Resilient geographies: land, boundaries and the consolidation of the former bantustans in post-1994 South Africa

This paper focuses on the spatial impact of land reform and the redrawing of internal boundaries on South Africa's former bantustans. It argues that, in contrast to the democratic government's intention to use land reform and boundary demarcation to effectively change the spatial legacy of apartheid, these processes tend to cement the geography of the former bantustans. Though earlier research correctly projected that post-apartheid policies could result in the enlargement of the areas of the former bantustans, the ways in which this could happen were still unclear. This paper draws on experiences of land reform and boundary demarcation to demonstrate how and why the areas of the former bantustans have been enlarged over the 12 years of democracy in South Africa.     

Spaces of change: tribal authorities in the former KaNgwane homeland, South Africa

South Africa's democratic transition has had a significant impact upon localized governance systems in mediating development opportunities within the former apartheid homelands. This paper uses a case study from the former KaNgwane homeland to evaluate the role of the Matsamo Tribal Authority in shaping livelihoods and access to environmental resources. It is argued that although the colonial and apartheid empowerment of the tribal authorities continues to have symbolic and material meaning for rural populations, newly created democratic structures are challenging traditional governance systems in the post-apartheid era. The intersection between these contrasting, and historically situated, systems suggests a dynamic renegotiation is occurring that will continue to impact rural households within the former places of apartheid.     

Environment and sustainable development

The World Commission on Environment and Development was created as a consequence of a United Nations' General Assembly resolution in 1983. The Secretary-General appointed the Chairman Gro Harlem Brundtland (Norway) and Vice-Chairman Mansour Khalid (Sudan), who were directed to appoint the other members of the Commission. The Commission's Secretary-General was a member of ex officio. Twelve of the twenty members came from developing countries. Four members were from Africa, five from Asia, four from Latin America, and eight from Europe and North America.     

African Environment and Development: Rhetoric,Programs, Realities

Tropical deforestation is widely believed to directly influence the climate at a number of scales. Yet while much has been written about the tropical forest-climate relationship, there is little empirical evidence showing if and how local and regional climates are modified by deforestation. This study presents the results of an analysis of deforestation and climate change in a rain forest in southern Mexico. Records from 18 climate stations in the Selva Lacandona of Chiapas, Mexico were examined and related to an analysis of deforestation based on Landsat images. The area surrounding some stations has been deforested since the stations were established, while the area surroundings others has remained forested. Strong climatic trends were generally evident at the deforested stations, including decreases in the average daily maximum temperature and temperature range. No precipitation changes were observed. A comparison of the results with microclimatic experiments and modeling studies suggests that the climatic impacts of deforestation are overgeneralized at the local scale. Landscape heterogeneity appears to influence the biophysical mechanisms linking tropical forests and climate, and should be explicitly represented in modeling studies.     

河北南部地区资源、环境、发展初析

河北南部地区山前平原区农业气候条件适于夏玉米的生长 ,黑龙港地区适于棉花的生长。本区水资源匮乏 ,地下水超采严重。浅层地下水超采模数为 8.0 1× 1 0 4 m3/( km2 ·a) ,深层地下水为 2 .5 8× 1 0 4 m3/( km2·a)。全区水资源利用的综合边际效益以廊坊市最高 ( 2 6.68元 /t) ,保定市最低 ( 1 4.85元 /t) ,两者之比为 1 .80。区内地下水降落漏斗与地面沉降等环境地质灾害频繁 ,1 998年浅层地下水漏斗区面积为 0 .5 4× 1 0 4 km2 ,深层地下水为 1 .5 9× 1 0 4 km2。地下水、粮食和蔬菜受到农药残留、过量化肥的污染。本区 2 0 1 0水平年外流域调水将占可供水量的 2 3.9% ,但缺水率仍达 36.2 %。若全区通过发展工程节水 (提高综合节水率 3.2 % )、实施适水种植 (冬小麦播种面积下调 7% ) ,利用水分胁迫处理 (减少一次灌溉 )等节水措施 ,则比 1 999年节水 1 7.2 %。     

Declining towns in the former USSR

"The paper comprises an update of an earlier study...focused on towns with declining population during the 1959-1970 period. Based on recently published data on individual urban centers with 15,000 or more inhabitants reported in the 1979 and 1989 censuses, it identifies centers where population declined from 1970 to 1989. The study also assesses selected geographical aspects, economic functions, and size characteristics of such urban centers. Comparisons with data from the 1959-1970 period are made to arrive at a 30-year perspective."     

南非入境旅游客源市场结构研究

南非拥有独特的旅游资源,20世纪90年代以来,政治体制的转变为南非入境旅游业的发展提供了契机。本文运用地理集中指数、旅游产业绝对集中指标、季节性强度指数等定量方法,在南非入境旅游数据资料的基础上,分析了南非入境客源市场的空间结构和南非入境游客旅游心理行为,从而为优化南非入境旅游客源市场未来发展提供依据。     

Internal migration and development transitions in South East Asia

The relationships between migration trends and changes in socioeconomic structures, settlement systems, and regional development programs in developing countries are analyzed. Current and possible future trends in urbanization in Southeast Asia are summarized, with a focus on the effects of migration. The impact of internal migration on spatial distibution in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines is examined. The need for taking cultural traditions into consideration in the formulation of population policies and programs is emphasized.     

闽南文化的特色及其地缘背景分析

闽南文化是闽文化的重要组成部分，但其文化特征既不同于闽申的三山文化、闽西的客家文化，又不同于闽北的理学文化、闽东的畲族文化，是一种独具特色、山海兼备的区域文化。本文正是从闽南的特殊地缘背景来论述其所具有的诸如冒险性与保守性并存、开放性与封闭性兼备等一系列文化特征的。     

南疆铁路沿线地区城市化与生态环境质量相关性分析

以1997—2008年南疆铁路沿线地区统计资料和调查数据为数据源,在利用主成分分析法与层次分析法对南疆铁路沿线地区城市化综合水平与生态环境综合质量进行测度的基础上,对城市化综合水平指数与生态环境综合指数之间关系进行了相关性分析。研究表明,南疆铁路沿线地区城市化综合指数总体上呈现出增长趋势,表示南疆铁路沿线地区进入城市化快速发展时期;而生态环境综合质量随着城市化发展呈现出波动性的变化特征,1997—2004年生态环境综合指数具有增长趋势,但从2004年起生态环境综合指数有所下降,生态环境质量开始恶化。南疆铁路沿线地区城市化综合水平的提高是产生生态环境变化的主要因素之一。     

Spatiotemporal Variation of South African Jobless Trends: Policy Directions

The need to understand the spatiotemporal change in South African unemployment trends underlies this research. The country has undergone significant socioeconomic change since the fall of apartheid in 1994. Not only has the labor market expanded, but unemployment has also increased. This necessitates a detailed spatial understanding to ensure effective policies at the municipal level to address unemployment. A database of unemployment statistics at the municipal level between 1991 and 2007 was created and used to spatially group municipalities. The results showed that metropolitan municipalities had unique unemployment characteristics and, contrary to findings elsewhere, an overall decrease in the dissimilarity between the unemployed and employed took place after 1991. Therefore, policies should promote economic growth and skills development in municipalities where education levels are low.     

南海问题的大周边地缘环境

南海的西沙、南沙等历来是中国的领土,但如今海洋国土存在重大争议,南海已经成为世界上最复杂、最紧张的水域之一,南海周边的政治、军事、经济地缘环境也越来越为复杂。本文以南海问题为切入点,基于南海地理区位中的要素联系对南海周边国家的地缘环境进行探讨。结果得出:南海问题是涉及多元利益和跨国机构关联的复杂问题,南海周边是一个包含域内争端国家、域外干涉国家和具有复杂组织机构关联的"大"周边,南海周边地缘环境是超出地理毗邻的"大"地缘环境,中国南海的维权维稳势必要在域内双边地缘环境、域外多边地缘环境、国际多元多边地缘环境等构成的大周边地缘环境下做出战略决策。