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Africa Africa is a large continent with many different cultures. Here are some resources to help you explore the art, societies, languages, literature, music and customs of Africa. To start, here is a proverb from Nigeria: "Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter." Web:
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Antarctica and the Arctic The Arctic is the northernmost part of the Earth, centered around the North Pole. The Antarctic is the southernmost part of the Earth, centered around the South Pole. What these two regions have in common are their extreme, very cold, virtually uninhabitable climates. The Arctic, however, is one large, frozen sea (the Arctic Ocean), while the Antarctic contains a large continent, Antarctica. In 1959, 12 countries signed the Antarctic Treaty, stating that Antarctica would not be controlled by any one country, and the continent would only be used for science and exploration, not for military activities. In 1985, 35 countries signed another treaty, agreeing that there would be no human access to the land outside of designated research zones. In 1991, exploration for oil or minerals was banned for 50 years. Web:
Asia Asia has many cultures and peoples, each with its own history, traditions and customs. There are 240 different languages that are spoken by at least one million people each. Perhaps even more incredible, there are 12 languages that are spoken by more than 100 million people. (Here is the list, in order, starting from the top: Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish, English, Bengali, Arabic, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, German, French, Malay-Indonesian.) Clearly, Asia is one of the best continents in the entire world. Web:
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Australia Australia is the smallest continent on Planet Earth, conveniently located southeast of Asia, between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Commonwealth of Australia includes a few external territories: the island of Tasmania, Christmas Island (the location of Santa's summer cottage), the Cocos Islands, the Coral Sea Islands, Norfolk Island, Heard and McDonald Islands, and a portion of the Antarctic Territory. The original inhabitants are thought to be Southeast Asian seafaring colonists. In 1770, the English Captain James Cook sailed into Botany Bay and claimed the eastern coast of Australia for Great Britain. The first British settlement was a penal colony. Australian geography is generally flat and arid and is the exclusive home of the platypus, koala, kangaroo, and wine of questionable parentage. Web:
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Brazil In the year 1500, the Brazilian territory was claimed for Portugal by Pedro Alvares Cabral and was officially part of Portugal until 1822, when the Brazilians declared their independence. The Federative Republic of Brazil is the largest country in South America, occupying half the continent and having the fifth highest population in the world. Brazil has abundant natural resources: fertile land (on which is grown coffee, cocoa, bananas, corn, citrus, sugar cane, soybeans, cotton and tobacco), and vast deposits of metals, minerals and gems (iron, manganese, chromium, uranium, platinum, quartz, coal and industrial diamonds). Brazil contains the Amazon basin, which is the home of the world's largest rainforests. Web:
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Cajun Culture In 1755, the British and the French were gearing up for a war in the New World and, as a preliminary courtesy, the British authorities in Acadia (at the far east of Canada) kindly asked the French colonists to either renounce their religion (Catholicism) and swear allegiance to England, or could they please remove themselves to another part of the planet. What followed was a massive, haphazard migration that ended with a large number of French Acadians settling in the southern part of Louisiana, where they established small farms. (The word "Cajun" comes from the original French pronunciation of "Acadia".) Today, there is still a well-established Cajun culture -- spreading through 22 of Louisiana's 64 parishes (counties) -- and centered around the city of Lafayette. Cajun food has a large variety of specialties such as jambalaya, gumbo, turtle sauce piquante and crawfish bisque. What I like best is that Cajun is the only culture in which one of the traditional musical instruments is the triangle (the other instruments being the fiddle and the accordion). As you can see, when it comes to food or music, Cajun culture has something for everyone. Web:
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Caribbean After many months of working on a book, there's nothing like going to the Caribbean with a beautiful woman and spending your days snorkeling or lying around on the beach. If that's what you like to do on your vacation, check out some of the Caribbean resources on the Net. You will find travel and tourist guides, links to other Internet sites, pictures, reading material, news, current weather conditions, and much more about the Caribbean. Web:
Central America Central America is the part of North America that separates the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea and stretches from Mexico to Colombia. The countries of Central America are Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. The area is culturally rich, and parts of it are exquisitely beautiful. Central American climate varies from tropical to cool. Its chief exports are bananas, coffee, and T-shirts that say, "My parents went to Central America and all I got was a lousy banana and a package of coffee." Web:
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Chile When you look at a map of the west coast of South America, the most striking thing you see is the shape of the country of Chile. Although Chile is about 2,600 miles (4,180 km) long, it has an average width of only 110 miles (177 km), making it the narrowest large country in the world. (In fact, the coastline is longer than the width of the United States.) Because it is surrounded by virtually impassable barriers, Chile was unknown to the outside world until the middle of the 15th century, when it was occupied by the Incas. In 1541, Chile was colonized by Spain, from which it declared its independence in 1818. The country of Chile includes Easter Island, the island with the large statues, even though it is 2,300 miles (3,700 km) from the mainland. Web:
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China The People's Republic of China, located in central and eastern Asia, is the most highly populated country in the world. Geographically, China is the third-largest country (after Russia and Canada) and is one of the world's leading producers of minerals, as well as having huge reserves of coal and oil. China is the home of very old civilizations. The first documented Chinese civilization was the Shang dynasty, which lasted from 1523 B.C. to 1027 B.C. Outside of China, people know the country as being famous for its philosophers (such as Confucius and Lao-Tze), the Great Wall (a 25-foot high, 1,500-mile long barrier, completed in the 3rd century B.C. in an attempt to keep out invaders), and its culinary contributions to American cuisine. Web:
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CIA World Factbook The CIA World Factbook contains detailed information about every country and territory in the world. For each country you will find data about geography, people, government, the economy, transportation, communication and defense. This is a fantastic resource with which you should become familiar; you never know what you will find. For example, I found out that 97 percent of Canadians over 15 years old can read and write. (The others, presumably, depend on a graphical user interface.) Web:
Country Studies Area Handbooks This resource consists of a series of books prepared by a division of the U.S. Library of Congress and sponsored by the Department of the Army. These books are fabulous resources, each one describing a separate country. You will find information about the people of that country, its government, social institutions and history. Whenever I want to learn about a particular country, this is where I go first. Web:
Czech Republic The Czech Republic has some of the most beautiful scenery and interesting culture in Eastern Europe. Take some time to browse this Internet site, and you will find a great many resources to guide you through the Czech Republic. Here is my hint for staying out of trouble: just memorize this phrase -- To je moc drahe -- and use it as much as possible. Web:
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Egypt Take a guided tour of Egypt without ever having to leave your seat. See pictures and learn a little of the history and culture of the land of the great pyramids. You can even download pictures of some of those great pyramids, the Temple of Osiris and the Nile, and then send them to your friends on the Net, saying, "Having a great time. Wish you were here." Web:
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France France is a country in Western Europe and is more agricultural than most people realize. Roughly 30 percent of the land is used for livestock, while another 30 percent is used for crops such as wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets and potatoes. France is also a well-known producer of wine, second only to Italy. Throughout its history, France has been embroiled in many wars and conflicts. Between 58-51 B.C., the area -- which was known as Gaul -- was conquered by Romans under Julius Caesar. In more modern times, France has been involved in the Crusades, the Hundred Years War, the Seven Years War, the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the July Revolution, the February Revolution, the Franco-Prussian War, and the two World Wars. All this and they make great cheese, too. Web:
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Germany The Federal Republic of Germany is located in north-central Europe. Germany is a mountainous country with the Black Forest (famous for its cuckoo clocks and toys) to the west and the Bavarian Alps (famous for its cream pies) to the south. Like its neighbor to the west (France), Germany has been involved in many wars and conflicts through the years, and was the base for two of the world's most powerful and ambitious military leaders: Napoleon and Hitler. As a result, Germany has faced a huge amount of political and social upheaval in its history. After World War II, the country was divided into parts that were occupied by various Allied forces. The country was not completely reunified until October 3, 1990. Web:
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Hungary Hungary is located in central Europe on the Danube River and is the home of Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Europe. Being located centrally, Hungary suffered by being overrun by various groups of invaders, in particular the Magyars, Turks, Austrians and Soviets. Hungary is a beautiful country with more than 1,000 lakes and many parks and protected areas. One of the most famous Hungarians of all time is Franz Liszt (1811-1886), the piano virtuoso and composer. Web:
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Immigration If your goal is to move to the United States, you'll want to know all about green cards, temporary visas, citizenship, the visa lottery and various types of asylum. In the Usenet groups, you'll find discussions about immigrating to other countries, as well as specific groups for Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. Web:
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India With more than 900 million people, India is the second-most populous country in the world (after China). India's people represent many cultures and traditions, and speak many different languages, with Hindi and English predominating. To a foreigner, India is a mysterious place: a country divided by caste, ethnicity and custom. However, it is also the largest democracy in the world. Web:
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Indigenous Cultures and Peoples From the 15th to the 20th century, Europeans explored much of Africa, the Americas and Asia. During this time, the Spanish, Portuguese, English, French and Dutch established many colonies around the world, mostly in areas that were already occupied by indigenous peoples. By the mid-20th century, virtually all of these colonies became independent, some of them having evolved into great countries, such as the United States, Canada and Australia. However, for several centuries, the indigenous peoples and their cultures had been suppressed, resulting in the creation of an underclass. Although these people represent great diversity, they do have much in common, including spiritual practices, a close association with nature, and a history of being repressed. Today, many of these peoples are once again growing strong and are using the Internet to help reestablish themselves and their cultures. Web:
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Indonesia Indonesia is in southeast Asia and is made up of more than 3,000 islands, from the Malaysian mainland to New Guinea. The main islands of Indonesia are Java, Kalimantan (Borneo), Celebes (Sulawesi), Bali, Timor, the Moluccas (Maluku), Irian Jaya (West New Guinea) and Sumatra (home of Sherlock Holmes's infamous giant rat). Indonesia, which used to be known as the Dutch East Indies, gained its independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Ranked by population, Indonesia is the fourth largest country in the world, and is home to more than 250 different languages and dialects. Indonesia produces a variety of exports, including petroleum, natural gas, exotic rainforest hardwoods, rubber, palm oil and cinchona (an evergreen tree that is a source of quinine). Web:
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Ireland Ireland has more than three and a half million people in an area about the size of West Virginia. The Irish people have a well-known culture -- literature, music, dance, folklore -- as well as highly developed social customs. They also have a political history that certainly qualifies as "interesting". Meet, chat and drink with Irish people on the Net, and use the Web to explore the leprechaun-loving Emerald Isle. Web:
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Israel The State of Israel is located on the eastern Mediterranean sea and was formed in 1948, after the United Nations divided Palestine into Jewish and Arab territories. About 85 percent of the population of Israel is Jewish, and the official languages are Hebrew and Arabic. For decades, the Jews and Palestinians have been fighting over the land, both groups having strong feelings of ownership. Despite a great deal of political tension, Israel has a large tourist industry. About 7 percent of the population of Israel lives on either a collective farm (kibbutz) or an agricultural co-op (moshav). Web:
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Italy In ancient times, Rome, the capital of modern-day Italy, established an empire that lasted 500 years and contributed mightily to world culture. Today, Italian food, fashion, language and art are all influential outside of their native home. To find out about Italy, there are many resources on the Net you can use, as well as Usenet and IRC for discussion. (All this talk about Italy is making me hungry. I wish I had some spaghetti right now.) Web:
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Japan Japan (Nippon) is an archipelago off the northeast coast of Asia. The country has four main islands -- Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu -- as well as other smaller ones. Japan is an old country, first settled in 660 B.C. Two thirds of the land consists of mountains, the most famous being Mount Fuji. Japan has a democratic form of government with a prime minister as chief executive, and an emperor as symbolic head of state. Legislative power resides with the national legislature (called the Diet), consisting of a House of Representatives and a House of Councillors. Web:
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Korea The Korean Peninsula was first unified into a single political entity in 668 A.D. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Korea was much affected by the political and military machinations of other countries. During World War II, it was agreed by the major powers that, after Japan (which had invaded Korea) was defeated, the country would become an independent state. Unfortunately, at the Yalta Conference in 1945, the leaders of the United States, England and the Soviet Union agreed in secret to divide the Korean Peninsula in order to make it easier to disarm the Japanese: the U.S. would occupy the south, the Soviets would occupy the north. Well, you can guess what happened. As with other famous divisions in history -- such as East and West Germany, North and South Vietnam, and North and South Dakota -- one part became communist while the other developed into a Western-style something or other. Today, Koreans are a people divided: North and South Korea share the Korean Peninsula, but that is about all they share. Web:
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Latin America Latin America is a descriptive term referring to the countries of Central and South America. These countries include Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. In all of these countries the official language is Spanish, with the exception of Brazil (Portuguese), Haiti (French) and Belize (English). Web:
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Malaysia Malaysia is an independent federation in southeast Asia, consisting of the southern Malay Peninsula and the northern portion of the island of Borneo. In its early history, Malaysia was part of the British protectorates, but achieved its independence in 1963. Malaysia has 4,800 km of coastline and more than 200 islands. Culturally, Malaysia consists of a number of diverse ethnic groups, the main ones being Malays (58%), Chinese (26%) and Indians (7%). There are also indigenous peoples, the Sabah and the Sarawak. The Malaysian constitution recognizes Islam as the official religion. In principle, every citizen has the right to practice his or her own religion, although, in practice, Islam predominates over Buddhism (Chinese) and Hinduism (Indians). The official language is Malay, although other languages are commonly spoken, including English, Chinese, and numerous tribal languages. The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur. Web:
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Mexico Mexico is a large country bordered to the north by the United States and to the south by Belize and Guatemala. Mexico's indigenous population was conquered by Spain in the early 16th century and regained its independence in 1822. You can read more about Mexico and its people and culture by checking out the Web sites. If you want to talk with people from Mexico, you can participate in the Usenet discussion groups. Web:
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Middle Europe The first question one must ask when contemplating whether to join a discussion group relating to Middle Europe is: What is Middle Europe? It's defined as the countries lying between the Mediterranean/Adriatic and Baltic Seas and between the German/Austrian borders and the former Soviet Union. That settled, the second question would be: What is the list about? Just about everything. The list is unmoderated, and topics cover history, culture, politics, economics and current events.
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Morocco Moonlight in Morocco. It sounds so exotic. What a great movie that would make. The first scene shows a man sitting in front of the computer looking at a Web page about Morocco. He reads all about the culture, cooking and history of this country. He decides to go, and while he's there he has a daring adventure, finds love, and the final scene shows him with a beautiful woman, riding a camel into the sunset. This could be you. Go read about Morocco. Web:
New Zealand New Zealand consists of two main islands about 1,500 miles east of Australia and 8,200 miles southwest of Fargo, North Dakota. The two islands are called North Island and South Island, although the origin of these names is lost to antiquity. The New Zealand Web sites have a wonderful collection of information. You can learn about famous people from New Zealand such as Edmund Hillary (the first man to climb Mount Everest), Ernest Rutherford (who pioneered our understanding of atomic structure), and Kate Shepphard (notable women's suffragist). You can also find information about the Maori (aboriginal people), New Zealand English, read a translation of Jules Verne's encounter with rampaging kiwis (large New Zealand birds), and much, much more. If you are planning a trip to New Zealand, check the Net for travel information before you leave. After all, you don't want to make a wrong turn and end up in Fargo, North Dakota. Web:
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Norway Norway is a country in northern Europe, in the western portion of the Scandinavian peninsula. Norway is rugged and mountainous, and is the home of the largest glacier field in Europe, Jostedalsbreen. The country is a constitutional monarchy, and has two official languages, both of which are forms of Norwegian: Bokmål and Nynorsk. Famous Norwegians include Henrik Ibsen (author), Edvard Grieg (composer), and Edvard Munch (painter). Web:
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Peru The Republic of Peru is a Spanish-speaking country on the west coast of South America. The capital of Peru, Lima, includes the port of Callao. Much of Peru lies within the Andes mountains, and the country is particularly susceptible to earthquakes. (In 1970, 50,000 people were killed by a big quake.) Peru produces copper, silver, petroleum, sugarcane, fish, cotton and coca (from which cocaine is made). Peru has been inhabited for well over 10,000 years and was home to the Incas who, before the Spanish Conquest, established an empire that stretched from northern Ecuador to central Chile. Web:
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Poland The Republic of Poland is a country in central Europe, bordered on the north by the Baltic Sea. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, Poland enjoyed prosperity and a flourishing culture. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Poland lost much of its territory to Sweden and Russia. In the late 18th century, the remaining portion of Poland was partitioned into three sections by Prussia, Austria and Russia. As a result, Poland, as a country, vanished from the map of the world. However, Poland had strong nationalistic traditions and came back into existence after World War I, its borders being fixed by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Web:
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Portugal The Portuguese Republic is located in southwest Europe on the western Iberian Peninsula (which it shares with Spain), and includes the Madeira Islands and the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean. Most people don't know that Portugal is a major supplier of the world's cork. (If it wasn't for Portugal, most of the champagne in the world would be flat.) Portugal is also known for its vineyards, olive groves and almond trees, but, due to antiquated farming techniques, the Portuguese are unable to produce enough food for their own country. (However, they do have lots of cork.) In the 15th century, Portugal was at a peak, with territories extending into Asia, Africa and America. Portugal's decline began in the 16th century when Spain began to take over various Portuguese territories, and, through the years, many of the remaining territories have declared their independence. Today, Portugal is a relatively small but stable country. Web:
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Russia The Russian Federation occupies most of eastern Europe and northern Asia. It extends 5,000 miles (8,000 km) from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean, crossing eleven time zones and covering more than a tenth of the Earth's land area. Geographically, it is the world's largest country and ranks sixth in population. The Russian climate varies from extreme cold in northern Russia and Siberia (Verkhoyansk, Siberia, is the world's coldest settled place) to subtropical along the Black Sea. Generally speaking, we can think of Russia as being divided into European Russia and Asiatic Russia. Most of the population lives in European Russia, making Russia an important European power. Web:
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Saudi Arabia The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is an arid desert country that controls 25 percent of the world's oil reserves. The holy cities of Mecca and Medina are both located in Saudi Arabia. The majority of Arabs adhere to the Wahhabi sect of Islam. There are also some Muslim Arabs, called Bedouin, who rove in tribal groups, headed by a sheikh. Their main livelihood is breeding camels and sheep. Web:
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Slovakia Slovakia, a country in central Europe, was more or less under Hungarian rule until 1918, at which time it became part of Czechoslovakia. On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia split into Slovakia and the Czech Republic. On the Net, you can find maps, statistics, pictures, accommodation and transportation guides, and political, historical and tourist information. Web:
Spain Spain lies in southwestern Europe, on the north shore of the Mediterranean Sea. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain had a powerful navy, which enabled the country to assemble a large empire and colonize much of the New World. The 18th and 19th centuries, however, saw Spain lose most of its empire, due to economic and political instability. In the 20th century, Spain remained neutral through two world wars, although it did suffer from a devastating civil war (1936-1939). Modern day Spain is one of the cultural centers of Europe, as it has been for centuries and, outside the major cities, is still very much an agricultural country. Web:
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Sweden Sweden has a population of 8.8 million people, 85 percent of whom live in the southern half of the country. Sweden is one of the oldest continuously existing countries on the entire planet, being over a thousand years old. In that thousand years, Sweden has given the world much to be thankful for: food and drink (especially vodka), automobiles, furniture, as well as a model for highly socialized democracy. Web:
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Taiwan Taiwan (which used to be called Formosa) is an island nation off the southeast coast of China. Taiwan was first settled by the Chinese in the 7th century. It was later held by Holland, then China again and then Japan. In 1945, after World War II, control of Taiwan passed back to China. However, in 1949, the Nationalists (led by Chiang Kai-shek) were expelled from mainland China by the Communists and settled in Taiwan where they set up a government in exile. Today, Taiwan is still completely separate from China, although the two countries have significant cultural and economic ties. Web:
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Thailand Thailand (once called Siam) occupies a central position in southeast Asia, both geographically and politically. The country was first established in the mid-14th century, but spent much of its history being dominated by other countries. In 1932, Thailand became a constitutional monarchy. Today, the Thai people are united in three ways: via the Buddhist religion, through their love for freedom, and by their support of the monarchy. Web:
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United Kingdom The United Kingdom, or U.K., is in western Europe and consists of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland. The U.K. is governed by a constitutional monarchy and is one of the world's leading industrial nations. The U.K.'s contributions to world culture are legion: the Royal Family, well-mannered soccer fans, afternoon tea, and Monty Python, not to mention a longstanding contribution to the world of food and haute cuisine. Web:
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United States American culture, inventiveness and business influence all have an enormous effect on the world at large. Here are the places to discuss what America is and how it fits into the global community. Talk, argue and meet new friends, all at the same time. For information about the United States, these Web sites will help you explore the land of the free and home of the brave from your living room. (You do need to supply your own hot dog and apple pie.) Web:
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Venezuela Venezuela is located on the northern coast of South America on the Caribbean Sea. In 1499, a Spanish explorer named an offshore island Venezuela, meaning "little Venice". The explorer called the island "little Venice" because the inhabitants of the island built their huts above the water on stilts. The name was eventually used for the mainland area. Web:
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World Culture Talk and General Discussion As more and more of the world connects to the Net, we become closer to one another and more and more like a global village. Today, problems and conflicts anywhere in the world are of concern to everyone. These discussion groups are for talking about general world and cultural issues. Usenet:
World Heritage List Around the world, there are many cultural and natural sites that are part of the common heritage of people everywhere. In order to help preserve these sites, the World Heritage Committee, working under the auspices of UNESCO, identifies such places and publishes information about them in the World Heritage list. Web:
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