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Alexis, czar of Russia

(Encyclopedia)Alexis əlyĭksyāˈ mēkhīˈləvĭch [key], 1629–76, czar of Russia (1645–76), son and successor of Michael. His reign, marked by numerous popular outbreaks, was crucial for the later developmen...

Peter I, czar of Russia

(Encyclopedia)Peter I or Peter the Great, 1672–1725, czar of Russia (1682–1725), major figure in the development of imperial Russia. Peter's personal traits ranged from bestial cruelty and vice to the most ...

Vyatka, river, Russia

(Encyclopedia)Vyatka vyätˈkə [key], river, c.850 mi (1,370 km) long, rising in the foothills of the central Urals, E European Russia, and flowing first N, then NW past the city of Kirov, and finally SE into the ...

Narva, city, Estonia

(Encyclopedia)Narva närˈvə [key], city (1994 pop. 79,094), NE Estonia, on the left bank of the Narva River. A leading textile center, it also has machinery plants, sawmills, flax and jute factories, and food-pro...

Brest, city, Belarus

(Encyclopedia)Brest –lĭtôfskˈ [key], Pol. Brześć nad Bugiem, city, capital of Brest region, W Belaru...

Don, river, Russia

(Encyclopedia)Don dŏn, Rus. dôn [key], river, SW European Russia. It rises SE of Tula and flows c.1,200 mi (1,930 km), first SE past Voronezh, then SW into the Sea of Azov. At its eastern bend the Don is linked b...

Shaki, city, Azerbaijan

(Encyclopedia)Shaki shĕkˈ– [key], city (1989 pop. 56,223), N Azerbaijan, on the southern slopes of the Caucasus. It is a silk and manufacturing center in a district that grows fruit and rice. Until its annexati...

Petropavl, city, Kazakhstan

(Encyclopedia)Petropavl pyĕˌtrəpävˈləfsk [key], city (1993 est. pop. 248,000), N Kazakhstan, on the Ishim (Esil) River and at the junction of the Trans-Kazakhstan and Trans-Siberian RR. Small motors, agricult...

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