F R O M T H E E D I T O R

J U L Y 2 0 1 3 V O L U M E 8 5 | N O 7 Publisher Graeme Gourlay Editor Geordie Torr Staff Writer Olivia Edward Art Editor Angela Finnegan Sub-editor Charlie Furniss Equipment Editor Paul Deegan Cartographer John Plumer Operations Director Simon Simmons Accounts Ryan Wantling Advertising Manager Nada Vulic Editorial Advisory Board Chris Bonington, Ron Cooke, Nicholas Crane, Rita Gardner, Robin Hanbury-Tenison, Annabel Huxley, Vanessa Lawrence, Nick Middleton, David Rhind, Anthony Sattin, Nigel de N Winser Address Geographical, Suite 3.20, QWest, Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 0GP Telephone: 020 8332 8434 Fax: 020 8332 8438 Email: magazine@geographical.co.uk Advertising Department Telephone: 020 8332 8445 Fax: 020 8332 8438 Email: nada@geographical.co.uk Subscriptions Geographical, Freepost (SCE 12967), Thatcham RG19 4BR Telephone: 01635 588 496 Fax: 01635 868 594 Email: geographical@circdata.com Annual subscription rates UK: £54, EUROPE: £67, USA: £76, REST OF THE WORLD: £77 Newsstand sales and marketing Imagine, London Telephone: 0845 612 0092 Email: anything@imaginemag.net Newsstand distribution Fastmag, Circulation Department Telephone: 01582 475 333 Email: comments@fastmagltd.co.uk © Geographical Magazine Ltd Registered No. 07457559 Printed by Polestar, Colchester, Essex CO4 4HT

Submissions Editorial proposals are only required from established writers and photojournalists. Please send them to proposals@geographical.co.uk. Contributors’ guidelines can be found on our website or email magazine@geographical.co.uk. Please do not send unsolicited photographic material.

Geographical © is the magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), and was founded by Michael Huxley in 1935. The publishers of Geographical pay a licence fee to the RGS IBG. This fee is assigned to a fund for the advancement of exploration and research and the promotion of geographical knowledge.The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers or the Society. The publishers cannot be held responsible for loss of, or damage to, or the return of unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Published monthly.

The paper in this magazine originates from timber grown in sustainable forests, responsibly managed to strict environmental, social and economic standards. For every tree that we use to make Geographical, three more are planted.

Geographical

ISSN: 0016 741X

04 | July 2013

Going against the flow

A few years ago, we reported on the ‘reverse El Dorado’ that was taking place in Spain, as illegal immigrants looded in from South America, in search of modern-day ‘cities of gold’. In this issue, Kit Gillet explores another example of migrants moving against the historical lows in his piece on the so-called Little Africa in Guangzhou in southern China (page 30).

Over the past few decades, Chinese migration to Africa has increased signi icantly in response to China’s growing trade, aid and investment linkages with the continent. But, as Kit reports, those trade linkages have also seen increasing numbers of Africans moving to China. Indeed, from just a few hundred traders during the late 1990s, drawn by the chance to make their fortune exporting goods from the nearby factory cities, there are now at least 20,000 Africans live legally in Guangzhou, although the number could be as high as 150,000 if the many illegals and those temporarily in the city chasing business opportunities are included.

The Chinese aren’t exactly known for welcoming foreigners with open arms, and such is the case in Little Africa; many of the Africans to whom Kit spoke told stories of racism from locals and harassment from the police. But still, many are beginning to put down roots, marrying local women and establishing thriving busineses, although renewing visas is reportedly becoming increasingly di icult.

China’s rise to global economic dominance is, without doubt, one of the most fascinating and complex human geography stories of modern times – and this tale of a new trade-related low of people from one continent to another is just one of many that I’m sure will grace the pages of Geographical in the months and years to come.

C O N T R I B U T O R S

British photographer Joseph Fox took the photos of Ijberg in Amsterdam, the world’s first floating township (page 44). ‘It sounded like a great place to live,’ says Joseph. ‘The houses are portable and can be towed to other locations – even abroad.’ He says he would be tempted to live afloat if he possessed sturdier sea legs. ‘Once inside the houses, you can feel them swaying. Walking inside was difficult in some instances if you weren’t used to the slight inclines or declines

Regular contributor Kit Gillet has been living in China for the past six years. On page 30, he writes about the growing immigrant community of Little Africa in Guangzhou, in the country’s south. Despite some racial tensions, ‘for the most part, the atmosphere was relaxed’, says Kit, with people happy to talk casually but less keen on giving their full names or having their photos taken. ‘It was also challenging to find accurate data on the community as it operates with few records.’

‘It was a beautiful time of year to travel, with everything in blossom,’ says Hazel Southam, speaking about her trip to visit the Panda Breeding Centre in Chengdu (page 50). And she was able to spend some time with the two-tone bears, which hadn’t happened for quite a while. ‘I remember being taken to the zoo to see a panda as a child, which, sadly, this is the only way that future generations are likely to see them, as their habitat is being destroyed by building, farming and climate change’

On the cover: A baby panda rests in a tree at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan Province in southern China. Photograph by Clare Kendall

July 2013 | UK£4.50

Geographical www.geographical.co.uk

MAGAZINE OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (WITH I BG)

Nowheretohide

HOWCLIMATECHANGE ANDDEVELOPMENTAREPUSHINGTHEPANDA INTO EXTINCTION

Buoyantmarket

Lessons we can learn from Holland's loating houses

YouthworkersWhycan'tweputanend to child labour?

Cover.indd 1

Kenya • South Korea • Hay meadows PLUS

11/06/2013 14:36