Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 December 15

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Welcome to Wikipedia,
3,823,077 articles in English

Today's featured article

Kristina Harrison-Naness riding Rociero at the 2007 FEI World Cup Finals

The Andalusian horse is a horse breed developed in the Iberian Peninsula. Its ancestors have been present on the Iberian Peninsula for thousands of years. The Andalusian has been recognized as an individual breed since the 15th century, and its conformation has changed very little over the centuries. Throughout its history, it has been known for its prowess as a war horse, and was prized by the nobility. During the 19th century, warfare, disease and crossbreeding reduced herd numbers dramatically, and despite some recovery in the late 19th century, the trend continued into the early 20th century. Exports of Andalusians were restricted until the 1960s, but the breed has since spread throughout the world, despite still-low population numbers. Strongly built, and compact yet elegant, Andalusians have long, thick manes and tails. Their most common coat color is gray, although they can be found in many other colors. They are known for their intelligence, sensitivity and docility. The Andalusian is closely related to the Lusitano of Portugal, and has been used to develop many other breeds, especially in Europe and the Americas. Modern Andalusians are used for many equestrian activities, including dressage, show jumping and driving. The breed is also used extensively in movies, especially historical pictures and fantasy epics. (more...)

Recently featured: Amundsen's South Pole expeditionCogan House Covered BridgeGillingham Football Club

Did you know...

From Wikipedia's newest content:

Entrance to the Ruhrfestspielhaus, the main venue

  • ... that the annual European theatre festival Ruhrfestspiele (main venue pictured), which collaborates with companies such as The Old Vic, originated in a coal shortage in 1946?
  • ... that Ryan Van Bergen was ranked among the top-20 high school football players nationally as both a tight end and defensive end?
  • ... that Soepomo, Indonesia's first Minister of Justice, criticized Dutch colonialism in his thesis on the agrarian system of Surakarta?
  • ... that Count Grog's Southern Championship Wrestling once promoted a benefit show in Louisburg, North Carolina, from which all the proceeds went to a seriously injured wrestler?
  • ... that the ideas of 17th-century Polish reformer Stanisław Dunin-Karwicki have been both praised as the harbinger of later reforms, and criticized for not going far enough?
  • ... that architects Fisher & Fisher, the sibling partnership of Arthur and William Ellsworth Fisher, designed the oil company town of Parco, Wyoming, in a unified Spanish colonial style to foster community?
  • In the news

    Protests in Bolotnaya Square, Moscow

  • At least five people are killed and more than one hundred are wounded in a murder–suicide attack in Liège, Belgium.
  • The Constituent Assembly of Tunisia elects Moncef Marzouki as the President of Tunisia.
  • The UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, closes with an agreement to establish a new treaty to limit carbon emissions.
  • Allegations of flaws in the Russian legislative elections trigger the country's largest protests (pictured) since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
  • Iran files a formal complaint to the UN Security Council regarding a U.S. RQ-170 Sentinel aircraft seized within its territory.
  • The National Basketball Association lockout ends with a collective bargaining agreement between players and owners.
  • On this day...

    December 15: Kingdom Day in Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten (1954); Zamenhof Day

    F-22A Raptor

  • 1467 – Troops under Stephen III of Moldavia defeated the forces of Matthias Corvinus of Hungary in present-day Baia, Romania.
  • 1864American Civil War: Union troops defeated the Army of Tennessee, one of the largest Confederate forces, at the Battle of Nashville.
  • 1942World War II: The Americans engaged Imperial Japanese forces at the Battle of Mount Austen, the Galloping Horse, and the Sea Horse in the hills near the Matanikau River area on Guadalcanal during the Guadalcanal Campaign.
  • 1946 – US-backed Iranian troops brought an end to the Iran crisis when they marched upon the breakaway Republic of Mahabad and recaptured the territory.
  • 2005 – The F-22 Raptor (pictured), a stealth fighter aircraft that the United States Air Force claimed is unmatched by any known or projected fighter, entered into service despite a protracted and costly development period.
  • More anniversaries: December 14 December 15 December 16

    It is now December 15, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

    Today's featured picture

    Satellite imagery of Africa

    A composite satellite image of the geography of Africa, the Earth's second-largest continent, and its adjacent islands. Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea and from much of Asia by the Red Sea, Africa is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the Isthmus of Suez. For geopolitical purposes, the Sinai Peninsula – east of the Suez Canal – is often considered part of Africa, although geographically it belongs in Asia. Africa can be divided into a number of geographic zones: The Atlas Mountains in the north, the Sahara, the coastal plains, and the inner plateaus.

    Photo: NASA

    Other areas of Wikipedia

    • Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
    • Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
    • Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
    • Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
    • Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
    • Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.

    Wikipedia's sister projects

    Wikipedia is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other projects:

    Wikipedia languages