環球之旅:即將消失的世界旅遊勝地
Endangered travel destinations around the world
世界各地的瀕危旅遊目的地
Many of the world's most wondrous and beautiful destinations are in danger of being destroyed by a combination of environmental and social factors: a warming climate, pollution, strained resources, bulging populations, and booming tourist traffic. Below are some popular locations worth visiting before they disappear.
世界上許多最奇妙和最美麗的旅遊目的地正處於被環境和社會綜合因素毀壞的危險中：氣候變暖，污染，資源緊張，人口膨脹，和日益增加的旅遊交通。以下就是一些即將消失，特別值得一遊的熱門景點。
Glaciers, Glacier National Park
United States and Canada
Glacier National Park contains some of the most beautiful, primitive wilderness in the Rocky Mountains. There are more than 200 glacier-fed lakes, high peaks, sheer precipices, large forests, waterfalls, much wildlife, and a great variety of wildflowers. However, temperature fluctuations have caused glacier growth and depletion. Ten thousand years ago, the area of Glacier National Park was covered by ice up to one mile below sea level. The latest warm period has caused the number of glaciers to decrease from 150 in 1850 to 26 today. If current global warming trends continue, there will be no glaciers left in Glacier National Park by 2030.
冰川，國家冰川公園
美國和加拿大
在落基山脈的國家冰川公園中仍可見到一些最美麗，最原始的荒野景色。這裏有200多個冰川湖泊，高聳的山峯，陡峭的懸崖斷壁，大片的森林，瀑布，大量的野生動植物，以及種類繁多的野花。然而，溫度的波動引起冰川增長和消融。一萬年以前，國家冰川公園低於海平面的地區被厚達一英里的冰層覆蓋。最近的暖期已導致冰川數量從1850年的150個下降到今天的26個。如果目前的全球變暖趨勢繼續下去，到2030年國家冰川公園就再也見不到冰川了。
Venice, Italy
With as many as 40 floods per year between March and September, Venice is slowly sinking at an estimated rate of 2.5 inches every 10 ten years. Venice, a city of beauty and charm, was built as a collection of 118 separate islands, relying entirely on a canal system of about 150 canals, mostly very narrow, crossed by some 400 bridges. A severe flood in December 2008 brought renewed attention to Venice's vulnerable state and imminent fate as an underwater city.
威尼斯，意大利
每年三月和九月多達40次洪災，威尼斯正在以每10年大約2.5英寸的速度慢慢下沉。威尼斯，一個美麗而富有魅力的城市，建在118個獨立的島嶼羣上，完全依靠大約150條大部分很窄的運河渠系以及河上的400餘座橋樑運行。 2008年12月的一次嚴重洪災再次讓人們注意到威尼斯脆弱的狀態和即將成爲水下城市的命運。
The Dead Sea
Border between Israel and the West Bank (W) and Jordan (E)
Known as one of the saltiest water bodies in the world and the lowest dry point on earth, the Dead Sea is fed by the Jordan River and a number of small streams. Because it is located in a very hot and dry region, the Dead Sea loses much water through evaporation, causing its level to fluctuate during the year. However, inflow to the Dead Sea has been greatly reduced by the increased use of the Jordan River by Israelis, Palestinians, and Jordanians, who have growing populations and increased agricultural needs, resulting in falling water levels. Currently, the Dead Sea recedes about three feet each year.
死海
以色列與約旦河西岸（西）和約旦（東）邊境
死海被稱之爲世界上最鹹的水體和地球上最低的乾旱地，其水源來自約旦河和一些小溪流。因爲它處於一個非常炎熱和乾燥的地區，死海由於蒸發損失掉大量的水，導致其水平面一年到頭不斷波動。然而，由於以色列人，巴勒斯坦人，約旦人的人口增長，農業需求增加，對約旦河的用量大增，導致水位下降，使流入死海的水量大幅減少。目前，死海正以每年約三英尺的速度縮小。
Mexico City, Mexico
In the past 100 years, Mexico City has sunk more than 30 feet. The original city was built on the site of a former lake—the Aztecs built the city on a series of aquatic platforms, but when the Spanish conquered the city, they drained the lake, causing it to sink. As the city population ballooned and the demand for water increased in the 20th century, the government began pumping much of the city's supply out of the underground aquifer that once fed the lake, causing the city to sink further. No practical plan has been made for the future to provide the 22 million inhabitants of Mexico City with the water they need without destroying the city.
墨西哥城，墨西哥
在過去100年，墨西哥城已經下沉了30多英尺。原來的城市是建在以前湖的原址上-阿茲特克人將城市建在許多水生平臺上，但當西班牙人征服該城時，他們就將湖水排幹，致使城市下沉。隨着20世紀城市人口膨脹及對水的需求增加，政府開始從爲湖泊注水的地下含水層中大量抽水以供應城市所需，導致城市進一步下沉。將來如何在不破壞城市的前提下爲墨西哥城的2千2百萬居民提供用水，還沒有制定出任何切實可行的計劃。
Taj Mahal
Agra, Uttar Pradesh state, India
A mausoleum in northern India on the Yamuna River, the Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and the finest example of the late style of Indian Islamic architecture. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan ordered it built after the death of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The building, which was completed between 1632 and 1638, is visited by three to four million tourists each year. The crowds and air pollution, however, have caused irreversible damage to the building's façade, prompting tourism officials to consider closing the historic site to the public.
泰姬陵
阿格拉，北方邦，印度
泰姬陵是印度北部亞穆納河畔的一個陵墓，被認爲是世界最漂亮的建築物之一，也是印度伊斯蘭建築風格最精緻的典範。莫臥兒皇帝沙賈汗在其愛妻，穆塔茲瑪哈死後下令建造。該建築是1632年和1638年期間完成的，每年吸引3至4百萬遊客。但是，人羣和空氣污染，對建築物的外觀造成了不可逆轉的毀壞，促使旅遊局官員們不得不考慮對公衆關閉這一古蹟。
Pyramids of Giza
Giza, Egypt
One of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Pyramids of Giza, located outside modern Cairo, consist of three magnificent royal tombs guarded by a Sphinx. The Pyramids have been a heavily trafficked sightseeing area for centuries, but the pollution and magnitude of visitors has taken its toll on the ancient structures, which are not protected by Egyptian officials. Although camel and horseback tours are now banned from the site, the structures are still difficult to see through the crowds and vendors.
吉薩金字塔
吉薩，埃及
吉薩金字塔爲原世界古代七大奇蹟之一，位於現代開羅城外，包括三個由獅身人面像把守的宏偉皇家陵墓。金字塔數百年來一直是一個繁忙的觀光景點，但由於埃及官員疏於保護，污染和如此衆多的遊客已經對古建築造成不良影響。雖然現在已禁止在此騎駱駝和騎馬遊覽，嘈雜的人羣和小販還是讓人無法看清其結構。
Little Green Street
London, United Kingdom
Located in the center of London, Little Green Street, is one of only a few surviving streets from Georgian England. Lined with about a dozen 18th century homes, Little Green Street only stretches a city block in length, but has survived the Blitz in World War II and three centuries of construction. As a perfect example of Regency London, it has been featured in poetry, photo shoots, and music videos, but today it is threatened by construction. Although an attempt to acquire the property failed in 2008, developers' appeals continue, and the threat of Little Green Street's destruction looms ahead.
小格林街
倫敦，英國
小格林街位於倫敦市中心，是英國喬治王時代極少數倖存的街道之一。街兩邊有十幾家18世紀的房屋，小格林街僅有一個城市街區的長度，但卻從二戰的大規模空襲和三個世紀來的反覆建設中倖存下來。作爲倫敦攝政的完美範例，它已被收錄在詩歌，攝影，和音樂影片中，但今天它卻受到再度建設的威脅。雖然2008年開發商奪取這一財產的企圖失敗，但開發商還將繼續上訴，小格林街被毀滅的命運依然令人擔憂。
