In dictionary form, an almanac of world history taking the place name or territory as its starting point. It links the past to the present by geography, and lists every significant political entity in history. The text is an encyclopaedic guide to the history of nations, and each entry falls into one of the following categories: Extinct states and empires Provinces of extinct and existing states Ancient and modern regions Nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples and nations Modern states Entries for nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples are also included together with their origins and their effect on established political entities. A number of maps are included to illustrate politico-geographical change. This is a detailed text, listing changes in world events up to the current year and gives interesting insight into current areas of conflict like the Balkans.

DR CARLOS RAMIREZ-FARIA studied in Columbia College, the University of
Paris, and the University of London. He is the author of The Origins of
Economic Inequality between Nations, a critical review of theories of
development and underdevelopment. He is currently at work on a series of
international regional histories, on South East Asia and Central Asia.