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Sichuan

(Encyclopedia)Sichuan or Szechwan sŭˈchwänˈ [key] [four rivers], province (2010 pop. 80,418,200), c.220,000 sq mi (569,800 sq km), SW China. The capital is Chengdu. A naturally isolated region surrounded by mou...

Apache

(Encyclopedia)Apache əpăchˈē [key], Native North Americans of the Southwest composed of six culturally related groups. They speak a language that has various dialects and belongs to the Athabascan branch of the...

Tamil Nadu

(Encyclopedia)Tamil Nadu mədrăsˈ, mədräsˈ [key], state (2001 provisional pop. 62,110,839), 50,180 sq mi (129,966 sq km), SE India, on the Bay of Bengal. The capital is Chennai (formerly Madras). On a low-lyin...

Minoan civilization

(Encyclopedia)Minoan civilization mĭnōˈən [key], ancient Cretan culture representing a stage in the development of the Aegean civilization. It was named for the legendary King Minos of Crete by Sir Arthur Evans...

Bali

(Encyclopedia)Bali bäˈlē [key], island and (with two offshore islets) province, c.2,200 sq mi (5,700 sq ...

Thjórsá

(Encyclopedia)Thjórsá thyōrsˈouˌ [key], Icelandic Þjórsá, longest river of Iceland, c.150 mi (240 km) long. It rises on the eastern slopes of the Hofsjökull and flows SW to the Atlantic Ocean. ...

Riga, Gulf of

(Encyclopedia)Riga, Gulf of, eastern arm of the Baltic Sea, bordering on Estonia and on Latvia. At its mouth it is nearly closed off by the Estonian island of Saaremaa. The gulf, which is frozen from December to Ap...

Varkaus

(Encyclopedia)Varkaus värˈkous [key], town (1996 pop. 24,096), Eastern Finland prov., S central Finland, on Lake Saimaa. In an abundant forest region, it is a major timber, pulp, and paper-manufacturing center. L...

Breiðafjörður

(Encyclopedia)Breiðafjörður brāˈᵺäfyörˌᵺür [key], large inlet of the Denmark Strait, c.75 mi (120 km) long and 45 mi (70 km) wide, W Iceland, between the Vestfjarða and Snaefellsnes peninsulas. Hvamms...

Pithom

(Encyclopedia)Pithom pīˈthŏm [key], in the Bible, the ancient treasure city of Egypt, in the eastern part of the Nile delta, built by the Israelites for the pharaoh. Ruins include walls of storage chambers. ...