 |
Jean-Bédel
Bokassa overthrew his cousin to
become President of the Central African Republic
in 1965. Despite widespread public discontent
brought about by his extravagant lifestyle and
erratic personality, he proclaimed himself
Emperor of the Central African Empire in 1976. He
was overthrown by French paratroopers in 1979. |
Central
African Republic: Facts and Figures
Local Name Repúblique
Centrafricaine. Area 240,535 sq mi. Population
4,511,488. Capital Bangui. Independence
from France Achieved August 13, 1960. |
Republic
of the Congo: Facts and Figures Local
Name République du Congo. Area
132,047 sq mi. Population 3,800,610. Capital
Brazzaville. Independence from France
Achieved August 15, 1960. |
Nancy
Langhorne Shaw Astor was elected to
the House of Commons in 1919, despite being an
American. Although she was the second woman to be
elected to that body, she was the first to
actually take her seat. She ultimately served
until retiring from politics in 1945. |
Josephine
de Beauharnais Bonaparte married
Napoleon Bonaparte in 1796. Despite infidelity on
both sides of the marriage, the union lasted
until 1810, when Napoleon divorced her on the
grounds that she was incapable of producing an
heir. |
Berlin
Wall German and
Soviet troops began erecting the Berlin Wall
during the night of August 13, 1961, and by
August 26 all crossing points between West and
East Berlin had been closed. |
Hadrian
succeeded Trajan as Emperor in 117. During his
reign, a single, uniform legal code was adopted
throughout the Empire, an empire-wide
communications system was created, and defensive
fortifications were erected (including Hadrian's
Wall in England). |
Leopold
was elected the first King of Belgium in 1831,
and ruled until his death in 1865. During his
reign Belgium's parliamentary government was
created, electoral law was reformed, and a
national bank was established. |
Kingdom
of the Netherlands: Facts and Figures
Local Name Koninkrijk der Nederlanden. Total
Area 15,892 sq mi. Population
16,715,999. Capital Amsterdam. Independence
from Spain Achieved January 23, 1579. |
Empress
Elizabeth ruled Russia from 1742 to
1761. During her reign, the death penalty was
effectively ended, cultural arts flourished, and
Russia fought with distinction during the Seven
Years' War. |
Kingdom
of Denmark: Facts and Figures Local
Name: Kongeriget Danmark. Area: 16,629 sq mi.
Population: 5,500,510. Capital: Copenhagen. |
Republic
of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Facts and Figures
Local Name: Republika Bosna i Hercegovina. Area:
19,741 sq mi. Population: 4,613,414. Capital:
Sarajevo. Independence Achieved from Yugoslavia:
March 1, 1992. |
The Dead
Sea is the saltiest body of water in
the world, with almost six times more salt than
the ocean. At more than 1,300 feet below sea
level, it is also the lowest point on earth. |