Group items tagged

Memphis, Egypt3100 BCEWell over 30,000 Akkad, Babylonia (Iraq)2240 Lagash, Babylonia (Iraq)2075 Ur, Babylonia (Iraq)203065,000 Thebes, Egypt1980 Babylon, Babylonia (Iraq)1770 Avaris, Egypt1670 Memphis, Egypt1557 Thebes, Egypt1400 Nineveh, Assyria (Iraq)668 Babylon, Babylonia (Iraq)612First above 200,000 Alexandria320 Pataliputra (Patna), India300 Changan (Xi'an), China195400,000 Rome25450,000 (100 CE) Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey340 CE400,000 (500) Ctesiphon, Iraq570 Changan (Xi'an), China637400,000 (622); 600,000 (800) Baghdad, Iraq775First over 1 million; 700,000 (800) Cordova, Spain935 Kaifeng, China1013400,000 (1000); 442,000 (1100) Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey1127 Merv (Mary), Turkmenistan1145200,000 (1150) Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey1153 Fez (Fes), Morocco1170 Hangzhou, China1180255,000 (1200); 320,000 (1250) Cairo, Egypt1315 Hangzhou, China1348432,000 (1350) Nanking, China1358487,000 (1400) Beijing, China1425600,000 (1450); 672,000 (1500) Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey1650700,000 (1650 & 1700) Beijing, China1710900,000 (1750); 1.1 million (1800) London, United Kingdom1825First over 5 million; 1.35 million (1825); 2.32 million (1850); 4.241 million (1875); 6.480 million (1900) New York1925First over 10 million; 7.774 million (1925), 12.463 million (1950) Tokyo1965First over 20 million; 23 million (1975)

Chandler utilized a plethora of historical sources to locate approximate populations for the world's largest cities since 3100 BCE.

COUNTRY POPULATION (smallest) (February, 2006 numbers) Vatican City 920

COUNTRY POPULATION (largest) (February, 2006 numbers) China 1,306,313,800

OCEANS OF THE WORLD (by size) Pacific (155,557,000 sq km)

ORIGIN OF THE CELEBRATION Section: Festival The start of the New Year has been celebrated in China for more than 3,000 years. New Year was a time when the farmers gave thanks for the harvest and prayed to the gods for a good harvest in the coming year. This was the one period in the busy farming year when there was time to have a celebration and when the family could get together, relax, and be merry. Chinese New Year begins with a New Moon. The Lunar Year is calculated from the time it takes for the Moon to travel around the Earth, while the Western (Gregorian) calendar is based on the time it takes for the Earth to circle the Sun. The orbits of the Moon bear no relation to the time it takes for the Earth to go around the Sun, which is why the Chinese Lunar New Year is celebrated on a different date each year. In China the New Year was renamed the Spring Festival, in 1911, when the Western calendar was officially accepted in China. However, it is still commonly known around the world as the Chinese New Year. Chinese years are named after one of twelve animals. These have been used in the same order to name the years since the sixth century A.D. Each animal is said to have its own personality and emotions, which are present in people born within its year. ~~~~~~~~By Sarah Moyse This article is copyrighted. All rights reserved.Source: Chinese New Year (0-7613-0374-X)

RELIGIONS AND RITUALS Section: Festival Although the New Year celebration is not mainly a religious one, many Chinese will visit a temple at this time of the year to make an offering to the Buddha or to the gods in the hope of making the New Year a good one. Ancestors and gods are honored with ceremonies in the home around a family altar decorated with flowers. Incense and candles are burned at the altar. At important family banquets the ancestors may be recognized as "spiritual guests" and first offered food that is afterward eaten with the meal. The Chinese have three main systems of ideas that are important to them: Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. Although these systems are very different, many Chinese follow some or all of the rituals associated with them just to be safe. Confucius lived in the fifth century B.C. and spoke about the value of good behavior in private life and in government. He said that politeness, honesty, courage, and loyalty were what made good people. He believed in self-development through education and thought that people gain in wisdom as they grow older. It is part of the Confucian tradition to honor parents and ancestors.

Daoism comes from the teachings of Laozi, who lived at the same time as Confucius. His book, the Dao De Jing (The Way and Its Power), describes the way (dao means "way") to live at peace with nature so as not to upset natural balances. The Way involves balance between opposite forces. They are called yin and yang. While yin is dark and female, yang is the opposite, being light and male. When yin and yang are balanced, there is perfect harmony with nature. Unlike Confucianism and Daoism, which started in China, Buddhism came from India and is based on the teachings of the Buddha -- a holy man. Buddha taught that people need to let go of earthly desires and become fully aware of what they are doing in the present. Buddhists believe that after death each soul moves on to another body, which may be animal or human. What one is chosen for in the next life depends on how good or bad the person has been in this life. The Chinese also pray to other gods, holding the view that the more gods who can look after them the better. The important ones are the Kitchen God, who watches the family in the home, the Jade Emperor, who is the most important god in heaven, the God of Wealth, who determines how wealthy people are, and the Door Gods. ~~~~~~~~By Sarah Moyse This article is copyrighted. All rights reserved.Source: Chinese New Year (0-7613-0374-X)

For more than two centuries this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia.

The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia and globally.

China in particular has long argued that it is too poor to afford the Western luxury of environmental awareness.

China ranks last among 15 nations in its income group (the fifth decile), behind Vietnam. If Colombia, the group's leader, can afford environmental concern, why can't China?

China fares slightly better in protecting its habitat but much worse in measures of industrial ills.

The Ryukyu chain to the southwest was U.S.-occupied from 1945 to 1972, when it reverted to Japanese control, and the Kurils to the northeast are Russian-occupied.

Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government.

Through the 700s Japan was much influenced by China, and the Yamato clan set up an imperial court similar to that of China.

worldwide digital music sales rose to $2.9 billion last year, from $2.1 billion a year earlier. That was about 15 percent of overall sales, up from 11 percent a year earlier and less than 1 percent in 2003.

yet to make up for the shortfall in sales of compact discs

sales of recorded music fell about 10 percent last year, to $17.6 billion

Though it sounds like a classroom assignment from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, weather modification programs have been around for more than 50 years.

The problem is there are too many factors that affect the weather, making naturally occurring phenomena difficult to separate from man-made triggers.

"There was no strong scientific base for changing the weather."

Section: Festival The start of the New Year has been celebrated in China for more than 3,000 years. New Year was a time when the farmers gave thanks for the harvest and prayed to the gods for a good harvest in the coming year. This was the one period in the busy farming year when there was time to have a celebration and when the family could get together, relax, and be merry. Chinese New Year begins with a New Moon. The Lunar Year is calculated from the time it takes for the Moon to travel around the Earth, while the Western (Gregorian) calendar is based on the time it takes for the Earth to circle the Sun. The orbits of the Moon bear no relation to the time it takes for the Earth to go around the Sun, which is why the Chinese Lunar New Year is celebrated on a different date each year. In China the New Year was renamed the Spring Festival, in 1911, when the Western calendar was officially accepted in China. However, it is still commonly known around the world as the Chinese New Year. Chinese years are named after one of twelve animals. These have been used in the same order to name the years since the sixth century A.D. Each animal is said to have its own personality and emotions, which are present in people born within its year. ~~~~~~~~By Sarah Moyse This article is copyrighted. All rights reserved.Source: Chinese New Year (0-7613-0374-X)

Holidays are very important to the French. The French begin the year with a celebration of the Jour de l'An, which is New Year's Day. They greet each other by saying "Bonne Annee!" (Happy New Year). On January 6th there is la Fete des Rois (the Festival of the Three Kings), where people have a King's Cake. Whoever finds the special toy that has been baked into the cake gets to be king or queen for the day. In February, the French celebrate la Saint-Valentin or Valentine's Day by giving, valentines and chocolates. Also the French mark the start of Lent (a religious time when people fast) with Mardi Gras celebrations. On the 1st of April people play tricks on each other and say "Poisson d'avril!" which means "April fish!" People have little paper fishes that they cut out and try to stick on the backs of their friends that day. Easter is an important holiday in France. On the morning of Easter Sunday, most French people go to church. Afterwards, they carry home candles that have been blessed by priests. For Easter, which is called Le Pacques, omelettes, (an egg dish) are usually eaten for breakfast. People also give each other chocolate eggs and chocolate bunnies.

Holidays are very important to the French. The French begin the year with a celebration of the Jour de l'An, which is New Year's Day. They greet each other by saying "Bonne Annee!" (Happy New Year). On January 6th there is la Fete des Rois (the Festival of the Three Kings), where people have a King's Cake. Whoever finds the special toy that has been baked into the cake gets to be king or queen for the day. In February, the French celebrate la Saint-Valentin or Valentine's Day by giving, valentines and chocolates. Also the French mark the start of Lent (a religious time when people fast) with Mardi Gras celebrations. On the 1st of April people play tricks on each other and say "Poisson d'avril!" which means "April fish!" People have little paper fishes that they cut out and try to stick on the backs of their friends that day.

12 to 14 year old girls can pull off those remarkable stunts, then more power to them.

What worries me far more than their age is the precedence it sets for future Olympics.

Will we see further bending of these rules and practices like this continue?

Section: Festival The Lunar New Year is the most important festival of the Chinese year. It is the celebration to welcome the start of a new year and a festival of family reunion. Families who live apart come together to celebrate. Although outside the Chinese-speaking world (China, Taiwan, Singapore, and some parts of Malaysia) Chinese New Year is not a public holiday, people still celebrate with a family get-together and a special meal, either on Chinese New Year's Eve or on the first weekend after the Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is a family celebration that takes place in the home. The Chinese place particular importance on caring for the family. This is particularly true at the New Year Festival when the very young are treated specially because of their importance for the future, and the old are honored for their connection with the past. Public celebrations of Chinese New Year happen all over the world; cities with Chinese communities celebrate with Lion and Dragon Dances and parades with traditional costumes. They also welcome the new year with firecrackers. In China many places have traditional celebrations that last for several days. ~~~~~~~~By Sarah Moyse This article is copyrighted. All rights reserved.Source: Chinese New Year (0-7613-0374-X)

The nation of Japan was probably born of the union of two peoples: one from Polynesia or the Malay Peninsula and one from elsewhere in Asia.

About 300 BC, the Japanese began growing rice, which would become the nation's agricultural staple.

From the 500s to the 700s, Japanese society developed quickly—partly because of its close relationship with neighboring China and the magnificent Tang Dynasty.

The introduction of Western cultural values, which had flooded Japan by the late nineteenth century, led to a dichotomy between traditional values and attempts to duplicate and assimilate a variety of clashing new ideas

Japanese aesthetics provide a key to understanding artistic works perceivably different from those coming from Western traditions.

Within the East Asian artistic tradition, China has been the acknowledged teacher and Japan the devoted student.

Japan entered into its second major prehistoric period, a civilized era known as the Yayoi period.

he name Yayoi is derived from an area Tokyo known as Yayoi, where the first documented pottery from this period was discovered in an archaeological excavation in 1884.

ron and bronze materials are believed to have been exchanged with Japanese envoys either for token tributes or prisoners of war.

Japan is a country marked by contrast between old and new. The country values its complex and ancient cultural tradition.

The islands of Japan form an arc that stretches about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from northeast to southwest.

Much of Japan's original vegetation has been replaced by farming or by plant species brought in from other countries.