With the end of the Cold War, nationalism has erupted with unprecedented force in Europe, the Middle East, and throughout the world. In Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union, and Iraq, ethnic nationalists threaten to transform one nation into several independent states. In one of the century's mostintractable crises, the nations of Israel and Palestine battle over the same homeland, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. And in Germany, two nations have been reunited after forty-five years of division. As the twentieth century comes to a close, an understanding of the nation-state has never beenmore necessary. With Nations: A Survey of the Twentieth Century, editor J.E. Spence--of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, in London--brings us the twentieth-century history of every independent nation in the world today. This handsome volume contains a nation-by-nation survey of the world's 100 major countries. Arranged by region, the book includes sections on the Americas, Africa, West and South Asia, and East Asia and Oceania, with smaller nations covered at the end of each section. The emphasis throughout is onpolitical developments of the twentieth century, with additional coverage of economic, social, and cultural trends. Each major article is accompanied by a datapanel carrying a map, the nation's current flag, a short chronology of events since 1900, national statistics, and a list of heads ofgovernment. Dramatic photographs, most in full color, add immediacy to our understanding of each nation's experience. Spence also includes coverage of nations whose claims to statehood are presently in dispute, such as Palestine and Québec. Finally, he provides a glossary of internationalorganizations and their acronyms and a comprehensive index. For students of geography and history--and for anyone trying to make sense of a rapidly changing world--Nations is an indispensable resource. Vividly illustrated, comprehensive, and up-to-date, this fact-filled book tells the story of the nations of the world--from Israel to Ireland, from Yemen toYugoslavia. Read Less