U Ne Win
Ne Win, U (Shu Maung; 1911– ), Burmese general, political leader, and president (1974–81).
21st Century Webster's Family Encyclopedia - Nebular hypothesis to Norse mythology
Nebular hypothesis
Nebular hypothesis, theory accounting for the origin of the solar system, developed by Immanuel Kant and given scientific form by P.S.
Jacques Necker
Necker, Jacques (1732–1804), Swiss-born French banker; finance minister under Louis XVI.
Necrosis
Necrosis, death of a diseased cell, tissue, or organ while still in contact with living cells.
Nectar
Nectar, in Greek mythology, the drink of the gods, which, along with ambrosia—food of the gods—gave them youth and immortality.
Nectar
Nectar, sweet substance secreted from the nectaries, or glands, in plant blossoms, stems, and leaves, and from which honeybees make honey.
Nectarine
Nectarine, (Prunuspersica), tree in the rose family whose fruit is a smooth-skinned peach.
Needle
Needle, long, slender tool used to sew, embroider, crochet, and knit.
Needlepoint
Needlepoint, canvas work, or tapestry, form of embroidery.
Nefertiti
Nefertiti, or Nefretete (fl. c. 1372–1350 B.C.), queen of ancient Egypt, wife of Ikhnaton (reigned c. 1370–50 B.C.), and aunt of Tutankhamen.
Negev
Negev, or Negeb, triangular region of hills, plateaus, and desert in southern Israel, extending south from Beersheba to Elath on the Gulf of Aqaba.
Negligence
Negligence, in law, inadvertent failure to act with the degree of care a situation demands.
Negotiable instrument
Negotiable instrument, paper document that represents money.
Negroes
Negroes See: African Americans.
Nehemiah
Nehemiah (fl. 5th century B.C.), Jewish leader of the return from the Babylonian Captivity.
Jawaharlal Nehru
Nehru, Jawaharlal (1889–1964), first prime minister of independent India (1947–64).
Horatio Nelson
Nelson, Horatio (1758–1805), British naval hero who defeated the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805).
Nelson River
Nelson River, longest river (400 mi/640 km) in Manitoba, Canada.
Thomas Nelson Jr.
Nelson, Thomas, Jr. (1738–89), colonial and early U.S. politician.
Neman River
Neman River (Lithuanian: Nemunas; Polish: Niemen), river in the former Soviet Union.
Nematoda
Nematoda, class of worms known as roundworms.
Nematomorpha
Nematomorpha See: Horsehair worm.
Nemean Games
Nemean Games, athletic and musical competition of ancient Greece held every other year at the shrine of Zeus in Nemea, on the Peloponnisos.
Howard Nemerov
Nemerov, Howard (1920– ), U.S. poet, novelist, and critic noted for his satiric power.
Nemertinea
Nemertinea See: Ribbon worm.
Nemesis
Nemesis, in Greek mythology, goddess of just retribution, avenger of evil.
Nene
Nene, or Hawaiian goose (Nesochen sandvicensis), bird that lives among the lava in the hills of Hawaii.
Neo-Malthusianism
Neo-Malthusianism See: Malthus, Thomas Robert.
Neodymium
Neodymium, chemical element, symbol Nd; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Neolithic Period
Neolithic Period See: Stone Age.
Neon
Neon, chemical element, symbol Ne; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Neoplatonism
Neoplatonism, school of philosophical thought, founded by the Greek philosopher Plotinus, influenced by the late writings of Plato.
Nepal
Nepal, kingdom of southern Asia, bordered by India, and China (Tibet). Katmandu is the capital. Nepal has an area of 56,827 sq mi (147,181 sq km). It is an elongated country on the southern flanks of the towering Himalayas, extending some 500 mi (805 km) westward from its borders with India to the Sarda River, a tributary of the Ganges. Along its borders with India and Tibet are some of the world&…
Nephrite
Nephrite See: Jade.
Nephritis
Nephritis, general term for several diseases, especially glomerulonephritis, involving inflammation of the kidneys caused by infection or degenerative changes in the renal vessels.
Neptune
Neptune, in Roman mythology, god of the sea, son of Saturn and Ops.
Neptune
Neptune, fourth-largest planet in the solar system and the eighth from the sun, with a mean distance of 2.7941 billion mi (4.4966 billion km).
Neptunium
Neptunium, chemical element, symbol Np; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Nereus
Nereus, in Greek mythology, sea god and father of the sea nymphs known as nereids.
Saint Phillip Neri
Neri, Saint Phillip (1515–95), mystical leader and founder of the Congregation of the Oratorians during the Counter-Reformation in Italy.
Walther Hermann Nernst
Nernst, Walther Hermann (1864–1941), German physical chemist awarded the 1920 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his discovery of the third law of thermodynamics, dealing with matter at temperatures approaching absolute zero.
Nero
Nero (Nero Claudius Caesar, originally Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; A.D. 37–68), Roman emperor.
Pablo Neruda
Neruda, Pablo (Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basualto; 1904–73), Chilean poet, diplomat, and communist leader.
Gérard de Nerval
Nerval, Gérard de (Gérard Labrunie; 1808–55), French romantic writer who anticipated the symbolist and surrealist movements in French literature.
Nerve
Nerve See: Nervous system.
Nerve gas
Nerve gas See: Chemical and biological warfare.
Pier Luigi Nervi
Nervi, Pier Luigi (1891–1979), Italian civil engineer and architect.
Nervous system
Nervous system, network of specialized tissue that coordinates and controls the various activites of the body, both voluntary and involuntary. The nervous system can be divided into 2 main parts. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. It stores and processes information and sends messages to muscles and glands. The peripheral nervous system consists of 12 pairs of crania…
Nestor
Nestor See: Messenia.
Nestorians
Nestorians, members of the heretical Christian sect named for Nestorius (patriarch of Constantinople, 428–431).
Netherlands
Netherlands, constitutional monarchy of western Europe bordering the North Sea, Germany, and Belgium. It is popularly but inaccurately called Holland. Amsterdam is the capital; The Hague is the seat of government. The country is a flat, low-lying area of 16,033 sq mi (41,526 sq km). Most (13,042 sq mi/33,779 sq km) is land: dunes along the sea coast; polders, drained areas below sea level that cov…
Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antilles, also called the Dutch Antilles or Dutch West Indies, 2 groups of islands in the Caribbean Sea, collectively an autonomous part of the Netherlands since 1954.
Nettle
Nettle, common name for a family of plants (Urticaceae) including shrubs and trees, many species of whose leaves bear brittle hollow hairs that can penetrate the skin.
Nettle tree
Nettle tree See: Hackberry.
Netzahualcóyotl
Netzahualcóyotl (pop. 2,331,300), city in south-central Mexico, east of Mexico City.
Saint John Nepomucene Neumann
Neumann, Saint John Nepomucene (1811–60), U.S.
Neuralgia
Neuralgia, severe pain along the course of a nerve, often coming in sharp bursts and normally lasting for a short time.
Neuritis
Neuritis, inflammation of a peripheral nerve.
Neurofibromatosis
Neurofibromatosis, hereditary disorder that produces pigmented spots and tumors of the skin, tumors of peripheral, optic, and acoustic nerves, and subcutaneous bony deformities.
Neurology
Neurology, branch of medicine concerned with diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system, including multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, migraine (headache), stroke, Parkinson's disease, neuritis, encephalitis, meningitis, brain tumors, muscular dystrophy, and myasthenia gravis.
Neuron
Neuron See: Nervous system.
Neuropathology
Neuropathology, study of the intrinsic causes of disorders of the nervous system.
Neurosis
Neurosis, mild mental disorder involving any of a number of varied symptoms, including phobias, anxiety, psychosomatic illnesses, and compulsive behavior.
Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters See: Nervous system.
Richard Joseph Neutra
Neutra, Richard Joseph (1892–1970), Austrian-born U.S. architect who brought the International style of architecture to the United States.
Neutrality
Neutrality, status of a country that elects not to participate in a war between other countries.
Neutrality Acts
Neutrality Acts (1935, 1936, 1937), U.S. legislation banning arms sales and loans to belligerent states.
Neutralization
Neutralization, in chemistry, reaction in which the hydrogen ion of an acid and the hydroxyl ion of a base unite to form water and a salt.
Neutrino
Neutrino, elementary particle with no electrical charge emitted during the decay of other particles.
Neutron
Neutron, electrically uncharged elementary particle with a mass slightly greater than that of the proton.
Neutron bomb
Neutron bomb, variant form of the hydrogen bomb in which an atomic-bomb trigger is surrounded by non-fissionable material, the result being a much smaller blast than in a hydrogen bomb, along with a rain of neutrons that would leave non-living structures relatively intact while killing living things.
Neutron star
Neutron star, hypothetical extremely small star, of large mass but very great density.
Nevada
Nevada, state in western United States in the Rocky Mountain region; bordered by Oregon and Idaho to the north, Utah to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and California to the south and west. Most of Nevada lies in the Great Basin, a vast desert area. Nevada has 3 main land regions. The Basin and Range region—most of the state—is high, arid plateau broken by many mountain ranges. T…
Nevada Falls
Nevada Falls, waterfall in Yosemite National Park, east-central California.
Louise Nevelson
Nevelson, Louise (1900–88), Russian-born U.S. sculptor famous for her intricate wood constructions, both freestanding and wall-hung, that suggest vast ranges of boxlike shelves with found objects placed on them.
Allan Nevins
Nevins, Allan (1890–1971), U.S. historian whose best-known work is The Ordeal of the Union (1947–60) a series of books on the Civil War.
Nevis
Nevis See: Saint Christopher and Nevis.
Alexander Nevsky
Nevsky, Alexander (1220–63), Russian national hero.
New Bedford
New Bedford (pop. 175,641), city in southeastern Massachusetts, at the mouth of the Acushnet River on Buzzard's Bay.
New Bern
New Bern (pop. 14,557), city in eastern North Carolina on the Trent and Neuse rivers; capital of colonial North Carolina.
New Britain
New Britain, island in the Bismarck Archipelago east of the island of New Guinea, and part of the nation of Papua New Guinea since 1975.
New Britain
New Britain (pop. 148,188), city in central Connecticut.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick (pop. 41,442), city in north-central New Jersey on the Raritan River.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick, second-largest of Canada's 4 Maritime Provinces. The capital is Fredericton; St. John and Moncton are ports. New Brunswick covers 28,354 sq mi (73,436 sq km) and is bounded by Maine to the west; Quebec and the St. Lawrence River and Gulf to the north and east; the Northumberland Strait, which separates it from Prince Edward Island in the east; and the Bay of Fundy to the sout…
New Caledonia
New Caledonia, French island with dependencies, forming a French overseas island territory in the southwest Pacific about 1,115 mi (1,794 km) east of Australia. New Caledonia island is the largest; its dependencies are the Loyalty Islands, the Isle of Pines, Walpole Island, and Huon, Chesterfield, and Belep islands. The territory is administered from New Caldeonia island by a governor with a 5-per…
New Deal
New Deal, program adopted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to alleviate the effects of the Great Depression. During its initial phase, the New Deal was centered on programs designed to stimulate economic activity, reduce unemployment, and introduce regulations to control business practices that threatened to deepen the depression. Measures were also taken to control the Stock Exchange. The Natio…
New Delhi
New Delhi (pop. 7,206,700), capital of India, on the Jumna River, in the north-central part of the country.
New Economic Policy (NEP)
New Economic Policy (NEP), plan adopted (1921–28) by the USSR to deal with the effects of the previous civil war years.
New England Confederation
New England Confederation, alliance organized in 1643 by representatives of the Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven colonies.
Dominion of New England
New England, Dominion of, separate colonial government within the colonies established in 1686 by King James II, controlling Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Plymouth, and Rhode Island.
New France
New France, North American territories held by France from the 16th century to 1763.
New Frontier
New Frontier, collective name for the policies of the administration of President John F.
New Granada
New Granada, 16th-century Spanish colony in northwestern South America that included present-day Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
New Guinea
New Guinea, world's second largest island, in the southwestern Pacific, just south of the equator and separated from northern Australia by the Torres Strait and the Arafura and Coral Seas. The island has an area of 319,713 sq mi (828,057 sq km), being about 1,500 mi (2,410 km) long and 400 mi (640 km) wide. The interior is mountainous, the coastal lowlands densely forested. Djaja Peak is th…
New Hampshire
New Hampshire, state in New England, the northeastern region of the United States; bordered by Canada to the northwest, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Massachusetts to the south, and Vermont to the west. New Hampshire has 3 main land regions: the rugged and wooded White Mountains region in the northern third of the state; the Eastern New England Upland, a rolling plateau that covers the…
New Harmony
New Harmony (pop. 945), town in southwestern Indiana, the site of 2 cooperative communities of the early 1800s.
New Haven
New Haven (pop. 530,180), third largest city in Connecticut, a river port leading to Long Island Sound, and the seat of Yale University.
New Hebrides Islands
New Hebrides Islands, See: Vanuatu.
New Ireland
New Ireland, island in the Bismarck Archipelago north of New Britain, part of the nation of Papua New Guinea since 1975.
New Jersey
New Jersey, state in the Middle Atlantic region of eastern United States; bordered by New York to the north; the Hudson River, New York Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east; and Delaware Bay and the Delaware River (which separates New Jersey from Delaware and Pennsylvania) to the south and west. New Jersey has 4 main land regions. The mountainous Appalachian Ridge and Valley region, in New Jers…
New Left
New Left, loose coalition of political and social groups from the 1960s and 1970s in the United States.
New London
New London (pop. 266,819), seaport city of southeastern Connecticut, at the mouth of the Thames River, near Long Island Sound.
New London Naval Submarine Base
New London Naval Submarine Base, submarine school and headquarters for Submarine Group Two, in Groton, Ct.
New mathematics
New mathematics, educational curricula developed in the 1950s and 1960s, emphasizing knowledge of mathematical concepts and principles over the mastery of mathematical computation.
New Mexico
New Mexico, state in the southwest region of the United States; bordered by Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, and Mexico. Northwestern New Mexico is one of the “Four Corners”: the only place in the United States where 4 states—Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona—meet at right angles. New Mexico has 4 main land regions. The Colorado Plateau, in the northeast, is an…
New Netherland
New Netherland, Dutch colonial territory extending roughly from what is now Albany, N.Y., to Manhattan Island, and including parts of New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware.
New Orleans
New Orleans (pop. 489,600), city in Louisiana, between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, 107 mi (172 km) from the river's mouth.
Battle of New Orleans
New Orleans, Battle of See: Jackson, Andrew; War of 1812.
New South Wales
New South Wales, oldest state of Australia, lying in southeastern Australia between the Great Dividing Range and the Pacific Ocean.
New Sweden
New Sweden, Swedish colony on the Delaware River extending from the present site of Trenton, N.J., to the mouth of the river.
New Testament
New Testament, part of the Bible that is distinctively Christian.
New Thought
New Thought, school of religious and philosophical thought originated in the mid-19th century United States and emphasizing the power of the mind to solve problems and heal the body.
New Westminster
New Westminster (pop. 39,972), city in the western Canadian province of British Columbia, southeast of Vancouver on the Fraser River.
New Year's Day
New Year's Day, first day of the new calendar year, celebrated since ancient times by many peoples, including Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Egyptians, Jews, Greeks, Romans, and Chinese.
New York
New York, state in the Middle Atlantic region of the United States; bordered by Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and Canada to the north; Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut to the east; the Atlantic Ocean, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania to the south; and Pennsylvania, Lake Erie, and Canada to the west. New York has 7 main land regions. The St. Lawrence Upland, in northernmost New York, has…
New York City
New York City (pop. 8,546,846), city in the southeastern region of New York state. It is divided into 5 boroughs: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Richmond (on Staten Island). The long, narrow island of Manhattan, upon which New York's complex network of bridges and tunnels converges, is the city's economic and cultural heart. New York is the nation's largest port a…
New York State Barge Canal
New York State Barge Canal, inland waterway system that connects the Hudson river with the Great Lakes.
New York World's Fair
New York World's Fair, 2 fairs in New York City that presented art, culture, science, and technology exhibits.
New Zealand
New Zealand, sovereign state within the British Commonwealth situated in the southwest Pacific Ocean. It is administered by a governor general (representing the British sovereign), a prime minister, and a House of Representatives. The capital is Wellington, on North Island. Lying some l,200 mi (l,931 km) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand comprises 2 main islands (North, South); …
Newark
Newark (pop. 1,824,321), largest city of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County.
John Newbery
Newbery, John (1713–67), English publisher and bookseller in the field of children's literature.
Newbery Medal
Newbery Medal, award presented annually in the field of children's literature.
Newcastle
Newcastle (pop. 428,800), city in New South Wales, southeastern Australia, on the Pacific Ocean, at the mouth of Hunter River.
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne (pop. 281,700), city in northern England, on the North Sea and the river Tyne.
Simon Newcomb
Newcomb, Simon (1835–1909), U.S. astronomer.
Thomas Newcomen
Newcomen, Thomas (1663–1729), British inventor of the first practical steam engine, c. 1711.
Newfoundland
Newfoundland, province of Canada, far larger than the other Atlantic Provinces. St. John's is the capital and largest city. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland (43,539 sq mi/112,299 sq km) and the long arm of Labrador (112,825 sq mi/292,218 sq km), which borders eastern Quebec. The island's western shore, in the mouth of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, has a long, indented co…
Newfoundland dog
Newfoundland dog, breed of large, heavy dog known for its strength, patience, and intelligence.
Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison, prison in London, England.
Barnett Newman
Newman, Barnett (1905–70), U.S. painter.
John Henry Cardinal Newman
Newman, John Henry Cardinal (1801–90), English religious thinker, writer, and founder of the Oxford Movement Ordained by the Church of England (1824), he became an Oxford Movement leader, calling for an emphasis on traditional belief that was akin to Catholicism.
Paul Newman
Newman, Paul (1925– ), U.S. film and stage actor, director.
Newport
Newport, historic resort city in southeastern Rhode Island, seat of Newport County and an important naval base.
Newport News
Newport News (pop. 144,903), city in southeastern Virginia, on the north shore of the James River estuary.
Newspaper
Newspaper, daily or weekly publication of current domestic and foreign news.
Newspaper Guild
Newspaper Guild, labor union that represents workers in journalism enterprises in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada—previously called the American Newspaper Guild (1933–71).
Newt
Newt, any of various small salamanders found in many areas of the Northern Hemisphere.
Newton's rings
Newton's rings, optical phenomenon of interference created when light waves travel through a convex piece of glass placed on top of a flat piece of glass.
Sir Isaac Newton
Newton, Sir Isaac (1642–1727), English natural philosopher and mathematician, the discoverer of the calculus and author of the theory of universal gravitation.
Michel Ney
Ney, Michel (1769–1815), French Napoleonic marshal and military hero.
Nez Percé
Nez Percé, Native American tribe of what is now western Idaho, northeastern Oregon, and southeastern Washington.
NF
NF See: Neurofibromatosis.
Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngo Dinh Diem (1901–63), Vietnamese politician and first president of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam).
Nguyen Van Linh
Nguyen Van Linh (1913– ), secretary-general of the Vietnamese Communist Party, 1986–90.
Nguyen Van Thieu
Nguyen Van Thieu (1923– ), Vietnamese politician and president (1967–75) of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam).
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce
Niépce, Joseph Nicéphore (1765–1833), French physicist and inventor who produced the first successful permanent photograph (1826).
Niacin
Niacin See: Vitamin.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, large waterfall in the Niagara River along the border between western New York state and Ontario, Canada.
Niagara Movement
Niagara Movement, U.S. civil rights organization led by W.E.B.
Niagara River
Niagara River, river about 34 mi (55 km) long, flowing north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario (over Niagara Falls), forming part of the border between the United States and Canada.
Niamey
Niamey (pop. 400,000), capital and largest city of Niger, located on the Niger River in the southwestern part of the country.
Nibelungenlied
Nibelungenlied (“Song of the Nibelungs”), German epic dating from the early 1200s, partly based on Scandinavian myths.
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, largest of the Central American republics. Managua (founded 1855) is the capital and largest city. With an area of 46,430 sq mi (120,254 sq km), Nicaragua is a little larger than Illinois. The country is bounded on the north by Honduras, on the south by Costa Rica, has a Caribbean coastline (the Mosquito Coast) of about 300 mi (483 km) and a 200-mi (322-km) Pacific coastline. A narrow v…
Nice
Nice (pop. 345,600), city in southeastern France, on the Mediterranean Sea, capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department.
Nicene Councils
Nicene Councils, first and 17th Ecumenical Councils, held in Nice (modern Iznik, Turkey).
Nicholas
Nicholas, name of 5 popes, especially Nicholas I, Nicholas II, and Nicholas V. Saint Nicholas I, or Nicholas the Great (c.825–867), a Roman, was pope from 858 to 867. A strong pontiff, he supported St. Ignatius, Patriarch of Constantinople, after the Byzantine emperor Michael III deposed Ignatius in favor of Photius, and he excommunicated Photius (863). After Nicholas's death Photius…
Nicholas
Nicholas, tsars of Russia. Nicholas I (1796–1855), tsar of the Russian empire (1825–55), notorious for his despotic rule. His first action as ruler was to crush the Decembrist Revolt. A determined absolutist, he opposed all liberal political reforms, while expanding Russian territory at the expense of Turkey. He also suppressed an uprising in Poland (1830–31) and aided the Aus…
Nicholas of Cusa
Nicholas of Cusa (1401–64), German theologian and philosopher.
Saint Nicholas
Nicholas, Saint, 4th-century patron saint of children, scholars, merchants, and sailors, traditionally identified with a bishop of Myra in Asia Minor.
Ben Nicholson
Nicholson, Ben (1894–1982), British abstract sculptor and painter of landscapes and still lifes.
Nickel
Nickel, chemical element, symbol Ni; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Nickel silver
Nickel silver, or German silver, silver-colored alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc, first produced in Germany.
Jack Nicklaus
Nicklaus, Jack (1940– ), U.S. golfer.
Jean Nicolet
Nicolet, Jean (1598–1642), French explorer who was probably the first European to visit the Lake Michigan area.
Sir Harold Nicolson
Nicolson, Sir Harold (1886–1968), British writer and diplomat, born in Iran.
Nicosia
Nicosia (pop. 177,000), city in north-central Cyprus, capital of the island nation.
Nicotine
Nicotine, poisonous alkaloid (C10H14N2) found in all parts of the tobacco plant, but especially in the leaves.
Nictitating membrane
Nictitating membrane, mucous membrane that acts like a third eyelid in many vertebrates.
Niebuhr
Niebuhr, name of 2 U.S. brothers, leading Protestant theologians.
Carl August Nielsen
Nielsen, Carl August (1865–1931), Danish composer.
Martin Niemöller
Niemöller, Martin (1892–1984), German Lutheran pastor who opposed the Nazis and Adolf Hitler.
Oscar Niemeyer
Niemeyer, Oscar (Oscar Niemeyer Soares Filho; 1907– ), Brazilian architect whose outstanding work in Brazil culminated in that country's capital city, Brasilia (1956–60).
Friedrich Nietzsche
Nietzsche, Friedrich (1844–1900), German philosopher.
Niger
Niger, largest republic (in area) in the interior of northern Africa. The capital is Niamey. Niger is bordered on the north by Algeria and Libya, on the east by Chad, on the south and southwest by Nigeria, Dahomey, and Burkina Faso, and on the west by Mali. A landlocked desert country, with an area of 489,189 sq mi (1,267,000 sq km). The north is typically Saharan, the northeast virtually uninhabi…
Niger River
Niger River, third-longest river of Africa.
Nigeria
Nigeria, federal republic in West Africa. Abuya is the capital. Nigeria has an area of 356,667 sq mi (923,768 sq km). It is bordered on the north by Niger, on the east by Chad and Cameroon, on the west by Benin, and on the south by the Gulf of Guinea. Its 500-mi (800-km) coastline has sandbars, swamps, mangrove forests, lagoons, and the mouths of several navigable rivers, predominantly the delta o…
Nighthawk
Nighthawk, bullbat, or mosquito hawk (Chordeiles minor), nocturnal, insect-eating bird in the goatsucker family (Caprimulgidae), not a true hawk.
Nightingale
Nightingale, bird (Luscinia megarhynchos) of the thrush family, renowned for the male's beautiful song.
Florence Nightingale
Nightingale, Florence (1820–1910), English founder of modern nursing, known as the “Lady with the Lamp” because she worked night and day during the Crimean War (1954), establishing sanitary methods and discipline in 2 huge army hospitals.
Nightshade
Nightshade, common name for a number of plants (family Solanaceae) with small but distinctive tubular or flared flowers.
Nihilism
Nihilism, doctrine that denies all values, questions all authority, and advocates the destruction of all social and economic institutions.
Vaslav Nijinsky
Nijinsky, Vaslav (1890–1950), Russian ballet dancer.
Alwin Nikolais
Nikolais, Alwin (1912– ), U.S. dancer and choreographer.
Nile River
Nile River, longest river in the world, flowing generally north about 4,145 mi (6,671 km) from east-central Africa through the Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean.
Birgit Nilsson
Nilsson, Birgit (1918– ), Swedish soprano, widely regarded as the greatest Wagnerian soprano of her time.
Chester William Nimitz
Nimitz, Chester William (1885–1966), U.S. admiral who commanded naval operations in the Pacific after the United States entered World War II.
Nimrod
Nimrod, in the Bible (Genesis), grandson of Noah and son of Ham, a hunter and founder of the city Nineveh.
Anaïs Nin
Nin, Anaïs (1903–77), French-born U.S. author whose novels and stories depict the inner worlds of women in surrealistic and psychoanalytic fashion.
Nineveh
Nineveh, ancient capital of Assyria, on the Tigris River, opposite modern Mosul, Iraq.
Ning-po
Ning-po See: Ningbo.
Ningbo
Ningbo, or Ning-po (pop. 468,200), formerly Ninghsien, port city on the Yung River in northern Zhejiang province, eastern China.
Niobe
Niobe, in Greek mythology, daughter of Tantalus and wife of Amphion, and a figure of eternal sorrow.
Niobium
Niobium, chemical element, symbol Nb; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Nippon
Nippon See: Japan.
Nirvana
Nirvana, Sanskrit term used in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism to denote the highest state of existence, reached when all bodily desires have been quelled and the self is free to dissolve into the ocean of peace, or God.
Nisei
Nisei (Japanese, “second generation”), those born of immigrant Japanese parents in the United States.
Nitrate
Nitrate, chemical compound, generally sodium (NaNO3) or potassium nitrate (KNO3), formed in the soil by bacteria.
Nitrate of silver
Nitrate of silver See: Silver nitrate.
Nitre
Nitre See: Saltpeter.
Nitric acid
Nitric acid, corrosive, colorless liquid (HNO3) with powerful oxidizing properties, used in the manufacture of medicine, dyes, explosives, and metal products.
Nitrite
Nitrite, salt or esther of nitrous acid.
Nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose See: Guncotton.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen, chemical element, symbol N; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Nitrogen cycle
Nitrogen cycle, cycle of chemical changes that keep nitrogen flowing through the biosphere, in air and soil. Nitrogen is a fundamental part of living protoplasm. In order to be absorbed by living things, however, it has to be combined into hydrogen and oxygen compounds that plants can use. This process, called nitrogen fixation, is carried on by bacteria in the soil that produce ammonia and nitrat…
Nitroglycerin
Nitroglycerin, unstable, oily compound (C3H5N3O9) that explodes when exposed to heat or shock.
Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide, colorless, odorless gas (N2O) first prepared by British chemist Joseph Priestley in 1772.
Richard Milhous Nixon
Nixon, Richard Milhous (1913–94), 37th president of the United States, who became the only president to resign from office. On Aug. 9, 1974, facing impeachment in the wake of the Watergate scandal, Nixon surrendered the presidency. AlthoughNixon's presidency ended in disgrace, he effected important breakthroughs in U.S.-Soviet and U.S.-Chinese relations. In addition, in 1973, Nixon s…
Kwame Nkrumah
Nkrumah, Kwame (1901–72), African political leader who led his country, Ghana, to independence.
NLRB
NLRB See: National Labor Relations Board.
Noah
Noah, in the Bible (Genesis 6–10), man who built the ark, at God's direction, that saved human and animal life from the great flood.
Alfred Bernhard Nobel
Nobel, Alfred Bernhard (1833–96), Swedish chemist and inventor of dynamite and other explosives.
Nobel Prizes
Nobel Prizes, annual awards given to individuals or institutions judged to confer “the greatest benefit on mankind” in each of 6 fields: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, peace, and economics.
Nobelium
Nobelium, chemical element, symbol No; for physical constants see Periodic Table.
Nobility
Nobility, class of people considered to have social prominence.
Noble gas
Noble gas, or inert gas, any of the elements in Group 0 of the Periodic Table, comprising helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon.
Isamu Noguchi
Noguchi, Isamu (1904–88), U.S. abstract sculptor whose works, especially those created for specific architectural settings (such as the UNESCO building in Paris), won him international recognition.
Noh
Noh, or No, classical drama of Japan, developed under court patronage in the 14th century.
Nok
Nok, civilization that existed in West Africa from c.500 B.C. to A.D. 200.
Kenneth Noland
Noland, Kenneth (1924– ), U.S. painter whose work features bands of color.
Emil Nolde
Nolde, Emil (Emil Hansen; 1867–1956), German expressionist engraver and painter, notably of landscapes and figures, whose bold, visionary, and highly emotional style is typified in The Prophet (1912), Life of Maria Aegyptiaca (1912), and Marsh Landscape (1916).
Nomad
Nomad, member of a population group that moves from place to place for subsistence.
Nome
Nome, city and port in western Alaska, on the south coast of the Seward Peninsula overlooking Norton Sound, an arm of the Bering Sea.
Nonaggression pact
Nonaggression pact, agreement between nations to reconcile differences without the use of force.
Nonaligned nation
Nonaligned nation See: Third World.
Nonconformists
Nonconformists, in religion, those who will not conform to the doctrine or practice of an established church.
Nonpartisan League
Nonpartisan League, political association of U.S. farmers and farmworkers founded (1915) to respond to the power of banking, grain, and railroad bosses.
Nonviolent resistance
Nonviolent resistance See: King, Martin Luther, Jr.; Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand.
Nootka
Nootka, Native Americans of Wakashan linguistic stock who lived on the west coast of Vancouver Island and in the northwestern part of Washington.
Nopal
Nopal See: Prickly pear.
NORAD
NORAD, acronym for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a large defense system set up in 1957 to protect the United States and Canada against air raids.
Nils Adolf Erik Nordenskjöld
Nordenskjöld, Nils Adolf Erik (1832–1901), Finnish-born Swedish geologist, cartographer, and explorer of Spitsbergen and of Greenland, where he studied inland ice.
Nordhoff and Hall
Nordhoff and Hall, U.S. writing team.
Norfolk
Norfolk (pop. 286,500), city-port of southeast Virginia, on the Elizabeth River and the southern side of Hampton Roads.
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island, Australian territory in the South Pacific, between New Caledonia and New Zealand.
Norfolk Naval Base
Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia, home to the Atlantic Fleet, the Fifth Naval District, NATO (North American Treaty Organization) Allied Command Atlantic, and the Armed Forces Staff College.
Norfolk terrier
Norfolk terrier, breed of hunting dog developed in Great Britain.
Manuel Noriega
Noriega, Manuel (1938– ), Panamanian general, leader of Panama 1985–88. He commanded the National Defense Forces to unseat civilian president Nicolas Ardito Barletta (1985). His 1987 indictment in the United States for violations of racketeering and drug laws was controversial; he had been operating with close ties with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) under William Casey s…
Norman architecture
Norman architecture, medieval style characterized by massive scale, 6-part vaulted ceilings, and rounded arches.
Norman Conquest
Norman Conquest, era of English history following the Battle of Hastings (1066), when William, Duke of Normandy, defeated and killed England's Saxon king, Harold.
Normandy
Normandy, region of northwestern France facing the English Channel, noted for dairy products, fruit, brandy, wheat, and flax.
Duke of Normandy
Normandy, Duke of See: William I.
Normandy invasion
Normandy invasion See: World War II.
Normans
Normans, inhabitants of Normandy, a region and former province of northwestern France, along the English Channel.
Norns
Norns, in Scandinavian mythology, 3 sisters who represent past (Urd or Wyrd), present (Verdandi), and future (Skuld).
Norodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk (1922– ), leader of Cambodia (1941–70, 1975–76, 1993– ).
Frank Norris
Norris, Frank (Benjamin Franklin Norris; 1870–1902), U.S. novelist and newspaper columnist.
George William Norris
Norris, George William (1861–1944), U.S. legislator and reformer.
Norris-LaGuardia Act
Norris-LaGuardia Act, U.S. law (1932) that outlawed “yellow-dog” contracts in which workers promised not to join or encourage others to join labor unions.
Norse mythology
Norse mythology See: Mythology.
Norsemen
Norsemen See: Vikings.