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New Ireland

(Encyclopedia)New Ireland, volcanic island (1990 pop. 64,615), c.3,340 sq mi (8,650 sq km), SW Pacific, in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of Papua New Guinea. New Ireland is largely mountainous, rising to c.4,000 f...

McKenna, Reginald

(Encyclopedia)McKenna, Reginald, 1863–1943, British politician and banker. Elected to Parliament as a Liberal in 1895, he entered the cabinet as president of the board of education in 1907. As first lord of the a...

Mara, Ratu Sir Kamisese

(Encyclopedia)Mara, Ratu Sir Kamisese, 1920–2004, Fijian political leader. A paramount chief of the Lau Islands, he was educated in Fiji, New Zealand, and England, founded (1960) the Alliance party, and helped ne...

Kearny, Lawrence

(Encyclopedia)Kearny, Lawrence kärˈnē [key], 1789–1868, American naval officer, b. Perth Amboy, N.J.; cousin of Stephen Watts Kearny. He became a midshipman in 1807, served in the War of 1812, and later saw ac...

Masisi, Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe

(Encyclopedia)Masisi, Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe, 1962–, Botswanan political leader. An educator, he studied in the United States and Great Britain, then worked for the United Nations Children's Fund (1995–2003)...

Louis I, king of Portugal

(Encyclopedia)Louis I, 1838–89, king of Portugal (1861–89), son of Maria II and Ferdinand II. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother Peter V. His reign was marked by much political turmoil and b...

lake dwelling

(Encyclopedia)lake dwelling, prehistoric habitation built over the shallow waters of a lake shore or a marsh, usually erected on pile-supported platforms, but sometimes on artificial islands or mounds. Such a site ...

Burritt, Elihu

(Encyclopedia)Burritt, Elihu, 1810–79, American reformer, b. New Britain, Conn. A blacksmith, he studied mathematics, languages, and geography and became known as “the learned blacksmith.” Profoundly idealist...

Busia, Kofi Abrefa

(Encyclopedia)Busia, Kofi Abrefa kōˈfē äbrāˈfä bo͞osēˈä [key], 1913–78, political leader in Ghana. He was educated in Africa and in England and taught sociology in African, American, and European unive...

Ranjit Singh

(Encyclopedia)Ranjit Singh rŭnˈjĭt sĭng [key], 1780–1839, Indian maharaja, ruler of the Sikhs. Seizing Lahore (1799) and Amritsar (1809), he established himself as the leading Sikh chieftain. In 1809 he made ...