The continental nuclei are surrounded by or

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• Netherlands, The — officially Kingdom of The Netherlands byname Holland Country, northwestern Europe. Area: 16,033 sq mi (41,526 sq km). Population (2002 est.): 16,142,000. Capital: Amsterdam; Seat of Government: The Hague. Most of the people are Dutch. Languages:… …   Universalium

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• Asia — /ay zheuh, ay sheuh/, n. a continent bounded by Europe and the Arctic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. 2,896,700,000; ab. 16,000,000 sq. mi. (41,440,000 sq. km). * * * I Largest continent on Earth. It is bounded by the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean …   Universalium

• angiosperm — /an jee euh sperrm /, n. Bot. a plant having its seeds enclosed in an ovary; a flowering plant. Cf. gymnosperm. [ANGIO + SPERM] * * * ▪ plant Introduction       any member of the more than 300,000 species of flowering plants (division Anthophyta) …   Universalium

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• climate — /kluy mit/, n. 1. the composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years. 2. a region or… …   Universalium

• chemical element — Introduction also called  element,         any substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by ordinary chemical processes. Elements are the fundamental materials of which all matter is composed.       This article considers the… …   Universalium

• atmosphere — atmosphereless, adj. /at meuhs fear /, n., v., atmosphered, atmosphering. n. 1. the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth; the air. 2. this medium at a given place. 3. Astron. the gaseous envelope surrounding a heavenly body. 4. Chem. any… …   Universalium

• plant — plantable, adj. plantless, adj. plantlike, adj. /plant, plahnt/, n. 1. any member of the kingdom Plantae, comprising multicellular organisms that typically produce their own food from inorganic matter by the process of photosynthesis and that… …   Universalium

• India — /in dee euh/, n. 1. Hindi, Bharat. a republic in S Asia: a union comprising 25 states and 7 union territories; formerly a British colony; gained independence Aug. 15, 1947; became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations Jan. 26, 1950.… …   Universalium

• Spain — /spayn/, n. a kingdom in SW Europe. Including the Balearic and Canary islands, 39,244,195; 194,988 sq. mi. (505,019 sq. km). Cap.: Madrid. Spanish, España. * * * Spain Introduction Spain Background: Spain s powerful world empire of the 16th and… …   Universalium