Shirahama, Wakayama: coastal resort, hot springs and family attractions Shirahama, Wakayama Shirahama is a coastal resort town in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, famous for its white sandy beach, historic onsen district, Adventure World family park, scenic cliffs and a touris…
Shiraz — city of gardens, poetry, and ancient Persia Shiraz Shiraz is a major city in southern Iran, capital of Fars Province, noted for its cultural heritage, historic gardens, classical poets, proximity to Persepolis, universities, and lo…
The Shire (Middle-earth): the hobbits' homeland in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium Shire (Middle-earth) The Shire is the rural homeland of the hobbits in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. A peaceful, agricultural region in Eriador, it plays a central role in The Hobbit and The Lord of…
Shiretoko National Park: remote peninsula, wildlife, and World Heritage in Hokkaidō Shiretoko National Park Shiretoko National Park protects the wild Shiretoko Peninsula in northeastern Hokkaidō, Japan. Known for dramatic coasts, rich marine life, drift ice, brown bears and Ainu cultural…
Shirley, Arkansas A small incorporated town in north‑central Arkansas. Overview of its location, geography, community character, local economy, history and notable features for residents and visitor…
Shishapangma (Gosainthan) — Himalayan eight-thousander Shishapangma Shishapangma is an 8,027 m Himalayan peak in Tibet, China. The lowest of the fourteen eight-thousanders, it was first climbed by a Chinese expedition in 1964 and is generally appro…
Shizuoka Shizuoka is a coastal Japanese prefecture and its capital city, noted for Mount Fuji views, extensive green tea production, hot springs, coastal scenery, seafood, and historic site…
Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan: geography, history and culture Shizuoka Prefecture Shizuoka Prefecture on Honshu's Pacific coast includes Mount Fuji's southern slopes, the Izu Peninsula and Suruga Bay. Known for green tea, seafood, manufacturing in Hamamatsu, hot…
Shkodër: Historic city in northwestern Albania Shkodër Shkodër is a historic city in northwestern Albania, near Lake Shkodër. It is a regional cultural, educational and economic centre, noted for Rozafa Castle, Luigj Gurakuçi Universit…
Shoals, Indiana — small county seat and river town Shoals, Indiana Shoals is a small town in southern Indiana that serves as the county seat of Martin County. It developed beside a river shoal and retains rural, historical and recreational charact…
Shōnan: coastal region of Kanagawa centered on Enoshima Shōnan Shōnan is a coastal region of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, centered on Enoshima and facing Sagami Bay. Known for beaches, surf culture, seaside towns and easy access from Tokyo, it…
Shop (Retail outlet) Shop A shop is a place—physical or virtual—where goods and services are offered for sale. This article explains types, characteristics, history, common uses and distinctions between ret…
Shoreditch: East London district — history, culture and character Shoreditch Shoreditch is a district in East London, spanning the Borough of Hackney and part of Tower Hamlets. It is noted for its historic theatres, creative industries, street art, nightlif…
Shoreham-by-Sea: Coastal Port Town on the River Adur, West Sussex Shoreham-by-Sea Shoreham-by-Sea, a coastal port town on the River Adur in West Sussex, blends harbour industry, pebble-and-sand beaches and South Downs foothills, with history, transport links and…
Shorkot Tehsil, Jhang District, Punjab, Pakistan Shorkot Tehsil Shorkot Tehsil is an administrative subdivision of Jhang District in Punjab, Pakistan, centered on the town of Shorkot. The area is mainly agricultural and serves as a local govern…
Shoshone County, Idaho County in the Idaho Panhandle known for its Silver Valley mining history, outdoor recreation, and historic towns. Founded 1864; county seat Wallace; largest city Kellogg; 2010 popu…
Shoshone, Idaho: County Seat, Small-Town Hub and Gateway to Central Idaho Shoshone, Idaho Shoshone is a small city in Lincoln County, Idaho, known as the county seat and a historic railroad town that serves as a local center for agriculture, services and access to nearb…
Shotley: village and civil parish on the Shotley Peninsula in Suffolk, England Shotley Shotley is a riverside village and civil parish on the Shotley Peninsula, Suffolk. It lies between the estuaries of the Orwell and Stour and has a long maritime and rural character…
Shotley Gate — coastal settlement on the Shotley peninsula, Suffolk Shotley Gate Shotley Gate is a village at the tip of the Shotley peninsula in Suffolk, England, known for river views, maritime history including the former HMS Ganges, local amenities and acce…
The Showgrounds (Sligo) — football stadium and community venue Showgrounds The Showgrounds in Sligo, Ireland, is a mid-sized football stadium and event space. Home to Sligo Rovers FC, it combines seated stands, a terrace, training pitches and a car-park u…
Shtetl: Eastern European Jewish Small Towns and Communities Shtetl Shtetl — a traditional small Jewish town or village in Eastern Europe — its social structure, history, cultural life, decline, and legacy in literature and memory.
Shuyesheh: Kurdish town in Iran's Kurdistan province Shuyesheh Shuyesheh is a small Kurdish-speaking city in Iran's Kurdistan province. This article summarizes its location, population, language, religion, economy, and notable features with ba…
Siam Paragon: Bangkok’s landmark shopping and entertainment complex Siam Paragon Siam Paragon is a major shopping mall and leisure complex in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district, opened in 2005 and noted for its luxury retail, large multiplex, aquarium and diverse att…
Šibenik-Knin County County in north-central Dalmatia, Croatia, centered on Šibenik. Known for its coastline, 242 islands, Krka and Kornati national parks, historic towns and a mix of maritime and rura…
Sibi District — location, climate, history and cultural importance Sibi District Sibi District is an administrative district in Pakistan's Balochistan province known for its arid landscape, extreme summer heat and the historic Sibi Mela, an annual cultural and…
Sibi Tehsil — administrative subdivision of Sibi District, Balochistan Sibi Tehsil Sibi Tehsil is an administrative subdivision of Sibi District in Balochistan, Pakistan. It includes the district headquarters, surrounding towns and villages, and is known for its…
Sible Hedingham, Essex: village and civil parish in Braintree district Sible Hedingham Sible Hedingham is a village and civil parish in north Essex, England, with a population of 3,665 at the 2001 census. It lies in the Braintree district near Castle Hedingham and th…
Sibleyville, Kansas Sibleyville is a small unincorporated community in Douglas County, Kansas, located a few miles southeast of Lawrence. Once sited where a local railroad crossed a county road, it de…
Sicily: Geography, History, Culture and Economy Sicily Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island and an autonomous region of Italy, has a layered history from Phoenician and Greek colonization through Arab and Norman rule to modern auto…
Sidcup, Greater London suburb Sidcup Sidcup is a suburban town in the London Borough of Bexley, southeast of central London. It combines residential neighbourhoods, local shops, schools and transport links and has his…
Sidi Bel Abbès Province Overview of Sidi Bel Abbès Province in northwestern Algeria: geography, history, administration, economy and notable facts about the region centered on the city of Sidi Bel Abbès.
Sidon (Saida): Lebanese Mediterranean port and ancient Phoenician city Sidon Sidon (Saida) is a historic coastal city in southern Lebanon, known for its Phoenician heritage, medieval Sea Castle, traditional soap industry, and role as a regional commercial a…
Siebnen: village of the March District in the canton of Schwyz Siebnen Siebnen is a Swiss village in the March District of the canton of Schwyz. It spans three municipalities and functions as a local service, transport and commercial centre for its re…
Siegen — city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Siegen Siegen is a mid-sized German city in North Rhine-Westphalia. Known for its hilly landscape along the river Sieg, a regional university, industrial history and cultural sites.
Siem Reap province — gateway to Angkor and Tonlé Sap ecosystems Siem Reap province Siem Reap province in northwestern Cambodia contains the city of Siem Reap, the Angkor temple complex, parts of the Tonlé Sap Biosphere Reserve and Phnom Kulen National Park; a cen…
Siena (Sienna) — historic city in Tuscany, Italy Sienna Hilltop city in Tuscany noted for its medieval centre, Gothic architecture, the Palio horse race, art and banking history. UNESCO World Heritage Site with about 54,000 residents.
Sierra County, California A sparsely populated Sierra Nevada county founded in 1852. County seat Downieville and the incorporated city Loyalton anchor a landscape of forests, rivers and Gold Rush history.
Sierra County, New Mexico Sierra County is a rural county in south-central New Mexico. As of the 2010 census its population was 11,988. The county seat is Truth or Consequences, noted for hot springs and re…
Sierra Nevada National Park (Spain) Sierra Nevada National Park Protected high-mountain area in Andalusia, Spain. Covers 85,883 ha across Granada and Almería; notable for Mulhacén, rich endemic flora, alpine landscapes, and outdoor recreation.
Sigel, Illinois Sigel is a small village in central Illinois known for its agricultural surroundings, local community institutions, and ties to 19th-century settlement patterns in the Midwest.
Sighişoara — medieval citadel and town in Mureş County, Romania Sighişoara Sighişoara is a well-preserved fortified town in Mureş County, Romania, known for its medieval citadel, towers and cobbled streets; traditionally linked to Vlad the Impaler and pop…
Sigtuna: historic town on Lake Mälaren in Sweden Sigtuna Sigtuna is one of Sweden's oldest towns, located on Lake Mälaren in Stockholm County. Known for medieval ruins, runestones and the Sigtuna boarding school, it combines historic sit…
Sihanoukville Province (Preah Sihanouk) Sihanoukville province Coastal province in southwestern Cambodia, home to the port and capital Sihanoukville, multiple islands and Ream National Park; a center for shipping, tourism and recent rapid deve…
Šilalė — Town in Tauragė County, Lithuania Šilalė Šilalė is a town in western Lithuania serving as the administrative center of Šilalė District in Tauragė County. It lies north of Tauragė and functions as a local service, cultural…
Silanus (Sardinia): history, archaeology and main sights Silanus, Sardinia Silanus is a small town in central-west Sardinia noted for Nuragic remains, medieval churches (Santa Sarbana, San Lorenzo), the Nuraghe Madrone and a landscape of basalt plateaus a…
Silba — small Croatian island in the Zadar archipelago Silba Silba is a small, low-lying island in the Croatian Adriatic known for its quiet village, limited motor traffic, olive groves and tourism. Located between Premuda and Olib, it is pa…
Silicon Valley: California's Global Technology Region Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is the concentrated technology hub in the southern San Francisco Bay Area, known for startups, venture capital, research institutions, and major tech companies that…
Silloth, Cumbria Silloth Silloth is a small coastal town and civil parish in Allerdale, on the Solway Firth in Cumbria, England. Known for its Victorian planned layout, seaside green, and local events, it…
