Poul Anderson: In Tau Zero (1970), considered by some to be his best work, Anderson turned from the broad canvas of future history to the confines of a spaceship, the speed of which is approaching the speed of light. Inside, the travelers experience time as they have always…

Oceanic music and dance: Polynesia: …most acculturated dance type, the tau’olunga, is a combination of Tongan and Samoan movements accompanied by Western-style singing in conjunction with stringed instruments.

Taubaté, city, southeastern São Paulo estado (state), southern Brazil, on the Paraíba do Sul River. Founded in the early 17th century by Jacques Félix on the site of a Guaianases Indian village, it was a starting point for many bandeiras (expeditions into the interior). Formed as the village of São

Henry Taube was a Canadian-born American chemist, who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1983 for his extensive research into the properties and reactions of dissolved inorganic substances, particularly oxidation-reduction processes involving the ions of metallic elements (see oxidation-reduction

Western dance: Technical codifications and dance scholarship: …dance scholarship, most notably by Leipzig Gottfried Tauber in Der rechtschaffene Tanzlehrer (“The Correctly Working Dance Teacher”; 1717). These books strongly emphasized the contributions of dance to general education and manners. In this period dance was considered the basis of all education, and well-to-do parents went to great pains to…

Richard Tauber was an Austrian-born British tenor celebrated for his work in opera and, especially, operetta. Tauber was studying voice at Freiberg, Ger., at the time of his highly successful operatic debut, as Tamino in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) at the Chemnitz

Johann Strauss I: …of the “Zwei Tauben” the Täuberl-walzer, the first of many sets of Viennese waltzes named for the places where they were first played.

history of publishing: The 19th century: The Tauchnitz Collection of British and American Authors (1841–1939) became known to thousands of travelers. Tauchnitz voluntarily paid royalties and forbade the sale of his editions in Britain. Even more successful was Reclams Universal-Bibliothek, begun in 1867. An important factor in this series, as in others…

Alps: Physiography: …Germany and western Austria, the Tauern Mountains in Austria, the Julian Alps in northeastern Italy and northern Slovenia, and the Dinaric Alps along the western edge of the Balkan Peninsula, generally have a northerly and southeasterly drainage pattern. The Inn, Lech, and Isar rivers in Germany and the Salzach and…

Haʿapai Group: …an eruption, the Tongan king George Tupou I ordered the island evacuated; few people live there today. Uninhabited, well-wooded Kao Island (5 square miles [13 square km]) is a volcanic cone rising to 3,389 feet (1,033 metres) to form the highest point in Tonga. Nomuka is the centre of a…

Taughannock Falls, waterfalls and the central feature of Taughannock Falls State Park, near the western shore of Cayuga Lake, in the Finger Lakes Region, 8 miles (13 km) northwest of Ithaca in west-central New York, U.S. The name originates either from that of the Delaware Indian chief Taughannock

tawhid, (“making one,” “asserting oneness”), in Islam, the oneness of God, in the sense that he is one and there is no god but he, as stated in the shahādah (“witness”) formula: “There is no god but God and Muhammad is His prophet.” Tawhid further refers to the nature of that God—that he is a

Western architecture: Balearic Islands: …a ship, and the Minorcan taula, a monolithic column topped by a slab and recognized today as a support for a place of worship. This megalithic architecture, which was imposing in conception and skilled in execution, continued into the 1st millennium bce, the early Iron Age, and made the Balearic…

bank: The origins of central banking: In Barcelona the Taula de Canvi (Municipal Bank of Deposit) was established in 1401 for the safekeeping of city and private deposits, but it was also expected to help fund Barcelona’s government (particularly the financing of military expenses), which it did by receiving tax payments and issuing bonds—first…

Mississippi: Literature: Clifton Taulbert is known for his poignant memoirs of life in the racially charged atmosphere of mid-20th century Mississippi, and playwright Beth Henley has won acclaim for her works set in towns of the South.

Johann Tauler was a Dominican preacher, who, with Meister Eckhart and Heinrich Suso, was one of the chief Rhineland mystics. Educated at the Dominican convent at Strassburg and the studium generale at Cologne, Tauler later became a lector at Strassburg. During a period of exile, he preached and

Native American religions: Forms of religious authority: Among the Arecuna and Taulipang, Cariban groups of Venezuela and Brazil, the shamanic novitiate is reported to last from 10 to 20 years. In other traditions, by contrast, knowledge might be transmitted to the novice in relatively brief but intense periods of ecstasy. The knowledge imparted may include the…

Taum Sauk Mountain, mountain in Iron county, southeastern Missouri, U.S., highest point (1,772 feet [540 meters]) of the St. Francois Mountains and of the state. Centrepiece of Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, it is part of the main uplift of the forested Ozark Mountains and lies 90 miles (145 km)

Latin American art: State-sponsored art and Neoclassicism: …such imports were the brothers Auguste-Marie and Nicolas-Antoine Taunay, each of whom had a separate task: Auguste-Marie created Neoclassical busts of the emperor and generals—a format from the Roman tradition—while Nicolas made Neoclassical oil paintings of Rio, with an emphasis on realistic details and the New World’s great expanse of…

Nicolas-Antoine Taunay was a French painter and member of the French artistic mission to Brazil in 1816. The son of a painter for the porcelain factory at Sèvres, France, Taunay began studying painting at age 13. His teachers included Francesco Casanova, whose landscape and history paintings

Taung child, the first discovered fossil of Australopithecus africanus. Exhumed by miners in South Africa in 1924, the fossil was recognized as a primitive hominin (member of the human lineage) by paleoanthropologist Raymond Dart. The Taung specimen is a natural cast of the inside of the skull and

Taung child, the first discovered fossil of Australopithecus africanus. Exhumed by miners in South Africa in 1924, the fossil was recognized as a primitive hominin (member of the human lineage) by paleoanthropologist Raymond Dart. The Taung specimen is a natural cast of the inside of the skull and

Amarapura, town, central Myanmar (Burma). It lies on the left bank of the Irrawaddy River. A suburb of Mandalay, it is also known as Taung myo (Southern Town) or Myohaung (Old City). Founded by King Bodawpaya in 1783 as his new capital, it supplanted Ava, 6 miles (10 km) southwest. Its population

Taunggyi, city, east-central Myanmar (Burma). It lies on the Thazi-Keng Tung road at an elevation of 4,712 feet (1,436 metres), just north of Shwenyaung and Inle Lake. Its facilities include hospitals, a technical high school, an institute for training teachers, the private Kan-Kambawza College

Toungoo Dynasty, ruling house in Myanmar (Burma) from the 15th or 16th to the 18th century, whose reign is known as the Second Burmese Empire. King Minkyinyo (1486–1531) of Toungoo is usually considered the founder of the dynasty, but many authorities believe that the distinction of founder should

Indus River: Irrigation of the Indus River: Still farther the Taunsa Barrage, designed for the irrigation of land in the Dera Ghazi Khan and Muzaffargarh districts, also produces about 100,000 kilowatts of electricity. Within the Sindh there are three major barrages on the Indus—Guddu, Sukkur, and Kotri, or Ghulam Muhammad. The Guddu Barrage is just…

Taunton, city, Bristol county, southeastern Massachusetts, U.S., on the Taunton River, 33 miles (53 km) south of Boston. Elizabeth Poole, an early proprietor, was said to have purchased the site from Native Americans in 1638. It was organized as a town in 1639 and later named for Taunton, England.

Taunton, town, Taunton Deane borough (district), administrative and historic county of Somerset, southwestern England. It lies on the River Tone and is the administrative centre for the borough. An Anglo-Saxon king founded it about 710. Its castle was besieged during the English Civil Wars and

Taunton Deane, borough (district), administrative and historic county of Somerset, southwestern England. It lies in the Vale of Taunton Deane, which is sheltered by the Quantock, Black Down, and Brendon hills. The town of Taunton is the administrative centre. The Anglo-Saxon king Ine founded

Narragansett Bay: receives the Blackstone, Pawtuxet, Taunton, and Woonasquatucket rivers. It includes Rhode (Aquidneck), Prudence, and Conanicut islands as well as Mount Hope Bay (a northeastern arm), the Providence River (a northwestern arm), and the Sakonnet River (a tidal strait that separates the island

Taunus, wooded highland of Germany, extending across parts of the Länder (states) of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. The range is 50 miles (80 km) long and is bounded by the Rhine (west), Main (south), and Lahn (north) rivers. The range slopes steeply along the Rhine; it is noted for its

Elton John: …met his major songwriting collaborator, Bernie Taupin (b. May 22, 1950, Sleaford, Lincolnshire), after both responded to an advertisement in a trade magazine, and his first British recording success was with “Lady Samantha” in 1968. His first American album, Elton John, was released in 1970 and immediately established him as…

Lake Taupō, lake, the largest in New Zealand, on the volcanic plateau of central North Island. It has a total surface area of 234 square miles (606 square km), and its surface lies at an elevation of 1,172 feet (357 metres). The lake has a depth of about 525 feet (160 metres). It covers the remains

Lake Taupō, lake, the largest in New Zealand, on the volcanic plateau of central North Island. It has a total surface area of 234 square miles (606 square km), and its surface lies at an elevation of 1,172 feet (357 metres). The lake has a depth of about 525 feet (160 metres). It covers the remains

turaco: …green and iridescent turacos (Tauraco, Musophaga, and Corythaeola) are primarily residents of dense broad-leaved evergreen forest; the grayer forms (Crinifer), most of which are called go-away birds (because the calls of some are “g’way, g’way”), are found in more open woodland, including savanna.

Tauranga, city, district, and port, north-central North Island, New Zealand. It is situated on a 2-mile (3-km) neck projecting from the southeastern shore of Tauranga Harbour, a crescent-shaped inlet opening onto the Bay of Plenty. An Anglican mission was established there in 1834, and its Elms

Diana Taurasi is an American professional basketball player who was one of the greatest players in the history of the women’s game. She helped lead the Phoenix Mercury to three Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) championships (2007, 2009, and 2014). The 6-foot- (1.83-meter-) tall guard

Diana Taurasi is an American professional basketball player who was one of the greatest players in the history of the women’s game. She helped lead the Phoenix Mercury to three Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) championships (2007, 2009, and 2014). The 6-foot- (1.83-meter-) tall guard

Tauri, earliest known inhabitants of the mountainous south coast of what is now Crimea, which itself was known in ancient times as the Tauric Chersonese. The Tauri were famous in the ancient world for their virgin goddess who was identified by the Greeks with Artemis Tauropolos or with Iphigeneia.

Western architecture: Russia: …of Russian country houses, the Tauride Palace (1783–88), for Grigory Potemkin, Catherine’s lover. The Tauride Palace consisted of a central-domed and porticoed central block connected by narrow galleries to large wings.

Tabrīz, fourth largest city of Iran and capital of the East Āz̄arbāyjān province, lying about 4,485 feet (1,367 metres) above sea level in the extreme northwestern part of the country. The climate is continental: hot and dry in summer and severely cold in winter. The city lies in a valley

Turin, city, capital of Torino provincia and of Piemonte (Piedmont) regione, northwestern Italy. It is located on the Po River near its junction with the Sangone, Dora Riparia, and Stura di Lanzo rivers. The original settlement of Taurisia, founded by the Taurini, was partly destroyed by the

Taurobolium, bull sacrifice practiced from about ad 160 in the Mediterranean cult of the Great Mother of the Gods. Celebrated primarily among the Romans, the ceremony enjoyed much popularity and may have been introduced by the Roman emperor. The nature and purpose of the ceremony seems to have

Norman Taurog was an American director of some 80 feature films, many of which were comedies, including a number with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and musicals, nine of which starred Elvis Presley. However, arguably his best-known movie was the drama Boys Town (1938). (Read Martin Scorsese’s

Norman Taurog was an American director of some 80 feature films, many of which were comedies, including a number with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and musicals, nine of which starred Elvis Presley. However, arguably his best-known movie was the drama Boys Town (1938). (Read Martin Scorsese’s

Johann Yorck, count von Wartenburg: …invasion of that country (Convention of Tauroggen, 1812) opened the way for Prussia to join the Allied powers against Napoleon.

Dionysus, in Greco-Roman religion, a nature god of fruitfulness and vegetation, especially known as a god of wine and ecstasy. The occurrence of his name on a Linear B tablet (13th century bce) shows that he was already worshipped in the Mycenaean period, although it is not known where his cult

bullfighting, the national spectacle of Spain and many Spanish-speaking countries, in which a bull is ceremoniously fought in a sand arena by a matador and usually killed. Bullfighting is also popular in Portugal and southern France, though in the former, where the bull is engaged by a bullfighter

bullfighting, the national spectacle of Spain and many Spanish-speaking countries, in which a bull is ceremoniously fought in a sand arena by a matador and usually killed. Bullfighting is also popular in Portugal and southern France, though in the former, where the bull is engaged by a bullfighter

bullfighting: The rise of professional bullfighting: …of bullfighting scenes in his La tauromaquia series, designed a distinctive professional uniform for bullfighters (worn only on commemorative gala occasions in Goya-style corridas, or corridas goyescas). Performers also began using a net to hold back their shoulder-length hair, later tying it in a knot at the base of the…

Dionysus, in Greco-Roman religion, a nature god of fruitfulness and vegetation, especially known as a god of wine and ecstasy. The occurrence of his name on a Linear B tablet (13th century bce) shows that he was already worshipped in the Mycenaean period, although it is not known where his cult

eland, (genus Taurotragus), either of two very large, oxlike African antelopes of the spiral-horned antelope tribe (Tragelaphini, family Bovidae), which also includes the bushbuck and the kudus. The giant, or Derby, eland (Taurotragus derbianus) inhabits woodlands filled with the broad-leaved doka

eland: The giant, or Derby, eland (Taurotragus derbianus) inhabits woodlands filled with the broad-leaved doka tree in the northern savanna from Senegal to the Nile River. The common, or Cape, eland (T. oryx) ranges over the woodlands, plains, mountains, and subdeserts of eastern and southern Africa. The…

eland: The highly endangered western giant eland (T. derbianus derbianus) has been reduced to at most a few hundred animals. Without effective protection in its last refuges in Senegal’s Niokolo-Koba National Park and an adjacent game reserve, the only hope for this subspecies’ survival is a captive breeding program.

eland: The common, or Cape, eland (T. oryx) ranges over the woodlands, plains, mountains, and subdeserts of eastern and southern Africa. The eland is the largest of all antelopes.

Taurt, goddess of ancient Egypt, the benevolent protectress of fertility and childbirth, associated also with the nursing of infants. She was depicted as having the head of a hippopotamus standing upright (sometimes with the breasts of a woman), the tail of a crocodile, and the claws of a lion. Her

Opet, ancient Egyptian festival of the second month of the lunar calendar. In the celebration of Opet, the god Amon, Mut, his consort, and Khons, their son, made a ritual journey from their shrines at Karnak to the temple of Luxor (called Ipet resyt in pharaonic Egyptian, hence the name of the

Taurus, in astronomy, zodiacal constellation lying in the northern sky between Aries and Gemini, at about 4 hours 20 minutes right ascension and 16° north declination. The constellation’s brightest star, Aldebaran (Arabic for “the follower”; also called Alpha Tauri), is the 14th brightest star in

Taurus Mountains, mountain range in southern Turkey, a great chain running parallel to the Mediterranean coast. The system extends along a curve from Lake Egridir in the west to the upper reaches of the Euphrates River in the east. Aladağ (10,935 feet [3,333 metres]) in the Taurus proper and Mount

Hyades, cluster of several hundred stars in the zodiacal constellation Taurus. As seen from Earth, the bright star Aldebaran appears to be a member of the cluster, but in fact Aldebaran is much closer to the Earth than the Hyades’ distance of about 150 light-years. Five genuine members of the group

Hyades, cluster of several hundred stars in the zodiacal constellation Taurus. As seen from Earth, the bright star Aldebaran appears to be a member of the cluster, but in fact Aldebaran is much closer to the Earth than the Hyades’ distance of about 150 light-years. Five genuine members of the group

Taurus-Littrow Valley, region on the Moon where the Apollo 17 lunar mission landed. Located at 22° N 31° E, it is named for the surrounding Taurus Mountains, a part of the ramparts of the Serenitatis Basin (Mare Serenitatis) impact structure, and for the nearby 30-km- (19-mile-) diameter crater

Chodsko: …the Všerubsky Pass, southwest of Domažlice, where in 1040 the Bohemian prince Břetislav I defeated the army of the German king Henry III and where in 1431 Hussite troops frightened off a larger Roman Catholic army.

Hans Tausen was a religious Reformer known as “the Danish Luther” for his major role in bringing the Reformation to Denmark. Originally a Roman Catholic, Tausen became a monk in the order of Knights Hospitalers at Antvorskov, near Slagelse, and studied and taught (1516–21) at Rostock and at

Seti II: …succeeded by Seti II’s widow, Tausert, who counted her reigning years from the year of Seti II’s death (though she effectively reigned only from c. 1192 to c. 1191). Of the rulers or would-be rulers of this period, Seti II was the only one recognized by Ramses III (of the…

Karl Tausig was a Polish pianist and composer, probably Liszt’s greatest pupil. After four years of study with Liszt at Weimar, Tausig made his public debut in 1858 at a concert in Berlin. He toured Germany (1859–60) and then settled in Vienna in 1862. There he gave a series of concerts with

Karl Tausig was a Polish pianist and composer, probably Liszt’s greatest pupil. After four years of study with Liszt at Weimar, Tausig made his public debut in 1858 at a concert in Berlin. He toured Germany (1859–60) and then settled in Vienna in 1862. There he gave a series of concerts with

Tausug, one of the largest of the Muslim (sometimes called Moro) ethnic groups of the southwestern Philippines. They live primarily in the Sulu Archipelago, southwest of the island of Mindanao, mainly in the Jolo island cluster. There are, however, significant migrant (or immigrant) communities of

Frank William Taussig was an American economist whose contributions to trade theory have been of major importance in the 20th century. Taussig was the son of a successful doctor and businessman who had immigrated to the United States from Prague. Taussig graduated from Harvard in 1879 and obtained

Helen Brooke Taussig was an American physician recognized as the founder of pediatric cardiology, best known for her contributions to the development of the first successful treatment of “blue baby” syndrome. Helen Taussig was born into a distinguished family as the daughter of Frank and Edith

Tausug, one of the largest of the Muslim (sometimes called Moro) ethnic groups of the southwestern Philippines. They live primarily in the Sulu Archipelago, southwest of the island of Mindanao, mainly in the Jolo island cluster. There are, however, significant migrant (or immigrant) communities of

Arago: The human remains include two robust and well-preserved jaws that are quite different in size, probably because males were larger than females. The 1971 discovery of a partial skull with a complete face is one of the best-known European fossil hominins (members of the human lineage).…

tautog, fish of the western Atlantic, a large, commercially important species of wrasse

tautog, fish of the western Atlantic, a large, commercially important species of wrasse

tautology, in logic, a statement so framed that it cannot be denied without inconsistency. Thus, “All humans are mammals” is held to assert with regard to anything whatsoever that either it is not a human or it is a mammal. But that universal “truth” follows not from any facts noted about real

tautomerism, the existence of two or more chemical compounds that are capable of facile interconversion, in many cases merely exchanging a hydrogen atom between two other atoms, to either of which it forms a covalent bond. Unlike other classes of isomers, tautomeric compounds exist in mobile

Audrey Tautou is a French actress known for her gamine beauty and elfin charm. Tautou began her acting career with several television movies in the late 1990s and won a talent-search contest sponsored by a French media company in 1999. Later that year she appeared in her first major film role,

Talish Mountains, mountain chain, northwestern Iran, in the northwest section of the Elburz Mountains, extending southeastward from the Azerbaijan border to the lower part of the Safīd Rūd (Safid River). Few peaks rise above 10,000 feet (3,000 metres). The Talish Mountains are made up of volcanic

bridge: Maillart’s innovations: …bridge over the Vorderrhein at Tavanasa, with a span of 50 metres (167 feet), Maillart cut out the spandrel walls to achieve a technically superior form that was also visually new. As at Zuoz, the concrete arches of the Tavanasa bridge were connected by hinges to both abutments and to…

bandeira: The first bandeira, organized by Antonio Raposo Tavares in 1628, raided 21 such villages in the upper Paraná valley and captured about 2,500 Indians. The Jesuit missionaries were the chief opponents of the bandeirantes and tried to stave off their attacks by moving their villages farther south and west and…

Eugénio Tavares was a Cape Verdean poet who was one of the first Cape Verdeans to be published in the islands’ vernacular, Crioulo, a creolized Portuguese with African-language influences. After struggling to get a basic education, Tavares went to New England in the United States to work, but he

New York Islanders: …postseason by young star centre John Tavares in 2012–13 but lost in the first round. The turnaround was short-lived, however, and the Islanders finished the 2013–14 season last in their division. The team again rebounded the following year to post the franchise’s first 100-point season since 1983–84 only to again…

Hämeenlinna, city, southwestern Finland. It lies on the shore of Lake Vanaja, northwest of Helsinki. The city’s name is derived from the castle of Häme, parts of which date from about 1250. The town, originally chartered in 1639, was first located north of the castle but moved to its present site,

Häme, historic region, southwestern Finland. It lies north of Helsinki and includes part of Lake Päijänne, which serves as much of its eastern boundary. The region produces lumber, rye, oats, barley, and potatoes; livestock and dairy cows are also important. It is the home of the Hämäläiset

Finland: Ethnic groups: …ancestors of the Hämäläiset (Tavastians, or Tavastlanders), the people of southern and western Finland (especially the historic region of Häme); those who entered from the southeast were the Karelians. Scandinavian peoples occupied the western coast and archipelagoes and the Åland Islands.

Finland: Ethnic groups: …ancestors of the Hämäläiset (Tavastians, or Tavastlanders), the people of southern and western Finland (especially the historic region of Häme); those who entered from the southeast were the Karelians. Scandinavian peoples occupied the western coast and archipelagoes and the Åland Islands.

Finnish literature: Origins: …Hjort, first performed 1862), and Karl August Tavaststjerna, who had extensive connections with the authors of “the modern breakthrough” (det moderne gennembrud) and is best known for his realistic novel Hårda tider (1891; “Hard Times”). Tavaststjerna also wrote poetry, and with his novel I förbund med döden (1893; “In Alliance…

Davos, town, Graubünden canton, eastern Switzerland, consisting of two villages, Davos-Platz and Davos-Dorf, in the Davos Valley, on the Landwasser River, 5,118 feet (1,560 metres) above sea level. The town is mentioned in historical documents of 1160 and 1213; it was then inhabited by

Tavda, city and port, Sverdlovsk oblast (region), western Russia, on the Tavda River. Its main industries are locomotive repair, sawmilling, and woodworking. The city’s timber complex produces prefabricated houses, veneers, and plywood. There is a technical institute devoted to the woodworking

Greek literature: Literature after 1922: …1920s; and Eroica (1937) by Kosmás Polítis, about the first encounter of a group of well-to-do schoolboys with love and death.

Sir John Tavener was a British composer who was strongly influenced by sacred and spiritual texts. Although some critics dismissed his work as lightweight, Tavener drew praise for making classical music accessible to the masses. Tavener composed music as early as age three and learned to play the

Alonso Berruguete: …and art patron Juan Pardo Cardinal Tavera asked Berruguete to Toledo to execute the choir stalls of the Toledo Cathedral (1539–43), as well as the alabaster Transfiguration at the west end of the choir (1543–48). These carvings are somewhat more moderate and classical in feeling than his earlier works. At…

tavern, an establishment where alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises. Tavern keeping has paralleled the growth of trade, travel, and industry throughout history and virtually worldwide. The Code of Hammurabi of ancient Babylonia (c. 1750 bce) provided that the death penalty

John Weaver: In his initial choreographic effort, The Tavern Bilkers (1702), a burlesque and the first English pantomime ballet, he used Italian commedia dell’arte characters such as Harlequin and Scaramouche. At the time, dance was generally considered a form of amusement, but Weaver viewed dance as more than entertainment. In his outstanding…

Act of Parliament clock, weight-driven wall clock with a large wooden, painted or lacquered dial. More correctly, it is called a tavern clock. Clocks of this type were displayed by innkeepers and got their name from the passage of a five-shilling duty on clocks in Great Britain, introduced in 1797

John Taverner was an English composer known primarily for his sacred works. His music represents the culmination of early 16th-century English polyphony. In 1526 Taverner went to the University of Oxford to become master of the choir in the chapel of Cardinal College (later Christ Church). He left

Taveuni Island, third largest island of Fiji, South Pacific Ocean. The island has an area of 168 square miles (435 square km). It lies off the southeast coast of Vanua Levu and was sighted by the Dutch navigator Abel Janszoon Tasman in 1643. Volcanic in origin, it has a central mountain ridge that

Nganasan, an indigenous Arctic people who traditionally resided in the lower half of the Taymyr Peninsula of Russia. They numbered about 800 in the early 21st century. The Dolgan also inhabit this region, and neighbouring groups include the Sakha and the Enets. The Nganasan speak a Uralic language

Samoyedic languages: …Nenets (Yurak), Enets (Yenisey), and Nganasan (Tavgi). The South Samoyedic subgroup comprises Selkup and the practically extinct Kamas language. None of these languages was written before 1930, and they are currently used only occasionally for educational purposes in some elementary schools.

Nganasan, an indigenous Arctic people who traditionally resided in the lower half of the Taymyr Peninsula of Russia. They numbered about 800 in the early 21st century. The Dolgan also inhabit this region, and neighbouring groups include the Sakha and the Enets. The Nganasan speak a Uralic language