Japanese cities most costly for Asia expats: survey

Expatriates in Japan have the highest living expenses compared to their counterparts working elsewhere in Asia, due largely to the Japanese currency's recent sharp rise, a global survey said Tuesday.

Human resource firm ECA International's latest survey of expatriate living costs showed Japanese cities occupied the top four most expensive locations in Asia, with Tokyo ranked first followed by Nagoya, Yokohama and Kobe.

The Japanese capital also topped the global list of most expensive locations for expatriates, according to the survey carried out in September.

The yen has risen by about 20 percent against the US dollar in the past 12 months and expatriates who are paid in currencies such as the greenback are feeling the impact, said Lee Quane, ECA International's regional director.

"It is not because prices have risen in Japan, they are still benign," Quane told AFP.

"Although we had a tsunami and the impact on the supply chain, that has had very little knock-on effect on the price that people pay in the supermarkets.

"Expatriates who are paid in yen won't feel much difference but for those who are paid in other currencies such as the US dollar, they will be the ones who are most affected."

In recent months, investors have flocked to the Japanese currency as a safe haven amid volatile markets stirred by eurozone debt fears and concerns for the global economy.

Rounding up Asia's top ten list of most expensive locations are fifth-placed Seoul followed by Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Busan.

While living costs have risen by more than eight percent on average in Asia, this has not dented the appeal of the region to foreign companies, ECA International said.

"People still want to move here, companies still want to expand their operations here," Quane said.

The ECA International survey is carried out twice a year in March and September by measuring a basket of common items purchased by expatriates in more than 400 locations globally, such as dairy produce, vegetables, clothing and meals out.

The survey does not include housing, utilities, car and school expenses as these items can make a significant difference to costs but are often compensated for separately in expatriate packages, the firm said.

source: AFP news

SAME NAME CITY 4: Cadiz CITIES

Cadiz Cities in the World!

Cadiz is also one of the one of the most used name in the world. Cadiz is most likely a Spanish term.  Spain occupancy in the Philippines have been visible especially in the used of Spanish language not only in foods but majority in the place names and one of which is "cadiz". 

There is also a city in America which is named as Cadiz.

SPAIN: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadiz
PHILIPPINES: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadiz_City
US: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadiz,_Kentucky

Cauayan: The Trade Center of Isabela

Cauayan was an original town of the Province of Cagayan. It was transferred to Nueva Vizcaya when it became a province in 1839. Upon the creation of Isabela as a province by a Royal Decree issued in May 1856, it was reverted as a town of the new province. The town site was first located in a place called Calanusian along the Cagayan River, but after a series of disastrous floods, the town site was transferred to its present location.

Historical structures still visible to this day are the big adobe stone church located at the Poblacion, now called Our Lady of the Pillar Church and the Tabacalera warehouse and La Insular bodegas found at Barangay Turayong that date their construction during Spanish rule.

With the establishment of the government under the United States of America, Don Domingo Damatan was appointed as the first “presidente municipal”.

It was during the administration of Mayor Faustino N. Dy (1964-1972) that the municipality started to bounce from a rather slow development. The town’s development continued at an even faster pace under Mayor Benjamin G. Dy (1983-1992) who envisioned the municipality to become a city. The vision became a reality under Mayor Faustino G. Dy, III who saw through the introduction of House Bill No. 9017 and which was signed by Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on February 28, 2001. Cauayan became a component city of the Province of Isabela after it was ratified in a plebiscite by a majority vote on March 30, 2001.

Cauayan City has an area of 336.40451 square kilometers and ranks as the tenth highest in terms of land area among the 38 Local Government Units of the Province of Isabela. As of May 1, 2000, the registered population of the City is 103,952 with an annual growth rate of 2.43% Most of the Cauayanos speak Ilocano (74.91%) while the rest speak Tagalog (14.14 %); Gaddang (6.38%) and Ibanag (1.59%).

One of the financial centers of Region 02, it has 16 banks catering to the needs of commerce, trade and industry and home to the only all-Filipino soft drinks company – the Cosmos Bottling Corporation. The city is also the host of the regional sales office of the San Miguel Corporation, Nestle and Magnolia. Cauayan Public Market is a recipient of the prestigious Philippine Health Promotions Program Award after having been adjudged as “The Healthiest Public Market” for the provincial and regional level, and also received the “Cleanest Wet Section” Award Provincial and Regional category in March 2001.

Cauayan celebrates its Gawagaway-yan Festival – a celebration of the city’s bountiful harvest and merriment for the ethno-linguistic groups in the city from March 30 to April 13. The city produced the longest Cassava Roll measuring 1.250 kilometers last 2005.

Cauayan City is about 367 kilometers from Manila and is accessible via airconditioned buses from Manila plying the Maharlika Highway. Cauayan City has a domestic airport with modern facilities and caters to chartered planes and is home to Cyclone Airways, Batanes Air and Sky Pasada which flies to Maconacon and Palanan. For inquiries and reservation call Monet at (078) 652-2368.

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Zurich

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. While the municipality itself has approximately 380,500 inhabitants, the Zurich metropolitan area is an urbanized area of international importance constituted by a population of nearly 2 million inhabitants. Zurich is a mixed hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.

Permanently settled for around 7,000 years, the history of Zurich goes back to its founding by the Romans, who, in 15 BC, called it Turicum. During the Middle Ages Zurich gained the independent and privileged status of imperial immediacy and, in 1519, was the place of origin and centre of the Protestant Reformation in German-speaking Switzerland, led by Ulrich Zwingli.

Zurich is a leading global city and among the world's largest financial centres. The city is home to a large number of financial institutions and banking giants. Also, most of the research and development centres are concentrated in Zurich and the low rate of tax attracts overseas companies to set up their headquarters there. According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zurich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world as well as the wealthiest city in Europe.

An impressive number of museums and art galleries can be found in the city, including the Swiss National Museum and the Kunsthaus. Zurich also hosts one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world.

Top 29 Cities to Visit in 2011 - Askmen.com

You deserve a vacation. But from the steamy clubs of Sao Paulo to the seething crowds at London's Wembley Stadium, men today are spoiled for choice. So where to go?

AskMen has the answer. Whether you're looking for an epic party, a mind-blowing sports experience, a perfect martini, or just the simple pleasures of the world's most beautiful women, our Top 29 Cities To Visit in 2011 has you covered.

1. Barcelona	11.	21.
2. Buenos Aires	12.	22.
3. Miami	13.	23.
4. New York	14.	24
5. London	15.	25.
6.	16.	26
7.	17.	27. Mumbai
8.	18.	28. Sydney
9.	19.	29. Amsterdam
10.	20.	:)

http://www.askmen.com/specials/top_29_cities/

Benguela: São Felipe de Benguela

Benguela is a city in western Angola, south of Luanda, and capital of Benguela Province. It lies on a bay of the same name, in 12° 33’ S., 13° 25’ E. Benguela is one of Angola's most populous cities.

 Famous for its beaches, Benguela is situated on the coast in the centre of Angola. It has a tremendous geographical diversity and owes its name to the Benguela cold stream which runs from Antarctica. The main cities of the province of Benguela are the cities of Benguela, Lobito and Baia Farta. The longest railway line in Angola, which crosses the country to its borders with Zambia and DR Congo, departs from its second city, Lobito, which has a deep water port.

Novembro 2003 - Associação Comercial ou Palácio das Bolas

There are many places of historical and cultural interest in Benguela: Ermida da Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes; Ponta do Sombreiro; a patio with a panoramic view at caotinha and the church of Nossa Senhora do Popolo (National Monument built in 1748)

In Lobito: The Palácio do Governo (old colonial architecture); Igreja da Nª Srª da Arrábida; Quilve lighthouse; Termas da Jomba; Barra do rio; Barra do rio Cumba; Vila da Catumbela

Legazpi

The City of Legazpi (Bikol: Ciudad nin Legazpi; Filipino: Lungsod ng Legazpi) is a first class city and capital of the province of Albay, Philippines. With 179,481 inhabitants according to the 2007 census, it is the largest city in the Bicol Region in terms of population, though not in land area. It is also the regional center of the Bicol Region.

Located in the geographical center of the peninsula and between the two island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate, Legazpi is the southernmost terminus of the Philippine National Railways Main Line South, though it will be extended up to Matnog in Sorsogon. It also services sea-going vessels through its port.

The city is the ecclesiastical seat of the Diocese of Legazpi, and most of its inhabitants are Roman Catholics.

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SAME NAME CITY 3: San Carlos CITIES

SAN CARLOS Cities n the World:

San Carlos is a name of a saint which also and other place around the world. Philippines being one of Spaniards colonies before, has many places named "Sac Carlos'.

BRAZIL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Carlos

PHILIPPINES: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Carlos_City,_Negros_Occidental

PHILIPPINES: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Carlos_City,_Pangasinan

CALIFORNIA USA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Carlos,_California

URUGUAY: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Carlos,_Uruguay

Calgary: The Stampede City

Calgary play /ˈkælɡᵊri/ is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately 80 km (50 mi) east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. The city is located in the Grassland region of Alberta.

In 2006, the City of Calgary had a population of 988,193 making it the third-largest municipality in the country and largest in Alberta.[2] The entire metropolitan area had a 2006 population of 1,079,310, making it the fifth-largest census metropolitan area (CMA) in Canada. In 2009, Calgary's metropolitan population was estimated at 1,230,248, raising its rank to fourth-largest CMA in Canada.

The downtown region of the city consists of five neighbourhoods: Eau Claire (including the Festival District), the Downtown West End, the Downtown Commercial Core, Chinatown, and the Downtown East Village (also part of the Rivers District). The commercial core is itself divided into a number of districts including the Stephen Avenue Retail Core, the Entertainment District, the Arts District and the Government District. Distinct from downtown and south of 9th Avenue is Calgary's densest neighbourhood, the Beltline. The area includes a number of communities such as Connaught, Victoria Crossing and a portion of the Rivers District. The Beltline is the focus of major planning and rejuvenation initiatives on the part of the municipal government to increase the density and liveliness of Calgary's centre.[citation needed]

Adjacent to, or directly radiating from the downtown are the first of the inner-city communities. These include Crescent Heights, Hounsfield Heights/Briar Hill, Hillhurst/Sunnyside (including Kensington BRZ), Bridgeland, Renfrew, Mount Royal, Mission, Ramsay and Inglewood and Albert Park/Radisson Heights directly to the east. The inner city is, in turn, surrounded by relatively dense and established neighbourhoods such as Rosedale and Mount Pleasant to the north; Bowness, Parkdale and Glendale to the west; Park Hill, South Calgary (including Marda Loop), Bankview, Altadore, and Killarney to the south; and Forest Lawn/International Avenue to the east. Lying beyond these, and usually separated from one another by highways, are suburban communities including Somerset, Country Hills, Sundance, and McKenzie Towne. In all, there are over 180 distinct neighbourhoods within the city limits.

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Website: http://www.calgary.ca

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary

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Redland

Redland City is a Local Government Area of South East Queensland, spread along the southern coast of Moreton Bay covering 537.1 square kilometres (207.4 sq mi). Between the cities of Brisbane to the north, Logan to the west, and the Gold Coast to the south, it is part of the fastest growing area in Queensland and one of the fastest growing in Australia.

The City had an estimated population of 127,627 in 2006, four times the number of residents it had as a rural community 25 years earlier. An increasing proportion of these new residents are retirees from the southern states of Australia.

Redland attained City status on 15 March 2008, having previously been a Shire since its creation in 1949 from the former shires of Tingalpa and Cleveland.

OFFICIAL DETAILS :

City Head: Hon. Melva Hobson
Land Area: 537.1 sq. km.
Population: 142,822 est. as of 2010
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Location: Australia
Website: http://www.redland.qld.gov.au/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redland_City

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Qingdao: The "Green" and "Lush"

Qingdao   also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 7.5 million (2009) in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. It borders Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west and Rizhao to the southwest. The character (qīng) in Chinese means "green" or "lush", while the character (dǎo) means "island". Qingdao is administered at the sub-provincial level.

Lying across the Shandong Peninsula while looking out to the Yellow Sea, Qingdao is a major seaport, naval base, and industrial centre. It is also the site of the Tsingtao Brewery. The world's longest sea bridge, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge, links the main urban area of Qingdao with Huangdao district, straddling the Jiaozhou Bay sea areas. In 2009, Qingdao was named China's most livable city.

Below are the sister cities of Qingdao:

 - Shimonoseki, Japan (3 October 1979)

 - Long Beach, California, USA (12 April 1985)[1]

 - Acapulco, Mexico (21 August 1985)

 - Wilhelmshaven, Germany (1992)

 - Odessa, Ukraine (29 April 1993)

 - Daegu, South Korea (4 December 1993)

 - Nes Ziyyona, Israel (2 December 1997)

 - Velsen, the Netherlands (9 December 1998)

 - Southampton, UK (27 December 1998)

 - Galway, Ireland (1999)

 - Puerto Montt, Chile (17 August 1999)

 - Paderborn, Germany (2003)

 - Perm, Russia (2003)

 - Iloilo City, Philippines, (2003)

 - Montevideo, Uruguay, (15 April 2004)

 - Klaipėda, Lithuania (30 May 2004)

 - Bilbao, Spain (21 August 2004)

 - Nantes, France (June 4, 2005)

 - Miami, Florida, USA (30 August 2005)

 - St Petersburg, Russia (8 October 2006)

 - Makassar, Indonesia

 - North Shore City, New Zealand (9 August 2008)

 - Vila Velha, Brazil (27 October 2009)

 - Rijeka, Croatia (22 August 2010)



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City Head: Xia Geng
Land Area: 862.64 sq. km.
Population: 2,755,500
City Classification: Highly Urbanized City
Website: http://english.qingdao.gov.cn/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qingdao


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Mansoura: The Victorious

Mansoura is a city in Egypt, with a population of 420,000. It is the capital of the Dakahlia Governorate.

Mansoura lies on the east bank of the Damietta branch of the Nile, in the Delta region. Mansoura is about 120 km northeast of Cairo. Across from the city, on the opposite bank of the Nile, is the town of Talkha.

Naga: The Heart of Bicol

The City of Naga is a first class independent component city in the Philippines. Located in the Bicol region, a peninsula on the south-easternmost tip of the island of Luzon. Naga is 377 kilometres south-east of Manila, the nation's capital, and about 380 kilometres north-east of Cebu City

Naga is the most populous city in the region as well as the most dense, and is locally known as the "Heart of Bicol" being the commercial, financial, educational, religious and cultural center of the Bicol region. Residents of the City are called Nagueños. Naga City is at the core of Metro Naga, an unofficial designation given the City and 14 municipalities in the area administered by the Metro Naga Development Council. MNDC covers the entire 2nd district of the province of Camarines Sur, and part of its 1st, 3rd and 4th districts.

As the home of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Bicol’s regional patroness, Naga celebrates the fiesta every September in full pageantry and expressions of piety presaged by a traslacion, or foot procession, that culminates in a colorful fluvial procession. Now over 300 years old, the religious celebration makes Naga the center of a unique Marian devotion that is feted by Bicolanos here and abroad.

One of the oldest cities of the Philippines, Naga is also among the richest when talking about culture and heritage. Take a leisurely tour of the city’s museums and old churches and see the sunrise ignites the glory of a Spanish colonial era in the heart of Bicolandia. Or choose a month when festivals take place to relive a kaleidoscopic display of sounds, colors, and tastes. The City of Naga is a first class independent component city in the Philippines. Located in the Bicol region, a peninsula on the south-easternmost tip of the island of Luzon. Naga is 377 kilometres south-east of Manila, the nation's capital, and about 380 kilometres north-east of Cebu City

Naga is the most populous city in the region as well as the most dense, and is locally known as the "Heart of Bicol" being the commercial, financial, educational, religious and cultural center of the Bicol region. Residents of the City are called Nagueños.

Naga City is at the core of Metro Naga, an unofficial designation given the City and 14 municipalities in the area administered by the Metro Naga Development Council. MNDC covers the entire 2nd district of the province of Camarines Sur, and part of its 1st, 3rd and 4th districts.

As the home of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, Bicol’s regional patroness, Naga celebrates the fiesta every September in full pageantry and expressions of piety presaged by a traslacion, or foot procession, that culminates in a colorful fluvial procession. Now over 300 years old, the religious celebration makes Naga the center of a unique Marian devotion that is feted by Bicolanos here and abroad.

One of the oldest cities of the Philippines, Naga is also among the richest when talking about culture and heritage. Take a leisurely tour of the city’s museums and old churches and see the sunrise ignites the glory of a Spanish colonial era in the heart of Bicolandia. Or choose a month when festivals take place to relive a kaleidoscopic display of sounds, colors, and tastes. 

Cited by the DENR as Bicolandia’s cleanest and greenest city, Naga is home to Mt. Isarog whose herpetological wonders have been internationally acclaimed as one of the country’s fragile and treasured centers of biological diversity. As a natural park, its rainforests attract not only foreign and local researchers and scientists, but the more adventurous trekkers, as well.

Located in the center of the Bicol peninsula, Naga is the gateway to the region’s other amazing destinations: Camarines Sur Watersports Complex, Caramoan’s white beaches and pristine islands, Mayon Volcano in Albay, and the gentle Butanding in Donsol, Sorsogon. Still, while in Naga, one can take a step further to go surfing in Camarines Norte or the island province of Catanduanes.

Cited by the DENR as Bicolandia’s cleanest and greenest city, Naga is home to Mt. Isarog whose herpetological wonders have been internationally acclaimed as one of the country’s fragile and treasured centers of biological diversity. As a natural park, its rainforests attract not only foreign and local researchers and scientists, but the more adventurous trekkers, as well.

Located in the center of the Bicol peninsula, Naga is the gateway to the region’s other amazing destinations: Camarines Sur Watersports Complex, Caramoan’s white beaches and pristine islands, Mayon Volcano in Albay, and the gentle Butanding in Donsol, Sorsogon. Still, while in Naga, one can take a step further to go surfing in Camarines Norte or the island province of Catanduanes.

OFFICIAL DETAILS :

City Head: 
Land Area: 84.48 sq. km.
Population: 170,000 est. as of 2010
City Classification: 1st Class Component City
Location: Camarines Sur, Philippines
Website: http://naga.gov.ph/
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naga_City

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"The Heart of Bicol"
"The Happy Place"




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