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Shintoism
A native animist tradition of Japan, Shinto practice is based upon the premise that every being and object has its spirit or kami.
Category: Glossary
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Shogun
The emperor’s army with the powers of a military dictator, a position created by the Japanese emperor in 1192 after a struggle between two powerful clans.
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Siberia
A region of central and eastern Russia, stretching from the Ural mountains to the pacific ocean, is known for its mineral resources and political exile.
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SICA
The Central American Integration System (SICA) was established on 13 December 1991 (operational from 1 February 1993) to strengthen democracy and set up a new regional security model to promote freedom.
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Siddhartha Gautama
The founder of Buddhism and known as the Buddha, born in southern Nepal in the sixth century B.C.
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Sikhism
Founded by Guru Nana, Sikhism believes in a non-anthropomorphic, supreme, eternal, creator God; centering one’s devotion to God is seen as a means of escaping the cycle of rebirth.
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Silicon Glen
The section of Scotland between Glasgow and Edinburgh, named for its high concentration of high-tech companies.
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Silk road
The 4,000-mile (6,437 km) route between China and the Mediterranean sea was named for China’s costly silk.
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Silt
Loose sedimentary material containing tiny rock particles, formed by river deposits and very fertile.
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Silt
Silt: very small particles deposited by a river or lake.
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Single-Party State
A single-party state is a political system dominated by one ruling party, restricting opposition and concentrating power to control governance and public life. For a detailed description, click on the article title.
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Sinhalese
An Indo-Aryan people crossed the strait separating India and Sri Lanka in the sixth-century B.C. And who created an advanced civilization there, adopting Buddhism.
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Sirocco
A hot, steady south wind blows from north Africa across the mediterranean sea into southern Europe, mostly in spring.
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Site and situation
Site is the specific geographic location of a given place. Simultaneously, the situation is the accessibility of that site and the nature of that locale’s economic and population characteristics.
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Slash-and-burn
A way of clearing fields for planting by cutting trees, brush, and grasses and burning them.
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Slavic Coreland
The large area of the western former Soviet region containing most of the region’s cities, industries, and cultivated lands.
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Small-scale map
A map was constructed to give a highly generalized view of a large area.
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Smart growth
The efficient use and conservation of land and other resources.
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Smog
A brown haze occurs when gases released by burning fossil fuels react with sunlight.
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Social services
Social services: welfare services provided by a state or local authority.