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Ulleung-do

Ulleung-do

Ulleung-do is a Korean island in the Sea of Japan (East Sea). Known as Dagelet to the Europeans, Ulleung-do is about 120 kilometers from the mainland of the Korean peninsula. Volcanic in origin, the island is rocky and steep-sided. Its natural beauty makes Ulleung-do a popular tourist site. The other main source of income is fishery, including the harvest of cuttlefish, which can be seen drying in the sun in many places on Ulleung-do. The main city of Ulleung-do is the port of Dodong, which serves as the main ferry port between Ulleung-do and the Korean mainland. The island of Ulleung-do has an area of 73.15 km² with about 10,000 inhabitants. It makes up the main part of Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.

History

South Korea Archeological evidence indicates that the island has been inhabited since the 1st millennium BC. The first confirmed historical reference to Ulleung-do is in the Samguk Sagi for the year 512. In that year, the Silla general Yi Sabu conquered the island, which had previously been the autonomous nation of Usan-guk. Some accounts relate that he used a number of wooden lions to intimidate the population, threatening to turn them loose unless they surrendered. Usan-guk did not remain under the Silla yoke, however, and the island did not become a permanent political part of Korea until 930, when it was annexed by Goryeo. Remote as it is from the Korean mainland, Ulleung-do was a recurrent security headache for the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. It was devastated by Jurchen pirate raids in the 11th century, and by Japanese pirate raids in the 14th century. A clash with Japan over fishing rights in the 1690s was precipitated by the Korean fisherman An Yongbok. In response to these difficulties, Joseon adopted an "empty-island" policy which however proved impossible to enforce. The empty-island policy was officially rescinded in 1881, after which the government sought to encourage additional emigration to Ulleung-do.

Tourism

Favorite activities for tourists are hiking, fishing, and eating raw fish. Sightseeing boats make regular three-hour circuits about Ulleung-do, departing from the harbor at Dodong and passing by all the points of interest along the coast, including many interesting rock formations and the tiny island of Jukdo. Other scenic sites are Seonginbong, the highest peak on the island (984 m); Bongnae waterfall; the "natural icehouse"; and a coastal cliff from which the Liancourt Rocks (known in Korea as Dokdo) can be discerned in the distance.

External links

- [http://www.ulleung.go.kr/Ullung_English/ Ulleung County government]
- [http://www.ullungdo.com Ullungdo.com: Tourist Information (In Korean Only)]
- [http://kn.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2002/08/24/200208240008.asp Ulleungdo, Dokdo islands to be preserved as Nat'l Park] Category:Islands of South Korea Category:North Gyeongsang ko:울릉도 ja:鬱陵島

Korea

— For other places called Korea, see: Korea (disambiguation) Korea refers to South Korea and North Korea together, which were a unified country until 1948. It is situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia, bordering China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast. It is populated by a homogeneous ethnic group, the Koreans, who speak a distinct language (Korean). Korea was partitioned into two halves following World War II. South Korea, supported by the United States, is now a capitalist liberal democracy, and sometimes referred to simply as "Korea". North Korea, supported by the former Soviet Union, remains a Communist state, often described as Stalinist and isolationist. The Unification Flag may represent Korea at international sporting events, but is not an official flag of either country.

Overview

In ancient Chinese texts Korea is referred to as "Rivers and Mountains Embroidered on Silk" (錦繡江山) and "Eastern Nation of Decorum" (東方禮儀之國). During the 7th and 8th centuries, land and sea trading networks connected Korea and Arabia. Koreans used wooden printing blocks by 751. Metal movable type was invented in Korea as early as 1232 (although clay prints were earlier invented in China), before Johann Gutenberg developed metal letterset type. During the Goryeo period, the silk was considered by China to be the best in the world, and pottery made with blue-green celadon glazes became a coveted Korean specialty. In the Joseon era, Korea presided over progress in traditional arts and crafts, such as white celadon glazes, finer silk and paper, and the creation of the Korean alphabet, hangul. Also during this time the first ironclad warships in the world were developed and deployed in Korea. Korea is currently divided into the capitalist South Korea and the communist North Korea. After the Korean War, North Korea's economy rebounded relatively quickly, stronger than that of the South until the 1970s. Since the 1990s, the loss of communist markets in Eastern Europe, poor management, and natural disasters have left the country largely dependent on foreign aid. A famine in the late 1990s likely killed about a million people, although reliable statistics are difficult to come by (Meredith Woo-Cummings, The Political Ecology of Famine: The North Korean Catastrophe and Its Lessons, Tokyo: Asian Dev. Bank Inst., 2001). 1990s In contrast, South Korea after the war remained impoverished into the 1960s, when the dictator-president Park Chung Hee began to funnel investment into chaebol, or family-controlled conglomerates. His rule was marked by the violation of human rights (although on a far smaller scale than in North Korea) as well as by record-breaking economic growth. South Korea now is the 11th largest economy in the world. Presidential elections are held every five years. Both Korean states proclaim eventual reunification as a goal, and a united Korea is very much a part of Korean ethno-cultural identity.

Geography

Korea is located on the Korean Peninsula in North-East Asia. It is bound by two countries and three seas. To the northwest, the Yalu River separates Korea from China and to the north, the Tumen River separates Korea from Russia. The Yellow Sea is to the west, the South China Sea is to the south, and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) is to the east of Korea. Notable islands include Jeju-do, Ulleung-do, and Liancourt Rocks (Dok-do). The southern part and western part of the Korean mainland have well developed plains, while the eastern and northern parts are mountainous. The highest mountain in Korea is Mt. Baekdu (2744m, Changbaishan in chinese). The border with China runs through the mountain. The southern extension of Mt. Baekdu is a highland called Gaema Gowon. This highland was mainly raised during the Cenozoic orogeny and partly covered by volcanic matter. To the south of Gaema Gowon, successive high mountains are located along the eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula. This series of mountains is named Beakdudaegan. Some significant mountains include Sobaeksan (2,184 m), Baeksan (1,724 m), Geumgangsan (1,638 m), Seoraksan (1,708 m), Taebaeksan (1,567 m) and Jirisan (1,915 m). There are several lower, secondary mountain series whose direction is almost perpendicular to that of Baekdudaegan. They are developed along the tectonic line of Mesozoic orogeny and their directions are NW, NWW. As opposed to the old mountains on the mainland, some important islands in Korea were formed by volcanic activity in the recent Cenozoic. Jeju Island, situated off the south coastline of the Korean Peninsula, is a large volcanic island whose main mountain is Mt. Halla (1950 m). Ulleung-do and the Liancourt Rocks (Dok-do) are volcanic islands in the East Sea (Sea of Japan), whose composition is more feslic than Jeju. The volcanic islands tend to be younger as one moves westward. Because the mountainous regions are biased toward the eastern part of the peninsula, the main rivers tend to flow to westwards. Two exceptions are the southward-flowing Nakdong and the Seomjin River. Important rivers running westward include the Yalu, Cheongcheon River, Daedong River, Han River, Geum River, and Yeongsan River. These rivers have vast flood plains and they provide an ideal environment for rice cultivation. The southern and southwestern coastline of the Korean Peninsula is a well-developed Lias coastline. It is known as Dadohae in Korean. Its complicated coastline provides mild seas, and the resulting calm environment allows for safe navigation, fishing, and seaweed farming. In addition to the complex coastline, the western coast of the Korean peninsula has an extremely high tidal amplitude (at Incheon, around the middle of the western coast, it is as high as 9 m). Vast tidal flats are developing on the south and west coastline of the Korean Peninsula.

Demographics

(see also: Demographics of South Korea) The Korean Peninsula is populated almost exclusively by ethnic Koreans, although a significant minority of ethnic Chinese (about 20,000 [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ks.html]) exists in South Korea, and small communities of ethnic Chinese and Japanese are said to exist in North Korea ([http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/kn.html]). Foreign workforce in South Korea is estimated at over half a million. The combined population (including North and South Korea) of the Korean Peninsula is about 71,000,000 people.

History

Main article: History of Korea There is archaeological evidence that people were living on the Korean peninsula 700,000 years ago. The Palaeolithic period began around 70,000 BC, and earliest known Korean pottery dates to around 7000 BC, and the Neolithic period begins around 6000 BC. Eventually (2333 BC according to the Dangun legend), Gojoseon was founded, encompassing northern Korea and Manchuria. In 108 BC, Gojoseon fell to the Chinese Han dynasty, who installed four commanderies in northern Korea, three of which quickly fell to Korean resistance. In this period, southern Korea was occupied first by the Jin state, and later the Samhan, three loose confederacies. In the north, the expanding Goguryeo reunited Buyeo, Okjeo, and Dongye in the former Gojoseon territory, and destroyed the last Chinese commandery in 313.

The Three Kingdoms

The three kingdoms Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje (the latter two arising from the Samhan) competed with each other as minor statelets fell or merged with these regional powers. Sophisticated state organizations developed under Confucian and Buddhist paradigms. Goguryeo was the most dominant power, but was at constant war with the Chinese Sui and Tang. Emperor Yang-ti of Sui, with one million troops, invaded Goguryeo, but in 612 CE, General Eulji Mundeok pushed the Chinese force into retreat. The Sui fall from power in China was partly due to Goguryeo. Silla was the least advanced of the Three Kingdoms, but had established a fierce military. Silla first annexed Gaya, then conquered Baekje and Goguryeo with Tang assistance. Silla warriors were called the Hwarang.

Balhae and Unified Silla

Silla eventually repulsed Tang from Goguryeo territory, although the northern part regrouped as Balhae. Silla ("Unified Silla" hereon) thus came to control most of the Korean peninsula by the 8th century. In the late 9th century, Unified Silla gave way to the brief Later Three Kingdoms period. After the fall of Goguryeo, General Dae Joyeong led a group of his people to the Jilin area in Manchuria. The general founded the state of Balhae (Bohai in Chinese) as the successor to Goguryeo and regained control of lost northern territory. Eventually, Balhae's territory would extend from the Sungari and Amur Rivers in northern Manchuria all the way down to the northern provinces of modern Korea. In the 10th century Balhae was conquered by the Khitans.

Goryeo

The kingdom of Goryeo (918 CE–1392 CE) replaced Silla as the dominant power in Korea. Many members of the Balhae ruling class joined the newly founded Goryeo Dynasty, which established boundaries of Korea to a little more than where they exist today (See Gando region which is now occupied by the Chinese). During this period, laws were codified, and a civil service system was introduced. Buddhism flourished throughout the peninsula. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Goryeo continued to be plagued by attacks from Jurchen and Khitan tribes on the northern borders. Conflict increased between civil and military officials in Goryeo as the latter were degraded and poorly paid. This led to an uprising by military and forced some military officials to migrate to other areas. In 1238 the Mongols invaded Goryeo and laid the kingdom in ruins as resistance continued on and off for almost thirty years. Eventually, a treaty was signed between the two kingdoms in favor of the Mongols. In the 1340s, the Mongol Empire declined rapidly due to internal struggles. Korea was at last able to forge political reform with out mongol interference. At this time a General named Yi Seong-gye distinguishes himself by repelling Japanese pirates who were constantly stealing mainland technology from Korean and Chinese merchant ships. Yi Seong-gye

Joseon

In 1392 Yi Seong-gye established the Joseon Dynasty, moving the capital to Hanseong (now Seoul). Hangul was created by King Sejong in 1443. During the late 1500s, Japan invaded Korea in two failed attempts, known together as the Seven-Year War, inflicting great destruction and suffering on Korea. The Manchus then successfully invaded China and forced Korea in 1627 to recognize the Manchu government. Beginning in the 1870s, Japan began to acquire western technology then forced Korea away from China's sphere of influence. In 1895, Empress Min of Korea was murdered by the Japanese under Miura Goro. Japan further increased its control over Korea following the First Sino-Japanese War (1894) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905).

Japanese occupation

Main article: Korea under Japanese rule In 1910, Korea was annexed by Japan. Japanese occupation lasted until 1945 when Japan was defeated by the Allied Forces at the end of World War II. Many Koreans were forcibly sent all around the empire, men as slave laborers and women as military sex slaves called "comfort women". During the suppression of independence movement in 1919, 7,000 Koreans were killed by Japanese police and soldiers. Although statistics are difficult to obtain and verify, around 60,000 Korean laborers in Japan are known to have died between 1939 and 1945. Anti-Japanese sentiment still runs strong in Korea , as a result of Japanese war crimes and what Koreans see as continuing unrepentant actions.

Division

Main articles: Division of Korea, Korean War, Korean reunification In 1945, in the aftermath of WWII, the United Nations developed plans for a trusteeship administration, the United States effectively began administering the peninsula south of the 38th parallel and the Soviet Union administering north. The politics of the Cold War resulted in the 1948 establishment of two separate governments. In June 1950, North Korea invaded the South, beginning the Korean War. After three devastating years of fighting that involved China, Soviet Union, the US, and several United Nations countries (including Canada, Great Britain, and Turkey to name a few), the war ended in a ceasefire agreement at approximately the same boundary. The two countries never signed a peace treaty. Since the 1990s, with progressively liberal South Korean administrations, as well as the death of North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, the two sides have taken halting, symbolic steps towards cooperation, in international sporting events, reunification of separated family members, and tourism.

Names of Korea

Main article: Names of Korea While "North Korean" and "South Korea" are the most commonly used internationally, the formal names are Republic of Korea (ROK) for South Korea and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for North Korea. "Korea" derives from the Goryeo (Koryŏ, 고려) period of Korean history, which in turn referred to the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo (Koguryŏ, 고구려). See also Korean-Japanese disputes for the spelling issue of "Corea" and "Korea." In the Korean language, Korea as a whole is referred to as Han-guk (한국, Han Nation) by South Korea and Chosŏn (조선) by North Korea.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Korea The nation uses vibrant colors for its festivities which is said to be due to Mongolian influences. It is common to see bright hues of red, yellow, and green on objects and material that define traditional Korean motifs [http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org/calendar/kcostumes.htm]. Family ties are an important aspect of familial relations, including business relations. Bowing is a custom that is expected among Koreans as a way of greeting one another. Although about half of the population is non-religious, Korean values spring from a large number of influences, including Shamanism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and more recently Christianity. [http://www.seoulsearching.com/culture/]. Korea is sometimes described as a Confucian society. Korean cuisine is marked by its traditional dish called kimchi which uses a distinctive fermentation process of preserving vegetables. Chili peppers are also commonly used in Korean cuisine, which has given it a reputation for being spicy. See also Korean cuisine.

Korea in sporting events

South Korea hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, giving the country an economical boost through increased tourism and greater world recognition. At the time, North_Korea boycotted the event on the grounds that it was not made co-host. North_Korea A unified Korean team competed under the Unification Flag in 1991 in both the 41st World Table Tennis Championship in Chiba, Japan and in the 6th World Youth Soccer Championship in Lisbon, Portugal. A unified Korean team marched under the Unification Flag in the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, but competed separately in sporting events. As of the 2006 Asian Games, South Korean officials have announced the countries shall compete in the same unified sporting teams as well. In the summer of 2002, the FIFA World Cup was hosted jointly by South Korea and Japan, at 10 stadiums in each country. They competed separately, however.

Represented Airport

- [http://www.airport.or.kr/Eng/home.jsp Incheon International Airport]

External links

- [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ks.html CIA World Factbook Entry for South Korea]
- [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/kn.html CIA World Factbook Entry for North Korea]
- [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/krtoc.html Country study South Korea]
- [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/kptoc.html Country study North Korea]
- [http://www.koreaherald.co.kr Korea News]
- [http://hcs.harvard.edu/~yisei/backissues/fall_98/mark_byington.html Korea in Manchuria]
- [http://www.sfkorean.com/eng/main_yp.jsp?grp=K&lp=N Korean communities in the US]
- [http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Information/history1.cfm Pre-20th-Century Korea]
- [http://gias.snu.ac.kr/wthong/publication/paekche/eng/paekch_e.html Paekche of Korea and the origin of Yamato Japan]
- [http://www.shinmiyangyo.org/ Shinmiyangyo, The 1871 U.S. Korea Campaign]
- [http://www.ericdigests.org/1992-5/koreas.htm Teaching about the two Koreas]
- [http://www.learn-korean.net Learn Korean]
- [http://www.kpopmusic.co.uk Korean Music]
-

Special characters

Category:Asia Category:East Asia Category:East Asian countries
- Korea Category:Disputed territories zh-min-nan:Tiâu-sián (Khu-pia̍t-ia̍h) ko:한국 ja:朝鮮 simple:Korea

Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan (East Sea) is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean. It is known outside of the region mainly for the dispute over its name.

Physical characteristics

The Sea is bound by the Japanese islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, and Kyushu and the Russian island of Sakhalin to the east, and the Korean peninsula and mainland Russia to the west. It is connected to other seas by five shallow straits: the Strait of Tartary between the Asian mainland and Sakhalin; La Perouse Strait between the islands of Sakhalin and Hokkaido; the Tsugaru Strait between the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu; the Kanmon Strait between the islands of Honshu and Kyushu; and the Korea Strait between the Korean peninsula and the island of Kyushu. The Korea Strait is composed of the Western Channel and the Tsushima Strait, on either side of Tsushima Island.
- Deepest point: 3742 metres below sea level
- Mean depth: 1752 metres
- Surface area: about 978,000 km². The Sea has three major basins: The Yamato Basin in the south east; the Japan Basin in the north; and the Ulleung Basin (Tsushima Basin) in the south west. The Japan Basin has the deepest areas of the Sea, while the Ulleung Basin has the shallowest. On the eastern shores, the continental shelves of the Sea are wide, but on the western shores, particularly along the Korean coast, they are narrow, averaging about 30 kilometres wide.

Economy

The areas in the north and the south east are rich fishing grounds. The importance of the fishery in the Sea is well illustrated by the respective claims on the Liancourt Rocks by South Korea and Japan. The Sea is also important for its mineral deposits, particularly magnetite sands. There are also natural gas and a few petroleum fields. Since the growth of the East Asian economies, the Sea of Japan has become an important commercial waterway.

Naming

There is a long-running controversy between Japan and Korea over what the international name for this sea should be. Japan insists that it be called Sea of Japan. North Korea insists on East Sea of Korea, and South Korea insists on East Sea. Over the centuries, this sea has been called by various names including East Sea, East Sea of Korea, Japanese Sea, Sea of Corea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Korea, and Oriental Sea. The name Sea of Japan was standardized in 1919 by the International Hydrographic Bureau, where Korea was unrepresented because it was under Japanese colonial rule. Category:Geography of Japan Category:Geography of North Korea Category:Geography of South Korea Category:Geography of Russia Japan, Sea of zh-min-nan:Ji̍t-pún-hái ja:日本海 ko:동해

Korean Peninsula

The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 1,100 kilometres from the continental Asian mainland into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan/East Sea on the east, the East China Sea to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water. It is currently divided into the countries of South Korea in the south and North Korea in the north. The single term Korean Peninsula is therefore often used to refer to these two states at the same time. Up until the division of the peninsula following the end of World War II, Korea was a single political entity for many centuries whose territory roughly coincided with the Korean Peninsula. The northern boundaries for the Korean Peninsula is commonly (and tacitly) taken to coincide with today's political borders between North Korea and her northern neighbours, China (1,416 km) and Russia (19 km). These borders are formed naturally by the rivers Yalu/Amnok and Tumen/Tuman/Duman. Taking this definition, the Korean Peninsula has an area of approximately 220,000 km². By the inhabitants, it is called Han bando (Hangul: 한반도; Hanja: ) in South Korea, or Choson bando (조선반도; ) in North Korea, due to the different names for Korea.

Physical geography

Mountains cover 70 percent of the Korean Peninsula and arable plains are generally small and far in between the successive mountain ranges. The peninsula becomes more mountainous towards the north and the east, with the highest mountains (including Paektu-san/Baekdu-san which stands at 2,744 m) found in the north. The peninsula has 8,460 kilometres of coastline, and the south and west coasts are highly irregular in particular; most of the 3,579 islands off the peninsula are found along the south and the west coasts.

Climate

The climate of the Korean Peninsula differs dramatically from north to south. The southern regions experience a relatively warm and wet climate similar to that of Japan, affected by warm ocean waters including the East Korea Warm Current. The northern regions experience a colder and to some extent more inland climate, in common with Manchuria. For example, the annual precipitation of the Yalu River valley (600 mm) is less than half of that on the south coast (1500 mm). Likewise, there is a 20 °C difference in January temperature between the peninsula's southern and northern tips. The entire peninsula, however, is affected by similar general patterns, including the East Asian monsoon in midsummer and the frequent incidence of typhoons in autumn. The majority of rainfall takes place during the summer months, with nearly half during the monsoon alone. Winters are cold, with January temperatures typically below freezing outside of Jeju Island. Winter precipitation is minimal, with little snow accumulation outside of mountainous areas.

Biogeography

Surveys of Korean flora have identified more than 3,000 species on the peninsula, of which more than 500 are endemic. The peninsula's floristic provinces are commonly divided between warm-temperate, temperate, and cold-temperate zones. The warm-temperate zone prevails over the southern coast and islands, including Jeju. It is typified by a larg number of broad-leaved evergreens. The temperate zone covers the great majority of the peninsula, away from the southern coast and high mountains. It is dominated by the Korean pine and various broad-leaved deciduous trees. Cold-temperate vegetation is found along the peninsula's northern fringe and in the high mountains, including the upper reaches of Hallasan on Jeju. Evergreens in this area include larch and juniper. Much of this vegetation is shared with Manchuria.

Geology

The terrain of the Korean peninsula is rumpled, covered with low mountains. Most rocks are of Precambrian origin, although isolated pockets of Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic rock can also be found. There are no active volcanoes on the peninsula. However, Baekdu Mountain in the north and Hallasan in the south have crater lakes, indicating that they were active not long ago. In addition, Ulleung Island in the Sea of Japan is believed to have been of volcanic origin. Furthermore, hot springs indicative of low-level volcanic activity are widespread throughout the peninsula. Roughly two earthquakes are recorded per year, but few have any major impact.

Symbolism

The Unification Flag has a blue map of the Korean Peninsula on a white background. The flag was introduced in 1991 to represent the joint North and South Korean team at the table tennis world championships. The athletes from the two Koreas marched together under this flag at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Notes

# KOIS 2003, p. 17.

References

Cuttlefish

Sepiadariidae
Sepiidae Cuttlefish are animals of the order Sepiida, and are marine cephalopods, small relatives of squids and nautilus. Cuttlefish have an internal shell, large eyes, and eight arms and two tentacles furnished with denticulated suckers, by means of which it secures its prey. The name is sometimes applied to dibranchiate cephalopods generally. Cuttlefish possess an internal structure called the cuttlebone, which is composed of calcium carbonate and is porous to provide the cuttlefish with buoyancy. Buoyancy can be regulated—the cuttlefish can even decide to sink—by changing the gas-to-liquid ratio in the chambered cuttlebone. Each species has a distinct shape, size, and pattern of ridges or texture on the "bone". Cuttlebones are traditionally used by jewellers and silversmiths as moulds for casting small objects. They are probably better known today as the tough material given to parakeets and other cage birds as a bill-sharpener and source of dietary calcium. Cuttlefish are sometimes called the chameleon of the sea because of their remarkable ability to rapidly alter their skin color. Their skin flashes a fast-changing pattern as communication to other individual of the same species, as well as serving as camouflage from predators. This color-changing function is produced by groups of red, yellow, brown, and black chromatophores above a layer of iridophores, and then a layer of leucophores, with up to 200 of these specialized pigment cells per square millimeter. The chromatophores are a cell with a bag of ink and a large membrane that is folded when retracted. There are 6-20 small muscle cells at the bottom which can contract to squish the elastic ink sac into a disc against the skin. The iridophores reflect blue and green light. Iridophores are plates of chitin or protein, which can reflect the environment around a cuttlefish. They are responsible for the metallic blues, greens, golds, and silvers often seen on cuttlefish. All of these cells can be used in combinations. For example: orange would be produced by red and yellow chromatophores, while purple could be created by a red chromatophore and an iridophore. The cuttlefish could also use an iridophore and a yellow chromatophore to produce a brighter green. camouflage Cuttlefish eyes are among the most developed in the animal kingdom (if not the most developed). Cuttlefish have ink, like squids. This ink was formerly an important dye, called sepia. Today artificial dyes have replaced natural sepia. Cuttlefish are caught for food, though squid is more popular. Cuttlefish eat small molluscs, crabs, shrimp, fish and other cuttlefish. Their predators are sharks, fish, and other cuttlefish. They live about 1 to 2 years. Like octopuses, cuttlefish have been successfully raised as pets in home aquariums, though even their bare necessities are significant. In particular, cuttlefish need a minimum amount of sea water in proportion to their body size, their tank needs to be cleaned every time they ink, they cannot tolerate abrupt changes in light levels, and they cannot coexist with other animals, and rarely ever with other cuttlefish. All other animals of comparable or smaller size, including other cuttlefish, are instinctively seen as food. Domestic cuttlefish are very reminiscent of domestic cats, even exhibiting cat-like habits such as resting, pouncing on moving prey, begging owners for food, and even begging for more food than they need or is healthy for them. Like cats, cuttlefish are not truly tame, but rather tolerate and cooperate with their owners to live a comfortable life. But unlike cats, cuttlefish will try to eat other cuttlefish.

Classification

tame There are 119 species currently recognised, grouped into 5 genera. Sepiadariidae contains seven species and 2 genera. All the rest are in Sepiidae.
- CLASS CEPHALOPODA
- Subclass Nautiloidea: nautilus
- Subclass Coleoidea: squid, octopus, cuttlefish
- Superorder Decapodiformes
- Order Spirulida: Ram's Horn Squid
- Order Sepiida: cuttlefish
-
- Family Sepiadariidae
-
- Family Sepiidae
- Order Sepiolida: bobtail squid
- Order Teuthida: squid
- Superorder Octopodiformes

External links

- [http://www.cephbase.utmb.edu/spdb/cuttle.cfm CephBase: Sepiida]
- [http://www.planula.com.au/articles/cuttlefish/cuttlearticle.html Cuttlefish Article] - PLANULA Divers Retreat in Byron Bay, Australia
- [http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/tcp/cuttle1.html Cuttlefish Husbandry] - cuttlefish as pets
- [http://www.pennabilli.org/tecniche/CUTTLEBONE.htm Cuttlefish casting]
- http://cephschool.thecephalopodpage.org/HowCephalopodsChangeColor.pdf Category:Seafood ja:イカ

Ulleung County

Ulleung County (Ulleung-gun) is a county in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It consists mainly of the island of Ulleung-do, but is held to cover a total of 44 islands, including Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo), which is also claimed by Japan. All of these islands lie within the Sea of Japan (known as the East Sea in South Korea). Administratively, the county is divided into Ulleung-eup (which is held to include the Liancourt Rocks), Buk-myeon and Seo-myeon. These in turn are divided into 10 legal ri, those into 25 administrative ri, and at the most basic level the county is held to contain 56 "natural villages." (Ulleung County Government [http://ulleung.go.kr/Ullung_English/sub1_05_04.html])

External links

- [http://www.ulleung.go.kr/ Official county government website]
- [http://dir.thumbshots.net/Regional/Asia/South_Korea/Gyeongbuk/Ulleung Open Directory category] Category:North Gyeongsang ko:울릉군 ja:鬱陵郡

North Gyeongsang

Gyeongsangbuk-do (North Gyeongsang) is a province in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea. The provincial capital and largest city is Daegu, which was the capital of Gyeongsang before 1896 and which is separately administered as a provincial-level Metropolitan City today.

Geography and climate

The province is part of the Yeongnam region, and is bounded on the east by the Sea of Japan (East Sea), on the south by Gyeongsangnam-do, on the west by Jeollabuk-do and Chungcheongbuk-do Provinces, and on the north by Gangwon-do Province. During the summer, Gyeongsangbuk-do is the hottest province in South Korea. This is helped by the fact that the province is largely surrounded by mountains: the Taebaek Mountains in the east and the Sobaek Mountains in the west.

Resources

Agricultural products of the province include rice, beans, potatoes, and barley. Apples from around Daegu are considered a speciality of the province. In addition, dairy farming exists in several districts, but there is also seaweed, shellfish, and cuttlefish.

Culture

Gyeongsangbuk-do is the homeland of the former kingdom of Silla and has retained much of its cultural tradition. A number of artists, political leaders and scholars have come from the province.

Administrative divisions

Gyeongsangbuk-do is divided into 10 cities ("Si" or "Shi") and 13 counties ("Gun"). The names below are given in English, Hangul, and Hanja.

Cities

- Andong (안동시; 安東市)
- Gimcheon (김천시; 金泉市)
- Gyeongju (경주시; 慶州市)
- Gyeongsan (경산시; 慶山市)
- Gumi (구미시; 龜尾市)
- Mungyeong (문경시;聞慶市)
- Pohang (포항시; 浦項市)
- Sangju (상주시; 尙州市)
- Yeongcheon (영천시; 永川市)
- Yeongju (영주시; 榮州市)

Counties

- Bonghwa County (봉화군; 奉化郡)
- Cheongdo County (청도군; 淸道郡)
- Cheongsong County (청송군; 靑松郡)
- Chilgok County (칠곡군; 漆谷郡)
- Goryeong County (고령군; 高靈郡)
- Gunwi County (군위군;軍威郡)
- Seongju County (성주군; 星州郡)
- Uiseong County (의성군; 義城郡)
- Uljin County (울진군; 蔚珍郡)
- Ulleung County (울릉군; 鬱陵郡)
- Yecheon County (예천군; 醴泉郡)
- Yeongdeok County (영덕군; 盈德郡)
- Yeongyang County (영양군; 英陽郡)

External links

- [http://www.gb.go.kr/English/index.htm Gyeongsangbuk-do provincial government English-language home page]
- Category:Provinces of South Korea Category:North Gyeongsang ko:경상북도 ja:慶尚北道

Samguk Sagi

Samguk Sagi (Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The Samguk Sagi was written in Classical Chinese (as used in writing by Korean scholars at the time) and compiled by the Korean historian Kim Busik (金富軾) in 1145. It is well known in Korea as the oldest record of Korean history. The 50 volumes are:
- Records of Silla (Nagi; 나기; 羅紀) (16 volumes)
- Records of Goguryeo (Yeogi; 여기; 麗紀) (10 volumes)
- Records of Baekje (Jegi; 제기; 濟紀) (6 volumes)
- Chronological tables (3 volumes)
- Miscellanea (9 volumes): ceremonies, music, transport, housing, geography, official ranking
- Biography (10 volumes) Some modern historians are critical of the records provided in Samguk Sagi, citing a bias towards China and the Silla-centered view of the Three Kingdoms period. Kim Busik was a patrician of Silla origin who supported Confucianism over Buddhism as the guiding principle in governance and favored presenting tributes to the Chinese emperor to prevent a conflict with China. However, this record remains critical to the study of Korean history, and recent archeological evidence, verification of astronomical events, and comparison with Chinese and Japanese records have shown the Samguk Sagi to be comparatively surprisingly accurate. This book is to be distinguished from the Chinese Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou.

512

Events

- Roman (Byzantine) Emperor Anastasius I ends a period of moderate ecclestical policy, and starts strongly favoring his own monophysitist beliefs.
- Flavian II, Patriarch of Antioch, is deposed and replaced with Severus.
- The island nation of Usan-guk is conquered by the Korean Silla Dynasty general Lee Sabu.
- Earliest known dated text in the Arabic alphabet, at Zebed in Syria

Births

Deaths

Category:512 ko:512년 simple:512

930

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Events

- With the establishment of the Alþing, now the world's oldest parliament, the Icelandic Commonwealth is founded
- Emperor Suzaku ascends to the throne of Japan
- Independent Korean island state of Usanguk becomes a protectorate of Goryeo
- Goryeo armies defeat Hubaekje in the Battle of Gochang

Births

Deaths

- Emperor Daigo of Japan
- Abu Bakr Mohammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi, Persian polymath Category:930 ko:930년

Goryeo

The state of Goryeo ruled Korea from the fall of Silla in 935 until the founding of Joseon in 1392. The name "Goryeo" is a shortened form of "Goguryeo," the name of a kingdom in northern Korea which was conquered by Silla in 668. The English name "Korea" comes from "Goryeo." See Names of Korea. Two of this period's most notable products are Goryeo pottery — the famous Korean celadon pottery — and the Tripitaka Koreana — the Buddhist scriptures (Tripitaka) carved onto roughly 80,000 woodblocks.

History

As Unified Silla weakened and lost control over local lords, the country entered a period of civil war and rebellion. Major rebellion forces were led by Gung Ye (궁예弓裔, ?~918), Gi Hwon (기훤), Yang Gil (양길) and Gyeon Hwon (견훤). Two new kingdoms were established: Hugoguryeo (후고구려, Later Goguryeo, later renamed Taebong (태봉)) by Gung Ye, and Hubaekje (후백제, later Baekje) by Gyeonhwon. This period is known as the Later Three Kingdoms era. Wanggeon (왕건), who was a lord of Songak (present-day Kaesong), joined Taebong but overthrew Gung Ye and established Goryeo in 918. The Later Three Kingdoms era ended as Goryeo annexed Silla and defeated Hubaekje in 936. Terminologies used in the court of Goryeo was that of an empire, not of a kingdom. Capital Gaeseong was called "Imperial Capital (皇都)" and palace as "Imperial Palace (皇城)." Other terms like Your Majesty (陛下), Prince (太子), Empress (太后), Imperial Ordiance (詔 or 勅) also suggest Goryeo was an empire itself. After the Mongol invasion, Mongols forced Goryeo to give up on its status as an empire and it became a kingdom, to signify Mongolian influence. In order to strengthen the power of the central government, Gwangjong, the 4th King, made a series of laws including that of freeing slaves in 958, and one creating the exam for hiring civil officials. Gwangjong also proclaimed himself Emperor, independent from any other countries. The 5th king, Gyeongjong (경종, 景宗) launched land-ownership reformation called Jeonsigwa (전시과田柴科) and the 6th King Seongjong(성종, 成宗) appointed officials to local areas, which were previously succeeded by the lords. By the time of 11th King Munjong (문종, 文宗), the central government of Goryeo gained complete authority and power over local lords. Munjong and later kings emphasized the importance of civilian leadership over the military. The House Yi of Inju (인주이씨, 仁州李氏) married the kings from Munjong to the 17th king, Injong. Eventually the Yis gained more power than the king himself. This led to the coup of Yi Ja-gyeom in 1126. The coup failed but the power of monarch was weakened; Goryeo underwent a civil war among the nobility. In 1135, Myo Cheong argued to move the capital to Seogyeong (present day P'yŏngyang). This proposal divided the nobilities of Goryeo in half. One faction, led by Myo Cheong, believed in moving the capital to Pyongyang and expanding into Manchuria. The other one, led by Kim Bu-sik (author of the Samguk Sagi), wanted to keep the status quo. Myo Cheong failed to persuade the King and rebelled against the central government, but failed. In 1170, a group of army officers led by Jeong Jung-bu (정중부, 鄭仲夫) and Yi Ui-bang (이의방, 李義方), launched a coup d'état and succeeded. King Injong went into exile and Myeongjong (명종,明宗) was made king. Military rule of Goryeo began. In 1231, Mongolians under Ögedei Khan invaded Goryeo, as part of a general campaign to conquer China. The throne moved to Ganghwa Island in the Bay of Gyeonggi, in 1232. The military ruler of the time Choe Chung-heon (최충헌, 崔忠獻) insisted on fighting back. Goryeo resisted for decades but finally surrendered in 1259. Some military officials who refused to surrender formed the Sambyeolcho Rebellion and resisted in the islands off the southern shore of the Korean peninsula. The Goryeo dynasty survived but it remained under Mongolian control until King Gongmin began to push Mongolian forces back. In 1388, King U planned a campaign to invade present-day Liaoning of China. King U put the general Yi Seong-gye (later Taejo) in charge, but he stopped at the border and rebelled. Goryeo fell to General Yi In 1392. He then established the Joseon Dynasty. Today, Korea and related forms such as Corea and Corée that derive from Goryeo are used as names for the country in most languages around the world. Goryeo is also sometimes used as a politically neutral name in the Korean language for the whole of Korea. For more information, see Names of Korea.

Rulers of Goryeo

The Wang Dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Goryeo, and comprised 34 monarchs altogether. The first twenty-four rulers, after Taejo, have their temple names ending in jong (宗). However, after 1274, the last 9 rulers' temple names end in Wang (王). #King Taejo (Chunsu) (918-943) #King Hyejong (943-945) #King Jeongjong (945-949) #King Gwangjong (949-975) #King Gyeongjong (975-981) #King Seongjong (981-997) #King Mokjong (997-1009) #King Hyeonjong (1009-1031) #King Deokjong (1031-1034) #King Jeongjong (1034-1046) #King Munjong (1046-1083) #King Sunjong (1083) #King Seonjong (1083-1094) #King Heonjong (1094-1095) #King Sukjong (1095-1105) #King Hyejong (1105-1122) #King Injong (1122-1146) #King Uijong (1146-1170) #King Myeongjong (1170-1197) #King Sinjong (1197-1204) #King Heuijong (1204-1211) #King Gangjong (1211-1213) #King Gojong (1213-1259) #King Weonjong (1259-1274) #King Chungnyeol (1274-1308) (Chungnyeol was the first king of Goryeo to have the title Wang, which means "King," included in his temple name) #King Chungseon (1308-1313) #King Chungsuk (1313-1330; 1332-1339) #King Chunghye (1330-1332; 1339-1344) #King Chungmok (1344-1348) #King Chungjeong (1348-1351) #King Gongmin (1351-1374) #King U (1374-1388) #King Chang (1388-1389) #King Gongyang (1389-1392)

Jurchen

The Jurchens (Chinese: 女真, pinyin: nǚzhēn) were a Tungus people who inhabited parts of Manchuria and northern Korea until the seventeenth century, when they became the Manchus. They established the Jin Dynasty (aisin gurun in Jurchen/Manchu) between 1115 and 1122; it lasted until 1234.

Jin Dynasty

The name Jurchen dates back to at least the beginning of the tenth century. It comes from the Jurchen word jusen, the original meaning of which is unclear. The Jurchen tribes of northern Manchuria were originally vassals of the Khitans (see also Liao Dynasty). They rose to power after an outstanding leader unified them in 1115, declared himself emperor, and quickly seized the Supreme Capital of Liao. The Jurchens overran most of North China and captured the Song capital of Kaifeng in 1126. Their armies pushed all the way south to the Yangtze but the boundary with the Southern Song was eventually stabilised roughly along the Huai River. The Jurchen named their dynasty the Jin ("Golden") after a river in their homeland — For more detailed treatment of dynastic history and administration, see Jin Dynasty. At first, the Jurchen tribesmen were kept in readiness for warfare but decades of settled lifestyle eroded their pastoral identity. Eventually intermarriage with Chinese was permitted and peace with the Southern Song confirmed. The Jin rulers themselves came to follow Confucian norms. After 1189, the Jin became involved on two fronts in exhausting wars with the Mongols and the Southern song. By 1215, under Mongol pressure, they were forced to move their capital south from Beijing to Kaifeng, where the Mongols extinguished the Jin dynasty in 1234.

Culture, language and society

The Jurchens generally lived by traditions that reflected the pastoral culture of early steppe peoples. Like the Khitans and Mongols, they took pride in feats of strength, horsemanship, archery and hunting. They engaged in shamanic cults and believed in a supreme sky god (abka-i enduri, abka-i han). The early Jurchen script was invented in 1120 by Wanyan Xiyin, acting on the orders of Wanyan Aguda. It was based on the Khitan script, that was inspired in turn by Chinese characters. However, because Chinese is an isolating language and the Jurchen and Khitan languages are agglutinative, the script proved to be cumbersome. The written Jurchen language died out soon after the fall of the Jin Dynasty, though its spoken form survived. Until the end of the sixteenth century, when Manchu became the new literary language, the Jurchens used a combination of Mongolian and Chinese. The cultural conceptualisation of Jurchen society owes a great deal to the Mongols. Both Mongols and Jurchens used the title han for the leaders of a political entity, whether "emperor" or "chief". A particularly powerful chief was called beile ("prince, nobleman"), corresponding with the Mongolian beki and Turkish beg or bey. Also like the Mongols and the Turks, the Jurchens did not observe a law of primogeniture. According to tradition, any capable son or nephew could be chosen to become leader. During Ming times the Jurchen people lived in social units that were sub-clans (mukun or hala mukun) of ancient clans (hala). Members of Jurchen clans shared a consciousness of a common ancestor and were led by a head man (mukunda). Not all clan members were blood related and division and integration of different clans was common. Jurchen households (boo) lived as families (booigon), consisting of five to seven blood-related family members and a number of slaves. Households formed squads (tatan) to engage in tasks related to hunting and food gathering; and formed companies (niru) for larger activities, such as war.

Jurchens during the Ming

Chinese chroniclers of the Ming Dynasty distinguished three groups of Jurchens: the Wild Jurchens of northernmost Manchuria, the Haixi Jurchens of modern Heilongjiang and the Jianzhou Jurchens of modern Jilin province. They led a pastoral-agrarian lifestyle, hunting, fishing and engaging in limited agriculture. In 1388, the Hongwu Emperor dispatched a mission to establish contact with the tribes of Odoli, Huligai and T'owen, beginning the sinicisation of the Jurchen people. The Yongle Emperor found allies among the various Jurchen tribes against the Mongols. He bestowed titles and surnames to various Jurchen chiefs and expected them to send periodic tribute. Chinese commanderies were established over tribal military units under their own hereditary tribal leaders. In the Yongle period alone 178 commanderies were set up in Manchuria, an index of the Chinese divide-and-rule tactics. Later on, horse markets were also established in the northern border towns of Liaodong for trade. The increasing sinification of the Jurchens ultimately gave them the organisation structures to extend their power beyond the steppe. Later, a Korean army led by Yi-Il,and Yi Sun-sin would expell them from Korea. Over a period of thirty years from 1586, Nurhaci, a chieftain of the Jianzhou Jurchens, united the three Jurchen tribes, and renamed the united tribe Manchu. He created a formidable synthesis of nomadic institutions, providing the basis of the Manchu state and later the conquest of China by the Qing dynasty.

11th century

As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. In the history of European culture, this period is considered the early part of the High Middle Ages.

Overview

Events

- 1000, foundation of the Christian Kingdom of Hungary
- 1001, Mahmud of Ghazni, Muslim leader of Ghazni, begins raids into Northern India; he finishes in 1027.
- Circa 1001, Vikings, led by Leif Eirikson, establish small settlements in and around Vinland in North America
- 1054, the Great Schism, in which the Western (Roman Catholic) and Eastern Orthodox churches separated from each other. Similar schisms in the past had been later repaired, but this one continues after nearly 1000 years.
- 1060, Norman conquest of Sicily
- 1065, independence of the Kingdom of Galicia and Portugal under the rule of Garcia
- 1066, Edward the Confessor dies; Norman conquest of England in the Battle of Hastings
- 1076, Ghana Empire began break-up after capital (Kumbi) sacked
- 1086, compilation of the Domesday Book
- 1094, El Cid, the great Spanish hero, conquers the Moorish city of Valencia
- 1099, First Crusade captures Jerusalem
- King Anawrahta of Myanmar made a pilgrimage to Ceylon, returning to convert his country to Theravada Buddhism.
- The Tuareg migrate to the Aïr region.
- Kanem-Bornu expands southward into modern Nigeria.
- The first of seven Hausa city-states are founded in Nigeria.
- The Hodh region of Mauritania becomes desert.

Significant people

- Canute
- William the Conqueror
- Macbeth
- Alp Arslan
- Pope Saint Gregory VII (Hildebrand)
- Saint Anselm, reputed founder of scholasticism and creator of the ontological argument.
- St Robert, founder of the Cistercians
- Emperor Henry III
- Emperor Henry IV
- Pope Urban II
- Empress Agnes
- Konrad II
- Archbishop Anno II of Cologne
- Stephen I of Hungary

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

- Invention of military rockets by the Chinese
- The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu is one of the first novels in Japanese
- The tittle was created.

Decades and years

Category:11th century Category:Centuries ko:11세기 ja:11世紀 simple:11th century th:คริสต์ศตวรรษที่ 11

14th century

(on the left) and Uma (on the right). It is housed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.]] As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400.

Events

- The transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age
- Beginning of the Ottoman Empire, early expansion into the Balkans
- The Avignon papacy transfers the seat of the Popes from Italy to France
- The Great Famine of 1315-1317 kills millions of people in Europe
- Being forced out of previous locations, the Aztec found the city of Tenochtitlan in 1325
- The Hundred Years' War begins when Edward III of England lays claim to the French throne in 1337.
- Black Death kills about one third of European population (1347 - 1351)
- The end of Mongol Yuan Dynasty in China and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368)
- The heresy of Lollardy rises in England
- The Great Schism of the West begins in 1378, eventually leading to 3 simultaneous popes.
- An account of Buddha's life, translated earlier in to Greek by St John of Damascus and widely circulated to Christians as the story of Barlaam and Josaphat had become so popular that Buddha was made a Catholic saint (Josaphat).
- Singapore emerges for the first time as a fortified city and trading centre of some importance.
- Reunification of Poland under Ladislaus I of Poland
- Peasants' Revolt in England
- Islam reaches Terengganu, on the Malay Peninsula.
- The Hausa found several city-states in the south of modern Niger.
- The Mali Empire expands westward and conquers Tekrur.
- The poet Petrarch coins the term Dark Ages to describe the preceding 900 years in Europe, beginning with the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 410 through to the renewal embodied in the Renaissance.
- The Scots win the Scottish Wars of Independence.
- Work begins on the Great Enclosure at Great Zimbabwe, built of uncemented, dressed stone. The city's population is now between 10 000 and 40 000.

Significant people

- Giovanni Boccaccio, Italian author
- Edward III, King of England
- Geoffrey Chaucer, English poet
- Don Juan Manuel, Spanish author
- Francesco Petrarch, Italian poet and writer
- William of Ockham, English Franciscan friar and philosopher
- Dante Alighieri, Italian poet and writer
- King Robert I of Scotland (Bruce)
- Charles Robert, knight king of Hungary

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

- The mechanical clock
- The technique of knitting

Decades and years

Category:14th century Category:Centuries ko:14세기 ja:14世紀 th:คริสต์ศตวรรษที่ 14

1690s

----

Events and Trends

- Thomas Neale designed Seven Dials
- The Salem Witchcraft Trials are held in Massachusetts Bay Colony (1692).

World Leaders

- King Christian V of Denmark (1670 - 1699).
- King Frederick IV of Denmark (1699 - 1730).
- Queen Mary II of England and Scotland (1689 - 1694).
- King William III of England and Scotland (1689 - 1702).
- King Louis XIV of France (1643 - 1715).
- Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor (1658 - 1705).
- Tsar Ivan V of Russia (1682 - 1696).
- Tsar Peter I of Russia (1682 - 1725).
- King Charles II of Spain (1665 - 1700).
- King Charles XI of Sweden (1660 - 1697).
- King Charles XII of Sweden (1697 - 1718).

Deaths

- Daibhidh O Duibhghennain, d. 1696 Category:1690s ko:1690년대

1881

1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar).

Events

January - April

- January 16-January 24 - Siege of Geok Tepe - Russian troops under general Skobeleff defeat Turkomans
- January 24 - William Edward Forster, the chief secretary for Ireland, introduces his Coercion Bill - it goes through a long debate before it is accepted February 2
- January 25 - Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell form the Oriental Telephone Company
- February 5 - Phoenix, Arizona is incorporated.
- February 13 - First issue of the feminist newspaper La Citoyenne is published by Hubertine Auclert.
- February 19 - Kansas became the first U.S. state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages.
- March 4 - Rutherford Birchard Hayes is succeeded as President of the United States by James Abram Garfield.
- March 12 - Andrew Watson makes his Scotland debut as the world's first black international football player and captain.
- March 13 - Alexander II of Russia is killed near his palace when a bomb is thrown at him. He is succeeded by his son, Alexander III.
- March 16 - Fenian dynamiters hit Mansion House in London.
- April 21 - The University of Connecticut is founded as the Storrs Agricultural School.
- April 25 - Caulfield Grammar School is founded in Melbourne, Australia.
- April 28 - Billy the Kid escapes from New Mexico jail.

May - August

- May 12 - In North Africa, Tunisia becomes a French protectorate.
- May 21 - The American Red Cross is established by Clara Barton.
- May 21 - The United States Tennis Association is established by a small group of tennis club members.
- June 12 - The USS Jeannette is crushed in an Arctic Ocean ice pack.
- July 1 - General Order 70, the culmination of the Cardwell-Childers reforms of the British Army's organisation, came into effect.
- July 2 - James Abram Garfield, President of the United States is shot by lawyer Charles Julius Guiteau. He survives the assassination attempt but he suffers from infection of his wound.
- July 4 - In Alabama, the Tuskegee Institute opens.
- July 20 - Indian Wars: Sioux chief Sitting Bull leads the last of his fugitive people in surrender to United States troops at Fort Buford in Montana.

September - December

- September 5 - The Thumb Fire in the U.S. state of Michigan destroys over a million acres (4,000 km²) and kills 282 people.
- September 19 - James Abram Garfield, President of the United States dies due to an infected wound caused by an assassin's bullet and is succeeded by Vice President Chester Alan Arthur.
- October 26 - Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona, USA.
- October 29 - The Judge (US magazine) first published.
- November 19 - A meteorite struck earth near the village of Großliebenthal, a few kilometers southwest of Odessa, Ukraine.
- December 8 - At least 620 die in fire at Ring Theatre, Vienna

Unknown date

- Founding of the Pali Text Society
- University College Dublin is established in Ireland
- The United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) is founded, and the first U.S. Tennis Championships are played.
- Founding of the League of the Three Emperors
- London Evening News begins publication
- Some Vatican archives opened to scholars for the first time
- Abilene, Texas is founded.
- Leyton Orient F.C. is Founded

Births

- January 6 - Sam Rayburn, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (d. 1961)
- January 9 - Lascelles Abercrombie, English poet and critic (d. 1938)
- January 17 - Antoni Łomnicki, Polish mathematician (d. 1941)
- January 31 - Irving Langmuir, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1957)
- February 12 - Anna Pavlova, Russian ballerina (d. 1931)
- March 17 - Walter Rudolf Hess, Swiss physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1973)
- March 23 - Roger Martin du Gard, French writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1958)
- March 23 - Hermann Staudinger, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1965)
- March 25 - Béla Bartók, Hungarian composer (d. 1945)
- March 25 - Mary Gladys Webb, English writer (d. 1927)
- May 1 - Mary MacLane, Canadian-born feminist writer (d. 1929)
- June 17 - Tommy Burns, Canadian-born boxer (d. 1955)
- July 4 - Ulysses S. Grant III, American soldier and planner (d. 1968)
- July 27 - Hans Fischer, German chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1945)
- July 30 - Smedley Butler, U.S. general (d. 1940)
- August 6 - Sir Alexander Fleming, Scottish researcher, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (d. 1955)
- August 19 - Georges Enescu, Romanian composer (d. 1955)
- August 20 - Edgar Guest, English poet (d. 1959)
- September 8 - Harry Hillman, American athlete (d. 1945)
- September 16 - Clive Bell, English art critic (d. 1964)
-

Ulleung-do

History

Tourism

External links

Korea

Overview

Geography

Demographics

History

The Three Kingdoms

Balhae and Unified Silla

Goryeo

Joseon

Japanese occupation

Division

Names of Korea

Culture

Korea in sporting events

Represented Airport

Further Readings

See also

External links

Special characters

Sea of Japan

Physical characteristics

Economy

Naming

Korean Peninsula

Physical geography

Climate

Biogeography

Geology

Symbolism

Notes

References

See also

Cuttlefish

Classification

See also

External links

Ulleung County

See also

External links

North Gyeongsang

Geography and climate

Resources

Culture

Administrative divisions

Cities

Counties

See also

External links

Samguk Sagi

See also

512

Events

Births

Deaths

930

Events

Births

Deaths

Goryeo

History

Rulers of Goryeo

See also

Jurchen

Jin Dynasty

Culture, language and society

Jurchens during the Ming

See also

11th century

Overview

Events

Significant people

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

Decades and years

14th century

Events

Significant people