M. R. Bonk – Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations (12th edition, 6 Volumes)

Автор: M. R. Bonk
Название книги: Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations (12th edition, 6 Volumes)
Формат: PDF
Жанр: История Азии и Африки
Страницы: 4238
Качество: Изначально компьютерное, E-book

GENERAL NOTE: Th e Twelft h Edition of Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations (WEN) is comprised of
fi ve volumes. Volume 1 is dedicated to the United Nations and its related agencies. Volumes 2 through 5,
“Africa,” “Americas,” “Asia and Oceania,” and “Europe,” contain entries on the countries of the world.
Refl ecting the ever-changing status of the world geopolitical situation, the Twelft h Edition includes entries
for 194 countries, one more than the previous edition. Th is refl ects the 2006 decision of Montenegro
to dissolve its relationship with Serbia to become an independent nation in its own right. Seven entries describe
dependencies. Th is edition no longer includes volume 6, which was entitled World Leaders.
Some notable changes in previous editions include the Eleventh Edition’s inclusion of an entry on East
Timor, coverage of the aft ermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, and the expansion of the European
Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Changes in the Tenth Edition included
recording of the change in status for Macau; as of December 1999 Macau came under Chinese authority,
and thus Macau was incorporated into the China entry (previously it was described under Portuguese Asian
Dependency). Similarly, the entry for United Kingdom Asian Dependency (Hong Kong) was eliminated
with the Ninth Edition; as of 1997 Hong Kong came under Chinese authority and, like Macau, is described
in that country’s entry. Also with the Tenth Edition, the introduction of the euro as currency in the nations
of the European Union was noted. Th e Eighth Edition of this encyclopedia (1995) reported on the dramatic
changes in the world in the early 1990s, including the dissolution of the USSR, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia;
the unifi cation of Germany; the unifi cation of Yemen; and the independence of Eritrea. Th ese changes
resulted in twenty-fi ve new country articles. Whereas the First Edition of the Worldmark Encyclopedia of the
Nations, in one volume, contained 119 articles, the present Twelft h Edition now contains 201.
In compiling data for incorporation into the Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, substantial eff orts
were made to enlist the assistance of the government of every nation in the world, as well as of all pertinent
UN agencies, who cooperated by supplying data and by revising and updating materials relevant to their
sphere of interest. Material received from offi cial sources was reviewed and critically assessed by the editors
as part of the process of incorporation. Materials and publications of the UN family and of intergovernmental
and nongovernmental organizations throughout the world provided a major fund of geographic, demographic,
economic, and social data.
In compiling historical, economic, and political data, primary materials generated by governments and
international agencies were supplemented by data gathered from numerous other sources including newspapers
(most notably Th e European, the Financial Times, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal);
periodicals (most notably Current History, Elections Today, Th e Economist, the Far Eastern Economic Review,
Foreign Aff airs, and World Press Review); and thousands of World Wide Web sites hosted by government
agencies and embassies.
Th e reader’s attention is directed to the Glossary of Special Terms for explanations of key terms and concepts
essential to a fuller understanding of the text.
COUNTRY NAMES: Country names are reported (as appropriate) in three forms: the short-form name
(generally conformed to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook 2006), as commonly used in
the text; the English version of the offi cial name (generally conformed to the United Nations list of country
names); and the offi cial name in the national language(s). When necessary, textual usages of some shortform
names have been rectifi ed, usually through the substitution of an acronym for the offi cial name, in
order to strike a better balance between offi cial usages and universal terminology. Th us the following shortform
names have been adopted throughout (except in historical context to preserve accuracy): DROC
(Democratic Republic of the Congo—known as Zaire prior to the Ninth Edition); ROC (Republic of the
Congo); FRG (Federal Republic of Germany); North Korea: DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea);
and South Korea: ROK (Republic of Korea). In addition, Vietnam has replaced Viet Nam to refl ect common
usage.
MAPS: Spellings on the individual country maps refl ect national usages and recognized transliteration
practice. To clarify national boundaries and landforms, dark shading has been applied to waters, and lighter
shading to lands not within that nation’s jurisdiction. Cross-hatching has been used to designate certain
disputed areas. Rivers that run dry during certain times of the year are indicated by dashed instead of solid
lines.
FLAGS AND NATIONAL EMBLEMS: All depictions of fl ags, fl ag designations, and national emblems
have been reviewed and, where necessary, corrected or changed to refl ect their offi cial usage as of 2006. In
general, the term “national fl ag” denotes the civil fl ag of the nation.
CURRENCY: In most cases, currency conversion factors cited in the Twelft h Edition are as of the fi rst
quarter of 2006.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: Th e general world trend toward adoption of the metric system is acknowledged
through the use of metric units and their nonmetric (customary or imperial) equivalents throughout
the text. Th e two exceptions to this practice involve territorial sea limits, which are reported in nautical
miles, and various production data, for which (unless otherwise stated) units of measure refl ect the system
in use by the country in question. All tons are metric tons (again, unless otherwise indicated), refl ecting the
practice of the UN in its statistical reporting.
HOLIDAYS: Except where noted, all holidays listed are offi cial public holidays, on which government offi
ces are closed that would normally be open. Transliterations of names of Muslim holidays have been standardized.
For a fuller discussion on these points, and for a description of religious holidays and their origins
and meanings, see the Glossary of Religious Holidays in this volume.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: To update the sections on Location, Size, and Extent; Topography,
Climate, Flora and Fauna, and Environment, the following print publications (and their publishers) were
used: Geo-Data: Th e World Geographical Encyclopedia (Gale Group), World Development Indicators 2005
(Th e World Bank), and World Resources (Oxford University Press). Additional data was acquired from these
websites: Library of Congress, Country Studies: Country Profi les (http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profi les.html);
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (http://www.ramsar.org); UNESCO World Heritage Centre (http://www.
whc.unesco.org); United Nations Environment Programme (http://www.unep.org); Weather Channel: Averages
and Records (http://www.weather.com/common/home/climatology.html); World Conservation Union:
Species Survival Commission (http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc); World Factbook 2006 (https://www.cia.
gov/cia/publications/factbook).
POPULATION DATA: Data for the four rubrics describing population (Population, Migration, Ethnic
Groups, Languages) were compiled from numerous publications of the U.S. Department of State, the World
Bank, the United Nations, and the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD),
specifi cally its publication Trends in International Migration. Also consulted were Th e State of the World’s
Refugees (Oxford University Press) and International Committee of the Red Cross Annual Report (International
Committee of the Red Cross)
RELIGIONS: Data for this section were compiled in large part from the 2005 International Religious
Freedom Report released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State.
Th is is an annual report to Congress compiled in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious
Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. Th e 2005 Report covers the period from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 and
includes the work of hundreds of State Department, Foreign Service, and other U.S. government employees.
Th e authors gathered information throughout this period from a variety of sources, including government
and religious offi cials, nongovernmental organizations, journalists, human rights monitors, religious
groups, and academics.
TRANSPORTATION: Sources consulted for updated information on transportation include publications
of the American Automobile Manufacturers Association, the International Road Transport Union,
specifi cally its publication World Transport Data, and the World Factbook 2006.
HISTORY: In writing the History rubric, a variety of news and background information sources on each
country were used. Full country profi les—including information on the history, economy, political institutions,
and foreign relations on most nations of the world—are provided by the U.S. Library of Congress and
by the U.S. Department of State; similar formats are published by the BBC News International version and
Th e Economist’s Country Briefi ngs feature. In consulting news sources for up-to-date information on events,
only reported facts (not editorials) were used. Th e New York Times and the Washington Post are more comprehensive
than the Wall Street Journal, whose focus is placed on fi nancial and business news. While the
website of the United Nations was used extensively in compiling Volume 1 “United Nations,” of the Worldmark
Encyclopedia of the Nations, its coverage of such problems as politics in the Middle East and global terrorism
pertained to and supported the updating of history rubrics of a number of countries. Other organizations
that publish journals or studies on global current events, foreign policy, international relations, and
human rights include Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; Foreign Aff airs, published by the Council
on Foreign Relations; and Great Decisions, published by the Foreign Policy Association. In addition, the
offi cial websites of each nation were consulted critically for information that could be gleaned from a state’s
view of its own history and place in the world.
GOVERNMENT: Th e Government rubric is constructed by outlining the institutions of government as
they were formed throughout a nation’s modern history, up to those existing under the present constitution.
Countries of the World and Th eir Leaders Yearbook 2006 (Th omson Gale) outlines the form of government
and provides information on political conditions. Th e U.S. Library of Congress and the U.S. Department of State chronicle constitutional changes and also provide information on the form of government. Electionworld
and the World Factbook 2006 provide information on offi ceholders in place at the time of publication.
Th e BBC News International “Country Profi les” cover current leaders and their political parties, and Th e
Economist is comprehensive in its coverage of political structures and political forces in place and at work in
the nations it profi les. Th e offi cial government websites of individual nations were also consulted.
POLITICAL PARTIES: Countries of the World and Th eir Leaders Yearbook 2006 not only lists the political
parties present in each nation, but provides additional information on the political parties in its “History”
and “Government and Political Conditions” sections. Th e Economist also has sections in its country briefings
labeled “political structure” and “political forces,” which describe the political climate of each nation the
magazine profi les. In addition, Th e Economist provides a brief history of the nation, which oft en includes the
history of political parties. Editors reviewed the profi les of selected nations prepared by the U.S. Library of
Congress, which include comprehensive coverage of politics and political parties. Th e World Factbook 2006
was consulted for a list of political parties, and oft en, their leaders. Th e website, Electionworld.org, describes
the major political parties and their leaders, and also lists minor and defunct parties. Political Resources on
the Net, a website, compiles links to a variety of sites useful to the researcher with a critical eye.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Countries of the World and Th eir Leaders Yearbook 2006 lists the administrative
subdivisions in each nation of the world; as does the U.S. State Department in its Background Notes, and
the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in its World Factbook 2006. Th e Economist was consulted for a description
of regional legislatures. Th e U.S. Library of Congress “Country Profi les” briefi ngs describe administrative
divisions and provincial and local government.
JUDICIAL SYSTEM: Countries of the World and Th eir Leaders Yearbook 2006, Background Notes, and
the World Factbook 2006 all provided basic information on each nation’s judicial system. Th e Economist
was consulted for a description of the legal systems of each nation it profi les. Th e U.S. Library of Congress
“Country Profi les” briefi ngs provided more in-depth detail about judicial power and structure in the nations
it profi les. Jurist, a web-based legal news and real-time legal research service based out of the University of
Pittsburgh School of Law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was consulted as well for concise information on each
nation it profi les.
ARMED FORCES: Statistical data on armed forces was compiled from the World Factbook 2006, Th e
Military Balance (Th e International Institute for Strategic Studies), the SIPRI Yearbook (Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute), and other print and online sources including Current World Nuclear Arsenals
maintained by the Center for Defense Information.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: Th is section was updated using data provided by news agencies
and the following websites: World Factbook 2006 (https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook) and Background
Notes (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn).
ECONOMY: In addition to numerous offi cial online sources, data on the economies of the world were
compiled from the most recent editions of the following U.S. government publications: National Trade Estimate
on Foreign Trade Barriers, Country Commercial Guides, and Economic Policy and Trade Practices. Th e
Economist was consulted for detailed information on economic structures and select indicators in its “Country
Profi les” archive; it also included economic and political forecasts for the nations it profi led. Th e U.S.
Library of Congress “Country Profi les” provided a brief historical overview of the economies of the countries
it profi led, in addition to detailing the current state of various sectors of those economies. Th e Index of
Economic Freedom (Heritage Foundation) was also consulted for its measurement of independent variables
into broad factors of economic freedom.
INCOME: Statistics on national income were obtained from sources published by the United Nations,
Th e World Bank, and the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). CIA fi gures are for gross domestic product
(GDP), defi ned as the value of all fi nal goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. In most
cases, CIA fi gures are given in purchasing power parity terms.
LABOR: Labor statistics were compiled from World Employment and Yearbook of Labour Statistics (International
Labour Offi ce—ILO) and the ILO’s website Child Labor Statistics by Country (http://www.ilo.
org/public/english/standards/ipec/simpoc/countries.htm); the World Bank publication World Development
Indicators 2004; and the U.S. State Department’s Human Rights Reports 2005.
AGRICULTURE, FISHING AND FORESTRY: In addition to government sources, statistical data for
these sections was compiled from the following yearbooks published by the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations: Trade; Fishery Statistics: Commodities; Fisheries; Production; Agriculture; and
Forest Products. MINING: Data on mining and minerals production came from various online sources and from statistics
compiled by the Minerals Information offi ce of the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior,
including Volume III of the Minerals Yearbook. Th is volume of the Minerals Yearbook is published both electronically
on the Internet and in various print formats available from the U.S. Government Printing Offi ce
Superintendent of Documents. Th e Yearbook provides an annual review of mineral production and trade
and of mineral-related government and industry developments in more than 175 countries.
ENERGY AND POWER: Key sources consulted include Country Analysis Briefs (U.S. Energy Information
Administration, U.S. Department of Energy), Key World Energy Statistics (International Energy Agency),
and World Development Indicators (Th e World Bank).
INDUSTRY : Th e primary source material for the Industry rubric was the U.S. State Department’s Country
Commercial Guides, which provide a comprehensive look at countries’ commercial environments, using
economic, political, and market analysis. Background Notes were consulted for the information on the industrial
history and climate of each country profi led. Also useful was information contained in the “Country
Profi les” published by the U.S. Library of Congress. Th e World Factbook 2006 provides a list of key economic
indicators. Th e Economist and, to a lesser extent, BBC News were useful in providing background material
for the Industry rubric.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Th e following print sources were consulted: Th e Nature Yearbook of
Science and Technology (Palgrave Macmillan Publishers Ltd.); NIRA’s World Directory of Th ink Tanks (National
Institute for Research Advancement); in addition, the following websites were accessed: International
Science and Technology Activity (maintained by Industry Canada, Government of Canada); Economics Departments,
Institutes, and Research Centers in the World (maintained by the Department of Economics, University
of Connecticut); Science and Technology Statistics (maintained by UNESCO Institute for Statistics);
World Development Indicators (maintained by Th e World Bank); and Annual Statistics (patent and trademark
information, maintained by the World Intellectual Property Organization).
DOMESTIC TRADE: Source material for the Domestic Trade rubric came from the U.S. State Department’s
Country Commercial Guides, Background Notes, and the United Nations publication, International
Trade Statistics Yearbook. Also used was information contained in the “Country Profi les” published by the
U.S. Library of Congress. Th e Economist and, to a lesser extent, the BBC were consulted in providing background
material for the Domestic Trade rubric. Th e World Bank’s service “Doing Business” database and the
U.S. Commercial Service’s “Buy USA” website were consulted for information on conducting business in a
nation, which included business hours and business regulations. Finally, most nations’ government websites
provided information on domestic trade.
FOREIGN TRADE: Sources consulted included 2005 International Trade Statistics Yearbook (Department
of Economic and Social Aff airs, Statistics Division, United Nations) and Direction of Trade Statistics
(Real Sector Division, IMF Statistics Department, International Monetary Fund). Th e U.S. Department of
State’s Country Commercial Guides and Background Notes were also used. Th e Economist and the World Factbook
2006 were consulted in listing import and export partners and key products traded. Various UN bodies—
such as UNCTAD and UNESCO—provided up-to-date trade statistics.
BALANCE OF PAYMENTS: Balance of payments tables were computed from the International Monetary
Fund’s Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook. In some cases, totals are provided even though not all
components of those totals have been reported by the government of the country. Accordingly, in some instances
numbers in the columns may not add to the total. Supplementing the IMF’s Balance of Payments Statistics
Yearbook were Th e Economist’s “Country Briefi ngs,” the World Factbook 2006, and information taken
from the U.S. State Department, in particular, the Country Commercial Guides. “Country Profi les” from the
U.S. Library of Congress were also used. Also consulted was the United Nations publication National Accounts
Statistics: Main Aggregates and Detailed Tables.
BANKING AND SECURITIES: Statistical data on securities listings and market activity was compiled in
part from Emerging Stock Markets Factbook, 2005 (Standard and Poor’s) as well as from the websites Country
Forecasts (www.countrywatch.com) and International Banking Statistics (www.bis.org/statistics/bankstats.
htm). Various websites specifi c to the individual countries of the world were also consulted.
INSURANCE: Primary sources for information on insurance include the online resources of the Insurance
Information Institute, Rowbotham and Co. LLP., PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Swiss Reinsurance-
Company, and J. Zakhour & Co., as well as numerous national websites dealing with insurance.
PUBLIC FINANCE: In addition to offi cial government websites, analytical reports from the U.S. Department
of Commerce, and news reports, the following publications were consulted for standardized statistical
data: World Factbook 2006, International Financial Statistics Yearbook, 2002 (International Monetary Fund),
and Government Finance Statistics Yearbook, 2002 (International Monetary Fund). TAXATION: Information on Taxation was compiled from country data sheets published by international
accounting fi rms (Deloitte and Ernst & Young). Addition information was obtained from the U.S. Commerce
Department and the government websites of the countries of the world.
CUSTOMS AND DUTIES: Information on Customs and Duties was compiled from country data sheets
published by the accounting fi rms of Deloitte and Ernst & Young. Additional information was obtained
from the U.S. Commerce Department, the World Trade Organization and the government website of the
countries of the world.
FOREIGN INVESTMENT: Source material for the Foreign Investment rubric included the U.S. State
Department’s Country Commercial Guides, which provided a comprehensive analysis of the foreign direct
investment environments of the countries of the world, as did the World Bank publication, A Better Investment
Climate for Everyone. Th e International Monetary Fund’s publications International Financial Statistics
Yearbook and Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook, and the U.S. State Department’s Background Notes
were consulted for the information on foreign direct investment. Also used was information contained in
the “Country Profi les” published by the U.S. Library of Congress. Th e Economist was consulted in providing
basic FDI fi gures and other relevant data.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Source material for the Economic Development rubric included the
U.S. State Department’s Country Commercial Guides and Background Notes. Th e Economist was consulted
for economic and political forecasts for selected nations. Th e U.S. Library of Congress “Country Profi les”
provided a brief historical overview of the economies of the countries profi led, in addition to detailing the
current state of various sectors of those economies. Th e Index of Economic Freedom was also consulted for
its broad description of economic freedom and development. Information on foreign aid was taken from
the print publications and websites of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID).
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Publications consulted in the preparation of this rubric include 2005 Country
Reports on Human Rights Practice (http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/index.htm), International
Save the Children Alliance Annual Report 2004 (Cambridge House), Th e State of the World’s Children (Oxford
University Press), and the World Development Report (Oxford University Press). Additional information
was obtained from country-specifi c websites and general news publications.
HEALTH: Statistical sources consulted include Country Health Briefi ng Papers (a series of reports produced
by IHSD Limited and DFID Health Systems Resource Centre for the United Kingdom Department
for International Development); Health Care Systems in Transition (European Observatory on Health Care
Systems, World Health Organization Regional Offi ce for Europe); Health in the Americas, Volume II (Pan
American Health Organization, World Health Organization) as well as numerous websites on the individual
nations of the world. In addition, country-specifi c health profi les published by the World Health Organization
and the World Bank were consulted.
HOUSING: Th e latest government population and housing census information available was used for
each country through access of offi cial government websites. Also of use was the World Bank publication
World Development Indicators 2005. Topics accessed on the World Bank’s website included Countries and
Regions, Urban Development, and Housing and Land. Other websites consulted included Habitat for Humanity
(http://www.habitat.org), United Nations Human Settlements Programme (http://unhabitat.org)
and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID—http://www.usaid.gov). USAID topics accessed
included Locations and Urban Programs).
EDUCATION: Data on Education was obtained from various UNESCO publications including World
Education Report, Global Education Digest, Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2005, and the UNESCO
Statistical Yearbook. Also consulted was EdStats compiled by the World Bank (http://devdata.worldbank.
org/edstats/), the World Factbook 2006 (https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook), the UNESCO
website’s Country and Regional Profi les (http://www.uis.unesco.org/profi les/), and World Data on Education
(International Bureau of Education).
LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS: Some information concerning libraries and museums was accessed
through offi cial government websites of various countries when links were available to tourism, education,
and/or cultural ministries or departments. In addition, the following websites were consulted: American
Library Association (http://www.ala.org); International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
(http://www.ifl a.org); Museums of the World (http://www.museum.com); and United Nations Educational,
Scientifi c, and Cultural Organization (http://www.unesco.org).
MEDIA: Primary sources for this section include the annual Editor & Publisher publication International
Year Book, online data provided by UNESCO, and the media sections of the “Country Profi les” featured on
the website of BBC News. Th e UNESCO profi les provide key statistics and indicators on education, science
and technology, and culture and communication. In addition, government and other websites related to the countries of the world were consulted. Additional sources consulted include the publications World Development
Indicators 2005 (World Bank), World Media Handbook (United Nations), World Factbook 2006, and
2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
ORGANIZATIONS: Lists of member countries were obtained through the offi cial websites of a variety
of prominent international organizations and associations, such as the International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Amnesty International, Kiwanis International, the World Alliance of
YMCAs, the World Organization of the Scout Movement, etc. Associations Unlimited (Th omson Gale) was
also consulted.
TOURISM, TRAVEL, AND RECREATION: Statistical sources consulted include Yearbook of Tourism
Statistics and Compendium of Tourism Statistics, both published by the World Tourism Organization.
Tourism websites of the individual countries were also consulted, as well as the United Nations publication
Schedule of Daily Substinence Allowance Rates and the U.S. Department of State per diem travel allowances
published online at www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn.
FAMOUS PERSONS: Entries are based on information available through March 2006. Where a person
noted in one country is known to have been born in another, the country (or, in some cases, city) of birth
follows the personal name in parentheses.
DEPENDENCIES: Source material for the Dependencies rubric was taken from Background Notes and
from the website of the United Nations. Th e Library of Congress’s “Country Profi les” archive provided upto-
date information on dependencies. Th e Economist and the website of BBC News were also consulted, as
was Countries of the World and Th eir Leaders Yearbook 2006.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Bibliographical listings at the end of country articles are provided as a guide to further
reading on the country in question and are not intended as a comprehensive listing of references used in research
for the article. Eff ort was made to provide a broad sampling of works on major subjects and topics as
covered by the article; the bibliographies provide, wherever possible, introductory and general works for use
by students and general readers, as well as classical studies, recent contributions, and other works regarded
as seminal by area specialists. Th e country article bibliographies were supplemented with information obtained
from a search conducted in July 2006. An extensive bibliography listing key references related to the
facts in this encyclopedia follows. However, it is not a complete listing since many fact sheets, brochures,
World Wide Websites, and other informational materials were not included due to space limitations. FROM THE
PREFACE
TO THE SEVENTH EDITION
Carved in stone, opposite the home of the United Nations, is an inscription taken from Isaiah: “. . . and they
shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” Th e Prophets’ sense of moral justice, which was the
foundation of their vision of peace as expressed in this inscription, has not yet been accepted as a basis for
political behavior. Indeed, developments in recent years have cast a dark shadow over the United Nations.
Th e passage of resolutions and the toleration of practices inconsistent with the spirit of the Charter have
not only instilled doubt about the eff ectiveness of the organization as a political instrument but have also
undermined the spirit of fairness and cooperation that once characterized the work of the specialized agencies.
In the 1930s, the world witnessed the loss of moral force and then the political decline of the League
of Nations. No friend of peace could wish its successor a similar fate. It is the fervent hope of the editors of
this encyclopedia that political infl uences will not further undermine the substantive achievements of the
United Nations.
Th e problems of peace preoccupy the minds of people everywhere. Th e ever-intensifying complexities
of our times, while serving to increase the responsibility of a larger number of persons, oft en also augment
the individual’s feeling of helplessness. Yet, knowledge of other lands and ability to see their people as fellow
human beings can enable the individual to overcome this feeling of helplessness and to act for himself and
others. In this spirit this work was conceived and is off ered, with the hope that it may not only fi nd many
specifi c uses, but may bring into focus a broader world view for the reader, and thus contribute to international
understanding.
MOSHE Y. SACHS