Budapest Budapest /ˈbuːdəpɛst/[6] (Hungarian: [ˈbudɒpɛʃt] ( The history of Budapest began with Aquincum, originally a Celtic settlement[17][18] that became the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia.[17] Hungarians arrived in the territory[19] in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241–42.[20] The re-established town became one of the centres of Renaissance humanist culture[21] in the 15th century.[22] Following the Battle of Mohács and nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule,[23] the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest became a global city after the 1873 unification.[24] It also became the second capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a great power that dissolved in 1918, following World War I. Budapest is home to the headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT),[40] and the first foreign office of the China Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA).[41] Etymology[edit] History[edit] Siege of Buda in 1686
Moscow Moscow (/ˈmɒskaʊ/ or /ˈmɒskoʊ/; Russian: Москва, tr. Moskva, IPA: [mɐˈskva] ( Moscow is situated on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia making it the world's most populated inland city. The city is served by an extensive transit network, which includes four international airports, nine railway terminals, and one of the deepest underground metro systems in the world, the Moscow Metro, third to Tokyo and Seoul in terms of passenger numbers. Over time, Moscow has acquired a number of epithets, most referring to its size and preeminent status within the nation: The Third Rome (Третий Рим), The Whitestone One (Белокаменная), The First Throne (Первопрестольная), The Forty Forties (Сорок Сороков), and The Hero City (город-герой). History[edit] The city is named after the river (old Russian: гра́д Моско́в, literally "the city by the Moskva River"). Map of Moscow, 1784 In 1571, the Crimean Tatars attacked and sacked Moscow, burning everything but the Kremlin.[23]
Warsaw Warsaw, known in Polish as Warszawa ([varˈʂava] ( ); 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 is estimated at 1.711 million residents within a greater metropolitan area of 2.666 million residents, making Warsaw the 9th most populous city proper in the European Union.[2][3][4] 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).[5] Warsaw is known as the city of palaces, royal gardens and grand parks. Etymology and names[edit] Other names for Warsaw include Varsovia (Latin), Varsovie (French), Warschau (German), װאַרשע/Varshe (Yiddish), Варшава/Varshava (Russian, Bulgarian, Belorussian, Ukrainian), Varšuva (Lithuanian). History[edit] Early history[edit] 16th to 18th centuries[edit] 19th and 20th centuries[edit]
Scandinavia Scandinavia[a] is a historical and cultural-linguistic region in Northern Europe characterized by a common ethno-cultural Germanic heritage and related languages, which includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Modern Norway and Sweden proper[b] and also northern parts of Finland are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula, whereas modern Denmark is situated on the Danish islands and Jutland. The term Scandinavia is usually used as a cultural term, but in English usage, it is occasionally confused with the purely geographical term Scandinavian Peninsula, which took its name from the cultural-linguistic concept.[1] The name Scandinavia historically referred vaguely to Scania. The terms Scandinavia and Scandinavian entered usage in the 18th century as terms for the three Scandinavian countries, their peoples and associated language and culture, being introduced by the early linguistic and cultural Scandinavist movement. Terminology and use[edit] Finland[edit]
Asia Asia ( i/ˈeɪʒə/ or /ˈeɪʃə/) is the Earth's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and comprises 30% of its land area. The boundaries of Asia are culturally determined, as there is no clear geographical separation between it and Europe, which together form one continuous landmass called Eurasia. Given its size and diversity, the concept of Asia – a name dating back to classical antiquity - may actually have more to do with human geography than physical geography.[6] Asia varies greatly across and within its regions with regard to ethnic groups, cultures, environments, economics, historical ties and government systems. Definition and boundaries Greek three-continent system Asia–Europe boundary In Sweden, five years after Peter's death, in 1730 Philip Johan von Strahlenberg published a new atlas proposing the Urals as the border of Asia. Asia–Oceania boundary Ongoing definition Etymology
Europe Europe ( i/ˈjʊərəp/ or /ˈjɜrəp/[3]) is a continent that comprises the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia. It is generally divided from Asia by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting the Black and Aegean Seas.[4] Europe is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the Black Sea and connected waterways to the southeast. Yet the borders of Europe—a concept dating back to classical antiquity—are arbitrary, as the primarily physiographic term "continent" also incorporates cultural and political elements. Europe is the world's second-smallest continent by surface area, covering about 10,180,000 square kilometres (3,930,000 sq mi) or 2% of the Earth's surface and about 6.8% of its land area. Definition Etymology Most major world languages use words derived from "Europa" to refer to the "continent" (peninsula). History Prehistory
Eastern Europe Definitions[edit] Pre-1989 division between the "West" (grey) and "Eastern Bloc" (orange) superimposed on current borders: Russia (the former RSFSR) (dark orange) Other countries formerly part of the USSR (medium orange) Other former Communist states not aligned with Moscow (lightest orange) Several definitions of Eastern Europe exist today, but they often lack precision or are extremely general. Geographical[edit] The Ural Mountains, Ural River, and the Caucasus Mountains are the geographical land border of the eastern edge of Europe. Political and cultural[edit] One view of the present boundaries of Eastern Europe came into being during the final stages of World War II. UN[edit] The United Nations Statistics Division developed a selection of geographical regions and groupings of countries and areas, which are or may be used in compilation of statistics. European Union[edit] European sub-regions according to EuroVoc (the thesaurus of the European Union). Contemporary developments[edit]
England England ( i/ˈɪŋɡlənd/) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom.[1][2][3] It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west. The Irish Sea lies north west of England, whilst the Celtic Sea lies to the south west. 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's terrain mostly comprises low hills and plains, especially in central and southern England. Toponymy The name "England" is derived from the Old English name Englaland, which means "land of the Angles".[10] The Angles were one of the Germanic tribes that settled in Great Britain during the Early Middle Ages. An alternative name for England is Albion. History Prehistory and antiquity The earliest known evidence of human presence in the area now known as England was that of Homo antecessor, dating to approximately 780,000 years ago.
Chicago Chicago ( i/ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ or /ʃɪˈkɔːɡoʊ/) is the third most populous city in the United States, after New York City and Los Angeles. With 2.7 million residents,[1] it is the most populous city in both the U.S. state of Illinois and the American Midwest. In 2012[update], Chicago hosted 46.37 million international and domestic visitors, an overall visitation record.[11] Chicago's culture includes contributions to the visual arts, novels, film, theater, especially improvisational comedy, and music, particularly jazz, blues, soul, and the creation of house music. History[edit] Beginnings[edit] In 1795, following the Northwest Indian War, an area that was to be part of Chicago was turned over to the United States for a military post by native tribes in accordance with the Treaty of Greenville. Founding and 19th century[edit] On August 12, 1833, the Town of Chicago was organized with a population of around 200.[25] Within seven years it would grow to a population of over 4,000.
San Francisco San Francisco i/sæn frənˈsɪskoʊ/, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the cultural center and a leading financial hub of the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California. San Francisco is a popular tourist destination,[18] known for its cool summers, fog, steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of architecture, and landmarks including the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, the former prison on Alcatraz Island, and its Chinatown district. History[edit] Upon independence from Spain in 1821, the area became part of Mexico. The California Gold Rush brought a flood of treasure seekers. Entrepreneurs sought to capitalize on the wealth generated by the Gold Rush. It was during this period San Francisco built some of its most important infrastructure. The Bay Bridge, under construction in 1935, took forty months to complete.
Miami Miami (/maɪˈæmi/; Spanish pronunciation: [maiˈami] [6]) is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County. The 42nd largest city proper in the United States, with a population of 419,777, it is the principal, central, and most populous city of the Miami metropolitan area, and the most populous metropolis in the Southeastern United States after Washington, D.C.[7][8] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Miami's metro area is the eighth most populous and fourth-largest urban area in the United States, with a population of around 5.5 million.[9][10] Miami is a major center and a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade.[11][12] In 2012, Miami was classified as an Alpha- World City in the World Cities Study Group’s inventory.[13] In 2010, Miami ranked seventh in the United States in terms of finance, commerce, culture, entertainment, fashion, education, and other sectors. History
Tunis Tunis as viewed from space Tunis (Arabic: تونس Tūnis; Amazigh: Tunes, ⵜⵓⵏⴻⵙ) is the capital of Tunisia. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 651,183 as of 2013. The greater metropolitan area holds some 2,300,000 inhabitants. Situated on a large Mediterranean Sea gulf (the Gulf of Tunis), behind the Lake of Tunis and the port of La Goulette (Halq al Wadi), the city extends along the coastal plain and the hills that surround it. The medina is found at the centre of the city: a dense agglomeration of alleys and covered passages, full of intense scents and colours, boisterous and active trade, and a surfeit of goods on offer ranging from leather to plastic, tin to the finest filigree, tourist souvenirs to the works of tiny crafts shops. Etymology[edit] Tunis is the transcription of the Arabic name تونس which can be pronounced as "Tūnus", "Tūnas", or "Tūnis". Different explanations exist for the origin of the name Tunis. History[edit] Carthage[edit] Carthage Early history[edit]
Jordan Jordan (/ˈdʒɔrdən/; Arabic: الأردن al-Urdun), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Arabic: المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية al-Mamlakah al-Urdunīyah al-Hāshimīyah), is an Arab kingdom in Western Asia, on the East Bank of the Jordan River, and extending into the historic region of Palestine. Jordan borders Saudi Arabia to the south and east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north, and Palestine, the Dead Sea and Israel to the west. The kingdom emerged from the post-World War I division of West Asia by Britain and France. In 1946, Jordan became an independent sovereign state officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan. After capturing the West Bank during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Abdullah I took the title King of Jordan and Palestine. History[edit] Classical Transjordan[edit] Jordan and its neighbors with a rare dusting of snow in several regions.[15] Middle Ages to World War I[edit] Arab Revolt Tribal Cavalry – Tribes of Jordan and Arabia, c. 1918. Independence[edit]