Semitic languages: The laryngeal, pharyngeal, and uvular sounds: …past the uvula produces the uvular x (sounding like the ch of German Bach or Scottish loch). Its voiced counterpart, the gh, resembles the standard French r-sound.

Austronesian languages: Phonetic types: Some Formosan languages have a uvular stop (written q), which is a consonant sound produced by drawing the backmost part of the tongue down to touch the wall of the pharynx. A number of the languages of Borneo and some other areas have unusual nasal consonants belonging to either of…

bellwort, any of five species of woodland plants that constitute the genus Uvularia of the family Colchicaceae and are native to eastern North America. They are all low perennials with slender, creeping rootstocks that send up leafy stems from 6 to 20 inches (15 to 50 cm) high. The stems bear large

bellwort: …is the large-flowered bellwort (U. grandiflora). It bears ovate leaves and narrowly bell-shaped, lemon-yellow, six-parted flowers that are about 1.5 inches (4 cm) long. It is found from Quebec westward to Minnesota and southward to Georgia and Kansas. The somewhat smaller perfoliate bellwort (U. perfoliata), with more pointed leaves,…

bellwort: …somewhat smaller perfoliate bellwort (U. perfoliata), with more pointed leaves, occurs from Quebec and Ontario south to Florida and Mississippi. In these two species, the leaves appear as if impaled upon the stem (i.e., perfoliate). The other three species of bellworts are much smaller and have sessile leaves.

Afro-Asiatic languages: Phonetics and phonology: …touches the soft palate), and uvularized (articulated at the back of the vocal tract with the uvula). In South Arabian, Ethio-Semitic, Cushitic, and Chadic languages, there are consonants characterized by the following “manners,” or types of air flow: explosive glottals, which occur when a complete closure is suddenly released; ejective…

dress: Japan: The outer kimono (uwagi) is very large to accommodate the many layers of kimono worn under it, and it has an abnormally long skirt that is worn swirling out around the wearer’s feet. This, too, is made of rich brocade, its design and colours being a matter of…

Uwajima, city, Ehime ken (prefecture), Shikoku, Japan. It faces the Bungo Channel between the Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Uwajima developed as a castle town in the late 16th century. Connected by rail to major ports on the Inland Sea in 1945, it became the transport hub of southwestern

Libyan Desert: …highest point is Mount Al-ʿUwaynāt (6,345 feet [1,934 metres]), located where the three countries meet. The Qattara Depression (Munkhafaḍ al-Qaṭṭārah) of Egypt descends to 436 feet (133 metres) below sea level. The very few inhabitants are mainly concentrated in the Egyptian oases of Siwa, Al-Baḥriyyah, Al-Farāfirah, Al-Dākhilah, and Al-Khārijah…

Arabia: The Hejaz and Asir: …lava fields such as the ʿUwayriḍ, while others ring Medina. Tongues of lava south of Medina, lapping over the mountains, descend almost to the coast. The sand plain of Rakbah unrolls south of the Kishb Lava Field, which is southeast of Medina. Among the lava fields east of Mecca is…

Jalāyirid: His son Uways I (reigned 1356–74) enlarged Jalāyirid domains by seizing Azerbaijan (1360) and placing the Moẓaffarid principality of Fārs under his suzerainty (1361–64). The dynasty, however, was beset by the westward migrations and invasions of various Turkic and Mongol tribes. The khans of the Golden Horde,…

Rwanda: Genocide and aftermath: The next day Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana, a moderate Hutu, was assassinated. Her murder was part of a campaign to eliminate moderate Hutu or Tutsi politicians, with the goal of creating a political vacuum and thus allowing for the formation of the interim government of Hutu extremists that was inaugurated…

history of Saint Lucia: Independence: … (SLP) defeated the more conservative United Workers’ Party (UWP). The SLP governments favored the socialist regimes of the Caribbean, establishing relations with Cuba and joining the nonaligned movement. They also helped form the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States in 1981.

Julius Caesar: The first triumvirate and the conquest of Gaul: …in the natural fortress of Uxellodunum (perhaps the Puy d’Issolu on the Dordogne) until its water supply gave out. Caesar had the survivors’ hands cut off. He spent the year 50 bce in organizing the newly conquered territory. After that, he was ready to settle his accounts with his opponents…

Uxmal, ruined ancient Maya city in Yucatán state, Mexico, about 90 miles (150 km) west-southwest of Chichén Itzá and 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Mayapán. By road, it is some 50 miles (80 km) south of the modern city of Mérida. Uxmal was designated a World Heritage site in 1996. The site is the

Convention on Cluster Munitions: Unexploded ordnance (UXO) generated by cluster munitions, used extensively by NATO forces in the Kosovo conflict, resulted in more than 150 post-combat casualties. Reports by Human Rights Watch and the International Committee of the Red Cross found that an estimated 10 percent of the 289,000…

matrilineal society, group adhering to a kinship system in which ancestral descent is traced through maternal instead of paternal lines (the latter being termed patrilineage or patriliny). Every society incorporates some basic components in its system of reckoning kinship: family, marriage,

South American nomad: Composite bands: …other hand, were matrilineal and matrilocal—that is, an individual traced his ancestry through his mother’s lineage, and a man went to live with his wife’s band. Matrilineal descent and matrilocal residence were associated with the importance of women gathering food.

Saudi Arabia: Origins and early expansion: …Wahhābī movement, was born in ʿUyaynah in 1703 to a family of religious judges and scholars and as a young man traveled widely in other regions of the Middle East. It was upon his return to ʿUyaynah that he first began to preach his revolutionary ideas of conservative religious reformation…

zemstvo: …existed on two levels, the uyezd (canton) and the province; the uyezd assemblies, composed of delegates representing the individual landed proprietors and the peasant village communes, elected the provincial assemblies. Each assembly appointed an executive board and hired professional experts to carry out its functions.

Uyghur, a Turkic-speaking people of inner Asia. Uyghurs live primarily in northwestern China, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where they have been subject to a government crackdown since 2017. A small number of Uyghurs also live in the Central Asian republics. There were more than

Xinjiang, autonomous region of China, occupying the northwestern corner of the country. It is bordered by the Chinese provinces of Qinghai and Gansu to the east, the Tibet Autonomous Region to the south, Afghanistan and the disputed territory of Kashmir to the southwest, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

history of Central Asia: The Uyghur empire: This new empire comprised many tribes and seems to have been headed by a smaller tribal confederation standing under Uyghur leadership. This federation is referred to in Chinese sources as the Nine Clans (Jiuxing), whereas Islamic sources and the Orhon inscriptions call it…

Uyghur language, member of the Turkic language family within the Altaic language group, spoken by Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of northwestern China and in portions of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The modern Uyghur language, which was based on the Taranchi dialect

Uyghur, a Turkic-speaking people of inner Asia. Uyghurs live primarily in northwestern China, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where they have been subject to a government crackdown since 2017. A small number of Uyghurs also live in the Central Asian republics. There were more than

Xinjiang, autonomous region of China, occupying the northwestern corner of the country. It is bordered by the Chinese provinces of Qinghai and Gansu to the east, the Tibet Autonomous Region to the south, Afghanistan and the disputed territory of Kashmir to the southwest, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

Rembrandt: First Amsterdam period (1631–1635/36) of Rembrandt: …entered a business relationship with Hendrick Uylenburgh, an Amsterdam entrepreneur in paintings who had a large workshop that painted portraits, carried out restorations, and produced copies, among other activities. Rembrandt apparently had already planned or was inspired by Uylenburgh to leave Leiden, then in decline, for Amsterdam, which was thriving.

Rembrandt: The myth of Rembrandt’s fall: The death of Rembrandt’s wife, Saskia, and the presumed rejection of the Night Watch by those who commissioned it were long supposed to be the most important events leading to the presumed change in Rembrandt’s life after 1642. But modern art-historical research has questioned the myth of a crisis in…

Uyo, town, capital of Akwa Ibom state, southeastern Nigeria. Uyo lies on the road from Oron to Ikot Ekpene. A collecting station for palm oil and kernels, it is also a local trade centre (yams, cassava [manioc], palm produce) for an area inhabited mainly by the Ibibio people. The town has a brewery

Uyo: …is the site of the University of Uyo (1991). Pop. (2016 est.) urban agglom., 440,000.

Battle of Blood River: Context: … with a force under commandants Dirk Uys and Andries Potgieter. Along the way, they were attacked by the Zulu at Ithaleni, and Uys and many of his men were killed. Exhausted, the remaining Voortrekkers prepared for defeat. The Zulu attacked again on August 12, 1838, but this time the Voortrekkers…

Chindwin River: The Uyu and the Myittha are the main tributaries of the system, which drains approximately 44,000 square miles (114,000 square km). During part of the rainy season (June–November), the Chindwin is navigable by river steamer for more than 400 miles (640 km) upstream to Singkaling Hkamti.…

Uyuni, town, southwestern Bolivia. It lies on the cold, windswept Altiplano, a high intermontane plateau, at 12,024 feet (3,665 metres) above sea level, just east of the vast Uyuni Salt Flat. Founded in 1890, it prospered, with the assistance of Slav and Syrian colonists, as a railroad junction and

Uyuni Salt Flat, arid windswept salt flat in southwestern Bolivia. It lies on the Altiplano, at 11,995 feet (3,656 metres) above sea level. The Uyuni Salt Flat is Bolivia’s largest salt-encrusted waste area (about 4,085 square miles [10,582 square km]) and is separated from the Coipasa Salt Flat, a

Cem Uzan is a Turkish businessman and politician known for launching the first private television channel in Turkey and for his subsequent foray into politics. Uzan’s father had made his fortune in the construction industry. The Uzan family’s various business holdings grew extensively over the

Cem Uzan is a Turkish businessman and politician known for launching the first private television channel in Turkey and for his subsequent foray into politics. Uzan’s father had made his fortune in the construction industry. The Uzan family’s various business holdings grew extensively over the

Tigris-Euphrates river system: Hydrology: …the Great Zab, Little Zab, ʿUẓaym, and Diyālā rivers, all of which derive their water mainly from snowmelt in Turkish, Iranian, and Iraqi Kurdistan. The precipitous flow of its tributaries makes the Tigris more susceptible than the Euphrates to short-term flooding, and its short length brings its annual flood period…

Öz Beg was a Mongol leader and khan of the Golden Horde, or Kipchak empire, of southern Russia, under whom it attained its greatest power. He reigned from 1312 to 1341. Öz Beg was a convert to Islām, but he also welcomed Christian missionaries from western Europe into his realm. Öz Beg encouraged

Öz Beg was a Mongol leader and khan of the Golden Horde, or Kipchak empire, of southern Russia, under whom it attained its greatest power. He reigned from 1312 to 1341. Öz Beg was a convert to Islām, but he also welcomed Christian missionaries from western Europe into his realm. Öz Beg encouraged

Uzbek, any member of a Central Asian people found chiefly in Uzbekistan, but also in other parts of Central Asia and in Afghanistan. The Uzbeks speak either of two dialects of Uzbek, a Turkic language of the Altaic family of languages. More than 16 million Uzbeks live in Uzbekistan, 2,000,000 in

Uzbek khanate, any of the three states that ruled Transoxania, in present-day Uzbekistan, before it came under Russian rule in the 19th century. The khanates of Bukhara and Khiva (Khwārezm) were established by two branches of the Shaybānid dynasty, which won control of Transoxania from the Timurids

Uzbek language, member of the Turkic language family within the Altaic language group, spoken in Uzbekistan, eastern Turkmenistan, northern and western Tajikistan, southern Kazakhstan, northern Afghanistan, and northwestern China. Uzbek belongs to the southeastern, or Chagatai, branch of the Turkic

Uzbek literature, the body of written works produced by the Uzbek people of Central Asia, most of whom live in Uzbekistan, with smaller populations in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Although its roots stretch as far back as the 9th century, modern Uzbek literature traces its origins in

Uzbekistan, landlocked country in Central Asia. It lies mainly between two major rivers, the Syr Darya (ancient Jaxartes River) to the northeast and the Amu Darya (ancient Oxus River) to the southwest, though they only partly form its boundaries. Uzbekistan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the

horizontally striped blue-white-green national flag with red fimbriations (narrow borders) between the stripes. In the upper hoist corner are a white crescent and 12 white stars. The flag’s width-to-length ratio is 1 to 2.Uzbekistan legalized the design of its new national flag on November 18,

Uzbekistan: History: Humans lived in what is now Uzbekistan as early as the Paleolithic Period (Old Stone Age), some 55,000 to 70,000 years ago. The great states of Bactria, Khwārezm, and Sogdiana emerged during the 1st millennium bce in the fertile region around the

Uzbekistan, landlocked country in Central Asia. It lies mainly between two major rivers, the Syr Darya (ancient Jaxartes River) to the northeast and the Amu Darya (ancient Oxus River) to the southwest, though they only partly form its boundaries. Uzbekistan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the

Uzbekistan, landlocked country in Central Asia. It lies mainly between two major rivers, the Syr Darya (ancient Jaxartes River) to the northeast and the Amu Darya (ancient Oxus River) to the southwest, though they only partly form its boundaries. Uzbekistan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the

Uzbekistan, landlocked country in Central Asia. It lies mainly between two major rivers, the Syr Darya (ancient Jaxartes River) to the northeast and the Amu Darya (ancient Oxus River) to the southwest, though they only partly form its boundaries. Uzbekistan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the

Uzhhorod, city, western Ukraine. It is situated along the Uzh River just east of the Slovak border. For centuries Uzhhorod has been an important cultural, educational, religious, and economic center of the Carpathian Mountains region. It was founded in the 8th or 9th century and has long had

Eastern rite church: History: The Union of Uzhhorod (Uzhgorod) in 1646 brought many Ruthenians (or Rusyns) into the Roman Catholic Church when 63 Ruthenian Orthodox priests, who represented Ruthenians living under Catholic rule, accepted the authority of Rome while being allowed to maintain their liturgical language (Old Church Slavonic) and…

Uzhhorod, city, western Ukraine. It is situated along the Uzh River just east of the Slovak border. For centuries Uzhhorod has been an important cultural, educational, religious, and economic center of the Carpathian Mountains region. It was founded in the 8th or 9th century and has long had

Eastern rite church: History: The Union of Uzhhorod (Uzhgorod) in 1646 brought many Ruthenians (or Rusyns) into the Roman Catholic Church when 63 Ruthenian Orthodox priests, who represented Ruthenians living under Catholic rule, accepted the authority of Rome while being allowed to maintain their liturgical language (Old Church Slavonic) and…

Uzhhorod, city, western Ukraine. It is situated along the Uzh River just east of the Slovak border. For centuries Uzhhorod has been an important cultural, educational, religious, and economic center of the Carpathian Mountains region. It was founded in the 8th or 9th century and has long had

Uzi submachine gun, compact automatic weapon that is used throughout the world as a police and special-forces firearm. The Uzi is named for its designer, Uziel Gal, an Israeli army officer who developed it after the Arab-Israeli war of 1948. Gal based his weapon partly on earlier Czech designs, in

Užice, town, southwestern Serbia. It lies along the Djetinja River and the Sarajevo-Čačak-Belgrade railway line. A medieval town of strategic importance, Užice was the headquarters for the Partisan army in autumn 1941. It was renamed in honour of Josip Broz Tito in 1946 but reverted to its old name

Mawlamyine: …renowned for its view, and Uzina, with life-sized figures representing the four events that influenced the Buddha to become a hermit. The city lies in an area that has a sizable Mon population.

Uzun Ḥasan was the ruler (1453–78) of the Turkmen Ak Koyunlu dynasty who created a short-lived empire in Iran, Iraq, eastern Anatolia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. With the death of Kara Osman, founder of the Ak Koyunlu dynasty, in 1435, a civil war ensued among his descendants. By 1453 Uzun Ḥasan had

al-Lāt: …goddesses, Manāt (Fate) and al-ʿUzzā (Strong), were associated with al-Lāt in the Qurʾān (Islāmic sacred scriptures). The Prophet Muḥammad once recognized these three as goddesses, but a new revelation led him to abrogate the approving verses he had earlier recited and to abandon his attempt to placate Meccan pagans.…

Uzziah, in the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 26), son and successor of Amaziah, and king of Judah for 52 years (c. 791–739 bc). Assyrian records indicate that Uzziah reigned for 42 years (c. 783–742). His reign marked the height of Judah’s power. He fought successfully against other nations and