Contest #122 answer: Tarbela Dam, Pakistan

The Tarbela Dam is the largest earth filled dam in the world and located in Pakistan, in the Indus River.

tarbela

The dam was constructed in 1968-1970 for irrigation, flood control and hydro-electric power.

The dimensions of this construction are rather impressive. Almost 160 million m3 (200 million yard3) of earth and rock were used in the construction, which makes it one of the largest man-made structures on earth.

tarbela2

Those who tamed the river:

  • sarvnipun
  • Jakob Langkjaer
  • Calculon
  • Ole Ivanoff
  • LegoMan
  • Milosh, Serbia
  • David Kozina
  • Ivar Bonsaksen
  • Galileo
  • Andy McConnell
  • Jason Hattermann
  • John_B
  • Andy M, USA
  • Dennis S.
  • Max_Power
  • Doc Will

Contest #121 answer: Port au Prince, Haiti

Of course I could not ignore the disaster that struck Haiti and I thought it would be inappropriate to make this contest particular hard.
It is almost unbelievable what mayhem caused the 7.0 shock in Haiti. Google Earth reacted very quickly and published updated imagery so the whole world can see by itself the damage which had occurred. You can download this kml which will be frequently updated to see it for yourself.

haiti_mayhem

Google Earth published with this kml some high-res imagery (15 cm resolution) and when browsing this imagery, you can see for yourself why the UN called this “the worst disaster the UN has ever confronted”.

Homeless people living in tents and painted ‘SOS’ on the nearby basketball field…

haiti_sos

On the Airfield there are US planes with supplies

haiti_plane

but the harbour facilities are severely damaged and it will take some serious effort before ships can unload their supplies.

haiti_harbour

A lot of you got it right:

  • Nathan D
  • Drew
  • Naomi Catlin
  • Mark
  • Jason Hattermann
  • Doc Will
  • Howard Blick
  • Milosh, Serbia
  • LawnBoy
  • Michael T
  • David Kozina
  • brian t
  • Ivar Bonsaksen
  • Dave Campbell
  • Dennis S.
  • charlie my boy
  • Andy McConnell
  • Steve Lacroix
  • ACG
  • Stephen Hope
  • Willem
  • Sarah G
  • Exsanguinator
  • Max_Power
  • Falco
  • John_B

Contest @120 answer: Guiana Space Centre, Kourou

Located in Kourou, French Guiana, close to the Equator lies the French Guiana Space Centre. It is the Spaceport from which the European Space Agency launches the Ariane rocket.

ariane-5-launch

Those who made it into orbit:

  • tom
  • Dennis S.
  • Ivar Bonsaken
  • Milosh, Serbia
  • Falco
  • Will-e
  • Stephen Hope
  • Doc Will
  • Andy M, USA
  • Willem
  • David Kozina
  • Max_Power
  • Andy McConnell
  • ACG
  • Michael T

Which concludes this series of challenges, where once again Milosh from Serbia scored full marks. Congratulations!

Contest #119 answer: Saint Pierre et Miquelon

Kudos to all who found this. It is St. Pierre et Miquelon, a French group of islands near the coast of New Foundland. Ans more specific: zoomed in on the connecting isthmus of Miquelon and Langlade.

langlade

Being French territory close to New Foundland, these islands have been a cause of conflict between the French and British ever since the 17th century. Even at the end of WW2 they caused a conflict between De Gaulle and Roosevelt.

Those who crossed the isthmus:

  • Milosh, Serbia
  • Doc Will
  • Exsanguinator
  • Max_Power
  • Willem
  • Ivar Bonsaksen
  • Camargo, California
  • Neil
  • Falco

Contest #118 answer: Christmas Island

Yes, I admit. It was a bit obvious, but I couldn’t resist it for a December 25th contest. It was Christmas Island, zoomed in on Flying Fish Cove a.k.a. “The Settlement”.

It is Australian territory and has a phosphate mine (from guano manure) as the main economic activity.

xmas_phosphate

Those managed to find Santa:

  • Ivar Bonsaksen
  • Milosh, Serbia
  • Neil
  • Camargo, California
  • Andy McConnell
  • Willem
  • Max_Power
  • Falco