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Talk Talk - Communication terms
Category: General technical and industrial
Date & country: 28/05/2010, UK
Words: 18630
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Ras al KhaimahEmirate on the Gulf; area 1,690 sq km/652 sq mi; population (1999 est) 165,000. It is one of the seven members of the United Arab Emirates, but differs from the others in that, with irrigation, agriculture has become a major occupation, producing vegetables, tobacco, bananas, and citrus fruits, large quantities of which are exported to ...
Ranjit SinghIndian maharajah. He succeeded his father as a minor Sikh leader in 1792, and created a Sikh army that conquered Kashmir and the Punjab. In alliance with the British, he established himself as `Lion of the Punjab`, ruler of the strongest of the independent Indian states
rape(plant) In botany, either of two plant species of the mustard family grown for their seeds, which yield a pungent edible oil. The common turnip is a variety of
B. rapa and the swede turnip is a variety of of
Rangoon
Former name (to 1989) of Yangon, the capital of Myanmar (Burma)
Rameau, Jean-Philippe
French organist and composer. His Traité de l'harmonie/Treatise on Harmony (1722) established academic rules for harmonic progression, and his varied works include keyboard and vocal music and many operas, such as Castor and Pollux (1737)
Rambert, Marie
Polish-born British ballet dancer and teacher. One of the major innovative and influential figures in modern ballet, she worked with Vaslav Nijinsky on The Rite of Spring for the Diaghilev ballet in Paris 1912–13, opened the Rambert School in London in 1920, and in 1926 founded the Ballet Rambert which she directed. It b...
Ramadan
In the Muslim calendar, the ninth month of the year. Ramadan follows a lunar year and occurs 11 days earlier each solar year. Throughout Ramadan a strict fast (sawm) is observed during the hours of daylight. On the Night of Power (Lailat al-Qadr), which falls during the last ten days of the month, the Koran states that a Muslim who prays throug...
Rama
Seventh avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu, whose purpose was to ensure that justice and peace (dharma) ruled. He is the hero of the epic Ramayana, and he is regarded as an example of morality and virtue. Rama is shown with a bow in his hand, symbolizing his strength, because he won the hand of his wife, Sita, using a bow in a contes...
Raleigh, Walter
English adventurer, writer, and courtier to Queen Elizabeth I. He organized expeditions to colonize North America 1584–87, all unsuccessful, and made exploratory voyages to South America in 1595 and 1616. His aggressive actions against Spanish interests, including attacks on Spanish ports, broug...
Rajasthan
Click images to enlargeState of northwest India; area 342,214 sq km/132,130 sq mi; population (2001 est) 56,473,100. The capital is Jaipur. Kota is the leading industrial centre, with nylon and precision-instrument factories, while other industries include textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, chemicals, and ...
Rainier, Mount
Highest mountain in the Cascade Range, Washington State, USA. Rising to 4,389 m/14,410 ft, it is a dormant volcano, crowned by 5 major and 20 minor glaciers. Dense forests cover the slopes below the treeline, which is located at about 1,520 m/5,000 ft. Mount Rainier National Park was created ...
ragtime
Syncopated music (`ragged time`) in 2/4 rhythm, usually played on piano. It developed in the USA among black musicians in the late 19th century; it was influenced by folk tradition, minstrel shows, and marching bands, and was later incorporated into jazz. Scott Joplin was a leading writer of ragtime pieces, called `rags`
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, the ultimate cataclysmic battle that would be fought between the gods and forces of evil, and from which a new order would come. In Germanic mythology, this is known as Götterdämmerung
raga
In Indian music, a scale of notes and style of ornament for music associated with a particular mood or time of day; the equivalent term in rhythm is tala. A choice of raga and tala forms the basis of improvised music; however, a written composition may also be based on (and called) a raga
radio frequencies and wavelengths
See electromagnetic waves
radiotherapy
Treatment of disease by radiation from X-ray machines or radioactive sources. Radiation in the correct dosage can be used to kill cancerous cells and prevent their spreading. Generally speaking, the rays of a diagnostic X-ray machine are not penetrating enough to be efficient in treatment, so for this purpose more powerful machines are requ...
radio, cellular
Portable telephone system; see mobile phone
radical
(chemistry) In chemistry, an atom or group of atoms carrying an unpaired electron, which is therefore highly reactive and often impossible to purify or keep for any length of time. A radical can either recombine with another radical (creating an electron pair and thus a stable compound) or att...
Racine, Jean Baptiste
French dramatist. He was an exponent of the classical tragedy in French drama, taking his subjects from Greek mythology and observing the rules of classical Greek drama. Most of his tragedies have women in the title role, for example Andromaque (1667), Iphigénie (1674), and Phèdre (...
Rachmaninov, Sergei Vasilevich
Russian composer, conductor, and pianist. After the 1917 Revolution he emigrated to the USA. His music is melodious and emotional and includes operas, such as Francesca da Rimini (1906), three symphonies, four piano concertos, piano pieces, and songs. Among his other works are the ...
Rabin, Yitzhak
Israeli Labour politician, prime minister 1974–77 and 1992–95. As a former soldier, he was a national hero in the Arab-Israeli Wars. His policy of favouring Palestinian self-government in the occupied territories contributed to the success of the centre-left party in the 1992 elections. In September 1993 he signed a historic p...
rabies
Viral disease of the central nervous system that can afflict all warm-blooded creatures. It is caused by a lyssavirus. It is almost invariably fatal once symptoms have developed. Its transmission to humans is generally by a bite from an infected animal. Rabies continues to kill hundreds of thousands of people every year; almost all these de...
Rabelais, François
French satirist, monk, and physician. His name has become synonymous with bawdy humour. He was educated in the humanist tradition and was the author of satirical allegories, including a cycle known as Gargantua and Pantagruel which included La Vie estimable du grand Gargantua, père de Pantagruel/The Inestimable Life of the Great G...
rabbi
In Judaism, the chief religious leader of a synagogue or the spiritual leader (not a hereditary high priest) of a Jewish congregation; also, a scholar of Judaic law and ritual from the 1st century AD. Rabbis do not intercede with God on behalf of the congregation and do not necessarily lead the services in a synagogue, although they conduct mos...
radio galaxy
Galaxy that is a strong source of electromagnetic waves of radio wavelengths. All galaxies, including our own, emit some radio waves, but radio galaxies are up to a million times more powerful. In many cases the strongest radio emission comes not from the visible galaxy but from two clouds, invisible through an optical telescope, that can extend fo...
rare-earth element
Alternative name for lanthanide
radar astronomy
Bouncing of radio waves off objects in the Solar System, with reception and analysis of the `echoes`. Radar contact with the Moon was first made in 1945 and with Venus in 1961. The travel time for radio reflections allows the distances of objects to be determined accurately. Analysis of the reflected beam reveals the rotation period and a...
radon
Colourless, odourless, gaseous, radioactive, non-metallic element, atomic number 86, relative atomic mass 222. It is grouped with the noble gases (rare gases) and was formerly considered nonreactive, but is now known to form some compounds with fluorine. Of the 20 known isotopes, only three occur in nature; the longest half-life is 3.82...
radium
White, radioactive, metallic element, atomic number 88, relative atomic mass 226.02. It is one of the alkaline-earth metals, found in nature in pitchblende and other uranium ores. Of the 16 isotopes, the commonest, Ra-226, has a half-life of 1,620 years. The element was discovered and named in 1898 by Pierre and Marie Curie, who were in...
radiochemistry
Chemical study of radioactive isotopes and their compounds (whether produced from naturally radioactive or irradiated materials) and their use in the study of other chemical processes. When such isotopes are used in labelled compounds, they enable the biochemical and physiological functioning of parts of the living body to be observed. They can hel...
radiocarbon dating
Method of dating organic materials (for example, bone or wood), used in archaeology. Plants take up carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere and incorporate it into their tissues, and some of that carbon dioxide contains the radioactive isotope carbon-14. As this decays at a known rate (half of it decays every 5,730 years), the time elapsed since...
radioactive waste
Any waste that emits radiation in excess of the background level. See nuclear waste
radioactivity
Click images to enlargeSpontaneous change of the nuclei of atoms accompanied by the emission of radiation. Such atoms are called radioactive. It is the property exhibited by the radioactive isotopes of stable elements and all isotopes of radioactive elements, and can be either natural or induced. See radioactive decay. A ...
rare gas
Alternative name for noble gas
radioactive tracer
Any of various radioactive isotopes added to fluids in order to monitor their flow and therefore identify leaks or blockages. See tracer
RAM
In computing, a memory device in the form of a collection of integrated circuits (chips), frequently used in microcomputers. Unlike ROM (read-only memory) chips, RAM chips can be both read from and written to by the computer, but their contents are lost when the power is switched off. Many modern commercial programs require a great deal of RAM ...
razor-shell
Any bivalve mollusc in two genera Ensis and Solen with narrow, elongated shells, resembling an old-fashioned razor handle and delicately coloured. They can burrow rapidly into sand and are good swimmers
razorbill
North Atlantic sea bird Alca torda of the auk family, order Charadriiformes, which breeds on cliffs and migrates south in winter. It is about 40 cm/16 in long, has a large curved beak, and is black above and white below. It uses its wings as paddles when diving. Razorbills make no nest; the female lays a single egg, which...
ray
Any of several orders (especially Ragiformes) of cartilaginous fishes with a flattened body, winglike pectoral fins, and a whiplike tail. Species include the stingray, for example the Southern stingray Dasyatis americana, which has a serrated, poisonous spine on the tail, and the torpedo fish
raven
Any of several large crows, genus Corvus, of the Corvidae family, order Passeriformes. The common raven C. corax is about 60 cm/2 ft long with a wingspan of nearly 1 m/3 ft, and has black, lustrous plumage; the beak and mouth, tongue, legs, and feet are also black. It is a scavenger and is found onl...
rattlesnake
Any of various New World pit vipers of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus (the massasaugas and pygmy rattlers), distinguished by horny flat segments of the tail, which rattle when vibrated as a warning to attackers. They can grow to 2.5 m/8 ft long. The venom injected by some rattlesnakes can be fatal. There...
rat
Any of numerous long-tailed rodents (especially of the families Muridae and Cricetidae) larger than mice and usually with scaly, naked tails. The genus Rattus in the family Muridae includes the rats found in human housing. The brown rat Rattus norvegicus is about 20 cm/8 in long with a tail of almost eq...
raccoon
Any of several New World species of carnivorous mammals of the genus Procyon, in the family Procyonidae. The common raccoon P. lotor is about 60 cm/2 ft long, with a grey-brown body, a black-and-white ringed tail, and a black `mask` arou...
rail
Any wading bird of the family Rallidae, including the rails proper (genus Rallus), coots, moorhens, and gallinules. Rails have dark plumage, a short neck and wings, and long legs. They are 10–45 cm/4–18 in long. Many oceanic islands have their own species of rail, often flightless, such as the Guam rail R. ...
rabbit
Any of several genera of hopping mammals of the order Lagomorpha, which together with hares constitute the family Leporidae. Rabbits differ from hares in bearing naked, helpless young and in occupying burrows. The Old World rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), originally from southern Europe and North Africa, has now been introduced w...
race
Term sometimes applied to a physically distinctive group of people, on the basis of their difference from other groups in skin colour, head shape, hair type, and physique. Formerly, anthropologists divided the human race into three hypothetical racial groups: Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid. Others postulated from 6 to 30 races. Scientific st...
Ray, John
English naturalist who devised a classification system accounting for some 18,000 plant species. It was the first system to divide flowering plants into monocotyledons and dicotyledons, with additional divisions made on the basis of leaf and flower characters and fruit types. In Methodus plantarum nova (1682), Ray first set out h...
rat-tail
Any fish of the family Macrouridae of deep-sea bony fishes. They have stout heads and bodies, and long tapering tails. They are common in deep waters on the continental slopes. Some species have a light-emitting organ in front of the anus. Also known as rat-tails are some of the chimaeras
radicle
Part of a plant embryo that develops into the primary root. Usually it emerges from the seed before the embryonic shoot, or plumule, its tip protected by a root cap, or calyptra, as it pushes through the soil. The radicle may form the basis of the entire root system, or it may be replaced by adventitious roots (positioned on the stem)
rational number
In mathematics, any number that can be expressed as an exact fraction (with a denominator not equal to 0), that is, as a ÷ b where a and b are integers; or an exact decimal. For example, 2/1, 1/4, 15/4, -3/5 are all rational numbers, whereas ...
radian
SI unit of plane angles, an alternative unit to the degree. It is the angle at the centre of a circle when the centre is joined to the two ends of an arc (part of the circumference) equal in length to the radius of the circle. There are 2π (approximately 6.284) radians in a full circle (360°). One radian is approximately 57°, and 1&#...
Rastafarianism
Religion originating in the West Indies, based on the ideas of Marcus Garvey, who called on black people to return to Africa and set up a black-governed country there. When Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari, `Lion of Judah`) was crowned emperor of Ethiopia in 1930, this was seen as a fulfilmen...
rain
Form of precipitation in which separate drops of water fall to the Earth's surface from clouds. The drops are formed by the accumulation of fine droplets that condense from water vapour in the air. The condensation is usually brought about by rising and subsequent cooling of air. Rain can form in...
radiosonde
Balloon carrying a compact package of meteorological instruments and a radio transmitter, used to `sound`, or measure, conditions in the atmosphere. The instruments measure temperature, pressure, and humidity, and the information gathered is transmitted back to observers on the ground. A radar target is often attached, allowing the balloo...
radiation sickness
Sickness resulting from exposure to radiation, including X-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, and other nuclear radiation, as from weapons and fallout. Such radiation ionizes atoms in the body and causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and other symptoms. The body cells themselves may be damaged even by very small doses, causing leukaemia and other cance...
rack railway
Railway, used in mountainous regions, that uses a toothed pinion running in a toothed rack to provide traction. The rack usually runs between the rails. Ordinary wheels lose their grip even on quite shallow gradients, but rack railways, like that on Mount Pilatus in Switzerland, can climb slopes as steep as 50% (1 in 2)
radiation
Emission of radiant energy as particles or waves – for example, heat, light, alpha particles, and beta particles (see electromagnetic waves and radioactivity). See also atomic radiation. All hot objects radiate heat. Radiated heat does not need a medium through which to travel (it can travel in ...
radio telescope
Click images to enlargeInstrument for detecting radio waves from the universe in radio astronomy. Radio telescopes usually consist of a metal bowl that collects and focuses radio waves the way a concave mirror collects and focuses light waves. Radio telescopes are much larger than optical telescopes, because the wavelengt...
Ramsay, William
Scottish chemist who, with Lord Rayleigh, discovered argon in 1894. In 1895 Ramsay produced helium and in 1898, in cooperation with Morris Travers, identified neon, krypton, and xenon. In 1903, with Frederick Soddy, he noted the transmutation of radium into helium, which led to the discovery of the density and relative atomic mass of radium. He was...
radio astronomy
Study of radio waves emitted naturally by objects in space, by means of a radio telescope. Radio emission comes from hot gases (thermal radiation); electrons spiralling in magnetic fields (synchrotron radiation); and specific wavelengths (lines) emitted by atoms and molecules in space, such as the 21-cm/8.3-in line emitted by hy...
radar
Device for locating objects in space, direction finding, and navigation by means of transmitted and reflected high-frequency radio waves. The direction of an object is ascertained by transmitting a beam of short-wavelength (1–100 cm/0.5–40 in), short-pulse radio waves, and p...
radical
(politics) In politics, anyone with opinions more extreme than the main current of a country's major political party or parties. It is more often applied to those with left-wing opinions, although the radical right also exists
radio
Click images to enlargeTransmission and reception of radio waves. In radio transmission a microphone converts sound waves (pressure variations in the air) into a varying electric current, which is amplified and used to modulate a carrier wave which is transmitted as electromagnetic waves, which are then picked up by a rec...
radioisotope
Naturally occurring or synthetic radioactive form of an element. Most radioisotopes are made by bombarding a stable element with neutrons in the core of a nuclear reactor (see fission). The radiations given off by radioisotopes are easy to detect (hence their use as tracers), can in some instances penetrate substantial thicknesses of materials, and...
rainbow
Luminous arch in the sky displaying the colours of the spectrum formed by the refraction and reflection of the Sun's rays through rain or mist. Its cause was discovered by Theodoric of Freiburg in the 14th century
radioactive decay
Process of disintegration undergone by the nuclei of radioactive elements, such as radium and various isotopes of uranium and the transuranic elements, in order to produce a more stable nucleus. The three most common forms of radioactive decay are alpha, beta, and gamma decay. In alpha decay (the loss of a helium nucleus – two protons and two ...
radio beacon
Radio transmitter in a fixed location, used in marine and aerial navigation. Ships and aircraft pinpoint their positions by reference to continuous signals given out by two or more beacons. They have largely been superseded by more advanced technologies such as Loran and GPS
radiography
Branch of science concerned with the use of radiation (particularly X-rays) to produce images on photographic film or fluorescent screens. X-rays penetrate matter according to its nature, density, and thickness. In doing so they can cast shadows on photographic film, producing a radiograph. Radiography is widely used in medicine for examini...
radiometric dating
Method of dating rock by assessing the amount of radioactive decay of naturally occurring isotopes. The dating of rocks may be based on the gradual decay of uranium into lead. The ratio of the amounts of `parent` to `daughter` isotopes in a sample gives a measure of the time it has been decaying, that is, of its age. Different e...
railway
Click images to enlargeMethod of transport in which trains convey passengers and goods along a twin rail track. Following the work of British steam pioneers such as the Scottish engineer James Watt, English engineers, such as George Stephenson, developed the steam locomotive and built the first railways; Stephenson bu...
rayon
Synthetic fibre derived from cellulose that has been regenerated, by treating wood pulp and/or cotton linters (very short fibres) with chemicals to produce a syrupy, yellowish solution. The solution is then pressed through very small holes and the resulting filaments (long fibres) are solidified. There are many different types of rayon and thes...
racism
Belief in, or set of implicit assumptions about, the superiority of one's own race or ethnic group, often accompanied by prejudice against members of an ethnic group different from one's own. Racism may be used to justify discrimination, verbal or physical abuse, or even genocide, as in Nazi Germany, or as practised by European settlers aga...
Raphael Sanzio
Painter and architect born in Urbino and eventually settled in Rome. He painted portraits and mythological and religious works, noted for their harmony of colour and composition. He was active in Perugia, Florence, and (from 1508) Rome, where he painted frescoes in the Vatican. Among his best-known works are The Marriage of the Virgin&...
radiation units
Units of measurement for radioactivity and radiation doses. In SI units, the activity of a radioactive source is measured in becquerels (symbol Bq), where one becquerel is equal to one nuclear disintegration per second (an older unit is the curie). The exposure is measured in coulombs per kilogram (C kg-1); the amount...
rainbow coalition
In politics, from the mid-1980s, a loose, left-of-centre alliance of people from several different sections of society that are traditionally politically underrepresented, such as nonwhite ethnic groups. Its aims include promoting minority rights and equal opportunities
rape
(assault) In law, sexual intercourse without the consent of the subject. Most cases of rape are of women by men. In Islamic law a rape accusation requires the support of four independent male witnesses. Rape and sexual abuse are systematically used in many countries, such as Pakistan, against ...
Ramses II
King (pharaoh) of ancient Egypt about 1279–1213 BC, the son of Seti I. He campaigned successfully against the Hittites, and built two rock temples at Abu Simbel in southern Egypt
Ramses III
King (pharaoh) of ancient Egypt about 1187–1156 BC. He won victories over the Libyans and the Sea Peoples and asserted his control over Palestine
raisin
Dried grape, for eating as a fruit and also used in baking and confectionery. The chief kinds are the seedless raisin, the sultana, and the currant. The main producers are the Mediterranean area, California, Mexico, and Australia. Grapes may be dried in the sun or artificially, using hot air. The dark colour of the dried fruit comes from the carame...
Ramakrishna
Hindu sage, teacher, and mystic (dedicated to achieving oneness with or a direct experience of God or some force beyond the normal world). Ramakrishna claimed that mystical experience was the ultimate aim of religions, and that all religions which led to this goal were equally valid
RAF
Abbreviation for Royal Air Force
rackets
Indoor game played on an enclosed court. Although first played in the Middle Ages, rackets developed in the 18th century and was played against the walls of London buildings. It is considered the forerunner of many racket and ball games, particularly squash
radioisotope scanning
Use of radioactive materials (radioisotopes or radionucleides) to pinpoint disease. It reveals the size and shape of the target organ and whether any part of it is failing to take up radioactive material, usually an indication of disease. The speciality known as nuclear medicine makes use of the affinity of different chemical elements for certain p...
raï
Algerian pop music developed in the 1970s from the Bedouin song form melhoun, using synthesizers and electronic drums. Singers often take the name Cheb or Cheba (`young`), for example, Cheb Khaled and Cheb Mami
rangefinder
Instrument for determining the range or distance of an object from the observer; used to focus a camera or to sight a gun accurately. A rangefinder camera has a rotating mirror or prism that alters the image seen through the viewfinder, and a secondary window. When the two images are brought together into one, the lens is sharply focused
Ram Das
Indian religious leader, fourth guru (teacher) of Sikhism 1574–81, who founded the Sikh holy city of Amritsar. Ram Das encouraged Sikhs to gather in the city to set up their trades in the marketplace, and Sikhs to this day are encouraged to run their own businesses. He wrote the Lavan, four hymns used for the marriage servic...
rainforest
Click images to enlargeDense forest usually found on or near the Equator where the climate is hot and wet. Moist air brought by the converging trade winds rises because of the heat and produces heavy rainfall. More than half the tropical rainforests are in Central and South America, primarily the lower Amazon and the coas...
Rauschenberg, Robert
US pop artist. He created happenings and multimedia works, called `combined painting`, such as Monogram (1959; Moderna Museet, Stockholm), a stuffed goat daubed with paint and wearing a car tyre around its body. In the 1960s he returned to painting and used the silk-screen printing process to transfer images to ...
Radical
In Britain, supporter of parliamentary reform before the Reform Bill of 1832. As a group the Radicals later became the progressive wing of the Liberal Party. During the 1860s (led by Cobden, Bright, and J S Mill) they campaigned for extension of the franchise, free trade, and laissez-faire, but after 1870, under the leadershi...
Rabuka, Sitiveni
Fijian soldier and politician, prime minister 1992–99. When the April 1987 elections produced a new left-of-centre government, headed by Timoci Bavadra, which was determined to end discrimination against the country's ethnic Indian community, Rabuka staged two successive coups, in May and September 1987. Within months of the second...
Ray, Nicholas
US film director. He was critically acclaimed for socially aware dramas that concentrated on the individual as an outsider, such as They Live by Night (1948) and Rebel Without a Cause (1955). Ray studied at University of Chicago and began directing plays in New York in the 1930s, working with John Houseman and ...
random number
One of a series of numbers having no detectable pattern. Random numbers are used in computer simulation and computer games. It is impossible for an ordinary computer to generate true random numbers, but various techniques are available for obtaining pseudo-random numbers – close enough to true randomness for most purposes
rad
Unit of absorbed radiation dose, now replaced in the SI system by the gray (one rad equals 0.01 gray). It is defined as the dose when one kilogram of matter absorbs 0.01 joule of radiation energy
race-relations acts
UK acts of Parliament of 1965, 1968, and 1976 to combat discrimination. The Race Relations Act of 1976 prohibits discrimination on the grounds of colour, race, nationality, or ethnic origin. Indirect as well as direct discrimination is prohibited in the provision of goods, services, facilities, employment, accommodation, and advertisements. The Com...
Raj, the
The period of British rule in India before independence in 1947
rationing
Click images to enlargeRestricted allowance of provisions or other supplies in time of war or shortage. Food rationing was introduced in Germany and Britain during World War I. During World War II food rationing, organized by the government, began in Britain in 1940. Each person was issued with a ration book of coupons. B...
radio wave
Electromagnetic wave possessing a relatively long wavelength (ranging from about 10-3 m upwards) and a relatively low frequency (from about 3 × 1011 Hz downwards) and travelling at the speed of light. Included in the radio wave part of the spectrum are: microwaves, used for both communicati...
ray diagram
Diagram that explains how and where mirrors and lenses form images. The paths of light rays are represented by lines, and standard constructions are used for certain rays that have known paths through a mirror or lens system. For example, a ray that arrives parallel to the principal axis of a converging lens will pass through its principal focus on...
rate of reaction
Speed at which a chemical reaction proceeds. It is usually expressed in terms of the concentration (usually in moles per litre) of a reactant consumed, or product formed, in unit time; so the units would be moles per litre per second (mol l-1 s-1
Rarotonga Treaty
Agreement that formally declares the South Pacific a nuclear-free zone. The treaty came into effect in December 1986, having been signed by members of the Pacific Islands Forum. China and the USSR later signed protocols concerning nuclear-armed powers. The treaty takes its name from Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands, where an anti-nuclear ...
