The list of recently updated imagery for Google Earth is above all a feast of developing-world content. Here is an entirely subjective mini appetizer:

The whole of Southern Africa is now at 2.5m resolution! Which means it is time to revisit that wonderful Namibia photo layer, and also the global shipwreck layer.

The little-known but spectacular Simien Mountains National Park, very much the highlight of a recent trip to Ethiopia, now gets a new tranche of DigitalGlobe imagery (near Debark). It’s over here — turn on the Panoramio layer to see some very cool photos in the vicinity.

Syria gets some new content too — a tile that includes the site targeted by Israel’s air raid last September, but also the walls of the old Roman frontier fortress of Halabiya:

Further south along the Euphrates, the important site of Dura Europos is now in high resolution — an important Roman city with remarkably preserved frescoes.

That’s just really a minuscule part of the update: Chile, North Korea, New South Wales, Western Australia all get 2.5m updates across all or large parts of their territory, for starters… The complete list is below the fold.

New high resolution:

Americas:

• Canada: British Columbia, Catham (ON), London (ON), Guelph (ON), Meadford (ON), Thornburry (ON), parts of Division 15 and 6 (MB), Peterborough (ON), Catham (ON), Vancouver Island (BC), Sainte-Marie (QC)
• USA: Sitka (AK), Warren County (TN), Dayton (OH), Greenville (SC), Kingsport (TN), Lufkin (TX)
• Mexico: Tehuacan, Poza Rica, Cordoba, San Cristobal, Tulancingo, Comitan, Guanajuato, Texmelucan, Valle Hermoso, Etzatlan, Ocotlan, Bernal
• Bolivia: Camiri, Monteagudo, Paracti
• Cuba: El Cobre, Puerto Padre, Santa Lucia, Trinidad, Manicaragua, Placetas, Rodas, Guines, Artemisa, Guanajay, Consolacion del Sur
• Colombia: Barrancabermeja, Cartaga, Magangue, Piedecuesta, Ipiales, Plato, Pajuil, Pitalito,
• Costa Rica: Manuel Antonio, Cartago, San Ramon
• Brazil: Santa Maria, Taubate, Angra dos Reis, Alagoinhas, Garanhuns, Santa Cruz do Sul, Catolina, Cruz Alta, Congonhas, Rolandia, Leopoldina, Itaqui, Panambi, Rio Pardo, Piraju, Santa Quiteria, Ibirama, Orleans, Cristalina, Garanhuns, Arapiraca, Armacao dos Buzios, Peruibe, Vacaria
• Guatemala: Puerto Barrios, Coban, Iglesia, San Marcos, Soloma, Chiquimula
• Honduras: Puerto Cortes, Tela, Catacamas, Santa Rosa, El Progreso
• Nicaragua: El Viejo, Bluefields, Boaco
• Panama: Puerto Armuelles, Boquete, Santiago, Gatun
• Paraguay: Horqueta, Sapucai
• Argentina: Junin, Zarate, Gualeguay, Mercedes, Balcarce, Purmamarca, Esquina, Baradero, Justo Darat, Aguilares, Alvear
• Chile: 2.5m imagery for the northern half of the country

Europe, Middle East & Africa:

• Spain: Guadalajara, Almunecar, Almagro
• Italy: Trani, Corato, Pizzo, Artena
• Portugal: Costelo Branco, Ovar
• Wales: entire country
• Norway: Kristiansand
• Finland: Muurame
• France: Bourdeaux, Istres, Montbeliard
• Sweden: Angelholm, Sodertalje
• Romania: Lasi, Brasov, Ploiesti, Bralia, Hunedoara, Deva, Lugoj
• Russia: Belovo, Anapa, Novgorod
• Serbia: Subotica, Novi Pazar
• Hungary: Szeged, Tiszaujvaros, Kecel, Kiskoros
• Greece: Janina, Lamia, Kavala, Makri, Pilos, Monemvassia, Kastro, Astipalea, Leros, Symi
• Poland: Swarzedz, Lapy
• The Ukraine: Poltava, Kerch, Feodosiia, Torez, Khotyn, Chernihiv
• Belarus: Dzerzhinsk, Smorgon, Borisov, Ivanovo, Barslaw, Miory
• Bulgaria: Velingrad, Peshtera, Chirpan, Rakovski, Omurtag, Kotel
• Croatia: Metkovic, Sibenik
• Estonia: Tartu, Viljandi, Voru, Pechory, Jovega, Poltsamaa, Johvi, Rakvere, Keila
• Lithuania: Pabrade, Pakruojis
• Latvia: Talsi, Gramzda
• Slovenia: Trebnj
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Capljina
• Cape Verde: almost entire country
• Turkey: Trabzon, Diyarbakir, Eskisehir, Samsun, Adapazari, Sivas, Turgutlu, Anamur
• Tunisia: Jamnah, Arhir, Taguermess, Gabes, Sfax, Chebba, Bekalta, Kasserine, Metlaoui, Tozeur
• Somalia: Eyl
• Sudan: Umm Ruwabah, Sinjay, Shuwak
• Syria: Idlib, Manbij, Ariha, As Suwayda
• Moldova: Chisinau, Rybnica
• Algeria: Constantine, Annaba, Tindouf, In Salah, Tiaret, Collo, Jijel, Guelma, Tlemcen, Kenadsa
• Central African Republic: Iawa, Goubali
• Chad: Sarh, Mongo, Ati, Oum Hadjer
• Niger: Agades, Ayorou, Tassessat
• Angola: Kuito
• Oman: Muttrah
• Siera Leon: Bo, Daru
• Malawi: Blantyre, Zomba
• Morocco: Oujda, Kenitra, Beni Mellal, Larache, Berrechid, Oualidia, Sidi Slimane, Midelt, Khenifra, Ifrane
• Mauritania: Atar, Terjit, Chinguetti, Oualata
• Mali: Kolondieba, Yanfolila, Sikasso, San, Segou, Dire
• Guinea: Kankan, Kouroussa, Faranah, Dabola, Dinguiraye, Labe
• Ethiopia: Weldiya, Wikro, Debark
• Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mwene-Ditu, Kananga, Mweka, Mbanza-Ngungu, Buta
• Djibouti: Obock
• Libya: Banghazi, Tobruk, Darnah
• Faeroe Islands: Hvalba, Sumba, Gjogv
• Eritrea: Keren, Tessenei
• Mozambique: Tete
• Burinka Faso: Garango, Kaya, Djibo, Orodara, Gorom-Gorom
• Benin: Dijougou, Dassa-Zoume, Kouande
• South Africa: 2.5m imagery for the entire country
• Namibia: 2.5m imagery for the entire country
• Botswana: 2.5m imagery for the entire country
• Zimbabwe: 2.5m imagery for the entire country
• Lesotho: 2.5m imagery for the entire country
• Swaziland: 2.5m imagery for the entire country

Asia & Oceania:

• Japan: Mt Fuji, Sasayama, Mukaigatao, Biei, Tochigi
• Taiwan: Chia-li, Ma-tou
• Thailand: Hat Yai, Ubon Ratchathani, Pattani, Warin Chamrap, Mukdahan,
• Kazakhstan: Shakhtinsk, Kulsary, Saran, Atbasar, Kokchetav, Aksay
• Laos: Wat Phou
• Armenia: Abovyan, Kirovakan
• Thailand: Nai Muang, Ban Dong Tong
• Georgia: Sukhumi, Khashuri, Kareli
• China: Three Gorges Dam, Guiping, Chin-men
• Vanuatu: Port-Vila
• Azerbaijan: Agdam, Agdzhabedy, Gobustan, Kuba, Kusary, Sheki, Zakataly
• South Korea: Euijeongbu, Cheonan
• North Korea: 2.5m imagery for the entire country
• Australia: 2.5m imagery for New South Wales & part of Western Australia

Updated Imagery:

Americas:

• Canada: Vancouver (BC), Sarina (ON), Brantford (ON), Birmingham,
• USA: Seattle, Dallas, Chicago, part of New York City, Round Rock (TX), Marble Falls (TX), Polk County (FL), Mecklenburg County (NC), Montgomery County (OH), much of eastern PA
• Mexico: Zacatecas, Aquascalientes, Durango, Merida
• Guatemala: Guatemala City
• Honduras: Tegucigalpa

Europe, Middle East & Africa:

• England: Brixham, Paignton, Oxford, Nottingham
• Spain: Malaga, Marbella, Zaragoza
• Italy: Genoa, Rimini, Palermo
• Greece: Kalamaria, Messolonghi, Patra
• Bulgaria: Plovdiv
• Moldova: Chisinau, Beltsy
• The Ukraine: Dnepropetrovsk
• Morocco: Tanger, Fes, Meknes, Rabat, El Jadida, Safi, Agadir
• Guinea: Conakry
• Somalia: Mogadishu

Asia & Oceania:

• China: Beijing, Haikou, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Nanjing
• South Korea: Daegu

Updated Terrain:

• Montbeliard, France
• Fort Saskatchewan, Canada
• Portugal
• Antarctica