Can oil and wildlife mix?

Sarah Monaghan reports from the oilfields of Gabon, where energy giant Shell and the Smithsonian Institution have collaborated to ensure that biodiversity thrives amid oil exploration activitiesRead on

The boat builders of Salaya, India

Wooden boats have been used in the Arabian Sea for centuries. But today, they are built bigger, in greater numbers and at higher costs than ever before. Words by Richard Orange. Photos by Michael RubensteinRead on

Wiltshire's holy hills and sacred stones

Silbury Hill has puzzled British archaeologists for centuries. But recent investigations have shed new light on the hill itself and Wiltshire’s other famous ancient sites: the stone circles at Stonehenge and Avebury. David Keys reportsRead on

Some like it hot: Austrian wine-making

As the rest of the world braces itself for the impact of global climate change, in a small corner of Austria, the local winemakers are quietly celebrating its arrival. Charlie Furniss reports; photographs by Sophie GerrardRead on

Greening Gozo

Traditional sun-and-sea tourism has been floundering in Gozo, Malta’s sister island. But the island is now finding an alternative in rural and adventure tourism. Victor Paul Borg reportsRead on

Minority Report

An explorer is on a mission to preserve an ethnic Li village on China’s Hainan Island – but do the residents want their homes saved? asks Simon Montlake; photography by Luke DugglebyRead on

Conserving Britain's last wild ponies

Only a few hundred semi-feral ponies exist in upland areas of Britain, and the fight is on to stop them disappearing altogether, writes David Anthony MurrayRead on

Getting to the root of the problem

The hardy huarango tree is rapidly disappearing from the arid valleys of southern Peru, with desert moving in to replace it. Olivia Edward reports on efforts by botanists to re-establish the local people’s love affair with the huarangoRead on

The cliff-dwellers

Geordie Torr visits San Juan County, Utah, to sample the incredible archaeological legacy of the ancestral Puebloan people. Read on

Scholars and Amazon

Former director of the Royal Geographical Society John Hemming looks back at the Society’s rich history of pioneering exploration and scientific expeditions in the Amazon rainforest, which resulted in discoveries that have shaped our modern understanding of the worldRead on

The garbage people of Cairo

Almost unseen by the citizens of Cairo, the Zabbaleen collect their refuse and sort it for recycling – making a living and providing an essential service to the city. Jessica Boyd reportsRead on

The man who climbed Everest

The death of Sir Edmund Hillary in January represented the passing of the world’s best known mountaineer. Stephen Venables reports on his climbing achievements as well as his efforts to improve the lives of SherpasRead on

Righting wrongs on the reef

The Maldives are locked in a never-ending battle to preserve their coral reefs and the marine wildlife that depends on them. Nick Smith reports on an initiative that’s helping to secure the future of this fragile ecosystemRead on

Keeping it informal

Charlie Furniss visits Chimalhuacan, one of Mexico’s more deprived districts, with architect Jose Castillo and hears how informality can help planners create more dynamic urban environmentsRead on

Chilango Stories

They say a picture tells 1,000 tales. Here a cross section of Mexico City's 19 million inhabitants tell theirs. Photography by Sophie GerrardRead on

Future perfect?

With its skyscrapers and luxury apartment blocks, Santa Fe stands as a shining example of Mexico City’s elevation to the global stage. But, architects argue that it’s destroying traditional public life. Charlie Furniss reportsRead on

From fury to terror

Francis Crozier is the forgotten man of polar discovery. Despite being at the centre of the three great endeavours of the 19th century, this remarkable man has been overlooked by history, says Michael SmithRead on

A marriage of convenience

Taiwan’s indigenous peoples face an uncertain future as young people increasingly move away. But, as Nick Haslam discovers, one tribe has found a way of ensuring its cultural traditions maintain a high profileRead on

Hello sunshine

Harnessing solar energy on a large scale has been complex and largely commercially unviable – until now. Matthew Brace reportsRead on

Village of the Dammed

As parts of Africa recover from the worst flooding for more than a decade, the town of Djenné in Mali, home to the world’s largest mud building, is grappling with a drought. Ben Willis reports. Photography by Daniel NorwoodRead on

Greening China

An environmental awakening in Western China has led to several ambitious initiatives to restore the ecology in the mountain chains of three provinces. The initial results have been stunning. Victor Paul Borg reportsRead on

Golden achievers

Since the mid-19th century, the RGS has been presenting annual medals and awards to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in the field of geography. Natalie Hoare looks back at their illustrious historyRead on

Searching for a miracle

More than a century after her epic journey to Siberia, English nurse Kate Marsden is still fondly remembered in the Republic of Sakha. Felicity Aston tries to track down the miracle herb at the heart of Marsden’s storyRead on

Step back in time

A millennium ago, stepwells were fundamental to life in the driest parts of India. Although many have been neglected, recent restoration has returned them to their former glory. Richard Cox and Marc Grainger reportRead on

That sinking feeling

A miscalculation by salt-mining engineers 200 years ago almost sunk the Cheshire market town of Northwich, but a remarkable rescue plan has now saved it. Lynn Pegler reportsRead on

Tourism of Duty

The Responsible Tourism Awards are over for another year, but what do the 2007 winners tell us about the state of environmentally friendly travel? Roger Fulton speaks to those at the vanguard of the movementRead on

High achievers

As the Alpine Club celebrates its 150th anniversary, the cream of the world’s climbers meet in Zermatt, Switzerland, to pay homage to the British men who pioneered the sport of mountaineering, writes Carolyn Fry Read on

Farewell to the Orochen

In the space of a generation, the way of life of China’s third smallest minority has all but disappeared, reports Sam Chambers from Inner Mongolia. Photography by André EichmanRead on

Cyprus at the crossroads

Northern Cyprus has been largely overlooked by tourists in favour of the south, but as turns its attention towards servicing a dwindling number of British visitors, it faces a dilemma, writes Martin VarleyRead on

Free little pigs

Since time immemorial, the fate of Spain’s unique oak forests has been inseparably tied to the future of the Iberian pig. Mark Eveleigh reports from Spain’s ‘wild west’Read on

Forward crawl across the White Continent

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, Christian Amodeo tells the tale the first overland crossing of the Antarctic continentRead on

Lost in the concrete jungle

Today’s children are spending far less time in the great outdoors than did their forebears. Victoria James documents a new movement to reverse this trend, which has serious implications for the health of society and the planetRead on

The heart of the Mata

Brazil’s Atlantic forest is rapidly becoming a popular ecotourism hotspot, thanks to its wildlife diversity, bringing much needed income to some of the country’s poorest areas. Natalie Hoare reportsRead on

Is this all set to change?

With pollution, sedimentation, invasive species and climate change all taking their toll, the Lake District faces some difficult choices about its future, says Mark RoweRead on

Hanging by a thread

Bangkok’s oldest Muslim community made its fortune weaving Thai silk. But today, only one of the original weaving families is keeping the tradition alive. Simon Montlake tells their storyRead on

Oil and watercolour, but mostly ice

Sir Wally Herbert’s last book is a fitting memorial to one of the 20th century’s greatest explorers. Nick Smith talks to Sir Wally’s daughter KariRead on

A flower in the desert

The Touareg roamed the Sahara for a millennium, fiercely protecting their way of life until 20th-century colonisation. An annual festival in northern Niger is helping to rejuvenate their ancient customs. Henrietta Butler reportsRead on

Reinventing the wheel

In Liberia, civil war and economic collapse have seen the humble wheelbarrow become a vital player in the national economy. Popular Josh meets the men who keep Monrovia moving Read on

Little Mongolia

The Mongolians of Xinmen village in China have held on tightly to their ancient heritage. But as China’s economic boom brings modernity to this rural settlement, their grip is beginning to loosen. Sam Chambers reportsRead on

Hollow world

The mountains of Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo are riddled with immense caverns, including some of the largest ever discovered. Text and photography by Robbie ShoneRead on

Trampled temples

The numbers of tourists visiting the ruins of Angkor are growing rapidly, putting unprecedented pressure on the important monuments. Leisa Tyler reportsRead on

On a wing and a prayer

The forests of the Eastern Arc mountains of Kenya and Tanzania are under threat from agriculture and logging. However, an unlikely saviour has emerged: the humble butterfly. Charlie Furniss reportsRead on

The hell-borne traffic

As the commemorations of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade draw to a close, Jordan Goodman tells the story of forgotten hero William OwenRead on

Soap opera

In India’s most populous city, hundreds of migrant workers are employed to wash its residents’ laundry by hand. Peter Caton meets the army that toils for long hours in stifling heat to keep Mumbai in clean clothesRead on

More than just maps and mountains

What place does a subject like geography that is so firmly associated with exploration and mapping the unknown have in the modern world? Natalie Hoare reportsRead on

Conventional weapons

Martin Varley reports on CITES, the world’s foremost environmental treaty, before delegates attend the next meeting in Geneva of the Conference of the Parties to the convention in June 2007 Read on

Gathering the cold, hard facts

In March 2007, the International Council for Science is launching the International Polar Year 2007–08, which will see 200 groups of scientists from 60 countries head to the end of the earth. Martin Varley reportsRead on

The search for the first Britons

Cannibalism, climate change and interspecies copulation – the human history of the British Isles has it all. Professor Chris Stringer talks to Andrew Brackenbury about trying to unravel this extraordinary taleRead on

The burden of isolation

Deep in the Colombian jungle, transport doesn’t mean a truck or even a mule. Whether you want supplies collected from the other side of the mountain range, or need to keep a hospital appointment,you call on the paseros. Fernando Cardenas reports; photography by Luca ZanettiRead on

Albania awakes

Isolated for decades by its paranoid Communist leader, then ravaged by civil unrest and economic collapse, this forgotten corner of Europe is making a remarkable recovery.Nick Haslam reportsRead on

The land of the giants

The spectacular baobabs of Madagascar are some of the largest and most distinctive trees in the world, which have potent spiritual significance and are a draw for tourists. But, as Helen Scales discovers, the trees face an uncertain futureRead on

White death

Last winter, avalanches claimed a record number of lives in the French Alps. Is global warming to blame, or is it simply that more skiers are venturing away from the pistes? Charlotte Davies reportsRead on

Keeping up with the Khans

The Karakoram Highway is undoubtedly one of the world’s most terrifying commutes. Liz Scarff braves this rocky road to meet the drivers and admire their travelling art galleries.Read on

The Dunes of the Badain Jaran

Located in the heart of the otherwise sandless Gobi Desert, the Badain Jaran is home to the world's tallest sand dunes. Nick Middleton set out to climb one of these megadunes.Read on

The witches of Gambaga

Belief in witchcraft is still widespread in Africa. Simon de Trey-White visits a camp in Ghana that has housed 'convicted' witches for more than 200 years Read on

Cambodia's snake slaughter

At least four million water snakes are caught from Tonle Sap Lake every year - the heaviest exploitation of any snake community in the world. Read on

An iceman's best friend

The sledge dogs bred by the Chukchi people of the Russian far east have helped them colonise one of the world's harshes regions, as Benedict Allen discovers.Read on

Guano happens (sometimes)

During the latter part of the 19th century, the world went crazy for bird droppings. Jordan Goodman tells the tale of the planet's most valuable excreta.
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Consigned to a watery grave

The West African harbour city of Nouadhibou is Mauritania’s economic capital and home to the world’s largest ship graveyard. Berny Sèbe led an expedition to document the graveyard before it disappeared in an EU-funded clean-up
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