Global Property Partnership

Barbados's total land area is about 430 square kilometres (166 square miles), and is primarily low-lying, with some higher regions in the country's interior. The highest point in Barbados is Mount Hillaby in the parish of Saint Andrew. The geological composition of Barbados is thought to be of non-volcanic origin and is predominantly composed of limestone-coral formed by subduction of the South American plate colliding with the Caribbean plate. The island's climate is tropical, with constant trade winds off the Atlantic Ocean serving to keep temperatures mild. Some less developed areas of the country contain tropical woodland and mangroves. Other parts of the interior which contribute to the agriculture industry are dotted with large sugarcane estates and wide, gently sloping pastures, with panoramic views down to the coast.

Barbados's human development index ranking is consistently among the top 50 in the world. For example, in 2006, it was ranked 31st in the world, and third in the Americas, behind Canada and the United States.

Barbados is a relatively flat island, rising gently to the central highland region, the highest point being Mount Hillaby, in the Scotland District , at 340 metres (1,100 ft) above sea level. The island is located in the Atlantic Ocean, to the east of the other Caribbean islands. The climate is tropical, with a rainy season from June to October.

Barbados is often spared the worst effects of the region's tropical storms and hurricanes during the rainy season as its far eastern location in the Atlantic Ocean puts it just outside the principal hurricane strike zone, and a hurricane hits about every 26 years.

In the parish of Saint Michael lies Barbados' capital and main city, Bridgetown. Locally Bridgetown is sometimes referred to as "The City", but the most common reference is simply "Town". Other towns scattered across the island include Holetown, in the parish of Saint James; Oistins, in the parish of Christ Church, and Speightstown, in the parish of Saint Peter.

It is geologically composed of coral (90 m/300 ft thick). The land falls in a series of "terraces" in the west and goes into an incline in the east. Most of Barbados is circled by coral reefs.

The climate is moderate tropical with two seasons; dry and wet. The dry season (Dec-May) and wet season (June- Nov) gives an annual rainfall of 40-90 inches (1,000–2,300 mm).

Brazil was a colony of Portugal from the landing of Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500 until its independence in 1822. Initially independent as the Brazilian Empire, the country has been a republic since 1889, even though its bicameral legislature (now called Congress) dates back to 1824, when the first constitution was ratified. Its current Constitution defines Brazil as a Federal Republic. The Federation is formed by the union of the Federal District, the 26 States, and the 5,564 Municipalities.

Brazil is the world's tenth largest economy at market exchange rates and the ninth largest in purchasing power. Economic reforms have given the country new international projection. It is a founding member of the United Nations and of the Union of South American Nations. A predominantly Roman Catholic, Portuguese-speaking and multiethnic society, Brazil is also home to a diversity of wildlife, natural environments, and extensive natural resources in a variety of protected habitats.

The state of Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria has played a significant role in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe for over fourteen centuries. It borders five other countries: Romania to the north (mostly along the River Danube), Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south. The Black Sea defines the extent of the country to the east. Currently Bulgaria functions as a parliamentary democracy under a unitary constitutional republic. A member of the European Union since 2007 and of NATO since 2004, it has a population of approximately 7.6 million.

In the northern-hemisphere winter, Samokov, Borovets, Bansko and Pamporovo become well-attended ski-resorts. Summer resorts exist on the Black Sea at Sozopol, Nessebur, Golden Sands, Sunny Beach, Sveti Vlas, Albena, Saints Constantine and Helena and many others. Spa resorts such as Bankya, Hisarya, Sandanski, Velingrad, Varshets and many others attract visitors throughout the year. Bulgaria has started to become an attractive tourist destination because of the quality of the resorts and prices below those found in Western Europe.

Bulgaria has enjoyed a substantial growth in income from international tourism over the past decade. Beach-resorts attract tourists from Germany, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The ski-resorts have become a favourite destination for British and Irish tourists.

As a country with a historical and cultural heritage, and attractive natural landscapes, Bulgaria has become one of the most visited tourist destinations in Europe. Tourism, as an industry, has proved an important source of economic growth. In 2007 5.2 million tourists visited, measured as outlined by the World Tourism Organization. Tourists from the top three countries of origin — Greece, Romania and Germany — account for 40% of all visitors. In 2008 the Bulgarian Tourism Agency expected to welcome an estimated 6 million visitors.

Canada occupies a major northern portion of North America, sharing land borders with the continental United States to the south and with the U.S. state of Alaska to the northwest, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west; to the north lies the Arctic Ocean. By total area (including its waters), Canada is the second largest country in the world—after Russia—and largest on the continent. By land area it ranks fourth.[48] Since 1925, Canada has claimed the portion of the Arctic between 60°W and 141°W longitude,[49] but this claim is not universally recognized. The northernmost settlement in Canada and in the world is Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island—latitude 82.5°N—just 817 kilometres (450 nautical miles) from the North Pole.[50] Canada has the longest coastline in the world: 243,000 kilometres.[51]

The population density, 3.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (9.1/sq mi), is among the lowest in the world.[52] The most densely populated part of the country is the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor along the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence River in the southeast.[53]

To the north of this region is the broad Canadian Shield, an area of rock scoured clean by the last ice age, thinly soiled, rich in minerals, and dotted with lakes and rivers. Canada by far has more lakes than any other country and has a large amount of the world's freshwater.[54][55]
A Maritime scene at Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, which has long been sustained by the Atlantic fishery
A Maritime scene at Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, which has long been sustained by the Atlantic fishery

In eastern Canada, most people live in large urban centres on the flat Saint Lawrence Lowlands. The Saint Lawrence River widens into the world's largest estuary before flowing into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The gulf is bounded by Newfoundland to the north and the Maritimes to the south. The Maritimes protrude eastward along the Appalachian Mountain range from northern New England and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are divided by the Bay of Fundy, which experiences the world's largest tidal variations. Ontario and Hudson Bay dominate central Canada. West of Ontario, the broad, flat Canadian Prairies spread toward the Rocky Mountains, which separate them from British Columbia.

In northwestern Canada, the Mackenzie River flows from the Great Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean. A tributary of a tributary of the Mackenzie is the South Nahanni River, which is home to Virginia Falls, a waterfall about twice as high as Niagara Falls.

Northern Canadian vegetation tapers from coniferous forests to tundra and finally to Arctic barrens in the far north. The northern Canadian mainland is ringed with a vast archipelago containing some of the world's largest islands.

Average winter and summer high temperatures across Canada vary depending on the location. Winters can be harsh in many regions of the country, particularly in the interior and Prairie provinces which experience a continental climate, where daily average temperatures are near −15 °C (5 °F) but can drop below −40 °C (−40 °F) with severe wind chills.[56] In non-coastal regions, snow can cover the ground almost six months of the year (more in the north). Coastal British Columbia is an exception and enjoys a temperate climate with a mild and rainy winter.

On the east and west coast, average high temperatures are generally in the low 20s °C (70s °F), while between the coasts the average summer high temperature ranges from 25 to 30 °C (75 to 85 °F) with occasional extreme heat in some interior locations exceeding 40 °C (104 °F).[57][58] For a more complete description of climate across Canada see Environment Canada's Website.[59]

Economy

    Main articles: Economy of Canada, Economic history of Canada, and Agriculture in Canada

Canadian banknotes depicting, top to bottom, Wilfrid Laurier, John A. Macdonald, Queen Elizabeth II, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Robert Borden
Canadian banknotes depicting, top to bottom, Wilfrid Laurier, John A. Macdonald, Queen Elizabeth II, William Lyon Mackenzie King, and Robert Borden

Canada is one of the world's wealthiest nations, with a high per-capita income, and is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the G8. It is one of the world's top 10 trading nations.[60] Canada is a mixed market,[61] ranking lower than the U.S. but higher than most western European nations on the Heritage Foundation's index of economic freedom.[62] Since the early 1990s, the Canadian economy has been growing rapidly with low unemployment and large government surpluses on the federal level. Today Canada closely resembles the U.S. in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards.[2] As of October 2007, Canada's national unemployment rate of 5.9% is its lowest in 33 years. Provincial unemployment rates vary from a low of 3.6% in Alberta to a high of 14.6% in Newfoundland and Labrador.[63] According to the Forbes Global 2000 list of the world's largest companies in 2008, Canada had 69 companies in the list, ranking 5th next to France.[64] As of 2008, the Canada’s total government debt burden is the lowest in the G8. The OECD projects that Canada’s net debt-to-GDP ratio will decline to 19.5 per cent in 2009, less than half of the projected average of 51.9 per cent for all G8 countries. According to these projections, Canada’s debt burden will have fallen over 50 percentage points from the peak in 1995, when it was the second highest in the G8.[65]

In the past century, the growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. As with other first world nations, the Canadian economy is dominated by the service industry, which employs about three quarters of Canadians.[66] However, Canada is unusual among developed countries in the importance of the primary sector, with the logging and oil industries being two of Canada's most important.

Canada is one of the few developed nations that are net exporters of energy.[2] Atlantic Canada has vast offshore deposits of natural gas and large oil and gas resources are centred in Alberta. The vast Athabasca Oil Sands give Canada the world's second largest oil reserves behind Saudi Arabia.[67] In Quebec, British Columbia, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, Ontario and Manitoba, hydroelectricity is a cheap and clean source of renewable energy.

Canada is one of the world's most important suppliers of agricultural products, with the Canadian Prairies one of the most important suppliers of wheat, canola and other grains.[68] Canada is the world's largest producer of zinc and uranium and a world leader in many other natural resources such as gold, nickel, aluminium, and lead;[69] many towns in the northern part of the country, where agriculture is difficult, exist because of a nearby mine or source of timber. Canada also has a sizeable manufacturing sector centred in southern Ontario and Quebec, with automobiles and aeronautics representing particularly important industries.
Representatives of the Canadian, Mexican, and United States governments sign NAFTA in 1992.
Representatives of the Canadian, Mexican, and United States governments sign NAFTA in 1992.

Economic integration with the United States has increased significantly since World War II. This has prompted Canadian nationalists to worry about cultural and economic autonomy in an age of globalization as American television shows, movies and corporations have become omnipresent.[70] The Automotive Products Trade Agreement in 1965 opened the borders to trade in the auto manufacturing industry. In the 1970s, concerns over energy self-sufficiency and foreign ownership in the manufacturing sectors prompted Pierre Trudeau's Liberal government to set up the National Energy Program (NEP) and Foreign Investment Review Agency (FIRA).[71] In the 1980s, Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservatives abolished the NEP and changed the name of FIRA to Investment Canada to encourage foreign investment. The Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA) of 1988 eliminated tariffs between the two countries, while North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) expanded the free trade zone to include Mexico in the 1990s. In the mid-1990s, Liberal governments under Jean Chretien began posting annual budgetary surpluses and began steadily paying down the national debt. Since 2001, Canada has successfully avoided economic recession and has maintained the best overall economic performance in the G8.[72]

Cayman Islands

The Dominican Republic (DR), and in particular the south-west coast, is experiencing unprecedented capital growth, especially in the luxury sector. Many commentators see the DR as the last genuine investment opportunity in the Caribbean.

Visitors from Europe and the US are now more than ever falling in love with the DR. Its extraordinary natural wonders remain unspoiled, and it has long been known as an idyllic and welcoming tropical escape. But today it offers more than tranquil holidays, and year-round sunshine; it is fast becoming the Caribbean's hottest investment destination. In fact, it is one of the most attractive - yet affordable - investment prospects there is.

A third of the DR's 869 miles of coastline comprise beaches that are regularly voted in the top five beach destination of the world by the tourist industry.

The Dominican Republic is an expanding, stable economy enjoying ever faster financial growth - 10% growth of last few years, is widely predicted to accelerate.

Foreign direct investment is pouring in and international business players, from Donald Trump to Ritz Carlton group, have spotted its massive potential are racing to get a foothold. Yet property prices are still, for now, among the most affordable in the Caribbean - making this a unique opportunity for investors to get in to a vibrant economy just before it booms

With capital growth seen to be running at an impressive 20% per annum in some parts of the country, the amazing affordability is set to change.

Celebrities, respected international business names and investors are flocking to this once undiscovered gem. This will inevitably send the country's prestige and prices upwards.

The government is also providing financial incentives to foreign investors.

Measures include breaks for income and capital gains tax. Recent legislation also made it easier for retirees to gain residential status, giving them, for example, tax breaks on domestic appliances and cars as well as halving the stamp duty on house purchases. Although the Tax system is very encouraging at the moment for foreign buyers it also quite complex, with some implied contradictions so is recommended that professional tax advice is sought.

India's massive appeal is more than effectively highlighted by these truly enviable traits that are abundant amidst the easy equilibrium of which India righteously boasts. With its virtually nonexistent crime rate, religious balance and clean, unpolluted climate, India is almost incomparable in terms of attraction, appeal and allure. A healthier lifestyle can certainly be led in the earth bound nirvana that is prestigious India, home of diverse attraction that range from Bollywood to the Taj Mahal.

India is the world's second most populous country, with 1.1 billion people. Occupying more than three quarters of the land mass of South Asia, it is an emerging economic superpower. India's economy is the 4th largest in the world at purchasing parity terms and 12th largest at market exchange rate.

WHY INVEST IN INDIA

The fact that India is one of the world's largest emerging economies just at the moment is cause for any investor to take a good close look at the property market, but it's far from the only one, here are few more...

The Economy

India's rapid economic growth started after the government gradually opened the economy in the early 1990s. The government instituted economic reforms and reduced control over foreign trade and investment. From 1993 to 2002, average GDP growth was 5.8%.

GDP growth accelerated to more than 7% in 2003 and 2004, and to 9.2% in 2005 and 2006, making India one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and 8.5% in 2007 and 8% in 2008.

The Capital Returns

Property prices have risen from a conservative 15% to 45% depending on the location within India.

Low purchase prices

Property prices on the outskirts of the main cities are still significantly lower than in other overseas property markets like Spain and Eastern Europe. The entry level into many developments is as low as £17,000 for studio apartments.

The Legal System

As a consequence of over a century of British rule, a substantial portion of Indian law and Indian legal institutions are based on British law, British legal system and the English language. This allows UK/European based buyers to use a similar process of property purchase that they have become accustomed to.

Indian law at present stipulates that: to purchase in India you must be an Indian Citizen, NRi, or a PIO (person of Indian origin).

Indian Mortgages

India has many national banks and has a huge presence of international banks who offer a whole host of banking services. With mortgages being available at 85% LTV, with drawdown mortgages available on off-plan purchases.

Our UK banking partners offer the mortgage service from their UK offices with the paperwork verified in India.

Caribbean Island, off the coast of Venezuala

According to the African Development Bank, the GDP of Morocco accounts for 7% of the African continent.Morocco is the fifth economic power of Africa with a 2006 GDP of $152.5 billion at PPP ($58.1 billion at official exchange rates), after South Africa, Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria.(2001)

Morocco's largest industry is the mining of phosphates. Its second largest source of income is from nationals living abroad who transfer money to relatives living in Morocco. The country's third largest source of revenue is tourism; 7.45 million tourists visited the country in 2007.

Morocco ranks among the world’s largest producers and exporters of cannabis, and its cultivation and sale provide the economic base for much of the population of northern Morocco. The cannabis is typically processed into hashish. This activity represents about 0.5% of Morocco's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). A UN survey[21] estimated cannabis cultivation at about 1,340 square kilometres (515 sq mi) in Morocco's five northern provinces. This represents 10 % of the total area and 27 per cent of the arable lands of the surveyed territory and 1.5 per cent of Morocco's total arable land. Morocco is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention and in 1992 Morocco passed legislation designed to implement the Convention.

Morocco has an unemployment rate of 7.7% (2006 Data) and a 1999 estimate by the CIA puts 19% of the Moroccan population under the poverty line.

Though working towards change, Morocco historically has utilized child labor on a large scale. In 1999, the Moroccan Government stated that over 500,000 children under the age of 15 were in the labor force.

Morocco has signed Free Trade Agreements with the European Union (to take effect 2010) and the United States of America. The United States Senate approved by a vote of 85 to 13, on July 22, 2004, the US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement, which will allow for 98% of the two-way trade of consumer and industrial products to be without tariffs. The agreement entered into force in January 2006.

Panama is located in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica. Its location on the Isthmus of Panama is strategic. By 1999, Panama controlled the Panama Canal that links the North Atlantic Ocean via the Caribbean Sea with the North Pacific Ocean.

The dominant feature of the country's landform is the central spine of mountains and hills that forms the continental divide. The divide does not form part of the great mountain chains of North America, and only near the Colombian border are there highlands related to the Andean system of South America. The spine that forms the divide is the highly eroded arch of an uplift from the sea bottom, in which peaks were formed by volcanic intrusions.

The mountain range of the divide is called the Cordillera de Talamanca near the Costa Rican border. Farther east it becomes the Serranía de Tabasará, and the portion of it closer to the lower saddle of the isthmus, where the canal is located, is often called the Sierra de Veraguas. As a whole, the range between Costa Rica and the canal is generally referred to by Panamanian geographers as the Cordillera Central.

The highest point in the country is the Volcán Barú (formerly known as the Volcán de Chiriquí), which rises to 3475 meters (11401 ft.). A nearly impenetrable jungle forms the Darien Gap between Panama and Colombia. It creates a break in the Pan-American Highway, which otherwise forms a complete road from Alaska to Patagonia.

Economy

According to the CIA World Factbook, Panama has an unemployment rate of 7.2% and according to the ECLAC,[7] the poverty rate is of 20% as of 2006, comparable to that of wealthier nations such as Argentina.[8] However, the First World infrastructure and high standards of living shows Panama's strong and thriving economic growth.

Panama's economy is mainly service-based, heavily weighted toward banking, commerce, tourism, trading and private industries because of its key geographic location. The handover of the canal and military installations by the United States has given rise to new construction projects. The Martín Torrijos administration has undertaken controversial structural reforms, such as a fiscal reform and a very difficult Social Security Reform.[citation needed] Furthermore, a referendum regarding the building of a third set of locks for the Panama Canal was approved overwhelmingly (though with low voter turnout) on 22 October 2006. The official estimate of the building of the third set of locks is US$5.25 billion.

The Panamanian currency is the balboa, fixed at parity with the United States dollar. In practice, however, the country is dollarized; Panama mints its own coinage but uses US dollars for all its paper currency. Panama was the first of the three countries in Latin America to have dollarized their economies, later followed by Ecuador and El Salvador.

Portugal is a developed country, has a high Human Development Index and is among the world's 20 highest rated countries in terms of quality of life,^[4] although having the lowest GDP per capita of Western European countries. It is a member of the European Union (since 1986) and the United Nations (since 1955); as well as a founding member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa (Community of Portuguese Language Countries, CPLP), and the European Union's Eurozone. Portugal is also a Schengen state. According to the Global Peace Index, Portugal is among the top ten most peaceful countries in the world.

Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower-middle-income economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and a high unemployment rate of 22% continues. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995. The tourism sector has considerable potential for development over the next decade. The recent filming of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies on the island has also helped to increase tourism and expose the country to the wider world. Recent growth has been stimulated by strong activity in the construction sector and an improvement in tourism. There is a small manufacturing sector and a small offshore financial sector whose particularly restrictive secrecy laws have caused some international concern. In addition, the natives of Bequia are permitted to hunt up to four Humpback Whales per year under IWC subsistence quotas.

According to the World Bank, Spain's economy is the eighth largest worldwide and the fifth largest in Europe. As of 2007, absolute GDP was valued at $1.362 trillion according to the CIA Factbook, (see List of countries by GDP (nominal)). The per capita PPP is estimated at $33,700 (2007), ahead of G7 countries like Italy and placing Spain at a similar per capita basis as France or Japan (both with an 2007 estimated at $33,800). The Spanish economy grew 3.8% in 2007 outpacing all G7 members and all the big EU economies for the 3rd consecutive year.

The centre-right government of former prime minister José María Aznar worked successfully to gain admission to the group of countries launching the euro in 1999. Unemployment stood at 7.6% in October 2006, a rate that compares favorably to many other European countries, and which is a marked improvement over rates that exceeded 20% in the early 1990s. Perennial weak points of Spain's economy include high inflation, a large underground economy, and an education system which OECD reports place among the poorest for developed countries, together with the United States and UK. Nevertheless, it is expected that the Spanish economy will continue growing above the EU average based on the strengthening of industry, the growth of the global economy and increasing trade with Latin America and Asia.

The Spanish economy is credited for having avoided the virtual zero growth rate of some of its largest partners in the EU. In fact, the country's economy has created more than half of all the new jobs in the European Union over the five years ending 2005. The Spanish economy has thus been regarded lately as one of the most dynamic within the EU, attracting significant amounts of foreign investment. During the last four decades the Spanish tourism industry has grown to become the second biggest in the world, worth approximately 40 billion Euros, about 5% of GDP, in 2006.More recently, the Spanish economy has benefited greatly from the global real estate boom, with construction representing 16% of GDP and 12% of employment. According to calculations by the German newspaper Die Welt, Spain is on course to overtake countries like Germany in per capita income by 2011. However, the downside of the real estate boom has been a corresponding rise in the levels of personal debt; as prospective homeowners struggle to meet asking prices, the average level of household debt has tripled in less than a decade. Among lower income groups, the median ratio of indebtedness to income was 125% in 2005.

Demographics

In 2008 Spain officially reached 46 million people registered at the Padrón municipal, an official record analogous to the British Register office. Spain's population density, at 89.6/km² (231/sq mi), is lower than that of most Western European countries and its distribution along the country is very unequal. With the exception of the region surrounding the capital, Madrid, the most populated areas lie around the coast.

The population of Spain doubled during the 20th century, due to the spectacular demographic boom in the 1960s and early 1970s. The pattern of growth was extremely uneven due to large-scale internal migration from the rural interior to the industrial cities during this period. No fewer than eleven of Spain's fifty provinces saw an absolute decline in population over the century. Then, after the birth rate plunged in the 80s and Spain's population growth rate dropped, a new population increase started based initially on the return of many Spaniards who had emigrated to other European countries during the 70s. More recently, it has been boosted by a large numbers of immigrants, mostly from Latin America (39%), Eastern Europe (16%), North Africa (15%) and Sub-Saharan Africa (4%). In 2005, Spain instituted a 3-month amnesty program through which certain hitherto undocumented aliens were granted legal residency. Also there are some significant pockets of population that have come from other EU countries - 21% of foreign residents - especially on the Mediterranean costas and Balearic islands, where many Europeans choose to live their retirement or telework. These are mostly English, French, German, and Dutch and, from outside the EU, Norwegian.

Saint Lucia is one of the Windward Islands, named for Saint Lucy of Syracuse. It was first visited by Europeans in about the year 1500 and first colonized successfully by France who signed a treaty with the native Carib peoples in 1660. Great Britain took control of the island from 1663 to 1667 then went to war with France over it fourteen times, and finally took complete control in 1814. Representative government came about in 1924 (with universal adult suffrage from 1953) and from 1958 to 1962 the island was a member of the Federation of the West Indies. Finally, on February 22, 1979, Saint Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations. The island nation celebrates this every year with a public holiday.
Contents

Tourism is vital to St. Lucia's economy and the economic importance of such is expected to continue to increase as the market for bananas becomes more competitive. Tourism tends to be more substantial during the dry season (January to April). St Lucia tends to be popular due to its tropical weather and scenery and its large number of beaches and resorts.

Other tourist attractions include the world's only drive-in volcano, Sulfur Springs (at Soufriere), the Botanical Gardens, the rain forests and Pigeon Island National Park, which is home to Fort Rodney, an old British military base.

The majority of tourists visit St. Lucia as part of a cruise. Most of their time tends to be spent in Castries, although Soufriere, Marigot Bay and Gros Islet are popular locations to visit. Tourists should venture from the beaten path of shops and beaches and explore the beautiful nature of St. Lucia. Marigot Bay is where a second home to the boxer George Foreman is situated.

Thailand is considered to be the world's 50th largest country in terms of total area, with a surface area of approximately 513,000 km² (198,000 sq mi), and the world's 20th largest country in terms of population with approximately 63 million people. The population consists 80% of Thais, 10% of Chinese, and 3% of Malay. The rest are minorities such as Mons, Khmers, and various hill tribes. The country's official spoken and written language is Thai.

Thailand is one of the most strongly Buddhist countries in the world. The national religion is Theravada Buddhism which is practiced by more than 95% of all Thais (2002). [3] The cultures and traditions in Thailand are significantly influenced by those of India, China, Cambodia, as well as various countries in Southeast Asia. As a result, seniority plays an important role in the country's cultures. Respect for the elders is essential to Thai's spiritual practices as well as daily lifestyles. Thais are also well-known for their friendliness and hospitality, leading to the country's so called reputation as the "Land of Smiles".

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or King Rama IX, the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty, as the present king. The King has reigned for more than half a century, making him the longest reigning Thai monarch. His Majesty the King is recognised as the Head of State, the Head of the Armed Forces, the Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Upholder of all religions. Due to the government of the Monarch, Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonized by a European power.

Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba.

14 main islands that serve as hubs for the remaining 686 islands.

The Bahamas has the world's third longest barrier reef and about 14. 5% of the world's coral can be found there.

Capital: Nassau (neighbor to Paradise Island, connected by two bridges) .

Government Type: constitutional parliamentary democracy.

Legal system: based on English common law.

Population: 300,000 approx.

Dubai, a tiny, oil-exporting city-state located in the Persian Gulf, has recently undergone a remarkable transformation. As a member of a federation of small Arab, Islamic monarchies known as the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), its leaders have implemented a bold development strategy. In the space of four decades, they have managed to shift the city's economic focus from fishing and gold trading to tourism, mass communications, shipping, and finance. Unlike many of its regional peers which have developed unstable regimes and stagnant, oil-dependent economies, Dubai has diversified its economy to become a politically stable centre for commerce and tourism.

WHY INVEST IN DUBAI?

The fact that Dubai is the world's biggest boomtown just at the moment is cause for any investor to take a good close look at the property market, but it's far from the only one, here are few more...

The tax regime

No Capital Gains Tax, and no tax on rental income, makes for an extremely attractive location for anyone intent on building an extensive property portfolio and reaping the full rewards.

Demand outstrips supply.

The population in Dubai is projected to rise from 1 million to 3 million by 2010, while the tourism market is set to almost triple from around 6 million to 15 million visitors by 2010. However, the property inventory available in Dubai remains relatively small compared to the massive influx taking place. As a result where both residential and tourism lettings are concerned, Dubai is a seller's market.

High rental returns

The supply and demand situation leads naturally to outstanding guarantees of high rental returns and capital appreciation. Rental returns of between 12% and 15% are the norm, with capital appreciation running at anywhere between 40%-80% per year. Many people have doubled their investment capital within 12 months.

Low purchase prices

Property prices are still significantly lower than in other overseas property markets like Spain and Eastern Europe. The entry level into many developments is as low as £75,000 for studio apartments. A very attractive proposition with the guarantee of 12% rental returns.

Dubai is becoming famous

As the Dubai Government property developer Nakheel says in its advertisements, "The Palm put Dubai on the map, The World put the map on Dubai." No other city in the world comes close to the ambition, vision, and scale of development in Dubai, or is more successful at marketing itself. With more and more groundbreaking developments planned, like the Burj Dubai (the tallest tower in the world), The Mall of the Emirates (the largest shopping mall in the world), and Dubailand (the largest theme park in the world), people the world over are queuing up to share in the dream.

Finance options are improving

Originally notoriously difficult to get finance in the UAE, the combination of initiatives by local and international banks and financial institutions is creating a much more mortgage friendly environment. Finance options are increasing month on month, more players are coming into the market and the cost of borrowing is coming down, opening Dubai up to a much wider range of investors.

The UAE economy is booming

Oil revenues are sky-high, economic reform is happening fast. Abu Dhabi will be next to invest hugely in its domestic infrastructure and Dubai will be happy to supply and contract to meet this ambition next door. The net effect is a stable economic environment in which to invest - something already well known in the Gulf region, and becoming increasingly understood elsewhere in the world.

Residency

On acquisition of property in Dubai purchasers are supplied with a UAE resident's visa.

The United Kingdom is a union of four constituent countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The United Kingdom is governed by a parliamentary system with its seat of government in London, the capital, and is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. The Crown Dependencies of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, formally possessions of the Crown, are not part of the UK but form a federacy with it. The UK has fourteen overseas territories, all remnants of the British Empire, which at its height encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface, making it the largest empire in history. As a result of the empire, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. Queen Elizabeth II remains the head of the Commonwealth of Nations and head of state of each of the Commonwealth realms.

The UK is a developed country, with the fifth (nominal GDP) or sixth (PPP) largest economy in the world. It was the world's first industrialised country and the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries,but the economic cost of two world wars and the decline of its empire in the latter half of the 20th century diminished its leading role in global affairs. The UK nevertheless remains a major power with strong economic, cultural, military and political influence and is a nuclear power, with the second or third (depending on method of calculation) highest defence spending in the world. It is a member state of the European Union, holds a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, and is a member of the G8, NATO, WTO and the Commonwealth of Nations.

WHY INVEST IN THE US

Currency Advantage
The US dollar has plummeted to one of its lowest, or 'weakest' rates against the pound in 25 years, which is great news for Brits as £1 now buys around $2 of stuff. For those not versed in the rules of currency exchanges, a pound is stronger when it is able to buy more of a rival currency; and weaker when you get less.

The Economy
The US has spent the last few years battling through tough economic times, which has led to falling property prices, this coupled with the Pound to Dollar ratio makes property purchase a good buy for the UK investor.

U.S. Lending
The US economy was further hit by its lending to the subprime market, this led to all lending across the US to tighten, so if you were an American looking to purchase in the US this proved to be more difficult than before. The American developers and banks are more at present turning to foreign investors who are able to invest 15-20% towards deposits for property purchase and will supply a competitive mortgage for the remainder. Times could be no better for the UK investor into the US.

House Building
The US like most economies that enter a slow-down have an impact on building. Typically the number of homes built will drop due to the decrease in demand, this helps rentals on an immediate basis and sales of existing property once the market recovers.

Rentals
With the ability to purchase property reduced by the economical situation the direct impact of this is rising numbers of individuals seeking and occupying rental property. The demand for rental property increases occupancy and yields for the property investor.

Future
The United States of America has the world's largest economy, the third biggest population (304 million in May 2008), one of the highest GDP per capita (US$45,594 in 2007). The third largest land area, due to these facts over the next few years the US economy will strengthen and we will witness:

• A. Lending criteria will ease allowing Americans to begin borrowing at more competitive terms to purchase property, thus fuelling house purchase demand.
• B. The economic slowdown will lead to more confidence in the property markets leading to increases in property purchases and prices, (remember you are buying at a discount!)
• C. The currency will strengthen against the Pound, which will automatically make the UK investor profit on the property investment made.
• D. Rental occupation and yields will rise as less new properties are built