A. J. Foyt
(1935– )US motor racing driver, who has won more races and set more records in many different types of cars and events than any other driver.Foyt was born in Houston Heights, Texas, and grew up in a ...
Aaland Islands
Some 6,500 islands in the Gulf of Bothnia, between Finland and Sweden. They were part of Sweden until 1809, when, together with Finland, they were annexed by Russia. After the collapse of the Russian ...
Abd al-Ilah ibn Ali ibn Hussein
(b. 1912, d. 14 July 1958).Regent of Iraq Born in Hejaz as the grandson of Hussein ibn Ali, he became regent of Iraq for his 4-year-old cousin Faisal II, after the death of his brother-in-law, King ...
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
(b. 2 Mar. 1937).Algerian President, 1999– Born in Morocco, he joined the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) in 1956. Following independence he served as Foreign Minister (1962–79) under Ben Bella ...
Abdou Diouf
(b. 7 Mar. 1935).President of Senegal 1981–2000 Born in Louga, he was educated at the University of Dakar, and graduated in law from the University of Paris. Upon his return to Senegal he became the ...
Abdul Karim Qassem
(b. 1914, d. 9 Feb. 1963).Iraqi ruler 1958–63 Born in Baghdad as the son of a carpenter, he joined the Iraqi army and rose to the rank of brigadier. Strongly nationalist and anti‐British, Qasem led ...
Abdullah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud
(b. 1926).King of Saudi Arabia 2005– Born in Riyadh as the son of Abd-al Aziz ibn Saud, he was educated at the court. In 1962 he became commander of the National Guard, and in 1982 he became Crown ...
Abdullah ibn Hussein
(b. 1880, d. 20 July 1951).Emir of Transjordan 1921–48, King of Transjordan/Jordan 1948–51 Son of Hussein ibn Ali, Sherif of Mecca, with his brother Faisal he led the Arab Revolt of 1916. In 1921 he ...
Abdullah II
(1962– )King of Jordan (1999– ). The eldest son of King Hussein by his second wife, Abdullah was named as heir in place of his uncle (Prince Hassan) in the last days of his father's life. He ...
Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa
(b. 14 Apr. 1925; d. 8 Apr. 2010).Prime Minister of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia 1979. Born in Old Umtali, he was ordained in 1963, and in 1968 became a bishop in the United Methodist Church. In 1971, he ...
