A monsoon is a seasonal wind of the Indian Ocean and nearby lands blowing from the north-east in October to March, and from the south-west in April to September, occasioned by the deflection of permanent winds from their normal path through the heating of a neighbouring land mass. Research Monsoon
Divali or Diwali (Feast of Lanterns) is one of the most important Hindu festivals and is held for five days on the last days of the dark quarter of the moon (calculated as twenty days after the new moon) in the month of October or November. It is a form of Indian harvest festival - Hindus giving thanks for the harvest - marking the end of the monsoon season and the opening of the commercial year and tribute - known as Lakshmi Puja - is paid in honour of Lakshmi the goddess of wealth, including making offerings of turmeric and vermilion to the house broom. The third day is the main day of Diwali and is celebrated as the 'Festival of Lights' when people light diyas and candles all around their house - so as to light up the path of the goddess Lakshmi. It is also important to Hindus to clean their house during Divali, as the goddess Lakshmi adores cleanliness and the broom is sacred to her. During Divali Hindus exchange presents with their loved ones and celebrate their joy, exploding fireworks at night. Research Divali
The AFCO RL3 Monsoon was an Indian two-seat light monoplane of the early 1960's. The AFCO RL3 was a cantilever low-wing monoplane powered by a Continental C85-F four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine providing a top speed of 209 kmh and a range of 725 km. Research AFCO RL3
The People's Republic of Bangladesh is a country in Asia. It has a total area of 144,000 km2. The climate is tropical; cool, dry winter from October to March; hot, humidsummer from March to June; cool, rainy monsoon from June to October. The terrain is mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in the south-east. Natural resources are natural gas, uranium, arable land, timber. The religion is 83% Muslim, about 16% Hindu, less than 1% Buddhist, Christian, and other. The official language is Bangla with English widely used. Formerly part of the Mogul Empire, the area that is now Bangladesh came under the British rule of India in 1757 when it was known as East Bengal. After Partition in 1947, Bangladesh became a province of Pakistan, and in 1955 was renamed East Pakistan. Civil war occured and in 1971 the region declared it independence as The People's Republic of Bangladesh (Free Bengal in the Bengali language). Research Bangladesh
Burma (now called Myanmar) is a country in Asia bounded on the north by Assam and Tibet, on the east by Chinese territory andThailand , elsewhere mainly by the Bay of Bengal. It has a total area of 678,500 km2. The climate is tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot with humidsummers (south-west monsoon, June to September); less cloudy with scant rainfall, mild temperatures and lower humidity during the winter (north-east monsoon, December to April). The terrain is comprised of central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands. Between these ranges and in the plains or valleys here situated the four great rivers of Burma - the Irrawaddy, its tributary the Kyen-dwen, the Sittang, and the Salwen - flow in a southerly direction to the sea, watering the rich alluvial tracts of Lower Burma, and having at their mouths all the great seaports of the country. Natural resources are crude oil, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones (the chief precious stone is the ruby, Sapphire, amber, and jade are also obtained), and natural gas. The religion is 85% Buddhist, 15% animist beliefs, Muslim, Christian, or other. The language is Burmese but minority ethnic groups have their own numerous languages.
The natives all belong to the Mongolian type of mankind, but are made up of a great variety of races besides the Burmese proper, as Talaings, Shans, Karens, etc. The Burmese proper are of a brown colour, with lank, black hair (seldom any on the face), and have active, vigorous, well-proportioned frames. They are a cheerful, lively people, fond of amusement, averse to continuous exertion, free from prejudice of caste or creed, temperate and hardy.
Under its native kings the form of government in Burma was an absolute monarchy, the seat of government being at Mandalay. The king was assisted in governing by a council of state known as the H'loot-daw, to which belonged the functions of a house of legislature, a cabinet, and a supreme court. The king had power to punish at his pleasure anyone, even the great officers of state. The revenue was derived from taxes levied in a very irregular and capricious manner, and official corruption was rampant. The criminal laws were barbarously severe. Capital punishment was commonly inflicted by decapitation, but crucifixion and disembowelling were also practised. After the loss of the maritime provinces in the 19th century to Britain, the influence of Independent Burma greatly declined, as did also its Asiatic and foreign trade.
The Burmeseempire is of little note in ancient or general history. Since the 16th century the Burmese proper have mostly been the predominant race, and ruled the Peguans, Karens, etc, throughout the country. The capital has at different times been at Ava, Pegu, Prome, or elsewhere. In the latter half of the 18th century the Burmese emperors began a series of wars of conquest with China, Thailand, Assam, through which they greatly enlarged the empire. This brought them into contact with the British, and in 1824 war was declared against them on account of their encroachments on British territory and their seizure of British subjects. The war terminated in the cession of the provinces of Aracan and Tenasserim to the British. Peace continued for some years, but latterly various acts of hostility were committed by the Burmese, and in 1852 the maltreatment of British subjects occasioned a second war, at the end of which the British possessions were extended to include the whole of Pegu. The third and last war occurred in 1885 in consequence of the arrogance and arbitrary conduct of King Theebaw. The result was that Upper Burma was annexed to the British empire by proclamation of the Viceroy of India, on the 1st of January 1886, and thus became a province of India.
In 1937 Burma was raised to the status of a British crown colony, and in 1948 was granted independence. In 1974 the monarchy was removed and Burma became a Socialist republic, changing its name to the Union of Myanmar in 1989. Research Burma
The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country in the far east south east of Thailand. It has a total area of 181,040 km2. The climate is tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to October); dry season (December to March); with little seasonal temperature variation. The terrain is mostly low, flat plains with mountains in the south-west and north. Natural resources are timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, and hydropower potential. The religion is 95% Theravada Buddhism, 5% other including Hindu and Muslim. The offcial language is Khmer with French also spoken. Cambodia was a French protectorate from 1863 until 1953 with the monarchy having nominal control. In 1970 the king was overthrown and a reoublic declared. The republic was overthrown in 1975 by KhmerRouge forces led by Pol Pot, and this regime was itself overthrown in 1979 and the People's republic of Kampuchea established. In 1989 Cambodia abandoned socialism and in 1993 the monarchy was restored and in 1993 the country changed its name to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Research Cambodia More information about Cambodia
The federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (formerly known as Abyssinia until the 20th century) is a country in north-east Africa. It has a total area of 1,221,900 km2. The climate is tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variations, the country is also prone to extended droughts. The terrain is high plateau with a central mountain range divided by Great RiftValley. Natural resources are small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash. The religion is 40-45% Muslim, 35-40% Ethiopian Orthodox, 15-20% animist, 5% other. The official language spoken is Amharic with Afaan, Tigrigna, Oromo, Arabic and English also spoken.
Ethiopia was a powerful Christian kingdom from the 1st century AD until by 1889 it had become fragmented. King Menelik II subsequently reunified the country and repulsed an Italian invasion. Research Ethiopia
The Republic of Guinea is a republic in west Africa. The area was ruled by the MuslimMaliEmpire from the 7th to the 15th centuries before being used first by Portugese and then British and French slavers during the mid-15th century, being established as the colony of French Guinea in 1890 and becoming an independent republic in 1958. It has a total area of 245,860 km2. The climate is generally hot and humid with a monsoon-type rainy season from June to November with south-westerly winds and a dry season from December to May with north-easterly harmattan winds. The terrain is generally flat coastal plain with a hilly to a mountainous interior. Natural resources are bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish. The religion is 85% Muslim, 5% indigenous beliefs and 1.5% Christian. The official language is French and each resident tribe also has its own language. Research Guinea
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