Uttaranchal State (pop., 2001 prelim.: 8,479,562), northern India. It is bordered by Tibet (China) and Nepal and the states of Uttar Pradesh, Hary¬ ana, and Himachal Pradesh and covers an area of 19,739 sq mi (51,125 sq km); its capital is Dehra Dun. The state lies in the Himalayas, and some of India’s highest peaks rise in its northern areas. The upper reaches of the Ganges (Ganga) and Yamuna rivers flow southward through the state. In the south are hill resorts such as Mussoorie, Naini Tal, and Ranikhet. The area now constituting Uttaranchal was a part of Uttar Pradesh state after Indian independence in 1947 until it was made into a separate state in 2000. The population is mostly engaged in agriculture, although tour¬ ism is also important.
Uvarov \U- , var-9f\ / Sergey (Semyonovich), Count (b. Sept. 5, 1786, Moscow, Russia—d. Sept. 16, 1855, Moscow) Russian adminis¬ trator. Uvarov served as a diplomat (1806-10), head of the St. Petersburg educational district (1811-22), and deputy minister of education (1832) before being named minister of education in 1833 under Tsai - Nicholas I. In an influential report, Uvarov declared that education must adhere to the “principles of orthodoxy, autocracy, and nationality,” which was adopted as an ideology rooted in loyalty to dynastic rule, traditional religious faith, and glorification of the Russian homeland. Uvarov was also president of the Academy of Science from 1818 until his death.
uveitis \,yu-ve-'I-t3s\ Inflammation of the uvea, the middle coat of the eyeball. Anterior uveitis, involving the iris or ciliary body (containing the muscle that adjusts the lens) or both, can lead to glaucoma and blindness. Posterior uveitis, involving the choroid (which contains the eye’s blood supply), can cause bleeding, lens clouding, and eyeball atrophy. Granu¬ lomatous uveitis (persistent inflammation with a grainy surface) causes
vision impairment, pain, watery eyes, and sensitivity to light; non¬ granulomatous uveitis causes less pain and sensitivity, with a better chance of recovery. Causes include generalized infections and other dis¬ eases, allergic reactions, and injury. Rarely, the uninjured eye also has symptoms, with a risk of blindness in both eyes. Treatment aims to elimi¬ nate infection, reduce inflammation, and preserve vision.
Uxmal Viiz-'mal, ush-'mal\ Ancient city, Yucatan state, southeastern Mexico. It was the chief city of the later Maya empire (600-c. 900 ad). After c. 1000, major construction in the city ceased, although it continued to be occupied and was a participant in the political League of Mayapan. When the league ended, Uxmal, like the other great cities of the north, was abandoned (c. 1450). Maya ruins include a pyramid, palace, and quadrangle.
Impasse Coffin, oil on cardboard by Maurice Utrillo, c. 1910; in the National Museum of Modern Art, Paris.
© 1993 ARS N.Y./SPADEM; PHOTOGRAPH, SCALA/ART RESOURCE, NEW YORK
Uygur See Uighur
Uzbekistan \uz-,be-ki-'stan\ officially Republic of Uzbekistan
Country, Central Asia. The autonomous republic of Qoraqalpoghiston (Karakalpakstan) is within its borders. Area: 172,700 sq mi (447,400 sq
km). Population (2005 est.): 26,593,000. Capitaclass="underline" Tashkent. The Uzbeks constitute three-fourths of the population; Russians, Tajiks, Kazakhs, Tatars, and Karakalpaks make up the remainder. Languages: Uzbek (official), Russian, Tajik, Kazakh. Religions: Islam (predominantly Sunni); also Eastern Orthodox. Currency: sum. Uzbekistan lies largely between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. Although it contains fertile oases and high mountain ranges in the south and east, almost four-fifths of the country consists of flat, sunbaked lowlands. Two-thirds of the Aral Sea extends into Uzbekistan. It is a major producer and exporter of natu¬ ral gas and has sizable reserves of petroleum, coal, and various metallic ores. It is a leading grower of cotton and also produces fruits and veg¬ etables and Karakul sheep. It is the main manufacturer of machinery and heavy equipment in Central Asia. It is a republic with one legislative body; its head of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. A grandson of Mongol leader Genghis Khan received the terri¬ tory as his inheritance in the 13th century. The Mongols ruled over a number of Turkic tribes, who would eventually intermarry with the Mon¬ gols to form the Uzbeks and other Turkic peoples of Central Asia. In the early 16th century a federation of Mongol-Uzbeks invaded and occupied settled regions, including an area called Transoxania that would become the permanent Uzbek homeland. By the early 19th century the region was dominated by the khanates of Khiva, Bukhara, and Kokand, all of which eventually succumbed to Russian domination. The Uzbek S.S.R. was cre¬ ated in 1924. In June 1990 Uzbekistan became the first Central Asian republic to declare sovereignty. It achieved full independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Its economy subsequently became the strongest in Central Asia.
Uzi submachine gun \'ii-ze\ Compact automatic weapon used throughout the world as a police and special-forces firearm. It was named for its designer, Uziel Gal, an Israeli officer who developed it after the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. It is 25.6 in. (650 mm) long with its folding metal butt fully extended. The barrel is only 10 in. (260 mm) long. When loaded with a 25- or 32-round magazine of 9-mm pistol ammunition, it weighs about 9 lbs (4 kg). It has also been made in miniature versions as short as 18 in. (460 mm).
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
1980 I V-l missile ► Vairocana
V-l missile or flying bomb or buzz bomb German missile of World War II. The forerunner of modern cruise missiles, it was about 25 ft (8 m) long and had a wingspan of about 18 ft (5.5 m). It was launched from catapult ramps or sometimes from aircraft; it carried an explosive warhead of almost 1,900 lbs (850 kg) and had an average range of 150 mi (240 km). More than 8,000 V-ls were launched against London in 1944^15, and a smaller number against Belgium. See also V-2 missile.
V-2 missile German liquid-fueled ballistic missile of World War II, fore¬ runner of modem space launch vehicles (see also rocket) and long-range missiles. Developed starting in 1936 under Wernher von Braun, it was fired against Paris, Great Britain, and Belgium in 1944 and 1945. After the war, the U.S. and the Soviet Union captured large numbers of V-2s and used them in research that led to the development of their missile and space-exploration programs. See also V-l missile.
Vaal \'val\ River River, South Africa. Rising in Mpu¬ malanga province, it flows west 750 mi (1,210 km), form¬ ing part of the boundary between Mpumalanga and Free State provinces, to empty into the Orange River in Northern Cape province. It is primarily used for irrigation.
vaccine Preparation containing either killed or weakened live microorganisms or their toxins, introduced by mouth, by injec¬ tion, or by nasal spray to stimulate production of antibodies against an infectious agent. This confers immunity to that agent, since the B lymphocytes remain sensitized to it and respond to later infection by producing more antibodies. The first vaccine, against smallpox, was introduced by Edward Jenner in 1798. Vaccines have been developed against diseases caused by bacteria (e.g., typhoid, whooping cough, tuber¬ culosis) and by viRUSes (e.g., measles, influenza, rabies, poliomyelitis). Effec¬ tiveness varies, and a small percentage of people have adverse reactions. Those with immunodeficiency disorders should not receive live vaccines.
vacuole Vvak-yo-.wolV Space within a cell that is empty of cytoplasm, lined with a membrane, and filled with fluid. Especially in protozoans, vacuoles perform functions such as storage, ingestion, digestion, excre¬ tion, and expulsion of excess water. The large central vacuoles often found in plant cells enable them to attain a large size without accumulating the bulk that would make metabolism difficult.