Greenwich Village, whose Bleecker Street is home to ethnic bakeries and grocery stores. A special form of shopping is available at New York’s exclusive auction houses, which include Christie’s and Sotheby’s, and the city’s many museum gift shops also offer unusual and highquality items. Mixing commerce and local color are New York’s open-air markets, which sell everything from flowers to antiques. Specialty gourmet food markets include Dean & Deluca, Zabar’s, and Balducci’s.

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12

Education

In the fall of 1996 the New York City Public School System—the nation’s largest—enrolled 1,063,561 students in grades K through 12; 16.1 percent were white, and 83.9 percent belonged to minorities, including 37.3 percent Hispanic, 36.1 percent black, and ten percent Asian/Pacific Islander. The school system operated 1,120 schools with a staff of 110,709, of whom 57,338 were teachers, making a pupil-teacher ratio of 18 to one. The school system has won acclaim for its career magnet schools, which include the High School of Music and Art, the High School of Fashion Industries, the School of the Performing Arts, the New York School of Printing, Bronx High School of Science, and Stuyvesant High School. The City University of New York operates branches in all five boroughs, including eight liberal arts colleges, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Since 1970, the city university system has had an open admissions policy for all New York City high school graduates. New York also has more than 20 private colleges, some of the best known being Columbia University (the oldest), New York University, Fordham University, Rockefeller University, and the Juilliard School, which trains students for careers in music, theater, and dance. 13

Health Care

New York City has over 130 hospitals, including more than 30 teaching

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New York hospitals. Its public hospital system is the largest in the country, employing over 45,000 people at over 20 facilities, including acute care hospitals, longterm care institutions, and family care centers. Among the city’s best-known hospitals are Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and Mount Sinai Medical Center, whose health system consists of 21 hospitals and 13 longterm care facilities. The New York University School of Medicine, which dates back to 1837, has 1,360 full-time and 2,175 part-time faculty members. In 1995, New York’s primary metropolitan statistical area was served by 19,337 office-based physicians and 84 community hospitals, with a total of 39,205 beds. 14

Media

New York’s major daily newspaper is the New York Times, the nation’s “paper of record.” Although competition from the city’s spirited tabloid publications has expanded the Times’ local coverage, it is still known for the breadth and depth of its international and national coverage and its news analysis, as well as its coverage of specific areas such as business and the arts. Favorite features of the Sunday edition include the weekly magazine, the book review supplement (whose reviews are influential throughout the literary and academic world), and the notoriously huge and difficult crossword puzzle. Specializing in local news are the city’s two remaining tabloid newspa-

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pers, the New York Post (the city’s oldest newspaper, founded in 1801), and the New York Daily News. Among the mostquoted examples of their bold banner headlines are the Daily News’ “FORD TO CITY—DROP DEAD” (referring to President Gerald Ford and the 1970s budget crisis) and the Post’s “HEADLESS WOMAN FOUND IN TOPLESS BAR.” A fourth daily newspaper is published in New York: the Wall Street Journal, the country’s most authoritative financial publication. The city’s best-known weekly newspaper is the Village Voice, which features investigative reporting on local topics and comprehensive arts coverage and listings. Other weeklies include New York magazine, Time Out New York, and the New York Press. Another local publication with a national audience is the New Yorker magazine (also a weekly), whose tradition of urbanity and high-quality writing received a contemporary spin in the 1990s by British-born editor Tina Brown. In addition to the wide spectrum of cable television programming, New York has over a dozen broadcast television stations, representing the four major networks and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), as well as independent, educational, and Spanishlanguage stations. The city also has 17 AM and 33 FM radio stations. 15

Sports

The professional sports scene in New York is a busy one, with two major league teams in all the main profes-

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New York

Central Park offers many recreational activities—Central Park Zoo, the International Peace Garden, Belvedere Castle Shakespeare Garden, Conservatory Garden, and ice-skating on Wolman Skating Rink. (Bernard Boutrit; Woodfin Camp)

sional sports. The New York Yankees of the American League, who play at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, are the city’s most famous sports team. The team of such baseball legends as Babe Ruth (1895–1948) and Joe DiMaggio (1914– 99), the Yankees have won more World Series than any other baseball team. The New York Mets, of the National League, play at Shea Stadium in Queens. In football, New York is home to New York Giants and the New York Jets; both teams play at Giants Stadium

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in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey. New York has two NBA (National Basketball Association) teams: the Knicks, who play at Madison Square Garden, and the Jets, who play at Continental Airlines Arena. The city’s two NHL (National Hockey League) teams are the New York Islanders, who play at the Nassau Coliseum, and the New York Rangers, who play at Madison Square Garden. The New York area also has four horse racing tracks (the Aqueduct, Bel-

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New York mont, and Meadowlands race tracks and the Yonkers Raceway) and is the site of the annual U.S. Open tennis championship games. 16

Parks and Recreation

Extending over 341 hectares (843 acres) at the heart of the city, Central Park is one of New York’s most famous landmarks. Designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead (1822–1903), together with Calvert Vaux (1824–95), the park was laid out between 1859 and 1870. In spite of its association with some high-profile crimes, the park is still heavily used by a wide spectrum of New Yorkers, from joggers and rollerbladers to picnicking families. Special features of the park include the Central Park Zoo (and recently opened children’s petting zoo), International Peace Garden, Belvedere Castle Shakespeare Garden, Conservatory Garden, and many others. Other parks in Manhattan include Battery Park, at the island’s southern-most tip; Bryant Park, located behind the public library at 42nd Street; Union Square Park, Gramercy Park, and Washington Square Park. The Bronx Zoo—one of the nation’s most famous—is home to more than 4,000 animals. Over the years, the century-old facility has transferred many of its animals from cages to areas resembling their natural habitats, a change reflected in the zoo’s current name: the Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Park. Also located in the Bronx is

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the 101-hectare (250-acre) New York Botanical Garden, the city’s oldest and largest public garden. Brooklyn is home to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Prospect Park, and Flushing MeadowCorona Park is located in Queens. In Manhattan, Central Park is a favorite venue for recreational activities of many kinds, including jogging, inline skating, walking, frisbee, and bicycling (altogether New York has some 161 kilometers/100 miles of bicycle paths). The Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex in the Chelsea neighborhood offers a gymnastics center, golf club, running track, roller and ice-skating rinks, and rock-climbing wall. 17

Performing Arts

Home to 240 performance venues, including such famous sites as Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and Lincoln Center, New York is one of the world’s great centers for the performing arts. It is the theatrical capital of the nation, with performances ranging from large, expensive Broadway hits to the smaller and more innovative OffBroadway and Off-Off-Broadway productions (the last two designations are actually determined by the size of the theater rather than its location). New York is also home to the prestigious New York Shakespeare Festival, which mounts productions at the Joseph Papp Public Theater most of the year and presents the Shakespeare in the Park series in Central Park in the summer.

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New York

The All-Star Cafe is just one of the many shops and restaurants lining Times Square. (Bernard Boutrit; Woodfin Camp)

New York is home to the New York Philharmonic, one of the nation’s most acclaimed symphony orchestras (and its oldest), and the country’s premier opera company (the Metropolitan Opera), as well as classical music ensembles of all kinds, from early music groups to those specializing in contemporary performance. Opera is also presented by the New York City Opera and several other groups. In addition to the famous Juilliard School, the city is home to two other highly regarded schools of music, the Manhattan School Music and the Mannes College of Music, both of which present their own concert series

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featuring performances by both students and faculty. A unique classical music experience is offered by Bargemusic, a series of chamber music concerts presented on a boat docked on the East River. New York is also a thriving center for all kinds of dance and is particularly known for its classical ballet companies, notably the American Ballet Theater and the New York City Ballet, which have boasted such illustrious names as George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Mikhail Baryshnikov. New York also has several other ballet companies,

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New York and modern dance is represented by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and other groups. Many types of popular music— including jazz, rock, blues, and Latin music—thrive in New York in clubs scattered throughout the city. Among the city’s legendary jazz clubs are the Blue Note, Sweet Basil, the Five Spot, and the Village Vanguard. 18

Libraries and Museums

The main branch of the New York Public Library has one of the world’s five largest library collections, with book stacks stored on eight different levels and covering an area of at least half an acre. Its legendary reading room is one of the city’s treasures. Founded in 1895, the New York Public Library System consists of both research libraries and branch libraries that serve the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island. The library’s book holdings total 17,762,034 volumes. The library system operates 79 neighborhood branches, serving a population of 3,070,302, with an annual circulation of over 11 million items. There are 150 museums and some 400 art galleries in New York. With over 3.5 million artworks, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest museum in the Western Hemisphere, as well as the premier American museum. Its 148,640 square meters (1.6 million square feet) house not only its famed European and American collections, but also extensive Asian, Classical, and Islamic collections.

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Special features include the Frank Lloyd Wright Room, a Costume Hall, the largest Arms and Armor galleries in the West, and a Musical Instrument Collection containing the world’s oldest piano. The Cloisters at the northernmost tip of Manhattan houses the museum’s medieval collection. The Museum of Modern Art (known as MOMA) has one of the world’s most extensive collections of modern art, with holdings that include not only paintings and sculpture but also architectural plans, photographs, and films (two classic or foreign films are screened daily). The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum displays twentieth-century artworks in a unique Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building featuring a spiral that winds down through six levels of displays on its outer walls. A ten-story annex completed in 1992 provides room for four additional galleries. Manhattan’s other museums include the Frick and Whitney collections; the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, which features a restored tenement that re-creates nineteenth-century apartment life as lived by New York’s immigrant population; the Jewish Museum; the Children’s Museum of Manhattan; El Museo del Barrio; and the International Center of Photography. Museums in New York’s other boroughs include the Brooklyn Museum, the New York Transit Museum, and the Brooklyn Historical Society in Brooklyn and the American Museum of the Moving Image in Queens.

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New York

To u r i s m

19

MAY-AUGUST Seafest

Over 25 million people visit New York every year to see its historic landmarks, sample its cultural activities, and enjoy its fine dining and varied shopping. The city’s hotel rooms have an average occupancy rate of about threequarters, and new hotel construction activity has been brisk in recent years. Conventions generate millions of dollars in income annually for the city.

JUNE

New York attracts more foreign visitors than any other U.S. city. In 1995 approximately 4,252,000 foreign travelers visited the city.

JUNE-AUGUST

20

Holidays and Festivals

JANUARY Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Observance National Black Fine Art Show New York National Boat Show Outsider Art Fair

American Crafts Festival Belmont Stakes JVC Jazz Festival New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival Queens Day Festival Texaco New York Jazz Festival Welcome Back to Brooklyn Festival

JUNE-JULY Shakespeare in the Park Washington Square Music Festival Bryant Park Summer Film Festival SummerStage

JULY Fourth of July Concert in Battery Park Great July Fourth Festival Lincoln Center Festival Macy’s Fireworks Celebration

JULY-AUGUST Celebrate Brooklyn Festival Mostly Mozart Festival

JULY-OCTOBER Moonlight Dancing in the Park

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER

FEBRUARY

U.S. Open Tennis Championships

Chinese New Year Celebrations

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER

MARCH

New York Film Festival

Art Expo New York New York Restaurant & Foodservice Show New York Underground Film Festival Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

OCTOBER

MARCH-APRIL

OCTOBER-JANUARY

Passports to Off-Broadway Theatres

APRIL African Film Festival

APRIL-MAY Music Hall at Snug Harbor

MAY Ninth Avenue International Food Festival Crafts on Columbus Brooklyn Botanic Garden Center Flower Sale

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Fifth Avenue Art & Antiques Show Chrysanthemum & Bonsai Festival Greenwich Village Halloween Parade Big Apple Circus

NOVEMBER Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade New York Marathon

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER Radio City Christmas Spectacular

DECEMBER First Night New York Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Paul Winter’s Winter Solstice Celebration

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New York New Year’s Celebration & Ball Drop in Times Square

Architect Philip Johnson (b. 1906).

DECEMBER-JANUARY

Former mayor Ed Koch (b. 1924).

Empire State Building Holiday Lights Lincoln Center Family Art Show Winter Wildlife Holiday Events

Former mayor Fiorello LaGuar dia (1882–1947).

21

Famous Citizens

Novelist Norman Mailer (b. 1923).

Film director, comedian, and author Woody Allen (b. 1935).

Industrialist and financier J. Pierpont Morgan (1837–1913).

A b o l i t i on i s t H e n r y Wa rd B e e c h e r (1813–1887).

City planner Robert Moses (1889– 1981).

Poet William Cullen Bryant (1794– 1878).

Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead (1822–1903).

Statesman Aaron Burr (1756–1836).

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929–94).

Industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919). Composer George M. Cohan (1878– 1942). Former New York state governor Mario Cuomo (b. 1932). Former New York City mayor David N. Dinkins (b. 1927). African-American activist Marcus Garvey (1887–1940). “Beat” poet Allen Ginsberg (1926– 1997). Journalist Horace Greeley (1811–72). Writer and editor Pete Hamill (b. 1935).

Playwright Eugene O’Neill (1888–1953). Humorist Dorothy Parker (1893–1967). Photojournalist Jacob Riis (1849–1914). Oil magnate John D. Rockefeller (1839– 1937). New York governor Nelson Rockefeller (1908–79). Comedian Jerry Seinfeld (b. 1954). Playwright Neil Simon (b. 1927). Baseball entrepreneur George Steinbrenner (b. 1930).

Statesman Alexander Hamilton (1755– 1804).

Real estate developer Donald Trump (b. 1946).

Artist Keith Haring (1938–90).

Railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794–1877).

Author Washington Ir ving (1783– 1859).

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Pop artist Andy Warhol (1926–1987).

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New York 22

For Further Study

Websites

The New York Times 229 W. 43rd St. New York, NY 10036

New York Convention and Visitors Bureau. [Online] Available http://www.nycvisit.com/ (accessed October 14, 1999). The Official New York City Website. [Online] Available http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/ (accessed October 14, 1999).

The Village Voice 36 Cooper Square New York, NY 10003

Government Offices

Books

Mayor’s Office 1 Centre St. Municipal Building New York, NY 10007 (212) 788-3000 New York City Hall 1 Centre St. Municipal Building New York, NY 10007 (212) 788-3000 New York County 60 Centre St. New York, NY 10007 (212) 374-8359

Tourist and Convention Bureaus Jacob K. Javits Convention Center 655 W. 34th St. New York, NY 10001 (212) 216-2300 New York Convention & Visitors Bureau 810 7th Avenue, 3rd Fl. New York, NY 10019 (212) 484-1200

Publications The New York Post 1211 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10036

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The Wall Street Journal 200 Liberty St. New York, NY 10281

Alleman, Richard. The Movie Lover’s Guide to New York. New York: Perennial Library, 1988. Auster, Paul. The New York Trilogy: City of Glass, Ghosts, and The Locked Room. San Bernardino, CA: Borgo Press, 1996. Baldwin, James. Another Country. New York: Dial Press, 1962. Barile, Susan Paula. The Bookworm’s Big Apple: A Guide to Manhattan’s Booksellers. New York: Columbia University Press, 1994. Biondi, Joann, and James Kaskins. Hippocrene U.S.A. Guide to Black New York. New York: Hippocrene Books, 1994. Hijuelos, Oscar. Our House in the Last World. New York: Persea Books, 1983. Jackson, Kenneth T., ed. The Encyclopedia of New York City. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1995. Leeds, Mark. Ethnic New York. Lincolnwood, IL: Passport Books, 1995. Mitchell, Joseph. Up in the Old Hotel. New York: Pantheon Books, 1992. Parker, Dorothy. Complete Stories. New York: Penguin, 1995. Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. New York: Penguin Books, 1997. Roth, Andrew. Infamous Manhattan. New York: Carol Publishing Group, 1996. White, N., and E. Willensky, eds. AIA Guide to New York. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988.

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Paris Paris, France, Europe Founded: 53 B.C. Location: North-central France, Western Europe Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (“Battered, but never sinks”) Flag: Shield with white sailing ship and three yellow fleur de lys centered on a field with blue (left) and red (right) halves. Time Zone: 11 AM = noon Greenwich Mean Time (GMT); 6 AM = noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) Climate: Moderate. Winters are damp, but not severe. Snowfall is light; sunshine is rare in winter; gray, foggy days are frequent. Summer temperatures are rarely oppressive, but rain can be heavy. Annual Mean Temperature: 12°C (54°F) Average Annual Precipitation (total rainfall and melted snow): 68 cm (27 in) Government: Mayor-council Weights and Measures: Metric Monetary Units: The franc, with one hundred centimes to a franc Postal Codes: Five-digits beginning with 75.

1

Introduction

Paris is synonymous with all that is French. Known throughout the world as the “City of Light,” Paris is celebrated for its beautiful city plan, its architecture, museums, bridges, cathedrals, parks, shopping, flea markets, sidewalk cafés, wide and luxurious boulevards, elegant cuisine, and numerous monuments. Once confined to an island in the middle of the Seine River, the Ile de la Cité, Paris, founded more than 2,000 years ago, quickly spread to both banks of the river—the rive droit (right bank) and the rive gauche (left bank). The right bank is known for being the commercial heart of the city while the left bank is home to the University of Paris and all that is intellectual and artsy. Paris has always been known to have the

aura of romance and mystery and has been the setting for many novels and movies. A character in a play by Oscar Wilde said, “When good Americans die, they go to Paris.” 2

Getting There

Paris is easily accessible by plane, railroad, and automobile. Highways Driving to Paris from anywhere in France, road markers can be found indicating routes to Paris. There is a stone marker in front of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris from which all French roads begin.

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Paris

Paris Population Profile

Austria). The information web site is www.sncf.fr. Airports

City Proper Population: 2,200,000 Area: 100 sq km (40 sq mi) Nicknames: The City of Light

Metropolitan Area Population: 9,638,000 Description: The 20 total arrondissements World population rank1: 22 Percentage of national population2: 16.3% Average yearly growth rate: 0.2% ——— 1. The Paris metropolitan area’s rank among the world’s urban areas. 2. The percent of France’s total population living in the Paris metropolitan area.

Railroad Service The letters S.N.C.F. indicate the French railway system, which is quite extensive. Paris is the center of the TGV (high speed train). One must make reservations in advance to ride this train. Train stations that connect Paris to the rest of Europe are the Gare de Lyon (for trains arriving from Switzerland, Italy, and Greece); the Gare d’Austerlitz (for trains arriving from Spain and Portugal); the Gare Montparnasse (for trains arriving from western France); the Gare Saint-Lazare (for connection with boats arriving in Normandy from the United States and Great Britain); the Gare du Nord (for trains arriving from Great Britain, Belguim, Holland, and Scandinavia); the Gare de l'Est (for trains arriving from Germany, Switzerland, and

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Two main airports, Roissey-Charles de Gaulle and Orly, serve the metropolis of Paris and neighboring areas. From these airports travelers can easily take public transportation (subway) or taxis to the heart of Paris in less than an hour. For more specific information, visitors can visit the Office du Tourisme booth in either airport. 3

Getting Around

Bus and Commuter Rail Service Paris has many buses and local trains (called the RER), but the main mode of travel around Paris is the Metro or subway. No place in Paris is less than 500 meters (1500 feet) away from a metro stop. The cheapest way to travel is to buy a booklet (carnet) of ten tickets for use on the metro and city buses. There are 368 metro stations in Paris serving more than six million people every day. To see more sights and have more time, the city buses are a more picturesque way to travel. Maps inside the metro indicate the shortest way to a given destination, as well as where to change trains if necessary. The metro is indicated by the letters R.A.T.P. The web site offering practical information, routes, and maps is www.ratp.fr. Sightseeing The best tours of Paris are by boat. One can get a one-hour cruise on the

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Paris

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Paris

City Fact Comparison Paris (France)

Cairo (Egypt)

Rome (Italy)

Beijing (China)

Population of urban area1

9,638,000

10,772,000

2,688,000

12,033,000

Date the city was founded

53 BC

753 BC

723 BC

Indicator

Daily costs to visit the

AD

969

city2

Hotel (single occupancy)

$146

$193

$172

$129

Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

$79

$56

$59

$62

Incidentals (laundry, dry cleaning, etc.)

$20

$14

$15

$16

$245

$173

$246

$207

33

13

20

11

Le Parisien

Akhbar El Yom/ Al Akhbar

La Repubblica

Renmin Ribao

451,159

1,159,339

754,930

3,000,000

1944

1944

1976

1948

Total daily costs Major Newspapers3 Number of newspapers serving the city Largest newspaper Circulation of largest newspaper Date largest newspaper was established 1 United

Nations population estimates for the year 2000. maximum amount the U.S. Government reimburses its employees for business travel. The lodging portion of the allowance is based on the cost for a single room at a moderately-priced hotel. The meal portion is based on the costs of an average breakfast, lunch, and dinner including taxes, service charges, and customary tips. Incidental travel expenses include such things as laundry and dry cleaning. 3 David Maddux, ed. Editor&Publisher International Year Book. New York: The Editor&Publisher Company, 1999. 2 The

Seine in a sightseeing boat or bateaumouche, which points out the main monuments, bridges, and cathedrals (the best view ever of Notre Dame) and gives a history of the city. Bus tours are provided by various companies: Cityrama, Vision, and Parisbus are a few of the large companies. 4

People

Paris is the most populated city in France. The last estimate (1997) claimed 2,152,000 inhabitants lived in Paris. However, there are about ten million more people in the metropolitan area. Until World War II (1939–45), the pop-

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ulation of France was largely monolithic in character. Most French people are descended from ancient Teutonic and Celtic tribes dating from at least 200 B.C. The language of the Parisians is French, which is required in all statesupported schools. After World War II, many people from former French colonies in Africa and Indonesia immigrated to France and particularly to Paris where they could find employment. Consequently, the population of Paris, although largely of original French stock, now includes people of African and Indochinese descent. Although these people speak a variety

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Paris of languages, French is the only official language of France.

I (1769–1821) to commemorate his military victories.

A full 90 percent of Parisians claim to be of the Roman Catholic faith. However, as in any large metropolis, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and Protestant Christian faiths are represented. There are many Protestant churches as well as Jewish synogogues, the most renowned being the Rothschild Synogogue. The imposing structure of Notre Dame Cathedral on the Ile de la Cité speaks for the majority Catholic influence on the city.

2nd Arrondissement

The French are wildly enamored with their pet dogs. Dogs can be seen everywhere—even in fancy restaurants. 5

Neighborhoods

Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (wards). They are referred to as arrondissements in English as well as in French. Each arrondissement has its own character. Central Paris is comprised of the first eight arrondissements; it is in these eight that most of the major historical and cultural sites of the city can be found. The remaining 12 make up the surrounding area. 1st Arrondissement At one end of the Champs Elysées is the Louvre, arguably the greatest art museum in the world. Formerly the palace of the kings of France, the Louvre looks out on the Champs Elysées to the Place de la Concorde with its Egyptian oblelisk, and on to the Arc de Triomphe, built by the Emperor Napoleon

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There are the banks, the stock exchange (La Bourse), and some wholesale fashion stores. 3rd Arrondissement This district is called the Marais. An ethnic mélange, the Marais was once home to the majority of the Jewish population of Paris. It has undergone some urban renovation at many times in the history of Paris. 4th Arrondissement The Ile de la Cité, the island in the middle of the River Seine, comprises this arrondissement. This was the original site of Paris at its beginnings, and it boasts the gorgeous cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. Bridges cross the Ile, so sightseers can visit Notre Dame Cathedral on walking tours, as well as by way of the Metro or bus. 5th Arrondissement On the Left Bank, the Quartier Latin, home of the University of Paris (Sorbonne college of arts and sciences), is the main living quarters for students and artists. There are many good places to eat and fine entertainment, such as the Comédie Française. 6th Arrondissement Charming cafés attract many intellectuals and college students in this district.

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Paris

A view of Paris from the Eiffel Tower. (Robert Frerck; Woodfin Camp)

7th Arrondissement Also on the Left Bank is the famous Eiffel Tower (La Tour Eiffel). Visible from all points in Paris, the main entrance to this monument is on the Champ de Mars. One can also visit the Musée D'Orsay, dedicated to French Impressionist paintings.

12 large boulevards going out into various points of Paris and beyond. Ile Saint-Louis A neighbor to Ile de la Cité, Ile Saint-Louis is renowned for a beautiful, small church called the SainteChapelle.

8th Arrondissement

La Défense

At the end of the Champs Elysées is the Arc de Triomphe built by the French Emperor Napoleon to commemorate his military victories. The Arc is located over a traffic circle called the Place Charles de Gaulle (formerly la Place de l'Etoile). This point is the beginning of

The newest development in Paris is the business and residential center to the west of Paris called La Défense. This area, developed in the 1960s and 1970s, has a new arch called the Grande Arche to celebrate the bicentennial of the French Revolution. It is set in a straight

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Paris line with the Champs Elysées. There are many modern high-rise buildings that do not have to conform to the old building codes of Paris. Montmartre High on a hill overlooking the city is the area of Montmartre. The basilica of Sacré Coeur and many of the famous cabarets, including the Folies Bergères at le Moulin Rouge—home of the cancan dance—are located here. Le Marais Once known as the old Jewish quarter, Le Marais (once a swamp) is home to small hotels, restaurants, and bars. It is bordered by the Rue Beaubourg and the Boulevard Beaumarchais. Beaubourg Once an embarrassing slum, the district of Beaubourg has been renovated and showcases the Centre Georges Pompidou. Pompidou was once the president of France. The center has a museum of modern art and a performing arts theater. Neuilly, Auteuil, and Passy The rich and super-rich inhabit these beautiful suburbs of the chic sixteenth and seventeenth arrondissements west of the city. 6

History

The history of Paris goes back more than 2,000 years when some 60 Celtic tribes called the Gauls inhabited the

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region, most notably in the Paris Basin on the Ile de la Cité. One of their tribes, the Parisii, eventually gave their name to the present-day city. The Gauls were composed of warrior tribes who hunted, fished, and lived in huts with thatched roofs. Their religion, called druidism, celebrated nature. Many present day religious festivals include remnants of druidic worship. The main festival, la fête du gui (mistletoe), welcomed in the new year. They also burned the Yule log to celebrate the return to light after a long dark season of winter. Their chief warrior, Vercingétorix, was defeated by the Roman army under Julius Caesar (c. 100–44 B.C.) in about 50 B.C. The Romans renamed the Gaulish capital Lutetia, which it remained until it was reconquered by a Germanic tribe called the Franks— hence the name for present day France (land of the Franks). Their king, Clovis (465–511) converted to Christianity and took the old name of Paris for its capital. By brute force, Clovis established the Merovingian dynasty of kings and established a code of laws known as the Salic Law. In 800, Charlemagne (747–814) moved his capital from Aix-la-Chapelle to Paris, thus solidifying Paris as the permanent capital city of what would become modern day France. Between 900 and 1000, another tribe of invaders called Vikings (actually Norsemen) repeatedly invaded and pillaged Paris until they eventually became a civilized part of the community. By the middle of the twelfth century, King Philippe Auguste (1165–

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Paris

Side view of the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris (1163), a world-famous example of Gothic architecture. (Bernard Boutrit; Woodfin Camp)

1223) turned Paris into a true medieval city with a protective wall around it. He built his castle, which was little more than a fortress on the site of the modern-day Louvre. No one knows what the word Louvre means, except that it is thought to come from the Latin word for wolves. Philippe housed his wolfhunting dogs in the fortress. The Middle Ages saw the beginning of the construction of the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris (1163), one of the most famous examples of Gothic architecture, and the founding of one of the greatest universities in the world, the University of Paris. The city of Paris, surrounded by walls, still was contained on the Ile de la Cité in the middle of the River Seine. Gradually the city of Paris became so heavily populated that the walls

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were erected further and further out to accommodate the growing community. The last of these protective walls was razed in 1919 by the government of the Third Republic. The kings of France slowly enlarged and modernized the Louvre to become the palace of kings. The French Revolution (1789–93) was a turning point for the modernization of Paris. During that turbulent period, there were riots in the streets, and the people barricaded the narrow, winding streets to thwart the power of the government. The reign of Emperor Napoleon I (1769–1821) saw the building of monuments and the creation of a modern sewer system, which beautified and cleansed the city. The brief restoration of the monarchy (1848–1870) saw the rebuilding of Paris from a medieval town to a city of breathtaking beauty

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Paris and grandeur. Under the leadership of Baron Haussmann (1809–1891), the boulevards were widened so that they could no longer be easily barricaded. Parks and monuments were created; the Louvre was completed; the Opera house was built; and an extensive system of sewers was constructed. The city was at that time organized into its present-day 20 arrondissements. Building codes were enforced to keep the neo-classical look and to maintain a low building height. In 1889, the World’s Fair came to Paris, which unveiled the newest crowning glory, the Eiffel Tower. At the time of its construction, it was thought to be a monstrosity, and the French people wanted it torn down immediately. The tower outlasted the controversy to become the symbol of Paris. In 1900, Paris joined London in the construction of the subway (the Métropolitain). The metro stations at the turn of the century were beautiful examples of Art Deco, with intricately designed ironwork gates. Some of these still exist today. During World War II, the city of Paris was almost destroyed by German bombs. Miraculously, Paris survived the war intact. All of the treasures in the Louvre art museum were hidden by the French people during the war, so they would not be taken by the invading German army. The government of General Charles de Gaulle brought the French government to the present Fifth Republic.

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Modern-day Paris is truly a feast for all of the senses. The classical beauty of the city is breathtaking at night when many of the monuments are lighted. A new opera house has been added at the former location of La Bastille (a political prison during the French Revolution), and some high-rise buildings have been constructed outside the central area. Basically, Paris remains true to the architectural plans of Baron Haussmann. The wide, main boulevards are crowded with people 24 hours a day. One can relax in a sidewalk café or visit any number of the many museums Paris has to offer. The cuisine is delicious, whether from a café or an elegant five-star restaurant. Shoppers can find the very latest in fashion or browse the flea markets for a bargain. New urban renewal during the 1990s saw the renovation of the Beaubourg area with the destruction of Les Halles (a central market place) and the creation of the Centre Pompidou (arts) in its place. New business centers in La Défense have been added to the International Communication Center. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Paris has retained all the allure, mystery, and romance of its fabled past. That is why Paris is the number one destination for travelers around the world. 7

Government

The city of Paris is headed by an elected mayor. The mayor is in charge of the police force, which is headed by the préfet, and works with the town halls of the 20 arrondissements of Paris. The coat of arms of the city was created

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Paris in 1210 featuring a boat from the watermen’s guild. The motto Fluctuat nec Mergitur is the Latin for “buffeted by waves but does not sink” and was added in the sixteenth century. The Regional Council and the Economic and Social Committees govern any local problems. The most influential political parties are the Communist Party and the Socialist Party. The national government is a coalition government comprised of the various political parties. 8

Public Safety

All tourists visiting Paris, as well as France, must register with the police department. Usually the hotels will check passports and make a list of all registered guests. Paris has laws that prohibit the carrying of guns and is generally a safe city. However, there are always professional pickpockets and, as of late, gangs of small children organized by gangsters to be pickpockets reminiscent of those in Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. 9

Economy

The French currency is called the franc, with 100 centimes to the franc. The economy of Paris is comprised of high finance, banking, and luxury tourist goods. The Champs Elysées and neighboring streets house many highfashion couturiers (designers), parfumiers (perfume shops), and other luxury items. Universities, museums, and cafés cater to tourists and residents alike. Government employees are numerous as France is a bureaucratic

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country. France is also a member of the European Economic Community. 10

Environment

Paris is divided by the Seine River, which drains west to the Atlantic Ocean. It is used for transportation and tourism. Many tour boats, called “bateaux mouches,” give tours of the city by circling the Ile de la Cité. Paris also has the feel of open spaces created by wide boulevards and parklands. The Champs Elysées is a 12-lane divided highway with wide sidewalks to encourage walking, window shopping, and people-watching at cafés. The Jardin du Luxembourg, the Bois de Boulogne, the Tuilerie Gardens, and the Place des Vosges (to name a few) give the tourists and residents beautiful garden spaces to relax and enjoy the magnificent views. There are many fountains and small squares in which to sit. Paris is very much a walking city. The sidewalks are always filled with strollers, as well as businessmen and tourists. The beautiful monuments give the city the air of an outdoor museum. The French government is concerned with cleanliness, and large fines are imposed for littering and graffiti. Every morning, workers armed with buckets and brooms can be seen sweeping the streets, getting the city ready for another day. 11

Shopping

Paris is a shopper's dream city. Two large department stores, Au Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette, can fill the most discerning shopper's wish list. The

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Paris Au Bon Marché has gourmet delicacies galore. There are also boutiques that cater to the high-end market. Designers such as Chanel, Yves St. Laurent, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Cartier are also located on or near the Champs Elysées. The Boulevard Montaigne, off the Champs Elysées, also houses many expensive boutiques. Also the Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré has many clothing stores. For budget-minded shoppers, the Monoprix or Prisunic (dime stores), supply some moderately priced souvenirs. Fine leather goods, jewelry, perfumes, clothing, wines, gourmet foods, and fine art are plentiful. Bargain hunters can cruise the flea market (marché aux puces). Sidewalk vendors (some very fine artists) are always displaying their wares. Along the banks of the Seine are also many artists and booksellers. On Sunday mornings near Notre Dame Cathedral, one can visit the bird market. Live caged canaries, finches, and other exotic birds are for sale. One of the most unique stores, almost a must for tourists, is Le Drugstore. This is a Parisian’s idea of an American drugstore. It has many high-priced goods for sale, as well as toiletries; however, the toiletries are too expensive there for the average tourist! 12

university. The catch is that one must pass a rigorous exam, called the baccalaureat, to gain entrance. Many students do not take this exam or fail it. School attendance is compulsory until age 16. One can decide on a college preparatory course or a technical course. All are free. The levels are in reverse— that is, kindergarten is level 13 while the senior level is called one or “classes terminales.” The educational system is run by the central government, which determines the curriculum. All students everywhere in France are studying the same lessons at pretty much the same time. If a student moves, he or she will fit right in to the new school curriculum because it will be exactly the same as the school he left. Students must study French at every grade level. The French are purists when it comes to language, and the courses are very difficult. Attention to grammar and spelling are important. People are constantly judged on their accent and grammar. Every educated person strives to attain a Parisian accent. Having other accents, such as that of southern France, is considered inferior. Discipline in French high schools (lycées) is strictly enforced. The famous cooking school Le Cordon Bleu offers courses in French, English, and Japanese.

Education

The University of Paris, on the left bank of the Seine, is arguably the most famous school in the world. Outsiders often refer to it as the Sorbonne, but that is only the school of arts and sciences. Everyone in France is entitled to a free education, including that of a

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13

Health Care

The government of France is largely socialistic. Every French citizen is afforded health care provided by the state. Taxes are very high—in some cases almost 60 percent of total income—but the government provides

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Paris newspaper at a local kiosk or a café. Usually these papers reflect different political thought or are business papers. Some of the more well-known newspapers include France-Soir, Le Monde, Le Figaro, and Le Canard Enchainé. Radio stations are also government controlled. France Inter (87.8MHz) is the main radio station. Recently, the government made it mandatory to play 60 percent of all music in French. This angered French teenagers who love to listen to British and American rock and roll. All advertising must be in French, except for foreign companies. 15 The Tour de France, a bicycle race through the countryside of France, begins and ends at the Arc de Triomphe. (Bernard Boutrit; Woodfin Camp)

most social services. Life expectancy for men is 74 years, and for women it is 82 years. There is one doctor for every 361 people, and infant mortality is five per 100 live births. Many French people smoke, and the government has only recently tried to discourage people from smoking. 14

Media

French television is controlled by the government (outside of satellite television). There are five stations: TF1, Antenne 2, FR 3, M 6, and Arte. The Parisians do not have their newspapers delivered to their homes because there are too many French publications. Each Parisian usually picks up his favorite

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Sports

One of the main sports in France is soccer. There is a French national team, as well as many university teams. Formula-One car racing, famous throughout Europe, is also very popular. The French Tennis Open is in June, just before Wimbledon in London. The most well-known sport, however, is cycling. The Tour de France, which takes place for about two weeks at the end of June and into July, is the most widely publicized sport. The race begins and ends in Paris with the winner cycling under the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs Elysées. Another competitive sport is lawn bowling. This is played by average citizens, as well as championship teams. Information about sporting events can be found in the newspaper Le Figaro.

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Paris 16

Parks and Recreation

Paris is surrounded by greenery. The most famous park in Paris is the Bois de Boulogne. Comprising more than 809 hectares (2,000 acres), the Bois boasts walking trails, lakes for boating, two courses for horseracing (Longchamp and Auteuil), a children’s amusement park, an area for puppet shows, a miniature golf course, cafés and restaurants, a giant doll’s house, and a small zoo. Another famous garden is the Tuileries, located in front of the Louvre museum. At the Place des Vosges in the Marais district is a small park featuring the famous author Victor Hugo’s house. The Place de la Concorde has a beautiful fountain and small gardens. In the Seine River is an enclosed public swimming pool. On the left bank are the Luxembourg Gardens. Impressive fountains and beautiful statues representing Greek and Roman gods decorate this park. There is also the palace of Marie de’Medici (1573– 1652), wife of King Henri IV. Another huge parkland is the Bois de Vincennes. It is comparable to the Bois de Boulogne with a racecourse and a zoo. However, the zoo is larger in that the animals seem to roam free in unrestricted habitats. Off the Périférique (ring road) is the Parc de la Villette with an interactive science museum and IMAX theater. Just outside of Paris is the city of Versailles with the chateau of King Louis XIV (1754–93) with its magnifi-

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cent grounds and gardens. A one-day visit may not be long enough to see everything. By RER (local train) it is about a 40-minute ride from Paris to Versailles. Also just outside Paris is EuroDisneyland. As it is the same as the American Disney parks, American visitors may want to spend their time on other sites. Giverny, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) outside Paris, is the home and famous gardens of Impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840–1926). It was here that he painted the famous Waterlilies. 17

Performing Arts

The National French Theater, La Comédie Française, was established in 1680 under the direction of the cardinal Richelieu. Modern-day productions include mainly the works of classical French writers of the seventeenth century—Moliere, Racine, and Corneille. There are two opera houses—the Opéra Garnier, an eighteenth-century classical building, and the newer opera house at the Place de la Bastille. The Opéra Comique does light opera and works of French lyric composers. In the newer district of La Défense, the indoor arena of Bercy stages musical performances of popular performers. The famous cancan dancers can be found at the Moulin Rouge in Montmartre. Paris also has many smaller theaters and many movie houses. The Chaillot National Theater (next to the Eiffel Tower) also serves as a multicultural center. In the area of Beaubourg, the Centre Pompidou

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Paris

Once a castle to the kings of France, the Louvre is the most famous art museum in the world containing such works as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. (Bernard Boutrit; Woodfin Camp)

always has some interesting displays and performances. 18

Libraries and Museums

The Bibliothèque Nationale (National Library) was founded in the Middle Ages. In 1537, a copyright law was passed that requires every published work to be in the National Library. The library has many annexes and houses old manuscripts, engravings and photographs, maps, music, and printed books. Paris has a plethora of famous museums, but the following are

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some a first-time tourist should not miss. The Louvre is one of the most famous art museums in the world. Once the palace of the kings of France, the Louvre was updated in 1989 by the architect I.M. Pei (b. 1917) who designed a new glass pyramid entrance to the museum. The Louvre contains paintings, sculptures, and other objects of antiquity famous around the world. The Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory, the Venus de Milo, the paintings of David and Leonardo, Egyptian treasures and classical sculptures are all too numerous to mention. A two-hour tape tour is rec-

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Paris ommended for the casual visitor. The building itself is a work of art representing the history of France as many kings added to the original structure begun by Philippe Auguste in the twelfth century. The basement contains the oldest known foundations of the Louvre and the torture chambers of Philippe Auguste. The Musée d'Orsay, housed in a renovated railway station, now contains most of the important Impressionist paintings. Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Jean Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh are all well represented, as well as post-Impressionist artists. The National Museum of Modern Art is housed on the fourth floor of the Pompidou Center in Beaubourg. The Musée Rodin is dedicated to the works of the famous sculptor, Auguste Rodin (1840–1917). Notre Dame Cathedral is located on the island Ile de la Cité. One of the most perfect examples of Gothic architecture, Notre Dame has thousands of sculptures and stained glass windows. Tours are also given. On a neighboring island in the Seine, the Ile Saint-Louis, is the smaller church, the SainteChapelle. The stained glass windows are among the finest in the world. Historical museums abound. Les Invalides houses the tomb of Napoleon and a military museum, while the Arc de Triomphe has a museum dedicated to Napoleon’s victories. The Eiffel Tower has a display of the construction of the Tower for the 1889 World’s Fair.

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Gobelins’ Tapestry Factory recounts the history of the famous tapestry maker from its beginnings in the thirteenth century. There are guided tours of the workshops, which still produce tapestries. The Hôtel de Cluny Museum is the remains of the old Roman baths and the medieval monastery. Wonderful artifacts, tapestries, and medieval art are on display. The Grévin Museum is a wax museum portraying scenes from history and interesting historical figures. Père Lachaise Cemetery may seem a bit morbid, but millions of visitors come to see the graves of Bizet, Molière, Colette, Gertrude Stein, Victor Hugo, Balzac, Chopin, and perhaps the most visited, the American Jim Morrison. So many people come to visit and decorate Morrison’s grave that there is usually security around it. 19

To u r i s m

The year 1999 saw France as the top destination for travelers around the world, with the overwhelming majority including Paris in their visit to France. Over 70 million tourists visited the City of Light last year, spending nearly $30 million (American dollars) in France. The best tours of Paris are by boat. One can get a one-hour cruise on the Seine in a sightseeing boat called a bateaumouche, which features the main monuments, bridges, and cathedrals (the best view ever of Notre Dame) and gives a history of the city. Bus tours are provided by various companies: Cityrama,

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Paris Vision, and Parisbus are a few of the large companies. The official tourist information center is at the Hôtel de Ville (town hall). However, there are tourist information centers at all train stations and airports. 20

Holidays and Festivals

JANUARY Fashion shows begin

MARCH-APRIL Easter Monday Foire de Paris (Fair)

MAY May Day Celebration (1st) VE Day (8th) Ascension Day Pentecost

JUNE

The Pantheon includes the tombs of Victor Hugo and Voltaire. (Robert Frerck; Woodfin Camp)

Air Show French Open Tour de France

JULY Bastille Day (14th) National Holiday

AUGUST Many museums, restaurants, and other facilities are closed for the traditional Parisian vacation month. Assumption (15th)

NOVEMBER All Souls' Day (1st) Armistice Day (11th) Beaujolais Nouveau (18th) Wine Festival

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Famous Citizens

Robert de Sorbon (1201–74), philosopher and theologian, founded the Sorbonne, which became the University of Paris.

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Nostradamus (b. Michel de Notredame, 1503–66), philosopher and astrologer. René Descartes (1596–1650), father of modern mathematics. Louis XIV, the “Sun King” (1638–1715), built the palace of Versailles. Molière (b. Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, 1622–1673), playwright. Napoleon Bonaparte (b. Napoleone Buonaparte, 1769–1821), Emperor of France from 1805 to 1809 and from 1810 to 1814.

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Paris Jean-François Champollion (1790– 1832), discovered the Rosetta Stone. Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841–1919), Claude Monet (1840–1926), Edouard Manet (1832–83)—all French painters of the Impressionist style. Victor Hugo (1802–85), one of the greatest and most prolific of all French writers, wrote Notre-Dame de Paris (Hunchback). Alfred Dreyfus (1859–1935), involved in exposing the French government’s policy of anti-Semitism, accused of treason, and exonerated in a famous court-martial.

Edith Piaf (1915–63), songstress nicknamed the “sparrow”. François Truffaut (1932–84), cinematographer who invented the nouvelle vague of the film industry. Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–80), father of the philosophical movement of existentialism. Simone de Beauvoir (1908–86), author of The Second Sex. Albert Camus (1913–60), philosopher and writer. Antoine de St. Exupéry (1900–44), World War II pilot, best known for his short novel The Little Prince.

Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann (1809–91), created wide boulevards which mark modern Paris and improved sewer system.

Brigitte Bardot (b. Camille Javal, 1934 ), most famous French female movie star.

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (1832–1923), engineer and one of the founders of aerodynamics, built the Eiffel Tower for the World’s Fair of 1889 and designed the locks for the Panama Canal.

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Georges Bizet (1838–75), composer of the operas Carmen and The Pearl Fishers. General Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970), famous World War II general who helped Eisenhower with the World War II D-Day invasion of Normandy to defeat Hitler and Nazi Germany. Maurice Chevalier (1888–1972), French singer and movie star (Gigi).

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Gérard Dépardieu (b. 1948), French and American movie star.

For Further Study

Websites Air

France airline. [Online] Available www.airfrance.fr (accessed December 20, 1999). La Conciergerie. [Online] Available www.conciergerie.com (accessed December 20, 1999). Paris Pages. [Online] Available www.paris.org (accessed December 20, 1999). Paris Tourist Office. [Online] Available http:// www.paris-touristoffice.com (accessed December 20, 1999). RATP. [Online] Available www.ratp.fr (accessed December 20, 1999). Smartweb. [Online] Available http://smartweb.fr (accessed December 20, 1999). SNCF. [Online] Available www.sncf.fr (accessed December 20, 1999).

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Paris Government Offices

Books

American Embassy in Paris 2 Rue St. Florentin Paris, 75001 Tel: 01.43.12.22.22

Guide Michelin, Paris. John Murray Publishers, 1999. Insight Guide Paris. Maspeth, NY: Langenscheit Publishers, 1999. Jones, Colin. The Cambridge Illustrated History of France. London: Cambridge University Press, 1994. Paris. London: Dorling Kindersley, 1999. Safran, William. The French Polity. New York and London: Longman, 1985.

Tourist and Convention Bureaus France and Paris Tourism 444 Madison Ave. N.Y., N.Y. 10020 (212) 838-7800 676 N. Michigan Ave. #3360 Chicago, IL 60611 9494 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90212

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Videorecordings The

Louvre (narrated by Charles Monterey Home Video., n.d.

Boyer).

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Glossary ABOLITIONIST: Person or organization that opposes slavery. When slavery was legal, abolitionists fought to have laws created to make keeping slaves illegal. ADMINISTRATION: Government officials and the policies by which they govern. AIR POLLUTION: Harmful chemicals discharged into the air, making it unclean and sometimes unsafe. ALLIES: Groups or persons who are united in a common purpose. Typically used to describe nations that have joined together to fight a common enemy in war. In World War I, the term Allies described the nations that fought against Germany and its allies. In World War II, Allies described the United Kingdom, United States, the USSR and their allies, who fought against the Axis Powers of Germany, Italy, and Japan. AMALGAM: A mixture of different things. ANCHORAGE: Settling or staying in place by means of holding on to something. ANNEXATION: The act of adding on a smaller thing to a larger thing. ANNUAL MEAN TEMPERATURE: The temperature that falls at the middle of the range of high and low temperatures for the entire year. ANTI-SEMITISM: Fear or hatred of Jews. APARTHEID: The past governmental policy in the Republic of South Africa of separating the races in society. ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS: Relics and artifacts left by past cultures. BOROUGH: District or large section of a city, especially New York, New York. BUDDHISM: A religious system common in India and eastern Asia. Founded by and based upon the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, Buddhism asserts that suffering is an inescapable part of life. Deliverance can only be achieved through the practice of charity, temperance, justice, honesty, and truth. CABARET: A restaurant or nightclub with short musical performances with singing and dancing as entertainment. CADENCE: Any rhythmic flow of sound or measured movement to a rhythm or beat. CANTON: A territory or small division or state within a country. COMMUNISM: A form of government whose system requires common ownership of property for the use of all citizens. All profits are to be equally dis-

tributed and prices on goods and services are usually set by the state. Also, communism refers directly to the official doctrine of the former U.S.S.R. COSMOPOLITAN: Containing elements of all or many parts of the world. COUT D’ÉTAT OR COUP: A sudden, violent overthrow of a government or its leader. CULTURE: The ideas and typical habits of a group of people. DAILY CIRCULATION: Number of newspapers or other publications that are distributed each day. DIALECT: One of a number of regional or related modes of speech regarded as descending from a common origin. DIVERSITY: Variety; a mixture of different or dissimilar elements, items, or people. ENDEMIC: Anything that is peculiar to and characteristic of a locality or region. ENTREPRENEUR: Someone who starts and operates a small business. ETHNIC: Referring to a group of people with the same cultural heritage. FEDERAL: Pertaining to a union of states whose governments are subordinate to a central government. FEZ: A cone-shaped felt hat with no brim and a flat top, from which a long tassel hangs; the national headdress for men in Turkey. FUNICULAR: Hanging from or worked by pulling up and lowering of ropes or cables. GLOBAL ECONOMY: Relating to the economic situation (management of wealth and resources) of the whole world as a single community. GOLD RUSH: Describes people traveling in a hurry to a place where gold was discovered. GREENWICH MEAN TIME (GMT): Mean solar time of the meridian at Greenwich, England, used as the basis for standard time throughout most of the world. The world is divided into 24 time zones, and all are related to the prime, or Greenwich mean, zone. GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP): A measure of the market value of all goods and services produced within the boundaries of a nation, regardless of asset ownership. Unlike gross national product, GDP excludes receipts from that nation’s business operations in foreign countries. GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT (GNP): A measure of the market value of goods and services produced by the labor and property of a nation. Includes receipts from that nation’s business operation in foreign countries

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GLOSSARY HERESY: An opinion believed to contradict a basic

NATIONALIST: Person or government policy that

law of a religion. INDIGENOUS: People, plants, and animals that lived in a place from ancient times. Also called native people, plants, and animals. INHABITED: Lived in. INQUISITION: A general tribunal, or court, established in the thirteenth century for the discovery and suppression of heresy and the punishment of those who were guilty of heresy (called heretics). ISLAM: The religious system of Mohammed, practiced by Muslims and based on a belief in Allah as the supreme being and Muhammad as his prophet. The spelling variations, Moslim and Mohammed, are also used. Islam also refers to those nations in which it is the primary religion. LABYRINTHINE: Curving in an intricate or confusing pattern; curvy, like a snake. MAGNATE: Important person, or person with special influence. MELANESIAN: The native or original inhabitants of islands in the Pacific Ocean south of the equator, including the Fiji Islands. METRO: Short form of metropolitan, usually used with a city name. For example, metro Detroit describes the city of Detroit and its surrounding area. METROPOLIS: Large city or center of population. METROPOLITAN: Term used to describe a city and its area of influence. For example, “metropolitan Detroit” refers to the city of Detroit and its surrounding area.

puts the needs and interests of the country first over the needs and interests of the other countries or international groups. PER CAPITA: Literally, per person; for each person counted. PHILANTHROPIST: Person who gives large sums of his or her own money to benefit community organizations or institutions. POLYNESIAN: The native or original inhabitants of islands in the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, and New Zealand. PRE-COLUMBIAN: Refers to the time in the history of North and South America before the arrival of Europeans (before 1492). Named for the first European to reach the Western hemisphere, Christopher Columbus. PROGRESSIVE: Person or government that is open to new ideas and willing to move forward or change habits or practices. PROTESTANT: A member or an adherent of one of those Christian bodies which descended from the Reformation of the sixteenth century. Originally applied to those who opposed or protested the Roman Catholic Church. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH: The designation of the church of which the pope or Bishop of Rome is the head, and that holds him as the successor of St. Peter and heir of his spiritual authority, privileges, and gifts. RURAL: Describes landscape of the countryside, with large areas of open space and few roads and buildings covering the land. SOUTHEAST ASIA: The region in Asia that consists of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. SUBURB: Community on the edge of a large city where people live. People who live in a suburb usually travel to the city to work. SULTAN: A king of a Muslim (Islamic) state. TREATY: A negotiated agreement between two governments. URBAN: City landscape, with streets and buildings covering most of the area. VISIONARY: Person who can imagine positive changes and can explain the possible results to others. XENOPHOBIA: Fear or intense dislike of people from other places. ZENITH: The high point.

METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA (MSA): Official term used by government agencies to define the city and its surrounding communities. The MSA describes the area included when gathering and reporting statistics. MILITARY COUP: A sudden, violent overthrow of a government by military forces. MILLENNIUM: 1,000 years. Also used to refer to the one-thousandth anniversary of an event. MISSIONARIES: People who travel to, and often live in, another area for the purpose of teaching the inhabitants there their religious beliefs. MOBILITY: The freedom and ability to move from one area or region to another. MOSQUE: An Islam place of worship and the organization with which it is connected. MUSLIM: Name used to describe people who observe the religious rules of Islam.

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Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities