The Oxford Dictionary of the World

About this book

From Tintern Abbey to Timbuktu Loch Ness to the Limpopo River the ABC Islands to the Zuider Zee--Oxfords Dictionary of the World is a testament to the fascinating diversity of the planet Earth. Combining the expertise of one of the worlds foremost gazetteer compilers with that of the Oxford dictionaries department it is the most up-to-date world geographic dictionary available today. Fourteen regional geographical experts vetted the text to ensure its authority and accuracy and both text and maps reflect the latest political realities including the new nations of Slovakia Eritrea and the states of the former USSR and Yugoslavia. Indispensable for up-to-the-minute reference and a fascinating browse for the armchair traveller the Dictionary of the World covers: Countries (profiles of every nation dependency and area of special sovereignty in the world) Regions Peoples languages and religions Cities and major towns Natural features (such as rivers and mountains) Famous buildings sites and monuments (The Taj Mahal Hyde Park The Empire State Building) Ancient sites (Troy Masada Stonehenge) Each of the 15 000 entries incorporates detailed statistics and descriptions of population topography history industry and special features of interest. Locator maps are included with each country description--federal maps are provided for major nations--together with a 16-page full-color world map section and 30 appendices of world geographical and statistical information.