2008 ITU Triathlon World Cup
Venues , dates and prize purses
Table:
Date

City

County

Prize purse (US$)

Mar 30

Mooloolaba

Australia

$100,000

Apr 6

New Plymouth

New Zealand

$100,000

Apr 13

Ishigaki

Japan

$100,000

Apr 26

Tongyeong

South Korea

$100,000

May 4

Richards Bay

South Africa

$100,000

May 25

Madrid

Spain

$100,000

Jun 22

Des Moines

United States

$700,000

Jul 5–6

Hamburg

Germany

$100,000

Jul 13

Tiszaújváros

Hungary

$100,000

Jul 20

Kitzbühel

Austria

$100,000

Sep 27–28

Lorient

France

$100,000

Oct 26

Huatulco

Mexico

$100,000

Drawing on the tabular data plus the context paragraphs provided.

Solve the question: What is the city whose country is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

Mooloolaba is a coastal suburb and tourist resort township on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland , Australia . It is located 97 kilometres ( 60 mi ) north of the state capital , Brisbane , and is part of the Maroochydore urban centre . At the 2016 Australian Census , the suburb recorded a population of 7,730 .
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia , is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent , the island of Tasmania , and numerous smaller islands . It is the largest country in Oceania and the world 's sixth-largest country by total area . The population of 26 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard . Australia 's capital is Canberra , and its largest city is Sydney . The country 's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne , Brisbane , Perth , and Adelaide . Indigenous Australians inhabited the continent for about 65,000 years prior to the first arrival of Dutch explorers in the early 17th century , who named it New Holland . In 1770 , Australia 's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788 , a date which became Australia 's national day . The population grew steadily in subsequent decades , and by the time of an 1850s gold rush , most of the continent had been explored and an additional five self-governing crown colonies established . On 1 January 1901 , the six colonies federated , forming the Commonwealth of Australia . Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy , comprising six states and ten territories . Australia is the oldest , flattest , and driest inhabited continent , with the least fertile soils . It has a landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometres ( 2,941,300 sq mi ) .
New Plymouth ( Māori : Ngāmotu ) is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand . It is named after the English city of Plymouth from where the first English settlers to New Zealand migrated . The New Plymouth District , which includes New Plymouth City and several smaller towns , is the 10th largest district ( out of 67 ) in New Zealand , and has a population of 74,184 - about two-thirds of the total population of the Taranaki Region and 1.7% of New Zealand 's population . This includes New Plymouth City ( 58,300 ) , Waitara ( 6,483 ) , Inglewood ( 3,380 ) , Oakura ( 1,359 ) , Okato ( 561 ) and Urenui ( 429 ) . The city itself is a service centre for the region 's principal economic activities including intensive pastoral activities ( mainly dairy farming ) as well as oil , natural gas and petrochemical exploration and production . It is also the region 's financial centre as the home of the TSB Bank ( formerly the Taranaki Savings Bank ) , the largest of the remaining non-government New Zealand-owned banks . Notable features are the botanic gardens ( i.e . Pukekura Park ) , the critically acclaimed Len Lye Centre and Art Gallery , the 11 km ( 6.8 mi ) Coastal Walkway alongside the Tasman Sea , the Len Lye-designed 45-metre-tall ( 148 ft ) artwork known as the Wind Wand , Paritutu Rock , and views of Mount Taranaki/Egmont . As described under awards , New Plymouth won multiple awards in 2008 . The city was in 2010 chosen as one of two walking & cycling Model Communities by the government . Based on New Plymouth 's already positive attitude towards cyclists and pedestrians , the city received $ 3.71m to invest into infrastructure and community programs to boost walking and cycling . It is also noted for being a coastal city with a mountain within 30 minutes drive , where residents and visitors to New Plymouth can snowboard , ski , water ski and surf all in the same day .
New Zealand ( Māori : Aotearoa [ aɔˈtɛaɾɔa ] ) is a sovereign island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean . The country has two main landmasses - the North Island ( Te Ika-a-Māui ) , and the South Island ( Te Waipounamu ) - and around 600 smaller islands . It has a total land area of 268,000 square kilometres ( 103,500 sq mi ) . New Zealand is about 2,000 kilometres ( 1,200 mi ) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and 1,000 kilometres ( 600 mi ) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia , Fiji , and Tonga . Because of its remoteness , it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans . During its long period of isolation , New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal , fungal , and plant life . The country 's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks , such as the Southern Alps , owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions . New Zealand 's capital city is Wellington , and its most populous city is Auckland . Sometime between 1250 and 1300 , Polynesians settled in the islands and developed a distinctive Māori culture . In 1642 , Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand . In 1840 , representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi , which declared British sovereignty over the islands . In 1841 , New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire and in 1907 it became a dominion ; it gained full statutory independence in 1947 and the British monarch remained the head of state .
Ishigaki ( 石垣市 , Ishigaki-shi , Yaeyama : Isïgaksï , Ishanagzï ) is a city in Okinawa Prefecture , Japan . It includes Ishigaki island and the disputed Senkaku Islands territory . The city is the political , cultural , and economic center of the Yaeyama Islands . New Ishigaki Airport serves the city . As of December 2012 , the city has an estimated population of 48,816 and a population density of 213 persons per km2 . The total area is 229.00 km2 . It is also the location of the past-disputed Senkaku Islands ( see below in the Geography section ) .
Japan ( Japanese : 日本 , Nippon [ ɲippoꜜɴ ] ( listen ) or Nihon [ ɲihoꜜɴ ] ( listen ) ) is an island country located in East Asia . It is bordered by the Sea of Japan to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east , and spans more than 3,000 kilometers ( 1,900 mi ) along the coast of the continent from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Philippine Sea in the south . Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire , Japan encompasses a stratovolcanic archipelago of about 6,852 islands , with five main islands ( Hokkaido , Honshu , Kyushu , Shikoku , and Okinawa ) comprising 97% of the country 's total area of 377,975 square kilometers ( 145,937 sq mi ) . Japan is officially divided into 47 prefectures and traditionally into eight regions . Approximately two-thirds of the country 's terrain is mountainous and heavily forested , and less than one-eighth of land is suitable for agriculture . Consequently , Japan is among the most densely populated and urbanized countries in the world , with over 90% of its population living in urban areas . The largest of these is the metropolitan area centered on the capital city of Tokyo , which is the most populous in the world and home to more than 38 million people . Japan itself is the world 's eleventh most populous country with a population of 126.2 million , of which 97.8% are ethnically Japanese . The kanji ( or Chinese characters ) that make up the name of Japan in the Japanese language mean sun origin ; in the Western world , the country is often known by the sobriquet Land of the Rising Sun . Periods of influence from other regions , primarily China , followed by periods of isolation , particularly from Western Europe , have characterized the history of Japan . While archaeological evidence indicates that Japan was inhabited as early as the Upper Paleolithic period , the first written mention of the archipelago appears in Chinese texts from the first century AD . Between the fourth and ninth centuries , the kingdoms of Japan became gradually unified under an Emperor and imperial court based in Heian-kyō ( modern Kyoto ) .
Tongyeong ( Korean pronunciation : [ tʰoŋ.jʌŋ ] ) is a coastal city in South Gyeongsang Province , South Korea . In 2010 , it had an area of 238.81 km2 ( 92.21 sq mi ) and a population of 139,869 people . It is divided into 1 eup ( town ) , 6 myeon ( township ) and 11 dong ( neighborhood ) . Chungmu city and Tongyeong county were reunited in 1995 , creating Tongyeong City as it is known today . It consists of Goseong Peninsula , Hansan Island , Mireuk Island and other islets . It was formerly known as Chungmu , after the posthumous name of Admiral Yi Sun-sin . The name Tongyeong means command post and is itself associated with Admiral Yi , as it refers to his principal base that was located on nearby Hansan Island .
South Korea ( Korean : 한국/韓國 ; RR : Hanguk or literally 남한/南韓 ; RR : Namhan ) , officially the Republic of Korea ( Korean : 대한민국/大韓民國 ; RR : Daehan Minguk ) is a country in East Asia , constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea . The name Korea is derived from Goguryeo , which was one of the great powers in East Asia during its time , ruling most of the Korean Peninsula , Manchuria , parts of the Russian Far East and Inner Mongolia under Gwanggaeto the Great . Its capital , Seoul , is a major global city and half of South Korea 's over 51 million people live in the Seoul Capital Area , the fourth largest metropolitan economy in the world . The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period . Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BC . Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century , Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty ( 918-1392 ) and the Joseon dynasty ( 1392-1897 ) . The succeeding Korean Empire was annexed into the Empire of Japan in 1910 . After World War II , Korea was divided into Soviet and U.S.-administered zones , with the latter becoming the Republic of Korea in August 1948 . In 1950 , a North Korean invasion began the Korean War and after its end in 1953 , the country 's economy began to soar , recording the fastest rise in average GDP per capita in the world between 1980 and 1990 . Authoritarian rule ended in 1987 and the country is now the most advanced democracy with the highest level of press freedom in Asia . South Korea is a member of the OECD 's Development Assistance Committee , the G20 and the Paris Club . South Korea is a highly developed country and the world 's 12th-largest economy by nominal GDP .
Richards Bay ( Afrikaans : Richardsbaai ) is a town in KwaZulu-Natal , South Africa . It is situated on a 30 square kilometre lagoon of the Mhlatuze River , which gives it one of the country 's largest harbours . Richards Bay also has the deepest natural harbour in the continent .
South Africa , officially the Republic of South Africa ( RSA ) , is the southernmost country in Africa . It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres ( 1,739 mi ) of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans ; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia , Botswana , and Zimbabwe ; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini ( Swaziland ) ; and it surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho . South Africa is the largest country in Southern Africa and the 24th-largest country in the world by land area and , with over 58 million people , is also the world 's 24th-most populous nation . It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere . About 80 percent of South Africans are of Bantu ancestry , divided among a variety of ethnic groups speaking different African languages , nine of which have official status . The remaining population consists of Africa 's largest communities of European , Asian ( Indian ) , and multiracial ( Coloured ) ancestry . South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures , languages , and religions . Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution 's recognition of 11 official languages , which is the fourth-highest number in the world . Two of these languages are of European origin : Afrikaans developed from Dutch and serves as the first language of most coloured and white South Africans ; English reflects the legacy of British colonialism , and is commonly used in public and commercial life , though it is fourth-ranked as a spoken first language . The country is one of the few in Africa never to have had a coup d'état , and regular elections have been held for almost a century . However , the vast majority of black South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994 . During the 20th century , the black majority sought to claim more rights from the dominant white minority , with this struggle playing a large role in the country 's recent history and politics .
Madrid ( /məˈdrɪd/ , Spanish : [ maˈðɾið ] ) [ n. 1 ] is the capital and most populous city of Spain . The city has almost 3.3 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.5 million . It is the second-largest city in the European Union ( EU ) , surpassed only by Berlin , and its monocentric metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU , smaller only than Paris . The municipality covers 604.3 km2 ( 233.3 sq mi ) . Madrid lies on the River Manzanares in the centre of both the country and the Community of Madrid ( which comprises the city of Madrid , its conurbation and extended suburbs and villages ) ; this community is bordered by the autonomous communities of Castile and León and Castile-La Mancha . As the capital city of Spain , seat of government , and residence of the Spanish monarch , Madrid is also the political , economic and cultural centre of the country . The current mayor is José Luis Martínez-Almeida from the People 's Party . The Madrid urban agglomeration has the third-largest GDP in the European Union and its influence in politics , education , entertainment , environment , media , fashion , science , culture , and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world 's major global cities . Madrid is home to two world-famous football clubs , Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid . Due to its economic output , high standard of living , and market size , Madrid is considered the major financial centre and the leading economic hub of the Iberian Peninsula and of Southern Europe . It hosts the head offices of the vast majority of major Spanish companies , such as Telefónica , IAG or Repsol . Madrid is also the 10th most liveable city in the world according to Monocle magazine , in its 2017 index .
Spain ( Spanish : España [ esˈpaɲa ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Spain ( Spanish : Reino de España ) , [ a ] [ b ] is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of Spanish territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean . Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula . Its territory also includes two archipelagoes : the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa , and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea . The African enclaves of Ceuta , Melilla , and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country ( Morocco ) . [ h ] Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory . The country 's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar ; to the north and northeast by France , Andorra , and the Bay of Biscay ; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean . With an area of 505,990 km2 ( 195,360 sq mi ) , Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe , the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union , and the fourth largest country in the European continent . By population ( about 47 million ) , Spain is the sixth largest in Europe and the fifth in the European Union . Spain 's capital and largest city is Madrid ; other major urban areas include Barcelona , Valencia , Seville , Zaragoza , Málaga and Bilbao . Modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 35,000 years ago . Iberian cultures along with ancient Phoenician , Greek , Celtic and Carthaginian settlements developed on the peninsula until it came under Roman rule around 200 BCE , after which the region was named Hispania , based on the earlier Phoenician name Sp ( a ) n or Spania . At the end of the Western Roman Empire the Germanic tribal confederations migrated from Central Europe , invaded the Iberian peninsula and established relatively independent realms in its western provinces , including the Suebi , Alans and Vandals .
Des Moines ( /dɪˈmɔɪn/ ( listen ) ) is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa . It is also the county seat of Polk County . A small part of the city extends into Warren County . It was incorporated on September 22 , 1851 , as Fort Des Moines , which was shortened to Des Moines in 1857 . It is on and named after the Des Moines River , which likely was adapted from the early French name , Rivière des Moines , meaning River of the Monks . The city 's population was 216,853 as of the 2018 population estimate . The five-county metropolitan area is ranked 89th in terms of population in the United States with 655,409 residents according to the 2018 estimate by the United States Census Bureau , and is the largest metropolitan area fully located within the state . A portion of the larger Omaha , Nebraska , metropolitan area extends into three counties of southwest Iowa . Des Moines is a major center of the US insurance industry and has a sizable financial services and publishing business base . The city was credited as the number one spot for U.S. insurance companies in a Business Wire article and named the third-largest insurance capital of the world . The city is the headquarters for the Principal Financial Group , the Meredith Corporation , Ruan Transportation , TMC Transportation , EMC Insurance Companies , and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield . Other major corporations such as Wells Fargo , Voya Financial , Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company , ACE Limited , Marsh , Monsanto , and DuPont Pioneer have large operations in or near the metropolitan area .
The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. or US ) or America , is a country consisting of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . [ g ] At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) , it is the world 's third or fourth-largest country by total area [ b ] and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe . Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico . With an estimated population of over 328 million , the U.S. is the third most populous country in the world . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the most populous city is New York City . Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies led to the American Revolutionary War lasting between 1775 and 1783 , leading to independence . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century - gradually acquiring new territories , displacing Native Americans , and admitting new states - until by 1848 it spanned the continent . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the abolition of slavery in the United States . The Spanish-American War and World War I confirmed the country 's status as a global military power .
Hamburg ( English : /ˈhæmbɜːrɡ/ , German : [ ˈhambʊʁk ] ( listen ) , locally also [ ˈhambʊɪ̯ç ] ( listen ) [ ˈhambɔːχ ] ; Low Saxon : Hamborg ) , officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg ( German : Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg ; Low Saxon : Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg ) , is the second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and 7th largest city in the European Union with a population of over 1.84 million . One of Germany 's 16 federal states , it is surrounded by Schleswig-Holstein to the north and Lower Saxony to the south . The city 's metropolitan region is home to more than five million people . Hamburg lies on the River Elbe and two of its tributaries , the River Alster and the River Bille . The official name reflects Hamburg 's history as a member of the medieval Hanseatic League and a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire . Before the 1871 Unification of Germany , it was a fully sovereign city state , and before 1919 formed a civic republic headed constitutionally by a class of hereditary grand burghers or Hanseaten . Beset by disasters such as the Great Fire of Hamburg , North Sea flood of 1962 and military conflicts including World War II bombing raids , the city has managed to recover and emerge wealthier after each catastrophe . Hamburg is Europe 's third-largest port . Major regional broadcaster NDR , the printing and publishing firm Gruner + Jahr and the newspapers Der Spiegel and Die Zeit are based in the city . Hamburg is the seat of Germany 's oldest stock exchange and the world 's oldest merchant bank , Berenberg Bank . Media , commercial , logistical , and industrial firms with significant locations in the city include multinationals Airbus , Blohm + Voss , Aurubis , Beiersdorf , and Unilever . The city hosts specialists in world economics and international law , including consular and diplomatic missions as the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea , the EU-LAC Foundation , and the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning , multipartite international political conferences and summits such as Europe and China and the G20 .
Germany ( German : Deutschland , German pronunciation : [ ˈdɔʏtʃlant ] ) , constitutionally the Federal Republic of Germany ( German : Bundesrepublik Deutschland , listen ( help·info ) ) , [ f ] is a country in Central and Western Europe . It borders Denmark to the north , Poland and the Czech Republic to the east , Austria and Switzerland to the south , France to the southwest , and Luxembourg , Belgium , and the Netherlands to the west . Germany includes 16 constituent states , covers an area of 357,386 square kilometres ( 137,988 sq mi ) , and has a largely temperate seasonal climate . With 83 million inhabitants , it is the second most populous state of Europe after Russia , the most populous state lying entirely in Europe , as well as the most populous member state of the European Union . Germany is a very decentralised country . Its capital and largest metropolis is Berlin , while Frankfurt serves as its financial capital and has the country 's busiest airport . Various Germanic tribes have inhabited the northern parts of modern Germany since classical antiquity . A region named Germania was documented before AD 100 . Beginning in the 10th century , German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire . During the 16th century , northern German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation . After the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire , the German Confederation was formed in 1815 . The German revolutions of 1848-49 resulted in the Frankfurt Parliament establishing major democratic rights .
Tiszaújváros ( Hungarian pronunciation : [ ˈtisɒuːjvaːroʃ ] ) is an industrial town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county , Northern Hungary , 35 km ( 22 mi ) south-east of Miskolc , near the river Tisza . Tiszaújváros owes its existence to the industrialization wave that took over the then-socialist Hungary after World War II . The government wanted to speed up industrial development and to create new job opportunities in the north-eastern part of the country . The town is one of the few Hungarian towns that do not have a history dating back to the Middle Ages or even earlier periods , although it was built near to an old village called Tiszaszederkény ( which was eventually annexed to the new town ) and used the name Tiszaszederkény until 1970 . The construction of the town began on 9 September 1955 ; among the first buildings was a thermal power station and some blocks of flats around it . In the next stage of construction the Tiszai Vegyi Kombinát ( TVK , Chemical Factory ) was built . It is one of the major chemical complexes in Hungary and , according to their website , represents more than 20% of petrochemical capacities in Central Europe . The first production unit , the paint factory started operating in 1961 . Newer production units produce chemical fertilizers , polyethylene , and carbon black . An oil refinery was built too . The factories needed workers , so living quarters were needed in the town . By 1962 several houses were built , mainly using prisoner labor force , and shops and restaurants were opened as well .
Hungary ( Hungarian : Magyarország [ ˈmɒɟɒrorsaːɡ ] ( listen ) ) is a country in Central Europe . Spanning 93,030 square kilometres ( 35,920 sq mi ) in the Carpathian Basin , it borders Slovakia to the north , Ukraine to the northeast , Romania to the east and southeast , Serbia to the south , Croatia and Slovenia to the southwest , and Austria to the west . With about 10 million inhabitants , Hungary is a medium-sized member state of the European Union . The official language is Hungarian , which is the most widely spoken Uralic language in the world , and among the few non-Indo-European languages to be widely spoken in Europe . Hungary 's capital and largest city is Budapest ; other major urban areas include Debrecen , Szeged , Miskolc , Pécs and Győr . The territory of modern Hungary was for centuries inhabited by a succession of peoples , including Celts , Romans , Germanic tribes , Huns , West Slavs and the Avars . The foundations of the Hungarian state were established in the late ninth century CE by the Hungarian grand prince Árpád following the conquest of the Carpathian Basin . His great-grandson Stephen I ascended the throne in 1000 , converting his realm to a Christian kingdom . By the 12th century , Hungary became a regional power , reaching its cultural and political height in the 15th century . Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526 , Hungary was partially occupied by the Ottoman Empire ( 1541-1699 ) . It came under Habsburg rule at the turn of the 18th century , and later joined Austria to form the Austro-Hungarian Empire , a major European power . The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed after World War I , and the subsequent Treaty of Trianon established Hungary 's current borders , resulting in the loss of 71% of its territory , 58% of its population , and 32% of ethnic Hungarians .
Kitzbühel ( German pronunciation : [ ˈkɪtsbyːl ] ) is a medieval town situated in the Kitzbühel Alps along the river Kitzbüheler Ache in Tyrol , Austria , about 100 kilometers ( 62 mi ) east of the state capital Innsbruck and is the administrative centre of the Kitzbühel district ( Bezirk ) . Kitzbühel is a ski resort of international renown and its ski season lasts from mid October to early May . During winter and early spring it is frequented primarily by upper-class clientele from Austria and from abroad .
Austria ( /ˈɒstriə/ ( listen ) , /ˈɔːs-/ ; German : Österreich [ ˈøːstɐʁaɪ̯ç ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Republic of Austria ( German : Republik Österreich , listen ( help·info ) ) , is a landlocked East Alpine country in the southern part of Central Europe . It is composed of nine federated states ( Bundesländer ) , one of which is Vienna , Austria 's capital and its largest city . It is bordered by Germany to the northwest , Czech Republic to the north , Slovakia to the northeast , Hungary to the east , Slovenia and Italy to the south , and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west . Austria occupies an area of 83,879 km2 ( 32,386 sq mi ) and has a population of nearly 9 million people . While German is the country 's official language , many Austrians communicate informally in a variety of Bavarian dialects . Austria initially emerged as a margraviate around 976 and developed into a duchy and archduchy . In the 16th century , Austria started serving as the heart of the Habsburg Monarchy and the junior branch of the House of Habsburg - one of the most influential royal dynasties in history . As an archduchy , it was a major component and administrative centre of the Holy Roman Empire . Early in the 19th century , Austria established its own empire , which became a great power and the leading force of the German Confederation but pursued its own course independently of the other German states . Following the Austro-Prussian War and the compromise with Hungary , the Dual Monarchy was established . Austria was involved in World War I under Emperor Franz Joseph following the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand , the presumptive successor to the Austro-Hungarian throne . After the defeat and the dissolution of the Monarchy , the Republic of German-Austria was proclaimed with the intent of the union with Germany , which eventually failed because of the Allied Powers and the state remained unrecognized .
Lorient ( French pronunciation : ​ [ lɔʁjɑ̃ ] ; Breton : An Oriant ) is a town ( French commune ) and seaport in the Morbihan department of Brittany in North-Western France .
France ( French : [ fʁɑ̃s ] ( listen ) ) , officially the French Republic ( French : République française , pronounced [ ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ( listen ) ) , is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . [ XIII ] The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . It is bordered by Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast , Switzerland and Italy to the east , and Andorra and Spain to the south . The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . The country 's 18 integral regions ( five of which are situated overseas ) span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres ( 248,573 sq mi ) and a total population of 67.02 million ( as of July 2019 [ update ] ) . France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris , the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban areas include Lyon , Marseille , Toulouse , Bordeaux , Lille and Nice . France , including its overseas territories , has the most number of time zones of any country , with a total of 12 . During the Iron Age , what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls , a Celtic people . Rome annexed the area in 51 BC , holding it until the arrival of Germanic Franks in 476 , who formed the Kingdom of Francia . The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned Francia into East Francia , Middle Francia and West Francia . West Francia , which became the Kingdom of France in 987 , emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages , following its victory in the Hundred Years ' War ( 1337-1453 ) .
Huatulco ( Spanish pronunciation : [ wa'tulko ] ; wah-TOOL-coh ) , formally Bahías de Huatulco , centered on the town of La Crucecita , is a tourist development in Mexico . It is located on the Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca . Huatulco 's tourism industry is centered on its nine bays , thus the name Bahias de Huatulco , but has since been unofficially shortened to simply Huatulco . Huatulco has a wide variety of accommodations from rooms for rent , small economy luxury hotels , luxury villas , vacation condominiums , bed and breakfasts , as well as several luxury resorts standing on or near the shores of Tangolunda Bay . The Camino Real Zaashila ( formerly the Omni Zaashila ) , Quinta Real Huatulco , Las Brisas ( formerly a Club Med ) , Dreams Resort & Spa ( formerly the Royal Maeva then the Gala hotel ) , and the Barceló ( formerly the Sheraton hotel ) are examples of the most popular larger resorts in the area . Huatulco is located in the state of Oaxaca where the foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains meet the Pacific Ocean approximately 500 km south of Acapulco , Guerrero . The population is 50,000 .
Mexico ( Spanish : México [ ˈmexiko ] ( listen ) ; Nahuatl languages : Mēxihco ) , officially the United Mexican States ( UMS ; Spanish : Estados Unidos Mexicanos , EUM [ esˈtaðos uˈniðoz mexiˈkanos ] ( listen ) , lit . Mexican United States ) , is a country in the southern portion of North America . It is bordered to the north by the United States ; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean ; to the southeast by Guatemala , Belize , and the Caribbean Sea ; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico . Covering almost 2,000,000 square kilometers ( 770,000 sq mi ) , the nation is the fifth largest country in the Americas by total area and the 13th largest independent state in the world . With an estimated population of over 129 million people , Mexico is the tenth most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world , while being the second most populous nation in Latin America after Brazil . Mexico is a federation comprising 31 states plus Mexico City ( CDMX ) , which is the capital city and its most populous city . Other metropolises in the country include Guadalajara , Monterrey , Puebla , Toluca , Tijuana , and León . Pre-Columbian Mexico dates to about 8000 BC and is identified as one of six cradles of civilization and was home to many advanced Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Olmec , Toltec , Teotihuacan , Zapotec , Maya , and Aztec before first contact with Europeans . In 1521 , the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the territory from its politically powerful base in Mexico-Tenochtitlan ( part of Mexico City ) , which was administered as the viceroyalty of New Spain . The Roman Catholic Church played a powerful role in governing the country as millions were converted to the faith , although King Charles III expelled the Jesuits in the 1770s . The territory became a nation state following its recognition in 1821 after the Mexican War of Independence . The post-independence period was tumultuous , characterized by economic inequality and many contrasting political changes .