To

A - H , I - P

R - Russia
Diet--Although food is plentiful, many products are expensive or available only in hard-currency markets. For the common person, this means fruits and vegetables are difficult to come by. Hence, menus consist mainly of bread, meat, dairy products, and potatoes. To improve the diet, a growing number of people in urban areas are growing vegetable gardens on plots near the city. People on fixed and limited incomes (mainly the elderly) eat more bread than anything else. Common Russian foods include borsch (cabbage soup with beets), pirozhki (a stuffed roll), golubzi (stuffed cabbage leaves baked with tomato sauce and eaten with sour cream), and shi (soup with sour cabbage). Borsch is still one of the most popular foods in the country. Its ingredients (potatoes, cabbages, carrots, beets, and onions) almost complete the list of vegetables used in everyday life. Pork, sausage, chicken, and cheeses are popular, but they are often very expensive. Russians prefer tea to coffee. Mineral water, juice, and soda are readily available at high prices. Russians drink far more vodka than wine.

Recreation--Russians have little leisure time because of the hours they devote to getting food, working extra jobs, or taking care of their households. Urban Russians spend their spare time at their dachas (country cottages), if they have them, relaxing and growing fruits and vegetables for the winter. There are relatively few nightclubs, and entertainment usually ends by 11;00p.m. Even Moscow is essentially dark and quiet after that hour.

The country's favorite sport is soccer. Russia's national soccer team competed in the 1994 World Cup. Winter sports such as ice skating, hockey, and cross-country skiing are particularly popular in Russia. Watching television is the most common way to spend extra time. Gathering mushrooms is a favorite summer activity. Russia has a grand and abiding heritage in cultural arts. The people highly appreciate theaters and movies, but these are available only in big cities. Rural people can watch movies at dvorets kultury (palaces of culture), which serve as community recreation centers.

Health--Medical care is free, but the quality of service is poor. Doctors are highly trained and qualified but lack modern equipment and medicine to adequately treat their patients. Private clinics provide better care but are expensive. The infant mortality rate is 26 per 1,000. Life expectancy ranges from 64 to 74 years. Common major diseases are alcoholism, cancer, diabetes, and heart ailments. Diphtheria, dysentery, and other intestinal maladies are spreading.

S - Sweden
Diet--The Swedish diet, as with other parts of society, has changed over the years. Health concerns have affected eating patterns in much the same way they have in other industrialized countries. Once heavy in meat, fish, and cheese, the diet now includes many fresh vegetables and fruits. Common foods include potatoes (eaten a few times a week), cheeses of many types, seafoods, and other fresh foods. For breakfast, one might eat fil (a kind of yogurt), knackebrod (crisp bread) with margarine, and coffee. Open-face sandwiches (smorgasar) are also popular. Some favorite main-meal dishes include Kottbullar med kokt potatis, brun sas och lingonsylt (meatballs with brown sauce, boiled potatoes and lingonberry jam); Stekt falukorv med senap och potatis (fried slices of thick German sausage with mustard and boiled or fried potatoes); and grilled lax med spenat, citron och potatis eller ris(grilled slices of salmon with spinach, slices of lemon, and potatoes or rice).

The smorgasbord is a lavish buffet eaten on special occasions or at parties. It is not an everyday meal. A smorgasbord includes warm and cold dishes, meat, fish, and desserts. Many families have a special type of smorgasbord on Christmas Eve.

Recreation - Swedes are sports enthusiasts. Popular sports include soccer, skiing tennis, golf, swimming, ice hockey, bandy, and orienteering races (using a map and compass to cross an area). Sweden's national soccer team competed in the 1994 World Cup. Bandy is a game related to hockey and believed to be its prototype. Skating and other winter sports are common. Even more popular than sports are activities such as hiking, fishing and bird-watching. The Swedes love nature and spend as much time as possible outdoors. For many, the ideal is owning a summer cottage for weekends and vacations. Sweden's mountains and fells are popular destinations.
Favorite leisure activities also include reading, attending cultural events such as the theater or concerts, and watching movies and television. Most people have a great interest in music, whether modern or traditional. Singing in choirs is by far Sweden's most popular hobby, with 1.5 million participants.

Health--All Swedes are covered by national health insurance. The government pays nearly all fees incurred for medical care. At least 85 percent of day-care costs are also covered. Dental fees are shared by the individual. While basic health care is readily available, elective surgery must often wait several months before being approved. In response to public demand, private health-care options are now more widely available, as are private child-care facilities. The government pays an ill person's wages for an extended period. Parents share a total of 12 months leave when a child is born. The infant mortality rate is one of the lowest in the world at 6 per 1,000. Swedes can expect to live between 75 and 81 years.

T - Turkey
Diet--Turkish cuisine is among the finest in the world. Lamb and rice are served with many meals. Seafood is more abundant along the coast. The famous kahve (Turkish coffee), a thick brew served in very small cups, is served with nearly every meal. Breakfast is usually light, consisting of tea, white cheese, bread, butter, marmalade or honey, and olives. The main meal of the day is eaten in the evening and may consist of several courses. Turkish cuisine is famous for many things, among them the meze, a tray or table of hor d'oeuvres, including stuffed grape leaves, salads, shrimp, and a variety of other items. There are also many unique Turkish soups. Shish kebabs (chunks of Lamb on a skewer) are the favorite, as are vegetables prepared in olive oil. Rice pilav is common. Turkish desserts are famously sweet, including baklava (syrup dipped pastry) and muhallebi (milk pudding). The most popular drink next to coffee is raki, a drink made of fermented grapes (not a wine).

Recreation--The most popular sport for both spectators and participants is soccer, which was introduced by the British in the 19th century. Volleyball, basketball, cycling, grease wrestling, traditional wrestling, swimming, and a variety of other sports are also enjoyed. Picnics are common family activities. August is the month for most vacations. During their leisure time, urban residents may watch television, eat out, visit others, or attend movies. Woman often do volunteer work. Rural women visit one another in their homes or watch television. Men throughout the country gather at teahouses (like cafes) so socialize. When at home, they also watch television. Folk dancing and other cultural arts are popular.

Health--The government provides basic health care, but it is not sufficient to meet the country's needs. Urban facilities are generally modern and adequate, but rural facilities are not as well equipped..Besides public health care, institutions such as the military, state owned enterprises, etc., provide care to their personnel. Reform measures have been introduced to address the most serious problems, including a relatively high infant mortality rate (46 per 1000) attributed to poor education about child care and the lack of family planning. The government seeks to reduce the figure to fewer than 30 by the year 2000 through improved child immunizations, prenatal care, education, and other programs. Life expectancy averages 72 years.

U - U.S.A.
Diet--It is difficult to name a national dish. The abundance of fast-food restaurants in the United States seems to indicate that the national foods are hamburgers, french fries, pizza, and chicken. While these foods are popular among most segments of the population, they reflect a busy lifestyle as much as preference. Americans eat beef pork, chicken, and other fowl in fairly large quantities, although eating habits have changed with health concerns. Fresh vegetables and fruits are available year-round. Americans consume large amounts of candy, ice cream, and other sweets. Most Americans will readily try any food, and culture easily adapts to new tastes.

Recreation--Baseball, basketball, and American football are the most popular spectator and participation sports. Public schools provide team sports for the youth. Professional sports are an important part of the culture. Americans also enjoy soccer, cycling, jogging, and aerobic exercising. Leisure activities include watching television, going to movies, picnicking, attending music concerts, and traveling.

Health--The health problems facing Americans are different than those in some other countries in that sedentary lifestyle and risky physical behavior are the two greatest causes of adult health problems. Most people must have private insurance to receive medical care without paying very high prices. The health network is extensive and modern, except in some rural areas. The United States is the only industrialized country in the world without a national (public) health-care system. Each state has its own regulations regarding health care, and there are some national standards as well. Public and private reform movements are changing how health care is provided and paid for. The United States is a world leader in medical research and training. The infant mortality rate is 8 per 1,000. Life expectancy ranges from 73 to 80 years.

V - Vietnam
Diet--White rice is eaten with every meal. A fermented fish sauce called nuoc mam is the main seasoning used for flavoring dishes or dipping food. The main meal includes rice, a salty dish (such as thit kho, pork cooked in fish broth), a vegetable dish (such as rau luoc, boiled vegetable ), and soup. Canh ca (fish and vegetable soup) is the most popular. Abundant local fruits include watermelon, papaya, bananas, and citrus fruits.

Recreation--Vietnamese men enjoy team sports such as volleyball and soccer. Badminton, table tennis, swimming, and tennis are popular in cities. Only young, unmarried women tend to engage in sports. Urban people of all ages like to get out early in the morning to jog, do tai chi or yoga, or exercise. Men play Chinese checkers in their leisure time. Rural people have less leisure but spend it in the company of friends and relatives. Traditional music is played on a variety of stringed instruments, such as dan tranh (multiple-string) dan bau )single-string), and dan vong (modified guitar). Rural people love traditional opera; cai luong in the south and hat cheo in the north.

Health--Vietnam's health-care system offers free or low-cost medical care to all people, but facilities are often inadequate, especially in rural areas. Every commune has a clinic, but it may lack modern medicine for other supplies. Traditional healing and natural medicines play an important role in health care. People grow herbs and use local raw materials to make medicine. Malnutrition affects a large proportion of rural children. Vietnam's infant mortality rate is 42 per 1,000; life expectancy ranges from 64 to 68 years.

Recreation--Soccer and basketball are the most popular sports among Palestinian Arabs. Playing cards, attending movies, and visiting friends are common activities. Camping is becoming a favorite way to spend leisure time. Gazan families enjoy having a barbecue on the beach. In fact, families often go to the beach in the evening to play, drink sodas, and relax. Adults love to socialize at coffeehouses or cafes, and many people attend performances of the cultural arts when possible. Many new cafes are being built, especially in Gaza.

Health--Health conditions are better in the West Bank than in Gaza. However, hospital and medical care are difficult to obtain in either region. Facilities that do exist are often inadequate. Health care is therefore another priority of the new Palestinian government.
The United Nations sponsors some medical care programs. The infant mortality rate is much higher in these areas than in the State of Israel. In Gaza it is 31 per 1,000, while in the West Bank it is 30 per 1,000. Life expectancy ranges from 66 to 71 years, depending on gender and territory.

Z - Zimbabwe
Diet--Sadza, a stiff porridge made from maize (cornmeal), is the staple food of most Zimbabweans and is served at nearly every meal. Various local vegetables serve as a garnish, and meat is eaten when available. In the cities, people tend to eat a more Western diet, including meat and potatoes or rice instead of sadza. Locally grown fruits, such as mangoes, bananas, melons, guavas, and papayas (pawpaws), are enjoyed at various times of the year. Tea is popular with meals and in the office, Zimbabwe's rich agricultural land usually produces enough food to feed the nation adequately, although the recent drought caused widespread hunger and suffering.

Recreation--Soccer is the favorite sport, but tennis, boxing, rugby, cricket, polo, bowling, field hockey, squash, golf, and horse racing are enthusiastically pursued by various segments of the population. Naturally, income and location help determine one's recreational activities. Swimming in open-air pools is a favorite pastime, but swimming in rivers and lakes is dangerous due to bilharzia (a parasite that has been carried in African rivers for centuries and infects the liver). People also enjoy watching television and going to movies.

Health--Towns and cities usually have good plumbing and sanitation systems. Rural areas often lack these, although improvements during the 1980s were substantial. The malarial mosquito has been eradicated in some areas but is still active in others. Yellow fever and other diseases are also widespread. All basic health services are free to the poor. People often turn to traditional healers for help with certain types of illnesses. The quality and availability of medical facilities varies between cities and rural areas. Clinics may be available but are usually underequipped. The infant mortality rate is 73 per 1,000. Life expectancy ranges from 41 to 45 years.