n["amalfi"][0]="Amalfi|Italy|it|Europe"; n["amalfi"][1]="Amalfi used to be a major naval power on the Amalfi Coast that stretches for 50 km (31 miles) along the promontory between Sorrento and Salerno. There are several hotels and restaurants in town."; n["amanzimtoti"][0]="Amanzimtoti|South Africa|sf|Africa"; n["amanzimtoti"][1]="Amanzimtoti is a concrete jungle of high rise appartment blocks, 30 km south of Durban. There is a good beach and accommodation is widely available."; n["amarbayasgalantkhiid"][0]="Amarbayasgalant Khiid|Mongolia|mg|Asia"; n["amarbayasgalantkhiid"][1]="Amarbayasgalant Khiid is considered to be the second most important monastery in Mongolia (after Erdene Zuu Khiid in Kharkhorin). The Manchurian king Kansu originally built Amarbayasgalant Khiid in 1737 and dedicated it to the great Mongolian Buddhist and sculptor, Zanabazar. It consisted of 37 temples and statues, but in the 1930's the communists destroyed 27 of them. Nowadays the monastery is home to some 30 monks and you can always ask them to show you around.|The beautiful monastery is situated north of Ulaanbaatar, 65 km southwest from the town of Darkhan (Darhan). You can get to Darkhan by bus or train from the capital, but you'll need a jeep to get to the monastery from Darkhan."; n["amarillo"][0]="Amarillo|United States|us|North America"; n["amarillo"][1]="Amarillo is the commercial and industrial center of the Texas Panhandle. After the coming of the railroad in 1887, it became a market for wheat farmers and started growing. The discovery of gas in 1918 and oil in 1921 turned Amarillo into an industrial city. Its economy is also based on ranching, meatpacking, flour milling, zinc and copper smelting, as well as the manufacture of helicopters, wood and fiberglass products, synthetic rubber and cattle feed. Not far from town you will find a U.S. government helium plant and the Federal Helium Preserve. The Pantex plant, east of the city, which formerly built nuclear weapons, now disassembles them.|Accommodation and restaurants are available in town. Amarillo is 540 km northwest from Dallas and 226 km southwest from Washington D.C."; n["amazonjungle"][0]="Amazon Jungle|South America|samerica|South America"; n["amazonjungle"][1]="The Amazonas is the world's largest tropical rainforest. It consists of an enormous system of rivers, streams and dense forests, which are home to a number of isolated Indian tribes. Even nowadays, not all of the Amazon tributaries have been explored and of the estimated 15,000 species of birds, fish and mammals that live in the Amazonas, only part has been described, let alone the thousands of insect species that must house in the jungle.|Some of the species that are known to live in the Amazonas include alligator, anaconda, armadillo, boa constrictor, caiman, jaguar, peccary, river dolphin, sloth, spider monkey and tapir, while birds such as hawks, hummingbirds, macaws, parrots and toucans can be seen there as well. There are more than 1800 species of butterflies alone, as well as 200 sorts of mosquitoes. Fish include numerous varieties of electric eel, piranha, piraracu, pintado and tucunaré. The abindance of fish is so great that about 30% of the fish species sold on the markets of Belém in Brazil, can not be identified by biologists, as the species are unknown.|In Venezuela, trips up the Orinoco, Sipapo or Autana Rivers, deep into the Venezuelan Amazon can be arranged from the town of Puerto Ayacucho.|Nearly half of Brazil is covered by the Amazonas. In Brazil the Rio Amazonas is navigable for ocean-going vessels between the cities of Manaus and Belém, a distance of more than 1300 km. In Brazil, the most common place to stay, if you want to visit the Amazonas, is the city of Manaus. About 30% of the fish sold on the markets of Belém, cannot be identified by biologists, as they belong to unknown species."; n["ambalavao"][0]="Ambalavao|Madagascar|ma|Africa"; n["ambalavao"][1]="Ambalavao is known in Madagascar as 'home of the departed', a place of great spiritual importance. The nearby Ambondrome Grag is said to be the paradise of all Malagasy ancestors. Also in the area is Ifandana Grag where mass suicides were committed in 1811. You can buy antaimoro paper in Ambalavao. It is made by adding flower petals in patterns to the pulp. Also the best lamba arindrano, hand-woven silk with geometric patterns, can be bought in Ambalavao.|There is very little accommodation in town. Ambalavao is 335 km south of Antananarivo."; n["ambercoast"][0]="Amber Coast|Dominican Republic|dr|Central America"; n["ambercoast"][1]="The northern coast of the Dominican Republic got its name, because some of the world's richest amber deposits are located in the hills there. The Amber Coast includes a 120 km (75 miles) long string of good beaches, stretching east from Puerto Plata.|Amber Coast receives large amounts of European package tourists every year and it is the most developed region in the country. There are many resorts filled with huge hotels and fast-food restaurants, but some small towns have retained their laid-back atmosphere and offer local guesthouses, as well as small restaurants, where authentic local foods are served."; n["ambergriscay"][0]="Ambergris Cay|Belize|bh|Central America"; n["ambergriscay"][1]="Ambergris Cay is the largest of Belize's Cays. It measures 40 km (25 miles) and is only separated from the mainland of Mexico by a narrow stretch of water on its northern side. There are several holiday resorts, but otherwise it has a laid-back atmosphere.|Ambergris's main town is San Pedro and east of town, about 1 km (0.6 miles) off the coast lies a beautiful reef. In San Pedro, trips and excursions to diving and snorkeling spots, as well as tp other cays in the region are widely available.|Accommodation on Ambergris Cay is available in San Pedro, as well as in several holiday resorts that are scattered over the cay. Ambergris Cay has a population of only about 2000. The cay is 60 km northeast of Belize City and 120 km northeast of Belmopan."; n["ambohitra"][0]="d.write('"; n["amboseli"][0]="d.write('"; n["amboselinationalpark"][0]="Amboseli National Park|Kenya|ke|Africa"; n["amboselinationalpark"][1]="The Amboseli National Park is not very large, only 392 km², but it is Kenya's second popular park (after Masai Mara). The park consists mainly of grassy plains and is dominated by Africa's highest peak, 5895 m high Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, that can be seen from miles away. The occasionally flooded Lake Amboseli is in the western part of the park, but usually it's a dry expanse of dust. Amboseli is one of the few places in Africa where the rare black rhino can be seen as well as hundreds of elephants and other game, including baboon, buffalo, cheetah, gazelle, giraffe, hyena, jackal, leopard, lion, wart hog, wildebeest and zebra.|It is possible to take flights over the area in a microlight (small airplane).|There are some lodges and a camp site in the area, but be careful when camping as there are so many elephants. Most people come to Amboseli via Tanzania, as the main border post between Kenya and Tanzania is at Namanga, 75 km away via a dirt road. There are also matatu (minibuses) from Nairobi and it is possible to fly to Amboseli from the capital. You can also enter the park from the Tsavo National Park in the east."; n["ambositra"][0]="Ambositra|Madagascar|ma|Africa"; n["ambositra"][1]="Ambositra is the location of the woodcarving cooperative, which is known all over the country. The Zafimaniry families were the originators of the woodcarving craft.|There is little accommodation in town. Ambositra is 185 km south of Antananarivo."; n["ambrenaturereserve"][0]="Ambre Nature Reserve (Ambohitra)|Madagascar|ma|Africa"; n["ambrenaturereserve"][1]="Parc National de Montagne d'Ambre covers 18,200 hectares (44,954 acres) in the north of Madagascar. The area in a volcanic massif has been protected since 1958 in an effort to preserve the biological diversity as well as the pristine mountains. Species found in the area don't differ much from these in the eastern rainforests, but there are animals and plants that are unique to the area. The area is totally covered in thick rainforest and the average amount of rainfall tops 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) a year.|People usually visit the park to see some of the seven lemur species that roam the area. There are also many reptiles and amphibians in the Ambre Nature Reserve, including frogs, geckoes, chameleons and snakes. 73 different species of birds have been seen in the area.|The best time to visit the park is during the dry season. There are about 20 km of walking routes in the park. Along one of them you will find the Petite Cascade, a small waterfall that flows into a beautiful pool in the rocks. Cliffs, covered in vegetation, surround the pool. The Petit Lac is a crater lake, but to reach it you will have to get over the crater's rim, quite a steep walk uphill. Not far from the Petite Cascade starts a path known as the Jardin Botanique. The path runs through a stretch of forest with a great variety of plants. Orchids, palms, lianas and bromeliads can all bee seen there.|Ambre Nature Reserve lies 715 km north of Antananarivo. The best place to stay is Antsiranana, some 40 km to the north. From Antsiranana you can get to other places in Madagascar by air or with a taxi-brousse."; n["amezrou"][0]="Amezrou|Morocco|mo|Africa"; n["amezrou"][1]="Amezrou is about three kilometers south of Zagora, on the other side of the Drâa River. The town was home to many Jews up to 1948, when the majority of them migrated to Israel. The old Jewish mellah is still the center for silver jewelry."; n["amlapura"][0]="Amlapura|Indonesia|id|Asia"; n["amlapura"][1]="The main attraction in the town of Amlapura is its water palace. The decaying relic is a reminder of the power of the Balinese rajahs. Amlapura's water palace is surrounded by countless terraced rice paddies.|Acommodation is available in town, but most people only come here, when visiting the nearby town of Tenganan."; n["amman"][0]="Amman|Jordan|jo|Asia"; n["amman"][1]="Amman is the busy, somewhat chaotic capital of Jordan, but dispite of that it is one of the most pleasant cities in the Middle East. The city already existed in 2000 BC at least and there are numerous Roman ruins. Amman was built on many hills and the city center is at the lowest point, in between them.|The Roman theatre is the most significant remnant of the ancient Roman city of Philadelphia. It was built in the 2nd century AD, in the side of a hill that used to be a graveyard until then. The beautifully restored theatre can seat up to 6000 people and is just east of the city center. Further east is the Odeon, which was mainly used for musical performances. It dates from the same period as the theatre. Just west of the theatre is the city's main fountain, nymphaeum, while north of all these ruins, on a hill, the Roman citadel is located. Most of the citadel is now in rubble, apart from some Roman, Byzantine and Muslim buildings, but if you want to know what it once looked like, you can visit the National Archaeological Museum on the same site.|Other sights in Amman include the Folklore Museum and the Traditional Jewels & Costumes Museum, which are both situated in the Roman theatre. North of the city is the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, which includes a museum on Jordan's military history.|The main hill in Amman is Jebel Amman. There you will find numerous upscale hotels and expensive restaurants, as well as many foreign embassies. Cheaper hotels and restaurants are scattered all over the city. There are countless shwarma stalls, cheap restaurants and western-style fast food places in the center of town. In the district of Shmeisani, northwest of the city center are also numerous good restaurants."; n["amman"][2]="-31.58|35.59|776|2000000|96|2|y|6|962"; n["amman"][3]="8.1|6.9|16.1|1.5|25|0|20.6|0.5"; n["ampefy"][0]="Ampefy|Madagascar|ma|Africa"; n["ampefy"][1]="Ampefy is an interesting town, 140 km southwest of Antananarivo. It is beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Itasy.|There is little accommodation in town."; n["ampenan"][0]="Ampenan|Indonesia|id|Asia"; n["ampenan"][1]="Ampenan was once Lombok's central port. Nowadays it is virtually merged with the towns of Cakranegara, Mataram and Sweta to form a 'city' on Lombok.|Ampenan is a good place to look for budget accommodation and excellent food places. Ampenan lies on Lombok's western coast, some 1060 km east of Jakarta."; n["amritsar"][0]="Amritsar|India|in|Asia"; n["amritsar"][1]="Amritsar has always been an important crossroads on trade routes between central Asia and India and commercial activities have earned the city its wealth. It is also one of the oldest and most fascinating cities in India and the major pilgrimage and cultural center for Sikhs in the country.|There are numerous important religious sites in Amritsar, of which the Golden Temple is the most prominent one. It was founded by Guru Ramdas, the fourth important Guru for Sikhs and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev. Later, during Maharaja Ranjit Singh's reign, the lower half of the temple was decorated with marble while the entire upper half was inlaid with copper, covered over by gold plate. That earned the temple its present name: Golden Temple. Free kitchen and recitation of the divine word never cease here. The Golden Temple has four gates that invite everyone from all directions. The Jallianwal Bagh is a Martyrs' Memorial, built in the shape of a flame. It is not far from the Golden Temple and commemorates one of the most heart-rending events in India's history. On the place of the memorial, some 1500 to 2000 people were attending a meeting of the freedom movement on 13 April 1919, when the British General Dyer opened fire on the crowd. Numerous people died and bullet marks, as well as the well into which some people jumped to escape the onslaught can still be seen.|Another revered shrine is the Durgiana Temple which is dedicated to goddess Durga. It is situated outside the Lohgarh Gate and its design was based on the Golden Temple. Hindus from all over India come to Amritsar to visit the Durgiana Temple.|The Tower of Baba Atal Rai was built in memory of Baba Atal Rai, son of Sri Har Gobind Ji. The octagonal nine-storied structure is about 50 meters high and features several beautiful frescos depicting the life of Guru nanak Dev Ji.|The Summer place of Maharaja Ranjit Singh is situated in the middle of the beautiful Ram BaghAkal Takhat was built by the Sixth Guru Sri Har Gobind, as a seal of temporal authority symbolizing the unity of spiritual and temporal life in 1609. Amritsar's Khalsa College was founded in 1892 and built on grand scale in typical Sikh architecture. Part of the premises were used for the new Guru Nanak Dev University.|Apart from al those interesting sights, there is a large number of cotton, wool and silk textile factories in Amritsar. Other industries include electric goods, sewing machines, auto parts and carpets. Most goods are exported to the Middle East. Amritser is also a major distribution center for dry fruits, tea and condiments.|There are numerous hotels and hostels in Amritsar, many in the vicinity of the Golden Temple. There are also countless restaurants in the city. The Katra Jaimal Singh, near the telephone exchange in the old city, is a good area for shopping. The city has air, rail and bus connections with many places in India. Amritsar is 390 km northwest of Delhi and only 60 km east of Lahore (in Pakistan). There are numerous interesting places in the area around Amritsar."; n["amsterdam"][0]="Amsterdam|The Netherlands|nl|Europe"; n["amsterdam"][1]="/coa.Archaeological excavations suggest people were already living in the area, which is nowadays known as Amsterdam, during Roman times. There is no evidence of human settlement, but coins and several other artifacts show that there were people in the region. The area consisted of numerous shifting lakes, swamps and soggy peat. During the 12th century the marshlands around the Amstel River were dammed by farmers and fishing men who settled in the area.|The settlement expanded rapidly and by the 14th century it was one of the most important trading places between the North and Baltic Sea regions and southern Europe. When Amsterdam became richer, different classes started struggling for power. The Catholic aristocrats were defeated by the newly rich merchants, who turned to Calvinism. The Calvinists got rid of the Spanish Catholic Philip II and in 1578 they captured Amsterdam. One year later they declared the seven northern provinces an independent country, named Holland. They were led by Willem van Oranje (William of Orange), who is the forefather of the present royals.|Peace returned and Amsterdam's 'Golden Age' started in 1580 when the Spanish captured Antwerp and restricted access to the sea from that city. Many merchants moved their businesses to Amsterdam. By 1600 ships from Amsterdam dominated trade and traffic on most European Seas. In the 17th century overseas trading ports were established.|Slowly money industries such as banks became more important than trade. In the beginning of the 19th century the importance of Amsterdam started declining, after the French occupied the city and the British blockaded access to the sea. The French left in 1814, but by that time Amsterdam had become a local market town of little importance and the British ruled the seas.|Amsterdam shifted its economy to that of industry. Railways were built and steel production plants established. The city grew and during WWI, when The Netherlands was neutral, as well as the 1920's Amsterdam boomed once again. In 1928 the Olympic games were held in the capital. But in the 1930 came the recession and unemployment hit 25%. In 1940 Germany invaded and overran the city. Amsterdam had a large Jewish population of bankers and traders and the Germans slowly introduced measures against them. At the end of WWII it was clear that only 1 in 16 of Amsterdam's Jews survived the holocaust. With almost 94% Amsterdam had the highest proportion of Jews murdered anywhere in Western Europe. During the severe winter of 1944/1945 many of Amsterdam's citizens died from hunger. In May 1945 Amsterdam was liberated by the Allied forces.|After WWII rebuilding started, but by the 1960's when the city was back on track, it became the radical heart of Europe. The Provos organized 'street happenings' and students and women demanded greater freedoms. Soon Amsterdam became famous as the freest city in Europe, where everything was possible. During the 1970 crime rates soared, but in the 1980's and 1990's consensus settled in and Amsterdam became quite a pleasant and relaxed place. During that period numerous ethnic minorities from Suriname, The Netherlands Antilles, Morocco and Turkey changed the ethnic makeup of the city totally and nowadays about half of Amsterdam's population is made up of minorities.|Migrants have come to the city for centuries though and have always been an important source of the city's power and wealth. Along Amsterdam's numerous tree-lined canals you can see beautiful buildings that were constructed by merchants during the Golden Age. There are many scenic spots all over the city, which makes Amsterdam one of the places in the world that are very hard to leave once your holiday is finished. Amsterdam is an excellent place to explore either on foot or by bike, as the city center is very compact, although the canal belt can be confusing sometimes. The old city is contained within a ring of concentric canals (gracht). As the city grew new canals were built to serve the warehouses in the newer parts of town. The outermost canal is the Singelgracht. Dam square is the heart of the city. There you can see the National Palace, as well as the National Monument to commemorate the victims of WWII. Several other places nearby, such as Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein are thriving as well.|