United Nations 2008

UNITED NATIONS 2008
Integrated English Program for Toddlers

October 23, 2008 (Thursday). Celebrating the United Nations in our Activity Day!

Activity:

Introducing the flag of the world to the kids. First and foremost we introduce the Philippines Flag, we let them color the part of blue and red part of our flag and paste the stars and and sun. Our teacher helped them to put the stick to make it a real flag. After the Philippine Flag we assigned different country to the kids.

Some of the kids work...

The United Nations: An Introduction to Students

The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the UN Charter had been ratified by a majority of the original 51 Member States. The day is now celebrated each year around the world as United Nations Day.

The purpose of the United Nations is to bring all nations of the world together to work for peace and development, based on the principles of justice, human dignity and the well-being of all people. It affords the opportunity for countries to balance global interdependence and national interests when addressing international problems. There are currently 192 Members of the United Nations. They meet in the General Assembly, which is the closest thing to a world parliament. Each country, large or small, rich or poor, has a single vote, however, none of the decisions taken by the Assembly are binding. Nevertheless, the Assembly's decisions become resolutions that carry the weight of world governmental opinion.

The United Nations Headquarters is in New York City but the land and buildings are international territory. The United Nations has its own flag, its own post office and its own postage stamps. Six official languages are used at the United Nations - Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. The UN European Headquarters is in the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. It has offices in Vienna, Austria and Economic Commissions in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Amman in Jordan, Bangkok in Thailand and Santiago in Chile. The senior officer of the United Nations Secretariat is the Secretary-General.

The Aims of the United Nations:

• To keep peace throughout the world.
• To develop friendly relations between nations.
• To work together to help people live better lives, to eliminate poverty, disease and illiteracy in the world, to stop environmental destruction and to encourage respect for each other's rights and freedoms.
• To be a centre for helping nations achieve these aims.

The Principles of the United Nations:

• All Member States have sovereign equality.
• All Member States must obey the Charter.
• Countries must try to settle their differences by peaceful means.
• Countries must avoid using force or threatening to use force.
• The UN may not interfere in the domestic affairs of any country.
• Countries should try to assist the United Nations.

SOURCE: http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/unintro/unintro2.htm

SOME OF THE WORLD FLAGS

ASIAN

PHILIPPINES FLAG

Formal Name:
Republic of the Philippines

Local Name:
Pilipinas

Local Formal Name:
Repúblika ng Pilipinas

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Manila
Main Cities:	Quezon City, Davao, Cebu
Population:	67,898,000
Area:	300,000 km2
Currency:	1 Philippine peso = 100 centavos
Languages:	Filipino (Tagalog), English, Spanish
Religions:	Roman Catholic, Muslim

The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a 10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese occupation during WWII, and US forces and Filipinos fought together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence. The 20-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a "people power" movement in Manila ("EDSA 1") forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and another "people power" movement ("EDSA 2") demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a six-year term as president in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats from three terrorist groups on the US Government's Foreign Terrorist Organization list, but in 2006 and 2007 scored some major successes in capturing or killing key wanted terrorists. Decades of Muslim insurgency in the southern Philippines have led to a peace accord with one group and an ongoing cease-fire and peace talks with another.

SINGAPORE FLAG

Formal Name:
Republic of Singapore

Local Name:
Singapore

Local Formal Name:
Republic of Singapore

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Singapore
Population:	2,826,000
Area:	620 km2
Currency:	1 Singapore dollar = 100 cents
Languages:	Chinese, Malay, Tamil, English
Religions:	Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Taoist , Hindu

Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

SAUDI ARABIA FLAG

Formal Name:
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Local Name:
Al Arabiyah as Sa’udiyah

Local Formal Name:
Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Sa’udiyah

Location:	Middle East
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Riyadh (Ar Riyád)
Main Cities:	Jeddah, Mecca, Medina
Population:	17,035,000
Area:	2,149,690 km2
Currency:	1 Saudi riyal = 20 qursh = 100 halala
Languages:	Arabic
Religions:	Muslim

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. A male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz, rules the country today as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong on-going campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH has continued the cautious reform program begun when he was crown prince. To promote increased political participation, the government held elections nationwide from February through April 2005 for half the members of 179 municipal councils. In December 2005, King ABDALLAH completed the process by appointing the remaining members of the advisory municipal councils. The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds approximately 25% of the world's proven oil reserves. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in December 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns.

SOUTH KOREA FLAG

Formal Name:
Republic of Korea

Local Name:
Hanguk

Local Formal Name:
Taehan-min'guk

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Seoul (Soul)
Main Cities:	Pusan, Taegu, Inchon
Population:	44,843,000
Area:	99,020 km2
Currency:	1 won = 100 jeon (no longer used)
Languages:	Korean
Religions:	Buddhist, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Confucianist

An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. In October 2007, a second North-South summit took place between the South's President ROH Moo-hyun and the North Korean leader.

JAPAN FLAG

Formal Name:
Japan

Local Name:
Nihon

Local Formal Name:
Nihon Koku

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Tokyo (Tõkyõ)
Main Cities:	Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kyoto
Population:	125,422,000
Area:	377,800 km2
Currency:	1 yen = 100 sen
Languages:	Japanese, Korean, Chinese
Religions:	Shinto, Buddhist, Christian

In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For more than two centuries this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32 Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, elected politicians - with heavy input from bureaucrats and business executives - wield actual decisionmaking power. The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia and globally.

ISRAEL FLAG

Formal Name:
State of Israel

Local Name:
Yisrael

Local Formal Name:
Medinat Yisrael

Location:	Middle East
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Jerusalem (Yerushalayim)
Main Cities:	Tel Aviv-Yafo, Haifa
Population:	5,672,000
Area:	20,770 km2
Currency:	1 new shekel = 100 agorot
Languages:	Hebrew, Arabic
Religions:	Jewish, Muslim

Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories Israel occupied since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo Accords") guiding an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working in conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took the lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However, progress toward a permanent status agreement was undermined by Israeli-Palestinian violence between September 2003 and February 2005. An Israeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February 2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian ceasefire, significantly reduced the violence. In the summer of 2005, Israel unilaterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating settlers and its military while retaining control over most points of entry into the Gaza Strip. The election of HAMAS in January 2006 to head the Palestinian Legislative Council froze relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Ehud OLMERT became prime minister in March 2006; following an Israeli military operation in Gaza in June-July 2006 and a 34-day conflict with Hizballah in Lebanon in June-August 2006, he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate from most of the West Bank. OLMERT in June 2007 resumed talks with the PA after HAMAS seized control of the Gaza Strip and PA President Mahmoud ABBAS formed a new government without HAMAS.

IRAQ FLAG

Formal Name:
Republic of Iraq

Local Name:
Al ‘Iraq

Local Formal Name:
Al Jumhuriyah al ‘Iraqiyah

Location:	Middle East
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Baghdad
Main Cities:	Basra, Mosul
Population:	20,562,000
Area:	438,320 km2
Currency:	1 Iraqi dinar = 20 dirhams = 1,000 fils
Languages:	Arabic, Kurdish
Religions:	Muslim

Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen ruled the country until 2003, the last was SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition forces remain in Iraq under a UNSC mandate, helping to provide security and to support the freely elected government. The Coalition Provisional Authority, which temporarily administered Iraq after the invasion, transferred full governmental authority on 28 June 2004 to the Iraqi Interim Government, which governed under the Transitional Administrative Law for Iraq (TAL). Under the TAL, elections for a 275-member Transitional National Assembly (TNA) were held in Iraq on 30 January 2005. Following these elections, the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) assumed office. The TNA was charged with drafting Iraq's permanent constitution, which was approved in a 15 October 2005 constitutional referendum. An election under the constitution for a 275-member Council of Representatives (CoR) was held on 15 December 2005. The CoR approval in the selection of most of the cabinet ministers on 20 May 2006 marked the transition from the ITG to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half-century.

INDONESIA FLAG

Formal Name:
Republic of Indonesia

Local Name:
Indonesia

Local Formal Name:
Republik Indonesia

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Jakarta
Main Cities:	Surabaja, Medan, Bandung, Semarang
Population:	198,055,000
Area:	1,904,570 km2
Currency:	1 Indonesian rupiah = 100 sen
Languages:	Bahasa Indonesian, Javanese, Sundanese, Dutch
Religions:	Sunni Muslim, Christian

The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state and home to the world's largest Muslim population. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, preventing terrorism, consolidating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing financial sector reforms, stemming corruption, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, and controlling avian influenza. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agreement with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face a low intensity separatist guerilla movement in Papua.

INDIA FLAG

Formal Name:
Republic of India

Local Name:
Bharat

Local Formal Name:
Bharat

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Delhi (New Delhi)
Main Cities:	Bangalore, Calcutta, Bombay, Madras
Population:	913,747,000
Area:	3,287,590 km2
Currency:	1 Indian rupee = 100 paisa
Languages:	Hindi, English, Panjabi and many local languages
Religions:	Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian

Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkic in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons testing in 1998 caused Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. The dispute between the countries over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife.

CHINA FLAG

Formal Name:
People’s Republic of China

Local Name:
Zhong Guo

Local Formal Name:
Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Beijing
Main Cities:	Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang
Population:	1,222,017,000
Area:	9,596,960 km2
Currency:	1 yuan = 10 jiao = 100 fen
Languages:	Mandarin Chinese, Shanghai-, Canton-, Fukien-, Hakka- dialects, Tibetan, Vigus (Turkic)
Religions:	Confucianist, Buddhist, Taoist

For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

CAMBODIA FLAG

Formal Name:
Kingdom of Cambodia

Local Name:
Kampuchea

Local Formal Name:
Reacheanachak Kampuchea

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Phnom Penh
Main Cities:	Battambang
Population:	9,222,000
Area:	181,040 km2
Currency:	1 riel = 100 sen
Languages:	Khmer
Religions:	Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu

Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863. Cambodia became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the remaining Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-sponsored tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed.

BANGLADESH FLAG

Formal Name:
People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Local Name:
Bangladesh

Local Formal Name:
Gana Praja-tantri Bangladesh

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Dhaka
Main Cities:	Chittagong, Khulna
Population:	125,201,000
Area:	144,000 km2
Currency:	1 Bangladesh taka = 100 poisha
Languages:	Bengali, English
Religions:	Muslim, Hindu

Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistan and East Bengal (both primarily Muslim) separated from India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units separated by 1,600 km left the Bengalis marginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. A military-backed caretaker regime suspended planned parliamentary elections in January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption; the regime has pledged new democratic elections by the end of 2008. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, hampering economic development.

BRUNEI FLAG

Formal Name:
Brunei Darussalam

Local Name:
Brunei

Local Formal Name:
Negara Brunei Darussalam

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Bandar Seri Begawan
Population:	282,000
Area:	5,770 km2
Currency:	1 Brunei dollar = 100 cents
Languages:	Malay, English
Religions:	Muslim, Buddhist, Christian

The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia.

BAHRAIN FLAG

Formal Name:
Kingdom of Bahrain

Local Name:
Al Bahrayn

Local Formal Name:
Al Mamlakah al bahrayn

Location:	Middle East
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Manama (Al Manãmah)
Main Cities:	Al Muharraq
Population:	563,000
Area:	680 km2
Currency:	1 Bahrain dinar = 1,000 fils
Languages:	Arabic
Religions:	Sunni Muslim, Shiá Muslim

In 1783, the al-Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shi'a community and Shi'a political societies participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Al Wifaq, the largest Shi'a political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shi'a discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence.

HONG KONG FLAG

Formal Name:
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Local Name:
Hong Kong

Local Formal Name:
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Location:	Asia
Status:	Chinese Special Administrative Area
Capital City:	Victoria
Main Cities:	Kowloon
Population:	5,890,000
Area:	1,040 km2
Currency:	1 Hong Kong dollar = 100 cents
Languages:	English, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese)
Religions:	Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, Christian, Muslim, Hindu

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

AFGHANISTAN FLAG

Formal Name:
Afghanistan

Local Name:
Afghanestan

Local Formal Name:
Afghanestan

Location:	Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Kabul
Main Cities:	Kandahar, Herat
Population:	21,968,000
Area:	652,090 km2
Currency:	1 New Afghani = 100 puls
Languages:	Pushtu, Dari (Persian)
Religions:	Sunni Muslim, Shiá Muslim

Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. Subsequently, a series of civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution and a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. On 7 December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The National Assembly was inaugurated on 19 December 2005.

NORTH, SOUTH and CENTRAL AMERICA

UNITED STATES FLAG

Formal Name:
United States of America

Local Name:
United States

Local Formal Name:
United States of America

Location:	North America
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Washington, DC
Main Cities:	New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco
Population:	260,513,000
Area:	9,372,610 km2
Currency:	1 US dollar = 100 cents
Languages:	English, Spanish, and over 30 others
Religions:	Protestant, Roman Catholic, Judaism

Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

CUBA FLAG

Formal Name:
Republic of Cuba

Local Name:
Cuba

Local Formal Name:
República de Cuba

Location:	Caribbean
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Havana (La Habana)
Main Cities:	Santiago de Cuba, Camagüey
Population:	11,000,000
Area:	110,860 km2
Currency:	1 Cuban peso = 100 centavos
Languages:	Spanish
Religions:	Roman Catholic

The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule, marked initially by neglect, became increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic downturn in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,864 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2006.

PUERTO RICO FLAG

Formal Name:
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Local Name:
Puerto Rico

Local Formal Name:
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

Location:	Caribbean
Status:	USA Territory
Capital City:	San Juan
Population:	3,658,000
Area:	8900 km2
Currency:	1 US dollar = 100 cents
Languages:	Spanish, English

Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status.

PERU FLAG

Formal Name:
Republic of Perú

Local Name:
Perú

Local Formal Name:
República del Perú

Location:	South America
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Lima
Main Cities:	Arequipa, Lambayeque, Trujillo, Chiclayo
Population:	23,381,000
Area:	1,285,220 km2
Currency:	1 nuevo sol = 100 céntimos
Languages:	Spanish, Quechua, Aymará
Religions:	Roman Catholic

Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his ouster in 2000. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government - Peru's first democratically elected president of Native American ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, returned to the presidency with promises to improve social conditions and maintain fiscal responsibility.

MEXICO FLAG

Formal Name:
United Mexican States

Local Name:
México

Local Formal Name:
Estados Unidos Mexicanos

Location:	North America
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Mexico City
Main Cities:	Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla
Population:	91,840,000
Area:	1,958,200 km2
Currency:	1 Mexican peso = 100 centavos
Languages:	Spanish
Religions:	Roman Catholic

The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. The elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON.

COLOMBIA FLAG

Formal Name:
Republic of Colombia

Local Name:
Colombia

Local Formal Name:
República de Colombia

Location:	South America
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Bogotá
Main Cities:	Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga
Population:	34,545,000
Area:	1,138,910 km2
Currency:	1 Colombian peso = 100 centavos
Languages:	Spanish, over 100 Indian dialects
Religions:	Roman Catholic

Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups and illegal paramilitary groups - both heavily funded by the drug trade - escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insurgents continue attacks against civilians and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence. More than 32,000 former paramilitaries had demobilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had ceased to function. Still, some renegades continued to engage in criminal activities. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its municipalities. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

CANADA FLAG

Formal Name:
Dominion of Canada

Local Name:
Canada

Local Formal Name:
Dominion of Canada

Location:	North America
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Ottawa
Main Cities:	Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver
Population:	31,000,000
Area:	9,976,140 km2
Currency:	1 Canadian dollar = 100 cents
Languages:	English, French, Inuktitut
Religions:	Roman Catholic, Protestant

A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment.

BRAZIL FLAG

Formal Name:
Federative Republic of Brazil

Local Name:
Brasil

Local Formal Name:
República Federativa do Brasil

Location:	South America
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Brasília
Main Cities:	São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte
Population:	170,000,000
Area:	8,547,404 km2
Currency:	1 real = 100 centavos
Languages:	Portuguese
Religions:	Roman Catholic, Protestant

Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem.

ARGENTINA FLAG

Formal Name:
Argentine Republic

Local Name:
Argentina

Local Formal Name:
República Argentina

Location:	South America
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Buenos Aires
Main Cities:	Córdoba, Rosario, Mendoza, Mar del Plata
Population:	33,875,000
Area:	2,766,890 km2
Currency:	1 peso
Languages:	Spanish
Religions:	Roman Catholic, Protestant

In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. Eventually, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their own way, but the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were subsequently heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and Spain, which provided the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era of Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the resignation of several interim presidents. The economy has recovered strongly since bottoming out in 2002.

EUROPE

UNITED KINGDOM FLAG

Formal Name:
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Local Name:
United Kingdom

Local Formal Name:
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Location:	Europe
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	London
Main Cities:	Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast
Population:	57,956,000
Area:	244,880 km2
Currency:	1 pound sterling = 100 pence
Languages:	English, Welsh, Scots Gaelic, Irish Gaelic (all official)
Religions:	Protestant, Roman Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, Judaism

As the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter was suspended until May 2007 due to wrangling over the peace process.

SWITZERLAND FLAG

Formal Name:
Swiss Confederation

Local Name:
Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera

Local Formal Name:
Confoederatio Helvetica

Location:	Europe
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Berne (Bern)
Main Cities:	Zürich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne
Population:	6,910,000
Area:	41,290 km2
Currency:	1 Swiss franc = 100 centimes
Languages:	French, German, Italian, Romansch
Religions:	Roman Catholic, Protestant

The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.

SPAIN FLAG

Formal Name:
Kingdom of Spain

Local Name:
España

Local Formal Name:
Reino de España

Location:	Europe
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Madrid
Main Cities:	Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Zaragoza
Population:	39,214,000
Area:	504,780 km2
Currency:	1 euro = 100 cents
Languages:	Spanish, Basque, Galician, Catalan
Religions:	Roman Catholic

Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies in Europe and made it a global champion of freedom. Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism, illegal immigration, and slowing economic growth.

RUSSIA FLAG

Formal Name:
Russian Federation

Local Name:
Rossiya

Local Formal Name:
Rossiyskaya Federatsiya

Location:	Europe / Asia
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Moscow (Moskva)
Main Cities:	St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Vladivostok, Nizhny Novgorod
Population:	149,476,000
Area:	17,075,000 km2
Currency:	1 ruble = 100 kopeks
Languages:	Russian
Religions:	Russian Orthodox, Muslim, Buddhist

Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the social, political, and economic controls of the Communist period. In tandem with its prudent management of Russia?s windfall energy wealth, which has helped the country rebound from the economic collapse of the 1990?s, the Kremlin in recent years has overseen a recentralization of power that has undermined democratic institutions. Russia has severely disabled the Chechen rebel movement, although sporadic violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus.

ITALY FLAG

Formal Name:
Italian Republic

Local Name:
Italia

Local Formal Name:
Repubblica Italiana

Location:	Europe
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Rome (Roma)
Main Cities:	Milan, Naples,Turin, Florence, Venice
Population:	57,867,000
Area:	301,270 km2
Currency:	1 euro = 100 cents
Languages:	Italian
Religions:	Roman Catholic

Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.

GERMANY FLAG

Formal Name:
Federal Republic of Germany

Local Name:
Deutschland

Local Formal Name:
Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Location:	Europe
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Berlin
Main Cities:	Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Essen, Frankfurt
Population:	80,942,000
Area:	356,910 km2
Currency:	1 euro = 100 cents
Languages:	German
Religions:	Protestant (Lutheran), Roman Catholic

As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation, Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

FRANCE FLAG

Formal Name:
French Republic

Local Name:
France

Local Formal Name:
République Française

Location:	Europe
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Paris
Main Cities:	Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Bordeaux, Toulouse
Population:	57,571,000
Area:	551,500 km2
Currency:	1 euro = 100 cents
Languages:	French
Religions:	Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim

Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency, the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign policy.

FINLAND FLAG

Formal Name:
Republic of Finland

Local Name:
Suomi / Finland

Local Formal Name:
Suomen Tasavalta / Republiken Finland

Location:	Europe
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Helsinki (Helsingfors)
Main Cities:	Tampere, Turku, Espoo
Population:	5,033,000
Area:	338,130 km2
Currency:	1 euro = 100 cents
Languages:	Finnish, Swedish
Religions:	Protestant

Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.

DENMARK FLAG

Formal Name:
Kingdom of Denmark

Local Name:
Danmark

Local Formal Name:
Kongeriget Danmark

Location:	Europe
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Copenhagen (København)
Main Cities:	Århus, Odense, Ålborg, Esbjerg
Population:	5,180,000
Area:	43,090 km2
Currency:	1 Danish krone = 100 øre
Languages:	Danish
Religions:	Lutheran

Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is participating in the general political and economic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

BELGIUM FLAG

Formal Name:
Kingdom of Belgium

Local Name:
België / Belgique

Local Formal Name:
Koninkrijk België / Royaume de Belgique

Location:	Europe
Status:	UN Country
Capital City:	Brussels (Bruxelles)
Main Cities:	Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, Liège
Population:	10,020,000
Area:	30,520 km2
Currency:	1 euro = 100 cents
Languages:	Flemish (Dutch), French, German
Religions:	Roman Catholic

Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Sources:
http://www.flags.net/mainindex.htm
http://www.theodora.com/wfb/#TOP