The Swiss call their country the Swiss Confederation but in normal usage it is known as Switzerland and a visit to this mountainous country that is uniquely placed at the crossroads of many of the routes of Europe will be a very special experience indeed. No doubt, at present Switzerland does not quite enjoy the importance that it once had; however, its location in purely geographical terms makes it special and it is a country with more than one language that is quite unique in itself.

When in Switzerland, be prepared to hear German and Italian as well as Romansch and French that is especially spoken in the west of the country, while most people can speak English as well. With all these many languages being spoken in the country you can be forgiven for wondering whether the country has a national language or not.

A visit to Switzerland should impress most visitors that will find it to be very modern and it also has one of the highest standards of living in the world while also enjoying almost hundred percent literacy. In fact, almost a fourth of all adults hold a diploma which reflects its higher education standards and you will also find that it is a very religiously free country. It also is at the top of the heap when it comes to computer and Internet usage and it also enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. The Swiss need not have to worry about their health as not only is the extremely health climates but the health services are outstanding and almost all Swiss peoples are insured.

The first race that inhabited the country was the Helvetic Celts who later were ruled by the Romans and it was during this period that cities such as Geneva, Basel and also Zurich became the major commercial hubs of the Roman Empire. With the fall of the Roman Empire, there were many other conquerors till it passed into the control of the popes of the Roman Catholic Church. Later, there followed a period that saw three dominant families in Switzerland declare their intention to pursue joint peace, defense as well as autonomous rule. At present, the Switzerland of today is renowned for its neutrality that came about after the defeat of the Swiss by French and Venetians and which led to a renouncement of expansionism.

Present day Switzerland has about 7.3 million inhabitants with the rate of population growth being less than one percent annually. The predominant religious groups comprise the Roman Catholics (42%), Protestant (33%) and Muslims (4.3%) with another 5.4% having other religions, and the remaining eleven percent having no declared religion. The average Swiss male can expect to live up to seventy-six years while women may live till they reach eighty-two years. The country that follows a policy of neutrality was untouched by the two World Wars and with a number of high mountain peaks and wonderful cities; Switzerland is indeed a tourist delight.

Slovakia is really an ideal place to visit because this is where you can experience your very own place in the sun. This country that was formerly a part of Czechoslovakia and is now a full fledged republic of its own is a welcome change and it seems to have forgotten its Communist past, which had influenced it from the close of the Second World War right until the year 1991. It would be hard to find any vestige of the old communist days in present day Slovakia and there is also very little mention of those times in modern Slovakia.

There are eight self-governing regions in Slovakia and each has its own capital that include Bratislava, Trnava, Trencin, Nitra, Zilina as well as Banska, Bystrica and Kosice as well as Presov. If you want to come to Slovakia on a cheap flight you will most probably land at the airports of Bratislava or Kosice on budget airlines such as Sky Europe. Slovakia lies west of Austria, and has Hungary to its south while to the north are the Czech Republic as well as Poland and finally Ukraine lies on its eastern side.

Though the language in Slovakia is predominantly Slovakian, there is also English that is taught as a second language and many people even understand Russia, thanks to its past history. Bratislava is the place where most of Slovakia’s economic life centers and there are also the western parts that contribute significantly to the economy of this newly formed republic.

The country has seen a rapid increase in tourist arrivals and as recently as towards the end of the 1990s it was getting more than half a million visitors annually thanks to the number of towns of historic relevance as well as the many mountainous ski resorts that attract hordes of tourists. One of the striking features to visiting Slovakia and places such as Bratislava is that there aren’t any McDonald style commercial attractions that you must be used to when you visit Western Europe.

People in Slovakia pride themselves on their culture that is both quaint as well as jovial and you will mercifully also be spared the usual congestion that most tourist destinations are famous for. You would enjoy a visit to the High Tatras that are a truly splendid range of mountains which are interspersed with small villages having a tradition of their own which is mainly peasant oriented.

You will also appreciate the extremely helpful nature of the Slovaks who are also very pleasant and will readily go out of their way to welcome tourists. There is much to see and do in Slovakia not least of which are the folk festivals as well as taking tours to see castles. Other attractions include snow boarding as well as hiking, which is especially appealing given that the countryside is so spectacular.

Germany is a West central European country that has the North Sea along with Denmark as also the Baltic Sea to its north and is bordered by Poland and Czechoslovakia to its east while to its south lie the countries of Austria and Switzerland, and France, Luxembourg as well as Belgium and Netherlands lie to its west. The capital of the country is located at Berlin, and its political system is one of a parliamentary federation that includes sixteen separate states.

Germany, the same country that had to subdued by the Allied powers during the Second World War, seems to have shrugged off its defeat of that time and is now one of the modern as well as great powers of the world and is also a member of NATO, the United Nations as well as G8 and G4 nations and it is the fourth largest spender in defense matters in the world. It is also the third largest economy of the world and has the distinction of being the largest exporter in the world, while also ranking second amongst importing nations of the world.

The main religion of Germany is shared between Protestants that live in the north and east and Roman Catholics that are found in the south and west of the country with each comprising about thirty percent of the population. The people are well educated and the main language is German, and this country is rich in its cultural history and is often called the ‘Land of poets and thinkers’ and German culture has spanned many centuries being shaped by some key intellectual as well as popular events that have taken place in Europe. Among the more renowned German poets and authors the names of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe as well as Friedrich Schiller stand out. And, one should also not forget the folk tales collection of the Grimm Brothers.

As would be expected of a rich and developed country of the world you will be sure to find that it has big cities that are quite elegant and that is in sharp contrast to its many postcard sized small towns. You will also enjoy the many pagan-style festivals held in Germany including the world famous Oktoberfest and the art and culture of this mighty land are also quite well developed.

There are a number of forests as well as enthralling castles to visit and of course you will find plenty of fine wine and beer throughout the country. Another popular tourist attraction is the Berlin Botanic Gardens, which is home to over 18,000 different kinds of plant species.

You can visit Germany at any time of the year though the months between May and September are especially good because of the sunny skies that make the outdoor adventure seeker being drawn here in great numbers. There are many beer gardens and the cafes are always almost busy and there is also plenty of outdoor activity such as hiking, cycling as well as swimming to enjoy.

The wonderful island of Malta that is located in the Mediterranean Sea allows you to bask in its sunshine almost all through the year with as many as three hundred days of sun to provide you with much relaxation as well as fun. It is also a wonderful destination for those who are seeking a country with low taxes and which also has properties available at attractive prices.

Malta is an ideal offshore land that is popular among those who want to have lower business as well as personal tax burden, and it also makes an ideal place where to retire. The real estate business in Malta is a thriving one that has active as well as well-priced properties available for anyone interested. This is a good reason why many real estate investors are making good profits from their property deals in Malta.

Malta is a tax haven and if you can achieve residency in the country you would end up paying just fifteen percent income taxes on all remittances made to this island nation. If you purchase property in Malta you are eligible for residency and thus have the opportunity to considerably reduce your tax burden. The emigration laws are more or less the same as those of EU countries, as it is also a part of the European Union and so, anybody that is an EU national would not require a visa or passport as an ID card would be sufficient to enter the country.

So, if you are interested in these advantages you would do well to learn more about Malta which is a tiny though densely populated island nation that has an archipelago of seven islands, and which is a Southern European country that is situated south of Sicily as well as to the east of Tunisia and just north of the country of Libya. Most people speak both Maltese as well as English and the predominant religion is Roman Catholicism.

As would be expected from a Mediterranean country, the climate is also Mediterranean with many mild though rainy winters that see a lot of dry heat in the summer. The country had a very small number of industries till the year 1800 and what industry there was consisted of cotton, tobacco as well as shipyards. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, Malta’s economy got a major boost especially through shipping.

There are supposed to be just a little over four hundred thousand inhabitants on the island including those foreigners that have resided on the island for a minimum of one year and there are almost equal number of males and females. The Maltese language which is native to the island has been derived from Arabic as well as having borrowed from Italian; more particularly from Sicilian.

If you are in the Center of Europe you most likely would want to visit the lovely land of Poland that lies there and in between Germany and Ukraine. Close at hand and to the south of its borders lays Czechoslovakia, while Russia and the Baltic Sea lie to its north. It joined the European Union in the year 2004 and most of the businesses in Poland are now under the Central Authority of the EU. The currency is also the Euro which has replaced its old currency and the country has also seen a number of reforms taking place regarding its trade as well as commerce.

The history of Poland is both interesting as well as turbulent and the native term for Poland is Polska, which country actually came into existence about a thousand years ago with the formation of Poland by its Piast dynasty. The Poland of that time went through a golden period thanks in no small measure to the Jagiellonian dynasty around about the end of the sixteenth century. At that time, Poland enjoyed its best period and was considered the richest as well as most powerful regions of Europe.

The Second World War saw the decimation of Poland that left it as a penniless country that, until 1989, adopted the communist way of life that saw communist parties from Russia ruling Poland. Today, a democratic country, Poland is far better than what it was after the Germans left it at the end of the Second World War. At present, it enjoys free trade as well as a thriving economy that is flourishing in the European Union and Poland today is certainly a much reformed country as compared to its communist past. It is now a new country strongly marching ahead in economic as well as political terms.

Warsaw is the capital and it is also the biggest city as far as population is concerned having more than 1.7 million inhabitants. Other cities of significance in Poland include Lodz, Krakow as well as Gdansk. You will find the terrain in this country as being mainly flat though there are also some mountainous regions near its southern borders. The majority of the inhabitants of Poland are native Poles, which are quite different to the other European countries that have multi cultured societies, and only two percent of the Polish population is non-Poles of which there are many Germans, Ukrainians, Byelorussians as well as Lithuanians.

Though it lies in the center of Europe, it does not get quite the same type of tourist arrivals as its neighbors Czechoslovakia and Hungary, though it is still an attractive tourist destination especially if you want to get away from the fast-food joints that are so predominant in the west. This quaint country certainly will appeal to those who want something that is not the usual western oriented tourist fare.

At the southernmost part of the continent of Africa lies the lovely country of South Africa that borders other countries including Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana as well as Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland. South Africa is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and has a history of having many different peoples settling here over the years, with many Europeans coming to this part of the world because of its strategic value – being central to the Cape Sea Route.

South Africa has seen many Europeans migrate here, especially after the formation by the Dutch East India Company in 1652 of a station that has come to be known to us as Cape Town. South Africa has many other ethnic peoples that include whites, Indians as well as the racially mixed African communities. However, the majority (about ninety percent) of the population is made up of black South Africans that speak nine separate officially recognized languages.

The climate of South Africa is temperate in the main which can be attributed to it being surrounded by the Atlantic as well as Indian Oceans and because it is located in the mild southern hemisphere. Inland, you will find deserts in southern Namib as well as subtropical climates in the east and you can best describe the country as being semi-arid though the climate as well as topography varies considerably throughout the entire country.

South Africa is also reasonably affluent and is classified as a middle-income country that is blessed with abundant resources, a well formed financial, legal as well as communications system that also has plenty of energy and good transportation. Despite all these factors, the country still has large gaps in income and is a dual economy that means it is designated as being a developing country, with the dubious distinction of being a country with one of the highest income inequalities in the world.

If you are planning to visit South Africa, you should be prepared for plenty of entertainment with plenty of sun, sea as well as sardines as epitomized in the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal that is the ultimate beach in South Africa and a must-visit destination of this wonderful country. Here you will find sun all round the year and there is exciting surfing and diving opportunities as well as a sardine spectacle that keeps visitors flocking here year after year.

No visit to South Africa would be complete without a visit to see its world famous wildlife of which five are especially appealing – leopard, lion, elephant, rhino as well as elephants. If you are seeking entertainment in South Africa you won’t be disappointed as you can come to the famous Golden Mile in Durban that has a luster all of its own and you would certainly enjoy the Sunset Coast Casino as well as uShaka Marine World.

You will also find the untouched coastline of the West Coast to be especially appealing and it is one of the few places on our planet where you see waterfalls tumbling into the sea. There is also world class fly fishing available in South Africa and of course, a visit to Florida Road in Durban would provide you even more fun and a taste of the many influences of Durban itself.

Malaysia is a wonderful vacation destination as it is a beautiful country where you will be sure to find much excitement and pleasure. There are a number of places to visit especially if you are the kind of person who loves sightseeing. There are also many places that you can visit just for relaxation. In any case, Malaysia is a nature lover’s paradise and it has the best beaches, tropical islands as well as wild jungles and unforgettable caves. Once you experience this natural beauty, you won’t ever want to leave Malaysia as it will make your heart flutter and your senses tingle.

The center of all activity is really its capital city that is known as Kuala Lumpur, though tourists often ignore this destination and concentrate on other places that are simply breathtaking as well. However, the Petronas Twin Towers, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and the Tasek Perdana Lake Gardens are ample proof that even the cities and more specially the capital of Malaysia have much to offer and enjoy.

You will also find many attractive eating and shopping opportunities and of course, once you leave the capital you will find the magnificent caves as well as parks worth your while. Take for example, the Batu Caves laying north of Kuala Lumpur which will of course require that you first climb two hundred and seventy two steps to get there and which houses the Hindu Shrine of Lord Subramanian to be a very moving experience indeed.

Another attractive place to visit is the Templar Park that is a natural rainforest full of beauty consisting of jungle paths, waterfalls as well as swimming lagoons all contained within the perimeter of the Park that will certainly enchant all who come here.

All in all, there is little doubt that Malaysia is the place where you should plan your next vacation as you will find it to be exotic which is why it is now becoming a mainstream tourist destination for people from all across the world. There is something for everyone including those who come to the vibrant capital as well as those visiting the idyllic beaches of the world famous Langkawi region. Malaysia is also well known for its diversity and is a veritable melting pot of many different cultures that also has a very appealing cuisine as well as provides warmth of hospitality.

There is something for everyone that visits the other quaint islands that are just a stone’s throw from the coast of Malaysia such as the well developed and big islands of Penang and Langkawi where you will find the beaches especially appealing; more so for the surfing enthusiast. The weather is sunny throughout the year with a very minor change in weather during the year. From the pulsating life of Kuala Lumpur to the exotic wilderness that is ideal for jungle trekking in untouched rainforests, there is certainly much on offer for those who come to Malaysia seeking peace, excitement and relaxation.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka or Sri Lanka as it is popularly known today was also known as Ceylon prior to 1972 and is a wonderful island nation that is situated in the South of Asia just thirty-one kilometers from the southernmost tip of India. In ancient times it was also called Heladiva and now it boasts of a population of over twenty million people. This island nation is of strategic military importance as it links West Asia with South East Asia.

The major religion of Sri Lanka is Buddhism that has been part of its culture from ancient times and today this country boasts of a diverse religious as well as is multi-ethnic population with a fifth of the population following other religions including Hinduism, Christianity as well as Islam. Almost three fourths of the population is Sinhalese and there are also many Tamils, though they are mostly concentrated in the north as well as east of Sri Lanka and are the single largest ethnic minority in the country.

Sri Lankan tea is famous throughout the world and there is also plenty of wonderful coffee, rubber as well as coconuts produced here and the economy is generally progressive as well as modern. With many beautiful tropical forests as well as inviting beaches and undulating landscapes, it is little wonder that Sri Lanka also has a thriving tourist industry being a world famous tourist destination for many thousands of visitors each year.

Once a kingdom, Sri Lanka has also been colonized by Portuguese as well as Dutch people towards the beginning of the sixteenth century until the British took control of the island in 1815. It was an important base used by Allied Forces during World War II. Later, there was a nationalist movement during the early twentieth century that sought for political independence that was eventually granted by the British in 1948.

Situated in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka lies southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea. The Gulf of Mannar as well as the Palk Strait separates it from India. However, in Hindu mythology there was supposed to have been a land bridge between mainland India that was given the name Rama’s Bridge that was supposed to have been built by Nala who was a vanara architect. This bridge also goes by the name of Adam’s Bridge though now it is nothing but a chain of shoals made of limestone that is barely visible above sea level.

The climate of Sri Lanka is mainly tropical and the weather here is pretty hot though there are also ocean winds that help moderate the climate and it can get especially moist as well. The capital of modern day Sri Lanka is Colombo that is home to the government which is essentially democratic and socialist in outlook. The government is a mix of the presidential and parliamentary system with the President of Sri Lanka being the head of state, the commander in chief of the armed forces and also heads the government.

For long, we have known of Jamaica as being a popular destination that attracts many romantically inclined couples that want to honeymoon as well as getaway from their busy lives, and it also attracts people regardless of their age who are looking for an ideal holiday destination where to relax as well as go sightseeing. Of late, Jamaica has also seen a growing number of families wending their way to this Caribbean Island in search for something different as well as more enjoyable.

The Island of Jamaica is among the largest of the Caribbean Islands and stretches for more than one hundred miles from its eastern point to the western end and has many mountain ranges in between that cover the rest of the island while reaching heights of more than seven thousand feet in the east, where are found the highest peaks. Jamaica has for long attracted many tourists and has always been a popular destination that has seen tourists thronging here in their thousands.

There are many attractive hotels, inns as well as guest houses along with many airports, highways as well as ports that allow tourists to arrive and enjoy their stay here in Jamaica. Some of the better and all-inclusive resorts include the Sandals and Couples chains and the most popular of all destinations in Jamaica and where you will find Sandals and Couples resorts would no doubt are Port Antonio as well as Ocio Rios that lie in the east with Montego Bay as well as Negril to the west. You will find the natural beauty splendidly captured at such resorts and you will revel in the luxurious accommodations that this island offers.

Jamaica is also credited with being the first country in the Western world to have a had a railroad of its own and you may not believe it, but it even preceded the United States in this regard and was just eighteen years later than the British railroad construction. It was also the first of the Caribbean Islands to get its Independence and it also has the distinction of being the first English-speaking Caribbean Island to qualify to play in the Football World Cup in 1998.

As the beauty of Jamaica attracts tourists so do the beauteous female population who have brought great glory to the Island and have the distinction of standing in third place in the list of countries that have won the Miss World title most times. They are second only to India, Venezuela as well as the UK and considering how small is the Island, and this is an achievement for which you really have to take your hats off to the beautiful Jamaican women.

Also, Christopher Columbus when on his second voyage to the New World saw the tip of the Blue Mountains in Jamaica, which was the first land to be sighted by that famous voyager. The list of notable achievements of Jamaica goes on. Suffice to say, that this Caribbean Island is an exceptional place that is well worth visiting at least once in your lifetime.

Near the east coast of Spain and in the Mediterranean Sea lie the Balearic Islands that comprise of four islands that are Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca as well as Formentera. The island of Mallorca is known to most foreigners by the name of Majorca which helps to bring to mind images of beaches that go on forever under beautifully sunny skies and has a party atmosphere that simply does not die. However, you can also look for and find a different experience there, if you really make an effort.

All these islands taken in totality comprise the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands and the official capital of the region is known by the name of Palma de Mallorca. If you are a foreigner to these parts, be prepared to hear a lot of Catalan that is the official language of the islands and there are different dialects spoken that are symbolic of each island and in which the locals feel a great and fierce pride.

The Balearic Islands enjoy a warm climate that sees approximately three hundred days of sunshine each year and thus lends them to becoming much sought after tourist holiday destinations. Besides the wonderful climate is the awesome beaches, cities that contain splendid architectural designs and there is also rich vegetation that is ideal for both beach and rural holidaying.

You will like Palma de Mallorca for its cosmopolitan life, which also has the elevated stature of being among the best cultural cities in the whole of Europe. Another great holiday destination in the Balearic Islands is Ibiza that is just beaches and wondrous holidays all rolled into one, with a nightlife and party atmosphere second to none. The white sandy beaches and the blue waters from the Mediterranean Sea are enough to bowl you over – should you visit this lovely haven for tourists.

The largest of the Balearic Islands is Majorca Island, which sees the maximum amount of tourist arrivals and this island has been hosting tourists since the sixties so that now you will see a plethora of hotels and apartment complexes dotting the previously unspoilt countryside that are used to cater to the many thousand holidaymakers wending their way to Majorca. You will love Palma de Majorca that is home to more than half of the island’s population and has an excellent cuisine as well as lively culture. Places to see include Gothic Cathedral, The Castell de Bellver as well as the seventeenth century Town Hall.

You will also like Menorca Island which is a paradise hidden in this part of the world that is also the second largest of the four islands, with plenty of unspoiled beauty thanks to the relatively fewer tourist arrivals. The capital is Mahon that also has one of the largest natural harbors in Europe.

Formentera is the tiniest of the four islands and there is not even an airport, which means you can access this island only by boat or hydrofoil from Ibiza. This unspoiled island of the Balearics does not offer much to do other than sunbathing, windsurfing as well as scuba diving.