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Is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east, India has a coastline of 7,517 kilometres (4,700 mi). It is bordered by Pakistan to the west; China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, and the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.
Home to the Indus Valley Civilisation and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Four major religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism originated here, while Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam arrived in the first millennium CE and shaped the region's diverse culture. Gradually annexed by the British East India Company from the early eighteenth century and colonised by the United Kingdom from the mid-nineteenth century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by widespread non-violent resistance.
India is a republic consisting of 28 states and seven union territories with a parliamentary system of democracy. It has the world's twelfth largest economy at market exchange rates and the fourth largest in purchasing power. Economic reforms since 1991 have transformed it into one of the fastest growing economies in the world; however, it still suffers from poverty, illiteracy, disease, and malnutrition. A pluralistic, multilingual, and multiethnic society, India is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats.
History
A lot to read.
Please go to:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_India
Etymology
The name India (pronounced /ˈɪndiə/) is derived from Indus, which is derived from the Old Persian word Hindu, from Sanskrit सिन्धु Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the Indus River. The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi (Ινδοί), the people of the Indus. The Constitution of India and common usage in various Indian languages also recognise Bharat as an official name of equal status. The name Bharat is derived from the name of the legendary king Bharata in Hindu Mythology. Hindustan, originally a Persian word for “Land of the Hindus” referring to northern India, is also occasionally used as a synonym for all of India.
Geography
The geography of India describes the physical features of India, a country in South Asia that lies entirely on the Indian Plate in the northern portion of the Indo-Australian Plate. The country lies to the north of the equator between 8°4' and 37°6' north latitude and 68°7' and 97°25' east longitude. It is the seventh-largest country in the world, with a total land area of 3,287,263 square kilometres (1,269,219 sq mi). India measures 3,214 km (1,997 mi) from north to south and 2,993 km (1,860 mi) from east to west. It has a land frontier of 15,200 km (9,445 mi) and a coastline of 7,517 km (4,671 mi).
India is bounded to the southwest by the Arabian Sea, to the southeast by the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean to the south. Cape Comorin constitutes the southern tip of the Indian peninsula, which narrows before ending in the Indian Ocean. The southernmost part of India is Indira Point in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Maldives, Sri Lanka and Indonesia are island nations to the south of India with Sri Lanka separated from India by a narrow channel of sea formed by Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. The territorial waters of India extend into the sea to a distance of 12 nautical miles (13.8 mi; 22.2 km) measured from the appropriate baseline.
The northern frontiers of India are defined largely by the Himalayan mountain range where its political boundaries with China, Bhutan, and Nepal lie. Its western borders with Pakistan lie in the Punjab Plain and the Thar desert. In the far northeast, the Chin Hills and Kachin Hills, deeply forested mountainous regions, separate India from Burma while its political border with Bangladesh is defined by the watershed region of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Khasi hills and Mizo Hills.
The Ganges is the longest river originating in India and forms the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The Ganges-Brahmaputra system occupies most of northern, central and eastern India, while the Deccan Plateau occupies most of southern India. Along its western frontier is the Thar Desert, which is the seventh-largest desert in the world.
Officially, India's highest point is K2 at 8,611 m (28,251 ft), though it lies in Gilgit-Baltistan, part of the disputed Kashmir region. Kanchenjunga in Sikkim at 8,598 m (28,209 ft) is the highest point within India's current geographic boundaries. Climate across India ranges from equatorial in the far south, to Alpine in the upper reaches of the Himalayas.
Other Info
Oficial Name:
भारत गणराज्य (Bʰārat Gaṇrājya)
+ eng: Republic of India
+ asm: ভাৰত গণৰাজ্য (Bʰārôt Gôṇrājẏô)
ben: ভারত গণরাজ্য (Bʰārôt Gôṇrājẏô)
guj: ભારત ગણરાજ્ય (Bʰārat Gaṇrājya)
kan: ಭಾರತ ಗಣರಾಜ್ಯ (Bʰārata Gaṇarājya)
kok: भारोत गोणराज (Bʰārot Goṇrāj)
mal: ഭാരത ഗണരാജ്യം (Bʰārata Gaṇarājyaṁ)
mar: भारतीय प्रजासत्ताक (Bʰāratīy Pradzāsattāk)
nep: भारत गणराज्य (Bʰārat Gaṇrādzya)
ori: ଭାରତ ଗଣରାଜ୍ଯ (Bʰārôt Gôṇrājẏô)
pan: ਭਾਰਤ ਗਣਤੰਤਰ (Bʰārat Gaṇtaṁtar)
san: भारत गणराज्य (Bʰārat Gaṇrājya)
tam: இந்தியக் குடியரசு (Intiyak Kuṭiyaraču)
tel: భారత గణ రాజ్యము (Bʰārata Gaṇa Rājyamu)
urd: جمہوریت بھارت (Jumhūrīyat-e Bʰārat)
Independence:
Declared 15 August 1947
- Republic 26 January 1950
Area :
3.287.263km2
Inhabitants:
1.037.015.247
Language:
Aariya Adi Adi Agariya Ahirani Aimol Aiton Allar Amri Anal Andaman-Creole-Hindi-Andh Angika Apatani A-Pucikwar Arakanese Aranadan Assamese Asuri A'tong Awadhi Badaga Bagheli Bagri Balochi Balti Bareli Bateri Bauria Bazigar Bellari Bengali Bhadrawahi Bhalay Bharia Bhatola Bhatri Bhattiyali Bhilali Bhili Bhojpuri Bhunjia Biete Bijori Bilaspuri Birhor Bishnupriya Bodo Bodo-Parja Bondo Braj-Bhasha Brokskat Bugun Buksa Bundeli Byangsi Chakma Chamari Chambeali Changthang Chaudangsi Chaura Chenchu Chhattisgarhi Chin, Bawm Chin Chinali Chiru Chodri Churahi Darlong Darmiya Deccan Degaru Deori Dhanki Dhanwar Dhatki Dhimal Dhodia Dhundari Digaro-Mishmi Dimasa Dogri Domari Dubli Dungra Bhil Duruwa Dzongkha English Gadaba Gaddi Gahri Gamit Gangte Garasia Garhwali Garo Gata' Godwari Gondi Gowlan Gowli Groma Gujarati Gujari Gurung Hajong Halbi Harauti Haryanvi Hindi Hinduri Hmar Ho Holiya Hrangkhol Hruso Idu-Mishmi Indian Sign Language Indo-Portuguese Irula Jad Jangshung Jarawa Jaunsari Juang Juray Kachari Kachchi Kadar Kaikadi Kamar Kanashi Kanauji Kangri Kanikkaran Kanjari Kannada Karbi Kashmiri Katkari Khaling Khamba Khamti Khamyang Khandesi Kharia Kharia Thar Khasi Khirwar Khowar Kinnauri Kinnauri Koch Koda Kodagu Koireng Kok Borok Kolami Koli Kom Konda-Dora Konkani Konkani Koraga Koraku Korku Korlai Creole Portuguese Korwa Kota Koya Kudiya Kudmali Kui Kukna Kulung Kumarbhag Paharia Kumauni Kupia Kurichiya Kurmukar Kurumba Kurumba Kurux Kuvi Ladakhi Lambadi Lamkang Lepcha Lhomi Limbu Lisu Lodhi Lohar Magahi Magar Mahali Maithili Majhi Majhwar Mal Paharia Malankuravan Malapandaram Malaryan Malavedan Malayalam Maldivian Malvi Manda Mandeali Manna-Dora Mannan Marathi Maria Maria Marwari Mawchi Meitei Merwari Mewari Mewati Miju-Mishmi Mina Mirgan Miri Mizo Moinba Mru Mugom Mukha-Dora Mundari Muria Muthuvan Naga Pidgin Naga, Angami Naga Nagarchal Nahali Nahari Nefamese Nepali Newar Nicobarese Nihali Nimadi Nisi Noiri Önge Oriya Oriya Pahari Paliyan Panchpargania Pangwali Paniya Panjabi Pankhu Pao Pardhan Pardhi Parenga Parsi Pattani Pengo Phake Phudagi Pnar Powari Purik Rabha Rajbanshi Ralte Rathawi Ravula Rawang Rawat Reli Riang Rongpo Ruga Sadri Sajalong Sakechep Samvedi Sansi Sanskrit Santali Saurashtra Sauria Savara Sentinel Seraiki Shekhawati Shendu Sherdukpen Shina Sholaga Shom Peng Shumcho Sikkimese Simte Sindhi Singpho Sirmauri Sora Spiti Bhoti Stod Bhoti Sulung Sunam Surajpuri Sylheti Tamang Tamil Telugu Teressa Tharu Thulung Tibetan Tinani Tiwa Toda Toto Tshangla Tukpa Tulu Turi Ullatan Urali Urdu Vaagri Booli Vaiphei Varhadi- Varli Vasavi Vishavan Waddar Wagdi War Yakha Yerukula Zakhring Zangskari Zome Zyphe
Capital city:
New Delhi
Meaning of country name :
Derived from the original name Sindhu of the Indus River in modern-day Pakistan, which gave its name to the land of Sind. People later applied derivations of the Persian form of this name, Hind, to all of modern Pakistan and India.
Bharat (Sanskrit name): Popular accounts derive "Bharat" from the name of either of two ancient kings named Bharata.
Hindustan (Hindi Name): The name Hind is derived from a a Persian pronunciation of Sind. The Persian -stān means country or land (cognate to Sanskrit sthāna "place, land").India is called al-Hind الهند in the Arabic language, and sometimes in Persian. (e.g. in the 11th century Tarik Al-Hind "history of India") and Hind هند in Persian. It also occurs intermittently in usage within India, such as in the phrase Jai Hind. The terms Hind and Hindustan were current in Persian and Arabic from the 11th century Islamic conquests: the rulers in the Sultanate and Mughal periods called their Indian dominion, centred around Delhi, Hindustan.
The word Hindu (हिन्दु) was loaned from Persian into Sanskrit in early medieval times and is attested — in the sense of dwellers of the Indian subcontinent, in some texts, such as Bhavishya Purāna, Kālikā Purāna, Merutantra, Rāmakosha, Hemantakavikosha and Adbhutarūpakosha. Hindustan was in use synonymously with India during the British Raj. The term is from the Persian Hindustān هندوستان, as is the term Hindu itself. It entered the English language in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the term as used in English referred to the northern region of India between the Indus and Brahmaputra and between the Himalayas and the Vindhyas in particular, hence the term Hindustani for the Hindi-Urdu language.
rGya.gar (Dzongkha), rGya.gar.yal (Tibetan variant):
Description Flag:
The National Flag of India was adopted in its present form during an ad hoc meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, a few days before India's independence from the British on 15 August, 1947. It has served as the national flag of the Dominion of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 and that of the Republic of India thereafter. In India, the term "tricolour" [Tirangā – तिरंगा (in Hindi)] almost always refers to the Indian national flag.
The flag is a horizontal tricolour of "deep saffron" at the top, white in the middle, and green at the bottom. In the centre, there is a navy blue wheel with twenty-four spokes, known as the Ashoka Chakra, taken from the Lion Capital of Asoka erected atop Ashoka pillar at Sarnath. The diameter of this Chakra is three-fourths of the height of the white strip. The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 2:3. The flag is also the Indian Army's war flag, hoisted daily on military installations.
It should be pointed out that the actual colour used in the top band in all depictions of the flag—including this page—is either blaze orange or pumpkin rather either than saffron or deeper shades of saffron like goldenrod or dark goldenrod.
The Indian National Flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya.The official flag specifications require that the flag be made only of "khadi," a special type of hand-spun yarn. The display and use of the flag are strictly enforced by the Indian Flag Code.
A heraldic description of the flag would be Party per fess Saffron and Vert on a fess Argent a "Chakra" Azure.
A few days before India became independent on August 1947, the specially constituted Constituent Assembly decided that the flag of India must be acceptable to all parties and communities. A flag with three colours, Saffron, White and Green with the Ashoka Chakra was selected. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who later became India's first Vice President, clarified the adopted flag and described its significance as follows:
“ Bhagwa or the saffron colour denotes renunciation or disinterestedness. Our leaders must be indifferent to material gains and dedicate themselves to their work. The white in the centre is light, the path of truth to guide our conduct. The green shows our relation to (the) soil, our relation to the plant life here, on which all other life depends. The "Ashoka Chakra" in the centre of the white is the wheel of the law of dharma. Truth or satya, dharma or virtue ought to be the controlling principle of those who work under this flag. Again, the wheel denotes motion. There is death in stagnation. There is life in movement. India should no more resist change, it must move and go forward. The wheel represents the dynamism of a peaceful change. ”
A widely held unofficial interpretation is that the saffron stands for purity and spirituality, white for peace and truth, green for fertility and prosperity and the wheel for justice
Coat of arms:
The Emblem of India is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Emperor Ashoka the Great erected the capital atop a Ashoka Pillar to mark the spot where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha was founded. In the original, there are four lions, standing back to back, mounted on an abacus with a frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus. Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone, the capital is crowned by the Wheel of the Law (Dharmacakra).It was adopted as the National Emblem of India on 26 January 1950, the day that India became a republic.
It has four "Indian Lions", resting on a circular abacus. The fourth lion is on the rear and hence hidden from view. The emblem symbolizes power, courage and confidence. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals - guardians of the four directions: the Lion of the north, the Elephant of the east, the Horse of the south and Bull of the west. The abacus rests on a nelumbo nucifera in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life.
Motto:
"Satyameva Jayate" (Sanskrit)
सत्यमेव जयते (Devanagari)
National Anthem: Jana Gana Mana (Bengali: জন গণ মনJôno Gôno Mono; Sanskrit: जन गण मन
Bengali
জন গণ মন অধিনায়ক জয় হে
ভারত ভাগ্য বিধাতা
পঞ্জাব সিন্ধু গুজরাট মরাঠা
দ্রাবিড় উৎকল বঙ্গ
বিন্ধ্য হিমাচল যমুনা গঙ্গা
উচ্ছল জলধি তরঙ্গ
তব শুভ নামে জাগে
তব শুভ আশিস মাগে
গাহে তব জয়গাথা
জন গণ মঙ্গল দায়ক জয় হে
ভারত ভাগ্য বিধাতা
জয় হে, জয় হে, জয় হে,
জয় জয় জয়, জয় হে॥
With Romanisation
Jôno gôno mono odhinaeoko jôeô he
Bharoto bhaggo bidhata
Pônjabo Shindhu Gujoraţo Môraţha
Drabiŗo Utkôlo Bônggo
Bindho Himachôlo Jomuna Gôngga
Uchchhôlo jôlodhi toronggo
Tôbo shubho name jage
Tôbo shubho ashish mage
Gahe tôbo jôeogatha
Jôno gôno monggolo daeoko jôeô he
Bharoto bhaggo bidhata
Jôeo he, jôeo he, jôeo he,
jôeo jôeo jôeo, jôeo he
NLK Romanisation
Jana gaṇa mana adhināyaka jaya hē
Bhārata bhāgya bidhātā
Pañjāba Sindhu Gujarāṭa Marāṭhā
Drābiḍa Utkala Baṅga
Bindhya Himācala ẏamunā Gaṅgā
Ucchala jaladhi taraṅga
Taba śubha nāmē jāgē
Taba śubha āśisa māgē
Gāhē taba jaya gāthā
Jana gaṇa maṅgala dāyaka jaya hē
Bhārata bhāgya bidhātā
Jaya hē jaya hē jaya hē
Jaya jaya jaya jaya hē
English
O! Dispenser of India's destiny, thou art the ruler of the minds of all people.
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, the Maratha country,
in the Dravida country, Utkala (Orissa) and Bengal;
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,
it mingles in the rhapsodies of the pure waters of Jamuna and the Ganges.
They chant only thy name.
They sing only the glory of thy victory.
They seek only thy auspicious blessings.
The salvation of all people waits in thy hands,
O dispenser of India's destiny!
Victory, Victory, Victory, Victory to thee.
National Song
Vande Mataram
Devanagari script
सुजलां सुफलां मलयजशीतलाम्
शस्यश्यामलां मातरम् .
शुभ्र-ज्योत्स्नाम् पुलकितयामिनीम्
फुल्लकुसुमित द्रुमदलशोभिनीम्,
सुहासिनीं सुमधुर भाषिणीम् .
सुखदां वरदां मातरम् ॥
सप्तकोटि कण्ठ कलकल निनाद कराले
द्विसप्त कोटि भुजैर्ध्रत खरकरवाले
के बोले मा तुमी अबले
बहुबल धारिणीम् नमामि तारिणीम्
रिपुदलवारिणीम् मातरम् ॥
तुमि विद्या तुमि धर्म, तुमि ह्रदि तुमि मर्म
त्वं हि प्राणाः शरीरे
बाहुते तुमि मा शक्ति,
हृदये तुमि मा भक्ति,
तोमारै प्रतिमा गडि मन्दिरे-मन्दिरे ॥
त्वं हि दुर्गा दशप्रहरणधारिणी
कमला कमलदल विहारिणी
वाणी विद्यादायिनी, नमामि त्वाम्
नमामि कमलां अमलां अतुलाम्
सुजलां सुफलां मातरम् ॥
श्यामलां सरलां सुस्मितां भूषिताम्
धरणीं भरणीं मातरम् ॥
Bengali script
সুজলাং সুফলাং মলয়জশীতলাম্
শস্যশ্যামলাং মাতরম্॥
শুভ্রজ্যোত্স্না পুলকিতযামিনীম্
পুল্লকুসুমিত দ্রুমদলশোভিনীম্
সুহাসিনীং সুমধুর ভাষিণীম্
সুখদাং বরদাং মাতরম্॥
কোটি কোটি কণ্ঠ কলকলনিনাদ করালে
কোটি কোটি ভুজৈর্ধৃতখরকরবালে
কে বলে মা তুমি অবলে
বহুবলধারিণীং নমামি তারিণীম্
রিপুদলবারিণীং মাতরম্॥
তুমি বিদ্যা তুমি ধর্ম, তুমি হৃদি তুমি মর্ম
ত্বং হি প্রাণ শরীরে
বাহুতে তুমি মা শক্তি
হৃদয়ে তুমি মা ভক্তি
তোমারৈ প্রতিমা গড়ি মন্দিরে মন্দিরে॥
ত্বং হি দুর্গা দশপ্রহরণধারিণী
কমলা কমলদল বিহারিণী
বাণী বিদ্যাদায়িনী ত্বাম্
নমামি কমলাং অমলাং অতুলাম্
সুজলাং সুফলাং মাতরম্॥
শ্যামলাং সরলাং সুস্মিতাং ভূষিতাম্
ধরণীং ভরণীং মাতরম্॥
English Translation:
Mother, I salute thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Green fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.
Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.
Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
When swords flash out in seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Thou who saves, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foe drove
Back from plain and sea
And shook herself free.
Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nerves the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.
Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleems,
In thy soul, with jewelled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Loveliest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free!
Internet Page: www.india.gov.in
India in diferent languages
eng | arg | ast | aym | bre | cos | est | eus | fao | glg | hun | ibo | ina | ita | lat | lim | lld | nld | nor | roh | ron | rup | slk | sme | spa | sqi | srd | tpi | tsn | ven | vor | wol: India
ces | csb | fur | pol | sco: Indie
cat | oci | por | tet: Índia
hrv | lav | lit | slv: Indija
deu | ltz | nds: Indien / Indien
fra | nrm | wln: Inde
dan | swe: Indien
dje | tgl: Indiya
dsb | hsb: Indiska
ind | msa: India / اينديا
kin | run: Ubuhindi
nbl | xho: i-Indiya
tah | ton: ʻInitia
afr: Indië
aze: Hindistan / Һиндистан
bam: Ɛndi
bos: Indija / Индија
cor: Eynda
crh: İndistan / Индистан
cym: Yr India
epo: Hindujo; Hindio; Barato
fij: Idia
fin: Intia
frp: Ende
fry: Yndia
gag: İndiya / Индия
gla: Na h-Innseachan; Na h-Innsean
gle: An India / An India; An Ind / An Ind
glv: Yn Injey
hat: End
hau: Indiya; Hindu
haw: ʻInia
isl: Indland
jav: Hinḍia
jnf: Înde
kaa: Hindstan / Ҳиндстан
kmr: Hindistan / Һьндьстан / هندستان; Hind / Һьнд / هند; Hêndûstan / Һендустан / هێندووستان
kur: Hind / هند; Hindistan / هندستان; Hindûstan / هندووستان
lin: India; Ɛndɛ
lug: Buyindi
mfe: Lind
mlg: Indy
mlt: Indja
mol: India / Индия
mri: Inia
non: Indialand; Indland
que: Indya; Indiya
rmy: Indiya / इन्दिया
scn: Innia
slo: India / Индиа
smg: Indėjė
smo: Initia
som: Hindiya
swa: Uhindi; Hindi
szl: Indje
tly: Hind / Һинд; Hindıston / Һиндыстон
tuk: Hindistan / Хиндистан
tur: Hindistan; Hint; Hindustan
uzb: Hindiston / Ҳиндистон
vie: Ấn Độ
vol: Lindän
zul: iNdiya; i-Indiya
zza: Hindıstan
chu: Индия (Indija)
abq | alt | bul | kir | kjh | kom | krc | rus | tyv | udm: Индия (Indija)
che | chv | oss: Инди (Indi)
bak | tat: Һиндстан / Hindstan
bel: Індыя / Indyja
bua: Энэдхэг (Änädĥäg)
chm: Индий (Indij)
kaz: Үндістан / Ündistan / ءۇندىستان
kbd: Индие (Indie)
kum: Гьиндистан (Hindistan)
lbe: Гьиндул (Hindul)
mkd: Индија (Indija)
mon: Энэтхэг (Änätĥäg)
srp: Индија / Indija
tab: Индустан (Industan)
tgk: Ҳиндустон / هندوستان / Hinduston; Ҳинд / هند / Hind
ukr: Індія (Indija)
ara: الهند (al-Hind)
ckb: هندستان / Hindistan; هیندستان / Hîndistan
fas: هند / Hend; هندوستان / Hendustân
mzn مازرونی (māzərūnī); تبری (tabərī)
prs: هندوستان (Hendūstān); هند (Hend)
pus: هندوستان (Hindūstān); هند (Hind)
snd: ڀارت (Bʰāratu); ھندستان (Hindustān); ھند (Hindu)
uig: ھىندىستان / Hindistan / Һиндистан
urd: ہندوستان (Hindūstān); بھارت (Bʰārat); انڈیا (Inḋiyā)
div: އިންޑިއާ (Inḋi'ā); އިންޑިޔާ (Inḋiyā); ހިންދުސްތާން (Hindustān)
syr: ܐܢܕܝܐ (Indiyā)
heb: הדו (Hodû); הודו (Hôdû)
lad: אינדיה / India
yid: אינדיִיע (Indiye)
amh: ህንድ (Hənd)
cop-boh: Ϩⲛ̄ⲧⲟⲩ (Həntou)
ell-dhi: Ινδία (Indía)
ell-kat: Ἰνδίαι (Indíai)
hye: Հնդկաստան (Hndkastan)
kat: ინდოეთი (Indoeṭi)
hin: भारत (Bʰārat); इंडिया (Iṁḍiyā); हिंदुस्तान (Hiṁdustān)
kok: भारोत (Bʰārot)
mar: भारत (Bʰārat)
nep: भारत (Bʰārat); हिन्दुस्तान (Hindustān)
san: भारतम् (Bʰāratam)
asm: ভাৰত (Bʰārôt)
ben: ভারত (Bʰārôt)
guj: ભારત (Bʰārat); ઈન્ડિયા (Īnḍiyā); હિંદ (Hiṁd)
ori: ଭାରତ (Bʰārôt)
pan: ਭਾਰਤ (Bʰārat); ਹਿੰਦ (Hiṁd); ਹਿੰਦੁਸਤਾਨ (Hiṁdustān)
sin: ඉන්දියාව (Indiyāva); භාරතය (Bʰārataya)
kan: ಭಾರತ (Bʰārata)
mal: ഇന്ത്യ (Intya); ഭാരതം (Bʰārataṁ)
tam: இந்தியா (Intiyā); பாரத (Pārata)
tel: భారత (Bʰārata); ఇండియా (Iṁḍiyā)
zho: 印度 (Yìndù)
yue: 印度 (Yandouh)
jpn: インド (Indo)
kor: 인도 (Indo)
bod: ཧིན་དུ་ (Hin.du.); ཧིན་རྡུ་ (Hin.rdu.); རྒྱ་གར་ (rGya.gar.); རྒྱ་གར་ཡལ་ (rGya.gar.yal.)
dzo: རྒྱ་གར་ (rGya.gar.)
mya: အိန္ဒိယ (Eĩdíyá)
tha: อินเดีย (Indiya)
lao: ອິນເດຍ (Indiya); ອິນເດັຽ (Indiẏa)
khm: ឥណ្ឌា (Iṇdā); ឥណ្ឌៀ (Iṇdie)
iku: ᐃᓐᑎᐊ / Intia
Bicester Heritage is certainly a more interesting venue for a car show than the usual featureless fields. The resident 505 sits among the historic buildings on the former RAF Technical Site; it was off the road from 1985 to 2017 and only has just over 7000 miles on the clock.
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic ,is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth-largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico, Colombia and Spain are more populous.
Argentina's continental area is between the Andes mountain range in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. It borders Paraguay and Bolivia to the north, Brazil and Uruguay to the northeast, and Chile to the west and south. Argentina claims the British overseas territories of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It also claims a part of Antarctica, overlapping claims made by Chile and the United Kingdom, though all claims were suspended by the Antarctic Treaty of 1961. Argentina today is one of the G-20 major economies.
Etymology
The name is derived from the Latin argentum (silver), which comes from the Ancient Greek ἀργήντος (argēntos), gen. of ἀργήεις (argēeis), "white, shining". Αργεντινός (argentinos) was an ancient Greek adjective meaning "silvery".The first use of the name Argentina can be traced to the early 16th century voyages of the Spanish and Portuguese conquerors to the Río de la Plata ("Silver River").
History
The earliest evidence of humans in Argentina is in Patagonia (Piedra Museo, Santa Cruz) and dates from 11,000 BC (Huarpes, Diaguitas and Sanavirones, among others). The Inca Empire, under King Pachacutec, invaded and conquered present-day northwestern Argentina in 1480, integrating it into a region called Collasuyu; the Guaraní developed a culture based on yuca, sweet potato and yerba maté. The central and southern areas (Pampas and Patagonia) were dominated by nomadic cultures, the most populous among them being the Mapuches
European explorers arrived in 1516. Spain established the Viceroyalty of Peru in 1542 encompassing all its holdings in South America, and established a permanent colony at Buenos Aires in 1580 as part of the dependency of Río de la Plata. In 1776 this dependency was elevated to a viceroyalty which shifted trade from Lima to Buenos Aires.
The area was largely a country of Spanish immigrants and their descendants, known as criollos, and others of native cultures and of descendants of African slaves, present in significant numbers. A third of Colonial-era settlers gathered in Buenos Aires and other cities, others living on the pampas as gauchos, for instance. Indigenous peoples inhabited much of the rest of Argentina. The British invaded twice between 1806 and 1807, as part of the Napoleonic Wars when Spain was an ally of France, but both invasions were repelled.
On 25 May 1810, after the rumors of the Napoleonic overthrow of Ferdinand VII were confirmed, the citizens of Buenos Aires created the First Government Junta (May Revolution). Two nations emerged in the former viceroyalty: the United Provinces of South America (1810) and the Liga Federal (1815). Other provinces delayed the formation of a unified state because of differences between autonomist and centralist parties; Paraguay seceded, declaring independence in 1811.
Between 1814 and 1817, General José de San Martín led a military campaign aimed at making independence a reality. San Martín and his regiment crossed the Andes in 1817 to defeat royalist forces in Chile and Perú, thus securing independence. The Congress of Tucumán gathered on 9 July 1816 and finally issued a formal Declaration of Independence from Spain. The Liga Federal was crushed in 1820 by the combined forces of the United Provinces and Portuguese-ruled colonial Brazil, and its provinces were absorbed into the United Provinces of South America. Bolivia declared independence in 1825, and Uruguay was created in 1828 as a result of a truce following the Argentina-Brazil War. The controversial truce led to the rise of Buenos Aires provincial governor Juan Manuel de Rosas, who, as a federalist, exercised a reign of terror and kept the fragile confederation together.
The centralist Unitarios and the Federales maintained an internecine conflict until Rosas' 1852 overthrow after the Platine War, and to help prevent future struggle during the tenuous times that followed, a Constitution was promulgated in 1853. The constitution, drafted by legal scholar Juan Bautista Alberdi, was defended by Franciscan Friar Mamerto Esquiú and endured through difficult early years. National unity was reinforced when Paraguayan dictator López attacked Argentina and Brazil in 1865, resulting in the War of the Triple Alliance, which left more than 300,000 dead and devastated Paraguay.
Geography
The total surface area (excluding the Antarctic claim) is 2,766,891.2 km2 (1,068,302.7 sq mi), of which 30,200 km2 (11,700 sq mi) (1.1%) is water. Argentina is about 3,900 km (2,400 mi) long from north to south, and 1,400 km (870 mi) from east to west (maximum values). There are four major regions: the fertile central plains of the Pampas, source of Argentina's agricultural wealth; the flat to rolling, oil-rich southern plateau of Patagonia including Tierra del Fuego; the subtropical northern flats of the Gran Chaco, and the rugged Andes mountain range along the western border with Chile.
The highest point above sea level is in Mendoza province at Cerro Aconcagua (6,962 m (22,841 ft)), also the highest point in the Southern and Western Hemisphere. The lowest point is Laguna del Carbón in Santa Cruz province, -105 m (−344 ft) below sea level. This is also the lowest point in South America. The geographic center of the country is in south-central La Pampa province. The easternmost continental point is northeast of Bernardo de Irigoyen, Misiones,(26°15′S 53°38′W / 26.25°S 53.633°W / -26.25; -53.633 (Argentina's easternmost continental point)) the westernmost in the Mariano Moreno Range in Santa Cruz province.(49°33′S 73°35′W / 49.55°S 73.583°W / -49.55; -73.583 (Argentina's westernmost point)) The northernmost point is at the confluence of the Grande de San Juan and Mojinete rivers in Jujuy province,(21°46′S 66°13′W / 21.767°S 66.217°W / -21.767; -66.217 (Argentina's northernmost point)) and the southernmost is Cape San Pío in Tierra del Fuego. (55°03′S 66°31′W / 55.05°S 66.517°W / -55.05; -66.517 (Argentina's southernmost point))
The major rivers are the Paraná (the largest), the Pilcomayo, Paraguay, Bermejo, Colorado, Río Negro, Salado and the Uruguay. The Paraná and the Uruguay join to form the Río de la Plata estuary, before reaching the Atlantic. Regionally important rivers are the Atuel and Mendoza in the homonymous province, the Chubut in Patagonia, the Río Grande in Jujuy and the San Francisco River in Salta.
There are several large lakes including Argentino and Viedma in Santa Cruz, Nahuel Huapi between Río Negro and Neuquén, Fagnano in Tierra del Fuego, and Colhué Huapi and Musters in Chubut. Lake Buenos Aires and O'Higgins/San Martín Lake are shared with Chile. Mar Chiquita, Córdoba, is the largest salt water lake in the country. There are numerous reservoirs created by dams. Argentina features various hot springs, such as Termas de Río Hondo with temperatures between 65°C and 89°C.
The largest oil spill in fresh water was caused by a Shell Petroleum tanker in the Río de la Plata, off Magdalena, on January 15, 1999, polluting the environment, drinking water, and local wildlife.
The 4,665 km (2,899 mi) long Atlantic coast has been a popular local vacation area for over a century, and varies between areas of sand dunes and cliffs. The continental platform is unusually wide; this shallow area of the Atlantic is called the Argentine Sea. The waters are rich in fisheries and possibly hold important hydrocarbon energy resources. The two major ocean currents affecting the coast are the warm Brazil Current and the cold Falkland Current. Because of the unevenness of the coastal landmass, the two currents alternate in their influence on climate and do not allow temperatures to fall evenly with higher latitude. The southern coast of Tierra del Fuego forms the north shore of the Drake Passage.
Oficial name:
República Argentina
Independence:
May Revolution 25 May 1810
- Declared 9 July 1816
- Recognized 1821 (by Spain)
Area:
2.780.092 km2
Inhabitants:
40.090.000
Languages:
Aymara, Central [ayr] Classification: Aymaran
Chiripá [nhd] Alternate names: Tsiripá, Txiripá, Nhandeva, Ñandeva, Apytare. Dialects: Apapocuva. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Subgroup I
Chorote, Iyojwa'ja [crt] 800 (1982 Drayson). Northeast Salta Province. Alternate names: Choroti, Yofuaha, Eklenjuy. Dialects: A distinct language from Iyo'wujwa Chorote (Drayson). Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Mataco
Chorote, Iyo'wujwa [crq] 1,500 in Argentina. 50% monolinguals. Population total all countries: 2,008. In Argentina they are mixed with the Iyojwa'ja Chorote. No more than a couple of families in Bolivia. Also spoken in Bolivia, Paraguay. Alternate names: Choroti, Manjuy, Manjui. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Mataco
Guaraní, Mbyá [gun] 3,000 in Argentina (2002 Dooley). Northeast Argentina. Alternate names: Mbua, Eastern Argentina Guaraní, Mbyá. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Subgroup I
Guaraní, Western Argentine [gui] 15,000 in Argentina. Jujuy, Salta. Alternate names: Eastern Bolivian Guaraní, "Chawuncu", "Chiriguano". Dialects: Chané, Izoceño (Izocenyo, Isocenio). Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Subgroup I
Kaiwá [kgk] 512 in Argentina. Northeast Argentina. Alternate names: Caingua, Caiwá, Kayova. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Subgroup I
Mapudungun [arn] 100,000 in Argentina (2000). Provinces of Neuquen, Rio Negro, Chubut, Buenos Aires, La Pampa. Alternate names: Araucano, Maputongo, Mapuche, Mapudungu. Dialects: Pehuenche. Classification: Araucanian
Mocoví [moc] 4,525 (2000 WCD). South Chaco, northeast Santa Fe. Alternate names: Mocobí, Mbocobí. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Guaicuruan
Nivaclé [cag] 200 in Argentina. Salta Province, northeast. Alternate names: Ashlushlay, "Chulupi", "Churupi", "Chulupie", "Chulupe". Dialects: Forest Nivaclé, River Nivaclé. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Mataco
Ona [ona] 1 to 3 (1991 Adelaar). Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego. Also formerly in Chile. Alternate names: Aona, Selknam, Shelknam. Classification: Chon Nearly extinct.
Pilagá [plg] 2,000 (1991 UBS). Along the valleys of the Bermejo and Pilcomayo rivers in central and western Formosa Province, also Chaco and Salta provinces. Alternate names: Pilaca. Dialects: Toba-Pilagá (Toba del Oeste, Sombrero Negro), Chaco Pilagá (Toba Sur). Intelligibility between the dialects needs investigation. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Guaicuruan
Puelche [pue] 5 or 6. Pampas. Alternate names: Gennaken, Pampa, Northern Tehuelche. Classification: Language Isolate Nearly extinct.
Quechua, South Bolivian [quh] 855,000 in Argentina. Population includes 200,000 temporary laborers, about 100,000 looking for work, 500,000 living in Buenos Aires (1971 F. Hicks). Possibly 70,000 in Salta Province. Buenos Aires, some working on docks. Some in Salta Province. Alternate names: Central Bolivian Quechua. Dialects: Northwest Jujuy (Colla). Classification: Quechuan, Quechua II, C
Quichua, Santiago del Estero [qus] 60,000 (2000 SIL). Ethnic population: 60,000. Santiago del Estero Province, north central Argentina, Departments of Figueroa, Moreno, Robles, Sarmiento, Brigadier J. F. Ibarra, San Martín, Silipica, Loreto, Atamisqui, Avellaneda, Salavina, Quebrachos, Mitre, Aguirre, some in southeast Salta Province, western Taboada Department along the Salado River, and Buenos Aires. Alternate names: Santiagueño Quichua. Dialects: Different from Bolivian (lexical similarity 81%) or other Quechua (P. Landerman SIL 1968). Classification: Quechuan, Quechua II, C
Spanish [spa] 33,000,000 in Argentina (1995). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian
Tapieté [tpj] 100 in Argentina. Northeast, Tartagal, 1 village. Alternate names: Guarayo, Guasurangue, Tirumbae, Yanaigua, Ñanagua. Classification: Tupi, Tupi-Guarani, Guarani I
Tehuelche [teh] 4 (2000 W. Adelaar). Ethnic population: 200 (2000 W. Adelaar). Patagonia. Alternate names: Aoniken, Gunua-Kena, Gununa-Kena, Inaquen. Classification: Chon Nearly extinct
Toba [tob] 19,810 in Argentina (2000 WCD). Population total all countries: 20,656. Eastern Formosa Province and Chaco Province. Also spoken in Bolivia, Paraguay. Alternate names: Chaco Sur, Qom, Toba Qom, Toba Sur. Dialects: Southeast Toba, Northern Toba. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Guaicuruan
Vilela [vil] 20 (1981 Buckwalter). Resistencia, east central Chaco Province near Paraguay border. Classification: Lule-Vilela Nearly extinct.
Welsh [cym] 25,000 in Argentina (1998 A. Leaver). Patagonia, Chubut Territory. Dialects: Patagonian Welsh. Classification: Indo-European, Celtic, Insular, Brythonic
Wichí Lhamtés Güisnay [mzh] 15,000 (1999). Northern, Pilcomayo River area. Alternate names: "Mataco" Güisnay, Güisnay, "Mataco" Pilcomayo, "Mataco". Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Mataco
Wichí Lhamtés Nocten [mtp] 100 in Argentina. Northern border down to Tartagal. Alternate names: "Mataco" Nocten, Nocten, Noctenes, Oktenai. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Mataco
Wichí Lhamtés Vejoz [wlv] 25,000 in Argentina (1991 UBS). Northern area: Chaco, Formosa, Salta, Jujuy. Generally west of Toba, along upper Bermejo River Valley and Pilcomayo River. Also spoken in Bolivia. Alternate names: "Mataco" Vejoz, Vejos. Dialects: Bermejo Vejoz. Not intelligible with other Chaco languages. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Mataco
Extinct languages
Abipon [axb] Extinct. Classification: Mataco-Guaicuru, Guaicuruan
Chané [caj] Extinct. Salta Province. Dialects: Some have equated this name with 'Guana' (Kaskiha) of Paraguay of Mascoian affiliation, or Terena of Brazil of Arawakan affiliation, but they are distinct. Classification: Arawakan, Unclassified
Capital city:
Buenos Aires
Meaning of the country name:
From the Latin argentum, meaning "silver". Early Spanish and Portuguese traders used the region's Rio de la Plata or "Silver River" to transport silver and other treasures from Peru to the Atlantic. The land around the terminal downstream stations became known as Argentina – "Land of Silver".
Description Flag:
The national flag of Argentina dates from 1812. It is a triband, composed of three equally wide horizontal bands coloured light blue, white and light blue. In 1818, a yellow Sun of May was added to the center.
The full flag featuring the sun is called the Official Ceremonial Flag (Spanish: Bandera Oficial de Ceremonia)
The Sun is modeled after the symbol of Inti, the Incan god of the Sun.
Coat of arms:
The Coat of Arms of Argentina was established in its current form in 1944, but has its origins in the seal of the Sovereign General Assembly of 1813, though there is no known decree or any other type of order or authorisation ordering its specific use. It is supposed, however, that this symbol was chosen quickly because of the existence of a decree signed on February 22, sealed with that seal. The first mention of it in a public document dates to March 12th of that same year, in which it is stated that this seal had to be used by the executive power, that is, the second triumvirate. On April 13th the National Assembly coined the new silver and gold coins, each with the seal of the Assembly on the reverse, in that way what started as a seal became a national coat of arms. On April 27th the Coat of Arms becomes a National Emblem. The decree states also that the Coat of Arms should not be used in flags, though Belgrano ordered to paint the Coat of Arms over the flag he gave to the city of Jujuy. Moreover, during the Argentine War of Independence, most flags had the Coat of Arms.
Motto:
"In Union and Freedom"
National Anthem: Argentine National Anthem
Oíd, mortales, el grito sagrado:
"¡Libertad, libertad, libertad!"
Oíd el ruido de rotas cadenas,
ved en trono a la noble igualdad.
Ya su trono dignísimo abrieron
las Provincias Unidas del Sud
y los libres del mundo responden:
"Al gran pueblo argentino, ¡salud!
Al gran pueblo argentino, ¡salud!"
Y los libres del mundo responden:
"Al gran pueblo argentino, ¡salud!"
Estribillo
Sean eternos los laureles
que supimos conseguir,
que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos...
¡o juremos con gloria morir!,
¡o juremos con gloria morir!,
¡o juremos con gloria morir!
English
Mortals! Hear the sacred cry:
"Freedom, freedom, freedom!"
Hear the noise of broken chains,
see the noble Equality enthroned.
The United Provinces of the South
have now opened their very honorable throne.
And the free people of the world reply:
"We salute the great people of Argentina!"
"We salute the great people of Argentina!"
And the free people of the world reply:
"We salute the great people of Argentina!"
Chorus
May the laurels be eternal
that we knew how to win,
that we knew how to win.
Let us live crowned with glory...
or swear to die gloriously!
Or swear to die gloriously!
Or swear to die gloriously!
Internet Page: www.welcomeargentina.com
Argentina in diferent languages
eng | cat | ces | cos | dan | eus | fao | hau | hrv | ina | ita | jav | kin | lat | lin | lit | lld | nor | oci | por | ron | run | slv | sme | spa | srd | swe | tpi | vor: Argentina
bos | crh | kaa | tuk | uzb: Argentina / Аргентина
afr | lim | nld: Argentinië
deu | ltz | nds: Argentinien / Argentinien
hun | isl | slk: Argentína
ast | glg: Arxentina
dsb | hsb: Argentinska
est | fin: Argentiina
ind | msa: Argentina / ارڬينتينا
arg: Archentina
aze: Argentina / Арҝентина
bam: Arazantini
bre: Arc’hantina
cor: Arghantina
cym: Ariannin
epo: Argentino
fra: Argentine
frp: Argentena
fry: Argentynje
fur: Argjentine
gla: An Argantain
gle: An Airgintín / An Airgintín
glv: Yn Argenteen
hat: Ajantin
ibo: Ajentina; Ajentain
jnf: Argentinne
kmr: Arjantîn / Аржантин / ئارژانتین; Ergêntînî / Әргентини / ئەرگێنتینی
kur: Erjentîn / ئەرژەنتین; Arjantîn / ئارژانتین
lav: Argentīna
mlg: Arzantinina
mlt: Arġentina
mol: Argentina / Арӂентина
nrm: Ergentène
pol: Argentyna
que: Arhintina
rmy: Arxentina / आर्ख़ेन्तिना
roh: Argentinia
rup: Arghentina
scn: Argintina
slo: Argentinia / Аргентиниа
smg: Argentėna
smo: Atenitina
som: Arjentiina
sqi: Argjentina
swa: Ajentina
szl: Argyntyna
tet: Arjentina
tgl: Arhentina
ton: ʻAsenitina
tur: Arjantin
vie: Á Căn Đình; Ác-hen-ti-na
vol: Largäntän
wln: Årdjintene
wol: Arsantin
zza: Arcantin
abq | alt | che | chm | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | mkd | rus | tyv | udm: Аргентина (Argentina)
bak | srp | tat: Аргентина / Argentina
bel: Аргенціна / Arhiencina; Аргентына / Arhientyna; Аргэнтына / Arhentyna
bul: Аржентина (Aržentina)
chv: Аргентинӑ (Argentină)
kaz: Аргентина / Argentïna / ارگەنتينا
kbd: Аргентинэ (Argentină)
mon: Аргентин (Argentin)
oss: Аргентинӕ (Argentinä)
tgk: Аргентина / ارگنتینه / Argentina
ukr: Арґентина (Argentyna)
ara: الأرجنتين (al-Arǧantīn)
ckb: ئەرجەنتین / Ercentîn
fas: آرژانتین (Āržāntīn)
prs: ارجنتین (Arjantīn)
pus: ارجنټين (Arjanṫīn); ارجنتاين (Arjantāyn)
uig: ئارگېنتىنا / Argéntina / Аргентина
urd: ارجنٹینا (Arjanṫīnā); ارجینٹینا (Arjenṫīnā); ارجنٹائن (Arjanṫāʾin); آرجنٹین (Ārjanṫīn)
div: އާރްޖެންޓީނާ (Ārjenṫīnā)
heb: ארגנטינה (Argenṭînah)
lad: ארג'ינטינה / Ardjentina
yid: אַרגענטינע (Argentine)
amh: አርጀንቲና (Ărjäntina); አርጀንቲን (Ărjäntin)
ell-dhi: Αργεντινή (Argentinī́)
ell-kat: Ἀργεντινή (Argentinī́)
hye: Արգենտինա (Argentina)
kat: არგენტინა (Argentina)
hin: अर्जेंटीना (Arjeṁṭīnā); आर्जन्टिना (Ārjanṭinā); अर्जेंटाइन (Arjeṁṭāin); आर्जेन्टीना (Ārjenṭīnā)
mar: आर्जन्टिना (Ārjanṭinā)
ben: আর্জেন্টিনা (Ārjenṭinā); আর্জেণ্টাইনা (Ārjeṇṭāinā)
guj: આર્જંટિના (Ārjaṁṭinā)
pan: ਅਰਜਨਟੀਨਾ (Arjanṭīnā)
kan: ಅರ್ಜೆಂಟೀನ (Arjeṁṭīna)
mal: അര്ജന്റീന (Arjanṟīna)
tam: ஆர்ஜென்டீனா (Ārjeṉṭīṉā); அர்ஜென்டினா (Arjeṉṭiṉā)
tel: అర్జెంటీనా (Arjeṁṭīnā)
zho: 阿根廷 (Āgēntíng)
yue: 阿根廷 (Agàntìhng)
jpn: アルゼンティン (Aruzentin); アルゼンチン (Aruzenchin)
kor: 아르헨티나 (Areuhentina)
bod: ཨར་གེན་ཐིན་ (Ar.gen.tʰin.)
dzo: ཨར་ཇེན་ཊི་ན་ (Ar.jen.ṭi.na.)
mya: အာဂ္ယင္တီးနား (Ajĩtìnà)
tha: อาร์เจนตินา (Ā[r]čēntinā)
lao: ອາກຊັງຕີນ (Āksâṅtīn)
khm: អាហ្សង់ទីន (Āhsăṅtīn)
I took the info from wikipedia
I ask everyone to respect this page.
I do not want this to be used for a struggle of good against evil.
A fight Isreal-Iran or Israel-Palestine.
Á proper channels for this.
This page is ara to reveal a bit of Israel.
Thank you all for understanding
Is a country in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area.[6] Also adjacent are the West Bank to the east and Gaza Strip to the southwest. Israel is the world's only predominantly Jewish state with a population of about 7.5 million people, of whom approximately 5.7 million are Jewish. The largest ethnic minority group is the segment denominated as Arab citizens of Israel, while minority religious groups include Muslims, Christians, Druze, Samaritans, most of whom are found within the Arab segment.
The modern state of Israel has its historical and religious roots in the Biblical Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael), also known as Zion, a concept central to Judaism since ancient times, and the heartland of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Following the birth of political Zionism in 1897 and the Balfour Declaration, the League of Nations granted Great Britain the Mandate for Palestine after World War I, with responsibility for establishing "...such political, administrative and economic conditions as will secure the establishment of the Jewish national home, as laid down in the preamble, and the development of self-governing institutions, and also for safeguarding the civil and religious rights of all the inhabitants of Palestine, irrespective of race and religion..."
In November 1947, the United Nations voted in favor of the partition of Palestine, proposing the creation of a Jewish state, an Arab state and a UN-administered Jerusalem. Partition was accepted by Zionist leaders but rejected by Arab leaders leading to the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine. Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948 and neighboring Arab states attacked the next day. Since then, Israel has fought a series of wars with neighboring Arab states, and in consequence occupies territories beyond those delineated in the 1949 Armistice Agreements. Some international borders remain in dispute. Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, though efforts to resolve conflict with the Palestinians have so far only met with limited success.
Israel is a developed country and a representative democracy with a parliamentary system and universal suffrage. The Prime Minister serves as head of government and the Knesset serves as Israel's legislative body. The economy, based on the nominal gross domestic product, was the 41st-largest in the world in 2008. Israel ranks highest among Middle Eastern countries on the UN Human Development Index, and has one of the highest life expectancies in the world. Jerusalem is the country's capital, although it is not recognized internationally as such,[a] while Israel's main financial center is Tel Aviv.
Etymology
Over the past three thousand years, the name "Israel" has meant in common and religious usage both the Land of Israel and the entire Jewish nation. According to the Bible, Jacob is renamed Israel after successfully wrestling with an angel of God.
The earliest archaeological artifact to mention "Israel" (other than as a personal name) is the Merneptah Stele of ancient Egypt (dated the late 13th century BCE), which refers to a people of that name. The modern country was named Medinat Yisrael, or the State of Israel, after other proposed names, including Eretz Israel ("the Land of Israel"), Zion, and Judea, were rejected. In the early weeks of independence, the government chose the term "Israeli" to denote a citizen of Israel, with the formal announcement made by Minister of Foreign Affairs Moshe Sharett.
History
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Israel
Geography
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Israel
Other Info
Oficial Name:
מדינת ישראל
(Medīnat Yisra'el)
دولة إسرائيل
(Dawlat Isrā'īl)
Independence:
Declaration 14 May 1948 (05 Iyar 5708)
Area:
20.425km2
Inhabitants:
7.910.000
Languages:
Adyghe [ady] 3,000 in Israel (1987). Kafr Kama and Rehaniya, small border villages. Alternate names: West Circassian, Adygey. Classification: North Caucasian, West Caucasian, Circassian
More information.
Amharic [amh] 40,000 in Israel (1994 H. Mutzafi). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, South, Transversal, Amharic-Argobba
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Arabic, Judeo-Iraqi [yhd] 100,000 in Israel (1994). Population total all countries: 100,100. Originally from Iraq. Also spoken in India, Iraq, United Kingdom. Alternate names: Iraqi Judeo-Arabic, Jewish Iraqi-Baghdadi Arabic, Arabi, Yahudic. Dialects: Not intelligible with Judeo-Tripolitanian Arabic, Judeo-Tunisian Arabic, or Judeo-Moroccan Arabic. Close to Baghdadi Arabic and North Mesopotamian Arabic. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
More information.
Arabic, Judeo-Moroccan [aju] 250,000 in Israel (1992 H. Mutzafi). Population total all countries: 258,925. Also spoken in Canada, France, Morocco. Dialects: Many dialects. Much intelligibility with Tunisian Judeo-Arabic, some with Judeo-Tripolitanian Arabic, but none with Judeo-Iraqi Arabic. May be inherently intelligible with Moroccan Arabic. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
More information.
Arabic, Judeo-Tripolitanian [yud] 30,000 in Israel (1994 H. Mutzafi). Population total all countries: 35,000. Originally from Tripolitania, Libya. None left in Libya. Also spoken in Italy. Alternate names: Tripolitanian Judeo-Arabic, Jewish Tripolitanian-Libyan Arabic, Tripolita'it, Yudi. Dialects: Not intelligible with Judeo-Iraqi Arabic. Medium intelligibility with Judeo-Tunisian Arabic and Judeo-Morocco Arabic. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
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Arabic, Judeo-Tunisian [ajt] 45,000 in Israel (1995 H. Mutzafi). Population total all countries: 45,500. Also spoken in France, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, USA. Dialects: Medium intelligibility with Judeo-Moroccan Arabic and Judeo-Tripolitanian Arabic, but none with Judeo-Iraqi Arabic. A lexicon of 5,000 words in 1950 had 79% words of Arabic origin, 15% Romance loanwords, 4.4% Hebrew loanwords, 1.6% others (D. Cohen 1985:254). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
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Arabic, Judeo-Yemeni [jye] 50,000 in Israel (1995 Y. Kara). Population total all countries: 51,000. Also spoken in Yemen. Alternate names: Judeo-Yemeni, Yemenite Judeo-Arabic. Dialects: San`a, `Aden, Be:da, Habban. Language varieties are all markedly different from their coterritorial Muslim ones. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
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Arabic, South Levantine Spoken [ajp] 910,000 in Israel. Alternate names: Levantine, Palestanian-Jordanian Arabic. Dialects: Madani, Fellahi. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
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Arabic, Standard [arb] Middle East, North Africa. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
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Armenian [hye] 3,000 in Israel (1971 The Armenian Review). Jerusalem. Alternate names: Haieren, Somkhuri, Ermenice, Armjanski. Dialects: Western Armenian. Classification: Indo-European, Armenian
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Barzani Jewish Neo-Aramaic [bjf] 20 (2004 Mutzafi). In Israel since 1951. Alternate names: Lishan Didan, Lishan Dideni, Bijil Neo-Aramaic. Dialects: Barzan, Shahe, Bijil. Sandu is a Jewish Neo-Aramaic dialect closely related to Barzani, but evinces several isoglosses binding it with Lishana Deni. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern Nearly extinct.
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Bukharic [bhh] 50,000 in Israel (1995 H. Mutzafi). Population total all countries: 110,000. Also spoken in USA, Uzbekistan. Alternate names: Bokharic, Bukharian, Bokharan, Bukharan, Judeo-Tajik. Dialects: Related to Tajiki Persian. May be easily intelligible with Tajiki or Farsi. Also close to Judeo-Persian. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian
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Domari [rmt] 2,000 in Israel (1997 Yaron Matras). Population includes Palestinian West Bank and Gaza. Mainly Jerusalem (Old City), Bir Zeit near Ramallah, and Gaza. Alternate names: Nawari, Dom, Near-Eastern Gypsy. Dialects: Nawari. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Dom
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Dzhidi [jpr] 60,000 in Israel (1995). Also spoken in Iran. Alternate names: Judeo-Persian. Dialects: Close to Bukharic, Western Farsi. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian
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English [eng] 100,000 in Israel (1993). Alternate names: Anglit. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
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Hebrew [heb] 4,847,000 in Israel (1998). Population total all countries: 5,055,000. Also spoken in Australia, Canada, Germany, Palestinian West Bank and Gaza, Panama, United Kingdom, USA. Alternate names: Ivrit. Dialects: Standard Hebrew (General Israeli, Europeanized Hebrew), Oriental Hebrew (Arabized Hebrew, Yemenite Hebrew). Not a direct offspring from Biblical or other varieties of Ancient Hebrew, but an amalgamation of different Hebrew strata plus intrinsic evolution within the living speech. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Canaanite
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Hulaulá [huy] 10,000 in Israel (1999 H. Mutzafi). Population total all countries: 10,300. Also spoken in Iran, USA. Alternate names: Judeo-Aramaic, Lishana Noshan, Lishana Axni, Jabali, Kurdit, Galiglu, 'Aramit, Hula Hula. Dialects: Saqiz, Kerend, Sanandaj, Suleimaniya. Very different and not intelligible with the Christian Aramaic languages or Lishana Deni. 60% to 70% intelligibility of Lishanan and Lishanid Noshan. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern
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Hungarian [hun] 70,000 in Israel (1998 H. Mutzafi). Classification: Uralic, Finno-Ugric, Ugric, Hungarian
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Israeli Sign Language [isr] 5,000 users including some hearing persons (1986 Gallaudet Univ.). Alternate names: ISL. Dialects: Not derived from and relatively little influence from other sign languages. No special signs have been introduced from outside by educators. Minor dialect variation. Classification: Deaf sign language
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Judeo-Berber [jbe] 2,000 (1992 Podolsky). Formerly High Atlas range, Tifnut, and other communities. Speakers went to Israel from 1950 to 1960. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern, Atlas
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Judeo-Georgian [jge] 59,800 in Israel (2000 WCD). Population total all countries: 79,800. Some have gone elsewhere in the former USSR and to other countries. Also spoken in Georgia. Dialects: Oriental and Ashkenazic Jews in Georgia live separately. Judeo-Georgian speakers live separately from non-Jewish Georgian speakers. May not be a separate language from Georgian, but a dialect using various Hebrew loanwords. Classification: Kartvelian, Georgian
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Judeo-Tat [jdt] 70,000 in Israel (1998). Population total all countries: 101,000. Sderot, Haderah, and Or Akiva, Israel. None in Iran. They are emigrating from the Caucasus Mountains to Israel at the rate of 2,000 a year. Also spoken in Azerbaijan, Russia (Europe). Alternate names: Judeo-Tatic, Jewish Tat, Bik, Dzhuhuric, Juwri, Juhuri. Dialects: Derbend. Several dialects. Difficult intelligibility of Mussulman Tat. There may also be a Christian dialect. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Tat
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Ladino [lad] 100,000 in Israel (1985). Population total all countries: 110,000. Ethnic group members also in Salonica, Greece; Sofia, Bulgaria. Formerly also in Morocco. Also spoken in Greece, Puerto Rico, Turkey (Europe), USA. Alternate names: Judeo Spanish, Sefardi, Dzhudezmo, Judezmo, Spanyol, Haquetiya. Dialects: Judezmo (Judyo, Jidyo), Ladino, Haquetiya (Haketia, Haketiya, Hakitia). The Balkan dialect is more influenced by Turkish and Greek. The North African dialect is more influenced by Arabic and French. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian
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Lishán Didán [trg] 4,228 in Israel (2001 WCD). Population total all countries: 4,378. Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv area mainly. Originally Iranian Azerbaijan and southeast Turkey. Also spoken in Azerbaijan, Georgia. Alternate names: Lishanán, Lishanid Nash Didán, Persian Azerbaijan Jewish Aramaic, Lakhlokhi, Galihalu. Dialects: Northern Cluster Lishán Didán, Southern Cluster Lishán Didán. 60% to 70% intelligibility of Hulaulá and Lishanid Noshan, but not of other Aramaic languages. Northern cluster subdialects are Urmi, Salmas, Anatolia; southern cluster dialects are Naghada, Ushno, Mahabad. The Urmi subdialect of Lishán Didán is different from the Urmi subdialect of Assyrian Neo-Aramaic. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern
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Lishana Deni [lsd] 7,000 to 8,000 (1999 H. Mutzafi). Ethnic population: 9,061 (2000 WCD). Jerusalem and vicinity, including Maoz Tsiyon. Originally from northwest Iraqi Kurdistan. Alternate names: Judeo-Aramaic, Lishan Hudaye, Lishan Hozaye, Kurdit. Dialects: Zakho, Amadiya, Barashe, Shukho, Nerwa, Dohuk, Atrush, Bétanure. Resembles Chaldean Neo-Aramaic, but there are differences in morphology and other features. Inherent intelligibility is high between them. Low intelligibility of Ashirat dialects of Assyrian New-Aramaic; not intelligible with other Neo-Aramaic varieties. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern
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Lishanid Noshan [aij] 2,000 to 2,500 (1994 H. Mutzafi). Originally eastern and southern Iraqi Kurdistan. Alternate names: Lishana Didán, Hulani, Kurdit, Galigalu, Jbeli, Hula'ula. Dialects: Arbel (Arbil), Dobe, Koy Sanjaq, Rwanduz, Rustaqa, Shaqlawa, Ranye, Qaladze. 60% to 70% inherent intelligibility of Lishanan and Hulaulá. Very different and not inherently intelligible with the Christian Aramaic languages and Lishana Deni. Western cluster subdialects are Arbil, Dobe. Eastern cluster subdialects are Southeastern varieties: Koy Sanjaq, Qaladze. Northeastern varieties: Rwanduz, Rustaqa. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern
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Polish [pol] 100,000 in Israel (1992 H. Mutzafi). Alternate names: Polski. Classification: Indo-European, Slavic, West, Lechitic
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Romanian [ron] 250,000 in Israel (1993 Statistical Abstract of Israel). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern
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Russian [rus] 750,000 in Israel (1999 H. Mutzafi). Alternate names: Russit, Russki. Classification: Indo-European, Slavic, East
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Tigrigna [tir] 10,000 in Israel (1994 H. Mutzafi). Alternate names: Tigrinya. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, North
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Yevanic [yej] 35 in Israel. There were a few semispeakers left in 1987 and may be none now. Population total all countries: 50. There may be a handful of older adult speakers still in Turkey. Also spoken in USA. Alternate names: Judeo-Greek, Yevanitika. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic Nearly extinct.
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Yiddish Sign Language [yds] Classification: Deaf sign language
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Yiddish, Eastern [ydd] 215,000 in Israel (1986). Population total all countries: 3,142,560. Southeastern dialect in Ukraine and Romania, Mideastern dialect in Poland and Hungary, Northeastern dialect in Lithuania and Belarus. Also spoken in Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Panama, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia (Europe), South Africa, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA. Alternate names: Judeo-German, Yiddish. Dialects: Southeastern Yiddish, Mideastern Yiddish, Northeastern Yiddish. Has many loans from Hebrew and local languages where spoken. Eastern Yiddish originated east of the Oder River through Poland, extending into Belarus, Russia (to Smolensk), Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Rumania, Ukraine, and pre-state British-Mandate Palestine (Jerusalem and Safed). Western Yiddish originated in Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Alsace (France), Czechoslovakia, western Hungary, and is nearing extinction. It branched off medieval High German (mainly Rhenish dialects) and received Modern German influences during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Eastern and Western Yiddish have difficult inherent intelligibility because of differing histories and influences from other languages. There are some Western Yiddish speakers in Israel (M. Herzog 1977). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, Yiddish
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Extinct languages
Hebrew, Ancient [hbo] Extinct. Alternate names: Old Hebrew. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Canaanite
Capital city:
Jerusalem
Meaning country name:
Israel takes its name from the biblical patriarch Jacob, later known as Israel, literally meaning "struggled with God/he struggles with God". According to the account in the Book of Genesis, Jacob wrestled with a stranger (in later tradition said to have been an angel) at a river ford and won through perseverance. God then changed his name to Israel signifying that he had deliberated with God and won as he had wrestled and won with men.
Description Flag:
The flag of Israel was adopted on October 28, 1948, five months after the country's establishment. It depicts a blue Star of David on a white background, between two horizontal blue stripes. The blue color is mandated only as "dark sky-blue", and varies from flag to flag, ranging from a hue of pure blue, sometimes shaded almost as dark as navy blue, to hues about 75% toward pure cyan and shades as light as very light blue. The flag was designed for the Zionist Movement in 1891. The basic design recalls the Tallit, the Jewish prayer shawl, which is white with blue stripes. The hexagram in the centre is the Magen David ("shield of David"). It became a Jewish symbol starting in late medieval Prague, and was adopted by the First Zionist Congress in 1897.
Coat of arms:
The coat of arms of Israel shows a menorah surrounded by an olive branch on each side, and the writing "ישראל" (Hebrew for Israel) below it. While the background of the emblem is always blue, the menorah and olive branches can be either white or golden. The white-on-blue version appears on the presidential standard, while the gold-on-blue version is the common one when showing the emblem independently.
The State of Israel adopted its coat of arms after a design competition held in 1948. The design is based on the winning entry submitted by Gabriel and Maxim Shamir's proposal, with elements taken from other submissions, such as Oteh Walisch and W. Struski's and Itamar David and Yerachmiel Schechter's entries.
The image seems as if borrowed from the Zachariah (chapter 4); "I looked and behold a golden menorah with a bowl upon the top of it and seven lamps to it…and there are two olive trees by it, one upon the right of the bowl the other upon the left." However it is unclear whether this resemblance is intended or merely coincidental. The Shamir brothers did not mention this passage from Zachariah as the source of their design, even though they gave detailed account on their work in an interview to Maariv (February 16, 1949).
The menorah has been a symbol of Judaism for almost 3000 years. It was used in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. The olive branches symbolize peace.
National Anthem: הַתִּקְוָה (Hatkvah)
Hebrew
כל עוד בלבב פנימה
נפש יהודי הומי
ולפאתי מזרח קדימה,
עין לציון צופיה,
עוד לא אבדה תקוותנו,
התקווה בת שנות אלפים,
להיות עם חופשי בארצנו,
ארץ ציון וירושלים.
Translitaration
Kol od baleivav p'nimah
Nefesh y'hudi homiyah
Ulfa'atei mizrach kadimah
Ayin l'tziyon tzofiyah
Od lo avdah tikvateinu
Hatikvah bat sh'not alpayim
Lihyot am chofshi b'artzeinu
Eretz tziyon viyrushalayim
Arab
طالما في القلب تكمن،
نفس يهودية تتوق،
وللأمام نحو الشرق،
عين تنظر إلى صهيون.
أملنا لم يضع بعد،
أمل عمره ألفا سنة،
أن نكون أمّة حرّة في بلادنا،
بلاد صهيون وأورشليم القدس.
أملنا لم يضع بعد،
الأمل الأزلي
أن نعود إلى بلاد آبائنا،
إلى المدينة التي نزل عليها داود
English
As long as in the heart, within,
A Jewish soul is yearning,
And to the edges of the East, eastward,
An eye watches towards Zion,
As long as in the heart, within,
A Jewish soul is yearning,
And to the edges of the East, eastward,
An eye watches towards Zion,
Internet Page: www.gov.il
Israel in diferent languages
eng | afr | arg | ast | bre | cat | cym | dan | dsb | eus | fin | fry | glg | glv | hsb | ibo | ina | jav | lin | lld | nor | por | roh | ron | rup | sme | spa | swe | tgl | tpi: Israel
ces | csb | hrv | hun | mfe | pol | slk | slv | szl: Izrael
fra | jnf | lim | nld: Israël
cos | ita | srd: Israele
deu | ltz | nds: Israel / Israel
aze | crh: İsrail / Исраил
bos | slo: Izrael / Израел
est | vor: Iisrael
gag | kaa: İzrail / Израиль
ind | msa: Israel / ايسرائل
kin | run: Israyeli
tur | zza: İsrail
bam: Isirayɛli
cor: Ysrael
dje: Israyla
epo: Israelo
fao: Ísrael
fij: Isireli
frp: Israyèl
fur: Israêl
gla: Iosrael; Israel
gle: Iosrael / Iosrael
hat: Izrayèl
hau: Isra’ila; Yahudawa
haw: ʻIseraʻela
isl: Ísrael; Gyðingaland
kab: Israil / ⵉⵙⵔⴰⵉⵍ
kmr: Îsraîl / Исраил / ئیسرائیل; Îzraîl / Израил / ئیزرائیل
kur: Israyil / ئسرایل; Îsrayil / ئیسرایل; Îsraîl / ئیسرائیل
lat: Israel; Israhel
lav: Izraēla
lit: Izraelis
liv: Izraēl
lug: Buyudaya
mlg: Israely; Isiraely
mlt: Iżrael
mol: Israel / Исраел
mos: Israyɛl
mri: Īharaira
nrm: Israêl
oci: Israèl
que: Israyil
rmy: Israel / इस्राएल
sag: Isaraëli
scn: Israeli
smg: Ėzraelis
smo: Isaraelu
som: Israa’iil
sqi: Izraeli
swa: Israeli; Uyahudi
tet: Izraél
ton: ʻIsileli
tsn: Iseraele
tuk: Izrail / Израиль
uzb: Isroil / Исроил
vie: Do Thái; I-xra-en
vol: Yisraelän
wln: Israyel
wol: Israayil
xho: kwaSirayeli
zul: KwaIsrayeli
chu: Исраиль (Israilĭ); Издраиль (Izdrailĭ); Израиль (Izrailĭ)
alt | che | chm | chv | kbd | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | mon | oss | rus | tyv | udm: Израиль (Izrail')
bak | tat: Израиль / İzrail
bul | mkd: Израел (Izrael)
abq: Израиль (Izrail)
bel: Ізраіль / Izrail
kaz: Израиль / Ïzraïl / يزرايل
lbe: Израэл (Izraėl)
srp: Израел / Izrael
tab: Изряил (Izräil)
tgk: Исроил / اسرائیل / Isroil
ukr: Ізраїль (Izraïl')
ara: إسرائيل (Isrāʾīl)
ckb: ئیسرائیل / Îsraîl
fas: اسرائیل / Esrâil
prs: اسراییل (Esrāyīl)
pus: اسراييل (Isrāyīl); اسرائيل (Isrāʾīl)
snd: اسرائيل (Isrāʾīlu)
uig: ئىسرائىلىيە / Israiliye / Исраилийә
urd: اسرائیل (Isrāʾīl); ازرائیل (Izrāʾīl)
div: އިސްރާއީލް (Isrā'īl)
syr: ܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ (Īsraʾīl)
heb: ישראל (Yiśraʾel)
lad: ישראל / Yisrael
yid: ישׂראל (Yiśroel)
amh: እስራኤል (Əsra'el)
cop-boh: Ⲓⲥⲣⲁⲏⲗ (Israīl)
ell-dhi: Ισραήλ (Israī́l)
ell-kat: Ἰσραήλ (Israḗl)
hye: Իսրայել (Israyel); Իզրաել (Izrayel)
kat: ისრაელი (Israeli)
hin: इसराइल (Isrāil); इस्राइल (Isrāil); इज़राइल (Izrāil); ईसराइल (Īsrāil); इज़राईल (Izrāīl)
mar: इस्रायल (Isrāyal)
nep: इज्राइल (Idzrāil)
ben: ইসরাইল (Isrāil); ইজরায়েল (Ijrāyel); ইস্রায়েল (Isrāyel); ইসরায়েল (Isrāyel)
pan: ਇਜ਼ਰਾਈਲ (Izrāīl)
kan: ಇಸ್ರೇಲ್ (Isrēl)
mal: ഇസ്രയേല് (Israyēl); ഇസ്രായേല് (Isrāyēl)
tam: இஸ்ரேல் (Isrēl); இசுரேல் (Ičurēl)
tel: ఇస్రాయెల్ (Isrāyel)
zho: 以色列 (Yǐsèliè)
yue: 以色列 (Yíhsīkliht)
jpn: イスラエル (Isuraeru)
kor: 이스라엘 (Iseurael)
bod: ཨི་སི་ར་ཨེལ་ (I.si.ra.el.); དབྱི་སེ་ལེ་ (dByi.se.le.); ཡི་ཟི་རེ་ལ་ (Yi.zi.re.la.)
dzo: ཨིཛ་རཱེལ་ (Idz.rēl.)
mya: အစ္စရေး (Iʿsẏè)
tha: อิสราเอล (Itrā'ēn)
lao: ອິດສະລະແອນ (Itsala'ǣn)
khm: អ៊ីស្រាអែល (Īsrā'æl)
Very smart green over blue 1960 Mark II Ford Zephyr with sparkling chrome - URD 164 - seen at the "Scottish Drive It Day" Classic Car Show at Summerlee Heritage Park, Coatbridge, Scotland, April 2015. Any extra information on the cars, their history or any work done on them will be gratefully received.
The event supported the Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS). More about this charity can be found at the following link:
Press "L" to view large.
For the love of God view large!
Shortly after the Gods created Mystara, they populated her shores with plant and animal life of every kind. Certain places became sacred to certain Gods, but what held them all together was the Great Tree. Its roots extended deep into the earth and its branches scaled high into the heavens, forging a symbolic connection between the two. Its glade was a place of peace and of balance, where all things met in harmony.
The Gods then created the guardians of the Tree, the sisters Skuld, Verdandi, and Urd. They were called many things, nymphs, dryads, but their purpose was to protect the Tree and its glade, to keep the balance, and nurture the life of the Island. These creatures took on differing aspects of nature, and each had her own distinct personality. But though they could be so separate and singular, they were also all a part of each other just as they were part of the Tree. The sisters guarded the Tree and cultivated their magic, holding all life sacred and encouraging growth of all kinds.
Then the humans came, and destroyed all that was in the path of their 'progress'. The sisters had no choice but to take arms against the threat, but even with their magic, they were not strong enough. In order to protect the Tree and their way of life, the eldest sister, Skuld, sacrificed herself by binding herself to the Tree, and in so doing, invoking the strongest defense available to the creatures. The Great Tree was spared, and the two remaining guardians began to rebuild and rethink their tactics.
Over time, balance returned to the glade, and though Verdandi and Urd felt the loss of their sister deeply, she was still with them as part of the Tree as well as part of themselves. The sisters would live to defend their charge as long as it stood and they would fight for it with every breath in their bodies. But until that time came, they would simply cultivate and nurture, developing new magics with which to influence and instruct in the ways of nature.
Here I am documenting the making of Urda (Orda in Hungarian). As these are Szekely shepherds I will stick with orda. Here is a link to the subject on Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urd%C4%83
Mongold sakura ih oroi delbeeldeg. gehdee ene zurg.g avaad bas jaahan udaj bj niitlej bnaa. Baigaliin muzein urd avsan zurag.
Comments and Faves always pleasured!
Is a country in Western Asia, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has dictated its rich history, and shaped its cultural identity of religious and ethnic diversity.
The earliest evidence of civilization in Lebanon dates back more than 7,000 years—predating recorded history. Lebanon was the home of the Phoenicians, a maritime culture that flourished for nearly 2,500 years (3000–539 BC). Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the five provinces that comprise modern Lebanon were mandated to France. The French expanded the borders of Mount Lebanon, which was mostly populated by Maronite Catholics and Druze, to include more Muslim elements. Lebanon gained independence in 1943, and established a unique political system, known as confessionalism, a power-sharing mechanism based on religious communities. French troops withdrew in 1946.
Before the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), the country experienced a period of relative calm and prosperity, driven by tourism, agriculture, and banking. Because of its financial power and diversity, Lebanon was known in its heyday as the "Switzerland of the East". It attracted large numbers of tourists, such that the capital Beirut was referred to as "Paris of the Middle East." At the end of the war, there were extensive efforts to revive the economy and rebuild national infrastructure.
Until July 2006, Lebanon enjoyed considerable stability, Beirut's reconstruction was almost complete, and increasing numbers of tourists poured into the nation's resorts. Then, the month long 2006 War between Israel and Hezbollah caused significant civilian death and heavy damage to Lebanon's civil infrastructure. However, due to its tightly regulated financial system, Lebanese banks have largely avoided the Financial crisis of 2007–2010. In 2009, despite a global recession, Lebanon enjoyed nine percent economic growth and hosted the largest number of tourists in its history.
History
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Lebanon
Geography
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Lebanon
Other info
Oficial Name:
لجمهوريّة البنانيّة
Al-Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
Independence:
Declared November 26, 1941
-Recognized November 22, 1943
Area:
10.400km2
Inhabitants:
4.340.000
Languages:
Arabic, North Levantine Spoken [apc] 3,900,000 in Lebanon (1991). Throughout Lebanon. Alternate names: Levantine Arabic, Lebanese-Syrian Arabic, Syro-Lebanese Arabic. Dialects: North Lebanese Arabic, South Lebanese Arabic (Shii, Metuali), North-Central Lebanese Arabic (Mount Lebanon Arabic), South-Central Lebanese Arabic (Druze Arabic), Standard Lebanese Arabic, Beqaa Arabic, Sunni Beiruti Arabic, Saida Sunni Arabic, Iqlim-Al-Kharrub Sunni Arabic, Jdaideh Arabic. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
More information.
Arabic, Standard [arb] Middle East, North Africa. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
More information.
Armenian [hye] 234,600 in Lebanon (1986). Alternate names: Ermenice, Armanski, Haieren, Somkhuri. Dialects: Western Armenian. Classification: Indo-European, Armenian
More information.
English [eng] 3,300 in Lebanon (2004). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
More information.
French [fra] 16,600 in Lebanon (2004). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
More information.
Kurdish, Northern [kmr] 75,000 in Lebanon (2002 Meho). Ethnic population: 215,384 (2000 WCD). Beirut, also Sidon, Tripoli, and Biqa Valley. Dialects: Mhallami (Mardinli). Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish
Capital city:
Beirute
Meaning country name:
The name Lebanon ("Lubnān" in standard Arabic; "Lebnan" or "Lebnèn" in local dialect) is derived from the Semitic root "LBN", which is linked to several closely-related meanings in various languages, such as white and milk. This is regarded as reference to the snow-capped Mount Lebanon. Occurrences of the name have been found in three of the twelve tablets of the Epic of Gilgamesh (2900 bc), the texts of the library of Ebla (2400 bc), and the Bible. The word Lebanon is also mentioned 71 times in the Old Testament.
Description Flag:
The flag of Lebanon (Arabic: علم لبنان) is formed of two horizontal red stripes enveloping a horizontal white stripe. The white stripe is to be two times a red one (ratio 1:2:1)—a Spanish fess. The green cedar in the middle touches each of the red stripes and its width is one third of the width of the flag. It was adopted on December 7, 1943. The current flag was first drawn in Deputy Saeb Salam's house in Mousaitbeh by the deputies of the Lebanese parliament.
It is a common mistake to draw the branches of the cedar in brown or black. Nevertheless the mistake is unconstitutional. The cedar must be fully green.
The red stripes symbolize the pure blood shed in the aim of liberation. The white stripe symbolizes peace, and the white snow covering Lebanon's mountains. The green cedar (Arz) (Species: Cedrus libani or Lebanon Cedar) symbolizes immortality and steadiness. This cedar is referenced many times in the Bible: "The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon" (Psalms 92:12). There is also some reference in W. Smith's 1980 book on the colours: "The red and white colours are those associated, respectively, with the Kayssites and Yemenites, opposing clans that divided Lebanese society between 634 and 1711 AD". However, that explanation is poorly known (not to mention quite unheard of) in the Lebanese tradition.
Coat of arms:
The Coat of Arms of Lebanon (Arabic: شعار لبنان) consists of a red shield with a white bend sinister on which is placed a cedar tree. It is very similar to the flag of Lebanon, with the exception of the fess on the flag being changed into a bend sinister.
Its blazon is Gules on a Bend Sinister Argent a Cedar Tree palewise proper
Motto:
" Kūllūnā li-l-waṭan, li-l-'ula wa-l-'alam "
National Anthem: كلنا للوطن للعلى للعلم---Koullouna Lilouataan Lil Oula Lil Alam
Arabic
كلنـا للوطـن للعـلى للعـلم
ملء عين الزّمن سـيفنا والقـلم
سهلنا والجبـل منبت للرجـال
قولنا والعمـل في سبيل الكمال
كلنا للوطن للعلى للعلم
كلّنا للوطن
شيخنـا والفتـى عنـد صـوت الوط
أسـد غـاب متى سـاورتنا الفــتن
شــرقنـا قلبـه أبــداً لبـنان
صانه ربه لمدى الأزمان
كلنا للوطن للعلى للعلم
كلنا للوطن
بحـره بــرّه درّة الشرقين
رِفـدُهّ بــرّهُ مالئ القطبين
إسمـه عـزّه منذ كان الجدود
مجــدُهُ أرزُهُ رمزُهُ للخلود
كلّنا للوطن للعلى للعلم
كلّنا للوطن
Transliteration
Koulluna Lil watan Lil ’Oula Lil Alam,
Mil ’ou Ayn il Zaman Sayfouna Wal Qalam,
Sahlouna Wal jabal - Manbiton Lirrijal
Kawlouna Wal 'Amal. Fi sabil il Kamal.
Koullouna Lil watan Lil ’Oula Lil 'ALam, Koullouna Lil watan.
Shaykhouna Wal fata 'Inda saout il Watan
Ousdou GhaBin Mata Sawarat Nalfitan
Sharkouna Kalbouhou AbaDan Loubnan
Sanahou RabBouhou Li maDa l Azman
Koullouna Lil watan Lil ’Oula Lil 'ALam, Koullouna Lil watan.
Bahrouhou Barrouhou Dourratou Sharqain
Rifdouhou Birrouhou Mali ‘oul Koutbain
Ismouhou 'Izzouhou Mounthou Kan al Joudoud
Majdouhou Arzouhou Ramzouhou Lil khouloud
Koullouna Lil watan Lil ’Oula Lil 'ALam, Koullouna Lil watan.
English translation
We are all for our nation, for our emblem and glory!
Our valor and our writings are the envy of the ages.
Our mountains and our valleys, they bring forth stalwart men.
And to Perfection all our efforts we devote.
We are all For our nation, for our emblem and glory!
Our Elders and our children, they await our Country's call,
And on the Day of Crisis they are as Lions of the Jungle.
The heart of our East is forever Lebanon,
May God preserve him until the end of time.
We are all For our nation, for our emblem and glory!
The Gems of the East are her land and sea.
Throughout the world her good deeds flow from pole to pole.
And her name is her glory since time began.
Immortality's Symbol—the Cedar—is her Pride.
We are all For our nation, for our emblem and glory!
Internet Page: www.informs.gov.lb
Lebanon in diferent languages
eng | hau | ibo | jav: Lebanon
afr | ces | dan | dsb | fao | fin | fry | hrv | hsb | hun | lim | nld | nor | roh | slk | slv | sme | swe: Libanon
bam | bre | csb | dje | fra | frp | fur | hat | jnf | lin | lld | oci | pol | ron | rup | szl | wln: Liban
arg | epo | eus | ina | ita: Libano
ast | glg | por | spa: Líbano
cos | mlt | que: Libanu
deu | ltz | nds: Libanon / Libanon
gag | kaa | uzb: Livan / Ливан
kin | run | sqi: Libani
bos | slo: Libanon / Либанон
est | vor: Liibanon
aze: Lübnan / Лүбнан; Livan / Ливан
cat: Líban
cor: Lebnon
crh: Lübnan / Любнан
cym: Libanus
gla: Leabanon
gle: An Liobáin / An Liobáin; An Leabáin / An Leabáin
glv: Yn Livaan
haw: Lepanona
ind: Lebanon / ليبنون
isl: Líbanon
kmr: Lîbnan / Либнан / لیبنان; Lêbnan / Лебнан / لێبنان; Lîvan / Ливан / لیڤان
kur: Libnan / لبنان; Lubnan / لوبنان
lat: Libanum; Libanus
lav: Libāna
lit: Libanas
mlg: Libanôna
mol: Liban / Либан
mri: Rēpanona
msa: Lubnan / لبنان
nbl: iLebhanoni
nrm: Libaun
rmy: Liban / लिबान
scn: Lìbbanu
smg: Lėbans
smo: Lepanona
som: Lubnaan
srd: Lìbanu
swa: Lebanoni
tet: Líbanu
tgl: Libano; Lebano
ton: Lepanoni
tsn: Lebanone
tuk: Liwan / Ливан
tur: Lübnan
vie: Li-băng
vol: Lubnän
wol: Libãa
xho: iLebhanon
zul: iLebanoni
zza: Lubnan
chu: Ливанъ (Livanŭ)
alt | bul | che | chm | chv | kbd | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | mon | oss | rus | tyv | udm: Ливан (Livan)
bak | tat: Ливан / Livan
abq: Ливан (Łivan)
bel: Ліван / Livan
kaz: Ливан / Lïvan / ليۆان
mkd: Либан (Liban)
srp: Либан / Liban
tgk: Лубнон / لبنان / Lubnon
ukr: Ліван (Livan)
ara: لبنان (Lubnān)
ckb: لوبنان / Lubnan
fas: لبنان / Lobnân
prs: لبنان (Lobnān)
pus: لبنان (Lubnān)
uig: لىۋان / Liwan / Ливан
urd: لبنان (Lubnān); لیبنان (Læbanān)
div: ލެބަނަން (Lebanan)
syr: ܠܒܢܢ (Lubnan)
heb: לבנון (Ləṿanôn)
lad: ליבאנו / Libano
yid: לבֿנון (Leṿonen)
amh: ሊባኖስ (Libanos)
ell: Λίβανος (Lívanos)
hye: Լիբանան (Libanan)
kat: ლიბანი (Libani)
hin: लेबनान (Lebanān)
ben: লেবানন (Lebānôn)
pan: ਲੈਬਨਾਨ (Læbanān); ਲੀਬਨਾਨ (Lībanān)
kan: ಲೆಬನನ್ (Lebanan)
mal: ലബനന് (Labanan); ലെബനോന് (Lebanōn)
tam: லெபனான் (Lepaṉāṉ)
tel: లెబనాన్ (Lebanān)
zho: 黎巴嫩 (Líbānèn)
yue: 黎巴嫩 (Làihbànyuhn)
jpn: レバノン (Rebanon)
kor: 레바논 (Laebanon)
bod: ལི་པ་ནུན་ (Li.pa.nun.); ལེ་པ་ནོན་ (Le.pa.non.)
dzo: ལེ་བཱ་ནཱོན་ (Le.bā.nōn.)
mya: လက္ဘန္ဝန္ (Leʿbʰánũ)
tha: เลบานอน (Lēbānɔ̄n)
lao: ລີບັງ (Lībâṅ)
khm: លីបង់ (Lībăṅ)
Officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. Taiwan lies north across the Luzon Strait. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest separates it from the island of Borneo and to the south the Celebes Sea from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The capital city is Manila.
With an estimated population of about 92 million people, the Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country. It is estimated that there are an additional 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. Its tropical climate sustains one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity in the world.
In prehistoric times, Negritos became some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants. They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples who brought with them influences from Malay, Hindu, and Islamic cultures. Trade introduced Chinese cultural influences. The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 marked the beginning of an era of Spanish interest and eventually dominance. The Philippines became the Asian hub of the Manila-Acapulco galleon treasure fleet. Christianity became widespread. As the 19th century gave way to the 20th, there followed in quick succession the short-lived Philippine Revolution, the Spanish-American War, and the Philippine-American War. In the aftermath, the United States replaced Spain as the dominant power. Aside from the period of Japanese occupation, the United States retained sovereignty over the islands until the end of World War II when the Philippines gained independence. The United States bequeathed to the Philippines the English language and an affinity for Western culture. Since independence the Philippines has had an often tumultuous experience with democracy, with popular "People Power" movements overthrowing a dictatorship in one instance but also underlining the institutional weaknesses of its constitutional republic in others.
Etymology
The name Philippines is derived from that of King Philip II of Spain. Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos during his expedition in 1542 named the islands of Leyte and Samar Felipinas after the then Prince of Asturias (Spain). Eventually the name Las Islas Filipinas would be used to cover all the islands of the archipelago. before it became commonplace, however, other names such as Islas del Poniente (Islands of the West) and Magellan's name for the islands San Lázaro were also used by the Spanish to refer to the islands.
The official name of the Philippines has changed several times in the course of the country's history. During the Philippine Revolution, the country was officially called República Filipina or the Philippine Republic. From the period of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War until the Commonwealth period, American colonial authorities referred to the country as the Philippine Islands, a translation of the Spanish name. It was during the American period that the name Philippines began to appear and has since become the country's common name. The official name of the country is now Republic of the Philippines.
History
The earliest known human remains found in the Philippines are those of the pre-Mongoloid Tabon Man of Palawan, carbon dated to around 24,000 years ago. Negritos were another group of early inhabitants but their appearance in the Philippines has not been reliably dated. They were followed by speakers of Malayo-Polynesian languages who began to arrive beginning around 4000 BCE, displacing the earlier arrivals. By 1000 BCE the inhabitants of the archipelago had developed into four kinds of social groups: hunter-gathering tribes, warrior societies, petty plutocracies, and maritime centered harbor principalities.
The maritime oriented peoples traded with other Asian countries during the subsequent period bringing influences from Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. There was no unifying political state encompassing the entire Philippine Archipelago. Instead, the islands were divided among competing thalassocracies ruled by various datus, rajahs, or sultans. Among these were the kingdoms of Maynila, Namayan, and Tondo, the rajahnates of Butuan and Cebu, and the sultanates of Maguindanao and Sulu. Some of these societies were part of the Malayan empires of Srivijaya, Majapahit, and Brunei. Islam was brought to the Philippines by traders and proselytizers from Malaysia and Indonesia. By the 15th century, Islam was established in the Sulu Archipelago and by 1565 had reached Mindanao, the Visayas, and Luzon.
In 1521, Portuguese explorer Fernão de Magalhães arrived in the Philippines and claimed the islands for Spain. Colonization began when Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico in 1565 and formed the first European settlements in Cebu. In 1571, after dealing with the local royal families in the wake of the Tondo Conspiracy and defeating the Chinese pirate warlord Limahong, the Spanish established Manila as the capital of the Spanish East Indies.
Spanish rule contributed significantly to bringing political unity to the archipelago. From 1565 to 1821, the Philippines was governed as a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain and then was administered directly from Madrid after the Mexican War of Independence. The Manila galleons linking Manila to Acapulco traveled once or twice a year between the 16th and 19th century. Trade introduced foods such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, chili peppers, and pineapples from the Americas. Roman Catholic missionaries converted most of the lowland inhabitants to Christianity and founded schools, a university, and hospitals. While a Spanish decree introduced free public schooling in 1863, efforts in mass public education mainly came to fruition during the American period.
During its rule, the Spanish fought off various indigenous revolts and several external colonial challenges from Chinese pirates, the Dutch, and the Portuguese. In an extension of the fighting of the Seven Years' War, British forces under the command of Brigadier General William Draper and Rear-Admiral Samuel Cornish briefly occupied the Philippines. They found local allies like Diego and Gabriela Silang who took the opportunity to lead a revolt against the Mexican-born acting Governor-General and Archbishop of Manila Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra, but Spanish rule was eventually restored following the 1763 Treaty of Paris.
In the 1800s, Philippine ports were opened to world trade. Many criollos and mestizos became wealthy. The influx of Spanish and Latino settlers secularized churches and government positions traditionally held by the peninsulares. The ideals of the French Revolution also began to spread through the islands. Criollo dissatisfaction resulted in the revolt in Cavite El Viejo in 1872 that was a precursor to the Philippine Revolution.
Revolutionary sentiments were stoked after colonial authorities executed the three priests, Mariano Gómez, José Burgos and Jacinto Zamora (collectively known as Gomburza), who were accused of sedition, in 1872. This would inspire a propaganda movement in Spain, organized by Marcelo H. del Pilar, José Rizal, and Mariano Ponce, lobbying for political reforms in the Philippines. Rizal was eventually executed on December 30, 1896 on charges of rebellion. As attempts at reform were meeting with resistance, Andrés Bonifacio in 1892 established the secret society called the Katipunan, a society along the lines of the freemasons, which sought independence from Spain through armed revolt. Bonifacio and the Katipunan started the Philippine Revolution in 1896. A faction of the Katipunan, the Magdalo of Cavite province, eventually came to challenge Bonifacio's position as the leader of the revolution and Emilio Aguinaldo took over. In 1898, the Spanish-American War began in Cuba and reached the Philippines. Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898 and the First Philippine Republic was established the following year. Meanwhile, the islands were ceded by Spain to the United States for $20 million dollars in the 1898 Treaty of Paris. As it became increasingly clear the United States would not recognize the First Philippine Republic, the Philippine-American War broke out. It ended with American control over the islands.
In 1935, the Philippines was granted Commonwealth status. Plans for independence over the next decade were interrupted by World War II when the Japanese Empire invaded and established a puppet government. Many atrocities and war crimes were committed during the war such as the Bataan Death March and the Manila massacre that culminated during the Battle of Manila. Allied troops defeated the Japanese in 1945. By the end of the war it is estimated over a million Filipinos had died. On July 4, 1946, the Philippines attained its independence.
Immediately after World War II, the Philippines faced a number of challenges. The country had to be rebuilt from the ravages of war. It also had to come to terms with Japanese collaborators. Meanwhile, disgruntled remnants of the Hukbalahap communist rebel army that had previously fought against and resisted the Japanese continued to roam the rural regions. Eventually this threat was dealt with by Secretary of National Defense and later President Ramon Magsaysay but sporadic cases of communist insurgency continued to flare up long afterward.
In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos was elected president, his wife Imelda Marcos at his side. Nearing the end of his second term and constitutionally barred from seeking a third, he declared martial law on September 21, 1972. By using political divisions, the tension of the Cold War, and the specter of communist rebellion and Islamic insurgency as justifications, he was able to govern by decree. On August 21, 1983, Marcos' chief rival opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. ignored warnings and returned from exile in the United States. He was assassinated as he was taken off the plane at the Manila International Airport (now called the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his memory). With political pressure building Marcos eventually called for snap presidential elections in 1986. Corazon Aquino, Benigno's widow, was convinced into becoming the presidential candidate and standard bearer of the opposition. The elections were widely thought of as rigged when Marcos was proclaimed the winner. This led to the People Power Revolution, instigated when two long-time Marcos allies—Armed Forces of the Philippines Vice Chief-of-Staff Fidel V. Ramos and Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile—resigned and barricaded themselves in Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame. Exhorted on by the Archbishop of Manila Jaime Cardinal Sin, people gathered in support of the rebel leaders and protested on EDSA. In the face of mass protests and military defections, Marcos and his allies fled to Hawaii and into exile. Corazon Aquino was recognized as president.
The return of democracy and government reforms after the events of 1986 were hampered by national debt, government corruption, coup attempts, a persistent communist insurgency, and Islamic separatists. The economy improved during the administration of Fidel V. Ramos, who was elected in 1992. However, the economic improvements were negated with the onset of the East Asian financial crisis in 1997. In 2001, amid charges of corruption and a stalled impeachment process, Ramos' successor Joseph Ejercito Estrada was ousted from the presidency by the 2001 EDSA Revolution and replaced by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Geography
The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square miles). Its 36,289 kilometers of coastline makes it the country with the 5th longest coastline in the world. It is located between 116° 40', and 126° 34' E. longitude and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude and borders the Philippine Sea on the east, the South China Sea on the west, and the Celebes Sea on the south. The island of Borneo is located a few hundred kilometres southwest and Taiwan is located directly to the north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are located to the south-southwest and Palau is located to the east of the islands.
Most of the mountainous islands are covered in tropical rainforest and volcanic in origin. The highest mountain is Mount Apo. It measures up to 2,954 metres (9,692 ft) above sea level and is located on the island of Mindanao. The longest river is the Cagayan River in northern Luzon. Manila Bay, upon the shore of which the capital city of Manila lies, is connected to Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines, by the Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf, and the Moro Gulf are other important bays. The San Juanico Strait separates the islands of Samar and Leyte but it is traversed by the San Juanico Bridge.
Situated on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. The Benham Plateau to the east in the Philippine Sea is an undersea region active in tectonic subduction. Around 20 earthquakes are registered daily, though most are too weak to be felt. The last major earthquake was the 1990 Luzon earthquake.There are many active volcanoes such as the Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991 produced the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century. Not all notable geographic features are so violent or destructive. A more serene legacy of the geological disturbances is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.
Due to the volcanic nature of the islands, mineral deposits are abundant. The country is estimated to have the second-largest gold deposits after South Africa and one of the largest copper deposits in the world. It is also rich in nickel, chromite, and zinc. Despite this, poor management, high population density, and environmental consciousness have resulted in these mineral resources remaining largely untapped. Geothermal energy, however, is another product of volcanic activity that the country has harnessed more successfully. The Philippines is the world's second-biggest geothermal producer behind the United States, with 18% of the country's electricity needs being met by geothermal power.
Other info
Oficial Name:
Republika Ng Pilipinas
Independence:
Declared June 12, 1898
- Self-government March 24, 1934
- Recognized July 4, 1946
- Current constitution February 2, 1987
Area:
300.076km2
Inhabitants:
81.411.000
Language:
Agta, Agutaynen Aklanon Alangan Alta Arta Ata Ati Atta Ayta Balangao Balangingi Bantoanon Batak Bicolano Binukid Blaan Bolinao Bontoc Buhid Butuanon Caluyanun Capiznon Cebuano Chavacano Chinese Cuyonon Davawenyo English Filipino Finallig Ga'dang Gaddang Giangan Hanunoo Higaonon Hiligaynon Ibaloi Ibanag Ibatan Ifugao Ilocano Ilongot Inabaknon Inonhan Iraya Isinai Isnag Itawit Itneg Ivatan I-Wak Kagayanen Kalagan Kalagan Kalinga Kallahan Kamayo Kankanaey Karao Karolanos Kasiguranin Kinaray-A Magahat Maguindanao Malaynon Mamanwa Mandaya Manobo Mansaka Mapun Maranao Masbatenyo Molbog Palawano Pampangan Pangasinan Paranan Philippine Sign Language Porohanon Ratagnon Romblomanon Sama Sambal Sangil Sangir Sorsogon Spanish Subanen Sulod Surigaonon Tadyawan Tagabawa Tagalog Tagbanwa Tagbanwa Tausug Tawbuid Tboli Tiruray Waray-Waray Yakan Yogad
Capital city:
Manila
Meaning country name:
Lands of King Philip" (Philip II of Spain, reigned 1556 - 1598) - the "-ines" part at the end of the name functions adjectivally. A recent and very romantic descriptive name, "Pearl of the Orient Seas" derives from the poem, "Mi Ultimo Adios" written by Philippine nationalist hero José Rizal. Other names include Katagalugan (used by the Katipunan when referring to the Philippines and means "land of/by the river", though this name is more used to refer to the Tagalog areas) and Maharlika (from the name of the upper class in pre-Hispanic Philippines, meaning "noble").
Description Flag:
The national flag of the Philippines is a horizontal bicolor with equal bands of blue and red, and with a white equilateral triangle based at the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a golden yellow sun with eight primary rays, each containing three individual rays; and at each corner of the triangle is a five-pointed golden yellow star. The flag is displayed with the blue field on top in times of peace, and with the red field on top in times of war.
The flag was first conceptualized by Emilio Aguinaldo. The first flag was sewn in Hong Kong by Marcela de Agoncillo, her daughter Lorenza, and Doña Delfina Herbosa de Natividad, a niece of José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero.
According to official sources, the white triangle stands for equality and fraternity; the blue field for peace, truth and justice; and the red field for patriotism and valor. The eight primary rays of the sun represent the first eight provinces (Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac) that sought independence from Spain and were placed under martial law by the Spaniards at the start of the Philippine Revolution in 1896. The three stars represent the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
However, the symbolism given in the 1898 Proclamation of Philippine Independence differs from the current official explanation. It says that the white triangle signifies the emblem of the Katipunan, the secret society that opposed Spanish rule. It says the flag's colors commemorate the flag of the United States as a manifestation of gratitude for American protection against the Spanish during the Philippine Revolution. It also says that one of the three stars represents the island of Panay, rather than the entire Visayas.
Coat of arms:
The Coat of Arms of the Philippines features the eight-rayed sun of the Philippines with each ray representing the eight provinces (Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Manila, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Tarlac) which were placed under martial law by Governor-General Ramón Blanco during the Philippine Revolution, and the three five-pointed stars representing the three primary geographic regions of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. In the blue field on the left side is the Eagle of the United States, and in the red field on the right is the Lion-Rampant of Spain, both representing colonial history. The design is very similar to the design briefly adopted by the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1940.
The heraldic description from Republic Act No. 8491 of 1998 is as follows: Paleways of two pieces, azure and gules; a chief argent studded with three mullets equidistant from each other; and, in point of honor, ovoid argent over all the sun rayonnant with eight minor and lesser rays. Beneath shall be the scroll with the words "REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS," inscribed thereon.
The words on the scroll have undergone many changes since Philippine independence. From independence in 1946 until 1972, when President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law, the scroll contained the words "REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES." From 1979 until the overthrow of Marcos in 1986, the scroll had the words "ISANG BANSA ISANG DIWA" ("One Nation, One Spirit") inscribed. After the overthrow of Marcos, the scroll changed to the current "REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS". In 1998, with the approval of Republic Act No. 8491, the eagle and lion on the lower half of the shield have been removed. However, the modified arms are not in wide use, pending the ratification of the law by a national referendum called for that purpose, as mandated by the Philippine Constitution.
Motto:
" Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makakalikasan, at Makabayan "
National Anthem: Lupang Hinirang
Phillipins
Bayang Magiliw
Perlas ng Silanganan,
Alab ng puso
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.
Lupang hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig,
'Di ka pasisiil.
Sa dagat at bundok,
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula at awit
Sa paglayang minamahal.
Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma'y 'di magdidilim.
Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya, na 'pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa 'yo.
Spanish
Tierra adorada
Hija del sol de Oriente,
Su fuego ardiente
en ti latiendo está.
¡Tierra de amores!
Del heroísmo cuna,
Los invasores
No te hollarán jamás.
En tu azul cielo, en tus auras,
En tus montes y en tu mar
Esplende y late el poema
De tu amada libertad.
Tu pabellón, que en las lides
La victoria iluminó,
No verá nunca apagados
Sus estrellas y su sol.
Tierra de dichas, del sol y de amores,
En tu regazo dulce es vivir.
Es una gloria para tus hijos,
Cuando te ofenden, por ti morir.
English
Beloved Country,
Pearl of the Orient,
The heart's fervor
In your heart is ever alive.
Chosen land,
You are the cradle of the brave.
To the conquerors
You shall never surrender.
Through the seas and mountains,
Through the air and your azure skies,
There is splendor in the poem
And song for dear freedom.
The sparkle of your flag
Is shining victory.
Its stars and sun
Forever will never dim.
Land of the morning, of glory, of our affection,
Life is heaven in your arms;
When someone oppresses you, it is our pleasure
To die for you.
Internet Page: www.gov.ph
Philippines in diferent languages
eng | fra | hau: Philippines
arg | glg | lin | oci | por | spa | srd | tet: Filipinas
ast | cat | lld: Filipines
bam | hrv | slv: Filipini
deu | ltz | nds: Philippinen / Philippinen
kin | run | swa: Filipino
ces | slk: Filipíny
dsb | hsb: Philippiny
hat | zza: Filipin
jav | mlg: Filipina
mlt | scn: Filippini
pol | szl: Filipiny
afr: Filippyne; Filippynse Eilande
aze: Filippin / Филиппин
bos: Filipini / Филипини
bre: Filipinez
cor: Filipinys
crh: Filippinler / Филиппинлер
csb: Filipinë
cym: Ynysoedd y Philapin
dan: Filippinerne
epo: Filipinoj
est: Filipiinid
eus: Filipinak
fao: Filipsoyggjar
fin: Filippiinit
frp: Felipines
fry: Filipinen
fur: Filipinis
gla: Na h-Eileanan Filipineach; Na Filipìonan
gle: Na hOileáin Fhilipíneacha / Na hOileáin Ḟilipíneaċa
glv: Ny h-Ellanyn Phillippeenagh
haw: ʻĀina Pilipino
hun: Fülöp-szigetek
ibo: Agwe-etiti Filipin
ina: Philippinas
ind: Pilipina / ڤيليڤينا; Filipina / فيليڤينا
isl: Filippseyjar; Filipseyjar
ita: Filippine
jnf: Ph’lippinnes
kaa: Filippinı / Филиппины
kmr: Fîlîpînêd / Филипинед / فیلیپینێد
kur: Filîpîn / فلیپین; Fîlîpîn / فیلیپین
lat: Philippinae
lav: Filipīnas
lim: Filipiene
lit: Filipinai
mol: Filipine / Филипине
msa: Filipina / فيليڤينا
nld: Filipijnen
nno: Filippinane
nob: Filippinene
nrm: Phelippènes
pap: Filipina
que: Philipinakuna
rmy: Filipine / क़िलिपिने
roh: Filippinas
ron: Filipine
rup: Filipinji
slo: Filipinia / Филипиниа
sme: Filippiinnat
smg: Fėlėpinā
smo: Filipaina
som: Filibiin
sqi: Filipinet
swe: Filippinerna
tgl: Pilipinas
ton: Filipaine
tuk: Filippinler / Филиппинлер
tur: Filipinler; Filipin Adaları
uzb: Filippin orollari / Филиппин ороллари
vie: Phi Luật Tân; Phi-líp-pin
vol: Filipuäns
vor: Filipiiniq
wln: Filipenes
wol: Filipiin
alt | chm | kom | kum | rus: Филиппины (Filippiny)
bul | mkd: Филипини (Filipini)
kjh | tyv: Филиппиннер (Filippinner)
mon | udm: Филиппин (Filippin)
abq: Филиппинска дзыгӀвбжяква (Fiłippinska dzəʿʷbžjakʷa)
bak: Филиппин / Filippin
bel: Філіпіны / Filipiny
che: Филиппинаш (Filippinaš)
chv: Филиппин утравӗсем (Filippin utravĕsem)
kaz: Филиппин аралдары / Fïlïppïn araldarı / فيليپپين ارالدارى
kbd: Филиппинскэ островхэр (Filippinskă ostrovĥăr)
kir: Филиппиндер (Filippinder); Филиппин аралдары (Filippin araldary)
krc: Филиппинле (Filippinle)
oss: Филиппинтӕ (Filippintä)
srp: Филипини / Filipini
tat: Филиппин утраулары / Filippin utrawları
tgk: Ҷазираҳои Филиппин / جزیرههای فیلیپین / Çazirahoi Filippin
ukr: Філиппіни (Filyppiny)
ara: الفيليبين (al-Fīlībbīn); الفلبين (al-Filibbīn); الفيلبين (al-Fīlibbīn)
fas: فیلیپین / Filipin
prs: فلپین (Felepīn)
pus: فلپين (Filipīn); فلپاين (Filipāyn)
snd: فلپائن (Filipāʾin)
uig: فىلىپپىن / Filippin / Филиппин
urd: فلپائن (Filipāʾin)
div: ޕިލިޕީންސް (Pilipīns); ފިލިޕީންސް (Filipīns)
heb: פיליפינים (Fîlîpînîm)
lad: פ'יליפינאס / Filipinas
yid: פֿיליפּינען (Filipinen)
amh: ፊሊፒን (Filipin)
ell-dhi: Φιλιππίνες (Filippínes)
ell-kat: Φιλιππῖναι (Filippĩnai)
hye: Ֆիլիպիններ (Filipinner)
kat: ფილიპინები (Ṗilipinebi)
hin: फ़िलीपींस (Filīpīṁs); फ़िलीपिंस (Filīpiṁs); फ़िलिपाइन (Filipāin); फ़िलिपीन (Filipīn); फ़िलिपाइंस (Filipāiṁs); फ़िलिपींस (Filipīṁs)
mar: फिलिपाईन्स (Pʰilipāīns)
ben: ফিলিপিন্স (Pʰilipins); ফিলিপাইন (Pʰilipāin)
pan: ਫਿਲਿਪੀਨੀਜ਼ (Pʰilipīnīz)
kan: ಫಿಲಿಪ್ಪೀನ್ಸ್ (Pʰilippīns)
mal: ഫിലിപ്പൈന്സ് (Pʰilippains); ഫിലിപ്പീന്സ് (Pʰilippīns)
tam: பிலிப்பைன்ஸ் (Pilippaiṉs); பிலிப்பின் தீவுகள் (Pilippiṉ Tīvukaḷ)
tel: ఫిలిప్పీన్స్ (Pʰilippīns)
zho: 菲律賓/菲律宾 (Fēilùbīn)
yue: 菲律賓/菲律宾 (Fèileuhtbān)
jpn: フィリピン (Firipin)
kor: 필리핀 (Pillipin)
bod: ཧྥི་ལེའི་པིན་ (Hpʰi.le'i.pin.); ཧྥེ་ལི་པིང་ (Hpʰe.li.piṅ.)
mya: ဖိလစ္ပုိင္ (Pʰíliʿpaĩ)
tha: ฟิลิปปินส์ (Filippin[s])
lao: ຟີລິບປິນ (Fīlippin)
khm: ហ្វីលីពីន (Hvīlīpīn); ហ្វ៉ីលិពីន (Hvīlipīn)
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (commonly called the North Island and the South Island), and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori language name for New Zealand is Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud. The Realm of New Zealand also includes the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing but in free association); Tokelau; and the Ross Dependency (New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica).
New Zealand is notable for its geographic isolation: it is situated about 2,000 km (1250 miles) southeast of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and its closest neighbours to the north are New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga. During its long isolation New Zealand developed a distinctive fauna dominated by birds, a number of which became extinct after the arrival of humans and the mammals they introduced.
The majority of New Zealand's population is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority. Asians and non-Māori Polynesians are also significant minority groups, especially in urban areas. The most commonly spoken language is English.
New Zealand is a developed country that ranks highly in international comparisons on human development, quality of life, life expectancy, literacy, public education, peace, prosperity, economic freedom, ease of doing business, lack of corruption, press freedom, and the protection of civil liberties and political rights. Its cities also consistently rank among the world's most liveable.
Elizabeth II, as the Queen of New Zealand, is the country's head of state and is represented by a ceremonial Governor-General who holds reserve powers. The Queen has no real political influence, and her position is essentially symbolic. Political power is held by the democratically elected Parliament of New Zealand under the leadership of the Prime Minister, who is the head of government.
Etymology
It is unknown whether Māori had a name for New Zealand as a whole before the arrival of Europeans, although they referred to the North Island as Te Ika a Māui (the fish of Māui) and the South Island as Te Wai Pounamu (the waters of greenstone) or Te Waka o Aoraki (the canoe of Aoraki). Until the early 20th century, the North Island was also referred to as Aotearoa (colloquially translated "land of the long white cloud"); in modern Māori usage, this name refers to the whole country. Aotearoa is also commonly used in this sense in New Zealand English, where it is sometimes used alone, and in some formal uses combined with the English name to express respect to the original inhabitants of the country, for example in the form of "[Organisation name] of Aotearoa New Zealand".
The first European name for New Zealand was Staten Landt, the name given to it by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who in 1642 became the first European to see the islands. Tasman assumed it was part of a southern continent connected with land discovered in 1615 off the southern tip of South America by Jacob Le Maire, which had been named Staten Landt, meaning "Land of the (Dutch) States-General".
The name New Zealand originated with Dutch cartographers, who called the islands Nova Zeelandia, after the Dutch province of Zeeland. No one is certain exactly who first coined the term, but it first appeared in 1645 and may have been the choice of cartographer Johan Blaeu. British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicised the name to New Zealand. There is no connection to the Danish island Zealand.
Although the North and South Islands have been known by these names for many years, the New Zealand Geographic Board has stated that as of 2009, they have no official names. The board intends to make these their official names, along with alternative Māori names. Although several Māori names have been used, Maori Language Commissioner Erima Henare sees Te Ika-a-Māui and Te Wai Pounamu respectively as the most likely choices.
History
New Zealand is one of the most recently settled major landmasses. The first known settlers were Eastern Polynesians who, according to most researchers, arrived by canoe in about AD 1250–1300. Some researchers have suggested an earlier wave of arrivals dating to as early as AD 50–150; these people then either died out or left the islands. Over the following centuries these settlers developed into a distinct culture now known as Māori. The population was divided into Iwi (tribes) and hapū (subtribes) which would cooperate, compete and sometimes fight with each other. At some point a group of Māori migrated to the Chatham Islands where they developed their distinct Moriori culture.
The first Europeans known to have reached New Zealand were Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman and his crew in 1642. Māori killed several of the crew and no Europeans returned to New Zealand until British explorer James Cook's voyage of 1768–71. Cook reached New Zealand in 1769 and mapped almost the entire coastline. Following Cook, New Zealand was visited by numerous European and North American whaling, sealing and trading ships. They traded European food and goods, especially metal tools and weapons, for Māori timber, food, artefacts and water. On occasion, Europeans traded goods for sex.
The potato and the musket transformed Māori agriculture and warfare, although the resulting Musket Wars died out once the tribal imbalance of arms had been rectified. From the early nineteenth century, Christian missionaries began to settle New Zealand, eventually converting most of the Māori population, who had become disillusioned with their indigenous faith by the introduction of Western culture.
Becoming aware of the lawless nature of European settlement and of increasing French interest in the territory, the British government sent William Hobson to New Zealand to claim sovereignty and negotiate a treaty with the Māori.[i] The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in the Bay of Islands on 6 February 1840. The drafting was done hastily and confusion and disagreement continue to surround the translation. The Treaty however remains regarded as New Zealand's foundation as a nation and is revered by Māori as a guarantee of their rights.
Initially under British rule, New Zealand had been part of the colony of New South Wales. Hobson initially selected Okiato as the capital in 1840, before moving the seat of government to Auckland in 1841, when New Zealand became a separate colony, and there were increasing numbers of European settlers to New Zealand particularly from the British Isles. The Māori were initially eager to trade with the 'Pakeha', as they called them, and many iwi became wealthy. As settler numbers increased, conflicts over land led to the New Zealand Land Wars of the 1860s and 1870s, resulting in the loss of much Māori land. The details of European settlement and the acquisition of land from Māori remain controversial.
Representative government for the colony was provided for in 1852 when the United Kingdom passed the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852. The 1st New Zealand Parliament met in 1854. In 1856 the colony became effectively self-governing with the grant of responsible government over all domestic matters other than native policy. Power in this respect would be transferred to the colonial administration in the 1860s.
In 1863 Premier Alfred Domett moved a resolution that the capital transfer to a locality in Cook Strait, apparently due to concern that the South Island might form a separate colony. Commissioners from Australia (chosen for their neutral status) advised that Wellington was suitable because of its harbour and central location, and parliament officially sat there for the first time in 1865. In 1893 the country became the first nation in the world to grant women the right to vote.
20th century
In 1907 New Zealand became a Dominion within the British Empire, and an independent Commonwealth realm in 1947 when the Statute of Westminster was adopted, although in practice Britain had long since ceased to play a significant role in governing New Zealand. As New Zealand became more politically independent it became more dependent economically; in the 1890s, refrigerated shipping allowed New Zealand to base its economy on the export of meat and dairy products to Britain
New Zealand was an enthusiastic member of the British Empire, fighting in the Boer War, World War I and World War II, especially in the Battle of Britain, and supporting Britain in the Suez Crisis. The country was very much a part of the world economy and suffered as others did in the Great Depression of the 1930s. The depression led to the election of the first Labour government, which established a comprehensive welfare state and a protectionist economy.
New Zealand experienced increasing prosperity following World War II. However, some social problems were developing; Māori had begun to leave traditional rural life and move to the cities in search of work. A Māori protest movement eventually developed, which criticised Eurocentrism and worked for more recognition of Māori culture and the Treaty of Waitangi, which they felt had not been fully honoured.
In 1975 a Waitangi Tribunal was set up to investigate alleged breaches of the Treaty, and it was enabled to investigate historic grievances in 1985. In common with other developed countries, social developments accelerated in the 1970s and social and political mores changed.
Britain's membership of the European Economic Community in 1973 drastically reduced access for New Zealand exporters to their previous largest market. This and the oil shocks of the 1970s led to significant economic and social changes during the 1980s under the 4th Labour government largely led by Finance Minister Roger Douglas, whose policies are commonly referred to as "Rogernomics."
Geography
New Zealand comprises two main islands, the North and South Islands, Te Ika a Maui and Te Wai Pounamu respectively in Māori, and a number of smaller islands, located near the centre of the water hemisphere. Cook Strait, 20 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, separates the North and South Islands. The total land area, 268,021 square kilometres (103,483 sq mi), is a little less than that of Italy or Japan, and a little more than the United Kingdom. The country extends more than 1600 km (1000 mi) along its main, north-north-east axis, with approximately 15,134 km (9,404 mi) of coastline. The most significant of the smaller inhabited islands include Stewart Island/Rakiura; Waiheke Island, in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf; Great Barrier Island, east of the Hauraki Gulf; and the Chatham Islands, named Rēkohu by Moriori. The country has extensive marine resources, with the seventh-largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world, covering over four million square kilometres (1.5 million square miles), more than 15 times its land area.
The South Island is the largest land mass of New Zealand, and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps, the highest peak of which is Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3754 metres (12,320 ft). There are 18 peaks over 3000 metres (9843 ft) in the South Island. The North Island is less mountainous but is marked by volcanism. The highest North Island mountain, Mount Ruapehu (2797 m, 9177 ft), is an active cone volcano. The dramatic and varied landscape of New Zealand has made it a popular location for the production of television programmes and films, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the The Last Samurai.
The country owes its varied topography, and perhaps even its emergence above the waves, to the dynamic boundary it straddles between the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates. New Zealand is part of Zealandia, a continent nearly half the size of Australia that is otherwise almost completely submerged. About 25 million years ago, a shift in plate tectonic movements began to pull Zealandia apart forcefully, with this now being most evident along the Alpine Fault and in the highly active Taupo volcanic zone. The tectonic boundary continues as subduction zones east of the North Island along the Hikurangi Trench to continue north of New Zealand along the Kermadec Trench and the Tonga Trench which is mirrored in the south by the Puysegur Trench.
New Zealand is culturally and linguistically part of Polynesia, and is the south-western anchor of the Polynesian Triangle.
The latitude of New Zealand, from approximately 34 to 47° S, corresponds closely to that of Italy in the Northern Hemisphere. However, its isolation from continental influences and exposure to cold southerly winds and ocean currents give the climate a much milder character. The climate throughout the country is mild and temperate, mainly maritime, with temperatures rarely falling below 0 °C (32 °F) or rising above 30 °C (86 °F) in populated areas. Historical maxima and minima are 42.4 °C (108.3 °F) in Rangiora, Canterbury and −21.6 °C (−6.9 °F) in Ophir, Otago. Conditions vary sharply across regions from extremely wet on the West Coast of the South Island to semi-arid (Köppen BSh) in the Mackenzie Basin of inland Canterbury and subtropical in Northland. Of the main cities, Christchurch is the driest, receiving only 640 mm (25 in) of rain per year; Auckland, the wettest, receives almost twice that amount. Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch all receive a yearly average in excess of 2000 hours of sunshine. The southern and south-western parts of South Island have a cooler and cloudier climate, with around 1400–1600 hours; the northern and north-eastern parts of the South Island are the sunniest areas of the country and receive approximately 2400–2500 hours.
Other Info
Oficial name:
Aotearoa
New Zealand
Independence:
Dominion 26 September 1907
- Statute of Westminster 1931
- Full Independence 1947
Area:
270.534 km2
Inhabitants:
4.500.000
Languages:
Reo Māori
English [eng] 3,213,000 in New Zealand (1987). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
More information.
Maori [mri] 50,000 to 70,000 (1991 Fishman, p. 231). 100,000 who understand it, but do not speak it (1995 Maori Language Commission). Ethnic population: 530,000 (2002 Honolulu Advertiser). Far north, east coast, North Island. Alternate names: New Zealand Maori. Dialects: North Auckland, South Island, Taranaki, Wanganui, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua-Taupo, Moriori. Formerly fragmented into a number of regional dialects, some of which diverged quite radically from what has become the standard dialect. Lexical similarity 71% with Hawaiian, 57% with Samoan. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East, Central, Tahitic
More information.
New Zealand Sign Language [nzs] Classification: Deaf sign language
More information.
Pitcairn-Norfolk [pih] Alternate names: Pitcairn English. Classification: Cant, English-Tahitian
Capital city:
Wellington
Meaning country name:
After the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands, which means "Sealand" in reference to the large number of islands it contains. Abel Tasman referred to New Zealand as Staten Landt, but subsequent Dutch cartographers used Nova Zeelandia in Latin, followed by Nieuw Zeeland in Dutch, which Captain James Cook subsequently anglicised as New Zealand.
Aotearoa has become the most common name for the country in the indigenous
Maori language, supplanting the loan-phrase Niu Tireni. Aotearoa conventionally means "land of the long white cloud".
Nua Shealtainn in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic, meaning New Shetland (Sealtainn), itself from a metathesised form of Scots Shetland. Gaelic speakers seem to have folk-etymologised Zeeland when translating New Zealand's name from English. or
There is no known pre-contact Māori name for New Zealand, although Māori referred to the North Island as Te Ika-a-Māui (the fish of Māui) and the South Island as Te Wai Pounamu (the waters of jade) or Te Waka-a-Māui (the canoe of Māui). Until the early twentieth century, the North Island was also referred to as Aotearoa (often glossed as 'land of the long white cloud'); in modern Māori usage, this is the name for the whole country.
The first European name for New Zealand was Staten Landt, the name given to it by Abel Tasman upon his discovery of the islands in 1642. Tasman assumed it was part of a southern continent connected with land discovered in 1615 off the southern tip of South America by Isaac Le Maire. The name New Zealand originated with Dutch cartographers, who called the islands Nova Zeelandia, after the Dutch province of Zeeland. No-one is certain exactly who first coined the term, but it first appeared in 1645 and may have been the choice of cartographer Johan Blaeu. British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicised the name to New Zealand.
Description Flag:
The Flag of New Zealand is a defaced blue ensign with the Union Flag in the canton, and four red stars with white borders to the right. The stars represent the constellation of Crux, the Southern Cross, as seen from New Zealand.
The flag proportion is 1:2 and the colours are Red (Pantone 186), Blue (Pantone 280) and White. Proportion and colours are identical to the Union Flag.
Coat of arms:
The Coat of Arms of New Zealand is the official symbol of New Zealand. The initial coat of arms was granted King George V on the 26 August 1911, and the current version was granted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1956.
Until 1911, New Zealand used the same national coat of arms as the United Kingdom. When New Zealand became a Dominion in 1907, it was decided that a new Coat of Arms was required, and a design competition was held. Since being granted its own arms in 1911, New Zealand's arms have remained similar to the current design, with minor changes in 1956.
Since 1911, the central shield has remained unaltered: a quartered shield containing in the first quarter four stars representing the Southern Cross constellation, as depicted on the national flag, but with the stars in different proportions; in the second quarter, a golden fleece representing the farming industry; in the third, a wheat sheaf representing agriculture; and in the fourth, two hammers representing mining and industry. Over all this is a pale, a broad vertical strip, with three ships representing the importance of sea trade, and the immigrant nature of all New Zealanders.
The old–style coat of arms.Before 1956, the shield was identical, but the surrounding features were different. The crest was a demi-lion (the upper half of a rampant lion) holding the British Union Flag, and the scroll at the shield's base featured the then motto of the country, "Onward". Early renditions of the Coat of Arms are often featured with more stylised scrolling rather than fern leaves.
The original supporters were also slightly different. The woman had reddish-brown hair, and both figures faced forward rather than towards the shield. Though there is no direct documentary evidence, it is likely that the original model for the woman was Wellington socialite Alice Spragg. The model for the Māori warrior is unknown.
New Zealand Coat of Arms ExplainedThe shield is now supported by two figures, a blonde Pākehā (European) woman holding the New Zealand flag, and a Māori warrior holding a taiaha (Māori staff). The shield is topped with the St Edward's Crown, and beneath the shield are two silver fern leaves and a scroll bearing the words "New Zealand".
Motto:
"Onward"
Unofficial National Song: Pokarekare Ana
Maori
Pōkarekare ana, ngā wai o Waiapu
Whiti atu koe hine, marino ana e
E hine e, hoki mai ra, ka mate ahau i te aroha e.
Tuhituhi taku reta, tuku atu taku rīni
Kia kite tō iwi, raruraru ana e.
E hine e, hoki mai ra, ka mate ahau i te aroha e.
Whatiwhati taku pene, kua pau aku pepa
Ko taku aroha, mau tonu ana e.
E hine e, hoki mai ra, ka mate ahau i te aroha e.
E kore te aroha, e maroke i te rā
Mākūkū tonu i aku roimata e.
E hine e, hoki mai ra, ka mate ahau i te aroha e.
English
The waves are breaking, against the shores of Waiapu,
My heart is aching, for your return my love.
Oh my beloved, come back to me, my heart is breaking for of love for you.
I have written you a letter, and enclosed with it my ring,
If your people should see it, then the trouble will begin.
Oh girl, come back to me, my heart is breaking for of love for you.
My poor pen is broken, my paper is spent,
But my love for you endures, and remains forever more.
Oh my beloved, come back to me, my heart is breaking for of love for you.
The sun's hot sheen, won't scorch my love,
Being kept evergreen, by the falling of my tears.
Oh girl, Come back to me, I could die of love for you.
National Anthem: God Defend New Zealand
Maori
E Ihowa Atua
E Ihowā Atua
O ngā iwi mātou rā
Āta whakarongona
Me aroha noa
Kia hua ko te pai
Kia tau tō atawhai
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa
Ōna mano tāngata
Kiri whero, kiri mā
Iwi Māori Pākehā
Rūpeke katoa
Nei ka tono ko ngā hē
Māu e whakaahu kē
Kia ora mārire
Aotearoa
Tōna mana kia tū
Tōna kaha kia ū
Tōna rongo hei pakū
Ki te ao katoa
Aua rawa ngā whawhai
Ngā tutū a tata mai
Kia tupu nui ai
Aotearoa
Waiho tona takiwā
Ko te ao mārama
Kia whiti tōna rā
Taiāwhio noa
Ko te hae me te ngangau
Meinga kia kore kau
Waiho i te rongo mau
Aotearoa
Tōna pai me toitū
Tika rawa, pono pū
Tōna noho, tana tū
Iwi nō Ihowā
Kaua mōna whakamā
Kia hau te ingoa
Kia tū hei tauira
Aotearoa
English
God of Nations at Thy feet
In the bonds of love we meet
Hear our voices, we entreat
God defend our free land
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war
Make her praises heard
God defend New Zealand
Men of ev'ry creed and race
Gather here before Thy face
Asking Thee to bless this place
God defend our free land
From dissension, envy, hate
And corruption guard our State
Make our country good and great
God defend New Zealand
Peace, not war, shall be our boast
But should our foes assail our coast
Make us then a mighty host
God defend our free land
Lord of battles, in Thy might
Put our enemies to flight
Let our cause be just and right
God defend New Zealand
Let our love for Thee increase
May Thy blessings never cease
Give us plenty, give us peace
God defend our free land
From dishonour and from shame
Guard our country's spotless name
Crown her with immortal fame
God defend New Zealand
May our mountains ever be Tōna
Freedom's ramparts on the sea
Make us faithful unto Thee
God defend our free land
Guide her in the nations'
Preaching love and truth to man
Working out Thy Glorious plan
God defend New Zealand
Internet Page: www.newzealand.govt.nz
New Zeland in diferent languages
eng | dan | hau | mlt | nor | swa: New Zealand
cat | cos | roh-gri | roh-srs: Nova Zelanda
bis | tpi: Niusilan
ces | slk: Nový Zéland
dsb | hsb: Nowoseelandska
kin | run: Nuvele Zelande
roh-enb | roh-eno: Nouva Zelanda
afr: Nieu-Seeland
arg: Nueba Zelanda
ast: Nueva Zelanda
aze: Yeni Zelandiya / Јени Зеландија
bam: Nuwɛli-Zelandi
bos: Novi Zeland / Нови Зеланд
bre: Zeland-Nevez
cor: Mordir Nowydh; Selond Nowydh
crh: Yañı Zelandiya / Янъы Зеландия
cym: Seland Newydd
deu: Neuseeland / Neuſeeland
epo: Nov-Zelando
est: Uus-Meremaa
eus: Zeelanda Berria
fao: Ný Sæland
fij: Niu Siladi
fin: Uusi-Seelanti
fra: Nouvelle-Zélande
frp: Novèla-Zèlande
fry: Nij-Seelân
fur: Gnove Zelande
gla: Sealainn Nuadh
gle: An Nua-Shéalainn / An Nua-Ṡéalainn
glg: Nova Celandia
glv: Yn Teelan Noa
hat: Nouvèl Zeland
haw: Nukīlani
hrv: Novi Zeland
hun: Új-Zéland
ibo: Niuziland
ina: Nove Zelanda
ind: Selandia Baru / سيلنديا بارو
isl: Nýja-Sjáland
ita: Nuova Zelanda
jav: Selandia Baru
jnf: Nouvelle Zélande
kaa: Janʻa Zelandiya / Жаңа Зеландия
kmr: Zêlandîya Teze / Зеландийа Т’әзә / زێلاندیا تەزە
kur: Zêlanda Nû / زێلاندا نوو
lat: Nova Zelandia; Nova Selandia
lav: Jaunzēlande
lim: Nui-Zieland
lin: Nova Zelandi
lit: Naujoji Zelandija
lld-bad: Zelanda Nöia
lld-grd: Nueva Zelanda
ltz: Neiséiland / Neiſéiland
mlg: Zelandy-Vaovao
mol: Noua Zeelandă / Ноуа Зееландэ
mri: Aotearoa; Niu Tireni
msa: New Zealand / ڽوزيلند
nds: Niegseeland / Niegſeeland
nld: Nieuw-Zeeland
nrm: Nouvelle-Zélaunde
oci: Nòva Zelanda
pol: Nowa Zelandia
por: Nova Zelândia
que: Musuq Silanda
rmy: Nevi Zeyelanda / नेवी ज़ेयेलान्दा
ron: Noua Zeelandă
rup: Nao Zelandã
scn: Nova Zilanda; Nova Zilanna
slo: Novju Zelandia / Новйу Зеландиа
slv: Nova Zelandija
sme: Ođđa Selánda
smg: Naujuojė Zelandėjė
smo: Niu Sila
som: Neyuusilaand
spa: Nueva Zelanda; Nueva Zelandia
sqi: Zelanda e Re
srd: Noa Zelanda
swe: Nya Zeeland
tah: Niutirani
tet: Zelándia Foun
tgl: Nuweba Selanda
tkl: Niuhila
ton: Nuʻusila
tuk: Täze Zelandiýa / Тәзе Зеландия
tur: Yeni Zelanda
uzb: Yangi Zelandiya / Янги Зеландия
vie: Tân Tây Lan; Niu Di-lân
vol: Nula-Seleän
vor: Vahtsõnõ Meremaa
wln: Nouve Zelande
wol: Selaand-gu-Bees
zul: iNyuzilandi
zza: Zelanda Newiye
abq: Нова Зеландия (Nova Zełandija)
alt: Јаҥы Зеландия (Ďaṅy Zelandija)
bak: Яңы Зеландия / Yaņı Zelandiya
bel: Новая Зеландыя / Novaja Ziełandyja; Новая Зэляндыя / Novaja Zelandyja
bul: Нова Зеландия (Nova Zelandija)
che: Нови Зеланди (Novi Zelandi)
chm: У Зеландий (U Zelandij)
kaz: Жаңа Зеландия / Jaña Zelandïya / جاڭا زەلانديا
kbd: Новэ Зеландие (Novă Zelandie)
kir: Жаңы Зеландия (Ǧaṅy Zelandija)
kjh: Наа Зеландия (Naa Zelandija)
kom: Новӧй Зеландия (Novöj Zelandija)
krc: Джангы Зеландия (Džangy Zelandija)
kum: Янгы Зеландия (Jangy Zelandija)
mkd: Нов Зеланд (Nov Zeland)
mon: Шинэ Зеланд (Šinä Zeland)
oss: Ног Зеланди (Nog Zelandi)
rus: Новая Зеландия (Novaja Zelandija)
srp: Нови Зеланд / Novi Zeland
tab: ЦӀийи Зеландия (C̣iji Zelandija)
tat: Яңа Зеландия / Yaña Zelandiä
tgk: Зеландияи Нав / زلندیۀ نو / Zelandijai Nav
tyv: Чаа Зеландия (Čaa Zelandija)
ukr: Нова Зеландія (Nova Zelandija)
ara: نيوزيلندا (Niyūzīlandā); نيوزيلندة (Niyūzīlandâ); زيلندا الجديدة (Zīlandā l-Ǧadīdâ)
fas: زلاند نو / Zelânde Now; زلاند جدید / Zelânde Jadid
prs: زیلند جدید (Zīland-e Jadīd)
pus: نوۍ زيلنډ (Nawəy Zīlənḋ); نوۍ زيلېنډ (Nawəy Zīlenḋ); نيوزيلنډ (Nyūzīlənḋ)
uig: يېڭى زېلاندىيە / Yéngi Zélandiye / Йеңи Зеландия
urd: نیو زیلینڈ / نیو زیلینڈ / نیوزیلینڈ (Niyū Zīlænḋ)
div: ނިއުޒިލޭންޑް (Ni'użilēnḋ)
syr: ܢܝܘ ܙܝܠܢܕ (Nyū Zīland)
heb: ניו-זילנד (Nyû-Zîlend / Nyû-Zîland); ניו-זילאנד (Nyû-Zîlând)
lad: מואיב'ה זילאנדיה / Mueva Zelandia
yid: נײַ זײלאַנד (Nay Zeyland)
amh: ኒው ዚላንድ (Niw Ziland)
ell: Νέα Ζηλανδία (Néa Zīlandía)
hye: Նոր Զելանդիա (Nor Zelandia)
kat: ახალი ზელანდია (Aĥali Zelandia)
hin: न्यूज़ीलैंड (Nyūzīlæṁḍ)
nep: न्यू जिलैंड (Nyū Dziləiṁḍ)
ben: নিউ জিল্যাণ্ড (Niu Jilæṇḍ); নিউজিল্যান্ড (Niujilænḍ)
pan: ਨਿਊਜ਼ੀਲੈਂਡ (Niūzīlæ̃ḍ)
kan: ನ್ಯೂ ಜೀಲ್ಯಾಂಡ್ (Nyū Jīlæṁḍ)
mal: ന്യൂസിലാന്റ് (Nyūsilānṟ); ന്യൂസിലാന്ഡ് (Nyūsilānḍ)
tam: நியூசிலாந்து (Niyūčilāntu); நியூஜிலாந்து (Niyūjilāntu)
tel: న్యూజిలాండ్ (Nyūjilāṁḍ)
zho: 新西蘭/新西兰 (Xīn Xīlán)
yue: 新西蘭/新西兰 (Sān Sàilàahn)
jpn: ニュー・ジーランド (Nyū Jīrando); ニュージーランド (Nyūjīrando)
kor: 뉴질랜드 (Nyu Jillaendeu)
dzo: ནིའུ་ཛི་ལེནཌ་ (Ni'u.dzi.lenḍ.)
mya: နယူးဇီလန္ (Náyù Zilã)
tha: นิวซีแลนด์ (Niw Sīlǣn[d])
lao: ນູແວນເຊລັງ (Nūvǣn Ṣēlâṅ)
khm: នូវែលហ្សេឡង់ (Nūvæl Hseḷăṅ); ញូវសេឡែន (Ñūvseḷæn)
Is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia comprises 17,508 islands. With a population of around 230 million people, it is the world's fourth most populous country, and has the world's largest population of Muslims. Indonesia is a republic, with an elected legislature and president. The nation's capital city is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Malaysia. Other neighboring countries include Singapore, Philippines, Australia, and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Indonesian archipelago has been an important trade region since at least the seventh century, when Srivijaya and then later Majapahit traded with China and India. Local rulers gradually adopted Indian cultural, religious and political models from the early centuries CE, and Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished. Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Muslim traders brought Islam, and European powers fought one another to monopolize trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Discovery. Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism, Indonesia secured its independence after World War II. Indonesia's history has since been turbulent, with challenges posed by natural disasters, corruption, separatism, a democratization process, and periods of rapid economic change.
Across its many islands, Indonesia consists of distinct ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups. The Javanese are the largest and most politically dominant ethnic group. Indonesia has developed a shared identity defined by a national language, ethnic diversity, religious pluralism within a majority Muslim population, and a history of colonialism including rebellion against it. Indonesia's national motto, "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" ("Unity in Diversity" literally, "many, yet one"), articulates the diversity that shapes the country. Despite its large population and densely populated regions, Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support the world's second highest level of biodiversity. The country is richly endowed with natural resources, yet poverty remains widespread in contemporary Indonesia.
History
Please go to:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Indonesia
Geography
Indonesia is an archipelagic island country in Southeast Asia, lying between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It is in a strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean. The country's variations in culture have been shaped—although not specifically determined—by centuries of complex interactions with the physical environment. Although Indonesians are now less vulnerable to the of nature as a result of improved technology and social programs, to some extent their social diversity has emerged from traditionally different patterns of adjustment to their physical circumstances.
Indonesia is an archipelagic country extending 5,120 kilometers from east to west and 1,760 kilometers from north to south. It encompasses an estimated 17,508 islands, only 6,000 of which are inhabited. It comprises five main islands: Sumatra, Java, Borneo (known as "Kalimantan" in Indonesia), Sulawesi, and New Guinea; two major archipelagos (Nusa Tenggara and the Maluku Islands); and sixty smaller archipelagos. Four of the islands are shared with other nations: Borneo is shared with Malaysia and Brunei, Sebatik, located eastern coast of Kalimantan, shared with Malaysia, Timor is shared with East Timor, and the newly divided provinces of Papua and West Papua share the island of New Guinea with Papua New Guinea. Indonesia's total land area is 1,919,317 square kilometers. Included in Indonesia's total territory is another 93,000 square kilometers of inland seas (straits, bays, and other bodies of water). The additional surrounding sea areas bring Indonesia's generally recognized territory (land and sea) to about 5 million square kilometers. The government, however, also claims an exclusive economic zone, which brings the total to about 7.9 million square kilometers.
Geographers have conventionally grouped Sumatra, Java (and Madura), Kalimantan (in Borneo island), and Sulawesi in the Greater Sunda Islands. These islands, except for Sulawesi, lie on the Sunda Shelf—an extension of the Malay Peninsula and the Southeast Asian mainland. At Indonesia's eastern extremity is Papua, which takes up the western half of the world's second largest island--New Guinea--on the Sahul Shelf. Sea depths in the Sunda and Sahul shelves average 200 meters or less. Between these two shelves lie Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara (also known as the Lesser Sunda Islands), and the Maluku Islands (or the Moluccas), which form a second island group where the surrounding seas in some places reach 4,500 meters in depth. The term Outer Islands is used inconsistently by various writers but it is usually taken to mean those islands other than Java and Madura.
Tectonically, this region--especially Java--is highly unstable, and although the volcanic ash has resulted in fertile soils, it makes agricultural conditions unpredictable in some areas. The country has numerous mountains and some 400 volcanoes, of which approximately 150 are active. Between 1972 and 1991 alone, twenty-nine volcanic eruptions were recorded, mostly on Java. The most violent volcanic eruptions in modern times occurred in Indonesia. In 1815 a volcano at Gunung Tambora on the north coast of Sumbawa, Nusa Tenggara Barat Province, claimed 92,000 lives and created "the year without a summer" in various parts of the world. In 1883 Krakatau in the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra, erupted and some 36,000 West Javans died from the resulting tidal wave. The sound of the explosion was reported as far away as Turkey and Japan. For almost a century following that eruption, Krakatau was quiet, until the late 1970s, when it erupted twice.
Mountains ranging between 3,000 and 3,800 meters above sea level can be found on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi, and Seram. The country's tallest mountains are located in the Jayawijaya Mountains and the Sudirman Mountains in Papua. The highest peak, Puncak Jaya, also known as Mount Carstenz, which reaches 4,884 meters, is located in the Sudirman Mountains.
Nusa Tenggara consists of two strings of islands stretching eastward from Bali toward Papua. The inner arc of Nusa Tenggara is a continuation of the chain of mountains and volcanoes extending from Sumatra through Java, Bali, and Flores, and trailing off in the volcanic Banda Islands, which along with the Kai Islands and the Tanimbar Islands and other small islands in the Banda Sea are typical examples of the Wallacea mixture of Asian and Australasian plant and animal life. The outer arc of Nusa Tenggara is a geological extension of the chain of islands west of Sumatra that includes Nias, Mentawai, and Enggano. This chain resurfaces in Nusa Tenggara in the ruggedly mountainous islands of Sumba and Timor.
The Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) are geologically among the most complex of the Indonesian islands. They are located in the northeast sector of the archipelago, bounded by the Philippines to the north, Papua to the east, and Nusa Tenggara to the south. The largest of these islands include Halmahera, Seram and Buru, all of which rise steeply out of very deep seas and have unique Wallacea vegetation. This abrupt relief pattern from sea to high mountains means that there are very few level coastal plains. The islands of North Maluku are the original Spice Islands, a distinct rainforest ecoregion.
Geomorphologists believe that the island of New Guinea, of which Papua is a part, may once have been part of the Australian continent. The breakup and tectonic action created towering, snowcapped mountain peaks lining the island's central east-west spine and hot, humid alluvial plains along the coasts. The New Guinea Highlands range some 650 kilometers east to west along the island, forming a mountainous spine between the north and south coasts. A number of islands off the coast of New Guinea have their own distinctive habitats, including the limestone islands of Biak, in the entrance to the large Cenderawasih Bay at the northwest end of the island.
Other info
Oficial Name:
Republik Indonesia
Independence:
Declared 17 August 1945
- Recognized 27 December 1949
Area:
1.890.754km2
Inhabitants:
208.170.900
Capital
Jakarta
Language:
Badui Bali Bali Sign Language Betawi Chinese Indonesian Javanese Kangean Madura Malay Osing Petjo Sunda Tengger Ahe Ampanang Aoheng Bahau Bakumpai Banjar Basap Bekati' Benyadu' Biatah Bolongan Bukar Sadong Bukat Bukitan Burusu Dayak Djongkang Dohoi Dusun Embaloh Hovongan Iban Kahayan Katingan Kayan Mahakam Kayan Kelabit Kembayan Kendayan Keninjal Kenyah Kereho-Uheng Kohin Lara' Lawangan Lengilu Lundayeh Ma'anyan Malay Malayic Dayak Modang Mualang Ngaju Nyadu Okolod Paku Punan Putoh Ribun Sa'ban Sajau Sanggau Sara Seberuang Segai Selako Selungai Murut Semandang Sembakung Murut Siang Tagal Murut Taman
Motto: Bhinneka Tunggal Ika
National Anthem
Indonesia Raya
Indonesia tanah airku,
Tanah tumpah darahku,
Di sanalah aku berdiri,
Jadi pandu ibuku.
Indonesia kebangsaanku,
Bangsa dan tanah airku,
Marilah kita berseru,
Indonesia bersatu.
Hiduplah tanahku,
Hiduplah neg'riku,
Bangsaku, Rakyatku, semuanya,
Bangunlah jiwanya,
Bangunlah badannya,
Untuk Indonesia Raya.
Refrain :
Indonesia Raya,
Merdeka, merdeka,
Tanahku, neg'riku yang kucinta!
Indonesia Raya,
Merdeka, merdeka,
Hiduplah Indonesia Raya.
II
Indonesia, tanah yang mulia,
Tanah kita yang kaya,
Di sanalah aku berdiri,
Untuk s'lama-lamanya.
Indonesia, tanah pusaka,
P'saka kita semuanya,
Marilah kita mendoa,
Indonesia bahagia.
Suburlah tanahnya,
Suburlah jiwanya,
Bangsanya, Rakyatnya, semuanya,
Sadarlah hatinya,
Sadarlah budinya,
Untuk Indonesia Raya.
Refrain
III
Indonesia, tanah yang suci,
Tanah kita yang sakti,
Di sanalah aku berdiri,
N'jaga ibu sejati.
Indonesia, tanah berseri,
Tanah yang aku sayangi,
Marilah kita berjanji,
Indonesia abadi.
S'lamatlah rakyatnya,
S'lamatlah putranya,
Pulaunya, lautnya, semuanya,
Majulah Neg'rinya,
Majulah pandunya,
Untuk Indonesia Raya.
Refrain
NEarst translantion to English
Indonesia, my native land
The land where I shed my blood
There, I stand
To be the guard of my motherland
Indonesia, my nationality
My nation and my homeland
Let us exclaim
"Indonesia unites!"
Long live my land, long live my state
My nation, my people, entirely
Build its soul, build its body
For the Great Indonesia
REFRAIN :
Great Indonesia, independent & sovereign!
My land, my country which I love
Great Indonesia, independent & sovereign!
Long live Great Indonesia!
Great Indonesia, independent & sovereign!
My land, my country which I love
Great Indonesia, independent & sovereign!
Long live Great Indonesia!
Indonesia, a noble country
Our wealthy land
There, I stand
Forever and ever
Indonesia, a hereditary land
A heritage of ours
Let us pray
"For Indonesians' happiness!"
Fertile may its soil, flourish may its soul
Its nation, its people, entirely
Aware may its heart, aware may its mind
For the Great Indonesia
REFRAIN
Indonesia, a sacred land
Our victorious country
There, I stand
To guard the pure motherland
Indonesia, a radiant land
A land which I adore
Let us pledge
"Indonesia is eternal!"
Safe may its people, safe may its children
Its islands, its seas, entirely
Progressive may the state, its scouts advance
For the Great Indonesia
REFRAIN
Indonesia in other names
eng | arg | ast | cym | eus | fao | fin | glg | grn | ina | ind | ita | lat | lld | nah | nor | nov | oci | roh | sme | spa | swa: Indonesia
bre | ron | rup | sqi: Indonezia
afr | lim | nld: Indonesië
ces | fra | nrm: Indonésie
crh | gag | kaa: İndoneziya / Индонезия
deu | ltz | nds: Indonesien / Indoneſien
hrv | lit | slv: Indonezija
hun | slk | tet: Indonézia
jav | por | srd: Indonésia
dan | swe: Indonesien
dsb | hsb: Indoneska
kin | run: Indoneziya
aze: İndoneziya / Индонезија
bam: Ɛndonezi
bos: Indonezija / Индонезија
cat: Indonèsia
cor: Indonesi
cos: Indunesia
csb: Jindonezjô
epo: Indonezio
est: Indoneesia
frp: Endonèsie
fry: Yndoneezje
fur: Indonesie
gla: An Innd-Innse; An Ind-innse; Indonìsia
gle: An Indinéis / An Indinéis
glv: Yn Indoneesh
hat: Endonezi
hau: Indonisiya; Indonesia
ibo: Indọnisia
isl: Indónesía
jnf: Îndonésie
kmr: Îndonêzî / Индонези / ئیندۆنێزی
kur: Endenozya / ئەندەنۆزیا ; Endenosya / ئەندەنۆسیا ; Indonêzya / ئندۆنێزیا ; Endonezya / ئەندۆنەزیا
lav: Indonēzija
lin: Indoneziá
mlg: Indônezia
mlt: Indoneżja; Indonesja
mol: Indonezia / Индонезия
mri: Initonīhia
msa: Indonesia / ايندونيسيا
pol: Indonezja
que: Indunisya
rmy: Indoneziya / इन्दोनेज़िया
scn: Indunesia
slo: Indonezia / Индонезиа
smg: Indonezėjė
smo: Initonesia
som: Indoneesiya; Indoniishiya
szl: Indůnezyjo
tgl: Indonesya
ton: ʻInitonisia
tuk: Indoneziýa / Индонезия
tur: Endonezya; İndonezya
uzb: Indoneziya / Индонезия / ئىندانېزىيە
vie: Nam Dương; In-đô-nê-xi-a
vol: Lindäna-Seänuäns
vor: Indoneesiä
wln: Indonezeye
wol: Endoneesi
zza: İndonezya
abq | alt | bul | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | sah | tyv | udm: Индонезия (Indonezija)
che | chv | mon | oss: Индонези (Indonezi)
bak: Индонезия / İndoneziya
bel: Інданезія / Indaniezija; Інданэзія / Indanezija
kaz: Индонезия / Ïndonezïya / يندونەزيا
kbd: Индонезие (Indonezie)
kir: Индонезия (Indonezija) / ئندونەزىيا (İndoneziya)
mhr: Индонезий (Indonezij)
mkd: Индонезија (Indonezija)
srp: Индонезија / Indonezija
tat: Индонезия / İndoneziä
tgk: Индонезия / اندانیزیه / Indonezija
ukr: Індонезія (Indonezija)
ara: إندونيسيا (Indūnīsiyā); إندونسيا (Indūnisiyā)
ckb: ئەندەنوسیا / Endenusya; ئیندۆنستان / Îndonistan
fas: اندونزی / Andonezi
prs: اندونیزیا (Endōnēziyā)
pus: انډونېشيا (Inḋonešiyā); اندونېزيا (Indoneziyā)
snd: انڊونيشيا (Inḍonešiyā)
uig: ھىندونېزىيە / Hindonéziye / Һиндонезия
urd: انڈونیشیا (Inḋonešiyā)
div: އިންޑޮނީށިއާ (Inḋonīŝiā); އިންޑޮނޭޝިޔާ (Inḋonēšiyā)
heb: אינדונזיה (Îndônezyah)
lad: אינדוניסיה / Indonesia
yid: אינדאָנעזיע (Indonezye)
amh: ኢንዶኔዢያ (Indonežiya); ኢንዶኔዝያ (Indonezya)
ell-dhi: Ινδονησία (Indonīsía)
ell-kat: Ἰνδονησία (Indonīsía)
hye: Ինդոնեզիա (Indonezia)
kat | lzz | xmf: ინდონეზია (Indonezia)
hin: इंडोनेशिया (Iṃḍonešiyā); हिंदेशिया (Hiṃdešiya); हिंदैशिया (Hiṃdæšiya)
nep: इण्डोनीश्या (Iṇḍonīšyā); हिंदेशिया (Hiṃdešiya)
ben: ইন্দোনেশিয়া (Indonešiyā)
guj: ઇન્ડોનેશિયા (Inḍonešiyā)
ori: ଇଣ୍ଡୋନେସିଆ (Iṇḍonesiā)
pan: ਇੰਡੋਨੇਸ਼ੀਆ (Ĩḍonešīā)
sin: ඉන්දුනීසියාව (Indunīsiyāva)
kan: ಇಂಡೊನೇಷ್ಯ (Iṃḍonēṣya)
mal: ഇന്തോനേഷ്യ (Intōnēṣya); ഇന്ഡോനേഷ്യ (Inḍōnēṣya)
tam: இந்தோனேசியா (Intōṉēciyā); இந்தோனீசியா (Intōṉīciyā); இந்தோனேஷியா (Intōṉēšiyā)
tel: ఇండొనీషియా (Iṃḍonīṣiyā)
zho: 印度尼西亞/印度尼西亚 (Yīndùníxīyà)
yue: 印度尼西亞/印度尼西亚 (Yàndouhnàihsàinga)
jpn: インドネシア (Indoneshia)
kor: 인도네시아 (Indonesia)
bod: ཧིན་དུ་ཉི་ཞི་ཡ། (Hin.du.ñi.ži.ya); ཨིན་རྡུ་ནི་ཤིས་ཡ། (In.rdu.ni.šis.ya)
mya: အင္ဒုိနီးရ္ဟား (Ĩdonìšà)
tha: อินโดนีเซีย (Indōnīsiya)
lao: ອິນໂດເນເຊຍ (Indōnēsiya)
khm: ឥណ្ឌូនេស៊ី (Iṇdūnesī); ឥណ្ឌុណេស៊ី (Iṇdunesī)
officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace (Malay: Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: بروني دارالسلام), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea it is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, and in fact it is separated into two parts by Limbang, which is part of Sarawak.
Brunei regained its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984 and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. During the early 20th century, the Southeast Asian nation experienced an economic boom and underwent rapid development. Economic growth during the 1970s and 1990s, averaging 56% from 1999 to 2008, has transformed Brunei Darussalam into a newly industrialised country.
Brunei has one of the world's fastest growing gross domestic product at purchasing power parity. Brunei has the second highest Human Development Index among the South East Asia nations, after Singapore and is classified as a Developed Country. Islam is the official religion.
History
The Sultanate of Brunei ruled during the fourteenth to the sixteenth century CE. Its territory covered the northern part of Borneo and the southern Philippines. European influence gradually brought an end to this regional power. Later, there was a brief war with Spain, in which Brunei was victorious. The decline of the Bruneian Empire culminated in the nineteenth century when Brunei lost much of its territory to the White Rajahs of Sarawak, resulting in its current small landmass and separation into two parts. Brunei was a British protectorate from 1888 to 1984.
The history of Brunei before the arrival of Magellan's ships is based mostly on speculation and the interpretation of Chinese sources and local legends. Historians believe that there was a forerunner to the present day Brunei Sultanate. One possible predecessor state was called Vijayapura, which possibly existed in northwest Borneo in the 7th century (Not to be confused with the Indian state of the same name. It was probably a subject state of the powerful Srivijaya empire based in Sumatra. Another possible predecessor state was called Po-ni (pinyin: Boni)[1] By the 10th century Po-ni had contacts with first the Song dynasty and at some point even entered into a tributary relationship with China. By the 14th century Po-ni also fell under the influence of the Javanese Majapahit Empire. The book of Nagarakertagama, canto 14, written by Prapanca in 1365 mentioned Berune as a vassal state of Majahpahit. However this may have been nothing more than a symbolic relationship, as one account of the annual tribute owed each year to Majahpahit was a jar of areca juice obtained from the young green nuts of the areca palm. The Ming dynasty resumed communications with Po-ni in the 1370s and the Po-ni ruler Ma-na-jih-chia-na visited the Ming capital Nanjing in 1408 and died there. In 1424, the Hongxi Emperor ended China's maritime program, and with it its relationship with Po-ni.
Historical texts from the Song dynasty and archaeological evidence suggest that Po-ni was heavily influenced by Hindu civilization, as transmitted by Hindu culture in Java and Sumatra, and not directly from India. The system of writing used was a Hindu script. There was also a heavy Chinese influence, with Chinese coins dating from as early as the seventh century being found in present-day Brunei.
In Late Yuan Dynasty, China became chaotic, people who lived along the coastal area of Fujian, under the leadership of Ong Sum Ping's siblings, escaped to Easten Kalimantan—they landed the river mouth. When they were exhausted, they faced with the shipping crisis, someone lost their arms. After that, the Malay-Indonesian named it as the Sungai Kinabatangan-mean the place Chinese lost their arms.
Ong Sum Ping and his sister, and the Chinese people developed the area of Sungai Kinabatangan, and they increased their influences there. With the increase of his prosperity, Malay-Indonesian named him Raja, mean the king. Chinese named him as "Chung Ping"-mean the General. We can see that Ong Sum Ping controlled the Eastern Kalimantan apparently, especially the Chinese military power.
Located the northern part of the Kinabatangan area was Kesultanan Brunei, its southern area was controlled by the Indonesian, and they were declining. In the eastern part, they suffered from the invasion of Kesultanan Sulu. New King-Sultan Muhammad Shah came to the throne,he asked for the help of Ong Sum Ping, Sultan Muhammad Shah married his daughter to Ong Sum Ping, and titled him as Maharaja Lela. Muhammad Shah also admissed his brother to marry the sister of Ong Sum Ping, and titled her as Puteri Kinabatangan. Two main political power built a close allianial relationship. Under the cooperation of Ong Sum Ping and the Chinese armies, they fought against the invasion of Sulu, and Brunei prevented the fate of collapse.
Before 1370, Zhu Yuan Zhuang sent the representative to Brunei via Indonesia, and Brunei tributed to Ming Dynasty. This mean the strong influence of Ming Dynasty. It explained the enforcing reason of the combination of Ong Sum Ping's influence and Brunei. In these 30 years, two main powers combined quickly. Chinese expanded their influences from the Eastern Sungai Kinabatangan to Northern Borneo. They built Chinese towns, villages, in corresponding to the Kota Kinabalu nowadays.
In 1402, after the death of Sultan Muhammad Shah, his son-Abdul Majid Hasan came to the throne. Ong Sum Ping and Pengiran Temenggong came to the regent. Bruneian History seldom treated Hasan as the second Sultan. in 1406, after the death of Sultan Majid Hasan, there were two years of power vacuum. In this two years, Bruneian Royalties started the power struggle, and at last, Sultan Ahmad won the power struggle, Pengiran Temenggong failed. Ahmad became the second Sultan in Bruneian History. Ong Sum Ping consolidated his power again. He didn't forget China after the immigration of Brunei. He increased the Chinese Identity under the new Ming Dynasty. Thus he sent the representative with his armies to China. He landed on the coastal region of Fujian, King Yong Le was very happy. He asked for the official to organize the welcome party with Ong Sum Ping. In this trip, they saw the change of China.
With the advanced age of Ong Sum Ping, he didn't able to start long distance of tripm, he didn't affort to the happiness of coming back to his homeland,and he died in Nanjing. Before his death, he asked the admission to Emperor Yong Le:1. Brunei and Sungai Kinabatangan become Chinese territories, 2.named Gunung Kinabalu, 3, buried in China. Emperor Yong Le agreed and titled his son-Awang as the new king, named the mountain of Brunei as Chang Ning Mountainجبل السلام-mean Jabel Alsalam in Arabic Language.
1408, Awang came back to Brunei under the protection of eunuch and the officials. After the return of Awang, he succeed the influence of Ong Sum Ping in Brunei, and controlled the political power. Chinese still called them Chung Ping-General. In 1412, he tributed to Emperor Yong Le. The wife of Ong Sum Ping also buried in Brunei, thus the Malay-Indonesian also called it as Bukit Cina. The sister of Ong Sum Ping and Sultan Ahmad gave the birth of a daughter, this daughter married to Sultan Sharif Aliسلطان شريف علي(so he was Sayyidina-سيدنا), the man came from Arabian Peninsulaالشبة الجزيرة العربية, who was the descendent of Nabi Muhammad SAWالنبي محمد.
Until now, because of their influences, Bruneian still believed the attitude of "Ong Sum Ping was the ancestor of Brunei Royalties." Even though the Bruneian Royalties stressed more on the theories of Malay Islam Berajaملاي إسلام براج, but they didn't disagree with it, obviously they gave him positive criticism,and put his name in Silsilah Raja-Raja Brunei. In capital of Brunei—Bandar Seri Begawanبندر سري بغاوان, it had Jalan Ong Sum Pingسارع ونغ سوم بينغ, and Muzium Brunei also contained the artifacts of Ong Sum Ping. The cemetery of Ong Sum Ping's son also protected by the Bruneian government.
To prove the historical fact of Ong Sum Ping, Silsilah Raja-raja Sulu could be the best evidence. According to the record of Silsilah Raja-raja Sulu, At first Ong Sum Ping arrived at Brunei with many Chinese, he said that he was ordered to collect the jewellery in Sabah, and the mountain was named as Gunung Kinabalu. The legend said that some attactive animal might appear in the forest, and they ate some people. Ong Sum Ping brought the candle with his colleague, and got the jewellery at last. Ong Sum Ping got a daughter, who married with Sultan Ahmad, in year of 1375 (in corresponding to Ming Dynasty in China), the king heritaged 20 times until now, the daughter of Sultan Ahmad married with Sultan Sharif Ali, and came to the throne. He was the ancestor of Sultan Haji Hassanal nowadays.
According to this record, Ong Sum Ping didn't become Sultan, but his daughter married to Sultan, and became the father-in-law. Bruneian royalties adopted maternal succession system, his maternal granddaughter became the Queen of Sultan Sharif Ali, it was a fact. However, it is believed that the year might be in 1375, not in Yuan Dynasty, but in the 8th years of Emperor Hong Wu.
Conversion to Islam and "Golden Age"
The later history of Po-ni, or Borneo, remains somewhat obscure. By the middle of the 15th century Po-ni had entered into a close relationship with the Muslim kingdom of Malacca. This era also saw the origin of the ruling dynasty, which continues to this day. According to the Syair Awang Semaun (also spelled Simawn), Brunei's national epic poem, the present-day sultanate originated when Dewa Emas Kayangan descended to earth from heaven in an egg. He had children with a number of aboriginal maidens, and one of these children converted to Islam and became the first sultan. However, the state continued to be multicultural. The second sultan was either Chinese or married a Chinese woman. The third sultan was said to be part Arab, who are seen in South and Southeast Asia as the descendents of Muhammad.
The sultanate oversaw a gradual expansion of the state's influence and borders. This was accelerated with the conquest of Malacca by Portugal in 1511. Brunei benefited from the scattering of Muslim merchants and traders who were forced to use other ports. These merchants probably also helped to speed the conversion of the general population to Islam.
The sultanate was a thalassocracy, a realm based on controlling trade rather than land. Situated in a strategic location between China and the trading networks of southeast Asia, the state served as an entrepot and collected tolls on water traffic. The society was hierarchical, with the sultan serving as despot. His powers were limited, however, by a council of princes of royal blood. One of the council's duties was to arrange for royal succession.
The reign of the fifth sultan, Bolkiah (1485–1521), is often described as Brunei's "golden age". The sultanate's control extended probably over the coastal regions of modern-day Sarawak and Sabah, the Sulu archipelago, and the islands off the northwest tip of Borneo. The sultanate's influence also spread north into the Philippines, where colonies were planted in Manila Bay. The sultan also visited Java and Malacca. At the end of Bolkiah's reign, in 1521, the first Europeans visited Brunei when Ferdinand Magellan's expedition arrived at the port. Antonio Pigafetta, a navigator on the trip, described an amazing city. The Europeans rode to visit the sultan on top of "elephants, caparisoned in silk-cloth". The inhabitants of the palace "had their loins covered with gold-embroidered cloth and silk, wore poniards with golden hilts, ornamented with pearls and precious stones, and had many rings on their fingers". The visitors were served meals on porcelain dishes.
Pigafetta described a city of 25,000 families living in wooden houses built on stilts to raise them above the water. At high tide, women would ride in boats selling merchandise. The sultan's palace was surrounded by brick ramparts and protected by numerous brass and iron cannons.
This prosperous era continued through the reign of the ninth sultan, Hassan, who is credited with developing an elaborate Royal Court structure, elements of which remain today.
Relations with Europeans
Brunei's relations varied with the different European powers in the region. The Portuguese, for the most part, were more interested in economic and trading relations with the regional powers and did little to interfere with Brunei's development. This does not mean that relations were always cordial, such as in 1536 when the Portuguese attacked the Muslims in the Moluccas and the ambassador to the Brunei court had to leave because of the sultan's hostility. The Portuguese also noted that the sultanate was heavily involved in the region's politics and wars, and that Brunei merchants could be found in Ligor and Siam.
Relations with Spain were far more hostile. From 1565 on, Spanish and Brunei forces engaged in a number of naval skirmishes, and in 1571 the Spanish succeeded in capturing Manila from the Brunei aristocracy that had been established there. Brunei raised several large fleets with the intention of recapturing the city, but the campaigns, for various reasons, never launched.[2] In 1578, the Spanish took Sulu and late in the year attacked and captured Brunei itself, after demanding that the sultan cease sending missionaries to the Philippines and, in turn, allow Christian missionaries to visit his kingdom. The invaders were forced to withdraw. The short-term damage to the sultanate was minimal, as Sulu was recaptured soon after.
The long-term effects of regional changes could not be avoided. After Sultan Hassan, Brunei entered a period of decline, due to internal battles over royal succession as well as the rising influences of European colonial powers in the region, that, among other things, disrupted traditional trading patterns, destroying the economic base of Brunei and many other Southeast Asian sultanates.
During Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II’s reign, disturbances occurred in Sarawak. In 1839, the British adventurer James Brooke arrived in Borneo and helped the Sultan put down this rebellion.
As a reward, he became governor and later "White Rajah" of Sarawak and gradually expanded the territory under his control. Brooke never gained control of Brunei, though he did attempt to. He asked the British to check whether or not it would be acceptable for him to claim Brunei as his own; however, they came back with bad news—although Brunei was poorly governed, it had a definite sense of national identity and could therefore not be absorbed by Brooke.
In 1843 an open conflict between Brooke and the Sultan ended in the latter's defeat. The Sultan recognized Sarawak's independence. In 1846, Brunei Town was attacked and captured by the British and Sultan Saifuddin II was forced to sign a treaty to end the British occupation of Brunei Town. In the same year, Sultan Saifuddin II ceded Labuan to the British under the Treaty of Labuan. In 1847, he signed the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce with the British and in 1850, he signed a similar treaty with the United States. Over the years, the Sultans of Brunei ceded further stretches of territory to Sarawak; in 1877, stretches to the east of the capital were leased (later ceded) to the British North Borneo Chartered Company (North Borneo).
British protectorate
In 1888 Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin signed a treaty with the United Kingdom which placed the Sultanate under British protection; Britain took charge of foreign representation of the Sultanate. The Sultan had requested a British resident to be sent to Brunei as early as 1885, but his request was answered only in 1906 (treaty of 1905/1906). The task of the resident was to advise the Sultan politically. A customs office and a land office were introduced. The Brunei police force was established. In 1911, Malay schools began operating.
In 1929 oil was discovered at Seria. Brunei was occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945 during World War II. Britain was unable to defend Brunei in spite of an agreement to do so[3].
In 1959, a new constitution was written declaring Brunei a self-governing state, while its foreign affairs, security, and defence remained the responsibility of the United Kingdom, now represented by a High Commissioner. An attempt in 1962 to introduce a partially elected legislative body with limited powers was abandoned after the opposition political party, Parti Rakyat Brunei, launched an armed uprising, which the government put down with the help of British forces. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the government also resisted pressures to join neighbouring Sabah and Sarawak in the newly formed Malaysia. The Sultan eventually decided that Brunei would remain a separate state.
In 1967, Omar Ali Saifuddin abdicated in favour of his eldest son, Hassanal Bolkiah, who became the 29th ruler. The former Sultan remained as Defence Minister and assumed the royal title Seri Begawan. In 1970, the national capital, Brunei Town, was renamed Bandar Seri Begawan in his honour. The Seri Begawan died in 1986.
On January 4, 1979, Brunei and the United Kingdom signed a new treaty of friendship and cooperation. On January 1, 1984, Brunei Darussalam became a fully independent state.
Geography
Brunei shares a 481.3 km border with Malaysia and has a 161 km coastline.
The climate in Brunei is warm, mild, and humid tropical and humid subtropical at higher altitudes with heavy rainfall. Bandar Seri Begawan's climate is humid tropical with four seasons. Summer is extremely hot (24 °C / 75.2 °F to 41 °C / 105.8 °F). Spring is cool, warm and rainy (16 °C / 60.8 °F to 26 °C / 78.8 °F). Winter is dry, rainy and cool (12 to 24 degrees Celsius). Autumn is very dry and warm (15 °C / 59.0 °F to 31 °C / 87.8 °F). Most of the country is a flat coastal plain with mountains in the east and hilly lowland in the west. The lowest point is at sea level and the highest is Bukit Pagon (1,850 m).
Other info
Oficial Name:
Negara Brunei Darussalam
برني دارسلام
State of Brunei, Abode of Peace
Independence:
January 1, 1984
Area:
5.765km2
Inhabitants:
368.000
Language:
Belait [beg] 700 (1995 Martin). Scattered areas in Belait District, Kampung Kiudang, in Tutong District. Alternate names: Balait Jati, Lemeting, Meting. Dialects: Related to Kiput, Baram, Tinjar. Lexical similarity 54% with Tutong 2. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Northwest, North Sarawakan, Berawan-Lower Baram, Lower Baram, Central, A
Bisaya, Brunei [bsb] 600 (1984 Dunn). East of Tutong 1 and east to the coast, west of Seria, a few villages near the Sarawak border. Alternate names: Bisayah, Bisaya Bukit, Visayak, Bekiau, Lorang Bukit, Basaya, Besaya, Bisaia, Jilama Bawang, Jilama Sungai, Southern Bisaya. Dialects: Lexical similarity 78% to 79% with Sarawak Bisaya, 57% to 59% with Sabah Bisaya, and 50% with other Dusunic languages. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Northwest, Sabahan, Dusunic, Bisaya, Southern
Brunei [kxd] 250,000 in Brunei (1984 SIL). Population total all countries: 304,000. Brunei is in the capital, Brunei-Muara District, and the coastal strip. Kedayan is in West Brunei-Muara District and Tutong District. Also spoken in Malaysia (Sabah). Alternate names: Brunei-Kadaian, Orang Bukit. Dialects: Brunei Malay, Kedayan (Kadaian, Kadayan, Kadian, Kadien, Kadyan, Karayan, Kedyan, Kedien. Kerayan), Kampong Ayer. Brunei, Kadayan, and Kampong Ayer have 94% to 95% lexical similarity with each other, 80% to 82% lexical similarity with Standard Malay. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayic, Malayan, Local Malay
Chinese, Hakka [hak] 5,253 in Brunei (2000 WCD). 44,400 speakers of all Chinese languages (1989). Alternate names: Hakka. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Mandarin [cmn] 9,848 in Brunei (2000 WCD). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Min Dong [cdo] 6,566 in Brunei (2000 WCD). 11.88% of ethnic Chinese. Dialects: Foochow. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Min Nan [nan] 12,147 in Brunei (2000 WCD). Alternate names: Min Nan, Minnan. Dialects: Chaochow (Tiuchiu, Teochow), Hainan, Fujian (Hokkien). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Yue [yue] 5,909 in Brunei (2000 WCD). Alternate names: Yue, Yueh, Cantonese. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
English [eng] 8,000 in Brunei. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Iban [iba] 15,000 in Brunei (1995 Martin). Rural areas of Belait and Tutong districts, and Temburong District. Alternate names: Sea Dayak. Dialects: Batang Lupar, Bugau. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayic, Malayic-Dayak, Ibanic
Lundayeh [lnd] 300 in Brunei (1987 Langub). 7 villages in Temburong District. Alternate names: Lun Bawang, Lun Daye, Brunei Murut, Southern Murut, Murut. Dialects: Trusan. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Northwest, North Sarawakan, Dayic, Kelabitic
Malay [mly] Alternate names: Standard Malay. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayic, Malayan, Local Malay
Melanau [mel] 200 in Brunei (1995 Martin). Around Kuala Belait town. Alternate names: Milanau, Milano, Belana'u. Dialects: Mukah-Oya (Mukah, Muka, Oya, Oya', Oga). Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Northwest, Melanau-Kajang, Melanau
Penan, Eastern [pez] East of the Baram River, Apoh River District. Alternate names: "Punan". Dialects: Penan Apoh. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Punan-Nibong
Penan, Western [pne] 50 in Brunei (1988 Lian). West of the Baram River. Dialects: Nibong (Nibon, Penan Nibong), Bok Penan (Bok), Penan Silat, Penan Gang (Gang), Penan Lusong (Lusong), Sipeng (Speng), Penan Lanying, Jelalong Penan. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Punan-Nibong
Tutong 1 [ttx] 15,000 in Brunei (1995 Martin). Population total all countries: 25,000. Central and interior Belait and Tutong districts, east of Bisaya, south of Tutong 2. Also spoken in Malaysia (Sarawak). Alternate names: Dusun. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Northwest, Sabahan, Dusunic, Bisaya, Southern
Tutong 2 [ttg] 12,000 (1996 Martin, Ozog, and Poedjosoedarmo). Around Tutong town on the coast and central Tutong District. Alternate names: Tutung. Dialects: Lexical similarity 54% with Belait. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Northwest, North Sarawakan, Berawan-Lower Baram, Lower Baram, Central, B
Capital city:
Bandar Seri Begawan
Meaning of the country name:
In its full name "Negara Brunei Darussalam", "Darussalam" means "Abode of Peace" in Arabic, while "Negara" means "State" in Malay. "Negara" derives from the Sanskrit "Nagara", meaning "city."
Description Flag:
The national flag of Brunei was adopted on September 29, 1959 when the country was a British protectorate, and was retained when the country gained full independence on January 1, 1984, as Brunei Darussalam (State of Brunei, Abode of Peace). The flag has the Coat of Arms of Brunei in the centre, on a yellow field. The field is cut by black and white diagonal stripes, although they are officially called parallelograms.
Coat of arms:
The coat of arms is as follows: a crescent (symbolising Islam) joined with a parasol (symbolising monarchy), and two gloves on both sides. Below the crescent is a ribbon. On the crescent and ribbon are Arabic inscriptions translating as "State of Brunei, Abode of peace" and Brunei's motto, "Always in service with God's guidance"
Motto:
"Always in service with God's guidance"
National Anthem: Allah Peliharakan Sultan, Jawi:
الله فليهاراكن سلطن
Jawa Script
يا الله لنجوتكنله اوسيا
كباوه دولي يڠ مها مليا
عاديل بردولت منأوڠي نوسا
مميمڤين رعية ککل بهاڬيا
هيدوڤ سنتوسا نڬارا دان سلطان
الهي سلامتكن بروني دارالسلام
Transliteration
Jawa script
Ya Allah lanjutkanlah Usia
Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia
Adil berdaulat menaungi nusa
Memimpin rakyat kekal bahagia
Hidup sentosa Negara dan Sultan
Ilahi selamatkan Brunei Darussalam
English translation
God Bless His Majesty
With A Long Life
(May he) Rule the Realm Justly and in Majesty
And Lead Our People (into) Eternal Happiness
(May) The Kingdom and Sultan Live in Peace
Lord, Save Brunei, The Abode of Peace
Internet Page: www.tourismbrunei.com
Brunei in diferent languages
eng | arg | bre | cat | csb | cym | dan | dsb | est | eus | fao | fin | fur | glg | glv | hsb | hun | ina | ita | jav | jnf | lin | lld | mlg | nld | nor | oci | pol | por | roh | ron | rup | sme | sqi | swa | swe | tet | tur | vor: Brunei
ces | hrv | mlt | slk | slv: Brunej
crh | gag | kaa | uzb: Bruney / Бруней
cor | wln | zza: Bruney
deu | ltz | nds: Brunei / Brunei
frp | kin | run: Bruneyi
ast | spa: Brunéi
ibo | scn: Brunai
ind | msa: Brunei / بروني
afr: Broenei
aze: Bruney / Брунеј
bam: Birineyi
bos: Brunej / Брунеј
epo: Brunejo
fra: Brunei; Brunéi
fry: Brûnei
gla: Brùnaidh; Brùnaigh; Brunai
gle: Brúiné / Brúiné
hat: Brouney
isl: Brúnei
kmr: Brûnêy / Бруней / بروونێی
kur: Brûney / بروونەی
lat: Bruneium
lav: Bruneja
lim: Broenai
lit: Brunėjus
mol: Brunei / Бруней
nrm: Bruneî
que: Bruniy
rmy: Brunei / ब्रुनेइ
slo: Bruneia / Брунеиа
smg: Bruniejus
smo: Purunei
srd: Brunèi
szl: Brůnei
tgl: Brunay
tuk: Bruneý / Бруней
vie: Bru-nây
vol: Bruneyän
wol: Brunaay
abq | alt | bul | che | chm | chv | kbd | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | mon | oss | rus | tyv | udm | ukr: Бруней (Brunej)
bak | tat: Бруней / Bruney
bel: Бруней / Bruniej; Брунэй / Brunej
kaz: Бруней / Brwney / برۋنەي
mkd: Брунеј (Brunej)
srp: Брунеј / Brunej
tgk: Бруней / برونی / Brunej
ara: بروني (Burūnay); بروناي (Burūnāy); البروناي (al-Burūnāy); بروني دار السلام (Burūnāy Dāru s-Salām)
fas: برونئی (Borūneʾī)
prs: برونای (Brūnāy)
pus: بروناي (Brūnāy)
uig: برۇنېي / Brunéy / Бруней
urd: برونائی (Brūnāʾī); برونائ (Brūnāʾi)
div: ބުރޫނާއީ (Burūnā'ī); ބުރުނައީ (Buruna'ī)
heb: ברוני / ברוניי (Brûney)
lad: ברוניי / Brunei
yid: ברונײַ (Brunay)
amh: ብሩነይ (Brun￩
ell-dhi: Μπρουνέι (Mproynéi)
ell-kat: Μπρουνέϊ (Mproynéï)
hye: Բրունեյ (Brouney); Բրունեի (Brounei)
kat: ბრუნეი (Brunei)
hin: ब्रुनेई (Bruneī); ब्रूनइ (Brūnai)
nep: ब्रुनाई (Brunāī)
ben: ব্রুনাই (Brunāi); ব্রুনেই (Brunei)
pan: ਬਰੂਨਈ (Brūnaī)
kan: ಬ್ರುನೈ (Brunai)
mal: ബ്രൂണൈ (Brūṇai); ബ്രൂണയ് (Brūṇay)
tam: புரூனேய் (Purūṉēy); புரூனி (Purūṉi)
tel: బ్రూనై (Brūnai); బ్రునెయ్ (Bruney)
zho: 汶萊/文莱 (Wénlái)
jpn: ブルネイ (Burunei)
kor: 브루나이 (Beurunai)
mya: ဘရူနုိင္း (Bʰáẏunaĩ̀)
tha: บรูไน (Brūnai)
lao: ປະລູໄນ (Palūnai)
khm: ប្រ៊ុយណេ (Bruyṇe); ប្រ៊ូណេ (Brūṇe)
Is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the north. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno (Hrodna), Gomel (Homiel), Mogilev (Mahilyow) and Vitebsk (Viciebsk). Forty percent of the country is forested,[4] and its strongest economic sectors are agriculture and manufacturing.
Until the 20th century, the Belarusians lacked the opportunity to create a distinctive national identity because for centuries the lands of modern-day Belarus belonged to several ethnically different countries, including the Principality of Polotsk, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. After the short-lived Belarusian People’s Republic (1918–19), Belarus became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Byelorussian SSR.
The final unification of Belarusian lands within its modern borders took place in 1939, when the ethnically Belarusian-Russian lands held by the Second Polish Republic (interwar Poland) were annexed into the Soviet Union under the terms of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact,[5] and attached to Soviet Belarus. The territory and its nation were devastated in World War II, during which Belarus lost about a third of its population and more than half of its economic resources;[6] the republic was redeveloped in the post-war years.
The parliament of the republic declared the sovereignty of Belarus on 27 July 1990, and following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Belarus declared independence on 25 August 1991. Alexander Lukashenko has been the country's president since 1994. During his presidency, Lukashenko has implemented Soviet-era policies, such as state ownership of the economy, despite objections from Western governments. Since 2000, Belarus and Russia signed a treaty for greater cooperation, with some hints of forming a Union State.
Most of Belarus's population of 9.85 million reside in the urban areas surrounding Minsk and other oblast (regional) capitals.[7] More than 80% of the population are native Belarusians, with sizable minorities of Russians, Poles and Ukrainians. Since a referendum in 1995, the country has had two official languages: Belarusian and Russian. The Constitution of Belarus does not declare an official religion, although the primary religion in the country is Russian Orthodox Christianity. The second most popular, Roman Catholicism, has a much smaller following by comparison, but both Orthodox and Catholic Christmas and Easter are officially respected as national holidays.
Etymology
The name Belarus derives from the term White Rus, which first appeared in German and Latin medieval literature. The Latin term for the area was Alba Ruthenia. Historically, the country was referred to in English as White Ruthenia. It is also claimed that White Ruthenia describes the area of Eastern Europe populated by Slavic people or the states that occupied the area.[8] The first known use of White Russia to refer to Belarus was in the late-16th century by Englishman Sir Jerome Horsey.[9] During the 17th century, Russian tsars used White Rus', asserting that they were trying to recapture their heritage from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.[9]
Belarus was named Byelorussia (Russian: Белоруссия) in the days of Russian Empire, and the Russian tsar was usually styled Tsar of All the Russias—Great, Little, and White. Byelorussia was the only Russian language name of the country (its names in other languages such as English being based on the Russian form) until 1991, when the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic decreed by law that the new independent republic should be called Belarus (Беларусь) in Russian and in all other language transcriptions of its name. The change was made to reflect adequately the Belarusian language form of the name.[10]
Accordingly, the name Byelorussia was replaced by Belarus in English,[11] and, to some extent, in Russian (although the traditional name still persists in that language as well); likewise, the adjective Belorussian or Byelorussian was replaced by Belarusian in English (though Russian has not developed a new adjective). Belarusian intelligentsia in the Stalin era attempted to change the name from Byelorussia to a form of Krivia because of the supposed connection with Russia.[12] Some nationalists also object to the name for the same reason.[13][14] However, several popular newspapers published locally still retain the old name of the country in Russian in their names, for example Komsomolskaya Pravda v Byelorussii, which is the localized publication of a popular Russian tabloid. Also, those who wish for Belarus to be reunited with Russia continue to use Byelorussia.[14] Officially, the full name of the country is Republic of Belarus (Рэспубліка Беларусь, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Byelarus')
History
The region that is now modern-day Belarus was first settled by Slavic tribes in the 6th century. They gradually came into contact with the Varangians, a band of warriors consisting of Scandinavians and Slavs from the Baltics.[16] Though defeated and briefly exiled by the local population, the Varangians were later asked to return[16] and helped to form a polity—commonly referred to as the Kievan Rus'—in exchange for tribute. The Kievan Rus' state began in about 862 around the city of Kiev or alternatively around the present-day city of Novgorod,
Upon the death of Kievan Rus' ruler, Prince Yaroslav the Wise, the state split into independent principalities. These Ruthenian principalities were badly affected by a Mongol invasion in the 13th century, and many were later incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Of the principalities held by the Duchy, nine were settled by ancestors of the Belarusian people. During this time, the Duchy was involved in several military campaigns, including fighting on the side of Poland against the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410; the joint victory allowed the Duchy to control the northwestern border lands of Eastern Europe.
On 2 February 1386, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland were joined in a personal union through a marriage of their rulers. This union set in motion the developments that eventually resulted in the formation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, created in 1569. The Russians, led by Tsar Ivan the III, began military conquests in 1486 in an attempt to acquire the Kievan Rus' lands, specifically the territories of modern day Belarus and Ukraine. Despite Russian attempts at conquest, the territories of modern day Belarus remained an integral part of the Polish-Lithuanina Commonwealth for over 400 years, with the local traditions and languages being supported by the Polish Crown. The union between Poland and Lithuania ended in 1795 with the partitioning of Poland by Imperial Russia, Prussia, and Austria.During this time the territories of modern day Belarus were acquired by the Russian Empire, under the reign of Catherine II and held until their occupation by German Empire during World War I.
During the negotiations of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, Belarus first declared independence on 25 March 1918, forming the Belarusian People’s Republic. The Germans supported the BPR, which lasted for about ten months. Soon after the Germans were defeated, the BPR fell under the influence of the Bolsheviks and the Red Army and became the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1919. After Russian occupation of eastern and northern Lithuania, it was merged into the Lithuanian–Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. Following the Polish–Soviet War the lands of modern day Belarus were split between Poland and the Soviet Union, and the recreated Byelorussian SSR became a founding member of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in 1922.
A set of agricultural reforms, culminating in the Belarusian phase of Soviet collectivization, began in the 1920s. A process of rapid industrialization was undertaken during the 1930s, following the model of Soviet five-year plans.
In 1939, West Belarus, the territory of modern day Belarus that Poland had acquired from the Soviets pursuant to Treaty of Riga two decades earlier, was annexed by the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. The area was a part of the territories of Poland annexed by the Soviet Union as a result of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939. The decision was made by the Soviet controlled Belarusian People Council on October 28, 1939 in Białystok
Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941 – the Brest Fortress in western Belarus receiving one of the fiercest of the war's opening blows, with its notable defense in 1941 coming to be remembered as an act of heroism in countering the German aggression. Statistically, Byelorussia was the hardest hit Soviet Republic in the war and remained in Nazi hands until 1944. During that time, Germany destroyed 209 out of 290 cities in the republic, 85% of the republic's industry, and more than one million buildings. Casualties were estimated to between two and three million (about a quarter to one-third of the total population), while the Jewish population of Byelorussia was devastated during the Holocaust and never recovered. The population of Belarus did not regain its pre-war level until 1971. After the war ended, Byelorussia was officially among the 51 founding countries of the United Nations Charter in 1945. Intense post-war reconstruction was initiated promptly. During this time, the Byelorussian SSR became a major center of manufacturing in the western region of the USSR, increasing jobs and bringing an influx of ethnic Russians into the republic. The borders of Byelorussian SSR and Poland were redrawn to a point known as the Curzon Line.
Joseph Stalin implemented a policy of Sovietization to isolate the Byelorussian SSR from Western influences. This policy involved sending Russians from various parts of the Soviet Union and placing them in key positions in the Byelorussian SSR government. The official use of the Belarusian language and other cultural aspects were limited by Moscow. After Stalin died in 1953, successor Nikita Khrushchev continued this program, stating, "The sooner we all start speaking Russian, the faster we shall build communism." The Byelorussian SSR was significantly exposed to nuclear fallout from the explosion at the Chernobyl power plant in neighboring Ukrainian SSR in 1986. In June 1988 at the rural site of Kurapaty near Minsk, archaeologist Zianon Pazniak, the leader of Christian Conservative Party of the BPF, discovered mass graves which contained about 250,000 bodies of victims executed in 1937–1941. Some nationalists contend that this discovery is proof that the Soviet government was trying to erase the Belarusian people, causing Belarusian nationalists to seek independence.
Two years later, in March 1990, elections for seats in the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR took place. Though the pro-independence Belarusian Popular Front took only 10% of the seats, the populace was content with the selection of the delegates. Belarus declared itself sovereign on 27 July 1990, by issuing the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic. With the support of the Communist Party, the country's name was changed to the Republic of Belarus on 25 August 1991. Stanislav Shushkevich, the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus, met with Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Leonid Kravchuk of Ukraine on 8 December 1991, in Belavezhskaya Pushcha to formally declare the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. A national constitution was adopted in March 1994, in which the functions of prime minister were given to the president.
Two-round elections for the presidency (24 June 1994 and 10 July 1994) resulted in the politically unknown Alexander Lukashenko winning more than 45% of the vote in the first round and 80% in the second round, beating Vyacheslav Kebich who got 14%. Lukashenko was reelected in 2001 and in 2006.
Geography
Belarus is landlocked, relatively flat, and contains large tracts of marshy land. According to a 2005 estimate by the United Nations, 40% of Belarus is covered by forests. Many streams and 11,000 lakes are found in Belarus. Three major rivers run through the country: the Neman, the Pripyat, and the Dnepr. The Neman flows westward towards the Baltic sea and the Pripyat flows eastward to the Dnepr; the Dnepr flows southward towards the Black Sea. Belarus's highest point is Dzyarzhynskaya Hara (Dzyarzhynsk Hill) at 345 metres (1,132 ft), and its lowest point is on the Neman River at 90 metres (295 ft). The average elevation of Belarus is 525 feet (160 m) above sea level. The climate ranges from harsh winters, with average January temperatures at −6 °C (21.2 °F), to cool and moist summers with an average temperature of 18 °C (64.4 °F). Belarus has an average annual rainfall of 550 to 700 mm (21.7 to 27.6 in). The country experiences a yearly transition from a continental climate to a maritime climate.
Belarus's natural resources include peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomite (limestone), marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay. About 70% of the radiation from neighboring Ukraine's 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster entered Belarusian territory, and as of 2005 about a fifth of Belarusian land (principally farmland and forests in the southeastern provinces) continues to be affected by radiation fallout. The United Nations and other agencies have aimed to reduce the level of radiation in affected areas, especially through the use of caesium binders and rapeseed cultivation, which are meant to decrease soil levels of caesium-137.
Belarus is bordered by Latvia on the north, Lithuania to the northwest, Poland to the west, Russia to the north and east and Ukraine to the south. Treaties in 1995 and 1996 demarcated Belarus's borders with Latvia and Lithuania, but Belarus failed to ratify a 1997 treaty establishing the Belarus-Ukraine border. Belarus and Lithuania ratified final border demarcation documents in February 2007.
Other Info
Oficial name:
Рэспубліка Беларусь/ Respublika Biełaruś
Республика Беларусь/Respublika Belarus
Independence:
Declared July 27, 1990
- Established August 25, 1991
- Completed December 25, 1991
Area:
207.600 km2
Inhabitants:
10.500.000
Languages:
беларуская мова, "Biełaruskaja mova" and русский (Russien)
Belarusan [bel] 6,715,000 in Belarus (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk). Population total all countries: 9,081,102. Also spoken in Azerbaijan, Canada, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Russia (Europe), Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan. Alternate names: Belarusian, Belorussian, Bielorussian, White Russian, White Ruthenian, Byelorussian. Dialects: Northeast Belarusan (Polots, Viteb-Mogilev), Southwest Belarusan (Grodnen-Baranovich, Slutsko-Mozyr, Slutska-Mazyrski), Central Belarusan. Linguistically between Russian and Ukrainian, with transitional dialects to both. Classification: Indo-European, Slavic, East
Capital city:
Minsk
Meaning of the country name:
From Belarusian, meaning "White Rus'", "White Ruthenia". Formerly known as Byelorussia, a transliteration from the Russian name meaning "White Russia". (See Russia below.) The name changed after the collapse of the Soviet Union to emphasize the historic and ongoing separate distinctness of the nations of Belarus and Russia. (See Belarus: Name for more.) The exact original meaning conveyed by the term "Bela" or 'White' remains uncertain. Early cultures commonly employed the concept of "whiteness" as representing the qualities of freedom, purity, or nobility. On the other hand, it may simply have originated as a totem color of convenience. Note that part of the western territory of modern Belarus historically bore the name of "Chernarossija" or 'Black Rus'. The term "Black" most commonly applied to landscapes featuring especially rich and productive soils. How this may reflect on the origin of the term 'White Rus' remains as yet unexplored. Yet another region in present-day western Ukraine historically had the name "Red Russia" or "Red Ruthenia". Note also that colors represented cardinal directions in Mongol and Tatar culture.
Description Flag:
The flag does not differ significantly from the flag of the Byelorussian SSR, other than the removal of the hammer and sickle and the red star, and the reversal of red and white in the hoist pattern. The standards of how to make the national flag are laid out in a document, numbered РСТ Беларуси 911-91.
The red color of the flag signifies the past history of Belarus, as the color used by the Belarusian forces at the Battle of Grunwald, and of the Red Army when they were fighting Nazi Germany during World War II. Green stands for the bright future ahead of Belarus, and also represents the many forests located in the country. While the colors of the flag are red, green, and white, the exact shades have not been determined by either law or decree. The publication Album des pavillons nationaux et des marques distinctives gave an estimate of what the colors are in the Pantone color process
Coat of arms:
Design
In the center of the emblem sits a green outline of Belarus, superimposed over the rays of a golden sun. The sun is partially covered by a globe, with the landmass (part of Eurasia) in purple and waters in blue. Lining the left and right sides of the emblem are stalks of wheat, superimposed with flowers. Clovers adorn the left wheat stalks; flax flowers adorn the right. Wrapped around the wheat stalks is a red and green ribbon bearing the colors of the flag of Belarus; the ribbon meets at the base of the emblem, where the name Republic of Belarus (Рэспублiка Беларусь) is inscribed in gold in the Belarusian language. At the top of the emblem rests a five-pointed red star. The designer of the emblem is not known.
Symbolism
The elements that comprise the state emblem are not tied to any "official" symbolism. It has been suggested that the emblem signifies the "historical adherence of the Belarusian people to constructive labor, their faith in the triumph of justice, and attainment of a worthy place in the world community." The design of the emblem of the Byelorussian SSR was used as the basis for the current Belarusian emblem; the primary difference between the two is that the Byelorussian SSR emblem contains certain references to Communism, such as the Communist symbol of hammer and sickle, which the modern emblem does not.
National Anthem: Мы, беларусы , My Belarusy
Мы, беларусы - мірныя людзі,
Сэрцам адданыя роднай зямлі,
Шчыра сябруем, сілы гартуем
Мы ў працавітай, вольнай сям'і.
Прыпеў:
Слаўся, зямлі нашай светлае імя,
Слаўся, народаў братэрскі саюз!
Наша любімая маці-Радзіма,
Вечна жыві і квітней, Беларусь!
Разам з братамі мужна вякамі
Мы баранілі родны парог,
У бітвах за волю, бітвах за долю
Свой здабывалі сцяг перамог!
Прыпеў
Дружба народаў - сіла народаў -
Наш запаветны, сонечны шлях.
Горда ж узвіся ў ясныя высі,
Сцяг пераможны - радасці сцяг!
Прыпеў
Transliteration
My, Biełarusy – mirnyja ludzi,
Sercam addanyja rodnaj ziamli.
Ščyra siabrujem, siły hartujem
My ŭ pracavitaj, volnay siamji!
Chorus:
Słaŭsia ziamli našaj śvietłaje imia,
Słaŭsia, narodaŭ braterski sajuz!
Naša lubimaja maci-Radzima,
Večna žyvi i kvitniey, Biełaruś!
Razam z bratami mužna viakami
My baranili rodny paroh,
Ŭ bitvach za volu, bitvach za dolu
Svoj zdabyvali ściah pieramoh!
Chorus
Družba narodaŭ – siła narodaŭ –
Naš zapavietny, soniečny šlach.
Horda ž uzvijsia ŭ jasnyja vysi,
Ściah pieramožny – radaści ściah!
Chorus
English
We, Belarusians, are peaceful people,
Whole-heartedly devoted to our Motherland.
We are faithful friends, growing up and
Living in a hardworking and independent family.
Refrain
Glory to the blessed name of our land!
Glory to the brotherly union of peoples!
Long live and prosper,
Our beloved Motherland – Belarus!
Together with our brothers, for centuries we
Courageously defended our home’s threshold.
We won our banners of victory
In battles for freedom and our lot!
Refrain
Peoples’ friendship is peoples’ strength and
Our sacred sunlit way.
Fly proudly in the clear skies,
The banner of victory, the banner of sunshine!
Refrain
Internet Page:
Belarus in diferent languages
eng | cym | jav | swa: Belarus
ast | eus | glg: Bielorrusia
crh | gag: Belarus / Беларусь
dsb | hsb: Běłoruska
kaa | uzb: Belarus / Беларусь; Belorussiya / Белоруссия
kin | run: Belaruse
roh-enb | roh-gri: Bielorussia; Russia alba
roh-eno | roh-srs: Bielorussia; Russia alva
afr: Wit-Rusland; Belo-Rusland
arg: Belarrusia; Belorrusia; Bielorrusia
aze: Belarusiya / Беларусија; Belarus / Беларус
bam: Biyelɔrisi
bos: Bjelorusija / Бјелорусија
bre: Byelarus
cat: Bielorússia
ces: Bělorusko; Bílá Rus
cor: Belarussi
csb: Biôłorëskô
dan: Belarus; Hviderusland
deu: Weißrussland / Weißruſsland; Belarus / Belarus
epo: Belorusujo; Belorusio; Belarusio
est: Valgevene
fao: Hvítarussland
fin: Valko-Venäjä
fra: Belarus; Bélarus; Biélorussie
frp: Bièlorussie
fry: Wyt-Ruslân
fur: Bielorussie; Russie Blancje
gla: A’ Bhealaruis; Bealaruis; Bealoruisia
gle: An Bhealarúis / An Ḃealarúis
glv: Yn Velaroosh
hat: Byelorisi
hrv: Bjelorusija; Bjelarus
hun: Belarusz; Fehéroroszország
ina: Bielorussia; Belarus
ind: Belarus / بيلاروس; Belarusia / بيلاروسيا
isl: Hvíta-Rússland
ita: Bielorussia; Russia Bianca
jnf: Bêlarus
kal: Hvideruslandi
kmr: Bêlorûsî / Белор’уси / بێلۆڕووسی
kur: Rûsyaya Spî / رووسیایا سپی
lat: Russia Alba; Ruthenia Alba; Bielorussia
lav: Baltkrievija
lim: Wit-Rösland
lin: Bielorusia
lit: Gudija; Baltarusija
lld-bad: Bieloruscia; Ruscia Blanćia
lld-grd: Bieloruscia; Ruscia Blancia
ltz: Wäissrussland / Wäiſsruſsland; Belarus / Belarus
mlg: Belarosia
mlt: Bjelorussja; Belarus
mol: Belorusia / Белорусия; Belarus / Беларус
mri: Pērara
msa: Belarus / بيلاروس
nds: Wittrussland / Wittruſsland
nld: Wit-Rusland
nno: Kviterussland
nob: Hviterussland
nrm: Blaunche-Russie
oci: Bielorussia; Belarus
pol: Białoruś
por: Bielorrússia; Bielo-Rússia; Belarus
que: Bilarus
rmy: Belarus / बेलारुस
ron: Bielorusia; Belarus
rup: Arusia albã
scn: Bielorussia
slk: Bielorusko
slo: Belarusia / Беларусиа; Belaruszem / Беларусзем
slv: Belorusija
sme: Vilges-Ruošša
smg: Baltarosėjė
smo: Pelarusi
spa: Belarús; Bielorrusia; Rusia Blanca
sqi: Bjellorusia
srd: Bielorrùssia; Belarùs
swe: Vitryssland
szl: Bjouoruś
tet: Bielorúsia
tgl: Belorusya; Bielorusya
ton: Pelālusi
tuk: Belarus / Беларусь; Belorusiýa / Белорусия
tur: Beyaz Rusya; Belarus
vie: Bê-la-rút
vol: Vieta-Rusän
vor: Valgõvinne
wln: Belaruss
wol: Belaarus
zza: Rusya Sıpiye; Belarus
chu: Бѣла Рѹсь (Běla Rusĭ)
alt | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | tyv | udm: Беларусь (Belarus'); Белоруссия (Belorussija)
che | chv: Беларусь (Belarus'); Белорусси (Belorussi)
abq: Беларусь (Bełarus'); Белоруссия (Bełorussija)
bak: Беларусь / Belarus; Белоруссия / Belorussiya
bel: Беларусь / Biełaruś
bul: Беларус (Belarus)
chm: Беларусь (Belarus'); Белоруссий (Belorussij)
kaz: Беларусь / Belarws / بەلارۋس; Белоруссия / Belorwssïya / بەلورۋسسيا
kbd: Беларусь (Belarus'); Белоруссие (Belorussie)
mkd: Белорусија (Belorusija)
mon: Беларусь (Belarus'); Белорус (Belorus)
oss: Белорусси (Belorussi)
srp: Белорусија / Belorusija
tat: Беларусь / Belarus; Белоруссия / Belorussiä
tgk: Беларус / بلروس / Belarus; Белоруссия / بلاروسیه / Belorussija
ukr: Білорусь (Bilorus')
xal: Белорус (Belorus)
ara: بيلاروسيا (Bīlārūsiyā); روسيا البيضاء (Rūsiyā l-Bayḍāʾ); بيلوروسيا (Bīlūrūsiyā); بيلاروس (Bīlārūs); بييلوروسيا (Biyīlūrūsiyā); بلاروس (Bilārūs)
fas: روسیۀ سفید (Rūsīye-ye Sefīd); بیلاروس (Biyelārūs); بیلوروس (Biyelorūs); بلوروسی (Belorūsī); بلاروسی (Belārūsī); بلاروس (Belārūs)
prs: بیلاروس (Bēlārūs); بیلوروسیه (Bēlōrūsiyâ)
pus: بېلاروس (Belārūs); سپين روس (Spīn Rūs); بېلوروسيه (Belorūsiyâ)
uig: بېلورۇسسىيە / Bélorussiye / Белоруссия
urd: بیلاروس (Belārūs); بیلارس (Belārus)
div: ބެލަރުސް (Belarus); ބެލާރުސް (Belārus)
syr: ܪܘܣܝܐ ܚܘܪܐ (Rūsiyā Ḥwarā); ܒܠܪܘܣ (Belarūs)
heb: רוסיה הלבנה (Rûsyah ha-Ləṿanah); בלרוס (Belarûs); בלארוס (Belârûs); בילרוס / ביילרוס (Byelarûs); ביילארוס (Byelârûs); בילורוסיה / ביילורוסיה (Byelôrûsyah)
lad: בילארוס / Belarus
yid: װײַסרוסלאַנד (Vaysrusland); בעלאָרוסיע (Belorusye)
amh: ቤላሩስ (Belarus); ቤሎሩሲያ (Belorusiya); ቤሎራሻ (Beloraša)
ell-dhi: Λευκορωσία (Leykorōsía)
ell-kat: Λευκορωσσία (Leykorōssía); Λευκορωσία (Leykorōsía)
hye: Բելառուս (Belaṙous)
kat: ბელარუსი (Belarusi); ბელორუსია (Belorusia)
mar | san: बेलारूस (Belārūs)
hin: बेलारूस (Belārūs); बायलोरूस (Bāylorūs)
nep: बेलारुस (Belārus)
ben: বেলারুস (Belārus); বেলারুশ (Belāruš); বেলোরুশিয়া (Belorušiyā)
pan: ਬੇਲਾਰੂਸ (Belārūs)
kan: ಬೆಲಾರೂಸ್ (Belārūs)
mal: ബെലറൂസ് (Belaṟūs)
tam: பெலாரஸ் (Pelāras); பெலாருஸ் (Pelārus); பெலாரூஸ் (Pelārūs)
tel: బెలారస్ (Belāras)
zho: 白俄羅斯/白俄罗斯 (Bái'éluōsī)
jpn: ベラルーシ (Berarūshi)
kor: 벨라루스 (Bellaruseu)
mya: ဘီလာရုဇ္ (Bʰilaẏúz)
tha: เบลารุส (Bēlārut)
lao: ເບລາລຸດ (Bēlālut)
khm: បេឡារុស្ស (Beḷāruss); បែឡារូស (Bæḷārūs)
chr: ᏇᎳᎷᏒ / Quelalusv
10 (H10 POY, ex FJ06 URD)
2006 Toyota Coaster/Caetano Optimo V C18F
Poynter's Coaches, Northampton
M1 Junction 17, 11 June 2021
New to Clarkes of London
A piece in my Thesis series on "The Goddess."
30" x 44"
The first Goddesses I brought to life were the Scandinavian Norns: Urd, Verdandi, and
Skuld. They are three sisters who live at the foot of the World Tree. They are said to be
the most powerful of all deities: not even the Gods themselves could undo what they had done or do what they did not wish. Urd, the eldest, rules the past, Verdandi the present, and Skuld the future.
Every day the Norns drew water from Urd’s well and, mixing it with gravel, carefully sprinkled the World Tree. They never overwatered causing the tree to rot, neither did they allow the tree to parch, for on it not only human life, but the universe itself depended.
The three, faceless figures live in a world of flesh ochre, permanent orange, and
walnut brown, each hold a bucket of gravel and stand before the towering Tree of Life.
Skuld, the youngest, oversees the future and stands tall with her left hand outstretched
sprinkling gravel on the tree. Verdandi, the middle sister, oversees the present and stands in-between her two sisters. Urd, the eldest, oversees the past. Her old body can only stand in a hunched position and her crippled hand reaches out to delicately sprinkle their mixture.
The left side of the tree is covered with leaves, which represents growth and life, while
the branches on the right side are bare, which signifies death.
Under the tree and the feet of each sister, under the dirt of the earth, is the heart of the
Tree of Life. The veins of the heart and roots of the tree are one of the same. The heart
glows an intense vermillion hue, the same hue as the hearts in the center of each sister.
They keep the Tree alive, and the tree keeps them alive.
First Eastern Counties Volvo B7TL Wright Eclipse Gemini 37150 YN06 URD at Caister Road Depot Great Yarmouth
Officially the Republic of Korea, and often referred to as Korea, is a state in East Asia, located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by China to the west, Japan to the east, and North Korea to the north. Its capital is Seoul, the second largest metropolitan city in the world and a major global city.South Korea lies in a temperate climate region with a predominantly mountainous terrain. Its territory covers a total area of 100,032 square kilometers and has a population of over 50 million, making it the third most densely populated (significantly sized) country in the world.
Archaeological findings show that the Korean Peninsula was occupied by the Lower Paleolithic period. Korean history begins with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by the legendary Dan-gun. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea under Silla 668 AD, Korea went through the Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910, when Korea was annexed by Japan. After liberation and occupation by Soviet and U.S. forces at the end of World War II, the nation was divided into North and South Korea. The latter was established in 1948 as a democracy. A war between the two Koreas ended in an uneasy cease-fire. After the war and a period of military rule, the South Korean economy grew significantly and the country was transformed into a major economy and a full democracy.
South Korea is a semi-presidential republic consisting of 16 administrative divisions and is a developed country with a high standard of living. It has the fourth largest economy in Asia and the 15th largest in the world. The economy is export-driven, with production focusing on electronics, automobiles, ships, machinery, petrochemicals and robotics. South Korea is a member of the United Nations, WTO, OECD and G-20 major economies. It is also a founding member of APEC and the East Asia Summit.
History
The early years
Having occupied Najin and Ch’ŏngjin on 12 August, the Soviets moved into Wonsan and Hamhŭng on 24 August and P’yŏngyang during 24-26 August, sending troops directly into each of the provinces. Chistiakov, commander of the Soviet 25th Army arrived in Hamhŭng on 24 August and in accordance with his orders from the headquarters of the 1st Field Army of the Far Eastern Division he opened negotiations with the provincial governor and other Japanese leaders of the provincial government about taking over administration of the province. The content of their agreement was as follows:
If anyone, whether they are Japanese or Korean, leaves their post, they will immediately be sentenced to death by hanging. … For the time being, the Japanese police and military police will maintain order and administrative functions will continue to be carried out as before by the Japanese provincial governor and his subordinates. Those who cause disturbances of the peace will be severely punished. … Work should continue in factories, workshops, mines etc, and goods must not be removed from these workplaces.
This agreement was published in the Soviet Army’s decree of 25 August. This decree, which stressed the continuation of Japanese administrative and security control, was the Soviet command’s first official position revealing their policy toward the Korean peninsula. However, before a day had passed this decree was cancelled. Song Sŏnggwan, Ch’oe Kimo, Im Ch’ungsŏk and Sally Joe, and Kim Inhak, members of the South Hamgyŏng Province Communist Council as well as To Yongho and Ch’oe Myŏnghak, leaders of the South Hamgyŏng Province branch of the Committee for the Preparation of Korean Independence had visited Chistiakov, informing him that a ‘South Hamgyŏng Executive Committee’ had been formed and requesting that authority for administration be transferred to this committee. Chistiakov cancelled the decree and announced that, “this Executive Committee will manage all administrative and security affairs, under the command of the Soviet Army.”
The government moved rapidly to establish a political system that was partly styled on the Soviet system, with political power monopolised by the Worker's Party of Korea (WPK). The establishment of a command economy followed. Most of the country's productive assets had been owned by the Japanese or by Koreans who had been collaborators. The nationalization of these assets in 1946 placed 70% of industry under state control. By 1949 this percentage had risen to 90%. Since then, virtually all manufacturing, finance and internal and external trade has been conducted by the state.
In agriculture, the government moved more slowly towards a command economy. The "land to the tiller" reform of 1946 redistributed the bulk of agricultural land to the poor and landless peasant population, effectively breaking the power of the landed class. In 1954, however, a partial collectivization was carried out, with peasants being urged, and often forced, into agricultural co-operatives. By 1958, virtually all farming was being carried out collectively, and the co-operatives were increasingly merged into larger productive units.
Like all the postwar communist states, North Korea undertook massive state investment in heavy industry, state infrastructure and military strength, neglecting the production of consumer goods. By paying the collectivized peasants low state-controlled prices for their product, and using the surplus thus extracted to pay for industrial development, the state carried out a series of three-year plans, which brought industry's share of the economy from 47% in 1946 to 70% in 1959, despite the devastation of the Korean War. There were huge increases in electricity production, steel production and machine building. The large output of tractors and other agricultural machinery achieved a great increase in agricultural productivity.
Korean war
The consolidation of Syngman Rhee's government in the South with American military support and the suppression of the October 1948 insurrection ended hopes that the country could be reunified by way of Stalinist revolution in the South, and from early 1949 Kim sought Soviet and Chinese support for a military campaign to reunify the country by force. The withdrawal of most U.S. forces from South Korea in June 1949 left the southern government defended only by a weak and inexperienced South Korean army. The southern regime also had to deal with a citizenry of uncertain loyalty. The North Korean army, by contrast, had been the beneficiary of the Soviet Union's outdated Soviet WWII-era equipment, and had a core of hardened veterans who had fought as anti-Japanese guerrillas or with the Chinese Communists.
Initially, the Soviet Union's Joseph Stalin rejected Kim's requests for permission to invade the South, but in late 1949 the Communist victory in China and the development of Soviet nuclear weapons made him re-consider Kim's proposal. In January 1950, after China's Mao Zedong indicated that China would send troops and other support to Kim, Stalin approved an invasion.[2] The Soviets provided limited support in the form of advisors who helped the North Koreans as they planned the operation, and Soviet military instructors to train some of the Korean units. However, from the very beginning Stalin made it clear that the Soviet Union would avoid a direct confrontation with the U.S. over Korea and would not commit ground forces even in case of some major military crisis. The stage was set for a civil war between two rival regimes on the Korean peninsula.
For over a year before North Korean forces tried to attack the southern government on June 25, 1950, the two sides had been engaged in a series of bloody clashes along the 38th parallel, especially in the Ongjin area on the west coast. On June 25, 1950, the northern forces escalated the battles into a full-fledged offensive and crossed the parallel in large numbers. Due to a combination of surprise, superior military forces, and a poorly armed South Korean army, the Northern forces quickly captured Seoul and Syngman Rhee and his government was forced to flee further south. However, the North Koreans failed to unify the peninsula when foreign powers entered the civil war. North Korean forces were soon defeated and driven northwards by United Nations forces led by the U.S. By October, the U.N. forces had retaken Seoul and captured Pyongyang, and it became Kim's turn to flee. But in November, Chinese forces entered the war and pushed the U.N. forces back, retaking Pyongyang in December and Seoul in January 1951. In March U.N. forces retook Seoul, and the war essentially became a bloody stalemate for the next two years. The front was stabilized in 1953 along what eventually became the current Armistice Line. After long negotiations, the two sides agreed on a border formed by the Korean Demilitarized Zone, and a ceasefire was declared. An official peace treaty, however, was never signed, and the two Koreas have technically been at war since 1960.
Before the war, Kim took control of North Korean politics, with the support of the armed forces, who respected his wartime record and long resistance to the Japanese. Pak Hon-yong, party vice chairman and Foreign Minister of the DPRK, was blamed for the failure of the southern population to support North Korea during the war and was executed after a show-trial in 1955. Most of the South Korean leftists who defected to the North in 1945–1953 were also accused of espionage and other crimes and killed, imprisoned or exiled to remote agricultural and mining villages. Potential rivals from other groups such as Kim Tu-bong were also purged
Gojoseon 2333 BC–108 BC
Gojoseon (Korean pronunciation: [kodʑosʌn]) was an ancient Korean kingdom. According to the Samguk Yusa and other medieval-era records, Gojoseon is said to have been founded in 2333 BC by Dangun, who is said to be a Posterity of Heaven. It was centered in the basins of Liao and Northern part of the Korean Peninsula.
Archaeological evidence of Gojoseon are found in the transition from the Jeulmun pottery to the Mumun pottery around 1500 BC, when groups of semi-sedentary small-scale agriculturalists occupied most of the Korean Peninsula. Local bronze production began around the 8th century BC. Based on contemporaneous written records, modern historians generally believe it developed from a loose federation into a powerful kingdom between 7th and 4th centuries BC.
Go(고, 古), meaning "ancient," distinguishes it from the later Joseon Dynasty; Joseon, as it is called in contemporaneous writings, is also romanized as Chosŏn.
Proto-Three Kingdoms: 108–57 BC
When Gojoseon was defeated by the Han dynasty of China in 108 BC, the northern region of the peninsula and Manchuria was occupied by the states of Buyeo, Goguryeo, Okjeo, Dongye, and other minor statelets. Goguryeo's traditional founding date is 37 BC, but it was mentioned in Chinese records as early as 75 BC, or possibly even 2nd century BC. China installed four commanderies in former Gojoseon territory, but three of them fell quickly to Korean resistance. Goguryeo gradually conquered and absorbed all its neighbors, and destroyed the last Chinese commandery in 313.
In the south, the little-understood state of Jin had given rise to the loose confederacies Jinhan, Byeonhan, and Mahan, or collectively, Samhan. Baekje was founded in 18 BC in Mahan territory and began to slowly overtake it. Silla was founded by the unification of six chiefdoms within the Jinhan, traditionally in 57 BC, although it may have been somewhat later. Byeonhan was absorbed into the later Gaya confederacy, which in turn was annexed by Silla.
Because of this continuity, most historians consider the Three Kingdoms to begin around the fall of Gojoseon, but the three did not dominate the peninsula as kingdoms until around 300.
Three Kingdoms: 57 BC – 668 AD
The name "Three Kingdoms" was used in the titles of the histories Samguk Sagi (12th century) and Samguk Yusa (13th century), and should not be confused with the earlier Chinese Three Kingdoms.
The Three Kingdoms were founded after the fall of Gojoseon, and gradually conquered and absorbed various other small states and confederacies. After the fall of Gojoseon, the Han dynasty established four commanderies in northern parts of the Korean peninsula. Three fell quickly to the Samhan, and the last was destroyed by Goguryeo in 313.
The nascent precursors of Baekje and Silla expanded within the web of complex chiefdoms during the Proto Three Kingdoms Period, and Goguryeo conquered neighboring Buyeo, Okjeo, Dongye, and other complex chiefdoms in northern Korea and Manchuria. The three polities made the transition from complex chiefdom to full-fledged state-level societies in the 3rd century.
All three kingdoms shared a similar culture and language. Their original religions appear to have been shamanistic, but they were increasingly influenced by Chinese culture, particularly Confucianism and Taoism. In the 4th century, Buddhism was introduced to the peninsula and spread rapidly, briefly becoming the official religion of all three kingdoms.
North-South States: 698–935
After the unification wars, the Tang Dynasty established territories in the former Goguryeo, and began to administer and establish communities in Baekje. Silla attacked the Chinese in Baekje and northern Korea in 671.
China then invaded Silla in 674 but Silla defeated the Chinese army in the north. Silla drove the Tang forces out of the peninsula by 676 to achieve unification of most of the Three Kingdoms.
Unified Silla was a time when Korean arts flourished dramatically and Buddhism became a large part of Silla culture. Buddhist monasteries such as the Bulguksa are examples of advanced Korean architecture and Buddhist influence. State-sponsored art and architecture from this period include Hwangnyongsa Temple, Bunhwangsa Temple, and Seokguram Grotto, a World Heritage Site.
Silla began to experience political troubles in 780. This severely weakened Silla and soon thereafter, descendants of the former Baekje established Later Baekje. In the north, rebels revived Goguryeo, beginning the Later Three Kingdoms period.
Unified Silla lasted for 267 years until, under King Gyeongsun, it was absorbed by Goryeo in 935.
Goryeo Dynasty 918–1392
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ (Officially the Kingdom of Goryeo) (918-1392) was a Korean sovereign state established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which became to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392. Goryeo expanded its borders to present-day Wonsan in the north-east (936~943) and the Amnok River (993) and finally almost the whole of the Korean peninsula (1374).
Two of this period's most notable products are Goryeo celadon pottery and the Tripitaka Koreana — the Buddhist scriptures (Tripitaka) carved onto roughly 80,000 woodblocks and stored, and still in, Haeinsa. Goryeo also created the world's first metal-based movable type printing press in 1234 and the oldest surviving movable metal type book, the Jikji, was made in 1377.
In 668, Silla conquered Baekje and Goguryeo with Tang Dynasty help, but by the late 9th century it was tottering, its monarchs being unimaginative and pressed by the power of powerful statesmen. Many burglars and outlaws bubbled and in 900 Gyeon Hwon revolted from Silla control in the Jeolla region as Hubaekje and next year Gung Ye revolted from the northern regions as Hugoguryeo (Taebong). A son-of-a regional lord, Wang Geon went into Hugoguryeo as a general.
Hugoguryeo fell when Wang Geon revolted and killed Gung Ye in 918, and the tottering Silla was too overpowered by Goryeo and Hubaekje and surrendered to Goryeo in 935. In 936 Hubaekje surrendered and Goryeo started a unbroken dynasty that ruled Korea for 474 years.
By the 14th century Goryeo was tottering under Yuan Dynasty control. Although King Gongmin managed to "free" his kingdom from the Mongolian yoke, the Goryeo general Yi Seonggye revolted and overthrew the last king of Goryeo, King Gongyang in 1392. Gongyang was killed in 1394.
The name "Goryeo" is derived from "Goguryeo," one of the ancient Three Kingdoms of Korea. The English name "Korea" derives from "Goryeo." See also Names of Korea.
Joseon Dynasty 1392–1897
Joseon (July 1392 – August 1910) (also Chosŏn, Choson, Chosun), was a Korean sovereign state[3] founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul and the kingdom's northernmost borders were expanded to the natural boundaries at the Amnok and Duman rivers (through the subjugation of the Jurchens). Joseon was the last royal and later imperial dynasty of Korean history. It was the longest ruling Confucian dynasty.
During its reign, Joseon consolidated its absolute rule over Korea, encouraged the entrenchment of Confucian ideals and doctrines in Korean society, imported and adapted Chinese culture, and saw the height of classical Korean culture, trade, science, literature, and technology. However, the dynasty was severely weakened during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, when invasions by the neighboring Japan and Qing virtually overran the peninsula, leading to an increasingly harsh isolationist policy for which the country became known as the Hermit Kingdom. After invasions from Manchuria, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace.
However, whatever power the kingdom recovered during its isolation further waned as the 18th century came to a close, and faced with internal strife, power struggles, international pressure and rebellions at home, the Joseon Dynasty declined rapidly in the late 19th century. In 1895, the Joseon Dynasty was forced to write a document of independence from the Qing Dynasty after the Japanese victory in the First Sino-Japanese War and its peace treaty, the Treaty of Shimonoseki. From 1897 to 1910, Korea was formally known as the Korean Empire to signify a sovereign nation no longer a tributary of the Qing Dynasty. The Joseon Dynasty came to an end in 1910, when the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty was enforced by the Empire of Japan.
The Joseon's rule has left a substantial legacy on the modern face of Korea; much of modern Korean etiquette, cultural norms, societal attitudes towards current issues, and even the modern Korean language and its dialects stem from the traditional thought pattern that originated from this period.
Korean Empire 1897–1910
The Sino-Japanese War marked the rapid decline of any power the Joseon Dynasty of Korea had managed to hold against foreign interference, as the battles of the conflict itself had been fought on Korean soil and the surrounding seas. With its newfound preeminence over waning China, Japan had Japanese delegates negotiate the Treaty of Shimonoseki with the Qing emissaries, through which Japan wrested control over the Liaodong Peninsula from China (a move designed to prevent the southern expansion of Japan's new rival, Russia), and, more importantly to Korea, scrapped the centuries-old tributary relationship between Joseon and the Qing Dynasty. However, Russia realized this agreement as an act against its interests in northeastern China and eventually brought France and Germany to its side in saying that the Liaodong Peninsula should be repatriated to China.
At the time, Japan had no power to resist such foreign pressure, especially by nations that it considered far more advanced and which it sought to emulate, and as such relinquished its claim to the Liaodong Peninsula. With the success of the three-country intervention, Russia emerged as another major power in East Asia, replacing the Qing Dynasty as the country that the many government officials in the Joseon court advocated close ties with to prevent more Japanese meddling in Korean politics. Queen Min (the later Empress Myeongseong), the consort of King Gojong, also realized this change and recognized it by formally establishing closer diplomatic relations with Russia to counter Japan.
Queen Min began to emerge as a key figure in higher-level Korean resistance to Japanese influence. Japan, seeing its designs endangered by the queen, quickly replaced its ambassador to Korea, Inoue Kaoru, with Miura Goro, a diplomat with a background in the Japanese military. It is widely believed that he orchestrated the assassination of Queen Min on October 8, 1895, at her residence at Gyeongbokgung, nearby the Geoncheong Palace, the official sleeping quarters of the king within Gyeongbok Palace.
Japanese rule 1910–1945
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion (22 August 1910 to 15 August 1945). Formally, Japanese rule ended on 2 September 1945 upon the Japanese defeat in World War II in 1945.
Korea was occupied and declared a Japanese protectorate in the 1905 Eulsa Treaty, and officially annexed in 1910 through the annexation treaty. Japan's involvement in the region began with the 1876 Treaty of Ganghwa during the Joseon Dynasty and increased with the subsequent assassination of Empress Myeongseong (also known as "Queen Min") in 1895. The 1905 and 1910 treaties were eventually declared "null and void" by both Japan and South Korea in 1965.
In Korea, the period is usually described as a time of "Japanese forced occupation" (Hangul: 일제 강점기; Ilje gangjeomgi, Hanja: 日帝强占期). Other terms used for it include "Japanese Imperial Period" (Hangul: 일제시대, Ilje sidae, Hanja: 日帝時代) or "Wae (Japanese) administration" (Hangul: 왜정, Wae jeong, Hanja: 倭政). In Japan, a more common description is "Japanese rule of Chosun" (日本統治時代の朝鮮, Nippon Tōchi-jidai no Chōsen?).
Provisional Gov't 1919–1948
The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was the partially recognised government in exile of Korea, based in Shanghai, China and later in Chongqing, during the Japanese colonial rule of Korea.The Government was formed on April 13, 1919, following the Korean Declaration of Independence during the March 1st movement of the same year.
The government did not gain formal recognition from world powers, though modest form of recognition was given from the Nationalist Government of China and a number of other governments, most of whom were in exile themselves.
The Government strived for the independence of Korea from Japanese annexation that lasted from 1910 to 1945. They coordinated the armed resistance against the Japanese army during the 1920s and 1930s, including the Battle of Chingshanli in October, 1920 and the assault on Japanese military leadership in Shanghai in April 1932.
This struggle culminated in the formation of Korean Liberation Army in 1940, bringing together many if not all Korean resistance groups in exile. The government duly declared war against Japan and Germany on December 9 1941, and the Liberation Army took part in allied action in China and parts of Southeast Asia.
Prior to the end of World War II, the Korean Liberation Army was preparing an assault against the Japanese in Korea in conjunction with American Office of Strategic Services, but the Japanese surrender prevented the execution of the plan. The government's goal was achieved with Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945.
Division of Korea 1945–1948
The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year colonial rule of Korea. In a proposal opposed by nearly all Koreans, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to temporarily occupy the country as a trusteeship with the zone of control demarcated along the 38th parallel. The purpose of this trusteeship was to establish a Korean provisional government which would become "free and independent in due course." Though elections were scheduled, the two superpowers backed different leaders and two states were effectively established, each of which claimed sovereignty over the whole Korean peninsula
The Korean War (1950-1953) left the two Koreas separated by the DMZ, remaining technically at war through the Cold War to the present day. North Korea is a communist state, often described as Stalinist and isolationist. Its economy initially enjoyed substantial growth but collapsed in the 1990s, unlike that of its Communist neighbor China. South Korea emerged, after decades of authoritarian rule, as a capitalist liberal democracy with one of the largest economies in the world.
Since the 1990s, with progressively liberal South Korean administrations, as well as the death of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, the two sides have taken small, symbolic steps towards a possible Korean reunification.
Geography
South Korea occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula, which extends some 680 miles (1,100 km) from the Asian mainland. This mountainous peninsula is flanked by the Yellow Sea to the west, and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) to the east. Its southern tip lies on the Korea Strait and the East China Sea.
The country's total area is 38,622.57 square miles (100,032.00 km2).
South Korea can be divided into four general regions: an eastern region of high mountain ranges and narrow coastal plains; a western region of broad coastal plains, river basins, and rolling hills; a southwestern region of mountains and valleys; and a southeastern region dominated by the broad basin of the Nakdong River.
South Korea's terrain is mostly mountainous, most of which is not arable. Lowlands, located primarily in the west and southeast, constitute only 30% of the total land area.
About three thousand islands, mostly small and uninhabited, lie off the western and southern coasts of South Korea. Jeju-do is located about 100 kilometers (about 60 mi) off the southern coast of South Korea. It is the country's largest island, with an area of 1,845 square kilometres (712 sq mi). Jeju is also the site of South Korea's highest point: Hallasan, an extinct volcano, reaches 1,950 meters (6,398 ft) above sea level. The most eastern islands of South Korea include Ulleungdo and Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo), while Marado and Socotra Rock are the southernmost islands of South Korea.
South Korea has 20 national parks and some popular nature places like Boseong Tea Field, Suncheon Bay Ecological Park in South Jeolla province
Other info
Oficial Name:
대한 민국
大韓民國
Daehan Minguk
Establishment
- Liberation declared March 1, 1919 (de jure)
- Liberation August 15, 1945
- First Republic August 13, 1948
- United Nations Recognition December 12, 1948
Area:
99.539km2
Inhabitants:
49.235.000
Language:
Korean
[kor] 42,000,000 in South Korea (1986). Population total all countries: 67,019,690. Also spoken in American Samoa, Australia, Bahrain, Belize, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, China, Germany, Guam, Japan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritania, Mongolia, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Russia (Asia), Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Suriname, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, USA, Uzbekistan. Alternate names: Hanguohua, Hanguk Mal. Dialects: Seoul (Kangwondo, Kyonggido), Ch'ungch'ongdo (North Ch'ungch'ong, South Ch'ungch'ong), Kyongsangdo (North Kyongsangdo, South Kyongsangdo), Chollado (North Chollado, South Chollado), Cheju Island. There is a difference of opinion among scholars as to whether or not Korean is related to Japanese. Some scholars suggest that both languages are possibly distantly related to Altaic. Dialect boundaries generally correspond to provincial boundaries. Some dialects are not easily intelligible with others (Voegelin and Voegelin 1977). The suffix '-do' on dialect names means 'province'. Comprehension of Standard Korean may be lower on Cheju Island. Classification: Language Isolate
Capital city:
Seoul
Meaning country name:
Korea (Korean: 한국 in South Korea ) is a geographic area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Korea is currently divided into North Korea and South Korea.
Although the borders of historical Korean dynasties fluctuated, the peninsula today is defined as coterminous with the political borders of the two Koreas combined. Thus, the peninsula borders China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast, with Japan situated to the southeast across the Korea Strait.
The history of Korea began with the legendary founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by Dangun. Limited linguistic evidence suggests probable Altaic origins of these people, whose northern Mongolian Steppe culture absorbed immigrants and invaders from northern Manchuria, Mongolia and China.[citation needed] The adoption of the Chinese writing system ("hanja" in Korean) in the 2nd century BC, and Buddhism in the 4th century AD, had profound effects on the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Koreans later passed on these, as well as their own advances, to Japan.
After the unification of the Three Kingdoms by Silla in 676, Korea was ruled by a single government and maintained political and cultural independence until the nineteenth century, despite the Mongol invasions of the Goryeo Dynasty in the 13th century and Japanese invasions of the Joseon Dynasty in the 16th century. In 1377, Korea produced the Jikji, the world's oldest movable metal print document. In the 15th century, the turtle ships, possibly the world's first ironclad warships, were deployed, and during the reign of King Sejong the Great, the Korean alphabet han-geul was created.
During the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea's isolationist policy earned it the Western nickname the "Hermit Kingdom". By the late 19th century, the country became the object of the colonial designs of Japan and Europe. In 1910, Korea was forcibly annexed by Japan and remained occupied until the end of World War II in August 1945.
In 1945, the Soviet Union and the United States agreed on the surrender and disarming of Japanese troops in Korea; the Soviet Union accepting the surrender north of the 38th parallel and the United States taking the surrender south of it. This led to division of Korea by the two great powers, exacerbated by their inability to agree on the terms of Korean independence. The two Cold War rivals then established governments sympathetic to their own ideologies, leading to Korea's current division into two political entities: North Korea and South Korea.
Desciption Flag:
The flag of South Korea, or Taegukgi (Although revised official Romanization is Taegeukgi, the word Taegukgi has been used in English world historically) has three parts: a white background; a red and blue taegeuk in the center; and four black trigrams, one in each corner of the flag. In Korean, the flag is called the Taegeukgi. The design of the flag was reportedly suggested by Qing diplomat Ma Jianzhong in 1882 during the reign of King Gojong, and was designed by Bak Yeong-hyo, the Korean ambassador to Japan. King Gojong proclaimed the Taegeukgi to be the official flag of Korea on 6 March 1883.
The four trigrams originates in the Chinese book I Ching, representing the four Chinese philosophical ideas about the universe: harmony, symmetry, balance, circulation. The general design of the flag also derives from traditional use of the tricolor symbol (red, blue and yellow) by Koreans starting from the early era of Korean history. The white background symbolizes "cleanliness of the people." The taegeuk represents the origin of all things in the universe; holding the two principles of "Eum", the negative aspect rendered in blue, and "Yang", the positive aspect rendered in red, in perfect balance. Together, they represent a continuous movement within infinity, the two merging as one. The four trigrams are:
||| Force (☰; geon (건; 乾) in Korean) = heaven (天), spring (春), east (東), virtue (仁);
¦¦¦ Field (☷; gon (곤; 坤)) = earth (地), summer (夏), west (西), justice (義);
|¦| Radiance (☲; ri (리; 離)) = sun (日), fall (秋), south (南), courtesy (禮);
¦|¦ Gorge (☵; gam (감; 坎)) = moon (月), winter (冬), north (北), knowledge or wisdom (智).
Traditionally, the four trigrams are related to the Five Elements of fire, water, earth, wood, and metal. An analogy could also be drawn with the four western classical elements.
Coat of arms:
The Coat of arms of South Korea consists in the taeguk symbol present on the national flag surrounded by five stylized petals and a ribbon bearing the inscription "The Republic of Korea" (Daehan Minguk), the official name of the country, in Hangul characters. The Yin and Yang represents peace and harmony. The Five petals all have meaning and are related to Korea's national flower (the Hibiscus syriacus).
Motto:
널리 인간을 이롭게 하라___-Beneficts to all People-
National Anthem: Aegukga
Hangul
동해 물과 백두산이 마르고 닳도록
하느님이 보우하사 우리나라 만세
남산 위에 저 소나무 철갑을 두른 듯
바람서리 불변함은 우리 기상일세
가을 하늘 공활한데 높고 구름 없이
밝은 달은 우리 가슴 일편단심일세
이 기상과 이 맘으로 충성을 다하여
괴로우나 즐거우나 나라 사랑하세
Hangul and Hanja
東海 물과 白頭山이 마르고 닳도록
하느님이 保佑하사 우리나라 萬歲
南山 위에 저 소나무 鐵甲을 두른 듯
바람서리 不變함은 우리 氣像일세
가을 하늘 空豁한데 높고 구름 없이
밝은 달은 우리 가슴 一片丹心일세
이 氣像과 이 맘으로 忠誠을 다하여
괴로우나 즐거우나 나라 사랑하세
無窮花 三千里 華麗江山
大韓사람 大韓으로 길이 保全하세
Romanization
Donghae mulgwa Baekdusani mareugo daltorok
Haneunimi bouhasa urinara manse
Namsan wie jeo sonamu cheolgabeul dureun deut
Baram seori bulbyeonhameun uri gisangilse
Ga-eul haneul gonghwalhande nopgo gureum eopsi
Balgeun dareun uri gaseum ilpyeondansimilse
I gisanggwa i mameuro chungseong-eul dahayeo
Goerouna jeulgeouna nara saranghase
Mugunghwa samcheolli hwaryeogangsan
Daehansaram daehaneuro giri bojeonhase
English
Until the day when the East Sea's waters and Mt. Baekdu are dry and worn away,
God shall protect and preserve us. May our nation live through eternity!
The pinetree atop Namsan stands firmly unchanged under wind and frost as if wrapped in armour,
as is our resilient spirit.
Autumn sky is void and vast, high and cloudless,
the bright moon is our heart, undivided and true.
With this spirit and this mind, give all loyalty,
in suffering or in joy, love the country.
Three thousand Li of splendid rivers and mountains, filled with Roses of Sharon;
Great Korean People, let us everlastingly preserve our Great Korean nation.
Internet Page: www.english.president.co.kr
S.K. in diferent languages
eng: South Korea
cat | ina | ita: Corea del Sud
hrv | hsb | slv: Južna Koreja
ast | spa: Corea del Sur
dan | swe: Sydkorea
deu | ltz: Südkorea / Südkorea
fra | jnf: Corée du Sud
ind | msa: Korea Selatan / كوريا سلاتن
kin | run: Koreya y’ubumanuko
roh-enb | roh-eno: Corea dal Süd
afr: Suid-Korea
arg: Corea d’o Sur
aze: Cənubi Koreya / Ҹәнуби Кореја
bam: Kɔre Woroduguyanfan
bos: Južna Koreja / Јужна Кореја
bre: Korea ar Su; Sukorea
ces: Jižní Korea
cor: Korea Dheghow
cos: Corea suttana
crh: Cenübiy Koreya / Дженюбий Корея
csb: Półniowò Kòreja
cym: De Corea
dsb: Pódpołdnjowa Koreja
epo: Sud-Koreo; Sud-Koreio
est: Lõuna-Korea
eus: Hego Korea
fao: Suður-Korea
fin: Etelä-Korea
frp: Corê du Sud
fry: Súd-Korea
fur: Coree dal Sud
gag: Üülen Koreya / Ӱӱлен Kорея
gla: Coirea a Deas; Coiria a Deas; Corea a Deas
gle: An Chóiré Theas / An Ċóiré Ṫeas; An Choria Theas / An Ċoria Ṫeas
glg: Corea do Sur
glv: Yn Chorea Yiass
hat: Kore disid
hau: Koreya ta Kudu
hun: Dél-Korea
ibo: Kọria Ndida
isl: Suður-Kórea
jav: Korea Selatan
kaa: Tuʻslik Koreya / Түслик Корея
kmr: Korê ya Cenûbê / Коре йа Щәнубе / کۆرێیا جەنووبێ
kur: Koreya Başûr / کۆرەیا باشوور
lat: Corea Meridionalis; Corea Meridiana
lav: Dienvidkoreja
lim: Zuud-Korea
lin: Kore ya Sidi
lit: Pietų Korėja
lld-bad: Corea dl Süd
lld-grd: Corea dl Sud
mlg: Kôrea Atsimo
mlt: Korea t’Isfel
mol: Coreea de Sud / Корея де Суд
nds: Süüdkorea / Süüdkorea
nld: Zuid-Korea
nor: Sør-Korea
nrm: Coraée-du-Su
oci: Corèa del Sud
pap: Sur-Korea
pol: Korea Południowa
por: Coreia do Sul / Coréia do Sul
que: Uralan Kuriya
rmy: Sudutni Koreya / सुदुत्नी कोरेया
roh-gri: Corea dal Sid
roh-srs: Corea dil Sid
ron: Coreea de Sud
rup: Corea di Not
scn: Corea dû Sud
slk: Južná Kórea
slo: Jugju Korea / Йугйу Кореа
sme: Lulli-Korea
smg: Pėitū Kuoriejė
smo: Malo Korea
som: Kooriyada Koonfureed; Kuuriyada Koonfureed
sqi: Korea Jugore
srd: Corea de Josso
swa: Korea ya Kusini
szl: Korea Pouedńowo
tet: Koreia Súl
tgl: Timog Korea
ton: Saute Kōlea
tpi: Saut Korea
tuk: Günorta Koreýa / Гүнорта Корея
tur: Güney Kore
uzb: Janubiy Quriya / Жанубий Қурия; Janubiy Koreya / Жанубий Корея
vie: Nam Hàn; Hàn Quốc
vol: Sulüda-Koreyän; Hangukän
vor: Lõunõ-Korea
wln: Nonne Corêye
wol: Koore bu Sid
zza: Korya Veroci
abq | bul: Южна Корея (Južna Koreja)
alt: Тӱштӱк Корея (Tüštük Koreja)
bak: Көньяҡ Корея / Könyaķ Koreya
bel: Паўднёвая Карэя / Paŭdniovaja Kareja
che: Къилбера Корея (Q̣ilbera Koreja)
chm: Кечывалвел Корея (Kečyvalvel Koreja)
chv: Кӑнтӑр Корейӑ (Kăntăr Korejă)
kaz: Оңтүстік Корея / Oñtüstik Koreya / وڭتۇستىك كورەيا
kbd: Южнэ Корея (Južnă Koreja)
kir: Түштүк Корея (Tüštük Koreja)
kjh: Южнай Корея (Južnaj Koreja)
kom: Южнӧй Корея (Južnöj Koreja)
krc: Юг Корея (Jug Koreja)
kum: Къыбла Корея (Qybla Koreja)
mkd: Јузна Кореа (Juzna Korea)
mon: Өмнөд Солонгос (Ömnöd Solongos)
oss: Хуссар Корей (Ĥussar Korej)
rus: Южная Корея (Južnaja Koreja)
srp: Јужна Кореја / Južna Koreja
tat: Көньяк Корея / Könyaq Koreä
tgk: Қурияи Ҷанубӣ / قوریۀ جنوبی / Qurijai Çanubī; Кореяи Ҷанубӣ / کاریۀ جنوبی / Korejai Çanubī
tyv: Мурнуу-Көрей (Murnuu-Körej)
udm: Лымшор Корея (Lymšor Koreja)
ukr: Південна Корея (Pivdenna Koreja)
ara: كوريا الجنوبية (Kūrīyā l-Ǧanūbīyâ)
ckb: کۆریای باشوور / Koryaî Başûr
fas: کرۀ جنوبی / Koreye Janubi
prs: کوریای جنوبی (Kōriyā-ye Janūbī)
pus: سهيلي کوريا (Sahīlī Koriyā)
snd: ڏکڻ ڪوريا (Ḋakʰaṇ Koriyā)
uig: جەنۇبىي چاۋشيەن / Jenubiy Chawshyen / Җәнубий Чавшйән; جەنۇبىي چاۋشەن / Jenubiy Chawshen / Җәнубий Чавшән
urd: جنوبی کوریا (Janūbī Koriyā)
div: ސައުތް ކޮރެއާ (Sa'ut Kore'ā)
heb: דרום קוראה (Dərôm Qôreʾah); דרום קוריאה (Dərôm Qôrêʾah); קוראה הדרומית (Qôreʾah ha-Dərômît); קוריאה הדרומית (Qôrêʾah ha-Dərômît)
lad: קוריאה דיל סור / Korea del Sur
yid: דרום קאָריִיע (Dorem Koriye)
amh: ደቡብ ኮርያ (Däbub Korya)
ell-dhi: Νότια Κορέα (Nótia Koréa)
ell-kat: Νότιος Κορέα (Nótios Koréa)
hye: Հարավային Կորեա (Haravayin Korea)
kat: სამხრეთ კორეა (Samĥreṭ Korea)
hin: दक्षिण कोरिया (Dakṣiṇ Koriyā)
ben: দক্ষিণ কোরিয়া (Dôkṣiṇ Koriyā)
pan: ਦੱਖਣੀ ਕੋਰੀਆ (Dakʰkʰaṇī Korīā)
kan: ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಕೊರಿಯಾ (Dakṣiṇa Koriyā)
mal: ദക്ഷിണ കൊറിയ (Dakṣiṇa Koṟiya)
tam: தென் கொரியா (Teṉ Koriyā); தென்கொரியா (Teṉkoriyā)
tel: దక్షిణ కొరియా (Dakṣiṇa Koriyā)
zho: 南韓/南韩 (Nánhán); 韓國/韩国 (Hánguó)
yue: 南韓/南韩 (Nàahmhòhn); 韓國/韩国 (Hòhngwok)
jpn: 韓国 (Kankoku)
kor: 한국/韓國 (Hanguk); 남한/南韓 (Namhan)
bod: ལྷོ་ཁྲའོ་ཤན་ (Lho. Kʰra'o.šan.); ཁྲའོ་ཤན་ལྷོ་རྒྱུད་ (Kʰra'o.šan. Lho.rgyud.)
dzo: ལྷོ་ཀོ་རི་ཡ་ (Lho.Ko.ri.ya.)
mya: တောင္ကုိရီးယား (Toũ Koẏìyà)
tha: เกาหลีใต้ (Kaw[h]lī Tái)
lao: ເກົາຫຼີໄຕ້ (Kaw[h]ḷī Tái)
khm: កូរ៉េខាងត្បូង (Kūre Kʰāṅtbūṅ)
chr: ᏅᎦᎾᏭ ᎢᏗᏢ ᎪᎴᏯ / Nvganawu Iditlv Goleya; ᏅᎦᎾᏭ ᎢᏗᏢ ᎪᎴᎠ / Nvganawu Iditlv Golea
is a landlocked nation in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalaya Mountains and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by China. Bhutan was separated from the nearby state of Nepal to the west by the Indian state of Sikkim, and from Bangladesh to the south by West Bengal. The Bhutanese called their country Druk Yul (Dzongkha: འབྲུག་ཡུལ་ 'drug yul) which means "Land of the Thunder Dragon".
Bhutan used to be one of the most isolated nations in the world. Developments including direct international flights, the Internet, mobile phone networks, and cable television have increasingly modernized the urban areas of the country. Bhutan balanced modernization with its ancient culture and traditions under the guiding philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH). Rampant destruction of the environment has been avoided. The government takes great measures to preserve the nation's traditional culture, identity and the environment. In 2006, Business Week magazine rated Bhutan the happiest country in Asia and the eighth-happiest in the world, citing a global survey conducted by the University of Leicester in 2006 called the "World Map of Happiness".
Bhutan's landscape ranges from subtropical plains in the south to the Himalayan heights in the north, with some peaks exceeding 7,000 metres (23,000 ft). The state religion is Vajrayana Buddhism, and the population of 691,141 is predominantly Buddhist, with Hinduism being the second-largest religion. The capital and largest city is Thimphu. After centuries of direct monarchic rule, Bhutan held its first democratic elections in March 2008. Among other international associations, Bhutan is a member of the United Nations and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The total area of the country is currently 38,394 square kilometres (14,824 sq mi)
Name
"Bhutan" may be derived from the Sanskrit word Bhu-Utthan (भू-उत्थाने; highlands). In another theory of Sanskritisation, Bhoṭa-anta (भोट-अन्त) means "At the end of Tibet", as Bhutan is immediately to Tibet's south.
Historically Bhutan was known by many names, such as Lho Mon (southern land of darkness), Lho Tsendenjong (southern land of the Tsenden cypress), Lhomen Khazhi (southern land of four approaches) and Lho Men Jong (southern land of medicinal herbs).
History
Stone tools, weapons, elephants, and remnants of large stone structures provide evidence that Bhutan was inhabited as early as 2000 BC, although there are no existing records from that time. Historians have theorized that the state of Lhomon (literally, "southern darkness", a reference to the indigenous Mon religion), or Monyul ("Dark Land", a reference to the Monpa, the aboriginal peoples of Bhutan) may have existed between 500 BC and AD 600. The names Lhomon Tsendenjong (Sandalwood Country), and Lhomon Khashi, or Southern Mon (country of four approaches), have been found in ancient Bhutanese and Tibetan chronicles.
The earliest transcribed event in Bhutan was the passage of the Buddhist saint Padma Sambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche) in 747. Bhutan's early history is unclear, because most of the records were destroyed after fire ravaged the ancient capital, Punakha, in 1827. By the 10th century, Bhutan's political development was heavily influenced by its religious history. Various sub-sects of Buddhism emerged which were patronized by the various Mongol warlords. After the decline of the Mongols in the 14th century, these sub-sects vied with each other for supremacy in the political and religious landscape, eventually leading to the ascendancy of the Drukpa sub-sect by the 16th century.
Until the early 17th century, Bhutan existed as a patchwork of minor warring fiefdoms, when the area was unified by the Tibetan lama and military leader Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal who fled religious persecution in Tibet. To defend the country against intermittent Tibetan forays, Namgyal built a network of impregnable dzong (fortresses), and promulgated a code of law that helped to bring local lords under centralized control. Many such dzong still exist and are active centers of religion and district administration. Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal also brought Nepalese people from Gorkha when Ram Shah was King of Gorkha. He brought 42 Nepalese families under the leadership of Bishnu Thapa Magar in 1616. Circa 1627, Portuguese Jesuit Estêvão Cacella and another priest were the first recorded Europeans to visit Bhutan on their way to Tibet. They met with Ngawang Namgyal, presented him with firearms, gunpowder and a telescope, and offered him their services in the war against Tibet, but the Shabdrung declined the offer. After a stay of nearly eight months Cacella wrote a long letter from the Chagri Monastery reporting on his travels. This is a rare extant report of the Shabdrung.
After Namgyal's death in 1651, Bhutan fell into civil war. Taking advantage of the chaos, the Tibetans attacked Bhutan in 1710, and again in 1730 with the help of the Mongols. Both assaults were successfully thwarted, and an armistice was signed in 1759.
In the 18th century, the Bhutanese invaded and occupied the kingdom of Cooch Behar to the south. In 1772, Cooch Behar appealed to the British East India Company which assisted them in ousting the Bhutanese, and later in attacking Bhutan itself in 1774. A peace treaty was signed in which Bhutan agreed to retreat to its pre-1730 borders. However, the peace was tenuous, and border skirmishes with the British were to continue for the next 100 years. The skirmishes eventually led to the Duar War (1864–1865), a confrontation for control of the Bengal Duars. After Bhutan lost the war, the Treaty of Sinchula was signed between British India and Bhutan. As part of the war reparations, the Duars were ceded to the United Kingdom in exchange for a rent of Rs. 50,000. The treaty ended all hostilities between British India and Bhutan.
During the 1870s, power struggles between the rival valleys of Paro and Tongsa led to civil war in Bhutan, eventually leading to the ascendancy of Ugyen Wangchuck, the ponlop (governor) of Tongsa. From his power base in central Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuck defeated his political enemies and united the country following several civil wars and rebellions in the period 1882–1885.
In 1907, an epochal year for the country, Ugyen Wangchuck was unanimously chosen as the hereditary king of the country by an assembly of leading Buddhist monks, government officials, and heads of important families. The British government promptly recognized the new monarchy, and in 1910 Bhutan signed a treaty which "let" Great Britain "guide" Bhutan's foreign affairs. In reality, this did not mean much given Bhutan's historical reticence. It also did not seem to apply to Bhutan's traditional relations with Tibet. The greatest impact of this treaty seems to be the perception[who?] that it meant Bhutan was not totally sovereign.
In 1953, King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck established the country's legislature – a 130-member National Assembly – to promote a more democratic form of governance. In 1965, he set up a Royal Advisory Council, and in 1968 he formed a Cabinet. In 1971, Bhutan was admitted to the United Nations, having held observer status for three years. In July 1972, Jigme Singye Wangchuck ascended to the throne at the age of 16 after the death of his father, Dorji Wangchuck.
In late 2003, the Bhutanese army successfully launched a large-scale operation to flush out anti-India insurgents who were operating training camps in southern Bhutan.
Geography
The northern region consists of an arc of glaciated mountain peaks with an extremely cold climate at the highest elevations. Most peaks in the north are over 23,000 feet (7,000 m) above sea level; the highest point is claimed to be the Kula Kangri, at 24,780 feet (7,553 m), but detailed topographic studies claim Kula Kangri is wholly in Tibet.and modern Chinese measurements claim that Gangkhar Puensum, which has the distinction of being the highest unclimbed mountain in the world, is higher at 24,835 feet (7,570 m).The lowest point is in the valley of Drangme Chhu, where the river crosses the border with India. Watered by snow-fed rivers, alpine valleys in this region provide pasture for livestock, tended by a sparse population of migratory shepherds.
The Black Mountains in central Bhutan form a watershed between two major river systems: the Mo Chhu and the Drangme Chhu. Peaks in the Black Mountains range between 4,900 feet and 8,900 feet (1,500 m and 2,700 m) above sea level, and fast-flowing rivers have carved out deep gorges in the lower mountain areas. Woodlands of the central region provide most of Bhutan's forest production. The Torsa, Raidak, Sankosh, and Manas are the main rivers of Bhutan, flowing through this region. Most of the population lives in the central highlands.
In the south, the Shiwalik Hills are covered with dense, deciduous forests, alluvial lowland river valleys, and mountains up to around 4,900 feet (1,500 m) above sea level. The foothills descend into the subtropical Duars Plain. Most of the Duars is located in India, although a 6–9 mile (10–15 km) wide strip extends into Bhutan. The Bhutan Duars is divided into two parts: the northern and the southern Duars. The northern Duars, which abuts the Himalayan foothills, has rugged, sloping terrain and dry, porous soil with dense vegetation and abundant wildlife. The southern Duars has moderately fertile soil, heavy savannah grass, dense, mixed jungle, and freshwater springs. Mountain rivers, fed by either the melting snow or the monsoon rains, empty into the Brahmaputra River in India. Data released by the Ministry of Agriculture showed that the country had a forest cover of 64% as of October 2005.
The climate in Bhutan varies with altitude, from subtropical in the south to temperate in the highlands and polar-type climate, with year-round snow, in the north. Bhutan experiences five distinct seasons: summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring. Western Bhutan has the heavier monsoon rains; southern Bhutan has hot humid summers and cool winters; central and eastern Bhutan is temperate and drier than the west with warm summers and cool winters.
Other info
Oficial name:འབྲུག་ རྒྱལ་ཁབ་
'Brug Rgyal-khab
Dru Gäkhap
Druk-Yul
Formation:
Early 17th century
- Wangchuk Dynasty December 17, 1907
Area:
46.500km2
Inhabitants:
2.329.000
Languages:
Adap [adp] South central, between Damphu and Shemgang, Ada village, Wangdue Phodrang District. Dialects: Lexical similarity 77% with Dzongkha, 62% to 65% with Bumthangkha, 41% with Tshangla. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Southern
Brokkat [bro] 300 (1993 Van Driem). Dur in central Bumthang District. Alternate names: Brokskad, Jokay. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Southern
Brokpake [sgt] 5,000 (1993 Van Driem). Population includes 2,000 in and around Mera, 3,000 in and around Sagteng. Sakteng Valley east of Trashigang District, mainly in Merak and Sakteng villages. Alternate names: Mira Sagtengpa, Dakpa, Brokpa, Dap, Mera Sagtengpa, Sagtengpa, Meragsagstengkha, Jobikha, Drokpakay, Damilo. Dialects: Related to Monpa of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, India. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Southern
Bumthangkha [kjz] 30,000 (1993 Van Driem). Central. Bumthang and in the whole of central Bhutan. Mangdikha is in Mangdi District around Tongsa. Tsamangkha is on the east northeast border of Kurto. Salabekha is in the Yangtse District and Tawang and southeast Tibet. Alternate names: Bumtanp, Bumthapkha, Bumtang, Kebumtamp, Bhumtam, Bumthang, Bumtangkha. Dialects: Ura, Tang, Chogor, Chunmat. Khengkha and Bumthangkha are reported by one source to be intelligible with each other. Cuona Monpa is the same as, or closely related to, Bumthangkha (see Moinba in India and China). Lexical similarity 92% with Khengkha. 47% to 52% with Dzongkha, 62% to 65% with Adap, 40% to 50% with Sharchagpakha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Eastern
Chalikha [tgf] 1,000 (1993 Van Driem). In and around Chali area, Mongar District, east Bhutan, north of Monggar. Alternate names: Chali, Tshali, Chalipkha, Tshalingpa. Dialects: Related to Bumthangkha and Kurtopakha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Eastern
Chocangacakha [cgk] 20,000 (1993 Van Driem). East of Dzongkha, in lower areas of Monggar District, Tsamang and Tsakaling villages, and Lhuntsi District, Kurmet village. Alternate names: Maphekha, Rtsamangpa'ikha, Tsagkaglingpa'ikha, Kursmadkha. Dialects: Related to Dzongkha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Southern
Dakpakha [dka] 1,000 (1993 Van Driem). Near Brokpake. Dialects: May be a dialect of Brokpake. Has been influenced by Dzalakha, and Brokpake has not. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Eastern
Dzalakha [dzl] 15,000 (1993 Van Driem). Northeastern in Lhüntsi, Kurto District. Alternate names: Dzalamat, Yangtsebikha. Dialects: Khomakha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Unclassified
Dzongkha [dzo] 130,000 in Bhutan (2003). Population total all countries: 133,009. Ha, Paru, Punakha districts. Also spoken in India, Nepal. Alternate names: Drukke, Drukha, Dukpa, Bhutanese, Jonkha, Bhotia of Bhutan, Bhotia of Dukpa, Zongkhar, Rdzongkha. Dialects: Wang-The (Thimphu-Punakha), Ha, Northern Thimphu. As different from Lhasa Tibetan as Nepali is from Hindi. Partially intelligible with Sikkimese (Drenjoke). Names listed as dialects may be separate languages. Lexical similarity 48% with Sharchagpakha, 47% to 52% with Kebumtamp, 77% with Adap. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Southern
Gongduk [goe] 2,000 (1993 Van Driem). Eastern Bhutan, Mongar District, Gongdu Gewog, villages of Dagsa, Damkhar, Pangthang, Pam, Yangbari, Bala. Alternate names: Gongdubikha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan
Khengkha [xkf] 40,000 (1993 Van Driem). 60% monolinguals. Zhemgang, Mongar districts; near Bumthangkha. Middle dialect in northwest part of Zhemgang. Upper dialect is northeast of Zhemgang; also Mongar District. Lower Kheng is in southern Zhemgang. Alternate names: Khenkha, Khen, Keng, Ken, Kyengkha, Kenkha. Dialects: Middle Kheng, Upper Kheng, Lower Kheng. Bumthangkha is closest related language. Intelligibility of Bumthangkha not sufficient for complex discourse. Intelligibility of Kurtokha only with difficulty. Lexical similarity 75% to 85% with Bumthangkha, 70% with Kurtokha and Nyengkha, 65% with Adap, 34% with Dzongkha, 40% with Sharchagpakha, and Chacangacakha, 28% with Tibetan, 22% with Tshangla, 75% to 100% between dialects. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Eastern
Kurtokha [xkz] 10,000 (1993 Van Driem). Northeastern, especially in Kurto. The dialect around Tangmachu is more divergent. Alternate names: Gurtü, Kurtopakha, Kürthöpka, Kurteopkha, Kurthopkha, Kurtobikha. Dialects: Related to Bumthangkha and Khengkha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Eastern
Lakha [lkh] 8,000 (1993 Van Driem). Alternate names: Tshangkha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Southern
Layakha [lya] 1,100 (2003). Northern Punakha District, around Laya; Gasa District; Thimphu District, Lingzhi gewog. Dialects: Close to Dzongkha, but many divergent grammatical features significantly limit intelligibility between them. Spoken by Layabs, alpine yakherds in northern Bhutan, and Lingzhibs in Western Bhutan. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Southern
Lepcha [lep] 35,000 in Bhutan (Johnstone and Mandryk). Lower valleys in the west and south. Alternate names: Lapcha, Rong, Rongke, Rongpa, Nünpa. Dialects: Ilammu, Tamsangmu, Rengjongmu. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Lepcha
Lhokpu [lhp] 2,500 (1993 Van Driem). South western Bhutan, between Samtsi and Phuntsoling in Samtsi District, in 2 villages of Taba and Damtey. Also in Loto Kuchu, Sanglong, Sataka, and Lotu villages. Alternate names: Lhobikha, Taba-Damey-Bikha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan
Lunanakha [luk] 700 (1998). North, northeastern quadrant of Punakha District, community of Lunana, on the Pho Chhu River north from Punakha, on the right fork about halfway up the valley. Dialects: Close to Dzongkha, but many divergent grammatical features limit intelligibility between them. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Southern
Nepali [nep] 156,000 in Bhutan (1993 Van Driem). In the foothills the entire length of Bhutan, especially south central. Alternate names: Nepalese, Gorkhali, Gurkhali, Khaskura, Parbatiya, Eastern Pahari, Lhotshammikha. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Northern zone, Eastern Pahari
Nupbikha [npb] Around Trongsa town. Dialects: Related to Bumthangkha. Has phonological similarities to Khengkha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Eastern
Nyenkha [neh] 10,000 (1993 Van Driem). Sephu Geo. The Black River passes below their villages. Alternate names: Henkha, Lap, Mangsdekha. Dialects: Phobjikha, Chutobikha. Related to Bumthangkha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Easter
Olekha [ole] 1,000 (1993 Van Driem). The 2 dialects have the Black Mountains between them, central Bhutan. Alternate names: Monpa, Ole Mönpa. Dialects: Retained complex verbal system of Proto-Tibeto-Burman. 2 main dialects. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Eastern
Tibetan [bod] 4,673 in Bhutan (2000). Alternate names: Bhokha. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Central
Tseku [tsk] 6,255 in Bhutan (2000 WCD). Alternate names: Tsuku, Tzuku. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Central
Tshangla [tsj] 138,000 in Bhutan (1993 Van Driem). Population total all countries: 143,000. Eastern and southeastern Bhutan, especially in Tashigang and Dungsam. Also spoken in China, India. Alternate names: Sangla, Sharchagpakha, Sarchapkkha, Shachopkha, Shachobiikha, Sharchhopkha, Tsangla, Menba, Monpa. Dialects: Standard variety in Tashigang. Lexical similarity 40% to 50% with Bumthangkha, 48% with Dzongkha, 41% with Adap. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Bodish, Tshangla
Capital City:
Thimphu
Meaning of the name:
The ethnic Tibetans or Bhotia migrated from Tibet to Bhutan in the 10th century. The root Bod expresses an ancient name for Tibet. Bhutanese language: Druk Yul - "land of the thunder dragon", "land of thunder", or "land of the dragon". From the violent thunder storms that come from the Himalayas.
Description Flag:
The national flag of Bhutan consists of a white dragon over a yellow and orange background. The flag is divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner, making two triangles. The upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange. The dragon is centered along the dividing line, facing away from the hoist side.
This flag, with minor variations, has been in use since the 19th century. It reached its current form in 1960.
The dragon depicted on the flag, Druk or the Thunder Dragon, represents Bhutan's local Tibetan name, The Land of the Dragon. The dragon grasps jewels, representing wealth, in its claws. The yellow field symbolizes the secular monarchy, while the orange represents the Buddhist religion.
The flag is one of the few national flags to feature orange as a prominent colour, and one of only two national flags to depict a dragon, the other being the flag of Wales.
Coat of arms:
The Emblem of Bhutan maintains several elements of the flag of Bhutan, with slighly different artistry, and contains much Buddhist symbolism.
The official description is as follows:
"The national emblem, contained in a circle, is composed of a double diamond-thunderbolt (dorji) placed above a lotus, surmounted by a jewel and framed by two dragons. The thunderbolt represents the harmony between secular and religious power. The lotus symbolizes purity; the jewel expresses sovereign power; and the two dragons, male and female, stand for the name of the country which they proclaim with their great voice, the thunder."
National Anthem: Druk tsendhen
Bhutanese lyrics
འབྲུག་ཙན་དན་བཀོད་པའི་རྒྱལ་ཁབ་ནང་།།
དཔལ་ལུགས་གཉིས་བསྟན་སྲིད་སྐྱོང་བའི་མགོན་།།
འབྲུག་རྒྱལ་པོ་མངའ་བདག་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་།།
སྐུ་འགྱུར་མེད་བརྟན་ཅིང་ཆབ་སྲིད་འཕེལ་།།
ཆོས་སངས་རྒྱས་བསྟན་པ་དར་ཞིང་རྒྱས་།།
འབངས་བདེ་སྐྱིད་ཉི་མ་ཤར་བར་ཤོག་།།
Transliteration of Bhutanese lyrics
Druk tsenden koipi gyelkhap na
Pel loog nig tensi chongwai gyon
Druk ngadhak gyelpo rinpoche
Ku jurmey tenching chhap tsid pel
Chho sangye tenpa darshing gyel
Bang deykyed nyima shar warr sho.
English translation
In the Thunder Dragon Kingdom, where cypresses grow
Refuge of the glorious monastic and civil traditions,
The King of Druk, precious sovereign,
His being is eternal, his reign prosperous
The enlightenment teachings thrive and flourish
May the people shine like the sun of peace and happiness!
Internet Page: www.bhutan.gov.bt
Bhutan in diferent Languages
eng | cat | csb | dan | dsb | est | eus | fin | hsb | ina | ita | jav | jnf | lld | nld | nor | pol | roh | ron | rup | scn | sme | swa | swe | szl | tur | vor: Bhutan
bam | fao | fur | hrv | ibo | mlt | que | slv | zza: Butan
aze | bos | crh | kaa | tuk | uzb: Butan / Бутан
ast | glg | spa: Bután
bre | cor | fra: Bhoutan
deu | ltz | nds: Bhutan / Bhutan
frp | oci: Botan
hat | wln: Boutan
hun | slk: Bhután
ind | msa: Bhutan / بهوتان
kin | run: Buta
afr: Bhoetan
arg: Bután; Bhután
ces: Bhútán
cym: Bhwtan
epo: Butano
fry: Bûtan
gla: Butàn
gle: An Bhútáin / An Ḃútáin
glv: Yn Vutaan
isl: Bhútan; Bútan
kmr: Bûtan / Бутан / بووتان
kur: Bûtan / بووتان
lat: Butania; Bhutania; Butanum
lav: Butāna
lim: Bhoetaan
lin: Butáni
lit: Butanas
mlg: Botanina
mol: Bhutan / Бутан
nrm: Bouotaun
por: Butão
rmy: Bhutan / ब्हुतान
slo: Bhutan / Бхутан
smg: Butans
smo: Putania
sqi: Butani
srd: Bhutàn
tet: Butaun
vol: Butän
wol: Butaan
abq | alt | bul | che | chm | chv | kbd | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | mkd | mon | oss | rus | tyv | udm | ukr: Бутан (Butan)
bak | bel | srp | tat: Бутан / Butan
kaz: Бутан / Bwtan / بۋتان
tgk: Бутон / بوتان / Buton
ara: بوتان (Būtān)
fas: بوتان (Būtān)
prs: بوتان (Būtān)
pus: بوتان (Būtān); بهوټان (Bhūṫān); بهوتان (Bhūtān)
snd: ڀوٽان (Bʰūṫān)
uig: بۇتان / Butan / Бутан
urd: بھوٹان (Bʰūṫān)
div: ބޫޓާން (Būṫān)
heb: בהוטן (Bhûṭan); בהוטאן (Bhûṭân); בוטן (Bûṭan); בוטאן (Bûṭân)
lad: בוטאן / Butan
yid: בוטאַן (Butan)
amh: ቡታን (Butan)
ell: Μπουτάν (Mpoytán)
hye: Բուտան (Boutan); Բհութան (Bhouṭan)
kat: ბუტანი (Butani); ბჰუტანი (Bhutani)
hin: भूटान (Bʰūṭān); भूतान (Bʰūtān); भुतान (Bʰutān)
mar: भुतान (Bʰutān)
nep: भूटान (Bʰūṭān)
ben: ভূটান (Bʰūṭān); ভুটান (Bʰuṭān)
guj: ભુટાન (Bʰuṭān)
ori: ଭୁଟାନ (Bʰuṭān)
pan: ਭੁਟਾਨ (Bʰuṭān)
kan: ಭೂತಾನ (Bʰūtāna); ಭೂತಾನ್ (Bʰūtān)
mal: ഭൂട്ടാന് (Bʰūṭṭān)
tam: பூட்டான் (Pūṭṭāṉ); பூடான் (Pūṭāṉ)
tel: భూటాన్ (Bʰūṭān)
zho: 不丹 (Búdān)
jpn: ブータン (Būtan)
kor: 부탄 (Butan)
bod: འབྲུག་ཡུལ་ ('Brug.yul.); འབྲག་ཡུལ་ ('Brag.yul.)
dzo: འབྲུག་ཡུལ་ ('Brug.yul.)
mya: ဘူတန္ (Bʰutã)
tha: ภูฐาน (Pʰūtʰān); ภูฏาน (Pʰūtān)
lao: ພູຖານ (Pʰūtʰān); ບູຕັງ (Būtâṅ)
khm: ប៊ូតាន (Būtān); ប៊ូតង់ (Būtăṅ)
I Took this info from the Internet.
If anyone want to help, welcome
The Republic of China (ROC), commonly known as Taiwan, is a state in East Asia comprising the islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands, which are located off the east coast of mainland China. Neighboring states include the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the west, Japan to the north-east, and the Republic of the Philippines to the south.
The founding of the Republic of China began on 10 October 1911 as a result of the Wuchang Uprising, but was not formally established until 1 January 1912. The ROC had once encompassed mainland China and Outer Mongolia. At the end of World War II, with the surrender of Japan, the Republic of China took over the island groups of Taiwan and Penghu from the Japanese Empire. With the end of the world war, the government drafted the Constitution of the Republic of China, which was adopted on 25 December 1947. When the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT), the then leading party of the ROC, lost mainland China in the Chinese Civil War to the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1949, the central government relocated to Taiwan, establishing Taipei as its provisional capital Despite being forced out of mainland China, Chiang Kai-shek, the Nationalist leader, declared that the ROC was still the legitimate government of China and Outer Mongolia. In mainland China, the victorious Communist party founded the People's Republic of China. The Taiwan Area became the extent of the Republic of China's jurisdiction.
During the early Cold War the ROC was recognized by many Western nations and the United Nations as the sole legitimate government of China. It was a founding member of the United Nations and one of the five permanent members of the Security Council until 1971, when it was replaced by the PRC.
The PRC regards the ROC as an illegitimate state; it seeks to unify Taiwan with mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau and is ready to use force if necessary. In contrast, the Republic of China rejects PRC´s claim and views itself as a sovereign state. This tension between the two states colors most the political life in Taiwan, and any attempt at declaring formal independence is met with threats from the PRC. The PRC refuses to have diplomatic relations with countries which recognize the Republic of China; thus as of 2010, only 23 have formal diplomatic relations with the ROC.
Initially a single-party state, the Republic of China evolved into a democratic state during the 1980s without widespread conflict. It has a semi-presidential system and universal suffrage. The President of the Republic of China serves as the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The Legislative Yuan serves as the legislative body. The ROC is a member of the WTO and APEC. It is one of the Four Asian Tigers, and has an industrialized advanced economy. The 26th-largest economy in the world;, its advanced technology industry plays a key role in the global economy. The ROC is ranked high in terms of freedom of the press, health care, public education, and economic freedom.
History
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Republic_of_China
Other info
Oficial Name:
中華民國
Chung-hua Min-Kuo
Establishment
Xinhai Revolution
- Independence
declared October 10, 1911
- Republic established January 1, 1912
- Relocated to
Taiwan December 7, 1949
Area:
36.188km2
Inhabitants:
22.177.170
Languages:
Amis [ami] 137,651 (2002 Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan, ROC). Ethnic population: 137,651. Plains in the valley along the railroad between Hualien and Taitung, and on the east coast near the sea between Hualien and Taitung. Alternate names: Ami, Amia, Pangcah, Pagcah, Pangtsah, Bakurut, Lam-Si-Hoan, Maran, Sabari, Tanah. Dialects: Central Amis (Haian Ami, Hsiukulan Ami), Tavalong-Vataan (Kwangfu, Kuangfu), Southern Amis (Peinan, Hengch'un Amis, Taitung), Chengkung-Kwangshan, Northern Amis (Nanshi Amis). The Chengkung-Kwangshan dialect is closest to Central Amis. Classification: Austronesian, East Formosan, Central
More information.
Amis, Nataoran [ais] 5 (2000 Wurm). Villages in the Hualien area and north of Fenglin. Alternate names: Nataoran, Natawran, Tauran. Dialects: Nataoran, Sakizaya (Sakiray, Sakiraya), Kaliyawan (Kaliyuawan), Natawran, Cikosowan, Pokpok, Ridaw. Not generally understood by other Amis. Sakizaya is even more divergent from Central Amis. In recent years the dialects have converged. Lexical similarity 50% with Central Amis. Classification: Austronesian, East Formosan, Central Nearly extinct.
More information.
Atayal [tay] 84,330 (2002 Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan, ROC). Ethnic population: 78,957 (1989 govt. figure), including 50 Mayrinax speakers left (2000 L.M. Huang). Mountains in the northeast, south of the Ketagalan area. Alternate names: Tayal, Tyal, Taiyal, Ataiyal, Attayal, Taijyal, Bonotsek, Shabogala, Takonan, Tangao, Yukan. Dialects: Sqoleq (Squliq), Ts'ole' (Ci'uli'). Mayrinax is a Ci'uli' subdialect. Classification: Austronesian, Atayalic
More information.
Babuza [bzg] 3 to 4 (2000 S. Wurm). West central coast and inland, Tatu and Choshui rivers and beyond, around 24 degrees north. Alternate names: Babusa, Favorlang, Favorlangsch, Jaborlang, Poavosa. Dialects: Poavosa, Taokas. Taokas dialect is extinct. Classification: Austronesian, Western Plains, Central Western Plains Nearly extinct.
More information.
Bunun [bnn] 37,989 (2002 Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan, ROC). Ethnic population: 37,989. East central plain, south of the Sediq (Taroko). Alternate names: Bunti, Vonun, Bunan, Bubukun, Vunum, Vunun, Vunung, Bunum. Dialects: Randai, Tondai, Shibukun (Sibukun, Sibukaun, Sibucoon, Sivukun), North Bunun (Takitudu, Taketodo, Takebakha, Takibakha), Central Bunun (Takbanuao, Takivatan, Takevatan), South Bunun (Ishbukun), Takopulan. Classification: Austronesian, Bunun
More information.
Chinese, Hakka [hak] 2,366,000 in Taiwan (1993). Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Pingtung counties. Shi Xien is in northern and southern Taiwan, Hi-Lu is central and north central. Dialects: Hailu (Hoiluk, Hoilluk, Hi-Lu), Sanhsien (Shigen, Shixien, Shi Xien). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
More information.
Chinese, Mandarin [cmn] 4,323,000 in Taiwan (1993). Mainly in Taipei and 5 provincial cities. Alternate names: Kuoyu, Mandarin, Putonghua, Guoyu. Dialects: Taibei Mandarin. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
More information.
Chinese, Min Nan [nan] 15,000,000 in Taiwan (1997 A. Chang). Tainan, Penghu Archipelago, cities on the east coast, western plain except for a few Hakka pockets. Alternate names: Min Nan, Minnan. Dialects: Amoy (Taiwanese, Formosan). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
More information.
Japanese [jpn] Classification: Japanese
More information.
Kanakanabu [xnb] 6 to 8 (2000 Wurm). Ethnic population: 250 (UNESCO). Central Taiwan around Minchuan village, Sanmin Township, Kaohsiung County. Alternate names: Kanabu, Kanakanavu. Classification: Austronesian, Tsouic Nearly extinct.
More information.
Kavalan [ckv] 24 (2000 Li). Northeast coast, above Toucheng to Ilan, nearly to Suao, and inland to Tayal language area. No longer spoken in the original area; a few migrants to the east coast, Hsishe village, Fengpin Township, Hualien County (1990). Alternate names: Kuwarawan, Kiwarawa, Kuvarawan, Kibalan, Kiwaraw, Kuvalan, Kavarauan, Kvalan, Shekwan, Cabaran, Kabalan, Kabaran, Kamalan, Kavanan, Kbalan. Dialects: Kareovan (Kareowan). Classification: Austronesian, East Formosan, Northern Nearly extinct.
More information.
Kulon-Pazeh [uun] 1 (2000 Paul Jen-Kuei Li). Near the west coast just north of 24 degrees north, east of Tayal, around Cholan, Houli, Fengyuan, Tantzu, Taichung, Tungshih. Alternate names: Kulun. Classification: Austronesian, Formosan, Paiwanic Nearly extinct.
More information.
Paiwan [pwn] 66,084 (2002 Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan, ROC). Ethnic population: 66,084. Southern, southeastern mountains. Alternate names: Paiuan, Payowan, Li-Li-Sha, Samobi, Samohai, Saprek, Tamari, Kadas, Kale-Whan, Kapiangan, Katausan, Butanglu, Stimul. Classification: Austronesian, Paiwan
More information.
Puyuma [pyu] 8,487 (2002 Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan, ROC). Ethnic population: 8,487. Along the east coast south of Taitung and inland. Alternate names: Pyuma, Pilam, Pelam, Piyuma, Panapanayan, Kadas, Tipun. Dialects: Nanwang, Pinan. Classification: Austronesian, Puyuma
More information.
Rukai [dru] 10,543 (2002 Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan, ROC). Ethnic population: 10,543. South central mountains, west of the Pyuma, 11 villages around Ping Tung, and 2 or 3 villages near Taitung. Alternate names: Drukay, Drukai, Dyokay, Dukai, Rutkai, Tsarisen, Tsalisen, Sarisen, Banga, Bantalang, Bantaurang, Taloma, Kadas. Dialects: Budai, Labuan, Tanan, Maga, Tona, Mantauran. The Mantauran, Tona and Maga dialects are divergent. Classification: Austronesian, Rukai
More information.
Saaroa [sxr] 5 to 6 (2000 Wurm). Ethnic population: 300 (2000 UNESCO Red Book). West central mountains, south and southeast of Minchuan, along the Laonung River. Alternate names: Saroa, Saarua, Rarua, La'alua, La'arua, Pachien, Paichien, Sisyaban, Shishaban. Dialects: Close to Kanakanabu. Classification: Austronesian, Tsouic Nearly extinct.
More information.
Saisiyat [xsy] 4,750 (2002 Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan, ROC). Western mountains, west of the Atayal, Nanchuang Township, Miaoli County and Wufong Township, Hsinchu County. Alternate names: Saiset, Seisirat, Saisett, Saisiat, Saisiett, Saisirat, Saisyet, Saisyett, Amutoura, Bouiok. Dialects: Taai (North Saiset), Tungho (South Saiset). The dialect differences are mainly phonological and lexical (Li 1978). Classification: Austronesian, Northwest Formosan
More information.
Taiwan Sign Language [tss] 82,558 (2001). Alternate names: Taiwan Ziran Shouyu. Dialects: Taipei, Tainan, Kaohsiung. 2 major dialects. The sources from which the sign language developed were indigenous sign systems before 1895, Japanese occupation and education 1895–1946, Mainland Chinese Sign Language brought by refugees in 1949 and some from Hongkong since. Lexical similarity 50% with Japanese Sign Language. Classification: Deaf sign language
More information.
Taroko [trv] 4,750 (2002 Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan, ROC). Ethnic population: 4,750. Central, eastern, and coastal; northern mountains in the Puli area and along the coast south of Hualien, south of the Atayal. Alternate names: Sediq, Saediq, Seedik, Sejiq, Sedeq, Seedek, Seedeq, Shedekka, Sedek, Sediakk, Sedik, Sazek, Bu-Hwan, Che-Hwan, Daiya-Ataiyal, Hogo, Iboho, Paran, Taruku, Toroko, Truku, Toda. Dialects: Teruku (Truku), Te'uda (Tuuda), Tekedaya (Tkdaya, Paran). Dialects differ mainly in phonology and lexicon, and some in grammar. Classification: Austronesian, Atayalic
More information.
Thao [ssf] 5 to 6 (2000 Wurm). Ethnic population: 248 (1989). Central, southeastern shore of Sun Moon Lake, Te-hua village, and Ta-p'ing-lin 14 km away. Alternate names: Sau, Sao, Shao, Chuihwan, Chui-Huan, Suihwan, Vulung. Dialects: Brawbaw, Shtafari. Classification: Austronesian, Western Plains, Thao Nearly extinct.
More information.
Tsou [tsu] 2,127 (2002 Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan, ROC). Ethnic population: 2,127. West central mountains southeast of Chiayi around Alishan (Mt. Ali). Alternate names: Tsu-U, Tsoo, Tsuou, Tsu-Wo, Tzo, Tso, Namakaban, Niitaka, Tibola, Tibolah, Tibolak, Tibolal. Dialects: Duhtu, Luhtu, Tapangu, Tfuea, Iimutsu. Classification: Austronesian, Tsouic
More information.
Yami [tao] 3,384 (2002 Council of Indigenous Peoples, Executive Yuan, ROC). Ethnic population: 3,384. Orchid Island, Botel Tobago (Lanyu) Island, southeast coast. Alternate names: Tao, Tawu, Botel Tabago, Botel Tobago, Lanyu. Dialects: Close to Ivatan of northern Philippines. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Northern Philippine, Bashiic-Central Luzon-Northern Mindoro, Bashiic, Yami
More information.
Extinct languages
Basay [byq] Extinct. North around Tam Shui to near Kungliao, Fengtzulin, Taipei, Sangchung, and northeast around Suao and east of Ilan. Alternate names: Kawanuwan, Basai. Dialects: Trobiawan, Linaw-Qauqaul. Classification: Austronesian, East Formosan, Northern
More information.
Ketangalan [kae] Extinct. North central, around Panchiao and to the northwest, west, and southeast. Alternate names: Ketagalan, Tangalan. Classification: Austronesian, Unclassified
More information.
Papora-Hoanya [ppu] Extinct. North central coast around Lishui, Chingshui, Shalu, and inland to Taichung. Alternate names: Bupuran, Hinapavosa, Vupuran, Papola. Dialects: Papora, Hoanya. Classification: Austronesian, Formosan, Paiwanic
More information.
Siraya [fos] Extinct. Southwestern, around present-day Tainan, from Peimen to Hengchun to Tapu. Alternate names: Formosan, Siraia, Siraiya, Sideia, Sideis, Sideisch, Baksa, Pepohoan, Pepo-Hwan. Dialects: Siraya, Makatao (Makattao, Takaraya, Tta'o), Pangsoia-Dolatok, Taivoan (Tevorang), Lamai. Classification: Austronesian, East Formosan, Southwest
Capital city:
Taipei
Meaning island name:
The Han characters used today mean "Terraced Bay" in Chinese (terraced rice fields typify the Taiwanese landscape). However, older characters (e.g. 台員) have entirely different meanings. Moreover, some scholars believe the characters serve merely as convenient phonetic vehicles for writing down an older Austronesian name. In the early 17th century, when the Dutch East India Company came to build a commercial post at Fort Zeelandia (today's Tainan), they allegedly adopted the name of an aboriginal tribe transliterated as "Tayouan" or "Teyowan" in their records. Chinese merchants (and, later, Chinese officials) also adopted this same name, although different transliteration into Han characters tended to obscure the real etymology by sound, and often evoked varying myths and imaginings. An old-fashioned story traced "Taiwan" to a Hokkien (Minnan) phrase (埋冤) with the same pronunciation, meaning "burying the unjustly dead," suggesting the riskiness of the sea journey to Taiwan. But this kind of story has given way to more persuasive evidence from ethnological and colonial sources.
Formosa (former name): Portuguese for beautiful, Presumably because of the beauty of the island.
Description Flag:
The National Flag of the Republic of China (traditional Chinese: 中華民國國旗; simplified Chinese: 中华民国国旗; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó guóqí) is a well-known symbol of the Republic of China (ROC). It is commonly referred to in Chinese as Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth (traditional Chinese: 青天、白日、滿地紅; simplified Chinese: 青天、白日、满地红; pinyin: qīng tiān, bái rì, mǎn dì hóng) to reflect its attributes. This design was first used in China by the Kuomintang (KMT) in 1917 and made the official flag of the ROC in 1928.
The current use of the flag is considered by some to be controversial due to the dispute over the political status of Taiwan. Within Taiwan, the flag is widely used as a national flag though there is controversy over its appropriateness. It is actively embraced as a symbol by Chinese reunification supporters as a historical link with mainland China, while a number of Taiwan independence supporters shun the flag for mainly the same reasons. Its use has been opposed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) because it suggests the continued existence of the ROC, which the PRC regards as defunct and to have been succeeded by the PRC in the Chinese Civil War. However, since the early 2000s, the PRC has had a more favorable view toward the flag, as it began to see the use of the flag in Taiwan as symbolizing a connection between Taiwan and mainland China, and news media in the PRC have often criticized supporters of Taiwanese independence for attempting to replace the flag.
Though the flag of the Republic of China is commonly known in English as the "flag of Taiwan" (as the ROC is often referred to as "Taiwan"), this term is not commonly used in Chinese as some of the current symbolism and controversy can only be understood if one realizes that it is not officially the "flag of Taiwan", but of a Republic that only assumed the administration of Taiwan in 1945 and moved its government there in 1949 after their defeat by the communist People's Republic of China following the unofficial cease-fire of the Chinese Civil War. This distinction is very important in Taiwanese politics.
Coat of arms:
The Blue Sky with a White Sun (Chinese: 青天白日; pinyin: Qīng tīan bái rì) serves as the design for the party flag and emblem of the Kuomintang (KMT), the canton of the flag of the Republic of China, the national emblem of the Republic of China (ROC), and as the naval jack of the ROC Navy.
In the "Blue Sky with a White Sun" symbol, the twelve rays of the white Sun representing the twelve months and the twelve traditional Chinese hours (時辰 shíchen), each of which corresponds to two modern hours (小時 xiǎoshí, literal meaning: "little shi") and symbolizes the spirit of progress.
The "Blue Sky with a White Sun" flag was originally designed by Lu Hao-tung, a martyr of the Republican revolution. He presented his design to represent the revolutionary army at the inauguration of the Society for Regenerating China, an anti-Qing society in Hong Kong, on February 21, 1895. In 1905, Sun Yat-sen added a red field to the design to create what would become the current flag of the Republic of China.
During the Wuchang Uprising in 1911 that heralded the Republic of China, the various revolutionary armies had different flags. Lu Hao-tung's "Blue Sky with a White Sun" flag was used in the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou, while the "18-Star Flag", "Five-Colored Flag", and other designs were used elsewhere.
Party Emblem of the KuomintangWhen the government of the Republic of China was established on January 1, 1912, The "Five-Colored" flag was adopted as the national flag, but Sun Yat-sen did not consider its design appropriate, reasoning that horizontal order implied a hierarchy or class like that which existed during dynastic times. Thus, when he established a rival government in Guangzhou in 1917, he brought over the "Blue Sky with a White Sun" flag for the party and the "Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth" (then the naval ensign) for the nation. This officially became the national flag in 1928, and continued to serve as the naval ensign; the "Blue Sky with a White Sun" flag was adopted as the naval jack at the same time.
In the early years of the Republic, under the KMT's political tutelage, the KMT party flag shared the same prominence as the ROC flag. A common wall display consisted of the KMT flag perched on the left and the ROC flag perched on the right, each tilted at an angle with a portrait of National Father Sun Yat-sen displayed in the center.
Since the ROC government moved to Taiwan and especially in the years since the end of martial law the KMT flag has lost some of its prominence. However, it is still frequently seen in political rallies and other meetings of KMT and the pan-blue coalition.
The flag and the KMT party emblem made news during the ROC legislative elections of 2004, when President Chen Shui-bian suggested that the Kuomintang's flag and party emblem violated the ROC's National Emblem Law and copyright laws for being too similar to the national emblem of the Republic of China. Chen stated that the law forbids the ROC's emblem and flag from being used by non-governmental organizations and warned that the KMT would have three months to change its flag and emblem if his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won a majority of seats in the legislature. The KMT responded by asking the government to change the national emblem, saying the KMT emblem existed first. However, the pan-green coalition failed to win a majority, and Chen has taken no action since the initial statement.
National Anthem: taiwan
Traditional Chinese Characters
三民主義，吾黨所宗，
以建民國，以進大同。
咨爾多士，為民前鋒；
夙夜匪懈，主義是從。
矢勤矢勇，必信必忠；
一心一德，貫徹始終。
Simplified Chinese Characters
三民主义，吾党所宗，
以建民国，以进大同。
咨尔多士，为民前锋；
夙夜匪懈，主义是从。
矢勤矢勇，必信必忠；
一心一德，贯彻始终。
Hanyu Pinyin
Sānmín Zhǔyì, wú dǎng suǒ zōng,
Yǐ jiàn Mínguó, yǐ jìn Dàtóng.
Zī ěr duō shì, wèi mín qiánfēng;
Sù yè fěi xiè, Zhǔyì shì cóng.
Shǐ qín shǐ yǒng, bì xìn bì zhōng;
Yì xīn yì dé, guànchè shǐ zhōng.
Zhuyin Fuhao
ㄙ ㄢ ㄇㄧㄣˊ ㄓㄨ ˇ ㄧ ˋ
ㄨ ˊ ㄉ ㄤˇ ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄗㄨㄥˉ
ㄧ ˇ ㄐㄧㄢˋ ㄇㄧㄣˊ ㄍㄨㄛˊ
ㄧ ˇ ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄉ ㄚˋ ㄊㄨㄥˊ
ㄗ ㄦ ˇ ㄉㄨㄛ ㄕ ˋ
ㄨ ㄟˊ ㄇㄧㄣˊ ㄑㄧㄢˊ ㄈ ㄥ
ㄙ ㄨˋ ㄧ ㄝˋ ㄈ ㄟˇ ㄒㄧㄝˋ
ㄓ ㄨˇ ㄧ ˋ ㄕ ˋ ㄘㄨㄥˊ
ㄕ ˇ ㄑㄧㄣˊ ㄕ ˇ ㄩ ㄥˇ
ㄅ ㄧˋ ㄒㄧㄣˋ ㄅ ㄧˋ ㄓㄨㄥ
ㄧ ˋ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄧ ˋ ㄉ ㄜˊ
ㄍㄨㄢˋ ㄔ ㄜˋ ㄕ ˇ ㄓㄨㄥ
Official
San Min Chu-i,
Our aim shall be:
To found, a free land,
World peace, be our stand.
Lead on, comrades,
Vanguards ye are.
Hold fast your aim,
By sun and star.
Be earnest and brave,
Your country to save,
One heart, one soul,
One mind, one goal.
Literal
Three Principles of the People,
The fundament of our party.
Using this, we establish the Country for the People;
Using this, we advance into a state of total peace.
Oh, you, warriors,
For the people, be the vanguard.
Without resting day or night,
Follow the Principles.
Swear to be diligent; swear to be courageous.
Obliged to be trustworthy; obliged to be loyal.
With one heart and one virtue,
We carry through until the very end.
Internet Page: www.president.gov.tw
Taiwan in diferent languages
eng | afr | bre | cat | cym | dan | dsb | est | eus | fin | fry | fur | hau | hsb | ibo | ina | ita | jav | jnf | lin | lld | nld | nor | oci | roh | ron | rup | scn | slk | sme | swa | swe | vor | wln: Taiwan
arg | ast | glg | spa | tet: Taiwán
csb | mlt | pol | szl: Tajwan
bam | kin | run: Tayiwani
crh | kaa | uzb: Tayvan / Тайвань
deu | ltz | nds: Taiwan / Taiwan
hrv | hun | slv: Tajvan
ind | msa: Taiwan / تايوان
que | zza: Taywan
aze: Tayvan / Тајван
bos: Tajvan / Тајван
ces: Tchajwan
epo: Tajvano
fao: Teivan
fra: Taïwan
frp: Tayivan
gla: Taiwan; Tai-Bhàn
gle: An Téaváin / An Téaváin
glv: Yn Taiwaan
isl: Tævan
kmr: Taywan / Т’айwан / تایوان
kur: Taywan / تایوان
lat: Taivania; Taevania; Formosa
lav: Taivāna
lit: Taivanas
mlg: Taioana
mol: Taiwan / Тайван
nrm: Formôse; Tai’wai
por: Taiwan; Taiuã
rmy: Taiwan / ताइवान
slo: Taivan / Таиван
smg: Taivans
sqi: Tajvani
srd: Taiwàn
tgl: Taywan; Taiwan
ton: Taiuani
tuk: Taýwan / Тайвань
tur: Tayvan
vie: Đài Loan
wol: Taaywaan
abq | alt | che | chm | chv | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | oss | rus | tyv | udm | ukr: Тайвань (Tajvan')
bul | kbd | mon: Тайван (Tajvan)
bak | tat: Тайвань / Tayvan
bel: Тайвань / Tajvań
kaz: Тайвань / Tayvan / تايۆان
mkd: Тајван (Tajvan)
srp: Тајван / Tajvan
tgk: Тайван / تیون / Tajvan
ara: تايوان (Tāywān); تيوان (Taywān)
fas: تایوان / Tâyvân
prs: تایوان (Tāyvān)
pus: تايوان (Tāywān)
uig: تەيۋەن / Teywen / Тәйвән
urd: تائیوان (Tāʾīvān)
div: ތައިވާން (Ta'ivān)
heb: טיון (Ṭayvan); טיוואן / טייוואן (Ṭayvân); טאיוואן (Ṭâyvân)
lad: טאייב'אן / Tayvan
yid: טײַװאַן (Tayvan)
amh: ታይዋን (Taywan); ታይቫኝ (Tayvañ)
ell: Ταϊβάν (Taïván)
hye: Թայվան (Ṭayvan)
kat: ტაივანი (Taivani)
hin: ताइवान (Tāivān); तायवान (Tāyvān); तैवन (Tævan); टाइवान (Ṭāivān)
ben: তাইওয়ান (Tāioyān)
pan: ਤਾਈਵਾਨ (Tāīvān)
kan: ಟೈವಾನ್ (Ṭaivān)
mal: തായ്വാന് (Tāyvān); തയ്വാന് (Tayvān)
tam: தாய்வான் (Tāyvāṉ); தைவான் (Taivāṉ)
tel: తైవాన్ (Taivān)
zho: 臺灣/台湾 (Táiwān)
yue: 臺灣/台湾 (Tòihwāan)
jpn: 台湾 (Taiwan)
kor: 대만 (Daeman)
bod: ཐའེ་ཝན་ (Tʰa'e.wan.); ཐེ་ཝན་ (Tʰe.wan.); ཐའི་དབན་ (Tʰa'i.dban.); ཐའི་ཝའན་ (Tʰa'i.w'an.)
dzo: ཏའི་ཝཱན་ (Ta'i.wān.)
mya: တုိင္ဝမ္ (Taĩwã)
tha: ไต้หวัน (Tái[h]wân)
lao: ໄຕ້ຫວັນ (Tái[h]wân)
khm: តៃវ៉ាន់ (Taivan)
Photo by ROMMEL T. BANGIT, All rights reserved.
IMAGE#6686
Officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. Taiwan lies north across the Luzon Strait. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest separates it from the island of Borneo and to the south the Celebes Sea from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The capital city is Manila.
With an estimated population of about 92 million people, the Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country. It is estimated that there are an additional 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. Its tropical climate sustains one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity in the world.
In prehistoric times, Negritos became some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants. They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples who brought with them influences from Malay, Hindu, and Islamic cultures. Trade introduced Chinese cultural influences. The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 marked the beginning of an era of Spanish interest and eventually dominance. The Philippines became the Asian hub of the Manila-Acapulco galleon treasure fleet. Christianity became widespread. As the 19th century gave way to the 20th, there followed in quick succession the short-lived Philippine Revolution, the Spanish-American War, and the Philippine-American War. In the aftermath, the United States replaced Spain as the dominant power. Aside from the period of Japanese occupation, the United States retained sovereignty over the islands until the end of World War II when the Philippines gained independence. The United States bequeathed to the Philippines the English language and an affinity for Western culture. Since independence the Philippines has had an often tumultuous experience with democracy, with popular "People Power" movements overthrowing a dictatorship in one instance but also underlining the institutional weaknesses of its constitutional republic in others.
Etymology
The name Philippines is derived from that of King Philip II of Spain. Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos during his expedition in 1542 named the islands of Leyte and Samar Felipinas after the then Prince of Asturias (Spain). Eventually the name Las Islas Filipinas would be used to cover all the islands of the archipelago. before it became commonplace, however, other names such as Islas del Poniente (Islands of the West) and Magellan's name for the islands San Lázaro were also used by the Spanish to refer to the islands.
The official name of the Philippines has changed several times in the course of the country's history. During the Philippine Revolution, the country was officially called República Filipina or the Philippine Republic. From the period of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War until the Commonwealth period, American colonial authorities referred to the country as the Philippine Islands, a translation of the Spanish name. It was during the American period that the name Philippines began to appear and has since become the country's common name. The official name of the country is now Republic of the Philippines.
History
The earliest known human remains found in the Philippines are those of the pre-Mongoloid Tabon Man of Palawan, carbon dated to around 24,000 years ago. Negritos were another group of early inhabitants but their appearance in the Philippines has not been reliably dated. They were followed by speakers of Malayo-Polynesian languages who began to arrive beginning around 4000 BCE, displacing the earlier arrivals. By 1000 BCE the inhabitants of the archipelago had developed into four kinds of social groups: hunter-gathering tribes, warrior societies, petty plutocracies, and maritime centered harbor principalities.
The maritime oriented peoples traded with other Asian countries during the subsequent period bringing influences from Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. There was no unifying political state encompassing the entire Philippine Archipelago. Instead, the islands were divided among competing thalassocracies ruled by various datus, rajahs, or sultans. Among these were the kingdoms of Maynila, Namayan, and Tondo, the rajahnates of Butuan and Cebu, and the sultanates of Maguindanao and Sulu. Some of these societies were part of the Malayan empires of Srivijaya, Majapahit, and Brunei. Islam was brought to the Philippines by traders and proselytizers from Malaysia and Indonesia. By the 15th century, Islam was established in the Sulu Archipelago and by 1565 had reached Mindanao, the Visayas, and Luzon.
In 1521, Portuguese explorer Fernão de Magalhães arrived in the Philippines and claimed the islands for Spain. Colonization began when Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi arrived from Mexico in 1565 and formed the first European settlements in Cebu. In 1571, after dealing with the local royal families in the wake of the Tondo Conspiracy and defeating the Chinese pirate warlord Limahong, the Spanish established Manila as the capital of the Spanish East Indies.
Spanish rule contributed significantly to bringing political unity to the archipelago. From 1565 to 1821, the Philippines was governed as a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain and then was administered directly from Madrid after the Mexican War of Independence. The Manila galleons linking Manila to Acapulco traveled once or twice a year between the 16th and 19th century. Trade introduced foods such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, chili peppers, and pineapples from the Americas. Roman Catholic missionaries converted most of the lowland inhabitants to Christianity and founded schools, a university, and hospitals. While a Spanish decree introduced free public schooling in 1863, efforts in mass public education mainly came to fruition during the American period.
During its rule, the Spanish fought off various indigenous revolts and several external colonial challenges from Chinese pirates, the Dutch, and the Portuguese. In an extension of the fighting of the Seven Years' War, British forces under the command of Brigadier General William Draper and Rear-Admiral Samuel Cornish briefly occupied the Philippines. They found local allies like Diego and Gabriela Silang who took the opportunity to lead a revolt against the Mexican-born acting Governor-General and Archbishop of Manila Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra, but Spanish rule was eventually restored following the 1763 Treaty of Paris.
In the 1800s, Philippine ports were opened to world trade. Many criollos and mestizos became wealthy. The influx of Spanish and Latino settlers secularized churches and government positions traditionally held by the peninsulares. The ideals of the French Revolution also began to spread through the islands. Criollo dissatisfaction resulted in the revolt in Cavite El Viejo in 1872 that was a precursor to the Philippine Revolution.
Revolutionary sentiments were stoked after colonial authorities executed the three priests, Mariano Gómez, José Burgos and Jacinto Zamora (collectively known as Gomburza), who were accused of sedition, in 1872. This would inspire a propaganda movement in Spain, organized by Marcelo H. del Pilar, José Rizal, and Mariano Ponce, lobbying for political reforms in the Philippines. Rizal was eventually executed on December 30, 1896 on charges of rebellion. As attempts at reform were meeting with resistance, Andrés Bonifacio in 1892 established the secret society called the Katipunan, a society along the lines of the freemasons, which sought independence from Spain through armed revolt. Bonifacio and the Katipunan started the Philippine Revolution in 1896. A faction of the Katipunan, the Magdalo of Cavite province, eventually came to challenge Bonifacio's position as the leader of the revolution and Emilio Aguinaldo took over. In 1898, the Spanish-American War began in Cuba and reached the Philippines. Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence from Spain in Kawit, Cavite on June 12, 1898 and the First Philippine Republic was established the following year. Meanwhile, the islands were ceded by Spain to the United States for $20 million dollars in the 1898 Treaty of Paris. As it became increasingly clear the United States would not recognize the First Philippine Republic, the Philippine-American War broke out. It ended with American control over the islands.
In 1935, the Philippines was granted Commonwealth status. Plans for independence over the next decade were interrupted by World War II when the Japanese Empire invaded and established a puppet government. Many atrocities and war crimes were committed during the war such as the Bataan Death March and the Manila massacre that culminated during the Battle of Manila. Allied troops defeated the Japanese in 1945. By the end of the war it is estimated over a million Filipinos had died. On July 4, 1946, the Philippines attained its independence.
Immediately after World War II, the Philippines faced a number of challenges. The country had to be rebuilt from the ravages of war. It also had to come to terms with Japanese collaborators. Meanwhile, disgruntled remnants of the Hukbalahap communist rebel army that had previously fought against and resisted the Japanese continued to roam the rural regions. Eventually this threat was dealt with by Secretary of National Defense and later President Ramon Magsaysay but sporadic cases of communist insurgency continued to flare up long afterward.
In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos was elected president, his wife Imelda Marcos at his side. Nearing the end of his second term and constitutionally barred from seeking a third, he declared martial law on September 21, 1972. By using political divisions, the tension of the Cold War, and the specter of communist rebellion and Islamic insurgency as justifications, he was able to govern by decree. On August 21, 1983, Marcos' chief rival opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. ignored warnings and returned from exile in the United States. He was assassinated as he was taken off the plane at the Manila International Airport (now called the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his memory). With political pressure building Marcos eventually called for snap presidential elections in 1986. Corazon Aquino, Benigno's widow, was convinced into becoming the presidential candidate and standard bearer of the opposition. The elections were widely thought of as rigged when Marcos was proclaimed the winner. This led to the People Power Revolution, instigated when two long-time Marcos allies—Armed Forces of the Philippines Vice Chief-of-Staff Fidel V. Ramos and Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile—resigned and barricaded themselves in Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame. Exhorted on by the Archbishop of Manila Jaime Cardinal Sin, people gathered in support of the rebel leaders and protested on EDSA. In the face of mass protests and military defections, Marcos and his allies fled to Hawaii and into exile. Corazon Aquino was recognized as president.
The return of democracy and government reforms after the events of 1986 were hampered by national debt, government corruption, coup attempts, a persistent communist insurgency, and Islamic separatists. The economy improved during the administration of Fidel V. Ramos, who was elected in 1992. However, the economic improvements were negated with the onset of the East Asian financial crisis in 1997. In 2001, amid charges of corruption and a stalled impeachment process, Ramos' successor Joseph Ejercito Estrada was ousted from the presidency by the 2001 EDSA Revolution and replaced by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Geography
The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square miles). Its 36,289 kilometers of coastline makes it the country with the 5th longest coastline in the world. It is located between 116° 40', and 126° 34' E. longitude and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude and borders the Philippine Sea on the east, the South China Sea on the west, and the Celebes Sea on the south. The island of Borneo is located a few hundred kilometres southwest and Taiwan is located directly to the north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are located to the south-southwest and Palau is located to the east of the islands.
Most of the mountainous islands are covered in tropical rainforest and volcanic in origin. The highest mountain is Mount Apo. It measures up to 2,954 metres (9,692 ft) above sea level and is located on the island of Mindanao. The longest river is the Cagayan River in northern Luzon. Manila Bay, upon the shore of which the capital city of Manila lies, is connected to Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines, by the Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf, and the Moro Gulf are other important bays. The San Juanico Strait separates the islands of Samar and Leyte but it is traversed by the San Juanico Bridge.
Situated on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. The Benham Plateau to the east in the Philippine Sea is an undersea region active in tectonic subduction. Around 20 earthquakes are registered daily, though most are too weak to be felt. The last major earthquake was the 1990 Luzon earthquake.There are many active volcanoes such as the Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991 produced the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century. Not all notable geographic features are so violent or destructive. A more serene legacy of the geological disturbances is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.
Due to the volcanic nature of the islands, mineral deposits are abundant. The country is estimated to have the second-largest gold deposits after South Africa and one of the largest copper deposits in the world. It is also rich in nickel, chromite, and zinc. Despite this, poor management, high population density, and environmental consciousness have resulted in these mineral resources remaining largely untapped. Geothermal energy, however, is another product of volcanic activity that the country has harnessed more successfully. The Philippines is the world's second-biggest geothermal producer behind the United States, with 18% of the country's electricity needs being met by geothermal power.
Other info
Oficial Name:
Republika Ng Pilipinas
Independence:
Declared June 12, 1898
- Self-government March 24, 1934
- Recognized July 4, 1946
- Current constitution February 2, 1987
Area:
300.076km2
Inhabitants:
81.411.000
Language:
Agta, Agutaynen Aklanon Alangan Alta Arta Ata Ati Atta Ayta Balangao Balangingi Bantoanon Batak Bicolano Binukid Blaan Bolinao Bontoc Buhid Butuanon Caluyanun Capiznon Cebuano Chavacano Chinese Cuyonon Davawenyo English Filipino Finallig Ga'dang Gaddang Giangan Hanunoo Higaonon Hiligaynon Ibaloi Ibanag Ibatan Ifugao Ilocano Ilongot Inabaknon Inonhan Iraya Isinai Isnag Itawit Itneg Ivatan I-Wak Kagayanen Kalagan Kalagan Kalinga Kallahan Kamayo Kankanaey Karao Karolanos Kasiguranin Kinaray-A Magahat Maguindanao Malaynon Mamanwa Mandaya Manobo Mansaka Mapun Maranao Masbatenyo Molbog Palawano Pampangan Pangasinan Paranan Philippine Sign Language Porohanon Ratagnon Romblomanon Sama Sambal Sangil Sangir Sorsogon Spanish Subanen Sulod Surigaonon Tadyawan Tagabawa Tagalog Tagbanwa Tagbanwa Tausug Tawbuid Tboli Tiruray Waray-Waray Yakan Yogad
Capital city:
Manila
Meaning country name:
Lands of King Philip" (Philip II of Spain, reigned 1556 - 1598) - the "-ines" part at the end of the name functions adjectivally. A recent and very romantic descriptive name, "Pearl of the Orient Seas" derives from the poem, "Mi Ultimo Adios" written by Philippine nationalist hero José Rizal. Other names include Katagalugan (used by the Katipunan when referring to the Philippines and means "land of/by the river", though this name is more used to refer to the Tagalog areas) and Maharlika (from the name of the upper class in pre-Hispanic Philippines, meaning "noble").
Description Flag:
The national flag of the Philippines is a horizontal bicolor with equal bands of blue and red, and with a white equilateral triangle based at the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a golden yellow sun with eight primary rays, each containing three individual rays; and at each corner of the triangle is a five-pointed golden yellow star. The flag is displayed with the blue field on top in times of peace, and with the red field on top in times of war.
The flag was first conceptualized by Emilio Aguinaldo. The first flag was sewn in Hong Kong by Marcela de Agoncillo, her daughter Lorenza, and Doña Delfina Herbosa de Natividad, a niece of José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero.
According to official sources, the white triangle stands for equality and fraternity; the blue field for peace, truth and justice; and the red field for patriotism and valor. The eight primary rays of the sun represent the first eight provinces (Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Manila, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac) that sought independence from Spain and were placed under martial law by the Spaniards at the start of the Philippine Revolution in 1896. The three stars represent the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
However, the symbolism given in the 1898 Proclamation of Philippine Independence differs from the current official explanation. It says that the white triangle signifies the emblem of the Katipunan, the secret society that opposed Spanish rule. It says the flag's colors commemorate the flag of the United States as a manifestation of gratitude for American protection against the Spanish during the Philippine Revolution. It also says that one of the three stars represents the island of Panay, rather than the entire Visayas.
Coat of arms:
The Coat of Arms of the Philippines features the eight-rayed sun of the Philippines with each ray representing the eight provinces (Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Manila, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Tarlac) which were placed under martial law by Governor-General Ramón Blanco during the Philippine Revolution, and the three five-pointed stars representing the three primary geographic regions of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. In the blue field on the left side is the Eagle of the United States, and in the red field on the right is the Lion-Rampant of Spain, both representing colonial history. The design is very similar to the design briefly adopted by the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1940.
The heraldic description from Republic Act No. 8491 of 1998 is as follows: Paleways of two pieces, azure and gules; a chief argent studded with three mullets equidistant from each other; and, in point of honor, ovoid argent over all the sun rayonnant with eight minor and lesser rays. Beneath shall be the scroll with the words "REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS," inscribed thereon.
The words on the scroll have undergone many changes since Philippine independence. From independence in 1946 until 1972, when President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law, the scroll contained the words "REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES." From 1979 until the overthrow of Marcos in 1986, the scroll had the words "ISANG BANSA ISANG DIWA" ("One Nation, One Spirit") inscribed. After the overthrow of Marcos, the scroll changed to the current "REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS". In 1998, with the approval of Republic Act No. 8491, the eagle and lion on the lower half of the shield have been removed. However, the modified arms are not in wide use, pending the ratification of the law by a national referendum called for that purpose, as mandated by the Philippine Constitution.
Motto:
" Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makakalikasan, at Makabayan "
National Anthem: Lupang Hinirang
Phillipins
Bayang Magiliw
Perlas ng Silanganan,
Alab ng puso
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.
Lupang hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig,
'Di ka pasisiil.
Sa dagat at bundok,
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula at awit
Sa paglayang minamahal.
Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma'y 'di magdidilim.
Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya, na 'pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa 'yo.
Spanish
Tierra adorada
Hija del sol de Oriente,
Su fuego ardiente
en ti latiendo está.
¡Tierra de amores!
Del heroísmo cuna,
Los invasores
No te hollarán jamás.
En tu azul cielo, en tus auras,
En tus montes y en tu mar
Esplende y late el poema
De tu amada libertad.
Tu pabellón, que en las lides
La victoria iluminó,
No verá nunca apagados
Sus estrellas y su sol.
Tierra de dichas, del sol y de amores,
En tu regazo dulce es vivir.
Es una gloria para tus hijos,
Cuando te ofenden, por ti morir.
English
Beloved Country,
Pearl of the Orient,
The heart's fervor
In your heart is ever alive.
Chosen land,
You are the cradle of the brave.
To the conquerors
You shall never surrender.
Through the seas and mountains,
Through the air and your azure skies,
There is splendor in the poem
And song for dear freedom.
The sparkle of your flag
Is shining victory.
Its stars and sun
Forever will never dim.
Land of the morning, of glory, of our affection,
Life is heaven in your arms;
When someone oppresses you, it is our pleasure
To die for you.
Internet Page: www.gov.ph
Philippines in diferent languages
eng | fra | hau: Philippines
arg | glg | lin | oci | por | spa | srd | tet: Filipinas
ast | cat | lld: Filipines
bam | hrv | slv: Filipini
deu | ltz | nds: Philippinen / Philippinen
kin | run | swa: Filipino
ces | slk: Filipíny
dsb | hsb: Philippiny
hat | zza: Filipin
jav | mlg: Filipina
mlt | scn: Filippini
pol | szl: Filipiny
afr: Filippyne; Filippynse Eilande
aze: Filippin / Филиппин
bos: Filipini / Филипини
bre: Filipinez
cor: Filipinys
crh: Filippinler / Филиппинлер
csb: Filipinë
cym: Ynysoedd y Philapin
dan: Filippinerne
epo: Filipinoj
est: Filipiinid
eus: Filipinak
fao: Filipsoyggjar
fin: Filippiinit
frp: Felipines
fry: Filipinen
fur: Filipinis
gla: Na h-Eileanan Filipineach; Na Filipìonan
gle: Na hOileáin Fhilipíneacha / Na hOileáin Ḟilipíneaċa
glv: Ny h-Ellanyn Phillippeenagh
haw: ʻĀina Pilipino
hun: Fülöp-szigetek
ibo: Agwe-etiti Filipin
ina: Philippinas
ind: Pilipina / ڤيليڤينا; Filipina / فيليڤينا
isl: Filippseyjar; Filipseyjar
ita: Filippine
jnf: Ph’lippinnes
kaa: Filippinı / Филиппины
kmr: Fîlîpînêd / Филипинед / فیلیپینێد
kur: Filîpîn / فلیپین; Fîlîpîn / فیلیپین
lat: Philippinae
lav: Filipīnas
lim: Filipiene
lit: Filipinai
mol: Filipine / Филипине
msa: Filipina / فيليڤينا
nld: Filipijnen
nno: Filippinane
nob: Filippinene
nrm: Phelippènes
pap: Filipina
que: Philipinakuna
rmy: Filipine / क़िलिपिने
roh: Filippinas
ron: Filipine
rup: Filipinji
slo: Filipinia / Филипиниа
sme: Filippiinnat
smg: Fėlėpinā
smo: Filipaina
som: Filibiin
sqi: Filipinet
swe: Filippinerna
tgl: Pilipinas
ton: Filipaine
tuk: Filippinler / Филиппинлер
tur: Filipinler; Filipin Adaları
uzb: Filippin orollari / Филиппин ороллари
vie: Phi Luật Tân; Phi-líp-pin
vol: Filipuäns
vor: Filipiiniq
wln: Filipenes
wol: Filipiin
alt | chm | kom | kum | rus: Филиппины (Filippiny)
bul | mkd: Филипини (Filipini)
kjh | tyv: Филиппиннер (Filippinner)
mon | udm: Филиппин (Filippin)
abq: Филиппинска дзыгӀвбжяква (Fiłippinska dzəʿʷbžjakʷa)
bak: Филиппин / Filippin
bel: Філіпіны / Filipiny
che: Филиппинаш (Filippinaš)
chv: Филиппин утравӗсем (Filippin utravĕsem)
kaz: Филиппин аралдары / Fïlïppïn araldarı / فيليپپين ارالدارى
kbd: Филиппинскэ островхэр (Filippinskă ostrovĥăr)
kir: Филиппиндер (Filippinder); Филиппин аралдары (Filippin araldary)
krc: Филиппинле (Filippinle)
oss: Филиппинтӕ (Filippintä)
srp: Филипини / Filipini
tat: Филиппин утраулары / Filippin utrawları
tgk: Ҷазираҳои Филиппин / جزیرههای فیلیپین / Çazirahoi Filippin
ukr: Філиппіни (Filyppiny)
ara: الفيليبين (al-Fīlībbīn); الفلبين (al-Filibbīn); الفيلبين (al-Fīlibbīn)
fas: فیلیپین / Filipin
prs: فلپین (Felepīn)
pus: فلپين (Filipīn); فلپاين (Filipāyn)
snd: فلپائن (Filipāʾin)
uig: فىلىپپىن / Filippin / Филиппин
urd: فلپائن (Filipāʾin)
div: ޕިލިޕީންސް (Pilipīns); ފިލިޕީންސް (Filipīns)
heb: פיליפינים (Fîlîpînîm)
lad: פ'יליפינאס / Filipinas
yid: פֿיליפּינען (Filipinen)
amh: ፊሊፒን (Filipin)
ell-dhi: Φιλιππίνες (Filippínes)
ell-kat: Φιλιππῖναι (Filippĩnai)
hye: Ֆիլիպիններ (Filipinner)
kat: ფილიპინები (Ṗilipinebi)
hin: फ़िलीपींस (Filīpīṁs); फ़िलीपिंस (Filīpiṁs); फ़िलिपाइन (Filipāin); फ़िलिपीन (Filipīn); फ़िलिपाइंस (Filipāiṁs); फ़िलिपींस (Filipīṁs)
mar: फिलिपाईन्स (Pʰilipāīns)
ben: ফিলিপিন্স (Pʰilipins); ফিলিপাইন (Pʰilipāin)
pan: ਫਿਲਿਪੀਨੀਜ਼ (Pʰilipīnīz)
kan: ಫಿಲಿಪ್ಪೀನ್ಸ್ (Pʰilippīns)
mal: ഫിലിപ്പൈന്സ് (Pʰilippains); ഫിലിപ്പീന്സ് (Pʰilippīns)
tam: பிலிப்பைன்ஸ் (Pilippaiṉs); பிலிப்பின் தீவுகள் (Pilippiṉ Tīvukaḷ)
tel: ఫిలిప్పీన్స్ (Pʰilippīns)
zho: 菲律賓/菲律宾 (Fēilùbīn)
yue: 菲律賓/菲律宾 (Fèileuhtbān)
jpn: フィリピン (Firipin)
kor: 필리핀 (Pillipin)
bod: ཧྥི་ལེའི་པིན་ (Hpʰi.le'i.pin.); ཧྥེ་ལི་པིང་ (Hpʰe.li.piṅ.)
mya: ဖိလစ္ပုိင္ (Pʰíliʿpaĩ)
tha: ฟิลิปปินส์ (Filippin[s])
lao: ຟີລິບປິນ (Fīlippin)
khm: ហ្វីលីពីន (Hvīlīpīn); ហ្វ៉ីលិពីន (Hvīlipīn)
Is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are occupied by two countries. Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba), with 48,442 square kilometres (18,704 sq mi) and an estimated 10 million people.
Inhabited by Taínos since the seventh century, the territory of the Dominican Republic was reached by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, namely Santo Domingo, the country's capital and Spain's first capital in the New World. In Santo Domingo stand, among other firsts in the Americas, the first university, cathedral, and castle, the latter two in the Ciudad Colonial area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After three centuries of Spanish rule, with French and Haitian interludes, the country became independent in 1821 but was quickly taken over by Haiti. Victorious in the Dominican War of Independence in 1844, Dominicans experienced mostly political turmoil and a brief return to Spanish rule over the next 72 years. The United States occupation of 1916–1924, and a subsequent, calm and prosperous six-year period under Horacio Vásquez Lajara, were followed by the military dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina until 1961. The last civil war was ended by the 1965 United States occupation of the Dominican Republic, and was followed by the authoritarian rule of Joaquin Balaguer, 1966 – 1978. Since then, the Dominican Republic has moved toward representative democracy, and has been led by Leonel Fernández for most of the time after 1996.
The Dominican Republic has adopted economic liberalism, and has the second largest economy in the Caribbean. Though long known for sugar production, the economy is now dominated by services. The country's economic progress is exemplified by its advanced telecommunication system. Nevertheless, unemployment, government corruption, and inconsistent electric service remain major Dominican problems. The country also has "marked income inequality".
International migration greatly affects the country, as it receives and sends large flows of migrants. Haitian immigration and the integration of Dominicans of Haitian descent are major issues; the total population of Haitian origin is estimated to be 800,000. A large Dominican diaspora exists, most of it in the United States, where it comprises 1.3 million. They aid national development as they send billions of dollars to their families, accounting for one-tenth of the Dominican GDP.
The Dominican Republic has become the Caribbean's largest tourist destination; the country's year-round golf courses are among the top attractions. In this mountainous land is located the Caribbean's highest mountain, Pico Duarte, as is Lake Enriquillo, the Caribbean's largest lake and lowest elevation. Quisqueya, as Dominicans often call their country, has an average temperature of 26 °C (79°F) and great biological diversity.
Music and sport are of the highest importance in Dominican culture, with merengue as the national dance and song and baseball the favorite sport.
History
The Taínos
The Arawakan-speaking Taínos moved into Hispaniola, displacing earlier inhabitants, circa A.D. 650. The Taínos called the island Kiskeya or Quisqueya ("mother of the earth"). They engaged in farming and fishing, and hunting and gathering. The fierce Caribs drove the Taínos to the northeastern Caribbean during much of the 15th century. The estimates of Hispaniola's population in 1492 vary widely, including one hundred thousand, three hundred thousand, and four hundred thousand to two million. By 1492 the island was divided into five Taíno chiefdoms.
The Spanish arrived in 1492. After initially friendly relations, the Taínos resisted the conquest, led by the female Chief Anacaona of Xaragua and her husband Chief Caonabo of Maguana, as well as Chiefs Guacanagarix, Guamá, Hatuey, and Enriquillo. The latter's successes gained his people an autonomous enclave for a time on the island. Nevertheless, within a few years after 1492 the population of Taínos had declined drastically, due to smallpox and other diseases that arrived with the Europeans, and from other causes discussed below. The decline continued, and by 1711 the Taíno numbered just 21,000. The last record of pure Taínos in the country was from 1864. Due to intermarriage over the centuries, many Dominicans have Taíno ancestry. Remnants of the Taino culture include their cave paintings, as well as pottery designs which are still used in the small artisan village of Higüerito, Moca.
Spanish rule
Christopher Columbus arrived on Hispaniola on December 5, 1492, during the first of his four voyages to America. He claimed the island for Spain and named it La Española. In 1496 Bartholomew Columbus, Christopher's brother, built the city of Santo Domingo, Europe's first permanent settlement in the "New World". The Spaniards created a plantation economy on the island. The colony was the springboard for the further Spanish conquest of America and for decades the headquarters of Spanish power in the hemisphere. Christopher was buried in Santo Domingo upon his death in 1506.
The Taínos nearly disappeared, above all, from European infectious diseases to which they had no immunity. Other causes were abuse, suicide, the breakup of family, starvation, enslavement, forced labor, torture, war with the Spaniards, changes in lifestyle, and even miscegenation. Laws passed for the Indians's protection (beginning with the Laws of Burgos, 1512–1513) were never truly enforced. Yet as stated above, the Taínos did survive. Some scholars believe that las Casas exaggerated the Indian population decline in an effort to persuade King Carlos to intervene, and that encomenderos also exaggerated it, in order to receive permission to import more African slaves. Moreover, censuses of the time omitted the Indians who fled into remote communities, where they often joined with runaway Africans (cimarrones), producing Zambos. Also, Mestizos who were culturally Spanish were counted as Spaniards, some Zambos as black, and some Indians as Mulattos.
After her conquest of the Aztecs and Incas, Spain neglected her Caribbean holdings. French buccaneers settled in western Hispaniola, and by the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick, Spain ceded the area to France. France created the wealthy colony Saint-Domingue there, with a population 90% slave, and overall four times as populous (500,000 to 125,000) as the Spanish area at the end of the 18th century.
French rule
France came to own the whole island in 1795, when by the Peace of Basel Spain ceded Santo Domingo as a consequence of the French Revolutionary Wars. At the time, Saint–Domingue's slaves, led by Toussaint Louverture, were in revolt against France. In 1801 they captured Santo Domingo, thus controlling the entire island; but in 1802 an army sent by Napoleon captured Toussaint Louverture and sent him to France as prisoner. However, Toussaint Louverture's lieutenants, and yellow fever, succeeded in expelling the French again from Saint-Domingue, which in 1804 the rebels made independent as the Republic of Haiti. Eastwards, France continued to rule Spanish Santo Domingo.
In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain, the criollos of Santo Domingo revolted against French rule and, with the aid of Great Britain (Spain's ally) and Haiti, returned Santo Domingo to Spanish control.
Independence
In 1838 Juan Pablo Duarte founded a secret society called La Trinitaria, which sought the complete independence of Santo Domingo without any foreign intervention.Ramón Matías Mella and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, despite not being among the founding members of La Trinitaria, were decisive in the fight for independence. Duarte and they are the three Founding Fathers of the Dominican Republic. On February 27, 1844, the Trinitarios (Trinitarians), declared the independence from Haiti. They were backed by Pedro Santana, a wealthy cattle rancher from El Seibo, who became general of the army of the nascent Republic. The Dominican Republic's first Constitution was adopted on November 6, 1844, and was modeled after the United States Constitution.
The decades that followed were filled with tyranny, factionalism, economic difficulties, rapid changes of government, and exile for political opponents. Threatening the nation's independence were renewed Haitian invasions occurring in 1844, 1845–49, 1849–55, and 1855–56.:page number needed
Meanwhile, archrivals Santana and Buenaventura Báez held power most of the time, both ruling arbitrarily. They promoted competing plans to annex the new nation to another power: Santana favored Spain, and Báez the United States.
Geography
The Dominican Republic (Spanish: República Dominicana) is a country in the West Indies that occupies the eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola. It has an area of 48,442 km², including offshore islands. The land border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, which occupies the western one-third of the island, is 388 km long. The maximum length, east to west, is 390 km from Punta de Agua to Las Lajas, on the border with Haiti. The maximum width, north to south, is 265 km from Cape Isabela to Cape Beata. The capital, Santo Domingo, is located on the south coast.
The Dominican Republic's shores are washed by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The Mona Passage, a channel about 130 km wide, separates the country (and Hispaniola) from Puerto Rico.
Other info
Oficial Name:
Republica Dominicana
Independence:
27 February 1844
Area:
48.511km2
Inhabitants:
9.450.000
Languages:
Dominican Sign Language [doq] Dialects: Lexical similarity 85% to 90% with ASL, and uses most of the features of ASL, such as absent referent and reduplication. Classification: Deaf sign language
More information.
English [eng] 8,000 in Dominican Republic (1989 J. Holm). Samaná Peninsula, northeastern Dominican Republic. Dialects: Samaná English. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
More information.
Haitian Creole French [hat] 159,000 in Dominican Republic (1987). Alternate names: Kreyol, Aiysyen. Classification: Creole, French based
More information.
Spanish [spa] 6,886,000 in Dominican Republic (1995). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian
Capital city:
Santo Domingo
Meaning country name :
Derived from Santo Domingo, the capital city, which bears the name of the Spanish Saint Domingo de Guzmán, the founder of the Dominican Order.
Description Flag:
The flag of the Dominican Republic, as described by Article 96 of the Dominican Constitution, features a centered white cross that extends to the edges and divides the flag into four rectangles —the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue. A small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by a bay laurel branch (left) and a palm frond (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield, a blue ribbon displays the national motto: Dios, Patria, Libertad (God, Fatherland, Liberty). Below the shield, the words República Dominicana appear on a red ribbon (this red ribbon is depicted in more recent versions as having its tips pointing upward -see image below-). In the center of the shield, flanked by three spears (two of them holding Dominican banners) on each side, is a Bible with a small cross above it, which is opened (according to popular belief) to the Gospel of John, 8:32, which reads Y la verdad nos hará libre (And the truth shall set you free).
Coat of arms:
The coat of arms of the Dominican Republic features a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right); above the shield, a blue ribbon displays the national motto: Dios, Patria, Libertad (God, Fatherland, Liberty). Below the shield, the words Republica Dominicana appear on a red ribbon (this red ribbon is sometimes depicted having its tips pointing upward). In the center of the shield is a Bible opened to the Gospel of John, 8:32, which reads Y la verdad nos hará libres (And the truth shall set you free), with a small cross above it, and on each side flanked by three spears, two of them holding Dominican banners.
Motto:
"God, Homeland, Liberty"
National Anthem: Quisqueyanos valientes
I
Quisqueyanos valientes, alcemos
Nuestro canto con viva emoción,
Y del mundo a la faz ostentemos
Nuestro invicto glorioso pendón.
II
Salve el pueblo que intrépido y fuerte,
A la guerra a morir se lanzó
Cuando en bélico reto de muerte
Sus cadenas de esclavo rompió.
III
Ningún pueblo ser libre merece
Si es esclavo indolente y servil;
Si en su pecho la llama no crece
Que templó el heroismo viril.
IV
Más Quisqueya la indómita y brava
Siempre altiva la frente alzará:
Que si fuere mil veces esclava
Otras tantas ser libre sabrá.
V
Que si dolo y ardid la expusieron
de un intruso señor al desdén,
¡Las Carreras! ¡Beller!... campos fueron
que cubiertos de gloria se ven.
VI
Que en la cima de heroíco baluarte,
de los libres el verbo encarnó,
donde el genio de Sánchez y Duarte
a ser libre o morir enseñó.
VII
Y si pudo inconsulto caudillo
de esas glorias el brillo empañar,
de la guerra se vió en Capotillo
la bandera de fuego ondear.
VIII
Y el incendio que atónito deja
de Castilla al soberbio león,
de las playas gloriosas le aleja
donde flota el cruzado pendón.
IX
Compatriotas, mostremos erguida
nuestra frente, orgullosos de hoy más;
que Quisqueya será destruida
pero sierva de nuevo, jamás.
X
Que es santuario de amor cada pecho
do la patria se siente vivir;
Y es su escudo invencible, el derecho;
Y es su lema: ser libre o morir.
XI
Libertad que aún se yergue serena
La victoria en su carro triunfal.
Y el clarín de la guerra aún resuena
Pregonando su gloria inmortal.
XII
¡Libertad! Que los ecos se agiten
Mientras llenos de noble ansiedad
Nuestros campos de gloria repiten
¡Libertad! ¡Libertad! ¡Libertad!
English translation
I
Valiant sons of Quisqueya, let's loudly sing
Our song with a fiery passion
And let's show to the face of the world
Our undefeated, glorious flag.
II
Hail, the people who strong and intrepid,
Into war launched itself unto death!
When in warfare challenge of death,
Her slavery chains she broke.
III
None people deserves to be free
If he is slave, indolent and servile;
If in his heart the flame is not burning,
Which was sparked by heroic manliness.
IV
But Quisqueya, the indomitable and brave,
Her head will always lift up high,
For if she were enslaved a thousand times,
Many more times shall she know how to be free.
V
If it will be exposed to ruse and deceit
Unto contempt of a real imposer,
On to Las Carreras! Beler! ...it were places
Where the traces of glory are found.
VI
Where on the top of the heroic bastion,
The word of the libarated became flesh,
Where the genius of Sánchez and Duarte
Taught to be free or to die.
VII
And if an unattended leader the splendor
Of these glorious events could ignore,
One has seen in Capotillo in the war
The flag of fire wave.
VIII
And the fire that lets the proud lion
Of Castilla become stupefied,
Removes him from the glorious beaches
Where the crossed banner waves.
IX
Compatriots, let us proudly
Show our face, from today prouder than ever;
Quisqueya may be destroyed
But a slave again, never!
X
It is a sanctuary of love that every character
Of the fatherland feels alive!
And it is his coat of arms, the right;
And it is his device: be free or die.
XI
Freedom that still rises cool-bloodedly
The victory in her triumphal car.
And the clarion of war re-echoes
Proclaiming his immortal glory.
XII
Freedom! That the echo's touch
While they're full of noble tension
Our fields of glory repeat
Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!
Internet Page: www.dominicanrepublic.com
Dominican Rep. in diferent languages
eng: Dominican Republic
ast | cat | glg | por | spa: República Dominicana
arg | lld | oci | roh: Republica Dominicana
hrv | hsb | slv: Dominikanska republika
est | vor: Dominikaani Vabariik
kin | run: Republika ya Dominika
pol | szl: Dominikana
afr: Dominikaanse Republiek
aze: Dominikan Respublikası / Доминикан Республикасы
bam: Dɔminikɛni
bos: Dominikanska Republika / Доминиканска Република
bre: Republik Dominikan
ces: Dominikánská republika
cor: Repoblek Dhominikanek
crh: Dominikan Cumhuriyeti / Доминикан Джумхуриети
cym: Gweriniaeth Dominica
dan: Den Dominikanske Republik
deu: Dominikanische Republik / Dominikaniſche Republik
dsb: Dominikańska republika
epo: Domingo
eus: Dominikar Errepublika
fao: Domingo lýðveldið
fin: Dominikaaninen tasavalta
fra: République dominicaine
frp: Rèpublica domeniquêna
fry: Dominikaanske Republyk
fur: Republiche Dominicane
gla: Poblachd Dhoiminicia
gle: An Poblacht Dhoiminiceach / An Poblaċt Ḋoiminiceaċ
glv: Yn Phobblaght Ghominicagh
hat: Repiblik dominikàn
hun: Dominikai Köztársaság
ina: Republica Dominican
ind: Republik Dominika / ريڤوبليك دومينيكا
isl: Dóminíska lýðveldið
ita: Repubblica Dominicana
jav: Republik Dominika
jnf: Républyique Dominnicaine
kaa: Dominikana Respublikası / Доминикана Республикасы
kmr: Cimḧurîyeta Domînîkanê / Щьмһ’ӧрийәта Доминикане / جمحوریەتا دۆمینیکانێ
kur: Komara Domînîkanê / کۆمارا دۆمینیکانێ
lat: Res Publica Dominicana; Res Publica Dominiciana; Respublica Dominicana
lav: Dominikas Republika; Dominikāna
lin: Republiki Dominikani
lit: Dominikos Respublika
ltz: Dominikanesch Republik / Dominikaneſch Republik
mlg: Repoblikan’i Dominikana
mlt: Repubblika Dominikana
mol: Republica Dominicană / Република Доминиканэ
msa: Republik Dominican / ريڤوبليك دومينيكان
nds: Dominikaansche Republiek / Dominikaanſche Republiek
nld: Dominicaanse Republiek
nno: Den dominikanske republikken
nob: Den dominikanske republikk
nrm: Saint-Domingue
pap: Repúblika Dominikanu
que: Duminikana
rmy: Dominikani Republika / दोमिनिकानी रेपुब्लिका
ron: Republica Dominicană
rup: Republica Dominicanã
scn: Ripùbbrica Duminicana
slk: Dominikánska republika
slo: Dominikanju Republik / Доминиканйу Републик
sme: Dominikána republihkka
smg: Duomėnė̄kas Respoblėka
sqi: Republika Domenikane
srd: Repùbrica Dominicana
swa: Jamhuri ya Dominikan
swe: Dominikanska republiken
tet: Repúblika Dominikana
tgl: Republika ng Dominikano
ton: Lepāpulika Tominikení
tuk: Dominikan Jumhuriýäti / Доминикан Җумхурийәти
tur: Dominik Cumhuriyeti; Dominikan Cumhuriyeti
uzb: Dominikana Respublikasi / Доминикана Республикаси
vie: Cộng hoà Dominicana
vol: Repüblikän Dominiganik
wln: Republike Dominikinne
wol: Republik Dominikee
zza: Cumhuriyetê Dominiki
kir | krc | kum: Доминикана Республикасы (Dominikana Respublikasy)
bul | mkd: Доминиканска Република (Dominikanska Republika)
alt | chm: Доминиканский Республика (Dominikanskij Respublika)
abq: Доминиканска Ареспублика (Dominikanska Arespubłika)
bak: Доминикана Республикаһы / Dominikana Respublikahı
bel: Дамініканская Рэспубліка / Daminikanskaja Respublika
che: Доминикански Республика (Dominikanski Respublika)
chv: Доминикана Республики (Dominikana Respubliki)
kaz: Доминикан Республикасы / Domïnïkan Respwblïkası / دومينيكان رەسپۋبليكاسى
kbd: Доминиканскэ Республикэ (Dominikanskă Respublikă)
kjh: Доминиканскай Республика (Dominikanskaj Respublika)
kom: Доминиканскӧй Республика (Dominikansköj Respublika)
mon: Бүгд Найрамдах Доминикан Улс (Bügd Najramdaĥ Dominikan Uls)
oss: Доминиканаг Республикӕ (Dominikanag Respublikä)
rus: Доминиканская Республика (Dominikanskaja Respublika)
srp: Доминиканска Република / Dominikanska Republika
tat: Доминикан республикасы / Dominikan respublikası
tgk: Ҷумҳурии Доминикана / جمهوری دامینیکنه / Çumhuriji Dominikana
tyv: Доминикан Республика (Dominikan Respublika)
ukr: Домініканська Республіка (Dominikans'ka Respublika)
ara: جمهوريةالدومينيكان (Ǧumhūrīyâtu d-Dūmīnīkān); جمهورية الدومنيكان(Ǧumhūrīyâtu d-Dūminīkān); الجمهوريةالدومينيكية (al-Ǧumhūrīyâtu d-Dūmīnīkīyâ)
fas: دومینیکن (Domīnīkan); دمینیکن (Domīnīkan); جمهوری دومینیکن (Jomhūrī-ye Domīnīkan)
prs: جمهوری دومینیکان (Jomhūrī-ye Dōmīnīkān)
pus: د ډومينيکان جمهوريت (də Ḋomīnīkān Jumhūriyat); د دومينيکان جمهوريت (də Domīnīkān Jumhūriyat)
uig: دومىنىكان جۇمھۇرىيىتى / Dominikan jumhuriyiti / Доминикан җумһурийити
urd: ڈومینیکن ریپبلک (Ḋômīnīkan Rīpablik); جمہوریۂ ڈومینیکا (Jumhūrīyâ-e Ḋômīnīkā)
div: ޑޮމިނިކަން ރިޕަބްލިކް (Ḋominikan Ripablik)
heb: הרפובליקה הדומיניקנית (ha-Repûblîqah ha-Dômînîqanît); הרפובליקה הדומיניקאנית (ha-Repûblîqah ha-Dômînîqânît)
lad: ריפובליקה דומיניקאנה / Republika Dominikana
yid: דאָמיניקאַנישע רעפּובליק (Dominikaniše Republik)
amh: ዶሚኒካን ሪፐብሊክ (Dominikan Ripäblik)
ell-dhi: Δομινικανή Δημοκρατία (Dominikanī́ Dīmokratía); Δομινικανική Δημοκρατία (Dominikanikī́ Dīmokratía)
ell-kat: Δομινικανὴ Δημοκρατία (Dominikanī̀ Dīmokratía); Δομινικανικὴ Δημοκρατία (Dominikanikī̀ Dīmokratía)
hye: Դոմինիկյան Հանրապետություն (Dominikyan Hanrapetouṭyoun)
kat: დომინიკელთა რესპუბლიკა (Dominikelṭa respublika)
hin: डोमिनिकन गणराज्य (Ḍominikan Gaṇrājyā); डोमीनिकन रिपब्लिक (Ḍomīnikan Ripablik); डोमिनिकन रिपब्लिक (Ḍominikan Ripablik)
mar: डॉमिनिकन प्रजासत्ताक (Ḍŏminikan Pradzāsattāk)
ben: ডোমিনিকান প্রজাতন্ত্র (Ḍominikān Prôjātôntrô)
pan: ਡੋਮੀਨੀਕਾਨ ਗਣਰਾਜ (Ḍomīnīkān Gaṇrāj)
kan: ಡೊಮಿನಿಕನ್ ಗಣರಾಜ್ಯ (Ḍominikan Gaṇarājya)
mal: ഡൊമിനിക്കന് റിപ്പബ്ലിക് (Ḍominikkan Ṟippablik)
tam: டொமினிகன் குடியரசு (Ṭomiṉikaṉ Kuṭiyaraču)
tel: డొమినికన్ రిపబ్లిక్ (Ḍominikan Ripablik)
zho: 多米尼加共和国 (Duōmǐníjiā Gōnghéguó)
jpn: ドミニカ共和国 (Dominika Kyōwakoku)
kor: 도미니카공화국 (Dominika Gonghwaguk)
mya: ဒုိမီနီကန္္သမ္မတနုိင္ငံ (Dominikã Ṯãmatánaĩṅã)
tha: สาธารณรัฐโดมินิกัน (Sātʰāronrât Dōminikân)
khm: សាធារណរដ្ឋដូមីនីកែន (Sātʰāroṇrod[tʰ] Dūmīnīkæn); សាធារណរដ្ឋដូមីនិកាំង (Sātʰāroṇrod[tʰ] Dūmīnikāṁṅ)
I am willing to bet that very few people who walk by this on a daily basis know the story behind this memorial fountain by Joseph Wackerle.
Operation Shamrock was a scheme bringing refugee children from mainland Europe to Ireland in the aftermath of the Second World War. It was organised by the Irish Red Cross, and involved about 500 children, mostly from Germany, who stayed for three years before returning home.
Irish assistance to Germany reinforced in Britain the perception, fostered by wartime neutrality, that Ireland was pro-Nazi. Conversely, West Germany in the 1950s had gratitude for Ireland's postwar relief aid, and ties grew between the countries. In January 1956 a memorial fountain sculpted by Joseph Wackerle and commissioned by the German Gratitude Fund was unveiled in St Stephen's Green, Dublin, by the West German ambassador.
In 1961, the German war cemetery was opened near St Kevin's Hostel, Glencree, for graves of German aviators killed in Ireland during the war. In 1974, the hostel became the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, which played a role in the Northern Ireland peace process in the 1990s.
German-language courses provided for refugees in Dublin led to the foundation of St. Kilian's German School.
In March 1997, a reunion of over 300 foster-children and families was held at the German embassy in Dublin, attended by Presidents Mary Robinson of Ireland and Roman Herzog of Germany.
As part of The Gathering Ireland 2013, 21 refugee children from Germany, France and Austria returned to Glencree.
The sculpture consists of a group of three bronze figures from Norse mythology, representing the Three Fates, Urd (past), Verdandi (present) and Skuld (future). In Norse mythology these three female figures are known as norns, who rule the destiny of Gods and men. Around the fountain are three plaques. Each plaque says “This fountain, designed by the sculptor Josef Wackerle, is the gift of the people of the German Federal Republic to mark their gratitude for Ireland’s help after the war of 1939-45. The bronze group portrays the three legendary fates spinning and measuring the thread of man’s destiny.” One is in English, the second is in Gaelic, and the third is in German.
Saudi Arabia (officially Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) is the largest Arab country of the Middle East. It is bordered by Jordan and Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south. The Persian Gulf lies to the northeast and the Red Sea to its west. It has an estimated population of 28 million, and its size is approximately 2,149,690 square kilometres (830,000 sq mi).
The Kingdom is sometimes called "The Land of the Two Holy Mosques" in reference to Mecca and Medina, the two holiest places in Islam. The two mosques are Masjid al-Haram and Masjid Al-Nabawi. The current Kingdom was founded by Abdul-Aziz bin Saud, whose efforts began in 1902 when he captured the Al-Saud’s ancestral home of Riyadh, and culminated in 1932 with the proclamation and recognition of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, though its national origins go back as far as 1744 with the establishment of the First Saudi State.
Saudi Arabia is full of petroleum exporter. Petroleum exports fuel the Saudi economy. Oil accounts for more than 90 percent of exports and nearly 75 percent of government revenues, facilitating the creation of a welfare state, which the government has found difficult to fund during periods of low oil prices.
History
Although the region in which the country stands today has an ancient history, the emergence of the Saudi dynasty began in central Arabia in 1744. That year, Muhammad ibn Saud, the ruler of the town of Ad-Dir'iyyah near Riyadh, joined forces with a cleric, Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, to create a new political entity. This alliance formed in the 18th century remains the basis of Saudi Arabian dynastic rule today.
Over the next 150 years, the fortunes of the Saud family rose and fell several times as Saudi rulers contended with Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and other Arabian families for control on the peninsula (see First Saudi State and Second Saudi State). The third and current Saudi state was founded in the early 20th century by King Abdul Aziz Al Saud (known internationally as Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud).
Geography
The Kingdom occupies about 80 percent of the Arabian peninsula. In 2000 Saudi Arabia and Yemen signed an agreement to settle their long-running border dispute. A significant length of the country's southern borders with the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, are not precisely defined or marked, so the exact size of the country remains unknown. The Saudi government's estimate is 2,217,949 km2 (856,355 sq mi). Other reputable estimates vary between 1,960,582 km2 (756,934 mi) and 2,240,000 km2 (860,000 sq mi). The kingdom is commonly listed as the world's 14th largest state.
Saudi Arabia's geography is varied. From the humid western coastal region (Tihamah) on the Red Sea, the land rises from sea level to a peninsula-long mountain range (Jabal al-Hejaz) beyond which lies the plateau of Nejd in the center. The southwestern 'Asir region has mountains as high as 3,000 m (9,800 ft) and is known for having the greenest and freshest climate in all of the country, one that attracts many Saudis to resorts such as Abha in the summer months. The east is primarily rocky or sandy lowland continuing to the shores of the Persian Gulf. The geographically hostile Rub' al Khali ("Empty Quarter") desert along the country's imprecisely defined southern borders contains almost no life.
Mostly uninhabited, much of the nation's landmass consists of desert and semi-arid regions, with a dwindling traditional Bedouin population. In these parts of the country, vegetation is limited to weeds, xerophytic herbs and shrubs. Less than two percent of the kingdom's total area is arable land. Population centers are mainly located along the eastern and western coasts and densely populated interior oases such as Hofuf and Buraydah. In some extended areas, primarily the Rub' al-Khali and the Arabian Desert, there is no population whatsoever, although the petroleum industry is constructing a few planned communities there. Saudi Arabia has no permanent year-round rivers or lakes; however, its coastline extends for 2,640 km (1,640 mi) and, along the Red Sea, harbors world-class coral reefs, including the Gulf of Aqaba.
Native animals include the ibex, wildcats, baboons, wolves, and hyenas in the mountainous highlands. Small birds are found in the oases. The coastal area on the Red Sea with its coral reefs has a rich marine life.
Oficial Name:
المملكة العربيّة السّعوديّة
Al-Mamlakah al-'Arabiyah as-Sa'udiyah
Establishment :
Kingdom declared January 8, 1926
- Recognized May 20, 1927
- Unified September 23, 1932
Area:
2.248.000km2
Inhabitants:
22.568.000
Languages:
Arabic, Gulf Spoken [afb] 200,000 in Saudi Arabia. Northern and southern Eastern Province. Alternate names: Gulf Spoken. Dialects: Al-Hasaa. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
More information.
Arabic, Hijazi Spoken [acw] 6,000,000 in Saudi Arabia (1996). Red Sea coast and adjacent highlands. Also spoken in Eritrea. Alternate names: Hijazi, West Arabian Colloquial Arabic. Dialects: North Hijazi, South Hijazi, Valley Tihaamah, Coastal Tihaamah. North Hijazi has 4 subdialects, South Hijazi has 16. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
More information.
Arabic, Najdi Spoken [ars] 8,000,000 in Saudi Arabia. Population total all countries: 9,863,520. Also spoken in Canada, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, USA. Dialects: North Najdi (Shammari, Bani Khaalid, Dafiir), Central Najdi (Rwala, Haayil, Al-Qasiim, Sudair, Riyadh, Hofuf, Biishah, Najraan, Wild `Ali, `Awaazim, Rashaayda, Mutair, `Utaiba, `Ajmaan), South Anjdi (Aal Murrah, Najran). Some dialects are spoken by Bedouins. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
More information.
Arabic, Standard [arb] 206,000,000 first-language speakers of all Arabic varieties (1999 WA). Middle East, North Africa, other Muslim countries. Also spoken in Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian West Bank and Gaza, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. Alternate names: High Arabic, Al Fus-Ha, Al Arabiya. Dialects: Modern Standard Arabic (Modern Literary Arabic), Classical Arabic (Koranic Arabic, Quranic Arabic). Preserves the ancient grammar. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Capital city:
Riyadh
Meaning country name:
"Saudi" after the House of Saud, the royal family who founded the kingdom and who still rule it. The dynasty takes its name from its ancestor, "Sa`ûd", whose name in Arabic means "a group of stars/planets". The etymology of the term "Arab" or "Arabian" links closely with that of the place-name "Arabia". The root of the word has many meanings in Semitic languages, including "west / sunset", "desert", "mingle", "merchant", "raven" and "comprehensible", all of which appear to have some relevance to the emergence of the name.
Description Flag:
The flag of Saudi Arabia is the flag used by the government of Saudi Arabia since March 15, 1973. It is a green flag featuring in white an Arabic inscription and a sword.
The script on the flag is written in the Thuluth script. It is the shahada or Islamic declaration of faith:
لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله
la ilaha ill allah muhammadun rasul allah
"There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his Messenger"
The sword, symbolising the victories of Ibn Saud, is underneath the inscription.
Green flags bearing this or other Arabic scripts are frequently seen in Islam and should not be confused with the Saudi national flag. These other flags normally do not bear the sword symbol.
The flag is manufactured with differing obverse and reverse sides, to ensure the shahada reads correctly, from right to left, from either side. The sword points from hoist to fly on both sides. The flag is sinister hoisted, meaning that the obverse side (front) has the hoist side (flagpole side) to the right.
Coat of arms:
The Saudi Arabian coat of arms (Arabic: شعار السعودية) includes two swords and a palm tree which represents the Saudi main tree. Each of the swords represent the two houses which founded modern day Saudi Arabia, the House of Saud, and the House of Wahab.
The date palm tree represents vitality and growth. The crossed scimitars symbolize justice and strength rooted in faith.
Motto:
"There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" (the Shahadah)
National Anthem: عاش المليك --As-Salam Al Malaki
Arab
سارعي للمجد و العلياء
مجدي لخالق السماء
و ارفعي الخفاق أخضر
يحمل النور المسطر
رددِ الله أكبر ياموطني
موطني قد عشت فخر المسلمين
عاش الملك للعلم و الوطن
Transliteration
Sār‘ī le l-majd wa l-‘alyā',
Majjedī le Khāleq as-Samā'!
Wa arfa‘ī el khaffāq akhḍḍar
Yaḥmil an-Nūr al-musaṭṭar
Raddedi: Allahu akbar,
Yā mawtanī!
Mawtanī, qad ‘išta fakhr al-Muslimīn
‘Āsh al-Malik le l-‘alam wa l-watan!
English
Hasten to glory and supremacy,
Glorify the Creator of the heavens!
And raise the green, fluttering flag
Carrying the emblem of Light,
Repeat: God is greatest,
O my country!
My country, may you always live, glory of all Muslims!
Long live the King for the flag and the country!
Internet Page: www.moe.gov.sa
S.Arabia in diferent languages
eng | eus | lin: Saudi Arabia
ita | lld | oci | roh: Arabia Saudita
arg | ast | glg: Arabia Saudí
afr | lim: Saoedi-Arabië
est | vor: Saudi Araabia
fao | sme: Saudi-Arábia
fin | nor: Saudi-Arabia
ind | msa: Arab Saudi / عرب سعودي
kin | run: Sawudi Arabiya
ltz | nds: Saudi-Arabien / Saudi-Arabien
por | tet: Arábia Saudita
aze: Səudiyyə Ərəbistanı / Сәудијјә Әрәбистаны
bam: Arabi-Sawuditi
bos: Saudijska Arabija / Саудијска Арабија
bre: Arabia Saoudat
cat: Aràbia Saudita
ces: Saúdská Arábie
cor: Arabi Saoudek
cos: Arabia Saudiana
crh: Saudiy Arabistan / Саудий Арабистан
csb: Saudëjskô Arabijô
cym: Sawdi Arabia
dan: Saudi-Arabien
deu: Saudi-Arabien / Saudi-Arabien; Saudisch-Arabien / Saudiſch-Arabien
dsb: Saudi-Arabiska
epo: Saŭda Arabujo; Saŭda Arabio
fra: Arabie saoudite
frp: Arabie saoudita
fry: Saûdy-Araabje
fur: Arabie Saudide
gag: Saudi Arabiya / Сауди Арабия
gla: Saud-Aràibia; Aràbia Saudach; Aràibia Saudach
gle: An Araib Shádach / An Araib Ṡádaċ
glv: Yn Araab Saudi
hat: Arabi Sawoudit
hau: Saudi Arabiya; Makka
haw: Saudi ʻAlapia
hrv: Saudijska Arabija
hsb: Saudi-Arabska
hun: Szaúd-Arábia
ibo: Sọdi Arebia
ina: Arabia Saudita; Arabia Saudi
isl: Sádí-Arabía
jav: Arab Saudi
jnf: Arabie Saudi
kaa: Saudov Araviyası / Саудов Аравиясы
kmr: Erebistana Seûdî / Ә’рәбьстана Сәуди / عەرەبستانا سەعوودی
kur: Erebistana Seʿûdî / ئەرەبستانا سەعوودی
lat: Arabia Saudiana; Arabia Saudica
lav: Saūda Arābija
lit: Saudo Arabija
mlg: Arabo Saodita; Arabia Saodita
mlt: Għarabja Sawdita
mol: Arabia Saudită / Арабия Саудитэ
nld: Saoedi-Arabië; Saudi-Arabië
nrm: Arabie Sâodite
pol: Arabia Saudyjska
que: Sawud Arabsuyu
rmy: Saudikani Arabiya / साउदिकानी आराबिया
ron: Arabia Saudită
rup: Arabia Saudescã; Arabia Sauditã
scn: Arabbia Saudita
slk: Saudská Arábia
slo: Saudju Arabia / Саудйу Арабиа
slv: Saudska Arabija; Saudova Arabija
smg: Saudo Arabėjė
smo: Sauti Arapia
som: Sacuudi Carabiya
spa: Arabia Saudita; Arabia Saudí
sqi: Arabia Saudite
srd: Aràbbia Saùdida
swa: Arabuni Saudi
swe: Saudiarabien
szl: Arabja Saudyjsko
ton: Sauti Alepea
tuk: Saud Arabystany / Сауд Арабыстаны; Saud Arawiýa / Сауд Аравия
tur: Suudi Arabistan; Süudi Arabistan
uzb: Saudiya Arabistoni / Саудия Арабистони
vie: Ả-rập Xê-út
vol: Sauda-Larabän
wln: Arabeye Sawoudite
wol: Araabi Sawdit
zza: Erebıstanê Seudi
krc | udm: Сауд Аравия (Saud Aravija)
abq: Саудовска Аравия (Saudovska Aravija)
alt: Саудовский Аравия (Saudovskij Aravija)
ava: СагӀудияб ГӀарабустан (Saʿudijab ʿArabustan)
bak: Сәғүд Ғәрәбстаны / Säğüd Ğäräbstanı
bel: Саудаўская Аравія / Saudaŭskaja Aravija; Саудаўская Арабія / Saudaŭskaja Arabija
bul: Саудитска Аравия (Sauditska Aravija); Саудитска Арабия (Sauditska Arabija)
che: Саудовски Арави (Saudovski Aravi)
chm: Саудовский Аравий (Saudovskij Aravij)
chv: Сауд Аравийӗ (Saud Aravijĕ)
kaz: Сауд Арабиясы / Sawd Arabïyası / ساۋد ارابياسى; Сауд Аравиясы / Sawd Aravïyası / ساۋد اراۆياسى
kbd: Саудовскэ Аравие (Saudovskă Aravie)
kir: Сауд Аравиясы (Saud Aravijasy)
kjh: Саудовскай Аравия (Saudovskaj Aravija)
kom: Саудовскӧй Аравия (Saudovsköj Aravija)
kum: Сауд Арабыстаны (Saud Arabystany)
lbe: Саоьдлул Аьрабусттан (Saödlul Ärabusttan)
mkd: Саудиска Арабија (Saudiska Arabija)
mon: Саудын Араб (Saudyn Arab)
oss: Саудон Арави (Saudon Aravi)
rus: Саудовская Аравия (Saudovskaja Aravija)
srp: Саудијска Арабија / Saudijska Arabija
tab: Сауд Аьрабистан (Saud Ärabistan)
tat: Согуд Гарәбстаны / Soğud Ğaräbstanı; Сөгүд Гарәбстаны / Sögüd Ğaräbstanı
tgk: Арабистони Саудӣ / عربستان سعودی / Arabistoni Saudī
tyv: Сауд Аравиязы (Saud Aravijazy)
ukr: Саудівська Аравія (Saudivs'ka Aravija)
ara: العربية السعودية (al-ʿArabīyâtu s-Saʿūdīyâ); السعودية (as-Saʿūdīyâ)
ckb: سعوودیە / Siʿûdiye
fas: عربستان سعودی / Arabestâne Saudi
prs: عربستان سعودی (ʿArabestān-e Saʿūdī)
pus: سعودي عربستان (Saʿūdī ʿArabistān); سعودي عربيه (Saʿūdī ʿArabiyâ); سعودي عرب (Saʿūdī ʿArab)
snd: سعودي عرب (Saʿūdī ʿArabu)
uig: سەئۇدى ئەرەبىستان / Seudi Erebistan / Сәуди Әрәбистан
urd: سعودی عرب (Saʿūdī ʿArab)
div: ސައޫދީ އާރަބިޔާ (Sa'ūdī Ārabiyā); ސައޫދީ އަރަބިއްޔާ (Sa'ūdī Arabiyyā)
syr: ܥܪܒܝܐ ܕܣܥܘܕܝ (ʿArabiyā da-Saʿūdī)
heb: ערב הסעודית (ʿAraṿ ha-Saʿûdît)
lad: אראביה סאודיטה / Arabia Saudita
yid: סאַוד אַראַביע (Saud Arabye)
amh: ሳውዲ አራቢያ (Sawdi Ărabiya); ሳውዲ ዓረቢያ (Sawdi ʿAräbiya)
ell-dhi: Σαουδική Αραβία (Saoydikī́ Aravía)
ell-kat: Σαουδικὴ Ἀραβία (Saoydikī̀ Aravía)
hye: Սաուդյան Արաբիա (Saoudyan Arabia)
kat: საუდის არაბეთი (Saudis Arabeṭi)
hin: सऊदी अरब (Saūdī Arab)
nep: साउदी अरब (Sāudī Arab)
ben: সাউদি আরব (Sāudi Ārôb); সৌদি আরব (Soudi Ārôb); সৌদী আরব (Soudī Ārôb)
ori: ସୌଦି ଆରବ (Soudi Ārôb)
pan: ਸਾਊਦੀ ਅਰਬ (Sāūdī Arab)
kan: ಸೌದಿ ಅರೇಬಿಯ (Saudi Arēbiya)
mal: സൗദി അറേബ്യ (Sāudi Aṟēbya); സൌദി അറേബ്യ (Saudi Aṟēbya)
tam: சவுதி அரேபியா (Čavuti Arēpiyā); சவூதி அரேபியா (Čavūti Arēpiyā)
tel: సౌదీ అరేబియా (Saudī Arēbiyā)
zho: 沙特阿拉伯 (Shātè Ālābó)
jpn: サウディ・アラビア (Saudi Arabia); サウジアラビア (Saujiarabia)
kor: 사우디아라비아 (Saudiarabia)
bod: ཧྲ་ཐི་ཨར་ལ་སྤེ་ (Hra.tʰi. Ar.la.spe.); ས་ཐི་ཨ་ལ་པེ་ (Sa.tʰi. A.la.pe.); སའུ་དི་ཨ་ར་པི་ཡ་ (Sa'u.di. A.ra.pi.ya.)
dzo: སའུ་དི་ཨེ་ར་སྦི་ཡ་ (Sa'u.di E.ra.sbi.ya.)
mya: ဆော္ဒီအာရေဗ္ယ (Sʰɔdi Aẏebyá)
tha: ซาอุดีอาระเบีย (Sā'udī Ārabiya); ซาอุดิอาระเบีย (Sā'udi Ārabiya)
lao: ອາຣາບີຊາອູດີ (Ālābī Sā'ūdī)
khm: អារ៉ាប៊ីសាអ៊ូឌីត (Ārābī Sā'ūdīt); អារ៉ាប់ប៊ីសាអ៊ូឌីដ (Ārabbī Sā'ūdīd)
The oldest vehicles still in daily use with the works transport department at A.E.R.E. Harwell during 1984 were a handful of these Willowbrook '001' bodied Bedford YRQ that were new back in August 1974. 167 (URD 890N) approaches Rowstock Corner whilst traveling in convoy with many other vehicles taking Harwell workers hone a the end of their day shifts.