Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

anyone to forget

that he

had become

president “by

accident.”

124 Typhoid Fever BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

To prevent typhus, people should keep

lice, fleas, mites, and ticks from getting

on their skin. People also can get a vaccine,

or substance that prevents the disease.

If a person does get typhus, drugs

called antibiotics can cure it.

#More to explore

Disease, Human

Tyrannosaurus

Rex

Tyrannosaurus rex, or T. rex, was one of

the largest and most ferocious predators

ever to walk on Earth. The name Tyrannosaurus

rex means “king of the tyrant

lizards.” T. rex was just one of the group

of dinosaurs called tyrannosaurs. The

tyrannosaurs were theropods, or meateating

dinosaurs that walked on their

two back legs.

When and Where

Tyrannosaurus rex Lived

T. rex lived about 80 to 65 million years

ago. Fossil remains of T. rex have been

found in the United States, Canada, and

Asia. Scientists believe that T. rex lived

in forests and in forest clearings.

Physical Features

T. rex could reach a length of 42 feet (13

meters) and weighed up to 8 tons. Its

huge head could reach 5 feet (1.5

meters) in length, and its skull alone

weighed up to 600 pounds (270 kilograms).

Its eyes allowed it to see forward

and to the sides. T. rex had about 60

teeth with sawlike edges. It had muscular

back legs, each with three clawed

toes. T. rex’s front legs were tiny but very

strong. Its tail was held off the ground.

Behavior

T. rex preyed on plant-eating dinosaurs.

It most likely lunged out from behind

trees in surprise attacks. It also may

have hunted in packs to bring down

much larger dinosaurs. Scientists

estimate that T. rex could run 20 miles

per hour (32 kilometers per hour) for

short distances. T. rex also may have

been a scavenger, feeding upon dead

animals.

#More to explore

Dinosaur

Tyrannosaurus rex

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Tyrannosaurus Rex 125

 

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2010 Britannica Student Encyclopedia

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International Standard Book Number: 978-1-61535-363-7

eBook edition January, 2010

 

The average year-round temperature

of Ulaanbaatar, the

capital of Mongolia, is only

27°F (–3° C).

(See Ulaanbaatar.)

The Underground Railroad was

a secret organization that

helped escaped slaves from the

Southern United States reach

places of safety in the North or

in Canada.

(See Underground Railroad.)

The main goal of the United

Nations, an organization of

almost all the world’s countries,

is world peace.

(See United Nations.)

The Milky Way galaxy contains

more than 100 billion stars.

(See Universe.)

The urine of birds and reptiles

is white and thick. The urine of

land insects is solid.

(See Urinary System.)

Uu

 

Uganda

Uganda is a country in East Africa. It

takes its name from Buganda, which was

a powerful African kingdom in the

1800s. Uganda’s capital is Kampala.

Geography

Uganda shares borders with Sudan,

Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the

Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Lake Victoria lies to the southeast. It is

the world’s second largest freshwater

lake, after Lake Superior in North

America.

Most of Uganda is on a plateau, or

raised flat area. A huge natural ditch

called theWestern Rift Valley runs along

the country’s western border. Mountains

rise in the west, north, and east. Uganda’s

rivers include the Victoria Nile and

the Albert Nile. Uganda has a warm

climate with rainy and dry seasons.

Plants and Animals

Scattered tropical rain forests grow in

southern Uganda. In the north tall

grasses and clumps of trees cover the

land.

Hippopotamuses and crocodiles live in

most of Uganda’s lakes. The country’s

wildlife also includes chimpanzees,

elephants, lions, leopards, rhinoceroses,

giraffes, and zebras. Rare mountain

gorillas live in a national park in the

southwest.

People

Dozens of different African peoples live

in Uganda. Those who speak Bantu languages

make up the largest part of the

population. The Ganda people form the

largest single group. Small numbers of

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

in southwestern Uganda is home

to rare mountain gorillas.

4 Uganda BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Asians, Europeans, and Arabs also live in

Uganda.

Uganda’s peoples speak more than 30

languages. English, Ganda (or Luganda),

and Swahili are the most common languages.

About two thirds of the people

are Christians. Many other Ugandans

practice Islam or traditional African

religions. Most people live in rural areas.

Economy

Most of Uganda’s people are farmers.

The main crops include coffee, tea, cotton,