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Yarkant

(Encyclopedia)Yarkant shäˈcho͝oˈ [key] or Yarkant, forms an oasis at the western end of the Taklimakan desert; it is a trade center. The city, mainly inhabited by Turkic-speaking Muslims, has more than 120 mosq...

Kerman

(Encyclopedia)Kerman kĕrmänˈ [key], city (1991 pop. 311,643), capital of Kerman prov., E central Iran. It is noted for making and exporting carpets. Cotton textiles and goats-wool shawls are also manufactured. K...

Yangzhou

(Encyclopedia)Yangzhou or Yangchow both: yängˈjōˈ [key], city (1994 est. pop. 355,500), Jiangsu prov., China, on the Grand Canal. It is an agricultural market and transportation center with textile and other li...

Hangzhou

(Encyclopedia)Hangzhou hăngˈchou [key], city (1994 est. pop. 1,184,300), capital of Zhejiang prov., E China. It is on the Fuchun River at the head of Hangzhou Bay and handles river traffic through its port. It is...

Mandeville, Sir John

(Encyclopedia)Mandeville, Sir John, 14th-century English author of The Travels of Sir John Mandeville. Originally written in Norman French, the work became enormously popular and was translated into English, Latin,...

Bene Israel

(Encyclopedia)Bene Israel or Beni Israel both: bāˈnē [key] [Heb.,=sons of Israel], Jewish community of India, living mostly in and near Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Many thousands of others have settled in Israel s...

Badakhshan, province, Afghanistan

(Encyclopedia)Badakhshan bädäkhshänˈ, bədəkhshänˈ [key], province (1979 est. pop. 497,000), 17,011 sq mi (44,059 sq km), extreme NE Afghanistan, between the Hindu Kush Mts. and the Amu Darya River. The capi...

Kublai Khan

(Encyclopedia)Kublai Khan ko͞oˈblī kän [key], 1215–94, Mongol emperor, founder of the Yüan dynasty of China. From 1251 to 1259 he led military campaigns in S China. He succeeded (1260) his brother Mongke (Ma...

Fuzhou, city, Fujian province, China

(Encyclopedia)Fuzhou fo͞oˈchouˈ [key], city (1994 est. pop. 952,300), capital of Fujian prov., China, a port on the Min River delta c.25 mi (40 km) from the coast. A regional commercial and fishing center that u...

Kashi

(Encyclopedia)Kashi käshˈgär [key], city (1994 est. pop. 190,500), SW Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, on the Kaxgar (Kashgar) River (a tributary of the Tarim). It is the hub of an important commercial d...