- published: 27 Aug 2008
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- author: kazakhstanlive
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![**OFFICIAL** FUNKAGENDA - ASTANA [ORIGINAL MIX] FORTHCOMING ON FUNK FARM](http://web.archive.org./web/20130303165112im_/http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z-9mj13Y_hM/default.jpg "FUNKAGENDA - ASTANA [ORIGINAL + THREESIXTY REMIX] FORTHCOMING ON FUNKAGENDA'S NEW IMPRINT FUNK FARM")
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Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi (Arabic: أبو ظبي Abu Dhabi, Father of Deer) is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western coast. The city proper had an estimated population of 896,800 in 2009.
Abu Dhabi houses important offices of the federal government, and is the seat for the United Arab Emirates Government and the home for the Abu Dhabi Emiri Family and the President of the UAE from this family. Abu Dhabi has grown to be a cosmopolitan metropolis. Its rapid development and urbanisation, coupled with the relatively high average income of its population, has transformed Abu Dhabi to a larger and advanced metropolis. Today the city is the country's center of political, industrial activities, and a major cultural, and commercial centre due to its position as the capital. Abu Dhabi alone generated 56.7% of the GDP of the United Arab Emirates in 2008.
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Afghanistan
Afghanistan
i/æfˈɡænɨstæn/ (Persian/Pashto: افغانستان, Afġānistān), officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming part of South Asia, Central Asia, and Greater Middle East, it is also considered to be part of a broader West Asia. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of 647,500 km2 (250,001 sq mi), making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world. It is bordered by Pakistan in the south and the east, Iran in the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China in the far northeast.
Afghanistan has been an ancient focal point of the Silk Road and human migration. Archaeologists have found evidence of human habitation from as far back as 50,000 BC. Urban civilization may have begun in the area as early as 3,000 to 2,000 BC. Sitting at an important geostrategic location that connects the Middle East with Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, the land has been home to various peoples through the ages and witnessed many military campaigns, notably by Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and in modern era Western forces. The land also served as a source from which the Greco-Bactrians, Kushans, Saffarids, Ghaznavids, Ghorids, Timurids, Mughals and many others have risen to form major empires.
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Akmola Province
Akmola Province (Kazakh: Ақмола облысы, Aqmola oblısı Russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The capital of the whole country, Astana, is enclosed in the province, but is politically separate from Akmola Province. The province's population is 748,300; Kokshetau's is 124,000. The area is 146,200 square kilometers. It and Karagandy Province are Kazakhstan's only two provinces which don't touch the country's outer borders. As well as Karagandy Provinceto the south, the Akmola Province borders the North Kazakhstan Province to the north, the Pavlodar Province to the east, and the Kostanay Province to the west. Some gold and coal mining occur in the area.
Aqmola or Akmola in Kazakh language means the white burial.
Ethnic Kazakhs account for 43.5% of the population in 2009 census, compared to 36.5% for Russians.
In the steppes north of Astana
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Aktau
Aktau (Kazakh: Ақтау, Russian: Актау), formerly known as Shevchenko (Russian: Шевченко, 1964–1991), is one of the biggest cities of western Kazakhstan, with a population of 162,400 (2005), and the country's only seaport on the Caspian Sea. It is located on the Mangyshlak Peninsula and is the capital of Mangystau Province. Aktau literally means "white mountain" in Kazakh, so named after the cliffs overlooking the sea.
Aktau is known for its unique block address system. The streets of the city have no names, and all addresses in Aktau consist of three numbers: the microdistrict (block) number, the building number and the apartment number. This is because Aktau was originally planned as a camp for the workers of the oil industry.[citation needed]
The territory of Aktau was once inhabited by ancient tribes of Scythians. Current archeological finds are the demonstrations of old settlements and utensils. Aktau was founded in 1961 as a covert settlement, Guriyev-20, when development of uranium deposits was started. In 1963 the settlement was open and gained status of a city. From 1963 to 1991, the city was named Shevchenko to honour the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, who was once exiled to this then remote location because of his political views. The name Aktau was brought back in 1991 as the Soviet Union collapsed and Kazachstan gained independence.
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Aktobe
Aktobe (Kazakh: Ақтөбе / Aqtöbe / اقتٶبه ), formerly known as Aktyubinsk (Russian: Актюбинск, until 1999), is a city on the Ilek River in Kazakhstan. With a population of 277,700, it is the capital of Aktobe Province.
The name "Aktobe" comes from Kazakh "ақ" (white) and "төбе" (hill); the name is a reference to the heights on which the original 19th century settlement was located.
The territory of modern-day Aktobe province has borne witness to the rise and fall of many Central Asian cultures and empires. The region has figured prominently in the history of the Kazakh "Little Horde" (Kaz. Кіші Жуз, Rus. Младший Жуз). The Kazakh war-leader Eset Batyr (Kaz. Есет Батыр) based his campaigns against the Dzungars from this area. His mausoleum is located 35 km. to the south of Aktobe city. Abulkhair Khan (1693–1748) was also based in this region.
In March 1869 a Russian military fort with a garrison of 300 was built at the confluence of the Kargala and Ilek Rivers, along the Orenburg - Kazalinsk caravan route. From this period Slavic settlers began to immigrate to the region in order to farm, and very soon neighborhoods had been built around the fort. In 1874 the fort was expanded in size, and streets were laid out to and from the fort's gate. In 1891 the settlement was labelled a district city, and officially named "Aktyubinsk": Актюбинск.
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Aktobe Province
Aktobe (Kazakh: Ақтөбе облысы, Aqtöbe oblısı, اقتوبە وبلىسى) is a province of Kazakhstan. The Aktobe provincial capital is the city of Aktobe, with a population of more than 340,000. The province itself has a population 678,900. The area of the province is 300,600 square kilometers, making it the second largest province of Kazakhstan, after Karagandy Province. Aktobe Province borders Russia to the north and Uzbekistan to the south, and also borders six other Kazakh provinces: the Atyrau Province to the west, the Mangystau Province to the south-west, the Karagandy Province to the east, the Kostanay Province to the north-east, the Kyzylorda Province to the south-east, and the West Kazakhstan Province to the north-west. The Ilek River, a tributary of the Ural River, flows through the province. The name "Aktobe" comes from Kazakh "Ақ" (white) and "төбе" (hill); supposedly, Aktobe's initial settlers were able to see white mountains far to the north.
According to the national census of 2009, the area's population was 779542 persons, 407217 women and 372325 men. Kazakhs — 614961 persons (79 %), unlike in other areas of the country they form an overwhelming majority of the population of the area. There are a lot of Russians, Tatars, Ukrainians, Germans, Koreans, Moldavians, Jews, Armenians, Chechens and others in the area as well.
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Almaty
Almaty (Kazakh: Алматы / Almatı / الماتى , i.e. "city of apples" or "city of apple trees", under the Russian Empire from 1867 to 1921 known by the Russian name of Верный, Vierny, i.e. "the Faithful," and under the Soviet Union from 1921 to 1993 known as Alma-Ata (Russian: Алма́-Ата́, from the Kazakh алма/alma, i.e. "apple", and ата/ata, i.e. "grandfather"), is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500 (at 1 September 2008). This represents approximately 9% of the country's population.
Almaty was the capital of the Kazakh SSR from 1929 to 1991 and of independent Kazakhstan from 1991 to 1997. Despite losing its status as the capital to Astana in 1997, Almaty remains the major commercial center of Kazakhstan. The city is located in a mountainous area of southern Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan.
From 1927 to 1936, Almaty was the capital of Kazakh ASSR. From 1936 to 1991, it was the capital of Kazakh SSR. From 1991 to 1997, it was the capital of Kazakhstan. Almaty remains the largest, most developed, and most ethnically and culturally diverse city in Kazakhstan. The city is located in the foothills of Trans-Ili Alatau (or Zailiysky Alatau) in the extreme south-east and has a peculiar, relatively mild climate regime with a difficult environmental situation. Since the city is located in a tectonically active area there is a constant possibility of the earthquakes, most of which do not represent any significant danger or cause damage. However, Almaty has a record of some large destructive earthquakes too.
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Almaty Province
Almaty (Kazakh: Алматы облысы, Almatı oblısı, Arabic: الماتى, Russian: Алматинская область ) is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Taldykorgan, which has a population of 118,400. The province itself has 1,603,700 people.
Almaty Province is the province which surrounds the city of Almaty. The province borders Kyrgyzstan and Xinjiang in the People's Republic of China. The province also touches three other Kazakh provinces: Jambyl Province to the West, Karagandy Province to the Northwest and East Kazakhstan Province to the north. Almaty Province has an area of 224,000 square kilometres.
Lake Balkhash (Balqash Koli in Kazakh) takes up part of the northwest of the province. The Trans-Ili Alatau branch of Tian Shan Mountains extend from China and Kyrgyzstan into Almaty Province, along its southern border with Kyrgyzstan.
Charyn Canyon, Ili river, Bartogai and Kapshagay lakes, Kaindy and Kolsai lakes, Lake Issyk, Lake Alakol , Lake Sasykkol , Lake Zhasylkol are located in the province.
Alma-Ata Province, the predecessor of today's Almaty Province, was created from the historical region of Zhetysu on March 10, 1932. Its capital was Alma-Ata (Almaty). Several times during the Soviet period, the north-eastern part of the province, centred on Taldykorgan, was separated from Alma-Ata Province, forming a separate Taldy-Kurgan Province, only to be merged into Alma-Ata Province again several years later.
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Amman
Amman (Arabic: عمان
/ɑːˈmɑːn/; ʿAmmān; Rabat Ammon) is the capital and largest city of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost 6.5 million by 2025 due to constant and rapid immigration. The recent economic growth experienced in Amman is unmatched by any other Arab city except those located in the Gulf. Amman is also the administrative seat of the homonymous governorate. Amman is also ranked a Gamma global city on the World city index.
Amman was named one of the MENA's best cities according to economic, labour, environmental, and socio-cultural factors. Amman is among the most popular locations for multinational corporations to set up their regional offices, alongside Doha and only behind Dubai. Furthermore, it is expected that in the next 10 years these three cities will capture the largest share of multinational corporation activity in the region. It is a major tourist destination in the region and the capital is especially popular among Gulf tourists. Amman is considered one of the richest and most Western-oriented cities in the Middle East.
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Ankara
Ankara (Turkish pronunciation: [ˈan.ka.ɾa]; historically known as Angora) is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of 938 metres (3,077 ft), and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million.
Centrally located in Anatolia, Ankara is an important commercial and industrial city. It is the center of the Turkish Government, and houses all foreign embassies. It is an important crossroads of trade, strategically located at the centre of Turkey's highway and railway networks, and serves as the marketing centre for the surrounding agricultural area. The city was famous for its long-haired Angora goat and its prized wool (mohair), a unique breed of cat (Angora cat), Angora rabbits and their prized wool (Angora wool), pears, honey, and the region's muscat grapes.
The historical center of Ankara is situated upon a rocky hill, which rises 150 m (492 ft) above the plain on the left bank of the Ankara Çayı, a tributary of the Sakarya (Sangarius) river. The city is located at 39°52'30" North, 32°52' East (39°52′30″N 32°50′00″E / 39.875°N 32.8333°E / 39.875; 32.8333Coordinates: 39°52′30″N 32°50′00″E / 39.875°N 32.8333°E / 39.875; 32.8333), about 450 km (280 mi) to the southeast of Istanbul, the country's largest city. Although situated in one of the driest places of Turkey and surrounded mostly by steppe vegetation except for the forested areas on the southern periphery, Ankara can be considered a green city in terms of green areas per inhabitant, which is 72 m2 per head.
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Arkalyk
Arkalyk (Kazakh: Арқалық / Arqalıq, Russian: Аркалык) is a city in Kostanay Province, northern Kazakhstan. Earlier, it was the centre of Torgay province, which was abolished in 1997. Today, it is the administrative centre of Torgay region, Kostanay province. Established in 1956, it acquired the status of the city in 1965. The distance from the town of Arkalyk to Kostanay is 480 km (298 mi), to Astana is 670 km (416 mi).
As of 2005, around 45,000 people lived in the city. The population for 2006 is 42,000 people. (including: direct town - 26,000 people. within the city limits of 14 villages and 3 rural districts - 16,000.).
The Arkalyk Business Centre describes today's Arkalyk as "a city of miners, of regional administrators, and people excited to live in a regional center". Historically Arkalyk was a centre for the Soviet space programme. Cosmonauts would land on the huge central Kazakh steppe and come back to Arkalyk before heading to the Baikonur, the Soviet Union's premier "space city". Arkalyk is served by Arkalyk Airport.
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Armenia
Armeniai/ɑrˈmiːniə/ (Armenian: Հայաստան Hayastan [hɑjɑsˈtɑn]), officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն, Hayastani Hanrapetut’yun, [hɑjɑstɑˈni hɑnɾɑpɛtuˈtʰjun]), is a landlocked, mountainous country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the de facto independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the south.
A former republic of the Soviet Union, Armenia is a unitary, multiparty, democratic nation-state with an ancient and historic cultural heritage. The Kingdom of Armenia became the first state in the world to adopt Christianity as its religion, in the early years of the 4th century (the traditional date is 301 AD). The modern Republic of Armenia recognizes the Armenian Apostolic Church, the world's oldest national church, as the country's primary religious establishment. Armenians have their own unique alphabet invented by Mesrob Mashtots in 406 AD.
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Ashgabat
Ashgabat (Turkmen: Aşgabat, Persian: اشک آباد, Russian: Ашхабад, also Ashkhabad in transliteration from Russian formerly Poltoratsk between 1919–1927) is the capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in Central Asia. It has a population of 695,300 (2001 census estimate), 2009 estimates around 1 million people in Ashgabat, and is situated between the Kara Kum desert and the Kopet Dag mountain range. Ashgabat has a primarily Turkmen population, with ethnic minorities of Russians, Armenians, and Azeris. It is 250 km from the second largest city in Iran, Mashhad.
Ashgabat is Aşgabat in Turkmen, Ашхабад (Ashkhabad) in Russian, and اشک آباد (UniPers: Ešq-âbâd) in Persian. From 1919 until 1927, the city was renamed Poltoratsk after a local revolutionary. Before 1991, the city was usually spelled Ashkabad in English, a transliteration of the Russian form, which was itself from the original Persian form. It has also been variously spelled Ashkhabat and Ashgabad.
Root of the name of the city goes back to Arshacid Empire era, and derived from the name of the founder of the Parthian Empire,Arsaces I of Parthia. So it seems the original form of the name was Ashk-Abad, and because of Turkish pronunciation of the name it became like it is today.
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Astana
Astana (Russian/Kazakh: Астана, formerly known as Akmola (Kazakh: Ақмола / Aqmola, until 1998), Целиноград / Tselinograd until 1992) and Akmolinsk (Russian: Акмолинск, until 1961), is the capital and second largest city (after Almaty) of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708,794 as of 1 August 2010. It is located in the north-central portion of Kazakhstan, within Akmola Province, though administrated separately from the province as a federal city area.
The current mayor of Astana is Imangali Tasmagambetov. He was appointed on 4 April 2008.
The word Astana in Kazakh literally means Capital but the word itself originates from Persian Astane (Persian: آستانه means "sublime threshold," "royal porte" implying a royal capital city or a holy shrine town, (from the Persian verb Istadan (آستان) 'to stand' (in respect)), and literally means "threshold" (royal or sacred, where people stand in respect or awe),[citation needed] implying where the court is seated (the capital city) or the body of a sacred person is interred (a shrine town). The city of Turkistan in Kazakhstan that hosts the body of the saint Ahmad Yasavi is also called the "astana" as is the city of Mashhad in Iran that is the burial place of the 8th Shiite Imam Reza. In fact, long before becoming the new capital of Kazakhstan, the city was "an astana," a burial ground of a saint, hence the old name of the city, Ak Mola (Ақмола), "white mausoleum."
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Atyrau
Atyrau (Kazakh: Атырау, pronounced [ɑtərɑ́w]; Russian: Атырау [ɐtᵻˈrau]), known as Guryev (Russian: Гурьев [ˈɡurʲjɪf]) until 1991, is a transcontinental city in Kazakhstan, and the capital of Atyrau Province. It is located at the mouth of the Ural River, 2700 kilometers west of Almaty and 350 kilometers east of the Russian city of Astrakhan. Other transliterations include Aterau, Atirau, Atyraw, Atyraou, Atırav, Atıraw.
Modern Atyrau is famous for its oil and fish industries. It has 154,100 inhabitants (2007, up from 142,500 (1999 census)), 90% ethnic Kazakhs (up from 80%), the rest being mostly Russians and other ethnic groups such as Tatars and Ukrainians. Since October 2006, its mayor is Salimzhan Naqpayev.
The wooden fort at the mouth of the Yaik River was founded in 1645 as Nizhny Yaitzky gorodok (literally, Lower Yaik Fort) by the Russian trader Gury Nazarov, a native of Yaroslavl, who specialized in trade with Khiva and Bukhara. The fort was plundered by the Yaik Cossacks, leading the Guriev family to rebuild it in stone (1647–62). Tsar Alexis sent a garrison of Streltsy to protect the fort from Cossack incursions. Despite these efforts, the Cossack rebel Stepan Razin held the town in 1667 and 1668. The fort gradually lost its strategic significance and was demolished in 1810. Between 1708 and 1992 the city was known as Guriev.
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Atyrau Province
Atyrau Oblast (Kazakh: Атырау облысы, Atıraw oblısı) is a province of Kazakhstan. It is situated in the west of the country around the northeast of the Caspian Sea. Its capital is the city of Atyrau, with a population of 142,500 people; the province itself has 480,000 people. Kazakhs make up more than 80% of population.
With an area of 118,600 square kilometers, it is the second-smallest province in Kazakhstan (South Kazakhstan Province is the smallest). It borders the neighboring country Russia to the west, as well as the fellow Kazakh provinces Aktobe Province(to the east), Mangystau(to the south), and the West Kazakhstan Province(to the north).
A large part of the province is situated in the oil-rich Caspian Depression; because of this, many oil wells have been drilled in the Tengiz Field and Kashagan Field areas. An pipeline runs from Atyrau to Samara, where it joins the Russian pipeline system. A separate oil pipeline runs from the Tengiz field to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk.
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Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (
i/ˌæzərbaɪˈdʒɑːn/ AZ-ər-by-JAHN; Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikası) is the largest country in the Caucasus region located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south. The exclave of Nakhchivan is bounded by Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, while having a short borderline with Turkey to the northwest.
Azerbaijan has an ancient and historic cultural heritage. Aside from having been the first Muslim-majority country to have operas, theater and plays, Azerbaijan today is among the Muslim-majority countries where support for secularism and tolerance is the highest. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world, was established in 1918, but was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920. Azerbaijan regained independence in 1991. Shortly thereafter, during the Nagorno-Karabakh War, neighboring Armenia occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, its surrounding territories and the enclaves of Karki, Yukhary Askipara, Barkhudarly and Sofulu. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which emerged in Nagorno-Karabakh, continues to be not diplomatically recognized by any nation and the region is still considered a de jure part of Azerbaijan, despite being de facto independent since the end of the war. Azerbaijan has come under repeated international criticism for its record on human rights.
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Baghdad
Baghdad (Arabic: بغداد, Baġdād, IPA: [bæɣˈdæːd]) is the capital of Republic of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Province. The population of Baghdad as of 2011 is approximately 7,216,040, making it the largest city in Iraq, the second largest city in the Arab World (after Cairo, Egypt), and the second largest city in Western Asia (after Tehran, Iran).
Located along the Tigris River, the city was founded in the 8th century and became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate. Within a short time of its inception, Baghdad evolved into a significant cultural, commercial, and intellectual center for the Islamic World. This in addition to housing several key academic institutions (e.g. House of Wisdom) garnered the city a worldwide reputation as the "Center of Learning". Throughout the High Middle Ages, Baghdad was considered to be the largest city in the world with an estimated population of 1,200,000 people. The city was largely destroyed at the hands of the Mongol Empire in 1258, resulting in a decline that would linger through many centuries due to frequent plagues and multiple successive empires. With the recognition of Iraq as an independent state (formerly the British Mandate of Mesopotamia) in 1938, Baghdad gradually regained some of its former prominence as a significant center of Arabic culture.
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Bahrain
Bahrain ( pronunciation) (Arabic: البحرين, al-Baḥrayn) (Persian: بحرين, Baḥrain), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain (Arabic: مملكة البحرين, Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn), is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,234,571, including 666,172 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.
Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands, the largest being Bahrain Island, at 55 km (34 mi) long by 18 km (11 mi) wide. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway. The peninsula of Qatar is to the southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain. The planned Qatar Bahrain Causeway will link Bahrain and Qatar and become the world's longest marine causeway.
Known for its oil and pearls, Bahrain is also home to many large structures, including the Bahrain World Trade Center and the Bahrain Financial Harbour, with a proposal in place to build the 1,022 m (3,353 ft) high Murjan Tower. The Qal'at al-Bahrain (the harbour and capital of the ancient land of Dilmun) was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. The Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit.
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Baikonur
Baikonur (Kazakh: Байқоңыр, Bayqoñır ; Russian: Байконур, Baykonur), formerly known as Leninsk, is a city in Kyzylorda Province of Kazakhstan, rented and administered by the Russian Federation. It was constructed to service the Baikonur Cosmodrome and was officially renamed Baikonur by Russian president Boris Yeltsin on December 20, 1995.
The shape of the area rented is an ellipse, measuring 90 kilometres east to west, by 85 kilometres north to south, with the cosmodrome at the centre.
The original Baikonur (Kazakh for "wealthy brown", i.e. "fertile land with many herbs") is a mining town a few hundred kilometres northeast, near Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan's Karagandy Province. Starting with Vostok 1 in April 1961, the launch site was given this name to cause confusion and keep the location secret. (The original Baikonur's residents took advantage of the confusion by ordering and receiving much scarce materials before government officials discovered the deception.) The new Baikonur's railroad station predates the base and retains the old name of Tyuratam.
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Baku
Baku (Azerbaijani: Bakı, IPA: [bɑˈcɯ]), sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal parts: the downtown and the old Inner City (21.5 ha). Baku's urban population at the beginning of 2009 was estimated at just over two million people. Officially, about 25 percent of all inhabitants of the country live in the metropolitan city area of Baku.
Baku is divided into eleven administrative districts (raions) and 48 townships. Among these are the townships on islands in the Baku Bay and the town of Oil Rocks built on stilts in the Caspian Sea, 60 km (37 mi) away from Baku. The Inner City of Baku along with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. According to the Lonely Planet's ranking, Baku is also among the world's top ten destinations for urban nightlife.
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Bandar Seri Begawan
Bandar Seri Begawan (Jawi: بندر سري بڬاوان ; Malay: [ˌbanda səˌri bəˈɡawan]) with an estimated population of 140,000 (as of 2010), is the capital and largest city of the Sultanate of Brunei. The urban area has a population of 296,500 people.
Habitation on the banks of the Brunei River can be traced back to the 8th century where there had been settlements similar to those in Kt, located on areas close to the present site of the Brunei Museum.
Seri Begawan was named after the Sultan's late father Omar Ali Saifuddien on 5 October 1970, its original name being Bandar Brunei or Brunei Town. Begawan is a name given to Bruneian monarchs who have abdicated, originally coming from the Sanskrit word for "god": भगवान bhagavān. Seri also comes from the honorific Sanskrit word Sri. Bandar, comes from Persian بندر via Indian languages and means "port" or "haven" (bandar means "town" in Malay).
On 1 August 2007, the sultan of Brunei gave consent for the extension of Bandar Seri Begawan from 12.87 km2 (4.97 sq mi) to 100.36 km2 (38.75 sq mi). For a list of the included villages and mukims see "Expansion of the City" below.
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Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital city of and largest urban area in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (กรุงเทพมหานคร, pronounced [krūŋ tʰêːp máhǎː nákʰɔ̄ːn] (
listen)) or simply Krung Thep ( listen), meaning "city of angels". Bangkok is by far the most densely populated city in Thailand with about 12 million people. Bangkok was a small trading post near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 15th century. It eventually grew in size and became the site of two capital cities: Thonburi in 1768 and Rattanakosin in 1782.
Because of its strategic location in Southeast Asia, Siam (later Thailand) acted as a buffer-zone between the French and British colonial empires. Bangkok itself has gained a reputation as an independent, dynamic and influential city. Bangkok is the political, social and economic centre of Thailand, and one of the leading cities in Southeast Asia.
Due to the 1980s and 1990s Asian investment boom, many multinational corporations make their regional headquarters in Bangkok and the city is a regional force in finance and business. Its increasing influence on global politics, culture, fashion and entertainment underlines its status as an Alpha global city. In 2009, it was the second most expensive city in South-East Asia behind Singapore. The city's many cultural landmarks and attractions in addition to its nightlife venues has made it synonymous with exoticism. Its rapid modernization, reflected in the cityscape and the urban society, has left untouched the historic Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Vimanmek Palace Complex and hundreds of Buddhist temples draw about 10 million international visitors each year, second only to London.
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Bangladesh
Coordinates: 23°N 90°E / 23°N 90°E / 23; 90
Bangladesh (i/ˈbɑːŋɡlədɛʃ/ or i/bæŋɡləˈdɛʃ/ (Anglicized pronunciation); Bengali: বাংলাদেশ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh (Bengali: গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ Gônoprojatontri Bangladesh) is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India and Burma and by the Bay of Bengal to the south. The capital (and largest city) is Dhaka, located in central Bangladesh. The official state language is Bengali. The name Bangladesh means "Land of Bengal" or "Country of Bengal" the in the Bengali language, from Bangla "Bengal" and desh holding a dual meaning of "land" and "country" as English "country," German land, French pays, etc.
The borders of present-day Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengal during the reign and demise of the British India. Its map was chartered by Sir Cyril Radcliffe during the creation of Pakistan and India in 1947, when the region became East Pakistan, part of the newly formed nation of Pakistan. Due to political exclusion and economic exploitation by the politically dominant West Pakistan, popular agitation grew against West Pakistan and led to the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, after the Bangladeshi Declaration of Independence on 26 March 1971. With the intervention of the Indian Army, the war came to an end on 16 December 1971 with the surrender of the Pakistan Army at Ramna Race Course.
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Bayterek
Bayterek (Kazakh: Бәйтерек, "tall poplar [tree]"), is a monument and observation tower in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. A tourist attraction popular with foreign visitors and native Kazakhs alike, it is a common symbol of the city, epitomizing its elevation in 1997 to the status of capital of the country.
The monument is meant to embody a folktale about a mythical tree of life and a magic bird of happiness: the bird, named Samruk, had laid its egg in the crevice between two branches of a poplar tree. The 105m structure consists of a narrow cylindrical shaft emeshed in flaring white branch-like girders, widening toward the top (the "tree"), where a gold-mirrored 22m-diameter sphere (the "egg") containing the observation deck is supported.
The altitude of the deck is 97m, symbolizing the year of the capital-transfer to Astana (1997). From its height it is possible to see much of the newly built city. The viewing platform features a gilded hand print (Alakan) of the right hand of Nursultan Nazarbayev, the first President of the independent Republic of Kazakhstan. An accompanying plaque suggests that visitors place their own hand in the imprint and make a wish; when one does so the Kazakh national anthem plays. In addition to the observation platform, the tower contains a large aquarium and an art gallery.
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Beijing
Beijing ( /beɪˈdʒɪŋ/; Chinese: 北京; pinyin: Běijīng, [peɪ˨˩ t͡ɕiŋ˥]), formerly romanized as Peking ( /piːˈkɪŋ/ or /peɪˈkɪŋ/), is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The metropolis, located in northern China, is governed as a direct-controlled municipality under the national government, with 14 urban and suburban districts and two rural counties. Beijing Municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighboring Tianjin Municipality to the southeast.
Beijing is China's second largest city by urban population after Shanghai and is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's largest state-owned companies. Beijing is a major transportation hub in the national highway, expressway, railway and high-speed rail network. Beijing's Capital International Airport is the second busiest in the world by passenger traffic.
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Beirut
Coordinates: 33°53′13″N 35°30′47″E / 33.88694°N 35.51306°E / 33.88694; 35.51306
Beirut (Arabic: بيروت Bayrūt, Greek: Βηρυττός, Latin: Berytus, French: Beyrouth, Hebrew: ביירות Beyrut) is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. As there has been no recent population census, the exact population is unknown; estimates in 2007 ranged from slightly less than 1 million to slightly more than 2 million. Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport. The Beirut metropolitan area consists of the city and its suburbs. The first mention of this metropolis is found in the ancient Egyptian Tell el Amarna letters, dating from the 15th century BC. The city has been inhabited continuously since then.
Beirut is Lebanon's seat of government and plays a central role in the Lebanese economy, with many banks and corporations based in its city centre, Hamra Street, Rue Verdun and Ashrafieh. The city is the focal point of the region's cultural life, renowned for its press, theatres, cultural activities and nightlife. After the destructive Lebanese Civil War, Beirut underwent major reconstruction, and the redesigned historic city centre, marina, pubs and nightlife districts have once again made it a tourist attraction. Beirut was named the top place to visit by The New York Times in 2009, and as one of the ten liveliest cities in the world by Lonely Planet in the same year.
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Bhutan
Coordinates: 27°25′01″N 90°26′06″E / 27.417°N 90.435°E / 27.417; 90.435
Bhutan (Dzongkha: འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, tr ʼbrug-yul, "Druk Yul"; Devanagari भूटान, Bhūṭān), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China. Bhutan is separated from the nearby country of Nepal to the west by the Indian state of Sikkim, and from Bangladesh to the south by the Indian states of Assam and West Bengal.
Bhutan existed as a patchwork of minor warring fiefdoms until the early 17th century, when the area was unified by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who fled religious persecution in Tibet and cultivated a separate Bhutanese identity. In the early 20th century, Bhutan came into contact with the British Empire, after which Bhutan continued strong bilateral relations with India upon its independence. In 2006, Business Week rated Bhutan the happiest country in Asia and the eighth-happiest in the world, based on a global survey.
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Bishkek
Bishkek (in Kyrgyz and Russian: Бишкек), formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and the largest city of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is also the administrative centre of Chuy Province which surrounds the city, even though the city itself is not part of the province but rather a province-level unit of Kyrgyzstan.
The name is thought to derive from a Kyrgyz word for a churn used to make fermented mare's milk (kumis), the Kyrgyz national drink. Founded in 1825 as the Kyrgyz-Khokand fortress of "Bishkek", then, in 1862, named as the Russian fortress Pishpek (крепость Пишпек), in 1926 the city was renamed Frunze (Фрунзе), after the Bolshevik military leader Mikhail Frunze. In 1991, the Kyrgyz parliament restored the city's historical name.
Bishkek is situated at about 800 metres (2,600 ft) altitude just off the northern fringe of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too range, an extension of the Tian Shan mountain range, which rises up to 4,855 metres (15,928 ft) and provides a spectacular backdrop to the city. North of the city, a fertile and gently undulating steppe extends far north into neighboring Kazakhstan. The Chui River drains most of the area. Bishkek is connected to the Turkestan-Siberia Railway by a spur line.
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Brunei
Bruneii/bruːˈnaɪ/, officially the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace (Malay: Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: نڬارا بروني دارالسلام), is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, and it is separated into two parts by the Sarawak district of Limbang. It is the only sovereign state completely on the island of Borneo, with the remainder of the island belonging to Malaysia and Indonesia. Brunei's population was 401,890 in July 2011.
The official national history claims that Brunei can trace its beginnings to the 7th century, when it was a subject state of the Srivijayan empire under the name P'o-li. It later became a vassal state of Majapahit empire before converting to Islam in the 15th century. At the peak of its empire, the sultanate had control that extended over the coastal regions of modern-day Sarawak and Sabah, the Sulu archipelago, and the islands off the northwest tip of Borneo. The thalassocracy was visited by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and fought the Castille War in 1578 against Spain. Its empire began to decline with the forced ceding of Sarawak to James Brooke and the ceding of Sabah to the British North Borneo Chartered Company. After the loss of Limbang, Brunei finally became a British protectorate in 1888, receiving a resident in 1906. In the years after the Japanese wartime occupation during World War II, it formalised a constitution and fought an armed rebellion. Brunei regained its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984. Economic growth during the 1970s and 1990s, averaging 56% from 1999 to 2008, has transformed Brunei Darussalam into a newly industrialised country.
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Burma
Burmai/ˈbɜrmə/ BUR-mə, also known as Myanmar i/ˌmjɑːnˈmɑr/ MYAHN--MAR, is a country in South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is bordered by India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand. One-third of Burma's total perimeter of 1,930 kilometres (1,200 mi) forms an uninterrupted coastline along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. At 676,578 km2 (261,227 sq mi), it is the 40th largest country in the world and the second largest country in Southeast Asia. Burma is also the 24th most populous country in the world with over 60.28 million people.
Burma is home to some of the early civilizations of Southeast Asia including the Pyu and the Mon. In the 9th century, the Burmans of the Kingdom of Nanzhao, entered the upper Irrawaddy valley and, following the establishment of the Pagan Empire in the 1050s, the Burmese language and culture slowly became dominant in the country. During this period, Theravada Buddhism gradually became the predominant religion of the country. The Pagan Empire fell due to the Mongol invasions (1277–1301), and several warring states emerged. In the second half of the 16th century, the country was reunified by the Taungoo Dynasty which for a brief period was the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia. The early 19th century Konbaung Dynasty ruled over an area that included modern Burma as well as Manipur and Assam. The country was colonized by Britain following three Anglo-Burmese Wars (1824–1885).
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Cambodia
Cambodia (i/kæmˈboʊdiə/;Khmer: ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា, Kampuchea, IPA: [kɑmˈpuˈciə]), officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. With a total landmass of 181,035 square kilometres (69,898 sq mi), it is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.
With a population of over 14.8 million, Cambodia is the 68th most populous country in the world. The official religion is Theravada Buddhism, which is practiced by around 95% of the Cambodian population. The country minority groups include Vietnamese, Chinese, Chams and 30 various hill tribes. The capital and largest city is Phnom Penh; the political, economic, and cultural center of Cambodia. The kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with Norodom Sihamoni, a monarch chosen by the Royal Throne Council, as head of state. The head of government is Hun Sen, who is currently the longest serving leader in South East Asia and has ruled Cambodia for over 25 years.
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Canberra
Canberra ( /ˈkænbᵊrə/ or /ˈkænbɛrə/) is the capital city of Australia. With a population of 358,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), 280 km (170 mi) south-west of Sydney, and 660 km (410 mi) north-east of Melbourne. A resident of Canberra is known as a "Canberran".
The site of Canberra was selected for the location of the nation's capital in 1908 as a compromise between rivals Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's two largest cities. It is unusual among Australian cities, being an entirely planned city. Following an international contest for the city's design, a blueprint by the Chicago architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin was selected and construction commenced in 1913. The Griffins' plan featured geometric motifs such as circles, hexagons and triangles, and was centred around axes aligned with significant topographical landmarks in the Australian Capital Territory.
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China
China (i/ˈtʃaɪnə/; Chinese: 中国; pinyin: Zhōngguó; see also Names of China), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is the world's most-populous country, with a population of over 1.3 billion. Covering approximately 9.6 million square kilometres, the East Asian state is the world's second-largest country by land area, and the third- or fourth-largest in total area, depending on the definition of total area.
The People's Republic of China is a single-party state governed by the Communist Party of China. It exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four directly controlled municipalities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing), and two mostly self-governing special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). Its capital city is Beijing. The PRC also claims Taiwan—which is controlled by the Republic of China (ROC), a separate political entity—as its 23rd province, a claim controversial due to the complex political status of Taiwan and the unresolved Chinese Civil War. The PRC government denies the legitimacy of the ROC.
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Cyprus
Cyprusi/ˈsaɪprəs/ (Greek: Κύπρος, Kýpros, IPA: [ˈcipɾos]; Turkish: Kıbrıs, IPA: [ˈkɯbɾɯs]), officially the Republic of Cyprus (Greek: Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία, Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía, IPA: [cipɾiaˈci ðimokɾaˈtia]; Turkish: Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti, IPA: [ˈkɯbɾɯs dʒumhuɾijeˈti]), is an island country in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria, Lebanon, northwest of Israel and north of Egypt. Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and the Republic of Cyprus is a member state of the European Union.
The earliest known human activity on the island dates back to around the 10th millennium BC. Archaeological remains from this period include the well-preserved Neolithic village of Khirokitia, which has been declared a World Heritage Site with an "enhanced protection" status in the event of armed conflict by UNESCO, along with the archaeological sites of Paphos and the Painted Churches of the Troodos Region. Cyprus is home to some of the oldest water wells in the world.
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Damascus
Damascus (Arabic: دِمَشق / ALA-LC: Dimashq; commonly known in Syria as al-Sham (Arabic: الشام / al-Shām), and as the City of Jasmine (Arabic: مدينة الياسمين / Madīnat al-Yāsmīn), is the capital and the second largest city of Syria. Both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major cultural and religious center of the Levant. The city has an estimated population of 1,711,000 (2009 est.).
Located in southwestern Syria, Damascus is the center of a large metropolitan area of 2.6 million people (2004). Geographically embedded on the eastern foothills of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range 80 kilometres (50 mi) inland from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean on a plateau 680 metres (2,230 ft) above sea-level, Damascus experiences a semi-arid climate due to the rain shadow effect. The Barada River flows through Damascus.
First settled in the 2nd millennium BC, it was chosen as the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate from 661 to 750. After the victory of the Abbasid dynasty, the seat of Islamic power was moved to Baghdad. Damascus saw a political decline throughout the Abbasid era, only to regain significant importance in the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods. During Ottoman rule, the city decayed completely while maintaining a certain cultural prestige. Today, it is the seat of the central government and all of the government ministries. Damascus was chosen as the 2008 Arab Capital of Culture.
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Dhaka
Dhaka (Bengali: ঢাকা, pronounced IPA: [ˈɖʱaka]; formerly spelled Dacca, named Jahangirnagar during Mughal era) is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. It is located on the banks of the Buriganga River. Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 16 million in 2011, making it the largest city in Bangladesh. It is the 9th largest city in the world and also 28th among the most densely populated cities in the world. Dhaka is known as the City of Mosques and with 400,000 cycle rickshaws running on its streets every day, the city is also described as the Rickshaw Capital of the World.
Under Mughal rule in the 17th century, the city was known as Jahangir Nagar. It was a provincial capital and a centre of the worldwide muslin trade. The modern city, however, was developed chiefly under British rule in the 19th century, and became the second-largest city in Bengal after Calcutta (presently Kolkata). After the Partition of Bengal in 1905, Dhaka became the capital of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam but lost its status as a provincial capital again after the partition was annulled in 1911. After the partition of India in 1947, Dhaka became the administrative capital of East Pakistan, and later, in 1971, the capital of an independent Bangladesh. During the intervening period, the city witnessed widespread turmoil; this included many impositions of martial law, the declaration of Bangladesh's independence, military suppression, devastation during war, and natural calamities.
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Dili
Dili is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor.
Dili lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. It is the seat of the administration of the district of Dili, which is the administrative entity of the area and includes the island of Atauro and some cities close to Dili city. The city is divided into the subdistricts of Nain Feto, Vera Cruz, Dom Aleixo and Cristo Rei and is divided into several sucos, which are headed by an elected chefe de suco. 18 of the 26 sucos of the four subdistricts are categorized as urban.
There is no city administration beside the district administrator, who was appointed by state government. The Timorese government started to plan in 2009 to change the status of districts into municipalities. These will have an elected mayor and council.
The 2010 census recorded a population of 193,563 in the areas of Dili district classified as urban, with a population of 234,331 in the whole district including rural areas such as Atauro and Metinaro.
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Doha
Doha (Arabic: الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ad-Dōḥa, literally: "the big tree") is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar. Doha is Qatar's largest city, with over 60% of the nation's population residing in Doha or its surrounding suburbs, and is also the economic centre of the country.
Doha also serves as the seat of government of Qatar, which is ruled by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Doha is home to the Education City, an area devoted to research and education. Doha was the site of the first ministerial-level meeting of the Doha Development Round of World Trade Organization negotiations. The city of Doha held the 2006 Asian Games, which was the largest Asian Games ever held. Doha also hosted the 2011 Pan Arab Games and most of the games at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. Doha will also host a large number of the venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The World Petroleum Council held the 20th World Petroleum Conference in Doha in December 2011.
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Dushanbe
Dushanbe (Tajik: Душанбе, Dushanbe, Dyushambe until 1929; Stalinabad, Tajik: Сталинабад until 1961), population 679,400 people (2008 est.), is the capital and largest city of Tajikistan. Dushanbe means "Monday" in Tajik, and the name reflects the fact that the city grew on the site of a village that originally was a popular Monday marketplace.
Situated at the confluence of two rivers, Varzob and Kofarnihon, Dushanbe is the capital of Tajikistan. Although archaeological remnants dating to the 5th century BC have been discovered in the area, there is little to suggest that Dushanbe was more than a small village until the early 20th century. In 1920, the last Emir of Bukhara briefly took refuge in Dushanbe (then called Dyushambe) after being overthrown by the Bolshevik revolution. He fled to Afghanistan after the Red Army conquered the area the next year.
Dushanbe, which means "Monday" in Persian, (فارسی), developed on the site of a Monday marketplace village, Dyushambe-Bozor, and its former name Dyushambe was a Russified version of the word meaning "Monday" in Persian (du-shanbe from du two + shanbe Saturday, lit. "second day after Saturday"). Following the Red Army victory in Central Asia the village was upgraded to town in 1925 and made the capital of the newly created Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik ASSR). After the transformation of Tajik ASSR to Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR) in 1929, Dyushambe was renamed Stalinabad, after Joseph Stalin. As part of Nikita Khrushchev's de-Stalinization initiative, the city was renamed Dushanbe in 1961.
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East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (tiˈmɔr ˈlɛʃteɪ), commonly known as East Timori/ˌiːst ˈtiːmɔr/ (Tetum: Timór Lorosa'e, Portuguese: Timor-Leste), is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor. The small country of 15,410 km² (5,400 sq mi) is located about 640 km (400 mi) northwest of Darwin, Australia.
East Timor was colonized by Portugal in the 16th century, and was known as Portuguese Timor until Portugal's decolonization of the country. In late 1975, East Timor declared its independence, but later that year was invaded and occupied by Indonesia and was declared Indonesia's 27th province the following year. In 1999, following the United Nations-sponsored act of self-determination, Indonesia relinquished control of the territory and East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century on May 20, 2002. East Timor is one of only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia, the other being the Philippines.
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Ekibastuz
Ekibastuz (Kazakh: Екібастұз / Ekibastuz, Russian: Экибастуз) is a town in Pavlodar Province, northeastern Kazakhstan. As of 2007[update] it had a population of 141,000. It is served by Ekibastuz Airport.
The history of Ekibastuz begins in the 19th century, when Kosym Pshembayev, a native Kazakh who was commissioned by Russian merchants to look for mineral resources in that region, alighted on a coal field southeast of Pavlodar.[citation needed] The commercial exploitation of the field started soon after. The field afterwards was sold to a British businessman named Urquart. The railway connection was constructed and the village Ekibastuz was established in 1899, named after the nearby lake of the same name, which means 'two-headed lake' in Kazakh (eki 'two' + bas 'head' + tuz 'salt').
The revolution in the Russian Empire, as well as two World Wars, distracted the attention of the state from the exploitation of the field. The village was totally deserted. However, in 1948 the first team (only 50 people) started construction of the future town. The borders of the future open-cast coal fields were also marked at that time.
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England
Englandi/ˈɪŋɡlənd/ is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, while the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separate it from continental Europe. Most of England comprises the central and southern part of the island of Great Britain in the North Atlantic. The country also includes over 100 smaller islands such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.
The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Palaeolithic period, but it takes its name from the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in AD 927, and since the Age of Discovery, which began during the 15th century, has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world. The English language, the Anglican Church, and English law—the basis for the common law legal systems of many other countries around the world—developed in England, and the country's parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations. The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England, transforming its society into the world's first industrialised nation. England's Royal Society laid the foundations of modern experimental science.
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Gdańsk
Gdańsk ( /ɡəˈdænsk/ or /ɡəˈdɑːnsk/; Polish: [ˈɡdaɲsk]; German: Danzig, pronounced [ˈdantsɪç]) is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the center of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.
The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay (of the Baltic Sea), in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the Tricity (Trójmiasto), with a population of over 800,000. Gdańsk itself has a population of 455,830 (June 2010), making it the largest city in the Pomerania region of Northern Poland.
Gdańsk is Poland's principal seaport as well as the capital of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is also historically the largest city of the Kashubian region. The city is close to the former late medieval/modern boundary between West Slavic and Germanic lands and it has a complex political history with periods of Polish rule, periods of German rule, and extensive self-rule, with two spells as a free city. It has been part of modern Poland since 1945.
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Hanoi
Hanoi (Hà Nội; listen), is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam. It was eclipsed by Huế during the Nguyen dynasty as the capital of Vietnam, but Hanoi served as the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1954. From 1954 to 1976, it was the capital of North Vietnam.
The city is located on the right bank of the Red River. Hanoi is located at 1,760 km (1,090 mi) north of Ho Chi Minh City.
October 2010 officially marked 1000 years since the establishment of the city.
Turtle Tower in Hoan Kiem Lake, in central Hanoi
Emperor Lý Thái Tổ made Thăng Long (Hanoi) his capital in the 11th century
Colonial Hanoi
Modern Hanoi
Hanoi has been inhabited since at least 3000 BC. One of the first known permanent settlements is the Co Loa citadel (Cổ Loa) founded around 200 BC.
Hanoi has had many names throughout history, all of them of Sino-Vietnamese origin. During the Chinese domination of Vietnam, it was known first as Long Biên, then Tống Bình (Chinese: 宋平, Sòngpíng, "Song Peace") and Long Đỗ (Chinese: 龍肚, Lóngdù, "Dragonbelly"). In 866, it was turned into a citadel and named Đại La (Chinese: 大羅, Dàluó, "Big Net").
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India
India (i/ˈɪndiə/), officially the Republic of India (Bhārat Gaṇarājya), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the south-west, and the Bay of Bengal on the south-east, it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west;China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the north-east; and Burma and Bangladesh to the east. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives; in addition, India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia.
Home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history. Four of the world's major religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism—originated here, whereas Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived in the 1st millennium CE and also helped shape the region's diverse culture. Gradually annexed by and brought under the administration of the British East India Company from the early 18th century and administered directly by the United Kingdom from the mid-19th century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by non-violent resistance led by Mahatma Gandhi.
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Indonesia
Indonesia (i/ˌɪndəˈniːʒə/ IN-də-NEE-zhə or /ˌɪndoʊˈniːziə/ IN-doh-NEE-zee-ə), officially the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesian: Republik Indonesia Indonesian pronunciation: [rɛpʊblɪk ɪndɔnɛsɪa]), is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 17,508 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an elected legislature and president. The nation's capital city is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Malaysia. Other neighboring countries include Singapore, Philippines, Australia, and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Indonesia is a founding member of ASEAN and a member of the G-20 major economies. The Indonesian economy is the world's 17th largest economy by nominal GDP.
The Indonesian archipelago has been an important trade region since at least the 7th century, when Srivijaya and then later Majapahit traded with China and India. Local rulers gradually absorbed foreign cultural, religious and political models from the early centuries CE, and Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished. Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Muslim traders brought Islam, and European powers brought Christianity and fought one another to monopolize trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Discovery. Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism, Indonesia secured its independence after World War II. Indonesia's history has since been turbulent, with challenges posed by natural disasters, corruption, separatism, a democratization process, and periods of rapid economic change.
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Iran
Coordinates: 32°N 53°E / 32°N 53°E / 32; 53
Iran (i/ɪˈrɑːn/ or /aɪˈræn/;Persian: ایران [ʔiˈɾɒn] ( listen)), officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (Persian: جمهوری اسلامی ایران Jomhuri-ye Eslāmi-ye Irān), is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran", which in Persian means "Land of the Aryans", has been in use natively since the Sassanian era. It came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia ( /ˈpɜrʒə/ or /ˈpɜrʃə/). Both "Persia" and "Iran" are used interchangeably in cultural contexts; however, "Iran" is the name used officially in political contexts.
The 18th-largest country in the world in terms of area at 1,648,195 km2 (636,372 sq mi), Iran has a population of around 79 million. It is a country of particular geopolitical significance owing to its location in the Middle East and central Eurasia. Iran is bordered on the north by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. As Iran is a littoral state of the Caspian Sea, which is an inland sea, Kazakhstan and Russia are also Iran's direct neighbors to the north. Iran is bordered on the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan, on the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by Iraq and on the northwest by Turkey. Tehran is the capital, the country's largest city and the political, cultural, commercial and industrial center of the nation. Iran is a regional power, and holds an important position in international energy security and world economy as a result of its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas. Iran has the second largest proven natural gas reserves in the world and the fourth largest proven petroleum reserves.
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Iraq
Iraq (/ɪˈræk/ ori/ɪˈrɑːk/; Arabic: العراق al-‘Irāq); officially the Republic of Iraq (Arabic: 
جمهورية العراق (help·info) Jumhūriyyat al-‘Irāq), is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.
Iraq borders Syria to the northwest, Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Jordan to the southwest and Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south. Iraq has a narrow section of coastline measuring 58 km (36 mi) on the northern Persian Gulf. The capital city, Baghdad is in the center-east of the country.
Two major rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, run through the center of Iraq, flowing from northwest to southeast. These provide Iraq with agriculturally capable land and contrast with the steppe and desert landscape that covers most of Western Asia.
Historically, Iraq was the center of the Abbasid Arabic Islamic Empire. Iraq has been known to the west by the Greek toponym 'Mesopotamia' (Land between the rivers) and has been home to continuous successive civilizations since the 6th millennium BC. The region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers is often referred to as the cradle of civilization and the birthplace of writing, law and the wheel. At different periods in its history, Iraq was the center of the indigenous Akkadian, Sumerian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Abbasid empires. It was also part of the Achaemenid, Hellenistic, Parthian, Sassanid, Roman, Rashidun, Umayyad, Mongol, Safavid, Afsharid, and Ottoman empires, and under British control as a League of Nations mandate.
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Ishim River
Ishim River (Russian: Иши́м; Kazakh: Esil) is a river running through Kazakhstan and Russia. Its length is 2,450 km (1,530 mi), average discharge is 56,3 m³/s (1988 cu ft/s). It is a left tributary of the Irtysh River. The Ishim River is partly navigable in its lower reaches. The upper course of the Ishim passes through Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. In Russia, the river travels through a vast marshland for its course, and has countless meanders and oxbow lakes.
According to the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Astana was chosen as the capital in part due to the presence of the river. The city is also divided into two sections, the Right (northern) Bank of the Ishim or the old town, and the Left (southern) Bank, where the new government buildings such as the Ak Orda, the House of the Government, and the Supreme Court are located, as well as many prestigious apartment and living complexes.
Since 1998, the Ishim River in Astana has been actively managed, for flood management and maintaining water level, in order to provide for recreational use and ensure the showpiece appearance. It is dammed downstream of central Astana, keeping its level higher than it otherwise would be most of the time, while the river bottom has been made deeper, in order to let flood waters through faster. In central Astana, near the city park, there is now a public beach and pedalo boat rental; meanwhile, if the river had not been dammed, "citizens would have been able to walk across it". Another dam will be constructed upstream of the city, for better flood control.
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Ishim river
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Islamabad
Islamabad (Urdu: اسلام آباد Islām ābād, lit. Abode of Islam) is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.152 million in 2011. The greater Islamabad-Rawalpindi Metropolitan Area is the third largest conurbation in Pakistan with a population of over 4.5 million inhabitants.
Islamabad is located in the Pothohar Plateau in the northern part of the country, within the Islamabad Capital Territory. The region has historically been a part of the crossroads of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Margalla pass acting as the gateway between the two regions. The city was built during the 1960s to replace Karachi as Pakistan's capital. Islamabad is a well-organized city divided into different sectors and zones. It is regarded as the most developed city in Pakistan. Islamabad is ranked as a Gamma world city. The city is home to Faisal Mosque, the largest mosque in South Asia and the sixth largest mosque in the world.
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Israel
Coordinates: 31°N 35°E / 31°N 35°E / 31; 35
Israel, officially the State of Israel ( /ˈɪzriːəl/ or /ˈɪzreɪəl/; Hebrew: מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, Medīnat Yisrā'el, IPA: [me̞diˈnät jisʁäˈʔe̞l] ( listen); Arabic: دَوْلَة إِسْرَائِيل, Dawlat Isrāʼīl, IPA: [dawlat ʔisraːˈʔiːl]), is a parliamentary republic in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan and the West Bank in the east, Egypt and the Gaza Strip on the southwest, and the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea to the south, and it contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area. Israel is defined as a Jewish and Democratic State in its Basic Laws and is the world's only Jewish-majority state.
Following the adoption of a resolution by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 29 November 1947 recommending the adoption and implementation of the United Nations plan to partition Palestine, on 14 May 1948 David Ben-Gurion, the Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization and president of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, declared the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz Israel, to be known as the State of Israel, a state independent from the British Mandate for Palestine. Neighboring Arab states invaded the next day in support of the Palestinian Arabs. Israel has since fought several wars with neighboring Arab states, in the course of which it has occupied the West Bank, Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights. Portions of these territories, including east Jerusalem, have been annexed by Israel, but the border with the neighboring West Bank has not yet been permanently defined.[neutrality is disputed] Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, but efforts to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict have so far not resulted in peace.
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İzmir
Coordinates: 38°25′19″N 27°07′44″E / 38.422°N 27.129°E / 38.422; 27.129
Izmir (Turkish: İzmir) is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.95 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey. Izmir metropolitan area extends along the outlying waters of the Gulf of İzmir and inland to the north across Gediz River's delta, to the east along an alluvial plain created by several small streams and to a slightly more rugged terrain in the south. The ancient city was known as Smyrna, and the city was generally referred to as Smyrna in English, until the Turkish Postal Services Law of 1930 made "Izmir" the internationally recognized name.
The city of Izmir is composed of several metropolitan districts. Of these, Konak district corresponds to historical Izmir, this district's area having constituted the "Izmir Municipality" (Turkish: İzmir Belediyesi) area until 1984, Konak until then having been a name for a central neighborhood around Konak Square, still the core of the city. With the constitution of the "Greater Izmir Metropolitan Municipality" (Turkish: İzmir Büyükşehir Belediyesi), the city of Izmir became a compound bringing together initially nine, and since recently eleven metropolitan districts, namely Balçova, Bayraklı, Bornova, Buca, Çiğli, Gaziemir, Güzelbahçe, Karabağlar, Karşıyaka, Konak and Narlıdere. Almost each of these settlements are former district centers or neighborhoods which stood on their own and with their own distinct features and temperament. In an ongoing processus, the Mayor of Izmir was also vested with authority over the areas of additional districts reaching from Aliağa in the north to Selçuk in the south, bringing the number of districts to be considered as being part of Izmir to twenty-one under the new arrangements, two of these having been administratively included in Izmir only partially.
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Jakarta
Jakarta ( /dʒəˈkɑrtə/), officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta (Indonesian: Daerah Khusus Ibu Kota Jakarta), is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Located on the northwest coast of Java, Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre, and with a population of 10,187,595 as of November 2011, it is the most populous city in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia, and is the twelfth-largest city in the world. The official metropolitan area, known as Jabodetabekjur, is the second largest in the world, yet the city's suburbs still continue beyond it. Jakarta is listed as a global city in the 2008 Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC) research. and has an area of 661 square kilometres (255 sq mi)
Based on Brooking Institute survey about growth, in 2011 Jakarta ranked 17th among the world's 200 largest cities, a significant jumps from 2007 when Jakarta ranked 171st. Jakarta has seen more rapid growth than Kuala Lumpur, Beijing and Bangkok.
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Jambyl Province
Jambyl Province (Kazakh: Жамбыл облысы, Jambıl oblısı) is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Taraz. The population of the province is 1,000,000; the city is 335,100. The province borders Kyrgyzstan, and is very near Uzbekistan(all to the south). Jambyl also borders three other provinces: Karagandy Province(to the north), South Kazakhstan Province(to the west) and Almaty Province(to the east). The total area is 144,200 square kilometers. The province borders Lake Balkhash to its northeast. The province (and its capital during the Soviet era) was named after the Kazakh akyn (folk singer) Jambyl Jabayev.
In area lives an order of 1,2 million persons (2010, an estimation). The population is presented more, than 100 nationalities and nationalities. About 65 % of resident population Kazakhs make. The least concentration of Kazakhs is observed to Taraz (Dzhambul) though and there their share has grown from 23 % in 1989 to 60 % in 2009.
See Taraz for a detailed account of the history of the provincial capital.
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Japan
Japani/dʒəˈpæn/ (Japanese: 日本 Nihon or Nippon; formally 日本国 Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku, literally the State of Japan) is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. The characters that make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun".
Japan is an archipelago of 6,852 islands. The four largest islands are Honshū, Hokkaidō, Kyūshū and Shikoku, together accounting for ninety-seven percent of Japan's land area. Japan has the world's tenth-largest population, with over 127 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the de facto capital city of Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the world, with over 30 million residents.
Archaeological research indicates that people lived in Japan as early as the Upper Paleolithic period. The first written mention of Japan is in Chinese history texts from the 1st century AD. Influence from other nations followed by long periods of isolation has characterized Japan's history. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War and World War I allowed Japan to expand its empire during a period of increasing militarism. The Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937 expanded into part of World War II in 1941, which came to an end in 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since adopting its revised constitution in 1947, Japan has maintained a unitary constitutional monarchy with an emperor and an elected parliament called the Diet.
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Jerusalem
Jerusalem ( /dʒəˈruːsələm/; Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushaláyim ; Arabic: القُدس al-Quds and/or أورشليم Ûrshalîm) is the capital of Israel, though not internationally recognized as such, and one of the oldest cities in the world. It is located in the Judean Mountains, between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern edge of the Dead Sea. If the area and population of East Jerusalem is included, it is Israel's largest city in both population and area, with a population of 801,000 residents over an area of 125.1 km2 (48.3 sq mi). Jerusalem is also a holy city to the three major Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
During its long history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times. The oldest part of the city was settled in the 4th millennium BCE. In 1538, walls were built around Jerusalem under Suleiman the Magnificent. Today those walls define the Old City, which has been traditionally divided into four quarters—known since the early 19th century as the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Quarters. The Old City became a World Heritage site in 1981, and is on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Modern Jerusalem has grown far beyond its boundaries.
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Jezkazgan
Jezkazgan or Zhezkazgan (Kazakh: Жезқазған / Jezqazğan), formerly known as Dzhezkazgan (Russian: Джезказган, until 1992), is a city in Karagandy Province, Kazakhstan, on a reservoir of the Kara-Kengir River. The city population is of 90,000 (1999 census). Its urban area includes the neighbouring mining town of Satpayev, for a total city population of 148,700.
55% of Jezkagan population are Kazakhs, 30% Russians, with smaller minorities of Ukrainians, Germans, Chechens and Koreans.
Jezkazgan is situated in the very heart of the Kazakh upland, far away from a big river. It has an extremely continental semi-arid climate (BSk); rain is frequent but never heavy and monthly rainfall has never reached 100 millimetres (4 in). The average temperature ranges from 24 °C (75 °F) in July to −16 °C (3 °F) in January, whilst extremes ranges from 43 °C (109 °F) in June 1988 to −41.1 °C (−42.0 °F) in February 1951.
The city was created in 1938 in connection with the exploitation of the rich local copper deposits. In 1973 a large mining and metallurgical complex was constructed to the southeast to smelt the copper that until then had been sent elsewhere for processing. Other metal ores mined and processed locally are manganese, iron and gold.
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Jordan
Jordan ( /ˈdʒɔr.dən/;Arabic: اَلأُرْدُنّ, Al-'Urdunn), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Arabic: اَلمَمْلَكَة اَلأُرْدُنِيَّة اَلهَاشِمِيَّة), Al-Mamlakah Al-Urdaniyyah Al-Hashimiyyah) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing control of the Dead Sea with the latter. Jordan's only port is at its south-western tip, at the Gulf of Aqaba, which is shared with Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Over half of Jordan is covered by the Arabian Desert. However, the western part of Jordan is arable land and forests. Jordan is part of the Fertile Crescent. The capital city is Amman. According to the CIA World Factbook, Jordan has the second highest life expectancy in the Middle East, after Israel. The average life expectancy is one position behind the United Kingdom, although the age remains exactly the same (80.05 years).
The precursor to modern Jordan was founded in 1921 as the Hashemite Emirate, and it was recognized by the League of Nations as a state under the British mandate in 1922 known as The Emirate of Transjordan. In 1946, Jordan became an independent sovereign state officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan. After capturing the West Bank area of Cisjordan during the 1948–49 war with Israel, Abdullah I took the title King of Jordan and Palestine, and he officially changed the country's name to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in April 1949.
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Kabul
Kabul ( /ˈkɑːbəl/, /ˈkɑːbuːl/; Pashto: کابل Kābəl, IPA: [kɑˈbəl]; Persian: کابل Kābol, IPA: [kɒːˈbol]), also spelled Cabool, Caubul or Cabul, mostly in historical contexts, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Kabul is the 5th fastest growing city in the world [2] and the world's 64th largest city [3]. It is also the capital of Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan. According to latest estimates, the population of the Kabul metropolitan area is over 4 million.
The city serves as the nation's cultural and learning centre, situated 1,791 metres (5,876 ft) above sea level in a narrow valley, wedged between the Hindu Kush mountains along the Kabul River. It is linked with Kandahar, Herat and Mazar-e Sharif via the circular Highway 1 that stretches across Afghanistan. It is also the start of the main road to Jalalabad and further to Peshawar, Pakistan. The Kabul International Airport is located about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from the center of the city, next to the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood. Bagram Airfield is about 40 kilometres (25 mi) northeast of Kabul.
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Kapchagay
Kapchagay (Kazakh: Қапшағай, Russian: Капчага́й) is a city in Almaty Province of Kazakhstan. It is located on the Ili River, and has been built along with the construction of Kapchagay Dam on that river in the 1960s. The dam has formed Kapchagay Reservoir (a.k.a. Lake Kapchagay), a popular weekend destination for beach-goers from Almaty.
The city has approximately 35,000 people.
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Karagandy Province
Karagandy Province (Kazakh: Қарағанды облысы, Qarağandı oblısy) is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Karaganda. The population of the province is 1,375,000; that of the city is 437,000.
The province was the site of intense coal mining during the days of the Soviet Union and also have been the site of several gulag forced labor camps. Following World War II, Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, had many ethnic Germans deported to the area.
With an area of 428,000 sq. km, Karagandy Province is the largest province. Although it doesn't touch the borders of any country, it touches nearly every other province. They are: Aktobe Province to the West; Kostanay Province to the Northwest; Akmola Province to the North; Pavlodar Province to the Northeast; East Kazakhstan Province to the East; Almaty Province to the Southeast; Jambyl Province and South Kazakhstan Province to the South; and Kyzylorda Province to the Southwest. The Ishim (Esil) River, a tributary of the Irtysh River, begins in Karagandy Province.
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Kathmandu
Kathmandu (Nepali: काठमांडौ [kɑːʈʰmɑːɳɖuː]; Nepal Bhasa: येँ देय्) is the capital and, with more than one million inhabitants, the largest metropolitan city of Nepal. The city is the urban core of the Kathmandu Valley in the Himalayas, which contains two sister cities: Lalitpur (Patan), 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to its south and Bhaktapur or Bhadgaon, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to its east, and a number of smaller towns. It is also acronymed as 'KTM' and named 'tri-city'. In the last census (2001), the city of Kathmandu had 671,846 inhabitants. Population estimates for 2005 were 790,612 and for 2010 they stood at 989,273. The municipal area is (50.67 square kilometres (19.56 sq mi)) and the population density is 19,500 per km².
The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) in the bowl-shaped valley in central Nepal surrounded by four major hills: Shivapuri, Phulchowki, Nagarjun and Chandragiri. Kathmandu valley is part of three districts, Kathmandu District, Lalitpur District and Bhaktapur District, with the highest population density in the country and accounting for about 1/15 of its population. These three disticts contain 2.5 million people, as of the 2011 census.
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Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan (i/ˌkɑːzəkˈstɑːn/ or /ˌkæzəkˈstæn/) (Kazakh: Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, pronounced [qɑzɑqstɑ́n]; Russian: Казахстан [kəzɐxˈstan]), officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Europe. The ninth largest country in the world by land area, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of 2,727,300 square kilometres (1,053,000 sq mi) is larger than Western Europe. It is neighbored clockwise from the north by Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and also borders on a significant part of the Caspian Sea. Although Kazakhstan does not share a border with Mongolia, its most easterly point is only 38 kilometres (24 mi) from Mongolia's western tip. The terrain of Kazakhstan ranges from flatlands, steppes, taigas, rock-canyons, hills, deltas, and snow-capped mountains to deserts. With 16.6 million people (2011 estimate) Kazakhstan has the 62nd largest population in the world, though its population density is less than 6 people per square kilometre (15 per sq. mi.). The capital was moved in 1998 from Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, to Astana.
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Kazan
Kazan (Russian: Каза́нь; IPA: [kɐˈzanʲ]; Tatar Cyrillic: Казан, Latin: Qazan) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,161,308, it is the eighth most populous city in Russia, while the metropolitan area has a population of 1.57 million (2011).[citation needed] Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia.
The Kazan Kremlin is a World Heritage Site. In 2005, the Medal "In Commemoration of the 1000th Anniversary of Kazan" was established by Russia to denote this landmark event. The multi-ethnic city is is honored by UNESCO and famous for Muslims and Christians living side-by-side in peace.
In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the right to brand itself as the "Third Capital" of Russia. In 2009 it was chosen as the "Sports capital of Russia" and it still is referred to as such. The city will host 2013 Summer Universiade, 2015 World Aquatics Championships, and 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The origin of the name Kazan is uncertain. The most accepted legends derive it from the Bulgar Turkic (and also modern Tatar) word qazan, which means 'boiler' or 'cauldron'.
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Kentau
Kentau (Kazakh: Кентау / Kentaw, Russian: Кентау), is a town in South Kazakhstan Province of Kazakhstan. It is located at the foot of the Karatau mountains 30 km northeast of the city of Turkestan (City). Kentau was formed in August 1955. In Soviet times, the population of the city was mainly from Russia, the descendants of the repressed: Greeks, Russians, Germans, Koreans, Jews, Chechens, etc., as well as Uzbeks, and majority of population comprising an ethnic Kazakhs. Major mining ore operations are supported by excavator and transformer plants. The late 1980s or early 1990s saw massive emigration of population and the closures of mines and industrial enterprises. Today, the population is approximately 80 thousand, mostly Kazakhs.
There are two plants in Kentau: Transformer Plant and Excavator Plant. Both of them were famous in USSR. Nowadays Excavator Plant is working, but not so active as about 25-30 years ago.
Coordinates: 43°31′N 68°31′E / 43.517°N 68.517°E / 43.517; 68.517
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Kokshetau
Kokshetau (Kazakh: Көкшетау / Kökşetaw / كوكشەتاۋ), formerly known as Kokchetav (Russian: Кокчетав, until 1993) is the administrative center of Akmola Province, northern Kazakhstan. It has a population of 125,225 (2007 census).
Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan, is distant 299 km south-eastwards. Kokshetau is well known for its nature and tourist sites, such as Burabay (Borovoe) Resort, among others. Kokshetau was settled on a lake, called Kopa (Russian: Копа).
The town was founded in 1824 as a fortress, named for the Kokshetau hill it was built on; the name is Kazakh for "blue mountain". In 1868 it became an uyezd center. In 1997 Kokshetau region was abolished.After a change in administrative structure of Akmola and North Kazakhstan region Kokshetau has become as a regional center of Akmola region.
During the late 1930s, as a result of the Polish operation of the NKVD and related national operations, especially against Germans, many former residents of the kresy were forcibly settled in this region, and Kokchetav became the center of the Polish diaspora in Kazakhstan. On March 16, 1944, the Kokchetav Oblast was created, with Kokchetav as its administrative center.
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Kostanay
Kostanay (Kazakh: Қостанай / Qostanay), formerly known as Kustanay (Russian: Кустанай, until 1997) and Nikolayevsk (Russian: Николаевск, until 1895), is a city located in the northern part of Kazakhstan at the Tobol River. The population living in Kostanay is 301,317 people. Kostanay is the capital of Kostanay Province.
In Kostanay there are 8 higher educational institutions. There are also 22 colleges in which over 12,200 pupils are taught. In 2002-2003 there were 723 schools open, with a total number of 155,500 students. The state network of culture totals 380 libraries, 201 club establishments, 8 museums and 2 theatres. There are numerous athletic facilities: two sports arenas, 26 stadiums, 10 sports complexes and 567 sports halls.
There are 15 functional institutions in Kostanay region, 5 of them are state and 10 are non state. One of the leading institutions of the region is Kostanay State University named after A. Buitursynov. There are also 23 colleges and 715 secondary schools in Kostanay region.
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Kostanay Province
Kostanay Province (Kazakh: Қостанай облысы, Qostanay oblısı) is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kostanay City. The population of the province is 900,300. Population living in Kostanay is 207,000 that makes 23 % of the population of province. The other large cities in the province are Rudni.
Kostanay Province is adjacent to the Russian federal subjects Orenburg Oblast, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Kurgan Oblast, and is near the Ural Mountains. It also touches four other Kazakh provinces: Aktobe Province to the southwest, Karagandy Province to the south, Akmola Province to the southeast, and North Kazakhstan Province to the northeast. The Tobol (Tobyl) River, a tributary of the Irtysh River, starts in and flows through the province on its way to Russia. Kostanay Province's area is 197,000 square kilometers, making it the sixth largest of the Kazakh provinces.
Resources of an animal and flora of Kostanay Province are suitable for the organization and development of zones and objects of civilized fishery and a hunt, lake-commodity fish culture, hunt facilities development. The fauna of ground animal includes 52 kinds of mammal, 267 is constant or temporarily living birds, 10 kinds of amphibious and kowtowing, in reservoirs 24 kinds of fishes live.
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Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the federal capital and most populous city in Malaysia. The city covers an area of 243 km2 (94 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 1.6 million as of 2012.Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million. It is among the fastest growing metropolitan regions in the country, in terms of population and economy.
Kuala Lumpur is the seat of the Parliament of Malaysia. The city was once home to the executive and judicial branches of the federal government, but they were moved to Putrajaya in early 1999. Some sections of the judiciary still remains in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The official residence of the Malaysian King, the Istana Negara, is also situated in Kuala Lumpur. Rated as an alpha world city, Kuala Lumpur is the cultural, financial and economic centre of Malaysia due to its position as the capital as well as being a key city. Kuala Lumpur was ranked 48th among global cities by Foreign Policy's 2010 Global Cities Index and was ranked 67th among global cities for economic and social innovation by the 2thinknow Innovation Cities Index in 2010.
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Kuwait
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwaiti/kuːˈweɪt/ (Arabic: دولة الكويت, Dawlat al-Kuwayt) is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the Arabic أكوات ākwāt, the plural of كوت kūt, meaning a fortress built near water. The country covers an area of 17,820 square kilometers (6,880 sq mi) and has a population of about 3.5 million.
Historically, the region was the site of Characene, a major Parthian port for trade between Mesopotamia and India. The Bani Utbah tribe were the first permanent Arab settlers in the region, and laid the foundation of the modern emirate. By the 19th century, Kuwait came under the influence of the Ottoman Empire, and after World War I, it emerged as an independent sheikhdom under the protection of the British Empire. Kuwait's large oil fields were discovered in the late 1930s.
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Kuwait City
Kuwait City (Arabic: مدينة الكويت, transliteration: Madīnat al-Kuwayt), is the capital of Kuwait. It has a population of 2.38 million in the metropolitan area. Located at the heart of the country on the shore of the Persian Gulf, and containing Kuwait's parliament (Majlis Al-Umma), most governmental offices, the headquarters of most Kuwaiti corporations and banks, it is the political, cultural and economic center of the emirate.
Kuwait City’s trade and transportation needs are served by Kuwait International Airport, Mina Al-Shuwaik (Shuwaik Port) and Mina Al Ahmadi (Ahmadi Port) 50 kilometers to the south, on the Persian Gulf coast.
Kuwait City was first settled in the early 18th century by the Al-Sabāh clan, later the ruling family of Kuwait and a branch of the Al-Utūb tribe (that also included the Al-Khalīfah clan, the ruling family of Bahrain), and their leader, Sheikh Sabāh I. Its name may have derived from an earlier abandoned fort located there, called "Kūt" (كوت) – Arabic for a fortress by the sea.
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Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan ( /ˈkɜrɡɨstæn/ KUR-gi-stan;Kyrgyz & Russian: Кыргызстан, Kyrgyzstan, or Киргизия, Kirgiziya), officially the Kyrgyz Republic is a nation located in Central Asia. Landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east. Its capital and largest city is Bishkek.
Kyrgyzstan is officially a democratic parliamentary republic. A revolution in April 2010 overthrew the former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev and resulted in the adoption of a new constitution and the appointment of an interim government. Presidential elections were held in November 2011.
Kyrgyzstan is one of the active members of the Turkic Council and the TÜRKSOY community. The national language, Kyrgyz, is also closely related to the other Turkic languages, with which it shares strong cultural and historical ties.
Additionally, Kyrgyzstan is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Community, the Non-aligned movement and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
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Kyzylorda
Kyzylorda (Kazakh: Қызылорда / Qızılorda), formerly known as Kzyl-Orda (Russian: Кзыл-Орда, 1925–1991), Ak-Mechet (Russian: Ак-Мечеть, until 1853 and 1922–1925), Perovsk (Russian: Перовск, 1867–1925) and Fort Perovsky (Russian: Форт Перовский, 1853–1867), is a city in Kazakhstan, capital of Kyzylorda Province. The city has a population of 157,400 (1999 census). The Syr Darya river passes through the city.
Kyzylorda was founded in 1820 as a Kokand fortress of Ak-Mechet (also spelt Aq Masjid, Aq Mechet, 'white mosque'). Yaqub Beg was the fort's commander until it was taken by the Russian troops of General Vasily Alekseevich Perovsky in 1853. The Russians then renamed the fort Fort Perovsky. From 1867-1922, it was city was known as Perovsk; and then Ak-Mechet again between 1922 and 1925. In 1925, the city was renamed Kyzyl-Orda when it briefly became the capital of Kazakhstan. The name of the city is translated as "Red Center" from the Kazakh "Қызыл" which means red and "орда"' which means center or capital city.
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Kyzylorda Province
Kyzylorda Province (Kazakh: Қызылорда облысы, Qızılorda oblısı; Russian: Кызылординская область, Kyzylordinskaya oblast) is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is the city of Kyzylorda, with a population of 157,400. The province itself has a population of 590,000. Other notable settlements include Aral, Qazaly (Kazalinsk) and the Russian-administered Baikonur, which services the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The province borders neighboring country Uzbekistan, as well as three other provinces: Aktobe Province (to the west), Karagandy Province (to the north) and South Kazakhstan Province (to the east). The Syr Darya River, flowing from the Tian Shan mountains to the Aral Sea, passes through Kyzylorda Province. The total area of the province is 226,000 square kilometers.
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Laos
Laos ((i/ˈlaʊs/, /ˈlɑː.ɒs/, /ˈlɑː.oʊs/, or /ˈleɪ.ɒs/) Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, pronounced [sǎː.tʰáː.laʔ.naʔ.lat páʔ.sáː.tʰiʔ.páʔ.tàj páʔ.sáː.són.láːw] Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west. Its population was estimated to be 6.5 million in 2012.
Laos traces its history to the Kingdom which existed from the 14th to the 18th century when it split into three separate kingdoms. In 1893, it became a French protectorate, with the three kingdoms, Luang Phrabang, Vientiane and Champasak, uniting to form what is now known as Laos. It briefly gained independence in 1945 after Japanese occupation, but returned to French rule until it was granted autonomy in 1949. Laos became independent in 1953, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong. Shortly after independence, a long civil war ended the monarchy, when the Communist Pathet Lao movement came to power in 1975.
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Latvia
Latviai/ˈlætviə/ (Latvian: Latvija), officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika), is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia (border length 343 km), to the south by Lithuania (588 km), to the east by the Russian Federation (276 km), to the southeast by Belarus (141 km), and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden. With 2,067,887 inhabitants and a territory of 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi) it is one of the least populous and least densely populated countries of the European Union. The capital of Latvia is Riga. The official language is Latvian and the currency is called Lats (Ls). The country has a temperate seasonal climate.
The Latvians are a Baltic people, culturally related to the Lithuanians. Together with the Finno-Ugric Livs (or Livonians), the Latvians are the indigenous people of Latvia.Latvian is an Indo-European language and along with Lithuanian the only two surviving members of the Baltic branch. Indigenous minority languages are Latgalian and the nearly extinct Finno-Ugric Livonian language. In terms of geography, territory and population Latvia is the middle of three Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Latvia and Estonia share a long common history: historical Livonia, times of German (Teutonic Order), Polish-Lithuanian, Swedish, Russian, Nazi German and Soviet rule, 13th century Christianization and 16th century Protestant Reformation. Both countries are home to a large number of ethnic Russians (26.9% in Latvia and 25.5% in Estonia) of whom some are non-citizens. Latvia is historically predominantly Protestant, except for the region of Latgalia in the southeast which is historically predominantly Roman Catholic.
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Lebanon
Lebanon (i/ˈlɛbənɒn/ or /ˈlɛbənən/; Arabic: لبنان Libnān or Lubnān, Lebanese Arabic: [lɪbˈneːn]), officially the Lebanese Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية اللبنانية al-Jumhūrīyah al-Libnānīyah, Lebanese Arabic: [elˈʒʊmhuːɾɪjje l.ˈlɪbneːnɪjje]), is a country in the East Mediterranean. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has dictated its rich history, and shaped a cultural identity of religious and ethnic diversity.
The earliest evidence of civilization in Lebanon dates back more than 7,000 years—predating recorded history. Lebanon was the home of the Phoenicians, a maritime culture that flourished for nearly 2,500 years (3000–539 BC). Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the five provinces that comprise modern Lebanon were mandated to France. The French expanded the borders of Mount Lebanon, which was mostly populated by Maronite Catholics and Druze, to include more Muslims. Lebanon gained independence in 1943, and established a unique political system, known as confessionalism, a power-sharing mechanism based on religious communities – Bechara El Khoury who became independent Lebanon's first President and Riad El-Solh, who became Lebanon's first prime minister, are considered the founders of the modern Republic of Lebanon and are national heroes for having led the country's independence. French troops withdrew from Lebanon in 1946.
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Malaysia
Malaysia (i/məˈleɪʒə/ mə-LAY-zhə or i/məˈleɪsiə/ mə-LAY-see-ə) is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi) separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. Land borders are shared with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. In 2010 the population exceeded 27.5 million, with over 20 million living on the Peninsula.
Malaysia has its origins in the Malay Kingdoms present in the area which, from the 18th century, became subject to the British Empire. The first British territories were known as the Straits Settlements, whose establishment was followed by the Malay kingdoms becoming British protectorates. The territories on Peninsular Malaysia were first unified as the Malayan Union in 1946. Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948, and achieved independence on 31 August 1957. Malaya united with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore on 16 September 1963, with si being added to give the new country the name Malaysia. However, less than two years later in 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation. Since independence, Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average 6.5% for almost 50 years. The economy has traditionally been fuelled by its natural resources, but is expanding in the sectors of science, tourism, commerce and medical tourism.
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Maldives
Maldives (i/ˈmɒldaɪvz/ or /ˈmɒldiːvz/), (Dhivehi: ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, Dhivehi Raa'je), officially Republic of Maldives (Dhivehi: ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, Dhivehi Raa'jeyge Jumhooriyya), also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep Islands, between Minicoy Island and Chagos Archipelago. It stands in the Laccadive Sea, about 700 kilometres (430 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka and 400 kilometres (250 mi) south-west of India. During the colonial era, the Dutch referred to the country as "Maldivische Eilanden" in their documentation, while "Maldive Islands" is the anglicised version of the local name used by the British, which later came to be written "Maldives".
The archipelago is located on top of the Chagos-Maldives-Laccadive Ridge, a vast submarine mountain range in the Indian Ocean. Maldives also form a terrestrial ecoregion together with the Chagos and the Lakshadweep. The atolls of Maldives encompass a territory spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 sq mi), making it one of the world's most geographically dispersed countries. Its population of 328,536 (2012) inhabits 200 of its 1,192 islands. Maldives' capital and largest city Malé had a population of 103,693 in 2006. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll, in the Kaafu Atoll. It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties were enthroned.
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Malé
Malé (/ˈmɑːl.eɪ/; /məːle/; Dhivehi: މާލެ), is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll (Kaafu Atoll). It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where the palace was located. The city was also called Mahal. Formerly it was a walled city surrounded by fortifications and gates (doroshi). The Royal Palace (Gan'duvaru) was destroyed along with the picturesque forts (kotte) and bastions (buruzu) when the city was remodelled under President Ibrahim Nasir's rule after the abolition of the monarchy. However, the beautifully decorated Malé Hukuru Miskiy remains. In recent years, the island has been considerably expanded through landfilling operations. Over the years there have been many coup attempts and protests centered in Male as a result of demand for greater democracy in the Maldives.[citation needed]
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Manama
Manama (Arabic: المنامة Al Manāma) is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people. Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population. After periods of Portuguese and Persian control and invasions from the Al Sauds and Oman, Bahrain established itself as an independent nation during the 19th century period of British hegemony. In the 20th century, Bahrain's oil wealth helped spur fast growth and in the 1990s a concerted diversification effort led to expansion in other industries and helped transform Manama into an important financial hub in the Middle East.
Manama was mentioned in Islamic chronicles at least as far back as 1345. It was conquered by Portugal in 1521 and then by the Persians in 1602. Since 1783 it has been under the control of the Al-Khalifa dynasty. Manama was declared a free port in 1958, and in 1971 it became the capital of independent Bahrain.
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Mangystau Province
Mangystau Province (Kazakh: Маңғыстау облысы, Mañğıstaw oblısı) is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Aktau (a seaport), which has a population of 154,500 (2004 census); the entire Mangystau province has a population of 373,400.
The province is located in the southwest of the country, and includes Mangyshlak Peninsula. It has much of Kazakhstan's Caspian Shore. It also borders neighboring countries Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Mangystau also borders two other Kazakh provinces(counter-clockwise), Aktobe Province and Atyrau Province. The area of the province is 165,600 square kilometers. Engineers discovered petroleum in the area in the days of the Soviet Union, drilling commenced, and much of the area was built up around the industry.
The territory of Mangystau includes lots of different landscapes and desert lands: Caspian lowland, plateaus (Usturt, Mangyshlak, Kendirli-Kayasan), mountains (Aktau, Karatau), cavities, desert, mountains and mountain ridges. That kind of landscape forms an original multigraded labyrinth, painted with green, yellow, pink and red sediment of loam. The highest point is Otpan mountain at 556 metres (1,824 ft). The lowest point is the bottom of Karagie cavity, 132 metres (433 ft) below sea level.
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Manila
Manila (English: /məˈnɪlə/; Tagalog: Maynila, [majˈnilaʔ]) is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities (along with the smaller municipality of Pateros) that comprise Metro Manila.
Manila is located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north; Quezon City to the northeast; San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east; Makati to the southeast, and Pasay to the south.
Manila has a total population of more than 1,652,171 according to the 2010 census. Manila is the second most populous city in the Philippines, behind its neighbor, Quezon City. The populace inhabit an area of only 38.55 square kilometers, making Manila the most densely populated city in the world.Metro Manila is the most populous metropolitan area in the Philippines and the 11th in the world with an estimated population of 16,300,000. The greater urban area is the fifth-most populous in the world and has an estimated metropolitan population of 20,654,307 people.
The city is divided into six legislative districts and consists of sixteen geographical districts: Binondo, Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Paco, Pandacan, Port Area, Quiapo, Sampaloc, San Andres, San Miguel, San Nicolas, Santa Ana, Santa Cruz, Santa Mesa and Tondo. Bustling commerce and some of the most historically and culturally significant iconic landmarks in the country, as well as the seat of the executive and judicial branches of the government are to be found in the city; and it is also home to many scientific and educational institutions, numerous sport facilities, a variety of other culturally and historically significant venues. As a primary transportation hub and with the larger capital region bearing its name, there is very little of a general nature to be found in cities anywhere that Manila is lacking.
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Margate
Coordinates: 51°23′06″N 1°23′02″E / 51.3850°N 1.3838°E / 51.3850; 1.3838
Margate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in East Kent, England. It lies 38.1 miles (61.3 km) east-northeast of Maidstone, on the coast along the North Foreland, and contains the areas of Cliftonville, Garlinge, Palm Bay and Westbrook.
Margate was recorded as "Meregate" in 1264 and as "Margate" in 1299, but the spelling continued to vary into modern times. The name is thought to refer to a pool gate or gap in a cliff where pools of water are found, often allowing swimmers to jump in. The cliffs of the Isle of Thanet are composed of chalk, a fossil-bearing rock.
The town's history is tied closely to the sea and it has a proud maritime tradition. Margate was a "limb" of Dover in the ancient confederation of the Cinque ports. It was added to the confederation in the 15th century. Margate has been a leading seaside resort for at least 250 years. Like its neighbour Ramsgate, it has been a traditional holiday destination for Londoners drawn to its sandy beaches. Margate had a Victorian pier which was largely destroyed by a storm in 1978.
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Mashhad
Mashhad (Persian: مشهد) is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located 850 kilometres (530 mi) east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its population was 2,427,316 at the 2006 population census. It was a major oasis along the ancient Silk Road connecting with Merv in the East.
Now Mashhad is notably known as the resting place of the Imam Reza. A shrine was later built there to commemorate the Imam, which in turn gave rise to increasing demographic development.
Mashhad is also known as the city of Ferdowsi, the Iranian poet of Shahnameh, which is considered to be the national epic of Iran.
The city is located at 36.20º North latitude and 59.35º East longitude, in the valley of the Kashaf River near Turkmenistan, between the two mountain ranges of Binalood and Hezar-masjed. The city benefits from the proximity of the mountains, having cool winters, pleasant springs, mild summers, and beautiful autumns. It is only about 250 km (160 mi) from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
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Mongolia
Mongoliai/mɒŋˈɡoʊliə/ (Mongolian: Монгол улс (help·info), literally Mongol country/state) is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only 38 kilometres (24 mi) from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest city, is home to about 45% of the population. Mongolia's political system is a parliamentary republic.
The area of what is now Mongolia has been ruled by various nomadic empires, including the Xiongnu, the Xianbei, the Rouran, the Gökturks and others. The Mongol Empire was founded by Genghis Khan in 1206. After the collapse of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols returned to their earlier pattern of constant internal conflict and occasional raids on the Chinese borderlands. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Mongolia came under the influence of Tibetan Buddhism. At the end of the 17th century, all of Mongolia had been incorporated into the area ruled by the Qing Dynasty. During the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, Mongolia declared independence, but had to struggle until 1921 to firmly establish de facto independence from the Republic of China, and until 1945 to gain international recognition.
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Moscow
Moscow ( /ˈmɒskaʊ/ or /ˈmɒskoʊ/; Russian: Москва́, tr. Moskva; IPA: [mɐˈskva] (
listen)) is the capital and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural and scientific center of Russia and the continent. Moscow is the northernmost megacity on Earth, the most populous city in Europe, and the 6th largest city proper in the world. Its population, according to the results of the 2010 Census, is 11,503,501. Based on Forbes 2011, Moscow has the largest community of billionaires in the world.
Moscow is situated on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia. In the course of its history the city has served as the capital of a progression of states, from the medieval Grand Duchy of Moscow and the subsequent Tsardom of Russia to the Soviet Union. Moscow is the site of the Moscow Kremlin, an ancient fortress that is today the residence of the Russian President and of the executive branch of the Government of Russia. The Kremlin is also one of several World Heritage Sites in the city. Both chambers of the Russian parliament (the State Duma and the Federation Council) also sit in Moscow.
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Naypyidaw
Naypyidaw (Burmese: နေပြည်တော်; MLCTS: Nepranytau, officially spelled Nay Pyi Taw and Naypyitaw; pronounced: [nèpjìdɔ̀]) is the capital city of Burma, also known as Myanmar. It is administered as the Naypyidaw Union Territory, as per the 2008 Constitution. On 6 November 2005, the administrative capital of Myanmar was officially moved to a greenfield 3.2 km (2.0 mi) west of Pyinmana, and approximately 320 km (200 mi) north of Yangon (Rangoon), the previous capital. The capital's official name was announced on 27 March 2006, Myanmar Armed Forces Day. Much of this planned city is still under construction, which is set to be completed by around 2012. As of 2009, the population was 925,000, which makes it Myanmar's third largest city, behind Yangon and Mandalay. The city is one of the world's 10 fastest-growing cities.
Nay Pyi Daw is generally translated as "royal capital", "seat of the king" or "abode of kings". Traditionally, it was used as a suffix to the names of royal capitals, such as Mandalay, which was called ရတနာပုံနေပြည်တော် (Yadanabon Naypyidaw). The name literally means "royal city of the sun" in Burmese.
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Nepal
Nepal (नेपाल) (i/nɛˈpɔːl/ ne-PAWLNepali: नेपाल [neˈpal] ( listen)), officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India. Specifically, the Indian states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Sikkim border Nepal, while across the Himalayas lies the Tibetan Autonomous Region. With an area of 147,181 square kilometres (56,827 sq mi) and a population of approximately 27 million (and 2 million absentee workers living abroad), Nepal is the world's 93rd largest country by land mass and the 41st most populous country. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the country's largest metropolis. Kathmandu Valley itself has estimated population of 5 million.
Nepal has a rich geography. The mountainous north has eight of the world's ten tallest mountains, including the highest point on Earth, Mount Everest, called Sagarmatha in Nepali. It contains more than 240 peaks over 20,000 ft (6,096 m) above sea level. The fertile and humid south is heavily urbanized.
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New Delhi
New Delhii/ˈnjuː dɛli/ is the capital city of India. As the national capital, New Delhi is the seat of executive, legislative, and judiciary branches of the Government of India. It also serves as the centre of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi and is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory.
The definition of New Delhi is unclear and the differentiation between Delhi and New Delhi is blurry. Even administratively, the demarcation between Delhi and New Delhi is not clear. Government of India and Government of Delhi have not clearly defined the area and boundaries of New Delhi. The boundaries of areas of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and New Delhi district of Delhi do not completely overlap. In 1920s, when British constructed New Delhi, there were only two Delhis' – the old walled city called Old Delhi and the new city designed by Edwin Lutyens to serve as capital of British India, which was called 'New Delhi'. The rest of Delhi was rural. But after independence as more and more areas around New Delhi urbanized they also became a part of New Delhi as they were also a part of Delhi which was 'new'. Now, almost all of National Capital Territory of Delhi, with exceptions of the old city called Old Delhi, Civil Lines area, Trans-Yamuna region, some rural areas and some underdeveloped parts of Delhi (e.g. Ashok Vihar, Timarpur, Nangloi, Sultanpuri, Mangolpuri, Badarpur etc.), is designated as 'New Delhi' in postal addresses. Especially, almost all the places in South, South-west, Central and West districts of Delhi are designated as New Delhi. Most of the time, the terms Delhi and New Delhi are used interchangeably.
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Nicosia
Nicosia (/ˌnɪkəˈsiːə/ NIK-ə-SEE-ə), known locally as Lefkosia (Greek: Λευκωσία, Turkish: Lefkoşa), is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. After the collapse of the Berlin Wall, Nicosia remained the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line. It is located near the center of the island, on the banks of the Pedieos River.
Nicosia is the capital and seat of government of the Republic of Cyprus. The northern part of the city functions as the capital of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a disputed breakaway region whose independence is recognized only by Turkey, and which the rest of the international community considers as occupied territory of the Republic of Cyprus since the Turkish Invasion in 1974.
Despite the division Nicosia has managed to become a sophisticated and cosmopolitan city, rich in history and culture that combines its historic past with the amenities of a modern city.
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North Korea
Coordinates: 40°00′N 127°00′E / 40°N 127°E / 40; 127 The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK; Chosŏn'gŭl: 조선민주주의인민공화국), commonly referred to as "North Korea" ( listen), is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea. The Amnok, or Yalu, and the Tumen rivers form the border between North Korea and China. A section of the Tumen River in the far northeast is the border with Russia.
The peninsula was governed by the Korean Empire until it was annexed by Japan after the Russo-Japanese War in 1910. It was divided into Soviet- and American-occupied zones in 1945, after the end of World War II. North Korea refused to participate in a United Nations–supervised election held in the south in 1948, which led to the creation of separate Korean governments for the two occupation zones. North and South Korea each claimed sovereignty over the whole Korean Peninsula, which led to the Korean War of 1950. The Armistice Agreement of 1953 ended the fighting; but the two countries are officially still at war against each other, for a peace treaty was never signed. Both states were accepted into the United Nations in 1991.
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Oman
Oman (i/oʊˈmɑːn/ oh-MAAN; Arabic: عمان ʻUmān), officially called the Sultanate of Oman (Arabic: سلطنة عُمان Salṭanat ʻUmān), is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the southeast and the Gulf of Oman on the northeast. The Madha and Musandam enclaves are surrounded by the UAE on their land borders, with the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman forming Musandam's coastal boundaries.
For a period, Oman was a moderate regional power, formerly having a sultanate extending across the Strait of Hormuz to Iran, and modern day Pakistan, and far south to Zanzibar on the coat of south-east Africa. Over time, as its power declined, the sultanate came under heavy influence from the United Kingdom, though Oman was never formally part of the British Empire, or a British protectorate. The Omani royal family claim that Oman has been ruled by the Al Said dynasty since 1744, although without substantial proof. Oman has long-standing military and political ties with the United Kingdom and the United States, although it maintains an independent foreign policy.
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Omsk
Omsk (Russian: Омск) is a city and the administrative center of Omsk Oblast, Russia, located in southwestern Siberia 2,236 kilometers (1,389 mi) from Moscow. With a population of over 1.1 million, it is Russia's second-largest city east of the Ural Mountains after Novosibirsk, and seventh by size nationally.
During the Imperial era, Omsk was the seat of the Governor General of Western Siberia, and later of the Governor General of the Steppes. For a brief period during the Russian Civil War in 1918–1920, it served as the capital of the anti-Bolshevik Russian State and held the imperial gold reserves.
Omsk is the administrative center of the Siberian Cossack Host. It also serves as the see of the bishop of Omsk and Tara, as well as the administrative seat of the Imam of Siberia.
Omsk stretches along on the banks of the north-flowing Irtysh at its confluence with the smaller Om River. The city has an elevation of 87 meters (285 ft) above mean sea level at its highest point.
Omsk is an important railroad hub, and is the junction point for the northern and southern branches of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The city also serves as a major hub for the regional highway network. River-port facilities handle both passengers and freight, giving the city access to the extensive navigable waterways of the Irtysh and Ob River;. The waterways connect Omsk with the coal and mineral-mining towns further up the river in Kazakhstan, as well as with the oil, natural gas and lumber operations of northern Siberia. Omsk is served by the Tsentralny Airport, which offers access to domestic and international (primarily, German and Kazakh) destinations, making the city an important aviation hub for Siberia and the Russian Far East.
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Oskemen
Oskemen (Kazakh: Өскемен / Öskemen; Russian: Усть-Каменогорск) and Ust-Kamennaya (Russian: Усть-Каменная), until 1868, is the capital of the East Kazakhstan Province. It is served by the Ust-Kamenogorsk Airport.
Founded in 1720 at the confluence of the Irtysh and Ulba rivers as a fort and trading post named Ust-Kamennaya. The city was established in 1720 according to the order of the Russian Emperor Peter the Great, who sent a military expedition headed by major Ivan Vasilievich Likharev in the search of Yarkenda gold. Likharev’s expedition directed up the Irtysh river to Zaysan Lake. There, at the confluence of the Ulba and the Irtysh rivers the new fortress was laid – the Ust-Kamennaya Fortress. The Ust-Kamennaya Fortress appeared on the map of the Russian Empire, the very southern end of the Irtysh line. In 1868 the city became the capital of the Semipalatinsk Oblast. It was the site of Georgy Malenkov's 30-year internal exile, during which he managed a local hydroelectric plant.
The city developed into a major mining and metallurgical center during the Soviet period. Mining of non-ferrous metals, especially uranium, beryllium, tantalum, copper, lead, silver and zinc remain important. It is a center for the construction industry producing manufactured housing and ferroconcrete articles. The post-war industrial history of the city is very closely intertwined with the Soviet nuclear bomb project, and the city was therefore kept closed to outsiders. One of the main industrial enterprises, the Ulba Metal Works (UMW) which produced and still produce uranium products, was kept entirely secret despite it employing thousands of workers. An explosion at the UMW's beryllium production line in 1990 led to the diffusion of a highly toxic beryllium-containing "cloud" over the city. The health effects of this incident are not entirely known, partly due to the fact that the incident was kept secret by the Soviet authorities.
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Ottawa
Ottawa (i/ˈɒtəwɑː/ or /ˈɒtəwə/) is the capital of Canada. It is the second largest city in Ontario and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, located on the north bank of the Ottawa River; together they form the National Capital Region (NCR).
Founded in 1826 as Bytown and incorporated as "Ottawa" in 1855, the city has evolved into a political and technological centre of Canada. Its original boundaries were expanded through numerous minor annexations and ultimately replaced by a new city incorporation and major amalgamation in 2001 which significantly increased its land area. The name "Ottawa" is derived from the Algonquin word adawe, meaning "to trade". Initially an Irish and French Christian settlement, Ottawa has become a multicultural city with a diverse population.
The 2011 census had the city's population as 883,391, and the metropolitan population as 1,236,324.Mercer ranks Ottawa with the second highest quality of living of any large city in the Americas, and 14th highest in the world. It is also rated the second cleanest city in Canada, and third cleanest city in the world. In 2012, the city was ranked for the third consecutive year as the best community in Canada to live in by MoneySense.
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Pakistan
Pakistan (i/ˈpækɨstæn/ or i/pɑːkiˈstɑːn/; Urdu: پاکستان) (Urdu pronunciation: [paːkɪˈst̪aːn] ( listen)), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Urdu: اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان), is a sovereign country in South Asia. It sits at the crossroads of the strategically important regions of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. It has a 1,046-kilometre (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by India to the east, Afghanistan to the west and north, Iran to the southwest and China in the far northeast. It is separated from Tajikistan by Afghanistan's narrow Wakhan Corridor in the north, and it shares a marine border with Oman.
The territory of modern Pakistan was the site of several ancient cultures, including the Neolithic Mehrgarh and the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilisation, and has undergone invasions or settlements by Hindu, Persian, Indo-Greek, Islamic, Turco-Mongol, Afghan and Sikh cultures. Thus the area has been ruled by numerous empires and dynasties, including the Indian Mauryan Empire, the Persian Achaemenid Empire, the Arab Umayyad Caliphate, the Mongol Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Durrani Empire, the Sikh Empire and the British Empire. As a result of the Pakistan Movement led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and India's struggle for independence, Pakistan was created in 1947 as an independent nation for Muslims from the regions in the east and west of India where there was a Muslim majority. Initially a dominion, Pakistan adopted a new constitution in 1956, becoming an Islamic republic. A civil war in 1971 resulted in the secession of East Pakistan as the new country of Bangladesh.
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Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (PNG; Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands (the western portion of the island is a part of the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua). It is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, in a region defined since the early 19th century as Melanesia. The capital is Port Moresby.
Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries on Earth. According to recent data, 841 different languages are listed for the country, although 11 of these have no known living speakers. . (A detailed series of language maps of Papua New Guinea may be found at Ethnologue) There may be at least as many traditional societies,out of a population of about 6.2 million. It is also one of the most rural, as only 18% of its people live in urban centres. The country is one of the world's least explored, culturally and geographically, and many undiscovered species of plants and animals are thought to exist in the interior of Papua New Guinea.
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Pavlodar
Coordinates: 52°18′N 76°57′E / 52.3°N 76.95°E / 52.3; 76.95 Pavlodar (Kazakh and Russian: Павлодар) is a city in northeastern Kazakhstan and the capital of Pavlodar Province. It is located 350 km northeast of the national capital Astana, and 400 km southeast of the Russian city of Omsk along the Irtysh River. As of 2010[update], the city has a population of 331710. The population of Pavlodar is composed predominantly of ethnic Russians and Kazakhs with significant Ukrainian, German and Tatar minorities. The city is served by Pavlodar Airport.
One of the oldest cities in northern Kazakhstan, Pavlodar was founded in 1720 as Koryakovsky, an Imperial Russian outpost. The settlement was created to establish control over the region's salt lakes, an important source of valuable salt. In 1861 the settlement was renamed Pavlodar and incorporated as a town. Pavlodar's significance was due in large measure to the substantial agricultural and salt-producing industries that had developed there despite the town's relatively small population. Pavlodar's population numbered only about 8,000 in 1897. The name Pavlodar signifies The Gift of Paul, and was chosen to commemorate the birth of the Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia.
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Pavlodar Province
Pavlodar Province (Kazakh: Павлодар облысы, Pavlodar oblısı) is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is the city of Pavlodar, which has a population of 300,200. The province itself has 744,860 people. Pavlodar borders Russia to the north, and also borders the following Kazakh provinces: Akmola (to the west), East Kazakhstan (to the south-east), North Kazakhstan (to the north-west), and Karagandy (to the south). Many people, especially Ukrainians, immigrated to Pavlodar in Nikita Khrushchev's Virgin Lands Campaign. The Irtysh River flows from the Altay Mountains in the China to Russia through the province. Bayanaul National Park is located in the province within 100 km of Ekibastuz.
Pavlodar province hosts a diverse range of ethnic groups :
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Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (i/ˌpɛnsɨlˈveɪnjə/), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a US state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, and the Great Lakes Region. The state borders Delaware to the southeast, Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, Ontario, Canada to the northwest, New York to the north, and New Jersey to the east.
Pennsylvania is the 33rd most extensive, the 6th most populous, and the 9th most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state's four most populous cities are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie. The state capital is Harrisburg. Pennsylvania has 51 miles (82 km) of shoreline along Lake Erie and 57 miles (92 km) of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary.
Pennsylvania is 170 miles (274 km) north to south and 283 miles (455 km) east to west. Of a total 46,055 square miles (119,282 km2), 44,817 square miles (116,075 km2) are land, 490 square miles (1,269 km2) are inland waters, and 749 square miles (1,940 km2) are waters in Lake Erie. It is the 33rd largest state in the United States. Pennsylvania has 51 miles (82 km) of coastline along Lake Erie and 57 miles (92 km) of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary.
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Petropavl
Petropavl (Kazakh: Петропавл/Petropavl; Russian: Петропавловск, Petropavlovsk, not to be confused with Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky) is a city on the Ishim River in northern Kazakhstan close to the border with Russia, about 261 km west of Omsk along the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is the capital of the North Kazakhstan Province and has a population of 193,300.
Petropavl was founded in 1752 as a Russian fort extending Russian settlement and influence into the nomadic Kazakh territories to the south. The fort got its name after two Christian saints, apostles Peter and Paul. It was granted the status of city in 1807. Petropavl was an important trading center for silk and carpets until the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Petropavl is the location of North Kazakhstan State University, named for M. Kozybaev, established in 1937 as Petropavlovsk Teachers Training Institute.
The city's bandy team in the Spartakiade 2009 on home ice was victorious. Cyclist Alexander Vinokourov is a native of the city.[citation needed]
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Philippines
The Philippinesi/ˈfɪlɨpiːnz/ FI-lə-peenz (Filipino: Pilipinas [ˌpɪlɪˈpinɐs]), officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas) is a sovereign country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest lies between the country and the island of Borneo, and to the south the Celebes Sea separates it from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. Its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its tropical climate make the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons but have also endowed the country with natural resources and made it one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Its capital city is Manila.
With an estimated population of about 98 million people, the Philippines is the 7th most populated Asian country and the 12th most populated country in the world. An additional 12.5 million Filipinos live overseas. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. In prehistoric times, Negritos were some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants. They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples who brought with them influences from Malay, Hindu, and Islamic societies. Trade introduced Chinese cultural influences which remain to this day.
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Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh (/pəˈnɒm ˈpɛn/ or /ˈnɒm ˈpɛn/; Khmer: ភ្នំពេញ, Khmer pronunciation: [pnum pɨɲ]) is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security, politics, economics, cultural heritage, and diplomacy of Cambodia.
Once known as the “Pearl of Asia”, it was considered one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina in the 1920s. Phnom Penh, along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, are significant global and domestic tourist destinations for Cambodia. Founded in 1434, the city is noted for its beautiful and historical architecture and attractions. There are a number of surviving French colonial buildings scattered along the grand boulevards.
Situated on the banks of the Tonlé Sap, Mekong and Bassac rivers, the Phnom Penh metropolitan area is home to more than 2 million of Cambodia’s population of over 14 million. The city is the wealthiest and most populous city in Cambodia and is home to the country’s political hub.
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Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( /ˈpɪtsbərɡ/, PITS-burg) is the second largest city in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of both Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley. Nationally, it is the 22nd largest urban area in the United States. The population of the city in 2010 was 305,704, while that of the seven-county metropolitan area stood at 2,356,285.Downtown Pittsburgh retains substantial economic influence, ranking at 25th in the nation for jobs within the urban core and 6th in job density. The characteristic shape of Pittsburgh's central business district is a triangular tract carved by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, which form the Ohio River. The city features 151 high-rise buildings, 446 bridges, two inclined railways, and a pre-revolutionary fortification. Pittsburgh is known colloquially as "the City of Bridges" and "the Steel City" for its many bridges and former steel manufacturing base.
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Poland
Polandi/ˈpoʊlənd/ (Polish: Polska), officially the Republic of Poland (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Polska; Kashubian: Pòlskô Repùblika; Silesian: Polsko Republika), is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north. The total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometres (120,726 sq mi), making it the 69th largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe. Poland has a population of over 38 million people, which makes it the 34th most populous country in the world and the sixth most populous member of the European Union, being its most populous post-communist member. Poland is a unitary state made up of 16 voivodeships. Poland is a member of the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), European Economic Area, International Energy Agency, Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, International Atomic Energy Agency, G6, Council of the Baltic Sea States, Visegrád Group, Weimar Triangle and Schengen Agreement.
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Port Moresby
Port Moresby ( /ˌpɔərt ˈmɔərzbi/), or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea (PNG). It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43 in World War II, as a staging point and air base to cut off Australia from Southeast Asia and the Americas. In 2000 it had a population of 254,158. As of 2009 it has a population of 307,643, giving it an annual growth rate of 2.1% over a nine year period.
The place where the city was founded has been inhabited by the Motu-Koitabu people for centuries. The first European to see it was Captain John Moresby in 1873. It was named in honour of his father, Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby.
According to a survey of world cities by the Intelligence Unit of The Economist, Port Moresby is one of the world's least livable cities (ranked 137 of 140 cities rated).
Although Port Moresby is surrounded by Central Province, of which it is also the capital, it is not part of that province, but forms the National Capital District.
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Putrajaya
Putrajaya is a planned city, located 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, that serves as the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The seat of government was shifted in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, due to the overcrowding and congestion in the Kuala Lumpur areas. Nevertheless, Kuala Lumpur remains Malaysia's national capital, being the seat of the King and Parliament, as well as the country's commercial and financial centre. Putrajaya was the brainchild of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad. In 2001, Putrajaya became Malaysia's third Federal Territory after Kuala Lumpur and Labuan.
Named after the first Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, the city is situated within the Multimedia Super Corridor, beside the also newly developed Cyberjaya. In Malay/Sanskrit, the words "putra" or "putera" means "prince", and "jaya" means "success" or "victory". The development of Putrajaya started in early 1990s, and today major landmarks are completed and the population is expected to grow bigger.
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Pyongyang
Pyongyang (평양, Korean pronunciation: [pʰjɔŋjaŋ], literally: "Flat Land") is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was split from the South P'yŏngan province in 1946. It is administered as a directly governed city (chikhalsi), on the same level as provincial governments, not a special city (teukbyeolsi) as Seoul is in South Korea.
One of Pyongyang's many historic names is Ryugyong (류경; 柳京), or "capital of willows", as willow trees have always been numerous throughout the city's history, and many poems have been written about these willows. Even today, the city has numerous willow trees, with many buildings and places having "Ryugyŏng" in their names. The most notable of these is the uncompleted Ryugyong Hotel. The city's other historic names include Kisong, Hwangsong, Rakrang, Sŏgyong, Sodo, Hogyong, and Changan.[citation needed] During the colonial period (1910–1945), Pyongyang was named Puto ".
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Qatar
Qatar (i/ˈkɑːtɑr/ or i/kəˈtɑr/;Arabic: قطر [ˈqɑtˤɑr]; local vernacular pronunciation: [ɡɪtˤɑr]), also known as the country or State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in Western Asia, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. A strait of the Persian Gulf separates Qatar from the nearby island state of Bahrain.
Qatar has been ruled as an absolute monarchy by Al Thani family since the mid-19th century. Formerly a British protectorate noted mainly for pearling, it became independent in 1971, and has become one of the region's wealthiest states due to its enormous oil and natural gas revenues. In 1995, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani became Emir when he seized power from his father, Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, in a peaceful coup d'état. The most important positions in Qatar are held by the members of the Al Thani family, or close confidants of the al-Thani family. Beginning in 1992, Qatar has built intimate military ties with the United States, and is now the location of U.S. Central Command’s Forward Headquarters and the Combined Air Operations Center.
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Ramallah
Ramallah (Arabic: رام الله (help·info) Rāmallāh) (literally "Height of God") is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority. With a population of nearly 25,500, Ramallah was historically a Christian town, but today Muslims form the majority of the population, with a strong Christian minority.
Modern Ramallah was founded in the mid-16th century by the Haddadins, a Jordanian tribe of brothers descended from Ghassanid Christian Arabs. The Haddadins, led by Rashid Haddadin, arrived from east of the Jordan River near the Jordanian town of Shoubak. The Haddadin migration is attributed to fighting and unrest among clans in that area. According to modern living descendents of original Haddadin family members, Rashid's brother Sabra Haddadin was hosting Emir Ibn Kaysoom, head of a powerful Muslim clan in the region, when Sabra's wife gave birth to a baby girl. According to custom, the Emir proposed a betrothal to his own young son when they came of age. Sabra believed the proposal was in jest, as Muslim-Christian marriages were not customary, and gave his word. When the Emir later came to the Haddadins and demanded that they fulfill their promise, they refused. This set off bloody conflict between the two families. The Haddadins fled west and settled on the hilltops of Ramallah, where only a few Muslim families lived at the time. Today, a large community of people descended directly from the Haddadins live in the United States. The town is now predominately Muslim.
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Riga
Riga (Latvian: Rīga, pronounced [riːɡa] ( listen)) is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 657,424 inhabitants ( 2011) Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial, cultural and financial centre of the Baltic Sea region.[citation needed] The city lies on the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the river Daugava. Riga's territory covers 307.17 km2 (118.60 sq mi) and lies between 1 and 10 metres (3.3 and 33 ft) above sea level, on a flat and sandy plain.
Riga was founded in 1201 and is a former Hanseatic League member. Riga's historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wooden architecture. The city will be the European Capital of Culture in 2014, along with Umeå in Sweden. The city hosted the 2006 NATO Summit, the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 and the 2006 IIHF Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. It is home to the European Union's office of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). Riga is served by Riga International Airport, the largest airport in the Baltic states.
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Riyadh
Riyadh (/rɨˈjɑːd/; Arabic: الرياض transliterated Ar Riyāḍ pronounced [ʔɑrːiˈjɑːdˤ], English: The Gardens) is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a region with a population of close to 7 million people. The city is divided into 15 municipal districts, managed by Riyadh Municipality headed by the mayor of Riyadh, and the Riyadh Development Authority, chaired by the Governor of Riyadh Province, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz. The current mayor of Riyadh is Abdul Aziz ibn Ayyaf Al-Miqrin, appointed in 1998. Riyadh has the largest female university in the world, the Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University.. It has been designated as Beta World City.
During the Pre-Islamic era, the settlement at the site was called Hajr (Arabic: حجر), and was reportedly founded by the tribe of Banu Hanifa. Hajr served as the capital of the province of Al Yamamah, whose governors were responsible for most of central and eastern Arabia during the Umayyad and Abbasid eras. Al-Yamamah broke away from the Abbasid Empire in 866 and the area fell under the rule of the Ukhaydhirites, who moved the capital from Hajr to nearby Al Kharj. The city then went into a long period of decline. In the 14th century North African traveller Ibn Battuta wrote of his visit to Hajr, describing it as "the main city of Al-Yamamah, and its name is Hajr". Ibn Battuta goes on to describe it as a city of canals and trees with most of its inhabitants belonging to Bani Hanifa, and reports that he continued on with their leader to Mecca to perform the Hajj.
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Russia
Russiai/ˈrʌʃə/ or /ˈrʊʃə/ (Russian: Россия, tr. Rossiya; IPA: [rɐˈsʲijə] ( listen)), also officially known as the Russian Federation (Russian: Российская Федерация, tr. Rossiyskaya Federatsiya; IPA: [rɐˈsʲijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjə] ( listen)), is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both via Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea. It also has maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk, and the US state of Alaska by the Bering Strait. At 17,075,400 square kilometres (6,592,800 sq mi), Russia is the largest country in the world, covering more than one eighth of the Earth's inhabited land area. Russia is also the eighth most populous nation with 143 million people. It extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe, spanning nine time zones and incorporating a wide range of environments and landforms. Russia has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources and is the largest producer of oil and natural gas globally. Russia has the world's largest forest reserves and its lakes contain approximately one-quarter of the world's fresh water.
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Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербург, tr. Sankt-Peterburg; IPA: [sankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk] ( listen)) is a city and a federal subject (a federal city) of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. In 1914 the name of the city was changed to Petrograd (Russian: Петроград; IPA: [pʲɪtrɐˈgrat]), in 1924 to Leningrad (Russian: Ленинград; IPA: [lʲɪnʲɪnˈgrat]) and in 1991 back to Saint Petersburg.
In Russian literature, informal documents, and discourse, the "Saint" (Санкт-) is usually omitted, leaving Petersburg (Петербург, Peterburg). In common parlance Russians may drop "-burg" (-бург) as well, leaving only Peter (Питер, Russian: [ˈpʲitʲɪr]).
Saint Petersburg was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on May 27 [O.S. 16] 1703. From 1713 to 1728 and from 1732 to 1918, Saint Petersburg was the Imperial capital of Russia. In 1918 the central government bodies moved from Saint Petersburg (then named Petrograd) to Moscow. It is Russia's second largest city after Moscow with almost 5 million inhabitants. Saint Petersburg is a major European cultural center, and also an important Russian port on the Baltic Sea.
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Sarajevo
Sarajevo (Cyrillic: Сарајево) (pronounced [sǎrajɛʋɔ]) is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an estimated population of over 311,161 people within its administrative limits. It is also the capital of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity, as well as the center of the Sarajevo Canton, which has a population of 438,757. Nestled within the greater Sarajevo valley of Bosnia, it is surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans.
Sarajevo is the leading social and cultural center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and its region-wide influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts contribute to its status as Bosnia and Herzegovina's major economic center.
The city is historically famous for its traditional cultural and religious diversity, with adherents of Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Judaism coexisting there for centuries. Due to this long and rich history of religious and cultural variety, Sarajevo is often called the "Jerusalem of Europe" or "Jerusalem of the Balkans". It was, until recently in the 20th century, the only major European city to have a mosque, cathedral, Orthodox church and synagogue within the same neighborhood.
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Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia (i/ˌsaʊdi əˈreɪbi.ə/ or i/ˌsɔːdiː əˈreɪbi.ə/; Arabic: السعودية as-Su‘ūdīyah[citation needed] or incorrectly as-Sa‘ūdīyah, officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Arabic: المملكة العربية السعودية al-Mamlakah al-‘Arabīyah as-Su‘ūdīyah Arabic pronunciation (help·info)), is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab world, after Algeria. It is bordered by Jordan, and Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south. The Red Sea lies to its west, and the Persian Gulf lies to the east. Saudi Arabia has an area of approximately 2,250,000 km2 (870,000 sq mi), and it has an estimated population of 27 million, of which 9 million are registered foreign expatriates and an estimated 2 million are illegal immigrants. Saudi nationals comprise an estimated 16 million people.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded by Abdul-Aziz bin Saud (known for most of his career as Ibn Saud) in 1932, although the conquests which eventually led to the creation of the Kingdom began in 1902 when he captured Riyadh, the ancestral home of his family, the House of Saud, referred to in Arabic as the Al Saud. The Saudi Arabian government, which has been an absolute monarchy since its inception, refers to its system of government as being Islamic, though this is contested by many due to its strong basis in Salafism, a minority school of thought in Islam. The kingdom is sometimes called "The Land of the Two Holy Mosques" in reference to Al-Masjid al-Haram (in Mecca), and Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (in Medina), the two holiest places in Islam.
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Semey
Semey (Kazakh: Семей / Semey), formerly known as Semipalatinsk (Russian: Семипала́тинск, until 2007) and Alash-kala (Kazakh: Алаш-қала / Alaş-qala, 1917–1920), is a city in Kazakhstan, in the northeastern province of East Kazakhstan, near the border with Siberia, around 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) north of Almaty, and 700 kilometres (430 mi) southeast of the Russian city of Omsk, along the Irtysh River.
The first settlement was in 1718, when the Russians built a fort beside the river Irtysh, near a ruined Buddhist monastery. The monastery's seven buildings lent the fort (and later the city) the name Semipalatinsk (Russian for Seven-Chambered City).[clarification needed] The fort suffered frequently from flooding caused by the snowmelt swelling the Irtysh, and in 1778 the fort was relocated 18 km upstream to less flood-prone ground. The small city grew around the fort, largely servicing the river trade between the nomadic peoples of Central Asia and the growing Russian Empire. The construction of the Turkestan-Siberia Railway added to the city's importance, making it a major point of transit between Central Asia and Siberia.
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Seoul
Seoul (Korean pronunciation: [sʌ.ul] ( listen), English /soʊl/), officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world. The Seoul National Capital Area is the world's second largest metropolitan area with over 25 million inhabitants, which includes the surrounding Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province. Almost a quarter of South Koreans live in Seoul, half of South Koreans live in the metropolitan area, along with over 275,000 international residents.
Located in the Han River, Seoul has been a major settlement for over 2,000 years, with its foundation dating back to 18 B.C. when Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, established its capital in what is now south-east Seoul. It continued as the capital of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty and the Korean Empire. The Seoul National Capital Area is home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Changdeokgung, Hwaseong Fortress, Jongmyo Shrine and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty.
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Shymkent
Shymkent (Kazakh: Шымкент / Şımkent), formerly known as Chimkent (Russian: Чимкент, until 1993), is the capital city of South Kazakhstan Province, the most populated region in Kazakhstan. It is the third most populous city in Kazakhstan behind Almaty and Astana with a population of 629,600 (2011-02-01). A major railroad junction on the Turkestan-Siberia Railway, the city is also a notable cultural centre, with an international airport. It is situated 690 km west of Almaty and 120 km to the north of Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Shymkent was founded in the 12th century as a caravanserai to protect the Silk Road town of Sayram, 10 km to the east. Shymkent grew as a market center for trade between nomads and the settled people. It was destroyed several times: by Genghis Khan, soldiers from the southern Khanates, and by nomad attacks. Once part of the Khanate of Kokand, it became part of the Emirate of Bukhara in 1810 and was then annexed by the Russian Empire in 1864. It was renamed Chernyaev in 1914 and renamed Shymkent in 1924. Following the Russian conquest, Shymkent was a city of trade between nomadic Turks and sedentary Turks, and was famous for its kumis.
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Siberia
Coordinates: 60°0′N 105°0′E / 60°N 105°E / 60; 105
Siberia (/saɪˈbɪəriə/; Russian: Сиби́рь, tr. Sibir'; IPA: [sʲɪˈbʲirʲ] ( listen)) is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union (USSR) from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th to 19th centuries.
Encompassing much of the Eurasian Steppe, the territory of Siberia extends eastward from the Ural Mountains to the watershed between the Pacific and Arctic drainage basins, and southward from the Arctic Ocean to the hills of north-central Kazakhstan and the national borders of Mongolia and China. Siberia makes up about 77% of Russia's territory (13.1 million square kilometres), but has only 28% (40 million people) of Russia's population.
Some sources say that the word Siberia originates from the Turkic for "sleeping land". Another version is that this name was the ancient tribal name of the Sabirs, Turkic nomads later assimilated to Siberian Tatars. The modern usage of the name appeared in the Russian language after the conquest of the Siberian Khanate.
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Singapore
Singapore (i/ˈsɪŋəpɔər/ SI-ngə-pohr), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. Singapore is highly urbanised but almost half of the country is covered by greenery. More land is being created for development through land reclamation.
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South Korea
South Korea ( listen), officially the Republic of Korea (Hangul: 대한민국; Hanja: 大韓民國; Daehan Minguk listen), is a sovereign state in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. The name "Korea" is derived from Goryeo, a dynasty which ruled in the Middle Ages (an initial "G" in Korean is pronounced like an English "K").
Its neighbors are China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the Korea Strait to the south. South Korea lies in the north temperate zone with a predominantly mountainous terrain. It covers a total area of 99,392 square kilometers and has a population of almost 50 million. The capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of 9,794,304.
Archaeological findings show that the Korean Peninsula was occupied by the Lower Paleolithic period.Korean history begins with the founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BC by the legendary Dan-gun. Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea under Silla 668 AD, Korea went through the Goryeo Dynasty and Joseon Dynasty as one nation until the end of the Korean Empire in 1910, when it was annexed by Japan. After liberation and occupation by Soviet and U.S. forces at the end of World War II, the nation was divided into North and South Korea. The latter was established in 1948 as a democracy, though political turmoil and times of military rule and martial law characterized much of the period until the foundation of the Sixth Republic in 1987.
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Soviet Union
The Soviet Union (Russian: Советский Союз, tr. Sovetsky Soyuz), officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR; Russian: Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик, tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik; IPA: [sɐˈjus sɐˈvʲetskʲɪx sətsɨəlʲɪˈstʲitɕɪskʲɪx rʲɪsˈpublʲɪk] ( listen); abbreviated СССР, SSSR), was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.
The Soviet Union was a single-party state ruled by the Communist Party from its foundation until 1990. A union of 15 subnational Soviet republics, the Soviet state was structured under a highly centralized government and economy.
The Russian Revolution of 1917 caused the downfall of the Russian Empire. Following the Russian Revolution, there was a struggle for power between the Bolshevik party, led by Vladimir Lenin, and the anti-communist White movement. In December 1922, the Bolsheviks won the civil war, and the Soviet Union was formed with the merger of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.
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Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (i/ʃriː ˈlɑːŋkə/, /sriːˈlɑːŋkə/, or /sriːˈlæŋkə/;Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකාව, Tamil: இலங்கை), is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent in South Asia. Known until 1972 as Ceylon ( /sɨˈlɒn/, /seɪˈlɒn/, or /siːˈlɒn/), Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar, the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the Maldives.
As a result of its location in the path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia. It was an important stop on the ancient Silk Road. Sri Lanka has also been a center of the Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times, being the nation where the Buddhist teachings were first written down as well as the oldest continually Buddhist country. Sri Lanka boasts a diverse range of cultures, languages and religions. The Sinhalese people form the majority of the population; Tamils, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island, form the largest ethnic minority. Other communities include Moors, Burghers, Kaffirs, Malays and the aboriginal Vedda people.
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Stepnogorsk
Stepnogorsk (Kazakh: Степногор/Stepnogor, Russian: Степногорск) is a town in Akmola Province, Kazakhstan. It was established in 1959, and has been a town since 1964. It is located about 200km North-East of Astana. It was first established as a secret town with code names Tselinograd-25 (Russian: Целиноград-25), Makinsk-2 (Russian: Макинск-2). The town is known as a nuclear and biochemical site. As of 1999 Stepnogorsk, had a population of 50,900.
Coordinates: 52°20′59″N 71°53′24″E / 52.34972°N 71.89°E / 52.34972; 71.89
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Syria
Syria (/ˈsɪriə/ ( listen) SIRR-ee-ə; Arabic: سورية Sūriyya or سوريا Sūryā; Syriac: ܣܘܪܝܐ; Kurdish: Sûrî), officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية العربية السورية al-Jumhūriyyah al-‘Arabīyah as-Sūriyyah Arabic pronunciation (help·info)), is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.
In English, the name Syria was formerly synonymous with the Levant, known in Arabic as Sham, while the modern state encompasses the sites of several ancient kingdoms and empires, including the Eblan civilization of the third millennium BC. In the Islamic era, its capital city, Damascus, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, was the seat of the Umayyad Caliphate, and a provincial capital of the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt.
The population of Syria is 74% Sunni, 12% Alawi, 10% Christian, and 3% Druze. Combined, 87% of the Syrian population is Muslim, while the other 10% is Christian, which includes mainly Arab Christians but also Assyrians and Armenians. Major ethnic minorities in Syria include Kurds (9%), Assyrians, Armenians, Turkmens and Circassians. The majority of the population is Arab (90%).
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Taipei
Taipei City (/ˌtaɪˈpeɪ/; [tʰǎipèi]; Chinese: 臺北市 or 台北市; pinyin: Táiběi Shì) is the capital of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Situated at the northern tip of the island of Taiwan, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River; it is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, a port city on the Pacific Ocean. It lies in the two relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung (基隆河) and Xindian (新店溪) rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border. The city proper (Taipei City) is home to an estimated 2,618,772 people. Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung together form the Taipei metropolitan area with a population of 6,900,273. However, they are administered under different local governing bodies. "Taipei" sometimes refers to the whole metropolitan area, while "Taipei City" refers to the city proper. Taipei City proper is surrounded on all sides by New Taipei.
Taipei is the political, economic, and cultural center of Taiwan. The National Palace Museum which has one of the largest collections of Chinese artifacts and artworks in the world is located in Taipei. Considered to be a global city, Taipei is part of a major industrial area. Railways, high speed rail, highways, airports, and bus lines connect Taipei with all parts of the island. The city is served by two airports – Taipei Songshan and Taiwan Taoyuan.
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Taiwan
Taiwan (i/ˌtaɪˈwɑːn/ TY-WAHN; Chinese: 臺灣 or 台灣; pinyin: Táiwān; see below), officially the Republic of China (ROC; Chinese: 中華民國; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó), is a state in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China now governs the island of Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa), which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands. Neighboring states include the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east and northeast, and the Philippines to the south. Taipei is the capital city and economic and cultural centre of the country, and New Taipei is the most populous city.
The earliest evidence of inhabitation of Taiwan dates back to the late Paleolithic era. The island of Taiwan was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before being colonized in the 17th century by the Dutch and the Spanish Empire. The first Han Chinese polity on Taiwan began when Koxinga's troops defeated Dutch forces and established the Kingdom of Tungning. The island was subsequently ruled by the Qing Dynasty after the kingdom's defeat in the Battle of Penghu in 1683, a period that lasted for over 200 years. Following Japan's victory over the Qing Dynasty in the first Sino-Japanese war, Taiwan was ceded to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895.
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Tajikistan
Tajikistan (i/tɑːˈdʒiːkɨstɑːn/, /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/, or /tæˈdʒiːkiːstæn/; Тоҷикистон [ˈtɔjikɪsˈtɔn]), officially the Republic of Tajikistan (Tajik: Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Cumhuriyi Tocikiston; Persian: جمهوری تاجیکستان Jomhuri-ye Tajikestan; Russian: Республика Таджикистан, Respublika Tadzhikistan), is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. It borders Afghanistan to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east. Gilgit Baltistan as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan are separated from Tajikistan by the narrow Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan in the south.
Most of Tajikistan's population belongs to the Persian-speaking Tajik ethnic group, who share language, culture and history with Afghanistan and Iran. Once part of the Samanid Empire, Tajikistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union in the 20th century, known as the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (Tajik SSR). Mountains cover over 90% of this Central Asian republic.
After independence, Tajikistan suffered from a devastating civil war which lasted from 1992 to 1997. Since the end of the war, newly established political stability and foreign aid have allowed the country's economy to grow. Trade in commodities such as cotton, aluminium and uranium has contributed greatly to this steady improvement.
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Taldykorgan
Taldykorgan (Kazakh: Талдықорған / Taldıqorğan / تالدىقورعان), formerly known as Taldy-Kurgan (Russian: Талды-Курган, until 1993), is the administrative center of Almaty Province, Kazakhstan. It has a population of 143,407 (2010). Most of the people are Kazakhs.
Taldykorgan has a diverse educational system, including a university, institutes, institutions, technical training colleges, secondary schools and kindergartens. There are 27 public health facilities, a theater, amusement parks, libraries, a city cinema, stadium, sports complex and swimming pools.
The ethnic composition of Taldykorgan according to a 2010 census was thus:
Taldykorgan has an airport that services a number Kazakh and Russian cities, while its train station services Central Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Russia, Baltic States and the People's Republic of China.
The city has a football club, FC Zhetysu Taldykorgan.
Coordinates: 45°01′N 78°22′E / 45.017°N 78.367°E / 45.017; 78.367
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Taraz
Taraz (Kazakh: Тараз / Taraz), is a city and a center of the Jambyl Province in Kazakhstan. It is located in the south of Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan, on the Talas River (Taraz River). It has a population of 330,100 (1999 census), up 9% from 1989, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, after Astana and Türkistan.
Taraz was formerly known as Jambyl or Zhambyl (Kazakh: Жамбыл / Jambıl, until 1997), Dzhambul (Russian: Джамбул, until 1993), Mirzoyan (Russian: Мирзоян, until 1938), Aulie-Ata (Russian: Аулие-Ата, Kazakh: Әулие-Ата / Äwlïe-Ata, Chagatai: اولياه اتا, Persian: تراز, until 1936) and Talas (Талас, until 1856),
One of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan and in Transoxania, Taraz celebrated its official 2000 anniversary (recognized by UNESCO) in 2001, dating from a fortress built in the area by a Xiongnu Chanyu named Zhizhi and was a site of the Battle of Zhizhi in 36 BCE. The city was first recorded under the name "Talas" in 568 CE by Menander Protector, the medieval city of Talas was a major trade centre along the Silk Road. Talas was later described by Xuanzang, who passed Talas in 629 and later wrote: Traveling westward from the Thousand Springs 140 or 150 li, we come to the city of Daluosi. The city is 8 or 9 li in diameter; and was settled by Hu ("foreign, non-Oriental") merchants from various nations. The products and the climate are about the same as Suyab. The Talas alphabet, a variant of the Turkic "runiform" Orkhon script, is named for the town. Talas secured a place in history by virtue of the Battle of Talas (751 CE), which was fought between forces of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and those of the Arab Umayyad Caliphate. The battle took place somewhere along the Talas River in the Talas valley. One of its indirect outcomes was the introduction of paper to the west, via the Arab capture of Chinese paper makers.
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Tashkent
Tashkent (/ˌtæʃˈkɛnt/; Uzbek: Toshkent, Тошкент; Russian: Ташкент, [tɐʂˈkʲent]; literally "Stone City") is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.
During its long history, Tashkent has had various changes in names and political and religious affiliations.
Tashkent started as an oasis on the Chirchik River, near the foothills of the West Tian Shan Mountains. In ancient times, this area contained Beitian, probably the summer "capital" of the Kangju confederacy.
In pre-Islamic and early Islamic times the town and the province were known as "Chach". The Shahnameh of Ferdowsi also refers to the city as Chach. Later the town came to be known as Chachkand/Chashkand, meaning "Chach City".[citation needed] The principality of Chach, whose main town had a square citadel built around the 5th to 3rd centuries BC, some 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of the Syr Darya River. By the 7th century AD, Chach had over 30 towns and a network of over 50 canals, forming a trade center between the Sogdians and Turkic nomads. The Buddhist monk Xuánzàng 玄奘 (602/603? – 664 CE), who travelled from China to India through Central Asia, mentioned the name of the city as Zhěshí 赭時. The Chinese chronicles Suí shū 隋書 (Book of Suí), Běi shǐ 北史 (History of Northern Dynasties) and Táng shū 唐書 (Book of Táng) mention a possession called Shí 石 or Zhěshí 赭時 with a capital of the same name since the fifth century AD [Bichurin, 1950. v. II]. The region came under the sway of Islam in the early parts of the 8th century.
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Tbilisi
Tbilisi (Georgian: თბილისი [tʰb̥ilisi] ( listen)) is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi (ტფილისი) and it was officially known as Tpilisi (in Georgian) or Tiflis (in Russian) until 1936. The city covers an area of 726 km2 (280 sq mi) and has 1,480,000 inhabitants.
Founded in the 5th century by Vakhtang Gorgasali, the monarch of Georgia's precursor Kingdom of Iberia, Tbilisi has served, with various intervals, as Georgia's capital for nearly 1500 years and represents a significant industrial, social, and cultural center of the country. Located near the southeastern edge of Europe, Tbilisi's proximity to lucrative east-west trade routes often made the city a point of contention between various rival empires throughout history and the city's location to this day ensures its position as an important transit route for global energy and trade projects. Tbilisi's varied history is reflected in its architecture, which is a mix of medieval, classical, and Soviet structures.
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Tehran
Tehran ( pronunciation (help·info)) (Persian: تهران Tehrān; pronounced [tehˈɾɒːn]), sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, the largest city in Western Asia, one of the largest in Southern Asia, and the 19th-largest city globally.
In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to mass-migration of people from all around Iran. The city is home to many historic mosques, churches, synagogues and Zoroastrian fire temples. Contemporary Tehran is a modern city featuring many structures, of which the Azadi (Freedom) Tower and the Milad Tower have come to be symbols of Tehran itself. In 2008 Tehran was the least expensive capital in the world and the second-least expensive city globally based on the cost-of-living index presenting the best value for money in the world. Globally it stands 19th by city population, 56th by the size of its GDP and 29th by the population of its metropolitan area. Throughout Iran's history, the capital city has been relocated many times, with Tehran being the 32nd national capital of Iran. Persian is the city's native tongue, with roughly 98% of the population able to speak and understand it. The majority of people in Tehran identify themselves as Persians. In pre-Islamic and early Islamic times, Tehran was called Ray (which in the Avesta occurs in the form of Ragha)[citation needed].
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Temirtau
Temirtau (Kazakh: Теміртау / Temirtaw, Russian: Темиртау) is a city in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan. Pop 180,000.
Temirtau sent a bandy team to the Winter Sports Tournaments in Karaganda.[1]
Coordinates: 50°03′N 72°57′E / 50.05°N 72.95°E / 50.05; 72.95
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Thailand
Thailand ( /ˈtaɪlænd/ TY-land or /ˈtaɪlənd/;Thai: ประเทศไทย, RTGS: Prathet Thai), officially the Kingdom of Thailand (Thai: ราชอาณาจักรไทย, RTGS: Ratcha Anachak Thai; IPA: [râːt.tɕʰā ʔāːnāːtɕàk tʰāj] ( listen)), formerly known as Siam (Thai: สยาม; RTGS: Sayam), is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Burma. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India in the Andaman Sea to the southwest.
The country is a constitutional monarchy, headed by King Rama IX, the ninth king of the House of Chakri, who, having reigned since 1946, is the world's longest-serving head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history. The king of Thailand is titled Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, the Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Defender of all Faiths.
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Thimphu
Thimphu (Tibetan alphabet: ཐིམ་ཕུག་, Dzongkha: ཐིམ་ཕུ་) also spelt Thimpu, is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's dzongkhags, the Thimphu District. The city became the capital of Bhutan in 1961. As of 2005 it had a population of 79,185, with 98,676 people living in the entire Thimphu district.
The city is spread out longitudinally in a north-south direction on the west bank of the valley formed by the Wang Chuu, also known as the Thimphu Chuu River. Thimphu is located at 27°28′00″N 89°38′30″E / 27.4666667°N 89.64167°E / 27.4666667; 89.64167Coordinates: 27°28′00″N 89°38′30″E / 27.4666667°N 89.64167°E / 27.4666667; 89.64167 and is spread over an altitudinal range between 2,248 metres (7,375 ft) and 2,648 metres (8,688 ft). Unusually for a capital city, Thimphu is not served by an airport, but relies on the airport at Paro, connected by road some 54 kilometres (34 mi) away.
Thimphu, as the political and economic centre of Bhutan, has a dominant agricultural and livestock base, which contributes to 45% of the country's GNP. Tourism, though a contributor to the economy, is strictly regulated, maintaining a balance between the traditional and development and modernization. Thimphu contains most of the important political buildings in Bhutan, including the National Assembly of the newly formed parliamentary democracy and Dechencholing Palace, the official residence of the King, located to the north of the city. As a metropolis and capital city, Thimphu is coordinated by the "Thimphu Structure Plan", an Urban Development Plan which evolved in 1998 with the objective of protecting the fragile ecology of the valley. This development is ongoing with financial assistance from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
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Tokyo
Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō?, "Eastern Capital") [toːkʲoː], English /ˈtoʊki.oʊ/; officially Tokyo Metropolis (東京都, Tōkyō-to?), is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of the world. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family. Tokyo is in the Kantō region on the southeastern side of the main island Honshu and includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands. Tokyo Metropolis was formed in 1943 from the merger of the former Tokyo Prefecture (東京府, Tōkyō-fu?) and the city of Tokyo (東京市, Tōkyō-shi?).
The Tokyo Metropolitan government administers the 23 special wards of Tokyo (each governed as a city), which cover the area that was the city of Tokyo, as well as 39 municipalities in the western part of the prefecture and the two outlying island chains. The population of the special wards is over 8 million people, with the total population of the prefecture exceeding 13 million. The prefecture is part of the world's most populous metropolitan area with upwards of 35 million people and the world's largest urban agglomeration economy with a GDP of US$1.479 trillion at purchasing power parity in 2008, ahead of New York City metropolitan area, which ranks second on the list. The city hosts 47 of the Fortune Global 500 companies, the highest amount of any city.
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Turkey
Turkey (Turkish: Türkiye), known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( Türkiye Cumhuriyeti (help·info)), is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia (mostly in the Anatolian peninsula) and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Azerbaijan (the exclave of Nakhchivan) and Iran to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. The Mediterranean Sea and Cyprus are to the south; the Aegean Sea is to the west; and the Black Sea is to the north. The Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles (which together form the Turkish Straits) demarcate the boundary between East Thrace and Anatolia; they also separate Europe and Asia.
Turkey is one of the six independent Turkic states. The vast majority of the population are Muslims. The country's official language is Turkish, whereas Kurdish and Zazaki languages are spoken by Kurds and Zazas, who constitute 18% of the population.
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Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan (i/tɜrkˈmɛnɨstæn/ or i/tɜrkmɛnɨˈstɑːn/; Turkmen: Türkmenistan), formerly also known as Turkmenia (Russian: Туркмения), is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR). Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states. It is bordered by Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, Uzbekistan to the east and northeast, Kazakhstan to the north and northwest and the Caspian Sea to the west.
Turkmenistan's GDP growth rate of 11% in 2010[update] ranks 4th in the world, but these figures are subject to wide margins of error. It possesses the world's fourth largest reserves of natural gas resources. Although it is wealthy in natural resources in certain areas, most of the country is covered by the Karakum (Black Sand) Desert.
The Turkmen government operates as a single-party system. Turkmenistan was ruled by President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov (called "Türkmenbaşy" — "leader of the Turkmens") until his sudden death on 21 December 2006. Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov was elected the new president on 11 February 2007.
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Ulan Bator
Ulan Bator /ˌuːlɑːn ˈbɑːtər/ or Ulaanbaatar (Mongolian: Улаанбаатар, [ʊɮɑːŋ.bɑːtʰɑ̆r], ᠤᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨᠪᠠᠭᠠᠲᠤᠷ, Ulaγanbaγatur, literally "Red Hero") is the capital and by far the largest city of Mongolia. An independent municipality, the city is not part of any province, and its population as of 2008 is over one million.
Located in north central Mongolia, the city lies at an elevation of about 1,310 metres (4,300 ft) in a valley on the Tuul River. It is the cultural, industrial, and financial heart of the country. It is the center of Mongolia's road network, and is connected by rail to both the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia and the Chinese railway system.
The city was founded in 1639 as a movable (nomadic) Buddhist monastic centre. In 1778 it settled permanently at its present location, the junction of the Tuul and Selbe rivers. Before that it changed location twenty-eight times, with each location being chosen ceremonially. In the twentieth century, Ulan Bator grew into a major manufacturing centre.
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United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emiratesi/juːˌnaɪtɨd ˌærəb ˈɛmɪrɨts/ (Arabic: دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة, Al Imārāt al ‘Arabīyah al Muttaḥidah), sometimes simply called the Emirates or the UAE, is a country situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south, as well as sharing sea borders with Qatar to the west and Iran to the north.
The UAE is a federation of seven emirates (equivalent to principalities), each governed by a hereditary emir, with a single national president. The constituent emirates are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain. The capital is Abu Dhabi, which is also the state's center of political, industrial, and cultural activities.
Prior to independence in 1971, the UAE was known as the Trucial States or Trucial Oman, in reference to a 19th-century truce between the local sheikhs, hereditary rulers of the territories, and the United Kingdom. The term Pirate Coast was also used by some to refer to the emirates from the 18th to the early 20th century, owing to the preponderance of pirates operating from Emirati ports.
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United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea.
The United Kingdom is a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system, with its seat of government in the capital city of London. It is a country in its own right and consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. There are three devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff, the capitals of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Associated with the UK, but not constitutionally part of it, are three Crown Dependencies. The United Kingdom has fourteen overseas territories. These are remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in 1922, encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface and was the largest empire in history. British influence can still be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former territories.
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United States
The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
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Uzbekistan
Uzbekistani/ʊzˌbɛkɨˈstɑːn/, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan (Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi, Ўзбекистон Республикаси) is the only doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of only two such countries worldwide. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south. Before 1991, it was part of the Soviet Union.
Uzbekistan is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia.
Once part of the Persian Samanid and later Timurid empires, the region was conquered in the early 16th century by Uzbek nomads, who spoke an Eastern Turkic language. Most of Uzbekistan’s population today belong to the Uzbek ethnic group and speak the Uzbek language, one of the family of Turkic languages.
Uzbekistan was incorporated into the Russian Empire in the 19th century, and in 1924 became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, known as the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (Uzbek SSR). It became independent on 31 August 1991 (officially, from the following day).
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Vientiane
Vientiane ( /vjɛnˈtjɑːn/ French pronunciation: [vjɛ̃'tjan]; Lao: ວຽງຈັນ Wiang-jun; Thai: เวียงจันทน์ Wiang-chan, IPA: [wíəŋ tɕàn]) is the capital and largest city of Laos, situated in the Mekong river. Vientiane became the capital in 1563 due to fears of a Burmese invasion. During French rule, Vientiane was the administrative capital and due to economic growth in recent times, it has become the economic centre of Laos.
The estimated population of the city is 754,000 (2009). The city hosted the 25th Southeast Asian Games in December 2009 celebrating the 50 years of SEA Games.
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Vietnam
Vietnam ( listen), formally the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam; listen), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. With an estimated 91.5 million inhabitants as of 2012, it is the world's 13th-most-populous country, and the eighth-most-populous Asian country. The name Vietnam translates as "South Viet", and was officially adopted in 1945. The country is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east.
The Vietnamese became independent from Imperial China in 938 AD, following the Battle of Bạch Đằng River. Successive Vietnamese royal dynasties flourished as the nation expanded geographically and politically into Southeast Asia, until the Indochina Peninsula was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. The First Indochina War eventually led to the expulsion of the French in 1954, leaving Vietnam divided politically into two states, North and South Vietnam. Conflict between the two sides intensified, with heavy foreign intervention, during the Vietnam War, which ended with a North Vietnamese victory in 1975.
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Warsaw
Warsaw (Polish: Warszawa [varˈʂava] ( listen); see also other names) is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly 260 kilometres (160 mi) from the Baltic Sea and 300 kilometres (190 mi) from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most populous city proper in the European Union. The area of the city covers 516.9 square kilometres (199.6 sq mi), while the city's agglomeration covers 6,100.43 square kilometres (2,355.39 sq mi).
Warsaw is an Alpha- global city, a major international tourist destination and an important economic hub in Central Europe. It is also known as the "phoenix city" because it has survived many wars throughout its history. Most notably, the city had to be painstakingly rebuilt after the extensive damage it suffered from World War II, during which 80% of its buildings were destroyed. On 9 November 1940 the city was awarded Poland's highest military decoration for heroism, the Virtuti Militari, for the Siege of Warsaw (1939).
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Xinjiang
Xinjiang (XUAR) (Uyghur: شىنجاڭ, ULY: Shinjang; Mandarin pronunciation: [ɕíntɕjɑ́ŋ]; Chinese: 新疆; pinyin: Xīnjiāng; Wade–Giles: Hsin1-chiang1; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang) is an autonomous region (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2. Xinjiang borders Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, has abundant oil reserves and is China's largest natural gas-producing region.
It is home to a number of different ethnic groups including the Uyghur, Han, Kazakh, Hui, Kyrgyz, and Mongol. More than a dozen autonomous prefectures and counties for minorities are located in Xinjiang. Older English-language reference works often refer to the area as Chinese Turkestan, Sinkiang, and East Turkestan. Xinjiang is divided into the Dzungarian Basin in the north and the Tarim Basin in the south by a mountain range. Only about 4.3% of Xinjiang's land area is fit for human habitation.
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Yemen
The Republic of Yemen (Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhūrīyah al-Yamanīyah), commonly known as Yemeni/ˈjɛmən/ (Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman), is a country located in Western Asia, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east. Yemen is considered one of the poorest countries in the Arab world. Its capital and largest city is Sana'a. Yemen's territory includes over 200 islands, the largest of which is Socotra, about 415 km (258 mi) to the south of mainland Yemen, off the coast of Somalia. It is the only state in the Arabian Peninsula to have a purely republican form of government. Approximately 53% of Yemenis are Sunnis, while 45% are Zaydi Shias.
One etymology derives Yemen from yamin, meaning "on the right side", as the south is on the right when facing the sunrise. Another derives Yemen from yumn, meaning "felicity", as the region is fertile. The Romans called it Arabia Felix (Happy Arabia) as opposed to Arabia Deserta (Deserted Arabia), which was their term for northern Arabia.
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Yerevan
Coordinates: 40°11′00″N 44°31′00″E / 40.183333°N 44.516667°E / 40.183333; 44.516667
Yerevan (Armenian: Երևան, Armenian pronunciation: [jɛɾɛˈvɑn]) is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country. It has been the capital since 1918, the thirteenth in the history of Armenia.
The history of Yerevan dates back to the 8th century BC, with the founding of the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BC by king Argishti I at the western extreme of the Ararat plain. After World War I, Yerevan became the capital of the Democratic Republic of Armenia as thousands of survivors of the Armenian Genocide settled in the area. The city expanded rapidly during the 20th century as Armenia became one of the fifteen republics in the Soviet Union. In fifty years, Yerevan was transformed from a town of a few thousand residents within the Russian Empire, to Armenia's principal cultural, artistic, and industrial center, as well as becoming the seat of national government.
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Zhanaozen
Janaozen or Zhanaozen (Kazakh: Жаңаөзен / Jañaözen), formerly known as Novy Uzen (Russian: Новый Узень, until 1992), is a town in the Mangystau Province of Kazakhstan located south-east of Aqtau city. The name of the town means "new river" in Kazakh. The population is 51,100 (1999 census). Zhanaozen is a town of Province significance. It is completely surrounded by the territory of Karakiya District, but administratively does not belong to the district.
The town was founded in 1968 to serve the gas plant and oil and gas extraction.
In May 2011, workers from the Ozenmunaigas oil field went on strike over pay. The strike was declared illegal by local courts and the state oil company sacked nearly 1000 employees. Some of the sacked workers then occupied the town square in protest. On 16 December 2011 police were accused of firing on them. Fifteen people (workers and police officers) were killed according to government officials, though opposition sources put the death toll in the dozens. In disturbances that day local government offices, a hotel and an office of the state oil company were set on fire, according to General Prosecutor Askhat Daulbayev. Eighty-six people were injured in the clashes – according to the authorities – and due to shortage of hospital beds in Zhanaozen, many were taken to be treated in the regional capital Aktau, about 150 km away.
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Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco (Spanish pronunciation: [alˈβerto kontaˈðor βeˈlasko]; born 6 December 1982) is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, who last rode for UCI ProTeam Team Saxo Bank. He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the Discovery Channel team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España and the 2009 Tour de France. He initially also won the 2010 Tour de France with this team, and the 2011 Giro d'Italia with team Saxo Bank-SunGard, only to be stripped from these titles later having been found guilty of a doping offence. He is the fifth racer in history, and the first Spaniard, to win all three Grand Tours of road cycling.
Contador is widely considered to be the best climbing specialist and stage racer in the world. Notable summit stage finishes on which he has victories include the Alto de El Angliru in the Vuelta, the Plateau de Beille in the Tour and Mount Etna in the Giro. After being widely expected to lose his tenuous lead in the 2007 Tour de France in that race's final individual time trial, Contador has become a more accomplished time trialist, with several victories in the discipline. He has earned a reputation as an all-rounder, a cyclist who excels in all aspects of stage racing which are needed for high places in the general classification.
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Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, (Russian: Алексaндр Николаевич Винокуров) (born September 16, 1973 in Bishkul near Petropavl) is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana. Known simply as "Vino" to many of his fans, he is both calculating and impulsive on the bike, an all-around rider with an aggressive, attacking style. His palmarès includes four stage wins at the Tour de France, four at the Vuelta a España (plus the overall title in 2006), two Liège–Bastogne–Liège monuments, and one Amstel Gold Race - plus numerous smaller stage and one-day races. Vino is a past national champion of Kazakhstan, and a silver medalist at the Summer Olympics.
Vinokourov began cycling in 1984 as an 11 year-old, competing within the former Soviet Union. He moved to France in 1997 to finish his amateur career, and then turned professional there in 1998. Vinokourov has enjoyed tremendous, consistent success in Europe, but his career was rudely interrupted during the 2007 Tour de France, when he was alleged to have been blood doping - a charge that was later confirmed. Vino begrudgingly served a 2-year ban before returning to cycling in August 2009, riding first for the national team of Kazakhstan and then for his beloved Astana. A serious crash during the 2011 Tour de France threatened to prematurely end Vino's career for a second time, but he fought back and announced he would continue for one more season in 2012 - with an eye towards competing in the Olympic Games in London.
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Galina Voskoboeva
Galina Olegovna Voskoboeva (Russian: Галина Олеговна Воскобоева, born December 18, 1984) is a professional Russian-born Kazakhstani tennis player. She reached her career-high singles rank of World No. 42 on May 7, 2012. Her career high in doubles is 27th, set at May 14, 2012.
Galina was born in Moscow, Russia. She was introduced to tennis by her mother, a swimming coach, at age six. She attended University RUPF in Moscow, where she graduated from in 2005.
She turned pro in 2002. During her career, she has won two ITF singles titles: in Mont-de-Marsan in 2003, and Cuneo in 2006. She reached her career high in doubles on January 29, 2007. In 2008, Voskoboeva managed to qualify for the Qatar Total Open in Doha,. In the first round she defeated Eleni Daniilidou before taking a set off world number #5 Maria Sharapova before losing 4–6, 6–4, 1–6. That same year, she reached the quarter finals in Quebec City. On February 16, 2009, she reached her singles career high of no. 64 and also reached the quarter finals in Warsaw. At the 2009 US Open she lost in the first round to Caroline Wozniacki 6–4, 6–0.
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Germans
The Germans (Deutsche) are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages. Legally, Germans are citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Of approximately 100 million native speakers of German in the world, about 66–75 million consider themselves Germans. There are an additional 80 million people of German ancestry mainly in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Argentina, France, Russia, Chile, Poland, Australia and Romania who most likely are not native speakers of German. Thus, the total number of Germans worldwide lies between 66 and 160 million, depending on the criteria applied (native speakers, single-ancestry ethnic Germans, partial German ancestry, etc.).
Today, peoples from countries with a German-speaking majority or significant German-speaking population groups other than Germany, such as Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, have developed their own national identity and usually do not refer to themselves as "Germans" in a modern context.
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Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Сталин; born Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, Russian: Иосиф Виссарионович Джугашвили; 18 December 1878 – 5 March 1953) was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution in Russia in 1917 and later held the position of General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee from 1922 until his death in 1953. While the office of the General Secretary was officially elective and not initially regarded as the top position in the Soviet state, Stalin managed to use it to consolidate more and more power in his hands after the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924 and gradually put down all opposition groups within the Communist Party. This included Leon Trotsky, a socialist theorist and the principal critic of Stalin among the early Soviet leaders, who was exiled from the Soviet Union in 1929. Whereas Trotsky was an exponent of permanent revolution, it was Stalin's concept of socialism in one country that became the primary focus of Soviet politics.
wn.com/Joseph_Stalin -
Kazakhs
The Kazakhs (also spelled Kazaks, Qazaqs; Kazakh: Қазақтар [qɑzɑqtɑ́r]; the English name is transliterated from Russian) are a Turkic people of the northern parts of Central Asia (largely Kazakhstan, but also found in parts of Uzbekistan, China, Russia, and Mongolia).
Kazakhs are descendants of the Turkic tribes - Argyns, Khazars, Qarluqs; and of the Kipchaks and Cumans (the Kipchaks and Cumans being one of their major ancestors) Proto-Tatar groups (Kiyat, Dughlat, Naimans, Kerait, Onggirat, Manghud, Jalayir) and other Proto Turkic tribes such as the Kankalis, origin and Iranian tribes like the Sarmatians, Saka and Scythians. Kazakhs populated the territory between Siberia and the Black Sea and remained in Central Asia when the Turkic and Turko-Tatar groups started to invade and conquer the area between the 5th and 13th centuries AD.
The Kazakhs began using this name during either the 15th or 16th centuries. There are many theories on the origin of the word Kazakh or Qazaq. Some speculate that it comes from the Turkish verb qaz (to wander), because the Kazakhs were wandering steppemen; or that it derives from the prototurk word khasaq (a wheeled cart used by the Kazakhs to transport their yurts and belongings).
wn.com/Kazakhs -
Kisho Kurokawa
Kisho Kurokawa (黒川 紀章, Kurokawa Kishō?) (April 8, 1934 – October 12, 2007) was a leading Japanese architect and one of the founders of the Metabolist Movement.
Born in Kanie, Aichi, Kurokawa studied architecture at Kyoto University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1957. He then attended University of Tokyo, under the supervision of Kenzo Tange. Kurokawa received a master's degree in 1959. Kurokawa then went on to study for a doctorate of philosophy, but subsequently dropped out in 1964.
With colleagues, he cofounded the Metabolist Movement in 1960, whose members were known as Metabolists. It was a radical Japanese avant-garde movement pursuing the merging and recycling of architecture styles within an Asian context. The movement was very successful, peaking when its members received praise for the Takara Cotillion Beautillion at the Osaka World Expo 1970. The group was dismantled shortly thereafter.
Kurokawa had a daughter, potter Kako Matsuura, and a son, renowned photographer Mikio, from his first marriage to his college classmate. His second marriage was to Ayako Wakao (若尾 文子 Wakao Ayako), an actress with some notable films in the 1950s and 1960s and who still appears on stage. Kurokawa's younger brother works in industrial design but has also cooperated with Kurokawa on some architecture projects.
wn.com/Kisho_Kurokawa -
Kulyash Baiseitova
Kulyash Baiseitova (Kazakh: Күләш Жасынқызы Бәйсейітова; Russian: Куляш Жасымовна Байсеитова; 2 May [O.S. 20 April] 1905 in Verny, current Almaty – 6 June 1957 in Moscow) was a Soviet Kazakh opera singer.
She was one of the 13 original recipients of the award of People's Artist of the USSR in 1936.
wn.com/Kulyash_Baiseitova -
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong (born Lance Edward Gunderson on September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support. He last rode for UCI ProTeam Team RadioShack, a team he helped found.
In October 1996 he was diagnosed as having testicular cancer with a tumor that had metastasized to his brain and lungs. His cancer treatments included brain and testicular surgery and extensive chemotherapy, and his prognosis was originally poor. He went on to win the Tour de France each year from 1999 to 2005, and is the only person to win seven times having broken the previous record of five wins shared by Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, and Jacques Anquetil.
In 1999, he was named the ABC Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. In 2000 he won the Prince of Asturias Award in Sports. In 2002, Sports Illustrated magazine named him Sportsman of the Year. He was also named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the years 2002–2005. He received ESPN's ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, and won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality Award in 2003. Armstrong announced his retirement from racing on July 24, 2005, at the end of the 2005 Tour de France but returned to competitive cycling in January 2009 and finished third in the 2009 Tour de France. He confirmed he had retired from competitive cycling for good on February 16, 2011.
wn.com/Lance_Armstrong -
Larisa Bergen
Larisa Bergen (born September 22, 1949) is a former volleyball player for the USSR. She is Jewish, and was born in Astana, Kazakhstan. Bergen played for Dynamo Moskva, in Moscow, Russia. She won a silver medal in volleyball at the 1976 Olympics, in Montreal, Canada.
wn.com/Larisa_Bergen -
Manfredi Nicoletti
Manfredi Nicoletti (born 16 June 1930) is an Italian architect.
Born in Rieti, Nicoletti began his artistic and intellectual career very young in the studio of Giacomo Balla. In Rome he studied under Pier Luigi Nervi and graduated in architecture in 1954. In the same year he got a Fulbright Scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he took his masters degree in 1955. During that time he was a student of Buckminster Fuller, Pietro Belluschi, Eero Saarinen, and Louis Kahn. He worked in the studio of Walter Gropius and was assistant to Sigfried Giedion at Harvard University. Up to 1957 he collaborated with the studio of Minoru Yamasaki.
On his return to Italy, he worked with Pier Luigi Nervi. As a member of the National Institute for Urban Studies he was one of the founders of the National Institute for Architecture. In 1962 he returned to MIT with a Sloan Grant and was a member of the Joint Center for Urban Studies. During the years 1963-1964 he travelled through Europe, the Middle East and Asia preparing studies of cave architecture which were later published in the essay of 1980 which won him the Comité International des Critiques d’Architecture prize. In 1963 he was a teacher of architecture at the Rhode island School of Design. In 1965 he founded with Paul Maymont, Yona Friedman and Michel Ragon the Groupe International d’Architecture Prospective (GIAP). He is a pioneer of Megastructural architecture. He taught in Aquila and Rome; he was full professor of architectural composition in Palermo from 1980 and in Rome from 1988.
wn.com/Manfredi_Nicoletti -
Maxim Gorky
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (Russian: Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в; 28 March [O.S. 16 March] 1868 – 18 June 1936), primarily known as Maxim Gorky (Russian: Макси́м Го́рький), was a Russian and Soviet author, a founder of the Socialist Realism literary method and a political activist.
Gorky was born in Nizhny Novgorod and became an orphan at the age of nine. In 1880, at the age of twelve, he ran away from home in an effort to find his grandmother. Gorky was brought up by his grandmother. Her death deeply affected him, and after an attempt at suicide in December 1887, he travelled on foot across the Russian Empire for five years, changing jobs and accumulating impressions used later in his writing.
As a journalist working for provincial newspapers, he wrote under the pseudonym Иегудиил Хламида (Jehudiel Khlamida). The name is suggestive of "cloak-and-dagger" by the similarity to the Greek chlamys, "cloak"). He began using the pseudonym Gorky (literally "bitter") in 1892, while working in Tiflis for the newspaper Кавказ (The Caucasus). The name reflected his simmering anger about life in Russia and a determination to speak the bitter truth. Gorky's first book Очерки и рассказы (Essays and Stories) in 1898 enjoyed a sensational success and his career as a writer began. Gorky wrote incessantly, viewing literature less as an aesthetic practice (though he worked hard on style and form) than as a moral and political act that could change the world. He described the lives of people in the lowest strata and on the margins of society, revealing their hardships, humiliations, and brutalization, but also their inward spark of humanity.
wn.com/Maxim_Gorky -
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (April 15 [O.S. April 3] 1894, – September 11, 1971) led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964. Khrushchev was responsible for the partial de-Stalinization of the Soviet Union, for backing the progress of the early Soviet space program, and for several relatively liberal reforms in areas of domestic policy. Khrushchev's party colleagues removed him from power in 1964, replacing him with Leonid Brezhnev as First Secretary and Alexei Kosygin as Premier.
Khrushchev was born in the Russian village of Kalinovka in 1894, close to the present-day border between Russia and Ukraine. He was employed as a metalworker in his youth, and during the Russian Civil War was a political commissar. With the help of Lazar Kaganovich, he worked his way up the Soviet hierarchy. He supported Joseph Stalin's purges, and approved thousands of arrests. In 1939, Stalin sent him to govern Ukraine, and he continued the purges there. During what was known in the Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War (Eastern Front of World War II), Khrushchev was again a commissar, serving as an intermediary between Stalin and his generals. Khrushchev was present at the bloody defense of Stalingrad, a fact he took great pride in throughout his life. After the war, he returned to Ukraine before being recalled to Moscow as one of Stalin's close advisers.
wn.com/Nikita_Khrushchev -
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (Kazakh: Нұрсұлтан Әбішұлы Назарбаев [nʊrsʊlˈtɑn æbəʃʊˈlɯ nɑzɑrˈbɑ.jɪf]; Russian: Нурсултан Абишевич Назарбаев [nur.suɫˈtan ɐˈbʲi.ʂɨ.vʲɪt͡ɕ nə.zɐrˈba.jɪf]; born 6 July 1940) has served as the President of Kazakhstan since the nation's independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union. In April 2011, President Nazarbayev was reelected to another five-year term receiving 95.54 percent of the vote with 89.9 percent of registered voters participating (up from 76.8 percent in the 2005 presidential election).
Kazakhstan under Nazarbayev has grown prosperous due to oil revenue, but it is also criticised by international bodies for the high level of corruption and lack of democracy.
In 1984, Nazarbayev became the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, working under Dinmukhamed Kunayev, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan. He served as First Secretary of the Kazakh Communist Party from 1989 to 1991.
Nazarbayev criticized Askar Kunayev, head of the Academy of Sciences, at the 16th session of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan in January 1986 for not reforming his department. Dinmukhamed Kunayev, Nazarbayev's boss and Askar's brother, felt deeply angered and betrayed. Kunayev went to Moscow and demanded Nazarbayev's dismissal while Nazarbayev's supporters campaigned for Kunayev's dismissal and Nazarbayev's promotion. Mikhail Gorbachev accepted the resignation of a deflated Kunayev, replacing him with Gennady Kolbin, an ethnic Russian, triggering three days of riots known as the Jeltoqsan.
wn.com/Nursultan_Nazarbayev -
Poles
The Polish people, or Poles (Polish: Polacy [pɔˈlat͡sɨ]; singular: Polak), are a nation indigenous to Poland. They speak the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe. The Polish word for a Polish person is "Polak" (masculine) and "Polka" (feminine).
The preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland defines the Polish nation as comprising all the citizens of Poland. Poland's inhabitants live in the following historic regions of the country: Wielkopolska, Małopolska, Mazovia, Pomerania, Warmia, Mazury, Podlasie, Kujawy and Silesia. A wide-ranging Polish diaspora exists throughout Europe (Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Belarus, Lithuania and Ukraine), the Americas (the United States, Brazil and Argentina) and Australia. Chicago, in the United States, has the world's largest urban Polish population after Warsaw.
Over a thousand years ago, the Polans of Giecz, Gniezno and Poznań — an influential tribe in Wielkopolska — succeeded in uniting Lechitic tribes under what became the Piast dynasty, thus giving rise to the Polish state.
wn.com/Poles -
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War (25 October 1917 – October 1922) was a multi-party war in the former Russian Empire fought between the Bolshevik Red Army and the White Army, the loosely allied anti-Bolshevik forces. Many foreign armies warred against the Red Army, notably the Allied Forces and the pro-German armies. The Red Army defeated the White Armed Forces of South Russia in Ukraine and the army led by Aleksandr Kolchak in Siberia in 1919. The remains of the White forces commanded by Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel were beaten in the Crimea and were evacuated in the autumn of 1920. A number of independent countries – Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland – emerged from the war.
After the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, the Russian Provisional Government was established during the February Revolution of 1917.
In the wake of the October Revolution, the old Russian Imperial Army had been demobilized; the volunteer-based Red Guard was the Bolsheviks' main military force, augmented by an armed military component of the Cheka, the Bolshevik state security apparatus. In January, after significant reverses in combat, War Commissar Leon Trotsky headed the reorganization of the Red Guard into a Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, in order to create a more professional fighting force. Political commissars were appointed to each unit of the army to maintain morale and ensure loyalty.
wn.com/Russian_Civil_War -
Russians
The Russian people (Russian: русские, russkiye) are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries.
The English term Russians is also used to refer to the citizens of Russia, regardless of their ethnicity; the demonym Russian is translated into Russian as rossiyanin (россиянин, plural rossiyane), while the ethnic Russians are referred to as russkiye (sg. русский, russkiy).
According to the 2010 census, ethnic Russians make up about 81% of the population of Russia.
The modern Russian is formed from two groups, Northern and Southern, which were made up of Kriviches, Ilmen Slavs, Radimichs, Vyatiches and Severians East Slavic tribes. Genetic studies show that modern Russians do not differ significantly from Poles or Slovenians or Ukrainians. Some ethnographers, like Zelenin, affirm that Russians are more similar to Belarusians and Ukrainians than southern Russians to northern Russians. Russians in northern European Russia share moderate genetic similarities with Uralic peoples, who lived in modern north central European Russia and were partly assimilated by the Slavs as the Slavs migrated northeastwards. Among those peoples were Merya and Muromian.
wn.com/Russians -
Saken Seyfullin
Saken Seyfullin (Kazakh: Сәкен Сейфуллин) (15 October 1894 – 28 February 1939) was a pioneer of modern Kazakh literature, poet and writer, and national activist. Founder and first head of the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan, he was the author of controversial literature calling for greater independence of Kazakhs from Soviet and Russian power. He met repression and was executed in 1939. The Soviet government posthumously rehabilitated him during de-Stalinization.
Seyfullin was born 15 October 1894 in a nomadic settlement in what is today Karagandy Province.
From 1905 to 1908, Seyfullin studied in a Russian-Kazakh school in the Spassk brass works. He went on to study in Akmola in the primary parish school and the Akmola three-class city school. In addition, he taught Russian at a Muslim madrasah. On August 21 of 1913, Seifullin entered the Omsk teaching seminarium. His first article was published in the November edition of Ay Qap magazine. It was at this time that he began to be spied upon by the Omsk okhrana, the secret police.
wn.com/Saken_Seyfullin -
Tatars
Tatars (Tatar: Tatarlar / Татарлар, sometimes spelled Tartars) are a Turkic people, numbering around 7 million. The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of 5.5 million, 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan, 1 million in the republic of Bashkortostan and other 2.5 million in different regions of Russia. Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine.
The Tatars originated with the Tatar confederation in the north-eastern Gobi desert in the 5th century. After subjugation in the 9th century by the Khitans, they migrated southward. In the 13th century Mongol Empire, they were subjugated under Genghis Khan and reassigned once again particularly by his son Jochi. Under the leadership of his grandson Batu Khan, they moved westwards, forming part of the Golden Horde which dominated the Eurasian steppe during the 14th and 15th centuries. In Europe, they were assimilated by the local populations or their name spread to the conquered peoples: Kipchaks, Kimaks and others; and elsewhere with Uralic-speaking peoples, as well as with remnants of the ancient Greek colonies in the Crimea and Caucasians in the Caucasus.
wn.com/Tatars -
Ukrainians
Ukrainians (Ukrainian: Українці, Ukrayintsi, [ukrɑˈjinʲtsʲi]) are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens. According to some dictionary definitions, a descriptive name for the "inhabitants of Ukraine" is Ukrainian or Ukrainian people.Russians and Belarusians are considered the closest relatives of Ukrainians, while Rusyns are either considered another closely related group, or an ethnic subgroup of Ukrainians.
Ethnonym Ukrainians became widely accepted only in the 20th century, so modern Ukrainians identify their ancestry with differently named historical Slavic groups, who are often called Ukrainians too, in retrospect. The oldest recorded ethnonyms used for Ukrainian ancestors are Rusy, Rusyny, and Rusychi (from term Rus'). From the 9th to 12th centuries those names applied to the population of Kievan Rus', as the united state of Rusy is restrospectively called. Similar names were adopted by the proto-Russian and proto-Belarusian inhabitants of the northern principalities of Rus', reflecting the common origin of all those East Slavic peoples.
wn.com/Ukrainians -
Vladimir Laptev
Vladimir Nikolayevich Laptev (Russian: Влади́мир Никола́евич Ла́птев; born November 26, 1945) is the Head of the Administration of Noginsky District, Moscow Oblast, Russia.
wn.com/Vladimir_Laptev -
Yaroslava Shvedova
Yaroslava Vyacheslavovna Shvedova (Russian: Яросла́ва Вячесла́вовна Шве́дова, born 12 September 1987 in Moscow) is a Kazakhstani professional tennis player of Russian descent. She has achieved a career high ranking of No. 29 as of 21 June 2010. She has won 1 WTA singles title, 3 ITF Women's Circuit singles titles and 3 doubles titles, including the 2010 Wimbledon and US Open Ladies' Doubles titles. She was taught tennis at the age of six by her father who is currently her coach. She has made one Grand Slam singles quarterfinal, at the 2010 French Open.
In February 2007, she unexpectedly reached the final of the Sony Ericsson International, beating homecrowd favourite and No.2 seed Sania Mirza in the quarterfinals, 6–7 (2–7), 6–4, 6–4. In the final, she defeated top-seeded defending champion Mara Santangelo 6–4, 6–4, to win her first WTA Tour title. This win caused her to be in the top 100 for the first time, at 78.
At the 2007 Miami Masters, she came through qualifying and impressively recorded her first-ever top 20 win over future number one Ana Ivanović in the second round, beating her 7–5, 6–4. Tathiana Garbin beat her 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 in the third round.
wn.com/Yaroslava_Shvedova
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This is Astana
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:48
- Updated: 01 Mar 2013
Astana, the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan is ten years old this year. The city's designation as capital initiated one of the most ambitious urban development projects of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This film -- THIS IS ASTANA - shows captures the unique atmosphere of a capital that rivals all the dynamism of longer-established cities like New York.
http://wn.com/This_is_Astana
Astana, the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan is ten years old this year. The city's designation as capital initiated one of the most ambitious urban development projects of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This film -- THIS IS ASTANA - shows captures the unique atmosphere of a capital that rivals all the dynamism of longer-established cities like New York.
ILLUMINATI CAPITALS : ASTANA.
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:28
- Updated: 27 Feb 2013
ILLUMINATI CAPITALS : ASTANA.,SUN WORSHIP,LUCIFER WORSHIP
http://wn.com/ILLUMINATI_CAPITALS_ASTANA
ILLUMINATI CAPITALS : ASTANA.,SUN WORSHIP,LUCIFER WORSHIP
- published: 05 Jul 2009
- views: 68735
- author: xlivescom
Astana city, Kazakhstan 2011 / Астана Казахстан
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:12
- Updated: 02 Mar 2013
Astana (Kazakh: Астана / Astana / أستانا), formerly known as Akmola (Kazakh: Ақмола / Aqmola, until 1998), Tselinograd (Russian: Целиноград, until 1992) and Akmolinsk (Russian: Акмолинск, until 1961), is the capital and second largest city (after Almaty) of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708794 as of 1 August 2010. It is located in the north-central portion of Kazakhstan, within Akmola Province, though administrated separately from the province as a federal city area. Town planning Astana can be divided largely into a few different areas. North of the railway line, which crosses Astana in an east-west direction, are industrial and poorer residential areas. Between the railway line and the river Ishim is the city center, where at present intense building activity is occurring. To the west and east are more elevated residential areas with parks and the new area of government administration to the south of the Ishim. Here many large building projects are underway; for example, the construction of a diplomat quarter, and a variety of different government buildings. By 2030, these quarters are to be completed. The original plans for the new Astana were drawn up by the late Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. Astana's current chief planner, Vladimir Laptev, wants to build a Berlin in a Eurasian style. He has stated that a purely administrative capital such as Canberra is not one of his goals. Architecture The old buildings that remained from the Soviet ...
http://wn.com/Astana_city,_Kazakhstan_2011_Астана_Казахстан
Astana (Kazakh: Астана / Astana / أستانا), formerly known as Akmola (Kazakh: Ақмола / Aqmola, until 1998), Tselinograd (Russian: Целиноград, until 1992) and Akmolinsk (Russian: Акмолинск, until 1961), is the capital and second largest city (after Almaty) of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708794 as of 1 August 2010. It is located in the north-central portion of Kazakhstan, within Akmola Province, though administrated separately from the province as a federal city area. Town planning Astana can be divided largely into a few different areas. North of the railway line, which crosses Astana in an east-west direction, are industrial and poorer residential areas. Between the railway line and the river Ishim is the city center, where at present intense building activity is occurring. To the west and east are more elevated residential areas with parks and the new area of government administration to the south of the Ishim. Here many large building projects are underway; for example, the construction of a diplomat quarter, and a variety of different government buildings. By 2030, these quarters are to be completed. The original plans for the new Astana were drawn up by the late Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. Astana's current chief planner, Vladimir Laptev, wants to build a Berlin in a Eurasian style. He has stated that a purely administrative capital such as Canberra is not one of his goals. Architecture The old buildings that remained from the Soviet ...
- published: 17 Jul 2011
- views: 180250
- author: Kuanysh Murkhambet
Astana - stolica Iluminati?
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:28
- Updated: 18 Feb 2013
Astana - stolica Iluminati?
http://wn.com/Astana_stolica_Iluminati?
Astana in HD - Kazakhstan
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:22
- Updated: 26 Jan 2013
In this quick HD video of the capital city of Kazakhstan, Astana, we try to give you a little idea of what it is like. Just the fact that it is one of the world's coldest capital cities with temperatures dropping in winter to -40 and slightly beyond is enough to make most travellers think twice. But in the summer months the weather is very pleasant and it has to be one of the most photogenic modern cities in the whole Central Asia region. The video was filmed on 28 April 2011, and you may also be interested to watch the interview with the Interim General Manager of the Radisson Astana Hotel, Mr. Jesper Francl which you can see here: www.asiatraveltips.com You may also be interested in our HD video of Almaty: www.youtube.com www.asiatraveltips.com
http://wn.com/Astana_in_HD_Kazakhstan
In this quick HD video of the capital city of Kazakhstan, Astana, we try to give you a little idea of what it is like. Just the fact that it is one of the world's coldest capital cities with temperatures dropping in winter to -40 and slightly beyond is enough to make most travellers think twice. But in the summer months the weather is very pleasant and it has to be one of the most photogenic modern cities in the whole Central Asia region. The video was filmed on 28 April 2011, and you may also be interested to watch the interview with the Interim General Manager of the Radisson Astana Hotel, Mr. Jesper Francl which you can see here: www.asiatraveltips.com You may also be interested in our HD video of Almaty: www.youtube.com www.asiatraveltips.com
- published: 04 May 2011
- views: 23919
- author: asiatraveltips
Astana - capital of Kazakhstan / Астана - столица Казахстана
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:37
- Updated: 01 Mar 2013
City of Astana is a capital of Kazakhstan. We shot this film to show stunning views of this beautiful city. Film was commissioned by Majors Office for OSCE Forum. Credits: Producer: Janarbek Amankulov Direction/Edit/Post-Production: Alexander Chertok Director of Photography: Azamat Dulatov
http://wn.com/Astana_capital_of_Kazakhstan_Астана_столица_Казахстана
City of Astana is a capital of Kazakhstan. We shot this film to show stunning views of this beautiful city. Film was commissioned by Majors Office for OSCE Forum. Credits: Producer: Janarbek Amankulov Direction/Edit/Post-Production: Alexander Chertok Director of Photography: Azamat Dulatov
- published: 16 May 2011
- views: 28700
- author: MrFox2030
Visions of Da Future: Astana, Kazakhstan
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:59
- Updated: 26 Feb 2013
Very interesting projects from interesting country
http://wn.com/Visions_of_Da_Future_Astana,_Kazakhstan
Very interesting projects from interesting country
- published: 17 May 2008
- views: 77217
- author: CasPioneer
Astana Facade optimisation.mov
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:03
- Updated: 10 Feb 2013
A presentation, including animations, of some ideas on engineering optimisation of the facade structure of the new Presidential Library in Astana, Kazakhstan. This extremely complex and unique building by BIG Architects of Copenhagen has an external envelope based on Mobius strip geometry. We have developed automatic structural regeneration algorithms to best fit the structure to the surface.
http://wn.com/Astana_Facade_optimisationmov
A presentation, including animations, of some ideas on engineering optimisation of the facade structure of the new Presidential Library in Astana, Kazakhstan. This extremely complex and unique building by BIG Architects of Copenhagen has an external envelope based on Mobius strip geometry. We have developed automatic structural regeneration algorithms to best fit the structure to the surface.
- published: 15 Apr 2010
- views: 8633
- author: eng0gram
**OFFICIAL** FUNKAGENDA - ASTANA [ORIGINAL MIX] FORTHCOMING ON FUNK FARM
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:34
- Updated: 03 Feb 2013
FUNKAGENDA - ASTANA [ORIGINAL + THREESIXTY REMIX] FORTHCOMING ON FUNKAGENDA'S NEW IMPRINT FUNK FARM
http://wn.com/**OFFICIAL**_FUNKAGENDA_ASTANA_ORIGINAL_MIX_FORTHCOMING_ON_FUNK_FARM
FUNKAGENDA - ASTANA [ORIGINAL + THREESIXTY REMIX] FORTHCOMING ON FUNKAGENDA'S NEW IMPRINT FUNK FARM
- published: 15 Jul 2010
- views: 42571
- author: FunkagendaLIVE
Asian Winter Games 2011 Astana-Almaty
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:27
- Updated: 16 Feb 2013
7th Asian Winter Games will be held in Kazakhstan Kazakhstan won the bid to host the 7th Asian Winter Games 2011. In January 5, 2006, Almaty was selected to host the 7th Asian Winter Games and in March 4, 2006, a trilateral agreement, the Host City Contract, was signed in Kuwait between the Olympic Council of Asia, represented by its president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the city of Almaty, represented by the mayor Mr. Tasmagambetov and the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan, represented by its president Mr. Dossymbetov. In 2007, due to economical and political reasons, the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan proposed the OCA to organise the 7th Asian Winter Games in the two main cities of Kazakhstan - Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, and Almaty. In October 20, 2008 the additional agreement was concluded and signed in Bali between the Olympic Council of Asia, represented by its president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the city of Astana, represented by its new mayor Mr. Tasmagambetov (former mayor of Almaty), the city of Almaty, represented by its new mayor Mr. Yessimov and the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan, represented by its new president Mr. Dosmukhambetov, also Minister of Tourism and Sport. The president of the country, Nursultan Nazarbayev, designated sport as one of the ways to be generally recognized on the international scene. From the middle 90th of the last century Kazakh athletes began to participate in Asian Games. For many Asian ...
http://wn.com/Asian_Winter_Games_2011_Astana-Almaty
7th Asian Winter Games will be held in Kazakhstan Kazakhstan won the bid to host the 7th Asian Winter Games 2011. In January 5, 2006, Almaty was selected to host the 7th Asian Winter Games and in March 4, 2006, a trilateral agreement, the Host City Contract, was signed in Kuwait between the Olympic Council of Asia, represented by its president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the city of Almaty, represented by the mayor Mr. Tasmagambetov and the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan, represented by its president Mr. Dossymbetov. In 2007, due to economical and political reasons, the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan proposed the OCA to organise the 7th Asian Winter Games in the two main cities of Kazakhstan - Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, and Almaty. In October 20, 2008 the additional agreement was concluded and signed in Bali between the Olympic Council of Asia, represented by its president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the city of Astana, represented by its new mayor Mr. Tasmagambetov (former mayor of Almaty), the city of Almaty, represented by its new mayor Mr. Yessimov and the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan, represented by its new president Mr. Dosmukhambetov, also Minister of Tourism and Sport. The president of the country, Nursultan Nazarbayev, designated sport as one of the ways to be generally recognized on the international scene. From the middle 90th of the last century Kazakh athletes began to participate in Asian Games. For many Asian ...
- published: 25 Jul 2010
- views: 27773
- author: kazakamerican
ASTANA THE NEW CAPITAL FOR THE NEW WORLD ORDER
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:28
- Updated: 01 Mar 2013
Kazakhstan has a new capital Astana it was built for the new world order
http://wn.com/ASTANA_THE_NEW_CAPITAL_FOR_THE_NEW_WORLD_ORDER
Kazakhstan has a new capital Astana it was built for the new world order
- published: 06 Dec 2010
- views: 12204
- author: chaosmucker
Astana, reflet des ambitions du Kazakhstan
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:34
- Updated: 28 Feb 2013
C'est une des villes les plus originales d'Asie centrale : Astana, la capitale du Kazakhstan. Un statut qu'elle occupe depuis 1998, en remplacement de la ville d'Almaty. ... fr.euronews.net
http://wn.com/Astana,_reflet_des_ambitions_du_Kazakhstan
C'est une des villes les plus originales d'Asie centrale : Astana, la capitale du Kazakhstan. Un statut qu'elle occupe depuis 1998, en remplacement de la ville d'Almaty. ... fr.euronews.net
- published: 04 Jul 2011
- views: 5959
- author: euronewsfr
Journey to north (Air Astana Airbus A320-232) - Ladies First ! Part 1.
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:36
- Updated: 01 Mar 2013
Author: Vitalya aka "BIT" Flight Almaty to Astana.
http://wn.com/Journey_to_north_Air_Astana_Airbus_A320-232_Ladies_First_!_Part_1
Author: Vitalya aka "BIT" Flight Almaty to Astana.
- published: 02 Feb 2010
- views: 37080
- author: MsVestro
Astana.kz KiViN 2006
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:53
- Updated: 21 Jan 2013
The performance of the team "Astana.kz" on KiViN 2006 in Jurmala (in Russian).
http://wn.com/Astanakz_KiViN_2006
The performance of the team "Astana.kz" on KiViN 2006 in Jurmala (in Russian).
- published: 13 Oct 2006
- views: 134846
- author: adamo0106
Astana@UCI Track Cycling World Cup 2011/12 presented by SAMSUNG
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:32
- Updated: 08 Feb 2013
GERMANY WINS THE FIRST ROUND In the end, with eight medals -- one gold, two silver and five bronze -- won by its riders during the three days of the competition, Germany won the first round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup 2011-2012, presented by Samsung. In spite of their three wins, the Australians had to concede 29 points to the Germans in the Team ranking of the event which sees France, as current trophy holder, finish in third place. Yet, the last meeting had begun very well for the "Cyclones", winners of the Madison with Alexander Edmondson and Glenn Oshea -- who had already won the Individual Pursuit the day before -- in front of Switzerland and the Russians of the Lokosphinx team, after a rather eventful race. However, all the spectators present in the velodrome at Astana were eagerly waiting the moment to experience the emotions of the last two Sprint contests which remained to be fought out. Most people's attention was focused on Chris Hoy, who was seeking to take his revenge after his defeat in Keirin. The performance certainly kept its promises, with the Brit beating the German Robert Forstemann in the semi-final and the Russian Denis Dmitriev in the final. For the several times World Champion and Olympic Champion, currently striving for the best possible physical condition following some difficulties which had troubled him during these last few weeks, this victory at Astana represents a very important step forward on the long road that will take him first ...
http://wn.com/Astana@UCI_Track_Cycling_World_Cup_2011_12_presented_by_SAMSUNG
GERMANY WINS THE FIRST ROUND In the end, with eight medals -- one gold, two silver and five bronze -- won by its riders during the three days of the competition, Germany won the first round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup 2011-2012, presented by Samsung. In spite of their three wins, the Australians had to concede 29 points to the Germans in the Team ranking of the event which sees France, as current trophy holder, finish in third place. Yet, the last meeting had begun very well for the "Cyclones", winners of the Madison with Alexander Edmondson and Glenn Oshea -- who had already won the Individual Pursuit the day before -- in front of Switzerland and the Russians of the Lokosphinx team, after a rather eventful race. However, all the spectators present in the velodrome at Astana were eagerly waiting the moment to experience the emotions of the last two Sprint contests which remained to be fought out. Most people's attention was focused on Chris Hoy, who was seeking to take his revenge after his defeat in Keirin. The performance certainly kept its promises, with the Brit beating the German Robert Forstemann in the semi-final and the Russian Denis Dmitriev in the final. For the several times World Champion and Olympic Champion, currently striving for the best possible physical condition following some difficulties which had troubled him during these last few weeks, this victory at Astana represents a very important step forward on the long road that will take him first ...
- published: 08 Nov 2011
- views: 22106
- author: ucichannel
Astana and the One World Currency
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:17
- Updated: 01 Dec 2012
Keep an eye out for the little mentioned Astana in Kazakhstan. It is ruled by the Diebold elected dictator Nazarbayev. This country is a BIG TIME key to the promotion of the One World Currency and world events. It lies in between Russia and China and possesses massive natural resources.
http://wn.com/Astana_and_the_One_World_Currency
Keep an eye out for the little mentioned Astana in Kazakhstan. It is ruled by the Diebold elected dictator Nazarbayev. This country is a BIG TIME key to the promotion of the One World Currency and world events. It lies in between Russia and China and possesses massive natural resources.
- published: 18 Mar 2009
- views: 6662
- author: galacticwacko
Astana cycling team
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:07
- Updated: 19 Feb 2013
This is a slideshow of the my favorite cycling team Astana. i will have more slideshows of other bike teams comeing soon.
http://wn.com/Astana_cycling_team
This is a slideshow of the my favorite cycling team Astana. i will have more slideshows of other bike teams comeing soon.
- published: 15 Jul 2008
- views: 27871
- author: aechard123
Living in Astana: An Overview
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:33
- Updated: 13 Jan 2013
Kazakhstan declared its independence in 1991 from the former Soviet Union and in 1998 Astana was declared the country's new capital. It was chosen due to its strategic location on the Ishim River, which today is a lively part of town and a desirable place for expats to live. The city's population is on a steady rise as many professionals from around Kazakhstan and the world move here following the new location of the country's political sector. In hopes of making Astana not only the center of Kazakhstan but of all central Asia - Astana, itself, has become one of the country's greatest building projects. As government buildings continue to dot the skyline, numerous parks and monuments, and other impressive buildings are appearing around town. Living here it is easy to feel this city shedding its stunted past and preparing for the growth, and international recognition that is about to come its way. Be apart of our Astana expat community on facebook: www.facebook.com If you are an expatriate, you will definitely enjoy our city guide videos www.expateye.com Move One is dedicated to providing seamless services for all aspects of international relocation. We offer door to door moving, fine art shipping, pet transportation and personalized relocation assistance (including but not limited to home search, school search, settling-in and immigration services) To learn about our services, visit our website www.moveoneinc.com For interesting news from the industry, visit our blog www ...
http://wn.com/Living_in_Astana_An_Overview
Kazakhstan declared its independence in 1991 from the former Soviet Union and in 1998 Astana was declared the country's new capital. It was chosen due to its strategic location on the Ishim River, which today is a lively part of town and a desirable place for expats to live. The city's population is on a steady rise as many professionals from around Kazakhstan and the world move here following the new location of the country's political sector. In hopes of making Astana not only the center of Kazakhstan but of all central Asia - Astana, itself, has become one of the country's greatest building projects. As government buildings continue to dot the skyline, numerous parks and monuments, and other impressive buildings are appearing around town. Living here it is easy to feel this city shedding its stunted past and preparing for the growth, and international recognition that is about to come its way. Be apart of our Astana expat community on facebook: www.facebook.com If you are an expatriate, you will definitely enjoy our city guide videos www.expateye.com Move One is dedicated to providing seamless services for all aspects of international relocation. We offer door to door moving, fine art shipping, pet transportation and personalized relocation assistance (including but not limited to home search, school search, settling-in and immigration services) To learn about our services, visit our website www.moveoneinc.com For interesting news from the industry, visit our blog www ...
- published: 11 May 2011
- views: 6152
- author: MoveOneRelo
Veselin Topalov vs Magnus Carlsen - Astana Impressions
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:46
- Updated: 02 Mar 2013
Veselin Topalov vs Magnus Carlsen - Astana Impressions The Official World Blitz and Rapid Chess Championships were held from July 1-11, 2012, in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan. Winner in the rapid chess tournament was Karjakin at 11.5/15 (and a 2917 performance), Carlsen in second a point behind, and Veselin Topalov sharing 3-4 with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, both at 9.5/15. Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov (pronounced [vɛsɛˈlin toˈpɑlof]; Bulgarian: Веселин Александров Топалов; born 15 March 1975) is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster. Topalov became the FIDE World Chess Champion by winning the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005. He lost his title in the World Chess Championship 2006 match against Vladimir Kramnik. He won the 2005 Chess Oscar. He has been ranked number one a total of 27 months in his career, fourth all-time since the inception of the FIDE ranking lists in 1971 behind only Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, and Bobby Fischer. He was ranked No. 1 in the world from April 2006 to January 2007, during which his Elo rating was 2813, which had been surpassed only by Garry Kasparov, and subsequently by Magnus Carlsen, Anand and Levon Aronian. He regained the world No. 1 ranking again in October 2008, and officially remained No. 1 until January 2010, when he fell to No. 2 behind Carlsen. He currently has the 12th highest rating in the world. In the World Chess Championship 2010, he was the challenger facing world champion Viswanathan Anand, losing the match 6½--5½. Sven ...
http://wn.com/Veselin_Topalov_vs_Magnus_Carlsen_Astana_Impressions
Veselin Topalov vs Magnus Carlsen - Astana Impressions The Official World Blitz and Rapid Chess Championships were held from July 1-11, 2012, in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan. Winner in the rapid chess tournament was Karjakin at 11.5/15 (and a 2917 performance), Carlsen in second a point behind, and Veselin Topalov sharing 3-4 with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, both at 9.5/15. Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov (pronounced [vɛsɛˈlin toˈpɑlof]; Bulgarian: Веселин Александров Топалов; born 15 March 1975) is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster. Topalov became the FIDE World Chess Champion by winning the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005. He lost his title in the World Chess Championship 2006 match against Vladimir Kramnik. He won the 2005 Chess Oscar. He has been ranked number one a total of 27 months in his career, fourth all-time since the inception of the FIDE ranking lists in 1971 behind only Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, and Bobby Fischer. He was ranked No. 1 in the world from April 2006 to January 2007, during which his Elo rating was 2813, which had been surpassed only by Garry Kasparov, and subsequently by Magnus Carlsen, Anand and Levon Aronian. He regained the world No. 1 ranking again in October 2008, and officially remained No. 1 until January 2010, when he fell to No. 2 behind Carlsen. He currently has the 12th highest rating in the world. In the World Chess Championship 2010, he was the challenger facing world champion Viswanathan Anand, losing the match 6½--5½. Sven ...
- published: 17 Aug 2012
- views: 18660
- author: ChessClip
Astana Arlans Kazakhstan - German Eagles - Week 10 - WSB Season 3
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 111:05
- Updated: 02 Mar 2013
The World Series of Boxing (WSB) is the world's premiere team boxing competition where twelve Franchises from all over the globe fight against each other for the chance to become World Champions. Who will win?
http://wn.com/Astana_Arlans_Kazakhstan_German_Eagles_Week_10_WSB_Season_3
The World Series of Boxing (WSB) is the world's premiere team boxing competition where twelve Franchises from all over the globe fight against each other for the chance to become World Champions. Who will win?
- published: 01 Mar 2013
- views: 1644
- author: WorldSeriesBoxing
Ukraine Otamans vs. Astana Arlans Kazakhstan - Week 1 - WSB Season 3
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 168:28
- Updated: 01 Mar 2013
The World Series of Boxing (WSB) is the world's premiere team boxing competition where twelve Franchises from all over the globe fight against each other for the chance to become World Champions. The third season which begins 15/11/12 will feature two groups of six teams battling for the top prize, the WSB Team Championship Trophy. In week one the Ukraine Otamans are host to the Astana Arlans Kazakhstan in Kiev.
http://wn.com/Ukraine_Otamans_vs_Astana_Arlans_Kazakhstan_Week_1_WSB_Season_3
The World Series of Boxing (WSB) is the world's premiere team boxing competition where twelve Franchises from all over the globe fight against each other for the chance to become World Champions. The third season which begins 15/11/12 will feature two groups of six teams battling for the top prize, the WSB Team Championship Trophy. In week one the Ukraine Otamans are host to the Astana Arlans Kazakhstan in Kiev.
- published: 18 Nov 2012
- views: 8379
- author: WorldSeriesBoxing
k-pop flash mob in Astana (Kazakhstan)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:32
- Updated: 02 Mar 2013
http://wn.com/k-pop_flash_mob_in_Astana_Kazakhstan
Living in Astana: Housing
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:39
- Updated: 27 Feb 2012
The type of housing available in Astana, Kazakhstan, is almost always apartments. Currently, very few houses are available for rent. However, with the continued expansion of the city, this is expected to change over time. With the Ishim River splitting the city into two, creating a natural north and south divide, the areas of town are often referred to as the old center and the new. One will find expats living on either side as both parts of this city have their own benefits and charm. Be apart of our Astana expat community on facebook: www.facebook.com If you are an expatriate, you will definitely enjoy our city guide videos www.expateye.com Move One is dedicated to providing seamless services for all aspects of international relocation. We offer door to door moving, fine art shipping, pet transportation and personalized relocation assistance (including but not limited to home search, school search, settling-in and immigration services) To learn about our services, visit our website www.moveoneinc.com For interesting news from the industry, visit our blog www.moveoneinc.com
http://wn.com/Living_in_Astana_Housing
The type of housing available in Astana, Kazakhstan, is almost always apartments. Currently, very few houses are available for rent. However, with the continued expansion of the city, this is expected to change over time. With the Ishim River splitting the city into two, creating a natural north and south divide, the areas of town are often referred to as the old center and the new. One will find expats living on either side as both parts of this city have their own benefits and charm. Be apart of our Astana expat community on facebook: www.facebook.com If you are an expatriate, you will definitely enjoy our city guide videos www.expateye.com Move One is dedicated to providing seamless services for all aspects of international relocation. We offer door to door moving, fine art shipping, pet transportation and personalized relocation assistance (including but not limited to home search, school search, settling-in and immigration services) To learn about our services, visit our website www.moveoneinc.com For interesting news from the industry, visit our blog www.moveoneinc.com
- published: 26 Aug 2010
- views: 6979
- author: MoveOneRelo
photo: Malacañang Photo Bureau / Jay Morales
01 Mar 2013
TERESA CEROJANO. Associated Press= MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Shooting erupted in a Malaysian village that has been occupied by nearly 200 members of a Filipino clan for three weeks, but the Malaysian home minister denied Friday that his forces were responsible. Members of a Muslim royal clan from the southern Philippines landed in a coastal village in Malaysia's Sabah state on Feb ... He said his plan was "to fight." ... --- ... World news....(size: 3.0Kb)
photo: WN / Imran Nissar
02 Mar 2013
Srinagar, March 02.. Two local policemen were killed by separatist guerrillas in a hit-and-run attack in Kupwara district of north Kashmir Saturday. A senior police officer told IANS that militants fired from close range at two constables of an armed battalion near the bus stand in Handwara town, 75 kilometres from here this morning ... The area has been cordoned off and searches have started in the town....(size: 2.1Kb)
photo: AP / Hussein Malla
03 Mar 2013
Syrian president Bashar Assad has accused the British government of being "naive, confused and unrealistic" in its approach to the conflict in his country and warned of dire consequences if the West armed its rebels. In an interview with the Sunday Times Mr Assad said Britain was sacrificing peace talks to push for an end to an EU arms embargo, which would allow rebels to be armed ... "We do not expect an arsonist to be a firefighter." ... ....(size: 2.3Kb)
photo: AP / Andres Kudacki
02 Mar 2013
. March 2, 2013 . Updated. March 2, 2013 12.01pm. Comments (0) E-mail Print. Tweet. Page 1 of 1. MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid beat Barcelona for the second time in five days, earning a 2-1 win Saturday which will do little to prevent its fierce rival from reclaiming the Spanish league title but should boost Jose Mourinho's team ahead of its critical Champions League trip to Manchester United ... He later hit the woodwork with another free kick ... ....(size: 8.8Kb)
Sky Sports
03 Mar 2013
Damien Gaudin took a surprise victory in the prologue at Paris-Nice to move into an early race lead ... The early best time was shared as Borut Bozic (Astana) and Peter Velits (Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) produced a 3.40, a time which stood firm until Geoffrey Soupe (FDJ) shaved a second off the benchmark ... Share. ....(size: 1.6Kb)
Canberra Times
03 Mar 2013
It is not surprising Richie Porte is nervous about being chosen to lead Britain's Team Sky in the Paris-Nice stage race in France ... Several grand tour stars are absent along with Wiggins and Froome, but the list of contenders is still strong with Americans Andrew Talansky (Garmin Sharp) and Tejay van Garderen (BMC), Dutchman Robert Gesink (Blanco), Dane Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), and Frenchman Jean-Christophe Praud (AG2R) ... ....(size: 2.4Kb)
New Straits/Business Times
03 Mar 2013
SURPRISE. Colombian wins overall title after taking final stage ... It was the biggest success in Arredondo's professional career which only began with Japan's Team Nippo-De Rosa last year ... Vini Fantini rider Chicchi also swept the points classification title as compatriot Andrea Guardini of Astana, the leader from the previous day, barely rode home to finish the stage, suffering from fever ... "I am super happy with this ... ....(size: 2.9Kb)
noodls
02 Mar 2013
Cancellara. "Cannondale and Astana did a good job of isolating me ... The day's breakaway of four riders consisted of Aleksejs Saramotins (IAM Cycling), Belkov (Katusha), Giairo Ermetti (Androni) and Michael Schär (BMC). The foursome held court up front for most of the 188kms as Cannondale and then Astana took charge of the effort to bring ......(size: 3.9Kb)
New Straits/Business Times
01 Mar 2013
It was the 21-year old's biggest victory in his first season as a professional with Team Europcar and the Frenchman achieved his targeted stage win by beating the likes of Britain's Andrew Fenn of Omega Pharma-Quickstep, Stage Four winner Francesco Chicchi of Vini Fantini and points classification leader Andrea Guardini of Astana....(size: 2.5Kb)
noodls
01 Mar 2013
(Source. Alstom SA) ... The point machines, which allow a train to change tracks, are essential in any rail network. The contract was signed today in the presence of the French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, during his visit to Astana ... Two units of Alstom P80 point machines have been operating successfully for two years at the Astana railway station and have proven to be reliable and suitable for Kazakhstan ... Press Contacts ... (noodl....(size: 3.6Kb)
New Straits/Business Times
01 Mar 2013
"This was better ... "I had to sustain a sprint at the front for too long and was overtaken by the rest. "But this looks better ... Italy's Andrea Guardini of Astana still leads the points classification with 84 points, followed by Chicchi with 60 and Anuar with 57 ... ....(size: 1.3Kb)
The Daily Telegraph
01 Mar 2013
Riccardo Ricco, the controversial former Italian cyclist, has lost his appeal on against a 12-year ban imposed for attempting a blood transfusion at his home. End of the road. Riccardo Ricco cannot return to cycling until 2024 Photo. AP. By Telegraph Sport. 4.21PM GMT 01 Mar 2013. Comments. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said it dismissed Ricco's challenge against a ruling by an Italian Olympic Committee tribunal ... ... Astana ... ....(size: 8.0Kb)
Stockhouse
28 Feb 2013
ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN--(Marketwire - Feb. 28, 2013) - Tethys Petroleum Limited ("Tethys" or the "Company") (TSX.TPL)(LSE.TPL) today announced that the Ministry of Oil and Gas of the Republic of Kazakhstan ("MOG") has agreed to extend the Exploration Period for the Company's Kul-Bas Exploration and Production Contract (the "Contract") by a further two years until November 11, 2015 ... ....(size: 1.8Kb)
Canberra Times
28 Feb 2013
The French anti-doping agency (AFLD) gave the green light on Thursday to working with cycling's governing body, the UCI, during the Tour de France ... Those tests will be administered by the UCI alone ... It was claimed, notably, that the Astana team of two-time champion Alberto Contador - with whom the now-disgraced Lance Armstrong raced in 2009 - kept UCI doping inspectors waiting for nearly an hour as samples were sought ... AFP. ....(size: 2.1Kb)
noodls
28 Feb 2013
(Source. International Cycling Union) ... Both races offer precious UCI WorldTour points for the UCI WorldTour rankings ... Paris-Nice ... Tirreno-Adriatico ... Chris Froome (Team Sky) showed his form by winning the recent Tour of Oman but faces huge opposition from Alberto Contador (Team Saxo-Tinkoff), Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel Euskadi) and Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) ... distributed by....(size: 5.1Kb)
noodls
28 Feb 2013
ASTANA, Kazakhstan ( Kazakhstan Cup). BC Astana capped an unbeaten run of four games beating archrivals Barsy Atyrau 84-77 to win the 2012-13 Kazakhstan Cup competition during the past weekend. David Simon, who was later named the 'Center of the tournament', led Astana's cause with 22 points with Serbian Branko Cvetkovic adding 22 points....(size: 1.7Kb)
New Straits/Business Times
28 Feb 2013
Coming from behind to end his search for a victory after two seconds and a third in the race thus far, the 24-year old Italian's win was also his first since joining the Astana Pro Team. It was also Astana's first victory this year ... "I'm especially happy with this win because it's my first for my new team and also it's Astana's first win of the year," said Guardini....(size: 6.0Kb)
This article is about the capital of Kazakhstan. For other uses, see Astana (disambiguation).
| Astana Астана |
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|---|---|---|---|
 |
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 Astana
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| Coordinates: 51°10′0″N 71°26′0″E / 51.166667°N 71.433333°E / 51.166667; 71.433333 | |||
| Country | Kazakhstan | ||
| Province | |||
| Founded | 1998 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Akim (mayor) | Imangali Tasmagambetov | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 722 km2 (279 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 347 m (1,138 ft) | ||
| Population (August 1, 2010)[1] | |||
| • Total | 708,794 | ||
| • Density | 958/km2 (2,480/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | BTT (UTC+6) | ||
| Postal code | 010000–010015 | ||
| Area code(s) | +7 7172[2] | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | AST | ||
| License plate | Z | ||
| Website | http://www.astana.kz | ||
Astana (Russian/Kazakh: Астана, formerly known as Akmola (Kazakh: Ақмола / Aqmola, until 1998), Целиноград / Tselinograd until 1992) and Akmolinsk (Russian: Акмолинск, until 1961), is the capital and second largest city (after Almaty) of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 708,794 as of 1 August 2010.[1] It is located in the north-central portion of Kazakhstan, within Akmola Province, though administrated separately from the province as a federal city area.
The current mayor of Astana is Imangali Tasmagambetov. He was appointed on 4 April 2008.
Etymology[link]
The word Astana in Kazakh literally means Capital but the word itself originates from Persian Astane (Persian: آستانه means "sublime threshold," "royal porte" implying a royal capital city or a holy shrine town, (from the Persian verb Istadan (آستان) 'to stand' (in respect)), and literally means "threshold" (royal or sacred, where people stand in respect or awe),[citation needed] implying where the court is seated (the capital city) or the body of a sacred person is interred (a shrine town). The city of Turkistan in Kazakhstan that hosts the body of the saint Ahmad Yasavi is also called the "astana" as is the city of Mashhad in Iran that is the burial place of the 8th Shiite Imam Reza. In fact, long before becoming the new capital of Kazakhstan, the city was "an astana," a burial ground of a saint, hence the old name of the city, Ak Mola (Ақмола), "white mausoleum."
In June 2008, a parliamentary proposal was put forward to change the city's name to "Nursultan," in honor of President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The idea was rejected by Nazarbayev himself, who said the decision of renaming the city will be for future generations.[3] Despite this,[4] some commentators think that the generic name Astana was deliberately chosen so that it would be renamed in honour of Nazarbayev after his death.
History[link]
Russian and Soviet eras[link]
A unit of Siberian cossacks from Omsk founded a huge fortress on the upper Ishim in 1824, which later became the town of "Akmolinsk". During the early 20th century, the town became a major railway junction, causing a major economic boom that lasted until the Russian Civil War.
In the Stalinist era, Kazakhstan hosted a series of Gulag-like labour camps; in total, 11 camps that housed up to hundreds of thousands of internees and their families. Outside Astana, there once stood the ALZHIR camp, a Russian acronym for the Akmolinskii Camp for Wives of Traitors of the Motherland, one of the most notorious in the Gulag archipelago, which was reserved for the spouses of those considered "enemies of the people" by the government under Joseph Stalin.[5]
In 1961, it was renamed "Tselinograd" ("Virgin Lands City"[6]) and made capital of the Soviet Virgin Lands Territory (Tselinny Krai). The city was at the centre of the Virgin Lands Campaign led by Nikita Khrushchev in the 1950s, in order to turn the state into a second grain producer for the Soviet Union. The high portion of Russian immigrants in this area, which later led to ethnic tension[citation needed], can be traced to the influx of agricultural workers at this time. Additionally, many Russian-Germans were resettled here after being deported under Joseph Stalin at the beginning of World War II, when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union.
Independent Kazakhstan[link]
After Kazakhstan gained its independence in 1991, the city and the region were renamed "Akmola", literally meaning "White Shrine".
In 1995, the city was designated as the future capital of the newly-independent country, and the capital was officially moved from Almaty on December 10, 1997.[6] The new name, Astana, was bestowed in 1998.[7]
Government officials cited several problems with keeping the capital in Almaty, such as the city's risk of seismic activity, insufficient room for expansion, and proximity to international borders.[8] Additionally, parts of northern Kazakhstan are populated primarily by ethnic Russians, which raised fears of possible irredentist activity. Moving the capital to this area may have been an attempt to anchor it more closely with the rest of the country.[8]
To some Kazakhs, the move remains controversial. Critics cite the city's isolated location in the center of the Kazakh steppe and the forbidding climate in winter.[9] Financially, some resent the massive expenditure of public funds to build the new government complexes, as well as the continuing cost of airfare and hotel expenses for the many government workers who still live in Almaty.[10]
Geography and climate[link]
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Location[link]
Astana is located in central Kazakhstan on the Ishim River in a very flat, semi-arid steppe region which covers most of the country's territory. The elevation of Astana is at 347 metres (1,138 ft) above sea level. Astana is in a spacious steppe landscape, in the transitional area between the north of Kazakhstan and the extremely thinly settled national center, because of the river Ishim. The older boroughs lie north of the river, whilst the new boroughs are located south of the Ishim.
Climate[link]
Climatically, Astana is the second coldest capital in the world after Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, a position formerly held by Canada's capital, Ottawa, until Astana became the capital. Astana is also the coldest place ever recorded in the country of Kazakhstan. Temperatures of −35 °C (−31 °F) to −40 °C (−40 °F) are common in the early winter. The new city is also known to regularly freeze for around six months every year. Overall, Astana has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb),[12] bordering on a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), with exceptionally cold winters and warm summers.
The average annual temperature in Astana is 1.8 °C (35.2 °F). January is the coldest month with an average temperature of −17.3 °C (1 °F). July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 20.2 °C (68 °F).
| Climate data for Astana | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 3.4 (38.1) |
4.8 (40.6) |
22.1 (71.8) |
30.0 (86.0) |
35.7 (96.3) |
40.1 (104.2) |
41.6 (106.9) |
41.0 (105.8) |
36.2 (97.2) |
26.7 (80.1) |
18.5 (65.3) |
4.5 (40.1) |
41.6 (106.9) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −12.6 (9.3) |
−11.3 (11.7) |
−5 (23.0) |
9.3 (48.7) |
19.6 (67.3) |
25.3 (77.5) |
27.0 (80.6) |
24.3 (75.7) |
18.6 (65.5) |
8.5 (47.3) |
−3 (26.6) |
−9.7 (14.5) |
7.6 (45.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −17.3 (0.9) |
−16.6 (2.1) |
−10.3 (13.5) |
3.5 (38.3) |
12.7 (54.9) |
18.3 (64.9) |
20.2 (68.4) |
17.6 (63.7) |
11.9 (53.4) |
3.2 (37.8) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
−14.3 (6.3) |
1.8 (35.2) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −22 (−7.6) |
−21.8 (−7.2) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
5.8 (42.4) |
11.2 (52.2) |
13.4 (56.1) |
10.9 (51.6) |
5.1 (41.2) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
−11.2 (11.8) |
−18.9 (−2.0) |
−4 (24.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −51.6 (−60.9) |
−48.9 (−56.0) |
−38 (−36) |
−27.7 (−17.9) |
−10.8 (12.6) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
2.3 (36.1) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−8.2 (17.2) |
−25.3 (−13.5) |
−39.2 (−38.6) |
−43.5 (−46.3) |
−51.6 (−60.9) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 17 (0.67) |
15 (0.59) |
15 (0.59) |
22 (0.87) |
33 (1.3) |
33 (1.3) |
53 (2.09) |
35 (1.38) |
24 (0.94) |
30 (1.18) |
21 (0.83) |
20 (0.79) |
318 (12.52) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 3.9 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 5.4 | 8.4 | 10.4 | 11.6 | 9.9 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 79 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 102.3 | 146.9 | 192.2 | 237.0 | 300.7 | 336.0 | 334.8 | 294.5 | 231.0 | 136.4 | 99.0 | 93.0 | 2,503.8 |
| Source no. 1: World Meteorological Organisation (UN) [11] | |||||||||||||
| Source no. 2: Hong Kong Observatory (sun only)[13] | |||||||||||||
Population/Demographics[link]
As of July 1, 2010, Astana has a population density of 958 people per square kilometre and a population of about 705,897,[1][14] of which Kazakhs, Russians, Ukrainians, Tatars and Germans make up 65.2%, 23.8%, 2.9%, 1.7%, 1.5 % respectively. Other ethnic groups make up 4.9% of Astana's population[citation needed].
In 1999, Astana had a population of 281,000. The ethnic mix was about 30% Kazakh and 70% Russian, Ukrainian and German.[15]
By 2007, Astana's population has more than doubled since the move, to over 600,000, and it is estimated to top 1 million by 2030. Migrant workers – legal and illegal – have been attracted from across Kazakhstan and neighboring states such as Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, and Astana is a magnet for young professionals seeking to build a career. This has changed the city's demographics, bringing more ethnic Kazakhs to a city that formerly had a Slav majority. Astana's ethnic Kazakh population has risen to some 60%, up from 17% in 1989.[14]
Many[who?] argue that a drive to attract ethnic Kazakhs northward was the key factor in shifting the capital, which was officially put down to lack of space for expansion in the former capital, Almaty, and its location in an earthquake zone.
According to preliminary figures, Astana had 700,000 inhabitants in late 2007.[16] Kazakhstani official statistical service estimates city population 691,529 (1 March 2010[17]). According to the 1999 Census, 40.5% of the population is Russian, 5.7% Ukrainian, 3.0% German, 2.6% Tatar, 1.8% Belorussian and 0.8% Polish. But at 41.8%, Kazakhs outnumbered Russians and were forming the largest ethnic group, while Ingush and Korean each accounted for 0.6%. Others, mostly Uzbeks, accounted for 3.8%.
Economy[link]
Politics and government are the main economic activities in the capital, which also forms a Special Economic Zone. Since the move, Astana has seen one of the world's greatest building projects, as oil money has been spent on government buildings, a massive home for the president, a mosque, and numerous parks and monuments. The project is designed to make the town the centre of not only Kazakhstan, but all of Central Asia.
Cityscape[link]
Town planning[link]
Astana can be divided largely into a few different areas.
“Almaty” District[link]
District was created on May 6, 1998 by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Territory of “Almaty” District is 21,054 hectares (52 025 acres or 81.290 sq.miles). Population - 321.400 people. The district has five villages.
“Yesil” District[link]
District was created on Aug. 5, 2008 by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It occupies the territory of 31,179 hectares (77 045 acres or 120.382 sq.miles) Population - approx. 180,000 people.
“Saryarka” District[link]
District was created on May 6, 1998 by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan The territory of “Saryarka” district is 19,202 hectares (47 449 acres or 74.139 sq.miles). Population - 296,364 people.
Description[link]
North of the railway line, which crosses Astana in an east-west direction, are industrial and poorer residential areas. Between the railway line and the river Ishim is the city center, where at present intense building activity is occurring. To the west and east are more elevated residential areas with parks and the new area of government administration to the south of the Ishim. Here many large building projects are underway; for example, the construction of a diplomat quarter, and a variety of different government buildings. By 2030, these quarters are to be completed. The original plans for the new Astana were drawn up by the late Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. Astana's current chief planner, Vladimir Laptev, wants to build a Berlin in a Eurasian style. He has stated that a purely administrative capital such as Canberra is not one of his goals.
Architecture[link]
The old buildings that remained from the Soviet era are now being removed and replaced with totally new structures resulting in significant construction work throughout the city. President Nazarbayev has paid particular attention to Astana's architecture; most of the recently completed structures had been accredited to internationally acclaimed architects and designers such as Kisho Kurokawa or Norman Foster.
Green water boulevard[link]
Main article: Green water boulevard
Green water boulevard (also called: Norzhol in Kazakh: "the shining Path") is the national Boulevard of Kazakhstan located in the Capital - "Astana". also construction of the pedestrian area in the new administrative and business center of Astana on the left bank of Ishim river.
Bayterek[link]
Main article: Bayterek
Bayterek is the most famous landmark in Astana. The legend behind this tower as a symbol is that it represents a poplar tree, where the magic bird Samuruk laid its egg. In the sphere on the top of Bayterek there is an imprint of president Nursultan Nazarbayev's hand.
In front of the Bayterek Tower in summer 2010, the largest open-air art exhibition ever in Kazakhstan took place: About 2.2 million people saw the international exhibition of United Buddy Bears.[18]
New buildings[link]
Palace of Peace and Reconciliation (Pyramid of Peace)[link]
File:Astana pyramid at night.jpg
The Pyramid under different light colors at night
The pyramid has been conceived and designed by architect Sir Norman Foster and engineers Buro Happold and inaugurated in September 2006. It contains accommodations for different religions: Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and other faiths. It also houses a 1,500- seat opera house, a national museum of culture, a new “university of civilization”, a library and a research center for Kazakhstan’s ethnic and geographical groups. This diversity is unified within the pure form of a pyramid, 62 meters high with a 62 x 62-meter base. The building is conceived as a global center for religious understanding, the renunciation of violence and the promotion of faith and human equality. The Pyramid of Peace expresses the spirit of Kazakhstan, where cultures, traditions and representatives of various nationalities coexist in peace, harmony and accord. Bathed in the golden and pale blue glow of the glass (colors taken from the Kazakhstan flag), 200 delegates from the world’s main religions and faiths will meet every three years in a circular chamber — based on the United Nations Security Council meeting room in New York. ; Height: 77 m (252.62 ft), total area: 25,500 sq.m.; Accommodates: Opera Hall for 1,500 seats, The Museum of National History, The Research Center of World Religions, Library of Spiritual Religious Literature, Exhibition and conference rooms [19]
Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall[link]
Main article: Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall
The Concert Hall has been conceived and designed by Italian architect Manfredi Nicoletti as a result of an International Competition and inaugurated by president Nursultan Nazarbayev in December 2009. The building shape is reminiscent of the petals of a flower. These "petals" create an imposing envelope which encloses and protects all the functions from the extreme climatic conditions of Astana. It houses one of world’s biggest Concert Halls for classical music with a total of 3,500 seats in vineyard conformation, two small music, cinema and conference halls with 400 and 200 seats each, restaurants, bars and a lobby of about 3000sqm. The main music hall has been designed to adapt to all kind of performances such as classical, pop and traditional music concerts, theatre, ballet, conferences and cinema, by means of a special false ceiling design and a system of acoustic curtains. The building is approximately 200m long and rises up to 40m high for a total of 55.000sqm. The structure of the external wall (the “petals”) are reinforced concrete. The external cladding is done with blue back-painted transparent glass panels inspired by the colour of the Kazakhstan flag.
The Islamic Center[link]
The Islamic Center was built in 2005 and was sponsored by the Emir of Qatar. It consists of a mosque, madrasah, and a library. The mosque has 4 minarets, 63 meters each, and has a capacity of 5,000 people. The height of the mosque's dome is 43 meters.[20]
Ak Orda Presidential Palace[link]
Main article: Ak Orda Presidential Palace
Ak Orda (Kazakh, "the white horde") is the official workplace of the President of Kazakhstan. Ak Orda Presidential Palace was built in 2004 of monolithic concrete as a five-story building. The lining was performed using 20–40 cm thick Italian marble. The height of the building is 80 meters and the total area is 36,720 square meters. Ak Orda includes a yurt-like hall designed of marble and granite, a marble hall for summits and official visits by foreign-country representatives, and a golden hall for negotiations and private discussions between the head of the state and the leaders of other countries.
Khan Shatyr[link]
Main article: Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center
In December 2006, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev unveiled plans to build Khan Shatyr, a "giant, transparent tent", over an area of the city. The project was completed in July 2010. The tent is 150 meters high, and like the pyramid was designed by the British team of Norman Foster and Buro Happold
Transport Tower[link]
Main article: Transport Tower
Transport Tower is one of the tallest buildings in Kazakhstan, standing 150 meters high, its 34 stories completed in 2003. The building houses various governmental agencies and organizations, namely the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications.
Sightseeing[link]
In the centre of town, the Avenue of the Republic acts as the main hub of activity. It is bordered by many stores, coffee houses, restaurants, night clubs and some casinos. Notable among these are the:
- Modern governmental quarter
- Ishim River waterfront
- "Oceanarium"
- Astana Central National Mosque
- Islamic Center
- Roman Catholic Cathedral (see Roman Catholicism in Kazakhstan)
- Market hall
- Bayterek Tower
- [REVision Park] Cinema in English: Every Tuesday at 8pm, 24 Turan St. Sary Arka Shopping Mall (3d Floor).,[21] Revision Park is a new project of Language Leader [2] and KinoPark Multiplex cinemas.[22]
Museums[link]
- Presidential Center of Culture
- Kabanbay Batyr Mausoleum
- Atameken Ethnic Memorial Complex: dedicated to a map of Kazakhstan. Ata-meken means ‘fatherland’.
- The S. Seifullin Museum
- Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Theatres[link]
- The Gorky Russian Drama Theatre
- The Kalibek Kuanyshbaev Kazakh Theatre: named after a Kazakh theatre actor
- The K. Bajseitova National Opera and Ballet Theatre
Monuments[link]
- Monument Otan Korgaushylar
- Memorial to the victims of political repressions
- Memorial to Kazakhstan People who Perished in the Afghan War
- Central Square with fountain and sculpture composition
- Monument to Kenesary Khan
Architectural monuments[link]
- Church of Constantine and Yelena
- 19th-century buildings
- Green Mosque Fence
Sport[link]
Astana is home to FC Astana and FC Astana-64, of which the latter won the national championship in 2000, 2001 and 2006. The city is also home to the Astana Tigers basketball team who successfully took the 2004/2005 season title, as well as Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League. In addition, Astana has a professional cycling team. They participated in the 2007 Tour de France wearing uniforms in Kazakhstani national colors, but were excluded during the race after the failed test of Alexander Vinokourov for illegal doping practises, and was banned from the 2008 race.[23] Astana returned to the Tour de France in 2009 and won the overall Team Classification, with Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong finishing first and third respectively. In 2010 Contador again won the Tour de France with the Astana team, but announced in August 2010 that he would be leaving the Astana team to join the Sunguard-SaxoBank team in 2011.
A bandy team by the name of Dynamo-Astana has been formed, and an indoor bandy arena is being built for Dynamo.[24] The 2011 Asian Winter Games were partly held in the capital.
| Club | Sport | Founded | League | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC Astana | Football | 2009 | Kazakhstan Premier League | Astana Arena |
| FC Astana-64 | Football | 1964 | Kazakhstan Premier League | K. Munaitpasov Stadium |
| Astana | Cycling | 2007 | UCI ProTour | |
| Astana Tigers | Basketball | 2000 | Kazakh Basketball League | |
| Barys Astana | Ice hockey | 1999 | Kontinental Hockey League, Kazakh Ice Hockey League | Alatau Sports Palace |
Transport[link]
Astana International Airport was, like the plan for the whole new city, designed by the late Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. The Astana Metro is a planned underground construction in Astana.
Astana Train Station is an important hub for northern Kazakhstan, served by Qazaqstan Temir Zholy trains to most major cities in Kazakhstan, including Talgo expresses to Almaty. International trains leave for Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, most of them with a once a week frequency. Since the summer of 2008, the schedule systems show also a direct weekly train to Urumqi (in China's Xinjiang).[25]
Notable residents[link]
- Larisa Bergen, Olympic volleyball medalist
- Galina Voskoboeva, Tennis Player
- Yaroslava Shvedova, Tennis Player
International relations[link]
Twin towns / Sister cities[link]
Astana is twinned with:
See also[link]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Astana |
References[link]
Bibliography[link]
- Schatz, Edward. Modern Clan Politics: The Power of "Blood" in Kazakhstan and Beyond. Seattle: University of Washington Press. 2004.
Notes[link]
- ^ a b c 2010 жыл басынан 1 тамызға дейінгі Қазақстан Республикасы халық санының өзгеруі туралы
- ^ CODE OF ACCESS
- ^ Don't name capital after me yet, says Kazakh president AFP
- ^ Astana, Kazakhstan: the space station in the steppes, Guardian
- ^ Pope Pays Tribute to Victims of Soviet Atrocities
- ^ a b "Little-Known Akmola Becomes New Kazakh Capital", Reuters, December 11, 1997, accessed 2010-08-08
- ^ [1] BBC Kazakhstan Timeline
- ^ a b Schatz, 76.
- ^ Green, Peter (11 June 1998). "Kazakhs Raise Curtain on Remote New Capital, but Many Ask Why". International Herald-Tribune. http://www.iht.com/articles/1998/06/11/kazak.t_0.php.
- ^ Kazakhstan's Capital Holds a Lavish Anniversary Celebration Euraisanet
- ^ a b "World Weather Information Service – Astana". United Nations. http://worldweather.wmo.int/070/c00153.htm. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
- ^ Updated Central, South, Southeast, and Eastern Asian and Siberian Map of the Köppen climate classification system.
- ^ Climatological Information for Astana, Kazakhstan
- ^ a b Kazakhstan's Capital Holds A Lavish Anniversary Celebration
- ^ www.angelfire.com Astana
- ^ www.astana.kz Astana city population count preliminary results (in Russian)
- ^ Statistical Service of Kazakhstan. Population estimations 1 March 2010
- ^ ART CENTER "KULANSHI" (www.kulanshi.org)
- ^ The Palace Of Peace and Concord (Pyramid), Astana, Kazakhstan
- ^ 4 минарета по 63 метра каждый... Катар достраивает в Астане Исламский культурный центр
- ^ "Revision Park". Languageleader.kz. http://languageleader.kz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
- ^ "KINOPARK | [Re]Vision Park | Сеть кинотеатров Multiplex Cinemas | Киноафиша Казахстана, Алматы, Астана, Шымкент, Актобе. Фильмы в Кинопарке, трейлеры, постеры, кадры из фильма, анонсы, расписание кино, новости, киноархив, кинофорум и многое другое". Kinopark.kz. http://kinopark.kz/revision_park/?lang=ru. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
- ^ Tour de France organizers exclude Astana team; Alberto Contador may not defend title
- ^ "Translation result for http://www.bandynet.ru/node/6077". Babelfish.yahoo.com. http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bandynet.ru%2Fnode%2F6077&lp=ru_en&btnTrUrl=Translate. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
- ^ Train No. 054 Astana – Urumchi
- ^ "Twin cities of Riga". Riga City Council. http://www.riga.lv/EN/Channels/Riga_Municipality/Twin_cities_of_Riga/default.htm. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
- ^ "Gdańsk Official Website: 'Miasta partnerskie'" (in Polish & English). © 2009 Urząd Miejski w Gdańsku. http://www.gdansk.pl/samorzad,62,733.html. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
- ^ "Miasta partnerskie Warszawy". um.warszawa.pl. Biuro Promocji Miasta. 4 May 2005. http://um.warszawa.pl/v_syrenka/new/index.php?dzial=aktualnosci&ak_id=3284&kat=11. Retrieved 29 August 2008. [dead link]
- ^ "Tbilisi Municipal Portal – Sister Cities". © 2009 – Tbilisi City Hall. http://www.tbilisi.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=4571. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
- ^ "Existing Sister Cities". City of Manila. http://www.manila.gov.ph/localgovt.htm#sistercities. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
- ^ "Sister Cities". Beijing Municipal Government. http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/Sister_Cities/Sister_City/. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
External links[link]
- Astana travel guide from Wikitravel
- City of Astana Official website
- Astana International Airport (official site)
- Astana Research Project (German)
http://wn.com/Astana
Related pages:
http://de.wn.com/Astana
http://es.wn.com/Astaná
http://ru.wn.com/Астана
http://cs.wn.com/Astana
http://pt.wn.com/Astana
http://pl.wn.com/Astana
http://hi.wn.com/अस्ताना
http://it.wn.com/Astana
http://id.wn.com/Astana, Kazakhstan
http://nl.wn.com/Astana (stad)
http://fr.wn.com/Astana
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astana
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
| Veselin Topalov | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Full name | Veselin Topalov (Веселин Топалов) |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Born | (1975-03-15) 15 March 1975 (age 37) Rousse, Bulgaria |
| Title | Grandmaster |
| World Champion | 2005–06 (FIDE) |
| FIDE rating | 2752 (May 2012) (No. 12 in the May 2012 FIDE World Rankings) |
| Peak rating | 2813 (October 2006, July 2009) |
Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov (pronounced [vɛsɛˈlin toˈpɑlof]; Bulgarian: Веселин Александров Топалов; born 15 March 1975) is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster.
Topalov became the FIDE World Chess Champion by winning the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005. He lost his title in the World Chess Championship 2006 match against Vladimir Kramnik. He won the 2005 Chess Oscar.[1]
He has been ranked number one a total of 27 months in his career, fourth all-time since the inception of the FIDE ranking lists in 1971 behind only Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, and Bobby Fischer. He was ranked No. 1 in the world from April 2006 to January 2007, during which his Elo rating was 2813, which had been surpassed only by Garry Kasparov, and subsequently by Magnus Carlsen, Anand and Levon Aronian. He regained the world No. 1 ranking again in October 2008, and officially remained No. 1 until January 2010, when he fell to No. 2 behind Carlsen.[2] He currently has the 12th highest rating in the world.[2]
In the World Chess Championship 2010, he was the challenger facing world champion Viswanathan Anand, losing the match 6½–5½.
Contents
|
Early life[link]
Topalov was born in Rousse, Bulgaria. His father taught him to play chess at the age of eight. Topalov had a difficult childhood, but he quickly established himself as a chess prodigy. At age 12, Topalov began working with Silvio Danailov, in a training/mentoring relationship that continues today. Danailov himself was a master who nurtured ambitions as a player. Once he saw Topalov, however, he sacrificed his own career.[3] Canadian Grandmaster Kevin Spraggett wrote: "Danailov took Topalov to his apartment and told him 'From now on, you live here and this will become your new home. I am not just your trainer, but I am also your mother and your father. I am your cook. I am the one who will wash your clothes. I am the one who will pay your bills and expenses to tournaments. All I want from you is to think only about chess!'"[4]
Early career (1989–2005)[link]
In 1989 he won the World Under-14 Championship in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, and in 1990 won the silver medal at the World Under-16 Championship in Singapore. He became a Grandmaster in 1992. Topalov has been the leader of the Bulgarian national team since 1994. At the 1994 Chess Olympiad in Moscow he led the Bulgarians to a fourth-place finish.
Over the next ten years Topalov won a number of tournaments, and ascended the world chess rankings. He played in Linares 1994 (6½/13), Linares 1995 (8/13), Amsterdam 1995. In 1996, he won Amsterdam (1st equal with Kasparov), Vienna (1st equal with Gelfand and Karpov), Novgorod and Dos Hermanas (1st–2nd with Kramnik, ahead of Anand, Kasparov, Illescas, Kamsky, Gelfand, Ivanchuk, Shirov and J. Polgar). As early as 1996, he was being invited to "supergrandmaster" events for the world's élite such as Las Palmas (5/10), the first category 21 tournament, played in December 1996, with Kasparov, Anand, Kramnik and Karpov participating.
Topalov's loss to reigning Classical World Champion Garry Kasparov at the 1999 Corus chess tournament is generally hailed as one of the greatest games ever played. Kasparov later said, "[During the game] He looked up. Perhaps there was a sign from above that Topalov would play a great game today. It takes two, you know, to do that."[5]
In the knockout tournaments for the FIDE World Chess Championship, he reached the last 16 in 1999, the quarter-finals in 2000, the final 16 in 2001, and the semifinals in the 2004 tournament. In 2002, he lost the final of the Dortmund Candidates Tournament (for the right to challenge for the rival Classical World Chess Championship) to Péter Lékó.
Topalov scored his first "super-tournament" success at Linares 2005, tying for first place with Garry Kasparov (though losing on tiebreak rules), and defeating Kasparov in the last round, in what was to be Kasparov's last tournament game before his retirement.[6] He followed this up with a one point victory (+4 =5 −1) at the M-Tel Masters 2005 tournament, ahead of Viswanathan Anand, Vladimir Kramnik, Ruslan Ponomariov, Michael Adams, and Judit Polgár. The average rating of the participants was 2744, making this super-GM, double round-robin tournament the strongest in 2005.
FIDE World Chess Champion 2005[link]
On the strength of his rating, Topalov was invited to the eight-player, double round-robin FIDE World Chess Championship in San Luis, Argentina, in September–October 2005. Scoring 6½/7 in the first cycle, Topalov had virtually clinched the tournament at the halfway mark, before drawing every game in the second cycle to win by 1½ points to become FIDE World Chess Champion. The average rating of the field in the championship was 2739, and Topalov's performance rating was 2890.[7]
The unification of the FIDE World Title (held by Topalov) and the Classical Chess World Title (held by Vladimir Kramnik) was fervently encouraged by the chess community. On 16 April 2006, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov announced that a reunification match between Kramnik and Topalov would be held in September–October 2006. Kramnik defeated Topalov to become the first undisputed champion in thirteen years.
Kramnik–Topalov match controversy[link]
Main article: FIDE World Chess Championship 2006
On 28 September 2006, Topalov's manager Silvio Danailov published a press release, casting suspicion on Kramnik's behaviour during the games. The Bulgarian team made a public statement that Kramnik visited his private bathroom (the only place without any audio or video surveillance) unreasonably often, about fifty times per game (a number that FIDE officials later claimed to be exaggerated[8]) and made the most significant decisions in the game in the bathroom.
They also demanded that the organizers of the tournament allow journalists access to the surveillance video from Kramnik's room for games 1 through 4. The organizers made parts of the video available, explaining that other parts of it were missing due to technical issues. Danailov demanded to stop the use of private restrooms and bathrooms, and threatened to reconsider Topalov's participation in the match.[9] The Appeals Committee that governed the match agreed, and ruled that the players' private restrooms should be closed and replaced with a shared one.
Kramnik refused to play game 5 and was forfeited. On 1 October, the restroom issue was resolved in Kramnik's favour and the Appeals Committee resigned and were replaced. The FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov decided that the current score of 3–2 should be preserved. He also indicated that this was not a compromise decision but his own.[10] The match resumed on 2 October 2006.
On 1 October, the Association of Chess Professionals released a statement denouncing Danailov for publicly accusing his opponent without evidence, and calling for him to be investigated by the FIDE Ethics Committee. Topalov has also been similarly denounced by numerous top players, including former World Champions Anatoly Karpov, Boris Spassky, and Viswanathan Anand, grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi,[11] former US Champions Lev Alburt and Yasser Seirawan, and others.[12][13]
On 3 October, Topalov said in a press conference, "I believe that his (Kramnik's) play is fair, and my decision to continue the match proves it".[14] However the next day the crisis escalated, with Topalov's manager strongly implying that Kramnik was receiving computer assistance.[15]
On 14 December 2006, Topalov directly accused Kramnik of using computer assistance in their World Championship match.[16] On 14 February 2007, Topalov's manager released pictures, purporting to show cables in the ceiling of a toilet used by Kramnik during the World Championship match in Elista. They were supposedly reported to the authorities, who Danailov claims suppressed the information. The Topalov team claims they were pressured by officials to keep their allegations quiet.[17] On 29 July 2007, following a complaint by Kramnik's manager Carsten Hensel, the FIDE Ethics Commission sanctioned Topalov with "a severe reprimand" because of the accusations made in the interview of 14 December. According to the Ethics Commission, "these statements were clearly defamatory and damaged the honour of Mr. Vladimir Kramnik, harming his personal and professional reputation".[18]
Career after the 2006 match[link]
Soon after losing the world title, Topalov participated in the Essent Chess Tournament. He finished third of four players with only 2½ points from 6 games and a 2645 performance. He lost both games against Judit Polgár and one against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov.[19]
In May 2006, Topalov defended his M-Tel Masters title, coming first with 6½/10, a half point ahead of Gata Kamsky (who he beat 2–0). Topalov started the tournament somewhat hesitantly to later record four consecutive wins and decisively claim the title.
In January 2007, Topalov finished in joint first place (ahead of Kramnik, who finished 4th) at the Category 19 Corus Chess Tournament along with Levon Aronian and Teimour Radjabov.[20]
In May 2007, Topalov won the M-Tel Masters tournament for a third consecutive time with 5½/10. Topalov clenched the title in a dramatic fashion by just a half point, defeating the then-current leader Sasikiran in the final round.
Topalov won the 14th Ciudad Dos Hermanas rapid, 17–21 April 2008, defeating GM Francisco Vallejo Pons (Spain) 2½–1½ in the final match by winning the first game and drawing the rest. The first round matches of the four-player knockout tournament were won by Topalov over GM Judit Polgár (Hungary) 2½–1½ and Vallejo over GM Alexei Shirov (Spain) 3–1.[21]
In September 2008, Topalov won the Bilbao 2008 tournament. He advanced to first in the world in the unofficial live ratings and in the official October 2008 ratings list.
2008–2010 World Championship cycle[link]
Topalov lost his chance to compete in the 2007 world championship tournament when he the 2006 reunification match. Danailov expressed a desire for a rematch between Topalov and Kramnik, proposing a match in March 2007,[22] though no such match took place.
The issue was settled in June 2007 when Topalov and Kramnik were granted special privileges in the 2008–09 championship cycle.[23] Topalov was given direct entry to a "Challenger Match" against the winner of the Chess World Cup 2007.
The 2007 Chess World Cup was won by Gata Kamsky. The Challenger Match between Topalov and Kamsky took place in February 2009 in Hall 6 of NDK Sofia. Topalov won that match 4½–2½ and qualified to play against the current world champion Viswanathan Anand for the World Chess Champion title. The World Chess Championship 2010 match was held in Sofia, Bulgaria, which Topalov lost by 6½–5½ margin.[24]
2010[link]
Topalov won the 2010 Linares chess tournament held from February 13 to 24 in Andalusia, Spain, defeating 2009 Chess World Cup champion Boris Gelfand in his final game.[25][26][27]
As the runner-up in the World Chess Championship 2010, Topalov automatically qualified for the Candidates Tournament for the World Chess Championship 2012, where he was the top seed. However, he lost to newly crowned U.S. champion Gata Kamsky in the quarterfinals.[28]
Notable tournament victories[link]
- Terrassa 1992
- Budapest zt-B 1993
- Polanica Zdroj 1995
- Elenite 1995
- Madrid 1996
- Dos Hermanas 1996 (joint first with Kramnik)
- Amsterdam 1996
- Vienna 1996 (joint first with Gelfand and Karpov)
- Novgorod 1996
- Leon 1996
- Antwerp 1997
- Madrid 1997
- Monaco 2001
- Dortmund 2001 (joint first with Kramnik)
- NAO Chess Masters Cannes 2002 (joint first with Gelfand)
- Benidorm 2003
- Linares 2005 (joint first with Kasparov)
- M-Tel Masters 2005 (a point ahead of Anand)
- Corus 2006 (joint first with Anand)
- M-Tel Masters 2006 (half a point ahead of Gata Kamsky)
- Corus 2007 (joint first with Aronian and Radjabov)
- M-Tel Masters 2007 (half a point ahead of Krishnan Sasikiran)
- Champions League Vitoria Gasteiz 2007 (a point and a half ahead of Ponomariov)
- Dos Hermanas 2008 (Rapid)
- Villarrobledo 2008 (Rapid)
- Bilbao 2008 (a point and a half ahead of Aronian, Ivanchuk, and Carlsen)
- Pearl Spring 2008 (a point and a half ahead of Aronian)
- Linares 2010 (a half point ahead of Grischuk)
World championship matches and qualifiers[link]
- FIDE World Chess Championship 1998 Second Round, Groningen, Topalov–Piket (½–1½)
- FIDE WCC Knockout 1999 Fourth Round, Las Vegas, Topalov–Kramnik (1–3)
- FIDE WCC Knockout 2000 Quarterfinals, New Delhi and Tehran, Topalov–Adams (½–1½)
- FIDE WCC Knockout 2002 Fourth Round, Moscow, Topalov–Shirov (3–4)
- Classical WCC Candidates Match 2002, Dortmund, Topalov–Leko (1½–2½)
- FIDE WCC Knockout 2004 Semifinals, Tripoli, Topalov–Kasimdzhanov (2–4)
- FIDE World Chess Championship 2005, San Luis, (1½ points ahead of Anand and Svidler)
- World Chess Championship 2006, Elista, Topalov–Kramnik (6–6, 1½–2½ rapid playoff)
- WCC Candidates Match 2009, Sofia, Topalov–Kamsky (4½–2½)
- World Chess Championship 2010, Sofia, Topalov–Anand (5½–6½)
- WCC Candidates Match 2011 Quarterfinals, Kazan, Topalov–Kamsky (1½–2½)
Sample games[link]
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This section uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves. |
Topalov vs. Ponomariov, 2005
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After 17 moves, Topalov (White) initiates a series of strong tactical blows with the sacrifice of a knight and a rook.
On the way to winning M-Tel Masters in 2005, Topalov defeated former FIDE World Champion Ruslan Ponomariov with the white pieces in a Queen's Indian defense. (Analysis by Rybka 1.2n.)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Nc3 0-0 8. Rc1 c6 9. e4 d5 10. e5 Ne4 11. Bd3 Nxc3 12. Rxc3 c5 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. h4 h6 15. Bb1 f5?
- Needlessly weakening the position. Better is 15...Nd7 16.Bxh6!? f5 (16...gxh6? 17.Qc2 f5 18.exf6 Rxf6 19.Qh7+ Kf8 20.Ng5! mates in 8 moves) 17.Bf4 Qa5, which may have given Black good chances for equality.
16. exf6 Bxf6 17. Qc2! d4
- 17...Bxc3? leads to defeat after 18.Qh7+ Kf7 19.Bxc3, with an overwhelming attack, for example: 19...d4 20.Qg6+ Ke7 21.Nxd4! But Topalov found a way to break Black's defenses in Ponomariov's chosen line, too. (See diagram.)
18. Ng5!! hxg5 19. hxg5 dxc3 20. Bf4 Kf7 21. Qg6+ Ke7 22. gxf6+ Rxf6 23. Qxg7+ Rf7 24. Bg5+ Kd6 25. Qxf7 Qxg5 26. Rh7 Qe5+ 27. Kf1 Kc6 28. Qe8+ Kb6 29. Qd8+ Kc6 30. Be4+! 1–0
- Black resigned, because if Black took the white bishop with 30...Qxe4, then White mates with 31.Qc7+.
Topalov vs. Kramnik, 2008
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Position after Topalov's 12th move. Reputedly Topa had analysed this line at home all the way to move 40
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1482320 Topalov unleashes a heavily prepared knight sacrifice against Kramnik on move 12 in a very theoretical line and the Russian was always on the ropes afterwards.
References[link]
- ^ "Chess Oscar 2005 for Veselin Topalov". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3072. ChessBase
- ^ a b Veselin Topalov Ratings progress, FIDE
- ^ Undurti, Jaideep (Fri May 14, 2010). "The advantage of being Viswanathan Anand". http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-advantage-of-being-viswanathan-anand/618766/0.
- ^ "Topalov vs Kramnik – Page 7". http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=44280¤tpage=7.
- ^ "Art on the Board". http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:DTyisYETXm0J:chessunderground.org/essaysfictionetc/Art%2520on%2520the%2520Board.doc+kasparov+topalov+%22it+takes+two%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=5. [dead link]
- ^ "Linares R14: Topalov beats Kasparov, shares first". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=2257. ChessBase
- ^ "San Luis R14: Topalov wins, Anand second". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=2683. ChessBase
- ^ "Makropoulos on the World Championship Crisis". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3407. ChessBase
- ^ "Topalov threatens to abandon the World Championship Match". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3370. ChessBase
- ^ "World Chess Championship Match Press Release – Game 6". Archived from the original on 2007-09-04. http://web.archive.org/web/20070904060130/http://www.fide.com/news.asp?id=1136. FIDE
- ^ "Anand on Topalov–Kramnik". Archived from the original on 2006-11-12. http://web.archive.org/web/20061112133253/http://www.chessninja.com/dailydirt/2006/10/anand_on_topalovkramnik.htm.
- ^ "GMs support Vladimir Kramnik". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3397. ChessBase
- ^ "ACP Statement on Topalov–Kramnik Unification Match crisis". http://www.chess-players.org/eng/news/viewarticle.html?id=565.
- ^ "Elista 2006: the latest before game seven". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3399.
- ^ "Silvio Danailov accuses Kramnik of using Fritz 9". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3401.
- ^ "Topalov: the Kremlin will not admit that Kramnik cheated..". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3553.
- ^ "Article + photos". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3670.
- ^ Case N.4/06: JUDGEMENT rendered by the FIDE Ethics Commission (PDF)
- ^ "Essent 2006 Mamedyarov, Judit Polgar are the winners". ChessBase.com. 2006-10-29. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3459. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
- ^ "Corus Chess Tournament – Grandmaster A April 2007 Netherlands". FIDE. http://ratings.fide.com/tournament_report.phtml?event16=5722. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
- ^ "Topalov Wins Dos Hermanas Rapid". ChessBase News. 21 April 2008. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4580. Retrieved 2008-04-21
- ^ "Topalov back in Bulgaria, seeks rematch". http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3428.
- ^ Veselin Topalov and the new FIDE world championship cycle, Chessbase, June 24, 2007
- ^ "Results & Games – Anand–Topalov – FIDE World Chess Championship 2010". Anand-Topalov.com. http://www.anand-topalov.com/en/results.html. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
- ^ "Topalov Wins Linares". Chess.com. 2010-02-24. http://www.chess.com/news/topalov-wins-linares-7207. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
- ^ "Topalov wins Linares, remains number two in the world". ChessBase. 2010-02-25. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6151. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
- ^ Doggers, Peter (2010-02-24). "Topalov beats Gelfand, wins Linares outright". ChessVibes. http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/topalov-beats-gelfand-wins-linares-outright/. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
- ^ Crowther, Mark (2011-05-08). "Kamsky through to semifinals to play Gelfand The Week in Chess". Chess.co.uk. http://www.chess.co.uk/twic/chessnews/events/fide-candidates-2011/kamsky-through-to-semi-finals-to-play-gelfand. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
External links[link]
|
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Veselin Topalov |
- Veselin Topalov player profile at ChessGames.com
- OlimpBase
- Interview with Veselin Topalov
- Kamsky - Topalov to be played in Sofia
- Edward Winter, List of Books About Anand, Kramnik and Topalov
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Rustam Kasimdzhanov |
FIDE World Chess Champion 2005–2006 |
Succeeded by Vladimir Kramnik World Chess Champion |
| Achievements | ||
| Preceded by Garry Kasparov Viswanathan Anand |
World No. 1 April 1, 2006 – March 31, 2007 October 1, 2008 – December 31, 2009 |
Succeeded by Viswanathan Anand Magnus Carlsen |
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Topalov, Veselin |
| Alternative names | Веселин Топалов (Bulgarian) |
| Short description | Bulgarian chess grandmaster |
| Date of birth | 15 March 1975 |
| Place of birth | Rousse, Bulgaria |
| Date of death | living |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Veselin_Topalov
Related pages:
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http://ru.wn.com/Топалов, Веселин Александров
http://pl.wn.com/Weselin Topałow
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This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veselin_Topalov
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is about the Norwegian chess player. For people with a similar name, see Magnus Carlsson (disambiguation).
| Magnus Carlsen | |
|---|---|
 Carlsen in 2010 |
|
| Full name | Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen |
| Country | Norway |
| Born | (1990-11-30) 30 November 1990 (age 21) Tønsberg, Norway |
| Title | Grandmaster |
| FIDE rating | 2835 (May 2012) (No. 1 in the March 2012 FIDE World Rankings) |
| Peak rating | 2835 (January 2012, March 2012) |
Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen (born 30 November 1990) is a Norwegian chess Grandmaster and chess prodigy who is currently the number-one ranked player in the world. In January 2010 he became the seventh player in history to be ranked number one in the world on the official FIDE rating list. His peak rating is 2835, the second highest in history, after Garry Kasparov.[1]
On 26 April 2004 Carlsen became a Grandmaster at the age of &1000000000000001300000013 years, &10000000000000148000000148 days, making him the third-youngest Grandmaster in history. On 1 January 2010 the new FIDE rating list was published, and at the age of &1000000000000001900000019 years, &1000000000000003200000032 days, he became the youngest chess player in history to be ranked world number one, breaking the record previously held by Vladimir Kramnik.[2] Carlsen was also the 2009 World blitz chess champion.
His performance at the September–October 2009 Nanjing Pearl Spring tournament has been described as one of the greatest in history[3] and lifted him to an Elo rating of 2801, making him the fifth player to achieve a rating over 2800 – and aged 18 years 10 months at the time, by far the youngest to do so.
Based on his rating, Carlsen qualified for the Candidates Tournament which determined the challenger to World Champion Viswanathan Anand in the World Chess Championship 2012. In November 2010, however, he announced he was withdrawing from the Candidates tournament.[4]
Contents |
Childhood[link]
Born in Tønsberg, Vestfold, Carlsen currently lives in Haslum, Bærum, near Norway's capital, Oslo. He played his first chess tournament at the age of eight and was later coached at a Norwegian high school (for athletes) by the country's top player, Grandmaster (GM) Simen Agdestein. Agdestein introduced his civil worker Torbjørn Ringdal Hansen, currently an International Master, to Carlsen, and they had one training session every week, along with one of Carlsen's close friends. Becoming an International Master, Carlsen was given a year off from elementary school to participate in international chess tournaments during the fall season of 2003. In that same year, he finished third in the European Under-12 Boys Championship.
Chess career[link]
2004[link]
Carlsen was brought to the attention of the international chess world after his victory in the C group at the Corus chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee. Carlsen had a score of 10½/13, losing just one game (against the highest rated player of the C group, Dusko Pavasovic).[5] As a result of the victory, he took his first Grandmaster norm and achieved a performance rating of 2702. Particularly notable was his win over Sipke Ernst in the penultimate round, when Carlsen sacrificed material to mate him in just 29 moves.[6] Carlsen won the Audience Prize for that game, as the best game of the round (including the games played in the A and B groups). The first 23 moves in that game had already been played in another game Almagro Llanas-Gustafsson, Madrid 2003 (which ended in a draw), but Carlsen's over-the-board novelty immediately led to a winning position. Carlsen's victory in the C group qualified him to play in the B group in 2005, and it also led Lubomir Kavalek, writing for the Washington Post, to give him the title "Mozart of chess". Agdestein, who was once a young GM at 18, said in an interview that Carlsen was a significantly better player than he was himself at the same age. He also said that Carlsen had an excellent memory and played an unusually wide range of different openings. Carlsen's prowess caught the attention of Microsoft, who became his sponsor.[7]
Carlsen obtained his second GM norm in the Moscow Aeroflot Open in February 2004. In a blitz chess tournament in Reykjavík, Iceland, Carlsen defeated former world champion Anatoly Karpov on 17 March 2004. The blitz tournament was a preliminary event leading up to a rapid knockout tournament beginning the next day, where Carlsen achieved one draw against Garry Kasparov, who was then the top-rated player in the world, before losing to Kasparov after 32 moves of the second game, thus being knocked out of the tournament.[8]
In the sixth Dubai Open Chess Championship, held 18–28 April 2004, Carlsen obtained his third Grandmaster norm (enough for getting the GM title), after getting four wins and four draws before the last game was to be played. As a result of this, he was at the time the world's youngest Grandmaster and the second youngest person ever to hold GM status, after Sergey Karjakin of Ukraine who attained the feat at 12 years and 7 months of age in 2002.[9]
Carlsen was the youngest player ever to participate in the FIDE World Chess Championship 2004, but was knocked out in the first round on tie breaks by Levon Aronian.
In July 2004, Carlsen and Berge Østenstad (then the reigning Norwegian champion) tied for first in the Norwegian Chess Championship, each scoring seven out of nine possible points. A two-game match between them was arranged to decide the title. Both games were drawn, which left Østenstad the champion because he had superior tiebreaks in the tournament.
2005[link]
In Smartfish Chess Masters at the Drammen chess festival 2004–05 (Norway) Carlsen defeated Alexei Shirov, ranked number 10[10] in the world.[11] In June 2005 in the Ciudad de Leon rapid chess tournament, Carlsen played a four-game semi-final against Viswanathan Anand, who was ranked second in the world at the time. Magnus lost 3–1. Carlsen was invited to the tournament as the most promising young chess player in 2005.
In the 2005 Norwegian Chess Championship, Carlsen again finished in a shared first place, this time with his mentor Simen Agdestein. A playoff between them was arranged between 7 November and 10 November. This time Carlsen had the better tiebreaks, but the rule giving the player with better tiebreaks scores the title in the event of a 1–1 draw had been revoked previously. The match was closely fought, Agdestein won the first game, Carlsen won the second, so the match went into a phase of two and two rapid games until there was a winner. Carlsen won the first rapid game, Agdestein the second. Then followed a series of three draws until Agdestein won the championship title with a victory in the sixth rapid game.
At the end of 2005 Carlsen participated at the World Chess Cup 2005 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. In the knock-out tournament, he upset the 44th-ranked Georgian Zurab Azmaiparashvili in round one, winning 2–0 at rapid chess after a 1–1 tie in the normal length games, and proceeded to beat Tajik Farrukh Amonatov and Bulgarian Ivan Cheparinov (also after rapid chess) to reach the round of 16. There he lost 1½–2½ to Evgeny Bareev, which prevented him from finishing in the top eight. He then won against Joël Lautier 1½–½ and Vladimir Malakhov 3½–2½ securing him at least a tenth place and therefore a spot in the Candidate Matches. Carlsen became the youngest player to be an official World Championship Candidate.
In October 2005 he took first place at the Arnold Eikrem Memorial in Gausdal with eight out of nine points and a performance rating of 2792 at the age of 14.[12]
2006[link]
In the January 2006 fide list, at the age of 15 years and 31 days, he officially attained 2625 elo rating, which made Carlsen the youngest person to break the 2600 elo barrier. In 2008, Wesley So broke that record. Carlsen qualified for a place in the Corus B group from his 2005 first place in Corus group C. His shared first with Motylev with 9/13 (+6 -1 =6) qualified him to play in the Corus A group in 2007.
In the 2006 Norwegian Chess Championship, Carlsen was close to winning outright, but a last-round loss to Berge Østenstad again tied him for first place with Agdestein. The last-round loss deprived Magnus of beating Agdestein's record of becoming the youngest Norwegian champion ever. Nonetheless, in the play-off 19–21 November Carlsen won 3–1. After two draws in the initial full time games, Magnus won both rapid games in round two, securing his first Norwegian championship.
Magnus won the 2006 Glitnir Blitz Tournament[13] in Iceland. He won 2–0 over Viswanathan Anand (2003 FIDE World Rapid Chess Champion, 2004 Amber Rapid Chess Champion, 2007 FIDE Classical World Champion) in the semi finals. Carlsen also won 2–0 in the finals.[14]
Magnus scored 6/8 in the 37th Chess Olympiad in 2006 against opponents averaging 2627 Elo, gaining 18 Elo (a rating performance of 2820 points). One of his notable wins was against top English grandmaster Michael Adams.[15]
In the Midnight Sun Chess Tournament, Carlsen had some misses and came in second, beaten by Sergei Shipov (FIDE-Elo: 2576).
In the 2006 Biel grandmaster tournament, he achieved second place, after having beaten the eventual winner Alexander Morozevich twice (once with each color).
In the NH Chess Tournament held in Amsterdam in August 2006, Carlsen participated in an 'Experience' v 'Rising Stars' Scheveningen team match. The 'Rising Stars' won the match 22–28, with Carlsen achieving the best individual score for the youngsters, 6½/10 and a 2700 Elo performance, thus winning the right to participate in the 2007 Melody Amber tournament.[16]
In the World Blitz Championship at Rishon LeZion, Israel in September 2006, he was number 8 of 16 participants with 7½/15 points.
In the rapid chess tournament Rencontres nationales et internationales d'échecs in Cap d'Agde, France he got to the semifinal, losing to Sergey Karjakin.
Carlsen achieved a shared eighth place of 10 participants in the Mikhail Tal Memorial in Moscow with two losses and seven draws. In the associated blitz tournament Tal Blitz Cup he received 17½/34 points and ninth place in a group of 18 participants.
2007[link]
In the 2007 Corus chess tournament Carlsen, playing in group A for the first time, had to settle for the last place after nine draws and four losses, scoring 4½ points in 13 rounds.
In the prestigious Linares chess tournament Carlsen met the following top-rated players: Veselin Topalov, Viswanathan Anand, Peter Svidler, Alexander Morozevich, Levon Aronian, Peter Leko, and Vassily Ivanchuk (replacing Teimour Radjabov). With the significantly lowest Elo rating, he achieved a second place (on tiebreaks) with 7½ points after four wins, seven draws and three losses, and an Elo performance of 2778.
In March 2007, Carlsen played for the first time in the Melody Amber blind and rapid chess tournament in Monte Carlo. In the 11 rounds he achieved eight draws and three losses in the blindfold, and three wins, seven draws and one loss in the rapid part. This resulted in a shared ninth place in the blindfold, shared second place in the rapid (beaten only by Anand), and an eighth place in the overall tournament.
In May–June 2007, he participated in the Candidates Tournament for the FIDE World Chess Championship 2007. He was paired with the top seed Levon Aronian. The six-game match was drawn (two wins, two draws, and two losses), with Carlsen coming from behind twice. The four-game rapid playoff was drawn as well (one win, two draws, and one loss), with Carlsen winning the last game to stay in the match. Finally, Aronian won both tiebreaker (blitz) games, to eliminate Carlsen from the Championship.
In the July 2007 FIDE list, at the age of 16 years and 7 months, he officially attained 2710 Elo rating, which made Carlsen the youngest person to break the 2700 Elo barrier. As of January 2011, this record has not been broken.
In July–August 2007, he won the International Chess Festival Biel Grandmaster Tournament 2007, with a +2 record (an Elo performance of 2753). His score was equalled by Alexander Onischuk and by the tie-breaker rule of the tournament, they played a tie-breaker match to determine the winner. After drawing two rapid and two blitz games, Carlsen won the armageddon game. He became the youngest person ever to win a category 18 tournament.
Immediately after the Biel tournament, Carlsen entered the open Arctic Chess Challenge in Tromsø, but his +5=4 and fourth place result was somewhat disappointing. In the first round, Carlsen surprisingly conceded a draw to his classmate Brede Hagen (rated 2034)[17] after having a lost position at one point.[18] A game which attracted some attention was his sixth round win over his own father, Henrik Carlsen.[19]
In December 2007, he reached the semi-final round of the World Chess Cup 2007, after defeating Michael Adams in the round of 16, and Ivan Cheparinov in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final, he was eliminated by the eventual winner Gata Kamsky, ½:1½.
2008[link]
Playing for the second time in the top group A of the Corus chess tournament, Carlsen showed a big improvement over his 2007 performance. His final score was eight points in 13 rounds, an Elo performance of 2830. Carlsen scored five wins (including as Black against former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik), two losses and six draws. He shared first place with Levon Aronian, becoming the youngest person ever to win a category 20 tournament.
At the 2008 Linares chess tournament, Carlsen had another 2800+ Elo performance, scoring eight out of fourteen (five wins, three losses and six draws). He finished in sole second place, ½ point behind the winner, world champion Viswanathan Anand.
In March 2008, Carlsen played for the second time in the Melody Amber blind and rapid chess tournament, which was held in Nice for the first time. In the 11 rounds he achieved four wins, four draws and two losses in the blindfold, and three wins, six draws and two losses in the rapid part. This resulted in a shared fifth place in the blindfold, shared third place in the rapid and a shared second place in the overall tournament.
Carlsen was one of 21 players in the six-tournament FIDE Grand Prix 2008–2009, a qualifier for the World Chess Championship 2012. In the first tournament, in Baku, Azerbaijan, in April–May 2008, he finished in a three-way tie for first place, with another 2800 Elo performance. Carlsen later withdrew from the Grand Prix cycle despite his initial success, citing "dramatic change[s] to ... regulations."[20]
Carlsen won a rapid match against Peter Leko held at Miskolc, Hungary, scoring 5:3 (two wins, six draws).[21]
In June, Carlsen won an annual Aerosvit event.[22] In his strongest tournament performance at that point in his career, he finished undefeated with eight out of eleven (five wins, six draws) in a category 19 field. His Elo performance was 2878.
Playing in a category 18 Biel tournament, Carlsen finished third with six points out of ten (three wins, one loss, six draws), with Elo performance of 2741, his first sub-2800 performance of 2008.
In the Mainz World Rapid Chess Championship, Carlsen finished in second place after losing the final to defending champion Anand 3:1 (two losses, two draws).[23] To reach the final Magnus played against Judit Polgár scoring 1½ point out of two (one win, one draw), against Anand scoring one point out of two (two draws) and against Morozevich scoring one point out of two (two draws).
In the category 21 Bilbao Masters, Carlsen finished second with a 2768 performance rating (three wins, three losses, four draws).
2009[link]
Playing in Group A of the Corus chess tournament, Carlsen tied for fifth with a 2739 performance (two wins, one loss, ten draws).[24]
In the Linares chess tournament, Carlsen finished third with a 2777 performance (three wins, two losses, nine draws). In this tournament, he defeated World Champion Viswanathan Anand[25] and the eventual winner Alexander Grischuk[26] for the first time under classical time controls.
Carlsen tied for second place with Veselin Topalov at the M-Tel Masters (category 21) tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria. He lost to eventual winner Alexei Shirov in their final game, dropping him from first.[27]
Carlsen won the category 21 Nanjing Pearl Spring tournament, 2½ points ahead of second-place finisher Topalov, the world's highest-rated player at the time.[28] He scored 8/10 (six wins, four draws, no losses), winning every game as White (against Topalov, Wang Yue, Leko, Radjabov, and Jakovenko), and also winning as Black against Jakovenko. By rating performance, this was one of the greatest results in history, with a performance rating of 3002.[29] This lifted his FIDE rating to 2801, making him the 5th and youngest player to ever surpass 2800.
In the Tal Memorial 2009, played from 5 November to 14 November, Carlsen started with seven straight draws, but finished with wins over Ruslan Ponomariov and Peter Leko. This result put Carlsen in shared second place behind Kramnik and equal with Ivanchuk.[30][31]
After the Tal Memorial, Carlsen won the 2009 World Blitz Championship, played from 16 November to 18 November in Moscow, Russia. His score of 28 wins, 6 draws and 8 losses left him three points ahead of Anand, who finished in second place.[32]
Carlsen entered the 2009 London Chess Classic as the top seed in a field including Kramnik, Hikaru Nakamura, Michael Adams, Nigel Short, Ni Hua, Luke McShane and David Howell. He defeated Kramnik in round one and went on to win the tournament with 13/21 (three points were awarded for a win, and one for a draw; using classical scoring he finished with 5/7) and a performance rating of 2844, one point ahead of Kramnik. This victory has propelled him to the top of the FIDE rating list, surpassing Veselin Topalov.
Carlsen's average rating from the July 2009 and January 2010 FIDE lists will enable him to qualify for the Candidates Tournament of the World Chess Championship 2012 cycle.
In early 2009 Carlsen engaged former world champion Garry Kasparov as a personal trainer.[33] In September 2009 their partnership was confirmed in Norwegian newspapers.[34][35]
In a December 2009 interview with TIME Magazine, in response to a question whether he used computers when studying chess, Carlsen revealed that he does not use a chess set when studying on his own.[36]
He won the Chess Oscar for 2009.[37] The Chess Oscar is awarded to the year's best player according to a worldwide poll of leading chess critics, writers, and journalists conducted by the Russian chess magazine 64.
2010[link]
Ahead of 2010, Carlsen said that he would be playing in fewer tournaments the coming year. The cooperation with Kasparov continued until March that year.[38]
Carlsen won the Corus chess tournament played 16–31 January with 8½ points (five wins, seven draws, one loss). His ninth-round loss to Kramnik ended a streak of 36 rated games undefeated.[39] Carlsen appeared to struggle in the last round against Fabiano Caruana, but saved a draw leaving him half a point ahead of Kramnik and Shirov.[40]
The March 2010 FIDE rating list showed Carlsen with a new peak rating of 2813, a figure that only Kasparov has bettered.[41] In the same month it was announced that Carlsen had split from Kasparov and would no longer be using him as a trainer,[41] although this was put into different context by Carlsen himself in an interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel stating that they would remain in contact and that he would continue to attend training sessions with Kasparov.[42]
Carlsen shared first place alongside Ivanchuk in the Amber 2010 blindfold and rapid tournament. Carlsen scored 6½ points in the blindfold and 8 points in the rapid, giving 14½ points from a possible 22 points.
In May 2010 it was revealed that Carlsen had helped Viswanathan Anand prepare for the World Chess Championship 2010 against challenger Veselin Topalov, which Anand won 6½-5½ to retain the title. Carlsen had also helped Anand prepare for the World Chess Championship 2007 and World Chess Championship 2008.[43]
In his first tournament since his announced departure from Kasparov, Carlsen played in the Bazna Kings Tournament in Romania on 14–25 June. The tournament was a double round robin event involving Wang Yue, Boris Gelfand, former FIDE world champion Ruslan Ponomariov, Teimour Radjabov, and Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu. After drawing his first three games, Carlsen won his next four and set a personal livechess rating peak of 2825.1.[44] He finished with 7½/10 and a 2918 performance rating, winning the tournament by two points over Radjabov and Gelfand.[45][46] The victory ensured that Carlsen remained at the top of the Elo rating list. His official rating hit 2826, a figure exceeded only by Kasparov and just 25 points shy of tying Kasparov's all-time record.
Carlsen then played in a rapid tournament 28–30 August at the Arctic Securities Chess Stars tournament in Kristiansund, Norway. The field featured world champion Viswanathan Anand, female world #1 Judit Polgár, and Jon Ludvig Hammer. In the preliminary round robin, Carlsen scored 3½/6 to qualify for the final, second behind Anand.[47] In the final, Carlsen defeated Anand 1½-½ to win the championship.[48]
Following this event, Carlsen suffered setbacks in his next two tournaments. In the 39th Chess Olympiad from 19 September to 4 October, he scored 4½/8, losing three games, to Baadur Jobava, Michael Adams and Sanan Sjugirov; these were his first losses with the black pieces in more than a year.[49] His team, Norway, finished 51st out of 149 teams.[50]
Carlsen's next tournament was the Grand Slam Masters Final on 9–15 October 2010, which he had qualified for automatically by winning three of the previous year's four Grand Slam chess events (2009 Nanjing Pearl Spring, 2010 Corus, 2010 Bazna Kings). Along with Carlsen, the finals consisted of World Champion Viswanathan Anand and the highest two scorers from the preliminary stage held in Shanghai in September, which featured Vladimir Kramnik, Levon Aronian, Alexei Shirov, and Wang Hao; Shirov and Kramnik qualified.[51][52] The official September 2010 ratings of Carlsen, Anand, Kramnik and Shirov made the Grand Slam final the strongest tournament in chess history, with an average ELO of 2789. In the first round, Carlsen lost on the black side of the Queen's Indian Defense to Kramnik; this was Carlsen's second consecutive loss to Kramnik, and placed his hold on the world #1 ranking in serious jeopardy. In his second round, Carlsen lost with the white pieces to Anand in the Ruy Lopez; this was his first loss as white since January 2010, and dropped him to world #2 in the live rankings behind Anand. Carlsen recovered somewhat in the latter part of the tournament, finishing with 2½/6, including a win over Shirov; the tournament was won by Kramnik with 4/6.[53] Carlsen finished this tournament with a rating of 2802, two points behind Anand at 2804 who officially ended Carlsen's reign at world #1. These setbacks called into question from some whether Carlsen's activities outside chess, such as modelling for G-Star Raw, was distracting him from performing well at the chess board.[54] Carlsen said he did not believe there was a direct connection, and that he was looking forward to the Pearl Spring tournament, where he had scored 8/10 in 2009.[55]
Following the Grand Slam Masters Final, Carlsen's next tournament was the 2010 Pearl Spring chess tournament on 19–30 October in Nanjing, China, against Anand, world #2 Veselin Topalov, Vugar Gashimov, Wang Yue, and Étienne Bacrot.[56] This was the only tournament in 2010 to feature Anand, Carlsen and Topalov, at the time the top three players in the world, and was the first tournament in history to feature three players rated at least 2800. With early wins over Bacrot, Yue, and Topalov with white, Carlsen took the early lead, extending his winning streak with white in Nanjing to eight. This streak was halted by a draw to Anand in round seven, but in the penultimate round Carlsen secured first place by defeating Topalov with the black pieces. This was his second victory in the tournament over the former world #1, and improved his score to 6½/9.[57] The victory clinched Carlsen a place in the 2011 Grand Slam Chess Masters final, his final score of 7/10 (with a performance rating of 2903) was a full point ahead of runner-up Anand, and moved him back to world #1 on the live rankings.
Carlsen next played in the 2010 World Blitz Championship, in Moscow on 16–18 November, attempting to defend his 2009 title. With a score of 23.5/38, he finished in third place behind Teimour Radjabov and winner Levon Aronian.[58]
Carlsen won the 2010 London Chess Classic on 8–15 December in a field comprising world champion Viswanathan Anand, former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, American number one Hikaru Nakamura, and British players Michael Adams, Nigel Short, David Howell, and Luke McShane.[59] Carlsen had a rocky start, losing his Black games to McShane and Anand in rounds 1 and 3, but winning with White against Adams and Nakamura in rounds 2 and 4. He joined the lead with a Black win over Howell in round 5, and managed to stay in the lead following a harrowing draw with Black against Kramnik in round 6, before defeating Short in the last round with White. Since the tournament was played with three points for a win, Carlsen's +4=1-2 score put him ahead of Anand and McShane who scored +2=5 (a more traditional two-points-for-a-win system would have yielded a three-way tie, with Carlsen still on top having the better tiebreaker due to four games with black – Anand and McShane had to play only three times with black).
Carlsen won the Chess Oscar for 2010 by narrowly beating Viswanathan Anand.[60]
2011[link]
Carlsen competed in the GM-A group of the Tata Steel Chess (Corus) tournament on 14–30 January in Wijk aan Zee in an attempt to defend his title;[61] the field included world champion Viswanathan Anand, reigning world blitz champion Levon Aronian, former world champion Vladimir Kramnik, Alexander Grischuk, Hikaru Nakamura, and former FIDE world champion Ruslan Ponomariov among others. Despite losing games with White against Anish Giri and reigning Russian champion Ian Nepomniachtchi, Carlsen finished with 8.0/13, including victories over Kramnik and tournament winner Hikaru Nakamura. Although Carlsen's performance raised his rating from 2814 to 2815, Anand's 8.5/13 score elevated his rating to 2817, making him the official world #1 for the March 2011 FIDE rating list.
The first tournament victory of 2011 came in the Bazna Kings tournament, a double round-robin played in Medias on 11–21 June. Carlsen finished with 6.5 points (+3=7), equal with Sergey Karjakin but with a better tiebreak score. Carlsen won his White games against Nakamura, Nisipeanu, and Ivanchuk and drew the rest of the games.[62] This result raised Carlsen's rating by six points to 2821, and returned Carlsen to first place on the live rating list.
As of November 2011[update], Carlsen is again #1 on the official FIDE rating list with a 2826 rating.
The Grand Slam Chess Final was held as a double-round robin with six players, in São Paulo (25 September – 1 October) and Bilbao (5–11 October). Although Carlsen had a slow start, including a loss against bottom ranked Vallejo Pons, he finished +3=6-1, equal with Ivanchuk (whose +4=3-3 finish was equal due to three points for a win). Carlsen then won the blitz tiebreak against Ivanchuk. The other players were Anand, Aronian, Nakamura, and Vallejo Pons.[63]
Another tournament victory was achieved in the Tal Memorial in Moscow 16–25 November 2011 as a round robin with ten players. Carlsen won two games, against Gelfand and Nakamura, and drew the rest. He finished equal on points with Aronian, and finished ahead since the first tiebreak was the number of Black games; Carlsen had five Black games while Aronian only had four.[64]
In the London Chess Classic, played 3–12 December, Carlsen's streak of tournament victories ended when he finished third, behind Kramnik and Nakamura. Carlsen won three games and drew five. Although he did not win the tournament, Carlsen continued to gain rating points, and rose to a new personal record of 2835.[65]
2012[link]
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At the Tata Steel Chess Tournament held January 14–29, Carlsen finished in a shared second place with 8 points out of 13 (four wins, eight draws, one loss), behind Aronian, and equal with Radjabov and Caruana. Carlsen defeated Gashimov, Aronian, Gelfand, and Topalov, but lost against Karjakin. His score was approximately on par with rating expectations with an overall loss of one point, but he remained in first place on the live rating list.[66]
Playing style[link]
As a teenager, Carlsen became known for his attacking playing style. His win over Sipke Ernst in the 2004 Wijk aan Zee C-group[67] which ended with an epaulette mate was an example of the play that was admired by several other chess players. As he matured, Carlsen found that this risky playing style was not as well suited against the world elite. Around 2005 Carlsen was struggling against more experienced grandmasters, and had trouble getting much out of the opening. To progress, Carlsen became a more universal player, capable of handling all sorts of positions well. In the opening, Carlsen has alternated between various opening moves. Instead of specializing in either 1.d4 or 1.e4, Carlsen has alternated between them, thus making it harder for opponents to prepare against him.[68]
Since the announcement that he was coaching Carlsen, Garry Kasparov has repeatedly stated that Carlsen has a positional style similar to that of past world champions such as Anatoly Karpov, José Capablanca and Vassily Smyslov, rather than the tactical style of Alexander Alekhine, Mikhail Tal and himself.[69]
Rating[link]
In the October 2006 FIDE Elo ratings, Carlsen advanced to world number 22 with a rating of 2698.[70] In the January 2007 ratings he dropped to 2690 and rank 24.[71] In the July 2007 ratings, after a series of strong results, Carlsen advanced to become world number 17 with a rating of 2710.[72] On the January 2008 FIDE rating list he was rated at 2733,[73] and on October 2008 he reached 2786 Elo rating.[74] He was placed sixth in the July 2008 list, but if his Aerosvit result had been included he would have been ranked second. The omission of the Aerosvit result, which finished after the cut-off date for the July 2008 list, caused some controversy.[75]
On 5 September 2008, after winning round 4 in the Bilbao Grand Slam chess championship, Carlsen, still under 18, briefly became number one on the unofficial live ratings list.[76][77]
Carlsen's September–October 2009 victory in the Nanjing Pearl tournament raised his official rating to 2801, making him at age 18 the youngest player ever to break 2800.[78] The youngest before him was Vladimir Kramnik at age 25.[79] Besides Carlsen, only Kasparov, Topalov, Kramnik, and Anand had achieved a 2800 rating (Levon Aronian later accomplished the feat in October 2010). Carlsen said that he hoped his victory would mark the "beginning of a new era."[80]
After the Tal Memorial (November 2009) he became number one in the unofficial live chess rating list with his new peak rating of 2805.7, 0.6 point over the number 2, Veselin Topalov.[81]
The official FIDE rankings were published on 1 January 2010, and the 16 games played at the Tal Memorial and the London Chess Classic were enough to raise his rating by 8.6 rating points to 2810.[82] This meant that Carlsen started 2010 by being the official (and, at the age of &1000000000000001900000019 years, &1000000000000003200000032 days, the youngest ever) world number one, and also the first player from a western nation to reach the top in the FIDE rating list since Bobby Fischer in 1972.[83][84] The press coverage of this feat included an interview and article in Time magazine.[85][86]
Standing on each top 100 FIDE list[link]
| Rating list | Rating | Games | Change | World ranking | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2006 | 2625 | 40 | +55 | 89 | 15 years, 01 month |
| April 2006 | 2646 | 13 | +21 | 63 | 15 years, 04 months |
| July 2006 | 2675 | 27 | +29 | 31 | 15 years, 07 months |
| October 2006 | 2698 | 46 | +23 | 21 | 15 years, 10 months |
| January 2007 | 2690 | 11 | −8 | 24 | 16 years, 01 month |
| April 2007 | 2693 | 27 | +3 | 22 | 16 years, 04 months |
| July 2007 | 2710 | 19 | +17 | 17 | 16 years, 07 months |
| October 2007 | 2714 | 25 | +4 | 16 | 16 years, 10 months |
| January 2008 | 2733 | 37 | +19 | 13 | 17 years, 01 month |
| April 2008 | 2765 | 27 | +32 | 5 | 17 years, 04 months |
| July 2008 | 2775 | 16 | +10 | 6 | 17 years, 07 months |
| October 2008 | 2786 | 31 | +11 | 4 | 17 years, 10 months |
| January 2009 | 2776 | 17 | −10 | 4 | 18 years, 01 month |
| April 2009 | 2770 | 27 | −6 | 3 | 18 years, 04 months |
| July 2009 | 2772 | 12 | +2 | 3 | 18 years, 07 months |
| September 2009 | 2772 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 18 years, 09 months |
| November 2009 | 2801 | 10 | +29 | 2 | 18 years, 11 months |
| January 2010 | 2810 | 16 | +9 | 1 | 19 years, 01 month |
| March 2010 | 2813 | 13 | +3 | 1 | 19 years, 03 months |
| May 2010 | 2813 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 years, 05 months |
| July 2010 | 2826 | 10 | +13 | 1 | 19 years, 07 months |
| September 2010 | 2826 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 years, 09 months |
| November 2010 | 2802 | 14 | −24 | 2 | 19 years, 11 months |
| January 2011 | 2814 | 17 | +12 | 1 | 20 years, 01 month |
| March 2011 | 2815 | 13 | +1 | 2 | 20 years, 03 months |
| May 2011 | 2815 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 years, 05 months |
| July 2011 | 2821 | 10 | +6 | 1 | 20 years, 07 months |
| September 2011 | 2823 | 10 | +2 | 1 | 20 years, 09 months |
| November 2011 | 2826 | 10 | +3 | 1 | 20 years, 11 months |
| January 2012 | 2835 | 17 | +9 | 1 | 21 years, 01 month |
| March 2012 | 2835 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 21 years, 03 months |
- bold, new peak rating
Books and films[link]
- Valaker, O; Carlsen, M. (2004). Lær sjakk med Magnus. Gyldendal Norsk Forlag. ISBN 978-82-05-33963-7.
- Agdestein, S. (2004). Wonderboy: how Magnus Carlsen became the youngest Chess Grandmaster in the world: the story of the games. Interchess. ISBN 90-5691-131-7.
- The Prince of Chess, a film about Magnus Carlsen (2005) Directed by Øyvind Asbjørnsen.[87]
Beyond chess[link]
Magnus Carlsen modeled for G-Star Raw's Autumn/Winter 2010 advertising campaign.[88]
References[link]
- ^ "Medias R10: Magnus Carlsen wins with two-point lead". ChessBase. 25 June 2010. http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6457. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
- ^ It's official: Magnus Carlsen is number one!, Chessbase, accessed 2 January 2010
- ^ "Chess News - Facts and figures: Magnus Carlsen's performance in Nanjing". ChessBase.com. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5828. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
- ^ Magnus Carlsen drops out of World Championship cycle, Chessbase, 5 November 2010
- ^ Corus Chess 2004: Crosstable of grandmaster group C. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
- ^ Corus Chess 2004: Report of round 12 – CCT 2004: Hiccup for Anand – Carlsen Supreme. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
- ^ "The Mozart of Chess". chessbase.com. 27 January 2004. http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=1447. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
- ^ "Boy meets Beast in Reykjavik", ChessBase New, 19 March 2004. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
- ^ "Magnificent Magnus, the world's youngest grandmaster", ChessBase News, 30 April 2004. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
- ^ FIDE: Top 100 Players October 2004 – Archive. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
- ^ "Smartfish sensation: Carlsen defeats Shirov", ChessBase News, 4 January 2005. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
- ^ Tarjei J. Svensen: "14-year-old Carlsen with 2792 performance", ChessBase News, 20 October 2005. Retrieved 23 November 2009.
- ^ Nafn. "Skáksamband Íslands – Glitnir blitz 2006". Skaksamband.is. http://skaksamband.is/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=32. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ Nafn. "Skáksamband Íslands – Results". Skaksamband.is. http://skaksamband.is/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=33. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "Schachserver der Wiener Zeitung (Austria)". Schach.wienerzeitung.at. http://schach.wienerzeitung.at/tnr3410.aspx?art=23&lan=1&flag=30&snr=24. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "The NH Chess Tournament". Nhchess.quinsy.net. http://nhchess.quinsy.net/. Retrieved 3 January 20103.
- ^ "Second Arctic Chess Challenge in Tromsø". Chessbase news. 7 August 2007. http://www.pocketfritz.de/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4035. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- ^ "Brede Hagen vs Magnus Carlsen". Chessgames.com. http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1469361. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- ^ "Carlsen vs Carlsen – Magnus beats his dad". ChessBase News. 10 August 2007. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4039. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- ^ "Chess News – Magnus Carlsen withdraws from Grand Prix". ChessBase.com. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5053. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ Gyimesi, Zoltán (3 June 2008). "Miskolc: Carlsen wins the rapid chess match 5:3". ChessBase News. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4672. Retrieved 3 June 2008
- ^ "Aerosvit-2008 official site". Ukrchess.org.ua. 2008-06-20. http://www.ukrchess.org.ua/aerosvit2008/index_e.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
- ^ Chessvine Article, "Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen"
- ^ Sergey Karjakin wins Wijk aan Zee 2009, Chessbase, accessed 2 January 2010
- ^ "R6: Carlsen defeats Anand, Grischuk leads". ChessBase News, 26 February 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
- ^ "Linares R12: Carlsen defeats Grischuk, lead narrows". ChessBase News, 6 March 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
- ^ Dylan Loeb McClain: "Highly Ranked Youth Loses Tactical Battle to an Old Pro", 'New York Times', 30 May 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
- ^ Lubomir Kavalek, CHESS, Washington Post, 12 October 2009. Retrieved on 12 October 2009.
- ^ Nanjing: Carlsen wins Pearl Spring with 3002 performance, Chessbase, 10 October 2009
- ^ Dylan Loeb McClain: "Kramnik Wins Tal Memorial, Carlsen Claims No. 1 Ranking", New York Times Chess Blog, 15 November 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ Dylan Loeb McClain: "Norwegian, 18, Is Youngest to Be Ranked No. 1 at Chess", New York Times, 14 November 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "World Blitz Championship – Tournament table". russiachess.com. http://tal.russiachess.org/results/2009/blitz/tournament_table_acc_places.html. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
- ^ Peter Doggers: "Magnus Carlsen: "My job is to improve my chess"", ChessVibes, 7 September 2009
- ^ Macauley Peterson: "Carlsen, Kasparov Team Up", The Internet Chess Club, 7 September 2009.
- ^ "Breaking news: Carlsen and Kasparov join forces", ChessBase News, 7 September 2009; translated from the Norwegian newspaper VG Nett. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ Harrell, Eben (25 December 2009). "Magnus Carlsen: The 19-Year-Old King of Chess". Time. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1948809,00.html.
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- ^ a b Barden, Leonard (13 March 2010). "World No1 Magnus Carlsen parts company with mentor Garry Kasparov". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/mar/13/chess-magnus-carlsen-garry-kasparov. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ "Magnus Carlsen on his chess career", ChessBase News, 15 March 2010.
- ^ "Chess News – Anand in Playchess – the helpers in Sofia". Chessbase. 19 May 2010. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6346. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
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- ^ Results
- ^ Mark Crowther - Friday 25th June 2010 (2010-06-25). "2010 Bazna Kings Tournament". Chess.co.uk. http://www.chess.co.uk/twic/chessnews/events/4th-kings-tournament-2010. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
- ^ "Arctic Securities Rapid: Carlsen gets 'hammered', reaches final". Chessbase.com. 29 August 2010. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6641. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
- ^ "Carlsen beats Anand, wins Arctic Securities Rapid". Chessbase.com. 31 August 2010. http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6644. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
- ^ "Team-Composition for federation NOR – Open". chess-results.com. http://www.chess-results.com/tnr36795.aspx?art=20&fed=NOR&lan=1&flag=30&m=-1&wi=1000. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ "Standings | World Chess Olympiad 2010 Khanty-Mansiysk | Всемирная Шахматная Олимпиада Ханты-Мансийск". Ugra-chess.com. http://ugra-chess.com/standings.php. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
- ^ "Final Chess Masters 2010 in Shanghai and Bilbao". Chessbase.com. http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6567. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
- ^ Mark Crowther - Wednesday 8th September 2010 (2010-09-08). "Shanghai Masters 2010". Chess.co.uk. http://www.chess.co.uk/twic/chessnews/events/shanghai-masters-2010. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
- ^ Valaker, Ole (15 October 2010). "Magnus endte på 3. plass" (in Norwegian). Nettavisen. http://www.nettavisen.no/sjakk/article3006142.ece. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
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- ^ Carlsen, Magnus. "Magnus Carlsen`s Blog". http://www.arcticsec.no/index.php?blog_id=102&button=blog&main_image=35. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
- ^ "Nanjing Super Chess Tournament 2010 (updated)". Previews.chessdom.com. 2010-10-30. http://previews.chessdom.com/2010/nanjing-chess-2010. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
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- ^ John Saunders - Saturday 5th June 2010 (2010-06-05). "Anand and Carlsen to star in London Chess Classic 2010". Chess.co.uk. http://www.chess.co.uk/twic/chessnews/events/london-chess-classic-2010/anand-and-carlsen-to-star-in-london-chess-classic-2010. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
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- ^ "Kramnik wins Tal Memorial 2009, Carlsen number one", ChessBase News, 14 November 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
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- ^ A Bold Opening for Chess Player Magnus Carlsen, TIME (11 January 2010), Ebden Harell, accessed 2 January 2010
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External links[link]
 |
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Magnus Carlsen |
|
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Magnus Carlsen |
- Magnus Carlsen player profile at ChessGames.com
Official links[link]
- Official website
- Official blog
- Magnus Carlsen on Twitter (as per link from "Blog" section of website)
- Magnus Carlsen rating card at FIDE
News items and interviews[link]
- Mega Magnus in Wijk aan Zee, ChessBase, 27 January 2004
- World's youngest grandmaster, Aftenposten, 26 April 2004
- Magnificent Magnus, the world's youngest grandmaster, ChessBase, 30 April 2004 – extensive interview
- Carlsen and Kasparov in a chat show, YouTube, 18 September 2009 - very impressive how Kasparov is recalling his first encounter with Carlsen in Reykjavik 2004, being on the verge of defeat in game 1, feeling gruesome in hindsight
- Magnus Carlsen: The 19-Year-Old King of Chess, Time.com, 29 September 2009 – interview
- A Bold Opening for Chess Player Magnus Carlsen, Time.com, 11 January 2010
- Magnus Carlsen on his chess career, ChessBase, 15 March 2010 – English translation of Spiegel interview
- The Prince's Gambit—A chess star emerges for the post-computer age (abstract), by D.T. Max, The New Yorker, 21 March 2011
- "The Mozart of Chess", "60 Minutes" segment
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Leinier Domínguez |
World Blitz Chess Champion 2009 |
Succeeded by Levon Aronian |
| Preceded by Veselin Topalov Viswanathan Anand Viswanathan Anand |
World No. 1 1 January 2010 – 31 October 2010 1 January 2011 – 28 February 2011 1 July 2011 – present |
Succeeded by Viswanathan Anand Viswanathan Anand Incumbent |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Carlsen, Magnus |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | |
| Date of birth | 30 November 1990 |
| Place of birth | Tønsberg, Norway |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Magnus_Carlsen
Related pages:
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http://cs.wn.com/Magnus Carlsen
http://id.wn.com/Magnus Carlsen
http://es.wn.com/Magnus Carlsen
http://ru.wn.com/Карлсен, Магнус
http://pl.wn.com/Magnus Carlsen
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http://de.wn.com/Magnus Carlsen
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http://nl.wn.com/Magnus Carlsen
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_Carlsen
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
