Mr Radfords Machu Picchu example

1. Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is in the South American country Peru

2. Introduction Machu Picchu is high up at 2440 metres above sea level. It is surrounded by steep mountains covered in in plants and trees. It gets as cold as 0º Celsius high up on the mountain tops. In the warmer rainy season it gets as warm as 18º Celsius. The valleys are much warmer than the mountain top areas. The rainy season in Machu Picchu lasts from December to March, the dry and sunny season lasts from April to November or December.

3. Machu Picchu was built by the Inca people between AD 1400 and AD 1500. It was abandoned within 100 years of being built. The Inca empire was the largest empire in South America at the time. Some people think that the Incas that used to live there were killed by the disease smallpox, but there are also several other theories about why Machu Picchu was abandoned.

4. www.machupicchutravel.org/machu_picchu_maps.htm Diagram showing the features of Machu Picchu

6. It has a water supply from mountain streams that cannot be blocked easily

7. There is enough land to grow food for about four times as many people as ever lived there.

8. The hillsides leading to it have been terraced, not only to provide more farmland to grow crops, but to steepen the slopes which invaders would have to climb.Its position in the mountains meant that it could easily be defended against invaders.

10. It is in the middle of the mountains with few transport links and a long distance from the nearest towns.

11. Being high up in the mountains it can get hit by very bad weather.

14. Tourism creates lots of jobs in hotels, cafes, restaurants and for tour guides

15. Money brought in by tourism can be used to look after the natural environment in the area and protect old buildings.

16. Tourism has led to better facilities being built, such as a railway and better healthcare.

18. Tourists take up spaces on the few public services like the train.

19. Lots of people walking can erode the footpaths.

20. Lots of tourism creates pollution in a very beautiful environment and lots of litter gets dropped.

21. Local peoples jobs in tourism are often badly paid.