World Cities Photos: April 2008

Hong Kong

Hong Kong, officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Macau. The territory lies on the eastern side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province in the north and facing the South China Sea in the east, west and south. Beginning as a trading port in the 19th century, Hong Kong has developed into a leading financial centre.
Hong Kong was a dependent territory of the United Kingdom from 1842 until the transfer of its sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997. The Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulate that Hong Kong operate with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2047, fifty years after the transfer. Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defence and foreign affairs, while the Government of Hong Kong is responsible for its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organisations and events.

Hong Kong at Night

The hilly terrain and urban density of Hong Kong can be seen from Victoria Peak.

Vienna (2)

Modern Vienna

UN complex in Vienna

Dubai (2)

The Margham desert sand dunes south of the city of Dubai

Fog on a number of buildings in Dubai

Dubai (1)

Dubai is the coast of the Arabian Gulf, Dubai Creek divides the mainland including Deira Dubai. It is the capital of the Emirate of Dubai and the Office of the Governor, one of the important cities in the area of trade in the world.

Dubai night skyline

The Burj Al Arab is the world's tallest hotel.

Vienna (1)

Vienna is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city; with a population of about 1.7 million, it is by far the largest city in Austria as well as its cultural, economic and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by population in the European Union and is identified having the 3rd highest quality of living. The United Nations has offices there, as does OPEC. The Vienna International Centre near the Danube also hosts important international offices including the International Atomic Energy Agency. Vienna lies in the very east of Austria and is close to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. In 2001, the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an Economist Intelligence Unit study of 127 world cities ranked it first equal with Vancouver for the quality of life.

River Danube, and Millennium Tower in Vienna

Madride (1)

Madride is the capital of Spain, is a city of great cultural, political and economical importance. Madrid is a major European economic centre, and its International Airport is the largest in Spain. While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets.
Its landmarks include the huge Royal Palace of Madrid, the Teatro Real (Royal theatre) with its restored 1850 Opera House; the Buen Retiro park, founded in 1631; the imposing 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives; an archaeological museum of international reputation; and three superb art museums: Prado Museum, which hosts one of the finest art collections in the world, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace.

Madrid view from Faro de Moncloa

Royal Palace of Madrid

Rome (2)

Rome seen from the Garden of Aranci

Piazza Venezia from Altare della Patria - Roma

San Francisco (2)

San Francisco at Sunset

Russian Hill, One of the hills of San Francisco

San Francisco (1)

San Francisco

The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 14th most populous city in the United States, with a 2007 estimated population of 764,976. One of the most densely populated major American cities, San Francisco is part of the much larger San Francisco Bay Area.
San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination renowned for its steep rolling hills, an eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture, and famous landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, the cable cars, Coit Tower, and Chinatown. The city is also known for its diverse, cosmopolitan population, including large and long-established Asian American and LGBT communities. While the climate includes chilly summer fog, the winters are mild.

The San Francisco skyline centered within the Financial District

San Francisco from the Marin Headlands

Geneva (1)

Geneva Lake in Switzerland

The old town of Geneva in winter

Sydney (1)

Sydney CBD at Night

Washington (2)

The Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and US Capitol.

Aerial picture for the city of Washington.

Washington (1)

Aerial picture for the city of Washington

The U.S. Capitol, seat of the Legislative Branch of the U.S. Federal Government, sits prominently east of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

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Rome (1)

Rome is the capital city of Italy and of the Lazio region, as well as the country's largest and most populous city, It is located in the central-western portion of the Italian peninsula, where the river Aniene joins the Tiber.