Where is the world is... (Answers)

As always, great detective work everyone! In case any left you stumped, here are the answers and our list of updates.



1) I remember back in my school days having learned a poem by a German writer about the disaster of a rail bridge in the 19th century in northwestern Europe that collapsed in a heavy winter storm while a train was crossing it.

Tay rail bridge, Dundee, Scotland



2) A large, mythical lake often shrouded in mist. Legend has it that a sea snake about 60 feet long lives in this lake.

Loch Ness, Drumnadrochit, Scotland



3) This artificial lake in Europe became famous for starring in the opening of a James Bond movie in which a bungee jump was performed.

Lago di Vogorno, Ticino, Switzerland



4) A spaceport in the jungle. Several European space agencies - federal and commercial - conduct rocket launches from here.

Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana



5) A large national park in the continental U.S. that is mainly covered by tempered rain forest and glaciated peaks is now entirely visible at the resolution of at least 1m per pixel.

Olympic National Park, Washington, USA



6) This section of motorway in Europe closes a small gap but runs across a bridge which is currently the tallest in the world with a maximum height of 270 meters.

Viaduc de Millau, Midi-Pyrénées, France



7) This is a very popular tourist location on the pacific side of North America.

Puerta Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico



8) Finally, this last image shows a part of the sculpture park of this European city. The sculptures show human figures.

City of Oslo, Norway



Updated Imagery:  

Americas:

    - USA: Muscatine County (IA), Parts of Champaign County (IL), Parts of Benton County (AR), Parts of Washington County (AR), parts of Washington State, and parts of Michigan

    - Mexico: Puebla, Toluca, Puerto Vallarta

    - Brazil: Porto Alegre

    - French Guiana: Northern Coast

Europe, Middle East, & Africa:

    - Great Britain: Large parts of Scotland and considerable amounts of England

    - France: Departments of Seine-Maritime, Calvados, Val-d'Oise, Yvelines, Essonne, Seine-et-Marne, Aube, Yonne, Sarthe, Vosges, Territiore de Belfort, Vienne, Haute-Vienne, Charente, Charente-Maritime, Cantal, Aveyron, Aude, Bouches-du-Rhône, Saône-et-Loire, Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Martinique (Caribbean Sea), Mayotte (Indian Sea)

    - Italy: Costa Smeralda (Sardegna), Genova (Liguria), Milano (Lombardia), Lago Maggiore (Piemonte/Lombardia)

    - Spain: Cádiz

    - Switzerland: Engelberg

Asia & Oceania:

    - New Zealand: Palmerston

New 2.5m base imagery for: Southern India and Western Paraguay.

New Terrain for: Contra Costa County, Paris, Copenhagen, Dallas, Houston, Jacksonville, Lisbon, Madrid, Memphis, Mexico City, Miami, Minneapolis, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Sevilla, St Louis, Tampa, and Toronto

Posted by Bernd Steinert, GIS Specialist, Zurich

Where in the world is...

Hello geo fans, here comes another batch of new imagery for Google Earth and Google Maps. To help you find the locations pictured in this new imagery, I have assembled a small quiz with some famous places that have been updated. Stay tuned for the answers to this quiz to appear in this blog, along with a more complete list of areas with updated imagery.

To make the quiz a bit more challenging this time around, the images are sometimes not oriented northernly.

1) I remember back in my school days having learned a poem by a German writer about the disaster of a rail bridge in the 19th century in northwestern Europe that collapsed in a heavy winter storm while a train was crossing it.


2) A large, mythical lake often shrouded in mist. Legend has it that a sea snake about 60 feet long lives in this lake.

3) This artificial lake in Europe became famous for starring in the opening of a James Bond movie in which a bungee jump was performed.


4) A spaceport in the jungle. Several European space agencies - federal and commercial - conduct rocket launches from here.


5) A large national park in the continental U.S. that is mainly covered by tempered rain forest and glaciated peaks is now entirely visible at the resolution of at least 1m per pixel.

6) This section of motorway in Europe closes a small gap but runs across a bridge which is currently the tallest in the world with a maximum height of 270 meters.

7) This is a very popular tourist location on the pacific side of North America.


8) Finally, this last image shows a part of the sculpture park of this European city. The sculptures show human figures.


Posted by Bernd Steinert, GIS Specialist, Zurich

Where in the world is... (Answers)

So, how did you do? Don't feel bad if you couldn't identify them all, terrain is much harder to identify than imagery. However, I'm very disappointed in you geologists. ;-)

1) The formal dedication of the harbor here took place on April 10th - 44 years ago:

-- Marina del Rey, CA, USA

2) Mountains of money can be made (or lost) at the popular U.S. destination.
-- Las Vegas, NV, USA

3) Wow, the tower here does look a little bit like a fire hose.
-- Telegraph Hill / Coit tower / San Francisco, CA, USA

4) This hilly city known for its beaches, sits on what the Roman's knew as Sinus Cantabrorum:

-- San Sebastian, Spain

5) If you want to get a picture of this city's Golden Triangle, you might want to try Herron Hill:

-- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

6) While this city's downtown doesn't have much in terms of elevation, the nearby Gatineau Hills have some nice hikes.
-- Ottawa, ON, Canada

7) This low lying coastal city accounts for roughly 25% of the country's population. Onnea!
-- Helsinki, Finland

8) At 87m, Mount Victoria isn't much of a mountain, but it does give you nice views of Torpedo Bay:

-- North Shore, New Zealand

9) Looking for a little elevation without leaving the city? Either Bellevue Hill Park or Jackson Hill Park seem like a good choice.
-- Cincinnati, OH, USA

10) The 5km hike to Castell de Sant Miquel from this city will give you stunning views of the country side.
-- Girona, Spain

11) Even with an elevation range of over 1300 ft (~400 m), you'll be hard pressed to find any good hikes here. :-)
-- Lake Superior / Great Lakes


Below is a list of additional areas being update in this data move.
Updated Imagery:

Americas:

- USA: Arizona, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine, Mobile (AL), Charleston (SC), McAllen (TX), Hannibal (MO), Warren County (IA)
- Canada: Vancouver, Calgary, Port Alberni
- Brazil: Sao Paulo, Florianopolis

Europe, Middle East, & Africa:

- France: Bas-Rhin, Indre, Pyrenees-Orientales
- Spain: San Sebastian, much of the Northern Coast
- England: Slough
- Scotland: Shapinsay, Rousay, Stronsay, Turriff, Peterhead, Portpatrick, Wigtown
- Sweden: much of the country
- Switzerland: Geneva, Basle, Lausanne, Lugano, Luzern
- Austria: large chunks of Eastern Austria
- Italy: Bergamo
- Russia: Smolensk, Novgorod
- Albania: Tirana
- Algeria: Tripoli
- Egypt: Aswan
- Sudan: Khartoum

Asia & Oceania:

- China: Changsha
- New Zealand: Auckland, Hamilton, North Shore

New 2.5m base imagery for: Morocco, South Korea

New Terrain for: Azkoita, Girona, Charlotte, Columbus, Oakland, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Santa Monica, Washington DC, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Marina del Rey, North Shore, Helsinki, Ottowa, Prague, San Sebastian, Beasain, Oslo, Great Lakes, Brown Bear Seamount

Posted by Jamie Adams, Geo Data Strategist

Where in the world is ...

Hello Geo-detectives! In the time honored tradition of new imagery posts, we have a quiz for you ... with a twist! Instead of focusing on areas with new imagery, we're looking at areas with ... drum roll please ... new terrain! The 3D functionality of Google Earth is one of its defining features, and with this update it's gotten even better. Let's explore!

1) The formal dedication of the harbor here took place on April 10th - 44 years ago:



2) Mountains of money can be made (or lost) at this popular U.S. destination.

3) Wow, the tower here does look a little bit like a fire hose.

4) This hilly city known for its beaches, sits on what the Roman's knew as Sinus Cantabrorum:



5) If you want to get a picture of this city's Golden Triangle, you might want to try Herron Hill:



6) While this city's downtown doesn't have much in terms of elevation, the nearby Gatineau Hills have some nice hikes.

7) This low lying coastal city accounts for roughly 25% of the country's population. Onnea!

8) At 87m, Mount Victoria isn't much of a mountain, but it does give you nice views of Torpedo Bay:



9) Looking for a little elevation without leaving the city? Either Bellevue Hill Park or Jackson Hill Park seem like a good choice.

10) The 5km hike to Castell de Sant Miquel from this city will give you stunning views of the country side.

And the bonus question:

11) Even with an elevation range of over 1300 ft (~400 m), you'll be hard pressed to find any good hikes here. :-)

Just remember - wear comfortable shoes and brings lots of water. It could be steep!


Posted by Jamie Adams, Geo Data Strategist

Where in the world is... (Answers)

Great work figuring out the answers to the quiz! Here are the answers in case any of the questions stumped you, and below is a more complete listing of areas updated.

1) This busy city is home to the world's largest shopping mall.
- Edmonton, Canada

2) A Viking Runestone was found in this 'Springtime Place' back in 1824.   
- Upernavik, Greenland

3) This 'capital of happiness' was once a colonial capital.
- Salvador, Brazil

4) Parlez vous Francais? If so, you would be at home in this city, which is the second largest French speaking city in the world.
- Montreal, Canada

5) Though not quite complete, we've significantly improved our imagery coverage of this enormous river.   
- Amazon River

6) The gateway to the highlands is now visible.
- Stirling, Scotland

7) Abandoned by settlers in 1541, this city is now the 2nd largest on it's continent.
- Buenos Aires

8) This city was twice the capitol of Persia, and recently hosted the International Physics Olympiad.
- Esfahan, Iran

9) Despite chilly temperatures, this city is sometimes called the Riviera of the North.   
- Malmo, Sweden

10) We've upgraded imagery of pristine mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers, and plains in this State.
- Alaska

Updated Imagery: 

Americas:

    - USA: South Dakota, Wisconsin, Many Alaskan Parklands,  Fairbanks

    - Canada: Edmonton, Montreal, Antigonish, Faulder, Osoyoos, Apex, Keremeos, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Olalla, Oliver, Princeton, Tulameen, East Gate

    - Colombia: Medellin, Barranquilla, Bello, tulla

    - Nicaragua: Managua

    - Uruguay: Atlantida, Montevideo

    - Guyana: Georgetown

    - Chile: Talca

    - Brazil: Belo Horizonte, Brazilia, Salvador, Goiania, Vila Velha, Betim, Atibaia, Amazon River

    - Peru: Arequipa, Chincha Alta

    - Argentina: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Santa Fe, Ipatinga, Palmas

Europe, Middle East, & Africa:

    - France: Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrenees, Rhone-Alpes, Rhone, Jura, Haute-Saone, Haut-Rhin, Indre-et-Loire, Vendee, Ille-et-Vilaine

    - UK: Edinburgh, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Billingham, Sheffield, York, Hull, Sunderland

    - Sweden: Alingsas, Alvsbyn, Arjeplog, Arvidsjaur, Boras, Eskilstuna, Finspang, Fagersta, Boden, Eksjo, Enkoping, Helsingborg, Are, Avesta, Borlange, Hasselholm, Almhult, Arvika, Astorp, Halmastad, Alvesta, Angelholm, Tranas, Uddevalla, Uppsala, Vanersborg, Varberg, Varnamo, Casteras, Vetlanda, Haparanda, Kirstinehamn, Falkenberg, Falun, Gallivare, Gislaved, Hedemora, Hoganas, Jonkoping, Kalix, Karlshamn, Karlskrona, Klippan, Kungalv, Kungsbacka, Ljungby, Lycksele, Malmo, Norrtalje, Sunne, Ostersund, Saffle, Sodertalje, Stenungsund, Strangnas, Stromsund, Arboga, Bollnas, Eslov, Falkoping, Gavle, Hallstahammar, Harnosand, Hudiksvall, Karlstad, Katrineholm, Lidkoping, Lulea, Jokkmokk, Kalmar, Kinna, Kiruna, Koping, Kristianstad, Landskrona, Lund, Motala, Onsala, Oxelosund, Sigtuna, Oskarshamn, Ronneby, Trollhattan, Vadstena, Umea, Vastervik, Vaxjo, Ystad, Visby, Hoegland, Hoernett

    - Greenland: Aappilattoq, Aasiaat, Akunnaaq, Alluitsup, Ammassivik, Arsuk, Atammik, Attu, Eqalugaarsuit, Igaliku, Iginniarfik, Ikamiut, Ikerasaak, Ilimanaq, Illoqqortmiut, Illorsuit, Ilulissat, Innaarsuit, Isotoq, Itterajivit, Kangaamiut, Kangerluk, Kangerlussuaq, Kangersuatiaq, Kapisillit, Kitsissuarsuit, Kullorsuaq, Kulusuk, Kuumiut, Maniitsoq, Naajaat, Nanotralik, Napasoq, Narsaq, Narsarsuaq, Nerlerit Inaat, Niaqornaarsuk, Nuuk, Nuussiaq, Oqaatsut, Paamiut, Qaanaaq, Qaarsut, Qaqortoq, Qasigiannguit, Qassiarsuk, Qassimiut, Qegertarsuaq, Qeqertarsuatsiaat, Saarloq, Saqqaq, Saattut, Sarfannguit, Savissivik, Sermiligaaq, Siorapaluk, Sisimiut, Tasiusaq, Tiniteqilaaq, Tussaaq, Ukkusissat, Upernavik, Uummannaq, Moriusaq, Tasiilaq, Vsskemgf (sorry, that last one was a sneeze).

    - Italy: Terni, Genoa, Naples, Torino, Pisa, Brescia,

    - Switzerland: Nidwalden, Obwalden

    - Greece: Athens, Thessaloniki,

    - Bosnia and Herzegovinia: Sarajevo

    - Croatia: Zagreb

    - Moldova: Chisnau

    - Russia: Samara, Izhevsk, Yaroslavl, Tomsk, Cheboksary, Cherepovets,

    - Iran: Esfahan, Kerman

    - Qatar: Doha

    - Saudi Arabia: Tabuk,

    - Tunisia: Tunis

    - Egypt: Tanta, Damanhur, Banha, Minuf

    - Morocco: Rabat, Oujda, Meknes

    - Senegal: Dakar

    - Somalia: Mogadishu

    - Angola: Lobito, Lubango

    - Ghana: Tamale

    - Mali: Bamako

    - Uganda: Kampala

    - Nigeria: Kaduna, Kano, Wukari

    - Kenya: Ruiru

    - Central African Republic: Bangui

    - Sierra Leone: Freetown

    - Ivory Coast: Abidjan, Korhogo

    - Namibia: Windhoek

    - Madagascar: Tamatave

Asia & Oceania:

      - China: Anshan, Fushun, Benxi, Changzhou, Anqing

     - India: Pune, Pimpri, Jamshedpur, Muzaffarpur, Latur, Sambhal, Amroha, Tenali, Navsari, Bhuj, Bankura, Begusarai, Chas, Buxar, Sujangarh, Dod Ballapur, Madhuban, Valsad, Sirsi, Borsad, Ladnun, Petlad, Kanakapura

     - Pakistan: Peshawar, Jacobabad

     - Bangladesh: Chittagong

     - Kazahkstan: Shymkent

     - Uzbekistan: Namagan, Navoiy

New 2.5m base imagery for: Mexico and Turkey

New Terrain for: Wollongong, Whitsunday Islands, Perth, Hobart, Geelong, Canberra, Cairnes, Adelaide, Honolulu, LA, and Santa Rosa.

Posted by Matt Manolides, Senior GIS Strategist

Where in the world is ...

It's been a while since I wrote an imagery quiz, but I'm happy to have a new one for you today. We've got a lot of new high quality aerial and satellite imagery for you to explore in Google Earth, both in the US and abroad. I don't want to spoil the fun of discovering the updates for yourselves, so here's a list of hints. I'll post an update in a couple days with the answers and a more complete list of updated areas.

1) This busy city is home to the world's largest shopping mall.

2) A Viking Runestone was found in this 'Springtime Place' back in 1824.

3) This 'capitol of happiness' was once a colonial capitol.

4) Parlez vous Francais? If so, you would be at home in this city, which is the second largest French speaking city in the world.

5) Though not quite complete, we've significantly improved our imagery coverage of this enormous river.

6) The gateway to the highlands is now visible.

7) Abandoned by settlers in 1541, this city is now the 2nd largest on it's continent.

8) This city was twice the capitol of Persia, and recently hosted the International Physics Olympiad.

9) Despite chilly temperatures, this city is sometimes called the Riviera of the North.

10) We've upgraded imagery of pristine mountains, glaciers, lakes, rivers, and plains in this State.

Enjoy the hunt, and stay classy geo fans!  =)

Posted by Matt Manolides, Senior GIS Strategist

Where in the world is...

Greetings, geo fans. Today I'm happy to announce the launch of new imagery for Google Earth. Not wanting to spoil the fun, here are some hints to help you discover where the new imagery coverage is located. Check back tomorrow for the answers and a more complete list of updated areas.

1) Often referred to as The Cape, this land mass is technically an island.

2) The happiest place in Europe has been updated.


3) A major tourist attraction and host of an annual film festival, this city has gotten the star treatment.

4) You can now explore this city in high resolution, though it's not quite what William Gibson envisioned.

5) This tiny city-state is known for it's glitz, glamor, and incredible wealth.


6) You can see this city's expressway renovation project -- which cost close to a billion dollars -- nearly completed.

7) The city of a hundred spires can be viewed with increased clarity.

8) This famous stretch of road was built by returned servicemen as a war memorial.

9) According to several recent surveys, residents in this city experience the world's highest quality of life.

10) Though it's expanded beyond them, this city is famous for its intact renaissance era city walls.

Finally, thanks to our ever-attentive geo community, we were able to correct an anomaly that appeared in our imagery of a golf course in the Netherlands. It turned out to be an image-processing error that happened during our color-correction process, so we've removed it.

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Where in the world is... (Answers)

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Here are the answers to yesterday's quiz -- I'm sure you all passed with flying colors.

1) Founded in 1608, this former British possession has a decidedly French flair.
--Quebec

2) Once the seat of great political power, this red fortress is now a major tourist attraction.
--Alhambra, Granada

3) Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this city was lost to the world for 1700 years.

--Pompeii

4) Passing by a famous golf course and luxurious mansions, this stretch of road is a tourist attraction in its own right.

--17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach (California)

5) Legend has it that Hercules founded this major European city.
--Barcelona

6) This city within a city plays host to an Opera House, Planetarium, Science Museum, Oceanographic Park, and beautiful gardens.

--City of Arts & Sciences, Valencia (Spain)

7) When we updated imagery of this city, we got complete coverage of another country with it.
--Rome & Vatican City

8) This city hosted General MacArthur's South West Pacific Headquarters during WWII.
--Brisbane

9) Some of my Googler co-workers can enjoy the views from this very tall building.

--Taipei 101, Taipei


The following is a more complete list of the areas we've updated in this data push:

Updated Imagery:
Americas:
- USA: San Diego, San Francisco metro area, Wenatchee (WA), New Mexico.

- Canada: Quebec, New Westminster (BC).

Europe, Middle East & Africa:

- England: Bristol
- Spain: Barcelona, Costa del Sol, Granada, Murcia, Valencia, Cuenca, Toledo, Caceres, Zaragoza.

- Portugal: Braga, new base imagery for entire country

- Italy: Rome, Naples

- Germany: Freidburg, Munich

Asia & Oceania:

- Australia: Brisbane, Great Barrier Reef

- Taiwan: Taipei, Taichung

New 2.5m base imagery for: The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Taiwan, Tasmania, and parts of Mexico, China, and Australia.

Where in the world is...

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Today I'm happy to announce that we've just finished pushing out an imagery update for all you Google Earth fans out there. As usual, I'll drop a few hints at where these updates might be, and tomorrow I'll post the complete list of updates. 

1) Founded in 1608, this former British possession has a decidedly French flair.

2) Once the seat of great political power, this red fortress is now a major tourist attraction.

3) Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this city was lost to the world for 1700 years.

4) Passing by a famous golf course and luxurious mansions, this stretch of road is a tourist attraction in its own right.

5) Legend has it that Hercules founded this major European city.

6) This city within a city plays host to an Opera House, Planetarium, Science Museum, Oceanographic Park, and beautiful gardens.

7) When we updated imagery of this city, we got complete coverage of another country with it.

8) This city hosted General MacArthur's South West Pacific Headquarters during WWII.

9) Some of my Googler co-workers can enjoy the views from this very tall building.

Where in the world is...

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Hello again! Today I'm happy to announce that the Google Earth data team has pushed out another imagery update. As always, here are some hints pointing you toward the new imagery. Stay tuned for the answers and a more complete listing of imagery updates.

1) This city is home to over 300 museums. Its flower is the bird of paradise and its tree is the coral tree.

2) An historic landmark, this all wood luxury hotel was built in 1888.


3) This city's namesake was the Governor of Tennessee.

4) Many believe the Greek King Ulysses founded this modern day capitol city.

5) Towering above many, this city is the 2nd highest capital on its continent.


6) Considered the fashion capitol of the world, you can now visit this city with high-res imagery.

7) This is the city where Vegemite was invented and is now exclusively produced.

8) The cruise ship capitol of the world has gotten a fresh set of pixels.


9) The currency of this island is known as Manx.

Where in the world is...

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Greetings, geo fans! Today we've launched a significant amount of new imagery throughout the world. The updates include new imagery of all seven continents, touching over 86 different countries. As always, I'm leaving hints here, and I'll post answers and a more complete listing of the updates tomorrow. Good luck!

1) The fans of 'Sweet Lou' get to see his three cities updated.

2) This town has the longest railway station name in the UK.

3) Sir Rutherford Alcock was the first foreigner to climb this mountain in 1860:


4) This major U.S. city was granted "town" status on February 2, 1856.

5) A major tourist destination and UNESCO World Heritage Site, this city is also home to one of the richest silver mines in the world.

6) Founded in 1514, this town was the departure point for the Francisco Hernandez de Cordova (1517) and Cortez (1518) expeditions.

7) With over 100 buildings, including a bowling alley, this site is home to the largest community on its continent:


8) With tales of great treasure, a German geologist led an expedition up the face of this very large mountain in 1883.

9) On the verge of being devoured by the Sahara, this town, which was once a center of learning, is a Moorish architectural jewel.

10) Now visible in Google Earth, this enormous dam will not be fully functional until 2011:

Where in the world is... (Answers)

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Great detective work, everyone. As always I am very impressed at the speed with which the blogosphere finds these updates. Here's a list of answers to the clues, as well as a more complete listing of updates.

1) A young boy living in this town designed the Alaska state flag 32 years prior to Alaska
gaining statehood.
-- 13 year old Benny Benson designed the current Alaska state flag while living in Seward, AK.

2) The incredible ruins of an old medieval castle, believed damaged during the Swedish
invasion of 1655, are now visible in Google Earth.
-- Ogrodzieniec, Poland

















3) On July 3, 1810, this city declared independence from Spain.
-- Santiago de Cali declared independence from Spain 17 days before the national revolt in Bogata. It wasn't until 1819 that Colombia won its freedom.

4) This city's metropolitan area is the most populous in the world, with over 35 million people.
-- Despite a national declining population, the greater Tokyo area has held this title since the 70's.

5) This city, known as the City of Peace for hosting many peace conferences, is a popular
tourist destination.
-- Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Check out the amazing Panoramio photos people have taken of this resort hot spot.

6) The oldest Polish cathedral, burial site of many famous Polish leaders, is now high res.
-- The Archcathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in Poznan, was first constructed in the second half of the 10th century.

7) This Jersey city is now high res.
-- I said Jersey, not New Jersey. ;) Saint Helier, the capitol of Jersey (a British Crown Dependency located off coast of Normandy) is now high res.

8) Lawrence of Arabia and Cleopatra were both shot at this famous studio.
-- Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate, Morocco.














9) This city is also Ukraine's largest port.
-- Odesa, Ukraine

10) Though completely destroyed in an 1868 fire, this gold rush town was completely
restored by the government of British Columbia to act as a tourist attraction.
-- Barkerville, British Columbia
















11) This was the final port of call for the Titanic before it's ill-fated transatlantic journey.
-- Cobh, Ireland, where the Titanic picked up most of it's third-class passengers.

12) Bach, 38 at the time, was appointed the cantor for St Thomas' Church in this city
-- Leipzig, Germany

13) This deep-water port was constructed in the middle of a bay and is connected to the
mainland by the third longest bridge in the world.
-- You can view the incredible infrastructure development at the Yangshan deep-water port outside of Shanghai.











14) The element Hafnium is named after this city's Latin name.
-- Hafnium was named after Copenhagen's Latin name: Hafnia.

15) The picturesque port in this city has been painted many times over, and helped inspire
the Impressionist movement.
-- The port of Honfleur, France was painted by the likes of Gustave Gourbet, Claude Monet, and Johan Jongkind.

16) Famous as the site where Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in Brazil, this
city is now a tourist destination.
-- Pedro Álvares Cabral, thinking he had landed on an Island, originally named Porto Seguro The Island of the True Cross.

17) The imagery above the headquarters of my favorite search engine has been upgraded!
-- The Googleplex in Mountain View, California!















Here's a more complete list of imagery updates in this data push:
New high resolution:
Americas:
- Canada: Significant amount of British Columbia
- USA: Jefferson City (MO), Central Virginia, Tioga County (NY), Cayuga County (NY),
Jefferson County (NY), Broome County (NY),
- Brazil: Uberlandia
- Colombia: Cali, Pasto
- Mexico: Veracruz

Europe, Middle East and Africa:
- France: Le Havre, Dunkerque

- Poland: Poznan
- Russia: Yaroslavl, Ivanovo, Vladikavkaz, Volzhskiy, Barnaul
- Ukraine: Rivne, Odesa
- Morocco: Agadir
- Nigeria: Abuja

- Egypt: 2.5m imagery for eastern half of the country


Asia & Oceania:

- Japan: Kagoshima, Hamamatsu
- New Zealand: Manawatu Wanganui Province, Thames-Coromandel Province
- China: Guiyang, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan, Neijang, Anshun, Zhuzhou, Changde,
Jiaoijang, Sashi, Qinhuangdao, Mudanjiang
- Indonesia: Sukabumi, Surakarta

2.5m imagery for the eastern half of Egypt.

Updated Imagery:
Americas:
- Canada: Calgary
- USA: Bend (OR), Reno (NV), Googleplex (CA), San Miguel (CA), Paso
Robles (CA), Buellton (CA), Thousand Oaks (CA), Los Angeles (CA), Orange
County (CA), Denver (CO), Saint Louis (MO), Knoxville (TN), Chattanooga (GA),
Dayton (CA), Atlanta (GA), Desoto County (FL), Onondaga County (NY), Cayuga
County (NY), McAllen (TX), Sanger (CA), Bellevue (WA)

Europe, Middle East and Africa:
- France: Nantes, Lyon
- Germany: Sindelfingen, Ausburg, Leipzig, Aachen
- Denmark: Entire country
- Niger: Niamey
- Zimbabwe: Harare
- South Africa: Johannesburg
- Iran: Tehran

Asia:
- Japan: Tokyo, Osaka, Nagano
- Thailand: Bangkok
- Vietnam: Hanoi

Antarctica: new 15m imagery

Updated Terrain:
Massachusetts

Where in the world is ...

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Hello, geo fans!

Today I'm very happy to announce that we've published a large amount of new imagery all over the world. I'm particularly happy to say that every continent on Earth has received a certain amount of new imagery in this update. I hope you enjoy discovering the amazing new sights to be seen -- below are some clues that might point you toward some interesting areas.

1) A young boy living in this town designed the Alaska state flag 32 years prior to Alaska gaining statehood.

2) The incredible ruins of an old medieval castle, believed damaged during the Swedish invasion of 1655, are now visible in Google Earth.



3) On July 3, 1810, this city declared independence from Spain.

4) This city's metropolitan area is the most populous in the world, with over 35 million people.

5) Known as the City of Peace for hosting many peace conferences, this city is a popular tourist destination.

6) The oldest Polish cathedral, this burial site of many famous Polish leaders is now high res.

7) This Jersey city is now high res.

8) Lawrence of Arabia and Cleopatra were both filmed at this famous studio.



9) This city is also Ukraine's largest port.

10) Though completely destroyed in an 1868 fire, this gold rush town was completely restored by the government of British Columbia to act as a tourist attraction.



11) This was the final port of call for the Titanic before it's ill-fated transatlantic journey.

12) Bach, 38 at the time, was appointed the cantor for St Thomas' Church in this city.

13) This deep-water port was constructed far offshore and is connected to the mainland by the third longest bridge in the world.



14) The element Hafnium is named after this city's Latin name.

15) The picturesque port in this city has been painted many times over, and helped inspire the Impressionist movement.

16) Famous as the site where Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral landed in Brazil, this city is now a tourist destination.

17) The imagery above the headquarters of my favorite search engine has been upgraded!



Have fun exploring, everyone!

Where in the world is ... (bonus edition -- Answers)

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Great job, everyone! I love following your collective blog entries tracking the updates, especially the ones that find updated imagery totally unrelated to the hints I gave.

Answers:
1) U.S. Route 91 turns into a much more famous stretch of road when it crosses into this town.
-- Las Vegas (The Las Vegas Strip)



















2) Every year, this city plays host to the U.K.'s largest outdoor (temporary) ice rink.
-- Leeds, England (The Ice Cube)

3) Paradise: In this town you can surf or visit the world's most delicious book store, located in
an old Twinkie factory (with plenty of aging filling still in the pipes).
-- Cleveland (Anyone who watches "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" should have gotten that one right!)

4) The original name of this city was Terminus.
-- Atlanta, Georgia

5) The world's northernmost opera house is located in this town.
-- Umeå, Sweden

6) This major U.S. city is actually north of Canada.
-- Detroit, Michigan

7) A popular children's game show that promoted geographic knowledge was produced out of
this city.
-- Pittsburgh (Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?)

8) Don't let the name fool you -- this lake actually fills a 4,000ft deep caldera.
-- Crater Lake, Oregon

9) You can tour the Royal Navy's first iron-hulled, armor-plated warship in this town.
-- Portsmouth, England (HMS Warrior)




















10) The historic fort in this city was restored based on an 1847 map published in Darmstadt,
Germany.
-- Sacramento (Sutter's Fort)















11) As Halloween approaches, one might be interested in viewing the 'Ghost Capital of Britain.'
-- Derby, England

12) Now part of Germany, this city was once the capital of the Hanseatic League.
-- Luebeck, Germany

13) President Lincoln attended the dedication ceremony of the Soldier's National Cemetery in
this town.
-- Gettysburg, PA (President Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address at this dedication ceremony.)
















Here's a more complete list of imagery updates in this data push:

New high resolution:

Americas: State of Oregon, State of Nebraska, State of North Carolina,
Western Mississippi, Much of Pennsylvania, Yakima County (WA),
Benton County (WA), Whistler (BC), San Jose (CA), Imperial County (CA),
Steamboat Springs (CO), Calhoun County (FL), Adams County (IL),
Washtenaw County (MI), Chemung County (NY), Cortland County (NY),
Castilla (Colombia)

Europe, Middle East & Africa:
- France: French Riviera, Avignon
- UK: Exeter, Brighton, Crawley, Essex, Colchester, Chelmsford,
Swindon, Cheltenham, Ipswich, Norwich, Peterborough, Leicester,
Chesterfield
- Germany: Freiburg, Stuttgart, Waiblingen, Remseck, Kornwestheim,
Ludwigsburg, Saarbruecken, Chemnitz, Erfurt, Ratigen,
Munster, Hamburg, Luebeck
Umea (Sweden)
Borger-Odoorn (The Netherlands)

2.5m imagery for the entire countries of: Tunisia, UAE, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.

Updated Imagery:
Americas: Las Vegas (NV), San Francisco Bay Area (East Bay & North Bay),
Sacramento (CA), Victoria (BC), Salt Lake City (UT), Provo (UT), Edmonton (Alberta),
Atlanta (GA), Northern St Louis (MO), Detroit (MI), Cleveland (OH), Pittsburgh (PA),
Boston (MA), Montreal (Quebec), Guadalajara (MX), Buenos Aires (Argentina),
Belo Horizonte (Brazil), Fortaleza (Brazil), Montevideo (Uruguay)

Europe, Middle East & Africa:
- UK: Plymouth, Torquay, Bournemouth, Southampton, Portsmouth, Gillingham
Southend, Basildon, Berkshire, Reading, Milton Keynes, Newport, Cardiff,
Swansea, Cambridge, Norfolk, Derby, Halifax, Leeds, Darlington, Dundee,
Belfast
Warsaw (Poland), Stockholm (Sweden), Lippstadt (Germany), Magdeburg (Germany),
Paderborn (Germany), Rostock (Germany), Boeblingen (Germany), Casablanca (Morocco),
Bamako (Mali), Windhoek (Namibia), Ankara (Turkey), Kano (Nigeria)

Asia & Oceania: Novosibirsk (Russia), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Ahmendabad (India),
Pune (India), Bangalore (India), Hyderabad (India), Perth (Australia), Brisbane (Australia)
Ulan Bator (Mongolia),

Updated Terrain:
Canada (20m and 90m) and Niagara Falls

Where in the world is ... (bonus edition)

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Surprise! I bet you weren't expecting another imagery update from the Google Earth/Maps team so quickly. ;-)

I'm very happy to announce that, today, we've published a large amount of new high-res imagery around the world. While in the previous post I spoke of 60cm imagery, this release has mostly aerial (higher-resolution) data, as well as some medium-resolution imagery for large swaths of land. Some of you were able to solve the last quiz within a few hours of posting it, so I'm going to throw in some more challenging clues this time around.

1) U.S. Route 91 turns into a much more famous stretch of road when it crosses into this town.
2) Every year, this city plays host to the U.K.'s largest outdoor (temporary) ice rink.
3) Paradise: In this town you can surf or visit the world's most delicious book store, located in
an old Twinkie factory (with plenty of aging filling still in the pipes).
4) The original name of this city was Terminus.
5) The world's northernmost opera house is located in this town.
6) This major U.S. city is actually north of Canada.
7) A popular children's game show that promoted geographic knowledge was produced out of
this city.
8) Don't let the name fool you -- this lake actually fills a 4,000ft deep caldera.
9) You can tour the Royal Navy's first iron-hulled, armor-plated warship in this town.
10) The historic fort in this city was restored based on an 1847 map published in Darmstadt,
Germany.
11) As Halloween approaches, one might be interested in viewing the 'Ghost Capital of Britain.'
12) Now part of Germany, this city was once the capital of the Hanseatic League.
13) President Lincoln attended the dedication ceremony of the Soldier's National Cemetery in
this town.


I'll post the answers to these clues in a few days. Good luck, everyone!

As a teaser, here's what our new Niagara Falls image looks like...

Where in the world is... (Answers)

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Great job figuring out the answers to all the clues, I am always impressed at how people scattered all across the globe team up to solve these riddles.

1) I don't mean to "flatter," but this remote Northwestern cape is very beautiful.
- Cape Flattery, WA
2) You can now explore the ruins of this ancient Mayan city, first discovered in 1934.
- Becan, Mexico (it's a little cloudy, but you can still see plenty of ruins)

3) This small Peruvian village attracts many tourists each year for the Incan ruins atop nearby hills.
- Pisac, Peru
4) This city claims to be the southernmost city in the world, with approximately 64,000 residents.
- Ushuaia, Agentina
5) Home of the Russian Pacific Fleet, this city is also Russia's largest Pacific coast harbor.
- Vladivostock, Russia

6) Named after Saint Irene, though sometimes referred to as Thera, this island is a popular Greek tourist destination.
- Santorini, Greece

7) The Trojan horse from the 2004 movie Troy is visible in this city.
- Çanakkale, Turkey























8) This city is the second most populated metropolitan area in Africa, second to Cairo.
- Lagos, Nigeria
9) For better or for worse, the testing done at this site changed the world forever. In 1965 it was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
- Trinity Site, White Sands Missile Range - New Mexico
10) Odessos was the original name of this large city, then a trading colony.
- Varna, Bulgaria
11) This was the first port on the Shandong peninsula to be opened to the west in the 1800s.
- Penglai City, China

























Remember, this was only a small sampling, there's lots of new imagery out there to discover.

Where in the world is...

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Greetings Earthlings,

Today we've published a significant amount of new or updated 60cm satellite imagery for Google Earth, with the Google Maps update to follow shortly. Much of this imagery is concentrated in the U.S., Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, India, China, Australia and New Zealand. I encourage everyone to go exploring -- you never know what you might find.

To help you get started, we've put together some clues pointing to interesting areas where we now have high-resolution imagery.

1) I don't mean to "flatter," but this remote Northwestern cape is very beautiful.
2) You can now explore the ruins of this ancient Mayan city, first discovered in 1934.
3) This small Peruvian village attracts many tourists each year for the Incan ruins atop nearby hills.
4) This city claims to be the southernmost city in the world, with approximately 64,000 residents.
5) Home of the Russian Pacific Fleet, this city is also Russia's largest Pacific coast harbor.
6) Named after Saint Irene, though sometimes referred to as Thera, this island is a popular Greek tourist destination.
7) The Trojan horse from the 2004 movie Troy is visible in this city.
8) This city is the second most populated metropolitan area in Africa, second to Cairo.
9) For better or for worse, the testing done at this site changed the world forever. In 1965 it was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
10) Odessos was the original name of this large city, then a trading colony.
11) This was the first port on the Shandong peninsula to be opened to the west in the 1800s.


The imagery we're publishing today touches approximately 130 different countries, so there's plenty out there to discover!

Where in the world is... (Answers)

Posted by Matt Manolides, GIS Specialist

Great detective work to everyone who was able to figure out what areas we updated! Here are some answers in case you weren't able to answer all of them.

Q:Two states known for their majestic peaks have gotten an upgrade.
A: Alaska was updated with new terrain and Colorado was updated with new imagery.

Q: I can now see where my favorite maple syrup is made.
A: Vermont was updated with new imagery.

Q:Certain Florida beaches (and 1 mountain) are looking much improved.
A: Orlando (Space Mountain), Daytona Beach, and Melbourne Florida were all updated with new imagery.

Q: Try counting the warthogs in the Boneyard.
A: I have yet to count them all, but check out Tuscon Arizona and try yourself!

Q: Peek inside the home of the Brew Crew.
A: Just outside Milwaukee, you can see Miller Park, home of the Brewers, with its retractable roof closing.

Q: You can read the Skin's logo painted on their field.
A: The Washington Redskins play right outside of Washington DC, at FedEx field.

Q: An historic state capitol building is now in high res.
A: Historic Charleston, West Virginia is now visible.

Q: This city was named after the Native American name of a nearby mountain, "Tacobet."
A: Tacoma, Washington is the name of the city.

Q: A "far away" city that played a key role in trans-Saharan trade can now be seen close up.
A: As the saying goes... "From here to Timbuktu"

Q:The town where Jane Austen spent her final years is much clearer.
A: Jane Austen spent her final years in Winchester, England.

Q: The topic of Vincent van Gogh's Cafe Terrace at Night is now bright as day.
A: This cafe is in Arles, France. It is now called Cafe Van Gogh (try searching for it in Google Earth).

Q:Take a look at "la ville noir," where Cointreau was invented.
A: Cointreau was invented in, and only distilled in, Angers, France.

Q: Only a third of this country's land is arable, but you can now view the entire country in high res.
A: Italy is now covered with SPOT 2.5m imagery.

Q: From 1880 to 1884 this German city was home to the world's tallest building.
A: Cologne is the city name you were searching for; the Washington Monument took the title from Cologne.

Q: Rockets may be used to disrupt rain clouds over this city next summer.
A: It is said that rockets will be used above the skies of Beijing to prevent rain during the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Q: This country received an impressive terrain update, you might call it Lord of the Terrain.
A: New Zealand has been updated with 10m terrain; the mountains are especially breathtaking.


For a more complete list of updates in this push, see the notes below.


New high resolution:

US: State of Vermont, State of Nevada, State of Colorado, Chenango County (NY),
Oswego County (NY), Lancaster (PA), Montgomery County (MD),
Prince George's County (MD), Charleston (WV), Frankfort (KY), Leon County (FL),
Volusia County (FL), Orlando (FL), Melbourne (FL), Ridgeland (MS), Tucson (AZ),
Phoenix (AZ), Pierce County (WA), Walworth County (WI), Waukesha County (WI),
Milwaukee (WI), Washington County (WI), Ozaukee County (WI), Puerto Rico &
US virgin Islands.

South America: Maracaibo, Venezuela

France: French Riviera, Arles, Biaritz, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Angers, Amiens,
Bourges, Clermont Ferrand, Loire River

Italy: 2.5m imagery for the entire country.

Germany: Aachen, Bielefeld, Braunschweig, Stralsund, Duisburg, Halle,
Hannover, Herten, Itzehoe, Karlsruhe, Cologne , Norderstedt, Pinneberg,
Quickborn, Recklinghausen, Rellingen, Schenefeld, Tornesch, Wentorf

Updated Imagery:
Americas: Regina, Canada; Saskatoon, Canada; Winnipeg, Canada;
Ottawa, Canada; Quebec, Canada; Chemung County (NY, US);
Cortland County (NY, US); Broward County (FL, US); Fairbanks (AK, US);
Boise (ID, US); Colorado Springs (CO, US); Aquas Calientes, Mexico;
Brasilia, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; San Salvador, El Salvador;
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Europe: Lisbon, Portugal; Madrid, Spain; Naples, Italy; Rome, Italy; Athens, Greece;
Moscow, Russia; St Petersburg, Russia; Kazan, Russia; Saratov, Russia; Prague,
Czech Republic

Middle East/Africa: Timbuktu, Mali; Cape Town, South Africa; Tunis, Tunisia; Tbilisi,
Georgia; Mecca, Saudi Arabia; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia;
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Alger, Algeria; Lusaka, Zambia; Nouakchott, Mauritania; Sana, Yemen;
Tashkent, Uzbekistan;

Asia: Beijing, China; Shanghai, China; Mumbai, India; Pyungyang, North Korea

Oceania: Melbourne, Australia;

Updated Terrain:
Eastern US 10m, West Virginia 3m, Alaska 60m, New Zealand 10m