Undset Yiin-setV Sigrid (b. May 20, 1882, Kalundborg, Den.—d. June 10, 1949, Lillehammer, Nor.) Norwegian novelist. Her father was an archaeologist, and her home life was steeped in legend, folklore, and Nor¬ wegian history. Her early novels deal with the position of women in the contemporary lower middle class. She then turned to the distant past and created her masterpiece, the trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter (1920-22), which is set in medieval Norway and depicts the spiritual growth of a strong woman. Undset converted to Roman Catholicism in 1924. Her later works, including the historical novel The Master of Hestviken (1925-27) and novels on contemporary themes, reflect her interest in religion. She received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928.
unemployment Condition of a person who is able to work, is actively seeking work, but is unable to find any. Statistics on unemployment are
collected and analyzed by government labour offices in most countries and are considered an important indicator of economic health. Since World War II full employment has been a stated goal of many govern¬ ments. Full employment is not necessarily synonymous with a zero unem¬ ployment rate, since at any given time the unemployment rate will include some people who are between jobs and not unemployed in any long-term sense. Underemployment is the term used to describe the situation of those who are able to find employment only for shorter than normal periods— for example, part-time workers and seasonal workers—and may also describe the condition of workers whose education or training makes them overqualified for their jobs.
unemployment insurance Form of social insurance designed to compensate workers for short-term, involuntary unemployment. It was created primarily to provide financial assistance to laid-off workers dur¬ ing a period deemed long enough to allow them to find another job or to be rehired at their original job. In most countries, workers who are per¬ manently disabled or who have been unemployed for a long period of time are covered under other plans. In countries such as Canada and Brit¬ ain, workers in any occupation may qualify for unemployment insurance; the U.S. denies coverage to certain workers, such as government employ¬ ees and the self-employed. In most countries, benefits are related to earn¬ ings and are paid for a limited period of time. Funding may come out of general government revenues or from specific taxes placed on employers or employees.
UNESCO in full United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Specialized agency of the UN, created in 1946 to aid peace by promoting international cooperation in education, science, and culture. It supports member states’ efforts to eliminate illit¬ eracy, encouraging the extension of free education, and acts as a clear¬ inghouse for the exchange of ideas and knowledge. In 1972 it sponsored an international agreement to establish a World Heritage list of cultural sites and natural areas that would enjoy government protection (see World Heritage site). In 1984 the U.S. withdrew from UNESCO to protest what it considered the agency’s anti-Western approach to cultural issues; the United Kingdom and Singapore withdrew a year later. The United King¬ dom rejoined in 1997, and the U.S. followed suit in 2003.
uneven parallel bars Event in women’s gymnastics in which a pair of wooden bars supported horizontally above the floor at different heights is used to perform acrobatic feats. The apparatus allows a great variety of movements, but hanging and swinging exercises predominate. It became an Olympic event in 1936. See also parallel bars.
Ungaretti \,uq-ga-'rat-te\, Giuseppe (b. Feb. 10, 1888, Alexandria, Egypt—d. June 1, 1970, Milan, Italy) Egyptian-Italian poet. He lived in Alexandria until he was 24, and the desert regions of Egypt provide recurring images in his work. While studying in Paris, he was strongly influenced by the poets of the Symbolist movement. He was the founder of Hermeticism, which began with his II porto sepolto (1916; “The Buried Port”) and brought about a reorientation in modem Italian poetry. Though experimental, his poetry developed in a coherent direction in Allegria di naufragi (1919; “Gay Shipwrecks”) and later collections. After World War II his works became more structured and acquired a more straightforward tone.
Ungava \on-'ga-v9-\ Bay Inlet, southern Hudson Strait, northeastern Quebec, Canada. It is about 200 mi (320 km) long and 160 mi (260 km) wide at its mouth, with a maximum depth of 978 ft (298 m). Fed by sev¬ eral large rivers, including the Koksoak, Leaf, and Payne, it is ice-free only four months a year. At its mouth, Akpatok Island (551 sq mi [1,427 sq km]) rises to 930 ft (283 m).
Ungava Peninsula Northern part of New Quebec district, northern Quebec, Canada. It is bounded by the Hudson Strait, Ungava Bay, Labra¬ dor, the Eastmain River, and Hudson Bay. Physiographically, it is part of the Canadian Shield.
ungulate Voq-gyo-loA Any hoofed, herbivorous, quadruped, placental mammal in three or four orders: Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates (including pigs, camels, deer, and bovines); Perissodactyla, the odd-toed ungulates (including horses, tapirs, and rhinoceroses); Proboscidea (elephants); and, by some authorities, Hyracoidea (see hyrax). There are ten orders of extinct ungulates. The hoof is dermal tissue, comparable to the human fingernail, that extends over the end of a broadened terminal digit. See also ruminant.
FOR U.S.ARMY
NEAREST RECRUITING STATION
Army recruiting poster featuring "Uncle Sam," designed by James Montgomery Flagg, 1917.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, WASHINGTON, D.C.
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UNICEF ► Union I 1963
UNICEF in full United Nations Children's Fund formerly (1946- 53) United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund Special United Nations program for aiding national efforts to improve the health, nutrition, education, and general welfare of children. Its original purpose was to provide relief to children in countries devas¬ tated by World War II. After 1950 it turned to general programs for the improvement of children’s welfare. It was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1965. UNICEF has focused its efforts on areas in which rela¬ tively small expenditures can have a significant impact on the lives of the most disadvantaged children, such as the prevention and treatment of dis¬ ease. UNICEF also provides funding for health services, educational facilities, and other welfare services. It is headquartered in New York City.
Unicode International character-encoding system designed to support the electronic interchange, processing, and display of the written texts of the diverse languages of the modern and classical world. The Unicode Worldwide Character Standard includes letters, digits, diacritics, punctua¬ tion marks, and technical symbols for all the world’s principal written languages, using a uniform encoding scheme. The first version of Uni¬ code was introduced in 1991; the most recent version contains almost 50,000 characters. Numerous encoding systems (including ASCII) predate Unicode. With Unicode (unlike earlier systems), the unique number pro¬ vided for each character remains the same on any system that supports Unicode.
unicorn Mythological animal resembling a white horse with a single horn on its forehead. The unicorn was depicted in Mesopotamian art and was referred to in the ancient myths of India and China. Its earli¬ est description in Greek literature dates from c. 400 bc and probably refers to the Indian rhinoceros. The unicorn was believed to be fierce and difficult to capture, but if a virgin were brought before it, it would lay its head in the virgin’s lap. Its horn was thought to offer protection against poison. Medieval writers associated the unicorn with Jesus, and the hunt for the unicorn was often represented in medieval art.