(Encyclopedia) Bukhara, emirate of, former state, central Asia, in Turkistan, in the Amu Darya River basin. Part of ancient Sogdiana, it was ruled (a.d. 709–874) by the Umayyad Arabs and played an…
Michael JacksonArchive PhotosRecord of the Year“Beat It,” Michael JacksonAlbum of the YearThriller, Michael Jackson (Epic/CBS)Song of the Year“Every Breath You Take,” Sting, songwriterBest New…
U.S. Department of State Background Note Index: People Government and Political Conditions Economy Foreign Relations U.S.-Afghan Relations PEOPLE Afghanistan, often called the crossroads of…
(Encyclopedia) Boris I, d. 907, khan [ruler] of Bulgaria (852–89). Baptized in 864, he introduced Christianity of the Byzantine rite among the Bulgarians. There followed a rivalry between Rome and…
(Encyclopedia) Polo, MarcoPolo, Marcomärˈkō pōˈlō [key], 1254?–1324?, Venetian traveler in China. His father, Niccolò Polo, and his uncle, Maffeo Polo, had made (1253–60) a trading expedition to…
(Encyclopedia) ShirazShirazshēräzˈ [key], city (1991 pop. 965,117), capital of Fars prov., SW Iran, at an altitude of c.5,200 ft (1,580 m). It is a commercial and industrial center and has long been…
(Encyclopedia) Carpini, Giovanni de PianoCarpini, Giovanni de Pianojōvänˈnē dā pyäˈnō kärpēˈnē [key], c.1180–1252, Italian traveler and Franciscan monk, b. Pian del Carpini (now Piano della Magione…
U.S. Department of State Background Note Index: People Historical Overview Government and Political Organization National Security Economy Foreign Relations U.S.-Pakistan Relations PEOPLEThe…
U.S. Department of State Background Note Index: People History Government and Political Conditions Economy Foreign Relations U.S.-Mongolian Relations PEOPLELife in sparsely populated Mongolia…
(Encyclopedia) kamikazekamikazekäˌməkäˈzē [key] [Jap.,=divine wind], the typhoon that destroyed Kublai Khan's fleet, foiling his invasion of Japan in 1281. In World War II the term was used for a…
