Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

In 2000 Yemen signed an agreement

with Saudi Arabia concerning their common

border, which had long been disputed.

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Arabs • Middle East • Sanaa

Facts About

YEMEN

Population

(2008 estimate)

23,013,000

Area

214,300 sq mi

(555,000 sq km)

Capital

Sanaa

Form of

government

Republic

Major cities

Sanaa, Aden,

Ta!izz,

Al-Hudaydah,

Al-Mukalla

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Yemen 91

 

Yerevan

Population

(2006 estimate)

1,103,800

Yerevan is the capital of Armenia, a

country in western Asia. It is Armenia’s

largest city by far. It is also one of the

oldest cities in the world. Yerevan lies

on the Hrazdan River. The peaks of

Mount Ararat and other mountains rise

nearby.

Yerevan is Armenia’s center of industry.

The city is noted for its chemical factories.

Other factories in Yerevan process

foods and metals and make jewelry,

clothing, machinery, and cars.

People have lived in Yerevan for several

thousand years. It became part of Armenia

more than 2,500 years ago. The city

lay on an important trade route in

ancient times. For this reason many

groups tried to capture Yerevan. Over its

long history the Romans, Arabs, Turks,

Persians, and other groups ruled the city.

Russia and later the Soviet Union controlled

Yerevan for much of the 1800s

and 1900s. In 1991 Armenia became an

independent country with Yerevan as its

capital.

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Armenia

Yew

Yews are evergreen trees and bushes that

grow in the northern half of the world.

There are several species, or types, of

yew. They include the English yew and

the western yew.

Some yew trees may reach 80 feet (25

meters) or more in height. Yews have

many branches with narrow, sharply

pointed leaves. The leaves are dark green

above and lighter underneath. Each yew

seed is surrounded by a red cup that

looks like an open berry. Yew leaves and

seeds are very poisonous. People and

animals can get sick or die after eating

them.

Yews grow very slowly but live very long.

Some yews are thought to be more than

1,200 years old. Yews usually are not

bothered by insects.

People trim some kinds of yew to use in

landscaping. Yews are also important

Yerevan, Armenia, is a city of broad boulevards.

The round building at left is an opera

house.

92 Yerevan BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

because their wood is hard. It is often

used in woodcarving.

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Tree

Yoga

Yoga is a system of training for the body

and the mind. The word yoga means

“union” in the ancient Sanskrit language

of India. People who follow the religion

of Hinduism practice yoga to feel united

with a higher power. They seek this

union through posture (body position),

breathing, and meditation (mental exercises).

The most popular form of yoga is

called hatha yoga.

Today many people who do not follow

Hinduism practice yoga for exercise and

relaxation. The movements and positions

used in yoga are gentler than many

forms of exercise. As a result, people of

many different ages and fitness levels can

take part.

The practice of yoga involves learning a

variety of postures. These body

positions are known as asanas. One

well-known asana is called the lotus

position. In the lotus position, a person

sits with his or her legs crossed. The

legs are crossed tightly so that the foot

of each leg can rest on the opposite

thigh. Another common asana is the

downward-facing dog. In this position,

the hands and feet are flat on the floor,

and the hips are raised toward the

ceiling. People skilled at yoga can hold

asanas for a long time.

Yoga also features different breathing

exercises. Deep breathing helps to

deliver oxygen to the blood. It also

helps people to relax. While a person

focuses on breathing, the mind becomes

clearer.

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Exercise • Hinduism

The red growths on a yew branch look like

open berries. Each of them holds one of the

plant’s seeds.

People learn yoga exercises in a class.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Yoga 93

 

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is the holiest day in Judaism.

It is a day marked by prayer and

fasting. Yom Kippur is observed on the

10th day of the Jewish calendar month

Tishri. The holiday usually occurs in

September or October.

In English, Yom Kippur is known as the

Day of Atonement. The holiday’s purpose

is to purify the individual and community.

On Yom Kippur Jews are

forgiven for their sins against God. They

also ask for forgiveness from people they

have wronged. No work can be performed

on this day. The day is generally

spent in the synagogue, the Jewish house

of worship.

Jews believe that on the 10th of Tishri,

Moses came down from Mount Sinai

with the second set of tablets of the Ten

Commandments. This event happened

40 days after the Israelites (the Jewish

people) committed the sin of worshipping

a golden calf instead of praying to

God. Moses told the Israelites that they

were forgiven. Since this time, the day

was observed as Yom Kippur.

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Judaism

Yucatan

Peninsula

The Yucatan Peninsula is a region in

Central America. The Gulf of Mexico

lies on its western and northern sides.

The Caribbean Sea lies on its eastern

side. The northern part of the Yucatan is

in Mexico. Belize and a part of Guatemala

are in the south.