The small community of Kirkenes is set to witness big changes as global warming opens up the Arctic. Can it cope with the influx of businesses keen to take advantage of its position on the Northern Sea Route?
A tiny North Atlantic archipelago of 50,000 people, the Faroe Islands falls under the Danish crown. But economic growth and cultural confidence means that some Faroese see themselves as increasingly distant from the Danes…
Tristan McConnell reporting from Djibouti: Perched on the southern gates of the Red Sea and the route north to the Suez Canal, this tiny nation of about 900,000 has little to trade other than its strategic position. But…
Alaska’s 50-year-old, state-run ferry system is not a profit-maker. But for the people who use it, it is as important as the police or fire service. Monocle climbs aboard.
Viking line’s M/S Gabriella and M/S Mariella ply the route between Helsinki and stockholm daily. Except for some backpackers getting cheaply from a to b, the 48-hour round trip is used for one chief purpose: the intensive…
The Danish Navy warship ‘HDMS Absalon’ patrols one of the busiest sea routes in the world, where more than 120 ships were attacked by Somali pirates last year.
Kavala doesn’t look like many other cities. The harbourside community of just over 50,000 in northern Greece has stayed small thanks to its compact geography. Once home to the Romans and later the Ottomans, today it’s an…
Taking advantage of its position at the oil and gas gateway to southern Europe, Thessaloniki has become northern Greece’s boom town. With €6bn in business investment and an infrastructure upgrade, it is now the key player…
Iraq has plans to build a shipping route that’s a cheaper alternative to the Suez Canal, starting with a port just south of Basra. It’s the biggest project ever undertaken by Iraq but will the war-ravaged city’s residents…
Fuss and hurry? They’ve been and gone. Start the new decade as you mean to go on. Take stock and choose the scenic route. Our gentle manifesto sketches a picture of taking it a little easier in the years to come.
Chile, the Barents Sea, Haifa, a soon-to-be gentrified Berlin neighbourhood and a happening street in Istanbul. Monocle explains why these are the places to watch for business opportunities in 2011. Plus, what’s in store…
Our Big Interview Series this year is all about service, whether it’s a case of a mayor looking after their citizens or an airport CEO keeping passengers happy. Our six interviewees all provide eye-opening perspectives on…
In the third part of our circumpolar tour, we visit Murmansk. Following the break-up of the USSR, the city and its strategic naval base went into decline. But the promise of Arctic riches is reviving the city once again.
Whether you’re escaping the bustle of Mexico City, reconnecting with nature in Ireland or yearning for some quality time in iceland, here’s our round-up of relaxing retreats for the holidays.