Association football

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Soccer" redirects here. For other uses, see Soccer (disambiguation).
This article is about the sport of association football. For other codes of football, see Football.

Association football

The attacking player (No. 10) attempts to kick the ball beyond the

opposing team's goalkeeper, between the goalposts, and beneath the

crossbar to score a goal.

Highest governing body FIFA

Nicknames Football, soccer, the Beautiful Game, the

World Game[1]

First played 19 December 1863, Limes

Field, Mortlake, London, England,
United Kingdom[2]

Characteristics

Contact Yes (Limited)

Team members 11 per side (including goalkeeper)

Mixed gender Yes, separate competitions

Type Team sport, ball sport

 Equipment Football (or soccer ball)

Venue Football pitch (also known as football

field, football ground, soccer field,
soccer pitch or simply "pitch")

Presence

Country or region Worldwide

Olympic Yes, men's since the 1900 Olympics and

women's since the 1996 Olympics

Paralympic Yes, 5-a-side since 2004 and 7-a-side sin

ce 1984

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer,[3] is a team sport played
between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball. It is played by 250 million players in over
200 countries and dependencies, making it the world's most popular sport. [4][5][6][7] The game is played
on a rectangular field with a goal at each end. The object of the game is to score by getting the ball
into the opposing goal.
The goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms while it is in
play and only in their penalty area. Other players mainly use their feet to strike or pass the ball, but
may also use their head or torso. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins.
If the score is level at the end of the game, either a draw is declared or the game goes into extra
time or a penalty shootout depending on the format of the competition. The Laws of the Game were
originally codified in England by The Football Association in 1863. Association football is governed
internationally by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA; French: Fdration
Internationale de Football Association), which organises World Cups for both men and women every
four years.[8]

Contents
[hide]

1Name

2History

o 2.1Women's association football

2.1.1Early women's football

2.1.220th and 21st century

 3Gameplay

4Laws

o 4.1Players, equipment, and officials

o 4.2Ball

o 4.3Pitch

o 4.4Duration and tie-breaking methods

o 4.5Ball in and out of play

o 4.6Misconduct

4.6.1On-field

4.6.2Off-field

5Governing bodies

6International competitions

7Domestic competitions

8Variants and casual play

9See also

10References

11External links

Name
Main article: Names for association football
The rules of association football were codified in England by the Football Association in 1863 and
the name association football was coined to distinguish the game from the other forms of
football played at the time, specifically rugby football. The first written "reference to the inflated ball
used in the game" was in the mid-14th century: "e heued fro e body went, Als it were a foteballe".
[9]
The Online Etymology Dictionary states that the word "soccer" was "split off in 1863".[9] According
to Partha Mazumdar, the term soccer originated in England, first appearing in the 1880s as
an Oxford "-er" abbreviation of the word "association".[10]
Within the English-speaking world, association football is now usually called football in the United
Kingdom and mainly soccer in Canada and the United States. People in Australia, Ireland, South
Africa and New Zealand use either or both terms, although national associations in Australia and
New Zealand now primarily use "football" for the formal name.[11]
History
Main article: History of association football

Children playing cuju in Song dynasty China.

An episkyros player on an ancient stone carving at the National Archaeological Museum, Athens.[12]

According to FIFA, the Chinese competitive game cuju (, literally "kick ball") is the earliest form
of football for which there is scientific evidence.[13] Cuju players could use any part of the body apart
from hands and the intent was kicking a ball through an opening into a net. It was remarkably similar
to modern football, though similarities to rugby occurred.[14][15] During the Han Dynasty (206 BC 220
AD), cuju games were standardised and rules were established.[14]
Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games.[16][17] An image of an episkyros player depicted in
low relief on a vase at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens[12] appears on the UEFA
European Championship Cup.[18] Athenaeus, writing in 228 AD, referenced the Roman ball
game harpastum. Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence.
They all appear to have resembled rugby football, wrestling and volleyball more than what is
recognizable as modern football.[14][19][20][21][22][23] As with pre-codified "mob football", the antecedent of
all modern football codes, these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking.[24][25] Non-
competitive games included kemari in Japan, chuk-guk in Korea and woggabaliri in Australia.
Association football in itself does not have a classical history.[26] Notwithstanding any similarities to

Baseball
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the sport. For the ball used in the sport, see Baseball (ball). For other uses,
see Baseball (disambiguation).
"Base ball" redirects here. For old time baseball, see vintage base ball.

Baseball

A baseball game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California

Highest governing body World Baseball Softball Confederation

First played 18th century England

Characteristics

Contact No

Team members 9

Mixed gender Yes, separate competitions

Type team sport, bat-and-ball

 Equipment Baseball
Baseball bat
Baseball glove
Bases

Venue Baseball field

Presence

Country or region North America

Olympic No, Demonstrated in 1912, 1936, 1952,

1956, 1964, 1984, and 1988 Summer
Olympics
In Summer Olympic program, 1992
2008

Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players each, who take
turns batting and fielding.
The batting team attempts to score runs by hitting a ball that is thrown by the pitcher with
a bat swung by the batter, then running counter-clockwise around a series of four bases: first,
second, third, and home plate. A run is scored when a player advances around the bases and
returns to home plate.
Players on the batting team take turns hitting against the pitcher of the fielding team, which tries to
prevent runs by getting hitters out in any of several ways. A player on the batting team who reaches
a base safely can later attempt to advance to subsequent bases during teammates' turns batting,
such as on a hit or by other means. The teams switch between batting and fielding whenever the
fielding team records three outs. One turn batting for both teams, beginning with the visiting team,
constitutes an inning. A game is composed of nine innings, and the team with the greater number of
runs at the end of the game wins. Baseball has no game clock, although almost all games end in the
ninth inning.
Baseball evolved from older bat-and-ball games already being played in England by the mid-18th
century. This game was brought by immigrants to North America, where the modern version
developed. By the late 19th century, baseball was widely recognized as the national sport of the
United States. Baseball is now popular in North America and parts of Central and South America, the
Caribbean, and East Asia.
In the United States and Canada, professional Major League Baseball (MLB) teams are divided into
the National League (NL) and American League (AL), each with three divisions: East, West, and
Central. The major league champion is determined by playoffs that culminate in the World Series.
The top level of play is similarly split in Japan between the Central and Pacific Leagues and in Cuba
between the West League and East League.

Contents
[hide]
 1History

o 1.1Origins

o 1.2History of baseball in the United States

1.2.1The game turns professional

1.2.2Rise of Ruth and racial integration

1.2.3Attendance records and the age of steroids

o 1.3Baseball around the world

2Rules and gameplay

3Personnel

o 3.1Player rosters

o 3.2Other personnel

4Strategy and tactics

o 4.1Pitching and fielding tactics

o 4.2Batting and baserunning tactics

5Distinctive elements

o 5.1No clock to kill

o 5.2Individual focus

o 5.3Uniqueness of each baseball park

6Statistics

o 6.1Sabermetrics

7Popularity and cultural impact

o 7.1Baseball in popular culture

8See also

9References
 10Sources

11Further reading

12External links

Billy the Kid

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Billy the Kid (disambiguation).

Billy the Kid

Billy the Kid c.1880

Born Henry McCarty

September 17, 1859

New York City, New York

Died July 14, 1881 (aged 21)

Fort Sumner, New Mexico

Cause of death Gunshot wound

Resting place Old Fort Sumner Cemetery

 342413N 1041137W

Other names William H. Bonney, Henry Antrim, Kid Antrim

Horse rustler
Occupation
ranch hand

cowboy

gambler

outlaw

Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) at age 17[1]

Weight 135 lb (61 kg) at age 17[1]

Parent(s)
Father: Patrick McCarty

Stepfather: William Antrim

Mother: Catherine Devine

Relatives Joseph McCarty (brother)

Billy the Kid, born Henry McCarty; also known as William H. Bonney (September 17, 1859 July
14, 1881) was an American Old West gunfighter who participated in New Mexico's Lincoln County
War. He is known to have killed eight men.[2][3]
His first arrest was for stealing food in late 1875, and five months later he was arrested for stealing
clothing and firearms. His escape from jail two days later and flight from New Mexico
Territory into Arizona Territory made him both an outlaw and a federal fugitive. After murdering a
blacksmith during an altercation in August 1877, Bonney became a wanted man in Arizona Territory
and returned to New Mexico, where he joined a group of cattle rustlers. He took part in the Lincoln
County War and joined the Regulators, making him a well-known outlaw in the region. In April 1878,
however, the Regulators killed three men, including Lincoln County Sheriff William J. Brady and one
of his deputies. Bonney and two other Regulators were later charged with killing all three men.
Bonney's notoriety grew in December 1880 when the Las Vegas Gazette in Las Vegas, New Mexico,
and the New York Sun carried stories about his crimes.[4] He was captured by Sheriff Pat Garrett later
that same month, tried and convicted of the murder of Brady in April 1881, and was sentenced to
hang in May of that year. Bonney escaped from jail on April 28, 1881, killing two sheriff's deputies in
the process, and evaded capture for more than two months. Bonney was ultimately shot and killed
by Garrett in Fort Sumner on July 14, 1881. Over the next several decades, legends grew that
Bonney had not died that night, and a number of men claimed to be him.

Ben 10
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the franchise. For the original series, see Ben 10 (2005 TV series). For other
uses, see Ben 10 (disambiguation).

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please

help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced
material may be challenged and removed. (December 2014) (Learn how and
when to remove this template message)

Ben 10

Creator Man of Action Studios (Duncan

Rouleau, Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, and Steven

T. Seagle)

Original Ben 10

work

Films and television

Television
Ben 10 (20052008)
series

Ben 10: Alien Force (20082010)

Ben 10: Ultimate Alien (2010

2012)

Ben 10: Omniverse (20122014)

 Ben 10 (reboot) (2016present)

Television Ben 10/Generator Rex: Heroes

specials United (2011)

Television
Secret of the Omnitrix (2007)
films

Race Against Time (2007)

Alien Swarm (2009)

Destroy All Aliens (2012)

Games

Video
Protector of Earth (2007)
games

Alien Force (2008)

Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks (2009)

Alien Force: The Rise of

Hex (2010)

Ultimate Alien: Cosmic

Destruction (2010)

Galactic Racing (2011)

Omniverse (2012)

Omniverse 2 (2013)

Miscellaneous

Related
Generator Rex (20102013)
shows
 The Secret Saturdays (2008

2013)

Ben 10 is an American animated TV series and media franchise created by Man of Action
Studios and produced by Cartoon Network Studios. The franchise revolves around a boy named
Ben Tennyson who acquires a watch-like alien device (the Omnitrix) which allows the wearer to
transform into ten different alien creatures.[1] The Ben 10 franchise has received wide critical acclaim,
winning three Emmy Awards. Worldwide it has grossed over $4.5 billion in retail sales.[2][3] The
franchise has four movies, all of which aired on Cartoon Network between August 2007 and March
2012. With an 11-year old franchise, it is the longest Cartoon Network original series to date.

Contents

[hide]

1Series

o 1.1Original series

o 1.2Alien Force

o 1.3Ultimate Alien

o 1.4Omniverse

o 1.5Ben 10 reboot

2Cast

o 2.1Cast for Original Series

o 2.2Cast for Alien Force

o 2.3Cast for Ultimate Alien

3Characters

4Episodes

5Elements of the franchise

o 5.1Omnitrix Prototype / Ultimatrix / New Omnitrix / Nemetrix / Unitrix

o 5.2Plumbers

o 5.3Forever Knights
 o 5.4Anodites

o 5.5Osmosians

o 5.6Galvans

o 5.7Transports

o 5.8Running gags

o 5.9Recurring elements

5.9.1Technologies

5.9.1.1Null Void

5.9.1.2ID Mask

5.9.1.3Techadon Robots

5.9.1.4Time Travel

5.9.1.5Ascalon

6Films

o 6.1Secret of the Omnitrix

o 6.2Race Against Time

o 6.3Alien Swarm

o 6.4Destroy All Aliens

o 6.5Feature film adaptation

o 6.6Ben 10/Generator Rex crossover

7Awards

o 7.1Original series

7.1.1Race Against Time

o 7.2Alien Force

7.2.1Alien Swarm

o 7.3Ultimate Alien
 o 7.4Omniverse

8Spin-off media

o 8.1Merchandise

8.1.1Games

8.1.2Toy line

8.1.3Comic books

9Ben 10 in other media

o 9.1Ben 10: Ultimate Challenge

o 9.2References in other shows

o 9.3Cartoon Network promotion

9.3.1Titanic Kungfubot Offensive

9.3.2Cartoon Network Universe: Fusion Fall

9.3.3Cartoon Network Universe: Project Exonaut

9.3.4Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion

10References

Series[edit]

Original series[edit]
Main article: Ben 10 (2005 TV series)

While on summer vacation, Ben Tennyson stays with his uncle, Max Tennyson, and cousin,
Gwendolyn Tennyson. During his stay in a camp, Ben discovers the Omnitrix, an alien device which
allows him to change his DNA to that of various aliens' and take on their form. Ben uses the device
to avert disasters, save people from terror, and fight off hostile villains including Vilgax, an alien
warlord bent on using the Omnitrix to outfit an alien army. He also protects omnitrix from evils so
they can not make worst use of its powers. Ben also keeps this all situation a secret from his parents
but only grandpa Max and Gwen know this secret. Ben saves people from alien invasions as well as
street crimes too. People know him as a great super hero but Ben is restricted and unable to reveal
his secret.

Bill Clinton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"William Clinton" redirects here. For other uses, see William Clinton (disambiguation).

Bill Clinton

42nd President of the United States

In office

January 20, 1993 January 20, 2001

Vice President Al Gore

Preceded by George H. W. Bush

Succeeded by George W. Bush

40th and 42nd Governor of Arkansas

In office

January 11, 1983 December 12, 1992

Lieutenant
Winston Bryant

Jim Guy Tucker

Preceded by Frank D. White

Succeeded by Jim Guy Tucker

In office

January 9, 1979 January 19, 1981

Lieutenant Joe Purcell

Preceded by Joe Purcell (Acting)

Succeeded by Frank D. White

50th Attorney General of Arkansas

In office

January 3, 1977 January 9, 1979

Governor
David Pryor

Joe Purcell (Acting)

Preceded by Jim Guy Tucker

Succeeded by Steve Clark

Personal details

Born William Jefferson Blythe III

August 19, 1946 (age 70)

Hope, Arkansas, U.S.

Political party Democratic

Spouse(s) Hillary Rodham (m. 1975)

Children Chelsea Clinton

Parents
William Jefferson Blythe Jr.

Virginia Cassidy

Residence Chappaqua, New York

Education Georgetown UniversityBachelor of Science in Foreign

Service (BSFS)

University College, Oxford

Yale University (JD)

Signature

This article is part of

a series about
Bill Clinton

Electoral history
Political positions

Governor of Arkansas

Governorship
1992 Democratic primary

President of the United States

First term

Campaign for the Presidency

1992
1st inauguration
Presidency
NAFTA
Health Security Act
1994 midterm
Economic policy
Travelgate
Whitewater
AmeriCorps
Dayton Agreement

Policies [show]
 Second term

Campaign
1996

2nd inauguration
Operation Infinite Reach
Bombing of Yugoslavia
Balanced Budget
Monica Lewinsky scandal
Impeachment

Post-Presidency

Presidential Library
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 Ideology[show]

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William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III; August 19, 1946) is an
American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001.
Clinton was the 40th Governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and 42nd Governor from 1983 to
1992, and Arkansas Attorney General from 1977 to 1979. A member of the Democratic Party,
ideologically Clinton was a New Democrat, and many of his policies reflected a centrist "Third Way"
political philosophy.
Clinton was born and raised in Arkansas and is an alumnus of Georgetown University, where he was
a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and the Phi Beta Kappa Society and earned a Rhodes Scholarship to
attend the University of Oxford. Clinton is married to Hillary Clinton, who served as United States
Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013, who was a Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009, and
who was the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 2016. Bill Clinton and Hillary
Rodham both earned degrees from Yale Law School, where they met and began dating.
As Governor of Arkansas, Clinton overhauled the state's education system, and served as chairman
of the National Governors Association.
Clinton was elected President in 1992, defeating incumbent George H. W. Bush. At age 46, Clinton
was the third-youngest president, and the first from the Baby Boomer generation. Clinton presided
over the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in American history, and signed into law
the North American Free Trade Agreement. After failing to pass national health care reform, the
Democratic House was ousted when the Republican Party won control of the Congress in 1994, for
the first time in 40 years. Two years later, in 1996, Clinton became the first Democrat since Franklin
D. Roosevelt to be elected to a second term. Clinton passed welfare reform and the State Children's
Health Insurance Program, providing health coverage for millions of children.
In 1998, Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury before a grand
jury and obstruction of justice during a lawsuit against him, both related to a scandal involving White
House (and later Department of Defense) employee Monica Lewinsky. Clinton was acquitted by
the U.S. Senate in 1999, and served his complete term of office. The Congressional Budget
Office reported a budget surplus between the years 1998 and 2000, the last three years of Clinton's
presidency. In foreign policy, Clinton ordered U.S. military intervention in
the Bosnia and Kosovo wars, signed the Iraq Liberation Act in opposition to Saddam Hussein, and
participated in the 2000 Camp David Summit to advance the IsraeliPalestinian peace process.
Clinton left office with the highest end-of-office approval rating of any U.S. President since World
War II. Since then, Clinton has been involved in public speaking and humanitarian work. Clinton
created the William J. Clinton Foundation to address international causes, such as the prevention of
AIDS and global warming. In 2004, Clinton published his autobiography My Life. Clinton has
remained active in politics by campaigning for Democratic candidates, including his wife's campaigns
for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, and Barack Obama's presidential
campaigns in 2008 and 2012.
In 2009, Clinton was named the United Nations Special Envoy to Haiti, and after the 2010 Haiti
earthquake, Clinton teamed with George W. Bush to form the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. Since leaving
office, Clinton has been rated highly in public opinion polls of U.S. Presidents.

Basketball
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the sport. For the ball used in the sport, see Basketball (ball). For other uses,
see Basketball (disambiguation).

Basketball

Michael Jordan goes for a slam dunk

Highest governing body FIBA

First played December 21, 1891; 125 years

ago. Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.

Characteristics

Contact Yes

Team members 5 per side

 Mixed gender Yes, separate competitions

Type Indoor

Equipment Basketball

Venue Indoor court (mainly) or outdoor court

(Streetball)

Presence

Country or region Worldwide

Olympic Yes, Demonstrated in the 1904 and 1924

Summer Olympics
Part of the Summer Olympic program
since 1936

Paralympic Yes

Basketball is a sport that is played by two teams of five players on a rectangular court. The
objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter and mounted at a height of
10 feet (3.048 m) to backboards at each end of the court. The game was invented in 1891 by Dr.
James Naismith, who would be the first basketball coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, one of the most
successful programs in the game's history.
A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket being defended by the
opposition team during regular play. A field goal scores three points for the shooting team if the
player shoots from behind the three-point line, and two points if shot from in front of the line. A team
can also score via free throws, which are worth one point, after the other team is assessed with
certain fouls. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but additional time
(overtime) is issued when the score is tied at the end of regulation. The ball can be advanced on the
court by throwing it to a teammate, or by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling). It is a
violation to lift, or drag, one's pivot foot without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with
both hands then resume dribbling.
There are many techniques for ball-handlingshooting, passing, dribbling, and rebounding.
Basketball teams generally have player positions, the tallest and strongest members of a team are
called a center or power forward, while slightly shorter and more agile players are called small
forward, and the shortest players or those who possess the best ball handling skills are called
a point guard or shooting guard. The point guard directs the on court action of the team,
implementing the coach's game plan, and managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays
(player positioning).
Basketball is one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports. [1] The National Basketball
Association (NBA) is the most popular and widely considered to be the highest level of professional
basketball in the world and NBA players are the world's best paid athletes by average annual salary
per player.[2][3] Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental
championships such as the Euroleague and FIBA Americas League. The FIBA Basketball World
Cup attracts the top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional
competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA Americas Championship.
The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup features the top national women's basketball teams from
continental championships. The main North American league is the WNBA, whereas
the EuroLeague Women has been dominated by teams from the Russian Women's Basketball
Premier League.

Belgium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Belgian" and "Belgique" redirect here. For the people, see Belgians. For other uses, see Belgian
(disambiguation).

Coordinates: 5050N 400E

Kingdom of Belgium

Koninkrijk Belgi (Dutch)

Royaume de Belgique (French)

Knigreich Belgien (German)

Flag Coat of arms

Motto: "Eendracht maakt macht" (Dutch)

"L'union fait la force" (French)
"Einigkeit macht stark" (German)
"Unity makes Strength"

Anthem: "La Brabanonne"

MENU
0:00
(instrumental version)
 Location of Belgium (dark green)
in Europe (green & dark grey)
in the European Union (green)

Capital Brussels
5051N 421E

Largest city Antwerp

Official languages Dutch

French
German

Ethnic groups see Demographics

Demonym Belgian

Government Federal parliamentary

constitutional monarchy[1]

Monarch Philippe
Prime Minister Charles Michel
 Legislature Federal Parliament

Upper house Senate

Lower house Chamber of Representatives

Independence from the Netherlands

Declared 4 October 1830
Recognised 19 April 1839
Founded the EEC (now the EU) 1 January 1958

Area
Total 30,528 km2(11,787 sq mi) (140th)
Water (%) 6.4

Population
1 January 2016 census 11,250,585[2] (75th)
Density 363.6/km2(941.7/sq mi) (23rd)

GDP (PPP) 2016 estimate

Total $508.598 billion[3](38th)
Per capita $44,881[3] (20th)

GDP (nominal) 2016 estimate

Total $470.179 billion[3](23rd)
Per capita $41,491[3] (17th)

Gini (2011) 26.3[4]

low

HDI (2014) 0.890[5]

very high 21st

Currency Euro () (EUR)

Time zone CET (UTC+1)

Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Drives on the right

Calling code +32

ISO 3166 code BE

Internet TLD .be

 a The flag's official proportions of 13:15 are rarely seen; proportions of 2:3 or
similar are more common.

a The Brussels region is the de facto capital, but the City of

Brussels municipality is the de jure capital[6]

a The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union
member states.

Belgium ( /bldm/; Dutch: Belgi [blij] ( listen); French: Belgique [blik] (

i

listen); German: Belgien [blinn ] ( listen)), officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a sovereign
state in Western Europe bordered by France, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and the
North Sea. It is a small, densely populated country which covers an area of 30,528 square
kilometres (11,787 sq mi) and has a population of about 11 million people. Straddling the cultural
boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups:
the Dutch-speaking, mostly Flemish community, which constitutes about 59% of the population, and
the French-speaking, mostly Walloon population, which comprises 41% of all Belgians. Additionally,
there is a small group of German-speakers who live in the East Cantons located around the High
Fens area, and bordering Germany.
Historically, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (along with parts of Northern France and
Western Germany) were known as the Low Countries; it once covered a somewhat larger area than
the current Benelux group of states. The region was called Belgica in Latin, after the Roman
province of Gallia Belgica. From the end of the Middle Ages until the 17th century, the area of
Belgium was a prosperous and cosmopolitan centre of commerce and culture. From the 16th
century until the Belgian Revolution in 1830, when Belgium seceded from the Netherlands, the area
of Belgium served as the battleground between many European powers, causing it to be dubbed the
"Battlefield of Europe,"[7] a reputation strengthened by both world wars.
Today, Belgium is a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. It is
divided into three regions and three communities, that exist next to each other. Its two largest
regions are the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north and the French-speaking southern
region of Wallonia. The Brussels-Capital Region is an officially bilingual (French and
Dutch) enclave within the Flemish Region.[8] A German-speaking Community exists in eastern
Wallonia.[9][10] Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political conflicts are reflected in its political
history and complex system of governance, made up of six different governments.[11][12]
Upon its independence, declared in 1830, Belgium participated in the Industrial Revolution[13][14] and,
during the course of the 20th century, possessed a number of colonies in Africa.[15] The second half of
the 20th century was marked by rising tensions between the Dutch-speaking and the French-
speaking citizens fueled by differences in language and culture and the unequal economic
development of Flanders and Wallonia. This continuing antagonism has led to several far-reaching
reforms, resulting in a transition from a unitary to a federal arrangement during the period from 1970
to 1993. Despite the reforms, tensions between the groups have remained, if not increased; there is
significant separatism particularly among the Flemish; controversial language laws exist such as
the municipalities with language facilities;[16] and the formation of a coalition government took 18
months following the June 2010 federal election, a world record.[17] Belgium is one of the six founding
countries of the European Union and hosts the official seats of the European Commission, Council of
the European Union, and European Council, as well as a seat of the European Parliament in the
country's capital, Brussels. Belgium is also a founding member of
the Eurozone, NATO, OECD and WTO, and a part of the trilateral Benelux Union. Its capital,
Brussels, hosts several of the EU's official seats as well as the headquarters of many major
international organizations such as NATO.[nb 1] Belgium is also a part of the Schengen Area. Belgium
is a developed country, with an advanced high-income economy and is categorized as "very high" in
the Human Development Index.

Binomial nomenclature
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Latin name" redirects here. For personal names in the Roman Empire, see Roman naming
conventions.
For the system used for voting, see Binomial voting system.
Binomial nomenclature (also called binominal nomenclature or binary nomenclature) is a
formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both
of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages.
Such a name is called a binomial name (which may be shortened to just "binomial"), a binomen or
a scientific name; more informally it is also called a Latin name. The first part of the name identifies
the genus to which the species belongs; the second part identifies the species within the genus. For
example, humans belong to the genus Homo and within this genus to the species Homo sapiens.
The formal introduction of this system of naming species is credited to Carl Linnaeus, effectively
beginning with his work Species Plantarum in 1753.[1] But Gaspard Bauhin, in as early as 1623, had
introduced in his book Pinax theatri botanici (English, Illustrated exposition of plants) many names of
genera that were later adopted by Linnaeus.[2]
The application of binomial nomenclature is now governed by various internationally agreed codes of
rules, of which the two most important are the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN)
for animals and the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN). Although
the general principles underlying binomial nomenclature are common to these two codes, there are
some differences, both in the terminology they use and in their precise rules.
In modern usage, the first letter of the first part of the name, the genus, is always capitalized in
writing, while that of the second part is not, even when derived from a proper noun such as the name
of a person or place. Similarly, both parts are italicized when a binomial name occurs in normal text.
Thus the binomial name of the annual phlox (named after botanist Thomas Drummond) is now
written as Phlox drummondii.
In scientific works, the "authority" for a binomial name is usually given, at least when it is first
mentioned, and the date of publication may be specified.

In zoology

"Patella vulgata Linnaeus, 1758". The name "Linnaeus" tells the reader who it was
that first published a description and name for this species of limpet; 1758 is the date of the
publication in which the original description can be found (in this case the 10th edition of the
book Systema Naturae).

"Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)". The original name given by Linnaeus

was Fringilla domestica; the parentheses indicate that the species is now considered to
belong in a different genus. The ICZN does not require that the name of the person who
changed the genus be given, nor the date on which the change was made, although
nomenclatorial catalogs usually include such information.

In botany
 "Amaranthus retroflexus L." "L." is the standard abbreviation used in botany for
"Linnaeus".

Barack Obama
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Barack" and "Obama" redirect here. For other uses, see Barack (disambiguation) and Obama
(disambiguation).

Barack Obama

44th President of the United States

In office

January 20, 2009 January 20, 2017

Vice President Joe Biden

Preceded by George W. Bush

Succeeded by Donald Trump

United States Senator

from Illinois
 In office

January 3, 2005 November 16, 2008

Preceded by Peter Fitzgerald

Succeeded by Roland Burris

Member of the Illinois Senate

from the 13th district

In office
January 8, 1997 November 4, 2004

Preceded by Alice Palmer

Succeeded by Kwame Raoul

Personal details

Born Barack Hussein Obama II

August 4, 1961 (age 55)

Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.

Political party Democratic

Spouse(s) Michelle Robinson (m. 1992)

Children
Malia

Sasha

Parents Barack Obama Sr.

Ann Dunham

Relatives Maya Soetoro (half-sister)

Education
Occidental College
 Columbia University (BA)

Harvard University (JD)

Awards Nobel Peace Prize (2009)

Signature

Website
Organizing for Action

Obama Foundation

The White House (Archived)

This article is part of

a series about
Barack Obama

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 v
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Barack Hussein Obama II (US /brk husen obm/ b-RAHK hoo-SAYN oh-BAH-m;[1]
i

[2]
born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th President of the United
States from 2009 to 2017. He was the first African American to serve as president, as well as the
first born outside the contiguous United States. He previously served in the U.S.
Senate representing Illinois from 2005 to 2008, and in the Illinois State Senate from 1997 to 2004.
Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, two years after the territory was admitted to the Union as the
50th state. He grew up mostly in Hawaii, but also spent one year of his childhood in Washington
State and four years in Indonesia. After graduating from Columbia University in 1983, he worked as
a community organizer in Chicago. In 1988 Obama enrolled in Harvard Law School, where he was
the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. After graduation he became a civil
rights attorney and professor, teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law
School from 1992 to 2004. Obama represented the 13th District for three terms in the Illinois
Senate from 1997 to 2004, when he ran for the U.S. Senate. Obama received national attention in
2004, with his unexpected March primary win, his well-received July Democratic National
Convention keynote address, and his landslide November election to the Senate. In 2008, Obama
was nominated for president, a year after his campaign began, and after a close primary
campaign against Hillary Clinton. He became president-elect after
defeating Republican nominee John McCain in the general election, and was inaugurated on
January 20. Nine months later, Obama was named the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
During his first two years in office, Obama signed more landmark legislation than any Democratic
president since LBJ's Great Society. Main reforms were the Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act, often referred to as "Obamacare"; the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act; and the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010. The American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 and Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job
Creation Act of 2010 served as economic stimulus amidst the Great Recession, but the GOP
regained control of the House of Representatives in 2011. After a lengthy debate over the
national debt limit, Obama signed the Budget Control Act of 2011 and the American Taxpayer Relief
Act of 2012. In foreign policy, Obama increased U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan, reduced nuclear
weapons with the U.S.-Russian New START treaty, and ended military involvement in the Iraq War.
He ordered military involvement in Libya in opposition to Muammar Gaddafi, and the military
operation that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden.
After winning re-election over Mitt Romney, Obama was sworn in for a second term in 2013. During
his second term, Obama promoted greater inclusiveness for LGBT Americans, with his
administration filing briefs that urged th

Brazil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the country. For other uses, see Brazil (disambiguation).

Coordinates: 10S 52W

Federative Republic of Brazil

Repblica Federativa do Brasil
 Flag Coat of arms

Motto:

Ordem e Progresso (Portuguese)

(English: "Order and Progress")

Anthem:

Hino Nacional Brasileiro

(English: "Brazilian National Anthem")

MENU

0:00

Flag anthem:

Hino Bandeira Nacional[1]

(English: "National Flag Anthem")

MENU

0:00

National seal

Selo Nacional do Brasil

 National Seal of Brazil

Capital Braslia
1547S 4752W

Largest city So Paulo

2333S 4638W

Official languages Portuguese, English [2][3]

Ethnic groups(2010[4])
47.73% White

43.13% Pardo

7.61% Black

1.09% Asian

0.43% Amerindian

Religion
64.6% Roman
Catholicism
 22.2% Protestantism

8.0% No religion

2.0% Spiritism

3.2% Others[5]

Demonym Brazilian

Government Federal presidentialconstitutional

republic

President Michel Temer

Vice President Vacant[6]
President of the Rodrigo Maia
Chamber of Deputies
President of the Federal Euncio Oliveira
Senate
President of the Supreme Crmen Lcia
Federal Court

Legislature National Congress

Upper house Federal Senate

Lower house Chamber of Deputies

Independence from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the

Algarves
Declared 7 September 1822
Recognized 29 August 1825
Republic 15 November 1889
Current constitution 5 October 1988

Area
Total 8,515,767 km2(3,287,956 sq mi)
(5th)
Water (%) 0.65

Population
2016 estimate 206,440,850[7] (5th)
Density 23.8/km2 (61.6/sq mi) (190th)

GDP (PPP) 2016 estimate

 Total $3.101 trillion (7th)
Per capita $15,048[8] (77th)

GDP (nominal) 2016 estimate

Total $1.534 trillion (9th)
Per capita $7,447[8] (69th)

Gini (2014) 51.5[9]

high

HDI (2014) 0.755[10]

high 75th

Currency Real (R$) (BRL)

Time zone BRT (UTC2 to 5)

Summer (DST) BRST (UTC2 to 5)

Date format dd/mm/yyyy (CE)

Drives on the right

Calling code +55

ISO 3166 code BR

Internet TLD .br

Brazil ( /brzl/; Portuguese: Brasil [baziw][11]), officially the Federative Republic of

i

Brazil (Portuguese: Repblica Federativa do Brasil, listen (helpinfo)[12]), is the largest country in
both South America and Latin America. As the world's fifth-largest country by
both area and population, it is the largest country to have Portuguese as an official language and the
only one in the Americas.[13][14] Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of
7,491 km (4,655 mi).[15] It borders all other South American countries except Ecuador and Chile and
covers 47.3% of the continent's land area.[16] Its Amazon River basin includes a vast tropical forest,
home to diverse wildlife, a variety of ecological systems, and extensive natural resources spanning
numerous protected habitats.[15] This unique environmental heritage makes Brazil one of
17 megadiverse countries, and is the subject of significant global interest and debate regarding
deforestation and environmental protection.
Brazil was inhabited by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing in 1500 of explorer Pedro
lvares Cabral, who claimed the area for the Portuguese Empire. Brazil remained a Portuguese
colony until 1808, when the capital of the empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro. In
1815, the colony was elevated to the rank of kingdom upon the formation of the United Kingdom of
Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. Independence was achieved in 1822 with the creation of
the Empire of Brazil, a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary
system. The ratification of the first constitution in 1824 led to the formation of a bicameral legislature,
now called the National Congress. The country became a presidential republic in 1889 following a
military coup d'tat. An authoritarian military junta came to power in 1964 and ruled until 1985, after
which civilian governance resumed. Brazil's current constitution, formulated in 1988, defines it as
a democratic federal republic.[17] The federation is composed of the union of the Federal District, the
26 states, and the 5,570 municipalities.
Brazil's economy is the world's ninth-largest by nominal GDP and seventh-largest by GDP (PPP) as
of 2015.[18][19] A member of the BRICS group, Brazil until 2010 had one of the world's fastest growing
major economies, with its economic reforms giving the country new international recognition and
influence.[20] Brazil's national development bank plays an important role for the country's economic
growth.[21] Brazil is a founding member of the United Nations,
the G20, BRICS, Unasul, Mercosul, Organization of American States, Organization of Ibero-
American States, CPLP, and the Latin Union. Brazil is a regional power in Latin America and
a middle power in international affairs,[22] with some analysts identifying it as an emerging global
power.[23]One of the world's major breadbaskets, Brazil has been the largest producer of coffee for
the last 150 years.[24]

Butterfly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Butterfly (disambiguation).

Butterflies
Temporal range: Palaeocene-

Recent, 560 Ma

Pre

Pg

N
 Papilio machaon

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Suborder: Rhopalocera

Subgroups

Superfamily Hedyloidea:

Hedylidae

Superfamily Hesperioide
a:

Hesperiidae

Superfamily Papilionoide
 a:

Papilionidae

Pieridae

Nymphalidae

Lycaenidae

Riodinidae

Butterflies are insects in the clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also
includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous,
fluttering flight. The group comprises the large superfamily Papilionoidea, along with two smaller
groups, the skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea) and the moth-butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea).
Butterfly fossils date to the Palaeocene, about 56 million years ago.
Butterflies have the typical four-stage insect life cycle. Winged adults lay eggs on the food plant on
which their larvae, known as caterpillars, will feed. The caterpillars grow, sometimes very rapidly, and
when fully developed, pupate in a chrysalis. When metamorphosis is complete, the pupal skin splits,
the adult insect climbs out, and after its wings have expanded and dried, it flies off. Some butterflies,
especially in the tropics, have several generations in a year, while others have a single generation,
and a few in cold locations may take several years to pass through their whole life cycle.
Butterflies are often polymorphic, and many species make use
of camouflage, mimicry and aposematism to evade their predators. Some, like the monarch and
the painted lady, migrate over long distances. Many butterflies are attacked
by parasites or parasitoids, including wasps, protozoans, flies, and other invertebrates, or are preyed
upon by other organisms. Some species are pests because in their larval stages they can damage
domestic crops or trees; other species are agents of pollination of some plants. Larvae of a few
butterflies (e.g., harvesters) eat harmful insects, and a few are predators of ants, while others live
as mutualists in association with ants. Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and
literary arts.

Termite
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Termit, Thermite, or Turmite.
This article is about social insects. For other uses, see Termite (disambiguation).

Termite
Temporal range: 2510 Ma

Pre

Pg

Late Permian Recent

Formosan subterranean

termite (Coptotermes formosanus)

Soldiers (red-coloured heads)

Workers (pale-coloured heads)

 Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Blattodea

Infraorder: Isoptera

Families

Cratomastotermitidae
Mastotermitidae
Termopsidae
Archotermopsidae
Hodotermitidae
Stolotermitidae
Kalotermitidae
Archeorhinotermitidae
Stylotermitidae
Rhinotermitidae
Serritermitidae
Termitidae

Termites are eusocial insects that are classified at the taxonomic rank of infraorder Isoptera, or
as epifamily Termitoidae within the cockroach order Blattodea. Termites were once classified in a
separate order from cockroaches, but recent phylogenetic studies indicate that they evolved from
close ancestors of cockroaches during the Jurassic or Triassic. However, the first termites possibly
emerged during the Permian or even the Carboniferous. About 3,106 species are currently
described, with a few hundred more left to be described. Although these insects are often called
white ants, they are not ants.
Like ants and some bees and wasps from the separate order Hymenoptera, termites divide labour
among castes consisting of sterile male and female "workers" and "soldiers". All colonies have fertile
males called "kings" and one or more fertile females called "queens". Termites mostly feed on dead
plant material and cellulose, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung. Termites
are major detritivores, particularly in the subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of wood
and plant matter is of considerable ecological importance.
 Termites are among the most successful groups of insects on Earth, colonising most landmasses
except for Antarctica. Their colonies range in size from a few hundred individuals to enormous
societies with several million individuals. Termite queens have the longest lifespan of any insect in
the world, with some queens reportedly living up to 30 to 50 years. Unlike ants, which undergo a
complete metamorphosis, each individual termite goes through an incomplete metamorphosis that
proceeds through egg, nymph, and adult stages. Colonies are described
as superorganisms because the termites form part of a self-regulating entity: the colony itself. [1]
Termites are a delicacy in the diet of some human cultures and are used in many traditional
medicines. Several hundred species are economically significant as pests that can cause serious
damage to buildings, crops, or plantation forests. Some species, such as the West Indian drywood
termite (Cryptotermes brevis), are regarded as invasive species.

Contents
[hide]

1Etymology

2Taxonomy and evolution

3Distribution and diversity

4Description

o 4.1Caste system

5Life cycle

o 5.1Reproduction

6Behaviour and ecology

o 6.1Diet

o 6.2Predators

o 6.3Parasites, pathogens and viruses

o 6.4Locomotion and foraging

o 6.5Competition

o 6.6Communication

o 6.7Defence

o 6.8Relationship with other organisms

7Nests
 o 7.1Mounds

o 7.2Shelter tubes

8Relationship with humans

o 8.1As pests

o 8.2As food

o 8.3In agriculture

o 8.4In science and technology

o 8.5In culture

9See also

10Notes

11References

o 11.1Cited literature

12External links

Ant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Ant (disambiguation).

Ants
Temporal range: 1000 Ma

Pre

T
 J

Pg

Cenomanian Recent

A group of Fire ants.

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Hymenoptera
Superfamily: Vespoidea

Family: Formicidae
Latreille, 1809

Type species

Formica rufa
Linnaeus, 1761

Subfamilies

Agroecomyrmecinae

Amblyoponinae (incl.
"Apomyrminae")

Aneuretinae

Brownimeciinae

Dolichoderinae

Dorylinae

Ectatomminae

Formiciinae

Formicinae

Heteroponerinae

Leptanillinae
 Martialinae

Myrmeciinae (incl.
"Nothomyrmeciinae")

Myrmicinae

Paraponerinae

Ponerinae

Proceratiinae

Pseudomyrmecinae

Sphecomyrminae

Cladogram of
subfamilies [show]

Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees,
belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the Cretaceous period,
about 99 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than 12,500 of an
estimated total of 22,000 species have been classified.[4][5] They are easily identified by their elbowed
antennae and the distinctive node-like structure that forms their slender waists.
Ants form colonies that range in size from a few dozen predatory individuals living in small natural
cavities to highly organised colonies that may occupy large territories and consist of millions of
individuals. Larger colonies consist mostly of sterile, wingless females forming castes of "workers",
"soldiers", or other specialised groups. Nearly all ant colonies also have some fertile males called
"drones" and one or more fertile females called "queens". The colonies are described
as superorganisms because the ants appear to operate as a unified entity, collectively working
together to support the colony.[6][7]

(video) Ants gathering food

Ants have colonised almost every landmass on Earth. The only places lacking indigenous ants
are Antarctica and a few remote or inhospitable islands. Ants thrive in most ecosystems and may
form 1525% of the terrestrial animal biomass.[8] Their success in so many environments has been
 attributed to their social organisation and their ability to modify habitats, tap resources, and defend
themselves. Their long co-evolution with other species has led to mimetic, commensal, parasitic,
and mutualistic relationships.[9]
Ant societies have division of labour, communication between individuals, and an ability to solve
complex problems.[10] These parallels with human societies have long been an inspiration and subject
of study. Many human cultures make use of ants in cuisine, medication, and rituals. Some species
are valued in their role as biological pest control agents.[11] Their ability to exploit resources may bring
ants into conflict with humans, however, as they can damage crops and invade buildings. Some
species, such as the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), are regarded as invasive species,
establishing themselves in areas where they have been introduced accidentally.[12]

Contents
[hide]

1Etymology

2Taxonomy and evolution

3Distribution and diversity

4Morphology

o 4.1Head

o 4.2Legs

o 4.3Wings

o 4.4Metasoma

o 4.5Polymorphism

5Life cycle

o 5.1Reproduction

6Behaviour and ecology

o 6.1Communication

o 6.2Defence

o 6.3Learning

o 6.4Nest construction

o 6.5Cultivation of food

o 6.6Navigation
 o 6.7Locomotion

o 6.8Cooperation and competition

o 6.9Relationships with other organisms

7Relationship with humans

o 7.1As food

o 7.2As pests

o 7.3In science and technology

o 7.4In culture

8See also

9References

o 9.1Cited texts

10Further reading

11External links

Etymology
The word "ant" is derived from ante, emete of Middle English which are derived from mette of Old
English, and is related to the dialectal Dutch emt and the Old High German meiza, hence the
modern German Ameise. All of these words come from West Germanic *maitij, and the original
meaning of the word was "the biter" (from Proto-Germanic *ai-, "off, away" + *mait- "cut").[13][14] The
family name Formicidae is derived from the Latin formca ("ant")[15] from which the words in
other Romance languages, such as the Portuguese formiga, Italian formica, Spanish hormiga,
Romanian furnic, and French fourmi are derived. It has been hypothesised that a Proto-Indo-
European word *morwi- was used, cf. Sanskrit vamrah, Latin formca, Greek mrmx, Old
Church Slavonic mraviji, Old Irish moirb, Old Norse maurr, Dutch mier.[16]

Taxonomy and evolution

Ants fossilised in Baltic amber

Aculeata
Chrysidoidea

Vespidae

Rhopalosomatidae

Pompilidae

Tiphiidae

Scolioidea

Apoidea

Formicidae

Phylogenetic position of the Formicidae.[17]

The family Formicidae belongs to the order Hymenoptera, which also includes sawflies, bees,
and wasps. Ants evolved from a lineage within the aculeate wasps, and a 2013 study suggests that
they are a sister group of the Apoidea.[17] In 1966, E. O. Wilson and his colleagues identified
the fossil remains of an ant (Sphecomyrma) that lived in the Cretaceous period. The specimen,
trapped in amber dating back to around 92 million years ago, has features found in some wasps, but
not found in modern ants.[18] Sphecomyrma possibly was a ground forager,
while Haidomyrmex and Haidomyrmodes, related genera in subfamily Sphecomyrminae, are
reconstructed as active arboreal predators.[19] Older ants in the genus Sphecomyrmodes have been
found in 99 million year-old amber from Myanmar.[20][21] After the rise of flowering plants about
100 million years ago they diversified and assumed ecological dominance around 60 million years
ago.[22][23][24][25] Some groups, such as the Leptanillinae and Martialinae, are suggested to have
diversified from early primitive ants that were likely to have been predators underneath the surface of
the soil.[2][26]
During the Cretaceous period, a few species of primitive ants ranged widely on
the Laurasian supercontinent (the Northern Hemisphere). They were scarce in comparison to the
populations of other insects, representing only about 1% of the entire insect population. Ants
became dominant after adaptive radiation at the beginning of the Paleogene period. By
the Oligocene and Miocene, ants had come to represent 2040% of all insects found in major fossil
deposits. Of the species that lived in the Eocene epoch, around one in 10 genera survive to the
present. Genera surviving today comprise 56% of the genera in Baltic amber fossils (early
Oligocene), and 92% of the genera in Dominican amber fossils (apparently early Miocene).[22][27]
Termites, although sometimes called 'white ants', are not ants. They belong to the sub-
order Isoptera within the order Blattodea. Termites are more closely related
to cockroaches and mantids. Termites are eusocial, but differ greatly in the genetics of reproduction.
The similarity of their social structure to that of ants is attributed to convergent evolution.[28]Velvet
ants look like large ants, but are wingless female wasps.[29][30]

Distribution and diversity

Number of
Region
species [31]

Neotropics 2162

Nearctic 580

Europe 180

Africa 2500

Asia 2080

Melanesia 275

Australia 985

Polynesia 42

Ants are found on all continents except Antarctica, and only a few large islands, such
as Greenland, Iceland, parts of Polynesia and the Hawaiian Islands lack native ant species.[32][33] Ants
occupy a wide range of ecological niches and exploit many different food resources as direct or
indirect herbivores, predators and scavengers. Most ant species are omnivorous generalists, but a
few are specialist feeders. Their ecological dominance is demonstrated by their biomass: ants are
estimated to contribute 1520 % (on average and nearly 25% in the tropics) of terrestrial animal
biomass, exceeding that of the vertebrates.[8]
Ants range in size from 0.75 to 52 millimetres (0.0302.0 in),[34][35] the largest species being the
fossil Titanomyrma giganteum, the queen of which was 6 centimetres (2.4 in) long with a wingspan
of 15 centimetres (5.9 in).[36] Ants vary in colour; most ants are red or black, but a few species are
green and some tropical species have a metallic lustre. More than 12,000 species are currently
known (with upper estimates of the potential existence of about 22,000) (see the article List of ant
genera), with the greatest diversity in the tropics. Taxonomic studies continue to resolve the
classification and systematics of ants. Online databases of ant species, including AntBase and the
Hymenoptera Name Server, help to keep track of the known and newly described species. [37] The
relative ease with which ants may be sampled and studied in ecosystems has made them useful
as indicator species in biodiversity studies.[38][39]
Morphology
Ants are distinct in their morphology from other insects in having elbowed antennae, metapleural
glands, and a strong constriction of their second abdominal segment into a node-like petiole. The
head, mesosoma, and metasoma are the three distinct body segments. The petiole forms a narrow
waist between their mesosoma (thorax plus the first abdominal segment, which is fused to it)
and gaster (abdomen less the abdominal segments in the petiole). The petiole may be formed by
one or two nodes (the second alone, or the second and third abdominal segments). [40]

Bull ant showing the powerful mandibles and the relatively large compound eyes that provide excellent vision

Like other insects, ants have an exoskeleton, an external covering that provides a protective casing
around the body and a point of attachment for muscles, in contrast to the internal skeletons of
humans and other vertebrates. Insects do not have lungs; oxygen and other gases, such as carbon
dioxide, pass through their exoskeleton via tiny valves called spiracles. Insects also lack closed
blood vessels; instead, they have a long, thin, perforated tube along the top of the body (called the
"dorsal aorta") that functions like a heart, and pumps haemolymph toward the head, thus driving the
circulation of the internal fluids. The nervous system consists of a ventral nerve cord that runs the
length of the body, with several ganglia and branches along the way reaching into the extremities of
the appendages.[4