Charles Sanders Peirce and then William James and John Dewey were leaders in the development of pragmatism. In the 20th century, the work of W. V. O. Quine and Richard Rorty, and later Noam Chomsky, brought analytic philosophy to the fore of American philosophical academia. John Rawls and Robert Nozick led a revival of political philosophy. Cornel West and Judith Butler have led a continental tradition in American philosophical academia. Chicago school economists like Milton Friedman, James M. Buchanan, and Thomas Sowell have impacted various fields in social and political philosophy.[496][497] In the visual arts, the Hudson River School was a mid-19th-century movement in the tradition of European naturalism. The realist paintings of Thomas Eakins are now widely celebrated. The 1913 Armory Show in New York City, an exhibition of European modernist art, shocked the public and transformed the U.S. art scene.[498] Georgia O'Keeffe, Marsden Hartley, and others experimented with new, individualistic styles. Major artistic movements such as the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning and the pop art of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein developed largely in the United States. The tide of modernism and then postmodernism has brought fame to American architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Philip Johnson, and Frank Gehry.[499] Times Square in New York City, the hub of the Broadway theater district[500] One of the first major promoters of American theater was impresario P. T. Barnum, who began operating a lower Manhattan entertainment complex in 1841. The team of Harrigan and Hart produced a series of popular musical comedies in New York starting in the late 1870s. In the 20th century, the modern musical form emerged on Broadway; the songs of musical theater composers such as Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and Stephen Sondheim have become pop standards. Playwright Eugene O'Neill won the Nobel literature prize in 1936; other acclaimed U.S. dramatists include multiple Pulitzer Prize winners Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, and August Wilson.[501] Though little known at the time, Charles Ives's work of the 1910s established him as the first major U.S. composer in the classical tradition, while experimentalists such as Henry Cowell and John Cage created a distinctive American approach to classical composition. Aaron Copland and George Gershwin developed a new synthesis of popular and classical music. Choreographers Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham helped create modern dance, while George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins were leaders in 20th-century ballet. Americans have long been important in the modern artistic medium of photography, with major photographers including Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, and Ansel Adams.[502]

Music Main article: Music of the United States The rhythmic and lyrical styles of African-American music have deeply influenced American music at large, distinguishing it from European traditions. Elements from folk idioms such as the blues and what is now known as old-time music were adopted and transformed into popular genres with global audiences. Jazz was developed by innovators such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington early in the 20th century. Country music developed in the 1920s, and rhythm and blues in the 1940s.[503] Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry were among the mid-1950s pioneers of rock and roll. In the 1960s, Bob Dylan emerged from the folk revival to become one of America's most celebrated songwriters and James Brown led the development of funk. More recent American creations include hip hop and house music. American pop stars such as Presley, Michael Jackson, and Madonna have become global celebrities,[503] as have contemporary musical artists such as Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and Beyoncé as well as hip hop artists Jay Z, Eminem and Kanye West.[504] Rock bands such as Metallica, the Eagles, and Aerosmith are among the highest grossing in worldwide sales.[505][506][507] Cinema Main article: Cinema of the United States The Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles, California Hollywood, a northern district of Los Angeles, California, is one of the leaders in motion picture production.[508] The world's first commercial motion picture exhibition was given in New York City in 1894, using Thomas Edison's Kinetoscope.[509] The next year saw the first commercial screening of a projected film, also in New York, and the United States was in the forefront of sound film's development in the following decades. Since the early 20th century, the U.S. film industry has largely been based in and around Hollywood, although in the 21st century an increasing number of films are not made there, and film companies have been subject to the forces of globalization.[510] Director D. W. Griffith, American's top filmmaker during the silent film period, was central to the development of film grammar, and producer/entrepreneur Walt Disney was a leader in both animated film and movie merchandising.[511] Directors such as John Ford redefined the image of the American Old West and history, and, like others such as John Huston, broadened the possibilities of cinema with location shooting, with great influence on subsequent directors. The industry enjoyed its golden years, in what is commonly referred to as the "Golden Age of Hollywood", from the early sound period until the early 1960s,[512] with screen actors such as John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe becoming iconic figures.[513][514] In the 1970s, film directors such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and Robert Altman were a vital component in what became known as "New Hollywood" or the "Hollywood Renaissance",[515] grittier films influenced by French and Italian realist pictures of the post-war period.[516] Since, directors such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and James Cameron have gained renown for their blockbuster films, often characterized by high production costs, and in return, high earnings at the box office, with Cameron's Avatar (2009) earning more than $2 billion.[517] Notable films topping the American Film Institute's AFI 100 list include Orson Welles's Citizen Kane (1941), which is frequently cited as the greatest film of all time,[518][519] Casablanca (1942), The Godfather (1972), Gone with the Wind (1939), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Wizard of Oz (1939), The Graduate (1967), On the Waterfront (1954), Schindler's List (1993), Singin' in the Rain (1952), It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Sunset Boulevard (1950).[520] The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, have been held annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 1929,[521] and the Golden Globe Awards have been held annually since January 1944.[522] Sports Main article: Sports in the United States Swimmer Michael Phelps and then-President George W. Bush August 10, 2008 at the National Aquatic Center in Beijing. Phelps is the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time.[523][524] While most major U.S. sports have evolved out of European practices, basketball, volleyball, skateboarding, and snowboarding are American inventions, some of which have become popular in other countries. Lacrosse and surfing arose from Native American and Native Hawaiian activities that predate Western contact.[525] The Iroquois field their own separate national team, the Iroquois Nationals, in recognition of the confederacy's creation of lacrosse. Eight Olympic Games have taken place in the United States. The United States has won 2,400 medals at the Summer Olympic Games, more than any other country, and 281 in the Winter Olympic Games, the second most behind Norway.[526] The market for professional sports in the United States is roughly $69 billion, roughly 50% larger than that of all of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa combined.[527] Baseball has been regarded as the national sport since the late 19th century, with Major League Baseball (MLB) being the top league, while American football is now by several measures the most popular spectator sport,[528] with the National Football League (NFL) having the highest average attendance of any sports league in the world and a Super Bowl watched by millions globally. Basketball and ice hockey are the country's next two leading professional team sports, with the top leagues being the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL). These four major sports, when played professionally, each occupy a season at different, but overlapping, times of the year. College football and basketball attract large audiences.[529] Boxing and horse racing were once the most watched individual sports,[530] but they have been eclipsed by golf and auto racing, particularly NASCAR.[531] In the 21st century, televised mixed martial arts has also gained a strong following of regular viewers.[532][533] While soccer is less popular in the United States compared to many other nations, the country hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the men's national soccer team has been to the past six World Cups. The United States women's national soccer team won the women's world cup three times, highest in the world.[534] Major League Soccer is the professional soccer league in the United States. Infrastructure Transportation Main article: Transportation in the United States The Interstate Highway System, which extends 46,876 miles (75,440 km).[535] Personal transportation is dominated by automobiles, which operate on a network of 4 million miles of public roads,[536] including one of the world's longest highway systems at 57,000 miles.[537] The world's second largest automobile market,[538] the United States has the highest rate of per-capita vehicle ownership in the world, with 765 vehicles per 1,000 Americans.[539] About 40% of personal vehicles are vans, SUVs, or light trucks.[540] The average American adult (accounting for all drivers and non-drivers) spends 55 minutes driving every day, traveling 29 miles (47 km).[541] Mass transit accounts for 9% of total U.S. work trips.[542][543] Transport of goods by rail is extensive, though relatively low numbers of passengers (approximately 31 million annually) use intercity rail to travel, partly because of the low population density throughout much of the U.S. interior.[544][545] However, ridership on Amtrak, the national intercity passenger rail system, grew by almost 37% between 2000 and 2010.[546] Also, light rail development has increased in recent years.[547] Bicycle usage for work commutes is minimal.[548] The U.S. power transmission grid consists of about 300,000 km (190,000 mi) of lines operated by approximately 500 companies. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) oversees all of them. The civil airline industry is entirely privately owned and has been largely deregulated since 1978, while most major airports are publicly owned.[549] The three largest airlines in the world by passengers carried are U.S.-based; American Airlines is number one after its 2013 acquisition by US Airways.[550] Of the world's 30 busiest passenger airports, 12 are in the United States, including the busiest, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.[551] Energy Further information: Energy policy of the United States The United States energy market is about 29,000 terawatt hours per year.[552] Energy consumption per capita is 7.8 tons of oil equivalent per year, the 10th highest rate in the world. In 2005, 40% of this energy came from petroleum, 23% from coal, and 22% from natural gas. The remainder was supplied by nuclear power and renewable energy sources.[553] The United States is the world's largest consumer of petroleum.[554] For decades, nuclear power has played a limited role relative to many other developed countries, in part because of public perception in the wake of a 1979 accident. In 2007, several applications for new nuclear plants were filed.[555] The United States has 27% of global coal reserves.[556] It is the world's largest producer of natural gas and crude oil.[557] Water supply and sanitation Main article: Water supply and sanitation in the United States Issues that affect water supply and sanitation in the United States include water scarcity, pollution, a backlog of investment, concerns about the affordability of water for the poorest, and a rapidly retiring workforce. Increased variability and intensity of rainfall as a result of climate change is expected to produce both more severe droughts and flooding, with potentially serious consequences for water supply and for pollution from combined sewer overflows.[558][559] Droughts are likely to particularly affect the 66 percent of Americans whose communities depend on surface water.[560] As for drinking water quality, there are concerns about disinfection by-products, lead, perchlorates and pharmaceutical substances, but generally drinking water quality in the U.S. is good.[561] Cities, utilities, state governments and the federal government have addressed the above issues in various ways. To keep pace with demand from an increasing population, utilities traditionally have augmented supplies. However, faced with increasing costs and droughts, water conservation is beginning to receive more attention and is being supported through the federal WaterSense program. The reuse of treated wastewater for non-potable uses is also becoming increasingly common. Pollution through wastewater discharges, a major issue in the 1960s, has been brought largely under control. Most Americans are served by publicly owned water and sewer utilities. Eleven percent of Americans receive water from private (so-called "investor-owned") utilities. In rural areas, cooperatives often provide drinking water. Finally, up to 15 percent of Americans are served by their own wells.[562][563] Water supply and wastewater systems are regulated by state governments and the federal government. At the state level, health and environmental regulation is entrusted to the corresponding state-level departments. Public Utilities Commissions or Public Service Commissions regulate tariffs charged by private utilities. In some states they also regulate tariffs by public utilities. At the federal level, drinking water quality and wastewater discharges are regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which also provides funding to utilities through State Revolving Funds.[564][565][566] Water consumption in the United States is more than double that in Central Europe, with large variations among the states. In 2002 the average American family spent $474 on water and sewerage charges,[567] which is about the same level as in Europe. The median household spent about 1.1 percent of its income on water and sewerage.[568] Science and technology Main article: Science and technology in the United States Astronaut James Irwin walking on the Moon next to Apollo 15's landing module and lunar rover in 1971. The effort to reach the Moon was triggered by the Space Race. The United States has been a leader in scientific research and technological innovation since the late 19th century. Methods for producing Interchangeable parts were developed by the U.S. War Department by the Federal Armories during the first half of the 19th century. This technology, along with the establishment of a machine tool industry, enabled the U.S. to have large scale manufacturing of sewing machines, bicycles and other items in the late 19th century and became known as the American system of manufacturing. Factory electrification in the early 20th century and introduction of the assembly line and other labor saving techniques created the system called mass production.[569] In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first U.S. patent for the telephone. Thomas Edison's research laboratory, one of the first of its kind, developed the phonograph, the first long-lasting light bulb, and the first viable movie camera.[570] The latter lead to emergence of the worldwide entertainment industry. In the early 20th century, the automobile companies of Ransom E. Olds and Henry Ford popularized the assembly line. The Wright brothers, in 1903, made the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight.[571] The rise of Nazism in the 1930s led many European scientists, including Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, and John von Neumann, to immigrate to the United States.[572] During World War II, the Manhattan Project developed nuclear weapons, ushering in the Atomic Age, while the Space Race produced rapid advances in rocketry, materials science, and aeronautics.[573][574] The invention of the transistor in the 1950s, a key active component in practically all modern electronics, led to many technological developments and a significant expansion of the U.S. technology industry.[575][576][577] This in turn led to the establishment of many new technology companies and regions around the county such as Silicon Valley in California. Advancements by American microprocessor companies such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Intel along with both computer software and hardware companies that include Adobe Systems, Apple Computer, IBM, GNU-Linux, Microsoft, and Sun Microsystems created and popularized the personal computer. The ARPANET was developed in the 1960s to meet Defense Department requirements, and became the first of a series of networks which evolved into the Internet.[578] These advancements then lead to greater personalization of technology for individual use.[579] As of 2013, 83.8% of American households owned at least one computer, and 73.3% had high-speed Internet service.[580] 91% of Americans also own a mobile phone as of May 2013.[581] The United States ranks highly with regard to freedom of use of the internet.[582] In the 21st century, 64% of research and development funding comes from the private sector.[583] The United States leads the world in scientific research papers and impact factor.[584] Health See also: Health care in the United States, Health care reform in the United States and Health insurance in the United States Health spending per capita, in US$ PPP-adjusted, compared amongst various first world nations. The United States has a life expectancy of 79.8 years at birth, up from 75.2 years in 1990.[585][586][587] Increasing obesity in the United States and health improvements elsewhere have contributed to lowering the country's rank in life expectancy from 1987, when it was 11th in the world.[588] Obesity rates in the United States are amongst the highest in the world.[589] Approximately one-third of the adult population is obese and an additional third is overweight;[590] the obesity rate, the highest in the industrialized world, has more than doubled in the last quarter-century.[591] Obesity-related type 2 diabetes is considered epidemic by health care professionals.[592] The infant mortality rate of 6.17 per thousand places the United States 169th highest out of 224 countries, with the 224th country having the lowest mortality rate.[593] In 2010, coronary artery disease, lung cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and traffic accidents caused the most years of life lost in the U.S. Low back pain, depression, musculoskeletal disorders, neck pain, and anxiety caused the most years lost to disability. The most deleterious risk factors were poor diet, tobacco smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, physical inactivity, and alcohol use. Alzheimer's disease, drug abuse, kidney disease and cancer, and falls caused the most additional years of life lost over their age-adjusted 1990 per-capita rates.[587] U.S. teenage pregnancy and abortion rates are substantially higher than in other Western nations, especially among blacks and Hispanics.[594] U.S. underage drinking among teenagers is among the lowest in industrialized nations.[595] The U.S. is a global leader in medical innovation. America solely developed or contributed significantly to 9 of the top 10 most important medical innovations since 1975 as ranked by a 2001 poll of physicians, while the EU and Switzerland together contributed to five.[596] Since 1966, more Americans have received the Nobel Prize in Medicine than the rest of the world combined. From 1989 to 2002, four times more money was invested in private biotechnology companies in America than in Europe.[597] The U.S. health-care system far outspends any other nation, measured in both per capita spending and percentage of GDP.[598] Health-care coverage in the United States is a combination of public and private efforts and is not universal. In 2014, 13.4% of the population did not carry health insurance.[599] The subject of uninsured and underinsured Americans is a major political issue.[600][601] In 2006, Massachusetts became the first state to mandate universal health insurance.[602] Federal legislation passed in early 2010 would ostensibly create a near-universal health insurance system around the country by 2014, though the bill and its ultimate impact are issues of controversy.[603][604] Media Main article: Media of the United States See also: Index of United States–related articles The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the United States of America: Contents [hide] 1 General reference 2 Geography of the United States 3 History of the United States 4 Government and politics in the United States 5 Law of the United States 6 Culture of the United States 7 Education in the United States 8 Economy and infrastructure of the United States 9 See also 10 References 11 External links General reference[edit] An enlargeable map of the United States showing the population density in 2010 Pronunciation: Listeni/j??na?.t?d 'ste?ts/ Abbreviations: USA or US Common English country name: United States Official English country name: United States of America Common endonyms: United States, U.S., U.S.A., America Official endonym: United States of America Common exonyms: United States; America or The States (chiefly British/Commonwealth); North America (chiefly Latin America) Adjectivals: United States, American Demonyms: American (among others) United States#Etymology International rankings of the United States ISO country codes: US, USA, 840 ISO region codes: See ISO 3166-2:US Internet country code top-level domain: .us Geography of the United States[edit] An enlargeable topographic map of the contiguous United States Main article: Geography of the United States The United States is: a megadiverse country Location (50 states): Northern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere (except western Aleutian Islands) Americas North America Northern America Oceania Polynesia Time zones: Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-04), Atlantic Daylight Time (UTC-03) (Puerto Rico) Eastern Standard Time (UTC-05), Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-04) Central Standard Time (UTC-06), Central Daylight Time (UTC-05) Mountain Standard Time (UTC-07), Mountain Daylight Time (UTC-06) Pacific Standard Time (UTC-08), Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-07) Alaska Standard Time (UTC-09), Alaska Daylight Time (UTC-08) Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (UTC-10), Hawaii-Aleutian Daylight Time (UTC-09) Extreme points of the United States: North: Point Barrow, Alaska 71°23'15?N 156°28'52?W South: Ka Lae, Island of Hawai'i, Hawai'i (18°54'39?N 155°40'52?W) East: Sail Rock, just offshore West Quoddy Head, Maine 44°48'54?N 66°56'52?W Physically East: Eastern Semisopochnoi Island, Alaska 51°57'40?N 179°46'29?E West: Peaked Island, offshore Cape Wrangell, Attu Island, Alaska 52°55'00?N 172°26'00?E Physically West: Western Amatignak Island, Alaska 51°16'06?N 179°09'00?W High: Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska at 6,194 meters (20,322 ft) 63°4'10?N 151°0'26?WCoordinates: 63°4'10?N 151°0'26?W Low: Badwater Basin, Death Valley, California at -86 meters (-282 ft) 36°13'58?N 116°46'42?W Land boundaries: 12,034 km (7,477 mi) Canada 8,893 km (5,525 mi)[1] Mexico 3,141 km (1,951 mi) Coastline: 19,924 km (12,380 mi) Population of the United States: 308,745,538 (2010 census) – 3rd most populous country Area of the United States: 9,826,630 km2 (3,794,080 sq mi) – 3rd most extensive country Atlas of the United States Cities of the United States, by population Environment of the United States[edit] An enlargeable satellite composite image of the contiguous United States. Deciduous vegetation and grasslands prevail in the east, transitioning to prairies, boreal forests, the Rocky Mountains in the west, and deserts in the southwest. Main article: Environment of the United States Beaches in the United States Climate of the United States Climate change in the United States Environmental issues in the United States Ecoregions in the United States Renewable energy in the United States Geothermal energy in the United States Solar power in the United States Wind power in the United States Geology of the United States Earthquakes in the United States National parks of the United States Protected areas of the United States Superfund sites in the United States Wildlife of the United States Flora of the United States Fauna of the United States Birds of the United States Mammals of the United States Geographic features of the United States[edit] Main article: Landforms of the United States Fjords of the United States Glaciers of the United States Islands of the United States Lakes of the United States Mountain peaks of the United States The 104 highest major summits of the United States The 129 most prominent summits of the United States The 112 most isolated major summits of the United States Alaska Range Appalachian Mountains Black Hills Cascade Range Ozark Mountains Sierra Nevada Rocky Mountains Volcanoes of the United States Rivers of the United States Columbia River Colorado River Hudson River Mississippi River Missouri River Potomac River Rio Grande Ohio River Delaware River Susquehanna River Waterfalls of the United States Valleys of the United States List of World Heritage Sites in the United States View from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, a World Heritage Site Regions of the United States[edit] Main article: List of regions of the United States East Coast of the United States West Coast of the United States Belt regions of the United States New England Mid-Atlantic The South Midwest Great Plains Pacific Northwest Southwest Hawaiian Archipelago [show] v t e Regions of the United States Physiographic divisions of the United States[edit] The geography of the United States varies across their immense area. Within the contential U.S., eight distinct physiographic divisions exist, though each is composed of several smaller physiographic subdivisions.[2] These major divisions are: Laurentian Upland - part of the Canadian Shield that extends into the northern United States Great Lakes area. Atlantic Plain - the coastal regions of the eastern and southern parts includes the continental shelf, the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf Coast. Appalachian Highlands - lying on the eastern side of the United States, it includes the Appalachian Mountains, Adirondacks and New England province. Interior Plains - part of the interior contentintal United States, it includes much of what is called the Great Plains. Interior Highlands - also part of the interior contentintal United States, this division includes the Ozark Plateau. Rocky Mountain System - one branch of the Cordilleran system lying far inland in the western states. Intermontane Plateaus - also divided into the Columbia Plateau, the Colorado Plateau and the Basin and Range Province, it is a system of plateaus, basins, ranges and gorges between the Rocky and Pacific Mountain Systems. It is the setting for the Grand Canyon, the Great Basin and Death Valley. Pacific Mountain System - the coastal mountain ranges and features in the west coast of the United States. Administrative divisions of the United States[edit] States of the United States[edit] Main articles: U.S. state and Administrative division At the Declaration of Independence, the United States consisted of 13 states, former colonies of the United Kingdom. In the following years, the number of states has grown steadily due to expansion to the west, conquest and purchase of lands by the American government, and division of existing states to the current number of 50 United States: Map of the United States with state border lines. Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the Aleutian Islands and the uninhabited northwestern Hawaiian Islands are omitted from this map. Alabama (AL) Alaska (AK) Arizona (AZ) Arkansas (AR) California (CA) Colorado (CO) Connecticut (CT) Delaware (DE) Florida (FL) Georgia (GA). Hawai'i (HI) Idaho (ID) Illinois (IL) Indiana (IN) Iowa (IA) Kansas (KS) Kentucky (KY) Louisiana (LA) Maine (ME) Maryland (MD) Massachusetts (MA) Michigan (MI) Minnesota (MN) Mississippi (MS) Missouri (MO) Montana (MT) Nebraska (NE) Nevada (NV) New Hampshire (NH) New Jersey (NJ) New Mexico (NM) New York (NY) North Carolina (NC) North Dakota (ND) Ohio (OH) Oklahoma (OK) Oregon (OR) Pennsylvania (PA) Rhode Island (RI) South Carolina (SC) South Dakota (SD) Tennessee (TN) Texas (TX) Utah (UT) Vermont (VT) Virginia (VA) Washington (WA) West Virginia (WV) Wisconsin (WI) Wyoming (WY) Territories of the United States[edit] Location of the insular areas of the United States: The United States of America Incorporated unorganized territory Unincorporated organized territory Unincorporated unorganized territory Freely associated commonwealth Main article: Territories of the United States United States territory Territorial evolution of the United States Incorporated organized territories[edit] none since 1959 Incorporated unorganized territories[edit] Palmyra Atoll Unincorporated organized territories[edit] Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Territory of Guam Territory of the United States Virgin Islands Unincorporated unorganized territories[edit] Territory of American Samoa, technically unorganized, but self-governing under a constitution last revised in 1967 Baker Island, uninhabited Howland Island, uninhabited Jarvis Island, uninhabited Johnston Atoll, uninhabited Kingman Reef, uninhabited Bajo Nuevo Bank, uninhabited (disputed with Colombia) Serranilla Bank, uninhabited (disputed with Colombia) Midway Islands, no indigenous inhabitants, currently included in the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge Navassa Island, uninhabited (claimed by Haiti) Wake Atoll consisting of Peale, Wake and Wilkes Islands,[3] no indigenous inhabitants, only contractor personnel (claimed by the Marshall Islands) Geography of the states and territories[edit] AK - AL - AR - AZ - CA - CO - CT - DC - DE - FL - GA - HI - IA - ID - IL - IN - KS - KY - LA - MA - MD - ME - MI - MN - MO - MS - MT - NC - ND - NE - NH - NM - NV - NJ - NY - OH - OK - OR - PA - RI - SC - SD - TN - TX - UT - VA - VT - WA - WI - WV - WY AS - GU - MP - PR - VI Demography of the United States[edit] Main article: Demography of the United States Demographics of the states and territories[edit] AK - AL - AR - AZ - CA - CO - CT - DC - DE - FL - GA - HI - IA - ID - IL - IN - KS - KY - LA - MA - MD - ME - MI - MN - MO - MS - MT - NC - ND - NE - NH - NM - NV - NJ - NY - OH - OK - OR - PA - RI - SC - SD - TN - TX - UT - VA - VT - WA - WI - WV - WY AS - GU - MP - PR - VI Climate of the United States[edit] [show] v t e Climate of the United States [show] v t e List of United States hurricanes History of the United States[edit] John Trumbull's famous painting is usually incorrectly identified as a depiction of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but it actually shows the drafting committee presenting its work to the Congress. A map of the territorial evolution of the United States Main outline: Outline of United States history Main articles: History of the United States and Timeline of United States history Period-coverage[edit] Prehistory of the United States Pre-Columbian era Colonial period 1776 to 1789 1789 to 1849 1849 to 1865 1865 to 1918 1918 to 1945 1945 to 1964 1964 to 1980 1980 to 1991 1991 to present History of the states and territories[edit] AK - AL - AR - AZ - CA - CO - CT - DC - DE - FL - GA - HI - IA - ID - IL - IN - KS - KY - LA - MA - MD - ME - MI - MN - MO - MS - MT - NC - ND - NE - NH - NM - NV - NJ - NY - OH - OK - OR - PA - RI - SC - SD - TN - TX - UT - VA - VT - WA - WI - WV - WY AS - GU - MP - PR - VI Presidents of the United States[edit] Main articles: List of Presidents of the United States and President of the United States George Washington: 1789-1797 John Adams: 1797-1801 Thomas Jefferson: 1801-1809 James Madison: 1809-1817 James Monroe: 1817-1825 John Quincy Adams: 1825-1829 Andrew Jackson: 1829-1837 Martin Van Buren: 1837-1841 William Henry Harrison: 1841 John Tyler: 1841-1845 James K. Polk: 1845-1849 Zachary Taylor: 1849-1850 Millard Fillmore: 1850-1853 Franklin Pierce: 1853-1857 James Buchanan: 1857-1861 Abraham Lincoln: 1861-1865 Andrew Johnson: 1865-1869 Ulysses S. Grant: 1869-1877 Rutherford B. Hayes: 1877-1881 James A. Garfield: 1881 Chester A. Arthur: 1881-1885 Grover Cleveland: 1885-1889 Benjamin Harrison: 1889-1893 Grover Cleveland: 1893-1897 William McKinley: 1897-1901 Theodore Roosevelt: 1901-1909 William H. Taft: 1909-1913 Woodrow Wilson: 1913-1921 Warren Harding: 1921-1923 Calvin Coolidge: 1923-1929 Herbert Hoover: 1929-1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt: 1933-1945 Harry S. Truman: 1945-1953 Dwight D. Eisenhower: 1953-1961 John F. Kennedy: 1961-1963 Lyndon B. Johnson: 1963-1969 Richard M. Nixon: 1969-1974 Gerald Ford: 1974-1977 Jimmy Carter: 1977-1981 Ronald Reagan: 1981-1989 George H. W. Bush: 1989-1993 Bill Clinton: 1993-2001 George W. Bush: 2001-2009 Barack Obama: 2009–Present Government and politics in the United States[edit] Main articles: Government of the United States and Politics of the United States Form of government: presidential, federal republic Capital (political) of the United States: Washington, D.C. List of Capitals Flag of the United States Political parties in the United States Elections in the United States Voting rights in the United States List of political parties in the United States Democratic Party History of the United States Democratic Party Republican Party History of the United States Republican Party Green Party Independent Party Libertarian Party Reform Party Constitution Party Socialist Party USA Political divisions of the United States Canadian and American politics compared International Politics of the United States Politics of the Southern United States Federal government[edit] Main article: Federal government of the United States United States Constitution Legislative branch[edit] The United States Capitol Further information: Legislative branch United States Congress United States Senate President pro tempore of the United States Senate United States House of Representatives Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Executive branch[edit] The White House Further information: Executive branch Head of state and head of government: President of the United States, Barack H. Obama(44th) Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden(47th) Federal executive departments[edit] Further information: List of United States federal agencies All departments are listed by their present-day name and only departments with past or present cabinet-level status are listed. Order of succession applies only to within the cabinet; the vice president has always been first in the line of succession, and the Speaker of the House and the President pro tem of the Senate have at times been included. Department Creation Order of succession Modifications since creation 2007 Budget in billions of dollars Employees (2007) State 1789 1 Initially named "Department of Foreign Affairs" 9.96 30,266 Treasury 1789 2 11.10 115,897 Defense 1947 3 Initially named "National Military Establishment" 439.30 3,000,000 Justice 1870 4 Position of Attorney General created in 1789, but had no department until 1870 23.40 112,557 Interior 1849 5 10.70 71,436 Agriculture 1889 6 77.60 109,832 Commerce 1903 7 Originally named Commerce and Labor; Labor later separated 6.20 36,000 Labor 1913 8 59.70 17,347 Health and Human Services 1953 9 Originally named Health, Education, and Welfare; Education later separated 543.20 67,000 Housing and Urban Development 1965 10 46.20 10,600 Transportation 1966 11 58.00 58,622 Energy 1977 12 21.50 116,100 Education 1979 13 62.80 4,487 Veterans Affairs 1989 14 73.20 235,000 Homeland Security 2002 15 44.60 208,000 Total budget (fiscal year 2007): 1,523.42 4,193,144 Commissions[edit] Federal Trade Commission U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Judicial branch[edit] The United States Supreme Court building Further information: Judicial branch United States federal courts United States Supreme Court Chief Justice of the United States United States court of appeals United States district court State and territory governments[edit] AK - AL - AR - AZ - CA - CO - CT - DC - DE - FL - GA - HI - IA - ID - IL - IN - KS - KY - LA - MA - MD - ME - MI - MN - MO - MS - MT - NC - ND - NE - NH - NM - NV - NJ - NY - OH - OK - OR - PA - RI - SC - SD - TN - TX - UT - VA - VT - WA - WI - WV - WY AS - GU - MP - PR - VI Politics of the states and territories[edit] AK - AL - AR - AZ - CA - CO - CT - DC - DE - FL - GA - HI - IA - ID - IL - IN - KS - KY - LA - MA - MD - ME - MI - MN - MO - MS - MT - NC - ND - NE - NH - NM - NV - NJ - NY - OH - OK - OR - PA - RI - SC - SD - TN - TX - UT - VA - VT - WA - WI - WV - WY AS - GU - MP - PR - VI Foreign relations[edit] Main article: Foreign relations of the United States Foreign policy of the United States International organization membership[edit] Main article: International organization membership of the United States Member state of the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Member state of the Organization of American States Member state of the United Nations Member of the World Health Organization Member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement World Veterans Federation Military[edit] The Pentagon Main article: United States armed forces United States Army United States Army Reserve United States Marine Corps United States Marine Corps Reserve United States Navy United States Navy Reserve United States Navy SEALS United States Air Force Air Force Reserve Command United States Coast Guard United States Coast Guard Reserve National Guard of the United States Army National Guard Air National Guard Naval militia State Defense Forces Uniformed services of the United States United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps US Military Awards and Decorations[edit] Awards and decorations of the United States military Medal of Honor recipients Intelligence Organizations[edit] Headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency Main article: United States Intelligence Community Central Intelligence Agency Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency United States Army Military Intelligence Defense Intelligence Agency Shahram Nazeri Sivan Perwer Sohrab Pournazeri Tahir Tewfiq Tara Jaff Xalîd Resîd Yildiz Tilbe Zakaria Abdulla Zara Zara Mgoyan Religious figures edit Ahmad Moftizadeh Asenath Barzani Firuz Shah Zarrin Kolah Hadhrat Mawlânâ Khâlid i Baghdâdî Hajj Nematollah Jaban Sahabi Safi ad din Ardabili Zahed Gilani Sheikh Ghiathadeen Naqshabandi Politicians and leaders edit See also Category Kurdish rulers Abderrahman Sadik Karim Abdolqader Zahedi Abdul Karim Qassim Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou Abdul Rahman Haji Ahmadi Abdul Rahman Mustafa Abdulbaset Sieda Abdullah Beg Benari Abdullah Demirbas Abdullah Öcalan Ahmad Moftizadeh Ahmed Barzani Ahmed Uthman Ahmet Dagtekin Ahmet Türk Akin Birdal Al Adil I Al Adil II Al Afdal Muhammad Al Afdal ibn Salah ad Din Al Ashraf Al Fadhl ibn Muhammad Al Kamil Ali Askari Ali Bapir Ali Mardan Khan Amineh Kakabaveh Amir Khan Lepzerin An Nasir Yusuf Bahaedin Adab Bahoz Erdal Bakhtiar Amin Barham Salih Bedirhan Bey Bedr Khan Beg Bengi Yildiz Celadet Ali Bedirxan Cemil Bayik Daham Miro Daisam Dana Ahmed Majid Dayfa Khatun Derwich Ferho Efat Ghazi Ehsan Fattahian Farzad Kamangar Fatma Kurtulan Feleknas Uca Ferzende Foad Mostafa Soltani Gulan Avci Haji Baba Sheikh Haji Mala Saeed Kirkukli Zada Halis Öztürk Han Mahmud Hatip Dicle Hazim Beg Hero Ibrahim Ahmed Herro Mustafa Hikmet Fidan Houzan Mahmoud Howar Ziad Hushang Hamidi Husni al Za im Hüseyin Velioglu Ibrahim Heski Idris Barzani Ihsan Nuri Imad Ahmad Sayfour Ismail I Ismet Inönü Jalal Dabagh Jalal Jalalizadeh Jalal Talabani Kamal Jumblatt Kamran Hedayati Karim Khan Zand Karim Mohammedzadeh Karim Sanjabi Khalid Bakdash Latif Rashid Leyla Güven Leyla Qasim Leyla Zana Mahmoud Othman Mahmud Barzanji Mahsum Korkmaz Majid Kavian Mashaal Tammo Massoud Barzani Medet Serhat Mehdi Zana Mela Baxtiar Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf Mohammad Seddigh Kaboudvand Mohammad Tofiq Rahim Morteza Zarringol Moshe Barazani Muhammed Emin Zeki Bey Mustafa Barzani Mustafa Karasu Mustafa Yamulki Murat Karayilan Nadhim Zahawi Nado Makhmudov Najm ad Din Ayyub Najmadin Shukr Rauf Najmiddin Karim Nalin Pekgul Narmin Othman Nawshirwan Mustafa Nechervan Idris Barzani Nizamettin Tas Nursel Aydogan Nusrat Bhutto Orhan Dogan Orhan Miroglu Osman Baydemir Osman Öcalan Özlem Cekic Pervin Buldan Qazi Muhammad Rassul Mamand Rowsch Shaways Riya Qahtan Roya Toloui Sadegh Sharafkandi Sadet Karabulut Saladin Saleh Yousefi Salih Muslim Muhammad Sedigh Kamangar Selim Sadak Sevahir Bayindir Shahab Sheikh Nuri Sharaf Khan Bidlisi Shaikh Mahmood Barzenji Sheikh Ubeydullah Shibal Ibrahim Shirkuh Simko Shikak Soraya Serajeddini Sulaiman Shah Tamar Fattah Ramadhan Kuchar Taha Muhie eldin Marouf Taha Yassin Ramadan Theophobos Walid Jumblatt Widad Akrawi Yitzhak Mordechai Zübeyir Aydar Film directors and actors edit Bahman Ghobadi Behrouz Gharibpour Dilsa Demirbag Sten Dilshad Meriwani Ghotbeddin Sadeghi Hisham Zaman Huner Saleem Jamil Rostami Jano Rosebiani Kadir Talabani Mahmoud el Meliguy Mano Khalil Nisti Stêrk Shahram Alidi Shero Rauf Yilmaz Güney Yilmaz Erdogan Yüksel Yavuz Zeynel Dogan Hulya Avsar Rojda Demirer Belçim Bilgin Sport edit Aziz Yildirim Ahmad Al Salih Ahmad Karzan Amar Suloev Aram Khalili Avar Raza Aziz Shavershian Bovar Karim Celal Ibrahim Dara Mohammed Deniz Naki Ahmad Meshari Al Adwani Dr Abdul Razzak Al Adwani Thuraya Al Baqsami Abdullah Al Buloushi Jaber Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Abdulaziz Al Anberi Fahad AlSharekh Abdul Rahman Al Sumait Faisal Al Dakhil Fehaid Al Deehani Mohammed al Ghareeb Wael Sulaiman Al Habashi Zaid Al Harb Jassem Al Houwaidi Ibrahim Khraibut Faiza Al Kharafi Jassem Al Kharafi Nasser Al Kharafi Abdullah III Al Salim Al Sabah Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Nasser Al Mohammed Al Ahmed Al Sabah Bader Al Nashi Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Saad Al Abdullah Al Salim Al Sabah Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah Abdallah Saleh Ali Al Ajmi Jamal Mubarak Ibrahim Al Mudhaf Bader Al Mutwa Abu Obeida Tawari al Obeidi Abdullah Abdul Latif Al Othman Abdullah Al Refai Ahmed al Rubei Sabah III Al Salim Al Sabah Salem Al Ali A Sabah Salem Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah Salim Al Mubarak Al Sabah Nawaf Al Mutairi Fahad Al Rashidi Ahmed Al Sadoun Fawzi Al Shammari Anouvong Boua Bounkhong Bouasone Bouphavanh Laasaenthai Bouvanaat General Cheng Fa Khai Fa Ngum Fay Na Huy of Champasak Sisavath Keobounphanh Kham Nai Kham Souk of Champasak Kham Oun I Khamphoui Khamtum Khun Lo Lan Kham Deng Somsavat Lengsavad Manoi Meunsai Nang Keo Phimpha Nark of Champasak No Muong Nokasad Ong Keo Ong Kommandam Chamleunesouk Ao Oudomphonh Boun Oum Oun Kham Mam Manivan Phanivong Phia Sing Phommathat Kaysone Phomvihane Photisarath Souvanna Phouma Nouhak Phoumsavanh Phetsarath Rattanavongsa Ouane Rattikone Ratsadanay Samsenethai Thayavong Savang Vong Savang A edit Augusts Vilis Abakuks – – a leader of the British Latvian community in exile Valerians Abakovskis – – inventor of a propeller powered railcar the aerowagon Rutanya Alda Rutanya Alda Skrastina born – actress Mommy Dearest Deer Hunter Viktors Alksnis born – Soviet military officer and Russian communist politician known as "the Black Colonel" Juris Alunans writer and philologist Ingrida Andrina – actress Iveta Apkalna born – organist Fricis Apšenieks – – chess player Vija Artmane – – actress Aspazija pen name of Elza Pliekšane poet and playwright Gunars Astra – – dissident fighter for human rights Auseklis see Mikelis Krogzems B edit Ainars Bagatskis born – basketball player Helmuts Balderis born – ice hockey player forward Janis Balodis – – army officer and politician Janis Balodis born – Latvian Australian playwright Karlis Balodis – – notable economist financist statistician and demographist Krišjanis Barons – – "the father of Latvian folk songs" who compiled and edited the first publication of Latvian folk song texts "Latvju Dainas" – Mihails Barišnikovs born – ballet dancer Karlis Baumanis – – composer author of the national anthem of the Republic of Latvia "Dievs sveti Latviju " God bless Latvia Vizma Belševica – – author candidate for Nobel Prize in Literature Eduards Berklavs – – politician leader of Latvian national communists Krišjanis Berkis – – general Dairis Bertans born – basketball player Isaiah Berlin Jesaja Berlins – – philosopher Eduards Berzinš – – soldier in the Red Army later Head of Dalstroy the Kolyma forced labour camps in North Eastern Siberia Kaspars Berzinš born – basketball player Karlis Betinš – – chess player Andris Biedrinš born – basketball player Gunars Birkerts born – architect Miervaldis Birze – – writer Ernests Blanks – – Latvian publicist writer historian the first to publicly advocate for Latvia s independence Rudolfs Blaumanis – – writer and playwright Himans Blums – – painter Janis Blums born – basketball player Arons Bogolubovs born – Olympic medalist judoka Baiba Broka born – actress Inguna Butane – fashion model C edit Valters Caps – – designed first Minox x photocameras Aleksandrs Cauna born – footballer Gustavs Celminš – – fascist politician leader of Perkonkrusts movement Vija Celmins born – American painter born in Latvia C edit Maris Caklais – poet Aleksandrs Caks – – poet Janis Cakste – – first Latvian president Tanhum Cohen Mintz Latvian born Israeli basketball player D edit Roberts Dambitis – – general and politician Janis Dalinš – – athlete race walker Emils Darzinš – – composer Kaspars Daugavinš born – ice hockey player Jacob Davis – – inventor of denim Johans Aleksandrs Heinrihs Klapje de Kolongs – – naval engineer Eliass Eliezers Desslers – – Orthodox rabbi Talmudic scholar and Jewish philosopher Leor Dimant born – the DJ for the rap metal group Limp Bizkit Anatols Dinbergs – – diplomat Aleksis Dreimanis born – geologist Inga Drozdova born – model and actress Olgerts Dunkers – – actor and film director E edit Mihails Eizenšteins – – architect Sergejs Eizenšteins – – film director Modris Eksteins born – Canadian historian and writer Andrievs Ezergailis born – historian of the Holocaust F edit Movša Feigins – – chess player Gregors Fitelbergs – – conductor composer and violinist Vesels fon Freitags Loringhofens – – colonel and member of the German resistance against German dictator Adolf Hitler Laila Freivalds born – former Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs G edit Inese Galante born – opera singer soprano Gints Gabrans born – artist Elina Garanca born – opera singer mezzo soprano Karlis Goppers – – general founder of Latvian Boy Scouts Andrejs Grants born – photographer Ernests Gulbis born – tennis player Natalija Gulbis born – Latvian descent LPGA golfer G edit Uldis Germanis – – historian under the alias of Ulafs Jansons a social commentator Aivars Gipslis – – chess player H edit Moriss Halle born – linguist Filips Halsmans – – Latvian American photographer Juris Hartmanis born – computer scientist Turing Award winner Uvis Helmanis – basketball player I edit Arturs Irbe born – ice hockey player goalkeeper Karlis Irbitis – – aviation inventor engineer designer J edit Gatis Jahovics – basketball player Mariss Jansons born – conductor Inese Jaunzeme born – athlete Rashida Jones born Latvian American actress K edit Aivars Kalejs born organist composer Sandra Kalniete born – politician diplomat former Latvia s EU commissioner Bruno Kalninš – – Saeima member Red Army General Imants Kalninš born – composer politician Oskars Kalpaks – – colonel first Commander of Latvian National Armed Forces Kaspars Kambala born – basketball player Martinš Karsums born – ice hockey player Reinis Kaudzite writer and journalist Renars Kaupers – musician Jekabs Ketlers – – Duke of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia Gustavs Klucis – – painter and graphic designer Aleksandrs Koblencs – – chess player Abrams Izaks Kuks – – chief rabbi Jewish thinker statesman diplomat mediator and a renowned scholar Aleksandrs Kovalevskis – – zoologist Gidons Kremers born – violinist and conductor Mikelis Krogzems – – poet author and translator of German poets Juris Kronbergs born – poet writer free lance journalist translator Atis Kronvalds – – teacher and journalist reformed the Latvian language organized the first Latvian Song and Dance Festival Dainis Kula born – athlete Olympic gold medal in javelin Alberts Kviesis – – president of Latvia L edit Aleksandrs Laime – – explorer Vilis Lacis – – author and politician Ginta Lapina born – fashion model Natalija Lašenova – gymnastics Olympic champion team Ed Leedskalnin Edvards Liedskalninš – – builder of Coral Castle in Florida claimed to have discovered the ancient magnetic levitation secrets used to construct the Egyptian pyramids Jekabs Mihaels Reinholds Lencs – – author Marija Leiko – – actress Aleksandrs Liepa – – inventor artist Maris Liepa – – ballet dancer Maksims Lihacovs born – professional football player Peggy Lipton born Latvian American actress Nikolajs Loskis – – philosopher Janis Lusis born – athlete Olympic champion L edit Jevgenija Lisicina born – organist M edit Maris Martinsons born film director producer screenwriter and film editor Hermanis Matisons – – chess player Zenta Maurina – – writer literary scholar culture philosopher Juris Maters – – author lawyer and journalist translated laws to Latvian and created the foundation for Latvian law Janis Medenis poet Arnis Mednis singer Zigfrids Anna Meierovics – – first Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Leo Mihelsons – – artist Arnolds Mikelsons – – artist Jevgenijs Millers – – czarist Russian general Karlis Milenbahs – – linguist N edit Arkadijs Naidics born – chess player now resident in Germany Andris Nelsons born – conductor of The Boston Symphony Orchestra Andrievs Niedra – – pastor writer prime minister of German puppet government Arons Nimcovics – – influential chess player Reinis Nitišs born World Rallycross driver Fred Norris born – Radio personality The Howard Stern Show O edit Stanislavs Olijars born – athlete European champion in m Hurdles Vilhelms Ostvalds – – received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in for his work on catalysis chemical equilibria and reaction velocities Elvira Ozolina born – athlete Olympic gold medal in javelin Sandis Ozolinš born – ice hockey player defense Valdemars Ozolinš – – composer conductor P edit Artis Pabriks born – Minister of Foreign Affairs – Karlis Padegs – – Graphic artist painter Marians Pahars born – soccer player Raimonds Pauls born – popular composer widely known in Russia Lucija Peka – – Artist of the Latvian Diaspora Jekabs Peterss – – revolutionary and Soviet Cheka leader Brita Petersone – American model Kaspars Petrovs born – serial killer Vladimirs Petrovs – – chess player Oskars Perro – Latvian soldier and writer Andris Piebalgs born – politician diplomat European Commissioner for Energy Janis Pliekšans – – distinguished Latvian writer author of a number of poetry collections Juris Podnieks – – film director producer Nikolajs Polakovs – – Coco the Clown Janis Poruks writer Rosa von Praunheim born – film director author painter and gay rights activist Sandis Prusis born – athlete bobsleigh Uldis Pucitis actor director Janis Pujats born – Roman Catholic cardinal Andrejs Pumpurs – – poet author of Latvian national epic Lacplesis R edit Rainis pseudonym of Janis Pliekšans poet and playwright Dans Rapoports American financier and philanthropist Lauris Reiniks – singer songwriter actor and TV personality Einars Repše born – politician Lolita Ritmanis born – orchestrator composer Ilja Ripss born inventor of the Bible Code Fricis Rokpelnis – – author Marks Rotko – – abstract expressionist painter Elza Rozenberga – – poet playwright married to Janis Pliekšans Juris Rubenis born – famous Lutheran pastor Martinš Rubenis born – athlete bronze medalist at the Winter Olympics in Turin Brunis Rubess born – businessman Inta Ruka born – photographer Tana Rusova born – pornographic actress S edit Rudolfs Saule born ballet master performer with the Latvian National Ballet Uljana Semjonova born – basketball player Haralds Silovs – short track and long track speed skater Karlis Skalbe – – poet Karlis Skrastinš – – ice hockey player Baiba Skride born – violinist Konstantins Sokolskis – – romance and tango singer Ksenia Solo born Latvian Canadian actress Serge Sorokko born art dealer and publisher Raimonds Staprans born – Latvian American painter Janis Šteinhauers – – Latvian industrialist entrepreneur and civil rights activist Gotthard Friedrich Stender – the first Latvian grammarian Lina Šterna – – biologist and social activist Roze Stiebra born animator Henrijs Stolovs – – stamp dealer Janis Streics born – film director screenwriter actor Janis Strelnieks born – basketball player Peteris Stucka – – author translator editor jurist and educator Janis Sudrabkalns poet and journalist Jevgenijs Svešnikovs born – prominent chess player Stanislavs Svjanevics – – economist and historian Š edit Viktors Šcerbatihs born – athlete weightlifter Pauls Šimanis – – Baltic German journalist politician activist defending and preserving European minority cultures Vestards Šimkus born – pianist Aleksejs Širovs born – chess player Andris Škele born – politician Prime Minister of Latvia Armands Škele – basketball player Ksenia Solo born – actress Ernests Štalbergs – – architect ensemble of the Freedom Monument Izaks Nahmans Šteinbergs – – politician lawyer and author Maris Štrombergs – BMX cyclist gold medal winner at and Olympics T edit Esther Takeuchi born – materials scientist and chemical engineer Mihails Tals – – the th World Chess Champion Janis Roberts Tilbergs – – painter sculptor U edit Guntis Ulmanis born – president of Latvia Karlis Ulmanis – – prime minister and president of Latvia


abby-lane abby-rode abigail-clayton ada-tauler addie-juniper addison-cain adele-wiesenthal adeline-lange adeline-pollicina adriana-amante adrianna-laurenti adrianna-russo agnes agnes-ardant agnes-zalontai aimee-addison aisha-sun aja aleena-ferari alessandra-schiavo aletta-ocean alexandra-nice alexandria-cass alexa-parks alex-dane alex-foxe alexia-knight alexis-devell alexis-firestone alexis-greco alexis-payne alexis-x alex-storm alex-white aliana-love alice-springs alicia-alighatti alicia-monet alicia-rio alicyn-sterling alighiera-olena ali-moore aline-santos alissa-ashley allysin-chaynes alysin-embers alyssa-love alyssa-reece amanda-addams amanda-blake amanda-blue amanda-jane-adams amanda-rae amanda-stone amanda-tyler amber-hunt amberlina-lynn amber-lynn amber-michaels amber-peach amber-wild amber-woods ambrosia-fox amia-miley ami-rodgers amy-allison amy-brooke amy-rose amy-starz anastasia-christ anastasia-sands andrea-adams andrea-brittian andrea-lange andrea-true andy angel angela-baron angela-summers angel-barrett angel-cash angel-cruz angel-cummings angel-ducharme angelica-sin angelika-reschner angelina-brasini angelina-korrs angelina-valentine angel-kelly angel-long angel-west angie-knight anita-andic anita-blond anita-cannibal anita-dark anna-belle anna-malle anna-nikova anna-pierce anna-ventura anna-veruska anne-bie-warburg anne-libert anne-magle anne-sand annette-haven annie-sprinkle ann-kiray ann-marie-michelle antonia-dorian april-flowers april-may april-west arcadia-lake ariana-bali ariana-jollee arlana-blue ashley-anne ashley-brooks ashley-coda ashley-fires ashley-lauren ashley-long ashley-marie ashley-nicole ashley-perk ashley-renee ashley-robbins ashley-welles ashley-wells ashley-winger ashlyn-gere astrid-bone athena-star aubrey-nichols aurora aurora-snow autumn-bliss autumn-rayne ava-devine ava-lauren avalon ava-marteens avy-lee-roth bailey-monroe bambi-allen barbara-bourbon barbara-boutet barbara-dare barbara-doll barbara-moose barbarella barbie-angel barbie-doll barett-moore bea-fiedler beata beatrice-poggi beatrice-valle becky-savage becky-sunshine belinda-butterfield bella-donna bethany-sweet beverly-bliss beverly-glen biggi-stenzhorn bionca black-widow blond-cat blondi blue-angel bobbi-bliss bobbi-dean bobbie-burns bonnie-holiday brandee brandi-edwards brandy-alexandre brandy-dean brandy-lee brandy-smile brandy-wine bree-anthony breezy-lane brenda-basse briana-blair bridgette-belle bridgette-monet bridgette-monroe bridget-waters brigitte-lahaie brigitte-monnin brigitte-verbecq brittany brittany-stryker britt-corvin britt-morgan bronze brooke-bennett brooke-fields brooke-haven brooke-west brook-van-buuren buffy-davis bunnie-blake bunny-bleu bunny-hatton busty-belle cali-caramel calisyn-heart cameo cameron-love camila-sampaio camilla-rhodes camille-morgan camrie-foxxx candace-daley candi candida-royalle candie-evens candi-summers candy-apples candy-barr candy-hill candy-samples candy-stanton cara-lott caressa-savage carmel-nougat carmen-blonde carmen-de-la-torre carmen-moore carmen-rose carol-connors carol-cross carol-cummings carole-dubois carole-gire carole-pierac carol-titian carolyn-connoly carolyn-monroe carrie-cruise cassandra-leigh cassidy cassie-courtland cataline-bullock catherine-count catherine-crystal catherine-ringer catherine-tailleferre cathy-delorme cathy-menard cathy-stewart celeste-fox celine-gallone chanel-preston chanel-price chantal-virapin chanta-rose chantelle-stevens charisma charisma-cole charlie-latour charlie-waters charlotte-de-castille charmane-star chasey-lain chayse-manhattan chaz-vincent chelsea-sinclaire chennin-blanc cheri-janvier cheri-taylor cherry-hill chessie-moore cheyenne-hunter cheyenne-silver china-lee china-leigh china-moon chloe-cruize chloe-dior chloe-kez chloe-stevens chris-collins chris-jordan chris-petersen chrissie-beauchamp christa-abel christa-ludwig christie-ford christi-lake christina-berg christina-blond christina-evol christina-skye christine-black christine-chavert christine-neona christine-rigoler christy-canyon cicciolina cindi-stephens cindy-carver cindy-crawford cindy-more cindy-shepard cindy-wong cinthya-marinho clair-dia claire-robbins claude-janna claudia-jackson claudia-jamsson claudia-mehringer claudia-nero claudia-van-statt claudia-zante claudine-beccarie clea-carson cleo-nichole cleo-patra cody-lane cody-love cody-nicole coffee-brown colleen-brennan connie-bennett connie-peterson constance-money copper-penny coreena corey-everson corinne-lemoine corneliah cory-everson cory-wolf courtney courtney-cummz courtney-james cris-cassidy crissy-moran cris-taliana crystal-breeze crystal-dawn crystal-holland crystal-knight crystal-lake crystal-lovin crystal-sync csilla-kalnay cuban-bee cynara-fox cyndee-summers cynthia-black cynthia-brooks cynthia-hammers cynthia-lavigne dagmar-lost daisy-layne dallas-miko dana-dylan dana-lynn danica-rhea daniela-nanou daniela-schiffer daniele-troeger daniella daniella-schiffer danielle danielle-foxxx danielle-rodgers danny-ricci danyel-cheeks daphne daphne-rosen darby-lloyd-rains darla-crane darla-delovely davia-ardell dayton-rain debbie-northrup debbie-revenge debbie-van-gils debi-diamond debi-jointed debra-lynn deidra-hopkins deidre-holland delania-raffino delia-moore delphine-thail delta-force delta-white demi-moor denice-klarskov denise-derringer denise-dior denise-sloan desiree-cousteau desiree-foxx desiree-lane desiree-west deva-station devin-devasquez devinn-lane devon-shire dia diana-holt diana-kisabonyi diana-siefert diana-stevenson diane-dubois diane-richards diane-sloan diane-suresne dido-angel dillan-lauren dina-deville dina-jewel dina-pearl ditty-blue diva divinity-love djiana dolly-darkley dominique dominique-dewitt dominique-saint-claire donna-hart donna-marie dorle-buchner dorothy-lemay dorothy-onan drea drimla dru-berrymore dusty-rose dyanna-lauren ebony-ayes edina-blond edita-ungerova edwige-faillel eileen-wells elaine-southern elena-berkova elena-maria-ricci eleonore-melzer elisabeth-bure elis-black elise elise-di-medici elle-devyne elle-rio elodie-delage elsa-maroussia elza-brown emili-doll emily-evermoore emily-george emily-jewel emmanuelle-pareze envy-mi erica-boyer erica-eaton erica-havens erica-idol erica-lauren erika-bella erika-cool erika-heaven erika-lockett esme-monroe eva-allen eva-angel eva-dionisio eva-gross eva-kleber eva-lux eva-uettori eve-laurence evelyne-lang evie-delatosso fabiana-venturi faith-stevens fallon fanny-garreau fanny-steel faye-runaway flame flick-shagwell flore-soller flower france-lomay france-quenie francoise frankie-leigh gabriella gabriella-mirelba gabriella-vincze gail-force gail-palmer gail-sterling georgette-saunders georgia-peach georgina-spelvin gia-givanna gianna-lynn gili-sky gina-carrera gina-gianetti gina-janssen gina-lee gina-martell gina-valentino ginger-jay ginger-lee ginger-lynn ginny-noack giovanna gisela-schwarz giselle-monet gladys-laroche gloria-leonard 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kapri-styles kara-nox karen-summer kari-foxx karine-gambier karin-schubert karli-sweet karmen-kennedy karol-castro kascha kassi-nova kat kate-frost kate-jones kathia-nobili kathleen-gentry kathleen-white kathy-divan kathy-harcourt kathy-heart kathy-kash katie-cummings katja-love kat-langer katrina-isis katrina-kraven katy-borman katy-caro kaycee-dean kayla-kupcakes kay-parker k-c-valentine keama-kim keira-moon keisha keli-richards kelli-tyler kelly-adams kelly-blue kelly-broox kelly-hearn kelly-kay kelly-kline kelly-nichols kelly-royce kelly-skyline kendra-kay kenzi-marie keri-windsor ketthy-divan kianna-dior kiley-heart kim-alexis kimber-blake kimberly-carson kimberly-kane kimberly-kyle kim-de-place kim-holland kimi-gee kimkim-de kim-kitaine kimmie-lee kimmy-nipples kina-kara kira-eggers kira-red kirsty-waay kitty-langdon kitty-lynxxx kitty-marie kitty-shayne kitty-yung kora-cummings kris-lara krista-lane krista-maze kristara-barrington kristarah-knight kristi-klenot kristina-blonde kristina-king kristina-klevits kristina-soderszk kristine-heller kristin-steen krisztina-ventura krystal-de-boor krystal-steal kylee-karr kylee-nash kylie-brooks kylie-channel kylie-haze kylie-wylde kym-wilde kyoto-sun lachelle-marie lacy-rose lady-amanda-wyldefyre lady-stephanie laetitia-bisset lana-burner lana-cox lana-wood lara-amour lara-roxx lara-stevens lataya-roxx latoya laura-clair laura-lazare laura-lion laura-may laura-orsolya laura-paouck laura-zanzibar lauren-black laurence-boutin lauren-montgomery laurien-dominique laurien-wilde laurie-smith lauryl-canyon lauryn-may leah-wilde lea-magic lea-martini leanna-foxxx lee-caroll leigh-livingston leilani lenora-bruce leslie-winston lesllie-bovee letizia-bruni lexi-lane lexi-matthews lezley-zen lia-fire liliane-gray liliane-lemieuvre lili-marlene lily-gilder lily-labeau lily-rodgers lily-valentine linda-shaw linda-vale linda-wong linnea-quigley lisa-bright lisa-de-leeuw lisa-k-loring lisa-lake lisa-melendez lisa-sue-corey lise-pinson little-oral-annie liza-dwyer liza-harper lizzy-borden logan-labrent lois-ayres lola-cait long-jean-silver loni-bunny loni-sanders loona-luxx lorelei-lee lorelei-rand lorena-sanchez lori-alexia lori-blue lorrie-lovett luci-diamond lucie-doll lucie-theodorova lucy-van-dam lydia-baum lynn-franciss lynn-lemay lynn-ray lynn-stevens lynx-canon lysa-thatcher madelina-ray madison-parker magdalena-lynn maggie-randall mai-lin mandi-wine mandy-bright mandy-malone mandy-may mandy-mistery mandy-starr marcia-minor maren margit-ojetz margitta-hofer margo-stevens margot-mahler mariah-cherry marianne-aubert maria-tortuga marie-anne marie-christine-chireix marie-christine-veroda marie-claude-moreau marie-dominique-cabannes marie-france-morel marie-luise-lusewitz marie-sharp marilyn-chambers marilyne-leroy marilyn-gee marilyn-jess marilyn-martyn marilyn-star marina-hedman marion-webb marita-ekberg marita-kemper marlena marlene-willoughby marry-queen martine-grimaud martine-schultz maryanne-fisher mary-hubay mary-ramunno mary-stuart mascha-mouton maud-kennedy mauvais-denoir maxine-tyler maya-black maya-france megan-leigh megan-martinez megan-reece mei-ling melanie-hotlips melanie-scott melba-cruz melinda-russell melissa-bonsardo melissa-del-prado melissa-golden melissa-martinez melissa-melendez melissa-monet mercedes-dragon mercedes-lynn merle-michaels mesha-lynn mia-beck mia-lina mia-smiles michele-raven michelle-aston michelle-ferrari michelle-greco michelle-maren michelle-maylene michelle-monroe micki-lynn mika-barthel mika-tan mikki-taylor mimi-morgan mindy-rae ming-toy miranda-stevens miss-bunny miss-meadow miss-pomodoro missy missy-graham missy-stone missy-vega misti-jane mistress-candice misty-anderson misty-dawn misty-rain misty-regan mona-lisa mona-page moni monica-baal monica-swinn monika-peta monika-sandmayr monika-unco monique-bruno monique-cardin monique-charell monique-demoan monique-gabrielle monique-la-belle morgan-fairlane morrigan-hel moxxie-maddron mulani-rivera mysti-may nadege-arnaud nadia-styles nadine-bronx nadine-proutnal nadine-roussial nadi-phuket nanci-suiter nancy-hoffman nancy-vee natacha-delyro natalia-wood natalli-diangelo natascha-throat natasha-skyler naudia-nyce nessa-devil nessy-grant nesty nicki-hunter nicky-reed nicole-berg nicole-bernard nicole-black nicole-grey nicole-london nicole-parks nicole-scott nicole-taylor nicolette-fauludi nicole-west nika-blond nika-mamic niki-cole nikita-love nikita-rush nikki-charm nikki-grand nikki-king nikki-knight nikki-randall nikki-rhodes nikki-santana nikki-steele nikki-wilde niko nina-cherry nina-deponca nina-hartley nina-preta oana-efria obaya-roberts olesja-derevko olga-cabaeva olga-conti olga-pechova olga-petrova olivia-alize olivia-del-rio olivia-flores olivia-la-roche olivia-outre ophelia-tozzi orchidea-keresztes orsolya-blonde paige-turner paisley-hunter pamela-bocchi pamela-jennings pamela-mann pamela-stanford pamela-stealt pandora paola-albini 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NPR was incorporated in February 1970 under the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967; its television counterpart, PBS, was also created by the same legislation. (NPR and PBS are operated separately from each other.) As of September 30, 2014, there are 15,433 licensed full-power radio stations in the US according to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).[607] Well-known newspapers are The New York Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. Although the cost of publishing has increased over the years, the price of newspapers has generally remained low, forcing newspapers to rely more on advertising revenue and on articles provided by a major wire service, such as the Associated Press or Reuters, for their national and world coverage. With very few exceptions, all the newspapers in the U.S. are privately owned, either by large chains such as Gannett or McClatchy, which own dozens or even hundreds of newspapers; by small chains that own a handful of papers; or in a situation that is increasingly rare, by individuals or families. Major cities often have "alternative weeklies" to complement the mainstream daily papers, for example, New York City's The Village Voice or Los Angeles' LA Weekly, to name two of the best-known. Major cities may also support a local business journal, trade papers relating to local industries, and papers for local ethnic and social groups. Early versions of the American newspaper comic strip and the American comic book began appearing in the 19th century. In 1938, Superman, the comic book superhero of DC Comics, developed into an American icon.[608] Aside from web portals and search engines, the most popular websites are Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, Amazon, eBay, and Twitter.[609] In Spanish, the second most widely spoken mother tongue behind English, more than 800 publications are published.[610][611] See also Portal icon United States portal Portal icon North America portal Book icon Book: United States Index of United States-related articles Outline of the United States List of states and territories of the United States List of metropolitan areas of the United States List of United States cities by population List of wars involving the United States 1960 2,148 18.3% 1970 2,505 16.6% 1980 2,785 11.2% 1990 4,151 49.0% 2000 7,093 70.9% 2010 10,224 44.1% Est. 2014 10,748 [6] 5.1% U.S. Decennial Census[7] 2010[edit] The 2010 United States Census[8] reported that Newman had a population of 10,224. The population density was 4,864.2 people per square mile (1,878.1/km²). The racial makeup of Newman was 6,812 (66.6%) White, 234 (2.3%) African American, 106 (1.0%) Native American, 191 (1.9%) Asian, 40 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 2,287 (22.4%) from other races, and 554 (5.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,299 persons (61.6%). The Census reported that 10,158 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 66 (0.6%) were institutionalized. There were 3,006 households, out of which 1,581 (52.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,818 (60.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 400 (13.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 214 (7.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 232 (7.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 16 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 466 households (15.5%) were made up of individuals and 174 (5.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.38. There were 2,432 families (80.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.75. The population was spread out with 3,317 people (32.4%) under the age of 18, 1,015 people (9.9%) aged 18 to 24, 2,773 people (27.1%) aged 25 to 44, 2,250 people (22.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 869 people (8.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.7 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males. There were 3,357 housing units at an average density of 1,597.2 per square mile (616.7/km²), of which 2,002 (66.6%) were owner-occupied, and 1,004 (33.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.9%. 6,685 people (65.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,473 people (34.0%) lived in rental housing units. 2000[edit] As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 7,093 people, 2,079 households, and 1,700 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,173.4 people per square mile (1,999.0/km²). There were 2,176 housing units at an average density of 1,587.1 per square mile (613.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 60.76% White, 1.25% African American, 1.33% Native American, 1.85% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 28.92% from other races, and 5.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.43% of the population. There were 2,079 households out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 14.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.38 and the average family size was 3.74. In the city the population was spread out with 35.3% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $39,460, and the median income for a family was $42,523. Males had a median income of $36,352 versus $25,230 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,781. About 10.0% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.7% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over. Government[edit] In the California State Legislature, Newman is in the 12th Senate District, represented by Republican Anthony Cannella, and the 21st Assembly District, represented by Democrat Adam Gray.[10] In the United States House of Representatives, Newman is in California's 10th congressional district, represented by Republican Jeff Denham.[11] 110 Kerman UC 13,487 111 Earlimart UC 13,211 112 Fortuna UC 13,084 - Incline Village, NV-CA UC 13,022 113 Blythe, CA-AZ UC 12,967 114 Twentynine Palms UC 12,895 115 McFarland UC 12,826 116 Coalinga UC 12,702 117 Truckee UC 12,139 IKEA (/a?'ki??/; Swedish: [?'ke?'a][3]) is a multinational group of companies that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture (such as beds, chairs and desks), appliances, small motor vehicles and home accessories. As of January 2008, it is the world's largest furniture retailer.[4] Founded in Sweden in 1943 by then-17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad, who was listed as one of the world's richest people in 2013,[5] the company's name is an acronym that consists of the initials of Ingvar Kamprad, Elmtaryd (the farm where he grew up), and Agunnaryd (his hometown in Småland, south Sweden).[6] The company is known for its modern architectural designs for various types of appliances and furniture, and its interior design work is often associated with an eco-friendly simplicity.[7] In addition, the firm is known for its attention to cost control, operational details, and continuous product development, corporate attributes that allowed IKEA to lower its prices by an average of two to three percent over the decade to 2010 during a period of global expansion. The IKEA group has a complex corporate structure and is controlled by several foundations based in the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein.[8] As of August 2015, IKEA owns and operates 373 stores in 47 countries.[9] In fiscal year 2010, US$23.1 billion worth of goods were sold, a total that represented a 7.7 percent increase over 2009.[10] The IKEA website contains about 12,000 products and is the closest representation of the entire IKEA range. There were over 470 million visitors to IKEA's websites in the year from September 2007 to September 2008.[11] The company is responsible for approximately 1% of world commercial-product wood consumption, making it one of the largest users of wood in the retail sector.[12] Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Store design 2.1 Layout 2.2 Food markets 2.3 Småland 3 Products and services 3.1 Furniture 3.2 Houses and flats 3.2.1 Solar PV systems 3.3 Retail 3.4 Family Mobile 3.5 Manufacturing 3.6 Product names 3.7 Catalogue 3.8 IKEA Family loyalty card 4 Corporate structure 4.1 Profits 4.2 Control by Kamprad 4.3 Charitable giving 4.4 Minimum Wage 5 IKEA Social Initiative 6 Environmental performance 7 Negative media attention 8 Criticisms 8.1 Accusations of price gouging 8.2 Biased branding and advertising accusations 8.3 Errors and recalls 8.4 Labor issues 8.5 Operation Scandinavica 8.6 Use of forced labor, 1980s 8.7 Verdana typeface 9 Advertising 10 Other ventures 11 Awards 12 Countries with IKEA presence 13 References 14 External links History[edit] Main article: List of countries with IKEA stores Map of IKEA stores around the world Legend: Current market locations Future market locations No current or planned market locations The first IKEA store, located in Älmhult in Sweden, not far from where the founder was born. The world's largest IKEA store located near the KTX Gwangmyeong Station in Seoul Capital Area, South Korea. The world's second largest IKEA store, situated at Kungens Kurva in Huddinge Municipality, Sweden. This IKEA store was opened in 1965. IKEA store in Shenzhen, China. IKEA store in Frisco, Texas, United States. IKEA store at Port Island in Kobe, Japan, one of the very few IKEA stores with direct mass transit access. Entrance to an IKEA store at the 4th floor of MegaBox in Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong. An IKEA 4.5 Museum display at the outer precinct of the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan. Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA in 1943 as a mostly mail-order sales business. It began to sell furniture five years later.[10] The first Möbel-IKÉA store was opened in Älmhult, Småland, in 1958, while the first stores outside Sweden were opened in Norway (1963) and Denmark (1969). The stores spread to other parts of Europe in the 1970s, with the first store outside Scandinavia opening in Switzerland (1973), followed by West Germany (1974). Amid a high level of success, the company's West German executives accidentally opened a store in Konstanz in 1973 instead of Koblenz.[10] Later that decade, stores opened in other parts of the world, such as Japan (1974), Australia and Hong Kong (1975), Canada (1976), and Singapore (1978).[citation needed] IKEA further expanded in the 1980s, opening stores in countries such as France and Spain (1981), Canada (1982), Belgium (1984), the United States (1985), the United Kingdom (1987), Italy (1989) and Poland (1991).[citation needed] The company then expanded into more countries in the 1990s and 2000s. Germany, with 50 stores, is IKEA's biggest market, followed by the United States, with 42 stores. At the end of the 2009 financial year, the IKEA group operated 267 stores in 25 countries.[13] The first IKEA store in Latin America opened on 17 February 2010 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.[14][15] As of July 2013, the company's presence in developing countries remains minimal. The world's five largest IKEA stores are: Gwangmyeong, Seoul Capital Area, South Korea: 59,000 m2 (640,000 sq ft) Stockholm Kungens Kurva, Sweden: 55,200 m2 (594,000 sq ft) Shanghai Baoshan, China: 55,032 m2 (592,360 sq ft) Shanghai Pudong Beicai, China: 49,400 m2 (532,000 sq ft) Wuxi, China: 49,117 m2 (528,690 sq ft) The largest store in the Southern Hemisphere is located in Tempe, Sydney, Australia with a total area of 39,000 m2 (420,000 sq ft).[16] The biggest store in North America is located in Montreal, in the province of Quebec, Canada. The store was opened in 1986 in the Ville-St-Laurent area, and was completely renovated and expanded in 2012-2013. Built in 1986, the store's initial area was 22,062 m2 (237,470 sq ft), while the renovated store now measures 43,636 m2 (469,690 sq ft). In 2014, IKEA opened its first warehouse in Croatia, near Zagreb.[17] Due to problems with building permissions, the construction was postponed to 28 August 2013.[18] Eventually, the warehouse opened its doors on 21 August 2014.[19] The shopping centre in Zagreb with a total area of 38,000 m2 is one of the 5 biggest in Europe and among the 10 biggest IKEA stores in the world.[20][21][22][23] In 2013, IKEA opened its first shopping centre in Vilnius, Lithuania that is the biggest furniture-selling mall in the Baltic states.[24] In March 2013, IKEA opened its first outlet in Qatar, after a delay of several months.[25][26] Like others in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Doha outlet is operated by the Al-Futtaim Group.[27] In August 2013, the first store in the Baltic States was opened in the Vilnius region of Lithuania. Construction of the 26,500 sq ft (2,500 m2) store commenced in 2011 and the store employs over 200 people.[28] In July 2014 IKEA announced it would open its first store in India in the city of Hyderabad, where the local government has committed to fast track all the required paperwork and permits, as it is seeking to attract foreign investment. The new IKEA is expected to open in 2015.[29] In December 2014, the world's largest IKEA store at 59,000 square meters (640,000 square feet),[30] bigger than the previously largest store in Sweden, opened near the KTX Gwangmyeong Station, located at the heart of South Korea's Seoul Capital Area. A second store will open in Goyang, with a third one planned in Gangdong District, Seoul.[31] IKEA plans to have 5 stores in the country by 2020.[32] Store design[edit] IKEA Restaurant The Ikea Marketplace The Warehouse Layout[edit] Older IKEA stores are usually blue buildings with yellow accents (also Sweden's national colours) and few windows. They are often designed in a one-way layout, leading customers counter clockwise along what IKEA calls "the long natural way" designed to encourage the customer to see the store in its entirety (as opposed to a traditional retail store, which allows a customer to go directly to the section where the desired goods and services are displayed). There are often shortcuts to other parts of the showroom. Newer IKEA stores, like the one in Mönchengladbach, Germany, make more use of glass, both for aesthetics and functionality. Skylights are also now common in the self-serve warehouses; natural lighting reduces energy costs, improves worker morale and gives a better impression of the products. The sequence first involves going through furniture showrooms making note of selected items. The customer then collects a shopping cart and proceeds to an open-shelf "Market Hall" warehouse for smaller items, then visits the "Self Serve" furniture warehouse to collect previously noted showroom products in flat pack form. Sometimes, they are directed to collect products from an external warehouse on the same site or at a site nearby after purchase. Finally, customers pay for their products at a cash register. Today, most stores follow the same layout of having the showroom upstairs with the marketplace and self-service warehouse downstairs. Some stores are single level, while others have separate warehouses to allow more stock to be kept on-site. Single-level stores are found predominantly in areas where the cost of land would be less than the cost of building a 2-level store, such as the Saarlouis, Germany and Haparanda, Sweden locations. Some stores have dual-level warehouses with machine-controlled silos to allow large quantities of stock to be accessed throughout the selling day. Most IKEA stores offer an "as-is" area at the end of the warehouse, just before the cash registers. Returned, damaged and formerly showcased products are displayed here and sold with a significant discount, but also with a no-returns policy. Most IKEA stores communicate the IKEA policy on environmental issues in this part of the store. The area, which is painted red, is named according to local customs, in the United Kingdom this is referred to as "Bargain Corner", in Sweden "FYND" (Bargains) and in Denmark, "Rodebutikken" (Rummage boutique). In Hong Kong, where shop space is limited and costly, IKEA has opened three outlets across the city, most of which have the one-way layout. They are part of shopping malls, and while being tiny compared to common store design, are huge by Hong Kong standards. The vast majority of IKEA stores are located outside of city centres, primarily because of land cost and traffic access. Several smaller store formats have been unsuccessfully tested in the past (the "midi" concept in the early '90s, which was tested in Ottawa and Heerlen with 9,300 m2 (100,000 sq ft), or a "boutique" shop in Manhattan). A new format for a full-size, city centre store was introduced with the opening of the Manchester (United Kingdom) store, situated in Ashton-Under-Lyne in 2006. Another store, in Coventry opened in December 2007. The store has seven floors and a different flow from other Ikea stores. IKEA's Southampton store which opened in February 2009 is also in the city centre and built in an urban style similar to the Coventry store. IKEA built these stores in response to UK government restrictions blocking retail establishment outside city centres.[33] Another feature of IKEA stores is their long opening hours. Many stores are in operation 24 hours a day with restocking and maintenance being carried out throughout the night. Public opening hours tend to be much longer than most other retailers, with stores open well into the evening in many countries. In the UK, almost all stores are open past 8pm and open around 9am to 10am. IKEA Saudi Arabia stores have some of the longest opening hours worldwide being open from 10am to midnight, 7 days a week. Some IKEA stores are not open on Sundays due to local laws.[34] The IKEA stores are also known for the free IKEA pencils, whereby some people consider it as a sport to collect as many of these IKEA pencils as they can during their visit. Food markets[edit] Every store includes a restaurant serving traditional Swedish food, including potatoes with Swedish meatballs, cream sauce and lingonberry jam, although there are variations. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the usual boiled potatoes have been replaced with French fries. Besides these Swedish foods, hot dogs and drinks are also sold, along with a few varieties of the local cuisine, and beverages such as lingonberry juice. Also items such as prinsesstårta (princess cake) are sold as desserts. Stores in Israel sell kosher food with a high degree of rabbinical supervision.[35] The kosher restaurants are separated into dairy and meat areas; falafel and non-dairy ice cream are available at the exit. IKEA stores in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates serve chicken shawarma at the exit café as well as beef hot dogs, while in United Kingdom, a Quorn hot dog is available in the exit café.[36] In many locations, the IKEA restaurants open daily before the rest of the store and serve an inexpensive breakfast. In Canada, this breakfast includes eggs, sausage and hash browns and various add-ons like bacon and pancakes at additional cost. In the United States, the local variation serves scrambled eggs, bacon, country potatoes and a choice of Swedish pancakes or French toast sticks. In the Netherlands, it consists of a croissant, a small bread roll, butter or margarine, jam, a slice of cheese, a boiled egg and coffee or tea. In Australia, it consists of a hash brown, bacon, scrambled eggs, a sausage and a tomato, with a vegetarian option with baked beans which omits the sausage and bacon.[37][38][39] In Germany, this breakfast consists of two bread rolls, one slice of smoked salmon, one slice of cheese, one slice of salami, two portions of butter, one portion of jam, and coffee. Alcoholic drinks, like their Öl Ljus beer, are available in some locations. Refills of coffee, tea, and soft drinks are, as is traditional in Sweden, free of charge within store premises, even in countries where this is uncommon. In Austria, IKEA restaurants offer a free refill policy for soft drinks, a practice that is otherwise unknown in the country. Every store also has a Swedish Food Market that, until 2011, sold branded Swedish prepared specialist foods, such as meatballs, packages of gravy, lingonberry jam, various biscuits and crackers, and salmon and fish roe spread. Later IKEA replaced most of the branded foods and extended its product range with the introduction of the IKEA food label. The new label has a variety of items including chocolates, meatballs, jams, pancakes, salmon, along with various drinks. All IKEA food products are based on Swedish recipes and traditions. The majority of the food production still takes place in Sweden by small, medium and large manufacturers, like Gunnar Dafgård AB, which make its meatballs. Småland[edit] Every store has a play area, named Småland (Swedish for small lands; it is also the Swedish province where Kamprad was born). Parents drop off their children at a gate to the playground, and pick them up after they arrive at another entrance. In some stores, parents are given free pagers by the on-site staff, which the staff can use to summon parents whose children need them earlier than expected; in others, staff summon parents through announcements over the in-store public address system. Products and services[edit] Furniture[edit] Rather than being sold pre-assembled, much of IKEA's furniture is designed to be self-assembled. The company claims that this helps reduce costs and use of packaging by not shipping air; the volume of a bookcase, for example, is considerably less if it is shipped unassembled rather than assembled. This is also practical for many of the chain's European customers, where public transport is commonly used, because the flat-pack methods allow for easier transport via public transportation. IKEA contends that it has been a pioneering force in sustainable approaches to mass consumer culture.[citation needed]. Kamprad calls this "democratic design," meaning that the company applies an integrated approach to manufacturing and design (see also environmental design). In response to the explosion of human population and material expectations in the 20th and 21st centuries, the company implements economies of scale, capturing material streams and creating manufacturing processes that hold costs and resource use down, such as the extensive use of Medium-Density Fiberboard ("MDF"), also called "particle board." It is an engineered wood fibre glued under heat and pressure to create a building material of superior strength which is resistant to warp. IKEA uses cabinet-grade and furniture-grade MDF in all of its MDF products, such as PAX wardrobes and kitchen cupboards. IKEA also uses wood, plastic, and other materials for furniture and other products. The intended result is flexible, adaptable home furnishings, scalable both to smaller homes and dwellings as well as large houses. Not all furniture is stocked at the store level, such as particular sofa colours needing to be shipped from a warehouse to the customer's home (for a delivery charge). The item can also be shipped from the warehouse to the store. Some stores charge an extra fee for this service, but not all.[clarification needed] Houses and flats[edit] IKEA has also expanded its product base to include flat-pack houses, in an effort to cut prices involved in a first-time buyer's home. (This practice is not new; the American retailer Sears Roebuck and Company sold houses under the Craftsman brand in a similar fashion (shipped flat pack with instructions to allow the homeowner to assemble it themselves) by mail order as far back as the 1920s; the products were so well constructed that as of 2014 there are original 1920s Craftsman houses still in use), The IKEA product, named BoKlok was launched in Sweden in 1996 in a joint venture with Skanska. Now working in the Nordic countries and in the UK, sites confirmed in England include London, Ashton-under-Lyne, Leeds, Gateshead, Warrington and Liverpool.[40] Solar PV systems[edit] At the end of September 2013, the company announced that solar panel packages, so-called "residential kits", for houses will be sold at 17 UK stores by mid-2014. The decision followed a successful pilot project at the Lakeside IKEA store, whereby one photovoltaic system was sold almost every day. The solar CIGS panels are manufactured by Solibro GmbH a German-based subsidiary of the Chinese company Hanergy.[41][42] By the end of 2014, IKEA began to sell Solibro's solar residential kits in the Netherlands and in Switzerland.[43] Retail[edit] IKEA owns and operates a network of shopping centers MEGA. Football players Mario Frick born not to be confused with the politician Peter Jehle born Arts edit Josef Rheinberger composer Other edit Wolfgang Haas born Archbishop of Vaduz former Bishop of Chur Peter Kaiser October February Historian statesman John Latenser Sr Architect Waled Mhadeb Rabe Al Msellati Jehad Muntasser Arafa Nakuaa Walid Ali Osman Ali Rahuma Marei Al Ramly Arts edit Architecture and sculpture edit Laurynas Gucevicius considered to be the first professional Lithuanian architectMain article List of Lithuanian architects Robertas Antinis Jr – sculptor and artist Gediminas Baravykas – one of the best known Soviet architects Vytautas Bredikis – lt Vytautas Bredikis planner of Antakalnis and Lazdynai microdistricts in Vilnius Algimantas Bublys lt Algimantas Bublys well known for his modern architecture both in Lithuania and the U S Vincas Grybas – one of the influential early monumental sculptors Laurynas Gucevicius – architect of Vilnius Cathedral Juozas Kalinauskas professional sculptor and medalist Gintaras Karosas – sculptor founder of Europos Parkas Vytautas Landsbergis Žemkalnis – lt Vytautas Landsbergis Žemkalnis one of the famous architects in the interwar Lithuania Juozas Mikenas – lt Juozas Mikenas sculptor Algimantas Nasvytis – architect Minister of Construction and Urbanism Kestutis Pempe – lt Kestutis Pempe architect chairman of the Architects Association of Lithuania Bronius Pundzius – lt Bronius Pundzius sculptor citation needed Petras Rimša – one of the first professional sculptors in Lithuania Juozas Zikaras – sculptor and designer the interwar years Lithuanian litas Literature edit First Lithuanian book The Simple Words of Catechism published in by Martynas Mažvydas Portrait of Salomeja Neris one of the best known Lithuanian female writersMain article List of Lithuanian authors Jurgis Baltrušaitis – poet and diplomat the first Symbolist poet Antanas Baranauskas – priest and poet author of The Pine Groove of Anykšciai Lithuanian Anykšciu šilelis Kazys Binkis – poet and playwright leader of Lithuanian Futurism movement Bernardas Brazdžionis – influential romantic poet Petras Cvirka – short story writer and active supporter of communism Kristijonas Donelaitis – Lithuanian Lutheran pastor and poet author of The Seasons Lithuanian Metai Juozas Glinskis – writer playwright pioneer of Lithuanian "theatre of cruelty" Leah Goldberg – Israeli poet Romualdas Granauskas – writer about the identity crisis during the Soviet times Juozas Grušas – one of the most productive writers and playwrights under the Soviet rule Jurga Ivanauskaite – the best known modern female writer Vincas Kudirka – writer and poet author of the national anthem of Lithuania Vytautas V Landsbergis – lt Vytautas V Landsbergis writer published many children s books Maironis real name Jonas Maciulis – priest and poet best known patriotic poet Justinas Marcinkevicius – one of the most prominent poets during the Soviet rule Marcelijus Martinaitis – lt Marcelijus Martinaitis writer famous for The Ballads of Kukutis a mock epic Martynas Mažvydas – author of the first book in Lithuanian language Icchokas Meras – Lithuanian Jewish writer about the Holocaust Vincas Kreve Mickevicius – writer and playwright author of major interwar plays Oskaras Milašius – French Lithuanian writer and diplomat Czeslaw Milosz – recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature was born in Šeteniai Imperial Russia now Lithuania Vincas Mykolaitis Putinas – writer and poet one of the best known Symbolist poets author of the novel In the Shadows of the Altars Lithuanian Altoriu šešely Salomeja Neris real name Salomeja Bacinskaite Buciene – the best known female poet during the interwar period Alfonsas Nyka Niliunas – lt Alfonsas Nyka Niliunas poet living in the United States Henrikas Radauskas – poet one of the major figures of Lithuanian literature in exile Šatrijos Ragana real name Marija Peckauskaite – female writer Balys Sruoga – writer poet playwright author of the novel The Forest of Gods Lithuanian Dievu miškas about his experience in the Stutthof concentration camp Antanas Strazdas – priest and poet signed in Polish as Antoni Drozdowski the best known work was Pulkim ant Keliu Let Us Fall On Our Knees and the poem The Thrush Antanas Škema – writer in exile author of surrealistic novel The White Cloth Lithuanian Balta drobule Yemima Tchernovitz Avidar – Israeli author Judita Vaiciunaite – lt Judita Vaiciunaite modern female poet exploring urban settings Juozas Tumas Vaižgantas real name Juozas Tumas – writer Indre Valantinaite born poet Tomas Venclova – poet political activist Antanas Vienuolis real name Žukauskas – writer a major figure in Lithuanian prose Vydunas real name Vilius Storostas – Lithuanian writer and philosopher leader of Lithuanian cultural movement in the Lithuania Minor at the beginning of the th century Žemaite real name Julija Beniuševiciute Žymantiene – one of the best known female writers Theater and cinema edit See also List of Lithuanian actors Regimantas Adomaitis – theatre and film actor successful both in Lithuania and Russia Donatas Banionis – actor and star of Tarkovsky s Solaris Arturas Barysas – "counter culture" actor singer photographer and filmmaker known as the father of modern Lithuanian avant garde Šarunas Bartas – modern film director Ingeborga Dapkunaite – internationally successful actress Gediminas Girdvainis – lt Gediminas Girdvainis prolific theatre and movie actor Rolandas Kazlas – well known comedy actor Oskaras Koršunovas – best known modern theater director Jurgis Maciunas – initiator of Fluxus movement Vaiva Mainelyte – lt Vaiva Mainelyte popular actress remembered for the leading role in Bride of the Devil Lithuanian Velnio nuotaka Arunas Matelis – acclaimed documentary director Adolfas Mekas film director writer editor actor educator Jonas Mekas – filmmaker the godfather of American avant garde cinema Aurelija Mikušauskaite – television and theatre actress Juozas Miltinis – theater director from Panevežys Nijole Narmontaite – lt Nijole Narmontaite actress Eimuntas Nekrošius – theater director Algimantas Puipa – lt Algimantas Puipa film director Kostas Smoriginas – lt Kostas Smoriginas popular actor and singer Jonas Vaitkus – theater director director of Utterly Alone Adolfas Vecerskis – theatre and film actor director of theatre Arunas Žebriunas – lt Arunas Žebriunas one of the most prominent film directors during the Soviet rule Vytautas Šapranauskas – lt Vytautas Šapranauskas theater and film actor television presenter humorist Žilvinas Tratas actor and model Džiugas Siaurusaitis lt Džiugas Siaurusaitis actor television presenter humorist Sakalas Uždavinys lt Sakalas Uždavinys theater and film actor director Marius Jampolskis actor and TV host Ballet and Dance edit Egle Špokaite soloist of Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre – Actress art director Edita Daniute Professional Ballroom Dancer and World DanceSport Champion Iveta Lukosiute Professional Ballroom Dancer and World Dance Champion Music edit Soprano vocalist Violeta Urmanaviciute Urmana Pop singer Violeta RiaubiškyteSee also List of Lithuanian singers Linas Adomaitis – pop singer participant in the Eurovision Song Contest Ilja Aksionovas lt Ilja Aksionovas pop and opera singer boy soprano Osvaldas Balakauskas – ambassador and classical composer Alanas Chošnau – singer member of former music group Naktines Personos Egidijus Dragunas – lt Egidijus Dragunas leader of Sel one of the first hip hop bands in Lithuania Justas Dvarionas – lt Justas Dvarionas pianist educator Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis – painter and composer Balys Dvarionas – composer conductor pianist professor Gintare Jautakaite pop artist signed with EMI and Sony Music Entertainment in Gintaras Januševicius internationally acclaimed pianist Algirdas Kaušpedas architect and lead singer of Antis Nomeda Kazlauskaite Kazlaus opera singer dramatic soprano appearing internationally Vytautas Kernagis – one of the most popular bards Algis Kizys – long time bass player of post punk no wave band Swans Andrius Mamontovas – rock singer co founder of Foje and LT United Marijonas Mikutavicius – singer author of Trys Milijonai the unofficial sports anthem in Lithuania Vincas Niekus – lt Vincas Niekus composer Virgilijus Noreika – one of the most successful opera singers tenor Mykolas Kleopas Oginskis – one of the best composer of the late th century Kipras Petrauskas – lt Kipras Petrauskas popular early opera singer tenor Stasys Povilaitis – one of the popular singers during the Soviet period Violeta Riaubiškyte – pop singer TV show host Mindaugas Rojus opera singer tenor baritone Ceslovas Sasnauskas – composer Rasa Serra – lt Rasa Serra real name Rasa Veretenceviene singer Traditional folk A cappella jazz POP Audrone Simonaityte Gaižiuniene – lt Audrone Gaižiuniene Simonaityte one of the more popular female opera singers soprano Virgis Stakenas – lt Virgis Stakenas singer of country folk music Antanas Šabaniauskas – lt Antanas Šabaniauskas singer tenor Jurga Šeduikyte – art rock musician won the Best Female Act and the Best Album of in the Lithuanian Bravo Awards and the Best Baltic Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards Jonas Švedas – composer Michael Tchaban composer singer and songwriter Violeta Urmanaviciute Urmana opera singer soprano mezzosoprano appearing internationally Painters and graphic artists edit See also List of Lithuanian artists Robertas Antinis – sculptor Vytautas Ciplijauskas lt Vytautas Ciplijauskas painter Jonas Ceponis – lt Jonas Ceponis painter Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis – painter and composer Asteroid Ciurlionis is named for him Kostas Dereškevicius lt Kostas Dereškevicius painter Vladimiras Dubeneckis painter architect Stasys Eidrigevicius graphic artist Pranas Gailius lt Pranas Gailius painter Paulius Galaune Petronele Gerlikiene – self taught Lithuanian American artist Algirdas Griškevicius lt Algirdas Griškevicius Vincas Grybas – sculptor Leonardas Gutauskas lt Leonardas Gutauskas painter writer Vytautas Kairiukštis – lt Vytautas Kairiukštis painter art critic Vytautas Kasiulis – lt Vytautas Kasiulis painter graphic artist stage designer Petras Kalpokas painter Rimtas Kalpokas – lt Rimtas Kalpokas painter graphic artist Leonas Katinas – lt Leonas Katinas painter Povilas Kaupas – lt Povilas Kaupas Algimantas Kezys Lithuanian American photographer Vincas Kisarauskas – lt Vincas Kisarauskas painter graphic artist stage designer Saulute Stanislava Kisarauskiene – lt Saulute Stanislava Kisarauskiene graphic artist painter Stasys Krasauskas – lt Stasys Krasauskas graphic artist Stanislovas Kuzma – lt Stanislovas Kuzma sculptor Antanas Martinaitis – lt Antanas Martinaitis painter Jonas Rimša – lt Jonas Rimša painter Jan Rustem painter Antanas Samuolis – lt Antanas Samuolis painter Šarunas Sauka painter Boris Schatz – sculptor and founder of the Bezalel Academy Irena Sibley née Pauliukonis – Children s book author and illustrator Algis Skackauskas – painter Antanas Žmuidzinavicius – painter Franciszek Smuglewicz – painter Yehezkel Streichman Israeli painter Kazys Šimonis – painter Algimantas Švegžda – lt Algimantas Švegžda painter Otis Tamašauskas Lithographer Print Maker Graphic Artist Adolfas Valeška – painter and graphic artist Adomas Varnas – painter Kazys Varnelis – artist Vladas Vildžiunas lt Vladas Vildžiunas sculptor Mikalojus Povilas Vilutis lt Mikalojus Povilas Vilutis graphic artist Viktoras Vizgirda – painter William Zorach – Modern artist who died in Bath Maine Antanas Žmuidzinavicius – painter Kazimieras Leonardas Žoromskis – painter Politics edit President Valdas Adamkus right chatting with Vice President Dick Cheney left See also List of Lithuanian rulers Mindaugas – the first and only King of Lithuania – Gediminas – the ruler of Lithuania – Algirdas – the ruler together with Kestutis of Lithuania – Kestutis – the ruler together with Algirdas of Lithuania – Vytautas – the ruler of Lithuania – together with Jogaila Jogaila – the ruler of Lithuania – from to together with Vytautas the king of Poland – Jonušas Radvila – the field hetman of Grand Duchy of Lithuania – Dalia Grybauskaite – current President of Lithuania since Valdas Adamkus – President of Lithuania till Jonas Basanavicius – "father" of the Act of Independence of Algirdas Brazauskas – the former First secretary of Central Committee of Communist Party of Lithuanian SSR the former president of Lithuania after and former Prime Minister of Lithuania Joe Fine – mayor of Marquette Michigan – Kazys Grinius – politician third President of Lithuania Mykolas Krupavicius – priest behind the land reform in interwar Lithuania Vytautas Landsbergis – politician professor leader of Sajudis the independence movement former speaker of Seimas member of European Parliament Stasys Lozoraitis – diplomat and leader of Lithuanian government in exile – Stasys Lozoraitis junior – politician diplomat succeeded his father as leader of Lithuanian government in exile – Antanas Merkys – the last Prime Minister of interwar Lithuania Rolandas Paksas – former President removed from the office after impeachment Justas Paleckis – journalist and politician puppet Prime Minister after Soviet occupation Kazimiera Prunskiene – the first female Prime Minister Mykolas Sleževicius – three times Prime Minister organized

Family Mobile[edit] Main article: IKEA Family Mobile On 8 August 2008, IKEA UK launched Family Mobile, a virtual mobile phone network, running on T-Mobile. Manufacturing[edit] Although IKEA household products and furniture are designed in Sweden, they are largely manufactured in developing countries to keep costs down. China accounts for about 2½ times as much supply as Sweden. For most of its products, the final assembly is performed by the end-user (consumer). Swedwood, an IKEA subsidiary, handles production of all of the company's wood-based products, with the largest Swedwood factory located in Southern Poland. According to the subsidiary, over 16,000 employees across 50 sites in 10 countries manufacture the 100 million pieces of furniture that IKEA sells annually. IKEA furniture uses the hardwood alternative particle board and Hultsfred, a factory in southern Sweden, is the company's sole supplier.[44] Product names[edit] IKEA products are identified by one-word (rarely two-word) names. Most of the names are Scandinavian in origin. Although there are some exceptions, most product names are based on a special naming system developed by IKEA.[45] Upholstered furniture, coffee tables, rattan furniture, bookshelves, media storage, doorknobs: Swedish placenames (for example: Klippan) Beds, wardrobes, hall furniture: Norwegian place names Dining tables and chairs: Finnish place names Bookcase ranges: Occupations Bathroom articles: Scandinavian lakes, rivers and bays Kitchens: grammatical terms, sometimes also other names Chairs, desks: men's names Fabrics, curtains: women's names Garden furniture: Swedish islands Carpets: Danish place names Lighting: terms from music, chemistry, meteorology, measures, weights, seasons, months, days, boats, nautical terms Bedlinen, bed covers, pillows/cushions: flowers, plants, precious stones Children's items: mammals, birds, adjectives Curtain accessories: mathematical and geometrical terms Kitchen utensils: foreign words, spices, herbs, fish, mushrooms, fruits or berries, functional descriptions Boxes, wall decoration, pictures and frames, clocks: colloquial expressions, also Swedish place names For example, DUKTIG (meaning: clever, well-behaved) is a line of children's toys, OSLO is a name of a bed, BILLY (a Swedish masculine name) is a popular bookcase, DINERA (meaning: (to) dine) for tableware, KASSETT (meaning: cassette) for media storage. One range of office furniture is named EFFEKTIV (meaning: efficient, effective), SKÄRPT (meaning: sharp or clever) is a line of kitchen knives. A notable exception is the IVAR shelving system, which dates back to the early 1970s. This item is named after the item's designer. Some of IKEA's Swedish product names have amusing or unfortunate connotations in other languages, sometimes resulting in the names being withdrawn in certain countries. Notable examples for English include the "Jerker" computer desk (discontinued several years ago as of 2013), "Fukta" plant spray, "Fartfull" workbench,[46] and "Lyckhem" (meaning bliss). Kitchen legs are called FAKTUM (called AKURUM in the United States). The latest addition is the new "Askholmen" outdoor suite. Similar blunders happen with other multinational companies.[47] See also: Lufsig Company founder Kamprad, who is dyslexic, found that naming the furniture with proper names and words, rather than a product code, made the names easier to remember.[48] IKEA uses a sales technique called "bulla bulla" in which a bunch of items are purposefully jumbled in bins, to create the impression of volume, and therefore, inexpensiveness.[10] Catalogue[edit] Main article: IKEA Catalogue IKEA publishes an annual catalogue, first published in Swedish in 1951.[49] IKEA published 197 million catalogues in 2010, in twenty languages and sixty-one editions.[10] It is considered to be the main marketing tool of the retail giant, consuming 70% of the company's annual marketing budget.[50] The catalogue is distributed both in stores and by mail,[51] with most of it being produced by IKEA Communications AB in IKEA's hometown of Älmhult, Sweden where IKEA operates the largest photo studio in northern Europe at 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq ft).[52] The catalogue itself is printed on chlorine-free paper of 10–15% post-consumer waste, and prints approximately 175 million copies worldwide annually,[53] more than 3 times as much as the Bible.[54] According to Canadian broadcaster, CTV, "IKEA's publications have developed an almost cult-like following online. Readers have found all kinds of strange tidbits, including mysterious cat pictures, apparent Mickey Mouse references and weird books wedged into the many shelves that clutter the catalogues." The 2013 catalogue is smartphone compatible, containing videos and photo galleries that can be accessed via an app by scanning the catalogue's pages, while the 2014 catalog incorporates an augmented reality app that projects an item into a real-time photograph image of the user's room. The augmented reality app also provides an indication of the scale of IKEA objects in relation to the user's living environment.[55] IKEA Family loyalty card[edit] IKEA Family card, issued in Canada, ca. 2012 In common with some other retailers, IKEA has launched a loyalty card called "IKEA family". The card is free of charge and can be used to obtain discounts on a special range of products found in each IKEA store. In conjunction with the card, IKEA also publishes and sells a printed quarterly magazine titled IKEA Family Live which supplements the card and catalogue. The magazine is already printed in thirteen languages and an English edition for the United Kingdom was launched in February 2007. It is expected to have a subscription of over 500,000.[56] IKEA Family, as other loyalty cards, allows for lower prices. The main, generally unusual difference is that it allows for free tea or coffee (from Monday to Friday at most locations) at Ikea restaurant.[57][58] Corporate structure[edit] Main articles: Stichting INGKA Foundation, IKANO and Ingvar Kamprad Flowchart showing the structure and ownership of IKEA companies. IKEA in Athens, Greece IKEA Anagnina in Rome, Italy IKEA in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia IKEA Twin Cities in Bloomington, Minnesota, USA IKEA is owned and operated by a complicated array of not-for-profit and for-profit corporations. The corporate structure is divided into two main parts: operations and franchising. Most of IKEA's operations, including the management of the majority of its stores, the design and manufacture of its furniture, and purchasing and supply functions are overseen by INGKA Holding, a private, for-profit Dutch company. Of the IKEA stores in 43 countries, 303 are run by the INGKA Holding. The remaining 47 stores are run by franchisees outside of the INGKA Holding, with the exception of IKEA Delft which is not franchised.[59] INGKA Holding is not an independent company, but is wholly owned by the Stichting Ingka Foundation, which Kamprad established in 1982 in the Netherlands as a tax-exempt, not-for-profit foundation. The Ingka Foundation is controlled by a five-member executive committee that is chaired by Kamprad and includes his wife and attorney.[60] While most IKEA stores operate under the direct purview of Ingka Holding and the Ingka Foundation, the IKEA trademark and concept is owned by an entirely separate Dutch company Inter IKEA Systems. Every IKEA store, including those run by Ingka Holding, pays a franchise fee of 3% of revenue to Inter IKEA Systems. The ownership of Inter IKEA Systems is exceedingly complicated and not publicly known. Inter IKEA Systems is owned by Inter IKEA Holding, a company registered in Luxembourg. Inter IKEA Holding, in turn, belongs to an identically named company in the former Netherlands Antilles that is run by a trust company based in Curaçao.[60] In 2009 the company in Curaçao was liquidated and the company responsible for this liquidation traces back to the Interogo Foundation in Liechtenstein.[61] Ingvar Kamprad has confirmed that this foundation owns Inter IKEA Holding S.A. in Luxembourg and is controlled by the Kamprad family.[62] The IKEA food concessions that operate in IKEA stores are still directly owned by the Kamprad family and represent a major part of the family's income.[citation needed] In Australia, IKEA is operated by two companies. Stores located on the East Coast including Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria are owned by INGKA Holding. Stores elsewhere in the country including South Australia and Western Australia are owned by Cebas Pty Ltd.[63] Like elsewhere, all stores are operated under a franchise agreement with Inter IKEA Systems.[64] In June 2013, Ingvar Kamprad resigned from the board of Inter IKEA Holding SA and his youngest son Mathias Kamprad replaced Per Ludvigsson as the chairman of the holding company. Following his decision to step down, the 87-year-old founder explained, "I see this as a good time for me to leave the board of Inter IKEA Group. By that we are also taking another step in the generation shift that has been ongoing for some years." Mathias and his two older brothers, who also have leadership roles at IKEA, work on the corporation's overall vision and long-term strategy.[65] Profits[edit] The net profit of IKEA Group (which does not include Inter IKEA systems) in fiscal year 2009 (after paying franchise fees to Inter IKEA systems) was €2.538 billion on sales of €21.846 billion. Because INGKA Holding is owned by the nonprofit INGKA Foundation, none of this profit is taxed. The foundation's nonprofit status also means that the Kamprad family cannot reap these profits directly, but the Kamprads do collect a portion of IKEA sales profits through the franchising relationship between INGKA Holding and Inter IKEA Systems. Inter IKEA Systems collected €631 million of franchise fees in 2004, but reported pre-tax profits of only €225 million in 2004. One of the major pre-tax expenses that Inter IKEA systems reported was €590 million of "other operating charges". IKEA has refused to explain these charges, but Inter IKEA Systems appears to make large payments to I.I. Holding, another Luxembourg-registered group that, according to The Economist, "is almost certain to be controlled by the Kamprad family." I.I. Holding made a profit of €328 million in 2004. In 2004, the Inter IKEA group of companies and I.I. Holding reported combined profits of €553m and paid €19m in taxes, or approximately 3.5 percent.[60] In 2013 the Daily Mail media publication reported that the IKEA subsidiary Swedwood had grown between 20-25% per year since its inception in 1991.[44] The Berne Declaration, a non-profit organisation in Switzerland that promotes corporate responsibility, has formally criticised IKEA for its tax avoidance strategies. In 2007, the Berne Declaration nominated IKEA for one of its Public Eye "awards", which highlight corporate irresponsibility and are announced during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.[66] In a company statement emailed on 14 October 2013, Ikea's full-year sales rose 3.1 percent due in part to growth in Russia and China. Ikea's revenue total rose to US$37.9 billion (27.9 billion euros), with significant growth also recorded in North America.[67] Control by Kamprad[edit] Along with helping IKEA make non-taxable profit, IKEA's complicated corporate structure allows Kamprad to maintain tight control over the operations of Ingka Holding, and thus the operation of most IKEA stores. The Ingka Foundation's five-person executive committee is chaired by Kamprad. It appoints the board of Ingka Holding, approves any changes to Ingka Holding's bylaws, and has the right to preempt new share issues. If a member of the executive committee quits or dies, the other four members appoint his or her replacement. In Kamprad's absence the foundation's bylaws include specific provisions requiring it to continue operating the Ingka Holding group and specifying that shares can be sold only to another foundation with the same objectives as the Ingka Foundation.[60] Charitable giving[edit] The INGKA Foundation is officially dedicated to promoting "innovations in architecture and interior design."[60] With an estimated net worth of $36 billion, the foundation is unofficially the world's largest charitable organization, ahead of the much better known Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has a net worth of approximately $33 billion.[68] However, most of the Group's profit is spent on investment; the foundation expects to spend €45 million on charitable giving in 2010 (compare the Gates Foundation, which made gifts of more than $1.5 billion in 2005.[68]) IKEA is involved in several international charitable causes, particularly in partnership with UNICEF, including: In the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, IKEA Australia agreed to match dollar for dollar co-workers' donations and donated all sales of the IKEA Blue Bag to the cause. After the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, IKEA gave 500,000 blankets to the relief effort in the region.[69] IKEA has provided furniture for over 100 "bridge schools" in Liberia.[70] In the 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China, IKEA Beijing sold an alligator toy for 40 yuan (US$5.83, €3.70) with all income going to the children in the earthquake struck area. IKEA also supports American Forests to restore forests and reduce pollution.[71][72] Minimum Wage[edit] In June 2014, IKEA announced that it would be raising its minimum wage in the United States. The company raised the US minimum wage average to $10.76, but the actual minimum wage in each city will fluctuate depending on that city's living costs. Employees at the IKEA in Emeryville, CA will receive the highest wage of $14.44 per hour and workers in Pittsburgh and West Chester, OH will receive the lowest wage at $8.69 per hour. IKEA Social Initiative[edit] In September 2005, IKEA Social Initiative was formed to manage the company's social involvements on a global level. IKEA Social Initiative is headed by Marianne Barner. The main partners of IKEA Social Initiative are UNICEF[73] and Save the Children.[74] On 23 February 2009, at the ECOSOC event in New York, UNICEF announced that IKEA Social Initiative has become the agency's largest corporate partner, with total commitments of more than US$180 million.[75][76] Examples of involvements: IKEA through IKEA Social Initiative contribute €1 to UNICEF and Save the Children from each soft toy sold during the holiday seasons, raising a total of €16.7 million so far.[77] In 2013, an IKEA soft toy, Lufsig, created a storm and sold out in Hong Kong and in Southern China because it had been misnamed in Chinese.[78] IKEA Social Initiative provided soft toys to children in Burma after Cyclone Nargis.[79] Starting in June 2009, for every Sunnan solar-powered lamp sold in IKEA stores worldwide, IKEA Social Initiative will donate one Sunnan with the help of UNICEF.[80] In September 2011,[81] the IKEA Foundation pledged to donate $62 million to help Somali refugees in Kenya.[10] According to The Economist, however, IKEA's charitable giving is meager, "barely a rounding error in the foundation's assets."[10] In 2009, Sweden's largest television station, SVT, revealed that IKEA's money—the three per cent collection from each store—does not actually go to a charitable foundation in the Netherlands, as IKEA has said. Inter IKEA is owned by a foundation in Liechtenstein, called Interogo, which has amassed twelve billion dollars, and is controlled by the Kamprad family.[10] Environmental performance[edit] After initial environmental issues like the highly publicized formaldehyde scandals in the early 1980s and 1992,[82][83][84] IKEA took a proactive stance on environmental issues and tried to prevent future incidents through a variety of measures.[85] In 1990, IKEA invited Karl-Henrik Robèrt, founder of the Natural Step, to address its board of directors. Robert's system conditions for sustainability provided a strategic approach to improving the company's environmental performance. In 1990, IKEA adopted the Natural Step framework as the basis for its environmental plan.[86] This led to the development of an Environmental Action Plan, which was adopted in 1992. The plan focused on structural change, allowing IKEA to "maximize the impact of resources invested and reduce the energy necessary to address isolated issues."[86] The environmental measures taken include the following: Replacing polyvinylchloride (PVC) in wallpapers, home textiles, shower curtains, lampshades and furniture—PVC has been eliminated from packaging and is being phased out in electric cables; minimizing the use of formaldehyde in its products, including textiles; eliminating acid-curing lacquers; producing a model of chair (OGLA) made from 100% post-consumer plastic waste; introducing a series of air-inflatable furniture products into the product line. Such products reduce the use of raw materials for framing and stuffing and reduce transportation weight and volume to about 15% of that of conventional furniture; reducing the use of chromium for metal surface treatment; limiting the use of substances such as cadmium, lead, PCB, PCP, and Azo pigments; using wood from responsibly managed forests that replant and maintain biological diversity; using only recyclable materials for flat packaging and "pure" (non-mixed) materials for packaging to assist in recycling.[86] introducing rental bicycles with trailers for customers in Denmark.[87] In 2000 IKEA introduced its code of conduct for suppliers, called the IKEA way of purchasing.... shortened to IWAY. Today IWAY is a totally integrated part of IKEA's purchasing model. IWAY covers social, safety and environmental questions. Today IKEA has around 60 IWAY auditors that performs hundreds of supplier audits every year. The main purpose with IWAY is to make sure that the IKEA suppliers follows the law in each country where they are based. Most IKEA suppliers fulfill the law today with exceptions for some special issues, one being excessive working hours in Asia, in countries such as China and India. More recently, IKEA has stopped providing plastic bags to customers, but offers reusable bags for sale. The IKEA restaurants also only offer reusable plates, knives, forks, spoons, etc. Toilets in some IKEA WC-rooms have been outfitted with dual-function flushers. IKEA has recycling bins for compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), energy saving bulbs and batteries. In 2001 IKEA was one of the first companies to operate its own cross-border goods trains through several countries in Europe.[88] In August 2008, IKEA also announced that it had created IKEA GreenTech, a €50 million venture capital fund. Located in Lund (a university town in Sweden), it will invest in 8–10 companies in the coming five years with focus on solar panels, alternative light sources, product materials, energy efficiency and water saving and purification. The aim is to commercialise green technologies for sale in IKEA stores within 3–4 years.[89][90] To make IKEA a more sustainable company, a product life cycle was created. For the idea stage, products should be flat-packed so that more items can be shipped at once; products should also be easier to dismantle and recycle. Raw materials are used, and since wood and cotton are two of IKEA's most important manufacturing products, the company works with environmentally friendly forests and cotton, whereby the excessive use of chemicals and water is avoided.[citation needed] Manufacturing is third in the life cycle and includes IWAY, IKEA's code of conduct for manufactures and suppliers that formulates and enforces requirements for working conditions, social and environmental standards, and what suppliers can expect from IKEA in return. Marketing is another part of IKEA's life cycle and a portion of the paper used for its catalogues is sourced from responsibly managed forests. The catalogue is also smaller, so that less paper is required, less waste is produced and more catalogues can be shipped per load.[citation needed] IKEA stores recycle waste and many run on renewable energy with the use of energy-saving bulbs and sensors. All employees are trained in environmental and social responsibility, while public transit is one of the priorities when the location of stores is considered. Also, the coffee served at IKEA stores is certified organic.[citation needed] The last stage of the life cycle is the end of life. Most IKEA stores recycle light bulbs and drained batteries, and the company is also exploring the recycling of sofas and other home furnishing products. According to IKEA's 2012 "Sustainability Report", 23% of all wood that the company uses meets the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council, and the report states that IKEA aims to double this percentage by 2017. The report also states that IKEA does not accept illegally logged wood and supports 13 World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) projects.[44] On 17 February 2011, IKEA announced its plans to develop a wind farm in Dalarna County, Sweden, furthering its goal of using only renewable energy to fuel its operations.[91] As of June 2012, 17 United States (US) IKEA stores are powered by solar panels, with 22 additional installations in progress.[92] In 2011, the company examined its wood consumption and noticed that almost half of its global pine and spruce consumption was for the fabrication of pallets. The company consequently started a transition to the use of paper pallets and the "Optiledge system".[93] The OptiLedge product is totally recyclable, made from 100% virgin high-impact copolymer polypropylene (PP). The system is a "unit load alternative to the use of a pallet. The system consists of the OptiLedge (usually used in pairs), aligned and strapped to the bottom carton to form a base layer upon which to stack more product. Corner boards are used when strapping to minimize the potential for package compression." The conversion began in Germany and Japan, before its introduction into the rest of Europe and North America.[94] The system has been marketed to other companies, and IKEA has formed the OptiLedge company to manage and sell the product.[95] IKEA has expanded its sustainability plan in the UK to include electric car charge points for customers at all locations by the end of 2013.[96] The effort will include Nissan and Ecotricity and promise to deliver an 80% charge in 30 minutes.[97] In February 2014, IKEA in the UK announced that from 2016 they will only sell energy-efficient LED lightbulbs, lamps and light fixtures. LED lightbulbs uses as much as only 15% of the power of a regular incandescent light bulb.[98] Negative media attention[edit] Unbalanced scales.svg The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (March 2014) IKEA's goals of sustainability and environmental design in its merchandise have sometimes been at odds with the impact a new IKEA store can have on a community. In particular, the size of proposed IKEA stores has often seen significant opposition from members of such communities. The following are a list of issues which have received negative media attention, both regarding the size of IKEA's stores and other controversies: As a teenager, IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad was directly involved in the pro-Nazi New Swedish Movement (Nysvenska Rörelsen) until at least 1948, causing tensions when IKEA began opening stores in Israel,[clarification needed][99] although one source has claimed that the movement was not pro-Nazi.[100] Kamprad devotes two chapters to his time in Nysvenska Rörelsen in his book, Leading By Design: The IKEA Story and, in a 1994 letter to IKEA employees, called his affiliation with the organisation the "greatest mistake of my life."[101] After the revelations came to light, he pledged £1 billion to charity.[102] In September 2004, when IKEA offered a limited number of free $150 vouchers at the opening of a new store in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, three people were crushed to death in a stampede that followed the store's opening.[103] IKEA at Atlantic Station in Atlanta, GA. IKEA has demolished historic buildings,[104] in at least one case for a parking area.[105] (At the College Park, Maryland, US, store there is an interactive digital display which tells the history of a tavern which used to exist where the store is currently located.) IKEA was refused planning permission for a future store in the UK in 2004 (to be based in Stockport, near Manchester) by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. It applied for judicial review but lost in 2005.[106][107] However, it later received permission to build a store within the Manchester area a few miles from the originally planned site in Ashton-under-Lyne.[108] An estimated £10,000 was spent on traffic policing, and even more on rerouting traffic from the M60 motorway around Ashton. In 2004, there was controversy about an Irish law restricting the maximum size of a retail outlet to 6,000 square metres (65,000 sq ft). IKEA's plan to build a much larger store in Dublin caused the law to be put up for debate. The law was changed to remove the size limit for retail outlets selling durable goods in designated areas.[109] The Minister for the Environment was criticised for allegedly changing the law to suit one company and other agencies protested the law change as damaging to small businesses while the government defended its decision stating that the move was a positive one for Irish consumers. IKEA Dublin has since opened on 27 July 2009.[110] After viewing the 100-foot-tall (30 m) sign of an IKEA under construction near Portland International Airport, Randy Leonard, the city commissioner in charge of sign permits in Portland, Oregon, placed a moratorium on all pending and future sign permits in the area.[111] In 2007 several ancient tombs were destroyed while building an IKEA store in Nanjing, southeastern China. Archaeologists asked whether the building company could stop working for some days to allow archaeologists to work on the site, but they did not receive the necessary permission.[112] In June 2007 the designated nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party complained about an artist's rendering of IKEA Belfast that included both the Union Flag and the Ulster Banner flag as two of the three flags in front of the store. After being labelled "an upmarket Orange hall" by the party, IKEA assured customers and co-workers that only the Swedish flag would be seen outside the actual store.[113] In a police investigation (2008) for corruption in Spain, there appears a conversation between a director of Ikea Expansion and an entrepreneur owner of the land selected to locate a store in Alicante. The Ikea director was pleased to meet with the "Spanish mafia"[114] Criticisms[edit] Accusations of price gouging[edit] Ikea has been criticised by Citytv in Canada for charging up to twice as much in their Canadian stores as for the same items sold in their American stores, despite the Canadian dollar reaching parity with the U.S. dollar.[115] Biased branding and advertising accusations[edit] Former Norwegian prime minister Kjell Magne Bondevik has criticized IKEA for not depicting women assembling furniture in its instruction booklets.[116] IKEA denied this claim in a statement.[117] In June 2007, The BRUNKRISSLA bedding notes said, "Brightens up your grad's dorm. Unlike a creepy gothic room-mate, who can be a bad influence." Members of the goth subculture took offence at the stereotype.[118] A researcher from the University of Copenhagen pointed out that for years, IKEA has named their cheap rugs after Danish places, while the more expensive and luxurious furniture was named after Swedish places. The researcher, Klaus Kjøller, who is well known for tongue-in-cheek statements, accused IKEA of imperialism.[119] In October 2012, IKEA was criticized for airbrushing women out of pictures in catalogues which were used in Saudi Arabia.[120] Errors and recalls[edit] In 2008, IKEA sent an email to its British customers advising that "IKEA Shop Online is open everywhere", even though this only applied to England and Wales. As of April 2013, Scottish residents are able to shop online, but not Northern Irish residents.[121] In February 2013, IKEA announced it had pulled 17,000 portions of Swedish meatballs containing beef and pork from stores in Europe after testing in the Czech Republic found traces of horsemeat in the product. The company actually removed the Swedish meatballs from stores' shelves on 25 February 2013, but only made the announcement public after Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet uncovered what happened.[122] In a March 2013 media report, an Ikea representative stated that the corporation had forced Familjen Dafgard, its main meatball supplier, to cease business with eight of its 15 suppliers and would reduce the number of purchasing countries. The discovered horsemeat was traced to a Polish abattoir.[123] In July 2015, IKEA, with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, through the company's Safer Homes Together advertising campaign, in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, issued a warning- not a recall- to customers to secure the Malm chests of drawers and wardrobes firmly to the wall using free kits distributed by the company, after two U.S. deaths of children in February and June 2014, in Pennsylvania and Washington, when the furniture pieces tipped over on them. There were three other deaths, from 1989, from other, similar appliance models tipping over. There were 14 incidents of Malm chests tipping over, resulting in four injuries.[124] Labor issues[edit] In 2011, IKEA and its Swedwood affiliate came under criticism for its treatment of workers at a US factory in Danville, Virginia and its decision to hire the law firm Jackson Lewis, which is often employed by companies to counter labor demands, to consult with IKEA on attempts to form a union at Danville.[citation needed] In 2012, IKEA in France was accused by the independent newspaper Le Canard enchaîné and the investigative website Mediapart of spying on its employees and clients by illegally accessing French police records. The head of risk management at IKEA feared his employees were anti-globalists or potential ecoterrorists.[125][126] In October 2012, Glendal Foods – a major supplier to IKEA Store Restaurants in Australia – was the subject of bullying allegations by about 50% of staff at the company and the National Union of Workers. Claims included self-harm by a worker, retention of wages & a significant long-term pattern of staff-abuse and the complaints are under investigation by WorkSafe Victoria. IKEA Australia has not yet made a formal comment.[127] Operation Scandinavica[edit] In 2014, documents were found at the Securitate archives in Bucharest which indicated that Ikea's open purchase of Romanian lumber throughout the 1980s was part of a complex scheme (codenamed "Scandinavica") to fund the Securitate and allow the accumulation of foreign currency: the Romanian lumber company Tehnoforestexport would regularly overcharge Ikea, transfer the overpayments into private Securitate bank accounts, wait for interest to accrue, and then reimburse Ikea the principal. Ikea has denied complicity in Scandinavica, but has begun an internal investigation to learn more.[128] Use of forced labor, 1980s[edit] During the 1980s, IKEA kept its costs down by using production facilities in East Germany. A portion of the workforce at those factories consisted of political prisoners. This fact, revealed in a report by Ernst & Young commissioned by the company, resulted from intermingling of criminals and political dissidents in the state-owned production facilities IKEA contracted with, a practice which was generally known in West Germany. IKEA was one of a number of companies, including West German firms, which benefited from this practice. The investigation resulted from attempts by former political prisoners to obtain compensation. In November 2012, IKEA admitted being aware at the time of the possibility of use of forced labor and failing to exercise sufficient control to identify and avoid it. A summary of the Ernst & Young report was released on 16 November 2012.[129] Verdana typeface[edit] In 2009 IKEA caused a flap in the graphic design world when it changed the typeface used in its catalogue from Futura to Verdana, expressing a desire to unify its branding between print and web media. The controversy has been attributed to the perception of Verdana as a symbol of homogeneity in popular typography.[130] Time magazine and The Associated Press ran articles on the controversy including a brief interview with an IKEA representative, focusing on the opinions of typographers and designers.[131] Design and advertising industry-focused publications such as Business Week joined the fray of online posts. The branding critic blog, Brand New, was one of those using the "Verdanagate" name.[130] The Australian online daily news site Crikey also published an article on the controversy.[132] The Guardian ran an article asking "IKEA is changing its font to Verdana – causing outrage among typomaniacs. Should the rest of us care? Absolutely."[133] The New York Times said the change to Verdana "is so offensive to many because it seems like a slap at the principles of design by a company that has been hailed for its adherence to them."[134] Advertising[edit] German-Turkish advertisement in Berlin-Neukölln In 1994, IKEA ran a commercial in the United States widely thought to be the first to feature a homosexual couple; it aired for several weeks before being pulled out due to terrorist threats directed at IKEA stores.[135] Other IKEA commercials appeal to the wider GLBTQ community, one featuring a transgender woman.[136] In 2002, the inaugural television component of the "Unböring" campaign, titled Lamp, went on to win several awards, including a Grand Clio,[137] Golds at the London International Awards[138] and the ANDY Awards,[139] and the Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival,[140] the most prestigious awards ceremony in the advertising community. IKEA launched a UK-wide "Home is the Most Important Place in the World" advertising campaign in September 2007 using estate agent signs with the term "Not For Sale" written on them as part of the wider campaign. After the campaign appeared in the Metro newspaper London the business news website www.mad.co.uk remarked that the IKEA campaign had amazing similarities with the marketing activity of UK home refurbishment company Onis living who had launched its own Not For Sale advertising campaign two years prior and was awarded the Interbuild 2006 Construction Marketing Award for best campaign under £25,000.[141][142] Onis's Not For Sale sign A debate ensued between Fraser Patterson, Chief Executive of Onis and Andrew McGuinness, partner at Beattie McGuinness Bungay (BMB), the advertising and PR agency awarded the £12m IKEA account.[143][144] The essence of the debate was that BMB claimed to be unaware of Onis's campaign as Onis was not an advertising agency. Onis's argument was that its advertising could be seen in prominent landmarks throughout London, having been already accredited, showing concern about the impact IKEA's campaign would have on the originality of its own. BMB and IKEA subsequently agreed to provide Onis with a feature page on the IKEA campaign site linking through to Onis's website for a period of 1 year. In 2008, IKEA paired up with the makers of video game The Sims 2 to make a stuff pack called IKEA Home Stuff, featuring many IKEA products. It was released on 24 June 2008 in North America and 26 June 2008 in Europe. It is the second stuff pack with a major brand, the first being The Sims 2 H&M Fashion Stuff. IKEA took over the title sponsorship of Philadelphia's annual Thanksgiving Day parade in 2008, replacing Boscov's, which filed for bankruptcy in August 2008. In November 2008, a subway train decorated in IKEA style was introduced in Novosibirsk, Russia.[145] Four cars were turned into a mobile showroom of the Swedish design. The redesigned train, which features colourful seats and fancy curtains, carried passengers until 6 June 2009. Oyster cards (the ticket-free system for the London Underground) were for given with wallets sponsored by IKEA in 2008-09. IKEA also sponsored the tube map.[146][147] The Isle of Wight ferry Red Osprey in her IKEA livery. In January 2009, just before the new store opened in Southampton, MV Red Osprey of Red Funnel was re-painted in an entirely yellow and blue livery to celebrate the opening of the new IKEA store in Southampton. This is the first time a Red Funnel ferry has been re-painted out of its own red and white colour scheme. It stayed in these colours for 12 months as part of a deal between Red Funnel and IKEA to provide home delivery services to the Isle of Wight. It was repainted with Red Funnel's red and white livery when the deal ended in January 2010. In March 2010, IKEA developed an event in four important Metro stations in Paris, in which furniture collections are displayed in high-traffic spots, giving potential customers a chance to check out the brand's products. The Metro walls were also filled with prints that showcase IKEA interiors. In September 2010, IKEA launched an advertisement for UK & Ireland called "Happy Inside" which had 100 cats lying on IKEA furniture in the flagship IKEA store in Wembley, London.[148] In April 2011, an advertising campaign was launched aiming at discovering whether men or women are messier in the home. Created by Mother, the campaign will begin with a TV advert shot in front of a live audience, featuring four stand-up comedians, two men and two women, debating which gender is messier. The idea behind the campaign is that domestic clutter leads to arguments, and thus to an unhappy home, a conflict that IKEA wants to show can be avoided with better storage. Viewers will be directed to a new Facebook page for the brand, where they are able to vote on who they believe is messier, and submit evidence using videos and photos through an app created especially for the campaign. Meanwhile, online display banners will allow other users the opportunity to vote, with online adverts promoting Ikea products demonstrating the problems confronting people, and offering solutions. Anna Crona, marketing director at IKEA United Kingdom and Ireland, explained: "We are committed to understanding how our customers live life at home so we can provide solutions to make life happier. Everybody has storage needs in the home and by encouraging debate and providing solutions we will show that IKEA is relevant to everybody, no matter what your home is like or how much money you have." Press adverts will also support the campaign, as will a handbook entitled "Peace, Love and Storage", which will be available through the Facebook site.[149] Other ventures[edit] In mid-August 2012, the company announced that it will establish a chain of 100 economy hotels in Europe but, unlike its few existing hotels in Scandinavia, they will not carry the IKEA name, nor will they use IKEA furniture and furnishings – they will be operated by an unnamed international group of hoteliers.[150] Awards[edit] IKEA was named one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers in 2004 and 2005 by Working Mothers magazine. It ranked 80 in Fortune's 200 Best Companies to Work For in 2006 and in October 2008, IKEA Canada LP was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers" by Mediacorp Canada Inc., and was featured in Maclean's newsmagazine. Additionally, IKEA is the most popular store for college furnishings.[151] Countries with IKEA presence[edit] IKEA has more than 200 stores around the world. Among the countries that have double-digit IKEA stores are: Canada China France Germany Italy Netherlands A multinational corporation (MNC) or multinational enterprise[1] is an organization that owns or controls production of goods or services in one or more countries other than their home country.[2] It can also be referred as an international corporation, a "transnational corporation", or a stateless corporation.[3] Contents [hide] 1 Overview 2 Theoretical background 3 Transnational corporations 4 Multinational corporations and colonialism 5 Criticism of multinationals 6 See also 7 References 8 External links Overview[edit] A multinational corporation is usually a large corporation which produces or sells goods or services in various countries.[4] Importing and exporting goods and services Making significant investments in a foreign country Buying and selling licenses in foreign markets Engaging in contract manufacturing—permitting a local manufacturer in a foreign country to produce their products Opening manufacturing facilities or assembly operations in foreign countries The problem of moral and legal constraints upon the behavior of multinational corporations, given that they are effectively "stateless" actors, is one of several urgent global socioeconomic problems that emerged during the late twentieth century.[5] One of the first multinational business organizations, the East India Company, arose in 1600.[6] After East India Company, came the Dutch East India Company, founded March 20, 1602, which would become the largest company in the world for nearly 200 years.[7] Theoretical background[edit] This section contains information of unclear or questionable importance or relevance to the article's subject matter. Please help improve this article by clarifying or removing superfluous information. (January 2015) The actions of multinational corporations are strongly supported by economic liberalism and free market system in a globalized international society. According to the economic realist view, individuals act in rational ways to maximize their self-interest and therefore, when individuals act rationally, markets are created and they function best in free market system where there is little government interference. As a result, international wealth is maximized with free exchange of goods and services.[8] To many economic liberals, multinational corporations are the vanguard of the liberal order.[8] They are the embodiment par excellence of the liberal ideal of an interdependent world economy. They have taken the integration of national economies beyond trade and money to the internationalization of production. For the first time in history, production, marketing, and investment are being organized on a global scale rather than in terms of isolated national economies.[9] Transnational corporations[edit] A transnational corporation differs from a traditional multinational corporation in that it does not identify itself with one national home. While traditional multinational corporations are national companies with foreign subsidiaries,[10] transnational corporations spread out their operations in many countries to sustain high levels of local responsiveness.[11] An example of a transnational corporation is Nestlé who employ senior executives from many countries and try to make decisions from a global perspective rather than from one centralized headquarters.[12] Another example is Royal Dutch Shell, whose headquarters are in The Hague, Netherlands, but whose registered office and main executive body are headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Multinational corporations and colonialism[edit] World economy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Economy of the world Statistics Population 7.095 billion (July 2013 est.)[1] GDP Nominal: $77.609 trillion (2014 est.)[1] PPP: $106.998 trillion (2014 est.)[1] GDP growth 3.4% (2014)[2] GDP per capita Nominal: $10,857 PPP: $15,073 (2014 est.) Millionaires (US$) ~10 million i.e. ~0.15% (2009) Billionaires 1,594 (2014) [3] People earn below $2 per day ~3.25 billion (~50%) Unemployment 5.4% (Nov.2014)[4] note: 30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%–12% unemployment (2007 est.) Trailing-ten-years. Some numbers exclude certain countries for lack of information. All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars. World economy Africa Americas Central America North America South America Asia Europe Oceania v t e The world economy or global economy is the economy of the world, considered as an international exchange of goods and services.[5] In some contexts, the two terms are distinguished: the "international" or "global economy" being measured separately and distinguished from national economies while the "world economy" is simply an aggregate of the separate countries' measurements. Beyond the minimum standard concerning value in production, use, and exchange the definitions, representations, models, and valuations of the world economy vary widely. It is inseparable from the geography and ecology of Earth. It is common to limit questions of the world economy exclusively to human economic activity, and the world economy is typically judged in monetary terms, even in cases in which there is no efficient market to help valuate certain goods or services, or in cases in which a lack of independent research or government cooperation makes establishing figures difficult. Typical examples are illegal drugs and other black market goods, which by any standard are a part of the world economy, but for which there is by definition no legal market of any kind. However, even in cases in which there is a clear and efficient market to establish a monetary value, economists do not typically use the current or official exchange rate to translate the monetary units of this market into a single unit for the world economy, since exchange rates typically do not closely reflect worldwide value, for example in cases where the volume or price of transactions is closely regulated by the government. World share of GDP (PPP) (World Bank, 2011).[6] Rather, market valuations in a local currency are typically translated to a single monetary unit using the idea of purchasing power. This is the method used below, which is used for estimating worldwide economic activity in terms of real US dollars or euros. However, the world economy can be evaluated and expressed in many more ways. It is unclear, for example, how many of the world's 7.13 billion people have most of their economic activity reflected in these valuations. As of 2015, the following 13 countries or regions have reached an economy of at least US$2 trillion by GDP in nominal or PPP terms: Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.[7] Contents [hide] 1 Economy – overview 1.1 World economy by Country Groups 1.2 Current world economic league table of largest economies in the world by GDP and share of global economic growth 1.3 Twenty Largest Economies in the World by Nominal GDP 1.4 Twenty Largest Economies in the World by PPP GDP (IMF and CIA World Factbook) 1.5 2010 – 2020 – China, the United States, the European Union, and India lead economic growth (estimates by IMF) 2 Statistical indicators 2.1 Economy 2.2 Employment 2.3 Industries 2.4 Energy 2.5 Cross-border 2.6 Gift economy 2.7 Communications 2.8 Transport 2.9 Military 3 Economic Studies 4 See also 5 References 6 External links Economy – overview[edit] World economy by Country Groups[edit] The following two tables list the Country Groups with individual countries designated by the IMF.[8] Members of the G-20 major economies are in bold. List of Country Groups by GDP (nominal) in 2014 in Billions US$[9] List of Country Groups by GDP (PPP) in 2014 in Billions US$[9] Country Group GDP (Nominal) % of Global GDP Number of Countries Economies with at least 0.50% of Global GDP Major advanced economies (G7) 35,542 46.0% 7 Canada France Germany Italy Japan United Kingdom United States Emerging and Developing Asia 14,944 19.3% 29 China India Indonesia Thailand Other Advanced Economies (Advanced economies excluding G7) 11,431 14.8% 30 Australia Austria Belgium South Korea Netherlands Norway Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Latin America and the Caribbean 5,799 7.5% 32 Argentina Brazil Mexico Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan 3,458 4.5% 22 Iran Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Commonwealth of Independent States and Georgia 2,521 3.3% 12 Russia Emerging and developing Europe 1,894 2.5% 12 Poland Turkey Sub-Saharan Africa 1,680 2.2% 45 Nigeria World 77,269 100.0% 189 Country Group GDP (PPP) % of Global GDP Number of Countries Economies with at least 0.50% of Global GDP Major advanced economies (G7) 34,755 32.0% 7 Canada France Germany Italy Japan United Kingdom United States Emerging and Developing Asia 32,496 29.9% 29 China India Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Thailand Other Advanced Economies (Advanced economies excluding G7) 11,864 10.9% 30 Australia South Korea Netherlands Spain Taiwan Latin America and the Caribbean 9,376 8.6% 32 Argentina Brazil Colombia Mexico Venezuela Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan 8,290 7.6% 22 Algeria Egypt Iran Pakistan Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Commonwealth of Independent States and Georgia 5,080 4.7% 12 Russia Emerging and developing Europe 3,553 3.3% 12 Poland Turkey Sub-Saharan Africa 3,362 3.1% 45 Nigeria South Africa World 108,777 100.0% 189 Current world economic league table of largest economies in the world by GDP and share of global economic growth[edit] The following two tables list the twenty largest economies by GDP (Nominal), twenty largest economies by GDP (PPP), and the twenty economies with the largest shares of global economic growth from 2014 to 2015. Members of the G-20 major economies are in bold. List of the 25 largest economies by GDP (nominal) at their peak level of GDP in Billions US$[9][10] List of the 25 largest economies by GDP (PPP) at their peak level of GDP in Billions US$[9][11] List of the 10 largest economies by contribution to global economic growth by GDP (nominal) over 2014-15[12] Rank Country Value (USD$) Peak Year — World 77,869 2014 — European Union 18,527 2014 1 United States 17,968 2015 2 China 11,385 2015 3 Japan 4,116 2015 4 Germany 3,371 2015 5 United Kingdom 2,864 2015 6 France 2,422 2015 7 India 2,183 2015 8 Italy 1,819 2015 9 Brazil 1,780 2015 10 Russia 2,079 2013 11 Canada 1,839 2013 12 Spain 1,643 2008 13 Australia 1,555 2012 14 South Korea 1,410 2014 15 Mexico 1,291 2014 16 Indonesia 919 2012 17 Netherlands 895 2011 18 Turkey 823 2013 19 Iran 793 1991 20 Saudi Arabia 746 2014 Rank Country Value (USD$) Peak Year — World 113,162 2015 1 China 19,510 2015 — European Union 19,176 2015 2 United States 17,968 2015 3 India 8,027 2015 4 Japan 4,842 2015 5 Germany 3,842 2015 6 Russia 3,745 2014 7 Brazil 3,276 2014 8 Indonesia 2,839 2015 9 United Kingdom 2,660 2015 10 France 2,647 2015 11 Mexico 2,220 2015 12 Italy 2,174 2015 13 South Korea 1,849 2015 14 Saudi Arabia 1,681 2015 15 Spain 1,636 2015 16 Canada 1,628 2015 17 Turkey 1,576 2015 18 Iran 1,382 2015 19 Australia 1,137 2015 20 Taiwan 1,114 2015 Rank Country Percentage (%) — World 100.0 1 China 51.3 2 United States 30.9 3 India 6.6 4 Egypt 1.9 5 Argentina 1.8 6 Pakistan 1.2 7 Bangladesh 0.9 8 Hong Kong 0.8 9 Philippines 0.7 10 Vietnam 0.6 Remaining Countries 3.2 Twenty Largest Economies in the World by Nominal GDP[edit] Main article: List of IMF ranked countries by past and projected GDP (nominal) The following is a list of the twenty largest economies by nominal GDP at a specific year according to International Monetary Fund.[13] Rank 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 1 United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States United States 2 Soviet Union Soviet Union Japan Japan Japan Japan China China China 3 Japan Japan Soviet Union Germany Germany Germany Japan Japan Japan 4 West Germany West Germany West Germany France United Kingdom United Kingdom Germany Germany Germany 5 France France France United Kingdom France China France United Kingdom United Kingdom 6 United Kingdom United Kingdom Italy Italy China France United Kingdom France India 7 Italy Italy United Kingdom Brazil Italy Italy Brazil India France 8 China Canada Canada China Canada Canada Italy Italy Italy 9 Canada China Iran Spain Mexico Spain India Brazil Brazil 10 Argentina India Spain Canada Brazil South Korea Canada Canada Canada Rank 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 11 Mexico Brazil Brazil South Korea Spain Brazil Russia South Korea South Korea 12 Spain Mexico China Netherlands South Korea Mexico Spain Australia Russia 13 Netherlands Spain India Australia India India Australia Russia Australia 14 India Australia Australia India Netherlands Russia South Korea Spain Spain 15 Saudi Arabia Netherlands Netherlands Mexico Australia Australia Mexico Mexico Mexico 16 Australia Sweden Mexico Switzerland Iran Netherlands Netherlands Indonesia Indonesia 17 Brazil Switzerland South Korea Russia Argentina Turkey Indonesia Netherlands Netherlands 18 Sweden Indonesia Switzerland Argentina Taiwan Switzerland Turkey Turkey Turkey 19 Belgium Argentina Sweden Belgium Switzerland Sweden Switzerland Switzerland Saudi Arabia 20 Switzerland Saudi Arabia Turkey Taiwan Turkey Belgium Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Switzerland Twenty Largest Economies in the World by PPP GDP (IMF and CIA World Factbook)[edit] The following is a list of twenty largest economies by GDP (PPP) at a specific year according to the CIA World Factbook and the International Monetary Fund.[14][15] Rank 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 1 United States United States United States United States United States United States United States China China 2 Soviet Union Soviet Union Soviet Union Japan China China China United States United States 3 Japan Japan Japan China Japan Japan India India India 4 West Germany West Germany West Germany Germany Germany India Japan Japan Japan 5 Italy Italy Italy India India Germany Germany Germany Germany 6 France France China Italy France Russia Russia Russia Indonesia 7 Brazil Brazil France France Italy Brazil Brazil Brazil Russia 8 United Kingdom United Kingdom Brazil Brazil Brazil France France Indonesia Brazil 9 Mexico China India Russia Russia United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom 10 India India United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom Italy Italy France France Rank 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 11 China Mexico Mexico Mexico Mexico Mexico Indonesia Mexico Mexico 12 Spain Canada Spain Indonesia Spain Indonesia Mexico Italy Italy 13 Canada Spain Canada Spain Indonesia Spain Spain South Korea South Korea 14 Saudi Arabia Iran Indonesia Canada Canada Canada South Korea Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 15 Indonesia Indonesia Saudi Arabia South Korea South Korea South Korea Canada Spain Turkey 16 Argentina Saudi Arabia Turkey Turkey Turkey Turkey Iran Canada Spain 17 Iran Turkey Iran Saudi Arabia Iran Iran Saudi Arabia Turkey Canada 18 Poland Australia South Korea Iran Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Turkey Iran Iran 19 Netherlands Netherlands Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Australia Nigeria 20 Australia Argentina Netherlands Thailand Netherlands Thailand Taiwan Taiwan Australia 2010 – 2020 – China, the United States, the European Union, and India lead economic growth (estimates by IMF)[edit] At exchange rates, the economic output of the world is expected to expand by US$31.5 trillion from 2010 to 2020.[16] The following two tables are predictive lists of the 50 countries with the largest contribution to global economic growth from 2010 to 2020 by International Monetary Fund. Predictive List of the 50 Economies with the Greatest Contribution to Global Economic Growth in GDP (nominal) from 2010 to 2020[16] Predictive List of the 50 Koco Racin ???? ????? Jovica Tasevski Eternijan ?????? ???????? ????????? Gane Todorovski ???? ?????????? Stevan Ognenovski ?????? ?????????? Music edit Classical music edit Composers edit Atanas Badev ?????? ????? Dimitrije Bužarovski ????????? ?????????? Kiril Makedonski ????? ?????????? Toma Prošev ???? ?????? Todor Skalovski ????? ????????? Stojan Stojkov ?????? ??????? Aleksandar Džambazov ?????????? ???????? Conductors edit Borjan Canev ?????? ????? Instrumentalists edit Pianists Simon Trpceski ????? ???????? Opera singers edit Blagoj Nacoski ?????? ??????? Boris Trajanov ????? ???????? Popular and folk music edit Composers edit Darko Dimitrov ????? ???????? Slave Dimitrov ????? ???????? Jovan Jovanov ????? ??????? Ilija Pejovski ????? ???????? Musicians edit Bodan Arsovski ????? ???????? Goran Trajkoski ????? ????????? Ratko Dautovski ????? ????????? Kiril Džajkovski ????? ????????? Tale Ognenovski ???? ?????????? Vlatko Stefanovski ?????? ??????????? Stevo Teodosievski ????? ???????????? Aleksandra Popovska ?????????? ???????? Singers and Bands edit Lambe Alabakoski ????? ?????????? Anastasia ????????? Arhangel ???????? Kristina Arnaudova ???????? ????????? Kaliopi Bukle ??????? Dani Dimitrovska ???? ??????????? Riste Tevdoski ????? ???????? Karolina Goceva ???????? ?????? Vaska Ilieva ????? ?????? Andrijana Janevska ????????? ???????? Vlado Janevski ????? ???????? Jovan Jovanov ????? ??????? Leb i sol ??? ? ??? Aleksandar Makedonski ?????????? ?????????? Elvir Mekic ????? ????? Mizar ????? Jasmina Mukaetova ??????? ????e???? The Malagasy French Malgache are the ethnic group that forms nearly the entire population of Madagascar They are divided into two subgroups the "Highlander" Merina Sihanaka and Betsileo of the central plateau around Antananarivo Alaotra Ambatondrazaka and Fianarantsoa and the "coastal dwellers" elsewhere in the country This division has its roots in historical patterns of settlement The original Austronesian settlers from Borneo arrived between the third and tenth centuries and established a network of principalities in the Central Highlands region conducive to growing the rice they had carried with them on their outrigger canoes Sometime later a large number of settlers arrived from East Africa and established kingdoms along the relatively unpopulated coastlines The difference in ethnic origins remains somewhat evident between the highland and coastal regions In addition to the ethnic distinction between highland and coastal Malagasy one may speak of a political distinction as well Merina monarchs in the late th and early th century united the Merina principalities and brought the neighboring Betsileo people under their administration first They later extended Merina control over the majority of the coastal areas as well The military resistance and eventual defeat of most of the coastal communities assured their subordinate position vis à vis the Merina Betsileo alliance During the th and th centuries the French colonial administration capitalized on and further exacerbated these political inequities by appropriating existing Merina governmental infrastructure to run their colony This legacy of political inequity dogged the people of Madagascar after gaining independence in candidates ethnic and regional identities have often served to help or hinder their success in democratic elections Within these two broad ethnic and political groupings the Malagasy were historically subdivided into specifically named ethnic groups who were primarily distinguished from one another on the basis of cultural practices These were namely agricultural hunting or fishing practices construction style of dwellings music hair and clothing styles and local customs or taboos the latter known in the Malagasy language as fady citation needed The number of such ethnic groups in Madagascar has been debated The practices that distinguished many of these groups are less prevalent in the st century than they were in the past But many Malagasy are proud to proclaim their association with one or several of these groups as part of their own cultural identity "Highlander" ethnic groups Merina Sihanaka Betsileo Zafimaniry Coastal ethnic groups Antaifasy or Antefasy Antaimoro or Temoro or Antemoro Antaisaka or Antesaka Antambahoaka Antandroy or Tandroy Antankarana Antanosy or Tanosy Academia edit Afifi al Akiti Khasnor Johan historian Khoo Kay Kim Jomo Kwame Sundaram Danny Quah Harith Ahmad Architects edit Main article List of Malaysian architects Artists edit Main article List of Malaysian artists Business edit Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary born Tan Sri Dato Loh Boon Siew – Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Tan Sri William Cheng Dato Choong Chin Liang born Tan Sri Dato Tony Fernandes born Lim Goh Tong – Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow born Chung Keng Quee – Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan born Robert Kuok born Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan born Shoba Purushothaman Shah Hakim Zain Halim Saad Tan Sri Mohd Saleh Sulong Tan Sri Vincent Tan born Lillian Too born Tan Sri Dr Francis Yeoh Tun Daim Zainuddin born Tan Sri Kong Hon Kong Designers edit Bernard Chandran fashion designer Jimmy Choo born shoe designer Poesy Liang born artist writer philanthropist jewellery designer industrial designer interior architect music composer Inventors edit Yi Ren Ng inventor of the Lytro Entertainers edit Yasmin Ahmad – film director Stacy Angie Francissca Peter born Jamal Abdillah born Sudirman Arshad – Loganathan Arumugam died Datuk David Arumugam Alleycats Awal Ashaari Alvin Anthons born Asmawi bin Ani born Ahmad Azhar born Ning Baizura born Kasma Booty died Marion Caunter host of One In A Million and the TV Quickie Ella born Erra Fazira born Sean Ghazi born Fauziah Latiff born Angelica Lee born Daniel Lee Chee Hun born Fish Leong born Sheila Majid born Amy Mastura born Mohamad Nasir Mohamad born Shathiyah Kristian born Meor Aziddin Yusof born Ah Niu born Dayang Nurfaizah born Shanon Shah born Siti Nurhaliza born Misha Omar born Hani Mohsin – Aziz M Osman born Azmyl Yunor born P Ramlee born Aziz Sattar born Fasha Sandha born Ku Nazhatul Shima Ku Kamarazzaman born Nicholas Teo born Pete Teo Penny Tai born Hannah Tan born Jaclyn Victor born Chef Wan Adira Suhaimi Michael Wong born Victor Wong born Dato Michelle Yeoh Hollywood actress born James Wan director of Hollywood films like several Saw films Insidious The Conjuring Fast and Furious born Ziana Zain born Zee Avi Shila Amzah Yunalis Zarai Zamil Idris born Military edit Leftenan Adnan – Warrior from mainland Malaya Antanum Warrior from Sabah Borneo Rentap Warrior from Sarawak Syarif Masahor Warrior from Sarawak Monsopiad Warrior from Sabah Borneo Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong Warrior from Telemong Terengganu Mat Salleh Warrior from Sabah Borneo Rosli Dhobi Warrior from Sarawak Politicians edit Parameswara founder of Sultanate of Malacca Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj st Prime Minister of independent Malaya Tun Abdul Razak nd Prime Minister V T Sambanthan Founding Fathers of Malaysia along with Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tan Cheng Lock Tun Dato Sir Tan Cheng Lock Founder of MCA Tun Hussein Onn rd Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad th Prime Minister Father of Modernisation Abdullah Ahmad Badawi th Prime Minister since Najib Tun Razak Current Prime Minister since Dato Seri Ong Ka Ting Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim Dato Wan Hisham Wan Salleh Nik Aziz Nik Mat Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin Federal Territory and Urban Wellbeing Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail Karpal Singh Lim Kit Siang Lim Guan Eng Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah Religious edit Antony Selvanayagam Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Penang Anthony Soter Fernandez Archbishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur and Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Penang Gregory Yong – Second Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore Tan Sri Datuk Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam Metropolitan archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Malaysia Singapore and Brunei and publisher of the Catholic weekly newspaper The Herald Datuk Ng Moon Hing the fourth and current Anglican Bishop of West Malaysia Sportspeople edit Squash edit Datuk Nicol Ann David Ong Beng Hee Azlan Iskandar Low Wee Wern Badminton edit Chan Chong Ming men s doubles Dato Lee Chong Wei Chew Choon Eng men s doubles Wong Choong Hann Chin Eei Hui women s doubles Hafiz Hashim Roslin Hashim Wong Pei Tty women s doubles Choong Tan Fook men s doubles Lee Wan Wah men s doubles Koo Kien Keat men s doubles Tan Boon Heong men s doubles Retired edit Tan Aik Huang Eddy Choong Punch Gunalan Yap Kim Hock Foo Kok Keong Jalani Sidek Misbun Sidek Rashid Sidek Razif Sidek Cheah Soon Kit Lee Wan Wah Football soccer edit Brendan Gan Sydney FC Shaun Maloney Wigan Athletic Akmal Rizal Perak FA Kedah FA RC Strasbourg FCSR Haguenau Norshahrul Idlan Talaha Kelantan FA Khairul Fahmi Che Mat Kelantan FA Mohd Safiq Rahim Selangor FA Mohd Fadzli Saari Selangor FA PBDKT T Team FC SV Wehen Rudie Ramli Selangor FA PKNS F C SV Wehen Mohd Safee Mohd Sali Selangor FA Pelita Jaya Baddrol Bakhtiar Kedah FA Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri Kedah FA Mohd Azmi Muslim Kedah FA Mohd Fadhli Mohd Shas Harimau Muda A FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce Mohd Irfan Fazail Harimau Muda A FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce Wan Zack Haikal Wan Noor Harimau Muda A FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce F C Ryukyu Nazirul Naim Che Hashim Harimau Muda A F C Ryukyu Khairul Izuan Abdullah Sarawak FA Persibo Bojonegoro PDRM FA Stanley Bernard Stephen Samuel Sabah FA Sporting Clube de Goa Nazmi Faiz Harimau Muda A SC Beira Mar Ahmad Fakri Saarani Perlis FA Atlético S C Chun Keng Hong Penang FA Chanthaburi F C Retired edit Serbegeth Singh owner founder of MyTeam Blackburn Rovers F C Global dvisor Mokhtar Dahari former Selangor FA and Malaysian player Lim Teong Kim former Hertha BSC player