UN troops: trying to keep the peace.

Even critics of the UN acknowledge the good work it does in many areas, with peacekeeping one of the most critical.

UN peacekeeping observers were first deployed in 1948 to monitor an armistice between Israel. and neighboring Arab states. Since then, UN peacekeepers, who are citizens of member nations, have been deployed around the world. They serve as either unarmed observers or as lightly armed forces.

The job of the unarmed observers is to gather information about how parties to a conflict are adhering to a cease-fire or an armistice. The job of the armed peacekeepers is to keep warring parties separated and to maintain order.

The UN cannot prevent all conflict, but its presence in war zones has often brought fighting to a halt. In recognition of its efforts, the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces were awarded the Nobel Prize for peace in 1988.

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ANALYZE THE GRAPH

1. About how many more UN peacekeepers are on duty in Haiti than in Lebanon?

   (a) 5,000

   (b) 4,500

   (c) 6,000

   (d) 5,700

2. There are about four times as many UN peacekeepers in Cyprus as there are in Western Sahara, a region in West Africa not shown on the graph. About how many UN peacekeepers are in Western Sahara?

   (a) 250

   (b) 500

   (c) 600

   (d) 150

3. In two of the regions shown, UN peacekeepers are serving on or near the borders of two countries. What is the total number of peacekeepers serving in these two border regions?

   (a) 4,300

   (b) 2,500

   (c) 5,000

   (d) 1,500

4. Two of the regions shown on the graph have exactly one-half as many UN peacekeepers as in Lebanon. Which regions are these?

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5. About how many UN peacekeepers are serving in Kosovo, part of the former Yugoslavia?

   (a) 25,000

   (b)...