FAMINE

distre and starvation caused by dearth of food; may be caused by failure of harvest owing’ to insect pests, drought, or other unfavorable weather conditions, or by war, exce ive taxation, insufficient means of transport, or other difficulties in distributing food supplies. India’s liability to famine, which has occurred at intervals throughout the Christian era (e.g., 1022, 1344, 1770, 1790, 1876, 1900), is chiefly due to intensely tropical climate; preventive measures include promotion of irrigation, better transport, and agricultural improvements. Great famines occurred at Rome, 436 B. C.; in Egypt, 1064-72; in England, 1005, 1069; Ireland, 1822, 1846-7; China, 1877-8, 1888-9; Ru ia, 1891-2, 1905. Great modern famines have been those in China in 1920-22, and in Ru ia, 1921-23.