Gatchina, city, Leningrad oblast (province), northwestern Russia, lying about 28 miles (45 km) southwest of St. Petersburg. The first mention of Khotchino dates from 1499, when it was a possession of Novgorod. Later it belonged to Livonia and Sweden. After 1721 it was returned to Russia and in the

Osman II: Realizing that his defeat at Chocim (Khotin, Ukraine) in 1621 largely stemmed from the lack of discipline and the degeneracy of the Janissary corps, he proceeded to discipline them by cutting their pay and closing their coffee shops. Then he announced a plan to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca,…

Khouribga, city, northwestern Morocco. The city is situated on an infertile upland plateau (unofficially called the Plateau des Phosphates) west of the Middle Atlas (Moyen Atlas) mountains. It owes its growth to the nearby phosphate deposits, first exploited in 1921. The city is connected by road

Modest Mussorgsky: Life and career: …the composition of the opera Khovanshchina perhaps offered some distraction (left unfinished at his death, this opera was completed by Rimsky-Korsakov). Mussorgsky then found a companion in the person of a distant relative, Arseny Golenishchev-Kutuzov. This impoverished 25-year-old poet inspired Mussorgsky’s two cycles of melancholy melodies, Bez solntsa (Sunless) and…

Hovd, town, administrative headquarters of Hovd aymag (province), western Mongolia, in the northern foothills of the Mongol Altayn Nuruu (Mongolian Altai Mountains) at an elevation of 4,260 ft (1,300 m). Har Us Nuur (lake) lies to the east and is fed by the Hovd Gol (river). Founded in 1731 as a

Hövsgöl Lake, lake in northern Mongolia. With an area of 1,012 square miles (2,620 square km), it is Mongolia’s largest freshwater lake, with depths exceeding 800 feet (244 m). It lies near the Russian border at an elevation of 5,397 feet (1,645 m), at the southern foot of the east Sayan Range. The

Himalayas: People of the Himalayas: Khowa, the Mishmi, the Momba, the Miri, and the Singpho. Linguistically, they are Tibeto-Burman. Each group has its homeland in a distinct river valley, and all practice shifting cultivation (i.e., they grow crops on a different tract of land each year).

Tripura: Relief and drainage: …Kailashahar, the Kamalpur, and the Khowai, all carved by northward-flowing rivers (the Juri, Manu and Deo, Dhalai, and Khowai, respectively). North-south-trending ranges separate the valleys. East of the Dharmanagar valley, the Jampai Tlang range rises to elevations between 2,000 and 3,000 feet (600 and 900 metres). Elevation decreases westward through…

Dardic languages: …three subgroups: Kafiri, or Western; Khowari, or Central (spoken in the Chitrāl district of northwestern Pakistan); and the Eastern group, which includes Shina and Kashmiri. (Some scholars use the term Dardic to refer only to the Eastern subgroup of languages and use the name Pisaca to refer to the group…

Hövsgöl Mountains, mountain range in northern Mongolia. To the north of the mountains lies Hövsgöl Lake, Mongolia’s largest and deepest freshwater

Khoy, city, northwestern Iran. The city is well laid out, with cool streams and lines of willows along broad, regular streets. There are several mosques, an extensive brick bazaar, a fine caravansary, and gardens. Khoy is a trade centre and has been of considerable strategic importance. Fortified

Badr Khānī Jāladat: …president of the Khoybun (Kurdish National League) and three years later participated in the unsuccessful Kurdish rebellion in Turkey. He became the first editor (May 1932) of the bilingual Kurdish–French review Ḥawār (“Summons”), which, together with his later illustrated publication Runahi (“Light”), promoted understanding among the diverse and often…

Narodnik: …a diffuse movement known as khozhdenie v narod (“going to the people”) in the course of which hundreds of young intellectuals, dressed in peasant clothes, canvased rural regions and incited the peasantry to rise against the system. This led to police persecution, arrests, and political trials of the Narodniki, the…

Aleksey Nikolayevich, Count Tolstoy: …in 1946 under the title The Road to Calvary (1946). For the trilogy and for his long unfinished historical novel Pyotr I (1929–45; Peter the First, 1956), he received Stalin prizes. During World War II he was a prolific author of patriotic articles and also composed his two-part play Ivan…

Russian literature: Works reflecting Muscovite power: In his Khozhdeniye za tri morya (“Journey Beyond Three Seas”) a merchant, Afanasy Nikitin, describes his travels to India and Persia during 1466–72. However, what is most striking about this period is what did not take place: Russia experienced no Renaissance and became quite isolated from the…

Tibet: Plant and animal life: …teals, sing-bya (tiny owl-like birds), khra (crow-sized, hawklike birds), bya-long (birds about the size of a duck), and skya-ka (black-and-white crow-sized birds). The calls of the rmos-’debs—a small gray bird that inhabits agricultural regions—signal the opening of the planting season.

Antony Khrapovitsky was a Russian Orthodox metropolitan of Kiev, antipapal polemicist, and controversialist in theological and political affairs who attempted an exclusively ethical interpretation of Christian doctrine. After graduating from St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Antony entered a

Antony Khrapovitsky was a Russian Orthodox metropolitan of Kiev, antipapal polemicist, and controversialist in theological and political affairs who attempted an exclusively ethical interpretation of Christian doctrine. After graduating from St. Petersburg Theological Academy, Antony entered a

Akademii Nauk Range, mountain range, western Pamirs, central Tajikistan. The mountains, extending north-south, are approximately 68 miles (110 km) in length and are composed mostly of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, together with some granite. Glaciation from permanent snowcaps extends over an

Chersky Range, range running northwest to southeast through the Sakha republic and Magadan oblast (province), Russia. The range, extending more than 900 miles (1,500 km), forms a part of the extensive Verkhoyansk mountain system and comprises a series of highly dissected parallel ranges with

Qarataū, mountain range, a northwestern spur of the Tien Shan, in southern Kazakhstan. The name is of Turkic origin, meaning “Black Mountain.” The range extends for 260 miles (420 km) along the Syr Darya (ancient Jaxartes River) and rises to 7,139 feet (2,176 metres), with an average elevation of

Tibet: Plant and animal life: …flowers that grow near water), khres-pa (strong durable forest trees used to make food containers), glang-ma (a willow tree used for basketry), and rtsi-shings (the seeds of which are used for making varnish). Fruit-bearing trees and certain roots are used for food, as are the leaves of the lca-wa, khumag,…

Kyiv: City layout: …is the street known as Khreshchatyk, which runs along the bottom of a small valley the sides of which have in part been landscaped with terraced gardens interspersed with tall, modern office and apartment buildings. The greenery of the gardens, the trees lining the street, the squares that it intersects—all…

Buddhism: Kings and yogis: …other great “kings of religion”: Khri-srong-lde-btsan (reigned 755–797 ce) and Ral-pa-can, who was assassinated in 838 ce.

Buddhism: Kings and yogis: …other great “kings of religion”: Khri-srong-lde-btsan (reigned 755–797 ce) and Ral-pa-can, who was assassinated in 838 ce.

Dmitry Sergeyevich Merezhkovsky: With his trilogy Khristos i Antikhrist (1896–1905; “Christ and Antichrist”), Merezhkovsky revived the historical novel in Russia. Its three parts, set in widely separated epochs and geographical areas, reveal historical erudition and serve as vehicles for the author’s historical and theological ideas. Another group of fictional works from…

Todor Zhivkov was the first secretary of the ruling Bulgarian Communist Party’s Central Committee (1954–89) and president of Bulgaria (1971–89). His 35 years as Bulgaria’s ruler made him the longest-serving leader in any of the Soviet-bloc nations of eastern Europe. The son of poor peasants,

Cronus, in ancient Greek religion, male deity who was worshipped by the pre-Hellenic population of Greece but probably was not widely worshipped by the Greeks themselves; he was later identified with the Roman god Saturn. Cronus’s functions were connected with agriculture; in Attica his festival,

Kroumirie, mountainous region with extensive forests of cork-oak in northwestern Tunisia. One of the best-watered regions in North Africa (40 to 60 inches [1,000 to 1,500 mm] a year), it extends south of the Mediterranean Sea and north of Wadi Majardah (Medjerda) and east from the Algerian border

Khrushchev’s secret speech: …liberalization known as the “Khrushchev thaw,” during which censorship policy was relaxed, sparking a literary renaissance of sorts. Thousands of political prisoners were released, and thousands more who had perished during Stalin’s reign were officially “rehabilitated.” The speech also contributed to the revolts that occurred later that year in…

Khrushchev’s secret speech, (February 25, 1956), in Russian history, denunciation of the deceased Soviet leader Joseph Stalin made by Nikita S. Khrushchev to a closed session of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The speech was the nucleus of a far-reaching

Nikita Khrushchev was the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1953–64) and premier of the Soviet Union (1958–64) whose policy of de-Stalinization had widespread repercussions throughout the communist world. In foreign affairs, he pursued a policy of “peaceful coexistence”

Nikita Khrushchev was the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1953–64) and premier of the Soviet Union (1958–64) whose policy of de-Stalinization had widespread repercussions throughout the communist world. In foreign affairs, he pursued a policy of “peaceful coexistence”

amesha spenta: Khshathra Vairya (Desirable Dominion), who presides over metal, is the power of Ahura Mazdā’s kingdom. The believer can realize this power in action guided by Excellent Order and Good Mind. Spenta Armaiti (Beneficent Devotion), the spirit of devotion and faith, guides and protects the believer.…

Phraortes was the king of Media from 675 to 653 bc. Known by that name as a result of the writings of the 5th-century-bc Greek historian Herodotus, he was originally a village chief of Kar Kashi, but he later subjugated the Persians and a number of other Asian peoples, eventually forming an

shāh, title of the kings of Iran, or Persia. When compounded as shāhanshāh, it denotes “king of kings,” or emperor, a title adopted by the 20th-century Pahlavi dynasty in evocation of the ancient Persian “king of kings,” Cyrus II the Great (reigned 559–c. 529 bc). Another related title or form of

Khuang Aphaiwong was a Thai politician who founded and led Thailand’s strongest opposition party and was three times premier of Thailand (1944–45, 1946, and 1947–48). Khuang was a member of the Khmer family that under Thai auspices ruled western Cambodia from the 18th century and moved to Thailand

Khuang Aphaiwong was a Thai politician who founded and led Thailand’s strongest opposition party and was three times premier of Thailand (1944–45, 1946, and 1947–48). Khuang was a member of the Khmer family that under Thai auspices ruled western Cambodia from the 18th century and moved to Thailand

Khobar, oasis and port city, Al-Sharqiyyah minṭaqah (province) and region, eastern Saudi Arabia, situated on the Persian Gulf south of Dammam. The city is a commercial and industrial centre lying in a valley on the main road to Jordan. Khobar has good water wells and fertile soil, producing an

Orange River: Physiography: The Seati (Khubedu) headwater rises near Mont-aux-Sources to the north. Still farther north is the lesser-known Malibamatso headwater, one site of the Lesotho Highland Project. The Lesotho headwaters flow over the turf soil that covers Drakensberg lava and cut through the lava to expose underlying sedimentary…

Kublai Khan was a Mongolian general and statesman, who was the grandson and greatest successor of Genghis Khan. As the fifth emperor (reigned 1260–94) of the Yuan, or Mongol, dynasty (1206–1368), he completed the conquest of China (1279) started by Genghis Khan in 1211 and thus became the first

Hövsgöl Lake, lake in northern Mongolia. With an area of 1,012 square miles (2,620 square km), it is Mongolia’s largest freshwater lake, with depths exceeding 800 feet (244 m). It lies near the Russian border at an elevation of 5,397 feet (1,645 m), at the southern foot of the east Sayan Range. The

Khābūr River, river, an important tributary of the Euphrates River. It rises in the mountains of southeastern Turkey near Diyarbakır and flows southeastward to Al-Ḥasakah, Syria, where it receives its main tributary, the Jaghjagh; it then meanders south to join the Euphrates downstream from Dayr

Khuc Thua Du was a Vietnamese ruler in 906–907 whose rise to power, as a result of a successful rebellion in 906, constituted one of the first attempts of the Vietnamese to achieve independence. A wealthy landowner who, according to the annals of old Vietnam, was “respected for his virtuousness and

Red Shirt movement, in support of the Indian National Congress, an action started by Abdul Ghaffar Khan of the North-West Frontier Province of India in 1930. Ghaffar Khan was a Pashtun who greatly admired Mahatma Gandhi and his nonviolent principles and saw support for the Congress as a way of

Khuddaka Nikaya, diverse group of separate Buddhist texts constituting the fifth and last section of the Pali Sutta Pitaka (“Basket of Discourse”). Although it contains some very early works, it as a collection is later than the other four Nikayas and much more varied in form and content. It

Khuddaka Nikaya: Khuddaka-patha (“Short Passages”), a compilation of 9 items, including 10 precepts for novices, a hymn of praise to the Buddha, and verses accompanying oblations to departed spirits.

Pemba Island, island in the Indian Ocean, lying 35 miles (56 km) off the coast of East Africa, opposite the port of Tanga, Tanzania. The island is 42 miles (67 km) long and 14 miles (22 km) wide. As the Arabic name, which means “Green Island,” suggests, it is more fertile than its sister island,

Khujand, city, northwestern Tajikistan. The city lies along both banks of the Syr Darya (river) at the entrance to the fertile and heavily populated Fergana Valley. One of the most ancient cities of Central Asia, it lay along the great Silk Road from China to Europe. It was captured by the Arabs in

Khufu was the second king of the 4th dynasty (c. 2543–c. 2436 bce) of Egypt and builder of the Great Pyramid at Giza, the largest single building to that time. It and two nearby pyramids are collectively known as the Pyramids of Giza. Khufu’s reign and that of his son Khafre were represented by the

Great Pyramid of Giza, ancient Egyptian pyramid that is the largest of the three Pyramids of Giza, located on a rocky plateau on the west bank of the Nile River in northern Egypt. It was built by Khufu (Cheops), the second king of Egypt’s 4th dynasty (c. 2543–c. 2436 bce), and was completed in the

Mongolia: The mountains: …14,350 feet (4,374 metres) at Khüiten Peak (Nayramadlyn Orgil) at the western tip of the country, Mongolia’s highest point. Extending eastward from the Mongolian Altai are the Gobi Altai Mountains (Govi Altain Nuruu), a lesser range of denuded hills that lose themselves in the expanses of the Gobi.

Khujand, city, northwestern Tajikistan. The city lies along both banks of the Syr Darya (river) at the entrance to the fertile and heavily populated Fergana Valley. One of the most ancient cities of Central Asia, it lay along the great Silk Road from China to Europe. It was captured by the Arabs in

Fergana Valley: …(Myrzashöl) steppe by the narrow Khujand Gates.

Hülegü was a Mongol ruler in Iran who founded the Il-Khanid dynasty and, as part of a Mongol program of subduing the Islamic world, seized and sacked Baghdad, the religious and cultural capital of Islam. Some historians consider that he did more than anyone else to destroy medieval Iranian culture.

Mongolia: The arts: …17th to the 19th century, Dalan Khuldalchi (literally, “Innumerable Liar” or “Multifibber”) was the source of humorous folktales, such as, “How to Make Felt from Fly’s Wool.” There are stories about the badarchin, wily mendicant monks, while khuurchins—bards—carried down the oral epics and ballads. The religious mysteries, tsam and maidari,…

Khulna, city, southwestern Bangladesh. It lies along the Bhairab River in the south-central Padma (Ganges [Ganga])–Jamuna (Brahmaputra) delta. An important river port and produce-collection and trade centre, it is connected by riverboat, road, and rail to the major cities of the region. Shipyards

Ṭūlūnid Dynasty: The subsequent Ṭūlūnids, Khumārawayh (884–896), Jaysh (896), Hārūn (896–905), and Shaybān (905), were ineffectual rulers, totally reliant on a Turkish-black military caste. Under the administration of Khumārawayh, Aḥmad’s son, the Syro-Egyptian state’s financial and military stability was destroyed, and the state finally reverted to the ʿAbbāsids in 905.

ancient Iran: The Middle Elamite period: Political expansion under Khumbannumena (c. 1285–c. 1266 bc), the fourth king of this line, proceeded apace, and his successes were commemorated by his assumption of the title “Expander of the Empire.” He was succeeded by his son, Untash-Gal (Untash [d] Gal, or Untash-Huban), a contemporary of Shalmaneser I…

Mount Everest: Drainage and climate: … to the northwest; and the Khumbu Glacier to the west and south, which is fed by the glacier bed of the Western Cwm, an enclosed valley of ice between Everest and the Lhotse-Nuptse Ridge to the south. Glacial action has been the primary force behind the heavy and continuous erosion…

Apa Sherpa: …accelerated melting of the giant Khumbu Icefall near the mountain’s base. The expeditions employed ecologically friendly practices (e.g., the use of solar cookers) and collected and took down tons of trash and camping and climbing gear left behind by earlier expeditions. Apa’s climb in May 2010 was especially notable because…

Mount Everest: Geology and relief: Khumbutse (21,867 feet [6,665 metres]), Nuptse (25,791 feet [7,861 metres]), and Lhotse (27,940 feet [8,516 metres]) surround Everest’s base to the west and south.

zakat: …an additional one-fifth tax, the khums, to the Hidden Imam and his deputies. It is intended to be spent for the benefit of the imams in addition to orphans, the poor, and travelers.

Al-Khums, town, northwestern Libya. It is located on the Mediterranean coast about 60 miles (97 km) southeast of Tripoli. The town was founded by the Turks and gained importance after 1870 by exporting esparto grass (used for cordage, shoes, and paper). Modern economic activities in Al-Khums

South Asian arts: Parsi theatre: …modelled on King Lear, and Khūn-e Nāḥaq (“The Innocent Murder”) on Hamlet. His last play, Rustam-o-Sohrab, the tragic story of two legendary Persian heroes, Rustam and his son Sohrab, is a drama of passion and fatal irony.

alchemy: Modern alchemy: Neither did the German alchemist Heinrich Khunrath (c. 1560–1601), whose works have long been esteemed for their illustrations, make such a claim.

Khorāsān, historical region and realm comprising a vast territory now lying in northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, and northern Afghanistan. The historical region extended, along the north, from the Amu Darya (Oxus River) westward to the Caspian Sea and, along the south, from the fringes of

Avesta: The Khūrda Avesta (or Little Avesta) is a group of minor texts, hymns, and prayers for specific occasions.

Mongolia: Political developments: …contested by former prime minister Ukhnaa Khürelsükh of the MPP and Dangaasüren Enkhbat of the National Labor Party, representing the Right Person Electorate Coalition. Khürelsükh won by an overwhelming margin and was sworn in on June 25, 2021.

Iranian art and architecture: Seleucid period: …“Greek” temples, at Kangāvar and Khurha, in Iran, in which classical orders (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian) are handled with so little understanding that they can hardly be called Hellenistic. There are, however, isolated examples of contemporary sculpture from eastern sites to which this term could be more justifiably applied. Bronze…

Bishara al-Khuri was a Lebanese statesman, president of Lebanon from 1943 to 1952. The son of a prominent Lebanese Christian civil official, Khuri studied law in Paris and there learned to speak French fluently. In 1920 Khuri became secretary-general to the government of Mount Lebanon (the

Khurīyā Murīyā, island group of Oman, in the Arabian Sea, situated 25 miles (40 km) off the country’s southeastern coast. The five islands, which have a total land area of 28 square miles (73 square km), are composed largely of granite and represent the peaks of a submarine ridge. From west to east

Arabia: Northern Arabia: …these are Wadi ʿArʿar and Wadi Al-Khurr.

Shah Jahān was the Mughal emperor of India (1628–58) who built the Taj Mahal. He was the third son of the Mughal emperor Jahāngīr and the Rajput princess Manmati. In 1612 he married Arjūmand Bānū Begum, niece of Jahāngīr’s wife Nūr Jahān, and became, as Prince Khurram, a member of the influential

Shah Jahān was the Mughal emperor of India (1628–58) who built the Taj Mahal. He was the third son of the Mughal emperor Jahāngīr and the Rajput princess Manmati. In 1612 he married Arjūmand Bānū Begum, niece of Jahāngīr’s wife Nūr Jahān, and became, as Prince Khurram, a member of the influential

Khorramābād, city, capital of Lorestān province, western Iran. It commands a river gap in the Lorestān mountains used by the main road from Khūzestān to the highland plateau. A summer market for the nomadic Lur tribes, it has lively bazaars and a strong garrison. On a ridge between town and river

Khartoum North, city, east-central Sudan. It lies on the north bank of the Blue Nile and on the east bank of the Nile proper, with bridge connections to its sister cities of Khartoum and Omdurman. The main industrial centre of the region and the country, the city contains dockyards, marine and rail

Khartoum, city, executive capital of Sudan, just south of the confluence of the Blue and White Nile rivers. It has bridge connections with its sister towns, Khartoum North and Omdurman, with which it forms Sudan’s largest conurbation. Originally an Egyptian army camp (pitched 1821), Khartoum grew

vetiver, (Chrysopogon zizanioides), perennial grass of the family Poaceae, the roots of which contain an oil used in perfumes. Vetiver is native to tropical Asia and has been introduced into the tropics of both hemispheres; it has escaped cultivation and become a weed in some regions. The plant is

Murshidabad: …south, with Muradbagh Palace; and Khushbagh Cemetery, containing the tombs of ʿAlī Vardī Khan, the last great nawab, and Sirāj-al-Dawlah, his grandnephew, who was defeated by the British at the Battle of Plassey (Palashi). Constituted a municipality in 1869, Murshidabad has several colleges affiliated with the University of Calcutta. The…

Pashto language: Grammar and literature: The national poet of Afghanistan, Khushhal Khan Khatak (1613–94), wrote spontaneous and forceful poetry of great charm. His grandson Afzal Khan was the author of an early history of the Pashtun.

India: Jahāngīr of India: …led by his eldest son, Khusraw, who was reportedly supported by, among others, the Sikh Guru Arjun. Khusraw was defeated at Lahore and was brought in chains before the emperor. The subsequent execution of the Sikh Guru permanently estranged the Sikhs from the Mughals.

India: The Tughluqs of India: …general, a Hindu convert named Khusraw Khan, who had built substantial support among a group of Hindus outside the traditional nobility. Opposition to Khusraw’s rule arose immediately, led by Ghāzī Malik, the warden of the western marches at Deopalpur, and Khusraw was defeated and slain after four months.

Khust, city, western Ukraine, near the confluence of the Rika and Tisza rivers. It arose in the 10th century as a fortified Rus town. Subsequently it was under the rule of Hungary, the principality of Galicia-Volhynia, and Transylvania before coming under Austrian control in the 18th century.

Arabic literature: The 20th century and beyond: …concern, that of particularity (khuṣūṣiyyah), is a telling reflection of the realization among writers and critics throughout the Arabic-speaking world that the region they inhabited was both vast and variegated (with Europe to the north and west as a living example). Debate over this issue, while acknowledging notions of…

khutbah, in Islam, the sermon, delivered especially at a Friday service (ṣalāt al-jumʿah), at the two major Islamic festivals (ʿīds), at celebrations of saintly birthdays (mawlids), and on extraordinary occasions. The khutbah probably derived, though without a religious context, from the

khutbah, in Islam, the sermon, delivered especially at a Friday service (ṣalāt al-jumʿah), at the two major Islamic festivals (ʿīds), at celebrations of saintly birthdays (mawlids), and on extraordinary occasions. The khutbah probably derived, though without a religious context, from the

khutbah, in Islam, the sermon, delivered especially at a Friday service (ṣalāt al-jumʿah), at the two major Islamic festivals (ʿīds), at celebrations of saintly birthdays (mawlids), and on extraordinary occasions. The khutbah probably derived, though without a religious context, from the

Georgian language: Asomtavruli evolved into Khutsuri, an ecclesiastical script of 38 letters, including 6 vowels. Neither script is currently in use. Mkhedruli, a lay alphabet originally of 40 letters (7 are now obsolete), 6 of them vowels, is the script commonly used at present in printing and handwriting. All scripts…

Alhucemas, Spanish exclave on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco, comprising a bay, three islets, and a small port. The bay, a semicircular inlet (9 miles [14 km] wide and 5 miles [8 km] long), is protected by Cap Nuevo; its sandy bottom is an extension of the Nekor River alluvial plain. The

Khuzdār, town, Balochistān province, southwestern Pakistan. The town lies along the Kolāchi River at the apex of a narrow valley in the Pab (Pubb) Range and lies at an elevation of 4,060 feet (1,237 m) above sea level. It is located on an old caravan route to the Arabian Sea and is surrounded by

Khūzestān, geographic region in southwestern Iran, lying at the head of the Persian Gulf and bordering Iraq on the west. It is notable for its oil resources. Khūzestān comprises a southeastern extension of the Mesopotamian plain and includes part of the forested Zagros Mountains to the northeast.

Ahvāz: …the Arabic name for the Hūzī (or Khūzī), a local warlike tribe that gave its name to the historical region of Khūzestān. Arab historians of the 12th century described Ahwāz as the centre of a large sugarcane- and rice-growing area irrigated by a system of great canals from a dam…

Khūzestān, geographic region in southwestern Iran, lying at the head of the Persian Gulf and bordering Iraq on the west. It is notable for its oil resources. Khūzestān comprises a southeastern extension of the Mesopotamian plain and includes part of the forested Zagros Mountains to the northeast.

Abolqasem al-Khoei was an Iranian-born cleric who, as a grand ayatollah based in the holy city of Al-Najaf, Iraq, was the spiritual leader of millions of Shīʿite Muslims. Khoei studied Persian poetry and religion as a child. At age 13 he was sent to study Islamic law (Sharīʿah) at Al-Najaf, where

Khoja, caste of Indian Muslims converted from Hinduism to Islam in the 14th century by the Persian pīr (religious leader or teacher) Saḍr-al-Dīn and adopted as members of the Nizārī Ismāʿīliyyah sect of the Shīʿites. Forced to feign either Hinduism, Sunni Islam, or Ithnā ʿAshariyyah in order to

Balkh: The shrine of Khvājeh Abū Naṣr Pārsā is a remnant of its historic past. Pop. (2006 est.) 12,700; (2020 est.) 18,000.

Afghanistan: Resources and power: The Khvājeh Gūgerdak and Yatīm Tāq fields were major producers, with storage and refining facilities. Until the 1990s, pipelines delivered natural gas to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and to a thermal power plant and chemical fertilizer plant in Mazār-e Sharīf. Petroleum resources, on the other hand, have…

Caspian Sea: Geology of the Caspian Sea: …known as Baku, Khazar, and Khvalyn—alternately shrank and expanded. That process left a legacy in the form of peripheral terraces that mark old shorelines and can also be traced in the geologically recent underlying sedimentary layers.

Caspian Sea, world’s largest inland body of water. It lies to the east of the Caucasus Mountains and to the west of the vast steppe of Central Asia. The sea’s name derives from the ancient Kaspi peoples, who once lived in Transcaucasia to the west. Among its other historical names, Khazarsk and