First reference for young readers and writers Encyclopedia First Children’s
First Children’s Encyclopedia A DORLING KINDERSLEY BOOK
2 Contents Our world 6–7 Our world 8–9 The Arctic 10–11 Canada and Alaska 12–13 United States of America 14–15 Mexico and Central America 16–17 South America 18–19 Africa 20–21 Scandinavia 22–23 UK and Ireland 24–25 The Low Countries 26–27 France 28–29 Germany and the Alps 30–31 Spain and Portugal 32–33 Italy 34–35 Central Eastern Europe 36–37 Eastern Europe 38–39 Southeast Europe 40–41 Russia and Central Asia 42–43 Middle East 44–45 Southern Asia 46–47 Southeast Asia 48–49 China and neighbours 50–51 Japan 52–53 Australia 54–55 New Zealand and the Pacific 56–57 Antarctica 58–59 Flags of the world People and society 60–61 World of people 62–63 Religious lands 64–65 Religious life 66–67 Writing and printing 68–69 Art and architecture 70–71 Music 72–73 Theatre and dance 74–75 Clothes and fashion 76–77 Sport and leisure 78–79 Working people Editors Penny Smith, Lorrie Mack, Caroline Stamps, Lee Wilson Project Art Editor Mary Sandberg Designers Laura Roberts-Jensen, Lauren Rosier Publishing Manager Bridget Giles Art Director Rachael Foster Production Editor Siu Chan Jacket Designers Natalie Godwin, Laura Roberts-Jensen Contents first published in various titles of the DK First Reference series (Illustrated Atlas, Encyclopedia, Human Body Encyclopedia, Science Encyclopedia, Animal Encyclopedia, Nature Encyclopedia, Dinosaur Encyclopedia, Space Encyclopedia) in Great Britain between 2002 and 2008 by Dorling Kindersley. This edition first published in Great Britain in 2010 by Dorling Kindersley Limited, 80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL Copyright © 2010 Dorling Kindersley Limited A Penguin Company 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1 176265 – 11/09 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-1-40535-273-4 Colour reproduction by MDP, UK Printed and bound by Toppan, China Discover more at www.dk.com LONDON, NEW YORK, MELBOURNE, MUNICH, and DELHI
3 History of people 80–81 World of history 82–83 Early people 84–85 Ancient Egypt 86–87 Ancient Greece 88–89 The Romans 90–91 The Vikings 92–93 Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas 94–95 Knights and castles 96–97 20th century Human body 98–99 Your amazing body 100–101 What makes you you? 102–103 Building blocks 104–105 Organizing the body 106–107 Bones and muscles 108–109 Brain and senses 110–111 Breathing 112–113 All about skin 114–115 Body defences 116–117 Eating and digestion 118–119 Making a baby 120–121 Amazing facts about YOU! The living world 122–123 The living world 124–125 What is an animal? 126–127 Types of animal 128–129 The world of mammals 130–131 Marsupials 132–133 Water mammals 134–135 The world of birds 136–137 The world of reptiles 138–139 The world of amphibians 140–141 The world of insects 142–143 The world of non-insects 144–145 The world of fish 146–147 What is a plant? 148–149 How plants work 150–151 Fungi 152–153 Micro life 154–155 Food chains Ecosystems and habitats 156–157 Ecosystems 158–159 Polar regions 160–161 Deciduous forests 162–163 Rainforests 164–165 A sea of grass 166–167 Life in a meadow 168–169 At the water hole 170–171 Desert regions 172–173 Life in thin air 174–175 Cool caves 176–177 The flowing current 178–179 Still waters 180–181 Survival in the sea Age of the dinosaurs 182–183 Age of the dinosaurs 184–185 What is a dinosaur? 186–187 A hip question 188–189 Find a friend 190–191 Eggstraordinary eggs 192–193 Sauropods 194–195 Cretaceous cows 196–197 Horns and frills 198–199 T. Rex 200–201 Big and bold 202–203 Meet the raptors 204–205 Monsters of the deep 206–207 How was it made? 208–209 What happened? 210–211 Living dinosaurs Science and technology 212–213 What is science? 214–217 Advances in science 218–219 Being a scientist 220–221 Science and everyday life 222–223 All living things 224–225 Properties of matter 226–227 Changing states 228–229 Amazing atoms 230–231 Molecules 232–233 Reactions and changes 234–235 What is energy? 236–237 Electricity 238–239 Light 240–241 Sound 242–243 Forces and motion 244–245 Machines Planet Earth 246–247 Our planet 248–249 Earth’s structure 250–251 Rocks and minerals 252–253 Shaping the land 254–255 Soil 256–257 Resources in the ground 258–259 Fresh and salt water 260–261 The water cycle 262–263 The atmosphere 264–265 Weather 266–267 The energy crisis The universe 268–269 What is space? 270–271 Where does space begin? 272–273 Our place in space 274–275 The Milky Way 276–277 Rockets 278–279 Moon journey 280–281 Men on the moon 282–283 Space shuttle 284–285 Working in space 286–287 Exploring Mars 288–289 The Sun 290–291 A star is born 292–293 The Big Bang Reference section 294–297 Glossary 298–303 Index 304 Acknowledgements
In these pages you can find a country and discover its major features, look at culture and history, and observe wildlife and ecosystems. You can also explore the world of science – from how technology works to what’s going on inside the human body. Enjoy a thrilling journey! Using this book There is a question at the bottom of each page. Introduction The First Children’s Encyclopedia is divided into ten colour-coded chapters so you can see what you are looking for at a glance: What’s what on a page? The pages have special features that show you how to get your hands on as much information as possible! Look out for these: 4 Our world The living world Human body History of people People and society Planet Earth Science and technology Age of the dinosaurs Ecosystems and habitats The universe The Curiosity quiz will get you searching through each section to find the pictures. Become an expert tells you where to look for more information on related subjects. 122 123 Our amazing world is filled with millions of species, or types, of living thing. They can be as big as an elephant or so small you have to look through a microscope to see them. The living world Fungi Fungi (like toadstools, mushrooms, and moulds) are neither plants nor animals, but they’re more like plants than animals. Which group of animals has the most members? The living world Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish are vertebrates. Insects such as butterflies are invertebrates. Animals The animal kingdom is made up of vertebrates (animals with a backbone) and invertebrates (animals without a backbone). The living world Invertebrates – they make up 97 per cent of all animal species. Micro-organisms Micro-organisms are very tiny – they are made up of a single cell. This amoeba is magnified more than 100 times. Plants Plants cannot move around like animals. To survive and grow, they have to make their own food. In turn, plants provide food for many animals and fungi. Snake Tree frog Fungi Deer Spider Sunflower Coral reef Signs of life Living things share some characteristics. They all need food and oxygen. They also grow, reproduce, and adapt to their environment. Dragonfly Curiosity quiz Look through The living world pages and see if you can identify the pictures below. Become an expert 126-127 Types of animals 148-149 How plants work
Check here for the answer. Using this book 5 Buttons contain mini facts: quick information at your fingertips. Weird or what? are packed with extra weird or wonderful facts. Every page is colour coded to show you which chapter it’s in. Quick quiz questions are at the bottom of each page. Colour coding identifies each chapter at a glance. Text gives you information about a subject. Photographs show you information about a subject. Hands on Want to try something for yourself? Then look at a “Hands on” tip. Hands on tells you how to get stuck in and try an experiment for yourself. 224 225 Some materials are hard and brittle, while others are flexible. Some materials are colourful, while others are transparent. These kinds of features are called “properties”. Properties of matter Brittleness Some materials, such as glass, are very brittle and will break when pushed out of shape. Safety glass is designed to crack rather than break. Does it float? It’s easy to learn about some properties, such as the ability to float. The amount of matter in a certain volume of an object is called its density. Objects and liquids float on liquids of a higher density and sink through liquids of a lower density. Is a diamond harder than quartz? Materials science Properties of matter Safety glass Yes, a diamond is the hardest mineral of all. It will scratch quartz. Freezing point is the temperature at which a liquid becomes a solid. Plasticity is how well a solid can be reshaped. Conductivity is how well a material lets electricity or heat travel through it. Boiling point is the hottest a liquid can get before becoming a gas. What they are... There are many different properties of matter. A smooth flow Some liquids flow more easily than others. It depends on their “stickiness”, or viscosity. Hot lava from a volcano flows slowly because it is sticky. An onion sinks through oil and water, but floats on syrup. Syrup sinks below water. A cork floats on oil. Oil floats on water. 1 Talc Hardness A scientist called Friedrich Mohs created a scale of ten minerals to compare how hard they are. Many materials are graded on this scale. Tensile strength is how much a material can stretch without breaking. Flammability is how easily and quickly a substance will catch fire. Reflectivity is how well a material reflects light. Water reflects well. Malleability is how well a solid can be shaped without breaking. Flexibility is how easily a material can be bent. Solubility is how well a substance will dissolve, such as salt in water. Transparency is how well a material will let light pass through it. Compressibility Gases can be squashed, or compressed, by squeezing more into the same space. This is what happens when you pump up a tyre. A plastic building brick sinks through oil but floats on water. 2 Gypsum 3 Calcite 4 Fluorite 5 Apatite 6 Feldspar 7 Quartz 8 Topaz 9 Corundum 10 Diamond Gas can be compressed because its particles are far apart. A bicycle pump pushes the particles closer together. Diamond is the hardest mineral. Hands on Foot pump Gas particles A good insulator Heat cannot easily pass through some materials. These are known as insulators. For example, aerogel can completely block the heat of a flame. But don’t try this at home! Softest mineral Collect some different pebbles and put them in order of hardness. A pebble is harder than another if it scratches it. This is how Mohs worked out his scale. The lunar module was nicknamed the Eagle. Why is there no blue sky on the moon? 280 Men on the moon 281 The universe Because the moon has no atmosphere. On 20 July 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the surface of the moon. He was joined by Buzz Aldrin. A third astronaut, Mike Collins, remained in orbit with the command and service modules. Men on the moon What did they do? Armstrong and Aldrin spent almost 22 hours on the moon. About 2.5 hours of this was spent outside the Eagle, collecting rock and soil samples, setting up experiments, and taking pictures. Neil Armstrong Here comes Earth Instead of the moon rising, the astronauts saw Earth rising over the moon’s horizon – it looked four times bigger than the moon looks from Earth. What was it like? Buzz Aldrin described the moon’s surface as like nothing on Earth. He said it consisted of a fine, talcum-powder-like dust, strewn with pebbles and rocks. We have transport! Three later Apollo missions each carried a small electric car, a lunar rover, which allowed the astronauts to explore away from the lander. These were left on the moon when the astronauts left. Splashdown The astronauts returned to Earth in the Apollo 11 command module. This fell through the atmosphere and landed in the Pacific Ocean. A ringed float helped to keep it stable. One lunar rover reached a top speed of 22 km/h (13.5 mph). This dish antennae allowed the astronauts to send pictures to Earth. How did they talk? There’s no air in space, so sound has nothing to travel through. Lunar astronauts use radio equipment in their helmets. Weird or what? The lunar module computer on Apollo 11 had just 71K of memory. Some calculators can now store more than 500K. Weird or what? Want to know something surprising? Then look at a “Weird or what?” tip.
How long would a trip around the Equator take at walking speed? Our world 6 Land covers a third of planet Earth, and water and ice cover the rest. We divide the land into seven main chunks called continents. The sea is divided into five major areas called oceans. Our world N o r t h America S o u t h America Pacific Ocean Atlantic Ocean Inside the Earth The core of the Earth is made of metal – solid in the middle and molten all around it. We live on a thin, solid crust, a bit like the crust of a pie. Where people live This picture of Earth at night was taken by a satellite in space. The bright bits are made by lights on the surface. They show where the world’s big cities and towns are.
Our world About a year (without stopping for a rest). 7 Seven continents North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica are Earth’s continents. Sometimes people call Europe and Asia one continent (Eurasia). Africa Australia Asia Europe Arctic Ocean Antarctica Indian Ocean Pacific Ocean The smallest continent? The continent of Australia is also the world’s biggest island. The most crowded continent? About 3,500 million people live in Asia. The biggest ocean? The Pacific Ocean is as big as all other oceans put together. Equator The Southern Ocean runs all the way around Antarctica. Can you find... The Equator is an imaginary line around the middle of the world. Southern Ocean
Who was the first person to reach the North Pole? The Arctic 8 Arctic people Arctic people live in the icy lands around the Arctic Ocean. The weather is too cold for growing crops, so Arctic people get all their food from animals. They survive by fishing, herding reindeer, and hunting seals and whales. The Arctic Arctic tern Polar bear Alaska (USA) C a n a d a Gr e e n l a n d At the top of the world is the North Pole, and around this is an area called the Arctic. The Arctic is mostly ocean. In its centre is a gigantic lump of floating ice that never completely melts. Further out are the northern tips of the continents and the huge island of Greenland. Moose Ptarmigan Prudhoe Bay Qaanaaq Beaufort Sea Ellesmere Island Queen Elizabeth Islands An imaginary line called the Arctic Circle marks the outer edge of the Arctic region.
The Arctic An American called Robert Peary, in 1909. 9 Keeping warm Arctic animals have to endure bitterly cold weather. Walruses have a layer of blubber (fat) to keep them warm. Polar bears and reindeer have thick coats of fur. Pole to pole The Arctic tern spends most of its life flying. It breeds in the Arctic during the northern summer. Then it flies all the way to the Antarctic, where it stays during the southern summer. Killer whale The North Pole Seal Iceberg The Arctic tern catches small fish and shrimps by swooping across the surface of the sea. Walrus Musk ox Arctic wolf Tromsø Chukchi Sea Laptev Sea Kara Sea Arctic Ocean Novaya Zemlya Svalbard Franz Josef Land Greenland Sea Norwegian Sea Barents Sea Murmansk Reindeer Noril’sk A r c t i c C i r c l e Ru ssi an F e d e r a t i o n
Canada and Alaska What is the tallest mountain in North America, at 6,194 m (20,320 ft) high? The Americas 10 Vancouver Island The Trans-Alaskan Pipeline The USA’s largest oil-drilling area is in Alaska. A huge overground pipeline, 1,287 km (800 miles) long, carries the oil from Prudhoe Bay to the port of Valdez. Northwest Territories Victoria Island Ellesmere Island Queen Elizabeth Islands Alberta British Columbia Grizzly bear Calgary C Juneau Salmon Mountie (policeman) Musk ox Yukon Territory Edmonton Yellowknife Saskatchewan Alaska (USA) Huskies pulling sled Moose Calgary skyline Valdez Anchorage Walrus USA Victoria Whitehorse Timber Totem pole Fur seal Canadian Mount McKinley (Denali) 6,194m (20,320ft) Canada is the second-largest country in the world, and Alaska is the largest of all the US states. Despite their huge size, both places have small populations because much of the land is covered in thick forest or frozen for most of the year. Regina Vancouver R o c k y M o u n t a i n s Great Bear Lake Bering Strait Mackenzie Mountains Pacific O c e a n Bering Sea Caribou Oil drilling Banks Island Prudhoe Bay
Canada and Alaska Mount McKinley (Denali). 11 Nunavut Québec Manitoba Baffin Island and Labrador Newfoundland New Brunswick Nova Scotia OTTAWA Inuit children St. John’s Halifax Québec Fredericton Canada goose Newfoundland dog Beaver anada Beluga whale and calf Hooded seal Harbour porpoises Right whales (whale watching is a popular activity) Black bear Toronto Snowboarding Maple leaf Ontario Industries Here are some of the main industries in the region. CN Tower, Toronto Gannet Prince Edward Island N E S W Mining Iqaluit Charlottetown Winnipeg prairies Niagara Falls Timber from trees is used as building material or for making furniture. Oil is used to make fuels like petrol, and chemicals such as plastics. Wheat is grown in the centre of Canada on prairies, which are huge, flat fields. Metals such as zinc, aluminium, gold, and silver are mined in Canada. Montreal Lake Ontario H udson Bay Lake Huron Lake Atlantic Ocean Superior L ake Michigan Lake Erie
Which is the only US state not shown on this map? The Americas 12 United States of America The United States of America is an enormous country made up of 50 states. There are mountains, deserts, forests, wetlands, and vast plains in the USA. Hawaii Oregon California Arizona New Mexico Colorado Nevada Utah Wyoming Idaho Montana Washington Mexico One of the USA’s 50 states is a group of eight volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean. This state is called Hawaii. Mount Kilauea, on the main island of Hawaii, is the world’s most active volcano. R o c k y M o u n t a i n s P a c ifi c Ocean Missouri C olora do River Columbia River Great Salt Death Valley National Monument Hawaii Maui Molokai Kauai Lanai Lake Mountain lion Golden Gate Bridge Hollywood Hills Gila monster Monument Valley Socorro space telescope Road runner Bison Grizzly bear (brown bear) Skiing in the Rockies Wheat harvesting S o n o r a n San Francisco Los Angeles Seattle Technology industry N E S W Mount Rushmore National Memorial D e s e r t Niihau Oahu Denver Santa Fe Salt Lake City Phoenix Salem Boise Carson City Cheyenne Rio Grande Olympia Helena Honolulu
United States of America Alaska (see page 10-11). 13 Iowa Texas Oklahoma Kansas Nebraska North Dakota South Dakota Minnesota Missouri Wisconsin Illinois Pennsylvania Florida New York Maine Vermont Hampshire New Massachusetts Connecticut New Jersey Delaware Rhode Island Virginia West Virginia North Carolina Indiana Ohio Louisiana Mississippi Arkansas Tennessee Georgia South Carolina Alabama Kentucky Michigan Canada Lake Mic hig an Lake Superior Mississippi Gulf of Mexico A tlantic Ocean Ap p a l a c h i a n M o u n t a i n s Lake Huron Lake Ontario Lake Erie River The Everglades Ohio River G r e a t P l a i n s Maryland Cowboy Paddle steamer Country music Jazz music American alligator Kennedy Space Center The Capitol building, Washington, DC Blueberries Dairy farming Statue of Liberty Sears Tower, Chicago American football Raccoon American bald eagle “Tornado Alley” Oil wells New York Chicago This map shows 48 of the 50 states of the USA. The other two states are thousands of kilometres away. Alaska is northwest of Canada, and Hawaii is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Dolphinwatching Miami Dallas New Orleans WASHINGTON DC Little Rock Atlanta Montgomery Detroit Topeka Oklahoma City Baton Rouge Tallahassee Raleigh River Boston Augusta Lincoln Harrisburg Bismarck Pierre St. Louis
The Americas 14 Mexico and Central America form a natural bridge linking the USA to South America. The north of Mexico is dry and dusty. As you travel south, the weather gets rainier and the land becomes greener, with lush rainforests covering mountains and volcanoes. Mexico and Central America Pacific Ocean Gulf of California U S A Mexico Armadillo Atlante statue at Tula MEXICO CITY Cattle Prickly pear cactus B a j a C a l i f o r n i a S i e r r a M a d r e O c c i d e n t a l Rio Grande Catedral Metropolitana Monarch Boojum butterflies tree Chocolate was first made in Mexico, from the seeds of the cacao tree. Sugar cane from Central America and the Caribbean is used to make sugar. Coffee beans and bananas are Costa Rica’s most important crops. Gulf o f M exico Mariachi Agave Brown pelican S o n o r a n Desert Veracruz Acapulco Guadalajara E S W Monterrey Did you know? Grey whale S i e r r a M a d r e O r i e n t a l Tijuana La Paz Los Mochis N How do spider monkeys use their tails?
Mexico and Central America As hooks to hang from branches. 15 Coral reef P a n a m a C o st a Ri c a SAN JOSÉ Cuba Haiti Caribbean Sea HAVANA Shrimp SAN JUAN PORT-OF-SPAIN PORT-AU-PRINCE KINGSTON T r i n i d a d and Tobago Pineapples Bahamas Olmec head Flamingos Macaw Atlantic Ocean L e s s e r A n t i l l e s West Indies To the east of Central America is a chain of tropical islands called the West Indies. The weather here is warm all year, but hurricanes can strike in summer. D o m i n i c a n Republic Jamaica Green turtle E l S al v ado r Lake Nicaragua TEGUCIGALPA MANAGUA SAN SALVADOR Chichén Itzá Bananas Ni c a r a g u a BELMOPAN GUATEMALA CITY Grapefruit H on d ur a s Guatemala P u e r t o R i c o (USA) Panama Canal The man-made Panama Canal links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. About 12,000 ships pass through it every year, making it one of the world’s busiest waterways. Belize Panama Canal PANAMA CITY Spider monkey Cut the leafy top off a pineapple and plant it in a pot of soil. If you keep it in a greenhouse, it will grow into a pineapple plant. SANTO DOMINGO Barbados St Lucia Dominica Palm tree Yacht NASSAU G r e a t e r A n t i l l e s Toucan Frigate Hands on
What is the highest mountain in the Andes? The Americas 16 South America EcuadorColombia River A mazon Bolivia Titicaca Amazon Rainforest Peru Angel Falls Agrias butterfly Condor Machu Picchu BOGOTÁ QUITO GEORGETOWN LA PAZ LIMA F r e c n h uS r ina m Gu y a n a Pacific Ocean Equator walkabout The Equator is an imaginary line around the Earth’s middle. It would take you a month to walk across just the South American part of it! Equator R oconir O vi er Capybara Brazil Parakeet Lake Jaguar Brazil nuts Bananas Arica A vast chain of mountains runs the length of this continent. On its western side is the world’s driest desert. On the east is the biggest rainforest. PARAMARIBO CAYENNE CARACAS Cartagena Belém Manaus Arequipa An d e s M o u n t a i n s Gu ai an Venezuela ( F r a n ec )
South America Aconcagua, which is 6,960 m (22,834 ft) high. 17 Argentina Chile Uruguay At al ntic Ocean Llama Sheep farming Sugar Loaf Mountain BUENOS AIRES SANTIAGO ASUNCIÓN MONTEVIDEO Magellan penguins Cape Horn The southern tip of South America is called Cape Horn. The seas around it are so stormy that hundreds of ships have been shipwrecked there. P a t a g o n i a Pampas grass P a m p a s Mackerel Oil rig Green turtle Cape Ho r n Gaucho Bolivian Indian Aconcagua The world’s highest capital? La Paz, Bolivia, is 3,632 m (11,916 ft) above sea level. The world’s highest waterfall? Angel Falls in Venezuela measures 979 m (3,212 ft) from top to bottom. The world’s driest town? Arica in Chile’s Atacama Desert has an annual rainfall of zero! Can you find... N E S W Brasília Cathedral BRASÍLIA football Rio de Janeiro A at a c a m s e D t r e P a r a g u a y Salvador An d e s o M n u at s ni São Paulo Bahía Blanca Valparaíso
Africa How long is Africa from north to south? Africa 18 Africa is a vast, sun-baked continent, famous for its amazing wildlife. In the north and south are hot deserts. Between the deserts are swampy rainforests and grasslands full of wild animals. S a h a r a D e s e r t S a h e l R e d S e a Mountains Ahag g ar Bedouin weaver Tuareg nomads Nile felucca boat Cheetah Lion Ait Benhaddou mud fortress, Morocco Peanuts Cocoa bean Hippopotamus Pyramids Erg Tifernine Ostriches Africa is a vast, sun-baked continent, famous for its amazing wildlife. In the north and south are hot deserts. Between the deserts are swampy rainforests and grasslands full of wild animals. Bambara village Tunisia N i g e r Libya At al n ti c Oc e a n At al s Mount a ni s We st e rn Saha r a LAAYOUNE Al ’Aziziyah CAIRO Suez Canal River Nile Aswan N E S W Mediterranean Sea Gu lf o f S ir t e Lake Chad NDJAMENA NOUAKCHOTT ABUJA BAMAKO NIAMEY Burkina R vi er Niger Nigeria Cameroon YAOUNDÉ BANGUI C e n t r a l African Rep. er G a t R i f V t yel l a KHARTOUM ASMERADjibouti ADDIS ABABAAsia N u b i a n Desert Afric a H orn of Egypt Sudan Chad Eritrea alia Ethiopia Algeria Morocco Mali Mauritania I v o r y C o a s t G h a n a T o g o B e n i n ALGIERS RABAT TRIPOLI TUNIS DAKAR Liberia S i e r r a Leone Guinea Gambia Guinea- Bissau S e n e g a l
Africa About 8,000 km (5,000 miles). 19 The Suez Canal This canal is a man-made waterway that runs from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. It provides a short cut for ships travelling from Europe to Asia. One of the world’s highest sand dunes? Erg Tifernine in The highest point in Africa? Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is 5,895 m (19,341 ft) tall. the Sahara is 400 m (1,300 ft) tall. The hottest place on Earth? Al ’Aziziyah, in Libya, has had temperatures of 58ºC (136.4ºF). Can you find... Savanna wildlife Much of Africa is covered by a type of grassland called savanna. Huge herds of grazing animals live on the savanna, as well as lions, hyenas, and cheetahs. Madagascar The island of Madagascar is home to tree-dwelling animals called lemurs. They have faces like cats but bodies like monkeys. Mount Kilimanjaro 5,895 m (19,341 ft) Masai herder Hornbill Lowland gorilla Elephant Giraffe Zebra Springbok Dhow sailing boat Bananas Diamond mine Chameleon Lemur Oil rig Tea Tin and copper mining Victoria Falls Ndeble house Zimbabwe B o t s w a n a Lesotho Swaziland MAPUTO Equatorial Guinea Gabon C o n g o LUANDA KINSHASA D e m . R e p . of Congo R vi er Congo Rwanda B u r u n d i L a ke Victor ai MOGADISHU U g a n d a KAMPALA NAIROBI DODOMA Tanzania S e r e n g e t i M a l a w i Great Rift Valley M o z a m b i q u e WINDHOEK PRETORIA Ka l a h a ri D e s e rt Madagascar ANTANANARIVO Cape Town LUSAKA Atl a n ti c Oc e a n Zambezi River M o az mb qi u e h C n a e n l N a m i b D e s e rt Som Kenya Angola Namibia Z a m b i a South AfricaHARARE Cape of Good Hope
Which Scandinavian warriors raided Europe in 800–1050 CE? Europe 20 Scandinavia The northernmost part of Europe is Scandinavia – a region of dense pine forests, snowy mountains, and craggy coastlines. Sweden Lapland Fishing trawler Wolverine Tromsø Lynx Wolf Grey seal Paper mill Sauna Sami man with reindeer Mining Geyser REYKJAVÍK Church of Hallingrimur Iceland Iceland is a volcanic island in the far north Atlantic Ocean. It has hundreds of hot springs and geysers. Vatnajokull (Ice sheet) Puffin Oulu Ve s t F j o r d Nort h Cape R vi r e me K i koji No wr eg ai n S ae Gulf of Bo ht ai n Ar c t i c O c e a n Atlantic Ocean Ru ssi a n F e de r a ti o n j K ø el n M o u n at ni s G r e e n al nd Sea
Scandinavia The Vikings. 21 Malmö The Øresund Bridge The Øresund Bridge links Copenhagen in Denmark to Malmö in Sweden. There are three parts to the bridge – an underground tunnel, an artificial island, and a bridge over the sea. Together, they are 16 km (10 miles) long. Norway Finland Denmark Bergen HELSINKI STOCKHOLM OSLO COPENHAGEN Rainbow trout City Hall, Stockholm Little Mermaid statue, Copenhagen Herring Lego Stave church Mount Galdhøpiggen 2,469 m (8,100 ft) Cross-country skiing Golden eagle Dairy farming Pig farming Swedish glass Sculptures in Vigeland Park, Oslo Cathedral, Helsinki N E S W Gotland Bornholm Åland Islands Öland Rune stone Stavanger Gothenburg Faeroe Islands These islands are part of Denmark. They lie halfway between Iceland and Scotland. Tórshavn O s ol j F dr o B o k n a F j o r d H a r d a n g e r F j o r d S o g n e F j o r d N o r d F j o r d Lake äV nern Lake äV ttern B altic Sea Gulf of F ni al nd r o N ht eS a
What is the name of the Queen’s official residence in London? Europe 22 UK and The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Ireland is a separate country. Most of the people in the UK and Ireland speak English as their main language. The Royal Family England and Scotland had separate royal families until 1603, when they joined together to form the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II is the current Head of State. Ireland Scotland N o r t h e r n Ireland Edinburgh Belfast Orkney Islands Shetland Islands Edinburgh Castle Angel of the North Glasgow Red deer Highland cow Newcastle upon Tyne Giant’s Causeway Loch Ness Monster Thurso Aberdeen Skye Mull Bagpiper Ben Nevis 1,343 m (4,406 ft) North Sea G r a m p i a n M o u n t a i n s River uO et r Hebr di es Forth
UK and Ireland Buckingham Palace. 23 The Eden Project, Cornwall These giant greenhouses are home to lots of plants from different areas of the world. People can visit here to learn how important nature is to the future of the planet. N E S W England LONDON DUBLIN Cardiff Wales N o r f o l k Broads Exmoor Dartmoor Jaunting car Guinness Crufts dog show Stonehenge Blackpool Tower Football Lake District Royal Pavillion Brighton Blarney Castle Galway Cork Cambridge Birmingham Manchester Liverpool Exeter Ireland Galway Cathedral Eurotunnel to France Eden Project Surfing Yacht Portland Bill lighthouse France Douglas Oxford Dover L a n d ’ s End Kingston upon Hull Middlesbrough North Sea oil rig SheepIrish Sea Big Ben Eng li s h Ch annel Is el of Man Isles of Scilly Isle of Wight P e n n i n e s River Tha mes River Sev r e n Ca m b r ai n M o u n at ni s S n o w d o n i a
What is another name for the Netherlands? Europe 24 The Low Countries Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg are called the Low Countries because they are so flat. They are also sometimes called Benelux – the first letters of BElgium, NEtherlands and LUXembourg. AMSTERDAM Ostend Bruges Antwerp Rotterdam THE HAGUE Netherlands Germany N E S W Flevoland Windmills Tern Cattle Ice skating Cyclist Barge Dams to stop floods from sea Tulips Horses Antwerp Cathedral Bruges Town Hall Fishing Herring Clogs Cheese porters Avocet Eindhoven Arnhem Cubic Houses North S ae Waddenzee IJsse ml ee r River R hine West Fris ai n Isla n ds
Holland. 25 Did you know..? BRUSSELS Belgium Luxembourg Lace making Wild boar Deer Chocolates The Atomium Amsterdam The tall houses lining the canals of Amsterdam were built by rich spice merchants hundreds of years ago. Each one is unique, and many are crooked because they are built on marshy land. LUXEMBOURG Vianden castle Brussels is the capital of Europe. It is the centre of the European Union and home of the European Parliament. 900 windmills along the Netherlands’ coast help to keep the land drained. Wooden clogs were first invented by Dutch workmen 600 years ago. Beer France Charleroi Liege Crystal A r d e n n e s A r d e n n e s F o r e s t River Meuse The Low Countries
Where in France would you find pink flamingos and wild horses? Europe 26 Mont St-Michel A towering abbey sits on the island of Mont St-Michel off the north coast of France. At low tide, people can walk across the sand to get to Mont St-Michel. France Bayeux Tapestry Mackerel Standing Stones (Carnac) Le Mans race track Wine Cave Paintings at Lascaux Brandy Rennes Le Mans Biarritz Toulouse Bordeaux Mont St-Michel Beef cattle Aeroplane manufacturing N E S France is the biggest country in western Europe. Its capital is the city of Paris, site of the Eiffel Tower. France is famous for its scenic countryside, which is dotted with sleepy villages and fairytale castles called châteaux. Breton woman Bay of Biscay English Channel Atlantic Oc e a n P y r e n e e s W
France The marshes of the Camargue. 27 PARIS France Germany Massif Central Eiffel Tower Champagne Cycling Camargue horses Sunflowers Pollock Edible snails Château de Chambord Mustard Boules The Channel Tunnel Casinos Chapel of Notre Dame Du Haut World War I Memorial (Vimy) Calais Lille Nancy Dijon Strasbourg Lyon Nice Cannes Toulon Marseille Montpellier Monaco Garlic Mont Blanc 4,807 m (15,771 ft) Napoleon Bastia Ajaccio Tourism Skiing Corsica This French island is in the Mediterranean Sea next to Italy (see page 32). It has a beautiful rocky coast with lots of beaches. Rocquefort cheese Tourism River Seine River Loire River Rh ô n e Jura Mountains Vo sg es Mountains Al p s B e l g i u m Cé v e n n e s M o u n t a i n s Camargue
Which composer was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1756? Europe 28 Container ship K ei l Canal Fehmarn Rügen Kiel Lake Müritz Stork River E l b e Beef cattle Hanover Cologne Cathedral Wheat Germany Volkswagen cars Brandenburg Gate Zwinger Palace Chemical industry Red deer Heidschnuke sheep Dresden Leipzig Halle BERLIN Bremen Hamburg The north of Germany is low and flat, but the land gradually rises towards the south. Switzerland and Austria lie in the heart of the Alps – Europe’s tallest and most spectacular mountains. Berlin Wall A long wall used to divide the city of Berlin into communist and western halves. In 1989 the people of Berlin tore the wall down and reunited the city. Düsseldorf Cologne North Sea Poland N E S W i R Or ev e d r River Rhine River Elbe Germany and the Alps
Germany and the Alps Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. 29 Frankfurt skyline Wine Mercedes MannheimFrankfurt Stuttgart Heidelberg France Freiburg Chocolate Swiss army knife Marmot Alpine horn Chamois goat Snow boarding Munich Innsbruck Salzburg Zurich VADUZ Davos Switzerland BERN Bonn Zugspitze 2,962 m (9,718 ft) Matterhorn 4,478 m (14,692 ft) Geneva Liechtenstein Austria C z e c h Republic VIENNA Mountain climbing Graz Spanish riding school Oktoberfest Mozart Nuremberg Neuschwanstein Castle Ulm Cheese Linz River M a ni L a ke Constance B l a c k F o e r t s T h u r i n g i a n F o r e s t B o h e m i a n F o r e s t River D a n ube River Rh ône L a k e Chiemsee vi R er Rh ni e River D a n u be S w a b i a n Al p s eis ue N el d r aL ke A u s t ri a n Al p s B a v a ria n Alps S wis s Alps
Which is the rainiest city in Spain? Europe Spain and Portugal are in the sunny southwest corner of Europe. Together they make up a region called the Iberian Peninsula. Spain and Portugal Portugal Madeira The Portuguese island of Madeira is famous for making a rich type of wine also called Madeira. Santiago Faro LISBON Seville Salamanca Canary Islands These seven Spanish islands are off the west coast of Africa. Gibraltar (UK) Crayfish Clay cockerel (symbol of Portugal) Grapes Lynx Packing fish Wind surfing Windmills Santiago Cathedral Sheep Tourists Coal mine Rain Dolphin Mountain bike Tenerife Gran Canaria Fuerteventura Lanzarote Oporto Lagos A l g a r v e Belem Tower Azores These Portuguese islands are in the Atlantic, about a third of the way to the USA. La Palma Banana plantations Atlantic O c e a n Funchal Santa Cruz de Tenerife Ponta Delgada Coimbra Badajoz León River Baetic River Flamenco dancer
Spain and Portugal Santiago. 31 Majorca The Spanish island of Majorca is one of Europe’s top tourist destinations. Its rugged coast has lots of picturesque beaches. N E S W B a l e a r i c I s l a n d s River Ebro France Andorra Spain Majorca Ibiza Mediterranean Sea P y r e n e e s A n d a l u s i a MADRID Barcelona Granada Malaga Bilbao Roman aqueduct Sardines Wild boar Skiing Olives and oil Minorca Valencia Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Barcelona Rioja wine Mountain goat Royal Palace Jet ski Bull-fighting Alicante Cartagena Co st a Bl a n c a B a s q u e Guggenheim Museum Co st a d e l S o l ANDORRA LA VELLA Palma Formentera Ibiza Mahón C o u n t r y Valladolid Tagus I b e ri a n M o u n t a i n s Mountains Albacete Guitar Oranges Guadalquivir Andalusian horse Paella
How many islands make up Malta? Europe 32 Italy is shaped like a boot, with the top in the Alps mountains and the toe swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. The Apennine mountains run like a bone down the leg. Italian lakes There are 23 lakes in the lake district in northern Italy. Lake Garda is the biggest, and a popular place to sail and windsurf. Italy Venice Bologna Florence PisaMoped Tagliatelli carbonara Florence Cathedral Leaning Tower of Pisa Mountain goat TunaFishing boat Skier A l p s D o l o m it e s S a n Marino Venetian gondola River Po Lake Garda Ferrari Milan Turin Wine
Italy Three: Malta, Gozo, and Comino. 33 Sicily Malta N E S W Syracuse ROME Palermo Naples Scuba diving Sardines Squid Mount Etna Noto Cathedral Crab Octopus Oranges Sheep Almonds Temple of Castor and Pollux Agrigento VALLETTA Mediterranean Sea Amalfi Amalfi Pescara Messina The world’s most wonky tower? The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a campanile, or bell tower. Where the first pizza was made? A baker in Naples Can you find... Europe’s largest volcano? Mount Etna in Sicily is also Europe’s most active volcano. invented the pizza in the 1800s. Pompeii Ap e n n i n e s The Colosseum (Rome) V a t i c a n CityPizza Cagliari Taranto Wine Lemons Wild boar Tourism Sardinia Mount Vesuvius Cast of a body at Pompeii Olives and olive oil Italy
What ingredient makes Hungarian goulash spicy? Europe 34 Central Eastern Europe Budapest is split by the The Polish town of Torun is well-known for its Danube. Buda is on one bank, Pest on the other. The snow-white Lipizzaner horse is bred in Slovenia. gingerbread. Did you know? WARSAW Poznan Lodz Torun Kielce Lublin Krakow Koszalin Poland Szczecin Wroclaw Gdansk River Oder River Vistula Ship building Pig farms Wheat Sugar beet Cattle farms Skiing Potato farmingGingerbread Mining Windmills Chemical industry Market Square, Warsaw These countries were under communist rule until the 1990s. Today they are modern nations with thriving industries. Traditional farming continues in the rural areas. B a l t i c S e a PRAGUE Plzen Karlovy Vary River Elbe Hradec kralove G e r m a n y Canoeing Maz ury al kes European bison Charles Bridge
Central Eastern Europe Paprika. 35 BRATISLAVA Debrecen Nyiregyhaza Pecs Split Szeged ZAGREB BUDAPEST Eger High Tatra Mountains This mountain range lies in Poland and Slovakia, and forms part of the Carpathian Mountains. The tallest peak is 2,655 m (8,710 ft) high. Hungary Slovenia Croatia N E S W Brno Gyor Osijek LJUBLJANA Rijeka Adriatic Sea Au st r i a Painted Easter eggs Wine Goulash Tourism Dalmatian Horses Lipizzaner mare and foal Parliament, Budapest Wooden house Di n a ri c Al p s Hig h T atra M o u ntain s Ro m a n i a i R ver D na ebu Dubrovnik Czech Republic Pilsner lager Spissky Hrad castle Slovakia Skoda Tokay wine
What are the Baltic States? Europe 36 Lithuania Estonia Latvia Poland Belarus MINSK Sugar beet Amber jewellery RIGA TALLINN Liepaja Bauska Vitsyebsk Polatsk Eastern Europe The countries of eastern Europe lie between the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. They were part of the Soviet Union, but became independent states in 1991. VILNIUS Flax Hill of Crosses Trakai Castle Latvian costume Golden eagle Bobsleigh Pigs Hill of Crosses This sacred site in Lithuania is visited by lots of pilgrims every year. They leave crosses on the hill to show their devotion to Christianity. Cruise ship Ru ssi an F e d e r a ti on l aB it c Sea Lake Peipus The centre of Europe
Eastern Europe Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – the countries bordering the Baltic Sea. 37 Ukraine N E S W Ukraine’s oldest creatures? Mammoths walked the Earth 25,000 years ago. The plant used to make linen? Flax is a major crop of Belarus. Its fibres are made into linen clothes. Europe’s largest marshland? The Pripet Marshes cover 270,000 square kilometres (104,000 sq miles). Can you find... Black sea tourism Ukranian folk dancers Swallow’s Nest Castle Mushroom picking Potatoes Mink Mammoth fossils Wooden church Sunflowers Gymnastic school CHISINAU KIEV Homyel Odesa Chernihiv L’vivChernivtsi Donets’k Dnipropetrovs’k Chornobyl Sea of A z o v B al ck S e a White geese Wheat Mo l d o v a St Andrew’s Church Riv er Dnieper Yalta Pripet M arshes Coal mining Wooden Moldovian gateway Ro m a n i a C a rpathian M o untains Crimea Kharkiv Kerch
What is Greece’s most important crop? Europe 38 Southeast Europe The mighty River Danube winds its way across southeast Europe, forming a natural border between Romania and Bulgaria. Further south are the scattered ruins of the cities of Ancient Greece. SARAJEVO PRISTINA BELGRADE SKOPJE TIRANA BUCHAREST SOFIA Pleven Mostar Banja Luka Ruse BurgasVarna Timisoara Sibiu Satu Mare B o s n i a a n d Herzegovina Romania Bulgaria Macedonia Ad ri a ti c S e a Oranges Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Natural yoghurt Folk dancers at Kazanluk Festival of Roses Wolf Wild boar vi R Dr e ebuna Parliament Palace Traditional Serbian costume Serbian Raznijei Kebab Di n a ri c Al p s Goats T r a n s y l v a n i a n Al p s Bran Castle, Transylvania Ca Kazanluk r p a t h i a n M o u n t a i n s Statue in Liberation Square, Sarajevo Roses B l a c k S e a Serbia Grapes Montenegro PODGORICA Kosovo (disputed)
Southeast Europe Olives. 39 Chios Island in the Aegean SeaYoghurt? People in Bulgaria eat lots of yoghurt because they think it helps them live longer. Greek coffee? Greek people make A coffee by boiling ground coffee in a tiny pan of water until it foams. sponge? Old-fashioned bathroom sponges are the skeletons of dead sea creatures. Can you find... N E S W ATHENS BitolaPatras Salonica Greece Crete M e d it e rr a n e a n S e a Turkey Cyclades Peloponnese Sponge Octopus Dolphins Olive oil Greek vase Parthenon Sailing ship Greek church Watermelon Ceremonial soldier from Athens Greek coffee Bouzouki C ephalo nia Zakinthos Albania Rhodes Chíos Lesbos Iráklion Ae g e a n S e a Knossos Palace P i n d u s M o u n t a i n s
Which animal do Nenet people herd? Russia and Central Asia 40 The Russian Federation spans two continents: Europe and Asia. To its southwest are the eight independent countries of Central Asia and Caucasia. Russia and Central Asia Russian Kazakhstan Georgia Azerbaijan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Iran Afghanistan Orsk ASHGABAT DUSHANBE Baykonur Novosibirsk Omsk Pskov Kaliningrad St Petersburg Vorkuta MOSCOW Zhezkazgan ASTANA Almaty Groznyy Magnitogorsk BAKU YEREVAN T’BILISI Ural’sk Novgorod Murmansk Noril’sk Ur a l M o u n t a i n s Ca u c a s u s Caspian Sea River Volga River Ob St Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow Icebreaker ship Harp seal Elk Kirov ballet Wheat Baykonur Sturgeon Space Centre fish caviar Cotton Chess Russian dolls Gur-Emir Mausoleum, Samarqand BISHKEK TASHKENT Uzb e ki s t a n T u r k m e n ist a n Black Sea Kara Sea Barents Sea Ara Armenia l Sea River Ob Lake Balkhash Kirov K y z y l K u m D e s e r t Samarqand S i b
Russia and Central Asia Reindeer. 41 A shrinking sea The Aral Sea, between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, is shrinking. The water is being used on Uzbekistan’s cotton fields, stranding fishing boats. Caviar from the Caspian Sea is so expensive it is known as “black gold”. Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest, and largest, freshwater lake. Verkhoyansk is the world’s coldest town. In winter the temperature falls to -68˚C (-90˚F). N E S W Federation China Did you know? Irkutsk Vladivostok Magadan Khabarovsk Okhotsk Verkhoyansk Yakutsk Bratsk Pevek Lake Baikal River Lena Brent geese Walrus Yakut people Nenet people Wolf Reindeer Brown bear Diamonds Trans-Siberian railway Siberian tiger Freshwater seal Mining Timber Salmon Arctic Ocean Sea of Okhotsk K a mch atka Peninsula Walkabout Russia is the world’s widest country. It would take more than two months to cross if you walked nonstop from west to east. e r i a
Which country produces 65 per cent of the world’s hazelnuts? Asia 42 This part of the world is hot and dry, with large deserts. Three of the world’s great religions began here. Middle East Mecca The holiest place for a Muslim is the Ka’ba, a cube-shaped shrine in Mecca. Muslims face the Ka’ba when they pray and try to visit it at least once in their lifetime. World’s first skyscrapers The people of Yemen started building mud-brick skyscrapers thousands of years ago. The ground floors are used for animals or for storing goods. Families live in the upper floors. Figs are soft, sticky fruits that can be dried to make them last longer. Olive trees are grown for their fruit, which is pressed to make olive oil. Dates are the fruit of palm trees, which grow by rivers and in oases. Fruits of the desert Farmers can grow crops only in the wettest parts of the Middle East. Turkey ANKARA Blue Mosque Istanbul M editerranean Se a Sculpted menorah in Jerusalem NICOSIA Cyprus
Middle East Turkey. 43 Whirling dervish dancer Black Sea Syria Mount Ararat 5,165 m (16,945 ft) Head of Zeus Olives Figs BEIRUT Caspian Sea Iraq L e b an o n DAMASCUS Saudi Arabia Iran Yemen Oman Qatar Oman United Arab Emirates Kuwait Coral reefs grow along the coast of the Red Sea, where the water is warm and clear. N J o r d a n Is r a e l Red Sea Gulf of Oman Desert oasis Marsh Arab reed house Turquoise Iranian food – chicken kebab Chador, traditional dress for women Ancient city of Petra Falconry Camels Oil tanker Oil refinery Persepolis palace JERUSALEM ABU DHABI MUSCAT DOHA KUWAIT CITY BAGHDAD Desert oryx The Gulf Mecca AMMAN RIYADH Oil A r a b i a n d e s e r t Bahrain Mecca TEHRAN E S W Frankincense tree SANA Arabian Sea MANAMA
When Hindus die, where are their ashes scattered? Asia 44 Camel market Tomb of Muhammad Ali Jinnah Green turtles Snow leopard Lapis lazuli River dolphin Sacred cow Taj Mahal Dancer Rickshaw Agra Delhi Kolkata (Calcutta) DHAKA KABUL ISLAMABAD India Afghanistan Pakistan Bangladesh River Gang es Golden Temple NEW DELHI Karachi Decorated lorry Southern Asia Southern Asia is colourful and crowded. India is the biggest country in the region, with a population of more than a billion. Elephants on parade During the festival of Puram in southern India, 101 elephants march through the town of Trichur in a grand parade. Herat Multan Quetta Hyderabad Chittagong Surat River Narm ada Tea picking Imphal
Southern Asia In the River Ganges. 45 Mumbai (Bombay) Bay of B e ngal Nagpur Raipur Cuttack N E S W Kathkali Dancer Tiger Indian elephant Snake charmer Tuna fish Mullet Common lobster Coconut tree and coconut Thresher shark Chennai (Madras) COLOMBO Sri Lanka Andaman Islands (India) Nicobar Islands (India) Arabian Sea Tea leaves Fishing boat An Indian dancer? Classical dancers use movements of their bodies to tell ancient stories. Ganges river dolphin? This Lapis lazuli? dolphin is almost blind and finds its way in muddy water by sound. This precious stone was once used to make brilliant, sky-blue paint. Can you find... The Monsoon Southern Asia is normally hot and dry, but every summer it pours down for weeks. This rainy season, called the monsoon, helps farmers grow crops like rice. Trichur Calicut Jaffna Vijayawada Kandy
What is the largest lizard in the world? Asia 46 Southeast Asia is hot and rainy all year round. There are thousands of islands, and many are covered with steamy rainforests and towering volcanoes. Floating market The city of Bangkok is riddled with canals. Traders sell their goods from boats and shoppers paddle by to look for bargains. Southeast Asia BANGKOK Cambodia Burma (Myanmar) Laos Tapir Rubies PHNOM PENH Vi e t n a m Sampan boat Elephant Angkor Wat Thai dancer Th a il a nd China HANOI Rangoon VIENTIANE Ho Chi Minh South China Sea M a l a y s i a Orang-utan Tiger Orchid Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque Rafflesia (giant flower) Shadow puppets Pearls Petronas Towers KUALA LUMPUR Java Sumatra Brunei BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN Padang I n d o Coconut JAKARTA Singapore B o r n e o NAY PYI TAW PUTRAJAYA
Southeast Asia The Komodo dragon. It can grow to 3 m (10 ft) long. 47 Rice paddies The wet climate is ideal for growing rice. Farmers plant it in flooded fields called paddies, which are sometimes built like steps in the sides of hills. A very rare kind of ape? Orang-utans live only in Borneo and Sumatra. An animal with tusks that grow through its face? The babirusa is a kind of pig. The world’s largest flower? Rafflesia grows to nearly a metre (3 feet) wide. Can you find... n e s i a C e l e b e s Mangoes Conch shell P a p ua New Gui n e a N e w G u i n e a Jayapura PORT MORESBY Philippines Tuna Nutmeg Babirusa Komodo dragon Vinta boats Toraja house Asmat warrior Water buffalo Cebu Davao DILI Moluccas Celebes Sea Pacific Ocean Ambon East Timor E S W MANILA Planting rice N
What is the world’s second tallest mountain? Asia 48 Over 1 billion people live in China – that’s one-fifth of the world’s people. Next door, Mongolia has the fewest people for its size. Chinese opera Chinese opera has lots of singing, acting, and acrobatics. Make-up is used to show the type of character being played. Terracotta Army This army of statues in Xi’an was made more than 2,000 years ago to guard the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor. The statues were rediscovered in 1974. China’s hottest place? Turpan has recorded temperatures of up to 47°C (117°F). The world’s tallest mountain? Mount Everest is 8,850 metres (29,035 ft) tall. The world’s most crowded place? Hong Kong has 6,000 people per square kilometre (16,500 per square mile). China and neighbours Can you find... N E S W THIMPU Kashi Yining Turpan Hami Altay Tibet Yak Mongolian ger (house) K2 8,611 m (28,250 ft) N ep a l B h ut a n KATHMANDU Lhasa Potala Palace Ibex Mount Everest 8,850 m (29,035 ft) Bhairabnath Temple Bactrian camel Urumqi H i m a l a y a s