Niamey \'nya-ma\ City (pop., 1999: metro, area, 731,000), capital of Niger, along the Niger River. Originally an agricultural village of Maouri, Zerma, and Fulani peoples, it became the capital of Niger colony in 1926 and grew rapidly after World War II. At the intersection of trade routes, it has residents from other parts of Niger, as well as Yoruba and Hausa trad¬ ers, merchants, officials, and craftsmen from Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. It is a commercial centre and home to Universite Abdou Moumouni (1971).
Nian Rebellion or Nien Rebellion \'nyan\ (c. 1852-68) Rebellion in northern China during the Qing dynasty. The Nian, a secret society, was probably a reincarnation of the White Lotus Society; it attracted poor peasants, salt smugglers, and army deserters who used guerrilla hit-and- run tactics to attack the wealthy and redistribute the plundered goods among the needy. They took over local militias and formed their own armies. They were finally crushed by Li Hongzhang, who defeated them using modern weapons and blockade lines. See also Taiping Rebellion.
Niarchos \ne-'ar-kos\, Stavros (Spyros) (b. July 3, 1909, Athens, Greece—d. April 15, 1996, Zurich, Switz.) Greek shipping magnate. He
first bought ships to transport wheat for his family’s flour mill, then estab¬ lished his own shipping firm, Niarchos Group, in 1939. His ships were used by Allied forces in World War II, and after the war he used the insur¬ ance money he gained from ships sunk in combat to buy oil tankers. He favoured large ships, and many of his supertankers (of which Niarchos Ltd. at its height operated more than 80) set world records for size and carrying capacity. His longtime rivalry with Aristotle Onassis was famous.
Nias \'ne-9s\ Island, western Indonesia, in the Indian Ocean. The largest island in a chain along the western coast of Sumatra, it has an area of 1,842 sq mi (4,772 sq km). Most of the people are animists (see animism) and speak dialects of the Austronesian language family. The chief village is Gunungsitoli on the northeastern coast. Megalithic monuments and wooden sculptures honouring the dead or representing fertility are com¬ mon on the island. Tourism (notably surfing) has become important. Coastal areas were devastated by an earthquake-generated tsunami in
Nibelungenlied Vne-bo-.luq-on-.leA German "Song of the Nibe- lungs" Middle High German epic poem written c. 1200 by an unknown poet from the Danube region in what is now Austria. It is preserved in three main 13th-century manuscripts. Elements of great antiquity are dis¬ cernible in the poem, traceable to Old Norse literature, stories in the Poetic Edda, and Scandinavian sagas. The principal characters are Prince Sieg¬ fried, Queen Brunhild, Princess Kriemhild, her brother King Gunther, and his henchman Hagen; the story focuses on deceit, revenge, and slaughter. Many variations and adaptations of the poem appeared in later centuries, including Richard Wagner’s opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (1853-
74).
Nicaea \nI-'se-9\ Independent principality (1204-61) of the fragmented Byzantine Empire. Founded in 1204 by Theodore I Lascaris, it was the politi¬ cal and cultural centre from which a restored Byzantium arose in the mid- nth century under Michael VIII Palaeologus. It extended from the Black Sea coast east of the Sangarius River southwest across western Anatolia to Miletus and the Menderes (Maeander) River. It became a centre of Greek education, especially under Theodore II Lascaris, who founded an imperial school. It declined after 1261, when Michael VIII regained the Byzantine capital of Constantinople.
Nicaea \nI-'se-9\, Council of (ad 325) First ecumenical council of the Christian Church, held at Nicaea (now Iznik, Turkey). Called by Emperor Constantine I, the council condemned Arianism and drew up the Nicene Creed. It failed to set a uniform date for Easter.
Nicaragua officially Republic of Nicaragua Country, Central America. Area: 50,337 sq mi (130,373 sq km). Population (2005 est.): 5,487,000. Capitaclass="underline" Managua. Most of the people are mestizos. Languages: Spanish (official), indigenous Indian languages, English. Religion: Chris¬ tianity (predominantly Roman Catholic; also Protestant). Currency: cor¬ doba oro. Nicaragua’s western half consists of thickly forested mountain ranges and fertile valleys. Parallel to the Pacific coast is a belt of about 40 dormant and active volcanoes. The eastern coastline along the Carib¬ bean Sea is known as the Mosquito Coast. Earthquakes are common and sometimes severe. Nicaragua has a developing market economy based largely on agriculture, light industries, and trade. It is a republic with one legislative house; its head of state and government is the president. The area has been inhabited for thousands of years, most notably by the Maya. Christopher Columbus arrived in 1502, and Spanish explorers discovered Lake Nicaragua soon thereafter. Nicaragua was governed by Spain until the early 1820s. It became a part of Mexico (1822-23) and then part of the United Provinces of Central America until 1838, when full indepen¬ dence was achieved. The U.S. intervened in political affairs by maintain¬ ing troops there (1912-33). Ruled by the dictatorial Somoza family (1937— 79), Nicaragua was taken over by the Sandinista party after a popular revolt. The Sandinistas were then opposed by armed insurgents, the U.S.- backed Contras, from 1981. The Sandinista government nationalized sev¬ eral sectors of the economy but lost national elections in 1990. The new government reprivatized many public enterprises. See map on opposite page.
Nicaragua, Lake Lake, southwestern Nicaragua. It is 102 mi (164 km) long, with a surface area of about 3,100 sq mi (8,000 sq km). The largest freshwater lake between the U.S. and Peru, it is connected to Lake Managua by the Tipitapa River and is drained by the San Juan River. It is the only freshwater lake in the world containing marine animal life,
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
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including sharks, swordfish, and tarpon. Its largest island, Ometepe, is the preeminent site in Nicaragua for pre-Columbian archaeological finds.
Nice Vnes\ ancient Niceaea City (pop., 1999: city, 342,738; metro, area, 888,784) southeastern France. It is located on the Cote d'Azur of the Mediterranean Sea, near the Italian border. Founded by Greeks c. 350 bc, it was conquered by Romans in the 1st century ad and became a trading station. It was held by the counts of Provence in the 10th century. In 1388 it passed to the counts of Savoy. The city was ceded to France in 1860. Sheltered by beautiful hills, Nice has a pleasant climate and is the lead¬ ing resort of the French Riviera.
Nicene Creed Vni-.sen, nl-'sen\ Ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and major Protestant churches. Originally written in Greek, it was long thought to have been drafted at the Council of Nicaea (325), but is now believed to have been issued by the Council of Constantinople (381), based on a bap¬ tismal creed already in existence.
Nicephorus II Phocas \nI- , se-f3-r3s...'fo-k3s\ (b. 912, Cappa¬ docia—d. Dec. 10/11, 969, Constantinople) Byzantine emperor (963- 969). A powerful military commander, he fought the Arabs in the east, liberated Crete from its Arab rulers (961), and gained control of the east¬ ern Mediterranean. After the death of Romanus II, Nicephorus cooperated in a plot to seize the throne, accepting the crown (963) and marrying Theophano, the regent of the two legitimate heirs. He continued his exploits against the Arabs but was surrounded by discontent and intrigue at home; he retired to a fortified palace, where he was killed by former friends guided by his wife and his chief lieutenant.