Izana with Arakanese Clothing

This is Izana, with Arakanese traditional clothing at home.

He is very pround of it. So do I!

Meanings of the Given Names (M)

Margaret = A pearl

People often ask me about - what does my name mean.
Sometimes, I also ask other peoples if his or her name means something.
These are not important but it is good to know about each other in our cultures of mankind.
For my friends who want to know, the meanings of (Western) given names:

Men’s Names (M)

Malcolm: (Celtic) Servant of Columba
Manuel: (Hebrew) God is with us
Marcus, Mark: (Latin) Of Mars, god of war
Mario: (Hebrew, Latin) Bitterness; of Mars, god of war
Marlin: (Old English, Celtic) The merlin, sparrow hawk; sea-hill
Marmaduke: (Celtic) Sea leader
Marshall: (Old French) Official in charge of horses
Martin: (Latin) Of Mars, god of war
Marvin: (Germanic) Fame, friend
Matthew: (Hebrew) Gift of God
Maurice: (Latin) Moorish or dark-skinned
Maximillian, Max: (Latin) The greatest
Melvin: (Celtic) Chieftain
Merle: (Latin-Old French) Blackbird
Merton: (Old English) Sea, farm
Meyer: (Germanic) Head servant; farmer
Michael: (Hebrew) Who is like God
Miles, Milo: (Latin) Soldier
Milton: (Old English) Middle homestead; mill homestead
Monroe: (Celtic) From the read marsh
Morgan: (Welsh) Great, bright
Morris: (Latin) Moorish or dark-skinned
Morton: (Old English) Homestead by a marsh
Moses: (Coptic) Son; boy
Murray: (Middle English) Merry
Myron: (Greek) Fragrant


Women’s Names (M)

Mabel: (Latin) Lovable; amiable
Madeline: (Aramaic) Woman from Magdala; tower
Mamie: (Hebrew) Pet form, see MARY
Margaret: (Greek) A pearl
Maria, Marian, Marilyn: (Hebrew) see MARY
Marie: (Hebrew-French) See MARY
Marjorie: (Greek-French) A pearl
Marlene: (Hebrew) See MARY; elevated
Martha: (Aramaic) Lady, mistress
Mary: (Hebrew) Bitterness; wished-for child; rebellion
Matilda, Maud: (Germanic) Might, war
Maxine: (Latin-French) The greatest
May, Mae: (Hebrew, Latin) See MARY; from goddess Maia
Melanie: (Greek) Black
Melissa: (Greek) Honeybee
Melody: (Latin) Musical quality
Mercedes: (Spanish) Of mercies (Mary)
Merle: (Latin) A blackbird
Mildred: (Old English) Mild, power
Millicent, Millie: (Germanic) Work, strength
Minnette: (Hebrew) See MARY; small
Miranda: (Latin) Worthy of admiration
Muriel: (Celtic) Sea-white
Myrtle: (Greek) From the shrub myrtle


Source: Smith, Elsdon C. “Vocabulary of Given Names.” The World Book Dictionary. 1968 edition. 1968.Picture: http://www.lakewoodconferences.com/direct/dbimage/50295532/Pearl_Brooch.jpg

Independence Day of Peru

Today is the Independence Day of Peru. Peru gained her independence on July 28, 1821 from Spain.

Official Name: Republic of Peru
Area: 496,224 sq miles. (1,285,220 sq. km)
Cities: Capital – Lima, Other Cities – Arequipa, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Callao

Population: 27.9 million (UN, 2007)
Religions: 90% Roman Catholic

Languages: Spanish and Quechua (official)
Type of Government: Constitutional Republic
GDP: $ 155.3 billion (2004 est.)
Monetary Unit: 1 nuevo sol = 100 centimos

President: Alan Garcia
Internet domain: .pe
International Dialing Code: +51
Official Web Pages: http://www.peru.gob.pe/
http://www.congreso.gob.pe/
http://www.pcm.gob.pe/


Sources: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1224656.stm
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/
The New York Times Almanac 2007


Picture: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pe.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/pe-flag.html
http://www.studyabroadinternational.com/file/image/Peru_Machu_Picchu_Sunrise.jpg
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2004/12/05/peru_wideweb__430x315,1.jpg

Yesterday’s Wedding

Yesterday, my wife and I went to a wedding of one of my wife’s friends. It was in a Marriot Hotel. It was a grand wedding.
Both of bride and groom were pretty. I found five things those I like the most in the reception:
- I had the chance to eat shrimp, which is my favorite one, the longest animal in the world.
- Nice and fondly dancing of bride’s parents.
- Good speech of groom’s father.
- Dance of the beautiful people.
- Final dance of all friends and me.


Picture: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Wedding_rings.jpg/800px-Wedding_rings.jpg

Independence Day of Maldives

Today is the Independence Day of Maldives. Maldives gained her independence on July 26, 1965 from the United Kingdom.

Official Name: Republic of Maldives
Area: 116 sq miles. (300 sq. km)
Cities: Capital – Male

Population: 306,000 (UN, 2007)
Religions: Sunni Muslim

Languages: Maldivian Divehi (Dialect of Dinhala; script derived from Arabic); English spoken by most government officials.
Type of Government: Republic
GDP: $ 1.25 billion (2002 est.)
Monetary Unit: rufiyaaPresident: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
Internet domain: .mv
International Dialing Code: +960
Official Web Pages:
http://www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv/pages/index.php
http://www.themaldives.com/government/

Sources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/country_profiles/1166511.stm

http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/
The New York Times Almanac 2007

Picture:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mv.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/mv-flag.html
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/rayhey2/BLOG/maldives01.jpg

Jumping baby

One Way Drive?

(An iPod Ad in NYC)

It was in 1980s. I usually went to the local markets with my grandpa. When we bought or sold things, I noticed that grandpa could count the numbers very quickly though he did not learn higher education. Even he was not counting those numbers on paper, but in his mind and memory. Amazing!

My dad, a middle class educator who was a secretary of the village-track of four villages, often used pen and papers to count the numbers.

Me? I used to count the numbers in my mind and by calculator, as well.

When I got in Thailand, I bought a book from a store. Price of the book was 12 bahts. I gave a banknote of 20 bahts to the seller. I noticed that the seller was using calculator to count the change between 20 bahts and 12 bahts.

Now, I am in the United States where we don’t need to know what makes five minus two, since computers, credit companies and banks do the job.
As the above picture, which I took in the New York City, are we going on a one way drive?

Izana and GYM III

Izana and GYM II

Independence Day of Colombia

Today is the Independence Day of Colombia. Colombia gained her independence on July 20, 1810 from Spain.

Official Name: Republic of Colombia

Area: 439,734 sq miles. (1,138,910 sq. km)

Cities: Capital – Bogota, Other Cities – Cali, Medellin, Cartagena
Population: 46.1 million (UN, 2007)

Religions: 90% Roman Catholic
Languages: Spanish

Type of Government: Republic

GDP: $ 281.1 billion (2004 est.)

Monetary Unit: 1 Colombian peso = 100 centavos
President: Alvaro Uribe

Internet domain: .co

International Dialing Code: +57

Official Web Pages:

http://web.presidencia.gov.co/
http://www.vicepresidencia.gov.co/
http://www.dafp.gov.co/

Sources:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1212798.stm
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/

http://www.scopesys.com/anyday/

The New York Times Almanac 2007

Picture: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/co.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/co-flag.html
http://drake.marin.k12.ca.us/students/hernandezma/Images/colombia-viva.jpeg

Quote of the Week: Difference is Natural

“My brothers, we must tell the world that differences don’t need to lead to disputes.”

(King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at an interfaith conference Wednesday in Madrid, asking followers of the world’s faiths to turn away from extremism and embrace a spirit of reconciliation.)

Source: Chicago Tribune (Thursday, July 17, 2008)

Picture: http://img.timeinc.net/time/time100/2007/images/king_abdullah_saud.jpg

Similarities between Burma and the United States

When you see the title of this passage or article or whatever, you may think that there are many differences between the United States and Burma, but no way to have similarities.
You believe it or not; I will share with you what are the similarities between the two countries, which I have found in my five minutes thoughts as below:

(1) Both of Burma and the United States were British colonies.
(2) Both of Burma and the United States were independent in the months those start by the letter J, which were January and July.
(3) The number 4 plays by the coincident role for both countries: Burma gained her independence on the 4th of January and the United States gained her independence on the 4th of July. The United States is the 4th largest country in the world and Burma is the 40th largest country in the world.

(4) Americans celebrate the 4th of July without George Washington, and Burmese (military junta) celebrate the 4th of January without General Aung San.
(5) Both countries are still using the same Weight Measurement units, such as ‘ounce’ ‘pound’ ‘ton.’
(6) Both countries are still using the same Length Measurement units, such as ‘inch’ ‘feet’ ‘mile.’

(7) The neibouring countries to the north of both of Burma and the United States are world's largest countries, which have the same the begining letter of C - China and Canada.

(8) There are the same three colors in national flags of both countries; read, blue and white.

(9) Stars in national flags represent the main regions or states in both countries.

(10) Burma is the second largest country in South East Asia, after Indonesia, and the United States is the also the second largest country in North America, after Canada.

Where there is a will, there is a way!

Thank you.


Picture: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Auto-similarity_dragon_curve.gif/800px-Auto-similarity_dragon_curve.gif

Writers’ Group

Today, our class, “the Writer’s Group” has finished by such a great way.
We wrote. We read. We laughed. We smiled. We listened.

Through out the class activities, we had the chance to know each other. Where and how we came from, we all were trying to write as much as we can, all together. It was such a great opportunity for us.

The important thing, which I learned in the class was as I have expected, everybody had links to everybody by any way for any reason. (I will say the SPECIAL LINKS). How wonderful it is? Amazing!

I was really very happy in this class.
Special thanks to Dr. Fortier for all of her supports and thanks to all our classmates who had a special links each other!


Picture: http://www.thewritersworkshop.net/writing-2.jpg

Independence Day of Sao Tome and Principe

Today is the Independence Day of Sao Tome and Principe. Sao Tome and Principe gained her independence on July 12, 1975 from Portugal.

Official Name: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

Area: 371 sq miles. (960 sq. km)

Cities: Capital – Sao Tome
Population: 158,000 (UN, 2007)

Religions: Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages: Portuguese (official)
Type of Government: Republic

GDP: $ 214 million (2003 est.)

Monetary Unit: dobra
President: Fradique de Menezes

Internet domain: .st

International Dialing Code: +239

Official Web Pages:
http://www.saotome.st/

Sources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1064541.stm
The New York Times Almanac 2007

Picture: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tp.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/tp-flag.html
http://www.ngw.nl/int/afr/images/saotomep.jpg

Wisdom’s Compassion

Once there was wisdom in a village. All villagers paid attention and respect him.

One day, an ox drank water from a pot. After ox drank water, the head of ox was stuck. He could not take his head out of the pot. So the villagers went to the wisdom and asked suggestion what they should do with the ox and pot. The wisdom suggested that to cut the head of the ox. So the villages cut the head of the ox. Simply, the ox died. Nevertheless, the ox’s head was still in the pot.

So the villagers went to the wisdom again and asked what they should do with the pot and ox’s head. The wisdom advised to break the pot. The villagers broke the pot. The ox died and the pot was broken. On that day, each house in the village got about two pounds of fresh beef as the quota. A villager went to the wisdom’s house and gave the cooked beef for dinner. The wisdom got tear in his eyes. The villager was curious why wisdom had tear in his eyes.
The wisdom said, “Um….You guys could have more difficult lives if I am not here.”

(Please take this as you wish as you can.)

Note: I took this story from a Burmese writer’s speech.

Picture: http://www.discovering-wisdom.com/book3/wisdom.jpg

Independence Day of Argentina

Today is the Independence Day of Argentina. Argentina gained her independence on July 9, 1816 from Spain.

Official Name: Argentina Republic

Area: 1,068,298 sq miles. (2,766,890 sq. km)

Cities: Capital – Buenos Aires, Other Cities: Cordoba, La Matanza, Rosario, Moron
Population: 39.5 million (UN, 2007)

Religions: 92% Roman Catholic, 2% Protestant, 2% Jewish, 4% other
Languages: Spanish (Official) English, Italian, German, French
Type of Government: Republic

GDP: $ 483.5 billion (2004 est.)

Monetary Unit: Nuevo peso argentino
President: Christina Fernandez

Internet domain: .ar

International Dialing Code: +54

Official Web Pages:

http://www.presidencia.gov.ar/
http://www.congreso.gov.ar/
http://www.senado.gov.ar/
http://www.diputados.gov.ar/

Sources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1192478.stm
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/

The New York Times Almanac 2007

Picture:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ar.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/ar-flag.html
http://www.internationalliving.com/var/ezwebin_site/storage/images/in_country_support/argentina/real_state/argentina_real_estate_is_both_amazing_and_cheap__1/71088-1-eng-US/argentina_real_estate_is_both_amazing_and_cheap.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/50/165715120_bd7a904bdf.jpg

Independence Day of Malawi

Today is the Independence Day of Malawi. Malawi gained her independence on July 6, 1964 from the United Kingdom.

Official Name: Republic of Malawi

Area: 45,745 sq miles (118,480 sq km)

Cities: Capital – Lalongwe, Other cities – Blantyre
Population: 13.9 million (UN, 2007)

Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 3%, Indigenous beliefs

Languages: English and Chichewa (both official); Tombuka and other regional languages
Type of Government: Multiparty Democracy
GDP: $ 7.4 billion (2004)

Monetary Unit: Malawian kwacha
President: Bingu Wa Mutharika

Internet domain: .mw

International Dialing Code: +265

Official Web Pages:

http://www.malawi.gov.mw/
http://www.malawi.gov.mw/National%20Assembly/parliament.htm

Sources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1068913.stm
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/

The New York Times Almanac 2007

Picture: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mi.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/mi-flag.html
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.aardvarksafaris.com/images/malawi-main.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.aardvarksafaris.com/malawi.htm&h=303&w=597&sz=26&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=QDvjFoQsmZu_mM:&tbnh=69&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmalawi%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGLD,GGLD:2005-06,GGLD:en%26sa%3DN

Independence and Summer

This is not a summer midnight dream. This is a reality. Normal people like ‘light’ rather than ‘dark.’ Summer has more lights than darks.

What does summer mean for you, my reader? For most of the people, summer means ‘open’ ‘happy’ ‘fine’ ‘beautiful’ ‘holidays’ ‘vacation’ ‘wedding’ ‘festival’ and so on.

Let us look at a few quotations about summer as below:

A life without love is like a year without summer.
(Swedish Proverb)

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.
(James Dent)

Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.
(Henry James)

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.

(Russel Baker)

I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June.

(L. M. Montgomery)

In summer, children are out of school. When we were young students, my friends and I often waited for the summer because we had long holidays (about three months), many festivals, many traditional ceremonies and we also got new clothes. Since then, summer always made us to be happy and feel free. We love summer!

Summer has the longest days of the year, so it created outdoor activities. There are many weddings, vacations, festivals, camps, visits etc in the summer. So does summer becomes a tourism season.

I have a habit to find out about - what was happened today in history. Then I have been posting the independence days of the countries in my blog as much as I found out. After I posted some independence days, I have been noticing that there are more than double countries were independent in summer than any other season of the year; you believe it or not.

In northern hemisphere, such as in Europe and the United States, summer time is roughly from May to October of every year. During the six months of May to October, about 92 countries gained their independences and in the other six months (from November to April), it was only 45 countries. Do you see? It is more than double independence days in summer than any other seasons of the year.

The 4th of July is the independence day of the United States. Only in the month of July, about 18 countries in the world were independent from the colonies (of the European countries). Most countries gained their independences from the powerful Europe countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, former USSR and so on. Probably summer made Europeans to be ‘happy’ ‘opening’ ‘feel free,’ and so on.

My final thought is – Is there any psychological interrelationship between these two abstract nouns, Independence and Summer?

What do you think?

Picture:
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/images/tan-lines-from-typical-summer-activities.jpg
http://www.coconut-court.com/images/BeachJ450GREEN.jpg

Independence Day of Algeria

Today is the Independence Day of Algeria. Algeria gained her independence on July 5, 1962 from France.

Official Name: People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria

Area: 919,591 sq miles. (2,381,740 sq. km)

Cities: Capital – Algiers, Other Cities: Oran, Constantine, Annaba, Blida
Population: 33.9 million (UN, 2007)

Religions: 99% Sunni Muslim (state religion), 1% Christian and Jewish
Languages: Arabic (Official), French, Berber dialects

Type of Government: Republic

GDP: $ 212.3 billion (2004 est.)

Monetary Unit: Algerian dinar
President: Abdelaziz Bouteflika

Internet domain: .dz

International Dialing Code: +213

Official Web Pages:

http://www.majliselouma.dz/
http://www.coursupreme-dz.org/

Sources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/790556.stm
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/

The New York Times Almanac 2007

Picture:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ag.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/ag-flag.html
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/mecacs/algeria-monument.jpg
http://missalgeria.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/finalbanner.jpg

Independence Day of the United States

Today is the Independence Day of the United States of America. The United States gained her independence on July 4, 1776 from the United Kingdom.

Official Name: The United States of America

Area: 3,717,797 sq miles (9,629,091 sq km)

Cities: Capital – Washington D.C., Other cities – New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia
Population: 305.8 million (UN, 2007)

Religions: Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, None 10%, Jewish 1%, Mormon 2%, Muslim 1%, Others 10%

Languages: Predominantly English, Sizable Spanish-speaking

Type of Government: Federal Republic, strong democratic tradition

GDP: $ 12.36 trillion (2005)

Monetary Unit: 1 US dollar = 100 cents

President: George W. Bush

Internet domain: .us

International Dialing Code: +1

Official Web Pages:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/
http://thomas.loc.gov/
http://www.senate.gov/
http://www.house.gov/
http://www.loc.gov/homepage/lchp.html
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/
http://www.access.gpo.gov/
http://www.fec.gov/
http://www.fedworld.gov/
https://www.cia.gov/
http://www.fbi.gov/
http://www.britishvirginislands.com/

Sources:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1217752.stm
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/

The New York Times Almanac 2007

Picture: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/us-flag.html
http://api.ning.com/files/G0KAZkHzL8IddX-BmfDwoOdyECh-UxfC8Sh1c5e1Rz-0*2lIX35CIq2gahrkSQH51mpctMQ5YdTkRD6dO9qvRU2vGExN110Y/UnitedStatesCongress2.jpg

Meanings of the Given Names (L)

Lincoln = Lake Colony

People often ask me - what does my name mean? Sometimes, I also ask the others if his or her name means something. These are not important but it is good to know about each other in our cultures of mankind.

For my friends who want to know, the meanings of (Western) given names:

Men’s Names (L)

Laird: (Scootish) Landed proprietor
Lambert: (Germanic) Land, bright
Lars, Lawrence, Laurence: (Latin) Laurel, victory
Leander: (Greek) Lion man
Lee: (Old English) Dweller at the meadow
Leland: (Old English) From the meadowland
Leo, Leon: (Latin) Lion
Leonard: (Germanic) Lion, stern
Leopold: (Germanic) People, bold
Leroy: (Old French-Latin) The king
Leslie: (Celtic) Garden of hollies; gray fort
Lester: (Latin-English) Dwellers on Legra River
Lewis: (Latin) Hear, fight
Lincoln: (Latin-Old English) Lake colony
Llewellyn: (Celtic) Leader or ruler; lionlike
Lloyd: (Celtic) Brown, gray
Loren: (Latin) The laurel, symbol of victory
Louis, Luis: (Latin – French) Hear, fight
Lowell: (Old English) Beloved; little wolf
Lucius, Luke: (Latin) Light
Luther: (Germanic) Fame, warrior
Lyle: (French-Latin) From the small island
Lyman: (Old English, Celtic) Homestead by a wood; snow birth
Lynn: (Old English) Pool or lake

Women’s Names (L)

Lana: (Greek) Light
Laura, Laurel, Loretta: (Latin) Laurel, victory
Lee: (Old English) Dweller at the meadow
Leila: (Arabic) Darkness
Leilani: (Hawaiian) Heavenly wreath
Lenora: (Greek) Light; the bright one
Leslie: (Scottish) From Leslie, garden of hollies
Letitia: (Latin) Joy or gladness
Lillian: (Greek-Hebrew) From the lily; oath of God
Lily: (Latin) From the flower lily
Linda: (Germanic) Serpent; lithe
Lisa: (Hebrew) Oath of God
Lois: (Germanic, Greek) Hear, fight; more desirable
Lola: (Spanish, Germanic) Of the sorrows (Mary); man
Lori: (Latin) The laurel, symbol of victory
Lotus: (Latin) From the flower lotus
Louise, Louisa: (Germanic-French) Hear, fight
Lucia, Lucille, Lucy: (Latin) Light
Lulu: (Persian) Pearl
Lydia: (Greek) A woman of Lydia
Lynn: (Old English) Dweller at or near a pool


Source: Smith, Elsdon C. “Vocabulary of Given Names.” The World Book Dictionary. 1968 edition. 1968.

Picture: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/101/368620765_92452cf03d_m.jpg
http://www.fairbanksartbooks.com/imagesLincoln/ChicagoLincoln.jpg

Independence Day of Rwanda

Today is the Independence Day of Rwanda. Rwanda gained her independence on July 1, 1962 from U.N. trusteeship under Belgian administration.

Official Name: Rwandese Republic
Area: 10,170 sq miles. (26,340 sq. km)

Cities: Capital – Kigali, Other cities – Butare, Ruhengeri, Glsenyi
Population: 9.7 million (UN, 2007)

Religions: Catholic 57%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11%, Muslim 5%
Languages: Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French and English (both official)
Type of Government: Republic

GDP: $ 10.4 billion (2004 est.)

Monetary Unit: 1 Rwandan franc = 100 centimes

President: Paul Kagame
Internet domain: .rw

International Dialing Code: +250

Official Web Pages: http://www.gov.rw/

Sources:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1070265.stm
The New York Times Almanac 2007

Picture:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rw.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/rw-flag.html
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/images/photos/photo_lg_rwanda.jpg

Independence Day of Burundi

Today is the Independence Day of Burundi. Burundi gained her independence on July 1, 1962 from U.N. trusteeship under Belgian administration.

Official Name: Republic of Burundi

Area: 10,745 sq miles. (27,830 sq. km)

Cities: Capital – Bujumbura, Other cities – Gitega
Population: 8.5 million (UN, 2007)

Religions: Christian 67%, Indigenous belief 23%, Muslim 10%
Languages: Kirundi and French (both official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in Bujumbura area).

Type of Government: Republic

GDP: $ 4 billion (2004 est.)

Monetary Unit: 1 Burundi franc = 100 centimes

President: Pierre Naurunziza
Internet domain: .bi

International Dialing Code: +257

Official Web Pages: http://www.burundi.gov.bi/

Sources:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1068873.stm
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/
The New York Times Almanac 2007

Picture:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/by-flag.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/by.html
http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/images/photos/photo_lg_burundi.jpg