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134-575: The 2008 Summer Olympics ( 2008年夏季奥运会 ), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad ( 第二十九届夏季奥林匹克运动会 ) and officially branded as Beijing 2008 ( 北京2008 ), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing , China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) competed in 28 sports and 302 events, one event more than those scheduled for

268-622: A London Missionary Society (LMS) school in Samoa, before beginning his work in establishing the Church of Tuvalu . In 1865, the Rev. Archibald Wright Murray of the LMS, a Protestant congregationalist missionary society, arrived as the first European missionary; he also evangelised among the inhabitants of Tuvalu. By 1878 Protestantism was considered well established, as there were preachers on each island. In

402-788: A resident commissioner to administer the Ellice Islands as part of the British Western Pacific Territories (BWPT). From 1916 to 1975, they were managed as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony. A referendum was held in 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As a result, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony legally ceased to exist on 1 October 1975; on 1 January 1976,

536-405: A retractable roof , and low maintenance costs. The entry list was narrowed to thirteen final designs. The bird's nest model submitted by architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron in collaboration with Li Xinggang of China Architecture Design and Research Group (CADG) was selected as the top design by both a professional panel and by a broader audience during a public exhibition. The selection of

670-500: A consequence of the referendum, separation occurred in two stages. The Tuvaluan Order 1975, which took effect on 1 October 1975, recognised Tuvalu as a separate Crown Colony with its own government. The second stage occurred on 1 January 1976, when separate administrations were created out of the civil service of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. In 1976, Tuvalu adopted the Tuvaluan dollar , whose currency circulates alongside

804-535: A disease-free zone", the equestrian events were held in Hong Kong . Some stadiums were built on the former site of hutong neighbourhoods, including Qianmen Subdistrict . The showpiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics was the Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed "The Bird's Nest" because of its nest-like skeletal structure. The stadium hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as

938-419: A dry season from May to October. Westerly gales and heavy rain are the predominant weather conditions from November to April, the period that is known as Tau-o-lalo , with tropical temperatures moderated by easterly winds from May to October. Tuvalu experiences the effects of El Niño and La Niña , which is caused by changes in ocean temperatures in the equatorial and central Pacific. El Niño effects increase

1072-1024: A footrace and the number of sporting competitions expanded at later editions. There were several other "games" held in Europe in the classical era : Other multi-sport festivals emerged in the Middle Ages in Europe, including the Cotswold Olimpick Games in England in the 1600s, the Highland Games in Scotland , and the Olympiade de la République in France in the 1800s. In the late 19th and early 20th century, athletes at multi-sport events were almost exclusively male. As international women's sport began to develop, events such as

1206-618: A process of decolonisation; as a consequence, the British colonies in the Pacific started on a path to self-determination . In 1974, the ministerial government was introduced to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony through a change to the Constitution. In that year a general election was held, and a referendum was held in 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As

1340-659: A selected group of athletes, rather than everybody, which was the case with the Olympic Games. The Soviets organized the first Spartakiad in 1920, a communist alternative to the 'bourgeois' Olympic Games, and in 1922 the University Olympia was organizedor in Italy , the forerunner of the World University Games , meant for students only. Regional games were another kind of multi-sport event that

1474-465: A shore camp on Sakalua islet of Nukufetau , where coal was used to melt down the whale blubber. Christianity came to Tuvalu in 1861 when Elekana , a deacon of a Congregational church in Manihiki , Cook Islands , became caught in a storm and drifted for eight weeks before landing at Nukulaelae on 10 May 1861. Elekana began preaching Christianity. He was trained at Malua Theological College,

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1608-415: A significant amount of soil, so the country relies heavily on imports and fishing for food. Licensing fishing permits to international companies, grants and aid projects, and remittances to their families from Tuvaluan seafarers who work on cargo ships are important parts of the economy. Because it is a low-lying island nation, the country is extremely vulnerable to sea level rise due to climate change . It

1742-556: A single pictogram was released). This set of sport icons was named the beauty of seal characters , because of each pictogram's likeness to Chinese seal script . The mascots of the 2008 Summer Olympics were the Fuwa, created by Han Meilin ( 韩美林 ). The mascots consisted of Beibei, a fish, Jingjing, a panda, Huanhuan, an Olympic flame, Yingying, a Tibetan antelope, and Nini, a sand martin kite. When their Chinese characters are combined, they form 北京欢迎你 , or "Beijing Welcomes You". A year before

1876-493: A single trader. In the 1890s, structural changes occurred in the operation of the Pacific trading companies; they moved from a practice of having traders resident on each island to instead becoming a business operation where the supercargo (the cargo manager of a trading ship) would deal directly with the islanders when a ship visited an island. After the high point in the 1880s, the numbers of palagi traders in Tuvalu declined;

2010-465: A total land area of only about 26 square kilometres (10 square miles) making it the fourth smallest country in the world . The highest elevation is 4.6 metres (15 ft) above sea level on Niulakita ; however the low-lying atolls and reef islands of Tuvalu are susceptible to seawater flooding during cyclones and storms. The sea level at the Funafuti tide gauge has risen at 3.9 mm per year, which

2144-489: Is active in international climate negotiations as part of the Alliance of Small Island States . The origins of the people of Tuvalu are addressed in the theories regarding the migration into the Pacific that began about 3,000 years ago. During pre-European-contact times, there was frequent canoe voyaging between the nearer islands including Samoa and Tonga . Eight of the nine islands of Tuvalu were inhabited. This explains

2278-714: Is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean , about midway between Hawaii and Australia . It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands (which belong to the Solomon Islands ), northeast of Vanuatu , southeast of Nauru , south of Kiribati , west of Tokelau , northwest of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna , and north of Fiji . Tuvalu is composed of three reef islands and six atolls spread out between

2412-470: Is approximately twice the global average. However, over four decades, there had been a net increase in land area of the islets of 73.5 ha (2.9%), although the changes are not uniform, with 74% increasing and 27% decreasing in size. A 2018 report stated that the rising sea levels are identified as creating an increased transfer of wave energy across reef surfaces, which shifts sand, resulting in accretion to island shorelines. The Tuvalu Prime Minister objected to

2546-659: Is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture , and the ceremonial start comprised a triple eight for the date and one extra for time (close to 08:08:08 pm). The ceremony was co-directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and Chinese choreographer Zhang Jigang and featured a cast of over 15,000 performers. The ceremony lasted over four hours and was reported to have cost over US$ 100 million to produce. UNGA President Miguel d'Escoto and leaders from 105 countries and territories attended this ceremony. A rich showcase of ancient Chinese art and culture dominated

2680-702: Is led by the Greek team , which hosted the previous games , entered first in honour of its status as the Olympic birthplace. They were led by judoka Ilias Iliadis . Meanwhile, the Chinese team entered last as the host country, led by the NBA 's Houston Rockets superstar Yao Ming and earthquake survivor Lin Hao, who was just 9 years old. The last torchbearer in the Olympic Torch was the gymnast legend Li Ning ignited

2814-543: Is now Kiribati . The United States Marine Corps landed on Funafuti on 2 October 1942, and on Nanumea and Nukufetau in August 1943. Funafuti was used as a base to prepare for the subsequent seaborne attacks on the Gilbert Islands ( Kiribati ) that were occupied by Japanese forces. The islanders assisted the American forces to build airfields on Funafuti, Nanumea and Nukufetau and to unload supplies from ships. On Funafuti,

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2948-895: The 2004 Summer Olympics . This was the first time China had hosted the Olympic Games , and the third time the Summer Olympic Games had been held in East Asia , following the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo , Japan, and the 1988 Olympics in Seoul , South Korea. These were also the second Summer Olympic Games to be held in a communist state , the first being the 1980 Summer Olympics in the Soviet Union (with venues in Russia , Ukraine , Byelorussia , and Estonia ). Beijing

3082-539: The 2014 Winter Games in Sochi . The opening ceremony was lauded by spectators and numerous international presses as spectacular, spellbinding, and by many accounts, "the greatest ever in the history of Olympics". Beijing hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics , making it the first city ever to host both the Summer and Winter Games. An unprecedented 87 countries won at least one medal during the 2008 Games. Host nation China won

3216-762: The Australian Institute of Sport . Only two swimming Olympic records remained intact after the Games. Before the event started, the People's Liberation Army Navy Band performed the Welcome March song as delegations of both IOC and the Chinese government, led by Jacques Rogge and Hu Jintao , entered Beijing National Stadium (The Bird's Nest ). The opening ceremony officially began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time ( UTC+8 ) on 8 August 2008. The number 8

3350-692: The Australian dollar , which was previously adopted in 1966. Elections to the House of Assembly of the British Colony of Tuvalu were held on 27 August 1977, with Toaripi Lauti being appointed chief minister in the House of Assembly of the Colony of Tuvalu on 1 October 1977. The House of Assembly was dissolved in July 1978, with the government of Toaripi Lauti continuing as a caretaker government until

3484-677: The British Western Pacific Territories (BWPT), by a Resident Commissioner based in the Gilbert Islands. The administration of the BWPT ended in 1916, and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony was established, which existed until October 1975. During the Second World War , as a British colony the Ellice Islands were aligned with the Allies . Early in the war, the Japanese invaded and occupied Makin , Tarawa and other islands in what

3618-614: The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992, and ratified it in December 2002. The predominant vegetation type on the islands of Tuvalu is the cultivated coconut woodland, which covers 43% of the land. The native broadleaf forest is limited to 4.1% of the vegetation types. Tuvalu contains the Western Polynesian tropical moist forests terrestrial ecoregion. The eastern shoreline of Funafuti Lagoon on Fongafale

3752-522: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned Iraq from competing in the 2008 Olympic Summer Games because of "political interference by the government in sports." The IOC reversed its decision five days later and allowed the nation to compete after a pledge by Iraq to ensure "the independence of its national Olympics panel" by instituting fair elections before the end of November. In the meantime, Iraq's Olympic Organization

3886-672: The International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Arranged for the first time in 1960 in Rome , Italy . The number of sports, initially only a few, is still growing. The first Special Olympics International Summer Games were held in Chicago , Illinois, in 1968. The most recent Special Olympics World Winter Games in Schladming, Austria involved 25 sports and approximately 2,277 athletes from 133 countries. At

4020-655: The Macau Sports and Olympic Committee sent a delegation to participate in the Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 , being the only unrecognized National Olympic Committee to have taken part in the 2008 Summer Olympics. It also coordinated efforts with the Chinese Olympic Committee to organize the torch relay through Macau. The Marshall Islands and Tuvalu gained National Olympic Committee status in 2006 and 2007 respectively, and 2008

4154-519: The Sailing allowed the opportunity for both males and female participants. However, only male participants took part in all three events. The following were the 302 events in 28 sports that were contested at the Games. The number of events contested in each sport is indicated in parentheses (in sports with more than one discipline, as identified by the IOC, these are also specified). In addition to

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4288-753: The San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The mascots of Beijing 2008 were the five Fuwa , each of which represented both a color of the Olympic rings and a symbol of Chinese culture. In 2006, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games released pictograms of 35 Olympic disciplines (however, for some multidiscipline sports such as cycling,

4422-399: The Solomon Islands , Tonga and Vanuatu ) launched the "Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific", calling for the phase out fossil fuels and the 'rapid and just transition ' to renewable energy and strengthening environmental law including introducing the crime of ecocide . Tuvalu experiences two distinct seasons, a wet season from November to April and

4556-506: The Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project . Sand was dredged from the lagoon to construct a platform on Fongafale islet that is 780 metres (2,560 ft) meters long and 100 metres (330 ft) meters wide, giving a total area of approximately 7.8 ha. (19.27 acres), which is designed to remain above sea level rise and the reach of storm waves beyond the year 2100. The platform starts from the northern boundary of

4690-691: The Women's World Games and Olympics of Grace were held to allow women to engage in sport on the international stage. Though short-lived, events such as these led to greater inclusion of women at multi-sport events over the course of the 20th century. Although the modern tradition commemorates the 1921 revolution , the Naadam festival in Mongolia is a continuation of ancient sporting practises amongst Mongolians. The three events of wrestling, horse racing and archery are thought to date back centuries and represent

4824-480: The athletics competition. Construction of the venue began on 24 December 2003. The Guangdong Olympic Stadium was originally planned, constructed, and completed in 2001 to help host the Games, but a decision was made to construct a new stadium in Beijing. In 2001, the city held a bidding process to select the best arena design. Several criteria were required of each design, including flexibility for post-Olympics use,

4958-654: The cauldron , after being suspended into the air by wires and completing the relay last 400m of the National Stadium at roof height. The opening ceremony was lauded by spectators and various international presses as "spectacular" and "spellbinding". Hein Verbruggen , chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the XXIX Olympiad, called the ceremony "a grand, unprecedented success." The 2008 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony concluded

5092-501: The coral reefs through the introduction of foraminifera . The project of the Japan International Cooperation Agency is designed to increase the resilience of the Tuvalu coast against sea level rise, through ecosystem rehabilitation and regeneration and through support for sand production. The rising population has resulted in an increased demand on fish stocks, which are under stress, although

5226-468: The islands of Tuvalu . Te Ali (the flounder ) is believed to be the origin of the flat atolls of Tuvalu and te Pusi (the eel ) is the model for the coconut palms that are important in the lives of Tuvaluans. The stories of the ancestors of the Tuvaluans vary from island to island. On Niutao , Funafuti and Vaitupu , the founding ancestor is described as being from Samoa, whereas on Nanumea ,

5360-579: The latitude of 5° and 10° south and between the longitude of 176° and 180° . They lie west of the International Date Line . The 2017 census determined that Tuvalu had a population of 10,645, making it the second-least populous country in the world , behind Vatican City , and the least populous country where English is an official language. Tuvalu's total land area is 26 square kilometres (10 sq mi). The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians arriving as part of

5494-548: The migration of Polynesians into the Pacific that began about three thousand years ago. Long before European contact with the Pacific islands , Polynesians frequently voyaged by canoe between the islands. Polynesian navigation skills enabled them to make elaborately planned journeys in either double-hulled sailing canoes or outrigger canoes . Scholars believe that the Polynesians spread out from Samoa and Tonga into

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5628-493: The 1896 expedition, and during his stay on Funafuti he collected invertebrate and ethnological objects. The descriptions of these were published in Memoir III of the Australian Museum Sydney between 1896 and 1900. Hedley also wrote the General Account of the Atoll of Funafuti , The Ethnology of Funafuti , and The Mollusca of Funafuti . Edgar Waite was also part of the 1896 expedition and published The mammals, reptiles, and fishes of Funafuti . William Rainbow described

5762-469: The 1981 elections were held. Toaripi Lauti became the first prime minister on 1 October 1978, when Tuvalu became an independent state. That date is also celebrated as the country's Independence Day and is a public holiday. On 26 October 1982, Queen Elizabeth II made a special royal tour to Tuvalu. On 5 September 2000, Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations . On 15 November 2022, amidst sea level rises, Tuvalu announced plans as

5896-537: The 1988 Olympics in South Korea. It was the first Olympics for Serbia as a separate state since 1912 and the first for Montenegro , having separated from Serbia in 2006. It was also the first Olympics for Nepal as a republic, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu . Mongolia and Panama each won their first Olympic gold medal. In addition, Afghanistan , Mauritius , Serbia, Sudan , Tajikistan and Togo won their first Olympic medals at these Games. North Korea , having symbolically marched with South Korea as one team at

6030-495: The 2000 Summer Olympics before losing to Sydney by two votes in the final round. Human rights concerns expressed by Amnesty International and politicians in both Europe and North America were considered by the delegates, according to IOC Executive Director François Carrard. Carrard and others suggested that the selection might lead to improvements in human rights in China. In addition, many IOC delegates who had formerly been athletes expressed concern about heat and air quality during

6164-455: The 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens. There were 28 sports and 302 events at the 2008 Games. Nine new events were held, including two from the new cycling discipline of BMX . Women competed in the 3,000-meter (9,843 ft) steeplechase for the first time. Open water swimming events for men and women, over the distance of 10 kilometers (6.2 mi), were added to the swimming discipline. Team events (men and women) in table tennis replaced

6298-628: The 2006 Winter Games but produced approximately 2,200 hours of coverage for the 2008 Summer Games. CNN reported that, for the first time, "live online video rights in some markets for the Olympics have been separately negotiated, not part of the overall 'broadcast rights.'" The new media of the digital economy was said to be growing "nine times faster than the rest of the advertising market." The international European Broadcasting Union (EBU) provided live coverage and highlights of all arenas only for certain territories on their website, Eurovisionsports.tv. Many national broadcasters likewise restricted

6432-437: The 2008 Olympic Torch was based on traditional scrolls and used a traditional Chinese design known as the "Propitious Clouds" (祥云). The torch was designed to remain lit in 65 km/h (40 mph) winds, and in rain of up to 50 mm (2 in) per hour. The relay, with the theme "Journey of Harmony", was met with protests and demonstrations by pro-Tibet supporters throughout its journey. It lasted 130 days and carried

6566-419: The 2008 Games. The equestrian events were held in Hong Kong , making these the third Olympics for which the events were held under the jurisdiction of two different NOCs. The sailing events were contested in Qingdao , while the football events took place across several different cities. The official logo for the 2008 Games, titled " Dancing Beijing " ( 舞动北京 ), created by Guo Chunning ( 郭春宁 ), featured

6700-525: The 2008 Summer Olympics was "You and Me" , which was composed by Chen Qigang , the musical director of the opening ceremony. It was performed during the opening ceremony by Chinese singer Liu Huan and British singer Sarah Brightman . The theme song was originally going to be a song called "So much love, so far away (Tanto amor, tan lejos)" written by Cuban singer-songwriter Jon Secada and Peruvian singer-songwriter Gian Marco under production from Cuban producer Emilio Estefan Jr. from EMI . The design of

6834-423: The 300 recorded in 1861 as living on Nukulaelae. The islands came into Britain's sphere of influence in the late 19th century, when each of the Ellice Islands was declared a British protectorate by Captain Herbert Gibson of HMS  Curacoa , between 9 and 16 October 1892. Trading companies became active in Tuvalu in the mid-19th century; the trading companies engaged white ( palagi ) traders who lived on

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6968-558: The Beijing Games on 24 August 2008. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time (UTC+8) and took place at the Beijing National Stadium. The Ceremony included the handover of the Games from Beijing to London. Guo Jinlong , the Mayor of Beijing handed over the Olympic flag to the Mayor of London Boris Johnson , followed by a performance organized by London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games . This presentation included performances by guitarist Jimmy Page and recording artist Leona Lewis . Footballer David Beckham

7102-423: The Beijing Olympic Games. Athletes from the Republic of China (Taiwan) competed at the 2008 Games as Chinese Taipei (TPE) under the Chinese Taipei Olympic flag and used the National Banner Song as their official anthem. The participation of Taiwan was briefly in doubt because of disagreements over the name of their team in the Chinese language and concerns about Taiwan marching in the Opening Ceremony next to

7236-409: The Chinese character for capital ( 京 , stylized into the shape of a human being) in reference to the host city. The 2008 Olympics were watched by 3.5 billion people worldwide, and featured the longest distance for an Olympic Torch relay. The 2008 Games also set numerous world and Olympic records , and were the most expensive Summer Olympics of all time, and the second most expensive overall, after

7370-435: The Chinese government that Tibet activists might try to disrupt its plans to carry the Olympic torch up the world's tallest peak. The originally proposed route would have taken the torch through Taipei after leaving Vietnam and before heading for Hong Kong. However, the government of Taiwan (then led by the independence -leaning Democratic Progressive Party ) objected to this proposal, claiming that this route would make

7504-476: The European Union directed at organic waste composting in eco-sanitation systems. The Environment Protection (Litter and Waste Control) Regulation 2013 is intended to improve the management of the importation of non-biodegradable materials. Plastic waste is a problem in Tuvalu, for much imported food and other commodities are supplied in plastic containers or packaging. In 2023 the governments of Tuvalu and other islands vulnerable to climate change ( Fiji , Niue ,

7638-408: The Funafuti Lagoon; beach areas were filled and deep-water access channels were excavated. These alterations to the reef and shoreline resulted in changes to wave patterns, with less sand accumulating to form the beaches, compared to former times. Attempts to stabilise the shoreline did not achieve the desired effect. In December 2022, work on the Funafuti reclamation project commenced, which is part of

7772-525: The Games in 2007, the 100-episode The Olympic Adventures of Fuwa featuring the mascots, was released. The 2008 Games were the first to be produced and broadcast entirely in high definition by the host broadcaster. In comparison, American broadcaster NBC broadcast only half of the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics in HD. In their bid for the Olympic Games in 2001, Beijing stated to the Olympic Evaluation Commission that there would be "no restrictions on media reporting and movement of journalists up to and including

7906-451: The Games would exceed the original target of $ 16 million. Other reports, however, estimated the total costs from $ 40 to $ 44 billion, which would make the Games "far and away the most expensive ever". Its budget was later exceeded by the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi , which suffered from major cost overruns ; the 2014 Winter Olympics costed roughly US$ 50 billion in public funding. The Oxford Olympics Study 2016 estimates

8040-410: The Games, and at the right how many gold medals were won in that sport. There is a key at the top of the calendar to aid the reader. 125 Olympic records including 37 world records were set in various events at the Games. In swimming, sixty-five Olympic swimming records including 25 world records were broken because of the use of the LZR Racer , a specialized swimming suit developed by NASA and

8174-435: The Games, considering the high levels of air pollution in Beijing. China outlined plans to address these environmental concerns in its bid application. On 6 March 2009, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games reported that total spending on the Games was "generally as much as that of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games", which was equivalent to about US$ 15 billion. They went on to claim that surplus revenues from

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8308-459: The IOC did not disclose their votes, but news reports speculated that broad international support led to China's selection, especially from developing nations that had received assistance from China to construct stadiums. The size of China, its increased enforcement of doping controls, and sympathy concerning its loss of the 2000 Summer Olympics to Sydney were all factors in the decision. Eight years earlier, Beijing had led every round of voting for

8442-506: The IOC, but failed to make the short list chosen by the IOC Executive Committee in 2000. After the first round of voting, Beijing held a significant lead over the other four candidates. Osaka received only six votes and was eliminated. In the second round, Beijing was supported by a majority of voters, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds. Toronto's bid was its fifth failure since 1960 (failed bids for 1960, 1964, 1976 and 1996 Games, losing to Rome, Tokyo, Montreal and Atlanta). Members of

8576-402: The Olympic Games, organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) (est. 1894) for the first time in 1896 in Athens , Greece . After some celebrations (1900, 1904), the Olympics became very popular nowadays. The number of sports, initially only a few, is still growing. The Paralympic Games is the largest multi-sport event involving athletes with physical disabilities and is organized by

8710-408: The Olympic Games." However, some media outlets claimed that organizers ultimately failed to live up to this commitment. According to Nielsen Media Research, 4.7 billion viewers worldwide tuned in to some of the television coverage, one-fifth larger than the 3.9 billion who watched the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. American broadcaster NBC produced only two hours of online streaming video for

8844-444: The Pacific, he passed Niulakita on 29 August 1595, which he named La Solitaria . Captain John Byron passed through the islands of Tuvalu in 1764, during his circumnavigation of the globe as captain of the Dolphin  (1751) . He charted the atolls as Lagoon Islands . The first recorded sighting of Nanumea by Europeans was by Spanish naval officer Francisco Mourelle de la Rúa who sailed past it on 5 May 1781 as captain of

8978-423: The Pacific. Drilling occurred in 1896, 1897 and 1898. Professor Edgeworth David of the University of Sydney was a member of the 1896 "Funafuti Coral Reef Boring Expedition of the Royal Society", under Professor William Sollas and led the expedition in 1897. Photographers on these trips recorded people, communities, and scenes at Funafuti. Charles Hedley , a naturalist at the Australian Museum , accompanied

9112-509: The Queen Elizabeth Park (QEP) reclamation area and extends to the northern Tausoa Beach Groyne and the Catalina Ramp Harbour. The reefs at Funafuti suffered damage during the El Niño events that occurred between 1998 and 2001, with an average of 70% of the Staghorn ( Acropora spp. ) corals becoming bleached as a consequence of the increase in ocean temperatures. A reef restoration project has investigated reef restoration techniques; and researchers from Japan have investigated rebuilding

9246-410: The Russian explorer Mikhail Lazarev visited Nukufetau as commander of the Mirny . Louis-Isidore Duperrey , captain of La Coquille , sailed past Nanumanga in May 1824 during a circumnavigation of the Earth (1822–1825). A Dutch expedition by the frigate Maria Reigersberg under captain Koerzen, and the corvette Pollux under captain C. Eeg, found Nui on the morning of 14 June 1825 and named

9380-412: The Tibetan side of the mountain, built especially for the relay. The $ 19.7 million blacktop project spanned from Tingri County of Xigazê Prefecture to the Everest Base Camp . In March 2008, China banned mountaineers from climbing its side of Mount Everest, and later persuaded the Nepalese government to close their side as well, officially citing environmental concerns. It also reflected concerns by

9514-563: The Treaty will involve Australia increasing its contribution to the Tuvalu Trust Fund and the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project . Australia will also provide a pathway for 280 citizens of Tuvalu to migrate to Australia each year, to enable climate-related mobility for Tuvaluans. Tuvalu is a volcanic archipelago, and consists of three reef islands ( Nanumanga , Niutao and Niulakita ) and six true atolls ( Funafuti , Nanumea , Nui , Nukufetau , Nukulaelae and Vaitupu ). Its small, scattered group of low-lying atolls have poor soil and

9648-511: The Tuvaluan atolls, which then served as a stepping stone for further migration into the Polynesian outliers in Melanesia and Micronesia . In 1568, Spanish explorer and cartographer Álvaro de Mendaña became the first European known to sail through the archipelago, sighting the island of Nui during an expedition he was making in search of Terra Australis . The island of Funafuti

9782-571: The armed brigantine or privateer Rebecca , sailing under British colours, passed through the southern Tuvaluan waters. De Peyster sighted Nukufetau , and Funafuti which he named Ellice's Island after an English politician, Edward Ellice , the Member of Parliament for Coventry and the owner of the Rebecca ' s cargo. The name Ellice was applied to all nine islands after the work of English hydrographer Alexander George Findlay . In 1820,

9916-576: The atolls, an annular reef rim surrounds the lagoon with seven natural reef channels. Surveys were carried out in May 2010 of the reef habitats of Nanumea, Nukulaelae and Funafuti; a total of 317 fish species were recorded during this Tuvalu Marine Life study. The surveys identified 66 species that had not previously been recorded in Tuvalu, which brings the total number of identified species to 607. Tuvalu's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) covers an oceanic area of approximately 900,000 km . Tuvalu signed

10050-646: The beginning of the 20th century, another multi-sport event, the Nordic Games were first held. These Games were held in Scandinavia , and the sports conducted were winter sports such as cross-country skiing and speed skating . The Nordic Games were last held in 1926, after which the 1924 Winter Sports Week in Chamonix was declared the first Olympic Winter Games . In the 1920s, all kinds of other multi-sport events were set up. These were usually directed for

10184-405: The calligraphic word symbolized the invitation from China to the world to share in its culture. IOC president Jacques Rogge was rather pleased with the emblem, saying, "Your new emblem immediately conveys the awesome beauty and power of China which are embodied in your heritage and your people." The official motto for the 2008 Olympics was " One World, One Dream " ( 同一个世界 同一个梦想 ). It called upon

10318-404: The central Pacific. The Janet Nicoll visited three of the Ellice Islands; while Fanny records that they made landfall at Funafuti, Niutao and Nanumea , Jane Resture suggests that it was more likely they landed at Nukufetau rather than Funafuti, as Fanny describes meeting Alfred Restieaux and his wife Litia; however they had been living on Nukufetau since the 1880s. An account of this voyage

10452-484: The ceremony cultural segments. It opened with the beating of Fou drums for the countdown. Subsequently, a giant scroll was unveiled and became the show's centerpiece. The official song of the 2008 Summer Olympics, titled " You and Me ", was performed by Britain's Sarah Brightman and China's Liu Huan , on a large spinning rendition of the globe. As the Olympic Charter determines the parade of nations section,

10586-435: The city placed restrictions on construction sites and gas stations and limited the use of commercial and passenger vehicles in Beijing. From 20 July through 20 September, passenger vehicle restrictions were placed on alternative days depending on the terminal digit of the car's license plate. It was anticipated that this measure would take 45% of Beijing's 3.3 million cars off the streets. The boosted public transport network

10720-625: The construction budget for the six main venues was funded by $ 2.1 billion ( RMB¥ 17.4 billion) in corporate bids and tenders. Investments were expected from corporations seeking ownership rights after the Olympics. Some events were held outside Beijing, namely football in Qinhuangdao , Shanghai , Shenyang , and Tianjin ; sailing in Qingdao ; and, because of the "uncertainties of equine diseases and major difficulties in establishing

10854-551: The construction of all 31 Beijing-based Olympic Games venues had begun. The Chinese government renovated and constructed six venues outside Beijing, and constructed 59 training facilities. The largest structures built were the Beijing National Stadium , Beijing National Indoor Stadium , Beijing National Aquatics Center , Peking University Gymnasium , Olympic Green Convention Center , Olympic Green , and Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center . Almost 85% of

10988-482: The creation of the Funafuti Conservation Area has provided a fishing exclusion area to help sustain the fish population across the Funafuti lagoon. Population pressure on the resources of Funafuti, and inadequate sanitation systems, have resulted in pollution. The Waste Operations and Services Act of 2009 provides the legal framework for waste management and pollution control projects funded by

11122-403: The decision by their team not to register them. The IOC tried up until the last minute, midday Friday 8 August 2008, the day of the official opening, to have them register, but to no avail." Brunei's Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports issued a press release stating that their decision not to participate was due to an injury to one of their athletes. Georgia announced on 9 August 2008, that it

11256-570: The declaration of independence in Kosovo, the IOC specified requirements that Kosovo needs to meet before being recognized by the IOC; most notably, it has to be recognized as independent by the United Nations . However, it has since been recognised by the IOC in 2014 without fulfilling these criteria and made its debut in the 2016 games . More than 100 sovereigns, heads of state and heads of government as well as 170 Ministers of Sport attended

11390-599: The design became official in April 2003. Construction of the stadium was a joint venture among the original designers, project architect Stefan Marbach, artist Ai Weiwei , and a group of CADG architects led by Li Xinggang. Its $ 423 million cost was funded by the state-owned corporate conglomerate CITIC and the Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Company. To prepare for Olympic visitors, Beijing's transportation infrastructure

11524-408: The doubles events. In fencing , the women's team foil and women's team saber replaced men's team foil and women's team épée . Two sports were open only to men, baseball and boxing , while one sport and one discipline were open only to women, softball and synchronized swimming . Equestrian and mixed badminton are the only sports in which men and women compete together, although three events in

11658-536: The dress and tattoo patterns of the men of Nukufetau. In 1885 or 1886, the New Zealand photographer Thomas Andrew visited Funafuti and Nui . In 1890, Robert Louis Stevenson , his wife Fanny Vandegrift Stevenson and her son Lloyd Osbourne sailed on the Janet Nicoll , a trading steamer owned by Henderson and Macfarlane of Auckland, New Zealand, which operated between Sydney and Auckland and into

11792-475: The event. All but one of the 205 recognized National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that existed as of 2008 participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics, the exception being Brunei . Three countries participated in the Olympic Games for their first time: the Marshall Islands , Montenegro and Tuvalu . While not a full member recognized by the IOC and thus not allowed to compete formally in the Olympics,

11926-611: The first amputee to qualify for the Olympic Games since Olivér Halassy in 1936. She was able to compete in the Olympics rather than the Paralympics because she does not use a prosthetic leg while swimming. Polish athlete Natalia Partyka , who was born without a right forearm, competed in Table Tennis in the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2008 Paralympic Games. The program for the Beijing Games was quite similar to that of

12060-494: The first Games for deaf athletes. The Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games , incepted in 1948 in England, were the first Games for wheelchair athletes. In 1960, the first Paralympic Games were held, connected with the Olympic Games . The Special Olympics World Games , for athletes with intellectual disabilities, were first held in 1968. Tuvalu Tuvalu ( / t uː ˈ v ɑː l uː / too- VAH -loo )

12194-577: The first country in the world to build a self-digital replica in the metaverse in order to preserve its cultural heritage. On 10 November 2023, Tuvalu signed the Falepili Union treaty with Australia. In the Tuvaluan language, Falepili describes the traditional values of good neighbourliness, care and mutual respect. The Treaty addresses climate change and security, with security threats encompassing major natural disasters, health pandemics and traditional security threats. The implementation of

12328-563: The flame, the torch was extinguished in Paris the following day. The American leg in San Francisco on 9 April was altered without prior warning to avoid such disturbances, although there were still demonstrations along the original route. The relay was further delayed and simplified after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake hit western China . The flame was carried to the top of Mount Everest on a 108 km (67 mi) long "highway" scaling

12462-443: The following calendar for the 2008 Summer Olympics, each blue box represents an event competition, such as a qualification round, on that day. The yellow boxes represent days during which medal-awarding finals for a sport were held. Each bullet in these boxes is an event final, the number of bullets per box representing the number of finals that were contested on that day. On the left, the calendar lists each sport with events held during

12596-478: The founding ancestor is described as being from Tonga . Tuvalu was first sighted by Europeans on 16 January 1568, during the voyage of Álvaro de Mendaña from Spain, who sailed past Nui and charted it as Isla de Jesús (Spanish for "Island of Jesus") because the previous day was the feast of the Holy Name . Mendaña made contact with the islanders but was unable to land. During Mendaña's second voyage across

12730-507: The frigate La Princesa , when attempting a southern crossing of the Pacific from the Philippines to New Spain . He charted Nanumea as San Augustin . Keith S. Chambers and Doug Munro (1980) identified Niutao as the island that Mourelle also sailed past on 5 May 1781, thus solving what Europeans had called The Mystery of Gran Cocal . Mourelle's map and journal named the island El Gran Cocal ('The Great Coconut Plantation'); however,

12864-640: The islanders shifted to the smaller islets so as to allow the American forces to build the airfield and Naval Base Funafuti on Fongafale . A Naval Construction Battalion ( Seabees ) built a seaplane ramp on the lagoon side of Fongafale islet, for seaplane operations by both short- and long-range seaplanes, and a compacted coral runway was also constructed on Fongafale, with runways also constructed to create Nanumea Airfield and Nukufetau Airfield . USN Patrol Torpedo Boats (PTs) and seaplanes were based at Naval Base Funafuti from 2 November 1942 to 11 May 1944. The atolls of Tuvalu acted as staging posts during

12998-657: The islands visited. Captain Davis identified the following traders in the Ellice Group: Edmund Duffy ( Nanumea ); Jack Buckland ( Niutao ); Harry Nitz ( Vaitupu ); Jack O'Brien (Funafuti); Alfred Restieaux and Emile Fenisot ( Nukufetau ); and Martin Kleis ( Nui ). During this time, the greatest number of palagi traders lived on the atolls, acting as agents for the trading companies. Some islands would have competing traders, while dryer islands might only have

13132-587: The islands. John (also known as Jack) O'Brien was the first European to settle in Tuvalu; he became a trader on Funafuti in the 1850s. He married Salai, the daughter of the paramount chief of Funafuti. Louis Becke , who later found success as a writer, was a trader on Nanumanga from April 1880 until the trading station was destroyed later that year in a cyclone . He then became a trader on Nukufetau . In 1892, Captain Edward Davis of HMS  Royalist reported on trading activities and traders on each of

13266-485: The last of them were Fred Whibley on Niutao, Alfred Restieaux on Nukufetau, and Martin Kleis on Nui. By 1909 there were no more resident palagi traders representing the trading companies, although Whibley, Restieaux and Kleis remained in the islands until their deaths. The United States Exploring Expedition under Charles Wilkes visited Funafuti , Nukufetau , and Vaitupu in 1841. During this expedition, engraver and illustrator Alfred Thomas Agate recorded

13400-403: The later 19th and early 20th centuries, the ministers of what became the Church of Tuvalu ( Te Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu ) were predominantly Samoans, who influenced the development of the Tuvaluan language and the music of Tuvalu . For less than a year between 1862 and 1863, Peruvian ships engaged in the so-called " blackbirding " trade, by which they recruited or impressed workers, combed

13534-484: The latitude and longitude was uncertain. Longitude could be reckoned only crudely at the time, as accurate chronometers did not become available until the late 18th century. In 1809, Captain Patterson in the brig Elizabeth sighted Nanumea while passing through the northern Tuvalu waters on a trading voyage from Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia to China. In May 1819, Arent Schuyler de Peyster, of New York, captain of

13668-644: The main island ( Fenua Tapu ) as Nederlandsch Eiland . Whalers began roving the Pacific, although they visited Tuvalu only infrequently because of the difficulties of landing on the atolls. The American Captain George Barrett of the Nantucket whaler Independence II has been identified as the first whaler to hunt the waters around Tuvalu. He bartered coconuts from the people of Nukulaelae in November 1821, and also visited Niulakita . He established

13802-553: The most gold medals (48), and became the seventh different team to top the Summer Olympics medal standings, winning a total of 100 medals overall. The United States placed second in the gold medal tally but won the highest number of medals overall (112). The third place in the gold and overall medal tally was achieved by Russia . This Olympic Games marked the return of the Summer Olympic Games to Asia after

13936-510: The official Olympic sports, the Beijing Organizing Committee was given special dispensation by the IOC to run a wushu competition in tandem with the Games. The 2008 Beijing Wushu Tournament saw 128 athletes from 43 countries participate, with medals awarded in 15 separate events; however, these were not to be added to the official medal tally since Wushu was not on the official program of the 2008 Summer Olympics. In

14070-529: The old administration was officially separated, and two separate British colonies, Kiribati and Tuvalu, were formed. On 1 October 1978, Tuvalu became fully independent as a sovereign state within the Commonwealth , and is a constitutional monarchy with King Charles III as King of Tuvalu . On 5 September 2000, Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations . The islands do not have

14204-717: The opening ceremonies of the preceding three Games that it entered ( 2000 in Sydney , 2004 in Athens , and 2006 in Turin ), paraded separately this time. Under the direction of Liu Qi , Beijing was elected as the host city for the 2008 Summer Olympics on 13 July 2001, during the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, defeating bids from Toronto, Paris, Istanbul , and Osaka . Prior to the session, five other cities ( Bangkok , Cairo , Havana , Kuala Lumpur , and Seville ) had submitted bids to

14338-654: The origin of the name, Tuvalu, which means "eight standing together" in Tuvaluan (compare to *walu meaning "eight" in Proto-Austronesian ). Possible evidence of human-made fires in the Caves of Nanumanga suggests humans may have occupied the islands for thousands of years. An important creation myth in the islands of Tuvalu is the story of te Pusi mo te Ali (the Eel and the Flounder), who are said to have created

14472-580: The outturn cost of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics at US$ 6.8 billion in 2015-dollars. This includes sports-related costs only, such as those incurred by the organizing committee or those incurred by the host city, country, and private investors to build structures required to host the Games. Indirect capital costs—those not directly related to staging the Games—are not included. The Beijing Olympics' cost of US$ 6.8 billion compares with costs of US$ 4.6 billion for Rio 2016 and US$ 15 billion for London 2012. By May 2007

14606-633: The portion of the relay in Taiwan appear to be part of the torch's domestic journey through China, rather than a leg on the international route. This dispute, as well as Chinese demands that the flag and the national anthem of the Republic of China be banned along the route led the government of Taiwan to reject the proposal that it be part of the relay route. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait subsequently blamed each other for injecting politics into

14740-481: The possibility of sending a united team to the 2008 Olympics. The proposal failed, because of disagreements about how athletes would be chosen; North Korea was demanding a certain percentage representation for its athletes. A subsequent attempt to broker an agreement for the two nations to walk together during the March of Nations failed as well, despite their having done so during the 2000 and 2004 Games. On 24 July 2008,

14874-550: The preparation for the Battle of Tarawa and the Battle of Makin that commenced on 20 November 1943, which were part of the implementation of "Operation Galvanic". After the war, the military airfield on Funafuti was developed into Funafuti International Airport . The formation of the United Nations after World War II resulted in the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization committing to

15008-451: The report's implication that there were "alternate" strategies for Islanders to adapt to rising sea levels, and criticised it for neglecting issues such as saltwater intrusion into groundwater tables as a result of sea level rise. Funafuti is the largest atoll, and comprises numerous islets around a central lagoon that is approximately 25.1 kilometres (15.6 miles) (N–S) by 18.4 kilometres (11.4 miles) (W-E), centred on 179°7'E and 8°30'S. On

15142-693: The seventh nation to rank top in the medal table in the history of the modern Olympics, along with the United States (fifteen times), France (in 1900), Great Britain (in 1908), Germany (in 1936), the Soviet Union (six times), and the Unified Team (in 1992). Multisport event The Ancient Olympic Games , first held in 776 BC, was the precursor to the Modern Olympic Games , although its first edition only featured

15276-470: The site now called Darwin's Drill , are the result of drilling conducted by the Royal Society of London for the purpose of investigating the formation of coral reefs to determine whether traces of shallow water organisms could be found at depth in the coral of Pacific atolls. This investigation followed the work on The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs conducted by Charles Darwin in

15410-604: The smaller islands of Polynesia from Easter Island in the eastern Pacific to Tuvalu and the southern atolls of the Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati). They sought recruits to fill the extreme labour shortage in Peru. On Funafuti and Nukulaelae, the resident traders facilitated the recruiting of the islanders by the "blackbirders". The Rev. Archibald Wright Murray, the earliest European missionary in Tuvalu, reported that in 1863 about 170 people were taken from Funafuti and about 250 were taken from Nukulaelae, as there were fewer than 100 of

15544-630: The special administrative region of Hong Kong. A compromise based at the Nagoya Protocol about the naming was reached some months before the opening ceremonies, and Taiwan was referred to during the Games as "Chinese Taipei", rather than "Taipei, China," as the mainland China government had proposed. In addition, the Central African Republic was placed between Taipei and Hong Kong,China on protocol order. Starting in 2005, North Korea and South Korea held meetings to discuss

15678-576: The spiders and insects collected at Funafuti in The insect fauna of Funafuti . Harry Clifford Fassett , captain's clerk and photographer, recorded people, communities and scenes at Funafuti in 1900 during a visit of USFC Albatross when the United States Fish Commission was investigating the formation of coral reefs on Pacific atolls. The Ellice Islands were administered as a British Protectorate from 1892 to 1916, as part of

15812-409: The three most important pursuits of a strong man in nomadic society. Alongside these sporting events there are other cultural activities such as dances and parades. Since the establishment of the Olympics, most serial multi-sport events have been organized for specific audiences and participating countries or communities. These affiliations include: The first modern multi-sport event organised were

15946-709: The torch 137,000 km (85,000 mi)—the longest distance of any Olympic torch relay since the tradition began at the 1936 Berlin Games . The torch relay was described as a "public relations disaster" for China by USA Today , with protests against China's human rights record, particularly focused on Tibet . The IOC subsequently barred future Olympics organizers from staging international torch relays. The relay began 24 March 2008, in Olympia, Greece . From there, it traveled across Greece to Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, and then to Beijing, arriving on 31 March. From Beijing,

16080-604: The torch followed a route passing through every continent except Antarctica . The torch visited cities on the Silk Road , symbolizing ancient links between China and the rest of the world. A total of 21,880 torchbearers were selected from around the world by various organizations and entities. The international portion of the relay was problematic. The month-long world tour encountered wide-scale anti-Chinese protests. After trouble in London involving attempts by protesters to put out

16214-451: The viewing of online events to their domestic audiences. The General National Copyright Administration of China announced that "individual ( sic ) and websites will face fines as high as 100,000 yuan for uploading recordings of Olympic Games video to the internet", part of an extensive campaign to protect the pertinent intellectual property rights. The Olympic Committee also set up a separate YouTube channel at Beijing 2008. The theme song of

16348-497: The whole world to join in the Olympic spirit and build a better future for humanity, and was chosen from over 210,000 entries submitted from around the world. Following the announcement of the motto, the phrase was used by international advocates of Tibetan secession . Banners reading "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet" were unfurled from various structures around the globe in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics, such as from

16482-467: Was awarded the 2008 Games over four competitors on 13 July 2001, having won a majority of votes from members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after two rounds of voting. The Government of the People's Republic of China promoted the 2008 Games and invested heavily in new facilities and transport systems. 37 venues were used to host the events, including twelve constructed specifically for

16616-413: Was also featured during London's presentation. Of the 204 nations that participated in the 2008 Games, 87 earned medals and 54 of those won at least one gold medal, both of these figures setting new records for Olympic Games. There were 117 participating countries that did not win any medals. Athletes from China won the highest number of gold medals of any nation at these Games, with 48, thus making China

16750-534: Was approved so that 10 borrow pits would be filled with sand from the lagoon, leaving Tafua Pond, which is a natural pond. The New Zealand Government funded the BPR project. The project was carried out in 2015, with 365,000 sqm of sand being dredged from the lagoon to fill the holes and improve living conditions on the island. This project increased the usable land space on Fongafale by eight per cent. During World War II, several piers were also constructed on Fongafale in

16884-547: Was considering withdrawing from the Beijing Olympic Games because of the 2008 South Ossetia war , but it went on to compete while the conflict was still ongoing. South African swimmer Natalie du Toit , whose left leg was amputated following a motor scooter accident, qualified to compete at the Beijing Olympics. The five time gold medalist at the Athens Paralympics in 2004 made history by becoming

17018-760: Was established, such as the Far Eastern Championship Games (1913), the Central American and Caribbean Games (1926) or the Pan American Games (1951). The Olympic Games are still the largest multi-sport event in the world in terms of worldwide interest and importance (though no longer in participation), but several others also have significance. Other Games are intended for handicapped or disabled athletes. The International Silent Games , first held in Paris in 1924, were

17152-564: Was expanded. Beijing's airport underwent a major renovation with the addition of the new Terminal 3, designed by architect Norman Foster . Within the city itself, Beijing's subway was doubled in capacity and length, with the addition of seven lines and 80 stations to the previously existing four lines and 64 stations. Included in this expansion was a new link connecting to the city's airport. A fleet of thousands of buses, minibuses, and official cars transported spectators, athletes, and officials between venues. In an effort to improve air quality,

17286-451: Was expected to absorb the demand created by these restrictions and the influx of visitors, which was estimated at more than 4 million additional passengers per day. The 2008 Summer Olympics emblem was known as Dancing Beijing . The emblem combined a traditional Chinese red seal and a representation of the calligraphic character for "capital" ( 京 , also the second character of Beijing's Chinese name) with athletic features. The open arms of

17420-521: Was modified during World War II when the airfield (now Funafuti International Airport ) was constructed. The coral base of the atoll was used as fill to create the runway. The resulting borrow pits impacted the fresh-water aquifer . In the low-lying areas of Funafuti, the sea water can be seen bubbling up through the porous coral rock to form pools with each high tide. In 2014, the Tuvalu Borrow Pits Remediation (BPR) project

17554-492: Was named Ellice's Island in 1819. Later, the whole group was named Ellice Islands by English hydrographer Alexander George Findlay . In the late 19th century, Great Britain claimed control over the Ellice Islands, designating them as within their sphere of influence. Between 9 and 16 October 1892, Captain Herbert Gibson of HMS  Curacoa declared each of the Ellice Islands a British protectorate . Britain assigned

17688-533: Was the first Games in which they were eligible to participate. The states of Serbia and Montenegro , which participated at the 2004 Games jointly as Serbia and Montenegro , competed separately for the first time since Serbia last participated in 1912 . Montenegro made its debut appearance, as the Montenegrin Olympic Committee was accepted as a new National Olympic Committee in 2007. Neighboring Kosovo , however, did not participate. After

17822-425: Was to be run by "an interim committee proposed by its national sports federations and approved by the IOC." Brunei Darussalam was due to take part in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. However, they were disqualified on 8 August, having failed to register either of their two athletes. The IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said in a statement that "it is a great shame and very sad for the athletes who lose out because of

17956-492: Was written by Fanny Stevenson and published under the title The Cruise of the Janet Nichol , together with photographs taken by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne. In 1894, Count Rudolf Festetics de Tolna, his wife Eila ( née Haggin) and her daughter Blanche Haggin visited Funafuti aboard the yacht Le Tolna . The Count spent several days photographing men and women on Funafuti. The boreholes on Funafuti, at

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