query: Iran has 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

pos: Iran Iran ( ɪ , also ɪ ) , formerly known as Persia , is a sovereign state in Western Asia . It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia , the de facto Republic of Artsakh and Azerbaijan ; to the north by the Caspian Sea ; to the northeast by Turkmenistan ; to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan ; to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman ; and to the west by Turkey and Iraq . Comprising a land area of 1648195 km2 , it is the second-largest country in the Middle East and the 18th-largest in the world . Officially with 79.93 million inhabitants ( Nov 2016 ) , Iran is the world 's 18th-most-populous country . It is the only country with both a Caspian Sea and an Indian Ocean coastline . The country 's central location in Eurasia and Western Asia , and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz , make it of great geostrategic importance . Iran has diverse landscapes and geographical conditions . Tehran is the country 's capital and largest city , as well as its leading economic and cultural center .   Iran is home to one of the world 's oldest civilizations , beginning with the formation of the Elamite kingdoms in the 4th millennium BC . The area was first unified and dominated by the Iranian Medes in the 7th century BC . Iran reached its greatest extent during the Achaemenid Empire ( First Persian Empire ) founded by Cyrus the Great in 6th century BC , the largest empire the world had yet seen , stretching from Eastern Europe to the Indus Valley . Persia fell to Alexander the Great in 4th century BC , but reemerged shortly after as the Parthian Empire . Under the Sassanians , Persia became a leading world power for the next four centuries .   In 7th century AD , Arabs conquered Persia and largely displaced the indigenous faiths of Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism with the new religion of Islam . Iranians became major contributors to the Islamic Golden Age that followed , producing many influential scientists , scholars , artists and thinkers . After two centuries , a period of various Iranian dynasties began , although these dynasties were later conquered by Turks and then the Mongols . An Iranian national identity was always reasserted however , developing a distinct cultural entity . The rise of the Safavids in 15th century led to the establishment of Twelver Shia Islam as the official religion , marking a turning point in Muslim history . In the 18th century , Iran arguably possessed briefly the most powerful military at the time under Nader Shah . Conflicts with the Russian Empire in 19th century led to significant territorial losses . Popular unrest culminated in the Persian Constitutional Revolution , which established a constitutional monarchy and the country 's first legislative body , the Majles . Following a coup d'état instigated by the UK and the US in 1953 , Iran gradually became closely aligned with the West and grew increasingly autocratic . Growing dissent against foreign influence and political repression led to the 1979 Revolution and the establishment of an Islamic republic , a political system which combines elements of a parliamentary democracy with a theocracy governed by Islamic jurists under the concept of a `` Supreme Leadership '' . According to international observers , the current Iranian government is oppressive , with human rights abuses commonplace .   A multicultural country comprising numerous ethnic and linguistic groups , most inhabitants of Iran are Shia Muslims and Persian is the official language . The largest ethnic groups in Iran are the Persians , Azeris , Kurds and Lurs .   Iran is a founding member of the UN , ECO , NAM , OIC , and OPEC . Iran is a major regional and middle power , and its large reserves of fossil fuels -- which include the largest natural gas supply in the world and the fourth-largest proven oil reserves -- exert considerable influence in international energy security and the world economy . Iran 's rich cultural legacy is reflected in part by its 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites , the third-largest number in Asia and 11th-largest in the world .

neg: Parchin Parchin is an Iranian military complex , located about 30 km southeast of Tehran .

neg: Religious traditionalism in Iran Traditionalism is one of the three basic types of Islam in Iran : traditionalism ( traditional humanism ) , modernism , and a variety of forms of revivalism usually brought together as fundamentalism .   Until two hundred years ago , in spite of the many schools and interpretations , many Muslims in Iran lived within the tradition . It was a living tradition , emphasizing the harmony of law , art , and all forms of knowledge . Also a significant Iranian scholar followed the tradition of Persian sufism and pluralism . Currently in Iran there exist three main types of Islam : traditionalists ( represented by Hossein Nasr and Yousef Sanei ) , modernists ( represented by Abdolkarim Soroush ) and different groups under the conservative umbrella ( represented by Ruhollah Khomeini , Ali Khamenei , Mohammad-Taghi Bahjat , Naser Makarem Shirazi , Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi and Hossein Noori Hamedani ) . Iranian Islam differs from the mainstream Sunni Islam and may be better understood by studying the Shia history in Arabia and Iran .   Some groups of conservatives and Traditionals humanists have tendencies toward mystical spiritualism and some of them are less political ( or apolitcal ) .   In traditional schools , traditional astronomy and geometry are discussed as well as philosophy , Sufism and ethics .

neg: Reza Shah Reza Shah Pahlavi ( رضا شاه پهلوی -LSB- reˈzɑː ˈʃɑːhe pæhlæˈviː -RSB- ; 15 March 1878 -- 26 July 1944 ) , was the Shah of Iran ( Persia ) from 15 December 1925 until he was forced to abdicate by the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on 16 September 1941 .   Four years after conducting a coup against the pro-British government , the 1921 Persian coup d'état , in 1923 Reza Pahlavi was selected as Iran 's prime minister by the National assembly of Iran . In 1925 Rezā Pahlavi was appointed as the legal monarch of Iran by decision of Iran 's constituent assembly . The assembly deposed Ahmad Shah Qajar , the last Shah of the Qajar dynasty , and selected Reza Shah and Pahlavi dynasty instead , by amending the Iran 's 1906 constitution . Reza Shah was the first democratically elected monarch of Iran . He founded the Pahlavi dynasty . He established a constitutional monarchy that lasted until overthrown in 1979 during the Iranian Revolution . Reza Shah introduced many social , economic , and political reforms during his reign , ultimately laying the foundation of the modern Iranian state .   His legacy remains controversial to this day . His defenders assert that he was an essential modernizing force for Iran ( whose international prominence had sharply declined during Qajar rule ) , while his detractors assert that his reign was often despotic , with his failure to modernize Iran 's large peasant population eventually sowing the seeds for the Iranian Revolution nearly four decades later . Moreover , his insistence on ethnic nationalism and cultural unitarism along with forced detribalization and sedentarization resulted in suppression of several ethnic and social groups . Similar to Atatürk 's policy of Turkification his government also carried out an extensive policy of Persianization trying to create a single , united and largely homogeneous nation .

neg: Qanats of Gonabad Ghasabe Qanats of Gonabad ( Persian : قنات قصبه گناباد ) also is called kariz Kai Khosrow is one of the oldest and largest qanats in the world built between 700 BC to 500 BC . It is located at Gonabad , Razavi Khorasan Province , Iran and contains 427 water wells with a total length of 33,113 meters . This site were first added to the UNESCO 's list of tentative World Heritage Sites in 2007 , then officially inscribed in 2016 with several other quants under the World Heritage Site name of `` The Persian Qanet '' .

neg: South Khorasan Province South Khorasan Province ( استان خراسان جنوبی Ostān-e Khorāsān-e Jonūbī ) is a province located in eastern Iran . Birjand is the centre of the province . The other major cities are Ferdows , Tabas and Qaen . In 2014 , it was placed in Region 5 .   This new province , is but the old Quhistan which was included into greater Khorasan in the Iranian administrative planning . However , historically Qohistan forms a separate entity , with a distinct culture , history , environment and ecology .   South Khorasan is one of the three provinces that were created after the division of Khorasan in 2004 . While at the beginning , the newly created `` South Khorasan '' included only Birjand County and some new counties detached from that county ( i.e. Nehbandan , Darmian and Sarbisheh ) , in subsequent years , all northern and western cities and territories of the old Quhistan ( such as Qaen , Ferdows and Tabas ) have been annexed into the South Khorasan .   South Khorasan Province consists of 11 counties : Birjand , Ferdows , Tabas , Qaen , Nehbandan , Darmian , Sarbisheh , Boshruyeh , Sarayan , Zirkouh and Khusf .

neg: Iranian local elections, 1999 The elections for City and Village Councils of Iran were held on 26 February 1999 , for the first time in the history of Iran to elect some 200,000 seats .   These elections saw great levels of public participation and civic engagement and still tend to be viewed as an `` historic moment '' and important opportunity for citizens to play an active part in the management of their municipalities at a local level .   In many large cities , especially Tehran and Isfahan , candidates from 2nd of Khordad movement won the elections . Independents were elected in most rural areas , reflecting concern for local issues which competed with the wider national debate over an emerging `` civil society . ''

neg: List of parties to the Ramsar Convention This is a list of parties contracting to the Ramsar Convention , which is also known as the Convention on Wetlands . The Convention 's mission is '' `` the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation , as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world '' . It calls upon contracting parties to recognize the interdependence of humans and the environment as well as the ecological functions of wetlands , such as wildlife habitat , nutrient cycling , and flood control .   The Ramsar Convention is the oldest multilateral international conservation convention and the only one to deal with one habitat or ecosystem type , wetlands . The Convention 's headquarters are in Gland , Switzerland , and it works closely with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature .   The Convention was held in the city of Ramsar , Iran in February 1971 and was originally contracted by seven countries when it came into force on 21 December 1975 . As of May 2015 there are 169 contracting parties and over 2,000 designated sites covering over 200000000 ha . Every contracting country has at least one Ramsar site , and 31 of the contracting countries have only one site . The country with the most sites is the United Kingdom with 170 . To become a Ramsar site , a site must be nominated by a contracting country , meet at least one of nine criteria , and undergo scientific review . The Convention was most recently ratified by Kuwait on 5 May 2015 .   The table lists the countries contracting to the convention , the entry date of each country to the convention , the number of Ramsar sites in each country , and the total area of all Ramsar sites in each country .

neg: List of people by number of countries visited This is a list of people by number of countries and territories visited .   There are a number of people claiming to have visited every country in the world , though there is great debate as to how many countries there are in the world . The most commonly agreed base number is the number of United Nations member states , of which there are 193 . According to the United Nations , `` The recognition of a new State or Government is an act that only other States and Governments may grant or withhold . '' As a result , the membership of some countries to the United Nations is blocked by one or more other members , such as Taiwan and Kosovo , and there are also two observer states , the Holy See and the State of Palestine . Additionally , there are various dependencies and territories that maintain autonomy , their own government , immigration , and/or print their own currency , and can be widely held as de facto countries by travellers . ISO 3166 is maintained by ISO as an updated list of the aforementioned derived from United Nations sources ( Terminology Bulletin Country Names and the Country and Region Codes for Statistical Use maintained by the United Nations Statistics Divisions ) , and lists 249 countries . The Travelers ' Century Club , whose membership is limited to those travellers who have visited one hundred or more territories of the world , maintains its own official list of countries and territories , a total of 325 as of 1 January 2016 , which includes geographically separated areas , such as Hawaii and other areas of cultural interest . This list of people by countries visited does not prescribe one list as correct ; rather , it lists the number of countries visited from any of these competing lists . The Best Travelled is also considered a reference for the 1281 world regions and well travelled people , and hold a verification process to check on traveller 's claims . Their UN Master List regroups all those travellers .

neg: List of World Heritage Sites in Northern and Central Asia The UNESCO ( United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization ) has designated 19 World Heritage Sites in six countries ( also called `` state parties '' ) of Central and North Asia : Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan and the Asian part of Russia . The European part of Russia is included in Eastern Europe .   Russia is home to the most inscribed sites with 7 sites , one of which is a transborder property shared with Mongolia in Eastern Asia . The first site from the region was the Itchan Kala in Uzbekistan inscribed in 1990 . Each year , UNESCO 's World Heritage Committee may inscribe new sites on the list , or delist sites that no longer meet the criteria . Selection is based on ten criteria : six for cultural heritage ( i -- vi ) and four for natural heritage ( vii -- x ) . Some sites , designated `` mixed sites , '' represent both cultural and natural heritage . In Northern and Central Asia , there are 11 cultural , 8 natural , and no mixed sites . All of the Russian sites ( 7 ) are natural and with the exception of Sayarka , all of the sites in Central Asia are cultural .   The World Heritage Committee may also specify that a site is endangered , citing `` conditions which threaten the very characteristics for which a property was inscribed on the World Heritage List . '' None of the sites in this region has ever been listed as endangered , but possible danger listing has been considered by UNESCO in a number of cases .

neg: Ziggurat of Ur The Ziggurat ( or Great Ziggurat ) of Ur ( Sumerian : -LSB- É ( temple ) , é-temen-ní-gùru -RSB- `` Etemenniguru '' , meaning `` temple whose foundation creates aura '' ) is a Neo-Sumerian ziggurat in what was the city of Ur near Nasiriyah , in present-day Dhi Qar Province , Iraq . The structure was built during the Early Bronze Age ( 21st century BCE ) , but had crumbled to ruins by the 6th century BCE of the Neo-Babylonian period when it was restored by King Nabonidus .   Its remains were excavated in the 1920s and 1930s by Sir Leonard Woolley . Under Saddam Hussein in the 1980s , they were encased by a partial reconstruction of the façade and the monumental staircase . The ziggurat of Ur is the best-preserved of those known from Iran and Iraq , besides the ziggurat of Dur Untash ( Chogha Zanbil ) . It is one of three well preserved structures of the Neo-Sumerian city of Ur , along with the Royal Mausolea and the Palace of Ur-Nammu ( the E-hursag ) .

neg: Iran crisis of 1946 The Iran crisis of 1946 , also known as the Iran-Azerbaijan Crisis ( Qaʾilih Âzarbâyjân , `` Azerbaijan crisis '' ) , followed the end of World War II and stemmed from the Soviet Union 's refusal to relinquish occupied Iranian territory , despite repeated assurances . In 1941 , Iran had been jointly invaded and occupied by the Allied powers of the Soviet Red Army in the north and by the British in the centre and south . Iran was used by the Americans and the British as a transportation route to provide vital supplies to the Soviet Union 's war efforts .   As of August 1941 , the United States was a neutral nation and had not yet entered as a belligerent in World War II . Therefore , the bloc known as ` The Allies ' were principally ( with Poland and France occupied by Germany in 1939 and 1940 , respectively ) the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union , recently forming their alliance after the German invasion of territories of the Western Soviet Union in June 1941 . In the aftermath of the occupation of Iran , those Allied forces agreed to withdraw from Iran within six months after the cessation of hostilities . However , when this deadline came in early 1946 , the Soviets , under Joseph Stalin , remained in Iran and local pro-Soviet Iranians proclaimed a separatist People 's Republic of Azerbaijan .   In late 1945 , in addition to the People 's Republic of Azerbaijan , the Republic of Mahabad also came into existence . Soon , the alliance of the Kurdish and People 's Azerbaijani forces , supported in arms and training by the Soviet Union , engaged in fighting with Iranian forces , resulting in a total of 2,000 casualties . Negotiation by Iranian premier Ahmad Qavam and diplomatic pressure on the Soviets by the United States eventually led to Soviet withdrawal . The crisis is seen as one of the early conflicts in the growing Cold War at the time .

neg: History of Afghanistan The written history of Afghanistan , ( تاریخ افغانستان د افغانستان تاريخ can be traced back to around 500 BCE when the area was under the Achaemenid Empire , although evidence indicates that an advanced degree of urbanized culture has existed in the land since between 3000 and 2000 BCE . The Indus Valley Civilisation stretched up to large parts of Afghanistan in the north , with several sites being known . Alexander the Great and his Macedonian army arrived at what is now Afghanistan in 330 BCE after conquering Persia during the Battle of Gaugamela . Since then , many empires have established capitals inside Afghanistan , including the Greco-Bactrians , Mauryas , Kushans , Hindu Shahi , Saffarids , Samanids , Ghaznavids , Ghurids , Timurids , Mughals , Hotakis and Durranis .   Afghanistan ( meaning `` land of the Afghans '' ) has been a strategically important location throughout history . The land served as `` a gateway to India , impinging on the ancient Silk Road , which carried trade from the Mediterranean to China '' . Sitting on many trade and migration routes , Afghanistan may be called the ` Central Asian roundabout ' since routes converge from the Middle East , from the Indus Valley through the passes over the Hindu Kush , from the Far East via the Tarim Basin , and from the adjacent Eurasian Steppe .   The archaeological manifestation of the Indo-Iranians ( Aryans ) before their split into separate language groups is generally seen as the Andronovo culture to the north of present-day Afghanistan . The Iranian languages were developed by one branch of these people ; the Pashto language spoken today in Afghanistan is one of the Eastern Iranian languages . Elena E. Kuz ` mina argues that the tents of Iranian-speaking nomads of Afghanistan developed from the light surface houses of the Eurasian steppe belt in the Bronze Age .   The Arab invasions influenced the culture of Afghanistan , and its pre-Islamic period of Zoroastrian , Macedonian , Buddhist and Hindu past has long vanished . Turkic empire-builders such as the Ghaznavids and Timurids made the region now called Afghanistan of major importance .   Mirwais Hotak followed by Ahmad Shah Durrani unified Afghan tribes and founded the last Afghan Empire in the early 18th century CE . Afghanistan 's sovereignty has been held during the Anglo-Afghan Wars , the 1980s Soviet war , and the 2001-present war by the country 's many and diverse people : the Pashtuns , Tajiks , Hazaras , Uzbeks , Turkmen , Aimak , Baloch and others . The Pashtuns form the largest group , claiming to be descendants of ancient Israelites or Qais Abdur Rashid but scholars believe that they are a confederation of various peoples from the past who united under Pashtunwali .

neg: Iran–United Kingdom relations Iran -- United Kingdom relations are the bilateral relations between the countries of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Islamic Republic of Iran . Iran , which was known as Persia before 1935 , has had political relations with England since the late Ilkhanate period ( 13th century ) when King Edward I of England sent Geoffrey of Langley to the Ilkhanid court to seek an alliance .   Diplomatic relations between the two countries have considerably deteriorated in recent years , following the re-election of President Ahmadinejad .   On 28 November 2011 Iran downgraded its relations with Britain due to new sanctions put in place by the UK . The next day a band of students and Basiji attacked the UK embassy compound in Tehran , damaging property and driving the embassy staff away . On 30 November 2011 , in response to the attack , the UK closed its embassy in Tehran and ordered the Iranian embassy in London closed .   According to a 2013 BBC World Service poll , only 5 % of British people view Iran 's influence positively , with 84 % expressing a negative view . According to a 2012 Pew Global Attitudes Survey , 16 % of British people viewed Iran favorably , compared to 68 % which viewed it unfavorably ; 91 % of British people oppose Iranian acquisition of nuclear weapons and 79 % approve of `` tougher sanctions '' on Iran , while 51 % of British people support use of military force to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons .   From July 2012 until October 2013 , British interests in Iran were maintained by the Swedish embassy in Tehran while Iranian interests in the United Kingdom were maintained by the Omani embassy in London .   On July 2013 , it is announced that the UK would consider opening better relations with Iran `` step-by-step '' following the election of President Hassan Rouhani .   On October 8 , 2013 , Britain and Iran announced that they would each appoint a chargé d'affaires to work toward resuming full diplomatic relations .   On February 20 , 2014 the Iranian Embassy in London was restored and the two countries agreed to restart diplomatic relations .  On August 23 , 2015 the embassy was officially reopened .

neg: List of National Treasures of Japan (archaeological materials) The term `` National Treasure '' has been used in Japan to denote cultural properties since 1897 .  The definition and the criteria have changed since the introduction of the term . These archaeological materials adhere to the current definition , and have been designated national treasures since the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties came into effect on June 9 , 1951 . The items are selected by the Ministry of Education , Culture , Sports , Science and Technology based on their `` especially high historical or artistic value '' . The list presents 46 materials or sets of materials from ancient to feudal Japan , spanning a period from about 4,500 BC to 1361 AD . The actual number of items is more than 46 because groups of related objects have been combined into single entries . Most of the items have been excavated from tombs , kofun , sutra mounds or other archaeological sites . The materials are  housed in museums ( 28 ) , temples ( 9 ) , shrines ( 8 ) and a university ( 1 ) in 25 cities of Japan . The Tokyo National Museum houses the greatest number of archaeological national treasures , with 6 of the 46 .   The Japanese Paleolithic marks the beginning of human habitation in Japan . It is generally accepted that human settlement did not occur before 38,000 BC , although some sources suggest the date to be as early as 50,000 BC . Archaeological artifacts from the paleolithic era consist of stone tools of various types , indicative of a hunter-gatherer society . From about 14,000 to 8,000 BC , the society gradually transformed to one characterized by the creation of pottery used for storage , cooking , bone burial and possibly ceremonial purposes . People continued to subsist on hunting , fishing and gathering , but evidence points to a gradual decrease in the nomadic lifestyle . Potsherds of unornamented pottery from the oldest archaeological sites constitute some of the world 's oldest pottery . These are followed by linear-relief , punctated and nail-impressed pottery types . The first cord-marked pottery dates to 8,000 BC . Cord-marked pottery required a technique of pressing twisted cords into the clay , or by rolling cord-wrapped sticks across the clay . The Japanese definition for the period of prehistory characterized by the use of pottery is and refers to the entire period ( c. 10,500 to 300 BC ) . Pottery techniques reached their apogee during the Middle Jōmon period with the emergence of fire-flame pottery created by sculpting and carving coils of clay applied to vessel rims , resulting in a rugged appearance . A set of 57 items of fire-flame pottery , dating to around 4,500 BC , has been designated as the oldest National Treasure . Archaeologists consider that such pottery may have had a symbolic meaning or was used ceremonially . Dogū -- small clay figurines depicting humans and animals -- can be dated to the earliest Jōmon period but their prevalence increased dramatically in the middle Jōmon . Many of these depict women with exaggerated breasts and enlarged buttocks , considered to be a fertility symbol . Five dogū from 3000 to 1000 BC have been designated as National Treasures .   The ensuing Yayoi period is characterized by great technological advances such as wet-rice agriculture or bronze and iron casting , which were introduced from the mainland . Iron knives and axes , followed by bronze swords , spears and mirrors , were brought to Japan from Korea and China . Later all of these were produced locally . The primary artistic artifacts , with the exception of Yayoi pottery , are bronze weapons , such as swords , halberds and dōtaku , ritual bells . The bells were often discovered in groups on a hillside buried with the weapons . They are 0.2 to tall and often decorated with geometric designs such as horizontal bands , flowing water patterns or spirals . A few bells feature the earliest Japanese depiction of people and animals . In addition ornamental jewels were found . The weapons that have been excavated are flat and thin , suggesting a symbolic use . Due to rusting , few iron objects have survived from this period . Burial mounds in square , and later round , enclosures were common in the Yayoi period . The starting date of the Kofun period ( c. 250 -- 300 AD ) is defined by the appearance of large-scale keyhole-shaped kofun mound tombs , thought to mark imperial burials . Typical burial goods include mirrors , beads , Sue ware , weapons and later horse gear . One of the most well-known tombs , whose content of warrior-related items has been designated as National Treasure , is the late 6th century Fujinoki Tomb . Mirrors , swords and curved jewels , which constitute the Imperial Regalia of Japan , appear as early as the middle Yayoi period , and are abundant in Kofun period tombs . Characteristic of most kofun are haniwa clay terra cotta figures whose origin and purpose is unknown . A haniwa of an armoured man has been designated as National Treasure ; and a 1st-century gold seal , designated a National Treasure , shows one of the earliest mentions of Japan or Wa .   Buddhism arrived in Japan in the mid -- 6th century Asuka period , and was officially adopted in the wake of the Battle of Shigisan in 587 , after which Buddhist temples began to be constructed . The new religion and customs fundamentally transformed Japanese society and the arts . Funerary traditions such as cremation and the practice of placing epitaphs in graves were imported from China and Korea . Following the treatment of Buddhist relics , the cremated remains in a glass container were wrapped in a cloth and placed in an outer container . Epitaphs , which recorded the lives of the deceased on silver or bronze rectangular strips , were particularly popular from the latter half of the 7th to the end of the 8th century ( late Asuka and Nara period ) . Four epitaphs and a number of cinerary urns and reliquaries containing bones have been designated as National Treasures . Other archaeological National Treasures from the Buddhist era include ritual items buried in the temple foundations of the Golden Halls of Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji in Nara . According to an ancient Buddhist prophecy , the world would enter a dark period in 1051 ; consequently in the late Heian period the belief in the saving powers of Maitreya or Miroku , the Buddha to be , became widespread . Believers buried scriptures and images to gain merit and to prepare for the coming Buddha . This practice , which continued into the Kamakura period , required the transcription of sutras according to strict ritual protocols , their placement in protective reliquary containers and burial in the earth of sacred mountains , shrines or temples to await the future Buddha . The oldest known sutra mound is that of Fujiwara no Michinaga from 1007 on Mount Kinpu , who buried one lotus sutra and five other sutras that he had written in 998 . Its sutra container has been designated as National Treasure .

neg: Muharram Museum Muharram museum is an anthropological museums in Tabriz , in the East Azerbaijan province , Iran . As it is known , anthropology is the study of people 's culture , hence Muharram ceremonies which are arisen from the heart of Shi'ite , involve the important fields of anthropological studies . Muharram ceremonies represent the quarrel of good and evil , oppressor and oppressed and the most important point they stand for Ashura . As a whole , it can be considered that the ceremonies held in Muharram all are symbolic .   What are displayed at Muharram museum symbolize all the ceremonies and traditions of Muharrem in East Azerbaijan province . All are the elements of culture that strengthen the culture of the society . The signs and symbols are representing something beyond themselves , they could be abstract or natural but the signs , that considered here , are cultural signs . Sometimes the signs signify religious and mythological aspects relevant to the culture and the history of man .   At Muharram museum symbols of Muharrem such as candles , lamps , cradles , various flags are displayed . The aim of establishing such a museum is displaying material attractions and symbols used on the month of Muharrem . Thebuilding of the museum is one of the old houses of Tabriz called Sehati 's house . The style of architecture shows that the building dates back to the end of Qajar era . The house covered an area of 409 sq. m in three floors . It has been registered under the number of 2336 in the list of national monuments of the country since 1999 .

neg: Ministry of Revolutionary Guards Ministry of Guards ( -LSB- وزارت سپاه , Vezārat-e Sepāh -RSB- ) was a government ministry in Iran between 1982 and 1989 , which mainly acted as a ministry of defence dedicated to logistically supply the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps . By having its own ministry , the Corps were able to acquire a powerful voice in the cabinet of Iran . It also implied greater regulation and supervision over the Corps by placing its acquisitions and purchases under and the audit and purview of the government .   It mirrored the existing parallel Ministry of National Defence ( the word `` National '' was dropped in 1984 ) which solely supported and addressed the administrative affairs of the Iranian Army ( Artesh ) during these years . In 1989 , it was dissolved and reintegrated into the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics ( MODAFL ) , in order to centralize military logistics among the Iranian Armed Forces .

neg: Visitor attractions of Tabriz Bridges ( Historical )  Aji River bridge , an old bridge on the Aji River , beside the airport street  Ghari Bridge , historical bridges on the Ghuri River Churches  Armenian church of Adontist  Armenian church of Saint Mary  Assyrian church  Catholic church of Tabriz   Hamams ( Turkish bath )  Historic Nobar Hamami  Ferdowsi Hamami  Nobar bath Houses ( Historical )  Amir Nezam House  Behnam House ( School of Architecture , Islamic art university of Tabriz )  Boulourchian House  Constitutional House of Tabriz  House of Sheykh ol Islam  Sharbatoglu House  Ghadaki House   Monuments  Ark-e Tabriz  Bazaar of Tabriz  Charm Sazi-e Khosravi ( faculty of Applied Arts )  Ruins of Rabe Rashidi University  Saat Tower ( Tabriz Municipality )  Tabriz Fire Fighting Tower  Tabriz Railway Station Mosques  Blue Mosque ( Göy Masjid )  Jameh Mosque of Tabriz  Saheb ol Amr  Shohada Mosque   Museums  Museum of Azarbaijan  Museum of Qajar ( Amir Nezam House )  Shahryar Literature Museum ( House of Late Poet Shahryar )  Museum of Ostad Bohtouni in Maqbarat-ol-Shoarapark  Measures Museum  Museum of Nature  Museum of `` Iran municipalities history '' in Saat Tower ( municipality of Tabriz ) Parks and Gardens  Golestan Park ( Golestan garden )  Baghlar Baghi  Shah Gholi park  Khaqani Park   Shrines and Tombs  Boq ' e Imamzade Ibrahim  Maqbaratoshoara ( Tomb of Poets )  Seyed Hamzeh shrine  Shrine of On ibn ali  Tomb of Two Kamals Streets ( Historical )  Tarbiyat street  Ferdowsi street  Shahnaz street   Category : Tabriz   Tabriz  Tabriz

neg: Middle East nuclear weapon free zone The Middle East nuclear weapon free zone ( MENWFZ ) is a proposed agreement similar to other nuclear-weapon-free zones in other regions . Steps towards the establishment of such a zone began in the 1960s led to a joint declaration by Egypt and Iran in 1974 which resulted in a General Assembly resolution ( broadened in 1990 through the Mubarak Initiative to cover all weapons of mass destruction ) . Following the 1995 NPT Review Conference , the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) held a series of meetings involving experts and academics to consider ways to advance this process .   Such a zone would strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty ( NPT ) , would help to promote global nuclear disarmament and would also help the Middle East peace process as substantial confidence-building measures .   The United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 ( the ceasefire ending the Gulf War ) recognizes the goal of establishing the MENWFZ ( para 14 ) .   For the Egyptian government ( until the political changes of 2011 ) , a MENWFZ was seen as a central source of pressure on Israel to relinquish its ambiguous nuclear policy , and to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty ( NPT ) . Until the Iranian nuclear program , Israel was believed to be the only Mideast country to have a nuclear deterrence capability , developed in the 1960s . As Avner Cohen , Gerald Steinberg and other experts have noted , Israeli policy has emphasized the link between nuclear demilitarization and a comprehensive peace settlement including Palestinian issues and with countries and potential threats in the region , including Syria and Iran . Israel maintains a veil of `` studied ambiguity '' ( `` amimut '' ) about its nuclear arsenal , and has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty .   Four countries in the Middle East have been found in non-compliance with their IAEA safeguards obligations under the NPT : Iraq , Libya , Iran , and Syria . Of these cases , Iran and Syria remain unresolved .   Following pressure from Egypt and the Arab League , the 2010 NPT Review Conference called for holding a conference on a MENWFZ which would primarily press Israel to end its policy of a ambiguity . Finland planned to host such an event in 2012 . However , no agreement was reached on the agenda and other issues , and the conference was called off in November 2012 .   An international group of concerned citizens , including former members of the Israeli Knesset , responded to the lack of progress in official talks by organizing an International Conference For A WMD-Free Middle East . It was held in Haifa in December 2013 .

neg: Intellectual movements in Iran Intellectual movements in Iran involve the Iranian experience of modernity and its associated art , science , literature , poetry , and political structures that have been changing since the 19th century .

neg: Ahmad Shahi Pavilion Ahmad Shahi Pavilion ( -LSB- ) is in Niavaran Palace , in the Niavaran complex in north of Tehran , Iran . Ahmad Shahi Pavilion is beside Mohammad Reza Pahlavi 's dwelling , Niavaran Palace and the oldest building there , Sahebgheranieh Palace . The Pavilion was built at the end of the Qajar era as Ahmad Shah 's dwelling among Niavaran garden . Ahmad Shahi Pavilion was constructed as a two story building in the surrounds of 800 m2 of land .   The Ahmad Shahi pavilion , after refurbishment and interior additions , was utilized as the house and workplace of Reza Pahlavi by wholly altering its furniture during the Mohammad Reza Pahlavi . The first floor of the pavilion includes of a hallway with a pond made of marble stone in the middle with six rooms and two corridors around . ornamental items made of silver , bronze , ivory , wood and souvenirs from different countries such as India , paintings , medals , etc. have been exhibited in this palace . Also other items plus decorative mineral stones , a stone from Moon , different plant and animal fossils are kept in this pavilion . The 2nd floor of this building includes of a middle hallway and a four sided veranda . All around the major hall , which was used as the song room , wooden shelves have been set . Surrounding the veranda , shelter is provided by six square brick columns and 26 round gypsum columns . The gypsum work pattern of lion and sun can be visible on the northern wall of the veranda . Ahmad Shahi Pavilion is open to public visitors .


query: The Taj Mahal attracts significantly less than 7-8 million visitors a year.

pos: Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal ( -LSB- ˌtɑːdʒ_məˈhɑːl -RSB- , more often -LSB- ˈtɑːʒ -RSB- meaning Crown of the Palace ) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra . It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor , Shah Jahan ( reigned 1628 -- 1658 ) , to house the tomb of his favourite wife , Mumtaz Mahal . The tomb is the centrepiece of a 42 acre complex , which includes a mosque and a guest house , and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall .   Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643 but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years . The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around 32 million rupees , which in 2015 would be approximately 52.8 billion rupees ( US$ 827 million ) . The construction project employed some 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the emperor , Ustad Ahmad Lahauri .   The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being `` the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world 's heritage '' . Described by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore as `` the tear-drop on the cheek of time '' , it is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of India 's rich history . The Taj Mahal attracts 7 -- 8 million visitors a year . In 2007 , it was declared a winner of the New7Wonders of the World ( 2000 -- 2007 ) initiative .

neg: Mexico City Mexico City , or the City of Mexico ( Ciudad de México , -LSB- sjuˈða ðe ˈmexiko -RSB- ; abbreviated as `` CDMX '' ) , is the capital and most populous city of Mexico . As an `` alpha '' global city , Mexico City is one of the most important financial centers in the Americas . It is located in the Valley of Mexico ( Valle de México ) , a large valley in the high plateaus at the center of Mexico , at an altitude of 2240 m . The city consists of sixteen municipalities ( previously called boroughs ) .   The 2009 estimated population for the city proper was approximately 8.84 million people , with a land area of 1485 km2 . According to the most recent definition agreed upon by the federal and state governments , the Greater Mexico City population is 21.2 million people , making it the second-largest metropolitan area of the western hemisphere , behind New York City , the tenth-largest agglomeration , and the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world .   The Greater Mexico City has a gross domestic product ( GDP ) of US$ 411 billion in 2011 , making Mexico City urban agglomeration one of the economically largest metropolitan areas in the world . The city was responsible for generating 15.8 % of Mexico 's Gross Domestic Product and the metropolitan area accounted for about 22 % of total national GDP . As a stand-alone country , in 2013 , Mexico City would be the fifth-largest economy in Latin America -- five times as large as Costa Rica 's and about the same size as Peru 's .   Mexico 's capital is both the oldest capital city in the Americas and one of two founded by Amerindians ( Native Americans ) , the other being Quito . The city was originally built on an island of Lake Texcoco by the Aztecs in 1325 as Tenochtitlan , which was almost completely destroyed in the 1521 siege of Tenochtitlan , and subsequently redesigned and rebuilt in accordance with the Spanish urban standards . In 1524 , the municipality of Mexico City was established , known as México Tenochtitlán , and as of 1585 it was officially known as Ciudad de México ( Mexico City ) . Mexico City served as the political , administrative and financial center of a major part of the Spanish colonial empire . After independence from Spain was achieved , the federal district was created in 1824 .   After years of demanding greater political autonomy , residents were given the right to directly elect a Head of Government and the representatives of the unicameral Legislative Assembly by popular vote in 1997 . Ever since , the left-wing Party of the Democratic Revolution ( PRD ) has controlled both of them . In recent years , the local government has passed a wave of liberal policies , such as abortion on request , a limited form of euthanasia , no-fault divorce , and same-sex marriage . On January 29 , 2016 , it ceased to be called the Federal District ( Spanish : Distrito Federal or D.F. ) and is now in transition to become the country 's 32nd federal entity , giving it a level of autonomy comparable to that of a state . Because of a clause in the Mexican Constitution , however , as the seat of the powers of the federation , it can never become a state , lest the capital of the country be relocated elsewhere .

neg: Umm al-Qura Mosque The Umm al-Qura ( `` Mother of All Cities '' ) mosque in Baghdad is the city 's largest place of worship for Sunni Muslims . Originally called the Umm al-Ma ` arik ( `` Mother of All Battles '' ) mosque , it was designed to commemorate Saddam Hussein 's victory in the 1991 Gulf War and was intended to serve as a personal tribute to Saddam himself . It is located in the Sunni-populated al-Adel area of western Baghdad . Costing $ 7.5 million to build , the mosque 's cornerstone was laid on Saddam 's 61st birthday on 28 April 1998 . It was formally completed on 28 April 2001 in time for the ten-year anniversary of the Gulf War .   Although never confirmed by his regime or himself during his lifetime , there has been speculation that it was intended to have been Saddam 's final resting place .   Many architectural features of the mosque and the surrounding complex allude to either Saddam or the war ( or both ) . It has four minarets on its perimeter , each resembling a Kalashnikov rifle barrel and standing 43 m high , marking the 43 days of the Gulf War . Around the dome are another four minarets , each in the shape of a Scud missile on its launchpad standing 37 m high . The dome is set in the middle of a lake in the shape of the Arab world , in which was set a 7.5 m wide mosaic representation of Saddam 's thumbprint with an inset magnified version of his initials , made from gold . The mosque was formerly used to display a Qur ` an written in Saddam 's blood . The 28 fountains of the lake , the four inner minarets and the 37 m height of each minaret together represent the date of Saddam 's birth - 28 April 1937 . The building is constructed from white limestone with blue mosaic decorations , and red , white and black Iraqi flags are painted on the peaks of the inner minarets .   Following the fall of Saddam Hussein in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq , the mosque was taken over by a Sunni group called the Association of Muslim Scholars . It became a recruiting site and propaganda centre for the early Iraqi insurgency . The association became a de facto Al Qaeda ally ; its leader Harith Suleiman al-Dhari , who operated out of the mosque , is said to have played a key role in mobilizing insurgents during the 2004 fighting in Fallujah , west of Baghdad . In 2007 , the association was expelled by the Sunni Endowment , a quasi-governmental agency responsible for Sunni mosques in Iraq , which took control of Umm al-Qura .   On 28 August 2011 , the mosque was attacked by a suicide bomber during prayers , killing at least 28 people and injuring 30 more . An Iraqi member of parliament was among the dead .

neg: Banda Aceh Banda Aceh , formerly known as Kutaradja , is the capital and largest city in the province of Aceh , Indonesia . It is located on the island of Sumatra and has an elevation of 35 meters . The city covers an area of 64 square kilometres and had a population of 219,070 people , according to the 2000 census . Banda Aceh is located on the northwestern tip of Indonesia at the mouth of the Aceh River .   The city was originally established as Bandar Aceh Darussalam Kandang and served as a capital and hub for the Sultanate of Aceh upon its foundation in the late 15th century . Later its name was changed to Bandar Aceh Darussalam , and then became popularly known as Banda Aceh . The first part of the name comes from the Persian bandar meaning `` port '' or `` haven . '' The city is also dubbed the `` port to Mecca , '' or the `` porch of Mecca '' ( Indonesian : Serambi Mekkah ) in reference to the days when hajj pilgrims travelled by sea from Indonesia and would make a stop over in the city before continuing their journey to Mecca .   Banda Aceh had long been at the centre of protracted conflicts between the Acehnese and foreign domination , including war with Portuguese , wars with the Dutch , the Japanese and the Indonesian government . The city rose to international prominence in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean earthquake in 2004 , which struck off the western coast of Sumatra . Banda Aceh was the closest major city to the earthquake 's epicentre , which lay 249 km off the coast . It suffered great damage in the earthquake and further damage when a tsunami struck shortly afterwards . 167,000 people died as a result and many more were injured .   The aftermath of the tsunami has seen a cessation of much of the conflict in the city and province , and domestic and international aid as a result has seen a major modernisation and reconstruction of the city over the past decade .

neg: Economy of Punjab, India According to the 2008 Global Hunger Index , Punjab has the lowest level of hunger in India . Less than one-fourth of children below the age of five are underweight , although Punjab `` came off worse than countries like Gabon and Vietnam when measured on the index '' .   Punjab has relatively good infrastructure . This includes road , rail , air and river transport links that are extensive throughout the region . Punjab has also one of the lowest poverty rate in India at 6.16 % ( 1999-2000 figures ) , and has won the best state performance award , based on statistical data compiled by the Indian Government . In 2012 , the state was one of the highest receiver of overall remittances to India which stood at $ 66.13 billion ( 4547429450000.00 Indian Rupees ) , below Kerala , Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh .

neg: Tehsil A tehsil ( also known as a mandal , taluk , taluq or taluka ) is an administrative division of some countries of South Asia . It is an area of land with a city or town that serves as its administrative centre , with possible additional towns , and usually a number of villages . The terms in India have replaced earlier geographical terms , such as pargana , pergunnah and thannah , used under the Delhi Sultanate and the British Raj .   As an entity of local government , the tehsil office ( Panchayat Samiti ) exercises certain fiscal and administrative power over the villages and municipalities within its jurisdiction . It is the ultimate executive agency for land records and related administrative matters . The chief official is called the tahsildar or , less officially , the talukdar or taluka muktiarkar or Tehsildar . Taluk or Tehsil can be said sub districts in Indian ( Bharat ) context . In some instances , Tehsils overlap with `` Blocks '' ( Panchayat union blocks or Panchayat development blocks ) , Tehsil comes under the Land and Revenue department headed by Tehsildar and Blocks come under the Rural development department headed by the Block Development Officer and serve the different government administrative function over the same or similar geographical area .   Although they may on occasion share the same area with a subdivision of a revenue divisions , known as revenue blocks , the two are distinct . For example , Raipur district in Chhattisgarh state is administratively divided into 13 tehsils and 15 revenue blocks . Nevertheless , the two are often conflated .   Tehsil/tahsil and taluka and their variants are used as English words without further translation . Since these terms are unfamiliar to English speakers outside the subcontinent , the word county has sometimes been provided as a gloss , on the basis that a tehsil , like a county , is an administrative unit hierarchically above the local city , town , or village , but subordinate to a larger state or province . India and Pakistan have an intermediate level of hierarchy ( or more than one , at least in parts of India ) : the district , also sometimes translated as county . In neither case is the analogy very exact .

neg: Stoning of the Devil The Stoning of the Devil ( -LSB- , `` stoning of the -LSB- place of pebbles -RSB- '' )  is part of the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia . During the ritual , Muslim pilgrims throw pebbles at three walls ( formerly pillars ) , called jamarāt , in the city of Mina just east of Mecca . It is one of a series of ritual acts that must be performed in the Hajj . It is a symbolic reenactment of Abraham 's hajj , where he stoned three pillars representing the temptation to disobey God and preserve Ishmael .   On Eid al-Adha ( the 10th day of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah ) , pilgrims must strike only one of the three jamraat ; specifically , the larger one ; with seven pebbles . After the stoning is completed on the day of Eid , every pilgrim must cut or shave their hair . On each of the following two days , they must hit each of the three walls with seven pebbles , going in order from east to west . Thus at least 49 pebbles are needed for the ritual , more if some throws miss . Some pilgrims stay at Mina for an additional day , in which case they must again stone each wall seven times . The pebbles used in the stoning are traditionally gathered at Muzdalifah , a plain southeast of Mina , on the night before the first throwing , but can also be collected at Mina .

neg: Puri Puri is a city and a municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India . It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal , 60 km south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar . It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the 12th-century Jagannath Temple located in the city . It is one of the original Char Dham pilgrimage sites for Hindus .   Puri is known by several names since the ancient times , and was locally known as `` Shrikhetra '' and Lord Jagannath temple is known as `` Badadeula '' . Puri and the Jagannath Temple were invaded 18 times by Hindu and Muslim rulers , from the 4th century AD till the early 19th century with the objective of looting the treasures of the temple . Odisha , including Puri and its temple , were under the British Raj from 1803 till India attained independence in August 1947 . Even though princely states do not exist in India today the heirs of the Gajapati Dynasty of Khurda still perform the ritual duties of the temple . The temple town has many Hindu religious maths or monasteries .   The economy of Puri town is dependent on the religious importance of the Jagannath Temple to the extent of nearly 80 percent . The 24 festivals , including 13 major ones , held every year in the temple complex contribute to the economy ; Ratha Yatra and its related festivals are the most important which are attended by millions of people every year . Sand art and applique art are some of the important crafts of the city .   Puri has been chosen as one of the heritage cities for Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana ( HRIDAY ) scheme of Government of India .

neg: Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas The Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas ( National Museum of Decorative Arts ; originally , `` National Museum of Industrial Arts '' ) is located at 12 Montalbán Street , in Madrid , Spain , to the south of the Puerta de Alcalá and the western side of the Buen Retiro Park . It is one of the oldest museums in the city , situated within the Golden Triangle of Art . Following the example of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London , it illustrates the evolution of industrial or `` minor arts '' , including furniture , ceramics , glass , and textiles . The collections emphasize the 16th and 17th centuries in particular ; its collection contains approximately 40,000 pieces , with a considerable quantity of Arabic world items , particularly from Morocco and Turkey . Its 62 exhibition rooms are within a palace near the Jardines del Retiro de Madrid . Each year , there are about 22,000 visitors .

neg: Mahalla (Uzbeks) A mahalla is an urban division in Uzbek communities which today exist in Uzbekistan , Kyrgyzstan , and Tajikistan . Historically , mahallas were autonomous social institutions built around familial ties and Islamic rituals . Before the establishment of the Soviet rule in Uzbekistan , Mahallas fulfilled local self-government functions connecting private sphere with public sphere . Religious rituals , life-cycle crisis ceremonies , resource management , conflict resolution , and many other community activities were performed at mahalla , or ( neighbourhood ) level . An informal council of elders ( oqsoqol , or aksakal ) provided leadership .   After the establishment of the Soviet Union , informal mahalla organizations were placed under the state control and served as local extensions of the Soviet government . Mahallas were thought to be `` eyes '' and `` ears '' of the Soviet government ; mahalla became a control mechanism of the state and the mahalla leaders were appointed by the government . However , mahalla level state-society relationships were more complex as mahalla leaders could serve as henchmen while also acting as buffers between the local community and the state . Due to intimate , face-to face relationships dominant at mahalla , mahalla organizations could shield the community from the incursions of the state .   Since 1993 , Uzbek government reorganized mahalla councils as bearers of `` Uzbek nationhood '' and `` morality , '' effectively reproducing Soviet style state domination over the society . Thus , they are formal structures run by committees ( headed by chairs called `` oqsoqols '' ) and regulated by the government . Human rights groups have accused Islam Karimov 's government of using mahallas to control the population , repress dissent , force resettlement , and persecute religious minorities .   Mahalla is a common unit not only in Uzbekistan , but in Tajikistani cities like Khujand and Kyrgyzstani cities like Osh .

neg: Amman Amman ( -LSB- langpronɑːˈmɑːn -RSB- عمّان ) is the capital and most populous city of Jordan , and the country 's economic , political and cultural centre . Situated in north-central Jordan , Amman is the administrative centre of the Amman Governorate . The city has a population of 4,007,526 and a land area of 648.7 sqmi . Today , Amman is considered to be among the most liberal and westernized Arab cities . It is a major tourist destination in the region , particularly among Arab and European tourists .   The earliest evidence of settlement in the area is a Neolithic site known as ` Ain Ghazal . Its successor was known as `` Rabbath Ammon '' , which was the capital of the Ammonites , then as `` Philadelphia '' , and finally as Amman . It was initially built on seven hills but now spans over 19 hills combining 27 districts , which are administered by the Greater Amman Municipality headed by its mayor Aqel Biltaji . Areas of Amman have either gained their names from the hills ( Jabal ) or the valleys ( Wadi ) they lie on , such as Jabal Lweibdeh and Wadi Abdoun . East Amman is predominantly filled with historic sites that frequently host cultural activities , while West Amman is more modern and serves as the economic center of the city .   Approximately 2 million visitors arrived in Amman in 2014 , which ranked it as the 93rd most visited city in the world and the 5th most visited Arab city . Amman has a relatively fast growing economy , and it is ranked Beta − on the global city index . Moreover , it was named one of the Middle East and North Africa 's best cities according to economic , labor , environmental , and socio-cultural factors . The city is among the most popular locations in the Arab world for multinational corporations to set up their regional offices , alongside Doha and only behind Dubai . It is expected that in the next 10 years these three cities will capture the largest share of multinational corporation activity in the region .

neg: Thamel Thamel is a commercial neighbourhood in Kathmandu , the capital of Nepal . Thamel has been the centre of the tourist industry in Kathmandu for over four decades , starting from the hippie days when many artists came to Nepal and spent weeks in Thamel . Even though Thamel has been referred to as a `` ghetto '' by some , many low-budget travellers consider it a hot-spot for tourism .   Thamel is distinguished by its narrow alleys crowded with various shops and vendors . Commonly sold goods include food , fresh vegetables/fruits , pastries , trekking gear , walking gear , music , DVDs , handicrafts , souvenirs , woolens , and clothes . Travel agencies , small grocery stores , budget hotels and restaurants also line the streets . Cars , cycle rickshaws , two-wheelers and taxis ply these narrow streets alongside hundreds of pedestrians .   There are many restaurants in Thamel that serve traditional and continental cuisine , although prices are significantly higher than in non-tourist areas . Thamel also acts as the pre-base camp for mountaineers . It boasts a wide range of mountaineering gear shops , foreign money exchange booths , mobile phone shops , pubs , clubs , and nightlife along with the numerous travel agents and guest houses . Thamel is home to a wide range of the Nepalese population , and serves both entertainment and employment purposes .   On Wednesday , 28 September 2011 , Thamel was declared a full Wi-Fi zone . It is the first Wi-Fi zone of Nepal .

neg: Hajj The Hajj ( -LSB- hædʒ -RSB- -LSB- `` pilgrimage '' ) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca , the most holy city of the Muslims , and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey , and can support their family during their absence . It is one of the five pillars of Islam , alongside Shahadah , Salat , Zakat , and Sawm . The Hajj is the largest annual gathering of people in the world . The state of being physically and financially capable of performing the Hajj is called istita'ah , and a Muslim who fulfills this condition is called a mustati . The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people , and their submission to God ( Allah ) . The word Hajj means `` to intend a journey '' , which connotes both the outward act of a journey and the inward act of intentions .   The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th ( or in some cases 13th ) of Dhu al-Hijjah , the last month of the Islamic calendar . Because the Islamic calendar is lunar and the Islamic year is about eleven days shorter than the Gregorian year , the Gregorian date of Hajj changes from year to year . Ihram is the name given to the special spiritual state in which pilgrims wear two white sheets of seamless cloth and abstain from certain actions .   The Hajj is associated with the life of Islamic prophet Muhammad from the 7th century , but the ritual of pilgrimage to Mecca is considered by Muslims to stretch back thousands of years to the time of Abraham . During Hajj , pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people , who simultaneously converge on Mecca for the week of the Hajj , and perform a series of rituals : each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Ka'aba ( the cube-shaped building and the direction of prayer for the Muslims ) , runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah , drinks from the Zamzam Well , goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil , spends a night in the plain of Muzdalifa , and performs symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing stones at three pillars . The pilgrims then shave their heads , perform a ritual of animal sacrifice , and celebrate the three-day global festival of Eid al-Adha .   Pilgrims can also go to Mecca to perform the rituals at other times of the year . This is sometimes called the `` lesser pilgrimage '' , or Umrah . However , even if they choose to perform the Umrah , they are still obligated to perform the Hajj at some other point in their lifetime if they have the means to do so , because Umrah is not a substitute for Hajj .

neg: Tourism in Vatican City Vatican City is a popular destination for tourists , especially Christians wishing to see the Pope or practice their faith . The main tourist attractions in Vatican City include the Basilica of St. Peter , Saint Peter 's Square , the Vatican Museums , the Sistine Chapel , and the Raphael Rooms .   Pilgrims most often visit Vatican City at special moments in the liturgical year , such as Christmas or Easter , or during important periods such as the proclamation of a holy year or the funeral and election of a pope .   Tourism is one of the principal sources of revenue in the economy of Vatican City . Although less than a quarter of a square mile in area , in 2007 , about 4.3 million tourists visited the Vatican Museums alone . Tourism is the main cause of the Vatican 's unusually high crime rate : tourists are blamed for various minor thefts and incidents .

neg: Ahmed al Haddad Dr. Ahmed al Haddad is the Grand Mufti of Dubai , United Arab Emirates . In his capacity , Haddad is a qualified religious cleric , Imam and jurist who is entitled as the country 's most senior Islamic scholar . He serves as the head of Dubai 's fatwa department and is primarily responsible for the regulation , edictment and issuing out of all decisions concerning Islamic law and order in the emirate .   In 2009 , Haddad declared that women reserved the authority under Islamic law to hand out and pass fatwas . According to him , `` Women who have sufficient knowledge of Islamic teachings can become mufti and issue fatwas . '' He further went on to say that becoming a mufti always depended on knowledge , not gender and cited in support a Quranic verse which urged those with knowledge of the law to share it . The ruling was generally in agreement with most Sunni sources and came as a response to questions raised about the validity of women as clerics .   Haddad was under attention later in 2010 when he gave out a controversial statement regarding mixed marriages in the country . According to statistical figures , the number of Emiratis ( UAE nationals ) marrying foreigners has risen by 10 percent in just four years . Officials blame the rising cost of dowries and wedding ceremonies as the prime reason that persuades local men to seek foreign wives , who cost much less to marry ; the price of marrying native brides has risen to more than $ 500,000 . The concept of mixed marriages is viewed by some as a risk for the demographics of the country 's small and undersized local population which numbers below 1 million . Foreigners outnumber locals in Dubai by about nine to one and inter-ethnic marriages have grown accordingly ; according to the Dubai Statistics Centre , almost one in three marriages in 2010 were conducted with foreign partners . In response to the changing patterns , Haddad called for a curb on marriages between locals and foreigners saying that while choosing a partner in Islam was a personal freedom , those freedoms could be `` restricted for the benefit of the public interest . '' The proposals were not welcomed by some and highly criticised , especially given that a number of the country 's royals had foreign wives .

neg: Pushkar Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan . It is situated 14 km northwest of Ajmer at an average elevation of 510 m and is one of the five sacred dhams ( pilgrimage site ) for devout Hindus . According to Hindu theology , the pond at the Katas Raj temple Near Choa Saidan Shah in Chakwal District of Pakistan has a theological association with Shiva ; it was formed by the tears of Lord Shiva which he is believed to have shed after the death of his wife , Sati . The story goes that when Sati died , Shiva cried so much and for so long , that his tears created two holy ponds -- one at Pushkara in Ajmer in India and the other at Ketaksha , which literally means raining eyes , in Sanskrit . It is from this name that the word Katas is derived . It is often called `` Tirth Raj '' -- the king of pilgrimage sites -- and has in recent years become a popular destination for foreign tourists .   Pushkar is one of the oldest existing cities of India . It lies on the shore of Pushkar Lake . The date of its actual origin is not known , but legend associates Brahma with its creation .   Pushkar has many temples . Most of the temples are not very old because many temples were destroyed during Muslim conquests in the area . Subsequently , the destroyed temples were rebuilt . The most famous among all is the Brahma Temple built during the 14th century CE . Very few temples to Lord Brahma exist anywhere in the world . Other temples of Brahma include Bithoor in Uttar Pradesh , India ; Khedbrahma in Gujarat , India ; village Asotra near Balotra city of Barmer district in Rajasthan ; Uttamar Kovil ( one of the Divya Desams ) near Srirangam , Tamil Nadu ; Carambolim near Valpoi in Goa , Mother Temple of Besakih in Bali , Indonesia ; and Prambanan in Yogyakarta , Indonesia . The Pushkar lake has 52 ghats where pilgrims descend to the lake to bathe in the sacred waters .   Pushkar is also famous for its annual fair ( Pushkar Camel Fair ) held in November .

neg: Stone Tower (Ptolemy) Ptolemy , the Greco-Egyptian geographer of Alexandria , wrote about a `` Stone Tower '' ( λίθινος πύργος in Greek , Turris Lapidea in Latin ) which marked the mid-point on the ancient Silk Road -- the network of overland trade routes taken by caravans between Europe and Asia . It was the most important landmark on this route , where caravans stopped on their difficult and dangerous journeys to allow travellers to take on provisions , rest , and trade goods before continuing on .   Ptolemy 's famous treatise on cartography , Geography , written around 140 CE , is the only book on this subject to have survived from classical antiquity , and has had a profound influence right through the ages . In it , he set the coordinates of the Stone Tower at longitude135 and latitude 43 degrees north on his gradation system , but its actual location has been vigorously debated by researchers and historians over the centuries . This is because the information that he , and other scholars from his era , left behind is simply not precise enough ( despite his coordinates ) , due to the rudimentary methods caravans employed while route surveying distant lands from which ancient cartographers drew their maps . If the Stone Tower could be pin-pointed then not only would this be of great significance in the study of ancient geography , but it would allow other important landmarks in this region , similarly ( and imprecisely ) detailed by Ptolemy , to be more closely located also .   A brief survey of literature reveals the long-standing disagreements by geographers and historians to locate the Stone Tower : As far back as the 11th century Al-Biruni suggested it was the city of Tashkent ( which means `` castle of stone '' ) . In the 19th century , Hagar too maintained it was Tashkent , partly based on the striking coincidence of the city being on the same latitude of 43 degrees north ; while d'Anville identified it with the fortress of Aatas , 7 degrees northwest of Kashgar ; and Bell argued it was near the Pass of Chiltung in the Pamirs . Yule located it nearby at Daraut-Kurgan , while Bevan & Smith thought the Stone Tower was probably the same as the `` Hormeterium '' ( or `` merchants ' station '' which Ptolemy also writes about ) and located it near the Sulaiman-Too mountain in Osh . Bunbury thought the information given was too vague to precisely determine its location .   In the 20th century , Hackin travelled there and thought it was at Tashkurgan , while Hermann placed it in the vicinity of Daraut-Kurgan . Stein , who perhaps most extensively travelled this region , suggested the valley of Karategin was the area Ptolemy referred to `` when the traveller ascended the ravine '' and so proposed a site near Daraut-Kurgan , and Thomson agrees it should be nearby .   From the turn of this century , Rapin ( 2001 ) has suggested it is Sulaiman-Too ; while Bernard ( 2005 ) , by carefully tracing the route taken by the caravan of Maes Titianos , locates the Stone Tower near Daraut-Kurgan ; and P'iankov ( 2014 ) , after also considering information drawn from contemporary sailors , agrees with him . Tupikova et al ( 2014 ) , following `` the application of spherical trigonometry for the recalculation of Ptolemy 's coordinates '' , concluded that it `` can with great probability be identified as Tashkurgan '' . Dean ( 2015 ) also uses a new methodology , by proposing a set of three criteria to help locate this landmark , and identifies it as Sulaiman-Too .   All in all , there are four sites that are most often identified as the likely location of the Stone Tower : ( i ) the city of Tashkent , in Uzbekistan ; ( ii ) the Sulaiman-Too mountain in Osh , Kyrgyzstan ; ( iii ) the town of Daraut-Kurgan in south-western Kyrgyzstan ; and ( iv ) the town of Tashkurgan , in Xinjiang , China . However , some historians also consider the Hormeterium , located nearby in the mountains close to the crossover point with China , to be one and the same as the Stone Tower ; and believe this landmark to be the settlement of Irkeshtam .   All four sites mentioned above , as well as Irkeshtam , can be seen on the Map of Silk Roads over the Roof of Asia .

neg: Ustad Isa Jdohss   Ustad Isa Shirazi ( استاد عيسى شیرازی translation Master Isa ) was a Persian architect , often described as the chief architect of the Taj Mahal in Agra , India .   The lack of complete and reliable information as to whom the credit for the design belongs , led to innumerable speculations . Scholars suggest the story of Ustad Isa was born of the eagerness of the British in the 19th century to believe that such a beautiful building should be credited to a European architect . Local informants were reported to have started British curiosity regarding the origins of the Taj by also supplying them with fictitious lists of workmen and materials from all over Asia . Typically , he is described as a Persian architect .   Recent research suggests the Persian architect , Ustad Ahmad Lahauri was the most likely candidate as the chief architect of the Taj , an assertion based on a claim made in writings by Lahauri 's son Lutfullah Muhandis .

neg: Alhamra Arts Council Alhamra Arts Council ( also known as the Alhamra Hall , Alhamra Cultural Complex , Alhamra Art Gallery and Lahore Arts Council ) was designed by Nayyar Ali Dada and completed in 1992 .   The Alhamra Arts Council is located on a colonial-period road in Lahore , Pakistan , that was formerly known as Mall Road and has been renamed as Shahrah Quaid-e-Azam . The origins of the arts complex lie in an initial commission of Nayyar Ali Dada to design a 1000-seat auditorium for the Alhambra Arts Council ( AAC ) , of which he was a member . The AAC had been given the site by the government in the years immediately following independence but had generally staged its performances outdoors . The auditorium was completed in 1979 and replaced some temporary buildings .   A further three phases of construction followed that of the auditorium . There were commissioned from Dada by the Lahore Arts Council , a government agency that took over the project from the non-governmental AAC following a dispute concerning ownership of the land . The first of these phases was completed in 1984 and consisted of offices and art galleries housed in four octagonal structures . In the following year , a 450-seat theatre in hexagonal form was added to the existing auditorium and , in 1992 , an octagonal 250-seat facility for lectures and recitals was completed . The buildings are placed in a manner that creates semi-enclosed courtyards and the various polygonal shapes in their design are intended to enhance acoustics when used for performances .   The structures are influenced by Mughal architecture and are constructed using a veneer of handmade red bricks overlaying a concrete form . The bricks are bonded with a local mortar and reflect the construction of the historic Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque , as well as the red sandstone that was favoured by the Mughals .   The design was a winner of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1998 , when the jury described it as `` a rare example of flexible spaces that has enabled several additions to be made over time , each of which has in turn enhanced , rather than detracted from , its overall architectural value . This is a very popular and successful public building , projecting its complexities in a simple and powerful manner . ''

neg: Kuala Terengganu Kuala Terengganu ( -LSB- ˈkuˈala ˈtəˈrengˈganu -RSB- Jawi : , ) , often abbreviated as K.T. , is the administrative capital , royal capital and the main economic centre of Terengganu , Malaysia . Kuala Terengganu is also the administrative centre for the eponymous district of Kuala Terengganu . Kuala Terengganu is located about 440 kilometres northeast of Kuala Lumpur on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia . The city is situated at the estuary of Terengganu River , facing the South China Sea .   As a district , Kuala Terengganu is the smallest in terms of area , but it ( together with the district of Kuala Nerus that form the city area ) has the largest population in Terengganu with a population of 406,317 in 2010 . City status was awarded to Kuala Terengganu with the title Bandaraya Warisan Pesisir Air ( English : Coastal Heritage City ) on 1 January 2008 .   Besides being a major political and economic centre to the state , the city is also the main gateway to many of the state 's tourist destinations . The attractions in and around the city include Kampung Cina , Pasar Besar Kedai Payang , Terengganu State Museum , and Batu Buruk Beach . Even though the city is not spared from modernity and development , Kuala Terengganu still retains strong Malay influences that are intermixed with other cultures from its long history as a port .

neg: Hawa Mahal (radio program) Hawa Mahal ( Hindi : हवा महल , translation : `` Palace of Winds '' or `` Palace of Breezes '' ) is a popular nightly radio show in India broadcast on the Vividh Bharati service . It has a skit-format , where stories from various writers were dramatized into plays . Along with some other shows like Modi ke matwale rahi , Hawa Mahal was one of the few programs that was suitable for spot advertising on Indian radio , which often led to commercial spots on the program being in high-demand and sold-out six-months in advance .


query: Lisbon is in Portugal.

pos: Lisbon Lisbon ( -LSB- ˈlɪzbən -RSB- Lisboa , -LSB- liʒˈβoɐ -RSB- ) is the capital and the largest city of Portugal , with a population of 552,700 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km ² . Its urban area extends beyond the city 's administrative limits with a population of around 2.7 million people , being the 11th-most populous urban area in the European Union . About 2.8 million people live in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area ( which represents approximately 27 % of the country 's population ) . It is continental Europe 's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast . Lisbon lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus . The westernmost areas of its metro area is the westernmost point of Continental Europe .   Lisbon is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance , commerce , media , entertainment , arts , international trade , education and tourism . It is one of the major economic centres on the continent , with a growing financial sector and one of the largest container ports on Europe 's Atlantic coast . Humberto Delgado Airport serves over 20 million passengers annually , as of 2015 , and the motorway network and the high-speed rail system of Alfa Pendular link the main cities of Portugal . The city is the 7th-most-visited city in Southern Europe , after Istanbul , Rome , Barcelona , Madrid , Athens and Milan , with 1,740,000 tourists in 2009 . The Lisbon region contributes with a higher GDP PPP per capita than any other region in Portugal . It 's GDP amounts to 96.3 billion USD and thus $ 32,434 per capita , 40 % higher than the average European Union 's GDP per capita . The city occupies 32nd place of highest gross earnings in the world . Most of the headquarters of multinationals in the country are located in the Lisbon area . It is also the political centre of the country , as its seat of Government and residence of the Head of State .   Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world , and the oldest in Western Europe , predating other modern European capitals such as London , Paris and Rome by centuries . Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia , adding to the name Olissipo . Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century , it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century . In 1147 , the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city and since then it has been a major political , economic and cultural centre of Portugal . Unlike most capital cities , Lisbon 's status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially -- by statute or in written form . Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention , making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal .   Lisbon enjoys a Mediterranean climate . It has one of the warmest winters of any metropolis in Europe , with average temperatures 15 ° C during the day and 8 ° C at night from December to February . The typical summer season lasts about four months , from June to September , although also in April temperatures sometimes reach around 25 ° C.

neg: Belém (Lisbon) Belém ( -LSB- bɨˈlɐ̃ȷ̃ -RSB- ) , whose name is derived from the Portuguese word for Bethlehem , is the southwesternmost civil parish of the municipality of Lisbon . Until 2012 , the area of Belém had its own historic parish , named Santa Maria de Belém . In 2012 , the Administrative Reform of Lisbon resulted in the merging of the latter and the parish of São Francisco Xavier , thus creating the new parish of Belém . Located at the mouth of the River Tagus , it is located 6 km west of the city centre and 2 km west of Ponte 25 de Abril ( 25th of April Bridge ) . Many of Portugal 's distinctive buildings and landmarks are located in this area , including the Jerónimos Monastery and the Tower of Belém . The population in 2011 was 16,528 , in an area of 10.43 km ² .

neg: Lisbon Portugal Temple The Lisbon Portugal Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ( LDS Church ) under construction in the civil parish of Moscavide e Portela , in the Portuguese municipality of Lisbon .   The intent to construct a temple in the Portuguese capital was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on 2 October 2010 , during the church 's semi-annual general conference .   On 22 October 2015 , the church announced that the temple would be constructed in the Parque das Nações area of Lisbon , along Avenida Dom João II . A groundbreaking ceremony , to signify the beginning of construction , took place on 5 December 2015 , with Patrick Kearon presiding . The groundbreaking was broadcast live to local church meetinghouses .

neg: A5 motorway (Portugal) The A5 is a 25 km motorway , located in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area , Portugal . It connects Lisbon with Cascais . The motorway is also known as Estoril Coast Motorway and it overlaps the Complementary Itinerary 15 ( IC15 ) .   The first section of the highway -- connecting the Duarte Pacheco Viaduct in the City of Lisbon with the National Stadium in the Oeiras Municipality -- was opened in 1944 , becoming the first motorway in Portugal and one of the first in the world . From 1945 to the early 1980s , it was officially designated National Road 7 ( N7 ) , when it became the A5 . The last section of the A5 was opened in 1991 .   Category : Motorways in Portugal  Category : Cascais

neg: Constitutional Court (Portugal) The Constitutional Court ( Tribunal Constitucional , -LSB- tɾibuˈnaɫ kõʃtitusiuˈnaɫ -RSB- ) is a special court , defined by the Portuguese Constitution as part of the judicial branch of the Portuguese political organization . Unlike the rest of the country 's courts , the Constitutional Court has important characteristics , such as a special composition , and unique competences . The main task of the court is to review the constitutionality of the newly approved laws , but it also has important powers related to the President of the Republic , the political parties and referenda .   The Portuguese Constitution defines the Constitutional Court as a completely independent organ , that operates independently from the other branches of government , such as the Executive or the Legislative . The judges of the Constitutional Court are independent and can not be impeached . The decisions of the court are above the decisions of any other authority .   The court works in Lisbon , in the Ratton Palace located in Bairro Alto .

neg: S.L. Benfica (athletics) Sport Lisboa e Benfica is a semi-professional athletics team based in Lisbon , Portugal . Benfica compete in both the men 's and women 's national leagues and international competitions .

neg: Lisboa VR Lisboa , until 2009 named Estremadura , is a Portuguese wine region covering the same areas as the Estremadura region , and taking its name from the country 's capital . The region is classified as a Vinho Regional ( VR ) , a designation similar to a French vin de pays region . While the Beiras and Alentejo VRs are largest geographically , the Lisboa region is Portugal 's largest producer of wine by volume . The region stretches from Lisbon along the Atlantic coast to the Bairrada DOC .   In early 2009 , the region was renamed from Estremadura to Lisboa to avoid confusion with the Spanish wine region Extremadura and to capitalize on the internationally well-known name of the country 's capital .

neg: Almeida, Portugal Almeida ( -LSB- ɐɫˈmɐjðɐ -RSB- ) is a fortified village and a municipality in the sub-region of Beira Interior Norte and the District of Guarda , Portugal . The town proper has a population of 1,300 people ( 2011 ) . The municipality population in 2011 was 7,242 , in an area of 517.98 km2 . It is located in Riba-Côa river valley . The present Mayor is António Baptista Ribeiro , elected by the Social Democratic Party . The municipal holiday is July 2 .

neg: Avenida da Liberdade (Lisbon) Avenida da Liberdade ( literally `` Liberty Avenue '' in Portuguese ) is an important avenue in central Lisbon , Portugal . It is a 90 metre-wide boulevard , 1100 m long , with ten lanes divided by pedestrian pavements decorated with gardens . It links Restauradores Square with Marquis of Pombal Square . It used to be referred to by the inhabitants of Lisbon simply as the `` Avenida '' ( the Avenue ) .

neg: Norte Region, Portugal Norte ( Região Norte , -LSB- ʁɨʒiˈɐ̃w ˈnɔɾtɨ -RSB- ; `` North Region '' ) is a region in the northern part of Portugal . It is a land of dense vegetation and profound historic and cultural wealth . Its capital is the city of Porto . The region has 3,689,173 inhabitants according to the 2011 census , and its area is 21,278 km ² ( density of 173 inhabitants per square kilometre ) . It is one of five regions of Mainland Portugal ( NUTS II subdivisions ) . Northern Portugal is a culturally varied region , thus historical rivalries between different neighbouring cities and towns are common , unlike other Portuguese regions where every city and town is culturally very similar .

neg: List of twin towns and sister cities in Portugal __ NOTOC __  This is a list of places in Portugal having standing links to local communities in other countries . In most cases , the association , especially when formalised by local government , is known as `` town twinning '' ( though other terms , such as `` partner towns '' or `` sister cities '' are sometimes used instead ) , and while most of the places included are towns , the list also comprises villages , cities , districts , counties , etc. with similar links .

neg: ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon ISCTE -- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa , abbreviated ISCTE-IUL , is a Portuguese public university institute , located in the centre of Lisbon in the University City campus .   In the past , ISCTE-IUL was named Instituto Superior de Ciências do Trabalho e da Empresa abbreviated ISCTE ( in English Superior Institute of Business and Labour Sciences ) , but that name was dropped in 2009 when ISCTE-IUL was changed to a university institute of foundational nature ( along with the University of Porto and the University of Aveiro ) .

neg: São Vicente (Lisbon) São Vicente ( English : Saint Vincent ) is a Portuguese parish , located in the municipality of Lisbon . This new parish was created with the 2012 Administrative Reform of Lisbon , merging the former parishes of São Vicente de Fora , Graça and Santa Engrácia . The population in 2011 was 15,339 , in an area of 1.99 km ² .

neg: Castelo Branco, Portugal The city of Castelo Branco ( -LSB- kɐʃˌtɛɫu ˈbrɐ̃ku -RSB- ) is a municipality and former bishopric in Castelo Branco District , in Centro Region , Portugal . The name means `` white castle '' .   The city of Castelo Branco is made up of one Freguesia ( civil parish ) with a population of 30,649 in 2001 . The municipality has a total of 19 parishes . The population in 2011 was 56,109 , in an area of 1438.19 km2 , making it one of the largest municipalities in Portugal .   It is bounded in the north by the municipality of Fundão , in the east by Idanha-a-Nova , in the south by Spain , in the southwest by Vila Velha de Ródão , and in the west by Proença-a-Nova and Oleiros .

neg: Mercado de Campo de Ourique Mercado de Campo de Ourique is a neighborhood market and food court located in Lisbon , Portugal .

neg: Tourism in Lisbon Tourism in Lisbon is popular . The city of Lisbon and the Lisbon metropolitan area attracts a significant number of tourists each year , drawn to its historical and cultural offerings .

neg: S.L. Benfica (handball) Sport Lisboa e Benfica is a professional handball team based in Lisbon , Portugal . Benfica play in the top tier domestic league , the Andebol 1 . They hold home matches at the Pavilhão da Luz Nº 2 .   The club also has a reserve team , Benfica B , who play in the second division .

neg: Lapa (Lisbon) Lapa is a former parish ( freguesia ) in the municipality of Lisbon , Portugal . It has a total area of 0.72 km ² and total population of 8,671 inhabitants ( 2001 ) ; density : 12,026.4 hab/km ² . At the administrative reorganization of Lisbon on 8 December 2012 it became part of the parish Estrela .   It was created on February 11 , 1770 , by the Cardinal patriarch of Lisbon Francisco de Saldanha da Gama .   This parish of Lisbon concentrates a large number of embassies of foreign countries in Portugal , in particular , Austria , Bulgaria , Canada , China , Finland , Indonesia , Ireland , Luxembourg , Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Netherlands , Romania , Sweden , Switzerland and United Kingdom .   It is also the site of the Assembly of the Republic and the official residence of the Prime Minister of Portugal .

neg: List of mountains in Portugal This is a list of the mountains in Portugal , including the mountains with more than 1400 meters of altitude and with , at least , 100 meters of topographic prominence .   Mountains and hills occupy most of the territory of Portugal . The highest Portuguese mountain is Mount Pico in the Azores islands , with 2351 m . The highest peak in Mainland Portugal is Torre in the Serra da Estrela range , with 1993 m.   Historically , during most of the 20th century , the Mount Tatamailau , in the former Portuguese Timor , with 2986 m , was the highest Portuguese mountain .

neg: CSD Benfica C.S.D. Benfica or Clube Sport Dili e Benfica is a football club of East Timor based in Dili .

neg: Council of Ministers (Portugal) The Council of Ministers ( Conselho de Ministros , -LSB- kõˈseʎu dɨ miˈniʃtɾuʃ -RSB- or -LSB- kõˈsɐʎu dɨ mɨˈniʃtɾuʃ -RSB- ) is a collegial executive body within the Government of Portugal . It is presided over by the Prime Minister , but the President of Portugal can preside over it at the Prime Minister 's request . All senior ministers are members of the council of ministers , and when the prime minister finds it fit , state secretaries can also attend its meetings .